AGTK Agritek Holdings Inc (CE)

ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as other information provided to you in this document, including information in the section of this document entitled “Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements.” The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing the Company. If any of the following risks actually occur, the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances. Our business, financial condition and/or results of operation may be materially adversely affected by the nature and impact of these risks. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of such factors. Further, we cannot assess the impact of each such factor on our results of operations or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding to purchase, hold, or sell our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below in addition to the cautionary statements and risks described elsewhere and the other information contained in this Report and in our other filings with the SEC, including subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of these known or unknown risks or uncertainties actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity could be seriously harmed, which could cause our actual results to vary materially from recent results or from our anticipated future results. In addition, the trading price of our common stock could decline due to any of these known or unknown risks or uncertainties, and you could lose all or part of your investment. An investment in our securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. You should not invest in our securities if you cannot bear the economic risk of your investment for an indefinite period of time and cannot afford to lose your entire investment. See also “Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements.”

Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry 

We have a limited operating history, which may make it difficult for investors to predict future performance based on current operations.

We have a limited operating history upon which investors may base an evaluation of our potential future performance. In particular, we have not proven that we can produce or sell our hemp products, or cannabis products in a manner that enables us to be profitable and meet customer requirements, enhance our produce and herb products, obtain the necessary permits and/or achieve certain milestones to develop our manufacturing and cultivation businesses, enhance our line of cannabis products, including MD Vapes, Hemp Pops, Rehab Rx and California Premiums under license, develop and maintain relationships with key manufacturers and strategic partners to extract value from our intellectual property, raise sufficient capital in the public and/or private markets, or respond effectively to competitive pressures. As a result, there can be no assurance that we will be able to develop or maintain consistent revenue sources, or that our operations will be profitable and/or generate positive cash flow.

Any forecasts we make about our operations may prove to be inaccurate. We must, among other things, determine appropriate risks, rewards, and level of investment in our product lines, respond to economic and market variables outside of our control, respond to competitive developments and continue to attract, retain, and motivate qualified employees. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in meeting these challenges and addressing such risks and the failure to do so could have a materially adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses, and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in the early stage of development. As a result of these risks, challenges, and uncertainties, the value of your investment could be significantly reduced or completely lost.

We have incurred significant losses in prior periods, and losses in the future could cause the quoted price of our Common Stock to decline or have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, our ability to pay our debts as they become due and on our cash flow.

We have incurred significant losses in prior periods. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we incurred a net loss of $8,045,888 and, as of that date, we had an accumulated deficit of $35,036,243. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we incurred a net loss of $1,412,278 and, as of that date, we had an accumulated deficit of $26,990,355. Any losses in the future could cause the quoted price of our Common Stock to decline or have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, our ability to pay our debts as they become due, and on our cash flow.

We will need additional capital to sustain our operations and will need to seek further financing, which we may not be able to obtain on acceptable terms, or at all. If we fail to raise additional capital, as needed, our ability to implement our business model and strategy could be compromised.

We have limited capital resources and operations. To date, our operations have been funded primarily from the proceeds of debt and equity financings. We expect to require substantial capital in the near future to commence operations at additional cultivation and production facilities, expand our product lines, develop our intellectual property base, and establish our targeted levels of commercial production. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In particular, because marijuana is illegal under federal law, we may have difficulty attracting investors.

Even if we obtain financing for our near-term operations, we expect that we will require additional capital thereafter. Our capital needs will depend on numerous factors including: (i) our profitability; (ii) the release of competitive products by our competition; (iii) the level of our investment in research and development; and (iv) the amount of our capital expenditures, including acquisitions. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain capital in the future to meet our needs.

If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership held by our existing stockholders will be reduced and our stockholders may experience significant dilution. In addition, new securities may contain rights, preferences, or privileges that are senior to those of our Common Stock. If we raise additional capital by incurring debt, this will result in increased interest expense. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of securities, market fluctuations in the price of our shares of Common Stock could limit our ability to obtain equity financing.

We cannot give you any assurance that any additional financing will be available to us, or if available, will be on terms favorable to us. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, our business, financial condition, and results of operations would be materially adversely affected, and we could be forced to reduce or discontinue our operations.

The current outbreak of the coronavirus may have a negative effect on our ability to conduct our business and operations and may also cause an overall decline in the economy as a whole and could materially harm our Company.

If the current outbreak of the coronavirus continues to grow, the effects of such a widespread infectious disease and epidemic may inhibit our ability to conduct our business and operations and could materially harm our Company. The coronavirus may cause us to have to reduce operations as a result of various lock-down procedures enacted by the local, state or federal government, which could restrict our ability to conduct our business operations. The coronavirus may also cause a decrease in spending in our industry, as a result of the economic turmoil resulting from the spread of the coronavirus and thereby having a negative effect on our ability to generate revenue from operations. The continued coronavirus outbreak may also restrict our ability to raise funding when needed and may also cause an overall decline in the economy as a whole. The specific and actual effects of the spread of coronavirus are difficult to assess at this time as the actual effects will depend on many factors beyond the control and knowledge of the Company. However, the spread of the coronavirus, if it continues, may cause an overall decline in the economy as a whole and also may materially harm our Company.

We face intense competition and many of our competitors have greater resources that may enable them to compete more effectively.

The industries in which we operate in general are subject to intense and increasing competition. Some of our competitors may have greater capital resources, facilities, and diversity of product lines, which may enable them to compete more effectively in this market. Our competitors may devote their resources to developing and marketing products that will directly compete with our product lines. Due to this competition, there is no assurance that we will not encounter difficulties in obtaining revenues and market share or in the positioning of our products. There are no assurances that competition in our respective industries will not lead to reduced prices for our products. If we are unable to successfully compete with existing companies and new entrants to the market this will have a negative impact on our business and financial condition.

If we fail to protect our intellectual property, our business could be adversely affected.

Our viability will depend, in part, on our ability to develop and maintain the proprietary aspects of our intellectual property to distinguish our products from our competitors’ products. We rely on copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and confidentiality provisions to establish and protect our intellectual property. We may not be able to enforce some of our intellectual property rights because cannabis is illegal under federal law.

