DEF 14C: FOXO Technologies Boosts Share Authorization, Re-elects Board
Information Statement
FOXO Technologies Inc. announces an increase in authorized common and preferred stock, re-election of its board, and ratification of its auditor, all approved by majority shareholder consent.
Summary
- The company is increasing its authorized Class A Common Stock from 2,500,000,000 shares to 10,000,000,000 shares.
- The company is increasing its authorized Preferred Stock from 10,000,000 shares to 20,000,000 shares.
- Seamus Lagan, Trevor Langley, Francis Colt deWolf III, Bret Barnes, and Mark White have been re-elected to the Board of Directors.
- The appointment of Kreit & Chiu CPA LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, has been ratified.
- All these corporate actions were approved by written consent of Rennova Health, Inc. (controlled by the company's CEO), representing approximately 98.60% of the voting power, on December 16, 2025.
- The Authorized Increase will become effective at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, any time before April 30, 2026, and not less than 20 days after the definitive information statement is mailed to stockholders.
Sentiment
Score: 5
Explanation: The filing details necessary corporate actions for future flexibility (share increase, director re-election, auditor ratification). However, significant related party transactions, non-functioning board committees, and frequent auditor changes introduce notable governance and operational concerns, balancing out the positive aspects of preparing for future growth.
Positives
- The increase in authorized shares provides the company with greater flexibility for future financing, strategic transactions (such as acquisitions or joint ventures), and equity compensation to attract and retain talent.
- The conversion of approximately $3,000,000 in debt and/or liabilities owed to KR8 AI into Series D Preferred Stock improves the company's balance sheet by increasing shareholder equity.
- The appointment of Sylwia Nowak Hauman as Chief Financial Officer brings over 25 years of finance and administrative leadership expertise to the company.
Negatives
- The substantial increase in authorized shares creates significant potential for dilution of existing stockholders' voting power and equity interest through future issuances.
- The company's audit, compensation, and nominating & corporate governance committees are established but not currently functioning, with the full Board fulfilling these roles, which represents a weakness in corporate governance.
- The company has changed its independent registered public accounting firm multiple times in a short period (KPMG, EisnerAmper, and now Kreit & Chiu CPA LLP for 2023 and 2024), which can be a red flag for investors.
- Extensive and complex related party transactions, particularly with entities controlled by the CEO (Rennova Health, Inc., InnovaQor) and former executives (KR8 AI), raise potential conflict of interest concerns.
Risks
- Dilution Risk: Future issuance of additional Common Stock for conversions of outstanding debt and preferred stock, warrant exercises, future financings, strategic transactions, and equity compensation will dilute the voting power and equity interest of existing stockholders.
- Preferred Stock Superiority: The Board has the authority to designate and issue Preferred Stock with rights, preferences, and privileges that may be superior to those of Common Stock holders, potentially adversely affecting Common Stock value and voting power.
- Anti-Takeover Measures: The increased authorized shares could be used by the Board to oppose hostile takeover attempts or to delay or prevent changes in control or management, potentially denying stockholders a premium for their shares.
- Related Party Transaction Risk: The numerous and significant transactions with related parties, including entities controlled by the CEO and former executives, present potential conflicts of interest and may not always be on arm's-length terms, which could be detrimental to the company and its minority shareholders.
- Governance Weakness: The non-functioning board committees and the full board assuming their responsibilities could lead to less specialized oversight, increased workload for the board, and potentially less effective risk management and decision-making.
- Financial Condition Risk: Without the Authorized Increase, the company may not have sufficient authorized shares to meet existing obligations under outstanding securities or to pursue future financing or strategic transactions, which could materially harm its business and financial condition.
Future Outlook
The company anticipates utilizing the increased authorized shares for future financing, satisfying conversion obligations of existing securities, warrant exercises, equity compensation, and strategic transactions such as acquisitions or joint ventures. The Board has discretion to determine the effective date of the authorized share increase by April 30, 2026. The company also plans to comply with future SEC and Sarbanes-Oxley Act requirements as they become applicable.
Management Comments
- "Without the Authorized Increase, we may not have sufficient authorized shares to meet our existing obligations under outstanding securities or to pursue future financing or strategic transactions, which could materially harm our business and financial condition."
- "Although the Board's approval of the Authorized Increase was not prompted by the threat of any hostile takeover attempt (nor is the Board currently aware of any such attempts directed at us), stockholders should be aware that the Authorized Increase could facilitate future efforts by us to deter or prevent changes in control of the Company, including transactions in which stockholders of the Company might otherwise receive a premium for their shares over then current market prices."
