Form 8-K - Current report

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

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

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): December 20, 2023

ASHFORD INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada		001-36400		84-2331507
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(Commission File Number)		(IRS employer identification number)

14185 Dallas Parkway Suite 1200 Dallas Texas				75254
(Address of principal executive offices)				(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (972) 490-9600

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emerging growth company ¨

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

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

Title of each class	Trading Symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock	AINC	NYSE American LLC
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights	True	NYSE American LLC

Item 3.01 Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

On December 20, 2023, Ashford Inc. (the “Company”) received a letter (the “Letter”) from the NYSE American LLC (the “NYSE American”) stating that the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards set forth in Sections 1003(a)(i) and (ii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the “Company Guide”). Section 1003(a)(i) requires a listed company to have stockholders’ equity of $2 million or more if the listed company has reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in two of its three most recent fiscal years. Section 1003(a)(ii) requires a listed company to have stockholders’ equity of $4 million or more if the listed company has reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years. The Company reported a stockholders’ deficit of $295.7 million as of September 30, 2023, and has had losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2022.

However, Section 1003(a) of the Company Guide states that the NYSE American will not normally consider suspending dealings in, or removing from the list, the securities of a listed company which is below standards (i) and (ii) of Section 1003(a) if the listed company is in compliance with the following two standards: (1) total value of market capitalization of at least $50 million; or total assets and revenue of $50 million each in its last fiscal year, or in two of its last three fiscal years; and (2) the listed company has at least 1.1 million shares publicly held, a market value of publicly held shares of at least $15 million and 400 round lot shareholders. As of December 20, 2023, the Company was in compliance with the first standard because it had total assets and total revenue of at least $50 million in its last fiscal year and was in compliance with the second standard, except that the current market value of publicly held shares was below $15 million.

Accordingly, the Letter states that the Company must submit a plan of compliance (the “Plan”) by January 19, 2024 addressing how it intends to regain compliance with Sections 1003(a)(i) and (ii) of the Company Guide by June 20, 2025, or sooner if the NYSE American determines that the nature and circumstances of the Company’s continued listing status warrant a shorter period of time. The Company intends to fully comply with the NYSE American’s requests and will submit its Plan accordingly.

The Company’s stock will continue to be listed on the NYSE American while the Company evaluates its various alternatives. The Company’s receipt of such notification from the NYSE American does not affect the Company’s business, operations or reporting requirements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

A copy of the Company’s press release dated December 26, 2023, regarding the receipt of the Letter from the NYSE American is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit Number Description

99.1	Press Release of the Company, dated December 26, 2023
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

SIGNATURES

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

	ASHFORD INC.

	By:	/s/ ALEX ROSE
		Alex Rose
		Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

Date: December 26, 2023

EXHIBIT 99.1

		NEWS RELEASE

Contact:	Deric Eubanks	Jordan Jennings	Joe Calabrese
	Chief Financial Officer	Investor Relations	Financial Relations Board
	(972) 490-9600	(972) 778-9487	(212) 827-3772

ASHFORD RECEIVES LETTER OF NON-COMPLIANCE

FROM NYSE AMERICAN

DALLAS, December 26, 2023 - Ashford Inc. (NYSE American: AINC) (“Ashford” or the “Company”) today announced that it received a letter from the NYSE American LLC (the “NYSE American”) dated December 20, 2023, notifying that the Company is no longer in compliance with NYSE American continued listing standards. Specifically, the letter states that the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards set forth in Sections 1003(a)(i) and (ii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the “Company Guide”). Section 1003(a)(i) requires a listed company to have stockholders’ equity of $2 million or more if the listed company has reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in two of its three most recent fiscal years. Section 1003(a)(ii) requires a listed company to have stockholders’ equity of $4 million or more if the listed company has reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years. The Company reported a stockholders’ deficit of $295.7 million as of September 30, 2023, and has had losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2022.

The Company must submit a plan of compliance (the “Plan”) by January 19, 2024 addressing how it intends to regain compliance with Sections 1003(a)(i) and (ii) of the Company Guide by June 20, 2025, or sooner if the NYSE American determines that the nature and circumstances of the Company’s continued listing status warrant a shorter period of time. The Company intends to fully comply with the NYSE American’s requests and will submit its Plan accordingly.

* * * * *

Ashford is an alternative asset management company with a portfolio of strategic operating businesses that provides global asset management, investment management and related services to the real estate and hospitality sectors.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon “forward-looking” information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the Company’s strategy and future plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. When we use the words “will likely result,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Ashford Inc.’s control.

These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation: our ability to regain compliance with NYSE American LLC continued listing standards; our ability to regain Form S-3 eligibility; our ability to repay, refinance or restructure our debt and the debt of certain of our subsidiaries; anticipated or expected purchases or sales of assets; our projected operating results; completion of any pending transactions; our understanding of our competition; market trends; projected capital expenditures; the impact of technology on our operations and business; general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common stock and preferred stock; availability, terms and deployment of capital; availability of qualified personnel; changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, interest rates or the general economy; and the degree and nature of our competition. These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance taking into account all information currently known to us. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations can change as a result of many potential events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and other objectives may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider this risk when you make an investment decision concerning our securities. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company can give no assurance that these forward-looking statements will be attained or that any deviation will not occur. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, changes in expectations, or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

Cover	Dec. 20, 2023
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 20, 2023
Entity File Number	001-36400
Entity Registrant Name	ASHFORD INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001604738
Entity Tax Identification Number	84-2331507
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	NV
Entity Address, Address Line One	14185 Dallas Parkway
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 1200
Entity Address, City or Town	Dallas
Entity Address, State or Province	TX
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	75254
City Area Code	972
Local Phone Number	490-9600
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Common Stock [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock
Trading Symbol	AINC
Security Exchange Name	NYSEAMER
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
No Trading Symbol Flag	true
Security Exchange Name	NYSEAMER