EX-31.2
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
DC 20549
_________________
FORM
10-Q/A
(Amendment
No.1)
_________________
(Mark
One)
[X] Quarterly
report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
For
the quarterly period ended June 30, 2005
OR
[
] Transition
report pursuant to Section 13 of 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
Commission
File Number: 333-119385
_________________
SMART
ONLINE, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_________________
Delaware
|
95-4439334
|
(State
of other jurisdiction of
|
(IRS
Employer
|
incorporation
or organization)
|
Identification
No.)
|
2530
Meridian Parkway, 2nd Floor
Durham,
North Carolina 27713
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(919)
765-5000
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
_________________
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for
the past 90 days: Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant is an accelerated filer (as described
in
Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Yes [ ] No [X]
As
of
June 30, 2005, there were approximately 12,498,435 million shares of the
Registrant’s Common Stock outstanding.
Smart
Online, Inc.
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|
Page
No.
|
|
|
|
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements:
|
3
|
|
Balance
Sheets as of June 30, 2005 (unaudited) and December 31,
2004
|
3
|
|
Statements
of Operations (unaudited) for the three months and six months ended
June
30, 2005 and 2004
|
4
|
|
Statements
of Cash Flows (unaudited) for the three months and six months ended
June
30, 2005 and 2004
|
5
|
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (unaudited)
|
6
|
Item
2.
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(including Risk Factors)
|
16
|
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
|
50
|
Item
4.
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
50
|
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
|
Item
1.
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
50
|
Item
2.
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
51
|
Item
3.
|
Defaults
Upon Senior Executives
|
51
|
Item
4.
|
Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Securities Holders
|
51
|
Item
5.
|
Other
Information
|
51
|
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
51
|
|
Signatures
|
52
|
EXPLANATORY
NOTE
The
purpose of this Amendment No. 1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A is
to restate
the unaudited financial statements of Smart Online, Inc. (the “Company”) for the
quarter ended June 30, 2005, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) on August 15, 2005 to correct the accounting treatment of certain
warrants. As originally filed in its Form 10-Q, Smart Online incorrectly
reported $506,000 of expense associated with certain warrants issued
during
2003. Since these warrants were part of permanent equity, Smart Online
should
not have applied the mark to market provisions of Emerging Issues Task
Force
(EITF) 00-19, Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments Indexed to,
and Potentially Settled In, a Company's Own Stock. The Items which
are amended and restated herein are:
1.
Part I, Item 1 - Financial Statements (including applicable
footnotes);
2. Part
I, Item 2 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and
Results of Operations (including Risk Factors); and
3. Part
II, Item 6 - Exhibits
Except
as
otherwise expressly noted herein, this Amendment No. 1 to Quarterly Report
on
Form 10-Q/A does not reflect events occurring after the August 15, 2005
filing
of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q in any way, except as those required
to
reflect the effects of this restatement of our financial statements for
the
periods presented, as deemed necessary in connection with the completion
of
restated financial statements.
The
remaining Items contained within this Amendment No. 1 to our Quarterly
Report on
Form 10-Q/A consist of all other Items originally contained in our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2005 in the
form
filed with the SEC on August 15, 2005. These remaining Items are not
amended hereby, but are included for the convenience of the reader. In
order to
preserve the nature and character of the disclosures set forth in such
Items as
originally filed, except as expressly noted herein, this report continues
to
speak as of the date of the original filing, and we have not updated
the
disclosures in this report to speak as of a later date. While this report
primarily relates to the historical periods covered, events may have
taken place
since the original filing that might have been reflected in this report
if they
had taken place prior to the original filing.
Smart
Online, Inc.
Assets
|
|
|
June
30,
2005
(Unaudited)
(Restated)
|
|
|
December
31,
2004
|
|
CURRENT
ASSETS:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
552,407
|
|
$
|
173,339
|
|
Marketable
securities
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
395,000
|
|
Accounts
receivable, net
|
|
|
30,706
|
|
|
30,904
|
|
Other
accounts receivable
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
43,455
|
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
259,739
|
|
|
24,850
|
|
Total
current assets
|
|
|
842,852
|
|
|
667,548
|
|
PROPERTY
AND EQUIPMENT, net
|
|
|
141,600
|
|
|
75,636
|
|
INTANGIBLE
ASSETS, net
|
|
|
15,394
|
|
|
16,623
|
|
OTHER
ASSETS
|
|
|
13,540
|
|
|
13,894
|
|
TOTAL
ASSETS
|
|
$
|
1,013,386
|
|
$
|
773,701
|
|
CURRENT
LIABILITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
payable
|
|
$
|
190,283
|
|
$
|
186,382
|
|
Accrued
payroll
|
|
|
160,088
|
|
|
110,079
|
|
Accrued
payroll taxes, penalties and interest
|
|
|
11,528
|
|
|
574,827
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
531,479
|
|
|
721,689
|
|
Total
current liabilities
|
|
|
893,378
|
|
|
1,592,977
|
|
LONG-TERM
LIABILITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred
compensation, notes payable and interest
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,091,814
|
|
Total
long-term liabilities
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,091,814
|
|
Total
liabilities
|
|
|
893,378
|
|
|
2,684,791
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMMITMENTS
AND CONTINGENCIES
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
STOCKHOLDERS'
EQUITY (DEFICIT):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
stock, $.001 par value, 45,000,000 shares authorized, shares issued
and
outstanding:
June
30, 2005 - 12,498,435; December 31, 2004 —11,631,832
|
|
|
12,498
|
|
|
11,632
|
|
Additional
paid-in capital
|
|
|
38,000,363
|
|
|
34,809,832
|
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
|
|
(37,892,853
|
)
|
|
(36,732,554
|
)
|
Total
stockholders' equity (deficit)
|
|
|
120,008
|
|
|
(1,911,090
|
)
|
TOTAL
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
|
|
$
|
1,013,386
|
|
$
|
773,701
|
|
See
Notes
to Financial Statements
SMART
ONLINE, INC.
(unaudited)
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
(Restated)
|
|
|
|
|
(Restated)
|
|
|
|
|
REVENUES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Integration
fees
|
|
$
|
252,198
|
|
$
|
89,931
|
|
|
$
|
381,720
|
|
$
|
193,750
|
|
Syndication
fees
|
|
|
103,602
|
|
|
30,621
|
|
|
|
195,642
|
|
|
61,242
|
|
OEM
revenue
|
|
|
12,000
|
|
|
13,750
|
|
|
|
24,000
|
|
|
28,436
|
|
Web
services
|
|
|
25,731
|
|
|
18,276
|
|
|
|
40,890
|
|
|
34,990
|
|
Other
revenues
|
|
|
12,585
|
|
|
755
|
|
|
|
17,102
|
|
|
2,130
|
|
Related
party revenues
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
82,512
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
165,025
|
|
Total
revenues
|
|
|
406,116
|
|
|
235,845
|
|
|
|
659,354
|
|
|
485,573
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COST
OF REVENUES
|
|
|
21,911
|
|
|
43,408
|
|
|
|
53,638
|
|
|
100,427
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GROSS
PROFIT
|
|
|
384,205
|
|
|
192,437
|
|
|
|
605,716
|
|
|
385,146
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OPERATING
EXPENSES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General
and administrative
|
|
|
724,162
|
|
|
593,250
|
|
|
|
1,243,198
|
|
|
1,042,507
|
|
Sales
and marketing
|
|
|
287,946
|
|
|
179,232
|
|
|
|
582,678
|
|
|
277,631
|
|
Development
|
|
|
246,403
|
|
|
127,643
|
|
|
|
501,630
|
|
|
292,021
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
operating expenses
|
|
|
1,258,511
|
|
|
900,125
|
|
|
|
2,327,506
|
|
|
1,612,159
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LOSS
FROM OPERATIONS
|
|
|
(874,306
|
)
|
|
(707,688
|
)
|
|
|
(1,721,790
|
)
|
|
(1,227,013
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OTHER
INCOME (EXPENSE):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
income (expense), net
|
|
|
4,197
|
|
|
(6,945
|
)
|
|
|
10,195
|
|
|
(114,597
|
)
|
Gain
on debt forgiveness
|
|
|
9,293
|
|
|
21,847
|
|
|
|
556,634
|
|
|
49,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
other income (expense)
|
|
|
13,490
|
|
|
14,902
|
|
|
|
566,829
|
|
|
(65,202
|
)
|
NET
LOSS
|
|
|
(860,816
|
)
|
|
(692,786
|
)
|
|
|
(1,154,961
|
)
|
|
(1,292,215
|
)
|
Preferred
stock dividends and accretion of discount on preferred
stock
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(2,215,625
|
)
|
Accretive
dividend issued in connection with registration rights
agreement
|
|
|
(3
|
)
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(3
|
)
|
|
-
|
|
Converted
preferred stock inducement cost
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(3,225,410
|
)
|
Net
loss attributed to common stockholders
|
|
$
|
(860,819
|
)
|
$
|
(692,786
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1,154,964
|
)
|
$
|
(6,733,250
|
)
|
NET
LOSS PER SHARE:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss attributed to
common
stockholders -
Basic
and Diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.07
|
)
|
$
|
(0.06
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.10
|
)
|
$
|
(0.75
|
)
|
SHARES
USED IN COMPUTING NET LOSS PER SHARE
Basic
and Diluted
|
|
|
12,387,333
|
|
|
10,722,507
|
|
|
|
12,110,013
|
|
|
9,022,107
|
|
See
notes
to financial statements.
SMART
ONLINE, INC.
(unaudited)
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
(Restated)
|
|
|
|
(Restated)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
|
$
|
(860,819
|
)
|
$
|
(692,786
|
)
|
$
|
(1,154,964
|
)
|
$
|
(1,292,215
|
)
|
Adjustments
to reconcile net loss to net cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
used
in operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
13,155
|
|
|
11,975
|
|
|
24,248
|
|
|
22,079
|
|
Common
shares, warrants, or options issued in lieu of
compensation
|
|
|
79,279
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
79,279
|
|
|
161,000
|
|
Common
shares issued for extension of loan
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
Issuance
of warrants
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,231
|
|
|
|
|
Gain
on debt forgiveness
|
|
|
(9,293
|
)
|
|
(21,847
|
)
|
|
(556,634
|
)
|
|
(49,395
|
)
|
Changes
in assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
receivable
|
|
|
(18,517
|
)
|
|
(28,506
|
)
|
|
198
|
|
|
29,720
|
|
Related
party receivable
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,625
|
|
|
|
|
|
38,682
|
|
Other
accounts receivable
|
|
|
(4,999
|
)
|
|
4,583
|
|
|
33,769
|
|
|
(13,750
|
)
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
|
|
(185,422
|
)
|
|
8,559
|
|
|
(225,203
|
)
|
|
(17,116
|
)
|
Legal
settlement obligation
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(181,563
|
)
|
|
-
|
|
|
(181,563
|
)
|
Other
assets
|
|
|
3,653
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
1,433
|
|
|
-
|
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
(142,382
|
)
|
|
(117,261
|
)
|
|
(190,210
|
)
|
|
(300,981
|
)
|
Accounts
payable
|
|
|
(26,477
|
)
|
|
214,003
|
|
|
31,332
|
|
|
(128,691
|
)
|
Accrued
payroll
|
|
|
43,741
|
|
|
28,345
|
|
|
55,961
|
|
|
29,717
|
|
Accrued
payroll taxes payable
|
|
|
(49,341
|
)
|
|
25,352
|
|
|
(49,341
|
)
|
|
(965,506
|
)
|
Accrued
interest payable
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
3,166
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(134,998
|
)
|
Deferred
compensation, notes payable, and interest
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(35,649
|
)
|
|
(1,091,814
|
)
|
|
(76,343
|
)
|
Net
cash used in operating activities
|
|
|
(1,157,422
|
)
|
|
(776,004
|
)
|
|
(3,022,715
|
)
|
|
(2,651,674
|
)
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchases
of furniture and equipment
|
|
|
(34,841
|
)
|
|
(24,264
|
)
|
|
(86,104
|
)
|
|
(24,908
|
)
|
Redemption
of marketable securities
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
395,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
Net
cash provided by (used in) investing activities
|
|
|
(34,841
|
)
|
|
(24,264
|
)
|
|
308,896
|
|
|
(24,908
|
)
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repayments
on notes payable
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(350,000
|
)
|
Repayments
from stockholder
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
(86,480
|
)
|
Issuance
of common stock
|
|
|
357,887
|
|
|
1,045,142
|
|
|
3,092,887
|
|
|
3,333,641
|
|
Net
cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
357,887
|
|
|
1,045,142
|
|
|
3,092,887
|
|
|
2,897,161
|
|
NET
(DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH
AND
CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
(834,376
|
)
|
|
244,874
|
|
|
379,068
|
|
|
220,579
|
|
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS,
BEGINNING
OF PERIOD
|
|
|
1,386,783
|
|
|
77,191
|
|
|
173,339
|
|
|
101,486
|
|
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS,
END
OF PERIOD
|
|
$
|
552,407
|
|
$
|
322,065
|
|
$
|
552,407
|
|
$
|
322,065
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
disclosures:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
payment during the period for interest:
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
154,288
|
|
$
|
164,055
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-cash
financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-cash
accretion of preferred stock redemption value
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
2,215,625
|
|
Conversion
of preferred stock into common stock
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
19,724,839
|
|
See
notes
to financial statements.
Smart
Online, Inc.
Notes
to Financial Statements - Unaudited
1. Summary
of Business and Significant Accounting Policies
Basis
of Presentation-The
accompanying balance sheet as of June 30, 2005 and the statements of operations
and cash flows for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2005 and
2004
are unaudited. These statements should be read in conjunction with the audited
financial statements and related notes, together with management’s discussion
and analysis of financial position and results of operations, contained in
the
Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.
The
financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP. In the opinion of the
Company’s management, the unaudited statements in the Form 10-Q include all
adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s statement of
financial position as of June 30, 2005, its results of operations and its cash
flows for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004. The
results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2005 are not
necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2005.
The
accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company
will continue as a going concern. As such, they do not include adjustments
relating to the recoverability of recorded asset amounts and classification
of
recorded assets and liabilities. The Company had accumulated losses of
approximately $38 million at June 30, 2005 and will be required to make
significant expenditures in connection with continuing development and marketing
efforts along with general and administrative expenses. The Company's ability
to
continue its operations is dependant upon its raising of capital through equity
financing in order to meet its working needs.
These
conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue
as a
going concern, and, if substantial additional funding is not acquired or
alternative sources developed, management will be required to curtail its
operations.
The
Company needs to raise additional capital by the sale of its equity securities
or other financing avenues. Management believes that actions presently being
taken to obtain additional funding provides the additional opportunity for
the
Company to continue as a going concern.
Description
of Business -Smart
Online, Inc. (the "Company" or "Smart Online") was incorporated in the State
of
Delaware in 1993. Smart Online develops and markets Internet-delivered
Software-as-Service (SaS) software applications and data resources to start,
run, protect and grow small businesses (one to fifty employees). Smart Online's
subscribers access Smart Online's products through the portal at www.SmartOnline.com
directly
and through the web sites of private label syndication partners that include
major companies and financial institutions.
Fiscal
Year -The
fiscal year ends December 31. References to fiscal 2005, for example, refer
to
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005.
Use
of Estimates -The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires
management to make estimates and assumptions in the Company’s financial
statements and notes thereto. Significant estimates and assumptions made by
management include the determination of the provision for income taxes, the
fair
market value of stock awards issued and the period over which revenue is
generated. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Segments
-The
Company operates in one segment.
Revenue
Recognition-
The
Company recognizes revenue in accordance with accounting standards for software
and service companies including United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”), Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 104 “Revenue Recognition” (“SAB 104”),
the Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 00-21 “Revenue Arrangements with
Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF 00-21”),and
related interpretations including American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (“AICPA”) Technical Practice Aids. We also utilize interpretative
guidance from regulatory and accounting bodies, which include, but are not
limited to, the SEC, the AICPA, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(“FASB”), and various professional organizations.
We
recognize revenue when all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) there
is persuasive evidence of an arrangement; (2) the service has been provided
to
the customer; (3) the collection of our fees is probable; and (4) the amount
of
fees to be paid by the customer is fixed or determinable. EITF 00-21 states
that
revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables should be divided into separate
units of accounting if the deliverables in the arrangement meet the following
criteria: (1) the delivered item has value to the
customer
on a standalone basis; (2) there is objective and reliable evidence of the
fair
value of the undelivered item; and (3) if the arrangement includes a general
right of return relative to the delivered item, deliver or performance of the
undelivered item is considered probable and substantially in control of the
vendor. Smart Online’s syndication and integration agreements typically include
multiple deliverables including the grant of a non-exclusive license to
distribute, use and access the Smart Online platform, fees for the integration
of content into the Smart Online platform, maintenance and hosting fees,
documentation and training, and technical support and customer support fees.
Smart Online cannot establish fair value of the individual revenue deliverables
based on objective and reliable evidence because the Company does not have
a
long, consistent history of standard syndication and integration contractual
arrangements, there have only been a few contracts that have continued past
the
initial contractual term, the Company does not have any contracts in which
these
elements have been sold as stand-alone items, and there is no third-party
evidence of fair value for products or services that are interchangeable and
comparable to Smart Online’s products and services. As such, Smart Online can
not allocate revenue to the individual deliverables and must record all revenues
received as a single unit of accounting as further described below.
Additionally, Smart Online has evaluated the timing and substantive nature
of
the performance obligations associated with the multiple deliverables noted
above, including the determination that the remaining obligations are essential
to the on-going usability and functionality of the delivered products, and
determined that revenue should be recognized over the life of the contracts
due
to such factors as the length of time over which the remaining obligations
will
be performed, the complex nature of integrating and maintaining customer content
with Smart Online’s platform, which services are unavailable from other vendors,
and the timing of payment of a portion of the contract price such as monthly
hosting payments.
Syndication
fees consist primarily of fees charged to syndication partners to create and
maintain a customized private-label site and ongoing support, maintenance and
customer service. The syndication agreements typically include an advance fee
and monthly hosting fees. We generally invoice our customers in annual or
monthly installments and typical payment terms provide that our customers pay
us
within 30 days of invoice. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in
accounts receivable and in deferred revenue and the revenue is recognized
ratably over the specified lives of the contracts, commencing on the date the
site goes on-line. In general, we collect our billings in advance of the service
period. The hosting fees are typically billed on a monthly basis. Our contracts
and support contracts are non-cancelable, though they typically provide for
early termination upon a material breach by either party that is not cured
in a
timely manner. We continue to evaluate and adjust the length of these
amortization periods as we gain more experience with implementation schedules
and contract cancellations. Should the contract terminate earlier than its
term
then we recognize the remaining deferred revenue upon termination. At present,
Smart Online has insufficient historical data to determine if the relationship
with its existing customers will extend beyond the initial term with the
customer continuing to benefit from the advance fee. If Smart Online determines
that existing and/or future contracts are expected to extend beyond the initial
term whereby the customer continuing to benefit from the advance fee, Smart
Online would extend the revenue recognition period accordingly to include the
extended term. Based on that experience, it is possible that, in the future,
the
estimates of customer lives may change and, in such event, the period over
which
such syndication revenues are amortized would be adjusted. Any such change
in
specified contract lives would affect our future results of operations.
Additionally, the syndication contracts typically include revenue sharing
arrangements whereby syndication partners typically charge their customers
a
monthly fee to access the private-label site. In most cases, the syndication
agreement provides for Smart Online to receive a percentage of these fees.
Fees
derived from such revenue sharing arrangements are recorded when earned. To
date
such revenue sharing fees have been negligible.
Integration
fees consist primarily of fees charged to integration partners to integrate
their products into the Smart Online syndication platform. Integrating
third-party content and products has been a key component of Smart Online’s
strategy to continuously expand and enhance the platform offered to its
syndication partners and its own customer base. We generally invoice our
customers in advance of the service period in annual or monthly installments
and
typical payment terms provide that our customers pay us within 30 days of
invoice. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in accounts receivable
and
in deferred revenue and the revenue is recognized ratably over the specified
lives of the contracts, commencing on the date the site goes on-line. We
continue to evaluate and adjust the length of these amortization periods as
we
gain more experience with implementation schedules and contract cancellations.
At present, Smart Online has insufficient historical data to determine if the
relationship with its existing customers will extend beyond the initial term
with the customer continuing to benefit from the advance fee. If Smart Online
determines that existing and/or future contracts are expected to extend beyond
the initial term whereby the customer continues to benefit from the advance
fee,
Smart Online would extend the revenue recognition period accordingly to include
the extended term. Our contracts and support contracts are non-cancelable,
though they provide for early termination upon a material breach by either
party
that is not cured in a timely manner. Should the contract terminate earlier
than
its term then we recognize the remaining deferred revenue upon termination.
Based on that experience, it is possible that, in the future, the estimates
of
customer lives may change and, in such event, the period over which such
syndication revenues are amortized would be adjusted. Any such change in
specified contract lives would affect our future results of operations.
Additionally, integration agreements typically include an upfront fee and a
revenue sharing component. Fees derived from such revenue sharing arrangements
are recorded when earned. To date such revenue sharing fees have been
negligible.
Both
syndication and integration fees are recognized on a monthly basis over the
life
of the contract, although a significant portion of the fee from integration
is
received upfront. Our contracts and support contracts are non-cancelable, though
customers typically have the right to terminate their contracts for cause if
we
fail to perform. We generally invoice our customers in annual or monthly
installments and typical payment terms provide that our customers pay us within
30 days of invoice. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in accounts
receivable and in deferred revenue or revenue depending on whether the revenue
recognition criteria have been met. In general, we collect our billings in
advance of the service period. Online marketing, which consists of marketing
services provided to our integration and syndication partners have in the past
generated additional revenue. In addition, certain users have requested that
Smart Online implement online marketing initiatives for them, such as promoting
their products through Google or Overture Services. Online marketing has not
been a material source of past income. We intend to seek an increase in the
level of online marketing services in the future.
Web
Services revenues are comprised of e-commerce sales directly to end-users,
hosting and maintenance fees, e-commerce website design fees and online loan
origination fees. E-commerce sales are made either on a subscription or a la
carte basis. Subscription, which is access to most Smart Online offerings,
is
payable in advance on a monthly basis and is targeted at small companies or
divisions of large companies. We will seek to grow our monthly subscription
volume over the next 24 months as new versions of Smart Online’s platforms
(OneBiz ConductorSM)
are
released.
Additionally,
Smart Online receives a portion of third-party sales of products and services
through revenue sharing arrangements, which involves a split of realized
revenues. Hosting and maintenance fees are charged for supporting and
maintaining the private-label portal and providing customer and technical
support directly to our syndication partner’s users and are recognized on a
monthly basis. E-commerce website design fees which are charged for building
and
maintaining corporate websites or to add the capability for e-commerce
transactions are recognized over the life of the project. We have discontinued
our third-party arrangement for online web design. We expect to resume this
service after a new partner is under contract. Online loan origination fees
are
charged to provide users online financing options by which Smart Online receives
payments for loan or credit provided. We intend to become more aggressive about
promoting this line item in the future.
Subscription
revenue is recognized ratably over the subscription period (usually one year).
Third-party premium products are shared with integration partners.
OEM
revenues are recorded based on the greater of actual sales or contractual
minimum guaranteed royalty payments. Smart Online records the minimum guaranteed
royalties monthly and receives payment of the royalties on a quarterly basis,
30
days in arrears. To the extent actual royalties exceed the minimum guaranteed
royalties, the excess is recorded in the quarter Smart Online receives
notification of such additional royalties.
Barter
Transactions-
Barter
revenue relates to syndication and integration services provided by Smart Online
to business customers in exchange for advertising in the customers’ trade
magazines and on their Web sites. Barter expenses reflect the expense offset
to
barter revenue. The amount of barter revenue and expense is recorded at the
estimated fair value of the services received or the services provided,
whichever is more objectively determinable, in the month the services and
advertising are exchanged. Smart Online applies APB 29, Accounting for
Non-Monetary Transactions, the provisions of EITF 93-11, “Accounting for Barter
Transactions Involving Barter Credits” and EITF 99-13 “Accounting for
Advertising Barter Transactions” and, accordingly, recognizes barter revenues
only to the extent that Smart Online has similar cash transactions within a
period not to exceed six months prior to the date of the barter transaction.
To
date, the amount of barter revenue to be recognized has been more objectively
determinable based on integration and syndication services provided rather
than
based upon the value of advertising received. For revenue from integration
and
syndication services provided for cash to be considered similar to the
integration and syndication services provided in barter transactions, the
services rendered must have been in the same media and similar term as the
barter transaction. Further, the quantity or volume of integration or
syndication revenue received in a qualifying past cash transaction can only
evidence the fair value of an equivalent quantity or volume of integration
or
syndication revenue received in subsequent barter transactions. In other words,
a past cash transaction can only support the recognition of revenue on
integration and syndication contracts transactions up to the dollar amount
of
the cash transactions. When the cash transaction has been used to support an
equivalent quantity and dollar amount of barter revenue, that transaction cannot
serve as evidence of fair value for any other barter transaction. Once the
value
of the barter revenue has been determined, Smart Online follows the same revenue
recognition principals as it applies to cash transactions with unearned revenues
being deferred as described more fully above. At the time the barter revenue
is
recorded, an offsetting pre-paid barter advertising asset is recorded on Smart
Online’s balance sheet. This pre-paid barter advertising asset is amortized to
expense as advertising services are received such as when an advertisement
runs
in a magazine. Where more than one deliverable exists, such as when the barter
partner is to provide advertising in four issues of a magazine, the expense
is
recognized pro-rata as the advertising deliverable is provided. Barter revenues
totaled $160,477 and $5,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004,
respectively. Barter revenues totaled $268,142 and $8,333 for the six months
ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents-
All
highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less
are
considered to be cash equivalents.
Marketable
Securities-
Management determines the appropriate classification of investments in
marketable securities at the time of purchase in accordance with Statement
of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 115. Accounting
for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities and
reevaluates such determination at each balance sheet date. Securities, which
are
classified as available for sale at December 31, 2004, are carried at fair
value, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a separate
component of stockholders’ equity. Fair value is determined based on quoted
market rates. There were no unrealized gains or losses at December 31, 2004.
Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be
other-than-temporary on securities available for sale are included as a
component of interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the
specific-identification method. Interest on securities classified as available
for sale is also included as a component of interest income.
Software
Development Costs-
Smart
Online has not capitalized any direct or allocated overhead associated with
the
development of software products prior to general release. SFAS No. 86,
Accounting
for the Costs of Software to be Sold, Leased or Otherwise
Marketed,
requires capitalization of certain software development costs subsequent to
the
establishment of technological feasibility. Based on the Company’s product
development process, technological feasibility is established upon completion
of
a working model. Costs related to software development incurred between
completion of the working model and the point at which the product is ready
for
general release have been insignificant.
Impairment
of Long Lived Assets-
Long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles are reviewed for
impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the
carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets
to
be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset
to future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets
are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured
by
the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value
of
the assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying
amount or fair value less costs to sell.
Property
and Equipment-
Property and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated over their
estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method as follows:
Office
equipment
|
5
years
|
Furniture
and fixtures
|
7
years
|
Computer
software
|
3
years
|
Computer
equipment
|
3
years
|
Automobiles
|
5
years
|
Intangible
Assets-
Intangible assets consists primarily of trademarks and are being amortized
over
their estimated useful lives.
Fair
Values-
The
fair values of cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued
liabilities, and notes payable approximate the carrying values due to the short
period of time to maturity.
Accretion
of Redemption Value of Redeemable Preferred Stock-
The
Company accreted the redemption value of redeemable preferred stock ratably
over
the minimum period such stock was outstanding. In addition, accrued but unpaid
dividends were recorded to increase the carrying value of the redeemable
preferred stock to the redemption value at maturity.
Advertising
Costs-
Smart
Online expenses all advertising costs as they are incurred. The amount charged
to expense during the three months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004 were $53,518
and
$65,007, respectively. The amount charged to expense during the six months
ended
June 30, 2005 and 2004 were $189,852 and $54,482, respectively. The 2004 period
reflects a credit related to prior advertising activities. These advertising
costs included $46,250 and $41,250 of barter advertising expense for the three
months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively, and $181,250 and $41,250
for
the six-months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Net
Loss per Share-Basic
loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares
outstanding during the periods. Diluted loss per share is computed using the
weighted-average number of common and dilutive common equivalent shares
outstanding during the periods. Common equivalent shares consist of redeemable
preferred stock, stock options and warrants that are computed using the treasury
stock method. The Company excluded shares issueable upon the exercise of
redeemable preferred stock, stock options and warrants from the calculation
of
common equivalent shares as the impact was anti-dilutive.
Stock-Based
Compensation-
Smart
Online accounts for its stock-based compensation plans in accordance with the
intrinsic value provisions of Accounting Principles Board Opinion (“APB”) No.
25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” Stock Options are
generally
granted at prices equal to the fair value of Smart Online’s common stock on the
grant dates. Accordingly, Smart Online did not record any compensation expense
in the accompanying financial statements for its stock-based compensation plans.
Had compensation expense been recognized consistent with the fair value
provisions of SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” Smart
Online’s net loss attributed to common stockholders and net loss attributed to
common stockholders per share for the quarters ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
would have been changed to the pro forma amounts indicated below:
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
Net
loss attributed to
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
common
stockholders:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As
reported
|
|
$
|
(860,819
|
)
|
$
|
(692,786
|
)
|
$
|
(1,154,961
|
)
|
$
|
(6,733,250
|
)
|
Add:
Compensation cost
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
recorded
at intrinsic value
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
161,000
|
|
Less:
Compensation cost using
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the
fair value method
|
|
|
(62,352
|
)
|
|
(113,658
|
)
|
|
(96,404
|
)
|
|
(382,483
|
)
|
Pro
forma
|
|
$
|
(923,171
|
)
|
$
|
(806,444
|
)
|
$
|
(1,251,365
|
)
|
$
|
(6,954,733
|
)
|
|
|
Three
months ended
|
|
|
Six
months ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
Reported
net loss attributed to
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
common
stockholders:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
and diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.07
|
)
|
$
|
(0.06
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.10
|
)
|
$
|
(0.75
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro
forma net loss per share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
and diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.07
|
)
|
$
|
(0.08
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.10
|
)
|
$
|
(0.77
|
)
|
The
fair
value of option grants under Smart Online’s plan and other stock option
issuances during the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004 were
estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following
weighted-average assumptions:
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
June
30,
2005
|
|
|
June
30,
2004
|
|
June
30,
2005
|
|
June
30,
2004
|
Dividend
yield
|
|
0.
00
|
%
|
|
|
0.
00
|
%
|
|
0.
00
|
%
|
|
0.
00
|
%
|
Expected
volatility
|
|
33.06
|
%
|
|
|
0.00
|
%
|
|
0.00
- 33.06
|
%
|
|
0.00
|
%
|
Risk
free interest rate
|
|
4.24
|
%
|
|
|
4.23
|
%
|
|
4..23
|
%
|
|
4.23
|
%
|
Expected
lives (years)
|
|
9.2
|
|
|
|
5.0
|
|
|
9.1
|
|
|
5.0
|
|
New
Accounting Standards
In
December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based
Payment” (“SFAS 123(R)”). SFAS 123(R), a revision of SFAS 123, “Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation”, supersedes APB Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock
Issued to Employees”, and amends SFAS No. 95, “Statement of Cash Flows.” SFAS
123(R) requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of
employee stock options, to be recognized in the financial statements based
on
their fair values. SFAS 123(R) is effective for the beginning of the annual
period beginning after June 15, 2005. Therefore the Company plans to adopt
SFAS
123(R) on January 1, 2006. The Company is currently assessing the impact of
this
prospective change in accounting and believes that it will not have a material
and adverse impact on the Company’s reported results of operations.
2.
Balance Sheets Accounts
Marketable
Securities
At
December 31, 2004, marketable securities consisted of the
following:
|
|
|
Amortized
Cost
|
|
|
Fair
Value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Municipal
bonds - redeemed February 2005
|
|
$
|
395,000
|
|
$
|
395,000
|
|
Smart
Online did not hold any marketable securities on June 30, 2005.
Receivables
Smart
Online evaluates the need for an allowance for doubtful accounts based on
specifically identified amounts that management believes to be uncollectible.
Management also records an additional allowance based on certain percentages
of
its receivables over 90 days old, which are determined based on historical
experience and management’s assessment of the general financial conditions
affecting its customer base. If actual collections experience changes, revisions
to the allowance may be required. Based upon the aforementioned criteria,
management has determined that no provision for uncollectible accounts is
required as of June 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004.
Property
and Equipment
Property
and equipment consists of the following at:
|
|
|
June
30,
2005
|
|
|
December
31,
2004
|
|
Office
equipment
|
|
$
|
30,897
|
|
$
|
16,187
|
|
Furniture
and fixtures
|
|
|
7,125
|
|
|
7,125
|
|
Computer
software
|
|
|
420,656
|
|
|
393,629
|
|
Computer
equipment
|
|
|
710,041
|
|
|
663,723
|
|
Automobiles
|
|
|
29,504
|
|
|
29,504
|
|
|
|
|
1,198,223
|
|
|
1,110,168
|
|
Less
accumulated depreciation
|
|
|
(1,056,623
|
)
|
|
(1,034,532
|
)
|
Property
and equipment, net
|
|
$
|
141,600
|
|
$
|
75,636
|
|
Depreciation
expense for the three months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004 was $13,155 and
$10,104, respectively. Depreciation expense for the six months ended June 30,
2005 and 2004 was $11,093 and $10,104, respectively.
Deferred
Compensation
Certain
officers of Smart Online deferred a portion of their compensation, including
commissions and interest charges on previously earned but unpaid compensation,
from the second quarter of 2001 until September, 2003. In October 2003, these
salary deferrals plus interest were converted to promissory notes (the “2003
Notes”) in the aggregate amount of $1,049,765. These notes were payable on or
before May 31, 2004 and bore interest at a rate of 15% per annum. During the
fourth quarter of 2003 and the first quarter of 2004, these officers deferred
an
additional $141,771. Additionally, during this period $50,135 of the original
notes payable were repaid. In April 2004, the holders of the 2003 Notes agreed
to exchange the existing notes for new promissory notes payable on or before
December 31, 2005. The principal amount of the new notes, $1,141,401, included
the unpaid principal from the original notes plus the subsequent deferrals.
Subsequently during 2004, $160,904 was repaid against the successor notes and
an
additional $2,302 of compensation was deferred. The successor notes bore
interest at a rate of 15% per annum through June 1, 2004 at which time the
holders voluntarily reduced the rate to 8% per annum. On April 30, 2004, the
2004 Notes were extended until May 31, 2005, but later during 2004 the officers
entered into standstill agreements not to demand payment until June 30, 2006.
The standstill agreement was again amended on December 22, 2004, to provide
that
demand for payment could be made upon the earlier of June 30, 2006 or the
closing after January 1, 2005 of a financing with gross proceeds to Smart Online
of $2,000,000 or more. After Smart Online raised $2,500,000 from a sale of
securities to a foreign investor in February 2005, Smart Online paid in full
the
$949,777 of deferred compensation, plus all accrued interest of $154,288, and
cancelled the related promissory notes to these officers.
3.
Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)
Common
Stock
During
February and March 2005, Smart Online sold 580,000 shares of common stock
resulting in gross proceeds of $2.9 million to foreign investors in sales exempt
under Regulation S. A portion of those funds were used to repay deferred
compensation, including interest thereon, as more fully discussed in Note 2.
In
connection with this financing, Smart Online incurred stock issuance costs
of
$290,000. In connection with this financing, Smart Online issued to one of
the
investors a warrant to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock in consideration
for the investor agreeing to certain restrictions on its ability to sell the
shares. These warrants have an exercise price of $5 per share and terminate
on
January 1, 2007. During March 2005, Smart Online raised an additional $125,000
in gross proceeds from the sale of 25,000 shares of common stock at $5.00 per
share in a private placement.
In
connection with the aforementioned private placement conducted during March
2005, Smart Online and the investors executed registration rights agreements.
One of these registration rights agreements requires Smart Online to pay
investors 0.5% of their investment for each thirty-day period after April 30,
2005 in which Smart Online failed to file a registration statement registering
shares sold in the private placement, which amount is prorated for partial
30-day periods. During the second quarter of 2005, the Company accrued $5,338
as
a dividend to the investor.
Warrants
During
February 2005, a consulting firm that was issued 350,000 warrants in November
2003 acquired 50,000 shares of Smart Online’s Common Stock as a result of the
cashless exercise of warrants. Warrants to purchase 67,568 shares of Common
Stock were cancelled in this cashless exercise. The fair market value of Smart
Online’s Common Stock at the time of exercise was $5.00. During May 2005, this
same consulting firm acquired 48,617 shares of Smart Online’s Common Stock as a
result of the cashless exercise of warrants. Warrants to purchase 62,432 shares
of Common Stock were cancelled in this cashless exercise. The fair market value
of Smart Online’s Common Stock at the time of exercise was $5.875. At June 30,
2005, 220,000 of the warrants issued in November 2003 were still
outstanding.
Stock
Option Plans
Smart
Online maintains three equity compensation plans.
The
following is a summary of the status of the plan and stock option
activity:
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BALANCE,
December 31, 2004
|
|
|
1,768,900
|
|
$
|
2.78
|
|
Granted
|
|
|
307,500
|
|
|
5.31
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
(16,500
|
)
|
|
3.50
|
|
Forfeited
|
|
|
(350,500
|
)
|
$
|
1.82
|
|
BALANCE,
June 30, 2005
|
|
|
1,709,400
|
|
$
|
4.69
|
|
The
following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at June
30, 2005:
|
|
|
|
Currently
Exercisable
|
Exercise
Price
|
Number
of
Shares
Outstanding
|
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life
(Years)
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
Number
of
Shares
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
1.30 - $ 1.43
|
670,000
|
3.5
|
$
1.40
|
670,000
|
$
1.40
|
$
3.50
|
497,500
|
8.8
|
$
3.50
|
186,730
|
$
3.50
|
$
5.00
|
493,900
|
5.5
|
$
5.00
|
234,400
|
$
5.00
|
$
7.00
|
48,000
|
9.9
|
$
7.00
|
-
|
$
7.00
|
$
1.30 - $ 7.00
|
1,709,400
|
5.8
|
$
3.21
|
1,091,130
|
$
2.53
|
Dividends
Smart
Online has not paid any cash dividends through June 30, 2005.
4.
Major Customers and Concentration of Credit Risk
Smart
Online derives a significant portion of its revenues from certain customer
relationships. The following is a summary of customers that represent greater
than ten percent of total revenues:
|
|
|
|
3
Months Ended June 30, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
%
of Total
Revenues
|
|
Customer
A
|
|
|
Integration/Barter
|
|
$
|
82,500
|
|
|
20.3
|
%
|
Customer
B
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
12.3
|
%
|
Customer
C
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
51,183
|
|
|
12.6
|
%
|
Customer
D
|
|
|
Syndication/Barter
|
|
|
46,250
|
|
|
11.4
|
%
|
Others
|
|
|
Various
|
|
|
176,183
|
|
|
43.4
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
406,116
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
3
Months Ended June 30, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
%
of Total
Revenues
|
|
Customer
E
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
$
|
82,513
|
|
|
35.0
|
%
|
Customer
F
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
25,000
|
|
|
10.1
|
%
|
Customer
G
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
25,000
|
|
|
10.1
|
%
|
Others
|
|
|
Various
|
|
|
103,332
|
|
|
43.8
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
235,845
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
6
Months Ended June 30, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
%
of Total
Revenues
|
|
Customer
A
|
|
|
Integration/Barter
|
|
$
|
123,750
|
|
|
18.8
|
%
|
Customer
B
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
11.4
|
%
|
Customer
D
|
|
|
Syndication/Barter
|
|
|
80,938
|
|
|
12.3
|
%
|
Others
|
|
|
Various
|
|
|
379,666
|
|
|
57.5
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
659,354
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
6
Months Ended June 30, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
%
of Total
Revenues
|
|
Customer
E
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
$
|
165,025
|
|
|
34.0
|
%
|
Customer
F
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
10.3
|
%
|
Customer
G
|
|
|
Integration
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
10.3
|
%
|
Others
|
|
|
Various
|
|
|
220,548
|
|
|
45.4
|
%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
485,573
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
At
June
30, 2005, Smart Online had one customer that accounted for 36% of accounts
receivable and a second customer that accounted for the remaining 64% of
accounts receivable. One of these customers accounted for substantially all
of
the accounts receivable at December 31, 2004.
5. Related
Party Transactions
American
Investment Holding Group, Inc., which is wholly-owned by two officers of Smart
Online, owns approximately 23% of the outstanding Common Stock of Smart Online
as of June 30, 2005. The same officers also own a controlling interest in other
companies, some of which companies own Smart Online Common
Stock.
An
officer of Smart Online and a trust established by this officer for the benefit
of his children have from time to time provided loans to Smart Online. As of
January 1, 2004, Smart Online owed these parties $47,798 related to outstanding
loans. During the first six months of 2004, the Company borrowed an additional
$186,335 and repaid the entire remaining outstanding balance of $186,335. As
of
September 30, 2004 all borrowings from and loans to the officer and the trust
were repaid in full. Until October 2003, the Company did not pay any interest
on
these loans, thereafter the loans accrued interest at a rate of
15.0%.
During
2004 and 2005, Smart Online contracted with a consulting firm owned by an
individual who was an officer of the Company at the time to provide strategic
international sales and marketing services. Smart Online paid consulting fees
of
$17,500 during both the first quarter of 2005 and 2004 related to these
services. Additionally, Smart Online paid the same consulting firm $2,500
related to the sale of certain shares of Common Stock during the first quarter
of 2004. This consulting agreement was terminated in March, 2005.
On
August
13, 2002, Smart Online entered into an integration agreement with SIL, a company
owned by a shareholder of Smart Online, to incorporate its products into Smart
Online’s platform. As part of this agreement, SIL paid Smart Online $300,000 for
such integration, and the parties agreed to share future revenues generated
from
the sales of the products. On August 30, 2002, the parties signed an amendment
to the original agreement, in order for Smart Online to provide SIL certain
co-development services, which includes instant messenger and video
conferencing. In exchange, SIL paid Smart Online an additional sum of $300,000.
The parties further agreed that the products developed as a result of both
companies’ efforts will be owned by both parties. On April 30, 2003, Smart
Online and SIL signed a new amendment and restated the integration program
agreement. According to this new amendment and restated agreement, Smart Online
agreed to fund the future development of the products. In exchange, SIL agreed
to limit future amounts payable by Smart Online under the original shared
revenue agreement to $1.7 million.
In
addition to the above agreements, on August 30, 2002, Smart Online and SIL
also
entered into a reseller agreement whereby SIL paid the sum of $200,000 for
the
right to distribute Smart Online’s products in the territories of Israel, the
United Kingdom, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain, in exchange for Smart
Online’s marketing support and a twenty percent commission from the gross sales
generated by SIL. On March 17 and 27, 2003, the parties subsequently modified
the original re-seller agreement to restrict the territory to only Israel and
Netherlands. Additionally, on December 22, 2003, Smart Online signed a private
label syndication agreement with SIL to provide website development for SIL’s
website.
Smart
Online also paid SIL $90,000 pursuant to their contract dated December 20,
2003
for technical co-development work on a monthly payment of $15,000 starting
in
December of 2003 and ending in May of 2004.
In
March
2004, SIL ceased further development of its technology and laid-off its
employees. SIL is currently seeking opportunities to license or sell its
technology. The Company continues to support this technology on behalf of SIL.
The revenues derived from this agreement with SIL were recognized as income
on a
straight line basis over the life of the agreement. Smart Online recognized
$330,050 of revenue related to the aforementioned integration, co-development
and reseller agreements during 2004.
During
the first half of 2004, Smart Online paid $158,384 to the Small Business Lending
Institute (SBLI), of which an officer of Smart Online is also an officer and
in
which another officer of Smart Online is a minority shareholder, because SBLI
paid Smart Online’s employees during the first quarter of 2004 while Smart
Online was dealing with a tax matter with the Internal Revenue
Service.
The
following is a summary of related party revenues for the three months and six
months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004:
|
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
|
Six Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
|
June 30,
2005
|
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smart
II, Ltd. ("SIL"), formerly
known
as Smart Revenue Europe Ltd.- Integration fees
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
82,512
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
165,025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Related Party Revenues
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
82,512
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
165,025
|
|
The
following is a summary of related party expenses for the three months and six
months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004:
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nen,
Inc. - consulting fees included
in
sales and marketing expense
related
to strategic international sales and marketing services
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
17,500
|
|
$
|
17,500
|
|
$
|
35,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nen,
Inc. - consulting fees included
in
general and administrative
expense
related to assisting Smart
Online
with obtaining additional
equity
financing
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
28,500
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
31,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Small
Business Loan Institute -
consulting
fees included in general
and
administrative expense
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smart
II, Ltd. - Moving expenses,
reseller
payment, and technical co-
development
work
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense incurred on
loans
from officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,526
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,649
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Related Party Revenues
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
77,526
|
|
$
|
17,500
|
|
$
|
175,649
|
|
6.
Commitments and Contingencies
Smart
Online is subject to claims and suits that arise from time to time in the
ordinary course of business. During
the second quarter of 2005, Smart Online settled claims with two former
commercial business partners. The first claim asserted that Smart Online owed
$92,204 for advertising which Smart Online asserted was faulty. Smart Online
settled this claim in April 2005, paid the other party $50,000, and the case
was
dismissed with prejudice. As a result of this settlement, Smart Online recorded
a gain on legal settlements of $42,293. In the second claim, Smart Online was
being sued for breach of contract, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and
punitive damages, alleging that Smart Online improperly refused to refund a
$32,500 integration fee. Smart Online settled this claim in May 2005 by paying
$30,000 and the case was dismissed with prejudice.
Smart
Online did not pay its payroll taxes for the period of the fourth quarter of
2000 through the fourth quarter of 2003. In March 2004, Smart Online notified
the Internal Revenue Service of its delinquent payroll tax filings and
voluntarily paid the outstanding balance of its payroll taxes in the amount
of
$1,003,830 plus accrued interest of $122,655 to the Internal Revenue Service.
The Internal Revenue Service notified Smart Online that it owed penalties plus
accrued interest related to the above matter. At December 31, 2004, Smart Online
had recorded a liability for accrued penalties and interest of $573,022. On
February 18, 2005, the Internal Revenue Service agreed to accept Smart Online’s
offer in compromise (Form 656) in settlement of all of Smart Online’s
outstanding federal tax liabilities. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement,
Smart Online, Inc. agreed to pay $26,100, surrender all credits and refunds
for
2005 or earlier tax periods, and remain in compliance with all federal tax
obligations for a term of five years. Smart Online paid $26,100 to the Internal
Revenue Service on February 25, 2005, as required under the settlement terms.
As
a result of the settlement, Smart Online recorded a gain on legal settlement
of
approximately $547,000 during the first quarter of 2005.
7.
Restatement
Smart
Online, in consultation with BDO, has determined that it incorrectly
applied certain provisions of EITF 00-19, Accounting for Derivative
Financial Instruments Indexed to, and Potentially Settled in, a Company's
Own
Stock. Specifically, Smart Online incorrectly recorded $506,000 of
general and administrative expense during the second quarter of 2005 related
to
a mark to market adjustment of certain warrants. Since these warrants were
part
of permanent equity, Smart Online should not have applied the mark to market
provisions of EITF 00-19. Accordingly, the net loss for the quarter ended
June 30, 2005 has been reduced by $506,000.
The
restatements for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2005 are summarized
as follows:
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
|
Previously
|
|
As
|
|
|
|
reported
|
|
restated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional
paid-in capital
|
|
|
38,506,363
|
|
|
38,000,363
|
|
Accumulated
deficit
|
|
|
(38,398,853
|
)
|
|
(37,892,853
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Statements
of operations:
|
|
Three
months ended
|
|
Six
months ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
Previously
|
|
As
|
|
Previously
|
|
As
|
|
|
|
reported
|
|
restated
|
|
reported
|
|
restated
|
|
General
and administrative expense
|
|
$
|
1,230,162
|
|
$
|
724,162
|
|
$
|
1,749,198
|
|
$
|
1,243,198
|
|
Total
operating expenses
|
|
|
1,764,511
|
|
|
1,258,511
|
|
|
2,833,506
|
|
|
2,327,506
|
|
Loss
from operations
|
|
|
(1,380,306
|
)
|
|
(874,306
|
)
|
|
(2,833,506
|
)
|
|
(1,721,790
|
)
|
Net
loss
|
|
|
(1,366,816
|
)
|
|
(860,816
|
)
|
|
(1,660,961
|
)
|
|
(1,154,961
|
)
|
Net
loss attributed to common stockholders
|
|
|
(1,366,819
|
)
|
|
(860,819
|
)
|
|
(1,660,964
|
)
|
|
(1,154,964
|
)
|
Net
loss attributed to common stockholders - basic and diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.11
|
)
|
$
|
(0.07
|
)
|
$
|
(0.14
|
)
|
$
|
(0.10
|
)
|
8.
Subsequent Events
Sales
of Common Stock
During
July 2005, Smart Online sold 90,909 shares of its common stock to an
existing
investor for a price of $5.50 per share resulting in gross proceeds of
$500,000.
Also during July 2005, Smart Online sold an additional 36,363 shares
to a new
investor resulting in gross proceeds of $199,997. Smart Online incurred
issuance
costs totaling $70,000 related to these stock sales. Additionally, in
connection
with these offerings, Smart Online entered into Registration Rights Agreements
with these shareholders under which Smart Online is required to file
a
registration statement with the SEC to register the shares sold in the
offering
no later than September 30, 2005.
Stock
Option Activity
During
July 2005, Smart Online granted options to purchase 721,250 shares of common
stock to employees and officers and an additional 20,000 options to members
of
the Board of Directors. These options contain an exercise price of $8.61 per
share. Also during July 2005, options to purchase 150,000 shares at a weighted
average exercise price of $5.00 per share expired unexercised.
Pending
Acquisitions
During
July 2005, Smart Online signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire a
privately held developer and distributor of customer relationship management
software based in the mid-western United States. Under the terms of the letter
of intent, Smart Online will issue the seller 500,000 shares of Smart Online
common stock and assume certain liabilities of the seller. Smart Online is
currently performing due diligence on this potential acquisition and anticipates
that the acquisition will not close until September or October 2005 pending
the
outcome of its due diligence procedures and execution of definitive documents.
Because due diligence and negotiations have not been completed, there is no
assurance this transaction will be completed.
Also
during July 2005, Smart Online signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire
a privately held developer and distributor of multi-channel commerce systems
based in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Under the terms of the
letter of intent, Smart Online will pay the seller $5.1 million, payable 66%
in
cash and 34% in shares of Smart Online common stock. The cash portion of the
purchase price is payable in two halves, the first half of which is payable
in
four equal installments on the first business day of each quarter for four
calendar quarters with the first payment due on the first day of the fiscal
quarter following closing, and the second half of which is payable in cash
on
January 5, 2007. In addition, Smart Online is to pay $780,000 for noncompetition
agreements to key personnel of the acquired company in eight equal quarterly
installments during the two years after the closing. Smart Online is currently
performing due diligence on this potential acquisition and anticipates that
the
acquisition will not close until September or October 2005 pending the outcome
of its due diligence procedures and execution of definitive documents. Because
due diligence and negotiations have not been completed, there is no assurance
this transaction will be completed.
Item
2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (including Risk Factors)
The
following discussion in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition as Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and elsewhere in this report
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 12E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Forward-looking statements consist of, among other things, trend analyses,
statements regarding future events, future financial performance, our plan
to
build our business and the related expenses, our anticipated growth, trends
in
our business, the effect of foreign currency exchange rate and interest rate
fluctuations on our business, the potential impact of current litigation or
any
future litigation, the potential availability of tax assets in the future and
related matters, and the sufficiency of our capital resources, all of which
are
based on current expectations, estimates, and forecasts, and the beliefs and
assumptions of our management. Words such as
“expects,““anticipates,”“projects,”“intends,”“plans,”“estimates,” variations of
such words, and similar expressions are also intended to identify such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to
risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore,
actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in
any
forward-looking statements. Readers are directed to risks and uncertainties
identified below, under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report, for factors
that may cause actual results to be different than those expressed in these
forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no
obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for
any
reason.
Overview
The
results of operations presented below reflect certain restatements to our
previously reported results of operations for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2005. See Note 7 of the Notes to Financial
Statements.
Smart
Online develops and markets Internet-delivered or Software-as-Services (SaS)
software applications and data resources to start, run, and grow small
businesses. Many of our users are provided free use of our products. We reach
small businesses through our own website www.smartonline.com and through
private-label syndication arrangements with large corporations that
private-label the Smart Online offering through their corporate web sites.
Our
syndication relationships provide a cost- and time-efficient way to market
to
the extremely large and diverse small business sector.
Smart
Online has developed numerous sources of revenue as its business plan has
changed to adapt to changing business circumstances. These sources of revenue
include syndication partners, integration partners, OEMs, subscriptions from
small businesses, one-time purchases by small businesses and barter transactions
with media companies. Currently, each of these revenue streams is not
substantial. Our business plan is designed to utilize existing and future
relationships in each revenue source to increase the amount of revenue we derive
from all sources. We have described below the key elements of how we plan to
achieve this.
Incorporated
in Delaware in 1993, Smart Online pioneered the market for small business
software applications. Our initial offerings were sold as shrink-wrapped
products through major retail chains such as Staples, Office Depot and Egghead
Software. Since 2000, our products have been primarily offered through an
Internet-based platform. Smart Online also pioneered the syndication or
private-label distribution model to more efficiently and effectively reach
the
large and diverse small business sector. Market analyst firm Summit Strategies
says, “Smart Online’s proprietary distribution platform enables the vendor to
quickly customize for and integrate with its partners’ services, making their
joint services accessible to customers via a single sign-on.”
Smart
Online is currently developing the next generation of its services portal,
called OneBiz ConductorSM,
which
will include significant enhancements to the technology platform and add
additional applications to our product offerings. We plan to accomplish this
through a combination of internal development, joint development, licensing
from
other companies, and acquisitions. OneBiz ConductorSM
will
be
released in three versions. The first version was released during the first
quarter of 2005. The second and third versions are expected to be released
at
the end of the third quarter of 2005 and the end of the fourth quarter of 2005,
respectively.
Our
objective is to be a leading provider of on-demand business software application
services for small businesses. We also believe that, when we complete
development of OneBiz ConductorSM
later
this year, our products may be more attractive to middle size companies with
up
to 500 employees. At that time, we intend to begin marketing to such middle
size
companies. To address the significant market opportunity, our management team
is
focused on a number of short and long-term challenges, including strengthening
and extending our service offerings, converting our registered users to paying
customers, and expanding our sales efforts. Conversion of registered users
to
paying customers will begin when we release the second version of OneBiz
ConductorSM
which
we
expect will occur before the end of the third quarter of 2005.
Since
2000, Smart Online’s major focus has been on developing and validating our
online content, applications, services, delivery platform and user interface.
To
validate the platform, services, and products, many customers received access
to
the Smart Online products and portal free-of-charge in exchange for their
evaluation and feedback. We have also used a number of different marketing
approaches to test and validate the best techniques to acquire and retain small
business customers.
With
this
validation and analysis nearly complete, we intend to increase our focus on
revenue generation. Smart Online has recently begun to develop targeted programs
to market and sell the Smart Online offerings. These efforts are targeted to
direct customer acquisition and retention, recovery of former customers and
closing on new syndication partnerships.
During
fiscal 2004, Smart Online entered into several new syndication and integration
agreements totaling approximately $1.2 million, including $640,000 of barter
transactions. During the first half of 2005, Smart Online continued its efforts
to expand its syndication and integration partnership reach. These efforts
resulted in the Company signing an agreement with Capital One during April
2005.
We are planning to substantially increase our advertising and marketing in
future years. We have started to enter into new syndication partnerships that
target strategic partners for bartering arrangements for advertising and joint
marketing programs to take advantage of discounted advertising rates and to
provide an opportunity for us to share in the revenue generated by our
syndication partners from use of our platform. We began targeting small business
media companies during the first quarter of 2004, such as Inc. Magazine,
FastCompany Magazine, and BusinessWeek, which have small-business customer
bases. Smart Online anticipates the revenue share arrangements with the media
companies will enable it to increase web services revenue for both Smart Online
and its private label syndication partners as we begin to share in the revenue
our partners generate from their websites. We expect to create these
arrangements in the future with media companies which offer the ability to
reach
small-business customers and assist in off-setting Smart Online’s cash
expenditures for print and online advertising and marketing. While we intend
to
derive a majority of our syndication revenue from traditional non-barter
transactions, we will evaluate barter transactions on a case-by-case basis
when
we believe such transactions make economic or strategic sense. Pursuant to
the
requirements of Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) No. 93-11, “Accounting for
Barter Transactions Involving Barter Credits,” and EITF 99-13, “Accounting for
Advertising Barter Transactions,” Smart Online recognized approximately $268,142
and $8,333 of barter revenue in the first half of 2005 and 2004,
respectively.
To
increase our revenues and take advantage of our market opportunity, we will
need
to add substantial numbers of paying subscribers. We define paying subscriptions
as unique user accounts. We plan to re-invest earnings for the foreseeable
future in the following ways: hiring additional personnel, particularly in
marketing and sales; expanding marketing and sales activities; increasing our
research and development activities to upgrade and extend our service offerings
and to develop new services and technologies; adding to our infrastructure
to
support our growth; and formalizing our operational and financial systems to
manage a growing business.
We
expect
sales and marketing costs to increase substantially in dollars and as a percent
of total expenses commencing with the second half of 2005 as we prepare for
the
launch of the second and third versions of OneBiz ConductorSM
later
this year and as we seek to add and manage more paying subscribers, build brand
awareness and increase the number of marketing and sales programs implemented.
We expect we will have to increase marketing and sales expenses before we can
substantially increase our revenues from sales of subscriptions. We expect
the second version of OneBiz ConductorSM will be released on or
before September 30, 2005, except that all or part of the accounting application
software may not be released until during the fourth quarter. The third
version of OneBiz Conductor SM including enhanced accounting
software, is expected to be released before the end of 2005.
Fiscal
Year
Our
fiscal year ends on December 31. References to fiscal 2005, for example, refer
to the calendar year ending December 31, 2005.
Sources
of Revenue
Smart
Online currently derives revenues from the following sources:
|
·
|
Syndication
Fees - fees consisting of:
|
|
o
|
Fees
charged to syndication partners to create a customized private-label
site.
|
|
o
|
Barter
revenue derived from syndication agreements with media
companies.
|
|
·
|
Integration
Fees - fees charged to partners to integrate their products into
the Smart
Online syndication platform. Integrating third-party content and
products
has been a key component of Smart Online’s strategy to continuously expand
and enhance its platform offered to syndication partners and its
own
customer base.
|
|
·
|
Web
Services fees - comprised of the
following:
|
|
o
|
E-commerce
sales directly to end-users:
|
|
·
|
Multiuser
subscription paid by enterprises for their business
customers
|
|
·
|
E-commerce
revenue sharing with integration
partners
|
|
o
|
Hosting
and maintenance fees
|
|
o
|
E-commerce
Website Design and Build
|
|
o
|
Online
marketing to our syndication/integration
partners
|
|
o
|
Marketing
fee for loan request through the integrated
platform
|
|
·
|
OEM
agreements with third-party computer manufacturers for various individual
Smart Online applications.
|
|
·
|
Other
Revenues - Includes revenues generated from consulting fees and the
sale
of legacy shrink-wrapped products.
|
Smart
Online also plans to seek new sources of revenue, including the following
sources:
|
·
|
Technology
Platform Licensing Revenue - We plan to seek to generate revenue
from
licensing our technology platform.
|
|
·
|
Advertising
Revenue - We plan to add direct advertising revenue in the
future.
|
During
2004, we entered into several new syndication and integration partnerships
with
targeted strategic partners, whereby we will receive a percentage of the revenue
generated by our partners from their websites. The Company also signed an
agreement with Capital One during April 2005. Certain of these agreements also
included bartering arrangements for advertising and joint marketing
programs
to take advantage of discounted advertising rates and to provide an opportunity
for revenue sharing. With these new partnerships more than 4 million small
businesses utilize the websites of our syndication partners for various
purposes. We intend to focus our future marketing and sales efforts on selling
our products to the users of the websites of our syndication partners. Smart
Online embarked on this program after other companies, including Google,
Overture, and Career Builder, successfully implemented revenue share strategies
where media companies provide these services to their customers to increase
revenue for both companies. Smart Online began targeting small business media
companies during the first quarter of 2004. We estimate our revenue share
arrangements with the media companies will enable us to increase web services
revenue for both Smart Online and our private label syndication partners. Smart
Online expects to create arrangements in the future with media companies to
assist in reducing Smart Online’s outlay of cash for more costly print and
online advertising and marketing. While we intend to derive a majority of our
syndication revenue from traditional non-barter transactions, we will evaluate
barter transactions on a case-by-case basis when we believe such transactions
make economic or strategic sense. During 2004, Smart Online signed syndication
contracts with Inc. Magazine, FastCompany Magazine, and BusinessWeek. In
addition we have embarked on a telesales effort to upsell current users to
additional Smart Online services and to bring former users back to Smart
Online.
Both
syndication and integration fees are recognized on a monthly basis over the
life
of the contract, although a significant portion of the fee from integration
is
received upfront. Our contract and support contracts are non-cancelable, though
customers typically have the right to terminate their contracts for cause if
we
fail to perform. We generally invoice our paying customers in annual or monthly
installments and typical payment terms provide that our customers pay us within
30 days of invoice. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in accounts
receivable and in deferred revenue or revenue depending on whether the revenue
recognition criteria have been met. In general, we collect our billings in
advance of the service period. Online marketing, which consists of marketing
services provided to our integration and syndication partners have in the past
generated additional revenue. In addition, certain users have requested that
Smart Online implement online marketing initiatives for them, such as promoting
their products through Google or Overture Services. Online marketing has not
been a material source of past income. We intend to seek an increase in the
level of online marketing services in the future.
Web
Services revenues are comprised of e-commerce sales directly to end-users,
hosting and maintenance fees, e-commerce website design fees and online loan
origination fees. E-commerce sales are made either on a subscription or a la
carte basis. Subscription, which is access to most Smart Online software and
content services, is payable in advance on a monthly basis and is targeted
at
small companies or divisions of large companies. We will seek to grow our
revenue, including monthly subscription volume, substantially over the next
24
months as new versions of Smart Online’s platform (OneBiz ConductorSM)
are
released. To date, most of our users have been given free use of our products.
We plan to change that policy when we release the second version of OneBiz
ConductorSM,
which
is planned to occur at the end of the third quarter of 2005. We expect that
the
monthly subscription fees will typically be $29.95 to $49.95 for new subscribers
direct through www.smartonline.com
and that
there may be an introductory free trial period. We expect lower fees from
subscribers at the private label syndication websites of our partners.
Currently, we pay most of our syndication partners a percentage of the revenue
we derive from their private label syndication websites, which amounts we report
as a component of our sales and marketing expense. A la carte pricing, which
allows customers to purchase one-time use of a specific software or content
services, ranges from $10 to $300, which can include third-party charges when
applicable, such as state and federal fees associated with incorporating a
business or additional fees associated with having a press release written
and
revised. We are currently evaluating inclusion in the second and
third versions of OneBiz ConductorSM the accounting software
applications developed by another company. This may delay the release
of the accounting software of the second version of OneBiz
ConductorSM until the fourth quarter of 2005. Such delay
may cause a delay in our ability to sell subscriptions on the accounting
software is an important part of the second version of OneBiz
ConductorSM.
Additionally,
Smart Online receives a portion of third-party sales of products and services
through revenue sharing arrangements, which involves a split of realized
revenues. We charge hosting and maintenance fees for supporting and maintaining
the private-label portal of our syndication partners and for providing customer
and technical support directly to our syndication partners’ users. We recognize
this revenue on a monthly basis. E-commerce website design fees, which are
charged for building and maintaining corporate websites or to add the capability
for e-commerce transactions, are recognized over the life of the project. We
have discontinued our third-party arrangement for online web design. We expect
to resume this service after a new partner is under contract. Online loan
origination fees are charged to provide users online financing option by which
Smart Online receives payments for loans or credit provided by our partners.
We
intend to become more aggressive about promoting this line item in the
future.
Technology
Platform License Revenue: Smart Online is in the process of determining whether
its technology platform can become a licensable product for applications and
content providers interested in creating their own syndication and online
delivery business model. It is too early in our evaluation process to determine
whether this will develop into another source of revenue.
Revenues
from OEM arrangements are reported and paid to Smart Online on a quarterly
basis
based on actual sales, subject to certain contractual minimum
volumes.
Other
revenues consist primarily of traditional shrink-wrap sales, which are not
a
core revenue source for Smart Online. We expect that consulting fees, which
in
the past have generated significant revenues, will not be a material revenue
source in the future.
Revenue
From Related Parties
Approximately
33.0% of total revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 were from a single
customer, Smart IL Ltd. (“SIL”), formerly known as Smart Revenue Europe Ltd., an
Israeli based software company that specialized in secured instant messaging
products. During March 2004 SIL ceased further development of its technology
and
laid-off all employees after SIL completed development of, and delivered to
us,
its instant messenger product. SIL is currently seeking to license or sell
its
technology; however, we do not expect to receive substantial revenue from SIL
in
the future. SIL is owned by Doron Roethler, a shareholder of Smart Online.
Smart
Online did not derive any revenue from related parties during the first half
of
2005.
The
following is a summary of related party revenues:
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smart
IL, Ltd. ("SIL"), formerly
known
as Smart Revenue Europe Ltd.- Integration fees
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
82,512
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
165,025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Related Party Revenues
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
82,512
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
$
|
165,025
|
|
Smart
Online does not expect revenue from related parties to be a significant part
of
Smart Online’s future revenues. If Smart Online fails to replace revenue from
related parties with revenue from unrelated parties, Smart Online’s revenue will
decrease.
Cost
of Revenues
Cost
of Revenues.
To date
Smart Online has not capitalized any costs associated with the development
of
its products and platform. Smart Online has not capitalized any direct or
allocated overhead associated with the development of software products prior
to
general release. SFAS No. 86, “Accounting for the Costs of Software to be Sold,
Leased or Otherwise Marketed”, requires capitalization of certain software
development costs subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility.
Based on Smart Online’s product development process, technological feasibility
is established upon completion of a working model. Costs related to software
development incurred between completion of the working model and the point
at
which the product is ready for general release have been insignificant. Cost
of
revenues is comprised primarily of salaries and related employee expenses
associated with employees who provide maintenance and support
services.
Operating
Expenses
During
the first half of 2005 and fiscal 2004 our efforts were primarily focused on
product development and integration. During 2004 and the first half of 2005,
Smart Online added eight additional members to its development team and had
26 full-time employees as of June 30, 2005. Smart Online had 16 employees at
June 30, 2004. Most employees performed multiple functions. As noted below,
during the first quarter of 2004, Smart Online’s employees were transferred to
another entity and leased back.
Research
and Development.
We have
historically focused our research and development activities on increasing
the
functionality and enhancing the ease of use of our on-demand application
service. Because of our proprietary, scalable and secure multi-user
architecture, we are able to provide all customers with a service based on
a
single version of our application. As a result, we do not have to maintain
multiple versions, which enables us to have relatively low research and
development expenses as compared to traditional enterprise software business
models. We expect that in the future, research and development expenses will
increase substantially in absolute dollars as we upgrade and extend our service
offerings and develop new technologies. We expect this to be particularly true
during 2005 as we incur expenses to develop our next generation services portal,
OneBiz ConductorSM.
OneBiz
ConductorSM
will
include significant enhancements to the technology platform and add additional
applications to our product offerings. We plan to accomplish this through a
combination of internal development, joint development, licensing from other
companies, and acquisitions. OneBiz ConductorSM
will
be
released in three versions. The first version was released during the first
quarter of 2005. We
expect
the second version of OneBiz Conductor SM
will be
released on or before September 30, 2005, except that all or part of the
accounting application may not be released until during the fourth quarter.
The
third version of OneBiz ConductorSM,
including enhanced accounting software, is expected to be released before the
end of 2005. We
had 8
development team members at June 30, 2004 and 13 development team members at
June 30, 2005. We expect to add 2 to 5 additional development team members
during the second half of 2005.
Marketing
and Sales.
During
2004 and the first half of 2005, Smart Online has spent limited funds on
marketing, advertising, and public relations. We expect these expenditures
to
increase significantly starting in mid-2005 and expect this trend to continue
as
we strive to grow our revenue. Smart Online has also embarked on an effort
to
develop programs similar to marketing efforts by Google, Overture, and Career
Builder where media companies provide Smart Online’s Private Label Syndication
services to their small business end users. Smart Online began targeting small
business media companies in the first quarter of 2004, such as Inc. Magazine
and
FastCompany Magazine, who have small business customer bases. The strategy
has
been to implement Private Label Syndication platforms in exchange for
advertising and joint marketing programs with these companies. Smart Online
estimates the revenue capabilities from its back-end revenue-sharing
arrangements with these contracts will enable it to increase web services
revenue for both Smart Online and its partners beginning after we release the
second version of OneBiz ConductorSM,
which
is planned to occur before the end of the third quarter of 2005. Smart Online
expects to create certain types of these arrangements in the future with media
companies who offer the ability to reach small business customers and will
assist in off-setting Smart Online’s outlay of cash for print and online
advertising and marketing while providing reduced advertising prices. Media
companies are requesting such services to assist in driving additional
revenue.
Generally,
we expect we will have to increase marketing and sales expenses before we can
substantially increase our revenue from sales of subscriptions. We plan to
continue to invest heavily in marketing and sales by increasing the number
of
direct sales personnel and increase penetration within our existing customer
base, expanding our domestic and international selling and marketing activities,
building brand awareness and participating in additional marketing programs.
We
expect to hire 5 to 10 additional sales people during the second half of 2005.
As a result, we expect that in the future, marketing and sales expenses will
increase in absolute dollars and will be a significant cost.
General
and Administrative.
General
and administrative expenses consist of salaries and related expenses for
executive, finance and accounting, human resources, and management information
systems personnel, professional fees, and other corporate expenses, including
facilities costs. We expect that in the future, general and administrative
expenses will increase as we add administrative and finance personnel and incur
additional professional fees and insurance costs related to the growth of our
business and to our operations as a public company.
Stock-Based
Expenses.
Our
operating expenses include stock-based expenses related to options and warrants
issued to employees and non-employees. These charges have been significant
and
are reflected in our historical financial results.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our
discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are
based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance
with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation
of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that
affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses,
and
related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. “Critical accounting
policies and estimates” are defined as those most important to the financial
statement presentation and that require the most difficult, subjective, or
complex judgments. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various
other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the
results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value
of
assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Under
different assumptions and/or conditions, actual results of operations may
materially differ. We periodically re-evaluate our critical accounting policies
and estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, provision for
doubtful accounts and sales returns, expected lives of customer relationships,
useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, provision for
income taxes, valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, and
contingencies and litigation reserves. We presently believe the following
critical accounting policies involve the most significant judgments and
estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial
statements.
Revenue
Recognition-
We
recognize revenue in accordance with accounting standards for software and
service companies including the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) Staff Accounting Bulletin 104 “Revenue Recognition” (“SAB 104”),
Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 00-21 “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple
Deliverables” (“EITF 00-21”),and
related interpretations including American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (“AICPA”) Technical Practice Aids. We also utilize interpretative
guidance from regulatory and accounting bodies, which include, but are not
limited to, the SEC, the AICPA, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(“FASB”), and various professional organizations.
We
recognize revenue when all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) there
is persuasive evidence of an arrangement; (2) the service has been provided
to
the customer; (3) the collection of our fees is probable; and (4) the amount
of
fees to be paid by the customer is fixed or determinable. EITF 00-21 states
that
revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables should be divided into separate
units of accounting if the deliverables in the arrangement meet the following
criteria: 1) the delivered item has value to the customer on a standalone basis;
2) there is objective and reliable evidence of the fair value of the undelivered
item; and 3) if the arrangement includes a general right of return relative
to
the delivered item, delivery or performance of the undelivered item is
considered probable and substantially in control of the vendor. Smart Online’s
syndication and integration agreements typically include multiple deliverables
including the grant of a non-exclusive license to distribute, use and access
the
Smart Online platform, fees for the integration of content into the Smart Online
platform, maintenance and hosting fees, documentation and training, and
technical support and customer support fees. Smart Online cannot establish
fair
value of the individual revenue deliverables based on
objective
and reliable evidence, because Smart Online does not have a long, consistent
history of standard syndication and integration contractual arrangements, as
there have only been a few contracts that have continued past the initial
contractual term, Smart Online does not have any contracts in which these
elements have been sold as stand-alone items, and there is no third-party
evidence of fair value for products or services that are interchangeable and
comparable to the Smart Online’s products and services. As such, Smart Online
cannot allocate revenue to the individual deliverables and must record all
revenues received as a single unit of accounting as further described below.
Additionally, Smart Online has evaluated the timing and substantive nature
of
the performance obligations associated with the multiple deliverables noted
above, including the determination that the remaining obligations are essential
to the on-going usability and functionality of the delivered products, and
determined that revenue should be recognized over the life of the contracts,
commencing on the date the site goes on-line, due to such factors as the length
of time over which the remaining obligations will be performed, the complex
nature of integrating and maintaining customer content with Smart Online’s
platform which services are unavailable from other vendors, and the timing
of
payment of a portion of the contract price such as monthly hosting
payments.
Syndication
fees consist primarily of fees charged to syndication partners to create and
maintain a customized private-label site and ongoing support, maintenance and
customer service. Our syndication agreements typically include an advance fee
and monthly hosting fees. We generally invoice our customers in annual or
monthly installments and typical payment terms provide that our customers pay
us
within 30 days of invoice. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in
accounts receivable and in deferred revenue and the revenue is recognized
ratably over the specified lives of the contracts, commencing on the date the
site goes on-line. In general, we collect our billings in advance of the service
period. Our hosting fees are typically billed on a monthly basis. We continue
to
evaluate and adjust the length of these amortization periods as we gain more
experience with implementation schedules and contract cancellations. At present,
Smart Online has insufficient historical data to determine if the relationship
with its existing customers would extend beyond the initial term with the
customer continuing to benefit from the advance fee. If Smart Online determines
that existing and/or future contracts are expected to extend beyond the initial
term whereby the customer continues to benefit from the advance fee, Smart
Online would extend the revenue recognition period accordingly to include the
extended term. Our syndication contracts and support contracts typically provide
for early termination only upon a material breach by either party that is not
cured in a timely manner. If a contract terminates earlier than its term, we
recognize the remaining deferred revenue upon termination. Based on that
experience, it is possible that, in the future, the estimates of expected
duration of customer contract lives may change and, in such event, the period
over which such syndication revenues are amortized would be adjusted. Any such
change in specified contract lives would affect our future results of
operations. Additionally, the syndication contracts typically include revenue
sharing arrangements whereby syndication partners typically charge their
customers a monthly fee to access the private-label site. In most cases, the
syndication agreements provides for Smart Online to receive a percentage of
these fees. Fees derived from such revenue sharing arrangements are recorded
when earned. To date, such revenue sharing fees have been
negligible.
Integration
fees consist primarily of fees charged to integration partners to integrate
their products into the Smart Online syndication platform. Integrating
third-party content and products has been a key component of Smart Online’s
strategy to continuously expand and enhance its platform offered to syndication
partners and its own customer’s base. We generally invoice our customers in
advance of the service period in annual or monthly installments and typical
payment terms provide that our customers must pay us within 30 days of invoice.
Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in accounts receivable and in
deferred revenue and the revenue is recognized ratably over the specified lives
of the contracts, commencing on the date the site goes on-line. We continue
to
evaluate and adjust the length of these amortization periods as we gain more
experience with implementation schedules and contract cancellations. At present,
Smart Online has insufficient historical data to determine if the relationship
with its existing customers would extend beyond the initial term with the
customer continuing to benefit from the advance fee. If Smart Online determines
that existing and/or future contracts are expected to extend beyond the initial
term whereby the customer continues to benefit from the advance fee, Smart
Online would extend the revenue recognition period accordingly to include the
extended term. Our integration contracts and support contracts typically provide
for early termination only upon a material breach by either party that is not
cured in a timely manner. If a contract terminates earlier than its term, we
recognize the remaining deferred revenue upon termination. Based on that
experience, it is possible that, in the future, the estimates of expected
implementation periods and customer lives may change. In such event, the period
over which such syndication revenues are amortized will be adjusted. Any such
change in specified contract lives would affect our future results of
operations. Additionally, integration agreements typically include an upfront
fee and a revenue sharing component. Fees derived from such revenue sharing
arrangements are recorded when earned. To date, such revenue sharing fees have
been negligible.
Both
syndication and integration fees are recognized on a monthly basis over the
life
of the contract, although a significant portion of the fee from integration
agreements is received upfront. Our syndication and integration contracts and
support contracts typically provide that customers have the right to terminate
their contracts during the initial term only for cause if we fail to perform.
We
generally invoice our customers in annual or monthly installments and typical
payment terms provide that our customers are required to pay us within 30 days
of invoice. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in accounts receivable
and in deferred revenue or revenue depending on whether the revenue recognition
criteria have been met. In general, we collect our billings in advance of the
service period. Online marketing, which consists of marketing services provided
to our integration and syndication partners have in the past generated
additional revenue. In addition, certain users have requested that Smart Online
implement online marketing initiatives for them, such as promoting their
products through Google or Overture Services. Online marketing has not been
a
material source of revenue in the past. We expect to increase our online
marketing services revenue in the future.
Web
Services revenues are comprised of e-commerce sales directly to end-users,
hosting and maintenance fees, e-commerce website design fees and online loan
origination fees. E-commerce sales are made either on a subscription or a la
carte basis. Subscription, which provides users with access to most of our
products is payable in advance on a monthly basis and is targeted at small
companies or small divisions of large companies. At present, we provide free
access to our subscribers. We will seek to grow our monthly subscription volume
substantially over the 24 months after new versions of Smart Online’s platforms
(OneBiz ConductorSM)
are
released and we have time to market and invest more in marketing and sales.
We
expect monthly subscription fees will typically be $29.95 to $49.95, for new
subscribers at www.smartonline.com,
and that
there may be an introductory trial period.
To date
we have given free access to our web services to most users. We expect lower
fees from subscribers at the private label syndication websites of our partners.
Currently, we pay most of our syndication partners a percentage of the revenue
we derive from their private label syndication websites, which amounts we report
as a component of our sales and marketing expense. A la carte pricing, which
allows customers to purchase one-time use of a specific software or content
service, ranges from $10 to $300, which includes third-party charges when
applicable, such as state and federal fees associated with incorporating a
business or additional fees associated with having a press release written
and
revised.
Additionally,
Smart Online receives a portion of revenue from third-party sales of products
and services through our website and websites of our syndication partners from
revenue sharing arrangements, which involves a split of realized revenues.
We
charge hosting and maintenance fees for supporting and maintaining the
private-label portal of our partners and for providing customer and technical
support directly to our syndication partner’s users and are recognized on a
monthly basis. E-commerce website design fees, which are charged for building
and maintaining corporate websites or to add the capability for e-commerce
transactions, are recognized over the life of the project. We have discontinued
our third-party arrangement for online web design. We expect to resume this
service after a new partner is under contract. Online loan origination fees
are
charged to provide users online financing options. Smart Online receives
payments for loans or credit provided. We intend to become more aggressive
about
promoting this service in the future.
Subscription
revenue is recognized ratably over the subscription period (usually one year).
Third-party premium products are shared with integration partners.
OEM
revenues are recorded based on the greater of actual sales or contractual
minimum guaranteed royalty payments. Smart Online records the minimum guaranteed
royalties monthly and receives payment of the royalties on a quarterly basis,
thirty days in arrears. To the extent actual royalties exceed the minimum
guaranteed royalties, the excess is recorded in the quarter Smart Online
receives notification of such additional royalties.
Barter
Transactions-
Barter
revenue relates to syndication and integration services provided by Smart Online
to business customers in exchange for advertising in the customers’ trade
magazines and on their Web sites. Barter expenses reflect the expense offset
to
barter revenue. The amount of barter revenue and expense is recorded at the
estimated fair value of the services received or the services provided,
whichever is more objectively determinable, in the month the services and
advertising are exchanged. Smart Online applies APB 29, Accounting for
Non-Monetary Transactions, the provisions of EITF 93-11, “Accounting for
Advertising Barter Transactions Involving Barter Credits” and EITF 99-13,
“Accounting for Advertising and Barter Transactions” and, accordingly,
recognizes barter revenues only to the extent that Smart Online has similar
cash
transactions within a period not to exceed six months prior to the date of
the
barter transaction. To date the amount of barter revenue to be recognized has
been more objectively determinable based on integration and syndication services
provided. For revenue from integration and syndication services provided for
cash to be considered similar to the integration and syndication services
provided in barter transactions, the services rendered must have been in the
same media and similar term as the barter transaction. Further, the quantity
or
volume of integration or syndication revenue recorded in a qualifying past
cash
transaction can only evidence the fair value of an equivalent quantity or volume
of integration or syndication revenue recorded in subsequent barter
transactions. In other words, a past cash transaction can only support the
recognition of revenue on integration and syndication contracts barter
transactions up to the dollar amount of the cash transactions. When the cash
transaction has been used to support an equivalent quantity and dollar amount
of
barter revenue, that transaction cannot serve as evidence of fair value for
any
other barter transaction. Once the value of the barter revenue has been
determined, Smart Online follows the same revenue recognition principals as
it
applies to cash transactions with unearned revenues being deferred as described
more fully under the caption “Revenue
Recognition”
above.
At the time the barter revenue is recorded, an offsetting pre-paid barter
advertising asset is recorded on Smart Online’s balance sheet. This pre-paid
barter advertising asset is amortized to expense as advertising services are
received such as when an advertisement runs in a magazine. Where more than
one
deliverable exists, such as when the barter partner is to provide advertising
in
four issues of a magazine, the expense is recognized pro-rata as the advertising
deliverable is provided. Barter revenues totaled $8,333 and $268,142 in the
first half of 2004 and 2005, respectively.
Marketable
Securities-
Management determines the appropriate classification of investments in
marketable securities at the time of purchase in accordance with Statement
of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 115.
Accounting
for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities and
reevaluates such determination at each balance sheet date. Securities, which
are
classified as available for sale are carried at fair value, with the unrealized
gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a separate component of stockholders’
equity. Fair value is determined based on quoted market rates. Realized gains
and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on securities
available for sale are included as a component of interest income. The cost
of
securities sold is based on the specific-identification method. Interest on
securities classified as available for sale is also included as a component
of
interest income.
Impairment
of Long Lived Assets-
Long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles are reviewed for
impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the
carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets
to
be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset
to future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets
are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured
by
the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value
of
the assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying
amount or fair value less costs to sell.
Income
Taxes. We
are
required to estimate our income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which
we
operate. This involves estimating our current tax liabilities in each
jurisdiction, including the impact, if any, of additional taxes resulting from
tax examinations as well as making judgments regarding our ability to realize
our deferred tax assets. Such judgments can involve complex issues and may
require an extended period to resolve. In the event we determine that we will
not be able to realize all or part of our net deferred tax assets, an adjustment
would be made in the period such determination is made. We recorded no income
tax expense in any of the periods presented, as we have experienced significant
operating losses to date. If utilized, the benefit of our total net operating
loss carryforwards may be applied to reduce future tax expense. Since our
utilization of these deferred tax assets is dependent on future profits, which
are not assured, we have recorded a valuation allowance equal to the net
deferred tax assets. These carryforwards would also be subject to limitations,
as prescribed by applicable tax laws. As a result of prior equity financings
and
the equity issued in conjunction with certain acquisitions, we have incurred
ownership changes, as defined by applicable tax laws. Accordingly, our use
of
the acquired net operating loss carryforwards may be limited. Further, to the
extent that any single year loss is not utilized to the full amount of the
limitation, such unused loss is carried over to subsequent years until the
earlier of its utilization or the expiration of the relevant carryforward
period.
Overview
of Results of Operations for the Quarters Ended June 30, 2005 and
2004
Revenue
totaled $406,116 for the second quarter of 2005 as compared to $235,845 for
the
second quarter of 2004. These revenues reflect a 180 percent increase in
integration revenues and a 238 percent increase in syndication revenues. During
the second quarter of 2005, no revenues were derived from related parties as
compared to $82,512 for the comparable 2004 period. Gross margin improved from
$192,437, or 81.6 percent of revenues, during the 2004 period to $384,205,
or
94.6 percent of revenues, for the 2005 period primarily as a result of a
decrease in the number of staff assigned to the customer support
function.
Operating
expenses increased from $900,125 during the second quarter of 2004 to $1,258,511
for the second quarter of 2005. As discussed below, the principal factors
resulting in the increase in operating expense were (1) an increase of
approximately $113,000 in consulting expenses, an increase of approximately
$53,000 in travel related expenses, and an increase in expenses associated
with
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (2) the hiring of three additional sales staff,
the use
of consultants to assist in the development and implemenation of our sales
strategy, and referral fees paid to our integration and syndication partners,
and (3) additional programming, database management, quality assurance,
and
project management resources in the development function to support the
on-going
development of the OneBiz ConductorSM
product.
Net
loss
increased from $692,786 in the second quarter of 2004 to $860,816 in the
second
quarter of 2005. The
above
net losses equated to a loss per share of $0.07 during the second quarter
of
2005 and a loss per share of $0.06 during the second quarter of 2004 based
on
12,387,333 and 10,722,507 weighted average shares outstanding,
respectively.
Overview
of Results of Operations for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2005 and
2004
Revenue
totaled $659,354 for the first half of 2005 as compared to $485,573 for the
first half of 2004. These revenues reflect a 97.0 percent increase in
integration revenues and a 219 percent increase in syndication revenues. During
the first half of 2005, no revenues were derived from related parties as
compared to $165,025 for the comparable 2004 period. Gross margin improved
from
$385,146, or 79.3 percent of revenues, during the 2004 period to $605,717,
or
91.9 percent of revenues, for the 2005 primarily as a result of a decrease
in
stock based consulting expenses and a reduction in the number of staff assigned
to the customer support function. During
the second quarter of 2005, two integration agreements were cancelled resulting
in the recognition of $41,250 of revenue that would otherwise have been
recognized during the third quarter of 2005.
Operating
expenses increased from $1,612,159 during the first half of 2004 to $2,327,506
for the first half of 2005. As discussed below, the principal factors resulting
in the increase in operating expense were (1) ) an increase of approximately
$70,000 in consulting expenses, an increase of approximately $53,000 in
travel
related expenses, and
an
increase of approximately $153,000 in accounting and consulting fees associated
with complying with public company reporting requirements and the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act
, (2
)increased barter advertising, consulting fees, and additional sales staff
in
sales and marketing, and (3) additional programming, database management,
quality assurance, and project management resources in the development
function
to support the on-going development of the OneBiz ConductorSM
product.
Net
loss
decreased from $6,733,250 in the first half of 2004 to $1,154,964 in the
first
half of 2005. In addition to the revenue and expense factors noted above,
the
decrease in net loss was also attributable to a $507,238 increase in one-time
gains resulting from debt forgiveness. Additionally, the first half 2004
net
loss included $2,215,625 of expense related to preferred stock dividends
and
accretion of discount on the preferred stock prior to its conversion to
Common
Stock later during the same quarter and $3,225,410 of expense related to
an
accretive dividend issued in connection with a registration rights
agreement.
The
above
net losses equated to a loss per share of $0.10 during the first half of
2005
and a loss per share of $0.75 during the first half of 2004 based on 12,110,013
and 9,022,107 weighted average shares outstanding,
respectively.
The
following tables set forth selected statements of operations data for each
of
the periods indicated.
Revenues
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
REVENUES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Integration
fees
|
|
$
|
252,198
|
|
$
|
89,931
|
|
|
$
|
381,720
|
|
$
|
193,750
|
|
Syndication
fees
|
|
|
103,602
|
|
|
30,621
|
|
|
|
195,642
|
|
|
61,242
|
|
OEM
revenue
|
|
|
12,000
|
|
|
13,750
|
|
|
|
24,000
|
|
|
28,436
|
|
Web
services
|
|
|
25,731
|
|
|
18,276
|
|
|
|
40,890
|
|
|
34,990
|
|
Other
revenues
|
|
|
12,585
|
|
|
755
|
|
|
|
17,102
|
|
|
2,130
|
|
Related
party revenues
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
82,512
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
165,025
|
|
Total
revenues
|
|
$
|
406,116
|
|
$
|
235,845
|
|
|
$
|
659,354
|
|
$
|
485,573
|
|
Three
Months Ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
Total
revenues were $406,116 for the second quarter of 2005 compared to $235,845
for
the second quarter 2004 representing an increase of $170,271 or 72.2
percent.
During
fiscal 2004 the Company focused on entering into integration and syndication
agreements with third parties who have significant small-business customer
bases
as it prepares for the launch of its OneBiz ConductorSM
product.
This focus resulted in Smart Online entering into agreements with two new
syndication partners during the second quarter of 2004. The Company also signed
an agreement with Capital One during April 2005. As more fully described under
“Significant Accounting Policies”, Smart Online recognizes revenue from
syndication and integration agreements over the expected service period of
the
related agreement.
At
June
30, 2005, Smart Online had nine
active integration
agreements and six active syndication agreements. At June 30, 2004, Smart Online
had nine active integration agreements and four active syndication agreements.
During the second quarter of 2005, two integration agreements were cancelled
resulting in the recognition of $41,250 of revenue that would otherwise have
been recognized during the third quarter of 2005.
Substantially
all of the integration and syndication revenue for the quarter ended June 30,
2005, was derived from six integration partners and three syndication
partners.
Substantially
all the integration and syndication revenue for the quarter ended June 30,
2004,
was derived from eight integration partners and three syndication
partners.
Integration
revenues for the second quarter of 2005 totaled $252,198 as compared to $89,931
for the same period in 2004 representing an increase of $162,267 or 180%.
Approximately 72.8% of the 2005 integration revenues were from three integration
agreements each of which accounted for greater than 10% of total second quarter
revenues. Included in the second quarter 2005 integration revenues is $41,250
of
revenue recognized as a result of the company terminating a barter integration
agreement. In total, the 2005 and 2004 periods included $87,500 and $5,000
of
revenue derived from barter transactions, respectively.
Syndication
revenues for the second quarter of 2005 totaled $103,602 as compared to $30,621
for the same period in 2004 representing an increase of $72,981 or 238%. The
2005 revenues were derived from three syndication agreements one of which
accounted for greater than 10% of total second quarter revenues. The 2005 and
2004 periods included $72,977
and
$0
of
revenue derived from barter transactions, respectively.
Web
services and other revenues increased by $7,455 in the second quarter 2005
as
compared to the same period in 2004.
Smart
Online did not derive any revenue from related parties during the second quarter
of 2005. During the second quarter of 2004, revenues from related parties
accounted for $82,513,
or 35.0%,
of total
revenue. Management does not expect related party revenues to be a significant
source of income going forward.
Six
Months Ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
Total
revenues were $659,354 for the six months ended 2005 compared to $485,573 for
the six months ended 2004 representing an increase of $173,781 or 35.8
percent.
Integration
revenues for the six months ended 2005 totaled $381,720 as compared to $193,750
for the same period in 2004 representing an increase of $187,970 or 97.0%.
Approximately 52% of the 2005 integration revenues were from two integration
agreements each of which accounted for greater than 10% of total first half
2005
revenues. The 2005 and 2004 periods included $133,750 and $8,333
of
revenue derived from barter transactions, respectively.
Syndication
revenues for the six months ended 2005 totaled $195,642 as compared to $61,242
for the same period in 2004 representing an increase of $134,400 or 219%. All
of
the 2005 revenues were from three syndication agreements each of which accounted
for greater than 10% of total first half revenues. The 2005 and 2004 periods
included $134,392
and $0
of
revenue derived from barter transactions, respectively.
Web
services revenue and other revenues increased by $5,900 and $14,972,
respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2005 as compared to the same
2004 period.
Smart
Online did not derive any revenue from related parties during the first half
of
2005. During the first half of 2004, revenues from related parties accounted
for
$165,025,
or 34.0%,
of total
revenue. Management does not expect related party revenues to be a significant
source of income going forward.
Cost
of Revenues
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost
of Revenues
|
|
$
|
21,911
|
|
$
|
43,408
|
|
$
|
53,638
|
|
$
|
100,427
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three
months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
Cost
of
revenues is comprised primarily of salaries and the cost of an external hosting
facility associated with maintaining and supporting integration and syndication
partners. Cost of revenues decreased 50% from $43,408 in the second quarter
2004
to $21,911 in the second quarter of 2005 primarily due to lower compensation
expense. Compensation expense for the fist and second quarters of 2005 was
approximately 50% lower than the comparable 2004 periods as internal resources
were reallocated to better match developments, sales, and customer support
needs. Cost of revenues is expected to increase in future periods commensurate
with growth in integration and syndication partners and as users are added
following the 2005 release of OneBiz ConductorSM.
Additionally, Smart Online incurred approximately $9,000 of external hosting
expense during the second quarter of 2005 as compared to $0 for the same period
in 2004. During the third quarter of 2004, Smart Online migrated certain of
its
hosting services from its in-house operations to a third party that has a global
reach and provides superior data hosting, data access, security, and back-up
capabilities.
Six
Months Ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
Cost
of
revenues decreased 53% from $100,427 in the six months ended 2004 to $53,638
in
the six months ended 2005 primarily due to lower compensation expense. As noted
above in the discussion of second quarter results, compensation expense included
in cost of revenues decreased by approximately 50% as internal resources were
reallocated to better match development, sales, and customer support
needs.
Operating
Expenses
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
(Restated)
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
(Restated)
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
OPERATING
EXPENSES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General
and administrative
|
|
$
|
724,162
|
|
$
|
593,250
|
|
$
|
1,243,198
|
|
$
|
1,042,507
|
|
Sales
and marketing
|
|
|
287,946
|
|
|
179,232
|
|
|
582,678
|
|
|
277,631
|
|
Development
|
|
|
246,403
|
|
|
127,643
|
|
|
501,630
|
|
|
292,021
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
operating expenses
|
|
$
|
1,258,511
|
|
$
|
900,125
|
|
$
|
2,327,506
|
|
$
|
1,612,159
|
|
Three
months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
General
and Administrative-
General
and administrative expenses increased by $130,912 from $593,250 in the second
quarter of 2004 to $724,162 in the same period of 2005 primarily as a result
of
an increase of approximately $113,000 in consulting expenses, an increase
of
approximately $53,000 in travel related expenses, and an increase in expenses
associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. These increases were offset in part
by a
decrease of approximately $71,000 in legal and professional fees. The increase
in consulting fees is attributable to approximately $68,000 of expense
associated with the issuance of stock options to a strategic consultant and
fees
to various consultants engaged by the company to assist with public relations,
investor relations, financing, and strategic planning. The increase in travel
related expenses is primarily related to an increase in travel associated
with
investor relations and presentations to investor prospects.
Management
expects that certain costs such as compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and
other public company-related expenses including investor relations, public
relations, shareholder related expenses and insurance will increase general
and
administrative expenses during the remaining fiscal 2005 as compared to the
2004
period. Smart Online is also shifting from dependence on outside consultants
to
Smart Online employees. In June 2005, Smart Online hired a General Counsel.
Additionally, in the third quarter of 2005, Smart Online engaged a search firm
to assist the company in a search for a Chief Financial Officer with public
company experience.
Sales
and Marketing-
Sales
and marketing increased from $179,232 the second quarter of 2004 to $287,946
in
the second quarter of 2005, an increase of approximately $108,714.
This
increase in sales and marketing expense was primarily attributable to the hiring
of additional sales personnel and higher recruiting and travel expenses
associated with these new hires, the engagement of consultants, and fees due
to
integration and syndication partners for driving subscribers to our site. During
the second quarter of 2005, Smart Online added three new sales people, including
regional managers in California and New York, to assist with the roll out of
the
OneBiz ConductorSM
product.
Additionally, during the quarter Smart Online engaged the services of
consultants to assist with the development and implementation of its sales
and
marketing strategy and to assist the company with syndication and integration
prospects. One of these consultants was subsequently appointed Vice President
of
Sales during the third quarter of 2005. These sales hires will increase the
salary related expenses in the last two quarters of 2005. The 2005 period also
includes approximately $8,000 of fees paid to integration and syndication
partners, which fees are based on percentages of the subscription and ala carte
revenue we generated from customers referred by our integration and syndication
partners.
Generally,
we expect we will have to increase marketing and sales expenses before we can
substantially increase our revenue from sales of subscriptions. We plan to
invest heavily in marketing and sales by increasing the number of direct sales
personnel and increase penetration within our existing customer base, expanding
our domestic and international selling and marketing activities, building brand
awareness and participating in additional marketing programs.
During
the second half of 2005 we expect to hire 5 to 10 additional sales people.
This
increase is being timed to coincide with the planned release of the second
version our Next Generation Platform, OneBiz ConductorSM.
Development-
Development expense increased from $127,643 in the second quarter of 2004 to
$246,403 in the second quarter of 2005. The increase in development expenses
was
primarily attributable to the hiring of additional programming, database
management, quality assurance, and project management resources to support
the
on-going development of the OneBiz ConductorSM
product.
Smart
Online expects development expenses to increase significantly during the last
two quarters of 2005 as a result of anticipated hiring of additional
development, database management, and project management resources.
Six
Months Ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
General
and Administrative-
General
and administrative expenses increased by $200,691 from $1,042,507 in the
six
months ended 2004 to $1,243,198 in the same period of 2005. As noted in the
discussion of second quarter results, this increase was primarily as a result
of
an increase of approximately $70,000 in consulting expenses, an increase
of
approximately $53,000 in travel related expenses, and an increase of
approximately $153,000 in accounting and consulting fees associated with
complying with public company reporting requirements and the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act.
The increase in consulting fees is attributable to approximately $68,000
of
expense associated with the issuance of stock options to a strategic consultant
and fees to various consultants engaged by the company to assist with public
relations, investor relations, financing, and strategic planning. The increase
in travel related expenses is primarily related to an increase in travel
associated with investor relations and presentations to investor prospects.
These increases were offset in part by a $45,000 decrease in legal and
professional fees.
Additionally, general and administrative expense for the first six months
of
2004 included $66,287 of expense related to stock options for which there
was $0
in the 2005 period.
Sales
and Marketing-
Sales
and marketing increased from $277,631 in the six months ended 2004 to $582,678
in the six months ended 2005, an increase of approximately $305,047.
The
first half 2005 increase was primarily attributable to increased advertising,
consulting fees, and additional sales staff. The increase in advertising expense
is primarily attributable to barter advertising expense, which increased by
approximately $140,000 during the first half of 2005, as compared to the first
half of 2004. Consulting fees increased by approximately $36,000 due to the
engagement of consultants to assist the company with its development and
implementation of its sales and marketing strategy and to assist the company
with syndication and integration prospects. Staff related expenses, including
new hires, compensation adjustments, and recruiting expenses, increased
approximately $64,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2005 as compared to
the
comparable 2004 period. These sales hires will increase the salary related
expenses in the last two quarters of 2005.
Generally,
we expect we will have to increase marketing and sales expenses before we can
substantially increase our revenue from sales of subscriptions. We plan to
invest heavily in marketing and sales by increasing the number of direct sales
personnel and increase penetration within our existing customer base, expanding
our domestic and international selling and marketing activities, building brand
awareness and participating in additional marketing programs.
As
previously noted, during the second half of 2005 we expect to hire 5 to 10
additional sales people. This increase is being timed to coincide with the
planned release of the second version our Next Generation Platform, OneBiz
ConductorSM.
Development-
Development expense increased from $292,021 in the six months ended June 30,
2004 to $501,630 in the six months ended 2005. This increase is primarily the
result of Smart Online adding additional programming, database management,
quality assurance, and project management resources to support the on-going
development of the OneBiz ConductorSM
product.
Smart
Online expects development expenses to increase significantly during the last
two quarters of 2005 as compared to the same period in 2004 as a result of
anticipated hiring of additional development, database management, and project
management resources.
Other
Income (Expense)
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
June
30, 2004
|
|
OTHER
INCOME (EXPENSE):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
income (expense), net
|
|
$
|
4,197
|
|
$
|
(6,945
|
)
|
$
|
10,195
|
|
$
|
(114,597
|
)
|
Gain
on debt forgiveness
|
|
|
9,293
|
|
|
21,847
|
|
|
556,633
|
|
|
49,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
other income (expense)
|
|
$
|
13,490
|
|
$
|
14,902
|
|
$
|
566,829
|
|
$
|
(65,202
|
)
|
Three
months end June 30, 2005 vs. 2004
Smart
Online incurred net interest income of $4,197 for the second quarter of 2005
and
net interest expense of $6,945 for the second quarter of 2004. During the second
quarter of 2005, Smart Online realized gains from debt forgiveness of $9,293
compared to $21,847 during the second quarter of 2004. These gains resulted
from
negotiated and contractual releases of outstanding liabilities.
Six
Months Ended June 30, 2005 and 2004
Smart
Online had net interest income of $10,195 for the first six months of 2005
as
compared to net interest expense of $114,597 for the comparable 2004 period.
The
2004 interest expense amounts included $75,000 of interest related to the
issuance of 150,000 shares of common stock to a relative of one of Smart
Online’s officers in consideration for extending the term of a loan and loaning
additional funds to the corporation. The remainder of the 2004 interest expense
is primarily attributable to interest due on deferred compensation owed to
officers of Smart Online and interest related to unpaid payroll tax obligations.
Both the deferred compensation and income tax obligations were relieved during
the first quarter of 2005. Therefore, management expects that interest expense
will be significantly lower in 2005.
During
the first half of 2005, Smart Online realized gains of $556,633 as compared
to
$49,395 during the first half of 2004, from negotiated and contractual releases
of outstanding liabilities. The gains from debt forgiveness resulted from
unrelated third parties. The first half 2005 gain resulted primarily from a
settlement of Internal Revenue Service claims for penalty and interest. During
the first half of 2004, the gain resulted primarily from trade creditors who
had
performed services for Smart Online, agreeing to accept as payment in full
a
lesser amount than the stated liability in consideration for timely payment
of
the negotiated settlement. Smart Online does not expect gains from debt
forgiveness to be material in future periods.
Provision
for Income Taxes
We
have
not recorded a provision for income tax expense because we have been generating
net losses. Furthermore, we have not recorded an income tax benefit for the
first half of 2005 or fiscal 2004 primarily due to continued substantial
uncertainty regarding our ability to realize our deferred tax assets. Based
upon
available objective evidence, there has been sufficient uncertainty regarding
the ability to realize our deferred tax assets, which warrants a full valuation
allowance in our financial statements. Smart Online has approximately
$29,000,000 in net operating loss carryforwards, which may utilized to offset
future taxable income.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
At
June
30, 2005, our principal sources of liquidity were cash and cash equivalents
totaling $552,407 and accounts receivable of $30,706. We do not have a bank
line
of credit.
At
June
30, 2005, we had approximately a $51,000 deficit in working capital. Our working
capital is not sufficient to fund our operations beyond the end of September
2005, unless we substantially increase our revenue, limit expenses or raise
substantial additional capital.
Our
primary source of liquidity during 2004 and the first half of 2005 was from
sales of our securities. When restrictions on resale of over nine million shares
of our Common Stock terminate on October 1, 2005, the volume of resales may
adversely affect the market value of our Common Stock and may make it more
difficult to raise capital. See "Risk Factor (52)" for information about
lock-up agreements and other restrictions on resale. During 2004, Smart
Online generated net cash from financing activities, including the sales of
common stock, of approximately $4.2 million. During the same period Smart Online
consumed approximately $3.7 million of cash in operations, including payment
of
$1,126,485 paid related to outstanding payroll tax liabilities. During the
first
half of 2005, Smart Online raised an additional $3,092,887 of proceeds, net
of
stock issuance costs of $290,000, through the sale of additional shares of
Common Stock and a warrant to purchase 50,000 shares of Common Stock.
Approximately $1.1 million of the proceeds were used in the first quarter of
2005 to pay deferred compensation to our officers and related accrued interest
amounts. Additionally, during February 2005, Smart Online reached a settlement
with the Internal Revenue Service, paid $26,100, surrendered all credits and
refunds for 2005 or earlier tax periods, and agreed to remain in compliance
with
all federal tax obligations for a term of five years to resolve all outstanding
federal tax issues.
As
a
result of the 2005 cash infusion from stock sales, payment of the deferred
compensation and accrued interest, settlement of various claims and lawsuits,
and based upon current cash-on-hand and contracts signed to date, management
of
Smart Online believes the Company has funds sufficient working capital to fund
operations through September 2005. Management is actively evaluating additional
financing options through existing and new shareholders for 2005, signing
additional syndication partners, signing additional integration partners, and
growing its base of subscription customers.
Deferred
Revenue. At
June
30, 2005 Smart Online had deferred revenue totaling $531,479, net of offsetting
amounts receivable. Deferred revenue represents amounts collected in advance
of
the revenue being recognized. Based upon current conditions, Smart Online
expects that approximately 60% of this amount will be recognized in 2005 with
the remainder expected to be recognized during 2006.
Going
Concern. Our
auditors have issued an explanatory paragraph in their report included in our
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 in which they express substantial
doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements
do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification
of recorded asset amounts or the amounts or classification of liabilities that
might be necessary should Smart Online be unable to continue as a going concern.
Smart Online’s continuation as a going concern is dependent upon its ability to
generate sufficient cash flows to meets its obligations on a timely basis,
to
obtain additional financing as may be required and ultimately to attain
profitable operations and positive cash flows. As is discussed below, management
has plans which it believes will enable Smart Online to raise capital and
generate greater cash flows from operations. However, there can be no assurance
that these efforts will be successful. If our efforts are unsuccessful, we
may
have to cease operations and liquidate our business.
Recent
Developments. During
July 2005, Smart Online sold 90,909 shares of its common stock to an existing
investor for a price of $5.50 per share resulting in gross proceeds of $500,000.
Also during July 2005, Smart Online sold an additional 36,363 shares to a new
investor resulting in gross proceeds of $199,997. Smart Online incurred issuance
costs totaling $70,000 related to these stock sales. Additionally, in connection
with these offerings, Smart Online entered into Registration Rights Agreements
with these shareholders under which Smart Online is required to file a
registration statement with the SEC to register the shares sold in the offering
no later than September 30, 2005.
During
July 2005, Smart Online signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire a
privately held developer and distributor of customer relationship management
software based in the mid-western United States. Under the terms of the letter
of intent, Smart Online will issue the seller 500,000 shares of Smart Online
common stock and assume certain liabilities of the seller. Smart Online is
currently performing due diligence on this potential acquisition and anticipates
that the acquisition will not close until September or October 2005 pending
the
outcome of its due diligence procedures and execution of definitive documents.
Because due diligence and negotiations have not been completed, there is no
assurance this transaction will be completed.
Also
during July 2005, Smart Online signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire
a privately held developer and distributor of multi-channel commerce systems
based in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Under the terms of the
letter of intent, Smart Online will pay the seller $5.1 million, payable 66%
in
cash and 34% in shares of Smart Online common stock. The cash portion of the
purchase price is payable in two halves, the first half of which is payable
in
four equal installments on the first business day of each quarter for four
calendar quarters with the first payment due on the first day of the fiscal
quarter following closing, and the second half of which is payable in cash
on
January 5, 2007. In addition, Smart Online is to pay $780,000 for noncompetition
agreements to key personnel of the acquired company in eight equal quarterly
installments during the two years after the closing. Smart Online is currently
performing due diligence on this potential acquisition and anticipates that
the
acquisition will not close until September or October 2005 pending the outcome
of its due diligence procedures and execution of definitive documents. Because
due diligence and negotiations have not been completed, there is no assurance
this transaction will be completed.
Future
Capital Raising and Acquisitions. The
effect of these potential acquisitions on the cash resources and needs of Smart
Online are not known at this time and will not be known until Smart Online
complete due diligence. However, it is anticipated that substantial expenses
will be incurred in professional fees in connection with these transactions,
as
well as in integrating the acquired companies into Smart Online. Management
believes that the contemplated acquisitions will instantly result in greater
working capital needs as we expect Smart Online will not acquire substantial
accounts receivables. Further, one of the target companies has factored
approximately 65% of its current contracts and owes approximately $2.0 million
to factors at June 30, 2005 which obligation Smart Online will assume. As a
result of the factor arrangements, Smart Online will be required to provide
services to the customers but will only receive approximately 35% of the
corresponding customer payments. Management believes these acquisitions will
eventually result in positive cash flow to Smart Online, but the initial effect
on Smart Online’s working capital will be negative. In addition, the proposed
terms of one of the acquisitions requires Smart Online
to
pay the seller $5.1 million, payable 66% in cash and 34% in shares of Smart
Online common stock. The cash portion of the purchase price is payable in two
halves, the first half of which is payable in four equal installments of the
first business day of each quarter for four calendar quarters with the first
payment due on the first day of the fiscal quarter following closing, and the
second half of which is payable in cash on January 5, 2007. There can be no
assurance that any potential acquisition for which there is a letter but not
a
definitive purchase agreement will close. Smart Online does not currently have
sufficient cash to fund the purchase obligations and there can be no assurance
that Smart Online will be able to fund the commitments it is making in this
acquisition.
Anticipated
Increases in Expenses to Fund Growth In Revenue. With
the
release of our OneBiz ConductorSM
next
generation platform and the expenses associated with becoming a public company,
we believe our capital requirements in 2005 and beyond will be greater than
in
past years. As such, our historical cash flows may not be indicative of future
cash flows. The following is a discussion of factors that we consider important
to our future capital requirements and which will affect the amount of
additional capital we need to raise.
Our
future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our rate
of
revenue growth, the expansion of our marketing and sales activities, the timing
and extent of spending to support product development efforts and expansion
into
new territories, the timing of introductions of new services and enhancements
to
existing services, the effect of the contemplated acquisitions as described
above, and the market acceptance of our services.
Primary
drivers for future operating cash flows include the commercial success of our
existing services and products and the timing and success of any new services
and products. Smart Online will continue to seek additional integration and
syndication customers who typically pay an upfront fee and to increase revenues
generated from small business end users.
Integration,
Syndication and Other Contracts. Upfront
payments totaling approximately $330,000, primarily related to new integration
and syndication contracts, positively impacted operating cash flows for the
year-ended December 31, 2004. We are devoting greater efforts to enter into
syndication and integration agreements as we release our Next Generation
Platform, OneBiz ConductorSM.
Receivables.
If
we are
successful in signing new contracts, we anticipate our receivables and
collections from integration, syndication, and end-user licensing opportunities
to increase significantly starting during the first quarter of 2006. Smart
Online’s receivables are primarily from major companies or banking institutes,
and not end users. Management has evaluated the need for an allowance for
doubtful accounts and determined that no provision for uncollectible accounts
is
required as of June 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004.
Facilities.
Smart
Online’s principal administrative, sales, marketing, and research and
development facility is located in Durham, North Carolina and consists of over
5,000 square feet of office space. The facility, which is fully furnished,
is
subject to a lease agreement that expires on October 31, 2005. Smart Online
is
currently evaluating its options with regard to extending its current lease
and
relocating to new facilities. Should management determine that it is in Smart
Online’s best interest to relocate, Smart Online will likely incur significant
additional costs associated with relocating its operations and furnishing the
new space. In addition, if the acquisitions that are currently planned actually
occur, Smart Online will operate from multiple locations.
Media
and Barter Transactions. Smart
Online expects to create arrangements in the future with media
companies
who
offer the ability to reach small business customers and will assist in
off-setting Smart Online’s outlay of cash for more costly print and online
advertising and marketing. While we intend to derive a majority of our
syndication revenue from traditional non-barter transactions, we will evaluate
barter transactions on a case-by-case basis when we believe such transactions
make economic or strategic sense.
End
User Customer Revenue. We
currently allow many users of our web-based products to access our products
without charge. Our primary marketing strategy to date has been price-based
promotions, which gains us users, but limits our revenue. For example, CD-ROM
products are provided to OEMs for a nominal charge. In addition, Smart Online
has permitted many customers to use its web-based products for free, either
by
offering free initial service or by allowing users that fail to pay our monthly
subscription fees to continue to access our web-based products. We plan to
continue to offer free or discounted pricing on our products until we introduce
the second version of our Next Generation Platform, OneBiz ConductorSM,
which
is expected to occur at the end of the third quarter of 2005. We will seek
to
grow our monthly subscription volume substantially over the 24 months following
the release of later versions of OneBiz ConductorSM,
although we expect substantial increases only after we have sufficient time
to
sell our new product and after we invest substantially greater amounts in
marketing and sales. We expect monthly subscription fees will typically be
$29.95 to $49.95 for new subscribers at www.SmartOnline.com
after an
initial free use period although to date we have given free access to our web
services to most users. We expect lower fees from subscribers at the private
label syndication websites of our syndication partners. Currently, we pay most
of our syndication partners a percentage of the revenue we receive from their
private label syndication websites, which amounts we report as a component
of
our sales and marketing expense. A la carte pricing, which allows customers
to
purchase one-time use of a specific software or content service, ranges from
$10
to $300, which includes third-party charges when applicable, such as state
and
federal fees associated with incorporating a business or additional fees
associated with having a press release written and revised. However, there
can
be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting new customers or that
customers will pay for our products after we introduce the second version of
our
Next Generation Platform. We are currently
evaluating for inclusion in the second and third versions of OneBiz
ConductorSM the accounting software application developed by another
company. This may delay the release of the accounting software of the
second version of OneBiz ConductorSM until the fourth quarter of
2005. Such delay may cause a delay in our ability to sell subscriptions on
the accounting software is an important part of the second version of OneBiz
ConductorSM.
Marketing
and Sales Expense Increases.
At the
end of the third quarter of 2005, we plan to invest heavily in marketing and
sales by increasing the number of direct sales personnel and increasing
penetration within our existing customer base, expanding our domestic and
international selling and marketing activities, building brand awareness and
participating in additional marketing programs. This increase is being timed
to
coincide with the planned release of the second version of our Next Generation
Platform, OneBiz ConductorSM
which
we
anticipate will occur at the end of the third quarter of 2005.
Gains
From Debt Foregiveness. During
the first half of 2005 and 2004 Smart Online realized gains totaling $547,241
and $27,548, respectively, resulting from negotiated and contractual releases
of
outstanding liabilities. The 2005 gain was primarily from the settlement with
the Internal Revenue Service. The 2004 gains were primarily related to unrelated
third parties, primarily trade
creditors
who had performed services for Smart Online, agreeing to accept as payment
in
full a lesser amount than the stated liability in consideration for timely
payment of the negotiated settlement. Had Smart Online not been able to reach
agreement with the Internal Revenue Service and these creditors, Smart Online’s
liabilities and future cash flow requirements would have been higher by the
amount of the debt foregiven.
Public
Company Expenses. As
a
public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses
that we did not incur as a private company. We will incur costs associated
with
our public company reporting requirements. We also anticipate that we will
incur
costs associated with recently adopted corporate governance requirements,
including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as new
rules implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the NASD, and
national securities exchanges. We expect these rules and regulations to increase
our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more
time-consuming and costly. Any unanticipated difficulties in preparing for
and
implementing these reforms could result in material delays in complying with
these new laws and regulations or significantly increase our costs. Our ability
to fully comply with these new laws and regulations is also uncertain. Our
failure to timely prepare for and implement the reforms required by these new
laws and regulations could significantly harm our business, operating results,
and financial condition. We are currently evaluating and monitoring developments
with respect to these new rules, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount
of
additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs. We estimate this
will
add approximately $500,000 to our expenses during 2005, our first year as a
public company.
Legal
Claims. Smart
Online is subject to other claims and suits that arise from time to time in
the
ordinary course of business. While management currently believes that resolving
these matters, individually or in aggregate, will not have a material adverse
impact on Smart Online’s financial position or results of operations, the
litigation and other claims noted above are subject to inherent uncertainties
and management’s view of these matters may change in the future. In the event an
unfavorable final outcome were to occur, there exists the possibility of a
material adverse impact on Smart Online’s financial position and the results of
operations for the period in which the effect becomes reasonably estimable.
See
“Part II - Item 1. Legal Proceedings” for a description of current
litigation.
Risk
Factors
An
investment in Smart Online involves significant risks. You should read the
risks
described below very carefully before deciding whether to invest in Smart
Online. The following is a description of what we consider our key challenges
and risks.
We
operate in a dynamic and rapidly changing business environment that involves
substantial risk and uncertainty and these risks may change over time. The
following discussion addresses some of the risks and uncertainties that could
cause, or contribute to causing, actual results to differ materially from
expectations. In evaluating our business, readers should pay particular
attention to the descriptions of risks and uncertainties described below and
in
other sections of this document and our other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
We
have organized these factors into the following categories
below:
|
·
|
Our
Financial Condition
|
|
·
|
Our
Products and Operations
|
|
·
|
Our
Market, Customers and Partners
|
|
·
|
Our
Officers, Directors, Employees and
Shareholders
|
|
·
|
Regulatory
Matters that Affect Our Business
|
|
·
|
Matters
Related to The Market for Our
Securities
|
RISKS
ASSOCIATED WITH OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION
(1)
We Have Had Recurring Losses From Operations Since Inception, and Have
Deficiencies in Working Capital and Equity Capital. If We Do Not Rectify These
Deficiencies, We May Have to Cease Operations and Liquidate Our Business.
Because We Have Only Nominal Tangible Assets, You May Lose Your Entire
Investment.
Through
June 30, 2005, we have lost an aggregate of approximately $38.0 million since
inception on August 10, 1993. During the six months ended June 30, 2005 and
the
year ended December 31, 2004, we suffered a net loss of approximately $1.2
million and $8.3 million, respectively. At June 30, 2005, we had approximately
a
$51,000 deficit in working capital. Our working capital is not sufficient
to
fund our
operations
for the next year, unless we substantially increase our revenue, limit expenses
or raise substantial additional capital. At June 30, 2005, we had cash and
cash
equivalents totaling $552,407 and we had only nominal tangible assets. If we
do
not rectify these deficiencies, we may have to cease operations and liquidate
our business. Because we have only nominal tangible assets, you may lose your
entire investment.
(2)
Our Independent Registered Public Accountants Have Indicated That They Have
Substantial Doubts That Smart Online Can Continue as a Going Concern. Our
Independent Registered Public Accountants’ Opinion May Negatively Affect Our
Ability to Raise Additional Funds, Among Other Things. If We Fail to Raise
Sufficient Capital, We Will Not Be Able to Implement Our Business Plan, We
May
Have To Liquidate Our Business and You May Lose Your
Investment.
BDO
Seidman, LLP, our independent registered public accountants, has expressed
substantial doubt, in their report included in our Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2004, about our ability to continue as a going concern given our
recurring losses from operations and deficiencies in working capital and equity,
which are described in the first risk factor above. This opinion could
materially limit our ability to raise additional funds by issuing new debt
or
equity securities or otherwise. If we fail to raise sufficient capital, we
will
not be able to implement our business plan, we may have to liquidate our
business and you may lose your investment. You should consider our auditor’s
comments when determining if an investment in Smart Online is
suitable.
(3)
We Will Require Additional Financing To Fund Our Operations Or Growth. If
Financing Is Not Available, We May Have To Liquidate Our Business and You May
Lose Your Investment.
In
the
future, we will be required to seek additional financing to fund our operations
or growth. Factors such as the commercial success of our existing services
and
products, the timing and success of any new services and products, the progress
of our research and development efforts, our results of operations, the status
of competitive services and products, and the timing and success of potential
strategic alliances or potential opportunities to acquire technologies or assets
may require us to seek additional funding sooner than we expect. We cannot
assure you that such funding will be available. If sufficient capital is not
raised, our ability to achieve or sustain positive cash flows, maintain current
operations, fund any potential growth, take advantage of unanticipated
opportunities, develop or enhance services or products, or otherwise respond
to
competitive pressures would be significantly limited. If we fail to raise
sufficient capital, we will not be able to implement our business plan, we
may
have to liquidate our business and you may lose your investment.
When restrictions on resale of over nine million
shares of our Common Stock terminate on October 1, 2005, the volume of resales
may adversely affect the market value of our Common Stock and may make it more
difficult to raise capital. See Risk Factor (52) for information about
lock-up agreements and other restrictions on resale.
(4)
If We Are Able To Raise Capital, But Are Not Able To Obtain Terms That are
Favorable To Us, Existing Shareholders and New Investors May Suffer Dilution
Of
Their Ownership Interests in Our Company Or Otherwise Lose Value In Our
Securities.
If
we
raise additional funds through the issuance of equity securities or debt
convertible into equity securities, the percentage of stock ownership by our
existing stockholders would be reduced. In addition, such securities could
have
rights preferences and privileges senior to those of our current stockholders
and new investors in this offering, which could substantially decrease the
value
of our securities owned by them.
(5)
We Will Rely Heavily On Successful Development and Market Acceptance of Our
Next
Generation Platform, OneBiz ConductorSM.
Since
2000, we have generated substantially all of our revenues from our current
Internet-based services, content and software applications. Internet-based
products are growing in sophistication and customer expectations are rising
as
new products are introduced. In March 2005 we released the first version of
OneBiz ConductorSM,
our
Next Generation Product, but we do not expect to see substantial revenue
increases until after we release and have time to sell the third installment
of
OneBiz ConductorSM,
which
is scheduled to occur at the end of 2005. Our future financial performance
and
revenue growth will depend upon the successful development, introduction, and
customer acceptance of OneBiz ConductorSM.
We plan
to introduce OneBiz ConductorSM
directly
to our existing customer base through our online business solution site at
www.SmartOnline.com.
If
OneBiz ConductorSM
has
been
accepted and modified based on customer feedback on www.SmartOnline.com,
it will
then be integrated into our private label syndication partners sites so Smart
Online can leverage both channels to generate revenue while minimizing our
direct marketing expenses.
(6)
We May Not Successfully Develop or Introduce the Next Two Installments of Our
Next Generation Product, OneBiz ConductorSM,
and Other New Products or Enhancements to Existing Products, Which Could Harm
Our Business.
Our
future financial performance and revenue growth will depend, in part, upon
the
successful development, introduction, and customer acceptance of our next
generation product, OneBiz ConductorSM.
Thereafter other new products and enhanced versions of
our
web-native business applications will be critically important to our business.
Our business could be harmed if we fail to deliver enhancements that customers
desire to our current and future solutions. From time to time, we have
experienced delays in the planned release dates of our software (including
OneBiz ConductorSM)
and
upgrades, and we have discovered software defects in new releases both before
and after their introduction. New product versions or upgrades may not be
released according to schedule, or may contain certain defects when released.
Either situation could result in adverse publicity, loss of sales, delay in
market acceptance of our services and products, or customer claims against
us,
any of which could harm our business. If we do not deliver new product versions,
upgrades, or other enhancements to existing services and products on a timely
and cost-effective basis, our business will be harmed. We are also continually
seeking to develop new offerings. However, we remain subject to all of the
risks
inherent in product development, including unanticipated technical or other
development problems, which could result in material delays in product
introduction and acceptance or significantly increased costs. There can be
no
assurance that we will be able to successfully develop new services or products,
or to introduce in a timely manner and gain acceptance of such new services
or
products in the marketplace. We
expect
the second version of OneBiz Conductor SM
will be
released on or before September 30, 2005, except that all or part of the
accounting application may not be released until during the fourth quarter.
The
third version of OneBiz ConductorSM,
including enhanced accounting software, is expected to be released before the
end of 2005.
(7)
We Have Experienced Delays in Developing Our Next Generation Platform, OneBiz
ConductorSM.
Existing Factors May Result in Further Delays Which Could Harm Our
Business.
We
had
planned to release the first version of our Next Generation Platform during
the
fourth quarter of 2004. Testing by some customers of the first version began
at
the end of 2004, but commercial release was delayed until March 2005. In
addition to the factors that may delay or prevent completion of any new product
development project, some existing factors may further delay or prevent
development of our next generation product, OneBiz ConductorSM.
These
factors include the following. OneBiz ConductorSM
requires
both enhancing our existing technology platform and adding many new software
applications. Integrating so many new applications at the same time is
difficult. Another factor that might delay or prevent development of OneBiz
ConductorSM
is
that
we have to hire, train and manage new development personnel to complete internal
development on time. In addition, for many of the most important new
applications of OneBiz ConductorSM,
such as
sales automation, we intend to rely on third party sources, whether through
licensing, joint development or purchase. The willingness of third parties
to
enter into agreements with us and the ability of third parties to perform
agreements are totally outside our control. We
expect
the second version of OneBiz Conductor SM
will be
released on or before September 30, 2005, except that all or part of the
accounting application may not be released until during the fourth quarter.
The
third version of OneBiz ConductorSM,
including enhanced accounting software, is expected to be released before the
end of 2005. Our
business could be harmed, if we fail to deliver the improved performance that
customers want with respect to our current and future offerings. There can
be no
assurance that our next generation platform will achieve widespread market
penetration or that we will derive significant revenues from sales of OneBiz
ConductorSM.
(8)
Our Products Might Not Keep Pace with Technological Change, Which Could Harm
Our
Business.
We
must
continually modify and enhance our services and products to keep pace with
changes in hardware and software platforms, database technology, and electronic
commerce technical standards. As a result, uncertainties related to the timing
and nature of new product announcements or introductions, or modifications
by
vendors of operating systems, back-office applications, and browsers and other
Internet-related applications, could harm our business.
(9)
Our Business Is Difficult To Evaluate Because Our Business Models and Operating
Plans Have Changed As A Result of Forces Beyond Our Control. Consequently,
We
Have Not Yet Demonstrated That We Have a Successful Business Model or Operating
Plan.
We
incorporated in 1993 with a CD-ROM based business model. In 1999, we
commercially introduced our Internet-based Software-as-Service (SaS) business
model, when it became clear that the developing Internet world offered a better
delivery platform. We began to enter into syndication partnering arrangements
during the year 2000 primarily as a result of the need to leverage the marketing
and sales resources of others. Our business models and operating plans have
evolved as a result of changes in our market, the expectations of customers
and
the behavior of competitors. Today, we anticipate that our future financial
performance and revenue growth will depend, in large part, upon our
Internet-based SaS business model and syndication partnering arrangements,
but
these business models may again become ineffective due to forces beyond our
control that we do not currently anticipate. Consequently, we have not yet
demonstrated that we have a successful business model or operating plan. Our
evolving business model makes our business operations and prospects difficult
to
evaluate. Investors in our securities should consider all the risks and
uncertainties that are commonly encountered by companies in this stage of
business operations, particularly companies, such as ours, that are in emerging
and rapidly evolving markets.
(10)
It Is Important For Us To Continue To Manage Changing Business Conditions.
Failure To Do So Could Harm Our Business.
Our
future operating results will depend, in part, on our ability to manage changing
business conditions, including such conditions as the general economic slowdown,
reduced investment in information technology by customers and prospective
customers, and reduced business travel and entertainment budgets. If we are
unable to manage changing business conditions effectively, our
business,
financial
condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Failure to manage our operations with reduced staffing levels may strain our
management, financial, legal, and other resources, and could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of
operations.
(11)
The Success of Our Business Depends on The Continued Growth and Acceptance
of
the Internet as a Business Tool. If These Positive Trends Do Not Continue To
Develop, Our Business Could Be Harmed.
Expansion
in the sales of our service depends on the continued growth and acceptance
of
the Internet as a communications and commerce platform for enterprises. The
Internet could lose its viability as a business tool due to delays in the
development or adoption of new standards and protocols to handle increased
demands of Internet activity, security, reliability, cost, ease-of-use,
accessibility and quality-of-service. The performance of the Internet and its
acceptance as a business tool has been harmed by “viruses,”“worms” and similar
malicious programs, and the Internet has experienced a variety of outages and
other delays as a result of damage to portions of its infrastructure. If for
any
reason the Internet does not remain a widespread communications medium and
commercial platform, the demand for our service would be significantly reduced,
which would harm our business.
(12)
We Sell Third-Party Software and Web Services That May be Difficult to Replace.
If We Are Not Able to Replace Third Party Software And Web Services, Our
Business May Be Harmed.
We
rely
on software licensed from third parties to offer some of our services and
software offerings, including merchant services, incorporation services, on-line
direct mail services and loan referrals. During 2004, approximately 6% of our
revenue was derived from such third party software and services. During 2003
and
2002 approximately 16% and 17%, respectively, of our revenue was derived from
such sources. These software and services may not continue to be available
on
commercially reasonable terms, if at all. We plan to increase our reliance
on
third party software when we introduce OneBiz ConductorSM
by
licensing sales automation software from third parties. The loss or inability
to
maintain any of these arrangements could result in delays in the sale of our
services or software offerings until equivalent technology or services are
either developed by us, or, if available, are identified, licensed, and
integrated. Any such delay could harm our business.
(13)
If We Acquire Companies, Products, or Technologies, We May Face Risks Associated
with Those Acquisitions. These Risks Include, But Are Not Limited to, Difficulty
of Integrating, Dilution of Stockholder Value and Disruption of Our Business,
Which Could Adversely Affect Our Operating Results.
In
the
future, we plan to acquire products or technologies. We may not realize the
anticipated benefits of our future acquisitions or investments to the extent
that we anticipate, or at all. We have had discussions with several companies,
but have not yet entered into any purchase agreements. We may have to issue
debt
or issue equity securities to pay for future acquisitions or investments, the
issuance of which could be dilutive to our existing stockholders and investors
in this offering. If any acquisition or investment is not perceived as improving
our earnings per share, our stock price may decline. In addition, we may incur
non-cash amortization charges from acquisitions, which could harm our operating
results. Any completed acquisitions would also require significant integration
efforts, diverting our attention from our business operations and strategy.
We
have made limited acquisitions to date, and therefore our ability as an
organization to make acquisitions or investments is unproven. Acquisitions
and
investments involve numerous risks, including:
|
·
|
difficulties
in integrating operations, technologies, services and
personnel;
|
|
·
|
diversion
of financial and managerial resources from existing
operations;
|
|
·
|
risk
of entering new markets;
|
|
·
|
potential
write-offs of acquired assets;
|
|
·
|
potential
loss of key employees;
|
|
·
|
inability
to generate sufficient revenue to offset acquisition or investment
costs;
and
|
|
·
|
delays
in customer purchases due to
uncertainty.
|
In
addition, if we finance acquisitions by issuing convertible debt or equity
securities, our existing stockholders and investors in this offering may be
diluted which could affect the market price of our stock. As a result, if we
fail to properly evaluate and execute acquisitions or investments, our business
and prospects may be seriously harmed.
During
July 2005, Smart Online signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire a
privately held developer and distributor of customer relationship management
software based in the mid-western United States. Also during July 2005, Smart
Online signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire a privately held
developer and distributor of multi-channel commerce systems based in the Great
Lakes
region
of
the United States. In addition to the general risks associated with acquisitions
outlined above, there are additional risks associated with these two proposed
acquisitions including:
|
·
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risk
of operating and integrating geographically remote
offices;
|
|
·
|
risk
of integrating technologies and offerings with the OneBiz
ConductorSM
product;
|
|
·
|
risk
of converting customer data from stand alone product offerings of
the
acquisition targets to formats utilized by the OneBiz
ConductorSM
product;
|
|
·
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risk
of losing customers of the acquired companies due to actual or perceived
changes in operations and customer
interfaces;
|
|
·
|
risk
of integrating management, administrative, operational and financial
infrastructures; and
|
|
·
|
risks
of implementing and monitoring compliance with corporate governance
and
public
company reporting requirements and the ability of management to manage
and
timely and accurately consolidate the results of
operations.
|
(14)
We Rely on Third-Party Hardware and Software That May Be Difficult To Replace
or
Which Could Cause Errors or Failures of Our Service. Such Events May Harm Our
Business.
We
rely
on hardware purchased or leased and software licensed from third parties in
order to offer our service. We use commercially available hardware and software
from vendors like Oracle, Sun Microsystems, IBM, Microsoft, Verisign, Dell,
Apple, HP, Cisco, Nokia, Adobe, Macromedia, Checkpoint, Symantec, Appligent
and
Quest. We have purchased or licensed all the equipment and software and we
have
not leased or borrowed to acquire any of them. These software and hardware
systems will need periodic upgrades in the future as part of normal operation
of
business, which will be an added expense.
We
also
use certain software from leading opensource communities like Sun Microsystems,
Apache Group, GNU, Suse (Novell) that are free and available in the public
domain. The OneBiz ConductorSM
product
will use additional public domain software, if needed for successful
implementation and deployment. In addition, we are currently evaluating the
accounting application software developed by another company. If the
evaluation is favorable, we may include all or part of that third party
accounting software in OneBiz ConductorSM.
Using such software does not guarantee us support and upgrades of the software,
and therefore could cause disruption in our service, if certain critical defects
are discovered in the software at a future date.
The
hardware and software we use may not continue to be available on commercially
reasonable terms, or at all, or upgrades may not be available when we need
them.
We are not currently aware of any problems, but any loss of the right to use
any
of this hardware or software could result in delays in the provisioning of
our
services until equivalent technology is either developed by us, or, if
available, is identified, obtained and integrated, which could harm our
business. Any errors or defects in, or unavailability of, third-party hardware
or software could result in errors or a failure of our service, which could
harm
our business.
(15)
Interruption Of Our Operations Could Significantly Harm Our
Business.
Significant
portions of our operations depend on our ability to protect our computer
equipment and the information stored in such equipment, our offices, and our
hosting facilities against damage from fire, power loss, telecommunications
failures, unauthorized intrusion, and other events. We back up software and
related data files regularly and store the backup files at an off-site location.
However, there can be no assurance that our disaster preparedness will eliminate
the risk of extended interruption of our operations. In connection with our
subscription and hosting services, we have engaged third-party hosting facility
providers to provide the hosting facilities and certain related infrastructure
for such services. We also retain third-party telecommunications providers
to
provide Internet and direct telecommunications connections for our services.
These providers may fail to perform their obligations adequately. Any damage
or
failure that interrupts our operations or destroys some or all of our data
or
the data of our customers, whether due to natural disaster or otherwise, could
expose us to litigation, loss of customers, or other harm to our business.
(16)
Defects in Our Service Could Diminish Demand for Our Service and Subject Us
to
Substantial Liability, Damage Our Reputation, Or Otherwise Harm Our
Business.
Because
our service is complex, it may have errors or defects that users identify after
they begin using it, which could harm our reputation and our business.
Internet-based services frequently contain undetected errors when first
introduced or when new versions or enhancements are released. We have from
time
to time found defects in our service and new errors in our existing service
may
be detected in the future. Since our customers use our service for important
aspects of their business, any errors, defects or other performance problems
with our service could hurt our reputation and may damage our customers’
businesses. If that occurs, customers could elect not to renew, or delay or
withhold payment to us, we could lose future sales or customers may make
warranty claims against us, which could result in an increase in our provision
for doubtful accounts, an increase in collection cycles for accounts receivable
or the expense and risk of litigation.
(17)
Security and Other Concerns may Discourage Use of Our Internet Based
Software-as-Service (SaS) Model, Which Could Harm Our
Business.
Our
service involves the storage and transmission of customers’ proprietary
information, and security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss of this
information, litigation and possible liability. If our security measures are
breached as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or
otherwise, and, as a result, someone obtains unauthorized access to one of
our
customers’ data, our reputation will be damaged, our business may suffer and we
could incur significant liability. Because techniques used to obtain
unauthorized access or to sabotage systems change frequently and generally
are
not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate
these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. If an actual
or
perceived breach of our security occurs, the market perception of the
effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and we could lose sales
and customers. If customers determine that our services offerings do not provide
adequate security for the dissemination of information over the Internet or
corporate extranets, or are otherwise inadequate for Internet or extranet use
or
if, for any other reason, customers fail to accept our products for use, our
business will be harmed.
As
part
of our operations, we receive credit card, employee, purchasing, supplier,
and
other financial and accounting data, through the Internet or extranets. Although
we have security systems in place, there can be no assurance that this
information will not be subject to computer break-ins, theft, and other improper
activity that could jeopardize the security of information for which we are
responsible. Any such lapse in security could expose us to litigation, loss
of
customers, or other harm to our business. In addition, any person who is able
to
circumvent our security measures could misappropriate proprietary or
confidential customer information or cause interruptions in our operations.
We
may be required to incur significant costs to protect against security breaches
or to alleviate problems caused by breaches. Any general concern regarding
security in the marketplace could deter customers or prospects from using the
Internet to conduct transactions that involve transmitting confidential
information. Our failure to prevent security breaches, or well-publicized
security breaches affecting the Internet in general, could significantly harm
our business, operating results, and financial condition.
(18)
If We Experience Significant Fluctuations In Our Operating Results And Rate
Of
Growth And Fail To Balance Our Expenses With Our Revenue and Earnings
Expectations, Our Results Would Be Harmed And Our Stock Price May Fall Rapidly
And Without Advance Notice.
Due
to
our limited operating history, our evolving business model and the
unpredictability of our emerging industry, we may not be able to accurately
forecast our rate of growth. We base our current and future expense levels
and
our investment plans on estimates of future revenue and future rate of growth.
Our expenses and investments are, to a large extent, fixed and we expect that
these expenses will increase in the future. We may not be able to adjust our
spending quickly enough if our revenue falls short of our expectations.
As
a
result, we expect that our operating results may fluctuate significantly on
a
quarterly basis. Revenue growth may not be sustainable and may decrease in
the
future. We believe that period-to-period comparisons of our operating results
may not be meaningful, and you should not rely upon them as an indication of
future performance.
(19)
Because We Recognize Revenue From Our Partners Over The Term Of The Agreement,
Downturns or Upturns In Sales May Not Be Immediately Reflected in Our Operating
Results.
We
generally recognize revenue from partners ratably over the terms of their
agreements. As a result, much of the revenue we report in each quarter is
deferred revenue from partner agreements entered into during previous quarters.
Consequently, a decline in new or renewed partners in any one quarter will
not
necessarily be fully reflected in the revenue in that quarter and will
negatively affect our revenue in future quarters. In addition, we may be unable
to adjust our cost structure to reflect these reduced revenues. Accordingly,
the
effect of significant downturns in transactions with our partners may not be
fully reflected in our results of operations until future periods. Our reliance
on revenue from our partners makes it difficult for us to rapidly increase
our
partner revenue through additional sales in any period, as revenue from new
partners must be recognized over the applicable agreement term.
Risks
Associated With Our Market Customers and Partners
(20)
If Our On-Demand Application Service is Not Widely Accepted, Our Operating
Results Will Be Harmed.
Historically,
we have derived a small percentage of our revenue from subscriptions to our
on-demand application service, but our business plan requires us to
substantially increase this source of revenue in the future. As a result,
widespread acceptance of our service is critical to our future success. Factors
that may affect market acceptance of our service include:
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·
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potential
reluctance by businesses to migrate to an on-demand application
service;
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the
price and performance of our
service;
|
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the
level of customization we can
offer;
|
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the
availability, performance and price of competing products and services;
and
|
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·
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potential
reluctance by businesses to trust third parties to store and manage
their
internal data.
|
Many
of
these factors are beyond our control. The inability of our service to achieve
widespread market acceptance would harm our business.
(21)
The Market for Our Technology Delivery Model and On-Demand Application Services
Is Immature And Volatile, and if It Does Not Develop or Develops More Slowly
Than We Expect, Our Business Will Be Harmed.
The
market for on-demand application services is new and unproven, and it is
uncertain whether these services will achieve and sustain high levels of demand
and market acceptance. Our success will depend to a substantial extent on the
willingness of businesses to increase their use of on-demand application
services. Many businesses have invested substantial personnel and financial
resources to integrate traditional business software into their businesses,
and
therefore may be reluctant or unwilling to migrate to on-demand application
services. Furthermore, some businesses may be reluctant or unwilling to use
on-demand application services because they have concerns regarding the risks
associated with security capabilities, among other things, of the technology
delivery model associated with these services. If businesses do not perceive
the
benefits of on-demand application services, then the market for these services
may not develop at all, or it may develop more slowly than we expect, either
of
which would significantly adversely affect our operating results. In addition,
because this is an unproven market, we have limited insight into trends that
may
develop and affect our business. We may make errors in predicting and reacting
to relevant business trends, which could harm our business.
(22)
We Do Not Have an Adequate History With Our Subscription Model To Predict the
Rate of Customer Subscription Renewals and the Impact These Renewals Will Have
on Our Revenue or Operating Results.
Our
small
business customers do not sign long-term contracts. Our customers have no
obligation to renew their subscriptions for our service after the expiration
of
their initial subscription period and in fact, customers have often elected
not
to do so. In addition, our customers may renew for a lower priced edition of
our
service or for fewer users. Many of our customers utilize our services without
charge. We have limited historical data with respect to rates of customer
subscription renewals for paying customers, so we cannot accurately predict
customer renewal rates. Our customers’ renewal rates may decline or fluctuate as
a result of a number of factors, including when we begin charging for our
services, their dissatisfaction with our service and their ability to continue
their operations and spending levels. If our customers do not renew their
subscriptions for our service, our revenue may decline and our business will
suffer.
(23)
We Depend on Small Businesses for Our Revenue. Small Businesses are Often
Financially Unstable, Have High Rates of Attrition and can be Expensive
Customers to Which to Market Products.
Substantially
all our revenue is from small business customers with fifty or fewer employees,
whether directly or indirectly from our partners who do business with small
businesses. Although this is a large market, it can be very expensive to
penetrate this market. Each customer results in only a small amount of revenue.
In addition, small businesses are often financially unstable, which can cause
them to go out of business. Our small business customers, typically have short
initial subscription periods and, based on our experience to date, have had
a
high rate of attrition and non-renewal. If we cannot replace our small business
customers that do not renew their subscriptions for our service with new paying
customers quickly enough, our revenue could decline. This adversely affects
our
ability to develop long-term customer relationships. We must continually attract
new customers to maintain the same level of revenue.
(24)
If We Fail to Develop Our Brand Cost-Effectively, Our Business May
Suffer.
We
believe that developing and maintaining awareness of the Smart Online brand
in a
cost-effective manner is critical to achieving widespread acceptance of our
existing and future services and is an important element in attracting new
customers. Furthermore, we believe that the importance of brand recognition
will
increase as competition in our market develops. Successful promotion of our
brand will depend largely on the effectiveness of our marketing efforts and
on
our ability to provide reliable and useful services at competitive prices.
In
the past, our efforts to build our brand have involved significant expense.
Brand promotion activities may not yield increased revenue, and even if they
do,
any increased revenue may not offset the expenses we incurred in building our
brand. If
we
fail
to successfully promote and maintain our brand, or incur substantial expenses
in
an unsuccessful attempt to promote and maintain our brand, we may fail to
attract enough new customers or retain our existing customers to the extent
necessary to realize a sufficient return on our brand-building efforts, and
our
business could suffer.
(25)
We Depend on Corporate Partners to Market Our Products Through Their Web Sites
and OEM or Integration Relationships Under Relatively Short Term Agreements.
Termination of These Agreements Could Cause A Substantial Decline in Our Revenue
and a Substantial Increase in Customer Acquisition Costs.
Approximately
91% of total revenue during the first half of 2005, 93% of total revenue during
year 2004, and approximately 83% of total revenue during year 2003 was derived
from syndication, integration and OEM agreements with large companies whereby
our content, software applications and technology platform are integrated into
the web sites of our syndication partners and the software and services of
our
integration partners is sold on our website, and our CD-Rom products are bundled
with the products of others through our OEM relationships. Under these
agreements we both derive revenue and we utilize the resources of our partners
to reduce our customer acquisition costs. As of August 1, 2005, we have six
syndication agreements, where we currently or will have our content and software
on the website of large corporate partners. As of August 1, 2005, we have nine
integration partnership agreements where we integrate the content or services
of
our partners into our technology platform. As of August 1, 2005, we have one
OEM
relationship through our distributor, PC Treasures. Not all these agreements
generate revenue for us at this time. These agreements typically have initial
terms of from one to three years. In the event these agreements were to
terminate or not be renewed, or their terms substantially renegotiated, we
expect that our revenues would decline and our customer acquisition costs would
increase. Although our partners are important to our business on a collective
basis, no single partner is material to our business. The syndication,
integration, and OEM agreement revenue described above includes revenue from
an
integration agreement between Smart Online and Smart IL, a related party owned
by a shareholder of Smart Online. Smart IL accounted for approximately 0% of
our
total revenues in the first half of 2005, 27.2% of our total revenue in 2003,
and approximately 32.9% of total revenue during 2004. We do not expect to
receive revenue from Smart IL after 2004. Our dealings with Smart IL are
described under “Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations - Revenue From Related Parties.”
(26)
It is Important for Us to Continue to Develop and Maintain Strategic
Relationships. Failure to Do So Could Harm Our Business.
We
depend
on syndication and integration partners, OEM relationships and referral
relationships to offer products and services to a larger customer base than
we
can reach through direct sales, and other marketing efforts. Approximately
81%
of our total revenue during 2002 and approximately 83% of our total revenue
during 2003 and approximately 93% of our total revenue during 2004 was derived
through such relationships. If we were unable to maintain our existing strategic
relationships or enter into additional strategic relationships, we would have
to
devote substantially more resources to the distribution, sales, and marketing
of
our products and services. Our success depends in part on the ultimate success
of our syndication and integration partners, OEM relationships and referral
partners and their ability to market our products and services successfully.
Our
partners are not obligated to provide potential customers to us. In addition,
some of these third parties have entered, and may continue to enter, into
strategic relationships with our competitors. Further, many of our strategic
partners have multiple strategic relationships, and they may not regard us
as
significant for their businesses. Our strategic partners may terminate their
respective relationships with us, pursue other partnerships or relationships,
or
attempt to develop or acquire products or services that compete with our
products or services. Our strategic partners also may interfere with our ability
to enter into other desirable strategic relationships. One of our syndication
partnership agreements with Gruner + Jahr USA Publishing, pursuant to which
we
syndicate our platform and applications to the websites www.Inc.com
and
www.FastCompany.com,
contains a prohibition against our syndicating our platform and applications
to
two competitors of Gruner + Jahr. All of our integration partnership agreements
limit our ability to integrate products or services onto our website that
compete with the products or services being provided through our website by
our
integration partners.
(27)
Our Lengthy Sales Cycle with Syndication, Integration Partners and OEM
Relationships Could Adversely Affect Our Financial
Results.
Our
syndication and integration partners and OEM relationships typically commit
significant resources to an evaluation of available solutions and require us
to
expend substantial time, effort, and money educating them about the value of
our
services and software. Our sales cycle, which is the time between initial
contact with a potential partner and ultimately signing a contract, is often
lengthy and unpredictable. As a result, we have limited ability to forecast
the
timing and size of new specific partnering and OEM relationships. In addition,
revenue may not begin to flow from such contracts until long after they are
signed due to delays in implementing the contracts or the failure of our
partners to devote the resources required to promote our products to small
businesses. Any delay in signing or implementing syndication, integration and
OEM contracts or other strategic agreements could cause our operating results
to
vary significantly.
(28)
We Face Significant Competition, Which Could Adversely Affect Our
Business.
The
market for our solutions is intensely competitive and rapidly changing. The
direct competition we face depends on the market segment focus and delivery
model capabilities of our competitors. We also, at times have to overcome
customer reluctance to move away from existing paper-based systems. We have
two
primary categories of competitors: companies that offer a broad range of
software applications for small businesses and companies that offer one or
two
applications that compete with our broad range of applications. Our principal
direct competition primarily comes from large companies, such as Microsoft,
Oracle, Intuit, SAP and Yahoo!, who provide multiple software products used
by
many small businesses. In addition, we face competition from other competitors
who sell single applications. Salesforce.com is an example of one of the many
companies that fall within this second category of competitors. Many of our
competitors have longer operating histories, greater financial, technical,
marketing, and other resources, greater name recognition, and a larger total
number of customers for their products and services than we do. Some of our
competitors sell many products to our current and potential customers, as well
as to systems integrators and other vendors and service providers. These
competitors may also be able to respond more quickly to new or emerging
technologies and changes in customer requirements, or to devote greater
resources to the development, promotion, and sale of their products, than we
may
be able to do. In addition, we anticipate new competitors will enter the market
in the future. Increased competition may result in price reductions, reduced
gross margins, and change in market share and could have a material adverse
effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. New
product announcements by competitors may make it difficult to sell our products
even before the competitor releases the product. For example, in May 2005
Microsoft announced that it intends to introduce a new small business accounting
application in September 2005, which is before Smart Online's planned release
of
its own accounting application at the end of 2005.
(29)
We Depend on Nonrecurring Revenue, Which May Cause Our Revenue to Fluctuate
Substantially From One Quarter to Another or to Decline Permanently as Market
Conditions Change.
We
depend
on nonrecurring revenue. Nonrecurring revenue is primarily derived from
integration fees and other up-front payments received upon signing syndication
and integration agreements with corporate partners for which we charge a
one-time fee. This revenue is recognized on a monthly basis over the initial
term of the integration and syndication contracts and may fluctuate
substantially from one quarter to another. All of our integration revenues
were
from nonrecurring sources during the years ended December 31, 2003 and December
31, 2004. Approximately 68% of our syndication revenues for 2004 and 48.1%
of
our syndication revenues for 2003 were from nonrecurring sources. In addition,
such revenue may substantially decrease on a permanent basis due to market
conditions over which we have little or no control, including competitors
introducing new products to the market or reducing the price of competing
products.
(30)
We Depend on Web Services Revenues; Our Future Growth is Substantially Dependent
on Customer Demand for Our Subscription Services Delivery Models. Failure to
Increase This Revenue Could Harm Our Business.
Revenues
from small businesses for our Web Services, which include subscriptions, revenue
share, e-commerce fees, hosting fees, loan origination fees and marketing fees,
represented approximately 6.3% of our total revenue for the first half of 2005,
6.2% of our total revenue for 2004, and approximately 16.5% of total revenue
for
fiscal 2003. We anticipate that Web Services revenues will continue to represent
a significant percentage of our total revenues and that our future financial
performance and revenue growth will depend, in large part, upon the growth
in
customer demand for our outsourced services delivery models. As such, we have
invested significantly in infrastructure, operations, and strategic
relationships to support these models, which represent a significant departure
from the delivery strategies that other software vendors and we have
traditionally employed. To maintain positive margins for our small business
services, our revenues will need to continue to grow more rapidly than the
cost
of such revenues. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain
positive gross margins in our subscription services delivery models in future
periods. If our subscription services business does not grow sufficiently,
we
could fail to meet expectations for our results of operations, which could
harm
our business.
Any
delays in implementation may prevent us from recognizing subscription revenue
for periods of time; even when we have already incurred costs relating to the
implementation of our subscription services. Additionally, customers can cancel
our subscription services contracts at any time and, as a result, we may
recognize substantially less revenue than we expect. If large numbers of
customers cancel or otherwise seeks to terminate subscription agreements quicker
than we expect, our operating results could be substantially harmed. To become
successful, we must cause subscribers who do not pay fees to begin paying fees
and increase the length of time subscribers pay subscription fees.
(31)
There are Risks Associated with International Operations, Which We Expect Will
Become a Bigger Part of Our Business in the Future.
We
currently do not generate substantial revenue from international operations,
but
we plan to conduct greater international operations in the future. Our
international operations will be subject to risks associated with operating
abroad. We expect international operations
will
become an important component of our business. These international operations
are subject to a number of difficulties and special costs,
including:
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costs
of customizing products for foreign
countries;
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laws
and business practices favoring local
competitors;
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uncertain
regulation of electronic commerce;
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compliance
with multiple, conflicting, and changing governmental laws and
regulations;
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longer
sales cycles; greater difficulty in collecting accounts
receivable;
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import
and export restrictions and
tariffs;
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potentially
weaker protection for our intellectual property than in the United
States,
and practical difficulties in enforcing such rights
abroad;
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difficulties
staffing and managing foreign
operations;
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multiple
conflicting tax laws and regulations;
and
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political
and economic instability.
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Our
international operations will also face foreign currency-related risks. To
date,
most of our revenues have been denominated in United States Dollars, but we
believe that an increasing portion of our revenues will be denominated in
foreign currencies. We currently do not engage in foreign exchange hedging
activities, and therefore our international revenues and expenses are currently
subject to the risks of foreign currency fluctuations.
We
must
also customize our services and products for international markets. This process
is much more complex than merely translating languages. For example, our ability
to expand into international markets will depend on our ability to develop
and
support services and products that incorporate the tax laws, accounting
practices, and currencies of applicable countries. Since a large part of our
value proposition to customers is that our products have been developed with
the
peculiar needs of small businesses in mind, any variation in business practice
from one country to another may substantially decrease the value of our products
in that country, unless we identify the important differences and customize
our
product to address the differences.
Our
international operations also increase our exposure to international laws and
regulations. If we cannot comply with foreign laws and regulations, which are
often complex and subject to variation and unexpected changes, we could incur
unexpected costs and potential litigation. For example, the governments of
foreign countries might attempt to regulate our services and products or levy
sales or other taxes relating to our activities. In addition, foreign countries
may impose tariffs, duties, price controls or other restrictions on foreign
currencies or trade barriers, any of which could make it more difficult for
us
to conduct our business in international markets.
We
intend
to continue to expand our international sales and marketing activities and
enter
into relationships with additional international distribution partners. We
are
in the early stages of developing our indirect distribution channels in markets
outside the United States. We may not be able to attract and retain distribution
partners that will be able to market our products effectively.
(32)
Historically Substantial Amounts of Our Revenue Were Derived From Transactions
with Related Parties, Which Means That Our Revenue May Not Reflect the True
Commercial Viability of Our Business and That Our Revenue May Decline If We
Cannot Replace this Revenue With Revenue From Unrelated Third
Parties.
During
2004, approximately $330,000 of our total revenue, constituting approximately
32.9% of total 2004 revenue, was derived from related party transactions. During
2003, approximately $513,057 of our total revenue, constituting approximately
40.7% of 2003 total revenue, was derived from transactions with parties in
which
our officers, directors and stockholders have a direct or indirect interest.
For
year 2002, related party transactions provided approximately $140,149 of our
revenue, constituting approximately 10.1% of 2002 total revenue. None of our
revenues during the first half of 2005 were derived from related
parties.
Because
our officers, directors and stockholders derive a benefit from promoting the
success of our business, these transactions may have been entered into by these
related parties to promote our business. Consequently, revenue derived from
these transactions may not be as indicative of the true commercial viability
of
our business as revenue derived from transactions with unrelated
parties.
Our
officers, directors and stockholders have limited resources and will not be
able
to enter into the same dollar volumes of transactions in the future as in the
past. Having high amounts of revenue from related party transactions, therefore,
means our revenue will decrease, if we are not able to replace this revenue
with
revenue from transactions with unrelated parties. Specifically, one related
party, Smart IL, which accounted for approximately 32.9% of our total revenue
during 2004 and approximately 27.2% of our total revenue during 2003, is not
expected to contribute to our revenue in the future. See “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -
Revenue from Related Parties,” for a description of our dealings with Smart
IL.
Risks
Associated With Our Officers, Directors, Employees and
Stockholders
(33)
Any Failure to Adequately Expand Our Direct Sales Force Will Impede Our Growth,
Which Could Harm Our Business.
We
expect
to be substantially dependent on our direct sales force to obtain new customers.
We believe that there is significant competition for direct sales personnel
with
the advanced sales skills and technical knowledge we need. Our ability to
achieve significant growth in revenue in the future will depend, in large part,
on our success in recruiting, training and retaining sufficient direct sales
personnel. New hires require significant training and may, in some cases, take
more than a year before they achieve full productivity. Our recent hires and
planned hires may not become as productive as we would like, and we may be
unable to hire sufficient numbers of qualified individuals in the future in
the
markets where we do business. If we are unable to hire and develop sufficient
numbers of productive sales personnel, sales of our services will
suffer.
(34)
Because Competition for Our Target Employees Is Intense, We May Not Be Able
to
Attract and Retain the Highly Skilled Employees We Need to Support Our Planned
Growth, Which Could Harm Our Business.