Any infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property could damage its value and limit our ability to compete. We may have to engage in litigation to protect the rights to our intellectual property, which could result in significant litigation costs and require a significant amount of our time. In addition, our ability to enforce and protect our intellectual property rights may be limited in certain countries outside the United States, which could make it easier for competitors to capture market position in such countries by utilizing technologies that are similar to those developed or licensed by us.

Competitors may also harm our sales by designing products that mirror our products or processes without infringing on our intellectual property rights. If we do not obtain sufficient protection for our intellectual property, or if we are unable to effectively enforce our intellectual property rights, our competitiveness could be impaired, which would limit our growth and future revenue.

We may also find it necessary to bring infringement or other actions against third parties to seek to protect our intellectual property rights. Litigation of this nature, even if successful, is often expensive and time-consuming to prosecute and there can be no assurance that we will have the financial or other resources to enforce our rights or be able to enforce our rights or prevent other parties from developing similar products or processes or designing around our intellectual property.

Although we believe that our products and processes do not and will not infringe upon the patents or violate the proprietary rights of others, it is possible such infringement or violation has occurred or may occur, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are not aware of any infringement by us of any person’s or entity’s intellectual property rights. In the event that products we sell or processes we employ are deemed to infringe upon the patents or proprietary rights of others, we could be required to modify our products or processes or obtain a license for the manufacture and/or sale of such products or processes or cease selling such products or employing such processes. In such event, there can be no assurance that we would be able to do so in a timely manner, upon acceptable terms and conditions, or at all, and the failure to do any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect upon our business.

There can be no assurance that we will have the financial or other resources necessary to enforce or defend a patent infringement or proprietary rights violation action. If our products or processes are deemed to infringe or likely to infringe upon the patents or proprietary rights of others, we could be subject to injunctive relief and, under certain circumstances, become liable for damages, which could also have a material adverse effect on our business and our financial condition.

Our trade secrets may be difficult to protect.

Our success depends upon the skills, knowledge, and experience of our scientific and technical personnel, our consultants and advisors, as well as our licensors and contractors. Because we operate in several highly competitive industries, we rely in part on trade secrets to protect our proprietary technology and processes. However, trade secrets are difficult to protect. We enter into confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements with our corporate partners, employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators, developers, and other advisors. These agreements generally require that the receiving party keep confidential and not disclose to third parties, confidential information developed by the receiving party or made known to the receiving party by us during the course of the receiving party’s relationship with us. These agreements also generally provide that inventions conceived by the receiving party in the course of rendering services to us will be our exclusive property, and we enter into assignment agreements to perfect our rights.

These confidentiality, inventions, and assignment agreements may be breached and may not effectively assign intellectual property rights to us. Our trade secrets also could be independently discovered by competitors, in which case we would not be able to prevent the use of such trade secrets by our competitors. The enforcement of a claim alleging that a party illegally obtained and was using our trade secrets could be difficult, expensive, and time consuming and the outcome would be unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets. The failure to obtain or maintain meaningful trade secret protection could adversely affect our competitive position.

Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flow may in the future be negatively impacted by challenging global economic conditions.

Future disruptions and volatility in global financial markets and declining consumer and business confidence could lead to decreased levels of consumer spending. These macroeconomic developments could negatively impact our business, which depends on the general economic environment and levels of consumer spending. As a result, we may not be able to maintain our existing customers or attract new customers, or we may be forced to reduce the price of our products. We are unable to predict the likelihood of the occurrence, duration, or severity of such disruptions in the credit and financial markets and adverse global economic conditions. Any general or market-specific economic downturn could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flow.

Our future success depends on our key executive officers and our ability to attract, retain, and motivate qualified personnel.

Our future success largely depends upon the continued services of our executive officer. If our executive officer is unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily, if at all. Additionally, we may incur additional expenses to recruit and retain new executive officers. If our executive officer joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose some or all of our customers. Finally, we do not maintain “key person” life insurance on any of our executive officers. Because of these factors, the loss of the services of any of these key persons could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations, and thereby an investment in our stock.

Our continuing ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel will also be critical to our success because we will need to hire and retain additional personnel as our business grows. There can be no assurance that we will be able to attract or retain highly qualified personnel. We face significant competition for skilled personnel in our industries. In particular, if the marijuana industry continues to grow, demand for personnel may become more competitive. This competition may make it more difficult and expensive to attract, hire, and retain qualified managers and employees. Because of these factors, we may not be able to effectively manage or grow our business, which could adversely affect our financial condition or business. As a result, the value of your investment could be significantly reduced or completely lost. 

We may not be able to effectively manage our growth or improve our operational, financial, and management information systems, which would impair our results of operations.

In the near term, we intend to expand the scope of our operations activities significantly. If we are successful in executing our business plan, we will experience growth in our business that could place a significant strain on our business operations, finances, management, and other resources. The factors that may place strain on our resources include, but are not limited to, the following:

Additionally, our strategy envisions a period of rapid growth that may impose a significant burden on our administrative and operational resources. Our ability to effectively manage growth will require us to substantially expand the capabilities of our administrative and operational resources and to attract, train, manage, and retain qualified management and other personnel. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in recruiting and retaining new employees or retaining existing employees.

We cannot provide assurances that our management will be able to manage this growth effectively. Our failure to successfully manage growth could result in our sales not increasing commensurately with capital investments or otherwise materially adversely affecting our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

If we are unable to continually innovate and increase efficiencies, our ability to attract new customers may be adversely affected.

In the area of innovation, we must be able to develop new technologies and products that appeal to our customers. This depends, in part, on the technological and creative skills of our personnel and on our ability to protect our intellectual property rights. We may not be successful in the development, introduction, marketing, and sourcing of new technologies or innovations, that satisfy customer needs, achieve market acceptance, or generate satisfactory financial returns.

We are dependent on the popularity of consumer acceptance of our product lines.

Our ability to generate revenue and be successful in the implementation of our business plan is dependent on consumer acceptance and demand of our product lines. Acceptance of our products will depend on several factors, including availability, cost, ease of use, familiarity of use, convenience, effectiveness, safety, and reliability. If customers do not accept our products, or if we fail to meet customers’ needs and expectations adequately, our ability to continue generating revenues could be reduced.

