UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM 10-K



☒     Annual report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 

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: 001-35629



TILE SHOP HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



14000 Carlson Parkway, Plymouth, Minnesota 55441

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(763) 852-2950

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:





Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐    No ☒



Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐   No ☒



Indicate by check mark 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 every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 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 such files). Yes ☒     No ☐



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



If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐     No ☒



The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was approximately: $144,783,040. 



As of March 9, 2020, the registrant had 50,751,615 shares of common stock outstanding.



DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE



Certain information required by Part III is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, or an amendment to this Form 10-K, which it intends to file with the SEC within 120 days after the fiscal year end covered by this report.





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TILE SHOP HOLDINGS, INC. FORM 10-K



 

 



 

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PART I

 

ITEM 1. BUSINESS



Overview



The Tile Shop, LLC (“The Tile Shop”) was founded in 1985 and Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings,” and together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, including The Tile Shop, the “Company” or “we”) was incorporated in Delaware in June 2012. We are a specialty retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. Our assortment includes approximately 6,000 products from around the world. Natural stone products include marble, travertine, granite, quartz, sandstone, slate, and onyx tiles. Man-made products include ceramic, porcelain, glass, cement, wood look, and metal tiles. The majority of our tile products are sold under our proprietary Rush River and Fired Earth brand names. We purchase our tile products, accessories and tools directly from our global network of suppliers. We manufacture our own setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout and sealer under our Superior brand name, as well as work with other suppliers to manufacture private label products. As of December 31, 2019, we operated 142 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with an average size of approximately 20,000 square feet.



We believe that our long-term vendor relationships, together with our design, manufacturing and distribution capabilities, enable us to offer a broad assortment of high-quality products to our customers, who are primarily homeowners and professionals, at competitive prices. We have invested significant resources to develop our proprietary brands and product sources and believe that we are a leading retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States.



In 2019, we reported net sales and loss from operations of $340.4 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Our 2018 and 2017 net sales were $357.3 million and $344.6 million, respectively, and our 2018 and 2017 income from operations was $18.1 million and $25.8 million, respectively. We opened four new stores, relocated one store, and closed two stores in 2019. We plan to open one new store in 2020. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, we had total assets of $399.8 million and $297.6 million, respectively.



Competitive Strengths



We believe that the following factors differentiate us from our competitors and position us to continue to grow our specialty retailer business.



Broad Product Assortment at Attractive Prices – We offer approximately 6,000 natural stone and made-made tile products, setting and maintenance materials, accessories, and tools. We are able to maintain competitive prices by purchasing tile and accessories directly from producers and manufacturing our own setting and maintenance materials.



Customer Service and Satisfaction – Our sales personnel are highly-trained and knowledgeable about the technical and design aspects of our products. In addition, we provide one-on-one installation training as required to meet customer needs. We accept returns up to three months following the date of the sale, with no restocking fees.



Inspiring Customer Experience –  In each store, our products are brought to life by showcasing a broad array of the items we offer in up to 50 different vignettes of bathrooms, kitchens, fireplaces, foyers, and other distinct spaces. Our stores are spacious, well-lit, and organized by product type to simplify our customers’ shopping experience.



Global Sourcing Capabilities – We have long-standing relationships with our tile suppliers throughout the world and work with them to design products exclusively for us. We believe that these direct relationships differentiate us from our competitors.



Proprietary Branding – We sell the majority of our products under our proprietary brand names, which helps us to differentiate our products from those of our competitors. We offer products across a range of price points and quality levels, which allows us to target discrete market segments and to appeal to diverse groups of customers.



Centralized Distribution System – We service our store locations from five distribution centers. Our distribution centers, located in Michigan, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Virginia, and Wisconsin, are located to cost effectively service our existing stores.



Strategic Plan



We are committed to carrying the best assortment, offering the best service, and showcasing the best presentation in our industry.  These principles have always been core to our strategy and will continue to be as we move into 2020.  Over the last two years we have made a number of different investments to position the Company for long-term growth.  As we move into 2020, we  are focused on internal execution and generating a profitable return on these investments.



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Key elements of our 2020 strategy include:

  

Focused Retail Execution –  Over the last year, we have implemented a number of enhancements to our new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system and now have reporting that provides visibility to key business trends giving our store, regional, and corporate management teams the tools needed to pinpoint inefficiencies and take corrective action.  We have defined critical success measures for each of our stores, worked with our store leaders to develop action plans, and have the support structure in place to help our teams achieve their goals.

 

Growing Professional Sales –  We are committed to providing the best service to our professional customers and the customers they serve.  We have a seasoned team of pro market managers in place with the experience to effectively cultivate relationships with professional customers.  Our loyalty program continues to gain traction and we believe the rewards available to professional customers provide a meaningful incentive for pros to grow their business with us.  We also plan to add several new products for professional customers in 2020 to help augment our existing pro product offerings.



Disciplined Expense Management – Over the last six months, we have identified and implemented a number of different initiatives to reduce the level of our brand advertising, information technology (“IT”) consulting, staffing, and public company costs.  We are committed to these initiatives and will explore other expense savings opportunities in pursuit of our return to profitability.



Sales Model



We principally sell our products directly to homeowners and professionals. With regard to individual customers, we believe that due to the average cost and relative infrequency of a tile purchase, many of our individual customers conduct extensive research using multiple channels before making a purchase decision. Our sales strategy emphasizes customer service by providing comprehensive and convenient educational tools on our website and in our stores for our customers to learn about our products and the tile installation process. Our website contains a broad range of information regarding our tile products, setting and maintenance materials, and accessories. Customers can order samples, view catalogs, or purchase products from our stores. Customers can choose to have their purchases delivered or picked up at one of our stores. We believe this strategy also positions us well with professional customers who are influenced by the preferences of individual homeowners.



Our stores are designed to emphasize our products in a visually appealing showroom format. Our average store is approximately 20,000 square feet, with a majority of the square footage devoted to the showroom. Several thousand square feet is used for warehouse space, which is used primarily to hold customer orders waiting to be picked up or delivered. Our stores are typically accessible from major roadways and have significant visibility to passing traffic. We can adapt to a range of existing buildings, whether free-standing or in shopping centers. All of our stores are leased.



Unlike many of our competitors, we devote a substantial portion of our store space to showrooms, including samples of our approximately 6,000 products and up to 50 different vignettes of bathrooms, kitchens, fireplaces, foyers, and other distinct spaces that showcase our products. Our showrooms are designed to provide our customers with a better understanding of how to integrate various types of tile in order to create an attractive presentation in their homes. Many stores are also equipped with a training center designed to teach customers how to properly install tile.



A staffing model for a typical store consists of a manager, an assistant manager, sales associates, and a warehouse leader. Our store managers are responsible for store operations and for overseeing our customers’ shopping experience. We offer financing to customers through a branded credit card provided by a third-party consumer finance company.



Marketing



We utilize a variety of marketing strategies and programs to acquire and retain customers, including both consumers and trade professionals. Our advertising primarily consists of digital media, direct marketing, including email and postal mail, in store events, and mobile and traditional media vehicles, including newspaper circular/print ads, radio, video and out-of-home advertising. We continually test and learn from new media and adjust our programs based on performance.



Our website, TileShop.com, supports desktop, tablet, and mobile devices and is designed for consumers, trade professionals and industry stakeholders to learn about our brand, our value propositions, and our product assortment and installation techniques, and to look up our store locations and account information. On social media, #TheTileShop provides current and prospective customers a high level of brand engagement and enables customers to share their finished projects in our inspiration gallery.



Products



We offer an extensive and complete assortment of natural stone and man-made tile products, sourced directly from our suppliers. Natural stone products include marble, travertine, granite, quartz, sandstone, slate, and onyx tiles. Man-made products include

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ceramic, porcelain, glass, cement, wood look, and metal tiles. Our wide assortment of accessories, including trim pieces, mosaics, pencils, listellos, and other unique products, encourages our customers to make a fashion statement with their tile project and helps us to deliver a high level of customer satisfaction and drive repeat business. We also offer a broad range of setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout, sealers, and accessories, including installation tools, shower and bath shelves, drains, and similar products. We also offer customers delivery service through third-party freight providers. We sell most of our products under our proprietary brand names, including Superior Adhesives & Chemicals, Superior Tools & Supplies, Rush River, and Fired Earth. In total, we offer approximately 6,000 different tile products, setting and maintenance materials, and accessory products. The percentage of our net sales represented by each product category was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018:





Suppliers



We have long-standing relationships with our suppliers throughout the world and work with them to design and manufacture products exclusively for us. We believe that these direct relationships differentiate us from our competitors.



We currently purchase tile products from approximately 200 different suppliers. Our top ten tile suppliers accounted for 49% of our tile purchases in 2019. Our largest supplier accounted for approximately 12% of our total purchases in 2019. We believe that alternative and competitive suppliers are available for many of our products. The percentage of our total purchases from the following continents was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018: 







During 2018, we made the decision to diversify our source of supply and shift sourcing of certain products manufactured in China to other parts of the world.  We successfully completed this work in 2019 which resulted in a decrease in the volume of products purchased from Asia and an increase in the percentage of products purchased from suppliers based in Europe, North America, and South America. 



Distribution and Order Fulfillment



We take possession of our products in the country of origin and arrange for transportation to our five distribution centers located in Michigan, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Virginia and Wisconsin. We also manufacture many of our setting and maintenance materials in Michigan, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wisconsin. We maintain a large inventory of products in order to quickly fulfill customer orders.



