ABML American Battery Technology Company (QX)

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities is subject to numerous risks, including the risk factors described below. You should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and other factors described below, in addition to the other information set forth in this prospectus, before making an investment decision with regard to our securities. Any of these risks, uncertainties and other factors could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or prospects. In that case, the trading price of our Common Stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. See also “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

RISKS RELATING TO OUR COMPANY

Since we have a limited operating history and have not commenced revenue-producing operations, it is difficult for potential investors to evaluate our business.

Since formation, we have not commenced revenue-producing operations. To date, our operations have consisted of the prior exploratory activities, development and limited testing of our recycling process and the development of our business plan. Our limited operating history makes it difficult for potential investors to evaluate our technology or prospective operations. As an early-stage company, we are subject to all the risks inherent in the initial organization, financing, expenditures, complications and delays in a new business. Investors should evaluate an investment in us in light of the uncertainties encountered by developing companies in a competitive environment. There can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or that we will ultimately be able to attain profitability.

We may need additional financing to execute our business plan and fund operations, which additional financing may not be available on reasonable terms or at all.

We believe that we require a minimum of $4,000,000 of working capital over the next 12 months in order to fund our current operations, excluding the construction of our initial recycling facility near Reno, Nevada. We may need to raise capital over the next 12 months to satisfy such requirements, the receipt of which cannot be assured. We will also require capital in order to fully develop our recycling facilities. We intend to seek additional funds through various financing sources, including the private sale of our equity and debt securities, joint ventures with capital partners and project financing of our recycling facilities. In addition, we will consider alternatives to our current business plan that may enable to us to achieve revenue producing operations and meaningful commercial success with a smaller amount of capital. However, there can be no guarantees that such funds will be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If such financing is not available on satisfactory terms, we may be unable to further pursue our business plan and we may be unable to continue operations, in which case you may lose your entire investment.

Our independent auditors have expressed doubt regarding out liquidity and capital resources. If we do not continue as a going concern, investors will lose their entire investment.

The condensed consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, were prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), on a going concern basis which assumes that the Company will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business for the foreseeable future. As of March 31, 2023, the Company had cash of $12.6 million, an accumulated deficit of $152.9 million, negative cash flow from operations, and limited business operations. The Company expects to begin its recycling operations in the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Without additional financing, the Company will be unable fund remaining capital expenditures to achieve operations and fund general and administrative expenses and working capital requirements for the next 12 months. These material uncertainties raise substantial doubt as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company is evaluating financing its future requirements through a combination of debt, equity and/or asset sales. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain such financing or obtain them on favorable terms. The condensed consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 do not reflect the adjustments to the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the reported expenses and statement of financial position classifications that would be necessary were the going concern assumption deemed to be inappropriate. These adjustments could be material. If we do not continue as a going concern, investors may lose their entire investment.

We must effectively manage the growth of our operations, or our company will suffer.

Our ability to successfully implement our business plan requires an effective planning and management process. If funding is available, we may elect to increase the scope of our operations and acquire complementary businesses. Implementing our business plan will require significant additional funding and resources. If we grow our operations, we will need to hire additional employees and make significant capital investments. If we grow our operations, it will place a significant strain on our existing management and resources. Additionally, we will need to improve our financial and managerial controls and reporting systems and procedures, and we will need to expand, train and manage our workforce. Any failure to manage any of the foregoing areas efficiently and effectively would cause our business to suffer.

We may be unable to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, and as a result we may be unable to accurately report our financial results.

Our reporting obligations as a public company place a significant strain on our management, operational and financial resources and systems. We do not currently have effective internal controls. If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we could experience delays or inaccuracies in our reporting of financial information, or non-compliance with the Commission, reporting and other regulatory requirements. This could subject us to regulatory scrutiny and result in a loss of public confidence in our management, which could, among other things, cause our stock price to drop.

We have been and expect to be significantly dependent on consulting agreements for the development of our battery recycling facilities, which exposes us to the risk of reliance on the performance of third parties.

In developing our battery recycling technology, we rely to some extent on consulting agreements with third parties as the Company does not have the resources to employ all the necessary staff required for such activities. The failure to obtain and maintain such consulting agreements would substantially disrupt or delay our battery recycling activities. Any such loss would likely increase our expenses and materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operation.

If we are not successful in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business strategy. In addition, the loss of the services of certain key employees would adversely impact our business prospects.