A drop in the retail price of medical and adult use marijuana products may negatively impact our business.

The demand for our products depends in part on the price of commercially grown marijuana. Fluctuations in economic and market conditions that impact the prices of commercially grown marijuana, such as increases in the supply of such marijuana and the decrease in the price of products using commercially grown marijuana, could cause the demand for medical marijuana products to decline, which would have a negative impact on our business.

Federal regulation and enforcement may adversely affect the implementation of cannabis laws and regulations may negatively impact our revenues and profits.

Currently, there are thirty-four (34) states plus the District of Columbia that have laws and/or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical and adult uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with medical treatment. Many other states are considering similar legislation. Conversely, under the CSA, the policies and regulations of the federal government and its agencies are that cannabis has no medical benefit and a range of activities including cultivation and the personal use of cannabis is prohibited. Unless and until Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical marijuana, as to the timing or scope of any such potential amendments there can be no assurance, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law, and we may be deemed to be producing, cultivating, or dispensing marijuana in violation of federal law. Active enforcement of the current federal regulatory position on cannabis may thus indirectly and adversely affect our revenues and profits. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal policy remains uncertain.

In February 2017, the Trump administration announced that there may be “greater enforcement” of federal laws regarding marijuana. Any such enforcement actions could have a negative effect on our business and results of operations.

Since the start of the new congress, there have been “positive” discussions about the Federal Government’s approach to cannabis. The DOJ has not historically devoted resources to prosecuting individuals whose conduct is limited to possession of small amounts of marijuana for use on private property but has relied on state and local law enforcement to address marijuana activity. With the change of the Attorney General, the DOJ has not signaled any change in their enforcement efforts. In the event the DOJ reverses its stated policy and begins strict enforcement of the CSA in states that have laws legalizing medical marijuana and recreational marijuana in small amounts, there may be a direct and adverse impact to our business and our revenue and profits. Furthermore, H.R. 83, enacted by Congress on December 16, 2014, provides that none of the funds made available to the DOJ pursuant to the 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act may be used to prevent certain states, including Nevada and California, from implementing their own laws that authorized the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.

We could be found to be violating laws related to cannabis.  

Currently, there are thirty-four (34) states plus the District of Columbia that have laws and/or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with medical treatment. Many other states are considering similar legislation. Conversely, under the CSA, the policies and regulations of the federal government and its agencies are that cannabis has no medical benefit and a range of activities including cultivation and the personal use of cannabis is prohibited. Unless and until Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical marijuana, as to the timing or scope of any such amendments there can be no assurance, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal policy remains uncertain. Because we plan to cultivate, produce, sell and distribute cannabis products, we have risk that we will be deemed to facilitate the selling or distribution of medical marijuana in violation of federal law. Finally, we could be found in violation of the CSA in connection with the sale of Agritek products. This would cause a direct and adverse effect on our subsidiaries’ businesses, or intended businesses, and on our revenue and prospective profits.

Variations in state and local regulation, and enforcement in states that have legalized cannabis, may restrict cannabis-related activities, which may negatively impact our revenues and prospective profits.

Individual state laws do not always conform to the federal standard or to other states' laws. A number of states have decriminalized marijuana to varying degrees, other states have created exemptions specifically for medical cannabis, and several have both decriminalization and medical laws. As of the date of this filing, thirty-four (34) states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of cannabis. Variations exist among states that have legalized, decriminalized, or created medical marijuana exemptions. For example, certain states have limits on the number of marijuana plants that can be homegrown. In most states, the cultivation of marijuana for personal use continues to be prohibited except for those states that allow small-scale cultivation by the individual in possession of medical marijuana needing care or that person’s caregiver. Active enforcement of state laws that prohibit personal cultivation of marijuana may indirectly and adversely affect our business and our revenue and profits.

In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (“AUMA”), in a ballot initiative. Among other things, the AUMA makes it legal for adults over the age of 21 to use marijuana and to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana flowers and 8 grams of marijuana concentrates. Individuals are also permitted to grow up to six marijuana plants for personal use. In addition, the AUMA establishes a licensing system for businesses to, among other things, cultivate, process and distribute marijuana products under certain conditions. On January 1, 2018 and the California Bureau of Marijuana Control enacted regulations to implement the AUMA.

Also, in November 2016, Nevada voters approved Question 2 in a ballot initiative. Among other things, Question 2 makes it legal for adults over the age of 21 to use marijuana and to possess up to one ounce of marijuana flowers and one-eighth of an ounce of marijuana concentrates. Individuals are also permitted to grow up to six marijuana plants for personal use. In addition, Question 2 authorizes businesses to cultivate, process and distribute marijuana products under certain conditions. The Nevada Department of Taxation enacted regulations to implement Question 2 in the summer of 2017.

If we are unable to obtain and maintain the permits and licenses required to operate our business in compliance with state and local regulations in California, we may experience negative effects on our business and results of operations.

California has only issued temporary cannabis licenses and there is no guarantee we will receive permanent licenses.

Effective January 1, 2018, the State of California allowed for adult-use cannabis sales. California’s cannabis licensing system is being implemented in two phases. First, beginning on January 1, 2018, the State of California began issuing temporary licenses. Temporary licenses were initially issued for 90 days, but have since been extended three times by the State of California. Our current temporary licenses expire in July 2019. The extensions were initially provided because in April 2018 the Company had submitted all the necessary documentation for an annual license to be issued. Prior to the State of California completing its review of any annual licenses, the licensing authority determined they would eliminate the need to have multiple licenses issued to each entity for both medical and adult use. The Company has since applied for single category licenses that allow our vertically integrated activities to conduct sales in both the medical and adult-use categories. The Company’s prior licenses obtained from the local jurisdictions in which it operated have been continued by such jurisdictions and are necessary to obtain state licensing. The Company has received a temporary license for each local jurisdiction in which it has active operations. The temporary licenses may be extended for an additional period of time. The Company submitted its applications for the annual licenses in April 2018. Although the Company believes it will receive the necessary licenses from the State of California to conduct its business in a timely fashion, there is no guarantee the Company will be able to do so and any failure to do so may have a negative effect on its business and results of operations.

