VerifyMe (VRME) 10-Q2024 Q1 Quarterly report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

(Mark one)

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024

OR

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission file number 001-39332  

(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal year, if Changed Since Last Report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.     Yes x     No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T  § 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes x    No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or, an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company,” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes o     No x 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date: 10,176,603 shares of common stock outstanding at May 6, 2024.

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

VerifyMe, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

VerifyMe, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

VerifyMe, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss

(Unaudited)

(In thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

VerifyMe, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

(In thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

VerifyMe, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

VerifyMe, Inc.

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)

NOTE 1 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of the Business

VerifyMe, Inc. (“VerifyMe”) was incorporated in the State of Nevada on November 10, 1999. VerifyMe, together with its subsidiaries, including Trust Codes Global Limited (“Trust Codes Global”) and PeriShip Global LLC (“PeriShip Global”), (together the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is based in Lake Mary, Florida and its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and warrants to purchase common stock are traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the trading symbols “VRME” and “VRMEW,” respectively.

VerifyMe, is a traceability and customer support services provider using specialized software and process technology. The Company operates a Precision Logistics Segment and an Authentication Segment to provide specialized logistics for time-and-temperature sensitive products, as well as item level traceability, anti-diversion and anti-counterfeit protection, brand protection and enhancement technology solutions. Through our Precision Logistics segment, we provide a value-added service for sensitive parcel management driven by a proprietary software platform that provides predictive analytics from key metrics such as pre-shipment weather analysis, flight-tracking, sort volumes, and traffic, delivered to customers via a secure portal. The portal provides real-time visibility into shipment transit and last-mile events which is supported by a service center. Through our Authentication segment our technologies enable brand owners to gather business intelligence through the supply chain, cross-sell products, detect counterfeit activities, monitor product diversion, and build brand loyalty utilizing our unique dynamic codes which are read by consumers with their smart phones. The Company’s activities are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. See the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections in this report.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts presented for the three months ended March 31, 2023, reflect reclassifications made to conform to the presentation in our current reporting period. These reclassifications had no effect on the previously reported net loss.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements (the “Interim Statements”) include the accounts of VerifyMe and its wholly owned subsidiaries PeriShip Global and Trust Codes Global. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain information and disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements are not included herein. The Interim Statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 29, 2024.  The accompanying Interim Statements are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The interim results for the three months ended March 31, 2024, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024, or for any future interim periods.

Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts in the consolidated statements of cash flows (dollars in thousands):

The Company classifies cash and cash equivalents that are restricted from operating use for the next twelve months as restricted cash. As of March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the Company held $63 thousand subject to restrictions.

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise for which separate financial information is available and evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in deciding the method by which to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company has two reportable segments, namely, (i) Precision Logistics and (ii) Authentication. See Note 11 - Segment Reporting, for further discussion of the Company’s segment reporting structure. 

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of our New Zealand operations is the local currency, New Zealand dollar (NZD). The translation of the foreign currency into U.S. dollars is performed for balance sheet accounts using current exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and for revenue and expense accounts using the weighted average exchange rates prevailing during the year. The unrealized gains and losses resulting from such translation are included as a component of comprehensive income. Translation gains and losses arising from currency exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the local functional currency are included in “General and administrative” on our Consolidated Statements of Operations. The foreign currency transaction losses for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2023 was $62 thousand and $0, respectively.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires public entities with a single reportable segment to provide all the disclosures required by this standard and all existing segment disclosures in Topic 280 on an interim and annual basis, including new requirements to disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) and included within the reported measure(s) of a segment's profit or loss, the amount and composition of any other segment items, the title and position of the CODM, and how the CODM uses the reported measure(s) of a segment's profit or loss to assess performance and decide how to allocate resources. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2024, applied retrospectively with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted the new standard beginning January 1, 2024. Note 11 – Segment Reporting has been updated to reflect the new disclosure requirements and certain amounts have been reclassified in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. There is no other impact of adoption of this standard on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments consist of accounts receivable, unbilled revenue, accounts payable, notes payable and accrued expenses, contingent consideration and long-term derivative assets or liabilities. The carrying value of accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair value because of their short maturities.  The Company believes the carrying amount of its notes payable approximates fair value based on rates and other terms currently available to the Company for similar debt instruments.

The Company follows FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” and applies it to all assets and liabilities that are being measured and reported on a fair value basis. The statement requires that assets and liabilities carried at fair value will be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data

Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data

The level in the fair value within which a fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

The following table presents the Company’s financial instruments that are measured and recorded at fair value on the Company’s balance sheets on a recurring basis, and their level within the fair value hierarchy as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Amounts in Thousands ('000)

Revenue Recognition

The Company accounts for revenues according to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” which establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from the entity's contracts to provide goods or services to customers. 

The Company applies the following five steps, separated by reportable segments, in order to determine the appropriate amount of revenue to be recognized as it fulfills its obligations under each of its agreements.

