Climb Global Solutions, Inc. - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

 

 

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-K

 

☒ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017

 

OR

 

☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

 

For the transition period from                              to

 

Commission file number: 000-26408

 

WAYSIDE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (732) 389-0932

 

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

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act: None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes  ☐  No ☒

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act Yes ☐  No  ☒

 

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 and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data file required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files). Yes  ☒  No  ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or other information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  ☐

 

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 Act). Yes  ☐  No  ☒

 

The aggregate market value of the Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant computed by reference to the closing sale price for the Registrant’s Common Stock as of June 30, 2017, which was the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, as reported on The NASDAQ Global Market, was approximately $76,651,368 (In determining the market value of the Common Stock held by any non-affiliates, shares of Common Stock of the Registrant beneficially owned by directors, officers and holders of more than 10% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Registrant have been excluded. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes).

 

The number of shares outstanding of the Registrant’s Common Stock as of February 27, 2018 was 4,504,203 shares.

 

Documents Incorporated by Reference: Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed on or before May 1, 2018 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Statements in this report regarding future events or conditions, including but not limited to statements regarding industry prospects and the Company’s expected financial position, business and financing plans, are forward-looking statements.

 

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. We strongly urge current and prospective investors to carefully consider the cautionary statements and risks contained in this report, particularly the risks described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” herein. Such risks include, but are not limited to, the continued acceptance of the Company’s distribution channel by vendors and customers, the timely availability and acceptance of new products, contribution of key vendor relationships and support programs, as well as factors that affect the software industry generally.

 

The Company operates in a rapidly changing business, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict every risk factor, nor can it assess the impact, if any, of all such risk factors on the Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

 

Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

The statements concerning future sales, future gross profit margin and future selling and administrative expenses are forward looking statements involving certain risks and uncertainties such as availability of products, product mix, pricing pressures, market conditions and other factors, which could result in a fluctuation of sales below recent experience.

 

 

 

PART I

 

Item 1 Business

 

General

 

Wayside Technology Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the “Company,” “us,” “we,” or “our”) is an information technology (“IT”) channel company. The Company operates through two reportable operating segments.  The “Lifeboat Distribution” segment distributes technical software and hardware to corporate resellers, value added resellers (VARs), consultants and systems integrators worldwide.  The “TechXtend” segment is a value-added reseller of software, hardware and services for corporations, government organizations and academic institutions in the USA and Canada. We offer an extensive line of products from leading publishers of software and tools for virtualization/cloud computing, security, networking, storage and infrastructure management, application lifecycle management and other technically sophisticated domains as well as computer hardware.

 

The Company was incorporated in Delaware in 1982. Our Common Stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “WSTG”. Our main web site address is www.waysidetechnology.com, and the other web sites maintained by our business include www.lifeboatdistribution.com, and www.techxtend.com.  Reference to these “uniform resource locators” or “URLs” is made as an inactive textual reference for informational purposes only. Information on our web sites should not be considered filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this report.

 

In our Lifeboat segment, we distribute technology products from software developers, publishers or equipment manufacturers to resellers, and system integrators worldwide. We purchase software, maintenance/service agreements, networking/storage/security equipment and complementary products from our vendors and sell them to our reseller customers. Generally, a vendor authorizes a limited of number of companies to act as distributors of their product and sell to resellers of their product. Our reseller customers include value-added resellers, or VARs, corporate resellers, government resellers, system integrators, direct marketers, and national IT superstores. We combine our core strengths in customer service, marketing, distribution, credit and billing to allow our customers to achieve greater efficiencies in time to market in the IT channel in a cost effective manner.

 

Our Lifeboat Distribution business is characterized by low gross profit as a percentage of revenue, or gross margin, and price competition.   In our Lifeboat segment, we are highly dependent on the end-market demand for the products we sell, and on our partners’ strategic initiatives and business models. This end-market demand is influenced by many factors including the introduction of new products, replacement and renewal cycles for existing products, competitive products, overall economic growth and general business activity. A difficult and challenging economic environment may also lead to consolidation or decline in the industry and increased price-based competition. 

 

We also provide comprehensive IT solutions directly to end users through our TechXtend segment. Products in this segment are acquired directly from equipment manufacturers, software developers or distributors and sold to end users. We provide customer service, billing, sales and marketing support in this segment and also provide extended payment terms to facilitate sales.

 

Products

 

An essential part of our ongoing operations and growth plans is the continued recruitment of software publishers for which we become authorized distributors of their products. The Company offers a wide variety of technology products from a broad range of publishers and manufacturers, such as Bluebeam Software, Dell/Dell Software, erwin, Flexera Software, Hewlett Packard, Infragistics, Intel Software, Lenovo, Micro Focus Microsoft, Mindjet, Samsung, SmartBear Software, SolarWinds, Sophos, StorageCraft Technology, TechSmith, Unitrends, Veeam Software and VMware. On a continuous basis, we screen new products for inclusion in our direct sales portfolio, and web sites based on their features, quality, price, profit margins and warranties, as well as on current sales trends. The

Company predominantly sells software, software subscriptions, and maintenance. Sales of hardware and peripherals represented 7%, 10%,  and 10% of our overall net sales in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Marketing and Distribution

 

We market products through creative marketing communications, including our web sites, local and on-line seminars, webinars, and social media. We also use direct e-mail and printed material to introduce new products and upgrades, to cross-sell products to current customers, and to educate and inform existing and potential customers. We believe that our blend of electronic and traditional marketing and selling programs are important marketing vehicles for software publishers and manufacturers. These programs provide a cost-effective and service-oriented means to market and sell and fulfill software products and meet the needs of users.

 

The Company had two customers that each accounted for more than 10% of total sales for 2017. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Software House International Corporation (“SHI”), and CDW Corporation (“CDW”) accounted for 23.0%, and 19.4%, respectively, of consolidated net sales and, as of December 31, 2017, 15.1% and 28.6%, respectively, of total net accounts receivable. For the year ended December 31, 2016, Software House International Corporation (“SHI”), and CDW Corporation (“CDW”) accounted for 19.6%, and 17.9%, respectively, of consolidated net sales,  and, as of December 31, 2016, 13.3%, and 23.2%, respectively, of total net accounts receivable. For the year ended December 31, 2015, SHI, and CDW Corporation accounted for 19.0%, and 17.9%, respectively, of consolidated net sales. Our top five customers accounted for 52%, 48%, and 52% of consolidated net sales in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company generally ships products within 48 hours of confirming a customer’s order. This results in minimum backlog in the business.

 

Sales to customers in Canada represented 7%, 7%, and 6% of our consolidated revenue in 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. Sales in Europe and the rest of the world represented 6%, 6%, and 6% of our consolidated revenue in 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. For geographic financial information, please refer to Note 9 in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Customer Support

 

We believe that providing a high level of customer service is necessary to compete effectively, and is essential to continued sales and revenue growth. Our account representatives assist our customers with all aspects of purchasing decisions, order processing, and inquiries on order status, product pricing and availability. The account representatives are trained to answer all basic questions about the features and functionality of products.

 

Purchasing and Fulfillment

 

The Company’s success is dependent, in part, upon the ability of its suppliers to develop and market products that meet the changing requirements of the marketplace. The Company believes it enjoys good relationships with its vendors. The Company and its principal vendors have cooperated frequently in product introductions and in other marketing programs. As is customary in the industry, the Company has no long-term supply contracts with any of its suppliers. Substantially all of the Company’s contracts with its vendors are terminable upon 30 days’ notice or less. Moreover, the manner in which software products are distributed and sold is changing, and new methods of distribution and sale may emerge or expand. Software publishers have sold, and may intensify their efforts to sell, their products directly to end-users. The Company’s business and results of operations may be adversely affected if the terms and conditions of the Company’s authorizations with its vendors were to be significantly modified or if certain products become unavailable to the Company.

 

We believe that effective purchasing from a diverse vendor base is a key element of our business strategy. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Sophos and Solarwinds accounted for 26.4% and 14.7%, respectively of our consolidated purchases. For the year ended December 31, 2016, Sophos and Solarwinds accounted for 23.1% and 10.8%, respectively, of our consolidated purchases. For the year ended December 31, 2015, Sophos was the only individual vendor from whom our purchases exceeded 10% of our total purchases and accounted for 24.2% of our total

purchases.  The loss of a key vendor or group of vendors could disrupt our product availability and otherwise have an adverse effect on the Company.

 

In 2017,  2016 and 2015 the Company purchased approximately 96% of its products directly from manufacturers and publishers and the balance from multiple distributors. Most suppliers or distributors will “drop ship” products directly to the customers, which reduces physical handling by the Company. Inventory management techniques, such as “drop shipping” allow the Company to offer a greater range of products without increased inventory requirements or associated risk.

 

Inventory levels may vary from period to period, due in part to increases or decreases in sales levels, the Company’s practice of making large-volume purchases when it deems the terms of such purchases to be attractive, and the addition of new suppliers and products. Moreover, the Company’s order fulfillment and inventory control systems allow the Company to order certain products just in time for next day shipping. The Company promotes the use of electronic data interchange (“EDI”) with its suppliers and customers, which helps reduce overhead and the use of paper in the ordering process. Although brand names and individual products are important to our business, we believe that competitive sources of supply are available for substantially all of the product categories we carry.

 

The Company operates a distribution facility in Eatontown, New Jersey.

 

Competition

 

The software market is highly competitive and characterized by aggressive pricing practices by both software distributors and resellers.  This has resulted in declining gross margins as a percentage of sales, which the Company expects to continue. The Company faces competition from a wide variety of sources competing principally on the basis of price, product availability, customer service and technical support. In the Lifeboat Distribution segment, we compete against much larger broad-line distributors, as well as specialty distributors and, in some cases, the direct sales teams of the vendors we represent, who also sell directly to the end-customers.  In the TechXtend segment, we compete against vendors who sell directly to customers, as well as software resellers, superstores, e-commerce vendors, and other direct marketers of software and hardware products. In both segments, some of our competitors are significantly larger and have substantially greater resources than the Company.

 

There can be no assurance that the Company can compete effectively against existing competitors or new competitors that may enter the market or that it can generate profit margins which represent a fair return to the Company. An increase in the amount of competition faced by the Company, or its failure to compete effectively against its competitors, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The Company competes with other distributors and resellers to become an authorized distributor or reseller of products from software developers and publishers. It also competes with distributors and resellers to attract prospective buyers, and to source new products from software developers and publishers, and to market its current product line to customers. The Company believes that its ability to offer software developers and IT professionals easy access to a wide selection of the desired IT products at reasonable prices with prompt delivery and high customer service levels, along with its good relationships with vendors and suppliers, allows it to compete effectively. The Company competes to gain distribution rights for new products primarily on the basis of its reputation for successfully bringing new products to market and the strength of and quality of its relationships with software publishers.

 

The market for the software products we sell is characterized by rapid changes in technology, user requirements, and customer specifications. The manner in which software products are distributed and sold is changing, and new methods of distribution and sale may emerge or expand. Software developers and publishers have sold, and may intensify their efforts to sell, their products directly to end-users. The continuing evolution of the Internet as a platform in which to conduct e-commerce business transactions has both lowered the barriers for competition and broadened customer access to products and information, increasing competition and reducing prices. From time to time, certain software developers and publishers have instituted programs for the direct sale of large order quantities of software to certain major corporate accounts. These types of programs may continue to be developed and used by

various developers and publishers. While some software developers and publishers currently sell new releases or upgrades directly to end users, they have not attempted to completely bypass the distribution and reseller channels. There can be no assurances, however, that software developers and publishers will continue using distributors and resellers to the same extent they currently do. Future efforts by software developers and publishers to bypass third-party sales channels could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business operations and financial conditions.

 

In addition, resellers and publishers may attempt to increase the volume of software products distributed electronically through ESD (Electronic Software Distribution) technology, through subscription services, and through on-line shopping services. Any of these competitive programs, if successful, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. For a description of additional risks relating to competition in our industry, please refer to “Item 1.A. Risk Factors”: “We rely on our suppliers for product availability, marketing funds, purchasing incentives and competitive products to sell”, and “The IT products and services industry is intensely competitive and actions of competitors, including manufacturers of products we sell, can negatively affect our business.”

 

Management Information Systems

 

The Company operates management information systems on Windows 2008 and Windows 2012 platforms that allow for centralized management of key functions, including inventory, accounts receivable, purchasing, sales and distribution. We are dependent on the accuracy and proper utilization of our information technology systems, including our telephone, websites, e-mail and fax systems.

 

The management information systems allow the Company to monitor sales trends, provide real-time product availability and order status information, track direct marketing campaign performance and to make marketing event driven purchasing decisions. In addition to the main system, the Company has systems of networked personal computers, as well as microcomputer-based desktop publishing systems, which facilitate data sharing and provide an automated office environment.

 

The Company recognizes the need to continually upgrade its management information systems to most effectively manage its operations and customer database. In that regard, the Company anticipates that it will, from time to time, require software and hardware upgrades for its present management information systems.

 

Trademarks

 

The Company conducts its business under various trademarks and service marks including Lifeboat Distribution, TechXtend and International Software Partners. The Company protects these trademarks and service marks and believes that they have significant value to us and are important factors in our marketing programs.

 

Employees

 

As of December 31, 2017, Wayside Technology Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries had 138 full-time employees and 2 part-time employees. The Company is not a party to any collective bargaining agreements with its employees, has experienced no work stoppages and considers its relationships with its employees to be satisfactory.

 

Executive Officers of the Company

 

Set forth below are the name, age, present title, principal occupation and certain biographical information for our executive officers as of February 1, 2018 all of whom have been appointed by and serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”).

 

 

Simon F. Nynens was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2006. Mr. Nynens also serves on the Board of Directors and was named Chairman in June 2006. He previously held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (June 2004 - January 2006) and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (January 2002 - June 2004). Prior to January 2002, Mr. Nynens served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company’s European operations.

 

Dale Foster was appointed Executive Vice President in January 2018. Mr. Foster Previously served as Executive Director and General Manager of Promark Technology Inc. from November 2012 until he joined the Company.   Prior to that he served as President and CEO of Promark prior to its acquisition by Ingram Micro.

 

Michael Vesey was appointed Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in October 2016. He served as Vice President of SEC Reporting for OTG Management, Inc., from January to September 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Vesey served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2011 to 2015, and Vice President Corporate Controller from 2006 to 2011, for Majesco Entertainment Company, a NASDAQ listed publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software. Mr. Vesey is a certified public accountant and holds a Master of Finance degree from Penn State University. He began his career with the accounting firm KPMG.

 

Kevin Scull was appointed to the position of Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer in February 2015, after having served as the Vice President and Interim Chief Financial Officer since February 2014. He previously held the position of Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer from January 2006 to August 2012, after having served as Corporate Controller of the company since January 2003. Prior to joining Wayside Technology Group, Inc., Mr. Scull worked for Niksun Inc. as Accounting Manager from January 2001to January 2003 and, prior to that, he worked for Telcordia Inc. from December 2000 to January 2001, as Manager of Accounting Policies.

 

Vito Legrottaglie was appointed to the position of Vice President and Chief Information Officer in February 2015, after having served as Vice President of Operations and Information Systems since April 2007.  Mr. Legrottaglie rejoined the company in February 2003 having previously served as director of Information Systems and then vice president of Information Systems from 1996-2000. Mr. Legrottaglie has also held the positions of chief technology officer at Swell Commerce Incorporated, vice president of Operations for The Wine Enthusiast Companies, and director of Information Systems at Barnes and Noble.

 

Brian Gilbertson was appointed Vice President and General Manager of Lifeboat Distribution (“Lifeboat”), a subsidiary of Wayside Technology Group, Inc., in May 2016. Mr. Gilbertson joined Lifeboat in 2015 as Vice President, Business Development.  Since 2003, Mr. Gilbertson has held leadership positions in distribution and high-tech vendor companies.  Prior to joining Lifeboat, Mr. Gilbertson served as the Senior Director for Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions from November 2006 to February 2015.  While at Arrow, Mr. Gilbertson had responsibility for the P&L,

development and execution of strategic direction, and day to day operations.  Prior to Arrow, he served as the Director of Sales for Alternative Technology July 2003 to November 2006. 

 

Charles Bass was appointed Vice President New Business Development, in January 2018.  Mr. Bass previously served as Vice President Worldwide Channel Sales at Blue Medora since October 2016 until he joined the Company. From August 2015 to October 2016 he served as Vice President Worldwide sales for Tegile Inc., and from November 2010 to August 2015 he served as Vice President, Alliances, Marketing and Western Sales for Promark Technology Inc.

 

Available Information

 

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Company is required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and information statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.  Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room.  The SEC maintains a web site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.  The Company files electronically with the SEC. The Company makes available, free of charge, through its internet web site, its reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The following address for the Company’s web site includes a hyperlink to those reports under “Financials/SEC Filings”: http://www.waysidetechnology.com.

 

In  December 2017, we adopted a Code of Ethical Conduct. The full text of the Code of Ethical Conduct, which applies to all employees, officers and directors of the Company, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is available at our web site, http://www.waysidetechnology.com, under “Governance.” The Company intends to disclose any amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of the Code of Ethical Conduct that applies to its Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer on its web site under “Investor Information.”

 

Reference to the “uniform resource locators” or “URLs” contained in this section is made as an inactive textual reference for informational purposes only. Information on our web sites should not be considered filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is not, and should not be deemed to be part of this report.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

 

Investors should carefully consider the risk factors set forth below as well as the other information contained in this report. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or those currently viewed by us to be immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

Changes in the information technology industry and/or economic environment may reduce demand for the products and services we sell. Our results of operations are influenced by a variety of factors, including the condition of the IT industry, general economic conditions, shifts in demand for, or availability of, computer products and software and IT services and industry introductions of new products, upgrades or methods of distribution. The information technology products industry is characterized by abrupt changes in technology, rapid changes in customer preferences, short product life cycles and evolving industry standards. Net sales can be dependent on demand for specific product categories, and any change in demand for or supply of such products could have a material adverse effect on our net sales, and/or cause us to record write-downs of obsolete inventory, if we fail to react in a timely manner to such changes.

 

We rely on our suppliers for product availability, marketing funds, purchasing incentives and competitive products to sell. We acquire products for resale both directly from manufacturers and indirectly from distributors. The loss of a supplier could cause a disruption in the availability of products. Additionally, there is no assurance that as manufacturers continue to or increasingly sell directly to end users and through the distribution channel, that they will not limit or curtail the availability of their products to distributors/resellers like us. For example, resellers and publishers may attempt to increase the volume of software products distributed electronically through ESD (Electronic Software

Distribution) technology, through subscription services, and through on-line shopping services, and correspondingly, decrease the volume of products sold through us.  Our inability to obtain a sufficient quantity of products, or an allocation of products from a manufacturer in a way that favors one of our competitors, or competing distribution channels, relative to us, could cause us to be unable to fill clients’ orders in a timely manner, or at all, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We also rely on our suppliers to provide funds for us to market their products, including through our on-line marketing efforts, and to provide purchasing incentives to us.  If any of the suppliers that have historically provided these benefits to us decides to reduce such benefits, our expenses would increase, adversely affecting our results of operations.

 

General economic weakness may reduce our revenues and profits.   Generally, economic downturns, may cause some of our current and potential customers to delay or reduce technology purchases, resulting in longer sales cycles, slower adoption of new technologies and increased price competition. We may, therefore, experience a greater decline in demand for the products we sell, resulting in increased competition and pressure to reduce the cost of operations. Any benefits from cost reductions may take longer to realize and may not fully mitigate the impact of the reduced demand. In addition, weak financial and credit markets heighten the risk of customer bankruptcies and create a corresponding delay in collecting receivables from those customers and may also affect our vendors’ ability to supply products, which could disrupt our operations.  The realization of any or all of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

We depend on having creditworthy customers to avoid an adverse impact to our operating results and financial condition.  We may require sufficient amounts of debt and/or equity capital to fund our transactions as we provide larger extended payment terms to certain of our customers. If the credit quality of our customer base materially decreases, or if we experience a material increase in our credit losses, we may find it difficult to continue to obtain the required capital for our business, and our operating results and financial condition may be harmed. In addition to the impact on our ability to attract capital, a material increase in our delinquency and default experience would itself have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. Furthermore, if any of our customers to whom we provide larger extended payment terms go elsewhere for financing, such loss of revenue could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

The IT products and services industry is intensely competitive and actions of competitors, including manufacturers of products we sell, can negatively affect our business. Competition has been based primarily on price, product availability, speed of delivery, credit availability and quality and breadth of product lines and, increasingly, also is based on the ability to tailor specific solutions to client needs. We compete with manufacturers, including manufacturers of products we sell, as well as a large number and wide variety of marketers and resellers of IT products and services. In addition, manufacturers are increasing the volume of software products they distribute electronically directly to end-users and in the future, will likely pay lower referral fees for sales of certain software licensing agreements sold by us.  Generally, pricing is very aggressive in the industry, and we expect pricing pressures to continue. There can be no assurance that we will be able to negotiate prices as favorable as those negotiated by our competitors or that we will be able to offset the effects of price reductions with an increase in the number of clients, higher net sales, cost reductions, or greater sales of services, which service sales typically at higher gross margins, or otherwise. Price reductions by our competitors that we either cannot or choose not to match could result in an erosion of our market share and/or reduced sales or, to the extent we match such reductions, could result in reduced operating margins, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

We operate on narrow margins. We operate in a very competitive business environment. Like other companies in the technology distribution industry, the Company’s business is continually under pricing pressure and characterized by narrow gross and operating margins. These narrow margins magnify the impact on the Company’s operating results attributed to variations in sales and operating costs and place a premium on our ability to leverage our infrastructure. Future gross and operating margins may be adversely affected by changes in product mix, vendor pricing actions and competitive and economic pressures. In addition, failure to attract new sources of business from expansion of products or services or entry into new markets may adversely affect future gross and operating margins.

 

If we lose several of our larger customers our earnings may be affected. Meeting our customers’ needs quickly and fairly is critical to our business success. Our contracts for the provision of products are generally non-

exclusive agreements that are terminable by either party upon 30 days’ notice. In addition, our agreements with these larger customers do not provide for minimum purchase commitments. The loss of several of our large customers, the failure of such customers to pay their accounts receivable on a timely basis, or a material reduction in the amount of purchases made by such customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, anything that negatively impacts our customer relations also can negatively impact our operating results.

 

Disruptions in our information technology and voice and data networks could affect our ability to service our clients and cause us to incur additional expenses. We believe that our success to date has been, and future results of operations likely will be, dependent in large part upon our ability to provide prompt and efficient service to clients. Our ability to provide such services is dependent largely on the accuracy, quality and utilization of the information generated by our IT systems, which affect our ability to manage our sales, client service, distribution, inventories and accounting systems and the reliability of our voice and data networks.

 

Failure to adequately maintain the security of our electronic and other confidential information could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.  We are dependent upon automated information technology processes. Privacy, security, and compliance concerns have continued to increase as technology has evolved to facilitate commerce and as cross-border commerce increases. As part of our normal business activities, we collect and store certain confidential information, including personal information of employees and information about partners and clients which may be entitled to protection under a number of regulatory regimes. In the course of normal and customary business practice, we may share some of this information with vendors who assist us with certain aspects of our business. Moreover, the success of our operations depends upon the secure transmission of confidential and personal data over public networks, including the use of cashless payments. Any failure on the part of us or our vendors to maintain the security of data we are required to protect, including via the penetration of our network security and the misappropriation of confidential and personal information, could result in business disruption, damage to our reputation, financial obligations to third parties, fines, penalties, regulatory proceedings and private litigation with potentially large costs, and also result in deterioration in our employees’, partners’ and clients’ confidence in us and other competitive disadvantages, and thus could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.  During 2017 and 2016 we did not have any cybersecurity breaches.

 

We depend on certain key personnel. Our future success will be largely dependent on the efforts of key management personnel for strategic and operational guidance as well as relationships with our key vendors and customers. We also believe that our future success will be largely dependent on our continued ability to attract and retain highly qualified management, sales, service, finance and technical personnel. We cannot assure you that we will be able to attract and retain such personnel. Further, we make a significant investment in the training of our sales account executives. Our inability to retain such personnel or to train them either rapidly enough to meet our expanding needs or in an effective manner for quickly changing market conditions could cause a decrease in the overall quality and efficiency of our sales staff, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Risks related to our common stock. The exercise of options or any other issuance of shares by us may dilute your ownership of our Common Stock. Our Common Stock is thinly traded, which may be exacerbated by our repurchases of our Common Stock. As a result of the thin trading market for our stock, its market price may fluctuate significantly more than the stock market as a whole or of the stock prices of similar companies.  Without a larger float, our common stock will be less liquid than the stock of companies with broader public ownership, and, as a result, the trading prices for our Common Stock may be more volatile. Among other things, trading of a relatively small volume of our Common Stock may have a greater impact on the trading price of our stock than would be the case if our public float were larger.

 

Our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Market, and we therefore are subject to continued listing requirements, including requirements with respect to the market value and number of publicly-held shares, number of stockholders, minimum bid price, number of market makers and either (i) stockholders’ equity or (ii) total market value of stock, total assets and total revenues. If we fail to satisfy one or more of the requirements, we may be delisted from The NASDAQ Global Market. If we do not qualify for listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market, and if we are not able

to list our common stock on another exchange, our common stock could be quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board or on the “pink sheets”. As a result, we could face significant adverse consequences including, among others, a limited availability of market quotations for our securities and a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

 

If the Company fails to maintain an effective system of internal controls or discovers material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting, it may not be able to report its financial results accurately or timely or detect fraud, which could have a material adverse effect on its business. An effective internal control environment is necessary for the Company to produce reliable financial reports and is an important part of its effort to prevent financial fraud. The Company is required to annually evaluate the effectiveness of the design and operation of its internal controls over financial reporting. Based on these evaluations, the Company may conclude that enhancements, modifications, or changes to internal controls are necessary or desirable. During 2017, the Company determined it had a material weakness in its internal controls as is reported in Item 9a., Controls and Procedures. While management evaluates the effectiveness of the Company's internal controls on a regular basis, these controls may not always be effective. There are inherent limitations on the effectiveness of internal controls, including collusion, management override, and failure in human judgment. In addition, control procedures are designed to reduce rather than eliminate financial statement risk. If the Company fails to maintain an effective system of internal controls, or if management or the Company's independent registered public accounting firm discovers material weaknesses in the Company's internal controls, it may be unable to produce reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business. In addition, the Company may be subject to sanctions or investigation by regulatory authorities, such as the SEC or the NASDAQ. Any such actions could result in an adverse reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of the Company's financial statements, which could cause the market price of its common stock to decline or limit the Company's access to capital.

 

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting which could, if not remediated, result in material misstatements in our financial statements. As described under Item 9a., Controls and Procedures, we have identified a material weakness in the Company’s internal control. Under standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

 

We have initiated remediation measures, but these new and enhanced controls have not operated for a sufficient amount of time to conclude that the material weakness has been remediated. To implement these remediation measures, we may need to commit additional resources, hire additional staff, and provide additional management oversight. These activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. Further, if our remediation measures are insufficient to address the material weakness, or if additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting are discovered or occur in the future, our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements, and we could be required to restate our financial results. In addition, if we are unable to successfully remediate this material weakness and if we are unable to produce accurate and timely financial statements, our stock price may be adversely affected and we may be unable to maintain compliance with applicable stock exchange listing requirements.

 

The Company may be subject to intellectual property rights claims, which are costly to defend, could require payment of damages or licensing fees and could limit the company's ability to use certain technologies in the future. Certain of the Company's products and services include intellectual property owned primarily by the company's  

third- party suppliers. Substantial litigation and threats of litigation regarding intellectual property rights exist in the software and some service industries. From time to time, third parties (including certain companies in the business of acquiring patents not for the purpose of developing technology but with the intention of aggressively seeking licensing revenue from purported infringers) may assert patent, copyright and/or other intellectual property rights to technologies that are important to the company's business. In some cases, depending on the nature of the claim, the company may be able to seek indemnification from its suppliers for itself and its customers against such claims, but there is no assurance

that it will be successful in obtaining such indemnification or that the company is fully protected against such claims. Any infringement claim brought against the company, regardless of the duration, outcome, or size of damage award, could:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally, if an infringement claim is successful the company may be required to pay damages or seek royalty or license arrangements, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms. The payment of any such damages or royalties may significantly increase the company's operating expenses and harm the company's operating results and financial condition. Also, royalty or license arrangements may not be available at all. The company may have to stop selling certain products or using technologies, which could affect the company's ability to compete effectively.

 

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 2. Properties

 

The Company leases approximately 20,000 square feet of space in Eatontown, New Jersey for its corporate headquarters under a lease expiring in March 2027.  Total annual rent expense for these premises is approximately $420,000. The Company also leases 7,800 square feet of warehouse space in Eatontown, New Jersey under a lease expiring in October 2020. Total annual rent expense is approximately $44,000.   The Company also leases 2,800 square feet of office space in Mesa, Arizona under a lease expiring in August 2018. Total annual rent expense is approximately $55,000.  Additionally, the Company leases approximately 3,700 square feet of office and warehouse space in Mississauga, Canada, under a lease which expires in November 30, 2019. Total annual rent expense for these premises is approximately $30,000.  The Company also leases office space in Amsterdam, Netherlands under a lease which expires June 30, 2018, at an annual rent of approximately $34,000. We believe that each of the properties is in good operating condition and such properties are adequate for the operation of the Company’s business as currently conducted.

 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

 

There are no material legal proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is the subject.

 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

 

PART II

 

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

 

Shares of our Common Stock, par value $0.01, trade on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “WSTG”.  Following is the range of low and high closing sales prices for our Common Stock as reported on The NASDAQ Global Market.

 

 

Securities Authorized For Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

 

The following table sets forth information, as of December 31, 2017, regarding securities authorized for issuance upon the exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock under all of the Company’s equity compensation plans.

 

 

In each of 2017 and 2016, we declared quarterly dividends totaling $0.68 per share, respectively, on our Common Stock. There can be no assurance that we will continue to pay comparable cash dividends in the future.

 

During 2017, the Company granted a total of 87,076 shares of Restricted Stock to officers, and employees. These shares of Restricted Stock vest over time up to twenty equal quarterly installments.  In 2017, 22,694 shares of Restricted Stock were forfeited as a result of officers and employees terminating employment with the Company.

 

During 2016, the Company granted a total of 171,252 shares of Restricted Stock to officers, employees and directors. These shares of Restricted Stock vest over time up to twenty equal quarterly installments.  In 2016, 7,167 shares of Restricted Stock were forfeited as a result of directors and employees terminating employment with the Company.

 

The share issuances in all of the above transactions were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).  The issuances were exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities

Act and/or Regulation D thereunder, as they were transactions by the issuer that did not involve public offerings of securities and/or involved issuances to accredited investors.

 

As of February 12, 2018, there were approximately 112 record holders of our Common Stock. This figure does not include an estimate of the number of beneficial holders whose shares are held of record by brokerage firms and clearing agencies.

 

During the fourth quarter of 2017, we repurchased shares of our Common Stock as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE GRAPH

 

Set forth below is a line graph comparing the yearly percentage change in the cumulative total shareholder return on the Company’s Common Stock with the cumulative total return of the S&P Midcap 400 Index and the S&P 500 Computer and Electronics Retail Index for the period commencing December 31, 2012 and ending December 31, 2017, assuming $100 was invested on December 31, 2012 and the reinvestment of dividends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

 

The following tables set forth, for the periods indicated, selected consolidated financial and other data for Wayside Technology Group, Inc. and its Subsidiaries. You should read the selected consolidated financial and other data below in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes in Part II, Item 8, and with “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

 

Year Ended December 31,

(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

.

 

December 31,

(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

The following management’s discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto.  This discussion and analysis contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report.

 

Overview

 

Our Company is an IT channel company, primarily selling software and other third-party IT products and services through two reportable operating segments. Through our “Lifeboat Distribution” segment we sell products and services to corporate resellers, value added resellers (VARs), consultants and systems integrators worldwide, who in turn sell these products to end users. Through our “TechXtend Segment” we act as a value-added reseller, selling computer software and hardware developed by others and provide technical services directly to end user customers in the USA and Canada.  We offer an extensive line of products from leading publishers of software and tools for virtualization/cloud computing, security, networking, storage and infrastructure management, application lifecycle management and other technically sophisticated domains as well as computer hardware. We market these products through creative marketing communications, including our web sites, local and on-line seminars, webinars, social media, direct e-mail, and printed materials.

 

The Company has subsidiaries in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands,  through which its sales are made.

 

Factors Influencing Our Financial Results

 

We derive the majority of our net sales though the sale of third-party software licenses, maintenance and service agreements. In our Lifeboat distribution segment, sales are impacted by the number of product lines we distribute, and sales penetration of those products into the reseller channel, product lifecycle competitive, and demand characteristics of the products which we are authorized to distribute. In our TechXtend segment sales are generally driven by sales force effectiveness and success in providing superior customer service, competitive pricing, and flexible payment solutions to our customers. Our sales are also impacted by external factors such as levels of IT spending and customer demand for products we distribute.

 

We sell in a competitive environment where gross product margins have historically declined due to competition and changes in product mix towards products where no delivery of a physical product is required. To date, we have been able to implement cost efficiencies such as the use of drop shipments, electronic ordering (“EDI”) and other capabilities to be able to operate our business profitably as gross margins have declined.

 

Selling general and administrative expenses are comprised mainly of employee salaries, commissions and other employee related expenses, facility costs, costs to maintain our IT infrastructure, public company compliance costs and professional fees. We monitor our level of accounts payable, inventory turnover and accounts receivable turnover which are measures of how efficiently we utilize capital in our business.

 

The Company’s sales, gross profit and results of operations have fluctuated and are expected to continue to fluctuate on a quarterly basis as a result of a number of factors, including but not limited to: the condition of the software industry in general, shifts in demand for software products, pricing, level of extended payment terms sales transactions, industry shipments of new software products or upgrades, fluctuations in merchandise returns, adverse weather conditions that affect response, distribution or shipping, shifts in the timing of holidays and changes in the Company’s product offerings. The Company’s operating expenditures are based on sales forecasts. If sales do not meet expectations in any given quarter, operating results may be materially adversely affected.

 

Dividend Policy and Share Repurchase Program. Historically we have sought to return value to investors through the payment of quarterly dividends and share repurchases. Total dividends paid and shares repurchased were $3.1 and $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, respectively, and $3.2 million and $5.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016,  respectively. The payment of future dividends is at the discretion of our Board of Directors and dependent on results of operations, projected capital requirements and other factors the Board of Directors may find relevant.

 

Stock Volatility. The technology sector of the United States stock markets is subject to substantial volatility. Numerous conditions which impact the technology sector or the stock market in general or the Company in particular, whether or not such events relate to or reflect upon the Company’s operating performance, could adversely affect the market price of the Company’s Common Stock. Furthermore, fluctuations in the Company’s operating results, announcements regarding litigation, the loss of a significant vendor or customer, increased competition, reduced vendor incentives and trade credit, higher operating expenses, and other developments, could have a significant impact on the market price of our Common Stock.

 

Financial Overview

 

Net sales increased 7%, or $31.2 million, to $449.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $418.1 million for the same period in 2016. Gross profit decreased 1%, or $0.3 million, to $27.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $27.3 million in the prior year.  Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased 3%, or $0.5 million, to $19.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $18.7 million in the prior year. Net income decreased 14%, or $0.8 million, to $5.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $5.9 million in the prior year. Weighted Average diluted shares outstanding decreased by 4.5% from the prior year, primarily due to the Company’s share buyback program. Income per share diluted decreased 10.3% to $1.13 for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $1.25 for the same period in 2016.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

Management’s discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations are based upon the Company’s consolidated financial statements that have been prepared in accordance with US GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Revenues from the sales of hardware products, software products, licenses, maintenance and subscription agreements are recognized on a gross basis upon delivery or fulfillment, with the selling price to the customer recorded as sales and the acquisition cost of the product recorded as cost of sales.

 

On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to product returns, bad debts, inventories, investments, intangible assets, income taxes, stock-based compensation, contingencies and litigation.

 

The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

The Company believes the following critical accounting policies used in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements affect its more significant judgments and estimates.

 

Allowance for Accounts Receivable

 

The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments. Management determines the estimate of the allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable by considering a number of factors, including:  historical experience, aging of the accounts receivable, and specific information obtained by the Company on the financial condition and the current creditworthiness of its

customers. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required. At the time of sale, we record an estimate for sales returns based on historical experience. If actual sales returns are greater than estimated by management, additional expense may be incurred.

 

Accounts Receivable – Long Term

 

The Company’s accounts receivable long-term are discounted to their present value at prevailing market rates at the time of sale. In doing so, the Company considers competitive market rates and other relevant factors.

 

Inventory Allowances

 

The Company writes down its inventory for estimated obsolescence or unmarketable inventory equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value based upon assumptions about future demand and market conditions. If actual market conditions are less favorable than those projected by management, additional inventory write-offs may be required.

 

Income Taxes

 

The Company has considered future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies in assessing the need for the valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets. In the event the Company were to determine that it would not be able to realize all or part of its net deferred tax assets in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax assets would be charged to income in the period such determination was made.

 

Share-Based Payments

 

Under the fair value recognition provision, stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. We make certain assumptions in order to value and expense our various share-based payment awards. In connection with our restricted stock programs we record the forfeitures when they occur. We review our valuation assumptions periodically and, as a result, we may change our valuation assumptions used to value stock based awards granted in future periods. Such changes may lead to a significant change in the expense we recognize in connection with share-based payments.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance for revenue recognition for contracts, superseding the previous revenue recognition requirements, along with most existing industry-specific guidance. In March, April, May and December 2016, the FASB issued additional updates to the new accounting standard which provide supplemental adoption guidance and clarifications. The guidance requires an entity to review contracts in five steps: 1) identify the contract, 2) identify performance obligations, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price, and 5) recognize revenue in order to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will also result in enhanced disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue arising from contracts with customers.

The guidance permits two methods of adoption: retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented (full retrospective method), or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application (the cumulative catch-up transition method). The new standard will be effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2018, and early adoption as of January 1, 2017 is permitted.

 

The Company elected to adopt the standard effective January 1, 2018 using the full retrospective method, which will require the Company to recast our historical financial information for the years 2017 and 2016 to be consistent with the standard. The most significant impact of adopting the standard relates to the determination of whether the Company is acting as a principal or an agent in the sale of third party security software and software that is highly interdependent

with support, as well as maintenance, support and other services. Historically, under the transfer of risk and rewards model of revenue recognition, the Company has accounted for primarily all of its sales on a gross basis. The new guidance requires the Company to identify performance obligations and assess transfer of control. While assessing its performance obligations for sales of security software and software subscriptions that are highly interdependent with support, the Company determined that the vendor has ongoing performance obligations with the end customer that are not separately identifiable from the software itself. The Company also determined that the vendor has ongoing performance obligation for sales of certain third-party maintenance, support and service contracts. In these instances, under the new guidance, the Company has determined that it does not have control and is acting as an agent in the sale. When acting as an agent in a transaction, the Company accounts for sales on a net basis, with the vendor cost associated with the sale recognized as a reduction of revenue. The change from gross sale to net reporting has no impact on gross profit, net income or cash flows.

The adoption of the standard is expected to result in a reduction of reported revenue of $288.8 million,  $253.5 million and $218.4 million for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, had the standard been adopted at the earliest period presented. The adoption is not expected to have any impact on income from operations or the Company’s balance sheet. For additional information on the expected impact to reported results please see note 2 of the consolidated financial statements in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

In July 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-11, "Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (Topic 330)", ("ASU 2015-11"). Topic 330, Inventory, currently requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or market, with market value represented by replacement cost, net realizable value or net realizable value less a normal profit margin. The amendments in ASU 2015-11 require an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. ASU 2015-11 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We adopted ASU 2015-11 during the quarter ended March 31, 2017 and it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting ("ASU 2016-09"). ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-09 related to the recognition of excess tax benefits in the income statement and classification in the statement of cash flows on a prospective basis and the prior periods were not retrospectively adjusted. The Company has elected to account for forfeitures of share-based awards when they occur in determining compensation cost to be recognized each period. The adoption of ASU 2016-09 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases ("ASU 2016-02"). ASU 2016-02 supersedes the lease guidance under FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 840, Leases, resulting in the creation of FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases. ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize for all leases with terms longer than 12 months in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term for both finance and operating leases. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements.

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) ("ASU No. 2016-13"). ASU No. 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology for measuring credit losses on financial instruments requiring consideration for a broader range of information in determining timing of when such losses are recorded. ASU No. 2016-13 is effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2020, with early adoption permitted, and is to be applied using a modified retrospective approach. The company is currently evaluating the potential effects of adopting the provisions of ASU No. 2016-13 on it consolidated financial statements.

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASU 2016-15”) ASU 2016-15 which reduces diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. The new standard will become effective for the Company beginning with the first quarter of 2018, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory.” This amendment is intended to improve accounting for the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. In accordance with this guidance, an entity should recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The ASU is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted in fiscal 2018 with modified retrospective application. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, “Scope of Modification Accounting”, to reduce diversity in practice and provide clarity regarding existing guidance in ASC 718, “Stock Compensation”. The amendments in this updated guidance clarify that an entity should apply modification accounting in response to a change in the terms and conditions of an entity’s share-based payment awards unless three newly specified criteria are met. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has evaluated the potential impacts of this updated guidance, and it does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) – Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, which improves the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements. The amendments in this update also make certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of the hedge accounting guidance in current GAAP. ASU No. 2017-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years; the ASU allows for early adoption in any interim period after issuance of the update. The company is currently assessing the impact this ASU will have on its consolidated financial statements.

 

Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth for the years indicated the percentage of net sales represented by selected items reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The year-to-year comparison of financial results is not necessarily indicative of future results:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2017 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2016

 

Net Sales

 

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased 7%, or $31.2 million, to $449.4 million, compared to $418.1 million for the same period in 2016. Net sales in our Lifeboat distribution segment increased $47.9 million, or 13% to $417.4 million when compared to the prior year, however the increase was offset by decreased extended payment term sales in our TechXtend segment (discussed below).  

 

The increase in our Lifeboat Distribution segment was primarily due to growth in sales penetration for several of our more significant product lines, as well as the addition of several new product lines. The increases were partially offset by turnover in some vendor and customer accounts due to competitive bid situations. We operate in a competitive market in which some sales agreements are subject to periodic competitive bidding processes, resulting in fluctuations from year to year based on the outcome.

 

  TechXtend segment net sales decreased $16.7 million or 34% to $32.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $48.6 million for the prior year.  The decrease in TechXtend was due primarily to lower large enterprise sales, including those sold under extended payment terms. Large enterprise sales tend to fluctuate from period to period based on the timing of customer purchasing decisions for IT projects. The Company’s focus on extended payment sales is impacted by such timing, and internal capital allocation decisions.  During 2017, as significant amount of our working capital was invested in vendor prepayments and extended payment sales from the fourth quarter of 2016, reducing our  emphasis on this business during 2017.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, we relied on two key customers for a total of 42.4% of our revenue. One major customer accounted for 23.0% and the other for 19.4%, of our total net sales during the year ended December 31, 2017.  These  same customers accounted for 15.1% and 28.6%, of total net accounts receivable as of December 31, 2017.

 

Gross Profit

 

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 decreased 1% or $0.3 million, to $27.1 million, compared to $27.3 million for the prior year. Lifeboat Distribution segment gross profit increased 4% to $23.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to $22.3 million for the prior year. TechXtend segment gross profit decreased 22% to $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to $5.0 million for the prior year. Gross profit decreased primarily due to lower extended payment terms sales in our TechXtend segment described above and vendor competitive pressures on gross profit margins as discussed below, which were mitigated in part by the impact of increased sales in our Lifeboat segment.

 

Gross profit margin (gross profit as a percentage of net sales) for the year ended December 31, 2017 was 6.0% compared to 6.5% in 2016. Lifeboat Distribution segment gross profit margin was 5.6% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 6.0%  in 2016. The decrease in gross profit margin for the Lifeboat Distribution segment was caused primarily by competitive pricing pressure and a change in product mix to a higher percentage of our sales being derived from the sale of third party software subscription and maintenance contracts. Gross profit as a percentage of sales generally is lower on subscription and maintenance contracts than on product sales. We operate in a competitive environment where the trend has been for gross profit margins as a percentage of net sales to decline for the past several years and may continue to decline in the future.  We have instituted operational efficiencies such as electronic ordering and distribution through the use of EDI and other automation that have increased our productivity and enabled us to maintain profitability while selling these services. TechXtend segment gross profit margin for the year ended December 31, 2017 was 12.2%, compared to 10.2%  in 2016. The increase in gross profit margin was due to a decrease in larger enterprise and public sector sales. Sales of large enterprise licenses and related equipment typically carry a lower gross profit margin as a percent of gross billings, and lower incremental selling and administrative costs as a percentage of revenue, than smaller account sales.

 

Vendor rebates and discounts for the year ended December 31, 2017 were $2.2 million compared to $2.0 million in the same period last year. Vendor rebates are dependent on reaching certain targets set by our vendors. The Company monitors vendor rebate levels, competitive pricing, and gross profit margins carefully. We anticipate that price competition in our market will continue in both of our business segments.

 

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

 

SG&A expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased $0.5 million, or 3%,  to $19.3 million, compared to $18.7 million for the prior year. The increase in general and administrative expenses is primarily due to higher employee related and other expenses to support our growth and compliance as a public company. SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales were 4.3% in 2017 compared to 4.5% in 2016.

 

The Company expects that its SG&A expenses, as a percentage of net sales, may vary depending on changes in sales volume, as well as the levels of continuing investments in key growth initiatives. We plan to continue to expand our investment in information technology and marketing, while monitoring SG&A expenses closely.

 

Income Taxes

 

For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recorded a provision for income taxes of $3.5 million or 40.8% of income before taxes, compared to $3.0 million or 33.9% of income before taxes for 2016. The 2017 tax expense includes charges of $0.2 million resulting from the revaluation of deferred tax assets and transition tax for foreign unrepatriated earnings under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and approximately $0.4 million related to a provision for state taxes for states with economic nexus statutes and other adjustments. 

 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Act) was enacted on December 22, 2017 and introduces significant changes to the U.S. income tax law.  Effective in 2018, the Tax Act reduces U.S. statutory tax rates from 34% to 21%. Accordingly, we remeasured our deferred taxes as of December 31, 2017 to reflect the reduced rate that will apply in future periods when these deferred taxes are settled or realized.  

 

Due to the timing of the enactment and the complexity involved in applying the provisions of the Tax Act, we have made reasonable estimates of the effects and recorded provisional amounts in our financial statements as of December 31, 2017.  As we collect and prepare necessary data, and interpret the Tax Act and any additional guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service, and other standard-setting bodies, we may make adjustments to the provisional amounts.  Those adjustments may materially impact our provision for income taxes and effective tax rate in the period in which adjustments are made.  The accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act will be completed in 2018.

 

Year Ended December 31, 2016 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2015

 

Net Sales

 

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2016 increased 9%, or $36.0 million, to $418.1 million, compared to $382.1 million for the same period in 2015. Net sales increased in both our Lifeboat Distribution segment and our TechXtend segment.

 

Lifeboat Distribution segment net sales for the year ended December 31, 2016 increased $29.8 million, or 9%, to $369.5 million, compared to $339.7 million for the same period a year earlier. The increase was primarily due to increased penetration of existing products into new and existing distribution partner accounts, as well as the addition of several new product lines. The increases were partially offset by turnover in some vendor and distribution accounts due to competitive bid situations. We operate in a competitive market in which some sales agreements are subject to periodic competitive bidding processes, resulting in fluctuations from year to year based on the outcome.

 

TechXtend segment net sales increased $6.2 million, or 15% to $48.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $42.4 million for the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher sales to major accounts on extended payment terms, partially offset by the impact of a reduced number of sales people and lower revenues from

marketing services. We extend payment terms on some enterprise account sales, typically for periods of one to three years, to provide flexibility for our customers. We reduced our number of sales people late in 2015 to streamline and focus our operations on opportunities with the highest financial return.

 

Gross Profit

 

Gross Profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 increased 3%, or $0.8 million, to $27.3 million, compared to $26.6 million for the same period in 2015. Lifeboat Distribution segment gross profit increased 4% to $22.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016,  compared to $21.5 million for the same period in the prior year. TechXtend segment gross profit remained flat at $5.0 million for each of 2016 and 2015. Gross profit amounts reflect increased sales volumes and competitive pressures on gross profit margins discussed below.

 

Gross profit margin (gross profit as a percentage of net sales) for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 6.5% compared to 7.0% in 2015. Lifeboat Distribution segment gross profit margin was 6.0% for the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to 6.3% in 2015. The decrease in gross profit margin for the Lifeboat Distribution segment was caused primarily by competitive pricing pressure and product mix. We operate in a competitive environment where the trend has been for gross profit margins to decline for the past several years. We attribute some of the decline to an increasing portion of our revenues coming from the sale of licenses, maintenance and service agreements that are not associated with a physical product. While our gross profit margin has declined on these products, we have been able to maintain our profitability through efficiencies gained in electronic ordering and distribution through the use of EDI and other automation. TechXtend segment gross profit margin for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 10.2% compared to 11.9% in 2015. The decrease in gross profit margin was due to competitive market pricing, particularly on larger enterprise sales. Sales of large enterprise licenses typically carry a lower gross profit margin, and lower incremental selling and administrative costs as a percentage of revenue, than smaller account sales.

 

Vendor rebates and discounts for each of the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 was $2.0 million. Vendor rebates are dependent on reaching certain targets set by our vendors. The Company monitors vendor rebate levels, competitive pricing, and gross profit margins carefully. We anticipate that price competition in our market will continue in both of our business segments.

 

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

 

SG&A expenses for the year ended December 31, 2016 increased $0.7 million or 4% to $18.7 million, compared to $18.1 million for the same period in 2015.  The increase is primarily due to increased stock based compensation and employee related expenses to support our increased sales volume, costs related to the relocation to our new offices in October 2016, and professional expenses related to public company compliance. SG&A  expenses were 4.5% of net sales for the year ended December 31, 2016, and 4.7% for the same period in 2015.

 

The Company expects that its SG&A expenses, as a percentage of net sales, may vary depending on changes in sales volume, as well as the levels of continuing investments in key growth initiatives. We plan to continue to expand our investment in information technology and marketing, while monitoring our sales and general and administrative expenses closely.

 

Income Taxes

 

For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company recorded a provision for income taxes of $3.0 million which consists of a provision of $2.5 million for U.S. federal income taxes, as well as a $0.1 million provision for state taxes, and a provision for foreign taxes of $0.4 million.

 

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had a U.S. deferred tax asset of approximately $0.4 million.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company recorded a provision for income taxes of $3.0 million which consists of a provision of $2.7 million for U.S. federal income taxes, as well as a $0.1 million provision for state taxes, and a provision for foreign taxes of $0.2 million.

 

As of December 31, 2015, the Company had a U.S. deferred tax asset of approximately $0.5 million.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Our cash and cash equivalents decreased by $8.0 million to $5.5 million at December 31, 2017 from $13.5 million at December 31, 2016. The use of cash was primarily due to working capital investments to support the growth of our business, and utilization of cash for stock repurchases and dividends. The increase in working capital related to increased payment terms for certain accounts and vendor prepayments for inventory purchases.

 

Net cash used by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $2.0 million, comprised of net income adjusted for non-cash items of $7.2 million, offset by cash used in changes in operating assets and liabilities of $9.3 million.

 

 The increase in cash used in changes in operating assets and liabilities in 2017 was primarily due to an increase in net working capital (accounts receivable, inventory, and vendor prepayments less accounts payable) required to support our business. The increased working capital requirement is primarily driven by increased sales levels and extended payment terms sales during the fourth quarter of 2016, and a vendor prepayment of approximately $8.0 million as part of a distribution agreement.  Our accounts receivable – long term increased by approximately $4.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2016 due to a higher level of extended payment term sales. The products related to these sales were paid for in the first quarter of 2017, while related sales proceeds will be collected over future periods.

 

Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $0.5 million, comprised of net income adjusted for non-cash items of $7.9 million, offset by cash used by changes in operating assets and liabilities of $8.4 million. Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $8.2 million comprised of net income adjusted for non-cash items of $7.3 million and cash provided by changes in operating assets and liabilities of $0.9 million.

 

The increase in cash used in changes in operating assets and liabilities in 2016 was primarily due to increased accounts receivable, inventories and accounts receivable – long term, partially offset by increased accounts payable. The increase in accounts receivable and accounts payable was primarily due to higher fourth quarter 2016 sales activity when compared to the prior year, increased accounts receivable payment terms for a large reseller customer, and increased sales with extended payment terms. Accounts receivable at December 31, 2016 included approximately $9.5 million of accounts receivable related to two extended payment term sales from 2016 that were collected during the first two months of 2017.

 

In 2017, net cash used in investing activities was $0.4 million, compared to $1.0 million in the prior year. The decrease was primarily due to capital expenditures for equipment and leasehold improvements related to our new office in 2016. In October 2016, the Company moved into a new office, occupying approximately 20,000 square foot facility under a ten year lease with renewal options.

 

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2017 of $6.0 million was comprised of $3.1 million of dividend payments on our Common Stock, and $3.0 million for the purchases of treasury shares of our Common Stock.

 

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2016 of $8.5 million was comprised of $3.2 million of dividend payments on our Common Stock, and $5.4 million for the purchases of treasury shares of our Common Stock, offset by the tax benefit from share based compensation of $0.1 million.

 

On December 3, 2014, the Board of Directors approved an increase of 500,000 shares of Common Stock to the number of shares of Common Stock available for repurchase under its repurchase plans. On February 2, 2017, the Board of Directors approved an additional increase of 500,000 shares of Common Stock to the number of shares of Common Stock available for repurchase under its repurchase plans.  A  total of 2,963,525 shares of the Company’s Common Stock has been bought back as of December 31, 2017, leaving 547,488 shares of Common Stock available that the Company is

authorized to buy back in the future as of such date. The Company expects to purchase shares of its Common Stock from time to time in the market or otherwise subject to market conditions. The Common Stock repurchase program does not have an expiration date. 

 

We intend to hold the repurchased shares in treasury for general corporate purposes, including issuances under various stock plans. As of December 31, 2017, we held 829,671 shares of our Common Stock in treasury at an average cost of $17.12 per share. As of December 31, 2016, we held 729,066 shares of our Common Stock in treasury at an average cost of $16.50 per share.

 

On November 15, 2017, the Company entered into a $20,000,000 revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) with Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”) pursuant to a Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”), Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Loan Note (the “Note”), Second Amended and Restated Security Agreement (the “Security Agreement”) and Second Amended and Restated Pledge and Security Agreement (the “Pledge Agreement”).  The Credit Facility, which will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes, matures on August 31, 2020, at which time the Company must pay all outstanding principal of all outstanding loans plus all accrued and unpaid interest, and any interest, fees, costs and expenses, if any.

 

At December 31, 2017, the Company had no borrowings outstanding under the Credit Facility.  The Company incurred $0.1 million of interest expense, related to the Credit Facility for the year ended December 31, 2017 and no interest expense for the years ended, 2016 and 2015.

 

Our current and anticipated use of cash and cash equivalents is to fund working capital, operational expenditures, the stock repurchase program and dividends, if any, declared by the Board of Directors.

 

Contractual Obligations as of December 31, 2017

(Amounts in thousands)

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2017, the Company is not committed by lines of credit or standby letters of credit, and has no standby repurchase obligations or other commercial commitments (see Note 5 - Credit Facility in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements).

 

Foreign Exchange

 

The Company’s foreign business is subject to changes in demand or pricing resulting from fluctuations in currency exchange rates or other factors. We are subject to fluctuations primarily in the Canadian and Euro Dollar-to-U.S. Dollar exchange rate.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

As of December 31, 2017, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in Item 303 (a)(4)(ii) of SEC Regulation S-K.

 

 

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

In addition to its activities in the USA, 7%  and 6% of the Company’s 2017 sales were generated in Canada and Europe and the rest of the world, respectively. We are subject to general risks attendant to the conduct of business in Canada and other countries, including economic uncertainties and foreign government regulations. In addition, the Company’s foreign businesses are subject to changes in demand or pricing resulting from fluctuations in currency exchange rates or other factors.

 

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company maintains its cash accounts primarily in financial institutions with global operations.  The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts. The Company believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and cash equivalents.

 

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements at Item 15(a).

 

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

 

None.

 

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. As required by Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act, our management carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures”, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of the end of the period covered by this report. This evaluation was carried out under the supervision and with the participation of various members of our management, including our Company’s President, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer), Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer), and Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (principal accounting officer). Based upon that evaluation, we have identified a material weakness in our controls over financial reporting that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

Based on the material weakness described below, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Accounting Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of the end of the period covered by this report. A material weakness is a deficiency or a combination of deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

 

The weaknesses we identified relate to several deficiencies in the operating effectiveness of controls over: 1) the application of technical accounting guidance regarding earnings per share calculations which were reported and remediated in the third quarter of 2017, 2) classification of certain balance sheet accounts, 3) management review and monitoring of  third-party service providers in regard to state income tax filing requirements and 4) lack of documented policies and procedures  with respect to certain intercompany accounts with foreign entities, that in the aggregate constitute a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. Management performed additional procedures to determine the impact of these issues and determined that any errors resulting from the deficiencies above were immaterial individually and in the aggregate, to the Company’s current and previously issued financial statements, however, we concluded that it is appropriate to re-state previously reported amounts for earnings per share using the two-class calculation method when presented on a comparative basis with the current period. We’ve also concluded that had these errors gone undetected, they could have resulted in a material misstatement in our financial statements.

 

Remediation plan: We have implemented several processes, including those outlined below, to remediate the deficiencies noted above. We currently are assessing and improving the operating effectiveness of these controls to ensure they will operate at an acceptable level of assurance.

 

 

 

 

 

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Other than what’s been disclosed above for our remediation of the material weakness, there have been no additional change in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by Rule 13a-15(d) under the Exchange Act, that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2017, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

Our independent registered public accounting firm, EisnerAmper LLP, has audited our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017. Their attestation report on the audit of our internal control over financial reporting is included below.

 

Item 9B.  Other Information

 

None.

 

PART III

 

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

The information required hereunder, with the exception of the information relating to the executive officers of the Registrant that is presented in Part I under the heading “Executive Officers of the Company,” and the information relating to the Company’s Code of Ethical Conduct that is presented in Part I under the heading “Available Information,” is incorporated by reference herein from our Definitive Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than May 1, 2018  (the “Definitive Proxy Statement”) under the sections captioned “Election of Directors,” “Corporate Governance” and “Section 16 (a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance.”

 

Item 11. Executive Compensation

 

The information required hereunder is incorporated by reference herein from the Definitive Proxy Statement under the sections captioned “Executives and Executive Compensation” and “Corporate Governance.”

 

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

 

The information required hereunder is incorporated by reference herein from the Definitive Proxy Statement under the sections captioned “Equity Compensation Plan Information — Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans” and “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.”

 

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

 

The information required hereunder is incorporated by reference herein from the Definitive Proxy Statement under the sections captioned “Executives and Executive Compensation,” “Corporate Governance” and “Transactions with Related Persons.”

 

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

 

The information required hereunder is incorporated by reference herein from the Definitive Proxy Statement under the section captioned “Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”

 

PART IV

 

Item 15.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

 

 

 

 

Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

 

All other schedules are omitted since the required information is not present or is not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, in Eatontown, New Jersey, on March 15, 2018.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Items 8 and 15(a)

 

Wayside Technology Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Schedule

 

 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of

Wayside Technology Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Wayside Technology Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the “Company") as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes and schedule identified in Item 15 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”).  In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. 

 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB"), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework  (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated March 15, 2018 expressed an adverse opinion.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits.  We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. 

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks.  Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

 

 

/s/ EisnerAmper LLP

 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2010

 

EISNERAMPER LLP

Iselin, New Jersey

March 15, 2018