Back to GetFilings.com



Table of Contents

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

x   QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

         For Quarter Ended April 30, 2003

 

OR

 

¨   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

         For the transition period from                     to                      .

 

Commission File Number 001-15715

 

 

 

TIPPINGPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

Organized in the State of Delaware

Tax Identification No. 74-2902814

 

7501B North Capital of Texas Highway, Austin, Texas 78731

Telephone No. (512) 681-8000

 

 

 

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  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes  ¨  No  x

 

The number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock as of May 31, 2003.

 

Class


 

Number of Shares


Common Stock, $0.01 par value

  5,257,390

 



Table of Contents

TIPPINGPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

INDEX

 

             

Page

Number


PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

   1
   

Item 1.

   Financial Statements (unaudited)    1
         Condensed Balance Sheets as of April 30, 2003 and January 31, 2003    1
         Condensed Statements of Operations for the three months ended April 30, 2003 and April 30, 2002    2
         Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended April 30, 2003 and April 30, 2002    3
         Notes to Condensed Financial Statements    4
   

Item 2.

   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition    9
   

Item 3.

   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk    24
   

Item 4.

   Controls and Procedures    25

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION:

   25
   

Item 1.

   Legal Proceedings    25
   

Item 6.

   Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K    26
   

Signatures

   27
   

Certifications

   27


Table of Contents

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

 

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

 

TIPPINGPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

 

    

April 30,

2003


   

January 31,

2003


 
ASSETS                 

Current assets:

                

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

   $ 23,218,582     $ 27,150,496  

Inventory

     1,285,265       1,138,568  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     978,761       862,086  
    


 


Total current assets

     25,482,608       29,151,150  

Property and equipment, net

     3,999,430       4,499,445  

Other

     1,430,365       1,896,642  
    


 


     $ 30,912,403     $ 35,547,237  
    


 


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                 

Current liabilities:

                

Trade accounts payable

   $ 983,428     $ 881,481  

Current portion of long-term debt

     443,350       418,578  

Accrued liabilities

     4,296,104       4,580,553  
    


 


Total current liabilities

     5,722,882       5,880,612  

Long-term debt, excluding current portion

     550,586       612,316  

Other liabilities

     331,480       369,730  
    


 


Total liabilities

     6,604,948       6,862,658  
    


 


Commitments and Contingencies

                

Stockholders’ equity:

                

Common stock, $0.01 par value; 250,000,000 shares authorized; 5,257,390 shares issued and outstanding as of April 30, 2003 and 5,250,000 shares issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2003

     52,574       52,500  

Additional paid-in capital

     314,573,106       314,476,579  

Deferred stock-based compensation

     (511,784 )     (636,125 )

Stockholder notes receivable

     (652,800 )     (652,800 )

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     —         3,750  

Accumulated deficit

     (289,153,641 )     (284,559,325 )
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity

     24,307,455       28,684,579  
    


 


     $ 30,912,403     $ 35,547,237  
    


 


 

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

1


Table of Contents

TIPPINGPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(UNAUDITED)

 

    

Three Months Ended

April 30,


 
     2003

    2002

 

Revenues

   $ 630,420     $ —    

Cost of revenues

     401,869       —    
    


 


Gross margin

     228,551       —    
    


 


Operating expenses:

                

Research and development

     2,447,273       3,981,943  

Sales and marketing

     1,713,441       607,273  

General and administrative

     761,326       1,225,079  
    


 


Total operating expenses

     4,922,040       5,814,295  
    


 


Operating loss

     (4,693,489 )     (5,814,295 )

Interest income, net

     99,173       184,035  
    


 


Net loss

   $ (4,594,316 )   $ (5,630,260 )
    


 


Net basic and diluted loss per share

   $ (0.87 )   $ (1.39 )
    


 


Weighted average common shares outstanding

     5,255,105       4,053,284  
    


 


 

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

2


Table of Contents

TIPPINGPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

 

    

Three Months Ended

April 30,


 
     2003

    2002

 

Cash flows from continuing operating activities:

                

Net loss

   $ (4,594,316 )   $ (5,630,260 )

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in continuing operating activities:

                

Depreciation and amortization

     827,154       638,534  

Accretion of investment securities

     (3,750 )     (57,118 )

Stock-based compensation expense

     183,493       284,181  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

                

Inventory

     (146,696 )     (364,813 )

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (116,675 )     (1,253,250 )

Other non-current assets

     (6,050 )     285,216  

Trade accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other non-current liabilities

     262,876       1,011,501  
    


 


Net cash used in continuing operating activities

     (3,593,964 )     (5,086,009 )
    


 


Cash flows from investing activities:

                

Purchases of property and equipment

     (327,138 )     (932,859 )

Purchases of investment securities

     —         (8,789,504 )

Investment securities matured

     6,064,626       12,000,000  
    


 


Net cash provided by investing activities

     5,737,488       2,277,637  
    


 


Cash flows from financing activities:

                

Decrease in restricted cash in other non-current assets

     472,327       —    

Proceeds from borrowings under long-term debt

     72,077       —    

Principal payments on debt

     (109,035 )     —    

Proceeds from exercise of stock options and warrants

     44,848       553  
    


 


Net cash provided by financing activities

     480,217       553  
    


 


Cash used in discontinued operations

     (491,028 )     (198,894 )
    


 


Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     2,132,713       (3,006,713 )
    


 


Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     21,085,869       28,543,568  
    


 


Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 23,218,582     $ 25,536,855  
    


 


Short-term investments

   $ —       $ 8,812,546  
    


 


Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

   $ 23,218,582     $ 34,349,401  
    


 


 

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

3


Table of Contents

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

(1)   Incorporation and Nature of Business

 

TippingPoint Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Texas in January 1999 and was reincorporated in the State of Delaware on March 15, 2000. We design, manufacture and market network-based intrusion prevention systems and appliances that deliver in-depth protection and attack eradication for corporate enterprises, government agencies, service providers and academic institutions.

 

We were formerly named Netpliance, Inc. while we developed and operated a consumer Internet appliance and service business. In January 2001, we decided to exit the consumer Internet appliance and service business due to, among other things, our continued losses and inability to raise additional capital to fund that business. The accompanying financial statements present our consumer Internet appliance and service business as a discontinued operation for all historical periods. See Note 10, Discontinued Operations.

 

As a result of the early stage of our network security business, we expect to report operating losses through at least the end of our fiscal year ending January 31, 2004. We cannot assure you that we will ever achieve positive cash flow from our operations and we face numerous risks associated with this business.

 

We have funded our activities primarily through private equity offerings, which included sales of our common stock and preferred stock, the initial public offering of our common stock on March 17, 2000 and most recently, a private placement of our common stock to certain investors on October 2, 2002. In fiscal 2003, we also established and made borrowings under our term loan facility with a commercial bank, with whom we also established a revolving loan facility that was unused through April 30, 2003. In the future, we expect to seek additional funding through private or public equity offerings, additional credit facilities or other financing arrangements, at least until such time as we achieve positive cash flow from operations. However, we cannot assure you that such financing will be available or that we will ever achieve positive operating cash flows.

 

In the opinion of our management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments and accruals, necessary for a fair presentation of such information. We derived the balance sheet as of January 31, 2003 from our audited financial statements as of that date. While we believe that the disclosures are adequate to make the information not misleading, we suggest that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2003. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results we expect in future periods.

