Quarterlytics / Technology / Spectra Systems Corporation

Spectra Systems Corporation

spsy · LSE Technology
Claim this profile
Ticker spsy
Exchange LSE
Sector Technology
Industry
Employees 11-50
← All annual reports
FY2020 Annual Report · Spectra Systems Corporation
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
A Leading Provider of 
Advanced Technology-
Based Security Solutions

Spectra Systems Corporation
Annual report and accounts 2020

S

p

e

c

t

r

a

S

y

s

t

e

m

s

C

o

r

p

o

r

a

ti

o

n

A

n

n

u

a

l

r

e

p

o

r

t

a

n

d

a

c

c

o

u

n

t

s

2

0

2

0

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We invent, develop and 
manufacture integrated 
security solutions.

Spectra is an industry leader 
in the authentication and gaming 
controls markets.

Spectra provides integrated solutions comprised of 
engineered materials and hardware for authentication 
and software systems which analyze gaming transactions.

STR ATEGIC REPORT

1 

2 

4 

6 

Highlights

Spectra at a glance

Our strategy

 Chief Executive Officer’s statement

CORPOR ATE GOVERNANCE

10 

 Board of Directors

12  Senior management

13  Corporate governance statement

16  Committee reports

18  Directors’ report

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

21 

Independent auditor’s report

22  Consolidated balance sheets

23  Consolidated statements of income 

24 

 Consolidated statements of 
comprehensive income

25 

 Consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity

26  Consolidated statements of cash flows

27 

40 

 Notes to the financial information

 Shareholder and corporate information

Discover more online www.spsy.com

HIGHLIGHTS

Revenue (US$ million)

14.7

(2019: 13.2)

20 

19 

18 

14.7

13.2

12.5

Financial highlights

 » Revenue up 11% for the year at US$14,675k (2019: US$13,234k) 

 » Adjusted EBITDA1 up 16% at US$6,357k (2019: US$5,473k)

 » Adjusted PBTA1 up 15% to US$6,039k (2019: US$5,235k)

 »  Adjusted earnings2 per share up 14% to US$11.9 cents 

(2019: US$10.4 cents)

 » Net income up 18% at US$5,124k (2019: US$4,335k)

 » Cash generated from operations of US$5,574k (2019: US$5,789k)

 »  Strong, debt free balance sheet, with cash3 of US$14,038k 

Adjusted PBTA (US$ million)

(2019: US$14,250k) 

6.0

(2019: 5.2)

20 

19 

18 

 » Declaring annual dividend of US$0.095 per share to be paid in June

 » Buy-back of 645,000 shares

 »  US$40,000 donated to US and UK charities supporting the fight 

against hunger during the Covid-19 pandemic

6.0

1   Before stock compensation expense 

5.2

4.8

2  Before amortization and stock compensation expense 

3  Does not include US$1,099k (2019: US$1,344k) of restricted cash and investments

Adjusted earnings per share (US¢)

Operational highlights

11.9

(2019: 10.4)

20 

19 

18 

11.9

10.4

9.8

 »  Execution of a contract for Phase 1 development work for sensor 

technology development for a central bank

 »  Completion of three quality control systems for a central bank 

print works

 »  Execution of a new contract with a central bank to enhance existing 
authentication sensors to detect a unique type of counterfeit notes

 » Strong sales of optical materials for K-cups

 »  Launch of a new phosphor which outperforms existing leading 

materials and can be sold at a significant discount to incumbents

 »  Successful production of fully printed, machine-readable polymer 

banknotes with covert taggants

 »  Ongoing Covid-19 studies on Aeris banknote cleaning decontamination 

efficacy at a major university with Bio-Safety Level IV facilities

 »  Completed development of a Covid-19 decontamination system 

to disinfect 5,000,000 notes in one to two hours

 »  Six lottery contract renewals for the Secure Transactions Group

 »  Expansion of the patent estate with the granting of eleven new patents 

for authentication technology 

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

1

STRATEGIC REPORTSPECTRA AT A GLANCE

Spectra is a highly responsive 
organization that develops customized 
solutions for its customers.

Spectra authentication products are comprised of engineered 
materials and hardware systems which verify the unique signatures 
of the authentication materials in banknotes and brand product.

Our gaming software platforms are used by lotteries to validate 
large numbers of transactions.

OUR CUSTOMERS

OUR MARKETS

Our end customers include a G7 central bank organization 
and one of the world’s largest commercial security printers 
and papermakers, which supplies the Company’s technology to 
a second G7 central bank and numerous other central banks. 

With over 150 billion banknotes manufactured annually 
worldwide and 85% of all transactions performed using 
banknotes, this business has proven to be a high-quality, 
long-term revenue source for the Company.

Additionally, brand authentication customers use our 
technologies to protect their consumer goods brands, while 
our Secure Transactions Group provides solutions for 20 lotteries, 
17 in the United States of America and three international.

Our solutions are used by:

 » 20 central banks including two G7 central banks;

 » commercial security printers and papermakers;

 » Crane & Co.;

 » suppliers of security threads for world currencies;

 » LMI Packaging Solutions;

 » multinational consumer product companies;

 » Governments of Turkey, India, Malaysia, Netherlands 

and Norway; 

 » Intralot SA;

 » Scientific Games International Inc.;

 » International Game Technology PLC;

 » lotteries in 17 states within the United States of America; and

 » national lotteries in three countries.

With 20 central bank customers and newly developed 
technologies, particularly for polymer banknotes, we expect 
continued strong earnings from this sector. In addition, the 
ability to empower anyone with a smartphone to authenticate 
products and banknotes containing our materials transforms 
the market. Our TruBrand™, TruStamp™ and TruNote™ 
suite of solutions are the only materials-based smartphone 
authentication technologies in the world and rely on our 
proprietary materials. This is a powerful combination of new 
and disruptive technologies introduced by one company, 
which, in the span of two years, has gone from concept to 
market-ready products for sale and in use by large volume 
tobacco suppliers in Asia.

Spectra’s current suite of portable reader-based solutions 
can be used for authenticating and tracking consumer and 
tax-bearing products. Our reader-based business has grown 
considerably in Asia and has several recognizable brand owners 
as customers.

2

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

STRATEGIC REPORT45 billion

banknotes with our 
security features are 
circulating worldwide.

950 million

dollars of energy 
drinks sold annually that 
contain our materials.

155 million

American passports 
contain our document 
technology.

25 million

transactions processed 
by our ICS gaming 
technology on 
a daily basis.

60 million

bottles of hair product  
are protected from 
counterfeiting with 
our SpectraGuard 
technology.

10 million

bottles of wine 
protected by our 
technology over the 
past three years.

OUR SOLUTIONS

Authentication systems
Spectra’s sophisticated 
capabilities allow us to invent, 
develop and manufacture 
integrated solutions comprised 
of a system of taggant materials 
and sensor equipment to 
authenticate banknotes at 
all levels of security.

 » Level I: Provides unique 
overt, luminescent 
visual effects, including 
gas-sensitive materials.

 » Level II: Provides the public 
with a smartphone-based 
solution to examine 
banknotes for authenticity 
and denomination. 

 » Level III: Used by 20 central 
banks, including two G7 
banks, our covert materials 
and sensors provide the 
highest level of banknote 
security worldwide.

Secure transactions
Spectra’s Secure Transactions 
Group is a leading supplier of 
Independent Control Systems 
(ICS) for real-time fraud 
control and risk management 
to government-sanctioned 
gaming operators. Currently 
deployed in North America, 
Europe and Asia, our systems 
monitor and audit more than 
US$20 billion in annual sales 
for online, internet and mobile 
phone-based lotteries and 
pari-mutuel organizations.

Our Premier Integrity ICS 
benefits and advantages include:
 » fully automated independent 

real-time monitoring;

 » support of both online and 
instant lottery games; and

 » monitoring online 

systems from all major 
gaming operators.

Smartphone 
authentication
Spectra’s materials-based 
technology enables end-users 
to authenticate consumer 
brands and banknotes with a 
smartphone. This technology 
eliminates the need for costly 
readers and allows the 
consumer to authenticate 
the product themselves.

 » TruBrand™, TruNote™ 
and TruStamp™ are 
materials-based technologies 
that do not rely on easily 
counterfeited images.

 » TruTrack™ allows brand 
owners or government 
authorities to collect the 
geographic location, time 
and authentication status 
of each scan for monitoring 
and analysis purposes.

Optical capabilities
In the course of developing 
our authentication solutions 
for over a decade, Spectra has 
created a large number of unique 
optical materials which are 
responsive to various forms of 
excitation, from light to ambient 
environmental conditions, 
including gaseous constituents. 
Our scientists are finding new 
applications in process control, 
manufacturing consumer 
products and biotechnology.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

3

STRATEGIC REPORTOUR STR ATEGY

Focused on our future growth.

1

Future  
growth outside 
banknotes

2

Secure  
financial base

Core 
strengths

4

3

Future growth 
within banknotes

Technical  
advantages

Our core strengths

Spectra is a profitable, cash–generative 
technology business with no debt, 
predictable long-term income streams 
and excellent growth opportunities.

Discover more online 
www.spsy.com

1. FUTURE GROW TH OUTSIDE BANKNOTES

3. TECHNIC AL ADVANTAGES

 » TruBrand™ smartphone authentication technology recently 
tested by some Chinese tobacco manufacturers with the 
potential to transform a brand owner’s ability to identify 
the time and place where counterfeits are found

 » New market opportunities for optical materials in 

consumer applications

 » Expansion of K-cup business to new customers

 » Very little reliance on third parties

 » Manufacturing, servicing and R&D all managed in house

 » Long-term management team holds the technical expertise 

and is fully aligned to shareholders with a collective 
shareholding of 12% (including share options)

 » Next generation of products includes the potentially 
transformative growth from banknote disinfecting 
solutions to cloud-based authentication and data metrics

2. SECURE FINANCIAL BA SE

4. FUTURE GROW TH WITHIN BANKNOTES

 » Successfully commercialized optical technologies across 

 » Significant scope to increase market share of the growing banknote 

multiple sectors

 » Approximately 45 billion banknotes worldwide and 

155 million US passports contain our security technologies

 » Long-term security features for governments, central 

banks and global corporations which once installed are 
near permanent features on multi-year contracts

authentication market through innovative materials

 » Growth in use of polymer banknotes is a clear opportunity 
for Spectra to sell its newly developed machine-readable 
polymer substrate

 » Breakthrough technology for disinfection of banknotes for 

casinos and central banks

 » For the 12 months to 31 December 2020:

 » A comprehensive contract with a major world central bank for 

 » Generated revenues of US$14.7 million

 » Adjusted profit before tax of US$6.0 million

the development, manufacture and servicing of a sensor system 
with US$7.5 million of development of funding and as much 
as US$34.0–42.0 million for the delivery of an as yet 
unspecified number of sensors

4

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

STRATEGIC REPORTOur strategic priorities

Spectra’s aim is to generate attractive returns for shareholders made up of capital and income growth (historical dividend yield of 4%).

STR ATEGIC AIM

Capitalize on existing 
customer relationships 
and suite of banknote products

STR ATEGIC AIM

Advanced smartphone 
authentication technology

STR ATEGIC AIM

Leverage our core capabilities 
to increase high-margin 
specialty materials sales and 
expand into new markets

Development strategy

Development strategy

Development strategy

 » Future development of covert 

 » Leverage TruBrand™ smartphone 

 » Expand palette of TruBrand™ taggants

materials and sensors will continue 
to be primarily externally funded

 » Increased focus on polymer banknotes

 » Additional business from 

existing customers

technology to create new revenue 
streams for materials as well as the 
Secure Transactions Group

 » Focus on large, billion unit opportunities

 » Internal development and licensing 

of novel phosphors

 » Refine staffing to focus on specialty 
materials, polymer and marketing

Progress

Progress

Progress

 » Execution of a five-year service 

 » Obtained approval for TruBrand™ 

 » Increased phosphor sales beyond 

agreement with a major banknote 
printer and existing licensee

materials on tobacco products sold 
in China

US banknotes into Asia and Europe 
through partners

 » Supplied G7 central bank print works 
with three advanced quality control 
units used in the manufacturing of 
banknotes with our materials

 » Developed machine-readable polymer 
banknote substrates (MR-BOPP) and 
executed a ten-year agreement with 
a multinational supplier of polymer 
to produce our MR-BOPP 

 » Received funding and developed 
technology to detect unique 
counterfeit notes

 » Market introduction of our TruBrand™ 
product in the Chinese market on 
8,000,000 packs of cigarettes and 
scheduled machine tests for larger 
scale production

 » Introduction of smartphone-readable 
packaging films where print is not 
an option

 » Full qualification of our phosphors 
with a security thread supplier to 
a major Asian central bank

 » Successfully initiated new line of 
business in consumer products, 
namely coffee K-cups

 » Launched a new phosphor which 

outperforms market-leading material

 » Invested in the development 

of a low-cost optical system to 
measure blood plasma viscosity

Outlook

Outlook

Outlook

 » The execution of a multi-million 
dollar sensor development and 
supply contract with a major world 
central bank

 » A supply agreement for polymer-based 
technology developed with a major 
central bank

 » The utilization of the Secure 

 » New sales channel for phosphor 

Transactions Group for cloud-based 
server authentication of TruBrand™

materials through a banknote security 
thread manufacturer 

 » The utilization of TruTrack™ to provide 

geo-tracking in conjunction with 
TruBrand™ and TruNote™

 » Use of TruBrand™ on several billion 

 » Increased opportunities with 
long-standing G7 customers

 » The expansion of the optical  
materials business with  
compostable K-cup customers

 » Sale of banknote disinfection systems

cigarette packs

 » Expansion of TruBrand™ usage to 

other markets

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

5

STRATEGIC REPORTCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S STATEMENT

Orders for our covert consumables 
reached the highest level in the 
Company’s history amounting to over 
three and half times the average order. 

