SUNation Energy, Inc.: Form 10-Q for the period ended Sep 30, 2024

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“Quarterly Report”) and our audited financial statements and notes contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 1, 2024.

Forward-Looking Statements

This quarterly report and, from time to time, reports filed with the SEC, in press releases, and in other communications to shareholders or the investing public, may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Words such as “may,” “will,” “can,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “seek,” “believe,” “are confident that,” “look forward to,” “predict,” “estimate,” “potential,” “project,” “target,” “forecast,” “see,” “intend,” “design,” “strive,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “assume,” “guide,” “position,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions that are subject to significant risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances include, but are not limited to:

if our shareholders sell, or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of our stock in the public market, the trading price of our common stock could decline;

if we fail to design and implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting, we may be subject to sanctions or investigations by regulatory authorities or lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports;

if our common stock market price continues to be highly volatile, it may harm the value of the investment of our shareholders in our common stock;

if we issue additional common stock, it may materially dilute the ownership interests of our shareholders;

anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and agreements may discourage or prevent a change in control, even if a sale of Pineapple could be beneficial to our shareholders;

our board of directors may establish shares of preferred stock in series and fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series which may be senior to or on parity with our common stock, which may reduce its value;

our growth strategy depends on the continued origination of solar installation agreements;

if we fail to manage our operations and growth effectively, we may be unable to execute our business plan, maintain high levels of customer service or adequately address competitive challenges;

we need to raise additional capital to fund our operations and repay our obligations, which funding may not be available on favorable terms or at all and may lead to substantial dilution to our existing shareholders. Further, there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, which conditions may adversely affect our stock price and our ability to raise capital;

our common stock may be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market if we cannot maintain compliance with the applicable listing standards;

we may face claims for monetary damages, penalties, and other significant items pursuant to existing contractual arrangements, as well as litigation or threatened litigations, which, if material, may strain our cashflow and operations, as well as take away substantial time and attention from management that is necessary to for business operations and potential growth opportunities;

we depend on a limited number of suppliers of solar energy system components and technologies to adequately meet demand for our solar energy systems;

increases in the cost of our solar energy systems due to tariffs and other trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. government could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations;

our operating results and our ability to grow may fluctuate from quarter to quarter and year to year, which could make our future performance difficult to predict and could cause our operating results for a particular period to fall below expectations.

we may have difficulty integrating the businesses from the SUNation transaction with our existing operations or otherwise obtaining the strategic benefits of the acquisition;

if we are unable to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms, our future growth would be limited, and any acquisitions we may make could reduce, rather than increase, our cash flows;

product liability and property damage claims against us or accidents could result in adverse publicity and potentially significant monetary damages;

we will not be able to insure against all potential risks and we may become subject to higher insurance premiums;

damage to our brand and reputation or change or loss of use of our brand could harm our business and results of operations;

the loss of one or more members of our senior management or key employees may adversely affect our ability to implement our strategy;

our inability to protect our intellectual property could adversely affect our business. We may also be subject to intellectual property rights claims by third parties, which are extremely costly to defend, could require us to pay significant damages and could limit our ability to use certain technologies;

we may be subject to interruptions or failures in our information technology systems;

our information technology systems may be exposed to various cybersecurity risks and other disruptions that could impair our ability to operate, adversely affect our business, and damage our brand and reputation;

our failure to hire and retain a sufficient number of key employees, such as installers and electricians, would constrain our growth and our ability to timely complete projects;

our business is concentrated in certain markets, putting us at risk of region-specific disruptions;

if sufficient additional demand for residential solar energy systems does not develop or takes longer to develop than we anticipate, our ability to originate solar installation agreements may decrease;

our business prospects are dependent in part on a continuing decline in the cost of solar energy system components and our business may be adversely affected to the extent the cost of these components stabilize or increase in the future;

we face competition from centralized electric utilities, retail electric providers, independent power producers and renewable energy companies;

developments in technology or improvements in distributed solar energy generation and related technologies or components may materially adversely affect demand for our offerings;

a material reduction in the retail price of electricity charged by electric utilities or other retail electricity providers could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations;

terrorist or cyberattacks against centralized utilities could adversely affect our business;

climate change may have long-term impacts on our business, industry, and the global economy;

increases in the cost of our solar energy systems due to tariffs imposed by the U.S. government could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations;

we are not currently regulated as an electric public utility under applicable law, but may be subject to regulation as an electric utility in the future;

electric utility policies and regulations, including those affecting electric rates, may present regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar energy systems that may significantly reduce demand for our solar energy systems and adversely impact our ability to originate new solar installation agreements;