 

(2)   Inventory

 

Our inventory is stated at the lower of actual cost (first-in, first-out method) or market value (estimated net realizable value). The valuation of inventory at the lower of actual cost or market value requires us to use estimates regarding the amount of current inventory that will be sold and the prices at which it will be sold. These estimates are dependent on our assessment of expected orders from our

 

4


Table of Contents

customers. As of April 30, 2003 and January 31, 2003, our inventory consisted of component parts of approximately $615,000 and $839,000, respectively, and finished goods of approximately $670,000 and $300,000, respectively.

 

(3)   Long-Term Debt

 

On July 30, 2002, we entered into a loan and security agreement with a commercial bank, which consists of a term loan facility and a revolving loan facility, and is collateralized by a first priority lien on substantially all of our tangible and intangible assets. Under the term loan facility, we can borrow up to $2.5 million for purchases of equipment and software approved by the bank. Under the revolving loan facility, we can borrow up to $5 million for working capital purposes, subject to availability under a borrowing base. As of April 30, 2003, we had borrowings outstanding of approximately $1 million under the term loan facility, and had not borrowed any amount under the revolving loan facility.

 

All amounts borrowed under the term loan facility amortize over periods ending no later than January 30, 2006. The revolving credit facility terminates and all amounts borrowed thereunder and not previously repaid are due and payable in full (including any accrued interest) on July 30, 2004. Advances under both facilities accrue interest at a rate equal to the bank’s prime rate plus 0.75% per annum.

 

The loan agreement contains customary covenants and restrictions on additional indebtedness, liens, disposition of assets, investments and dividends.

 

(4)   Net Loss Per Share

 

Basic and diluted net loss per share are presented in conformity with Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (“SFAS”) SFAS No. 128, “Earnings Per Share.” In accordance with SFAS No. 128, we compute basic loss per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share is equivalent to basic loss per share because outstanding stock options and warrants are anti-dilutive. Our common stock equivalents consist of common shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options and warrants, and the lapsing of restrictions on shares of restricted stock.

 

(5)   Stock-Based Compensation

 

We apply the intrinsic value-based method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations, in accounting for our fixed plan stock options. As such, we record compensation expense on the date of grant only if the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price. We have adopted the disclosure-only provisions of SFAS No. 148, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation—Transition and Disclosures” as well as those outlined in SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation”. SFAS 123, as amended by SFAS 148, requires that companies that do not choose to account for stock-based compensation as prescribed by SFAS 123 must disclose the pro forma effects on earnings and earnings per share as if SFAS 123 had been adopted.

 

5


Table of Contents

Had compensation cost for all stock option grants been determined based on their fair market value at the grant dates consistent with the method prescribed by SFAS 148 and SFAS 123, our net loss and loss per share would have been increased to the pro forma amounts indicated below:

 

    

Three
Months
Ended

April 30,

2003


    

Three
Months
Ended

April 30,

2002


 

Net loss as reported

   $ (4,594,316 )    $ (5,630,260 )

Add:

   Employee stock-based compensation included in the reported net loss      124,341        203,393  

Deduct:

   Total employee stock-based compensation determined under the fair value based method for all awards      271,076        230,868  
    


  


Pro forma net loss

   $ (4,741,051 )    $ (5,657,735 )
    


  


Basis and diluted loss per share:

                 

As reported

   $ (0.87 )    $ (1.39 )

Pro forma

   $ (0.90 )    $ (1.40 )

 

The per share weighted-average fair value of stock options and shares of restricted common stock granted during the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002 was $3.76 and $4.16, respectively, on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of options was estimated using a risk-free interest rate of 2.9% and 4.5% for 2003 and 2002, respectively, a dividend yield of zero and volatility of 50% for all periods presented and a weighted average expected life of four years.

 

(6)   Restricted Stock

 

We have reserved for issuance a total of 28,127 shares of restricted common stock under our stock incentive plan as a result of the exchange of those shares of restricted common stock for certain of our outstanding stock options. The shares of restricted common stock vest over various increments, with unvested shares being subject to forfeiture under certain circumstances. Upon certain change of control events, to the extent shares of restricted common stock are not then fully vested, one-third of such shares will immediately vest.

 

(7)   Stock Option Plan

 

Between January 31, 2003 and April 30, 2003, we granted to employees options to purchase an aggregate of 105,300 shares of common stock at exercise prices ranging from $7.68 to $10.57 per share, which will vest over a period of four years. As of April 30, 2003, we have outstanding options with the right to purchase 844,714 shares of common stock. In addition, we have 28,127 shares of restricted stock reserved for issuance, which are subject to forfeiture under certain circumstances.

 

We have recorded approximately $124,000 and $203,000 of employee stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended April 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively, primarily as a result of granting stock options in 1999 and 2000 with exercise prices below the deemed fair market value of our

 

6


Table of Contents

common stock for financial reporting purposes at the date of grant, granting shares of restricted stock during 2001, and granting vested options to members of our technical advisory group during 2002. We will amortize the remaining deferred compensation of approximately $512,000 as of April 30, 2003 over the applicable vesting period of outstanding options and restricted stock.

 

(8)   Commitments and Contingencies

 

We lease our office space and certain equipment under non-cancelable operating leases expiring in various years through 2007. Our minimum lease commitments under non-cancelable leases at April 30, 2003 are approximately $3.9 million. Terms of our facility lease call for letters of credit totaling approximately $1.2 million. We have pledged certificates of deposit (included in other noncurrent assets at April 30, 2003) as collateral.

 

On July 11, 2001, a purported class action lawsuit was filed against us in Texas state court in Travis County, Texas on behalf of all persons who purchased an Internet appliance from us and subscribed to the related Internet service. The complaint alleges that, among other things, we disseminated false and misleading advertisements, engaged in unauthorized billing practices and failed to provide adequate technical and customer support and service with respect to our Internet appliance and service business. The complaint seeks an unspecified amount of damages. We believe that the action is without merit, that the action is not proper for class action treatment and that we have meritorious defenses available. We intend to defend this action vigorously.

 

On December 5, 2001, we and two of our current and former officers and directors, as well as the managing underwriters in our initial public offering were named as defendants in a purported class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit, which is part of a consolidated action that includes over 300 similar actions, is captioned In re Initial Public Offering Securities Litigation, Brian Levey vs. TippingPoint Technologies, Inc., et al., No. 01 CV 10976. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants participated in a scheme to manipulate the initial public offering and subsequent market price of our stock, by the underwriters requiring certain of their customers to purchase stock in our initial public offering as a condition to being allocated shares in the initial public offerings of other companies. The purported plaintiff class for the lawsuit is comprised of all persons who purchased our stock from March 17, 2000 through December 6, 2000. The suit seeks rescission of the purchase prices paid by purchasers of shares of our common stock. We believe the lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend it vigorously. To the extent the plaintiffs are successful in this action, we intend to seek indemnification and/or contribution from the underwriters in our initial public offering pursuant to our underwriting agreement with them. However, there can be no assurance that such rights will be available to us or enforceable against the underwriters.

 

At this time, we are not involved in any other legal proceedings that our management currently believes would be material to our business, financial condition or results of operations. We could be forced to incur material expenses with respect to these legal proceedings, and in the event there is an outcome in any that is adverse to us, our financial position and prospects could be harmed.

 

(9)   Business Segment and Revenue Information

 

We operate in one business segment, the sale of high-speed network-based intrusion prevention systems. For the quarter ended April 30, 2003, all of our revenues were attributable to sales to customers in the United States. Approximately $300,000 of the revenues for the quarter ended April 30, 2003 were from a university in which an officer and director of our company is on the board of trustees and is a benefactor.

