KEITH HALLS SHARES ABOUT YOUNGEVITY'S FINANCIAL STRENGTH

STABILITY, SECURITY, YOUNGEVITY, by Keith Halls
Recently, a friend of mine asked me what I think about the financial strength and future of a network marketing company named Youngevity (Stock Symbol: YGYI).

I have been involved in network marketing since 1984. For the first 17 years of my career, I was on the corporate side of the industry. Since 2001, I have been involved on the distributor and consulting side of the industry.

During my first 17 years, I worked as the Director of Finance and Accounting for a multi billion a year company. I am glad that I had this opportunity. Why? It gave me many of the “tools” I needed in order to judge other network marketing companies. Many people join network marketing companies and spend their time, energy and effort working for a company, only to lose everything because the company goes bankrupt. In today’s world of network marketing, many recognized leaders and new distributors are choosing to join an established, financially secure company, rather than a new start up company. Why? All too often, start up or new companies don’t truly have the financial strength they need and even though they may pretend to have it, they often don’t and the company goes under quickly. If you are sincerely looking at a company, and trying to decide if you should, ask to see their financial statements. Many of the financially secure company’s will be willing to provide you with the statements. Audited financial statements, such as a Balance Sheet and Income Statement will allow you to make an educated guess. Don’t be fooled by company’s who state that they have a billion-dollar investor, but are unwilling to show you their financial statements. Yes, a billionaire may have invested, but the financial statements will show if he or she has invested “their name” or if they have invested “their money”. Money wins.

In 2013, I spent a lot of time looking for the “right” company to join as a distributor. What was important to me:
1) The leadership of the company;
2) The products of the company;
3) The compensation plan of the company;
4) The financial strength of the company; and
5) How long the company had been in business?

Based upon the criteria, I joined Youngevity. So, when my friend asked me about my thoughts of Youngevity’s financial strength, I was able to answer.

First, the company is growing and growing rapidly. Here are Youngevity’s sales from the last few years:
2012 2013 2014 2015*
75 million 85 Million 134 million 155 million

A company that has sales that are growing this rapidly represents lots and lots of satisfied customers. Most of Youngevity’s sales come from within the USA because that has been their base of operations. The company is now beginning to expand globally, so many believe the company will continue to grow and grow rapidly as they now add satisfied customers through out the world.

Second, the company’s equity is growing and growing rapidly. The equity is how much in assets is left over, after paying one’s bills. Part of the equity is from the given year and part is an accumulation of all the years they have been in business.
Here is the growth of their equity:
2012 2013 2014 2015*
10 million 12 million 18 million 20 million

Third, the company is investing in its future. This is measured by looking at the growth in their inventory. Inventory equals future sales and Youngevity’s inventory has grown rapidly. This represent millions and millions of dollars in future sales and the inventory is on hand.
2012 2013 2014 2015*
4 million 6 million 12 million 18 million

Having been a CPA for many years and being an active investor, I always look for the Accountants Notes to the financial results. Youngevity’s financial records are audited each year. This means that CPA’s examine the financial records and then state whether they agree with them or not. Youngevity’s CPA’s notes have always been “clean”; in other words, the CPA’s believe in the statements. . Additionally, if for any reason the auditors believe that the company is a financial “risk”, or if the auditors believe the company will fail, they must disclose that information. Youngevity’s auditors have never ever stated that they are worried about the long term future of the company.

Finally, let’s go to an outside source; Dun and Bradstreet (D&B). D&B is an independent 3rd party who evaluates the credit worthiness of a company. Their agency is the most influential in the USA. Often times in the business world, your D&B rating will mean the difference between getting a loan or not. Banks and lenders want to know a company’s rating before they consider loaning money. D&B rates Youngevity’s as “high” or very credit worthy. In other words, the most sought after 3rd party rating a company can have and Youngevity is at the top.

I could go on and on, but I hope this brief analysis can show you why I believe in the financial strength of Youngevity.
I believe in them so much, that I have banked my future with them.

Keith Halls

• This is an educated guess. It is based upon the first 3 quarters of the year 2015.
** The numbers have been rounded to the nearest million

---