TILE SHOP HOLDINGS, INC. - Quarter Report: 2022 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, 2022

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 2, 2022, there were 52,101,412 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 Operations

(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)

(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, 2022, 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, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.

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, 2021. 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.

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 $19.2 million and $13.8 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Revenues recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2022 that were included in the customer deposit balance as of the beginning of the period were $11.5 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 $3.5 million and $3.2 million at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. 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 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 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 Sheets as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 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, 2022 and December 31, 2021:

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 $0.9 million and $0.5 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. 

Note 4: Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate on net income before taxes was 21.4% for both the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. The Company’s effective tax rate included a $0.3 million tax benefit associated with restricted stock award vestings during both the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021.

The Company records interest and penalties relating to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. As of both March 31, 2022 and 2021, 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, which was amended November 16, 2021 (as amended, 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, 2022, the base interest rate was 4.25% and the LIBOR-based interest rate was 2.20%. The Company had $5.0 million of borrowings outstanding on its revolving line of credit as of March 31, 2022. 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, 2022 and December 31, 2021. There was $92.6 million available for borrowing on the revolving line of credit as of March 31, 2022, 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, 2022.

Note 8: Leases

The Company leases its retail stores, certain distribution space, and office space. Leases generally have an initial 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. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the original lease term, the renewal term if the lease renewal is reasonably certain or the useful life of the improvement.

⁽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, 2022 and December 31, 2021 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. The Company did not record any impairment losses during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.

Note 10: Equity Incentive Plans

On July 20, 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2021 Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan replaced the 2012 Omnibus Award Plan (the “Prior Plan”). Awards granted under the Prior Plan that were outstanding on the date of stockholder approval remained outstanding in accordance with their terms. The maximum number of shares that may be delivered with respect to awards under the 2021 Plan is 3,500,000 shares, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. Shares tendered or withheld to pay the exercise price of a stock option or to cover tax withholding will not be added back to the number of shares

available under the 2021 Plan. To the extent that any award under the 2021 Plan, or any award granted under the Prior Plan prior to stockholder approval of the 2021 Plan, is forfeited, canceled, surrendered or otherwise terminated without the issuance of shares or an award is settled only in cash, the shares subject to such awards granted but not delivered will be added to the number of shares available for awards under the 2021 Plan.

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, 2022 and 2021 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 less than $0.1 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Stock based compensation expense pertaining to stock options is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

As of March 31, 2022, the Company had outstanding stock options to purchase 886,445 shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $11.01 per share.

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, 2022 and 2021. Stock based compensation expense pertaining to restricted stock awards is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

As of March 31, 2022, the Company had 1,253,344 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 contributed $3.2 million, net of syndication fees, to the Investment Fund. The Company incurred $1.3 million of syndication fees in connection with this transaction. 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, 2022, the balance of the contribution liability for this arrangement was $0.8 million, of which $0.5 million was classified as other accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and $0.3 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, 2022, 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 former holder of more than 5% of the Company’s common stock as of March 31, 2022, 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. During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company purchased $3.3 million and $1.9 million of products from Nanyang, respectively. As of March 31, 2022 and 2021, the accounts payable due to Nanyang was $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company purchased $1.2 million and $0.5 million of products from Tile Style, respectively. As of March 31, 2022, there were no amounts payable due to 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, 2021 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,” “predict,” “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 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, the supply chain and product availability, labor, and on customer traffic to our stores, as well as the potential duration of the COVID-19 pandemic 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; our ability to successfully anticipate consumer trends; any statements with respect to dividends and timing, methods, and payment of same; 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, risks related to relying on foreign suppliers, and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict on, among other things, product availability and pricing and timing and cost of deliveries; our expectations with respect to ongoing compliance with the terms of the Credit Agreement (as defined below), including 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, including any environmental or climate change-related requirements; the impact of corporate citizenship and environmental, social and governance matters; our expectations regarding the effects of employee recruiting, training, mentoring, and retention on our ability to recruit and retain employees; tax-related risks; the potential impact of cybersecurity breaches or disruptions to our management information systems; our ability to successfully implement our information technology initiatives; our ability to effectively manage our online sales; costs and adequacy of insurance; the potential impact of natural disasters, which may worsen or increase due to the effects of climate change, 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, 2021.

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. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not a part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or any other report or document we file with the SEC. Any reference to our website is intended to be an inactive textual reference only.

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, 2022, 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.

Our business continues to be impacted by a number of macro-economic factors, including the trailing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Global supply chains and product availability remain highly challenged and recent global events in Eastern Europe have only exacerbated an already difficult operating environment. These factors, combined with higher fuel costs and a highly competitive labor market, have created an inflationary environment and cost pressures.