Prospective customers may be deterred from doing business with a company with a significant nationwide online presence because of fears of federal or state enforcement of laws prohibiting possession and sale of medical or recreational marijuana.

Our website is visible in jurisdictions where medicinal and adult use of marijuana is not permitted and, as a result, we may be found to be violating the laws of those jurisdictions.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

Marijuana is a Schedule-I controlled substance and is illegal under federal law. Even in those states in which the use of marijuana has been legalized, its use remains a violation of federal law. Since federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana preempts state laws that legalize its use, strict enforcement of federal law regarding marijuana would likely result in our inability to proceed with our business plan, especially in respect of our marijuana cultivation, production and dispensaries. In addition, our assets, including real property, cash, equipment and other goods, could be subject to asset forfeiture because marijuana is still federally illegal.

We are not able to deduct some of our business expenses.

Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code prohibits marijuana businesses from deducting their ordinary and necessary business expenses, forcing us to pay higher effective federal tax rates than similar companies in other industries. The effective tax rate on a marijuana business depends on how large its ratio of nondeductible expenses is to its total revenues. Therefore, our marijuana business may be less profitable than it could otherwise be.

We may not be able to attract or retain a majority of independent directors.

Our board of directors is not currently comprised of a majority of independent directors. We may in the future desire to list our common stock on The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or The NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”), both of which require that a majority of our board be comprised of independent directors. We may have difficulty attracting and retaining independent directors because, among other things, we operate in the marijuana industry, and as a result we may be delayed or prevented from listing our common stock on the NYSE or NASDAQ.

We may not be able to successfully execute on our merger and acquisition strategy.

Our business plan depends in part on merging with or acquiring other businesses in the marijuana industry. The success of any acquisition will depend upon, among other things, our ability to integrate acquired personnel, operations, products and technologies into our organization effectively, to retain and motivate key personnel of acquired businesses, and to retain their customers. Any acquisition may result in diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns, and such acquisition may be dilutive to our financial results and/or result in impairment charges and write-offs. We might also spend time and money investigating and negotiating with potential acquisition or investment targets, but not complete the transaction.

Although we expect to realize strategic, operational and financial benefits as a result of our acquisitions, we cannot predict whether and to what extent such benefits will be achieved. There are significant challenges to integrating an acquired operation into our business.

Any future acquisition could involve other risks, including the assumption of unidentified liabilities for which we, as a successor owner, may be responsible. These transactions typically involve a number of risks and present financial and other challenges, including the existence of unknown disputes, liabilities, or contingencies and changes in the industry, location, or regulatory or political environment in which these investments are located, that our due diligence review may not adequately uncover and that may arise after entering into such arrangements.

Laws and regulations affecting the medical and adult use marijuana industry are constantly changing, which could detrimentally affect our operations.

Local, state, and federal medical and adult use marijuana laws and regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or alter certain aspects of our business plan. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt certain aspects of our business plan and result in a material adverse effect on certain aspects of our planned operations. In addition, it is possible that regulations may be enacted in the future that will be directly applicable to certain aspects of our cultivation, production and manufacturing businesses, and our business of selling cannabis products. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor can we determine what effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our business.

We may not obtain the necessary permits and authorizations to operate the medical and adult use marijuana business.

We may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations for our cultivation, production and dispensary businesses, or may only be able to do so at great cost. In addition, we may not be able to comply fully with the wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to the medical and adult use marijuana industry. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations could result in restrictions on our ability to operate the medical and adult use marijuana business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

If we incur substantial liability from litigation, complaints, or enforcement actions, our financial condition could suffer.

Our participation in the medical and adult use marijuana industry may lead to litigation, formal or informal complaints, enforcement actions, and inquiries by various federal, state, or local governmental authorities against us. Litigation, complaints, and enforcement actions could consume considerable amounts of financial and other corporate resources, which could have a negative impact on our sales, revenue, profitability, and growth prospects. We have not been, and are not currently, subject to any material litigation, complaint, or enforcement action regarding marijuana (or otherwise) brought by any federal, state, or local governmental authority.

We may have difficulty accessing the service of banks, which may make it difficult for us to operate.

Since the use of marijuana is illegal under federal law, many banks will not accept for deposit funds from businesses involved with the marijuana industry. Consequently, businesses involved in the marijuana industry often have difficulty finding a bank willing to accept their business. The inability to open or maintain bank accounts may make it difficult for us to operate our medical and adult use marijuana businesses. If any of our bank accounts are closed, we may have difficulty processing transactions in the ordinary course of business, including paying suppliers, employees and landlords, which could have a significant negative effect on our operations.

Litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

From time to time in the normal course of our business operations, we may become subject to litigation that may result in liability material to our financial statements as a whole or may negatively affect our operating results if changes to our business operations are required. The cost to defend such litigation may be significant and may require a diversion of our resources. There also may be adverse publicity associated with litigation that could negatively affect customer perception of our business, regardless of whether the allegations are valid or whether we are ultimately found liable. Insurance may not be available at all or in sufficient amounts to cover any liabilities with respect to these or other matters. A judgment or other liability in excess of our insurance coverage for any claims could adversely affect our business and the results of our operations.

Federal income tax reform could have unforeseen effects on our financial condition and results of operations.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or the Tax Act, was enacted on December 22, 2017, and contains many changes to U.S. federal tax laws. The Tax Act requires complex computations that were not previously provided for under U.S. tax law and significantly revised the U.S. tax code by, among other changes, lowering the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, requiring a one-time transition tax on accumulated foreign earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred and creating new taxes on certain foreign sourced earnings. At December 31, 2019, the Company has completed its accounting for the tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act. However, additional guidance may be issued by the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, the Department of the Treasury, or other governing body that may significantly differ from our interpretation of the law, which may result in a material adverse effect on our business, cash flow, results of operations or financial conditions.

Inadequate funding for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other government agencies could hinder their ability to perform normal business functions on which the operation of our business may rely, which could negatively impact our business.

