As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 2, 2018

Registration No. 333-                   

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-3

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

GENIE ENERGY LTD.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware		45-2069276
(State or other jurisdiction of		(I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or organization)		Identification Number)

 

520 Broad Street

Newark, NJ 07102

(973) 438-3500

(Address, including zip code; telephone number, including area code of registrant’s principal executive offices)

  

Michael Stein

Chief Executive Officer

Genie Energy Ltd.

520 Broad Street

Newark, NJ 07102

(973) 438-3500

(Name, address, including zip code; telephone number, including area code of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

Dov T. Schwell, Esq.

Schwell Wimpfheimer & Associates LLP

37 W. 39^th Street, Suite 505

New York, NY 10018

(646) 328-0795

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement as determined by the registrant.

 

If the only securities to be offered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐ 

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer ☐	Accelerated Filer ☒	Non-accelerated filer ☐	Smaller reporting company ☐
			Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Securities to be Registered (1)		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (2)				Amount of Registration Fee (3)
Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share			---				---
Warrants			---				---
Total		$	25,000,000			$	3,112.50

 

(1)	Includes an indeterminate number of securities that may be issued in primary offerings or upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any securities registered hereunder that provide for exercise, conversion or exchange.
(2)	Not specified as to each class of securities to be registered hereunder pursuant to General Instruction II(D) to Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The proposed maximum aggregate offering price per class of securities will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with the issuance of the securities registered hereunder. The aggregate public offering price of the securities registered hereby will not exceed $25,000,000.
(3)	Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is declared effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED [__________], 2018

 

PROSPECTUS

 

GENIE ENERGY LTD.

 

$25,000,000

 

Class B Common Stock

Warrants

 

We may from time to time offer to sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. The aggregate initial offering price of all securities sold under this prospectus will not exceed $25,000,000.

 

This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide specific terms of the securities offered in a supplement to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference herein or therein before you invest in any securities. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Our Class B common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “GNE”. On January 31, 2018, the last reported sale price for our Class B common stock was $4.37 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on any securities market or other exchange of the securities, if any, covered by the prospectus supplement.

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 11.

 

We may sell these securities directly to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is [____________], 2018.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

THE OFFERING
About This Prospectus	1
THE COMPANY
OUR BUSINESS	2
RISK FACTORS	11
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION	13
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION	14
Use Of Proceeds	17
Description Of Capital Stock	19
Plan of Distribution	26
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION
Legal Matters	27
Experts	27
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION	28
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE	28

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $25,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in any documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

 

You should rely only on the information that we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. No person is authorized to give any information or represent anything not contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement. We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement or related free writing prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are only offering the securities in places where sales of those securities are permitted.

 

This prospectus, the accompanying supplement to this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus, if any, do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus, the accompanying supplement to this prospectus or any related free writing prospectus, if any, constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference therein is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is delivered or the applicable securities are sold on a later date.

 

As used in this prospectus, “Genie Energy Ltd.,” “Genie,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” and “us” refer to Genie Energy Ltd. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Investment in our securities involves risks. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should consider carefully all of the information included and incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, including the risk factors incorporated by reference herein from our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) since December 31, 2016, including after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein or in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each of these risk factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial position or cash flows, which may result in the loss of all or part of your investment.

 

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and if we fail to remediate this material weakness and maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired and may lead investors and other users to lose confidence in our published financial data.

 

Maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting is necessary for us to produce reliable financial statements.

 

In evaluating the effectiveness of disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017, management concluded that a deficiency in the design and operating effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls represented a material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and, therefore, that the Company did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017.

 

The unaudited consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017 had been restated to properly reflect the Company’s revenues, cost of revenues, income from operations, net income and earnings per share for those three-month periods. Certain amounts recorded in the second quarter of 2017 should properly have been recorded in the first quarter.

 

In addition, in evaluating the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013, management identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and those material weaknesses were successfully remediated. In evaluating the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2016, management identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and those material weaknesses were successfully remediated by December 31, 2016. Also, as of December 31, 2016, management review controls associated with the completeness and accuracy of computations relating to domestic and foreign income tax accounts and disclosures were not effective. Notwithstanding the material weakness described above, we performed additional analyses and other procedures to enable management to conclude that our financial statements included in the applicable Forms 10-K fairly presented, in all material respects, our financial condition and results of operations as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

We have begun implementing measures to remediate the material weakness and improve our internal control over financial reporting. Management and our Audit Committee will monitor these remedial measures and the effectiveness of our internal controls and procedures. We will work to continually improve our internal control process and will diligently review our financial reporting controls and procedures. However, if our remedial measures prove to be insufficient to address the material weakness, or if additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting are discovered or occur in the future, our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements and we could be required to restate our financial results.

