Stark Novus Financial Inc.: Form 10-Q for the period ended Sep 30, 2024

This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes. Forward-looking statements in this MD&A are not guarantees of future performance and may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Refer to the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and Part II Item 1A. Risk Factors for a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, with respect to the Chapter 11 Cases, our emergence from bankruptcy and our liquidity, capital resources and financial condition.

As previously disclosed, on June 27, 2023, Lordstown Motors Corp. and its subsidiaries commenced voluntary proceedings under chapter 11 (the “Chapter 11 Cases”) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). On September 1, 2023, we filed with the Bankruptcy Court a plan of reorganization and related disclosure statement, which were amended and modified on each of October 24, 2023, October 29, 2023, and October 30, 2023 (as amended, the “Proposed Plan”). On November 1, 2023, the Bankruptcy Court entered the Disclosure Statement Order and, thereafter, we solicited votes from their creditors and shareholders for approval of the Proposed Plan. On January 31, 2024, we filed the as-approved Proposed Plan with the Bankruptcy Court. On March 5, 2024, the Bankruptcy Court entered a confirmation order confirming the Proposed Plan (as confirmed, the “Plan”). Following the entry of the confirmation order and all conditions to effectiveness of the Plan being satisfied, we emerged from bankruptcy on March 14, 2024 under the name “Nu Ride Inc.”

The Bankruptcy Court established October 10, 2023, as the general bar date for all creditors (except governmental entities) to file their proofs of claim or interest, and December 26, 2023, as the bar date for all governmental entities, which was extended until January 5, 2024, in the case of the SEC. In addition, the deadline for parties to file proofs of claim arising from the Debtors’ rejection of an executory contract or unexpired lease is the later of (a) the general bar date or the governmental bar date, as applicable, and (b) 5:00 p.m. (ET) on the date that is 30 days after the service of an order of the Bankruptcy Court authorizing the Debtors’ rejection of the applicable executory contract or unexpired lease. Finally, the deadline for parties to file administrative claims against the Debtors was April 15, 2024. Claimants may have the ability to amend their proofs of claim that could significantly increase the total claims, beyond our estimates or reserve. Furthermore, proofs of claim have been filed asserting unliquidated damages or claims in respect of certain indemnifications or otherwise, that we may not be able to estimate, or may be materially more than we estimate.

Upon emergence: (i) the Foxconn Litigation and other retained causes of action of the Company were preserved and may be prosecuted; (ii) claims filed in the bankruptcy will continue to be resolved pursuant to the claims resolution process with allowed claims being treated in accordance with the Plan; (iii) distributions to holders of allowed claims and allowed Interests will be made subject to the provisions of the Plan of Reorganization, and (iv) we will continue to conduct business and may enter into transactions, including business combinations, or otherwise, that could permit the Company to create value, including through use of the NOLs.

Upon emergence, a new Board of Directors was appointed pursuant to the Plan and all remaining full-time employees, including the Company’s pre-emergence executive officers, were terminated. The Board of Directors oversees and directs the administration of the Company’s operations, in accordance with the Plan. Some of those employees continue to provide services to the Company as consultants. Our Chief Executive Officer, who is the sole executive officer, was elected by the new Board of Directors in accordance with the Plan, as of the date we emerged from bankruptcy.

Our primary operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and to date in the fourth quarter of 2024 have consisted of actions and related expenditures associated with completing the Chapter 11 Cases and emerging from bankruptcy, resolving substantial litigation, claims reconciliation, financial reporting and regulatory compliance. Our assets consist of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. Additional potential assets, such as the Foxconn Litigation claims, claims the Company may have against other parties, and NOLs, are not reflected in the financial statements.

In light of our emergence from bankruptcy on March 14, 2024, our results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, reflect the accounting assumptions and treatment caused by the Chapter 11 Cases and the Plan and may not be representative of our operations and results going forward. See Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors for further discussion of the risks associated with our emergence from bankruptcy, our liquidity, capital resources and financial condition, and the use of estimates and resulting uncertainty in establishing our presented financial results, among other risks.

