The following discussion, as well as other portions of this Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that reflect
our plans, estimates and beliefs. Any such forward-looking statements (including, but not limited to, statements to the effect that Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (“TLFA”) or its management “anticipates,” “plans,” “estimates,” “expects,”
“believes,” “intends,” and other similar expressions) that are not statements of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements and should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes
contained elsewhere in this report. These forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s current plans, expectations, estimates, assumptions and
beliefs concerning future events impacting us and should be read carefully because they involve risks and uncertainties. We assume no obligation to update or otherwise revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Specific examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our forecasts of financial performance, share repurchases, store openings or store closings, capital expenditures and working capital
requirements. Our actual results could materially differ from those discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below and elsewhere
in this Form 10-K and particularly in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Unless the context otherwise indicates,
references in this Form 10-K to “TLFA,” “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Company,” “Tandy,” or “Tandy Leather” mean Tandy Leather Factory, Inc., together with its subsidiaries.
General
Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (“TLFA,” “we,” “our,” “us,” the” Company,” “Tandy,” or “Tandy Leather” mean Tandy Leather Factory, Inc., together with its subsidiaries) is one of
the world’s largest specialty retailers of leather and leathercraft-related items. Founded in 1919 in Fort Worth, Texas, the Company introduced leathercrafting to millions of American and later Canadian and other international customers and has
built a track record as the trusted source of quality leather, tools, hardware, supplies, kits and teaching materials for leatherworkers everywhere. Today, our mission remains to build on our legacy of inspiring the timeless art and trade of
leatherworking.
What differentiates Tandy from the competition is our high brand awareness and strong brand equity and loyalty, our network of retail stores that provides convenience, a high-touch customer service experience, and a
hub for the local leathercrafting community, and our 100-year heritage. We believe that this combination of qualities is unique to Tandy and gives the brand competitive advantages that are difficult for others to replicate.
We sell our products primarily through company-owned stores and through orders generated from our four websites: tandyleather.com, tandyleather.ca, tandyleather.eu and tandyleather.com.au. We also manufacture leather
lace, cut leather pieces and most of the do-it-yourself kits that are sold in our stores and on our websites. We also offer production services to our business customers such as cutting (“clicking”), splitting, and some assembly. We maintain our
principal offices at 1900 Southeast Loop 820, Fort Worth, Texas 76140.
The Company’s common shares currently trade on the OTC Pink Market operated by OTC Markets Group under the symbol “TLFA.”
Retail Fleet
The Company currently operates a total of 106 retail stores. There are 95 stores in the U.S., ten stores in Canada and one store in Spain.
All Tandy locations, other than our corporate headquarters (which includes our flagship store, corporate offices, distribution center, and manufacturing facility) are leased.
Business Strategy
Tandy Leather has been introducing people to leatherworking for over 100 years. Our stores have been and continue to be our competitive advantage: where our consumers learn the craft in classes, open table, and from
the expertise of our store staff, where they can touch, feel and test the product, and where they can connect and commune with others passionate about leather. Our website provides inspiration, detailed product descriptions and specifications,
educational information and videos, and a convenient place to also purchase product – especially for those who are far from our retail stores, including a growing international customer base. For many of our retail and web customers,
leatherworking evolves from a passion to a trade. Our Commercial Division is tailored to the needs of those customers who build businesses around leather. With dedicated direct account representatives, a direct-from-our-warehouse shipping model,
bulk and volume-based competitive pricing, customized product development, and production and pre-production services, we are building long-term, strategic relationships with our largest customers.
Our focus over the last three years has been on three broad strategic initiative areas:
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Improving our brand proposition, with both Retail and Commercial customers
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Rebuilding our foundation – the talent, processes, tools and systems needed to serve these customers
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Position us for long-term growth – creating the vision and roadmap for the future
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Despite the unforeseen obstacles of the financial restatement and the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made significant progress against these initiatives. Some key accomplishments include:
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Significantly improving the product quality, breadth of assortment and value
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Reinventing the pricing architecture/strategy to simplify it, provide great everyday value and also the excitement of sale
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Improving the quality, clarity and efficiency of the marketing collateral and mix
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Relaunching and dramatically improving the website; centralizing web fulfillment
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Significantly improving the Retail organization and skills: new team, training, career paths, incentives
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Launching the Commercial Division: a completely new business model tailored to the needs of the largest customers
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Recruiting, developing and retaining the right team for the work ahead; creating a collaborative, performance-based culture
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Building people management infrastructure: performance evaluations, benefits, communications, recognition, incentives, training
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Replacing and significantly upgrading general ledger, warehouse management and point-of-sale systems
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Developing a robust counter-sourcing program for product and supplies
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Reorganizing and improving factory and warehouse capabilities
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Creating a roadmap for future growth
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COVID-19 and Outlook
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 temporarily shifted our strategic focus to company survival and cash preservation. We began closing stores on March 18, 2020, and
by April 2, 2020, we temporarily closed all stores to the public. While we pivoted to serve customers only online, the Company experienced significant decreases in demand for its products in the second and third quarters of 2020,
negatively impacting net sales.