 

 

Our current strategy is based on current regulatory conditions and assumptions, which could change or prove to be incorrect.

 

Regulation over the electricity and natural gas markets has been in flux at the state and federal levels. In particular, any changes adopted by the FERC, or changes in state or federal laws or regulations (including greenhouse gas laws) may affect the prices at which GRE purchases electricity or natural gas for its customers. While we endeavor to pass along increases in energy costs to our customers pursuant to our variable rate customer offerings, we may not always be able to do so due to competitive market forces and the risk of losing our customer base.

 

On February 23, 2016, the New York PSC issued an order that sought to impose significant new restrictions on REPs operating in New York, including those owned by GRE. The restrictions described in the PSC’s order, which were to become effective March 4, 2016, would require that all REPs’ electricity and natural gas offerings to residential and small business customers include an annual guarantee of savings compared to the price charged by the relevant incumbent utility or, for electricity offerings, provide at least 30% of the supply from renewable sources. Customers not enrolled in a compliant program would be relinquished back to the local utility at the end of their contract period or, for variable price customers operating on month to month agreements, at the end of the current monthly billing cycle.

 

On March 4, 2016, a group of parties from the REP industry sought and won a temporary restraining order to stay implementation of the most restrictive portions of the PSC’s order pending a court hearing on those parties’ motion for a preliminary injunction. On July 25, 2016, the New York State Supreme Court, County of Albany, entered a decision and order granting the Petitioners’ petition, vacated provisions 1 through 3 of the Order, which outlined the proposed rule changes referenced above, and remitted the matter to the PSC for further proceedings consistent with the Court’s order.

 

In December 2017, the PSC held an evidentiary hearing to assess the retail energy market in New York. That process is continuing and is expected to last for at least several more months. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of any new order from the PSC that would follow from the evidentiary process, while preparing to operate in compliance with any new requirements that may be imposed. Depending on the final language of any new order, as well as the Company’s ability to modify its relationships with its New York customers, an order could have a substantial impact upon the operations of GRE-owned REPs in New York. As of September 30, 2017, New York represented 37% of GRE’s total meters served and 29% of the total RCEs of GRE’s customer base.

 

On July 14, 2016, and September 19, 2016, the PSC issued orders restricting REPs, including those owned by GRE, from serving customers enrolled in New York’s utility low-income assistance programs. Representatives of the REP industry challenged the ruling in New York State Supreme Court, Albany County, and, on September 27, 2016, the Court issued an order temporarily restraining the PSC from implementing the July and September orders. On December 16, 2016, the PSC issued an order (the “2016 Order”) prohibiting REP service to customers enrolled in New York’s utility low-income assistance programs. After an agreed-upon stay of the 2016 Order, on July 5, 2017, the New York State Supreme Court, Albany County, denied interested parties’ efforts to invalidate the 2016 Order. Several REPs have appealed the Supreme Court’s decision to the Appellate Division, Third Department. That court stayed implementation of the Order for a period of time, but later lifted the stay pending resolution of the appeal.

 

In a related action, several customers impacted by the 2016 Order filed a putative class action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, challenging the Order. Temporary stays of the 2016 Order entered in connection with this action have expired, and REPs are now required to return service of their current low-income customers to the relevant local incumbent utility on the modified schedule set forth in the PSC’s 2016 Order. The Company has analyzed its customer base and returned to the incumbent utilities all of its customers that it determined to be impacted by the 2016 order at the current time. Such returned customers representing approximately 3% of the total volume of electricity and natural gas sold by the REPs operated by the Company. The Company currently has certain incentive programs in place where when the programs mature, the Company expects that it will need to return additional customers, representing approximately 1% of the total volume of electricity and natural gas sold by the REPs operated by the Company, to the incumbent utilities to comply with the 2016 Order. If challenges to the 2016 Order as currently structured are not successful, the combination of customers who have returned to the utility and the potential customer pool market in New York could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s future results.