We fulfill customer orders primarily by shipping our products to our stores where customers can either pick them up or arrange for home delivery. We continue to evaluate logistics alternatives to best serve our store base and our customers. We believe that our existing distribution facilities will continue to play an integral role in our growth strategy, and we expect to establish one or more additional distribution centers to support geographic expansion of our store base and to support our store growth plans.



Competition



The retail tile market is highly-fragmented. We compete directly with regional and local specialty retailers of tile, factory-direct stores, a large number of privately-owned, single-site stores, and online-only competitors. In addition, we compete with large national home improvement centers that offer a wide range of home improvement products, including flooring. We also compete indirectly with companies that sell other types of floor coverings, including wood floors, carpet, and vinyl. The barriers of entry into the retail tile industry are relatively low and new or existing tile retailers could enter our markets and increase the competition that we face. Many

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of our competitors enjoy competitive advantages over us, such as greater name recognition, longer operating histories, more varied product offerings, and greater financial, technical, and other resources.



We believe that the key competitive factors in the retail tile industry include:



We believe that we compete favorably with respect to each of these factors by providing a highly diverse selection of products to our customers, at an attractive value, in appealing and convenient store locations, with exceptional customer service and on-site instructional opportunities. Further, while some larger factory-direct competitors manufacture their own products, many of our competitors do not maintain their own inventory and instead purchase their tile from domestic manufacturers or distributors when they receive an order from a customer. We also believe that we offer a broader range of products and stronger in-store customer support than these competitors.



Employees



As of December 31, 2019, we had 1,638 employees, 1,531 of whom were full-time and none of whom were represented by a union. Of these employees, 1,228 work in our stores, 88 work in corporate, store support, infrastructure or similar functions, and 322 work in distribution and manufacturing facilities. We believe that we have good relations with our employees.



Intellectual Property and Trademarks



We have registered and unregistered trademarks for all of our brands, including 25 registered trademarks. We regard our intellectual property as having significant value and our brands are an important factor in the marketing of our products. Accordingly, we have taken, and continue to take, appropriate steps to protect our intellectual property.



Government Regulation



We are subject to extensive and varied federal, state and local government regulation in the jurisdictions in which we operate, including laws and regulations relating to our relationships with our employees, public health and safety, zoning, and fire codes. We operate each of our stores, offices, distribution and manufacturing facilities in accordance with standards and procedures designed to comply with applicable laws, codes, and regulations.



Our operations and properties are also subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the use, storage, handling, generation, transportation, treatment, emission, release, discharge and disposal of hazardous materials, substances, and wastes and relating to the investigation and cleanup of contaminated properties, including off-site disposal locations. We do not incur significant costs complying with environmental laws and regulations. However, we could be subject to material costs, liabilities, or claims relating to environmental compliance in the future, especially in the event of changes in existing laws and regulations or in their interpretation.



Products that we import into the United States are subject to laws and regulations imposed in conjunction with such importation, including those issued and enforced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations in these areas.



Financial Information about Geographic Areas



A majority of our revenues and profits are generated within the United States and nearly all of our long-lived assets are located within the United States as well. We have also established a sourcing office based in China.



Available Information



We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Exchange Act requires us to file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information

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regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. These materials may be obtained electronically by accessing the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.



We maintain a website at www.tileshop.com, the contents of which are not part of or incorporated by reference into this report. We make our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports available on our website, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports have been filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, as well as any waivers from and amendments to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, is also posted on our website.

 

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS



The following are significant factors known to us that could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or operating results, as well as adversely affect the value of an investment in our common stock. These risks could cause our actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and from results predicted by forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made by us are qualified by the risks described below. There may be additional risks that are not presently material or known. You should carefully consider each of the following risks and all other information set forth in this report.



Our ability to grow and remain profitable may be limited by direct or indirect competition in the highly-competitive retail tile industry.



The retail tile industry in the United States is highly competitive. Participants in the tile industry compete primarily based on product variety, customer service, store location, and price. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to compete favorably with our competitors in these areas. Our store competitors include large national home centers, regional and local specialty retailers of tile, factory-direct stores, privately-owned, single-site stores and online-only competitors. We also compete indirectly with companies that sell other types of floor coverings, including wood floors, carpet, and vinyl sheet. In the past, we have faced periods of heightened competition that materially affected our results of operations. Certain of our competitors have greater name recognition, longer operating histories, more varied product offerings, and substantially greater financial and other resources than us. Accordingly, we may face periods of intense competition in the future that could have a material adverse effect on our planned growth and future results of operations. Moreover, the barriers to entry into the retail tile industry are relatively low. New or existing retailers could enter our markets and increase the competition that we face. In addition, manufacturers and suppliers of tile and related products, including those whose products we currently sell, could enter the United States retail tile market and start directly competing with us. Further, the retail industry in general is subject to rapid technological change, which may increase the amount of capital we spend in the future as we work to sustain and grow our technological infrastructure and digital commerce capabilities in order to remain competitive. Competition in existing and new markets may also prevent or delay our ability to gain relative market share. Any of the developments described above could have a material adverse effect on our planned growth and future results of operations.



If we fail to successfully manage the challenges that our planned growth poses or encounter unexpected difficulties during our expansion, our revenues and profitability could be materially adversely affected.



One of our long-term objectives is to increase revenue and profitability through market share gains. Our ability to achieve market share growth, however, is contingent upon our ability to open new stores and achieve operating results in new stores at the same level as our similarly situated current stores. We anticipate opening one new store in 2020. There can be no assurance that we will be able to open stores in new markets at the rate required to achieve market leadership in such markets, identify and obtain favorable store sites, arrange favorable leases for stores, obtain governmental and other third-party consents, permits, and licenses needed to open or operate stores in a timely manner, train and hire a sufficient number of qualified managers for new stores, attract a strong customer base and brand familiarity in new markets, or successfully compete with established retail tile stores in the new markets that we enter. Failure to open new stores in an effective and cost-efficient manner could place us at a competitive disadvantage as compared to retailers who are more adept than us at managing these challenges, which, in turn, could negatively affect our overall operating results.



Our same store sales fluctuate due to a variety of economic, operating, industry and environmental factors and may not be a fair indicator of our overall performance.



Our same store sales have experienced fluctuations, which can be expected to continue. Numerous factors affect our same store sales results, including, among others, the timing of new and relocated store openings, the relative proportion of new and relocated stores to mature stores, cannibalization resulting from the opening of new stores in existing markets, changes in advertising and other operating costs, the timing and level of markdowns, changes in our product mix, weather conditions, retail trends, the retail sales environment, economic conditions, inflation, the impact of competition, and our ability to execute our business strategy. As a result, same store sales or operating results may fluctuate and may cause the price of our securities to fluctuate significantly. Therefore, we believe that period-to-period comparisons of our same store sales may not be a reliable indicator of our future overall operating performance.



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We intend to open additional stores in both our existing markets and new markets, which poses both the possibility of diminishing sales by existing stores in our existing markets and the risk of a slow ramp-up period for stores in new markets.



Our expansion strategy includes plans to open one new store in an existing market during 2020. In future periods, we intend to continue opening stores in new and existing markets. Because our stores typically draw customers from their local areas, additional stores may draw customers away from nearby existing stores and may cause same store sales performance at those existing stores to decline, which may adversely affect our overall operating results. Additionally, stores in new markets typically have a ramp-up period before sales become steady enough for such stores to be profitable. Our ability to open additional stores will be dependent on our ability to promote and/or recruit enough qualified store managers, assistant store managers, and sales associates. The time and effort required to train and supervise a large number of new managers and associates and integrate them into our culture may divert resources from our existing stores. If we are unable to profitably open additional stores in both new and existing markets and limit the adverse impact of those new stores on existing stores, our same store sales and overall operating results may be reduced during the implementation of our expansion strategy.



Our expansion strategy will be dependent upon, and limited by, the availability of adequate capital.



Our expansion strategy will require adequate capital for, among other purposes, opening new stores, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities, as well as entering new markets. Such expenditures will include researching real estate and consumer markets, leases, inventory, property and equipment costs, integration of new stores and markets into company-wide systems and programs, and other costs associated with new stores and market entry expenses and growth. If cash generated internally is insufficient to fund capital requirements, we will require additional debt or equity financing. Adequate financing may not be available or, if available, may not be available on terms satisfactory to us. In addition, our credit facility may limit the amount of capital expenditures that we may make annually, depending on our rent adjusted leverage ratio. If we fail to obtain sufficient additional capital in the future or we are unable to make capital expenditures under our credit facility, we could be forced to curtail our expansion strategies by reducing or delaying capital expenditures relating to new stores and new market entry. As a result, there can be no assurance that we will be able to fund our current plans for the opening of new stores or entry into new markets.



If we fail to identify and maintain relationships with a sufficient number of suppliers, our ability to obtain products that meet our high quality standards at attractive prices could be adversely affected.



We purchase flooring and other products directly from suppliers located around the world. However, we do not have long-term contractual supply agreements with our suppliers that obligate them to supply us with products exclusively or at specified quantities or prices. As a result, our current suppliers may decide to sell products to our competitors and may not continue selling products to us. In order to retain the competitive advantage that we believe results from these relationships, we need to continue to identify, develop and maintain relationships with qualified suppliers that can satisfy our high standards for quality and our requirements for flooring and other products in a timely and efficient manner at attractive prices. The need to develop new relationships will be particularly important as we seek to expand our operations and enhance our product offerings in the future. The loss of one or more of our existing suppliers or our inability to develop relationships with new suppliers could reduce our competitiveness, slow our plans for further expansion, and cause our net sales and operating results to be adversely affected.



