AFTM AfterMaster Inc (CE)

ITEM 1A.   RISK FACTORS.

You should carefully consider the risk factors and other uncertainties set forth below and all other information contained in this Report, as well as the public disclosure documents incorporated by reference herein.  If any of the events contemplated by the following risks actually occurs, then our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. As a result, the trading price of our Common Stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties below are not the only risks facing our company.  Additional risks and uncertainties, including those that are not yet identified or that we currently believe are immaterial, may also adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results.   

History of Operations and Dependence on Future Developments.

We are dependent upon our management, certain shareholders and investors for fundraising.  We expect additional operating losses will occur until revenues are sufficient to offset our costs for marketing, sales, general and administrative and product and services development.  We are subject to all of the risks inherent in establishing an early stage business enterprise.  Since we have limited operations, there can be no assurance that our business plan will be successful.  The potential for our success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays frequently encountered with an early stage business and the competitive environment in which we will operate.  A prospective investor should be aware that if we are not successful in achieving our goals and achieving profitability, any money invested in us will likely be lost.  Our management team believes that our potential near-term success depends on our success in, manufacturing, marketing and selling our products and services. As an early stage company, we are particularly susceptible to the risks and uncertainties described herein, and we will be more likely to incur the expenses associated with addressing them.  Our business and prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in early stages of development.  These risks are particularly severe among companies in new markets, such as those markets in which we expect we will operate.  Accordingly, shareholders will bear the risk of loss of their entire investment in our shares.  

New Business Model.

We have a relatively new business model in an emerging and rapidly evolving market.  Accordingly, this makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and may increase the risk that we will not continue or be successful.  We will encounter risks and difficulties as a company operating in a new and rapidly evolving market.  We may not be able to successfully address these risks and difficulties, which could materially harm our business and operating results. 

We Have Limited Capital and Will Need Additional Financing.

As of June 30, 2019, we had an accumulated deficit of $85,859,489 and negative working capital of $12,891,404. In addition, for the year ended June 30, 2019, we had a loss of approximately $9,302,739 and negative cash flow from operating activities of approximately $2,417,256. The Company has not declared dividends on its common stock, but the Company does have cumulative dividends in arrears through June 30, 2019, of approximately $1,361,102 for its outstanding Series A Convertible Preferred Stock.

Revenues generated from our current operations are not sufficient to pay our ongoing operating expenses. Therefore, we will have to obtain additional funding from the sale of our securities or from strategic transactions in order to fund our current level of operations. In order to fund our working capital needs and our operational costs during 2019, we entered into twenty-two (22) Share Purchase Agreements with individual accredited investors resulting in net proceeds of $281,500, seven (7) notes payable resulting in net proceeds of $375,000, thirteen (13) related notes payable resulting in net proceeds of $154,000, and thirteen (13) convertible notes payable resulting in net proceeds of $1,867,350 to the Company.

The funds currently available to us are inadequate to fully implement our business plan. Until we have achieved revenues sufficient for us to break-even, we will not be a self-sustaining entity, which could adversely impact our ability to be competitive in the areas in which we do and intend to operate. We require additional funding for continued operations and will therefore be dependent upon our ability to raise additional funds through bank borrowing, equity or debt financing or asset sales. We expect to access the public and private equity and/or debt markets periodically to obtain the funds we need to support our operations and continued growth. There is no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional funding when needed, or that such funding, if available, can be obtained on terms acceptable to us. If we require, but are unable to obtain, additional financing in the future on acceptable terms, or at all, we will not be able to continue our business strategy, respond to changing business or economic conditions, withstand adverse operating results or compete effectively. If we cannot obtain needed funds, we may be forced to curtail, in whole or in part, or cease its activities altogether. When additional shares are issued to obtain financing, current shareholders will suffer a dilutive effect on their percentage of stock ownership.

We require substantial capital to continue Aftermaster operations. Although we intend to engage in subsequent debt and equity offerings of our securities to raise additional working capital for Aftermaster operations, we have no firm commitments for any additional funding, either debt or equity, at the present time. Insufficient financial resources may require us to delay or eliminate all or some of our sales and marketing efforts to generate revenues for AfterMaster, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. There is no certainty that our expenditures will result in a profitable business as proposed.