In response, we took immediate action to mitigate the impact of temporary store closures on our cash flows by: (i) furloughing 406 Tandy employees, comprising two-thirds of the
Tandy work force, (ii) temporarily cutting corporate salaries, with deeper cuts for the Executive Leadership Team, (iii) negotiating abatements, deferrals and other favorable lease terms with landlords, and (iv) negotiating longer payment terms
with our key product vendors.
Due to our size, we were not eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program administered through the Small Business
Administration. Also, due to our not being current on financial filings with the SEC, we were not able to obtain loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known
as the CARES Act. However, under the CARES Act we were eligible to participate in the payroll tax deferral program, and we deferred $0.6 million in payroll tax with $0.3 million to be paid by December 31, 2021, and the remaining $0.3 million to
be paid by December 31, 2022. During the second quarter of 2020, the Company borrowed $0.4 million through the Spanish government’s Institute of Official Credit Guarantee for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, a COVID-19 relief program. In
Canada, we participated in the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (“CECRA”) program for rent relief, receiving total rent abatements under the program of $0.05 million.
Nine stores were permanently closed during 2020 as leases expired or early terminations were negotiated, including at locations where we believe we can retain a majority of customers through geographically proximate
stores and/or our enhanced website platform. After these permanent closures, Tandy operates 106 stores, including ten in Canada and one in Spain.
On May 22, 2020, our Fort Worth flagship store reopened to the public, the beginning of a phased approach to
reopening our stores with limited hours, new protocols for sanitizing, social distancing, wearing masks and taking daily temperatures of employees. During the third quarter of 2020, all 106
of Tandy’s stores had reopened to the public. Since then, various spikes in local infection rates have forced us to sporadically move stores to short-term “curbside only” operations or closures due to
local conditions or staffing issues. We expect that at least some further infections and temporary store shutdowns will continue for the foreseeable future.
While we previously fulfilled our web orders out of our retail stores, during the second quarter of 2020, we built a centralized web fulfillment capability in our Fort Worth distribution center
and have been and expect to continue to fulfill web orders primarily through Fort Worth going forward. Both our e-commerce business and stores have seen strong sales performance, but the future remains uncertain, and more store closures and/or
other ongoing effects of the pandemic on the economy or employment market could cause a material negative impact on future sales.
Customers
Our customers fall into 2 broad categories: those who shop in retail stores and on our website (“Retail Customers”) and those whom we serve through our Commercial Division (“Commercial Customers”). Retail Customers
range from hobbyists to institutions like schools, camps, and other groups to small businesses. Affinity groups like Military and First Responders and smaller and larger businesses who purchase in our retail stores receive special pricing or
general discounts. To be served through our Commercial Division, customers generally need to spend more than $20,000 per year and receive pricing based on their purchasing levels.
Merchandise
We carry a wide assortment of products organized into a number of categories including leather, hand tools, hardware, kits, liquids, machinery and other supplies. We operate a manufacturing facility in Fort Worth,
Texas, where we manufacture kits, thread lace, belt strips and straps, and Craftaid®s, and provide some custom manufacturing processes for commercial and business
customers. The factory produces approximately 10% of our products. We distribute product under the Tandy LeatherTM, Eco-FloTM, CraftoolTM, CraftoolProTM and Dr.
Jackson’sTM brands, along with our recently launched TandyPro® products. We develop
and invest in new products through the ideas and referrals of customers and store personnel as well as the analysis of trends in the market and sales performance at retail. In addition, we have been focused on broadening our assortment through
strategic partnerships with key brands to drive category growth and better meet the needs of our customers.
Operations
Information regarding net sales, gross profit, operating income, and total assets is included within Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and within Item 8,
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Our stores offer a broad selection of products combined with leathercraft expertise in a one-stop shop. Not only can customers purchase leather, related accessories and supplies necessary to complete their projects
from a single source, but many of our store associates are also leathercrafters themselves and can provide suggestions and advice on our customers’ projects. Customers value the expertise and high level of customer service from our store
associates, the convenience of taking their purchases immediately, as well as the ability to touch, feel and choose their individual pieces of leather, an organic product in which each piece is unique. We also offer open workbenches where
customers can work on projects, take classes, commune with the leathercrafting community, and test new tools and techniques.
