RELIV INTERNATIONAL INC - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

____________

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO

SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2017

(Mark One)

For the transition period from _________to_________

Commission File Number

000-19932

RELIV’ INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

(636) 537-9715

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes ☐     No ☑

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes ☐     No ☑

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 such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes ☑     No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files). Yes ☑     No ☐

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or 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. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer ☐        Accelerated filer ☐         Non-accelerated filer ☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller reporting company ☑         Emerging growth company ☐

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 registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes ☐     No ☑

Based upon the closing price of $8.78 per share of the registrant’s common stock as reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on June 30, 2017, the aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $9.9 million. (The determination of stock ownership by non-affiliates was made solely for the purpose of responding to the requirements of the Form and the registrant is not bound by this determination for any other purpose.)

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock as of March 19, 2018 was 1,845,160 (excluding treasury shares).

Documents Incorporated by Reference

INDEX  

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

            This annual report includes both historical and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future results. Words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” or similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Although we believe that our opinions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and our actual results may differ substantially from the views and expectations set forth in this annual report. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this annual report to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our opinions or expectations.

PART I

Item No. 1 - Business

Overview

We are a developer, manufacturer and marketer of a proprietary line of nutritional supplements addressing basic nutrition, specific wellness needs, weight management and sports nutrition. We sell our products through an international network marketing system using independent distributors. We have sold products in the United States since 1988 and in selected international markets since 1991.

We currently offer 18 nutritional supplements, and our product offering has selectively evolved over our history. Our core line of nutritional supplements which represented 59.3% of net sales for the year ended December 31, 2017, included the following five products:

Following the introduction of our LunaRich X capsules in 2013, we experienced a gradual shift in our product sales mix reflecting an increasing emphasis on Reliv NOW and LunaRich X capsules. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Reliv NOW constituted 21.1% of net product sales, and LunaRich X capsules represented 15.9%. The combination of Reliv NOW and LunaRich X capsules have increasingly become the focus of our product strategy. As a result of this strategy, we offer a Super Pack product kit that contains four cans of Reliv NOW and four bottles of LunaRich X each containing 60 capsules. We also offer a Super Pack kit with Reliv Classic instead of Reliv NOW. The Super Pack was designed as a simple, focused approach that capitalizes on our most popular products and provides an entry point at a 25% discount for new distributors who want to build a business.

In February 2017, we launched our Fit3 fitness and weight loss program in the United States to broaden and bolster our weight management offering, and to appeal to a broader demographic than our essential nutrition. The Fit3 program consists of three principal components: (1) nutrition coaching, (2) exercise coaching and videos, and (3) three fitness products: Active, Burn and Purify. The Fit3 program involves our most interactive offering for distributors and customers, including a separate website with independent content and a focused social media outreach and support initiative. We offer a Fit Kit that includes a 90-day supply of the Fit3 products and access to the information, tools and videos we offer through the program. We believe the Fit3 program provides an attractive alternate entry point for new distributors or customers who are more interested in weight loss and fitness than our essential nutrition or targeted solutions.

We periodically refine our products and introduce related new products and product categories. Our internal research and development team has developed most of our products, and we hold U.S. patents on five of these products —ReversAge, GlucAffect, ProVantage, 24K and CardioSentials. We also own several U.S. and international patents and patent applications related to lunasin through our acquisition of the lunasin technology in September 2016.

We believe that our network marketing model is the best method for the marketing and sale of our products because it utilizes ongoing personal contact among our distributors and their retail customers. This enables our distributors to communicate directly regarding the products, the business opportunity we offer and their personal experiences with both. We provide our distributors with a financially rewarding and entrepreneurial business opportunity, affording them the ability to earn compensation both from the direct sale of products and from sales volume generated by distributors they sponsor. We actively support our distributors by providing marketing materials, a dependable product fulfillment system and frequent educational, training and motivational programs.

The majority of our sales traditionally has been, and is expected to continue to be, made through our distributors in the United States. We also currently generate sales through distributor networks in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and the United Kingdom. In each country in which we conduct business, our distributors operate under a business and compensation model that maintains consistent marketing, sales, fulfillment, and compliance procedures. As of December 31, 2017, our network consisted of approximately 33,620 distributors and preferred customers —23,050 in the United States and 10,570 across our international markets.

We manufacture nearly all of our powdered nutritional supplements and all of our encapsulated products at our facility in Chesterfield, Missouri. We believe our ability to formulate and manufacture our own nutritional supplements enables us to produce our products efficiently while maintaining our high standards of quality assurance and proprietary product composition.

Industry Overview

Nutritional Supplement Market 

We operate primarily in the $41.1 billion U.S. nutritional supplement market which is up 5.9% from the prior year. This is part of the broader $140 billion U.S. nutrition industry according to data published by the Nutrition Business Journal, or NBJ, and an estimated $320.0 billion global nutrition industry, also according to the NBJ. Additionally, more than 170 million Americans, or 76% of all U.S. adults, take dietary supplements annually according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, an increase of 5 percentage points from 2016.

A combination of demographic, healthcare and lifestyle trends are expected to drive continued growth in the nutritional supplement market. These trends include:

Direct Selling Market

Health and nutrition products are distributed through various market means, including retailers such as supermarkets, drugstores, mass merchants and specialty retailers; direct marketers such as mail order companies and Internet retailers; and direct sellers such as network marketers and healthcare practitioners. We distribute our products through the direct selling channel via our network marketers.

Direct selling involves the marketing of products and services directly to consumers in a person-to-person manner. Direct selling is a significant global industry largely utilized for the sale of a wide range of consumer products from companies such as Avon Products Inc., Alticor Global Holdings, Inc. (Amway Corp.) and Tupperware Brands Corporation. According to the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, or WFDSA, the 2016 global direct selling market (for all product categories) was estimated to be $182.6 billion, an increase from $179.1 billion in 2015. The WFDSA estimates that the number of individuals engaged in direct selling has nearly tripled between 1999 and 2016, from 35.9 million sellers to 107.3 million in 2016. The United States had 20.5 million direct sellers in 2016, the most of any country. Globally, wellness products came in as the top selling category, the second year in a row that it has come in ahead of cosmetics and personal care.

While the United States is currently the largest direct selling market with $35.5 billion in annual sales in 2016, international markets account for 81% of the entire industry, according to the WFDSA. Twenty-four countries (including the United States) have annual direct sales revenue of at least $1 billion and another twenty-nine have annual direct sales revenue of at least $100 million, according to the WFDSA.

We believe that we are well positioned to capitalize on the world-wide growth trends in direct sales, as both a developer and manufacturer of proprietary nutritional products, utilizing our network marketing distribution system.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that we possess a number of competitive strengths that are the keys to our growth and profitability in the future.

Leading Marketer of Bioavailable Lunasin-Containing Products. We own certain technology and proprietary testing and manufacturing processes that allow us to produce LunaRich X, to our knowledge, the only commercial source of soy concentrate with elevated levels of bioactive lunasin. One 310 mg capsule of LunaRich X contains an amount of lunasin equivalent to 25 grams of high quality soy protein. In addition to our LunaRich X capsules, we fortified seven other nutritional supplements with LunaRich X so that a serving of those products yields an amount of bioactive lunasin equivalent to consuming 25 grams of soy protein. The products fortified with LunaRich X are Reliv NOW, Reliv NOW for Kids, ProVantage, GlucAffect, SoySentials, Slimplicity and Fit3 Active.