Industry Context
This filing primarily addresses internal corporate governance and capital structure adjustments rather than specific industry trends. However, the need for increased authorized shares for future financing and strategic transactions suggests the company is positioning itself for growth or to address ongoing capital needs, which is common for emerging growth companies, especially those in technology or healthcare sectors (given the acquisitions of health-related entities). The extensive use of related party transactions, particularly with entities linked to the CEO, is a notable characteristic that deviates from best practices in more mature, widely-held public companies and is more common in smaller, closely-held or developing firms.
Comparison to Industry Standards
- The substantial increase in authorized shares (4x for common, 2x for preferred) is a significant move, often seen in companies anticipating substantial capital raises or M&A activity, and is a larger increase than typically observed in stable, mature companies.
- The company's status as an 'emerging growth company' and 'smaller reporting company' allows for scaled disclosure requirements, which is standard for companies of its size and stage.
- The non-functioning board committees, with the full board assuming their responsibilities, falls below best practices for corporate governance, especially compared to larger, more established public companies listed on major exchanges like NYSE or NASDAQ, which typically require independent and functioning committees.
- The frequent changes in independent registered public accounting firms (KPMG, EisnerAmper, Kreit & Chiu CPA LLP) within a two-year span (2023-2024) is unusual and often viewed as a red flag by investors and regulators, suggesting potential issues or disagreements, unlike the stability seen in most publicly traded companies.
- The high proportion of related party transactions, including significant debt and equity dealings with entities controlled by the CEO and former executives, is a deviation from the arm's-length dealings expected in well-governed public companies and could be scrutinized more heavily compared to industry peers with more diversified ownership and management structures.
- The company's listing on OTC Markets, rather than a senior exchange, indicates it operates under less stringent listing and governance requirements than companies on NYSE American (which it mentions seeking approval from for stock conversion).
Management Changes
| Role | Previous Person | New Person | Effective Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Mark White (Interim) | Seamus Lagan | 2024-12-05 | Appointment of new CEO as part of corporate restructuring and Exchange Agreement with RHI. |
| Chief Executive Officer, FOXO Labs Inc. (wholly owned subsidiary) | NA | Mark White | 2024-12-06 | Appointment as part of his termination agreement as Interim CEO of the parent company. |
| Chief Financial Officer | Martin Ward (Interim) | Sylwia Nowak Hauman | 2025-09-23 | Appointment of new CFO. |
| Chairman of the Board | Bret Barnes | Trevor Langley | 2025-03-12 | Appointment by the Board. |
Corporate Governance
| Change Type | Description | Effective Date | Impact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authorized Shares Increase | Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation to increase authorized Class A Common Stock from 2.5 billion to 10 billion shares and Preferred Stock from 10 million to 20 million shares. | Before 2026-04-30 (at Board's discretion, not less than 20 days after mailing) | Provides greater flexibility for future capital raises, strategic transactions, and equity compensation, but also enables significant potential dilution and anti-takeover measures. |
| Board Committee Functionality | Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance committees are established but not currently functioning, with the full Board fulfilling their roles. | Ongoing | Represents a weakness in corporate governance, potentially leading to less specialized oversight and increased risk compared to companies with fully functioning committees. |
| Director Independence | Determined that Messrs. Barnes, deWolf, and Langley are independent directors as defined under NYSE American listing requirements and Exchange Act rules. | Ongoing | Enhances board oversight and accountability by having independent voices, aligning with good governance principles. |
| Related Person Transaction Policy | Adopted a written policy for review and approval or ratification of related person transactions exceeding $120,000, requiring approval by a majority of disinterested directors. | Ongoing | Aims to minimize potential conflicts of interest and ensure transparency in dealings with affiliates, though the volume of such transactions remains a concern. |
| Limitation on Liability and Indemnification | Certificate of Incorporation limits director liability and requires indemnification and expense advancement to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, with D&O insurance maintained. | Ongoing | Intended to attract and retain qualified directors and officers by reducing personal liability, but could potentially reduce accountability in certain circumstances. |
| Corporate Governance Guidelines & Code of Business Conduct | Board adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines and a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to all employees, officers, and directors. | Ongoing | Establishes standards for ethical conduct and board responsibilities, promoting good corporate citizenship and accountability. |
Related Party Transactions
- KR8 AI Agreements: The company entered into a Letter Agreement (October 29, 2023) and a Master License and Services Agreement (January 12, 2024) with KR8 AI, an entity controlled by former Interim CEO Mark White and former Interim CFO Martin Ward. These agreements involved an initial license/development fee of $2,500,000 (cash and stock), a monthly maintenance fee of $50,000, and a 15% royalty on subscriber revenues. The company issued 1,300,000 shares of Class A Common Stock to KR8 AI on January 19, 2024, and an additional 237,037 shares on October 9, 2024. On December 6, 2024, a Termination Agreement with KR8 AI settled approximately $3,000,000 owed by issuing 3,000 shares of Series D Preferred Stock, with license terms assigned to FOXO Labs.
