UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
DC 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark
one)
☒ ANNUAL
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2021
OR
☐ TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from ___________ to ___________
Commission
file number 001-33169
Creative
Realities, Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Minnesota 41-1967918
State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.
13100 Magisterial Drive , Suite 100 , Louisville KY 40223
Address of principal executive offices Zip Code
(502)
791-8800
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which
registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share CREX The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Warrants to purchase Common Stock CREXW The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports),
and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405
of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company,
or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller
reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated
filer ☒ Smaller reporting company ☒
Emerging growth company ☐
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The
aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates was $ 25,772,393 as of the last business day
of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.
As of March 22, 2022, the registrant had 17,124,986
shares of common stock outstanding.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS; RISK FACTOR SUMMARY
ii
PART
I
ITEM
1
BUSINESS
1
ITEM
1A
RISK
FACTORS
9
ITEM
2
PROPERTIES
23
ITEM
3
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
23
ITEM
4
MINE
SAFETY DISCLOSURES
23
PART
II
ITEM
5
MARKET
FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
24
ITEM
6
[RESERVED]
24
ITEM
7
MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
25
ITEM
7A
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
39
ITEM
8
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
39
ITEM
9
CHANGES
IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
39
ITEM
9A
CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES
40
ITEM
9B
OTHER
INFORMATION
40
ITEM
9C
DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
40
PART
III
ITEM
10
DIRECTORS,
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
41
ITEM
11
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
44
ITEM
12
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
48
ITEM
13
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
50
ITEM
14
PRINCIPAL
ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
51
PART
IV
ITEM
15
EXHIBITS
AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
52
SIGNATURES
53
INDEX
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-1
EXHIBIT
INDEX
E-1
i
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS;
RISK
FACTOR SUMMARY
The
information in this Report contains various forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended. Although we believe that, in making any such statements, our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such statements
may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. When used
in the following discussion, the words “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,”
“plans,” “estimates,” “projects,” should,” “may,” “propose,” and similar
expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions), are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.
We
caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict
and many of which are beyond our control. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this Report occur, or should
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements.
All
forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this Report are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary
note. This cautionary note should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that
we or persons acting on our behalf may issue. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking
statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date
of this Report.
A
summary of the principal risk factors that make investing in our securities risky and might cause our actual results to differ is set
forth below. The following is only a summary of the principal risks that may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition,
results of operations and cash flows. This summary should be read in conjunction with the more complete discussion of the risk factors
we face, which are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this Report.
Risks
Related to our Business and our Industry
● The
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has previously had, and may in the future have, a significant adverse impact on our advertising revenue and
also exposes our business to other risks.
● We
have generally incurred losses, and may never become or remain profitable.
● Our
digital marketing business is evolving in a rapidly changing market, and we cannot ensure
the long-term successful operation of our business or the execution of our business plan.
● Adequate
funds for our operations may not be available, requiring us to raise additional financing
or else curtail our activities significantly.
● We
do not have sufficient capital to engage in material research and development, which may
harm our long-term growth.
● We
are reliant on the continued support of a related party for adequate financing of our operations.
● There
has been, and we expect that there will continue to be, significant consolidation in our
industry. Our failure or inability to lead that consolidation would have a severe adverse
impact on our access to financing, customers, technology, and human resources.
● Our
success depends on our interactive marketing technologies achieving and maintaining widespread
acceptance in our targeted markets.
● Our
financial condition and potential for continued net losses may negatively impact our relationships
with customers, prospective customers and third-party suppliers.
● Because
we do not have long-term purchase commitments from our customers, the failure to obtain anticipated
orders or the deferral or cancellation of commitments could have adverse effects on our business.
● Our continued growth and financial performance could be adversely affected
by the loss of several key customers.
● Most
of our contracts are terminable by our customers with limited notice and without penalty
payments, and early terminations could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating
results and financial condition.
ii
● It
is common for our current and prospective customers to take a long time to evaluate our products,
most especially during economic downturns that affect our customers’ businesses, including
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lengthy and variable sales cycle makes it difficult
to predict our operating results.
● Our
industry is characterized by frequent technological change. If we are unable to adapt our
products and services and develop new products and services to keep up with these rapid changes,
we will not be able to obtain or maintain market share.
● A
portion of our business involves the use of software technology that we have developed or
licensed. Industries involving the ownership and licensing of software-based intellectual
property are characterized by frequent intellectual-property litigation, and we could face
claims of infringement by others in the industry. Such claims are costly and add uncertainty
to our operational results.
● Our
proprietary platform architectures and data tracking technology underlying certain of our
services are complex and may contain unknown errors in design or implementation that could
result in system performance failures or inability to scale.
● Our
business may be adversely affected by malicious applications that interfere with, or exploit
security flaws in, our products and services.
● We
compete with other companies that have more resources, which puts us at a competitive disadvantage.
● Our
future success depends on key personnel and our ability to attract and retain additional
personnel.
● We
are subject to cyber security risks and interruptions or failures in our information technology
systems and will likely need to expend additional resources to enhance our protection from
such risks. Notwithstanding our efforts, a cyber incident could occur and result in information
theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
● Our
reliance on information management and transaction systems to operate our business exposes
us to cyber incidents and hacking of our sensitive information if our outsourced service
provider experiences a security breach.
● Because
our technology, products, platform, and services are complex and are deployed in and across
complex environments, they may have errors or defects that could seriously harm our business.
● We
may have insufficient network or server capacity, which could result in interruptions in
our services and loss of revenues.
● Our
business operations are susceptible to interruptions caused by events beyond our control.
● The
markets in which we operate are rapidly emerging, and we may be unable to compete successfully
against existing or future competitors to our business.
● Our
Safe Space Solutions products may no longer be marketable.
Risks
Related to our Acquisition of Reflect Systems, Inc. (“Reflect”)
● The
loss of the services of certain key management personnel at Reflect could impair our ability
to execute our business strategy and as a result, reduce our sales and profitability.
● We
may be unable to successfully integrate Reflect with our business, which could cause our
business to suffer.
● We
may not realize the growth opportunities that are anticipated from our acquisition of Reflect.
● The
acquisition of Reflect may fail to achieve beneficial synergies.
● The
assumption of unknown liabilities in the Reflect acquisition may harm our financial condition
and results of operations.
● We
have incurred and will continue to incur significant transaction and integration costs in
connection with the acquisition of Reflect.
iii
Risks
Related to our Securities and our Company
● The variable sales cycle of some of the combined company’s products
will likely make it difficult to predict operating results.
● Our
largest shareholder possesses controlling voting power with respect to our common stock,
which will limit your influence on corporate matters.
● Our
Articles of Incorporation grant our Board of Directors the power to issue additional shares
of common and preferred stock and to designate other classes of preferred stock, all without
shareholder approval.
● We
do not intend to pay dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future.
● We
do not have significant tangible assets that could be sold upon liquidation.
● We
can provide no assurance that our securities will continue to meet Nasdaq listing requirements.
If we fail to comply with the continuing listing standards of the Nasdaq, our securities
could be delisted.
General
Risk Factors
● Unpredictability
in financing markets could impair our ability to grow our business through acquisitions.
● Because
of our limited resources, we may not have in place various processes and protections common
to more mature companies and may be more susceptible to adverse events.
● General
global market and economic conditions may have an adverse impact on our operating performance
and results of operations.
● Significant
issuances of our common stock, or the perception that significant issuances may occur in
the future, could adversely affect the market price for our common stock.
● There
may not be an active market for shares of our common stock.
iv
PART
I
ITEM 1 BUSINESS
(All
currency is rounded to the nearest thousand, except share and per share amounts.)
Our
Company
Creative Realities, Inc. (“Creative Realities”,
or the “Company”) provides digital solutions to enhance communications in a wide-ranging variety of out-of-home environments
by providing innovative digital signage solutions for key market segments and use cases, including:
● Retail
● Entertainment and Sports Venues
● Restaurants, including quick-serve restaurants (“QSR”)
● Convenience Stores
● Financial Services
● Automotive
● Medical and Healthcare Facilities
● Mixed Use Developments
● Corporate Communications, Employee Experience
● Digital out of Home (DOOH) Advertising Networks
We serve market-leading companies, so there is
a good chance that if you leave your home today to shop, work, eat or play, you will encounter one or more of our digital signage experiences.
Our solutions are increasingly visible because we help our enterprise clients achieve a wide range of business objectives including:
● Increased brand awareness/engagement
● Improved customer support
● Enhanced employee productivity and satisfaction
● Increased revenue and profitability
● Improved guest experience
● Increased customer/guest engagement
● Improved patient outcomes
Through a combination of organically grown platforms
and a series of strategic acquisitions, including our recent acquisition of Reflect Systems, Inc. in February 2022, the Company assists
clients to design, deploy, manage, and monetize their digital signage networks. The Company sources leads and opportunities for its solutions
through its digital and content marketing initiatives, close relationships with key industry partners, equipment manufacturers, and the
direct efforts of its in-house industry sales experts. Client engagements focus on consultative conversations that ensure the Company’s
solutions are positioned to help clients achieve their business objectives in the most cost-effective manner possible.
1
When comparing Creative Realities to other digital
signage competitors, our customers value the following competitive advantages:
●
Breadth of solutions – Creative Realities offers true solutions to our clients. Creative Realities is one of only a few companies in the industry capable of providing the full portfolio of products and services required to implement and run an effective digital signage network. We leverage a ‘single vendor’ approach, providing clients with a one-stop-shop for sourcing digital signage solutions from design through day two services.
●
Managed labor pool – Unlike most companies in our industry, we have a curated labor pool including thousands of qualified and vetted field technicians available to service clients quickly nationwide. We can meet tight schedules even in exceptionally large deployments and still ensure quality and consistency.
●
In-house creative resources – We assist clients in creating new content or repurposing existing content for digital signage experiences, an activity for which the Company has won several design awards in recent years. In each instance, our services can be essential in helping clients develop an effective content program.
●
Network scalability and reliability – Our software as a service (“SaaS”) content management platforms power some of the largest and most complex digital signage networks in North America evidencing our ability to manage enterprise scale projects. This also provides us purchasing power to source products and services for our customers, enabling us to deliver cost effective, reliable and powerful solutions to small and medium size business clients.
●
Ad management platform – Our customers are increasingly interested in monetizing their digital signage networks through advertising content. However, efficiently scheduling advertising content into digital signage playlists to meet campaign objectives can be a challenging and labor-intensive process. AdLogic, our home-grown, content management-agnostic platform, automates this process, allowing network owners to capture more revenue with less expense.
●
Media sales – Few, if any other digital signage solution providers, can offer their clients media sales as a service. We have in-house media sales expertise to elevate conversations with our clients interested in better understanding network monetization. We believe this meaningful differentiation in the sales process provides an additional revenue stream to Creative Realities compared to our competitors.
●
Market sector expertise – Creative Realities has in-house experts in key market segments such as automotive, retail, quick-serve restaurants (QSR), convenience stores, and Digital Out of Home (DOOH) advertising. Our expertise in these business segments enables our teams to provide meaningful business conversations and offer tailored solutions with prospects and customers to their unique business objectives. These experts build industry relationship and create thought leadership that drives lead flow and new opportunities for our business.
●
Logistics – Implementing a large digital signage project can be a logistics nightmare that can stall an initiative even before deployment. Our expertise in logistics improves deployment efficiency, reduces delays and problems, and saves customers time and money.
●
Technical support – Digital signage networks present unique challenges for corporate IT departments. Creative Realities helps simplify and improve end user support by leveraging our own Network Operations Center (“NOC”) in Louisville Kentucky. The NOC resolves many issues remotely and when field support is required, it can be dispatched quickly from the NOC, leveraging our managed labor pool to resolve customer issues quickly and effectively.
●
Integrations and Application Development – The future of digital signage is not still images and videos on a screen. Interactive applications and integrations with other data sources will dominate the future. From social media feeds, mobile integrations, corporate data stores, or Point of Sale (“POS”) systems, our proven ability to build scalable applications and integrations is a key advantage clients can leverage to deliver more compelling and engaging experiences for their customers.
●
Hardware support – A number of digital signage providers sell a proprietary media player or align themselves with just one operating system. We utilize a range of media players including Windows, Android and BrightSign to provide clients the flexibility they need to select the appropriate hardware for any application knowing the entire network can still be served by a single digital signage platform, reducing complexity and improving the productivity of their teams.
2
The three primary sources of revenue for the company are:
● Hardware sales from reselling digital signage hardware from
original equipment manufacturers such as Samsung and BrightSign.
● Services revenue from helping customers design, deploy and
manage their digital signage network, including:
o Hardware system design/engineering
o Hardware installation
o Content development
o Content scheduling
o Post-deployment network and field support
o Media sales, as a result of our acquisition of Reflect
● Recurring subscription licensing and support revenue from
our digital signage software platforms, which are generally sold via a SaaS model. These include:
o ReflectView , the Company’s core digital signage
platform for most applications, scalable and cost effective from 10 to 100,000+ devices
o Reflect Xperience , a web-based interface that allows
customers to give content scheduling access to local users via the web or mobile devices, while still maintaining centralized programming
control
o Reflect AdLogic , the Company’s ad management
platform for digital signage networks, which presently delivers approximately 50 million ads daily
o Reflect Clarity , the Company’s menu board solution,
which has become a market leader for a range of restaurant and convenience store applications
o Reflect Zero Touch , which allows customers to turn
any screen into an interactive experience by allowing guests to engage using their mobile device
o iShowroomProX , an omni-channel digital sales support
platform targeted at original equipment manufacturers in the transportation sector, which integrates with dozens of key data services
including dealer inventory at the VIN level
o OSx+ , a digital VIN-level checklist used to assist
in the tracking and delivery of new vehicles in the transportation sector, providing measurable lift in customer satisfaction scores and
connected vehicle enrollments and subscription activations.
3
While hardware sales and support services revenues
can fluctuate more significantly year over year based on new, large-scale network deployments, the Company expects to see continuous growth
in recurring SaaS revenue for the foreseeable future as digital signage adoption/utilization continues to expand across the vertical markets
we serve.
We believe that the adoption and evolution of our
digital signage technology solutions will increase substantially in years to come in the industries in which we currently focus and in
others; however it has been delayed in recent years. First, our current and potential customer base reduced capital expenditures as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including capital expenditures that would be used to implement digital technology solutions. The costs
of hardware configurations and software media players used to process and display content have also increased recently. Throughout 2021,
we faced significant supply chain challenges which limited the availability of each of these components to our sold solutions and expect
the availability of those products to continue to face supply constraints at least through the first half of 2022. Nevertheless, we believe
that the costs of such hardware will decrease over time as it has done so historically, and will do so at an accelerating rate. Flat panel
displays and players typically constitute a large portion of the expenditure customers make relative to the entire cost of implementing
a digital marketing system implementation and can be a barrier to customer deployment. As a result, we believe that the broader adoption
of digital marketing technology solutions is likely to increase, although we cannot predict the rate at which such adoption will occur.
