Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 1 of 2
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 2 of 2
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 1 of 117
EXHIBIT 1
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 2 of 117
The Ultracapacitor Company
Tak in g O f f
2 0 0 5 A n n u a l R e p o r t a n d Fo r m 1 0 - K
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 3 of 117
Innovative, cost effective energy storage and power delivery solutions.
BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor cells, multi-cell packs and modules provide safe and reliable power solutions for the automotive, transportation, industrial and consumer electronics industries.
Our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules, memory modules and single board computers that incorporate powerful commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in aerospace applications.
Our CONDIS ® high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy.
MicroElectronics for Space
High-Voltage Capacitors
Ultracapacitors
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 4 of 117
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
È
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 OR
`
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to Commission file number 1-15477
MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
95-2390133
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
9244 Balboa Avenue San Diego, California
(Address of principal executive offices)
92123
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (858) 503-3300 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share Act. Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities YES ` NO È
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. YES ` NO È Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES È NO ` Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ` Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of "accelerated filer and large accelerated filer" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer ` Accelerated filer È Non-accelerated filer ` Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). YES ` NO È As of June 30, 2005 the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant based on the closing price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market was $55,405,403. The number of shares of the registrant's Common Stock outstanding as of March 8, 2006 was 16,933,196 shares. DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE None.
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 5 of 117
MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005
Page
PART I Item 1. Item 1A. Item 1B. Item 2. Item 3. Item 4. Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Risk Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unresolved Staff Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legal Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART II Item 5. Item 6. Item 7. Item 7A. Item 8. Item 9. Item 9A. Item 9B. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selected Financial Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations . . . Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Financial Statements and Supplementary Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure . . . Controls and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART III Item 10. Item 11. Item 12. Item 13. Item 14. Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Certain Relationships and Related Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Principal Accountant Fees and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART IV Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 78 81 84 86 86 28 29 30 42 43 75 75 77 2 17 27 27 27 27
i
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 6 of 117
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Some of the statements contained in this document and incorporated herein by reference discuss our plans and strategies for our business or make other forward-looking statements, as this term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. The words "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "will," "continue," "seek," "should," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying them. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and beliefs of our management; however, various risks, uncertainties and contingencies could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, our statements. Such risks, uncertainties and contingencies include the following: · · · · · · · · decline in the domestic and global economies that may delay development and introduction by our customers of products that incorporate our products; our success in introducing and marketing new products into existing and new markets; our ability to manufacture existing and new products in volumes demanded by our customers and at competitive prices with adequate gross margins; market success of the products into which our products are integrated; our ability in growing markets to increase our market share relative to our competitors; our ability to successfully integrate our business with operations of businesses we may acquire; our ability to finance the growth of our business with internal resources or through outside financing at reasonable rates; and our ability to produce our products at quality levels demanded by our customers.
Many of these factors are beyond our control. Additionally, there can be no assurance that we will not incur new or additional unforeseen costs in connection with the ongoing conduct of our business. Accordingly, any forward-looking statements included herein do not purport to be predictions of future events or circumstances and may not be realized. For a discussion of important risks associated with an investment in our securities, including factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations referred to in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" beginning on page 17 of this document. We do not have any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
1
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 7 of 117
PART I Item 1. Business Introduction We develop, manufacture and market highly reliable, cost-effective energy storage and power delivery components and systems. Our products are designed and manufactured to provide failure-free, very low maintenance, performance over the life of the applications into which they are integrated. We believe that by satisfying the stringent requirements of such high-reliability, high-value applications, our products will be able to command much higher profit margins than commodity products. We focus on the following three discrete lines of high-reliability products: · Ultracapacitors: Our primary focus, ultracapacitors, are energy storage devices that possess a unique combination of high power density, extremely long operational life and the ability to charge and discharge very rapidly. Our BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor cells and multi-cell packs and modules provide highly reliable energy storage and power delivery solutions for applications in multiple industries, including transportation, energy, consumer and industrial electronics and telecommunications. High-Voltage Capacitors: Our CONDIS® high-voltage capacitors are extremely robust devices that are designed and manufactured to perform reliably for decades in all climates. These products include grading and coupling capacitors and capacitive voltage dividers that are used to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Radiation-Mitigated Microelectronic Products: Our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include high-performance, high-density power modules, memory modules and single board computers that incorporate our proprietary RADPAK® packaging and shielding technology and novel architectures that enable them to withstand environmental radiation effects and perform reliably in space.