We source the approximately 6,000 products that we stock and sell from approximately 200 domestic and international suppliers. We source a large number of those products from foreign manufacturers, including 49% of our products from a group of ten suppliers located in Asia, Europe and the United States. Our largest supplier accounted for approximately 12% of our total purchases in 2019. We generally take title to these products sourced from foreign suppliers overseas and are responsible for arranging shipment to our distribution centers. Financial instability among key suppliers, political instability, trade restrictions, tariffs, currency exchange rates, and transport capacity and costs are beyond our control and could negatively impact our business if they seriously disrupt the movement of products through our supply chain or increase the costs of our products.



Our reliance on foreign suppliers increases our risks of not obtaining adequate, timely and cost effective products and to the risks involved in foreign operations and foreign currency translation.



The risks associated with direct sourcing from overseas manufacturers may be higher than the risks associated with our traditional domestic suppliers. Foreign sourcing subjects us to a number of risks, including long lead times; work stoppages; shipping delays and interruptions; product quality issues; employee rights issues; other social concerns; public health epidemics, such as the ongoing coronavirus outbreak emanating from China, the impact of which is uncertain and which, if it persists for an extended period of time, could disrupt our global supply chain and result in significant expenses or delays outside of our control, or pandemics; political instability; acts of terrorism; economic disruptions; the imposition of tariffs, duties, quotas, import and export controls and other trade restrictions; changes in governmental policies, including potential adverse changes in tax laws and regulations; uncertainty surrounding the enforcement of laws (if any) relating to the protection of intellectual property or data security; and other events. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on us. 

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In addition, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, surfaced in Wuhan, China in December 2019, resulting in increased travel restrictions and extended shutdown of certain businesses in the region. The impact of COVID-19 on our business is uncertain at this time and will depend on future developments; however, prolonged closures in China may disrupt our operations or the operations of certain of our suppliers, which could negatively impact our business.

In addition, reductions in the value of the U.S. dollar or revaluation of foreign currencies used could ultimately increase the prices that we pay for our products.  All of our products manufactured overseas and imported into the U.S. are subject to duties collected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  We may be subjected to additional duties, significant monetary penalties, the seizure and forfeiture of the products we are attempting to import or the loss of import privileges if we or our suppliers are found to be in violation of U.S. laws and regulations applicable to the importation of our products.  If duties were to be significantly increased, it could have a material adverse impact on us.

Our ability to offer compelling products, particularly products made of unique stone, depends on the continued availability of sufficient suitable natural products.



Our business strategy depends on offering a wide assortment of compelling products to our customers. We sell, among other things, products made from various natural stones from quarries throughout the world. Our ability to obtain an adequate volume and quality of hard-to-find products depends on our suppliers’ ability to furnish those products, which, in turn, could be affected by many things, including the exhaustion of stone quarries. If our suppliers cannot deliver sufficient products, and we cannot find replacement suppliers, our net sales and operating results may be adversely affected.



If customers are unable to obtain third-party financing at satisfactory rates, sales of our products could be materially adversely affected.



Our business, financial condition, and results of operations have been, and may continue to be, affected by various economic factors. Deterioration in the current economic environment could lead to reduced consumer and business spending, including by our customers. It may also cause customers to shift their spending to products that we either do not sell or that generate lower profitability for us. Further, reduced access to credit may adversely affect the ability of consumers to purchase our products. This potential reduction in access to credit may adversely impact our ability to offer customers credit card financing through third-party credit providers on terms similar to those offered currently, or at all. In addition, economic conditions, including decreases in access to credit, may result in financial difficulties leading to restructuring, bankruptcies, liquidations and other unfavorable events for our customers, which may adversely impact our industry, business, and results of operations.



Any failure by us to successfully anticipate consumer trends may lead to loss of consumer acceptance of our products, resulting in reduced revenues.



Our success depends on our ability to anticipate and respond to changing trends in the tile industry and consumer demands in a timely manner. If we fail to identify and respond to emerging trends, consumer acceptance of our merchandise and our image with current or potential customers may be harmed, which could reduce our revenue potential. Additionally, if we misjudge market trends, we may significantly overstock unpopular products and be forced to reduce the sales price of such products, which would have a negative impact on our gross profit and cash flow. Conversely, shortages of products that prove popular could cause customers to seek alternative sources of such products, as well as other products they may have purchased from us, which could also reduce our revenues.



We depend on a few key employees, and if we lose the services of these employees, we may not be able to run our business effectively.



Our future success depends in part on our ability to attract and retain key executive, merchandising, marketing, and sales personnel. We have had changes in our senior management team over the past two years and have promoted or hired new employees to fill certain roles. Our inability to effectively integrate the newly-hired senior managers into our business processes, controls, systems and culture could have a material adverse effect on us. If any of our key employees ceases to be employed by us, we would have to hire additional qualified personnel and could experience delays in filling those roles. Our ability to successfully hire other experienced and qualified key employees cannot be assured and may be difficult because we face competition for these professionals from our competitors, our suppliers and other companies operating in our industry. As a result, the loss or unavailability of any of our key employees could have a material adverse effect on us.

If we fail to hire, train, and retain qualified store managers, sales associates, and other employees, our enhanced customer service could be compromised and we could lose sales to our competitors.

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A key element of our competitive strategy is to provide product expertise to our customers through our extensively trained, commissioned sales associates. If we are unable to attract and retain qualified personnel and managers as needed in the future, including qualified sales personnel, our level of customer service may decline, which may decrease our revenues and profitability.

The burden of debt under our existing credit facility and additional debt could adversely affect us, make us more vulnerable to adverse economic or industry conditions, and prevent us from fulfilling our debt obligations or from funding our strategies.

 

We entered into a credit facility with Bank of America, N.A., Fifth Third Bank and Citizens Bank on September 18, 2018. As of December 31, 2019, we had borrowed approximately $63.0 million on our revolving line of credit, leaving $35.7 million available for future borrowings. The terms of our credit facility and the burden of the indebtedness incurred thereunder could have serious consequences for us, such as: 



Additionally, any future increase in the level of our indebtedness will likely increase our interest expense, which could negatively impact our profitability. Current interest rates on borrowings under our credit facility are variable and include the use of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). In 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. In addition, other regulators have suggested reforming or replacing other benchmark rates. The expected phase out of LIBOR could cause market volatility or disruption and may adversely affect our access to the capital markets and cost of funding. Furthermore, while our credit facility contains “fallback” provisions providing for alternative rate calculations in the event LIBOR is unavailable, these “fallback” provisions may not adequately address the actual changes to LIBOR or successor rates.



Our credit facility also contains negative covenants that limit our ability to engage in specified types of transactions. These covenants limit our ability to, among other things:



A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default under our credit facility. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the lender could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under such facility to be immediately due and payable and terminate all commitments to extend further credit, or seek amendments to our debt agreements that would provide for terms more favorable to such lender and that we may have to accept under the circumstances. If we were unable to repay those amounts, the lender under our credit facility could proceed against the collateral granted to it to secure that indebtedness.

 

If we are unable to renew or replace current store leases, or if we are unable to enter into leases for additional stores on favorable terms, or if one or more of our current leases is terminated prior to expiration of its stated term and we cannot find suitable alternate store locations, our growth and profitability could be negatively impacted.



We currently lease all of our store locations and certain distribution center locations. Many of our current leases provide us with the unilateral option to renew for several additional rental periods at specific rental rates. Our ability to renegotiate favorable terms on an

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expiring lease or to negotiate favorable terms for a suitable alternate location, and our ability to negotiate favorable lease terms for additional store locations, could depend on conditions in the real estate market, competition for desirable properties, our relationships with current and prospective landlords, or other factors that are not within our control. Any or all of these factors and conditions could negatively impact our growth and profitability.



Compliance with laws or changes in existing or new laws and regulations or regulatory enforcement priorities could adversely affect our business.



We must comply with various laws and regulations at the local, regional, state, federal, and international levels. These laws and regulations change frequently, and such changes can impose significant costs and other burdens of compliance on our business and suppliers. Any changes in regulations, the imposition of additional regulations, or the enactment of any new legislation that affects employment/labor, trade, product safety, transportation/logistics, energy costs, health care, tax, environmental issues, or compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations. Changes in enforcement priorities by governmental agencies charged with enforcing existing laws and regulations could increase our cost of doing business.



We may also be subject to audits by various taxing authorities. Changes in tax laws in any of the multiple jurisdictions in which we operate, or adverse outcomes from tax audits that we may be subject to in any of the jurisdictions in which we operate, could result in an unfavorable change in our effective tax rate, which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.



If our suppliers do not use ethical business practices or comply with applicable laws and regulations, our reputation could be harmed due to negative publicity and we could be subject to legal risk.



We do not control the operations of our suppliers. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that our suppliers will comply with applicable environmental, labor and other laws and regulations or operate in a legal, ethical, and responsible manner. Violation of environmental, labor or other laws by our suppliers or their failure to operate in a legal, ethical, or responsible manner could reduce demand for our products if, as a result of such violation or failure, we attract negative publicity. Further, such conduct could expose us to legal risks as a result of the purchase of products from non-compliant suppliers.    

Our results may be adversely affected by fluctuations in material and energy costs.



Our results may be affected by the prices of the materials used in the manufacture of tile, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories that we sell. These prices may fluctuate based on a number of factors beyond our control, including: oil prices, changes in supply and demand, general economic conditions, labor costs, competition, import duties, tariffs, currency exchange rates, and government regulation. In addition, energy costs have fluctuated dramatically in the past and may fluctuate in the future. These fluctuations may result in an increase in our transportation costs for distribution from the manufacturer to our distribution centers and from our regional distribution centers to our stores, utility costs for our distribution and manufacturing centers and stores, and overall costs to purchase products from our suppliers.