 

7


Table of Contents
(10)   Discontinued Operations

 

In connection with our consumer Internet appliance and service business, we experienced operating losses since our inception primarily as a result of selling our Internet appliance at a significant loss; trying to build and support our Internet service offering for Internet appliance customers; expanding our subscriber base; and ultimately winding this business down.

 

In November 2000, we began shifting our business model away from our consumer Internet offering and restructured our operations. In February 2001, we entered into an agreement with a third party for the transfer of our service obligations relating to most of our existing customers, and we transferred approximately 50,000 of our customers to the third party’s service on March 12, 2001. We ceased providing any Internet access service to our remaining customers in June 2001. In December 2001, any obligation for us to continue providing support services for other Internet service providers expired. Effective January 1, 2002, the third party began operating the Internet portal for their customers who had been using our portal. In general, we have exited our consumer-focused business entirely, but we continue to have certain obligations, contingencies and potential liabilities relating to this business. There were no operating results of the discontinued consumer Internet appliance and service business for the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002.

 

As of April 30, 2003, we had reflected in accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet approximately $2.9 million for costs of the discontinued operations that we estimated we would incur in future periods. The accrued costs consist primarily of a restructuring accrual of approximately $2.3 million relating to lease termination costs and approximately $600,000 relating to estimated legal fees and other expenses. Any differences between these estimates and the actual amounts incurred in future periods will change the estimated net loss from discontinued operations accordingly.

 

In connection with the restructuring plan, we accrued lease termination costs related to an unused facility in Austin, Texas that we utilized with our old business. We have attempted unsuccessfully to sub-lease the unused facility in an effort to minimize lease termination costs, which are currently in dispute and the subject of a lawsuit with the landlord. The terms of the lease called for letters of credit totaling approximately $470,000. We pledged certificates of deposit (included in other noncurrent assets at January 31, 2003) as collateral. In March 2003, all letters of credit were drawn upon by the landlord. Accordingly, the reserve and noncurrent other assets have been reduced by approximately $470,000 during the quarter ended April 30, 2003.

 

The following table provides a summary of charges and changes in the lease termination restructuring accrual for the three months ended April 30, 2003:

 

    

Three Months
Ended

April 30, 2003


 

Accrual at beginning of period

   $ 2,758,760  

Cash payments in period

     (472,327 )

Expensed in period

     —    
    


Accrual at end of period

   $ 2,286,433  
    


 

8


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

 

This report, including the discussion in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition, contains trend analysis and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All of our statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including: any projections of earnings, revenues or other financial items; any statements of our plans, strategies and objectives for future operations; any statements concerning our proposed new products, services or developments; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; any statements of belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements may include the words “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue,” “believe,” “expect” or “anticipate” and other similar words.

 

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in any of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and to inherent risks and uncertainties, such as those disclosed in this report. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement.

 

Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in such forward-looking statements as a result of the “Factors Affecting Operating Results” and other risks detailed in this report and our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We urge you to review carefully the section “Factors Affecting Operating Results” in this report for a more complete discussion of the risks associated with an investment in our securities.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to our revenue recognition, inventory, deferred taxes, impairment of long-lived assets, litigation and discontinued operations. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which 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.

 

Our critical accounting policies are as follows:

 

Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recorded from sales of our hardware-based security systems and appliances, and to a lesser extent, from software products and services. We sell primarily to resellers, including value-added resellers (VARs). Generally, we will recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the fee is fixed or determinable and collection is probable. We do not expect resellers to hold significant inventories of our products, if at all. As a result, we expect returns to be minimal. We will record discounts provided to resellers for achieving purchasing targets as a reduction of revenue on the date of sale.

 

Inventory. We adjust our inventory values so that the carrying value does not exceed net realizable value. We estimate net realizable value based upon forecasted demand. However, forecasted

 

9


Table of Contents

demand is subject to revisions and actual demand may differ. This difference may have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

Deferred Taxes. As part of the process of preparing our financial statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes. This process involves estimating our actual current tax exposure together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items for tax and accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included within our balance sheet. We must 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 must establish a valuation allowance. To the extent we establish a valuation allowance or increase this allowance in a period, we must include an expense within the tax provision in our statement of operations.

 

Significant judgment involving multiple variables is required in determining our deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance recorded against our net deferred tax assets. In assessing the potential realization of deferred tax assets, we consider whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon achieving future taxable income during the period in which our deferred tax assets are recoverable. Due to the uncertainty surrounding our ability to generate taxable income in the future, we have determined that it is more likely than not that we will not be able to utilize any of the benefits of our deferred tax assets, including net operating loss carry forwards, before they expire. Therefore, we have provided a 100% valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets in each year of our existence, and our net deferred tax asset as of April 30, 2003 is zero.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets. We evaluate the recoverability of our long-lived assets and review these assets for recoverability when events or circumstances indicate a potential impairment. Factors we consider important that could trigger an impairment review include the following:

 

  ·   significant underperformance relative to historical or projected operating results;

 

  ·   significant changes in the manner or use of the assets or the strategy for our overall business; and

 

  ·   significant negative industry or economic trends.

 

When we determine that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable based on the existence of one or more of the above indicators of impairment, we measure any impairment by estimating the undiscounted cash flows to be generated from the use and ultimate disposition of these assets. We record assets to be disposed of at the lower of the carrying amount or fair market value less anticipated costs of sales.

 

Litigation. We evaluate contingent liabilities, including threatened or pending litigation in accordance with SFAS No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies” and record accruals when the outcome of these matters is deemed probable and the liability is reasonably estimable. We make these assessments based upon the facts and circumstances, and in some instances based in part upon the advice of outside legal counsel. We include in these accruals an estimate to cover legal fees and expenses to defend ourselves. Because of the uncertainties related to certain pending litigation and claims, we are not able to make a reasonable estimate of the liability that could result from an unfavorable outcome, if any. As additional information becomes available, we reassess the potential liability related to our pending litigation and revise our estimates. Such revisions in our estimates of the potential liability could materially impact our results of operations and financial condition. At April 30, 2003, we had approximately $600,000 accrued for legal fees and other expenses, which was included in the estimated loss from discontinued operations in prior fiscal years.

 

10


Table of Contents

Discontinued Operations. There were no operating results of the discontinued Internet appliance and service business for the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002. As of April 30, 2003, we had reflected in accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet approximately $2.9 million for costs of the discontinued operations that we estimated we would incur in future periods. The accrued costs consist primarily of a restructuring accrual of approximately $2.3 million relating to lease termination costs and approximately $600,000 relating to estimated legal fees and other expenses. The lease termination costs related to an unused facility in Austin, Texas that we utilized with our old business. We have attempted unsuccessfully to sub-lease the unused facility in an effort to minimize lease termination costs, which are currently in dispute and the subject of a lawsuit with the landlord. The terms of the lease called for letters of credit totaling approximately $470,000. We pledged certificates of deposit (included in other noncurrent assets at January 31, 2003) as collateral. In March 2003, all letters of credit were drawn upon by the landlord. Accordingly, the reserve and noncurrent other assets have been reduced by approximately $470,000 during the quarter ended April 30, 2003. Any differences between these estimated accrued costs and the actual amounts incurred in future periods will change the estimated net loss from discontinued operations accordingly.

 

Overview

 

Since the beginning of 2001, our strategy has been to develop hardware and software offerings that enhance and manage various applications for high-speed computer information systems. In February 2002, we announced our entry into the network security industry with our UnityOne line of products, the result of the development effort we initiated in 2001. This product line delivers high-speed network-based intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to corporate enterprises, governmental agencies, service providers and academic institutions. In September 2002, we announced the availability of our UnityOne product line. In February 2003, we announced three additional offerings in the UnityOne product line. Going forward, we anticipate that we will primarily focus our efforts on developing and marketing products and services in the network security industry.

 

Our UnityOne line of appliances and systems, which have high-speed, security-optimized, processors that can operate at gigabit speeds, are hardware-based products designed to protect enterprise information systems from external and internal hostile, malicious or cyber-terrorist attacks. Our products are designed to continually analyze Internet and Intranet traffic and block attacks, commonly referred to as viruses, worms, Trojans and denial-of-service attacks, before damage occurs and without compromising network operating performance. Our Peer-to-Peer Piracy Prevention functionality allows enterprises to control the use of peer-to-peer file sharing applications by blocking, limiting and prioritizing peer-to-peer traffic based on specific client, server, IP address or application type.

 

We believe that our competitive advantage is the ability of our products to stop attacks in a network at gigabit per second speeds, without slowing network operating performance. Our hardware-based platform is designed for network-based attack prevention and is capable of supporting thousands of filters that can perform deep packet inspections across a network segment without compromising network operating performance. We believe that our approach offers customers an effective network-based security solution with attractive economics, high performance, scalability and reliability.

 

Our products are currently complementary to firewalls, but significantly improve protection against malicious attacks. Even with firewalls, organizations are still plagued by dangerous attacks such as Code Red, Nimda and Sapphire, which continue to penetrate through firewalls. Accordingly, prevention products are increasingly seen as a critical tier of any multi-tier security strategy. Firewalls offer security mechanisms for limited layers of network communications. Our UnityOne IPS products protect information technology infrastructures from attacks that firewalls miss, and prevent intrusions within network communication that firewalls cannot prevent. Firewalls are also typically positioned at the network perimeter. UnityOne products have the ability to be located either at the core of the network or at the perimeter, enabling protection from external and internal attacks and abuses.

 

11


Table of Contents

Results of Continuing Operations

 

Revenues

 

We recognized approximately $630,000 of revenues during the quarter ended April 30, 2003. This is the first quarter in which we have recognized revenue from our high-speed network-based intrusion prevention systems and appliances. Included in revenues is approximately $216,000 from sales transactions that occurred during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2003. At January 31, 2003, this revenue was deferred under applicable accounting rules and our policy and subsequently met the recognition criteria during the quarter ended April 30, 2003. All of the revenues were attributable to sales to customers in the United States.

 

Gross Margin

 

For the quarter ended April 30, 2003, cost of revenues was approximately $402,000 and gross margin was approximately $229,000 or 36%. Cost of revenues included approximately $288,000 of fixed manufacturing overhead and warranty support costs.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Research and development expenses. Research and development expenses were approximately $2.4 million and $4.0 million for the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The decrease in research and development expenses was due to decreases in employment costs, as a result of decreased headcount, and expenses incurred in developing our product offerings, including prototype and outside services.

 

Sales and marketing expenses. Sales and marketing expenses totaled approximately $1.7 million and $600,000 for the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The increase in sales and marketing expenses was the result of growth in our sales and marketing organizations, principally the sales teams and related employment costs, and expansion of sales efforts. The increases were partially offset by a reduction in certain advertising expenses.

 

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses were approximately $761,000 and $1.2 million for the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The decrease in general and administrative expenses was primarily the result of decreases in employment costs, due to a reduction in headcount.

 

12


Table of Contents

Other

 

Interest income. Interest income, net of interest expense, totaled approximately $99,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 2003 as compared to approximately $184,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 2002. The decrease in interest income in fiscal year 2003 is due to a general decrease in the average cash balances in interest-bearing accounts we held at banking and financial institutions throughout the year, as well as a general reduction in the average yield earned on invested funds.

 

Discontinued operations. There were no operating results of the discontinued consumer Internet appliance and service business for the quarters ended April 30, 2003 and 2002. As of April 30, 2003, we had reflected in accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet approximately $2.9 million for costs of the discontinued operations that we estimated we would incur in future periods. The accrued costs consist primarily of a restructuring accrual of approximately $2.3 million relating to lease termination costs and approximately $600,000 relating to estimated legal fees and other expenses. Any differences between these estimated accrued costs and the actual amounts incurred in future periods will change the estimated net loss from discontinued operations accordingly.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

From inception in January 1999 through April 30, 2003, we financed our operations and met our capital expenditure requirements primarily from the net proceeds of the private and public sale of equity securities totaling approximately $240 million. As of April 30, 2003, we had approximately $23.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, compared to approximately $27.2 million at January 31, 2003. Our business plan will require significant capital to fund anticipated operating losses, including research and development expenses and sales and marketing expenses, capital expenditures and working capital needs until we achieve positive cash flows from operations. We cannot give any assurance that any additional financing will be available, that we can ever achieve positive operating cash flows or that we will have sufficient cash from any source to meet our needs. It is possible that we will exhaust all available funds before we reach the positive cash flow phase of our business model.

 

On July 30, 2002, we entered into a loan and security agreement with a commercial bank. The loan agreement consists of a term loan facility and a revolving loan facility, and is collateralized by a first priority lien on substantially all of our tangible and intangible assets. Under the term loan facility, we can borrow up to $2.5 million for purchases of equipment and software approved by the bank. Under the revolving loan facility, we can borrow up to $5 million for working capital purposes, subject to availability under a borrowing base. As of April 30, 2003, we had borrowed approximately $1 million under the term loan facility, and had not borrowed any amount under the revolving loan facility.

 

All amounts borrowed under the term loan facility amortize over periods ending no later than January 30, 2006. The revolving loan facility terminates and all amounts borrowed thereunder and not previously repaid are due and payable in full (including any accrued interest) on July 30, 2004. Advances under both facilities accrue interest at a rate equal to the bank’s prime rate plus 0.75% per annum. The loan agreement contains customary covenants and restrictions on additional indebtedness, liens, disposition of assets, investments and dividends.

 

In the quarter ended April 30, 2003, working capital decreased by approximately $3.5 million, to approximately $19.8 million from approximately $23.3 million as of January 31, 2003. The decrease in working capital during the quarter was primarily the result of losses incurred in our continuing operations and capital expenditures during that period.

 

Net cash used in continuing operating activities was approximately $3.6 million for the quarter ended April 30, 2003, compared to net cash used in continuing operating activities of approximately $5.1 million for the quarter ended April 30, 2002. The decrease in net cash used in continuing operating

 

13


Table of Contents

activities in the quarter ended April 30, 2003 as compared with the quarter ended April 30, 2002, was primarily the result of a reduction in the net loss by approximately $1 million, inventory build increases of approximately $218,000, and increases of prepaid expenses and other current assets of approximately $1.1 million partially offset by a reduction in the increase in the change of trade accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other non-current liabilities of approximately $749,000.

 

Net cash provided by investing activities was approximately $5.7 million for the quarter ended April 30, 2003 as compared to approximately $2.3 million for the quarter ended April 30, 2002. The increase in net cash provided by investing activities was due to the timing of investing and maturing of our short term investments. Short-term investments maturing during the three months ended April 30, 2003 were reinvested subsequent to April 30, 2003. A reduction in capital expenditures, in connection with the reduction in research and development costs, of approximately $605,000 also contributed to the increase in net cash provided by investing activities.

