SPAR GROUP, INC.

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

 

	INDEX
	PART I
		Page
Item 1	Business	-5-
Item 1A	Risk Factors	-14-
Item 1B	Unresolved Staff Comments	-29-
Item 2	Properties	-29-
Item 3	Legal Proceedings	-30-
Item 4	Mine Safety Disclosures	-35-
	PART II
Item 5	Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	-36-
Item 6	Selected Financial Data	-37-
Item 7	Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	-38-
Item 7A	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk	-43-
Item 8	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	-43-
Item 9	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	-43-
Item 9A	Controls and Procedures	-43-
Item 9B	Other Information	-44-
	PART III
Item 10	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	-45-
Item 11	Executive Compensation	-45-
Item 12	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	-45-
Item 13	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence	-46-
Item 14	Principal Accountant Fees and Services	-46-
	PART IV
Item 15	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	-47-
Item 16	Form 10-K Summary	-55-
	Signatures	-57-

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (this "Annual Report"), contains forward-looking statements within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, made by, or respecting, SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP") and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"). There also are "forward-looking statements" contained in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on or about May 13, 2020 (the "Proxy Statement"), which SGRP expects to file on or about April 22, 2020, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and SGRP's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other reports and statements as and when filed with the SEC (including this Annual Report and the Proxy Statement, each a "SEC Report"). "Forward-looking statements" are defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and other applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, as amended (together with the Securities Act and Exchange Act, 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 Annual 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 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. The Company's forward-looking statements also include (without limitation) those made in this Annual Report in "Business", "Risk Factors", "Legal Proceedings", "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations", "Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance", "Executive Compensation", "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters", and "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence".

 

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 Annual Report, the Proxy Statement and the other applicable SEC Reports, 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, legal costs, 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 the Company's Common Stock.

 

These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's Expectations, views, Risks and assumptions only as of the date of this Annual 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.

 

 

PART I

 

Item 1. Business 

 

THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS GENERALLY

 

SPAR Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation incorporated in 1995 ("SGRP"), and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"), is a diversified international merchandising and marketing services company and provides a broad array of services worldwide to help companies improve their sales, operating efficiency and profits at retail locations.  The Company provides its merchandising and other marketing services to manufacturers, distributors and retailers worldwide, primarily in mass merchandise, office supply, grocery, drug, dollar, independent, automotive, convenience, home improvement, and electronics stores.  The Company also provides retailers with new store openings, store remodeling and major reset requirements, as well as furniture and other product assembly services in stores, homes and offices and marketing research services.  The Company has supplied these services in the United States since certain of its predecessors were formed in 1979 and internationally since the Company acquired its first international subsidiary in Japan in May 2001.  The Company currently does business in 10 countries that encompass approximately 50% of the total world population through its operations in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey.

 

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

 

See Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks, below.

 

An Overview of the Merchandising and Marketing Services Industry:

 

The merchandising and marketing services industry includes manufacturers, retailers, brokers, distributors and professional service merchandising companies. Merchandising services primarily involve placing orders, shelf maintenance, display placement, reconfiguring products on store shelves and replenishing product inventory. Additional marketing services include, but are not limited to, new store sets and remodels, audits, sales assist, installation and assembly, product demos/sampling, promotion and various others. The Company believes that merchandising and marketing services add value to retailers, manufacturers and other businesses and enhance sales by making a product more visible and more available to consumers.

 

Historically, retailers staffed their stores as needed to provide these services to ensure that manufacturers' inventory levels, the advantageous display of new items on shelves, and the maintenance of shelf schematics and product placement were properly merchandised. However, retailers, in an effort to improve their margins, have decreased their own store personnel and increased their reliance on manufacturers to perform such services. At one time, manufacturers attempted to satisfy the need for merchandising and marketing services in retail stores by utilizing their own sales representatives. Additionally, retailers also used their own employees to merchandise their stores to satisfy their own merchandising needs. However, both manufacturers and retailers discovered that using their own sales representatives and employees for this purpose was expensive and inefficient. In addition, the changing retail environment, driven by the rise of digital and mobile technology, as well as the increase of online shopping, is fostering even more challenges to the labor model of retailers and manufacturers. These challenges include increased consumer demand for more interaction and engagement with retail sales associates, stores remodels to accommodate more technology, installation and continual maintenance of in-store digital and mobile technology, in-store pick-up and fulfillment of online orders and increased inventory management to reduce out-of-stocks from omnichannel shopping.

 

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

 

 

SPAR Group believes, that while online shopping has changed the way shoppers shop, the merchandising and marketing services business is the continued preference of consumers to shop in stores and their tendency to make product purchase decisions once inside the store. Accordingly, merchandising and marketing services and in-store product promotions have proliferated and diversified. Retailers are continually re-merchandising and re-modeling entire departments and stores in an effort to respond to new product developments and changes in consumer preferences. The Company estimates that these activities will continue to help retailers separate themselves from online options for customers. Both retailers and manufacturers are seeking third party merchandisers to help them meet the increased demand for these labor-intensive services.

 

In addition, the consolidation of many retailers and changing store formats have created opportunities for third party merchandisers when an acquired retailer's stores are converted to the look and format of the acquiring retailer. In many of those cases, stores are completely remodeled and re-merchandised to implement the new store formats.

 

SPAR Group believes the current trend in business toward globalization fits well with its expansion model. As companies expand into foreign markets, they will need assistance in merchandising or marketing their products. As evidenced in the United States, retailer and manufacturer sponsored merchandising and marketing programs are both expensive and inefficient. The Company also believes that the difficulties encountered by these programs are only exacerbated by the logistics of operating in foreign markets. This environment has created an opportunity for the Company to exploit its global mobile and data network based technology (as further described below) and its business model worldwide.

 

The Company's Domestic and International Segments:

 

In order to cultivate and expand the Company's merchandising and marketing service businesses in both domestic and foreign markets, and ensure a consistent approach to those businesses worldwide, the Company has historically divided its world focus into two geographic areas, the United States, which is the sales territory for its Domestic Division, and all locations outside the United States, which are the sales territories for its International Division.  To that end, the Company also (1) provides to all of its locations its proprietary digital  and mobile based operating, scheduling, tracking and reporting systems (including language translations, ongoing client and financial reports and ongoing IT support), (2) provides and requires all of its locations to comply with the Company's financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, ethics code and other policies, (3) provides accounting and auditing support and tracks and reports certain financial and other information separately for those two divisions, and (4) has management teams in its corporate offices responsible for supporting and monitoring the management, sales, marketing and operations of each of the Company's international subsidiaries and maintaining consistency with the Company's other subsidiaries worldwide.

 

Each of the Company's divisions provides merchandising and other marketing services primarily on behalf of consumer product manufacturers, distributors and retailers at mass merchandise, office supply, grocery, drug, dollar, independent, automotive, convenience, home improvement and electronics stores in their respective territories. SPAR Group's clients include the makers and distributors of general merchandise, health and beauty care, consumer goods, home improvement, home entertainment, and food products in their respective territories.

 

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

 

Primary Territory		Date Established		SGRP Percentage Ownership		Principal Office Location
Domestic
United States of America		1979		100%		White Plains, New York
National Merchandising Services, LLC		2012		51%		Fayetteville, Georgia
Resource Plus of North Florida, Inc.		2018		51%		Jacksonville, Florida
International
Japan		May 2001		100%		Tokyo, Japan
Canada		June 2003		100%		Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
South Africa		April 2004		51%		Durban, South Africa
India		April 2004		51%		New Delhi, India
Australia		April 2006		51%		Melbourne, Australia
China		March 2010		51%		Shanghai, China
Mexico		August 2011		51%		Mexico City, Mexico
Turkey		November 2011		51%		Istanbul, Turkey
Brazil		September 2016		51%		Sao Paulo, Brazil

 

 

Financial Information about the Company's Domestic and International Segments:

 

The Company provides similar merchandising and marketing services throughout the world, operating within two reportable segments, its Domestic and International Divisions (as described above). The Company tracks and reports certain financial information separately for these two segments using the same metrics. The primary measurement utilized by management is operating profit level, historically the key indicator of long-term growth and profitability, as the Company is focused primarily on reinvesting the operating profits of each of its international subsidiaries back into local markets in an effort to improve its market share and continued expansion efforts. Certain financial information regarding each of the Company's two segments, which includes their respective net revenues and operating income for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and their respective assets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, is provided in Note 12 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Segment Information, below.

 

The Company's Business Strategies

 

As the marketing services industry continues to expand both in the United States and internationally, many large retailers and manufacturers are outsourcing their merchandising and marketing service needs to third-party providers. The Company believes that offering marketing services on a national and global basis will provide it with a competitive advantage. Moreover, the Company believes that successful use of and continuous improvements to its technology infrastructure, including the Company's proprietary global digital and mobile technological systems (including servers and other hardware) and its logistical, communication, scheduling, tracking, reporting and accounting software and applications (the "Global Technology Systems"), is key to providing clients with a high level of client service while maintaining efficient, lower cost operations. The Global Technology Systems use proprietary software and applications of the Company as well as software (including operating system, office, exchange, data base and server programs) licensed and hardware purchased or leased from third parties and telecommunication services provided by third parties.  The Global Technology Systems can be accessed through the computers or mobile devices of its authorized personnel and clients and allows the Company to communicate with field management, schedule the store-specific field operations more efficiently, receive information, incorporate, quantify the benefits of its services to clients faster, respond to clients' needs quickly and rapidly implement client programs.  The Company's objective is to continue to expand international retail merchandising and marketing services by pursuing its operating and growth strategy, as described below.

 

Increasing the Company's Sales Efforts:

 

The Company is seeking to increase revenues from its current clients, as well as to establish long-term relationships with new clients (many of which currently use other merchandising companies for various reasons). In addition to expanding its direct sales efforts, the Company is working to strengthen the senior executive relationships between the Company and its clients, is executing a marketing plan to expand the Company's presence in media and client channels, and is receiving and responding to an increasing number of requests for proposals ("RFPs") from potential and existing clients. The Company believes its technology, field implementation and other competitive advantages will allow it to capture a larger share of this market over time. However, there can be no assurance that any increased sales will be achieved.

 

Improving the Company's Operating Efficiencies:

 

The Company will continue to seek greater operating efficiencies. The Company believes that its existing field force and technology infrastructure can support additional clients and revenue in both its Domestic and International Divisions.

 

Developing New Services:

 

The Company is seeking to increase revenues through the internal development and implementation of new services as well as industry collaborations that add value to its clients' retail merchandising related activities, some of which have been identified and are currently being tested for feasibility and market acceptance. However, there can be no assurance that any new services will be developed or that any such new service can be successfully marketed.

 

Leveraging and Improving on the Company's Technological Strengths:

 

The Company believes that providing merchandising and marketing services in a timely, accurate and efficient manner, as well as delivering timely, accurate and useful reports to its clients, are key components that are and will continue to be critical to the Company's success. The Company's Global Technology Systems improve the productivity of the services provided by merchandising, auditing, assembly and other field personnel (each a "Field Specialist"), whose services are provided to the Company by an independent third party (the "Independent Field Vendor"), to permit another independent third party (the "Independent Field Administrator") to locate, schedule, deploy and administer domestic Field Specialists using such vendor's local, regional, district and other personnel (each a "Field Administrator"), and to provide timely data to the Company's clients. Field Specialists use smartphones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers to report (through the internet or mobile or telecommunication networks) the status of each store or client product serviced into the Company's Global Technology Systems. Field Specialists report on a variety of issues such as store conditions and status of client products (e.g. out of stocks, inventory, display placement) or they may scan and process new orders for certain products.

 

 

The Company's Global Technology Systems include an automated labor tracking system for the Field Specialists to communicate work assignment completion information (via the internet or other telecommunication infrastructure) by using, among other things, smartphones, laptops and personal computers, cellular telephones or landlines.  This tracking system enables the Company to report hours and other completion information for each work assignment on a daily basis and provides the Company with daily, detailed tracking of service completion. This information is analyzed and displayed in a variety of reports that can be accessed by both the Company and its clients via a secure website.

 

The Company believes that it can continue to improve, modify and adapt its technology to support merchandising and other marketing services for additional clients and projects in the United States and in foreign markets. The Company has successfully modified and is currently utilizing certain of its software applications in the operation of its International Division. The Company's Global Technology Systems are developed, operated, managed, maintained, and controlled from the Company's information and technology control center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.

 

Portions of the Company's proprietary scheduling, tracking, coordination, reporting and expense software (the "Co-Owned Software") currently included in the Company's Global Technology Systems are co-owned by the Company and the Company's affiliates, SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS"), and SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech"). The Company's Global Technology Systems (including the Co-Owned Software) are maintained and further developed and improved by the Company at its own expense at a cost of $1.3 million in both 2019 and 2018. See "An Overview of the Merchandising and Marketing Services Industry", above, and " The Company's Competition", below, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Other Related Party Transactions and Arrangements, below.

 

On November 23, 2018, SBS petitioned for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. District for Nevada, and as a result, SBS' rights in the Co-Owned Software and Licensed Marks are assets of SBS' estate, subject to sale or transfer in any court approved reorganization or liquidation, and could be acquired by competitors or other adverse or unsavory parties. In addition, Infotech is currently suing the Company in New York and threatening to sue the Company in Romania. See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, Infotech Litigation Against SGRP and SBS Bankruptcy, below. See also Dependence Upon and Risks of Services Provided by Independent Contractors, Potential Conflicts with Affiliates, and Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts in Item 1A -- Risk Factors, below.

 

Acquisition Strategies and Strategic Acquisitions:

 

The Company is seeking to acquire businesses or make other arrangements with companies that offer similar merchandising or marketing services both in the United States and worldwide. The Company believes that increasing its industry expertise, further developing and refining its technology systems, adding services, and increasing its geographic breadth and local market depth will allow it to service its clients more efficiently and cost effectively. Through such acquisition strategies, the Company may realize additional operating and revenue synergies and may leverage existing relationships with manufacturers, retailers and other businesses to capitalize on cross-selling opportunities. However, there can be no assurance that any of the acquisition strategies will occur or whether, if completed, the integration of the acquired businesses will be successful or the anticipated efficiencies and cross-selling opportunities will occur. See Item 1 - Business - The Company's Domestic and International Segments, above.

 

One key to the Company's domestic and international expansion strategy is its emphasis on developing, maintaining, improving, deploying and marketing its Global Technology Systems that run on and are developed, managed, maintained and controlled worldwide from the Company's information and technology control center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.A. The Company's Global Technology Systems are accessible through computers and mobile devices by the local representatives of the Company and its clients in order to enhance local operations, give the Company an important marketing distinction and advantage over its competitors (such as real-time access to field reporting), and provide the Company with a technological means to exercise its supervision and control over its subsidiaries, both domestic and international. The Company provides access to its Global Technology Systems for its worldwide operations through its control center on a real-time basis 24/7/365. In addition, this strategy is strengthened internationally by the Company's internally developed translation software, which allows its current and future programs included in its Global Technology Systems to be available in any language for any market in which it currently operates or desires to enter in the future. See Item 1 - Business - Leveraging and Improving on the Company's Technological Strengths, above, and The Company's Trademarks and Technology, below.

 

 

Another key to the Company's international and domestic expansion is its strategy of seeking a minority (i.e., non-controlling) investor that is experienced (directly or through its principals) in the local area and not otherwise affiliated with the Company (each a "Local Investor") for each new consolidated joint venture subsidiary acquired by the Company.  The Company supervision and control over each such consolidated subsidiary is strengthened through its subsidiary documentation and the use of its Global Technology Systems.  The Company's supervision and control is further strengthened by its company-wide executive management, administrative support, accounting oversight, procedures and controls (financial and reporting), and corporate codes and policies that apply to each such subsidiary (the Company's "Global Administration", and together with its Global Technology Systems, the Company's "Global Contributions").  The Company also seeks to own a majority (at least 51%) of such a subsidiary's equity while the Local Investor purchases a minority equity interest in it (49% or less). Since 2014 the Company has sought (in the governing documents for each new acquisitions or reorganization) to have a majority of the members of such subsidiary's board of directors, to have all quorums and matters decided by a simple majority of its equity or directors, and to have such subsidiary agree to be bound by the Company's financial and reporting controls and procedures, ethics code, and other corporate codes and policies.  In addition to its equity participation, a Local Investor provides certain services and the useful local attention, perspective and relationships of a substantial (although non-controlling) equity owner with a strong financial stake in such subsidiary's success (the "Local Contributions").  The Local Investor also often contributes an existing customer base and a seasoned operating infrastructure as additional Local Contributions to the subsidiary in which it invests. As of the date of this Annual Report, National Merchandising Services, LLC and Resource Plus of North Florida, Inc., in the U.S.A. (see below) and each of the Company's international operating subsidiaries (other than those in Canada and Japan) has a Local Investor.  See Item 1A - Risk Factors - Risks Associated with International and Domestic Subsidiaries, Risks of Having Material Local Investors and Local Executives in International and Domestic Subsidiaries, Risks Associated with Foreign Currency and Risks Associated with International Business, Note 2 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: Principles of Consolidation, Accounting for Joint Venture Subsidiaries, Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - International Related Party Services and Related Party Transactions and Arrangements in the Brazil Acquisition, Note 13 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Purchase of Interests in Subsidiaries, below.

 

 

 

The Company currently provides a broad array of domestic and international services to some of the world's leading companies. The Company believes its full-line capabilities provide fully integrated solutions that distinguish the Company from its competitors. These capabilities include the ability to respond to multi-national client RFPs, to develop plans at one centralized location, to effect chain-wide execution, to implement rapid, coordinated responses to its clients' needs and to report on a real time basis throughout the world. The Company also believes its international presence, industry-leading technology, centralized decision-making ability, local follow-through, ability to perform large-scale initiatives on short notice, and strong retailer relationships provide the Company with a significant advantage over local, regional or other competitors.

 

The Company currently provides six principal types of merchandising and marketing services: syndicated services, dedicated services, project services, assembly services, audit services and in-store event staffing services.

 

Syndicated Services:

 

Syndicated services consist of regularly scheduled, routed merchandising and marketing services provided at the retail store level for retailers, manufacturers and distributors. These services are performed for multiple manufacturers and distributors, including, in some cases, manufacturers and distributors whose products are in the same product category. Syndicated services may include activities such as:

 

	•	Reordering and replenishment of products
	•	Ensuring that the Company's clients' products authorized for distribution are in stock and on the shelf or sales floor
	•	Adding new products that are approved for distribution but not yet present on the shelf or sales floor
	•	Implementing store planogram schematics
	•	Setting product category shelves in accordance with approved store schematics
	•	Ensuring that product shelf tags are in place
	•	Checking for overall salability of the clients' products
	•	Placing new product and promotional items in prominent positions
	•	Kiosk replenishment and maintenance

 

 

Dedicated Services:

 

Dedicated services consist of merchandising and marketing services, generally as described above, which are performed for a specific retailer or manufacturer by a dedicated organization, sometimes including a management team working exclusively for that retailer or manufacturer. These services include many of the above activities detailed in syndicated services, as well as, new store set-ups, store remodels and fixture installations. These services are primarily based on agreed-upon rates and fixed management fees.

 

Project Services:

 

Project services consist primarily of specific in-store services initiated by retailers and manufacturers, such as new store openings, new product launches, special seasonal or promotional merchandising, focused product support, product recalls, in-store product demonstrations and in-store product sampling. The Company also performs other project services, such as kiosk product replenishment, inventory control, new store sets and existing store resets, re-merchandising, remodels and category implementations, under annual or stand-alone project contracts or agreements.

 

Retail New Store Openings and Remodeling Services:

 

Retailer specific services consist primarily of in-store services initiated by retailers, such as new store openings, new store sets and existing store resets and remodels, under annual or stand-alone project contracts or agreements.

 

New store openings and remodels are particularly susceptible to external factors and these projects are being delayed by many clients due to the effects of the Novel Coronavirus.   See Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks, below. 

 

Assembly Services:

 

The Company's assembly services are initiated by retailers, manufacturers or consumers, and upon request the Company assembles furniture, grills, and many other products in stores, homes and offices. The Company performs ongoing routed coverage at retail locations to ensure that furniture and other product lines are well displayed and maintained, and builds any new items or replacement items, as required. In addition, the Company provides in-home and in-office assembly to customers who purchase their product from retailers, whether in store, online or through catalog sales.

 

In-Store Event Staffing Services:

 

The Company provides in-store product samplings, in-store product demonstrations and assisted sales in national chains in target markets worldwide.

 

 

Retail Compliance and Price Audit Services:

 

The Company's retail compliance and price audit services are initiated by retailers and manufacturers and focus on the following:

 

	●	Validating store promotions
	●	Confirming the planned placements and layout
	●	Auditing compliance with corporate branding and signage
	●	Verifying product placement, displays, point of sale materials, etc.
	●	Collecting inventory levels and out-of-stock status
	●	Providing current, accurate pricing intelligence
	●	Conducting competitive price audits (by product, by market)
	●	Conducting internal price audits to:

o

Ensure pricing accuracy and consistency; and

o

Verify promotional and everyday price changes

 

Other Marketing Services:

 

Other marketing services performed by the Company include:

 

Mystery Shopping - Anonymously calling and visiting retail outlets (e.g. stores, restaurants, banks) to check on distribution or display of a brand and to evaluate products, service of personnel, condition of store, etc.

 

Data Collection - Gathering sales and other information systematically for analysis and interpretation.

 

The Company's Sales and Marketing

 

The Company offers global merchandising solutions to clients that have worldwide distribution. This effort is spearheaded out of the Company's headquarters in the United States, and the Company continues to develop local markets through its domestic and international subsidiaries throughout the world.