we rely on net metering and related policies to sell solar systems to our customers in most of our current markets, and changes to policies governing net metering may significantly reduce demand for electricity from residential solar energy systems and thus for our installation services;

a customer’s decision to procure installation services from us depends in part on the availability of rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives. The expiration, elimination or reduction of these rebates, credits or incentives or our ability to monetize them could adversely impact our business;

technical and regulatory limitations regarding the interconnection of solar energy systems to the electrical grid may significantly delay interconnections and customer in-service dates, harming our growth rate and customer satisfaction; and

compliance with occupational safety and health requirements and best practices can be costly, and noncompliance with such requirements may result in potentially significant monetary penalties, operational delays and adverse publicity.

Other risks and uncertainties are discussed more fully under the caption “Risk Factors” in our filings with the SEC, including in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Overview

Pineapple Energy Inc. (“Pineapple,” “PEGY,” “we,” “our”, “us” or the “Company”) was originally organized as a Minnesota corporation in 1969.

Pineapple’s vision is to power the energy transition through grass-roots growth of solar electricity paired with battery storage. The Company is a domestic operator and consolidator of residential and commercial solar, battery storage, and grid services solutions. Our strategy is focused on acquiring, integrating, and growing leading local and regional solar, storage, and energy services companies nationwide.

Our current business units, Hawaii Energy Connection, LLC (“HEC”), and New York-based subsidiaries, the SUNation entities (collectively, “SUNation”). are engaged in the design, installation, and maintenance of solar energy systems across residential, commercial, and municipal sectors. Our team specializes in providing tailored solar solutions that meet the specific energy needs of each client, ensuring both efficiency and sustainability. In addition to our core solar services, we also offer energy storage systems to optimize energy use and increase reliability. Our New York business unit further integrates a broader range of services, including residential roofing solutions, to ensure seamless solar installations and long-term durability. Additionally, we provide community solar services that allow groups of individuals, businesses, or organizations to share the benefits of a single solar array, making renewable energy accessible to more people in the community.

Our comprehensive approach enables us to effectively meet the diverse needs of our customers, ensuring that we play a pivotal role in advancing the clean energy transition across various sectors. The depth, versatility, and proven track record of our business units form the foundation of our success. This strong combination of experience, innovation, and a commitment to quality empowers us to deliver exceptional value, positioning us as a reliable leader in the solar and energy services industry.

Through its E-Gear business, Pineapple also develops, manufactures, and sells patented edge-of-grid energy management software and hardware technology, such as energy management control devices. These products allow homeowners to get the most out of their installed photovoltaic solar energy systems and utility grid support benefits. Our primary customers for this technology are energy services companies and other utilities.

On June 30, 2023, the Company divested its legacy operations and operating assets through the sale of substantially all of the assets of its JDL Technologies, Inc. (“JDL”) and Ecessa Corporation (“Ecessa”) businesses. As a result, unless otherwise noted, all information in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q related to the JDL and Ecessa businesses are discussed and presented as discontinued operations and the Company reports its remaining business operations as continuing operations.

For a more complete description of the Company, see Note 1, Nature of Operations, to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report.

Reverse Stock Splits

June 2024 Reverse Stock Split

On January 3, 2024, the Company’s shareholders approved a reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock at a ratio within a range of 1-for-2 and 1-for-15 and granted the Company’s board of directors the discretion to determine the timing and ratio of the split within such range.

On May 28, 2024, the Company’s board of directors determined to effect the reverse stock split of the common stock at a 1-for-15 ratio (the “June Reverse Stock Split”) and approved an amendment (“June Reverse Stock Split Amendment”) to the Fourth Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company to effect the June Reverse Stock Split.

Effective June 12, 2024, the Company amended its Fourth Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to implement the June Reverse Stock Split. The Company's common stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opened on June 12, 2024 (the "June Effective Date").

As a result of the June Reverse Stock Split, at 12:01 a.m. Central Time on the June Effective Date, every 15 shares of common stock then issued and outstanding automatically were combined into one share of common stock, with no change in par value per share. No fractional shares were outstanding following the June Reverse Stock Split, and any fractional shares that would have resulted from the June Reverse Stock Split were settled in cash. The number of shares of common stock outstanding was reduced from 108,546,773 to 7,235,731, with 720.901 fractional shares paid out in cash totaling $1,132. The total number of shares authorized for issuance was reduced to 7,500,000 in proportion to the June Reverse Stock Split ratio.

October 2024 Reverse Stock Split

On July 19, 2024, the Company’s shareholders approved a reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock at a ratio within a range of 1-for-2 and 1-for-200 and granted the Company’s board of directors the discretion to determine the timing and ratio of the split within such range.