For more detailed information about reportable segments, see Note 11 – Segment reporting. The Company generally considers completion of an agreement, or Statement of Work (“SOW”) and/or purchase order as a customer contract, provided collection is considered probable.

Precision Logistics

Our Precision Logistics segment consists of two service lines, Proactive and Premium. Under our Proactive service line, clients pay us directly for carrier service coupled with our proactive logistics service. Terms typically range 7 days and no longer than 30 days. The Company has determined it is the principal and recognizes shipment fees in gross revenue. Under our Premium service line, we provide complete white-glove shipping monitoring and predictive analytics services. This service includes customer web portal access, weather monitoring, temperature control, full service center support and last mile resolution. Payment terms are typically 30-45 days.

Under both service lines in our Precision Logistics segment, our performance obligation is met, and revenue is recognized, when the packages are delivered. The transaction fees consist of fixed consideration made up of amounts contractually billed to the customer. There are no variable considerations in the transaction fee, in either service line.

Authentication

Our Authentication segment primarily consists of our brand protection service line which consists of a custom suite of products that offer clients traceability and brand solutions. Terms typically range between 30 and 90 days. Our performance obligation is met, and revenue is recognized, when our products are shipped or delivered depending on the specific agreement with the customer. The transaction fee is made up of fixed consideration based on the related purchase order or agreement. Warranties and other variable considerations are analyzed by the Company, in terms of historical warranties, current economic trends, and changes in customer demand, and have been determined to be insignificant in the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in business combinations. Pursuant to ASC 350, the Company tests goodwill for impairment on an annual basis in the fourth quarter, or between annual tests, in certain circumstances. Under authoritative guidance, the Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether it was necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. The assessment considers factors such as, but not limited to, macroeconomic conditions, data showing other companies in the industry and our share price. An entity is not required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. Events or changes in circumstances which could trigger an impairment review include macroeconomic conditions, industry and market conditions, cost factors, overall financial performance, other entity specific events and sustained decrease in share price.

Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Share of Common Stock

The Company follows FASB ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share,” when reporting earnings per share resulting in the presentation of basic and diluted earnings per share.  Because the Company reported a net loss for each of the periods presented, common stock equivalents, including preferred stock, stock options and warrants were anti-dilutive; therefore, the amounts reported for basic and diluted loss per share were the same. 

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, there were shares potentially issuable, that could dilute basic earnings per share in the future that were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive to the Company’s losses during the periods presented. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, there were approximately 8,383,000 anti-dilutive shares consisting of 2,344,000 unvested performance restricted stock units, restricted stock units, restricted stock awards and options under the stock purchase plan, 301,000 shares issuable upon exercise of stock options, 4,629,000 shares issuable upon exercise of warrants, 957,000 shares issuable upon conversion of convertible debt, 8,000 shares issuable in connection with earnout earned for the Trust Codes Acquisition, and 144,000 shares issuable upon conversion of preferred stock. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, there were approximately 6,139,000 anti-dilutive shares consisting of 844,000 unvested restricted stock units and options under the stock purchase plan, 337,000 shares issuable upon exercise of stock options, 4,814,000 shares issuable upon exercise of warrants, and 144,000 shares issuable upon conversion of preferred stock. 

Stock-Based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation under the provisions of FASB ASC 718, “Compensation—Stock Compensation”, which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock-based awards made to employees and directors based on estimated fair values on the grant date. We estimate the fair value of stock options on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes model. The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model include risk-free interest rates, expected volatility and expected life of the stock options. Changes in these assumptions can materially affect estimates of fair value stock-based compensation, and the compensation expense recorded in future periods. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense over the requisite service periods using the straight-line method. For performance restricted stock units with stock price appreciation targets (see Note 6 – Stock Options, Restricted Stock and Warrants), we applied a lattice approach that incorporated a Monte Carlo simulation, which involved random iterations that took different future price paths over the restricted stock unit’s contractual life based on the appropriate probability distributions (which are based on commonly applied Black Scholes inputs). The fair value was determined by taking the average of the grant date fair values under each Monte Carlo simulation trial. We recognize compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the performance period and there is no ongoing adjustment or reversal based on actual achievement during the period.

We account for stock-based compensation awards to non-employees in accordance with ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Based Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2018-07”), which aligns accounting for share-based payments issued to nonemployees to that of employees under the existing guidance of Topic 718, with certain exceptions. This update supersedes previous guidance for equity-based payments to nonemployees under Subtopic 505-50, Equity – Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees.  

All issuances of stock options or other equity instruments to non-employees as consideration for goods or services received by the Company are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued. Non-employee equity-based payments are recorded as an expense over the service period, as if we had paid cash for the services. At the end of each financial reporting period, prior to vesting or prior to the completion of the services, the fair value of the equity-based payments will be re-measured, and the non-cash expense recognized during the period will be adjusted accordingly. Since the fair value of equity-based payments granted to non-employees is subject to change in the future, the amount of the future expense will include fair value re-measurements until the equity-based payments are fully vested or the service completed. 

NOTE 2 – REVENUE

Revenue by Category

The following series of tables present our revenue disaggregated by various categories (dollars in thousands).

Contract Balances 

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in unbilled revenue (contract assets) and deferred revenue (contract liabilities) on the consolidated balance sheets. Amounts charged to our clients become billable according to the contract terms, which usually consider the delivery completion. Unbilled amounts will generally be billed and collected within 30 days but typically no longer than 60 days. When we advance bill clients prior to the work being performed, generally, such amounts will be earned and recognized in revenue within twelve months. These assets and liabilities are reported on the consolidated balance sheets on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period. Changes in the contract asset and liability balances during the three-month period ended March 31, 2024, were not materially impacted by any other factors.

Applying the practical expedient in ASC Topic 606, we recognize the incremental costs of obtaining contracts (i.e. sales commissions) as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the assets that we otherwise would have recognized is one year or less. As of March 31, 2024, we did not have any capitalized sales commissions.

For all periods presented, contract liabilities were not significant. 

The following table provides information about contract assets from contracts with customers: 

______________

NOTE 3 – BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

Trust Codes Global Limited

On March 1, 2023, we acquired, through Trust Codes Global, the business and certain assets of Trust Codes Limited (“Trust Codes”), specializing in brand protection, anti-counterfeiting, and consumer engagement technology with an expertise in the food and agriculture industry. Trust Codes Global uses unique QR codes or IoT, coupled with GS1 standards to deliver cloud-based brand protection based on a unique per-item digital identity to protect brand and product authenticity, increase data visualization of a product through the end to end supply chain, and creates a data-drive engine to inform and educate consumers of the product. The Company accounted for the transaction as an acquisition of a business under ASC 805 – Business Combination. The purchase price was approximately $1.0 million which consisted of $0.36 million in cash paid at closing and 353,492 shares of common stock of the Company, representing $0.65 million in stock consideration. In addition, the purchase agreement requires consideration contingent upon the achievement of earnings targets during a five-year period subsequent to the closing of the acquisition. The earn-out consideration is estimated at $1.1 million at the acquisition date, however the maximum amount of the payment is unlimited. The goodwill recognized is due to the expected synergies from combining the operations of the acquiree with the Company. All of the goodwill recorded for financial statement purposes is deductible for tax purposes. The Company incurred $278 thousand in relation to acquisition related costs which have been included in General and administrative in the three months ended March 31, 2023, in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. Trust Codes Global is included in the Authentication segment and the results of its operations have been included in the consolidated financial statements beginning March 1, 2023. The pro-forma financial information for Trust Codes is immaterial to our results of operations and impractical to provide.

The following table summarizes the purchase price allocation for the acquisition (dollars in thousands).

Contingent Consideration

ASC Topic 805 requires that contingent consideration to be recognized at fair value on the acquisition date and be re-measured each reporting period with subsequent adjustments recognized in the consolidated statement of operations. We estimate the fair value of contingent consideration liabilities using an appropriate valuation methodology, typically either an income-based approach or a simulation model, such as the Monte Carlo model, depending on the structure of the contingent consideration arrangement. Contingent consideration is valued using significant inputs that are not observable in the market which are defined as Level 3 inputs pursuant to fair value measurement accounting. We believe our estimates and assumptions are reasonable; however, there is significant judgment involved. At each reporting date, the contingent consideration obligation is revalued to estimated fair value, and changes in fair value subsequent to the acquisitions are reflected in income or expense in the consolidated statements of operations, and could cause a material impact to, and volatility in, our results. Changes in the fair value of contingent consideration obligations may result from changes in discount periods and rates and changes in the timing and amount of revenue and/or earnings projections.

As of March 31, 2024, contingent consideration presented as current liability totaled $195 thousand. As of March 31, 2024, we also had accrued long term contingent consideration totaling $597 thousand related to the acquisition of Trust Codes on the consolidated balance sheets and represents the portion of contingent consideration estimated to be payable greater than twelve months from the balance sheet date.

NOTE 4 – INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL

Goodwill

Goodwill represents costs in excess of values assigned to the underlying net assets of acquired businesses. Intangible assets acquired are recorded at estimated fair value. Goodwill is deemed to have an indefinite life and is not amortized but is tested for impairment annually, and at any time when events suggest an impairment more likely than not has occurred. We test goodwill at the reporting unit level.

ASC Topic 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (ASC Topic 350), permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test.  Under ASC Topic 350, an entity is not required to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test for a reporting unit if it is more likely than not that its fair value is greater than its carrying amount. A reporting unit is an operating segment, or one level below an operating segment, as defined by U.S. GAAP.

Determining the fair value of a reporting unit is judgmental in nature and involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions include revenue growth rates and operating margins used to calculate projected future cash flows, risk-adjusted discount rates, future economic and market conditions and determination of appropriate market comparables. We base our fair value estimates on assumptions we believe to be reasonable but are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. Actual future results may differ from those estimates. The timing and frequency of our goodwill impairment tests are based on an ongoing assessment of events and circumstances that would indicate a possible impairment. We will continue to monitor our goodwill and intangible assets for impairment and conduct formal tests when impairment indicators are present.

Each of our two reportable segments represents an operating segment under ASC Topic 280, Segment Reporting. We test our goodwill at the reporting unit level, or one level below an operating segment, under ASC Topic 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other. We determined that we have two reporting units for purposes of goodwill impairment testing, which represent our two reportable business segments, as discussed below.

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by reportable business segment for the three months ended March 31, 2024, were as follows (in thousands):

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization

Our intangible assets include amounts recognized in connection with patents and trademarks, capitalized software and acquisitions, including customer relationships, tradenames, developed technology and non-compete agreements. Intangible assets are initially valued at fair market value using generally accepted valuation methods appropriate for the type of intangible asset. Amortization is recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the intangible assets. Intangible assets with definite lives are reviewed for impairment if indicators of impairment arise. Except for goodwill, we do not have any intangible assets with indefinite useful lives.

Intangible assets with finite lives are subject to amortization over their estimated useful lives. The primary assets included in this category and their respective balances were as follows (in thousands):

Amortization expense for intangible assets was $269 thousand and $240 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

Patents and Trademarks

As of March 31, 2024, our current patent and trademark portfolios consist of nine granted U.S. patents and two granted European patents (one validated in four countries of France, Germany, United Kingdom, and Italy and one validated in three countries of France, Germany and United Kingdom), three pending U.S. and foreign patent applications, twenty-six registered U.S. trademarks, two EU trademark registrations, one Colombian trademark registration, one Australian trademark registration, one Japanese trademark registration, one Mexican trademark registration, one Singaporean trademark registration, two UK trademark registrations, seven NZ trademark registration, one OAPI (African Intellectual Property Organization) trademark registration, and two pending US and foreign trademark applications.

The Company expects to record amortization expense of intangible assets over the next 5 years and thereafter as follows (in thousands):

NOTE 5 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

The Company expensed $148 thousand and $1 thousand related to restricted stock awards for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

The Company expensed $264 thousand and $263 thousand related to restricted stock units for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company issued 1,750 shares of common stock upon vesting of restricted stock units, net of common stock withheld for taxes.

On March 31, 2024 the Company issued 30,000 of restricted common stock, vesting immediately, with a value of $42 thousand, for consulting services.

Non-Qualified Stock Purchase Plan

On June 10, 2021, the stockholders of the Company approved a non-qualified stock purchase plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan provides eligible participants, including employees, directors and consultants of the Company, the opportunity to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock thereby increasing their interest in the Company’s continued success. The maximum number of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2021 Plan is 500,000 shares. The purchase price of shares of common stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an option will be the lesser of 85% of the fair market value of a share (a) on the enrollment date, and (b) on the exercise date. The 2021 Plan is not intended to qualify as an employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Company applied FASB ASC 718, “Compensation-Stock Compensation” and estimated the fair value using the Black-Scholes model, as the 2021 Plan is considered compensatory. In relation to the 2021 Plan the Company expensed $4 thousand and $22 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company received $21 thousand and $59 thousand, respectively, in proceeds related to the 2021 Plan. The Company has currently suspended new offering periods under the 2021 Plan.

Shares Held in Treasury

As of March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the Company had 308,462 and 329,351 shares, respectively, held in treasury with a value of approximately $589 thousand and $659 thousand, respectively.  

On February 29, 2024, seven participants exercised their option under the Company’s non-qualified stock purchase plan, and as a result, 21,889 shares were issued from treasury, with an exercise price of $0.97 per share.

Shares Repurchase Program

In December 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program to allow the Company to spend up to $0.5 million to repurchase shares of its common stock so long as the price per share does not exceed $1.00 until December 14, 2024. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company repurchased 1,000 shares of common stock for $1 thousand under the Company’s current program. 

NOTE 6 – STOCK OPTIONS, RESTRICTED STOCK AND WARRANTS

During 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan (the “2013 Plan”). Under the 2013 Plan, the Company is authorized to grant awards of stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other stock-based awards up to an aggregate of 400,000 shares of common stock.  The 2013 Plan is intended to permit certain stock options granted to employees under the 2013 Plan to qualify as incentive stock options.  All options granted under the 2013 Plan, which are not intended to qualify as incentive stock options are deemed to be non-qualified stock options.  

On November 14, 2017, the Executive Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”) which covered the potential issuance of 260,000 shares of common stock. The 2017 Plan provided that directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company were eligible to receive equity incentives under the 2017 Plan at the discretion of the Board or the Board’s Compensation Committee.

On August 10, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”), subject to stockholder approval, which authorizes the potential issuance of up to 1,069,110 shares of common stock. On September 30, 2020, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2020 Plan, and upon such approval the 2020 Plan became effective and the 2017 Plan was terminated. Shares of common stock underlying existing awards under the 2017 Plan may become available for issuance pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Plan under certain circumstances. Employees and non-employee directors of the Company or its affiliates, and other individuals who perform services for the Company or any of its affiliates, are eligible to receive awards under the 2020 Plan at the discretion of the Board of Directors or the Board’s Compensation Committee.

On March 28, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the First Amendment to the 2020 Plan, subject to stockholder approval, which increased the shares authorized for potential issuance under the 2020 Plan to 2,069,100 shares of common stock and extended the term of the 2020 Plan to June 9, 2023. On June 9, 2022, the Company’s stockholders approved the First Amendment to the 2020 Plan. On April 17, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the Second Amendment to the 2020 Plan, subject to stockholder approval, which increased the shares authorized for potential issuance under the 2020 Plan to 3,069,100 shares of common stock and extended the term of the 2020 Plan to June 6, 2033. On June 6, 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved the Second Amendment to the 2020 Plan. On March 18, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted the Third Amendment to the 2020 Plan, subject to stockholder approval, which, if approved by the Company’s stockholders, will increase the shares authorized for potential issuance under the 2020 Plan to 4,069,100 shares of common stock and extended the term of the 2020 Plan to June 4, 2033.

The 2020 Plan, as amended, is administered by the Compensation Committee which determines the persons to whom awards will be granted, the number of awards to be granted and the specific terms of each grant, including the vesting thereof, subject to the provisions of the plan.

In connection with incentive stock options, the exercise price of each option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of the grant (or 110% of the fair market value in the case of a grantee holding more than 10% of the outstanding stock of the Company). The aggregate fair market value (determined at the time of the grant) of stock with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by any individual during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its affiliates) shall not exceed $100 thousand, and the options in excess of $100 thousand shall be deemed to be non-qualified stock options, including prices, duration, transferability and limitations on exercise. The maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2020 Plan pursuant to incentive stock options may not exceed, in the aggregate, 1,000,000.

The Company has issued non-qualified stock options pursuant to contractual agreements with non-employees. Options granted under the agreements are expensed when the related service or product is provided. Determining the appropriate fair value of stock-based awards requires the input of subjective assumptions. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to value its stock option awards. The assumptions used in calculating the fair value represent management’s best estimates and involve inherent uncertainties and judgements.

Stock Options

The following table summarizes the activities for the Company’s stock options as of March 31, 2024:

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had no unvested stock options.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, the Company expensed $0 thousand, with respect to options.

As of March 31, 2024, there was $0 unrecognized compensation cost related to outstanding stock options.

Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units

The following table summarizes the unvested restricted stock awards as of March 31, 2024:

As of March 31, 2024, total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock awards is $112 thousand, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of less than one year.

The following table summarizes the unvested restricted stock units as of March 31, 2024: 

As of March 31, 2024, total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock units was $234 thousand, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.1 years.

The following table summarizes the unvested performance restricted stock units as of March 31, 2024:

For restricted stock units with stock price appreciation targets, we applied a lattice approach that incorporated a Monte Carlo simulation, which involved random iterations that took different future price paths over the restricted stock unit’s contractual life based on the appropriate probability distributions (which are based on commonly applied Black Scholes inputs). The fair value of each grant was determined by taking the average of the grant date fair values under each Monte Carlo simulation trial. We recognize compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the derived service period and there is no ongoing adjustment or reversal based on actual achievement during the period.

As of March 31, 2024, total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to unvested performance restricted stock units was $1,106 thousand, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years.

Warrants

The following table summarizes the activities for the Company’s warrants for the three months ended March 31, 2024:

NOTE 7—DEBT

PeriShip Global is a party to a debt facility with PNC Bank, National Association (the “PNC Facility”). The PNC Facility includes a $1 million revolving line of credit (the “RLOC”) with a term of one-year which expires in September 2024. The RLOC has no scheduled payments of principal until maturity, and bears interest per annum at a rate equal to the sum of Daily SOFR plus 2.85% with monthly interest payments. The PNC Facility also includes a four-year term note (the “Term Note”) for $2 million which matures in September of 2026 and requires equal quarterly payments of principal and interest. The Term Note incurs interest per annum at a rate equal to the sum of Daily SOFR plus 3.1%.  The RLOC and Term Note are guaranteed by VerifyMe and secured by the assets of PeriShip Global and VerifyMe.

The PNC Facility includes a number of affirmative and restrictive covenants applicable to PeriShip Global, including, among others, a financial covenant to maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio of at least 1.10 to 1.00 at the end of each fiscal year, affirmative covenants regarding delivery of financial statements, payment of taxes, and establishing primary depository accounts with PNC Bank, and restrictive covenants regarding dispositions of property, acquisitions, incurrence of additional indebtedness or liens, investments and transactions with affiliates. PeriShip Global is also restricted from paying dividends or making other distributions or payments on its capital stock if an event of default (as defined in the PNC Facility) has occurred or would occur upon such declaration of dividend. PeriShip Global was in compliance with all affirmative and restrictive covenants under the PNC Facility at March 31, 2024

As of March 31, 2024, our short-term debt outstanding under the Term Note was $0.5 million and total long-term debt outstanding under the Term Note was $0.8 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company made a repayment of $125 thousand towards the principal of the outstanding Term Note.

As of March 31, 2024, $0 was outstanding on the RLOC.

Effective October 17, 2022, the Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement, with a notional amount of $1,958 thousand, effectively fixing the interest rate on the Company’s outstanding debt at 7.602%. The Company has designated the intertest rate swap, expiring September 2026, as a cash flow hedge and have applied hedge accounting. The fair value of the derivative asset and liability associated with the interest rate swap are not significant as of March 31, 2024, and as of December 31, 2023, respectively.

Convertible Debt

On August 25, 2023, the Company entered into a Convertible Note Purchase Agreement with certain investors for the sale of convertible promissory notes for the aggregate principal amount of $1,100 thousand of which $475 thousand was purchased by related parties including certain members of management and the Board of Directors. The notes are subordinated unsecured obligations of the Company and accrue interest at a rate of 8% per year payable semiannually in arrears on February 25 and August 25 of each year, beginning on February 25, 2024. The notes will mature on August 25, 2026 unless earlier converted or repurchased at a conversion price of $1.15 per share of common stock. The Company may not redeem the notes prior to the maturity date. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 interest expense related to the convertible debt was $22 thousand. As of March 31, 2024 the amount outstanding on the convertible debt was $1,100 thousand and is included in Convertible debt and Convertible debt-related party on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

NOTE 8—INCOME TAXES

There are no taxes payable as of March 31, 2024, or December 31, 2023.

Some of the federal tax carry forwards will expire at various dates through 2037. Generally, these can be carried forward and applied against future taxable income at the tax rate applicable at that time. We are currently using an effective income tax rate of 21% for our projected available net operating loss carry-forward. No tax benefit has been recognized in the three months ending March 31, 2024, due to the uncertainty surrounding the realizability of the benefit.

Utilization of the net operating losses (NOL) carryforwards may be subject to a substantial annual limitation as required by Section 382 of the IRC, due to ownership changes of the company that could occur in the future, as well as similar state provisions. In general, an “ownership change” as defined by Section 382 results from a transaction or series of transactions over a three-year period resulting in an ownership change of more than 50 percentage points of the outstanding stock of a company by certain stockholders. These ownership changes may limit the amount of NOL carryforwards that can be utilized annually to offset future taxable income.

In accordance with FASB ASC 740 “Income Taxes”, valuation allowances are provided against deferred tax assets, if based on the weight of available evidence, some or all, of the deferred tax assets may or will not be realized. The Company did not utilize any NOL deductions for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

NOTE 9– LEASES

The Company accounts for its leases under Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842, Leases. The Company determines at its inception whether an arrangement that provides us control over the use of an asset is a lease. We recognize at lease commencement a right-of-use (ROU) asset and lease liability based on the present value of the future lease payments over the lease term. We have elected not to recognize a ROU asset and lease liability for leases with terms of 12 months or less. Our current long-term leases include an option to extend the term of the lease prior to the end of the initial term. It is not reasonably certain that we will exercise the option and have not included the impact of the option in the lease term for purposes of determining total future lease payments. As our lease agreement does not explicitly state the discount rate implicit in the lease, we use our promissory note borrowing rate to calculate the present value of future payments.

In addition to the base rent, real estate leases typically contain provisions for common-area maintenance and other similar services, which are considered non-lease components for accounting purposes. For our real estate leases, we apply a practical expedient to include these non-lease components in calculating the ROU asset and lease liability. For all other types of leases, non-lease components are excluded from our ROU assets and lease liabilities and expensed as incurred.

We have operating leases for office facilities. We do not have any finance leases.

Lease expenses are included in General & administrative expenses on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. The components of lease expense were as follows (in thousands):

Supplemental information related to leases was as follows (dollars in thousands):

The following is a reconciliation of future undiscounted cash flows to the operating lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2024 (in thousands):

NOTE 10– CONCENTRATIONS

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, one customer represented 22% and 13% of revenues, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, one vendor accounted for 99% of transportation cost, in our Precision Logistics segment.

As of March 31, 2024, one customer made up 31% of accounts receivable, net. As of December 31, 2023, three customers made up 47% of accounts receivable.

NOTE 11 – SEGMENT REPORTING

As of March 31, 2024, we operated through two reportable business segments: (i) Precision Logistics and (ii) Authentication.

Precision Logistics:

This segment offers a value-added service provider for time and temperature sensitive parcel management. Through logistics management from a sophisticated IT platform with proprietary databases, package and flight-tracking software, weather, traffic, as well as dynamic dashboards with real-time visibility into shipment transit and last-mile events that are managed by a service center we provide our clients an end-to-end vertical approach for their most critical service delivery needs. Using our proprietary IT platform, we provide real-time information and analysis to mitigate supply chain flow interruption, delivering last-mile resolution for key markets, including the perishable healthcare and food industries.

Authentication:

This segment specializes in solutions that connect brands with consumers through their products. Consumers can authenticate products with their smart phone prior to usage, and brand owners have the ability to gather business intelligence while engaging directly with their consumers. Our Authentication segment also provides brand protection and supply chain functions such as counterfeit prevention.

We do not allocate the following items to the segments: general & administrative expenses, research and development and other income (expense).

The following table sets forth the revenue and operating results attributable to each reportable segment and includes a reconciliation of segment revenue to consolidated revenue and operating results to consolidated loss before income tax expense (in thousands):

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. 

The information in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “intended,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this report, including among others, our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives of management and expected market growth are forward-looking statements.

Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements.

For a further list and description of various risks, relevant factors and uncertainties that could cause future results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements, see the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections in this report, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All forward-looking statements in this report are made only as of the date hereof or as indicated and represent our views as of the date of this report. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Overview

VerifyMe, Inc. (“VerifyMe”) together with its subsidiaries, including Trust Codes Global Limited (“Trust Codes Global”) and PeriShip Global, LLC (“PeriShip Global”), (together the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), is a traceability and customer support services provider using specialized software and process technology. The company operates a Precision Logistics Segment and an Authentication Segment to provide specialized logistics for time-and-temperature sensitive products, as well as item level traceability, anti-diversion and anti-counterfeit protection, brand protection and enhancement technology solutions. Through our Precision Logistics segment, we provide a value-added service for sensitive parcel management driven by a proprietary software platform that provides predictive analytics from key metrics such as pre-shipment weather analysis, flight-tracking, sort volumes, and traffic, delivered to customers via a secure portal. The portal provides real-time visibility into shipment transit and last-mile events which is supported by a service center. Through our Authentication segment our technologies enable brand owners to gather business intelligence through the supply chain, cross-sell products, detect counterfeit activities, monitor product diversion, and build brand loyalty utilizing our unique dynamic codes which are read by consumers with their smart phones. Further information regarding our business segments is discussed below:

Precision Logistics: The Precision Logistics segment specializes in predictive analytics for optimizing delivery of time and temperature sensitive perishable products. We manage complex industry-specific shipping logistic processes that require critical time, temperature control and handling to prevent spoilage and extreme delivery times and brand impairment. Utilizing predictive analytics from multiple data sources including flight-tracking, weather, traffic, major carrier feeds, and time of day data, we provide our clients an end-to-end vertical approach for their most critical service delivery needs. Using our proprietary IT platform, we provide real-time information and analysis to mitigate supply chain flow interruption, as well as delivering last-mile resolution for key markets, including the perishable healthcare and food industries.

Through our proprietary PeriTrack ® customer dashboard, we provide an integrated tool that gives our customers an in-depth look at their shipping activities and allows them access to critical information in support of the specific needs of the supply chain stakeholders. We offer post-delivery services such as customized reporting for trend analysis, system performance reports, power outage maps, and other tailored reports.

Precision Logistics generates revenue from two business service models.

Products: The Precision Logistics segment includes the following bundled services as part of our service offerings to our customers:

Authentication: The Authentication segment specializes in traceability to connect brands with consumers through their product. This is critical in the current landscape of increased regulations, as well as increased counterfeit activity and product diversion. The ability to detect fraud or abnormal behavior while tracing an item’s journey from production through to the consumer’s hands provides consumers and brands the assurance they require. VerifyMe has custom software, patented technologies, and a cloud environment that combines machine learning and data science to meet the needs of consumers and brands. In addition, the personalized consumer experience with the brand creates a connection that increases brand perception and loyalty.

Products: We have a custom suite of products that offer clients traceability and brand solutions. These products are combined with “software as a service” or “SaaS” which is stored in the cloud and accessed through the internet.

Opportunities

Precision Logistics: Traditionally, most shipping businesses utilize the carrier’s data platform for tracking which generally informs the shipping enterprise, and their customers, when a package is in transit, when a package has been delivered, and some level of detail of the path which a package traveled. We believe taking the data feeds from a carrier and adding real-time visibility with predictive analytics and the human intervention factor of our service center gives us a competitive advantage against other third-party platforms that solely rely on the carrier’s data feeds. We utilize a variety of input sources beyond the carrier’s data feed. Our proprietary “Predictive Analytics” technology is fed real-time meteorology data, traffic and road construction data, and power grid information to help predict issues before they happen. If an alert is created the shipper and our service center will work to address the issue and save the perishable product from spoiling, saving the shipper significant costs and reducing the need to replace products that are no longer viable. We have meteorologists on staff that track world-wide weather patterns to address predicted issues before they happen. We believe the company has two significant areas of opportunity. First, our services are specifically designed to address the needs of small and medium size agriculture, food and beverage companies. Second, the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries represent significant opportunities due to the enhanced tracking and customer service associated with distribution of these products. We are focusing our sales emphasis on those industries. In addition, we believe that combining our authentication solutions into the product offering for Precision Logistics clientele, gives our Precision Logistics segment a competitive advantage to generate revenue by enhancing clients’ ability to grow revenue, gain business intelligence and build brand loyalty.

The U.S. logistics industry is facing an economic slowdown. We believe this represents an opportunity since major global carriers are cutting internal staff. These carriers are looking for lower cost alternatives to service their customers as well as partners that can help the carrier increase revenues. To maintain their credibility in the market, these carriers will need to ensure they meet their customers’ demands for time and temperature sensitive shipments, while maintaining their overheads. We believe outsourcing this function to our Precision Logistics segment provides the ideal solution for all parties involved.

Building logistics infrastructure is a capital-intensive process as the investment is locked in for a considerably long period. Due to the current economic environment, and our cost competitive offering, we believe companies will opt to outsource their precision logistics services to reduce their operational costs. The outsourcing of supply chain related and other logistics operations to service providers such as ours allows companies to improve the efficiency of their businesses by focusing their resources on core competencies.

Authentication: We believe the products in our Authentication segment have applications in many areas. Currently, we are aggressively marketing opportunities in the following areas:

In addition, in each of these markets, our SaaS software allows brand owners and consumers to track the products and will alert the consumer or brand owner of product diversion with 24/7 monitoring. As each product has a unique code, this allows consumers and brand owners to authenticate the product in real time and link directly to the brand owner’s website for additional product information, discounts, and more.

Synergies: We believe that Precision Logistics and Authentication segments have synergistic product centric technology platforms and combined have a compelling technology offering for brand owners. For example, currently our Precision Logistics segment ships vaccines for major pharmaceutical companies. With the addition of our Authentication technology, we can add unit level traceability and authentication to protect clients’ vaccines from product diversion and sub-standard counterfeits. In addition, our Authentication segment brand enhancement solutions could give the Precision Logistics food and beverage clients the ability to gather rich business intelligence and build customer loyalty with engagement functions like videos, discounts, contests, recipes, etc.

Partnerships:

Precision Logistics has a direct partnership with a major global carrier company. This partnership includes the ability for both companies to white label each partner’s services. In addition, Precision Logistics has data feeds directly from the carrier into our proprietary logistics optimization software which provides shippers much more detailed information and predictive analytics on their shipment versus a standard shipping code look up which is provided by the carrier.

Our Authentication segment has a contract with HP Indigo, and a strategic partnership with INX, the third largest producer of inks in North America. We believe these partnerships can be used to enable brand owners to securely prevent counterfeiting, prevent product diversion and authenticate labels, packaging and products alleviating liability from counterfeit products that harm consumers.

Current Economic Environment

In response to market conditions and lower demand some carriers have implemented strategies to address a potential global recession. In April 2023, the major carrier that PeriShip Global partners with laid out steps it was taking to slash $4 billion in permanent costs by the end of its 2025 fiscal year in response to these market conditions and lower demand. In June 2023, the major carrier stated that due to ongoing demand, it plans to ground 29 more aircraft in its fiscal year that started in June 2024. In mid-December 2023, the carrier forecasted a low single digit percentage decline in revenue year over year for 2024.

We have seen a softening in demand for some services related to high-end perishable items and cannabis products which seem to be impacted by reduced discretionary spending by U.S. consumers. While a recession, whether global or more localized to the U.S., may decrease the demand for our services that are more discretionary in nature, we believe that the internal cost cutting measures, if implemented by the major global carrier may benefit out-sourced service providers. We are working with this major global carrier to address their small and medium-sized business clients, which we believe is an underserved market and presents considerable growth opportunities for our Precision Logistics segment. However, we can provide no assurances that a decline in discretionary consumer spending will not have a negative impact on our revenues and results of operations.

Seasonality

We experience seasonal fluctuations in our net revenues from sales in our Precision Logistics segment. Revenues from sales are generally higher in the fourth quarter than in other quarters due to increased holiday shipments. The seasonality of our business may cause fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023

The following discussion analyzes our results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.

Consolidated revenue increased $98 thousand or 2% during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023. The increase is primarily due to organic growth in our premium services in the Precision Logistics segment offsetting a decline in our proactive services related to a discontinued relationship with some lower margin customers. Revenue in our Authentication segment decreased due to timing of a significant customer order in 2023 that did not recur in the three months ended March 31, 2024.