TILE SHOP HOLDINGS, INC. - Quarter Report: 2021 March (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C. 20549

_____________________________

FORM 10-Q

_____________________________

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021

OR

 For the transition period from – to –

Commission file number: 001-35629

_____________________________

TILE SHOP HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_____________________________

(763) 852-2950 

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

_____________________________

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

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

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

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

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

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

As of May 3, 2021, there were 51,925,262 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, outstanding.

TILE SHOP HOLDINGS, INC.

Table of Contents

 
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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(dollars in thousands)

(unaudited)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 (dollars in thousands)

(unaudited)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

Note 1: Background

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings,” and together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware in June 2012.

The Company is a specialty retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. The Company manufactures its own setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout, and sealers. The Company’s primary market is retail sales to consumers, contractors, designers and home builders. As of March 31, 2021, the Company had 143 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with an average size of approximately 20,000 square feet. The Company has distribution centers located in Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. The Company also has a sourcing office located in China.

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not include certain information and disclosures required for comprehensive financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included and are of a normal recurring nature, including the elimination of all intercompany transactions. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.

These statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. The accounting policies used in preparing these Consolidated Financial Statements are the same as those described in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in such Form 10-K.

Reclassification

Certain amounts in the prior year financial statements have been reclassified for comparative purposes to conform to the presentation for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.  Specifically, the Company elected to change the way it presents cash flows from operating leases in its Statement of Cash Flows.  In the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company presented the net change in the right of use asset and lease liabilities as other, net within the operating section of the Statement of Cash Flows.  During the third quarter of 2020, the Company determined it would be more appropriate to disaggregate this activity.  The amortization of the right of use assets is now presented as a non-cash lease expense within the operating section of the Statement of Cash Flows.  Lease payments, net of the accretion of lease liabilities, are now presented as a change in accrued expenses and other liabilities within the operating section of the Statement of Cash Flows.

The impact of this change on the Statement of Cash Flows presented as of March 31, 2020 follows:

The change in classification had no impact on the Company’s pretax earnings, earnings per share, net cash provided by operating activities or balance sheets in any period.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. COVID-19 has negatively impacted public health and the global economy, disrupted global supply chains, and created volatility in financial markets. The continuing implications of COVID-19 on the Company remain uncertain and will depend on certain future developments, including the duration, scope and severity of the pandemic and the effects of new variants of COVID-19, some of which may be more virulent or transmissible than the initial strain; its impact on the Company’s employees, customers and suppliers; the range and timing of government mandated restrictions and other measures; and the success of the deployment and widespread adoption of approved COVID-19 vaccines and their effectiveness. This uncertainty could have a material impact on the accounting estimates and

assumptions utilized to prepare the Company’s consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods, which could result in a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company adopted new accounting requirements related to the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments, including trade receivables. The new standard and subsequent amendments replaced the incurred loss impairment model with a forward-looking expected credit loss model, which will generally result in earlier recognition of credit losses. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts represents its estimate of expected credit losses related to its trade receivables. To estimate the allowance for doubtful accounts, the Company leverages information on historical losses, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future conditions. Account balances are written off against the allowance when the Company deems the amount is uncollectible. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance providing optional expedients and exceptions to account for the effects of reference rate reform to contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The optional guidance is effective as of the beginning of the reporting period when the election is made through December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

Note 2: Revenues

Revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to the Company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration received in exchange for those goods or services. Sales taxes are excluded from revenues.

The following table presents revenues disaggregated by product category:

The Company generates revenues by selling tile products, setting and maintenance materials, accessories, and delivery services to its customers through its store locations and online. The timing of revenue recognition coincides with the transfer of control of goods and services ordered by the customer which falls into one of three categories described below:

Revenue recognized when an order is placed – If a customer places an order in a store and the contents of their order are available, the Company recognizes revenue concurrent with the exchange of goods for consideration from the customer.

