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EX-32.2 - EXHIBIT 32.2 - SPAR Group, Inc.ex32-2.htm
EX-31.2 - EXHIBIT 31.2 - SPAR Group, Inc.ex31-2.htm
EX-31.1 - EXHIBIT 31.1 - SPAR Group, Inc.ex31-1.htm
EX-32.1 - EXHIBIT 32.1 - SPAR Group, Inc.ex32-1.htm
 
 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

Form 10-Q

 
 

 

(Mark One)

 

☒     QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 for the first quarterly period ended March 31, 2016.

OR

☐     TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 for the transition period from __________ to __________.  

    

Commission file number: 0-27824

 

SPAR Group, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

   

Delaware

33-0684451

State of Incorporation

IRS Employer Identification No.

   

333 Westchester Avenue, South Building, Suite 204, White Plains, New York 10604

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (914) 332-4100

 

Indicate by check whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days:   

Yes    ☐ No

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes    ☐ No

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. (See the definitions of "large accelerated filer", "accelerated filer", "non-accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

 

Large Accelerated Filer ☐

         Accelerated Filer ☐

Non-Accelerated Filer ☐

Smaller Reporting Company

   
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)  

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).      

Yes    ☒ No

 

 

On May 10, 2016, there were 20,571,469 shares of Common Stock outstanding. 

 

 

 
 

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc.

 

Index

 

PART I:

FINANCIAL INFORMATION  
     

Item 1

Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

  2
     
 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015

2

     
 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015

3

 

   
 

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity for the three months ended March 31, 2016

4

     
 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015

5

     

 

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

6

     

Item 2

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources

17

 

   

Item 3

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

22

     

Item 4

Controls and Procedures

23

     

PART II:

OTHER INFORMATION

 

     

Item 1

Legal Proceedings

24

     

Item 1A

Risk Factors

24

     

Item 2

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

24

     

Item 3

Defaults upon Senior Securities

24

     

Item 4

Mine Safety Disclosures

24

     

Item 5

Other Information

24

     

Item 6

Exhibits

24

     

SIGNATURES

25

 

 
1

 

 

PART I:         FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1.           Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share and per share data) 

 (Unaudited)

 

   

March 31,

2016

   

December 31,
201
5

 
Assets                

Current assets:

               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 7,033     $ 5,718  

Accounts receivable, net

    20,285       23,203  

Deferred income taxes

    468       529  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    734       661  

Total current assets

    28,520       30,111  
                 

Property and equipment, net

    2,459       2,443  

Goodwill

    1,800       1,800  

Intangible assets, net

    2,418       2,551  

Deferred income taxes

    6,513       5,890  

Other assets

    857       611  

Total assets

  $ 42,567     $ 43,406  
                 

Liabilities and equity

               

Current liabilities:

               

Accounts payable

  $ 4,024     $ 2,984  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    5,941       7,082  

Accrued expenses due to affiliates

    1,251       78  

Deferred income taxes

    2,566       2,154  

Customer deposits

    583       503  

Lines of credit and short-term loans

    304       476  

Total current liabilities

    14,669       13,277  

Long-term debt and other liabilities

    4,027       5,731  

Total liabilities

    18,696       19,008  
                 

Commitments and Contingencies – See Note 9

               

Equity:

               

SPAR Group, Inc. equity

               

Preferred stock, $.01 par value:

               

Authorized and available shares– 2,445,598

               

Issued and outstanding shares– None – March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015

           

Common stock, $.01 par value:

               

Authorized shares – 47,000,000

               

Issued shares – 20,680,717 – March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015

    207       207  

Treasury stock, at cost 116,370 shares – March 31, 2016 and 119,695 shares – December 31, 2015

    (164 )     (169 )

Additional paid-in capital

    15,954       15,871  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (3,357 )     (2,869 )

Retained earnings

    5,523       5,662  

Total SPAR Group, Inc. equity

    18,163       18,702  

Non-controlling interest

    5,708       5,696  

Total equity

    23,871       24,398  

Total liabilities and equity

  $ 42,567     $ 43,406  

 

See accompanying notes.

 

 
2

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss)

(unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

   

Three Months Ended
March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 

Net revenues

  $ 26,611     $ 29,266  

Cost of revenues

    20,442       22,353  

Gross profit

    6,169       6,913  
                 

Selling, general and administrative expense

    5,513       6,096  

Depreciation and amortization

    488       468  

Operating income

    168       349  
                 

Interest expense

    28       58  

Other (income) expense, net

    (24

)

    (29

)

Income before income tax expense

    164       320  
                 

Income tax expense

    5       151  

Net income

    159       169  

Net income attributable to non-controlling interest

    (298

)

    (243

)

Net (loss) attributable to SPAR Group, Inc.

  $ (139

)

  $ (74

)

                 

Basic and diluted (loss) per common share:

  $ (0.01

)

  $  
                 

Weighted average common shares – basic and diluted

    20,563       20,562  
                 

Net income

  $ 159     $ 169  

Other comprehensive (loss):

               

Foreign currency translation adjustments

    (488

)

    (664

)

Comprehensive (loss)

    (329

)

    (495

)

Comprehensive (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest

    (298

)

    (243

)

Comprehensive (loss) attributable to SPAR Group, Inc.

  $ (627

)

  $ (738

)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

 
3

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity

(unaudited)

(In thousands)

 

   

Common Stock

    Treasury Stock    

Additional

   

Accumulated

Other

           

Non-

         
   

Shares

   

Amount

   

Shares

   

Amount

   

Paid-In
Capital

   

Comprehensive
Loss

   

Retained

Earnings

   

Controlling

Interest

   

Total
Equity

 

Balance at January 1, 2016

    20,681     $ 207       120     $ (169 )   $ 15,871     $ (2,869 )   $ 5,662     $ 5,696     $ 24,398  
                                                                         

Share-based compensation

                            88                         88  

Reissued treasury shares – RSU's

                (4 )     5       (5 )                        

Distributions to non-controlling investors

                                              (286 )     (286 )

Other comprehensive loss

                                  (488 )                 (488 )

Net (loss) income

                                        (139 )     298       159  

Balance at March 31, 2016

    20,681     $ 207       116     $ (164 )   $ 15,954     $ (3,357 )   $ 5,523     $ 5,708     $ 23,871  

  

See accompanying notes.