Most of our stores range in size from 1,300 square feet to 9,000 square feet, with the average at approximately 3,500 square feet, and our Fort Worth flagship store is approximately 22,000 square feet. Stores are
located in light industrial warehouse spaces or older strip shopping centers in proximity to major freeways or well-known crossroads. We believe that many of our customers view our stores as a destination: customers interested in leathercrafting
seek us out, reducing the value of paying high rents for high foot-traffic locations.
Historically, we generate slightly more sales in the fourth quarter of each year due to the holiday shopping season (approximately 28-30% of annual sales), while the other three quarters average approximately 22-24%
of annual sales each quarter.
Distribution
Our stores receive the majority of their inventory from our central distribution center located in Fort Worth, Texas, in weekly or, increasingly, bi-monthly shipments, using third party logistics providers.
Occasionally, merchandise is shipped to stores directly from the vendor. We now fulfill all of our U.S. and many of our International web orders from our Fort Worth distribution center. Canada web orders are fulfilled out of our 10 Canada stores,
and European web orders are fulfilled out of our Spain store. We have a global customer service team that handles web order inquiries and phone orders. Our goal is to optimize the tradeoff between the sales and market share we realize from having
a broad product line against the safety stock required to support those items . We generally maintain higher inventories of imported or long-lead-time items, to ensure a continuous supply. Our inventory levels have grown as we have increased our
product assortment to improve conversion and retention of customers and to mitigate out-of-stocks, especially during the supply chain disruptions over the last 2 years. We have also been executing a number of strategic initiatives to test smaller
quantities of new items online, buying into them only when we are certain of their success, tailor product assortments to the needs of local customers in each store, and to ship directly from vendors to customers. We carry about 6,500
stock-keeping units (SKUs) in our current product line and continue to refine both the line, the lead times and safety stock levels required to meet customer demand, online vs. in-store assortment, and overall total inventory levels needed to grow
sales and market share.
Competition
Our competitors are typically smaller, independently-owned brick-and-mortar retailers, internet-based retailers including those selling on platforms like Amazon and eBay, national craft chains like Michaels Stores,
Inc. and Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., and some wholesale-focused distributors. Virtually all of these competitors carry a more limited line of leathercraft products compared to Tandy. We are competitive on convenience, price, availability of
merchandise, customer service, depth of our product line, and delivery time. Tandy Leather is the only multi-store chain specializing in leathercraft, which we believe provides a competitive advantage over internet-based retailers and the large
general craft retailers. We also believe that our large size relative to most competitors gives us an advantage in sourcing as well as deep product and leathercrafting expertise among our employees.
Suppliers
We purchase merchandise and raw materials from over 170 vendors from the United States and approximately 20 foreign countries. In general, our 10 largest vendors account for
approximately 60-75% of our inventory purchases.
Because leather is sold internationally, market conditions abroad are likely to affect the price of leather in the United States. Aside from increasing purchases when we anticipate price increases (or possibly
delaying purchases if we foresee price declines), we do not attempt to hedge our inventory costs.
Our supply chain and vendor relationships remain strong. We are focused on continuing to align our product and sourcing strategies to elevate the overall quality, consistency, and agility to meet the diverse needs
of our existing consumers and attract new ones to the brand. COVID-19 has had varying impacts on our supply chain, as the course of the disease has impacted countries differently over time. We continue to see product price increases and longer
lead-times across most product categories due to container and/or raw material scarcity and labor shortages. We are also beginning to see the impact of higher energy prices on both product and freight costs as well. We invested heavily in
inventory of key items, especially in leather and hardware, over the last 12 months at 2020 prices. We believe we will be well-positioned to wait out any short-term price hikes for some months.
Compliance with Environmental Laws
Our compliance with federal, state and local environmental protection laws has not had, and is not expected to have, a material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings, or competitive position.
Employees
As of December 31, 2021, we employed 593 people, 492 of whom were employed on a full-time basis. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements. Overall, we believe that relations with employees are
good.
Intellectual Property
The Company owns all of the material trademark rights used in connection with the production, marketing,
distribution and sale of all Tandy-branded products. In addition, we license a limited number of our trademarks and copyrights used in connection with the production, marketing and distribution of certain categories of goods and limited edition
co-branded projects. Major trademarks include federal trade name registrations for “Tandy Leather Factory,” “Tandy Leather Company,” and “Tandy.” The
Company is not dependent on any one particular trademark or design patent, although it believes that the “Tandy” and “Tandy Leather” names are important for its business. In addition, Tandy owns several patents for specific belt
buckles and leather-working equipment. Tandy polices its trademarks and trade dress and where appropriate pursues infringers. The Company expects that its material trademarks will remain in full force and
effect for as long as we continue to use and renew them.
Foreign Sales
Information regarding our sales from the United States and abroad and our long-lived assets is found in Note 2, Significant Accounting Policies: Revenue Recognition and Note 3, Balance Sheet Components, of the Notes
to the Consolidated Financial Statements. For a description of some of the risks attendant to our foreign operations, see Item 1A, Risk Factors.
