SEC Company Response from HYBRID FUELS INC (CIK 0001104200) — Feb 16, 2005
HYBRID FUELS INC (CIK 0001104200)
Date: Feb. 16, 2005 · CIK: 0001104200 · Accession: 0001214659-05-000249
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: January 21, 2005
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Hybrid Fuels Inc., 237 Main Street, Box 880, Niverville, MB, Canada, R0A1E0
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attn: Meagan Caldwell
Re. Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004
Re. Form 10-QSB for the period ended September 30, 2004
Ms. Caldwell:
Following are our responses to the comment letter dated January 21, 2005 (the
"Letter"), prepared by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Staff") relating to the above referenced registration statement.
Each numbered paragraph below corresponds to the numbered paragraph in the
Letter:
1. N/A
2. The nature of the business prior to the acquisition of Hybrid Fuels, USA
and 330420 BC Ltd. in May 1998 was one of researching and testing various
individual components. All costs were borne privately. The corporation
330420 BC Ltd. was established as a subsidiary and would operate as part of
a long-range development plan in Canada. There were no bankruptcies,
material mergers or sales of significant assets.
3. The accounting procedure for the commercial facility constructed near
Cardston, Alberta was the responsibility of a private builder group. Once
the builder group had completed construction and demonstrated the facility
was fully operational, the commercial facility was to be transferred to
Hybrid's subsidiary, Hybrid Fuels (Canada) Inc. (formerly 330420 BC Ltd.).
The facility was never completed and therefore never operational and
therefore, the accounting procedure is not the responsibility of Hybrid
Fuels Inc.
The incident of the farmer removing the structures from the farm is before
the Law Courts in Alberta in a private law suit that does not involve
Hybrid Fuels Inc. or its subsidiary, Hybrid Fuels Canada (formerly 330420
BC Ltd.).
4. Energy contained in a gallon of fuel (when referring to liquids) are
measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). The production of ethanol
requires expenditure of energy and is one of the major costs. Ethanol per
gallon contains about 80,000 BTUs. If production of that gallon requires
burning of 1 gallon of diesel fuel which is rated at 125,000 BTUs per
gallon then there is a negative "Energy Balance." Modern distilleries
should run with approximately 3:1 favourable "Energy Balance." In our case
we recover the energy required to produce ethanol from the
gasifying/burning of manure and waste bedding. Our final "energy balance"
is therefore very highly favourable and is as low as shown only because we
include the energy costs of growing the grain and most calculations do not
take this into account.
5. The Company does not have any employees. The Company has used
consultants or independent contractors for the various tasks required to be
performed on a quarter-by-quarter basis.
6. Our subsidiary has entered into a verbal agreement with a group of
Hybrid Fuels Inc. shareholders to construct a fully operational facility.
No written contracts have been made. This will be included as a risk factor
in the 10KSB.
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7. Cattle prices can be volatile and could result in a loss on cattle
finishing. This will be included as a risk factor in the 10KSB.
8. This private shareholder group is bearing the financial burden of
construction and retains legal ownership until the facility is completed
and all systems are operational. At that time, the Company will negotiate
with the group to acquire or lease the facility on mutually agreeable
terms.
9. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed by March 31,
2005. The feed system, including the growth cycle of the barley grass,
would be prepared during the next 30 days. Operations are expected to
commence by April 30, 2005 once the feed system is ready for the first
delivery of cattle.
10. In the quarter ending September 30, 2003, our wholly-owned subsidiary,
Hybrid Fuels (Canada) Inc., entered into a verbal agreement with a group of
Hybrid Fuels Inc. shareholders to construct a fully operational facility at
Oyama, BC.
The Company has no funding source except through private sources and until
one facility is fully operational and demonstrates cash flow, Hybrid Fuels
Inc. and its subsidiary have limited access to banks, trust companies, and
other traditional lending sources. The private shareholder group is bearing
the financial burden of construction and retains legal ownership.
Once the facility is completed and all systems are operational the Company
will negotiate with the shareholder group to acquire or lease the facility
on mutually agreeable terms.
11. The Company does not have legal ownership or obligations relating to
the facility therefore no amounts have been recorded in the Company's
consolidated financial statements.
Once the facility is completed and all systems are operational the Company
will negotiate with the group to acquire or lease the facility on mutually
agreeable terms.
12. We expect that at the end of the fourth month of operations, when we
sell the first group of finished cattle, we will have an initial set of
data from which to prepare pro forma information for purposes of estimating
cash flows and generating a current business plan.
13. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed by March 31,
2005. The feed system, including the growth cycle of the barley grass,
would be prepared during the next 30 days. Operations are expected to
commence by April 30, 2005 once the feed system is ready for the first
delivery of cattle.
Once we have a fully operational facility, and prove the technology and
processes, our subsidiary, Hybrid Fuels (Canada) Inc., will operate it and
will earn revenue from the sale of beef and wet ethanol.
The facility will not be run at full capacity until approximately four
months have passed from the facility becoming operational. We believe that
at the end of the fourth month of operations, when we sell the first group
of finished cattle, we will have an initial set of data from which to
prepare pro forma information for purposes of estimating cash flows and
generating a current business plan.
The amount we anticipate spending on research and development for fiscal
2005 is $20,000.
