DEF: Reliance Global Group Seeks Key Shareholder Approvals

Sentiment:

Proxy Statement


Reliance Global Group will hold its 2026 Annual Meeting to vote on director elections, auditor ratification, an expanded equity plan, and a significant equity line of credit.

Delay expectedEzra Beyman filed four late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 15, 110, 21, and 132 business days.Joel Markovits filed four late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 15, 24, 21, and 132 business days.Yaakov Beyman filed four late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 9, 15, 24, 21, and 132 business days.Alex Blumenfrucht filed two late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 9 and 24 business days.Sheldon Brickman filed two late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 9 and 24 business days.Ben Fruchtzweig filed two late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 9 and 29 business days.Scott Korman filed two late Form 4 reports for transactions during fiscal year 2025, with delays of approximately 9 and 4 business days.
Capital raiseThe company has an Equity Line of Credit (ELOC) with White Lion Capital, LLC, which was initially for up to $10,000,000.Amendment No. 2 to the ELOC, dated March 12, 2026, increased the commitment amount from $10,000,000 to $50,000,000 and extended the commitment period to December 31, 2028.Stockholder approval is being sought to issue shares exceeding 19.99% of outstanding common stock under the ELOC, as required by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), to allow the company to raise the entire $50,000,000.As of December 31, 2025, the company had already issued 1,098,004 shares for net proceeds of $859,607 under the ELOC.The company is obligated to issue commitment shares valued at $100,000 to White Lion, with two tranches of $50,000 each already issued in Q3 and Q4 2025.
Worse than expectedThe potential for significant shareholder dilution (up to 54% of outstanding shares) from the expanded Equity Line of Credit, if fully utilized, is a major negative impact on existing shareholders.The widespread and repeated delinquent Section 16(a) reports by all executive officers and directors indicate a systemic issue with regulatory compliance and internal controls, which is a serious governance concern.

Summary

  • The 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held virtually on May 6, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • Stockholders will vote on electing five director nominees, ratifying Urish Popeck & Co., LLC as the independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026, and approving an amendment to the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan.
  • The proposed amendment to the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan seeks to increase the number of shares available for issuance by 14,000,000, raising the total authorized shares from 2,000,000 to 16,000,000.
  • Stockholder approval is also sought for the issuance of common stock under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) related to an Equity Line of Credit (ELOC) with White Lion Capital, LLC.
  • The ELOC, initially for up to $10,000,000, was amended on March 12, 2026, to increase the commitment amount to $50,000,000 and extend the commitment period to December 31, 2028.
  • As of December 31, 2025, 1,098,004 shares of common stock were issued under the ELOC, generating net proceeds of $859,607.
  • The company reported a net loss of $(6,988)k for 2025, an improvement from $(9,072)k in 2024 and $(12,010)k in 2023.
  • Executive officers and directors received significantly increased compensation in 2025, primarily due to stock awards.
  • All executive officers and directors had multiple delinquent Section 16(a) reports filed during fiscal year 2025, with delays ranging from 4 to 132 business days.
  • The Board unanimously recommends voting FOR all proposals.

Sentiment

Score: 4

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this filing as mixed. While the company is taking steps to secure capital and incentivize talent, the significant potential for shareholder dilution from the expanded ELOC and the numerous late insider trading reports raise notable concerns regarding shareholder value and regulatory compliance.

Positives

  • Net loss has shown a positive trend, decreasing from $(12,010)k in 2023 to $(6,988)k in 2025.
  • Successfully completed two asset sales in 2025 (Fortman Business for $5,000,000 and EBS/USBA Business for $1,050,000), generating significant gains of $3,033,554 and $149,361 respectively, with proceeds used for debt reduction and working capital.
  • Repaid the Deferred Purchase Price Liability and Asset Purchase Agreement Liability during fiscal year 2025, reducing related party debt.
  • Secured and expanded an Equity Line of Credit (ELOC) with White Lion Capital, LLC to $50,000,000, providing substantial potential capital access for future growth.
  • The proposed increase in the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan aims to attract, motivate, and retain key personnel, aligning their interests with stockholders.
  • Adopted robust corporate governance policies, including an anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy, a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, and a compensation recovery (clawback) policy.