Results of Operations for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 20231

(in thousands)

1 Certain of our assets were sold pursuant to closing the LandX Asset Purchase Agreement in the fourth quarter of 2023, the effect of which is not reflected in these financial statements. See Note 4 – Property Plant, and Equipment and Assets Held for Sale for additional details regarding our impairment.

As a result of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2023 and the significant events that have transpired since then, the period-over-period comparisons of our results of operations are not indicative of consistent underlying business operations.

Net Sales and Cost of Sales

As a result of the Chapter 11 Cases, production of the Endurance ended in June 2023. Upon emergence from bankruptcy as a shell company, there were no sales or cost of sales during the three months ended September 30, 2024.

The Company completed homologation and testing and received required certifications enabling sales to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022. As a result of filing for bankruptcy protection, there were no sales during the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Selling, general and administration expenses (“SG&A”) totaled $2.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to a credit of $2.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. With the Chapter 11 Cases commencing in June 2023, our SG&A expense is not comparable on a year-over-year basis.

Legal and professional fees made up almost the entire SG&A expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

The credit to selling, general and administration expenses (“SG&A”) of $2.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 reflects the reduction of $10.0 million in legal settlement accruals, partially offset by $6.3 million in personnel and professional fees, and $2.2 million in insurance premium amortization.

Research and Development Expense

As a result of the actions taken in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases, there were no research and development (“R&D”) expenses during the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Research and development (“R&D”) expenses during the three months ended September 30, 2023, principally represent personnel costs that have been consistently allocated to R&D, and our remaining personnel, most of whom were subject to separation notice periods. R&D expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023, were $5.7 million during the three months ended September 30, 2023, consisting of $4.7 million in personnel costs, and $0.7 million in prototype and engineering costs, consisting principally of engineering software amortization.

Legal settlement and litigation charges (benefit), net

Legal settlement and litigation charges (benefit), net represents adjustments to accrued liabilities subject to compromise from claims as a result of the final settlement of claims. Given that claims began to be settled in 2024, no legal settlement and litigation charges (benefit) was recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Impairment of property, plant, and equipment, prepaids and other intangibles

As of September 30, 2023, property, plant, and equipment and other intangibles were reviewed for potential impairment for recoverability. In light of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Company valued its property, plant and equipment and other intangibles based on its estimate of residual and salvage values. For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company recognized an impairment charge of $0.7 million to adjust the carrying value of its right of use assets. No such impairment charges were incurred for the same period of 2024.

Results of Operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 20231

1 Certain of our assets were sold pursuant to closing the LandX Asset Purchase Agreement in the fourth quarter of 2023, the effect of which is not reflected in these financial statements. See Note 4 – Property Plant, and Equipment and Assets Held for Sale for additional details regarding our impairment.

As a result of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2023 and the significant events that have transpired since then, the period-over-period comparisons of our results of operations are not indicative of consistent underlying business operations.

Net Sales and Cost of Sales

As a result of the Chapter 11 Cases, production of the Endurance ended in June 2023. Upon emergence from bankruptcy as a shell company, there were no sales or cost of sales during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The Company completed homologation and testing and received required certifications enabling sales to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022. Production of the Endurance ended in June 2023. A total of 35 vehicles were sold in the first nine months of 2023.

Cost of sales totaled $91.6 million for the first nine months of 2023, consisting of $7.6 million in costs associated with producing the Endurance, including direct materials net of an adjustment to inventory to reflect its NRV, product warranty accruals and other costs related to selling and delivering the vehicles. The Company recorded $54.3 million in manufacturing depreciation, a $25.8 million charge to reduce the carrying value of inventory to NRV, and a $4.1 million reserve for potential claims from suppliers regarding costs incurred or otherwise that may be owed during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. See Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 4 - Property, Plant and Equipment and Assets Held for Sale regarding depreciation and inventory charges.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

SG&A totaled $9.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $69.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. With the Chapter 11 Cases commencing in June 2023, our SG&A expense is not comparable on a year-over-year basis.

SG&A for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 consisted primarily of $6.1 million in personnel and professional fees, including $3.4 million in accelerated stock compensation expense as well as insurance premium amortization of $2.9 million.