·
·
In keeping with this strategic focus on high-value, high-margin product lines, over the past several years we have exited several non-strategic, low-margin businesses. These actions culminated with the sale of our Winding Equipment product line in December 2003, and the phase-out of our magnetics-based power systems product line, which was completed in the first quarter of 2004. These actions have enabled us to reduce operating expenses, improve efficiency, increase gross profit margins and intensify our focus on our core high-reliability product lines. General Overview Each of our high-reliability electronic component product lines addresses a distinct industry or, in the case of our ultracapacitor products, a group of distinct industry segments. Ultracapacitors Ultracapacitors offer energy storage and power delivery solutions for a wide range of electronic applications by bringing together in a single device energy storage characteristics generally found in batteries and power delivery characteristics generally found in the best electrolytic capacitors. For example, although batteries store significantly more electrical energy than ultracapacitors, they cannot deliver that energy as rapidly and efficiently as an ultracapacitor. Conversely, although electrolytic capacitors can deliver bursts of high power very rapidly, they cannot sustain that power delivery even for a full second because they have extremely limited energy storage capacity. Also, unlike batteries, which produce electrical energy through a chemical reaction that depletes their energy generation capability within a few thousand charge/discharge cycles, ultracapacitors' energy storage and power delivery mechanisms involve no chemical reaction, so they can be charged and discharged hundreds of thousands to millions of times with minimal performance degradation. This ability to store energy, deliver bursts of power and perform reliably for many years with little or no maintenance makes ultracapacitors an attractive option for a wide range of power-consuming devices and systems. 2
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 8 of 117
Based on potential volumes, we believe that the transportation industry ultimately represents the largest market opportunity for ultracapacitors. These applications include braking energy recuperation and torqueaugmentation systems for hybrid-electric buses, trucks and autos and electric trains, vehicle power network stabilization and distributed power nodes to support electronic subsystems, including power steering and brakes and electric air-conditioning. Ultracapacitors have advanced to high-volume commercial production in industrial electronics applications, including wind turbines and automated meter reading systems and other devices that incorporate wireless transmitters. Potential end-users in the telecommunications and cable television industries currently are testing and evaluating multi-cell ultracapacitor-based systems to replace batteries as the short-term bridge power element of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) back-up power systems. High-Voltage Capacitors High-voltage grading and coupling capacitors are used mainly in the electric utility industry. These devices prevent high-voltage arcing that can damage switches, circuit breakers, step-down transformers and other equipment responsible for the transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy in electric utility infrastructure. The market for these products consists of expansion and upgrading of existing infrastructure and new infrastructure in developing countries. Such installations are capital-intensive and frequently are subject to regulation, availability of government funding and general economic conditions. For example, while North America has the world's largest installed base of electric utility infrastructure, and has begun to experience more frequent power interruptions and supply problems, utility deregulation, government budget deficits, and other factors have limited recent capital spending in what historically has been a very large market for utility infrastructure components. However, projects to meet growing demand for electrical energy in developing countries, such as the Three Gorges Dam in China, continue to drive increasing global demand for high-voltage capacitors. Radiation-Mitigated Microelectronics Radiation-mitigated microelectronic products are used almost exclusively in the space and satellite industry. Because satellites and spacecraft are extremely expensive to manufacture and launch, and space missions typically span years or even decades, and because it is impractical or impossible to repair or replace malfunctioning parts, the industry demands electronic components that are virtually failure-free. As satellites and spacecraft routinely encounter ionizing radiation from solar flares and other natural sources, these components must be able to withstand such radiation and continue to perform reliably. For that reason, until recently, suppliers of components for space applications used only special radiation-hardened silicon in the manufacture of such components. However, since the space market is relatively small and the process of producing "rad-hard" silicon is very expensive, only a few government-funded wafer fabrication facilities are capable of producing such material. In addition, because it takes several years to produce a rad-hard version of a new semiconductor, components using rad-hard silicon typically are several generations behind their current commercial counterparts in terms of density, processing power and functionality. To address the performance gap between rad-hard and commercial silicon and provide components with both increased functionality and much higher processing power, Maxwell and a few other specialty components suppliers have developed shielding, packaging, and other novel radiation mitigation techniques that allow sensitive commercial semiconductors to withstand space radiation effects and perform as reliably as rad-hard parts. Although this market is limited in size, the value proposition for high-performance, radiation-tolerant components enables such specialty suppliers to generate profit margins much higher than those for commodity electronic components.
3
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 9 of 117
Business Strategy Our primary objective is to make ultracapacitors a standard and often preferred energy storage and power delivery option for a wide variety of applications. To accomplish this, we focus on: Providing proven and accepted energy storage and power delivery options by: · Facilitating the integration of ultracapacitor-based solutions into a wide range of devices and systems that require highly reliable electrical energy through: training engineers in the purpose and function of ultracapacitors; using educational techniques including publications, seminars and white papers; and integrating ultracapacitor mathematical models into broadly accepted simulation software, among other efforts; Initiating and participating in a broad array of working groups, consortia and industry standards committees to disseminate knowledge of, and promote use of, ultracapacitors; Demonstrating the broad application universe of ultracapacitors through competitions, demonstrations, government sponsored projects and other means; and Collaborative development initiatives with key customers in strategic application fields.
· · ·
Becoming a leading ultracapacitor supplier by: · · · · · · · · Becoming a low-cost producer and focusing on price-enabled markets; Designing and manufacturing products with "life-of-the-application" durability; Being a highly reliable supplier through global sourcing; Achieving superior performance and manufacturing quality while reducing product cost; Developing and deploying enabling technologies and systems, including cell-to-cell module-to-module balancing and integrated charging systems, among others; and
Demonstrating the extremely high durability of our ultracapacitors in a range of applications through extensive in-house and third party testing; Manufacturing products that contain no heavy metals and are therefore more environmentally friendly than batteries; and Establishing and maintaining broad and deep protections of key intellectual property.
