Hycroft Mining Holding Corp: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2024

The following discussion, which has been prepared based on information available to us as of May 6, 2024, provides information we believe is relevant to an assessment and understanding of our consolidated operating results and financial condition. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024 (the “Financial Statements”) and the notes thereto (the “Notes”) included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2024, as well as our other reports filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) from time to time, including, but not limited to, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Terms not defined herein have the same meaning defined in the Financial Statements and the Notes.

Introduction to the Company

We are a U.S.-based gold and silver exploration and development company that owns the Hycroft Mine in Nevada, USA. We are focused on exploring the Hycroft Mine’s claims comprising approximately 64,000 acres, and developing the Hycroft Mine in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner. We ceased mining activities in November 2021, and as of December 31, 2022, we completed processing of gold and silver ore previously placed on leach pads. We do not expect to generate revenues from gold and silver sales until after completing the technical work and recommencing mining operations.

Health and Safety

We believe safety is a core value and support that belief through our philosophy of safe work performance. Our mandatory mine safety and health programs include employee engagement and ownership of safety performance, accountability, employee and contractor training, risk management, workplace inspection, emergency response, accident investigation, anti-harassment, and program auditing. This integrated approach is essential to ensure that our employees, contractors, and visitors operate safely.

We reported no lost time incidents during the first quarter of 2024 and continue to operate in excess of one million workhours without a lost time incident. The Hycroft Mine’s total recordable injury frequency rate (“TRIFR”) for the trailing 12 months, which includes other reportable incidents, is one of the metrics we use to assess safety performance, and it is well below industry averages and significantly below pre-2021 historical levels experienced at the Hycroft Mine. During the first three months of 2024, we continued our critical focus on safety, including allocating personnel, resources, workforce time, and communications to operate safely. These actions contributed to maintaining our TRIFR of Nil (0.00) at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. We will continue to evolve our safety efforts as needed to keep our workforce, contractors, and visitors safe.

Executive Summary

During the first quarter of 2024, the Company continued its exploration drill program, completed portions of the metallurgical and variability test work, and continued to analyze new drill assay data and information received in the period. The ongoing metallurgical and variability test work continues to follow up on the March 2023 Hycroft Property Initial Assessment Technical Report Summary Humboldt and Pershing Counties, Nevada (“2023 Hycroft TRS”) that was completed utilizing a conventional crushing, grinding, and flotation circuit that generates a concentrate to be fed to a pressure oxidation (“POX”) autoclave facility commonly used for refractory gold ores. The Company also focused on improving its balance sheet primarily by reducing debt, and on January 5, 2024, the Company voluntarily pre-paid $38 million of the senior secured debt with Sprott Resource Lending.

Recent Developments

2024 exploration drilling

In February 2024, the Company launched its 2024 exploration drill program (“the “2024 Drill Program”), to follow up on the high-grade underground silver discovery announced in November 2023. The 2023 drilling reflected significant high-grade silver mineralization that has continuity with historical drilling along trends not previously identified. The objective of the 2024 Drill Program is to define the structural framework of these new trends and identify target areas that have not been drilled to establish continuity of the two high-grade silver trends. The 2024 Exploration Program currently includes approximately 5,200 meters of core drilling with the flexibility to expand the program.

Metallurgical and variability test work

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company completed a substantial portion of the metallurgical and flotation variability test work necessary for designing a sulfide milling operation. The Company has also been engaged in trade-off studies and alternatives analyses to optimize the development plan for the Hycroft Mine to build, mine and process gold and silver from sulfide ore that yields the best economic return for shareholders. Through this work, the Company identified that roasting the sulfide ore has the potential to generate by-product sulfuric acid revenue that may create significant economic benefits for the project. Sulfuric acid has several commercial uses including in the production of lithium from sedimentary style deposits, of which there are five such projects in Nevada in addition to other locations. The preliminary internal work indicates Hycroft could produce a significant quantity of by-product sulfuric acid and potentially generate significant revenues in addition to the gold and silver. There is also the potential to co-generate “green” electricity as part of the roasting process. Due to the potential by-product revenues opportunities, the Company has initiated additional metallurgical studies to determine if utilizing roasting technology instead of pressure oxidation technology would deliver superior economics for the Hycroft Mine.

