UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 10-K
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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2017
Commission File Number: 001-36347
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A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware (State of Incorporation) | | 11-2464169 (IRS Employer I.D. No.) |
2121 Rosecrans Ave. Suite 6300
El Segundo, CA 90245 (Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
(310) 587-1477
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:
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Title of each class Common Stock, $0.01 par value | | Name of each exchange on which registered NASDAQ Global Select Market |
Securities registered under Section 12 (g) of the Exchange Act: None
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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. | | Yes. o No. þ |
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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. o No. þ |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. | | Yes. þ No. ¨ |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). | | Yes. þ No. ¨ |
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Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. | | o |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act: |
Large accelerated filer ¨ | Accelerated filer ¨ | Non-accelerated filer ¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company þ |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). | | Yes. ¨ No. þ |
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Aggregate market value of registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on December 31, 2016, based upon the closing price of Common Stock on such date as reported by NASDAQ Global Select Market, was approximately $73,530,678. Shares of common stock known to be owned by directors and executive officers of the Registrant subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are not included in the computation. No determination has been made that such persons are “affiliates” within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act. |
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As of September 11, 2017, the registrant had 7,031,450 shares of common stock outstanding, par value $0.01 per share. | | |
A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PART I | | | |
| Item 1. | Description of Business | |
| Item 1A. | Risk Factors | |
| Item 1B. | Unresolved Staff Comments | |
| Item 2. | Properties | |
| Item 3. | Legal Proceedings | |
| Item 4. | Mine Safety Disclosures | |
PART II | | | |
| Item 5. | Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities | |
| Item 6. | Selected Financial Data | |
| Item 7. | Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | |
| Item 7A. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | |
| Item 8. | Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data | |
| Item 9. | Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure | |
| Item 9A. | Controls and Procedures | |
| Item 9B. | Other Information | |
PART III | | | |
| Item 10. | Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance | |
| Item 11. | Executive Compensation | |
| Item 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters | |
| Item 13. | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence | |
| Item 14. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services | |
PART IV | | | |
| Item 15. | Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules | |
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Signatures | | | |
Exhibit Index | | |
PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Overview
A-Mark, also referred to (together with its subsidiaries) as "we", "us" and the "Company", is a full-service precious metals trading company. It is a wholesaler of gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion and related products, including bars, wafers, grain and coins. A-Mark also:
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• | | distributes gold and silver coins and bars from sovereign and private mints; |
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• | | provides financing for and other services relating to the purchase and sale of bullion and numismatics; |
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• | | offers secure storage for bullion; |
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• | | provides our customers an array of complementary services, including packaging, shipping, handling, receiving, processing and inventorying of precious metals and custom coins on a secure basis; and |
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• | | provides a variety of custom fabricated silver bullion and other specialty products through its mint operations. |
A-Mark believes it has one of the largest customer bases in each of its markets and provides one of the most comprehensive offerings of products and services in the precious metals trading industry. Our customers include mints, manufacturers and fabricators, refiners, coin and bullion dealers, e-commerce retailers, banks and other financial institutions, commodity brokerage houses, industrial users of precious metals, investors and collectors. We serve customers on six continents, with over 10% of our customers located outside the United States.
A-Mark believes its businesses largely function independently of the price movement of the underlying commodities. However, factors such as global economic activity or uncertainty and inflationary trends, which affect market volatility, have the potential to impact demand, volumes and margins.
We conduct our operations within one business segment.
History
A-Mark was founded in 1965 as a small numismatics firm, which subsequently grew to include wholesale bullion trading and precious metals financing. Spectrum Group International, Inc. ("SGI"), then known as Greg Manning Auctions, Inc., acquired an 80% interest in A-Mark in 2005. The remaining 20% of A-Mark was acquired by Afinsa Bienes Tangibles, S.A. ("Afinsa"), at the time SGI's controlling shareholder. In 2012, SGI acquired from Afinsa its interest in A-Mark, as a result of which A-Mark became a wholly-owned subsidiary of SGI.
In March 2014, SGI distributed all of the shares of common stock of A-Mark to its stockholders, effecting a spinoff of A-Mark from SGI. As a result of this distribution, which we refer to as the spinoff, the Company became a publicly traded company independent from SGI.
Over the years, A-Mark has been steadily expanding its products and services. In 1986, A-Mark became an authorized purchaser of gold and silver coins struck by the United States Mint. Similar arrangements with other sovereign mints followed, so that by the early 1990s, A-Mark had relationships with all major sovereign mints offering bullion coins and bars internationally. In 2005, A-Mark launched its Collateral Finance Corporation ("CFC") subsidiary for the purpose of making secured wholesale and retail loans collateralized by numismatic and semi-numismatic coins and bullion.
A-Mark opened an overseas office in Vienna, Austria in 2009, for the purpose of marketing its goods and services in the European markets, and the office commenced full trading activity in 2012. This resulted in the expansion of A-Mark's trading hours from 12 to 21 hours a day, 5 days a week. Also in 2012, A-Mark formed Transcontinental Depository Services, LLC ("TDS"), a subsidiary that provides customers with turn-key global storage solutions for their precious metals and precious metal products.
In July 2015, we launched our Las Vegas-based logistics fulfillment center, A-M Global Logistics, LLC, which provides our customers an array of complementary services, including packaging, shipping, handling, receiving, processing and inventorying of precious metals and custom coins on a secure basis.
Our minting operations commenced in August 2016, when we formed a joint venture, AM&ST Associates, LLC ("AMST"), with SilverTowne L.P., an Indiana-based fabricator of silver bullion products, to acquire its minting business. We own a majority interest in AMST.
Business Strategy
Through strategic relationships with its customers and suppliers and vertical integration across its markets, A-Mark seeks to grow its business volume, expand its presence in non-U.S. markets around the globe, with a principal focus on Europe and Asia, and enlarge its offering of complementary products and services. A-Mark seeks to continue its expansion by building on its strengths and what it perceives to be its competitive advantages. These include:
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• | | integrated operations that span trading, distribution, minting, storage, financing and other consignment products and services; |
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• | | an extensive and varied customer base that includes banks and other financial institutions, coin dealers, collectors, private investors, investment advisors, industrial manufacturers, refiners, sovereign mints and mines; |
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• | | secure storage for bullion; |
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• | | access to primary market makers, suppliers, refiners and government mints that provide a dependable supply of precious metals and precious metal products; |
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• | | trading offices in El Segundo, California and Vienna, Austria, giving our customers live access to our trading desk 21 hours each trading day, even when many major world commodity markets are closed; |
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• | | the largest precious metals dealer network in North America; |
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• | | depository relationships in major financial centers around the world; |
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• | | experienced traders who effectively manage A-Mark's exposure to commodity price risk; and |
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• | | a strong management team, with over 100 years of collective industry experience. |
Business Units
A-Mark operates through several business units comprising a single segment for accounting purposes, including Industrial, Coin and Bar, Trading and Finance, CFC, TDS, Logistics and Minting.
Industrial. Our Industrial unit sells gold, silver, platinum and palladium to industrial and commercial users. Customers include coin fabricators such as mints, industrial manufacturers and fabricators, including electronics, component parts companies, and refiners. Depending on the intended usage, the metals are either investment or industrial grade and are generally in the form of bars, wafers, plates, or grains.
Coin and Bar. Our Coin and Bar unit deals in over 200 different products, including gold and silver coins from around the world and gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and ingots in a variety of weights, shapes and sizes. We currently market a limited number of such products with our proprietary “A-Mark” rounds and bars. Our customers are primarily coin and bullion dealers, although we also deal directly with banks and other financial institutions, commodity brokerage houses, manufacturers, investors, investment advisors, and collectors who qualify as “eligible commercial entities” and “eligible contract participants,” as those terms are defined in the Commodity Exchange Act. Our customers range in size from large financial institutions to small local dealers.
We are an authorized distributor (and, in the case of the United States Mint, an authorized purchaser) of gold and silver coins for all of the major sovereign mints and various private mints. The sovereign mints include the United States Mint, the Australian (Perth) Mint, the Austrian Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, the China Mint, Banco de Mexico, the South African Mint (Rand Refinery) and the Royal Mint (United Kingdom). We purchase and take delivery of coins from the mints for resale to coin dealers and other qualified purchasers.
Our distribution and purchase agreements with the mints are non-exclusive, and may be terminated by the mints at any time, although in practice our relationship with the mints are long-standing, in some cases, as with the U.S. Mint, extending back for over 20 years. In some cases, we have developed exclusive products with sovereign and private mints for distribution through our dealer network.
In our Industrial and Coin and Bar units, orders are taken primarily telephonically and also on an electronic trading platform. Pricing is generally based on screen quotes for bullion transactions in the spot market, with two-day settlement, although special pricing and extended settlement terms are also available. For example, a customer can leave an order with A-Mark to purchase at a specified price below the current market price or an order to sell at a specified price above the current market price. Almost all customers in these units take physical delivery of the precious metal. Product is shipped upon receipt of payment, except where the purchase is financed under credit arrangements between A-Mark and the customer. We have relationships with precious metal depositories around the world to facilitate shipment of product from our inventory to these customers, in many cases for next day delivery. Product may either be drop shipped to the customer's location or delivered to a depository or other storage
facility designated by the customer. The Company also periodically loans metals to customers on a short-term consignment basis, and may charge interest fees based on the value of the metals loaned. Such metal inventories are removed at the time the customers elect to price and purchase the metals, and the Company records a corresponding sale and receivable.
Trading and Finance. Our Trading and Finance units engage in commodity hedging and borrowing and lending transactions in support of our Industrial and Coin and Bar units.
The Trading unit hedges the commodity risk on A-Mark's inventory in order to protect A-Mark from price fluctuations in situations where settlement of a transaction is delayed or deferred. A-Mark maintains relationships with major market-makers and multiple futures brokers in order to provide a variety of alternatives for its hedging needs. Our traders employ a combination of future and spot transactions to hedge transactional exposure, and a combination of future, and forward contracts to hedge inventory exposure. Because it seeks to substantially hedge its market exposure, A-Mark believes that its business largely functions independently of the price movements of the underlying commodities. Through its hedging activities, A-Mark may also earn contango yields, in which futures price are higher than the spot prices, or backwardation yields, in which futures prices are lower than the spot prices. A-Mark also offers precious metals price quotes in a number of foreign currencies.
Our Finance unit engages in precious metals borrowing and lending transactions and other customized financial transactions with or on behalf of our customers and other counterparties. These arrangements range from simple hedging structures to complex inventory finance arrangements and forward purchase and sale structures, tailored to the needs of our customers.
CFC. Our Collateral Finance Corporation subsidiary is a California licensed finance lender that makes and acquires commercial loans secured by numismatic and semi-numismatic coins and bullion. CFC's customers include coin and precious metal dealers, investors and collectors. CFC's activities are complementary to our bullion and coin businesses, and affords customers a convenient means of financing their inventory or collections. CFC takes physical delivery of the coins or bullion collateralizing the loans, and requires loan-to-value ratios of between 50% and 85%. The loan-to-value ratio refers to the principal amount of the loan divided by the liquidation value of the collateral, as conservatively estimated by CFC. Secured loans include a combination of on-demand and short term (i.e., with terms of between three and twelve months) facilities, and bear interest at fixed rates prevailing at the time the loan is made. Other terms of the loan may be customized in accordance with the particular needs and circumstances of the borrower.
TDS. Our Transcontinental Depository Services subsidiary provides storage solutions for precious metals and numismatic coins for financial institutions, dealers, investors and collectors worldwide. TDS contracts on behalf of our clients with independent storage facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, for either fully segregated or allocated storage. We assist our clients in developing appropriate storage options for their particular requirements, and we manage the operational aspects of the storage with the third party facilities on our clients' behalf.
Logistics. Our A-Mark Global Logistics ("Logistics") subsidiary, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, supports our wholesale trading business by providing a significant amount of the secured storage, shipping and delivery services that had historically been outsourced to third-party depositories in their various locations. By consolidating those operations into one central location under our control, we have reduced our dependence on third-party service providers while enhancing quality control and reducing operating costs.
Logistics also provides turn-key logistics services to our customers engaged in the retail business. We provide these customers with one-stop financing, hedging, inventory handling, storage and drop-shipping services.
Minting. Through its ownership interest in AMST, the Company holds a majority interest in the SilverTowne Mint, a long-standing producer of fabricated silver bullion products. We have entered into an exclusive distributorship agreement with AMST, which has enabled us to expand our offerings of custom coin and other specialty products.
Market Making Activity
We act as a principal market maker, maintaining a two-way market for buying and selling precious metals. This means we both sell product to and purchase product from our customers.
Inventory
We maintain a substantial inventory of bullion and coins in order to provide our customers with selection and prompt delivery. We acquire product for our inventory in the course of our trading activities with our customers, directly from mints, mines and refiners and from commodities brokers and dealers, privately and in transactions on established commodity exchanges. Except for certain lower of cost or market products, our inventory is “marked to market” daily for accounting and financial reporting purposes.
Sales and Marketing
We market our products and services primarily through our offices in El Segundo, California and Vienna, Austria, our website and our dealer network, which we believe is the largest of its kind in North America. The dealer network consists of over 1,000 independent precious metal and coin companies, with whom we transact on a non-exclusive basis. The arrangements with the dealers vary, but generally the dealers acquire product from us for resale to their customers. In some instances, we deliver bullion to the dealers on a consignment basis. We also participate from time to time in trade shows and conventions, at which we promote our products and services.