In addition to our market creation and commercialization strategies for ultracapacitors, we seek to expand revenue and market opportunities for our high-voltage capacitors and radiation-mitigated microelectronic products. While the latter are niche businesses with highly specialized applications, they are developed, manufactured and marketed high-margin products for which we are a technology leader. Going forward, we plan to maintain and expand this competitive position by leveraging our technological expertise to develop new products that not only meet the demands of our current markets, but address additional applications as well. For example, our microelectronics group has successfully introduced a new single-board computer ("SBC") for the space and satellite market. In March 2005, Northrop Grumman Space Technologies selected our SCS750 SBC for spacecraft control and data management for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, the U.S. government's next generation weather satellite constellation. This product, which leverages our expertise in high-reliability and radiation-mitigation, enabled us to enter a new market by addressing an application that we did not previously serve. Likewise, in 2004, our high-voltage capacitor business introduced and delivered the first of a new line of capacitive voltage divider products. Products and Applications Our products incorporate our expertise and proprietary power and microelectronics technology at both the component and system level for specialized, high-value applications for which customers require ultra-high reliability. 4
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 10 of 117
Ultracapacitors Ultracapacitors, also known as electrochemical capacitors (EC) or supercapacitors, store energy electrostatically by polarizing an organic salt solution within a sealed package. Although ultracapacitors are electrochemical devices, no chemical reaction is involved in their energy storage mechanism. This mechanism is fully reversible, allowing ultracapacitors to be rapidly charged and discharged hundreds of thousands to millions of times with minimal performance degradation, even in very high peak power applications. Compared with electrolytic capacitors, which have very low energy storage capacity and discharge power too rapidly to be suitable for many power delivery applications, ultracapacitors have much greater energy storage capacity and can discharge power over time periods ranging from fractions of a second to several minutes. Unlike batteries, ultracapacitors discharge and recharge in as little as fractions of a second. Although ultracapacitors store only about one-tenth as much electrical energy as a conventional battery, they can deliver stored energy as electric power up to 100 times more rapidly. Because they operate reliably through hundreds of thousands to millions of discharge/recharge cycles, compared with only up to a few thousand cycles for conventional batteries, ultracapacitors have significantly higher lifetime energy throughput, which equates to significantly lower cost on a life cycle basis. We link our ultracapacitor cells together in packs and modules to satisfy higher voltage energy storage and power delivery requirements, and both individual cells and multi-cell products can be charged from any primary energy source, such as a battery, generator, fuel cell, solar panel or electrical outlet. Virtually any device or system whose peak power demands are greater than its average power requirement is a candidate for an ultracapacitor-based energy storage and power delivery solution. Our ultracapacitor products have significant advantages over batteries, including: · · · · · · · delivery of up to 100 times more instantaneous power; significantly lower weight per unit of electrical energy stored; the ability to discharge much deeper and recharge much faster and more efficiently, thus producing less wasted energy in the form of heat; the ability to operate reliably in extreme temperatures (-40 degrees C to +65 degrees C); minimal to no maintenance requirements; "life of the application" durability; and minimal environmental issues associated with disposal because they contain no heavy metals.
Any device or system that requires electrical energy storage and repeated discharges of variable amounts of power represents a potential application for ultracapacitors. With no moving parts and no chemical reaction involved in their energy storage mechanism, ultracapacitors provide a simple, solid state-like, highly reliable solution to buffer short-term mismatches between power available and power required. Additionally, ultracapacitors offer the advantage of storing energy in the same form in which it is used, as electricity. New power-consuming electronic products, such as wireless communication devices, increasing use of electric power in vehicles, and growing demand for highly reliable, maintenance-free, back-up power systems are creating significant markets for new and improved energy storage and power delivery products. In many applications, power demand varies widely from moment to moment, and peak power demand typically is much greater than the average power requirement. For example, automobiles require much more power to accelerate than to maintain a constant speed, and forklifts require more power to lift a heavy pallet than to move from place to place within a warehouse. Engineers historically have addressed such peak power requirements by over-sizing the engine, battery or other primary energy source to satisfy all of a system's power demands, including demands that occur 5
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 11 of 117
infrequently and may last only a few seconds or less. Sizing the primary power source to meet such transient peak power requirements, rather than for average power requirements, is costly and inefficient. Primary energy sources can be designed to be smaller, lighter and less costly if they are coupled with specialized power components that can deliver or absorb brief bursts of high power on demand for periods of time ranging from fractions of a second to several minutes. The following diagram depicts the separation of a primary energy storage source from a peak power delivery component to satisfy the requirements of a particular application. Highly reliable components that enable this separation permit new designs to optimize the size, efficiency and cost of the entire electrical power system. Peak Power Application Model
Although conventional batteries have been the most widely used component for both primary energy sourcing and peak power delivery, ultracapacitors, advanced batteries and flywheels now enable system designers to separate and optimize these functions. Based in part on our ultracapacitor products' rapidly declining cost, high performance and "life-of-the-application" durability, they are becoming a preferred solution for many energy storage and power delivery applications. We offer our BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitors in numerous form factors, ranging from postage stamp size 4-farad small cells rated at 2.5 volts to cylindrical, 2.7-volt, 3,000-farad large cells that measure approximately two inches in diameter and six inches long. Applications such as bus, truck and auto drive trains, electric rail systems and UPS systems require integrated modules consisting of up to more than 1,000 ultracapacitor cells. To facilitate adoption of ultracapacitors for these larger systems, we have developed integration technologies, including proprietary electrical balancing and thermal management systems and interconnect technologies. We have applied for, or are in the process of applying for, patents for certain of these technologies. In 2004 and 2005, we introduced several standard multi-cell packs and modules to provide fully integrated solutions for applications requiring a wide range of voltages. Our current standard multi-cell products each incorporate from six to 18 of our large cells to provide "plug and play" solutions for applications requiring from 15 to 48 volts. In addition, they are designed to be easily linked together for even higher voltage applications. Our proprietary ultracapacitor electrode technology, integration capabilities and flexible module architecture also enable us to respond to strategic customers' requests for custom modules to satisfy requirements not met by our standard products. In early 2006, we announced the introduction of more than 30 new products, including several additional cell form factors and corresponding multi-cell modules to better meet the diverse requirements of the automotive, transportation, industrial and consumer electronics markets. 6
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 12 of 117
The chart below describes a number of applications for our BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitors that are now in commercial production or are in the field-testing or prototyping and evaluation phase.
