Development Company (BDC) pursuant to the provisions
of section 54(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the (Act), to be
subject to the provisions of section 55 through 65 of the Act. The Company has determined
that its operating model best approximates that of an investment company and intends to
make investments into developing businesses in the oil and gas and other industries.
Additionally, the Board of Directors determined that it was necessary to raise additional
capital to carry out the companys business plan and the Company filed a Form 1-E
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 notifying the SEC of the Companys intent to
sell up to $4,000,000 of the Companys common stock at prices between $0.01 and $0.10
per share, or 40,000,000 and 400,000,000 shares, respectively. On January 29, 2004, the
1-E filing notification with the SEC became effective. The Company is presently registered
as an Investment Company under the Act and as such, is authorized to issue up to
$4,000,000 in free-trading stock at prices ranging from $0.01 to $0.10 per
share.
As a BDC, the Company will be
structured in a manner more consistent with its current business strategy. As a result,
the Company is positioned to raise capital in a more efficient manner and to develop and
expand its business interests. The Company believes that potential acquisitions, in total,
will enhance value to stockholders through capital appreciation and payments of dividends
to the Company by its investee companies.
BDC regulation was created in 1980 by
Congress to encourage the flow of public equity capital to ses in the United
States. BDCs, like all mutual funds and closed-end funds, are regulated by the
Investment Company Act of 1940. BDCs report to stockholders like traditional
operating companies and file regular quarterly and annual reports with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. BDCs are required to make available significant managerial
assistance to their portfolio companies.
American Energy Production, Inc.
(American Energy or the Company) is a reporting company under the
federal securities laws and its shares of common stock are publicly traded on the Over The
Counter Electronic Bulletin Board (OTCBB) under the symbol AMEP.
The Company was f/k/a Communicate Now.com, Inc. and was incorporated on January 31, 2000
under the laws of the State of Delaware. On July 15, 2002, the Company changed its
corporate name to American Energy Production, Inc.
On February 20, 2003, upon the
acquisition of certain oil and gas assets, the Company entered a new development stage.
Activities during the development stage include acquisition of assets, obtaining
geological reports, developing an implementation plan to extract oil and gas and seeking
capital.
On January 12, 2004, the Company
filed a Form N-54 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to be
regulated as a Business Development Company (BDC) pursuant to the provisions
of section 54(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the (Act), to be
subject to the provisions of section 55 through 65 of the Act. The Company has determined
that its operating model best approximates that of an investment company and intends to
make investments into developing businesses in the oil and gas and other industries.
Additionally, the Board of Directors determined that it was necessary to raise additional
capital to carry out the companys business plan and the Company filed a Form 1-E
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 notifying the SEC of the Companys intent to
sell up to $4,000,000 of the Companys common stock at prices between $0.01 and $0.10
per share, or 400,000,000 and 40,000,000 shares, respectively. On January 29, 2004, the
1-E filing notification with the SEC became effective. The Company is presently registered
as an Investment Company under the Act and as such, is authorized to issue up to
$4,000,000 in free-trading stock at prices ranging from $0.01 to $0.10 per
share.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in the securities of
the Company involves extreme risks and the possibility of the loss of a shareholders
entire investment. A prospective investor should evaluate all information discussed in
this Report and the risk factors discussed below in relation to his financial
circumstances before investing in any securities of the Company.
1. Going Concern Risk
We have had and could have losses,
deficits and deficiencies in liquidity, which could impair our ability to continue as a
going concern. Our independent auditors have indicated that certain factors raise
substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern and these factors are
discussed in note 2 to our audited financial statements. Since its inception, the Company
has suffered recurring losses from operations and has been dependent on existing
stockholders and new investors to provide the cash resources to sustain its operations.
We have incurred net losses in prior
years and this has resulted in a significant accumulated deficit and stockholders
deficiency at December 31, 2004. We had net losses of $5,049,995 for the year ended
December 31, 2004 and $1,939,035 for the year ended December 31, 2003. In addition, we had
negative cash flows from operations of $511,266 for the year ended December 31, 2004 and
$166,338 for the year ended December 31, 2003. At December 31, 2004, our current
liabilities exceeded our current assets by $272,751, we had an accumulated deficit of
$9,360,491 from previous business operations and we had a deficit accumulated during the
development stage for our new business operations of $6,760,389. The Company is also in
default on certain notes to banks and is in the development stage with minimal revenues.
The time required for us to become
profitable is highly uncertain, and we cannot assure you that we will achieve or sustain
profitability or generate sufficient cash flow from operations to meet our planned capital
expenditures, working capital and debt service requirements. If required, our ability to
obtain additional financing from other sources also depends on many factors beyond our
control, including the state of the capital markets and the prospects for our business.
The necessary additional financing may not be available to us or may be available only on
terms that would result in further dilution to the current owners of our common stock.
We have substantial current
obligations and at December 31, 2004, we had $953,608 of total liabilities. The Company
does not have sufficient cash resources to pay these obligations.
Our substantial debt obligations pose
risks to our business and stockholders by:
making
it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations;
requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow to principal and interest
payments on our debt obligations, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to
fund working capital, capital expenditures and other corporate requirements;
impeding us from obtaining additional financing in the future for working capital, capital
expenditures and general corporate purposes; and
making us more vulnerable to a downturn in our business and limit our flexibility to plan
for, or react to, changes in our business.
We cannot assure you that we will
generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain additional financing to meet
scheduled debt payments and financial covenants. If we fail to make any required payment
under the agreements and related documents governing our indebtedness or fail to comply
with the financial and operating covenants contained in them, we would be in default.
2.