We may not be able to adjust the prices of our products, especially in the short-term, to recover any cost increases in materials and energy. A continual rise in material and energy costs could adversely affect consumer spending and demand for our products and increase our operating costs, both of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.



Our success is highly dependent on our ability to provide timely delivery to our customers, and any disruption in our delivery capabilities or our related planning and control processes may adversely affect our operating results.



Our success is due in part to our ability to deliver products quickly to our customers, which requires successful planning and distribution infrastructure, including ordering, transportation and receipt processing, and the ability of suppliers to meet distribution requirements. Our ability to maintain this success depends on the continued identification and implementation of improvements to our planning processes, distribution infrastructure, and supply chain. We also need to ensure that our distribution infrastructure and supply chain keep pace with our anticipated growth and increased number of stores. The cost of these enhanced processes could be significant and any failure to maintain, grow, or improve them could adversely affect our operating results. Our business could also be adversely affected if there are delays in product shipments due to freight difficulties, strikes, or other difficulties at our suppliers’ principal transport providers, or otherwise.



Our success depends on the effectiveness of our marketing strategy.



We believe that our growth was achieved in part through the effectiveness of our marketing strategies. Prior to 2018, we used internet, print, and radio advertisements containing discounts and promotional offers to encourage customers to visit our stores. A significant portion of our advertising was invested to support the opening of new stores and directed at professional customers. Beginning in late 2017, we de-emphasized the use of discount offers to attract customers. Limited use of discount and promotional offers in future

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periods could fail to attract customers, resulting in a decrease in store traffic. We may need to further increase our marketing expense to support our business strategies in the future. If our marketing strategies fail to draw customers in the future, or if the cost of advertising or other marketing materials increases significantly, we could experience declines in our net sales and operating results.



Taxing authorities may successfully assert that we should have collected or in the future should collect sales and use, value added or similar transactional taxes, and we could be subject to liability with respect to past or future sales, which could adversely affect our results of operations.



The application of sales tax and other indirect taxes on cross border sales by remote sellers is continuing to change and evolve. In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court decided South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., a case challenging the prior law under which sellers were not required to collect sales and use tax unless they have a physical presence in the buyer’s state.  This decision will now allow states to adopt new or enforce existing laws requiring sellers to collect and remit sales and use tax, even in states in which the seller has no presence.  The adoption or enforcement of any such legislation could result in additional sales and use tax collection responsibility for certain of our businesses. A number of states have already begun requiring sales and use tax collection by remote sellers.  We are in the process of determining how and when our collection practices may need to change in the relevant jurisdictions.  It is possible that one or more jurisdictions may assert that we have liability for periods for which certain of our businesses have not collected sales, use or other similar taxes, and if such an assertion or assertions were successful it could result in tax liabilities, including for past sales taxes and penalties and interest, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.



Natural disasters, changes in climate and geo-political events could adversely affect our operating results.



The threat or occurrence of one or more natural disasters or other extreme weather events, whether as a result of climate change or otherwise, and the threat or outbreak of terrorism, civil unrest, a public health epidemic, such as the coronavirus, or pandemic, or other hostilities, conflicts or similar adverse events could materially adversely affect our financial performance. These events may result in damage to, or destruction or closure of, our stores, distribution centers and other properties. Such events can also adversely affect our work force and prevent employees and customers from reaching our stores and other properties, can modify consumer purchasing patterns and decrease disposable income, and can disrupt or disable portions of our supply chain and distribution network.



Our ability to control labor costs is limited, which may negatively affect our business.

 

Our ability to control labor costs is subject to numerous external factors, including prevailing wage rates, the impact of legislation or regulations governing healthcare benefits or labor relations, and health and other insurance costs. If our labor and/or benefit costs increase, we may not be able to hire or maintain qualified personnel to the extent necessary to execute our competitive strategy, which could adversely affect our results of operations.



Our business operations could be disrupted if we are unable to protect the integrity and security of our customer information.



In connection with payment card sales and other transactions, including bank cards, debit cards, credit cards and other merchant cards, we process and transmit confidential banking and payment card information. Additionally, as part of our normal business activities, we collect and store sensitive personal information related to our employees, customers, suppliers and other parties. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to criminal cyber-attacks or security incidents due to employee error, malfeasance or other vulnerabilities. Any such incidents could compromise our networks or disrupt critical systems, and the information stored there, such as personal identification information or funds, could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Third parties may have the technology and know-how to breach the security of this information, and our security measures and those of our banks, merchant card processing and other technology suppliers may not effectively prohibit others from obtaining improper access to this information. The techniques used by criminals to obtain unauthorized access to sensitive data change frequently and often are not recognized until launched against a target; accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures.



Many states have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving their personal data. These mandatory disclosures regarding a security breach often lead to widespread negative publicity, which may cause our customers to lose confidence in the effectiveness of our data security measures. Any security breach, whether successful or not, would harm our reputation and could cause the loss of customers. In addition, any such breach could subject us to litigation, government enforcement actions, regulatory penalties or costly response measures.  Any such occurrence could have a material adverse effect on us.



If our management information systems experience disruptions, it could disrupt our business and reduce our net sales.



We depend on our management information systems to integrate the activities of our stores, to process orders, to manage inventory, to purchase merchandise and to sell and ship goods on a timely basis. We may experience operational problems with our information systems, as well as loss of funds, intellectual property or other proprietary information, as a result of system failures, viruses,

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computer “hackers” or other causes. We may incur significant expenses in order to repair any such operational problems and could suffer reputational damage. Any significant disruption or slowdown of our systems could cause information, including data related to customer orders, to be lost or delayed, which could result in delays in the delivery of products to our stores and customers or lost sales. Accordingly, if our network is disrupted, we may experience delayed communications within our operations and between our customers and ourselves. Any such occurrence could have a material adverse effect on us.

The selection and implementation of information technology initiatives may impact our operational efficiency and productivity.



In order to better manage our business, we expect to invest in our information systems. In doing so, we must select the correct investments and implement them in an efficient manner. The costs, potential problems and interruptions associated with implementing technology initiatives could disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations. Furthermore, these initiatives might not provide the anticipated benefits or provide them in a delayed or more costly manner. Accordingly, issues relating to our selection and implementation of information technology initiatives may negatively impact our business and operating results.



Implementation of our new ERP system has adversely impacted and could continue to negatively affect our business.

We rely extensively on our IT systems to assist us in managing our business and summarizing our operational results.  On January 1, 2019, we deployed a company-wide new ERP system.  The new ERP system was implemented to position the Company for long-term growth, further enhance operating efficiencies and provide more effective management of our business operations, including sales order processing, inventory control, purchasing and supply chain management, and financial reporting. Implementing the new ERP system has been costly and has required, and may continue to require, the investment of significant personnel and financial resources.  In addition to the risks inherent in the conversion to any new IT system, including the loss of information, disruption to our normal operations, and changes in accounting procedures, the implementation of our new ERP system has resulted in operational and reporting disruptions related to the conversion of existing customer orders, processing of new customer orders and maintaining an effective internal control environment.

We identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting that pertain to our ERP system conversion on January 1, 2019, as described below, which has caused us to incur increased costs, diverted our management’s and employees’ attention and resources, and negatively impacted our business. Failure to properly or adequately address any issues with our new ERP system could result in increased costs and the diversion of management’s and employees’ attention and resources and could materially adversely affect our operating results, internal control over financial reporting and ability to manage our business effectively.  While the ERP system is intended to further improve and enhance our information management systems, the ongoing implementation of this new ERP system exposes us to the risks of integrating that system with our existing systems and processes, including possible continued disruption of our financial reporting.

We have identified two material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting which, if not remediated, could result in material misstatements of our financial statements.

We identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting that pertain to our ERP system conversion that took place on January 1, 2019 involving (1) the ineffective design and implementation of effective controls with respect to the ERP system conversion, and (2) the ineffective design and implementation of IT general controls for information systems that are relevant to the preparation of financial statements. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

These material weaknesses could adversely impact our ability to record, process and report financial information accurately, and to prepare financial statements within the time periods specified by the rules and forms of the SEC. This failure could negatively affect the market price and trading liquidity of our common stock, cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, subject us to civil and criminal investigations and penalties and materially and adversely impact our business and financial condition. We are adjusting our previously announced plans to address the material weaknesses following our delisting from  The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) and our previously-announced plan to deregister our common stock. We cannot ensure that we will not identify additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting in the future.



We have delisted our common stock from the Nasdaq Stock Market and intend to deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act.

As previously disclosed, we have voluntarily delisted our common stock from Nasdaq and intend to deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act. Our common stock is currently quoted on the Pink tier of the OTC Markets under the symbol “TTSH”. Following our proposed deregistration, it may thereafter continue to be eligible for trading on an over-the-counter market, if one or more brokers chooses to make a market for our common stock; however, there can be no assurances regarding any such trading.

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In November 2019, a class action and derivative lawsuit was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against us and our directors, which prevented us from filing a Form 15 to complete our proposed deregistration. As such, we are required to continue filing periodic reports under the Exchange Act, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and remain subject to all other requirements associated with being an Exchange Act-registered company.  However, we continue to believe that the proposed deregistration, and the associated expected cost savings, is in our and our stockholders’ best interests.