Market Application Stage of Commercialization
Telecommunications Uninterruptible power supply systems (UPS) Short-term "bridge" power in integrated systems using fuel cells for primary backup Field testing and evaluation of multi-cell modules
Industrial Electronics · Utility meters · Actuators · Memory boards Energy Generation · Wind turbines Blade pitch systems to optimize efficency Commercial production Wireless communication Energy storage Back-up power Commercial production Commercial production Commercial production
Fuel Cell Augmentation · Stationary systems Startup, bridge power and peak load buffering to reduce system size and cost Startup, braking energy recuperation and dynamic power for lifting Field testing and evaluation
· Forklifts all-electric vehicles
and other light mobility
Initial commercialization
Transportation · Hybrid-electric bus drive trains · Airplane door actuators Braking energy recuperation and reuse for torque augmentation Backup power for emergency deployment if main power system fails Braking energy recuperation and reuse for electric train and tram propulsion (both stationary and onboard) Capacitive starting systems for diesel locomotives · Automobile systems Braking energy recuperation and reuse for torque augmentation in hybrid power trains Distributed power nodes for allelectric power steering, braking and other subsystems Commercial production Commercial production
· Rail systems
Field testing and evaluation of multi-cell systems developed by rail vehicle and system OEMs Prototyping and evaluation by locomotive OEMs Prototyping and evaluation
Prototyping and evaluation by auto manufacturers and Tier I subsystem OEMs
7
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 13 of 117
Market
Application
Stage of Commercialization
Power network buffering to prevent malfunctions due to voltage sags After-market audio systems · Diesel vehicles Capacitive starting
Prototyping and evaluation by automotive OEMs Initial commercialization Prototyping and evaluation by fleet operators and truck OEMs
High-Voltage Capacitors Electric utility grids have switches, circuit breakers, step-down transformers and measurement instruments that transport, distribute and measure high-voltage electricity. High-voltage capacitors are used to protect these systems from high-voltage arcing. These applications require extremely high reliability and durability, with failure rates of less than a few percent over operational lifetimes measured in decades. Through our acquisition in 2002 of Montena Components Ltd., now known as Maxwell Technologies SA, and its CONDIS® line of high-voltage capacitor products, Maxwell has more than 20 years of experience in this industry, and is the world's largest producer of such products for use in utility infrastructure. Engineers with specific expertise in high-voltage systems develop, design and test our high-voltage capacitor products in our development and production facility in Rossens, Switzerland. Our high-voltage capacitors are produced through a proprietary, automated, winding and assembly process to ensure consistent quality and reliability. We upgraded our high-voltage capacitor production facility in 2004 to double its output capacity and significantly shorten order-to-delivery intervals. We sell our high-voltage capacitor products to large systems integrators, such as ABB Ltd., Areva and Siemens AG, which install and service electrical utility infrastructure around the world. Radiation-Mitigated Microelectronic Products Manufacturers of commercial and military satellites and other spacecraft require microelectronic components and sub-systems that meet specific functional requirements and can withstand exposure to gamma rays, hot electrons and protons and other environmental radiation encountered in space. In the past, microelectronic components and systems for such special applications used only specially fabricated radiationhardened silicon. However, the process of designing and producing rad-hard silicon is lengthy and expensive, and there are only a few specialty semiconductor fabricators, so supplies of rad-hard silicon are limited. As a result, demand for components made with the latest commercial silicon, protected by shielding and other radiation mitigation techniques, is growing. Commercial silicon provides higher functionality and costs significantly less than rad-hard silicon. Producing components and systems incorporating radiation-mitigated commercial silicon requires expertise in power electronics, circuit design, silicon selection, radiation shielding and extensive expertise in quality assurance testing. We design, manufacture and market radiation-mitigated microelectronic products, including power modules, memory modules and single-board computers, for the space and satellite markets. Using highly adaptable, proprietary, packaging and shielding technology and other radiation mitigation techniques, we custom design products that allow satellite and spacecraft manufacturers to use powerful, low cost, commercial components that are protected with the level of radiation shielding required for reliable performance in the specific orbit or environment in which they are to be deployed.