On October 1, 2024, the Company’s board of directors determined to effect the reverse stock split of the common stock at a 1-for-50 ratio (the “October Reverse Stock Split”) and approved an amendment (“October Reverse Stock Split Amendment”) to the Fourth Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company to effect the October Reverse Stock Split.

Effective October 17, 2024, the Company amended its Fourth Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to implement the October Reverse Stock Split. The Company's common stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opened on October 17, 2024 (the "October Effective Date").

As a result of the October Reverse Stock Split, at 12:01 a.m. Central Time on the October Effective Date, every 50 shares of common stock then issued and outstanding automatically were combined into one share of common stock, with no change in par value per share. No fractional shares were outstanding following the Reverse Stock Split, and any fractional shares that would have resulted from the October Reverse Stock Split were settled in cash. The number of shares of common stock outstanding was reduced from 67,260,696 to 1,344,841, with 372.92 fractional shares payable in cash totaling $1,891. The total number of shares authorized for issuance was reduced from 133,333,333 to 2,666,667 in proportion to the October Reverse Stock Split ratio.

Effective as of the same time as the June 2024 Reverse Stock Split and October 2024 Reverse Stock Split (collectively known as the “Reverse Stock Splits”), the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the Company's equity compensation plans were automatically reduced in proportion to the Reverse Stock Splits ratio. Upon effectiveness, the Reverse Stock Splits also resulted in reductions in the number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise or vesting of equity awards in proportion to the Reverse Stock Splits ratios and caused a proportionate increase in exercise price or share-based performance criteria, if any, applicable to such awards.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023

Consolidated sales decreased $3,570,311, or 19.5% to $14,718,386 in the third quarter of 2024 from $18,288,697 in the third quarter of 2023. Sales in the third quarter of 2024 and 2023 by type were as follows:

Residential contract sales decreased $4,699,412, or 31%, due to a 22% reduction in residential kilowatts installed and also a decrease in average price per system installed as result of lower battery attachment rate. The residential market within the solar industry is seeing an overall decline in installations due to higher interest rates. Commercial contract sales increased $1,416,135, or 64%, due to larger commercial projects that were pushed into the third quarter of 2024 with lower projects in prior quarters of 2024 whereas the prior year had more consistent commercial projects throughout the year.

Consolidated gross profit decreased to $5,235,725 in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to gross profit of $7,032,458 in the third quarter of 2023 due primarily to the decrease in revenue during the quarter. Gross margin decreased slightly to 36% during the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 38% in the third quarter of 2023 due primarily to certain fixed costs on lower revenue.

Consolidated operating expenses, which include selling, general and administrative expenses, amortization expense, and a fair value remeasurement gain (loss) of SUNation earnout consideration, decreased to $6,842,462 in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to $8,596,808 in the third quarter of 2023. Consolidated selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $1,017,023, or 14%, to $6,133,087 in the third quarter of 2024 from $7,150,110 in the third quarter of 2023, due primarily to a $555,765 decrease in stock compensation expense and overall decreased personnel expenses on lower headcount. Amortization expense decreased by $507,323 to $709,375 in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to $1,216,698 in the same period of the prior year due to the completion of the amortization of certain intangible assets in late 2023. There was not a fair value remeasurement related to the SUNation acquisition earnout consideration in the third quarter of 2024 compared to a loss of $230,000 in the same period of the prior year.

Consolidated other (expense) income decreased by $922,426 to expense of $1,691,363 in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to $768,937 in expense in the third quarter of 2023. The decrease was primarily related to a $1,435,845 fair value remeasurement loss on the warrant liability, a $587,271 fair value remeasurement gain on the embedded derivative liability, a $199,785 decrease in gain on sale of assets, and a $225,871 decrease in fair value remeasurement loss on the contingent value rights (“CVRs”).

Consolidated operating loss from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2024 was $1,606,737 as compared to $1,564,350 in the third quarter of 2023. Net loss from continuing operations attributable to shareholders in the third quarter of 2024 (after taking into effect $264,482 in deemed dividends) was $3,563,091, or $(11.77) per diluted share, compared to net loss from continuing operations of $2,329,053, or $(176.35) per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2023.