Introduction
Through achieving key commercial 
milestones, as described in the review 
of operations below, Spectra Systems has 
delivered an excellent performance for the 
2020 financial year, continuing its track 
record of year on year profit growth.

Revenue for the year was US$14,675k 
(2019: US$13,234k) due to larger demand for 
our materials to meet the increased banknote 
demands of one of our existing central bank 
customers as well as equipment sales to this 
same customer. Adjusted EBITDA (before 
stock compensation expense) for the year 
increased 16% to US$6,357k compared to 
the prior year of US$5,473k, which resulted 
in net income up 18% at US$5,124k 
(2019: US$4,335k).

Having generated cash from operations 
of US$5,574k (2019: US$5,789k), cash at 
the period end amounted to US$14,038k 
(2019: US$14,250k), excluding US$1,099k 
and US$1,344k of restricted cash and 
investments as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019. This is notwithstanding US$4,123k 
paid to shareholders during June 2020 in the 
form of the Company’s special dividend of 
US$0.09 per share and share buy-backs 
of US$992k. 

The Company is therefore declaring an 
annual dividend of US$0.095 per share to 
be paid in June. The Company will continue 
to have sufficient cash resources thereafter 
to execute on its growth plans as well as 
support the required financial requirements 
of our customers placing large sensor orders. 

Review of operations
Physical and Software 
Authentication Systems business
The Authentication Systems business 
generated revenue of US$13,251k 
(2019: US$11,829k) and adjusted EBITDA of 
US$6,121k (2019: US$5,065k). Authentication 
Systems revenues are driven by sales of covert 
materials and their associated equipment and 
service, optical and security phosphor materials 
and license royalties. We sell covert materials 
directly to one major world central bank and 
indirectly to 19 other central banks through 
our supply and licensing agreements with a 
major banknote supplier and printer which 
pays a license royalty for the exclusive rights 
to our technology. 

The increased revenue is due to larger 
demand for our covert materials to meet the 
increased banknote demands of one of our 
existing central bank customers as well as 
equipment sales to this same customer. 

Orders for our covert consumables 
reached the highest level in the Company’s 
history amounting to over three and half 
times the average order. This order was 
partially fulfilled in 2020 with the balance 
to be delivered in 2021. This was primarily 
driven by one central bank customer and 
additionally supported by larger than 2019 
orders from our licensing partner which in 
turn sells our products to 19 other central 
banks globally.

Our long relationship with a major world 
central bank continues to drive the introduction 
of more advanced products and an increasingly 
steady stream of hardware sales. We have 
received significant funding from this customer 
to develop a new generation of sensors with 
manufacturing anticipated to begin in 2024. 
In addition, we have received development 
funding for the detection of “exotic counterfeits” 
from this same customer. While the number 
of sensors to be ordered is not yet specified, 
the sale of sensors is expected to result in 

Our long relationship 
with a major world 
central bank continues to 
drive the introduction of 
more advanced products 
and an increasingly 
steady stream of 
hardware sales.

US$34 million-US$42 million of revenue, 
depending on whether or not the newly 
developed “exotic counterfeit” detection 
capability is requested. In addition, we 
will have received between US$7.5 million–
US$8.8 million of development funding 
from the central bank over the period 
from 2019–2023. 

The production of fully printed banknotes 
with our breakthrough, first in the industry, 
machine-readable and highly transparent 
polymer banknote substrate has allowed us 
to engage potential licensees as well as 
potential central bank customers in spite of 
the postponement of the Banknote 
Conference from 2020 to 2022. 

Leveraging our position as a supplier of 
authentication technology to central banks 
and in order to respond to the Covid-19 
pandemic, we have developed a new system 
alongside Aeris, our banknote cleaning 
equipment. The new patent pending technology 
is capable of disinfecting to sterile levels up 
to 5,000,000 banknotes in one hour. This 
technology is expected to gain traction with 
the increased realization that Covid-19 is 
likely to become endemic. Marketing of this 
product is targeted at casinos and central 
banks worldwide.

6

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

STRATEGIC REPORTOur TruBrand™ taggant-based smartphone 
technology continues to be used in 
6–10 million units per annum by a major 
tobacco manufacturer in China. Testing 
required for larger volume sales per annum 
has been delayed by the Covid-19 situation 
in China. We are confident that once these 
production tests are completed, we will have 
the potential for sales in the billions of 
tobacco packs per year.

In addition, working with our polymer 
partner, Toray Industries, we have developed 
a new product family of smartphone-readable 
packaging films for use in the brand 
authentication market where print is not 
an option. This is being actively marketed 
to large brands such as Apple, BAT, Estee 
Lauder, JUUL and others.

On the software security side of the Company’s 
business, the Secure Transactions Group, 
formed around the various gaming technology 
acquisitions made in 2012, generated an 
Adjusted EBITDA of US$236k (2019: US$408k) 
on revenue of US$1,424k (2019: US$1,405k). 
Our Gaming Security business has renewed 
several major contracts and has begun the 
development of a new software platform which 
has led to costs depressing the EBITDA from 
2019 but which will in the long run result in 
higher margins, primarily driven by lower 
customer support costs.

Prospects 
The Company continues to have numerous 
long-term and short-term prospects. The 
short-term opportunities are expected in 
the 2021–2023 period and the long-term 
opportunities are expected in the 2023–2027 
time frame.

The important, near-term opportunities are:

 » fulfillment of very large orders for covert 
materials to a long-standing central bank 
customer during 2021;

 » additional development funding of 

US$1.2 million beyond the currently 

contracted research program with a 
long-standing central bank customer to 
include “exotic counterfeit” detection in 
the new sensor development program; 

 » approval by the customer of up to an 

additional $8.0 million of sensor sales for 
the incorporation of “exotic counterfeit” 
detection in the new sensors with 
manufacturing anticipated to begin in 2024;

 » increased number of tobacco packs sold 
in China with our TruBrand™ materials 
and smartphone app. Management is 
confident that TruBrand™ will reach several 
hundred million packs in 2021–2022;

CONTR AC TS WITH CENTR AL BANKS

Spectra Systems Corporation, a leader in machine-readable high-speed banknote authentication, brand protection technologies, 
and gaming security software, is pleased to announce that it has:

Executed a comprehensive services contract with a central bank 
for the development, manufacture and servicing of a sensor 
system for this customer.

Executed a new contract with a major world central bank to 
enhance existing authentication sensors to detect a unique type 
of counterfeit notes.

The contract includes US$1.9 million to initiate Phase 1 development 
work and has three major additional phases which include a 
US$5.6 million Phase 2 development through 2023, as much as 
US$34 million for the delivery of an as yet unspecified number 
of sensors, and a service component worth approximately 
US$7.5 million (covering the current sensors and including the 
typical ten-year life of the maximum number of new sensors 
to be delivered after development).

The contract has two phases; the first is a development phase 
worth US$521,000 and the second phase relates to the optional 
upgrade of up to ten sensors worth up to US$175,000. The first 
phase is anticipated to be completed by December 2020 barring 
any Covid-19 related delays at the customer site, while the 
second phase is at the discretion of the central bank.

We are pleased that one of our long-standing customers 
has provided us with the opportunity to provide new 
cutting edge anti-counterfeiting technology.

Nabil M. Lawandy
Chief Executive Officer

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

7

STRATEGIC REPORTCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S STATEMENT continued

Prospects continued
 » a new smaller scale TruBrand™ customer 

outside of tobacco;

 » expansion of the optical materials business 

with compostable K-cup customers;

 » sales of our newest patent pending 

phosphor product; 

 » sale of our first banknote decontamination 

system to a casino; and

 » qualification with a central bank 

of our Fusion™ machine-readable 
polymer substrate.

 The longer-term opportunities are:

 » a licensing and supply agreement for 

polymer-based technology developed with 
a major central bank;

 » supply of further upgraded sensors 

worth up to US$42 million to a central 
bank customer;

 » licensing of secure Fusion™ polymer 
substrate or a direct sale to central 
banks; and

 » sale of an Aeris banknote cleaning system 

to a central bank.

The combination of these prospects, 
both short and long term, has positioned 
the Company to continue its revenue and 
earnings growth through 2027. We continue 
to develop cutting edge technologies to remain 
the innovation leader in the authentication 
industry and to offer our shareholders the 
springboard to even bigger growth of their 
Company. We believe that we have a number 
of transformative opportunities ahead in 
several aspects of our business that will 
potentially further accelerate our earnings. 

Solaris BioSciences Investment Asset
In December 2020, the Company made an 
investment in Solaris BioSciences, whose core 
technology is well understood by us and can 
be effectively developed by our in-house 
staff. In addition to the issuance of Company 
stock, the investment included cash of 
US$294,058 and a commitment by the 
Company to provide in-kind services at cost 
of US$100,000. To date, there remains 
approximately US$87,000 of in-kind services 
to be provided and Solaris BioSciences’ cash 
balance is approximately US$240,000. 

During the three months since the investment, 
Solaris BioSciences has made enormous 
advances towards the development of 

a low cost, pin-prick volume blood plasma 
viscosity device and associated consumables. 
A working laboratory prototype now exists 
which is being refined and will be evaluated 
with blood plasma over a range of disease 
conditions. Solaris BioSciences is optimistic 
that a demonstrable alpha phase production 
unit will be available by the end of Q3 2021. 
New intellectual property has been generated 
with this development and additional patents 
have been filed by Solaris BioSciences.

With the Company having a sixth year of 
sustainable profits, reaching their highest 
levels since listing, and having sufficient 
resources to execute on its growth plans 
with its existing cash reserves, the Board is 
delighted to again issue a dividend. Our 
dividend policy takes account of the Group’s 
profitability, underlying growth and 
maintenance of sufficient cash reserves. 
The Board therefore intends to pay an annual 
dividend of US$0.095 per share on or about 
June 25, 2021 to shareholders of record as 
of June 4, 2021.

Nabil M. Lawandy
Chief Executive Officer
March 22, 2021

T WO LOT TERY RENEWAL S

Spectra Systems Corporation, a leader in machine-readable 
high-speed banknote authentication, brand protection 
technologies, and gaming security software, is pleased to 
announce that it has successfully renewed contracts with two 
USA state lottery customers, for nine and ten-year contracts, 
respectively. The aggregate value of the contracts is estimated 
at US$1 million over the full term with additional potential 
from software work plans of up to US$0.25 million.

8

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

Our renewal of such 
long-term contracts with 
these lottery customers 
underpins both the quality 
and stability of our Software 
Security business as well 
as that of the Company 
as a whole.

Nabil M. Lawandy
Chief Executive Officer

STRATEGIC REPORTAcquisition of interest in 
Solaris BioSciences, Inc

Spectra Systems Corporation, a leader in machine-readable 
high-speed banknote authentication and brand protection 
technologies, is delighted to announce that it has increased 
its equity interest in Solaris (the principal shareholder of 
which is Dr. Lawandy, CEO of Spectra) from 4.79 percent to 
48.65 percent (on an as-converted basis), for an aggregate 
consideration of c.US$700,000. This transaction is expected 
to be the first of several over time which are expected to be 
a vehicle for building additional value for investors in business 
areas outside the authentication business which have rapidly 
evolving valuations. Spectra seeks to find early stage 
technology companies in the healthcare, biotechnology and 
energy sectors which draw on its core technology capabilities 
and where it can minimize the use of cash consideration.

laser source to interrogate the ultra-small samples 
volumes. When used with precision nano-particles, the 
method is capable of determining the viscosity of pin-prick 
volumes obtained using modified test strip methods of 
biological fluids such as blood plasma, which have been 
directly correlated with Covid-19 (SARS-2) associated 
hyper-viscosity, cardio-metabolic risk factors, proteinuria, 
and homeostasis in cardiac surgery patients in the early 
postoperative period. The technology can also be utilized 
with surface functionalized nano-particles with biological 
samples containing target molecules specific to a virus or 
pathogen to act as an ultrasensitive assay. This application 
is adaptable and can be readily used for new, yet 
undiscovered pathogens.

