Item 1A. Risk Factors
RISK FACTORS
Our business entails a significant degree of risk and uncertainty, and an investment in our securities should be considered highly speculative. What follows is a general description of the material risks and uncertainties, which may adversely affect our business, our financial condition, including liquidity and profitability, and our results of operations, ultimately affecting the value of an investment in shares of our common stock. In addition to other information contained in this Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the following cautionary statements and risk factors:
General Business Risks
Our limited operating history may not serve as an adequate basis upon which to judge our future prospects and results of operations.
We were incorporated in October 1997, but only began our present operation in September 2005, and, as such, we have a limited operating history, and our historical operating activities may not provide a meaningful basis upon which to evaluate our business, financial performance or future prospects.
We may not be able to achieve similar operating results in future periods, and, accordingly, you should not rely on our results of operation for prior periods as indications of our future performance.
Our historical operating losses and negative cash flows from operating activities raise an uncertainty as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
We have a history of operating losses and negative cash flows from operating activities. In the event that we are unable to sustain our current profitability or are otherwise unable to secure external financing, we may not be able to meet our obligations as they come due, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern. Any such inability to continue as a going concern may result in our security holders losing their entire investment. Our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, contemplate that we will continue as a going concern and do not contain any adjustments that might result if we were unable to continue as a going concern. Changes in our operating plans, our existing and anticipated working capital needs, the acceleration or modification of our expansion plans, lower than anticipated revenues, increased expenses, potential acquisitions or other events will all affect our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our liquidity and capital resources are very limited.
Our ability to fund working capital and anticipated capital expenditures will depend on our future performance, which is subject to general economic conditions, our ability to win government contracts, our private customers, actions of our competitors and other factors that are beyond our control. Our ability to fund operating activities is also dependent upon (i) the extent and availability of bank and other credit facilities, (ii) our ability to access external sources of financing, and (iii) our ability to effectively manage our expenses in relation to revenues. There can be no assurance that our operations and access to external sources of financing will continue to provide resources sufficient to satisfy liabilities arising in the ordinary course of our business.
Our accumulated deficit makes it more difficult for us to borrow funds.
As of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, and as a result of historical operating losses from prior years, our accumulated deficit was $24,210,983. Lenders generally regard an accumulated deficit as a negative factor in assessing creditworthiness, and for this reason, the extent of our accumulated deficit coupled with our historical operating losses will negatively impact our ability to borrow funds if and when required. Any inability to borrow funds, or a reduction in favorability of terms upon which we are able to borrow funds, including the amount available to us, the applicable interest rate and the collateralization required, may affect our ability to meet our obligations as they come due, and adversely affect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
Risks Associated with our Business and Industry
We depend on contracts with federal government agencies for all of our revenue, and if our relationships with these agencies were harmed our future revenues and growth prospects would be adversely affected.
Revenues derived from contracts with federal government agencies accounted for all of our revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2012, and we believe that federal government agencies will continue to be the source of all or substantially all of our revenues for the foreseeable future.
For this reason, any issues that compromise our relationship with agencies of the federal government in general, or with the Department of Defense in particular, would have a substantial adverse effect on our business. Key among the factors in maintaining our relationships with federal government agencies are our performance on individual contracts, the strength of our professional reputation and the relationships of our key executives with government personnel. To the extent that our performance does not meet expectations, or our reputation or relationships with one or more key personnel are impaired, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be negatively affected and we may not be able to meet our obligations as they come due, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
The federal government may modify, curtail or terminate our contracts at any time prior to their completion, which would have a material adverse effect on our business.
Federal government contracts are highly regulated and federal laws and regulations require that our contracts contain certain provisions which allow the federal government to, among other things:
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terminate current contracts at any time for the convenience of the government, provided such termination is made in good faith;
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cancel multi-year contracts and related orders if funds for contract performance for any subsequent year become unavailable;
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curtail or modify current contracts if requirements or budgetary constraints change; and
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Adjust contract costs and fees on the basis of audits done by its agencies.
