Bio Key International Inc: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2012

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained in this Report on Form 10-Q and in other public statements by the Company and Company officers include or may contain certain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Report on Form 10-Q, including statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “will,” “may,” “future,” “plan,” “intend” and “expect” and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot be sure that they will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein due to a number of factors.

Many of these factors are set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Risk Factors” and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the general or specific factors that may affect us. It should be recognized that other factors, including general economic factors and business strategies may be significant, presently or in the future. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

OVERVIEW

BIO-key International, Inc. (the “Company,” “BIO-key,” “we,” or “us) was founded in 1993 as a fingerprint biometric technology company. Biometric technology is the science of analyzing specific human characteristics which are unique to each individual in order to identify a specific person from a broader population. First incorporated as BBG Engineering, the company became SAC Technologies in 1994. The BIO-key name was introduced in 2002.

We develop and market advanced fingerprint identification biometric technology and software solutions. We were among the initial pioneers in developing automated finger identification technology that can be used without the aid of non-automated methods of identification such as a personal identification, password, token, smart card, ID card, credit card, passport, driver’s license or other form of possession or knowledge based identification. This advanced BIO-key™ identification technology improves both the accuracy and speed of finger-based biometrics.

In partnerships with OEMs, integrators, and solution providers, we provide biometric software solutions to private and public sector customers. BIO-key provides the ability to positively identify and authenticate individuals before granting access to valuable corporate resources, web portals or applications in seconds. Powered by our patented Vector Segment Technology™ our VST™, WEB-key® and BSP development kits are fingerprint biometric solutions that provide true interoperability with all major reader manufacturers, enabling application developers and integrators to seamlessly integrate fingerprint biometrics into virtually any application.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

For detailed information on our critical accounting policies and estimates, see our financial statements and notes thereto included in this Report and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the year ended December 31, 2011. There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates from those disclosed in our 10-K filed on April 16, 2012.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standard if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2012 AS COMPARED TO MARCH 31, 2011

INTRODUCTION

Consolidated Results of Operations - Percent Trend

Revenues and cost of goods sold

Revenues

For the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, service revenues included approximately $173,000 and $142,000, respectively, of recurring maintenance and support revenue, and approximately $223,000 and $16,000, respectively, of non-recurring custom services revenue. Recurring service revenue increased 22% from 2011 to 2012 as the Company continued to bundle maintenance agreements to its expanding customer license base, and renewed existing maintenance agreements from its legacy customers.

For the three months ended March 31, 2012, license and other revenue (comprised of third party hardware and royalty) decreased as a result of several contributing factors. Core software license revenue decreased by approximately $180,000 (16%), primarily as a result of large orders from two new customers that represented only 61% compared to a single new customer that represented 71% of total revenue, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, we received purchase orders from McKesson for their continued deployment of our identification technology in their AccuDose® product line, and for continued expansion of biometric ID deployments with commercial partners ChoicePoint /Nexis Lexis, Educational Biometric Technology, and Identimetrics. Third-party hardware sales decreased by approximately $49,000 (40%), primarily as a result of a delay in shipments from one of the hardware manufacturers. The Company’s royalty income for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was derived primarily from an OEM agreement, and resulted in a 12% decrease in revenue from approximately $29,000 to approximately $25,000.

Costs of goods sold

For the three months ended March 31, 2012, cost of service increased approximately $89,000 as a result of costs associated with non-recurring custom services revenue, offset by decreases in license and other of approximately $23,000 for third party hardware and third party license costs.

Selling, general and administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the three months ended March 31, 2012 decreased 15% from the same period in 2011. Reduction in administrative personnel, professional services and marketing expenses were offset by an increase in channel marketing expense related to increased non-recurring custom services revenue.

Research, development and engineering

For the three months ended March 31, 2012, research, development and engineering costs decreased 14% from the same period in 2011 as the Company no longer employed temporary outside services for a completed project specific to 2011.

Other income and expense

Interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, was attributable to the Note Receivable, which was fully paid in May 2011.

