BT Brands, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2022 April (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

Commission File Number: 333-233233

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes ☒ No

At May 16, 2022, there were 6,461,118 shares of common stock outstanding.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING RISKS

AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS

Forward-Looking Information

This quarterly report contains forward-looking statements about the business, financial condition and prospects of BT Brands, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (together, the "Company"). Forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "projects," "expects," "may," "estimates," "should," "plans," "targets," "intends," "could," "would," "anticipates," "potential," "confident," "optimistic" or the negative thereof, or other variations thereon, or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, objectives, estimates, guidance, expectations, and future plans. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by the fact these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.

While the Company believes the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances such expectations will prove to be accurate. Security holders are cautioned such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this report in the context of the factors that could cause outcomes to differ materially from our expectations. These factors include, but are not limited to:

We caution you that the important factors referenced above may not contain all of the factors that are important to you. In addition, we cannot assure you that we will realize the results or developments we expect or anticipate or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the consequences we anticipate or affect us or our operations in the ways we expect. The forward-looking statements included in this report are made only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates regarding those or other forward-looking statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

From time to time, oral or written forward-looking statements are also included in our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, our Schedule 14A, our press releases and other materials released to the public. Although we believe that at the time made, the expectations reflected in all of these forward-looking statements are and will be reasonable, any or all of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. This may occur as a result of inaccurate assumptions or as a consequence of known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, certain of which are beyond our control, will be important in determining our future performance. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from those that might be anticipated from forward-looking statements. In light of these and other uncertainties, you should not regard the inclusion of a forward-looking statement in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or other public communications that we might make as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved, and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. However, your attention is directed to any further disclosures made on related subjects in our subsequent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements             

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

(Unaudited)

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements    

BT BRANDS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

NOTE 1 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of April 3, 2022, does not include all of the disclosures required by GAAP. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements as of January 2, 2022, and the related notes thereto included in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2022.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and the differences could be material.

The Company

BT Brands, Inc. (the "Company") was incorporated as Hartmax of NY Inc. on January 19, 2016. Effective on July 30, 2018, the Company acquired 100% of BTND, LLC.

Business

As of April 3, 2022, we owned and operated eleven restaurants, including nine Burger Time fast-food restaurants, one Dairy Queen fast-food restaurant, and Keegan's Seafood Grille ("Keegan's"), a dine-in restaurant located in Florida. Our fast-food restaurants are all located in the North Central region of the United States. Our Burger Time restaurants feature a wide variety of burgers and other affordable foods such as chicken sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, sides, and soft drinks. Our Dairy Queen restaurant offers the established Dairy Queen menu consisting of burgers, chicken, sides, ice cream, other desserts, and various beverages. Keegan's Seafood Grille has operated in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, for more than thirty-five years and offers a variety of traditional fresh seafood items for lunch and dinner. The menu at Keegan's includes beer and wine. Our revenues are derived principally from the sale of food and beverages at our restaurants, and branded retail merchandise accounts for an insignificant portion of our income.

The Company's Dairy Queen store is operated under a franchise agreement with International Dairy Queen. The Company pays royalty and advertising payments to the franchisor as required by the franchise agreement.

Fiscal Year Period

The Company's fiscal year is a 52/53-week year, ending on the Sunday closest to December 31. Most years consist of four 13-week accounting periods comprising the 52-week year. All references to years in this report refer to the 13-week periods in the respective fiscal year periods. The fiscal year 2022 is 52 weeks ending January 1, 2023.

Cash

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company's accounting for fair value measurements of assets and liabilities, including available-for-sale securities, is that they are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the statements on a recurring or nonrecurring basis, adhere to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the input to valuation techniques used to measure fair value.

The hierarchy prioritizes unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to measurements involving significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).

The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

The level in the fair value hierarchy within which a fair measurement in its entirety falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to fair value measurement in its entirety.

The carrying values of cash, receivables, accounts payable and other financial working capital items approximate fair value due to the short maturity nature of these instruments.  

Equity investments in marketable securities are carried at fair value. At April 3, 2022, the $6,745 reduction from cost to fair value was not considered material and is included in general and administrative expenses. On April 3, 2022, the cost of marketable securities consisted of a single Nasdaq-listed level-one security with a cost of $260,845. This investment is reflected in the accompanying financial statements at April 3, 2022, at the level-one fair value quoted in an active market of $254,100.  

