Luna Innovations to Delay Release of Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Luna Innovations (NASDAQ: LUNA) delays financial results release due to an ongoing review of revenue recognition issues in the second and third quarters of 2023, potentially indicating material weaknesses in internal controls. The company is working with external advisors to address these concerns and has filed a Form 12b-25 with the SEC for additional time to complete necessary tasks.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Delayed release of financial results may impact investor confidence and lead to uncertainty in the market.
• Material weaknesses in internal controls could result in regulatory scrutiny and potential fines or penalties.
• Ongoing review of revenue recognition issues may uncover further discrepancies impacting financial statements for multiple periods.

Financial Analyst

The disclosure of revenue recognition issues by Luna Innovations Incorporated raises significant concern regarding the company's financial integrity and compliance with accounting standards. The announcement of potential material weaknesses in internal controls is a red flag for investors, as it directly impacts the reliability of financial statements. This situation could lead to revisions of past financial results and restatements, which typically result in stock price volatility. Investors should closely monitor the situation for any updates on the extent of the restatements and the company's plan to remediate the weaknesses.

From a financial perspective, the delay in the filing of the annual report coupled with the need to re-evaluate previous quarters' revenues could suggest a more systemic issue within the company's financial practices. The market may react negatively to this uncertainty and there could be a period of underperformance until the company provides clarity and reassurance that corrective measures are effective.

Legal Expert

The filing of a Form 12b-25 indicates that Luna Innovations Incorporated is aware of its inability to meet the SEC's filing deadline, which is a procedural step to inform regulators and the public of the delay. The involvement of external legal advisors suggests that the company is taking the necessary steps to ensure that the review is thorough and that any legal implications are addressed. This situation could potentially lead to regulatory scrutiny or enforcement actions if the SEC deems the revenue recognition practices to have been intentionally misleading or if they significantly misrepresented the company's financial position.

For stakeholders, it is crucial to understand that the company's proactive approach in announcing the review and its cooperation with the SEC may mitigate some legal risks. However, the legal ramifications could extend beyond SEC actions, including potential shareholder lawsuits if investors feel they have been misled. The duration and outcome of the review will be pivotal in determining the legal consequences for Luna Innovations Incorporated.

Market Research Analyst

The announcement by Luna Innovations Incorporated may have broader implications for the market, especially within the technology and fiber optics sectors. If the revenue recognition issues are indicative of aggressive accounting practices, it could lead to increased scrutiny of similar companies by investors and regulators, potentially affecting valuations across the sector. The market will be looking for trends in how these companies recognize revenue and manage their internal controls.

Furthermore, this development could prompt a reassessment of risk for companies with complex customer arrangements that are vulnerable to misinterpretation under U.S. GAAP. It underscores the importance of robust financial governance and transparency in reporting practices. Competitors who maintain stringent controls and transparent practices may benefit from a flight to quality, as investors seek to minimize exposure to accounting-related risks.

ROANOKE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA) (the “Company”), a global leader in advanced fiber optic-based technology, today announced it will delay the release of its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023 financial results and the subsequent conference call.

A Special Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors is conducting an independent review, with the assistance of external legal and financial advisors, of certain transactions for which revenue was recognized in the second and third quarters of 2023 that did not qualify for revenue recognition under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The Special Committee is examining the circumstances surrounding these issues and is evaluating, among other things, the Company’s disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting and whether changes in accounting policies or other policies are necessary. The Company currently anticipates reporting material weaknesses in internal controls related to evaluating customer arrangements for proper revenue recognition and other controls and will be working to remediate these issues.

The Company also announced it has filed a Form 12b-25, Notification of Late Filing, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the Company’s Annual Report on its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (the “Annual Report”), as additional time is needed to complete tasks and steps necessary to prepare and finalize the annual financial statements and other disclosures required to be included in the Annual Report, as well as to complete the ongoing review of recognition of revenue referenced above. There can be no assurance as to how long the review will take or when the Company will be able to complete the preparation and filing of the Annual Report. In addition, the review is ongoing, and the Company has not yet determined the full extent of the impact on the second and third quarters of 2023 and whether and to what extent there may be an impact on financial statements for any other periods.

The Company is working diligently on this matter and will provide an update once more information is known.

About Luna

Luna Innovations Incorporated (www.lunainc.com) is a leader in optical technology, providing unique capabilities in high-performance, fiber optic-based, test products for the telecommunications industry and distributed fiber optic-based sensing for a multitude of industries. Luna’s business model is designed to accelerate the process of bringing new and innovative technologies to market.

Forward-Looking Statement

The statements in this release that are not historical facts constitute “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include Luna’s expectations regarding the ongoing review being overseen by the Special Committee of the Board of Directors, the impacts of the results of the independent review, including the extent of any impact on the Company’s reported historical financial statements, the expected timing of the Company’s filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and the determinations with respect to necessary changes in accounting or other policies resulting from the independent review. Management cautions the reader that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to a number of both known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, and/or achievements of Luna may differ materially from the future results, performance, and/or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors. These factors include, without limitation, the review being overseen by the Special Committee of the Board is still ongoing and the Special Committee will likely continue to discover additional information through the review, the determinations with respect to the degree of transactions and relevant financial reporting periods implicated thereby, the resulting effects on the Company’s reported financial results and the delay in the Company’s reporting of its financial results and filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K with the SEC, as well as the other risks and uncertainties set forth in Luna’s periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Such filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on Luna’s website at www.lunainc.com. The statements made in this release are based on information available to Luna as of the date of this release and Luna undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312926813/en/

Investor Contact:

Allison Woody

Luna Innovations Incorporated

Phone: 540.769.8465

Email: woodya@lunainc.com

Media Contact:

Chris Kittredge/Stephen Pettibone

FGS Global

Email: luna@fgsglobal.com

Source: Luna Innovations Incorporated

Why is Luna Innovations delaying the release of its financial results?

Luna Innovations is delaying the release of its financial results due to an ongoing review of revenue recognition issues in the second and third quarters of 2023.

What is the potential impact of material weaknesses in internal controls on Luna Innovations?

Material weaknesses in internal controls may lead to regulatory scrutiny, fines, or penalties for Luna Innovations.

What form did Luna Innovations file with the SEC regarding its financial reporting?

Luna Innovations filed a Form 12b-25, Notification of Late Filing, with the SEC for additional time to complete necessary tasks related to its financial reporting.

How long is the review expected to take for Luna Innovations?

There is no assurance on how long the review will take, and the company has not determined the full extent of the impact on financial statements for other periods yet.

What steps is Luna Innovations taking to address the revenue recognition issues?

Luna Innovations is working with external legal and financial advisors to address the revenue recognition issues and potential material weaknesses in internal controls.