2024 Outlook

The Company’s current plan is to operate safely as it continues exploration drilling and data analyses, completing technical studies, conducting trade-off studies and alternatives analyses for determining the optimal process flow sheet for processing sulfide ores and recovering gold and silver, and maintaining the Hycroft Mine. The Company continues to evaluate various process alternatives to economically improve gold and silver recoveries while developing potential additional by-product revenue streams. The trade-off studies and alternatives analyses include different grinding methods, various flotation cell configurations, sulfide conversion through pressure oxidation and roasting, and process flow sheet development. This additional work is expected to be completed over the coming months and as a result, the Company will provide updates on the anticipated timing of the process flow sheet and the associated technical report as information becomes available.

Results of Operations

Projects, exploration, and development

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, Projects, exploration, and development costs totaled $4.9 million compared to $3.5 million for the same period of 2023. Projects, exploration, and development costs were related to: (i) completing technical studies; (ii) conducting geological studies; (iii) oversight and project management; and (iv) exploration drilling, engineering, and metallurgical activities. The increase of $1.4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024 was the result of ongoing assay results and analysis from Phase 2 of the Company’s 2022-2023 Exploration Program and initiating the 2024 Exploration Drilling program in February 2024.

General and administrative

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, General and administrative expenses totaled $2.9 million compared to $3.3 million during the same period of 2023. The decrease of $(0.4) million during the three months ended March 31, 2024, was primarily due to reduced spend on outside legal and accounting services and contractors.

Mine site period costs

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, Mine site period costs totaled $2.6 million compared to $3.8 million for the same period of 2023, primarily due to reduced activities year over year associated with the mine site. Mine site period costs include costs related to maintaining the Hycroft Mine, including environmental, maintenance and administration costs. Effective January 1, 2023, the Company began reporting amounts for Mine site period costs as Operating Expenses as this presentation aligns with how the business will be viewed and managed until such time that the Company further develops the Hycroft Mine and recommences mining operations.

Asset Retirement Obligation Adjustment

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recognized a change in estimate to reflect both a revised Engineering Design Change required by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection for impervious cover placement on the Crofoot Heap Leach Pad, and a change in timing to commence work in 2025 and complete it by the end of 2027. In accordance with the change in estimate, the Company recorded an expense of $2.0 million as the Company does not have mineral reserves, and accordingly, all costs are expensed until such time that it declares mineral reserves.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company did not incur additional reclamation obligations associated with additional disturbances, other regulatory requirements, or changes in estimates.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization were $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2023, respectively.

Accretion

The Company recorded $0.2 million and $0.2 million of Accretion for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, respectively, which related to the Company’s Asset retirement obligation and future reclamation costs. See Note 12 – Asset Retirement Obligation to the Notes to the Financial Statements for further detail.

Interest expense

As discussed in Note 9 – Debt, Net in the Notes to the Financial Statements, Interest expense totaled $10.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $4.4 million during the same period in 2023. Included in Interest expense was $(6.9) million of accelerated amortization of original issue discount and issuance costs. On January 5, 2024, the Company voluntarily prepaid $38.0 million of its first lien debt. The original issue discount and issuance costs were expensed on a prorated basis in line with the prepaid amount of the debt.

The decrease of $5.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 was primarily due to the January 2024 voluntary prepayments the Company made on the first lien debt.

Other income, net

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recognized Other income of $1.3 million, compared to Nil for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase of $1.3 million included a $1.4 million gain on a non-refundable deposit (see Note 7 – Assets Held For Sale for more detail), partially offset by a loss of $(0.1) million on the sale of equipment.