Complete, Simple Nutrition. We focus on the completeness, balance and simplicity of our basic nutritional supplements — Reliv Classic or Reliv NOW — combined with LunaRich X. Our recommended daily regimen of essential nutrition for any new distributor or customer is one shake of either Reliv NOW or Reliv Classic and two capsules of LunaRich X. Our two basic nutritional supplements each contain a full and balanced blend of vitamins, minerals, proteins and herbs supporting an individual’s daily nutritional needs and our LunaRich X capsules support an individual’s wellness at the epigenetic level. The combination of Reliv NOW or Reliv Classic and LunaRich X makes supplementation simple and effective for the consumer. For more specific individual needs, we provide 15 additional supplements. We believe that our two basic nutritional supplements, together with LunaRich X and our additional supplements, enhance the ability of our distributors to build their businesses by providing a comprehensive, simple product offering.

In-House Development and Production. We utilize nutrition science as the basis for product formulation. We maintain an ongoing research and development effort led by Carl W. Hastings, Ph.D., our Chief Scientific Officer and Vice Chairman. Since 1993, we have manufactured substantially all of our nutritional products at our facility in Chesterfield, Missouri. In 2015, we installed an encapsulator and bottling line to produce our encapsulated products, and in 2017, we installed a canister line to produce our Active product and potentially other products as we transition our product packaging from cardboard cans to plastic canisters. We outsource production of our ready-to-drink product, 24K. We believe our ability to formulate and manufacture nearly all of our nutritional supplement products enables us to maintain our high standards of quality assurance and proprietary product composition.

Experienced Ambassador Team. Our Ambassador corps consists of distributors who have achieved the level of Master Director, have earned royalty payments of at least $4,000 in consecutive months and meet our leadership and character criteria necessary to garner our invitation to be an Ambassador. Our Ambassadors generally are our most productive distributors and are essential in recruiting, motivating and training our entire distributor network. We, and our Ambassadors, lead hundreds of annual events throughout all of our markets to motivate and train distributors, including regular recruiting meetings, trainings, conference calls, training schools for Master Affiliates and higher levels and regional, national and international distributor conferences.

Experienced and Incentivized Management Team. Our management team is led by our founder, Robert L. Montgomery, who has been our Chief Executive Officer since the inception of our company in 1985. Our executive officers have been employed by our company for an average of 22 years and are experienced in their areas of focus, which include manufacturing, sales, finance, marketing and operations. As of March 19, 2018, our directors and executive officers beneficially own approximately 39.1% of our common stock.

Our Business Strategy

Our basic objective is to increase our net sales by adding customers and distributors, increasing the productivity of our distributors, and by periodically improving our existing products and introducing new products. We also intend to invest in our infrastructure to improve our operating efficiencies, provide better service to our customers and distributors and leverage our current operating facilities to improve our profitability. We seek to accomplish these objectives by employing the following strategic initiatives:

Leverage and Expand our Existing Distributor Base Throughout the United States. The United States has been and will continue to be our largest market. Our growth strategy in the United States involves multiple initiatives, such as the launch in early 2017 of our Fit3 product line and fitness program, continued investment in company-sponsored events and distributor training and better utilization of our upper-level distributors across different geographical areas to increase our distributor base.

Increase Appeal to Broader Demographic. Traditionally, our customer and distributor demographic has skewed towards baby boomers and older individuals searching for nutritional solutions to supplement their diet and support overall wellness.  While continuing to maintain our focus on the needs of this important segment, we believe there is an opportunity to expand our sales and distributor base by increasing our appeal to younger generations interested in nutrition and an active healthy lifestyle.  In February 2017, we launched our Fit3 product line and fitness program aimed at individuals seeking to improve their fitness levels and incorporate healthier options into their daily routines. We believe the nutritional and fitness aspects of Fit3 will attract health conscious on-the-go individuals, many of whom fall within the under-40 demographic.  Further, we maintain an active presence on popular social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and several other social networks that are popular with younger generations.  Our internal social media team is comprised of Gen X and Gen Y staffers who regularly interact with distributors, customers and prospects. We plan to continue to develop products and programs and expand our technology offerings in an effort to further appeal to younger generations interested in healthy active lifestyles and a vibrant evolving business opportunity.

Expand in Existing and New International Markets. We believe there is a significant opportunity to increase our net sales in international markets. We have a business model that is compatible across all of our markets and encourages our distributors to pursue their business in multiple markets. We believe this business model supports expansion of our distributor network in our existing international markets and will provide a framework that facilitates our entry into new international markets. To that end, we continue to monitor business conditions in potential new markets and will selectively expand as timing and conditions are appropriate.

Invest in Improved and New Products. As a developer of nutritional supplements, it is vital to continue to invest in the research and development of new and innovative products. For example, in January 2017, we introduced our Fit3 line of products and in January 2013 we launched LunaRich X to support heart health and overall wellness. Additionally, we will continue to improve and validate the efficacy of our existing product line. These types of investments should facilitate customer and distributor retention, as well as the recruitment of new distributors.

Expand and Improve our Manufacturing and Distribution Capabilities. We currently manufacture all of our powdered nutritional supplements and our encapsulated products at our facility in Chesterfield, Missouri. This allows us to precisely control product composition and quality assurance as well as better manage inventory levels. Periodically, we make appropriate investments that enhance our manufacturing capabilities and capacity to further leverage our existing facilities and trained production staff. In mid-2017, we installed a canister line in our facilities to produce Active and allow us the option to transition the packaging of our other products to a plastic canister. In the second half of 2014, we purchased and installed an encapsulation production line. We expect to continue to make appropriate investments in our manufacturing and fulfillment facilities.

Our Products

Product Overview

Our product line includes nutritional supplements that address basic nutrition, specific wellness needs, weight management and sports nutrition. We combine ingredients from science and nature in targeted, well-balanced, easy-to-use formulas that are specifically designed to enhance wellness and increase performance and energy in specific applications. All but four of our supplements are in powdered form that the consumer mixes with water, juice or other liquid. 24K is a ready-to-drink nutritional supplement and LunaRich X, Burn and Purify are available in capsule form.   

We currently offer 18 nutritional supplements. Our basic nutritional supplements are formulated to provide a balanced and complete level of supplementation for the consumer. For more specific needs, we provide other focused product formulations. We have purposely been selective in the number and types of products that we offer. By providing a line of targeted products, we make it simple for our distributors and consumers to choose products appropriate for their objectives. We consider four of our oldest and best selling products — Reliv Classic, Reliv NOW, Innergize!, and FibRestore — along with LunaRich X capsules to be our primary or “core” products.

The following table summarizes our product categories as of December 31, 2017. The net sales figures are for the year ended December 31, 2017:    

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Basic Nutrition Supplements  

                Our three basic nutrition supplements provide consumers with a broad spectrum of essential nutrients. Every formulation is specifically designed to optimize and enhance the benefits of the nutrients it contains.

•      Reliv NOW is a nutritional supplement containing a variety of vitamins and minerals, soy and various herbs. Reliv NOW is available in every country where we operate. In Australia, the product is marketed as Nourish.

•      Reliv Classic is a nutritional supplement containing a variety of vitamins and minerals, soy and various herbs. It is a vegetarian product that contains no animal compounds, artificial preservatives, artificial flavors or added simple sugars. Reliv Classic is available in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

•      NOW for Kids is a product designed to provide a balanced nutritional supplement for a child’s diet and contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. NOW for Kids is available in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, Mexico, Malaysia and the Philippines. In Australia, the product is marketed as Nourish for Kids.

Specific Wellness Supplements

                Our line of eight specific wellness supplements contains specific compounds that target certain nutritional needs. Each product is intended to work in conjunction with our basic nutritional supplement formulas to provide an effective and balanced method for sustaining health and well-being.

