IPW Ipower Inc. - 10-K
0001683168-25-007480Year-over-year tone shift - average net-tone change across Risk Factors and MD&A vs the prior 10-K. This filing is 0.13pp more bullish than last year's.
Why YoY instead of absolute: the LM lexicon has ~6.6× more negative words than positive (legal/risk-disclosure language is heavy on hedging), so every 10-K reads bearish on raw tone. Year-over-year change strips that bias and surfaces the actual shift in management's framing.
Tone shift by section
The two components the gauge averages: how Risk Factors and MD&A each shifted in net tone versus last year's 10-K. The headline above is their average, so a green needle over a soft section just means the other section carried it.
Sentence-level sentiment highlighting with category and subcategory filters is coming once the snippet-scoring pipeline lands. For now, dig into the actual section text on the Sections tab.
Language change vs prior 10-K
Risk Factors (Item 1A) - words with the biggest YoY frequency increase- closing+4
- expose+2
- retaliatory+2
- delisting+2
- against+1
- regain+8
- successful+2
- assure+2
- regained+2
- effective+1
Risk Factors (Item 1A)
16,883 words
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report, including our financial statements and related notes, before making a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and Products
We sell proprietary brand offerings, as well as third party brands, which could expose us to various risks.
We rely on different intellectual property rights, including trade secrets and trademarks and the strength of our proprietary brands, which we consider important to our business. If we are unable to protect or preserve the value of our intellectual property rights for any reason, or if we fail to maintain our brand image due to actual or perceived product or service quality issues, adverse publicity, governmental investigations or litigation, or other reasons, our brand and reputation could be damaged, and our business may be harmed.
Although we believe that our proprietary brand products offer significant value to our customers at each price point and provide us with higher gross margins than sales of comparable third-party branded products, expanding our proprietary brand offerings subjects us to certain specific risks in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this section, such as:
potential mandatory or voluntary product recalls in the event of product defects or other issues;
the measures we take may not effectively or sufficiently protect and/or maintain the intellectual property, and proprietary rights associated with our products and business;
we may be required to heavily invest in marketing such proprietary branded products;
our ability to successfully innovate and obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights (including defending against counterfeit, knock offs, grey-market, infringing or otherwise unauthorized goods); and
our ability to successfully navigate and avoid claims related to the intellectual property and proprietary rights of third parties, which, if successful, could force us to modify or discontinue products, pay significant damages or enter into expensive licensing arrangements with the prevailing party, in addition to other harm, including to our reputation or financial results.
An increase in sales of our proprietary brands may also adversely affect our sales of the products of certain of our vendors which may, in turn, adversely affect our relationship with such vendors. Our failure to adequately address some or all of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our competitors and potential competitors may develop products and technologies that are more effective or commercially attractive than our products.
Our products compete against national and regional products and in-house branded products produced by various suppliers, many of which are established companies that provide products that perform functions similar to our products. Our competitors may develop or market products that are more effective or commercially attractive than our current or future products. Some of our competitors have substantially greater financial, operational, marketing, and technical resources than we do. Moreover, some of these competitors may offer a broader array of products and sell their products at prices lower than ours and may have greater name recognition. In addition, if demand for our specialty indoor gardening supplies and products continues to grow, we may face competition from new entrants into our field. Due to this competition, there is no assurance that we will not encounter difficulties in generating or increasing revenues and capturing market share. In addition, increased competition may lead to reduced prices and/or margins for products we sell. We may not have the financial resources, relationships with key suppliers, technical expertise or marketing, distribution, or support capabilities to compete successfully in the future.
We may not be able to successfully develop new products or improve existing products or maintain our effectiveness in reaching consumers through rapidly evolving communication vehicles.
Our future success depends, in part, upon our ability to improve our existing products and to develop, manufacture and market new products to meet evolving consumer needs. We cannot be certain that we will be successful in developing, manufacturing and marketing new products or product innovations which satisfy consumer needs or achieve market acceptance, or that we will develop, manufacture and market new products or product innovations in a timely manner. If we fail to successfully develop, manufacture and market new products or product innovations, or if we fail to reach existing and potential consumers, our ability to maintain or grow our market share may be adversely affected, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the development and introduction of new products and product innovations require substantial research, development, and marketing expenditures, which we may be unable to recoup if such new products or innovations do not achieve market acceptance.
Many of the products we distribute and market, such as our fertilizers and nutrients, contain ingredients that are subject to regulatory approval or registration with certain U.S. state regulators. The need to obtain such approval or registration could delay the launch of new products or product innovations that contain ingredients or otherwise prevent us from developing and manufacturing certain products and product innovations.
The availability and cost of transportation for our products is vital to our success, and the loss of availability or increase in the cost of transportation or freight costs could have an unfavorable impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
Our ability to obtain adequate and reasonably priced means of transportation to import and distribute our products is a key factor in our success. Delays in transportation, including weather-related delays and disruptions due to a pandemic or similar public health emergency, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Further, higher fuel costs and increased line haul costs due to industry capacity constraints, customer delivery requirements and a more restrictive regulatory environment, could negatively impact our financial results. If we were unable to pass higher freight costs to our customers in the form of price increases, those higher costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Further, an increase in the selling prices for our products resulting from a pass-through of increased freight costs could also have an adverse impact on the volume of products we sell, and as a result, our business, financial condition, and operating results may suffer.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine may adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations .
On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a military offensive in Ukraine. While neither Ukraine nor Russia is a key supplier of ours, the scope, intensity, duration and outcome of the ongoing war is uncertain and its continuation or escalation could have a material adverse effect on iPower due to the general impact on the global supply chain and prices of certain commodities. While we presently have no business or direct trade relationships with entities located in Russia or Ukraine, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine could potentially cause supply chain disruptions that could disrupt our business should any of our end-suppliers rely on supplies, products or shipments from those regions.
In response to the war, the United States, other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (“NATO”) member states, as well as non-member states, have announced targeted economic sanctions on Russia, certain Russian citizens and enterprises. Any continuation or escalation of the war may trigger a series of additional economic and other sanctions. Certain companies have experienced negative reactions from their investors, employees, customers, or other stakeholders as a result of their action or inaction related to the war between Russia and Ukraine. We continue to monitor the reactions of our investors, employees, customers and other stakeholders and, as of the date of this report, have neither experienced any material adverse financial impacts nor suffered from the loss of key customers or employees.
In addition, the risk of cybersecurity incidents has increased in connection with the ongoing war, driven by justifications such as retaliation for the sanctions imposed in conjunction with the war, or in response to certain companies’ continued operations in Russia. For example, the war has been accompanied by cyberattacks against the Ukrainian government and other countries in the region. It is possible that these attacks could have collateral effects on additional critical infrastructure and financial institutions globally, which could adversely affect our operations and could increase the frequency and severity of cyber-based attacks against our information technology systems. While we have taken actions to mitigate such potential risks, the proliferation of malware from the war into systems unrelated to the war or cyberattacks against U.S. companies in retaliation for U.S. sanctions against Russia or U.S. support of Ukraine, could also adversely affect our operations.
We insure ourselves against many types of risks; however, while this insurance may mitigate certain of the risks associated with the ongoing war, our level of insurance may not cover all losses we could incur. The potential effects of these conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The occurrence of any epidemic or pandemic, including but not limited to COVID-19 or similar infectious diseases, and any resurgence in related infections, whether in the U.S., China or elsewhere, along with efforts to mitigate their impact, could adversely affect our business, liquidity, operations, financial condition, the business of our suppliers, vendors and logistic partners, and the price of our securities.
The emergence of any epidemic or pandemic, and the measures taken to combat such health crises by public health authorities and governments at local, national, and international levels, may have significant adverse effects on our business. These measures, which may directly or indirectly impact our operations, include but are not limited to:
Voluntary or mandatory quarantines;
Restrictions on travel;
Limitations on gatherings in public places;
Temporary closures of non-essential businesses;
Supply chain disruptions; and
Changes in consumer behavior and spending patterns.
In the event of a future epidemic or pandemic, we cannot predict the duration of such an outbreak, the effectiveness of our response, or the full extent of the disruption to our operations. The impact may vary depending on the nature and severity of the health crisis, as well as the specific measures implemented to contain its spread and mitigate its effects.
Furthermore, even after an epidemic or pandemic subsides, we may continue to experience adverse effects to our business as a result of a pandemic’s overall global economic impact, including any recession, economic downturn or increased unemployment that has occurred or may occur in the future.
We have a limited operating history on which stockholders and potential investors can evaluate our business or base an investment decision.
Our business prospects are difficult to predict given our limited operating history and unproven business strategy. While we inherited in 2018 the business of our predecessor entity, BizRight LLC, an entity through which we acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities, we did not begin operations under iPower Inc. (formerly BZRTH Inc.) until our formation in April 2018. Thereafter, we launched our e-commerce platforms, www.Zenhydro.com and www.simpledeluxe.com, where we sell our own in-house branded products, marketed under the iPower and Simple Deluxe brands, and provide distribution for hundreds of other brands manufactured by a number of third-party vendors. Accordingly, the operation of our e-commerce platform, branding and marketing of our own in-house branded products, and our relationships with third-party vendors and suppliers have been limited. If we are unable to effectively maintain our relationships with third-party vendors and suppliers, manage our e-commerce operations, as well as other sales platforms/distribution network, our business is unlikely to succeed. Our business should be viewed in light of these risks, challenges and uncertainties. In addition, our board of directors only authorized our commencement of the Digital Treasury Strategy in June 17, 2025, so, in the event we launch such strategy, we have only limited experience in that area and cannot assure investors that we will be successful in executing on a Digital Treasury Strategy.
Almost all of our sales are carried out through third-party platforms, including Amazon, Temu, Walmart and eBay; any disruption in our selling efforts on such third party platforms could substantially disrupt our business.
While we maintain our own websites, Zenhydro.com and simpledeluxe.com , as well as our offline wholesale department, almost all of our sales occurred on third party platforms such as Amazon, Temu, Walmart and other platforms. As such, should we experience a disruption in our sales on third party platforms, or should such third party platforms somehow come to rank us unfavorably or fail to list our products, this could negatively affect our overall sales and, thus, negatively impact our overall revenues.
Poor economic conditions could adversely affect our business.
Uncertain global economic conditions, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, could adversely affect our business. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the effects of which are still ongoing, there have been ongoing negative global economic trends, such as decreased consumer and business spending, higher than normal unemployment levels and declining consumer and business confidence. All of these issues have posed challenges to our business and could result in declining revenues, profitability and cash flow. Although we continue to devote significant resources to support our brands, unfavorable economic conditions may negatively affect demand for our products. Our most price-sensitive customers may trade down to lower priced products during challenging economic times or if current economic conditions worsen, while other customers may reduce discretionary spending during periods of economic uncertainty, which could reduce sales volumes of our products in favor of our competitors’ products or result in a shift in our product mix from higher margin to lower margin products.
Heightened inflation, increased interest rates and other economic conditions including potential recession and credit market disruptions could negatively impact our business.
Customer demand for our products may be influenced by heightened inflation, increased interest rates and other weak economic conditions including recessionary conditions and credit market disruptions and volatility. Continued weak economic conditions may cause a decrease in demand for our products from our customers. In addition, these economic conditions may adversely impact certain customers, suppliers and other vendors who are highly leveraged. Accordingly, in an environment of heightened inflation, increased interest rates or other recessionary pressures, our business, financial condition and results of operation may be adversely impacted.
Volatile or weakened economic conditions in the U.S. and globally may adversely affect our business and operating results. Moreover, while the recent banking crisis involving the closure of Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”) and other small banks did not have a material direct impact on our business, continued instability in the global banking system may result in additional bank failures, as well as volatility of global financial markets, either of which may adversely impact our business and financial condition.
Our overall performance depends in part on U.S. and international macroeconomic conditions. The U.S. and other key international economies, including China, have experienced and may in the future experience significant economic and market downturns in which economic activity is impacted by falling demand for a variety of goods and services, restricted credit, poor liquidity, reduced corporate profitability, volatility in credit, equity and foreign exchange markets, inflation, bankruptcies and overall uncertainty with respect to the economy. These economic conditions can arise suddenly and the full impact of such conditions are impossible to predict. In addition, geopolitical and domestic political developments, such as existing and potential trade wars and other events beyond our control, such as the war in Ukraine and the trade war between the U.S. and China, can increase levels of political and economic unpredictability globally and increase the volatility of global financial markets.
