Filed On 4/10/07 3:51pm ET · SEC File 333-138595 · Accession Number 950123-7-5259
As Of Filer Filing As/For/On Docs:Pgs Issuer Agent
4/10/07 Ocean Power Technologies/Inc S-1/A 3:193 Bowne of NY City...01/FA
Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement (General Form) · Form S-1
Filing Table of Contents
Document/Exhibit Description Pages Size
1: S-1/A Amendment #4 to Form S-1 HTML 1,087K
2: EX-23.1 Ex-23.1: Consent of Kpmg Llp 1 4K
3: EX-23.2 Ex-23.2: Consent of Deloitte and Touche Llp 1 5K
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- Alternative Formats (RTF, XML, et al.)
- Business
- Capitalization
- Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions
- Consolidated Balance Sheets, April 30, 2005 and 2006 and January 31, 2007 (Unaudited)
- Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, Years ended April 30, 2004 (Restated), 2005 (Restated) and 2006 and the nine-month periods ended January 31, 2006 and 2007 (Unaudited)
- Consolidated Statements of Operations, Years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the nine-month periods ended January 31, 2006 and 2007 (Unaudited)
- Consolidated Statements of Stockholders Equity and Comprehensive Loss, Years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the nine-month period ended January 31, 2007 (Unaudited)
- Description of Capital Stock
- Dilution
- Dividend Policy
- Experts
- Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
- Legal Matters
- Management
- Management s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
- Material US Federal Income and Estate Tax Consequences to Non-US Holders
- Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
- Price Range of Our Common Stock
- Principal and Selling Stockholders
- Prospectus Summary
- Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms
- Risk Factors
- Selected Consolidated Financial Data
- Shares Eligible for Future Sale
- Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
- Table of Contents
- Underwriting
- Use of Proceeds
- Where You Can Find More Information
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| " | Table of Contents
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| " | Prospectus Summary
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| " | Risk Factors
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| " | Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
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| " | Use of Proceeds
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| " | Price Range of Our Common Stock
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| " | Dividend Policy
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| " | Capitalization
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| " | Dilution
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| " | Selected Consolidated Financial Data
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| " | Management s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
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| " | Business
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| " | Management
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| " | Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions
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| " | Principal and Selling Stockholders
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| " | Description of Capital Stock
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| " | Shares Eligible for Future Sale
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| " | Material US Federal Income and Estate Tax Consequences to Non-US Holders
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| " | Underwriting
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| " | Legal Matters
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| " | Experts
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| " | Where You Can Find More Information
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| " | Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
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| " | Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms
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| " | Consolidated Balance Sheets, April 30, 2005 and 2006 and January 31, 2007 (Unaudited)
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| " | Consolidated Statements of Operations, Years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the nine-month periods ended January 31, 2006 and 2007 (Unaudited)
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| " | Consolidated Statements of Stockholders Equity and Comprehensive Loss, Years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the nine-month period ended January 31, 2007 (Unaudited)
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| " | Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, Years ended April 30, 2004 (Restated), 2005 (Restated) and 2006 and the nine-month periods ended January 31, 2006 and 2007 (Unaudited)
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| " | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
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This is an EDGAR HTML document rendered as filed. [ Alternative Formats ]
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
April 10, 2007
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
AMENDMENT NO. 4
TO
Form S-1
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933
OCEAN POWER TECHNOLOGIES,
INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as
Specified in Its Charter)
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New Jersey
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3629
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22-2535818
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(State or Other Jurisdiction
of
Incorporation or Organization)
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(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code No.)
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
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1590 Reed Road
(Address, including zip code,
and telephone number,
including area code, of
registrant’s principal executive offices)
Dr. George W. Taylor
Chief Executive Officer
Ocean Power Technologies, Inc.
1590 Reed Road
(Name, address, including zip
code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent
for service)
Copies to:
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Robert A. Schwed, Esq.
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
399 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
(212) 230-8800
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Joseph A. Hall, Esq.
Davis Polk & Wardwell
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-4000
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the
public: As soon as practicable after this
Registration Statement is declared effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this form are
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”) please check the following
box. o
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, please check the
following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the
same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, please check the
following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the
same offering. o
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on
such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective
date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this Registration Statement shall
thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a)
of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall
become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant
to Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY
NOTE
This Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1
is being filed solely to include the artwork that will appear on
the inside cover of the Prospectus. No other changes have been
made.
The
information in this prospectus is not complete and may be
changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration
statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is
effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these
securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these
securities in any state where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
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PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
5,000,000 Shares
Common Stock
This is the initial public offering of our common stock in the
United States. We are offering 5,000,000 shares of common stock
offered by this prospectus. We expect the public offering price
to be between $20.00 and $22.00 per share.
We have applied to have our common stock approved for listing on
The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “OPTT.”
Our common stock is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock
Exchange plc under the symbol
“OPT.” We will apply to
list the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus
on the AIM market. The last reported sale price of our common
stock on the AIM market on
April 5, 2007 was
£11.70 per share (as adjusted to give effect to a
one-for-ten reverse stock split to be effected prior to this
offering), or approximately $23.05 per share based on the
noon buying rate for sterling of £1.00 = $1.97 on
April 5, 2007.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.
Before buying any shares, you should read the discussion of
material risks of investing in our common stock in “Risk
Factors” beginning on page 7 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
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Per Share
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Total
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Public offering price
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$
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$
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Underwriting discounts and
commissions
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$
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$
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Proceeds, before expenses, to us
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$
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The underwriters may also purchase up to an additional
90,000 shares of our common stock from the selling
stockholders identified in this prospectus and up to 660,000
additional shares of common stock from us at the public offering
price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, to cover
over-allotments, if any, within 30 days from the date of
this prospectus. If the underwriters exercise this option in
full, the total underwriting discounts and commissions will be
$ , and our total proceeds, before
expenses, will be $ . We will not
receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling
stockholders.
The underwriters are offering the common stock as set forth
under “Underwriting.” Delivery of the shares will be
made on or
about ,
2007.
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Banc of America Securities
LLC
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First Albany Capital
,
2007
| POWERBUOY SYSTEM AS DEPLOYED OFF COAST OF NEW JERSEY, USA |
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus. We have not, the selling stockholders have not and
the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with
additional information or information different from that
contained in this prospectus. We and the selling stockholders
are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our
common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are
permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is
accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of
the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of shares
of our common stock.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
PowerBuoy®
is a registered trademark of Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. The
Ocean Power Technologies logo,
CellBuoytm,
Talk on
Watertm
and Making Waves in
Powersm
are trademarks or service marks of Ocean Power Technologies,
Inc. All other trademarks appearing in this prospectus are the
property of their respective holders.
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information appearing
elsewhere in this prospectus. While this summary highlights what
we consider to be the most important information about us, you
should carefully read this prospectus and the registration
statement of which this prospectus is a part in their entirety
before investing in our common stock, especially the risks of
investing in our common stock, which we discuss under “Risk
Factors,” and our consolidated financial statements and
related notes beginning on
page F-1.
Our
Company
We develop and are commercializing proprietary systems that
generate electricity by harnessing the renewable energy of ocean
waves. The energy in ocean waves is predictable, and electricity
from wave energy can be produced on a consistent basis at
numerous sites located near major population centers worldwide.
Wave energy is an emerging segment of the renewable energy
market. Based on our proprietary technology, considerable ocean
experience, existing products and expanding commercial
relationships, we believe we are the leading wave energy
company.
We currently offer two products as part of our line of
PowerBuoy®
systems: a utility PowerBuoy system and an autonomous PowerBuoy
system. Our PowerBuoy system is based on modular, ocean-going
buoys, which we have been ocean testing for nearly a decade. The
rising and falling of the waves moves the buoy-like structure
creating mechanical energy that our proprietary technologies
convert into electricity. We have tested and developed wave
power generation and control technology using proven equipment
and processes in novel applications. Our two products are
designed for the following applications:
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Our utility PowerBuoy system is capable of supplying electricity
to a local or regional electric power grid. Our wave power
stations will be comprised of a single PowerBuoy system or an
integrated array of PowerBuoy systems, plus the remaining
components required to deliver electricity to a power grid. We
intend to sell our utility PowerBuoy system to utilities and
other electrical power producers seeking to add electricity
generated by wave energy to their existing electricity supply.
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Our autonomous PowerBuoy system is designed to generate power
for use independently of the power grid in remote locations.
There are a variety of potential applications for this system,
including sonar and radar surveillance, offshore cellular phone
service, tsunami warning, oceanographic data collection,
offshore platforms and offshore aquaculture.
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From October 2005 to October 2006, we operated a demonstration
PowerBuoy system with a maximum peak, or rated, output of 40
kilowatts, or kW, off the coast of New Jersey under a
contract
with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. This PowerBuoy
system has been removed from the ocean and is currently
undergoing planned maintenance prior to re-deployment. No other
PowerBuoy systems are currently deployed.
Our current efforts are focused on our goal of increasing the
maximum rated output of our utility PowerBuoy system from the
current 40kW to 150kW in 2007, then to 250kW in 2008 and
ultimately to 500kW in 2010, as well as expanding our key
commercial opportunities for both the utility and the autonomous
PowerBuoy systems. We currently have commercial relationships
with the following:
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Iberdrola S.A., or Iberdrola, which is a large electric utility
company located in Spain and one of the largest renewable energy
producers in the world, Total S.A., or Total, which is one of
the world’s largest oil and gas companies, and two Spanish
governmental agencies for the first phase of the construction of
a 1.39 megawatt, or MW, wave power station off the coast of
Santoña, Spain. We currently plan to deploy an initial 40kW
PowerBuoy system for this project by October 2007.
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Iberdrola and Total to evaluate the development of a wave power
station off the coast of France.
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The United States Navy to develop and build a wave power station
at the US Marine Corps Base in Oahu, Hawaii that we believe will
serve as a prototype wave power station for the installation of
wave power stations at other US Navy bases. One PowerBuoy system
was installed in connection with this
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project for a total of eight months over a two-year period. We
plan to deploy an improved system in April 2007.
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Lockheed Martin Corporation to market cooperatively with us our
autonomous PowerBuoy system for use with Lockheed Martin
equipment. Lockheed Martin successfully completed an ocean test
of an autonomous PowerBuoy system in September 2004.
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As part of our marketing efforts, we use demonstration wave
power stations to establish the feasibility of wave power
generation. In addition to the demonstration PowerBuoy system
operated off the coast of New Jersey, we plan to develop and
operate two additional demonstration wave power stations. Unlike
the New Jersey power system, these demonstration wave power
stations will, if approved and constructed as planned, be
connected to the local power grids. In February 2006, we
received approval from the South West of England Regional
Development Agency to install a 5MW demonstration wave power
station off the coast of Cornwall, England. In February 2007,
the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted us a
preliminary permit to evaluate the feasibility of a location off
the coast of Reedsport, Oregon for the proposed construction and
operation of a wave power station with a maximum rated output of
50MW, of which up to the first 5MW will be a demonstration wave
power station. We plan to generate incremental revenue from the
demonstration wave power stations by selling electricity to
utilities. Also, in March 2007, we were awarded a conditional
grant from the Scottish Ministers’ Wave and Tidal Energy
Support Scheme, managed by the Scottish Executive. This grant is
for the design, manufacture and installation of a 150kW
PowerBuoy system in Orkney, Scotland.
We had revenues of $1.7 million in fiscal 2006 and recorded
a net loss of $7.1 million, compared to revenues of
$5.4 million and a net loss of $0.4 million in fiscal
2005. For the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, we
had revenues of $1.5 million and a net loss of
$5.5 million. As of
January 31, 2007, our accumulated
deficit was $34.1 million.
Our
Market
Global demand for electric power is expected to increase from
14.8 trillion kilowatt hours in 2003 to 30.1 trillion kilowatt
hours by 2030, according to the Energy Information
Administration, or the EIA. To meet this demand, the
International Energy Agency, or the IEA, estimates that
investments in new generating capacity will exceed $4 trillion
in the period from 2003 to 2030, of which $1.6 trillion will be
for new renewable energy generation equipment.
A variety of factors are contributing to the development of
renewable energy systems that capture energy from replenishable
natural resources, including ocean waves, flowing water, wind
and sunlight, and convert it into electricity. These factors
include the rising cost of fossil fuels, dependence on energy
from foreign sources, environmental concerns, government
incentives and infrastructure constraints.
Wave energy systems such as ours compare favorably with many
other renewable energy technologies. Due to the tremendous
energy in ocean waves, wave power stations with high
capacity — 50MW and above — can be installed
in a relatively small area. In addition, the supply of
electricity from wave energy can be forecasted days in advance
and the annual flow of waves at specific sites can be relatively
constant.
Our
Competitive Advantages
We believe that our technology for generating electricity from
wave energy and our commercial relationships give us several
potential competitive advantages in the renewable energy market,
including the following:
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our PowerBuoy system uses an ocean-tested technology to generate
electricity;
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our PowerBuoy system is efficient in harnessing wave energy;
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our PowerBuoy system takes advantage of time-tested and
well-known technology;
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numerous potential sites for our wave power stations are located
near major population centers worldwide;
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we have significant commercial relationships with governmental
and commercial entities active in the development of renewable
energy;
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our PowerBuoy system has the potential to offer cost competitive
renewable energy power generation solutions; and
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our PowerBuoy system is environmentally benign and aesthetically
non-intrusive.
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Our
Business Strategy
Our goal is to strengthen our leadership in developing wave
energy technologies and commercializing wave power stations and
related services. In order to achieve this goal, we are pursuing
the following business strategies:
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concentrate sales and marketing efforts on four geographic
markets: coastal North America, the west coast of Europe, the
coasts of Australia and the east coast of Japan;
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continue to increase PowerBuoy system output;
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construct demonstration wave power stations to encourage market
adoption of our wave power stations;
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leverage customer relationships to enhance the commercial
acceptance of our utility PowerBuoy system;
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expand revenue streams from our autonomous PowerBuoy system; and
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maximize revenue opportunities with existing customers.
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Risks
Associated with Our Business
Our business is subject to numerous risks, as more fully
described in the section entitled “Risk Factors”
immediately following this prospectus summary. We have a history
of operating losses, and we may never achieve or maintain
profitability. Wave energy technology may not gain broad
commercial acceptance, and demand for our PowerBuoy systems may
not develop. The reduction or elimination of subsidies and
incentives for renewable energy sources could prevent demand for
our PowerBuoy systems from developing. Our product development
costs have been increasing and are likely to increase
significantly over the next several years. We have invested, and
will continue to invest, funds in demonstration wave power
stations that generate little or no direct revenue. Our
PowerBuoy systems do not have a long operating history and may
develop performance problems. We may be unable to increase the
power output of our utility PowerBuoy system, and we may not be
able to deploy multiple systems in a large-scale wave power
station or to deploy larger PowerBuoy systems cost effectively
and without damage to the systems. We depend on a small number
of customers for substantially all of our revenues, and the US
Navy currently accounts for a majority of our revenues. Our
relationships with alliance partners may not be successful. We
compete with other renewable energy companies. We are also
subject to risks associated with international operations.
Our
Corporate Information
We were incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey
in April 1984 and began commercial operations in 1994. We plan
to reincorporate in Delaware prior to this offering. Our
principal executive offices are located at 1590 Reed Road,
Pennington,
New Jersey 08534, and our telephone number is
(609) 730-0400.
Our
website address is
www.oceanpowertechnologies.com.
The information on our
website is not a part of this prospectus.
3
THE
OFFERING
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Common stock we are offering |
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5,000,000 shares |
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Over-allotment option |
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750,000 shares |
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The underwriters have an option for a period of up to
30 days to purchase up to 90,000 additional shares of
common stock from the selling stockholders and up to
660,000 additional shares of common stock from us to cover
over-allotments. |
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Common stock to be outstanding after this offering |
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10,177,219 shares (10,837,219 shares if the
over-allotment option is exercised in full) |
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Use of proceeds after expenses |
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We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering after
expenses will be approximately $94.8 million, assuming an
initial public offering price of $21.00 per share, the
midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover
page of this prospectus. |
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We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to
construct demonstration wave power stations and to fund minority
investments in wave station projects to encourage market
adoption of our wave power stations; to fund the continued
development of our PowerBuoy system, including increases in
system output; to expand our international sales and marketing
capabilities; and for working capital and general corporate
purposes, including potential acquisitions of complementary
businesses, products or technologies. See “Use of
Proceeds.” |
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For a sensitivity analysis of the effect of changes in the
public offering price on our net proceeds, see “Use of
Proceeds.” |
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We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of
common stock by the selling stockholders as a result of any
exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option. |
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Risk Factors |
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Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.
Before buying any shares, you should read the discussion of
material risks of investing in our common stock in “Risk
Factors” beginning on page 7 of this prospectus. |
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Proposed Nasdaq Global Market symbol |
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OPTT |
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Listing on AIM market |
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Our common stock is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock
Exchange under the symbol “OPT.” We will apply to list
the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus on
the AIM market. |
The number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately
after this offering is based on 5,177,219 shares of common
stock outstanding as of
January 31, 2007.
The number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately
after this offering excludes:
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1,366,574 shares of our common stock issuable upon the
exercise of stock options outstanding as of January 31,
2007 at a weighted average exercise price of $14.25 per
share; and
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803,215 shares of our common stock available for future
grant under our equity compensation plans, including our new
2006 stock incentive plan, as of January 31, 2007.
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Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus:
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assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their option to
purchase up to 750,000 additional shares of our common stock to
cover over-allotments, if any;
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gives effect to the one-for-ten reverse stock split of our
common stock to be completed prior to this offering;
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gives effect to our reincorporation in Delaware and the adoption
of a new certificate of incorporation and bylaws, which will
become effective prior to this offering; and
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gives effect to the establishment of our 2006 stock incentive
plan, which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the
registration statement for this offering.
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5
SUMMARY
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
The following summary consolidated financial data as of and for
the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2004,
2005 and
2006 have
been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements.
We refer to the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2004 as fiscal
2004, the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005 as fiscal 2005
and the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006 as fiscal 2006.
The summary consolidated financial data as of
January 31,
2007 and for the nine month periods ended
January 31, 2006
and
2007 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated
financial statements. The unaudited summary consolidated
financial statement data includes, in our opinion, all
adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments,
that are necessary for a fair presentation of our financial
position and results of operations for these periods. Operating
results for the nine months ended
January 31, 2007 are not
necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for
the fiscal year ending
April 30, 2007. You should read this
information together with our consolidated financial statements
and the related notes appearing at the end of this prospectus
and the
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section of
this prospectus.
The as adjusted balance sheet information gives effect to the
sale by us of 5,000,000 shares of common stock in this
offering at an assumed initial public offering price of
$21.00 per share, the midpoint of the estimated price range
set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering
expenses payable by us. For a sensitivity analysis of the effect
of changes in the public offering price on our capitalization,
see “Capitalization.”
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Nine Months
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Fiscal Year Ended April 30,
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Ended January 31,
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2006
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2007
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(Unaudited)
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Consolidated Statement of
Operations Data:
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Revenues
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$
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4,713,202
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$
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5,365,235
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$
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1,747,715
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$
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1,467,283
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$
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1,513,631
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Cost of revenues
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4,319,850
|
|
|
|
5,170,521
|
|
|
|
2,059,318
|
|
|
|
1,920,980
|
|
|
|
2,103,108
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit (loss)
|
|
|
393,352
|
|
|
|
194,714
|
|
|
|
(311,603
|
)
|
|
|
(453,697
|
)
|
|
|
(589,477
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product development costs
|
|
|
255,958
|
|
|
|
904,618
|
|
|
|
4,224,997
|
|
|
|
2,630,663
|
|
|
|
4,100,418
|
|
|
Selling, general and
administrative costs
|
|
|
1,745,955
|
|
|
|
2,553,911
|
|
|
|
3,190,687
|
|
|
|
2,168,345
|
|
|
|
3,083,621
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
2,001,913
|
|
|
|
3,458,529
|
|
|
|
7,415,684
|
|
|
|
4,799,008
|
|
|
|
7,184,039
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
(1,608,561
|
)
|
|
|
(3,263,815
|
)
|
|
|
(7,727,287
|
)
|
|
|
(5,252,705
|
)
|
|
|
(7,773,516
|
)
|
|
Interest income, net
|
|
|
555,717
|
|
|
|
1,297,156
|
|
|
|
1,408,361
|
|
|
|
1,062,095
|
|
|
|
1,066,823
|
|
|
Other income (expense)(1)
|
|
|
(3,500,096
|
)
|
|
|
1,545
|
|
|
|
74,294
|
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
13,744
|
|
|
Foreign exchange gain (loss)
|
|
|
1,585,345
|
|
|
|
1,507,145
|
|
|
|
(978,242
|
)
|
|
|
(1,514,630
|
)
|
|
|
1,184,499
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(2,967,595
|
)
|
|
|
(457,969
|
)
|
|
|
(7,222,874
|
)
|
|
|
(5,630,240
|
)
|
|
|
(5,508,450
|
)
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
|
118,119
|
|
|
|
29,335
|
|
|
|
143,963
|
|
|
|
143,963
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(2,849,476
|
)
|
|
$
|
(428,634
|
)
|
|
$
|
(7,078,911
|
)
|
|
$
|
(5,486,277
|
)
|
|
$
|
(5,508,450
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted loss per share
|
|
$
|
(0.71
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.08
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.37
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.06
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.06
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted weighted average
common shares outstanding
|
|
|
4,037,501
|
|
|
|
5,135,550
|
|
|
|
5,162,340
|
|
|
|
5,158,982
|
|
|
|
5,174,539
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The $3.5 million expense in fiscal 2004 resulted from a one time
charge incurred at the time of our stock offering on the AIM
market in October 2003 relating to a 1999 agreement between us
and Tyco Electronics Corp. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of January 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
As Adjusted
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet
Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents and
certificates of deposit
|
|
$
|
26,657,152
|
|
|
$
|
122,788,581
|
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
26,224,722
|
|
|
|
120,980,072
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
30,925,630
|
|
|
|
125,106,707
|
|
|
Long-term debt, net of current
portion
|
|
|
233,959
|
|
|
|
233,959
|
|
|
Deferred credits
|
|
|
600,000
|
|
|
|
600,000
|
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(34,140,603
|
)
|
|
|
(34,140,603
|
)
|
|
Total stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
26,577,235
|
|
|
|
121,332,585
|
|
6
RISK
FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.
You should carefully consider the risks described below with all
of the other information included in this prospectus before
deciding to invest in our common stock. If any of the following
risks actually occur, they may materially harm our business and
our financial condition and results of operations. In this
event, the market price of our common stock could decline and
you could lose part or all of your investment.
Risks
Relating to Our Business
We
have a history of operating losses and may never achieve or
maintain profitability.
We have incurred net losses since we began operations in 1994,
including net losses of $2.8 million in fiscal 2004,
$0.4 million in fiscal 2005 and $7.1 million in fiscal
2006. As of
January 31, 2007, we had an accumulated deficit
of approximately $34.1 million. These losses have resulted
primarily from costs incurred in our research and development
programs and from our selling, general and administrative costs.
We expect to increase our operating expenses significantly as we
continue to expand our infrastructure, research and development
programs and commercialization activities. As a result, we will
need to generate significant revenues to cover these costs and
achieve profitability.
We have entered into an agreement for the first phase of
construction of a wave power station off the coast of
Santoña, Spain, as well as an operations and maintenance
contract for the equipment to be installed in this first phase.
Under both
contracts our potential profitability is limited.
Under the construction
contract, our revenues are limited to
reimbursement for our construction costs without any mark-up and
we are required to bear the first €0.5 million of any
cost overruns. Under the operations and maintenance
contract, we
are paid a fixed fee for scheduled maintenance, the profits on
which are required to be refunded to cover any unscheduled
maintenance fees we receive during the term of the agreement.
We do not know whether or when we will become profitable because
of the significant uncertainties with respect to our ability to
successfully commercialize our
PowerBuoy®
systems in the emerging renewable energy market. Even if we do
achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase
profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. If we are unable
to achieve and then maintain profitability, the market value of
our common stock may decline.
Wave
energy technology may not gain broad commercial acceptance, and
therefore our revenues may not increase, and we may be unable to
achieve and then sustain profitability.
Wave energy technology is at an early stage of development, and
the extent to which wave energy power generation will be
commercially viable is uncertain. Many factors may affect the
commercial acceptance of wave energy technology, including the
following:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness of wave energy
technology compared to conventional and other renewable energy
sources and products;
|
| |
| |
•
|
developments relating to other renewable energy generation
technologies;
|
| |
| |
•
|
fluctuations in economic and market conditions that affect the
cost or viability of conventional and renewable energy sources,
such as increases or decreases in the prices of oil and other
fossil fuels;
|
| |
| |
•
|
overall growth in the renewable energy equipment market;
|
| |
| |
•
|
availability and terms of government subsidies and incentives to
support the development of renewable energy sources, including
wave energy;
|
| |
| |
•
|
fluctuations in capital expenditures by utilities and
independent power producers, which tend to decrease when the
economy slows and interest rates increase; and
|
| |
| |
•
|
the development of new and profitable applications requiring the
type of remote electric power provided by our autonomous wave
energy systems.
|
If wave energy technology does not gain broad commercial
acceptance, our business will be materially harmed and we may
need to curtail or cease operations.
7
If
sufficient demand for our PowerBuoy systems does not develop or
takes longer to develop than we anticipate, our revenues may
decline, and we may be unable to achieve and then sustain
profitability.
Even if wave energy technology achieves broad commercial
acceptance, our PowerBuoy systems may not prove to be a
commercially viable technology for generating electricity from
ocean waves. We have invested a significant portion of our time
and financial resources since our inception in the development
of our PowerBuoy systems. To date, we have not yet manufactured
and deployed any PowerBuoy systems for commercial use. As we
begin to manufacture, market, sell and deploy our PowerBuoy
systems in greater quantities, unforeseen hurdles may be
encountered that would limit the commercial viability of our
PowerBuoy systems, including unanticipated manufacturing,
deployment, operating, maintenance and other costs. Our target
customers and we may also encounter technical obstacles to
deploying, operating and maintaining PowerBuoy systems in
quantities necessary to generate competitively-priced
electricity.
If demand for our PowerBuoy systems fails to develop
sufficiently, we may be unable to grow our business or generate
sufficient revenues to achieve and then sustain profitability.
In addition, demand for PowerBuoy systems in our presently
targeted markets, including coastal North America, the west
coast of Europe, the coasts of Australia and the east coast of
Japan, may not develop or may develop to a lesser extent than we
anticipate.
If we are not successful in commercializing our PowerBuoy
system, or are significantly delayed in doing so, our business,
financial condition and results of operations could be adversely
affected.
The
reduction or elimination of government subsidies and economic
incentives for renewable energy sources could prevent demand for
our PowerBuoy systems from developing, which in turn would
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Federal, state and local governmental bodies in many countries,
most notably France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia,
Japan and the United States, have provided subsidies in the form
of tariff subsidies, rebates, tax credits and other incentives
to utilities, power generators and distributors using renewable
energy. However, these incentives and subsidies generally
decline over time, and many incentive and subsidy programs have
specific expiration dates. Moreover, because the market for
electricity generated from wave energy is at an early stage of
development, some of the programs may not include wave energy as
a renewable energy source eligible for the incentives and
subsidies.
Currently, the cost of electricity generated from wave energy,
without the benefit of subsidies or other economic incentives,
substantially exceeds the price of electricity in most
significant markets in the world. As a result, the near-term
growth of the market for our utility PowerBuoy systems, which
are designed to feed electricity into a local or regional power
grid, depends significantly on the availability and size of
government incentives and subsidies for wave energy. As
renewable energy becomes more of a competitive threat to
conventional energy providers, companies active in the
conventional energy business may increase their lobbying efforts
in order to encourage governments to stop providing subsidies
for renewable energy, including wave energy. We cannot predict
the level of any such efforts, or how governments may react to
such efforts. The reduction, elimination or expiration of
government incentives and subsidies, or the exclusion of wave
energy technology from those incentives and subsidies, may
result in the diminished competitiveness of wave energy relative
to conventional and non-wave energy renewable sources of energy.
Such diminished competitiveness could materially and adversely
affect the growth of the wave energy industry, which could in
turn adversely affect our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
In 2000, we entered into an agreement with Woodside Sustainable
Energy Solutions Pty. Ltd., or Woodside, under which we received
$0.6 million in exchange for granting Woodside an option to
purchase, at a 30% discount from the then-prevailing market
rate, up to 500,000 metric tons of carbon emission credits we
generate during the years 2008 through 2012. However, if by
December 31, 2012 we do not become entitled under
applicable laws to the full amount of emission credits covered
by the option, we are obligated to return the option fee of
$0.6 million, less the aggregate discount on any emission
credits sold to Woodside prior to such date. If we receive
emission credits under applicable laws and fail to sell to
Woodside the credits up to the full amount of emission credits
covered by the option, Woodside is entitled to liquidated
damages equal to
8
30% of the aggregate market value of the shortfall in emission
credits (subject to a limit on the market price of emission
credits).
Our
product development costs have been steadily increasing and are
likely to increase significantly over the next several
years.
Our product development costs primarily relate to our efforts to
increase the maximum rated output of our current 40kW utility
PowerBuoy system in successive stages to 500kW in 2010. Our
product development costs were $4.1 million in the nine
months ended
January 31, 2007 as compared to
$2.6 million in the same period in 2006, and were
$4.2 million in fiscal 2006 as compared to
$0.9 million in fiscal 2005 and $0.3 million in fiscal
2004. We anticipate that our product development costs related
to the planned increase in the output of our utility PowerBuoy
system will increase significantly over the next several years.
We
have invested, and will continue to invest, funds to construct
demonstration wave power stations that may generate little or no
direct revenue.
We have constructed and plan to construct in the future
demonstration wave power stations to establish the feasibility
of wave energy technology and to encourage the market adoption
of our wave power stations. Demonstration wave power stations
allow potential customers to see first-hand the viability of
wave energy technology as a source of electricity. We incur
significant costs in constructing and maintaining these
demonstration wave power stations, and we may generate little or
no direct revenue from them.
Our
PowerBuoy systems do not have a sufficient operating history to
confirm how they will perform over their estimated
30-year
useful life.
We began developing and testing wave energy technology nearly
10 years ago. However, to date we have only manufactured
eight PowerBuoy systems for use in testing and development. The
longest continuous in-ocean deployment of our PowerBuoy system
has been for 12 months. As a result, our PowerBuoy systems
do not have a sufficient operating history to confirm how they
will perform over their estimated
30-year
useful life. Our technology has not been deployed commercially
and we have not yet demonstrated that our engineering and test
results can be duplicated in commercial production. We have
conducted and plan to continue to conduct practical testing of
our PowerBuoy system. If our PowerBuoy system ultimately proves
ineffective or unfeasible, we may not be able to engage in
commercial production of our products or we may become liable to
our customers for quantities we are obligated but are unable to
produce. If our PowerBuoy systems perform below expectations, we
could lose customers and face substantial repair and replacement
expense which could in turn adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
Our
future success depends on our ability to increase the maximum
rated power output of our utility PowerBuoy system. If we are
unable to increase the maximum rated output of our utility
PowerBuoy system, the commercial prospects for our utility
PowerBuoy system would be adversely affected.
One of our goals is to increase the maximum rated output of our
utility PowerBuoy system, which is currently 40kW, to 150kW in
2007, then to 250kW in 2008 and ultimately to 500kW in 2010. Our
success in meeting this objective depends on our ability to
significantly increase the power output of our PowerBuoy system
in a cost-effective and timely manner and our ability to
overcome the engineering and deployment hurdles that we face,
including developing design and construction techniques that
will enable the larger PowerBuoy systems to be deployed cost
effectively and without damage, and developing adjustments to
the mooring system to account for the larger sized PowerBuoy
systems. We have experienced delays in the development and
deployment of our PowerBuoy system in the past, and could
experience similar delays or other difficulties in the future.
If we cannot increase the power output of the PowerBuoy system,
or if it takes us longer to do so than we anticipate, we may be
unable to expand our business, maintain our competitive
position, satisfy our contractual obligations or become
profitable. In addition, if the cost associated with these
development efforts exceeds our projections, our results of
operations will be adversely affected.
If we
do not reach full commercial scale, we may not be able to offer
a cost competitive power station and the commercial prospects of
our utility PowerBuoy system would be adversely
affected.
Unless we reach full commercial scale, which we estimate to be
manufacturing levels of at least 300 units of 500kW
PowerBuoy systems per year, we may not be able to offer an
electricity solution that competes on a
9
non-subsidized basis with today’s price of wholesale
electricity in key markets in the United States, Europe, Japan
and Australia. If we do not reach full commercial scale, the
commercial prospects for our utility PowerBuoy system would be
adversely affected.
We
have not yet deployed a wave power station consisting of an
array of two or more PowerBuoy systems. If we are unable to
deploy a multiple-system wave power station, our revenues may
not increase, and we may be unable to achieve and then maintain
profitability.
We have not yet deployed a wave power station consisting of an
array of two or more PowerBuoy systems. Our success in
developing and deploying a wave power station consisting of an
array of two or more PowerBuoy systems is contingent upon, among
other things, receipt of required governmental permits,
obtaining adequate financing, successful array design
implementation and finally, successful deployment and connection
of the PowerBuoy systems.
We have not conducted ocean testing or otherwise installed in
the ocean a multiple-system wave power station. In particular,
unlike single-system wave power stations, multiple-system wave
power stations require use of an underwater substation to
connect the cables from, and collect the electricity generated
by, each PowerBuoy system in the array. If our underwater
substation does not work as we anticipate, we will need to
design an alternative system, which could delay our business
plans. In addition, unanticipated issues may arise with the
logistics and mechanics of deploying and maintaining multiple
PowerBuoy systems at a single site and the additional equipment
associated with these multiple-system wave power stations.
We may be unsuccessful in accomplishing any of these tasks or
doing so on a timely basis. The development and deployment of an
array of PowerBuoy systems may require us to incur significant
expenses for preliminary engineering, permitting and legal and
other expenses before we can determine whether a project is
feasible, economically attractive or capable of being financed.
If we
are unable to deploy larger PowerBuoy systems cost effectively
and without damage to the systems, we may be unable to compete
effectively.
We will need to build larger buoys in order to increase the
output of our current PowerBuoy systems. The larger buoys will
be more difficult than our current buoys to deploy cost
effectively and without damage. Our current deployment
methodologies, including transportation to the installation site
and the mooring of the PowerBuoy systems, will need to be
revised for PowerBuoy systems with greater output. If we cannot
develop cost effective methodologies for deployment of the
larger PowerBuoy systems, or if it takes us longer to do so than
we anticipate, we may not be able to deploy such systems in the
time we anticipate or at all. Therefore, even if we succeed in
increasing the output of our PowerBuoy systems above 40kW, if we
are unable to deploy these larger PowerBuoy systems or encounter
problems in doing so, we may be unable to expand our business,
maintain our competitive position, satisfy our contractual
obligations or become profitable.
If we
are not successful in completing the development of wave power
stations in Spain or France, it would materially harm our
business, financial condition and results of
operations.
In July 2006, we entered into an agreement for the first phase
of the construction of a wave power station off the coast of
Santoña, Spain, with our customer, Iberdrola Energias
Marinas de Cantabria, S.A., or Iberdrola Cantabria. We refer to
this agreement as the Spain construction agreement. Iberdrola
Cantabria was formed by affiliates of Iberdrola and Total, two
Spanish governmental agencies and us for the purpose of
constructing and operating a wave power station off the coast of
Spain. Under the Spain construction agreement, we have agreed to
manufacture and deploy no later than
December 31, 2009 one
40kW PowerBuoy system and the ocean-based substation and
infrastructure required to connect nine additional 150kW
PowerBuoy systems that together are contemplated to constitute a
1.39MW wave power station. Under the terms of the agreement, our
revenues are limited to reimbursement for our construction costs
without any mark-up. In addition, we are required to bear the
first €0.5 million of any cost overruns. As of
January 31, 2007, we had recognized an anticipated loss of
$0.5 million under the Spain construction agreement.
In addition, because the Spain construction agreement does not
cover the terms for deployment of all ten PowerBuoy units, we
will need to enter into a subsequent
contract with Iberdrola
Cantabria before we complete construction of the full wave power
station. If we are unable to successfully manufacture all ten
PowerBuoy units or meet the terms of the Spain construction
agreement, or if we are not able to successfully
10
negotiate a subsequent
contract with Iberdrola Cantabria for the
deployment of the nine additional PowerBuoy units, we may lose a
material component of our current and anticipated revenue
stream. Iberdrola Cantabria has the right to terminate the
agreement if we interrupt our services for more than
180 days and do not resume within a
30-day
period or if the first phase of construction is not complete by
December 31, 2009 for reasons attributable to us, or for a
serious and repeated breach of a major obligation that is not
cured within a
30-day
period after we receive notice of the breach. If Iberdrola
Cantabria were to terminate the Spain construction agreement for
any of these reasons, we may not be able to find another company
to fund development of the wave power station.
Under our agreement with affiliates of Iberdrola and Total to
study and assess the feasibility of a wave power station off the
coast of France, either of Iberdrola or Total may withdraw. In
addition, in order to proceed with development of the France
wave power station, all three parties must conclude that
development is feasible. If we proceed, Iberdrola, Total and we
will form a new company for the purpose of constructing and
operating the wave power station. If either Iberdrola or Total
withdraws or does not agree that development of the wave power
station is feasible, we may not be able to proceed with
development of the wave power station. In addition, if we
withdraw from the France project, we will remain obligated to
supply and install equipment and provide the new company with
assistance and information so that a new company can operate the
wave power station.
If either of the Spain or France projects were cancelled or
otherwise interrupted, it would adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
If we
are unable to successfully negotiate and enter into operations
and maintenance contracts with our customers on terms that are
acceptable to us, our ability to diversify our revenue stream
will be impaired.
An important element of our business strategy is to maximize our
revenue opportunities with our existing and future customers by
seeking to enter into operations and maintenance
contracts with
them under which we would be paid fees for operating and
maintaining wave power stations that they have purchased from
us. Even if customers purchase our PowerBuoy systems, they may
not enter into operations and maintenance
contracts with us. We
may not be able to negotiate operations and maintenance
contracts that provide us with any profit opportunities. Even if
we successfully negotiate and enter into such operations and
maintenance
contracts, our customers may terminate them
prematurely or they may not be profitable for a variety of
reasons, including the presence of unforeseen hurdles or costs.
In addition, our inability to perform adequately under such
operations and maintenance
contracts could impair our efforts to
successfully market the PowerBuoy systems. Any one of these
outcomes could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
If we
are unable to fulfill our obligations under our current
operations and maintenance contract in a cost effective manner,
our financial condition and results of operations could be
adversely affected.
In January 2007, we entered into an agreement with Iberdrola
Cantabria for the monitoring, operation and maintenance of the
40kW PowerBuoy system and the ocean-based substation and
infrastructure to be manufactured and deployed under the Spain
construction agreement. Under this operations and maintenance
agreement, we are required to provide services for two years
following provisional acceptance of the PowerBuoy system and
substation and infrastructure. We are to be paid a fixed fee for
scheduled maintenance, ongoing operations and other routine
services. In connection with any unscheduled repairs we perform
under the operations and maintenance agreement, Iberdrola
Cantabria and we will agree on the fees, if any, and timing, for
those services. To the extent we would otherwise have profits
from the fixed fee at the end of the two-year initial term of
the agreement, we are obligated to reimburse Iberdrola Cantabria
for any fees paid to us for unscheduled repairs. If the costs we
actually incur in connection with providing services under the
operations and maintenance agreement exceed the fees we receive,
we will incur a loss in connection with these services, which
could adversely affect our financial condition and results of
operations.
Our
inability to effectively manage our growth could adversely
affect our business and operations.
The scope of our operations to date has been limited, and we do
not have experience operating on the scale that we believe will
be necessary to achieve profitable operations. Our current
personnel, facilities, systems and internal procedures and
controls are not adequate to support our future growth. We plan
to add sales, marketing and engineering offices in additional
locations, including Australia, Japan, continental Europe
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and the west coast of the United States. By the end of fiscal
2010, we currently estimate that we will need to add
approximately 90,000 square feet of leased space for sales,
marketing, engineering, assembly and testing in order to meet
our current manufacturing targets.
To manage the expansion of our operations, we will be required
to improve our operational and financial systems, procedures and
controls, increase our manufacturing capacity and throughput and
expand, train and manage our employee base, which must increase
significantly if we are to be able to fulfill our current
manufacturing and growth plans. Our management will also be
required to maintain and expand our relationships with
customers, suppliers and other third parties, as well as attract
new customers and suppliers. If we do not meet these challenges,
we may be unable to take advantage of market opportunities,
execute our business strategies or respond to competitive
pressures.
Problems
with the quality or performance of our PowerBuoy systems could
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Our agreements with customers will generally include guarantees
with respect to the quality and performance of our PowerBuoy
systems. For example, our agreement to complete the first phase
of the construction of a 1.39MW wave power station off the coast
of Santoña, Spain contains guarantees associated with this
first phase regarding the quality, replacement and repair of the
40kW PowerBuoy system and ocean-based substation and the level
of power output of the 40kW PowerBuoy system.
Because of the limited operating history of our PowerBuoy
systems, we have been required to make assumptions regarding the
durability, reliability and performance of the systems, and we
cannot predict whether and to what extent we may be required to
perform under the guarantees that we expect to give our
customers. Our assumptions could prove to be materially
different from the actual performance of our PowerBuoy systems,
causing us to incur substantial expense to repair or replace
defective systems in the future. We will bear the risk of claims
long after we have sold our PowerBuoy systems and recognized
revenue. Moreover, any widespread product failures could
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
We
currently depend on a limited number of customers for
substantially all of our revenues. The loss of, or a significant
reduction in revenues from, any of these customers could
significantly reduce our revenues and harm our operating
results.
In the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, we generated
substantially all of our revenues from three entities. The US
Navy, our largest customer, accounted for approximately 57% of
our revenues during that period, while Iberdrola and Total
accounted for 32% of our revenues. In fiscal 2006, revenues from
the US Navy accounted for approximately 61% of our total
revenues. We expect that revenues from the US Navy will account
for a substantial portion of our total revenues in fiscal 2007.
In addition, our current
contract with the US Navy expires in
April 2008. We will be required to enter into additional
contracts with the US Navy, which will require appropriation by
the US Congress and the US Navy in order to receive additional
funding. Additional funding for our project with the US Navy may
not be approved or we may not be able to negotiate future
agreements with the US Navy on acceptable terms, if at all.
Generally, we recognize revenue on the percentage-of-completion
method based on the ratio of costs incurred to total estimated
costs at completion. In certain circumstances, revenue under
contracts that have specified milestones or other performance
criteria may be recognized only when our customer acknowledges
that such criteria have been satisfied. In addition, recognition
of revenue (and the related costs) may be deferred for
fixed-price
contracts until
contract completion if we are unable
to reasonably estimate the total costs of the project prior to
completion.
Because we currently have a small number of customers and
contracts, problems with a single
contract can adversely affect
our business, financial condition and results of operations. For
example, our revenues in fiscal 2006 decreased significantly
from fiscal 2005 primarily as a result of unanticipated delays
in our
contract with the US Navy.
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Historically, we have relied on a small group of customers for
substantially all of our revenue, and such concentration will
continue for the foreseeable future. The loss of any of our
customers or their default in payment could adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our
relationships with our alliance partners may not be successful
and we may not be successful in establishing additional
relationships, which could adversely affect our ability to
commercialize our products and services.
An important element of our business strategy is to enter into
development agreements and strategic alliances with regional
utility and energy companies committed to providing electricity
from renewable energy sources. If we are unable to reach
agreements with suitable alliance partners, we may fail to meet
our business objectives for the commercialization of our
PowerBuoy system. We may face significant competition in seeking
appropriate alliance partners. Moreover, these development
agreements and strategic alliances are complex to negotiate and
time consuming to document. We may not be successful in our
efforts to establish additional strategic relationships or other
alternative arrangements. The terms of any additional strategic
relationships or other arrangements that we establish may not be
favorable to us. In addition, these relationships may not be
successful, and we may be unable to sell and market our
PowerBuoy systems to these companies and their affiliates and
customers in the future, or growth opportunities may not
materialize, any of which could adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
Our
investments in joint ventures could be adversely affected by our
lack of sole decision-making authority, our reliance on a
co-venturer’s financial condition and disputes between us
and our co-venturers.
It is part of our strategy to co-invest in wave power projects
with third parties through joint ventures by acquiring
non-controlling interests in special purpose entities. In these
situations, we will not be in a position to exercise sole
decision-making authority regarding the joint venture.
Investments in joint ventures involve risks that would not be
present were a third party not involved, including the
possibility that our co-venturers might become bankrupt or fail
to fund their share of required capital contributions. Our
co-venturers may have economic or other business interests or
goals that are inconsistent with our business interests or
goals, and may be in a position to take actions that are
contrary to our policies or objectives. Disputes between us and
our co-venturers may result in litigation or arbitration that
would increase our expenses and prevent our officers and/or
directors from focusing their time and effort on our business.
Consequently, actions by, or disputes with, partners or
co-venturers might result in subjecting wave power projects
undertaken by the joint venture to additional risk.
Our
targeted markets are highly competitive. We compete with other
renewable energy companies and may have to compete with larger
companies that enter into the renewable energy business. If we
are unable to compete effectively, we may be unable to increase
our revenues and achieve or maintain
profitability.
The renewable energy industry, particularly in our targeted
markets of coastal North America, the west coast of Europe, the
coasts of Australia and the east coast of Japan, is highly
competitive and continually evolving as participants strive to
distinguish themselves and compete with the larger electric
power industry. Competition in the renewable energy industry is
likely to continue to increase with the advent of several
renewable energy technologies, including tidal and ocean current
technologies. If we are not successful in manufacturing systems
that generate competitively priced electricity, we will not be
able to respond effectively to competitive pressures from other
renewable energy technologies.
Moreover, the success of renewable energy generation
technologies may cause larger electric utility and other energy
companies with substantial financial resources to enter into the
renewable energy industry. These companies, due to their greater
capital resources and substantial technical expertise, may be
better positioned to develop new technologies.
Our inability to respond effectively to such competition could
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
13
We
have limited manufacturing experience. If we are unable to
increase our manufacturing capacity in a cost-effective manner,
our business will be materially harmed.
We plan to manufacture key components of our PowerBuoy systems,
including the advanced control and generation systems. However,
we have only manufactured our PowerBuoy systems in limited
quantities for use in development and testing and have little
commercial manufacturing experience. Our future success depends
on our ability to significantly increase both our manufacturing
capacity and production throughput in a cost-effective and
efficient manner. In order to meet our growth objectives, by the
end of fiscal 2010 we will need to increase our engineering and
manufacturing staff by over 120 people. There is intense
competition for hiring qualified technical and engineering
personnel, and we may not be able to hire a sufficient number of
qualified engineers to allow us to meet our growth objectives.
We may be unable to develop efficient, low-cost manufacturing
capabilities and processes that will enable us to meet the
quality, price, engineering, design and production standards or
production volumes necessary to successfully commercialize our
PowerBuoy systems. If we cannot do so, we may be unable to
expand our business, satisfy our contractual obligations or
become profitable. Even if we are successful in developing our
manufacturing capabilities and processes, we may not be able to
do so in time to meet our commercialization schedule or satisfy
the requirements of our customers.
Failure
by third parties to supply or manufacture components of our
products or to deploy our systems timely or properly could
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
We are highly dependent on third parties to supply or
manufacture components of our PowerBuoy systems. If, for any
reason, our third-party manufacturers or vendors are not willing
or able to provide us with components or supplies in a timely
fashion, or at all, our ability to manufacture and sell many of
our products could be impaired.
We do not have long-term
contracts with our third-party
manufacturers or vendors. If we do not develop ongoing
relationships with vendors located in different regions, we may
not be successful at controlling unit costs as our manufacturing
volume increases. We may not be able to negotiate new
arrangements with these third parties on acceptable terms, if at
all.
In addition, we rely on third parties, under our oversight, for
the deployment and mooring of our PowerBuoy systems. We have
utilized several different deployment methods, including towing
the PowerBuoy system to the deployment location, and
transporting the PowerBuoy system to the deployment location by
barge or ocean workboat. If these third parties do not properly
deploy our systems, cannot effectively deploy the PowerBuoy
system on a large, commercial scale or otherwise do not perform
adequately, or if we fail to recruit and retain third parties to
deploy our systems in particular geographic areas, this could
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Business
activities conducted by our third-party contractors and us
involve the use of hazardous materials, which require compliance
with environmental and occupational safety laws regulating the
use of such materials. If we violate these laws, we could be
subject to significant fines, liabilities or other adverse
consequences.
Our manufacturing operations, in particular some of the
activities undertaken by our third-party suppliers and
manufacturers, involve the controlled use of hazardous
materials. Accordingly, our third-party contractors and we are
subject to foreign, federal, state and local laws governing the
protection of the environment and human health and safety,
including those relating to the use, handling and disposal of
these materials. We cannot completely eliminate the risk of
accidental contamination or injury from these hazardous
materials. In the event of an accident or failure to comply with
environmental or health and safety laws and regulations, we
could be held liable for resulting damages, including damages to
natural resources, fines and penalties, and any such liability
could adversely affect our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
Environmental laws and regulations are complex, change
frequently and have tended to become stringent over time. While
we have budgeted for future capital and operating expenditures
to maintain compliance, we cannot assure you that environmental
laws and regulations will not change or become more stringent in
the future. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our costs of
complying with current and future environmental and
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health and safety laws, and any liabilities arising from past or
future releases of, or exposure to, hazardous substances will
not adversely affect our business, financial condition or
results of operations.
If we
become ineligible for or are otherwise unable to replace any
contract with the US federal government that is not extended or
is terminated, our business, financial condition and results of
operations will be adversely affected.
We derive a significant portion of our revenue from US federal
government
contracts, which are subject to special funding
restrictions, regulatory requirements and eligibility standards
and which the government may terminate at any time or determine
not to extend after their scheduled expiration. During fiscal
2006, we derived approximately 61% of our total revenue from
contracts with the US Navy.
US federal government
contracts are subject to funding
restrictions that generally limit the government’s funding
commitments to one federal fiscal year. There is no guarantee
that our federal
contracts will continue to be funded even if we
perform successfully. If sufficient funds are not made available
for subsequent
contract periods of a multi-year program, the
government’s obligations will end, which in turn will
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Our
contracts with the US Navy contain provisions permitting it
to terminate the
contract for its convenience, as well as for
our default. A decision by a government agency not to exercise
option periods or to terminate
contracts could result in
significant revenue shortfalls.
If the government terminates a
contract for convenience, then we
may recover only our incurred or committed costs, settlement
expenses and profit on work completed prior to the termination.
We cannot recover anticipated profit on terminated work. If the
government terminates a
contract for default, then we may not
recover even those amounts, and instead we may be liable for
excess costs incurred by the government in procuring undelivered
items and services from another source. We cannot predict if the
government will terminate or choose not to extend our Federal
government
contracts. The government has never terminated any of
our
contracts; however, it may do so at any time.
US federal government
contracts are also subject to contractual
and regulatory requirements that may increase our costs of doing
business and could expose us to substantial contractual damages,
civil fines and criminal penalties for noncompliance. These
requirements include business ethics, equal employment
opportunity, environmental, foreign purchasing, most-favored
pricing and accounting provisions, among others. Payments that
we receive under US federal government
contracts are subject to
audit and potential refunds for at least three years after the
final
contract payment is received.
The
loss of federal funding designed to promote innovative research
by small businesses may adversely affect our research and
development costs and revenues.
Most of our federal
contracts were awarded through a special US
government program designed to promote innovative research by
small businesses called Small Business Innovation Research, or
SBIR. The SBIR program provides funds to qualified small
businesses to further their technological research and
development activities and provides incentives to these
companies to profit from commercialization of their technology.
SBIR funding represents both revenues and outside research and
development investment dollars for companies that receive it.
The program is open to companies that are majority owned and
controlled by individual US citizens or permanent resident
aliens, or by a parent entity that meets this standard. Our
revenues from the SBIR program were approximately
$0.8 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 and
approximately $1.1 million for fiscal 2006.
Increased institutional, corporate or foreign ownership as a
result of this offering will likely make us ineligible for the
SBIR program, which may adversely affect our ability to win
future government
contracts. We intend to continue to seek
research and development funding from other sources, including
funding from existing government customers under non-SBIR
programs. Our inability to replace SBIR
contracts with funds
from other sources could result in reduced revenues and higher
internal research and development costs, and therefore adversely
affect our operating results.
15
We
market and sell, and plan to market and sell, our products in
numerous international markets. If we are unable to manage our
international operations effectively, our business, financial
condition and results of operations could be adversely
affected.
We market and sell, and plan to market and sell, our products in
a number of foreign countries, including France, Spain, the
United Kingdom, Australia and Japan, and we are therefore
subject to risks associated with having international
operations. International operations accounted for 4% of our
revenues in fiscal 2005, 9% of our revenues in fiscal 2006 and
35% of our revenues for the first nine months of fiscal 2007.
Risks inherent in international operations include, but are not
limited to, the following:
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changes in general economic and political conditions in the
countries in which we operate;
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unexpected adverse changes in foreign laws or regulatory
requirements, including those with respect to renewable energy,
environmental protection, permitting, export duties and quotas;
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trade barriers such as export requirements, tariffs, taxes and
other restrictions and expenses, which could increase the prices
of our PowerBuoy systems and make us less competitive in some
countries;
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fluctuations in exchange rates may affect demand for our
PowerBuoy systems and may adversely affect our profitability in
US dollars to the extent the price of our PowerBuoy systems and
cost of raw materials and labor are denominated in a foreign
currency;
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difficulty with staffing and managing widespread operations;
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difficulty of, and costs relating to compliance with, the
different commercial and legal requirements of the overseas
markets in which we offer and sell our PowerBuoy systems;
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inability to obtain, maintain or enforce intellectual property
rights; and
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difficulty in enforcing agreements in foreign legal systems.
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Our business in foreign markets requires us to respond to rapid
changes in market conditions in these countries. Our overall
success as a global business depends, in part, on our ability to
succeed in differing legal, regulatory, economic, social and
political conditions. We may not be able to develop and
implement policies and strategies that will be effective in each
location where we do business, which in turn could adversely
affect our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
We may
not be able to raise sufficient capital to grow our
business.
We have in the past needed to raise funds to operate our
business, and we may need to raise additional funds to
manufacture our PowerBuoy systems in commercial quantities. If
we are unable to raise additional funds when needed, our ability
to operate and grow our business could be impaired. We do not
know whether we will be able to secure additional funding or
funding on terms favorable to us. Our ability to obtain
additional funding will be subject to a number of factors,
including market conditions, our operating performance and
investor sentiment. These factors may make the timing, amount,
terms and conditions of additional funding unattractive. If we
issue additional equity securities, our existing stockholders
may experience dilution or be subordinated to any rights,
preferences or privileges granted to the new equity holders.
Our
financial results may fluctuate from quarter to quarter, which
may make it difficult to predict our future
performance.
Our financial results may fluctuate as a result of a number of
factors, many of which are outside of our control. For these
reasons, comparing our financial results on a
period-to-period
basis may not be meaningful, and you should not rely on our past
results as an indication of our future performance. Our future
quarterly and annual expenses as a percentage of our revenues
may be significantly different from those we have recorded in
the past or which we expect for the future. Our financial
results in some quarters may fall below expectations. Any of
these events could cause our stock price to fall. Each of the
risk factors listed in this “Risk Factors” section,
including the following factors, may adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations:
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delays in permitting or acquiring necessary regulatory consents;
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delays in the timing of contract awards and determinations of
work scope;
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delays in funding for or deployment of wave energy projects;
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changes in cost estimates relating to wave energy project
completion, which under percentage of completion accounting
principles could lead to significant charges to previously
recognized revenue or to changes in the timing of our
recognition of revenue from those projects;
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delays in meeting specified contractual milestones or other
performance criteria under project contracts or in completing
project contracts that could delay the recognition of revenue
that would otherwise be earned;
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reductions in the availability or level of subsidies and
incentives for renewable energy sources;
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decisions made by parties with whom we have commercial
relationships not to proceed with anticipated projects;
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increases in the length of our sales cycle; and
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Currency
translation and transaction risk may adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of
operations.
Our reporting currency is the US dollar, and we conduct our
business and incur costs in the local currency of most countries
in which we operate. As a result, we are subject to currency
translation risk. In fiscal 2006, approximately 9% of our
revenues were generated outside the United States and
denominated in Euros and in the first nine months of fiscal
2007, 32% of our revenues were generated outside the United
States and denominated in Euros and 3% of our revenues were
generated outside the United States and denominated in
Australian dollars. We expect a large percentage of our revenues
to be generated outside the United States and denominated in
foreign currencies in the future. Changes in exchange rates
between foreign currencies and the US dollar could affect our
revenues and cost of revenues, and could result in exchange
losses. In addition, we incur currency transaction risk whenever
one of our operating
subsidiaries enters into either a purchase
or a sales transaction using a different currency from our
reporting currency. For example, our agreement with Iberdrola
Cantabria for the first phase of the construction of a wave
power station off the coast of Santoña, Spain is
denominated in Euros, and we expect that we will enter into a
number of purchase and supply
contracts with local Spanish
companies also denominated in Euros in connection with the
project. We cannot accurately predict the impact of future
exchange rate fluctuations on our results of operations.
Currently, we do not engage in any exchange rate hedging
activities and, as a result, any volatility in currency exchange
rates may have an immediate adverse effect on our business,
results of operations and financial condition.
Existing
regulations and policies and changes to these or new regulations
and policies may present technical, regulatory and economic
barriers to the use of wave energy technology, which may
significantly reduce demand for our PowerBuoy
systems.
The market for electricity generation equipment is heavily
influenced by foreign, federal, state and local government
regulations and policies concerning the electric utility
industry, as well as policies promulgated by electric utilities.
These regulations and policies often relate to electricity
pricing and connection to the power grid. In the United States
and in a number of other countries, these regulations and
policies currently are being modified and may be modified again
in the future. Utility company and independent power producer
purchases of, or further investment in the research and
development of, alternative energy sources, including wave
energy technology, could be deterred by these regulations and
policies, which could result in a significant reduction in the
potential demand for our PowerBuoy systems.
As the renewable energy industry continues to develop and as the
generation of power from wave energy in particular achieves
commercial acceptance, we anticipate that wave energy technology
and our PowerBuoy systems and their deployment will be subject
to increased oversight and regulation. We are unable to predict
the nature or extent of regulations that may be imposed or
adopted. Any new government regulations or utility policies
pertaining to wave energy or our PowerBuoy systems may result in
significant additional expenses to us and our customers and, as
a result, could adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
17
If we
are unable to obtain all necessary regulatory permits and
approvals, we will not be able to implement our planned
projects.
Offshore development of electric power generating facilities is
heavily regulated. Each of our planned projects is subject to
multiple permitting and approval requirements. With respect to
our projects in Spain and France, we are dependent upon our
customers to obtain any necessary permits and approvals, and
with respect to our project in Cornwall, England, we are
dependent on a regional government agency for such permits and
approvals. Due to the unique nature of large scale commercial
wave power stations, we would expect our projects to receive
close scrutiny by permitting agencies, approval authorities and
the public, which could result in substantial delay in the
permitting process. Successful challenges by any parties opposed
to our planned projects could result in conditions limiting the
project size or in the denial of necessary permits and approvals.
If we are unable to obtain necessary permits and approvals in
connection with any or all of our projects, those projects would
not be implemented and our business, financial condition and
results of operations would be adversely affected. Further, we
cannot assure you that we have been or will be at all times in
complete compliance with all such permits and approvals. If we
violate or fail to comply with these permits and approvals, we
could be fined or otherwise sanctioned by regulators.
We
face hurricane- and storm-related risks and other risks typical
of a marine environment which could adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of
operations.
Our PowerBuoy systems are deployed in the ocean where they are
subject to many hazards including severe storms and hurricanes,
which could damage them and result in service interruptions. Our
systems are also subject to more frequent
lock-downs
caused by higher waves during winter storm and hurricane
seasons, which will reduce annual energy output. We cannot
predict whether we will be able to recover from our insurance
providers the additional costs that we may incur due to damage
caused to our PowerBuoy systems, or whether we will continue to
be able to obtain insurance for hurricane- and storm-related
damages or, if obtainable and carried, whether this insurance
will be adequate to cover our liabilities. Any future
hurricane-or storm-related costs could adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Since
our PowerBuoy systems can only be deployed in certain geographic
locations, our ability to grow our business could be adversely
affected.
Our systems are designed to work in sites with average annual
wave energy of at least 20kW per meter of wave front. Not all
coastal areas worldwide have appropriate natural resources for
our PowerBuoy systems to harness wave energy. Seasonal and local
variations, water depth and the effect of particular locations
of islands and other geographical features may limit our ability
to deploy our PowerBuoy systems in coastal areas. If we are
unable to identify and deploy PowerBuoy systems at sufficient
sites near major population centers, our ability to grow our
business could be adversely affected.
If we
are unable to attract and retain management and other qualified
personnel, we may not be able to achieve our business
objectives.
Our success depends on the skills, experience and efforts of our
senior management and other key development, manufacturing, and
sales and marketing employees. We cannot be certain that we will
be able to attract, retain and motivate such employees. The loss
of the services of one or more of these employees could have a
material adverse effect on our business. There is a risk that we
will not be able to retain or replace these key employees. We
have entered into employment agreements with Dr. George
Taylor, our chief executive officer, Charles Dunleavy, our
senior vice president and chief financial officer, Mark Draper,
the chief executive officer of our UK subsidiary, and John
Baylouny, our senior vice president, engineering; however, the
agreements permit the employees to terminate their employment
with little notice. Implementation of our expansion plans will
be highly dependent upon our ability to hire and retain
additional senior executives.
In addition, our anticipated growth will require us to hire a
significant number of qualified technical, commercial and
administrative personnel. In order to meet our short-term goals,
by the end of 2007, we plan to add approximately 15 to 20
employees, including a vice president of business development.
The remainder will primarily be engineers with varying areas of
expertise. By the end of fiscal 2010, we will need to increase
18
our staff by nearly six times in order to meet our current
manufacturing targets. The majority of our new hires will be
engineers with varying levels and areas of expertise, project
managers and manufacturing personnel. There is intense
competition from other companies and research and academic
institutions for qualified personnel in the areas of our
activities. If we cannot continue to attract and retain, on
acceptable terms, the qualified personnel necessary for the
continued development of our business, we may not be able to
sustain our operations or grow at a competitive pace.
Any
acquisitions that we make or joint venture agreements that we
enter into, or any failure to identify appropriate acquisition
or joint venture candidates, could adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of
operations.
From time to time, we evaluate potential strategic acquisitions
of complementary businesses, products or technologies, as well
as consider joint ventures and other collaborative projects. We
may not be able to identify appropriate acquisition candidates
or strategic partners, or successfully negotiate, finance or
integrate any businesses, products or technologies that we
acquire. We do not have any experience with acquiring companies
or products. Any acquisition we pursue could diminish the
proceeds from this offering available to us for other uses or be
dilutive to our stockholders, and could divert management’s
time and resources from our core operations.
Strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances with third
parties could subject us to a number of risks, including risks
associated with sharing proprietary information and loss of
control of operations that are material to our business. In
addition, strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances may
be expensive to implement. For example, under the France
project, our entitlement to retain our current percentage
interest is subject to our ability to make a proportionate
capital investment, which we may be unable to finance. Moreover,
strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances subject us to
the risk of non-performance by a counterparty, which may in turn
lead to monetary losses that materially and adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Section 404
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will require us to document
and test our internal control over financial reporting for
fiscal 2008 and beyond and will require an independent
registered public accounting firm to report on our assessment as
to the effectiveness of these controls. Any delays or difficulty
in satisfying these requirements could adversely affect our
future results of operations and our stock price.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will require
us to document and test the effectiveness of our internal
control over financial reporting in accordance with an
established internal control framework and to report on our
conclusion as to the effectiveness of our internal controls. It
will also require an independent registered public accounting
firm to test our internal control over financial reporting and
report on the effectiveness of such controls for our fiscal year
ending
April 30, 2008 and subsequent years. An independent
registered public accounting firm will also be required to test,
evaluate and report on the completeness of our assessment. In
addition, upon completion of this offering, we will be required
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to maintain disclosure
controls and procedures and internal control over financial
reporting. Moreover, it may cost us more than we expect to
comply with these control- and procedure-related requirements.
We may in the future discover areas of our internal controls
that need improvement, particularly with respect to businesses
that we may acquire. We cannot be certain that any remedial
measures we take will ensure that we implement and maintain
adequate internal controls over our financial processes and
reporting in the future. Any failure to implement required new
or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their
implementation, could harm our operating results or cause us to
fail to meet our reporting obligations. If we are unable to
conclude that we have effective internal control over financial
reporting, or if our independent registered public accounting
firm is unable to provide us with an unqualified opinion
regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting as of
April 30, 2008 and in future
periods as required by Section 404, investors could lose
confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial
statements, which could result in a decrease in the value of our
common stock. Failure to comply with
19
Section 404 could potentially subject us to sanctions or
investigations by the SEC, The Nasdaq Stock Market or other
regulatory authorities.
Risks
Related to Intellectual Property
If we
are unable to obtain or maintain intellectual property rights
relating to our technology and products, the commercial value of
our technology and products may be adversely affected, which
could in turn adversely affect our business, financial condition
and results of operations.
Our success and ability to compete depends in part upon our
ability to obtain protection in the United States and other
countries for our products by establishing and maintaining
intellectual property rights relating to or incorporated into
our technology and products. We own a variety of patents and
patent applications in the United States and corresponding
patents and patent applications in several foreign
jurisdictions. However, we have not obtained patent protection
in each market in which we plan to compete. In addition, we do
not know how successful we would be should we choose to assert
our patents against suspected infringers. Our pending and future
patent applications may not issue as patents or, if issued, may
not issue in a form that will be advantageous to us. Even if
issued, patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or
circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors
from marketing similar products or limit the length of term of
patent protection we may have for our products. Changes in
either patent laws or in interpretations of patent laws in the
United States and other countries may diminish the value of our
intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent
protection, which could in turn adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
Our
contracts with the government could negatively affect our
intellectual property rights, and our ability to commercialize
our products could be impaired.
Our agreements with the US Navy help fund research and
development of our PowerBuoy system. When new technologies are
developed with US federal government funding, the government
obtains certain rights in any resulting patents, technical data
and software, generally including, at a minimum, a nonexclusive
license authorizing the government to use the invention,
technical data or software for non-commercial purposes. These
rights may permit the government to disclose our confidential
information to third parties and to exercise
“march-in” rights. March-in rights refer to the right
of the US government to require us to grant a license to the
technology to a responsible applicant or, if we refuse, the
government may grant the license itself. US government-funded
inventions must be reported to the government. US government
funding must be disclosed in any resulting patent applications,
and our rights in such inventions will normally be subject to
government license rights, periodic post-
contract utilization
reporting, foreign manufacturing restrictions and march-in
rights.
The government can exercise its march-in rights if it determines
that action is necessary because we fail to achieve practical
application of the technology or because action is necessary to
alleviate health or safety needs, to meet requirements of
federal regulations or to give preference to US industry. Our
government-sponsored research
contracts are subject to audit and
require that we provide regular written technical updates on a
monthly, quarterly or annual basis, and, at the conclusion of
the research
contract, a final report on the results of our
technical research. Because these reports are generally
available to the public, third parties may obtain some aspects
of our sensitive confidential information. Moreover, if we fail
to provide these reports or to provide accurate or complete
reports, the government may obtain rights to any intellectual
property arising from the related research. Funding from
government
contracts also may limit when and how we can deploy
our technology developed under those
contracts.
If we
are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary
information and know-how, the value of our technology and
products could be adversely affected, which could in turn
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
In addition to patented technology, we rely upon unpatented
proprietary technology, processes and know-how, particularly
with respect to our PowerBuoy control and electricity generating
systems. We generally seek to protect this information in part
by confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants
and third
20
parties. These agreements may be breached, and we may not have
adequate remedies for any such breach. In addition, our trade
secrets may otherwise become known or be independently developed
by competitors.
If we
infringe or are alleged to infringe intellectual property rights
of third parties, our business, financial condition and results
of operations could be adversely affected.
Our products may infringe or be claimed to infringe patents or
patent applications under which we do not hold licenses or other
rights. Third parties may own or control these patents and
patent applications in the United States and abroad. From
time to time, we receive correspondence from third parties
offering to license patents to us. Correspondence of this nature
might be used to establish that we received notice of certain
patents in the event of subsequent patent infringement
litigation. Third parties could bring claims against us that
would cause us to incur substantial expenses and, if
successfully asserted against us, could cause us to pay
substantial damages. Further, if a patent infringement suit were
brought against us, we could be forced to stop or delay
manufacturing or sales of the product or component that is the
subject of the suit.
As a result of patent infringement claims, or in order to avoid
potential claims, we may choose or be required to seek a license
from the third party and be required to pay license fees or
royalties or both. These licenses may not be available on
acceptable terms, or at all. Even if we were able to obtain a
license, the rights may be nonexclusive, which could result in
our competitors gaining access to the same intellectual
property. Ultimately, we could be forced to cease some aspect of
our business operations if, as a result of actual or threatened
patent infringement claims, we are unable to enter into licenses
on acceptable terms. This could significantly and adversely
affect our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
In addition to infringement claims against us, we may become a
party to other types of patent litigation and other proceedings,
including interference proceedings declared by the United States
Patent and Trademark Office and opposition proceedings in the
European Patent Office, regarding intellectual property rights
with respect to our products and technology. The cost to us of
any patent litigation or other proceeding, even if resolved in
our favor, could be substantial. Some of our competitors may be
able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more
effectively than we can because of their greater financial
resources. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and
continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could
have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the
marketplace. Patent litigation and other proceedings may also
absorb significant management time.
Risks
Related to the Offering
Provisions
in our corporate charter documents and under Delaware law may
delay or prevent attempts by our stockholders to change our
management and hinder efforts to acquire a controlling interest
in us.
After we reincorporate in Delaware, provisions of our
certificate of incorporation and
bylaws may discourage, delay or
prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control that
stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in
which our stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for
their shares. These provisions may also prevent or frustrate
attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our
management. These provisions include:
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advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and
nominations;
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the inability of stockholders to act by written consent or to
call special meetings; and
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the ability of our board of directors to designate the terms of
and issue new series of preferred stock without stockholder
approval, which could be used to institute a “poison
pill” that would work to dilute the stock ownership of a
potential hostile acquirer, effectively preventing acquisitions
that have not been approved by our board of directors.
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The affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of our
shares of capital stock entitled to vote is necessary to amend
or repeal the above provisions of our certificate of
incorporation. In addition, absent approval of our board of
directors, our
bylaws may only be amended or repealed by the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of our shares of
capital stock entitled to vote.
In addition, Section 203 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation
from engaging in a business combination with an interested
stockholder, generally a person which
21
together with its affiliates owns or within the last three years
has owned 15% of our voting stock, for a period of three years
after the date of the transaction in which the person became an
interested stockholder, unless the business combination is
approved in a prescribed manner. Accordingly, after we
reincorporate in Delaware, Section 203 may discourage,
delay or prevent a change in control of
our company.
An
active trading market for our common stock may not develop in
the United States, and you may not be able to resell your shares
at or above the initial public offering price.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for
shares of our common stock in the United States. Our common
stock has been listed on the AIM market of the London Stock
Exchange plc, referred to as the AIM market, under the symbol
“OPT” since October 2003. However, there is currently
a limited volume of trading in our common stock on the AIM
market, which limits the liquidity of our common stock on that
market. We cannot predict when or whether investor interest in
our common stock on the AIM market might lead to an increase in
its market price or the development of a more active trading
market or how liquid that market might become.
The initial public offering price for our common stock was
determined through negotiations with the underwriters based on a
number of factors, including the historic trading prices of our
common stock on the AIM market, that might not be indicative of
prices that will prevail in the trading market for our common
stock in the United States. An active trading market for
our shares in the United States may never develop or be
sustained following this offering. If an active market for our
common stock does not develop, it may be difficult to sell
shares you purchase in this offering without depressing the
market price for the shares, or at all.
Liquidity
in the market for our common stock may be adversely affected by
our maintenance of two exchange listings.
Following this offering and after our common stock is traded on
The Nasdaq Global Market, we currently expect to continue to
list our common stock on the AIM market. We cannot predict the
effect of having our common stock traded or listed on both of
these markets. However, the dual listing of our common stock may
dilute the liquidity of our common stock in one or both markets
and may adversely affect the development of an active trading
market for our shares in the United States.
Our
stock price is likely to be volatile, and purchasers of our
common stock could incur substantial losses.
The price of our common stock has been volatile on the AIM
market, and after this offering our stock price is likely to
continue to be volatile. The stock market in general has
experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to
the operating performance of particular companies. As a result
of this volatility, investors may not be able to sell their
common stock at or above the initial public offering price. The
market price for our common stock may be influenced by many
factors, including:
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the success of competitive products or technologies;
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regulatory developments in the United States and foreign
countries;
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developments or disputes concerning patents or other proprietary
rights;
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the recruitment or departure of key personnel;
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quarterly or annual variations in our financial results or those
of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;
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market conditions in the conventional and renewable energy
industries and issuance of new or changed securities
analysts’ reports or recommendations;
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the failure of securities analysts to cover our common stock
after this offering or changes in financial estimates by
analysts;
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the inability to meet the financial estimates of analysts who
follow our common stock;
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investor perception of our company and of the renewable energy
industry; and
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general economic, political and market conditions.
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22
A
substantial portion of our total outstanding shares may be sold
into the market at any time. This could cause the market price
of our common stock to drop significantly, even if our business
is doing well.
All of the shares being sold in this offering will be freely
tradable without restriction or further registration under the
federal securities laws, unless purchased by our
“affiliates” as that term is defined in Rule 144
under the Securities Act. The approximately 2.4 million
shares held by our directors and executive officers and the
selling stockholders will be eligible for sale upon completion
of this offering pursuant to Rule 144 subject to the volume
limitations and other applicable conditions of Rule 144
upon the expiration of
180-day
lock-up agreements described under “Underwriting”. The
balance of our outstanding shares will be immediately eligible
for sale after the completion of this offering pursuant to
Rule 144(k) without regard to volume limitations and other
applicable conditions of Rule 144 or pursuant to other
exemptions, including the 2,000,000 shares of our common
stock that were sold in an offering on the AIM market in 2003.
We also intend to register all shares of our common stock that
we may issue under our employee benefit plans. Once we register
these shares, they can be freely sold in the public market upon
issuance, subject to the
lock-up
agreements described in “Underwriting.” Sales of a
substantial number of shares of our common stock, or the
perception in the market that the holders of a large number of
shares intend to sell shares, could reduce the market price of
our common stock.
We
have broad discretion in the use of our net proceeds from this
offering and may not use them effectively.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of
the net proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds
in ways that do not improve our operating results or enhance the
value of our common stock. Our stockholders may not agree with
the manner in which our management chooses to allocate and spend
the net proceeds. The failure by our management to apply these
funds effectively could result in financial losses that could
have a material adverse effect on our business and cause the
price of our common stock to decline. Pending their use, we may
invest our net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does
not produce income or that loses value.
We
have never paid cash dividends on our common stock, and we do
not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable
future.
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date.
We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to
fund the development and growth of our business. In addition,
the terms of any future debt agreements may preclude us from
paying dividends. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of
our common stock will be your sole source of gain for the
foreseeable future.
If you
purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will
suffer immediate and substantial dilution of your
investment.
The initial public offering price of our common stock is
substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share
of our common stock. Therefore, if you purchase shares of our
common stock in this offering, your interest will be diluted
immediately to the extent of the difference between the initial
public offering price per share of our common stock and the net
tangible book value per share of our common stock after this
offering. See “Dilution.”
Provisions
in our bylaws will require disclosure of information by
shareholders that would not otherwise be required to be
disclosed under applicable US state or US federal
laws.
In accordance with the rules of the AIM market, we are required
to disclose information regarding beneficial owners of three
percent or more of our outstanding common stock to the AIM
market. In order to allow us to comply with the AIM rules, our
bylaws that will be in effect upon completion of the offering
contain a provision requiring any beneficial owner of three
percent or more of our outstanding common stock to notify us of
his or her shareholdings, as well as of any change in his or her
beneficial ownership of one percent or more of our outstanding
common stock. Comparatively, none of US state or US federal laws
that will be applicable to us after the offering or the rules of
the SEC or The Nasdaq Global Market require stockholders to
report this beneficial ownership information to us or us to
disclose this information to the
23
public or a regulatory body. We do not intend to make any such
information public, unless required by law or the rules of the
AIM market, the SEC or The Nasdaq Global Market.
We
will incur increased costs as a result of being a public
company.
As a public company in the United States, we will incur
significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we have
not incurred to date. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, as well as new rules subsequently implemented by the SEC
and The Nasdaq Stock Market, have required changes in corporate
governance practices of public companies in the United States.
We expect these new rules and regulations to increase our legal
and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more
time-consuming and costly. In addition, we will incur additional
costs associated with our United States public company reporting
requirements. We also expect these new rules and regulations to
make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain
director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required
to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur
substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar
coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to
attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of
directors or as executive officers. We are currently evaluating
and monitoring developments with respect to these new rules, and
we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we
may incur or the timing of such costs.
24
SPECIAL
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the sections titled “Prospectus
Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations” and “Business,” contains
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements convey
our current expectations or forecasts of future events. All
statements contained in this prospectus other than statements of
historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements include statements regarding our future financial
position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, plans and
objectives of management for future operations. The words
“may,” “continue,” “estimate,”
“intend,” “plan,” “will,”
“believe,” “project,” “expect,”
“anticipate” and similar expressions may identify
forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does
not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking.
These forward-looking statements include, among other things,
statements about:
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our ability to identify and penetrate markets for our PowerBuoy
systems and our wave energy technology;
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our ability to implement our commercialization strategy as
planned, or at all;
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changes in current legislation or regulations that affect the
demand for renewable energy;
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our ability to compete effectively in the renewable energy
market;
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our limited operating history and history of operating losses;
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our sales and marketing capabilities and strategy in the United
States and internationally;
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our intellectual property portfolio; and
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our estimates regarding expenses, future revenues, capital
requirements and needs for additional financing.
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Any or all of our forward-looking statements in this prospectus
may turn out to be inaccurate. We have based these
forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations
and projections about future events and financial trends that we
believe may affect our financial condition, results of
operations, business strategy and financial needs. They may be
affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or unknown
risks and uncertainties, including the risk, uncertainties and
assumptions described in “Risk Factors.” In light of
these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking
events and circumstances discussed in this prospectus may not
occur as contemplated, and actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated or implied by the
forward-looking statements.
You should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of the date of this prospectus. Unless
required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new
information or future events or otherwise. You should, however,
review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we will
file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this
prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
25
USE OF
PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of the
5,000,000 shares of common stock we are offering will be
approximately $94.8 million, assuming an initial public
offering price of $21.00 per share, the midpoint of the
estimated price range shown on the cover of this prospectus, and
after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and the
estimated offering expenses payable by us. If the underwriters
exercise their over-allotment option in full, we estimate the
net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately
$107.6 million. We will not receive any proceeds from the
sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders as a
result of any exercise by the underwriters of their
over-allotment option.
The principal purposes of this offering are to obtain additional
capital resources to construct demonstration wave power stations
and to fund minority investments in wave station projects to
encourage market adoption of our wave power stations; to fund
the continued development and commercialization of our PowerBuoy
system, including increases in system output; to expand our
international sales and marketing capabilities; and for working
capital and general corporate purposes, including potential
acquisitions of complementary businesses, products or
technologies. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering
as follows:
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approximately $25.0 million to construct demonstration wave
power stations and approximately $25.0 million to fund
minority investments in wave station projects to encourage
market adoption of our wave power stations;
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approximately $10.5 million to fund the continued
development and commercialization of our PowerBuoy system,
including increases in system output;
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approximately $7.5 million to fund the expansion of
assembly, test and field service facilities;
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approximately $4.0 million to expand our international
sales and marketing capabilities; and
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the balance for working capital and other general corporate
purposes.
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We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire
complementary products, technologies or businesses, although we
currently have no agreements or commitments with respect to any
such transactions.
Assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the
cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, after deducting
the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and other
estimated offering expenses payable by us in connection with the
offering, a $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public
offering price of $21.00 per share of common stock would
increase (decrease) our expected net proceeds by approximately
$4.7 million.
As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with
certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds of
this offering. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures
may vary significantly from our expectations depending upon
numerous factors, including our development and
commercialization efforts, our operating costs and capital
expenditures, our future revenues and cash generated by
operations. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion to
allocate the net proceeds of this offering among the identified
uses described above, and we reserve the right to change the
allocation of the net proceeds of this offering.
Pending use of the proceeds from this offering, we intend to
invest the proceeds in short-term, investment-grade,
interest-bearing instruments.
26
PRICE
RANGE OF OUR COMMON STOCK
Prior to this offering, there has been no trading market for our
common stock in the United States. Our common stock has been
listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange since
October 2003 under the symbol “OPT.” The historical
trading prices of our common stock on the AIM market may not be
indicative of prices that will prevail in the trading market for
our common stock in the United States.
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the
high and low closing sale prices for our common stock on the AIM
market as reported by the London Stock Exchange. The sales
prices have been adjusted to give effect to a one-for-ten
reverse stock split of our common stock to be effective prior to
this offering. The sales prices for our shares of common stock
on the AIM market are quoted in pound sterling (£), the
lawful currency of the United Kingdom. The following table also
shows the high and low closing sales price of our common stock
(as adjusted to give effect to a one-for-ten reverse split to be
effective prior to this offering) expressed in dollars based
upon the average noon buying rate for pound sterling for the
periods indicated.
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High
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Low
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High
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Low
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First quarter
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£
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8.55
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£
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7.35
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$
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15.56
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$
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13.38
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Second quarter
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£
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8.15
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£
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7.00
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$
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14.75
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$
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12.67
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Third quarter
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£
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9.30
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£
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7.90
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$
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17.58
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$
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14.93
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Fourth quarter
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£
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11.90
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£
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7.60
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$
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22.61
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$
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14.44
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First quarter
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£
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8.45
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£
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6.55
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$
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15.29
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$
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11.86
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Second quarter
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£
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10.75
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£
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7.75
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$
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19.24
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$
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13.87
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Third quarter
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£
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9.25
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£
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7.15
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$
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16.19
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$
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12.51
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Fourth quarter
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£
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10.70
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£
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6.80
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$
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18.73
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$
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11.90
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|
|
First quarter
|
|
£
|
10.00
|
|
|
£
|
6.60
|
|
|
$
|
18.50
|
|
|
$
|
12.21
|
|
|
Second quarter
|
|
£
|
8.90
|
|
|
£
|
6.15
|
|
|
$
|
16.82
|
|
|
$
|
11.62
|
|
|
Third quarter
|
|
£
|
9.05
|
|
|
£
|
5.35
|
|
|
$
|
17.56
|
|
|
$
|
10.38
|
|
|
|
|
£
|
12.35
|
|
|
£
|
8.60
|
|
|
$
|
24.33
|
|
|
$
|
16.94
|
|
On
April 5, 2007, the last reported sale price of our
common stock on the AIM market (as adjusted to give effect to a
one-for-ten reverse split to be effective prior to this
offering) was £11.70 per share, or approximately
$23.05 per share based on the noon buying rate for pound
sterling of £1.00 = $1.97 on that date.
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the
high, low, average and period end noon buying rate for pound
sterling, expressed in dollars per pound sterling in New York
City as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
Period End
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First quarter
|
|
$
|
1.87
|
|
|
$
|
1.75
|
|
|
$
|
1.82
|
|
|
$
|
1.82
|
|
|
Second quarter
|
|
$
|
1.85
|
|
|
$
|
1.77
|
|
|
$
|
1.81
|
|
|
$
|
1.83
|
|
|
Third quarter
|
|
$
|
1.95
|
|
|
$
|
1.83
|
|
|
$
|
1.89
|
|
|
$
|
1.89
|
|
|
Fourth quarter
|
|
$
|
1.93
|
|
|
$
|
1.86
|
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
|
$
|
1.91
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First quarter
|
|
$
|
1.90
|
|
|
$
|
1.73
|
|
|
$
|
1.81
|
|
|
$
|
1.76
|
|
|
Second quarter
|
|
$
|
1.84
|
|
|
$
|
1.75
|
|
|
$
|
1.79
|
|
|
$
|
1.77
|
|
|
Third quarter
|
|
$
|
1.79
|
|
|
$
|
1.71
|
|
|
$
|
1.75
|
|
|
$
|
1.78
|
|
|
Fourth quarter
|
|
$
|
1.82
|
|
|
$
|
1.73
|
|
|
$
|
1.75
|
|
|
$
|
1.82
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First quarter
|
|
$
|
1.89
|
|
|
$
|
1.81
|
|
|
$
|
1.85
|
|
|
$
|
1.87
|
|
|
Second quarter
|
|
$
|
1.91
|
|
|
$
|
1.85
|
|
|
$
|
1.89
|
|
|
$
|
1.91
|
|
|
Third quarter
|
|
$
|
1.98
|
|
|
$
|
1.89
|
|
|
$
|
1.94
|
|
|
$
|
1.96
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.98
|
|
|
$
|
1.92
|
|
|
$
|
1.95
|
|
|
$
|
1.97
|
|
The initial public offering price for the common stock being
offered by this prospectus was determined by negotiation between
us and the underwriters based on a number of factors which are
described in “Underwriting — Determination of
Offering Price.”
27
DIVIDEND
POLICY
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common
stock, and we do not currently anticipate declaring or paying
cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We
currently intend to retain all of our future earnings, if any,
to finance the growth and development of our business. Any
future determination relating to our dividend policy will be
made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend
on a number of factors, including future earnings, capital
requirements, financial conditions, future prospects,
contractual restrictions and covenants and other factors that
our board of directors may deem relevant.
28
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our cash, cash equivalents and
short-term investments and capitalization as of
January 31, 2007:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
on an actual basis; and
|
| |
| |
•
|
on an as adjusted basis to reflect the sale of the
5,000,000 shares of our common stock we are offering at an
assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share,
the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover
page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts
and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of January 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As
|
|
|
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
Adjusted(1)
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents and
certificates of deposit(1)
|
|
$
|
26,657,152
|
|
|
$
|
122,788,581
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
$
|
233,959
|
|
|
$
|
233,959
|
|
|
Stockholders’ equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock, par value
$0.001 per share; 5,000,000 shares authorized; no
shares outstanding actual and no shares outstanding as adjusted
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Common stock, par value
$0.001 per share; 105,000,000 shares authorized;
5,177,219 shares outstanding actual and
10,177,219 shares outstanding as adjusted
|
|
|
5,177
|
|
|
|
10,177
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
60,731,724
|
|
|
|
155,482,074
|
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(34,140,603
|
)
|
|
|
(34,140,603
|
)
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive
loss
|
|
|
(19,063
|
)
|
|
|
(19,063
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
26,577,235
|
|
|
|
121,332,585
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$
|
26,811,194
|
|
|
$
|
121,566,544
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the
cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, after deducting
the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and other
estimated offering expenses payable by us in connection with the
offering, a $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public
offering price of $21.00 per share of common stock (the
midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover of
this prospectus) would increase (decrease) each of cash, cash
equivalents and certificates of deposit, additional paid-in
capital, total stockholders’ equity and total
capitalization by approximately $4.7 million. |
The table above should be read in conjunction with our
consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing at
the end of this prospectus and the “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations” section of this prospectus.
This table is based on 5,177,219 shares of our common stock
outstanding as of
January 31, 2007 (as adjusted to give effect
to a one-for-ten reverse split to be effective prior to this
offering) and excludes:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
1,366,574 shares of our common stock issuable upon the
exercise of stock options outstanding as of January 31,
2007 at a weighted average exercise price of $14.25 per
share; and
|
| |
| |
•
|
803,215 shares of our common stock available for future
grant under our equity compensation plans, including our new
2006 stock incentive plan, as of January 31, 2007.
|
29
DILUTION
If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted
immediately to the extent of the difference between the initial
public offering price per share you will pay in this offering
and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock
after this offering.
Our actual net tangible book value as of
January 31, 2007
was $26.1 million, or $5.03 per share of common stock.
Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our
total tangible assets less total liabilities, divided by the
number of shares of common stock outstanding.
After giving effect to the issuance and sale by us of the
5,000,000 shares of common stock in this offering, at an
assumed initial public offering price of $21.00 per share,
the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover
page of this prospectus, less the underwriting discounts and
commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our
net tangible book value as of
January 31, 2007 would have
been $120.8 million, or $11.87 per share of common stock.
This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value
per share of $6.84 to existing stockholders and immediate
dilution of $9.13 per share to new investors purchasing
shares in this offering. Dilution per share to new investors is
determined by subtracting the net tangible book value per share
after this offering from the initial public offering price per
share paid by a new investor. The following table illustrates
the per share dilution without giving effect to the
over-allotment option granted to the underwriters:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assumed initial public offering
price per share of common stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
21.00
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
5.03
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in net tangible book
value per share attributable to new investors
|
|
|
6.84
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted tangible book value per
share after this offering
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.87
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dilution per share to new investors
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
9.13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price
of $21.00 per share would increase (decrease) the adjusted
net tangible book value per share by $0.46, and the dilution per
share to new investors by $0.54, assuming the number of shares
offered by us in this offering as set forth on the cover page of
this prospectus remains the same and after deducting the
estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated
offering expenses payable by us.
If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in
full, our net tangible book value will increase to
$12.34 per share, representing an immediate increase to
existing stockholders of $7.31 per share and an immediate
dilution of $8.66 per share to new investors. If any shares are
issued in connection with outstanding options, you will
experience further dilution.
30
The following table summarizes as of
January 31, 2007 the
number of shares of common stock purchased or to be purchased
from us, the total consideration paid or to be paid and the
average price per share paid by (1) the stockholders that
purchased our shares in our October 2003 offering on the AIM
market of the London Stock Exchange, (2) other existing
stockholders and (3) new investors in this offering, before
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other
estimated expenses of this offering.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Shares
|
|
|
Total Consideration
|
|
|
Average Price
|
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
per Share
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders that purchased in the
AIM market offering
|
|
|
2,000,000
|
|
|
|
19.7
|
%
|
|
$
|
42,600,000
|
|
|
|
26.2
|
%
|
|
$
|
21.30
|
|
|
Other existing stockholders(1)
|
|
|
3,177,219
|
|
|
|
31.2
|
|
|
|
15,260,000
|
|
|
|
9.4
|
|
|
$
|
4.80
|
|
|
New investors
|
|
|
5,000,000
|
|
|
|
49.1
|
|
|
|
105,000,000
|
|
|
|
64.4
|
|
|
$
|
21.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
10,177,219
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
162,860,000
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Includes shares held by our directors and executive officers,
78% of which shares were purchased more than five years prior to
January 31, 2007. |
The table above is based on shares outstanding as of
January 31, 2007 and excludes:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
1,366,574 shares of our common stock issuable upon the
exercise of stock options outstanding as of January 31, 2007 at
a weighted average exercise price of $14.25 per
share; and
|
| |
| |
•
|
803,215 shares of our common stock available for future
grant under our equity compensation plans, including our new
2006 stock incentive plan, as of January 31, 2007.
|
If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in
full, the following will occur:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
the percentage of shares of common stock held by existing
stockholders will decrease to approximately 47% of the total
number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this
offering; and
|
| |
| |
•
|
the number of shares held by new investors will be increased to
5,750,000, or approximately 53%, of the total number of shares
of our common stock outstanding after this offering.
|
31
SELECTED
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
You should read the following selected consolidated financial
data in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements
and the related notes appearing at the end of this prospectus
and the
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section of
this prospectus. We have derived the consolidated statement of
operations data for the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2004,
2005 and
2006 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of
April 30, 2005 and
2006 from our audited consolidated
financial statements, which are included in this prospectus, as
audited by
KPMG LLP, our independent registered public
accounting firm for fiscal 2005 and 2006 and by
Deloitte & Touche LLP for fiscal 2004. We have derived
the consolidated statement of operations data for the fiscal
years ended
April 30, 2002 and
2003 and the consolidated
balance sheet data as of
April 30, 2002,
2003 and
2004 from
our audited consolidated financial statements, which are not
included in this prospectus. We have derived the consolidated
statement of operations data for the nine months ended
January 31, 2006 and
2007 and the consolidated balance
sheet data as of
January 31, 2007 from our unaudited
consolidated financial statements, which are included in this
prospectus. The unaudited summary consolidated financial
statement data include, in our opinion, all adjustments,
consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, that are
necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and
results of operations for these periods. Our historical results
for any prior period are not necessarily indicative of results
to be expected for any future period.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Years Ended April 30,
|
|
|
January 31,
|
|
|
|
|
2002
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
Consolidated Statement of
Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
1,375,339
|
|
|
$
|
2,548,294
|
|
|
$
|
4,713,202
|
|
|
$
|
5,365,235
|
|
|
$
|
1,747,715
|
|
|
$
|
1,467,283
|
|
|
$
|
1,513,631
|
|
|
Cost of revenues
|
|
|
3,619,996
|
|
|
|
2,555,267
|
|
|
|
4,319,850
|
|
|
|
5,170,521
|
|
|
|
2,059,318
|
|
|
|
1,920,980
|
|
|
|
2,103,108
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit (loss)
|
|
|
(2,244,657
|
)
|
|
|
(6,973
|
)
|
|
|
393,352
|
|
|
|
194,714
|
|
|
|
(311,603
|
)
|
|
|
(453,697
|
)
|
|
|
(589,477
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product development costs
|
|
|
622,137
|
|
|
|
180,403
|
|
|
|
255,958
|
|
|
|
904,618
|
|
|
|
4,224,997
|
|
|
|
2,630,663
|
|
|
|
4,100,418
|
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
costs
|
|
|
1,832,747
|
|
|
|
818,596
|
|
|
|
1,745,955
|
|
|
|
2,553,911
|
|
|
|
3,190,687
|
|
|
|
2,168,345
|
|
|
|
3,083,621
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
2,454,884
|
|
|
|
998,999
|
|
|
|
2,001,913
|
|
|
|
3,458,529
|
|
|
|
7,415,684
|
|
|
|
4,799,008
|
|
|
|
7,184,039
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
(4,699,541
|
)
|
|
|
(1,005,972
|
)
|
|
|
(1,608,561
|
)
|
|
|
(3,263,815
|
)
|
|
|
(7,727,287
|
)
|
|
|
(5,252,705
|
)
|
|
|
(7,773,516
|
)
|
|
Other income (expense):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income, net
|
|
|
120,880
|
|
|
|
38,441
|
|
|
|
555,717
|
|
|
|
1,297,156
|
|
|
|
1,408,361
|
|
|
|
1,062,095
|
|
|
|
1,066,823
|
|
|
Other income (expense)
|
|
|
499,591
|
|
|
|
473
|
|
|
|
(3,500,096
|
)(1)
|
|
|
1,545
|
|
|
|
74,294
|
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
13,744
|
|
|
Foreign exchange gain (loss)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
1,585,345
|
|
|
|
1,507,145
|
|
|
|
(978,242
|
)
|
|
|
(1,514,630
|
)
|
|
|
1,184,499
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before incomes taxes
|
|
|
(4,079,070
|
)
|
|
|
(967,058
|
)
|
|
|
(2,967,595
|
)
|
|
|
(457,969
|
)
|
|
|
(7,222,874
|
)
|
|
|
(5,630,240
|
)
|
|
|
(5,508,450
|
)
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
|
155,312
|
|
|
|
146,853
|
|
|
|
118,119
|
|
|
|
29,335
|
|
|
|
143,963
|
|
|
|
143,963
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(3,923,758
|
)
|
|
$
|
(820,205
|
)
|
|
$
|
(2,849,476
|
)
|
|
$
|
(428,634
|
)
|
|
$
|
(7,078,911
|
)
|
|
$
|
(5,486,277
|
)
|
|
$
|
(5,508,450
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net loss per share
|
|
$
|
(1.30
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.27
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.71
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.08
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.37
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.06
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.06
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted weighted average
shares outstanding
|
|
|
3,015,118
|
|
|
|
3,017,422
|
|
|
|
4,037,501
|
|
|
|
5,135,550
|
|
|
|
5,162,340
|
|
|
|
5,158,982
|
|
|
|
5,174,539
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of April 30,
|
|
|
As of January 31,
|
|
|
|
|
2002
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet
Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents and
certificates of deposit
|
|
$
|
3,255,238
|
|
|
$
|
2,246,175
|
|
|
$
|
39,565,574
|
(2)
|
|
$
|
38,787,176
|
|
|
$
|
32,439,365
|
|
|
$
|
26,657,152
|
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
1,714,786
|
|
|
|
1,177,789
|
|
|
|
38,422,395
|
|
|
|
37,903,207
|
|
|
|
30,886,029
|
|
|
|
26,224,722
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
3,837,915
|
|
|
|
2,878,947
|
|
|
|
40,747,479
|
|
|
|
41,596,387
|
|
|
|
33,996,138
|
|
|
|
30,925,630
|
|
|
Long-term debt, net of current
portion
|
|
|
250,000
|
|
|
|
250,000
|
|
|
|
250,000
|
|
|
|
245,844
|
|
|
|
233,959
|
|
|
|
233,959
|
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(17,486,799
|
)
|
|
|
(18,275,132
|
)
|
|
|
(21,124,608
|
)
|
|
|
(21,553,242
|
)
|
|
|
(28,632,153
|
)
|
|
|
(34,140,603
|
)
|
|
Total stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
1,104,284
|
|
|
|
490,785
|
|
|
|
37,853,246
|
|
|
|
37,836,531
|
|
|
|
31,066,704
|
|
|
|
26,577,235
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Other expense in fiscal 2004 resulted from a one time charge
incurred at the time of our stock offering on the AIM market in
October 2003 relating to a 1999 agreement between us and
Tyco Electronics Corp. |
| |
|
(2) |
|
On October 31, 2003, we completed our offering on the AIM
market resulting in net proceeds to us of $38.3 million. |
32
MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our
financial condition and results of operations together with our
consolidated financial statements and the related notes and
other financial information included elsewhere in this
prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion
and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus,
including information with respect to our plans and strategy for
our business and related financing, includes forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should
review the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus
for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from the results described in or
implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the
following discussion and analysis.
Overview
We develop and are commercializing proprietary systems that
generate electricity by harnessing the renewable energy of ocean
waves. Our PowerBuoy systems use proprietary technologies to
convert the mechanical energy created by the rising and falling
of ocean waves into electricity. We currently offer two
PowerBuoy products, our utility PowerBuoy system and our
autonomous PowerBuoy system.
We market our utility PowerBuoy system, which is designed to
supply electricity to a local or regional power grid, to
utilities and other electrical power producers seeking to add
electricity generated by wave energy to their existing
electricity supply. We market our autonomous PowerBuoy system,
which is designed to generate power for use independently of the
power grid, to customers that require electricity in remote
locations. We believe there are a variety of potential
applications for our autonomous PowerBuoy system, including
sonar and radar surveillance, offshore cellular phone service,
tsunami warning, oceanographic data collection, offshore
platforms and offshore aquaculture. We also offer our customers
operations and maintenance services for our PowerBuoy systems,
which are expected to provide a source of recurring revenues.
We were incorporated in New Jersey in April 1984 and began
commercial operations in 1994. We currently have five wholly
owned
subsidiaries, Ocean Power Technologies Ltd., Reedsport OPT
Wave Park LLC, Oregon Wave Energy Partners I, LLC, Oregon
Wave Energy Partners II, LLC and Fairhaven OPT Ocean Power
LLC, and we own approximately 88% of the ordinary shares of
Ocean Power Technologies (Australasia) Pty Ltd. Our revenues
have been generated from research
contracts and development and
construction
contracts relating to our wave energy technology.
The development of our technology has been funded by capital we
raised and by development engineering
contracts we received
starting in fiscal 1995. In fiscal 1996, we received the first
of several research
contracts with the US Navy to study the
feasibility of wave energy. As a result of those research
contracts, we entered into our first development and
construction
contract with the US Navy in fiscal 2002 under a
still on-going project for the development and construction of a
grid-connected wave power station at the US Marine Corps Base in
Oahu, Hawaii. We generated our first revenue relating to our
autonomous PowerBuoy system from
contracts with Lockheed Martin
Corporation in fiscal 2003, and we entered into our first
development and construction
contract with Lockheed Martin in
fiscal 2004 for the development and construction of a prototype
demonstration autonomous PowerBuoy system. In fiscal 2005, we
entered into a development agreement with an affiliate of
Iberdrola S.A., a large electric utility company located in
Spain and one of the largest renewable energy producers in the
world, and other parties to jointly study the possibility of
developing a wave power station off the coast of northern Spain.
An affiliate of Total S.A., which is one of the world’s
largest oil and gas companies, joined the development agreement
in June 2005. In January 2006, we completed the assessment phase
of the project, and in July 2006 we entered into an agreement
with Iberdrola Energias Marinas de Cantabria, S.A. to complete
the first phase of the construction of a 1.39 megawatt, or MW,
wave power station. In addition, we have entered into a
contract
with affiliates of Iberdrola and Total to assess the viability
of a 2 to 5MW power station off the coast of France.
Our fiscal year ends on April 30. For the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, we generated revenues of $1.5 million and
incurred a net loss of $5.5 million, and for fiscal 2006 we
generated revenues of $1.7 million and incurred a net loss
of $7.1 million. As of
January 31, 2007, our accumulated
deficit was $34.1 million. We have not been profitable
since inception, and we do not know whether or when we will
become profitable
33
because of the significant uncertainties with respect to our
ability to successfully commercialize our PowerBuoy systems in
the emerging renewable energy market. Since fiscal 2002, the US
Navy has accounted for a significant majority of our revenues.
We expect that over time revenues derived from utilities and
other non-government commercial customers will increase more
rapidly than sales to government customers and will, within a
few years, represent the majority of our revenues.
Financial
Operations Overview
The following describes certain line items in our statement of
operations and some of the factors that affect our operating
results.
Revenues
We have historically generated revenues primarily from the
development and construction of our PowerBuoy systems for
demonstration purposes and, to a lesser extent, from
customer-sponsored research and development. In fiscal 2006, we
derived approximately 96% of our revenues from government and
commercial development and construction
contracts and 4% of our
revenues from customer-sponsored research and development
contracts. For the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, we
derived approximately 92% of our revenues from government and
commercial development and construction
contracts and 8% of our
revenues from customer-sponsored research and development.
Generally, we recognize revenue on the percentage-of-completion
method based on the ratio of costs incurred to total estimated
costs at completion. In certain circumstances, revenue under
contracts that have specified milestones or other performance
criteria may be recognized only when our customer acknowledges
that such criteria have been satisfied. In addition, recognition
of revenue (and the related costs) may be deferred for
fixed-price
contracts until
contract completion if we are unable
to reasonably estimate the total costs of the project prior to
completion. Because we have a small number of
contracts,
revisions to the percentage of completion determination or
delays in meeting performance criteria or in completing projects
may have a significant effect on our revenue for the periods
involved. Under our agreement for the first phase of
construction of a wave power station off the coast of
Santoña, Spain, our revenues are limited to reimbursement
for our construction costs without any mark-up and we are
required to bear the first €0.5 million of any cost
overruns.
Our revenues increased in each of fiscal 2003, 2004 and 2005,
but decreased significantly in fiscal 2006 as a result of delays
in the timing of
contract award and in the approval of the scope
of work relating to our project for the US Navy for the
development and construction of a wave power station in Hawaii,
and the determination by Lockheed Martin and some of its
subcontractors not to proceed with a project under consideration
that would have utilized our autonomous PowerBuoy system.
The US Navy has been our largest customer since fiscal 2002. The
US Navy accounted for approximately 57% of our revenues in the
nine months ended
January 31, 2007, approximately 61% of our
revenues in fiscal 2006, 57% of our revenues in fiscal 2005 and
approximately 95% of our revenues in fiscal 2004. We anticipate
that the US Navy will continue to account for a substantial
portion of our revenue in fiscal 2007 and, if our
commercialization efforts are successful, its relative
contribution to our revenue will decline thereafter. Lockheed
Martin was also a significant customer in fiscal 2006 and 2005,
accounting for approximately 22% of our revenues in fiscal 2006
and approximately 32% of our revenues in fiscal 2005.
34
We currently focus our sales and marketing efforts on coastal
North America, the west coast of Europe, the coasts of Australia
and the east coast of Japan. In fiscal 2006, we derived 9%, and
for the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, we derived 35%, of
our revenues from outside the United States. The following table
provides information regarding the breakdown of our revenues by
geographical region for fiscal years 2004, 2005 and 2006 and for
the nine months ended
January 31, 2007:
Cost
of revenues
Our cost of revenues consists primarily of material, labor and
manufacturing overhead expenses, such as engineering expense,
equipment depreciation and maintenance and facility related
expenses, and includes the cost of PowerBuoy parts and services
supplied by third-party suppliers. Cost of revenues also
includes PowerBuoy system delivery and deployment expenses.
In the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, we operated at a
gross loss of approximately $0.6 million, while in fiscal
2006 we operated at a gross loss of $0.3 million and in
fiscal 2005 we operated at a gross profit of $0.2 million.
Our ability to operate at a gross profit will depend on our
success at increasing sales of our PowerBuoy systems and on our
ability to manage costs incurred on fixed price commercial
contracts.
Product
development costs
Our product development costs consist of salaries and other
personnel-related costs and the costs of products, materials and
outside services used in our product development and research
activities. Our product development costs primarily relate to
our efforts to increase the output of our current 40 kilowatt,
or kW, utility PowerBuoy system to 150kW in 2007, then to 250kW
in 2008 and ultimately to 500kW in 2010 and, to a lesser extent,
to our research and development of new products, product
applications and complementary technologies. We expense all of
our product development costs as incurred, except for external
patent costs, which we amortize over a
17-year
period commencing with the issuance date of each patent.
Our product development costs increased significantly in each of
fiscal 2005 and 2006 as a result of the development of our
current 40kW utility PowerBuoy system, which was introduced in
fiscal 2006. We expect our product development costs to increase
in absolute dollars as we continue to increase the output and
efficiency of our PowerBuoy systems.
During fiscal 2006, we refocused many of our engineering and
development resources that had previously been deployed on our
commercial research or product development
contracts on the
development effort for our current 40kW PowerBuoy system,
including the development of the buoy structure, the power take
off system and the power grid connection. We introduced our
current 40kW PowerBuoy system in fiscal 2006 — one
system has been deployed for twelve months off the coast of New
Jersey, one system is expected to be deployed in Hawaii for the
US Navy project in April 2007 and another system is
expected to be deployed for the wave power station off the coast
of Spain by October 2007.
Selling,
general and administrative costs
Our selling, general and administrative costs consist primarily
of salaries and other personnel-related costs for employees
engaged in sales and marketing and support of our PowerBuoy
systems, promotional and public relations expenses and
management and administration expenses in support of sales and
marketing, as well as costs for executive, accounting and
administrative personnel, professional fees and other general
corporate expenses.
35
We expect our selling, general and administrative costs to
increase in absolute dollars as we expand our sales and
marketing capabilities, including increased headcount, and as a
result of our becoming a public company in the United States.
Interest
income, net
Interest income, net consists primarily of interest received on
cash and cash equivalents and investments in commercial
bank-issued certificates of deposit. Most of our cash, cash
equivalents and bank-issued certificates of deposit result from
the remaining proceeds of our October 2003 offering on the AIM
market. Total cash, cash equivalents and certificates of deposit
were $26.7 million as of
January 31, 2007,
$32.4 million as of
April 30, 2006 and
$38.8 million as of
April 30, 2005. We expect that
interest income will generally increase during periods of
increasing interest rates and decrease during periods of
declining interest rates, net of changes in invested balances.
We anticipate that our interest income will increase
significantly as a result of the investment of the proceeds from
this offering pending the application of the proceeds as
described in
“Use of Proceeds.”
Foreign
exchange gain (loss)
We transact business in various countries and have exposure to
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Foreign
exchange gains and losses arise in the translation of
foreign-denominated assets and liabilities, which may result in
realized and unrealized gains or losses from exchange rate
fluctuations. Since we conduct our business in US dollars and
our functional currency is the US dollar, our main foreign
exchange exposure, if any, results from changes in the exchange
rate between the US dollar and the British pound sterling, the
Euro and the Australian dollar.
We invest in certificates of deposit and maintain cash accounts
that are denominated in British pounds, Euros and Australian
dollars. These foreign denominated certificates of deposit and
cash accounts had a balance of $17.0 million as of
January 31, 2007 and $16.7 million as of
April 30, 2006, compared to our total certificates of
deposits and cash account balances of $26.7 million as of
January 31, 2007 and $32.4 million as of
April 30, 2006. These foreign currency balances are
translated at each month end to our functional currency, the US
dollar, and any resulting gain or loss is recognized in our
results of operations.
In addition, a portion of our operations is conducted through
our
subsidiaries in countries other than the United States,
specifically Ocean Power Technologies Ltd. in the United
Kingdom, the functional currency of which is the British pound
sterling, and Ocean Power Technologies (Australasia) Pty Ltd. in
Australia, the functional currency of which is the Australian
dollar. Both of these
subsidiaries have foreign exchange
exposure that results from changes in the exchange rate between
their functional currency and other foreign currencies in which
they conduct business. All of our international revenues for the
year ended
April 30, 2006 were recorded in Euros or British
pounds.
We currently do not hedge exchange rate exposure. However, we
assess the anticipated foreign currency working capital
requirements and capital asset acquisitions of our foreign
operations and attempt to maintain a portion of our cash, cash
equivalents and certificates of deposit denominated in foreign
currencies sufficient to satisfy these anticipated requirements.
We also assess the need and cost to utilize financial
instruments to hedge currency exposures on an ongoing basis and
may hedge against exchange rate exposure in the future.
Income
tax benefit
As of
April 30, 2006, we had federal research and
development tax credits of $0.5 million and federal net
operating losses of approximately $19.5 million to offset
future federal taxable income. If not utilized, the credit
carryforwards will expire at various dates through 2026, and the
net operating loss carryforwards will expire at various dates
through 2026. We may not achieve profitability in time to
utilize the tax credit and net operating loss carryforwards in
full or at all. In addition, the future utilization of our net
operating loss carryforwards may be limited based upon changes
in ownership, including changes resulting from this offering and
the AIM offering in 2003, pursuant to regulations promulgated
under the Internal Revenue Code. These limitations may result in
the expiration of net operating losses and credits prior to
utilization. As discussed in
36
Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements included
in this prospectus, we have established valuation allowances for
the full value of our deferred tax assets, which was
$10.1 million as of
April 30, 2006 and
$12.1 million as of
January 31, 2007.
In fiscal 2004, 2005 and 2006, we sold a portion of our New
Jersey state net operating losses and a portion of our New
Jersey research and development credits under a program offered
by the State of New Jersey, and recognized income tax benefits
of approximately $0.1 million in fiscal 2004, $29,000 in
fiscal 2005 and approximately $0.1 million in fiscal 2006.
Because we believe we are no longer eligible to participate in
this program, we do not expect to sell any additional New Jersey
state net operating losses or research and development credits
in the future.
Results
of Operations
The following table contains selected unaudited statement of
operations information, which serves as the basis of the
discussion of our results of operations for the nine months
ended
January 31, 2006 and
2007:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January 31, 2006
|
|
|
January 31, 2007
|
|
|
Change
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a % of
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a % of
|
|
|
2007 Period to 2006 Period
|
|
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
$ Change
|
|
|
% Change
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
1,467,283
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
1,513,631
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
46,348
|
|
|
|
3
|
%
|
|
Cost of revenues
|
|
|
1,920,980
|
|
|
|
131
|
|
|
|
2,103,108
|
|
|
|
139
|
|
|
|
182,128
|
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross loss
|
|
|
(453,697
|
)
|
|
|
(31
|
)
|
|
|
(589,477
|
)
|
|
|
(39
|
)
|
|
|
(135,780
|
)
|
|
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product development costs
|
|
|
2,630,663
|
|
|
|
179
|
|
|
|
4,100,418
|
|
|
|
271
|
|
|
|
1,469,755
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
Selling, general and
administrative costs
|
|
|
2,168,345
|
|
|
|
148
|
|
|
|
3,083,621
|
|
|
|
204
|
|
|
|
915,276
|
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
4,799,008
|
|
|
|
327
|
|
|
|
7,184,039
|
|
|
|
475
|
|
|
|
2,385,031
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
(5,252,705
|
)
|
|
|
(358
|
)
|
|
|
(7,773,516
|
)
|
|
|
(514
|
)
|
|
|
(2,520,811
|
)
|
|
|
(48
|
)
|
|
Interest income, net
|
|
|
1,062,095
|
|
|
|
72
|
|
|
|
1,066,823
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
|
|
4,728
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Other income
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
13,744
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
(61,256
|
)
|
|
|
(82
|
)
|
|
Foreign exchange (loss) gain
|
|
|
(1,514,630
|
)
|
|
|
(103
|
)
|
|
|
1,184,499
|
|
|
|
78
|
|
|
|
2,699,129
|
|
|
|
(178
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(5,630,240
|
)
|
|
|
(384
|
)
|
|
|
(5,508,450
|
)
|
|
|
(364
|
)
|
|
|
121,790
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
|
143,963
|
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
(143,963
|
)
|
|
|
(100
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(5,486,277
|
)
|
|
|
(374
|
)%
|
|
$
|
(5,508,450
|
)
|
|
|
(364
|
)%
|
|
$
|
(22,173
|
)
|
|
|
—
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
Revenues of $1.5 million in the first nine months of fiscal
2007 were relatively unchanged from revenues in the same period
of fiscal 2006. The change in composition of revenues between
the two periods reflected the following factors:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
Revenues relating to our autonomous PowerBuoy system decreased
by approximately $0.3 million as a result of the completion
of a development and construction contract with Lockheed Martin
in the first quarter of fiscal 2006.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues relating to our utility PowerBuoy system increased by
approximately $0.3 million as we started work on the first
phase of construction of a 1.39MW wave power station off the
coast of Spain and began to assess the feasibility of a 2 to 5MW
wave power station off the coast of France in the first nine
months of fiscal 2007.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues relating to our US Navy project increased by
approximately $0.1 million due to a slightly higher
activity level.
|
37
|
|
|
| |
•
|
Revenues decreased by approximately $0.1 million as a
result of the completion of the demonstration wave power system
that was deployed off the coast of New Jersey in fiscal 2006.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues were adversely affected by the determination by
Lockheed Martin and some of its subcontractors not to proceed
with an anticipated defense application project that would have
utilized our autonomous PowerBuoy system, although this was
partially offset by revenues from a contract with the US
Department of Homeland Security to design and study an
autonomous PowerBuoy system for offshore marine surveillance,
with Lockheed Martin as our subcontractor.
|
Cost of
revenues
Cost of revenues increased by $0.2 million, or 9%, to
$2.1 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2007, as
compared to $1.9 million in the same period of fiscal 2006.
The decrease in gross margin in the nine months ended
January 31, 2007 as compared to the same period of fiscal
2006 was primarily due to an anticipated loss of
$0.5 million that was recognized in the nine months ended
January 31, 2007 on our
contract for a wave power station
off the coast of Spain. The loss was recognized based on a
change in estimated costs associated with this
contract. In
addition, $0.2 million of compensation expense was recorded
as cost of revenues under Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards, or SFAS, No. 123(R),
Share-Based
Payment, or SFAS 123(R), which requires companies to
recognize compensation expense for all stock-based payments to
employees. Because we adopted SFAS 123(R) effective
May 1, 2006, we did not record similar compensation expense
in the first nine months of fiscal 2006.
Product
development costs
Product development costs increased $1.5 million, or 56%,
to $4.1 million in the nine months ended
January 31,
2007, as compared to $2.6 million in the same period of
fiscal 2006. The substantial increase in product development
costs was primarily attributable to our efforts to increase the
power output of our utility PowerBuoy system. In addition, we
recorded $0.2 million of compensation expense as product
development costs under SFAS 123(R). Because we adopted
SFAS 123(R) effective
May 1, 2006, we did not record
similar compensation expense in the first nine months of fiscal
2006. As a percentage of revenues, product development costs
increased to 271% in the nine months ended
January 31, 2007
from 179% in the same period in fiscal 2006. We anticipate that
our product development costs related to the planned increase in
the output of our utility PowerBuoy system will increase
significantly over the next several years and that the amount of
these expenditures will not necessarily be affected by the level
of revenue generated over that time period. Accordingly,
comparisons of product development costs as a percentage of
revenue may not be meaningful.
Selling,
general and administrative costs
Selling, general and administrative costs increased
$0.9 million, or 42%, to $3.1 million in the nine
months ended
January 31, 2007, as compared to
$2.2 million in the same period of fiscal 2006. The
increase was primarily attributable to an increase of $0.2
million related to additional marketing expenses and consulting
costs, $0.3 million in professional fees, and
$0.5 million of compensation expense recorded under SFAS
123(R). Because we adopted SFAS 123(R) effective
May 1,
2006, we did not record similar compensation expense in the
first nine months of fiscal 2006.
Interest
income, net
Interest income, net remained relatively flat at
$1.1 million in the nine months ended
January 31,
2007, compared to the same period of fiscal 2006, due to a
reduction in the balance of our cash, cash equivalents and
certificates of deposit between the two periods of
$3.8 million, offset by higher interest rates.
Foreign
exchange (loss) gain
Foreign exchange gain was $1.2 million in the nine months
ended
January 31, 2007, compared to a foreign exchange loss
of $1.5 million in the same period of fiscal 2006. The gain
in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 was primarily
attributable to the appreciation of the British pound compared
to the US dollar.
38
The following table contains selected statement of operations
information, which serves as the basis of the discussion of our
results of operations for the years ended
April 30, 2005
and
2006:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30, 2005
|
|
|
April 30, 2006
|
|
|
Change
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a % of
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a % of
|
|
|
2006 Period to 2005 Period
|
|
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
$ Change
|
|
|
% Change
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
5,365,235
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
1,747,715
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
(3,617,520
|
)
|
|
|
(67
|
)%
|
|
Cost of revenues
|
|
|
5,171,521
|
|
|
|
96
|
|
|
|
2,059,318
|
|
|
|
117
|
|
|
|
(3,112,203
|
)
|
|
|
(60
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit (loss)
|
|
|
194,714
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
|
(311,603
|
)
|
|
|
(18
|
)
|
|
|
(506,317
|
)
|
|
|
(260
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product development costs
|
|
|
904,618
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
|
4,224,997
|
|
|
|
242
|
|
|
|
3,320,379
|
|
|
|
367
|
%
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
costs
|
|
|
2,553,911
|
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
3,190,687
|
|
|
|
183
|
|
|
|
636,776
|
|
|
|
25
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
3,458,529
|
|
|
|
64
|
|
|
|
7,415,684
|
|
|
|
424
|
|
|
|
3,957,155
|
|
|
|
114
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
(3,263,815
|
)
|
|
|
(61
|
)
|
|
|
(7,727,287
|
)
|
|
|
(442
|
)
|
|
|
(4,463,472
|
)
|
|
|
137
|
%
|
|
Interest income, net
|
|
|
1,297,156
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
|
1,408,361
|
|
|
|
81
|
|
|
|
111,205
|
|
|
|
9
|
%
|
|
Other income
|
|
|
1,545
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
74,294
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
|
72,749
|
|
|
|
4,709
|
%
|
|
Foreign exchange gain (loss)
|
|
|
1,507,145
|
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
|
(978,242
|
)
|
|
|
(56
|
)
|
|
|
(2,485,387
|
)
|
|
|
(165
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(457,969
|
)
|
|
|
(9
|
)
|
|
|
(7,222,874
|
)
|
|
|
(413
|
)
|
|
|
(6,764,905
|
)
|
|
|
1,477
|
%
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
|
29,335
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
143,963
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
114,628
|
|
|
|
58
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(428,634
|
)
|
|
|
(8
|
)%
|
|
$
|
(7,078,911
|
)
|
|
|
(405
|
)%
|
|
$
|
(6,650,277
|
)
|
|
|
1,552
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
Revenues decreased by $3.6 million in fiscal 2006, or 67%,
to $1.7 million as compared to $5.4 million in fiscal
2005. The decrease in revenues was primarily attributable to the
following factors:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
Revenues from our US Navy wave power station project in Hawaii
decreased by approximately $1.8 million as a result of
delays in the timing of contract award and in the approval of
the scope of development and construction of the wave power
station.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues related to our autonomous PowerBuoy system decreased by
approximately $1.3 million as a result of the completion of
a development and construction contract with Lockheed Martin in
the first quarter of fiscal 2006, and the determination by
Lockheed Martin and some of its subcontractors not to proceed
with an anticipated defense application project that would have
utilized our autonomous PowerBuoy system, partially offset by
revenues of approximately $61,000 from a contract with the US
Department of Homeland Security to design and study an
autonomous PowerBuoy system for offshore marine surveillance.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues decreased by approximately $0.3 million as a result of
the completion early in fiscal 2006 of the demonstration wave
power station that was deployed off the coast of New Jersey
under a contract with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
|
Cost of
revenues
Cost of revenues decreased by $3.1 million, or 60%, to
$2.1 million in fiscal 2006 as compared to
$5.2 million in fiscal 2005. The decrease in the cost of
revenues was primarily attributable to the reduction in revenue
during fiscal 2006. Gross loss on revenues in fiscal 2006
primarily reflected discretionary costs incurred by us in
connection with the deployment of the first PowerBuoy system in
Hawaii that were not reimbursed under our agreement with the US
Navy.
39
Product
development costs
Product development costs increased $3.3 million, or 367%,
to $4.2 million in fiscal 2006, as compared to
$0.9 million in fiscal 2005. The substantial increase in
product development costs was primarily attributable to the
development of our current 40kW PowerBuoy system, which was
deployed in October 2005 off the coast of New Jersey and
which is expected to be deployed in the second half of fiscal
2007 in Hawaii.
As discussed above, in fiscal 2006 we experienced a reduction in
revenues from approximately $5.4 million in fiscal 2005 to
approximately $1.7 million in fiscal 2006. In response to
this reduction in revenues, during fiscal 2006 we refocused many
of our engineering and development resources that had previously
been deployed on our commercial research or development
contracts on the product development effort for our current 40kW
PowerBuoy system, including the development of the buoy
structure, the power take off system and the power grid
connection. We also began our efforts to increase the maximum
rated output of our utility PowerBuoy system to 150kW.
Selling,
general and administrative costs
Selling, general and administrative costs increased
$0.6 million, or 25%, to $3.2 million in fiscal 2006,
as compared to $2.6 million in fiscal 2005. The increase
was primarily attributable to a $0.5 million increase in
marketing expenses, including additional marketing personnel,
and to increased professional fees.
Interest
income, net
Interest income, net increased $0.1 million, or 9%, to
$1.4 million in fiscal 2006, as compared to
$1.3 million in fiscal 2005. The increase was attributable
to higher interest rates in fiscal 2006, which were partially
offset by a reduction of our cash, cash equivalents and
bank-issued certificates of deposit balances between the two
periods of approximately $6.3 million.
Other
income
Other income in fiscal 2006 included the recognition of a
one-time payment of $0.1 million in fiscal 2006 in
connection with the termination of a license development
agreement entered into in April 2003. See Note 8 to our
consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this
prospectus.
Foreign
exchange gain (loss)
In fiscal 2006, we had a foreign exchange loss of
$1.0 million, as compared to a foreign exchange gain of
$1.5 million in fiscal 2005. The difference was primarily
attributable to the appreciation of the US dollar compared to
the British pound between the two periods.
Income
tax benefit
During fiscal 2006, we recorded an income tax benefit of
approximately $0.1 million compared to an income tax
benefit of approximately $29,000 recorded in fiscal 2005. The
income tax benefit recorded in both periods resulted from our
sale of New Jersey state net operating losses under a program
offered by the State of New Jersey, and the increase from fiscal
2005 to fiscal 2006 reflected the sale of more state net
operating losses in fiscal 2006 than in fiscal 2005. Because we
believe we are no longer eligible to participate in this
program, we do not expect to sell any additional New Jersey
state net operating losses or research and development credits
in the future.
40
The following table contains selected statement of operations
information, which serves as the basis of the discussion of our
results of operations for the years ended
April 30, 2004
and
2005:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
|
|
|
Change
|
|
|
|
|
April 30, 2004
|
|
|
April 30, 2005
|
|
|
2005 Period to 2004 Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a % of
|
|
|
|
|
|
As a % of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
$ Change
|
|
|
% Change
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
4,713,202
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
5,365,235
|
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
|
$
|
652,033
|
|
|
|
14
|
%
|
|
Cost of revenues
|
|
|
4,319,850
|
|
|
|
92
|
|
|
|
5,171,521
|
|
|
|
96
|
|
|
|
850,671
|
|
|
|
20
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit
|
|
|
393,352
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
194,714
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
|
(198,638
|
)
|
|
|
(50
|
)%
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product development costs
|
|
|
255,958
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
904,618
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
|
648,660
|
|
|
|
253
|
%
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
costs
|
|
|
1,745,955
|
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
2,553,911
|
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
807,956
|
|
|
|
46
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
2,001,913
|
|
|
|
42
|
|
|
|
3,458,529
|
|
|
|
64
|
|
|
|
1,456,616
|
|
|
|
73
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating loss
|
|
|
(1,608,561
|
)
|
|
|
(34
|
)
|
|
|
(3,263,815
|
)
|
|
|
(61
|
)
|
|
|
(1,655,254
|
)
|
|
|
103
|
%
|
|
Interest income, net
|
|
|
555,717
|
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
|
1,297,156
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
|
741,439
|
|
|
|
133
|
%
|
|
Other income (expense)
|
|
|
(3,500,096
|
)
|
|
|
(74
|
)
|
|
|
1,545
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
3,501,641
|
|
|
|
(100
|
)%
|
|
Foreign exchange gain
|
|
|
1,585,345
|
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
|
1,507,145
|
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
|
(78,200
|
)
|
|
|
(5
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(2,967,595
|
)
|
|
|
(63
|
)
|
|
|
(457,969
|
)
|
|
|
(9
|
)
|
|
$
|
2,509,626
|
|
|
|
85
|
%
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
|
118,119
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
29,335
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
(88,784
|
)
|
|
|
(75
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(2,849,476
|
)
|
|
|
(60
|
)%
|
|
$
|
(428,634
|
)
|
|
|
(8
|
)%
|
|
$
|
2,420,842
|
|
|
|
(85
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
Revenues increased by $0.7 million in fiscal 2005, or 14%,
to $5.4 million as compared to $4.7 million in fiscal
2004. The increase in revenues was primarily attributable to the
following factors:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
Revenues relating to our autonomous PowerBuoy system increased
by approximately $1.5 million as a result of a development
and construction contract with Lockheed Martin for an autonomous
PowerBuoy system that was deployed in September 2004.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues relating to our utility PowerBuoy system increased by
approximately $0.2 million as we began the development
phase of the project for a wave power station off the coast of
Spain in fiscal 2005.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues increased by $0.4 million as a result of the
recognition of revenue attributable to work performed on the
demonstration wave power station that subsequently was deployed
off the coast of New Jersey.
|
| |
| |
•
|
Revenues from our US Navy project in Hawaii decreased by
approximately $1.2 million as a result of lower revenue
recognized in fiscal 2005 relating to the first deployment of a
PowerBuoy in Hawaii that occurred in the first month of fiscal
2005 and revenues decreased an additional $0.2 million as a
result of a US Navy sponsored research contract that was
completed during the first quarter of fiscal 2005 under which
revenues were recognized for all of fiscal 2004.
|
Cost of
revenues
Cost of revenues increased by $0.9 million in fiscal 2005,
or 20%, to $5.2 million as compared to $4.3 million in
fiscal 2004. The increase in the cost of revenues was primarily
attributable to the increase in revenues. The decrease in gross
margin reflected the higher level of labor-related and
subcontractor costs in fiscal 2005.
41
Product
development costs
Product development costs increased $0.6 million, or 253%,
to $0.9 million in fiscal 2005, as compared to
$0.3 million in fiscal 2004. The increase in product
development costs was primarily attributable to our development
efforts for the autonomous and utility PowerBuoy systems.
Selling,
general and administrative costs
Selling, general and administrative costs increased
$0.8 million, or 46%, to $2.6 million in fiscal 2005,
as compared to $1.7 million in fiscal 2004. The increase
was primarily attributable to increased costs of approximately
$0.5 million as a result of our listing on the AIM market
and increased costs of approximately $0.4 million related
to our United Kingdom operations which commenced in September
2004.
Interest
income, net
Interest income, net increased $0.7 million, or 133%, to
$1.3 million in fiscal 2005, as compared to
$0.6 million in fiscal 2004. The increase was attributable
to a full year of interest income in fiscal 2005 on the proceeds
from our stock offering on the AIM market in October 2003.
Other
income (expense)
Other income was approximately $2,000 in fiscal 2005, compared
to net other expense of $3.5 million in fiscal 2004. The
$3.5 million expense in fiscal 2004 resulted from a one
time $3.5 million charge at the time of our stock offering
on the AIM market in October 2003 relating to a 1999 agreement
between us and Tyco Electronics Corp. See Note 7 to our
consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this
prospectus.
Foreign
exchange gain
Foreign exchange gain decreased $0.1 million, or 5%, to
$1.5 million in fiscal 2005, as compared to a foreign
exchange gain of $1.6 million in fiscal 2004. The decrease
in the foreign exchange gain was primarily attributable to lower
balances of funds held in British pound-denominated cash
equivalents and certificates of deposit.
Income
tax benefit
During fiscal 2005, we recorded an income tax benefit of
approximately $29,000 compared to an income tax benefit of
$0.1 million recorded in fiscal 2004. The income tax
benefit recorded in both periods resulted from our sale of New
Jersey state net operating losses under a program offered by the
State of New Jersey, and the decrease from fiscal 2004 to fiscal
2005 reflected the sale of fewer state net operating losses in
fiscal 2005 than in fiscal 2004.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Since our inception, the cash flows from customer revenues have
not been sufficient to fund our operations and provide the
capital resources for the planned growth of our business. For
the three years ended
April 30, 2006, our revenues were
$11.8 million, our net losses were $10.4 million and
our net cash used in operating activities was $9.4 million.
Over that same period, we raised $38.7 million in financing
activities. For the nine months ended
January 31, 2007,
revenues were $1.5 million and net cash used in operations
was $6.6 million, reducing the capital resources available
to fund our future operations and growth.
At
January 31, 2007, our total cash, cash equivalents and
certificates of deposit were $26.7 million. Our cash and
cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturities
of three months or less at the date of purchase and consist
primarily of time deposits with large commercial banks. Our
certificates of deposit are denominated in US dollars and
British pounds. The certificates of deposit generally have a
fixed maturity date of more than 90 days but less than one
year from the date of purchase.
42
The primary drivers of our cash flows have been our ability to
generate revenues and decrease losses related to our
contracts,
as well as our ability to obtain and invest the capital
resources needed to fund our development. Net cash used in
operating activities was $6.6 million for the nine months
ended
January 31, 2007. This primarily resulted from the
net loss for the period of $5.5 million. We used
$6.9 million of cash in investing activities for the nine
months ended
January 31, 2007, which consisted primarily of
the purchases of certificates of deposit.
Net cash used in operating activities was $5.1 million for
fiscal 2006. This primarily resulted from a net loss for the
period of $7.1 million, increased by a $0.6 million
reduction in our accounts payable and a $0.1 million
reduction in our accrued expenses, partially offset by a
$1.3 million decrease in our accounts receivable and
unbilled receivables, a non-cash foreign exchange loss of
$1.0 million and $0.2 million in depreciation and
amortization. In fiscal 2006, the decrease in receivables was
due to the large reduction in our revenues. The non-cash foreign
exchange loss reflected our significant holdings of
sterling-denominated certificates of deposit, which were
impacted by the appreciation of the dollar against the British
pound during fiscal 2006. Net cash provided by investing
activities was $24.3 million for fiscal 2006 resulting
primarily from $87.4 million in maturities of certificates
of deposit partially offset by $62.7 million in purchases
of certificates of deposit and $0.4 million in purchases of
equipment and patent costs, as we invested in expanding our
assembly and test facilities and developed several new patent
applications as part of our ongoing investment in technology
development. Net cash provided by financing activities was
$0.1 million for fiscal 2006 resulting from the proceeds
from the exercise of stock options.
Net cash used in operating activities was $1.9 million for
fiscal 2005. This primarily resulted from the net loss for the
period of $0.4 million and a non-cash foreign exchange gain
of $1.5 million. The non-cash foreign exchange gain
primarily reflected the impact of the appreciation of the
British pound against the dollar on our holdings in
sterling-denominated certificates of deposit. Changes in working
capital were offset by non-cash adjustments relating to
depreciation and amortization and compensation expenses related
to stock option grants. Net cash used in investing activities
was $25.1 million for fiscal 2005 and primarily consisted
of $58.1 million in purchases of certificates of deposit,
partially offset by $33.6 million in maturities of
certificates of deposit. Net cash used in investing activities
also reflected our $0.4 million investment in assembly and
test equipment during the year. Net cash provided by financing
activities was $0.2 million for fiscal 2005 resulting from
the proceeds from the exercise of stock options.
We expect to devote substantial resources to continue our
development efforts for our PowerBuoy systems and to expand our
sales, marketing and manufacturing programs associated with the
commercialization of the PowerBuoy system. Our future capital
requirements will depend on a number of factors, including:
|
|
|
| |
•
|
the success of our commercial relationships with Iberdrola,
Total, the US Navy and Lockheed Martin;
|
| |
| |
•
|
the cost of manufacturing activities;
|
| |
| |
•
|
the cost of commercialization activities, including
demonstration projects, product marketing and sales;
|
| |
| |
•
|
our ability to establish and maintain additional commercial
relationships;
|
| |
| |
•
|
the implementation of our expansion plans, including the hiring
of new employees;
|
| |
| |
•
|
potential acquisitions of other products or
technologies; and
|
| |
| |
•
|
the costs involved in preparing, filing, prosecuting,
maintaining and enforcing patent claims and other patent-related
costs.
|
We believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together
with our current cash and cash equivalents and certificates of
deposit, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs
for working capital and capital expenditures at least through
fiscal 2008. If existing resources are insufficient to satisfy
our liquidity requirements or if we acquire or license rights to
additional product technologies, we may seek to sell additional
equity or debt securities or obtain a credit facility. The sale
of additional equity or convertible securities could result in
dilution to our stockholders. If additional funds are raised
through the issuance of debt securities, these securities could
have rights senior to those associated with our common stock and
could contain covenants that would restrict our operations.
Financing may not be available in amounts or on terms acceptable
to us. If we are unable
43
to obtain required financing, we may be required to reduce the
scope of our planned product development and marketing efforts,
which could harm our financial condition and operating results.
Contractual
Obligations
Our major outstanding contractual obligations relate to our
facilities leases. We have summarized in the table below our
fixed contractual cash obligations as of
April 30, 2006.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payments Due by Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less Than
|
|
|
One to Three
|
|
|
Four to Five
|
|
|
More Than
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
One Year
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
Five Years
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
$
|
246,000
|
|
|
$
|
12,000
|
|
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
Operating leases
|
|
$
|
1,496,000
|
|
|
$
|
233,000
|
|
|
$
|
435,000
|
|
|
$
|
414,000
|
|
|
$
|
414,000
|
|
(1) Our long-term debt consists of an interest-free loan
from the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology.
The amounts to be repaid each year are determined as a
percentage of revenues we receive in that year from our customer
contracts that meet criteria specified in the loan agreement,
with any remaining amount due on
January 15, 2012.
Off
Balance Sheet Arrangements
Since inception we have not engaged in any off balance sheet
financing activities.
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Our primary exposure to market risk is currently confined to our
cash, cash equivalents and certificates of deposit. None of
these items that we hold have maturities that exceed one year.
We currently do not hedge interest rate exposure. We have not
used derivative financial instruments for speculative or trading
purposes. Because the maturities of our cash, cash equivalents
and certificates of deposit do not exceed one year, we do not
believe that a change in market rates would have any significant
impact on the realized value of our investments. We do not have
market risk exposure on our long-term debt because it consists
only of an interest-free loan from the New Jersey Board of
Public Utilities.
We transact business in various countries and have exposure to
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Foreign
exchange gains and losses arise in the translation of
foreign-denominated assets and liabilities, which may result in
realized and unrealized gains or losses from exchange rate
fluctuations. Since we conduct our business in US dollars and
our functional currency is the US dollar, our main foreign
exchange exposure, if any, results from changes in the exchange
rate between the US dollar and the British pound sterling, the
Euro and the Australian dollar.
We invest in certificates of deposit and maintain cash accounts
that are denominated in British pounds, Euros and Australian
dollars. These foreign denominated certificates of deposit and
cash accounts had a balance of $17.0 million as of
January 31, 2007 and $16.7 million as of
April 30, 2006, compared to our total certificates of
deposits and cash account balances of $26.7 million as of
January 31, 2007 and $32.4 million as of
April 30, 2006. These foreign currency balances are
translated at each month end to our functional currency, the US
dollar, and any resulting gain or loss is recognized in our
results of operations.
In addition, a portion of our operations is conducted through
our
subsidiaries in countries other than the United States,
specifically Ocean Power Technologies Ltd. in the United
Kingdom, the functional currency of which is the British pound
sterling, and Ocean Power Technologies (Australasia) Pty Ltd. in
Australia, the functional currency of which is the Australian
dollar. Both of these
subsidiaries have foreign exchange
exposure that results from changes in the exchange rate between
their functional currency and other foreign currencies in which
they conduct business. All of our international revenues for the
year ended
April 30, 2006 were recorded in Euros or British
pounds. If the foreign currency exchange rates had fluctuated by
10% as of
April 30, 2006, our foreign exchange loss would
have changed by approximately $1.7 million.
We currently do not hedge exchange rate exposure. However, we
assess the anticipated foreign currency working capital
requirements and capital asset acquisitions of our foreign
operations and attempt to maintain a portion of our cash, cash
equivalents and certificates of deposit denominated in foreign
currencies sufficient to
44
satisfy these anticipated requirements. We also assess the need
and cost to utilize financial instruments to hedge currency
exposures on an ongoing basis and may hedge against exchange
rate exposure in the future.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and
results of operations set forth above are based on our
consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in
accordance with US generally accepted accounting principles. The
preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires
us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported
amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. On an
ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments,
including those described below. We base our estimates on
historical experience and on various other assumptions that we
believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. These
estimates and assumptions form the basis for making judgments
about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not
readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ
from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
We believe the following accounting policies require significant
judgment and estimates by us in the preparation of our
consolidated financial statements.
Revenue
recognition and deferred revenue
Generally, we recognize revenue on the percentage-of-completion
method based on the ratio of costs incurred to total estimated
costs at completion. In certain circumstances, revenue under
contracts that have specified milestones or other performance
criteria may be recognized only when our customer acknowledges
that such criteria have been satisfied. In addition, recognition
of revenue (and the related costs) may be deferred for
fixed-price
contracts until
contract completion if we are unable
to reasonably estimate the total costs of the project prior to
completion. Because we have a small number of
contracts,
revisions to the percentage of completion determination or
delays in meeting performance criteria or in completing projects
may have a significant effect on our revenue for the periods
involved.
Upon anticipating a loss on a
contract, we recognize the full
amount of the anticipated loss in the current period. We had
loss reserves of $1.3 million as of
January 31, 2007
related to two
contracts, $0.8 million as of
April 30,
2006 related to one
contract and $0.8 million as of
April 30, 2005 related to two
contracts. For the nine
months ended
January 31, 2007, due to a change in estimated
costs, we recognized a loss of $0.5 million on our
contract
for a wave power station off the coast of Spain.
Unbilled receivables represent expenditures on
contracts, plus
applicable profit margin, not yet billed. Unbilled receivables
are normally billed and collected within one year. Billings made
on
contracts are recorded as a reduction in unbilled
receivables, and to the extent that those billings exceed costs
incurred plus applicable profit margin, they are recorded as
unearned revenues.
Stock-based
compensation
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
issued SFAS 123(R), which requires companies to recognize
compensation expense for all stock-based payments to employees,
including grants of employee stock options, in their statement
of operations based on the fair value of the awards. We adopted
SFAS 123(R) effective
May 1, 2006 using the modified
prospective method. Under this method, compensation cost is
recognized for all share-based payments granted subsequent to
April 30, 2006, awards modified after
April 30, 2006, and
the remaining portion of the fair value of unvested awards at
April 30, 2006. Prior to
May 1, 2006, we used the intrinsic
value method to determine values used in our pro forma
stock-based compensation disclosures.
In March 2005, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No.
107, or SAB 107, which provides guidance regarding the
implementation of SFAS 123(R). In particular, SAB 107
provides guidance regarding calculating assumptions used in
stock-based compensation valuation models, the classification of
stock-based compensation expense, the capitalization of
stock-based compensation costs and disclosures in filings with
the SEC.
Determining the appropriate fair-value model and calculating the
fair value of stock-based awards at the date of grant using any
valuation model requires judgment. We use the Black-Scholes
option pricing model to estimate the fair value of employee
stock options, consistent with the provisions of
SFAS 123(R). Option pricing models, including the
Black-Scholes model, require the use of input assumptions,
including expected
45
volatility, expected term and the expected dividend rate.
Because our stock is not currently publicly traded in the United
States, we do not have an observable share-price volatility for
the United States capital markets; therefore, we estimate our
expected volatility based on that of what we consider to be
similar publicly-traded companies and expect to continue to do
so until such time as we have adequate historical data from our
traded share price in the United States. We did not estimate our
expected volatility based on the price of our common stock on
the AIM market because we do not believe, based on the
historically low trading volume of our shares on that market,
that the price of our common stock on the AIM market is an
appropriate indicator of the expected volatility of our common
stock. Prior to fiscal 2007, we estimated the expected term of
our options using our best estimate of the period of time from
the grant date that we expect the options to remain outstanding.
Beginning in fiscal 2007, we estimate the expected term using
the average midpoint between the vesting terms and the
contractual terms of our options as described in SAB 107. If we
determine another method to estimate expected volatility or
expected term is more reasonable than our current methods, or if
another method for calculating these input assumptions is
prescribed by authoritative guidance, the fair value calculated
for future stock-based awards could change significantly. Higher
volatility and longer expected terms have a significant impact
on the value of stock-based compensation determined at the date
of grant. The expected dividend rate is not as significant to
the calculation of fair value.
In addition, SFAS 123(R) requires us to develop an estimate
of the number of stock-based awards that will be forfeited due
to employee turnover. Quarterly changes in the estimated
forfeiture rate can have a significant effect on reported
stock-based compensation. If the actual forfeiture rate is
higher than the estimated forfeiture rate, then an adjustment is
made to increase the estimated forfeiture rate, which will
result in a decrease to the expense recognized in the
consolidated financial statements during the quarter of the
change. If the actual forfeiture rate is lower than the
estimated forfeiture rate, then an adjustment is made to
decrease the estimated forfeiture rate, which will result in an
increase to the expense recognized in the consolidated financial
statements. These adjustments affect our cost of revenues,
product development costs and selling, general and
administrative costs. Through the nine months ended
January 31, 2007, the effect of forfeiture adjustments on
our consolidated financial statements has been insignificant.
The expense we recognize in future periods could differ
significantly from the current period
and/or our
forecasts due to adjustments in the assumed forfeiture rates.
As a result of the adoption of SFAS 123(R), we recorded
stock compensation expense of $0.9 million in the nine
months ended
January 31, 2007.
Income
taxes
We account for income taxes in accordance with
SFAS No. 109,
Accounting for Income, or SFAS
109. Under this method, we determine deferred tax assets and
liabilities based upon the differences between the financial
statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and
liabilities, as well as credit and net operating loss
carryforwards, using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in
which such items are expected to affect taxable income. The tax
consequences of most events recognized in the current
year’s financial statements are included in determining
income taxes currently payable. However, because tax laws and
financial accounting standards differ in their recognition and
measurement of assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, expenses,
gains and losses, differences arise between the amount of
taxable income and pretax financial income for a year and
between the tax bases of assets or liabilities and their
reported amounts in the financial statements. Because we assume
that the reported amounts of assets and liabilities will be
recovered and settled, respectively, a difference between the
tax basis of an asset or a liability and its reported amount in
the balance sheet will result in a taxable or a deductible
amount in some future years when the related liabilities are
settled or the reported amounts of the assets are recovered,
giving rise to a deferred tax asset. We then assess the
likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be recovered from
future taxable income and, to the extent we believe that
recovery is not likely, we establish a valuation allowance. As
discussed in Note 12 to our consolidated financial
statements included in this prospectus, we have established
valuation allowances for the full value of our net deferred tax
assets, which were $10.1 million as of
April 30, 2006
and $12.1 million as of
January 31, 2007.
46
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued
SFAS No. 154,
Accounting Changes and Error
Corrections, or SFAS 154, which requires entities that
voluntarily make a change in accounting principle to apply that
change retrospectively to prior periods’ financial
statements, unless this would be impracticable. SFAS 154
supersedes Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 20,
Accounting Changes, which previously required that most
voluntary changes in accounting principles be recognized by
including the cumulative effect of changing to the new
accounting principle in the current period’s net income or
loss. SFAS No. 154 also makes a distinction between
“retrospective application” of an accounting principle
and the
“restatement” of financial statements to
reflect the correction of an error. Another significant change
in practice under SFAS No. 154 will be that if an entity
changes its method of depreciation, amortization or depletion
for long-lived, non-financial assets, the change must be
accounted for as a change in accounting estimate. Under
Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 20, such a change would
have been reported as a change in accounting principle.
SFAS 154 is effective for accounting changes and
corrections of errors made in fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2005. Adoption is not expected to have a material
effect on our financial position or results of operations.
In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued
Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, or
FIN 48. FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for
uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprises’
financial statements in accordance with SFAS 109.
FIN 48 prescribes a recognition and measurement method for
tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition,
classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim
periods, disclosures and transitions. FIN 48 is effective
for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2006. We are
currently analyzing the effects of FIN 48 but do not expect
it to have a material effect on our financial position or
results of operations.
In September 2006, the SEC issued Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 108, Considering the Effects of Prior
Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current
Year Financial Statements, or SAB 108. SAB 108
provides guidance on how prior year misstatements should be
taken into consideration when quantifying misstatements in
current year financial statements for purposes of determining
whether the current year’s financial statements are
materially misstated. SAB 108 becomes effective during our
2007 fiscal year. We do not expect the adoption of SAB 108
to have a material impact on our consolidated financial
statements.
Change in
Accountants
Deloitte & Touche LLP previously served as our
independent registered public accounting firm. On
July 27,
2004, the audit committee of our board of directors directed us
to seek proposals from several accounting firms, with respect to
the audit of our consolidated financial statements for the
fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005. On or about
August 10, 2004,
Deloitte & Touche LLP notified us
that it declined to stand for reappointment as our independent
auditors for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005.
Deloitte & Touche LLP’s audit reports on our
consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended
April 30, 2003 and
2004 did not contain any adverse opinion
or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as
to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principle. In
connection with its audits of our financial statements as of
April 30, 2003 and
2004 and for the years then ended and
during the interim period from
May 1, 2004 until the date
Deloitte & Touche LLP notified us that it declined to
stand for reappointment as our independent auditors, there were
no disagreements with
Deloitte & Touche LLP on any
matter of accounting principles or practices, financial
statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which
disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of
Deloitte & Touche LLP, would have caused
Deloitte & Touche LLP to make reference to the subject
matter of the disagreement in connection with its audit reports
related to our fiscal 2003 and 2004 consolidated financial
statements. During our two fiscal years ended
April 30,
2003 and
2004 and during the interim period from
May 1,
2004 until the date
Deloitte & Touche LLP notified us
that it declined to stand for reappointment as our independent
auditors, there were no reportable events as defined in
Item 304(a)(1)(v) of
Regulation S-K.
On
November 24, 2004, the audit committee of our board of
directors appointed
KPMG LLP as our new independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended
April 30,
2005. We did not consult with
KPMG LLP on any financial or
accounting reporting matters before its appointment.
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BUSINESS
Overview
We develop and are commercializing proprietary systems that
generate electricity by harnessing the renewable energy of ocean
waves. The energy in ocean waves is predictable, and electricity
from wave energy can be produced on a consistent basis at
numerous sites located near major population centers worldwide.
Wave energy is an emerging segment of the renewable energy
market. Based on our proprietary technology, considerable ocean
experience, existing products and expanding commercial
relationships, we believe we are the leading wave energy company.
We currently offer two products as part of our line of
PowerBuoy®
systems: a utility PowerBuoy system and an autonomous PowerBuoy
system. Our PowerBuoy system is based on modular, ocean-going
buoys, which we have been ocean testing for nearly a decade. The
rising and falling of the waves moves the buoy-like structure
creating mechanical energy that our proprietary technologies
convert into electricity. We have tested and developed wave
power generation and control technology using proven equipment
and processes in novel applications. Our two products are
designed for the following applications:
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Our utility PowerBuoy system is capable of supplying electricity
to a local or regional electric power grid. Our wave power
stations will be comprised of a single PowerBuoy system or an
integrated array of PowerBuoy systems, plus the remaining
components required to deliver electricity to a power grid. We
intend to sell our utility PowerBuoy system to utilities and
other electrical power producers seeking to add electricity
generated by wave energy to their existing electricity supply.
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Our autonomous PowerBuoy system is designed to generate power
for use independently of the power grid in remote locations.
There are a variety of potential applications for this system,
including sonar and radar surveillance, offshore cellular phone
service, tsunami warning, oceanographic data collection,
offshore platforms and offshore aquaculture.
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From October 2005 to October 2006, we operated a demonstration
PowerBuoy system with a maximum peak, or rated, output of
40 kilowatts, or kW, off the coast of New Jersey under a
contract with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. This
PowerBuoy system has been removed from the ocean and is
currently undergoing planned maintenance prior to re-deployment.
No other PowerBuoy systems are currently deployed.
Our product development and engineering efforts are focused on
increasing the maximum rated output of our utility PowerBuoy
system from the current 40kW to 150kW in 2007, then to 250kW in
2008 and ultimately to 500kW in 2010. We believe by increasing
system output, we will be able to decrease the cost per kW of
our PowerBuoy system and the cost per kilowatt hour of the
energy generated. In addition, we are focusing on expanding our
key commercial opportunities for both the utility and the
autonomous PowerBuoy systems. We currently have commercial
relationships with the following:
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Iberdrola S.A., or Iberdrola, which is a large electric utility
company located in Spain and one of the largest renewable energy
producers in the world, Total S.A., or Total, which is one of
the world’s largest oil and gas companies, and two Spanish
governmental agencies for the first phase of the construction of
a 1.39 megawatt, or MW, wave power station off the coast of
Santoña, Spain. We currently plan to deploy an initial 40kW
PowerBuoy system for this project by October 2007.
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Iberdrola and Total to evaluate the development of a wave power
station off the coast of France.
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The United States Navy to develop and build a wave power station
at the US Marine Corps Base in Oahu, Hawaii that we believe will
serve as a prototype wave power station for the installation of
wave power stations at other US Navy bases. One PowerBuoy system
was installed in connection with this project for a total of
eight months over a two-year period. We plan to deploy an
improved system in April 2007.
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Lockheed Martin Corporation to market cooperatively with us our
autonomous PowerBuoy system for use with Lockheed Martin
equipment. Lockheed Martin successfully completed an ocean test
of an autonomous PowerBuoy system in September 2004.
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As part of our marketing efforts, we use demonstration wave
power stations to establish the feasibility of wave power
generation. In addition to the demonstration PowerBuoy system
operated off the coast of New
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Jersey, we plan to develop and operate two additional
demonstration wave power stations. Unlike the New Jersey power
system, these demonstration wave power stations will, if
approved and constructed as planned, be connected to the local
power grids. In February 2006, we received approval from the
South West of England Regional Development Agency to install a
5MW demonstration wave power station off the coast of Cornwall,
England. In February 2007, the US Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission granted us a preliminary permit to evaluate the
feasibility of a location off the coast of Reedsport, Oregon for
the proposed construction and operation of a wave power station
with an anticipated maximum rated output of 50MW, of which up to
the first 5MW will be a demonstration wave power station. In
February 2007, we signed a cooperative agreement with a utility
partner, Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative, for the
development of a wave power station. We plan to generate
incremental revenue from the demonstration wave power stations
by selling electricity to utilities. Also, in March 2007, we
were awarded a conditional grant from the Scottish
Ministers’ Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme, managed by
the Scottish Executive. This grant is for the design,
manufacture and installation of a 150kW PowerBuoy system in
Orkney, Scotland.
In January 2007, we filed applications with the US Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission for preliminary permits to evaluate
the feasibility of two locations, off the coasts of Coos Bay,
Oregon and Newport, Oregon, for the proposed construction and
operation of wave power stations, each with an anticipated
maximum rated output of 100MW.
Our
Market
Global demand for electric power is expected to increase from
14.8 trillion kilowatt hours in 2003 to 30.1 trillion kilowatt
hours by 2030, according to the Energy Information
Administration, or the EIA. To meet this demand, the
International Energy Agency, or the IEA, estimates that
investments in new generating capacity will exceed $4 trillion
in the period from 2003 to 2030, of which $1.6 trillion will be
for new renewable energy generation equipment.
According to the IEA, fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural
gas generated over 60% of the world’s electricity in 2002.
However, a variety of factors are contributing to the
development of renewable energy systems that capture energy from
replenishable natural resources, including ocean waves, flowing
water, wind and sunlight, and convert it into electricity.
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Rising cost of fossil fuels. The cost of
fossil fuel used to generate electricity has been rising. From
2000 to 2005 in the United States, the cost of coal used for
electricity generation increased by 28%, the cost of natural gas
used for electricity generation increased by 91% and the cost of
oil used for electricity generation increased by 64%.
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Dependence on energy from foreign
sources. Many countries, including the United
States, Japan and much of Europe, depend on foreign resources
for a majority of their domestic energy needs. Concerns over
political and economic instability in some of the leading energy
producing regions of the world are encouraging consuming
countries to diversify their sources of energy.
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Environmental concerns. Environmental concerns
regarding the by-products of fossil fuels have led many
countries and several US states to agree to reduce emissions of
carbon dioxide and other gases associated with the use of fossil
fuels and to adopt policies promoting the development of cleaner
technologies.
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Government incentives. Many countries have
adopted policies to provide incentives for the development and
use of renewable energy sources, such as subsidies to encourage
the commercialization of renewable energy power generation.
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Infrastructure constraints. In many parts of
the world, the existing electricity infrastructure is
insufficient to meet projected, and in some places existing,
demand. Expansion of generating capacity from existing energy
sources is frequently hindered by significant regulatory,
political and economic constraints.
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As a result of these and other factors, the EIA projects that
grid-connected generating capacity fueled by renewable energy
resources will continue to grow over the next 25 years.
Wave
Energy
The energy in ocean waves is a form of renewable energy that can
be harnessed to generate electricity. Ocean waves are created
when wind moves across the ocean surface. The interaction
between the wind and
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the ocean surface causes energy to be exchanged. At first, small
waves occur on the ocean surface. As this process continues, the
waves become larger and the distance between the tops of the
waves becomes longer. The size of the waves, and the amount of
energy contained in the waves, depends on the wind speed, the
time the wind blows over the waves and the distance it covers.
The rising and falling of the waves moves our PowerBuoy system
creating mechanical energy that our proprietary technologies
convert into usable electricity.
There are a variety of benefits to using wave energy for
electricity generation.
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Scalability within a small site area. Due to
the tremendous energy in ocean waves, wave power stations with
high capacity — 50MW and above — can be
installed in a relatively small area. We estimate that, upon
completion of the development of our 500kW PowerBuoy system, we
would be able to construct a wave power station that would
occupy less than one-tenth of the ocean surface occupied by an
offshore wind power station of equivalent capacity.
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Predictability. The supply of electricity from
wave energy can be forecasted in advance. The amount of energy a
wave thousands of miles away will have when it arrives at a wave
power station days later can be calculated based on satellite
images and meteorological data with a high degree of accuracy.
Customers can use this information to develop sourcing plans to
meet their short-term electricity needs.
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Constant Source of Energy. The annual flow of
waves at specific sites can be relatively constant. Based on our
studies and analysis of our target sites, we believe our wave
power stations will be able to produce usable electricity for
approximately 90% of all hours during a year.
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There are currently several approaches, in different stages of
development, for capturing wave energy and converting it into
electricity. Methods for generating electricity from wave energy
can be divided into two general categories: onshore systems and
offshore systems. Our PowerBuoy system is an offshore system.
Offshore systems are typically located one to five miles
offshore and in water depths of between 100 and 200 feet.
The system can be above, on or below the ocean surface. Many
offshore systems utilize a floatation device to harness wave
energy. The heaving or pitching of the floatation device due to
the force of the waves creates mechanical energy, which is
converted into electricity by various technologies. Onshore
systems are located at the edge of the shore, often on a sea
cliff or a breakwater and typically must concentrate the wave
energy first before using it to drive an electrical generator.
Although maintenance costs of onshore systems may be less than
those associated with offshore systems, there are a variety of
disadvantages with these systems. As waves approach the shore,
the energy in the waves decreases; therefore, onshore wave power
stations do not take full advantage of the amount of energy that
waves in deeper water produce. In addition, there are a limited
number of suitable sites for onshore systems and there are
environmental and possible aesthetic issues with these wave
power stations due to their size and location on the seashore.
The scalability, predictability, constancy and limited
environmental impact of offshore wave energy systems such as
ours compare favorably with many other renewable energy
technologies.
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Hydroelectric power generates electricity by capturing energy
from flowing waters typically stored in and then released from
reservoirs. The expansion of hydroelectric power may be limited
due to the environmental and ecological impact of hydroelectric
power stations.
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Wind power generates electricity by using wind turbines to
harness the energy produced as a result of the wind’s
motion and to convert it into electricity. Wind turbine
structures, which can be over 300 feet high and have blades
with a span over 200 feet wide, require locations with
plenty of open space and high average wind speeds. Due to the
perceived aesthetic impact of wind turbines, some local
governments have zoning restrictions prohibiting the
installation of wind farms. In addition, because of their usual
proximity to the shore, offshore wind farms share some of the
same perceived aesthetic challenges as onshore wind farms.
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Solar power generates electricity from sunlight. Since the
sun’s energy is not always available and is widely
scattered, current solar power technology is not scalable to
create a large power station for supplying power to the grid.
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Tidal power captures energy contained in moving water due to
tides and water current power captures energy contained in ocean
and river flows and non-tidal currents. Both of these
technologies require specific geographic characteristics for
installation, which limits the availability of suitable sites.
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Our
Competitive Advantages
We believe that our technology for generating electricity from
wave energy and our commercial relationships give us several
potential competitive advantages in the renewable energy market.
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Our PowerBuoy system uses an ocean-tested technology to
generate electricity.
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We have been conducting ocean tests for nearly a decade in order
to prove the viability of our technology. We initiated our first
ocean installation in 1997 and have had several deployments of
our systems for testing and operation since then, the longest of
which has lasted 12 months. Our PowerBuoy systems have
survived several hurricanes and winter storms while installed in
the ocean.
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We have had an operational demonstration PowerBuoy system off
the coast of New Jersey since October 2005, which system was
removed from the ocean for maintenance in October 2006, and
currently plan to build and deploy two additional demonstration
wave power stations that, unlike the PowerBuoy system in New
Jersey, will provide electricity to the local power grids. In
February 2006, we received approval from the South West of
England Regional Development Agency to install a demonstration
wave power station off the coast of Cornwall, England and in
February 2007, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
granted us a preliminary permit to evaluate the feasibility of a
wave power station off the coast of Reedsport, Oregon, a portion
of which will be for demonstration purposes.
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Our PowerBuoy system is efficient in harnessing wave
energy.
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Our PowerBuoy system is designed to efficiently convert wave
energy into electricity by using onboard sensors to detect
actual wave conditions and then to automatically adjust the
performance of the generator using our proprietary electrical
and electronics-based control systems in response to that
information.
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One measure of the efficiency of an electric power generation
system is load factor. The load factor is the percent of
kilowatt hours produced by a system in a given period as
compared to the total possible kilowatt hours that could be
produced by the system in that period. A high load factor
indicates a high degree of utilization of the capacity of the
system and provides a means to compare the efficiencies of
different energy sources to produce equivalent power outputs
(without taking into account the relative costs of constructing
such systems). Since we have not yet operated a wave power
station, we do not have a measured load factor. However, based
on our research and analysis, we believe the load factor for a
PowerBuoy wave power station located at most of our targeted
sites would be in the range of 30% to 45%.
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Our PowerBuoy system takes advantage of time-tested and
well-known technology.
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Our PowerBuoy system is designed to combine features of
ocean-going buoys with advanced electrical and electronics-based
systems. Since standard ocean-going buoys have been deployed in
maritime applications for decades, their survival and risk
profiles are known and proven. By using electrical, rather than
mechanical, engineering solutions whenever possible, we are able
to control materials, construction and other capital costs while
maintaining reliability.
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Our PowerBuoy system can be built using easily sourced
components supplied by third parties. Due to the PowerBuoy
system’s modular design, total construction time is
minimized as multiple components can be built simultaneously,
and generating capacity can be scaled up or down by
incrementally adding or subtracting groups of PowerBuoy units.
In addition, our PowerBuoy system can be deployed using common
maritime techniques.
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Numerous potential sites for our wave power stations are
located near major population centers worldwide.
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Our systems are designed to work in sites with average annual
wave energy of at least 20kW per meter of wave front, which can
be found in many coastal locations around the world. In
particular, we are targeting coastal North America, the west
coast of Europe, the coasts of Australia and the east
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coast of Japan. These potential sites not only have appropriate
natural resources for harnessing wave energy, but they are also
located near large population centers with significant and
increasing electricity requirements. Due to seasonal and local
variations, water depth and the effect of particular locations
of islands and other geographical features, it is not
necessarily the case that all locations in our targeted coastal
areas are suitable sites for our systems.
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We have significant commercial relationships.
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Our current projects with Iberdrola and Total provide us with an
initial opportunity to sell our wave power stations to
utilities. By collaborating with leaders in renewable energy
development, we believe we are able to accelerate both our
in-house knowledge of the utility power generation market and
our reputation as a credible renewable energy equipment
supplier. If these projects are successful, we intend to
leverage our experiences with the Spain and France projects to
add wave power stations, new customers and complementary revenue
streams from operations and maintenance contracts similar to the
agreement we have in connection with the Spain project.
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For certain customers in need of electricity solutions
independent of the grid in defense and related markets, our
marketing relationship with Lockheed Martin will enable us to
offer a complete solution — both equipment and power
generation for that equipment — thereby maximizing the
marketability of our autonomous PowerBuoy system for these
remote applications.
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With the funding from the US Navy, we have been able to refine
our PowerBuoy system while simultaneously preparing for
commercial deployment to address a particular customer need. If
we are able to successfully deploy PowerBuoy systems for the US
Navy, we believe our market visibility will be significantly
enhanced.
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Our PowerBuoy system has the potential to offer a cost
competitive renewable energy power generation solution.
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Our product development and engineering efforts are focused on
increasing the maximum rated output of our utility PowerBuoy
system from the current 40kW to 150kW in 2007, then to 250kW in
2008 and ultimately to 500kW in 2010. Assuming we are able to
reach manufacturing levels of at least 300 units of 500kW
PowerBuoy systems per year, we believe, based upon our research
and analysis, that the economies of scale we would have with our
fabricators would allow us to offer a renewable electricity
solution that competes on a non-subsidized basis with the price
of wholesale electricity in key markets. We expect to complete
development of our 500kW PowerBuoy system in 2010.
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Prior to achieving full production levels of the 500kW PowerBuoy
system, if we achieve economies of scale for our 150kW or 250kW
PowerBuoy systems, we expect to be able to offer a renewable
electricity solution that competes with the price of electricity
from traditional sources in certain local markets where the
current retail price of electricity is relatively high or where
sufficient subsidies are available.
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Our systems are environmentally benign and aesthetically
non-intrusive.
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We believe that our PowerBuoy system does not present
significant risks to marine life and does not emit significant
levels of pollutants. In connection with our demonstration
project at the US Marine Corps Base in Hawaii, our customer, the
US Navy, obtained an independent environmental assessment of our
PowerBuoy system prior to installation, as required by the
National Environmental Policy Act. Although our project for the
US Navy only contemplates an array of up to six PowerBuoy
systems in Hawaii, we believe that PowerBuoy systems deployed in
other geographic locations, including larger PowerBuoy systems
under development and multiple-system wave power stations, would
have minimal environmental impact due to the physical
similarities with the tested system.
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Since our PowerBuoy systems are typically located one to five
miles offshore, PowerBuoy wave power stations are usually not
visible from the shore. Visual impact is often cited as one of
the
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reasons that many communities have opposed plans to develop
power stations. Our PowerBuoy system has the distinct advantage
of having only a minimal visual profile. Only a small portion of
the unit is visible at close range, with the bulk of the unit
hidden below the water.
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Our
Business Strategy
Our goal is to strengthen our leadership in developing wave
energy technologies and commercializing wave power stations and
related services. In order to achieve this goal, we are pursuing
the following business strategies:
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Concentrate sales and marketing efforts on four geographic
markets. We are focusing our sales and marketing
efforts over the next three years on coastal North America, the
west coast of Europe, the coasts of Australia and the east coast
of Japan. We believe that each of these areas represents a
strong potential market for our PowerBuoy wave power stations
because they combine appropriate wave conditions, political and
economic stability, large population centers, high levels of
industrialization and significant and increasing electricity
requirements.
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Continue to increase PowerBuoy system
output. Our product development and engineering
efforts are focused on increasing the output of our PowerBuoy
systems from 40kW to 500kW. We plan to increase the rated output
of our PowerBuoy system to 150kW in 2007, to 250kW in 2008 and
ultimately to 500kW in 2010. The key to increasing the rated
output of the PowerBuoy system is to increase the system’s
efficiency as well as its diameter. If we increase the size of a
PowerBuoy system, we will be able to increase the amount of wave
energy the system can capture and, in turn, increase the output
of the system. For example, if we double the size of the
unit’s diameter, we will approximately quadruple its power
capacity. We believe that by increasing system output, we will
be able to decrease the cost per kW of our PowerBuoy system and
the cost per kilowatt hour of the energy generated.
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Construct demonstration wave power stations to encourage
market adoption of our wave power stations. Our
demonstration wave power stations are intended to allow us to
prove the viability of our PowerBuoy systems in a particular
region. By enabling customers to experience our technology
first-hand, we believe we will be able to facilitate our entry
into our target markets. In addition, demonstration wave power
stations provide us with the opportunity to test and refine our
technology in actual operating conditions. In February 2006, we
were approved by the South West of England Regional Development
Agency to install a 5MW demonstration wave power station off the
coast of Cornwall, England. In February 2007, the US
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted us a preliminary
permit to evaluate the feasibility of a location off the coast
of Reedsport, Oregon for the proposed construction and operation
of a wave power station with a maximum rated output of 50MW, of
which up to the first 5MW will be a demonstration wave power
station. The Cornwall and Reedsport power station will, if
approved and constructed as planned, be connected to local power
grids.
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Leverage customer relationships to enhance the commercial
acceptance of our utility PowerBuoy system. We
currently have commercial relationships with Iberdrola and Total
for two projects. We are in the first phase of the construction
of a 1.39MW wave power station off the coast of Santoña,
Spain, which phase is to be completed by June 30, 2008. We,
along with affiliates of Iberdrola and Total, are currently
assessing the viability of a 2 to 5MW power station off the
coast of France. In addition, we believe that our project at the
US Marine Corps Base in Oahu, Hawaii will serve as a prototype
wave power station for the installation of wave power stations
at other US Navy bases. We intend to build on these existing
commercial relationships both by expanding the number and size
of projects we have with our current customers and by entering
into new alliances and commercial relationships with other
utilities and independent power producers.
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Expand revenue streams from our autonomous PowerBuoy
system. The autonomous PowerBuoy system addresses
specific power generation needs of customers requiring off-grid
electricity generation in remote locations in the open ocean.
Since our PowerBuoy systems are well suited for many of these
uses, we do not expect that they will require subsidies or other
price incentives for commercial acceptance. This equipment might
be used for powering sonar and radar surveillance, offshore
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phone service, tsunami warning, oceanographic data collection,
offshore platforms and offshore aquaculture. We have entered
into a marketing cooperation agreement with Lockheed Martin to
identify marketing opportunities for use of our autonomous
PowerBuoy system to power Lockheed Martin equipment in remote
locations.
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Maximize revenue opportunities with existing
customers. In January 2007, we entered into an
agreement for the monitoring, o |