Interest income

Interest income totaled $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $1.9 million for the same period in 2023. In July 2022, the Company began investing the majority of its cash balances in AAAm rated U.S. Government Money Market Funds that are readily convertible to cash. These investments earned the Company $1.0 million and $1.5 million in interest during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, respectively. In addition, the Company earned $0.3 million on its Restricted cash during the three months ended March 31, 2024, as compared with $0.4 million for the same period in 2023.

Fair value adjustments to warrants

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2023, the Fair value adjustments to warrants resulted in a non-cash gain of Nil and $0.1 million, respectively, as the market trading values of the publicly listed warrants decreased during the period.

Income taxes

The Company incurred Nil net income tax expense or benefit for three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023.

For additional details, see Note 17 – Loss Per Share in the Notes to the Financial Statements.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

General

The Company’s Cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2024, were $57.6 million, as compared with $106.2 million at December 31, 2023. As discussed in Note 14 – Stockholders’ Equity in the Notes to the Financial Statements, the Company raised cash through its at-the-market public offering program (“ATM Program”) as follows:

• On June 2, 2023, the Company filed a prospectus supplement reactivating the ATM Program and updating the amount of shares that the Company may sell through the ATM Program to an aggregate offering price of up to $361.4 million. On November 17, 2023, the Company again began accessing the ATM Program, and as of December 31, 2023, sold an additional 523,328 shares of common stock for aggregate gross proceeds, before commissions and offering expenses, of $1.1 million. As of December 31, 2023, there was common stock available for issuance under the ATM Program with an aggregate offering sales price of up to $360.3 million.
• On March 19, 2024, the Company filed a prospectus supplement subject to Instruction I.B.6. to Form S-3, which is referred to as the baby shelf rule. For so long as the Company’s public float is less than $75.0 million, it may not sell more than the equivalent of one-third of its public float during any 12 consecutive months pursuant to the baby shelf rules. The prospectus supplement updated the remaining amount of shares that the Company may sell through the ATM Program to an aggregate offering price of up to $15.3 million.
• In the first quarter of 2024, the Company continued to access the ATM Program, and as of March 31, 2024, sold an additional 517,688 shares of common stock for aggregate gross proceeds, before commissions and offering expenses of $1.2 million. As of March 31, 2024, there was common stock available for issuance under the ATM Program with an aggregate offering sales price of up to $14.8 million. On April 11, 2024, the Company’s public float exceeded the $75.0 million baby shelf threshold.

As the Company completed recovering gold and silver ounces previously placed on the leach pad in 2022, the Company does not expect to generate net positive cash for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company will be dependent on its unrestricted cash and other sources of cash to fund the business. Historically, the Company has been dependent on various forms of debt and equity financing to fund its business. While the Company has been successful in the past raising funds through equity and debt financings, no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available to it in amounts sufficient to meet the Company’s needs or on terms acceptable to the Company. If funds are unavailable, the Company may be required to materially change its business plan.

The Company’s future liquidity and capital resources management strategy entails a disciplined approach to monitor the timing and extent of any drilling, metallurgical and mineralogical studies while attempting to remain in a position that allows the Company to respond to changes in the business environment, such as a decrease in metal prices or lower than forecasted future cash flows, and changes in other factors beyond the Company’s control. The Company has undertaken efforts aimed at managing its liquidity and preserving its capital resources by, among other things: (i) monitoring metal prices and the impacts (near-term and future) they have on the business; (ii) ceasing open pit mining operations to reduce net cash outflows; (iii) reducing the size of the workforce to reflect the cessation of mining operations; (iv) controlling working capital and managing discretionary spending; (v) reviewing contractor usage and rental agreements for more economic options, including termination of certain agreements in accordance with their terms; (vi) decreasing Restricted Cash balances that collateralize bonds, as available; (vii) planning the timing and amounts of capital expenditures and costs for drilling, metallurgical and technical studies costs at the Hycroft Mine; and (viii) deferring such items that are not expected to benefit our near term operating plans. The Company has undertaken and continues to undertake additional efforts including: (i) monetizing non-core equipment and excess supplies inventories; (ii) selling uninstalled mills that are not expected to be needed for a future milling operation; and (iii) working with existing debt holders to adjust debt service requirements.

