{"url_path":"/sec/aqms/10-q/2026/item-1a","section_key":"item-1a","section_title":"Item 1A **","topic":"sec","document":{"doc_type":"10-Q","doc_date":"2026-05-14","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1621832/0001437749-26-017038-index.html","accession_number":"0001437749-26-017038","cik":"0001621832","ticker":"AQMS","issuer_name":"Aqua Metals, Inc.","edgar_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1621832/0001437749-26-017038-index.html","primary_entity_key":"0001621832","primary_entity_name":"Aqua Metals, Inc."},"word_count":622,"has_tables":true,"body_markdown":"**Item 1A.**\n\n**Risk Factors**\n\n \n\nPart I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 includes certain risk factors that could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. There have been no material changes to those risk factors, except as described below:\n\n \n\n**We will** **need additional financing to execute our business plan and fund operations, which additional financing may not be available on reasonable terms or at all***.* As of March 31, 2026, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $6,816,000, current liabilities of $3,617,000 and working capital of $7,479,000. As of the date of this report, we believe that we will require additional capital in order to fund our current level of ongoing costs and our proposed business plan over the next 12 months as we move forward with our business strategy. We intend to acquire the necessary capital though debt financing, sale of assets or through the sale of equity. Funding that includes the sale of our equity may be dilutive. If such funding is not available on satisfactory terms, we may be unable to further pursue our business plan and we may be unable to continue operations, in which case you may lose your entire investment.\n\n \n\nThe report of our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2025 states that there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued.\n\n \n\n***Our allowance for credit losses related to our Lion Energy exposure may not be adequate to cover actual credit losses, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.*** As of March 31, 2026, we had approximately $4,100,000 of exposure related to Lion Energy through a subordinated participation interest and related note receivable. Lion Energy was in default under its senior secured revolving credit facility as of March 31, 2026, and our participation interest is subordinated to the senior secured lender.\n\n \n\nIn accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), we maintain an allowance for expected credit losses under the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model. As of March 31, 2026, we recorded an allowance for credit losses of approximately $437,000 related to the Lion Energy exposure. Our allowance for credit losses requires significant management judgment and is based on a number of factors, including Lion Energy’s operating performance and liquidity, the value and recoverability of underlying collateral, expected inventory recoveries, accounts receivable collections, and management’s estimate of the probability of various recovery outcomes.\n\n \n\nThere are many factors that could result in actual credit losses exceeding the recorded allowance. For example, collateral values may decline, inventory recoveries may be lower than expected, customer demand may deteriorate, costs to realize collateral may increase, or accounts receivable collections may be lower than anticipated. In addition, our recovery assumptions depend in part on the outcome of ongoing discussions regarding alternative transaction structures involving Lion Energy and its senior secured lender. These efforts may not be successful.\n\n \n\nThe amount of future credit losses is also susceptible to changes in economic, operating, market, and other conditions beyond management’s control. As a result, our allowance for credit losses may not be adequate to cover actual losses, and we may be required to record additional material provisions for credit losses in future periods. Any such additional provisions could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity.\n\n \n\n \n\n**Item** **5**\n\n**Other Information**\n\n \n\nDuring the quarter ended *March 31, 2026*, no director or officer of the Company adopted or terminated a “Rule *10b5*-*1* trading arrangement” or “non-Rule *10b5*-*1* trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item *408*(a) of Regulation S-K. \n\n \n\n19\n\n[Table of Contents](#toc)"}