Revenue recognized when an order is picked up – If a customer places an order for items held in a centralized distribution center, the Company requests a deposit from the customer at the time they place the order. Subsequently when the contents of the customer’s order are delivered to the store, the customer returns to the store and picks up the items that were ordered. The Company recognizes revenue on this transaction when the customer picks up their order.

Revenue recognized when an order is delivered – If a customer places an order in a store and requests delivery of their order, the Company prepares the contents of their order, initiates the delivery service, and recognizes revenue once the contents of the customer’s order are delivered.

The Company determines the transaction price of its contracts based on the pricing established at the time a customer places an order. The transaction price does not include sales tax as the Company is a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax. Any

discounts applied to an order are allocated proportionately to the base price of the goods and services ordered. Deposits made by customers are recorded in other accrued liabilities. Deferred revenues associated with customer deposits are recognized at the time the Company transfers control of the items ordered or renders the delivery service. In the event an order is partially fulfilled as of the end of a reporting period, revenue will be recognized based on the transaction price allocated to the goods delivered and services rendered. The customer deposit balance was $17.8 million and $12.2 million as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Revenues recognized during the three-month period ended March 31, 2021 that were included in the customer deposit balance as of the beginning of the period were $10.4 million.

The Company extends financing to qualified professional customers who apply for credit. Customers who qualify for an account receive 30-day payment terms. The accounts receivable balance was $3.0 million on both March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The Company expects that the customer will pay for the goods and services ordered within one year from the date the order is placed. Accordingly, the Company qualifies for the practical expedient outlined in ASC 606-10-32-18 and does not adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of the financing component.

Customers may return purchased items for an exchange or refund. The Company records a reserve for estimated product returns based on the historical returns trends and the current product sales performance. The Company presents the sales returns reserve as an other current accrued liability and the estimated value of the inventory that will be returned as an other current asset in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The components of the sales returns reserve reflected in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 were as follows:

Note 3: Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (determined using the moving average cost method) or net realizable value. Inventories consist primarily of merchandise held for sale. Inventories were comprised of the following as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020:

The Company provides provisions for losses related to shrinkage and other amounts that are otherwise not expected to be fully recoverable. These provisions are calculated based on historical shrinkage, selling price, margin and current business trends. The provision for losses related to shrinkage and other amounts was $0.7 million and $0.6 million as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. 

Note 4: Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate on net income before taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 was 21.4% and (100.6)%, respectively. The Company’s effective tax rate during the three months ended March 31, 2020 included adjustments resulting from the enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), which gave the Company the ability to carry back federal net operating losses to years with a federal statutory rate of 35%. The Company’s effective tax rate during the three months ended March 31, 2021 included a $0.3 million tax benefit associated with restricted stock award vestings that occurred during the quarter.

The Company records interest and penalties relating to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. As of March 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had not recognized any liabilities for uncertain tax positions, nor had interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions been accrued.

Note 5: Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, after taking into consideration all dilutive potential shares outstanding during the period.

Basic and diluted earnings per share were calculated as follows:

Note 6: Other Accrued Liabilities

Other accrued liabilities consisted of the following:

Note 7: Long-term Debt

On September 18, 2018, Holdings and its operating subsidiary, The Tile Shop, LLC, entered into a Credit Agreement with Bank of America, N.A., Fifth Third Bank and Citizens Bank (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement provides the Company with a senior credit facility consisting of a $100.0 million revolving line of credit through September 18, 2023. Borrowings pursuant to the Credit Agreement initially bear interest at a LIBOR or base rate. The LIBOR-based rate ranges from LIBOR plus 1.50% to 2.25% depending on the Company’s rent adjusted leverage ratio. The base rate is equal to the greatest of (a) the Federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (b) the Bank of America “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%, in each case plus 0.50% to 1.25% depending on the Company’s rent adjusted leverage ratio. At March 31, 2021 the base interest rate was 4.00% and the LIBOR-based interest rate was 1.86%. The Company had no borrowings outstanding on its revolving line of credit as of March 31, 2021. In addition, the Company has standby letters of credit outstanding related to its workers’ compensation and medical insurance policies. Standby letters of credit totaled $2.4 million as of both March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. There was $97.6 million available for borrowing on the revolving line of credit as of March 31, 2021, which may be used to support the Company’s growth and for working capital purposes.