 

The Company's marketing and sales efforts within its Domestic Division are structured to develop new national, regional and local business within the United States, including new sales and customers through the Company's acquisitions of existing businesses. The Company's domestic corporate business development team directs its efforts toward the senior management of prospective and existing clients. Marketing and sales targets and strategies are developed at the Company's headquarters and communicated to the Company's domestic sales force for execution. Marketing efforts concentrate on enhancing SPAR's position as an industry leader, promoting its key advantages, strengthening its industry presence and supporting sales. The Company's sales force is located nationwide and works from both the Company's offices and their home offices. In addition, the Company's domestic corporate account executives play an important role in the Company's new business development efforts within its existing manufacturer, distributor and retailer client base.

 

The Company's marketing and sales efforts within its International Division are structured to develop new national, regional and local business in both new and existing international territories by acquiring existing businesses and within the Company's existing international territories through targeted sales efforts. The Company has an international acquisition team whose primary focus is to seek out and develop acquisitions throughout the world. Marketing and sales targets and strategies are developed within an international subsidiary, in consultation with the Company's U.S. headquarters, with assistance from the applicable Local Investor, and are communicated to the Company's applicable international sales force for execution. The Company's international sales force for a particular territory is located throughout that territory and work from the Company's office in that territory and their home offices. In addition, the Company's international corporate account executives play an important role in the Company's new business development efforts within the Company's existing manufacturer, distributor and retail client base within their respective territories.

 

As part of the retailer consolidation, retailers are centralizing most administrative functions, including operations, procurement and category management. In response to this centralization and the growing importance of large retailers, many manufacturers have reorganized their selling organizations around a retailer team concept that focuses on a particular retailer. The Company has responded to this emerging trend and currently has on-site personnel in place at select retailers.

 

 

The Company's business development process includes a due diligence period to determine the objectives of the prospective or existing client, the work required to satisfy those objectives and the market value of such work to be performed. The Company employs a formal cost development and proposal process that determines the cost of each element of work required to achieve such client's objectives. The Company uses these costs, together with an analysis of market rates, to develop a formal quotation that is then reviewed at various levels within the organization. The pricing of this internal proposal must meet the Company's objectives for profitability, which are established as part of the business planning process. After the Company approves this quotation, a detailed proposal is presented to the Company's prospective or existing client. However, the Company has agreed, and in the future may agree, from time to time to perform services for a client that become or turn out to be unprofitable even though the Company expected to make a profit when agreeing to perform them. See Item 1A – Risk Factors - Risks of Unprofitable Services, Variability of Operating Results and Uncertainty in Client Revenue, and Risks of Losses and Financial Covenant Violations, below.

 

The Company's Customer Base

 

The Company currently represents numerous manufacturers and/or retail clients in a wide range of retail chains and stores worldwide, and its customers (which it refers to as clients) include the following markets:

 

	•	Mass Merchandisers
	•	Pharmacies
	•	Grocery Stores
	•	Office Supply Stores
	•	Dollar Stores
	•	Automotive Stores
	•	Convenience Stores
	•	Specialty Stores
	•	Electronic Stores
	•	Home Improvement Stores
	•	Other retail outlets (such as discount and electronic stores, independents, in-home and in-office, etc.)

 

The Company did not have any clients that represented 10% or more of the Company's net revenue for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

The Company's Competition

 

The marketing services industry is highly competitive. The Company's competition in the Domestic and International Divisions arise from a number of large enterprises, many of which are national or international in scope. The Company also competes with a large number of relatively small enterprises with specific client, channel or geographic coverage, as well as with the internal marketing and merchandising operations of its existing and prospective clients. The Company believes that the principal competitive factors within its industry include development and deployment of technology, breadth and quality of client services, cost, the ability to execute specific client priorities rapidly and consistently over a wide geographic area, and the ability to ideate and operate as a retail business partner delivering value above the base services. The Company believes that its current structure favorably addresses these factors and establishes it as a leader in many retailer and manufacturer verticals. The Company also believes it has the ability to execute major national and international in-store initiatives and develop and administer national and international manufacturer programs. Finally, the Company believes that, through the use and continuing improvement of its Global Technology Systems, other technological efficiencies and various cost controls, the Company will remain competitive in its pricing and services.

 

 

The Company's Trademarks and Technology

 

The Company has numerous registered trademarks. Although the Company believes its trademarks may have value, the Company believes its services are sold primarily based on breadth and quality of service, cost, and the ability to execute specific client priorities rapidly, efficiently and consistently over a wide geographic area. Certain of the Company's "SPAR" trademarks (the "Licensed Marks") are licensed (i) for use in the United States royalty free and in perpetuity pursuant to license agreements that commenced in 1999 with its affiliates, SBS and Infotech and through SBS its other affiliate, SAS, is permitted to use the Licensed Marks (as defined in RELATED PARTIES AND RELATED PARTY LITIGATION, in Item 3, below), (ii) for use worldwide royalty free and in perpetuity pursuant to informal license arrangements with its wholly owned subsidiaries, (iii) for use in their respective jurisdictions royalty free pursuant to license agreements for limited terms with its joint venture subsidiaries (executed contemporaneously with their respective joint venture agreements), and (iv) in the United States for limited terms and modest royalties pursuant to license agreements with the Independent Field Vendor and Independent Field Administrator respectively providing Field Specialists and Field Administrators to the Company domestically that commenced in 2018.  Portions of the Company's proprietary scheduling, tracking, coordination, reporting and expense software (the "Co-Owned Software") currently included in the Company's Global Technology Systems are co-owned by the Company, SBS and Infotech. The Company's Global Technology Systems (including the Co-Owned Software) are maintained and further developed and improved by the Company at its own expense at a cost of $1.3 million in both 2019 and 2018. Except for SBS and Infotech (that do not need such software licenses because of their co-ownership), each subsidiary and vendor trademark license and arrangement also licenses the Co-Owned Software to the licensee. See An Overview of the Merchandising and Marketing Services Industry, The Company's Competition, and Leveraging and Improving on the Company's Technological Strengths, in this Item 1 above, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Other Related Party Transactions and Arrangements, below.

 

On November 23, 2018, SBS petitioned for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. District for Nevada, and as a result, SBS' rights in the Co-Owned Software and Licensed Marks are assets of SBS' estate, subject to sale or transfer in any court approved reorganization or liquidation, and could be acquired by competitors or other adverse or unsavory parties. In addition, Infotech is currently suing the Company in New York and threatening to sue the Company in Romania. See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, Infotech Litigation Against SGRP and SBS Bankruptcy, below. See also Dependence Upon and Risks of Services Provided by Independent Contractors, Potential Conflicts with Affiliates and Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts in Item 1A -- Risk Factors, below.

 

The Company's Labor Force

 

Worldwide the Company utilized a labor force of approximately 22,000 people in 2019, including the services of Field Specialists and Field Administrators furnished by independent third parties.

 

The Company executes and administers its domestic field services through the services of field merchandising, auditing, assembly and other field personnel (each a "Field Specialist"), substantially all of whom are provided to the Company and engaged by independent third parties and located, scheduled, deployed and administered domestically through the services of local, regional, district and other personnel (each a "Field Administrator"), and substantially all of the Field Administrators are in turn are employed by other independent third parties.

 

As of December 31, 2019, the Company's Domestic Division's labor force totaled approximately 7,800 including the services of Field Specialists and Field Administrators furnished by independent third parties.  The Company's Domestic Division employed a labor force of 775 individuals, 735 full-time employees and 40 part-time employees engaged in domestic operations. In the Company's Domestic Division, the Company's merchandising, audit, assembly and other services for its domestic clients are performed by Field Specialists provided by independent third parties, approximately 7,000 of whose services were supplied to the Company since August 2018 by a new independent vendor (the "Independent Field Vendor") under contract and license with the Company (and to the Company's knowledge substantially all of whom were engaged as independent contractors by that vendor).  The Field Administrators are provided by other independent third parties, 53 of whom were supplied to the Company since August 2018 by another new independent vendor (the "Independent Field Administrator") under contract and license with the Company.  Prior to August 2018, substantially all of the Company's domestic Field Specialists were supplied by the Company's independent affiliate, SBS and substantially all of the Company's domestic Field Administrators were supplied by another of the Company's independent affiliates, SAS.  The Company stopped using the services of SBS and SAS after July 2018.  See Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, below. See also Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters, below.

 

In part as a result of the adverse determination in 2016 in Clothier that SBS had misclassified its employees as independent contractors (see Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters – Clothier Case, below), the Company, with the approval of SGRP's Board of Directors (the "Board") and SGRP's Audit Committee, began an extensive re-programming of its proprietary field service software to accommodate scheduling and compensating a field workforce of part time employees and in May of 2018 shifted to an all employee servicing model for Field Specialist services to support the performance of the Company's services in California for clients in this critical market.  Management currently estimates that the potential incremental annual cost of this change in California from third party independent contractors to Company employees was approximately $300,000 in 2019.  The Company continues to reevaluate its business model of using third party independent contractors as Field Specialists elsewhere (whether or not provided by others) in light of changing client requirements and legal and regulatory environments and intends to begin testing an employee based model nationally for certain domestic clients that are requiring the Company to use employees as Field Specialists.  The Company expects that using employees as Field Specialists in additional states will cost substantially more than using third party independent contractors for the same services.  See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, below.

 

 

As of December 31, 2019, the Company's International Division's labor force totaled approximately 14,000. Approximately 860 individuals were engaged locally by its foreign subsidiaries, 841 full-time and 15 part-time employees.  The International Division's field force consisted of approximately 12,900 Field Specialists engaged locally by our foreign subsidiaries in their respective international operations.  See Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - International Related Party Services, below.

 

The Company considers its relations with its own employees and independent vendors to be generally good.

 

Corporate Website

 

The Company's website can be found at: http://www.sparinc.com, and the Company's SEC filings are available on that website under the Tab SEC Filings.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors 

 

Investing in SGRP's common stock ("SGRP Common Stock") involves a high degree of risk and is subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, cautions, circumstances and other factors ("Risks") that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected or otherwise expected in any forward-looking statements or other information (see Forward-Looking Statements immediately preceding Part I, above).

 

The following are some of the important Risks faced by the Company, but they are not all of the Risks facing the Company. Those Risks listed below are in addition to the Risks and other information contained elsewhere in this Annual Report, the Proxy Statement and the Company's other SEC Reports, and all of them should be carefully considered in evaluating the Company and its business. If any of those Risks occur or become more significant (in whole or in part), or if any presently unknown Risk occurs, it could materially and adversely affect 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, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition).

 

You should carefully review and consider the following Risks as well as those made, contained or noted in or incorporated by reference into this Annual Report, the Proxy Statement or other applicable SEC Report, but you should not place undue reliance on any of them. All forward-looking statements and other information attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly subject to and qualified by all such Risks.

 

Those Risks reflect our expectations, views and assumptions only as of the date of this Annual Report, and the Company does not intend, assume any obligation, or promise to publicly update or revise any such Risk or 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.

 

Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks

 

Any outbreaks or rapid spread of a contagious disease or other outbreak, or the fear of it, including the recent outbreak of the coronavirus (first detected in Wuhan, China), and other adverse public health developments in countries where the Company operates could significantly disrupt the retail operations of or the global and domestic supply chains for our customers and our work for them.  In addition, the coronavirus or other outbreak may result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could affect retail demand.  Any of those events may change or disrupt the needs or demands of the Company's customers and could have a material and adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

The extent to which such coronavirus or other outbreak will impact the Company or its performance or condition will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. Such developments may include the geographic spread, severity, treatability and duration of the outbreak, the actions that may be taken by governmental authorities and the Company's customers in response to the outbreak (including quarantines and transportation, border and retail restrictions and closures), and the possible adverse impact of the outbreak on the global economy, systems and telecommunication service cost, quality and availability, credit and capital cost and availability, and insurance cost, coverage and availability.

 

  New store openings and remodels with the Company's assistance are particularly susceptible to external factors and are being delayed by many of the Company's clients due to the effects of the Novel Coronavirus, and the Company is in the process of temporarily furloughing employees to reflect current reduced demands.

 

Dependence on Largest Customer and Large Retail Chains

 

As discussed above in Company's Customer Base, the Company currently does not have a significant customer concentration. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain new business, renew existing client contracts at the same or higher levels of pricing or that our current clients will not turn to competitors, cease operations, elect to self-operate or terminate contracts with us. In addition, consolidation by the Company's clients in the industries it serves could result in our losing business if the combined entity chooses a different provider, and the bankruptcy of a significant customer could result in the loss of substantial receivables or the return of substantial recent payments. The loss of any of its customers, the loss of the ability to provide merchandising and marketing services in those chains, the loss of substantial receivables or payments, or the failure to attract new large clients could significantly decrease the Company's revenues and such decreased revenues could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 

Dependence on Trend Towards Outsourcing

 

The business and growth of the Company depends in large part on the continued trend toward outsourcing of merchandising and marketing services, which the Company believes has resulted from the consolidation of retailers and manufacturers, as well as the desire to seek outsourcing specialists to reduce fixed operation expenses and concentrate internal staff on customer service and sales. There can be no assurance that this trend in outsourcing will continue, as companies may elect to perform such services internally. A significant change in the direction of this trend generally, or a trend in the retail, manufacturing or business services industry not to use, or to reduce the use of, outsourced marketing services such as those provided by the Company, could significantly decrease the Company's revenues and such decreased revenues could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Dependence on Retailers with Physical Stores

 

Retailers with physical store locations are facing increasing consolidation and competition from eCommerce/virtual stores. Some retailers with physical stores have failed, others are struggling, and others are merging in this highly competitive environment. Although the Company's merchandising services help physical retailers in successfully competing against virtual stores, and the Company provides assembly and other services utilized by online retailers, the Company's business and growth depends in large part on the continuing need for in-store merchandising of products and the continuing success of retailers with physical store locations. There can be no assurance that the in-store merchandising of products will increase or even continue at current levels or that retailers with physical store locations will continue to compete successfully in those stores, and some retailers are shifting their sales focus to their virtual online stores. A significant decrease in such need for in-store merchandising or success of such physical stores could significantly decrease the Company's revenues and such decreased revenues could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.  See also Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks, above.

 

Failure to Compete Successfully

 

The merchandising and marketing services industry is highly competitive and the Company has competitors that are larger (or part of larger holding companies) and may be better financed. In addition, the Company competes with: (i) a large number of relatively small enterprises with specific client, channel or geographic coverage; (ii) the internal merchandising and marketing operations of its existing and prospective clients; (iii) independent brokers; and (iv) smaller regional providers. Remaining competitive in the highly competitive merchandising and marketing services industry requires that the Company monitor and respond to trends in all industry sectors. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to anticipate and respond successfully to such trends in a timely manner. If the Company is unable to compete successfully, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

If certain competitors were to combine into integrated merchandising and marketing services companies, or additional merchandising and marketing service companies were to enter into this market, or existing participants in this industry were to become more competitive, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Risks of Losses and Financial Covenant Violations

 

In the past, the Company has suffered operating losses and may suffer operating losses in the future.  In addition, certain one-time charges and adverse operating results during 2018 resulted in the Company being in default of certain of its financial covenants with its prior lender.

 

The Company changed its domestic lender in April 2019 and entered into a new credit facility with increased availability and improved financial and other covenants.  See Item 7 – Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and Note 4 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Credit Facilities – North Mill Credit Facility, below.  There can be no assurances that in the future: that the Company will be profitable; that the Company will not violate covenants of its current or future credit facilities; that if it does violate them, that the Company's lenders will waive any violations of such covenants; that the Company will continue to have adequate lines of credit; or that the Company will continue to have sufficient availability under its lines of credit. Accordingly, minimal profitability by the Company, additional one-time charges, and changes in the composition and quality of its borrowing base (see Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, below.), as well as any failure to maintain sufficient availability or lines of credit from the Company's lenders (which may involve their subjective judgment), could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 See also Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks, above.

 

 

Variability of Operating Results and Uncertainty in Client Revenue

 

The Company has experienced and, in the future, may experience fluctuations in quarterly operating results. Factors that may cause the Company's quarterly operating results to vary from time to time and may result in reduced revenue and profits include: (i) the number of active client projects; (ii) seasonality of client products; (iii) client delays, changes and cancellations in projects; (iv) staffing requirements, indemnifications, risk allocations, primary insurance coverages, intellectual property claims, and other contractual provisions and concessions demanded by clients that are unilateral, unreasonable and very time consuming to review and attempt to negotiate; (v) the timing requirements of client projects; (vi) the completion of major client projects; (vii) the timing of new engagements; (viii) the timing of personnel cost increases; (ix) service locations and conditions with higher than contemplated personnel costs (remote areas, higher minimum wages, higher skill sets required, etc.); and (x) the loss of major clients. In addition, the Company is subject to revenue or profit uncertainties resulting from factors such as unprofitable client work (see below) and the failure of clients to pay. These revenue fluctuations could materially and adversely affect the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Risks of Unprofitable Services

 

The Company has agreed, and in the future may agree, from time to time to perform services for its clients that become unprofitable even though the Company expected to make a profit when agreeing to perform them.  The Company's services for a particular client or project may be or become unprofitable due to mistakes or changes in circumstance, including (without limitation) any (i) mistakes or omissions made in investigating, evaluating or understanding any relevant circumstance, requirement or request of the Company's client or any aspect of the prospective services or their inherent problems, (ii) mistakes made in pricing, planning or performing the prospective service, (iii) service non-performance, or free re-performance, (iv) changes in cost, personnel, regulations or other performance circumstances, (v) service locations and conditions with higher than contemplated personnel costs (remote areas, higher minimum wages, higher skill sets required, etc.); or (vi) costs of settling or defending indemnifications, risk allocations, primary insurance coverages, intellectual property claims, or other contractual provisions or concessions.  Unprofitable services could reduce the Company's net revenues and, if material in gross amount or degree of unprofitability, could materially and adversely affect the Company or its actual, expected, performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Failure to Develop New Services

 

A key element of the Company's growth strategy is the development and sale of new services. While several new services are under current development, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to develop and market new services successfully. The Company's inability or failure to devise useful merchandising or marketing services or to complete the development or implementation of a particular service for use on a large scale, or the failure of such services to achieve market acceptance, could adversely affect the Company's ability to achieve a significant part of its growth strategy and the absence of such growth could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected and could limit the Company's ability to significantly increase its revenues and profits.

 

Return Risks on Software Capital Expenditures

 

All software requires continual work and improvements to maintain function, industry compatibility, and relevance.  The Company has made and will continue to make significant investments in maintaining and improving its existing Global Technology Systems and developing new software, applications and systems, which is a complex and lengthy process and totaled $1.3 million in both 2019 and 2018, for capitalized software improvement and development.  The Company may not have sufficient funds for such maintenance or improvements and may not be able to charge its clients for such maintenance or improvements or otherwise recover its costs.  New software, applications and developments may never occur or become marketable, chargeable or profitable.  However, a failure to maintain or improve its existing Global Technology Systems or develop new software, applications or systems could result in a loss of clients.

 

 

The failure by the Company to maintain or improve its existing Global Technology Systems or develop successfully new software, applications or systems (including unrecovered development costs or client attrition) could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Inability to Identify, Acquire and Successfully Integrate Acquisitions

 

Another key component of the Company's growth strategy is the acquisition of businesses across the United States and worldwide that offer similar merchandising or marketing services. The successful implementation of this strategy depends upon the Company's ability to identify suitable acquisition candidates, acquire such businesses on acceptable terms, finance the acquisition and consolidate and integrate their operations successfully with those of the Company. There can be no assurance that such candidates will be available or, if such candidates are available, that the price will be attractive or that the Company will be able to identify, acquire, finance, consolidate or integrate such businesses successfully. In addition, in pursuing such acquisition opportunities, the Company may compete with other entities with similar growth strategies; these competitors may be larger and have greater financial and other resources than the Company. Competition for these acquisition targets could also result in increased prices of acquisition targets and/or a diminished pool of companies available for acquisition.

 

The successful integration of these acquisitions also involves a number of additional risks, including: (i) conflicts between the clients of the acquired business and the clients of the Company; (ii) the inability to retain the clients of the acquired business; (iii) the lingering effects of poor client relations or service performance by the acquired business, which also may negatively affect the Company's existing business; (iv) the inability to retain over the long term the desirable management, key personnel and other employees of the acquired business; (v) the inability to fully realize the desired efficiencies and economies of scale; (vi) conflicts between the management of the acquired business and the management of the Company; (vii) the inability to establish, implement or police the Company's existing standards, controls, procedures and policies on the acquired business; (viii) the diversion of management's attention from the day-to-day business of the Company to acquisition-related matters; and (ix) exposure to client, employee and other legal claims for activities of the acquired business prior to acquisition. In addition, any acquired business could perform significantly worse than expected.  Resolving those issues can be particularly difficult in a joint venture acquisition where management of the acquired business retain or obtain a significant (generally 49%) interest in the acquired business.  See also Risks of Having Material Local Investors and Local Executives in International and Domestic Subsidiaries and Risks Associated with International Business, below.

