Wilhelmina International, Inc. - Annual Report: 2019 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_______________

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

Commission File Number 001-36589

_______________

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(214) 661-7488

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   [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

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant computed by reference to the price at which the common stock was last sold, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was approximately $11.2 million.

As of March 30, 2020, the registrant had 5,157,344 shares of common stock outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The information required by Part III is incorporated by reference from the registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Annual Report on Form 10-K

For the Year Ended December 31, 2019

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain “forward-looking statements” as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relating to Wilhelmina International, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries the “Company” or “Wilhelmina”) are based on the beliefs of the Company’s management as well as information currently available to the Company’s management. When used in this report, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect” and “intend” and words or phrases of similar import, as they relate to the Company or Company management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, in particular, projections about the Company’s future results, statements about its plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates. Additionally, statements concerning future matters such as gross billing levels, revenue levels, expense levels, and other statements regarding matters that are not historical are forward-looking statements. Management cautions that these forward-looking statements relate to future events or the Company’s future financial performance and are subject to business, economic, and other risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements of its business or its industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Should any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements. As a result, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

PART I

DESCRIPTION OF THE WILHELMINA BUSINESS

Overview

The primary business of Wilhelmina is fashion model management. These business operations are headquartered in New York City. The Company’s predecessor was founded in 1967 by Wilhelmina Cooper, a renowned fashion model, and became one of the oldest, best known and largest fashion model management companies in the world. Since its founding, Wilhelmina has grown to include operations located in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and London, as well as a network of licensees in various local markets in the U.S. and internationally. Wilhelmina provides traditional, full-service fashion model and talent management services, specializing in the representation and management of models, entertainers, artists, athletes and other talent, to various clients, including retailers, designers, advertising agencies, print and electronic media and catalog companies. The Company was incorporated in the State of Delaware in 1996.

Organization and Operating Divisions

The Company acquired the predecessor companies constituting its current primary business in 2008. The Company conducts its business through operating divisions and subsidiaries engaged in fashion model management and other complementary businesses. These business activities are focused on the following key areas:

Fashion Model and Social Media Influencer Management

Wilhelmina is focused on providing fashion modeling talent and social media influencer services to clients such as advertising agencies, branded consumer goods companies, fashion designers, Internet sites, retailers, department stores, product catalogs and magazine publications.

The fashion model/talent/influencer management industry can be divided into many subcategories, including advertising campaigns as well as catalog/e-commerce, runway, showroom and editorial work. Advertising work involves modeling for advertisements featuring consumer products such as cosmetics, clothing and other items to be placed in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and with other types of media. Catalog and e-commerce work involves modeling of products to be sold through promotional catalogs and Internet commerce sites. Runway work involves modeling at fashion shows, which primarily take place in Paris, Milan, London and New York City. Showroom work involves on-site modeling of products at client showrooms and other events and production “fit” work whereby a model serves as the sizing model for apparel items. Editorial work involves modeling for the cover and editorial sections of magazines.

Clients pay for talent to appear in photo shoots for Internet sites, magazine features, print advertising, direct mail marketing, and product catalogs, as well as to appear in runway shows to present new designer collections, fit modeling, and on-location presentations and events.  In addition, talent may also appear in film and television commercials. Wilhelmina develops and diversifies its talent portfolio through a combination of ongoing local, regional and international scouting and talent-search efforts to source new talent, as well as cooperating with other agencies that represent talent.

Within its fashion model management business, Wilhelmina has two primary sources of service revenue: (i) commissions paid by models as a percentage of their gross earnings; and (ii) service charges paid by clients in addition to booking fees, calculated as a percentage of the models’ booking fees.  Wilhelmina believes that its commission rates and service charges are comparable to those of its principal competitors.

Wilhelmina’s fashion model management operations are organized into divisions called “boards,” each of which specializes by the type of models it represents. Wilhelmina’s boards are generally described in the table below.

Each major board is headed by a director who manages the agents assigned to the board. The agents of each board act both as bookers (including promoting models, negotiating fees and contracting work) and as talent scouts/managers (including providing models with career and development guidance and helping them better market themselves). Although agents individually develop professional relationships with models, models are represented by a board collectively and not by a specific agent. Wilhelmina’s organization into boards enables Wilhelmina to provide clients with services tailored to their particular needs, to allow models to benefit from agents’ specialized experience in their particular markets, and to limit Wilhelmina’s dependency on any specialty market or agent.

Most senior agents are employed pursuant to employment agreements that include noncompetition provisions such as a prohibition from working with Wilhelmina’s models and clients for a certain period of time after the end of the agent’s employment with Wilhelmina. Wilhelmina typically signs its models to three-year exclusive contracts, which it actively enforces.

The Aperture division operates in New York and Los Angeles, and offers models, social media influencers, and actors representation for commercials, film, and television. 

Wilhelmina London Limited (“London”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilhelmina International, Inc., was acquired in January 2015. The London subsidiary establishes a footprint for the Company in Western Europe, provides a base of operations to service the Company’s European clients, and serves as a new talent development office for European models and artists.

Hair & Make-up Artist Representation

The Company represents artists in the hair, makeup, photography, and stylist arenas. These artists work on projects across the globe for well-known celebrities and companies in the media, advertising, retail, pharmaceutical and music industries. In addition, their work appears in top magazines and on the runways of major fashion houses. 