The Credit Agreement is secured by virtually all of the assets of the Company, including but not limited to, inventory, receivables, equipment and real property. The Credit Agreement contains customary events of default, conditions to borrowings, and restrictive covenants, including restrictions on the Company’s ability to dispose of assets, make acquisitions, incur additional debt, incur liens, or make investments. The Credit Agreement also includes financial and other covenants, including covenants to maintain certain fixed charge coverage ratios and consolidated total rent adjusted leverage ratios. The Company was in compliance with the covenants as of March 31, 2021.

Note 8: Leases

The Company leases its retail stores, certain distribution space, and office space. Leases generally have a term of ten to fifteen years, and contain renewal options. Assets acquired under operating leases are included in the Company’s right of use assets in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain significant residual value guarantees, restrictions or covenants. The depreciable life of assets and leasehold improvements is limited by the expected lease term.

Following the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, the Company worked with its landlords to defer rent payments for many of its retail locations throughout the second quarter of 2020. As of December 31, 2020, the deferred rent balance was $2.1 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company repaid $1.0 million of the deferred rent balance to its landlords. As of March 31, 2021, the deferred rent balance was $1.1 million. The deferred rent balance is recorded as a liability within the current portion of lease liability balance.

⁽¹⁾ Variable lease costs consist primarily of taxes, insurance, and common area or other maintenance costs for the Company’s leased facilities.

Note 9: Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. To measure fair value, the Company uses a three-tier valuation hierarchy based upon observable and non-observable inputs:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices that are available in active markets for the identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

Level 2 – Significant other observable inputs available at the measurement date, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, either directly or indirectly, including:

Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;

Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in non-active markets;

Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability; and

Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by other observable market data.

Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by observable market data and reflect the use of significant management judgment.

The following table sets forth by level within the fair value hierarchy the Company’s financial assets that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 according to the valuation techniques the Company uses to determine their fair values. There have been no transfers of assets among the fair value hierarchies presented.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument. There have been no changes in the valuation techniques used by the Company to value the Company’s financial instruments.

Cash and cash equivalents: Consists of cash on hand and bank deposits. The value was measured using quoted market prices in active markets. The carrying amount approximates fair value.

Restricted cash: Consists of cash and cash equivalents held in bank deposit accounts restricted as to withdrawal or that are under the terms of use for current operations. The value was measured using quoted market prices in active markets. The carrying amount approximates fair value.

Fair value measurements also apply to certain non-financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. Property, plant and equipment and right of use assets are measured at fair value when an impairment is recognized and the related assets are written down to fair value. No impairment charges were recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2021. During

the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recognized a $2.2 million charge in selling, general and administrative expenses to write-down property, plant, and equipment and right of use assets to their estimated fair values. The Company measured the fair value of these assets based on projected cash flows, an estimated risk-adjusted rate of return, and market rental rates for comparable properties. Projected cash flows are considered Level 3 inputs. Market rental rates for comparable properties are considered Level 2 inputs.

Note 10: Equity Incentive Plans

Stock options:

The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for all stock based awards at fair value. The financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 include compensation expense for the portion of outstanding awards that vested during those periods. The Company recognizes stock based compensation expenses on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally the option vesting term. Total stock based compensation expense related to stock options was $0.1 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020. Stock based compensation expense pertaining to stock options is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.

As of March 31, 2021, the Company had outstanding stock options to purchase 1,002,695 shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $10.96.