 

 

Legislators and regulators may enact or modify laws or regulation to prevent the repetition of price spikes experienced in prior periods or address customer complaints that have come to light in connection with those events. Potential regulatory and/or legislative changes may impact our ability to use our established sales and marketing channels. Any changes in these factors, or any significant changes in industry development, could have an adverse effect on our revenues, profitability and growth or threaten the viability of our current business model.

 

The effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on our business have not yet been fully analyzed and could have an adverse effect on our business and financial position.

 

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was signed into law. We are in the process of analyzing the Act and its possible effects on the Company. The Act reduces the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent, among other things. Our deferred tax assets and related valuation allowance will be adjusted using the newly enacted rate and the adjustment will be recorded recognized within income tax expense in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. To the extent that the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Act is incomplete at the time our 2017 Form 10-K is filed, we will follow Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, which provides guidance for situations where the accounting for the Act under ASC Topic 740 is incomplete.

  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

 

This prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on our management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions about future events, conditions and results and on information currently available to us. Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found, among other places, in the Sections entitled “Business,” “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” incorporated by reference from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as any amendments thereto, filed with the SEC.

 

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated herein regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, plans, prospects and objectives are forward-looking statements. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “think,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “continue,” “potential,” “likely,” “opportunity” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. Additionally, statements concerning future matters such as our expectations of business and market conditions, development and commercialization of new products, enhancements of existing products or technologies, and other statements regarding matters that are not historical are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in our forward-looking statements due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, those set forth above under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

 

Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments occurring after the date of this prospectus, even if new information becomes available in the future.

 

 

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION 

 

On November 2, 2016, we acquired Retail Energy Holdings, LLC (“REH”), a privately held retail energy provider, for $9.5 million in cash plus $1.4 million for net working capital. REH operates as Town Square Energy in eight Eastern states, serving approximately 47,000 electricity residential customer equivalents. REH’s licenses and customer base expands Genie Retail Energy’s geographic footprint to four new states – New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut – and provides additional electricity customers in New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. REH will be operated as a wholly owned subsidiary utilizing the Town Square Energy brand.

 

The acquisition was accounted for as a purchase, with the assets acquired and liabilities assumed recorded at fair values, and the results of REH's operations included in the Company's consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition.

The accompanying condensed consolidated statement of operation illustrates the effect of the acquisition ("Pro Forma") on the Company's results of operations. The condensed consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2016 is based on the historical statement of operations of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the historical statement of operations of REH for period from January 1, 2016 through the date of acquisition. The pro forma condensed consolidated statement of operations assumes the acquisition took place on January 1, 2016.

The accompanying condensed consolidated pro forma financial statements should be read in connection with the historical financial statements of the Company.  

The proforma financial information is unaudited and is not necessarily indicative of the results which would have occurred if the transaction described above had been consummated on January 1, 2016 for the proforma condensed consolidated statement of operations, nor does it purport to represent the future results of operations for future periods. In management’s opinion, all adjustments necessary to reflect the effects of the transaction listed above have been made.

 

 

GENIE ENERGY LTD.

PROFORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)

 

		Genie Energy Historical				REH Historical				Proforma Adjustments				Proforma
Revenues:
Electricity		$	179,467			$	31,035							$	210,502
Natural gas			31,031												31,031
Other			1,614												1,614
Total revenues			212,112				31,035								243,147
Cost of revenues			(135,172	)			(26,221	)							(161,393	)
Gross profit			76,940				4,814								81,754
Operating expenses, (gains) and losses:
Selling, general and administrative			61,569				4,863				1,008	(A)			67,440
Research and development			(269	)											(269	)
Exploration			6,088												6,088
Write-off of capitalized exploration costs			41,041												41,041
Other operating loss, net			64												64
Gain on consolidation of AMSO, LLC			(1,262	)											(1,262	)
Equity in the net loss of AMSO, LLC			222												222
Loss from operations			(30,513	)			(49	)			(1,008	)			(31,570	)
Interest income			332				5								337
Other income, net			207				(67	)							140
Loss before income taxes			(29,974	)			(111	)			(1,008	)			(31,093	)
Provision for income taxes			(2,218	)								(B)			(2,218	)
Net loss			(32,192	)			(111	)			(1,008	)			(33,311	)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			7,667												7,667
Net loss attributable to Genie Energy Ltd.			(24,525	)											(25,644	)
Dividends on preferred stock			(1,481	)											(1,481	)
Net loss attributable to Genie Energy Ltd. common stockholders.		$	(26,006	)										$	(27,125	)
Basic and diluted loss per share attributable to Genie Energy Ltd. common stockholders		$	(1.14	)										$	(1.19	)
Weighted-average number of shares used in calculation of basic and diluted loss per share			22,804												22,804

 

 

 

 

GENIE ENERGY LTD.