If we are not successful in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business strategy. In addition, the loss of the services of certain key employees, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Technology Officer, would adversely impact our business prospects. Our ability to compete in the highly competitive battery recycling technology business depends in large part upon our ability to attract highly qualified managerial, scientific, and engineering personnel. In order to induce valuable employees to remain with us, we intend to provide employees with stock grants that vest over time. The value to employees of stock grants that vest over time will be significantly affected by movements in our stock price that we will not be able to control and may at any time be insufficient to counteract more lucrative offers from other companies. Other technology companies with which we compete for qualified personnel have greater financial and other resources, different risk profiles, and a longer history in the industry than we do. They also may provide more diverse opportunities and better chances for career advancement. Some of these characteristics may be more appealing to high-quality candidates than what we have to offer. If we are unable to continue to attract and retain high-quality personnel, the rate and success at which we can develop and commercialize products would be limited.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

Battery recycling is a highly competitive and speculative business and we may not be successful in seeking available opportunities.

The process of battery recycling is a highly competitive and speculative business. In seeking available opportunities, we will compete with a number of other companies, including established, multi-national companies that have more experience and resources than we do. There also may be other small companies that are developing similar processes and are farther along than the Company. Because we may not have the financial and managerial resources to compete with other companies, we may not be successful in our efforts to develop technology which is commercially viable.

Our new business model has not been proven by us or anyone else. 

We intend to engage in the business of lithium recycling through a proprietary recycling technology. While the production of lithium-ion recycling is an established business, to date most lithium-ion recycling has been produced by way of performing bulk high temperature calcinations or bulk acid dissolutions. We have developed a highly strategic recycling processing train that does not employ any high temperature operations or any bulk chemical treatments of the full battery. We have tested our recycling process on a small scale and to a limited degree; however, there can be no assurance that we will be able to produce battery metals in commercial quantities at a cost of production that will provide us with an adequate profit margin. The uniqueness of our process presents potential risks associated with the development of a business model that is untried and unproven.

While the testing of our recycling process has been successful to date, there can be no assurance that we will be able to replicate the process, along with all of the expected economic advantages, on a large commercial scale.

As of the date of this prospectus, we have built and operated our recycling process on a very small scale. While we believe that our development and testing to date has proven the concept of our recycling process, we have not undertaken the build-out or operation of a large-scale facility capable of recycling large commercial quantities. There can be no assurance that as we commence large scale manufacturing or operations that we will not incur unexpected costs or hurdles that might restrict the desired scale of our intended operations or negatively impact our projected gross profit margin.

Our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to protect our business. 

We currently do not hold any patents for our products. Although we expect to file applications related to our technology, no assurances can be given that any patent will be issued on such patent applications or that, if such patents are issued, they will be sufficiently broad to adequately protect our technology. In addition, we cannot assure you that any patents that may be issued to us will not be challenged, invalidated, or circumvented. Even if we are issued patents, they may not stop a competitor from illegally using our patented processes and materials. In such event, we would incur substantial costs and expenses, including lost time of management in addressing and litigating, if necessary, such matters. Additionally, we rely upon a combination of trade secret laws and nondisclosure agreements with third parties and employees having access to confidential information or receiving unpatented proprietary know-how, trade secrets and technology to protect our proprietary rights and technology. These laws and agreements provide only limited protection. We can give no assurance that these measures will adequately protect us from misappropriation of proprietary information.

Our processes may infringe on the intellectual property rights of others, which could lead to costly disputes or disruptions.

The applied science industry is characterized by frequent allegations of intellectual property infringement. Though we do not expect to be subject to any of these allegations, any allegation of infringement could be time consuming and expensive to defend or resolve, result in substantial diversion of management resources, cause suspension of operations or force us to enter into royalty, license, or other agreements rather than dispute the merits of such allegation. If patent holders or other holders of intellectual property initiate legal proceedings, we may be forced into protracted and costly litigation. We may not be successful in defending such litigation and may not be able to procure any required royalty or license agreements on acceptable terms or at all.

Our business strategy includes entering into joint ventures and strategic alliances. Failure to successfully integrate such joint ventures or strategic alliances into our operations could adversely affect our business.