 

 
4

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(unaudited)

(In thousands)

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 

Operating activities

               

Net income

  $ 159     $ 169  

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

               

Depreciation and amortization

    488       468  

Bad debt expense, net of recoveries

    (40 )     19  

Share based compensation

    88       102  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

               

Accounts receivable

    3,039       1,186  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    (466 )     646  

Accounts payable

    1,052       (258 )

Accrued expenses, other current liabilities and customer deposits

    99       (890 )

Net cash provided by operating activities

    4,419       1,442  
                 

Investing activities

               

Purchases of property and equipment and capitalized software

    (372 )     (584 )

Net cash used in investing activities

    (372 )     (584 )
                 

Financing activities

               

Net payments on lines of credit

    (1,868 )     (428 )

Proceeds from stock options exercised

          2  

Payments on term debt

    (6 )     (6 )

Distribution to non-controlling investors

    (286 )      

Net cash used in financing activities

    (2,160 )     (432 )
                 

Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash

    (572 )     (516 )

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

    1,315       (90 )

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

    5,718       4,382  

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

  $ 7,033     $ 4,292  
                 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flows information

               

Interest paid

  $ 46     $ 72  

Income taxes paid

  $ 39     $ 55  

 

See accompanying notes.

 

 
5

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited)

 

1.     Basis of Presentation

 

The unaudited, interim condensed consolidated financial statements of SPAR Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("SGRP"), and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, collectively, the "Company" or the "SPAR Group"), accompanying this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 (this "Quarterly Report"), have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements. The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 has been compiled from the audited balance sheet as of such date. In the opinion of management, all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included in these interim financial statements. However, these interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the Company as contained in the SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 30, 2016 (the "2015 Annual Report"), and SGRP's Proxy Statement for its 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders as filed with the SEC on April 27, 2016 (the "2016 Proxy Statement"). Particular attention should be given to Items 1 and 1A of the 2015 Annual Report respecting the Company's Business and Risk Factors, respectively, and the following parts of SGRP's 2016 Proxy Statement: (i) SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT, (ii) CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, (iii) EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, COMPENSATION, DIRECTORS AND OTHER INFORMATION and (iv) EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION, EQUITY AWARDS AND OPTIONS. The Company's results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of its operating results for the entire year.

 

2.     Business and Organization

 

The Company is a supplier of merchandising and other marketing services throughout the United States and internationally. The Company also provides in-store event staffing, product sampling, audit services, furniture and other product assembly services, technology services and marketing research services. Assembly services are performed in stores, homes and offices while those other services are primarily performed in mass merchandisers, office supply, grocery, drug store, home improvement, independent, convenience and electronics stores.

 

Merchandising services primarily consist of regularly scheduled, special project and other product services provided at the store level, and the Company may be engaged by either the retailer or the manufacturer. Those services may include restocking and adding new products, removing spoiled or outdated products, resetting categories "on the shelf" in accordance with client or store schematics, confirming and replacing shelf tags, setting new sale or promotional product displays and advertising, replenishing kiosks, providing in-store event staffing and providing assembly services in stores, homes and offices. Other merchandising services include whole store or departmental product sets or resets, including new store openings, new product launches and in-store demonstrations, audit services, special seasonal or promotional merchandising, focused product support and product recalls. The Company also provides technology services and marketing research services.

 

As of March 31, 2016, the Company operates in 9 countries and divides its operations into two reportable segments: its Domestic Division, which provides those services in the United States of America since certain of its predecessors were formed in 1979, and its International Division, which began operations in May 2001 and provides similar merchandising, marketing, audit and in-store event staffing services in Japan, Canada, South Africa, India, China, Australia, Mexico and Turkey.

 

 
6

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

3.     Earnings Per Share

 

The following table sets forth the computations of basic and diluted net income per share (in thousands, except per share data):

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 

Numerator:

               

Net (loss) attributable to SPAR Group, Inc.

  $ (139 )   $ (74 )
                 

Denominator:

               

Weighted average shares used in basic and diluted net income per share calculation

    20,563       20,562  
                 

Basic and diluted net (loss) per common share

    (0.01 )      

 

For the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and March 31, 2015, 771,000 and 1,029,000 vested and non-vested stock options were not included in the calculation because they would have had an anti-dilutive effect.

 

4.     Credit Facilities

 

Sterling Credit Facility:

 

SGRP and certain of its US and Canadian subsidiaries, (namely SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc. and SPAR Canada Company) (together with SGRP, the "Borrowers"), are parties to a Revolving Loan and Security Agreement dated as of July 6, 2010, as amended (as amended, the "Sterling Loan Agreement"), with Sterling National Bank (the "Lender"), and their Secured Revolving Loan Note in the amended maximum principal amounts of $8.5 million (see below) to Sterling National Bank (as amended, the "Sterling Note"), to document and govern their credit facility with the Lender (including such agreement and note, the "Sterling Credit Facility"). The Sterling Credit Facility as amended effective September 28, 2015 currently is scheduled to expire and the Borrowers' loans thereunder will become due on July 6, 2017 (with no early termination fee).

 

The Sterling Loan Agreement currently requires the Borrowers to pay interest on the loans thereunder equal to the Agent's floating Prime Rate (as defined in such agreement) minus one half of one percent (0.5%) per annum, and a fee on the maximum unused line thereunder equal to one-eighth of one percent (0.125%) per annum.

 

Revolving loans of up to $8.5 million are available to the Borrowers under the Sterling Credit Facility based upon the borrowing base formula defined in the Sterling Loan Agreement (principally 85% of "eligible" US and Canadian accounts receivable less certain reserves). The Sterling Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of the assets of the Borrowers (other than the Company's non-Canadian foreign subsidiaries, certain designated domestic subsidiaries, and those subsidiaries' respective equity and assets).

 

The amendment to the Sterling Credit Facility effective as of September 28, 2015, among other things, extended the scheduled term of the Sterling Credit Facility to July 6, 2017 (with no early termination fee), increased the maximum principal amounts of Sterling's commitment under the Sterling Loan Agreement to $8.5 million, and provided for the amendment and restatement of the Sterling Note with a new $8.5 million note from the Borrowers in replacement of the old notes and made other changes to its covenant and collateral formulas.

 

 
7

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

The Sterling Loan Agreement contains certain financial and other restrictive covenants and also limits certain expenditures by the Borrowers, including, but not limited to, capital expenditures and other investments.

 

The Company is required to maintain a Fixed Charge Ratio of at least 1.5 to 1.0. The Company was not in compliance of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio covenant at March 31, 2016, however a waiver was obtained from Sterling Bank on May 16, 2016.   

 

International Credit Facilities: 

 

SPARFACTS Australia Pty. Ltd., has a secured line of credit facility with Oxford Funding Pty Ltd. for $1.2 million (Australian) or approximately $920,000 USD (based upon the exchange rate at March 31, 2016). The facility provides for borrowing based upon a formula, as defined in the agreement (principally 80% of eligible accounts receivable less certain deductions). The agreement is on a month to month basis at the Company's request. The outstanding balance at March 31, 2016, was approximately $363,000 (Australian) or $278,000 USD (based on the exchange rate at March 31, 2016).