Negatives

  • Significant dilution risk for existing stockholders if the proposal to approve the issuance of shares under the ELOC is passed, potentially allowing the issuance of up to 11,407,273 shares, representing approximately 54% of outstanding shares as of March 12, 2026.
  • Multiple instances of delinquent Section 16(a) reports by all executive officers and directors during fiscal year 2025, with delays ranging from 4 to 132 business days, indicating potential internal control weaknesses or oversight issues regarding regulatory compliance.
  • The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held 0 meetings in 2025, with its responsibilities addressed by the full Board, which could suggest less focused oversight on governance matters.
  • The company continues to operate at a net loss, reporting $(6,988)k in 2025, despite improvements.
  • Reliance on related party financing, such as the Americana Credit Agreement with YES Americana Group, LLC (controlled by the CEO's spouse), may indicate liquidity constraints or a preference for internal financing sources.

Risks

  • **Dilution Risk**: Approval of Proposal 4 could lead to significant dilution of existing stockholders' economic and voting interests due to the potential issuance of a large number of common shares under the expanded Equity Line of Credit (ELOC).
  • **Regulatory Compliance Risk**: The numerous delinquent Section 16(a) reports by executive officers and directors indicate a risk of non-compliance with SEC regulations, which could lead to regulatory scrutiny or penalties.
  • **Capital Raising Dependency**: The company's reliance on the ELOC for capital, and the need for stockholder approval to fully utilize it, highlights a dependency on external financing that could be constrained if approval is not obtained, limiting growth potential.
  • **Equity Incentive Plan Dilution**: The proposed increase of 14,000,000 shares for the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan, while intended for retention, also represents potential future dilution for existing shareholders.
  • **Operational Losses**: Despite a decreasing trend, the company continues to report net losses, indicating ongoing operational challenges to achieve profitability.

Future Outlook

The company's future outlook is tied to its ability to attract, motivate, and retain high-quality employees, consultants, and directors through equity-based awards. The expanded Equity Line of Credit is intended to provide significant capital for future growth, though its full utilization is contingent on stockholder approval. The company aims to continue reducing net losses and improving financial performance.

Management Comments

  • The Board unanimously recommends that you vote FOR each of the proposals.
  • We believe our future success continues to depend in part on our ability to attract, motivate and retain high quality employees, consultants and directors and that the ability to provide equity-based and incentive-based awards under the Plan is critical to achieving this success.
  • We would be at a severe competitive disadvantage if we could not use stock-based awards to recruit and compensate our employees and directors.
  • If the amendment to the Plan is not approved, we may be compelled to increase significantly the cash component of our employee and director compensation, which approach may not necessarily align employee and director compensation interests with the investment interests of our stockholders.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that the insurance and insurtech sectors are highly competitive for talent, making equity-based compensation plans crucial for attracting and retaining key personnel. The company's strategy to expand its equity incentive plan and secure a substantial equity line of credit reflects a common approach in growth-oriented companies within these industries to fund operations, strategic initiatives, and talent acquisition. The asset sales indicate a potential restructuring or optimization of business segments, a trend observed in dynamic industries.

Comparison to Industry Standards

  • The proposed increase in the equity incentive plan to 16,000,000 shares, representing a significant portion of outstanding shares, is on the higher end compared to typical annual grants in more mature, larger companies, but may be common for smaller, growth-focused companies in the insurtech space that rely heavily on equity to compensate and incentivize talent.
  • The use of an Equity Line of Credit (ELOC) is a common financing tool for smaller public companies, particularly those with limited access to traditional debt or equity markets, to provide flexible capital. However, the potential for 54% dilution from the ELOC, if fully utilized, is substantial and significantly higher than typical capital raises for established companies, which usually aim to minimize dilution to existing shareholders.
  • The consistent net losses, while decreasing, suggest the company is still in a growth or investment phase, which is not uncommon for insurtech companies focused on market penetration and technology development, but contrasts with profitable, established insurance carriers like Progressive or Travelers.
  • The numerous late Section 16(a) filings by all executive officers and directors fall below industry best practices for regulatory compliance, where timely reporting is expected to maintain transparency and investor confidence. Larger, well-governed companies typically have robust internal controls to prevent such widespread and repeated reporting failures.