Moreover, there has been recent turmoil in the global banking system. For example, in March 2023, SVB was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the FDIC, as receiver. First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company then assumed all of SVB’s customer deposits and certain other liabilities and acquired substantially all of SVB’s loans and certain other assets from the FDIC. While the closure of SVB, and the subsequent failures of Signature Bank, First Republic Bank and Heartland Tri-State Bank, did not have a material direct impact on our business, continued instability in the global banking system may result in additional bank failures, as well as volatility of global financial markets, either of which may adversely impact our business and financial condition.
Government efforts to combat inflation, along with other interest rate pressures arising from an inflationary economic environment, could lead to higher financing costs.
Inflation has risen on a global basis, the U.S. has been experiencing historically high levels of inflation, and government entities have taken various actions to combat inflation, such as by raising interest rate benchmarks. Government entities may continue their efforts, or implement additional efforts, to combat inflation, which could include, among other things, continuing to raise interest rate benchmarks or maintaining interest rate benchmarks at elevated levels. Such government efforts, along with other interest rate pressures arising from an inflationary economic environment, could lead to higher financing costs and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely heavily on our access to the China markets for the production of our products; should U.S. and China trade relations further deteriorate, and should the ongoing trade war continue, our supply chain, and thus our operations and revenues, could be subject to deleterious effects.
We are heavily reliant on manufacturers in China to produce many of the goods we sell. Approximately 96% of the products we purchased for resale during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 were manufactured in and imported from China. At present, we have 7 suppliers in the U.S. and more than 144 suppliers in China. However, all of the goods sourced in China were purchased through our VIE, DHS. The U.S. and China have been involved in ongoing trade disputes, resulting in increased tariffs when such goods arrive in the U.S., among other things. Any changes in U.S. trade policy, or an escalation in the ongoing trade disputes, could trigger retaliatory actions, resulting in “trade wars” and an increase in costs for goods imported into the United States. Such actions could disrupt our supply chain. In addition, increased tariffs could, in turn, reduce customer demand for such products as such tariffs could cause us to have to increase the price at which we sell our goods, or it could result in trading partners limiting their trade with the United States. To date, iPower has absorbed some of the costs related to increased tariffs. However, should we be unable to continue to absorb such costs, or should we need to pass all such costs on to consumers, such increase could cut into our competitive advantage and our volume of sales activity in the United States could be materially reduced. Any such reduction may materially and adversely affect our sales and our business.
Our China-based subsidiary, Dayourenzi (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd., through which we have historically procured much of our inventory and overseas logistical support, is owned through contractual agreements, as required by the laws of the PRC. As a result, the Chinese government could potentially exercise significant oversight and/or discretion over the business and operations of our China-based subsidiary and could potentially intervene in or influence the operations of those businesses at any time.
We recently acquired two China-based subsidiaries, Dayourenzi (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. (“DYRZ”) and Daheshou (Shenzhen) Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“DHS”). (DYRZ and DHS together are referred to as our “China-based Subsidiary”). The Operating Company DYRZ, in conjunction with our since disposed variable interest entity, DHS, has historically provided the bulk of our China-based procurement and logistical needs and we believe it will help streamline our procurement of goods and shipping, as well as reduce costs by bringing these services in house. Our China-based subsidiary is owned by us through contractual arrangements with our Hong Kong subsidiary, Fly Elephant Limited, and its parent company, Anivia Limited, a British Virgin Islands company. In addition, our China-based subsidiary may be at risk of influence by the PRC government as it is subject to the laws, rules and regulations of the PRC, which can be complex and evolve rapidly. The PRC government has the power to exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our China-based Subsidiary, and the regulations to which they are subject may change rapidly and with little notice to us or our shareholders. As a result, the application, interpretation, and enforcement of new and existing laws and regulations in the PRC are often uncertain. In addition, these laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied inconsistently by different agencies or authorities, and inconsistently with our own policies and practices. New laws, regulations and other government directives in the PRC may also be costly to comply with, and such compliance or any associated inquiries or investigations or any other government actions may, as regards our China-based Subsidiary:
Delay or impede development,
Result in negative publicity or increase our operating costs,
Require significant management time and attention, and
Subject us to remedies, administrative penalties and even criminal liabilities that may harm our business, including fines assessed for our current or historical operations, or demands or orders that we modify or even cease our China-based business practices.
The promulgation of new laws or regulations, or the new interpretation of existing laws and regulations, could restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact the ability or manner in which we conduct the business of our China based subsidiaries and could require us to change certain aspects of their business to ensure compliance, which could delay our procurement of goods, reduce revenues, increase costs, or subject us to additional liabilities. To the extent any new or more stringent measures are required to be implemented in the PRC, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We face intense competition that could prohibit us from developing or increasing our customer base.
The specialty gardening and hydroponic product industry is highly competitive. We may compete with companies that have greater capital resources and facilities. More established gardening companies with much greater financial resources which do not currently compete with us may be able to easily adapt their existing operations to sell hydroponic growing equipment. Our competitors may also introduce new hydroponic growing equipment, and manufacturers may sell equipment direct to consumers. Due to this competition, there is no assurance that we will not encounter difficulties in increasing revenues and maintaining and/or increasing market share. In addition, increased competition may lead to reduced prices and/or margins for products we sell.
If we need additional capital to fund the expansion of our operations, we may not be able to obtain sufficient capital on terms favorable to us and may be forced to limit the expansion of our operations.
In connection with our growth strategies, we may experience increased capital needs and, accordingly, we may not have sufficient capital to fund the future expansion of our operations without additional capital investments. There can be no assurance that additional capital will be available to us on terms favorable to us or at all. If we cannot obtain sufficient capital to fund our expansion, we may be forced to limit the scope of our acquisitions and growth prospects.
Our business depends substantially on the continuing efforts of our executive officers and our business may be severely disrupted if we lose their services.
Our future success depends substantially on the continued services of our executive officers, especially our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Interim Chief Financial Officer, Chenlong Tan. We do not presently maintain key man life insurance on any of our executive officers or directors, although we intend to obtain such insurance in the near future. If one or more of our executive officers are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily, if at all. The loss of any of our executive officers could cause our business to be disrupted, and we may incur additional and unforeseen expenses to recruit and retain new officers.
If we are not successful in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business strategy.
Our ability to compete in the highly competitive hydroponics and gardening industry depends in large part upon our ability to attract highly qualified managerial and sales personnel. In order to induce valuable employees to come and work for us and to remain with us, we may provide employees with stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units that vest over time. The value to employees of such incentive stock and stock options that vest over time will be significantly affected by movements in our stock price that we will not be able to control and may at any time be insufficient to counteract more lucrative offers our employees may receive from other companies. Our success also depends on our ability to continue to attract, retain and motivate highly skilled junior, mid-level and senior personnel. Certain of our executive officers have employment agreements but these agreements do not guarantee us the continued services of such employees. Further, we do not currently offer any health care or retirement benefits to any of our employees, and many of our more established competitors may offer more competitive compensation packages for the kind of personnel that is critical to our company’s survival and success. If we have difficulty identifying, attracting, hiring, training and retaining such qualified personnel, or incur significant costs in order to do so, our business and financial results could be negatively impacted. For example, offering competitive compensation packages may significantly increase our operating expenses and negatively impact our gross profits. Further, the loss of our executive officers or our other key personnel, particularly with little or no notice, could cause delays on business developments and projects and could have an adverse impact on our customers and industry relationships, our business, operating results, or financial condition.
In order to increase our sales and marketing infrastructure, we will need to grow the size of our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing this growth.
As we continue to work to increase our presence across the hydroponics market, we will need to expand the size of our employee base for managerial, operational, sales, marketing, financial, human resources, and other areas of specialization. Future growth would impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including the need to identify, recruit, maintain, motivate, and integrate additional employees. In addition, our management may have to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from our day-to-day activities and devote a substantial amount of time to managing these growth activities. Our future financial performance and our ability to continue to grow our operation and effectively compete in the hydroponics industry will depend in part on our ability to effectively manage any future growth.
Certain of our products may be purchased for use in the cannabis industry and/or be subject to varying, inconsistent, and rapidly changing laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations, and consumer perceptions.
Our hydroponic gardening products are multi-purpose products designed and intended for growing a wide range of plants and are generally purchased from retailers by end users who may grow any variety of vegetables and plants, including cannabis. As such, we sell hydroponic gardening products that end users may purchase for use in a variety of industries or segments, including the growing of cannabis. The cannabis industry is subject to varying, inconsistent and rapidly changing laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations and consumer perceptions. For example, certain countries and a total of 46 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia have adopted frameworks that authorize, regulate and tax the cultivation, processing, sale and use of cannabis for medicinal and/or non-medicinal use, including legalization of hemp and CBD, while the U.S. Controlled Substances Act and the laws of U.S. states prohibit growing cannabis.
We act solely as a supplier and distributor of hydroponics equipment and supplies, and at no time do we engage in the cultivation, sale, distribution or dispensing of cannabis or any cannabis products or accessories. In addition, we believe that none of our hydroponic equipment and supplies or any other products we sell would be considered paraphernalia under federal drug paraphernalia laws. Similar to Amazon and eBay, we do not advertise or promote our products on our website for use in growing cannabis, nor do we screen or otherwise track how our customers use our products – whether it is to grow flowers, fruits, vegetables or cannabis.
We are unaware of any threatened or actual law enforcement activity against manufacturers, distributors or retailers of hydroponic supplies that could potentially be used by participants in the cannabis industry, and do not believe that our operations directly or indirectly violate aid and abet violations of the Controlled Substances Act (including Section 856) or other federal laws (including conspiracy laws, money laundering laws, or RICO. Nevertheless, a theoretical risk exists that our activities 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. 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 sale of equipment that might be used by 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 Controlled Substances Act by federal authorities.
If the federal government were to change its practices, or were to expend its resources attacking providers of equipment that could be usable by participants in the medical or recreational cannabis industry, such action could have a materially adverse effect on our operations, our customers, or the sale of our products. In addition, we could be faced with or required to expend substantial resources in an effort to comply with new and changing laws and regulations. Such necessary capital expenditures could negatively affect our earnings and competitive position.
Although the demand for our products may be negatively impacted depending on how laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations and consumer perceptions develop, we cannot reasonably predict the nature of such developments or the effect, if any, that such developments could have on our business.
Continued federal intervention in certain segments of the cannabis industry may have a negative impact on us.
Although we expect minimal impact on the Company from any federal government crackdown on cannabis providers, a disruption to the cannabis industry could cause some potential customers to be more reluctant to invest in growing equipment, including equipment we sell. Moreover, the federal government’s tactics may change or have unforeseen effects, which could be detrimental to our business.
Acquisitions, other strategic alliances, and investments could result in operating difficulties, dilution, and other harmful consequences that may adversely impact our business and results of operations.
Acquisitions are an important element of our overall corporate development strategy and use of capital, and such transactions could be material to our financial condition and results of operations. We expect to continue to evaluate and enter into discussions regarding a wide array of potential acquisition targets and strategic transactions. The areas where we may face risks in connection with such acquisitions include, but are not limited to, the failure to successfully further develop the acquired business, the implementation or remediation of controls, procedures and policies at the acquired business, the transition of employees, operations, users and customers onto our existing platforms, and cultural challenges associated with integrating employees from the acquired business into our organization, and the continued retention of such employees going forward. Our failure to address these risks or other problems encountered in connection with our acquisitions could cause us to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions, investments or alliances, incur unanticipated liabilities, and harm our business generally.
Our acquisitions could also result in dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities or amortization expenses, or impairment of goodwill and purchased long-lived assets, and restructuring charges, any of which could harm our financial condition or results of operations and cash flows. In addition, the anticipated benefits and synergies of many of our acquisitions may not materialize.
Our ongoing investment in and development of our new in-house branded product line is inherently risky and could disrupt our ongoing businesses.
We have invested and expect to continue to invest in our own in-house branded product lines. Such endeavors may involve significant risks and uncertainties, including insufficient revenues to offset liabilities assumed and expenses associated with this new investment, inadequate return of capital on our investment, and unidentified issues not discovered in our assessment of such strategy and offerings. Because this venture is inherently risky, no assurance can be given that such strategy and offerings will be successful and will not adversely affect our reputation, financial condition, and operating results.
If we are unable to effectively execute our e-commerce business, our reputation and operating results may be harmed.
We sell certain of our products over the internet through our e-commerce platforms, www.Zenhydro.com and www.simpledeluxe.com. The success of our e-commerce business depends on our investment in this platform, consumer preferences and buying trends relating to e-commerce, and our ability to both maintain the continuous operation of our online store and our fulfillment operations and provide a shopping experience that will generate orders and return visits to our online store.
We are also vulnerable to certain additional risks and uncertainties associated with our e-commerce business, including: changes in required technology interfaces; website downtime and other technical failures; costs and technical issues associated with website software, systems and technology investments and upgrades; data and system security; system failures, disruptions and breaches and the costs to address and remedy such failures, disruptions or breaches; computer viruses; and changes in and compliance with applicable federal and state regulations. In addition, our efforts to remain competitive with technology trends, including the use of new or improved technology, creative user interfaces and other e-commerce marketing tools such as paid search and mobile applications, among others, may increase our costs and may not increase sales or attract consumers. Our failure to successfully respond to these risks and uncertainties might adversely affect the sales of our e-commerce business, as well as damage our reputation and brands.
In addition, the success of our e-commerce business and the satisfaction of our customers depends on their timely receipt of our products and their ability to pick up their desired products from one of our garden centers. The efficient delivery and/or pick up of our products requires that our garden and distribution centers have adequate capacity to support the current level of e-commerce operations and any anticipated increased levels that may occur as a result of the growth of our e-commerce business. If we encounter difficulties with our garden and distribution centers, or if any garden and distribution centers shut down for any reason, including as a result of fire or other natural disaster, or pursuant to expanded stay-at-home orders or other restrictions due to any potential pandemic, we could face shortages of inventory, which would result in our inability to properly our online store. Such a situation could cause us to incur significantly higher costs and lead to longer lead times associated with distributing products to our customers, which could cause us to lose customers. Experiencing any of these issues could have a material adverse effect on our business and harm our reputation.
A substantial proportion of our sales occur on Amazon and, as such, should our Company experience any negative actions by Amazon, our sales could be significantly affected.
A significant proportion of our sales occur on the Amazon.com platform. For the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, Amazon Vendor and Amazon Seller customers accounted for 82% and 90% of the Company's total revenues, respectively, and as of June 30, 2025 and 2024, accounts receivable from Amazon Vendor and Amazon Seller accounted for 72% and 91% of the Company’s total accounts receivable, respectively. Any disruption in our sales or accessibility to Amazon, or any negative action taken by Amazon related to our sales, could negatively affect our business.
Our reliance on third-party manufacturers could harm our business.
We rely on third parties to manufacture certain of our products. This reliance generates a number of risks, including decreased control over the production process, which could lead to production delays or interruptions and inferior product quality control. In addition, performance problems at these third-party manufacturers could lead to cost overruns, shortages, or other problems, which could increase our costs of production or result in delivery delays to our customers.
In addition, if one or more of our third-party manufacturers becomes insolvent or unwilling to continue to manufacture products of acceptable quality, at acceptable costs and in a timely manner, our ability to deliver products to our retail customers could be significantly impaired. Substitute manufacturers may not be available or, if available, may be unwilling or unable to manufacture the products we need on acceptable terms. Moreover, if customer demand for our products increases, we may be unable to secure sufficient additional capacity from our current third-party manufacturers, or others, on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.
Our reliance on a limited base of suppliers for certain products, such as light ballasts, may result in disruptions to our business and adversely affect our financial results.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers for certain of our products and supplies. For the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, one supplier accounted for 14% and 10% of the Company's total purchases, respectively. Such reliance on a limited number of suppliers may increase our risk of experiencing disruptions in our business. As we do not have any long-term supply agreements, in the event we are unable to maintain supplier arrangements and relationships, if we are unable to contract with suppliers at the quantity and quality levels needed for our business, if any of our key suppliers becomes insolvent or experience other financial distress including with respect to staffing and shipping of products, we could experience disruptions in our supply chain, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Although we continue to implement risk-mitigation strategies for single-source suppliers, we rely on a limited number of suppliers for certain of our products. If we are unable to maintain supplier arrangements and relationships, if we are unable to contract with suppliers at the quantity and quality levels needed for our business, or if any of our key suppliers becomes insolvent or experience other financial distress, we could experience disruptions in production, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
A significant interruption in the operation of our or our suppliers’ facilities could impact our capacity to produce products and service our customers, which could adversely affect revenues and earnings.
Operations at our and our suppliers’ facilities are subject to disruption for a variety of reasons, including fire, flooding or other natural disasters, disease outbreaks or pandemics, acts of war, terrorism, government shut-downs and work stoppages. A significant interruption in the operation of our or our suppliers’ facilities, especially for those products manufactured at a limited number of facilities, such as fertilizer and liquid products, could significantly impact our capacity to sell products and service our customers in a timely manner, which could have a material adverse effect on our customer relationships, revenues, earnings, and financial position.
If our suppliers are unable to source raw materials in sufficient quantities, on a timely basis, and at acceptable costs, our ability to sell our products may be harmed.
The manufacture of some of our products is complex and requires precise high-quality manufacturing that is difficult to achieve. We have in the past, and may in the future, experience difficulties in manufacturing our products on a timely basis and in sufficient quantities. These difficulties have primarily related to difficulties associated with ramping up production of newly introduced products and may result in increased delivery lead-times and increased costs of manufacturing these products. Our failure to achieve and maintain the required high manufacturing standards could result in further delays or failures in product testing or delivery, cost overruns, product recalls or withdrawals, increased warranty costs or other problems that could harm our business and prospects.
In determining the required quantities of our products and the manufacturing schedule, we must make significant judgments and estimates based on historical experience, inventory levels, current market trends and other related factors. Because of the inherent nature of estimates, there could be significant differences between our estimates and the actual amounts of products we require, which could harm our business and results of operations.
Disruptions in availability or increases in the prices of raw materials sourced by suppliers could adversely affect our results of operations.
We source many of our product components from outside of the United States. The general availability and price of those components can be affected by numerous forces beyond our control, including political instability, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, trade restrictions and other government regulations, duties and tariffs, price controls, changes in currency exchange rates and weather. A significant disruption in the availability of any of our key product components could negatively impact our business. In addition, increases in the prices of key commodities and other raw materials could adversely affect our ability to manage our cost structure. Market conditions may limit our ability to raise selling prices to offset increases in our raw material costs. Our proprietary technologies can limit our ability to locate or utilize alternative inputs for certain products. For certain inputs, new sources of supply may have to be qualified under regulatory standards, which can require additional investment and delay bringing a product to market.
If our suppliers that currently, or in the future, sell directly to the retail market in which we conduct our current or future business, enhance these efforts and cease or decrease their sales through us, our ability to sell certain products could be harmed.
Our distribution and sales and marketing capabilities provide significant value to our suppliers. Distributed brand suppliers sell through us in order to access thousands of retail and commercial customers across the United States with short order lead times, no minimum order quantity on individual items, free or minimal freight expense and trade credit terms. Based on our knowledge and communication with our suppliers, we believe some of our suppliers sell directly to the retail market. If these suppliers were to cease working with us or proceed to enhance their direct-to-customer efforts, our product offerings, reputation, operation and business could be materially adversely affected.
Our operations may be impaired if our information technology systems fail to perform adequately or if we are the subject of a data breach or cyber-attack.
We rely on information technology systems to conduct our business, including communicating with employees and our key commercial customers, ordering, and managing materials from suppliers, shipping products to customers and analyzing and reporting results of operations. While we have taken steps to ensure the security of our information technology systems, our systems may nevertheless be vulnerable to computer viruses, security breaches and other disruptions from unauthorized users. If our information technology systems are damaged or cease to function properly for an extended period of time, whether as a result of a significant cyber incident or otherwise, our ability to communicate internally as well as with our retail customers could be significantly impaired, which may adversely impact our business.
Additionally, in the normal course of our business, we collect, store, and transmit proprietary and confidential information regarding our customers, employees, suppliers and others, including personal information. An operational failure or breach of security from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats could lead to loss, misuse or unauthorized disclosure of this information about our employees or customers, which may result in regulatory or other legal proceedings, and have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation. We also may not have the resources or technical sophistication to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks. Any such attacks or precautionary measures taken to prevent anticipated attacks may result in increasing costs, including costs for additional technologies, training, and third-party consultants. The losses incurred from a breach of data security and operational failures as well as the precautionary measures required to address this evolving risk may adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We collect, process, store, use, and share information collected from or about purchasers and users of our website and products. The collection and use of personal information, and analysis and sharing of user data and unique identifiers to inform advertising subject us to legislative and regulatory burdens, may expose us to liability, and our actual or perceived failure to adequately protect consumer data could harm our brand, our reputation in the marketplace and our business.
A wide variety of provincial, state, national, foreign, and international laws and regulations apply to the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer, and other processing of personal information. These privacy and data protection-related laws and regulations are evolving, extensive, and complex. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be costly and can delay or impede the development and offering of new products. In addition, the interpretation and application of privacy and data protection-related laws in some cases is uncertain, and our legal and regulatory obligations are subject to frequent changes, including the potential for various regulator or other governmental bodies to enact new or additional laws or regulations, to issue rulings that invalidate prior laws or regulations, or to increase penalties.
We engage in interest-based advertising on our e-commerce website. U.S. and foreign governments have enacted or are considering legislation related to digital advertising and we expect to see an increase in legislation and regulation related to digital advertising, the collection and use of user data and unique device identifiers, such as IP address, and other data protection and privacy regulation. Such laws and legislation could affect our costs of doing business.
Further, while we strive to publish and prominently display privacy policies that are accurate, comprehensive, and fully implemented, we cannot assure you that our privacy policies and other statements regarding our practices will be sufficient to protect us from liability or adverse publicity relating to the privacy and security of information about consumers or their devices. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with our privacy policies, our privacy-related obligations to consumers or other third parties, or our privacy-related legal obligations, including laws and regulations regulating privacy, data security, or consumer protection, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personal information, may result in proceedings or actions against us, legal liability, governmental enforcement actions, and litigation. Furthermore, any such proceedings or actions, or public statements against us by consumer advocacy groups or others, could cause our customers to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our business.
Additionally, if third parties we work with, such as customers, advertisers, vendors or developers, violate our contractual limitations on data use or sharing, applicable laws or our policies, such violations may also put consumers’ information at risk and could in turn have an adverse effect on our business. If third parties improperly obtain and use the information from or about our consumers or their devices, we may be required to expend significant resources to resolve these problems.
We also are subject to certain contractual obligations to indemnify and hold harmless advertisers, marketing technology companies and other users of our data from the costs or consequences of noncompliance with privacy-related laws, regulations, self-regulatory requirements or other legal obligations, or inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure of data that we store or handle as part of providing our products.
We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights that are material to our business.
Our ability to compete effectively depends in part on intellectual property rights we own or license, particularly our registered brand names. We have not sought to register every one of our marks either in the United States or other countries in which such mark is used. Furthermore, because of the differences in foreign intellectual property or proprietary rights laws, we may not receive the same protection in other countries as we would in the United States with respect to the registered brand names we hold. If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, proprietary information and/or brand names, we could suffer a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may be required to license additional intellectual property and technology from third parties, which may be expensive.
Litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights and protect our proprietary information, or to defend against claims by third parties that our products or services infringe their intellectual property rights. Any litigation or claims brought by or against us could result in substantial costs and diversion of our resources. A successful claim of intellectual property infringement against us, or any other successful challenge to the use of our intellectual property, could subject us to damages or prevent us from providing certain products or services, or using certain of our recognized brand names, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We may not be able to develop, license or acquire new products, enhance the capabilities of our existing products to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and customer requirements, or successfully manage the transition to new product offerings, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our success depends on our ability to develop, license, or acquire and commercialize additional products and to develop new applications for our technologies in existing and new markets, while improving the performance and cost-effectiveness of our existing products, in each case in ways that address current and anticipated customer requirements. We intend to develop and commercialize additional products through our research and development program and by licensing or acquiring additional products and technologies from third parties. Such success is dependent upon several factors, including functionality, competitive pricing, ease of use, the safety and efficacy of our products and our ability to identify, select and acquire the rights to products and technologies on terms that are acceptable to us.
The hydroponics industry is characterized by rapid technological change and innovation. New technologies, techniques or products may emerge that might offer better combinations of price and performance or better address customer requirements as compared to our current or future products, as well as those products of third-party vendors that we make available for sale. Competitors who have greater financial, marketing and sales resources than we do may be able to respond more quickly and effectively than we can to new or changing opportunities, technologies, standards, or customer requirements. Any new product we identify for internal development, licensing or acquisition may require additional development efforts prior to commercial sale. Due to the significant lead time and complexity involved in bringing a new product to the market, we are required to make a number of assumptions and estimates regarding the commercial feasibility of a new product. These assumptions and estimates may prove incorrect, resulting in our introduction of a product that is not competitive at the time of launch. We anticipate that we will face increased competition in the future as existing companies and competitors develop new or improved products and as new companies enter the market with new technologies and sales mechanisms which we may be unable to adopt or offer for sale. Our ability to mitigate downward pressure on the prices of the products that we offer for sale will be dependent on our ability to maintain and/or increase the value we offer to suppliers, vendors, strategic partners, and consumers. All new products are prone to risks of failure inherent in hydroponic technology development. In addition, we cannot assure you that any such products that we develop or offer for sale will be manufactured or produced economically, successfully commercialized or widely accepted in the marketplace. The expenses or losses associated with unsuccessful product development or launch activities, or a lack of market acceptance of new products, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operation.
Our ability to attract new customers and increase revenue from existing customers depends in large part on our ability to enhance and improve our own products, maintain relationships with other vendors and suppliers, and to make compelling new products available for sale through our enterprise. Any new product that we develop or offer for sale may not be introduced in a timely or cost-effective manner, may contain defects or may not achieve the marketplace acceptance necessary to generate significant revenue. If we are unable to successfully develop, license or acquire new products to make available for sale, enhance our existing inventory offerings to meet customer requirements, or otherwise gain market acceptance, our business and financial condition and results of operation would be harmed.
We have identified certain material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and may experience material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls in the future, as a result of which, we may not be able to accurately report our financial condition or results of operations which may adversely affect investor confidence in us and, as a result, the value of our common stock.
Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports. If we cannot maintain effective controls and reliable financial reports, our business and operating results could be harmed. Our management has conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and concluded that our internal controls over financial reporting were not effective because, among other things, our controls related to the financial statements closing process were not adequately designed or appropriately implemented to identify material misstatements in our financial reporting on a timely basis.
Management has evaluated remediation plans for the deficiency and has implemented changes to address the material weakness identified, including hiring additional accountants and consultants and implementing controls and procedures over financial reporting process.
We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal control over financial reporting could severely inhibit our ability to accurately report our financial condition or results of operations. The effectiveness of our controls and procedures may be limited by a variety of factors, including:
faulty human judgment and simple errors, omissions, or mistakes;
fraudulent action of an individual or collusion of two or more people;
inappropriate management override of procedures; and
the possibility that any enhancements to controls and procedures may still not be adequate to assure timely and accurate financial control.
Our management and independent registered public accounting firm has not performed an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting during any period in accordance with the provisions under Section 404(b) of Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Had we performed an evaluation and had our independent registered public accounting firm performed an audit of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley Act, additional control deficiencies amounting to material weaknesses may have been identified. If we fail to remedy any material weakness, our financial statements may be inaccurate, our access to the capital markets may be restricted and the trading price of our common stock may suffer.
Changes in U.S. and international trade policies, particularly with respect to China, could materially and adversely impact our business and results of operations.
All of our products are manufactured and supplied by unaffiliated third parties, most of which are located in China. In addition, two of our subsidiaries are based in China. The U.S. government has made statements and taken certain actions that may lead to changes in U.S. and international trade policies towards China. It remains unclear what additional actions, if any, will be taken by the U.S. or other governments with respect to international trade agreements, the imposition of tariffs on goods imported into the United States, tax policy related to international commerce, or other trade matters.
We are closely monitoring the changes in international trade policy, which may be subject to rapid changes and fluctuation, and are assessing the potential impact of these and other trade policy changes on our business operations and financial performance. In February and March 2025, the U.S. administration imposed an additional 20% duty on Chinese imports. Subsequently, authorities in China announced tariffs over selected U.S. products and regulatory investigation against U.S. companies in response to the tariff imposed by the U.S. Furthermore, on April 2, 2025, President Trump announced that the United States would impose a 10% tariff on all countries, effective on April 5, 2025, and an individualized reciprocal higher tariff on countries with which the United States has the largest trade deficits, including a 34% additional reciprocal tariff on goods imported from China that brings the total tariff rate to 54%. On April 4, 2025, the Foreign Ministry of China announced that China would impose a retaliatory 34% tariff on goods imported from the United States starting on April 10, 2025. Then on April 10, the U.S. announced it would charge 145% tariffs on goods imported from China, while the Chinese government announced that it would impose 125% tariffs on U.S. exports to China. As of the date of this filing, the U.S. and China have agreed to lower the tariffs for a period of 90 days, with the U.S. lowering the base tariff rate on most Chinese goods to 30% from 145% and China lowering the base tariff rate to 10% from 125%, with the goal of negotiating a more permanent trade agreement during the 90 day period. Any unfavorable government policies on international trade, such as capital controls or tariffs, and any uncertainty resulting from the changing nature of such policies, may affect the demand for our products and services, impact the competitive position of our products or prevent us from selling products in certain countries. If any new tariffs, legislation and/or regulations are implemented, or if existing trade agreements are renegotiated or, in particular, if the U.S. government takes additional retaliatory trade actions due to the recent U.S.-China trade tension, such changes could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The extent and duration of any tariffs and the resulting impact on general economic conditions and on our business are uncertain and depend on various factors, such as negotiations between the United States and China and/or other countries, the response of such countries, exemptions or exclusions that may be granted, availability and cost of alternative sources of supply of materials we purchase from companies in China or other countries targeted with tariffs.
We have announced that we may adopt a digital treasury strategy which, if adopted and effectuated, would expose us to various risks, including risks associated with holding Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency assets.
While we have only announced that we may adopt a Digital Treasury Strategy, and we have not yet effectuated such strategy, such strategy, if adopted and effectuated, would expose us to various risks, including risks associated with holding Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency assets, including the following:
Bitcoin and other digital assets are highly volatile assets.
Bitcoin does not pay interest or dividends.
Our Bitcoin and other digital asset holdings could significantly impact our financial results and the market price of our listed securities.
Should we purchase Bitcoin or other digital assets, such acquisition would be completed primarily using proceeds from equity and debt financings.
Any Digital Treasury Strategy is new to our business, has not been tested and we will be unable to assure its success or successful implementation.
We would be subject to counterparty risks, including in particular risks relating to our custodians.
The broader digital assets industry is subject to counterparty risks, which could adversely impact the adoption rate, price, and use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency or digital assets.
Changes in the accounting treatment of our Bitcoin or other digital currency holdings could have significant accounting impacts, including increasing the volatility of our results.
General Risk Factors Related to Our Business
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. As a result, litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Since inception, aside from a dispute with the placement agent of our 2020-2021 pre-IPO private placements, which dispute has been settled as of the date of this Annual Report, the Company has not been a party to any material litigation. See “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” for additional information.
If product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we may incur substantial liabilities.
We face a potential risk of product liability resulting from the sale of our products. For example, we may be sued if any product we sell allegedly causes injury or is found to be otherwise unsuitable during product testing, manufacturing, marketing, or sale. Any such product liability claim may include allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product, negligence, strict liability, and a breach of warranties. Claims could also be asserted under state consumer protection acts. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against product liability claims, we may incur substantial liabilities. Even successful defense would require significant financial and management resources. Regardless of the merits or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
decreased demand for products that we may offer for sale;
injury to our reputation;
costs to defend the related litigation;
a diversion of management’s time and our resources;
substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients;
product recalls, withdrawals or labeling, marketing or promotional restrictions; and
a decline in the value of our stock.
Our inability to obtain and retain sufficient product liability insurance at an acceptable cost to protect against potential product liability claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of products we develop. We do not maintain any product liability insurance. Even if we obtain product liability insurance in the future, we may have to pay amounts awarded by a court or negotiated in a settlement that exceed our coverage limitations or that are not covered by our insurance, and we may not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient capital to pay such amounts.
We may not be able to obtain insurance coverage adequate to cover all significant risk exposures.
During the ordinary course of business, we anticipate that we will be exposed to certain liabilities that are unique to the products we provide. We currently maintain only general liability, umbrella liability, business personal property and business income insurance policies and there can be no assurance that we will acquire or maintain insurance for certain risks, that the amount of our insurance coverage will be adequate to cover all claims or liabilities, or that we will not be forced to bear substantial costs resulting from risks and uncertainties of business. It is also not possible to obtain insurance to protect against all operational risks and liabilities. The failure to obtain and maintain adequate insurance coverage on terms favorable to us, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Unanticipated changes in our tax provisions, the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities could affect our profitability and cash flows.
In the event there are significant changes in federal or state tax law provisions, or in the event there is new and additional tax legislation adopted, we could be exposed to additional tax liabilities. Such additional tax liabilities could have an effect on our net income and profit margins.
Certain of our products sell on a seasonal basis, resulting in fluctuations in our cash flow, inventory, and accounts payable.
As a result of the seasonality of certain products, such as planting equipment, ventilation equipment, grow light systems, or harvesting equipment related to certain produce that grows on a seasonal basis, our business is likely to cause cash and cash equivalents, inventory, and accounts payable to fluctuate, resulting in changes in our working capital.
Our results of operations could be materially harmed if we are unable to accurately forecast customer demand for our products and manage our inventory.
We seek to maintain sufficient levels of inventory in order to protect ourselves from supply interruptions. To ensure adequate inventory supply and manage our operations with our third-party vendors, manufacturers and suppliers, we forecast anticipated materials requirements and demand for our products in order to predict inventory needs and then place orders with our suppliers based on these predictions. Our ability to accurately forecast demand for our products could be negatively affected by many factors, including our limited historical commercial experience, rapid growth, failure to accurately manage our expansion strategy, product introductions by competitors, an increase or decrease in customer demand for our products, our failure to accurately forecast customer acceptance of new products, unanticipated changes in general market conditions or regulatory matters and weakening of economic conditions or consumer confidence in future economic conditions.
Inventory levels in excess of customer demand, including as a result of our introduction of product enhancements, may result in a portion of our inventory becoming obsolete or expiring, as well as inventory write-downs or write-offs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Conversely, if we underestimate customer demand for our and those third-party products we offer for sale, vendors, manufacturers, and suppliers may not be able to deliver those materials necessary to meet our requirements, which could result in inadequate inventory levels or interruptions, delays or cancellations of deliveries to our customers, any of which would damage our reputation, customer relationships and business. In addition, several products that we offer for sale may require lengthy order lead times, and additional supplies or materials may not be available when required on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, and our third-party manufacturers and suppliers may not be able to allocate sufficient capacity in order to meet our increased requirements, any of which could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet customer demand for our products and our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The failure of third parties to meet their contractual, regulatory, and other obligations could adversely affect our business.
We rely on suppliers, vendors, outsourcing partners, consultants, alliance partners and other third parties to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize our products. Using these third parties poses a number of risks, such as: (i) they may not perform to our standards or legal requirements; (ii) they may not produce reliable results; (iii) they may not perform in a timely manner; (iv) they may not maintain confidentiality of our proprietary information; (v) disputes may arise with respect to ownership of rights to technology developed with our partners; and (vi) disagreements could cause delays in, or termination of, the research, development or commercialization of our products or result in litigation or arbitration. Moreover, some third parties are located in markets subject to political and social risk, corruption, infrastructure problems and natural disasters, in addition to country-specific privacy and data security risk given current legal and regulatory environments. Failure of third parties to meet their contractual, regulatory and other obligations may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The sizes of the markets for our current and future products have not been established with precision and may be smaller than we estimate.
Our estimates of the total addressable markets for our current products, products under development and third-party products that we offer for sale are based on a number of internal and third party estimates and the assumed prices at which we can sell such products in markets that have not been established or that we have not yet entered. While we believe our assumptions and the data underlying our estimates are reasonable, these assumptions and estimates may not be correct and the conditions supporting our assumptions or estimates may change at any time, thereby reducing the predictive accuracy of these estimates. As a result, our estimates of the total addressable market for our current or future products may prove to be incorrect. If the actual number of consumers who would benefit from the products we offer, the price at which we can sell such products, or the total addressable market for such products is smaller than we have estimated, it may impair our sales growth and have an adverse impact on our business.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the war in the Middle East may have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.
To the extent the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the war in the Middle East may adversely affect our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, as well as other risks which we may not be currently aware of.
Risks Related to Doing Business with the Cannabis Industry
While our business includes both the hobbyist gardener, and is not exclusively reliant on the cannabis grower, our growth is nonetheless substantially dependent on the growth and stabilization of the U.S. cannabis market. New California regulations caused licensing shortages and future regulations may create other limitations that decrease the demand for our products. State level regulations adopted in the future may adversely impact our business.
The base of growers in the U.S. has grown over the past 20 years since the legalization of cannabis for medical uses in states such as California, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington, with a large number of those growers depending on products similar to those we distribute. The U.S. cannabis market is still in its infancy and early adopter states such as California, Colorado and Washington represent a large portion of historical industry revenues. If the U.S. cannabis cultivation market does not grow as expected, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely impacted.
Cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law, with it listed as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Notwithstanding laws in various states permitting certain cannabis activities, all activities, including possession, distribution, processing and manufacturing of cannabis and investment in, and financial services or transactions involving proceeds of, or promoting such activities remain illegal under various U.S. federal criminal and civil laws and regulations, including the CSA, as well as laws and regulations of several states that have not legalized some or any cannabis activities to date. Compliance with applicable state laws regarding cannabis activities does not protect us from federal prosecution or other enforcement action, such as seizure or forfeiture remedies, nor does it provide any defense to such prosecution or action. Cannabis activities conducted in or related to conduct in multiple states may potentially face a higher level of scrutiny from federal authorities. Penalties for violating federal drug, conspiracy, aiding, abetting, bank fraud and/or money laundering laws may include prison, fines, and seizure/forfeiture of property used in connection with cannabis activities, including proceeds derived from such activities.
In addition to sales through our own platforms, www.Zenhydro.com and www.simpledeluxe.com, we sell our products through third-party retailers and resellers. However, it is evident to us that the movement towards the legalization of cannabis in the U.S. and its legalization in Canada has ultimately had a significant and positive impact on our industry. We are not currently subject directly to any state laws or regulations controlling participants in the legal cannabis industry. However, regulation of the cannabis industry does impact those that we believe represent many end-users for our products and, accordingly, there can be no assurance that changes in regulation of the industry and more rigorous enforcement by federal authorities will not have a material adverse effect on us.
Legislation and regulations pertaining to the use and cultivation of cannabis are enacted on both the state and federal government level within the United States. As a result, the laws governing the cultivation and use of cannabis may be subject to change. Any new laws and regulations limiting the use or cultivation of cannabis and any enforcement actions by state and federal governments could indirectly reduce demand for our products and may impact our current and planned future operations.
Individual state laws regarding the cultivation and possession of cannabis for adult and medical uses conflict with federal laws prohibiting the cultivation, possession and use of cannabis for any purpose. A number of states have passed legislation legalizing or decriminalizing cannabis for adult-use, other states have enacted legislation specifically permitting the cultivation and use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, and several states have enacted legislation permitting cannabis cultivation and use for both adult and medicinal purposes. Evolving federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the use or cultivation of cannabis, as well active enforcement by federal or state authorities of the laws and regulations governing the use and cultivation of cannabis may indirectly and adversely affect our business, our revenues, and our profits.
Certain of our products may be purchased for use in new and emerging industries and/or be subject to varying, inconsistent, and rapidly changing laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations, future scientific research and public perception.
In addition to selling our products through our own online platforms, www.Zenhydro.com and www.simpledeluxe.com, we sell products, including hydroponic gardening products, through third-party retailers and resellers. End users may purchase these products for use in new and emerging industries that may not achieve market acceptance in a manner that we can predict. The demand for these products is dependent on the growth of these industries, which is uncertain, as well as the laws governing the growth, possession, and use of cannabis by adults for both adult and medical use.
Laws and regulations affecting the U.S. cannabis industry are continually changing, which could detrimentally affect our growth, revenues, results of operations and success generally. Local, state, and federal cannabis laws and regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require the end users of certain of our products or us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or to alter our respective business plans. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our results of operation and financial condition.
Scientific research related to the benefits of cannabis remains in its early stages, is subject to a number of important assumptions, and may prove to be inaccurate. Future research studies and clinical trials may reach negative conclusions regarding the viability, safety, efficacy, dosing, social acceptance or other facts and perceptions related to medical cannabis, which could materially impact the demand for our products.
The public’s perception of cannabis may significantly impact the cannabis industry’s success. Both the medical and adult-use of cannabis are controversial topics, and there is no guarantee that future scientific research, publicity, regulations, medical opinion, and public opinion relating to cannabis will be favorable. The cannabis industry is an early-stage business that is constantly evolving with no guarantee of viability. The market for medical and adult-use of cannabis is uncertain, and any adverse or negative publicity, scientific research, limiting regulations, medical opinion and public opinion (whether or not accurate or with merit) relating to the consumption of cannabis, whether in the United States or internationally, may have a material adverse effect on our operational results, consumer base, and financial results. Among other things, such a shift in public opinion could cause state jurisdictions to abandon initiatives or proposals to legalize medical or adult cannabis or adopt new laws or regulations restricting or prohibiting the medical or adult-use of cannabis where it is now legal, thereby limiting the Cannabis Industry Participants.
Demand for our products may be negatively impacted depending on how laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations, and consumer perceptions develop. We cannot predict the nature of such developments or the effect, if any, that such developments could have on our business.
Our indirect involvement in the cannabis industry could affect the public’s perception of us and be detrimental to our reputation.
Damage to our reputation can be the result of the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, and could include any negative publicity, whether true or not. Cannabis has often been associated with various other narcotics, violence and criminal activities, the risk of which is that our retailers and resellers that transact with those businesses might attract negative publicity. There is also risk that the action(s) of other participants, companies and service providers in the cannabis industry may negatively affect the reputation of the industry as a whole and thereby negatively impact our reputation. The increased use of social media and other web-based tools used to generate, publish and discuss user-generated content and to connect with other users has made it increasingly easier for individuals and groups to communicate and share opinions and views with regard to cannabis companies and their activities, whether true or not and the cannabis industry in general, whether true or not. We do not ultimately have direct control over how the cannabis industry is perceived by others. Reputation loss may result in decreased investor confidence, increased challenges in developing and maintaining community relations and an impediment to our overall ability to advance our business strategy and realize our growth prospects, thereby having a material adverse impact on our business.
In addition, third parties with whom we may do business could perceive that they are exposed to reputational risk as a result of the involvement of some of our customers in the cannabis business. Failure to establish or maintain business relationships due to reputational risk arising in connection with the nature of our business could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Businesses involved in the cannabis industry, and investments in such businesses, are subject to a variety of laws and regulations related to money laundering, financial recordkeeping, and proceeds of crimes.
We sell our products through our websites, www.Zenhydro.com and www.simpledeluxe.com, as well as through online third-party retail platforms which do not exclusively sell to customers operating in the cannabis industry. Nonetheless, some of our customers may be using our products for purposes of cultivating cannabis. Investments in the U.S. cannabis industry are subject to a variety of laws and regulations that involve money laundering, financial recordkeeping and proceeds of crime, including the BSA, as amended by the U.S. PATRIOT Act, other anti-money laundering laws, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the United States. In February 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Treasury Department (“FinCEN”) issued a memorandum (the “FinCEN Memo”) providing guidance to banks seeking to provide services to cannabis businesses. The FinCEN Memo outlines circumstances under which banks may provide services to cannabis businesses without risking prosecution for violation of U.S. federal money laundering laws. It refers to supplementary guidance that Deputy Attorney General Cole issued to U.S. federal prosecutors relating to the prosecution of U.S. money laundering offenses predicated on cannabis violations of the CSA and outlines extensive due diligence and reporting requirements, which most banks have viewed as onerous. On June 29, 2020, FinCEN issued additional guidance for financial institutions conducting due diligence and filing suspicious activity reports in connection with hemp-related business customers. While these guidelines clarify that financial institutions are not required to file suspicious activity reports solely based on a customer’s hemp-related business operations, which must be operating lawfully under applicable state law and regulations, these requirements can still present challenges for certain end users of our products to establish and maintain banking connections, and restrictions on cannabis-related banking activities remain. In September 2019, the United States House of Representatives passed the SAFE Banking Act, which would permit commercial banks to offer services to cannabis companies that are in compliance with state law, but the Senate has not taken up the SAFE Banking Act or other similar legislation.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
If we fail to comply with the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market, it could result in our common stock being delisted, which could adversely affect the market price and liquidity of our securities and could have other adverse effects.
On January 2, 2025, the Company received a letter from the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) stating that for the 30 consecutive business day period between November 15, 2024 to December 31, 2024, the Company’s common stock had failed to maintain a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share, as required for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”). Pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has an initial period of 180 calendar days, or until July 1, 2025 (the “Compliance Period”), to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. To regain compliance, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock must meet or exceed $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive trading days, unless such period is extended by Nasdaq.
In accordance with Nasdaq Rules, the Company was provided with an initial period of 180 calendar days, or until July 1, 2025 (the “Initial Grace Period”), to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. Since the Initial Grace Period was coming to an end and the Company had not yet regained compliance, on June 12, 2025, the Company submitted a plan of compliance (the “Plan of Compliance”) to Nasdaq seeking an additional 180-day grace period (the "Additional Grace Period") to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. The Plan of Compliance set forth the steps the Company would take to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement within the additional 180-day period, including effectuating a reverse split of its common stock, if deemed necessary.
On July 2, 2025, the Company received formal approval from Nasdaq granting it an additional 180 days, or until December 29, 2025 (the “Compliance Date”), to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement.
If at any time before the Compliance Date the closing bid price for the Company’s Common Stock is at least $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, the Staff will provide the Company written confirmation that it has regained compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. If the Company does not regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement by the Compliance Date, the Staff will provide written notification to the Company that its Common Stock will be subject to delisting. At that time, the Company may appeal the Staff’s delisting determination to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. There can be no assurance that the Company will regain compliance or otherwise maintain compliance with any of the other listing requirements. Nonetheless, the Company intends to monitor the closing bid price of its Common Stock and will, if necessary, consider available options to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement prior to the Compliance Date.
Our founders, officers and directors may control, and may continue to control, our company for the foreseeable future, including the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval.
Our founders, officers and directors collectively beneficially own approximately 51% of our outstanding shares of common stock. As a result, such individuals may, for the foreseeable future, have the ability, acting together, to control the election of our directors and the outcome of corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, such as: (i) a merger or a sale of our company, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and (iii) amendments to our articles of incorporation and bylaws. This concentration of voting power and control could have a significant effect in delaying, deferring, or preventing an action that might otherwise be beneficial to our other stockholders and be disadvantageous to our stockholders with interests different from those entities and individuals. Certain of these individuals also have significant control over our business, policies and affairs as officers or directors of our company. Therefore, you should not invest in reliance on your ability to have any control over our company. See “Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” for further discussion of the stockholding of our founders and principal stockholders.
Future sales of our common stock in the public market could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
As a public company, sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.
Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock by the selling stockholder in the Private Placement (as defined below) or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
On June 18, 2024, we closed on a registered direct offering (the “Registered Direct”) of 2,083,334 shares of common stock (the “Shares”) and a concurrent private placement (“Private Placement,” and together with the Registered Direct, the “Offering”) of warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase 2,083,334 shares of common stock (the “Warrant Shares”), which were sold for gross aggregate proceeds of $5,000,002. According to the stock purchase agreement entered into by the Company and investor thereof during the Offering, on July 9, 2024, we filed a Form S-1 to register the resale, from time to time, of up to an aggregate of 2,083,334 Warrant Shares, issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants issued in the Private Placement by the selling stockholder named thereto (the “Resale Prospectus”).
The sale by the selling stockholder of a significant number of shares of common stock could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. In addition, the perception in the public markets that the selling stockholder may sell all or a portion of its shares as a result of the registration of such shares for resale pursuant to the Resale Prospectus could also in and of itself have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of those shares of common stock or the availability of those shares of common stock for resale will have on the market price of our common stock.
General Risk Factors Related to our Common Stock
There are risks, including stock market volatility, inherent in owning our common stock.
The market price and volume of our common stock have been, and may continue to be, subject to significant fluctuations. These fluctuations may arise from general stock market conditions, the impact of risk factors described herein on our results of operations and financial position, or a change in opinion in the market regarding our business prospects or other factors, many of which may be outside our immediate control.
We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future and, as a result, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our common stock .
The decision to pay cash dividends on our common stock rests with our board of directors and will depend on our earnings, unencumbered cash, capital requirements and financial condition. We do not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future, as we intend to use any excess cash to fund our operations and growth. Investors in our common stock should not expect to receive dividend income on their investment, and investors will be dependent on the appreciation of our common stock to earn a return on their investment.
We may require additional capital to support the growth of our business, and this capital might not be available on acceptable terms, if at all.
We cannot be certain when or if our operations will generate sufficient cash to fully fund our ongoing operations or the growth of our business. We intend to continue to make investments to support our business, which may require us to engage in equity or debt financing to secure additional funds. Additional financing may not be available on terms favorable to us, if at all. If adequate funds are not available on acceptable terms, we may be unable to invest in future growth opportunities, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition. If we incur additional debt, the debt holders would have rights senior to holders of common stock to make claims on our assets, and the terms of any debt could restrict our operations, including our ability to pay dividends on our common stock. Furthermore, if we issue additional equity securities, stockholders will experience dilution, and the new equity securities could have rights senior to those of our common stock. Because our decision to issue securities in the future will depend on numerous considerations, including factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of any future issuances of debt or equity securities. As a result, our stockholders bear the risk of future issuances of debt or equity securities reducing the value of our common stock and diluting their interests.
As a public company, we are subject to increased costs in relation to maintaining SEC and Nasdaq-related reporting requirements and our management is required to devote substantial time to compliance with our public company reporting responsibilities and corporate governance practices.
As a Nasdaq-listed public company, we face significant legal, accounting, and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company, which we expect to further increase after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market, and other applicable securities rules and regulations impose various requirements on public companies. Our management and other personnel devote a substantial amount of time to ensuring compliance with these requirements. Moreover, these rules and regulations increase our legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more time-consuming and costly as compared to when we were operating as a private company. As a newly public company, we are unable to predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we will incur as a public company or the specific timing of such costs.
As a result of being a public company, we are obligated to develop and maintain proper and effective internal controls over financial reporting, and any failure to maintain the adequacy of these internal controls may adversely affect investor confidence in our Company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.
We are required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Section 404, to furnish a report by management on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. This assessment needs to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in our first annual report required to be filed with the SEC following the date we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” We have recently commenced the costly and challenging process of compiling the system and processing documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404, but we may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing and any required remediation in a timely fashion once initiated. Our compliance with Section 404 requires that we incur substantial accounting expenses and expend significant management efforts. We currently do not have an internal audit group, and we will need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge and compile the system and process documentation necessary to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404.
During the evaluation and testing process of our internal controls, if we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we will be unable to certify that our internal control over financial reporting is effective. We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal control over financial reporting could severely inhibit our ability to accurately report our financial condition or results of operations. If we are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm determines we have a material weakness or significant deficiency in our internal control over financial reporting, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our common stock could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the Nasdaq Stock Market, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Failure to remedy any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, or to implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict our future access to the capital markets.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to “emerging growth companies” or “smaller reporting companies,” this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or JOBS Act, and, for as long as we continue to be an “emerging growth company,” we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to “emerging growth companies,” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an “emerging growth company” for up to five years following the effectiveness of the Company’s initial registration statement, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.235 billion, (ii) the date that we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the prior June 30, or (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible. After we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” we expect to incur additional management time and cost to comply with the more stringent reporting requirements applicable to companies that are deemed accelerated filers or large accelerated filers, including complying with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.
Our stockholders will experience further dilution if we issue additional equity or equity-linked securities in the future.
If we issue additional shares of common stock, or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of common stock, our stockholders, including investors who purchase shares of common stock in this offering, will experience additional dilution, and any such issuances may result in downward pressure on the price of our common stock. As a result, investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our common stock, the market price for our common stock and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock is influenced by research or reports that industry or securities analysts publish about our business. If industry or securities analysts decide to cover us and in the future downgrade our common stock, the market price for our securities would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the market price or trading volume for our common stock to decline.
As an actively traded Nasdaq-listed company, the market price of our common stock may be volatile.
As our securities are publicly-traded and even though an active market for our common stock has developed, the market price for our common stock may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the following:
actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results;
changes in financial operational estimates or projections;
conditions in markets generally;
changes in the economic performance or market valuations of companies similar to ours; and
general economic or political conditions in the United States and elsewhere.
The securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of shares of our common stock.
In the event of liquidation or dissolution of our company, stockholders may not recoup all or any portion of their investment.
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the proceeds and/or assets of our Company remaining after giving effect to such transaction, and the payment of all of our debts and liabilities will be distributed to the holders of common stock on a pro rata basis. There can be no assurance that we will have available assets to pay to the holders of common stock, or any amounts, upon such a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our Company. In this event, stockholders could lose some or all of their investment.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (the “MD&A”) should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere herein. The MD&A contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of our plans, objectives, expectations, and intentions. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words “believe,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “target,” “estimate,” “expect,” and the like, and/or future-tense or conditional constructions (“will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report. Our actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors.
Historical results may not indicate future performance. Our forward-looking statements reflect our current views about future events, are based on assumptions and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, including any changes that might result from any facts, events, or circumstances after the date hereof that may bear upon forward-looking statements. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity, performance, or achievements.
Overview
Driven by tech and data, iPower Inc. is an online supplier of consumer goods, including hydroponics equipment, general gardening supplies, and consumer home goods. Through the operations of our e-commerce platforms and channel partners, our 99,347 square foot fulfillment centers in Rancho Cucamonga, California, we believe we are one of the leading marketers, distributors and retailers in the consumer gardening and home goods categories, based on management’s estimates. Our core strategy continues to focus on expanding our geographic reach across the United States and internationally through organic growth, both in terms of expanding customer base as well as brand and product development. iPower has developed a set of methodologies driven by proprietary data formulas to effectively bring products to market and sales.
We are actively developing our in-house branded products and through supply chain partners, which to date include the iPower and Simple Deluxe brands and more, some of which have been designated as Amazon best seller product leaders and Amazon Choice products, among others.
Trends and Expectations
Product and Brand Development
We plan to increase investments in product and brand development. We actively evaluate potential acquisition opportunities of companies and product brand names that can complement our product catalog and improve on existing products and supply chain efficiencies.
Global Economic Disruption
While at present the majority of our products are sourced either in the United States or China, the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine may nonetheless increase the likelihood of supply chain interruptions and hinder our ability to find the materials we need to make our products. Thus far, as a result of the general global economic disruption, we have experienced a decrease in the speed with which we are able to purchase new inventory, as well as an increase in costs due to delays in shipping, resulting increase in time with which products remain in our warehouse facilities, thus resulting in reduced profits. In addition, supply chain disruptions may make it harder for us to find favorable pricing and reliable sources for the materials we need, putting upward pressure on our costs and increasing the risk that we may be unable to acquire the materials and services we need to continue to make certain products.
Regulatory Environment
We sell hydroponic gardening products to end users that may use such products in new and emerging industries or segments, including the growing of cannabis. The demand for hydroponic gardening products depends on the uncertain growth of these industries or segments due to varying, inconsistent, and rapidly changing laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations, and consumer perceptions. For example, certain countries and a total of 46 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia have adopted frameworks that authorize, regulate and tax the cultivation, processing, sale and use of cannabis for medicinal and/or non-medicinal use, including legalization of hemp and CBD, while the U.S. Controlled Substances Act and the laws of U.S. states prohibit growing cannabis. Demand for our products could be impacted by changes in the regulatory environment with respect to such industries and segments.
Recent Developments
Adoption of Digital Treasury Strategy
On June 17, 2025, the Company adopted a digital asset reserve, allocation and development strategy (the “Digital Treasury Strategy”) with the plan of creating a Digital Treasury Strategy business. To date, we have not effectuated the Digital Treasury Strategy business and do not know if it will be effectuated. As this Digital Treasury Strategy is a new planned addition to our business model, we cannot predict its success or know whether we will continue with this strategy for the long term. The Company will provide additional updates to shareholders when and if we do effectuate such strategy.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024
The following table presents certain consolidated statement of operations information and presentation of that data as a percentage of change from period to period.
Year Ended
June 30, 2025
Year Ended
June 30, 2024
Variance
Revenues
Cost of goods sold
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Loss from operations
Other expenses
Loss before income taxes
Income tax benefit
Net loss
Non-controlling interest
Net loss attributable to iPower Inc.
Other comprehensive loss
Comprehensive loss attributable to iPower Inc.
Gross profit % of revenues
Operating loss % of revenues
Net loss attributable to iPower Inc. % of revenues
Revenues
Revenues for the year ended June 30, 2025 decreased 23.15% to $66,142,779 as compared to $86,071,485 for the year ended June 30, 2024. While pricing remained stable, the decreased revenue mainly resulted from a decrease in sales volume during the year ended June 30, 2025 as the Company offered less promotions due to lower inventory level as compared to the year ended June 30, 2024. In addition, the Company also experienced significant decrease in amazon orders due to uncertainty over tariffs during the second half of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025.
Costs of Goods Sold
Costs of goods sold for the year ended June 30, 2025 decreased 22.53% to $37,149,085 as compared to $47,950,117 for the year ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a combination of the costs related to the logistics service income and the decrease in product sales, freight costs, and lowered product costs resulted from management’s efforts on supply chain management.
Gross Profit
Gross profit was $28,993,694 for the year ended June 30, 2025 as compared to $38,121,368 for the year ended June 30, 2024. The gross profit ratio decreased to 43.84% for the year ended June 30, 2025 from 44.29% for the year ended June 30, 2024. The decrease in the gross profit ratio was mainly driven by the combination of the increase in the logistics service costs and decrease in costs of goods sold during the year ended June 30, 2025, as discussed above.
Operating Expenses
Operating expenses for the year ended June 30, 2025 decreased 10.81% to $34,859,456 as compared to $39,084,260 for the year ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was mainly due to the combination of a decrease in selling and fulfillment expenses of $4.8 million as a result of decreased costs related to advertising, merchant fees, rental expenses and delivery fees, and an increase in general and administrative expenses of $0.5 million, which included payroll expenses, stock-based compensation expense, insurance expenses, allowance for credit losses, travel expenses and other operating expenses. The increase in general and administrative expenses was mainly due to the expansion of our vendor network and development of the SuperSuite platform and an increased allowance for credit losses and inventory reserves of $1.2 million.
Loss from Operations
Loss from operations was $5,865,762 for the year ended June 30, 2025 as compared to $962,892 for the year ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was due to the decrease in operating expenses and in gross profit as discussed above.
Other Expenses
Other expenses consist of interest expense and other non-operating income (expenses). Other expenses for the year ended June 30, 2025 were $366,273 as compared to $829,921 for the year ended June 30, 2024. The decrease in other expenses was mainly due to decrease in other non-operating loss of $120,258, and in interest, including amortization of debt discount, on the revolving loan of $352,224 during the year ended June 30, 2024 as a result of the decreasing balance on the revolving loan.
Net Loss Attributable to iPower Inc.
Net loss attributable to iPower Inc. for the year ended June 30, 2025 was $4,968,288 as compared to $1,528,159 for the year ended June 30, 2024, representing an increase of net loss of $3,440,129. The increase was primarily due to the decrease in gross profit and operating expenses as discussed above.
Comprehensive loss Attributable to iPower Inc.
Comprehensive loss attributable to iPower Inc. for the year ended June 30, 2025 was $4,717,775 as compared to $1,676,431 for the year ended June 30, 2024, representing an increase of comprehensive loss of $3,041,344. The increase was due to the reasons discussed above, along with other comprehensive income of $250,513 as a result of foreign currency translation adjustments resulting from the translation of RMB, the functional currency of our VIE in the PRC, to USD, the reporting currency of the Company.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Sources of Liquidity
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 we primarily funded our operations with cash and cash equivalents generated from operations, as well as through borrowing under our credit facility from JPMorgan Chase Bank (“JPM”). Additionally, on June 18, 2024, we closed on the Registered Direct offering of 2,083,334 Shares and a concurrent Private Placement of Warrants to purchase 2,083,334 Warrant Shares, which were sold for gross aggregate proceeds of $5,000,002. We had cash and cash equivalents of $2,007,890 as of June 30, 2025, representing a $5,369,947 decrease from $7,377,837 in cash as of June 30, 2024. The cash decrease was primarily due to the result of cash used in operating activities, investing activities and financing activities resulting from our payments to offering cost settlement, pay down the short-term loans - related party and part of the JPM revolving line of credit.
Based on our current operating plan, we believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations will be sufficient to finance our operations during the next 12 months. However, our liquidity and our ability to meet our obligations and fund our capital requirements are dependent on our future financial performance, which is subject to general economic, financial and other factors that are beyond our control, such as rising inflation and potential recession, and our anticipated funding requirements could increase. See the “Risk Factors” section in this Annual Report.