Lack of Diversification.

Our current size and financial condition makes it unlikely that we will be able to commit our funds to diversify the business until we have a proven track record in our current markets. However, we do not have any plans nor have we identified any areas or markets in which we would seek diversification in our Company’s business. We acknowledge that limiting our product offerings carries a risk of limiting revenues, which may impact our ability to continue operations.

Competition.

Aftermaster has developed an audio enhancement technology that it believes is unique and competitive in the audio enhancement industry. However, there are many more well established and financially successful brands in the audio enhancement industry, with more name recognition and financial resources such as, SRS, DTS, Landr and Dolby Labs. Although we believe that our technology differentiates us from competitor technologies, there is no assurance that we will be successful in gaining any consumer acceptance of our technology.

While we believe that the technologies behind AfterMaster and ProMaster are unique in the industry, other companies within the industry may develop or have developed audio enhancement technologies that are equal to or better than our technologies and could become our competitors. Potential competitors may have greater name recognition, access to financing, industry contacts and more extensive customer bases that could be leveraged to accelerate their competitive activity.  Further, potential competitors may establish future cooperative relationships among themselves and with third parties to enhance their products and services in this market space in which we propose to operate.  Consequently, competitors or alliances may emerge and rapidly acquire significant market share.  We cannot assure you that we will be able to compete effectively with any competitor should they arise or that the competitive pressures faced by us will not harm our business. Such intense competition will limit our opportunities and have a materially adverse effect on our profitability or viability.

To protect our Company against competitors, we have embarked on an aggressive intellectual property protection program which we believe will be a significant barrier to market entry to potential competitors for our current product offerings.  In addition, we strive to employ individuals who have long standing relationships and expertise in various segments of the entertainment, marketing, finance and communications industries, which we hope will help facilitate the negotiation of favorable partnerships, sponsorships and industry support for AfterMaster and ProMaster.

However, any investor must recognize that AfterMaster is unproven as a commercially viable audio technology and that many other companies dominate and are successful in licensing their audio products, which compete in the market within which AfterMaster is attempting to establish itself.

Performance - Market Acceptance.

The quality of our products, services, its marketing and sales ability, and the quality and abilities of our personnel are among the operational keys to our success.  We are heavily dependent upon successfully completing our product development, gaining market acceptance and subsequently recruiting and training a successful sale and marketing force.  There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting, training or retaining the key personnel required to execute the business plan.  Also, there can be no assurance that we can complete development of new technologies so that other companies possessing greater resources will not surpass it.  There can be no assurance that we can achieve our planned levels of performance.  If we are unsuccessful in these areas, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and forecasted financial results.  The entertainment industry may resist our business plan and refuse to participate in contests and other sponsorship events.   In that case we would be forced to fund and sponsor its own contests which would affect operating capital, liquidity and revenues.   The music industry may also resist the adoption of our AfterMaster technology for new and catalogue releases.

Dependence on Intellectual Property - Design and Proprietary Rights.

Our success and ability to compete depends to a degree on our intellectual property.  We will rely on copyright, trademark and patent filings as well as confidentiality arrangements, to protect our intellectual property locally and internationally.  AfterMaster and its subsidiaries have filed numerous patent applications relating to MyStudio, AfterMaster, ProMaster and related technologies and processes, and while we believe the technologies, methods and processes merit patent protection, there is no assurance that any patent will be issued.  If circumstances make it impossible to try to adequately protect our intellectual property, that intellectual property could be used by others without our consent and there could be material adverse consequences to us. We have filed several trademark applications and have received Notices of Allowance on four of those applications. Effective protection may not be available for our service marks. Although we plan to continue to register our service marks in the United States and in countries in which we do business or expect to do business, we cannot assure you that we will be able to secure significant protection for these marks. Our competitors, if any exist, or others may adopt product or service names similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to client confusion. If circumstances make it impossible to adequately protect the name and brand, this could seriously harm our business. 

Some of Our Markets are Cyclical.