Selling, general and administration expenses (“SG&A”) of $69.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 consisted primarily of $37.8 million in non-reorganization related legal fees and expenses, including net litigation settlement accruals of $30.3 million, $21.9 million in personnel and professional fees, and $5.2 million in insurance premium amortization.

Research and Development Expense

As a result of the actions taken in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases, there were no R&D expenses during the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company’s R&D costs were $32.4 million, including $23.4 million in personnel costs, $3.4 million in outside engineering and consulting services, and $4.5 million in prototype components and other engineering costs.

Legal settlement and litigation charges (benefit), net

Legal settlement and litigation charges (benefit), net represents adjustments to accrued liabilities subject to compromise from claims as a result of the final settlement of claims. Given that claims began to be settled in 2024, no legal settlement and litigation charges (benefit) was recorded during the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Reorganization Items

Reorganization items represent the expenses directly and incrementally resulting from the Chapter 11 Cases filed on June 27, 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, reorganization items consisted of $3.6 million in legal fees and $1.1 million in consulting fees. The reorganization items include costs incurred by us as well as those incurred by the official Unsecured Creditors Committee and official Equity Committee, for which we are responsible.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, reorganization items consisted of $7.1 million in legal fees, $3.7 million in consulting fees and $2.8 million in potential bankruptcy claims and settlements.

Impairment of property, plant, and equipment, prepaids and other intangibles

As of September 30, 2023, property, plant and equipment and other intangibles were reviewed for potential impairment for recoverability. In prior periods, fair value of the Company’s property, plant, and equipment was derived from the Company’s enterprise value at the time of impairment as the Company believed it represented the most appropriate fair value of the asset group in accordance with accounting guidance. In light of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Company valued its property, plant and equipment based on its estimate of residual and salvage values, resulting in an impairment charge of $134.2 million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to an impairment charge of $74.9 million for the same period of 2022. See Note 4 - Property, Plant and Equipment and Assets Held For Sale for additional details regarding our impairment. Additionally, during the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company recognized an impairment of $6.0 million related to other intangible assets.

No such impairment charges were incurred for the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As a result of our accumulated deficit, lack of any immediate sources of revenue, and the risks and uncertainties related to (i) our ability to successfully resolve litigation and other claims that may be filed against us, (ii) the effects of disruption from the Chapter 11 Cases, including the loss of our personnel, and (iii) the costs of the Chapter 11 Cases, substantial doubt exists regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least one year from the date of issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

We had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $26.1 million, excluding restricted cash of approximately $30.9 million, an accumulated deficit of $1.2 billion at September 30, 2024, net income of $0.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, and a net loss of $6.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Our liquidity and ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon, among other things: (i) the resolution of significant contingent and other claims, liabilities (see Note 8 – Commitments and Contingencies) and (ii) the outcome of our efforts to realize value, if any, from the Company’s retained causes of action, including the Foxconn Litigation, and other remaining assets.

We have incurred significant professional fees and other costs in connection with preparation for and prosecution of the Chapter 11 Cases and expect to continue to incur significant professional fees and costs. In addition, we are subject to significant contingent liabilities, the full scope of which is uncertain at this time (see Note 8 – Commitments and Contingencies). Furthermore, under the Plan, we are conducting a process to reconcile the claims asserted that has resulted in approximately $30.9 million of our cash being reserved for settling outstanding claims against the Company, including litigation and indemnification claims. Pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code, the Company is first required to pay all administrative claims in full. Under the Plan, the Company established an escrow for the payment of certain professional fees incurred in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases (“Professional Fee Escrow”), which was fully paid out as of September 30, 2024. The Professional Fee Escrow was established based upon estimates and assumptions as of the date the Company emerged from bankruptcy. The Plan also required the Company to establish a $45 million reserve for allowed and disputed claims of general unsecured creditors (the “Claims Reserve”), including interest (although there can be no assurance the Company will be able to pay such claims in full, with interest). As of September 30, 2024, $27.3 million was included in restricted cash, which represents the initial Claims Reserve of $45 million, less $17.7 million which was released from the Claims Reserve related to the claims reconciliation process. Pursuant to the Plan (which includes certain exceptions), upon emergence (i) the Claims Ombudsman was appointed to oversee the administration of claims asserted against the Company by general unsecured creditors and (ii) a trustee was appointed to oversee the litigation trust, which may be funded with certain retained causes of action of the Company, as was determined by the Board. Holders of certain unsecured claims are expected to be entitled to receive post-petition interest on their claim amount as of the later of the date the claim was due to be paid, or the petition date. Therefore, if the claims resolution process takes longer than anticipated, the total liability to settle claims will increase.

