Cemtrex Inc: Form 10-Q for the period ended Dec 31, 2024

Except for historical information contained in this report, the matters discussed are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. When used in this report, words such as “anticipates”, “believes”, “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “may”, “plans”, “potential” and “intends” and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, identify forward-looking statements. Our operations involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, and any one of which, or a combination of which, could materially affect our results of operations and whether the forward-looking statements ultimately prove to be correct. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company’s management. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: the effect of business and economic conditions; the impact of competitive products and their pricing; unexpected manufacturing or supplier problems; the Company’s ability to maintain sufficient credit arrangements; changes in governmental standards by which our environmental control products are evaluated and the risk factors reported from time to time in the Company’s SEC reports, including its recent report on Form 10-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of future events or developments.

General Overview

Cemtrex was incorporated in 1998 in the state of Delaware and has evolved through strategic acquisitions and internal growth into a leading multi-industry company. Unless the context requires otherwise, all references to “we”, “our”, “us”, “Company”, “registrant”, “Cemtrex” or “management” refer to Cemtrex, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

The Company’s reporting segments consist of Security and Industrial Services. Additionally, the Company’s operational structure also reports unallocated corporate expenses.

Security

Cemtrex’s Security segment operates under the brand of its majority owned subsidiary, Vicon Industries, Inc. (“Vicon”), which provides end-to-end security solutions to meet the toughest corporate, industrial, and governmental security challenges. Vicon’s products include browser-based video monitoring systems and analytics-based recognition systems, cameras, servers, and access control systems for every aspect of security and surveillance in industrial and commercial facilities, federal prisons, hospitals, universities, schools, and federal and state government offices. Vicon provides innovative, mission critical security and video surveillance solutions utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) based data algorithms.

Industrial Services

Cemtrex’s Industrial Services segment operates under the brand, Advanced Industrial Services (“AIS”), which offers single-source expertise and services for rigging, millwrighting, in plant maintenance, equipment erection, relocation, and disassembly to diversified customers. AIS installs high precision equipment in a wide variety of industrial markets like automotive, printing & graphics, industrial automation, packaging, and chemicals, among others. AIS is a leading provider of reliability-driven maintenance and contracting solutions for machinery, packaging, printing, chemical, and other manufacturing markets. The focus is on customers seeking to achieve greater asset utilization and reliability to cut costs and increase production from existing assets, including small projects, sustaining capital, turnarounds, maintenance, specialty welding services, and high-quality scaffolding.

Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, and the related disclosures at the date of the financial statements and during the reporting period. Although these estimates are based on our knowledge of current events, our actual amounts and results could differ from those estimates. The estimates made are based on historical factors, current circumstances, and the experience and judgment of our management, who continually evaluate the judgments, estimates and assumptions and may employ outside experts to assist in the evaluations.

Certain of our accounting policies are deemed “significant”, as they are both most important to the financial statement presentation and require management’s most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. For a discussion of our significant accounting policies, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024.

Results of Operations – For the three months ended December 31, 2024, and 2023

Revenues

Our Security segment revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2024, decreased by $3,714,102 or 41% to $5,453,699 from $9,167,801 for the three months ended December 31, 2023. This decrease is due to unexpected delays in orders for security technology products under our Vicon brand.

Our Industrial Services segment revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2024, increased by $575,835 or 7%, to $8,286,200 from $7,710,365, for the three months ended December 31, 2023. This increase is mainly due to increased demand for the segment’s services.

Gross Profit

Gross Profit for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $5,701,936 or 41% of revenues as compared to gross profit of $7,082,399 or 42% of revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Gross profit in our Security segment was $2,839,759 or 52% of the segment’s revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2024, as compared to gross profit of $4,516,947or 49% of the segment’s revenues for the period ended December 31, 2023. Gross profit percentage was up due to the mix of product sold in the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Gross profit in our Industrial Services segment was $2,862,177 or 35% of the segment’s revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2024, as compared to gross profit of $2,565,452 or 33% of the segment’s revenues for the period ended December 31, 2023. Gross profit as a percentage of revenues increased due to improved margins on projects in the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to the three months ended December 31 2023.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2024, increased $121,323 or 2% to $7,093,289 from $6,971,966 for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The increase in general and administrative expenses is mainly related to increased fringe benefits, legal expenses, rent, and travel.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and Development expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2024, were $890,083 compared to $848,805 for the three months ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $41,278 or 5%. Research and Development expenses are related to the Security Segment’s development of next generation solutions associated with security and surveillance systems software.

Other Income/Expense

Other expense for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $26,265,257, as compared to $505,272 for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Other expense for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was mainly driven by losses on excess fair value of the warrants of $15,796,105 which represents the difference between the fair value of the shares issued and the value of the warrants exercised and losses on changes in fair value of warrant liability of $10,020,212 which represents the change in the fair value of the of the warrants unexercised at the measurement period.