Following our delisting and proposed deregistration, the combination of the reduced amount of information regarding us available to stockholders and potential investors and the likelihood of reduced liquidity in the over-the-counter trading environment may impact the value of our common stock.

Our insurance coverage and self-insurance reserves may not cover future claims.

 

We maintain various insurance policies for employee health and workers’ compensation. We are self-insured on certain health insurance plans and are responsible for losses up to a certain limit for these respective plans. We are also self-insured with regard to workers’ compensation coverage, in which case we are responsible for losses up to certain retention limits on both a per-claim and aggregate basis.



For policies under which we are responsible for losses, we record a liability that represents our estimated cost of claims incurred and unpaid as of the balance sheet date. Our estimated liability is not discounted and is based on a number of assumptions and factors, including historical trends and economic conditions, and is closely monitored and adjusted when warranted by changing circumstances. Fluctuating healthcare costs, our significant growth rate and changes from our past experience with workers’ compensation claims could affect the accuracy of estimates based on historical experience. Should a greater amount of claims occur compared to what was estimated or employee health insurance costs increase beyond what was expected, our accrued liabilities might not be sufficient, and we may be required to record additional expense. Unanticipated changes may produce materially different amounts of expense than that reported under these programs, which could adversely impact our operating results.



We are involved in legal proceedings and, while we cannot predict the outcomes of such proceedings and other contingencies with certainty, some of these outcomes could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.



We are, and may become, involved in shareholder, consumer, employment, tort or other litigation. We cannot predict with certainty the outcomes of these legal proceedings. The outcome of some of these legal proceedings could require us to take, or refrain from taking, actions which could negatively affect our operations or could require us to pay substantial amounts of money adversely affecting our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, defending against lawsuits and proceedings may involve significant expense and diversion of management's attention and resources.



The market price of our securities may decline and/or be volatile.



The market price of our common stock has fluctuated significantly in the past and may continue to fluctuate in the future. Future fluctuations could be based on various factors in addition to those otherwise described in this report, including:





In addition, the stock market may experience significant price and volume fluctuations. These fluctuations may be unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies but may cause declines in the market price of our common stock. The price of our common stock could fluctuate based upon factors that have little or nothing to do with our company or its performance.



We suspended our quarterly dividend program and cancelled our stock repurchase program; as such, only appreciation in the price of our common stock will provide a return to our stockholders. 

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In October 2019, we suspended our quarterly cash dividend program and cancelled our share repurchase program to focus on debt reduction and continued investment in strategic initiatives. Any future determination with respect to the payment of dividends or stock repurchases is at the discretion of our Board of Directors and is dependent upon our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, general business conditions, tax treatment of dividends in the United States, potential future contractual restrictions contained in credit agreements and other agreements and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors. Our election not to pay a quarterly dividend or repurchase stock may negatively impact our reputation, our stock price, and investor confidence in us.



We are a holding company with no business operations of our own and depend on cash flow from The Tile Shop to meet our obligations.



We are a holding company with no business operations of our own or material assets other than the equity of our subsidiaries. All of our operations are conducted by our subsidiaries, including The Tile Shop. As a holding company, we will require dividends and other payments from our subsidiaries to meet cash requirements. The terms of any future credit facility may restrict our subsidiaries from paying dividends and otherwise transferring cash or other assets to us, although our current facility does not restrict this action. If there is an insolvency, liquidation, or other reorganization of any of our subsidiaries, our stockholders likely will have no right to proceed against their assets. Creditors of those subsidiaries will be entitled to payment in full from the sale or other disposal of the assets of those subsidiaries before we, as an equity holder, would be entitled to receive any distribution from that sale or disposal. If The Tile Shop is unable to pay dividends or make other payments to us when needed, we will be unable to satisfy our obligations.



Concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.



Our directors and executive officers, together with their affiliates, beneficially hold approximately 31% of our outstanding shares of common stock. As a result, these stockholders, if acting together, have the ability to influence the outcome of corporate actions requiring stockholder approval. This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control and might adversely affect the market price of our securities.



Anti-takeover provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could impair a takeover attempt.



Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that, alone or together, could have the effect of delaying or preventing hostile takeovers or changes in control or changes in our management without the consent of our Board of Directors. These provisions include:





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As a Delaware corporation, we are also subject to provisions of Delaware law. Any provision of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock, and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock.



ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

 

None.

 

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES



As of December 31, 2019, we operated 142 stores located in 31 states and the District of Columbia with an average square footage of approximately 20,000 square feet. The table below sets forth the store locations (alphabetically by state) of our 142 stores in operation as of December 31, 2019.





  



We lease all of our stores. Our approximately 15,000 square foot headquarters in Plymouth, Minnesota is attached to our store. We own four regional facilities used for distribution of purchased product and manufacturing of setting and maintenance materials, located in Spring Valley, Wisconsin; Ottawa Lake, Michigan; Ridgeway, Virginia; and Durant, Oklahoma, which consist of 69,000, 271,000, 134,000, and 260,000 square feet, respectively.  We also lease a distribution facility in Dayton, New Jersey that is 103,000 square feet.



We believe that our material property holdings are suitable for our current operations and purposes. We intend to open one new store in 2020.

 

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS



We are, from time to time, party to lawsuits, threatened lawsuits, disputes and other claims arising in the normal course of business. We assess our liabilities and contingencies in connection with outstanding legal proceedings utilizing the latest information available. Where it is probable that we will incur a loss and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, we record a liability in our consolidated financial statements. These legal accruals may be increased or decreased to reflect any relevant developments on a quarterly basis. Where a loss is not probable or the amount of the loss is not estimable, we do not record an accrual, consistent with applicable accounting guidance. Based on information currently available to us, advice of counsel, and available insurance coverage, we believe that our established accruals are adequate and the liabilities arising from the legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition. However, in light of the inherent uncertainty in legal proceedings, there can be no assurance that the ultimate resolution of a matter will not exceed established accruals. As a result, the outcome of a particular matter or a combination of matters may be material to our results of operations for a particular period, depending upon the size of the loss or our income for that particular period.



We have voluntarily delisted our common stock from Nasdaq and intend to deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act, subject to applicable law and any orders or injunctions issued in the litigation described below.  

On November 5, 2019, a class action and derivative lawsuit was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against us and our directors by a plaintiff’s law firm with K-Bar Holdings LLC listed as plaintiff. The complaint was filed again by the same law firm on November 7, 2019 with Wynnefield Capital, Inc. as the plaintiff. The complaint alleges breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with our decision to delist from Nasdaq and deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act and directors’ purchases of common stock. The complaint includes derivative claims and seeks injunctive relief to prevent us from deregistering our common stock, injunctive relief to prevent additional stock purchases, and unspecified damages. A hearing was scheduled for February 21, 2020 for the court to consider whether a preliminary injunction should be issued to continue the temporary restraining order (“TRO”) that was entered by the court on November 8, 2019. The TRO prohibits us from filing a Form 15 to complete the proposed

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deregistration and additional stock purchases by directors. We have determined to forego the preliminary injunction hearing and proceed directly to a full trial on the merits, which is currently scheduled for April 13-14, 2020.

 

We believe that the K-Bar and Wynnefield Capital complaint contains numerous false and misleading statements that create a narrative regarding our delisting and proposed deregistration that is untrue. We further believe, and have made filings with the court indicating that, subsequent filings and statements made with the court by plaintiffs’ counsel Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann have been false and misleading and sought to distort the record in the case. We plan to continue to contest the litigation vigorously.

 

As a result of the delay in filing the Form 15, we are required to continue filing periodic reports under the Exchange Act, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and remain subject to all other requirements associated with being an Exchange Act-registered company. If the TRO expires or is lifted, we will be required to reassess if we are eligible to file the Form 15 at that time.

 

We continue to believe that the delisting and proposed deregistration are in the best interests of  us and our stockholders. We believe that it is unfortunate that our ability to achieve the expected cost savings from the deregistration has been impeded by the litigation and continue to contest the litigation vigorously.



ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES



None.

 

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Part II



ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES



Our common stock previously traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “TTS”. We voluntarily delisted our common stock from Nasdaq in November 2019 and, since then, our common stock has been quoted on The OTC Pink Market under the symbol “TTSH”. The following table shows, for the period indicated, the high and low closing bid quotations for the Company’s common stock as reported by Yahoo Finance. The quotations represent inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission, and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.





As of March 9, 2020, we had approximately 464 holders of record of our common stock. This figure does not include the number of persons whose securities are held in nominee or “street” name accounts through brokers.



As of March 9, 2020, we had 50,751,615 shares of common stock outstanding. The last reported sales price for our common stock on March 9, 2020 was $1.42.



Dividends Paid Per Share







We suspended dividend payments on October 18, 2019.



Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans



For information on our equity compensation plans, refer to Item 12, “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.”



Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities



None.



Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities











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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

 

The following table sets forth selected historical financial information derived from (i) our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this report as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for the years ended December 31, 2019,  2018, and 2017 and (ii) our audited financial statements not included elsewhere in this report as of December 31, 2017,  2016, and  2015 and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this report.





 



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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA to GAAP Net Income (Loss)



The reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2015 through December 31, 2019 is as follows:











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Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales for the years ended December 31, 2015 through December 31, 2019 is as follows:









Our management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitations of these non-GAAP financial measures are that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recognized in our consolidated financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. In order to compensate for these limitations, management presents non-GAAP financial measures in connection with GAAP results. We urge investors to review the reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business.