In an effort to provide guidance to federal law enforcement, the DOJ has issued Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement to all United States Attorneys in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General David Ogden on October 19, 2009, in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole on June 29, 2011 and in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole on August 29, 2013. Each memorandum provides that the DOJ is committed to the enforcement of the CSA but, the DOJ is also committed to using its limited investigative and prosecutorial resources to address the most significant threats in the most effective, consistent, and rational way. On January 4, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked the Ogden Memo and the Cole Memos.

The DOJ has not historically devoted resources to prosecuting individuals whose conduct is limited to possession of small amounts of marijuana for use on private property but has relied on state and local law enforcement to address marijuana activity. In the event the DOJ reverses its stated policy and begins strict enforcement of the CSA in states that have laws legalizing medical marijuana and recreational marijuana in small amounts, there may be a direct and adverse impact to our business and our revenue and profits. Furthermore, H.R. 83, enacted by Congress on December 16, 2014, provides that none of the funds made available to the DOJ pursuant to the 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act may be used to prevent certain states, including Nevada and California, from implementing their own laws that authorized the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, it could enable the DOJ to enforce the CSA in states that have laws legalizing medical marijuana.

California’s Phase-In of Laboratory Testing Requirements could impact the availability of the products sold in dispensaries.

Beginning July 1, 2018, cannabis goods must meet all statutory and regulatory requirements. A licensee can only sell cannabis goods that have been tested by a licensed testing laboratory and have passed all statutory and regulatory testing requirements. In order to be sold, cannabis goods harvested or manufactured prior to January 1, 2018, must be tested by a licensed testing laboratory and must comply with all testing requirements in section 5715 of the Bureau of Cannabis Control (“BCC”) regulations. Cannabis goods that do not meet all statutory and regulatory requirements must be destroyed in accordance with the rules pertaining to destruction.

Risks Related to an Investment in Our Securities

The Company is currently delinquent in its Reporting Obligations with the SEC and accordingly the Company currently has a “Pink No Information” Stop Sign Symbol on OTC Markets.

Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink No Information Tier of OTC Markets under the symbol, “AGTK.” We are currently labeled as “Delinquent SEC Reporting” and have a red stop sign next to our name on OTC Markets because the Company has not filed all of its required periodic reports since we filed our Quarterly Report for the Quarter ended September 30, 2019, which was filed with the SEC on November 25, 2019. We plan to make up all of our required periodic reports and become current with our reporting obligations with the SEC so that our profile on OTC Markets can be updated accordingly to reflect Current Information and remove the stop sign as well as the “Delinquent SEC Reporting” label. However there can be no assurance that we’ll be able to accomplish the foregoing as planned or at all.

We expect to experience volatility in the price of our Common Stock, which could negatively affect stockholders’ investments.

The trading price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control. The stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies with securities traded in those markets. Broad market and industry factors may seriously affect the market price of companies’ stock, including ours, regardless of actual operating performance. All of these factors could adversely affect your ability to sell your shares of Common Stock or, if you are able to sell your shares, to sell your shares at a price that you determine to be fair or favorable.

Our Common Stock is categorized as “penny stock,” which may make it more difficult for investors to sell their shares of Common Stock due to suitability requirements.

Our Common Stock is categorized as “penny stock.” The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted Rule 15g-9, which generally defines “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price (as defined) less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. The price of our Common Stock is significantly less than $5.00 per share and is therefore considered “penny stock.” This designation imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons other than established customers and accredited investors. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer buying our securities to disclose certain information concerning the transaction, obtain a written agreement from the purchaser and determine that the purchaser is reasonably suitable to purchase the securities given the increased risks generally inherent in penny stocks. These rules may restrict the ability and/or willingness of brokers or dealers to buy or sell our Common Stock, either directly or on behalf of their clients, may discourage potential stockholders from purchasing our Common Stock, or may adversely affect the ability of stockholders to sell their shares.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our Common Stock, which could depress the price of our Common Stock.

In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require a broker-dealer to have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer before recommending an investment to a customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives, and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. Thus, the FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our Common Stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our shares of Common Stock, have an adverse effect on the market for our shares of Common Stock, and thereby depress our price per share of Common Stock.

We may issue additional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock in the future, which could cause significant dilution to all stockholders.

Our Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 1,499,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, with a par value of $0.01 per share. As of March 2, 2021, we had 63,864,989 shares of Common Stock and 1,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding; however, we may issue additional shares of Common Stock or preferred stock in the future in connection with a financing or an acquisition. Such issuances may not require the approval of our stockholders. In addition, certain of our outstanding rights to purchase additional shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into our Common Stock are subject to full-ratchet anti-dilution protection, which could result in the right to purchase significantly more shares of Common Stock being issued or a reduction in the purchase price for any such shares or both. Any issuance of additional shares of our Common Stock, or equity securities convertible into our Common Stock, including but not limited to, preferred stock, warrants, and options, will dilute the percentage ownership interest of all stockholders, may dilute the book value per share of our Common Stock, and may negatively impact the market price of our Common Stock.

Because we do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our Common Stock, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell them.

We intend to retain any future earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future. Declaring and paying future dividends, if any, will be determined by our Board, based upon earnings, financial condition, capital resources, capital requirements, restrictions in our Articles of Incorporation, contractual restrictions, and such other factors as our Board deems relevant. Unless we pay dividends, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell them. There is no assurance that stockholders will be able to sell shares when desired.

Our independent auditors have expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

We incurred a net loss of $8,045,888 and $1,412,278 for the years ending December 31, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Because of our continued operating losses, negative cash flows from operations and working capital deficit, in their report on our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019, our independent auditors included an explanatory paragraph regarding their substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We will continue to experience net operating losses in the foreseeable future. Our ability to continue as a going concern is subject to our ability to generate a profit and/or obtain necessary funding from outside sources, including obtaining additional funding from the sale of our securities, increasing sales or obtaining loan from various financial institutions where possible. Our continued net operating losses increase the difficulty in meeting such goals and there can be no assurances that such methods will prove successful.

Federal regulation and enforcement may adversely affect the implementation of medical marijuana laws and regulations may negatively impact our revenues and profits.