Comparison of the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023

Consolidated sales decreased $18,703,410, or 31.1% to $41,487,003 in the first nine months of 2024 from $60,190,413 in the first nine months of 2023. Sales in the first nine months of 2024 and 2023 by type were as follows:

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Residential contract sales decreased $14,134,291, or 29%, due to a 17% reduction in residential kilowatts installed and also a decrease in average price per system installed as result of lower financing fees and lower battery attachment rate. Overall the acceleration of projects in the last quarter of 2023 led to approval bottlenecks at the outset of 2024 which was further hampered by some supply chain disruption from a change in suppliers. The residential market within the solar industry is seeing an overall decline in installations due to higher interest rates. Commercial contract sales decreased $3,682,512, or 42%, due primarily to a delay in the start of commercial pipeline projects into the second half of 2024.

Consolidated gross profit decreased to $14,833,527 in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to gross profit of $22,175,708 in the first nine months of 2023 due primarily to the decrease in revenue during the quarter. Gross margin decreased slightly to 36% during the first nine months of 2024 from 37% during the first nine months of 2023 due primarily to certain fixed costs on lower revenue.

Consolidated operating expenses, which include selling, general and administrative expenses, amortization expense, and a fair value remeasurement gain of SUNation earnout consideration, decreased to $20,649,162 in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to $27,304,903 in the first nine months of 2023. Consolidated selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $3,123,771, or 14%, to $19,321,037 in the first nine months of 2024 from $22,444,808 in the first nine months of 2023, due primarily to a $983,024 decrease in stock compensation expense, decreased sales and marketing expense, including commissions, on lower revenue in the period, and decreased personnel expenses on lower headcount. Amortization expense decreased by $1,571,970 to $2,128,125 in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to $3,700,095 in the same period of the prior year due to the completion of the amortization of certain intangible assets in late 2023. The fair value remeasurement related to the SUNation acquisition earnout consideration in the first nine months of 2024 was a gain of $800,000 compared to a loss of $1,160,000 in the same period of the prior year.

Consolidated other (expense) income decreased by $3,079,565 to expense of $3,214,300 in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to $134,735 in expense in the first nine months of 2023. The decrease was primarily related to a $444,833 increase in interest and accretion expense, a $468,329 fair value remeasurement loss on the embedded derivative liability, a $673,464 decrease in fair value remeasurement gain on the CVRs, a $974,823 fair value remeasurement loss on the warrant liability, and a $437,938 decrease in gain on sale of assets.

Consolidated operating loss from continuing operations in the first nine months of 2024 was $5,815,635 as compared to $5,129,195 in the first nine months of 2023. Net loss from continuing operations attributable to shareholders in the first nine months of 2024 (after taking into effect $11,587,121 in deemed dividends) was $20,617,094, or $(128.25) per diluted share, compared to net loss from continuing operations of $5,262,534, or $(395.75) per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2023.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $2,162,086 in cash, restricted cash and cash equivalents. Of this amount, $1,240,882 was invested in short-term money market funds that are not considered to be bank deposits and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or other government agency. These money market funds seek to preserve the value of the investment at $1.00 per share; however, it is possible to lose money investing in these funds. The remainder in cash and cash equivalents is operating cash.

Of the amounts of cash, restricted cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet at September 30, 2024, $1,099,763 consisted of funds that can only be used to support the legacy CSI business, will be distributed to CVR holders and cannot be used to support the working capital needs of the Pineapple Energy business.

The Company had working capital deficit of $(13,243,267) at September 30, 2024, consisting of current assets of $11,682,522 and current liabilities of $24,925,789 compared to working capital deficit of $(6,594,834) at December 31, 2023.

Cash used in operating activities was $4,393,846 in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to $825,114 in the same period of 2023. Significant working capital changes in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 included a decrease of accounts receivable of $803,047, a decrease in inventories of $893,281, an increase in accounts payable of $570,844, a decrease in accrued compensation and benefits for $510,484, and an increase in other assets, primarily due to an increase in costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings as we are completing commercial projects in the quarter.

Net cash used in investing activities was $23,631 in the first nine months of 2024 compared to $3,608,534 provided by investing activities in the same period of 2023. Net cash provided in the 2023 period was the result of proceeds from the sale of investments, proceeds from the sale of JDL and Ecessa assets included within discontinued operations, partially offset by capital expenditures.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $1,183,220 in the first nine months of 2024 compared to $2,446,496 used in the same period of 2023. Net cash provided by financing activities in the first nine months of 2024 was due to $1,000,000 in proceeds from the issuance of common stock under a registered direct offering and $1,604,000 in borrowings from Conduit Capital US Holdings LLC (“Conduit”) and MBB Energy, LLC (“MBB”), partially offset by payments against loans payable. Net cash used in financing activities in the nine months of 2023 was due to $3,036,676 in CVR distribution payments, $5,000,000 in payments against the SUNation Short-Term Note and $1,500,000 in payments against the Hercules Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) term loan, partially offset by $7,500,000 in borrowings from Decathlon Specialty Finance, LLC (“Decathlon”).