No Current Relevant Operating History . The Company has no current
relevant operating history, and is a development stage company with minimal
revenues. The Company faces all of the risks of a new business and those risks
specifically inherent in the investigation, acquisition, or involvement in a new
business opportunity. Purchase of any securities of the Company must be regarded
as placing funds at a high risk in a new or start-up venture with
all of the unforeseen costs, expenses, problems, and difficulties to which such
ventures are subject.
3.
No Assurance of Success or Profitability . There is no assurance that the
Company will acquire a favorable business opportunity. In addition, even if the
Company becomes involved in a business opportunity, there is no assurance that
it will generate revenues or profits, or that the market price of the
Companys Common Stock will be increased thereby.
4.
Type of Business Acquired . The type of business to be acquired (if any)
may be one that desires to avoid effecting a public offering and the
accompanying expense, delays, and federal and state requirements which purport
to protect investors. Because of the Companys limited capital, it is more
likely than not that any acquisition by the Company will involve other parties
whose primary interest is the acquisition of a publicly traded company.
Moreover, any business opportunity acquired may be currently unprofitable or
present other negative factors.
5.
Lack of Diversification . Because of the limited financial resources of
the Company, it is unlikely that the Company will be able to diversify its
acquisitions or operations. The Companys probable inability to diversify
its activities into more than one area will subject the Company to economic
fluctuations within a particular business or industry and therefore increase the
risks associated with the Companys operations.
6.
Regulations. An acquisition made by the Company may be of a business that
is subject to regulation or licensing by federal, state, or local authorities.
Compliance with such regulations and licensing can be expected to be a
time-consuming, expensive process and may limit other investment opportunities
of the Company.
7.
Conflicts of Interest . Certain conflicts of interest exist between the
Company and its executive officers and directors. Each of them has other
business interests to which they devote their primary attention, and they may be
expected to continue to do so although management time should be devoted to the
business of the Company. As a result, conflicts of interest may arise that can
be resolved only through their exercise of such judgment as is consistent with
their fiduciary duties to the Company.
8.
Indemnification of Officers and Directors. The Companys Articles of
Incorporation provide for the indemnification of its directors, officers,
employees, and agents, under certain circumstances, against attorneys fees
and other expenses incurred by them in any litigation to which they become a
party arising from their association with or activities on behalf of the
Company. The Company may also bear the expenses of such litigation for any of
its directors, officers, employees, or agents, upon such persons promise
to repay the Company therefore if it is ultimately determined that any such
person shall not have been entitled to indemnification. This indemnification
policy could result in substantial expenditures by the Company, which it will be
unable to recoup.
9.
Dependence upon Outside Advisors . To supplement the business experience
of management, the Company may be required to employ accountants, technical
experts, appraisers, attorneys, or other consultants or advisors. The selection
of any such advisors will be made by management without any input from
shareholders. Furthermore, it is anticipated that such persons may be engaged on
an as needed basis without a continuing fiduciary or other
obligation to the Company.
10.
Need for Additional Financing. The Companys funds will not be
adequate to take advantage of any available business opportunities. Even if the
Company were to obtain sufficient funds to acquire an interest in a business
opportunity, it may not have sufficient capital to exploit the opportunity. The
ultimate success of the Company will depend upon its ability to raise additional
capital. The Company has not investigated the availability, source, or terms
that might govern the acquisition of additional capital and will not do so until
it evaluates its needs for additional financing. When additional capital is
needed, there is no assurance that funds will be available from any source or,
if available, that they can be obtained on terms acceptable to the Company. If
not available, the Companys operations will be limited to those that can
be financed with its modest capital.
11.
Competition . The search for potentially profitable business opportunities
is intensely competitive. The Company expects to be at a disadvantage when
competing with many firms that have substantially greater financial and
management resources and capabilities than the Company. These competitive
conditions will exist in any industry in which the Company may become
interested.
12.
No Foreseeable Dividends. The Company has not paid dividends on its
Common Stock and does not anticipate paying such dividends in the foreseeable
future.
13.
Loss of Control by Present Management and Shareholders . The Company may
consider an acquisition in which the Company would issue as consideration for
the business opportunity to be acquired an amount of the Companys
authorized but unissued Common Stock that could, upon issuance, constitute as
much as 95% of the voting power and equity of the Company. The result of such an
acquisition would be that the acquired companys stockholders and
management would control the Company, and the Companys management could be
replaced by persons unknown at this time. Such a merger could leave investors in
the securities of the Company with a greatly reduced percentage of ownership of
the Company. Management could sell its control block of stock at a premium price
to the acquired companys stockholders, although management has no plans to
do so.
14.
Dilutive Effects of Issuing Additional Common Stock. The majority of the
Companys authorized but unissued Common Stock remains unissued. The board
of directors of the Company has authority to issue such unissued shares without
the consent or vote of the shareholders of the Company. The issuance of these
shares may further dilute the interests of investors in the securities of the
Company and will reduce their proportionate ownership and voting power in the
Company.
15.
Thinly-traded Public Market . There currently is only a thinly traded or
virtually inactive public market for the securities of the Company, and no
assurance can be given that a more active market will develop or that an
investor will be able to liquidate his investment without considerable delay, if
at all. If a more active market should develop, the price may be highly
volatile. Factors such as those discussed in this Risk Factors
section may have a significant impact upon the market price of the securities of
the Company. Owing to what may be expected to be the low price of the
securities, many brokerage firms may not be willing to effect transactions in
the securities. Even if an investor finds a broker willing to effect a
transaction in these securities, the combination of brokerage commissions, state
transfer taxes, if any, and any other selling costs may exceed the selling
price. Further, many lending institutions will not permit the use of such
securities as collateral for any loans.
EMPLOYEES
As of December 31, 2004, American
Energy has 1 full-time employee, including executive officers, non- executive officers,
secretarial and clerical personnel and field personnel.