As a vertically integrated precious metals concern, a key element of our marketing strategy is being able to cross-sell our products and services to customers within our various business units.
Operational Support
A-Mark maintains administrative and operational support at its office in El Segundo, California for processing its trading and service activities and arranging for physical delivery and storage of product. We believe that our existing administrative and operational support infrastructure has the capacity to scale up with our business activities. We store our inventories of bullion and numismatics at third party depositories in major financial centers around the world and at our facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With a third party software developer, we have created a proprietary trading program, referred to as the Metals Trading System ("MTS"). Through MTS we are able to input, process, track and document our trading activity, including complex hedging and similar transactions. We have developed and implemented an electronic trading platform for receiving and processing customer orders, with the objective of improving transactional ease and efficiency. In fiscal 2018, the Company expects to complete its integration of MTS with a new business management system.
Supplier and Customer Concentrations
A-Mark buys a majority of its precious metals from a limited number of suppliers. The Company believes that numerous other suppliers are available and would provide similar products on comparable terms.
For the year ended June 30, 2017, the Company had two customers, HSBC Bank USA and Mitsubishi Intl. Corporation, each comprising more than 10% of our revenues (see Note 17.) Trading Competition
A-Mark's activities cover a broad spectrum of the precious metals industry, with a concentration on the physical market. We service public, industrial and private sector consumers of precious metals which include industrial manufactures, refiners, minting facilities, banks, brokerage houses and private investors. We frequently face different competitors in each area and it is not uncommon for a customer and/or a supplier in one market segment to be a competitor in another. Our competitors may offer more favorable pricing or services considered to be superior to ours.
Trading Seasonality
While our precious metals trading business is not seasonal, we believe it is directly impacted by the perception of market trends and global economic activity. Historically, anticipation of increases in the rate of inflation, interest rates as well as anticipated devaluation of the U.S. dollar, have resulted in higher levels of interest in precious metals as well as higher prices for such metals.
Employees
As of June 30, 2017, we had 127 employees, with 125 located in North America, and 2 located in Europe; all except 2 of these employees were considered full-time employees.
We regard our relations with our employees as good.
Corporate Information
A-Mark was founded in 1965 as a New York corporation. In December 2013, the Company was reincorporated in Delaware. Our executive offices are located at 2121 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 6300 El Segundo CA 90245. Our telephone number is (310) 587-1477, and our website is www.amark.com. Through this website, we make available, free of charge, all of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including those under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act").
Such reports are made available on the same day that they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. In addition, copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Employees, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Senior Financial and Other Officers, and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors are available through this website, along with other information regarding our corporate governance policies.
Geographic Information
See Note 18 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for information about Company's geographic operations. Recent Acquisition
On August 28, 2017, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Goldline Acquisition Corp. (“GAC”), consummated the purchase of substantially all of the assets of Goldline, LLC (the “Seller), a direct retailer of precious metals to the investor community (the “Acquisition”), pursuant to the terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated August 14, 2017. The aggregate purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) for the Acquisition was approximately $10.0 million. The Purchase Price is subject to certain post-closing adjustments. In connection with the closing of the Acquisition, GAC entered into a privately placed credit facility in the amount of $7.5 million (the “GAC Credit Facility”) with various lenders, effective August 28, 2017. Borrowings under the GAC Credit Facility were used to finance a portion of the consideration payable pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
The GAC Credit Facility is secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of the assets of GAC, and is guaranteed by the Company. Interest on the GAC Credit Facility is payable quarterly at the rate of 8.5% per annum, and the lenders under the GAC Credit Facility are entitled to an additional payment at maturity equal to the greater of 3% of the principal amount of the GAC Credit Facility and 10% of cumulative three-year EBITDA of GAC in excess of $10 million, on a pro rata basis. The GAC Credit Facility has a three-year maturity. The obligations of GAC and the Company pursuant to the documentation governing the GAC Credit Facility are subordinated to the Company’s obligations under the Uncommitted Credit Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2016, as amended, among the Company, Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. New York Branch, as administrative agent, and the lenders named therein (the “Uncommitted Credit Agreement”) including, among other subordination terms, that, the lenders under the GAC Credit Facility will be permitted to collect regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest, provided that no event of default is continuing under the Uncommitted Credit Agreement and the Company is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants pursuant to the Uncommitted Credit Agreement (see Note 19). ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Risks Relating to Our Business Generally
Our business is heavily dependent on our credit facility.
Our business depends substantially on our ability to obtain financing for our operations. The Trading Credit Facility (as further described and defined below) provides the Company with the liquidity to buy and sell billions of dollars of precious metals annually. The Trading Credit Facility is an uncommitted demand facility provided by a syndicate of financial institutions (the “Trading Credit Lenders”), and is currently scheduled to mature on March 31, 2018. A-Mark routinely uses funds drawn under the Trading Credit Facility to purchase metals from its suppliers and for operating cash flow purposes. Our CFC subsidiary also uses the funds drawn under the Trading Credit Facility to finance its lending activities.
Pursuant to the terms of the Trading Credit Facility, each Trading Credit Lender may, at any time in its sole discretion (subject to certain notice requirements), decline to make loans to us. If we are unable to access funds under the Trading Credit Facility, we may be limited in the manner in which we conduct our business and we may be unable to engage in favorable business activities or finance future operations or capital needs.
The Trading Credit Facility requires us to maintain certain financial ratios and to comply with various operational and other covenants. Upon the occurrence of an event of default under the Trading Credit Facility that was not cured or waived pursuant to the terms of the Trading Credit Facility, the Trading Credit Lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the Trading Credit Facility to be due and payable immediately. Further, Trading Credit Lenders holding 50% or more of the indebtedness under the Trading Credit Facility may require us to repay all outstanding indebtedness under the Trading Credit Facility at any time, even if we are in compliance with the financial and other covenants under the Trading Credit Facility.
We cannot assure you that our assets or cash flow would be sufficient to fully repay borrowings under our outstanding debt instruments, including the Trading Credit Facility, upon demand or acceleration, or at maturity, or that we would be able to refinance or restructure the payments under the Trading Credit Facility. The failure of A-Mark to renew or replace the Trading Credit Facility under such circumstances would reduce the financing available to us and could limit our ability to conduct our business, including the lending activity of our CFC subsidiary. There can be no assurance that we could procure replacement financing on commercially acceptable terms on a timely basis, or at all. We have pledged a significant portion of our assets as
collateral under the Trading Credit Facility, and if we were unable to repay the amounts outstanding thereunder, the administrative agent under the Trading Credit Facility could proceed against the collateral granted to secure such indebtedness.
We are subject to fluctuations in interest rates based on the variable interest under the Trading Credit Facility and we may not be able to pass along to our customers and borrowers some or any part of an increase in the interest that we are required to pay under the Trading Credit Facility. Amounts under the Trading Credit Facility bear interest based on one month LIBOR plus (i) 2.50% for revolving credit line loans and (ii) 4.50% for loans extended in excess of the then-available revolving credit line. The LIBOR was approximately 1.17% as of June 30, 2017.
In addition to the Trading Credit Facility, we have incurred the GAC Credit Facility to finance the Goldline acquisition (as described above under "Business - Recent Acquisition".) The obligations of the Company and GAC pursuant to the GAC Credit Facility are subordinated to the obligations of the Company pursuant to the Trading Credit Facility as set forth in certain subordination agreements executed in connection with the GAC Credit Facility (the “GAC Subordination Agreements”), and the GAC Credit Facility requires us to comply with various operational and other covenants. Upon the occurrence of an event of default under the GAC Credit Facility that is not cured or waived pursuant to the terms of the GAC Credit Facility, the lenders holding a majority of the loans under the GAC Credit Facility then outstanding could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the GAC Credit Facility to be due and payable immediately, subject to the requirements of the GAC Subordination Agreements, as applicable. We have pledged substantially all of the assets of GAC as collateral under the GAC Credit Facility, and if we were unable to repay the amounts outstanding thereunder, the lenders under the GAC Credit Facility could proceed against the collateral granted to secure such indebtedness, subject to the GAC Subordination Agreements, as applicable. We cannot assure you that the assets or cash flow available to GAC would be sufficient to fully repay the borrowings under the GAC Credit Facility, upon demand or acceleration, or at maturity, or that we would be able to refinance or restructure the payments under the GAC Credit Facility. Further, the incurrence of the GAC Credit Facility increases the risks as a result of our leverage.
We could suffer losses with our financing operations.
We engage in a variety of financing activities with our customers:
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• | Receivables from our customers with whom we trade in precious metal products are effectively short-term, non-interest bearing extensions of credit that are, in most cases, secured by the related products maintained in the Company’s possession or by a letter of credit issued on behalf of the customer. On average, these receivables are outstanding for periods of between 8 and 9 days. |
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• | The Company operates a financing business through CFC that makes secured loans at loan to value ratios—principal loan amount divided by the liquidation value, as conservatively estimated by management, of the collateral—of, in most cases, 50% to 85%. These loans are both variable and fixed interest rate loans, with maturities from three to twelve months. |
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• | We make advances to our customers on unrefined metals secured by materials received from the customer. These advances are limited to a portion of the materials received. |
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• | The Company makes unsecured, short-term, non-interest bearing advances to wholesale metals dealers and government mints. |
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• | The Company periodically extends short-term credit through the issuance of notes receivable to approved customers at interest rates determined on a customer-by-customer basis. |
Our ability to minimize losses on the credit that we extend to our customers depends on a variety of factors, including:
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• | our loan underwriting and other credit policies and controls designed to assure repayment, which may prove inadequate to prevent losses; |
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• | our ability to sell collateral upon customer defaults for amounts sufficient to offset credit losses, which can be affected by a number of factors outside of our control, including (i) changes in economic conditions, (ii) increases in market rates of interest and (iii) changes in the condition or value of the collateral; and |
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• | the reserves we establish for loan losses, which may prove inadequate. |
Our business is dependent on a concentrated customer base.
One of A-Mark's key assets is its customer base. This customer base provides deep distribution of product and makes A-Mark a desirable trading partner for precious metals product manufacturers, including sovereign mints seeking to distribute precious metals coinage or large refiners seeking to sell large volumes of physical precious metals. Two customers represented 38.1% of A-Mark's revenues for the year ended June 30, 2017. Those same two customers represented 25.2% of A-Mark's revenues for the year ended June 30, 2016. If our relationship with these customers deteriorated, or if we were to lose these customers, our business would be materially adversely affected.
The loss of a government purchaser/distributorship arrangement could materially adversely affect our business.
A-Mark’s business is heavily dependent on its purchaser/distributorship arrangements with various governmental mints. Our ability to offer numismatic coins and bars to our customers on a competitive basis is based on the ability to purchase products directly from a government source. The arrangements with the governmental mints may be discontinued by them at any time. The loss of an authorized purchaser/distributor relationship, including with the U.S. Mint could have a material adverse effect on our business.
The materials held by A-Mark are subject to loss, damage, theft or restriction on access.
A-Mark has significant quantities of high-value precious metals on site, at third-party depositories and in transit. There is a risk that part or all of the gold and other precious metals held by A-Mark, whether on its own behalf or on behalf of its customers, could be lost, damaged or stolen. In addition, access to A-Mark’s precious metals could be restricted by natural events (such as an earthquake) or human actions (such as a terrorist attack). Although we maintain insurance on terms and conditions that we consider appropriate, we may not have adequate sources of recovery if our precious metals inventory is lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed, and recovery may be limited. Among other things, our insurance policies exclude coverage in the event of loss as a result of terrorist attacks or civil unrest.
In addition, with the establishment of our Logistics facility and the transfer of our wholesale storage operations from third party depositories to that facility, we are assuming greater potential liability for any loss suffered in connection with the stored inventory. Among other things, our insurance, rather than the third-party depository’s, is now the primary risk policy. While we believe we have adequate insurance coverage covering these operations, in the event of any loss in excess of our coverage, we may be held liable for that excess.
Our business is subject to the risk of fraud and counterfeiting.
The precious metals (particularly bullion) business is exposed to the risk of loss as a result of “materials fraud” in its various forms. We seek to minimize our exposure to this type of fraud through a number of means, including third-party authentication and verification, reliance on our internal experts and the establishment of procedures designed to detect fraud. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in preventing or identifying this type of fraud, or in obtaining redress in the event such fraud is detected.
Our business is influenced by political conditions and world events.
The precious metals business is especially subject to global political conditions and world events. Precious metals are viewed by some as a secure financial investment in times of political upheaval or unrest, particularly in developing economies, which may drive up pricing. The volatility of the commodity prices for precious metals is also likely to increase in politically uncertain times. Conversely, during periods of relative international calm precious metal volatility is likely to decrease, along with demand, and the prices of precious metals may retreat. Because our business is dependent on the volatility and pricing of precious metals, we are likely to be influenced by world events more than businesses in other economic sectors.
We have significant operations outside the United States.