8
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 14 of 117
Manufacturing All of our manufacturing operations are conducted in two production facilities located in San Diego, California, and Rossens, Switzerland. Over the past several years, we have made substantial capital investments to outfit and expand our production facilities and incorporate the latest available mechanization and automation techniques and processes. We have trained our manufacturing personnel in advanced operational techniques including demand-based manufacturing. We have also added advanced information technology infrastructure and have implemented new business processes and systems to increase our manufacturing capacity and improve efficiency, planning and product quality. Our production facilities have been designed with flexible overhead power grids and modular manufacturing cells and equipment that allow factory operations to be reconfigured rapidly at minimal expense. With the completion of certain upgrades in 2005 and other upgrades currently underway, we believe that our manufacturing facilities and resources give us sufficient capacity to meet 2006 demand for all of our current product lines without significant additional capital expenditure. Acceptance of our ultracapacitor products and high-voltage capacitor products depends in part on compliance and certification with a number of U.S. and foreign standards for electronic components and systems. Among the entities that promulgate such standards are Underwriters Laboratories, Canadian Standards Association and Committee European. We incorporate compliance with such standards into the quality assurance protocols we follow in manufacturing and testing these products. Ultracapacitors We produce the proprietary carbon electrode material upon which all of our ultracapacitor products are based at our San Diego production facility. In early 2006, we commenced installation of the first element of a major electrode production line expansion that will enable us to more than double current electrode output without additional direct labor. This initial expansion will give us sufficient capacity to support projected nearterm cell production volumes. We have ordered a second element for delivery and installation later in 2006 that, when completed, will give us a total annual capacity of more than one million square meters of electrode material. Additional elements of capacity expansion can be added within a few months of placing an order with our current system equipment vendor. We currently produce our large cell ultracapacitors on pilot production lines in both our San Diego and Rossens facilities. In late 2005, we completed installation of our first high-volume, fully automated manufacturing line for our 350- and 140-farad ultracapacitors in our Rossens facility. We have also redesigned our large cell products to facilitate automation and to incorporate lower-cost materials. In addition to facilitating the use of significantly lower-cost materials, the new designs reduce both the number of parts in a finished cell and the number of manufacturing process steps required to produce them. Rather than further expanding our current ultracapacitor cell assembly lines in San Diego and Rossens, we plan to outsource additional increments of cell assembly capacity. We are currently negotiating with potential offshore manufacturing partners in Asia, with a goal of having multi-million cell assembly capabilities in place starting at the end of 2006. In 2001, we installed an automated assembly line for our 4-farad and 10-farad small cell ultracapacitors in our San Diego production facility. This line can produce approximately 40,000 to 50,000 small cells per 24-hour production day, which is more than sufficient to meet our current and projected near term small cell production demand. In 2003, we formed an ultracapacitor manufacturing and marketing alliance with Yeong-Long Technologies Co., Ltd., ("YEC"). YEC is a manufacturer of electrolytic capacitors headquartered in Taichung, Taiwan, with manufacturing and sales operations in mainland China, and annual sales of more than $200 million. We entered into this alliance to accelerate commercialization of our proprietary BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitors in China, and enhance Maxwell's capabilities as a global supplier of ultracapacitors, with production facilities in North 9
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 15 of 117
America and Europe, and access to facilities in Asia. This alliance allows YEC to produce and sell our ultracapacitor products on a royalty-bearing basis in the Chinese market. It also provides for YEC to develop products in new form factors and gives us access to YEC's manufacturing capacity for our distribution outside of China. High-Voltage Capacitors We produce our high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors in our Rossens, Switzerland facility. We believe we are the only high-voltage capacitor producer that manufactures its products with automated winding, stacking and assembly processes. This enables us to produce consistent, high quality and highly reliable products, and gives us sufficient capacity to satisfy growing global customer demand. Using advanced demand-based techniques, we upgraded the assembly portion of the process to a "cell-based," "just-in-time" design in 2004, doubling our production capacity without adding direct labor, and significantly shortening order-to-delivery intervals. This upgrade also enabled us to manufacture products for the capacitive voltage divider market, which we did not previously serve. We believe that penetrating this market could materially increase our high voltage capacitor revenue potential. Radiation-Mitigated Microelectronics Products We produce our radiation-mitigated microelectronics products in our San Diego production facility. We have reengineered our production processes for radiation-mitigated microelectronics, resulting in substantial reductions in cycle time and a significant increase in yield. Customer audits have confirmed our belief that we have "top-tier" manufacturing capabilities for highly reliable, radiation-mitigated power modules, memory modules and single-board computers. In 2004, this facility earned QML-V and QML-Q certification by the Department of Defense procurement agency. There are fewer than 15 QML- certified microelectronics production facilities in the world. Our radiation-mitigated microelectronics production operations include die characterization, packaging, electrical, environmental and life testing. As a result of manufacturing cycle time reductions and operator productivity increases achieved over the past several years, we believe that this facility is capable of doubling its current output without additional direct labor or capital expenditure, and therefore, we have ample capacity to meet foreseeable demand in the space and satellite markets. Suppliers We generally purchase components and materials, such as carbon powder, electronic components, dielectric materials and metal enclosures from a number of suppliers. For certain products, such as our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products and our high-voltage capacitors, we rely on a limited number of suppliers or a single supplier. Although we believe there are alternative sources for some of the components and materials that we currently obtain from a single source, there can be no assurance that we will be able to identify and qualify alternative suppliers in a timely manner. Therefore, in critical component areas, we "bank," or store, critical high value materials, especially silicon die. We are working to reduce our dependence on sole and limited source suppliers through an extensive global sourcing effort. Marketing and Sales We market and sell our products through both direct and indirect sales organizations in North America, Europe and Asia for integration by our OEM customers into a wide range of end products. Because the introduction of products based on emerging technologies requires customer acceptance of new and unfamiliar technical approaches, and because many of our OEM customers have rigorous vendor qualification processes, the initial sale of our products can take months or even years. Our principal marketing strategy is to cultivate long-term relationships by becoming a preferred vendor and competing for multiple supply opportunities with our key OEM customers. As these design-in sales tend to be 10