Celebrity Management

Wilhelmina’s celebrity division seeks to secure endorsement and spokesperson work for celebrities from the worlds of sports, music and entertainment. Celebrity has two primary sources of revenue: (i) commissions paid by talent as a percentage of their gross earnings; and (ii) royalties or a service charge paid by clients. Wilhelmina celebrity management works with emerging artists and established celebrity names to match them with leading fashion brands and companies.

Licensing & Branding Associations

Wilhelmina Licensing, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary that collects third-party licensing fees in connection with the licensing of the “Wilhelmina” name. Third-party licensees include several leading fashion model agencies in local markets in the U.S. and internationally. The film and television business consists of occasional television syndication royalties and production series contracts. Also, from time to time, the Company conducts model search contests and other events in an effort to expand the Wilhelmina brand and recruit talent.

Content Creation, Production & Casting

The Wilhelmina Studio division offered services relating to content creation, production, casting, and influencer programming. On October 31, 2019, the Wilhelmina Studio division was closed and ceased operations.

Competition

The fashion model/talent management business is highly competitive. New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami, as well as London, Paris, and Milan, are considered the most important markets for the fashion talent management industry.  Most of the leading international firms are headquartered in New York City. Wilhelmina’s principal competitors include other large fashion model management businesses in the U.S., including IMG Models, Elite Model Management, Ford Models, Inc., DNA Model Management, NEXT Model Management, The Lions Model Management, Women 360 Management, and New York Model Management. However, Wilhelmina is the only publicly-owned fashion talent management company in the world.

Competition also includes foreign agencies and smaller U.S. agencies in local markets that recruit local talent and cater to local market needs.  Several of the larger fashion talent firms operate offices in multiple cities and countries or have chosen to partner with local or foreign agencies.

The Company believes that its sources of revenue (mainly generated from commissions and service charges) are comparable to those of its principal competitors.  Therefore, for the Company to obtain a competitive advantage, it must develop and maintain a deep pool of talent and deliver high quality service to its clients.  The Company believes that through its scouting efforts, search contests, licensing network, advertising and television shows it is able to recruit a deeper pool of talent relative to its competitors. These recruitment tools, coupled with the broad range of fashion boards available to the Company’s talent, enable the Company to develop talent and generate a broader range of revenues relative to its principal competitors. While a broad range of talent and boards provides a level of stability to the business, certain talent may be more inclined to work with a boutique agency that may appear to tailor more specifically to their needs.

For more than 50 years, Wilhelmina and its predecessors have created long-standing client relationships and a number of business activities related to the fashion model management business that provide exposure to diverse markets and demographics. The Company has also developed a professional workforce with years of talent management experience.

Clients and Customers

As of December 31, 2019, Wilhelmina represented a roster of approximately 2,100 active models and talent. Wilhelmina’s active models include Karolína Kurková, Bianca Balti, Francisco Henriques, Carla Piera, Alva Clair, Cyrielle Lalande, Mitchell Slaggert, Elizabeth Erm, Elza Matiz, Anne de Paula, Erik Van Gils, Parker Gregory, Malik Lindo, Malcolm Jackson, Wallette Watson, Oumar Diouf, Marianna Dantec, Haejin Lee, Hilda Halilovic, Eli Cruz, Kailand Morris, Riley Harper, Isabela Grutman, Lauren Auerbach, Davidson Obennebo, Mikkel Jensen, Armando Cabral, Lola Hedrickx, Vanessa Cruz, Rayla Guimaraes Jacunda, Tommy Hackett, Nadia Lee Cohen, Nayara Oliviera, Fernando Lindez, Dachuan Jin, Thais Borges, Gracie Phillips, Ludwig Wilsdorff, Claudio Montiero, and Nathan Owens. Wilhelmina’s celebrity talent includes Machine Gun Kelly, Jordan Sparks, 5 Seconds of Summer, Kacy Hill, and Stephen Puth.

Wilhelmina serves approximately 3,400 external clients. Wilhelmina’s customer base is highly diversified, with no one customer accounting for more than 3% of overall gross revenues. The top 100 clients of Wilhelmina together accounted for approximately 47% of overall gross revenues during 2019.

Governmental Regulations

Certain jurisdictions in which Wilhelmina operates, such as California and Florida, require that companies maintain a Talent Agency License in order to engage in the “talent agency” business. The talent agency business is generally considered the business of procuring engagements or any employment or placement of a talent, where the talent performs in his or her artistic capacity.  Where required, the Wilhelmina subsidiaries operating in these jurisdictions maintain Talent Agency Licenses issued by those jurisdictions.  

Trends and Opportunities

The Company expects that the combination of Wilhelmina’s main operating base in New York City, the industry’s capital, with the depth and breadth of its talent pool, client roster and its diversification across various talent management segments, together with its geographical reach should make Wilhelmina’s operations more resilient to industry changes and economic swings than those of many of the smaller firms operating in the industry. Similarly, in the segments where Wilhelmina competes with other leading full service agencies, Wilhelmina believes it competed successfully in 2019.

With total advertising expenditures on major media (television, Internet, outdoor, cinema, magazines, and newspapers) of approximately $200 billion in recent years, North America is the world’s largest advertising market.  For the fashion talent management industry, including Wilhelmina, advertising expenditures on television, Internet, magazines, and outdoor are of particular relevance.