We derive about 5% to 10% of our revenues from business outside the United States, including from customers in developing countries. Business operations outside the U.S. are subject to political, economic and other risks inherent in operating in foreign countries. These include risks of general applicability, such as the need to comply with multiple regulatory regimes; trade protection measures and import or export licensing requirements; and fluctuations in equity, revenues and profits due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Currently, we do not conduct substantial business with customers in developing countries. However, if our business in these areas of the world were to increase, we would also face risks that are particular to developing countries, including the difficulty of enforcing agreements, collecting receivables, protecting inventory and other assets through foreign legal systems, limitations on the repatriation of earnings, currency devaluation and manipulation of exchange rates, and high levels of inflation.
We try to manage these risks by monitoring current and anticipated political, economic, legal and regulatory developments in the countries outside the United States in which we operate or have customers and adjusting operations as appropriate, but there can be no assurance that the measures we adopt will be successful in protecting the Company’s business interests.
We are dependent on our key management personnel and our trading experts.
Our performance is dependent on our senior management and certain other key employees. We have employment agreements with Greg Roberts, our CEO, and Thor Gjerdrum, our President, which expire on June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2019, respectively. These and other employees have expertise in the trading markets, have industry-wide reputations, and perform critical functions for our business. We cannot offer assurance that we will be able to negotiate acceptable terms for the renewal of the employment agreements or otherwise retain our key employees. Also, there is significant competition for skilled precious metals traders and other industry professionals. The loss of our current key officers and employees, without the ability to replace them, would have a materially adverse effect on our business.
We are focused on growing our business, but there is no assurance that we will be successful.
We expect to grow both organically and through opportunistic acquisitions. We have devoted considerable time, resources and efforts over the past few years to our growth strategy. We may not be successful in implementing our growth initiatives, which could adversely affect our business.
Liquidity constraints may limit our ability to grow our business.
To accomplish our growth strategy, we will require adequate sources of liquidity to fund both our existing business and our expansion activity. Currently, our sources of liquidity are the cash that we generate from operations and our borrowing availability under the Trading Credit Facility. There can be no assurance that these sources will be adequate to support the growth that we are hoping to achieve or that additional sources of financing for this purpose, in the form of additional debt or equity financing, will be available to us, on satisfactory terms or at all. Also, the Trading Credit Facility contains, and any future debt financing is likely to contain, various financial and other restrictive covenants. The need to comply with these covenants may limit our ability to implement our growth initiatives.
We expect to grow in part through acquisitions, but an acquisition strategy entails risks.
We expect to grow in part through acquisitions. We will consider potential acquisitions of varying sizes and may, on a selective basis, pursue acquisitions or consolidation opportunities involving other public companies or privately held companies. However, it is possible that we will not realize the expected benefits from our acquisitions or that our existing operations will be adversely affected as a result of acquisitions. Acquisitions entail certain risks, including: unrecorded liabilities of acquired companies that we fail to discover during our due diligence investigations; difficulty in assimilating the operations and personnel of the acquired company within our existing operations or in maintaining uniform standards; loss of key employees of the acquired company; and strains on management and other personnel time and resources both to research and integrate acquisitions.
We expect to pay for future acquisitions using cash, capital stock, notes and/or assumption of indebtedness. To the extent that our existing sources of cash are not sufficient to fund future acquisitions, we will require additional debt or equity financing and, consequently, our indebtedness may increase or shareholders may be diluted as we implement our growth strategy.
Our Logistics' depository is subject to authorization.
Our Trading Credit Lenders have approved our Logistics facility as an authorized depository. If that approval were to be withdrawn for any reason, we would no longer be able to keep inventory at that location, which would substantially limit our ability to conduct business from that facility.
We are subject to laws and regulations.
We are subject to various laws, litigation, regulatory matters and ethical standards, and our failure to comply with or adequately address developments as they arise could adversely affect our reputation and operations. Our policies, procedures and practices and the technology we implement are designed to comply with federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations, including those imposed by the SEC and other regulatory agencies, the marketplace, the banking industry and foreign countries, as well as responsible business, social and environmental practices, all of which may change from time to time. Significant legislative changes, including those that relate to employment matters and health care reform, could impact our relationship with our workforce, which could increase our expenses and adversely affect our operations. In addition, if we fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations or implement responsible business, social and environmental practices, we could be subject to damage to our reputation, class action lawsuits, legal and settlement costs, civil and criminal liability, increased cost of regulatory compliance, restatements of our financial statements, disruption of our business and loss of customers. Any required changes to our employment practices could result in the loss of employees, reduced sales, increased employment costs, low employee morale and harm to our business and results of operations. In addition, political and economic factors could lead to unfavorable changes
in federal and state tax laws, which may increase our tax liabilities. An increase in our tax liabilities could adversely affect our results of operations. We are also regularly involved in various litigation matters that arise in the ordinary course of business. Litigation or regulatory developments could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
There are various federal, state, local and foreign laws, ordinances and regulations that affect our trading business. For example, we are required to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and a variety of anti-money laundering and know-your-customer rules in response to the USA Patriot Act.
The SEC has promulgated final rules mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act regarding disclosure, on an annual basis, of the use of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, known as conflict minerals, in products manufactured by public companies. These new rules require due diligence to determine whether such minerals originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (the "DRC") or an adjoining country and whether such minerals helped finance the armed conflict in the DRC.
The Company has concluded that it is not currently subject to the conflict minerals rules because it is not a manufacturer of conflict minerals under the definitions set forth in the rules. Depending on developments in the Company’s business, it could become subject to the rules at some point in the future. In that event, there will be costs associated with complying with these disclosure requirements, including costs to determine the origin of gold used in our products. In addition, the implementation of these rules could adversely affect the sourcing, supply and pricing of gold used in our products. Also, we may face disqualification as a supplier for customers and reputational challenges if the due diligence procedures we implement do not enable us to verify the origins for the gold used in our products or to determine that the gold is conflict free.
CFC operates under a California Finance Lenders License issued by the California Department of Corporations. CFC is required to submit a finance lender law annual report to the state which summarizes certain loan portfolio and financial information regarding CFC. The Department of Corporations may audit the books and records of CFC to determine whether CFC is in compliance with the terms of its lending license.
There can be no assurance that the regulation of our trading and lending businesses will not increase or that compliance with the applicable regulations will not become more costly or require us to modify our business practices.
We operate in a highly competitive industry.
The business of buying and selling precious metals is global and highly competitive. The Company competes with precious metals trading firms and banks throughout North America, Europe and elsewhere in the world, some of whom have greater financial and other resources, and greater name recognition, than the Company. We believe that, as a full service firm devoted exclusively to precious metals trading, we offer pricing, product availability, execution, financing alternatives and storage options that are attractive to our customers and allow us to compete effectively. We also believe that our purchaser/distributorship arrangements with various governmental mints give us a competitive advantage in our coin distribution business. However, given the global reach of the precious metals trading business, the absence of intellectual property protections and the availability of numerous, evolving platforms for trading in precious metals, we cannot assure you that A-Mark will be able to continue to compete successfully or that future developments in the industry will not create additional competitive challenges.
We rely extensively on computer systems to execute trades and process transactions, and we could suffer substantial damages if the operation of these systems were interrupted.
We rely on our computer and communications hardware and software systems to execute a large volume of trading transactions each year. It is therefore critical that we maintain uninterrupted operation of these systems, and we have invested considerable resources to protect our systems from physical compromise and security breaches and to maintain backup and redundancy. Nevertheless, our systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, including breaches of our transaction processing or other systems, catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes and hurricanes, and usage errors by our employees. If our systems are breached, damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them, we may suffer interruptions in our ability to provide quotations or trading services in the interim, and we may face costly litigation.
Our implementation of a new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system may adversely affect our business and results of operations or the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting.
We are currently implementing a new ERP system. ERP implementations are complex and time-consuming projects that involve substantial expenditures on system software and implementation activities over a significant period of time. If we do not effectively implement the ERP system or if the system does not operate as intended, it could adversely affect our financial reporting systems and our ability to produce financial reports, the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
If our customer data were breached, we could suffer damages and loss of reputation.
By the nature of our business, we maintain significant amounts of customer data on our systems. Moreover, certain third party providers have access to confidential data concerning the Company in the ordinary course of their business relationships with the Company. In recent years, various companies, including companies that are significantly larger than us, have reported breaches of their computer systems that have resulted in the compromise of customer data. Any significant compromise or breach of customer or company data held or maintained by either the Company or our third party providers could significantly damage our reputation and result in costs, lost trades, fines and lawsuits. The regulatory environment related to information security and privacy is increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements applicable to our business, and compliance with those requirements could result in additional costs. There is no guarantee that the procedures that we have implemented to protect against unauthorized access to secured data are adequate to safeguard against all data security breaches.
Risks Related to Our Acquisition of the Goldline Assets
We expect that our recent acquisition of the assets of Goldline, LLC will grow our business and create opportunities from cross-selling, but there is no assurance that this will be the case.
On August 28, 2017, we consummated the acquisition of the assets of Goldline, LLC, a leading direct retailer of precious metals to the investor community. We believe that the acquisition represents an attractive opportunity to expand our suite of integrated precious metals businesses into the direct-to-client space. We also believe that the acquisition will provide an opportunity to cross-sell our products and services to Goldline’s broad, high-end customer base, for example utilization of our precious coin and metal storage services at our secured Las Vegas, Nevada facility. Nevertheless, there is no assurance that we will be successful in conducting a retail bullion business. For example, the success of this business will require that we continue to maintain the loyalty of a large, widely disseminated customer base, and could depend on our ability to anticipate and appropriately respond to changing attitudes of consumers to investment in precious metals. There also can be no assurance that we will be successful in our efforts to cross-sell other products and services to the Goldline client base. If the Goldline business does not succeed as we anticipate, or if we are required to make significant additional investment in the Goldline business in order to maintain or expand the business, our results of operation and liquidity could be adversely affected, which could in turn cause us to be in violation of one or more covenants under the Trading Credit Facility.
The Company may incur unanticipated costs integrating the Goldline business into our operations.
In order to fully achieve the anticipated benefits and synergies of our acquisition of the assets of Goldline, LLC, we will need to successfully integrate the Goldline business, which will be conducted through a separate subsidiary of the Company, with our existing operations. Brian Crumbaker, the chief executive officer of Goldline, and Blair Harris, the executive vice president of Goldline, have joined our Company, and we expect that with their experience and expertise, we will be able to align the Goldine business with our existing operations with a minimum amount of delay and disruption. We cannot assure you that this will be the case, however, and the integration process may take longer, may be more costly, and may require more time and attention of senior management than we anticipate. If that were the case, the benefits that we hope to achieve from the acquisition may not be realized in the time frame we anticipate or at all.
Goldline’s prior marketing practices could generate adverse publicity for the Company.
In 2011, Goldline and a number of its executives were the subject to a criminal complaint in Santa Monica, California regarding the company’s marketing practices and in February 2012, Goldline settled the action against it by agreeing to refund $4.5 million to its customers. Key members of management were replaced at about the time of the settlement, and, as required by the terms of a related injunction, Goldline eliminated the offending aspects of its sales operations that were the subject of the legal action against it. The injunction expired in early 2017. We believe that in the five years since the criminal action was settled, Goldline has reestablished its reputation as a trusted, premier retailer of precious metals. Nonetheless, it is possible that Goldline's past businesses issues may continue to have reputational consequences for the Goldline business, and following our acquisition of Goldline, could generate adverse publicity for the Company.
Risks Relating to Commodities
A-Mark’s business is heavily influenced by volatility in commodities prices.
A primary driver of A-Mark’s profitability is volatility in commodities prices, which leads to wider bid and ask spreads. Among the factors that can impact the price of precious metals are supply and demand of precious metals; political, economic, and global financial events; movement of the U.S. dollar versus other currencies; and the activity of large speculators such as hedge funds. If commodity prices were to stagnate, there would likely be a reduction in trading activity, resulting in less demand for the services A-Mark provides, which could materially adversely affect our business, liquidity and results of operations.
Our business is exposed to commodity price risks, and our hedging activity to protect our inventory is subject to risks of default by our counterparties.
A-Mark’s precious metals inventories are subject to market value changes created by change in the underlying commodity price, as well as supply and demand of the individual products the Company trades. In addition, open sale and purchase commitments are subject to changes in value between the date the purchase or sale is fixed (the trade date) and the date metal is delivered or received (the settlement date). A-Mark seeks to minimize the effect of price changes of the underlying commodity through the use of financial derivative instruments, such as forward and futures contracts. A-Mark’s policy is to remain substantially hedged as to its inventory position and its individual sale and purchase commitments. A-Mark’s management monitors its hedged exposure daily. However, there can be no assurance that these hedging activities will be adequate to protect the Company against commodity price risks associated with A-Mark’s business activities.
Furthermore, even if we are fully hedged as to any given position, there is the risk of default by our counterparties to the hedge. Any such default could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.
Increased commodity pricing could limit the inventory that we are able to carry.
We maintain a large and varied inventory of precious metal products, including bullion and coins, in order to support our trading activities and provide our customers with superior service. The amount of inventory that we are able to carry is constrained by the borrowing limitations and working capital covenants under the Trading Credit Facility. If commodity prices were to rise substantially, and we were unable to modify the terms of the Trading Credit Facility to compensate for the increase, the quantity of product that we could finance, and hence maintain in our inventory, would fall. This would likely have a material adverse effect on our operations.