Some of our markets are cyclical, and a decline in any of these markets could have a material adverse effect on our operating performance.   Our business is cyclical and dependent on consumer and business spending and is therefore impacted by the strength of the economy generally, interest rates, and other factors, including national, regional and local slowdowns in economic activity and job markets, which can result in a general decrease in product demand from professional contractors and specialty distributors.  For example, a slowdown in economic activity that results in less discretionary income for entertainment and music can have an adverse effect on the demand for some or all of our products.  In addition, unforeseen events, such as terrorist attacks or armed hostilities, could negatively affect our industry or the industries in which our customers operate, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Dependency on Foreign Components for our Products.

We do and expect to continue sourcing components for our products from both inside and outside of the United States, which may present additional risks to our business.  International sourcing of components subject to various risks, including political, religious and economic instability, local labor market conditions, the imposition of foreign tariffs and other trade restrictions, the impact of foreign government regulations, and the effects of income and withholding tax, governmental expropriation, and differences in business practices.  

We may incur increased costs and experience delays or disruptions in product deliveries and payments in connection with component manufacturers, thus causing a potential loss of revenues. Unfavorable changes in the political, regulatory, and business climate could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. 

Exposure to Product Liability Lawsuits.

Our results of operations may be negatively impacted by product liability lawsuits.  While we expect to maintain what we believe to be suitable product liability insurance once we have commenced operations of services with the general public, we cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain this insurance on acceptable terms or that this insurance will provide adequate protection against potential liabilities.  A series of successful claims against us could materially and adversely affect our reputation and our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Dependency on Key Suppliers and Product Availability.

Loss of key suppliers, lack of product availability or loss of delivery sources could delay product development, manufacturing and decrease sales and earnings of our consumer electronics products.  While in many instances we have agreements, including supply agreements, with our suppliers, these agreements are generally terminable by either party on limited notice.  The loss of, or a substantial decrease in the availability of, products from certain of our suppliers, or the loss of key supplier agreements, could have a material adverse effect on our consumer products business, results of operations and financial condition.  In addition, supply interruptions could arise from shortages of raw materials, labor disputes or weather conditions affecting products or shipments, transportation disruptions or other factors beyond our control.

Dependence on Intellectual Property - Design and Proprietary Rights.

Our success and ability to compete depends to a degree on our intellectual property.  We will rely on copyright, trademark and patent filings as well as confidentiality arrangements, to protect our intellectual property locally and internationally. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed numerous patent applications relating to AfterMaster and other audio and video technologies and processes, and while we believe the technologies, methods and processes merit patent protection, there is no assurance that any patent will be issued.  If circumstances make it impossible to try to adequately protect our intellectual property, that intellectual property could be used by others without our consent and there could be material adverse consequences to us. We have filed numerous patents and have received allowance for five of them. We have filed numerous trademark applications and have received Notices of Allowance on four of those applications. Effective protection may not be available for our service marks. Although we plan to continue to register our service marks in the United States and in countries in which we do business or expect to do business, we cannot assure you that we will be able to secure significant protection for these marks. Our competitors, if any exist, or others may adopt product or service names similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to client confusion. If circumstances make it impossible to adequately protect the name and brand, this could seriously harm our business.

Fluctuations in Cost of Raw Materials.

Our results of operations could be adversely affected by fluctuations in the cost of raw materials.  The manufacturing process is subject to world commodity pricing for some of the raw materials used in the manufacture of our consumer electronics products.  Such raw materials are often subject to price fluctuations, frequently due to factors beyond our control, including changes in supply and demand, general U.S. and international economic conditions, labor costs, competition, and government regulation.  Inflationary and other increases in the costs of raw materials have occurred in the past and may recur in the future.  Any significant increase in the cost of raw materials could reduce our profitability and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. 

Regulatory Factors.

Our business model includes a component involving the Internet.  As such, we are subject to a number of foreign and domestic laws and regulations that effect business on the Internet.  We must contend with laws and regulations relating to user privacy, freedom of expression, content, advertising, information security and intellectual property rights of others.  Possible future consumer legislation, regulations and actions could cause additional expense, capital expenditures, restrictions and delays in the activities undertaken in connection with our business, the extent of which cannot be predicted.  