In addition, the Company will continue to evaluate alternatives to raise additional capital necessary to fund the future development of the Hycroft Mine and will continue to explore other strategic initiatives to enhance stockholder value.

Cash and liquidity

The Company has placed substantially all its unrestricted cash in operating and investing accounts with well-capitalized financial institutions, thereby ensuring balances remain readily available. The Company uses AAAm rated U.S. Government Money Market Funds for its unrestricted cash investments. Due to the nature of its operations and the composition of current assets, Cash and cash equivalents, Income tax receivable, and Assets held for sale represent substantially all the liquid assets on hand.

The following table summarizes projected sources of future liquidity, as recorded within the Financial Statements (in thousands):

(1) In August 2022, the Company entered into an Equipment Purchase Agreement to sell one ball mill and one SAG mill for consideration of $12.0 million. The agreement was amended in December 2022 to include a sub-station transformer for an additional amount of $1.6 million for a total amended equipment purchase price of $13.6 million, of which the company has received payments totaling $1.6 million. Effective March 1, 2024, the buyer terminated a portion of the Equipment Purchase Agreement and effective April 5, 2024, the entire Equipment Purchase Agreement was terminated. Because the sale did not materialize, $1.4 million of the nonrefundable deposit payments was recognized as Other income in the first quarter of 2024, $0.1 million of the nonrefundable deposit payments will be recognized as Other income in the second quarter of 2024, and the remaining $0.1 million in nonrefundable deposit payments have been included in Contract liabilities.

Three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to three months ended March 31, 2023

The following table summarizes sources and uses of cash for the following periods (in thousands):

Cash used in operating activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company used $11.7 million of cash in operating activities primarily attributable to a net loss of $20.7 million, the cash impact of which was $8.9 million. There was a $2.8 million deficit to working capital and other, including cash used for Other liabilities of $2.6 million. The largest non-cash items included in net loss during the three months ended March 31, 2024, were Accelerated amortization of original issue discount and issuance costs of $6.9 million, non-cash interest expense of $2.7 million and non-cash ARO adjustments and accretion of $2.2 million.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company used $8.8 million of cash in operating activities primarily attributable to a net loss of $13.9 million, the cash impact of which was $9.5 million, and $0.7 million was provided by working capital, that included $2.8 million cash received on the collection of Accounts receivable as the Company collected its remaining receivables related to gold and silver sales during 2022 and an increase in Prepaids and deposits of $0.8 million, partially offset by cash used to reduce Other liabilities of $1.8 million and Accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $1.1 million. The largest non-cash item included in net loss during the three months ended March 31, 2023, was Non-cash portion of interest expense of $3.0 million.

Cash used in investing activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, investing activities generated cash of $0.2 million, comprised of Proceeds from sale of equipment of $0.3 million, partly offset by Additions to property, plant, and equipment of $0.1 million.

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, investing activities used cash of $0.3 million primarily to purchase equipment and patented mining claims.

Cash used in financing activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, financing activities used cash of $36.9 million that was primarily related to principal payments on debt and notes payable including the $38.0 million voluntary prepayment of the first lien debt..

During the three months ended March 31, 2023, financing activities used cash of $0.6 million that was primarily related to Principal payments on debt and Principal payments on notes payable of $0.6 million

Future capital and cash requirements

The following table provides the Company’s gross contractual cash obligations as of March 31, 2024, which are grouped in the same manner as they are classified in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows in order to provide a better understanding of the nature of the obligations and to provide a basis for comparison to historical information. The Company believes that the following provides the most meaningful presentation of near-term obligations expected to be satisfied using current and available sources of liquidity (in thousands):

(1) The Company is required to pay a perpetual royalty equal to 1.5% of the net smelter returns from the Hycroft Mine (“Sprott Royalty Agreement”), payable monthly that also includes an additional amount for withholding taxes payable by the royalty holder. Amounts presented above incorporate mineral resource estimates as reported in the 2023 Hycroft TRS.

(2) Mining operations are subject to extensive environmental regulations in the jurisdictions in which they are conducted, and we are required, upon cessation of operations, to reclaim and remediate the lands that our operations have disturbed. The estimated undiscounted inflated cash outflows of these remediation and reclamation obligations are reflected here. In the above presentation, no offset has been applied for the $58.3 million of our reclamation bonds or for the $26.6 million of cash collateral for those bonds included in Restricted Cash.

(3) Interest payments consist of monthly payments under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (“Sprott Credit Agreement”) (as amended by the March 30, 2022 amended agreement (the “ Second A&R Agreement”) at the minimum interest rate of 7.5%, monthly interest payments for other debt, and paid in kind interest associated with the subordinated debt paid at maturity.

(4) The Company is required to pay a 4% net profit royalty (“Crofoot Royalty”), including advance royalty payments of $120,000 in any year where mining occurs on the Crofoot claims and an additional $120,000 if tons mined from the Crofoot claim blocks exceed 5.0 million tons. See Note 22 – Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Financial Statements for additional information. Amounts shown represent the current estimates of cash payment timing using consensus pricing for gold and silver.

(5) Repayments of principal on debt consists of amounts due under the Sprott Credit Agreement (as amended by the Second A&R Agreement), the amendment to the 10% Senior Secured Notes and Note Exchange Agreement (“Subordinated Notes”), and notes payable for equipment purchases. Included in the repayment of the Sprott Credit Agreement is the $3.3 million fee that was capitalized as payable in-kind in connection with the Second A&R Agreement. Included in the repayment of the Subordinated Notes principal is interest that is payable in-kind and capitalized on a quarterly basis. See Note 9 – Debt, Net in the Notes to the Financial Statements for additional information.

Debt covenants

The Company’s debt agreements contain representations and warranties, events of default, restrictions and limitations, reporting requirements, and covenants that are customary for agreements of these types.

The Sprott Credit Agreement (as amended by the Second A&R Agreement and the Second Amendment to the Second A&R Agreement) contains covenants that, among other things, restrict or limit the ability of the Company to enter into encumbrances (other than Permitted Encumbrances), incur indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness), dispose of its assets (other than Permitted Disposals), pay dividends, and purchase or redeem shares, as such terms are defined in the Sprott Credit Agreement (as amended by the Second A&R Agreement and the Second Amendment to the Second A&R Agreement). The Sprott Credit Agreement (as amended by the Second A&R Agreement and the Second Amendment to the Second A&R Agreement) requires the Company to ensure that, at all times, both its Working Capital and Unrestricted Cash are at least $15.0 million, as such terms are defined in the Sprott Credit Agreement (as amended by the Second A&R Agreement and the Second Amendment to the Second A&R Agreement), and that at least every six months the Company demonstrates its ability to repay and meet all present and future obligations as they become due with a financial model that uses consensus gold prices discounted by 5.0%. The Subordinated Notes include customary events of default, including those relating to a failure to pay principal or interest, a breach of a covenant, representation or warranty, a cross-default to other indebtedness, and non-compliance with security documents. As of March 31, 2024, the Company was in compliance with all covenants under its debt agreements.

On March 9, 2023, the Company entered into a letter agreement (the “Waiver and Amendment”), by and between the Company, the Lender, and Sprott Private Resource Lending II (Co) Inc. (“SPRL II” and together with the Lender, the “Sprott Parties”). Pursuant to the terms of the Sprott Credit Agreement, the Company agreed that while any indebtedness is outstanding under the Sprott Credit Agreement or while the credit facility under the Sprott Credit Agreement remains available to the Company, the Company and guarantors under the Sprott Credit Agreement would not undertake certain corporate actions without the Lender’s prior written consent.