Solaris, which is targeting the medical and biotech markets, 
has developed and patented a new, high sensitivity, rapid and 
compact, optically based technology for the characterisation 
of bio-fluids and as an assay for the detection of proteins, 
RNA/DNA, antibodies, and other biomolecular moieties 
using extremely low sample volumes. The technology has 
been demonstrated and uses nano-particle consumables 
(particles with sizes less than a micron) and an all solid-state 

The technology is protected by two issued United States 
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patents and associated 
foreign fillings (USPTO 9,970,854 and 10,379,114, 
“Nondegenerate two-wave mixing for identifying and 
separating macromolecules”). These patents will be in 
force for another 16 and 18 years respectively. Solaris 
also holds three additional patents, two of which are 
relevant to the area of commercial focus.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

9

STRATEGIC REPORTBOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our Board of Directors has a collective 
responsibility to shareholders for the 
sustainable long-term success of the business.

BJ PENN
Non-executive Chairman

NABIL L AWANDY
President and Chief Executive Officer

DONALD STANFORD
Non-executive Director

C G N

A G

A C N

Mr. Penn was Acting Secretary of the US 
Navy from March to May 2009, having 
previously been Assistant Secretary of the 
US Navy (Installations and Environment) 
since 2005. Mr. Penn began his career as a 
Naval Aviator and was named EA-6B Pilot 
of the Year in 1972. Throughout his 
distinguished career, significant leadership 
assignments included: Executive Officer/
Commanding Officer VAQ 33, Battalion 
Officer at the US Naval Academy, Air 
Officer on the USS America, Special 
Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations, 
Commanding Officer of NAS North Island, 
CA, and Deputy Director of the Navy 
Office of Technology Transfer & Security 
Assistance. Mr. Penn left the Navy in 1995, 
joining Loral Corporation as Director of 
International Business. In 1996, Loral 
sold its defense electronics and system 
integration businesses to Lockheed Martin 
and Mr. Penn was assigned to Lockheed 
Martin’s corporate staff. Mr. Penn returned 
to the US Navy in 2001 as Director of 
Industrial Base Assessments.

Mr. Penn received his BS in Industrial 
Technology from Purdue University and his 
MS in Human Resource Management and 
Personnel Administration from the George 
Washington University. Mr. Penn has also 
received certificates in Aerospace Safety 
from the University of Southern California 
and in National Security for Senior Officials 
from the Kennedy School, Harvard University. 
Mr. Penn serves as Trustee at the George 
Washington University and is on the board 
of the Naval Aviation Museum.

Dr. Lawandy is the founder, President and 
Chief Executive Officer of the Company. 
Dr. Lawandy started his career at the 
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where 
he was a pioneer in the development of 
sub-millimeter optically pumped lasers. 
From 1981 to 1999, Dr. Lawandy was a 
tenured full professor of Engineering and 
Physics at Brown University, where his 
work focused on instabilities in single and 
multimode lasers and a wide spectrum of 
non-linear optics and atom-field interaction 
problems. In addition to Spectra Systems 
Corporation, Dr. Lawandy has founded two 
other companies, Spectra Disc Corporation 
and Solaris Nanosciences, and has raised 
over US$80 million in investment capital.

Dr. Lawandy holds a BA in Physics, and 
an MS and PhD in Chemistry, all from 
Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Lawandy 
has authored over 180 reviewed scientific 
papers and is an inventor on over 80 US and 
foreign issued patents. His entrepreneurial 
and scientific work has been covered in 
several high-profile publications including 
the London Financial Times, the Economist, 
Scientific American, Science News, the 
Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, the 
Boston Globe, Fox News and BBC Television. 
Dr. Lawandy has also received a Presidential 
Young Investigator Award, an Alfred P. Sloan 
Fellowship, a Cottrell Award, a Rolex Award 
for Enterprise and a Samuel Slater Award 
for Innovation.

Mr. Stanford, who was from 1979 until 
2001 the Chief Technical Officer of GTECH 
Corporation, is an Adjunct Professor of 
Computer Science and Engineering at 
Brown University and is an instructor in 
the Program in Innovation, Management, 
and Entrepreneurship (PRIME). Mr. Stanford 
is also on the faculty of Brown’s School 
of Professional Studies. Mr. Stanford is a 
founding member of GTECH (renamed IGT) 
and, over the course of 30 years, he held 
every technical leadership position, including 
Vice President of Advanced Development 
and Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Stanford 
serves on several boards including YearUp 
Providence and the Business Innovation 
Factory. Mr. Stanford is a founding board 
member of Times2 STEM Charter School 
in Providence and served on its board for 
20 years. In 2008, Mr. Stanford was 
re-engaged by IGT as a consultant. 

Mr. Stanford is a past member of the RI 
Science and Technology Advisory Council. 
Mr. Stanford also served on the Brown 
advisory councils to the President and 
the School of Engineering. Mr. Stanford 
holds a BA in International Relations and 
an MS in Computer Science and Applied 
Mathematics, both from Brown University. 
In 1999, Mr. Stanford received both the 
Black Engineer of the Year Award for 
Professional Achievement and the 
Honorable Thurgood Marshall Award for 
Community Service from the NAACP. In 
2002, Mr. Stanford received the Brown 
Graduate School’s Distinguished Graduate 
Award and the RI Professional Engineers 
Award for Community Service.

A

Audit Committee

C

Compensation Committee

G

Government Security Committee

N

Nominating Committee

Committee Chairman

10

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEJEREMY FRY
Non-executive Director

A C N

Mr. Fry has over 30 years of experience 
in finance and operations and in particular 
intellectual property. Following a successful 
executive international career with large 
scale enterprises, Mr. Fry, who is based in 
the UK, established his own consultancy 
business in 2005. Since forming the 
consultancy business, he has worked across 
a broad spectrum of business clients, advising 
start-ups to publicly listed enterprises. Over 
the past 15 years he has assumed numerous 
roles including Executive Chairman, 
Non-Executive Chairman, Non-Executive 
Director, CEO and COO leading and 
supporting a number of successful investor 
acquisitions and exits. More recently, 
he has been focused on advisory and 
non-executive initiatives including his 
appointment to the boards of Blackspace 
Security Limited and Sentrybay Limited, 
leading cyber-security companies working 
in financial services and regulated markets, 
where he is Chair of the Audit Committee.

Through 2019 and into 2020, his time 
was spent working on a very significant 
restructuring of an industrial company 
involving negotiations with lenders and 
shareholders, addressing balance sheet 
and operational challenges. Mr. Fry, a 
Chartered Marketeer, holds a degree in 
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from 
Cardiff Metropolitan University (formerly 
Llandaff Technical College), a postgraduate 
diploma in Marketing from the Chartered 
Institute of Marketing via Cardiff Business 
School and an Executive MBA from the 
University of Reading.

In memoriam:
Martin Jaskel

In January 2021, Spectra regretfully announced the passing of 
Martin Jaskel, an independent Non-Executive Director of the 
Company, after a short illness. The Board extends its deepest 
condolences and sympathies to Mr. Jaskel’s family and would 
like to take this opportunity to express its thanks for his 
significant contribution to the Company.

Mr. Jaskel joined the Board of Spectra in 2007, after a 
distinguished career in the UK stockbroking and financial sectors. 

Nabil Lawandy, Chief Executive Officer, stated: “We are all 
deeply saddened by this tragic news. Martin was a dedicated 
professional who took his Board responsibilities very seriously 
and brought a great deal of insight and support to the entire 
team. On behalf of the Board, and everyone at Spectra, 
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family, 
friends and colleagues.”

Spectra has donated £25,000 in Martin’s name to the 
Leicester Royal Infirmary SACT Suite extension project.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

11

CORPORATE GOVERNANCESENIOR MANAGEMENT

Our senior management team highlights 
our strong internal talent base, providing 
clear direction and support for all areas 
of the business.

BRIAN MCL AIN, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary

Mr. McLain has been Spectra’s Chief Financial Officer since January 
2017. With extensive financial experience in both public and private 
businesses, Mr. McLain is responsible for managing all financial and 
administrative functions of Spectra Systems. Before joining Spectra, 
Mr. McLain served as the Corporate Controller for OMNIlife Science, Inc. 
and was responsible for all financial and accounting operations. Prior to 
OMNI, Mr. McLain progressed from the role of Corporate Controller to 
Vice President, Finance & Business Solutions at SeraCare Life Sciences, 
Inc. which was quoted on NASDAQ prior to being bought out in 2012. 

Previously, Mr. McLain served in various roles at International 
Power, a UK-owned power producer, and Excelergy Corporation, 
a venture-backed software business. Mr. McLain started his career at 
Arthur Andersen, assisting clients with financial statement preparation 
and other accounting needs. Mr. McLain holds a BS from Boston 
College and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

WILLIAM GOLTSOS, Vice President of Engineering

G

Dr. Goltsos has been Spectra’s Vice President, Engineering, from April 2000 
to the present. From September 1996 to April 2000, Dr. Goltsos served 
as a Senior Systems Engineer for Spectra. Prior to that, from 1992 to 
1996, Dr. Goltsos served as a Staff Member of the MIT/Lincoln 

Laboratory’s Optical Communications Group. Dr. Goltsos holds 
a PhD in Physics from Brown University, an MS in Physics from Brown 
University, and a BS in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

JAMES CHERRY, Director of Business Development

Mr. Cherry serves as Director of Business Development. Mr. Cherry 
joined the Company in 2002 from Auspex Systems, an enterprise 
network data storage system business, where he had been involved 

in marketing and product management for seven years. Prior to that, 
Mr. Cherry had worked for five years at DuPont in product management.

ANDREI SMUK , Director of Research and Development

Dr. Smuk, who joined the Company in 2000, was appointed Director 
of Research and Development in 2006. Dr. Smuk is responsible for the 
development of advanced materials and innovative sensor systems. 

Dr. Smuk received a PhD in Physics from Brown University in 2000 and 
an MS in Applied Physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and 
Technology in 1994.

12

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT

Chairman’s statement

The Board of Directors recognizes the importance of sound 
corporate governance to give our shareholders and other stakeholders 
confidence in our business. As Chairman of the Board, I have ultimate 
responsibility for ensuring that the Board adopts and implements a 
recognized corporate governance code in accordance with our stock 
market listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. The 
Board has adopted the Quoted Companies Alliance (QCA) Corporate 
Governance Code 2018. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has 

responsibility for the implementation of governance throughout our 
organization under the direction of the Board.

The QCA Corporate Governance Code 2018 has ten key principles 
and we set out below how we apply those principles to our business. 

The Honorable BJ Penn
Chairman of the Board
April 1, 2021

PRINCIPLE 1

Please refer to pages 2 through 5 for the details of our strategy and business model.

Establish a strategy and 
business model which 
promotes long-term value 
for shareholders

PRINCIPLE 2

Seek to understand and 
meet shareholder needs 
and expectations

The Board is committed to understanding and meeting the needs and expectations of its 
shareholders and believes that maintaining good communications is the best way to do so. 
The Company informs shareholders through regulatory news announcements and on its 
corporate website. All shareholders are encouraged to attend the Annual General Meeting. 
Subject to confidentiality and regulatory restrictions, the CEO meets with shareholders by 
appointment, which the Board believes has been successful.

PRINCIPLE 3

Take into account wider 
stakeholder and social 
responsibilities and 
their implications for 
long-term success

The long-term success of the Company is dependent on its relationships with its various 
stakeholders: customers, suppliers and employees amongst others. The Company has built 
strong relationships with its customers and considers itself a business partner, helping its 
customers develop solutions to meet their needs. The management team is in constant 
contact with its customers and seeks feedback to determine customer needs. The Company 
also maintains relationships with its key suppliers to ensure it is updated on new developments 
that may be utilized to the benefit of its customers. Our employees are also a key factor 
in the successful growth of the Company. Management is in constant contact with its 
employees and encourages employees to generate new ideas. To align employees with 
the long-term success of the Company, key employees have been granted stock options.

PRINCIPLE 4

Embed effective risk 
management, considering 
both opportunities and 
threats, throughout 
the organization

As a small cap company quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, 
the Board is sensitive to the impact of risks upon the Company. The Board meets with 
Company management on a regular basis to monitor the risks facing the Company and 
identify appropriate measures to mitigate any potential impact. The Board assures itself 
of the efficacy of risk management and related control systems through corporate 
performance and periodic reports.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

13

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT continued

PRINCIPLE 5

Maintain the Board as a 
well-functioning, balanced 
team led by the chair

The Board is responsible for formulating, reviewing and approving the Company’s strategy, 
budgets and corporate actions. Please refer to page 20 for the details of our Board structure 
and Committees. Given the size of the Board, Committee topics are often discussed by the 
full Board rather than limited to each Committee’s members. This allows the full Board to 
stay informed of the particular issues being addressed by each Committee. Please refer to 
the Directors’ report on page 20 for Board attendance.