 

The inability to identify, acquire, finance and successfully integrate such merchandising or marketing services business could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Uncertainty of Financing for, and Dilution Resulting from, Future Acquisitions and Settlements

 

The timing, size and success of acquisition and litigation settlement efforts and any associated capital commitments cannot be readily predicted. Future acquisitions and litigation settlements may be financed by issuing shares of the SGRP Common Stock, cash, or a combination thereof. If the SGRP Common Stock does not maintain a sufficient market value, or if potential acquisition candidates or litigants are otherwise unwilling to accept the SGRP Common Stock as part of the consideration for the sale of their businesses or settlement of their litigation, the Company may be required to obtain additional capital through debt or equity financings. To the extent the SGRP Common Stock is used for all or a portion of the consideration to be paid for future acquisitions or legal settlements, dilution may be experienced by existing stockholders.  A "super majority" vote of at least 75% of all SGRP directors is now required for any SGRP stock issuance of more than 500,000 SGRP shares (other than pursuant to stockholder approved plans) and such issuance can be blocked by any two directors acting on behalf of any group (including the Majority Stockholders).  In addition, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain the additional financing it may need for its acquisitions or litigation settlements on terms that the Company deems acceptable. Failure to obtain such capital would materially and adversely affect the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 

Reliance on the Global Technology System and Third Party Vendors

 

The Company relies on its Global Technology Systems for (among other things) the scheduling, tracking, coordination and reporting of its merchandising and marketing services.  In addition to proprietary software and applications of the Company, the Global Technology Systems use and rely upon software (including operating system, office, exchange, data base and server programs) licensed and hardware purchased or leased from third parties and telecommunication services provided by third parties, which third party software, hardware and telecommunication services may not continue to be available at all or (if available) with the necessary access, uptime, speeds or bandwidth, at reasonable prices or on commercially reasonable terms.  See Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks, above.  Any defect, error or other performance failure in such third-party software, hardware or service also could result in a defect, error or performance failure in our client services.  Systems can experience excess traffic and related inefficiencies, from increased demand or otherwise, as well as increased cyberattacks by hackers and other saboteurs. To the extent that systems experience increased demands on current capacity and for additional capacity from (among other things) an increase in the numbers of users, frequency or duration of use, bandwidth requirements of software, applications and users (including the increasing demand from the Company's clients for data-intensive as-serviced pictures from the Field Specialists), or cyberattacks, there can be no assurance that the Company's technological systems and third party software, hardware and telecommunication providers will continue to be able to support the demands placed on them by such increased demand or negative events.

 

The Company relies on third-party vendors to provide its telecommunication network access and other services used in its business, and the Company has no control over such third-party providers. Additionally, a cybersecurity breach that results in unauthorized access to sensitive consumer or corporate information contained in these systems may adversely affect the Company's reputation and lead to claims against it. Such claims could include identity theft or other similar fraud-related claims and claims related to violations of applicable data privacy laws. Any system failure, accident or security breach could result in disruptions to the Company's operations. To the extent that any disruption or security breach results in a loss or damage to the Company's data, or results in inappropriate disclosure of confidential information, it could cause significant damage to the Company's reputation, affect its relationships with its customers, lead to claims against it and ultimately harm its business. In addition, the Company may be required to incur significant costs to protect against damage caused by these disruptions or security breaches in the future.

 

Any such software, hardware or service unavailability or unreasonable pricing or terms, defect, error or other performance failure in such third-party software, hardware or service, increased capacity demands, disruption in services, security breach or protective measures could increase the Company's costs of operation and reduce its efficiency and performance, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Economic and Retail Uncertainty

 

The markets in which the Company operates are cyclical and subject to the effects of economic downturns. The current political, social and economic conditions, including the impact of terrorism on consumer and business behavior, make it difficult for the Company, its vendors and its clients to accurately forecast and plan future business activities. Substantially all of the Company's key clients are either retailers or those seeking to do product merchandising at retailers. Should the retail industry experience a significant economic downturn, the resultant reduction in product sales could significantly decrease the Company's revenues.  See also Risks Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak or Other Similar Outbreaks, above.  The Company also has risks associated with its clients changing their business plans and/or reducing their marketing budgets in response to economic conditions, which could also significantly decrease the Company's revenues. Such revenue decreases could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Risks Associated with Furniture and Other Related Assembly Services

 

The Company's technicians assemble furniture and other products in the stores, homes and offices of customers.  Working at a customer's store, home or office could give rise to claims against the Company for errors, omissions or misconduct by those technicians, including (without limitation) harassment, personal injury, death, damage to or theft of customer property, or other civil or criminal misconduct by such technicians.  Claims also could be made against the Company as a result of its involvement in such assembly services due to (among other things) product assembly errors and omissions, product defects, deficiencies, breakdowns or collapse, products that are not merchantable or fit for their particular purpose, products that do not conform to published specifications or satisfy customer expectations, or products that cause personal injury, death or property damage, in each case whether actual, alleged or perceived by customers, and irrespective of how much time may have passed since such assembly.  If such claims are asserted and adversely determined against the Company, then to the extent such claims are not covered by indemnification from the product's seller or manufacturer or by insurance, they could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 

Risks Associated with Audit Services

 

The auditing services industry is highly competitive and the Company has competitors that are larger (or part of larger holding companies) and may be better financed. In addition, the Company competes with: (i) a large number of relatively small enterprises with specific client, channel or geographic coverage; (ii) the internal auditing operations of its existing and prospective clients; and (iii) smaller regional providers. Remaining competitive in the highly competitive auditing services industry requires that the Company monitor and respond to trends in all industry sectors. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to anticipate and respond successfully to such trends in a timely manner. If the Company is unable to compete successfully, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Dependence Upon and Risks of Services Provided by Third Party Independent Contractors and Related Litigation

 

The success of the Company's domestic business is dependent upon the successful execution and administration of its domestic field services through the services of field merchandising, auditing, assembly and other field personnel (each a "Field Specialist"), substantially all of whom are provided to the Company and engaged by independent third parties and located, scheduled, deployed and administered domestically through the services of local, regional, district and other personnel (each a "Field Administrator"), and substantially all of the Field Administrators are in turn are employed by other independent third parties.

 

Prior to July 2018, substantially all of the services of the Field Specialists were supplied to the Company by SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS"), the Company's affiliate.  Due to (among other things) the adverse determination in 2016 in Clothier that SBS had misclassified its employees as independent contractors and the ongoing proceedings against SBS (see SBS Clothier Litigation, SBS Field Specialist Litigation and SBS Bankruptcy, under the caption Legal Proceedings, below), SBS' continued higher charges, and the Company's identification of an experienced Independent Field Vendor who would provide comparable services on substantially better terms, the Company terminated the services of SBS effective July 27, 2018, and the Company has engaged that Independent Field Vendor to replace at substantially lower costs and on substantially better terms those field services previously provided by SBS (other than in California, where the Company is using its own employees). Effective August 1, 2018, the Company also has engaged the Independent Field Administrator (see below) at substantially lower costs and on substantially better terms to replace those Field Administrator services formerly provided by SPAR Administrative Services, Inc. ("SAS"), an affiliate of SBS.

 

The appropriateness of SBS' treatment of its Field Specialists as independent contractors had been periodically subject to legal review or challenge (both currently and historically) by various states and others.  See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - SBS Bankruptcy, SBS Field Specialist Litigation SBS Clothier Litigation, SGRP Hogan Litigation, and SBS and SGRP Litigation Generally, below. As provided in SBS' Prior Agreement, the Company is not obligated or liable, and the Company has not otherwise agreed and does not currently intend, to reimburse SBS for any judgment or similar amount (including any damages, settlement, or related tax, penalty, or interest) in any legal review, challenge or other proceeding against or involving SBS, and the Company does not believe it has ever done so (other than in insignificant nuisance amounts).  See Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, below. 

 

SBS and Robert G. Brown have repeatedly disputed the right of the Company and SGRP's Audit Committee to review and decide whether the reimbursement of any related party defense and other expense reimbursements was in the best interests of the Company.  However, management has also denied the appropriateness of such reimbursements as unfounded and unsubstantiated. The related parties have more recently argued that it is the duty of the Board to overrule the Audit Committee and management and force the accrual and payment of those reimbursements.  See Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement and March 2020 Claim, and March 2020 Claim, below.  As a result of SGRP's separate settlement of the Clothier Case, on June 13, 2018, the Company gave SBS notice that it would no longer reimburse any such legal expenses related to this legal action, and in connection with the termination of SBS' services, which ceased after July 2018, the Company advised SBS that the Company would no longer reimburse any SBS legal defense expenses, but SBS and Robert G. Brown continue to demand such reimbursements. See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- SBS Clothier Litigation, below.

 

The Company received no services from SBS or SAS after the termination of their respective services took effect.  Furthermore, even though SBS was solely responsible for its operations, methods and legal compliance, in connection with any proceedings against SBS, SBS may additionally claim that the Company is somehow liable for the defense of and any judgment or similar amount imposed against SBS and pursue that claim with litigation. The Company does not believe there is any basis for such claims and would defend them vigorously. There can be no assurance that plaintiffs or someone else will not claim that the Company is liable (under applicable law, through reimbursement or indemnification, or otherwise) for any such judgment or similar amount imposed against SBS, or that the Company will be able to defend successfully any claim.  Any imposition of liability on the Company for any such amount could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.  See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, below.

 

 

As a result of SBS filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (see Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- SBS Bankruptcy, below), there can be no assurance that SBS will ever be able to fully pay any amounts owed to the Company by SBS and any damage awards resulting from any legal determination adverse to SBS that may result in third party creditors seeking payment from the Company in connection with SBS's bankruptcy case.  Mr. Robert G. Brown and his companies are and have been involved in a number of material adverse claims and actions against the Company.  On March 6, 2020, Robert G. Brown sent an email communication demanding payment to SBS from the Company of $1,707,374.  At SGRP’s March 2020 Board meeting, Mr. Bartels was requested by an independent director to compile a list of claims that he and Mr. Brown believe are owed by the Company. On March 17, 2020, that list was given to the Audit Committee Chairman and included additional claims, net of an anticipated reduction, totaling approximately $1.3 million, bringing their total claims to approximately $3 million.  The Company has completely rejected those unfounded and unsubstantiated claims, and believes it was released from all such claims by SBS in the SBS bankruptcy reorganization.  See Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement and March 2020 Claim, and March 2020 Claim, below.  See also Infotech Litigation and Settlement, below.  While the Company believes that no such amount is owed, the ultimate result of this dispute cannot be known at this time.  The Company believes that the robust and comprehensive mutual releases in the SBS Settlement Agreement provide valuable relief from the current potential future claims and litigation by SBS respecting the Company's past involvement with SBS, including the March 2020 Claim.

 

Any imposition of such liability on the Company could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

The Company had utilized the services of SBS to support its in-store merchandising needs.  See Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, which led to repeated litigation respecting SBS' independent contractor classifications (see Note 6 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies --  SBS Field Specialist Litigation and SBS Clothier Litigation, below).  The Company has endeavored to mitigate the risks of such litigation by shifting to an all employee servicing model for Field Specialists to support the performance of the Company's services in California with the Company's own employees and by engaging an unrelated experienced independent vendor under contract and license to supply the Company with the services of such vendor’s Field Specialists in other jurisdictions. See Item 1. Business -- The Company's Labor Force, above.

 

The Company believes that its business model of executing its services domestically (other than in California, where the Company is using its own employees) through independent contractors provided by others is equally effective but inherently less costly than doing so with employees, both under applicable tax and employment laws and otherwise.  However, the Company continues to reevaluate its business model of using third party independent contractors as Field Specialists outside of California in light of changing client requirements and legal and regulatory environments.  The Company expects that using employees as Field Specialists in additional states will cost substantially more than using third party independent contractors for the same services.  See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, below.

 

The Independent Field Vendor also utilizes independent contractors to the extent permitted by applicable law, and it is possible that the appropriateness of its treatment of Field Specialists as independent contractors will be periodically subject to legal review or challenge by various states and others.  The Company in its discretion may review and decide each request by the Independent Field Vendor for reimbursement of its legal defense expenses on a case-by-case basis, including the relative costs and benefits to the Company of doing so, but the Independent Field Vendor has agreed that the Company has no obligation to do so.  See Item 1. Business -- The Company's Labor Force, above.

 

To the Company's knowledge its Independent Field Vendor is not involved in any material proceeding involving its independent contractors.  However: (i)  if the Company approves its reimbursement of any material legal defense costs of the Independent Field Vendor approved; or if (ii) the Company somehow becomes liable for any legal expenses incurred by SBS, SAS, the Independent Field Vendor, any related party or any third party in defending any claim or satisfying any judgment against such parties; or (iii) if the Company somehow becomes liable through any judicial determination for any judgment against the Independent Field Vendor, Independent Field Administrator, SBS, SAS, any related party or other vendor or service provider (in whole or in part); or (iv) if any such proceeding or matter causes (A) any decrease in the Independent Field Administrator's or the Independent Field Vendor's performance (quality or otherwise), (B) any inability by the Independent Field Administrator or the Independent Field Vendor to execute the services for the Company or to continue with its present business model, or (C) any increase in the Company's use of employees (rather than independent contractors) as its domestic Field Specialists; then any of the foregoing, in whole or in part, could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 

Current material and potentially material proceedings involving independent contractors against SBS and, in one instance, the Company are further described under the caption Legal Proceedings, below and in Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, below.

 

Current and Potential Conflicts with Affiliates

 

SBS, SAS, and SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech"), have provided services from time to time to the Company and are related parties and affiliates of SGRP.  SBS, SAS and Infotech are not under the control or part of the consolidated Company and none of them was ever included in the Company's consolidated financial statements. SBS is an affiliate because it is owned by Robert G. Brown, and, through November 2018, was also owned in part by William H. Bartels. SAS is an affiliate because it is owned by William H. Bartels and certain relatives of Robert G. Brown or entities controlled by them (each of whom are considered affiliates of the Company for related party purposes).  Infotech is an affiliate because it is owned by Robert G. Brown and certain relatives of Robert G. Brown or entities controlled by them (each of whom are considered affiliates of the Company for related party purposes).  Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels are the Majority Stockholders (see below) and founders of SGRP's predecessor, Mr. Brown was Chairman and an officer and director of SGRP through May 3, 2018 (when he retired) and will automatically again become a director of SGRP, as discussed below, and Mr. Bartels was and continues to be Vice Chairman and a director and officer of SGRP.  Mr. Brown and family members also have been and are stockholders, directors and executive officers of various other affiliates of SGRP. 

 

Robert G. Brown, SBS, SAS and Infotech are and have been involved in a number of material adverse claims and actions against the Company, and have been engaged or have threatened to engage in legal proceedings against the Company, which may result in future judgments adverse to the Company.  On March 6, 2020, Robert G. Brown sent an email communication demanding payment to SBS from the Company of $1,707,374.  At SGRP’s March 2020 Board meeting, Mr. Bartels was requested by an independent director to compile a list of claims that he and Mr. Brown believe are owed by the Company. On March 17, 2020, that list was given to the Audit Committee Chairman and included additional claims, net of an anticipated reduction, totaling approximately $1.3 million, bringing their total claims to approximately $3 million.  The Company has completely rejected those unfounded and unsubstantiated claims, and believes it was released from all such claims by SBS in the SBS bankruptcy reorganization.  The Company does not believe there is any reasonable basis for any new similar claims and would defend them vigorously. See Legal Proceedings, below and  Dependence Upon and Risks of Services Provided by Third Party Independent Contractors and Related Litigation, above, and Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, in these Risk Factors, below, and Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, and Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement and March 2020 Claim, and March 2020 Claim, below.

 

Although neither SBS nor SAS has provided any services to the Company after their service terminations were effective on or shortly before July 31, 2018.  SBS and SAS have apparently continued to operate and claim that the Company owes them for all their post-termination expenses in perpetuity.  See Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement and March 2020 Claim, and March 2020 Claim, below.  See also Note 6 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- SBS Bankruptcy, below.

 

On March 6, 2020, Robert G. Brown sent an email communication demanding payment to SBS from the Company of $1,707,374.  At SGRP’s March 2020 Board meeting, Mr. Bartels was requested by an independent director to compile a list of claims that he and Mr. Brown believe are owed by the Company. On March 17, 2020, that list was given to the Audit Committee Chairman and included additional claims, net of an anticipated reduction, totaling approximately $1.3 million, bringing their total claims to approximately $3 million.  The Company has completely rejected those unfounded and unsubstantiated claims, and believes it was released from all such claims by SBS in the SBS bankruptcy reorganization.  All such invoices and demands have been rejected by the Company.  The Company has determined that it is not obligated to reimburse any such post-termination expense (other than for potentially reimbursing SAS for mutually approved reasonable short term ordinary course transition expenses in previously allowed categories needed by SAS to wind down its business, if any), and that such a payment would be an impermissible gift to a related party under Company policy and applicable law, which determinations have been supported by SGRP's Audit Committee.  The SBS invoices included legal expenses for its continuing defense in the Clothier Case even though SGRP on June 13, 2018, gave SBS notice that it would no longer reimburse any such expenses as a result of SGRP's separate settlement of the Clothier Case.   See Dependence Upon and Risks of Services Provided by Third Party Independent Contractors and Related Litigation, above, and Note 10 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement and March 2020, and March 2020 Claim, and Note 6 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, below.

 

The Company expects that SBS and SAS may use every available means to attempt to collect reimbursement from the Company for the foreseeable future for all of their post-termination expenses, including repeated litigation.  See Note 6 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters, below.

 

 

Additionally, portions of the Company's proprietary scheduling, tracking, coordination, reporting and expense software (the "Co-Owned Software") currently included in the Company's Global Technology Systems are co-owned by the Company and SBS and Infotech, which may result in conflicts arising in the future. See "An Overview of the Merchandising and Marketing Services Industry" and "The Company's Competition", above, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Other Related Party Transactions and Arrangements, below.  Certain of the Company's "SPAR" trademarks (the "Licensed Marks") are also licensed for use (i) in the United States  royalty free and in perpetuity pursuant to license agreements that commenced in 1999 with its affiliates, SBS and Infotech (as defined in Related Parties And Related Party Litigation, in Item 3, below), (ii) worldwide royalty free and in perpetuity pursuant to informal license arrangements with its wholly owned subsidiaries, (iii) in their respective jurisdictions royalty free pursuant to license agreements for limited terms with its foreign joint venture subsidiaries, and (iv) in the United States for limited terms and modest royalties pursuant to license agreements with the Independent Field Vendor and Independent Field Administrator respectively providing Field Specialists and Field Administrators to the Company domestically that commenced in 2018. Except for SBS and Infotech (which don't need such software licenses because of their co-ownership), each subsidiary and vendor trademark license and arrangement also licenses the Co-Owned Software to the licensee.

 

The Company has contracts with certain international affiliates, including certain service providers to the Company's foreign joint venture subsidiaries. Any disagreement or other dispute in the business relationships arising in connection with such contracts may create a conflict of interest and cause such affiliates to act outside of the best interests of the Company. See Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - International Related Party Services, below.

 

Any litigation with any affiliate, any diminution in the value, availability or usefulness of the Co-Owned Software or Licensed Marks, or any cancellation, other nonperformance or material pricing increase under the Company's arrangements with any vendor, could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts

 

The Company's co-founders, Mr. Robert G. Brown and Mr. William H. Bartels, are significant stockholders of SGRP.  Mr. Brown was Chairman and an officer and director of SGRP through May 3, 2018 (when he retired) and will automatically again become a director of the SGRP, as discussed below, and Mr. Bartels was and continues to be Vice Chairman and a director and officer of SGRP.  Mr. Robert G. Brown and certain of his related parties, SP/R, Inc. Defined Benefit Pension Trust which is a trust for the benefit (in part) of Mr. Robert G. Brown and controlled by Mr. Robert G. Brown's children as its trustees (the "SP/R Trust", and together with Mr. Robert G. Brown the "Brown Group"), and Innovative Global Technologies, LLC ("IGT", and together with the Brown Group the "Brown Expanded Group") , and William H. Bartels together own approximately 54.3% of the SGRP Shares.  IGT received its SGRP Shares from Mr. Robert G. Brown.

 

The SGRP Shares owned by the Brown Expanded Group and Mr. Bartels are and at the time were sufficient for a unilateral action by written stockholder consent without the approval or involvement of the Board or any Committee.  On March 1, 2020, SGRP received delivery of fully-executed written consent actions (the "March 2020 Consents") from the Brown Expanded Group and Mr. Bartels increasing the Board size by one director, thereby creating a vacancy, and unilaterally selecting, appointing and electing Mr. Robert G. Brown to the Board to fill such vacancy. The Brown Extended Group and Mr. Bartels at that time had sufficient SGRP Shares to approve the March 2020 Consents.  SGRP is taking the position that Mr. Robert G. Brown's appointment as a director of SGRP will become effective and Mr. Robert G. Brown will be seated on the Board, on or about April 24, 2020, upon the required notice to SGRP's stockholders under applicable SEC rules.

 

On October 14, 2019, SGRP received delivery of fully-executed written consent actions (the "October 2019 Consents") from the Brown Group (prior to the IGT share transfer from Mr. Brown) and Mr. Bartels increasing the Board size by one director, thereby creating a vacancy, and unilaterally selecting, appointing and electing Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos to the Board to fill such vacancy. The Brown Group and Mr. Bartels at that time had sufficient SGRP Shares to approve the October 2019 Consents.  See Information in Connection with Appointment of Robert G. Brown as a Director, and Proposal 1 -- Background, Brown Group Special Meeting Request, Brown Group Annual Meeting Proposal, Appointment and Election of Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos as a Director in SGRP's Definitive Proxy Statement and Information Statement on Schedules 14A and 14C, respectively,  respecting the unilateral election of Robert G. Brown as a SGRP Director by written consents and SGRP's Special Meeting of Stockholders to be held virtually on April 23, 2020 (the "Proxy/Information Statement"), which was filed with the SEC on April 3, 2020.  See also Item 9B -- Other Information -- Failure to Maintain a Majority of Independent Directors on the Board, below.