Currently, there are thirty-four (34) states plus the District of Columbia that have laws and/or regulation that recognize in one form or another legitimate medical uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with medical treatment. Many other states are considering similar legislation. Conversely, under the Controlled Substances Act (the “CSA”), the policy and regulations of the Federal government and its agencies is that cannabis has no medical benefit and a range of activities including cultivation and use of cannabis for personal use is prohibited. Until Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical marijuana, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law, and we may be deemed to be facilitating the selling or distribution of drug paraphernalia in violation of federal law. Active enforcement of the current federal regulatory position on cannabis may thus indirectly and adversely affect revenues and profits of the Company. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of congressional activity, judicial holdings and stated federal policy remains uncertain.

Federal authorities have not focused their resources on such tangential or secondary violations of the Act, nor have they threatened to do so, with respect to the leasing of real property or the sale of equipment that might be used by medical cannabis gardeners, or with respect to any supplies marketed to participants in the emerging medical cannabis industry. We are unaware of such a broad application of the CSA by federal authorities, and we believe that such an attempted application would be unprecedented.

The Company may provide services to and potentially handle monies for businesses in the legal cannabis industry.  

Selling or distributing medical or retail cannabis is deemed to be illegal under the Federal Controlled Substances Act even though such activities may be permissible under state law. A risk exists that our lending and services could be deemed to be facilitating the selling or distribution of cannabis in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act, or to constitute aiding or abetting, or being an accessory to, a violation of that Act. Such a finding, claim, or accusation would likely severely limit the Company’s ability to continue with its operations and may result in our investors losing all of their investment in our Company. 

The legal cannabis industry faces an uncertain legal environment on state, federal, and local levels.

Although we continually monitor the most recent legal developments affecting the legal cannabis industry, the legal environment in California and elsewhere could shift in a manner not currently contemplated by the Company. For example, while we think there will always be a place for compliance-related services, broader state and federal legalization could render the compliance landscape significantly less technical, which would render our suite of compliance services less valuable and marketable. Lending money to legal cannabis participants could also be subject to legal challenge if the federal government or another jurisdiction decides to more actively enforce applicable laws. These unknown legal developments could directly and indirectly harm our business and results of operations.

Profit sharing, distributions, and equity ownership in California medical marijuana dispensaries and growing operations are not permissible.  

The Company does not currently maintain an ownership interest in legal cannabis dispensaries or growing operations in California or elsewhere. We believe such ownership is not permitted by applicable law. Investors should be aware that the Company will not engage in such activity until such time as it is legally permissible. If the applicable laws make it so that the Company is unable to own interests in legal cannabis dispensaries in growing operations ever, the Company may not be able to attain its financial projections, and thus, this would directly and indirectly harm our business and results of operations.

We depend on third party providers for a reliable Internet infrastructure and the failure of these third parties, or the Internet in general, for any reason would significantly impair our ability to conduct our business.

We outsource all of our data center facility management to third parties who host the actual servers and provide power and security in multiple data centers in each geographic location. These third-party facilities require uninterrupted access to the Internet. If the operation of our servers is interrupted for any reason, including natural disaster, financial insolvency of a third-party provider, or malicious electronic intrusion into the data center, our business would be significantly damaged. If either a third-party facility failed, or our ability to access the Internet was interfered with because of the failure of Internet equipment in general or we become subject to malicious attacks of computer intruders, our business and operating results will be materially adversely affected.

The gathering, transmission, storage and sharing or use of personal information could give rise to liabilities or additional costs of operation as a result of governmental regulation, legal requirements, civil actions or differing views of personal privacy rights.

We transmit and plan to store a large volume of personal information in the course of providing our services. Federal and state laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, sharing and security of data that we receive from our customers and their users. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with U.S. federal or state privacy or consumer protection-related laws, regulations or industry self-regulatory principles could result in proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others, which could potentially have an adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. Additionally, we may also be contractually liable to indemnify and hold harmless our customers from the costs or consequences of inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of their customers’ personal data which we store or handle as part of providing our services.

The interpretation and application of privacy, data protection and data retention laws and regulations are currently unsettled particularly with regard to location-based services, use of customer data to target advertisements and communication with consumers via mobile devices. Such laws may be interpreted and applied inconsistently from country to country and inconsistently with our current data protection policies and practices. 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, operating results or financial condition.

As privacy and data protection have become more sensitive issues, we may also become exposed to potential liabilities as a result of differing views on the privacy of personal information. These and other privacy concerns, including security breaches, could adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

In the U.S., we have voluntarily agreed to comply with wireless carrier technological and other requirements for access to their customers’ mobile devices, and also trade association guidelines and codes of conduct addressing the provision of location-based services, delivery of promotional content to mobile devices and tracking of users or devices for the purpose of delivering targeted advertising. We could be adversely affected by changes to these requirements, guidelines and codes, including in ways that are inconsistent with our practices or in conflict with the rules or guidelines in other jurisdictions.

We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting which could, if not remediated, result in material misstatements in our financial statements.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over our financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). A material weakness is defined as a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, management identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as discussed in Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. As a result of these material weaknesses, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective based on criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control-An Integrated Framework. We are planning to engage in developing a remediation plan designed to address these material weaknesses. If our remedial measures are insufficient to address the material weaknesses, or if additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control are discovered or occur in the future, our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements and we could be required to restate our financial results, which could lead to substantial additional costs for accounting and legal fees and shareholder litigation.

We may require additional capital in the future, which may not be available or may only be available on unfavorable terms.

We monitor our capital adequacy on an ongoing basis. To the extent that our funds are insufficient to fund future operating requirements, we may need to raise additional funds through corporate finance transactions or curtail our growth and reduce our liabilities. Any equity, hybrid or debt financing, if available at all, may be on terms that are not favorable to us. If we cannot obtain adequate capital on favorable terms or at all, our business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

B. Michael Friedman, our current Interim CEO and sole director, holds Series B Preferred Stock which will provide him continuing voting control over the Company and, as a result, he will exercise significant control over corporate decisions.

B. Michael Friedman, our Interim Chief Executive Officer and sole Director owns 100% of Class B Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”). Pursuant to the Certificate of Designation, the Series B Preferred Stock has the right to vote in aggregate, on all shareholder matters equal to 51% of the total vote, no matter how many shares of common stock or other voting stock of the Company are issued or outstanding in the future. The Series B Preferred Stock has a right to vote on all matters presented or submitted to the Company’s stockholders for approval in pari passu with the common stockholders, and not as a separate class. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock have the right to cast votes for each share of Series B Preferred Stock held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of common stockholders, including the election of directors. There is no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock vote together with all other classes and series of common stock of the Company as a single class on all actions to be taken by the common stockholders except to the extent that voting as a separate class or series is required by law.

As a result of the above, Mr. Friedman exercises control in determining the outcome of corporate transactions or other matters, including the election of directors, mergers, consolidations, the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and also the power to prevent or cause a change in control. Any investors who purchase shares will be minority shareholders and as such will have no say in the direction of the Company and the election of Directors. Investors in the Company should keep in mind that even if you own shares of the Company's common stock and wish to vote them at annual or special shareholder meetings, your shares will have no effect on the outcome of corporate decisions or the election of Directors. Furthermore, investors should be aware that Mr. Friedman may choose to elect new Directors to the Board of Directors of the Company and/or take the Company in a new business direction altogether, and, as a result, current shareholders of the Company will have little to no say in such matters.

As a public company, we continue to incur substantial expenses.

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

We have raised capital through the use of convertible debt instruments that causes substantial dilution to our stockholders.

Because of the size of our Company and its status as a “penny stock” as well as the current economy and difficulties in companies our size finding adequate sources of funding, we have been forced to raise capital through the issuance of convertible notes and other debt instruments. These debt instruments carry favorable conversion terms to their holders of up to 42% discounts to the market price of our common stock on conversion and in some cases provide for the immediate sale of our securities into the open market. Accordingly, this has caused dilution to our stockholders in 2019 and may for the foreseeable future. As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately $1,761,249 in convertible debt and potential convertible debt outstanding. This convertible debt balance as well as additional convertible debt we incur in the future will cause substantial dilution to our stockholders.

Because we are quoted on the OTC Markets Group, Inc.’s OTC Pink Sheets instead of an exchange or national quotation system, our investors may have a tougher time selling their stock or experience negative volatility on the market price of our common stock.

Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Markets Group, Inc’s OTC Pink Sheets. The OTC Markets Pink Sheets is often highly illiquid, in part because it does not have a national quotation system by which potential investors can follow the market price of shares except through information received and generated by a limited number of broker-dealers that make markets in particular stocks. There is a greater chance of volatility for securities that are quoted on the OTCQB as compared to a national exchange or quotation system. This volatility may be caused by a variety of factors, including the lack of readily available price quotations, the absence of consistent administrative supervision of bid and ask quotations, lower trading volume, and market conditions. Investors in our common stock may experience high fluctuations in the market price and volume of the trading market for our securities. These fluctuations, when they occur, have a negative effect on the market price for our securities. Accordingly, our stockholders may not be able to realize a fair price from their shares when they determine to sell them or may have to hold them for a substantial period of time until the market for our common stock improves.

Our operating history and lack of profits which could lead to wide fluctuations in our share price. You may be unable to sell your common shares at or above your purchase price, which may result in substantial losses to you. The market price for our common shares is particularly volatile given our status as a relatively unknown company with a small and thinly traded public float.

The market for our common shares is characterized by significant price volatility when compared to seasoned issuers, and we expect that our share price will continue to be more volatile than a seasoned issuer for the indefinite future. The volatility in our share price is attributable to a number of factors. First, our common shares are sporadically and thinly traded. As a consequence of this lack of liquidity, the trading of relatively small quantities of shares by our shareholders may disproportionately influence the price of those shares in either direction. The price for our shares could, for example, decline precipitously in the event that a large number of our common shares are sold on the market without commensurate demand, as compared to a seasoned issuer which could better absorb those sales without adverse impact on its share price. Secondly, we are a speculative or “risky” investment due to our limited operating history and lack of profits to date, and uncertainty of future market acceptance for our potential products. As a consequence of this enhanced risk, more risk-adverse investors may, under the fear of losing all or most of their investment in the event of negative news or lack of progress, be more inclined to sell their shares on the market more quickly and at greater discounts than would be the case with the stock of a seasoned issuer. Many of these factors are beyond our control and may decrease the market price of our common shares, regardless of our operating performance. We cannot make any predictions or projections as to what the prevailing market price for our common shares will be at any time, including as to whether our common shares will sustain their current market prices, or as to what effect that the sale of shares or the availability of common shares for sale at any time will have on the prevailing market price.

Shareholders should be aware that, according to SEC Release No. 34-29093, the market for penny stocks has suffered in recent years from patterns of fraud and abuse. Such patterns include (1) control of the market for the security by one or a few broker-dealers that are often related to the promoter or issuer; (2) manipulation of prices through prearranged matching of purchases and sales and false and misleading press releases; (3) boiler room practices involving high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic price projections by inexperienced sales persons; (4) excessive and undisclosed bid-ask differential and markups by selling broker-dealers; and (5) the wholesale dumping of the same securities by promoters and broker-dealers after prices have been manipulated to a desired level, along with the resulting inevitable collapse of those prices and with consequent investor losses. Our management is aware of the abuses that have occurred historically in the penny stock market. Although we do not expect to be in a position to dictate the behavior of the market or of broker-dealers who participate in the market, management will strive within the confines of practical limitations to prevent the described patterns from being established with respect to our securities. The occurrence of these patterns or practices could increase the volatility of our share price.

We may be subject to unknown or contingent liabilities or restrictions related to properties that we acquire for which we may have limited or no recourse.

Assets and entities that we have acquired or may acquire in the future may be subject to unknown or contingent liabilities for which we may have limited or no recourse against the sellers. Unknown or contingent liabilities might include liabilities for or with respect to liens attached to properties, unpaid real estate tax, or utilities charges for which a subsequent owner remains liable, clean-up or remediation of environmental conditions or code violations, claims of customers, vendors or other persons dealing with the acquired entities and tax liabilities, among other things.