PRINCIPLE 6

Ensure that between 
them the Directors have 
the necessary up-to-date 
experience, skills 
and capabilities

The Board of Directors brings a broad range of skills to address the challenges faced 
by a company that sells its products worldwide. The Board consists of highly experienced 
professionals with complementary backgrounds that meet the needs of the Company. Each 
Director is responsible for maintaining his or her own skill set, part of which is achieved by 
remaining active in industry. The Nominating Committee of the Board is tasked with finding 
and nominating qualified candidates to serve on the Board. Please refer to our Directors’ 
biographies on pages 10 and 11 for more information on our Board of Directors. In addition 
to the Directors, our Chief Financial Officer and outside General Counsel attend all Board 
meetings and bring financial, legal and business acumen to Board discussions. The Board 
and its Committees will also seek external expertise and advice where required.

PRINCIPLE 7

Evaluate Board 
performance based on 
clear and relevant 
objectives, seeking 
continuous improvement

PRINCIPLE 8

Promote a corporate 
culture that is based 
on ethical values 
and behaviors

The Board evaluation process is designed to identify opportunities for improving the 
performance of the Board and to ensure it has the necessary skills and experience to fulfill 
its responsibilities both today and in the future, through adequate succession planning to the 
degree appropriate given the size of the Company. Given the current size of the Company, the 
evaluation process is performed internally, by the Board, on an ongoing basis. Any deficiencies 
identified will be addressed in a constructive manner and, if necessary, changes of the Board 
will be considered in conjunction with the Nominating Committee.

The transnational nature of our business operations requires firm action on our part to 
work with integrity. As a Company, we strive to conduct ourselves according to the highest 
standards of ethical conduct. Throughout its operations, Spectra seeks to avoid even the 
appearance of impropriety in the actions of its Directors, officers, employees and agents. 
The Board has implemented policies to promote ethical conduct and relies on the 
management team to ensure ethical values and behaviors are respected.

14

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEPRINCIPLE 9

Maintain governance 
structures and processes 
that are fit for purpose 
and support good decision 
making by the Board

The Board takes responsibility for the performance of the Company and ensures that all 
decisions are taken in the best interest of the Company. Although the Board has delegated 
the operational management of the Company to the CEO and other senior management, the 
Board retains oversight of their actions and retains approval authority for acquisitions, 
dividend payments and significant expenditures and contracts.

The Chairman is responsible for leadership of the Board and ensuring its effectiveness. 
The Chairman, with the assistance of the CEO, sets the Board’s agenda and ensures that 
adequate time is available for proper discussion of all items.

The CEO is responsible for running the business and implementing the decisions and 
policies of the Board. The CEO is also responsible for accurate, appropriate and timely 
communications with shareholders.

While not a Board member, the CFO attends all Board meetings. The CFO is responsible 
for the Company’s finances, human resources and compliance activities. The CFO seeks the 
advice of outside General Counsel when necessary.

The Non-executive Directors are appointed to provide strategic advice and independent 
oversight as well as to challenge the CEO.

The Board may create or disband Committees depending on the operations of the Company. 
The Board has established the following Committees to assist with oversight and governance: 
Audit, Compensation, Nominating and Government Security.

The Audit Committee has primary responsibility for monitoring the quality of internal 
controls and ensuring that the financial performance of the Company is properly measured 
and reported on. It will receive and review reports from the Company’s management and 
auditor relating to the interim and annual accounts and the accounting and internal control 
systems in use throughout the Company. The Audit Committee intends to meet no less than 
three times each financial year and will have unrestricted access to the Company’s auditor. 
The Audit Committee comprises Donald Stanford as Chairman, Jeremy Fry and Nabil Lawandy.

The Compensation Committee reviews the performance of the CEO and makes recommendations 
to the Board on matters relating to his remuneration and terms of employment. The Committee 
also makes recommendations to the Board on proposals for the granting of share options and 
other equity incentives pursuant to any share option scheme or equity incentive scheme in 
operation from time to time. The Compensation Committee comprises Donald Stanford as 
Chairman, Jeremy Fry and BJ Penn.

The Nominating Committee comprises BJ Penn as Chairman, Donald Stanford and Jeremy Fry. 
The Committee seeks and nominates qualified candidates for election or appointment to 
Spectra’s Board of Directors.

The Security Committee is responsible for ensuring the implementation within the Company 
of all procedures, organizational matters and other aspects pertaining to the security and 
safeguarding of information, including the exercise of appropriate oversight and monitoring 
of operations to ensure that protective measures are effectively maintained and implemented. 
The Security Committee comprises BJ Penn as Chairman and Nabil Lawandy.

PRINCIPLE 10

Communicate how the 
Company is governed 
and is performing by 
maintaining a dialogue 
with shareholders and 
other relevant stakeholders

The Board is committed to maintaining good communication with all of its stakeholders, 
including shareholders. The Company’s website, and its Investor Relations section in particular, 
provides useful information to assist stakeholders in assessing the performance of the Company.

Results of shareholder meetings and details of votes cast will be publicly announced through 
the regulatory information system. The Board will seek to understand the reasons behind 
any significant votes cast against a resolution at any general meeting.

Board Committee reports are included on pages 16 and 17.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

15

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECOMMITTEE REPORTS 

Audit Committee report

Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to present our Audit Committee report for 2020 
which describes our activities and areas of focus during the year 
ended December 31, 2020. The Board is satisfied that the members of 
the Audit Committee bring a wide range of skills, expertise, experience 
and competence relevant to the sector in which the Company operates 
and that Donald Stanford possesses the necessary recent and relevant 
financial experience to effectively chair the Committee. 

The main role of the Audit Committee includes:

The Audit Committee intends to meet no less than three times each 
financial year. Given the size of the Company, all Board members 
typically attend the Audit Committee meetings. In addition, the Chief 
Financial Officer and the Company’s outside General Counsel typically 
attend the Audit Committee meetings. During 2020, the Audit Committee:

 » re-appointed Miller Wachman LLP as the Company’s external auditor;

 » reviewed and recommended to the Board the approval of the 2019 

annual report and the 2020 half-year results announcement;

 » monitoring the integrity of the Company’s financial statements, 
including reviewing its annual and half-year financial statements 
and accounting policies;

 » reviewed the accounting treatment related to the Solaris BioSciences 
investment and the recognition of revenue for certain equipment 
sales; and

 » reviewing the effectiveness of the internal controls and risk 

management; and

 » reviewed the audit approach and scope of the audit work to 
be undertaken by the external auditor and associated fee.

 » overseeing the relationship with the Company’s auditor, 

Miller Wachman LLP, and assessing the effectiveness of the 
external audit.

Donald Stanford
Chairman
April 1, 2021

Nominating Committee report

Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to present our Nominating Committee report for 
2020 which describes our activities and areas of focus during the 
year ended December 31, 2020. The main role of the Committee is to 
review the structure, size and composition of the Board, identify and 
propose to the Board suitable candidates to fill Board positions and 
keep under review the leadership needs of the Company. 

Given the size of the Company, all Board members typically attend 
the Nominating Committee meetings. In addition, the Chief Financial 
Officer and the Company’s outside General Counsel typically attend 
the Nominating Committee meetings. During 2020, the Nominating 
Committee reviewed the composition, size and structure of the Board. 
The Nominating Committee recommended the re-election of the 
existing Board members.

The Honorable BJ Penn
Chairman
April 1, 2021

16

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECompensation Committee report

Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to present our Compensation Committee report for 
2020 which describes our activities and areas of focus during the 
year ended December 31, 2020. The Compensation Committee 
reviews the performance of the CEO and makes recommendations 
to the Board on matters relating to his compensation and terms of 
employment. The Committee also makes recommendations to the 
Board on proposals for the granting of share options and other equity 
incentives pursuant to any share option scheme or equity incentive 
scheme in operation from time to time. The Compensation Committee 
aims to provide a competitive compensation package which will attract 
and retain Directors and management with the requisite experience 
and ability to manage the Company and generate superior long-term 
performance. The four main elements of the compensation package 
are: base salary, annual bonus, benefits and share options. Given the size 
of the Company, all Board members typically attend the Compensation 
Committee meetings. In addition, the Chief Financial Officer and the 

Company’s outside General Counsel typically attend the Compensation 
Committee meetings.

During 2020, the Compensation Committee:

 » assessed the 2019 performance of the Chief Executive Officer and 
approved a bonus of US$100,000 based on the superb financial 
results for 2019; and

 » approved a 5% salary increase for the Chief Executive Officer 

based upon the excellent financial results over the past few years 
and the fact that the Chief Executive Officer’s salary had not been 
increased since 2011.

Donald Stanford
Chairman
April 1, 2021

Directors’ interests
The Directors’ beneficial interests in the common stock of the Company were as follows:

Ordinary shares

N. Lawandy

B. Penn

M. Jaskel

D. Stanford

December 31,

2020

2019

2,247,736

2,184,544

55,467

72,745

—

30,000

43,829

35,670

2,375,948

2,294,043

Directors’ compensation
The following table details the Directors’ earned compensation for the year ended December 31, 2020:

Executive Directors

N. Lawandy

Non-executive Directors

B. Penn

M. Jaskel

D. Stanford

Total

Salary
and bonus 

Benefits

Board fees

Total
compensation

$ 

491,406

$ 

32,873

$ 

— $ 

524,279

—

—

—

—

—

—

31,250

31,250

31,250

31,250

31,250

31,250

$ 

491,406

$ 

32,873

$ 

93,750

$ 

618,029

Directors’ share options
At December 31, 2020, Directors had options or warrants to purchase ordinary shares under the Company’s stock option plan as follows:

N. Lawandy

B. Penn

M. Jaskel

D. Stanford

Options held at
 December 31,
2020

Weighted
average
exercise price

Options vested
at December 31,
2020

2,281,063

$ 

160,000

25,000

160,000

2,626,063

$ 

0.50

0.44

0.34

0.44

0.49

2,281,063

160,000

25,000

160,000

2,626,063

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

17

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT 

for the year ended December 31, 2020

The Directors present their report and the audited consolidated 
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Domicile
Spectra Systems Corporation is a C corporation and is registered 
and domiciled in the United States of America.

Principal activity
The principal activity of the Company is to invent, develop and sell 
integrated optical systems that provide customers with increased 
efficiency, security tracking and product life. The integrated systems 
combine consumables and engineered optical materials with software 
and hardware for use in applications. The Company also provides 
software tools to the lottery and gaming industries for fraud, money 
laundering and match fixing detection, as well as statistical analysis.

Results and dividends
The Company’s consolidated statements of income and comprehensive 
income are set out on pages 23 and 24 and show the results for 
each year.

There are nominal federal and state income tax liabilities on 
the respective income tax returns due to timing differences arising 
between items of income and expense recorded on the books and 
those reported on the tax returns. Additionally, the Company has 
approximately US$8.6 million in federal net operating loss carryforwards 
to offset future income reported on the respective tax returns.

The Directors intend to pay a dividend of US$0.095 per share on or 
about June 25, 2021 to shareholders of record as of June 4, 2021.

Review of business and future developments
A review of the operations of the Group is contained in the Spectra 
at a glance review on pages 2 and 3.

Principal risks and uncertainties and financial risk management
Complex products
Certain of the products produced by the Company are highly complex 
and are designed to be used in complex systems. Failure to correct 
errors or other problems identified after deployment could result in 
events that may have a negative effect on the Company’s business 
and financial condition.

Technological change
Markets for the Company’s products may become characterized 
by rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards and 
increasingly sophisticated customer requirements. The introduction 
of products embodying new technology and the emergence of new 
industry standards could render the Company’s existing products 
obsolete and unmarketable and may exert pricing pressure on 
existing products.

If the Company could not then develop products that remain 
competitive in terms of technology and price and that meet customer 
needs, this could have a negative impact on the business.

Expiry of patents
All patents have a limited duration of enforceability. US patents 
generally have a duration of 20 years from the filing date. Once a 
patent expires, the invention disclosed in the patent may be freely 
used by the public without accounting to the patent owner, as long 
as there are no other unexpired patents that embrace an aspect of 
the invention. There is no certainty that any improvement, new use 
or new formulation will be patented to extend the protection of the 
underlying invention or provide additional coverage to adequately 
protect the invention. As a result, the public may have the right to 
freely use the invention described in and previously protected by 
an expired patent.

Dependence on key personnel
The success of the Company’s revenues is dependent on a limited 
number of employees, in particular the Chief Executive Officer and 
other managers with technological and development input. The 
Company has endeavored to ensure that its key employees are 
incentivized but cannot guarantee the retention of these staff.