The Dodd-Frank Act could adversely impact our use of derivative instruments to hedge precious metal prices and may have other adverse effects on our business.
On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which requires the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to promulgate rules and regulations implementing the new legislation, including with respect to derivative contracts on commodities. This legislation and any implementing regulations could significantly increase the cost of some commodity derivative contracts (including through requirements to post collateral, which could adversely affect our available liquidity), materially alter the terms of some commodity derivative contracts, reduce the availability of some derivatives to protect against risks, reduce our ability to monetize or restructure our existing commodity derivative contracts and potentially increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties. If we reduce our use of derivatives as a result of the Dodd-Frank legislation and regulations, we would be exposed to inventory and other risks associated with fluctuations in commodity prices. Also, if the Dodd-Frank legislation and regulations reduces volatility in commodity prices, our revenues could be adversely affected.
We rely on the efficient functioning of commodity exchanges around the world, and disruptions on these exchanges could adversely affect our business.
The Company buys and sells precious metals contracts on commodity exchanges around the world, both in support of its customer operations and to hedge its inventory and transactional exposure against fluctuations in commodity prices. The Company’s ability to engage in these activities would be compromised if the exchanges on which the Company trades or any of their clearinghouses were to discontinue operations or to experience disruptions in trading, due to computer problems, unsettled markets or other factors. The Company may also experience risk of loss if futures commission merchants or commodity brokers with whom the Company deals were to become insolvent or bankrupt.
Risks Relating to Our Common Stock
Public company costs have increased our expenses and administrative burden, in particular in order to bring our Company into compliance with certain provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.
As a public company, we are incurring significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. These increased costs and expenses may arise from various factors, including financial reporting costs associated with complying with federal securities laws (including compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002).
Changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and related regulations implemented by the SEC and NASDAQ have created uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. We are currently evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to new and proposed rules and cannot predict or estimate the amount of the additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs. Applicable laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased selling, general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be harmed.
Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls in accordance with Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley could have a material adverse effect on our business.
As a public company, we are required to document and test our internal control over financial reporting in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley, which requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.
We are required to implement standalone policies and procedures to comply with the requirements of Section 404. During the course of our testing of our internal controls and procedures, we may identify deficiencies which we may not be able to remediate in time to meet our deadline for compliance with Section 404. Testing and maintaining internal controls can divert our management’s attention from other matters that are also important to the operation of our business. We also expect that the imposition of these regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more difficult, time consuming and costly. We may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404. If we are unable to conclude that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting, then investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, which would likely have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock. In addition, if we do not maintain effective internal controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial information on a timely basis, which could harm the trading price of our common stock, impair our ability to raise additional capital, or jeopardize our continued listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or any other stock exchange on which common stock may be listed.
We may not be able to continue to pay dividends.
Effective March 2, 2015, the Board of Directors approved a cash dividend policy calling for the payment of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share. The policy was amended on February 2, 2016 to provide for a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per common share, and then on January 26, 2017 to provide for a quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per common share. The declaration of cash dividends in the future is subject to the determination each quarter by the Board of Directors, based on a number of factors, including the Company’s financial performance, available cash resources, cash requirements, bank covenants, and alternative uses of cash that the Board of Directors may conclude would represent an opportunity to generate a greater return on investment for the Company. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue to pay dividends on a regular basis. If the Board of Directors were to determine not to pay dividends in the future, shareholders would not receive any further return on an investment in our capital stock in the form of dividends, and may only obtain an economic benefit from the common stock only after an increase in its trading price and only by selling the common stock.
Provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and of Delaware law may prevent or delay an acquisition of the Company, which could decrease the trading price of our common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law contain certain anti-takeover provisions that could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, control of the Company without negotiating with our board of directors. Such provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for the Company’s securities. Certain of such provisions
allow the Company to issue preferred stock with rights senior to those of the common stock, impose various procedural and other requirements which could make it more difficult for Shareholders to effect certain corporate actions and set forth rules regarding how shareholders may present proposals or nominate directors for election at shareholder meetings.
We believe these provisions protect our shareholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with our Board of Directors and by providing our Board of Directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. However, these provisions apply even if an acquisition offer may be considered beneficial by some shareholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our Board of Directors determines is not in the best interests of our Company and our Shareholders. Accordingly, in the event that our board determines that a potential business combination transaction is not in the best interests of our Company and our Shareholders, but certain shareholders believe that such a transaction would be beneficial to the Company and its Shareholders, such Shareholders may elect to sell their shares in the Company and the trading price of our common stock could decrease.
Your percentage ownership in the Company could be diluted in the future.
Your percentage ownership in A-Mark potentially will be diluted in the future because of additional equity awards that we expect will be granted to our directors, officers and employees. We have established an equity incentive plan that provides for the grant of common stock-based equity awards to our directors, officers and other employees. In addition, we may issue equity in order to raise capital or in connection with future acquisitions and strategic investments, which could dilute your percentage ownership.
Our board and management beneficially own a sizeable percentage of our common stock and therefore have the ability to exert substantial influence as shareholders.
Members of our board and management beneficially own approximately 40% of our outstanding common stock. Acting together in their capacity as shareholders, the board members and management could exert substantial influence over matters on which a shareholder vote is required, such as the approval of business combination transactions. Also because of the size of their beneficial ownership, the board members and management may be in a position effectively to determine the outcome of the election of directors and the vote on shareholder proposals. The concentration of beneficial ownership in the hands of our board and management may therefore limit the ability of our public shareholders to influence the affairs of the Company.
If the Company's spinoff from SGI is determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our shareholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.
In connection with the spinoff, SGI received the written opinion of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP ("Kramer Levin") to the effect that the spinoff qualified as a tax-free transaction under Section 355 of the Internal Revenue Code, and that for U.S. federal income tax purposes (i) no gain or loss was recognized by SGI upon the distribution of our common stock in the spinoff, and (ii) no gain or loss was recognized by, and no amount was included in the income of, holders of SGI common stock upon the receipt of shares of our common stock in the spinoff. The opinion of tax counsel is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service or the courts, and there is no assurance that the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position. In addition, the opinion of Kramer Levin relied on certain representations and covenants delivered by SGI and us. If, notwithstanding the conclusions included in the opinion, it is ultimately determined that the distribution does not qualify as tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each SGI shareholder that is subject to U.S. federal income tax and that received shares of our common stock in the distribution could be treated as receiving a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of such shares. In addition, if the distribution were not to qualify as tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then SGI would recognize a gain in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of our common stock distributed to SGI shareholders on the date of the distribution over SGI’s tax basis in such shares. Also, we could have an indemnification obligation to SGI related to its tax liability.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
As of June 30, 2017, the Company owned or leased properties in El Segundo, California; Las Vegas. Nevada; Winchester, Indiana; and Vienna, Austria, as described below:
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Location | | General Use of Facility | | Square Footage | | | Ownership | | Lease Term/Expiration |
El Segundo, California | | Corporate headquarters, trading desk, secured lending and back-office operations | | 9,000 |
| | | Leased | | March 2026 |
Las Vegas, Nevada | | Storage and fulfillment logistics operations | | 17,600 |
| | | Leased | | April 2020 |
Winchester, Indiana | | Minting operations | | 11,400 |
| (1) | | Owned | | — |
Vienna, Austria | | Trading desk | | 248 |
| | | Leased | | every three months |
| | | | | | | | | |
(1) This facility is located on 2.9 acres of land that is owned by the Company. |
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
None.
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
SGI effected the spinoff of A-Mark on March 14, 2014. On March 17, 2014, A-Mark’s shares of common stock commenced trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "AMRK."
As of September 11, 2017, there were 228 registered stockholders of record of our common stock and the last reported sale price of our stock as reported by the NASDAQ Global Select Market was $18.03.
The following table sets forth the range of high and low closing prices for our common stock for each full quarterly period during fiscal 2017 and 2016, as reported by the NASDAQ Global Select Market. These quotations below reflect inter-dealer closing prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2017 | | 2016 |
Quarter | High | | Low | | High | | Low |
First | $ | 17.67 |
| | $ | 15.81 |
| | $ | 11.77 |
| | $ | 10.28 |
|
Second | $ | 19.50 |
| | $ | 15.03 |
| | $ | 18.91 |
| | $ | 11.45 |
|
Third | $ | 21.49 |
| | $ | 17.08 |
| | $ | 21.73 |
| | $ | 15.79 |
|
Fourth | $ | 18.01 |
| | $ | 15.15 |
| | $ | 21.99 |
| | $ | 14.14 |
|
| | | | | | | |
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
None.
Dividend Policy
As of June 30, 2017, the Company has a dividend policy, which has been approved by the Board of Directors, that calls for the payment of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per common share. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will be dependent upon financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, restrictive financial covenants, and such other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant. A-Mark’s credit facility has certain restrictive financial covenants which could affect our ability to pay dividends, including a covenant which limits annual dividend payments to 35% of consolidated net income.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of June 30, 2017, with respect to the shares of our common stock that may be issued under existing equity compensation plans.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Plan category | | (a) Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | | | (b) Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights | | | (c) Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) | |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders | | 741,327 |
| | | $ | 17.89 |
| | | 103,800 |
| (1) |
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders | | — |
| | | — |
| | | — |
| |
Total | | 741,327 |
| | | $ | 17.89 |
| | | 103,800 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | |
_________________________________ |
(1) | | These shares are available for future issuance under A-Mark's 2014 Stock Award and Incentive Plan ("2014 Plan"). All 2014 Plan shares are available for awards of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, restricted stock and other "full-value" awards. | |
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Not applicable for a smaller reporting company.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO THE PRIVATE SECURITES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Form 10-K") contains statements that are considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations and forecasts of future events. All statements other than statements of current or historical fact contained in this Annual Report, including statements regarding the Company's future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the Company's current plans, and the Company's actual future activities and results of operations may be materially different from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report may turn out to be inaccurate. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. The forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date hereof. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this Form 10-K.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes contained elsewhere in this Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in
these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those factors discussed below and elsewhere in this Annual Report, particularly in “Risk Factors.” INTRODUCTION
Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is provided as a supplement to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes to help provide an understanding of our results of operations and financial condition. Our discussion is organized as follows:
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• | Executive overview. This section provides a general description of our business, as well as significant transactions and events that we believe are important in understanding the results of operations. |
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• | Results of operations. This section provides an analysis of our results of operations presented in the accompanying consolidated statements of income by comparing the results for the respective years. Included in our analysis is a discussion of five performance metrics: (i) ounces of gold sold, (ii) ounces of silver sold, (iii) trading ticket volume, (iv) inventory turnover ratio and (v) number of secured loans at period-end. |
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• | Financial condition and liquidity and capital resources. This section provides an analysis of our cash flows, as well as a discussion of our outstanding debt as of June 30, 2017. Included in the discussion of outstanding debt is a discussion of the amount of financial capacity available to fund our future commitments, as well as a discussion of other financing arrangements. |
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• | Critical accounting estimates. This section discusses those accounting policies that both are considered important to our financial condition and results, and require significant judgment and estimates on the part of management in their application. In addition, all of our policies, including critical accounting policies, are summarized in Note 2 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. |
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• | Recent accounting pronouncements. This section discusses new accounting pronouncements, dates of implementation and impact on our accompanying consolidated financial statements. |
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
Our Business
A-Mark is a full-service precious metals trading company, and an official distributor for many government mints throughout the world. We offer gold, silver, platinum and palladium in the form of bars, plates, powder, wafers, grain, ingots and coins. Our Industrial unit services manufacturers and fabricators of products utilizing or incorporating precious metals. Our Coin and Bar unit deals in over 200 coin and bar products in a variety of weights, shapes and sizes for distribution to dealers and other qualified purchasers. We have trading centers in El Segundo, California and Vienna, Austria for buying and selling precious metals. In addition to wholesale trading activity, A-Mark offers its customers a variety of services, including financing, storage, consignment, logistics and various customized financial programs. As a U.S. Mint-authorized purchaser of gold, silver and platinum coins, A-Mark purchases product directly from the U.S. Mint and other sovereign mints for sale to its customers.
Through our subsidiary Collateral Finance Corporation, referred to as CFC, a licensed California Finance Lender, we offer loans collateralized by numismatic and semi-numismatic coins and bullion to coin and precious metal dealers, investors and collectors. Through our Transcontinental Depository Services subsidiary, referred to as TDS, we offer a variety of managed storage options for precious metals products to financial institutions, dealers, investors and collectors around the world. TDS started doing business in 2012. Our financing business generates interest income that is not classified as revenues. If interest income generated by the financing business were classified as revenues, it would represent less than 1% of our total revenues for each of the periods presented. Our storage business generated less than 1% of total revenues for each of the periods presented.
The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, A-M Global Logistics, LLC, referred to as Logistics, commenced operations as a logistics fulfillment center in July 2015. Logistics, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, provides our customers an array of complementary services, including receiving, handling, inventorying, processing, packing, and shipping of precious metals and custom coins on a secure basis. Our logistics business generated less than 1% of the total revenues for each of the periods presented.