Corporate Governance

Change TypeDescriptionEffective DateImpact Assessment
Policy AdoptionAdoption of an insider trading policy incorporating anti-hedging and anti-pledging provisions, prohibiting employees, executive officers, and directors from engaging in speculative trading activities related to company common stock.Not specifiedEnhances corporate governance by preventing speculative trading and potential conflicts of interest, aligning insider interests with long-term shareholder value.
Policy AdoptionAdoption of a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to all employees, officers, and directors, including the principal executive, financial, and accounting officers.Not specifiedStrengthens ethical standards and promotes responsible business conduct across the organization.
Policy AdoptionApproval of a new compensation recovery policy (Clawback Policy) in 2023, compliant with SEC rules, allowing the company to recover incentive-based compensation from executive officers in the event of an accounting restatement.2023Reinforces accountability for financial reporting accuracy and aligns executive compensation with actual financial performance, protecting shareholder interests.
Committee ActivityThe Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held 0 meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, with matters within its scope addressed by the full Board of Directors.Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025May indicate a less formalized or less active committee structure for governance oversight, potentially placing a greater burden on the full Board for these critical functions.

Legal Proceedings

  • No director, executive officer, significant employee, or control person has been involved in any legal or regulatory proceeding listed in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K in the past 10 years.
  • Multiple executive officers and directors filed delinquent Section 16(a) reports during fiscal year 2025, indicating non-compliance with SEC reporting requirements.

Related Party Transactions

  • **Software Purchase**: A $200,000 liability incurred in July 2019 to an employee for software, which was fully repaid during fiscal year 2024.
  • **Americana Credit Agreement and Revolving Note**: On March 5, 2025 (amended June 24, 2025), the company entered into a revolving credit facility of up to $2,000,000 with YES Americana Group, LLC, an entity controlled by Ezra Beyman's spouse. The outstanding balance as of December 31, 2025, was $286,536, bearing 0.1% annual interest.
  • **Deferred Purchase Price Liability**: A $1,375,000 liability to Barra & Associates, LLC, a related party entity beneficially owned by a senior vice president, which was fully repaid during fiscal year 2025.
  • **Asset Purchase Agreement Liability**: A total earn-out balance of $846,214 owed to Jonathan Fortman and Zachary Fortman (employees and related parties) from a May 2019 purchase agreement, which was fully repaid during fiscal year 2025.
  • **Interim Crypto Purchase Agreement**: On September 16, 2025, an agreement was made with Mr. Moshe Fishman (Director of Insurtech and Operations) to facilitate cryptocurrency purchases on behalf of the company using his personal accounts. This agreement terminated on October 30, 2025, with no compensation paid to Mr. Fishman, and digital assets were transferred to the company's institutional account.

Stakeholder Impact

  • **Shareholders**: Potential for significant dilution of economic and voting interests if the ELOC proposal is approved and fully utilized (up to 54% of outstanding shares). The increase in the equity incentive plan also presents potential future dilution. However, the ELOC provides access to capital for growth, which could benefit shareholders long-term if effectively deployed.
  • **Employees/Management**: The expanded 2025 Equity Incentive Plan aims to attract, motivate, and retain key personnel through equity awards, aligning their interests with company performance. Executive and director compensation saw significant increases in 2025, largely due to stock awards.
  • **Creditors**: Proceeds from asset sales were used to pay down long-term debt, which could improve the company's credit profile. The revolving credit facility with a related party provides additional working capital.
  • **Regulatory Authorities**: The numerous delinquent Section 16(a) reports by executive officers and directors indicate a lapse in regulatory compliance, which could attract scrutiny from the SEC.

Next Steps

  • Hold the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 6, 2026, to vote on the proposed matters.
  • Elect five director nominees to serve one-year terms expiring at the 2027 Annual Meeting.
  • Ratify the appointment of Urish Popeck & Co., LLC as the independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year ending December 31, 2026.
  • If approved, amend the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan to increase authorized shares by 14,000,000.
  • If approved, proceed with the issuance of shares under the expanded Equity Line of Credit with White Lion Capital, LLC, potentially raising up to $50,000,000.
  • File a Current Report on Form 8-K announcing the voting results within four business days after the Annual Meeting.