 

On March 7, 2011, the Japanese subsidiary, SPAR FM Japan, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, secured a term loan with Mizuho Bank in the amount of approximately 20.0 million Yen (Japanese) or $178,000 USD. The loan is payable in monthly installments of 238,000 Yen or $2,100 USD at an interest rate of 0.1% per annum with a maturity date of February 28, 2018. The outstanding balance at March 31, 2016, was approximately 5.5 million Yen or $49,000 USD (based upon the exchange rate at March 31, 2016).

 

The Company had scheduled future maturities of loans as of March 31, 2016, approximately as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

   

Interest Rate as of

March 31, 2016

   

2016

   

2017

   

2018

 

Mizuho Bank

    0.1%     $ 19     $ 25     $ 5  

Sterling National Bank

    3.0%             4,004        

Oxford Funding Pty Ltd.

    6.5%       278              

Total

          $ 297     $ 4,029     $ 5  

 

   

March 31, 2016

   

December 31, 2015

 

Unused Availability:

               

United States

  $ 1,897     $ 1,635  

Australia

    642       640  

Total Unused Availability

  $ 2,539     $ 2,275  

 

(1)      Based on interest rate at March 31, 2016

(2)      Based on interest rate at December 31, 2015

 

Management believes that based upon the continuation of the Company's existing credit facilities, projected results of operations, vendor payment requirements and other financing available to the Company (including amounts due to affiliates), sources of cash availability should be manageable and sufficient to support ongoing operations over the next year. However, delays in collection of receivables due from any of the Company's major clients, or a significant reduction in business from such clients could have a material adverse effect on the Company's cash resources and its ongoing ability to fund operations.

 

 
8

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

5.     Related-Party Transactions

 

SGRP's policy respecting approval of transactions with related persons, promoters and control persons is contained in the SPAR Group Code of Ethical Conduct for its Directors, Senior Executives and Employees Amended and Restated (as of) August 13, 2015 (the "Ethics Code"). The Ethics Code is intended to promote and reward honest, ethical, respectful and professional conduct by each Covered Person (as defined in the Ethics Code in his or her position with the Company anywhere in the world, including (among other things) serving each customer, dealing with each vendor and treating each other with integrity and respect, and behaving honestly, ethically and professionally with each customer, each vendor, each other and the Company. Article II of the Ethics Code specifically prohibits various forms of self-dealing and collusion and Article V of the Ethics Code generally prohibits each "Covered Person" (including SGRP's officers and directors) from engaging in any business activity that conflicts with his or her duties to the Company, and directs each "Covered Person" to avoid any activity or interest that is inconsistent with the best interests of the SPAR Group, in each case except for any "Approved Activity" (as such terms are defined in the Ethics Code). Examples of violations include (among other things) having any ownership interest in, acting as a director or officer of or otherwise personally benefiting from business with any competitor, customer or vendor of the Company other than pursuant to any Approved Activity. Approved Activities include (among other things) any contract with an affiliated person (each an "Approved Affiliate Contract") or anything else disclosed to and approved by SGRP's Board of Directors (the "Board"), its Governance Committee or its Audit Committee, as the case may be, as well as the ownership, board, executive and other positions held in and services and other contributions to affiliates of SGRP and its subsidiaries by certain directors, officers or employees of SGRP, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective family members. The Company's senior management is generally responsible for monitoring compliance with the Ethics Code and establishing and maintaining compliance systems, including conflicting relationships and transactions, subject to the review and oversight of SGRP's Governance Committee as provided in clause IV.11 of the Governance Committee's Charter, and SGRP's Audit Committee as provided in clause I.2(l) of the Audit Committee's Charter. The Governance Committee and Audit Committee each consist solely of independent outside directors.

 

SGRP's Audit Committee has the specific duty and responsibility to review and approve the overall fairness of all material related-party transactions. The Audit Committee receives affiliate contracts and amendments thereto for its review and approval (to the extent approval is given), and these contracts are periodically (often annually) again reviewed, in accordance with the Audit Committee Charter, the Ethics Code, the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("Nasdaq"), and other applicable law to ensure that the overall economic and other terms will be (or continue to be) no less favorable to the Company than would be the case in an arms-length contract with an unrelated provider of similar services (i.e., its overall fairness to the Company including pricing and the ability to provide services at comparable performance levels). The Audit Committee periodically reviews all of the related party relationships, agreements and transactions described below.

 

SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS"), SPAR Administrative Services, Inc. ("SAS"), and SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("SIT"), are affiliates of SGRP but are not part of the consolidated Company. Mr. Robert G. Brown, a Director, the Chairman and a major stockholder of SGRP, and Mr. William H. Bartels, a Director and the Vice Chairman of the Company and a major stockholder of SGRP, are the sole stockholders of SBS. Mr. Brown is the sole stockholder of SIT. Mr. Brown is a director and officer of SBS and SIT. Mr. Bartels is a director and officer of SAS. The stockholders of SAS were Mr. Bartels and Mr. Brown, and as of January 1, 2015, Mr. Brown had transferred all of his ownership to parties related to Mr. Brown (his children and nephew), each of whom are considered affiliates of the Company for related party purposes because of their family relationships with Mr. Brown.

 

SBS, through the use as needed of up to 4,200 of its available field audit, assembly and other merchandising specialists in the U.S.A., provided approximately 80% and 87% of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by the Company (as a percentage of the total cost for such field force, including field force provided by NRS, as defined below) for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and SAS, through the use of its 50 full-time national, regional and district administrators, provided approximately 93% and 91% of the direct domestic field administration used by the Company (as a percentage of the total cost for such field administrators). In addition to these field service and administration expenses, both SBS and SAS also incur other administrative expenses related to benefit and employment tax expenses of SAS and payroll processing, legal and other administrative expenses paid by either of them. The total cost recorded by the Company for the expenses of SBS and SAS in providing their services to the Company, including the "Cost Plus Fee" arrangement (as defined and discussed below) and other expenses paid directly by the Company on behalf of both SBS and SAS, was $6.1 million and $6.8 million, for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

  

 
9

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Field Service Agreement with SBS dated as of January 1, 2004, as amended in 2011, and the Amended and Restated Field Management Agreement with SAS dated as of January 1, 2004 (each an "Prior Agreement"), defined reimbursable expenses and established the "Cost Plus Fee" arrangement where the Company paid SBS and SAS for their costs of providing those services plus a fixed percentage of such reimbursable expenses (the "Cost Plus Fee"). The parties have had negotiations respecting replacement agreements since the Prior Agreements expired on November 30, 2014, at first primarily with SBS and more recently with SAS. The Company and SBS have agreed in principle to a Cost Plus Fee to 2.96% of SBS's reimbursable expenses, which include its workers compensation and general liability insurance expenses. However, SBS has agreed to give the Company a credit for any recovery of those insurance expenses from its field force, and the Company has agreed that SBS may retain any excess recovery as additional SBS income. This agreement went into effect on January 1, 2015, and was applicable for the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. The Cost Plus Fee remains at 4% for SAS for the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, but SAS has tentatively agreed to reduce that fee to 2% once its new agreement is completed. New agreements are being prepared, which in each case would be subject to contractual terms and provisions reasonably acceptable to the parties (each a "Pending Agreement").