In August 2016, the Company formed AMST, a joint venture with SilverTowne, L.P. (“SilverTowne”), an Indiana-based producer of minted silver. The Company and SilverTowne L.P. own 55% and 45%, respectively, of AMST. AMST acquired the entire minting operations (referred to as "SilverTowne Mint") of SilverTowne L.P., with the goal of providing greater product selection to our customers and greater pricing stability within the supply chain, as well as to gain increased access to silver during volatile market environments, which have historically resulted in higher demand for precious metals products.
Our Strategy
The Company has grown from a small numismatics firm in 1965 to a significant participant in the bullion and coin markets, with approximately $7.0 billion and $6.8 billion in revenues for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Our strategy continues to focus on growth, including the volume of our business, our geographic presence, particularly in Europe, and the scope of complementary products and services that we offer to our customers. We intend to promote our growth by leveraging off of the strengths of our existing integrated operations: the depth of our customer relations; our access to market makers, suppliers and government mints and other mints; our trading offices in the U.S. and Europe, which are open 21 hours a day 5 days a week; our expansive precious metals dealer network; our depository relationships around the world; our knowledge of secured lending; our logistics capabilities; our trading expertise; and the quality and experience of our management team.
Our Customers
Our customers include financial institutions, bullion retailers, industrial manufacturers and fabricators, sovereign mints, refiners, coin and metal dealers, investors and collectors. The Company makes a two way market, which results in many customers also operating as our suppliers. This diverse base of customers purchases a variety of products from the Company in a multitude of grades, primarily in the form of coins and bars.
Factors Affecting Revenues, Gross Profits, Interest Income and Interest Expense
Revenues. The Company enters into transactions to sell and deliver gold, silver, platinum and palladium to industrial and commercial users, coin and bullion dealers, mints, and financial institutions. The metals are investment or industrial grade and are sold in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The Company also sells precious metals on forward contracts at a fixed price based on current prevailing precious metal spot prices with a certain delivery date in the future (up to six months from date of the forward contract.) Typically, these forward contracts are net settled against our other positions or are settled in cash, whereby no physical product is delivered. Sales on forward contracts can range between approximately 20% to 40% of our total revenues in any given period. We enter into these forward contacts as part of our hedging strategy to mitigate our price risk of holding inventory; they are not entered into for speculative purposes.
The Company also engages in lending transactions of precious metal products and other customized financial transactions related to precious metal products with or on behalf of our customers and other counterparties, whereby the Company earns a fee based on the underlying value of the precious metal.
In addition, the Company earns revenue by providing storage solutions for precious metals and numismatic coins for financial institutions, dealers, investors and collectors worldwide and by providing storage and order-fulfillment services to our retail customers. These revenue streams are complementary to our trading activity, and represents less than 1% of our revenues.
The Company operates in a high volume/low margin industry. Revenues are impacted by three primary factors: product volume, market prices and market volatility. A material change in any one or more of these factors may result in a significant change in the Company’s revenues. A significant increase or decrease in revenues can occur simply based on changes in the underlying commodity prices and may not be reflective of an increase or decrease in the volume of products sold.
Gross Profits. Gross profit is the difference between our revenues and the cost of our products. Since we quote prices based on the current commodity market prices for precious metals, we enter into a combination of forward and futures contracts to effect a hedge position equal to the underlying precious metal commodity value, which substantially represents inventory subject to price risk. We enter into these derivative transactions solely for the purpose of hedging our inventory, and not for speculative purposes. Our gross profit includes the gains and losses resulting from these derivative instruments. However, the gains and losses on the derivative instruments are substantially offset by the gains and losses on the corresponding changes in the market value of our precious metals inventory. As a result, our results of operations generally are not materially impacted solely by changes in commodity prices.
Volatility also affects our gross profits. Greater volatility typically causes the trading spreads to widen resulting in an increase in the gross profit. Product supply constraints during extended periods of higher volatility has historically resulted in a heightening of wider trading spreads resulting in further improvement in the gross profit.
Interest Income. The Company enters into secured loans and secured financing structures with its customers under which it charges interest income. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, CFC, the Company also enters into loans secured by precious metals and numismatic material owned by the borrowers and held by the Company for the term of the loan. The Company offers a number of secured financing options to its customers to finance their precious metals purchases including consignments and other structured inventory finance products.
Interest Expense. The Company incurs interest expense as a result of usage under its lines of credit. The Company also incurs interest expense as a result of its product financing agreements for the transfer and subsequent re-acquisition of gold and silver at a fixed price with a third-party finance company, and may incur interest expense when we borrow precious metals from our suppliers under short-term arrangements, which can bear interest at a designated rate.
Performance Metrics
In addition to financial statement indicators, management also utilizes certain key operational metrics to assess the performance of our business.
We look at the number of ounces of gold and silver sold and delivered to our customers (excluding ounces recorded on forward contracts). These metrics reflect our business volume without regard to changes in commodity pricing, which also impacts revenue and can mask actual business trends.
Another measure of our business volume, unaffected by changes in commodity pricing, is trading ticket volume, which is the total number orders processed by our trading desks in El Segundo, California and Vienna, Austria. In periods of higher volatility, there is generally increased trading in the commodity markets, and increased demand for our products, which translates into higher business volume.
Inventory turnover is another performance measure on which we are focused. We define inventory turnover as the cost of sales during the relevant period divided by the average inventory during the period. Inventory turnover is a measure of how quickly inventory has moved during the period. A higher inventory turnover ratio, which we typically experience during periods of higher volatility when trading is more robust, reflects a more efficient use of our capital.
Finally, as a measure of the size of our lending business, we look at the number of outstanding secured loans to customers at the end of the fiscal quarter.
Fiscal Year
Our fiscal year end is June 30 each year. Unless otherwise stated, references to years in this report relate to fiscal years rather than to calendar years.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview of Results of Operations for the Years Ended June 30, 2017 and 2016
Consolidated Results of Operations
The operating results of our business for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:
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in thousands, except per share data and performance metrics | | |
Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
| $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Revenues | $ | 6,989,624 |
| | 100.000 | % | | $ | 6,784,039 |
| | 100.000 | % | | $ | 205,585 |
| | 3.0 | % |
Gross profit | 31,334 |
| | 0.448 | % | | 34,521 |
| | 0.509 | % | | $ | (3,187 | ) | | (9.2 | )% |
Selling, general and administrative expenses | (23,343 | ) | | (0.334 | )% | | (22,233 | ) | | (0.328 | )% | | $ | 1,110 |
| | 5.0 | % |
Interest income | 12,553 |
| | 0.180 | % | | 8,795 |
| | 0.130 | % | | $ | 3,758 |
| | 42.7 | % |
Interest expense | (10,117 | ) | | (0.145 | )% | | (6,319 | ) | | (0.093 | )% | | $ | 3,798 |
| | 60.1 | % |
Other income | 298 |
| | 0.004 | % | | 701 |
| | 0.010 | % | | $ | (403 | ) | | (57.5 | )% |
Unrealized gain on foreign exchange | 60 |
| | 0.001 | % | | 99 |
| | 0.001 | % | | $ | (39 | ) | | NM |
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Net income before provision for income taxes | 10,785 |
| | 0.154 | % | | 15,564 |
| | 0.229 | % | | $ | (4,779 | ) | | (30.7 | )% |
Provision for income taxes | (3,721 | ) | | (0.053 | )% | | (6,293 | ) | | (0.093 | )% | | $ | (2,572 | ) | | (40.9 | )% |
Net income | 7,064 |
| | 0.101 | % | | 9,271 |
| | 0.137 | % | | $ | (2,207 | ) | | (23.8 | )% |
Add: | Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest | (22 | ) | | — | % | | — |
| | — | % | | $ | 22 |
| | NM |
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Net income attributable to the Company | $ | 7,086 |
| | 0.101 | % | | $ | 9,271 |
| | 0.137 | % | | $ | (2,185 | ) | | (23.6 | )% |
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Basic and diluted income per share attributable to A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.: |
Per Share Data: | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic | $ | 1.01 |
| | | | $ | 1.33 |
| | | | $ | (0.32 | ) | | (24.1 | )% |
Diluted | $ | 1.00 |
| | | | $ | 1.30 |
| | | | $ | (0.30 | ) | | (23.1 | )% |
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Performance Metrics: | | | | | | | | | | | |
Gold ounces sold(1) | 2,171,000 |
| | | | 2,968,000 |
| | | | (797,000 | ) | | (26.9 | )% |
Silver ounces sold(2) | 79,584,000 |
| | | | 126,349,000 |
| | | | (46,765,000 | ) | | (37.0 | )% |
Trading ticket volume(3) | 112,907 |
| | | | 88,486 |
| | | | 24,421 |
| | 27.6 | % |
Inventory turnover ratio(4) | 26.3 |
| | | | 30.9 |
| | | | (4.6 | ) | | (14.9 | )% |
Number of secured loans at period end(5) | 2,375 |
| | | | 1,173 |
| | | | 1,202 |
| | 102.5 | % |
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NM | | Not meaningful. | |
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(1) | | Gold ounces sold represents the ounces of gold product sold and delivered to the customer during the twelve-month period, excluding ounces of gold recorded on forward contracts. | |
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(2) | | Silver ounces sold represents the ounces of silver product sold and delivered to the customer during the twelve-month period, excluding ounces of silver recorded on forward contracts. | |
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(3) | | Trading ticket volume represents the total number of product orders processed by our trading desks in El Segundo and Vienna. | |
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(4) | | Inventory turnover ratio is the cost of sales divided by average inventory. | |
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(5) | | Number of outstanding secured loans to customers at the end of the period. | |
Revenues
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Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
in thousands, except performance metrics | $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Revenues | $ | 6,989,624 |
| | 100.000 | % | | $ | 6,784,039 |
| | 100.000 | % | | $ | 205,585 |
| | 3.0 | % |
Performance Metrics | | | | | | | | | | | |
Gold ounces sold | 2,171,000 |
| | | | 2,968,000 |
| | | | (797,000 | ) | | (26.9 | )% |
Silver ounces sold | 79,584,000 |
| | | | 126,349,000 |
| | | | (46,765,000 | ) | | (37.0 | )% |
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Revenues for the year ended June 30, 2017 increased $205.6 million, or 3.0%, to $6.990 billion from $6.784 billion in 2016. Our revenues increased primarily due to an increase in precious metal prices and higher forward sales, partially offset by a decrease in the total amount of gold ounces and silver ounces sold during the year ended June 30, 2017 as compared to 2016.
Gold ounces sold for the year ended June 30, 2017 decreased 797,000 ounces, or 26.9%, to 2,171,000 ounces from 2,968,000 ounces in 2016. Silver ounces sold for the year ended June 30, 2017 decreased 46,765,000 ounces, or 37.0%, to 79,584,000 ounces from 126,349,000 ounces in 2016. On average, the prices for gold increased by 8.3% and prices for silver increased by 16.0% during the year ended June 30, 2017 as compared to 2016.
Gross Profit |
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Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
in thousands, except performance metrics | $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Gross profit | $ | 31,334 |
| | 0.448 | % | | $ | 34,521 |
| | 0.509 | % | | $ | (3,187 | ) | | (9.2 | )% |
Performance Metrics | | | | | | | | | | | |
Trading ticket volume | 112,907 |
| | | | 88,486 |
| | | | 24,421 |
| | 27.6 | % |
Inventory turnover ratio | 26.3 |
| | | | 30.9 |
| | | | (4.6 | ) | | (14.9 | )% |
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Gross profit for the year ended June 30, 2017 decreased by $3.2 million, or 9.2%, to $31.3 million from $34.5 million in 2016. The Company’s profit margin percentage decreased by 12.0% to 0.448% from 0.509% in 2016. The Company’s profit margin decrease was primarily due to subdued market conditions during the second half of 2017, which constrained both volume and premiums spreads, partially offset by increased trading profits during 2017. Furthermore, the decrease in gross profit was due to higher premium spreads on the Company’s primary products in first fiscal quarter of 2016, when the Company experienced atypical volatility and supply constraints.
The trading ticket volume for the year ended June 30, 2017 increased by 24,421 tickets, or 27.6%, to 112,907 tickets from 88,486 tickets in 2016. The increase in our trading ticket volume was primarily the result of an increase in customer usage of our online portal. Generally, the quantity-size (i.e., ounces) of customer orders placed through the portal is less than the quantity size of orders processed through our trading desk.