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 16 of 117
technical and engineering-intensive, we organize customer-specific teams composed of sales, engineering, research and development and other technical and operational personnel to work closely with our customers across multiple disciplines to satisfy their requirements for form, fit, function and environmental needs. As time-to-market often is the primary consideration in our customers' decisions to use our products, the initial sale and design-in process typically evolves into ongoing account management to ensure on-time delivery, responsive technical support and problem-solving. Because of the distinct nature of each of our three product lines, we conduct discrete marketing programs intended to position and promote each product line. These include trade shows, seminars, advertising, product publicity, distribution of product literature and Internet websites. We employ marketing communications specialists and outside consultants to develop and implement our marketing programs, design and develop marketing materials, negotiate advertising media purchases, write and place product press releases and manage our marketing websites. We have an alliance with YEC to manufacture and market our proprietary BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor products in China. Through this alliance, we seek to expand our ultracapacitor product line and increase sales in China. Competition Each of our product lines has competitors, many of whom have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources, greater name recognition and larger installed customer bases than we have. In some of the target markets for our emerging technologies, we face competition both from products utilizing well-established, existing technologies and other novel or emerging technologies. Ultracapacitors Our ultracapacitor products have two types of competitors: other ultracapacitor suppliers and purveyors of energy storage and power delivery solutions based on other technologies. Although a number of companies are developing ultracapacitor technology, we currently have three principal competitors in the ultracapacitor or supercapacitor industry: Panasonic, a division of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., in Japan, EPCOS AG in Germany, and Ness Corporation in Korea. The key competitive factors in the ultracapacitor market are price, performance (energy stored and power delivered per unit volume), durability and reliability, operational lifetime and overall breadth of product offerings. We believe that our products compete favorably with respect to all of these competitive factors. Ultracapacitors also compete with products based on other technologies, including advanced batteries in power quality and peak power applications, and flywheels, thermal storage and batteries in back-up energy storage applications. We believe that ultracapacitors' high durability, long life, high performance and value proposition give them a competitive advantage over these alternative choices in many applications. In addition, integration of ultracapacitors with some of these alternative solutions may provide an optimized solution for the customer that neither can provide by itself. For example, combined solutions incorporating ultracapacitors with batteries for cold starting in diesel trucks have been in development for several years, and efforts currently are underway to standardize such systems. High-Voltage Capacitors Maxwell, through its acquisition in 2002 of Montena (now known as Maxwell Technologies SA) and its CONDIS® line of high-voltage capacitor products, is the world's largest producer of high-voltage capacitors for use in electric utility infrastructure. Our principal competitors in the high-voltage capacitor markets are in-house production groups of certain of our customers and other independent manufacturers, such as the Coil Product Division of Trench Limited in Canada and Europe and Hochspannungsgeräte Porz GmbH in Germany. We 11
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 17 of 117
believe that we compete favorably, both as a consistent supplier of highly reliable high-voltage capacitors, and in terms of our expertise in high-voltage systems design. Over the last ten years, our largest customer, ABB Ltd., has transitioned from producing its grading and coupling capacitors internally to outsourcing substantially all of its needs to us. Radiation-Mitigated Microelectronic Products Our radiation-mitigated power modules, memory modules and single-board computers compete with the products of traditional radiation-hardened integrated circuit suppliers such as Honeywell Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation and BAE Systems. We also compete with commercial integrated circuit suppliers with product lines that have inherent radiation tolerance characteristics, such as National Semiconductor Corporation, Analog Devices Inc. and Temic Instruments B.V. in Europe. Our proprietary radiation-mitigation technologies enable us to provide flexible, high function, low-cost, radiation-mitigated products based on the most advanced commercial electronic circuits and processors. In addition, we compete with component product offerings from high reliability packaging houses such as Austin Semiconductor, Inc., White Microelectronics, Inc. and Teledyne Microelectronics, a unit of Teledyne Technologies, Inc. Research and Development We maintain active research and development ("R&D") programs to improve existing products and develop new products. For the year ended December 31, 2005, our research and development expenditures totaled approximately $7.2 million, compared with $5.5 million and $5.8 million in the years ended December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively. The decrease from 2003 to 2004 reflects the elimination of R&D expense associated with the non-core power systems and winding equipment product lines that we divested. In general, we focus our research and product development activities on: · · · · · designing and producing products that perform reliably for the life of the end products or systems into which they are integrated; making our products less expensive to produce so as to improve our profit margins and to enable our products to penetrate new, price-enabled, markets; designing our products to have superior technical performance; designing new products that provide novel solutions to expand our market opportunities; and designing our products to be compact and light.