Interest expense for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 was for the holder of the Secured Note. Interest expense during 2011 was comprised of approximately $50,000 of non-cash amortization of the discount attached to the Secured Notes and $58,000 owing to the holders of the Secured Notes.

The Company expects to incur approximately $25,000 in interest expense from its Secured Note until the end of 2012, at which point the Note is expected to be paid in full.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Net cash provided by operations during the three months ended March 31, 2012 was approximately $168,000. The cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to the following items:

• Positive cash flows related to an decrease in accounts receivable of approximately $100,000, due to two large orders received and paid for in the first quarter; and
• Negative cash flows from a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses of approximately $255,000, attributable to working capital management and a decrease of approximately $66,000 in deferred revenue, due to an expansion of the supported license base for maintenance renewals.
• The Company recorded approximately $21,000 of charges during the first quarter of 2011 for the expense of issuing options to employees for services.

There were no cash flows under investing or financing activities during the period.

The Company has a reserve for bad debts of $386,000 which represents 50% of the remaining balance owed under a contract for payments that are behind schedule.

Net working deficit at March 31, 2012 was approximately $797,000 as compared to approximately $1,539,000 at December 31, 2011. The improvement was driven mainly by the operational profits generated in the first quarter of 2012.

Since January 7, 1993 (date of inception), our capital needs have been principally met through proceeds from the sale of equity and debt securities.

We do not expect any material capital expenditures during the next twelve months.

We do not currently maintain a line of credit or term loan with any commercial bank or other financial institution.

As of December 2011, the Company entered into a 24-month accounts receivable factoring arrangement with a financial institution (the “Factor”). Pursuant to the terms of this arrangement, BIO-key, from time to time shall sell to the Factor certain of its accounts receivable balances on a non-recourse basis for credit approved accounts. The Factor shall then remit 75% of the accounts receivable balance to BIO-key (the “Advance Amount”), with the remaining balance, less fees to be forwarded to the Company once the Factor collects the full accounts receivable balance from the customer. Factoring fees range from 2.75% to 15% of the face value of the invoice factored and are determined by the number of days required for collection of the invoice. BIO-key expects to use this factoring arrangement periodically to assist with its general working capital requirements.

Liquidity outlook

At March 31, 2012, our total cash and cash equivalents were approximately $211,000, as compared to approximately $43,000 at December 31, 2011.

As discussed above, the Company has financed itself in the past through access to the capital markets by issuing secured and convertible debt securities, convertible preferred stock, common stock, and recently through factoring receivables. We currently require approximately $385,000 per month to conduct our operations, a monthly amount that we have been unable to consistantly achieve through revenue generation. During the first quarter of 2012, we generated approximately $1,410,000 of revenue, which exceeds our average monthly requirements

The balance of the Company’s Secured Notes of approximately $346,000 will be due and payable to the holder together with all accumulated and unpaid interest on December 31, 2012.

If we are unable to generate sufficient revenue to meet our goals, we will need to obtain additional third-party financing to (i) conduct the sales, marketing and technical support necessary to execute our plan to substantially grow operations, increase revenue and serve a significant customer base; and (ii) provide working capital. Therefore, we may need to obtain additional financing through the issuance of debt or equity securities, or to restructure our financial position through similar transactions to those consummated during the 2009 to 2010 period.

Due to several factors, including our history of losses and limited revenue, our independent auditors have included an explanatory paragraph in their opinion related to our annual financial statements as to the substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our long-term viability and growth will depend upon the successful commercialization of our technologies and our ability to obtain adequate financing. To the extent that we require such additional financing, no assurance can be given that any form of additional financing will be available on terms acceptable to us, that adequate financing will be obtained to meet our needs, or that such financing would not be dilutive to existing stockholders. If available financing is insufficient or unavailable or we fail to continue to generate meaningful revenue, we may be required to further reduce operating expenses, delay the expansion of operations, be unable to pursue merger or acquisition candidates, or continue as a going concern.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2012. The term “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”), means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2012, our CEO and CFO concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

No change in our internal control over financial reporting occurred during the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2012, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.