Receivables

Receivables consist mainly of rebates due from a primary vendor.

Inventory

Inventory consists of food, beverages and supplies and is stated at lower of cost (first-in, first-out method) or net realizable value.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives, ranging from three to thirty years.

The Company reviews long-lived assets to determine if the carrying value of these assets is recoverable based on estimated cash flows. Assets are evaluated at the lowest level for which cash flows can be identified at the restaurant level. In determining future cash flows, estimates are made by the Company for future operating results of each restaurant. If such assets are considered impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying value of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Goodwill

Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of acquired business assets.  In accordance with GAAP, goodwill is not amortized.  The Company periodically assesses goodwill for impairment. Management has estimated there is no impairment of goodwill at April 3, 2022,

Assets Held for Sale

Income Taxes

Ths Company provides for income taxes under (Accounting Standards Codification (ASC), 740), Accounting for Income Taxes. ASC 740 uses an asset and liability approach in accounting for income taxes. Deferred tax asset and liability account balances are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. They are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company provides a valuation allowance, if necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to their estimated realizable value. The deferred tax assets are reviewed periodically for recoverability, and valuation allowances are adjusted as necessary.

As of April 3, 2022, the Company estimates a current tax provision at the combined federal and state statutory rate of approximately 27.5%

The Company has no accrued interest or penalties relating to income tax obligations. The Company currently has no federal or state examinations in progress, nor has it had any federal or state tax examinations since its inception. All periods since inception remain open for inspection.

Per Common Share Amounts

Net income per common share is computed by dividing net income or loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and potentially outstanding shares of common stock during each period. Common stock equivalents are excluded from the computation of diluted per share amounts if their effect is anti-dilutive. There were no dilutive shares as of the periods ending in 2022 and 2021.

Other Assets

Other assets include intangible assets that are the allocated fair value of trademarks and other assets purchased in the acquisition of Keegan's and the acquired Dairy Queen franchise. Where appropriate, the cost of intangible assets is amortized over the estimated useful life.

NOTE 2 – ACQUISITION

Restaurant Acquisition - Keegan's

On March 2, 2022, the Company, through its 1519BT, LLC subsidiary ("1519BT"), purchased the assets of Keegan’s Seafood Grille, a fresh seafood restaurant located in Indian Rocks Springs, Florida (“Keegan’s). Concurrent with the purchase, the Company entered into a 131-month lease for a location for the approximately 2800 square foot space Keegan's has operated in for more than 35 years. The Company acquired the Keegan's tradename as part of the purchase and will continue to operate under the Keegan's Seafood Grille name. The purchase price was approximately $1.150 million, paid in cash at closing.

The Keegan's acquisition was accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting following ASC 805 "Business Combinations." Accordingly, the consolidated statements of operations include the results of these operations from the date of acquisition. The assets acquired were recorded at their estimated fair values based on information available as of April 3, 2022. The Company recorded provisional amounts for the acquired assets including goodwill as of April 3, 2022 and will complete the acquisition accounting once it finalizes its valuation analysis.

As a result of the Keegan’s acquisition, the Company provisionally recorded $200,000 in Goodwill, representing the excess of fair value over the purchase price of the identifiable assets, which is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes over fifteen years.

The following table presents the preliminary estimate of the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the Keegan's  transaction is:

NOTE 3 - PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

Property and equipment consisted of the following:

Depreciation expense for the 13-week periods in 2022 and 2021 was $68,902 and $54,269, respectively.

NOTE 4 - ACCRUED EXPENSES

Accrued expenses consisted of the following at:

NOTE 5 - LONG TERM DEBT

The Company's long-term debt is as follows:

NOTE 6 - STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

In 2019, the Company adopted the 2019 BT Brands Incentive Plan (the "2019 Incentive Plan"), under which it may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance stock units and other stock and cash awards to eligible participants. The number of common shares reserved for issuance is 250,000. As of April 3, 2022, there were 5,000 shares available for a grant under the 2019 Plan.