Most of our current research, development and engineering activities are focused on material science, including electrically conducting and dielectric materials, ceramics and radiation-tolerant silicon and ceramic composites to reduce cost and improve performance, reliability and ease of manufacture. Additional efforts are focused on product design and manufacturing engineering and manufacturing processes for high-volume manufacturing. · The principal focus of our ultracapacitor development activities is to increase power and energy density, extend operational life and substantially reduce product cost. Our ultracapacitor designs focus on low-cost, high-capacity cells in standard sizes ranging from 4-farads to 3,000-farads, and corresponding multi-cell modules based on those form factors. We are developing and deploying families of products that better match customer performance and cost requirements, with a goal of penetrating price-enabled applications at multi-million unit volumes.
In March 2005, we announced a 24-month ultracapacitor technology research and development contract with the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC). The USABC operates under the auspices of the U.S. Council for Automotive Research, an umbrella organization formed by DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors to strengthen the technology base of the domestic auto industry through cooperative research. Maxwell is eligible to receive a total of approximately $3 million in matching funds from the U.S. Department of Energy 12
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 18 of 117
over the term of this program, whose primary goal is development of a low-cost, high-performance, 48-volt ultracapacitor-based energy storage module for applications in passenger vehicles. · The principal focus of our high-voltage capacitor development efforts is to enhance performance and reliability while reducing the size, weight and manufacturing cost of our products. We also are directing our design efforts to develop high-voltage capacitors for additional applications. The principal focus of our microelectronics product development activities is on circuit design and shielding and other radiation-mitigation techniques that allow the use of powerful commercial silicon components in space and satellite applications that require ultra high reliability. We also focus on creating system solutions that overcome the basic failure mechanisms of individual components through architectural approaches, including redundancy, mitigation and correction. This involves expertise in system architecture, including algorithm and micro-code development, circuit design and the physics of radiation effects on silicon electronic components.
·
Intellectual Property We continue to place an increased emphasis on inventing proprietary processes and designs that significantly increase the value and uniqueness of our product portfolio, and on obtaining patents to provide the broadest possible protection for those products and related technologies. Our ultimate success will depend in part on our ability to protect existing patents, secure additional patent protection and develop new processes and designs not covered by the patents of third parties. As of December 31, 2005, Maxwell and its subsidiaries held 47 issued U.S. patents, had 60 pending U.S. patent applications and numerous provisional applications. Of the issued patents, 28 relate to our ultracapacitor products and technology and 14 relate to our microelectronics products and technology. Our subsidiary, PurePulse Technologies, Inc. ("PurePulse"), which suspended operations in 2002, holds 21 issued U.S. patents and has three pending U.S. patent applications. Our issued patents have various expiration dates ranging from 2010 to 2025. Our pending patent applications and any future patent applications may not be allowed. We routinely seek to protect our new developments and technologies by applying for U.S. patents and corresponding foreign patents in the principal countries of Europe and Asia. At present, with the minor exception of microcode architectures within our radiation-mitigated microelectronics product line, we do not rely on licenses from any third parties to produce or commercialize our products. Our existing patent portfolios and pending patent applications covering technologies associated with our ultracapacitor and microelectronic products relate primarily to: Ultracapacitors · · · · the physical composition of the electrode and its design and fabrication; physical cell package designs and the processes used in their production; cell-to-cell and module-to-module interconnect technologies that minimize equivalent series resistance and enhance the performance and longevity of BOOSTCAP® products; and module and system designs that facilitate applications of ultracapacitor technology.