 

On June 29, 2018, and July 5, 2018, SGRP received Written Consents from the Majority Stockholders endeavoring to unilaterally approve the selection, appointment and election of Mr. Jeffrey A. Mayer as a director of SGRP and remove Lorrence Kellar as an independent director, which was contested and ultimately concluded in a negotiated settlement.  See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters – Settled Delaware Litigations, below.

 

 

On August 20, 2019, the Brown Group called for a special stockholder meeting (the "Special Meeting") that included several proposals for the stockholders to consider (the "Special Meeting Proposals").  The Special Meeting Proposals include the removal as directors from the Board of Mr. Arthur B. Drogue, Chairman of the Board, and Mr. R. Eric McCarthey, Chairman of the Governance Committee and former Chairman of the Audit Committee (through February 29, 2020), which could lead to a further violation of Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule. Messrs. Drogue and McCarthey are each independent directors.  See Proposals 1 and 2 in the Proxy/Information Statement.   The Special Meeting Proposals also included a proposal to consider and vote on increasing the size of the Board by one additional director if no vacancy then exists on the Board, and electing Mr. James R. Brown Sr. (brother of Robert G. Brown and father to Peter Brown a director and minority owner of SPAR Brazil) as a Director of SGRP to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor is elected and qualified (See Proposal 7 in the Proxy/Information Statement), which also could lead to a further violation of Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule. Since there is no presumption of independence, Mr. James R. Brown Sr. is currently considered non-independent.  See Risks of a Nasdaq Delisting and Penny Stock Trading, below.  See also Removal would Violate Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule, Determining Independence and Re-determining Status of Messrs. Mayer and Lazaretos, and Proposal 7 – Stockholder Proposal to Increase the Size of the Board By One Additional Director If No Vacancy Then Exists on the Board and to Elect James R. Brown Sr. as a Director in the Proxy/Information Statement.  See also Item 9B -- Other Information -- Failure to Maintain a Majority of Independent Directors on the Board, below.

 

Pursuant to the Company's previous Settlement, SGRP's By-Laws require any board vacancies to be exclusively filled by the Board within a 90 day period, giving time for the Board to follow SGRP's director nomination policy and locate, interview, review and evaluate candidates (the "Compromise Vacancy Procedure").  The Special Meeting Proposals also included a proposal to consider and approve the stockholder proposed Amendment No. 1 to the 2019 By-Laws to change the Compromise Vacancy Procedure and reduce the previously agreed upon period of time during which the Board may exclusively fill any vacancies on the Board from 90 days to 30 days (See Proposal 3 in the Proxy/Information Statement); If approved, such By-Law amendment would violate the Settlement Agreement, and would bypass the Compromise Vacancy Procedure and Nasdaq's nomination requirements.  The Special Meeting Proposals included proposals: (i) to consider and approve the stockholder proposed Amendment No. 2 to the 2019 By-Laws that would require the Board to have a majority of "Independent Directors" as newly defined in the proposed amendment (See Proposal 4 in the Proxy/Information Statement, which may be inconsistent with Nasdaq requirements.

 

On February 8, 2020, the Brown Extended Group called for a the addition of certain proposals (the "May Meeting Proposals") at the annual meeting of SGRP's stockholders in May (the "May Meeting") that included proposals for  amendments to the 2019 By-Laws attempting to (and would if submitted and approved) (i) change the stockholder votes required to elect directors and remove directors in such a way that would favor large majority shareholders; (ii) treat abstentions as other than votes of "no" or "against" as required by Delaware law; (iii) decrease the required stockholder participation in a special meeting request from 25% to 20%; and (iv) reduce to zero the period in which SGRP's Board (and its Governance Committee) may exclusively fill vacancies on the Board.  If approved, such By-Law amendment would violate the Settlement Agreement, and would bypass the Compromise Vacancy Procedure and Nasdaq's nomination requirements.

 

Mr. Brown (including the SP/R Trust and IGT) beneficially owns approximately 29.2% (or approximately 6.2 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock); and Mr. Bartels beneficially owns approximately 25.1% (or approximately 5.3 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock; which amounts were calculated using their respective individual beneficial ownership and the total outstanding ownership (approximately 21.1 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock on a non-diluted basis at February 24, 2020.  This means that together Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels (the "Majority Stockholders") beneficially own as a group a total of approximately 54.3% (or 11.5 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock.  If Messrs. Brown and Bartels act together again as group they have, and under certain circumstances if Mr. Brown acts alone he has, the ability to control (or significantly influence in the case of Mr. Brown acting alone) the election or removal of directors, the approval or disapproval of acquisitions, mergers, employee benefit plans, amendments to the Company's charter and/or bylaws, changes in Board size and all other matters that must or could be approved by the Company's stockholders.

 

On June 1, 2018, June 29, 2018, July 5, 2018, August 6, 2018, January 25, 2019,  October 18, 2019, February 11, 2020 and March 11, 2020, the Majority Stockholders filed amended Schedule 13Ds with the SEC, in which they each acknowledged that they "may be deemed to comprise a 'group' within the meaning of [the Securities Exchange Act of 1934]" and "may act in concert with respect to certain matters", including various listed items. Pursuant to those Schedule 13D filings, the Majority Stockholders have acted as a control group and adopted written consents to unilaterally, and without the participation of the Board, Governance Committee or other stockholders, add Mr. Robert G. Brown, Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") Lazaretos, and Mr. Jeffrey A. Mayer to the Board and remove Mr. Laurence T. Kellar from the Board without cause.  Mr. Robert G. Brown will likely be seated on the Board on or about April 24, 2020.

 

Mr. Robert G. Brown and related parties also have executed written requests forcing SGRP to call a special stockholders' meeting (currently scheduled for April 23, 2020) to consider (i) removal of Mr. Arthur B. Drogue, currently one of five independent directors of SGRP and its Chairman, from the Board, without cause,(ii) removal of Mr. R. Eric McCarthey, currently one of five independent directors of SGRP and Chairman of its Governance Committee (as of 3-1-2020), from the Board, without cause,), (iii) addition to the Board of Mr. James R. Brown Sr. (who is the brother of Robert G. Brown and the father of Peter W. Brown, a director who joined the Board in May 2018 to represent the Brown family interests), and (iv) adoption of various amendments to SGRP's By-Laws which are favorable to the Majority Stockholders and not approved or supported by a majority of SGRP's Board or Independent Directors.

 

Prior to SGRP's 2019 annual stockholders' meeting (the "2019 Annual Meeting"), Jack Partridge, an independent director of SGRP, retired effective as of the close of business on May 15, 2019. Mr. Partridge indicated that he was prepared to serve on the Board for another year, but based on Mr. Partridge's discussions with Mr. Bartels and the preliminary vote totals (including Mr. Brown's votes), Mr. Partridge believed that the Majority Stockholders would vote "against" him, so he elected to retire before the 2019 Annual Meeting.

 

 

Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels continue to have significant influence and leverage over the Company's business, corporate governance and other significant actions, including those involving stockholder approvals. A "super majority" vote of at least 75% of all SGRP directors is now required under the Restated By-Laws for any committee assignment, SGRP stock issuance of more than 500,000 SGRP shares (other than pursuant to stockholder approved plans), or By-Laws changes, which can be blocked by any two directors acting on behalf of any group (including the Majority Stockholders). The interests of the Majority Stockholders (such as changing Board composition and potentially weakening its independence, obtaining related party payments previously denied by the Company and Audit Committee and obtaining new retirement benefits for Mr. Brown previously denied by the Company and Compensation Committee) may be materially different  from time to time from, and potentially in conflict with, the interests of other stockholders, and ownership concentration could cause, delay or prevent a change in the Company's control or otherwise discourage the Company's potential acquisition by another person, any of which could cause the market price of the SGRP Common Stock to decline and that decline could be significant.

 

Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels continue to request material payments from the Company for various reasons, which they appear to believe involve millions of dollars directly or indirectly owed to them, and which Mr. Brown has said he will litigate to obtain. As the Majority Stockholder group, Mr. Robert G. Brown and Mr. Bartels also had previously stated their desire to add new directors of their unilateral choosing, including their execution of Written Consents to add Mr. Robert G. Brown, Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") Lazaretos, and Mr. Jeffrey A. Mayer to the Board and to remove Mr. Laurence T. Kellar from the Board without cause.  Mr. Robert G. Brown will likely be seated on the Board on or about April 24, 2020.  See Information in Connection with Appointment of Robert G. Brown as a Director in the Proxy/Information Statement.

 

Mr. Robert G. Brown and related parties also have executed written requests forcing SGRP to call a special stockholders' meeting (currently scheduled for April 23, 2020) to consider (i) removal of Mr. Arthur B. Drogue, currently one of five independent directors of SGRP and its Chairman, from the Board, without cause,(ii) removal of Mr. R. Eric McCarthey, currently one of five independent directors of SGRP and Chairman of its Governance Committee (as of 3-1-2020), from the Board, without cause,), (iii) addition to the Board of Mr. James R. Brown Sr. (who is the brother of Robert G. Brown and the father of Peter W. Brown, a director who joined the Board in May 2018 to represent the Brown family interests), and (iv) adoption of various amendments to SGRP's By-Laws which are favorable to the Majority Stockholders and not approved or supported by a majority of SGRP's Board or Independent Directors.  See the Proposals in the Proxy/Information Statement.

 

Acting as a group, Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels could remove all or any part of the current Board by voting "remove" in the upcoming special stockholders meeting, or by voting "no" for targeted incumbents in the upcoming annual stockholders meeting or by executing more written consents.  With fewer or no independent directors on the Board, Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels could eventually be able to pay themselves without any effective restriction or accountability.  The Company remains open to any reasonable settlement with Mr. Brown and Mr. Bartels that: (i) focuses on properly documented and substantiated claims; (ii) is approved as a related party transaction by SGRP's Audit Committee as fair, appropriate and beneficial to the Company and all of its stockholders; (iii) is acceptable to the Company's domestic lender; (iv) completely and finally releases the Company from current and future claims and litigation involving Mr. Brown, Mr. Bartels and their affiliates; and (v) stabilizes the Board and Company for a reasonable number of years.

 

There can be no assurance that the Majority Stockholders will refrain from together taking any further unilateral action through their written consents, coordinated votes as directors or stockholders, or otherwise. If such actions by the Majority Stockholders continue in the future, the Company must continue do devote significant management time and legal and financial resources, which would otherwise be spent on the Company's day-to-day business operations, to respond to and attempt to resolve the frequent claims, responses and actions by the Majority Stockholders (individually and on behalf of SBS, SAS and Infotech), which have been increasing in frequency and intensity. If the Majority Stockholders together continue to take such unilateral actions without restriction (see Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements -  Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters – Delaware Litigations Settlement, below), it could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Risks of Common Stock Ownership

 

Dividends on SGRP Common Stock are discretionary, have never been paid, are subject to restrictions in the Company's credit facilities and applicable law and can only be paid to the holders of SGRP Common Stock if the accrued and unpaid dividends and potential dividends are first paid to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock.  In the event of the Company's liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up, the holders of Common Stock are only entitled to share in the Company's assets, if any, that remain after the Company makes payment of and provision for all of the Company's debts and liabilities and the liquidation preferences of all of the Company's outstanding Preferred Stock.  There can be no assurance that sufficient funds will remain in any such case for dividends or distributions to the holders of SGRP Common Stock.  A "super majority" vote of at least 75% of all SGRP directors is now required for any SGRP stock issuances of more than 500,000 shares (other than pursuant to stockholder approved plans), which issuance can be blocked by any two directors acting on behalf of any group (including the Majority Stockholders).

 

 

Risks related to the Company's Preferred Stock

 

The Company's ability to issue or redeem Preferred Stock, or any rights to purchase such shares, could discourage an unsolicited acquisition proposal.  For example, the Company could impede a business combination by issuing a series of preferred stock containing class voting rights that would enable the holders of such preferred stock to block a business combination transaction.  Alternatively, the Company could facilitate a business combination transaction by issuing a series of preferred stock having sufficient voting rights to provide a required percentage vote of the stockholders.  Additionally, under certain circumstances, the Company's issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of the SGRP Common Stock.  SGRP's Board could act in a manner that would discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of SGRP's stockholders may believe to be in their best interests or in which SGRP's stockholders may receive a premium for their stock over prevailing market prices of such stock.  A "super majority" vote of at least 75% of all SGRP directors is now required for any SGRP preferred stock issuance, which issuance can be blocked by any two directors acting on behalf of any group (including the Majority Stockholders).

 

Risks of Illiquidity in SGRP Common Stock

 

The market price of SGRP Common Stock has historically experienced and may continue to experience significant volatility. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the sale price of SGRP Common Stock fluctuated from $0.51 to $1.38 per share. The Company believes that its Common Stock is subject to wide price fluctuations due to (among other things) the following:

 

●

The relatively small public float and corresponding thin trading market for SGRP Common Stock, attributable to (among other things) the large block of voting shares beneficially owned by the Company's co-founders (as noted below) and generally low trading volumes, and that thin trading market may cause small trades to have significant impacts on SGRP Common Stock price.

 

●

The substantial beneficial ownership of the Company's voting stock and potential control by Mr. Robert G. Brown and Mr. William H. Bartels, who are the Company's co-founders. Mr. Bartels is a director and Officer of the Company.  Mr. Brown beneficially owns approximately 29.2% (or 6.2 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock, and Mr. Bartels beneficially owns approximately 25.1% (or 5.3 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock, which amounts were calculated using their individual beneficial ownerships and the total outstanding ownership (21.1 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock on a non-diluted basis at February 24, 2020.  This means that together they and their group beneficially own a total of approximately 53.2% (or 11.4 million shares) of the SGRP Common Stock (see Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders: Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, below).

 

●

The periodic potential risk of the delisting of SGRP Common Stock from trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") (as described below).

 

●

Any announcement, estimate or disclosure by the Company, or any projection or other claim or pronouncement by any of the Company's competitors or any financial analyst, commentator, blogger or other person, respecting (i) any new service created or improved, significant contract, business acquisition or relationship, or other publicized development by the Company or any of its competitors, or (ii) any change, fluctuation or other development in the Company's actual, estimated or desired affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition or in those of any of the Company's competitors, in each case irrespective of accuracy or validity and whether or not adverse or material.

 

●

The general volatility of stock markets, consumer and investor confidence, and the general state of the economy (which often affect the prices of stock issued by the Company and many others without regard to financial results or condition).

 

If the Company issues (other than at fair market value for cash) or the Majority Stockholders sell a large number of shares of SGRP Common Stock, or if the market perceives such an issuance or sale is likely or imminent, the market price of SGRP Common Stock could decline and that decline could be significant.

 

The Company also has repurchased SGRP Common Stock from time to time, and currently has in place a Repurchase Program (as defined and described in Item 5 - Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities, below). Those repurchases could adversely affect the market liquidity of the SGRP Common Stock.

 

In addition, the volatility in the market price of SGRP Common Stock could lead to class action securities litigation that could in turn impose substantial costs on the Company, divert management's attention and resources from the day-to-day operations of the Company's business and harm the Company's stock price, the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 

Risks of Dilution

 

The Company may issue stock options and award restricted stock to directors, officers, employees and consultants in the future at Common Stock per-share exercise prices below the market price(s).  In addition, the Company may issue shares of SGRP Common Stock in the future in furtherance of the Company's acquisitions or development of businesses or assets or litigation settlements. Each of those and other issuances of SGRP Common Stock could have a dilutive effect on the value of currently held shares, depending on the price the Company is paid (or the value of the assets or business acquired) for such shares, market conditions at the time and other factors.  A "super majority" vote of at least 75% of all SGRP directors is now required for any SGRP stock issuance of more than 500,000 shares (other than pursuant to stockholder approved plans), which issuance can be blocked by any two directors acting on behalf of any group (including the Majority Stockholders).

 

Risks of a Nasdaq Delisting and Penny Stock Trading

 

Passage of the Special Meeting Proposals to remove Mr. Arthur B. Drogue and Mr. R. Eric McCarthey as directors from the Board, and add Mr. James R. Brown Sr. (brother of Robert G. Brown and father to Peter Brown a director and minority owner of SPAR Brazil) as a director to the Board, could violate the Board Independence Rule (as defined below),  See Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, above, and Removal would Violate Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule and Determining Independence and Re-determining Status of Messrs. Mayer and Lazaretos in the Proxy/Information Statement.  See also Item 9B -- Other Information -- Failure to Maintain a Majority of Independent Directors on the Board, below.

 

On December 31, 2019, SGRP received a notification letter from Nasdaq (the "Third Nasdaq Board Independence Deficiency Letter"), stating that SGRP no longer complied with Nasdaq's majority independent director requirement, as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(b)(1) (the "Board Independence Rule") as a result of the Majority Stockholders unilaterally selecting, appointing and electing Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos to the Board. See Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, above, and SGRP's Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on January 31, 2020, and January 7, 2020.

 

In a letter from SGRP to Nasdaq dated January 31, 2020, SGRP submitted the following compliance plan to Nasdaq (the "Third Compliance Plan"):

 

	●	On January 23, 2020, the Governance Committee re-evaluated the independence of Mr. Lazaretos, Jeffrey A. Mayer and Peter W. Brown, which included their re-evaluation of information previously provided.
	●	The Governance Committee discussed the information, reviewed the status of Peter Brown, Panos Lazaretos, Jeff Mayer and recognized that each director, according to their duty of care and loyalty to the public company, will operate and vote appropriately, including their responsibility to recuse themselves from voting on any issue they deem appropriate given any past or current relationships or dealings on any matter brought before the board.
	●	Accordingly, the Governance Committee unanimously re-determined Mr. Lazaretos to be independent without regard to any related party restrictions, re-determined Mr. Mayer to be fully independent without regard to any (and removed all) related party restrictions, and confirmed Mr. Brown to be non-independent. (Mr. Mayer recused himself and abstained from the vote on his status.)
	●	As a result, pursuant to that determination and the applicable previous Governance Committee's determinations, there were five independent directors on the Board as of January 23, 2020 (Arthur B. Drogue, Arthur H. Baer, R. Eric McCarthey, Jeffrey A. Mayer and Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos) and three non-independent directors on the Board (Christiaan M. Olivier, William H. Bartels, and Peter W. Brown), which constitutes more than a majority of independent directors.
	●	Accordingly, in a letter from SGRP confirmed the Governance Committee's belief that the Board now has a majority of independent directors and satisfies Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(b)(1).

 

Nasdaq has not yet responded to the Third Compliance Plan.  Nasdaq informally indicated they were waiting for the Special Meeting Results respecting the Special Meeting Proposals on the proposed independent director removals and non-independent director addition described above.

 

On July 25, 2019, following the May departure of Jack Partridge, SGRP received a notification letter from Nasdaq (the "Second Nasdaq Board Independence Deficiency Letter") stating that SGRP was no longer in compliance with the Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule and Nasdaq Rule 5605(c) (the "Audit Committee Composition Rule") and that SGRP had until May 15, 2020 to correct those deficiencies.  See SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on July 31, 2019. On September 2, 2019, the Board appointed Arthur H. Baer to the Board to fill that and appointed Mr. Baer to the Board's Audit, Compensation and Governance Committees and Special Subcommittee, all on the recommendation of its Governance Committee.  On September 3, 2019, Mr. Baer agreed to serve on the Board and its Committees. SGRP's Governance Committee determined that Mr. Baer will be an independent director as he (among other things) satisfies the applicable requirements under Nasdaq rules, including under Rule 5605(a), SEC rules, and SGRP's governance documents and policies. For more details respecting Mr. Baer's appointment, see SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on September 6, 2019.

 

 

As a result, pursuant to that determination and the applicable previous Governance Committee's determinations, on September 6, 2019, SGRP had 4 independent directors out of 7, and thus the Board then had a majority of independent directors.  In addition to Mr. Baer, the independent directors are Mr. Arthur B. Drogue (Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Governance Committee), Mr. R. Eric McCarthey (Chairman of the Audit Committee through February 29, 2018), and Jeffrey A. Mayer (Chairman of the Compensation Committee since August 2019).

 

On September 10, 2019, Nasdaq sent SGRP a letter, stating in part: "Based on the information regarding the appointment of Arthur H. Baer to the Company's Board of Directors and audit committee, effective September 3, 2019, Staff has determined that the Company complies with the Rules, and this matter is now closed.

 

SGRP received a notification letter from Nasdaq, dated December 13, 2018 (the "First Nasdaq Board Independence Deficiency Letter"), stating that SGRP no longer complied with Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule as a result of the Status Quo Order adding Mr. Jeffrey Mayer to SGRP's Board. See Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Matters – Delaware Litigation Settlement, below).  On January 31, 2019, SGRP submitted its plan to Nasdaq to regain compliance with the Board Independence Rule (the "First Compliance Plan").

 

In the First Compliance Plan, SGRP explained that it had more fully vetted and re-evaluated the independence of Mr. Mayer, based on (among other things) Mr. Mayer's independent business skills, his contribution to the Settlement (as defined in the Compliance Plan) process, his interactions with the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board") over the last five months, and his lack of financial dealings with the Majority Stockholders (as defined in the Compliance Plan), and determined that he has the requisite independence  to be considered an independent director under Rule 5605 (a)(2)) for the purposes of serving on the Board and its Compensation Committee. He will, however, be considered an interested director and excluded from any decision respecting any related party matter (as defined in the Compliance Plan), which are within the Audit Committee's purview, and he is not being appointed to the Audit Committee or the Governance Committee.  However, he is now considered fully independent.  See above

 

On February 5, 2019, Nasdaq sent SGRP a letter stating that Nasdaq "Staff has determined that since the Company's Board of Directors currently consists of four independent and three non-independent directors, it complies with the Rule and this matter is now closed".

 

SGRP received a notification letter from Nasdaq dated December 10, 2018 (the "Nasdaq Bid Price Deficiency Letter"), stating that SGRP had failed to maintain a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share for shares of the SGRP Common Stock for the prior 30 consecutive business days preceding the Nasdaq Bid Price Deficiency Letter (i.e., October 25, 2018 - December 7, 2018) as required by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the "Bid Price Rule"). The Nasdaq Bid Price Deficiency Letter provided that SGRP had until June 10, 2019, as a grace period to regain compliance with the Bid Price Rule by maintaining a closing bid price of $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days. By letter dated June 11, 2019, Nasdaq extended that grace period to December 9, 2019.  If at any time during the grace period the bid price of SGRP's Common Stock closes at $1.00 per share or more for a minimum of ten consecutive business days, Nasdaq would provide SGRP with written confirmation of compliance. On September 4, 2019, Nasdaq sent SGRP a letter stating in part that SGRP had regained compliance during the extended grace period with Nasdaq's minimum Bid Price Rule and that such matter was closed.

 

There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to comply in the future with Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule or Bid Price Rule or other Nasdaq continued listing requirements. See Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, above. If the Company fails to satisfy the applicable continued listing requirement and continues to be in non-compliance with the Bid Price Rule and the applicable six-month grace period ends, Nasdaq may commence delisting procedures against the Company (during which the Company may have additional time of up to six months to appeal and correct its non-compliance).  If the SGRP Common Stock shares were ultimately delisted by Nasdaq, trading of the SGRP Common Stock could be limited to "over-the-counter" trades and the market liquidity of the SGRP Common Stock could be adversely affected, which could result in a decrease in the market price of the SGRP Common Stock due to (among other things) the potential for increased spreads between bids and asks, lower trading volumes and reporting delays in over-the-counter trades and the negative implications and perceptions that could arise from such a delisting.  See also Item 9B -- Other Information -- Failure to Maintain a Majority of Independent Directors on the Board, below.

 

In addition to the foregoing, if the SGRP Common Stock is delisted from Nasdaq and is traded on the over-the-counter market, the application of the "penny stock" rules could adversely affect the market price of the SGRP Common Stock and increase the transaction costs to sell those shares. The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define a "penny stock" as any equity security not listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on Nasdaq that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. If the SGRP Common Stock is delisted from Nasdaq and is traded on the over-the-counter market at a price of less than $5.00 per share, the SGRP Common Stock would be considered a penny stock. Unless otherwise exempted, the SEC's penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stock and the risks in the penny stock market, the current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and the salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer's account. Further, prior to a transaction in a penny stock, the penny stock rules require the broker-dealer to provide a written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser's agreement to the transaction. If applicable in the future, the penny stock rules may restrict the ability of brokers-dealers to sell the SGRP Common Stock and may adversely affect the ability of investors to sell their shares.

 

 

Risk of Failure to Maintain Effective Internal Controls

 

Establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosures are necessary for the Company to provide reliable financial and other reporting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted and applicable securities and other law in the United States. Because of its inherent limitations, internal controls over financial and other reporting are not intended to provide absolute assurance that the Company could prevent or detect a misstatement of its financial statements or other reports or fraud. Any failure to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial and disclosure reporting could limit the Company's ability to report its financial results and file its other reports accurately and timely or to detect and prevent fraud. A significant financial or disclosure reporting failure or material weakness in internal control over financial or other reporting could cause a loss of investor confidence and a decline in the market price of the SGRP Common Stock. See also Risks of Having Material Local Investors and Local Executives in International and Domestic Subsidiaries, below.

 

Risks of Having Material Local Investors and Local Executives in International and Domestic Subsidiaries

 

The Company's international model is to join forces with Local Investors (as defined below) having merchandising service expertise and combine their knowledge of the local market with the Company's proprietary software and expertise in the merchandising business. The Company also has begun to use this model in the United States (see Item 1 – Business - The Company's Domestic and International Segments, above). As a result, each of the Company's international subsidiaries (other than Canada and Japan) and NMS and RPI domestically are owned in material part by an entity in the local country where the international or domestic subsidiary resides and that entity is not otherwise affiliated with the Company (e.g., the "Local Investor"). The agreements between the Company and the Local Investor in the respective international or domestic subsidiaries specify, among other things, the equity, programming and support services the Company is required to provide and the equity, credit support, certain services and management support that the Local Investor is required to provide to the international or domestic subsidiary. Certain of those subsidiaries also may be procuring field merchandising execution through affiliates of the applicable Local Investors. The Local Investor or its principal generally is the Chief Executive Officer of the international or domestic subsidiary for an open-ended term and has considerable autonomy and authority over its operations. The Local Investors also may wish to conduct the subsidiary's business differently than desired by the Company. In the event of any disagreement or other dispute in the business relationships between the Company and Local Investor, the Local Investor may have one or more conflicts of interest with respect to the relationship and could cause the applicable international or domestic subsidiary to operate or otherwise act in a way that is not consistent with the Company's instructions or best interests.  Using Local Investors in an acquisition has risks.   See Inability to Identify, Acquire and Successfully Integrate Acquisitions, above.

 

The agreements generally have unlimited contract terms and parties generally do not have the right to unilaterally withdraw. However, a non-defaulting party has the right to terminate such agreement upon the other party's default, receipt of notice and failure to cure within a specified period (generally 60 days internationally or 30 days domestically). In addition, either party, at any time after the end of a specified period (usually between three and five years), may: (1) sell all or part of its equity interest in the international subsidiary to a third party by providing a written notice to the other party of such intentions (in which case the other party has the right of first refusal and may purchase the equity of the offering party under the same terms and conditions) (a "Right of First Refusal"); or (2) offer to purchase the equity of the other party (in which case the other party generally has 120 days to either accept or reject the offer or to reverse the transaction and actually purchase the offering party's equity under the same terms and conditions) (a "Buy/Sell Right").

 

The Company believes its relationships with the Local Investors in its international subsidiaries remain good.  Most of the Company's respective international subsidiary contracts are either at or near the end of the applicable periods during which either of the parties may trigger the Right of First Refusal and Buy/Sell provisions described above. Both the Company and such Local Investors, as part of their ongoing relationship, are or will be assessing appropriate action as described above.

 

There can be no assurance that the Company could (if necessary under the circumstances) successfully (i) enforce its legal remedies and stop a Local Investor's principals from leaving the local subsidiary and establishing a competing business, (ii) replace equity, credit support, management, field merchandiser and other services currently provided by any Local Investor in sufficient time to perform its client obligations or (iii) provide these services and or equity in the event the Local Stockholder were to sell its stock or reduce any support to the Company's subsidiary in the applicable country.  Any cancellation, other nonperformance or material change under the subsidiary agreements with Local Investors could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

 

Risks Associated with International and Domestic Subsidiaries

 

While the Company endeavors to limit its exposure for claims and losses in any international or domestic consolidated subsidiary through contractual provisions, insurance and use of single purpose entities for such ventures, there can be no assurance that the Company will not be held liable for the claims against and losses of a particular international or domestic consolidated subsidiary under applicable local law or local interpretation of any subsidiary agreements or insurance provisions. If any such claims and losses should occur, be material in amount and be successfully asserted against the Company, such claims and losses could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Risks Associated with Foreign Currency

 

The Company also has foreign currency risk exposure associated with its international subsidiaries. In 2019, these foreign currency exposures were primarily concentrated in the Mexican Peso, South African Rand, Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, Indian Rupee, Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, and Brazilian Real.

 

Risks Associated with International Business

 

The Company's expansion strategy includes expansion into various countries around the world. There can be no assurances that the respective business environments will remain favorable. In the future, the Company's international operations and sales may be affected by the following risks, which may adversely affect United States companies doing business in foreign countries:

 

	•	Political and economic risks, including terrorist attacks and political instability;
	•	Various forms of protectionist trade legislation that currently exist or have been proposed;
	•	Expenses associated with customizing services and technology;
	•	Local laws and business practices that favor local competition;
	•	Dependence on local vendors and potential for undisclosed related party transactions;
	•	Multiple, conflicting and changing governmental laws, regulations and enforcement;
	•	Potentially adverse tax and employment law consequences;
	•	Local accounting principles, practices and procedures;
	•	Local legal principles, practices and procedures, local contract review and negotiation, and limited familiarity with contract issues (excessive warranties, extra-territoriality, sweeping intellectual property claims and the like);
	•	Limited familiarity or an unwillingness to comply with, or wrongly believing the inapplicability of, generally accepted accounting principles in the USA ("GAAP"), applicable corporate controls and policies of the Company (including its ethics code), or applicable law in the USA (including Nasdaq rules, securities laws, anti-terrorism law, Sarbanes Oxley and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act);
	•	Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and limits on the export of funds;
	•	Substantial communication barriers, including those arising from language, culture, custom and time zones; and
	•	Supervisory challenges arising from agreements, distance, physical absences and such communication barriers.

 

If any developments should occur with respect to any of those international risks and materially and adversely affect the Company's applicable international subsidiary, such developments could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, risks, trends or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected.

 

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

 

None.

 

Item 2. Properties

 

The Company does not own any real property. The Company leases certain office space and storage facilities for its corporate headquarters, divisions and subsidiaries under various operating leases, which expire at various dates during the next six years. These leases generally require the Company to pay rents at market rates, subject to periodic adjustments, plus other charges, including utilities, real estate taxes and common area maintenance. The Company believes its relationships with its landlords to be generally good. However, as these leased facilities generally are used for offices and storage, the Company believes that other leased spaces could be readily found and utilized on similar terms should the need arise.

 

 

The Company currently maintains its corporate headquarters in approximately 6,000 square feet of leased office space located in White Plains, New York, the lease for which originally expired November 30, 2022, however during 2019 the Company exercised an early lease termination option effecting a future lease termination of September 30, 2020. The Company maintains its data processing center and warehouse at its regional office in Auburn Hills, Michigan, under an extended operating lease expiring October 31, 2025. The Auburn Hills facility will become the corporate headquarters when the New York location is vacated in September 2020. However, new facilities may be added should the need arise in the future.

 

The following is a list of the headquarter locations for the Company and its international subsidiaries:

 

DOMESTIC:

White Plains, NY (Corporate Headquarters)

Auburn Hills, MI (Operational Headquarters) Southfield, MI (Worldwide Data Center) Fayetteville, GA  Jacksonville, FL

 

 

INTERNATIONAL:
Vaughan, Ontario, Canada		Tokyo, Japan	Durban, South Africa
New Delhi, India		Melbourne, Australia	Mexico City, Mexico
Shanghai, China		Istanbul, Turkey	Sao Paulo, Brazil

 

 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings 

 

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

 

Background: Related Parties And Related Party Litigation

 

SPAR Business Services, Inc., f/k/a SPAR Marketing Services, Inc. ("SBS"), SPAR Administrative Services, Inc. ("SAS"), and SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech"), have provided services from time to time to the Company and are related parties and affiliates of SGRP, but are not under the control or part of the consolidated Company. SBS is an affiliate because it is owned by an entity controlled by Robert G. Brown, and prior to November 2018, was owned by Robert G. Brown and William H. Bartels. SAS is an affiliate because it is owned by William H. Bartels, Peter W. Brown and certain other relatives of Robert G. Brown or entities controlled by them (each of whom are considered affiliates of the Company for related party purposes). Infotech is an affiliate because it is owned by Robert G. Brown. Messrs. Brown and Bartels (including, as applicable, certain related parties, the "Majority Stockholders") collectively own approximately 53.2% of SGRP's common stock and are the founders of SGRP.  Mr. Brown was Chairman and an officer and director of SGRP through May 3, 2018 (when he retired) and will automatically again become a director of SGRP, as discussed below, and Mr. Bartels is Vice Chairman and a director of SGRP.  Mr. Bartels retired as an employee of the Company as of January 1, 2020 (in accordance with the actions of SGRP's Compensation Committee on January 22, 2020). See Bartels' Retirement and Director Compensation, in Note 16 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements -- Subsequent Events, below.  Messrs. Brown and Bartels also are stockholders, directors and/or executive officers of various affiliates of SGRP.

 

For recent actions by the Majority Stockholders to change or potentially change the Board and 2019 By-Laws, see Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, above.

 

Delaware Litigation Settlement

 

On September 4, 2018, SGRP filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the "Chancery Court") a claim, C.A. No. 2018-0650, which it amended on September 21, 2018 (the "By-Laws Action"), in a Verified Complaint Seeking Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief against the Majority Stockholders. SGRP sought to invalidate the proposed amendments to SGRP's By-Laws put forth in a written consent by the Majority Stockholders (the "Proposed Amendments") because the Board's Governance Committee believed that the Proposed Amendments would have negatively impacted all stockholders (particularly minority stockholders) by (among other things) weakening the independence of the Board through new supermajority requirements, eliminating the Board's independent majority requirement, and subjecting various functions of the Board respecting vacancies on the Board to the prior approval of the holders of a majority of the Common Stock (i.e., the Majority Stockholders), and thus also potentially reducing the representation of SGRP's minority stockholders.

 

 

On September 18, 2018, Robert G Brown (one of the Majority Stockholders) commenced an action in the Chancery Court pursuant to 8 Del. C. §225(a) from (C.A. No. 2018-00687-TMR) (the "225 Action") against the 225 Defendants seeking to remove Lorrence T. Kellar from the Board and add Jeffrey Mayer to the Board.

 

On January 18, 2019, SGRP, Messrs. Brown and Bartels, Christiaan Olivier (Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director of SGRP), and all four of the members of the Governance Committee at that time, namely Lorrence T. Kellar (Chairman), Jack W. Partridge, Arthur B. Drogue and R. Eric McCarthey (together with Mr. Olivier, the "225 Defendants"), reached a settlement (the "Delaware Settlement") in the By-Laws Action and the 225 Action (together, the "Delaware Actions") and had the Delaware Actions then dismissed.

 

In the Delaware Settlement, the parties agreed to amend and restate SGRP's By-Laws (the "2019 Restated By-Laws") with negotiated changes to the Proposed Amendments that preserved the current roles of the Governance Committee and Board in the location, evaluation, and selection of candidates for director and in the nominations of those candidates for the annual stockholders meeting and appointment of those candidates to fill Board vacancies (other than those under a stockholder written consent making a removal and appointment, which is unchanged). The Board approved and adopted the 2019 Restated By-Laws on January 18, 2019. The Governance Committee and the Board believe that those changes in the 2019 Restated By-Laws will help the Corporation maintain the independent Board desired by them.

 

Additionally, as part of the Delaware Settlement, the parties to the Delaware Actions executed a Limited Mutual Release Agreement limited to the Delaware Actions, subject to specific exclusions (the "Delaware Releases"), and the parties to the Delaware Actions mutually agreed upon Stipulations of Dismissal ending those actions without prejudice and without admission or retraction of any fact cited therein, and the parties caused them to be filed with the Chancery Court on January 18, 2019.

 

The Delaware Releases are limited to matters related to those actions described therein and subject to specific exclusions, and the parties expressly preserved all unrelated actions and claims.  Accordingly, there remain a number of unresolved claims and actions (each a "Non-Settled Matter") between the Company and certain related parties, including (without limitation) post termination claims by and against SBS (which has been resolved  in a voluntary bankruptcy proceeding in Nevada by SBS -- see SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement, and March 2020 Claim, below) and SAS and the lawsuit by Infotech against the Company (which has been resolved in a settlement – see  Infotech Litigation and Settlement, below), by Messrs. Brown and Bartels for advancement and indemnification of legal fees and expenses in connection with the Delaware Actions and certain related party claims (see Advancement Claims, below).  For further information regarding the details of the Delaware Settlement, the Delaware Releases, the Non-Settled Matters, see Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings – Related Parties and Related Party Litigation – Delaware Litigation Settlement, Advancement Claims and Non-Settled Matters, SBS Field Specialist Litigation, SBS Clothier Litigation, and SGRP Hogan Litigation in SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 14, 2019 (the "Q2 2019 Quarterly Report"). and Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings -- SBS Rodgers Litigation in SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 18, 2018 (the "Q3 2018 Quarterly Report").

 

Background:  Recent Actions of the Majority Stockholders and their Control Group

 

On June 1, 2018, June 29, 2018, July 5, 2018, August 6, 2018, January 25, 2019,  October 18, 2019, February 11, 2020 and March 11, 2020, the Majority Stockholders filed amended Schedule 13Ds with the SEC, in which they each acknowledged that they "may be deemed to comprise a 'group' within the meaning of [the Securities Exchange Act of 1934]" and "may act in concert with respect to certain matters", including various listed items. Pursuant to those Schedule 13D filings, the Majority Stockholders have acted as a control group and adopted written consents to unilaterally, and without the participation of the Board, Governance Committee or other stockholders, add Mr. Robert G. Brown, Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") Lazaretos, and Mr. Jeffrey A. Mayer to the Board and remove Mr. Laurence T. Kellar from the Board without cause.  Mr. Robert G. Brown will likely be seated on the Board on or about April 24, 2020.  See Risks of a Nasdaq Delisting and Penny Stock Trading, above

 

Prior to SGRP's 2019 annual stockholders' meeting (the "2019 Annual Meeting"), Jack Partridge, an independent director of SGRP, retired effective as of the close of business on May 15, 2019. Mr. Partridge indicated that he was prepared to serve on the Board for another year, but based on Mr. Partridge's discussions with Mr. Bartels and the preliminary vote totals (including Mr. Brown's votes), Mr. Partridge believed that the Majority Stockholders would vote "against" him, so he elected to retire before the 2019 Annual Meeting.

 

 

On July 10, 2019, Robert G Brown wrote in an email communication to Arthur B. Drogue, an independent director and Chairman of the Board, to which he copied Mr. Bartels, Mr. Peter W. Brown and Mr. Jeffery Mayer (each a director), expressing Mr. Brown's concerns with the positions of certain of SGRP's directors (the "July 10 Email"), including the independent directors.   The concerns listed in the July 10 Email include SGRP's refusal to reimburse the alleged expenses of entities owned by, or affiliated with, the Majority Stockholders, that have not been approved by the Audit Committee and SGRP's management (collectively, the "Brown Demands"). Mr. Bartels has since repeated several of the Brown Demands. These amounts were included in his March 2020 Demand (See SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement, and March 2020 Claim, below).  Mr. Brown further demanded in the July 10 Email that the directors change their positions and accept the Brown Demands or resign.  In the July 10 Email, Mr. Brown indicated his desire to have SGRP's directors acquiesce to his requests or resign, neither of which SGRP's independent directors believe are in the best interests of SGRP and its stockholders, which Mr. Drogue communicated to the Majority Stockholders in response to the July 10 Email.  For further information regarding Mr. Brown's demands, his threatened removal of directors who oppose such demands and the Majority Stockholders' request to hold a special stockholders meeting to affect such director removals. See SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 23, 2019.

 

In furtherance of furthered such threats to remove directors who do not comply with his demands, Mr. Robert G. Brown and related parties have executed and delivered written requests forcing SGRP to call a special stockholders' meeting (currently scheduled for April 23, 2020) to consider (i) removal of Mr. Arthur B. Drogue, currently one of five independent directors of SGRP and its Chairman, from the Board, without cause,(ii) removal of Mr. R. Eric McCarthey, currently one of five independent directors of SGRP and Chairman of its Governance Committee (as of 3-1-2020), from the Board, without cause,), (iii) addition to the Board of Mr. James R. Brown Sr. (who is the brother of Robert G. Brown and the father of Peter W. Brown, a director who joined the Board in May 2018 to represent the Brown family interests), and (iv) adoption of various amendments to SGRP's By-Laws which are favorable to the Majority Stockholders and not approved or supported by a majority of SGRP's Board or Independent Directors.  See Risks of a Nasdaq Delisting and Penny Stock Trading, above.  See SGRP's Definitive Proxy Statement and Information Statement on Schedules 14A and 14C, respectively, for the registrant's 2020 Special Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on April 23, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 3, 2020.

 

For additional recent actions by the Majority Stockholders to change or potentially change the Board and 2019 By-Laws, see Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders and Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, above.

 

Advancement Claims

 

From October 2018 through January 2019, the Majority Stockholders, in a series of correspondence, demanded from SGRP advancement and indemnification of their respective shares of legal fees and expenses incurred by them in connection with the By-Laws Action and the 225 Action and other related party litigation matters.

 

On November 2, 2018, in a letter from his counsel, Mr. Bartels demanded advancement of his proportionate share of the legal fees and expenses incurred in his defense of the By-Laws Action against him.

 

SGRP's Audit Committee determined on November 5, 2018, that Mr. Bartels was not entitled to indemnification by SGRP for his fees and expenses incurred in his defense of the By-Laws Action because (among other things) Mr. Bartels was sued predominately as a stockholder in the By-Laws Action and not as a director and the By-Laws Action alleged numerous instances of improper conduct by Mr. Bartels that could preclude indemnification under the Corporation's By-Laws. However, the Audit Committee made no determination regarding improper conduct or the issue of advancement.

 

On November 28, 2018, Mr. Bartels filed with the Court a Verified Complaint For Advancement against SGRP (the "Bartels Advancement Complaint") seeking advancement of his proportionate share of the legal fees and expenses incurred in the By-Laws Case against him ("Allocated By-Laws Expenses").  In evaluating the Bartels Advancement Complaint, counsel advised SGRP that generally advancement was somewhat different than indemnification in that money was advanced on the condition (which Bartels have accepted in writing) that the advances be repaid if indemnification was determined to be improper on the grounds of improper conduct or otherwise.

 

In December 2018 SGRP reached agreement with Mr. Bartels through counsel to conditionally make his reasonably documented Allocated By-Laws Expenses (the "Bartels Advancement Settlement"), pursuant to which payment to Mr. Bartels of the accepted Allocated By-Laws Expenses was paid in April 2019.  If Mr. Bartels is ultimately determined to not be entitled to indemnification, he could still be obligated to return all amounts advanced to him by SGRP.

 

On December 3, 2018, Robert G. Brown sent an email to Mr. McCarthey, Chairman of SGRP's Audit Committee, demanding advancement from SGRP for his proportionate share of the legal fees and expenses incurred by him in the By-Laws Action against him (the "Brown Advancement Demand").

 

 

Counsel advised that Brown had been sued as a stockholder and conspirator in the By-Laws Action against him, and not as a director, and they didn't believe Brown could reasonably and successfully bring or wage a lawsuit for advancement.  SGRP, with the support of its Audit Committee, rejected the Brown Advancement Demand, stating that "The bylaw action does not sue you in your capacity as an officer or director of the company.  Section 6.02 of the bylaws requires the proceeding subject to advancement to be brought "by /reason of the Indemnitee's position with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries … at the request of the Corporation …."  This provision does not, and was not intended to, cover shareholders for advancement.

 

On January 27, 2019, Mr. Robert G. Brown sent a draft of his proposed Delaware litigation complaint in an email to Arthur Drogue, SGRP's Chairman, threatening to sue SGRP respecting the Brown Advancement Demand, which he repeated in an email to Mr. McCarthey on February 2, 2019. On March 21, 2020, Mr. Robert G. Brown repeated the Brown Advancement Demand and sent a slightly revised draft complaint that would purportedly change the contemplated litigation jurisdiction from Delaware to Massachusetts.  No explanation was given for this change and SGRP believes that Mr. Robert G. Brown does not live or work in Massachusetts, but Mr. Robert G. Brown's brother, James S. Brown, is a Massachusetts lawyer and a candidate for election as a SGRP director at the April 23, 2020, special stockholder meeting at the unilateral direction of Mr. Robert G. Brown and related parties.  No such complaint has been filed by Mr. Brown through April TBD, 2020, and SGRP continues to deny the Brown Advancement Demand.  In addition, SGRP believes that the Delaware Court has exclusive jurisdiction pursuant to SGRP's 2019 Restated By-Laws and the Settlement.

 

For further information regarding such advancement claims, see Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Q2 2019 Quarterly Report - Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings – Advancement Claims.

 

SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement and March 2020 Claim

 

On November 23, 2018, SBS petitioned for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. District for Nevada (the "SBS Chapter 11 Case").  On March 18, 2019, the Company filed claims in the SBS Chapter 11 Case seeking reimbursement for $378,838 for SMF's funding of the Affinity Security Deposits and $12,963 for SMF's funding of the field payment checks that would have otherwise bounced, and $1,839,459 for indemnification of SGRP for its settlement (see below) of the Clothier class action case in California ("Clothier") and legal costs and an unspecified amount for indemnification of SGRP for the Hogan action (see below) and other to be discovered indemnified claims.

 

On August 6, 2019, SGRP, and its subsidiaries SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. ("SMF"), a Nevada corporation, and SPAR Assembly & Installation, Inc., f/k/a SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., a Nevada corporation, submitted to the U.S. District Court in Nevada (the "Bankruptcy Court") their Compromise and Settlement Agreement, dated July 26, 2019 (the "Settlement Agreement"), with SBS, a Nevada corporation formerly known as SPAR Marketing Services, Inc., debtor and debtor-in-possession, and SBS, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company.  The Settlement Agreement was submitted in the SBS Chapter 11 Case.  Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company settled its claims for (among other things) indemnification from SBS in Clothier and the Rodgers class action case in Texas ("Rodgers"), and SBS released all receivable and other claims against the Company.  See Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions – SBS Bankruptcy, Settlement, and March 2020 Claim, above.

 

On August 6, 2019, the Bankruptcy Court approved the Settlement Agreement and the SBS reorganization pursuant to SBS' First Amended Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization, as amended by the Settlement Agreement (the "Plan of Reorganization").  Pursuant to its Plan of Reorganization, SBS also settled its potential liability in the Clothier and Rodgers cases, but Robert G. Brown and William H. Bartels were not released from Clothier, any related case or Rodgers.  For further information regarding the Clothier and Rodgers cases, the SBS bankruptcy and the Settlement Agreement, including SBS's potential competition with SGRP and the potential involvement of certain SGRP directors in the management of SBS following the Plan of Reorganization, see SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on Aug 8, 2019.  See Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings -- SBS Rodgers Litigation in the Q3 2018 Quarterly Report.  In the Settlement Agreement, except for the carve out described in the next paragraph, SBS completely released the Company from all obligations that may be owed to SBS.

 

On March 6, 2020, Robert G. Brown demanded payment in full of $1,707,374 to SBS from SMF and SGRP pursuant to the SBS Settlement Agreement.  The Settlement Agreement includes a specific carve out clause for the payment of specific fees for services provided by SBS to SMF.  The clause required a special review, by a third party prominent auditing firm, as verification that SMF actually made those payments to SBS.   The report has been completed and properly supports the Company’s position that all such fees were paid to SBS (the "March 2020 Claim"). The Company disagrees that such amount is owed. The Company believes that the robust and comprehensive mutual releases in the SBS Settlement Agreement provide valuable relief from potential future claims and litigation by SBS respecting the Company's past involvement with SBS, including the March 2020 Claim.  However, Robert G. Brown, president, director and indirect owner of  SBS, since and notwithstanding the Court's approval of the SBS Settlement Agreement, has continued to allege that the claims and amounts that were fully released pursuant to the SBS Settlement Agreement and approved by the bankruptcy court are due to SBS from the Company, and the Company strongly disagrees.

 

 

At SGRP’s March 2020 Board meeting, Mr. William H. Bartels was requested by an independent director to compile a list of claims that he and Mr. Brown believe are owed by the Company. On March 17, 2020, that list was given to the Audit Committee Chairman and included additional claims, net of an anticipated reduction, totaling approximately $1.3 million, bring their total claims to approximately $3 million.  Since all such SBS claims have been completely released by SBS (with Mr. Brown's approval), the Company owes nothing and will not accrue anything respecting Mr. Brown's renewed claims.

 

The March 2020 Claim includes estimates for the legal defenses of Robert G. Brown and William H. Bartels in California ("PAGA") and Texas ("Rodgers") in cases that do not involve and never included the Company and for which the Company believes it has no liability.  The March 2020 Claim also includes defense expenses for SBS' Clothier case, which expenses SBS settled for a highly discounted amount in its bankruptcy reorganization but now wants the Company to pay in full. SBS in its bankruptcy reorganization settled its potential liability in the Rodgers and Clothier cases has, and since July 2019 had, no more defense expenses in those cases.  SGRP settled Clothier separately and was never in the Rodgers case. However, the alleged continued willful misclassification by SBS of its ICs after the Clothier misclassification determination is the basis for the PAGA lawsuit against Brown and Bartels. See Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings -- SBS Field Specialist Litigation, SBS Clothier Litigation, and SGRP Hogan Litigation in SGRP's Quarterly Report in the Q2 2019 Quarterly Report, and Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings -- SBS Rodgers Litigation in SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC in the Q3 2018 Quarterly Report. Mr. Bartels' list also includes payments of $500,000 per year to Robert G. Brown for extended retirement and advisory fees, although the Company has never proposed, committed or agreed to them and on several occasions specifically rejected Mr. Brown's proposals in various forms for them.

 

Infotech Litigation and Settlement

 

On September 19, 2018, SGRP was served with a Summons and Complaint by SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech"), an affiliate of SGRP that is owned principally by Robert G. Brown (one of the Majority Stockholders) as plaintiff commencing a case against SGRP (the "Infotech Action"). The Infotech Action sought payment from SGRP of approximately $190,000 for alleged lost tax benefits and other expenses that it claims to have incurred in connection with SGRP's acquisition of its Brazilian subsidiary and that were previously denied on multiple occasions by both management and SGRP's Audit Committee (whose approval was required because Infotech is a related party).

 

In 2016, SGRP acquired SPAR Brasil Serviços de Merchandising e Tecnologia S.A. ("SPAR BSMT"), its Brazilian subsidiary, with the assistance of Robert G. Brown (while he was still Chairman and an officer and director of SGRP) and his nephew, Peter W. Brown, who became an indirect 10% owner of SPAR BSMT, and later became a director of SGRP on May 3, 2018. Robert G. Brown used his private company, Infotech and undisclosed foreign companies to structure the acquisition for SGRP.

 

Robert G. Brown incurred his alleged expenses associated with the transaction through Infotech, including salary allocations for unauthorized personnel and claims for his "lost tax breaks".  Robert G. Brown submitted his unauthorized and unsubstantiated "expenses" to SGRP, and SGRP's Audit Committee allowed approximately $50,000 of them (which was paid by the Company) and disallowed approximately $150,000 of them.  His claim increased to over $190,000 in the Infotech Action.  The Company vigorously denied owing any of those amounts.

 

In 2018, Infotech also threatened to sue the Company in Romania for approximately $900,000 for programming services allegedly owed to the Company's former Romanian subsidiary (sold at book value to Infotech in 2013) and not provided to Infotech (the "Romanian Claim"). Infotech gave a draft complaint to the Company in 2018. The Company also vigorously denied owing any of those obligations or amounts.

 

In order to avoid the expenses of protracted litigation, SGRP's Management and the Audit Committee agreed that it would be in the best interest of all stockholders to reach a reasonable settlement of both the Infotech Action and the Romanian Claim for installment payments in reasonable amounts and mutual releases of all other related claims.  Management had offed $225,000 to settle both, but at the urging of the Board and assurances of several Board members that it would help them persuade Robert G. Brown to settle, management agreed to increase the settlement offer to a total of $275,000.  After extensive negotiation between the Company and Infotech, Robert G. Brown accepted the $275,000 offer and the parties entered into the Confidential Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release on October 8, 2019 (the "Infotech Settlement Agreement"), which was approved and ordered by the Court on October 30, 2019, and the Infotech Action was discontinued (dismissed) with prejudice.

 

The Infotech Settlement Agreement requires the Company to make payments totaling $275,000 in four installments: (i) $75,000 following Court approval (which Payment has already been made); (ii) $75,000 within 30 days following discontinuance of the Infotech Action (which was discontinued on October 30, 2019); (iii) $75,000 within 60 days following discontinuance of the Infotech Action; and (iv) $50,000 within 90 days following discontinuance of the Infotech Action.  The Company paid the first four installments and has made an appropriate accrual for the final installment as of December 31, 2019.  In January 2020, the Company made the final payment to Infotech.

 

 

The Company believes that the robust and comprehensive mutual releases in the Infotech Settlement Agreement provide valuable relief from potential future claims and litigation by Infotech respecting the Company's past involvement with Infotech in the Brazilian and Romanian transactions.

 

SBS Field Specialist Litigation

 

The Company's merchandising, audit, assembly and other services for its domestic clients are performed by field merchandising, auditing, assembly and other field personnel (each a "Field Specialist") furnished by others and substantially all of whose services were provided to the Company prior to August 2018 by SBS, the Company's affiliate, SBS is not a subsidiary or in any way under the control of SGRP, SBS is not consolidated in the Company's financial statements, SGRP did not manage, direct or control SBS, and SGRP did not participate in or control the defense by SBS of any litigation against it. The Company terminated its relationship with SBS and received no services from SBS after July 27, 2018.  For affiliation, termination, contractual details and payment amounts, see Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, above.

 

The appropriateness of SBS' treatment of Field Specialists as independent contractors had been periodically subject to legal challenge (both currently and historically) by various states and others. SBS' expenses of defending those challenges and other proceedings generally were, through but not after the termination of the SBS services, reimbursed by the Company after and to the extent the Company determined (on a case by case basis) that those defense expenses were costs of providing services to the Company.

 

The Company settled its potential liability (as a current or former party) under two class action lawsuits against SBS, namely Clothier and Hogan.  SBS was separately dismissed from the Hogan class action prior to the Company's settlement.  SBS settled with Clothier and Rodgers in the SBS Bankruptcy, but Robert G. Brown and William H. Bartels were not released from Clothier, any related case or Rodgers (see above).  The Company has never been a party to the Rodgers case.  See Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Q2 2019 Quarterly Report - Commitments and Contingencies -- SBS Clothier Litigation and SGRP Hogan Litigation, and Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Commitments and Contingencies -- Legal Proceedings -- SBS Rodgers Litigation in the Q3 2018 Quarterly Report.

 

Any claim made and proven by Robert G. Brown, William H. Bartels, SBS, SAS, any other related party or any third party that the Company is somehow liable (through indemnification or otherwise) for any judgment or similar amount imposed against Mr. Brown, Mr. Bartels, SBS or SAS or any other related party, in each case in whole or in part, could have a material adverse effect on the Company or its performance or condition (including its assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, income, legal costs liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, prospects, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results or condition), whether actual or as planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected. See Note 8 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the Q2 2019 Quarterly Report - Commitments and Contingencies.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

 

 

PART II

 

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

The Company's Capital Stock Generally

 

SGRP's certificate of incorporation authorizes it to issue 47,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.01 per share (the "SGRP Common Stock"), which all have the same voting, dividend and liquidation rights. SGRP Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market ("Nasdaq") under the symbol "SGRP". On December 31, 2019, there were 21,102,335 shares of SGRP Common Stock outstanding in the aggregate (which does not include Treasury Shares), and 8.4 million shares (or approximately 38.0%) of SGRP Common Stock beneficially owned by non-affiliates of the Company in the aggregate on a non-diluted basis (i.e., SGRP's public float). See Item IA - Risk Factors - Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders: Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, above, and Item 12 – Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters, below.

 

SGRP's certificate of incorporation also authorizes it to issue 3,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.01 per share (the "SGRP Preferred Stock"), which may have such preferences and priorities over the SGRP Common Stock and other rights, powers and privileges as SGRP's Board of Directors may establish in its discretion from time to time. SGRP has created and authorized the issuance of a maximum of 3,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to SGRP's Certificate of Designation of Series A Preferred Stock (the "Series A Preferred Stock"), which preferred shares have dividend and liquidation preferences, have a cumulative dividend of 10% per year, are redeemable at the Company's option and are convertible at the holder's option (and without further consideration) on a one-to-one basis into SGRP Common Stock. 554,402 shares of Series A preferred stock were previously issued, reacquired and retired. After such retirement, 2,445,598 shares of Series A Preferred Stock remain authorized and available for issuance. At December 31, 2019, no shares of Series A Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding. SGRP can change or cancel the authorized Series A Preferred Stock, and to the extent it reduces such authorization without issuance, it can create other series of Preferred Stock with potentially different dividends, preferences and other terms. The holders of SGRP Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock vote together for directors and other matters, other than matters pertaining only to the Series A Preferred Stock (such as amending SGRP's Certificate of Designation of Series A Preferred Stock) where only the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote.

 

Market Information

 

SGRP's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market ("Nasdaq") under the symbol "SGRP".  As of December 31, 2019, there were approximately 165 stockholders of record.

 

Dividends

 

The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its Common Stock and does not anticipate paying cash dividends on its Common Stock in the foreseeable future. The Company currently intends to retain future earnings to finance its operations and fund the growth of the business. Any payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company and will depend upon, among other things, the Company's earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness, contractual restrictions in respect to the payment of dividends and other factors that the Company's Board of Directors deems relevant.

 

 

Equity Compensation

 

Information regarding the Company's equity compensation plans may be found in Item 12 of this Annual Report, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

Stock Repurchase Program

 

The Company's 2017 Stock Repurchase Program (the "2017 Repurchase Program"), as approved by SGRP's Audit Committee and adopted by its Board of Directors on November 10, 2017 and ratified on March 14, 2018.  Under the 2017 Repurchase Program, SGRP may repurchase shares of SGRP Common Stock through November 10, 2020, but not more than 500,000 shares in total, and those repurchases would be made from time to time in the open market and through privately-negotiated transactions, subject to general market and other conditions.  SGRP does not intend to repurchase any shares in the market during any blackout period applicable to its officers and directors under the SPAR Group, Inc. Statement of Policy Regarding Personal Securities Transactions in SGRP Stock and Non-Public Information As Adopted, Restated, Effective and Dated as of May 1, 2004, and As Further Amended Through March 10, 2011 (other than purchases that would otherwise be permitted under the circumstances for anyone covered by such policy). As of December 31, 2019, the Company had 500,000 shares remaining to be purchased under the 2017 Repurchase Program.

 

SGRP Common Stock Issuances

 

During 2019, the Company issued 317,852 new shares of SGRP Common Stock in support of its requirement to satisfy employee exercised stock option grants under its existing registered stock compensation and stock purchase plans (See Note 11 – Stock Based Compensation). In 2018, SGRP did not issue any new SGRP Common Stock.

 

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

 

Not applicable.

 

 

Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

This "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contains forward-looking statements within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, made or respecting by SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP") and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"). See FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS preceding Part I, above. There also are "forward-looking statements" contained elsewhere in this Annual Report, the Proxy Statement, and the other applicable SEC Reports filed with the SEC from time to time under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other Securities Laws (as all such terms are defined in FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, preceding Part I, above).

 

All forward-looking statements and other information attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly subject to and qualified by all of the risks, uncertainties, cautions, circumstances and other factors ("Risks") facing the Company, including the Risks and other information described in Item IA - Risk Factors, above, or elsewhere in this Annual Report, the Proxy Statement or any other applicable SEC Report.

 

The Company does not intend, assume any obligation, or promise to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statement, Risk or 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.

 

Overview

 

SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP"), and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, the "SPAR Group" or the "Company"), is a diversified international merchandising and marketing services company and provides a broad array of services worldwide to help companies improve their sales, operating efficiency and profits at retail locations. The Company provides merchandising and other marketing services to manufacturers, distributors and retailers worldwide, primarily in mass merchandise, office supply, grocery, drug, dollar, home improvement, independent, automotive, convenience and electronics stores, as well as providing furniture and other product assembly services in stores, homes and offices and marketing research services. The Company has supplied these services in the United States since certain of its merchandising predecessors were formed in 1985 and research predecessors were formed in 1979 and internationally since the Company acquired its first international subsidiary in Japan in May 2001. Today the Company operates in 10 countries that encompass approximately 50% of the total world population through operations in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey.

 

Critical Accounting Policies & Estimates

 

The Company's critical accounting policies, including the assumptions and judgments underlying them, are disclosed in Note 2 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. These policies have been consistently applied in all material respects and address such matters as revenue recognition, doubtful accounts and credit risks, internal use software development costs, asset impairment recognition, consolidation of subsidiaries and other companies. While the estimates and judgments associated with the application of these policies may be affected by different assumptions or conditions, the Company believes the estimates and judgments associated with the reported amounts are appropriate under the circumstances.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

 

The Company continually monitors events and changes in circumstances that could indicate that the carrying amounts of the Company's property and equipment and intangible assets subjected to amortization may not be recoverable. When indicators of potential impairment exist, the Company assesses the recoverability of the assets by estimating whether the Company will recover its carrying value through the undiscounted future cash flows generated by the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. Based on this analysis, if the Company does not believe that it will be able to recover the carrying value of the asset, the Company records an impairment loss to the extent that the carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value of the asset. If any assumptions, projections or estimates regarding any asset change in the future, the Company may have to record an impairment to reduce the net book value of such individual asset.

 

 

Accounting for Joint Venture Subsidiaries

 

For the Company's less than wholly owned subsidiaries, the Company first analyzes to determine if a joint venture subsidiary is a variable interest entity (a "VIE") in accordance with ASC 810 and if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary requiring consolidation. A VIE is an entity that has (i) insufficient equity to permit it to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or (ii) equity holders that lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. VIEs are consolidated by the primary beneficiary, which is the entity that has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that potentially could be significant to the entity. Variable interests in a VIE are contractual, ownership, or other financial interests in a VIE that change with changes in the fair value of the VIE's net assets. The Company continuously re-assesses at each level of the joint venture whether the entity is (i) a VIE, and (ii) if the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. If it was determined that an entity in which the Company holds an interest qualified as a VIE and the Company was the primary beneficiary, it would be consolidated.

 

Based on the Company's analysis for each of its 51% owned joint ventures, the Company has determined that each is a VIE and that Company is the primary beneficiary of that VIE.  In addition to its controlling interest, the Company controls the proprietary information technology that is used at and is significant to each joint venture and the Company has the ability to control other key decisions.  Accordingly, the Company has the power to direct key activities and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could be significant and consolidates each joint venture under the VIE rules and reflects the 49% interests in the Company's consolidated financial statements as non-controlling interests.  The Company records these non-controlling interests at their initial fair value, adjusting the basis prospectively for their share of the respective consolidated investments' net income or loss or equity contributions and distributions.  These non-controlling interests are not redeemable by the equity holders and are presented as part of permanent equity.  Income and losses are allocated to the non-controlling interest holder based on its economic ownership percentage. 

 

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company's services are provided to its clients under contracts or agreements. The Company bills its clients based upon service fee arrangements. Revenues under service fee arrangements are recognized when the service is performed. Customer deposits, which are considered advances on future work, are recorded as revenue in the period services are provided.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (Topic 606) "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." Topic 606 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605 "Revenue Recognition" (Topic 605) and requires entities to recognize revenue when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company adopted Topic 606 as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method with the impact upon adoption not significant.

 

The Company records revenue from contracts with its customers through the execution of a Master Service Agreement ("MSA") that are effectuated through individual Statements of Work ("SOW" and with the applicable MSA collectively a "Contract"). The MSAs generally define the financial, service, and communication obligations between the client and SPAR while the SOWs state the project objective, scope of work, time frame, rate and driver in which SPAR will be paid.  Only when the MSA and SOW are combined as a Contract can all five revenue standard criteria be met.  The Company integrates a series of tasks promised within these Contracts into a bundle of services that represent the combined performance obligation of Merchandising Services.  Such Merchandising Services are performed over the duration of the SOW. Most Merchandising Services are performed on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Revenue from Merchandising Services are recognized as the services are performed based on a rate per driver basis (per hour, store visit or unit stocked) with services delivered as they are consumed.

 

All of the Company's Contracts with customers have a duration of one year or less, with over 90% being completed in less than 30-days, and revenue is recognized as services are performed. Given the nature of the Company's business, how the Contracts are structured and how the Company is compensated the Company has elected the right-to-invoice practical expedients method allowed under the revenue standard.

 

Doubtful Accounts and Credit Risks

 

The Company continually monitors the collectability of its accounts receivable based upon current client credit information and financial condition. Balances that are deemed to be uncollectible after the Company has attempted reasonable collection efforts are written off through a charge to the bad debt allowance and a credit to accounts receivable. Accounts receivable balances, net of any applicable reserves or allowances, are stated at the amount that management expects to collect from the outstanding balances. The Company provides for probable uncollectible amounts through a charge to earnings and a credit to bad debt allowance based in part on management's assessment of the current status of individual accounts. Based on management's assessment, the Company established an allowance for doubtful accounts of $438,000 and $533,000 at December 31, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Bad debt expense was $83,000 and $196,000 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

 

Internal Use Software Development Costs

 

The Company capitalizes certain costs associated with its internally developed software. Specifically, the Company capitalizes the costs of materials and services incurred in developing or obtaining internal use software. These costs include (but are not limited to) the cost to purchase software, the cost to write program code, payroll and related benefits and travel expenses for those employees who are directly involved with and who devote time to the Company's software development projects. Capitalized software development costs are amortized over three years on a straight-line basis.

 

The Company capitalized approximately $1.3 million of costs related to software developed for internal use in both 2019 and 2018, and recognized approximately $1.3 million of amortization of capitalized software for both the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

 

Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth selected financial data and such data as a percentage of net revenues for the years indicated (dollars in millions).

 

		Year Ended December 31,
		2019				%				2018				%
Net revenues		$	252.9				100	%		$	229.1				100	%
Cost of revenues			203.6				80.5				184.9				80.7
Selling, general & administrative expense			36.9				14.6				38.4				16.8
Depreciation & amortization			2.2				0.9				2.1				0.9
Interest expense, net			1.0				0.4				1.0				0.5
Other (income), net			(0.3	)			(0.1	)			(0.4	)			(0.2	)
Income before income taxes			9.4				3.7				3.1				1.3
Income tax expense			3.6				1.4				1.4				0.6
Net income			5.8				2.3				1.7				0.7
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest			(3.4	)			(1.4	)			(3.2	)			(1.4	)
Net income (loss) attributable to SPAR Group, Inc.		$	2.4				1.0	%		$	(1.5	)			(0.7	)%

 

Results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to the year ended December 31, 2018

 

Net Revenues

 

Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019, were $252.9 million compared to $229.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $23.7 million or 10.3%.  Domestic contributed $10.7 million and the international segment contributed $13.0 million of the increase year over year.

 

Domestic net revenues totaled $90.7 million and $80.0 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The increase of $10.7 million or 13.3% is primarily attributable to project growth.

 

International net revenues totaled $162.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to $149.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $13.1 million or 8.8%. The increase in 2019 international net revenues was primarily due to increased revenue in Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and Japan.  See Note 12 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Segment Information, below.

 

Cost of Revenues

 

The Company's cost of revenues consists of its in-store labor and field management wages, related benefits, travel and other direct labor-related expenses and was 80.5% of net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to 80.7% of net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018.

 

Domestic cost of revenue as a percent of net revenue was 76.5% for both years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. 

 

International cost of revenue as a percent of net revenue was 82.8% and 82.9% for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The international cost of revenue percentage decrease of 0.1% percentage point was primarily due to margin improvements in Mexico, India, and Brazil.

 

 

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses of the Company include its corporate overhead, project management, information technology, executive compensation, human resources, legal and accounting expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately $36.9 million and approximately $38.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Domestic selling, general and administrative expenses totaled approximately $16.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to approximately $19.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.  Of the decrease of approximately $3.0 million, the cost savings is attributed to SGRP ($2 million) and Resource Plus ($800,000).

 

International selling, general and administrative expenses totaled approximately $20.0 million and $18.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Depreciation and Amortization

 

Depreciation and amortization expense totaled approximately $2.2 million and $2.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Interest Expense

 

The Company's interest expense was $1.0 million and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

The international segment contributed $402,000 to the decrease in the Company's 2019 interest expense primarily due to borrowing requirements from the Company's subsidiary in Brazil and a reduction in interest income in South Africa. In the domestic segment, 2019 interest expense increased by approximately $353,000 compared to 2018 primarily due to rate increase.

 

Other Income

 

Other income was $266,000 and $406,000 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Income Tax 

 

The income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $3.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively.

 

Non-controlling Interest

 

Net operating profits from the non-controlling interests, relating to the Company's 51% owned subsidiaries, resulted in a reduction of net income attributable to SPAR Group, Inc. of $3.4 million and $3.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Net Income (Loss)

 

The Company reported a net income attributable to SPAR Group, Inc. of $2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, or $0.12 per basic share, compared to a net loss of $1.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, or ($0.07) per diluted share, based on basic shares outstanding of 20.9 million at December 31, 2019, and 20.7 million at December 31, 2018.

 

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

None.

 

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company had net income before non-controlling interest of $5.8 million and $1.5 million, respectively.

 

Net cash provided by operating activities was $6.1 million and $2.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Net cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to cash impacting earnings and increases in accounts payable and accrued expenses, partially offset by increases in accounts receivable, and prepaid and other assets.

 

Net cash used in investing activities for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, was approximately $1.4 million and $0.9 million, respectively. The net cash used in investing activities during 2019 was attributable to fixed asset.

 

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was approximately $2.0 million compared to $0.2 million provided by financing activities in 2018. Net cash used in financing activities during 2019 was primarily due to net borrowing on lines of credit.

 

The above activity and the impact of foreign exchange rate changes resulted in an increase in cash and cash equivalents for the year ended December 31, 2019 of approximately $3.3 million.

 

At December 31, 2019, the Company had net working capital of $17.4 million, as compared to net working capital of $12.6 million at December 31, 2018. The Company's current ratio was 1.4 and 1.3 at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

 

Credit Facilities: 

 

The Company is a party to various domestic and international credit facilities. See Note 4 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Credit Facilities.

 

These various domestic and international credit facilities require compliance with their respective financial covenants. During 2019, the Company was in compliance with all other financial covenants.

 

Management believes that based upon the continuation of the Company's existing credit facilities, projected results of operations, vendor payment requirements and other financing available to the Company (including amounts due to affiliates), sources of cash availability should be manageable and sufficient to support ongoing operations over the next year. However, delays in collection of receivables due from any of the Company's major clients, a significant reduction in business from such clients, or a negative economic downturn resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 virus, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, cash resources and ongoing ability to fund operations.

 

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 

 

See Item 15 – Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

 

None.

 

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

 

 

Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

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

 

The Company's management has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting using the "Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013)" created by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO") framework. Based on this evaluation, management has concluded that internal controls over financial reporting were effective as of December 31, 2019.

 

Management's Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

The Company's chief executive officer and chief financial officer have each reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of December 31, 2019, as required by Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(b) and Rule 15d-15(b). Based on that evaluation, the chief executive officer and chief financial officer have each concluded that the Company's current disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports it files, or submits under the Exchange Act were recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the SEC's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer's management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

Changes in Internal Controls

 

There have been no changes in the Company's internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the Company's 2019 fiscal year that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal controls over financial reporting.

 

Item 9B. Other Information 

 

Failure to Maintain a Majority of Independent Directors on the Board

 

The Board and the Governance Committee have determined that the Board should always have a majority of independent directors as required by applicable Nasdaq and SEC rules.  SGRP's Statement of Policy Regarding Director Qualifications and Nominations dated as of May 18, 2004, requires that (among other things) a majority of the directors of the Board, and all of the members of its Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Governance Committee, be independent directors as required by applicable Nasdaq and SEC rules.  Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(b)(1) requires a majority of the board of directors of a listed company to consist of independent directors, as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) (together, the "Board Independence Rules").

 

At the time of his appointment, Mr. Lazaretos was classified as non-independent and caused SGRP to fail to comply with the Nasdaq's Board Independence Rule.  On December 31, 2019, SGRP received a notification letter from Nasdaq (the "Nasdaq Board Independence Deficiency Letter"), stating that SGRP was no longer in compliance with the Board Independence Rule as a result of Mr. Lazaretos being added to the Board pursuant to the Written Consents of the Majority Stockholders. See SGRP's Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on January 31, 2020, and January 7, 2020. See also SGRP's Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on January 31, 2020, September 16, 2019, August 23, 2019 and August 12, 2019.

 

On January 23, 2020, the Governance Committee re-evaluated the independence of Mr. Lazaretos and Mr. Mayer, which included their re-evaluation of information previously provided. Accordingly, the Governance Committee believes that the Board now has a majority of independent directors and satisfies Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(b)(1) and has advised Nasdaq of the above in a letter on February 4, 2020.

 

The Governance Committee has not yet evaluated the independence of Robert G. Brown. However, Robert G. Brown is the uncle of Mr. Peter Brown, and is a significant stockholder of SGRP, a member of a 13D control group, and SGRP's former Chairman and director. Since there is no presumption of independence under Nasdaq Rules or the Charter of the Governance Committee, Robert G. Brown will be considered non-independent unless and until determined otherwise by the Governance Committee (if ever).

 

The eight-member Board currently has five independent directors (Arthur B. Drogue, Arthur H. Baer, R. Eric McCarthey, Jeffrey A. Mayer and Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos) and three non-independent directors on the Board (Christiaan M. Olivier, William H. Bartels, and Peter W. Brown), which constitutes more than a majority of independent directors, and the Company believes satisfies Nasdaq's Board Independence Rules. See SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K respecting such compliance as filed with the SEC on September 16, 2019, and for details respecting Arthur Baer's appointment as an independent director, see SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on September 6, 2019.  When Robert G. Brown's appointment as a director of SGRP becomes effective, the nine-member Board will have five independent directors on the Board, and four non-independent directors, which constitutes more than a majority of independent directors and which will satisfy Nasdaq's Board Independence Rules.

 

However, Robert G. Brown's appointment will result in SGRP having less than a majority (three out of seven or four out of eight) of independent directors as required by applicable Nasdaq rules if, at the Special Meeting pursuant to the Written Request, stockholders vote "for" the proposals respecting the removal of Mr. Arthur B. Drogue and Mr. R. Eric McCarthey (currently two of five independent directors of SGRP) from the Board.

 

 

PART III

 

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

Reference is made to the information set forth under the captions "The Board of Directors of the Corporation", "Executives and Officers of the Corporation", "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management" and "Corporate Governance" in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders currently scheduled to be held on May 13, 2020, as and when filed with the SEC (which SGRP plans to file pursuant to Regulation 14A in April of 2020, but not later than 120 days after the end of the Company's 2019 fiscal year), which information is incorporated by reference to this Annual Report. For clarity (and without limitation), information appearing in the sections in such Proxy Statement entitled "PROPOSAL 3 - ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", "PROPOSAL 4 - ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY THAT THE CORPORATION HOLDS THE ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", and "REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS" shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report.

 

Without in any way limiting any of the information incorporated by reference above, in order to (among other things) assist the Board and the Audit Committee in connection with an overall review of the Company's related party transactions and certain worker classification-related litigation matters, in April 2017 the Board formed a special subcommittee of the Audit Committee (the "Special Subcommittee") to (among other things) review the structure, documentation, fairness, conflicts, fidelity, appropriateness, and practices respecting each of the relationships and transactions discussed in Item 13 – Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions (including those described under Domestic Related Party Services in that Item and Note). The Special Subcommittee is continuing that review with the assistance of special auditors and counsel is currently being retained by such Subcommittee. The Company is currently unable to predict the duration, ultimate scope, or results of this review by the Special Subcommittee. See also Item 1 Business - The Company's Labor Force, Item 1A - Risk Factors - Potential Conflicts with Affiliates, Potential Conflicts with Affiliates, and Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders: Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, and Item 3 - Legal Proceedings, above, and Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, below.

 

Item 11. Executive Compensation 

 

Reference is made to the information set forth under the captions "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management", "Executive Compensation, Directors and Other Information", "Executive Compensation, Equity Awards and Options", and "Compensation Plans", in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders currently scheduled to be held on May 13, 2020, as and when filed with the SEC (which SGRP plans to file pursuant to Regulation 14A in April of 2020, but not later than 120 days after the end of the Company's 2019 fiscal year), which information is incorporated by reference to this Annual Report. For clarity (and without limitation), information appearing in the sections in such Proxy Statement entitled "PROPOSAL 3 - ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", "PROPOSAL 4 - ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY THAT THE CORPORATION HOLDS THE ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", and "REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS" shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report.

 

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 

 

Reference is made to the information set forth under the captions "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management", "Executive Compensation, Equity Awards and Options", and "Compensation Plans" in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders currently scheduled to be held on May 13, 2020, as and when filed with the SEC (which SGRP plans to file pursuant to Regulation 14A in April of 2020, but not later than 120 days after the end of the Company's 2019 fiscal year), which information is incorporated by reference to this Annual Report. For clarity (and without limitation), information appearing in the sections in such Proxy Statement entitled "PROPOSAL 3 - ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", "PROPOSAL 4 - ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY THAT THE CORPORATION HOLDS THE ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", and "REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS" shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report.

 

 

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 

 

Reference is made to the information set forth under the caption "Transactions with Related Persons, Promoters and Certain Control Persons" in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders currently scheduled to be held on May 13, 2020, as and when filed with the SEC (which SGRP plans to file pursuant to Regulation 14A in April of 2020, but not later than 120 days after the end of the Company's 2019 fiscal year), which information is incorporated by reference to this Annual Report. For clarity (and without limitation), information appearing in the sections in such Proxy Statement entitled "PROPOSAL 3 - ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", "PROPOSAL 4 - ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY THAT THE CORPORATION HOLDS THE ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION", and "REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS" shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report.

 

Without in any way limiting any of the information incorporated by reference above, in order to (among other things) assist the Board and the Audit Committee in connection with an overall review of the Company's related party transactions and certain worker classification-related litigation matters, in April 2017 the Board formed a special subcommittee of the Audit Committee (the "Special Subcommittee") to (among other things) review the structure, documentation, fairness, conflicts, fidelity, appropriateness, and practices respecting each of the relationships and transactions discussed in Item 13 – Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions (including those described under Domestic Related Party Services in that Item and Note). The Special Subcommittee is continuing that review with the assistance of special auditors and counsel currently being retained by such Subcommittee. The Company is currently unable to predict the duration, ultimate scope, or results of this review by the Special Subcommittee. See also Item 1 Business - The Company's Labor Force, Item 1A - Risk Factors - Potential Conflicts with Affiliates, Potential Conflicts with Affiliates, and Risks Related to the Company's Significant Stockholders: Potential Voting Control and Conflicts, and Item 3 - Legal Proceedings, above, and Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Commitments and Contingencies - Legal Matters, and Note 10 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements – Related Party Transactions - Domestic Related Party Services, below.

 

Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

 

Reference is made to the information set forth under the caption "PROPOSAL 2 - RATIFICATION, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE APPOINTMENT OF BDO USA, LLP AS THE COMPANY'S PRINCIPAL INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS" in SGRP's definitive Proxy Statement respecting its Annual Meeting of Stockholders currently scheduled to be held on May 13, 2020, as and when filed with the SEC (which SGRP plans to file pursuant to Regulation 14A in April of 2020, but not later than 120 days after the end of the Company's 2019 fiscal year), which information is incorporated by reference to this Annual Report. For clarity (and without limitation), information appearing in the section "REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS" shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report.

 

 

PART IV

 

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

1.     Index to Financial Statements filed as part of this report:

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	F-1
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018	F-2
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018	F-3
Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018	F-4
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018	F-5
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements	F-6

 

2.     Financial Statement Schedule

 

Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

F-46

 

3.

Exhibits

 

Exhibit Number		Description
3.1		Certificate of Incorporation of SPAR Group, Inc. (referred to therein under its former name of PIA Merchandising Services, Inc.), as amended ("SGRP"), incorporated by reference to SGRP's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 33-80429), as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on December 14, 1995 (the "Form S-1"), and the Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 8, 1999 (which, among other things, changes SGRP's name to SPAR Group, Inc.), (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 3rd Quarter ended September 30, 1999).
3.2		Certificate of Designation of Series "A" Preferred Stock of SPAR Group, Inc., as of March 28, 2008 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2008).
3.3		Amended and Restated By-Laws of SPAR Group, Inc., as adopted, restated, effective and dated January 18, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 25, 2019).
3.4		Amended and Restated Charter of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of SPAR Group, Inc., adopted on May 18, 2004 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 27, 2004).
3.5		Charter of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of SPAR Group, Inc., adopted on May 18, 2004 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 27, 2004).
3.6		Charter of the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors of SPAR Group, Inc., adopted on May 18, 2004 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 27, 2004).
3.7		Charter of the Special Subcommittee of the Board of Directors of SPAR Group, Inc., adopted in April 7, 2017 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).

 

 

3.8		SPAR Group, Inc. Statement of Policy Respecting Stockholder Communications with Directors, adopted on May 18, 2004 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 27, 2004).
3.9		SPAR Group, Inc. Statement of Policy Regarding Director Qualifications and Nominations, adopted on May 18, 2004 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 27, 2004).
3.10		SPAR Group, Inc. Statement of Policy Respecting Complaints and Communications by Employees and Others as Amended and Restated as of August 13, 2015 (also known as the Whistleblower Policy) (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).
3.11		SGRP 2018 Stock Repurchase Program as approved by SGRP's Audit Committee and adopted by its Board of Directors on November 10, 2017 and ratified on March 14, 2018  (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).
4.1		Form of SGRP's Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-162657) as filed with the SEC on February 7, 2011).
4.2		Form of SGRP's Preferred Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-162657) as filed with the SEC on February 7, 2011).
4.3		Registration Rights Agreement entered into as of January 21, 1992, by and between SGRP (as successor to, by merger in 1996 with, PIA Holding Corporation, f/k/a RVM Holding Corporation, the California Limited Partnership, The Riordan Foundation and Creditanstalt-Bankverine (incorporated by reference to the Form S-1).
4.4		SGRP's Offer to Exchange Certain Outstanding Stock Options for New Stock Options dated August 24, 2009 (incorporated by reference to Exhibits 99(a)(1)(A) through (G) of SGRP's Schedule TO dated August 24, 2009, as filed with the SEC on August 25, 2009 ("SGRP's SC TO-I")).
10.1		2018 Stock Compensation Plan of SGRP, effective as of May 2, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Annex A to SGRP's Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on April 18, 2018).
10.2		SPAR Group, Inc. 2008 Stock Compensation Plan, effective as of May 29, 2008, and as amended through May 28, 2009 (the "SGRP 2008 Plan") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 4, 2009, as filed with the SEC on June 4, 2009).
10.3		Summary Description and Prospectus dated August 24, 2009, respecting the SPAR Group, Inc. 2008 Stock Compensation Plan, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99(a)(1)(G) to SGRP's SC TO-I).
10.4		Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Contract for new awards under the SGRP 2008 Plan (incorporated by reference to SGRP's first and final amendment to its SC TO-I on Schedule TO I/A dated October 20, 2009, as filed with the SEC on October 22, 2009).
10.5		2000 Stock Option Plan, as amended through May 16, 2006 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2006, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2006).
10.6		2001 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Proxy Statement for SGRP's annual stockholders meeting held on August 2, 2001, as filed with the SEC on July 12, 2001).
10.7		2001 Consultant Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Proxy Statement for SGRP's Annual meeting held on August 2, 2001, as filed with the SEC on July 12, 2001).
10.8		SGRP 2018 Stock Repurchase Program as approved by SGRP's Audit Committee and adopted by its Board of Directors on November 10, 2017 and ratified on March 14, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).
10.9		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between William H. Bartels and SGRP, dated as of December 22, 2008 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as filed with the SEC on April 15, 2010).
10.10		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between James R. Segreto and SGRP, dated as of September 5, 2017  (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 8, 2018).
10.11		First Amendment to Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between James R. Segreto and SGRP dated as of November 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.12		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Kori G. Belzer and SGRP, dated as of September 5, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 8, 2018).

 

 

10.13		First Amendment to Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Kori G. Belzer and SGRP dated as of November 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.14		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Gerard Marrone and SGRP dated as of September 5, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 8, 2018).
10.15		First Amendment to Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Gerard Marrone and SGRP dated as of November 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.16		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Steven J. Adolph and SGRP dated as of September 5, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 8, 2018).
10.17		Executive Officer Severance Agreement between Steven J. Adolph and SGRP dated as of June 17, 2016 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.18		Corrected First Amendment to Severance Agreements between Steven J. Adolph and SGRP dated as of August 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.19		Second Amendment to Severance Agreements between Steven J. Adolph and SGRP dated as of November 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.20		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Lawrence David Swift and SGRP dated as of September 5, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 8, 2018).
10.21		First Amendment to Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Lawrence David Swift and SGRP dated as of November 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.22		Amended and Restated Change in Control Severance Agreement between Christiaan M. Olivier and SGRP dated as of September 5, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as filed with the SEC on August 20, 2018).
10.23		Executive Officer Severance Agreement between Christiaan M. Olivier and SGRP dated as of September 5, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as filed with the SEC on August 20, 2018).
10.24		First Amendment to Severance Agreements between Christiaan M. Olivier and SGRP dated as of November 8, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.25		Amended and Restated Field Service Agreement dated and effective as of January 1, 2004, by and between SPAR Marketing Services, Inc., and SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004, as filed with the SEC on May 21, 2004).