During the year ended January 2, 2022, we issued options to purchase 15,000 shares of common stock under the "2019 Incentive Plan as stock awards to three directors of the Company in connection with their joining the board of directors. The options are exercisable at $5 per share through 2031. In the first quarter of 2022, the company granted 215,750 options to employees and consultants to purchase shares at $2.50 per share.

Stock options granted to employees and directors generally vest over two to five years, in monthly or annual installments, as outlined in each agreement. Options expire ten years from the date of grant. Compensation expense equal to the grant date fair value of the options is recognized in general and administrative expense over the applicable service period. Compensation expense for the first-quarter period in 2022 was $33,500 and was zero in the first quarter of 2021.

The Company utilizes the Black-Scholes option pricing model when determining the compensation cost associated with stock options issued using the following significant assumptions:

The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense in its consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended April 3, 2022, as follows:

Information regarding the Company's stock options is summarized below:

 The Black-Scholes option-pricing model was used to estimate the fair value of the stock options with the following weighted-average assumptions for the period ended April 3, 2022:

On February 9, 2022, the Board of Directors and its Compensation Committee approved a proposal wherein senior management of the Company will be granted 250,000 shares of common stock as an award upon the Company's share price reaching $8.50 per share. Final approval of the plan is contingent upon shareholder approval of an expanded Incentive Stock Plan which is expected to be proposed at the next meeting of shareholders of the company.

NOTE 7 – LEASES

Concurrent with the acquisition of Keegan's assets, the Company entered into a lease for approximately 2,800 square feet of space the restaurant occupies. The terms of the 131-month lease provide for an initial rent of $5,000 per month with an annual escalation equal to the greater of 3% or the Consumer Price Index. The lease is being accounted for as an operating lease. At the inception of the lease, the Company recorded both an operating lease obligation and a right-of-use asset of $624,000. The present value discounted at 4% of the remaining lease obligation of $616,517 is reflected as a liability in the accompanying financial statements.

Because our lease for the Keegan location does not provide an implicit interest rate, we used our incremental borrowing rate of 4% to determine the lease payments' present value. The incremental borrowing rate represents an estimate of the interest rate we would incur at lease commencement to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments on a collateralized basis over the lease term. Variable lease costs consist primarily of property taxes, insurance, certain utility costs and sales tax. In addition to the operating lease cost, the Company will incur certain variable lease costs, which are expected to average approximately $3,000 per month beginning in April 2022. 

Following is a schedule of the approximate minimum future lease payments on the operating lease for the Keegans operating location as of April 3, 2022:

The Company is a party to a month-to-month land lease agreement for one of its Burger Time locations. The net book value of the building located on this land is approximately $ 18,500. The monthly lease payment is $1,600  plus the cost of property taxes.

The Company also rents corporate office space in West Fargo, North Dakota, and Minnetonka, Minnesota, for a monthly rent of approximately $2,200.

NOTE 8 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Next Gen Ice

In 2019, the Company made cash advances to Next Gen Ice, Inc. (NGI) in the form of Series C Notes totaling a principal amount of $179,000 ("Notes"). The Company's CEO, Gary Copperud, is Chairman of the Board of Directors of NGI. The Company's Chief Operating Officer, Kenneth Brimmer, is also a member of the Board of Directors of NGI and serves as Chief Financial Officer of NGI on a part-time contract basis. Mr. Copperud and a limited liability company controlled by him together own approximately 34% of the outstanding equity of NGI. The Notes were modified on March 2, 2020, and the maturity was extended to August 31, 2020. As part of the Note modification, the Company received 179,000 shares of common stock in Next Gen Ice from the founders of NGI, representing approximately 2% of NGI shares outstanding. The Company also holds warrants to purchase 358,000 shares of common stock for $1.00 per share, which were initially set to expire on March 31, 2023. Effective with the Company’s agreement to make an additional investment in February 2022, the expiration date of the 358,000 $1.00 stock purchase warrants was extended by five years to March 31, 2028. The common stock and common stock purchase warrants received by the Company were recorded at a value determined by the Company of $75,000. The Company has determined that its investment in NGI does not have a readily determinable market value. Therefore, it is carried at the cost determined by the Company when the shares and warrants were received. The Notes were repaid in August 2020 with interest. On February 2, 2022, the Company made an additional investment into NGI of $229,000 in NGI Series A1 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, including a five-year warrant to purchase 57,250 shares at $1.65 per share. The total value of the Company’s investment in NGI at April 3, 2022, is $304,000, comprised of the $75,000 value determined by the Company for the initial common shares and warrants and the $209,000 cost of the February 2, investment in the NGI Convertible Preferred Stock and Warrants.