Key Dates

DateDescription
1975-01-01Ezra Beyman earned his First Talmudic degree.
1984-01-01Scott Korman founded Nashone, Inc.
1985-01-01Ezra Beyman founded his first mortgage brokerage; President of Empire Equity Group, Inc.
1987-01-01Ben Fruchtzweig received his NYS C.P.A. license.
2006-01-01Ezra Beyman became President and CEO of Empire American Holdings, LLC.
2011-12-01Scott Korman joined the Board of Directors of Tofutti Brands, Inc.
2012-12-01Yaakov Beyman became Executive VP of Insurance Division, of Empire Insurance Holdings.
2013-05-01Sheldon Brickman became President of Rockshore Advisors LLC.
2013-06-01Ben Fruchtzweig joined the board of Mosdos Beis Abba.
2013-11-01Joel Markovits became a Certified Public Accountant in New Jersey.
2015-09-01Alex Blumenfrucht joined Deloitte & Touche LLP as an Audit & Assurance professional.
2018-01-01Ezra Beyman became Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Reliance Global Group, Inc.
2018-01-01Alex Blumenfrucht joined Reliance Global Group, Inc. as CFO and Board member.
2018-01-01Scott Korman became CFO and board member of Adenocyte LLC.
2018-07-01Yaakov Beyman joined Reliance Global Group, Inc.
2019-01-29Board and stockholders adopted the 2019 Plan.
2019-05-01Company entered into Purchase Agreement with Fortman Insurance Services, LLC.
2019-05-01Scott Korman became CEO, Innervate Radiopharmaceuticals LLC.
2019-07-01Software purchased from an employee, incurring $200,000 liability.
2019-12-01Scott Korman and Ben Fruchtzweig joined the Board of Reliance Global Group, Inc.
2020-02-01Scott Korman became CEO of Sentry Laboratories LLC.
2020-08-01Sheldon Brickman joined the Board of Reliance Global Group, Inc.
2021-05-01Sheldon Brickman became Chief Financial Officer of InfinT Acquisition Corporation.
2021-06-01Joel Markovits joined Reliance as Financial Reporting Manager.
2022-02-01Joel Markovits served as Chief Accounting Officer.
2022-04-26First amendment to asset purchase agreement between the Company and Barra & Associates, LLC.
2022-06-01Alex Blumenfrucht departed as CFO of Reliance Global Group, Inc. and joined Future Care Consultants as CFO.
2022-12-31Date from which Total Shareholder Return (TSR) was calculated.
2023-01-01Joel Markovits became Chief Financial Officer.
2023-01-31Deferred Purchase Price (DPP) of $1,375,000 was due.
2023-05-18Second amendment to the Purchase Agreement with Fortman Insurance Services, LLC.
2023-08-10Board approved the 2023 Equity Incentive Plan.
2023-11-14Stockholders approved the 2023 Equity Incentive Plan.
2023-12-23Yaakov Beyman's Form 4 transaction triggering event.
2023-12-31Fiscal year end for 2023 financial metrics.
2024-01-02Effective date for interest accrual on Fortman Asset Purchase Agreement Liability.
2024-01-07Yaakov Beyman's Form 4 reporting transaction with triggering event of December 23, 2024, filed approximately 9 business days late.
2024-01-11Third amendment to the Purchase Agreement with Fortman Insurance Services, LLC.
2024-01-17Board approved the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
2024-03-13Stockholders approved the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
2024-06-01Final settlement date for Software Purchase liability.
2024-10-02Board approved the 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
2024-11-14Stockholders approved the 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
2024-12-31Fiscal year end for 2024 financial metrics.
2025-01-21Triggering event for multiple late Form 4 filings by executive officers and directors.
2025-02-03Alex Blumenfrucht, Sheldon Brickman, Ben Fruchtzweig, Scott Korman filed Form 4s for Jan 21, 2025 transaction, approximately 9 business days late.
2025-02-11Ezra Beyman, Joel Markovits, Yaakov Beyman filed Form 4s for Jan 21, 2025 transaction, approximately 15 business days late.
2025-03-05Company and YES Americana Group, LLC entered into Revolving Credit Facility Agreement.
2025-03-18Board approved the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan.
2025-03-26Ezra Beyman's Form 4 transaction triggering event.
2025-05-29Stockholders approved the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan.