NOTES AND MANAGEMENT’S ASSUMPTIONS
TO THE PROFORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)

 

1.        On November 2, 2016, GRE acquired Retail Energy Holdings, LLC (“REH”), a privately held owner of REPs, for $9.5 million plus $1.4 million for REH’s working capital, or an aggregate cash payment of $10.9 million. The amount paid for REH’s working capital is subject to adjustment. REH operates as Town Square Energy in eight states. REH’s licenses and customer base expanded GRE’s geographic footprint to four new states – New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut – and provided additional electricity customers in New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. REH operates as a wholly owned subsidiary utilizing the Town Square Energy brand. REH’s operating results from the date of acquisition, which were not significant, are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The components of the purchase price and its allocation to the assets and liabilities of REH are as follows:

(in thousands)
Trade accounts receivable		$	3,614
Inventory			287
Prepaid expenses			81
Other current assets			26
Property and equipment			110
Trademark			2,100
Non-compete agreement			110
Customer relationships			2,100
Goodwill			5,065
Other assets			1,600
Revolving line of credit			(1,919	)
Trade accounts payable			(2,620	)
Accrued expenses			(1,542	)
Net assets excluding cash acquired		$	9,012
Supplemental information:
Cash paid		$	10,949
Cash acquired			(2,249	)
Cash paid, net of cash acquired			8,700
Liability for additional purchase price			312
Total consideration, net of cash acquired		$	9,012

The goodwill resulting from the acquisition is primarily attributable to the existing workforce of the acquired entities and synergies expected from the combination of GRE and REH’s REP businesses. None of the goodwill is deductible for income tax purposes.

2.

The following is a description of the proforma adjustments to the historical condensed consolidated financial statements:

(A)

Reflects the addition of amortization of intangible assets acquired as if the acquisition was consummated on January 1, 2016. Amortization was computed on a straight-line basis using a 20 year weighted average life for the trademark and 2 year weighted average life for the non-compete agreement and customer relationships.

(B)

Prior to its acquisition, REH was not a taxable entity and was disregarded for federal income tax purposes. As such, REH did not directly pay federal income tax in all periods presented. The Company maintains a full valuation allowance on its federal income tax assets and as such any federal tax benefit in 2016 resulting from REH’s operations would be fully reserved resulting in a $0 net effect. Therefore, no provision for federal income taxes has been made.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Except as described in any applicable prospectus supplement and in any free writing prospectuses in connection with a specific offering, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered hereby for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, working capital, capital expenditures, other corporate expenses and acquisitions of complementary services, technologies or businesses.

 

We have not determined the amount of net proceeds to be used specifically for the foregoing purposes. As a result, our management will have broad discretion in the allocation of the net proceeds and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the proceeds of any sale of the securities. Pending these uses, we intend to invest the net proceeds in investment-grade, short-term, interest-bearing securities.

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

 

We may offer shares of our Class B common stock and warrants to purchase Class B common stock from time to time under this prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement and related free writing prospectus, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities. We may offer up to $25,000,000 of securities under this prospectus.

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of (i) 35 million shares of Class A common stock, (ii) 200 million shares of Class B common stock, and (iii) 10 million shares of Preferred Stock.

 

The following statements set forth the material terms of our classes of authorized stock; however, reference is made to the more detailed provisions of, and such statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to, our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which has been filed as an exhibit to registration statement on Form 10 of which this Information Statement forms a part.

 

Class A Common Stock

 

Holders of shares of our Class A common stock are entitled to three votes for each share on all matters to be voted on by the stockholders. Holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to share ratably in dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the Board of Directors in its discretion from funds legally available therefor. Each share of our Class A common stock may be converted, at any time and at the option of the holder, and automatically converts upon transfers to unaffiliated parties, into one fully paid and non-assessable share of our Class B common stock.