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was approximately $480,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 2003, compared to less than $1,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 2002. This increase in net cash provided by financing activities was primarily due to the decrease in restricted cash attributable to the draw down of the letters of credit by the landlord of the unused facility that we utilized with our discontinued operations.

 

Net cash used in discontinued operations was approximately $491,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 2003, as compared to approximately $199,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 2002. This increase in net cash used in discontinued operations activities was due to the draw down of the letters of credit by the landlord of the unused facility that we utilized with our discontinued operations.

 

At April 30, 2003, future minimum payments due under our lease obligations were approximately $3.9 million.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

 

In November 2002, the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) reached a consensus on Issue No. 00-21, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables.” EITF Issue No. 00-21 provides guidance on how to account for arrangements that involve the delivery or performance of multiple products, services and/or rights to use assets. The provisions of EITF Issue No. 00-21 will apply to revenue arrangements entered into in fiscal periods beginning after June 15, 2003. We do not expect EITF Issue No. 00-21 to have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

In January 2003, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 46 (“FIN 46”), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51.” FIN 46 requires certain variable interest entities to be consolidated by the primary beneficiary of the entity if the equity investors in the entity do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. FIN 46 is effective for all new variable interest entities created or acquired after January 31, 2003. For variable interest entities created or acquired prior to February 1, 2003, the provisions of FIN 46 must be applied for the first interim or annual period beginning after June 15, 2003. We do not expect FIN 46 to have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity.” SFAS No. 150 establishes standards for how an issuer classifies and measures certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. SFAS No. 150 requires that an issuer classify a financial instrument that is within its scope as a liability (or an asset in some cases). Many of those instruments were previously classified as equity. SFAS No. 150 is effective for financial instruments entered into or modified after May 31, 2003 and is effective at

 

14


Table of Contents

the beginning of the first interim period after June 15, 2003. We do not expect SFAS No. 150 to have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

Factors Affecting Operating Results

 

There are numerous risks affecting our business, some of which are beyond our control. An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk and may not be appropriate for investors who cannot afford to lose their entire investment. In addition to the risks outlined below, risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently consider immaterial may also impair our business operations. Our future operating results and financial condition are heavily dependent on our ability to successfully develop, manufacture and market technologically innovative solutions in order to meet customer demands for network security. Inherent in this process are a number of factors that we must successfully manage if we are to achieve positive operating results in the future. Potential risks and uncertainties that could affect our operating results and financial condition include, without limitation, the following:

 

We cannot predict our future results because we have a limited operating history and have only recently introduced our line of products within the network security industry.

 

We have a limited operating history and little history operating our network security business. Our line of products only recently became generally available for purchase. Therefore, we have little meaningful historical financial data upon which to base projections of operating expenses or revenues. We began to focus on our network security offering in the later half of 2001. Our network security offering is still in the early stage, and we have only recently achieved any sales from this offering. There are significant risks and costs inherent in our efforts to undertake this business model. These include the risk that we may not be able to achieve market acceptance for our network security line of products or earn significant revenues from the sale of such products, that our business model may not be profitable and other significant risks related to our business model. Our prospects must be considered in light of the uncertainties and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in their early stages of development. These risks are heightened in rapidly evolving industries, such as network security. It is possible that we will exhaust all available funds before we reach positive cash flow.

 

It is possible that we may never become profitable.

 

Successful implementation of our network-based security products business model continues to involve several risks. These risks include:

 

    reliance upon unproven products and technology;

 

    our unproven and evolving business model;

 

    market acceptance of our new products and any additional products that we may be able to develop;

 

    our ability to anticipate and adapt to a developing market and to rapidly changing technologies;

 

    the effect of competitive pressures in the marketplace;

 

    our need to structure our internal resources to support the development, marketing and future growth of our product offerings;

 

15


Table of Contents
    uncertainties concerning our strategic direction and financial condition;

 

    our need to introduce additional reliable products that meet the demanding needs of large enterprises; and

 

    our need to enhance our business development, research and development, product development and support organizations, and to expand our distribution channels, to develop our business.

 

In addition, although we believe that the actions that we are taking under our business plan will help us become profitable, we cannot assure you that such actions will succeed in the long or short term.

 

Internal and external changes resulting from our financial condition may concern our prospective customers, strategic relationships, resellers and employees, and produce a prolonged period of uncertainty, which could have a material adverse affect on our business. Our strategy requires pursuing new strategic relationships, increasing our research and development expenditures, adding employees who possess the skills we believe we will need going forward, investing in new technologies, establishing leadership positions in new high-growth markets, establishing distribution channels for our new products and realigning and enhancing our sales and marketing departments. Many factors may impact our ability to successfully implement our strategy, including our ability to finalize agreements with other companies, sustain the productivity of our workforce, introduce innovative new products in a timely manner, manage operating expenses and quickly respond to, and recover from, unforeseen events associated with our strategy.

 

The market for our products may not develop as we contemplate, which could result in our failure to achieve sales and profits from our business model.

 

Our business model involves competing in a dynamic market. Our financial performance and any future growth will depend, in part, upon our ability to obtain market share from existing competitors. We intend to invest a significant portion of our resources in the network security market, which we anticipate will grow at a significantly higher rate than the broader networking and infrastructure industry on average. The markets for network security solutions are highly competitive, and we are not certain that our target customers will widely adopt and deploy our technology. Even if our products are effective, our target customers may not choose to use them for technical, cost, support or other reasons. We are offering a different solution to network security, and it may not be accepted by the market as an alternative to existing solutions.

 

Competition in the network security market may reduce the demand for, or price of, our products.

 

The market for network security products is highly competitive, and we expect competition to intensify in the future. Our competitors may introduce new competitive products for the same markets targeted by our line of products. These products may have better performance, lower prices and broader acceptance than our products. Competition may reduce the overall market for our products.

 

Current and potential competitors in our market include the following:

 

    intrusion detection system vendors such as Internet Security Systems, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Symantec Corporation, NetScreen Technologies, Inc., Network Associates, Inc., IntruVert Networks Inc., Intrusion Inc., Enterasys Networks, Inc. and other emerging startups;

 

    firewall and virtual private network vendors such as NetScreen Technologies, Inc., Check Point Software Technologies Ltd and Symantec Corporation

 

16


Table of Contents
    network equipment manufacturers such as Cisco Systems, Inc., Lucent Technologies, Inc., Nokia Corporation and Nortel Networks Corporation;

 

    security appliance suppliers such as NetScreen Technologies, Inc., SonicWALL, Inc., iPolicy Networks, WatchGuard Technologies, Inc., Network Associates, Inc. and Symantec Corporation; and

 

    emerging security companies that may position their systems as replacements for our products.

 

Many of these current and potential competitors have longer operating histories, greater name recognition, larger customer bases and significantly greater financial, technical, sales, marketing and other resources than we do. Many of our competitors may also have existing relationships with the resellers who we use to sell our products, or with our potential customers. In addition, some of our competitors currently combine their products with other companies’ networking and security products to compete with our products. These competitors also often combine their sales and marketing efforts to compete with our products. This competition may result in reduced prices and longer sales cycles for our products. If any of our larger competitors were to commit greater technical, sales, marketing and other resources to our markets, our ability to compete would be adversely affected.

 

Our business will suffer if our target customers do not accept our products.