The amount of the Claims Reserve is subject to change and could increase materially. The Claims Reserve is adjusted downward as payments are made for allowed claims, and may also be adjusted downward as claims are resolved or otherwise as a result of the claims resolution process. Claimants may have the ability to amend their proofs of claim that could significantly increase the total claims, beyond our estimates or reserve. There is also risk of additional litigation and claims that may be asserted after the Chapter 11 Cases against the Company or its indemnified directors and officers that may be known or unknown and the Company may not have the resources to adequately defend or dispute such claims due to the Chapter 11 Cases. The Company cannot provide any assurances as to what the Company’s total actual liabilities will be based on any such claims. To the extent that the Claims Reserve is insufficient to pay general unsecured creditors in full with interest, such deficiency will be payable from certain other assets of the Company, as set forth in the Plan.

Our assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, the Foxconn Litigation claims, claims the Company may have against other parties and NOLs.

See Risk Factors under Part I – Item 1A. and Part II – Item 1A. below for further discussion of the risks associated with our limited capital resources and loss exposures, among other risks.

Summary of Cash Flows

The following table provides a summary of Nu Ride’s cash flow data for the period indicated:

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities decreased by $90.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to 2023. The decrease of cash used in operating activities, was principally due to the cessation of operations as a result of the Chapter 11 Cases. The Company’s net loss, as adjusted to reconcile cash used by operating activities was $342.7 million for the first nine months of 2023, compared to $6.9 million for same period of 2024. The net loss, as adjusted to reconcile cash used by operating activities for the first nine months of 2023 included non-cash impairment charges of $140.2 million, $24.1 million related to the write down of inventory and prepaid inventory, $2.8 million for the loss on disposal of fixed assets, $6.6 million of stock-based compensation, and $54.4 million in depreciation of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, partially offset by $2.2 million of other non-cash changes. No such charges were incurred in the first nine months of 2024 with the exception of stock-based compensation, which totaled $3.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities

The Company had no investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. Investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, included $134.2 million in maturities of short-term investments, offset by $32.1 million in purchases of short-term investments and $10.2 million in purchases of property, plant, and equipment.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, financing activities were limited to tax withholding payments related to net-settled restricted stock compensation associated with the Company’s 2020 Plan. There were no financing transactions during the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of September 30, 2024. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Liabilities Subject to Compromise

Since filing the Chapter 11 Cases, the Company has operated as a debtor-in-possession under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. In the accompanying Balance Sheet, the “Liabilities subject to compromise” line is reflective of expected allowed claim amounts in accordance with ASC 852-10 and are subject to change materially based on the proceedings and continued consideration of claims that may be modified, allowed, or disallowed. Refer to Note 8 - Commitments and Contingencies for further detail.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information about recent accounting pronouncements, the timing of their adoption, and management’s assessment, to the extent they have made one, of their potential impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Management’s Evaluation of our Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act, are 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, activities, and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. The design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs and the nature of operating activities. Internal control over financial reporting also can be circumvented by collusion or improper override. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly 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. As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officer, who also serves as our Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon his evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that 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 such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended September 30, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

In light of the limited nature of our operations, our controls primarily relate to financial reporting and payment of our expenses. As a result of eliminating personnel, including full-time employees, we have enhanced our oversight of accounting and payment processing with increased executive involvement and support from consultants and advisors to facilitate the presentation of information with respect to our operations that is accurate and complete. Our Chief Executive Officer also serves as our Chief Financial Officer.

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks set forth in the section captioned "Risk Factors" in (i) our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 29, 2024, and (ii) our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 14, 2024 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on August 13, 2024, before making an investment decision. During the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, there have been no material changes to the risk factors previously discussed in the Company’s SEC filings.