  

No salary reimbursements for Mr. Brown or Mr. Bartels have been included in such reimbursable expenses or Cost Plus Fee during 2015 and 2016, as such salary reimbursements were not permitted under the Prior Agreements and have not been authorized by the Audit Committee (as required under related party transaction rules) since those agreements ended. However, since SBS is a "Subchapter S" corporation and owned by Messrs. Brown and Bartels, all income from SBS is allocated to them. A similar approach has been taken for SAS, which is partially owned by Mr. Bartels and persons related to Mr. Brown.

 

National Merchandising Services, LLC ("NMS"), is a consolidated domestic subsidiary of the Company and is owned jointly by SGRP through its indirect ownership of 51% of the NMS membership interests and by National Merchandising of America, Inc. ("NMA"), through its ownership of the other 49% of the NMS membership interests. Mr. Edward Burdekin is the Chief Executive Officer and President and a director of NMS and also is an executive officer and director of NMA and the sole member and manager of National Retail Source, LLC ("NRS"). Ms. Andrea Burdekin, Mr. Burdekin's wife, is the sole stockholder and a director of NMA and a director of NMS. NRS and NMA are affiliates of the Company but are not consolidated with the Company. NMS commenced operations as of September 1, 2012.

 

NRS provided a substantial amount of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by NMS during 2015. Pursuant to the terms of the Master Field Services Agreement dated as of August 1, 2013 (the "NRS Services Agreement"), NMS received merchandising services from NRS through the use of field merchandising specialists during 2015. For those services, the Company had agreed to reimburse NRS for its total costs of providing those services and to pay NRS a fee equal to 2% of its total costs (the "Plus 2% Fee"). Those costs included all field and administrative costs and expenses (effectively including net workers compensation insurance expenses) of NRS but exclude certain legal and other administrative expenses. Accordingly, no salary reimbursement for Mr. Burdekin or Ms. Burdekin were included in such reimbursable costs or Plus 2% Fee.

 

In 2015, NRS provided a substantial amount of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by NMS and 4% of all of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2015. The total Plus 2% Fee earned by NRS for services rendered was approximately $5,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2015. As of December 2015, NMS no longer uses NRS but uses field merchandising services from a non-affiliated third-party provider, but NMS could once again use NRS in the future.

 

SGRP Meridian (Pty), Ltd. ("Meridian") is a consolidated international subsidiary of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP and 49% by the following individuals: Mr. Brian Mason, Mr. Garry Bristow, and Mr. Adrian Wingfield. Mr. Mason is President and a director and Mr. Bristow is an officer and director of Meridian. Mr. Mason is also an officer and director and 50% shareholder of Merhold Property Trust ("MPT"). Mr. Mason and Mr. Bristow are both officers and directors and both own 50% of Merhold Cape Property Trust ("MCPT"). Mr. Mason, Mr. Bristow and Mr. Wingfield are all officers and own 46.7%, 20% and 33.3%, respectively of Merhold Holding Trust ("MHT") which provides similar services like MPT. MPT owns the building where Meridian is headquartered and also owns two vehicles both of which are subleased to Meridian. MCPT provides a fleet of 126 vehicles to Meridian under a 4 year lease program. These leases are provided to Meridian at local market rates included in the summary table below.

 

 
10

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

SGRP NDS Tanitim Ve Danismanlik A.S. ("NDS") is a consolidated international subsidiary of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP and 49% by Mr. Medet Yilmaz and Ms. Nurgül Yilmaz. Mr. Yilmaz is President and a director and Ms. Yilmaz is an officer and director of NDS. They are both officers and directors of NDS Tanitim Danismanlik Hizmetleri Gida Tekstil Turizm Pazarlama Ticaret Limited Sirketi ("NDS Tanitim") and NDS Reklam Tanitim Ve Danismanlik Hizmetleri Pazarlama Ticaret Limited Sirketi ("NDS Reklam"). Mr. and Ms. Yilmaz, in total, own 40% of NDS Tanitim and NDS Reklam. NDS Tanitim provided NDS field administration services while NDS Reklam provided NDS field merchandising services both at local market rates through May 2015 at which time NDS assumed these service responsibilities.

 

SPAR Todopromo is a consolidated international subsidiary of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP and 49% by the following individuals: Mr. Juan F. Medina Domenzain, Mr. Juan Medina Staines, Mr. Julio Cesar Hernandez Vanegas, and Mr. Jorge Medina Staines. Mr. Juan F. Medina Domenzain is an officer and director of SPAR Todopromo and is also majority shareholder (90%) of CONAPAD ("CON") which supplies administrative and operational consulting support to SPAR Todopromo.

  

The Company continues to purchase services from SBS, SAS, NRS, MPT, MCPT, MHT, NDS Tanitim, NDS Reklam and CON because it believes the value of services it receives from them are at least as favorable to the Company as it could obtain from non-affiliated providers of similar services. The Company believes it is the largest and most important customer of SBS, SAS, NRS, MPT, MCPT, MHT, NDS Tanitim, NDS Reklam and CON (and from time to time may be their only customer), and accordingly the Company generally has been able to negotiate better terms, receives more personal and responsive service and is more likely to receive credits and other financial accommodations from SBS, SAS, NRS, MPT, MCPT, MHT, NDS Tanitim, NDS Reklam and CON than the Company could reasonably expect to receive from an unrelated service provider who has significant other customers and business. SBS, SAS and NRS affiliate contracts and arrangements are annually reviewed and considered for approval by SGRP's Audit Committee, subject to the ongoing negotiations as described above.

 

The following costs of affiliates were charged to the Company (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 

Services provided by affiliates:

               

Field merchandiser and other expenses* (SBS)

  $ 4,947     $ 5,675  

Field administration and other expenses* (SAS)

  $ 1,138     $ 1,113  

Field merchandiser expenses* (NRS)

  $     $ 244  

Office and vehicle rental expenses (MPT)

  $ 12     $ 12  

Vehicle rental expenses (MCPT)

  $ 179     $ 197  

Office and vehicle rental expenses (MHT)

  $ 20     $  

Field administration expenses (NDS Tanitim)

  $     $ 9  

Field merchandiser expenses (NDS Reklam)

  $     $ 70  

Consulting and administrative services (CON)

  $ 77     $ 98  
                 

Total services provided by affiliates

  $ 6,373     $ 7,418  

* Includes all overhead expense, applicable markup and in the case of SBS, legal costs of $354,271 and $123,872 for the three month periods ending March 31, 2016, and 2015, respectively.

