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SPAR (SGRP) - 2024 Q4 - Annual Report
SGRPSPAR (SGRP)2025-05-16 20:06

Business Operations and Strategy - As of December 31, 2024, SPAR Group has exited operations in Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, China, Japan, and India, now focusing solely on the United States and Canada [25]. - The company aims to grow its core business, introduce or acquire new services, and invest in technology to achieve top-line growth and expanded margins [34]. - SPAR Group operates through three divisions: Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), with a strategic exit from all international joint ventures [38]. - The company provides six principal types of services, including Merchandising and Marketing, Category Management and Setup, and Fulfillment and Distribution [41]. - SPAR Group's strategy includes testing new ideas and services, particularly in digital, e-commerce, and AI, to meet evolving market demands [36]. - The company continues to evaluate its business model in light of changing client requirements and regulatory environments [56]. - The Company’s business model depends on the continued outsourcing of merchandising and marketing services, which may be impacted by retailers choosing to perform these services internally [74]. Financial Performance - Consolidated net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024, were 196.8million,adecreaseof196.8 million, a decrease of 65.9 million or 25.1% compared to 262.7millionin2023,primarilyduetothesaleofallinternationaljointventures[148].TheAmericasnetrevenuesdecreasedby262.7 million in 2023, primarily due to the sale of all international joint ventures [148]. - The Americas net revenues decreased by 26.5 million or 13.0% to 177.2millionin2024,impactedbythesaleoftheBrazilianjointventure,althoughtherewasan11177.2 million in 2024, impacted by the sale of the Brazilian joint venture, although there was an 11% revenue growth in the United States and 15% in Canada [149]. - Asia-Pacific net revenues fell by 13.2 million or 53.9% to 11.3millionin2024,duetotheexitofalljointventuresintheregion[150].EMEAnetrevenuesdecreasedby11.3 million in 2024, due to the exit of all joint ventures in the region [150]. - EMEA net revenues decreased by 26.3 million or 76.1% to 8.3millionin2024,attributedtotheexitoftheSouthAfricanjointventure[151].Selling,generalandadministrativeexpenseswereapproximately8.3 million in 2024, attributed to the exit of the South African joint venture [151]. - Selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately 37.3 million or 18.9% of net revenue in 2024, compared to 43.7millionor16.643.7 million or 16.6% in 2023, including 5.5 million related to strategic alternatives and joint venture sales [156]. - Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for 2024 was 6.65million,downfrom6.65 million, down from 12.97 million in 2023, with Adjusted EBITDA attributable to SPAR Group, Inc. at 5.62millioncomparedto5.62 million compared to 9.94 million in 2023 [145]. - The company's interest expense increased to 2.2millionin2024from2.2 million in 2024 from 1.9 million in 2023, due to higher debt balances [161]. - Net income attributable to SPAR Group, Inc. was a loss of 3.2millionin2024,comparedtoaprofitof3.2 million in 2024, compared to a profit of 3.9 million in 2023 [146]. - The Company reported a net cash used in operating activities of (0.7)millionfortheyearendedDecember31,2024,comparedtonetcashprovidedbyoperatingactivitiesof(0.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to net cash provided by operating activities of 6.8 million for 2023, primarily due to the sale of Brazil & South Africa [180]. Internal Controls and Compliance - The Company identified material weaknesses in its internal controls as of December 31, 2024, which resulted in errors in revenue, expense, and account reconciliations [94]. - Management identified two material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, affecting the accuracy of revenue, expense, and account reconciliations [202]. - The company is focused on designing and implementing effective internal control measures to improve financial reporting reliability [205]. - Management's evaluation concluded that disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to material weaknesses [199]. - The company is actively developing a remediation plan to address identified material weaknesses in its internal controls, but the timeline for completion is uncertain [95]. Market and Competitive Landscape - The merchandising and marketing services industry is expected to continue growing, driven by the need for retailers to enhance physical store relevance amid increasing digital competition [31]. - The marketing services industry is highly competitive, with the Company focusing on breadth and quality of client services as key competitive factors [58]. - The Company faces risks from potential economic downturns that could significantly reduce revenues, particularly from key clients in retail and manufacturing [70]. Shareholder and Stock Information - The Majority Stockholders beneficially own approximately 46.6% of the SGRP Common Stock, which could influence corporate governance and decision-making [101]. - The market price of SGRP Common Stock fluctuated from 0.95to0.95 to 3.12 per share during the year ended December 31, 2024, indicating significant volatility [89]. - The Company repurchased 1,000,000 shares under the 2024 Stock Repurchase Program on May 3, 2024, following the completion of the 2022 program [90]. - The company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its common stock and does not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future [128]. Human Resources and Executive Management - The Company employed approximately 3,425 individuals as of December 31, 2024, including 249 full-time and 730 part-time employees in the Americas Division [55]. - The company’s business performance is closely tied to the experience and retention of key executives, which is critical for long-term success [99]. - Phantom Stock Unit Grants were issued to key executives, including Antonio Calisto Pato and William Linnane, effective April 3, 2023 [221]. - A Change of Control Severance Agreement was established with Antonio Calisto Pato on February 28, 2023, enhancing executive retention strategies [222]. Technology and Innovation - SPAR Group's technology, SPARView, is designed to optimize merchandising and marketing services, providing clients with detailed insights and enhancing operational efficiency [37]. - The Company incurred costs of $1.0 million for the maintenance and development of its global technology systems in both 2024 and 2023 [54]. - The company implemented a new ERP system effective January 1, 2025, aimed at improving internal controls and reducing manual adjustments [205]. Risk Management - The Company is at risk of liquidity constraints due to potential violations of covenants in its credit facilities, which could adversely affect its financial condition [96]. - The Company relies on third-party vendors for telecommunication services, which poses risks related to service disruptions and cybersecurity breaches [87]. - The company carries insurance to protect against potential losses from cybersecurity incidents, but coverage may not be sufficient [114]. - The company did not encounter any material cybersecurity incidents during the fiscal year 2024, nor did it incur notable expenses as a result [115].