2025-06-18Triggering event for multiple late Form 4 filings by executive officers and directors.
2025-06-24Americana Credit Agreement amended.
2025-07-01Effective date of Fortman Transaction.
2025-07-07Fortman Transaction closed.
2025-07-18Scott Korman's Form 4 transaction triggering event.
2025-07-24Joel Markovits, Yaakov Beyman, Alex Blumenfrucht, Sheldon Brickman, Scott Korman filed Form 4s for June 18, 2025 or July 18, 2025 transactions, approximately 4-24 business days late.
2025-07-31Ben Fruchtzweig filed Form 4 for June 18, 2025 transaction, approximately 29 business days late.
2025-08-01Triggering event for multiple late Form 4 filings by executive officers and directors.
2025-08-26Company entered into Common Stock Purchase Agreement (ELOC) with White Lion Capital, LLC.
2025-09-02Ezra Beyman, Joel Markovits, Yaakov Beyman filed Form 4s for August 1, 2025 transaction, approximately 21 business days late.
2025-09-03Triggering event for multiple late Form 4 filings by executive officers and directors.
2025-09-04Resale registration statement on Form S-1 for ELOC declared effective by SEC.
2025-09-16Company entered into Interim Crypto Purchase Agreement with Mr. Moshe Fishman.
2025-09-30First tranche of commitment shares (53,186 shares, $50,000) issued to White Lion Capital, LLC.
2025-10-01During October 2025, the Company opened its institutional cryptocurrency account and Mr. Fishman transferred all digital assets purchased pursuant to the Agreement to the Company's account.
2025-10-30Interim Crypto Purchase Agreement terminated.
2025-11-05Company entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Common Stock Purchase Agreement with White Lion.
2025-11-30EBS/USBA Transaction closed and effective date.
2025-12-23Company entered into Asset Purchase Agreement for EBS/USBA Transaction.
2025-12-31Fiscal year end for 2025 financial metrics.
2025-12-31Second tranche of commitment shares (69,444 shares, $50,000) issued to White Lion Capital, LLC.
2026-03-04Board of Directors adopted the First Amendment to the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan.
2026-03-05Record Date for 2026 Annual Meeting.
2026-03-12Company entered into Amendment No. 2 to the Common Stock Purchase Agreement with White Lion.
2026-03-12Shares available under 2025 Plan: 116,090.
2026-03-12Shares outstanding: 21,253,013.
2026-03-12Ezra Beyman, Joel Markovits, Yaakov Beyman filed Form 4s for September 3, 2025 transaction, approximately 132 business days late.
2026-03-23Proxy Statement and proxy card first mailed to stockholders.
2026-05-05Deadline to vote via internet for Annual Meeting.
2026-05-062026 Annual General Meeting of Stockholders.
2026-12-31Fiscal year end for which Urish Popeck & Co., LLC is appointed auditor.
2027-01-01Term expiration for elected directors.
2028-12-31Extended Commitment Period for ELOC with White Lion Capital, LLC.
2035-03-18Termination date of the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan.

Recommendation

hold

While the company is taking steps to secure capital and improve its financial position (decreasing net losses, asset sales), the significant potential for shareholder dilution from the expanded $50 million Equity Line of Credit and the widespread, repeated delinquent insider trading reports by all executive officers and directors introduce substantial risks and governance concerns. The capital raise is positive for liquidity, but the dilution impact needs careful consideration. An investor should hold to monitor the execution of the capital deployment, the impact of dilution on share price, and improvements in regulatory compliance before making further investment decisions.

Keywords

Reliance Global Group, DEF 14A, Proxy Statement, Equity Incentive Plan, Equity Line of Credit, ELOC, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), Stockholder Approval, Corporate Governance, Executive Compensation, Director Election, Auditor Ratification, Share Dilution, SEC Filings, Financial Services, Insurance, Insurtech, Capital Raise, Related Party Transactions

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