Microelectronics · · · system architectures that enable commercial silicon products to be used in radiation-intense space environments; technologies and designs that improve packaging densities while mitigating the effect of radiation on commercial silicon; and radiation-mitigation techniques that improve performance while protecting sensitive commercial silicon from the effects of environmental radiation in space. 13
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 19 of 117
Historically, our high-voltage capacitor products have been based on our know-how and trade secrets rather than on patents. We filed our first patent application covering our high-voltage capacitor technology in 2003, and we will continue to pursue patent protection in addition to trade secret protection of certain aspects of our products' design and production. Establishing and protecting proprietary products and technologies is a key element of our strategy. Although we attempt to protect our intellectual property rights through patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other measures, there can be no assurance that these steps will be adequate to prevent infringement, misappropriation or other misuse by third parties, or will be adequate under the laws of some foreign countries, which may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the U.S. We use employee and third party confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements to protect our trade secrets and unpatented know-how. We require each of our employees to enter into a proprietary rights and nondisclosure agreement in which the employee agrees to maintain the confidentiality of all our proprietary information and, subject to certain exceptions, to assign to us all rights in any proprietary information or technology made or contributed by the employee during his or her employment with us. In addition, we regularly enter into nondisclosure agreements with third parties, such as potential product development partners and customers. Financial Information About Geographic Areas
Year ending December 31, 2005 2004 2003 Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent (Dollars in thousands)
Revenues from external customers located in: United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All other countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Long-lived assets: United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Switzerland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$20,576 24,861 $45,437 $10,090 21,696 $31,786
45% $13,938 55% 18,274 100% $32,212 32% $ 9,337 68% 24,547 100% $33,884
43% $16,024 57% 19,142 100% $35,166 28% $10,742 72% 21,507 100% $32,249
46% 54% 100% 33% 67% 100%
Risks Attendant to Foreign Operations and Dependence We derive a significant portion of our revenues from sales to customers located outside the U.S. We expect our international sales to continue to represent a significant and increasing portion of our future revenues. As a result, our business will continue to be subject to certain risks, such as foreign government regulations, export controls, changes in tax laws, tax treaties, tariffs, freight rates and timely and accurate financial reporting from our international subsidiary. Additionally, as a result of our extensive international operations and significant revenue generated outside the U.S., the dollar amount of our current and future revenues, expenses and debt may be materially affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. If we are unable to manage these risks effectively, it could impair our ability to increase international sales. Similarly, assets or liabilities of our consolidated foreign subsidiary that are not denominated in its functional currency are subject to effects of currency fluctuations, which may affect our reported earnings. We have substantial operations in Switzerland. Having substantial international operations increases the difficulty of managing our financial reporting and internal controls and procedures. In addition, to the extent we are unable to respond effectively to political, economic and other conditions in the countries where we operate and do business, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Moreover, changes in the mix of income from our foreign subsidiaries, expiration of tax holidays and changes in tax laws and regulations could increase our tax expense. 14
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 20 of 117
Available Information We file or furnish annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Our SEC filings are available free of charge to the public over the Internet at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings are also available free of charge on our website at http://www.maxwell.com as soon as reasonably practicable following the time that they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. You may also read and copy any document we file with or furnish to the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Backlog Backlog for continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2005 was approximately $12.4 million, compared with $10.7 million as of December 31, 2004. Backlog consists of firm orders for products that will be delivered within 12 months. Because we have dramatically reduced production cycle times, our customers are less likely to commit firm purchase orders as far in advance of their production needs as they did in the past. Significant Customers Sales of high-voltage capacitors to ABB Ltd. amounted to approximately $10.6 million, or 23%, of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2005. We have a long term supply agreement with ABB Ltd. that was renewed in April 2004, and expires in April 2007. Government Regulation Due to the nature of our operations and the use of hazardous substances in some of our ongoing manufacturing and research and development activities, we are subject to stringent federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and policies governing workplace safety and environmental protection. These include the use, generation, manufacture, storage, air emission, effluent discharge, handling and disposal of certain materials and wastes. In the course of our historical operations, materials or wastes may have spilled or been released from properties owned or leased by us or on or under other locations where these materials and wastes have been taken for disposal. These properties and the materials and wastes spilled, released, or disposed thereon are subject to environmental laws that may impose strict liability, without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct, for remediation of contamination resulting from such releases. Under such laws and regulations, we could be required to remediate previously spilled, released, or disposed substances or wastes, or to make capital improvements to prevent future contamination. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations also could result in the assessment of substantial administrative, civil and criminal penalties and even the issuance of injunctions restricting or prohibiting our activities. It is also possible that implementation of stricter environmental laws and regulations in the future could result in additional costs or liabilities to us as well as the industry in general. While we believe we are in substantial compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations, we cannot be certain that we will not incur substantial costs in the future. In addition, certain of our microelectronics products are subject to International Traffic in Arms export regulations when they are sold to customers outside the U.S. We routinely obtain export licenses for such product shipments outside the U.S. Employees As of December 31, 2005, we had 241 employees, consisting of 118 full-time employees, one part-time employee and 10 temporary employees in the U.S., and 80 full-time employees, 10 part-time employees and 22 temporary employees in Switzerland. None of our U.S. employees are members of a labor union. We believe that approximately 30% of our employees in Switzerland are members of a labor union. Swiss law prohibits employers from inquiring into the union status of employees. We consider our relations with our employees to be good. 15
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 21 of 117
Facilities Our headquarters and principal research, manufacturing and marketing facilities occupy approximately 45,000 square feet under a renewable lease that expires in July 2007. In addition, we lease research, manufacturing and marketing facilities occupying 68,620 square feet in Rossens, Switzerland, under a renewable lease that expires in June 2009. We have sufficient floor space to support foreseeable increases to our forecasted production requirements and, therefore, we believe that our facilities are adequate to meet our needs for the foreseeable future.
16
Case 1:06-cv-00764-GMS
Document 22-2
Filed 02/23/2007
Page 22 of 117
Item 1A. Risk Factors An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be seriously harmed if potentially adverse developments, some of which are described below, materialize and cannot be resolved successfully. In any such case, the market price of our common stock could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment in our common stock. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties, including those not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial, may also result in decreased revenues, increased expenses or other adverse impacts that could result in a decline in the price of our common stock. You should also refer to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our consolidated financial statements and the related notes. We have a history of losses and we may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future, which may decrease the market value of our common stock. We have incurred net losses in our last seven fiscal years. We cannot assure you that we will become profitable in the foreseeable future, if ever. Even if we do achieve profitability, we may experience significant fluctuations in our revenues and we may incur net losses from period to period as a result of a number of factors, including but not limited to the following: · · · · · · · · the amounts invested in d