The exact effect of such legislation cannot be predicted until it is proposed. Terms of subsequent financings may adversely impact your investment.  We will engage in common equity, debt, and/or preferred stock financings in the future.  Your rights and the value of your investment in Preferred or Common Stock could be reduced.  Interest on debt securities could increase costs and negatively impacts operating results.  

Shares of our Preferred Stock may be issued in series from time to time with such designations, rights, preferences, and limitations as needed to raise capital. The terms of Preferred stock could be more advantageous to those investors than to the holders of Common Stock.

In addition, if we need to raise more equity capital from the sale of common or preferred stock, institutional or other investors may negotiate terms at least as, and possibly more, favorable than the terms of your investment. Shares of Common Stock which we sell could be sold into the market, which could adversely affect the market price.

Rapid Technological Change.

The industries in which we operate are characterized by rapid technological change that requires us to implement new technologies on an ongoing basis.  Our future will depend upon our ability to successfully implement new technologies in a rapidly changing technological environment.  We will likely require additional capital to develop new technologies to meet changing customer demands.  Moreover, expenditures for technology and product development are generally made before the commercial viability for such developments can be assured.  As a result, we cannot assure that we will successfully implement new technologies, that any implementations will be well received by customers, or that we will realize a return on the capital expended to develop such technology.

Effect of Fluctuations in Operations on the Price of Common Stock.

Our future operating results may fluctuate and cause the price of our Common Stock to decline, which could result in substantial losses for investors.   Our limited operating history makes it difficult to predict accurately our future operations.  We expect that our operating results will fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control.  If our operating results fall below the expectations of investors or securities analysts, the price of our Common Stock could decline significantly.  The factors that could cause our operating results to fluctuate include, but are not limited to:

These and other external factors have caused and may continue to cause the market price and demand for our Common Stock to fluctuate substantially, which may limit or prevent investors from readily selling their shares of Common Stock and may otherwise negatively affect the liquidity of our Common Stock. In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against companies following periods of volatility in the market price of their securities.  If securities class action litigation were to be brought against us, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources, which could hurt our business.

Our Common Stock is Subject to Penny Stock Regulations.

Our Common Stock is subject to regulations of the SEC relating to the market for penny stocks.  These regulations generally require that a disclosure schedule explaining the penny stock market and the risks associated therewith be delivered to purchasers of penny stocks and impose various sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell penny stocks to persons other than established customers and accredited investors.  The regulations applicable to penny stocks may severely affect the market liquidity for our Common Stock and could limit your ability to sell your securities in the secondary market.

Uncertainty as a Going Concern.

Our future existence remains uncertain and the report of our independent auditors on our financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019 includes an explanatory paragraph relating to our ability to continue as a going concern.  We have suffered substantial losses from operations and require additional financing.  Ultimately, we need to generate additional revenues and attain profitable operations.  These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. There can be no assurance that we will be able to develop commercially viable products or an effective marketing system. Even if we are able to develop commercially viable products, there is no assurance that we will be able to attain profitable operations.

Restrictions on Transfer - No Public Market for Preferred Shares or Restricted Common Shares.

Our shares of Common Stock are traded on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board System (OTCQB) under the ticker symbol AFTM.  However, for shares that have been issued and are restricted pursuant to SEC Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”), there is presently no public or private market for such shares.  Such shares may only be offered or sold pursuant to registration under or an exemption from the Act and have not been registered under the Act, as amended, or any State securities laws and would be issued under Section 4(2) of the Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated under the Act.  

Expect to Incur Losses for the Foreseeable Future.

We expect to incur losses for the foreseeable future and we may never become profitable.   Our business model requires that we obtain revenues from our online music mastering service, ProMaster, or by licensing our AfterMaster HD audio and selling AfterMaster HD chip proprietary technology to consumer device manufacturers.  There are no assurances that significant revenues from ProMaster and/or AfterMaster necessary for the Company to become break-even will occur. We expect our expenses to increase significantly as we continue to develop the infrastructure necessary to fully implement our business strategy.  Our expenses will continue to increase as we: hire additional employees; implement our marketing plans; pursue further research and development; expand our information technology systems; and lease and purchase more space to accommodate our operations.

Costs associated with designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing and developing the infrastructure we will need to support our customers will depend upon many factors, including the growth-rate of our online user base and the amount of engineering expertise needed to maintain and build our IP portfolio.  Therefore, we cannot now determine the amount by which our expenses will increase as we grow.