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Should the federal government modify, curtail or terminate our contracts for any reason, we may only recover our costs incurred and profit on work completed prior to such modification, curtailment or termination. The federal government regularly reviews our costs and performance on its contracts, as well as our accounting and general business practices. The federal government may reduce the reimbursement for our fees and contract-related costs as a result of such an audit. There can be no assurance that one or more of our federal government contracts will not be modified, curtailed or terminated under these circumstances, or that we would be able to procure new federal government contracts to offset the revenue lost as a result of any modification, curtailment or termination. As our revenue is dependent on our procurement, performance and receipt of payment under our contracts with the federal government, the loss of one or more critical contracts could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and we may not be able to meet our obligations as they come due, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
The federal government has increasingly relied upon contracts that are subject to a competitive bidding process. If we are unable to consistently win new awards under these contracts our business may be adversely affected.
We obtain many of our contracts with the federal government through a process of competitive bidding and, as the federal government has increasingly relied upon contracts that are subject to competitive bidding, we expect that much of the business we are awarded in the foreseeable future will be through such a process.
There are substantial costs and a number of risks inherent in the competitive bidding process, including the costs associated with management time necessary to prepare bids and proposals that we may not be awarded, our failure to accurately estimate the resources and costs required to service contracts that we are awarded, and the risk that we may encounter unanticipated expenses, delays or modifications to contracts previously awarded. Our failure to effectively compete and win contracts through, or manage the costs and risks inherent in the competitive bidding process could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our revenues and growth prospects may be adversely affected if we or our employees are unable to obtain the requisite security clearances or other qualifications needed to perform services for our customers.
Many federal government programs require contractors to have security clearances. Depending on the level of required clearance, security clearances can be difficult and time-consuming to obtain. If we or our employees are unable to obtain or retain necessary security clearances, we may not be able to win new business, and our existing customers could terminate their contracts with us or decide not to renew them. To the extent we cannot obtain or maintain the required security clearances for our employees working on a particular contract, we may not derive the revenue anticipated from the contract. Employee misconduct, including security breaches, or our failure to comply with laws or regulations applicable to our business could cause us to lose customers or our ability to contract with the federal government, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and we may not be able to meet our obligations as they come due, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
Because we are a federal government contractor, misconduct, fraud or other improper activities by our employees or our failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation.
Because we are a federal government contractor, misconduct, fraud or other improper activities by our employees or our failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation. Such misconduct could include the failure to comply with federal government procurement regulations, regulations regarding the protection of classified information, legislation regarding the pricing of labor and other costs in federal government contracts and any other applicable laws or regulations. Many of the systems we develop involve managing and protecting information relating to national security and other sensitive government functions. A security breach in one of these systems could prevent us from having access to such critically sensitive systems. Other examples of potential employee misconduct include time card fraud and violations of the Anti-Kickback Act. The precautions we take to prevent and detect these activities may not be effective, and we could face unknown risks or losses. Our failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations or misconduct by any of our employees could subject us to fines and penalties, loss of security clearance and suspension or debarment from contracting with the federal government, any of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and we may not be able to meet our obligations as they come due, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
We must comply with laws and regulations relating to the formation, administration and performance of federal government contracts
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We must comply with laws and regulations relating to the formation, administration and performance of federal government contracts, which affect how we do business with our customers. Such laws and regulations may potentially impose added costs on our business and our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may lead to penalties and the termination of our federal government contracts. Some significant regulations that affect us include:
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the Federal Acquisition Regulations and their supplements, which regulate the formation, administration and performance of federal government contracts;
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the Truth in Negotiations Act, which requires certification and disclosure of cost and pricing data in connection with contract negotiations; and
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The Cost Accounting Standards, which impose accounting requirements that govern our right to reimbursement under certain cost-based government contracts.
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Additionally, our contracts with the federal government are subject to periodic review and investigation. Should such a review or investigation identify improper or illegal activities, we may be subject to civil or criminal penalties or administrative sanctions, including the termination of our contracts, forfeiture of profits, the triggering of price reduction clauses, suspension of payments, fines and suspension or debarment from doing business with federal government agencies. We could also suffer harm to our reputation, which would impair our ability to win awards of contracts in the future or receive renewals of existing contracts. Although we have never had any material civil or criminal penalties or administrative sanctions imposed upon us, it is not uncommon for companies in our industry to have such penalties and sanctions imposed on them. If we incur a material penalty or administrative sanction in the future, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our business is subject to routine audits and cost adjustments by the federal government, which, if resolved unfavorably to us, could adversely affect our financial condition.
Federal government agencies routinely audit and review their contractors’ performance, cost structure and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards. They also review the adequacy of, and a contractor’s compliance with, its internal control systems and policies, including the contractor’s purchasing, property, estimating, compensation and management information systems. Such audits may result in adjustments to our contract costs, and any costs found to be improperly allocated will not be reimbursed.
We incur significant pre-contract costs that if not reimbursed would deplete our cash balances and adversely affect our financial condition.
We often incur costs on projects outside of a formal contract when customers ask us to begin work under a new contract that has yet to be executed, or when they ask us to extend work we are currently doing beyond the scope of the initial contract.
We incur such costs at our risk, and it is possible that the customers will not reimburse us for these costs if we are ultimately unable to agree on a formal contract which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our intellectual property may not be adequately protected from unauthorized use by others, which could increase our litigation costs and adversely affect our business.
Our intellectual properties, including our brands, are some of the most important assets that we possess in our ability to generate revenues and profits and we rely significantly on these intellectual property assets in being able to effectively compete in our markets. However, our intellectual property rights may not provide meaningful protection from unauthorized use by others, which could result in an increase in competing products and services and a reduction in our own ability to generate revenue. Moreover, if we must pursue litigation in the future to enforce or otherwise protect our intellectual property rights, or to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others, we may not prevail and will likely have to make substantial expenditures and divert valuable resources in any case.
We face substantial competition in attracting and retaining qualified senior management and key personnel and may be unable to develop and grow our business if we cannot attract and retain as necessary, or if we were to lose our existing, senior management and key personnel.
Our success, to a large extent, depends upon our ability to attract, hire and retain highly qualified and knowledgeable senior management and key personnel who possess the skills and experience necessary to execute our business strategy. Our ability to attract and retain such senior management and key personnel will depend on numerous factors, including our ability to offer salaries, benefits and professional growth opportunities that are comparable with and competitive to those offered by more established companies operating in our industries and market segments. We may be required to invest significant time and resources in attracting and retaining, as necessary, additional senior management and key personnel, and many of the companies with which we will compete for any such individuals have greater financial and other resources, affording them the ability to undertake more extensive and aggressive hiring campaigns, than we can. Furthermore, an important component to overall compensation offered to senior management and key personnel may be equity. If our stock prices do not appreciate over time, it may be difficult for us to attract and retain senior management and key personnel. Moreover, should we lose our key personnel, we may be unable to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or use of our trade secrets, including our practices, procedures or client lists. The normal running of our operations may be interrupted, and our financial condition and results of operations negatively affected, as a result of any inability on our part to attract or retain the services of qualified and experienced senior management and key personnel, our existing key personnel leaving and a suitable replacement not being found, or should any former member of senior management or key personnel disclose our trade secrets.
The loss of our Chief Executive Officer could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our success depends to a large degree upon the skills, network and professional business contacts of our Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Carnahan. We have no employment agreement with, Timothy Carnahan, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to retain him or, should he choose to leave us for any reason, to attract and retain a replacement or additional key executives. The loss of our Chief Executive Officer would have a material adverse effect on our business, our financial condition, including liquidity and profitability, and our results of operations, raising substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
Risks Associated with an Investment in our Common Stock
Unless an active trading market develops for our securities, you may not be able to sell your shares.
Although, we are a reporting company and our common shares are quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board (owned and operated by the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.) under the symbol “CYIO”, there is not currently an active trading market for our common stock and an active trading market may never develop or, if it does develop, may not be maintained. Failure to develop or maintain an active trading market will have a generally negative effect on the price of our common stock, and you may be unable to sell your common stock or any attempted sale of such common stock may have the effect of lowering the market price and therefore your investment could be a partial or complete loss.