In connection with the SUNation acquisition, on November 9, 2022, the Company issued a $5,000,000 Short-Term Limited Recourse Secured Promissory Note (the “Short-Term Note”) and a $5,486,000 Long-Term Promissory Note (the “Long-Term Note”). The Short-Term Note was secured as described below and was scheduled to mature on August 9, 2023. It carried an annual interest rate of 4% until the three-month anniversary of issuance, 8% thereafter until the six-month anniversary of issuance, then 12% thereafter until the Short-Term Note is paid in full. The Short-Term Note was paid in full in conjunction with the Decathlon loan. The Long-Term Note is unsecured and matures on November 9, 2025. It carries an annual interest rate of 4% until the first anniversary of issuance, then 8% thereafter until the Long-Term Note is paid in full. The Company was required to make a principal payment of $2.74 million on the second anniversary of the Long-Term Note. The Long-Term Note may be prepaid at our option at any time without penalty.

Based on the Company’s current financial position, the Company did not have sufficient cash to make the first SUNation earnout payment, which was due on May 6, 2024, or the first principal payment of the Long-Term Note that was due on November 9, 2024, a factor which raises substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time. Notwithstanding the Company’s ability to make such payments, the Company is not permitted to make any earnout payments under the SUNation Transaction Agreement or any payments under the Long-Term Note unless Decathlon has provided prior written consent to such payment pursuant to the Company’s Revenue Loan and Security Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2023, by and among the Company, Decathlon, and the other parties thereto (the “Loan Agreement”). Pursuant to that certain subordination letter dated May 31, 2023, each holder of the Long-Term Note has subordinated all payments under the Long-Term Note to the obligations owed to Decathlon under the Loan Agreement (the “Decathlon Obligations”) and has agreed that, until the Decathlon Obligations have been paid in full, any payment under the Long-Term Note is subject to Decathlon’s prior written consent. Therefore, if Decathlon does not consent to the first principal payment of the Long-Term Note, such non-payment will not result in a default under the Long-Term Note. Failure to make earnout payments under the SUNation Transaction Agreement, which are prohibited under the Loan Agreement, could result in a breach under the SUNation Transaction Agreement.

As a result, the Company requires additional funding and seeks to raise capital through sources that may include public or private equity offerings, debt financings and/or strategic alliances. On October 21, 2024, the Company entered into an At the Market (“ATM”) Offering Agreement to sell shares up to $10,000,000. While the Company has raised over $2 million to date, it is not sufficient to be able to cover all of the Company’s outstanding obligations. Additional funding may not be available on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all. If the Company is unable to raise additional funds, it would have a negative impact on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. To the extent that additional funds are raised through the sale of equity or securities convertible into or exercisable for equity securities, the issuance of securities will result in dilution to the Company’s shareholders.

Contingent Value Rights and Impact on Cash

The Company issued CVRs prior to the Closing to CSI shareholders of record on the close of business on March 25, 2022. The CVR entitles the holder to a portion of the cash, cash equivalents, investments and net proceeds of any divestiture, assignment, or other disposition of all legacy assets of CSI and/or its legacy subsidiaries, JDL and Ecessa, that are related to CSI’s pre-merger business, assets, and properties that occur during the 24-month period following the Closing. The CVR liability as of September 30, 2024 was estimated at $1,212,263 and represented the estimated fair value as of that date of the legacy CSI assets to be distributed to CVR holders as of that date. This amount is recorded as a current liability that includes the remaining restricted cash and cash equivalents, investments, along with the other tangible and intangible assets related to the legacy CSI business. The proceeds from CSI’s pre-merger business working capital and related long-term assets and liabilities are not available to fund the working capital needs of the post-merger company.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Generally, we base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions in accordance with GAAP that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates and such differences could be material to our financial position and results of operations. Critical accounting estimates are those that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations. For additional information, please see the discussion of our critical accounting estimates in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. There have been no changes to our critical accounting estimates as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, except as set forth below.