•      ReversAge is a patented youth-promoting nutritional supplement designed to slow down the effects of the aging process. Three proprietary complexes form the foundation of the supplement: longevity complex, antioxidant complex and herbal complex. The longevity complex is restorative and designed to replenish key hormones while creating balance within the body’s major systems; the antioxidant complex is designed to slow aging at the cellular level; and the herbal complex delivers a variety of herbs, including Ginkgo Biloba and Maca. ReversAge is available in every country where we operate except Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Ireland. In Canada, the product is marketed as Nutriversal.

•      SoySentials is a nutritional supplement containing soy as well as other vitamins, minerals and herbs designed for use by women. SoySentials provides a woman with key nutrients targeted to promote women’s health and ease the symptoms of menopause and PMS. SoySentials is available in the United States and Mexico.

•      CardioSentials is a patented berry-flavored nutritional supplement that promotes heart health. The product contains 1,500 mg of phytosterols per serving, policosanol and several powerful antioxidants. In a clinical study of this product, participants experienced meaningful reductions in cholesterol as well as improvement in their high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, ratios. CardioSentials is available only in the United States.

•      Arthaffect is a nutritional supplement containing Arthred, a form of hydrolyzed collagen protein, which is clinically reported to support healthy joint function. The product is available in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Canada. The product is marketed as A-Affect in Australia, New Zealand and Canada due to local product regulations.

•      FibRestore is a nutritional supplement containing fiber, vitamins, minerals and herbs. A modified version of the FibRestore formula is marketed in Canada under the name Herbal Harmony to comply with Canada’s nutritional regulations. FibRestore is available in all of the countries in which we operate.

•      GlucAffect is a patented cinnamon cream flavored nutritional supplement designed to support healthy blood sugar levels. GlucAffect contains Pycnogenol® and other clinically supported active ingredients. GlucAffect has been clinically proven to assist in healthy blood sugar management and support weight loss. GlucAffect is available in the United States.

•      24K is a patented ready-to-drink healthy energy product. 24K is our first ready-to-drink nutritional supplement available in a multi-serving 30-ounce bottle and in a two-ounce double serving bottle. 24K is formulated with a synergistic blend of 24 active ingredients designed to enhance the body’s natural vitality and provide energy, focus and stress relief. It contains no caffeine and only 5 calories per serving. 24K is available only in the United States.

•      LunaRich X is a nutritional supplement available in capsule form and comes in a bottle of 60 or 120 capsules. LunaRich X is a soy concentrate with elevated levels of bioactive lunasin, a soy peptide shown to have heart health and wellness benefits. LunaRich X is currently available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and New Zealand. The product is marketed as LunaRich C in Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Ireland due to local regulations.

Weight Management Supplements

                Our five weight management supplements combine advanced weight loss promoting complexes with scientifically balanced nutrition and protein for muscle development and toning. Our ingredients are designed to work together, along with proper diet and exercise, to turn unwanted fat into energy without sacrificing muscle mass.

•     Active is a nutritional supplement designed as the protein, energy and recovery product for use in our Fit3 program introduced in February 2017. Active combines a three-protein blend of whey, casein and non-GMO soy with active ingredients to support weight loss, physical performance and energy when combined with healthy eating and exercise. Active is currently available in the United States.

•      Burn is a nutritional supplement in our Fit 3 program that promotes weight loss when combined with healthy eating and exercise through a targeted fat-burning formula. Burn is available in the United States.

•      Purify is a nutritional supplement in our Fit3 program that contains probiotics and liver and metabolic supporting ingredients intended to cleanse the digestive system and allow maximum absorption and metabolic efficiency. Purify is available in the United States.

•      Reliv ReShape is designed as a meal replacement or a nutritious snack delivering 12 grams of protein.  Reliv ReShape is only sold in Australia and New Zealand. 

•      Reliv Ultrim-Plus is designed as a meal replacement (for a maximum of two meals per day) for use in a weight loss program.  Reliv Ultrim-Plus is sold only in Mexico. 

Sports Nutrition Supplements

Our two sports nutrition supplements contain a balance of nutrients scientifically designed to improve athletic performance and endurance, as well as muscle recovery and repair.

Research and Development

We maintain an ongoing research and development effort, led by Carl W. Hastings, Ph.D., and consult with other industry professionals with respect to developments in nutritional science, product enhancements and new products. Since 2011, we have introduced five nutritional supplement products, including 24K, LunaRich X, Active, Burn and Purify. From time to time, we reformulate and enhance our products. Our research and development team consistently evaluates product advancements in the marketplace and advancements in raw materials and ingredients available for new product ideas and developments.

For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, our research and development expenses were $488,000 and $694,000, respectively.

SL Technology, Inc.

In mid-2013, we formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, SL Technology, Inc. (“SLTI”) for the purpose of entering into a Technology License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Soy Labs, LLC (“Soy Labs”). Pursuant to this License Agreement, Soy Labs granted SLTI an exclusive license for its intellectual property related to its soy concentrate with elevated levels of bioactive lunasin and other soy-related ingredients. The license covered an issued patent and several patent applications related to lunasin and soy-related peptides, proprietary information and manufacturing processes of Soy Labs.

In September 2016, we entered into a letter agreement with Soy Labs to acquire sole ownership of intellectual property subject to the License Agreement.  In consideration for acceleration of the final payment under the License Agreement, Soy Labs transferred all rights, title and interest in the technology to us and terminated any of our future royalty obligations under the License Agreement.

Network Marketing Program

General Overview

We market and sell our products through a network marketing system of independent distributors, who purchase our products from us, or from other distributors, and who then sell our products directly to consumers. In addition to selling our products, our distributors also recruit others to distribute our products. Distributors receive compensation from both the sale of the products they have purchased at wholesale and, in the case of Master Affiliates and above, commissions on the volume of products sold by their downline organization. We believe network marketing is an effective way to distribute our products because it allows and relies on personal contact, education and endorsement of products which are not as readily available through other distribution channels.

We recognize that our sales growth is based on the continued development and growth of our independent distributor force and we strive to maintain an active and motivated distributor network through a combination of quality products, and a business opportunity with distributor discounts, commissions and bonus payments, sales conventions, training, personal recognition and a variety of publications and promotional materials.

Program Structure  

Individuals that do not wish to become distributors, but want to purchase products directly from the company may enroll as retail or preferred customers, so long as they are sponsored by an existing distributor. We created a Preferred Customer program in the United States and Canada, effective February 1, 2016. Those wishing to join as a preferred customer may enroll for an annual fee of $10, for which they receive a 10% discount from the retail prices of our products.

Individuals who desire to market and sell our products may become distributors by being sponsored into the program by an existing distributor, and becoming part of that distributor’s “downline.” We offer a tiered discount and commission, or royalty, format that consists of four principal levels and several sub-levels, which are designed to compensate and motivate distributors to increase their networks and sales volumes.

Our distributors consist principally of individuals, although we also permit entities such as corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and trusts to become distributors. A new distributor is required to complete a distributor application and, in most areas, to purchase a package of distributor materials (for $40 plus sales tax in the United States, as of February 1, 2016) consisting of a Distributor Guide and CD, business forms and promotional materials. The Distributor Agreement, when accepted by us, becomes the contract between us and the distributor and obligates the distributor to the terms of the agreement, which includes our Policies and Procedures for conduct of their business. All distributors are independent contractors and are not our employees.

In each country in which we conduct business, distributors operate under a compensation system pursuant to which distributors generally are compensated based on their sales volumes. On the basis of sales volume or commission volume, distributors may achieve the following successive levels of achievement and compensation:

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Distributors purchase products from us at a discount from the suggested retail price for the products and then may sell the product at retail to customers, sell the product to other distributors at wholesale or consume the product. The amount of the discount varies depending on the distributor’s level of achievement, as indicated above.

Distributors generate income equal to the difference between the price at which they sell the product to customers and the discounted price they pay for the product. Distributors also earn wholesale commissions on products purchased by downline distributors in the distributor’s sponsored group equal to the difference between the price at which the distributor is entitled to purchase product and the price at which downline distributors purchase product. We calculate payments and issue a check directly to the qualified distributor once a month. For example, assume Distributor A is a 40% discount Master Affiliate who signs up Distributor B, a 30% discount Key Affiliate, who signs up Distributor C, a 10% discount Retail Distributor. If Distributor C purchases directly from us, a 10% wholesale profit check will be sent to Distributor A and a 20% wholesale profit check will be sent to Distributor B.

Upon achieving the level of Master Affiliate, distributors begin to receive additional compensation — “generation royalty” — payments of 8%, 6%, 4%, 3% and 2% of the retail volume of product purchased from us by Master Affiliates and above (and their personal groups) whom they have sponsored, and for each of five downline levels of sponsorship. To qualify for these additional compensation payments, Master Affiliates and above are required to maintain certain monthly sales volumes.

Master Affiliates who sponsor other distributors that achieve the level of Master Affiliate are entitled to become part of the Director Program. Advancement at the Director level is based upon achieving increasing levels of royalties based on sales generated by other distributors in the Director’s downline organization. Distributors achieving each level receive recognition for their achievements at our company-sponsored events and in our publications. We also have a Star Director Program under which distributors achieving the level of Director and above receive additional compensation based on the number of Master Affiliates they have sponsored into the program. Directors receive an additional 1% to 3% royalty on the retail sales volume of Master Affiliates in their downline organization for an unlimited number of levels of sponsorship, until reaching a level that includes a Master Affiliate who also has achieved Star Director status.

Master Directors and Presidential Directors may also be invited to participate in the Ambassador Program. Qualifications to be invited by us to participate in the Ambassador Program include demonstrated competence and leadership qualities. Ambassadors receive recognition and awards for achieving Ambassador status and can then achieve additional levels of accomplishment. We utilize our Ambassadors to lead meetings and conferences, and to provide training and education to our distributors. Ambassadors achieving the level of Silver and higher also participate in the “Reliv Inner Circle,” which may entitle them to receive additional compensation, paid participation in our sponsored events, health insurance and car allowances.

In addition to the levels of compensation described, we also provide a variety of incentives, bonuses, awards and trips to distributors who achieve high sales volumes and who advance in the distributor ranks.

Distributor Training, Motivation and Management

Our marketing efforts are focused on the development, training, motivation and support of our independent distributors. We support an active training program for our distributors in which our representatives and experienced distributors, usually Ambassadors, lead group training sessions. We provide distributors with manuals, brochures and other promotional, training and informational publications. We encourage distributors to hold regular weekly recruiting meetings and training sessions. We sponsor weekly training conference calls in which a significant number of distributors participate.

Our sponsorship generally includes the following:

During 2017, we invested approximately $1.25 million in training, conferences and promotional events for our distributors worldwide compared with $1.59 million in 2016.

Distributor Compliance

Our distributor organization and business model are designed and intended to promote the sale of our products to consumers by distributors. Sales training and promotional efforts emphasize that intention. To that end, we monitor purchases by distributors to identify potentially excessive individual purchases and keep detailed information regarding customer purchases through our corporate shopping cart and as part of our autoship program. Distributors are not required at any time to purchase product, although Master Affiliates and above are required to maintain certain minimum sales levels in their personal groups to continue receiving generation royalty compensation payments.

Distributors may create their own advertising provided that it is within our advertising rules. Unless a distributor is using our designed and approved advertisements, the distributor must submit for approval in writing all advertising (e.g. brochures, flyers, audio tapes, classified or display ads, radio scripts) to our Compliance Department before placing it or arranging for placement.

Pursuant to our Policies and Procedures, which are incorporated by reference into our Distributor Agreement, distributors are permitted to make only those claims about our products that have been approved by us and/or provided in sales and training materials. Distributors acknowledge that our products are not represented as drugs and they are not authorized to make any diagnosis of any medical condition, make drug-type claims for, or prescribe our products to treat or cure, any disease or condition. We do not authorize or permit our distributors to make any express or implied references with regard to our products that they cure, prevent or relieve disease, replace or augment medication, provide therapy, promote healing, alleviate illnesses or symptoms of illnesses, or make any other medical claims for specific ailments.

In order to comply with regulations that apply to both us and our distributors, we conduct considerable research into the applicable regulatory framework prior to entering any new market to identify all necessary licenses and approvals and applicable limitations on operations in that market. We devote substantial resources to obtaining the necessary licenses and approvals and maintaining operations that are in compliance with the applicable limitations. We also research laws applicable to distributor operations and revise or alter distributor materials and products, as required by applicable regulations in each market.

Regulations in existing and new markets often are ambiguous and subject to considerable interpretive and enforcement discretion by the responsible regulators. In addition, regulations affecting our business often change and are subject to varying interpretation and application. We make every effort to monitor and comply with changes in laws and regulations as they occur.

We have a Compliance Department that receives and reviews allegations of distributor misconduct. If we determine that a distributor has violated our Policies and Procedures, we may take a number of disciplinary actions. For example, we may impose sanctions such as warnings or suspensions until specific conditions are satisfied, or take other appropriate actions at our discretion, including termination of the distributor’s agreement.

Geographic Presence

Markets

We currently sell our products throughout the United States and in 14 other countries around the world. We have sold products in the United States since 1988 and our first product outside of the United States in 1991 when we entered Australia. In 2017, approximately 22.3% of our net sales were generated outside of the United States.

The table below shows the countries in which we operate and the year we commenced selling products:  

______________________

⁽¹⁾      Includes Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.      

Within the United States, we sell our products to distributors in all 50 states. We derived 42.8% of our domestic net sales in 2017 in California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Ohio, and Florida, with each state contributing at least 4% of net sales. We believe that there is the opportunity to increase the number of our distributors in all markets where we sell our products.

We organize all of our international operations under our wholly owned subsidiary, Reliv’ World. As of December 31, 2017, Reliv’ World consisted of the following market-specific entities: Reliv’ Australia, Reliv’ New Zealand, Reliv’ Canada, Reliv’ Mexico, Reliv’ Europe, Reliv’ Philippines, Reliv’ Malaysia, Reliv’ Singapore, and PT Reliv’ Indonesia. We have utilized this method of separate corporations in most of our markets, as local business licensing and product approvals require a local legal entity.

We believe that there is a significant opportunity to increase sales in our current international markets, as a whole. We have established a substantially consistent business model and compensation plan across all of our markets, and we continue to support our international markets with additional marketing programs and materials.

In addition to increasing sales in current international markets, our expansion strategy targets selected new foreign markets, when appropriate.

New Market Entry Process

When conditions warrant, we evaluate new markets for our products. In order to do so, we perform an analysis of synergies between new and existing countries and distributor presence or interest in new markets, market conditions, regulatory conditions, product approval procedures and competition before selecting markets to enter. Once we decide to enter a new market, we first hire local legal counsel and/or a consultant with appropriate expertise to:

Where regulatory approval in a foreign market is required, we utilize local counsel and/or consultants to work with regulatory agencies to confirm that all of the ingredients in our products are permissible within the new market. Where reformulation of one or more of our products is required, we attempt to obtain substitute or replacement ingredients. During the regulatory compliance process, we may alter the formulation, packaging, branding or labeling of our products to conform to applicable regulations as well as local variations in customs and consumer habits, and we may modify some aspects of our network marketing system as necessary to comply with applicable regulations.

Following completion of the regulatory compliance phase, we undertake the steps necessary to meet the operations requirements of the new market. In the majority of our new markets, we establish a sales center in a major city and provide for product purchases by telephone and/or pick up. Product is shipped to the purchaser from a warehouse located in the general geographic market or the distributor may walk in to the local office and purchase products, if a pick up center is available. In addition, we initiate plans to satisfy inventory, personnel and transportation requirements of the new market, and we modify our distributor materials, recordings, videos and other training materials as necessary to be suitable for the new market.

In some countries, regulations applicable to the activities of our distributors also may affect our business because in some countries we are, or regulators may assert that we are, responsible for our distributors’ conduct. In these countries, regulators may request or require that we take steps to ensure that our distributors comply with local regulations.

Manufacturing

We established a manufacturing line at our headquarters facility in Chesterfield, Missouri and began to manufacture all of our nutritional supplements in early 1993. We expanded our Chesterfield facility in 1997 to now include 126,000 square feet of total space. At this facility, we manufacture all of our powdered nutritional supplements and encapsulated products for distribution both domestically and internationally. Currently, our 24K product is manufactured by a third party. In 2017, we installed a canister production line to produce Active and any other products we determine to produce in a plastic canister versus our traditional cardboard can.

Our ability to manufacture nearly all of our nutritional supplements is a competitive advantage over competitors not engaged in manufacturing and contributes to our ability to provide high-quality products. Our product manufacturing includes identifying suppliers of raw materials, acquiring the finest quality raw materials, blending exact amounts of raw materials into batches, and packaging and labeling the finished products. Since we carefully select our ingredient suppliers, we are able to control the quality of raw materials and our finished products. We have not experienced any significant difficulty in obtaining supplies of raw materials for our nutritional supplements or finished product of our 24K or Active products. By monitoring and testing products at all stages of the manufacturing process, we precisely control product composition. In addition, we believe we can more efficiently control costs by manufacturing nearly all of our nutritional supplements.

Fulfillment

Distributors and their customers order product in either case lots or individual units of each product and pay for the goods prior to shipment. We also have a preferred customer plan that allows these customers to purchase product at a 10% discount for an annual enrollment fee of $10. We also offer a monthly or quarterly autoship program for distributors and customers. Product is shipped directly to the distributor or customer and upline distributors earn wholesale profits or, if applicable, a commission on all sales.    

In the United States, our products are warehoused at our Chesterfield facility and shipped by common carrier to distributors and customers upon order. Our facility in Chesterfield, Missouri serves all parts of the country. Our products are also warehoused in, and shipped to local distributors from: Sydney, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Oakville, Canada; Guadalajara, Mexico; Redditch (Birmingham), England; Makati (Manila), Philippines; Subang Jaya (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia; Singapore; and Jakarta, Indonesia. With the exception of our Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore subsidiaries, each of our subsidiaries maintains an office and personnel to receive, record, and fill orders from distributors. Distributors in Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands order and receive product from our UK-based subsidiary.

We maintain a policy that unused product may be returned by a customer to the selling distributor for a full refund or exchange within 30 days after purchase. We also maintain a policy that any distributor who terminates his or her distributorship may return saleable product which was purchased from us within twelve months of the termination for a refund of 100% of the purchase price less any compensation received relating to the purchase of the products. We believe this buyback policy addresses and satisfies a number of regulatory compliance issues pertaining to network marketing systems.

Historically, product returns and buy backs have not been significant. Product returns and buy backs have been approximately 0.25% and 0.20% of net sales in 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Intellectual Property

Our formulas are protected as trade secrets and, to the extent necessary, by confidentiality agreements. In addition, we have obtained U.S. patents on five products as set forth below:

In addition to our patented formulas, we own three U.S. patents, 13 international patents and two patent applications related to our soy concentrate ingredient with elevated levels of bioactive lunasin, the key ingredient in our LunaRich X product. Further, we utilize a proprietary production process to produce our soy concentrate that we protect as a trade secret, along with the bioassay to determine the bioavailability of lunasin in our products.

Currently, we have 14 trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, including Reliv and the names of 12 of our 18 nutritional products. Reliv NOW for Kids, LunaRich X, ReShape, Active, Burn and Purify are not registered with the USPTO. Cellebrate and Slimplicity trademarks have been abandoned due to their discontinuance. Trademark registrations for selected marks have been issued or applied for in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany and several other foreign countries that offer network marketing opportunities. We consider our trademarks to be an important asset of our business.

Regulation  

Product Regulation  

The formulation, manufacturing, labeling and advertising or promotion of our products are subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, which regulates our products under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or FDCA, the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, and various agencies of the states or countries into which our products are shipped or sold. FDA regulations include requirements and limitations with respect to the labeling of our food products and also with respect to the formulation of those products. FDA regulations also limit and control the extent to which health or other claims can be made with respect to the efficacy of any food or cosmetic. The FDCA has been amended several times with respect to dietary supplements, most recently by the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, or NLEA, and the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, or DSHEA, and related regulations. Such legislation governs the formulation, manufacturing, marketing and sale of nutritional supplements, including the content and presentation of health-related information included on the labels or labeling of nutritional supplements.

The majority of the products we market are classified as dietary supplements under the FDCA. Dietary supplements such as those we manufacture and sell, for which no “drug” claim is made, are not subject to FDA approval prior to their sale. However, DSHEA established a pre-market notification process for dietary supplements that contain a “new dietary ingredient,” or NDI, a term that is defined as “a dietary ingredient that was not marketed in the United States before October 15, 1994,” the date on which DSHEA was signed into law. Certain NDIs that have been “present in the food supply” are exempt from the notification requirement. For those NDIs that are not exempt, DSHEA requires the manufacturer or distributor of a dietary supplement containing an NDI to submit to the FDA, at least 75 days prior to marketing, a notification containing the basis for concluding that the dietary supplement containing the NDI will “reasonably be expected to be safe.” Dietary supplement products can be removed from the market if shown to be unsafe, or if the FDA determines, based on the labeling of products, that the intended use of the product is for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. The FDA can regulate those products as “drugs” and require premarket approval of a “new drug application.” Manufacturers of dietary supplements that make any claims for dietary supplements, including product performance and health benefit claims must have substantiation that the statements are truthful and not misleading.

In January 2000, the FDA published a final rule that defines the types of statements that can be made concerning the effect of a dietary supplement on the structure or function of the body pursuant to DSHEA. Under DSHEA, dietary supplement labeling may bear “structure/function” claims, which are claims that the products affect the structure or function of the body, without prior FDA approval. They may not, without prior FDA approval, bear a claim that they can prevent, treat, cure, mitigate or diagnose disease, otherwise known as a “drug claim.” The final rule describes how the FDA will distinguish drug claims from structure/function claims. Dietary supplements, like conventional foods, are also permitted to make “health claims,” which are claims that are exempt from regulation as “drug” claims pursuant to the amendments to the FDCA established by the NLEA in 1990. A “health claim” is a claim, ordinarily approved by FDA regulation, on a food or dietary supplement product’s labeling that “characterizes the relationship of any substance to a disease or health-related condition.” To help assure that foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics comply with the provisions of the FDCA and FDA’s regulations, the FDA has numerous enforcement tools, including the ability to issue warning letters, initiate product seizures and injunctions and pursue criminal penalties.

The manufacture of dietary supplements is subject to existing FDA current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, regulations for food. In June 2007, the FDA issued regulations relating to more detailed cGMP specifically for dietary supplements. Under these regulations, we qualify as a small business and became subject to the regulations in June 2009. We are periodically audited by the FDA and believe our systems and facilities in Chesterfield are in full compliance with cGMP.

Advertisements for our products are subject to regulation by the FTC. The FTC prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce and provides that the dissemination of any false advertisement pertaining to drugs, cosmetics or foods, including dietary supplements, is an unfair or deceptive practice. Under the FTC’s substantiation doctrine, an advertiser must have a “reasonable basis” for all claims made about a product. The failure to be able to adequately substantiate claims may be considered either deceptive or unfair practices. In order to avoid a violation of the FTC standards, we endeavor to assure that we have adequate substantiation for all advertising claims made for our products. In addition, the FTC has increased its scrutiny of the use of distributor testimonials. Although it is impossible for us to monitor all the product claims made by our independent distributors, we make efforts to monitor distributor testimonials and restrict inappropriate distributor claims. The FTC has been more aggressive in pursuing enforcement against dietary supplement products since the passage of DSHEA in 1994, and has brought numerous actions against dietary supplement companies, some resulting in several million dollar civil penalties and/or restitution as well as court-ordered injunctions.

We are aware that there is adverse publicity in many markets, including the United States, concerning foods that are grown from genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. In some markets, the possibility of health risks thought to be associated with GMOs has prompted proposed or actual governmental regulation. Nearly all ingredients in our formulas are non-GMO.  We use non-GMO ingredients when required by governmental regulations and strive to use non-GMO ingredients in every other instance when commercially feasible and available.  We believe compliance with regulatory requirements in this area should not have a material adverse effect on our business.

Sales Program Regulation

Our distribution and sales program is subject to regulation by the FTC and other federal and state regulation as well as regulations in several countries in which we conduct business. Various state agencies regulate multi-level distribution services. We are required to register with, and submit information to, certain of such agencies and we believe we have complied fully with such requirements. We actively strive to comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations affecting our products and our sales and distribution programs. The Attorneys General of several states have taken an active role in investigating and prosecuting companies whose compensation plans they claim violate local anti-pyramid and/or consumer protection statutes. We are unable to predict the effect such increased activity will have on our business in the future nor are we able to predict the probability of future laws, regulations or interpretations which may be passed by state or federal regulatory authorities.

Federal and state laws directed at network marketing programs have been adopted throughout the years to prevent the use of fraudulent practices often characterized as “pyramid schemes.” Illegal pyramid schemes compensate participants primarily for the introduction or enrollment of additional participants into the program. Often these schemes are characterized by large up-front entry or sign-up fees, over-priced products of low value, little or no emphasis on the sale or use of products, high-pressure recruiting tactics and claims of huge and quick financial rewards with little or no effort. Generally, these laws are directed at ensuring that product sales ultimately are made to consumers and that advancement within such sales organizations is based on sales of products.

We believe that our network marketing system satisfies the standards and case law defining a legal marketing system. It is an ongoing part of our business to monitor and respond to regulatory and legal developments, including those that may affect our network marketing system. However, the regulatory and legal requirements concerning network marketing systems do not include “bright line” rules and are inherently fact-based.

Competition

The business of developing and distributing nutritional products such as those we offer is highly competitive. Numerous manufacturers, distributors and retailers compete for consumers and, in the case of other network marketing companies, for distributors. Our competitors include both network marketing companies such as Alticor Global Holdings, Inc. (Amway Corp.), Avon Products Inc., Herbalife Ltd., Mary Kay Inc., Melaleuca, Inc., Mannatech, Inc., Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc., NuSkin Enterprises Inc. and USANA Health Sciences Inc., as well as specialty and mass retail establishments. Our ability to remain competitive depends on the underlying science and high quality of our products and our success in recruiting and retaining distributors. The pool of individuals interested in network marketing tends to be limited in each market and may be reduced to the extent other network marketing companies successfully recruit these individuals into their businesses. We believe that we offer a rewarding compensation plan with attractive financial benefits to compete for the time, attention and commitment of distributors. Our compensation plan is seamless, permitting international expansion.

Reliv NOW and Reliv Classic compete with numerous supplements that offer multi-vitamin benefits. Our fitness and weight management products compete with other products in the weight loss market, including nationally advertised products such as SlimFast. Many companies have entered, or have plans to enter, the sports drink market in which Innergize! and ProVantage compete, a market led by Gatorade. 24K competes with 5-Hour Energy and numerous other liquid energy shots and drinks. With Arthaffect, FibRestore, ReversAge, GlucAffect, CardioSentials, SoySentials, and LunaRich X, we are in the specific wellness needs, food and anti-aging markets, which are extremely competitive and led by the major food companies.

Employees

As of December 31, 2017, we and all of our subsidiaries had approximately 160 full-time employees compared with 161 such employees at the end of 2016.

Additional Available Information

We make available, free of charge, copies of our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. This information is available on our corporate web site at www.reliv.com under the “Investor Relations” section. This information may also be obtained from the SEC’s on-line database located at www.sec.gov.

Item No. 2 – Properties

We own approximately six acres of land and a building containing approximately 126,000 square feet of office, manufacturing and warehouse space located in Chesterfield, Missouri, where we maintain our corporate headquarters and sole manufacturing facility. We believe that our worldwide facilities are suitable and adequate in relation to our present and immediate future needs.

The following table summarizes information related to our worldwide facilities as of March 19, 2018:

Item No. 3 - Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we are involved in litigation incidental to the conduct of our business. We do not believe that any current proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

PART II

Item No. 5 - Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol: RELV. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices of our common stock and the quarterly dividends per share paid on our common stock during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. We executed a one-for-seven (1:7) reverse stock split on our common stock, effective when the market opened on October 4, 2016. All stock prices prior to that date have been adjusted for the effect of the reverse split for purposes of this table.

As of March 19, 2018, there were approximately 856 holders of record of our common stock and an additional 2,215 beneficial owners, including shares of common stock held in street name. 

We have not declared any cash dividends over the past two years.  The declaration of future dividends is subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon various factors, including our earnings, financial condition, restrictions imposed by any indebtedness that may be outstanding, cash requirements, and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.  Our current lending agreements contain covenants which may limit our ability to declare cash dividends.

Item No. 7 - 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 our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following discussion and analysis discusses the financial condition and results of our operations on a consolidated basis, unless otherwise indicated.

Overview

We are a developer, manufacturer and marketer of a proprietary line of nutritional supplements addressing basic nutrition, specific wellness needs, weight management and sports nutrition. We sell our products through an international network marketing system utilizing independent distributors. Sales in the United States represented approximately 77.7% of worldwide net sales for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to approximately 78.2% for the year ended December 31, 2016. Our international operations currently generate sales through distributor networks with facilities in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. We also operate in Ireland, France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands from our United Kingdom distribution center, in New Zealand from our Australia office, and in Singapore from our Malaysia office.

We derive our revenues principally through product sales made by our global independent distributor base, which, as of December 31, 2017, consisted of approximately 33,620 distributors and preferred customers. Our sales can be affected by several factors, including our ability to attract new distributors and retain our existing distributor base, our ability to properly train and motivate our distributor base and our ability to develop new products and successfully maintain our current product line.

All of our sales to distributors outside the United States are made in the respective local currency; therefore, our earnings and cash flows are subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency rates as compared to the U.S. dollar. As a result, exchange rate fluctuations may have an effect on sales and gross margins. Accounting practices require that our results from operations be converted to U.S. dollars for reporting purposes. Consequently, our reported earnings may be significantly affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, generally increasing with a weaker U.S. dollar and decreasing with a strengthening U.S. dollar. Products manufactured by us for sale to our foreign subsidiaries are transacted in U.S. dollars. From time to time, we enter into foreign exchange forward contracts to mitigate our foreign currency exchange risk.

Components of Net Sales and Expense

Product sales represent the actual product purchase price typically paid by our distributors, after giving effect to distributor allowances, which can range from 10% to 40% of suggested retail price, depending on the rank of a particular distributor. Handling and freight income represents the amounts billed to distributors for shipping costs. We record net sales and the related commission expense when the merchandise is shipped.

Our primary expenses include cost of products sold, distributor royalties and commissions and selling, general and administrative expenses.

Cost of products sold primarily consists of expenses related to raw materials, labor, quality control and overhead directly associated with production of our products and sales materials, as well as shipping costs relating to the shipment of products to distributors, and duties and taxes associated with product exports. Cost of products sold is impacted by the cost of the ingredients used in our products, the cost of shipping distributors’ orders, and our efficiency in managing the production of our products.

Distributor royalties and commissions are monthly payments made to distributors, based on products sold in their downline organization. Based on our distributor agreements, these expenses typically approximate 23% of sales at suggested retail. Distributor royalties and commissions are paid on an amount referred to as the business value (“BV”), which typically ranges between 80% and 90% of the suggested retail price of each product. Also, we include other sales leadership bonuses, such as Ambassador bonuses, within this caption. Overall, distributor royalties and commissions remain directly related to the level of our sales and should continue at comparable levels as a percentage of net sales going forward. We have implemented or are in the process of implementing similar pricing structures in all of our international markets.

Selling, general and administrative expenses include the compensation and benefits paid to our employees except for those in manufacturing, all other selling expenses, marketing, promotional expenses, travel and other corporate administrative expenses. These other corporate administrative expenses include professional fees, non-manufacturing depreciation and amortization, occupancy costs, communication costs and other similar operating expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses can be affected by a number of factors, including staffing levels and the cost of providing competitive salaries and benefits; the amount we decide to invest in distributor training and motivational initiatives; and the cost of regulatory compliance.

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2017 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2016

 Net sales decreased by 8.2% worldwide, as net sales in the United States decreased by 8.8% in the year ended December 31, 2017 compared with 2016. During 2017, our international net sales decreased by 6.1% over the prior year with 3.4% of the decline due to the impact of foreign currency fluctuation as the result of a stronger U.S. dollar in certain markets. Net sales in Europe, our largest foreign market, decreased by 16.6% in 2017 compared to the prior year, with 4.3% of the decline due to the impact of foreign currency fluctuation. Sales in Asia increased by 39.7% in 2017 compared to the prior year.

The following table summarizes net sales by geographic market for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

The following table sets forth, as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the number of our active distributors and Master Affiliates and above. The total number of active distributors includes Master Affiliates and above. We define an active distributor as one that enrolls as a distributor or renews his or her distributorship during the prior twelve months. Master Affiliates and above are distributors that have attained the highest level of discount and are eligible for royalties generated by Master Affiliate groups in their downline organization. In February 2016, we introduced a formal Preferred Customer program in the United States and Canada. As a result, we are including Preferred Customers as part of our Active Distributor count. Preferred Customer programs were previously in place in Europe and other foreign markets. Preferred Customers represent approximately 4,990 and 5,050 of the Active Distributor count as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The significant majority of these Preferred Customers are in Europe.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

Net sales expressed in local currency or net sales adjusted for the impact of foreign currency fluctuation are non-GAAP financial measures. We use these measurements to assess the level of business activity in a foreign market, absent the impact of foreign currency fluctuation relative to the U.S. dollar, which our local management has no ability to influence. This is a meaningful measurement to management, and we believe this is a useful measurement to provide to shareholders.

The following table provides key statistics related to distributor activity by market and should be read in conjunction with the following discussion.

United States 

International Operations

Costs and Expenses

The following table sets forth selected results of our operations expressed as a percentage of net sales for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. Our results of operations for the periods described below are not necessarily indicative of results of operations for future periods.

Cost of Products Sold:

Distributor Royalties and Commissions:

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses:

Other Income/Expense:

Income Taxes:

Net Income/Loss:

Liquidity and Capital Resources

In 2017, we used $157,000 of net cash in operating activities, $377,000 was used in investing activities, and we generated $136,000 in financing activities. This compares to $1.53 million generated in operating activities, $70,000 used in investing activities, and $1.02 million used in financing activities in 2016. Cash and cash equivalents decreased by $334,000 to $3.27 million as of December 31, 2017 compared to $3.61 million as of December 31, 2016.

Significant changes in working capital items consisted of a decrease in accounts receivable of $105,000, a decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets of $107,000, and a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $1.03 million in 2017.  The decrease in accounts receivable is primarily from the decrease in trade accounts receivable from external customers as of December 31, 2017 compared to the prior year end.  The decrease in prepaid expenses is result of smaller prepayments made on upcoming incentive trips as of the end of 2017 and the decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses is the result of reduced accrued distributor commissions related to the decline in sales in December 2017 compared to December 2016 and reduced trade payables as of December 31, 2017 compared to December 31, 2016.

Investing activities during 2017 consisted of $486,000 for net capital expenditures, offset by payments received on a distributor note receivable of $109,000. Financing activities during 2017 consisted of principal payments of $364,000 on long-term borrowings and a borrowing of $500,000 on the revolving line of credit. No cash dividends were paid in 2017.

Stockholders’ equity decreased to $14.36 million at December 31, 2017 compared to $14.91 million at December 31, 2016. The decrease is due to our net loss in 2017 of $697,000 partially offset by a favorable adjustment in foreign currency translation of $173,000. Our working capital balance was $2.14 million at December 31, 2017 compared to $4.31 million at December 31, 2016. The current ratio at December 31, 2017 was 1.34 compared to 1.93 at December 31, 2016. The decrease in our working capital and current ratio is primarily due to the classification of our long-term debt as a current liability as the maturity of the term loan is within one year.

Our $3.25 million term loan has a term of three years and requires monthly term loan payments, under a ten-year amortization, consisting of principal of $27,080 plus interest with a balloon payment for the outstanding balance due and payable on September 30, 2018. The term loan's interest rate is based on the 30-day LIBOR plus 2.25% and was 3.62% at December 31, 2017.

Our $3.5 million revolving line of credit agreement accrues interest at a floating interest rate based on the 30-day LIBOR plus 2.25% and has a maturity date of April 30, 2018. As of December 31, 2017, there was $500,000 in outstanding borrowings on the revolving line of credit.

Borrowings under the lending agreements are secured by all our tangible and intangible assets, an assignment of a whole life insurance policy on the life of our Chief Executive Officer to the lender, and by a mortgage on the real estate of our headquarters.

The lending agreements include quarterly covenants requiring us to maintain net tangible worth of not less than $9.5 million, and i) a cumulative minimum EBITDA requirement of $800,000 for the fiscal period ending December 31, 2017, and ii) a minimum EBITDA of $200,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.

As defined, EBITDA means our consolidated net income for such period, before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, and management fees, and further adjusted to exclude any gain or loss on the sale of assets, other extraordinary gains or losses, and any one-time adjustment approved by the lender. At December 31, 2017, we were in compliance with all applicable covenants.

We anticipate that we will be able to refinance our term loan and renew our revolving line of credit with our current lender prior to the respective maturity dates of each agreement; however, there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so. Management believes that the cash on hand and our ability, if necessary, to borrow a significant portion of or liquidate the cash surrender value of our key-man life insurance policy, will be sufficient to meet our working capital requirements and debt service requirements for the next twelve months.

Critical Accounting Policies

Our financial statements are based on the selection and application of significant accounting policies, which require management to make significant estimates and assumptions. We believe that the following are some of the more critical judgment areas in the application of our accounting policies that currently affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Revenue

We receive payment by credit card, personal check, or guaranteed funds for orders from independent distributors and make related commission payments in the following month. Net sales reflect product sales at suggested retail price less the distributor discount of 10% to 40%. Sales revenue and commission expenses are recorded when the merchandise is shipped, as this is the point title and risk of loss pass. In accordance with FASB ASC, Topic 650-50, “Revenue Recognition-Customer Payments and Incentives,” we present distributor royalty and commission expense as an operating expense, rather than a reduction to net sales, as these payments are not made to the purchasing distributor.

Actual and estimated returns are classified as a reduction of net sales. We estimate and accrue a reserve for product returns based on our return policy and historical experience. Our return policy allows for a distributor to return product only upon termination of his or her distributorship. Allowable returns are limited to saleable product which was purchased within twelve months of the termination for a refund of 100% of the original purchase price less any distributor royalties and commission received relating to the original purchase of the returned products. Total returns have been approximately 0.25% and 0.20% of net sales in 2017 and 2016, respectively. We record handling and freight income as a component of net sales and record handling and freight costs as a component of cost of products sold. Total revenues do not include sales tax as we consider ourselves a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting applicable sales taxes.

Inventories

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market. Product cost includes raw material, labor and overhead costs and is accounted for using the first-in, first-out basis. On a periodic basis, we review our inventory levels in each country for estimated obsolescence or unmarketable items, as compared to future demand requirements and the shelf life of the various products. Based on this review, we record inventory write-downs when costs exceed expected net realizable value. Historically, our estimates of obsolete or unmarketable items have been materially accurate.

Sales aids and promotional materials inventories represent distributor kits, product brochures, and other sales and business development materials which are held for sale to distributors. Costs of the sales aids and promotional materials held for sale are capitalized as inventories and subsequently recorded to cost of goods sold upon recognition of revenue when sold to distributors. All other advertising and promotional costs are expensed when incurred.

Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, we are subject to various legal proceedings, including lawsuits and other claims related to labor, product and other matters. We are required to assess the likelihood of adverse judgments and outcomes to these matters as well as the range of potential loss. Such assessments are required to determine whether a loss contingency reserve is required under the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 450, “Contingencies,” and to determine the amount of required reserves, if any. These assessments are subjective in nature. Management makes these assessments for each individual matter based on consultation with outside counsel and based on prior experience with similar claims. To the extent additional information becomes available or our strategies or assessments change, our estimates of potential liability for a given matter may change. Changes to estimates of liability would result in a corresponding additional charge or benefit recognized in the statement of operations in the period in which such changes become known. We recognize the costs associated with legal defense in the periods incurred. Accordingly, the future costs of defending claims are not included in our estimated liability.

Income Tax Matters

We account for income taxes in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” (ASC Topic 740) which requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be recognized using enacted tax rates for the effect of temporary differences between the book and tax bases of recorded assets and liabilities. ASC Topic 740 also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is “more likely than not” that some portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. In our quarterly evaluation of the need for a valuation allowance, we consider and weigh both positive and negative factors, including the expected level of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies. If actual results differ from the assumptions made in our previous evaluation of our valuation allowance, we may record a change in valuation allowance through income tax expense in the period this determination is made.

The calculations of our tax liabilities involve dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. We recognize liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on the two-step process prescribed in the guidance under ASC Topic 740. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step requires us to estimate and measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. It is inherently difficult and subjective to estimate such amounts, as we have to determine the probability of various possible outcomes. We reevaluate these uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis. This evaluation is based on factors including, but not limited to, changes in facts or circumstances, changes in tax law, effectively settled issues under audit, or new audit activity. Such a change in recognition or measurement would result in the recognition of a tax benefit or an additional charge to the tax provision.

During 2016 and 2017, we determined that it was more likely than not that U.S. federal and various state net operating losses primarily generated in 2016 and 2017 will not be realized based on projections of future U.S. taxable income, estimated reversals of existing taxable timing differences, and other considerations. Accordingly, the 2017 and 2016 income tax provisions include the impact of recording a full deferred tax asset valuation allowance of approximately $198,000 and $292,000 against the annual losses generated from a U.S. tax perspective.

At December 31, 2017, we had deferred tax assets related to net operating loss carryforwards and other income tax credits in our foreign operations with a tax value of $3.4 million. These net operating loss carryforwards principally do not expire, depending on the country and period in which they occurred. As of December 31, 2017, we assessed the realizability of the European subsidiary’s deferred tax assets and concluded that future realization failed to meet the threshold of more likely than not based upon the subsidiary’s recent tax operating losses. Accordingly, we recorded a full valuation allowance to the European subsidiary’s deferred tax assets and recorded a deferred income tax charge of $509,000 at December 31, 2017. We continue to have a full valuation allowance applied to all other net operating loss carryforwards in our foreign operations.

The United States Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was enacted in December 2017. Under the TJCA’s repatriation tax, we estimate our cumulative amount of unremitted foreign earnings is expected to be negative and any related tax is immaterial.

Current-Year Adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Discussion regarding our adoption of accounting pronouncements is included in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item No. 8 - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Reference is made to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in Part IV hereof.

Item No. 9 - Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

None

Item No. 9A - Controls and Procedures 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2017. Based on such review and evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2017, to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (a) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (b) is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the 2013 framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. This evaluation included review of the documentation of controls, evaluation of the design effectiveness of controls, testing of the operating effectiveness of controls and a conclusion on this evaluation. Although there are inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any system of internal control over financial reporting, based on our evaluation, management has concluded our internal controls over financial reporting were effective as of December 31, 2017.

Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting Firm 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the SEC that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no material changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of 2017 that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our internal controls over financial reporting.

Item No. 9B - Other Information

None

PART III

Item No. 10 - Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

Information called for by Item 10 of Part III is incorporated by reference to the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24, 2018, which is expected to be filed with the Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2017.

Item No. 11 - Executive Compensation

Information called for by Item 11 of Part III is incorporated by reference to the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24, 2018, which is expected to be filed with the Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2017.

Item No. 12 - Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

Information called for by Item 12 of Part III is incorporated by reference to the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24, 2018, which is expected to be filed with the Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2017.

Item No. 13 - Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Information called for by Item 13 of Part III is incorporated by reference to the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24, 2018, which is expected to be filed with the Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2017.

Item No. 14 - Principal Accountant Fees and Services

Information called for by Item 14 of Part III is incorporated by reference to the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24, 2018, which is expected to be filed with the Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2017.

PART IV

Item No. 15 - Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

RELIV’ INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Exhibit Index

*Indicates management compensation plan, contract or arrangement.

Reliv’ International, Inc.

and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Financial Statements

Years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016

Contents

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors and Stockholders

Reliv’ International, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Reliv’ International, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the related consolidated statements of net loss and comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1991.

St. Louis, Missouri

March 29, 2018

Reliv’ International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Reliv’ International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets (continued)

See accompanying notes.

Reliv’ International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Net Loss

and Comprehensive Loss

See accompanying notes.

Reliv’ International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

Applicable 2015 amounts have been restated for the 2016 reverse stock split; see Note 1.

See accompanying notes.

Reliv’ International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows