Global Self Storage, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2023 March (Form 10-Q)

1. ORGANIZATION

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

10

3. REAL ESTATE ASSETS

4. MARKETABLE EQUITY SECURITIES

5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The use of fair value to measure the financial instruments held by the Company is fundamental to its consolidated financial statements and is a critical accounting estimate. The application of fair value measurements may be on a recurring or nonrecurring basis depending on the accounting principles applicable to the specific asset or liability or whether management has elected to carry the item at its estimated fair value.

13

The hierarchy of valuation techniques is based on whether the inputs to those techniques are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s market assumptions. These two types of inputs create the following fair value hierarchy:

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments or liabilities.

Level 2 — Prices determined using other significant observable inputs. Observable inputs are inputs that other market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability and are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. These may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, and market-corroborated inputs.

Level 3 — Prices determined using significant unobservable inputs. In situations where quoted prices or observable inputs are unavailable (for example, when there is little or no market activity for an investment at the end of the period), unobservable inputs may be used. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s own assumptions about the factors that market participants use in pricing an asset or liability and are based on the best information available in the circumstances.

This hierarchy requires the Company to use observable market data, when available, and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs when estimating fair value. The valuation method used to estimate fair value may produce a fair value measurement that may not be indicative of ultimate realizable value. Furthermore, while management believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with those used by other market participants, the use of different methods or assumptions to estimate the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date. Those estimated values may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a readily available market for such loans or investments existed, or had such loans or investments been liquidated, and those differences could be material to the financial statements.

Fair valued assets consist of shares of marketable equity securities and an interest rate cap. The value of the equity securities is based on a traded market price and is considered to be a level 1 measurement, and the value of the interest rate cap is based on its maturity, observable market-based inputs including interest rate curves and is considered to be a level 2 measurement.

There were no assets transferred from level 1 to level 2 as of March 31, 2023. The Company did not have any level 3 assets or liabilities that are re-measured on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs as of March 31, 2023.

The fair values of financial instruments including cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, and accounts payable and accrued expenses approximated their respective carrying values as of March 31, 2023. The estimated fair value of the Company’s outstanding debt was approximately $15,787,580 as of March 31, 2023. This estimate was based on market interest rates for comparable obligations, general market conditions, and maturity.

6. DERIVATIVES

The Company’s objective in using an interest rate derivative is to add stability to interest expense and to manage its exposure to interest rate movements. To accomplish this objective, the Company uses an interest rate cap to manage interest rate risk. The Company carries the initial premium paid for the interest rate cap as an asset on the balance sheet at fair value. The change in the unrealized gain or loss of the initial premium is recorded as an increase or decrease to interest expense.

The counterparty to this arrangement is SMBC Capital Markets. The Company is potentially exposed to credit loss in the event of non-performance by the counterparty. The Company does not anticipate the counterparty to fail to meet its obligations as they become due.

7. NOTE PAYABLE

On June 24, 2016, certain wholly owned subsidiaries (“Secured Subsidiaries”) of the Company entered into a loan agreement and certain other related agreements (collectively, the “Loan Agreement”) between the Secured Subsidiaries and Insurance Strategy Funding IV, LLC (the “Lender”). Under the Loan Agreement, the Secured Subsidiaries borrowed from the Lender in the principal amount of $20 million pursuant to a promissory note (the “Promissory Note”). The Promissory Note bears an interest rate equal to 4.192% per annum and is due to mature on July 1, 2036. Pursuant to a security agreement (the “Security Agreement”), the obligations under the Loan Agreement are secured by certain real estate assets owned by the Secured Subsidiaries.

The Company entered into a non-recourse guaranty on June 24, 2016 (the “Guaranty,” and together with the Loan Agreement, the Promissory Note and the Security Agreement, the “Loan Documents”) to guarantee the payment to the Lender of certain obligations of the Secured Subsidiaries under the Loan Agreement.

The Loan Documents require the Secured Subsidiaries and the Company to comply with certain covenants, including, among others, a minimum net worth test and other customary covenants. The Lender may accelerate amounts outstanding under the Loan Documents upon the occurrence of an event of default (as defined in the Loan Agreement) including, but not limited to, the failure to pay amounts due or commencement of bankruptcy proceedings. As of March 31, 2023, the Company was in compliance with these covenants.

The Company incurred loan procurement costs of $646,246 and such costs have been recorded as a reduction of the note payable on the consolidated balance sheet and are amortized as an adjustment to interest expense over the term of the loan. The Company recorded amortization expense of $9,394 and $9,679 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Revolving Line of Credit

On July 6, 2021, certain wholly owned subsidiaries (“Amended Credit Facility Secured Subsidiaries”) of the Company entered into a first amendment to the Credit Facility Loan Agreement (collectively, the “Amended Credit Facility Loan Agreement”) between the Amended Credit Facility Secured Subsidiaries and The Huntington National Bank, successor by merger to TCF National Bank (“Amended Credit Facility Lender”). Under the Amended Credit Facility Loan Agreement, the Amended Credit Facility Secured Subsidiaries may borrow from the Amended Credit Facility Lender in the principal amount of up to $15 million pursuant to a promissory note (the “Amended Credit Facility Promissory Note”). The Amended Credit Facility Promissory Note bears an interest rate equal to

15

3% plus the greater of the One Month U.S. Dollar London Inter-Bank Offered Rate or one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) and is due to mature on July 6, 2024. As of March 31, 2023, the effective interest rate was 7.66%. The obligations under the Amended Credit Facility Loan Agreement are secured by certain real estate assets owned by the Amended Credit Facility Secured Subsidiaries. The Company entered into an amended and restated guaranty of payment on July 6, 2021 (“Amended Credit Facility Guaranty,” and together with the Amended Credit Facility Loan Agreement, the Amended Credit Facility Promissory Note and related instruments, the “Amended Credit Facility Loan Documents” or the “Revolver”) to guarantee the payment to the Amended Credit Facility Lender of certain obligations of the Amended Credit Facility Secured Subsidiaries under the Amended Credit Facility Loan Agreement. The Company and the Amended Credit Facility Secured Subsidiaries paid customary fees and expenses in connection with their entry into the Amended Credit Facility Loan Documents.

The Revolver requires the Subsidiaries and the Company to comply with certain covenants, including, among others, customary financial covenants. The Lender may accelerate amounts outstanding under the Loan Documents upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Agreement) including, but not limited to, the failure to pay amounts due to the Lender or commencement of bankruptcy proceedings.

The publication of LIBOR will cease immediately after June 30, 2023. The Amended Credit Facility Loan Agreement provides for a replacement index based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The interest rate on the Amended Credit Facility Promissory Note subsequent to June 30, 2023, is equal to 3% plus the greater of SOFR plus 0.11448% or 0.25%.

The Company incurred issuance costs of $231,926 and $477,981 for the July 6, 2021 Revolver extension and entry into the Revolver in December 18, 2018, respectively, and such costs are amortized as an adjustment to interest expense using the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method, over the term of the loan. The Company recorded amortization expense of $25,400 and $25,400 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The was no outstanding loan balance under the Revolver as of March 31, 2023 or December 31, 2022.

8. LEASES

Global Self Storage as Lessor

The Company's property rental revenue is primarily related to rents received from tenants at its operating stores. The Company's leases with its self storage tenants are generally on month-to-month terms, include automatic monthly renewals, allow flexibility to increase rental rates over time as market conditions permit, and provide for the collection of contingent fees such as late fees. These leases do not include any terms or conditions that allow the tenants to purchase the leased space. All self-storage leases for which the Company acts as lessor have been classified as operating leases. The real estate assets related to the Company's stores are included in "Real estate assets, net" on the Company's consolidated balance sheets and are presented at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment, if any. Rental income related to these operating leases is included in property rental revenue on the Company's consolidated statements of operations, and is recognized each month during the month-to-month terms at the rental rate in place during each month.

Global Self Storage as Lessee

The Company is a lessee in a lease agreement for an automobile entered into November 2022 with a lease term of three years. The lease agreement does not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. The Company’s lease agreement has been classified as an operating lease. Lease expense for payments related to the Company’s operating lease is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset during the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments as specified in the lease. Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities related to the Company’s operating leases are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of the remaining lease payments over the lease term. As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available surrounding the Company’s secured borrowing rates and implied secured spread at the lease commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The right-of-use asset also includes any lease payments made at or before lease commencement less any lease incentives. The Company had right-of-use assets and lease liabilities related to its operating leases of $49,646 and $49,646, respectively, as of March 31, 2023 and $54,199 and $54,199, respectively, as of December 31, 2022. Such amounts are amortized using a straight-line method over the term of the lease included in prepaid expenses and other assets and accounts payable and accrued expenses on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, respectively. Amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $4,553 and $3,438, respectively. As of March 31, 2023, the Company’s weighted average

16

remaining lease term and weighted average discount rate related to its operating leases were approximately 2.6 years and 3.77%, respectively.

9. EARNINGS PER SHARE

Earnings per share is calculated under the two-class method under which all earnings (distributed and undistributed) are allocated to each class of common stock and participating securities based on their respective rights to receive dividends. The Company grants restricted stock to certain employees under its stock-based compensation programs, which entitle recipients to receive nonforfeitable dividends during the vesting period on a basis equivalent to the dividends paid to holders of the Company's common stock, $0.01 par value; these unvested awards meet the definition of participating securities.

Common stock dividends totaled $805,228 ($0.0725 per share) and $700,339 ($0.065 per share) for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

10. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Certain officers and directors of the Company also serve as officers and/or directors of Winmill & Co. Incorporated (“Winco”), Bexil Corporation, Tuxis Corporation (“Tuxis”), and/or their affiliates (collectively with the Company, the “Affiliates”). As of March 31, 2023, certain of the Affiliates and the Company’s directors and employees may be deemed to own, in the aggregate, approximately 8.1% of the outstanding common stock.

Pursuant to an arrangement between a professional employer organization (“PEO”) and the Affiliates, the PEO provides payroll, benefits, compliance, and related services for employees of the Affiliates in accordance with applicable rules and regulations under the Code and, in connection therewith, Midas Management Corporation (“MMC”), a subsidiary of Winco, acts as a conduit payer of compensation and benefits to the Affiliates’ employees including those who are concurrently employed by the Company and its Affiliates. The aggregate compensation and benefits accrued and paid by the Company to MMC were $740,180 and $578,208 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Expenses for various concurrently used administrative and support functions incurred by the Affiliates are allocated at cost among them. The aggregate administrative and support function expenses accrued and paid by the Company to Winco was $7,028 and $4,992 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Affiliates participate in a 401(k) retirement savings plan for substantially all qualified employees. A matching expense based upon a percentage of contributions to the plan by eligible employees is incurred and allocated among the Affiliates. The matching expense is accrued and funded on a current basis and may not exceed the amount permitted as a deductible expense under the Code. The Company's allocated matching expense was $27,404 and $23,657 for the three months ended March 31, 2023, respectively. As of March 31, 2023, the Company had reimbursements payable to MMC and Winco for compensation, benefits, and administrative and support function expenses of $24,453.

The Company currently reimburses monthly automobile expenses of $1,000 per month to its President, Mark C. Winmill. To the extent that the monthly payment under the Company’s automobile lease exceeds the current monthly reimbursement amount, Mr. Winmill voluntarily reimburses the Company for the excess amount. In this regard, Mr. Winmill has reimbursed the Company $8,198 and $1,878 for the automobile payments paid and due in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The Company leases office space and storage to certain Affiliates under rental agreements. The terms of occupancy are month to month and automatically renew unless terminated by either party on thirty days’ written notice. The Company earned rental income of $1,200 and $4,800 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

During 2020, MMC (the “Borrower”) entered into a Paycheck Protection Program Term Note (“PPP Note”) with Customers Bank on behalf of itself and the Affiliates under the Paycheck Protection Program of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”). The Borrower received total proceeds of $486,602 from the PPP Note of which $307,210 was attributable to the Company under the SBA’s loan determination formula. In accordance with the requirements of the CARES Act, the Affiliates used the proceeds from the PPP Note primarily for payroll and other eligible costs. On April 5, 2022, the Borrower was granted forgiveness of the entire PPP Note and any accrued interest. Upon forgiveness, the Company received $307,210 in cash from the borrower, which was the amount attributable to the Company under the SBA's loan determination formula, and recorded a gain for such amount, in its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.

11. CAPITAL STOCK

As of March 31, 2023, the Company was authorized to issue 450,000,000 shares of common stock of which 11,143,908 were issued and outstanding. The Company was also authorized to issue 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value, of which none has been issued.

On January 14, 2022, the Company entered into an At Market Offering Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with B. Riley Securities, Inc. (the “Agent”) pursuant to which the Company may sell, from time to time, shares of common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $15,000,000, through the Agent. There were no shares of common stock sold during the three months ended March 31, 2023 under the Sales Agreement. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, under the Sales Agreement, the Company sold and issued an aggregate of 65,843 shares of common stock and raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $403,364, less sales commissions of approximately $8,069 and other offering costs resulting in net proceeds of $198,370.

12. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

On October 16, 2017 (“Effective Date”), the Company’s stockholders approved the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is designed to provide equity-based incentives to certain eligible persons, as defined in the Plan, in the form of options, share appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights or other forms of equity-based compensation as determined in the discretion of the Board of Directors, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, or other designee thereof. The total number of shares of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan on the Effective Date was 760,000.

18

On March 27, 2023, the Company approved restricted stock awards under the Plan to certain of its officers and employees in the aggregate amount of 37,976 shares, of which 14,250 shares are time-based grants and 23,726 shares are performance-based grants. The Company recorded $37,788 and $52,604 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, of expense related to restricted stock awards in general and administrative expense in its consolidated statement of operations. As of March 31, 2023, there was $169,248 and $113,557 of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested time-based and performance-based restricted stock awards, respectively. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.2 years and 2.7 years for time-based and performance-based awards, respectively. The fair value of common stock awards is determined based on the closing trading price of the common stock on the grant date.

Time-Based Restricted Stock Grants

These time-based grants vest solely based on continued employment, with 6.25% of the shares eligible to vest on each three- month anniversary of the grant date during the remaining four-year time vesting period. Time-based restricted stock cannot be transferred during the vesting period. These time-based restricted stock grants entitle the holder to dividends paid by the Company on shares of its common stock, including unvested shares.

Performance-Based Restricted Stock Grants

Performance-based restricted stock grants vest based on continued employment and the achievement of certain Funds from Operations, as adjusted (“AFFO”) and same store revenue growth (“SSRG”) goals by the Company during the year of the grant. Each of these performance components are weighted 50% and are measured over the performance cycle, which is defined as the year ending on December 31st in the year of the grant. At the end of the performance cycle, the financial performance components are reviewed to determine the number of shares actually earned, which can be as low as 0% of shares granted and up to a maximum of 200% of shares granted. The shares which are earned will remain subject to quarterly vesting during the remaining four-year time vesting period. Dividends paid by the Company prior to the determination of how many shares are earned will be retained by the Company and released only with respect to earned shares. If a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) occurs the number of shares earned will equal the greater of the number of shares granted and the number of shares which would have been earned based on the AFFO and SSRG through the date of the Change in Control. If following a Change in Control, a grantee is terminated by the Company without Cause or by the grantee with Good Reason (as each is defined in the Plan), all unvested restricted stock will fully vest.

Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur, compensation cost previously recognized for an award that is forfeited because of a failure to satisfy a service or performance condition is reversed in the period of the forfeiture.

13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties and which may provide general indemnifications. The Company’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as it involves future claims that may be made against the Company under circumstances that have not occurred.

14. RISKS AND UNCERTANTIES

General Market Risks

The Company’s portfolio and the success of its investment activities are affected by global and national economic, political and market conditions generally and also by the local economic conditions where its assets are located. Certain external events such as public health crises, including the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and its variants, natural disasters and geopolitical events, including the ongoing conflict between Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, have recently led to increased financial and credit market volatility and disruptions, leading to record inflationary pressure, rising interest rates, supply chain issues, labor shortages and recessionary concerns. Although more normalized activities have resumed and there has been improvement due to global and domestic vaccination efforts, at this time the Company cannot predict the full extent of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company and the economy as a whole. Additionally, in response to recent inflationary pressure, the U.S. Federal Reserve and other global central banks have raised interest rates in 2022 and have indicated likely further interest rate increases. The full impact of such external events on the financial and credit markets and consequently on the Company’s financial conditions and results of operations is uncertain and cannot be fully predicted. The Company will continue to monitor these events and will adjust its operations as necessary.

Credit Risk

Market Risk

Investments in securities subject the Company to market risk. Investments in securities may decline in value. The Company monitors the stock prices of the investments and the financial performance of the related companies.