10-K: Advanced Voice Recognition Systems Reports Increased Net Loss in 2023 Amidst Strategic Shift

Sentiment:

Annual Results


Advanced Voice Recognition Systems, Inc. reported a net loss of $310,877 for 2023, a significant increase from the $48,589 loss in 2022, as the company focuses on commercializing its intellectual property.

Capital raiseThe company plans to raise additional funds through future sales of its securities.The company may attempt to use non-cash consideration, such as restricted shares, to satisfy obligations.The company will evaluate opportunities to raise financing through private sales of equity or issuance of convertible debt securities.
Worse than expectedThe company's net loss significantly increased from $48,589 in 2022 to $310,877 in 2023.The company's operating cash flow was negative, with $348,216 used in operating activities.The audit report includes a going concern opinion, indicating substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue operating.

Summary

  • Advanced Voice Recognition Systems, Inc. (AVRS) is a software development company specializing in speech recognition technologies.
  • The company's primary assets are six issued patents related to speech recognition and transcription.
  • AVRS is not currently marketing any products and has not generated any revenue since its inception.
  • For the year ended December 31, 2023, AVRS reported a net loss of $310,877, compared to a net loss of $48,589 in 2022.
  • Professional fees increased to $72,241 in 2023 from $32,288 in 2022, primarily due to higher auditing fees.
  • The company used $348,216 in operating activities and $1,052 in investing activities in 2023.
  • AVRS received $305,683 from the sale of shares to JJW Investments, LLC, which now owns 51% of the company.
  • The company's audit report includes a going concern opinion due to its history of losses and lack of assurance of additional financing.
  • AVRS is exploring licensing agreements and strategic relationships to monetize its patents.
  • A reverse stock split of 1-for-100 was completed on July 3, 2023.

Sentiment

Score: 3

Explanation: The document reveals significant financial challenges, including a substantial increase in net loss, a going concern opinion, and a lack of revenue. While the company has valuable patents, its ability to monetize them and achieve profitability is highly uncertain. The sentiment is negative due to the company's financial instability and operational challenges.

Positives

  • AVRS holds six issued patents related to speech recognition technology, which are its primary assets.
  • The company is engaged in discussions with a firm to assist in the commercialization of its intellectual assets.
  • JJW Investments, LLC's investment of $305,683 provides some capital infusion.
  • The company has completed a reverse stock split and increased authorized preferred shares, potentially facilitating future transactions.

Negatives

  • AVRS has not generated any revenue since its inception.
  • The company reported a significant increase in net loss from $48,589 in 2022 to $310,877 in 2023.
  • The audit report includes a going concern opinion, indicating substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue operating.
  • The company has a history of losses and a net capital deficit.
  • AVRS has limited capital resources and is not currently marketing any products.
  • The company relies on related party loans and advances for working capital.

Risks

  • The company's ability to continue as a going concern is uncertain due to its history of losses and lack of revenue.
  • AVRS needs additional debt or equity financing to carry out its business plan, and there is no assurance that it will be successful in raising additional capital.
  • The company may encounter difficulties in establishing operations and generating revenue.
  • There is a risk of dilution of ownership interests of existing shareholders if the company uses non-cash consideration to satisfy obligations.
  • The company's reliance on related party loans and advances may not continue in the future.
  • The company has identified a lack of segregation of duties in accounting and financial reporting activities, which is considered a material weakness.

Future Outlook

The company plans to raise additional funds through future sales of its securities until revenues are sufficient to meet its cost structure and achieve profitable operations. There is no assurance that the company will be successful in raising additional capital or achieving profitable operations.

Management Comments

  • Management cautions all readers that the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report are not guarantees of future performance.
  • Management believes this lack of segregation of duties in accounting and financial reporting did not result in material inaccuracies or omissions of material fact.
  • Management believes that the financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 fairly present in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations for the Company in conformity with GAAP.