To
execute our growth plan, we must attract and retain highly qualified personnel.
Competition for these personnel is intense, especially for engineers with high
levels of experience in designing and developing software and Internet-related
services and senior sales executives. We may not be successful in attracting
and
retaining qualified personnel. We have from time to time in the past
experienced, and we expect to continue to experience in the future, difficulty
in hiring and retaining highly skilled employees with appropriate
qualifications. Many of the companies with which we compete for experienced
personnel have greater resources than we have. In addition, in making employment
decisions, particularly in the Internet and high-technology industries, job
candidates often consider the value of the stock options they are to receive
in
connection with their employment. Significant volatility in the price of our
stock may, therefore, adversely affect our ability to attract or retain key
employees. Furthermore, the
new
requirement to expense stock options may discourage
us from granting the size or type of stock options awards that job candidates
require to join our company. If we fail to attract new personnel or fail to
retain and motivate our current personnel, our business and future growth
prospects could be severely harmed.
(35)
Our Growth Could Strain Our Personnel and Infrastructure Resources, and if
We
Are Unable to Implement Appropriate Controls and Procedures To Manage Our
Growth, We May Not Be Able to Successfully Implement Our Business
Plan.
We
plan
to have a period of rapid growth in our headcount and operations, which has
placed, and will continue to place, a significant strain on our management,
administrative, operational and financial infrastructure. We anticipate that
further growth will be required to address increases in our customer base,
as
well as our expansion into new geographic areas.
During
the second quarter of 2005, we added sales personnel in California and New
York.
Our
success will depend in part upon the ability of our senior management to manage
this growth effectively. To do so, we must continue to hire, train and manage
new employees as needed. If our new hires perform poorly, or if we are
unsuccessful in hiring, training, managing and integrating these new employees,
or if we are not successful in retaining our existing employees, our business
may be harmed. To manage the expected growth of our operations and personnel,
we
will need to continue to improve our operational, financial and management
controls and our reporting systems and procedures. The additional headcount
and
capital investments we are adding will increase our cost base, which will make
it more difficult for us to offset any future revenue shortfalls by offsetting
expense reductions in the short term. If we fail to successfully manage our
growth, we will be unable to execute our business plan.
(36)
Our Executive Management Team is Critical to the Execution of Our Business
Plan
and the Loss of Their Services Could Severely Impact Negatively on Our
Business.
Our
success depends significantly on the continued services of our management
personnel, including Michael Nouri, who is our chairman of the board, president
and chief executive officer, and Henry Nouri, our Executive Vice President,
Research and Development. Losing any one of our officers could seriously harm
our business. Competition for executives is intense. If we had to
replace
any of our officers, we would not be able to replace the significant amount
of
knowledge that they have about our operations. We do not maintain key man
insurance policies on anyone.
(37)
Officers, Directors and Principal Stockholders Control Us. This Might Lead
Them
to Make Decisions that do not Benefit the Stockholder
Interests.
At
August
1, 2005, our officers and directors beneficially owned approximately 5,402,995
(approximately 36%) of our outstanding stock, which includes approximately
739,750 shares which can be acquired upon exercise of options within sixty
(60)
days after August 1, 2005. These shares included approximately 4,092,658 shares
beneficially owned by Michael Nouri and Henry Nouri, who are brothers and Ronna
Loprete, who is Michael Nouri’s wife. In addition, 584,250 shares are subject to
issuance upon exercise of options owned by the officers and directors, which
options cannot be exercised within sixty days after August 1 2005, and therefore
are not counted as being beneficially owned at that date. As a result, these
persons, acting together, will have the ability to control substantially all
matters submitted to our stockholders for approval (including the election
and
removal of directors and any merger, consolidation or sale of all or
substantially all of our assets) and to control our management and affairs.
Accordingly, this concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control of us, impeding a merger,
consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us or
discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise
attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could materially and adversely
affect the market price of the common stock.
(38)
Sales by Officers and Directors Could Adversely Affect of Our Stock
Price.
Sales
of
significant amounts of shares held by our directors and executive officers
after
their contractual lock-up provisions expire, or the prospect of these sales,
could adversely affect our common stock price, both because significant sales
could depress prices, and because sales by management could provide a negative
signal to the market about our prospects.
(39)
All of the Shares of Common Stock Owned by Our Officers, Directors and
Consultants Will be Registered Later in a Registration on Form S-8 and May
be
Resold by Them, Which May Have a Negative Impact on Their Interest in Smart
Online’s Future.
We
intend
to register all of the shares of our outstanding common stock, including all
of
the shares held by our officers, directors and consultants. This will allow
our
officers, directors and consultants to more easily sell all of their Smart
Online stock after their contractual lock-up restrictions expire, which may
have
a negative impact on their interest in the future success of Smart Online.
Shares owned by officers and directors are deemed to be “control” securities
and, until Smart Online meets certain criteria, resales by officers and
directors pursuant to a Form S-8 registration statement are subject to the
volume limitations of Rule 144(e), which means that an officer or director
would
be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does
not exceed (i) 1% of the number of shares of common stock then outstanding,
or
(ii) the average weekly trading volume of the common stock during the four
calendar weeks preceding the filing of a Form 144 with respect to such
sale.
Regulatory
Risks
(40)
Our Revenue Recognition Policy May Change And Affect Our Earnings, Which Could
Adversely Affect Our Stock Price.
We
believe our current revenue recognition policies and practices are consistent
with applicable accounting standards. However, revenue recognition rules for
software and service companies are complex and require significant
interpretations by management. Changes in circumstances, interpretations, or
accounting guidance may require us to modify our revenue recognition policies.
Such modifications could impact the timing of revenue recognition and our
operating results. See “Management’s Discussion And Analysis Of Financial
Condition And Results Of Operations” regarding our current revenue recognition
policies.
(41)
Compliance With New Regulations Governing Public Company Corporate Governance
and Reporting is Uncertain and Expensive. Our Difficulties in Complying with
Public Company Reporting Obligations Are Greater, Because Our Chief Financial
Officer Does Not Have Prior Experience with a Public
Company.
As
a
public company, we have incurred and will incur significant legal, accounting
and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. We will incur
costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. We also
anticipate that we will incur costs associated with recently adopted corporate
governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of
2002, as well as new rules implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission
and the NASD. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and
financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming
and
costly. Any unanticipated difficulties in preparing for and implementing these
reforms could result in material delays in complying with these
new
laws
and
regulations or significantly increase our costs. Our ability to fully comply
with these new laws and regulations is also uncertain. Our failure to timely
prepare for and implement the reforms required by these new laws and regulations
could significantly harm our business, operating results, and financial
condition. Our current chief financial officer does not have public company
experience. Consequently, we will have greater difficulty complying with public
company reporting requirements than most public companies. We also expect these
new rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for
us
to obtain director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to
accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs
to
obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult
for
us to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve on our board of
directors or as executive officers. We are currently evaluating and monitoring
developments with respect to these new rules. We estimate this will add
approximately $500,000 to our expenses during our first year as a public
company, but there can be no assurance that costs will not be
higher.
(42)
We Believe Our Financial Results Will Be Adversely Affected By Changes in
Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United
States.
Accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States are subject to interpretation
by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, the American Institute
of
Certified Public Accountants, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC,
and various bodies formed to promulgate and interpret appropriate accounting
principles. A change in these principles or interpretations could have a
significant effect on our reported financial results, and could affect the
reporting of transactions completed before the announcement of a
change.
For
example, in December 2004, the FASB announced its decision to require companies
to expense employee stock options. We will adopt this new accounting
pronouncement, Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised
2004), Share-Based
Payment,
beginning on January 1, 2006, which is the start of fiscal 2006. We believe
this
change in accounting will materially and adversely affect our reported results
of operations.
(43)
Privacy
concerns and laws or other domestic or foreign regulations may reduce the
effectiveness of our solution and adversely affect our business.
Our
customers can use our service to store contact and other personal or identifying
information regarding their customers and contacts. Federal, state and foreign
government bodies and agencies, however, have adopted or are considering
adopting laws and regulations regarding the collection, use and disclosure
of
personal information obtained from consumers and individuals. The costs of
compliance with, and other burdens imposed by, such laws and regulations that
are applicable to the businesses of our customers may limit the use and adoption
of our service and reduce overall demand for it. Furthermore, privacy concerns
may cause our customers’ customers to resist providing the personal data
necessary to allow our customers to use our service effectively. Even the
perception of privacy concerns, whether or not valid, may inhibit market
adoption of our service in certain industries. For example, regulations such
as
the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which protects and restricts the use of consumer
credit and financial information, and the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996, which regulates the use and disclosure of personal
health information, impose significant requirements and obligations on
businesses that may affect the use and adoption of our service.
The
European Union has also adopted a data privacy directive that requires member
states to impose restrictions on the collection and use of personal data that,
in some respects, are far more stringent, and impose more significant burdens
on
subject businesses, than current privacy standards in the United States. All
of
these domestic and international legislative and regulatory initiatives may
adversely affect our customers’ ability to collect and/or use demographic and
personal information from their customers, which could reduce demand for our
service.
In
addition to government activity, privacy advocacy groups and the technology
and
other industries are considering various new, additional or different
self-regulatory standards that may place additional burdens on us. If the
gathering of personal information were to be curtailed in this manner, certain
of our solutions would be less effective, which may reduce demand for our
service and harm our business.
(44)
Our business is subject to changing regulations regarding corporate governance
and public disclosure that has increased both our costs and the risk of
noncompliance.
We
are
subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including the
U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Stock Exchange and Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board, that are charged with the protection of investors
and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded. Our efforts
to comply with these new regulations, most notably the Sarbanes-Oxley Act,
or
SOX, have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased
general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and
attention to compliance activities.
By
the
end of fiscal 2006, we are required to comply with the SOX requirements
involving the assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting
and
our external auditors’ audit of that assessment. Although we believe our
on-going review and testing of our internal controls will enable us to be
compliant with the SOX requirements, we may identify deficiencies that we may
not be able to remediate by the end of fiscal 2006. If we cannot assess our
internal controls over financial reporting as effective, or our external
auditors are unable to provide an unqualified attestation report on such
assessment, our stock price could decline.
Moreover,
because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying
interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new
guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty
regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing
revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address
and
comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, our business may
be
harmed.
(45)
Evolving Regulation of the Internet May Harm Our Business.
As
Internet commerce continues to evolve, increasing regulation by federal, state
or foreign agencies becomes more likely. For example, we believe increased
regulation is likely in the area of data privacy, and laws and regulations
applying to the solicitation, collection, processing or use of personal or
consumer information could affect our customers’ ability to use and share data,
potentially reducing demand for our services and restricting our ability to
store, process and share data with our customers. In addition, taxation of
services provided over the Internet or other charges imposed by government
agencies or by private organizations for accessing the Internet may also be
imposed. Any regulation imposing greater fees for Internet use or restricting
information exchange over the Internet could result in a decline in the use
of
the Internet and the viability of Internet-based services, which could harm
our
business.
(46)
Our Ability to Protect Our Intellectual Property is Limited and Our Products
may
be Subject to Infringement Claims by Third Parties.
Our
success depends, in part, upon our proprietary technology, processes, trade
secrets, and other proprietary information, and our ability to protect this
information from unauthorized disclosure and use. We rely on a combination
of
copyright, trade secret, and trademark laws, confidentiality procedures,
contractual provisions, and other similar measures to protect our proprietary
information.
We
do not
own any issued patents or have any patent applications pending. Despite our
efforts to protect our proprietary rights, unauthorized parties may attempt
to
copy aspects of our products or to obtain and use information that we regard
as
proprietary, and third parties may attempt to develop similar technology
independently. Policing unauthorized use of our products is difficult,
particularly because the global nature of the Internet makes it difficult to
control the ultimate destination or security of software or other data
transmitted. While we are unable to determine the extent to which piracy of
our
software products exists, software piracy can be expected to be a persistent
problem.
In
addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect our proprietary
rights to as great an extent as do the laws of the United States, and we expect
that it will become more difficult to monitor use of our products as we increase
our international presence. Over the past several years, we have made numerous
changes in our product names. Although we own registered trademarks in the
United States and have filed trademark applications in the United States and
in
certain other countries, we do not have assurance that our strategy with respect
to our trademark portfolio will be adequate to secure or protect all necessary
intellectual property. There can be no assurance that our means of protecting
these proprietary rights will be adequate, or that our competitors will not
independently develop similar technology.
The
software and Internet industries are characterized by the existence of a large
number of patents, trademarks and copyrights and by frequent litigation based
on
allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights.
As the number of entrants into our market increases, the possibility of an
intellectual property claim against us grows. Our technologies may not be able
to withstand any third-party claims or rights against their use. Any
intellectual property claims, with or without merit, could be time-consuming
and
expensive to litigate or settle, and could divert management attention from
executing our business plan. In addition, our agreements often require us to
indemnify our syndication partners for third-party intellectual property
infringement claims, which would increase the cost to us of an adverse ruling
in
such a claim. An adverse determination could also prevent us from offering
our
service to others. No third party has asserted any intellectual property claims
against us.
(47)
Anti-Takeover Effects of Charter Documents and Delaware Law Could Discourage
or
Prevent a Change in Control, Even If a Change of Control Would Be Beneficial
to
Shareholders and Investors.
Provisions
in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as amended and restated, as
well
as provisions of Delaware law may have the effect of delaying or preventing
a
change of control or changes in our management even if a change of control
would
be beneficial to our shareholders and investors. These provisions include the
following:
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Our
board of directors is divided into three classes whenever the number
of
Directors is six or more, in which case, approximately one-third
of our
board of directors will be elected each year. This delays the ability
of
shareholders, including any acquiror, to change our board of
directors.
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Our
board of directors has the right to elect directors to fill a vacancy
created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation,
death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from
being
able to fill vacancies on our board of
directors.
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· |
Cumulative
voting in the election of directors is not authorized by our certificate
of incorporation. This limits the ability of minority stockholders
to
elect director candidates.
|
|
· |
Stockholders
must provide advance notice to nominate individuals for election
to the
board of directors or to propose matters that can be acted upon at
a
stockholders’ meeting. This requirement may discourage or deter a
potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect
the
acquiror’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain
control of our company.
|
|
· |
Our
board of directors may issue, without stockholder approval, shares
of
undesignated preferred stock. The ability to authorize undesignated
preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue
preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could
impede the success of any attempt to acquire
us.
|
As
a
Delaware corporation, we are also subject to certain Delaware anti-takeover
provisions. Under Delaware law, a corporation may not engage in a business
combination with any holder of 15% or more of its capital stock, unless the
holder has held the stock for three years or, among other things, the board
of
directors has approved the transaction. Our board of directors could rely on
Delaware law to prevent or delay an acquisition of us even if a change of
control would be beneficial to stockholders and investors. For a description
of
our capital stock, see “Description of Capital Stock.”
Risks
Associated With The Market For Our Securities
(48)
Our Common Stock Began Being Quoted for Trading on the Over-the-Counter
Electronic Bulletin Board in April 2005, but There Is No Assurance Volume
Trading Will Develop. Therefore You may be Unable to Sell Your
Shares.
Our
common stock began trading on the Over-the-Counter Electronic Bulletin Board
(“OTCBB” or “Bulletin Board”) during April 2005. There is no assurance that
volume trading will develop. Other public markets, such as NASDAQ or a national
securities exchange, have qualitative and quantitative listing criteria that
we
do not currently meet. These criteria include operating results, net assets,
corporate governance, minimum trading price and minimums for public float,
which
is the amount of stock not held by affiliates of the issuer.
To
remain
eligible to have our securities quoted on OTCBB, we must file reports with
the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d)
of
the Securities Act of 1933 and we must remain current in our periodical
reporting obligations. A broker/dealer must also file a Form 211 with the
National Association of Securities Dealers (“NASD”) to allow our common stock to
be quoted on the OTCBB. For more information on the OTCBB see its web site
at
www.otcbb.com.
There
can
be no assurance our market maker will continue to quote our stock. If for any
reason, our securities are not eligible for continued quotation on the Bulletin
Board or a public trading market does not develop, purchasers of the shares
may
have difficulty selling their securities should they desire to do so. If we
are
unable to satisfy the requirements for quotation on the Bulletin Board, any
trading in our common stock would be conducted in the over-the-counter market
in
what are commonly referred to as the “pink sheets.” The “pink sheets” are
operated by a private company and are not affiliated with the NASD. However,
a
broker-dealer must file a Form 211 and undergo NASD review before it can quote
securities on the “pink sheets.” Companies quoted on the “pink sheets” need not
file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trading
volume for securities traded only on the “pink sheets” is generally lower than
for securities traded on the OTCBB. If our securities quoted for trading only
on
the “pink sheets,” an investor may find it more difficult to dispose of, or to
obtain accurate quotations as to the price of, the securities offered
hereby.
The
above-described rules may materially adversely affect the liquidity of the
market for our securities. There can be no assurance that an active trading
market will ever develop or, if it develops, will be maintained. Failure to
develop or maintain an active trading market could negatively affect the price
of our securities, and you will be unable to sell your shares. If so, your
investment will be a complete loss.
(49)
If Securities Analysts Do Not Publish Research or Reports About Our Business
or
If They Downgrade Our Stock, the Price of Our Stock Could
Decline.
The
trading market for our common stock will rely in part on the research and
reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business.
If
we do not succeed in attracting analysts to report about our company, most
investors will not know about our company even if we are successful in
implementing our business plan. We do not control these analysts. There are
many
large, well established publicly traded companies active in our industry and
market, which may mean it will be less likely that we receive widespread analyst
coverage. Furthermore, if one or more of the analysts who do cover us downgrade
our stock, our stock price would likely decline rapidly. If one or more of
these
analysts cease coverage of our company, we could lose visibility in the market,
which in turn could cause our stock price to decline. Lower trading volume
may
also mean that you could not resell your shares.
(50)
Our Quarterly Revenues and Operating Results may Fluctuate in Future Periods
and
We may Fail to Meet Expectations of Investors and Public Market Analysts, Which
Could Cause the Price of Our Common Stock to Decline.
Our
quarterly revenues and operating results may fluctuate significantly from
quarter to quarter. If quarterly revenues or operating results fall below the
expectations of investors or public market analysts, the price of our common
stock could decline substantially. Factors that might cause quarterly
fluctuations in our operating results include:
|
·
|
the
evolving demand for our services and
software;
|
|
·
|
spending
decisions by our customers and prospective
customers;
|
|
·
|
our
ability to manage expenses;
|
|
·
|
the
timing of new product releases;
|
|
·
|
changes
in our pricing policies or those of our
competitors;
|
|
·
|
the
timing of execution of large
contracts;
|
|
·
|
changes
in the mix of our services and software
offerings;
|
|
·
|
the
mix of sales channels through which our services and software are
sold;
|
|
·
|
costs
of developing new products and
enhancements;
|
|
·
|
global
economic and political conditions;
|
|
· |
our
ability to retain and increase sales to existing customers, attract
new
customers and satisfy our customers’
requirements;
|
|
·
|
the
renewal rates for our service;
|
|
·
|
the
rate of expansion and effectiveness of our sales force;
|
|
·
|
the
length of the sales cycle for our
service;
|
|
·
|
new
product and service introductions by our
competitors;
|
|
·
|
technical
difficulties or interruptions in our
service;
|
|
·
|
regulatory
compliance costs;payment defaults by customers;
and
|
|
·
|
extraordinary
expenses such as litigation or other dispute-related settlement
payments.
|
In
addition, due to a slowdown in the general economy and general uncertainty
of
the current geopolitical environment, a existing and potential customer may
reassess or reduce their planned technology and Internet-related investments
and
defer purchasing decisions. Further delays or reductions in business spending
for technology could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and
operating results.
(51)
Our Stock Price is Likely to be Highly Volatile and May
Decline.
The
trading prices of the securities of technology companies have been highly
volatile. Accordingly, the trading price of our common stock has been and is
likely to continue to be subject to wide fluctuations. Further, our common
stock
has a limited trading history. Factors affecting the trading price of our common
stock include:
|
·
|
variations
in our actual and anticipated operating
results;
|
|
·
|
changes
in our earnings estimates by
analysts;
|
|
·
|
the
volatility inherent in stock prices within the emerging sector within
which we conduct business;
|
|
·
|
announcements
of technological innovations, new services or service enhancements,
strategic alliances or significant agreements by us or by our
competitors;
|
|
·
|
recruitment
or departure of key personnel;
|
|
·
|
changes
in the estimates of our operating results or changes in recommendations
by
any securities analysts that elect to follow our common
stock;
|
|
·
|
market
conditions in our industry, the industries of our customers and the
economy as a whole;
|
|
·
|
and
the volume of trading in our common stock, including sales of substantial
amounts of common stock issued upon the exercise of outstanding options
and warrants.
|
In
addition, Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board, administered by the NASD, on which
our stock is quoted has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that
have affected the trading prices of many technology and computer software
companies, particularly Internet-related companies. Such fluctuations have
often
been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these
companies. These broad trading fluctuations could adversely affect the trading
price of our common stock.
Further,
securities class action litigation has often been brought against companies
that
experience periods of volatility in the market prices of their securities.
Securities class action litigation could result in substantial costs and a
diversion of our management’s attention and resources. If such a suit is brought
against us, we may determine, like many defendants in such lawsuits, that it
is
in our best interests to settle such a lawsuit even if we believe that the
plaintiffs’ claims have no merit, to avoid the cost and distraction of continued
litigation. Any liability we incur in connection with this potential lawsuit
could materially harm our business and financial position and, even if we defend
ourselves successfully, there is a risk that management’s distraction in dealing
with this type of lawsuit could harm our results.
(52)
Shares Eligible for Public Sale Could Adversely Affect Our Stock Price.
Holders
of Shares of Our Common Stock Signed Agreements That Prohibit Resales of
Approximately 9,954,624 shares of our Common Stock. The Lock-up Period Will
Expire on October 1, 2005. If Substantial Numbers of Shares Are Resold At or
After October 1, 2005, the Market Price of Our Common Stock Is likely to
Decrease Substantially.
At
August
1, 2005, 12,625,707 shares of our common stock were issued and outstanding
and
2,720,628 shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of warrants and options.
Of
these
shares, 1,550,972 shares registered on Form S-1 are freely tradable under
Federal securities law. The remaining shares are restricted and may be sold
in
the public market only if they qualify for an exemption from registration
described below under Rules 144, 144(k) or 701 promulgated under the Securities
Act.
Rule
144
In
general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, but subject to the Lock-Up
Agreements described below, if applicable, a person (or persons whose shares
are
aggregated) who has purchased our common stock from us or any “affiliate” of
ours at least one year before the date of resale would be entitled to sell
within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the
greater of: (i) 1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding;
or (ii) the average weekly trading volume of the volume of our common stock
during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a Form 144 with respect
to such sale. Sales under Rule 144 are also subject to manner of sale provisions
and notice requirements, and to the availability of current public information
about us.
In
addition, a person who is not deemed to have been our “affiliate” at any time
during the 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned for at least
two years the shares proposed to be sold is entitled to sell such shares under
Rule 144(k) without regard to the volume limitations and other requirements
described above. Therefore, unless otherwise restricted, Rule 144(k) shares
may
be sold at any time. See the table below entitled “Rule 144 and Lock-Up Shares,”
setting forth the number of shares not sellable under Rule 144, the number
sellable under Rule 144 with volume restrictions, and the number sellable under
Rule 144(k) with no volume restrictions.
Rule
701
Our
employees, directors, officers and consultants who acquired Common Stock prior
to February 15, 2005, (the date we became subject to the reporting requirements
of the Exchange Act) under written compensatory benefit plans or written
contracts relating to the compensation of those persons may rely on Rule 701
with respect to the resale of that stock. In general, Rule 701 permits resales
of shares issued under compensatory benefit plans and contracts in reliance
upon
Rule 144, but without compliance with certain restrictions, including the
holding period requirements described in Rule 144. Accordingly, subject to
the
lock-up agreements described below, if applicable, commencing May 16, 2005,
under Rule 701 persons who received compensation shares and who are not our
“affiliates” may resell those shares subject only to the manner of sale
provisions of Rule 144, and persons who received compensation shares and who
are
our “affiliates” may resell those shares without compliance with Rule 144’s
minimum holding period requirements.
Equity
Compensation Plans
On
May 3,
2005, we filed a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act
with respect to the 5,000,000 shares of the Common Stock reserved for issuance
under our 2004 Equity Compensation Plan, which is now effective. We also
anticipate, as described below, filing additional registration statements on
Form S-8 under the Securities Act with respect to certain shares of the Common
Stock.
Shares
registered on Form S-8, other than shares held by officers and directors, may
be
sold in the public markets. Shares registered on Form S-8 and held by our
officers and directors may only be resold in compliance with the volume
limitations of Rule 144(e), which means that an officer or director would be
entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does
not
exceed the greater of: (i) 1% of the number of shares of Common Stock then
outstanding; or (ii) the average weekly trading volume of the Common Stock
during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a Form 144 with respect
to such sale. Shares registered on Form S-8 held by persons other than officers
and directors are not subject to any value limitations.
Lock-Up
Agreements
Most
of
our security holders have signed lock-up agreements (the “Lock-up Agreements”)
restricting the sale of our securities and/or agreements that limit the number
of shares sellable during specific time periods (“Dribble Out Agreements”). The
Dribble Out Agreements apply to all the shares sold by us in private placements
and Regulation S offerings during 2004 and 2005, which shares have been
registered for resale or which we are under an obligation to register for
resale.
The
number of outstanding shares subject to each Lock-Up Agreements and Dribble
Out
Agreements between Smart Online and its security holders is set forth below
in
the footnotes to the table entitled “Rule 144 and Lock-Up Shares.”
The
lock-up period will expire on September 30, 2005. Thereafter, shareholders
who
were prohibited from reselling shares may for one year sell up to 8.5% of the
formerly locked up shares in any rolling 30-day period.