Our revenue and expenses are not directly correlated, and because a large percentage of our costs and expenses are fixed, we may not be able to adapt our cost structure to offset declines in our revenue.

Most of the expenses associated with our business, such as acquisition costs, renovation and maintenance costs, real estate taxes, personal and ad valorem taxes, insurance, utilities, employee wages and benefits and other general corporate expenses are fixed and do not necessarily decrease with a reduction in revenue from our business. Our expenses and ongoing capital expenditures will also be affected by inflationary increases and certain of our cost increases may exceed the rate of inflation in any given period. By contrast, as described above, our rental income will be affected by many factors beyond our control such as the availability of alternative rental properties and economic conditions in our target markets. As a result, we may not be able to fully offset rising costs and capital spending by higher lease rates, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash available for distribution. In addition, state and local regulations may require us to maintain properties that we own, even if the cost of maintenance is greater than the value of the property or any potential benefit from leasing the property.

Our future portfolio consists of properties geographically concentrated in certain markets and any adverse developments in local economic conditions, the demand for commercial property in these markets or natural disasters may negatively affect our operating results.

Our future portfolio consists of properties geographically concentrated in Colorado and Canada. As such, we are susceptible to local economic conditions, other regulations, the supply of and demand for commercial rental properties and natural disasters in these areas. If there is a downturn in the economy, an oversupply of or decrease in demand for commercial rental properties in these markets or natural disasters in these geographical areas, our business could be materially adversely affected to a greater extent than if we owned a real estate portfolio that was more geographically diversified.

We may be subject to losses that are either uninsurable, not economically insurable or that are in excess of our insurance coverage.

Our properties may be subject to environmental liabilities and we will be exposed to personal liability for accidents which may occur on our properties. Our insurance may not be adequate to cover all damages or losses from these events, or it may not be economically prudent to purchase insurance for certain types of losses. As a result, we may be required to incur significant costs in the event of adverse weather conditions and natural disasters or events which result in environmental or personal liability. We may not carry or may discontinue certain types of insurance coverage on some or all of our properties in the future if the cost of premiums for any of these policies in our judgment exceeds the value of the coverage discounted for the risk of loss. If we experience losses that are uninsured or exceed policy limits, we could incur significant uninsured costs or liabilities, lose the capital invested in the properties, and lose the anticipated future cash flows from those properties. In addition, our environmental or personal liability may result in losses substantially in excess of the value of the related property.

Compliance with new or existing laws, regulations and covenants that are applicable to our future properties, including permit, license and zoning requirements, may adversely affect our ability to make future acquisitions or renovations, result in significant costs or delays and adversely affect our growth strategy.

Our future properties are subject to various covenants and local laws and regulatory requirements, including permitting and licensing requirements. Local regulations, including municipal or local ordinances, zoning restrictions and restrictive covenants imposed by community developers may restrict our use of our properties and may require us to obtain approval from local officials or community standards organizations at any time with respect to our properties, including prior to acquiring a property or when undertaking renovations of any of our existing properties. We cannot assure you that existing regulatory policies will not adversely affect us or the timing or cost of any future acquisitions or renovations, or that additional regulations will not be adopted that would increase such delays or result in additional costs. Our failure to obtain permits, licenses and zoning approvals on a timely basis could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 Poor tenant selection and defaults by renters may negatively affect our financial performance and reputation.

Our success will depend in large part upon our ability to attract and retain qualified tenants for our properties. This will depend, in turn, upon our ability to screen applicants, identify good tenants and avoid tenants who may default. We will inevitably make mistakes in our selection of tenants, and we may rent to tenants whose default on our leases or failure to comply with the terms of the lease negatively affect our financial performance, reputation and the quality and value of our properties. For example, tenants may default on payment of rent, make unreasonable and repeated demands for service or improvements, make unsupported or unjustified complaints to regulatory or political authorities, make use of our properties for illegal purposes, damage or make unauthorized structural changes to our properties which may not be fully covered by security deposits, refuse to leave the property when the lease is terminated, engage in violence or similar disturbances, disturb nearby residents with noise, trash, odors or eyesores, fail to comply with regulations, sublet to less desirable individuals in violation of our leases, or permit unauthorized persons to live therein. The process of evicting a defaulting renter from a commercial property can be adversarial, protracted and costly. Furthermore, some tenants facing eviction may damage or destroy the property. Damage to our properties may significantly delay re-leasing after eviction, necessitate expensive repairs or impair the rental income or value of the property, resulting in a lower than expected rate of return. In addition, we will incur turnover costs associated with re-leasing the properties such as marketing and brokerage commissions and will not collect revenue while the property sits vacant. Although we will attempt to work with tenants to prevent such damage or destruction, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in all or most cases. Such tenants will not only cause us not to achieve our financial objectives for the properties, but may subject us to liability, and may damage our reputation with our other tenants and in the communities where we do business.

Declining real estate valuations and impairment charges could adversely affect our earnings and financial condition.

Our success will depend upon our ability to acquire rental properties at attractive valuations, such that we can earn a satisfactory return on the investment primarily through rental income and secondarily through increases in the value of the properties. If we overpay for properties or if their value subsequently drops or fails to rise because of market factors, we will not achieve our financial objectives.

We will periodically review the value of our properties to determine whether their value, based on market factors, projected income and generally accepted accounting principles, has permanently decreased such that it is necessary or appropriate to take an impairment loss in the relevant accounting period. Such a loss would cause an immediate reduction of net income in the applicable accounting period and would be reflected in a decrease in our balance sheet assets. The reduction of net income from an impairment loss could lead to a reduction in our dividends, both in the relevant accounting period and in future periods. Even if we do not determine that it is necessary or appropriate to record an impairment loss, a reduction in the intrinsic value of a property would become manifest over time through reduced income from the property and would therefore affect our earnings and financial condition.

Increasing real estate taxes, fees and insurance costs may negatively impact our financial results.

The cost of real estate taxes and insuring our properties is a significant component of our expenses. Real estate taxes, fees and insurance premiums are subject to significant increases, which can be outside of our control. If the costs associated with real estate taxes, fees and assessments or insurance should rise significantly and we are unable to raise rents to offset such increases, our results of operations would be negatively impacted.