NOTE 9 - CONTINGENCIES

In the course of its business, the Company may be a party to claims and legal or regulatory actions arising from the conduct of its business. The Company is not aware of any significant asserted or potential claims which could impact its financial position.

NOTE 10 – SUBSEQUENT EVENT

On May 11, 2022, the Company acquired the assets of an operating bakery and coffee shop located in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The acquired assets have operated as Pie In The Sky Coffee and Bakery (“Pie Coffee”) for more than 20 years, near the Ferry Terminal in Woods Hole. Pie Coffee serves the local Woods Hole market and a significant seasonal market of visitors to Cape Cod and the Ferry Terminal. The Pie Coffee assets were acquired for $1,173,500 of cash. The Company has not yet finalized the allocation of the purchase price. At the time of purchase, we entered into a five-year triple-net lease for the property occupied by Pie Coffee with three 5-year renewal options. The initial rent of $10,000 per month for 24 months increases annually at 3% during the lease term and option periods.

RESULTS OF OPERATION

The following discussion of the financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and capital resources of BT Brands, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (together, the "Company") should be read in conjunction with the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included under Part I, Item 1 of this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2022.

Introduction

As of April 2, 2022, we owned and operated eleven restaurants, including nine Burger Time fast-food restaurants, one Dairy Queen fast-food restaurant, and Keegan's Seafood Grille, a dine-in restaurant located in Florida. Our fast-food restaurants are all located in the North Central region of the United States. Our Burger Time restaurants feature a wide variety of burgers and other affordable foods such as chicken sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, sides, and soft drinks. Our Dairy Queen restaurant offers the established Dairy Queen menu consisting of burgers, chicken, sides, ice cream, other desserts, and various beverages. Keegan's Seafood Grille has operated in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, for more than thirty-five years and offers a variety of traditional fresh seafood items for lunch and dinner. The menu at Keegan's includes beer and wine. Our revenues are derived principally from the sale of food and beverages at our restaurants and branded retail merchandise, which accounts for an insignificant portion of our income.

                Our Burger Time operating principles include: (i) offering a "Bigger Burger" to deliver our customers "more good food for your money" (ii) offering a limited menu to permit attention to quality and speed of preparation; (iii) providing fast service by way of single and double drive-thru designs and a point-of-sale system that expedites the ordering and preparation process; and (iv) great tasting quality food made fresh to order at a fair price. Our primary strategy is to serve the drive-thru and take-out segment of the quick-service restaurant industry.

Operationally, we take several steps to maintain efficiency at our restaurants, including maintaining an inventory of typically less than $20,000 per store at any given time (which also allows for frequent deliveries of fresh food).

Our average customer transaction at Burger Time increased by 4% in the first three months of fiscal 2022 compared to 2021 and currently is approximately $12.10. This recent increase is principally the result of a menu price increase in 2021. Our sales trends are influenced by many factors, including the COVID pandemic, which was a positive for our sales. The environment remains challenging for smaller restaurant chains as competition from the major fast-food hamburger-focused business is intense.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, we completed an initial public offering of units of our securities at a public offering price of $5.00 per unit, each unit comprising one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $5.50 per share. The net proceeds to the Company from the offering, including the exercise of the underwriter's option to purchase additional warrants, were approximately $10.7 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and payment of estimated offering expenses totaling approximately $1.3 million.

Material Trends and Uncertainties

There are industry trends that may have an impact on our business. These trends principally relate to the rapidly changing technology and food delivery area. The major companies in the restaurant industry have rapidly adopted and developed applications for the smartphone and mobile delivery, have aggressively expanded drive-through operations and have developed loyalty programs and database marketing supported by a robust technology platform. We expect these trends to continue as restaurants aggressively compete for customers. Further, the major industry participants have continued to strategically discount prices through promotions such as a "dollar menu." We expect these significant trends will continue.

The cost of food has increased over the last two years, and we expect to see continued inflationary pressure in the remainder of 2022. Beef costs were stable in 2020 and since 2020 have increased by approximately 13.7% per pound. Given the competitive nature of the fast-food burger restaurant industry, in response to recent commodity price increases, we are planning to implement a price increase in the second quarter of 2022. It may be difficult to raise menu prices to cover future cost increases. In 2020 and 2021, a significant increase in business volume contributed to improved profit margins. Additional margin improvements may have to be achieved through operational enhancements, equipment advances and increased sales volumes to help offset any food cost increases due to the competitive state of the restaurant industry.

The general state of the economy influences restaurant customer traffic, our ability to staff our restaurants, receive deliveries on a timely basis or perform functions at the corporate level. Further, such conditions could impact the availability of the menu items we offer and the ability of suppliers to deliver such products. We also may be adversely affected if jurisdictions in which we have restaurants are ordered to close, or we may be forced to implement temporary voluntary closures or impose restrictions on operations due to a shortage of available workers. Even if such measures are not implemented, the perceived risk of infection or significant health risk may adversely affect our business.

Growth Strategy and Outlook

We are seeking to increase value for our shareholders in the food service industry. Our principal strategy is to acquire multi-unit restaurant concepts and individual properties at attractive earnings multiples. Though we do not have plans to do so, we may, under certain circumstances, develop additional Burger Time locations. Other critical elements of our growth strategy encompass increasing same-store sales and introducing a campaign to boost brand awareness.

Expansion Through Acquisitions

We intend to make strategic and opportunistic acquisitions that provide an entrance into targeted restaurant segments and geographic areas. Restaurant businesses become available for acquisition frequently. We believe that we may be able to purchase either individual restaurant properties or multi-unit businesses at prices that provide an attractive return on our investment. Alternatively, we may acquire operating assets where a franchise program of the acquired foodservice business is concluded by management to be the most appropriate growth plan. We intend to follow a disciplined strategy of evaluating acquisition opportunities to ensure and enable the accretive and efficient acquisition and integration of additional restaurant concepts. Successful execution of our acquisition strategy will allow us to diversify our operations both into other dining concepts and geographic locations.

In evaluating potential acquisitions, we may consider the following characteristics, among others, that management considers relevant to each opportunity:

Assuming we successfully acquire new businesses, we will operate the business or businesses with a shared central management organization. Following the acquisition, we expect to pursue a growth plan to expand the number of locations and increase comparable store sales and profits, as described below. We anticipate that by leveraging our management services platform, we will be able to achieve post-acquisition cost benefits by reducing the corporate overhead of the acquired business. If we acquire one or more restaurant chains or individual units near each other, we believe the concentration of operations will provide economic synergies for management functions, marketing, and advertising, supply chain assistance, staff training, and operational oversight.

Future Development of Additional Burger Time Restaurants

We may consider developing additional Burger Time locations. Conditions that might give rise to developing additional Burger Time locations include the opportunity to acquire and convert a property that previously had operated as a fast-food establishment at an attractive price in a location that fits within Burger Time's geographic footprint so that we may share service expenses, including advertising costs.

If we elect to open additional Burger Time restaurants, we expect that the development of these restaurants will, based on our experience, require a minimum of six to nine months after opening to achieve the targeted restaurant-level sales and operating margins. When we open a restaurant in new and untested markets, achieving targeted sales may take longer since the local population will not be familiar with our brand. Building brand awareness takes time in a new and untested market. How quickly new restaurants achieve their targeted sales and operating margin depends on many factors, including consumer familiarity with our brand and the availability of experienced managers and other staff. However, every restaurant has a unique opening sales pattern, which is difficult to predict.

Increase Same-Store Sales

Same-store sales growth reflects the change in year-over-year sales for the comparable store base. We intend to deploy a multi-faceted same-store sales growth strategy to optimize restaurant performance. We will apply techniques proven in the restaurant industry to increase same-store sales at our Burger Time restaurants and our acquired properties and develop new approaches that reflect our corporate character and restaurant composition. We expect to utilize customer feedback and analyze sales data to introduce, test and hone existing and new menu items. In addition, we will investigate using public relations and experiential marketing to engage customers. We expect our strategies to increase same-store sales will evolve as we acquire new restaurant concepts in new markets.

Increase Brand Awareness

We appreciate that increasing brand awareness is essential to the growth of our Company. We will develop and implement forward-looking branding strategies for Burger Time and any acquired businesses. We will seek to leverage social media and employ targeted digital advertising to expand the reach of our brands and drive traffic to our stores. In addition, we intend to develop mobile applications that will allow consumers to find restaurants, order online and earn rewards. We will deploy cross-over ads with radio and social media interaction. We expect our branding initiatives to evolve as we consummate acquisitions of restaurant concepts that appeal to distinct consumer markets in differing geographic areas.

Our ability to acquire or open new restaurants is predicated on the availability of capital for such purposes. We cannot be certain that capital will be available to us on acceptable terms, if at all.

First Quarter Highlights

On March 2, 2022, we consummated the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Keegan's Seafood Grille, Inc., an operating restaurant located in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. We acquired the assets for a purchase price of $1,150,000. The acquired assets have operated as Keegan's Seafood Grille for more than 35 years, primarily serving the Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Florida markets. As part of the purchase, we acquired the "Keegan's Seafood Grille" tradename, and we plan to continue to operate the property under the Keegan's Seafood Grille name.

Key Performance Indicators

We use comparable store sales metrics as indicators of sales growth to evaluate how our established stores have performed over time. We use comparable guest traffic to determine how established stores have performed over time, excluding growth achieved through menu price and sales mix change. Finally, we use average checks per guest to identify trends in guest preferences and the effectiveness of menu changes. We believe these performance indicators are useful for investors by providing a consistent comparison of sales results and trends across comparable periods within our core, established store base, unaffected by results of store openings, closings, and other transitional changes.

Results of Operations for the Thirteen Weeks Ended April 3, 2022, and the Thirteen Weeks Ended April 4, 2021

The following table sets forth our Condensed Statements of Operations for the fiscal periods indicated as a percentage of total revenues. Percentages below may not reconcile because of rounding.

Net Revenues:

 Net sales for the fiscal first quarter of 2022 increased $132,323 or 6.8% to $2,073,195 from $1,940,872 in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. A decline in sales at Burger Time locations was attributable principally to the labor issues resulting in some curtailment of restaurant operating hours and poorer weather conditions than in the year-earlier period. These negative effects were offset by the contribution to sales of approximately one-month for Keegan's Seafood Grille, which was acquired on March 2, 2022, and contributed approximately $345,000 in sales during the quarter.

Costs of Sales - food and paper:

Cost of sales - food and paper for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 decreased as a percentage of sales to 34.8% of restaurant sales from 37.7% of restaurant sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. This decrease resulted from a menu price increase in the second half of 2021 and relatively favorable pricing negotiated with the Company's ground beef supplier.

Restaurant Operating Costs:

Restaurant operating costs (which refer to all the costs associated with the operation of our restaurants but do not include general and administrative expenses and depreciation and amortization) as a percent of restaurant sales were relatively stable at 79.7% of sales in the first fiscal quarter of 2022 compared to 80.2% in the same period of fiscal 2021. This was due primarily to an increase in sales which favorably impacted both fixed and semi-fixed costs and the matters discussed in the "Cost of Sales,” "Labor Costs,” "Occupancy,” and “Other Operating Cost" sections below.

Labor Costs:

For the first quarter of fiscal 2022, labor and benefits cost increased by $42,218 to $607,710, and labor costs as a percentage of sales increased to 29.3% of restaurant sales from 29.1% of restaurant sales the in fiscal 2021 first quarter. The increase in the rate resulted from an increase in new-hire wage rates offset by leveraging existing staffing levels as sales increased significantly from the previous year. The Company continued to benefit from minimal turnover in its unit restaurant management, which tends to cause unfavorable variations in labor costs. Payroll costs are semi-variable, meaning that they do not change proportionally to changes in revenue.

Occupancy and Other Operating Expenses

For the first fiscal quarter of 2022, occupancy and other expenses increased by $34,748. As a percentage of sales, these costs increased to 14.2% of restaurant sales compared with 13.3% in a similar period in 2021. This increase is primarily the result of winter conditions increasing heating costs and snow removal expenses compared to the milder weather a year ago.

Depreciation and Amortization Expense:

For the first fiscal quarter of 2022, depreciation and amortization increased by $14,579 to $69,415 (3.3% of sales) from $54,836 (2.8% of sales) in the same period in fiscal of 2021. The company continues to reinvest in its properties to maintain and upgrade items such as point-of-sale equipment and HVAC equipment.

General and Administrative Costs

General and administrative costs increased 176.3% or $185,724 from $105,338 (5.4% of sales) in the first fiscal quarter of 2022 to $291,062 (14.0% of sales) in the first quarter of 2021. The increase in general and administrative costs is primarily the result of the transition to a public company following the Company's IPO in November 2021. Following the recent stock offering, the Company increased officer compensation over the year-earlier level and increased staff.

Income from Operations

Income from operations for the first fiscal quarter of 2022 was $88,921 compared to income from operations of $223,495 in the 2021 period. The change in income from operations in fiscal 2022 compared to fiscal 2021 was due to the significant increase in General and Administrative Expenses following the Company's initial public offering and the matters discussed in the "Net Revenues" and "Restaurant Operating Costs" sections above.

Restaurant-level EBITDA:

To supplement the condensed consolidated financial statements, prepared and presented according to GAAP, the Company uses restaurant-level EBITDA, which is not a measure defined by GAAP. This non-GAAP operating measure is useful to both management and, we believe, investors because it represents one means of gauging the overall profitability of our recurring and controllable core restaurant operations. However, this measure is not indicative of our overall results, nor does restaurant-level profit accrue directly to the benefit of stockholders, primarily due to the exclusion of corporate-level expenses. Restaurant-level EBITDA should not be considered a substitute for or superior to operating income, which is calculated in accordance with GAAP, and the reconciliations to operating income set forth below should be carefully evaluated.

We define restaurant-level EBITDA as operating income before pre-opening costs, general and administrative costs, and depreciation and amortization. General and administrative costs are excluded as they are generally not specifically identifiable restaurant-specific costs. Depreciation and amortization are excluded because they are not ongoing controllable cash expenses and are not related to the health of ongoing operations.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

For the 13 weeks ended April 3, 2022, the Company earned an after-tax profit of $42,650. Principally, as a result of the Company's public offering of common stock and warrants in November 2021, on April 3, 2022, the Company had $11,073,645 in cash and working capital of $9,905,672.

In May 2020, the Company received pandemic-related loans totaling $487,900; $460,400 was borrowed under the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP"). The Company accounted for the loan's proceeds as a government grant under International Accounting Standard 20 ("IAS 20"), Accounting for Government Grants, and Disclosure of Government Assistance. Under IAS 20, the loan is initially recorded as deferred income on the balance sheet. Forgiveness income is recognized systematically over the qualifying expenses incurred when the Company determines that the forgiveness is reasonably assured. The loans were forgiven in 2021. As a result of the forgiveness of the PPP advances, the loan forgiveness was reflected as "Other Income" in 2020. Also, in May 2020, the Company borrowed $27,500 at no interest under the Minnesota Small Business Emergency Loan Program. Under the loan terms, the Company will seek loan forgiveness in 2022.

Our primary requirements for liquidity are to fund our working capital needs, capital expenditures, and general corporate needs, as well as to invest in or acquire businesses that are synergistic with our business. Our operations do not require significant working capital, and, like many restaurant companies, we may operate with negative working capital. Our primary sources of liquidity and cash flows are operating cash flows and cash on hand. We use this to service debt, maintain our stores to operate efficiently, and increase our working capital. Our working capital position benefits from the fact that we collect cash from sales from our customers at the point of purchase or within a few days from our credit card processor. Generally, payments to our vendors are not due for thirty days.

Summary of Cash Flows

Cash Flows Provided by Operating Activities

Primarily as a result of a positive one-month contribution from the operations Keegan's in March 2022, we generated positive cash flow in the 13 weeks ending April 3, 2022. The winter months have historically been seasonally the slowest part of the Company's business.

Cash Flows Used in Investing Activities

In 2022 the Company has focused on identifying potential acquisition opportunities, including its purchase of Keegans on March 2, 2022.

Cash Flows Used in Financing Activities

A significant portion of the Company's cash flow is allocated to service the Company's debt.

Contractual Obligations

As of April 3, 2022, we had $3 million in contractual obligations relating principally to amounts due under mortgages on the real property on which stores are situated. Our monthly required payment is approximately $32,000. 

Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosure about Market Risk

Commodity Price Risk

We are subject to volatility in food costs due to market risk associated with commodity prices. Our ability to recover increased costs through higher pricing is, at times, limited by the competitive environment in which we operate. To manage these risks, we do not enter into pricing agreements with our suppliers. Beef is our largest single food purchase, and the price we pay for beef fluctuates weekly based on beef commodity prices. We do not currently manage this risk with commodity future and option contracts. A ten percent increase in the cost of beef would result in approximately $175,000 of additional food costs for the Company annually.

Seasonality and Inflation

Seasonal factors and the timing of holidays cause our revenue to fluctuate from quarter to quarter. Our revenue per restaurant is typically slightly lower in the first and fourth quarters due to holiday closures and the impact of cold weather at all our locations. Adverse weather conditions may also affect customer traffic, especially in the first and fourth quarters, when customers do not use our outdoor seating areas, which impacts the use of these areas and may adversely affect our revenue.

Management believes that inflation has had a material effect on income in recent periods. A continuation of current cost trends in food, labor, and other operating costs could adversely affect the Company's operations. The Company generally has been able to increase menu prices or modify its operating procedures to offset increases in its operating costs.

The cost of construction has also increased in recent history. We expect that costs to construct new restaurants in our existing and contiguous markets will be more expensive than several years ago, but we expect to achieve higher restaurant sales volumes and margin improvements to offset these or additional construction cost increases. Construction cost increases could have an adverse effect on our business and operations, particularly for new restaurant development.

Our business is subject to a wide range of federal, state, and local regulations, which are subject to change in ways we cannot now anticipate. We are uncertain as to the effect that changes in the regulatory environment may have on our Company.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements during the periods presented, and we do not currently have any as defined in the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

There has been no impact on our financial statements and our results of operations and financial condition as the result of the adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements, see "Part I, Item 1, Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this quarterly report.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of operating results and financial conditions are based on our financial statements. Under GAAP, our financial statements require us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, sales, expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, and we evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis.

Our critical accounting policies are those that materially affect our financial statements and involve subjective or complex judgments by management. Although these estimates are based on management's best knowledge of current events and actions that may impact us in the future, actual results may be materially different from the estimates.

Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012

We qualify as an "emerging growth company" as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act to comply with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of specific accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this extended transition period. As a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for other public companies.

Subject to certain conditions outlined in the JOBS Act, we are also eligible for and intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including (i) the exemption from the auditor attestation requirements with respect to internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (ii) the exemptions from say-on-pay, say-on-frequency and say-on-golden parachute voting requirements and (iii) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements. We may take advantage of these exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will continue to be an emerging growth company until the earliest to occur of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of June 30 of that fiscal year, (ii) the last day of the fiscal year in which we had total annual gross revenue of $1 billion or more during such fiscal year (as indexed for inflation), (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt in the prior three-year period or (iv) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of our initial public offering.

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are not required to provide the information under this item.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the periods specified by the SEC's rules and forms. Disclosure Controls are also designed to ensure that this information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

As of April 3, 2022, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures under Rule 13a-15(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of April 3, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at a reasonable assurance as of the end of the period covered by this report because we lack the necessary corporate accounting resources to maintain adequate segregation of duties. We did not perform an effective risk assessment or monitor internal controls over financial reporting. Management is developing and implementing a series of accounting systems and procedure changes and internal controls intended to provide adequate controls over financial reporting.

Changes in internal control over financial reporting

There have been no significant changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that occurred during our most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There are presently no pending legal proceedings to which the Company is a party or as to which any of its property is subject, and no such proceedings are known to the Company to be threatened or contemplated against it.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are not required to provide the information required under this item.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Since the date on which the Company filed its annual report on Form 10-K and through the date of this quarterly report, the Company did not sell any securities.

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION

None

ITEM 6. EXHIBITS.

SIGNATURES

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