Convertible Preferred Stock and Warrants: In March 2022, the Company issued shares of Series A convertible preferred stock (the “Convertible Preferred Stock”) and PIPE Warrants to investors as part of a $32.0 million private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) transaction. The proceeds from the issuance of the Convertible Preferred Stock were allocated between the Convertible Preferred Stock and PIPE Warrants using a relative fair value method. The Company accounts for the Convertible Preferred Stock and PIPE Warrants based on an assessment of the specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity”, and ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. The Convertible Preferred Stock was originally reported as part of permanent equity and the PIPE Warrants were originally determined to be equity-classified. As discussed in Notes 10 and 11, the Convertible Preferred Stock and PIPE Warrants were modified during the first quarter of 2024, which resulted in the Company not having sufficient authorized and unissued shares to settle the conversion and exercise to common stock and the reclassification of the Convertible Preferred Stock to mezzanine equity and the PIPE Warrants to a liability. During the third quarter of 2024, the Company received the appropriate shareholder approval on an increase in authorized shares and the Convertible Preferred Stock and PIPE Warrants were reclassified to equity.

Embedded Derivative Liability: The Company’s Decathlon Fixed Loan includes a mandatory prepayment feature upon a contingent event that is considered an embedded derivative that requires bifurcation under ASC 815. The Company’s Conduit and MBB loans include an acceleration of amounts outstanding under the loan agreements upon an event of default or if the Company consummates one or more equity offerings meeting certain criteria that is considered an embedded derivative that requires bifurcation. Under ASC 815, the embedded derivative is bifurcated and recorded at fair value at inception and each subsequent reporting period. However, based on management’s estimates of the likelihood of certain events, the embedded derivative liability related to the Decathlon Fixed Loan had no fair value at issuance and at the end of each of the reporting periods ended prior to June 30, 2024. As of June 30, 2024, the fair value of this embedded derivative was ascribed value. See further discussion in Note 7. The Conduit and MBB embedded derivatives were ascribed a fair value at issuance and were fair valued at September 30, 2024 with the change in fair value recorded within Other (expense) income within the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently issued accounting standards and their estimated effect on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements are also described in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Management, with the participation of the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of the disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective because of material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting described below.

Material Weakness in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as that term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the CEO and CFO, the Company conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the “Framework”). Based on that evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2023, due to material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is defined as a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

We identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting due to our limited accounting and finance resources, which resulted in inappropriate preparation, review and maintenance of documentation and information that is critical to the design and consistent execution of internal controls. These material weaknesses could result in a misstatement of account balances or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.

Remediation Plan

To address the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, the Company is in the process of formalizing a remediation plan that will address our limited resources and also includes implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system which provides the necessary control environment to help mitigate the potential for misstatements in financial reporting, including but not limited to segregation of duties, user permission and access controls, and automated processes. While we believe that these efforts will improve our internal control over financial reporting, the design and implementation of our remediation is ongoing and will require validation and testing of the design and operating effectiveness of our internal controls over a sustained period of time. We will not be able to conclude whether the steps we are taking will fully remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting until we have completed our remediation efforts and subsequent evaluation of their effectiveness. Until these weaknesses are remediated, we plan to continue to perform additional analyses and other procedures to ensure that our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Inherent Limitations on Control Systems

Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, will be or have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision making can by faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon 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. Over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Changes in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, that occurred during the three months ended September 30, 2024, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. As reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, we concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective.

In addition to the other information set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (the “Form 10-K”), which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results.

There have been no material changes in the risk factors disclosed in the Form 10-K, except the following risk factors are hereby amended and restated as reflected below:

Our failure to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq Stock Market’s continued listing requirements could result in the delisting of our common stock, which could negatively affect the market price of our common stock, our liquidity and our ability to raise capital.

Our common stock is currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. In order to maintain this listing, we must satisfy minimum financial and other requirements. On October 1, 2024, we received a letter (the “Minimum Bid Price Deficiency Letter”) from the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that, for the 30 consecutive business day period from August 16 through September 30, 2024, the Company’s common stock had not maintained a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”) required for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2).

Pursuant to the previously disclosed Nasdaq hearing panel decision, dated July 18, 2024, the Company was subject to a mandatory panel monitor (“Panel”) under Nasdaq’s listing Rule 5815(d)(4)(B) for a period of one year. Accordingly, due to the most recent minimum bid price deficiency, the Staff notified the Company that it will not be afforded a 180-day cure period (as we had received for our prior minimum bid price deficiency). Instead, the Company was offered an opportunity to appeal any deficiency related to a delisting determination to Nasdaq by or before October 8, 2024, which appeal we timely filed on October 8, 2024.

The hearing request automatically stayed any suspension or delisting action pending the hearing and the expiration of any additional extension period if granted by the Panel following the hearing. To this end, the stockholders of the Company had approved a share consolidation on July 19, 2024, pursuant to which the board of directors of the Company has effectuated a 1-50 reverse stock split on October 17, 2024 in relevant part to resolve the above noted Nasdaq listing compliance deficiency prior to such hearing date.