Market
Price Decline and Low Trading Volume
Our
stock
is very thinly traded. The
average trading volume for our Common Stock during July 2005 was approximately
ten thousand shares per day. The number of shares that could be sold during
this
period was restrained by the lock-up agreements, while there was no similar
contractual restraint on the number of buyers of our Common Stock. This means
that market supply may increase more than market demand for our shares when
the
lock-up period expires. Many companies experience a decrease in the market
price
of their shares when a lock-up period terminates. If substantial numbers of
shares are resold at or after October 1, 2005, the market price of our Common
Stock is likely to decrease substantially.
We
cannot
predict if future sales of our common stock, or the availability of our common
stock held for sale, will materially and adversely affect the market price
for
our common stock or our ability to raise capital by offering equity securities.
Our stock price may decline, if the resale of shares under Rule 144, in addition
to the resale of registered shares, at certain time in the future, exceeds
the
market demand for our stock.
Unless
a
trading market for our shares develops, you will not be able to resell your
stock, and, market makers may influence the stock price. Market conditions
and
market makers may cause your investment in our common stock to significantly
diminish and may become very illiquid.
We
can
offer no assurance that the volume of trading of our shares in the public
markets will be sufficient to allow all sellers to sell at the times or prices
sellers desire. Future sales of substantial amounts of our shares in the public
market could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time and
could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of our equity
securities.
Summary
Table
The
following table summarizes 12,625,707 shares outstanding as of August 1, 2005
by
both (i) their resale status under Rule 144 and registration statements and
(ii)
restrictions or limits on resale under contracts between shareholders and Smart
Online.
Rule
144 and Lock-Up Shares(1)
|
COLUMN
A
|
COLUMN
B
|
COLUMN
C
|
COLUMN
D
|
COLUMN
E
|
|
Lock-up
Shares(7)
|
33
1/3% Per Month
Dribble-Out
Shares(8)
|
25%
Per Month
Dribble-Out
Shares(9)
|
Shares
With No Contractual
Restrictions
on Resale(10)
|
Totals
Each Row
|
Shares
Not Sellable under Rule 144(2)
|
None
|
None
|
732,272
|
31,886
|
764,158
|
Shares
Sellable under Rule 144 with
Rule
144 Volume Restrictions(3)(4)
|
7,131,902
|
None
|
None
|
177,874
|
7,309,776
|
Shares
Sellable under Rule 144(k) without
Rule 144 Volume Restrictions(5)
|
2,722,722
|
None
|
None
|
178,079
|
2,900,801
|
Shares
Registered for Resale(6)
|
100,000
|
1,307,647
|
None
|
243,325
|
1,650,972
|
Totals
Each Column
|
9,954,624
|
1,307,647
|
732,272
|
631,164
|
12,625,707
|
(1)
Table
includes only shares issued and outstanding as of August 1, 2005. Table does
not
include options or warrants.
(2)
Represents shares purchased from Smart Online, or from an “affiliate” of Smart
Online, as that term is defined in Rule 144, less than one year prior to August
1, 2005, including 732,272 shares Smart Online has an obligation to register
for
resale, but which have not been registered as of August 1, 2005. Does not
include shares held for less than one year, but registered as described in
Footnote (6). Includes no shares held by “affiliates” of Smart Online, as that
term is defined in Rule 144.
(3)
Represents shares purchased from Smart Online, or from an “affiliate” of Smart
Online, as that term is defined in Rule 144, more than one year but less than
two years prior to August 1, 2005 and shares acquired pursuant to Rule 701.
Also
includes 5,430,431 shares held for a year or more by “affiliates” of Smart
Online, as that term is defined in Rule 144.
(4)
Does
not include 956,284 shares held for more than one year, but less than two years,
and registered for resale as described in Footnote (6).
(5)
Represents shares purchased from Smart Online, or purchased from an “affiliate”
of Smart Online, as that term is defined in Rule 144, more than two years prior
to August 1, 2005, other than such shares held by “affiliates” of Smart Online,
as that term is defined in Rule 144 and shares held by affiliates acquired
pursuant to Rule 701.
(6)
Represents outstanding shares registered for resale pursuant to the registration
statement No. 333-119385 declared effective by the SEC on February 15, 2005,
none of which are owned by affiliates of Smart Online as that term is defined
in
Rule 144. May 3, 2005 Smart Online filed a registration statement on Form S-8
to
cover shares of its 2004 Equity Compensation Plan and may thereafter file
additional registration statements on Form S-8 to cover its other option plans
and Smart Online has also signed registration rights agreements to register
additional shares purchased by investors during 2005, which shares will also
be
registered during 2005.
(7)
Represents shares held by stockholders with whom Smart Online has entered into
Lock-Up Agreements which provide, in general, for a lock-up that expires on
September 30, 2006. Under these agreements, no resales of shares covered by
the
Lock-up Agreements are prohibited until October 1, 2005, and commencing October
1, 2005 each such stockholder may sell or transfer up to 8.5% of the shares
of
Common Stock of that stockholder that are subject to the Lock-Up Agreement
during each calendar month until September 30, 2006.
(8)
Represents shares held by investors who purchased shares during 2004 with whom
Smart Online has entered into Dribble Out Agreements which provide, in general,
for a volume limitation that expires 18 months after effective date of the
first
registration statement that registers the shares for resale. These 1,309,647
shares are covered by Registration Statement No. 333-119385 which became
effective February 15, 2005. Consequently, the 18-month volume limitation
continues until August 15, 2006. Under these agreements, each such stockholder
may sell or transfer up to 33 1/3% of such holder’s shares of Common Stock
covered by the Dribble Out Agreements during any rolling 30-day period prior
to
August 15, 2006.
(9)
Represents shares held by investors who purchased shares during 2005 with whom
Smart Online has entered into Dribble Out Agreements which provide, in general,
for a volume limitation that expires six months after the effective date of
the
first registration statement that registers such shares for resale. Under these
agreements, commencing with the effective date of such registration statement,
each such stockholder may sell or transfer up to 25% of such holder’s shares of
Common Stock covered by the Dribble Out Agreements during any rolling 30-day
period prior to the termination of the agreement. A registration statement
to
register these shares has not become effective as of August 1, 2005.
(10)
Represents shares held by stockholders with whom Smart Online has not entered
into any Lock-Up Agreements or Dribble Out Agreements.
Option
and Warrant Table(1)
The
following table summarizes the number of shares issuable pursuant to currently
exercisable options and warrants outstanding at August 1, 2005 by both (i)
their
resale status under Rules 701 and 144 and registration statements and (ii)
restrictions or limits on resale under contracts between Smart Online and option
holders and warrant holders.
|
COLUMN
A
|
COLUMN
B
|
COLUMN
C
|
COLUMN
D
|
COLUMN
E
|
|
Lock-up
Shares(8)
|
33
1/3% Per Month
Dribble-Out
Shares(9)
|
25%
Per Month
Dribble-Out
Shares(10)
|
Shares
With No Contractual Restrictions on Resale(11)
|
Totals
Each Row
|
Warrant
Shares not Sellable
under
Rule 701 or Rule 144(2)
|
None
|
None
|
50,000
|
92,000
|
142,000
|
Option
Shares Owned by
Affiliates
Sellable under Rule
701
with
Rule 144 Volume
Resale
Limitations(3)
|
650,000
|
None
|
None
|
None
|
650,000
|
Option
Shares Owned by Non-Affiliates Sellable under Rule 701 or Rule 144
without
Rule 144 Volume Resale Limitations(4)
|
60,000
|
None
|
None
|
38,400
|
98,400
|
Shares
Owned by Non-Affiliates Registered in May 2005 Sellable without
Rule 144 Volume Resale Limitations(5)
|
281,000
|
None
|
None
|
447,250
|
728,250
|
Option
Shares Owned by Affiliates Registered in May 2005 with
Rule 144 Volume Limitations(6)
|
570,000
|
None
|
None
|
254,000
|
824,000
|
Warrant
Shares Registered(7)
|
None
|
276,978
|
None
|
None
|
276,978
|
Totals
Each Column
|
1,561,000
|
276,978
|
50,000
|
831,650
|
2,719,628
|
(1)
Table
includes only shares currently issuable upon exercise of warrants and options
issued and outstanding as of August 1, 2005. Additional outstanding options,
which are not currently exercisable, are not included in this Table.
(2)
Represents options issued after February 15, 2005 and warrants where the shares
issuable upon exercise of the options and warrants have not been registered
for
resale and which will not be included in the Registration Statement on Form
S-8
that Smart Online filed on May 3, 2005, but which may be included in a later
registration statement on Form S-8
(3)
Represents options issued before February 15, 2005 to affiliates of Smart
Online, as that term is defined in Rule 144, pursuant to Rule 701, which options
are not included in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 that Smart Online
filed on May 3, 2005, but which may be included in a later registration
statement on Form S-8.
(4)
Represents options issued before February 15, 2005 to “non-affiliates” of Smart
Online, as that term is defined in Rule 144, pursuant to Rule 701, which options
are not included in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 Smart Online filed
on
May 3, 2005, but which may be included in a later registration statement on
Form
S-8.
(5)
Represents option shares registered for resale pursuant to a registration
statement on Form S-8 that Smart Online filed on May 3, 2005, which are not
owned by affiliates of Smart Online as that term is defined in Rule 144.
(6)
Represents option shares registered for resale pursuant to a registration
statement Form S-8 that Smart Online filed on May 3, 2005, all of which are
owned by affiliates of Smart Online as that term is defined in Rule 144.
(7)
Represents shares registered for resale pursuant to the registration statement
No. 333-119385 declared effective by the SEC on February 15, 2005. The shares
are issuable upon exercise of currently exercisable warrants.
(8)
Represents shares held by stockholders with whom Smart Online has entered into
Lock-Up Agreements which provide, in general, for a lock-up that expires on
September 30, 2006. Under these agreements, resale of shares covered by the
Lock-Up Agreements are prohibited until October 1, 2005, and commencing October
1, 2005 each such stockholder may sell or transfer up to 8.5% of the shares
of
Common Stock of that stockholder that are subject to the Lock-Up Agreement
during each calendar month until September 30, 2006.
(9)
Represents warrants held by investors who purchased warrants during 2004 with
whom Smart Online has entered into Dribble Out Agreements which provide, in
general, for a volume limitation that expires 18 months after effective date
of
the first registration statement that registers the shares for resale. These
warrant shares are covered by Registration Statement No. 333-119385 which became
effective February 15, 2005. Consequently, the 18-month volume limitation
continues until August 15, 2006. Under these agreements, each such stockholder
may sell or transfer up to 33 1/3% of such holder’s shares of Common Stock
covered by the Dribble Out Agreements during any rolling 30-day period prior
to
August 15, 2006.
(10)
Represents warrants held by investors who purchased warrants during 2005 with
whom Smart Online has entered into Dribble Out Agreements which provide, in
general, for a volume limitation that expire six months after the effective
date
of the first registration statement that registers such shares for resale.
Under
these agreements, commencing with the effective date of such registration
statement, each such stockholder may sell or transfer up to 25% of such holder’s
shares of Common Stock covered by the Dribble Out Agreements during any rolling
30-day period prior to the termination of the agreement. A registration
statement to register these shares has not become effective as of August 1,
2005. Consequently, the date of termination of the 6-month post-effective
restriction period is not known at this time.
(11)
Represents shares issuable pursuant to currently exercisable outstanding
warrants and options held by persons with whom Smart Online has not entered
into
any Lock-Up Agreements or Dribble Out Agreements.
(53)
Our Securities May Be Subject to "Penny Stock" Rules, Which Could Adversely
Affect Our Stock Price and Make It More Difficult for You to Resell Our
Stock.
The
Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer
practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. Penny stocks are
generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 (other than
securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or quoted on
NASDAQ, provided that reports with respect to transactions in such securities
are provided by the exchange or quotation system pursuant to an effective
transaction reporting plan approved by the Commission.)
The
penny
stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock
not
otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure
document prepared by the Commission, which:
|
·
|
Contains
a description of the nature and level of risk in the market for penny
stocks in both public offerings and secondary
trading;
|
|
·
|
Contains
a description of the broker’s or dealer’s duties to the customer and of
the rights and remedies available to the customer with respect to
a
violation to such duties or other
requirements;
|
|
·
|
Contains
a brief, clear, narrative description of a dealer market, including
“bid”
and “ask” prices for penny stocks and the significance of the spread
between the bid and ask price;
|
|
·
|
Contains
a toll-free telephone number for inquiries on disciplinary
actions;
|
|
·
|
defines
significant terms in the disclosure document or in the conduct of
trading
penny stocks; and
|
|
·
|
Contains
such other information and is in such form (including language, type,
size, and format) as the Commission shall
require.
|
|
·
|
The
broker-dealer also must provide, prior to effecting any transaction
in a
penny stock, the customer:
|
|
·
|
with
bid and offer quotations for the penny
stock;
|
|
·
|
the
compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the
transaction;
|
|
·
|
the
number of shares to which such bid and ask prices apply, or other
comparable information relating to the depth and liquidity of the
market
for such stock; and
|
|
·
|
Monthly
account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held
in
the customer’s account.
|
In
addition, the penny stock rules require that prior to a transaction in a penny
stock not otherwise exempt from those rules; the broker-dealer must make a
special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment
for
the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt
of a risk disclosure statement, a written agreement to transactions involving
penny stocks, and a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement.
These disclosure requirements will have the effect of reducing the trading
activity in the secondary market for our stock because it will be subject to
these penny stock rules. Therefore, stockholders may have difficulty selling
those securities.
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market
Risk
Foreign
currency exchange risk
During
2004, 2003, and 2002, all of our contracts and transactions were U.S. dollar
denominated. As a result our results of operations and cash flows are not
subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange
rates.
Interest
rate sensitivity
We
had
unrestricted cash and cash equivalents totaling $173,339, $101,486, and $26,940
at December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively. These amounts were invested
primarily in demand deposit accounts and money market funds. The unrestricted
cash and cash equivalents are held for working capital purposes. We do not
enter
into investments for trading or speculative purposes. Due to the short-term
nature of these investments, we believe that we do not have any material
exposure to changes in the fair value of our investment portfolio as a result
of
changes in interest rates. Declines in interest rates, however, will reduce
future investment income.
Attached
as exhibits to this Form 10-Q are certifications of our Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), which are required in accordance with
Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"). This “Controls and Procedures” section includes information concerning
the disclosure controls and procedures evaluation referred to in the
certifications. This section should be read in conjunction with the
certifications for a more complete understanding of the topics
presented.
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our
Board
of Directors approved disclosure controls and procedures (“Disclosure Controls”)
based on the evaluation and recommendations of our Chief Executive Officer
and
Chief Financial Officer in connection with preparation of financial statements
for the period covered by this Form 10-Q. Disclosure Controls are controls
and
procedures designed to reasonably assure that information required to be
disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Form 10-Q,
is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) rules and
forms.
Disclosure Controls are also designed to reasonably assure that such information
is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the CEO and CFO,
as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure.
The
evaluation of our Disclosure Controls included a review of the controls’
objectives and design, our implementation of the controls and the effect of
the
controls on the information generated for use in this Form 10-Q. This type
of
evaluation will be performed on a quarterly basis so that the conclusions of
management, including the CEO and CFO, concerning the effectiveness of the
Disclosure Controls can be reported in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and
Form 10-K. The overall goals of our evaluation activities are to monitor our
Disclosure Controls, and to modify them as necessary.
Based
upon the Disclosure Controls evaluation, our CEO and CFO have concluded that,
as
of the end of the period covered by this Form 10-Q, our Disclosure Controls
were
effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be
disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified by the SEC, and that material
information relating to Smart Online is accumulated and communicated to
management, including the CEO and CFO as appropriate to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure.
Internal
Controls
There
have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that
occurred during our last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are
reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
Inherent
Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
Our
management, including the CEO and CFO, does not expect that our Disclosure
Controls or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect
all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and
operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control
system’s objectives will be met. The design of a control system must reflect the
fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must
be
considered relative to their costs. Further, because of the inherent limitations
in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance
that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control
issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the company have been detected.
These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in
decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple
error or mistake. Controls can also be circumvented by the individual acts
of
some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override
of
the controls. The design of any system of controls is based in part on certain
assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance
that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential
future conditions. Projections of any evaluation of controls effectiveness
to
future periods are subject to risks. Over time, controls may become inadequate
because of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance
with policies or procedures.
Smart
Online has determined, in consultation with
BDO, that its expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2005 were overstated
by $506,000. See Note 7 of Notes to Financial Statements regarding the
cause of the restatement of our financial statements for the quarter ended
June
30, 2005.
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1. Legal Proceedings
U.S.
News & World Report v. Smart Online, Inc.-
U.S.
News instituted this action against Smart Online in January 2003 in New York
(Case No. 102959/03) for breach of contract, due to Smart Online’s refusal to
pay the sum of $92,204.17 for an advertising insert, which Smart Online asserts
was faulty. On October 27, 2003, the New York action was dismissed by the
Supreme Court of the State of New York, because the State of New York had no
jurisdiction over this suit. On February 6, 2004, U.S. News filed a similar
claim in the District Court of Durham County, North Carolina (Case No.
04-CVD-00575). On April 7, 2005, the parties entered into a settlement agreement
in consideration for Smart Online paying $50,000.00 and dismissing its
counterclaims. The suit has been voluntarily dismissed with
prejudice.
Infopia,
Inc. v. Smart Online, Inc.-
Infopia
instituted this action against Smart Online on August 6, 2003 in District Court,
Wake County, North Carolina (Case No. 03-CVD-10567) for breach of contract,
unfair and deceptive trade practices, and punitive damages, alleging that Smart
Online improperly refused to refund the $32,500 integration fee paid by Infopia
to Smart Online for Smart Online’s integration of Infopia’s products into Smart
Online’s platform. On May 10, 2005, the parties entered into a settlement
agreement in consideration for Smart Online paying $30,000 and dismissing its
counterclaims. The suit has been voluntarily dismissed with
prejudice.
Smart
Online, Inc. v. Genuity, Inc.-
Smart
Online instituted this action against Genuity on May 22, 2001, in the Superior
Court of Wake County, North Carolina, Civil Action No. 01-CVS-06277. Smart
Online brought claims against Genuity for breach of contract, breach of express
warranty, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, breach of warranty
of
fitness for a particular purpose, conversion, unfair and deceptive trade
practices, negligent misrepresentation and fraud arising from Genuity’s failure
to perform
properly
under contracts between the parties, from Genuity’s failure to return certain
property belonging to Smart Online, and from certain representations made by
Genuity with regard to the services needed by Smart Online under the contracts.
On or about July 23, 2001, Genuity filed its answer to the complaint along
with
counterclaims against Smart Online. In its counterclaims, Genuity brought claims
for breach of contract alleging that Smart Online failed to pay for the services
rendered by Genuity. On October 22, 2002, the court denied Genuity’s request to
dismiss Smart Online’s breach of contract claim, allowed Smart Online to amend
its complaint to restate its claim for breach of contract, and dismissed Smart
Online’s claims for breach of implied warranties. The parties were completing
discovery and preparing for trial when the case was automatically stayed as
a
result of Genuity’s filing for bankruptcy. This case is still subject to the
automatic stay.
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and
Use of
Proceeds
(1)
|
In
May 2005, Smart Online engaged a firm to act as a non-exclusive placement
agent for the sale of the company’s common stock. Upon signing the
placement agency agreement, Smart Online issued the firm 2,500 shares
of
its common stock that vested immediately. A legend was placed on
the stock
certificates stating that the securities have not been registered
under
the Securities Act and cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without
an
effective registration or exemption from
registration.
|
(2)
|
In
June 2005, Smart Online engaged a firm to prepare an equity research
report on the company. In full consideration for such services, Smart
Online issued the firm a total of 14,286 shares of its common stock.
A
legend was placed on the stock certificates stating that the securities
have not been registered under the Securities Act and cannot be sold
or
otherwise transferred without an effective registration or exemption
from
registration.
|
(3)
|
During
July 2005, Smart Online sold 90,909 shares of its common stock to
an
existing investor for a price of $5.50 per share resulting in gross
proceeds of $500,000. Also during July 2005, Smart Online sold an
additional 36,363 shares to a new investor resulting in gross proceeds
of
$199,997. In connection with these sales, Smart Online incurred issuance
costs totaling $70,000.
|
This
offering was conducted pursuant to Rule 506 under Regulation D. All the
investors are accredited investors. All the investors have prior experience
investing in start-up technology companies. All the investors were provided
access to all the information they deemed relevant to their investment
decisions. All the investors had prior business dealings with one another or
with Smart Online. Neither Smart Online nor any person acting on its behalf
offered or sold the securities by any general solicitation or general
advertising. A legend was placed on the stock certificates stating that the
securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and cannot be
sold
or otherwise transferred without an effective registration or exemption from
registration.
The
proceeds from this offering will be used to fund Smart Online’s working capital
requirements.
Not
applicable.
Item
4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security
Holders
None.
Item
5. Other Information
(1)
|
During
July 2005, Smart Online’s Board of Directors approved charters for three
new Board committees: Audit, Compensation and Nominating and adopted
an
Insider Trading Policy. Copies of these charters and policies are
available on the company’s website at
www.smartonline.com.
|
Exhibits
The
Exhibits listed in the Exhibit Index are incorporated herein by
reference.
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
Dated:
November 22, 2005
|
Smart
Online, Inc.
|
|
|
|
/s/
Michael Nouri
|
|
Michael
Nouri
Principal
Executive Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smart
Online, Inc.
|
|
|
|
/s/
Scott Whitaker
|
|
Scott
Whitaker
Principal
Financial Officer and
|
|
Principal
Accounting Officer
|
|
|
SMART
ONLINE, INC.
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
Number
|
Exhibit
Description
|
Form
|
File
Number
|
Exhibit
|
Filing
Date
|
Filed
Herewith
|
3.1
|
Amended
and Restated
Certification
of Incorporation
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
3.1
|
9/30/04
|
|
3.2
|
Amended
and Restated By-Laws
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
3.1
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.1
|
2004
Equity Compensation Plan
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.1
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.2
|
2001
Equity Compensation Plan
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.2
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.3
|
1998
Stock Option Plan
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.3
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.4
|
Form
of Reorganization Lock-up Proxy and Release Agreement dated 1/01/04
between Online and stockholders of Smart Online
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.4
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.5
|
Form
of Lock-up Agreement dated 01/01/04, between Smart Online and stockholders
of Smart Online
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.5
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.6
|
Form
of Subscription Agreement with lock-up provisions between Smart Online
and
investors
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.6
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.7
|
Form
of Registration Rights Agreement dated as of 02/01/04 between Smart
Online
and investors
|
SB-2
|
333-119385
|
10.7
|
9/30/04
|
|
10.8
|
Employment
Agreement dated 04/01/04 with Michael Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.8
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.9
|
Employment
Agreement dated 04/01/04 with
Henry
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.9
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.10
|
Employment
Agreement dated 04/01/04 with Ronna Loprete
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.10
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.11
|
Employment
Agreement dated 05/01/04 with Jose Collazo
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.11
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.12
|
Employment
Agreement dated 05/01/04 with Anil Kamath
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.12
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.13
|
Security
Agreement dated 10/13/03 with Smart Online as the Debtor and Michael
Nouri, Henry Nouri, Thomas Furr, Ronna Loprete and Eric Nouri as
the
Secured Parties
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.13
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.14
|
$418,749.93
Promissory Note dated 04/30/04 from Smart Online as the Debtor to
Michael
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.14
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.15
|
$64,602.90
Promissory Note dated 04/30/04 from Smart Online as the Debtor to
Michael
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.15
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.16
|
$398,383.27
Promissory Note dated 04/01/04 from Smart Online as the Debtor to
Henry
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.16
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.17
|
$116,507.60
Promissory Note dated 04/30/04 from Smart Online as the Debtor Thomas
Furr
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.17
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.18
|
$92,500
Promissory Note dated 04/30/04 from Smart Online as the Debtor to
Ronna
Loprete
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.18
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.19
|
$47,740.18
Promissory Note dated 04/30/04 from Smart Online as the Debtor to
Eric
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.19
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.20
|
Standstill
and Interest Modification Agreement dated 12/22/04 with Michael
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
2
|
333-119385
|
10.20
|
12/23/04
|
|
10.21
|
Standstill
and Interest Modification Agreement dated 12/22/04 with Henry
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
2
|
333-119385
|
10.21
|
12/23/04
|
|
10.22
|
Standstill
and Interest Modification Agreement dated 12/22/04 with Thomas
Furr
|
SB-2
Amendment
2
|
333-119385
|
10.22
|
12/23/04
|
|
10.23
|
Standstill
and Interest Modification Agreement dated 12/22/04 with Ronna
Loprete
|
SB-2
Amendment
2
|
333-119385
|
10.23
|
12/23/04
|
|
10.24
|
Standstill
and Interest Modification Agreement dated 12/22/04 with Eric
Nouri
|
SB-2
Amendment
2
|
333-119385
|
10.24
|
12/23/04
|
|
10.25
|
Amended
and Restated Integration Program Agreement for Vmail and Internet
Messenger Engine dated 04/30/03 with Smart IL, Ltd.
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385 |
10.25
|
11/24/04 |
|
10.26
|
Amendment
to Amended and Restated Integration Program Agreement dated 10/29/03
with
Smart IL, Ltd.
|
SB-2
Amendment
1
|
333-119385
|
10.26
|
11/24/04
|
|
10.27
|
Form
of Lock-up Proxy and Release Agreement dated January 1, 2004
Between
Smart Online and stockholders of Smart
Online
|
10-Q
|
333-119385
|
10.27 |
08/15/05 |
|
10.28
|
Form
of Subscription Agreement with lock-up provisions between Smart
Online and
investors
|
10-Q
|
333-119385
|
10.28 |
08/15/05 |
|
10.29
|
Form
of Registration Rights Agreement between Smart Online and
investors
|
10-Q
|
333-119385
|
10.29 |
08/15/05 |
|
31.1
|
Certification
of Principal Executive Officer of Periodic Report Pursuant to
Rule
13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a)
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
31.2
|
Certification
of Principal Financial Officer of Periodic Report Pursuant to
Rule
13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a)
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
32.1
|
Certification
of Principal Executive Officer of Periodic Report Pursuant to
Rule
13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) and 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
32.2
|
Certification
of Principal Financial Officer of Periodic Report Pursuant to
Rule
13a-14(b) or Rule 15d-14(b) and 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
|
|
|
|
|
X
|