 

Our revenues will depend upon the widespread acceptance and use of network security technology by our target market. Substantially all of our revenues may come from sales of one or two product lines, making us dependent on widespread market acceptance of these products. We may be more dependent on the market acceptance of individual product lines than our competitors with broader offerings. Factors that may affect the market acceptance of our anticipated line of products include:

 

    adoption of advanced network security products and technologies;

 

    the need, or perceived need, to maintain or increase network connection speed when adding network security devices;

 

    the performance, price and total cost of ownership of our line of products;

 

    the availability and price of competing products and technologies; and

 

    the success and development of our business development and marketing organizations.

 

If we are unable to acquire key components or are unable to acquire them on favorable terms, our business will suffer.

 

Some key processors and other components of our line of products upon which we rely are currently available only from single or limited sources. In addition, some of the suppliers of these components will also be supplying certain of our competitors. We cannot be certain that our suppliers will be able to meet our demand for components in a timely and cost-effective manner. We expect to carry little inventory of some of our products and product components, and we will rely on our suppliers to deliver necessary components to our contract manufacturers in a timely manner based upon forecasts we provide. Some of the semiconductors and processors we require are complex, and we may not be able to develop an alternate source of supply in a timely manner, which could hurt our ability to deliver our products to our customers. If we are unable to buy these components on a timely and a cost-efficient basis, we may not be able to deliver products to our customers, which would negatively impact future revenues and, in turn, seriously harm our business.

 

17


Table of Contents

At various times, some of the key components for our products have been in short supply. Delays in receiving components would harm our ability to deliver our products on a timely basis. In addition, because we expect to rely on purchase orders rather than long-term contracts with our suppliers, we cannot predict with certainty our ability to procure components in the longer term. If we receive a smaller allocation of components than is necessary to manufacture products in quantities sufficient to meet our customers’ demand, those customers could choose to purchase competing products.

 

Our reliance on third parties to manufacture and assemble our products could cause a delay in our ability to fill orders, which might cause us to lose sales.

 

We currently use a single third party to manufacture sub-assemblies of our products, and we purchase our components on a purchase order basis. We expect to continue this method of procurement indefinitely. If we cannot continue our arrangement with our contract manufacturer, and if we cannot establish an arrangement with at least one contract manufacturer who agrees to manufacture our sub-assemblies on terms acceptable to us, we may not be able to produce and ship our products, and our business will suffer. If we fail to manage our relationships with our contract manufacturers effectively, or if they experience delays, disruptions or quality control problems in their manufacturing operations, our ability to ship products to our customers could be delayed.

 

The absence of dedicated capacity with our contract manufacturers means that, with little or no notice, they could refuse to continue manufacturing some or all of our products. Qualifying new contract manufacturers and commencing volume production would be expensive and time-consuming. If we are required or choose to change contract manufacturers, we could lose revenues and damage our customer relationships.

 

Our reliance on third-party manufacturers also exposes us to the following risks that are outside our control:

 

    unexpected increases in manufacturing and repair costs;

 

    interruptions in shipments if one of our manufacturers is unable to complete production;

 

    inability to control delivery schedules;

 

    unpredictability of manufacturing yields; and

 

    inability of a manufacturer to maintain the financial strength to meet our procurement and manufacturing needs.

 

If we fail to develop or maintain relationships with significant resellers, or if these resellers are not successful in their sales efforts, sales of our products and our operating results would suffer.

 

We expect to derive the bulk of our total revenues from sales by resellers. Sometimes purchasers of network security solutions choose their products based on which network security solution is carried by the reseller from whom they buy other products, rather than solely on performance characteristics. We do not expect to have any long-term contracts or minimum purchase commitments with any of our resellers. In addition, our resellers may sell products that are competitive with ours, may devote more resources to those competitive products and may cease selling our products altogether. The resellers through whom we sell our products may not be successful in selling our products, for reasons beyond our control. If any of the foregoing occurs, our operating results will suffer.

 

18


Table of Contents

Marketing to most of our target customers involves long sales and implementation cycles, which may cause revenues and operating results to vary significantly.

 

We market our line of products primarily to large enterprises and government agencies through resellers. A prospective customer’s decision to purchase our products will often involve a significant commitment of its resources and a lengthy evaluation and product qualification process. Throughout the sales cycle, we anticipate often spending considerable time educating and providing information to prospective customers regarding the use and benefits of our products. Budget constraints, budget cycles and the need for multiple approvals within these organizations may also delay the purchase decision. Failure to obtain the required approval for a particular project or purchase decision on a timely basis may delay the purchase of our products. As a result, we expect that the sales cycle for our network security solutions typically will be 90 to 180 days. These long cycles may cause delays in any potential sale, and we may spend a large amount of time and resources on prospective customers who decide not to purchase our line of products and services, which could materially and adversely affect our business.

 

Even after making the decision to purchase our products, our customers may not deploy our products broadly within their networks. We expect the timing of implementation to vary widely, depending on the complexity of the customer’s network environment, the size of the network deployment, budget constraints, the skill set of the customer and the degree of hardware and software configuration necessary to deploy our products. Enterprises, including governmental agencies, with large networks usually expand their networks in large increments on a periodic basis. In addition, large enterprises and governmental agencies, and resellers selling to such entities, typically pay their suppliers over a longer period of time, which could negatively affect our liquidity.

 

Our products are designed for the network infrastructure market, which requires us to maintain a sophisticated sales force, engage in extensive negotiations and provide high-level engineering support to complete sales. If we do not successfully market our products to these targeted customers, our operating results will be below our expectations and the expectations of investors and market analysts, which would likely cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

 

We will not be able to develop or continue our business if we fail to attract and retain key personnel.

 

Our future success depends on our ability to attract, hire, train and retain a number of highly skilled employees and on the service and performance of our senior management and other key personnel. The loss of the services of our executive officers or other key employees could adversely affect our business. Competition for qualified personnel possessing the skills necessary for success in the competitive market of the network security industry is intense, and we may fail to attract or retain the employees necessary to execute our business model successfully. Because we have experienced operating losses, we may have a more difficult time in attracting and retaining the employees we need.

 

We will also offer support and other services through maintenance and other agreements. Although we plan to provide support services sufficient to meet our expected business level, our growth will be limited in the event we are unable to hire or retain support services personnel or subcontract these services to qualified third parties.

 

Some members of our management team have joined us only recently. Our success depends to a significant degree upon the continued contributions of our key management, engineering, research and development, business development and marketing and other personnel, many of whom would be difficult to replace. In particular, we believe that our future success is highly dependent on John F. McHale, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, with whom we do not have an employment agreement.

 

19


Table of Contents

Our failure to develop or introduce new products or product enhancements might cause our business to suffer.

 

The market for network security products is characterized by rapid technological change, frequent new product introductions, changes in customer requirements, intense competition and evolving industry standards. Therefore, our success will depend upon our ability to identify product opportunities, to develop and introduce products in a timely manner and to gain market acceptance of any products developed. In developing our products, we have made, and will continue to make, assumptions with respect to which features, security standards and performance criteria will be required by our customers. We also expect to develop products with strategic partners and incorporate advanced third-party security capabilities into our products. We may not be able to develop new products or product enhancements in a timely manner, or at all. If we fail to develop or introduce these new products and product enhancements, such failure might cause our products to be less competitive. In addition, our assumptions about customer requirements may be wrong. If we implement features, security standards and performance criteria that are different from those required by our customers, market acceptance of our products may be significantly reduced or delayed. Even if we are able to develop and introduce new products and enhancements, these products or enhancements may not achieve widespread market acceptance. Any failure of our products or product enhancements to achieve market acceptance could cause our business to suffer.