Available Information
We file reports with the SEC. These reports include our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these filings. These reports are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.
Our corporate website is located at www.tandyleather.com. We make copies of our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and any amendments thereto
filed with or furnished to the SEC available to investors on or through our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with or furnish them to the SEC. Our SEC filings can be found on the Investor
Relations page of our website through the “SEC Filings” link. In addition, certain other corporate governance documents are available on our website through the “Corporate Governance” link. No information
contained on any of our websites is intended to be included as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Form 10-K.
Information about our Executive Officers
The following table sets forth information concerning our executive officers as of December 31, 2021:
Name and Age
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Position
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Served as Executive
Officer Since
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Janet Carr, 60
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Chief Executive Officer
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2018
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Michael Galvan, 53
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Chief Financial Officer
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2021
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Janet Carr has served as our Chief Executive Officer and as a
member of our Board of Directors since October 2018. Prior to her current role, Ms. Carr served as the Senior Vice-President of Global Business Development for Caleres Inc. (formerly Brown Shoe Company Inc.) from 2016 to 2017. While there, she
was responsible for international wholesale and retail for all of their brands. Prior to Caleres, Ms. Carr was the President of the Handbag Division of Nine West Group Inc. from 2013 to 2014, where she was responsible for all aspects of design,
development and sales in both wholesale and retail. Ms. Carr has deep experience in strategy and consumer insights in various roles at a number of prominent retailers, including Tapestry, Inc. (formerly Coach, Inc.), Gap Inc. and Safeway.
Michael Galvan has served as our Chief Financial Officer since
January 2021. He first joined the Company in May 2020, initially serving as Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Galvan brings over 25 years of finance and accounting experience to the Company, including executive leadership roles serving as
Interim Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer for a variety of publicly traded companies, including C&J Energy Services, Inc., Main Street Capital Corporation and Mattress Firm. Prior to joining the Company, Mr.
Galvan served in various management roles including Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of NexTier Oilfield Solutions, Inc. (formerly C&J Energy Services, Inc.), from June 2016 until April 2020, including serving as
Interim Chief Financial Officer from March through September 2018.
Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and likely may continue to have, a material adverse effect on our business and liquidity.
The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on the U.S. economy as federal, state and local governments react
to this public health crisis, which has created significant uncertainties. These uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the material adverse effect of the pandemic on the economy, our supply chain partners, our employees and customers,
customer sentiment in general, and our stores. In March 2020, we temporarily closed all of our stores and took other significant actions to mitigate the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our cash flows and to protect our business and
associates for the long term in response to the crisis. During the third quarter of 2020, all of our 106 stores reopened. Since that time, we have continued to manage through the pandemic as we continue to see varying levels of infection
rates, in various locations and have again been forced periodically to temporarily close certain stores or move certain stores to “curbside only” operations. We are unable to ensure that our
sales will meet or exceed current levels or if additional periods of store closures will be needed or mandated. In addition, our merchandise vendors may have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and the financial difficulties of other
retailers, thereby creating concerns about our vendors’ ability to provide us with payment terms or merchandise that is suitable to our brand. The effects of the pandemic have materially adversely impacted our revenues, earnings, liquidity and
cash flows.
The continuing impact of the pandemic on our business and financial results will depend largely on future developments, including the duration of the spread of the outbreak (including new variants) and availability
and acceptance rates of vaccines within the U.S. and Canada and our key sourcing markets, the impact on capital and financial markets and the related impact on consumer confidence and spending, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be
predicted. The pandemic has had, and may continue to have, a material adverse impact on our financial position, cash flows, liquidity and results of operations since fiscal year 2020. This situation continues to change rapidly, and additional
impacts may arise that we are not aware of currently.
Disruptions in the operation of our Fort Worth distribution center or manufacturing facility due to disease, including COVID-19, natural disaster, fire, or other crises, could
have an adverse effect on our ability to supply our retail stores, fulfill web orders and/or manufacture product, resulting in possible decreases in sales and margin.
We are dependent on a limited number of distribution and sourcing centers, primarily the center located at our Fort Worth, Texas headquarters. Our ability to meet the needs of our customers and our retail stores and
e-commerce sites depends on the proper operation of these centers. If any of these centers were to shut down or otherwise become inoperable or inaccessible for any reason, we could suffer a substantial loss of inventory and/or disruptions of
deliveries to our retail and wholesale customers. While we have business continuity and contingency plans for our sourcing and distribution center sites, significant disruption of manufacturing or distribution for any of the above reasons could
interrupt product supply, result in a substantial loss of inventory, increase our costs, disrupt deliveries to our customers and our retail stores, and, if not remedied in a timely manner, could have a material adverse impact on our business.
Risks Related to Owning our Common Stock
Our continued delisting from the Nasdaq Market or a continued suspension of broker trading of our common stock could reduce liquidity or impair the value of your investment.
Our common stock was previously listed on the Nasdaq Global Market. Because of the Company’s inability during its financial restatement to timely file its quarterly and annual financial reports, Nasdaq suspended
trading in the Company’s stock as of August 13, 2020 and formally delisted it on February 9, 2021. To date, the delisting has not materially affected the trading price of the Company’s common stock. The Company has applied for re-listing on
Nasdaq; such listing is subject to Nasdaq approval, and we cannot guarantee when or if our application will be approved. Our stock currently trades on the Pink Market operated by OTC Markets Group, where trading volume is typically lower than on
exchanges such as Nasdaq. Failure to relist our stock on Nasdaq could adversely affect the market liquidity of our common stock or otherwise impair the value of your investment.
In addition, on September 16, 2020, the SEC adopted final rules amending Securities Exchange Act Rule 15c-211. The amended rule requires that a company have current and
publicly available information as a precondition for a broker-dealer to either initiate or continue to quote its securities. Because the Company was not yet current in its periodic reporting with the SEC, in October 2021 our stock was removed
from the OTC Pink Market and began trading on a new OTC “Expert Market” for stocks whose trading is restricted by Rule 15c-2-11. When the Company became current again in its financial reporting in December 2021, our stock was elevated to the OTC
Pink Market (Current Information). However, trading in our stock has continued to be restricted under Rule 15c-2-11 until such time as a market maker for our stock is approved by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). A potential
market maker has filed an application for approval by FINRA, but we cannot guarantee if or when such an application will be approved. Any continued restrictions on the trading of our common stock would adversely affect the market liquidity of
our common stock and might impair the value of your investment.
Material weaknesses in our system of internal controls were identified during our investigation and financial restatement. Some of these material weaknesses are still in the
process of remediation. If not remediated, these material weaknesses could result in additional material misstatements in our Consolidated Financial Statements. We may be unable to develop, implement and maintain appropriate controls in future
periods.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that public companies evaluate and report on their systems of internal control over financial reporting. As disclosed in Part II, Item 9A, Controls and
Procedures of this Form 10-K, our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, has determined that we continue to have material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2021. As a result of the material weaknesses, the Company’s management, under the supervision of the Audit Committee and with participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2021.
Although we are working to remedy the ineffectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, there can be no assurance as to when the remediation plan will
be fully implemented. Until our remediation plan is fully implemented, our management will continue to devote significant time, attention and financial resources to these efforts. If we do not complete our remediation in a timely fashion, or at
all, or if our remediation plan is inadequate, there will continue to be an increased risk that our future Consolidated Financial Statements could contain undetected errors. Further and continued determinations that there are one or more material
weaknesses in the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting could adversely affect our business, reputation, revenues, results of operations, financial condition and stock price and limit our ability to access the
capital markets through equity or debt issuances. For more information relating to the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, the material weaknesses that existed as of December 31, 2021 and the remediation activities undertaken by
us, see Part II, Item 9A, Controls and Procedures of this Form 10-K.
Risks Related to Cash Flow and Capitalization
If our cash from operations falls short and we are unable to raise additional working capital, we might be unable to fully fund our operations or to
otherwise execute our business plan.
Historically, the Company has funded its business primarily with cash from operations and has utilized only small lines of working capital for seasonal expenditures. As a result of the
restatement and the Company not having current audited financial information, our working capital lines were discontinued by the lenders. We believe that access to this capital can be restored now that we are current in our financial reporting and
that our currently available working capital will be sufficient to continue the needs of our business for at least the next twelve (12) months. However, should (1) our costs and expenses prove to be greater than we currently anticipate, or (2)
seasonal fluctuations in sales or inventory purchases result in needing additional capital, and (3) we remain unable to borrow short- or long-term capital, the depletion of our working capital would be accelerated and could leave us unable to make
required payments. We may also seek capital through the private issuance of debt or equity securities. We currently do not have any binding commitments for, or readily available sources of, additional financing. We cannot guarantee that we will
be able to secure the additional cash or working capital we might require to continue our operations.
Risks Related to Technology, Data Security and Privacy
Failure to protect the integrity and security of personal information of our customers and employees could result in substantial costs, expose us to litigation and damage our
reputation.
We receive and maintain certain personal, financial, and other information about our customers, employees, and vendors. In addition, our vendors receive and maintain certain personal, financial,
and other information about our employees and customers. The use and transmission of this information is regulated by evolving and increasingly demanding laws and regulations across various jurisdictions. If our security and information systems
are compromised as a result of data corruption or loss, cyber-attack or a network security incident or if our employees or vendors fail to comply with these laws and regulations and this information is obtained by unauthorized persons or used
inappropriately, it could result in liabilities and penalties and could damage our reputation, cause us to incur substantial costs and result in a loss of customer confidence, which could materially affect our results of operations and financial
condition. Additionally, we could be subject to litigation and government enforcement actions because of any such failure.
Further, data privacy is subject to frequently changing rules and regulations, which sometimes conflict among the various jurisdictions and countries where we operate. For example, the General
Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which was adopted by the European Union effective May 2018, requires companies to meet new requirements regarding the handling of personal data. In addition, the State of California enacted the California
Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”), which became effective January 2020 and requires companies that process information on California residents to, among other things, provide new disclosures and options to consumers about data collection, use and
sharing practices.
Moreover, each of the GDPR and the CCPA confer a private right-of-action on certain individuals and associations. Our failure to adhere to or successfully implement appropriate processes to
adhere to the requirements of GDPR, CCPA and other evolving laws and regulations in this area could result in financial penalties, legal liability and could damage our reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
Unreliable or inefficient information technology or the failure to successfully implement or invest in technology initiatives in the future could adversely
impact operating results.
We rely heavily on information technology systems in the conduct of our business, some of which are managed, and/or hosted by third parties, including, for example, point-of-sale processing in
our stores, management of our supply chain, and various other processes and procedures. These systems are subject to damage, interruption or failure due to theft, fire, power outages, telecommunications failure, computer viruses, security
breaches, malicious cyber-attacks or other catastrophic events. Certain technology systems may also be unreliable or inefficient, and technology vendors may limit or terminate product support and maintenance, which could impact the reliability of
critical systems operations. If our information technology systems are damaged or fail to function properly, we may incur substantial costs to repair or replace them and may experience loss of critical data and interruptions or delays in our
ability to manage inventories or process transactions, which could result in lost sales, customer or employee dissatisfaction, or negative publicity that could negatively impact our reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
Moreover, our failure to adequately invest in new technology or adapt to technological developments and industry trends, particularly with respect to digital commerce capabilities, could result
in a loss of customers and related market share. If our digital commerce platforms do not meet customers’ expectations in terms of security, speed, attractiveness or ease of use, customers may be less inclined to return to such digital commerce
platforms, which could negatively impact our business.
Risks Related to the Macroeconomic Environment
Our business may be negatively impacted by general economic conditions in the United States and abroad.
Our performance is subject to global economic conditions and their impact on levels of consumer spending that affect not only the ultimate consumer, but also small businesses and other retailers. Specialty retail, and retail in general, is
heavily influenced by general economic cycles. Specifically, at the time of filing this Form 10-K, the American and world economies have been acutely affected by a combination of factors resulting from both the COVID-19 pandemic and the war
resulting from the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces. The current impacts of these events include (but are not limited to) levels of inflation that are the highest in the U.S. in more than 40 years, fuel prices at or near record
highs, an extremely tight labor market with rising wages and competition to attract qualified workers, rising real estate prices and increases in interest rates. Purchases of non-essential, discretionary products tend to decline in periods (such
as the current one) of recession or uncertainty regarding future economic prospects, as disposable income declines. During these periods of economic uncertainty, we may not be able to maintain or increase our sales to existing customers, make
sales to new customers, open and operate new stores, maintain sales levels at our existing stores, maintain or increase our international operations on a profitable basis, maintain our earnings from operations as a percentage of net sales, or
generate sufficient cash flows to fund our operational and liquidity needs. As a result, our operating results may be adversely and materially affected by continued downward trends or uncertainty in the United States or global economies.
Foreign currency fluctuations could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.
We generally purchase our products in U.S. dollars. However, we source a large portion of our products from countries other than the United States. The cost of these products may be affected by changes in the value
of the applicable currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates may also affect the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency denominated sales that occur in other countries (currently Canada and the European Union). This revenue, when
translated into U.S. dollars for consolidated reporting purposes, could be materially affected by fluctuations in the U.S. dollar, negatively impacting our results of operations and our ability to generate revenue growth.
We face risks related to the effect of economic uncertainty.
During events of economic downturn and slow recovery, our growth prospects, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely impacted. Our stores offer leather and
leathercraft-related items, which are viewed as discretionary items. Pressure on discretionary income brought on by economic downturns and slow recoveries, including housing market declines, rising energy prices and weak labor markets, may cause
consumers to reduce the amount they spend on discretionary items. The inherent uncertainty related to predicting economic conditions makes it difficult for us to accurately forecast future demand trends, which could cause us to purchase excess
inventories, resulting in increases in our inventory carrying cost, or limit our ability to satisfy customer demand and potentially lose market share.
Risks Related to Legal, Regulatory and Compliance
If the United States maintains current tariffs on products manufactured in China, or if additional tariffs or trade restrictions are implemented by other countries or by the
U.S., the cost of our products manufactured in China or other countries and imported into the U.S. or other countries could increase. This could in turn adversely affect the profitability for these products and have an adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, the violation of labor, environmental or other laws by an independent manufacturer or supplier, or divergence of an independent manufacturer’s or supplier’s labor practices from those generally accepted
as ethical or appropriate in the U.S., could interrupt or otherwise disrupt the shipment of our products, harm our trademarks or damage our reputation. The occurrence of any of these events could materially adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Our success depends on the continued protection of our trademarks and other proprietary intellectual property rights.
Our trademarks and other intellectual property rights are important to our success and competitive position, and the loss of or inability to enforce our trademark and other proprietary intellectual property rights
could harm our business. We devote substantial resources to the establishment and protection of our trademark and other proprietary intellectual property rights on a worldwide basis. Despite any precautions we may take to protect our intellectual
property, policing unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult, expensive, and time consuming, and we may be unable to adequately protect our intellectual property or determine the extent of any unauthorized use. Our efforts to
establish and protect our trademark and other proprietary intellectual property rights may not be adequate to prevent imitation or counterfeiting of our products by others, which may not only erode sales of our products but may also cause
significant damage to our brand name. Further, we could incur substantial costs in legal actions relating to our use of intellectual property or the use of our intellectual property by others. Even if we are successful in these actions, the costs
we incur could have a material adverse effect on us.
Risks Related to Our Business Strategy
The successful execution of our multi-year transformation and operational efficiency initiatives is key to the long-term growth of our business.
During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company, under its new management, began to implement a large number of initiatives to transform
the Company’s business, improve sales long term and improve operational efficiency. These include the realignment of the Company’s retail division management structure, the closing of underperforming stores, the formation of a new division
focused on serving commercial customers, pricing and marketing initiatives, systems improvements and other changes. The Company believes that long-term growth will be realized through these transformational
efforts over time, however there is no assurance that such efforts will be successful. Actual costs incurred and the timeline of these initiatives may differ from our expectations. If these initiatives are unsuccessful, our business,
financial condition and results of operation could be materially adversely affected.
Our business is subject to the risks inherent in global sourcing activities.
As a Company engaged in sourcing on a global scale, we are subject to the risks inherent in such activities, including, but not limited to:
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unavailability of, or significant fluctuations in the cost of, raw materials;
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compliance by us and our independent manufacturers and suppliers with labor laws and other foreign governmental regulations;
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imposition of additional duties, taxes and other charges on imports or exports;
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embargoes against products originating in countries from which we source;
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increases in the cost of labor, fuel (including volatility in the price of oil), travel and transportation;
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compliance by our independent manufacturers and suppliers with our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and our Animal Welfare Policy;
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disruptions or delays in shipments;
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loss or impairment of key manufacturing or distribution sites, which also could result in a former manufacturer beginning to produce similar products that compete with ours;
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inability to engage new independent manufacturers that meet the Company’s cost-effective sourcing model;
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product quality issues;
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unforeseen public health crises, such as pandemic (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) and epidemic diseases;
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natural disasters or other extreme weather events, whether as a result of climate change or otherwise; and
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acts of war or terrorism and other external factors over which we have no control.
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Increases in the price of leather and other items we sell or a reduction in availability of those products could increase our cost of goods and decrease our profitability.
The prices we pay our suppliers for our products are dependent in part on the market price for leather, metals, and other products. The cost of these items may fluctuate substantially, depending on a variety of
factors, including demand, supply conditions, transportation and fuel costs, government regulation, economic climates, war or other political considerations, and other unpredictable factors. Leather prices worldwide have been relatively stable for
the past several years although the outlook for future prices is uncertain. Increases in these costs, together with other factors, would make it difficult for us to sustain the gross margin level we have achieved in recent years and result in a
decrease in our profitability unless we are able to pass higher prices on to our customers or reduce costs in other areas. Changes in consumers’ product preferences or lack of acceptance of our products whose costs have increased may prohibit us
from passing those increases on to customers, which could cause our gross margin to decline. If our product costs increase and our sale prices do not, our future operating results could be adversely affected unless we are able to offset such gross
margin declines with comparable reductions in operating costs. Accordingly, such increases in costs could adversely affect our business and our results of operations.
Further, involvement by the United States in war and other military operations abroad could disrupt international trade and affect our inventory sources. Finally, livestock diseases, such as mad cow, could reduce
the availability of hides and leathers or increase their cost. The occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our business and our results of operations.
We are subject to risks associated with leasing retail space under long-term and non-cancelable leases. We may be unable to renew leases on acceptable terms. If we close a
leased retail space, we might remain obligated under the applicable lease.
We lease the majority of our retail store locations under long-term, non-cancelable leases, which have initial or renewed terms typically ranging from three years to five years and may include lease renewal options.
We believe that most of the lease agreements we will enter into in the future will likely be long-term and non-cancelable. Generally, our leases are “net” leases, which require us to pay our proportionate share of the cost of insurance, taxes,
maintenance and utilities. We generally cannot cancel these leases at our option. If we determine that it is no longer economical to operate a retail store subject to a lease and decide to close it, as we have done in the past and will do in the
future, we would generally remain obligated under the applicable lease for, among other things, payment of the base rent, common charges and other net payments for the balance of the lease term. In some instances, we may be unable to close an
underperforming retail store without a significant financial penalty due to continuous operation clauses in our lease agreements. In addition, as each of our leases expire, we may be unable to negotiate renewals, either on commercially acceptable
terms or at all, which could cause us to close retail stores in desirable locations. Our inability to secure desirable retail space or favorable lease terms could impact our ability to grow. Likewise, our obligation to continue making lease
payments in respect of leases for closed retail spaces could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be unable to sustain our financial performance or our past growth, which could have a material adverse effect on our future operating results.
In 2019, we experienced declines in sales and operating income primarily resulting from changes in our strategic direction. In 2020, we experienced further declines primarily resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many other specialty retailers have experienced declining sales and losses due to the overall challenging retail environment. Our sales and profits may continue to be negatively affected in the future. We anticipate that our financial performance
will depend on a number of factors, including consumer preferences, the strength and protection of our brand, the introduction of new products, and the success of our new business strategy.
Competition, including internet-based competition, could negatively impact our business.
The retail industry is competitive, which could result in the reduction of our prices and loss of our market share. We must remain competitive in the areas of quality, price, breadth of selection, customer service,
and convenience. We compete with smaller retailers focused on leather and leather crafting, some of whom have been able to offer competitive products at lower prices than ours. We also compete with larger specialty retailers (e.g., Michaels Stores, Inc. and Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.) that dedicate a small portion of their selling space to products that compete with ours but are larger and have greater financial resources than we do.
The Company also faces competition from internet-based retailers, in addition to traditional store-based retailers. This could result in increased price competition, since our customers can more readily search and compare products from
internet-based retailers who do not need to support a physical store fleet and may be able to undercut our prices for products. The growth of internet retailers has also significantly reduced traffic to many shopping centers and physical stores,
which, if not countered by an increase in our own online retailing, could have a material adverse effect on our in-store or overall sales.
Declines in foot traffic in our retail store locations could negatively impact our sales and profits.
The success of our retail stores is affected by (1) the location of the store within its community or shopping center; (2) surrounding tenants or vacancies; (3) increased competition in areas where shopping centers
are located; (4) the amount spent on advertising and promotion to attract consumers to the stores; and (5) a shift towards online shopping resulting in a decrease in retail store traffic. Many of our stores are located in light industrial areas,
where foot traffic tends to be lower than in traditional retail shopping areas. Furthermore, our initiatives to service our larger customers through a dedicated Commercial Program rather than primarily through local stores may also lead to a
decline in the traffic to our store locations. Declines in consumer traffic could have a negative impact on our net sales and could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, declines in traffic
could result in store impairment charges if expected future cash flows of the related asset group do not exceed the carrying value.
Our business could be harmed if we are unable to maintain our brand image.
Tandy Leather is one of the most recognized brand names in our industry. Our success to date has been due in large part to the strength of that brand. If we are unable to provide quality products and exceptional
customer service to our customers, including education, which Tandy Leather has traditionally been known for, our brand name may be impaired which could adversely affect our operating results.
Changes in customer demand could materially adversely affect our sales, results of operations and cash flow.
Our success depends on our ability to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to changing customer demands and preferences for leather and leathercraft-related items. If we misjudge the
market, we might significantly overstock unpopular products and be forced to take significant inventory markdowns, or experience shortages of key items, either of which could have a material adverse impact on our operating results and cash flow.
In addition, adverse weather conditions, economic or political instability and consumer confidence volatility could have material adverse impacts on our sales and operating results.
Our success depends, in part, on attracting, developing and retaining qualified employees, including key personnel.
The ability to successfully execute against our goals is heavily dependent on attracting, developing and retaining qualified employees, including our senior management team. Competition in our industry to attract
and retain these employees is intense and is influenced by our ability to offer competitive compensation and benefits, employee morale, our reputation, recruitment by other employers, perceived internal opportunities, non-competition and
non-solicitation agreements and macro unemployment rates.
We depend on the guidance of our senior management team and other key employees who have significant experience and expertise in our industry and our operations. The unexpected loss of one or more of our key
personnel or any negative public perception with respect to these individuals could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We do not maintain key-person or similar life insurance policies on
any of senior management team or other key personnel.