Strategy

Management’s strategy is to increase value to shareholders through the following initiatives:

Due to the ubiquity of the Internet as a standard business tool, the Company has increasingly sought to harness the opportunities of the Internet and other digital media to improve its communications with clients and to facilitate the effective exchange of fashion model and talent information. The Company continues to make significant investments in technology (including developing in-house art and social media departments) in pursuit of gains in efficiency and better communications with clients.  At the same time, the Internet presents challenges for the Company, including (i) the cannibalization of traditional print media businesses, and (ii) pricing pressures with respect to digital media photo shoots and client engagements.

EMPLOYEES

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had 114 employees, 70 of whom were located in New York City, six of whom were located at Wilhelmina’s Miami office, four of whom were located at Wilhelmina’s Chicago office, 18 of whom were located at Wilhelmina’s Los Angeles office, 14 of whom were located at Wilhelmina’s London office and two of whom were located at the corporate headquarters in Dallas.

TRADEMARKS AND LICENSING

The “Wilhelmina” brand is essential to the success and competitive position of the Company. Wilhelmina’s trademark is vital to the licensing business because licensees pay for the right to use the trademark. The Company has invested significant resources in the “Wilhelmina” brands in order to obtain the public recognition that these brands currently enjoy. Wilhelmina relies upon domestic and international trademark laws, license agreements and nondisclosure agreements to protect the “Wilhelmina” brand name used in its business. Trademarks registered in the U.S. have a duration of ten years and are generally subject to an indefinite number of renewals for a like period on appropriate application.

Not applicable to smaller reporting company.

None.

The Company’s corporate headquarters are currently located at 200 Crescent Court, Suite 1400, Dallas, Texas 75201, which are also the offices of Newcastle Capital Management, L.P. (“NCM”).  NCM is the general partner of Newcastle Partners L.P. (“Newcastle”), the Company’s largest shareholder. The Company occupies a portion of NCM’s space on a month-to-month basis at $2,500 per month, pursuant to a services agreement entered into between the parties on October 1, 2006.

The following table summarizes information with respect to the material facilities of the Company for leased office space and model apartments:

The Company believes there is sufficient office space available at favorable leasing terms both to replace existing office space and to satisfy any additional needs the Company may have as a result of future expansion.

On October 24, 2013, a putative class action lawsuit was brought against the Company by former Wilhelmina model Alex Shanklin and others, including Louisa Raske, Carina Vretman, Grecia Palomares and Michelle Griffin Trotter (the “Shanklin Litigation”), in New York State Supreme Court (New York County) by the same lead counsel who represented plaintiffs in a prior, now-dismissed action brought by Louisa Raske (the “Raske Litigation”).  The claims in the Shanklin Litigation initially included breach of contract and unjust enrichment allegations arising out of matters similar to the Raske Litigation, such as the handling and reporting of funds on behalf of models and the use of model images.  Other parties named as defendants in the Shanklin Litigation include other model management companies, advertising firms, and certain advertisers.  On January 6, 2014, the Company moved to dismiss the Amended Complaint in the Shanklin Litigation for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted and other grounds, and other defendants also filed motions to dismiss.  On August 11, 2014, the court denied the motion to dismiss as to Wilhelmina and other of the model management defendants.  Separately, on March 3, 2014, the judge assigned to the Shanklin Litigation wrote the Office of the New York Attorney General bringing the case to its attention, generally describing the claims asserted therein against the model management defendants, and stating that the case “may involve matters in the public interest.” The judge’s letter also enclosed a copy of his decision in the Raske Litigation, which dismissed that case. 

Plaintiffs retained substitute counsel, who filed a Second and then Third Amended Complaint. Plaintiffs’ Third Amended Complaint asserts causes of action for alleged breaches of the plaintiffs' management contracts with the defendants, conversion, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment.  The Third Amended Complaint also alleges that the plaintiff models were at all relevant times employees, and not independent contractors, of the model management defendants, and that defendants violated the New York Labor Law in several respects, including, among other things, by allegedly failing to pay the models the minimum wages and overtime pay required thereunder, not maintaining accurate payroll records, and not providing plaintiffs with full explanations of how their wages and deductions therefrom were computed.  The Third Amended Complaint seeks certification of the action as a class action, damages in an amount to be determined at trial, plus interest, costs, attorneys’ fees, and such other relief as the court deems proper.  On October 6, 2015, Wilhelmina filed a motion to dismiss as to most of the plaintiffs’ claims.  The Court entered a decision granting in part and denying in part Wilhelmina’s motion to dismiss on May 26, 2017.  The Court (i) dismissed three of the five New York Labor Law causes of action, along with the conversion, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing and unjust enrichment causes of action, in their entirety, and (ii) permitted only the breach of contract causes of action, and some plaintiffs’ remaining two New York Labor Law causes of action to continue, within a limited time frame.  The plaintiffs and Wilhelmina each appealed, and the decision was affirmed on May 24, 2018. On August 16, 2017, Wilhelmina timely filed its Answer to the Third Amended Complaint.

On June 6, 2016, another putative class action lawsuit was brought against the Company by former Wilhelmina model Shawn Pressley and others, including Roberta Little (the “Pressley Litigation”), in New York State Supreme Court (New York County) by the same counsel representing the plaintiffs in the Shanklin Litigation, and asserting identical, although more recent, claims as those in the Shanklin Litigation.  The Amended Complaint, asserting essentially the same types of claims as in the Shanklin action, was filed on August 16, 2017.  Wilhelmina filed a motion to dismiss the Amended Complaint on September 29, 2017, which was granted in part and denied in part on May 10, 2018.  Some New York Labor Law and contract claims remain in the case.  Pressley has withdrawn from the case, leaving Roberta Little as the sole remaining named plaintiff in the Pressley Litigation.  On July 12, 2019, the Company filed its Answer and Counterclaim against Little.