Forward-looking statements
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained 
in this document constitute “forward-looking statements”. In some 
cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such 
as “may”, “intend”, “might”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “believe”, or the 
negative of these terms and similar expressions. Such forward-looking 
statements are based on assumptions and estimates, and involve 
risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual 
results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the 
Company, or industry results to be materially different from any future 
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such 
forward-looking statements. New factors may emerge from time to time 
that could cause the Company’s business not to develop as it expects 
and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors. Given 
these uncertainties, investors are cautioned not to place any undue 
reliance on such forward-looking statements. Except as required 
by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any such 
forward-looking statements in this document to reflect future 
events or developments.

Key performance indicators (in thousands)
 » Revenue of US$14,675k (2019: US$13,234k).

 » Adjusted EBITDA of US$6,357k (2019: US$5,473k).

 » Adjusted PBTA of US$6,039k (2019: US$5,235k).

 » Adjusted earnings per share of US11.9 cents (2019: US10.4 cents).

18

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEPost-reporting date events
During February 2021, the Company executed an agreement with its central bank customer concerning the second phase of its sensor 
development program.

Financial instruments
Details of the use of financial instruments by the Company are contained in note B of the financial statements.

Directors’ responsibilities
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Directors’ report and the financial statements on the basis of preparation set out in note A 
of the financial statements and in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP). The Directors of the 
Company are responsible for the document in which the financial information is included.

In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to:

 » select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

 » make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

 » state whether they have been prepared in accordance with US GAAP, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the 

financial statements.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company’s transactions, 
disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements 
comply with all legal requirements. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps 
for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Substantial shareholdings
The following shareholders held 3% or more of the issued common stock of the Company at December 31, 2020:

Mr. and Mrs. N. Slater

Close Asset Management Limited

Sandon Capital

Herald Investment Management Ltd.

Castellina Ventures Limited

O. Salam

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.

N. Lawandy

H. Heye

Ordinary
shares

4,666,985

4,610,868

4,255,000

2,929,300

2,370,573

2,265,764

2,250,000

2,247,736

1,813,850

% issued

10.24

10.12

9.34

6.43

5.20

4.97

4.94

4.93

3.98

27,410,076

60.15

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

19

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT continued 

for the year ended December 31, 2020

Corporate governance
As of December 31, 2020, the Board comprised one Executive Director, Nabil Lawandy, and three independent Non-executive Directors, BJ Penn 
as Chairman, Martin Jaskel and Donald Stanford. Regretfully, Martin Jaskel passed in January 2021 after a short illness. During February 2021, 
Jeremy Fry was appointed to the Board. The Board usually meets at least every three months to closely monitor the progress of the Company 
towards the achievement of budgets, targets and strategic objectives.

Board attendance in 2020

N. Lawandy

B. Penn

M. Jaskel

D. Stanford

President and Chief Executive Officer

Non-executive Chairman

Non-executive Director

Non-executive Director

11/11

11/11

11/11

10/11

100%

100%

100%

91%

The Board also operates four Committees, the Audit Committee, 
the Compensation Committee, the Nominating Committee and the 
Government Security Committee.

The Audit Committee comprised Martin Jaskel as Chairman, 
Nabil Lawandy and Donald Stanford. It has primary responsibility 
for monitoring the quality of internal controls and ensuring that the 
financial performance of the Company is properly measured and 
reported on. It will receive and review reports from the Company’s 
management and auditor relating to the interim and annual accounts 
and the accounting and internal control systems in use throughout 
the Company. The Audit Committee intends to meet no less than 
three times each financial year and will have unrestricted access to 
the Company’s auditor.

The Compensation Committee comprised Donald Stanford as 
Chairman, Martin Jaskel and BJ Penn. It reviews the performance 
of the Executive Directors and makes recommendations to the Board 
on matters relating to remuneration and terms of employment. The 
Committee also makes recommendations to the Board on proposals 
for the granting of share options and other equity incentives pursuant 
to any share options scheme or equity incentive scheme in operation 
from time to time.

The Nominating Committee comprised Martin Jaskel as Chairman, 
BJ Penn and Donald Stanford. The Committee seeks and nominates 
qualified candidates for election or appointment to Spectra’s Board 
of Directors.

The Government Security Committee comprises BJ Penn as Chairman 
and Nabil Lawandy. It is responsible for ensuring the implementation 
within the Company of all procedures, organizational matters and other 
aspects pertaining to the security and safeguarding of information, 
including the exercise of appropriate oversight and the monitoring 
of operations to ensure that protective measures are effectively 
maintained and implemented.

The Board intends to comply with Rule 21 of the AIM Rules relating 
to Directors’ dealings and will also take all reasonable steps to ensure 
compliance by the Company’s applicable employees. The Company 
has adopted a share dealing code for this purpose on substantially 
the same terms as the Model Code.

Website publication
The Directors are responsible for ensuring the annual report and 
the financial statements are made available on a website. Financial 
statements are published on the Company’s website in accordance 
with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and 
dissemination of financial statements, which may vary from legislation 
in other jurisdictions. The maintenance and integrity of the Company’s 
website is the responsibility of the Directors. The Directors’ 
responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity of the financial 
statements contained therein.

Auditor
All of the current Directors have made themselves aware of any 
information needed by the Company’s auditor for the purpose of its 
audit and have established that the auditor is aware of that information. 
The Directors are not aware of any relevant information of which the 
auditor is unaware.

Miller Wachman LLP has expressed its willingness to continue as the 
Company’s auditor and a resolution to re-appoint Miller Wachman LLP 
will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.

By order of the Board

Brian McLain
Company Secretary
April 1, 2021

20

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEINDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT 

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Spectra Systems Corporation
We have audited the accompanying consolidated financial statements of Spectra Systems Corporation and its subsidiary (the Company), 
which comprise the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related consolidated statements of income 
and other comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes to the consolidated 
financial statements.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting 
principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control 
relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due 
to fraud or error.

Auditor’s Responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance 
with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 
reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. 
The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated 
financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s 
preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, 
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. 
An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates 
made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Opinion
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company 
as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with accounting 
principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Miller Wachman LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
March 19, 2021

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

21

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 

December 31, 2020 and 2019

Assets

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of US$7,000 and US$69,000 
in 2020 and 2019, respectively

Unbilled and other receivables

Inventory

Prepaid expenses

Total current assets

Property, plant and equipment, net

Operating lease right-of-use asset, net

Other assets

Intangible assets, net

Restricted cash and investments

  Deferred tax assets

  Other assets

Total other assets

Total assets

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity

Current liabilities

Accounts payable

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

  Operating lease liabilities

Taxes payable

  Deferred revenue

Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

  Operating lease liabilities 

  Deferred revenue

Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Commitments and contingencies (note K)

Stockholders’ equity

2020

2019

$ 

14,038,295

$ 

14,250,353

2,587,333

476,424

2,793,954

273,749

1,496,401

294,691

3,080,976

189,373

20,169,755

19,311,794

1,725,575

1,181,095

7,200,153

1,099,021

1,400,000

124,462

9,823,636

1,684,328

1,103,534

6,347,183

1,344,468

1,400,000

137,374

9,229,025

$ 

32,900,061

$ 

31,328,681

$ 

533,547

$ 

478,541

269,618

222,770

1,665,511

3,169,987

956,159

551,892

1,508,051

4,678,038

357,380

636,124

190,926

203,378

1,218,532

2,606,340

945,007

666,338

1,611,345

4,217,685

 Common stock, US$0.01 par value, 125,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2020 and 
2019; 45,554,724 and 45,898,631 shares issued at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively; 
and 45,554,724 and 45,897,631 shares outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively

Additional paid-in capital – common stock

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

Accumulated deficit

 Less: common stock held in treasury at cost, 0 shares and 1,000 shares at December 31, 2020 
and 2019, respectively

Total Spectra Systems Corporation stockholders’ equity

  Noncontrolling interest

Total stockholders’ equity

Total liabilities and equity

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

22

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

455,547

54,892,193

(135,031)

458,986

55,504,891

(119,138)

(27,730,611)

(28,732,053)

—

(1,690)

27,482,098

739,925

27,110,996

—

28,222,023

27,110,996

$ 

32,900,061

$ 

31,328,681

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Revenues

Product

Service

License and royalty

Total revenues

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Operating expenses

Research and development

General and administrative

Sales and marketing

Total operating expenses

Income from operations

Other income (expense)

Interest income

Foreign currency loss

Total other income, net 

Income before provision for income taxes

Income tax expense

Net income

  Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

Net income attributable to Spectra Systems Corporation

Earnings per share

Basic

  Diluted

Weighted average number of common shares

Basic

  Diluted

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

2020

2019

$ 

9,692,033

$ 

3,230,224

1,752,902

14,675,159

4,606,391

10,068,768

1,604,313

2,627,053

509,085

4,740,451

5,328,317

114,628

(15,851)

98,777

5,427,094

304,000

5,123,094

(1,035)

8,427,282

2,981,484

1,825,023

13,233,789

3,847,272

9,386,517

1,741,592

2,850,694

445,654

5,037,940

4,348,577

197,497

(10,841)

186,656

4,535,233

200,000

4,335,233

—

$ 

$ 

$ 

5,124,129

$ 

4,335,233

0.11

0.11

$ 

$ 

0.09

0.09

45,599,014

48,366,119

45,868,615

48,569,992

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

23

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Net income

Other comprehensive income (loss)

Unrealized loss on currency exchange

Reclassification for realized loss in net income

Total other comprehensive loss

Comprehensive income

  Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

2020

2019

$ 

5,123,094

$ 

4,335,233

(31,744)

15,851

(15,893)

5,107,201

(1,035)

(16,379)

10,841

(5,538)

4,329,695

—

Comprehensive income attributable to Spectra Systems Corporation

$ 

5,108,236

$ 

4,329,695

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

24

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Common stock

Shares

Amount

Additional
paid-in capital

Treasury
stock

Accumulated
deficit 

Accumulated 
other
comprehensive
loss 

Noncontrolling 
interest

Total
stockholders’
equity 

Balance at December 31, 2018 45,504,623 $  455,046 $ 55,389,977 $ 

— $ (29,854,451) $  (113,600) $ 

— $  25,876,972

Compensation cost related to 
amortization of stock options

Reclassification for realized 
loss in net income 

Unrealized loss on currency 
exchange

—

—

—

—

—

—

87,289

—

—

Exercise of stock options

394,008

3,940

27,625

Repurchase of treasury shares

(1,000)

Dividends paid

Net income

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(1,690)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(3,212,835)

4,335,233

—

10,841

(16,379)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

87,289

10,841

(16,379)

31,565

(1,690)

(3,212,835)

4,335,233

Balance at December 31, 2019 45,897,631 $  458,986 $ 55,504,891 $ 

(1,690) $ (28,732,053) $  (119,138) $ 

— $  27,110,996

Compensation cost related to 
amortization of stock options

Reclassification for realized 
loss in net income 

Unrealized loss on currency 
exchange

—

—

—

—

—

—

59,523

—

—

Exercise of stock options

175,841

1,758

10,343

—

—

—

—

Repurchase and retirement 
of shares

Investment in 
Solaris BioSciences

Dividends paid

Net income (loss)

(645,000)

(6,460)

(987,243)

1,690

126,252

1,263

304,679

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(4,122,687)

5,124,129

—

15,851

(31,744)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

59,523

15,851

(31,744)

12,101

(992,013)

740,960

1,046,902

—

(4,122,687)

(1,035)

5,123,094

Balance at December 31, 2020 45,554,724 $  455,547 $ 54,892,193 $ 

— $ (27,730,611) $  (135,031) $ 739,925 $  28,222,023

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

25

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Cash flows from operating activities

  Net income

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

  Depreciation and amortization

Stock-based compensation expense

Lease amortization expense

Allowance for doubtful accounts

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

Unbilled and other receivable

Inventory

Prepaid expenses

  Other assets

Accounts payable

  Operating leases

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

  Deferred revenue

Net cash provided by operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities

Restricted cash and investments

Contribution from noncontrolling interest

Payment of patent and trademark costs

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

Net cash used in investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities

  Dividends paid

Repurchase of shares

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

Net cash used in financing activities

Effect of exchange rate on cash and cash equivalents

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the year

Cash and cash equivalents, end of the year

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information

Income taxes paid (refunded)

Non-cash investing activities

Acquisition of patents through accounts payable

Equity issued for investment in Solaris BioSciences 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

26

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

2020

2019

$ 

5,123,094

$ 

4,335,233

967,801

59,523

264,585

1,202

(1,089,914)

(81,713)

287,022

(83,843)

(149)

121,726

(252,303)

(74,043)

330,588

1,037,496

87,289

255,638

(592)

(420,474)

(156,076)

188,520

(47,083)

—

87,877

(223,238)

7,343

637,104

5,573,576

5,789,037

245,447

2,165

(459,279)

(457,767)

(669,434)

(245,447)

—

(249,347)

(521,614)

(1,016,408)

(4,122,687)

(3,212,835)

(992,013)

12,101

(1,690)

31,565

(5,102,599)

(3,182,960)

(13,601)

(1,726)

(212,058)

14,250,353

1,587,943

12,662,410

14,038,295

$ 

14,250,353

283,241

$ 

(10,948)

220,770

305,942

$ 

$ 

49,576

—

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION 

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Note A – Corporate information
Spectra Systems Corporation (the Company) develops and sells integrated optical systems that provide customers with increased efficiency, 
security tracking and product life. The integrated systems combine consumables and engineered optical materials with software and hardware 
for use in applications. The Company develops and sells its integrated solutions across a spectrum of markets, including currency manufacturing 
and cleaning, branded products, industrial logistics and other highly sensitive documents. The Company also provides software tools to the 
lottery and gaming industries for fraud, money laundering and match fixing detection, as well as statistical analysis.

The Company was incorporated on July 3, 1996 in Delaware as Spectra Acquisition Corp. On August 26, 1996, the Company purchased 
substantially all of the assets of SSC Science Corporation and changed its name to Spectra Science Corporation. The assets were purchased 
for US$1,654,000 in cash plus common stock warrants. The acquisition was accounted for using the purchase method of accounting.

On June 8, 2001, the Company changed its name to Spectra Systems Corporation.

On July 25, 2011, the Company raised US$20,241,179, net of offering costs, on the London Stock Exchange in a placing of 18,592,320 common 
shares at a placing price of £0.753 per new common share, representing 41.09% of the enlarged common share capital of the Company. As a 
result of the offering, anti-dilution provisions found in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation converted all of the 
issued and outstanding preferred shares into 17,185,052 common shares, giving 26,659,050 common shares in issue at the time of the placing. 

Note B – Significant accounting policies
Basis of presentation and consolidation
The Company has prepared the accompanying consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted 
in the United States of America (US GAAP). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, any wholly owned 
subsidiaries and variable interest entities (VIE) in which the Company is the primary beneficiary and entities in which the Company has a 
controlling interest. All material intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated on consolidation.

Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the 
amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The accounting estimates that require management’s most difficult and 
subjective judgments include the assessment of recoverability of property, plant, and equipment; the valuation of inventory; intangible assets; 
revenue recognition; stock-based compensation; and the recognition and measurement of income tax assets and liabilities. The actual results 
may differ materially from management’s estimates.

Cash and cash equivalents
The Company considers highly liquid investment purchases with a maturity of 90 days or less at the date of acquisition to be cash equivalents.

Restricted cash and investments
Restricted cash and investments represent a certificate of deposit held as collateral for certain performance requirements in accordance with 
terms of a services contract and a money market account held as collateral for a bank guarantee related to the Company’s bid submission for 
a banknote security feature tender. As of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, a service contract required that US$500,000 be maintained as 
collateral for contract performance. As of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company collateralized the service contract with a certificate 
of deposit of US$1,099,021 whose maturity exceeded 90 days at the date of acquisition. As of December 31, 2019, the Company collateralized 
the bank guarantee related to the bid submission with a money market account of US$245,447. The bank guarantee expired on October 14, 2020 
at which time the cash restriction was removed.

Significant concentrations 
Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash and cash equivalents 
and trade accounts receivable. The Company’s cash management policies restrict investments to low-risk highly liquid securities, and the Company 
restricts its transactions to financial institutions with good credit standing. The Company has cash and investments, including restricted, on deposit 
with financial institutions which are insured by either the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to US$250,000 per institution or the Canadian 
Deposit Insurance Corporation up to 100,000 Canadian Dollars per institution. The Company also maintains cash on hand which is not subject 
to insurance. As of December 31, 2020, the amount of cash and investments, including restricted, not insured was US$14,301,604.

Concentrations of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable are limited due to the concentration of business with government entities. 
The Company’s management attempts to minimize credit risk on its accounts receivable by monitoring credit exposure on a regular basis.

The following table summarizes the number of customers that individually comprise greater than 10% of total accounts receivable and their 
aggregate percentage of the Company’s total accounts receivable as of:

Number of significant customers

Percentage of total receivables

December 31,

2020

2

74%

2019

3

64%

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

27

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
Note B – Significant accounting policies continued
Significant concentrations continued
The following table summarizes the number of customers that individually comprise greater than 10% of total revenues and their aggregate 
percentage of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended:

Number of significant customers

Percentage of total revenue

The following table summarizes the geographic concentration of revenue for the years ended:

United States of America

Europe

Rest of World

December 31,

2020

2

63%

2019

2

52%

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

10,615,694

$ 

3,588,121

471,344

8,319,934

4,422,622

491,233

$ 

14,675,159

$ 

13,233,789

Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable are stated at the amount management expects to collect from outstanding customer accounts. Management provides 
for uncollectible accounts through a provision for bad debt expense. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had a US$7,000 and 
US$69,000 allowance for doubtful accounts, respectively.

Fair value of financial instruments
As of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, the carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, which include cash and cash 
equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable, are carried in the financial statements at amounts that approximate their fair market 
values due to their short-term nature.

Fair value is the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market 
participants at the measurement date. Fair value is estimated by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure 
fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to 
the fair value measurement:

Level 1  – 

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2   – 

 Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical 
or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable 
market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3  

 – 

 Inputs that are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimate of assumptions that market 
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

As of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company has certificates of deposit of US$1,099,021 which is included in restricted cash and 
investments. The Company considers this certificate of deposit as a Level 2 investment.

Foreign currency translation
The functional currency of the Company’s foreign operations is the applicable local currency, the Canadian Dollar. The functional currency is 
translated into US Dollars for balance sheet accounts using currency exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date and for revenue and 
expense accounts using an average exchange rate in effect during the applicable period. The translation adjustments are deferred as a separate 
component of stockholders’ equity in accumulated other comprehensive loss.

Inventory
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined using the first-in, first-out method. The Company regularly 
reviews inventory quantities on hand and records a provision to write down excess and obsolete inventory to its estimated net realizable value 
if less than cost. Inventory includes finished goods, raw materials, labor and overhead.

28

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION continuedFINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
Note B – Significant accounting policies continued
Intangible assets
Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to 
at least an annual assessment for impairment or whenever events or circumstances indicate that it might be impaired. The change to goodwill 
during the year ended December 31, 2020 is summarized as follows:

Goodwill at December 31, 2019

Investment in Solaris BioSciences

Goodwill at December 31, 2020

$ 

$ 

2,468,863

571,744

3,040,607

Other intangible assets consist of patents, trademarks and various intangible assets identified as part of a business combination such as 
contracts, customer relationships and technology. Patents and trademarks are recorded at cost. For intangible assets identified as part of 
a business combination, values are assigned using various valuation techniques, including the present value of expected future cash flows. 
Intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives ranging from seven to 15 years. The Company 
evaluates the possible impairment of its intangible assets annually or whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of the 
assets may not be recoverable.

Property and equipment
Property and equipment is stated on the basis of purchase price. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the following 
estimated useful lives:

Laboratory equipment 

3–10 years

Computer and office equipment 

3–5 years

Furniture and fixtures 

7 years

Leasehold improvements 

Shorter of lease term or estimated useful life

Software   

Manufacturing equipment 

3–7 years

3–7 years

Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the assets and related 
allowances for depreciation and amortization are eliminated from accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in net income.

Leases
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets 
and operating lease liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets. ROU assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term 
and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized 
at the commencement date of the lease based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Certain real estate leases include one 
or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term for up to five years. The exercise of lease renewal options are at the 
Company’s sole discretion. When deemed reasonably certain of exercise, the renewal options are included in the determination of the lease term 
and lease payment obligation, respectively. When readily determinable, the Company uses the rate implicit in the lease contract in determining 
the present value of lease payments. If the implicit rate is not provided, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on information 
available at the lease commencement date, including the lease term. The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and 
excludes lease incentives. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has lease 
agreements with lease and non-lease components and has elected to account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component.

Investment in affiliates and other entities
During the course of business, the Company enters into various types of investment arrangements. The Company determines whether such 
investments involve a VIE. If the entity is determined to be a VIE, then management determines if the Company is the primary beneficiary of 
the entity and whether or not consolidation of the VIE is required. The primary beneficiary consolidating the VIE must normally have both 
(i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly affect the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb 
losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE, in either case that could potentially be significant to the VIE. When the Company 
is deemed to be the primary beneficiary, the VIE is consolidated and the other party’s equity interest in the VIE is accounted for as a 
noncontrolling interest. 

On December 10, 2020, the Company invested US$702,000 in Solaris BioSciences (Solaris) and increased its equity interest from 4.79% to 
48.65% on an as-converted basis. The Company has concluded that Solaris is a VIE and the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company 
has consolidated the accounts of Solaris as of December 10, 2020.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

29

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
Note B – Significant accounting policies continued
Investment in affiliates and other entities continued
The aggregate carrying value of Solaris’ assets and liabilities after elimination of any intercompany transactions and balances in the consolidated 
balance sheets as of December 31, 2020 was as follows:

Assets

Cash

Total assets

Liabilities

Accounts payable

Accruals

Total liabilities

$ 

257,212

257,212

15,411

7,600

23,011

$ 

The Company accounts for investments in affiliates under the cost method of accounting if the Company owns less than 20% of the affiliates’ 
outstanding capital. As of December 31, 2020, the Company held a 19% ownership in an affiliate, SpectraMed. As SpectraMed had significant 
losses in prior years, the Company had previously reduced its investments in SpectraMed to US$nil.

Accounting for stock-based compensation
In accounting for the employee stock option plan, the Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to calculate compensation costs 
associated with options granted to employees. Total compensation costs are recorded over the option vesting period, generally three years 
using the straight-line attribution method. The Company recognizes the effects of forfeitures in compensation cost when they occur.

Revenue recognition
General
On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (ASC 606).

The Company’s sources of revenues are as follows:

 » Product revenue includes sales of pigments and security taggants and sales of equipment.

 » Service revenue includes:

 » Secure Transactions software licensing and support as well as development services to customize our software to meet specific customer needs.

 » Maintenance and repair services related to manufactured equipment.

 » Research and development services.

 » License and royalty for the use of the Company’s know-how and technology.

Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration 
expected to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. This condition normally is met when the product has been delivered or upon 
performance of services. 

When contracts with customers include multiple performance obligations, significant judgment is involved in determining whether each 
performance obligation is distinct or should be combined with other performance obligations within the contract. In addition, the transaction 
price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation using an estimate of stand-alone selling price. Estimating the stand-alone selling price 
requires significant judgment and is generally based on observable prices or a cost plus margin approach. 

Product revenue is generally recognized upon transfer of control of the product at a point in time upon delivery of the product to the customer 
pursuant to the terms of the contract. 

Revenues for maintenance and repairs and research and development services are generally recognized over time as the services are 
performed. Revenues for fixed-price services are generally recognized over time applying input methods to estimate progress to completion.

Generally, our software contracts contain multiple promised goods and services, including the following: (i) term software license; (ii) installation 
and training; (iii) unspecified future enhancements; (iv) maintenance and support; and (v) optional professional services in the future. The term 
software license, installation and unspecified future enhancements are considered one performance obligation as the software is dependent 
on the installation and the enhancements are critical to the utility of the software. As the enhancements are delivered over time, revenue is 
recognized ratably over the term of the contract. Maintenance and support services are provided over the term of the contract and revenue is 
recognized over time based on the term of the contact. Future professional services, if any, are recognized over time based on hours incurred.

30

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION continuedFINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
Note B – Significant accounting policies continued
Revenue recognition continued
General continued
During 2018, the Company executed both a supply agreement and a technology license agreement with an existing customer to continue supplying 
an existing product and extend the rights to the underlying technology in perpetuity. The customer will pay reduced rates for the product but will pay 
approximately US$10,500,000 in eleven payments over five years for the technology license. The extended payment terms were negotiated by the 
customer to ensure supply of product and therefore do not represent a significant financing component. The Company has combined the contracts 
as per the guidance in ASC 606 as both contracts were negotiated at the same time. The Company has identified two performance obligations: (i) the 
option to purchase product; and (ii) the technology and stand-ready obligation as the customer is required to pay the US$10,500,000 regardless of 
whether or not they purchase product and the technology cannot be used by the customer unless the Company defaults on its obligations within the 
agreements. The Company allocated approximately US$1,800,000 to the option to purchase product based on observable stand-alone selling prices 
and will recognize this revenue at each point in time as product is delivered. The Company allocated approximately US$8,700,000 to the technology 
and stand-ready obligation based on the residual approach and will recognize this revenue over time as royalty revenue, ratably over five years.

Revenue is reported net of incentive rebates and discounts.

The following table summarizes the type of revenue for the years ended:

Product

Maintenance, repair and research and development services

License and royalty

Total Authentication Systems revenue

Secure Transactions revenue

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

9,692,033

$ 

1,806,583

1,752,902

13,251,518

1,423,641

8,427,282

1,576,518

1,825,023

11,828,823

1,404,966

$ 

14,675,159

$ 

13,233,789

Credit terms are predominately short-term in nature. As such, there is not a significant financing component within the customer contracts. 

Contract balances and other disclosures 
Timing of revenue recognition may differ from the timing of invoicing to customers. The Company records an unbilled receivable when revenue 
is recognized prior to invoicing and a contract liability (deferred revenue) when cash payments are received or due in advance of performance. 
Software customers typically pay an upfront license fee and equipment maintenance contracts are typically billed annually in advance. Deferred 
revenue expected to be realized within one year is classified as a current liability. The following table summarizes the activity in our contract 
liabilities for the reporting period and the ending balance by operating segment: 

Balance, beginning of year

Currency translation

Deferral of revenue

Revenue recognized

Balance, end of year

Authentication Systems

Secure Transactions

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

$ 

1,884,870

$ 

1,243,571

1,945

5,673,530

(5,342,942)

4,195

4,557,872

(3,920,768)

$ 

2,217,403

$ 

1,884,870

1,059,171

1,158,232

787,958

1,096,912

$ 

2,217,403

$ 

1,884,870

As of December 31, 2020, there is an unbilled receivable of approximately US$316,000 within unbilled and other receivables on the balance 
sheet which will be invoiced in 2021. As of December 31, 2019, there was an unbilled receivable of approximately US$132,000 within unbilled 
and other receivables on the balance sheet which was invoiced in 2020. 

Revenue allocated to remaining performance obligations represents contracted revenue that has not yet been recognized (“contracted 
not recognized revenue”), which includes unearned revenue and amounts that will be invoiced and recognized as revenue in future periods. 
Contracted not recognized revenue was approximately US$14,148,965 as of December 31, 2020, of which we expect to recognize approximately 
43% of the revenue over the next twelve months and the remainder thereafter.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

31

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note B – Significant accounting policies continued
Warranties 
If a warranty is applicable, a warranty liability is recorded at the time of sale. The warranty liability is estimated by assessing historical 
experience to the current applicable population. Warranty costs may differ from those estimated if actual claim rates are higher or lower 
than our historical rates.

Research and development
Internal research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Certain third party research and development costs are capitalized in 
connection with contracted work. These costs are expensed as certain milestones are achieved. Overhead, general and administrative and 
training costs are expensed as incurred. 

Costs incurred internally in researching and developing a computer software product to be sold to customers are charged to expense until 
technological feasibility has been established for the product. Once technological feasibility is established, software costs are capitalized until the 
product is available for general release to customers. Judgment is required in determining when technological feasibility of a product is established. 
The amortization of these capitalized software costs is included in cost of revenue over the estimated life of the products which is estimated 
to be ten years.

Income tax
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial 
reporting purposes and the amounts used for income taxes. The benefits from net operating losses carried forward may be impaired or limited 
in certain circumstances. In addition, a valuation allowance can be provided for deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that all or some 
portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. For 2020 and 2019, there are estimated state tax liabilities of US$223,000 and US$200,000 
respectively and no federal income tax liability on those respective income tax returns. 

Advertising costs
Advertising costs are charged to expense when incurred. Advertising expense was US$nil and US$375 for 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Shipping and handling
The Company reports the cost of shipping and handling as an operating expense. Shipping and handling expense was US$110,688 and 
US$125,261 for 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Recent accounting guidance 
On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases” (Topic 842) utilizing the modified retrospective adoption method which 
allows entities to not restate the comparative prior periods in the period of adoption when transitioning to Topic 842. Under Topic 842, the Company 
elected the package of transition practical expedients to not reassess (i) any expired or existing contracts that are leases or contain leases, (ii) the 
classification of any expired or existing leases and (iii) initial direct costs for any existing leases. This standard requires all lessees to recognize a 
right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, for all leases with a term greater than twelve 
months. The adoption of the new lease standard had a significant impact on the Company’s balance sheets due to the recognition of right-of-use 
assets for operating leases and a corresponding lease obligation. The adoption of Topic 842 did not have a material impact on the Company’s 
lease classification or on its statements of income and cash flows.

In March 2020, the FASB issued authoritative guidance, Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The 
new guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to contract modifications 
and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The 
guidance also establishes (i) a general contract modification principle that entities can apply in other areas that may be affected by reference 
rate reform and (ii) certain elective hedge accounting expedients. The amendment is effective for all entities through December 15, 2022. 
The Company does not expect the adoption of the guidance to have an impact on its consolidated financial statement disclosures, results 
of operations and financial position.

Note C – Related party transactions
On September 30, 2015, the Company purchased certain assets from Solaris in exchange for US$213,917 in cash. The agreement requires 
the Company to pay Solaris 10% of any revenues hereafter received by the Company from the commercial exploitation of the assets. The 
Chief Executive Officer of Solaris is also the Chief Executive Officer of Spectra. No royalty payments were made during the years ended 
December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

On December 10, 2020, the Company invested US$702,000 in Solaris and increased its equity interest from 4.79% to 48.65% on an 
as-converted basis. Prior to the investment, the Chief Executive Officer of Spectra owned 84.54% of Solaris which declined to 46.01% after 
the transaction. As part of the transaction, the Company will provide US$100,000 of services at cost to Solaris. In addition, the Company will 
provide nominal accounting support to Solaris and allow Solaris use of optical table space and facilities at Spectra. In accordance with Delaware law, 
the transaction was (i) unanimously approved by all three of Spectra’s Non-executive Directors and (ii) specially approved by a majority-in-interest 
of the disinterested stockholders of Solaris.  In addition, going forward Spectra’s shares in Solaris will be voted as directed by Spectra’s 
Non-executive Directors.

32

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION continuedFINANCIAL STATEMENTSNote D – Inventories 
Inventories consist of the following:

Raw materials

Work in process

Finished goods

Total

Less: reserve for excess and obsolete inventory

Note E – Property and equipment
Property and equipment consists of the following:

Laboratory equipment

Computer and office equipment

Furniture and fixtures

Leasehold improvements

Software

Manufacturing equipment

Total

Less: accumulated depreciation

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

1,854,062

$ 

2,033,481

9,506

1,186,647

3,050,215

(256,261)

129,371

1,174,385

3,337,237

(256,261)

$ 

2,793,954

$ 

3,080,976

December 31,

2020

$ 

1,129,420

$ 

362,209

114,354

1,533,871

342,466

1,708,619

5,190,939

(3,465,364)

2019

996,214

381,820

114,354

1,533,871

371,171

1,428,694

4,826,124

(3,141,796)

$ 

1,725,575

$ 

1,684,328

Depreciation expense amounted to US$416,849 and US$425,239 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

Note F – Leases
The Company holds four real estate leases. During 2018, the Company signed a lease agreement for corporate office space which expires 
in October 2023. The Company signed a five-year lease agreement for manufacturing and warehouse space in East Providence beginning in 
November 2013 and expiring in October 2022. To support the ICS business, the Company signed a lease which has been extended through 
January 2022. The Company’s lease for laboratory space in East Providence has been extended through May 31, 2023. Certain real estate 
leases include one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term for up to five years. Operating lease costs 
were US$390,965 and US$381,189 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments are as follows:

Year ending December 31,

2021

2022

2023

Supplemental information related to leases are as follows:

Weighted average remaining lease term

Weighted average discount rate

$ 

$ 

324,268 

288,418

105,292

717,978

December 31, 2020 

2.3 years

4.7%

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

33

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note G – Intangible assets
Intangible assets consist of the following:

Patents

Customer relationships

Non-compete agreements

Developed technology

Tradename

Trademarks

Goodwill

Total

Less: accumulated amortization

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

4,369,483

$ 

3,043,000

188,440

1,502,000

30,000

157,267

3,040,607

3,393,566

3,043,000

188,440

1,502,000

30,000

138,905

2,468,863

12,330,797

(5,130,644)

10,764,774

(4,417,591)

$ 

7,200,153

$ 

6,347,183

Amortization expense amounted to US$537,727 and US$599,032 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Estimated amortization expense is as follows:

Year ending December 31,

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Thereafter

Goodwill by operating segment is as follows:

Authentication Systems

Secure Transactions

Note H – Other assets
Other assets consist of the following:

Rental deposits

Capitalized software costs, net

$ 

479,822 

465,060

460,291

399,740

387,270

1,967,363

$ 

4,159,546

December 31,

2020

2019

1,763,661

$ 

1,276,946

1,191,917

1,276,946

3,040,607

$ 

2,468,863

December 31,

2020

18,662

$ 

105,800

2019

18,349

119,025

124,462

$ 

137,374

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Amortization expense of capitalized software costs amounted to US$13,225 for both of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

34

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION continuedFINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note I – Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Accrued expenses and other liabilities consist of the following:

Royalties

Employee compensation

Contingent costs

Sales allowance and rebates

Professional fees

Property and franchise taxes

Other

Note J – Income taxes
The approximate components of the income tax provision are as follows:

Income tax provision (benefit) computed at:

Federal statutory rate – current

State statutory rate – current

Federal deferred

State deferred

Change in valuation allowance

Income tax expense

December 31,

2020

$ 

— $ 

296,162

—

20,945

86,000

10,362

65,072

2019

28,587

258,349

180,105

6,245

105,000

11,000

46,838

$ 

478,541

$ 

636,124

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

1,156,000

$ 

385,000

(66,000)

(22,000)

988,000

329,000

(8,000)

(2,000)

(1,149,000)

(1,107,000)

$ 

304,000

$ 

200,000

A reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate with our effective income tax rate was as follows:

Statutory federal rate

State income taxes, net of income tax benefit

Non-deductible expenses and other

Change in valuation allowance

Effective tax rate

Approximate deferred income tax assets are as follows:

December 31,

2020

21.0%

5.5%

28.8%

(49.7%)

5.6%

2019

21.0%

4.2%

12.5%

(33.3%)

4.4%

December 31,

2020

2019

Depreciation and amortization

$ 

(340,000) $ 

Deferred revenue

Federal tax credits

Inventory

Bad debts

Net operating loss carryforward

Valuation allowance

Total deferred income tax assets

92,000

892,000

71,000

2,000

1,799,000

(1,116,000)

(248,000)

(155,000)

864,000

50,000

16,000

3,089,000

(2,216,000)

$ 

1,400,000

$ 

1,400,000

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

35

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note J – Income taxes continued
As of December 31, 2020, the Company has net operating loss carryforwards expiring between 2021 and 2036 for US federal income tax 
purposes of approximately US$8,600,000. A valuation allowance has been established for US$1,116,000 and US$2,216,000 as of December 
31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, for the deferred tax benefit related to those loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets. 

At December 31, 2020, the Company also had approximately US$892,000 of tax credit carryforwards that are available to offset federal 
liabilities. The credits will begin to expire between 2021 and 2031 for federal tax purposes.

The utilization of the tax carryforwards described above is dependent upon future profitability prior to any expiration dates. Additionally, 
alternative minimum taxes, if any, and substantial changes in ownership and tax laws and regulations may substantially limit their realization.

The Company accounts for the effect of any uncertain tax positions based on a “more likely than not” threshold to the recognition of the tax 
positions being sustained based on the technical merits of the position under scrutiny by the applicable taxing authority. If a tax position or 
positions are deemed to result in uncertainties of those positions, the unrecognized tax benefit is estimated based on a “cumulative probability 
assessment” that aggregates the estimated tax liability for all uncertain tax positions. The Company is not currently under examination by any 
taxing jurisdiction. The Company’s federal and state income tax returns are generally open for examination for three years following the date filed.

Note K – Commitments and contingencies
The Company is involved from time to time in litigation incidental to the conduct of its business. The Company is not currently a party to any 
lawsuit or proceeding.

Supply agreements
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had commitments to purchase US$97,922 of materials and services during 2021.

Employment contracts 
The Company has made contractual commitments to certain employees providing for severance payments, including salary continuation, upon 
the termination of employment by the Company without substantial cause or by the employee for good reason. The contracts also generally 
provide for certain protections in the event of a change in control of the Company. These protections include the payment of certain severance 
benefits, such as salary continuation, upon the termination of employment following a change in control.

Note L – Stockholders’ equity
Common and preferred stock
On July 25, 2011, the Company raised US$20,241,179, net of offering costs, on the London Stock Exchange in a placing of 18,592,320 common 
shares at a placing price of £0.753 per new common share, representing 41.09% of the enlarged common share capital of the Company. As a 
result of the offering, anti-dilution provisions found in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation converted all of the 
issued and outstanding preferred shares into 17,185,052 common shares, giving 26,659,050 common shares in issue at the time of the placing. 
At December 31, 2020 there were 45,554,724 common shares outstanding and no preferred shares in issue.

Share repurchases
On April 9, 2019, the Board of Directors approved, for an extendable period of twelve months therefrom, a share buy-back authority in respect 
of up to 4,500,000 common shares of the Company. During 2020, the Board extended this share buy-back authority through March 31, 2021. 
All shares repurchased are retired and restored to authorized and unissued shares. The Company repurchased 645,000 shares at a total cost 
of US$992,013 and 1,000 shares at a total cost of US$1,690 during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of 
December 31, 2020, a total of 646,000 shares have been repurchased under the share buy-back authority.

Dividends
The Board of Directors declared the following dividends: 

Declaration date

March 23, 2020

March 25, 2019

Record date

Payment date

Dividend per share

Amount

June 5, 2020

June 26, 2020

June 7, 2019

June 28, 2019

$ 

$ 

0.09

0.07

$ 

$ 

4,122,687

3,212,835

36

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION continuedFINANCIAL STATEMENTSNote L – Stockholders’ equity continued
Stock option plan
In May 2007, the Company adopted the 2007 Stock Plan (the “2007 Plan”), which provided for the grant of incentive stock options and 
nonqualified stock options, stock awards and stock purchase rights for the purchase of up to 14,100,000 shares of the Company’s common 
stock to officers, employees, consultants and Directors of the Company. The Board of Directors is responsible for administration of the 2007 
Plan. The Board determines the term of each option, the option exercise price, and the number of shares for which each option is granted and 
the rate at which each option is exercisable. Incentive stock options may be granted to an officer or employee at an exercise price per share of 
not less than the fair value per common share on the date of the grant (not less than 110% of fair value in the case of holders of more than 10% 
of the Company’s voting stock) and with a term not to exceed ten years from the date of the grant (five years for incentive stock options granted 
to holders of more than 10% of the Company’s voting stock). Nonqualified stock options may be granted to consultants or Directors at an exercise 
price per share of not less than 85% of the fair value of the common stock. Stock options generally vest over three years and are exercisable 
over a period up to ten years from the date of grant. As of December 31, 2020, options to purchase 3,719,667 shares of common stock were 
outstanding and 823,102 shares of common stock have been issued under the 2007 Plan. As of December 31, 2020, 9,557,231 shares of 
common stock were available for grant under the 2007 Plan.

Information related to stock options granted by the Company is summarized as follows:

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Number of shares
under option

Weighted average
exercise price

Number of shares
under option

Weighted average
exercise price

Outstanding at beginning of year

4,075,517

$ 

Granted

Exercised

Forfeited/canceled

Outstanding at end of year

72,000

(175,841)

(252,009)

3,719,667

$ 

0.54

2.44

0.49

0.65

0.59

5,865,830

$ 

—

(394,008)

(1,396,305)

4,075,517

$ 

0.56

—

0.59

0.60

0.54

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at December 31, 2020:

Exercise price range

US$0.30–US$0.84

US$0.85–US$2.51

Options outstanding

Options exercisable

Number of
outstanding
shares

2,940,667

779,000

3,719,667

Weighted
average
contractual life
(years)

$ 

5.19

4.20

4.98

$ 

Weighted
average
exercise price

0.37

1.41

0.59

Number of
shares

2,940,667

$ 

534,666

3,475,333

$ 

Weighted
average
exercise price

0.37

1.28

0.51

As of December 31, 2020, the weighted average contractual life for exercisable stock options was 4.75 years.

The Company’s stock price closed at US$2.30 (£1.680) on December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, the aggregate intrinsic value for 
outstanding and exercisable stock options was US$6,425,209 and US$6,228,675, respectively. Intrinsic value for stock options is defined as 
the difference between the current market value of the stock and the exercise price. The intrinsic value represents the value that would have 
been received by the option holders had the option holders exercised all of their options as of that date.

The Company currently uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of its stock options. The valuations determined 
using this model are affected by assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables including stock price, volatility, expected 
life of options, risk free interest rates, and expected dividends, if any. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the weighted average grant 
date fair value of stock options granted was US$2.44. There were no stock options granted during the year ended December 31, 2019. The 
assumptions used to value stock option grants are as follows for the year ended:

Risk free rate

Expected life (years)

Assumed volatility

Expected dividends

December 31,

2020

0.63%

7

43.94%

4.0%

2019

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

37

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note L – Stockholders’ equity continued
Stock option plan continued
The following table summarizes stock-based compensation expense for the year ended:

Cost of sales

Research and development

General and administrative

Sales and marketing

December 31,

2020

$ 

32,674

$ 

14,802

1,442

10,605

$ 

59,523

$ 

2019

31,607

14,802

32,337

8,542

87,289

As of December 31, 2020, there was approximately US$63,000 of unrecognized compensation cost, related to unvested stock-based payments 
granted to our employees and Directors, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.6 years. Total unrecognized 
compensation cost will be adjusted for future changes in forfeitures and recognized over the remaining vesting periods of the stock grants.

Note M – Employee retirement plan
During 1999, the Company adopted a defined contribution plan, established under the guidelines of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue 
Code (IRC), which covers all employees. Employees are eligible to participate in the employee retirement plan (the “Plan”) at the beginning of 
the first month following the date of hire. Employees may contribute up to the maximum allowed by the IRC of eligible pay on a pretax basis. 
The Company made a matching contribution of 50% of employee contributions up to 4% of eligible salary. Company matching contributions 
vest at 25% after one year of service, 50% at the end of two years of service and 100% at the end of three years of service. For the years ended 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company’s matching contributions were US$40,529 and US$36,393, respectively.

Note N – Business combinations
On December 10, 2020, the Company increased its equity interest in Solaris from 4.79% to 48.65% on an as-converted basis for total consideration 
of US$702,000 consisting of US$294,058 cash, the issuance of 126,252 shares of the Company’s common stock valued at US$305,942, the 
commitment to provide US$100,000 of research and administration services at cost to Solaris over the ensuing 24 months and the conversion 
of a US$2,000 receivable due from Solaris. See note C for related party nature of the transaction. The Company has concluded that Solaris 
is a VIE and the Company is the primary beneficiary and has consolidated the accounts of Solaris as of December 10, 2020. A noncontrolling 
interest is attributable to the 51.35% of Solaris not owned by the Company. The Company has accounted for the transaction as a business 
combination and will include Solaris as part of its Authentication Systems segment.

The transaction price was allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair value. All fair value measurements 
of assets acquired and liabilities assumed were based on significant estimates and assumptions, including Level 3 (unobservable) inputs, which 
require judgment. Estimates and assumptions include the projected timing and amount of future cash flows, discount rates reflecting risk 
inherent in future cash flows and future market prices.

The following table summarizes the final amounts recognized by the Company for the estimated fair value of assets acquired and liabilities 
assumed in the transaction:

Total consideration transferred

Identified assets acquired and liabilities assumed

Cash

Other receivables

Intangible assets (15 year amortization period)

Goodwill

Accounts payable and other liabilities

Noncontrolling interest

Total net identified assets, at fair value

$ 

$ 

702,000

296,223

100,000

535,000

571,744

(60,007)

(740,960)

$ 

702,000

38

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION continuedFINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
Note O – Segment reporting
In accordance with ASC 280, management has identified three operating segments. The first is the Authentication Systems Group, which 
captures the hardware, software and materials related to the authentication of banknotes, tax stamps and other high-value goods. The second 
segment is the Secure Transactions Group, which provides an Internal Control System (ICS) software offering to the lottery and gaming industries. 
ICS provides tools for fraud, money laundering and match fixing detection, as well as statistical analysis. The third segment is the Banknote 
Cleaning Group, which captures the technology related to cleaning soiled banknotes.

Information for each reportable segment as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 is as follows:

Gross
revenue

Income (loss)
from operations

Depreciation and
amortization

Capital
expense

Segment
assets

2019

Secure Transactions

$ 

1,404,966

$ 

240,800

$ 

153,933

$ 

13,828

$ 

1,849,914

Authentication Systems

11,828,823

Banknote Cleaning

—

4,161,476

(53,699)

Total

2020

Secure Transactions

$ 

$ 

1,423,641

13,233,789

$ 

4,348,577

Authentication Systems

13,251,518

Banknote Cleaning

—

$ 

$ 

829,865

53,698

1,037,496

85,075

823,420

59,306

$ 

$ 

507,786

—

521,614

3,682

393,594

60,491

$ 

$ 

29,050,188

428,579

31,328,681

1,964,323

30,447,694

488,044

134,818

5,341,181

(147,682)

Total

$ 

14,675,159

$ 

5,328,317

$ 

967,801

$ 

457,767

$ 

32,900,061

Note P – Earnings per share
The calculation of basic earnings per share is based on the net income divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. 
Diluted earnings per share is calculated by considering the dilutive impact of common stock equivalents under the treasury stock method as if 
they were converted into common stock as of the beginning of the period or as of the date of grant, if later. Excluded from the calculation of 
diluted earnings per common share for the year ended December 31, 2020 were 8,656 shares related to stock options because their exercise 
prices would render them anti-dilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2019, no shares were excluded from the calculation of diluted 
earnings per common share. The following table shows the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per common share:

Numerator

  Net income

Denominator

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

$ 

5,124,129

$ 

4,335,233

  Weighted average number of common shares outstanding

45,599,014

45,868,615

Effect of dilutive securities

Stock options

Diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding

Earnings per common share

Basic

  Diluted

2,767,105

2,701,377

48,366,119

48,569,992

$ 

$ 

0.11

0.11

$ 

$ 

0.09

0.09

Note Q – Subsequent events
The Company evaluated all events or transactions that occurred through March 19, 2021, the date these financial statements were available 
to be issued.

On January 4, 2021 the Company repurchased 200,000 of its shares under the share buyback authority dated April 9, 2019. A total of 846,000 
common shares have been purchased and retired under this authority.

During February 2021, the Company executed an agreement with its central bank customer concerning the second phase of its sensor 
development program.

On March 22, 2021, the Company declared a dividend of US$0.095 per share to be paid on or around June 25, 2021 to shareholders of record 
as of June 4, 2021.

Annual report and accounts 2020 | Spectra Systems Corporation

39

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SHAREHOLDER AND CORPORATE INFORMATION 

Registered office 
Spectra Systems Corporation 
40 Westminster Street, 2nd Floor 
Providence, RI 02903 
United States of America 

+1 401 274 4700 

Nominated advisor 
WH Ireland Limited 
24 Martin Lane 
London EC4R 0DR 
United Kingdom 

+44 (0) 207 220 1666 

Broker 
WH Ireland Limited 
24 Martin Lane 
London EC4R 0DR 
United Kingdom 

+44 (0) 207 220 1666 

Auditor and reporting accountants 
Miller Wachman LLP 
100 Cambridge Street, 13th Floor 
Boston, MA 02114 
United States of America 

+1 617 338 6800 

English law legal counsel 
Covington & Burling LLP 
265 Strand 
London WC2R 1BH 
United Kingdom 

+44 (0) 207 067 2000 

US-based legal counsel 
Adler, Pollock & Sheehan, PC 
One Citizens Plaza, 8th Floor 
Providence, RI 02903 
United States of America 

+1 401 274 7200 

Registrar 
Computershare Investor Services PLC 
2nd Floor 
Vintners’ Place 
68 Upper Thames Street 
London EC4V 3BJ 

+44 (0) 870 703 0300

40

Spectra Systems Corporation | Annual report and accounts 2020

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSSpectra Systems Corporation’s commitment to environmental issues is 
reflected in this Annual Report, which has been printed on Creator Silk, 
an FSC® certified material.

This document was printed by Opal X using its environmental print technology, 
which minimises the impact of printing on the environment, with 99% of dry 
waste diverted from landfill. Both the printer and the paper mill are registered 
to ISO 14001.

S

p

e

c

t

r

a

S

y

s

t

e

m

s

C

o

r

p

o

r

a

ti

o

n

A

n

n

u

a

l

r

e

p

o

r

t

a

n

d

a

c

c

o

u

n

t

s

2

0

2

0

Spectra Systems Corporation
40 Westminster Street, 2nd Floor, 
Providence, RI 02903, 
United States of America

+1 401 274 4700 
email: info@spsy.com 
www.spsy.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
S
p
e
c
t
r
a
S
y
s
t
e
m
s
C
o
r
p
o
r
a
ti
o
n
A
n
n
u
a

l
r
e
p
o
r
t
a
n
d
a
c
c
o
u
n
t
s
2
0
2
0