Provision for Income Taxes

During the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had income tax expense from continuing operations of $120,538 and $70,751, respectively. The provision for income tax is estimated based upon the current income projections of the Company, the effective rate of the prior year, and the Company’s current ability to utilize net loss carryforwards. The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2024, and 2023, was (.42%) and (5.69%) respectively.

Effects of Inflation

The Company’s business and operations have been affected by inflation during the periods for which financial information is presented. In response, the Company has instituted price increases and initiated cost-saving measures to mitigate the effects of inflation on operations.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Working capital was $4,130,393 at December 31, 2024, compared to working capital of $8,103,457 at September 30, 2024. This includes cash and equivalents and restricted cash of $5,464,254 at December 31, 2024, and $5,420,392 at September 30, 2024. The decrease in working capital was primarily due to the increase in current maturities of long-term debt, and accrued expenses. The increases in accrued expenses are mainly related to a large order in the Security segment, the revenues of this order are to be recognized in the next quarter.

Cash used by operating activities for the three months ended December 31, 2024, and 2023 was $1,201,817 and $3,139,073, respectively. Our negative operating cash flow was mainly the result of our net loss less the losses on the warrant liabilities, which were non-cash in nature, combined with operating changes in trade payables, and inventory.

Trade receivables decreased by $1,956,874 or 18% to $9,202,802 at December 31, 2024, from $11,159,676 at September 30, 2024. The decrease in trade receivables is attributable to decreased sales in the Security segment.

Cash used by investing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $1,008,899 compared to $390,310 used for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Investing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2024, were driven by the Company’s purchase of property and equipment and investment in Masterpiece VR. Investing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2023, were driven by the Company’s purchase of property and equipment and investment in Masterpiece VR.

Cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $2,387,449 compared to providing cash of $998,099 for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Financing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2024, were primarily driven by the proceeds from the Company’s revolving line of credit, note payable, and the exercise of 333,650 Series B Warrants. Financing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2023, were primarily driven by the proceeds from the Company’s revolving line of credit and payments on the Company’s debt.

The Company’s working capital may not be sufficient to cover operating costs which indicates substantial doubt regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the Company has historically, from time to time, satisfied and may continue to satisfy certain short-term liabilities through the issuance of common stock, thus reducing our cash requirement to meet our operating needs. The Company has $5,464,254 in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash as of December 31, 2024. Additionally, the Company has (i) secured a line of credit for its Vicon brand to fund operations, which as of December 31, 2024, has available capacity of $903,102, (ii) continually reevaluated its pricing model on our Vicon brand to improve margins on those products, (iii) entered into a Standstill Agreement with Streeterville Capital, LLC (“Streeterville”) in which Streeterville agreed not to seek to redeem any portion of its two outstanding notes with the Company expiring on April 30, 2025 in exchange, the Company agreed to pay to Streeterville the greater of $4,000,000 or fifty percent (50%) of the net proceeds the Company receives from the sale of any of its common stock or preferred stock during the Standstill Period. To date, the company has paid Streeterville $4,588,897 under this agreement.

In the event additional capital is raised through equity offerings and/or debt is satisfied with equity, it may have a dilutive effect on our existing stockholders. While the Company believes these plans if successful, would be sufficient to meet the capital demands of our current operations for at least the next twelve months, there is no guarantee that we will succeed. Overall, there is no guarantee that cash flow from our existing or future operations and any external capital that we may be able to raise will be sufficient to meet our working capital needs. The Company currently does not have adequate cash or available liquidity/available capacity on our lines of credit to meet our short or long-term needs. Absent an ability to raise additional outside capital and restructure or refinance all or a portion of our debt, the Company will be unable to meet its obligations as they become due over the next twelve months beyond the issuance date.

Each segment of the Company’s operations has positioned itself for growth and the Company’s long-term objectives include, increasing marketing and sales for the Company’s products and services in each segment, increasing the Company’s presence through collaboration partnerships in each segment and through strategic acquisitions of complementary businesses for each segment. These long-term objectives will require sufficient cash to complete, and the Company expects to fund these objectives with cash on hand, issuance of debt, and from proceeds from the sale of the Company’s securities, which may not be sufficient to fully implement our growth initiatives.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to this uncertainty.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls and procedures reporting as promulgated under the Exchange Act is defined as controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act are recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Our CEO and our CFO have evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2024. Based on their evaluation, our management has concluded that as of December 31, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that occurred during the three months ended December 31, 2024, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Limitations on the Effectiveness of Controls

Our management, including our CEO and CFO, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls will prevent all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, 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. Due to 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, within our company have been detected.