14. Listed below are the Company's critical accounting policies:
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires us
to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of
assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenues and expenses during the periods. Actual results could differ from
those estimates. While there are a number of significant accounting
policies affecting our consolidated financial statements, we believe the
following two critical accounting policies involve the most complex,
difficult and subjective estimates and judgements:
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o Foreign currency translation
o Stock-based compensation
Foreign Currency Translation
Our functional and reporting currency is the United States dollar. Foreign
currency transactions are primarily undertaken in Canadian dollars and are
translated into United States dollars using exchange rates at the date of
the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign
currencies are re-measured at each balance sheet date at the exchange rate
prevailing at the balance sheet date. Foreign currency exchange gains and
losses are charged to operations. We have not, to the date of these
financial statements, entered into derivative instruments to offset the
impact of foreign currency fluctuations.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for stock-based awards using the intrinsic value
method of accounting in accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion
No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees" (APB 25). Under the
intrinsic value method of accounting, compensation expense is recognized if
the exercise price of the Company's employee stock options is less than the
market price of the underlying common stock on the date of grant.
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, "Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation," (SFAS 123), established a fair value based
method of accounting for stock-based awards. Under the provisions of SFAS
123, companies that elect to account for stock-based awards in accordance
with the provisions of APB 25 are required to disclose the pro forma net
income (loss) that would have resulted from the use of the fair value based
method under SFAS 123.
The Company follows the disclosure requirements of Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 148, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation --
Transition and Disclosure an Amendment of FASB Statement No. 123" (SFAS
148), which requires more prominent disclosures in both annual and interim
financial statements regarding the method of accounting for stock-based
employee compensation and the effect of the method used on reported
results. As of December 31, 2004, the Company has not issued any stock
options.
15. The Company was originally incorporated in the state of Florida on
February 16, 1960 as Fiberglass Industries Corporation of America. A copy
of the Articles of Incorporation was included as an exhibit in the
Company's Form 10-SB registration statement.
16. The functional and reporting currency of the Company is the United
States dollar. The wording in Note 2(e) to the financial statements was
incorrectly changed from United States to Canadian. This has been corrected
in the Form 10-QSB for the period ending December 31, 2004.
17. We excluded the restricted shares issued in calculating the basic and
dilutive EPS. We have disclosed this in the Form 10-QSB for the period
ending December 31, 2004.
18. To date there have been no stock options issued to employees or
non-employees.
19. Additional paragraph added to the beginning of Note 6 and additional
disclosure added in Note 6 (h):
All transactions in which goods or services are the consideration received
for the issuance of equity instruments are accounted for based on the fair
value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity
instrument issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. Equity
instruments issued to employees and the cost of the services received as
consideration are measured and recognized based on the fair value of the
equity instruments issued.
On March 29, 2004, 600,000 shares of common stock were issued to two
directors for director services at a price of $0.14 per share. Of these
shares issued, 400,000 shares related to services to be provided for the
period from January 1 to December 31, 2004. As a result $27,299 has been
charged to operations and the remaining balance of $27,299 has been
recorded as deferred compensation. The fair value of the shares was based
on the fair market value of the shares at the time the shares were issued.
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20. The securities must be owned and fully paid for at least one year.
After the one-year holding period, the number of shares non-affiliates may
sell during any three-month period can't exceed 1% of the outstanding
shares of the same class being sold.
At the time an order to sell is placed, a notice must be filed with the SEC
on Form 144 if the sale involves more than 500 shares or the aggregate
dollar amount is greater than $10,000 in any three-month period. The sale
must take place within three months of filing the Form and, if the
securities have not been sold, an amended notice must be filed.
Provided that the seller meets the conditions of Rule 144 the restriction
can only be removed by the transfer agent with the consent of the issuer in
the form of an opinion letter from the issuer's legal counsel.
If the shares have been owned for two years or more, no volume restrictions
apply to non-affiliates.
21. Additional disclosures added to Notes 6 (d) (e) (f) (h) (j):
6. (d) On September 10, 2003, 7,500 shares of common stock were issued
at a price of $0.25 per share in consideration for investor relations
services rendered for a total value of $1,875.
(e) On September 23, 2003, 7,500 shares of common stock were issued at
a price of $0.25 per share in consideration for investor relations services
rendered for a total value of $1,875.
(f) On October 23, 2003, 7,500 shares of common stock were issued at a
price of $0.14 per share in consideration for investor relations services
rendered for a total value of $1,050.
(h) On March 29, 2004, 600,000 shares of common stock were issued to
two directors for director services at a price of $0.14 per share for a
total value of $84,000. Of these shares issued, 400,000 shares related to
services to be provided for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2004.
As a result $27,299 has been charged to operations and the remaining
balance of $27,299 has been recorded as deferred compensation. The fair
value of the shares was based on the share price of cash sales at the time
the shares were issued. The fair value of the shares was based on the fair
market value of the share at the time the shares were issued.
(j) On April 1, 2004, 133,333 shares of common stock were issued at
$0.23 per share in consideration for investor relations services rendered
for a total value of $30,667, and 33,333 shares of common stock were issued
at $0.23 per share in consideration for management fees for a total value
of $7,667.
22. The terms of the restrictions are:
The securities must be owned and fully paid for at least one year. After
the one-year holding period, the number of shares non-affiliates may sell
during any three-month period can't exceed 1% of the outstanding shares of
the same class being sold.
At the time an order to sell is placed, a notice must be filed with the SEC
on Form 144 if the sale involves more than 500 shares or the aggregate
dollar amount is greater than $10,000 in any three-month period. The sale
must take place within three months of filing the Form and, if the
securities have not been sold, an amended notice must be filed.
Provided that the seller meets the conditions of Rule 144 the restriction
can only be removed by the transfer agent with the consent of the issuer in
the form of an opinion letter from the issuer's legal counsel.
If the shares have been owned for two years or more, no volume restrictions
apply to non-affiliates
23. Pursuant to the footnote by regulation S-B Item 401(f) and SEC Release
33-8220, the Company is not subject to the audit committee disclosures.
24. A code of ethics has been adopted by the Board of Directors and will be