- Myrtle Recovery Centers Acquisition: On June 10, 2024, the company entered into a Stock Exchange Agreement with Myrtle and Rennova Health, Inc. (RHI), an entity controlled by CEO Seamus Lagan, to acquire 98.4% of Myrtle for $500,000, paid in Class A Common Stock.
- Rennova Community Health Acquisition (RCHI): On June 10, 2024, the company entered into a Stock Exchange Agreement, amended September 10, 2024, with RCHI and RHI (controlled by CEO Seamus Lagan). RHI received $100 and a $22,000,000 senior note from RCHI, guaranteed by the company and secured by RCHI's assets. On December 5, 2024, an Exchange Agreement with RCHI and RHI exchanged $21,000,000 of the note principal for 21,000 shares of the company's Series A Preferred Stock.
- Demand Promissory Notes from Director: The company obtained a $247,233 loan from Andrew J. Poole (a director) on September 19, 2023, for D&O insurance (non-interest bearing), and a $42,500 loan from Mr. Poole on October 2, 2023, for legal fees (accruing 13.25% interest).
- Rent and Utilities: As of September 30, 2025, SCCH and Myrtle owed $0.1 million to a subsidiary of RHI for facility leases, and as of December 31, 2024, they owed $0.6 million. The company also owed RHI $52,942 for shared corporate office rent and utilities as of September 30, 2025.
- InnovaQor Agreements: RCHI and SCCH contracted with InnovaQor (where CEO Seamus Lagan is the controlling shareholder) for IT services, incurring $0.1 million during Q3 2025 and $0.2 million during 9M 2025. They owed InnovaQor $0.1 million as of September 30, 2025. Myrtle also entered an agreement with InnovaQor in July 2025 to develop a mobile application for $0.1 million.
- Voting Agreements with RHI: RHI (controlled by CEO Seamus Lagan) entered into Voting Agreements and Irrevocable Proxies with Sabby Volatility, Sabby Healthcare (February 3, 2025), and Chris Diamantis (May 8, 2025), granting RHI discretion over their votes, resulting in RHI having approximately 70.38% combined voting percentage.
Stakeholder Impact
- Shareholders: Potential for significant dilution of voting power and equity interest due to the substantial increase in authorized shares and future issuances. The anti-takeover implications of the share increase could also limit opportunities for premium acquisition offers. Existing shareholders will not have appraisal rights.
- Management/Employees: The increase in authorized shares provides flexibility for equity compensation, which can be used to attract, retain, and incentivize officers, directors, employees, and consultants.
- Creditors: The conversion of $3,000,000 in debt to equity with KR8 AI improves the company's balance sheet, potentially benefiting creditors by reducing liabilities. However, the large related party note from RHI and other related party dealings could be a point of scrutiny.
- Future Investors: The increased share authorization provides the company with greater flexibility to raise capital, which could be attractive to new investors seeking equity or equity-linked opportunities. However, the governance concerns and extensive related party transactions might deter some institutional investors.
Next Steps
- The Board will determine the effective date for filing the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to effect the Authorized Increase, no later than April 30, 2026.
- The Authorized Increase will become effective not less than 20 days from the date of mailing of the Definitive Information Statement (December 29, 2025).
- The company will continue to update information regarding executive compensation in accordance with SEC rules and regulations.
- The company intends to make legally required disclosures regarding amendments to, or waivers of, provisions of its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics on its website.
- The company will make arrangements with brokerage firms and other custodians for forwarding the Information Statement to beneficial owners.
- The company will comply with future requirements related to board committees as they become applicable.