 

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS



You should read the following discussion and analysis together with “Selected Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report. Among other things, those historical consolidated financial statements include more detailed information regarding the basis of presentation for the financial data than is included in the following discussion. This report contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify these statements by words such as, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “depend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “will likely result,” “would,” and similar expressions or variations, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this report relate to, among other things, our anticipated new store openings, remodeling plans, and growth opportunities; our business strengths, marketing strategies, competitive advantages and role in our industry and markets; our ability to successfully implement our strategic plan and the anticipated benefits of our strategic plan; the effectiveness of our marketing strategy; our expectations regarding financing arrangements and our ability to obtain additional capital; supply costs and expectations, including the continued availability of sufficient products from our suppliers and the potential impact of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak emanating from China;  our expectations with respect to ongoing compliance with the terms of our credit facility, including the potential impact of the phase out of LIBOR; the effect of regulations on us and our industry, and our suppliers’ compliance with such regulations; our expectations regarding the effects of employee recruiting, training, mentoring, and retention; the potential impact of cybersecurity breaches or disruptions to our management information systems; our ability to successfully implement our information technology initiatives, including our ERP system; our ability to remediate material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting; our proposed deregistration; the outcome of pending stockholder litigation; and costs and adequacy of insurance. 



These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from any expected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:



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There is no assurance that our expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected, estimated, or projected. Such risks and uncertainties also include those set forth in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of this report. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of our management based on information currently available to management. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the time that they are made and do not necessarily reflect our outlook at any other point in time. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or for any other reason.

 

Overview



We are a specialty retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. We offer a wide selection of products, attractive prices, and exceptional customer service in an extensive showroom setting. As of December 31, 2019, we operated 142 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with an average size of approximately 20,000 square feet.



We purchase our tile products and accessories directly from suppliers and manufacture our own setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout, and sealers. We believe that our long-term supplier relationships, together with our design and manufacturing and distribution capabilities, enable us to offer a broad assortment of high-quality products to our customers, who are primarily homeowners and professionals, at competitive prices. We have invested significant resources to develop our proprietary brands and product sources, and we believe that we are a leading retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States.



We opened four new stores, relocated one store, and closed two stores in 2019.  We plan to open one new store in 2020. We believe that there will continue to be additional expansion opportunities in the United States and Canada. We expect comparable store sales growth and store unit growth will drive profitability and operational efficiencies.



The table below sets forth information about our net sales, operating income and stores opened from 2017 to 2019.





 

Recent Developments



We have voluntarily delisted our common stock from Nasdaq and intend to deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act, subject to applicable law and any orders or injunctions issued in the litigation described in this report.



Key Components of our Consolidated Statements of Operations



Net Sales – Net sales represents total charges to customers, net of returns, and includes freight charged to customers. We recognize sales at the time that the customer takes control of the merchandise or final delivery of the product has occurred. We are required to charge and collect sales and other taxes on sales to our customers and remit these taxes back to government authorities. Total revenues do not include sales tax because we are a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax. Sales are reduced by a reserve for anticipated sales returns that we estimate based on historical returns.



Comparable store sales growth is the percentage change in sales of comparable stores period-over-period. A store is considered comparable on the first day of the 13th full month of operation. When a store is relocated, it is excluded from the comparable stores sales growth calculation. Comparable store sales growth amounts include total charges to customers less any actual returns. We include the change in allowance for anticipated sales returns applicable to comparable stores in the comparable store sales calculation. 

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Company management believes the comparable store sales (decline) growth metric provides useful information to both management and investors to evaluate the Company’s performance, the effectiveness of its strategy and its competitive position.



Cost of Sales –  Cost of sales consists primarily of material costs, freight, custom and duty fees, and storage and delivery of product to the customers, as well as physical inventory losses and costs associated with manufacturing of setting and maintenance materials.



Gross Profit –  Gross profit is net sales less cost of sales. Gross margin rate is the percentage determined by dividing gross profit by net sales.



Selling, General and Administrative Expenses –  Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation costs, occupancy, utilities, maintenance costs, advertising cost, shipping and transportation expenses to move inventory from our distribution centers to our stores, and depreciation and amortization.



Pre-opening Costs –  Our pre-opening costs are those typically associated with the opening of a new store and generally include rent expense, compensation costs and promotional costs. We expense pre-opening costs as incurred and include these costs in selling, general and administrative expenses.



Income Taxes –  We are subject to income tax in the United States as well as other tax jurisdictions in which we conduct business.

 





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Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018



Net Sales – Net sales for fiscal year 2019 decreased $16.9 million, or 4.7%,  in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018,  primarily due to a decrease in sales at comparable stores of 4.6% during fiscal year 2019. The decrease in sales at comparable stores was primarily due to weaker store traffic and customer issues following the implementation of a new enterprise resource planning system on January 1, 2019. Net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019 decreased $5.4 million, or 6.4%, over the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018, primarily due to a decrease in sales at comparable stores of 6.6% during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019. The decrease in comparable store sales for the fourth quarter was attributable to weaker store traffic.



Gross Profit – Gross profit decreased $15.2 million, or 6.1%, in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018. The gross margin rate was 69.4%  and 70.4% for fiscal years 2019 and 2018, respectively. Gross profit decreased $5.2 million, or 8.9% in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018. The gross margin rate was 68.4% and 70.3% during the fourth quarter of fiscal years 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The decrease in gross profit for the year and the fourth quarter was attributable to higher levels of discounts, an increase in shrink and damaged inventory write-offs, and a lower freight collection rate. 



Selling, General and Administrative Expenses – Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $4.3 million, or 1.8%, in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018.  The increase was primarily due to higher levels of occupancy expenses, information technology consulting expenses related to the implementation of our new enterprise resource planning system,  and advertising costs that were partially offset by lower levels of variable store compensation expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $0.1 million, or 0.2%, from $58.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 to $58.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019.  The decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses was driven primarily by a decrease in variable store compensation expenses.



Pre-opening Costs –During fiscal years 2019 and 2018, we recorded pre-opening costs of $0.6 million and $0.1 million, respectively. The increase in pre-opening costs was due to an increase in the number of stores opened in 2019.



Income from Operations – Income from operations decreased by $19.5 million, or 107.5%,  in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018. Operating income margin decreased to (0.4)% in fiscal year 2019, compared to 5.1% for fiscal year 2018 due to the decrease in sales and lower gross margin rate, and higher selling, general and administrative expenses. 



Interest Expense – Interest expense increased $1.1 million, or 41.0%, for fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018. The increase is due to an increase in our average debt balance during fiscal year 2019.  



Provision for Income Taxes – The income tax provision decreased $5.8 million for fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018.  The income tax provision decreased $2.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018.  The decrease in tax provision for both the year and the fourth quarter is primarily due to the lower level of pretax income in 2019.

 

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Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2018 to the Year Ended December 31, 2017 









Net Sales – Net sales for fiscal year 2018 increased $12.7 million, or 3.7%, over fiscal year 2017, primarily due to a $14.8 million increase in net sales from new stores not included in the comparable store base, partially offset by a decrease of $2.1 million in net sales generated by comparable stores. Comparable store sales declined 0.6% for fiscal year 2018, compared to a comparable store sales growth of 0.5% for fiscal year 2017. The decrease in net sales at comparable stores was primarily attributable to weaker store traffic, which was caused in part by our shift in promotional strategy. Net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 increased $5.4 million, or 6.8%, over the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017, primarily due to comparable store sales growth of 5.0% during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018. The increase in sales at comparable stores for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 is attributable to an increase in the average order value due to decreased promotional activity and an increase in the average selling price of products added to our assortment over the last twelve months.



Gross Profit – Gross profit increased $15.1 million, or 6.4%, for fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017. The gross margin rate was 70.4% and 68.5% for fiscal years 2018 and 2017, respectively. Gross profit increased $6.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017. The gross margin rate was 70.3% and 66.8% during the fourth quarter of fiscal years 2018 and 2017, respectively.  The increase in gross profit for the year and the fourth quarter was attributable to the increase in sales and the gross margin rate.  The improvement in the gross margin rate for the year and the fourth quarter was primarily due to decreased promotional activity. 



Selling, General and Administrative Expenses – Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $22.8 million, or 10.8%, in fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017.  The $22.8 million increase was primarily due to an increase in variable selling expenses and $8.6 million of planned strategic investments for store and distribution center compensation, regional sales leadership, pro market managers, and developing customer relationship management capabilities.   Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $2.1 million, or 3.8%, from $56.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 to $58.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018.  The $2.1 million increase was primarily due to $1.7 million in investments in the previously mentioned strategic initiatives.



Pre-opening Costs –During fiscal years 2018 and 2017, we recorded pre-opening costs of $0.1 million and $1.7 million, respectively. The decrease in pre-opening costs was due to a decrease in the number of new store openings in 2018.



Income from Operations – Income from operations decreased by $7.7 million, or 29.8%, for fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017. The decrease is attributable to an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses, partially offset by an increase in gross profit. Operating income margin decreased to 5.1% for fiscal year 2018, compared to 7.5% for fiscal year 2017 due to increased selling, general and administrative expenses that outpaced sales growth and a higher gross margin rate.



Interest Expense – Interest expense increased $0.8 million, or 44.9%, for fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017. The increase is due to an increase in the interest rates and an increase in our average debt balance during fiscal year 2018.



Provision for Income Taxes – The income tax provision decreased $8.2 million for fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017.  Our effective tax rate was 33.1% in 2018 and 55.2% in 2017.  The decrease in the effective tax rate is primarily attributable to the Tax Act, which reduced the U.S federal statutory tax rate from 35% in 2017 to 21% in 2018.  Income tax expense in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 also included a $4.6 million charge to reduce the value of our deferred tax assets in accordance with the Tax Act.  Income tax expense in fiscal year 2018 includes $1.2 million of stock based compensation tax shortfall charges.