 

We may not be able to compete effectively if we are not able to protect our intellectual property.

 

We intend to rely on a combination of patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright law and contractual restrictions to protect the intellectual property we develop. We have filed eleven patent applications related to our network security products in the United States. We have also applied to register certain trademarks relating to our business in the United States. We anticipate filing additional patent and trademark applications relating to our business. If we are not successful in obtaining the patent protection we need, our competitors may be able to replicate our technology and compete more effectively against us. We also enter, and plan to continue to enter, into confidentiality or license agreements with our employees, consultants and other parties with whom we contract, and control access to and distribution of our software, documentation and other proprietary information. The legal protections described above would afford only limited protection. Unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of our products, or otherwise attempt to obtain and use our intellectual property. Monitoring unauthorized use of our products will be difficult, and the steps we have taken may not prevent unauthorized use of our technology, particularly in foreign countries where the laws may not protect our proprietary rights as fully as in the United States.

 

Downturns in the network security and related markets may cause our revenues and operating results to suffer.

 

The market for our products depends on economic conditions affecting the broader network security and information technology markets. A prolonged downturn in these markets may cause large enterprises to delay or cancel security projects, reduce their overall or security-specific information technology budgets or reduce or cancel orders for our products. In this environment, customers may experience financial difficulty, cease operations or not budget for the purchase of our products. This, in turn, may lead to longer sales cycles, price pressures, delays in payment and collection, causing us to realize lower revenues and margins. Recent political turmoil in many parts of the world, including terrorist and military actions and the war in Iraq, may continue to put pressure on global economic conditions. If the economic and market conditions in the United States and globally do not improve, or if they deteriorate further, we may experience material adverse impacts on our business, operating results and financial condition as a result of the factors stated above or otherwise.

 

20


Table of Contents

Undetected product errors or defects could result in loss of revenues, delayed market acceptance and claims against us.

 

We offer a warranty on all of our products, allowing the customer to have any defective unit repaired or to receive a replacement product within a certain period after the date of sale. Our products may contain undetected errors or defects. If one of our products fails, we may have to replace all affected products without being able to record any revenue for the replacement units, or we may have to refund the purchase price for the defective units. Some errors are discoverable only after a product has been installed and used by customers. Any errors discovered after our products have been widely used by customers could result in loss of revenues and claims against us.

 

If we are unable to fix errors or other problems that later are identified after installation, in addition to the consequences described above, we could experience:

 

    failure to achieve market acceptance;

 

    loss of customers;

 

    loss of market share;

 

    diversion of development resources;

 

    increased service and warranty costs; and

 

    increased insurance costs.

 

If we fail to predict our manufacturing requirements accurately, we could incur additional costs or experience manufacturing delays, which could reduce our gross margins or cause us to lose sales.

 

We provide forecasts of our demand to our contract manufacturer prior to the scheduled delivery of products to our customers. If we overestimate our requirements, our contract manufacturer may have excess component inventory, which would increase our costs. If we underestimate our requirements, our contract manufacturer may have an inadequate component inventory, which could interrupt the manufacturing of our products and result in delays in shipments and revenues. In addition, lead times for materials and components that we order vary significantly and depend on factors such as the specific supplier, contract terms and demand for each component at a given time. We may also experience shortages of components from time to time, which also could delay the manufacturing of our products.

 

A breach of network security could harm public perception of our products, which could harm our business.

 

If an actual or perceived breach occurs in one of our customer’s network security systems, regardless of whether the breach is attributable to our products, the market perception of the effectiveness of our products could be harmed. This could cause us to lose existing and potential customers or cause us to lose existing and potential resellers. Because the techniques used by computer hackers to access or sabotage networks change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques.

 

Because we are in the business of providing network security, our own networks may be more likely to become a target of attacks. If attacks on our internal networks are successful, public perception of our products would be harmed.

 

21


Table of Contents

We might have to defend lawsuits or pay damages in connection with any alleged or actual failure of our products.

 

Because our products will provide and monitor network security and may protect valuable information, we could face claims for product liability, tort or breach of warranty. Anyone who circumvents our network security measures could misappropriate the confidential information or other property of customers using our products, or interrupt their operations. If that happens, affected customers or others may sue us. In addition, we may face liability for breaches caused by faulty installation of our products by our service and support organizations. Defending a lawsuit, regardless of its merit, could be costly and divert management attention. Our business liability insurance coverage may be inadequate or future coverage may be unavailable on acceptable terms or at all.

 

We could become subject to litigation regarding intellectual property rights that could be costly and result in the loss of significant rights.

 

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in litigation in the United States involving patents and other intellectual property rights. In the future, we may become a party to litigation to protect our intellectual property or to defend against an alleged infringement by us of another party’s intellectual property. Claims for alleged infringement and any resulting lawsuit, if successful, could subject us to significant liability for damages and invalidation of our intellectual property rights. These lawsuits, regardless of their success, would likely be time-consuming and expensive to resolve and would divert management time and attention. Any potential intellectual property litigation could also force us to do one or more of the following:

 

    stop or delay selling, integrating or using products that use the challenged intellectual property;

 

    obtain from the owner of the infringed intellectual property right a license to sell or use the relevant technology, which license might not be available on reasonable terms, or at all; or

 

    redesign the products that use that technology.

 

If we are forced to take any of these actions, our business might be seriously harmed. Our business insurance may not cover potential claims of this type or may not be adequate to indemnify us for all liability that could be imposed.

 

The inability to obtain any third-party license required to develop new products and product enhancements could seriously harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

From time to time, we may be required to license technology from third parties to develop new products or product enhancements. Third-party licenses may not be available to us on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. Our inability to obtain any third-party license necessary to develop new products or product enhancements could require us to obtain substitute technology of lower quality or performance standards, or at greater cost, which could seriously harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our officers and directors own a large percentage of our outstanding stock and could significantly influence the outcome of actions.

 

Our executive officers and directors, in the aggregate, owned approximately 39% of our outstanding stock as of May 31, 2003. These stockholders, if acting together, would be able to

 

 

22


Table of Contents

significantly influence all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and the approval of mergers or other business combination transactions.

 

Shares of common stock eligible for public sale could cause our stock price to decline.

 

The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales by our existing stockholders of a large number of shares of our common stock in the market, or the perception that such sales could occur. This circumstance may be more significant because of the relatively low volume of our common stock that is traded on any given day. All of our outstanding common stock that was issued in private placements prior to October 2002 may currently be resold in reliance on Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933. The holders of the shares of our common stock issued in our October 2002 private placement have the right to require us to register the resale of those shares at any time after January 1, 2003. Any such registration will result in additional shares being sold in the market, which may have a negative impact on the market price of our common stock. Even without registration, significant amounts of such shares will be tradable starting in October 2003.

 

We may be unable to obtain the additional capital required to grow our business, which could seriously harm our proposed business. If we raise additional funds, our current stockholders may suffer substantial dilution.

 

As of April 30, 2003, we had approximately $23.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments on hand. In July 2002, we entered into a loan agreement consisting of term loan facility for equipment and software purchases of up to $2.5 million, of which we had outstanding borrowings of approximately $1 million at April 30, 2003, and a revolving loan facility for working capital of up to $5 million that was unused at April 30, 2003. We also received approximately $10 million in a private placement of our common stock in October 2002. We may need to raise additional funds at any time and, given our history, we cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain additional financing on favorable terms, if at all. Due to the recent volatility of the U.S. equity markets, particularly for smaller technology companies, we may not have access to new capital investment when we need to raise additional funds.