Restricted stock:

The Company awards restricted common shares to selected employees and to non-employee directors. Recipients are not required to provide any consideration upon vesting of the award. Restricted stock awards are subject to certain restrictions on transfer, and all or part of the shares awarded may be subject to forfeiture upon the occurrence of certain events, including employment termination. Certain awards are also subject to forfeiture if the Company fails to attain certain performance targets. The restricted stock is valued at its grant date fair value and expensed over the requisite service period or the vesting term of the awards. The Company adjusts the cumulative expense recognized on awards with performance conditions based on the probability of achieving the performance condition. Total stock based compensation expense related to restricted stock was $0.5 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020. Stock based compensation expense pertaining to restricted stock awards is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.

As of March 31, 2021, the Company had 1,693,794 outstanding restricted common shares.

Note 11: New Markets Tax Credit

2016 New Markets Tax Credit

In December 2016, the Company entered into a financing transaction with U.S. Bank Community, LLC (“U.S. Bank”) related to a $9.2 million expansion of the Company’s facility in Durant, Oklahoma. U.S. Bank made a capital contribution to, and Tile Shop Lending, Inc. (“Tile Shop Lending”) made a loan to, Twain Investment Fund 192 LLC (the “Investment Fund”) under a qualified New Markets Tax Credit (“NMTC”) program. The NMTC program was provided for in the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (the “Act”) and is intended to induce capital investment in qualified lower income communities. The Act permits taxpayers to claim credits against their federal income taxes for up to 39% of qualified investments in the equity of community development entities (“CDEs”). CDEs are privately managed investment institutions that are certified to make qualified low-income community investments.

In this transaction, Tile Shop Lending loaned $6.7 million to the Investment Fund at an interest rate of 1.37% per year and with a maturity date of December 31, 2046. The Investment Fund then contributed the loan to a CDE, which, in turn, loaned the funds on similar terms to Tile Shop of Oklahoma, LLC, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Holdings. The proceeds of the loans from the CDEs (including loans representing the capital contribution made by U.S. Bank, net of syndication fees) were used to partially fund the distribution center project.

In December 2016, U.S. Bank contributed $3.2 million to the Investment Fund and, by virtue of such contribution, is entitled to substantially all of the tax benefits derived from the NMTC, while the Company effectively received net loan proceeds equal to U.S. Bank’s contributions to the Investment Fund. This transaction includes a put/call provision whereby the Company may be obligated or entitled to repurchase U.S. Bank’s interest. The Company believes that U.S. Bank will exercise the put option in December 2023

at the end of the recapture period. The value attributed to the put/call is de minimis. The NMTC is subject to 100% recapture for a period of seven years as provided in the Internal Revenue Code. The Company is required to be in compliance with various regulations and contractual provisions that apply to the NMTC arrangement. Non-compliance with applicable requirements could result in projected tax benefits not being realized and, therefore, could require the Company to indemnify U.S. Bank for any loss or recapture of NMTCs related to the financing until such time as the obligation to deliver tax benefits is relieved. The Company does not anticipate any credit recaptures will be required in connection with this arrangement.

The Company has determined that the financing arrangement with the Investment Fund and CDEs constitutes a variable interest entity (“VIE”). The ongoing activities of the Investment Fund – collecting and remitting interest and fees and NMTC compliance – were all considered in the initial design and are not expected to significantly affect economic performance throughout the life of the Investment Fund. Management considered the contractual arrangements that obligate the Company to deliver tax benefits and provide various other guarantees to the structure; U.S. Bank’s lack of a material interest in the underlying economics of the project; and the fact that the Company is obligated to absorb losses of the Investment Fund. The Company concluded that it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE and consolidated the Investment Fund, as a VIE, in accordance with the accounting standards for consolidation. In 2016, U.S. Bank’s contributions of $3.2 million, net of syndication fees, were included in cash, restricted cash, other accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company incurred $1.3 million of syndication fees in connection with this transaction, which were classified as other current assets and other non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company is recognizing the benefit of this net $1.9 million contribution over the seven-year compliance period as it is being earned through the on-going compliance with the conditions of the NMTC program. As of March 31, 2021, the balance of the contribution liability for this arrangement was $1.3 million, of which $0.5 million was classified as other accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and $0.8 million was classified as other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The Company is able to request reimbursement for certain expenditures made in connection with the expansion of the distribution center in Durant, Oklahoma from the Investment Fund. Expenditures that qualify for reimbursement include building costs, equipment purchases, and other expenditures tied to the expansion of the facility. As of March 31, 2021, the remaining balance in the Investment Fund available for reimbursement to the Company was $0.7 million.

Note 12: Related Party Transactions

On July 9, 2018, Fumitake Nishi, a former Company employee and the brother-in-law of Robert A. Rucker, the Company’s former Interim Chief Executive Officer and President, former member of the Company’s Board of Directors, and holder of more than 5% of the Company’s common stock as of March 31, 2021, informed the Company he had reacquired a majority of the equity of one of its key vendors, Nanyang Helin Stone Co. Ltd (“Nanyang”). Mr. Nishi also has an ownership interest in Tilestyling Co. Ltd (“Tile Style”), a vendor from which the Company started acquiring product in 2020. Nanyang and Tile Style supply the Company with natural stone products, including hand-crafted mosaics, listellos and other accessories. The Company paid $7.6 million to Nanyang in connection with purchases made during the year ended December 31, 2020. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company purchased $1.9 million of products from Nanyang. As of March 31, 2021, the accounts payable due to Nanyang was $0.2 million. The Company paid $0.7 million to Tile Style in connection with purchases made during the year ended December 31, 2020. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company purchased $0.5 million of products from Tile Style. As of March 31, 2021, the accounts payable due to Tile Style was $0.1 million. Mr. Nishi’s employment with the Company was terminated on January 1, 2014 as a result of several violations of the Company’s code of business conduct and ethics policy. Certain of those violations involved his undisclosed ownership of Nanyang at that time.

Management and the Audit Committee have evaluated these relationships and determined that it would be in the Company’s best interests to continue purchasing products from Nanyang and to begin purchasing products from Tile Style. The Company believes Nanyang and Tile Style each provide an important combination of quality, product availability and pricing, and relying solely on other vendors to supply similar product to the Company would not be in the Company’s best interests. The Company and the Audit Committee will continue to review future purchases from Nanyang and Tile Style and compare the pricing for products purchased from each of Nanyang and Tile Style to the pricing of same or similar products purchased from unrelated vendors.

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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis of Tile Shop Holdings, Inc.’s (“Holdings,” and together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify these statements by words such as, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “depend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “will likely result,” “would,” and similar expressions or variations, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from any expected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, many of which have been, and may further be, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, include, but are not limited to, our anticipated new store openings, remodeling plans, and growth opportunities; our business strengths, marketing strategies, competitive advantages and role in our industry and markets; our expectations regarding the potential impacts on our business of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its effect on general economic conditions and credit markets and on customer traffic to our stores, as well as the potential duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the length and adequacy of measures we have taken to attempt to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business; our ability to successfully implement our strategic plan and the anticipated benefits of our strategic plan; the effectiveness of our marketing strategy; potential fluctuations in our comparable store sales; our expectations regarding our and our customers’ financing arrangements and our ability to obtain additional capital, including potential difficulties of obtaining refinancing due to market conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; supply costs and expectations, including the continued availability of sufficient products from our suppliers and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on, among other things, product availability and timing of deliveries; our expectations with respect to ongoing compliance with the terms of the Credit Agreement (as defined below), including the possibility that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business may result in our inability to maintain such compliance, as well as the potential impact of the phase out of LIBOR; our ability to provide timely delivery to our customers; the effect of regulations on us and our industry, and our suppliers’ compliance with such regulations; our expectations regarding the effects of employee recruiting, training, mentoring, and retention; the potential impact of cybersecurity breaches or disruptions to our management information systems; our ability to successfully implement our information technology initiatives, including our enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system; our ability to effectively manage our online sales; our ability to remediate material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting; costs and adequacy of insurance; the potential impact of natural disasters and other catastrophic events; risks inherent in operating as a holding company; fluctuations in material and energy costs; the potential outcome of any legal proceedings; risks related to ownership of our common stock; and those factors set forth in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

There is no assurance that our expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected, estimated, or projected. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of our management based on information currently available to management. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements. 

We intend to use our website, investors.tileshop.com, as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Such disclosures will be included on our website under the heading News and Events. Accordingly, investors should monitor such portions of our website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts.

Overview and Recent Trends

We are a specialty retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. We offer a wide selection of products, attractive prices, and exceptional customer service in an extensive showroom setting. As of March 31, 2021, we operated 143 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with an average size of approximately 20,000 square feet.

We purchase our tile products and accessories directly from suppliers and manufacture our own setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout, and sealers. We believe that our long-term supplier relationships, together with our design, manufacturing and distribution capabilities, enable us to offer a broad assortment of high-quality products to our customers, who are primarily homeowners and professionals, at competitive prices. We have invested significant resources to develop our proprietary brands and product sources, and we believe that we are a leading retailer of natural stone and man-made tiles, accessories, and related materials in the United States.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. COVID-19 has negatively impacted public health and the global economy, disrupted global supply chains, and created volatility in financial markets. The continuing implications of COVID-19 on us remain uncertain and will depend on certain future developments, including the duration, scope and severity of the pandemic and the effects of new variants of COVID-19, some of which may be more virulent or transmissible than the initial strain; its impact on our employees, customers and suppliers; the range and timing of government mandated restrictions and other measures; and the success of the deployment and widespread adoption of approved COVID-19 vaccines and their effectiveness. This uncertainty could have a material impact on the accounting estimates and assumptions utilized to prepare our consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods, which could result in a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on our operations during 2020. For instance, we experienced a sharp decline in traffic toward the end of the first quarter of 2020 following the onset of COVID-19 in the United States. In response, we took steps to reduce selling, general and administrative (sometimes referred to as “SG&A”) expenses by eliminating a portion of our workforce, reducing store hours, curtailing advertising spending, reducing the number of replenishment trucks sent from our distribution centers to our stores and limiting other SG&A spending when possible. As state and local governments started lifting restrictions toward the end of the second quarter of 2020, we saw an improvement in traffic and sales trends. Throughout the remainder of 2020, we took a cautious approach to investing in activities that would increase our SG&A expenses, which included operating our stores at a reduced hours schedule compared to the prior year. We also started experiencing elevated levels of product outages during second half of 2020 due to vendor production delays and other disruptions in our supply chain related to COVID-19.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2021, we continued to operate our stores at a reduced hours schedule. While we have taken steps to expand evening hours and test Sunday hours in select stores, we continue to take a cautious approach to investing in activities that would increase our SG&A expenses. We also continue to experience elevated levels of product outages, which are partially due to vendor production delays and global shipping capacity constraints resulting, in part, from the impact of COVID-19. These factors, combined with strong demand, have resulted in an increase in our backlog. Customer deposits placed on orders that were not delivered by the end of the quarter increased by $5.6 million from $12.2 million as of December 31, 2020 to $17.8 million as of March 31, 2021. We continue to actively work with our vendors to secure delivery of backordered product.

While we are cautiously optimistic with the current business trend and the progress made distributing COVID-19 vaccinations in recent months, a resurgence of COVID-19 cases could have a negative impact on us. Specifically, we could be adversely impacted by limitations on our employees to perform their work due to illness caused by the pandemic or local, state or federal orders requiring stores to close or employees to remain home; limitations of carriers to deliver our products to customers; product shortages; limitations on the ability of our customers to conduct their business and purchase our products and services; and limitations on the ability of our customers to pay us in a timely manner. These events could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity. In addition, even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may continue to experience adverse impacts to our business as a result of the economic impact of the pandemic.

Other Recent Developments

On March 1, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to authorize the Company to apply for listing of its common stock with The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). The Company’s common stock is currently quoted on the Pink tier of the OTC Markets under the symbol “TTSH”. The Company has submitted its listing application. The Company’s listing application is still pending.  The Company cautions its stockholders and others considering trading its securities that there is no assurance that Nasdaq will approve the Company’s listing application.

March 2021 Quarter Financial Overview

For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, we reported net sales of $92.1 million and $94.3 million, respectively, due to a decrease in sales at comparable stores of 2.3%. The decrease in sales at comparable stores was primarily due to a decrease in store traffic. Our stores continued to operate at a reduced number of hours during the first quarter of 2021 when compared to the same period in 2020. Additionally, we continued to experience elevated levels of product outages, which had an adverse impact on sales during the first quarter of 2021.

The table below sets forth information about our comparable store sales (decline) growth for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020.

For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, we reported gross profit of $64.2 million and $65.0 million, respectively. The gross margin rate was 69.7% and 68.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase in gross margin rate was primarily driven by better pricing and an improvement in customer delivery collection rates and partially offset by a higher mix of freight delivery services during the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2020.

For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, we reported income from operations of $6.9 million and $2.6 million, respectively. The increase in income from operations was primarily driven by a $5.1 million decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses, which was partially offset by the margin contribution from lower sales levels. The decrease in SG&A expenses was partially due to a decrease in store hours during the first quarter of 2021 when compared to the first quarter of 2020, which contributed to a $1.5 million reduction in compensation and benefits expenses. In addition, during the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded $2.2 million of asset impairment charges and $1.1 million of legal costs incurred in connection with shareholder litigation in SG&A expenses. The Company did not record any asset impairment charges or incur any legal costs in connection with shareholder litigation during the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $30.1 million and $22.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Key Components of our Consolidated Statements of Income

Net Sales – Net sales represents total charges to customers, net of returns, and includes freight charged to customers. We recognize sales at the time that the customer takes control of the merchandise or final delivery of the product has occurred. We are required to charge and collect sales and other taxes on sales to our customers and remit these taxes back to government authorities. Total revenues do not include sales tax because we are a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax. Sales are reduced by a reserve for anticipated sales returns that we estimate based on historical returns.

The comparable store sales operating metric is the percentage change in sales of comparable stores period-over-period. A store is considered comparable on the first day of the 13th full month of operation. When a store is relocated, it is excluded from the comparable store sales calculation. Comparable store sales includes total charges to customers less any actual returns. We include the change in allowance for anticipated sales returns applicable to comparable stores in the comparable store sales calculation. Comparable store sales data reported by other companies may be prepared on a different basis and therefore may not be useful for purposes of comparing our results to those of other businesses. Company management believes the comparable store sales operating metric provides useful information to both management and investors to evaluate the Company’s performance, the effectiveness of its strategy and its competitive position.

Cost of Sales – Cost of sales consists primarily of material costs, freight, customs and duties fees, and storage and delivery of product to the customers, as well as physical inventory losses and costs associated with manufacturing of setting and maintenance materials.

Gross Profit – Gross profit is net sales less cost of sales. Gross margin rate is the percentage determined by dividing gross profit by

net sales.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses – Selling, general, and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation costs, occupancy, utilities, maintenance costs, advertising costs, shipping and transportation expenses to move inventory from our distribution centers to our stores, and depreciation and amortization.

Income Taxes – We are subject to income tax in the United States as well as other tax jurisdictions in which we conduct business.

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Results of Operations

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2021 to the three months ended March 31, 2020