Our cash requirements consist primarily of day-to-day operating expenses and obligations with respect to warehouse leases. We lease all our office and warehouse facilities. We expect to make future payments on existing leases from cash generated from operations. We have credit terms in place with our major suppliers, however as we bring on new suppliers, we are often required to prepay our inventory purchases from them. This is consistent with our historical operating model which allowed us to operate using only cash generated by the business. Beyond the next 12 months we believe that our cash flow from operations should improve as supply chain operations normalize and new suppliers we are bringing online transition to credit terms more favorable to us. In addition, we plan to increase the size of our in-house product catalog, which will have a net beneficial impact to our margin profile and ability to generate cash. Currently, we have approximately $1.8 million in unused credit under the revolving line with JPM.
Given our current working capital position and available funding from our revolving credit line and proceeds from our June Registered Direct offering, we believe we will be able to manage through the current challenges by managing payment terms with customers and vendors.
Working Capital
As of June 30, 2025 and 2024, our working capital was $4.9 million and $11.2 million, respectively. The historical seasonality in our business during the year can cause cash and cash equivalents, inventory and accounts payable to fluctuate, resulting in changes in our working capital. We anticipate that past historical trends to remain in place through the balance of the fiscal year with working capital remaining near this level for the foreseeable future.
Cash Flows
Operating Activities
Our largest source of cash provided by operations is from sales of products. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities include payments to suppliers for products, to employees for compensation, and other general expenses. Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities for the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 was $(579,187) and $6,164,076, respectively. The decrease in cash provided by operating activities mainly resulted from a combination of an increase in net loss , a decrease in cash received from customers and an increase in cash paid for cost of revenues and operating expenses.
Investing Activities
For the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, net cash used in investing activities was $2,042,250 and $0, respectively. The increase was mainly due to the prepayments made for software developments and investment in joint venture during the year ended June 30, 2025
Financing Activities
Net cash used in financing activities was $2,999,362 and $2,397,801 for the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The increase in net cash outflows was primarily attributable to lower financing inflows in fiscal 2025 as compared to fiscal 2024. Financing activities during fiscal 2024 included significant sources of cash that did not recur in fiscal 2025, including $4.5 million in net proceeds from the issuance of common stock and $2.4 million in proceeds from related party borrowings. These inflows were partially offset in fiscal 2024 by net repayments of $5.1 million on revolving loans and $3.75 million on short-term borrowings.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements (as that term is defined in Item 303 of Regulation S-K) that are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, revenue or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In some cases, changes in the accounting estimates are reasonably likely to occur from period to period. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially from our estimates. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our financial condition and results of operations will be affected. We base our estimates on experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, and we evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis. We refer to accounting estimates of this type as critical accounting policies, which we discuss further below. While our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 2 to our audited consolidated financial statements, we believe that the following accounting policies are critical to the process of making significant judgments and estimates in the preparation of our audited consolidated financial statements.
Revenue recognition
The Company recognizes revenue from service and product sales revenues, net of promotional discounts and return allowances, when the following revenue recognition criteria are met: a contract has been identified, separate performance obligations are identified, the transaction price is determined, the transaction price is allocated to separate performance obligations and revenue is recognized upon satisfying each performance obligation. The Company transfers the risk of loss or damage upon shipment or completion of service, therefore, revenue from product sales is recognized when it is shipped to the customer and the revenue from services is recognized upon completion of services. Return allowances, which reduce product revenue by the Company’s best estimate of expected product returns, are estimated using historical experience.
The Company evaluates the criteria of ASC 606 - Revenue Recognition Principal Agent Considerations in determining whether it is appropriate to record the gross amount of product sales and related costs or the net amount earned as commissions. Generally, when the Company is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide a specified good or service and the Company has discretion in establishing the price, revenue is recorded at gross.
Payments received prior to the delivery of goods to customers are recorded as customer deposits.
The Company periodically provides incentive offers to its customers to encourage purchases. Such offers include current discount offers, such as percentage discounts off current purchases and other similar offers. Current discount offers, when accepted by the Company’s customers, are treated as a reduction to the purchase price of the related transaction.
Sales discounts are recorded in the period in which the related sale is recognized. Sales return allowances are estimated based on historical amounts and are recorded upon recognizing the related sales. Shipping and handling costs are recorded as selling expenses.
Accounts receivable, net
During the ordinary course of business, the Company extends unsecured credit to its customers. Accounts receivable are stated at the amount the Company expects to collect from customers. Management reviews its accounts receivable balances each reporting period to determine if an allowance for credit losses is required.
The Company evaluates the creditworthiness of all of its customers individually before accepting them and continuously monitors the recoverability of accounts receivable. If there are any indicators that a customer may not make payment, the Company may consider making provision for non-collectability for that particular customer. At the same time, the Company may cease further sales or services to such customer. The following are some of the factors that the Company develops allowance for credit losses:
the customer fails to comply with its payment schedule;
the customer is in serious financial difficulty;
a significant dispute with the customer has occurred regarding job progress or other matters;
the customer breaches any of its contractual obligations;
the customer appears to be financially distressed due to economic or legal factors;
the business between the customer and the Company is not active; and
other objective evidence indicates non-collectability of the accounts receivable.
Accounts receivable are recognized and carried at carrying amount less an allowance for credit losses, if any. The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments based on contractual terms. The Company reviews the collectability of its receivables on a regular and ongoing basis. The Company has also included in calculation of allowance for credit losses the potential impact of the overall economic conditions on our customers’ industry and businesses and their ability to pay our accounts receivable. After all attempts to collect a receivable have failed, the receivable is written off against the allowance. The Company also considers external factors to the specific customer, including current conditions and forecasts of economic conditions, including the potential impact of the recent tariff policy. In the event we recover amounts previously written off, we will reduce the specific allowance for credit losses.
Inventory, net
Inventory consists of finished goods ready for sale and is stated at the lower of cost or market. The Company values its inventory using the weighted average costing method. The Company’s policy is to include as a part of inventory and cost of goods sold any freight incurred to ship the product from its vendors to warehouses. Outbound freight costs related to shipping costs to customers are considered period costs and reflected in selling and fulfillment expenses. The Company regularly review inventory and consider forecasts of future demand, market conditions and product obsolescence.
If the estimated realizable value of the inventory is less than cost, the Company makes provisions in order to reduce its carrying value to its estimated market value. The Company also reviews inventory for slow moving and obsolescence and records allowance for obsolescence.
Variable interest entities
On February 15, 2022, the Company acquired 100% of the ordinary shares of Anivia and its subsidiaries, including Daheshou (Shenzhen) Information Technology Co., Ltd., a company organized under the Laws of the PRC (“DHS”). Pursuant to the terms of the agreements, the Company does not have direct ownership in DHS but is actively involved in DHS’s operations as the sole manager to direct the activities and significantly impact DHS’s economic performance. DHS’s operational funding is provided by the Company after February 15, 2022. During the term of the agreements, which run for a term of 10 years from February 2022 to February 2032, the Company bears all the risk of loss and has the right to receive all of the benefits from DHS. As such, based on the determination that the Company is the primary beneficiary of DHS, in accordance with ASC 810-10-25-38A through 25-38J, DHS is considered a variable interest entity (“VIE”) of the Company and the financial statements of DHS have been consolidated from the date such control existed, February 15, 2022. See Note 4 for details on acquisition.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The Company accounts for goodwill under ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other .
Goodwill is not amortized but is reviewed for potential impairment on an annual basis, or if events or circumstances indicate a potential impairment, at the reporting unit level. The Company’s review for impairment includes an assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, including goodwill. If it is determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, including goodwill, a quantitative goodwill impairment test is performed, which compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amounts, including goodwill. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is considered not impaired. However, if the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss will be recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The Company engaged an independent third-party valuation firm in August 2022 to conduct an evaluation of goodwill impairment for the Company as a whole at the consolidated reporting unit level as of June 30, 2022, which evaluation was conducted prior to the Company’s filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended June 30, 2022. Due to the decrease in the Company’s share price subsequent to the filing of the June 30, 2022 Form 10-K and the net loss incurred during the quarter ended September 30, 2022, the Company engaged the same valuation firm to review goodwill for impairment. Based on this review, the Company concluded an impairment loss of $3,060,034 as of September 30, 2022 was required. The impairment amount was determined based on the discounted cash flows with the revised projections reflecting the increase in freight and storage costs in the current interim quarter. The Company also considered the Market Capital Method, which is an alternative market approach, suggested the Company’s goodwill is partially impaired.
Subsequent to the quarter ended September 30, 2022, during the period ended June 30, 2023, the Company performed a qualitative and quantitative goodwill impairment analysis following the steps laid out in ASC 350-20-35-3C and noted no goodwill impairment. As of June 30, 2025 and 2024, the goodwill balance amounted to $3,034,110 and $3,034,110, respectively.
Intangible Assets, net
Finite life intangible assets at June 30, 2024 include a covenant not to compete, supplier relationship and software recognized as part of the acquisition of Anivia. Intangible assets are recorded at the estimated fair value of these items at the date of acquisition, February 15, 2022. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful life as followings:
Useful Life
Covenant Not to Compete
10 years
Supplier relationship
6 years
Software
5 years
The Company reviews the recoverability of long-lived assets, including intangible assets, when events or changes in circumstances occur that indicate the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based on the ability to recover the carrying value of the asset from the expected future pretax cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) of the related operations. If these cash flows are less than the carrying value of such asset, an impairment loss is recognized for the difference between estimated fair value and carrying value. The measurement of impairment requires management to make estimates of these cash flows related to long-lived assets, as well as other fair value determinations. The Company did not record any impairment charge for the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024.
Stock-based Compensation
The Company applies ASC No. 718, “Compensation-Stock Compensation,” which requires that share-based payment transactions with employees and nonemployees upon adoption of ASU 2018-07, be measured based on the grant date fair value of the equity instrument and recognized as compensation expense over the requisite service period, with a corresponding addition to equity. Under this method, compensation cost related to employee share options or similar equity instruments is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award, which generally is the vesting period. In addition to the requisite service period, the Company also evaluates the performance condition and market condition under ASC 718-10-20. For an award that contains both a performance and a market condition, and where both conditions must be satisfied in order for the award to vest, the market condition is incorporated into the fair value of the award, and that fair value is recognized over the employee’s requisite service period or nonemployee’s vesting period if it is probable that the performance condition will be met. If the performance condition is ultimately not met, compensation cost related to the award should not be recognized (or should be reversed) because the vesting condition in the award has not been satisfied.
The Company will recognize forfeitures of such equity-based compensation as they occur.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their perspective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are recorded, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
The Company has analyzed filing positions in each of the federal and state jurisdictions where the Company is required to file income tax returns, as well as open tax years in such jurisdictions. The Company has identified the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and the states of Nevada and California, as its “major” tax jurisdictions. However, the Company has certain tax attribute carryforwards which will remain subject to review and adjustment by the relevant tax authorities until the statute of limitations closes with respect to the year in which such attributes are utilized.