We propose to commercially exploit our recycling process, in part, by entering into joint ventures and strategic relationships with parties involved in the manufacture and recycling of lithium-ion products. Joint ventures and strategic alliances may involve significant other risks and uncertainties, including distraction of management’s attention away from normal business operations, insufficient revenue generation to offset liabilities assumed and expenses associated with the transaction, and unidentified issues not discovered in our due diligence process, such as product quality, technology issues and legal contingencies. In addition, we may be unable to effectively integrate any such programs and ventures into our operations. Our operating results could be adversely affected by any problems arising during or from any joint ventures or strategic alliances.

If we are unable to manage future expansion effectively, our business, operations and financial condition may suffer significantly, resulting in decreased productivity. 

If our recycling process proves to be commercially valuable, it is likely that we will experience a rapid growth phase that could place a significant strain on our managerial, administrative, technical, operational and financial resources. Our organization, procedures and management may not be adequate to fully support the expansion of our operations or the efficient execution of our business strategy. If we are unable to manage future expansion effectively, our business, operations and financial condition may suffer significantly, resulting in decreased productivity.

The global economic conditions could negatively affect our prospects for growth and operating results.

Our prospects for growth and operating results will be directly affected by the general global economic conditions of the industries in which our suppliers, partners and customer groups operate. We believe that the market price of our principal product, recycled lithium- ion, is relatively volatile and reacts to general global economic conditions. A decline in the price of lithium-ion resulting from over supply or a global economic slowdown and the other global economic conditions could negatively affect our business. There can be no assurance that global economic conditions will not, at times, negatively impact our liquidity, growth prospects and results of operations.

Government regulation and environmental, health and safety concerns may adversely affect our business.

Our operations in the United States will be subject to the Federal, State and local environmental, health and safety laws applicable to the reclamation of lithium-ion batteries. Depending on how any particular operation is structured, our facilities will probably have to obtain environmental permits or approvals to operate, including those associated with air emissions, water discharges, and waste management and storage. We may face opposition from local residents or public interest groups to the installation and operation of our facilities. Failure to secure (or significant delays in securing) the necessary approvals could prevent us from pursuing some of our planned operations and adversely affect our business, financial results and growth prospects. In addition to permitting requirements, our operations are subject to environmental health, safety and transportation laws and regulations that govern the management of and exposure to hazardous materials such as the heavy metals and acids involved in battery reclamation. These include hazard communication and other occupational safety requirements for employees, which may mandate industrial hygiene monitoring of employees for potential exposure to hazardous materials. Failure to comply with these requirements could subject our business to significant penalties (civil or criminal) and other sanctions that could adversely affect our business.

The nature of our operations involves risks, including the potential for exposure to hazardous materials such as heavy metals, that could result in personal injury and property damage claims from third parties, including employees and neighbors, which claims could result in significant costs or other environmental liability. Our operations also pose a risk of releases of hazardous substances, such as heavy metals or acids, into the environment, which can result in liabilities for the removal or remediation of such hazardous substances from the properties at which they have been released, liabilities which can be imposed regardless of fault, and our business could be held liable for the entire cost of cleanup even if we were only partially responsible. Like any manufacturer, we are also subject to the possibility that we may receive notices of potential liability in connection with materials that were sent to third-party recycling, treatment, and/or disposal facilities under the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”), and comparable state statutes, which impose liability for investigation and remediation of contamination without regard to fault or the legality of the conduct that contributed to the contamination, and for damages to natural resources. Liability under CERCLA is retroactive, and, under certain circumstances, liability for the entire cost of a cleanup can be imposed on any responsible party.

In the event we are unable to present and operate our recycling process and operations as safe and environmentally responsible, we may face opposition from local governments, residents or public interest groups to the installation and operation of our facilities.

Control by management may limit your ability to influence the outcome of director elections and other transactions requiring stockholder approval.

As of May 12, 2023, our directors and executive officers beneficially own approximately 3.2% of our outstanding common stock. In addition to control exercised by their board seats and officer positions, such persons will have significant influence over corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, including the following actions:

Such persons’ stock ownership may discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company, which in turn could reduce our stock price or prevent our stockholders from realizing a premium over our stock price.

RISKS RELATED TO AN INVESTMENT IN OUR SECURITIES

We expect to experience volatility in the price of our Common Stock, which could negatively affect stockholders’ investments.

The trading price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control. The stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies with securities traded in those markets. Broad market and industry factors may seriously affect the market price of companies’ stock, including ours, regardless of actual operating performance. All of these factors could adversely affect your ability to sell your shares of Common Stock or, if you are able to sell your shares, to sell your shares at a price that you determine to be fair or favorable.

The relative lack of public company experience of our management team could adversely impact our ability to comply with the reporting requirements of U.S. securities laws.

Our management team lacks significant public company experience, which could impair our ability to comply with legal and regulatory requirements such as those imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Our senior management has little experience in managing a publicly traded company. Such responsibilities include complying with federal securities laws and making required disclosures on a timely basis. Our senior management may not be able to implement programs and policies in an effective and timely manner that adequately respond to such increased legal, regulatory compliance and reporting requirements, including the establishing and maintaining of internal controls over financial reporting. Any such deficiencies, weaknesses or lack of compliance could have a materially adverse effect on our ability to comply with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, which is necessary to maintain our public company status. If we were to fail to fulfill those obligations, our ability to continue as a U.S. public company would be in jeopardy, we could be subject to the imposition of fines and penalties and our management would have to divert resources from attending to our business plan.

Our Common Stock is categorized as “penny stock,” which may make it more difficult for investors to sell their shares of Common Stock due to suitability requirements.

Our Common Stock is categorized as “penny stock.” The SEC has adopted Rule 15g-9 which generally defines “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price (as defined therein) of less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. The price of our Common Stock is significantly less than $5.00 per share, and is therefore considered “penny stock.” This designation imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons other than established customers and accredited investors. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer buying our securities to disclose certain information concerning the transaction, obtain a written agreement from the purchaser and determine that the purchaser is reasonably suitable to purchase the securities given the increased risks generally inherent in penny stocks. These rules may restrict the ability or willingness of brokers or dealers to buy or sell our Common Stock, either directly or on behalf of their clients, may discourage potential stockholders from purchasing our Common Stock, or may adversely affect the ability of stockholders to sell their shares.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our Common Stock, which could depress the price of our Common Stock.

In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require a broker-dealer to have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer before recommending an investment to a customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. Thus, the FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our Common Stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our shares of Common Stock, have an adverse effect on the market for our shares of Common Stock, and thereby depress our price per share of Common Stock.

The elimination of monetary liability against our directors, officers and employees under Nevada law and the existence of indemnification rights for or obligations to our directors, officers and employees may result in substantial expenditures by us and may discourage lawsuits against our directors, officers and employees.

Our Articles of Incorporation contain a provision permitting us to eliminate the personal liability of our directors to us and our stockholders for damages for the breach of a fiduciary duty as a director or officer to the extent provided by Nevada law. We may also have contractual indemnification obligations under any future employment agreements with our officers. The foregoing indemnification obligations could result in us incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against directors and officers, which we may be unable to recoup. These provisions and the resulting costs may also discourage us from bringing a lawsuit against directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties, and may similarly discourage the filing of derivative litigation by our stockholders against our directors and officers even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders.

We may issue additional shares of Common Stock or preferred stock in the future, which could cause significant dilution to all stockholders.

Our Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 1,200,000,000 shares of Common Stock with a par value of $0.001 per share. As of May 12, 2023, we had 680,361,529 shares of Common Stock outstanding; however, we may issue additional shares of Common Stock in the future in connection with a financing or an acquisition. Such issuances may not require the approval of our stockholders. In addition, certain of our outstanding rights to purchase additional shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into our Common Stock are subject to some form of anti-dilution protection, which could result in the right to purchase significantly more shares of Common Stock being issued or a reduction in the purchase price for any such shares or both. Any issuance of additional shares of our Common Stock, or equity securities convertible into our Common Stock, including but not limited to, preferred stock, warrants and options, will dilute the percentage ownership interest of all stockholders, may dilute the book value per share of our Common Stock, and may negatively impact the market price of our Common Stock.

Anti-takeover effects of certain provisions of Nevada state law hinder a potential takeover of us.

Certain provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes have anti-takeover effects and may inhibit a non-negotiated merger or other business combination. These provisions are intended to encourage any person interested in acquiring us to negotiate with, and to obtain the approval of, our board of directors in connection with such a transaction. However, certain of these provisions may discourage a future acquisition of us, including an acquisition in which the stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. As a result, stockholders who might desire to participate in such a transaction may not have the opportunity to do so.