On May 24, 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved a proposed amendment of the Company’s second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) to effectuate a reverse stock split of the Company’s outstanding shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, at a ratio of no less than 1-for-10 and no more than 1-for-25, with such ratio to be determined at the sole discretion of the Board (the “Reverse Stock Split”). Pursuant to the terms of the Waiver and Amendment, Lender agreed to waive certain provisions of the Sprott Credit Agreement so that the Company may effectuate the proposed Reverse Stock Split of the Company’s common stock, including amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation necessary to effectuate the Reverse Stock Split. The Company notified the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) on October 26, 2023, that the Board of Directors approved filing the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation in order that the Reverse Stock Split will be effective on November 14, 2023, at a ratio of 1-for-10. Except as set forth in the Waiver and Amendment, the Sprott Credit Agreement remains in full force and effect.

On January 5, 2024, the Company voluntarily pre-paid $34.7 million of the first lien loan, along with $3.3 million for the additional interest balance, totaling $38.0 million with a remaining outstanding balance of $15.0 million. As a result of this payment, the applicable margin was reduced by 100 basis points through the final payment.

Off-balance sheet arrangements

As of March 31, 2024, the Company’s off-balance sheet arrangements consisted of a net profit royalty arrangement and a net smelter royalty arrangement (see Note 22 – Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Financial Statements).

Critical Accounting Estimates

This Management’s Discussion and Analysis is based on the Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). The preparation of these statements requires the Company to make assumptions, estimates, and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. For information on the most critical accounting estimates used to prepare the Financial Statements, see the Critical Accounting Estimates section included in Part II – Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

As the Company qualifies as a smaller reporting company under Item 10(f) of Regulation S-K, quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk are not required, and such are omitted from this filing.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and Board of Directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published Financial Statements. Internal control over financial reporting is promulgated under the Exchange Act as a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by our Board of Directors, management, and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of Financial Statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Internal control over financial reporting, no matter how well designed, has inherent limitations and may not prevent or detect misstatements. Therefore, even effective internal control over financial reporting can only provide reasonable assurance with respect to the financial statement preparation and presentation.

The Company’s management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as required by Rules 13a-15(b) and 15d-15(b) under the Exchange Act as of March 31, 2024.

Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2024 to provide such reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us, including our consolidated subsidiaries, in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure and is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms.

Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, believes that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, 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 consider the benefits of controls relative to their costs. Inherent limitations within a control system include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be 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 unauthorized override of the control. While the design of any system of controls is to provide reasonable assurance of the effectiveness of disclosure controls, such design is also based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and such assumptions, while reasonable, may not take into account all potential future conditions. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and may not be prevented or detected.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no significant changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended March 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”) or in releases made by the SEC, all as may be amended from time to time. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein or incorporated by reference, that address activities, events, or developments that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to such things as:

The words “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend”, “believe”, “project”, “target”, “budget”, “may”, “can”, “will”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “seeks”, or “scheduled to”, or other similar words, or negatives of these terms or other variations of these terms or comparable language or any discussion of strategy or intentions identify forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements are being made pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the PSLRA with the intention of obtaining the benefit of the “safe harbor” provisions of such laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations.

Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Although we base these forward-looking statements on assumptions that we believe are reasonable when made, we caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. In addition, even if our results, performance, or achievements are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, those results, performance or achievements may not be indicative of results, performance or achievements in subsequent periods.

Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q speak only as of the date of those statements, and we undertake no obligation to update those statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of those statements to reflect future events or developments. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.

See Risk Factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as the same may be updated from time to time, and other SEC filings, for more information about these and other risks.

As the Company qualifies as a smaller reporting company under Item 10(f) of Regulation S-K, risk factors are not required to be included in a Quarterly Report and, therefore, are omitted from this filing.