In regard to consumer demand, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our business has experienced an increase in demand and sales. It remains unclear, however, if these demand trends will remain intact or if they will revert back to more historical levels over time, particularly as inflation begins to impact discretionary spending.

March 2022 Quarter Financial Overview

For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, we reported net sales of $102.5 million and $92.1 million, respectively. Sales increased at comparable stores by 10.7% during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to an increase in average ticket driven by higher prices.

The table below sets forth information about our comparable store sales growth (decline) for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.

We continued to experience challenges in our supply chain during the first quarter of 2022. Specifically, we are seeing an increase in the cost of the products we source from around the world due to vendor price increases in response to inflationary cost pressure and an increase in shipping rates. These factors are currently most pronounced in Europe due to an increase in oil and natural gas prices following the onset of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This cost pressure is impacting our gross margin rate, which fell to 65.2% during the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. In response to the cost pressure, we have and plan to continue to adjust our prices. We continue to monitor the impact of inflation on the costs of materials, labor, and other costs required to manage our business in order to minimize its effects through pricing strategies, productivity improvements and cost reductions. There can be no assurance, however, that our operating results will not be affected by inflation in the future.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $4.8 million from $57.3 million to $62.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. We have taken steps over the last year to add headcount to expand our store hours and enhance the support structure in place for our stores, which resulted in a $3.9 million increase in payroll and benefits expenses. Additionally, marketing expenses increased by $0.7 million and distribution costs increased by $0.5 million which were partially offset by a $0.8 million decrease in depreciation expense.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $7.6 million and $30.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease in cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to a decrease in earnings combined with an increase in inventory purchases in 2022. 

Key Components of our Consolidated Statements of Operations

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.

Comparable store sales growth 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 growth calculation. Comparable store sales growth amounts include 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 growth (decline) 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.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2022 to the three months ended March 31, 2021

⁽¹⁾ Amounts do not foot due to rounding.

Net Sales Net sales for the first quarter of 2022 increased $10.4 million, or 11.3%, compared with the first quarter of 2021. Sales increased at comparable stores by 10.7% during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to an increase in average ticket driven by higher prices.

Gross Profit Gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 increased $2.7 million, or 4.1%, compared with the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to the increase in sales. The gross margin rate was 65.2% and 69.7% during the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease in the gross margin rate was primarily due to an increase in the cost of our products driven by vendor cost increases and higher international freight rates, which were partially offset by an increase in selling prices.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses Selling, general, and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2022 increased $4.8 million, or 8.4%, compared with the first quarter of 2021. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily due to a $3.9 million increase in payroll and benefits expenses associated with headcount additions made over the last year. Additionally, marketing expenses increased by $0.7 million and distribution costs increased by $0.5, million which were partially offset by a $0.8 million decrease in depreciation expense.

Interest Expense Interest expense was $0.3 million and $0.2 million for the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively. The increase was due to an increase in outstanding debt during the first quarter of 2022 as compared to the first quarter of 2021.

Provision for Income Taxes The provision for income taxes for the first quarter of 2022 decreased $0.5 million compared with the first quarter of 2021. The decrease in the provision for income tax was largely due to the decrease in income before taxes. Our effective tax rate was 21.4% for both the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.

Non-GAAP Measures

We calculate Adjusted EBITDA by taking net income calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), and adjusting for interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and stock based compensation expense. Adjusted EBITDA margin is equal to Adjusted EBITDA divided by net sales. We calculate pretax return on capital employed by taking income (loss) from operations divided by capital employed. Capital employed equals total assets less accounts payable, income taxes payable, other accrued liabilities, lease liability and other long-term liabilities. Other companies may calculate both Adjusted EBITDA and pretax return on capital employed differently, limiting the usefulness of these measures for comparative purposes.

We believe that these non-GAAP measures of financial results provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to our financial condition and results of operations. Our management uses these non-GAAP measures to compare our performance to that of prior periods for trend analyses, for purposes of determining management incentive compensation, for budgeting and planning purposes and for assessing the effectiveness of capital allocation over time. These measures are used in monthly financial reports prepared for management and our Board of Directors. We believe that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing our financial measures with other specialty retailers, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors.

Our management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitations of these non-GAAP financial measures are that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recognized in our consolidated financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. In order to compensate for these limitations, management presents non-GAAP financial measures in connection with GAAP results. We urge investors to review the reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business.

The reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 is as follows: