Bubblr (BBLR) Risk Analysis

39 Followers

Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

Bubblr disclosed 33 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Bubblr reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2023

Risk Distribution

36% Finance & Corporate

24% Tech & Innovation

12% Ability to Sell

9% Legal & Regulatory

9% Production

9% Macro & Political

Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

2022

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

Bubblr Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q4, 2023

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 12 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 12 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

-6

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

-6

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

3Risks added

9Risks removed

2Risks changed

Since Dec 2023

3Risks added

9Risks removed

2Risks changed

Since Dec 2023

Number of Risk Changed

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 4

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 4

See the risk highlights of Bubblr in the last period.

Risk Word Cloud

The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 33

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 12/33 (36%)Below Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights7 | 21.2%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

Added

We are an "emerging growth company" and any decision on our part to comply with certain reduced reporting and disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies could make shares of our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an "emergency growth company," as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act. For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we may choose to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to have our independent registered public accounting firm audit our internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Investors could find our shares less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our shares less attractive as a result of any choice to reduce future disclosure, there may be a less active trading market for our shares and our share price may be more volatile. For as long as we are an "emerging growth company," our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. An independent assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls could detect problems that our management's assessment might not. Undetected material weaknesses in our internal controls could lead to financial statement restatements and require us to incur the expense of remediation. If we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or if we are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting when and if required, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our securities could be negatively affected, and the we could become subject to investigations by the stock exchange on which our securities are listed, if any, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources. Additionally, we are a "smaller reporting company" as defined in Item 10(f) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of any fiscal year for so long as either: (i) the market value of our shares com common stock held by non-affiliates does not equal or exceed $250 million as of the prior June 30th, or (ii) our annual revenues did not equal or exceed $100 million during such completed fiscal year. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make the comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2

We will likely conduct further offerings of our equity securities in the future, in which case your proportionate interest may become diluted.

We will likely be required to conduct equity offerings in the future to finance our current projects or to finance subsequent projects that we decide to undertake. If our common stock shares are issued in return for additional funds, the price per share could be lower than that paid by our current shareholders. We anticipate continuing to rely on equity sales of our shares of common stock in order to fund our business operations. If we issue additional shares of common stock or securities convertible into shares of our common stock, your percentage interest in us could become diluted.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3

We have the right to issue additional common stock and preferred stock without consent of stockholders. This would have the effect of diluting investors' ownership and could decrease the value of their investment.

We have additional authorized, but unissued shares of our common stock that may be issued by us for any purpose without the consent or vote of our stockholders that would dilute stockholders' percentage ownership of our company. In addition, our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of shares of preferred stock and/or the conversion of existing outstanding preferred stock into common stock, the rights, preferences, designations and limitations of which may be set by the Board of Directors. Our certificate of incorporation has authorized issuance of up 3,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and up to 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, in the discretion of our Board. The shares of authorized but unissued preferred stock may be issued upon Board of Directors approval; no further stockholder action is required. If issued, the rights, preferences, designations and limitations of such preferred stock would be set by our Board and could operate to the disadvantage of the outstanding common stock. Such terms could include, among others, preferences as to dividends and distributions on liquidation.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4

The market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and could fluctuate widely in price in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control.

Our stock price is subject to a number of factors, including: - Technological innovations or new products and services by us or our competitors; - Government regulation of our products and services; - The establishment of partnerships with other ethical web companies; - Intellectual property disputes; - Additions or departures of key personnel; - Sales of our common stock; - Our ability to integrate operations, technology, products and services; - Our ability to execute our business plan; - Operating results below or exceeding expectations - Whether we achieve profits or not; - Loss or addition of any strategic relationship; - Industry developments; - Economic and other external factors; and - Period-to-period fluctuations in our financial results. Our stock price may fluctuate widely as a result of any of the above. In addition, the securities markets have from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5

Because we are subject to the "Penny Stock" rules, the level of trading activity in our stock may be reduced.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted regulations which generally define "penny stock" to be any listed, trading equity security that has a market price less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exemptions. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer must also provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer's account. In addition, the penny stock rules generally require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock, the broker-dealer make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser's written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for a stock that becomes subject to the penny stock rules which may increase the difficulty Purchasers may experience in attempting to liquidate such securities.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6

As a smaller reporting company we are exempt from certain disclosure requirements, which could make our Common Stock less attractive to potential investors.

Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act defines a "smaller reporting company" as an issuer that is not an investment company, an asset-backed issuer, or a majority-owned subsidiary of a parent that is not a smaller reporting company and that: - had a public float of less than $250 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, computed by multiplying the aggregate worldwide number of shares of our voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates by the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average of the bid and asked prices of common equity, in the principal market for the common equity; or - in the case of an initial registration statement under the Securities Act, or the Exchange Act, for shares of our common equity, had a public float of less than $250 million as of a date within 30 days of the date of the filing of the registration statement, computed by multiplying the aggregate worldwide number of such shares held by non-affiliates before the registration plus, in the case of a Securities Act registration statement, the number of such shares included in the registration statement by the estimated public offering price of the shares; or - in the case of an issuer whose public float as calculated under paragraph (1) or (2) of this definition was zero, had annual revenues of less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available. As a smaller reporting company, we will not be required and may not include a Compensation Discussion and Analysis section in our proxy statements; we will provide only two years of financial statements; and we need not provide the table of selected financial data. We also will have other "scaled" disclosure requirements that are less comprehensive than issuers that are not smaller reporting companies which could make our Common Stock less attractive to potential investors, which could make it more difficult for our stockholders to sell their shares.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or publish negative reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will, to some extent, depend on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or change their opinion of our shares, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.

Accounting & Financial Operations2 | 6.1%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

We do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future. Any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.

We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting it at such time as the board of directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will occur only if our stock price appreciates.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

Our operating results may fluctuate, which could have a negative impact on our ability to grow our client base, establish sustainable revenues and succeed overall.

Our results of operations may fluctuate as a result of a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control including but not limited to: - General economic conditions in the geographies and industries where we sell our services and conduct operations; legislative policies where we sell our services and conduct operations; - The budgetary constraints of our customers; - The success of our strategic growth initiatives; - Costs associated with the launching or integration of new or acquired businesses; - Timing of new product introductions by us, our partners and our competitors; product and service mix, availability, utilization and pricing; - The mix, by state and country, of our revenues, personnel and assets; - Movements in interest rates or tax rates; - Protection of or intellectual property assets; - Changes in the regulations applicable to us; and - Litigation matters. As a result of these factors, we may not succeed in our business, and we could go out of business.

Corporate Activity and Growth3 | 9.1%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

Added

We are a development stage company with a limited operating history, making it difficult for you to evaluate our business and your investment.

Our operations are subject to all of the risks inherent in the establishment of a new business enterprise, including, but not limited to, the absence of any meaningful operating history, lack of fully-developed or commercialized products, insufficient capital, expected substantial and continual losses for the foreseeable future, limited experience in dealing with regulatory issues, lack of manufacturing and marketing experience, need to rely on third parties for the development and commercialization of our existing and proposed products, a competitive environment characterized by well-established and well-capitalized competitors and reliance on key personnel. We may not be successful in carrying out our business objectives. The revenue and income potential of our proposed business and operations are unproven as the lack of operating history makes it difficult to evaluate the future prospects of our business. There is nothing at this time on which to base an assumption that our business operations will prove to be successful or that we will ever be able to operate profitably. Accordingly, we have no track record of successful business activities, strategic decision-making by management, fund-raising ability, and other factors that would allow an investor to assess the likelihood that we will be successful in our business. There is a substantial risk that we will not be successful in fully implementing our business plan, or if initially successful, in thereafter generating material operating revenues or in achieving profitable operations.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2

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

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

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3

The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and divert management's attention.

As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (which we refer to as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (which we refer to as the Dodd-Frank Act), the rules of the marketplace we area on, and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and increase demand on our systems and resources, particularly after we are no longer a "smaller reporting company." The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. In order to maintain and, if required, improve our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting to meet this standard, significant resources and management oversight may be required. As a result, management's attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and operating results. We may need to hire more employees in the future or engage outside consultants to comply with these requirements, which will increase our costs and expenses. In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management's time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be adversely affected.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 8/33 (24%)Above Sector Average

Trade Secrets2 | 6.1%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

Our success is dependent in part on obtaining, maintaining and enforcing our proprietary rights and our ability to avoid infringing on the proprietary rights of others.

We seek patent protection for those inventions and technologies for which we believe such protection is suitable and is likely to provide a competitive advantage to us. A Patent on our Internet-Search Mechanism ("IBSM") has been granted in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The patent is currently pending in the European Union and United Kingdom. Because patent applications in the United States are maintained in secrecy until either the patent application is published or a patent is issued, we may not be aware of third-party patents, patent applications and other intellectual property relevant to our products that may block our use of our intellectual property or may be used in third-party products that compete with our products and processes. In the event a competitor or other party successfully challenges our products, processes, patents or licenses or claims that we have infringed upon their intellectual property, we could incur substantial litigation costs defending against such claims, be required to pay royalties, license fees or other damages or be barred from using the intellectual property at issue, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. We also rely substantially on trade secrets, proprietary technology, nondisclosure and other contractual agreements, and technical measures to protect our technology, application, design, and manufacturing know-how, and work actively to foster continuing technological innovation to maintain and protect our competitive position. We cannot assure you that steps taken by us to protect our intellectual property and other contractual agreements for our business will be adequate, that our competitors will not independently develop or patent substantially equivalent or superior technologies or be able to design around patents that we may receive, or that our intellectual property will not be misappropriated.

Trade Secrets - Risk 2

Our commercial success depends significantly on our ability to develop and commercialize our open-source platform without infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties.

Our commercial success will depend, in part, on operating our business without infringing the trademarks or proprietary rights of third parties. Third parties that believe we are infringing on their rights could bring actions against us claiming damages and seeking to enjoin the development, marketing and distribution of our products. If we become involved in any litigation, it could consume a substantial portion of our resources, regardless of the outcome of the litigation. If any of these actions are successful, we could be required to pay damages and/or to obtain a license to continue to develop or market our products, in which case we may be required to pay substantial royalties. However, any such license may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all. Ultimately, we could be prevented from commercializing a product or forced to cease some aspect of our business operations as a result of patent infringement claims, which would harm our business.

Cyber Security1 | 3.0%

Cyber Security - Risk 1

Security and privacy breaches may expose us to liability and cause us to lose customers.

Federal and state laws require us to safeguard our wholesalers' and retailers' financial information, including credit information. Although we have established security procedures to protect against identity theft and the theft of our customers' and distributors' financial information, our security and testing measures may not prevent security breaches and breaches of privacy may occur and could harm our business. Typically, we rely on encryption and authentication technology licensed from third parties to enhance transmission security of confidential information in relation to financial and other sensitive information that we have on file. Advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography, inadequate facility security or other developments may result in a compromise or breach of the technology used by us to protect customer data. Any compromise of our security could harm our reputation or financial condition and, therefore, our business. In addition, a party who is able to circumvent our security measures or exploit inadequacies in our security measures, could, among other effects, misappropriate proprietary information, cause interruptions in our operations or expose customers and other entities with which we interact to computer viruses or other disruptions. Actual or perceived vulnerabilities may lead to claims against us. To the extent the measures we have taken prove to be insufficient or inadequate, we may become subject to litigation or administrative sanctions, which could result in significant fines, penalties or damages and harm to our reputation.

Technology5 | 15.2%

Technology - Risk 1

We may be unable to support our technology to further scale our operations successfully.

Our plan is to grow rapidly through further integration of our technology in partnerships in with our open-source platform and other partnership electronic platforms. Our growth will place significant demands on our management and technology development, as well as our financial, administrative and other resources. We cannot guarantee that any of the systems, procedures and controls we put in place will be adequate to support the commercialization of our operations. Our operating results will depend substantially on the ability of our officers and key employees to manage changing business conditions and to implement and improve our financial, administrative and other resources. If we are unable to respond to and manage changing business conditions, or the scale of our products, services and operations, then the quality of our services, our ability to retain key personnel and our business could be harmed.

Technology - Risk 2

Developing and implementing new and updated applications, features and services for our portals may be more difficult than expected, may take longer and cost more than expected and may not result in sufficient increases in revenue to justify the costs.

Attracting and retaining partner developers and users of our open-source platform requires us to continue to improve the technology underlying those portals and to continue to develop new and updated applications, features and services. If we are unable to do so on a timely basis or if we are unable to implement new applications, features and services without disruption to our existing ones, we may lose potential users and clients. The costs of development of these enhancements may negatively impact our ability to achieve profitability. We rely on a combination of internal development, strategic relationships, licensing and acquisitions to develop our open-source platform, portals and related applications, features and services. Our development and/or implementation of new technologies, applications, features and services may cost more than expected, may take longer than originally expected, may require more testing than originally anticipated and may require the acquisition of additional personnel and other resources. There can be no assurance that the revenue opportunities from any new or updated technologies, applications, features or services will justify the amounts spent.

Technology - Risk 3

Our business will suffer if our network systems, or open-source platform fails or become unavailable.

A reduction in the performance, reliability and availability of our network infrastructure would harm our ability to distribute our products to our users, as well as our reputation and ability to attract and retain customers. Our systems and operations could be damaged or interrupted by fire, flood, power loss, telecommunications failure, Internet breakdown, earthquake and similar events. Our systems could also be subject to viruses, break-ins, sabotage, acts of terrorism, acts of vandalism, hacking, cyber-terrorism and similar misconduct. We might not carry adequate business interruption insurance to compensate us for losses that may occur from a system outage. Any system error or failure that causes interruption in availability of our product or an increase in response time could result in a loss of potential customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we suffer sustained or repeated interruptions, then our products and services could be less attractive to our users and our business would be materially harmed.

Technology - Risk 4

Our business depends on continued and unimpeded access to the Internet by us and our users. Internet access providers may be able to block, degrade, or charge for access to certain of our products and services, which could lead to additional expenses and the loss of users and advertisers.

Our products and services depend on the ability of our users to access the Internet, and certain of our products require significant bandwidth to work effectively. Currently, this access is provided by companies that have significant market power in the broadband and internet access marketplace, including incumbent telephone companies, cable companies, mobile communications companies, and government-owned service providers. Some of these providers may take, or have stated that they may take, measures that could degrade, disrupt, or increase the cost of user access to certain of our products by restricting or prohibiting the use of their infrastructure to support or facilitate our offerings, or by charging increased fees to us or our users to provide our offerings. Such interference could result in a loss of existing users and advertisers, and increased costs, and could impair our ability to attract new users and advertisers, thereby harming our revenues and growth. The adoption of any laws or regulations that limit access to the Internet by blocking, degrading or charging access fees to us or our users for certain services could decrease the demand for, or the usage of, our products and services, increase our cost of doing business and adversely affect our operating results.

Technology - Risk 5

Added

We use artificial intelligence in our business, and challenges with properly managing its use could result in reputational harm, competitive harm, and legal liability, and adversely affect our results of operations.

We will incorporate artificial intelligence ("AI") solutions into our platform, offerings, services and features, and these applications may become increasingly important in our operations over time. Our competitors or other third parties may incorporate AI into their products more quickly or more successfully than us, which could impair our ability to compete effectively and adversely affect our results of operations. Additionally, if the content, analyses or recommendations that our AI applications assist in producing are or are alleged to be deficient, inaccurate or biased, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. The use of AI applications has resulted in, and may in the future result in, cybersecurity incidents that implicate the personal data of end users of such applications. Any such cybersecurity incidents related to our use of AI applications could adversely affect our reputation and results of operations. AI also presents emerging ethical issues and if our use of AI becomes controversial, we may experience brand or reputational harm, competitive harm or legal liability. The rapid evolution of AI, including potential government regulation of AI, will require significant resources to develop, test and maintain our platform, offerings, services and features to help us implement AI ethically in order to minimize unintended, harmful impact. One of the major risks associated with AI is the potential for bias in the data used to train AI systems. If the algorithms data sets we use to train our AI system is biased, the resulting model may make inaccurate or unfair decisions, leading to negative consequences for customers, employees and other stakeholders. If we fail to protect the data we use to train our AI against bias, then our business, brand, reputation, financial condition and results of operations may by adversely affected.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 4/33 (12%)Below Sector Average

Competition1 | 3.0%

Competition - Risk 1

We face significant competition for developers, users, advertisers, and distributors.

Our intellectual property can face significant competition from online search engines, sites offering integrated internet products and services, social media and networking sites, e-commerce sites, companies providing analytics, monetization and marketing tools for mobile and desktop developers, and digital, broadcast and print media. A number of these competitors are significantly larger than we are and have access to vastly greater financial resources. Additionally, in a number of international markets, we face substantial competition from local Internet service providers and other entities that offer search, communications, and other commercial services. A number of our competitors offer products and services that directly compete for users of our platform offerings. Further, emerging start-ups may be able to innovate and provide new products and services faster than we can. In addition, competitors may consolidate or collaborate with each other, and new competitors may enter the market. Some of our competitors in international markets have a substantial competitive advantage over us because they have dominant market share in their territories, have greater local brand recognition, are focused on a single market, are more familiar with local tastes and preferences, or have greater regulatory and operational flexibility due to the fact that we may be subject to both U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements. If our competitors are more successful than we are in developing and deploying compelling products or in attracting and retaining users, developers, or distributors, our users and growth rates could decline.

Demand2 | 6.1%

Demand - Risk 1

If the market for our open-source platform does not experience significant growth or if our projects do not achieve broad acceptance, we will not be able to sustain or grow our revenues.

We hope to achieve revenues from our open-source partnerships. We cannot accurately predict, however, future growth rates or the size of the market for application in the United States, United Kingdom and other markets we engage in. Demand for our platform and IP may not occur as anticipated, or may decrease, either generally or in specific geographic markets, during particular time periods. The expansion of our mobile application in the market depends on a number of factors, such as: - The cost, performance and appearance of our mobile application offered by our competitors; - Public perceptions regarding our mobile application and the effectiveness and value of it; - Customer satisfaction with our mobile application; and - Marketing efforts and publicity regarding the needs for application and the public demand for it. Even if our platform gains wide market acceptance, we may not adequately address market requirements and may not be able to expand market acceptance. If our products do not achieve wide market acceptance, we may not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth, we may not achieve revenues and results of operations would suffer.

Demand - Risk 2

If we are unable to gauge trends and react to changing partners preferences in a timely manner, our sales will decrease, and our business may fail.

We believe our success depends in substantial part on our ability to offer our intellectual property and our supporting platform that reflect current needs and anticipate, gauge and react to changing partner and consumer demands in a timely manner. Our business is vulnerable to changes in partner and consumer preferences. If we misjudge their needs for our platform, our ability to generate sales could be impaired resulting in the failure of our business. There are no assurances that our mobile application will be successful, and in that regard, any unsuccessful consumer reaction could also adversely affect our business.

Brand / Reputation1 | 3.0%

Brand / Reputation - Risk 1

The success of our business depends on our ability to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand.

We believe that our reputation in the online marketplace is of significant importance to the success of our business. A well-recognized brand is critical to increasing our customer base and, in turn, increasing our revenue. Since the industry is highly competitive, our ability to remain competitive depends to a large extent on our ability to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand, which could be difficult and expensive. To maintain and enhance our reputation and brand, we need to successfully manage many aspects of our business, such as cost-effective marketing campaigns to increase brand recognition and awareness in a highly competitive market. We will continue to conduct various marketing and brand promotion activities. We cannot assure you, however, that these activities will be successful and achieve the brand promotion goals we expect. If we fail to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand, or if we incur excessive expenses in our efforts to do so, our business, financial conditions and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 3/33 (9%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 3.0%

Regulation - Risk 1

Reliance on information technology means a significant disruption could affect our communications and operations.

We increasingly rely on information technology systems for our internal communications, controls, reporting and relations with customers and suppliers and information technology is becoming a significantly important tool for our sales staff. Our marketing and distribution strategy are dependent upon our ability to closely monitor consumer and market trends on a highly specified level, for which we are reliant on our highly sophisticated data tracking systems, which are susceptible to disruption or failure. In addition, our reliance on information technology exposes us to cyber-security risks, which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete. Security and privacy breaches may expose us to liability and cause us to lose customers or may disrupt our relationships and ongoing transactions with other entities with whom we contract throughout our supply chain. The failure of our information systems to function as intended, or the penetration by outside parties' intent on disrupting business processes, could result in significant costs, loss of revenue, assets or personal or other sensitive data and reputational harm.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 3.0%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

We may be subject to legal liability associated with providing online services or content.

We host and provide a wide variety of services and technology products that enable and encourage individuals and businesses to exchange information; upload or otherwise generate photos, videos, text, and other content; advertise products and services; conduct business; and engage in various online activities both domestically and internationally. The law relating to the liability of providers of online services and products for activities of their users is currently unsettled both within the United States and internationally. We may be subject to domestic or international actions alleging that certain content we have generated or third-party content that we have made available within our services violates laws in domestic and international jurisdictions. It is also possible that if any information provided directly by us contains errors or is otherwise wrongfully provided to users, third parties could make claims against us. For example, we offer web-based e-mail services, which expose us to potential risks, such as liabilities or claims, by our users and third parties, resulting from unsolicited e-mail, lost or misdirected messages, illegal or fraudulent use of e-mail, alleged violations of policies, property interests, or privacy protections, including civil or criminal laws, or interruptions or delays in e-mail service. We may also face purported consumer class actions or state actions relating to our online services, including our fee-based services. In addition, our customers, third parties, or government entities may assert claims or actions against us if our online services or technologies are used to spread or facilitate malicious or harmful code or applications. Investigating and defending these types of claims are expensive, even if the claims are without merit or do not ultimately result in liability and could subject us to significant monetary liability or cause a change in business practices that could negatively impact our ability to compete.

Environmental / Social1 | 3.0%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

Changes in regulations or user concerns regarding privacy and protection of user data, or any failure to comply with such laws, could adversely affect our business.

Federal, state, and international laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, disclosure, sharing and security of data that we receive from and about our users. The use of consumer data by online service providers is a topic of active interest among federal, state, and international regulatory bodies, and the regulatory environment is unsettled. Many states have passed laws requiring notification to users where there is a security breach for personal data, such as California's Information Practices Act. We face similar risks in international markets where our products and services are offered. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with or make effective modifications to our policies, or to comply with any applicable federal, state, or international privacy, data-retention or data-protection-related laws, regulations, orders or industry self-regulatory principles could result in proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others, a loss of user confidence, damage to our business and brand, and a loss of users, which could potentially have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, various federal, state and foreign legislative or regulatory bodies may enact new or additional laws and regulations concerning privacy, data retention, data transfer and data protection issues, including laws or regulations mandating disclosure to domestic or international law enforcement bodies, which could adversely impact our business, our brand or our reputation with users. For example, some countries are considering or have enacted laws mandating that user data regarding users in their country be maintained in their country. In addition, there currently is a data protection regulation applicable to member states of the European Union that includes operational and compliance requirements that are different than those currently in place and that also includes significant penalties for non-compliance. The interpretation and application of privacy, data protection, data transfer and data retention laws and regulations are often uncertain and in flux in the United States and internationally. These laws may be interpreted and applied inconsistently from country to country and inconsistently with our current policies and practices, complicating long-range business planning decisions. If privacy, data protection, data transfer or data retention laws are interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our current policies and practices, we may be fined or ordered to change our business practices in a manner that adversely impacts our operating results. Complying with these varying international requirements could cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices in a manner adverse to our business and operating results.

Production

Total Risks: 3/33 (9%)Below Sector Average

Employment / Personnel3 | 9.1%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

Changed

We are dependent on the continued services of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Technology Officer, and if we fail to keep them or fail to attract and retain qualified senior executive and key technical personnel, our business will not be able to expand.

We are dependent on the continued availability of Stephen Morris, our interim Chief Technology Officer, Timothy Burks, our Chief Executive Officer, and David Chetwood, our Chief Financial Officer, and the availability of new skilled employees to implement our business plans. The market for skilled employees is highly competitive, especially for employees in our industry. Although we expect that our planned compensation programs will be intended to attract and retain the employees required for us to be successful, there can be no assurance that we will be able to retain the services of all our key employees or a sufficient number to execute our plans, nor can there be any assurance we will be able to continue to attract new employees as required.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 2

Our personnel may voluntarily terminate their relationship with us at any time, and competition for qualified personnel is intense. The process of locating additional personnel with the combination of skills and attributes required to carry out our strategy could be lengthy, costly and disruptive.

If we lose the services of key personnel or fail to replace the services of key personnel who depart, we could experience a severe negative effect on our financial results and stock price. The loss of the services of any key personnel, marketing or other personnel or our failure to attract, integrate, motivate and retain additional key employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating and financial results and stock price.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 3

Our officers and directors have limited experience managing a public company.

Our officers and directors have limited experience managing a public company. Consequently, we may not be able to raise any funds or run our public company successfully. Our executive's officer's and director's lack of experience of managing a public company could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 3/33 (9%)Below Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment2 | 6.1%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Changed

A decline in general economic conditions could lead to reduced consumer/business adoption and could negatively impact our business operation and financial condition, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our operating and financial performance may be adversely affected by a variety of factors that influence the general economy. Consumer search habits are affected by, among other things, prevailing economic conditions, levels of unemployment, salaries and wage rates, prevailing interest rates, income tax rates and policies, consumer confidence and consumer perception of economic conditions. In addition, consumer purchasing patterns may be influenced by consumers' disposable income. In the event of an economic slowdown, consumer search habits could be adversely affected and we could experience lower net sales than expected on a quarterly or annual basis which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2

Current economic and political conditions make tax rules in any jurisdiction subject to significant change.

We are subject to income taxes as well as non-income based taxes, in both the U.S. and ultimately various jurisdictions outside the U.S. where we intend to operate. We cannot predict the overall impact that changes or revisions to any such tax laws and regulations, whether in in the United States or in jurisdictions outside the United States, may have on our business. We may be subject to ongoing tax audits in various jurisdictions, and the tax authorities conducting such audits may disagree with certain taxation positions we have taken and assess additional taxes. Although we intend to regularly assess the likely outcomes of these audits in order to determine the appropriateness of our tax obligations, there can be no assurance that we will accurately predict the outcomes of these audits, and the actual outcomes of these audits could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and business operations.

Capital Markets1 | 3.0%

Capital Markets - Risk 1

Foreign currency exchange rates may adversely affect our financial results.

Sales and purchases in currencies other than the United States dollar expose us to fluctuations in foreign currencies relative to the United States dollar and may adversely affect our financial results. Increased strength of the United States dollar increases the effective price of our products sold in United States dollars into other countries, which may require us to lower its prices or adversely affect sales to the extent we do not increase local currency prices. Decreased strength of the United States dollar could adversely affect the cost of materials, products and services we purchase from non-United States denominated locations. Sales and expenses of our non-United States businesses are also translated into United States dollars for SEC reporting purposes and the strengthening or weakening of the United States dollar could result in unfavorable translation effects. We also face exchange rate risk from our investments in subsidiaries owned and operated in foreign countries.

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?

Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.

They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.

It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.

How do companies disclose their risk factors?

Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.

Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.

Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.

According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.

How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?

Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.

You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.

Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.

A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.

What are all the risk factor categories?

TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.

1. Financial & Corporate

Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.

2. Legal & Regulatory

Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.

3. Production

Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.

4. Technology & Innovation

Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.

5. Ability to Sell

Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.

6. Macro & Political

Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.

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