 

Our future capital requirements will depend upon several factors, including whether we are successful in developing our products, and our level of operating expenditures. Our expenditures are likely to rise as we continue our technology and business development efforts. If our capital requirements vary materially from those we currently plan, we may require additional financing sooner than anticipated. If we cannot raise funds on acceptable terms, we may not be able to develop our products and services, take advantage of future opportunities or respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated requirements, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to develop and grow our business.

 

Further, if we issue equity securities, our existing stockholders will experience dilution of their ownership percentages, and the new equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common stock. If we do not obtain additional funds when needed, we could quickly cease to be a viable going concern.

 

We do not intend to declare dividends and our common stock could be subject to volatility.

 

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We presently intend to retain all future earnings, if any, to finance the development of our business and do not expect to pay any dividends in the foreseeable future.

 

The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

 

23


Table of Contents
    variations in the magnitude of our losses from operations from quarter to quarter;

 

    changes in market valuations of companies in the network security industry;

 

    announcements by us or our competitors of new technology, products, services, significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures, capital commitments or other material developments that affect our prospects and our relative competitive position in our prospective markets;

 

    our inability to locate or maintain suppliers of components of our line of network security products at prices that will allow us to attain profitability;

 

    product or design flaws, or our inability to bring functional products to market, product recalls or similar occurrences, or failure of a substantial market to develop for our planned products;

 

    additions or departures of key personnel;

 

    sales of capital stock in the future;

 

    stock liquidity or cash flow constraints; and

 

    fluctuations in stock market prices and volume, which are particularly common for the securities of highly volatile technology companies pursuing untested markets and new technology.

 

We have exited our old line of business, and have attempted to minimize our obligations related to that business, but if we are unsuccessful in minimizing those obligations, our business will suffer.

 

We have exited our consumer-focused business, but continue to have certain obligations, contingencies and potential liabilities relating to this business.

 

On July 11, 2001, a purported class action lawsuit was filed against us in Texas state court in Travis County, Texas on behalf of all persons who purchased an Internet appliance from us and subscribed to the related Internet service. The complaint alleges that, among other things, we disseminated false and misleading advertisements, engaged in unauthorized billing practices and failed to provide adequate technical and customer support and service with respect to our discontinued operations. The complaint seeks an unspecified amount of damages. This action, regardless of its success, is likely be time-consuming and expensive to resolve and may divert management time and attention. If this action is successful, we could be subject to significant liability for damages.

 

We have attempted, unsuccessfully, to sublease the unused facility that we utilized with our discontinued operations in an effort to minimize lease termination costs. These costs, which are currently in dispute and the subject of a lawsuit with the landlord, have been reflected in accrued liabilities at April 30, 2003.

 

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK.

 

We do not use derivative financial instruments to hedge interest rate and foreign currency exposure. We limit our interest rate risks by placing our marketable securities investments with high quality issuers, principally the United States government, and corporate debt securities with terms of less than one year. We do not expect any material losses from our marketable securities investments and

 

24


Table of Contents

believe that our interest rate exposure is modest. We do not currently have, or hedge against, foreign currency exposure.

 

We are exposed to interest rate risk primarily through our loan facilities, which accrue interest at a floating rate. If our effective interest rate under those facilities were to increase by 100 basis points (1.00%), our annual financing expense would increase by approximately $10,000, based on the average balances utilized under our loan facilities during the period ended April 30, 2003. We did not experience a material impact from interest rate risk during fiscal 2003.

 

Currently, we do not have any significant investments in financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes, or to manage our interest rate exposure.

 

 

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

We maintain a set of disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms. Within 90 days prior to our filing this quarterly report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Exchange Act of 1934. Based on that evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

 

There have been no significant changes in our disclosure controls and procedures or other factors that could significantly affect these controls and procedures subsequent to the date of our evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

 

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION.

 

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

 

On July 11, 2001, a purported class action lawsuit was filed against us in Texas state court in Travis County, Texas on behalf of all persons who purchased an Internet appliance from us and subscribed to the related Internet service. The complaint alleges that, among other things, we disseminated false and misleading advertisements, engaged in unauthorized billing practices and failed to provide adequate technical and customer support and service with respect to our Internet appliance and service business. The complaint seeks an unspecified amount of damages. We believe that the action is without merit, that the action is not proper for class action treatment and that we have meritorious defenses available. We intend to defend this action vigorously.

 

On December 5, 2001, we and two of our current and former officers and directors, as well as the managing underwriters in our initial public offering, were named as defendants in a purported class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit, which is part of a consolidated action that includes over 300 similar actions, is captioned In re Initial Public Offering Securities Litigation, Brian Levey vs. TippingPoint Technologies, Inc., et al., No. 01 CV 10976. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants participated in a scheme to manipulate the initial public offering and subsequent market price of our stock, by the underwriters requiring certain of their customers to purchase stock in our initial public offering as a condition to being allocated shares in the initial public offerings of other companies. The purported plaintiff class for the lawsuit is comprised of all persons who purchased our stock from March 17, 2000 through December 6, 2000. The suit seeks rescission of the purchase prices paid by purchasers of shares of our common stock. We believe the lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend it vigorously. To the extent the plaintiffs are successful in this action, we

 

25


Table of Contents

intend to seek indemnification and/or contribution from the underwriters in our initial public offering pursuant to our underwriting agreement with them. However, there can be no assurance that such rights will be available to us or enforceable against the underwriters.

 

At this time, we are not involved in any other legal proceedings that our management currently believes would be material to our business, financial condition or results of operations. We could be forced to incur material expenses with respect to these legal proceedings, and in the event there is an outcome in any that is adverse to us, our financial position and prospects could be harmed.

 

ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.

 

  (a)   Exhibits.

 

99.1 – Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

99.2 – Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

  (b)   Current Reports on Form 8-K:

 

(1) On April 28, 2003, we furnished a Current Report on Form 8-K in which we disclosed, pursuant to Item 9 of Form 8-K, that we had issued a press release announcing our results of operations for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 31, 2003.

 

We neither filed nor furnished any other reports on Form 8-K during the quarter for which this report is filed.

 

 

26


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

        TIPPINGPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
           

/s/    JOHN F. MCHALE


           

John F. McHale

Chairman of the Board and

Chief Executive Officer

Date:    June 13, 2003      

/s/    MICHAEL J. RAPISAND


            Michael J. Rapisand
           

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

CERTIFICATIONS:

 

I, John F. McHale, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of TippingPoint Technologies, Inc.;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

 

(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

 

(b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this quarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”); and

 

(c) presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

 

(a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the registrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

 

(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal controls; and

 

27


Table of Contents

6. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have indicated in this quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

Date:    June 13, 2003

     

/s/    JOHN F. MCHALE


            John F. McHale
           

Chairman of the Board and

Chief Executive Officer

TippingPoint Technologies, Inc.

 

I, Michael J. Rapisand, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of TippingPoint Technologies, Inc.;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

 

(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

 

(b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this quarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”); and

 

(c) presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

 

(a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the registrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

 

(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal controls; and

 

6. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have indicated in this quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could

 

28


Table of Contents

significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

Date:    June 13, 2003

     

/s/    MICHAEL J. RAPISAND


            Michael J. Rapisand
           

Chief Financial Officer

TippingPoint Technologies, Inc.

 

29