Our inventory turnover rate for the year ended June 30, 2017 decreased by 14.9%, to 26.3 from 30.9 in 2016. The decrease in our inventory turnover rate was primarily due to a higher volume of activity in our product financing arrangements and repurchase arrangements with customers (under these arrangements the Company carries inventory on its balance sheet for longer periods than inventory currently available for sale), foreign sourced metals which typically has longer transit times, and longer carrying periods associated with our higher margin custom products and production lead time of products produced at SilverTowne.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
in thousands | $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Selling, general and administrative expenses | $ | (23,343 | ) | | (0.334 | )% | | $ | (22,233 | ) | | (0.328 | )% | | $ | 1,110 |
| | 5.0 | % |
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Selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended June 30, 2017 increased $1.1 million, or 5.0%, to $23.3 million from $22.2 million in 2016. The change was primarily due to $0.7 million of investigatory acquisition costs related to an abandoned acquisition, the acquisition of AMST, as well as a new acquisition target (see Note 19), an increase of $0.6 million of consulting costs primarily related to the development and implementation of a new enterprise resource system, an increase of $0.9 million of selling, general and administrative expenses from AMST (our minting operation acquired this fiscal year), a $0.2 million loss on disposal of fixed assets related to the relocation of the company’s headquarters office, offset by a $1.9 million decrease in the overall compensation costs primarily related to lower discretionary incentive compensation. Interest Income
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Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
in thousands, except performance metrics | $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Interest income | $ | 12,553 |
| | 0.180 | % | | $ | 8,795 |
| | 0.130 | % | | $ | 3,758 |
| | 42.7 | % |
Performance Metrics | | | | | | | | | | | |
Number of secured loans at period-end | 2,375 |
| | | | 1,173 |
| | | | 1,202 |
| | 102.5 | % |
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Interest income for the year ended June 30, 2017 increased $3.8 million, or 42.7%, to $12.6 million from $8.8 million in 2016. Interest income from our secured loan portfolio increased by $3.0 million or by 61.6% in comparison to the same year-ago period. This increase was primarily due to the increase in value of the secured loan portfolio, which was primarily due to the acquisition of additional bullion-based loan portfolios from a third party. The number of secured loans outstanding increased by 102.5% to 2,375 from 1,173 in 2016. Also, interest income increased due to our finance products. Our finance fees earned related to repurchase arrangements with customers increased by 29.1% or by $1.0 million in comparison to the same year-ago period.
Interest Expense |
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Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
in thousands | $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Interest expense | $ | (10,117 | ) | | (0.145 | )% | | $ | (6,319 | ) | | (0.093 | )% | | $ | 3,798 |
| | 60.1 | % |
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Interest expense for the year ended June 30, 2017 increased $3.8 million, or 60.1% to $10.1 million from $6.3 million in 2016. The increase was related primarily to a significantly greater usage of our lines of credit, as a result from continued growth in the business, holding higher average inventory levels primarily related to product financing arrangements, amortization costs related to loan fees related to extension of the line of credit, and higher LIBOR interest rates that went in to effect subsequent to the Federal Reserve rate increases. In comparison to the same year-ago period, interest expense increased by $1.4 million or by 27.2% related to our lines of credit, by $0.8 million related to the amortization of capitalized finance fees, by $0.9 million or 130.3% related to product financing agreements (or "reverse-repurchase arrangements") and by approximately $0.7 million or by 124.1% related to loan servicing costs.
We believe the interest rates charged on borrowings under our credit facility (LIBOR plus a 2.5% margin) are consistent with current market interest rates for first lien demand loans secured by inventory and receivables.
Provision for Income Taxes
Our effective rate could be adversely affected by the relative proportions of revenue and income before taxes in the various domestic and international jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The Company is also subject to changing tax laws, regulations and interpretations in multiple jurisdictions in which we operate. The Company's effective rate can also be influenced by the tax effects of purchase accounting for acquisitions and non-recurring charges, which may cause fluctuations between reporting periods.
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Years Ended June 30, | 2017 | | 2016 | | $ | | % |
in thousands | $ | | % of revenue | | $ | | % of revenue | | Increase/(decrease) | | Increase/(decrease) |
Provision for income taxes | $ | (3,721 | ) | | (0.053 | )% | | $ | (6,293 | ) | | (0.093 | )% | | $ | (2,572 | ) | | (40.9 | )% |
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Our provision for income taxes was $3.7 million and $6.3 million for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Our effective tax rate was approximately 34.5% and 40.4% for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Our effective tax rate differs from the federal statutory rate primarily due to favorable tax attributes and deductions resulting from amended state tax filings based on the settlement of the Former parent's tax examination in the years when the Company was included in a consolidated filing. These favorable attributes are allocated to the standalone Company. The change in effective tax rate was also partially due to non-deductible transaction costs in the prior year that become deductible in the current year when the transaction was abandoned.
LIQUIDITY AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
Primary Sources and Uses of Cash
Overview
Liquidity is defined as our ability to generate sufficient amounts of cash to meet all of our cash needs. Liquidity is of critical importance to us and imperative to maintain our operations on a daily basis.
A substantial portion of our assets are liquid. As of June 30, 2017, approximately 93% of our assets consisted of cash, customer receivables, and precious metals inventory, measured at fair value. Cash generated from the sales of our precious metals products is our primary source of operating liquidity.
Typically, the Company acquires its inventory by: (1) purchasing inventory from our suppliers by utilizing our own capital and lines of credit; (2) borrowing precious metals from our suppliers under short-term arrangements which may bear interest at a designated rate, and (3) repurchasing inventory at an agreed-upon price based on the spot price on the specified repurchase date.
In addition to selling inventory, the Company generates cash from earned interest income. Through CFC, the Company enters into secured loans and secured financing structures with its customers under which it charges interest income. The Company offers a number of secured financing options to its customers to finance their precious metals purchases including consignments and other structured inventory finance products. The loans are secured by precious metals and numismatic material owned by the borrowers and held by the Company as security for the term of the loan. Furthermore, our customers may enter into purchase agreements whereby the customer agrees to purchase our inventory at the prevailing spot price for delivery of the product at a specific point in time in the future; interest income is earned from contract date until the material is delivered and paid for in full.
We continually review our overall credit and capital needs to ensure that our capital base, both stockholders’ equity and available credit facilities, can appropriately support our anticipated financing needs. The Company also continually monitors its current and forecasted cash requirements, and draws upon and pays down its lines of credit so as to minimize interest expense.
Lines of Credit
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | | | | |
| | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | | June 30, 2017 Compared to June 30, 2016 | |
Lines of credit | | $ | 180,000 |
| | $ | 212,000 |
| | $ | (32,000 | ) | |
A-Mark has a borrowing facility ("Trading Credit Facility") with a syndicate of banks, Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. ("Rabobank") acting as lead lender and administrative agent for the syndicate. The Trading Credit Facility, which replaced the Company's previous borrowing facility with a group of financial institutions under an inter-creditor agreement, provides the Company with access up to $275.0 million, featuring a $225.0 million base with a $50.0 million accordion option. The Trading Credit Facility has a one-year maturity. The Company believes that the Trading Credit Facility provides adequate means to capital for its operations.
The Company routinely uses the Trading Credit Facility to purchase precious metals from suppliers and for operating cash flow purposes. Amounts under the Trading Credit Facility bear interest based on London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus a 2.50% margin for revolving credit line loans and a 4.50% margin for bridge loans (that is, for loans that exceed the available revolving credit line). The one-month LIBOR rate was approximately 1.17% and 0.47% as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, respectively. Borrowings are due on demand and totaled $180.0 million and $212.0 million at June 30, 2017 and at June 30, 2016, respectively. The amounts available under the respective borrowing facilities are determined at the end of each week following a specified borrowing base formula. The Company is able to access additional credit as needed to finance operations, subject to the overall limits of the borrowing facilities and lender approval of the revised borrowing base calculation. Based on the latest approved borrowing bases in effect, the amounts available under the Trading Credit Facility after taking into account current borrowings, totaled $45.6 million and $17.8 million as determined on the Friday before June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, respectively.
Liability on Borrowed Metals
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | | | | |
| | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | | June 30, 2017 Compared to June 30, 2016 | |
Liability on borrowed metals | | $ | 5,625 |
| | $ | 4,352 |
| | $ | 1,273 |
| |
We borrow precious metals from our suppliers under short-term arrangements. Amounts under these arrangements are due at maturity and require repayment either in the form of precious metals or cash. Our inventories included borrowed metals with market values totaling $5.6 million and $4.4 million at June 30, 2017 and at June 30, 2016, respectively.
Product Financing Arrangements
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | | | | |
| | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | | June 30, 2017 Compared to June 30, 2016 | |
Product financing arrangements | | $ | 135,343 |
| | $ | 59,358 |
| | $ | 75,985 |
| |
The Company has agreements with financial institutions (third parties) that allows the Company to transfer its gold and silver inventory to the third party at a an agreed-upon price based on the spot price, which provides alternative sources of liquidity. During the term of the agreement both parties intend for inventory to be returned at an agreed-upon price based on the spot price on the termination (repurchase) date. The third parties charge monthly interest as a percentage of the market value of the outstanding obligation; such monthly charges are classified in interest expense. These transactions do not qualify as sales and therefore have been accounted for as financing arrangements and reflected in the consolidated balance sheet as product financing arrangements. The obligation is stated at the amount required to repurchase the outstanding inventory. Both the product financing arrangements and the underlying inventory (which is entirely restricted) are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value included as a component of cost of sales. Such obligation totaled $135.3 million and $59.4 million as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, respectively.
Secured Loans |
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in thousands | | | | |
| | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | | June 30, 2017 Compared to June 30, 2016 |
Secured loans | | $ | 91,238 |
| | $ | 70,504 |
| | $ | 20,734 |
|
The Company is a California license finance lender that makes and acquires commercial loans secured by numismatic and semi-numismatic coins and bullion that affords our customers a convenient means of financing their inventory or collections. Predominantly, most of the Company's secured loans are short-term in nature and the renewal of these instruments is at the discretion of the Company and, as such, provides us with some flexibility in regards to our capital deployment strategies.
Dividends
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | | | |
| | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | | June 30, 2017 Compared to June 30, 2016 |
Dividends, declared | | $ | 2,110 |
| | $ | 1,675 |
| | $ | 435 |
|
In fiscal 2015, the Board of Directors of the Company initiated a cash dividend policy that calls for the payment of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share. In fiscal 2016, the Board of Directors modified the policy by increasing the quarterly cash dividend to $0.07 per common share, and in fiscal 2017 the quarterly cash dividend was increased to $0.08 per common share. See Note 16, in the accompanying notes the consolidated financial statements, for a summary of the declared dividends in fiscal 2017 and 2016. Cash Flows
The majority of the Company’s trading activities involve two day value trades under which payment is made in advance of delivery or product is received in advance of payment. The high volume, rapid rate of inventory turn, and high average value per trade can cause material changes in the sources of cash used in or provided by operating activities on a daily basis. The Company manages these variances through its liquidity forecasts and counterparty limits by maintaining a liquidity reserve to meet the Company’s cash needs. The Company uses various short-term financial instruments to manage the rapid cycle of our trading activities from customer purchase order to cash collections and product delivery, which can cause material changes in the amount of cash used in or provided by financing activities on a daily basis.
The following summarizes components of our consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | | | | |
Years Ended, | | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | | June 30, 2017 Compared to June 30, 2016 | |
Net cash used in operating activities | | $ | (9,781 | ) | | $ | (56,156 | ) | | 46,375 |
| |
Net cash used in investing activities | | $ | (36,487 | ) | | $ | (30,219 | ) | | (6,268 | ) | |
Net cash provided by financing activities | | $ | 42,185 |
| | $ | 82,590 |
| | (40,405 | ) | |
Our principal capital requirements have been to fund (i) working capital and (ii) capital expenditures. Our working capital requirements fluctuate with market conditions, the availability of precious metals and the volatility of precious metals commodity pricing.
Net cash used in operating activities
Operating activities used $9.8 million and used $56.2 million in cash for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, representing a $46.4 million decrease in the use of cash compared to the year ended June 30, 2016. This period over period decrease in the of use of funds (i.e., used less funds) in operating activities was primarily due to changes in the balances of derivative liabilities, accounts payable, deferred income taxes, and accrued liabilities offset by changes in the balances of receivables, derivative assets, inventory, liabilities on borrowed metals, secured loans receivable, income taxes payable, and income tax receivables.
Net cash used in investing activities
Investing activities used $36.5 million and used $30.2 million in cash for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, representing a $6.3 million increase in the use of cash compared to the year ended June 30, 2016. This period over period increase is the result of the change in balance of secured loans of $6.7 million that was primarily due to additional acquisitions of loan portfolios, and an acquisition of a majority-owned subsidiary for $3.4 million made in the current comparable period. Also, our investment activity into non-consolidated entities decreased by $4.7 million against the comparable period.
Net cash provided by financing activities
Financing activities provided $42.2 million and provided $82.6 million in cash for the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, representing a decrease of $40.4 million in the in funds provided by financing activities compared to the year ended June 30, 2016. This period over period decrease in funds provided by financing activities was primarily due to changes in the balance of the Trading Credit Facility of $97.0 million and partially offset by changes in the balance of product financing arrangements of $56.1 million.
CAPITAL RESOURCES
We believe that our current cash and cash equivalents, availability under the Trading Credit Facility and product financing arrangements, and cash we anticipate to generate from operating activities will provide us with sufficient liquidity to satisfy our working capital needs, capital expenditures, investment requirements and commitments through at least the next twelve months.
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND COMMITMENTS
Counterparty Risk
We manage our counterparty risk by setting credit and position risk limits with our trading counterparties. These limits include gross position limits for counterparties engaged in sales and purchase transactions and inventory consignment transactions with us. They also include collateral limits for different types of sale and purchase transactions that counterparties may engage in from time to time.
Commodities Risk and Derivatives
We use a variety of strategies to manage our risk including fluctuations in commodity prices for precious metals. Our inventories consist of, and our trading activities involve, precious metals and precious metal products, whose prices are linked to the corresponding precious metal commodity prices. Inventories purchased or borrowed by us are subject to price changes. Inventories borrowed are considered natural hedges, since changes in value of the metal held are offset by the obligation to return the metal to the supplier.