 

 

 

Accrued expenses due to affiliates (in thousands):

 

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 

Total accrued expenses due to affiliates

  $ 1,251     $ 78  

 

 
11

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

In July 1999, SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. ("SMF"), SBS and SIT entered into a perpetual software ownership agreement providing that each party independently owned an undivided share of and had the right to unilaterally license and exploit their "Business Manager" Internet job scheduling software (which had been jointly developed by such parties), and all related improvements, revisions, developments and documentation from time to time voluntarily made or procured by any of them at its own expense. Business Manager and its other proprietary software and applications are used by the Company for (among other things) the scheduling, tracking, coordination and reporting of its merchandising and marketing services and are accessible via the Internet or other applicable telecommunication network by the authorized representatives of the Company and its clients through their respective computers and mobile devices. In addition, SPAR Trademarks, Inc. ("STM"), SBS and SIT entered into separate perpetual trademark licensing agreements whereby STM has granted non-exclusive royalty-free licenses to SIT and SBS (and through them to their commonly controlled subsidiaries and affiliates by sublicenses, including SAS) for their continued use of the name "SPAR" and certain other trademarks and related rights of STM, a wholly owned subsidiary of SGRP. SBS and SAS provide services to the Company, as described above, and SIT no longer provides services to and does not compete with the Company.

 

Through arrangements with the Company, SBS, SAS and other companies owned by Mr. Brown or Mr. Bartels participate in various benefit plans, insurance policies and similar group purchases by the Company, for which the Company charges them their allocable shares of the costs of those group items and the actual costs of all items paid specifically for them. All such transactions between the Company and the above affiliates are paid and/or collected by the Company in the normal course of business.

 

In addition to the above, SAS purchases insurance coverage for worker compensation, casualty and property insurance risk for itself, SBS and (through SBS under contracts with them) its field merchandising specialists and the Company from Affinity Insurance, Ltd. ("Affinity"). SAS owns a minority (less than 1%) of the common stock in Affinity. The Affinity insurance premiums for such coverage are ultimately charged to SAS, SBS (and through SBS to its covered field merchandising specialists) and the Company based on the contractual arrangements of the parties.

 

6.        Preferred Stock

 

SGRP's certificate of incorporation authorizes it to issue 3,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.01 per share (the "SGRP Preferred Stock"), which may have such preferences and priorities over the SGRP Common Stock and other rights, powers and privileges as the Company's Board of Directors may establish in its discretion from time to time. The Company has created and authorized the issuance of a maximum of 3,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to SGRP's Certificate of Designation of Series "A" Preferred Stock (the "SGRP Series A Preferred Stock"), which have dividend and liquidation preferences, have a cumulative dividend of 10% per year, are redeemable at the Company's option and are convertible at the holder's option (and without further consideration) on a one-to-one basis into SGRP Common Stock. The Company issued 554,402 of SGRP shares to affiliated retirement plans which were all converted into common shares in 2011 (including dividends earned thereon), leaving 2,445,598 shares of remaining authorized preferred stock. At March 31, 2016, no shares of SGRP Series A Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding.

 

7.        Stock-Based Compensation and Other Plans

 

SGRP has granted restricted stock and stock option awards to its eligible directors, officers and employees and certain employees of its affiliates respecting shares of Common Stock issued by SGRP ("SGRP Shares") pursuant to SGRP's 2008 Stock Compensation Plan (as amended, the "2008 Plan"), which was approved by SGRP's stockholders in May of 2008 and 2009. The 2008 Plan provides for the granting of restricted SGRP shares, stock options to purchase SGRP shares (either incentive or nonqualified), and restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and other awards based on SGRP shares ("Awards") to SGRP Directors and the Company's specified executives, employees and consultants (which are employees of certain of its affiliates), although to date SGRP has not issued any permissible form of Award other than stock option, restricted share awards, and performance stock units. As of March 31, 2016, approximately 1.2 million SGRP shares were available for Award grants under the amended 2008 Plan. No new grants were issued for the three month period ended March 31, 2016.

 

 
12

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

The Company recognized $75,000 and $93,000 in stock-based compensation expense relating to stock option Awards during the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The tax benefit, available to the Company, from stock based compensation expense related to stock options during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $28,600 and $35,500, respectively. However, since the Company has NOL's available for the next several years, these tax benefits have not been realized as of this report. As of March 31, 2016, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to stock options was $440,600.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recognized approximately $13,000 and $9,000, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock. The tax benefit, available to the Company, from stock based compensation expense related to restricted stock during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $5,000 and $3,400, respectively. However, since the Company has NOL's available for the next several years, these tax benefits have not been realized as of this report. As of March 31, 2016, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock Awards was $233,100.

 

8.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements & Developments

 

March 2016

 

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-09, “Compensation-Stock Compensation,” which provides guidance on accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This guidance becomes effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 25, 2016. Early application is permitted. Amendments related to the timing of when excess tax benefits are recognized, minimum statutory withholding requirements, forfeitures, and intrinsic value will be applied using a modified retrospective transition method by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to equity as of the beginning of the period in which the guidance is adopted. Amendments related to the presentation of employee taxes paid on the statement of cash flows when the Company withholds shares to meet the minimum statutory withholding requirement will be applied retrospectively. Amendments requiring recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in the income statement and the practical expedient for estimating expected term will be applied prospectively. The Company may elect to apply the amendments related to the presentation of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows using either a prospective transition method or a retrospective transition method. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the new stock compensation guidance.

 

 
13

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

9.

Commitments and Contingencies

 

The Company is a party to various legal actions and administrative proceedings arising in the normal course of business. In the opinion of Company's management, disposition of these other matters are not anticipated to have a material adverse effect on the Company or its estimated or desired assets, business, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition.

 

10.

Segment Information

 

The Company reports net revenues from continuing operations and operating income from continuing operations by reportable segment. Reportable segments are components of the Company for which separate financial information is available that is evaluated on a regular basis by the chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance.

 

The Company provides similar merchandising and marketing services throughout the world, operating within two reportable segments, its Domestic Division and its International Division. The Company uses those divisions to improve its administration and operational and strategic focuses, and it tracks and reports certain financial information separately for each of those divisions. The Company measures the performance of its Domestic and International Divisions and subsidiaries using the same metrics. The primary measurement utilized by management is operating profits, historically the key indicator of long-term growth and profitability, as the Company is focused on reinvesting the operating profits of each of its international subsidiaries back into its local markets in an effort to improve market share and continued expansion efforts.