Possible Claims That the Company Has Violated Intellectual Property Rights of Others.

We are not subject to any dispute, claim or lawsuit or threatened lawsuit alleging the violation of intellectual property rights of a third party.  We believe AfterMaster and ProMaster are not in violation of any patents claimed by others.  To the extent that the Company is ever alleged to have violated a patent or other intellectual property right of a third party, it may be prevented from operating its business as planned, and it may be required to pay damages, to obtain a license, if available, to use the patent or other right or to use a non-infringing method, if possible, to accomplish its objectives. Any of these claims, with or without merit, could subject us to costly litigation and the diversion of our technical and management personnel. If we incur costly litigation and our personnel are not effectively deployed, the expenses and losses incurred will increase, and our profits, if any, will decrease.

Business Plans and Operational Structure May Change.

We continually analyze our business plans and operations in light of market conditions and developments.  As a result of our ongoing analyses, we may decide to make substantial changes in our business plan and organization.  In the future, as we continue our internal analyses and as market conditions and our available capital change, we may decide to make organizational changes and/or alter some or all of our overall business plans.

Reliance on Management.

We believe that our present management has the experience and ability to successfully implement our business plans for the foreseeable future.  However, it is likely that we will continue to add to our management and therefore will recruit additional persons to key management positions in the future.  Should we be unsuccessful in recruiting persons to fill the key positions or in the event any of these individuals should cease to be affiliated with us for any reason before qualified replacements can be hired, there could be material adverse effects on our business and prospects.  Each officer, director, and other key personnel has or will have an employment agreement with us which will contain provisions dealing with confidentiality of trade secrets, ownership of patents, copyrights and other work product, and non-competition. 

Nonetheless, there can be no assurance that these personnel will remain employed for the entire duration of the respective terms of such agreements or that any employee will not breach covenants and obligations owed to us. In addition, all management decisions will be made exclusively by our officers and directors.  Investors will only have rights associated with minority ownership interest rights to make decisions that affect the Company.  Our success, to a large extent, will depend on the quality of our directors, officers and senior management.

Inability to Attract and Retain Qualified Personnel.

Our future success depends in significant part on its ability to attract and retain key management, technical and marketing personnel.  Competition for highly qualified professional, technical, business development, and management and marketing personnel is intense.  We may experience difficulty in attracting new personnel, may not be able to hire the necessary personnel to implement our business strategy, or we may need to pay higher compensation for employees than we currently expect.  A shortage in the availability of required personnel could limit our ability to grow.  We cannot assure you that we will succeed in attracting and retaining the personnel we need to grow.

Inability to Manage Rapid Growth.

We expect to grow rapidly.  Rapid growth often places considerable operational, managerial and financial strain on a business.  To successfully manage rapid growth, we must accurately project its rate of growth and:

Our business will suffer if we are unable to successfully manage our growth.

Dividend Policy.

There can be no assurance that our operations will result in future significant revenues or any level of profitability.  We have not, and do not, anticipate paying cash dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future.  We plan to retain all future earnings and cash flows, if any, to finance our operations and for general corporate purposes.  Any future determination as to the payment of cash dividends will be at our Board of Directors’ discretion and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, current and anticipated cash needs, plans for expansion and other factors that our Board of Directors considers relevant.

Conflicts of Interest.

Existing and future officers and directors may have other interests to which they devote time, either individually or through partnerships and corporations in which they have an interest, hold an office, or serve on boards of directors, and each may continue to do so.  As a result, certain conflicts of interest may exist between the Company and its officers and/or directors that may not be susceptible to resolution.  All potential conflicts of interest will be resolved only through exercise by the directors of such judgment as is consistent with their fiduciary duties to the Company, and it is the intention of management to minimize any potential conflicts of interest.

Loss of Services of Key Members of Our Senior Management Team.

Our future success depends in a large part upon the continued services of key members of our senior management team.  

These persons are critical to the overall management of AfterMaster as well as the development of our technology, our culture and our strategic direction.  We do not maintain any key-person life insurance policies.  The loss of any of our management or key personnel could seriously harm our business.