Open sale and purchase commitments in our trading activities are subject to changes in value between the date the purchase or sale price is fixed (the trade date) and the date the metal is received or delivered (the settlement date). We seek to minimize the effect of price changes of the underlying commodity through the use of forward and futures contracts. Our open sale and purchase commitments generally settle within 2 business days, and for those commitments that do not have stated settlement dates, we have the right to settle the positions upon demand.
Our policy is to substantially hedge our underlying precious metal commodity inventory position. We regularly enter into metals commodity forward and futures contracts with financial institutions to hedge price changes that would cause changes in the value of our physical metals positions and purchase commitments and sale commitments. We have access to all of the precious metals markets, allowing us to place hedges. However, we also maintain relationships with major market makers in every major precious metals dealing center, which allows us to enter into contracts with market makers. Futures and forwards contracts open at June 30, 2017 are scheduled to settle within 30 days.
The Company enters into these derivative transactions solely for the purpose of hedging our inventory holding risk, and not for speculative market purposes. Due to the nature of our hedging strategy, we are not using hedge accounting as defined under, Derivatives and Hedging Topic 815 of the Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC".) Gains or losses resulting from our futures and forward contracts are reported as cost of sales with the related amounts due from or to counterparties reflected as a derivative asset or liability. Gains or losses resulting from the termination of hedge contracts are reported as cost of sales. The Company’s gains (losses) on derivative instruments are substantially offset by the changes in fair market value of the underlying precious metals inventory and open sale and purchase commitments, which is also recorded in cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income. For the years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the net gains (losses) on derivative instruments in the consolidated statements of income totaled $9.7 million and $(5.9) million, respectively.
The purpose of the Company's hedging policy is to substantially match the change in the value of the derivative financial instrument to the change in the value of the underlying hedged item. The following table summarizes the results of our hedging activities, showing the precious metal commodity inventory position, net of open sale and purchase commitments, which is subject to price risk, compared to change in the value of the derivative instruments as of June 30, 2017 and at June 30, 2016:
|
| | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 |
Inventory | | $ | 284,659 |
| | $ | 245,057 |
|
Less unhedgable inventory: | | | | |
Commemorative coin inventory, held at lower of cost or market | | (40 | ) | | (16 | ) |
Premium on metals position | | (4,088 | ) | | (4,627 | ) |
Inventory value not hedged | | (4,128 | ) | | (4,643 | ) |
| | | | |
Subtotal | | 280,531 |
| | 240,414 |
|
Commitments at market: | | |
| | |
|
Open inventory purchase commitments | | 587,687 |
| | 550,810 |
|
Open inventory sales commitments | | (121,602 | ) | | (237,325 | ) |
Margin sale commitments | | (7,936 | ) | | (12,439 | ) |
In-transit inventory no longer subject to market risk | | (3,931 | ) | | (7,363 | ) |
Unhedgable premiums on open commitment positions | | 495 |
| | 400 |
|
Inventory borrowed from suppliers | | (5,625 | ) | | (4,352 | ) |
Product financing arrangements | | (135,343 | ) | | (59,358 | ) |
Advances on industrial metals | | 1,580 |
| | 4,521 |
|
Inventory subject to price risk | | 595,856 |
| | 475,308 |
|
| | | | |
Inventory subject to derivative financial instruments: | | | | |
Precious metals forward contracts at market values | | 462,231 |
| | 188,530 |
|
Precious metals futures contracts at market values | | 133,450 |
| | 286,449 |
|
Total market value of derivative financial instruments | | 595,681 |
| | 474,979 |
|
| | | | |
Net inventory subject to commodity price risk | | $ | 175 |
| | $ | 329 |
|
We are exposed to the risk of default of the counterparties to our derivative contracts. Significant judgment is applied by us when evaluating the fair value implications. We regularly review the creditworthiness of our major counterparties and monitor our exposure to concentrations. At June 30, 2017, we believe our risk of counterparty default is mitigated based on our evaluation of the creditworthiness of our major counterparties, the strong financial condition of our counterparties, and the short-term duration of these arrangements.
Commitments and Contingencies
Refer to Note 15 for other information relating Company's commitments and contingencies.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
As of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, we had the following outstanding sale and purchase commitments and open forward and future contracts, which are normal and recurring, in nature:
|
| | | | | | | | |
in thousands | | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 |
Purchase commitments | | $ | 587,687 |
| | $ | 550,810 |
|
Sales commitments | | $ | (121,602 | ) | | $ | (237,325 | ) |
Margin sale commitments | | $ | (7,936 | ) | | $ | (12,439 | ) |
Open forward contracts | | $ | 462,231 |
| | $ | 188,530 |
|
Open futures contracts | | $ | 133,450 |
| | $ | 286,449 |
|
Foreign exchange forward contracts | | $ | 2,213 |
| | $ | 1,992 |
|
The notional amounts of the commodity forward and futures contracts and the open sales and purchase orders, as shown in the table above, are not reflected at the notional amounts in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company records commodity forward and futures contracts at the fair value, which is the difference between the market price of the underlying metal or contract measured on the reporting date and the trade amount measured on the date the contract was transacted. The fair value of the open derivative contracts are shown as a component of derivative assets or derivative liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
The Company enters into the derivative forward and future transactions solely for the purpose of hedging its inventory holding risk, and not for speculative market purposes. The Company’s gains (losses) on derivative instruments are substantially offset by the changes in fair market value of the underlying precious metals inventory position, including our open sale and purchase commitments. The Company records the derivatives at the trade date, and any corresponding unrealized gains or losses are shown as a component of cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income. We adjust the carrying value of the derivatives to fair value on a daily basis until the transactions are physically settled (see Note 11.) CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). In connection with the preparation of our financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions about future events and apply judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses and related disclosures. We base our assumptions, estimates and judgments on historical experience, current trends and other factors that we believe to be relevant at the time our consolidated financial statements are prepared. On a regular basis, we review our accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our consolidated financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with U.S. GAAP. However, because future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty, actual results could materially differ from our estimates.
Our significant accounting policies are discussed in Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of the accompanying consolidated financial statements. We believe that the following accounting policies are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results, and they require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, resulting from the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. We have reviewed these critical accounting estimates and related disclosures with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors. Revenue Recognition
The Company accounts for its metals and sales contracts using settlement date accounting. Pursuant to such accounting, the Company recognizes the sale or purchase of the metals at settlement date. During the period between the trade and settlement dates, the Company has essentially entered into a forward contract that meets the definition of a derivative in accordance with the Derivatives and Hedging Topic 815 of the ASC. The Company records the derivative at the trade date with any corresponding unrealized gain (loss), shown as component of cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income. The Company adjusts the derivatives to fair value on a daily basis until the transactions are settled. Upon settlement, the sales which are physically settled are recognized at the gross amount in the consolidated statements of income. Realized gains and losses on derivative contracts, which are not physically settled are recognized at the net amount as a component of cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income.
Revenues are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the price is fixed or determinable, no obligations remain and collection is probable. For physically settled transactions, the Company typically records sales of precious metals occurs upon receipt by the customer. The Company records revenues from its storage and logistics services after the related services are completed.
Inventories
The Company's inventories primarily include bullion and bullion coins, which are initially recorded at fair market value. The fair market value of the bullion and bullion coins is comprised of two components: (1) published market values attributable to the cost of the raw precious metal, and (2) a published premium paid at acquisition of the metal. The premium is attributable to the additional value of the product in its finished goods form and the market value attributable solely to the premium may be readily determined, as it is published by multiple reputable sources. The premium is included in the cost of the inventory, paid at acquisition, and is a component of the total fair market value of the inventory. The precious metal component of the inventory may be hedged through the use of precious metal commodity positions, while the premium component of our inventory is not a commodity that may be hedged.
The Company’s inventories, except for certain lower of cost or market basis products (as described below), are subsequently recorded at their fair market values. The daily changes in the fair market value of our inventory are offset by daily changes in the fair market value of hedging derivatives that are taken with respect to our inventory positions; both the change in the fair market value of the inventory and the change in the fair market value of these derivative instruments are recorded in cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income.
While the premium component included in inventories is marked-to-market, our commemorative coin inventory, including its premium component, is held at the lower of cost or market, because the value of commemorative coins is influenced more by supply and demand determinants than on the underlying spot price of the precious metal content of the commemorative coins. Unlike our bullion coins, the value of commemorative coins is not subject to the same level of volatility as bullion coins because our commemorative coins typically carry a substantially higher premium over the spot metal price than bullion coins. Additionally, neither the commemorative coin inventory nor the premium component of our inventory is hedged.
Inventories include amounts borrowed from suppliers arising from various arrangements including unallocated metal positions held by customers in the Company’s inventory, amounts due to suppliers for the use of consigned inventory, as well as shortages in unallocated metal positions held by the Company in the supplier’s inventory. Unallocated or pool metal represents an unsegregated inventory position that is due on demand, in a specified physical form, based on the total ounces of metal held in the position. Amounts under these arrangements require delivery either in the form of precious metals or cash. The Company mitigates market risk of its physical inventories and open commitments through commodity hedge transactions (see Note 11.) The Company enters into product financing agreements for the transfer and subsequent option to reacquire its gold and silver inventory at an agreed-upon price based on the spot price with a third party finance company. This inventory is restricted and is held at a custodial storage facility in exchange for a financing fee, charged by the third party finance company. During the term of the financing agreement, the third party company holds the inventory as collateral, and both parties intend for the inventory to be returned to the Company at an agreed-upon price based on the spot price on the termination (repurchase) date. The third party charges a monthly fee as percentage of the market value of the outstanding obligation; such monthly charge is classified as interest expense. These transactions do not qualify as sales and have been accounted for as financing arrangements in accordance with ASC 470-40 Product Financing Arrangements, and are reflected in the consolidated balance sheets as product financing arrangements. The obligation is stated at the amount required to repurchase the outstanding inventory. Both the product financing and the underlying inventory (which is restricted) are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value included in cost of sales in the consolidated statements of income.
The Company periodically loans metals to customers on a short-term consignment basis. Such inventories are removed at the time the customer elects to price and purchase the metals, and the Company records a corresponding sale and receivable.
The Company enters into financing arrangements with certain customers under which A-Mark purchases precious metals products that are subject to repurchase by the customer at the fair value of the product on the repurchase date. The Company or the counterparty may typically terminate any such arrangement with 14 days' notice. Upon termination the customer’s rights to repurchase any remaining inventory is forfeited.
Goodwill and Other Purchased Intangible Assets
We evaluate goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangibles for impairment annually in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year (or more frequently if indicators of potential impairment exist) in accordance with the Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Topic 350 of the ASC. Other definite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for impairment when events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. We may first qualitatively assess whether relevant events and circumstances make it more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill is less than its carrying value. If, based on this qualitative assessment, we determine that goodwill is more likely than not to be impaired, a two-step impairment test is performed. The first step in this test involves comparing the fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step in the test is performed, which is measurement of the impairment loss. The impairment loss is calculated by comparing the implied fair value of goodwill, as if the reporting unit has been acquired in a business combination, to its carrying amount.
Estimates critical to these calculations include projected future cash flows, discount rates, royalty rates, customer attrition rates and foreign exchange rates. Imprecision in estimating unobservable market inputs can impact the carrying amount of assets on the balance sheet. Furthermore, while we believe our valuation methods are appropriate, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain assets could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date.
Income Taxes
As part of the process of preparing our financial statements, we are required to estimate our provision for income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which we conduct business, in accordance with the Income Taxes Topic 740 of the ASC. We compute our annual tax rate based on the statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available to us in the various jurisdictions in which we earn income. Significant judgment is required in determining our annual tax rate and in evaluating uncertainty in its tax positions. We recognize a benefit for tax positions that we believe will more likely than not be sustained upon examination. The amount of benefit recognized is the largest amount of benefit that we believe has more than a 50% probability of being realized upon settlement. We regularly monitor our tax positions and adjust the amount of recognized tax benefit based on our evaluation of information that has become available since the end of our last financial reporting period. The annual tax rate includes the impact of these changes in recognized tax benefits. The difference between the amount of benefit taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and the amount of benefit recognized for financial reporting represents unrecognized tax benefits. These unrecognized tax benefits are presented in the consolidated balance sheet principally within accrued liabilities. We record valuation allowances to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Significant judgment is applied when assessing the need for valuation allowances. Areas of estimation include our consideration of future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies.
Should a change in circumstances lead to a change in judgment about the utilization of deferred tax assets in future years, we would adjust related valuation allowances in the period that the change in circumstances occurs, along with a corresponding increase or charge to income. Changes in recognized tax benefits and changes in valuation allowances could be material to our results of operations for any period, but is not expected to be material to our consolidated financial position.
We account for uncertainty in income taxes under the provisions of Topic 740 of the ASC. These provisions clarify the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise's financial statements, and prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement criteria for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The provisions also provide guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest, and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. The potential interest and/or penalties associated with an uncertain tax position are recorded in provision for income taxes on the consolidated statements of income. Please refer to Note 12 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further discussion regarding these provisions. Income taxes are accounted for using an asset and liability approach that requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. The factors used to assess the likelihood of realization include our forecast of the reversal of temporary differences, future taxable income and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize the net deferred tax assets. Failure to achieve forecasted taxable income in applicable tax jurisdictions could affect the ultimate realization of deferred tax assets and could result in an increase in our effective tax rate on future earnings.
Based on our assessment it appears more likely than not that most of the net deferred tax assets will be realized through future taxable income. Management has established a valuation allowance against the deferred taxes related to certain net operating loss carryovers. Management believes the utilization of these losses may be limited. We will continue to assess the need for a valuation allowance for our remaining deferred tax assets in the future.
The Company's consolidated financial statements recognized the current and deferred income tax consequences that result from the Company's activities during the current and preceding periods, as if the Company were a separate taxpayer prior to the date of the Distribution of the Company when it was a member of the Former Parent's consolidated income tax return group. Current tax receivable reflects balances due from the Former Parent for the Company's share of the income tax assets of the group.
Following the Distribution, the Company files federal and state income tax filings that are separate from the Former Parent's tax filings. The Company recognizes current and deferred income taxes as a separate taxpayer for periods ending after the date of Distribution.
Business Combinations
The Company evaluates each purchase transaction to determine whether the acquired assets meet the definition of a business. The Company accounts for business combinations by applying the acquisition method in accordance with “ASC 805, Business Combinations. Transaction costs related to acquisition of a business are expensed as incurred and excluded from the fair value of consideration transferred. The identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed and non-controlling interests, if any, in an acquired entity are recognized and measured at their estimated fair values. The excess of the fair value of consideration transferred over the fair values of identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed and non-controlling interests, if any, in an acquired entity, net of fair value of any previously held interest in the acquired entity, is recorded as goodwill. Such valuations require management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets and liabilities.
Contingent Earn-out Liability
Contingent consideration is classified as a liability or equity, as applicable. Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of a business is measured at fair value on acquisition date, and unless classified as equity, is remeasured at fair value each reporting period thereafter until the consideration is settled, with changes in fair value included in net income.
We record an estimate of the fair value of contingent consideration, related to the earn-out obligations to SilverTowne LP related to SilverTowne Mint transaction (see Note 1). On a quarterly basis, we revalue the liability and record increases or decreases in the fair value as an adjustment to earnings. Changes to the contingent consideration liability can result from adjustments to the discount rate, or from changes to the estimates of future throughput activity of AMST, which are considered Level 3 inputs (see Note 3). Consequentially, the assumptions used in estimating fair value require significant judgment. The use of different assumptions and judgments could result in a materially different estimate of fair value. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
For a description of accounting changes and recent accounting standards, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects, if any, on our consolidated financial statements, see Note 2 in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Not applicable to smaller reporting companies.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Board of Directors and Shareholders
A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. (a Delaware corporation) and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of June 30, 2017 and 2016, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2017. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, 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. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. and subsidiaries as of June 30, 2017 and 2016, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2017 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
Irvine, California
September 14, 2017
A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(amounts in thousands, except for share data)
(unaudited)
|
| | | | | | | |
| June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 |
| | | |
ASSETS | | | |
Current assets: | | | |
Cash | $ | 13,059 |
| | $ | 17,142 |
|
Receivables, net | 39,295 |
| | 43,302 |
|
Derivative assets | 17,587 |
| | 33,732 |
|
Secured loans receivable | 91,238 |
| | 70,004 |
|
| | | |
Inventories: | | | |
Inventories | 149,316 |
| | 185,699 |
|
Restricted inventories | 135,343 |
| | 59,358 |
|
| 284,659 |
| | 245,057 |
|
| | | |
Income taxes receivable | — |
| | 7,318 |
|
Income taxes receivable from Former Parent | — |
| | 203 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 1,183 |
| | 1,503 |
|
Total current assets | 447,021 |
| | 418,261 |
|
| | | |
Plant, property and equipment, net | 6,607 |
| | 3,482 |
|
Goodwill | 8,881 |
| | 4,620 |
|
Intangibles, net | 4,065 |
| | 1,987 |
|
Long-term secured loans receivable | — |
| | 500 |
|
Long-term investments | 7,967 |
| | 7,873 |
|
Deferred tax assets - non-current | 3,959 |
| | 424 |
|
Total assets | $ | 478,500 |
| | $ | 437,147 |
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | | |
Current liabilities: | | | |
Lines of credit | $ | 180,000 |
| | $ | 212,000 |
|
Liability on borrowed metals | 5,625 |
| | 4,352 |
|
Product financing arrangements | 135,343 |
| | 59,358 |
|
Accounts payable | 41,947 |
| | 46,769 |
|
Derivative liabilities | 34,582 |
| | 36,454 |
|
Note payable - related party | 500 |
| | — |
|
Accrued liabilities | 4,945 |
| | 7,660 |
|
Income taxes payable | 1,418 |
| | — |
|
Total current liabilities | 404,360 |
| | 366,593 |
|
Deferred tax liabilities - non-current | — |
| | 7,245 |
|
Other long-term liabilities | 1,117 |
| | — |
|
Total liabilities | 405,477 |
| | 373,838 |
|
| | | |
Commitments and contingencies |
| |
|
| | | |
Stockholders’ equity: | | | |
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 10,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding: none as of June 30, 2017 and 2016 | — |
| | — |
|
Common Stock, par value $0.01; 40,000,000 shares authorized; 7,031,450 and 7,021,450 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, respectively | 71 |
| | 71 |
|
Additional paid-in capital | 23,526 |
| | 22,220 |
|
Retained earnings | 45,994 |
| | 41,018 |
|
Total A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. stockholders’ equity | 69,591 |
| | 63,309 |
|
Non-controlling interest | 3,432 |
| | — |
|
Total stockholders’ equity | 73,023 |
| | 63,309 |
|
Total liabilities, non-controlling interest and stockholders’ equity | $ | 478,500 |
| | $ | 437,147 |
|
A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(unaudited)
|
| | | | | | | | | |
Years Ended June 30, | | 2017 | | 2016 | |
Revenues | | $ | 6,989,624 |
| | $ | 6,784,039 |
| |
Cost of sales | | 6,958,290 |
| | 6,749,518 |
| |
Gross profit | | 31,334 |
| | 34,521 |
| |
| | | | | |
Selling, general and administrative expenses | | (23,343 | ) | | (22,233 | ) | |
Interest income | | 12,553 |
| | 8,795 |
| |
Interest expense | | (10,117 | ) | | (6,319 | ) | |
Other income | | 298 |
| | 701 |
| |
Unrealized gain on foreign exchange | | 60 |
| | 99 |
| |
Net income before provision for income taxes | | 10,785 |
| | 15,564 |
| |
Provision for income taxes | | (3,721 | ) | | (6,293 | ) | |
Net income | | 7,064 |
| | 9,271 |
| |
Add: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest | | (22 | ) | | — |
| |
Net income attributable to the Company | | $ | 7,086 |
| | $ | 9,271 |
| |
| | | | | |
Basic and diluted income per share attributable to A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.: | |
Basic | | $ | 1.01 |
| | $ | 1.33 |
| |
Diluted | | $ | 1.00 |
| | $ | 1.30 |
| |
Weighted average shares outstanding: | | | | | |
Basic | | 7,029,400 |
| | 6,981,900 |
| |
Diluted | | 7,121,500 |
| | 7,120,300 |
| |
A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
(in thousands, except for share data)
(unaudited)
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Common Stock (Shares) | | Common Stock | | Additional Paid-in Capital | | Retained Earnings | | Total A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. Stockholders' Equity | | Non-Controlling Interest | | Total Stockholders’ Equity | |
Balance, June 30, 2015 | | 6,973,549 |
| | $ | 70 |
| | $ | 22,470 |
| | $ | 33,422 |
| | $ | 55,962 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 55,962 |
| |
Net income | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 9,271 |
| | 9,271 |
| | — |
| | 9,271 |
| |
Share-based compensation | | — |
| | — |
| | 419 |
| | — |
| | 419 |
| | — |
| | 419 |
| |
Release of restricted stock units | | 86,298 |
| | 1 |
| | — |
| |
|
| | 1 |
| | — |
| | 1 |
| |
Repurchase and retirement of restricted stock units for payroll taxes | | (38,397 | ) | | — |
| | (669 | ) | | — |
| | (669 | ) | | — |
| | (669 | ) | |
Dividends declared | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (1,675 | ) | | (1,675 | ) | | — |
| | (1,675 | ) | |
Balance, June 30, 2016 | | 7,021,450 |
| | $ | 71 |
| | $ | 22,220 |
| | $ | 41,018 |
| | $ | 63,309 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 63,309 |
| |
Net income (loss) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7,086 |
| | 7,086 |
| | (22 | ) | | 7,064 |
| |
Share-based compensation | | — |
| | — |
| | 996 |
| | — |
| | 996 |
| | — |
| | 996 |
| |
Excess tax benefit of share-based award | | — |
| | — |
| | 138 |
| | — |
| | 138 |
| | — |
| | 138 |
| |
Minority interest contribution | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 3,454 |
| | 3,454 |
| |
Stock award grant | | 10,000 |
| | — |
| | 172 |
| | — |
| | 172 |
| | — |
| | 172 |
| |
Dividends declared | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (2,110 | ) | | (2,110 | ) | | — |
| | (2,110 | ) | |
Balance, June 30, 2017 | | 7,031,450 |
| | $ | 71 |
| | $ | 23,526 |
| | $ | 45,994 |
| | $ | 69,591 |
| | $ | 3,432 |
| | $ | 73,023 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(amounts in thousands)
|
| | | | | | | | | |
Years Ended, | | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | |
Cash flows from operating activities: | | | | | |
Net income | | $ | 7,064 |
| | $ | 9,271 |
| |
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: | |
| |
| |
Depreciation and amortization | | 1,521 |
| | 1,216 |
| |
Amortization of loan cost | | 892 |
| | 204 |
| |
Deferred income taxes | | (10,780 | ) | | 6,695 |
| |
Interest added to principal of secured loans | | (68 | ) | | (83 | ) | |
Accrued earn-out | | (198 | ) | | — |
| |
Share-based compensation | | 996 |
| | 419 |
| |
Earnings from equity method investment | | (94 | ) | | (701 | ) | |
Loss on disposal of fixed assets | | 178 |
| | — |
| |
Changes in assets and liabilities: | | | | | |
Receivables | | 4,007 |
| | (13,277 | ) | |
Secured loans | | 8,765 |
| | 4,345 |
| |
Secured loans to Former Parent | | 1,370 |
| | (1,369 | ) | |
Derivative assets | | 16,145 |
| | (22,368 | ) | |
Income tax receivable | | 7,318 |
| | 528 |
| |
Inventories | | (39,602 | ) | | (53,556 | ) | |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | | (572 | ) | | (505 | ) | |
Accounts payable | | (4,822 | ) | | (3,870 | ) | |
Derivative liabilities | | (1,872 | ) | | 18,557 |
| |
Liabilities on borrowed metals | | 1,273 |
| | (5,148 | ) | |
Accrued liabilities | | (2,923 | ) | | 2,594 |
| |
Receivable from/payables to Former Parent | | 203 |
| | 892 |
| |
Income taxes payable | | 1,418 |
| | — |
| |
Net cash used in operating activities | | (9,781 | ) | | (56,156 | ) | |
Cash flows from investing activities: | | | | | |
Capital expenditures for property and equipment | | (2,265 | ) | | (1,466 | ) | |
Purchase of long-term investments | | — |
| | (4,672 | ) | |
Secured loans, net | | (30,801 | ) | | (24,081 | ) | |
Acquisition of majority-owned subsidiary, net of cash | | (3,421 | ) | | — |
| |
Net cash used in investing activities | | (36,487 | ) | | (30,219 | ) | |
Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | |
Product financing arrangements, net | | 75,985 |
| | 19,933 |
| |
Dividends | | (2,110 | ) | | (1,675 | ) | |
(Repayments) borrowings under lines of credit, net | | (32,000 | ) | | 65,000 |
| |
Stock award grant | | 172 |
| | 1 |
| |
Excess tax benefit of share-based award | | 138 |
| | — |
| |
Repurchase and retirement of restricted stock for payroll taxes | | — |
| | (669 | ) | |
Net cash provided by financing activities | | 42,185 |
| | 82,590 |
| |
| | | | | |
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents | | (4,083 | ) | | (3,785 | ) | |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | | 17,142 |
| | 20,927 |
| |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | | $ | 13,059 |
| | $ | 17,142 |
| |
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(amounts in thousands)
|
| | | | | | | | | |
Years Ended, | | June 30, 2017 | | June 30, 2016 | |
( - Continued from preceding page - ) | | | | | |
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: | | | | | |
Cash paid during the period for: | | | | | |
Interest expense | | $ | 9,448 |
| | $ | 6,143 |
| |
Income taxes | | $ | 11,874 |
| | $ | 149 |
| |
| | | | | |
Non-cash investing and financing activities: | | | | | |
Interest added to principal of secured loans | | $ | 68 |
| | $ | 83 |
| |
Contribution of assets from minority interest | | $ | 3,454 |
| | $ | — |
| |
Payable to minority interest partner for acquired business | | $ | 500 |
| | $ | — |
| |
Earn out obligation payable to minority interest partner | | $ | 1,523 | |