 

As of January 31, 2018, there were 1,574,326 shares of our Class A common stock outstanding.

 

Class B Common Stock

 

Holders of shares of our Class B common stock are entitled to one tenth of one vote for each share on all matters to be voted on by the stockholders. Holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to share ratably in dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the Board of Directors in its discretion from funds legally available therefor. Our Class B common stock is listed on the NYSE.

 

As of January 31, 2018, there were 23,294,886 shares of our Class B common stock outstanding.

 

Preferred Stock

 

The Board of Directors has the authority to fix the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, of those shares without any further vote or action by the stockholders.

 

The Series 2012-A preferred stock was established by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company on July 30, 2012. Holders of our Series 2012-A Preferred Stock are entitled to one tenth of one vote for each share on all matters to be voted on by the stockholders. Our Series 2012-A preferred stock is listed on the NYSE.

 

Each share of our Series 2012-A preferred stock has a liquidation preference of $8.50 (the “Liquidation Preference”), and is entitled to receive an annual dividend per share equal to the sum of (i) $0.6375 (the “Base Dividend”) plus (ii) seven and one-half percent (7.5%) of the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the amount by which the EBITDA for a fiscal year of our retail energy provider business exceeds $32 million by (B) 8,750,000 (the “Additional Dividend”), payable in cash. EBITDA consists of income (loss) from operations exclusive of depreciation and amortization and other operating gains (losses).

 

The Series 2012-A Preferred Stock is redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option following October 11, 2017 at 101% of the Liquidation Preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends, and 100% of the Liquidation Preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends following October 11, 2018. 

 

During any period when we have failed to pay a dividend on the Series 2012-A preferred stock and until all unpaid dividends have been paid in full, we are prohibited from paying dividends or distributions on our Class B or Class A common stock.

 

 

The Base Dividend is payable (if declared by our Board of Directors, and accrued, if not declared) quarterly on each February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15, and to the extent that there is any Additional Dividend payable with respect to a fiscal year, it will be paid to holders of Series 2012-A preferred stock with the May dividend. With respect to the payment of dividends and amounts upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the Series 2012-A preferred stock is equal in rank to all other equity securities we issue, the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank on a parity with the Series 2012-A preferred stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up; senior to our common stock; and junior to all of our existing and future indebtedness.

 

As of January 31, 2018, there were 2,322,699 shares of our Series 2012-A preferred stock outstanding.

 

Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Charter and By-Laws

 

Some provisions of Delaware law and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws could make the following more difficult:

 

	●	acquisition of us by means of a tender offer;
	●	acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or
	●	removal of our incumbent officers and directors.

 

These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions also are designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our Board of Directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection give us the potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us and outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging those proposals because negotiation of them could result in an improvement of their terms.

 

Certificate of Incorporation; By-Laws

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws contain provisions that could make more difficult the acquisition of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are summarized below.

 

Undesignated Preferred Stock. The authorization of our undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our Board of Directors to issue our preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes of control of our management.

 

Size of Board and Vacancies. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that the number of directors on our Board of Directors will be fixed exclusively by our Board of Directors. Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in our authorized number of directors or any vacancies in our Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause will be filled solely by the vote of our remaining directors in office.

 

Stockholder Meetings. Under our By-Laws, only our (i) Chief Executive Officer, (ii) President or (iii) Corporate Secretary may call special meetings of our stockholders.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our capital stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust, LLC.

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements and free writing prospectuses, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, which may consist of warrants to purchase Class B common stock and may be issued in one or more series. Warrants may be offered independently or together with Class B common stock offered by any prospectus supplement, and may be attached to or separate from those securities. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. However, no prospectus supplement will fundamentally change the terms that are set forth in this prospectus or offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of its effectiveness.

 

We will issue the warrants under a warrant agreement that we will enter into with a warrant agent to be selected by us. The warrant agent will act solely as an agent of ours in connection with the warrants and will not act as an agent for the holders or beneficial owners of the warrants. We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a current report on Form 8-K that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant agreement, including a form of warrant certificate, that describes the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering before the issuance of the related series of warrants. The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to a particular series of warrants. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus related to the particular series of warrants that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.