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Non-GAAP Measures



We calculate Adjusted EBITDA by taking net income calculated in accordance with GAAP and adjusting for interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and stock based compensation expense.



We believe that this non-GAAP measure of financial results provides useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to our financial condition and results of operations. Our management uses this non-GAAP measure to compare our performance to that of prior periods for trend analyses, for purposes of determining management incentive compensation, for budgeting and planning purposes, and for assessing the effectiveness of capital allocation over time. This measure is used in monthly financial reports prepared for management and our Board of Directors. We believe that the use of this non-GAAP financial measure provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing our financial measures with other specialty retailers, many of which present a similar non-GAAP financial measure to investors.



The reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income for the years ended December 31, 2015 through December 31, 2019 is as follows:









Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales for the years ended December 31, 2015 through December 31, 2019 is as follows:









We calculate pretax return on capital employed by taking income (loss) from operations divided by capital employed. Capital employed equals total assets less accounts payable, income taxes payable, other accrued liabilities, deferred rent, lease liability and other long-term liabilities.  We believe this non-GAAP measure is useful in assessing the effectiveness of our capital allocation over time. Other companies may calculate pretax return on capital employed differently, which limits the usefulness of the measure for comparative purposes.

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Our management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitations of these non-GAAP financial measures are that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recognized in our consolidated financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. In order to compensate for these limitations, management presents non-GAAP financial measures in connection with GAAP results. We urge investors to review the reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources



Our principal liquidity requirements have been for working capital and capital expenditures. Our principal sources of liquidity are $9.1 million of cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2019, our cash flow from operations, and borrowings available under our credit facility. We expect to use this liquidity for opening new stores, purchasing additional merchandise inventory, maintaining our existing stores, reducing outstanding debt, and general corporate purposes.



On September 18, 2018, we entered into a credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., Fifth Third Bank and Citizens Bank (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement provides us with a senior credit facility consisting of a $100.0 million revolving line of credit through September 18, 2023. Borrowings pursuant to the Credit Agreement initially bear interest at a LIBOR or base rate.  The LIBOR-based rate ranges from LIBOR plus 1.50% to 2.25% depending on our rent adjusted leverage ratio.  The base rate is equal to the greatest of (a) the Federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (b) the Bank of America “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%, in each case plus 0.50% to 1.25% depending on our rent adjusted leverage ratio. At December 31, 2019, the LIBOR-based interest rate was 4.01% and the base rate was 6.00%. Borrowings outstanding consisted of $63.0 million on the revolving line of credit as of December 31, 2019.  We also have standby letters of credit outstanding related to our workers’ compensation and medical insurance policies. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the standby letters of credit totaled $1.3 million and $1.1 million, respectively. There was $35.7 million available for borrowing on the revolving line of credit as of December 31, 2019, which may be used to support our growth and for working capital purposes.



The Credit Agreement is secured by virtually all of our assets, including but not limited to, inventory, receivables, equipment and real property. The Credit Agreement contains customary events of default, conditions to borrowings, and restrictive covenants, including restrictions on our ability to dispose of assets, make acquisitions, incur additional debt, incur liens, or make investments. The Credit Agreement also includes financial and other covenants, including covenants to maintain certain fixed charge coverage ratios and consolidated total rent adjusted leverage ratios.  We were in compliance with the covenants as of December 31, 2019.



We believe that our cash flow from operations, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, and borrowings available under our credit facility will be sufficient to fund our operations and anticipated capital expenditures over at least the next 12 months.

 

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Capital Expenditures



The following table summarizes our capital expenditures for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.







Our future capital requirements will vary based on the number of additional stores, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities that we open and the number of stores that we choose to renovate. Our decisions regarding opening, relocating, or renovating stores, and whether to engage in strategic acquisitions, will be based in part on macroeconomic factors and the general state of the U.S. economy, as well as the local economies in the markets in which our stores are located. We intend to open one store during 2020. Total capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $10 million to $13 million in fiscal year 2020.

 

Cash Flows



The following table summarizes our cash flow for the years ended December 31, 2019,  2018 and 2017.







Operating Activities



Cash flows from operating activities provide us with a significant source of liquidity. Net cash provided by operating activities was $38.6 million, $18.2 million, and $45.7 million in fiscal years 2019,  2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase in operating cash flows in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018 was primarily due to a $12.5 million decrease in inventory. In fiscal year 2018, inventory increased by $24.8 million. The decrease in operating cash flows in fiscal year 2018 compared to fiscal year 2017 was primarily due to a $24.8 million increase in inventory and an $8.2 million decrease in accounts payable.



Investing Activities



Net cash used in investing activities was $26.4 million, $34.1 million and $40.5 million in fiscal years 2019,  2018 and 2017, respectively. Net cash used in investing activities was primarily for investing in new stores and store remodels, store merchandising, information technology, and our distribution centers, which included the expansion of our internal fleet.



Financing Activities



Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities was $(8.6 million), $14.9 million and $(10.6 million) in fiscal years 2019,  2018 and 2017, respectively. Cash used in financing activities during fiscal year 2019 included $53.2 million of payments of long-term debt and financing lease obligations, $10.5 million of share repurchases and $7.7 million of dividends paid, which were partially offset by $63.0 million of advances on our revolving line of credit. Cash provided by financing activities during fiscal year 2018 included $129.1 million in advances on our revolving line of credit, which was partially offset by $103.3 million in payments of long-term debt and capital lease obligations and an aggregate of $10.4 million in dividends paid to stockholders. Cash used in financing activities during fiscal year 2017 was primarily for payments of long-term debt and capital lease obligations of $36.6 million and an aggregate of $10.4 million in dividends paid to stockholders, offset by advances on our line of credit of $35.0 million.



Off-balance Sheet Arrangements



As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, we did not have any “off-balance sheet arrangements” (as such term is defined in Item 303 of Regulation S-K) that could have a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, net sales or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, or capital resources.

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Contractual Arrangements



The following table summarizes certain of our contractual obligations at December 31, 2019 and the effect such obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flows in future periods:











 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates



Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements and related disclosures requires us to make estimates, assumptions, and judgments that affect the reported amount of assets, liabilities, revenues, costs and expenses, and related disclosures. We base our estimates and assumptions on historical experience and other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, but all such estimates and assumptions are inherently uncertain and unpredictable. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions, and it is possible that other professionals, applying their own judgment to the same facts and circumstances, could develop and support alternative estimates and assumptions that would result in material changes to our operating results and financial condition. Our most critical accounting policies are summarized below. For further information on our critical and other significant accounting policies, see the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this report.



Recognition of Revenue



Revenues are recognized when control of promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration received in exchange for those goods or services. We recognize service revenue, which consists primarily of freight charges for home delivery, when the service has been rendered. We are required to charge and collect sales and other taxes on sales to our customers and remit these taxes back to government authorities. Total revenues do not include sales tax because we are a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax. Net sales are reduced by an allowance for anticipated sales returns that we estimate based on historical returns. Our process to establish a sales return reserve contains uncertainties because it requires management to make assumptions and to apply judgment to estimate future sales returns and exchanges. The customer may receive a refund or exchange the original product for a replacement of equal or similar quality for a period of three months from the time of original purchase. Products received back under this policy are reconditioned pursuant to state laws and resold. We believe our estimate for sales returns is an accurate reflection of future returns. Actual return trends have not varied significantly from estimated amounts in prior periods. However, if the nature of sales returns changes significantly, our sales could be adversely impacted.



Inventory Valuation and Shrinkage



Our inventory consists of manufactured items and purchased merchandise held for resale. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (determined using the weighted-average cost method) or net realizable value. We capitalize the cost of inbound freight, duties, and receiving and handling costs to bring purchased materials into our distribution network. The labor and overhead costs incurred in connection with the production process are included in the value of manufactured finished goods. We provide provisions for losses related to shrinkage and other amounts that are otherwise not expected to be fully recoverable. These provisions are calculated based on historical shrinkage, selling price, margin and current business trends. These estimates have calculations that require management to make assumptions based on the current rate of sales, age, salability and profitability of inventory, historical percentages that can be affected by changes in our merchandising mix, customer preferences, rates of sell through and changes in actual shrinkage trends. We

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do not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material change in the assumptions we use to calculate our inventory provisions. However, if actual results are not consistent with our estimates and assumptions, we may be exposed to losses that could be material.



Property, Plant and Equipment



Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation, which is amortized over the useful life of the assets. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or lease period (including expected renewal periods). Property, plant, equipment, and right of use assets are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The evaluation is performed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows independent of other assets. An impairment loss is recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows from the operations and/or disposition of the assets are less than the carrying amount. Measurement of an impairment loss is based on the excess of the carrying amount of the asset group over its fair value. Fair value is measured using discounted cash flows or independent opinions of value, as appropriate.



If actual results are not consistent with our estimates and assumptions used in determining future cash flows and asset fair values, we may be exposed to losses that could be material.



Income Taxes



Deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the difference between the financial statement basis and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. We estimate the degree to which tax assets and loss carryforwards will result in a benefit based on expected profitability by tax jurisdiction. A valuation allowance for such tax assets and loss carryforwards is provided when it is determined to be more likely than not that the benefit of such deferred tax asset will not be realized in future periods. If it becomes more likely than not that a tax asset will be used, the related valuation allowance on such assets would be reduced.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements



Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements



In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued a final standard that primarily requires organizations that lease assets to recognize the rights and obligations created by those leases on the consolidated balance sheet.  This standard also requires expanded disclosures to help financial statement users better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases.  We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2019, using a modified retrospective approach through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. 



This standard provides a number of optional practical expedients in transition. We elected the package of three practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within this standard, which among other things, allows us to carryforward the historical lease classification. We did not separate non-lease components from lease components by class of underlying assets and we did not apply the recognition requirements of the standard to short-term leases, as allowed by the standard.



We also elected to apply the hindsight practical expedient. The election of the hindsight practical expedient resulted in the shortening of lease terms for certain existing leases and the useful lives of corresponding leasehold improvements.  In the application of the hindsight practical expedient, we considered recent investments in leased properties and the overall real estate strategy, which resulted in the determination that most renewal options would not be reasonably certain in determining the expected lease term.  



Upon adopting this standard, we established a right of use asset of $147.2 million and lease liabilities of $169.9 million, reduced deferred rent by $44.6 million, and recorded a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings of $22.0 million. This retained earnings impact was due to the election of the hindsight practical expedient which resulted in a decrease in the cumulative difference between the straight-line rent expense and rental payments that had been made between the inception of each lease and January 1, 2019. The change in the useful life assigned to certain leasehold improvements resulted in a $15.3 million reduction in fixed assets and retained earnings.  The net impact of the cumulative effect adjustments also resulted in a $1.7 million reduction of deferred tax assets and a corresponding adjustment to retained earnings. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on net income or cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019. See Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements included in this report for further details.



Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted



In June 2016, the FASB issued a final standard on accounting for credit losses. The new standard was initially effective for us in fiscal 2020, and requires a change in credit loss calculations using the expected loss method. In November 2019, the FASB issued

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Accounting Standards Update 2019-10, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates,” which, among other things, defers the effective date of Accounting Standards Update 2016-13, the standard on accounting for credit losses, for public filers that are considered smaller reporting companies as defined by the SEC to fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. We intend to early adopt the standard effective January 1, 2020. We have evaluated the effect of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, and have determined the impact will be immaterial.



In August 2018, the FASB issued a final standard which provides guidance on the accounting for costs of implementation activities performed in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The standard requires customers of cloud computing services to recognize an intangible asset for the software license and, to the extent that payments attributable to the software license are made over time, a liability is also recognized. The standard also allows customers of cloud computing services to capitalize certain implementation costs. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The standard will become effective for us at the beginning of our fiscal year 2020. We have evaluated the effect of the standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, and have determined the impact will be immaterial.

 

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK 



We are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business. These risks primarily include inflation, interest rate risk, and credit concentration risk.



Inflation



Inflationary factors such as increases in the cost of our products and overhead costs may adversely affect our operating results. Although we do not believe that inflation has had a material impact on our financial position or results of operations to date, a high rate of inflation in the future may have an adverse effect on our ability to maintain current levels of gross profit and selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues if the selling prices of our products do not increase with these increased costs.



Interest Rate Risk



We are exposed to interest rate risk through the investment of our cash and cash equivalents. Changes in interest rates affect the interest income that we earn in connection with these investments, and therefore impact our cash flows and results of operation. We are also exposed to interest rate risk in connection with borrowings under our credit facility. Borrowings under our revolving credit facility bear interest at either a base rate or a LIBOR-based rate, at our option. The LIBOR-based rate ranges from LIBOR plus 1.50% to 2.25%, depending on our rent adjusted leverage ratio. The base rate is equal to the greatest of: (a) the Federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (b) the Bank of America “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%, in each case plus 0.50% to 1.25% depending on our rent adjusted leverage ratio. The base rate was 6.00% at December 31, 2019. Based upon balances and interest rates as of December 31, 2019, holding other variables constant, a one percentage point increase in interest rates for the next 12-month period would decrease pre-tax earnings and cash flow by approximately $0.6 million. Conversely, a one percentage point decrease in interest rates for the next 12-month period would result in an increase to pre-tax earnings and cash flow of approximately $0.6 million.



We currently do not engage in any interest rate hedging activity. We do not, and do not intend to, engage in the practice of trading derivative securities for profit.



Credit Concentration Risk



Financial instruments, which may subject us to concentration of credit risk, consist principally of cash deposits. We maintain cash balances at financial institutions with strong credit ratings. However, the amounts invested with financial institutions are generally in excess of FDIC insurance limits.



Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk

 

We are exposed to risks from foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on the translation of our subsidiary based in China and on the purchase of goods in Chinese yuan. Purchases made in Chinese yuan were less than 15% of our total inventory purchases in both 2019 and 2018. Our exposure to foreign currency rate fluctuations is not significant to our financial condition or results of operations.



We currently do not engage in any exchange rate hedging activity and currently have no intention to do so in the foreseeable future. However, in the future, in an effort to mitigate losses associated with these risks, we may at times engage in these transactions.

 

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA



Our consolidated financial statements and the reports of our independent registered public accounting firm, as listed under Item 15, “Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules,” are included as a separate section of this report beginning on page 35 and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

 

None.

 

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES



Disclosure Controls and Procedures.



We have established disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that information relating to the Company is accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2019 and have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2019 due to material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as described below.



Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting



Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer and effected by our Board of Directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of an issuer’s assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that an issuer’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of its management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of an issuer’s assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements. A material weakness is a significant deficiency, or combination of significant deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, the application of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods is subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



As required by Rule 13a-15(c) promulgated under the Exchange Act, our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019. Management’s assessment was based on criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013 Framework) (“COSO”). Based on management’s assessment, management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2019 due to the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, as follows.



On January 1, 2019, we implemented a ERP system on a company-wide basis. As previously disclosed, during the year ended December 31, 2019, we identified two material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting that arose from the new ERP system implementation. The two material weaknesses are:





Ernst & Young, LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an adverse report on our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019. See “Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting” of this report.



Planned Remediation of Material Weaknesses



We have adjusted, and intend to consider further adjustments to, our previously disclosed plans relating to addressing these material weaknesses. As previously disclosed, we voluntarily delisted our common stock from Nasdaq in November 2019 and intend to deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act. Upon the effectiveness of the deregistration with the SEC, our obligations of associated with being an Exchange Act-registered company, including the requirement to file current and periodic reports, will terminate.



Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting 



There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting (as defined by Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended December 31, 2019 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.



Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls



Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, intends that our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives. However, our management does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions; over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.



ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION



None.



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PART III



Certain information required by Part III is incorporated by reference from our definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, or an amendment to this Form 10-K, which we intend to file with the SEC within 120 days after the fiscal year end covered by this report. Except for those portions specifically incorporated in this Form 10-K by reference to the Proxy Statement, no other portions of the Proxy Statement are deemed to be filed as part of this Form 10-K.



ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE



The following sections of the Proxy Statement are incorporated herein by reference:









 

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of our officers, directors and employees. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on the “Investor Relations” section of our website, at http://investors.tileshop.com, under the “Corporate Governance—Governance Documents” heading. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct by posting such information on our website at the web address and location specified above within four business days following the date of the amendment or waiver. 

 

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION



The following sections of the Proxy Statement are incorporated herein by reference:











 

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS



The following section of the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference:



    Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management



EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION



The following table presents our equity compensation plan information as of December 31, 2019:







(1) Represents shares of common stock to be issued upon exercise of currently outstanding options to purchase common stock granted pursuant to our 2012 Plan.

 

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE



The following sections of the Proxy Statement are incorporated herein by reference:



    Proposal 1 – Election of Directors – Information Regarding the Board of Directors and Corporate Governance – Independence of the Board of Directors

    Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

 

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES



The following section of the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference:



    Proposal 2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

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PART IV

  

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

  

(a)       Documents filed as part of report



1.       Financial Statements



The following consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries are filed as part of this Form 10-K:

 



2.       Financial Statement Schedules

 

The information required to be disclosed within Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts is provided within the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company filed as part of this Form 10-K.



3.       Exhibits



See “Exhibit Index” immediately preceding the signature page of this Form 10-K, which is incorporated herein by reference.



ITEM 16.   FORM 10-K SUMMARY



Not applicable.

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm



The Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries



Opinion on the Financial Statements



We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.



We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated March 13, 2020 expressed an adverse opinion thereon.



Adoption of New Accounting Standard



As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method of accounting for leases in 2019 due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as amended, effective January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach.



Basis for Opinion



These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.



We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.



We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2013.



/s/Ernst & Young LLP



Minneapolis, Minnesota

March 13, 2020

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm



The Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries 



Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting



We have audited Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, because of the effect of the material weaknesses described below on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria, Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the Company) has not maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, based on the COSO criteria.



A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The following material weaknesses have been identified and included in management’s assessment. Management has identified material weaknesses related to (i) the ineffective design and implementation of effective controls with respect to an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system conversion in 2019 and (ii) the ineffective design and implementation of information technology general controls (ITGCs) for the ERP system that are relevant to the preparation of financial statements. The business process controls (automated and manual) are dependent on the affected ITGCs and, therefore, are also deemed ineffective because they are adversely impacted by the ineffective ITGCs.



We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 2019 consolidated financial statements of the Company. These material weaknesses were considered in determining the nature, timing and extent of audit tests applied in our audit of the 2019 consolidated financial statements, and this report does not affect our report dated March 13, 2020, which expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.



Basis for Opinion



The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.



We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.



Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.



Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting



A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.



Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

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/s/Ernst & Young LLP



Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 13, 2020





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