Since our common stock is thinly traded it is more susceptible to extreme rises or declines in price, and you may not be able to sell your shares at or above the price paid.
Since our common stock is thinly traded its trading price is likely to be highly volatile and could be subject to extreme fluctuations in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:
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the trading volume of our shares;
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the number of securities analysts, market-makers and brokers following our common stock;
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changes in, or failure to achieve, financial estimates by securities analysts;
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new products or services introduced or announced by us or our competitors;
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actual or anticipated variations in quarterly operating results;
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conditions or trends in our business industries;
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announcements by us of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;
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additions or departures of key personnel;
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sales of our common stock; and
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General stock market price and volume fluctuations of publicly-traded, and particularly microcap, companies.
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You may have difficulty reselling shares of our common stock, either at or above the price you paid, or even at fair market value.
The stock markets often experience significant price and volume changes that are not related to the operating performance of individual companies, and because our common stock is thinly traded it is particularly susceptible to such changes. These broad market changes may cause the market price of our common stock to decline regardless of how well we perform as a company. In addition, securities class action litigation has often been initiated following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities. A securities class action suit against us could result in substantial legal fees, potential liabilities and the diversion of management’s attention and resources from our business. Moreover, and as noted below, our shares are currently traded on the OTC Bulletin Board and, further, are subject to the penny stock regulations. Price fluctuations in such shares are particularly volatile and subject to manipulation by market-makers, short-sellers and option traders.
Trading in our common stock on the OTC Bulletin Board may be limited thereby making it more difficult for you to resell any shares you may own.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board (owned and operated by the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.). The OTC Bulletin Board is not an exchange and, because trading of securities on the OTC Bulletin Board is often more sporadic than the trading of securities listed on a national exchange or on the NASDAQ National Market, you may have difficulty reselling any of the shares of our common stock that you may own.
Our common stock is subject to the “penny stock” regulations, which are likely to make it more difficult to sell.
Our common stock is considered a “penny stock,” which generally is a stock trading under $5.00 and not registered on a national securities exchange or quoted on the NASDAQ National Market. The SEC has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. These rules generally have the result of reducing trading in such stocks, restricting the pool of potential investors for such stocks, and making it more difficult for investors to sell their shares once acquired. Prior to a transaction in a penny stock, a broker-dealer is required to:
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deliver to a prospective investor a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny stock market;
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provide the prospective investor with current bid and ask quotations for the penny stock;
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explain to the prospective investor the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction;
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provide investors monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the their account; and
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Make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction.
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These requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for a stock that is subject to the penny stock rules. Since our common stock is subject to the penny stock rules, investors in our common stock may find it more difficult to sell their shares.
Future issuances by us or sales of our common stock by our officers or directors may dilute your interest or depress our stock price.
We may issue additional shares of our common stock in future financings or may grant stock options to our employees, officers, directors and consultants under our 2006 Employee Stock Option Plan and 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. Any such issuances could have the effect of depressing the market price of our common stock and, in any case, would dilute the interests of our common stockholders. Such a depression in the value of our common stock could reduce or eliminate amounts that would otherwise have been available to pay dividends on our common stock (which are unlikely in any case) or to make distributions on liquidation. Furthermore, shares owned by our officers or directors which are registered in a registration statement, or which otherwise may be transferred without registration pursuant to an applicable exemptions under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be sold. Because of the perception by the investing public that a sale by such insiders may be reflective of their own lack of confidence in our prospects, the market price of our common stock could decline as a result of a sell-off following sales of substantial amounts of common stock by our officers and directors into the public market, or the mere perception that these sales could occur.
We do not intend to pay any common stock dividends in the foreseeable future.
We have never declared or paid a dividend on our common stock and, because we have very limited resources and a substantial accumulated deficit, we do not anticipate declaring or paying any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Rather, we intend to retain earnings, if any, for the continued operation and expansion of our business. It is unlikely, therefore, that the holders of our common stock will have an opportunity to profit from anything other than potential appreciation in the value of our common shares held by them. If you require dividend income, you should not rely on an investment in our common stock.