On May 1, 2019, the Plaintiffs in the Shanklin Litigation (except Raske) and the Pressley Litigation filed motions for class certification on their contract claims and the remaining New York Labor Law Claims. On July 12, 2019, Wilhelmina filed its opposition to the motions for class certification and filed a cross-motion for summary judgment against Shanklin, Vretman, Palomares, Trotter and Little, and a motion for summary judgment against Raske.  Wilhelmina’s reply papers in further support of its summary judgment motions were filed on October 23, 2019. The motions for class certification and summary judgement were argued on December 4, 2019, and the parties are awaiting decision.  

The Company believes the claims asserted in the Shanklin and Pressley Litigations are without merit and intends to continue to vigorously defend the actions.

In addition to the legal proceedings disclosed herein, the Company is also engaged in various legal proceedings that are routine in nature and incidental to its business. None of these routine proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, are believed likely, in the Company's opinion, to have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position or its results of operations.

Not applicable.

PART II

Market Information

The Company’s $0.01 par value common stock has traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “WHLM” since September, 2014. Previously, the common stock was quoted in the over-the-counter market on the OTC Bulletin Board.

The following table shows the high and low sales prices of the common stock for each calendar quarter of 2018 and 2019.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table provides information with respect to the Company’s equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2019:

Additional information regarding equity compensation can be found in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Issuer Repurchases

During 2012, the Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program whereby the Company could repurchase up to 500,000 shares of its outstanding common stock. During 2013, the Board of Directors renewed and extended the Company’s share repurchase authority to enable it to repurchase up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of common stock. In 2016, the Board of Directors increased by an additional 500,000 shares the number of shares of the Company’s common stock which may be repurchased under its stock repurchase program to an aggregate of 1,500,000 shares. The shares may be repurchased from time to time in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions at prices the Company deems appropriate. The program does not obligate the Company to acquire any particular amount of common stock and may be modified or suspended at any time at the Company’s discretion. The following table furnishes information for purchases made pursuant to the stock repurchase program during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2019:

Shareholders

As of March 30, 2020 there were 5,157,344 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding held by 439 holders of record.   

Dividend Policy

The Company has not declared or paid any cash dividends on its common stock during the past two completed fiscal years.  The Board of Directors of the Company expects to continue this policy for the foreseeable future in order to retain cash for the continued expansion of the Company’s business. The Company’s credit agreement with Amegy Bank contains a covenant which could limit its ability to pay dividends on the common stock.

Not applicable to smaller reporting company.

The following is a discussion of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations comparing the calendar years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. This section should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto that are incorporated herein by reference and the other financial information included herein and the notes thereto.

OVERVIEW

The Company’s primary business is fashion model management and complementary business activities. The business of talent management firms, such as Wilhelmina, depends heavily on the state of the advertising industry, as demand for talent is driven by Internet, print and television advertising campaigns for consumer goods and retail clients. Wilhelmina believes it has strong brand recognition, which enables it to attract and retain top agents and talent to service a broad universe of clients. In order to take advantage of these opportunities and support its continued growth, the Company will need to continue to successfully allocate resources and staffing in a way that enhances its ability to respond to new opportunities. The Company continues to focus on tightly managing costs, recruiting top agents, and scouting and developing talent.

Although Wilhelmina has a large and diverse client base, it is not immune to global economic conditions. The Company closely monitors economic conditions, client spending, and other industry factors and continually evaluates opportunities to increase the market share of its existing boards and further expand its geographic reach. There can be no assurance as to the effects on Wilhelmina of future economic circumstances, technological developments, client spending patterns, client creditworthiness and other developments and whether, or to what extent, Wilhelmina’s efforts to respond to them will be effective.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF THE COMPANY FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018

In addition to net income, the key financial indicators that the Company reviews to monitor its business are revenues, model costs, operating expenses and cash flows.

The Company analyzes revenue by reviewing the mix of revenues generated by the different boards, by geographic locations and from significant clients. Wilhelmina’s primary sources of revenue include: (i) revenues from principal relationships where the gross amount billed to the client is recorded as revenue when earned and collectability is reasonably assured; and (ii) separate service charges, paid by clients in addition to the booking fees, which are calculated as a percentage of the models’ booking fees and are recorded as revenues when earned and collectability is reasonably assured. See “Critical Accounting Policies - Revenue Recognition.”

Wilhelmina provides professional services. Therefore, salary and service costs represent the largest part of the Company’s operating expenses. Salary and service costs are comprised of payroll and related costs and travel, meals and entertainment (“T&E”) to deliver the Company’s services and to enable new business development activities.

Analysis of Consolidated Statements of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

Service Revenues

The Company’s service revenues fluctuate in response to its clients’ willingness to spend on advertising and the Company’s ability to have the desired talent available. The 3.0% decrease in total service revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019 when compared to the year ended December 31, 2018 was primarily due to decreases in core model bookings and in bookings in the Wilhelmina Studio division, partially offset by an increase in bookings in the Aperture division.

License Fees and Other Income

License fees and other income include management and administrative services from an unconsolidated affiliate and franchise revenues from independently owned model agencies that use the Wilhelmina trademark and various services provided by the Company. License fees decreased 13.3% for the year ended December 31, 2019, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to the timing of payments received from existing affiliates. 