Key Dates
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 2023-09-19 | Interim employment agreements with Mark White (Interim CEO) and Martin Ward (Interim CFO) commenced; obtained $247,233 loan from Andrew J. Poole (director). |
| 2023-10-02 | Obtained $42,500 loan from Andrew J. Poole (director). |
| 2023-10-03 | Mark White and Martin Ward each granted 250,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| 2023-10-29 | Entered into Letter Agreement with KR8 AI for software license and development. |
| 2023-12-29 | Engaged Kreit & Chiu CPA LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for 2023. |
| 2024-01-12 | Entered into KR8 Master License and Services Agreement. |
| 2024-01-19 | Issued 1,300,000 shares of Class A Common Stock to KR8 AI. |
| 2024-01-22 | Entered into Independent Director Agreement with Francis Colt deWolf III. |
| 2024-06-10 | Entered into Stock Exchange Agreement with Myrtle Recovery Centers and RHI; also entered into Stock Exchange Agreement with Rennova Community Health, Inc. (RCHI) and RHI. |
| 2024-07-17 | Board approved closing of Myrtle Stock Exchange Agreement effective June 14, 2024. |
| 2024-07-24 | Entered into Independent Director Agreement with Bret Barnes. |
| 2024-07-25 | Entered into new Services Agreement with Mark White, superseding interim employment agreement. |
| 2024-09-10 | Seamus Lagan elected as a director; entered into Amended and Restated Stock Exchange Agreement with RCHI and RHI; Board approved closing of RCHI Stock Exchange Agreement, as amended, effective September 10, 2024. |
| 2024-10-07 | Engaged Kreit & Chiu CPA LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for 2024. |
| 2024-10-09 | Issued 237,037 shares of Class A Common Stock to KR8 AI. |
| 2024-12-05 | Seamus Lagan became Chief Executive Officer; Mark White resigned as Chief Executive Officer; entered into Termination of Employment, Settlement and Mutual Release Agreement with Mark White; entered into Exchange Agreement with RCHI and RHI; entered into Registration Rights Agreement with RHI. |
| 2024-12-06 | Entered into Termination Agreement with KR8 AI, issuing 3,000 shares of Series D Preferred Stock; FOXO Labs Inc. entered into Services Agreement with Mark White; filed Amendment No. 1 to Termination Agreement with KR8 AI, clarifying license terms and assigning rights to FOXO Labs. |
| 2025-02-03 | RHI entered into Voting Agreement and Irrevocable Proxy with Sabby Volatility and Sabby Healthcare. |
| 2025-03-12 | Trevor Langley appointed Chairman of the Board. |
| 2025-05-08 | RHI entered into Voting Agreement and Irrevocable Proxy with Chris Diamantis. |
| 2025-07-01 | Myrtle entered into agreement with InnovaQor to develop a mobile application. |
| 2025-09-23 | Sylwia Nowak Hauman appointed Chief Financial Officer. |
| 2025-10-31 | Entered into Board of Directors Services Agreement with Bret Barnes. |
| 2025-12-10 | Board of Directors provided unanimous written consent for the Authorized Increase. |
| 2025-12-16 | Record Date for stockholders entitled to receive Information Statement; Majority Shareholder provided written consent for Authorized Increase, Election of Directors, and Auditor Ratification. |
| 2025-12-29 | Date of mailing of the Definitive Information Statement. |
| 2026-01-01 | Mark White's Services Agreement with FOXO Labs Inc. begins. |
| 2026-01-02 | Maturity date for promissory note to Mark White. |
| 2026-04-06 | Martin Ward's term as Interim CFO ended. |
| 2026-04-30 | Latest date for filing the Certificate of Amendment for Authorized Increase. |
| 2026-09-10 | Maturity date for the $22,000,000 Note from RCHI to RHI. |
Recommendation
holdThe company is taking necessary steps to ensure future financial flexibility by increasing its authorized share capital, which is crucial for an emerging growth company seeking to fund operations, pursue strategic acquisitions, and incentivize talent. The debt-to-equity conversion with KR8 AI is a positive for the balance sheet. However, the extensive and complex web of related party transactions, particularly with entities controlled by the CEO and former executives, raises significant corporate governance concerns and potential conflicts of interest. The non-functioning board committees and frequent changes in auditors are also red flags that suggest a higher risk profile. While the company is positioning for growth, these governance and related-party issues warrant caution. A 'hold' recommendation is appropriate as investors should monitor how these governance issues are addressed and how the newly authorized shares are utilized, while acknowledging the company's efforts to secure its capital structure for future endeavors.
Keywords
FOXO Technologies, SEC Filing, DEF 14C, Authorized Shares Increase, Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Board Re-election, Corporate Governance, Dilution, Related Party Transactions, Financial Flexibility, Equity Compensation, SEC, OTC Markets, Rennova Health, KR8 AI, Auditor Ratification
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