 

General

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms relating to a series of warrants, including:

 

	●	the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered;
	●	the currency for which the warrants may be purchased;
	●	if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;
	●	if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;
	●	the number of shares of Class B common stock purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;
	●	the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreements and the warrants;
	●	the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;
	●	any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants;
	●	the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;
	●	the manner in which the warrant agreements and warrants may be modified;
	●	United States federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; and
	●	any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants.

 

 

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the Class B common stock purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

 

Exercise of Warrants

 

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

 

Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.

 

Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.

 

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

 

Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.

 

 

LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee or depositary or warrant agent maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.

 

Book-Entry Holders

  

We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

 

Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Global securities will be registered in the name of the depositary or its participants. Consequently, for global securities, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

  

As a result, investors in a global security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not legal holders, of the securities.

  

Street Name Holders

 

We may terminate a global security or issue securities that are not issued in global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

  

For securities held in street name, we or any applicable trustee or depositary will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we or any such trustee or depositary will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not legal holders, of those securities.

  

Legal Holders

  

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee or third party employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.

  

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with its participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an indenture, to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture, or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek approval only from the legal holders, and not the indirect holders, of the securities. Whether and how the legal holders contact the indirect holders is up to the legal holders.

 

  

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

  

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form because the securities are represented by one or more global securities or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

	●	how it handles securities payments and notices;
	●	whether it imposes fees or charges;
	●	how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;
	●	whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a legal holder, if that is permitted in the future;
	●	how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and
	●	if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

 

Global Securities

  

A global security is a security that represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

  

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we issue to, deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.

  

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “—Special Situations When A Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and legal holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a legal holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

 

If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued as a global security, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

 

 

Special Considerations For Global Securities

 

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

 

If securities are issued only as global securities, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

	●	an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below;
	●	an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe above;
	●	an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;
	●	an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in the global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;
	●	the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in the global security. We and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in the global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way;
	●	the depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in the global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and
	●	financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in the global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

 

Special Situations When A Global Security Will Be Terminated

  

In a few special situations described below, a global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own names, so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.

 

A global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:

 

	●	if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;
	●	if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or
	●	if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and neither we nor any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

 

  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities being offered hereby in one or more of the following ways from time to time:

 

●

through agents to the public or to investors;

 

●

to underwriters for resale to the public or to investors;

 

●

in “at the market” offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market on an exchange or otherwise;

 

●

directly to investors; or

 

●

through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

 

We will set forth in a prospectus supplement the terms of the particular offering of securities, including:

 

●

the name or names of any agents or underwriters;

 

●

the purchase price of the securities being offered and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;

 

●

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

●

any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation;

 

●

any initial public offering price;

 

●

any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and

 

●

any securities exchanges or markets on which such securities may be listed.

 

Agents

 

We may designate agents who agree to use their reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of our securities for the period of their appointment or to sell our securities on a continuing basis.

 

Underwriters

 

If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities of the series offered if they purchase any of the securities of that series. We may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions the underwriters allow or reallow or pay to dealers. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of any such relationship in any prospectus supplement naming any such underwriter. Only underwriters we name in the prospectus supplement are underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.

 

Direct Sales

 

We may also sell securities directly to one or more purchasers without using underwriters or agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify in the applicable prospectus supplement any underwriters, dealers or agents and will describe their compensation. We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against specified civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.

 

 

Trading Markets and Listing of Securities

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than our Class B common stock and Series 2012-A preferred stock, which are listed on the NYSE. We may elect to list any other securities or class or series of securities on any exchange or market, but we are not obligated to do so. Any listing may be cancelled at any time. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a class or series of securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot give any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the securities.

 

Stabilization Activities

 

Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of these activities at any time.

 

Passive Market Making

 

Any underwriters who are qualified may engage in passive market making transactions in in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security. If all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Schwell Wimpfheimer & Associates, New York, New York, will pass for us upon the validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus and applicable prospectus supplement, and counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement will pass upon legal matters for any underwriters, dealers or agents.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2016 and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016 incorporated by reference in this Prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm (the report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting expresses an adverse opinion on the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016), incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We are a reporting company and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities we are offering under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. You may read and copy the registration statement, as well as our reports, proxy statements and other information, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying cost. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, where our SEC filings are also available. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov. We maintain a website at http://www.genie.com. Information contained in or accessible through our website does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with it into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this registration statement and prospectus the following documents, and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement but prior to effectiveness of the registration statement and after the date of this prospectus but prior to the termination of the offering of the securities covered by this prospectus (other than current reports or portions thereof furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K):

 

●

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017;

 

●

Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2017, August 9, 2017 and November 9, 2017, respectively, and amendments on Form 10-Q/A for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017, filed with the SEC on November 16, 2017;

 

●

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 12, 2017, January 13, 2017, March 8, 2017, March 28, 2017, March 29, 2017, April 5, 2017, May 3, 2017, May 5, 2017, July 10, 2017, July 13, 2017, July 20, 2017, August 3, 2017, August 14, 2017, October 19, 2017, November 2, 2017, November 6, 2017; November 16, 2017 and January 2, 2018;

 

●

Our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 4, 2017; and

 

●

The description of our Class B common stock set forth under Item 11 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10, filed with the SEC on November 14, 2011, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such information.

 

We will provide each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. Requests should be directed to: Genie Energy Ltd 520 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07012, Attn: Investor Relations, or you may call us at (973) 438-3500.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

GENIE ENERGY LTD.

 

 

$25,000,000

 

 

Class B Common Stock

Warrants

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

[          , 2018]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

14.	Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

The following statement sets forth the estimated expenses in connection with the offering described in the registration statement (all of which will be borne by Genie Energy Ltd.).

 

Securities and Exchange Commission Fee		$	3,112.50
Accountants’ Fees and Expenses				(1)
Legal Fees and Expenses				(1)
Printing Fees				(1)
Miscellaneous				(1)
TOTAL				(1)

 

(1)	These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

 

15.	Indemnification of Officers and Directors

 

Delaware law authorizes corporations to eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of the directors’ “duty of care”. While the relevant statute does not change directors’ duty of care, it enables corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as injunction or rescission. The statute has no effect on directors’ duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing violations of law, illegal payment of dividends and approval of any transaction from which a director derives an improper personal benefit.

 

The Company has adopted provisions in its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, which eliminate the personal liability of its directors to the Company and its stockholders for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of their duty of care. The bylaws of the Company provide for indemnification of its directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Company’s state of incorporation, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary under Delaware Law. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware permits a corporation to indemnify any director or officer of the corporation against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any action, suit, or proceeding brought by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he or she had no reason to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In a derivative action, or an action brought by or on behalf of the corporation, indemnification may be provided only for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by any director or officer in connection with the defense or settlement of such an action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be provided if such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought shall determine that the defendant is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses despite such adjudication of liability.

 

The Company may enter into indemnification agreements with certain of its executive officers and directors, indemnifying them against certain potential liabilities that may arise as a result of their service to the Company, and providing certain other protections. The Company also maintains insurance policies which insure the officers and directors against certain liabilities.

 

 

16.

Exhibits

 

EXHIBIT LIST

 

EXHIBIT
NUMBER		DESCRIPTION
3.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Genie Energy Ltd. (1)
3.2		Amended and Restated By-laws of Genie Energy Ltd. (2)
5.1		Opinion of Schwell, Wimpfheimer & Associates LLP.
23.1		Consent for Schwell, Wimpfheimer & Associates is included in its opinion in Exhibit 5.1.
23.2		Consent of BDO USA, LLP.
23.3		Consent of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this registration statement).

 

(1) Incorporated by reference to Form 10-12G/A, filed October 7, 2011.

(2) Incorporated by reference to Form 8-K filed August 9, 2012.

 

17.	Undertakings

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

 

4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

 

i. Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

ii. Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.  Provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

i. Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

ii. Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

iii. The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of an undersigned registrant; and

 

iv. Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

7) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized in the City of Newark, State of New Jersey, on February 2, 2018.

 

	GENIE ENERGY LTD.
	By:	/s/ Michael Stein
		Michael Stein
		Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Michael Stein as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments and any related registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 and otherwise), and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents and full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated and as of February 2, 2018.

 

Signature		Titles
/s/ Howard S. Jonas		Chairman of the Board
Howard S. Jonas
/s/ James A Courter		Vice Chairman of the Board
James A. Courter
/s/ Michael Stein		Chief Executive Officer
Michael Stein		(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Avi Goldin		Chief Financial Officer
Avi Goldin		(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ W. Wesley Perry		Director
W. Wesley Perry
/s/ Alan Rosenthal		Director
Alan Rosenthal
/s/ Allan Sass		Director
Allan Sass

 

 

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