The Company believes that our income tax filing positions and deductions will be sustained on audit and do not anticipate any adjustments that will result in a material change to its financial position. Therefore, no reserves for uncertain income tax positions have been recorded pursuant to ASC 740. The Company’s policy for recording interest and penalties associated with income-based tax audits is to record such items as a component of income taxes.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
In December 2023, The FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. Under this ASU, public business entities must annually “(1) disclose specific categories in the rate reconciliation and (2) provide additional information for reconciling items that meet a quantitative threshold (if the effect of those reconciling items is equal to or greater than 5 percent of the amount computed by multiplying pretax income [or loss] by the applicable statutory income tax rate).” This ASU’s amendments are effective for public business entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. For entities other than public business entities, the amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2025. Entities are permitted to early adopt the standard “for annual financial statements that have not yet been issued or made available for issuance.” The amendments should be applied on a prospective basis. Retrospective application is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In November 2023, The FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. The amendments apply to all public entities that are required to report segment information in accordance with Topic 280, Segment Reporting. The amendments in this ASU are intended to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The key amendments: 1. Require that a public entity disclose, on an annual and interim basis, significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (CODM) and included within each reported measure of segment profit or loss. 2. Require that a public entity disclose, on an annual and interim basis, an amount for other segment items by reportable segment and a description of its composition. The other segment items category is the difference between segment revenue less the significant expenses disclosed and each reported measure of segment profit or loss. 3. Require that a public entity provide all annual disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets currently required by FASB Accounting Standards Codification® Topic 280, Segment Reporting, in interim periods. 4. Clarify that if the CODM uses more than one measure of a segment’s profit or loss in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources, a public entity may report one or more of those additional measures of segment profit. However, at least one of the reported segment profit or loss measures (or the single reported measure, if only one is disclosed) should be the measure that is most consistent with the measurement principles used in measuring the corresponding amounts in the public entity’s consolidated financial statements. 5. Require that a public entity disclose the title and position of the CODM and an explanation of how the CODM uses the reported measure(s) of segment profit or loss in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources. 6. Require that a public entity that has a single reportable segment provide all the disclosures required by the amendments in the ASU and all existing segment disclosures in Topic 280. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. A public entity should apply the amendments retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. Upon transition, the segment expense categories and amounts disclosed in the prior periods should be based on the significant segment expense categories identified and disclosed in the period of adoption. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In October 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements: Codification Amendments in Response to the SEC's Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiative. This ASU incorporates certain U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure requirements into the FASB Accounting Standards Codification™ (“Codification”). The amendments in the ASU are expected to clarify or improve disclosure and presentation requirements of a variety of Codification Topics, allow users to more easily compare entities subject to the SEC’s existing disclosures with those entities that were not previously subject to the requirements, and align the requirements in the Codification with the SEC’s regulations. In SEC Release No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification, issued August 17, 2018, the SEC referred certain of its disclosure requirements that overlap with, but require incremental information to, generally accepted accounting principles to the FASB for potential incorporation into the Codification. The ASU incorporates into the Codification 14 of the 27 disclosures referred by the SEC. They modify the disclosure or presentation requirements of a variety of Topics in the Codification. The requirements are relatively narrow in nature. Some of the amendments represent clarifications to, or technical corrections of, the current requirements. Because of the variety of Topics amended, a broad range of entities may be affected by one or more of those amendments. For entities subject to the SEC’s existing disclosure requirements and for entities required to file or furnish financial statements with or to the SEC in preparation for the sale of or for purposes of issuing securities that are not subject to contractual restrictions on transfer, the effective date for each amendment will be the date on which the SEC removes that related disclosure from its rules. For all other entities, the amendments will be effective two years later. However, if by June 30, 2027, the SEC has not removed the related disclosure from its regulations, the amendments will be removed from the Codification and not become effective for any entity. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In September 2022, FASB issued ASU 2022-04, Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations. The amendments in this ASU require that a company that uses a supplier finance program in connection with the purchase of goods or services disclose sufficient information about the program to allow a user of financial statements to understand the program’s nature, activity during the period, changes from period to period, and potential magnitude. ASU 2022-04 is effective for fiscal years, including interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022, except for the rollforward of the supplier finance program obligations, which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. An entity should apply ASU No. 2022-04 retrospectively to all periods in which a balance sheet is presented, except for the obligation rollforward, which should be applied prospectively. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In June 2022, FASB issued ASU 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions. The amendments in this ASU clarify the guidance in ASC 820 on the fair value measurement of an equity security that is subject to a contractual sale restriction and require specific disclosures related to such an equity security. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40).” This ASU reduces the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock, as well as amend the guidance for the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity to reduce form-over-substance-based accounting conclusions. In addition, this ASU improves and amends the related EPS guidance. This standard is effective for the Company on July 1, 2024, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Adoption is either a modified retrospective method or a fully retrospective method of transition. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
In March 2020 and January 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting and ASU No. 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope, respectively (collectively, “Topic 848”). Topic 848 provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The expedients and exceptions provided by Topic 848 are effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. In December 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-06, Reference Rate reform (Topic 848): Deferral of the Sunset Date of Topic 848, which deferred the sunset date of Topic 848, Reference Rate Reform to December 31, 2024, after which entities will no longer be permitted to apply the relief in Topic 848. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
The Company does not believe other recently issued but not yet effective accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the consolidated financial position, statements of operations and cash flows.
Recent Financings
Asset-based revolving loan
On November 12, 2021, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”), as administrative agent, issuing bank and swingline lender, for an asset-based revolving loan (“ABL”) of up to $25 million with key terms listed as follows:
Borrowing base equal to the sum of
Up to 90% of eligible credit card receivables
Up to 85% of eligible trade accounts receivable
Up to the lesser of (i) 65% of cost of eligible inventory or (ii) 85% of net orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory
Interest rates of between LIBOR plus 2% and LIBOR plus 2.25% depending on utilization
Undrawn fee of between 0.25% and 0.375% depending on utilization
Maturity Date of November 12, 2024
In addition, the ABL includes an accordion feature that allows the Company to borrow up to an additional $25 million. To secure complete payment and performance of the secured obligations, the Company granted a security interest in all of its right, title and interest in, to and under all of the Company’s assets as collateral to the ABL. Upon closing of the ABL, the Company paid $796,035 financing fees including 2% of $25.0 million or $500,000 paid to its financial advisor. The financing fees are recorded as debt discount and are to be amortized over three years as financing expenses, the term of the ABL.
Below is a summary of the interest expense recorded for the years ended June 30, 2025 and 2024:
Accrued interest
Credit utilization fees
Amortization of debt discount
Total
As of June 30, 2025 and 2024, the outstanding amount of the JPM revolving loan payable, net of debt discount and including interest, was $3,737,602 and $5,500,739, respectively.
On October 7, 2022, the Company entered into a second amendment to the credit agreement and consent (the “Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement”), originally dated November 12, 2021, as amended, with JPM, as administrative agent and lender. The Company entered into the Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement primarily for the purpose of changing the interest rate repayment calculations from LIBOR to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or SOFR, which adjustment had originally been anticipated under the terms of the original Credit Agreement. In addition, two of the negative covenants set forth in the original credit agreement were amended in order to (i) adjust the definition of “Covenant Testing Trigger Period” to increase the required cash availability from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000, or 10% of the aggregate revolving commitment for the preceding 30 days, and (ii) require that the Company will not and will not permit any of its subsidiaries, after reasonable due diligence and due inquiry, to knowingly sell their products, inventory or services directly to any commercial businesses that grow or cultivate cannabis; it being acknowledged, however, that the Company does not generally conduct due diligence on its individual retail customers.
On November 11, 2022, the Company and JPM entered into a default waiver and consent agreement (the “Waiver Letter”) pursuant to which the parties recognized that the Company was in default on its failure to satisfy the minimum Excess Availability requirement of $7,500,000, as defined in the Credit Agreement, and deliver a certificate to JPM accurately reflecting the Excess Availability (together, the “Existing Defaults”). Under the terms of the Waiver Letter, JPM agreed to waive the right to enforce an event of default based on the aforementioned Existing Defaults. As of June 30, 2024, the Company was in compliance with the ABL covenants. However, as of June 30, 2025, the Company was in default as a result of covenant violations under the ABL facility.
On November 8, 2024, the Company entered into a third amendment (the “Third Amendment”) to that certain credit agreement, initially entered into by and among the Company and its subsidiaries and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the Lender and a lender (the “Administrative Agent” or “Lender”), on November 12, 2021 (the “Credit Agreement”). The Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement amended, among other things, (i) the defined term “Aggregate Revolving Commitment” to mean $15,000,000, and (ii) extended the maturity date to “November 8, 2027 or any earlier date on which the Revolving Commitments are reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.” The borrowing rate is SOFR plus 2.25% to 2.50% depending on utilization of the borrowing availability.
Promissory note payable
On February 15, 2022, as part of the consideration for the acquisition of Anivia, the Company issued a two-year unsecured 6% subordinated promissory note, payable in equal semi-annual installments commencing August 15, 2022 (the “Purchase Note”). The principal amount of the Purchase Note was $3.5 million with a fair value of $3.6 million as of February 15, 2022, the issuance date. In October 2022, the Company paid the first installment of $875,000, and in February 2023, the Company paid the second installment of $875,000. In August 2023, the Company paid the third installment of $875,000. In February 2024, the Company paid the fourth installment of $875,000. For the year ended June 30, 2025, the Company recorded accrued interest of $0 and amortization of note premium of $0. For the year ended June 30, 2024, the Company recorded accrued interest of $39,429 and amortization of note premium of $31,602. In February 2024, the note premium was fully amortized, and the outstanding balance of the principal and accrued interest of $275,679 was fully paid off. As of June 30, 2025 and 2024, the total outstanding balance of the Purchase Note was $0.
Short-term loans payable
On July 8, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement with White Cherry Limited (“White Cherry”), a BVI company owned by the former owner of DHS, for an on-demand, unsecured and subordinated loan (“On-demand Loan”). Pursuant to the agreement, White Cherry agreed to loan the Company the amount requested. The On-demand Loan bears interest at the rate of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or SOFR, plus 1% per annum. The On-demand Loan is due in 30 days upon receipt of White Cherry’s notice of repayment. On July 16, 2023, the Company borrowed $2,000,000 from White Cherry, repaid $1 million on July 31, 2023 and $1 million on January 31, 2024. For the year ended June 30, 2024, the Company recorded interest of $32,911. As of June 30, 2025, the outstanding balance of the On-demand Loan was fully paid off.
On April 8, 2024, the Company entered into an agreement with an unrelated accredited investor (the “Investor”) for an on-demand, unsecured and subordinated loan (“On-demand Loan 2”). Pursuant to the agreement, the Investor agreed to loan the Company the amount requested. The On-demand Loan 2 bears interest at the rate of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or SOFR, plus 1.5% per annum. The On-demand Loan 2 is due in 30 days upon receipt of the Investor’s notice of repayment. For the year ended June 30, 2024, the Company borrowed $483,599 and recorded interest expense of $7,615. For the year ended June 30, 2025, the Company recorded interest expense of $3,733 . As of June 30, 2024, the outstanding balance of the On-demand Loan 2, including accrued interest of $7,615, was $491,214. As of June 30, 2025, the On-demand Loan 2 had been fully paid off.
On April 1, 2024, the Company borrowed $350,000 short-term loan (“RP Loan”) from an entity owned by Mr. Allan Huang, one of the majority shareholders of the Company. The RP Loan bears no interest and is due upon receipt of request of repayment. As of June 30, 2025 and 2024, the outstanding balance of the RP Loan was $0 and $350,000.
June 2024 Registered Direct Offering
On June 18, 2024, the Company, closed on a Registered Direct Offering of 2,083,334 Shares and a concurrent Private Placement of Warrants to purchase 2,083,334 Warrant Shares, which were sold for gross aggregate proceeds of $5,000,002. The Shares were sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement, filed on June 18, 2024, to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, originally filed on September 25, 2023, with the SEC (File No. 333-274665), and declared effective by the SEC on September 29, 2023. The Warrants, which were issued pursuant to an exemption from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) or Regulation D on the Securities Act, have a term of five years and are immediately exercisable at $2.40 per share. The Shares and Warrants were sold to a purchaser pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated June 16, 2024, between the Company and the purchaser (the “Purchase Agreement”). Roth Capital Partners, LLC (the “Placement Agent”) acted as placement agent, pursuant to a placement agency agreement between the Company and the Placement Agent dated June 16, 2024 (the “Placement Agency Agreement”). The Company paid the Placement Agent as compensation a cash fee equal to 6.5% of the gross proceeds of the offering plus reimbursement of certain expenses and legal fees. The net proceeds of the offering, after deducting the Placement Agent’s fees and expenses and other offering expenses payable by the Company, is approximately $4,543,089.
A holder will not have the right to exercise any portion of the Warrants if the holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%), respectively, of the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the Warrants. However, upon notice from the holder to the Company as described in the Purchase Agreement, the holder may increase the beneficial ownership limitation, which may not exceed 9.99% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise of Warrants.
According to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, on July 9, 2024, we filed a Form S-1 to register the resale, from time to time, of up to an aggregate of 2,083,334 Warrant Shares, issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants issued in the Private Placement by the selling stockholder named therein. The resale registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on July 26, 2024. As of June 30, 2024, no Warrants have been exercised.
Emerging Growth Company
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. Accordingly, certain specified reporting and other regulatory requirements for public companies are reduced for businesses that meet the qualifications for emerging growth companies.
These provisions include:
an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;
an exemption from the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards until they would apply to private companies;
an exemption from compliance with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about our audit and our financial statements; and
reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements.
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- Exhibit 2302ipower_ex2302.htm · 2.6 KB
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- Ticker
- IPW
- CIK
0001830072- Form Type
- 10-K
- Accession Number
0001683168-25-007480- Filed
- Oct 9, 2025
- Period
- Jun 30, 2025 (Q2 25)
- Industry
- Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply
External resources
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