Gross Profit Margin

Gross profit margins decreased by 40 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2019, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to a change in board revenue mix and an increase in revenue from the Aperture division, which is lower margin than traditional core model bookings.

Salaries and Service Costs

Salaries and service costs consist of payroll and related costs and T&E costs required to deliver the Company’s services to its clients and talent. The 0.5% decrease in salaries and service costs during the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018 was primarily due to a reduction in share-based payment expense in 2019.

Office and General Expenses

Office and general expenses consist of office and equipment rents, advertising and promotion, insurance expenses, administration and technology cost.  During the year ended December 31, 2019, office and general expenses decreased 7.2% when compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to reduced rent expense, bad debt expenses, and office expenses, as well as the reclassification of certain lease payments as amortization expense under the new lease accounting rules.

Amortization and Depreciation

Amortization and depreciation expense is incurred with respect to certain assets, including computer hardware, software, office equipment, furniture, and intangibles. Amortization and depreciation expense increased by 20.4% for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to new equipment being placed in service during 2019, which will be depreciated going forward, and certain lease payments previously included within office and general expenses which are now classified as amortization under the new lease accounting rules. Fixed asset purchases (mostly related to technology and computer equipment) totaled approximately $0.4 million in 2019 and 2018.

Goodwill Impairment

As of December 31, 2019, it was determined that there was a triggering event, primarily caused by a sustained decrease in our stock price. The goodwill impairment test indicated that the carrying value exceeded the estimated fair value and resulted in an impairment charge of $4.8 million.

Corporate Overhead

Corporate overhead expenses include director and executive officer compensation, legal, audit and professional fees, corporate office rent, travel, and other public company costs. Corporate overhead decreased by 7.7% for the year ended December 31, 2019, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to lower travel and securities compliance costs.

Operating Income and Operating Margin

Operating income decreased $5.6 million to a loss of $4.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to income of $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. As a result, operating margin decreased to negative 5.5% for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to positive 1.8% for the year ended December 31, 2018. In both cases, the decline was primarily the result of decreased revenue net of model costs and goodwill impairment, partially offset by lower operating expenses.

Foreign Currency Loss

The Company translates the assets and liabilities of its non-U.S. dollar functional currency subsidiaries into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect at the end of each period. Revenue and expenses for these subsidiaries are translated using rates that approximate those in effect during the period.  For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company realized a loss on foreign currency of $97 thousand as compared to a loss of $83 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2018. The loss for the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, were primarily due to exchange rate fluctuations in the British Pound and the Euro.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was primarily attributable to accrued interest on term loans drawn during 2016 and 2018. See, “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

Income before Income Taxes

Income before income taxes decreased $5.6 million to a loss of $4.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to income of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to the decrease in operating income.

Income Taxes

Generally, the Company’s combined effective tax rate is high relative to reported net income as a result of certain amortization expense, foreign taxes, and corporate overhead not being deductible and income being attributable to certain states in which it operates. The Company operates in four states which have relatively high tax rates: California, New York, Illinois, and Florida. Current income taxes increased in 2019 despite lower pretax income primarily due to an increase in foreign taxes in the United Kingdom related to our London office that are not deductible from U.S. federal taxes. The Company recognized a $0.3 million valuation allowance on deferred tax assets related to stock options held by the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, which were forfeited in connection with the effectiveness of his resignation on January 26, 2020, offset by a $0.3 million deferred tax benefit related to goodwill impairment. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had federal income tax loss carryforwards of $0.5 million.

Net Income

The Company had a net loss of $4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to net income of $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily due to the decrease in operating income and the increase in income tax expense.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company’s cash balance increased to $7.0 million at December 31, 2019 from $6.7 million at December 31, 2018. The cash balance increased primarily as a result of $1.5 million net cash provided by operating activities and $0.1 million foreign currency effect on cash flow, partially offset by $0.4 million cash used in investing activities, and $1.0 million cash used in financing activities.

After accounting for the impact on net loss of the non-cash goodwill impairment charge, cash provided by operating activities of $1.5 million was primarily the result of decreases in accounts receivable and right of use assets, partially offset by decreases in amounts due to models and accounts payable and accrued liabilities. The $0.4 million cash used in investing activities was attributable to purchases of property and equipment, including software, office furniture, and computer equipment. The $1.0 million of cash used in financing activities was attributable to purchase of treasury stock, principal payments on the Company’s term loan, and payments on finance leases.

The Company’s primary liquidity needs are for working capital associated with performing services under its client contracts and servicing its term loan. Generally, the Company incurs significant operating expenses with payment terms shorter than its average collections on billings. Based on 2020 budgeted and year-to-date cash flow information, management believes that the Company has sufficient liquidity to meet its projected operational expenses and capital expenditure requirements for the next twelve months.

Amegy Bank Credit Agreement

The Company has a credit agreement with Amegy Bank which provides a $4.0 million revolving line of credit and previously provided up to a $3.0 million term loan which could be drawn through October 24, 2016. Amounts outstanding under the term loan reduce the availability under the revolving line of credit. The revolving line of credit is also subject to a borrowing base derived from 80% of eligible accounts receivable (as defined) and the Company’s minimum net worth covenant of $22.0 million. The revolving line of credit bears interest at prime plus 0.50% payable monthly. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had a $0.2 million irrevocable standby letter of credit outstanding under the revolving line of credit and had additional borrowing capacity of $1.4 million. The revolving line of credit presently expires October 24, 2022.