 

 
14

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

Management evaluates performance as follows (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 

Revenue:

               

United States

  $ 9,752     $ 10,972  

International

    16,859       18,294  

Total revenue

  $ 26,611     $ 29,266  
                 

Operating income (loss):

               

United States

  $ (297

)

  $ (74

)

International

    465       423  

Total operating income

  $ 168     $ 349  
                 

Interest expense:

               

United States

  $ 24     $ 21  

International

    4       37  

Total interest expense

  $ 28     $ 58  
                 

Other (income) expense, net:

               

United States

  $     $ (2

)

International

    (24

)

    (27

)

Total other (income), net

  $ (24

)

  $ (29

)

                 

Income before income tax expense:

               

United States

  $ (321

)

  $ (93

)

International

    485       413  

Total income before income tax expense

  $ 164     $ 320  
                 

Income tax expense (benefit):

               

United States

  $ (211

)

  $  

International

    216       151  

Total income tax expense

  $ 5     $ 151  
                 

Net income:

               

United States

  $ (110

)

  $ (93

)

International

    269       262  

Total net income

  $ 159     $ 169  
                 

Depreciation and amortization:

               

United States

  $ 343     $ 320  

International

    145       148  

Total depreciation and amortization

  $ 488     $ 468  
                 

Capital expenditures:

               

United States

  $ 245     $ 494  

International

    127       90  

Total capital expenditures

  $ 372     $ 584  
                 

Note: There were no inter-company sales for the three months ended March 31, 2016 or 2015.

               

 

   

March 31,

2016

   

December 31,

2015

 

Assets:

               

United States

  $ 20,886     $ 21,799  

International

    21,681       21,607  

Total assets

  $ 42,567     $ 43,406  

 

 

 
15

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited) (continued)

 

Geographic Data (in thousands)

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 
                             

International

revenue:

         

% of

consolidated

net revenue

           

% of

consolidated

net revenue

 

Mexico

  $ 4,999       18.8 %   $ 4,181       14.3 %

South Africa

    4,214       15.8       4,891       16.7  

China

    2,735       10.3       3,028       10.3  

Japan

    1,593       6.0       1,201       4.1  

India

    1,304       4.9       1,911       6.5  

Canada

    1,258       4.7       1,556       5.3  

Australia

    659       2.5       1,345       4.6  

Turkey

    97       0.4       181       0.6  

Total international revenue

  $ 16,859       63.4 %   $ 18,294       62.4 %

 

 

    March 31,     December 31,  
   

2016

   

2015

 

Long lived assets:

               

United States

  $ 11,058     $ 10,147  

International

    2,989       3,148  

Total long lived assets

  $ 14,047     $ 13,295  

 

 
16

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

  

Item 2.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2016 (this "Quarterly Report"), contains "forward-looking statements" made by SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP", and together with its subsidiaries, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company") and was filed on May 16, 2016, by SGRP with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). There also are "forward looking statements" contained in SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (as filed, the "Annual Report"), as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016, in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 19, 2016 (as filed, the "Proxy Statement"), which SGRP filed with the SEC on April 27, 2016, and SGRP's Current Reports on Form 8-K and other reports and statements as and when filed with the SEC (including this Quarterly Report, the Annual Report and the Proxy Statement, each a "SEC Report"). "Forward-looking statements" are defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and other applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, as amended (together with the Securities Act and Exchange Act, collectively, "Securities Laws").

 

The forward-looking statements made by the Company in this Quarterly Report may include (without limitation) any expectations, guidance or other information respecting the pursuit or achievement of the Company's five corporate objectives (growth, customer value, employee development, productivity & efficiency, and earnings per share), building upon the Company's strong foundation, leveraging compatible global opportunities, improving on the value we already deliver to customers, our growing client base, continuing balance sheet strength, customer contract expansion, growing revenues and becoming profitable through organic growth and acquisitions, attracting new business that will increase SPAR Group's revenues, improving product mix, continuing to maintain or reduce costs and consummating any transactions. The Company's forward-looking statements also include, in particular and without limitation, those made in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources" in this Quarterly Report, and those made in "Business", "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Annual Report. You can identify forward-looking statements in such information by the Company's use of terms such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "believe", "estimate", "anticipate", "continue" or similar words or variations or negatives of those words.

 

You should carefully consider (and not place undue reliance on) the Company's forward-looking statements, risk factors and the other risks, cautions and information made, contained or noted in or incorporated by reference into this Quarterly Report, the Annual Report, the Proxy Statement and the other applicable SEC Reports that could cause the Company's actual performance or condition (including its assets, business, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition to differ materially from the performance or condition planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected by the Company (collectively, "expectations") and described in the information in the Company's forward-looking and other statements, whether express or implied. Although the Company believes them to be reasonable, those expectations involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unpredictable factors (many of which are beyond the Company's control) that could cause those expectations to fail to occur or be realized or such actual performance or condition to be materially and adversely different from the Company's expectations. In addition, new risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company to predict these matters or how they may arise or affect the Company. Accordingly, the Company cannot assure you that its expectations will be achieved in whole or in part, that the Company has identified all potential risks, or that the Company can successfully avoid or mitigate such risks in whole or in part, any of which could be significant and materially adverse to the Company and the value of your investment in the Company's Common Stock.

 

You should carefully review the risk factors described in the Annual Report (See Item 1A – Risk Factors) and any other risks, cautions or information made, contained or noted in or incorporated by reference into this Quarterly Report, the Annual Report, the Proxy Statement or other applicable SEC Report. All forward-looking and other statements or information attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly subject to and qualified by all such risk factors and other risks, cautions and information.

 

 
17

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

The Company does not intend or promise, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, risk factors or other risks, cautions or information (in whole or in part), whether as a result of new information, risks or uncertainties, future events or recognition or otherwise, except as and to the extent required by applicable law.

 

 

GENERAL

 

SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP"), and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"), is a diversified international merchandising and marketing services company and provides a broad array of services worldwide to help companies improve their sales, operating efficiency and profits at retail locations. The Company provides its merchandising and other marketing services to manufacturers, distributors and retailers worldwide, primarily in mass merchandisers, office supply, grocery, drug store, independent, convenience, toy, home improvement and electronics stores. The Company also provides furniture and other product assembly services in stores, homes and offices. The Company has supplied these services in the United States since certain of its predecessors were formed in 1979 and internationally since the Company acquired its first international subsidiary in Japan in May of 2001. The Company currently does business in 9 countries that encompass approximately 50% of the total world population through its operations in the United States, Canada, Japan, South Africa, India, China, Australia, Mexico and Turkey.

 

Merchandising services primarily consist of regularly scheduled, special project and other product services provided at store level, and the Company may be engaged by either the retailer or the manufacturer. Those services may include restocking and adding new products, removing spoiled or outdated products, resetting categories "on the shelf" in accordance with client or store schematics, confirming and replacing shelf tags, setting new sale or promotional product displays and advertising, replenishing kiosks, demonstrating or promoting a product, providing on-site audit and in-store event staffing services and providing product assembly services in stores, homes and offices. Other merchandising services include whole store or departmental product sets or resets, including new store openings, new product launches and in-store demonstrations, special seasonal or promotional merchandising, focused product support and product recalls. The Company continues to seek to expand its merchandising, assembly and marketing services business throughout the world.

 

An Overview of the Merchandising and Marketing Services Industry

 

According to industry estimates over two billion dollars are spent annually in the United States alone on retail merchandising and marketing services. The merchandising and marketing services industry includes manufacturers, retailers, brokers, distributors and professional service merchandising companies. The Company believes that merchandising and marketing services add value to retailers, manufacturers and other businesses and enhance sales by making a product more visible and more available to consumers. These services primarily involve placing orders, shelf maintenance, display placement, reconfiguring products on store shelves and replenishing product inventory.

 

Historically, retailers staffed their stores as needed to provide these services to ensure, that manufacturers' inventory levels, the advantageous display of new items on shelves, and the maintenance of shelf schematics and product placement were properly merchandised. However retailers, in an effort to improve their margins, have decreased their own store personnel and increased their reliance on manufacturers to perform such services. Initially, manufacturers attempted to satisfy the need for merchandising and marketing services in retail stores by utilizing their own sales representatives. Additionally, retailers also used their own employees to merchandise their stores to satisfy their own merchandising needs. However, both the manufacturers and the retailers discovered that using their own sales representatives and employees for this purpose was expensive and inefficient.

 

Most manufacturers and retailers have been, and SPAR Group believes they will continue outsourcing their merchandising and marketing service needs to third parties capable of operating at a lower cost by (among other things) serving multiple manufacturers simultaneously. The Company also believes that it is well positioned, as a domestic and international merchandising and marketing services company, to more effectively provide these services to retailers, manufacturers and other businesses around the world.

 

 
18

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

Another significant trend impacting the merchandising and marketing services business is the tendency of consumers to make product purchase decisions once inside the store. Accordingly, merchandising and marketing services and in-store product promotions have proliferated and diversified. Retailers are continually re-merchandising and re-modeling entire stores in an effort to respond to new product developments and changes in consumer preferences. We estimate that these activities have increased in frequency over the last five years. Both retailers and manufacturers are seeking third parties to help them meet the increased demand for these labor-intensive services.

 

In addition, the consolidation of many retailers has created opportunities for third party merchandisers when an acquired retailer's stores are converted to the look and format of the acquiring retailer. In many cases, stores are completely remodeled and re-merchandised after a consolidation.

 

SPAR Group believes the current trend in business toward globalization fits well with its expansion model. As companies expand into foreign markets they will need assistance in merchandising or marketing their products. As evidenced in the United States, retailer and manufacturer sponsored merchandising and marketing programs are both expensive and inefficient. The Company also believes that the difficulties encountered by these programs are only exacerbated by the logistics of operating in foreign markets. This environment has created an opportunity for the Company to exploit its Internet, hand-held computers, tablets and smart phone based technology and business model worldwide.

 

The Company's Domestic and International Geographic Segments:

 

The Company provides similar merchandising and marketing services throughout the world, operating within two reportable segments, its Domestic and International Divisions. The Company tracks and reports certain financial information separately for these two segments using the same metrics. The primary measurement utilized by management is operating profit level, historically the key indicator of long-term growth and profitability, as the Company is focused on reinvesting the operating profits of each of its international subsidiaries back into local markets in an effort to improve its market share and continued expansion efforts. Certain financial information regarding each of the Company's two segments, which includes their respective net revenues and operating income for each of the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, and their respective assets as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, is provided above in Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – Segment Information.

 

The Company's international business in each territory outside the United States is conducted through a foreign subsidiary incorporated in its primary territory. The primary territory establishment date (which may include predecessors), the percentage of the Company's equity ownership, and the principal office location for its US (domestic) subsidiaries and each of its foreign (international) subsidiaries is as follows:

 

Primary Territory

 

Date

Established

 

SGRP Percentage

Ownership

 

 

Principal Office Location

United States of America

 

1979

 

100%

 

White Plains, New York, United States of America

Japan

 

May 2001

 

100%

 

Tokyo, Japan

Canada

 

June 2003

 

100%

 

Toronto, Canada

South Africa

 

April 2004

 

 51%

 

Durban, South Africa

India

 

April 2004

 

 51%

 

New Delhi, India

Australia

 

April 2006

 

 51%

 

Melbourne, Australia

China

 

March 2010

 

  51%

 

Shanghai, China

Mexico

 

August 2011

 

 51%

 

Mexico City, Mexico

Turkey

 

November 2011

 

 51%

 

Istanbul, Turkey

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

There were no material changes during the three months ended March 31, 2016, to the Company's critical accounting policies as reported in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016.

 

 
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SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

Results of Operations

 

Three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to three months ended March 31, 2015

 

The following table sets forth selected financial data and data as a percentage of net revenues for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percent data).

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2016

   

2015

 
    $    

%

    $    

%

 

Net revenues

  $ 26,611       100.0 %   $ 29,266       100.0 %

Cost of revenues

    20,442       76.8       22,353       76.4  

Gross profit

    6,169       23.2       6,913       23.6  

Selling, general & administrative expense

    5,513       20.7       6,096       20.8  

Depreciation & amortization

    488       1.8       468       1.6  

Operating income

    168       0.7       349       1.2  

Interest expense, net

    28       0.1       58       0.2  

Other (income) expense, net

    (24 )     (0.1 )     (29 )     (0.1 )

Income before income taxes

    164       0.7       320       1.1  

Income tax expense

    5       0.0       151       0.5  

Net income

    159       0.7       169       0.6  

Net income attributable to non-controlling interest

    (298 )     (1.1 )     (243 )     (0.8 )

Net (loss) attributable to SPAR Group, Inc.

  $ (139 )     (0.4 )%   $ (74 )     (0.2 )%

 

Net Revenues

 

Net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2016, were $26.6 million, compared to $29.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015, a decrease of $2.7 million or 9.1%. The decline is directly attributable to the negative $2.9 million impact due to foreign currency translation year over year and impacted by other factors discussed below.

 

Domestic net revenues totaled $9.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to $11.0 million for the same period in 2015. The change is due to lower project and annuity work compared to the same period last year.

 

International net revenues totaled $16.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to $18.3 million for the same period in 2015, a decrease of $1.4 million or 7.8%. The decrease in net revenues was primarily due to lower revenue in Australia, Turkey, India, Canada, China and South Africa, partially offset by increased revenue in Mexico and Japan. Actual in-country revenue increased by $1.5 million but was offset by negative FX impact of $2.9 million year over year.

 

Cost of Revenues

 

The Company's cost of revenues consists of its on-site labor and field administration fees, travel and other direct labor-related expenses and was 76.8% of its net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2016, and 76.4% of its net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2015. 

 

Domestic cost of revenues was 71.5% of net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2016, and 69.2% of net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2015. The increase in cost of revenues as a percentage of net revenues of 2.3 percentage points was due primarily to an unfavorable mix of project and annuity work compared to the same period last year. For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, approximately 82% and 88%, respectively, of the Company's domestic cost of revenues resulted from in-store merchandiser specialist, on-site assembly technician and field administration services purchased from certain of the Company's affiliates, SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS"), and SPAR Administrative Services, Inc. ("SAS"), respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2015, approximately 3% of the Company's domestic cost of revenues resulted from in-store merchandiser specialist services purchased from certain of the Company's other affiliates, National Retail Source, LLC ("NRS"). As of December 2015, the Company no longer uses NRS, but could again in the future (See Note 5 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related-Party Transactions).  

  

 
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SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

Internationally, the cost of revenues decreased to 79.9% of net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to 80.7% of net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2015. The cost of revenue decrease of 0.8 percentage points was primarily due to a mix of lower cost margin business in Mexico, China and Japan, partially offset by a mix of higher cost margin business in South Africa.

 

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses of the Company include its corporate overhead, project management, information technology, executive compensation, human resources, legal and accounting expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately $5.5 million and $6.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Domestic selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $2.7 million for three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to $3.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The decrease of approximately $0.4 million was primarily due to lower wages and travel costs.

 

International selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $2.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to $3.0 million for the same period in 2015. The decrease of approximately $0.2 million was primarily attributable to decreases in Australia, Mexico and South Africa, partially offset by increases in Japan and China.

 

Depreciation and Amortization

 

Depreciation and amortization charges totaled $488,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016, and $468,000 for the same period in 2015.

 

Interest Expense

 

The Company's net interest expense was $28,000 and $58,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Other Income

 

Other income totaled $24,000 and $29,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Income Taxes

 

The income tax provision totaled $5,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and $151,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2015.

 

Non-controlling Interest

 

Net operating profits from the non-controlling interest, from the Company's 51% owned subsidiaries, resulted in a reduction of net income of $298,000 and $243,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

 
21

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

Net (Loss) Income

 

The Company reported a net loss of $139,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016, or $0.01 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $74,000, or $0.00 per diluted share, for the corresponding period last year.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources  

 

In the three months ended March 31, 2016, the Company had a net income before non-controlling interest of $159,000.

 

Net cash provided by operating activities was $4.4 million and $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The net cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to a decrease in accounts receivable and an increase in accounts payable.

 

Net cash used in investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2016, and March 31, 2015, was approximately $400,000 and $600,000, respectively. The net cash used in investing activities in 2016 was due to fixed asset additions.

 

Net cash used in financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2016 was approximately $2.2 million, compared to $400,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2015. Net cash used in financing activities was primarily a result of payments on lines of credit, and also a distribution to the non-controlling investors in South Africa.

 

The above activity resulted in an increase in cash and cash equivalents for the three months ended March 31, 2016 of $1.3 million.

 

At March 31, 2016, the Company had net working capital of $13.9 million, as compared to net working capital of $16.8 million at December 31, 2015. The Company's current ratio was 1.9 at March 31, 2016, compared to 2.3 at December 31, 2015.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

The Company's accounting policies for financial instruments and disclosures relating to financial instruments require that the Company's consolidated balance sheets include the following financial instruments: cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and lines of credit. The Company carries current assets and liabilities at their stated or face amounts in its consolidated financial statements, as the Company believes those amounts approximate the fair value for these items because of the relatively short period of time between origination of the asset or liability and their expected realization or payment. The Company monitors the risks associated with asset and liability positions, as well as interest rates. The Company's investment policy objectives require the preservation and safety of the principal, and the maximization of the return on investment based upon its safety and liquidity objectives.

 

The Company is exposed to market risk related to the variable interest rate on its lines of credit, both in its United States subsidiaries (i.e., the Domestic Division) and in its International (non-U.S.) subsidiaries (i.e., the International Division). At March 31, 2016, the Company's outstanding lines of credit and other debt totaled approximately $4.3 million, as noted in the table below (in thousands):

 

Location

 

Variable Interest Rate (1)

   

US Dollars (2)

 

United States

      3.0%       $ 4,004  

International

    0.1% - 6.5%       327  
                $ 4,331  

 

(1)

Based on interest rate at March 31, 2016.

(2)

Based on exchange rate at March 31, 2016.

 

 
22

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

The Company has foreign currency exposure associated with its international subsidiaries. In both 2016 and 2015, these exposures are primarily concentrated in the South African Rand, the Canadian Dollar, the Mexican Peso, the Australian Dollar, the Japanese Yen, and the Chinese Yuan.

 

Item 4.      Controls and Procedures

 

Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

The Company's management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the registrant, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). Management has designed such internal control over financial reporting by the Company to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

 

The Company's management has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting using the "Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013)" created by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO") framework. Based on this evaluation, management has concluded that internal controls over financial reporting were effective as of March 31, 2016.

 

Management's Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

The Company's chief executive officer and chief financial officer have each reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of the end of the period covered by this report, as required by Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(b) and Rule 15d-15(b). Based on that evaluation, the chief executive officer and chief financial officer have each concluded that the Company's current disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports it files, or submits under the Exchange Act were recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the Commission's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer's management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

Changes in Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting

 

There have been no changes in the Company's internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the Company's first quarter of its 2016 fiscal year that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal controls over financial reporting.

 

 
23

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

PART II: OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.        Legal Proceedings

 

The Company is a party to various legal actions and administrative proceedings arising in the normal course of business. See Note 9 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies.

 

Item 1A.     Risk Factors

 

Existing Risk Factors

 

Various risk factors applicable to the Company and its businesses are described in Item 1A under the caption "Risk Factors" in SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 30, 2016 (the "2015 Annual Report"), which risk factors are incorporated by reference into this Quarterly Report. There have been no material changes in the Company's risk factors since those reports.

 

 

Item 2.        Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

Item 2(a): The Company approved an extension on their previously reported Stock Repurchase Plan until  August 2018 and increased the total amount that could be purchased to 532,000 shares.

Item 2(b): Not applicable

Item 2(c): Not applicable

 

Item 3.        Defaults upon Senior Securities

 

Item 3(a): Defaults under Indebtedness: None.

Item 3(b): Defaults under Preferred Stock: None.

 

Item 4.        Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable. 

 

Item 5.        Other Information

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6.        Exhibits

 

31.1

Certification of the CEO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as filed herewith.

   

31.2

Certification of the CFO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as filed herewith.

   

32.1

Certification of the CEO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as filed herewith.

   

32.2

Certification of the CFO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as filed herewith.

   
101.INS*

XBRL Instance

   
101.SCH*

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema

   
101.CAL*

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation

   
101.DEF*

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition

   
101.LAB*

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels

   
101.PRE*

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation

* XBRL information is furnished and not filed or a part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is deemed not filed for purposes of section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and otherwise is not subject to liability under these sections.

 

 
24

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

Date: May 16, 2016

SPAR Group, Inc., Registrant

 

 

 

 

 

By: /s/ James R. Segreto

 

James R. Segreto
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary
and duly authorized signatory

 

 

25