On November 8, 2024, the Company received notice from the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications staff that the Company has regained compliance with the bid price requirement in Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and that the Company is, therefore, in compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s listing requirements. Consequently, the scheduled hearing before the Hearings Panel on November 21, 2024, was deemed moot and has been cancelled, and the Company’s securities will continue to be listed and traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market.

Notwithstanding the successful outcome of the above-described event, the perception among investors that we are at a heightened risk of delisting could negatively affect the market price and trading volume of our common stock. If our common stock is delisted from Nasdaq, the delisting could: substantially decrease trading in our common stock; adversely affect the market liquidity of our common stock as a result of the loss of market efficiencies associated with Nasdaq and the loss of federal preemption of state securities laws; adversely affect our ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future on acceptable terms, if at all; result in the potential loss of confidence by investors, suppliers, partners and employees and fewer business development opportunities; and result in limited analyst interest. Additionally, the market price of our common stock may decline further, and shareholders may lose some or all of their investment.

Shareholders may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings and other issuances of our Common Stock or other securities, including securities that are exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock. In addition, this offering and future equity offerings and other issuances of our Common Stock or other securities may adversely affect our Common Stock price.

‎In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our Common Stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our Common Stock at prices that may not be the same as the price per share in this offering. We may not be able to sell shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share at this time. You will incur dilution upon exercise of any outstanding stock options, warrants or upon the issuance of shares of Common Stock under our stock incentive programs. In addition, the sale of shares in any current or future sales of a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the price of our Common Stock. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of those shares of Common Stock or the availability of those shares of Common Stock for sale will have on the market price of our Common Stock.

Changes in our business strategy or restructuring of our businesses may increase our costs or otherwise affect our businesses.

We continually review our operations with a view toward reducing our cost structure, including, but not limited to, reducing our labor cost-to-revenue ratio, improving process and system efficiencies and increasing our revenues and operating margins. Despite these efforts, we have needed and may continue to need to adjust our business strategies to meet these changes, or we may otherwise find it necessary to restructure our operations or particular businesses or assets. When these changes or events occur, we may incur costs to change our business strategy and may need to write down the value of assets or sell certain assets. Additionally, any of these events could result in disruptions or adversely impact our relationships with our workforce, suppliers and customers. In any of these events our costs may increase, and we may have significant charges or losses associated with the write-down or divestiture of assets and our business may be materially and adversely affected.

We may not fully realize the anticipated benefits from our restructuring efforts.

In regard to our realigned strategy and exploration of strategic alternatives, we may not achieve the expected benefits of such activities. Our ability to achieve the anticipated cost savings and other benefits from our restructuring, or other efforts within expected time frames is subject to many estimates and assumptions, and may vary materially based on factors such as market conditions and the effect of our efforts on our workforce. These estimates and assumptions are subject to significant economic, competitive and other uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. There can be no assurance that we will fully realize the anticipated positive impacts to our operations, liquidity or future financial results from our current or future efforts. If our estimates and assumptions are incorrect or if other unforeseen events occur, we may not achieve the cost savings expected from such strategic alternative efforts, and our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We have significant obligations under payables and debt obligations and other contracts. Our ability to operate as a going concern are contingent upon successfully obtaining additional financing and/or renegotiating terms of selected existing indebtedness in the near future. Failure to do so could adversely affect our ability to continue or successfully grow our operations.

If capital is not available or we are not able to agree on reasonable terms with our lenders or creditors, we may then need to scale back or postpone our organic growth plans, reduce expenses, and/or curtail future acquisition plans to manage our liquidity and capital resources. From time to time, we receive claims for significant monetary damages, penalties, or seeking additional securities. Such claims, if material, and if accurate, can place significant pressure on our financials, cashflow, operations and place a strain on management’s time and focus, each of which could result in a material adverse event in relation to our operations and future prospects. Additionally, as a result of certain prior securities offerings involving convertible or exercisable securities containing anti-dilution provisions that provided for significant per share price reset features, causing more shares to be issued than initially anticipated, we have faced periods of time where we were ultimately required to seek shareholder approval to increase our authorized share capital, in large measure to satisfy the conversion, exercise, exchange or delivery of such shares, which is a time consuming and costly approval processes. While we have ultimately satisfied our delivery obligations, including the issuance of shares under these securities, failing to satisfy or timely satisfy such contractual obligations could lead to material financial claims, and if proven accurate, could subject us to substantial financial penalties and damages, potentially materially impacting the Company’s financial stability, interrupt operations and cause reputational harm. For example, we have informally received a financial claim alleging liquidated damages, which we have been investigating. If such preliminary claim is ultimately found accurate or any settlement be substantial, we may not be able timely pay, finance, refinance or otherwise extend or repay our past, current or future obligations if and as they arise, which could materially impact our ability to continue to operate as a going concern.