Industry Context

The company operates in the speech recognition technology sector, which has a wide range of potential applications. The company's focus on improving speech conversion precision and enabling the use of transcribed text in multiple applications aligns with industry trends. However, the company's lack of revenue and reliance on patents for value creation is a significant deviation from industry norms.

Comparison to Industry Standards

  • Unlike established companies in the speech recognition space such as Nuance Communications (now part of Microsoft) or Google, AVRS has not generated any revenue from product sales.
  • While companies like Veritone and SoundHound AI are actively marketing and selling their speech recognition solutions, AVRS is primarily focused on licensing its patents.
  • The lack of research and development expenses in 2023 and 2022 is unusual compared to industry peers who invest heavily in technology development.
  • The going concern opinion in the audit report is a significant deviation from industry standards for publicly traded technology companies.
  • The company's reliance on related party loans and advances for working capital is not typical for companies in the technology sector.

Management Changes

RolePrevious PersonNew PersonEffective DateReason
Chief Financial OfficerWalter GeldenhuysChung Cam2023-05-08Walter Geldenhuys resigned from the position of Chief Financial Officer.

Corporate Governance

Change TypeDescriptionEffective DateImpact Assessment
Reverse Stock SplitA 1-for-100 reverse stock split was authorized and completed.2023-07-03Reduced the number of outstanding shares and may make the stock more attractive to investors.
Increase in Authorized SharesThe authorized number of preferred shares was increased to 25 million.2023-07-03Provides flexibility for future financing and acquisitions.

Legal Proceedings

  • The company is not currently involved in any litigation, and there are no legal proceedings pending or threatened against the company.

Related Party Transactions

  • The company owed officers an aggregate of $219,677 at December 31, 2023, for accrued payroll.
  • The CEO and related parties advanced the company a total of $123,500 for operating expenses during the year ended December 31, 2023.
  • On March 4, 2024, the advances and notes issued by related parties during the year ended December 31, 2023 were paid in full.
  • On March 11, 2024, the CFO waived his accrued salary in the amount of $153,870.97.

Stakeholder Impact

  • Shareholders face significant risk due to the company's financial instability and the going concern opinion.
  • Employees may be impacted by the company's financial challenges and potential restructuring.
  • Customers are not currently impacted as the company is not marketing any products.
  • Suppliers and creditors face risk due to the company's financial instability and potential inability to meet obligations.

Next Steps

  • The company will attempt to interest other companies in entering into license agreements or other strategic relationships.
  • The company will enforce and defend its patents through infringement and interference proceedings, as appropriate.
  • The company will evaluate opportunities to raise financing through private sales of equity or issuance of convertible debt securities.
  • The company will continue to explore all options to monetize and enforce its patent portfolio.

Key Dates

DateDescription
1994-03-15NCC, Inc. (predecessor entity) was incorporated.
2001-11-27Application date for U.S. Patent #7,558,730 and related patents.
2005-07-07AVRS was incorporated in the State of Colorado.
2008-05-19AVRS completed a stock exchange and changed its business model.
2009-07-07U.S. Patent #7,558,730 was issued.
2011-05-24U.S. Patent #7,949,534 was issued.
2012-03-06U.S. Patent #8,131,557 was issued.
2013-07-30U.S. Patent #8,498,871 was issued.
2015-09-22U.S. Patent #9,142,217 was issued.
2018-04-03U.S. Patent #9,934,786 was issued.
2023-05-08Chung Cam was appointed Chief Financial Officer.
2023-07-031-for-100 reverse stock split was completed.
2023-07-14Letter of Intent to acquire Rivulet Media, Inc. was signed.
2023-12-31End of fiscal year 2023.
2024-03-01Sale of 7,500,000 shares of common stock to a private investor.
2024-03-01Asset Purchase Agreement with Rivulet Media, Inc. was signed.
2024-03-04Related party advances and notes were paid in full.
2024-03-11CFO waived his accrued salary.
2024-03-21Date of the report.
2024-03-25Date of the audit report.

Keywords

speech recognition, patents, intellectual property, software development, licensing, reverse stock split, going concern, net loss, capital raise, financial statements

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