 

10.26		First Amendment to Amended and Restated Field Service Agreement between SPAR Marketing Services, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., a Nevada corporation ("SMF"), dated September 30, 2008, and effective as of September 24, 2008 (the "First Amendment") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 6, 2008, as filed with the SEC on October 6, 2008).
10.27		Amended and Restated Field Management Agreement dated and effective as of January 1, 2004, by and between SPAR Management Services, Inc., and SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004, as filed with the SEC on May 21, 2004).
10.28		Amended and Restated Programming and Support Agreement by and between SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. and SPAR InfoTech, Inc., dated and effective as of September 15, 2007 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2007).
10.29		Trademark License Agreement dated as of July 8, 1999, by and between SPAR Marketing Services, Inc., and SPAR Trademarks, Inc. (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2003).
10.30		Trademark License Agreement dated as of July 8, 1999, by and between SPAR InfoTech, Inc., and SPAR Trademarks, Inc. (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2003).
10.31		Joint Venture Agreement dated as of March 29, 2006, by and between FACE AND COSMETIC TRADING SERVICES PTY LIMITED and SPAR International Ltd., respecting the Company's subsidiary in Australia (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007).
10.32		Joint Venture Shareholders Agreement between Friedshelf 401 (Proprietary) Limited, SPAR Group International, Inc., Derek O'Brien, Brian Mason, SMD Meridian CC, Meridian Sales & Merchandising (Western Cape) CC, Retail Consumer Marketing CC, Merhold Holding Trust in respect of SGRP Meridian (Proprietary) Limited, dated as of June 25, 2004, respecting SGRP's consolidated subsidiary in South Africa (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, as filed with the SEC on April 12, 2005).

 

 

10.33		Joint Venture Agreement dated as of September 3, 2012, by and between Combined Manufacturers National (Pty) Ltd and SGRP Meridian (Pty) Ltd, respecting SGRP's additional consolidated subsidiary in South Africa (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2013).
10.34		Joint Venture Agreement dated as of August 2, 2011, by and among Todopromo, S.A. de C.V., Sepeme, S.A. de C.V., Top Promoservicios, S.A. de C.V., Conapad, S.C., Mr. Juan Francisco Medina Domenzain, Mr. Juan Francisco Medina Staines, Mr. Jorge Carlos Medina Staines, Mr. Julio Cesar Hernandez Vanegas, and SPAR Group International, Inc., respecting SGRP's consolidated subsidiary in Mexico (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2013).
10.35		Joint Venture Agreement dated as of August 30, 2012, by and between National Merchandising of America, Inc., a Georgia corporation, SPAR NMS Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation and consolidated subsidiary of SGRP, and National Merchandising Services, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company and consolidated subsidiary of SGRP (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on November 9, 2012).
10.36		Joint Venture Contract dated July 4, 2014, among SPAR China Inc., established and existing under the laws of Hong Kong, Wedone Shanghai, Co., Ltd., organized and existing under the laws of P.R. China, Shanghai Gold Pack Investment Management Co., Ltd., organized and existing under the laws of P.R. China, and XU Gang, an Australian citizen (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the SEC on April 17, 2017).
10.37		Joint Venture Agreement dated as of September 13, 2016, by and between JK Consultoria Empresarial Ltda.-ME, a limitada formed under the laws of Brazil, Earth Investments, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company, and SGRP Brasil Participações Ltda., a limitada formed under the laws of Brazil (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).

 

10.38		Field Services Agreement dated as of September 1, 2012, between National Merchandising of America, Inc., a Georgia corporation, and National Merchandising Services, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company and consolidated subsidiary of SGRP (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on November 9, 2012).
10.39		Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of March 15, 2013, between Market Force Information, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., a Nevada corporation and consolidated subsidiary of SGRP (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on March 20, 2013).
10.40		Master Field Services Agreement dated as of August 1, 2013, between National Retail Source, LLC, a Georgia limited liability company and affiliate of SGRP, and National Merchandising Services, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company and consolidated subsidiary of SGRP (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2013).
10.41		Share Purchase Agreement (respecting equity and debt interests in SPAR Business Ideas Provider S.R.L.) dated as of August 31, 2013, between SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech"), a Nevada corporation and affiliate of SGRP, and SPAR International Ltd. ("SPAR Cayman"), a Cayman Islands corporation and consolidated subsidiary of SGRP (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2013).
10.42		Stock Purchase Agreement as of October 13, 2017, by and between the SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. ("SMF"), as buyer and Joseph L. Paulk, as seller (the "Resource Paulk SPA") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.43		Stock Purchase Agreement as of October 13, 2017, by and between SMF, as buyer, and Richard Justus, as seller (the "Resource Justus SPA") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.44		$2,600,000.00 secured promissory note from SMF to Joseph L. Paulk dated as of January 1, 2018 (the "Resource Paulk Note") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).

 

 

10.45		Securities Pledge and Escrow Agreement securing the Resource Paulk Note between SMF and Joseph L. Paulk dated as of January 1, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.46		Guaranty of the Resource Paulk Note by SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP"), in favor of Joseph L. Paulk dated as of January 1, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.47		$100,000.00 secured Promissory Note from SMF to Richard Justus dated as of January 1, 2018 (the "Resource Justus Note") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.48		Securities Pledge and Escrow Agreement securing the Resource Justus Note between SMF and Richard Justus dated as of January 1, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.49		Executive Officer Employment Terms and Severance Agreement between RPI and Richard Justus dated as of January 1, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 16, 2018).
10.50		Loan and Security Agreement entered into as of April 10, 2019, by and among North Mill Capital LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("North Mill"), SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "US NM Borrower"), SPAR Canada Company, an unlimited company organized under the laws of Nova Scotia (the "Canadian NM Borrower"), and each of SPAR Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("SGRP"), and SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., and SPAR Assembly & Installation, Inc., each a Nevada corporation (including SGRP, each as a "NM Guarantor"), (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.51		$12,500,000.00 Revolving Credit Master Promissory Note dated April 10, 2019, issued by the US NM Borrower to North Mill, (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.52		CDN$2,500,000.00 Revolving Credit Master Promissory Note dated April 10, 2019, issued by the Canadian NM Borrower to North Mill, (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.53		Corporate Guaranty dated as of April 10, 2019, from the NM Guarantors to North Mill, (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.54		Collateral Pledge Agreement dated as of April 10, 2019, by SGRP, the US NM Borrower and SPAR Acquisition, Inc., in favor of North Mill, (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).
10.55		Collateral Assignment (Security Agreement) (Trademarks) effective:  April 10, 2019, from SPAR Trademarks, Inc., to North Mill, (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2019).

 

10.56		Loan Agreement dated as of January 16, 2018, by and among PNC Bank, National Association ("PNC"), and SPAR Group, Inc. ("SGRP"), and certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries in the United States and Canada, namely SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Assembly & Installation, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company (each, a "PNC Borrower" and collectively, the "PNC Borrowers"), and SPAR Canada, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., and SPAR Trademarks, Inc. (together with SGRP, each a "PNC Guarantor" and collectively, the "PNC Guarantors) (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 26, 2018).
10.57		US$9,000,000.00 Committed Line Of Credit Note dated January 16, 2018, issued by the PNC Borrowers to PNC (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 26, 2018).
10.58		Guaranty and Suretyship Agreement dated as of January 16, 2018, by and among the PNC Guarantors and PNC (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 26, 2018).
10.59		Security Agreement dated as of January 16, 2018, by and among the PNC Borrowers and PNC Guarantors (each, a "PNC Loan Party" and collectively, the "PNC Loan Parties") and PNC (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 26, 2018).
10.60		Revolving Loan and Security Agreement dated as of July 6, 2010 (the "Sterling Loan Agreement"), by and among SGRP, and certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, namely SPAR Incentive Marketing, Inc., PIA Merchandising Co., Inc., Pivotal Sales Company, National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR/Burgoyne Retail Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc. and SPAR, Inc. (each a "Subsidiary Borrower", and together with SGRP, collectively, the "SPAR Sterling Borrowers"), and Sterling National Bank, as Agent (the "Sterling Agent"), and Sterling National Bank and Cornerstone Bank, as lenders (collectively, the "Sterling Lenders") (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on July 12, 2010).
10.61		Secured Revolving Loan Note in the original maximum principal amount of $5,000,000 issued by the SPAR Sterling Borrowers to Sterling National Bank pursuant to (and governed by) the Sterling Loan Agreement and dated as of July 6, 2010 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on July 12, 2010).
10.62		Secured Revolving Loan Note in the original maximum principal amount of $1,500,000 issued by the SPAR Sterling Borrowers to Cornerstone Bank pursuant to (and governed by) the Sterling Loan Agreement and dated as of July 6, 2010 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on July 12, 2010).

 

 

10.63		Limited Continuing Guaranty of the obligations of the SPAR Sterling Borrowers under the Sterling Loan Agreement from Robert G. Brown and William H. Bartels in favor of the Sterling Lenders dated as of July 6, 2010 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on July 12, 2010).
10.64		Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents dated as of September 1, 2011, and effective as of June 1, 2011, among the SPAR Sterling Borrowers, the Sterling Lenders and the Sterling Agent and confirmed by Robert G. Brown and William H. Bartels as guarantors (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 21, 2012).

 

10.65		Second Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents dated and effective as of July 1, 2012, among the SPAR Sterling Borrowers, the Sterling Lenders (including Cornerstone as a departing Lender), and the Sterling Agent (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on August 10, 2012).
10.66		Third Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents dated as of February 11, 2013, and effective as of January 1, 2013, among the SPAR Sterling Borrowers, the Sterling Lenders and the Sterling Agent (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2013).
10.67		Fourth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, effective as of July 1, 2013, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., and SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., as "Borrower" (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on July 15, 2013).
10.68		Fifth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of October 30, 2013, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., and SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., each as an original "Borrower", and SPAR Canada, Inc., SPAR Canada Company and SPAR Wings & Ink Company, each as a "Borrower" newly added to such loan agreement by such amendment (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2013).
10.69		Sixth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of July 1, 2014, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on May 14, 2015).
10.70		Amended and Restated Secured Revolving Loan Note dated as of July 1, 2014, in the original maximum principal amount of $7,500,000 issued to Sterling National Bank by SPAR Group, Inc., National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such note, pursuant to (and governed by) the Sterling Loan Agreement as amended (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on May 14, 2015).
10.71		Seventh Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of September 28, 2015, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016).

 

 

10.72		Amended and Restated Secured Revolving Loan Note dated as of September 28, 2015, in the original maximum principal amount of $8,500,000 issued to Sterling National Bank by SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such note, pursuant to (and governed by) the Sterling Loan Agreement as amended (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016).
10.73		Waiver letter from Sterling National Bank, dated as of May 16, 2016, but effective as of March 31, 2016 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on August 15, 2016).

 

10.74		Waiver letter from Sterling National Bank, dated as of November 18, 2016, but effective as of September 30, 2016 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on November 21, 2016).
10.75		Eighth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of December 22, 2016, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on December 28, 2016).
10.76		Amended and Restated Secured Revolving Loan Note dated as of December 22, 2016, in the original maximum principal amount of $9,000,000 issued to Sterling National Bank by SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such note, pursuant to (and governed by) the Sterling Loan Agreement as amended (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on December 28, 2016).
10.77		Ninth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of March 3, 2017, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the SEC on April 17, 2017).
10.78		Amended and Restated Secured Revolving Loan Note dated as of March 3, 2017, in the original maximum principal amount of $9,000,000 issued to Sterling National Bank by SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such note, pursuant to (and governed by) the Sterling Loan Agreement as amended (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the SEC on April 17, 2017).
10.79		Tenth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of June 27, 2017, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR Installation & Assembly, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on May 22, 2017).
10.80		Eleventh Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of June 27, 2017, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR Installation & Assembly, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on July 5, 2017).

 

 

10.81		Twelfth Agreement of Amendment to Revolving Loan and Security Agreement And Other Documents, dated and effective as of September 6, 2017, by and among Sterling National Bank, as "Lender" and "Agent", and SPAR Group, Inc., SPAR Installation & Assembly, Inc., SPAR Group International, Inc., SPAR Acquisition, Inc., SPAR Trademarks, Inc., SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., SPAR Canada, Inc., and SPAR Canada Company, each as a "Borrower" under such loan agreement as of such amendment date (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on September 25, 2017).
10.82		Confirmation of Credit Facilities Letter by Royal Bank of Canada in favor of SPAR Canada Company dated as of October 17, 2006 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007).
10.83		Confirmation of Credit Facilities Letter Terms and Conditions by SPAR Canada Company in favor of Royal Bank of Canada dated as of October 20, 2006 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007).
10.84		Waiver Letter and Amendment by and between Royal Bank of Canada and SPAR Canada Company, dated as of March 31, 2008 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2008).
10.85		Letter of Offer dated September 29, 2011, and General Business Factoring Agreement (undated) between Oxford Funding Pty Ltd and SPARFACTS Pty Ltd (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2013).
10.86		Letter from Nasdaq to the Company dated July 13, 2017, giving the Company notice that it had regained compliance with Nasdaq's Bid Price Rule (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).
10.87		Limited Mutual Release Agreement, dated as of January 18, 2019, among Robert G. Brown, William H. Bartels, Christiaan Olivier, Lorrence T. Kellar, Jack W. Partridge, Arthur B. Drogue and R. Eric McCarthey (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 25, 2019).
10.88		Stipulation of Dismissal, dated as of January 18, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 25, 2019).
10.89		Stipulation and Proposed Order of Dismissal, dated as of January 23, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on January 25, 2019).
10.90		Notice of Termination of Service Term to Become Effective August 1, 2018, and dated May 7, 2018, from SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., to SPAR Administrative Services, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 10, 2018).
10.91		Notice of Cessation of Use of SBS Services Anticipated on or before August 15, 2018, and dated May 23, 2018, from SPAR Marketing Force, Inc., to SPAR Business Services, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to SGRP's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 25, 2018).
14.1		SPAR Group Code of Ethical Conduct for its Directors, Executives, Officers, Employees, Consultants and other Representatives Amended and Restated (as of) March 15, 2018 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018).

 

 

14.2		Statement of Policy Regarding Personal Securities Transactions in SGRP Stock and Non-Public Information, as adopted, restated, effective and dated as of May 1, 2004, and as further amended through March 10, 2011 (incorporated by reference to SGRP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, as filed with the SEC on March 15, 2011).
21.1		List of Subsidiaries (as filed herewith).
23.1		Consent of BDO USA, LLP (as filed herewith).
31.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (as filed herewith).
31.2		Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (as filed herewith).

 

32.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (as filed herewith).
32.2		Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (as filed herewith).
101.INS*		XBRL Instance
101.SCH*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
101.CAL*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation
101.DEF*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition
101.LAB*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels
101.PRE*		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation

 

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

 

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary

 

None.

 

 

SIGNATURES 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
	By:	/s/ Christiaan M. Olivier
		Christiaan M. Olivier
		Chief Executive Officer
	Date:  April 14, 2020

 

KNOW ALL THESE PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Christiaan M. Olivier and James R. Segreto and each of them, jointly and severally, his attorneys-in-fact, each with full power of substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each said attorneys-in-fact or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities indicated.

 

SIGNATURE		TITLE
/s/ Christiaan M. Olivier		Chief Executive Officer and Director
Christiaan M. Olivier		(Principal Executive Officer)
Date: April 14, 2020
/s/ Arthur B. Drogue		Chairman of the Board and Director
Arthur B. Drogue
Date: April 14, 2020
		Vice Chairman and Director
William H. Bartels
Date: April 14, 2020
/s/ R. Eric McCarthey		Director
R. Eric McCarthey
Date: April 14, 2020
/s/ Jeffrey A. Mayer		Director
Jeffrey A. Mayer
Date: April 14, 2020
/s/ Arthur H. Baer		Director
Arthur H. Baer
Date: April 14, 2020
		Director
Peter W. Brown
Date: April 14, 2020
		Director
Panagiotis N. Lazaretos
Date: April 14, 2020
/s/ James R. Segreto		Chief Financial Officer,
James R. Segreto		Treasurer and Secretary (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Date: April 14, 2020

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Board of The Directors and Stockholders

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

White Plains, New York

 

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of SPAR Group, Inc. (the "Company") and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes and financial statement schedule listed in the accompanying index (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 and subsidiaries at December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2019, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Change in Accounting Principle

 

As discussed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for leases for the year ended December 31, 2019 due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842, Leases.

 

Emphasis of Matter

 

As more fully described in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company may be materially impacted by the novel strain Coronavirus (COVID-19) which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("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 consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated 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 consolidated 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 consolidated 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/ BDO USA, LLP

Troy, Michigan

April 14, 2020

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

See accompanying notes to the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

See accompanying notes to the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Equity

(In thousands)

 

 

See accompanying notes to the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

 

 

See accompanying notes to the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

Exhibit 21.1

 

SPAR Group, Inc.
List of Subsidiaries

 

100 % Owned Subsidiaries	State or Country of Incorporation
SPAR Acquisition, Inc.	Nevada
SPAR Assembly & Installation, Inc. (f/k/a SPAR National Assembly Services, Inc.)	Nevada
SPAR Canada Company	Nova Scotia, Canada
SPAR Canada, Inc.	Nevada
SPAR Group International, Inc.	Nevada
SPAR, Inc.	Nevada
SPAR International Ltd.	Cayman Islands
SPAR Marketing Force, Inc.	Nevada
SPAR Trademarks, Inc.	Nevada
SPAR Merchandising Romania, Ltd. (inactive)	Romania
SPAR China Ltd.	China
SPAR FM Japan, Inc.	Japan
SPAR (Shanghai) Field Marketing Ltd. (inactive)	China
SGRP Brasil Participações Ltda. ("SPAR Holdings")	Brazil
NMS Holdings, Inc.	Nevada
NMS Retail Services, ULC	Nova Scotia, Canada
51% Owned Subsidiaries	State or Country of Incorporation
National Merchandising Services, LLC	Nevada
Resource Plus of North Florida, Inc. (RPI")*	Florida
Owns 70% BDA Resources, LLC	Florida
Leasex, LLC.	Florida
Mobex of North Florida, Inc.	Florida
SGRP Meridian (Pty), Ltd.	South Africa
Owns 51% of CMR-Meridian (Pty) Ltd.	South Africa
SPARFACTS Australia (Pty), Ltd.	Australia
SPAR (Shanghai) Marketing Management Company Ltd.	China
Owns 100% of Unilink	China
Owns 75.5% of SPAR DSI Human Resource Company	China
SPAR TODOPROMO, SAPI, de CV	Mexico
SPAR NDS Tanitim Ve Danismanlik A.S.	Turkey
SPAR KROGNOS Marketing Private Limited	India
Preceptor Marketing Services Private Limited	India
SPAR Brasil Serviços de Merchandising e Tecnologia S.A. ("SPAR Brazil")	Brazil
SPAR Brasil Serviços LTDA. (f/k/a New Momentum Ltda.) **	Brazil
SPAR Brasil Serviços Temporários LTDA.  (f/k/a New Momentum Serviços Temporários Ltda.) **	Brazil

 

*   RPI owns a 70% interest in BDA Resource, LLC, a Florida limited liability company

** The Company effectively owns slightly more than 51% of this subsidiary since SPAR Brazil owns 99% and SPAR Holdings owns 1% of the equity in this subsidiary.

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

White Plains, New York

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-3 (No. 333-162657) and Form S-8 (Nos. 333-07377, 333-53400, 333-73000, 333-73002, 333-152706, 333-72998, 333-189964 and 333-228185) of SPAR Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries of our report dated April 14, 2020, relating to the consolidated financial statements and the financial statement schedule which appears in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

/s/ BDO USA, LLP.

Troy, Michigan

April 14, 2020

 

Exhibit 31.1

 

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

I, Christiaan M. Olivier, certify that:

 

1.           I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, of SPAR Group, Inc.;

 

2.           Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.           Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.           The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

(a)     Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b)     Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, 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;

 

(c)     Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d)     Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.        The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

(a)     All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b)     Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: April 14, 2020	/s/ Christiaan M. Olivier
	Christiaan M. Olivier, Chief Executive Officer

 

Exhibit 31.2

 

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

I, James R. Segreto, certify that:

 

1.           I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 of SPAR Group, Inc.;

 

2.           Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.           Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.           The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

(a)     Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b)     Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, 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;

 

(c)     Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d)     Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.         The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

(a)     All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b)     Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date:  April 14, 2020	/s/ James R. Segreto
	James R. Segreto, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

 

EXHIBIT 32.1

 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

In connection with the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (this "report"), of SPAR Group, Inc. (the "registrant"), the undersigned hereby certifies that, to his knowledge:

 

1.            The report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and

 

2.            The information contained in the report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the registrant.

 

		/s/ Christiaan M. Olivier
		Christiaan M. Olivier
		Chief Executive Officer
		April 14, 2020

 

 

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to SPAR Group, Inc. and will be retained by SPAR Group, Inc., and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

 

EXHIBIT 32.2

 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

In connection with the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (this "report"), of SPAR Group, Inc. (the "registrant"), the undersigned hereby certifies that, to his knowledge:

 

1.            The report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and

 

2.            The information contained in the report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the registrant.

 

		/s/ James R. Segreto
		James R. Segreto
		Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
		April 14, 2020

 

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to SPAR Group, Inc. and will be retained by SPAR Group, Inc., and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.