We need to obtain substantial additional financing arrangements to provide working capital and growth capital. If financing is not available to us on acceptable terms when needed, our ability to continue to fund our operations and grow our business would be materially adversely impacted.

Distributed solar power is a capital-intensive business that relies heavily on the availability of debt and equity financing sources to fund solar energy system purchase, design, engineering and other capital and operational expenditures. Our future success depends in part on our ability to raise capital from third-party investors and commercial sources, such as banks and other lenders, on competitive terms to help finance the deployment of our solar energy systems. We seek to minimize our cost of capital in order to improve profitability and maintain the price competitiveness of the electricity produced by the payments for and the cost of our solar energy systems. We rely on access to capital, including through equity financing, convertible notes, revenue loans and other forms of debt facilities, asset-backed securities and loan-backed securities, to cover the costs related to bringing our solar energy systems in service.

To meet the capital and liquidity needs of our business, we will need to obtain additional debt or equity financing from current and new investors. We have limited cash resources with which to operate our business and we may have difficulty in accessing financing on a timely basis or at all. The contract terms in certain of our existing investment and securities documents contain various conditions, penalty and liquidated damages clauses. If we are not able to satisfy such conditions due to events related to our business, a specific investment fund, developments in our industry, including tax or regulatory changes, or otherwise, and as a result, we are unable to draw on existing funding commitments or raise capital through equity, equity derivative or debt instruments, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any delays in accessing financing could have an adverse effect on our ability to pay our operational expenses, make capital expenditures, repay loans and fund other general corporate purposes. Further, our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business may be limited and our vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry, regulatory and competitive conditions may be increased.

If any of our current debt or equity investors decide not to invest in us in the future for any reason or decide to invest at levels inadequate to support our anticipated needs or materially change the terms under which they are willing to provide future financing, we will need to identify new investors and financial institutions to provide financing and negotiate new financing terms. In addition, our ability to obtain additional financing through the asset-backed securities market, loan-backed securities market or other secured debt markets is subject to our having sufficient assets eligible for securitization as well as our ability to obtain appropriate credit ratings. If we are unable to raise additional capital in a timely manner, our ability to meet our capital needs and fund future growth and profitability may be limited.

Delays in obtaining financing could cause delays in expansion in existing markets or entering into new markets and hiring additional personnel. Any future delays in capital raising could similarly cause us to delay deployment of a substantial number of solar energy systems for which we have signed solar service agreements with customers. Our future ability to obtain additional financing depends on banks’ and other financing sources’ continued confidence in our business model and the renewable energy industry as a whole. It could also be impacted by the liquidity needs of such financing sources themselves. We face intense competition from a variety of other companies, technologies and financing structures for such limited investment capital. If we are unable to continue to offer a competitive investment profile, we may lose access to these funds or they may only be available to us on terms less favorable than those received by our competitors. Any inability to secure financing could lead us to cancel planned installations, impair our ability to accept new customers or increase our borrowing costs, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Litigation brought by third parties claiming breach of contract, contractual defaults or other claims for may be costly and time consuming.

Although we may, from time to time, be involved in litigation and government proceedings, as well as contractual financial claims arising in the course of business, we are not a party to any litigation or governmental or other proceeding that we believe will have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. These claims have in the past, and may in the future, arise from a wide variety of business practices and initiatives, including current or new product releases, significant business transactions, securities offerings, convertible notes, warrants, loans, warranty or product claims, employment practices, and regulation, among other matters. Adverse outcomes in some or all of these claims may result in significant monetary damages or injunctive relief that could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business. Litigation threatened litigation and other claims are subject to inherent uncertainties and management’s view of these matters may change in the future. A material adverse impact in our consolidated financial statements could occur for the period in which the effect of an unfavorable outcome becomes probable and reasonably estimable.

If we become involved in material litigation or a significant number of litigations, we may incur substantial expense defending these claims and the proceedings may divert the attention of management, even if we prevail. An adverse outcome could have a material adverse impact on our business, including causing us to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws, forcing us to reduce or discontinue our operations entirely, subject us to significant liabilities, allow our competitors to market competitive products without a license from us, prohibit us from marketing our products or require us to seek licenses from third parties that may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If a judgment is entered against us, and we are unable to satisfy the judgment, a plaintiff may attempt to levy on our assets. We may be forced to sell material assets to satisfy such judgment, which may, in turn, force us to reduce or discontinue our operations.