UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

______________

 

FORM 8-K

 

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 18, 2020

 

SPAR Group, Inc.


(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

0-27408 

(Commission

File No.)

33-0684451

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

333 Westchester Avenue, South Building, Suite 204, White Plains, NY

10604

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (248) 364-7727


(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐     Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐     Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

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

 

Title of each class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which

registered

Common Stock, $0.01 par

value

 

SGRP

 

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ☐

 

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. ☐ 

 

 

 

Item 8.01      Other Events

 

SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP", the "Corporation" or the "Registrant") has listed its shares of Common Stock (the "SGRP Shares") for trading through the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") under the trading symbol "SGRP" and periodically files reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

 

William H. Bartels retired as an employee of the Company as of January 1, 2020, where he most recently led domestic M&A activity, expanding SPAR's presence and building relationships throughout the industry. Recently, he located and assisted in the acquisition of Resource Plus and its affiliated marketing service and related technology and fixture manufacturing companies. However, he will continue to serve as Vice Chairman and a member of SGRP's Board of Directors (the "Board"), positions he has held since July 8, 1999.

 

Effective as of January 18, 2020, SGRP's Governance Committee proposed and unanimously approved the following benefits for the five year period commencing January 1, 2020, and ending December 31, 2024 (the "Five Year Period"), for Mr. Bartels in connection with his retirement: (a) retirement payments of $100,000 per year ("Retirement Compensation"); (b) the then applicable regular non-employee director fees ("Regular Fees"), currently $55,000 per year, and a supplemental Board fee of $50,000 per year ("Supplemental Fees"); and (c) the same medical, dental, eye and life insurance benefits he received as of December 31, 2019, under an arrangement whereby Mr. Bartels is compensated approximately $15,588 per year for part of the cost of Medicare and supplemental health benefits, ("Medical Benefits"); in each case paid in accordance with SGRP's payroll schedule and policies, and payable whether or not Mr. Bartels remains a director of SGRP for any reason.

 

The Retirement Compensation, Regular Fees and Supplemental Fees that remain unpaid during the Five Year Period: (i) shall be accelerated and paid to Mr. Bartels (or his heirs or assigns) in full upon the sale to a third party of a majority of the SGRP Shares or all or substantially all of SGRP's assets; and (ii) shall survive and be payable in full to his heirs and assigns in the event of the death of Mr. Bartels.

 

Based on current rates and benefits, the aggregate value of such compensation, fees and benefits payable to Mr. Bartels will be approximately $220,558 per year and a total of $1,102,940 for the Five Year Period. Such compensation, fees and benefits (in whole or in part) may be extended beyond the Five Year Period in the discretion of the Board.

 

In the event of any future business transaction involving Mr. Bartels and SGRP for which Bartels may receive additional compensation as mutually agreed at the time of or in connection with such transaction, which under applicable law also will require approval of SGRP's Audit Committee as a related party payment or transaction (as Mr. Bartels will still be a related party if he is then a director or significant stockholder), such retirement compensation, fees or benefits will not offset, replace or limit any such additional approved transactional compensation payable to Mr. Bartels.

 

SGRP's management did not support the Supplemental Fees or the survival or acceleration of the Retirement Compensation, Regular Fees and Supplemental Fees described above.

 

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K (this "Current Report"), contain "forward-looking statements" within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, made by, or respecting, SGRP and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"), and this Current Report has been filed by SGRP with the SEC. "Forward-looking statements" are defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and other applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, as amended (together with the Securities Act and Exchange Act, the "Securities Laws").

 

All statements (other than those that are purely historical) are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend", "believe", "estimate", "anticipate," "continue," "plan," "project," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions also identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements made by the Company in this Current Report may include (without limitation) statements regarding: risks, uncertainties, cautions, circumstances and other factors ("Risks"); and plans, intentions, expectations, guidance or other information respecting the potential negative effects of Mr. Bartels retirement compensation, fees and benefits, the Company's failure to comply with Nasdaq's continued listing requirements in the future, any further loss of Board independence or other change in Board or committee composition, any related party payments or settlements that may be authorized by a reconstituted Board, any other settlement with the Majority Stockholders or their companies, or the pursuit or achievement of the Company's five corporate objectives (growth, customer value, employee development, greater productivity & efficiency, and increased earnings per share), building upon the Company's strong foundation, leveraging compatible global opportunities, growing the Company's client base and contracts, continuing to strengthen its balance sheet, growing revenues and improving profitability through organic growth, new business development and strategic acquisitions, and continuing to control costs.

 

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You should carefully review and consider the Company's forward-looking statements (including all risk factors and other cautions and uncertainties) and other information made, contained or noted in or incorporated by reference into this Current Report, but you should not place undue reliance on any of them. The results, actions, levels of activity, performance, achievements or condition of the Company (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition) and other events and circumstances planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected by the Company (collectively, "Expectations"), and our forward-looking statements (including all Risks) and other information reflect the Company's current views about future events and circumstances. Although the Company believes those Expectations and views are reasonable, the results, actions, levels of activity, performance, achievements or condition of the Company or other events and circumstances may differ materially from our Expectations and views, and they cannot be assured or guaranteed by the Company, since they are subject to Risks and other assumptions, changes in circumstances and unpredictable events (many of which are beyond the Company's control). In addition, new Risks arise from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company to predict these matters or how they may arise or affect the Company. Accordingly, the Company cannot assure you that its Expectations will be achieved in whole or in part, that it has identified all potential Risks, or that it can successfully avoid or mitigate such Risks in whole or in part, any of which could be significant and materially adverse to the Company and the value of your investment in SGRP's common stock.

 

These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's Expectations, views, Risks and assumptions only as of the date of this Current Report, and the Company does not intend, assume any obligation, or promise to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements (including any Risks or Expectations) or other information (in whole or in part), whether as a result of new information, new or worsening Risks or uncertainties, changed circumstances, future events, recognition, or otherwise.

 

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Item 9.01.          Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)     Exhibits:

 

None

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:  

March 18, 2020

 

 

By:

/s/ James R. Segreto

 

 

 

James R. Segreto, Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

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