On August 16, 2016, the Company drew $2.7 million of the term loan and used the proceeds to fund the purchase of shares of its common stock in a private transaction. The term loan bears interest at 4.5% per annum and is payable in monthly payments of interest only until November, 2016, followed by 47 equal monthly payments of principal and interest computed on a 60-month amortization schedule and a final payment of principal and interest due on October 24, 2020.

On July 16, 2018, the Company amended its credit agreement with Amegy Bank to provide for an additional term loan of up to $1.0 million that could be drawn by the Company through July 12, 2019, for the purpose of repurchases of its common stock. The additional term loan is evidenced by a promissory note bearing interest at 5.15% per annum and was payable in monthly installments of interest only through July 12, 2019. Thereafter, the note is payable in monthly installments sufficient to fully amortize the outstanding principal balance in 60 months with the balance of principal and accrued interest due on July 12, 2023. The amendment also revised the calculation of the fixed charge coverage ratio for the three quarters following the maturity date of the previous term loan.

Amounts outstanding under the additional term loan further reduce the availability under the Company’s revolving line of credit with Amegy Bank. On August 1, 2018, the Company drew $0.7 million of the additional term loan and used the proceeds to fund the purchase of 100,000 shares of its common stock in a private transaction. On December 12, 2018, the Company drew $0.3 million of the additional term loan and used the proceeds to partially fund a purchase of 50,000 shares of its common stock in a private transaction. As of December 31, 2019, a total of $2.0 million was outstanding on the two term loans.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had outstanding a $0.2 million irrevocable standby letter of credit under the Company’s revolving credit facility with Amegy Bank. The letter of credit serves as security under the lease relating to the Company’s office space in New York City that expires February 2021.

Effect of Inflation

Inflation has not been a material factor affecting the Company’s business. General operating expenses, such as salaries, employee benefits, insurance and occupancy costs, are subject to normal inflationary pressures.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The consolidated financial statements of the Company are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, costs, and expenses and related disclosures. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. In many instances, we could have reasonably used different accounting estimates, and in other instances, changes in the accounting estimates are reasonably likely to occur from period to period. Accordingly, actual results could differ significantly from the estimates made by our management. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our future financial statement presentation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be affected.

The following items require significant estimation or judgement. For additional information about our accounting policies, refer to “Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the audited financial statements included herewith.

Revenue Recognition

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the requirements of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASC 606”). ASC 606 establishes a principle for recognizing revenue upon the transfer of promised goods or services to customers, in an amount that reflects the expected consideration received in exchange for those goods or services.

Our revenues are derived primarily from fashion model and artist bookings, and representation of social media influencers and actors for commercials, film, and television. Our performance obligations are primarily satisfied at a point in time when the talent has completed the contractual requirements.

A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied. The performance obligations for most of the Company’s core modeling bookings are satisfied on the day of the event, and the “day rate” total fee is agreed in advance when the customer books the model for a particular date. For contracts with multiple performance obligations, we allocate the contract’s transaction price to each performance obligation based on the estimated relative standalone selling price.

Model Costs

Model costs include amounts owed to talent, including taxes required to be withheld and remitted directly to taxing authorities, commissions owed to other agencies, and related costs such as those paid for photography. Costs are accrued in the period in which the event takes place consistent with when the revenue is recognized. The Company typically enters into contractual agreements with models under which the Company is obligated to pay talent upon collection of fees from the customer.

Stock Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation expense is estimated at the grant date based on the award’s fair value as calculated by the Black-Scholes option pricing model and is recognized on a straight line basis as an expense over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. The determination of the fair value of stock-based awards on the date of grant using an option pricing model is affected by our stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include the estimated volatility over the expected term of the awards, actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, risk-free interest rates, estimated forfeitures and expected dividends.

Income Taxes

We are subject to income taxes in the United States, the United Kingdom, and numerous local jurisdictions.

Deferred tax assets are recognized for unused tax losses, unused tax credits, and deductible temporary differences to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available, against which they can be used. Unused tax loss carry-forwards are reviewed at each reporting date and have not been recorded when we believe we will not generate future taxable income to utilize the loss carry-forwards.

In determining the amount of current and deferred income tax, we take into account whether additional taxes, interest, or penalties may be due. Although we believe that we have adequately reserved for our income taxes, we can provide no assurance that the final tax outcome will not be materially different. To the extent that the final tax outcome is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will affect the provision for income taxes in the period in which such determination is made and could have a material impact on our financial condition and operating results.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are accounted for at net realizable value, do not bear interest and are short-term in nature. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability to collect on accounts receivable. Based on management’s assessment, the Company provides for estimated uncollectible amounts through a charge to earnings and a credit to the allowance.  Balances that remain outstanding after the Company has used reasonable collection efforts are written off through a charge to the allowance and a credit to accounts receivable.  The Company generally does not require collateral.

Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment Testing

The Company performs impairment testing at least annually and more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired.

An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The goodwill impairment analysis is a two-step process: first, the reporting unit’s estimated fair value is compared to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the Company determines that the estimated fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the Company moves to the second step to determine the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment loss is recognized for any excess of the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill.

Whenever events or circumstances change, entities have the option to first make a qualitative evaluation about the likelihood of goodwill impairment. If impairment is deemed more likely than not, management would perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required. In assessing the qualitative factors, the Company assesses relevant events and circumstances that may impact the fair value and the carrying amount of the reporting unit. The identification of relevant events and circumstances and how these may impact a reporting unit’s fair value or carrying amount involve significant judgments and assumptions. The judgment and assumptions include the identification of macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, overall financial performance, Company specific events and share price trends, an assessment of whether each relevant factor will impact the impairment test positively or negatively, and the magnitude of any such impact.

Not applicable to smaller reporting company.

The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the related report of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm thereon are included in this report at the pages indicated.

None.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Based on their evaluation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, with the participation of the Company’s management, concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2019, due to the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting described below.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f).  Under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the Company conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019 based on the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework 2013 issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on that evaluation, the Company’s management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2019 due to a material weakness relating to our annual goodwill impairment testing. In connection with the subsequent preparation of our consolidated financial statements, our management and the audit committee of our board of directors determined that our annual goodwill impairment testing should be modified to place increased reliance on the Level 1 input of the Company’s market capitalization and decrease reliance on Level 2 and Level 3 inputs. The change resulted in recording a $4.8 million goodwill impairment charge on our Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss) and a decrease in goodwill of $4.8 million on our Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Management believes that the increased reliance on Level 1 inputs substantially improves our internal control over financial reporting. We intend to evaluate the need for any additional remedial measures in response to this material weakness.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic, which continues to spread throughout the United States. There have been mandates from federal, state, and local authorities requiring forced closures of non-essential businesses. As a result, the Company has temporarily closed some offices and has seen a reduction in customer bookings, resulting in a negative impact to Company revenue and earnings. In addition to reduced revenue, business operations could be adversely affected by potential reductions in productivity, delays or limitations on the ability of customers to make timely payments, disruptions in talents’ ability to travel to photography locations, or supply chain disruptions impeding clothing or footwear wardrobe from reaching destinations in time for photoshoots. While this disruption is currently expected to be temporary, there is uncertainty around the duration. The Company’s revenues are heavily dependent on the level of economic activity in the United States and the United Kingdom, particularly in the fashion, advertising and publishing industries, all of which have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and may not recover as quickly as other sectors of the economy. Therefore, while we expect this matter to negatively impact our business, results of operations, and financial position, the related financial impact cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. As a result, the Company is currently evaluating and executing strategies to curtail expenses.

On March, 26, 2020, the Company entered into a Thirteenth Amendment to Credit Agreement (the “Thirteenth Amendment”) with ZB, N.A. dba Amegy Bank. The Thirteenth Amendment amended the minimum net worth covenant to require the Company to maintain tangible net worth (as defined therein) of $4.0 million, determined on a quarterly basis. Under the Thirteenth Amendment, Amegy Bank also waived an existing default caused by the Company’s failure to satisfy the old minimum net worth covenant as of December 31, 2019.

The foregoing description of the Thirteenth Amendment Note is qualified in its entirety by reference to the definitive agreement filed as an exhibit hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.

PART III

The information required by Item 10 is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

The information required by Item 11 is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

The information required by Item 12 is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

The information required by Item 13 is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

The information required by Item 14 is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

PART IV

(a) Documents Filed as Part of Report

The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the related report of the Company’s independent public accountants thereon have been filed under Item 8 hereof.

The information required by this item is not applicable.

The exhibits listed below are filed as part of or incorporated by reference in this report.

Not applicable.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on the 30th day of March, 2020.

WILHELMINA INTERNATOINAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and
Shareholders of Wilhelmina International, Inc. and Subsidiaries:

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Wilhelmina International, Inc. and Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the related consolidated statements of income (loss), comprehensive income (loss), shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

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

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

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

/s/ Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2012

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

Plano, Texas

March 30, 2020

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP trading as Baker Tilly is a member of the global network of Baker Tilly International Ltd., the members of which are separate and independent legal entities. © 2018 Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018

(In thousands, except share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS) AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

For the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

(In thousands, except per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

For the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

(In thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

For the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

(In thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

WILHELMINA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2018

Note 4.  Property and Equipment

Property and equipment at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was comprised of the following (in thousands):

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, depreciation expense totaled $1.0 million and $0.9 million, respectively. Depreciation expense increased primarily due to new assets being placed into service in 2018 and 2019.

F-15

 

 

Note 9.  Related Parties

 

The Executive Chairman of the Company, Mark E. Schwarz, is also the chairman, chief executive officer and portfolio manager of Newcastle Capital Management, L.P. (“NCM”). NCM is the general partner of Newcastle Partners L.P. (“Newcastle”), which is the largest shareholder of the Company. James A. Dvorak (Managing Director at NCM) also serves as a director of the Company.

 

The Company’s corporate headquarters are located at 200 Crescent Court, Suite 1400, Dallas, Texas 75201, which are also the offices of NCM. The Company occupies a portion of NCM space on a month-to-month basis at $2,500 per month, pursuant to a services agreement entered into between the parties. Pursuant to the services agreement, the Company receives the use of NCM’s facilities and equipment and administrative services from employees of NCM. The Company incurred expenses pursuant to the services agreement totaling approximately $30 thousand for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. The Company did not owe NCM any amounts under the services agreement as of December 31, 2019.

 

Note 10.  Stock Options and Stock Purchase Warrants

 

During 2015, shareholders of the Company approved the 2015 Incentive Plan which authorized the issuance of up to an additional 500,000 shares of the common stock pursuant to stock options, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights and other equity incentives awarded to directors, officers, consultants, advisors and employees of the Company. Stock option awards under the 2015 Incentive Plan are granted at the market value of the common stock on the date of grant, have vesting periods of five years, and expire to the extent unexercised after ten years.

 

Under the 2015 Incentive Plan, no stock option awards were granted during 2019 or 2018. No stock options were exercised during either 2019 or 2018.

 

The following table shows a summary of stock option transactions under the Incentive Plans during 2019 and 2018:

 

		Number of Shares				Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, January 1, 2018			460,000			$	7.34
Granted			-				-
Exercised			-				-
Forfeited or expired			-				-
Outstanding, December 31, 2018			460,000			$	7.34
Granted			-				-
Exercised			-				-
Forfeited or expired			-				-
Outstanding, December 31, 2019			460,000			$	7.34

 

Weighted average remaining contractual life was 6.61 years at December 31, 2019 and 7.61 years at December 31, 2018. The exercise price of all stock options was below the market value at both December 31, 2019 and 2018. Therefore, there is no intrinsic value at December 31, 2019 and 2018. Total unrecognized compensation expense on options outstanding as of December 31, 2019 was $0.2 million. Options to purchase 230,000 shares of common stock were exercisable as of December 31, 2019.

 

F-16

 

 

The Company estimates the fair value of each stock option granted on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Expected volatilities are based on the historical volatility of Wilhelmina’s and similar companies’ common stock for a period equal to the expected term. The risk-free interest rates for periods within the contractual term of the options are based on rates for U.S. Treasury Notes with maturity dates corresponding to the options’ expected lives on the dates of grant. Expected term is determined based on the option term of ten years.

 

Note 11.  Benefit Plans

 

The Company has established a 401(k) Plan for eligible employees of the Company. Generally, all employees of the Company who are at least twenty-one years of age are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan. The 401(k) Plan is a defined contribution plan, which provides that participants may make voluntary salary deferral contributions, on a pretax basis, between 1% and 100% of their compensation in the form of voluntary payroll deductions, up to a maximum amount as indexed for cost-of-living adjustments. The Company may make discretionary contributions. No discretionary contributions were made during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

Note 12.  Goodwill and Intangible Assets

 

The following table summarizes the goodwill as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands):

 

Goodwill:		Goodwill				Impairment
2019 Goodwill
U.S. goodwill		$	12,563			$	(4,845	)
London goodwill			629				-
Total		$	13,192			$	(4,845	)
2018 Goodwill
U.S. goodwill		$	12,563			$	-
London goodwill			629				-
Total		$	13,192			$	-

 

In December 2019, the Company determined there was a triggering event, primarily caused by a sustained decrease in the Company’s stock price. The results of the goodwill impairment test indicated that the carrying value exceeded the estimated fair value. Thus, during December 2019, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $4.8 million related to its goodwill. Further declines in the Company’s stock price could result in additional goodwill impairment charges.

 

No asset impairment charges were incurred during the year ended December 31, 2018

 

F-17

 

 

The following table summarizes the intangible assets with finite lives as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands):

 

Intangible assets subject to amortization:		Gross Cost				Accumulated Amortization				Weighted-average amortization period (in years)
2019 Intangibles:
Customer lists		$	3,204			$	(3,204	)			5.0
Non-compete agreements			1,054				(1,054	)			6.5
Talent and model contractual relationships			2,846				(2,846	)			3.8
Employee contractual relationships			1,633				(1,633	)			5.0
Total		$	8,737			$	(8,737	)			5.1
2018 Intangibles:
Customer lists		$	3,204			$	(3,194	)			5.0
Non-compete agreements			1,054				(1,054	)			6.5
Talent and model contractual relationships			2,846				(2,803	)			3.8
Employee contractual relationships			1,633				(1,633	)			5.0
Total		$	8,737			$	(8,684	)			5.1

 

Amortization expense totaled $0.1 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

Note 13.  Subsequent Events

 

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic, which continues to spread throughout the United States. There have been mandates from federal, state, and local authorities requiring forced closures of non-essential businesses. As a result, the Company has temporarily closed some offices and has seen a reduction in customer bookings, resulting in a negative impact to Company revenue and earnings. In addition to reduced revenue, business operations could be adversely affected by potential reductions in productivity, delays or limitations on the ability of customers to make timely payments, disruptions in talents’ ability to travel to photography locations, or supply chain disruptions impeding clothing or footwear wardrobe from reaching destinations in time for photoshoots. . While this disruption is currently expected to be temporary, there is uncertainty around the duration. The Company’s revenues are heavily dependent on the level of economic activity in the United States and the United Kingdom, particularly in the fashion, advertising and publishing industries, all of which have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and may not recover as quickly as other sectors of the economy. Therefore, while we expect this matter to negatively impact our business, results of operations, and financial position, the related financial impact cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. As a result, the Company is currently evaluating and executing strategies to curtail expenses.

 

On March, 26, 2020, the Company entered into a Thirteenth Amendment to Credit Agreement (the “Thirteenth Amendment”) with ZB, N.A. dba Amegy Bank. The Thirteenth Amendment amended the minimum net worth covenant to require the Company to maintain tangible net worth (as defined therein) of $4.0 million, determined on a quarterly basis. Under the Thirteenth Amendment, Amegy Bank also waived an existing default caused by the Company’s failure to satisfy the old minimum net worth covenant as of December 31, 2019.

 

 

F-18