Another
key component of our business strategy, given the evolving dynamics of the industry in which we operate, is to acquire and integrate
other operating companies in the industry in conjunction with pursuing our organic growth objectives. We believe that the selective acquisition
and successful integration of certain companies will: accelerate our growth in targeted vertical and operating markets; enable us to
cost-effectively aggregate multiple customer bases onto a single business and technology platform; provide us with greater operating
scale on a consolidated basis; enable us to leverage a common set of processes and tools, and cost efficiencies company-wide; and ultimately
result in higher operating profitability and cash flow from operations. Our management team evaluates acquisition opportunities on an
ongoing basis. Our management team and Board of Directors have broad experience with the execution, integration, and financing of acquisitions.
We believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected our smaller competitors, and as a result, there may exist acquisition opportunities
in the future. We also believe that, based on the foregoing, we can successfully serve as a consolidator of multiple business and technology
platforms serving similar markets.
As
part of our acquisition strategy, we acquired Allure in 2018, and in February 2022, we consummated our acquisition of Reflect.
Acquisition of Reflect
On November 12, 2021, the Company and Reflect Systems,
Inc., or “Reflect,” entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as amended on February 8, 2022, the “Merger Agreement”)
pursuant to which a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Creative Realities, CRI Acquisition Corporation, or “Merger Sub”, merged
with and into Reflect, with Reflect surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Creative Realities, , which transaction is referred to herein
as the “Merger.” On February 17, 2022, the parties consummated the Merger.
Reflect provides digital
signage solutions, including software, strategic and media services to a wide range of companies across the retail, financial, hospitality
and entertainment, healthcare, and employee communications industries in North America. Reflect offers digital signage platforms, including
ReflectView, a platform used by companies to power hundreds of thousands of active digital displays. Through its strategic services, Reflect
assists its customers with designing, deploying and optimizing their digital signage networks, and through its media services, Reflect
assists customers with monetizing their digital advertising networks.
4
Subject to the terms and
conditions of the Merger Agreement, upon the closing of the Merger, Reflect stockholders as of the effective time of the Merger collectively
received from the Company, in the aggregate, the following Merger consideration: (i) $16,166 payable in cash, (ii) 2,333,334 shares of
common stock of Creative Realities (valued based on an issuance price of $2 per share) (the “CREX Shares”), (iii) the Secured
Promissory Note (as described below), and (iv) supplemental cash payments (the “Guaranteed Consideration”), if any, payable
on or after the three-year anniversary of the effective time of the Merger (subject to the Extension Option described below, the “Guarantee
Date”), in an amount by which the value of the CREX Shares on such anniversary is less than $6.40 per share, or if certain customers
of Reflect collectively achieve over 85,000 billable devices online at any time on or before December 31, 2022, is less than $7.20 per
share (such applicable amount, the “Guaranteed Price”), multiplied by the amount of CREX Shares held by the Reflect stockholders
on the Guarantee Date (subject to the Extension Option described below), subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement.
Creative Realities may exercise an extension option
(the “Extension Option”) to extend the Guarantee Date from the three-year anniversary of the Closing Date to six (6) months
thereafter if (i) the Extension Threshold Price is greater than or equal to 70% of the Guaranteed Price described above, and (ii) Creative
Realities provides written notice of its election to exercise the Extension Option at least ten (10) days prior to the three-year anniversary
of the Closing. The “Extension Threshold Price” means the average closing price per share of Creative Realities Shares as
reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market (or NYSE) in the fifteen (15) consecutive trading day period ending fifteen (15) days prior to the
three-year anniversary of the Closing Date. If the Extension Threshold Price is less than 80% of the Guaranteed Price, then the Guaranteed
Price will be increased by $1.00 per share.
5
Business
Strategy
We believe that our existing business model is
highly scalable and can be expanded successfully as we continue to grow organically and integrate operations with Reflect as a result
of the Merger, acquire and integrate other companies in our target markets, strengthen our operational practices and procedures, further
streamline our administrative office functions, and continue to capitalize on various marketing programs and activities.
Industry
Background
We believe certain digital marketing technology
industry trends are creating the opportunity for retailers, brands, venue-operators, enterprises, non-profits and other organizations
to create innovative shopping, marketing, and informational experiences for their customers and other stakeholders in various venues worldwide.
These trends include: (i) the expectations of technology-savvy consumers; (ii) addressing on-line competitors by improving physical experiences;
(iii) a decline in the cost of hardware configurations (primarily flat panel displays) and software media players; (iv) the continued
evolution of mobile, social, software and hardware technologies, applications and tools; (v) increasing sophistication of social networking
platforms; (vi) increasingly complex customer requirements related to their specific digital marketing technology and solution objectives;
and (vii) customers challenging service providers with the delivery of a satisfactory consumer experience with the traditional pressure
on reducing installation and ongoing operating costs.
As
a result, a growing number of retailers, brands, venue-operators and other organizations have identified the need and opportunity to
implement increasingly cost-effective and “sales-lifting” digital marketing, and interactive experiences to market to their
customers. These experiences include creating unique and customized experiences for targeted, timely offerings and relevant promotions;
improving engagement resulting in increased sales; and increasing shopping basket size. We believe our clients consider capitalizing
on these industry trends to be increasingly critical to any successful “store of the future” retail and brand sales environment,
especially where sales staff turnover is high, training outcomes are inconsistent and product knowledge is low.
6
Companies are implementing various digital marketing
technology solutions, which: are implemented in multiple forms and types of configurations and locations; attempt to achieve any of a
broad range of individual or combination of objectives; contain various levels of targeting; have the ability to instantly manage single
or multiple locations remotely from a customer’s desktop or other connected device at each location; and are built to deliver or
contain a standard or customized customer experience unique to and within the customer’s environment. Examples of such solutions
include:
●
Digital
Merchandising Systems, which aim to inform and interact with customers through various types of content in an integrated experience,
improve in-store customer experiences and increase overall sales, upsells, and/or cross-sales;
●
Digital
Sales Assistants, which aim to replace or augment existing sales resources and the level of interactive and informational sales assistance
inside the store;
●
Digital
Way-Finders, which aim to help customers navigate their way around individual retail stores and multi-store locations or venues,
or within individual brand categories;
●
Digital
Kiosks, which aim to provide data, specialized and customized broadcasts, promotional information and coupons, train, and other forms
of information and interaction with customers in a variety of deployment forms, types, configurations and experiences;
●
Digital
Menu-Board Systems, which aim to enable various types of restaurant operators the ability to remotely and on a scheduled basis, update
and modify menu information, promotions, and other forms of content dynamically;
●
Dynamic
Digital Signage, including Advertising Networks, which aim to deliver and manage in-store marketing and advertising campaigns, specialized
and customized broadcasts, and various other forms of messaging targeting customers in a particular experience or environment.
Our
Markets
We
currently market and sell our marketing technology solutions through our direct sales force, inside sales team, and word-of-mouth referrals
from existing customers. Select strategic partnerships and lead generation programs also drive business to the Company through targeted
business development initiatives. We market to companies that seek digital marketing solutions across multiple connected devices and
who specifically seek or could benefit from enhancements to the customer experience offered in their stores, venues, brands or organizations.
In addition to our direct sales force, we market our Safe Space Solutions suite of products through a network of distribution and reseller
partners through which we have expanded our market presence and reach. Distributors operate on either a consignment or direct drop ship
approach and no revenue is recognized until a sale is made and product is delivered.
Our
digital marketing technology solutions have application in a wide variety of industries. The industries in which we sell our solutions
are established and include automotive, apparel & accessories, banking, baby/children, beauty, CPG, department stores, digital out-of-home
(“DOOH”), electronics, fashion, fitness, foodservice/quick service restaurant (“QSR”), financial services, gaming,
luxury, mass merchants, mobile operators, and pharmacy retail; however, the planning, development, implementation and maintenance of
technology-enabled experiences involving combinations of digital marketing technologies are relatively new and evolving. Moreover,
a number of participants in these industries have only recently started considering or expanding the adoption of these types of technologies,
solutions and experiences as part of their overall marketing strategies.
Seasonality
A
portion of our customer activity is influenced by seasonal effects related to traditional end of calendar year peak retail sales periods,
traditional spring stadium/venue opening seasons, and certain other factors that arise from our target customer base. Nevertheless, our
revenues can be materially affected by the launch of new markets, the timing of production rollouts, and other factors, any of which
have the ability to reduce or outweigh certain seasonal effects.
Effect
of General Economic Conditions on our Business
We believe that demand for our services will increase
in the future in part because of new construction and remodeling activities of pre-existing retail, convenience store, stadium and event
venues. While we do see reductions in retail footprints across the U.S., we see a continued focus on integration of digital into the retail
marketplace and a focus on digital refreshes within the retail space to stay relevant in an evolving e-commerce marketplace. Recent general
economic improvements generally make it easier for our customers to justify decisions to invest in digital marketing technology solutions.
A change in the macroeconomic trend in the U.S. could have a negative impact on our customers’ ability and/or willingness to advance
their digital initiatives.
7
Effect of Supply Chain Constraints
A key component of our business includes the sale
of digital media players and digital displays supplied by third parties, each of which require semiconductors to complete the manufacturing
process. Throughout 2021, we experienced disruptions and delays related to fulfillment of inventory purchases from vendors, which represent
the key components to our digital signage solutions, because of a global shortage of semiconductor chips. In instances in which inventory
was available, we experienced delays in transportation of these goods from manufacturers to the Company, and in delivery of our solutions
to our customers. We expect the availability of these products to continue to face supply constraints at least through the first half
of 2022.
Regulation
We
are subject to regulation by various federal and state governmental agencies. Such regulation includes radio frequency emission regulatory
activities of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the consumer protection laws of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, product
safety regulatory activities of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and environmental regulation in areas in which we conduct
business. Some of the hardware components that we supply to customers may contain hazardous or regulated substances, such as lead. A
number of U.S. states have adopted or are considering “takeback” bills addressing the disposal of electronic waste, including
CRT style and flat panel monitors and computers. Electronic waste legislation is developing. Some of the bills passed or under consideration
may impose on us, or on our customers or suppliers, requirements for disposal of systems we sell and the payment of additional fees to
pay costs of disposal and recycling. Presently, we do not believe that any such legislation or proposed legislation will have a materially
adverse impact on our business.
Competition
While we believe there is presently no direct competitor
with the comprehensive offering of technologies, solutions and services we provide to our customers, there are multiple individual competitors
who offer pieces of our solutions. These include digital signage software companies such as Stratacache and Four Winds Interactive; marketing
services companies such as Sapient Nitro or digital signage systems integrators such as SageNet. Some of these competitors may have significantly
greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do and may be able to respond more rapidly than we can to new or emerging
technologies or changes in customer requirements. We believe that our holistic sales and business development capabilities, network operations
/ field service management capabilities, our comprehensive offering of digital signage technology and solutions, brand awareness, and
proprietary processes are the primary factors providing our competitive advantage.
Major
Customers
We
had two (2) customers that accounted for 41.1% and 27.8% of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
We had two (2) customers that in the aggregate
accounted for 56.6% and 42.6% of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.
Decisions
by one or more of these key customers to not renew, terminate or substantially reduce their use of our products, technology, services,
and platform could substantially slow our revenue growth and lead to a decline in revenue. Our business plan assumes continued growth
in revenue, and it is unlikely that we will become profitable without a continued increase in revenue.
Territories
We
sell products and services primarily throughout North America, with limited software licensing agreements operating in other international
jurisdictions.
Human
Capital
We have a workforce comprised of approximately
105 employees as of March 22, 2022, which represents a 40% year-over-year increase in employee headcount, driven primarily by our acquisition
of Reflect in February 2022, which is further discussed in Recent Developments in Item 7 of this Annual Report. We do not have
any employees that operate under collective-bargaining agreements.
Our principal offices are located at 13100 Magisterial
Drive, Ste 100, Louisville, Kentucky 40223, and our telephone number at that office is (502) 791-8800. We have additional offices in the
Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, and Windsor, Ontario (Canada) metro areas.
Corporate Organization
We originally incorporated and organized as a Minnesota
corporation under the name “Wireless Ronin Technologies, Inc.” in March 2003 and focused on our expertise in digital media
marketing solutions, including digital signage, interactive kiosks, mobile, social media and web-based media solutions. We acquired the
interactive marketing technology business that we currently operate in a 2014 merger with Creative Realities, LLC. Shortly after that
merger, we changed our corporate name from “Wireless Ronin Technologies, Inc.” to “Creative Realities, Inc.” On
October 15, 2015, we acquired the systems integration and marketing technology business of ConeXus World Global, LLC. On November 20,
2018, we acquired Allure, an enterprise software development company. On February 17, 2022, we acquired Reflect pursuant to the Merger.
8
ITEM 1 A RISK FACTORS
Our
business involves a high degree of risk. In evaluating our business, you should carefully consider the specific risks described below,
and any risks described in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Any of the risks we describe below could cause our business, financial condition, results of
operations or future prospects to be materially adversely affected. In addition, some of the following statements are forward-looking
statements.
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND OUR INDUSTRY
The
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had, and may in the future have, a significant adverse impact on our advertising revenue and also exposes
our business to other risks.
The
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in authorities implementing numerous preventative measures to contain or mitigate the outbreak
of the virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, limitations on business activity, quarantines, and shelter-in-place orders. These
measures have caused, and are continuing to cause, business slowdowns or shutdowns in certain affected areas, both regionally and worldwide,
which have significantly adversely impacted our business and results of operations.
For example, for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, our revenue
was $18,437 and $17,457, representing a reduction of 42% and 45% as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 revenue, respectively.
The Company’s four-year average revenue growth rate was 29.1% from 2015 to 2019, and 2020 represented the first revenue reduction
for the Company since the merger with ConeXus World Global, LLC in October 2015. This reduction was driven by a combination of factors,
including, but not limited to, a decrease in revenues generated from (1) installation services following a significant increase in suspended,
delayed, and cancelled customer projects, initiatives, and capital expenditures as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) management
services related to contracts with customers which were partially or permanently closed during the year(s), and (3) reductions in new
customer acquisition, each of which were directly attributable, either in whole or in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we grew revenue
5.6% in 2021, this growth rate is below our historic average.
While
we have seen improved revenue generation and customer activity in the second half of 2020 and in 2021, there can be no assurance that
it will not decrease again as a result of the effects of the pandemic. In addition, we believe that the pandemic has contributed to an
acceleration in the shift of commerce from offline to online, potentially altering customer demand for our products and services as our
customers evaluate the most effective approach to capture consumer demand.
The
demand for and pricing of our services may be materially and adversely impacted by the pandemic for the foreseeable future, and we are
unable to predict the duration or degree of such impact with any certainty. In addition to the impact on our installation and managed
services business, the pandemic exposes our business, operations, and workforce to a variety of other risks, including:
●
delays
in product development or releases, or reductions in manufacturing production and sales of consumer hardware, as a result of inventory
shortages, supply chain or labor shortages;
●
significant
volatility and disruption of global financial markets, which could negatively impact our ability to access capital in the future;
●
our
inability to recognize revenue, collect payment, or generate future revenue from customers, including from those that have been or
may be forced to close their businesses or are otherwise impacted by the economic downturn;
●
negative
impact on our workforce productivity, product development, and research and development due to difficulties resulting from our personnel
working remotely;
●
illnesses
to key employees, or a significant portion of our workforce, which may result in inefficiencies, delays, and disruptions in our business;
and
●
increased
volatility and uncertainty in the financial projections we use as the basis for estimates used in our financial statements.
9
Any
of these developments may adversely affect our business, harm our reputation, or result in legal or regulatory actions against us. The
persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the preventative measures implemented to help limit the spread of the illness, have impacted,
and will continue to impact, our ability to operate our business and may materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition,
and results of operations.
We
have generally incurred losses, and may never become or remain profitable.
We
have incurred historical net losses, and we have had negative cash flows from operations. While we have been able to achieve profitability
in 2021, it is uncertain whether we will be able to sustain or increase our profitability in successive periods.
We
have formulated our business plans and strategies based on certain assumptions regarding the acceptance of our business model and the
marketing of our products and services. Nevertheless, our assessments regarding market size, market share, market acceptance of our products
and services and a variety of other factors may prove incorrect. Our future success will depend upon many factors, including factors
beyond our control and those that cannot be predicted at this time. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has also caused a significant increase
in suspended, delayed, and cancelled customer projects, initiatives, and capital expenditures, and it is not known when these opportunities
will be revived for the Company, if at all.
Our
digital marketing business is evolving in a rapidly changing market, and we cannot ensure the long-term successful operation of our business
or the execution of our business plan.
Our
digital marketing technology and solutions are an evolving business offering and the markets in which we compete are rapidly changing
and the evolution has slowed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, our prospects must be considered in light of the risks,
expenses and difficulties frequently encountered by growing companies in new and rapidly evolving markets. We may be unable to accomplish
any of the following, which would materially impact our ability to implement our business plan:
●
establishing
and maintaining broad market acceptance of our technology, solutions, services, and platforms, and converting that acceptance into
direct and indirect sources of revenue;
●
establishing
and maintaining adoption of our technology, solutions, services, and platforms in and on a variety of environments, experiences,
and device types;
●
timely
and successfully developing new technology, solution, service, and platform features, and increasing the functionality and features
of our existing technology, solution, service, and platform offerings;
●
developing
technology, solutions, services, and platforms that result in a high degree of customer satisfaction and a high level of end-customer
usage;
●
successfully
responding to competition, including competition from emerging technologies and solutions;
●
developing
and maintaining strategic relationships to enhance the distribution, features, content and utility of our technology, solutions,
services, and platforms;
●
identifying,
attracting and retaining talented engineering, network operations, program management, technical services, creative services, and
other personnel at reasonable market compensation rates in the markets in which we employ such personnel; and
●
integration
of acquisitions.
Our
business strategy may be unsuccessful and we may be unable to address the risks we face in a cost-effective manner, if at all. If we
are unable to successfully accomplish these tasks, our business will be harmed.
10
Adequate
funds for our operations may not be available, requiring us to raise additional financing or else curtail our activities significantly.
During February of 2022, the Company completed a Debt Financing and
Equity Financing (as further described in this Annual Report), which resulted in gross proceeds to the Company, prior to deducting placement
agent and other offering fees, of approximately $20,000.
The net proceeds from the forgoing financings were
used to pay the cash portion of the merger consideration payable to former stockholders of Reflect in connection with our acquisition
of Reflect in February 2022. As a result, we may be required to raise additional funding through public or private financings, including
equity financings, through 2022 and beyond. We have an “at-the-market” offering in place, pursuant to which we may direct
Roth Capital Partners, our sale agent, to sell shares of our common stock to investors in the market, subject to the terms and conditions
of a sales agreement. These sales are dilutive to shareholders. Any additional equity financings may also be dilutive to shareholders
and may be completed at a discount to the then-current market price of our securities. Debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive
covenants on our operations or pertaining to future financing arrangements. Nevertheless, we may not successfully complete any future
equity or debt financing. Adequate funds for our operations, whether from financial markets, collaborative or other arrangements, may
not be available when needed or on terms attractive to us. If adequate funds are not available, our plans to operate our business may
be adversely affected and we could be required to curtail our activities significantly and/or cease operating.
We
do not have sufficient capital to engage in material research and development, which may harm our long-term growth.
In
light of our limited resources in general, we have limited material investments in research and development over the past several years.
This conserves capital in the short term. In the long term, as a result of our failure to invest in research and development, our technology
and product offerings may not keep pace with the market, and we may lose any current existing competitive advantage. Over the long term,
this may harm our revenues growth and our ability to become profitable.
11
We
are reliant on the continued support of a related party for adequate financing of our operations.
As of March 22, 2022, our largest shareholder and investor, Slipstream
Communications LLC (“Slipstream”) is the holder of 87% of our outstanding debt instruments, including two term loans, and
has beneficial ownership of approximately 47.57% of our common stock (on an as-converted, fully diluted basis including conversion of
outstanding warrants, and assuming no other convertible securities, options and warrants are converted or exercised by other parties).
Slipstream has also provided us with a continued support letter through March 31, 2023. If we are unable to extend the maturity or replace
our existing financing agreements in the future, our plans to operate our business may be adversely affected and we could be required
to curtail our activities significantly and/or cease operating.
There
has been, and we expect that there will continue to be, significant consolidation in our industry. Our failure or inability to lead that
consolidation would have a severe adverse impact on our access to financing, customers, technology, and human resources.
Our
industry is currently composed of a large number of relatively small businesses, no single one of which is dominant or which provides
integrated solutions and product offerings incorporating much of the available technology. Accordingly, we believe that substantial consolidation
may occur in our industry in the near future. We believe that our prior acquisitions of Allure and Reflect illustrate acquisition opportunities
that exist in our industry. If we do not play a positive role in that consolidation, either as a leader or as a participant whose capability
is merged in a larger entity, we may be left out of this process, with product offerings of limited value compared with those of our
competitors. Moreover, even if we lead the consolidation process, the market may not validate the decisions we make in that process.
Our
success depends on our interactive marketing technologies achieving and maintaining widespread acceptance in our targeted markets.
Our
success will depend to a large extent on broad market acceptance of our interactive marketing technologies among our current and prospective
customers. Our prospective customers may still not use our solutions for a number of other reasons, including preference for static advertising,
lack of familiarity with our technology, preference for competing technologies or perceived lack of reliability. We believe that the
acceptance of our interactive marketing technologies by prospective customers will depend primarily on the following factors:
●
our
ability to demonstrate the economic and other benefits attendant to our interactive marketing technologies;
●
our
customers becoming comfortable with using our interactive marketing technologies; and
●
the
reliability of our interactive marketing technologies.
Our
interactive technologies are complex and must meet stringent user requirements. Some undetected errors or defects may only become apparent
as new functions are added to our technologies and products. The need to repair or replace products with design or manufacturing defects
could temporarily delay the sale of new products and adversely affect our reputation. Delays, costs and damage to our reputation due
to product defects could harm our business.
Our
financial condition and potential for continued net losses may negatively impact our relationships with customers, prospective customers
and third-party suppliers.
Our
financial condition and potential for continued net losses may cause current and prospective customers to defer placing orders with us,
to require terms that are less favorable to us, or to place their orders with our competitors, which could adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations. On the same basis, third-party suppliers may refuse to do business with us, or may do
so only on terms that are unfavorable to us, which also could cause our expenses to increase.
12
Because
we do not have long-term purchase commitments from our customers, the failure to obtain anticipated orders or the deferral or cancellation
of commitments could have adverse effects on our business.
Our
business is characterized by short-term purchase orders and contracts that do not require that purchases be made by our customers. This
makes forecasting our sales difficult. The failure to obtain anticipated orders and deferrals or cancellations of purchase commitments
because of changes in customer requirements, or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition
and results of operations. We have experienced such challenges in the past and may experience such challenges in the future.
Our
continued growth and financial performance could be adversely affected by the loss of several key customers.
We
had two (2) customers that accounted for 41.1% and 27.8% of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Decisions
by one or more of these key customers to not renew, terminate or substantially reduce their use of our products, technology, services,
and platform could substantially slow our revenue growth and lead to a decline in revenue. Our business plan assumes continued growth
in revenue, and it is unlikely that we will become profitable without a continued increase in revenue.
Most
of our contracts are terminable by our customers with limited notice and without penalty payments, and early terminations could have
a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
Most
of our contracts are terminable by our customers following limited notice and without early termination payments or liquidated damages
due from them. In addition, each stage of a project often represents a separate contractual commitment, at the end of which the customers
may elect to delay or not to proceed to the next stage of the project. We cannot assure you that one or more of our customers will not
terminate a material contract or materially reduce the scope of a large project. The delay, cancellation or significant reduction in
the scope of a large project or a number of projects could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial
condition.
It
is common for our current and prospective customers to take a long time to evaluate our products, most especially during economic downturns
that affect our customers’ businesses, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lengthy and variable sales cycle makes
it difficult to predict our operating results.
It
is difficult for us to forecast the timing and recognition of revenue from sales of our products and services because our actual and
prospective customers often take significant time to evaluate our products before committing to a purchase. Even after making their first
purchases of our products and services, existing customers may not make significant purchases of those products and services for a long
period of time following their initial purchases, if at all. The period between initial customer contact and a purchase by a customer
may be years with potentially an even longer period separating initial purchases and any significant purchases thereafter. During the
evaluation period, prospective customers may decide not to purchase or may scale down proposed orders of our products for various reasons,
including:
●
reduced
need to upgrade existing visual marketing systems;
●
introduction
of products by our competitors;
●
lower
prices offered by our competitors; and
●
changes
in budgets and purchasing priorities.
Our
prospective customers routinely require education regarding the use and benefit of our products. This may also lead to delays in receiving
customers’ orders.
13
Our
industry is characterized by frequent technological change. If we are unable to adapt our products and services and develop new products
and services to keep up with these rapid changes, we will not be able to obtain or maintain market share.
The
market for our products and services is characterized by rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards, changes in customer
needs, heavy competition and frequent new product and service introductions. If we fail to develop new products and services or modify
or improve existing products and services in response to these changes in technology, customer demands or industry standards, our products
and services could become less competitive or obsolete.
We
must respond to changing technology and industry standards in a timely and cost-effective manner. We may not be successful in using new
technologies, developing new products and services or enhancing existing products and services in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Furthermore, even if we successfully adapt our products and services, these new technologies or enhancements may not achieve market acceptance.
A
portion of our business involves the use of software technology that we have developed or licensed. Industries involving the ownership
and licensing of software-based intellectual property are characterized by frequent intellectual-property litigation, and we could face
claims of infringement by others in the industry. Such claims are costly and add uncertainty to our operational results.
A
portion of our business involves our ownership and licensing of software. This market space is characterized by frequent intellectual
property claims and litigation. We could be subject to claims of infringement of third-party intellectual-property rights resulting in
significant expense and the potential loss of our own intellectual property rights. From time to time, third parties may assert copyright,
trademark, patent or other intellectual property rights to technologies that are important to our business. Any litigation to determine
the validity of these claims, including claims arising through our contractual indemnification of our business partners, regardless of
their merit or resolution, would likely be costly and time consuming and divert the efforts and attention of our management and technical
personnel. If any such litigation resulted in an adverse ruling, we could be required to:
●
pay
substantial damages;
●
cease
the development, use, licensing or sale of infringing products;
●
discontinue
the use of certain technology; or
●
obtain
a license under the intellectual property rights of the third party claiming infringement, which license may not be available on
reasonable terms or at all.
Our
proprietary platform architectures and data tracking technology underlying certain of our services are complex and may contain unknown
errors in design or implementation that could result in system performance failures or inability to scale.
The
platform architecture, data tracking technology and integration layers underlying our proprietary platforms, our contract administration,
procurement, timekeeping, content and network management, network services, device management, virtualized services, software automation
and other tools, and back-end services are complex and include specially developed software and code. This software and code are developed
internally, licensed from third parties, or integrated by in-house personnel and third parties. Any of the system architecture, system
administration, integration layers, software or code may contain errors, or may be implemented or interpreted incorrectly, particularly
when they are first introduced or when new versions or enhancements to our tools and services are released. Consequently, our systems
could experience performance failure, or we may be unable to scale our systems, which may:
●
adversely
impact our relationship with customers and others who experience system failure, possibly leading to a loss of affected and unaffected
customers;
●
increase
our costs related to product development or service delivery; or
●
adversely
affect our revenues and expenses.
14
Our
business may be adversely affected by malicious applications that interfere with, or exploit security flaws in, our products and services.
Our
business may be adversely affected by malicious applications that make changes to our customers’ computer systems and interfere
with the operation and use of our products or products that impact our business. These applications may attempt to interfere with our
ability to communicate with our customers’ devices. The interference may occur without disclosure to or consent from our customers,
resulting in a negative experience that our customers may associate with our products and services. These applications may be difficult
or impossible to uninstall or disable, may reinstall themselves and may circumvent other applications’ efforts to block or remove
them. The ability to provide customers with a superior interactive marketing technology experience is critical to our success. If our
efforts to combat these malicious applications fail, or if our products and services have actual or perceived vulnerabilities, there
may be claims based on such failure or our reputation may be harmed, which would damage our business and financial condition.
We
compete with other companies that have more resources, which puts us at a competitive disadvantage.
The
market for interactive marketing technologies is generally highly competitive and we expect competition to increase in the future. Some
of our competitors or potential competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than us. These
competitors may be able to respond more rapidly than we can to new or emerging technologies or changes in customer requirements. They
may also devote greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their products than us.
We
expect competitors to continue to improve the performance of their current products and to introduce new products, services and technologies.
Successful new product and service introductions or enhancements by our competitors could reduce sales and the market acceptance of our
products and services, cause intense price competition or make our products and services obsolete. To be competitive, we must continue
to invest significant resources in research and development, sales and marketing and customer support. If we do not have sufficient resources
to make these investments or are unable to make the technological advances necessary to be competitive, our competitive position will
suffer. Increased competition could result in price reductions, fewer customer orders, reduced margins and loss of market share. Our
failure to compete successfully against current or future competitors could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
Our
future success depends on key personnel and our ability to attract and retain additional personnel.
Our
key personnel include:
●
Rick
Mills, our Chief Executive Officer;
●
Will
Logan, our Chief Financial Officer;
●
Lee
Summers, our President of Media; and
●
Bob
Sanders, our Chief Strategy Officer.
If
we fail to retain our key personnel or to attract, retain and motivate other qualified employees, our ability to maintain and develop
our business may be adversely affected. Our future success depends significantly on the continued service of our key technical, sales
and senior management personnel and their ability to execute our growth strategy. The loss of the services of our key employees could
harm our business. We may be unable to retain our employees or to attract, assimilate and retain other highly qualified employees who
could migrate to other employers who offer competitive or superior compensation packages.
15
We
are subject to cyber security risks and interruptions or failures in our information technology systems and will likely need to expend
additional resources to enhance our protection from such risks. Notwithstanding our efforts, a cyber incident could occur and result
in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We
depend on digital technologies to process and record financial and operating data and rely on sophisticated information technology systems
and infrastructure to support our business, including process control technology. At the same time, cyber incidents, including deliberate
attacks, have increased. The U.S. government has issued public warnings that indicate that energy assets might be specific targets of
cyber security threats. Our technologies, systems and networks and those of our vendors, suppliers and other business partners may become
the target of cyberattacks or information security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse,
loss or destruction of proprietary and other information, or other disruption of business operations. In addition, certain cyber incidents,
such as surveillance, may remain undetected for an extended period. Our systems for protecting against cyber security risks may not be
sufficient. As the sophistication of cyber incidents continues to evolve, we will likely be required to expend additional resources to
continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to cyber incidents. Additionally,
any of these systems may be susceptible to outages due to fire, floods, power loss, telecommunications failures, usage errors by employees,
computer viruses, cyber-attacks or other security breaches or similar events. The failure of any of our information technology systems
may cause disruptions in our operations, which could adversely affect our revenues and profitability.
Our
reliance on information management and transaction systems to operate our business exposes us to cyber incidents and hacking of our sensitive
information if our outsourced service provider experiences a security breach.
Effective
information security internal controls are necessary for us to protect our sensitive information from illegal activities and unauthorized
disclosure in addition to denial of service attacks and corruption of our data. In addition, we rely on the information security internal
controls maintained by our outsourced service provider. Breaches of our information management system could also adversely affect our
business reputation. Finally, significant information system disruptions could adversely affect our ability to effectively manage operations
or reliably report results.
Because
our technology, products, platform, and services are complex and are deployed in and across complex environments, they may have errors
or defects that could seriously harm our business.
Our
technology, proprietary platforms, products and services are highly complex and are designed to operate in and across data centers, large
and complex networks, and other elements of the digital media workflow that we do not own or control. On an ongoing basis, we need to
perform proactive maintenance services on our platform and related software services to correct errors and defects. In the future, there
may be additional errors and defects in our software that may adversely affect our services. We may not have in place adequate reporting,
tracking, monitoring, and quality assurance procedures to ensure that we detect errors in our software in a timely manner. If we are
unable to efficiently and cost-effectively fix errors or other problems that may be identified, or if there are unidentified errors that
allow persons to improperly access our services, we could experience loss of revenues and market share, damage to our reputation, increased
expenses and legal actions by our customers.
We
may have insufficient network or server capacity, which could result in interruptions in our services and loss of revenues.
Our
operations are dependent in part upon: network capacity provided by third-party telecommunications networks; data center services provider
owned and leased infrastructure and capacity; our dedicated and virtualized server capacity located at its data center services provider
partner and a geo-redundant micro-data center location; and our own infrastructure and equipment. Collectively, this infrastructure,
equipment, and capacity must be sufficiently robust to handle all of our customers’ web-traffic, particularly in the event of unexpected
surges in high-definition video traffic and network services incidents. We (and our service providers) may not be adequately prepared
for unexpected increases in bandwidth and related infrastructure demands from our customers. In addition, the bandwidth we have contracted
to purchase may become unavailable for a variety of reasons, including payment disputes, outages, or such service providers going out
of business. Any failure of these service providers or our own infrastructure to provide the capacity we require, due to financial or
other reasons, may result in a reduction in, or interruption of, service to our customers, leading to an immediate decline in revenue
and possible additional decline in revenue as a result of subsequent customer losses.
16
Our
business operations are susceptible to interruptions caused by events beyond our control.
Our
business operations are susceptible to interruptions caused by events beyond our control. We are vulnerable to the following potential
problems, among others:
●
our
platform, technology, products, and services and underlying infrastructure, or that of our key suppliers, may be damaged or destroyed
by events beyond our control, such as fires, earthquakes, floods, power outages or telecommunications failures;
●
we
and our customers and/or partners may experience interruptions in service as a result of the accidental or malicious actions of Internet
users, hackers or current or former employees;
●
we
may face liability for transmitting viruses to third parties that damage or impair their access to computer networks, programs, data
or information. Eliminating computer viruses and alleviating other security problems may require interruptions, delays or cessation
of service to our customers; and
●
failure
of our systems or those of our suppliers may disrupt service to our customers (and from our customers to their customers), which
could materially impact our operations (and the operations of our customers), adversely affect our relationships with our customers
and lead to lawsuits and contingent liability.
The
occurrence of any of the foregoing could result in claims for consequential and other damages, significant repair and recovery expenses
and extensive customer losses and otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The
markets in which we operate are rapidly emerging, and we may be unable to compete successfully against existing or future competitors
to our business.
The
market in which we operate is becoming increasingly competitive. Our current competitors generally include general digital signage
companies, specialized digital signage operators targeting certain vertical markets (e.g., financial services), content management software
companies, or integrators and vertical solution providers who develop single implementations of content distribution, digital marketing
technology, and related services. These competitors, including future new competitors who may emerge, may be able to develop a comparable
or superior solution capabilities, software platform, technology stack, and/or series of services that provide a similar or more robust
set of features and functionality than the technology, products and services we offer. If this occurs, we may be unable to grow as necessary
to make our business profitable.
Whether
or not we have superior products, many of these current and potential future competitors have a longer operating histories in their current
respective business areas and greater market presence, brand recognition, engineering and marketing capabilities, and financial, technological
and personnel resources than we do. Existing and potential competitors with an extended operating history, even if not directly related
to our business, have an inherent marketing advantage because of the reluctance of many potential customers to entrust key operations
to a company that may be perceived as new, inexperienced or unproven. In addition, our existing and potential future competitors may
be able to use their extensive resources to:
●
develop
and deploy new products and services more quickly and effectively than we can;
●
develop,
improve and expand their platforms and related infrastructures more quickly than we can;
●
reduce
costs, particularly hardware costs, because of discounts associated with large volume purchases and longer-term relationships and
commitments;
17
●
offer
less expensive products, technology, platform, and services as a result of a lower cost structure, greater capital reserves or otherwise;
●
adapt
more swiftly and completely to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements;
●
take
advantage of acquisition and other opportunities more readily; and
●
devote
greater resources to the marketing and sales of their products, technology, platform, and services.
If
we are unable to compete effectively in our various markets, or if competitive pressures place downward pressure on the prices at which
we offer our products and services, our business, financial condition and results of operations may suffer.
Our
Safe Space Solutions products may no longer be marketable.
On
April 28, 2020, we announced the joint launch of an AI-integrated non-contact temperature inspection kiosk known as the Thermal Mirror
with our partner, InReality, for use by businesses as COVID-19 related workplace restrictions are reduced or eliminated. While the product
and its launch were successful and recouped our initial investment, we still maintain $1,750 of inventory as of December 31, 2021 that
is solely used in deploying our Safe Space Solutions which may not be saleable elsewhere should the market for these products reduce
or eliminate as a result of the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has recorded a reserve of $426
for this inventory in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR ACQUISITION OF REFLECT SYSTEMS, INC.
The
loss of the services of certain key management personnel at Reflect could impair our ability to execute our business strategy and as
a result, reduce our sales and profitability.
We
depend on the continued services of certain key personnel from Reflect’s senior management team. As we integrate and combine Reflect’s
with our business, the loss of key personnel at Reflect could have a material adverse effect on our ability to execute our business strategy
and on our financial condition and results of operations. Reflect does not maintain key-person insurance for members of its senior management
team and we do not anticipate obtaining any such insurance.
We
may be unable to successfully integrate Reflect with our business, which could cause our business to suffer.
Our
acquisition of Reflect is significant, and we may be unable to successfully integrate and combine the operations, personnel and technology
of Reflect with our operations. If we fail to successfully manage the integration of Reflect, we may experience interruptions in our
business activities, a deterioration in our employee and customer relationships, increased costs of integration and harm to our reputation,
all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The types of integration
issues we face may include difficulties in combining corporate cultures, maintaining employee morale and retaining key employees. The
integration process is likely to impose substantial demands on our management. Other challenges involved in integrating Reflect with
Creative Realities include, but are not limited to, the following:
●
retaining
existing customers and strategic partners for each company;
●
retaining
and integrating management and other key employees of the combined company;
●
coordinating
research and development activities to enhance introduction of new products and technologies, especially in light of rapidly evolving
markets for those products and technologies;
●
effectively
managing the diversion of management’s attention from business matters to integration issues;
18
●
combining
product offerings and incorporating acquired software, technology and rights into the product offerings of the combined company effectively
and quickly;
●
integrating
sales efforts so that customers can do business easily with the combined company;
●
transitioning
all facilities to a common information technology environment;
●
effectively
offering products and services of Creative Realities and Reflect to each other’s customers;
●
anticipating
the market needs and achieving market acceptance of our products and services;
●
bringing
together the companies’ marketing efforts so that the industry receives useful information about the combination and customers
perceive value in the combined company’s products and services; and
●
developing
and maintaining uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies.
There
is no assurance that improved operating results will be achieved as a result of the Reflect acquisition or that we successfully integrate
the businesses of Reflect in a timely manner, if at all.
We
may not realize the growth opportunities that are anticipated from our acquisition of Reflect.
The
benefits we expect to achieve as a result of the Reflect acquisition will depend, in part, on our ability to realize anticipated growth
opportunities. Our success in realizing these growth opportunities, and the timing of this realization, depends largely on the successful
integration of Reflect’s business and operations with our business and operations. Even if we are able to integrate our business
with Reflect’s business successfully, this integration may not result in the realization of the full benefits of the growth opportunities
we currently expect from this integration within the anticipated time frame or at all. While we anticipate that certain expenses will
be incurred, such expenses are difficult to estimate accurately, and may exceed current estimates. Accordingly, the benefits from the
acquisition may be offset by costs incurred or delays in integrating the companies, which could cause our revenue assumptions to be inaccurate.
The
acquisition of Reflect may fail to achieve beneficial synergies.
We
consummated the acquisition of Reflect with the expectation that the acquisition will result in beneficial synergies, such as cost reductions
and improving the stability of the combined company’s revenues. Achieving these anticipated synergies and benefits will depend
largely on our success in integrating our existing business with Reflect’s business. Potential risks from an unsuccessful integration
include:
●
The
potential disruption of the combined company’s ongoing business and distraction of management;
●
The
risk that the customers of Creative Realities or Reflect may defer purchasing decisions due to disagreements with the combined company
on its strategic direction and product initiatives;
●
the
risk that Reflect’s customers abandon or reject products offered by the combined company after the acquisition, including Reflect
products that are integrated into Creative Realities’ business, such as additional software products, hosting applications
or installation services;
●
The
risk that it may be more difficult to retain key management, marketing, and technical personnel after the acquisition;
●
The
risk that costs and expenditures for retaining personnel, eliminating unnecessary resources and integrating the businesses are greater
than anticipated;
●
The
risk that the combined company cannot increase sales of its product; and
19
●
The
risk that integrating and changing the businesses will impair Creative Realities’ and Reflect’s relationships with their
customers and business partners.
●
effectively
offering products and services of Creative Realities and Reflect to each other’s customers;
●
anticipating
the market needs and achieving market acceptance of our products and services;
●
bringing
together the companies’ marketing efforts so that the industry receives useful information about the acquisition and customers
perceive value in the combined company’s products and services; and
●
developing
and maintaining uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies.
Even
if the two companies are able to effectively integrate operations, there can be no assurance that the anticipated synergies will be achieved.
The failure to achieve such synergies could adversely affect the business, results of operations and financial condition of the combined
company.
The assumption of unknown liabilities in
the acquisition of Reflect may harm our financial condition and results of operations.
Because
we acquired all of the capital stock of Reflect, we obtained ownership of Reflect subject to all of its liabilities, including contingent
and unknown liabilities. Although the definitive merger agreement includes representations and warranties and indemnity covenants from
the sellers of Reflect capital stock that may offer us some contractual remedies for breaches or certain other undisclosed or unknown
liabilities, there are limitations and conditions to our ability to recoup any liabilities, and there may be other unknown obligations
for which we have no contractual remedy. In such a case, our business could be materially and adversely affected. We may learn additional
information about Reflect’s business that adversely affects us, such as the existence of unknown liabilities, or issues that could
affect our ability to comply with applicable laws. If Reflect’s liabilities are greater than expected, or if there are material
obligations of which we do not become aware until after the acquisition or we have no recourse against the Seller, our business could
be materially and adversely affected. If we become responsible for substantial uninsured liabilities, such liabilities may have a material
adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We
have incurred and will continue to incur significant transaction and integration costs in connection with the acquisition of Reflect.
We
have incurred significant costs associated with completing the acquisition of Reflect, and expect to incur additional significant costs
integrating the operations of the two companies. The substantial majority of these costs will be non-recurring expenses and will consist
of transaction costs (e.g., legal, accounting), facilities and systems consolidation costs and employment-related costs. Additional unanticipated
costs may be incurred in the integration of our businesses. Although we expect that the elimination of duplicative costs, as well as
the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the businesses, may offset incremental transaction and acquisition
costs over time, this net benefit may not be achieved in the near term, or at all.
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR SECURITIES AND OUR COMPANY
The
variable sales cycle of our products will likely make it difficult to predict operating results.
Our
revenues in any quarter depend substantially upon contracts signed and the related shipment and installation or delivery of hardware
and software products in that quarter. It is therefore difficult for us to accurately predict revenues and this difficulty also will
affect the Company. It is difficult to forecast the timing of large individual hardware and software sales with a high degree of certainty
due to the extended length of the sales cycle and the generally more complex contractual terms that may be associated with our products
that could result in the deferral of some or all of the revenue to future periods.
20
Accordingly,
large individual sales have sometimes occurred in quarters subsequent to when we anticipated or not at all. If we receive any significant
cancellation or deferral of customer orders, or it is unable to conclude license negotiations by the end of a fiscal quarter, our operating
results may be lower than anticipated. In addition, any weakening or uncertainty in the economy may make it more difficult for the Company
to predict quarterly results in the future, and could negatively impact our business, operating results and financial condition for an
indefinite period of time.
Our
largest shareholder possesses controlling voting power with respect to our common stock, which will limit your influence on corporate
matters.
As of the date of this Annual Report, our largest shareholder, Slipstream
Communications, LLC, has beneficial ownership of 11,658,469 shares of common stock, including common shares that are beneficially owned
by its affiliate Slipstream Funding, LLC, and including warrants not yet exercisable. As a result, Slipstream Communications, LLC has
significant influence on our management and affairs, including the election and removal of our Board of Directors and all other matters
requiring shareholder approval, including the future merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. This stockholder
position could discourage others from initiating any potential merger, takeover or other change-of-control transaction that may otherwise
be beneficial to our shareholders. Furthermore, this concentrated ownership will limit the practical effect of your participation in Company
matters, through shareholder votes and otherwise.
Our
Articles of Incorporation grant our Board of Directors the power to issue additional shares of common and preferred stock and to designate
other classes of preferred stock, all without shareholder approval.
Our
authorized capital consists of 250,000,000 shares of capital stock, 50,000,000 of which is undesignated preferred stock. Pursuant to
authority granted by our Articles of Incorporation, our Board of Directors, without any action by our shareholders, may designate and
issue shares in such classes or series (including other classes or series of preferred stock) as it deems appropriate and establish the
rights, preferences and privileges of such shares, including dividends, liquidation and voting rights, provided it is consistent with
Minnesota law. The rights of holders of other classes or series of stock that may be issued could be superior to the rights of holders
of our common shares. The designation and issuance of shares of capital stock having preferential rights could adversely affect other
rights appurtenant to shares of our common stock. Furthermore, any issuances of additional stock (common or preferred) will dilute the
percentage of ownership interest of then-current holders of our capital stock and may dilute our book value per share.
We
do not intend to pay dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future.
We
do not plan to pay dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future. Earnings of the business will be reinvested in future growth
strategies or utilized to repay outstanding debt.
We
do not have significant tangible assets that could be sold upon liquidation.
We
have nominal tangible assets. As a result, if we become insolvent or otherwise must dissolve, there will be no tangible assets to liquidate
and no corresponding proceeds to disburse to our shareholders. If we become insolvent or otherwise must dissolve, shareholders will likely
not receive any cash proceeds on account of their shares.
We
can provide no assurance that our securities will continue to meet Nasdaq listing requirements. If we fail to comply with the continuing
listing standards of the Nasdaq, our securities could be delisted.
If
we fail to comply with the continuing listing standards of the Nasdaq, our securities could be delisted. A failure to remain listed on
Nasdaq could have a material adverse effect on the liquidity and price of our common stock.
21
General
Risk Factors
Unpredictability
in financing markets could impair our ability to grow our business through acquisitions.
We
anticipate that opportunities to acquire similar businesses will materially depend on, among other things, the availability of financing
alternatives with acceptable terms. As a result, poor credit and other market conditions or uncertainty in financial markets could materially
limit our ability to grow through acquisitions since such conditions and uncertainty make obtaining financing more difficult.
Because of our limited internal resources, we may not have in
place various processes and protections common to more mature companies and may be more susceptible to adverse events.
We
have limited internal resources. As a result, we may not have in place systems, processes and protections that many of our competitors
have or that may be essential to protect against various risks. For example, we have in place only limited resources and processes addressing
human resources, timekeeping, data protection, business continuity, personnel redundancy, and knowledge institutionalization concerns. As
a result, we are at risk that one or more adverse events in these and other areas may materially harm our business, financial condition,
and results from operations.
General
global market and economic conditions may have an adverse impact on our operating performance and results of operations.
Our
business has been and could continue to be affected by general global economic and market conditions. Any downturn in the United States
and worldwide economy could have a negative effect on our operating results, including a decrease in revenue and operating cash flow.
To the extent our customers are unable to profitably leverage various forms of digital marketing technology and solutions, and/or the
content we create, deliver and publish on their behalf, they may reduce or eliminate their purchase of our products and services. Such
reductions in traffic would lead to a reduction in our revenues. Additionally, in a down-cycle economic environment, we may experience
the negative effects of increased competitive pricing pressure, customer loss, slowdown in commerce over the Internet and corresponding
decrease in traffic delivered over our network and failures by our customers to pay amounts owed to us on a timely basis or at all. Suppliers
on which we rely for equipment, field services, servers, bandwidth, co-location and other services could also be negatively impacted
by economic conditions that, in turn, could have a negative impact on our operations or revenues. Flat or worsening economic conditions
may harm our operating results and financial condition.
In
addition, our business could be adversely affected by the effects of a widespread outbreak of contagious disease, including the recent
outbreak of the COVID-19 respiratory illness. A significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a
widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic
downturn that could affect demand for our products, our ability to collect against existing trade receivables and our operating results.
Specifically, such event may cause us, our customers or suppliers to temporarily suspend operations in the affected city or country,
and customers may suspend or terminate capital improvements including in-store digital deployments or refresh projects, all of which
may have a material adverse effect on our business.
Significant
issuances of our common stock, or the perception that significant issuances may occur in the future, could adversely affect the market
price for our common stock.
Significant
actual or perceived potential future issuance of our common stock could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Generally,
issuances of substantial amounts of common stock in the public market, and the availability of shares for future sale, could adversely
affect the prevailing market price of our common stock and could cause the market price of our common stock to remain low for a substantial
amount of time.
We
cannot foresee the impact of potential securities issuances of common shares on the market for our common stock, but it is possible that
the market for our shares may be adversely affected, perhaps significantly. It is also unclear whether or not the market for our common
stock could absorb a large number of attempted sales in a short period of time, regardless of the price at which they might be offered.
There
may not be an active market for shares of our common stock.
In
general, there has been minimal trading volume in our common stock. Small trading volumes would likely make it difficult for our shareholders
to sell their shares as and when they choose. Furthermore, small trading volumes are generally understood to depress market prices. As
a result, you may not always be able to resell shares of our common stock publicly at the time and prices that you feel are fair or appropriate.
22
ITEM 2 PROPERTIES
(All
currency is rounded to the nearest thousands, except share and per share amounts.)
Our headquarters is located
at 13100 Magisterial Drive, Suite 100, Louisville, KY 40223. There, we have approximately 17,500 square-feet of office space and 6,500
square-feet of warehouse space, which we believe is sufficient for our projected near-term future growth. The monthly lease amount is
currently $27 and escalates 1% annually through the end of the lease term in December 2023, should the Company elect to retain the entire
space. We restructured this lease during 2020, which allowed the Company to right to surrender approximately 9,100 square feet of space
and reduce the monthly rent expense by $6 per month beginning in July 2021. The restructured lease also provided the Company deferred
payment terms of approximately $6 monthly between July 2020 and June 2021, resulting in $84 that was ultimately added to the headquarters
lease. The Consolidated Balance Sheet includes accrued rental payments related to this deferral of $68 as of December 31, 2021.
The
corporate phone number is (502) 791-8800.
We
also lease office space of approximately 6,000 square feet to support our Canadian operations at a facility located at 4600 Rhodes Drives,
Unit 3& 4, Windsor, Ontario under a lease that expires November 30, 2025 and with a monthly rental, inclusive of CAMS and related
realty taxes, of $9 CAD per month.
We
also lease office space of approximately 900 square feet to support our Atlanta operations at a facility known as Northridge Center II
and having as its street address at 375 Northridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30350. This property is under lease until March 31, 2022 with a
monthly rental of $2. In November 2021, the Company entered into a lease for office space of approximately 4,500 square feet to support
our Atlanta operations at a facility known as Northridge Center II and having as its street address at 365 Northridge Road, Atlanta,
GA 30350. This property lease is expected to begin in March 2022 and be under lease until March 2027 with a monthly rental of $8, escalating
3% annually.
As
a result of the acquisition of Reflect, we also lease office space of approximately 15,350 square feet to support the Reflect operations
at a facility located at 2221 Lakeside Blvd, Richardson, TX 75082 under a lease that expires March 2024 and with a monthly rental, inclusive
of CAMS and related realty taxes, of $38 per month.
ITEM 3 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Information regarding legal proceedings can be found in Note 9 Commitments
and Contingencies to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report.
ITEM 4 MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not
applicable.
23
PART
II
ITEM 5 MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
(All
currency is rounded to the nearest thousands, except share and per share amounts.)
Market
Information
Our
common stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Markets (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “CREX”. The transfer
agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Limited, 401 2nd Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401.
Shareholders
As of March 22, 2022, we had 419 holders of record of our common stock.
The actual number of stockholders is greater than this number of record holders, and includes stockholders who are beneficial owners,
but whose shares are held in street name by brokers and other nominees. This number of holders of record also does not include stockholders
whose shares may be held in trust by other entities.
Dividend
Policy
We
have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to operate and
expand our business and to finance the development and expansion of our business. We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our common
stock in the foreseeable future. Any payment of cash dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and
will depend upon our results of operations, earnings, capital requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant
by our Board of Directors.
Holders
of our common stock are entitled to share pro rata in dividends and distributions with respect to the common stock when, as and if declared
by our Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor. Our future dividend policy is subject to the sole discretion of our
Board of Directors and will depend upon a number of factors, including future earnings, capital requirements and our financial condition.
Recent
Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
ITEM
6 [RESERVED]
Not
applicable.
24
ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
(All
currency is rounded to the nearest thousands, except share and per share amounts.)
The
following discussion should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related for the years ended December 31, 2021 and
2020, which are included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations contains statements that are forward-looking. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions
that are subject to risk, uncertainties and other factors. These statements are often identified by the use of words such as “may,”
“will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,”
“estimate,” or “continue,” and similar expressions or variations. Actual results could differ materially because
of the factors discussed in “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors that we have not
identified.
Overview
Creative Realities, Inc. (“Creative Realities”,
or the “Company”) transforms environments through digital solutions by providing innovative digital signage solutions for
key market segments and use cases, including:
● Retail
● Entertainment and Sports Venues
● Restaurants, including quick-serve restaurants (“QSR”)
● Convenience Stores
● Financial Services
● Automotive
● Medical and Healthcare Facilities
● Mixed Use Developments
● Corporate Communications, Employee Experience
● Digital out of Home (DOOH) Advertising Networks
We serve market-leading companies, so there is
a good chance that if you leave your home today to shop, work, eat or play, you will encounter one or more of our digital signage experiences.
Our solutions are increasingly visible because we help our enterprise customers achieve a range of business objectives including:
● Increased brand awareness
● Improved customer support
● Enhanced employee productivity and satisfaction
● Increased revenue and profitability
● Improved guest experience
● Increased customer/guest engagement
● Improved patient outcomes
25
Through a combination of organically grown platforms
and a series of strategic acquisitions, including our recent acquisition of Reflect Systems, Inc. in February 2022, the Company assist
clients to design, deploy, manage, and monetize their digital signage networks. The Company sources leads and opportunities for its solutions
through its digital and content marketing initiatives, close relationships with key industry partners, specifically equipment manufacturers,
and the direct efforts of its in-house industry sales experts. Client engagements focus on consultative conversations that ensure the
Company’s solutions are positioned to help clients achieve their business objectives in the most cost-effective manner possible.
When comparing Creative Realities to other digital
signage providers, our customers value the following competitive advantages:
●
Breadth of solutions – Creative Realities is one of only a few companies in the industry capable of providing the full portfolio of products and services required to implement and run an effective digital signage network. We leverage a ‘single vendor’ approach, providing clients with a one-stop-shop for sourcing digital signage solutions from design through day two services.
●
Managed labor pool – Unlike most companies in our industry, we have a curated labor pool including thousands of qualified and vetted field technicians available to service clients quickly nationwide. We can meet tight schedules even in exceptionally large deployments and still ensure quality and consistency.
● In-house creative resources – We assist clients
in repurposing existing content for digital signage experiences or creating new content, an activity for which the Company has won several
design awards in recent years. In each instance, our services can be essential in helping clients develop an effective content program.
26
●
Network scalability and reliability – Our software as a service (“SaaS”) content management platforms power some of the largest and most complex digital signage networks in North America evidencing our ability to manage enterprise scale projects. This also provides us purchasing power to source products and services for our customers, enabling us to deliver cost effective, reliable and powerful solutions to small and medium size business clients.
●
Ad management platform – Our customers are increasingly interested in monetizing their digital signage networks through advertising content. However, efficiently scheduling advertising content into digital signage playlists to meet campaign objectives can be a challenging and labor-intensive process. AdLogic, our home-grown, content management-agnostic platform, automates this process, allowing network owners to capture more revenue with less expense.
●
Media sales – Few, if any other digital signage solution providers, can offer their clients media sales as a service. We have in-house media sales expertise to elevate conversations with clients interested in better understanding network monetization. We believe this meaningful differentiation in the sales process provides an additional revenue stream to Creative Realities compared to our competitors.
●
Market sector expertise – Creative Realities has in-house experts in key market segments such as automotive, retail, quick-serve restaurants (QSR), convenience stores, and Digital Out of Home (DOOH) advertising. Our expertise in these business segments enables our teams to provide meaningful business conversations and offer tailored solutions with prospects and customers to their unique business objectives. These experts build industry relationship and create thought leadership that drives lead flow and new opportunities for our business.
●
Logistics – Implementing a large digital signage project can be a logistics nightmare that can stall an initiative even before deployment. Our expertise in logistics improves deployment efficiency, reduces delays and problems, and saves customers time and money.
●
Technical support – Digital signage networks present unique challenges for corporate IT departments. Creative Realities helps simplify and improve end user support by leveraging our own Network Operations Center (“NOC”) in Louisville Kentucky. The NOC resolves many issues remotely and when field support is required, it can be dispatched from the NOC, leveraging our managed labor pool to resolve customer issues quickly and effectively.
●
Integrations and Application Development – The future of digital signage is not still images and videos on a screen. Interactive applications and integrations with other data sources will dominate the future. From social media feeds to corporate data stores to Point of Sale (“POS”) systems, our proven ability to build scalable applications and integrations is a key advantage clients can leverage to deliver more compelling and engaging experiences for their customers.
●
Hardware support – A number of digital signage providers sell a proprietary media player or align themselves with just one operating system. We utilize a range of media players including Windows, Android and BrightSign to provide clients the flexibility they need to select the appropriate hardware for any application knowing the entire network can still be served by a single digital signage platform, reducing complexity and improving the productivity of their teams.
27
The three primary sources of revenue for the company
are:
● Hardware sales from reselling digital signage hardware from
original equipment manufacturers such as Samsung and BrightSign.
● Services revenue from helping customers design, deploy and
manage their digital signage network, including:
o Hardware
system design/engineering
o Hardware installation
o Content development
o Content scheduling
o Post-deployment network and field support
o Media sales, as a result of our acquisition of Reflect
● Recurring subscription licensing and support revenue from
our digital signage software platforms, which are generally sold via a SaaS model. These include:
o ReflectView , the Company’s core digital signage
platform for most applications, scalable and cost effective from 10 to 100,000+ devices
o Reflect Xperience , a web-based interface that allows
customers to give content scheduling access to local users via the web or mobile devices, while still maintaining centralized programming
control
o Reflect AdLogic , the Company’s ad management
platform for digital signage networks, which presently delivers approximately 50 million ads daily
o Reflect Clarity , the Company’s menu board solution,
which has become a market leader for a range of restaurant and convenience store applications
o Reflect Zero Touch , which allows customers to turn
any screen into an interactive experience by allowing guests to engage using their mobile device
o iShowroomProX , an omni-channel digital sales support
platform targeted at original equipment manufacturers in the transportation sector, which integrates with dozens of key data services
including dealer inventory at the VIN level
o OSx+ , a digital VIN-level checklist used to assist
in the tracking and delivery of new vehicles in the transportation sector, providing measurable lift in customer satisfaction scores and
connected vehicle enrollments and subscription activations.
While hardware sales and support services revenues
can fluctuate more significantly year over year based on new, large-scale network deployments, the Company expects to see continuous growth
in recurring SaaS revenue for the foreseeable future as digital signage adoption/utilization continues to expand across the vertical markets
we serve.
28
Recent
Developments
Acquisition
of Reflect
On November 12, 2021,
the Company and Reflect Systems, Inc., or “Reflect,” entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as amended on February
8, 2022, the “Merger Agreement)” pursuant to which a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Creative Realities, CRI Acquisition
Corporation, or “Merger Sub,” would merge with and into Reflect, with Reflect surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Creative
Realities, , which transaction is referred to herein as the “Merger.” On February 17, 2022, the parties consummated the Merger.
Reflect
provides digital signage solutions, including software, strategic and media services to a wide range of companies across the retail,
financial, hospitality and entertainment, healthcare, and employee communications industries in North America. Reflect offers digital
signage platforms, including ReflectView, a platform used by companies to power hundreds of thousands of active digital displays. Through
its strategic services, Reflect assists its customers with designing, deploying and optimizing their digital signage networks, and through
its media services, Reflect assists customers with monetizing their digital advertising networks.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, upon the closing of the Merger, Reflect stockholders as of the effective time of
the Merger collectively received from the Company, in the aggregate, the following Merger consideration: (i) $16,166 payable in cash,
(ii) 2,333,334 shares of common stock of Creative Realities (valued based on an issuance price of $2 per share) (the “CREX Shares”),
(iii) the Secured Promissory Note (as described below), and (iv) supplemental cash payments (the “Guaranteed Consideration”),
if any, payable on or after the three-year anniversary of the effective time of the Merger (subject to the Extension Option described
below, the “Guarantee Date”), in an amount by which the value of the CREX Shares on such anniversary is less than $6.40 per
share, or if certain customers of Reflect collectively achieve over 85,000 billable devices online at any time on or before December
31, 2022, is less than $7.20 per share (such applicable amount, the “Guaranteed Price”), multiplied by the amount of CREX
Shares held by the Reflect stockholders on the Guarantee Date (subject to the Extension Option described below), subject to the terms
of the Merger Agreement.
Creative
Realities may exercise an extension option (the “Extension Option”) to extend the Guarantee Date from the three-year anniversary
of the Closing Date to six (6) months thereafter if (i) the Extension Threshold Price is greater than or equal to 70% of the Guaranteed
Price described above, and (ii) Creative Realities provides written notice of its election to exercise the Extension Option at least
ten (10) days prior to the three-year anniversary of the Closing. The “Extension Threshold Price” means the average closing
price per share of Creative Realities Shares as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market (or NYSE) in the fifteen (15) consecutive trading
day period ending fifteen (15) days prior to the three-year anniversary of the Closing Date. If the Extension Threshold Price is less
than 80% of the Guaranteed Price, then the Guaranteed Price will be increased by $1.00 per share.
In
connection with the Merger, the Company adopted a Retention Bonus Plan and raised capital to, among other things, pay the cash portion
of the Merger consideration, all of which is summarized below.
Retention
Bonus Plan
On February 17, 2022,
in connection with the closing of the Merger, the Company adopted a Retention Bonus Plan, pursuant to which the Company is required to
pay to key members of Reflect’s management team an aggregate of $1,333 in cash, which was paid 50% at the closing of the Merger
(the “Closing”), and subject to continuous employment with Reflect or Creative Realities, 25% on the one-year anniversary
of Closing and 25% on the two-year anniversary of the Closing. The future cash payments due on the one-year and two-year anniversaries
of the Closing have been deposited into an escrow agreement. The Retention Bonus Plan also requires the Company to issue Common Stock
having an aggregate value of $667 to the plan participants as follows: 50% of the value of such shares were issued at the Closing, and
subject to continuous employment with Reflect or Creative Realities, 25% of the value of such shares will be issued on the one-year anniversary
of Closing and the remaining 25% of the value of such shares will be issued on the two-year anniversary of the Closing. The shares issued
on the Closing were valued at $2.00 per share, and the shares to be issued after the Closing will be determined based on dividing the
value of shares issuable on such date divided by the trailing 10-day volume weighed average price (VWAP) of the shares as of such date
as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
Upon
the resignation of a participant’s employment for “good reason,” or termination of the employment of a participant
without “cause,” each as defined in the Retention Bonus Plan, the participant will be fully vested and will receive all cash
and shares allocated to such participant under the Retention Bonus Plan. Any amounts unpaid by reason of a lapse in continuous employment
or otherwise will be reallocated among the remaining Retention Bonus Plan participants.
29
Equity
Financing
On
February 3, 2022, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with a purchaser
(the “Purchaser”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Purchaser, in a private placement priced
at-the-market under Nasdaq rules, (i) 1,315,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01
per share (the “Common Stock”) and accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,315,000 shares of Common Stock, and
(ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 5,851,505 shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) and
accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate of 5,851,505 shares of Common Stock (collectively, the “Private Placement”).
The accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock are referred to herein collectively as the “Common Stock Warrants.” Under
the Securities Purchase Agreement, each Share and accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock were sold together at a combined price
of $1.535, and each Pre-Funded Warrant and accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock were sold together at a combined price of $1.5349,
for gross proceeds of approximately $11,000 before deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company.
The net proceeds from the Private Placement were used to fund, in part, payment of the closing cash consideration in the Merger.
Each
Pre-Funded Warrant has an exercise price of $0.0001 per share, is exercisable immediately until the Pre-Funded Warrant is exercised in
full. The Common Stock Warrants expire five years from the date of issuance, have an exercise price of $1.41 per share and are exercisable
immediately.
On February 17, 2022,
in connection with obtaining a waiver of certain restrictions in the Securities Purchase Agreement in order to consummate the financing
contemplated by the Credit Agreement (defined below), the Company paid consideration to such investor in the form of a warrant (the “Purchaser
Warrant”) to purchase 1,400,000 shares of Company common stock. The number of shares of Company common stock subject to the Purchaser
Warrant is equal to the waiver fee ($175) divided by $0.125 per share. The exercise price of the Purchaser Warrant is $1.41 per share,
and the Purchaser Warrant is not exercisable until August 17, 2022. The Purchaser Warrant expires five years from the date of issuance.
Debt
Financing
On
February 17, 2022, the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Borrowers”) refinanced their current debt facilities
with Slipstream, pursuant to a Second Amended and Restated Credit and Security Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Borrowers
include Reflect, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company as a result of the closing of the Merger. The debt facilities
continue to be fully secured by all assets of the Borrowers.
The Company raised $10,000 in gross proceeds, or
$9,950 in net proceeds, from entry into a new, 36-month senior secured term loan (the “Acquisition Loan”) with Slipstream
as part of the Credit Agreement, which matures on February 17, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”). The Acquisition Loan has an interest
rate of 8.0%, with 50.0% warrant coverage (or 2,500,000 warrants). On the first day of each month, commencing March 1, 2022 through February
1, 2025, the Borrowers will make interest-only payments on the Acquisition Loan (estimated to be $67 per monthly payment). No principal
payments on the Acquisition Loan are payable until the Maturity Date.
The Credit Agreement also provides that the Company’s
outstanding loans from Slipstream, consisting of its pre-existing $4,767 senior secured term loan and $2,418 secured convertible loan,
with an aggregate of $7,185 in outstanding principal and accrued and unpaid interest under such loans, were consolidated into a term loan
(the “Consolidation Term Loan”). The Consolidation Term Loan has an interest rate of 10.0%, with 75.0% warrant coverage (or
2,694,495 warrants). On the first day of each month, commencing March 1, 2022 through February 1, 2025, the Borrowers will make interest-only
payments on the Consolidation Term Loan (estimated to be $60 per monthly payment). Commencing on September 1, 2023, and on the first day
of each month thereafter until the Maturity Date, the Borrowers will make a payment on the Consolidation Term Loan, in an equal monthly
installment of principal sufficient to fully amortize the Consolidation Term Loan in eighteen equal installments (estimated to be $399
per monthly installment).
In connection with the Acquisition Loan and Consolidation Term Loan
warrant coverage, the Company issued to Slipstream a warrant to purchase an aggregate of 5,194,495 shares of Company common stock (the
“Lender Warrant”). The Lender Warrant has a five-year term, an initial exercise price of $2.00 per share, subject to adjustments
in the Lender Warrant, and is not exercisable until August 17, 2022.
30
Secured
Promissory Note
On
February 17, 2022, pursuant to the terms of the Merger, the Company issued to RSI Exit Corporation (“Stockholders’ Representative”),
the representative of Reflect stockholders, a $2,500 Note and Security Agreement (the “Secured Promissory Note”).
The
Secured Promissory Note accrues interest at 0.59% (the applicable federal rate) and requires the Company and Reflect to pay equal monthly
principal installments of $104 on the fifteenth (15th) day of each month, commencing on March 17, 2022. Any remaining or unpaid principal
shall be due and payable on February 15, 2023. All payments under the Secured Promissory Note will be paid to the escrow agent in the
Merger Agreement to be placed into the escrow account to secure the Reflect stockholders’ indemnification obligations until released
on the one-year anniversary of the closing of the Merger, at which time any remaining proceeds not subject to a pending indemnification
claim will be paid to the exchange agent for payment to the Reflect Stockholders. The obligations of the Company and Reflect set forth
in the Secured Promissory Note are secured by a first-lien security interest in various contracts of Reflect, together with all accounts
arising under such contracts, supporting obligations related to the accounts arising under such contracts, all related books and records,
and products and proceeds of the foregoing. Slipstream subordinated its security interest in such collateral, and the recourse for any
breach of the Secured Promissory Note by the Company or Reflect will be against such collateral.
Our
Sources of Revenue
We
generate revenue through digital signage solution sales, which include system hardware, professional and implementation services, software
design and development, software licensing, deployment, and maintenance and support services.
We
currently market and sell our technology and solutions primarily through our sales and business development personnel, but we also utilize
agents, strategic partners, and lead generators who provide us with access to additional sales, business development and licensing opportunities.
Our
Expenses
Our
expenses are primarily comprised of three categories: sales and marketing, research and development, and general and administrative.
Sales and marketing expenses include salaries and benefits for our sales, business development solution management and marketing personnel,
and commissions paid on sales. This category also includes amounts spent on marketing networking events, promotional materials, hardware
and software to prospective new customers, including those expenses incurred in trade shows and product demonstrations, and other related
expenses. Our research and development expenses represent the salaries and benefits of those individuals who develop and maintain our
proprietary software platforms and other software applications we design and sell to our customers. Our general and administrative expenses
consist of corporate overhead, including administrative salaries, real property lease payments, salaries and benefits for our corporate
officers and other expenses such as legal and accounting fees.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our
management is responsible for our financial statements and has evaluated the accounting policies to be used in their preparation. Our
management believes these policies are reasonable and appropriate. The Company’s significant accounting policies are described
in Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included within
Part II, ITEM 8 of this Annual Report. The following discussion identifies those accounting policies that we believe are critical in
the preparation of our financial statements, the judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of those policies and the possibility
that materially different amounts will be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions.
31
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires that management make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of commitments and contingencies at the date of the financial statements and the reported
amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Our actual results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue
Recognition
We
recognized revenue in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)
606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Under ASC 606, we account for revenue using the following
steps:
●
Identify
the contract, or contracts, with a customer
●
Identify
the performance obligations in the contract
●
Determine
the transaction price
●
Allocate
the transaction price to the identified performance obligations
●
Recognize
revenue when, or as, we satisfy our performance obligations
See
Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 4 Revenue Recognition in our Consolidated Financial
Statements, included in Part II, ITEM 8 of this Annual Report, for a complete discussion of our revenue recognition policies.
Allowance
for Doubtful Accounts
We
have not made any material changes in the accounting methodology we use to measure the estimated liability for doubtful accounts during
the past two fiscal years. The Company’s methodology for calculating the allowance for doubtful accounts consists of (1) reserving
for specific receivables which (a) are known to be facing serious financial problems, (b) have a trade dispute with the Company, or (c)
are significantly aged and/or unresponsive, and (2) a general reserve for unaged accounts receivable based on a percentage of revenue
each period. We do not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material change in the future estimates or assumptions
we use to establish the liability for doubtful accounts. However, if actual results are not consistent with our estimates or assumptions,
we may be exposed to losses or gains that could be material.
Goodwill
Goodwill
is evaluated for impairment annually as of September 30 and whenever events or circumstances make it more likely than not that impairment
may have occurred. We have no other indefinite-lived intangible assets. We test goodwill for impairment by comparing the book value to
the fair value at the reporting unit level. We have only one reporting unit, and therefore the entire goodwill is allocated to that reporting
unit. The fair value of the reporting unit is determined by using a discounted cash flow analyses consisting of various assumptions,
including expectations of future cash flows based on projections or forecasts derived from analysis of business prospects and economic
or market trends that may occur. We use these same expectations in other valuation models throughout the business. In addition to the
discounted cash flow analysis, we utilize a leveraged buy-out model, trading comps and market capitalization to ultimately determine
an estimated fair value of our reporting unit based on weighted average calculations from these models. We base our fair value estimates
on assumptions we believe to be reasonable but that are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair
value, further analysis is performed to measure the impairment loss.
32
In
addition, our market capitalization could fluctuate from time to time. Such fluctuation may be an indicator of possible impairment of
goodwill if our market capitalization falls below its book value. If this situation occurs, we perform the required detailed analysis
to determine if there is impairment.
During
the first quarter of 2020, we determined that the reduced cash flow projections and the significant decline in our market capitalization
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic during the three months ended March 31, 2020 indicated that an impairment loss may have been incurred
during the period. We qualitatively assessed and concluded that it was more likely than not that goodwill was impaired as of March 31,
2020. We reviewed our previous forecasts and assumptions based on our updated projections that were subject to various risks and uncertainties,
including: (1) forecasted revenues, expenses and cash flows, including the duration and extent of impact to our business and our alliance
partners from the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) current discount rates, (3) the reduction in our market capitalization, (4) changes to the regulatory
environment and (5) the nature and amount of government support that will be provided. As a result of this qualitative assessment, we
concluded that indicators of impairment were present. The subsequent quantitative interim impairment assessment of our goodwill as of
March 31, 2020 resulted in recording an impairment of $10,646 as of March 31, 2020.
No additional impairment was recorded during the
remainder of 2020, nor as a result of our annual assessment completed as of September 30, 2021, and no indicators of impairment were identified
as of December 31, 2021.
We have not made any material changes in our reporting
units or the accounting methodology we used to assess impairment of goodwill since September 30, 2021. The valuation of goodwill is subject
to a high degree of judgment, uncertainty and complexity. We do not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material
change in the future estimates or assumptions we use to test for impairment losses on goodwill. However, if actual results are not consistent
with our estimates or assumptions, we may be exposed to an impairment charge that could be material.
Income
Taxes
Accounting
for income taxes requires recognition of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of events that
have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined
based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities. These deferred taxes are measured by
applying the provisions of tax laws in effect at the balance sheet date, including the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax
Act”) enacted on December 22, 2017.
We
recognize in income the effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities in the period that includes the enactment
date.
As
of December 31, 2021, a full valuation allowance is recorded against our deferred tax. The valuation allowance is based, in part, on
our estimate of future taxable income, the expected utilization of federal and state tax loss carryforwards, and credits and the expiration
dates of such tax loss carryforwards. Significant assumptions are used in developing the analysis of future taxable income for purposes
of determining the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets which, in our opinion, are reasonable under the circumstances.
Impact
of Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Refer
to Note 3 Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements in our Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, ITEM 8
of this Annual Report, for a full description of recent accounting pronouncements, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated
effects on results of operations and financial condition, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Results
of Operations
Note:
All dollar amounts reported in Results of Operations are in thousands, except per-share information.
33
Year
Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2020
The
tables presented below compare our results of operations from one period to another, and present the results for each period and the
change in those results from one period to another in both dollars and percentage change.
Year Ended December 31,
Change
2021
2020
%
Sales
$ 18,437
$ 17,457
$ 980
6 %
Cost of sales
10,080
9,336
744
8 %
Gross profit
8,357
8,121
236
3 %
Sales and marketing expenses
1,153
1,676
(523 )
-31 %
Research and development expenses
550
1,083
(533 )
-49 %
General and administrative expenses
7,598
8,465
(867 )
-10 %
Bad debt
(277 )
828
(1,105 )
-133 %
Depreciation and amortization expense
1,364
1,474
(110 )
-7 %
Lease termination expense
-
18
(18 )
-100 %
Loss on disposal of assets
-
13
(13 )
-100 %
Goodwill impairment
-
10,646
(10,646 )
-100 %
Deal and transaction
518
-
518
100 %
Total operating expenses
10,906
24,203
(13,297 )
-55 %
Operating loss
(2,549 )
(16,082 )
13,533
-84 %
Other income/(expenses):
Interest expense
(805 )
(1,023 )
218
-21 %
Gain on settlement of debt
3,449
209
3,240
1,550 %
Gain/(loss) on fair value of debt
166
(93 )
259
-278 %
Other income/(expense)
(7 )
(13 )
6
-46 %
Total other income/(expense)
2,803
(920 )
3,723
-405 %
Net income/(loss) before income taxes
254
(17,002 )
17,256
-101 %
Income tax benefit/(expense)
(22 )
158
(180 )
-114 %
Net income/(loss)
$ 232
$ (16,844 )
$ 17,076
101 %
34
Sales
Sales
increased by $980, or 6%, in 2021 as compared to 2020 driven by an increase of $459 in hardware sales as compared to the same period
in 2020, despite a decrease of $2,135 in the sale of our Safe Space Solutions products year-over-year, which launched in April 2020.
Core digital signage sales (inclusive of hardware, installation, and services) expanded by $3,115 in 2021 despite constraints and headwinds
due to limited supply chain availability of semiconductor chips delaying the delivery of digital displays and media players to the Company.
The supply disruption for digital displays prevented the Company from delivery of hardware and execution of installation activities during
the year. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had customer purchase orders for equipment and installation activities in excess of $1,000
which were delayed as a result of product availability. The Company expects to experience continued disruptions and delays related to
fulfillment of inventory purchases from vendors during 2022, but we expect a full recovery in the timely availability of equipment no
later than the end of the second quarter of 2022.
Gross
Profit
Gross
profit increased $236 in absolute dollars to $8,357 in 2021 from $8,121 in 2020, or 3% through a combination of a 6% increase in revenue
and a 1.2% reduction in gross margin percentage, driven by an increase in revenue from hardware revenue, which typically is a lower margin
revenue stream than our services, as a percentage of total revenue in 2021 as compared to the prior year.
Sales
and Marketing Expenses
Sales
and marketing expenses generally include the salaries, taxes, and benefits of our sales and marketing personnel, as well as trade show
activities, travel, and other related sales and marketing costs. Sales and marketing expenses decreased by $523, or 31%, for the year
ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the same period in 2020 driven by (1) a current year Employee Retention Credit of $232 related
to the retention and payment of salaries to sales personnel throughout 2020 and 2021, which was all recorded when filed in 2021, (2)
reduction of $105 in sales lead generation tools, and (3) the result of reduced personnel costs, partially offset by an increase of $47
on trade show activity and related travel costs following a return to participation in industry trade shows and events after the elimination
of such costs in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses decreased by $533, or 49%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the same period in 2020 as the
result of (1) a current year Employee Retention Credit of $196 related to the retention and payment of salaries to development personnel
throughout 2020 and 2021, which was all recorded when filed in 2021, (2) a reduction in personnel costs during the period following reduced
headcount and salary reductions in March 2020 through salary reinstatements in October 2021, and (3) an increase in capitalization of
development activities for new features/functionality.
General
and Administrative Expenses
Total general and administrative expenses decreased
by $867, or 10%, in 2021 compared to 2020. The decrease was driven by $694 of Employee Retention Credits related to the retention and
payment of salaries to sales personnel throughout 2020 and 2021, each of which were recorded in 2021 when the tax credits were filed.
Excluding the consideration of those Employee Retention Credits recorded in the period, total general and administrative expenses decreased
$173, or 2%, during 2021 as compared to 2020. The comparable year-over-year expenses included reductions of (a) $262 in non-ERC-related
personnel costs, including salaries, benefits, and travel-related expenses, (b) $334 in rent expense following closure, downsizing, or
restructuring of four leases during 2020, and (c) reductions in legal expenses of $366 following settlement of the Amended and Restated
Seller Note, partially offset by an increase in stock compensation amortization expense of $1,213 related to incremental employee and
directors’ awards granted during 2020, which are being amortized over a nineteen (19) month remaining vesting period, and 2021,
which are being amortized over twelve (12) and (24) month vesting periods, based on the grant date fair value calculated using the Black
Scholes method. Personnel costs were reduced following completion of a reduction-in-force and salary reductions for remaining personnel
in March 2020.
35
Bad
Debt
Expenses
related to the Company’s allowance for bad debts decreased by $1,105, or 133%, in 2021 as compared to 2020. This decrease was primarily
driven by a cash recovery of $555 in 2021 related to a customer bankruptcy for which the Company previously recorded a reserve beginning
in second quarter 2020. The remaining reduction was the result of reduced credits and cancellations in 2021 as compared to the prior
year in which the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in material customer closures.
Depreciation
and Amortization Expenses
Depreciation
and amortization expenses decreased by $110, or 7%, in 2021 compared to 2020. This decrease was the result of a trade name asset becoming
fully amortized during 2020, while no amortization was recorded during the 2021. Depreciation was consistent in both periods.
Lease
Termination Expense
On
December 31, 2020, we exited our office facilities located in Dallas, TX. In ceasing use of these facilities, we recorded a one-time
non-cash charge of $18. There were no such lease terminations during 2021.
Goodwill
impairment
See
Note 7 Intangible Assets, Including Goodwill to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of the Company’s
interim impairment test and the non-cash impairment charge recorded in 2020.
Interest
Expense
See
Note 8 Loans Payable to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of the Company’s debt and related interest
expense obligations.
Gain
on Settlement of Obligations
During
2021, (i) the full principal amount of the PPP Loan and the accrued interest of $1,552 were forgiven and recorded as a gain on settlement,
(ii) the Company settled the Amended and Restated Seller Note and related accrued interest for $100, recording a gain on settlement of
$1,624, representing $1,538 related to the Amended and Restated Seller Note and $86 of related interest thereon, and (iii) the statute
of limitations passed related to the remaining liability on a lease abandoned by the Company in 2015, resulting in a gain of $256.
During
the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company settled and/or wrote off obligations of $348 for aggregate cash payments of $139 and recognized
a gain of $209 related to legacy accounts payable deemed to no longer be legal obligations to vendors.
36
Supplemental
Operating Results on a Non-GAAP Basis
The
following non-GAAP data, which adjusts for the categories of expenses described below, is a non-GAAP financial measure. Our management
believes that this non-GAAP financial measure is useful information for investors, shareholders and other stakeholders of our Company
in gauging our results of operations on an ongoing basis. We believe that EBITDA is a performance measure and not a liquidity measure,
and therefore a reconciliation between net loss/income and EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA has been provided. EBITDA should not be considered
as an alternative to net loss/income as an indicator of performance or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as an
indicator of cash flows, in each case as determined in accordance with GAAP, or as a measure of liquidity. In addition, EBITDA does not
take into account changes in certain assets and liabilities as well as interest and income taxes that can affect cash flows. We do not
intend the presentation of these non-GAAP measures to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance
with GAAP. These non-GAAP measures should be read only in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance
with GAAP that are included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Quarters Ended
Year Ended
December 31,
September 30,
June 30
March 31,
Quarters ended
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
GAAP net income (loss)
$
232
$
(1,722
)
$
(343
)
$
1,025
$
1,272
Interest expense:
Amortization of debt discount
159
29
29
29
72
Other interest, net
648
160
158
153
177
Depreciation/amortization:
Amortization of intangible assets
1,251
302
320
317
312
Amortization of finance lease assets
4
-
-
-
4
Amortization of employee share-based awards
1,494
324
329
329
512
Depreciation of property and equipment
109
27
27
27
28
Income tax expense/(benefit)
22
13
1
7
1
EBITDA
$
3,919
(867
)
$
521
1,887
2,378
Adjustments
Change in fair value of Special Loan
(166
)
-
-
-
(166
)
Gain on settlement of obligations
(3,449
)
-
(256
)
(1,628
)
(1,565
)
Deal and transaction costs
518
518
-
-
-
Stock-based compensation – Director grants
399
318
27
27
27
Adjusted EBITDA
$
1,221
(31
)
$
292
286
674
Quarters Ended
Year Ended
December 31,
September 30,
June 30
March 31,
Quarters ended
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
GAAP net loss
$
(16,844
)
$
(617
)
$
(585
)
$
(2,459
)
$
(13,183
)
Interest expense:
Amortization of debt discount
339
85
85
84
85
Other interest, net
683
186
179
176
142
Depreciation/amortization:
Amortization of intangible assets
1,330
319
340
344
327
Amortization of finance lease assets
20
3
5
5
7
Amortization of share-based awards
617
250
248
100
19
Depreciation of property and equipment
124
29
33
30
32
Income tax expense/(benefit)
(158
)
(6
)
(1
)
4
(155
)
EBITDA
$
(13,889
)
249
$
304
$
(1,716
)
$
(12,726
)
Adjustments
Change in fair value of Special Loan
93
(609
)
-
551
151
Gain on settlement of obligations
(209
)
(54
)
(114
)
(1
)
(40
)
Loss on disposal of assets
13
-
13
-
-
Loss on lease termination
18
18
-
-
-
Loss on goodwill impairment
10,646
-
-
-
10,646
Stock-based compensation – Director grants
102
27
25
19
31
Adjusted EBITDA
$
(3,226
)
(369
)
$
228
$
(1,147
)
$
(1,938
)
37
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
We
produced net income and positive cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 but incurred a net loss and
had negative cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2021, we had cash and cash
equivalents of $2,883 and a working capital surplus of $2,913.
Equity
Financing
As described more fully in the Recent Developments
section above, on February 3, 2022, the Company entered into the Securities Purchase Agreement pursuant to which the Company agreed
to issue and sell 1,315,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and Common Stock Warrants to a Purchaser in a Private Placement
transaction for gross proceeds of $11,000 before deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company.
The net proceeds from the Private Placement were used to fund, in part, payment of the closing cash consideration in the Merger.
Debt
Financing
On
February 17, 2022, the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Borrowers”) refinanced their current debt facilities
with Slipstream, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and raised $10,000 in gross proceeds with a maturity date of February 1, 2025.
The
Credit Agreement also provides that the Company’s outstanding loans from Slipstream, consisting of its pre-existing $4,767 senior
secured term loan and $2,418 secured convertible loan, with an aggregate of $7,185 in outstanding principal and accrued and unpaid interest
under such loans, were consolidated into a Consolidation Term Loan with a maturity date of February 1, 2025. On February 17, 2022, in
connection with the closing of the acquisition of Reflect, the Company issued to RSI Exit Corporation (“Stockholders’ Representative”),
the representative of Reflect stockholders, a $2,500 Note and Security Agreement (the “Secured Promissory Note”).
The
Secured Promissory Note accrues interest at 0.59% (the applicable federal rate) and requires the Company and Reflect to pay equal monthly
principal installments of $104 on the fifteenth (15th) day of each month, commencing on March 17, 2022, for twelve months with any remaining
or unpaid principal due and payable on February 15, 2023.
Management
believes that, based on (i) the execution of the Equity Financing, (ii) the refinancing of our debt as part of the Debt Financing, including
extension of the maturity date on our term loans, and (iii) our operational forecast through 2022 following completion of the Reflect
Acquisition, that we can continue as a going concern through at least March 31, 2023. However, given our historical net losses and cash
used in operating activities, we obtained a continued support letter from Slipstream through March 31, 2023. We can provide no assurance
that our ongoing operational efforts will be successful which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash
flows.
38
See Note 8 Loans Payable to the Consolidated
Financial Statements and the Recent Developments section earlier in Item 7 for an additional discussion of the Company’s
debt obligations and further discussion of the Company’s refinancing activities subsequent to December 31, 2021.
Operating
Activities
The cash flows provided by / (used in) operating activities were $471
and $(3,530) for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Removing the effect of non-cash items, cash provided by operations
in 2021 was $1,723, driven by an (1) increase in net customer/vendor deposits of $901 related to upfront cash collections/payments for
large-scale projects, (2) increase in net accounts receivable and payables of $196 related to the timing of collections and payments for
ongoing hardware and installation sales and purchases, and (3) a decrease in inventory of $471 as Safe Space Solutions inventory purchased
in the prior year was sold in 2021, partially offset by a $338 decrease in deferred revenue.
Investing
Activities
Net
cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $1,159 as compared to $657 for the same period in 2020.
Uses of cash in the current and prior period relate primarily to internal and external costs associated with software development. We
currently do not have any material commitments for capital expenditures as of December 31, 2021; however, we anticipate an increase in
our capital expenditures of approximately $430 in excess of our historical trends through the first half of 2022 to maintain and enhance
the software platform for our customers and to enhance revenue generating activities through the platform.
Financing
Activities
Net
cash provided by financing activities during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $1,745 and $3,479, respectively. The current
year results were driven by completion of the Company’s registered direct offering, while the prior year results were driven by
our receipt of a PPP Loan of $1,552 and proceeds from our at-the-market offering of $1,831, partially offset by no debt proceeds during
the year.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
During
the year ended December 31, 2021, we did not engage in any off-balance sheet arrangements set forth in Item 303(a) (4) of Regulation S-K.
ITEM 7A QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Not
applicable.
ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
See
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements on Page F-1.
ITEM 9 CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None
39
ITEM 9A CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
An
evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (principal
executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer), of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures,
as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act (“Exchange Act”), as of the end of the period
covered by this Annual Report. Based on that evaluation, our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2021, and designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported
within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission and that such information is accumulated
and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely
decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management’s
Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f)
and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding
the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Therefore, even those
systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives.
Under
the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we evaluated
the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 based on the framework in Internal
Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”).
Based on our assessment and those criteria, management believes that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting
as of December 31, 2021.
Changes
in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There
were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2021, that have
materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B OTHER INFORMATION
Earnings
Release
On
March 22, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing its financial condition and results of operations for the three months
and year ended December 31, 2021. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference
into this Item 9B in lieu of separately furnishing such press release under Item 2.02 of Form 8-K. This disclosure, including Exhibit
99.1 hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference
into any of the Company’s filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth
by specific reference in such filing.
ITEM
9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS.
Not
applicable.
40
PART
III
ITEM 10 DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Our
Board of Directors consists of Dennis McGill (Chairman), Richard Mills (CEO), David Bell, Donald Harris, and Stephen Nesbit.
The
following table sets forth the name and position of each of our current directors and executive officers.
Name
Age
Positions
Dennis
McGill
73
Director
(Chairman)
David
Bell
78
Director
Donald
A. Harris
69
Director
Richard
Mills
66
Chief
Executive Officer and Director
Stephen
Nesbit
70
Director
Will
Logan
37
Chief
Financial Officer
The
biographies of the above-identified individuals are set forth below:
Dennis
McGill joined our Board of Directors in November 2019. Over the course of a 45-year career, Mr. McGill has served as a director,
Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer of various public and private companies. From June 2015 to October 2017, Mr. McGill
served as the President and CEO of ReCommunity Holdings II, Inc., the largest independent recycling processing company in the US, processing
over 1.8 million tons of material annually and employing a team of 1,600 members. Mr. McGill served on the Board of Directors for Lighting
Science Group Corp. (“LSGC”) from March 2015 to July 2017 while the company was publicly traded. Mr. McGill also served as
the LSGC’s Interim Chief Operating Officer from June 2014 to September 2014 and as LSGC’s Interim Chief Financial Officer
from July 2014 to December 2014. Mr. McGill joined Pegasus Capital as an operating advisor in December 2014 and remains in that capacity
today. Since June 2014, Mr. McGill has also served on the board of directors of DGSE Companies, Inc., a company listed on the NYSE MKT
that buys and sells jewelry, diamonds, fine watches, rare coins and currency (“DGSE”). Mr. McGill previously served on the
board of directors of DGSE, ReCommunity Holdings, LP and Fiber Composites, LLC and served as the chairman of DGSE’s audit committee.
From February 2013 to October 2013, Mr. McGill served as executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer of Heartland Automotive
Services, Inc., where he actively participated with the senior management team to develop and roll-out a new business model. From September
2010 to February 2013, Mr. McGill served as executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer of Blockbuster LLC and was responsible
for directing and managing various aspects of the Chapter 11 process. From March 2005 to July 2010, Mr. McGill served as executive vice
president and Chief Financial Officer of Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc., during which time he led the company’s merger and acquisition
efforts and grew the company from $0 to $160 million in EBITDA during his tenure. Mr. McGill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance
and Accounting and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Berkeley and is a Certified Public Accountant
in the state of California.
David
Bell joined our Board of Directors in August 2014 in connection with our acquisition of Creative Realities, LLC. Mr. Bell brings
over 40 years of advertising and marketing industry experience to the board, including serving as CEO of three of the largest companies
in the industry–Bozell Worldwide, True North Communications and The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. Since 2007, Mr. Bell has
led Slipstream Communications, LLC which is an international company providing strategic branding, digital marketing, and public relations
services and served as a Senior Advisor to Google Inc. from 2006 to 2009. Mr. Bell previously served as an Operating Advisor at Pegasus
Capital Advisors. He is currently a Senior Advisor to AOL and has also served on the boards of multiple publicly traded companies, including
Lighting Science Group Corporation and Point Blank Solutions, Inc., and Primedia, Inc., and served as President and CEO of The Interpublic
Group of Companies Inc. from 2003 to 2005. Mr. Bell served as an independent director on the Board of Directors of Time, Inc. from June
2014 to January 2018.
Donald
A. Harris was appointed to our Board of Directors in August 2014 in connection with our acquisition of Broadcast International,
Inc. He has been President of 1162 Management, and the General Partner of 5 Star Partnership, a private equity firm, since June 2006.
Mr. Harris has been President and Chief Executive Officer of UbiquiTel Inc., a telecommunications company organized by Mr. Harris and
other investors, since its inception in September 1999 and also its Chairman since May 2000. Mr. Harris served as the President of Comcast
Cellular Communications Inc. from March 1992 to March 1997. Mr. Harris received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military
Academy and an MBA from Columbia University. Mr. Harris’s experience in the telecommunications industry and his association with
private equity funding is valuable to the Company.
41
Richard
Mills is currently our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors. Mr. Mills possesses over 32 years of industry
experience. He was previously Chief Executive Officer of ConeXus World Global, a leading digital media services company, which he founded
in 2010, and which was acquired by the Company. Prior to founding ConeXus, Mr. Mills was President and Director at Beacon Enterprise
Solutions Group, Inc., a public telecom and technology infrastructure services provider. Previous to that, he joined publicly traded
Pomeroy Computer Resources, Inc. in 1993 and served as Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors from 1995 until
1999. Mr. Mills helped grow sales at Pomeroy during his time there from $100 million to $700 million. Mr. Mills was also a founder of
Strategic Communications LLC.
Stephen
Nesbit has been in the digital signage and digital advertising industry for over 20 years. He is currently the Managing Director
of Prestonwood Trail Holdings LLC and has provided advisory services for companies in the Digital Signage and Digital Media Industry
for the past 10 years. He has directed and advised projects in North America, Europe, Asia proper, Southeast Asia, the Middle East,
Australia and Africa. Prior to founding Prestonwood Trail, Mr. Nesbit was the President/COO at Reflect Systems, a prominent software
and services company in the Digital Signage business. He joined Reflect after serving as President/COO of MarketForward, the Global Digital
Media Division owned by the Publicis Groupe S.A. in Paris France. Mr. Nesbit began his career in Digital Signage as the EVP Global Operations
& GM International Business for Next Generation Network. NGN was one of the first Digital Place Based Advertising companies in the
industry before its sale to Anschutz Investments where the company changed its name to National Cinemedia (NASDAQ: NCMI). He began his
career at IBM in the Data Processing Division holding various field and HQ management positions. Mr. Nesbit also held management and
executive positions at Wang Labs and BBN Communications Inc., the communications company that was the original architect of the Internet. Mr.
Nesbit holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and earned an MBA from the Indiana University Kelly Graduate School
of Business.
Will
Logan joined the Company as VP of Finance in November 2017 and was promoted to the position of Chief Financial Officer effective
May 16, 2018. From January 2007 until November 2017, Mr. Logan was employed by Ernst & Young in the assurance services
group where he primarily served large public companies, including a two-year international rotation in London, UK in the asset management
practice. He brings over ten years of experience in SEC reporting, technical accounting matters and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance expertise
as well as expertise in initial public offerings, acquisitions and integration. He has B.A. degrees in Accounting and Economics from
Bellarmine University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Under
our corporate bylaws, all of our directors serve for indefinite terms expiring upon the next annual meeting of our shareholders.
When
considering whether directors and nominees have the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills to enable the Board of Directors
to satisfy its oversight responsibilities effectively in light of our business and structure, the Board of Directors focuses primarily
on the industry and transactional experience, in addition to any unique skills or attributes associated with a director. With regard
to Mr. McGill, the Board of Directors considered his background and experience with running and accelerating growth at public companies.
With regard to Mr. Bell, the Board considered his deep experience within the advertising and marketing industries and his prior management
of large enterprises. With regard to Mr. Mills, the Board of Directors considered his extensive background and experience in the industry.
With regard to Mr. Harris, the Board of Directors considered his extensive experience in the telecommunications industry and association
with private equity investors. Finally, with regard to Mr. Nesbit, the Board of Directors considered his extensive experience in the
digital signage industry, having run several companies in the industry and acted as a consultant broadly for digital signage companies
over the past twenty years.
The
Board of Directors has determined that there are presently three “independent” directors as such term is defined in Section
5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq listing rules, each of whom also meets the criteria for independence set forth in Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The directors whom the board has determined to be independent are Messrs. Bell, Harris, and Nesbit.
42
The
Board of Directors has determined that at least two members of the Board, Mr. McGill and Mr. Bell, qualify as an “audit committee
financial expert” as that term is defined in Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Each of Mr.
McGill and Mr. Bell’s relevant experience in this regard is detailed above, which includes past employment experience in finance
and through various Director roles at public companies, including experience on the Audit Committee for other publicly traded companies.
Mr. Bell is deemed to be independent of the Company. The Board of Directors has determined that each director is able to read and understand
fundamental financial statements.
Board
Committees
Our
Board of Directors has created a standing Compensation Committee and Audit Committee. Messrs. Nesbit, Harris, and Bell serve on the Compensation
Committee. Messrs. Bell, Harris and Nesbit serve on the Audit Committee. In the case of the Compensation Committee, Mr. Nesbit serves
as chair, and in the case of the Audit Committee, Mr. Bell serves as chair. The Board of Directors has determined that at least one member
of the Audit Committee, Mr. Bell, is an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined in Regulation S-K promulgated
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Mr. Bell’s relevant experience in this regard is detailed above. Mr. Bell, Mr. Harris
and Mr. Nesbit qualify as “independent” member of the board as described above. The Board of Directors has determined that
each director serving on the Audit Committee is able to read and understand fundamental financial statements.
The
Board of Directors has not created a separate committee for nomination or corporate governance. Instead, the entire Board of Directors
shares the responsibility of identifying potential director-nominees to serve on the Board of Directors. Nevertheless, nominees to serve
as directors on our Board of Directors are selected by those directors on our board who are independent.
Communications
with Board Members
Our
Board of Directors has provided the following process for shareholders and interested parties to send communications to our board and/or
individual directors. All communications should be addressed to Creative Realities, Inc., 13100 Magisterial Drive, Ste. 100, Louisville,
KY 40223, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Communications to individual directors may also be made to such director at our company’s
address. All communications sent to any individual director will be received directly by such individuals and will not be screened or
reviewed by any company personnel. Any communications sent to the board in the care of the Corporate Secretary will be reviewed by the
Corporate Secretary to ensure that such communications relate to the business of the company before being reviewed by the board.
Code
of Ethics
We
have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of our employees, officers (including our principal executive
officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and persons performing similar functions) and directors.
Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics satisfies the requirements of Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K. Our Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics is available, free of charge, upon written request to our Corporate Secretary at 13100 Magisterial Drive, Ste. 100, Louisville,
KY 40223.
43
ITEM 11 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Executive
Compensation
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our named executive officers for 2021 and 2020 ( table and
footnotes in whole dollars ) :
Name and Principal Position (a)
Years
Salary
($)(b)
Bonus
($)
Stock
Awards
($)
Option
Awards
($) (c)
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($) (d)
All Other
Compensation
($)
Total
($)
Richard Mills
2021
296,152
-
-
-
82,500
-
378,652
Chief Executive Officer and Director
2020
277,962
-
-
897,600
-
-
1,175,562
Will Logan
2021
223,460
-
-
-
31,125
-
254,585
Chief Financial Officer
2020
209,735
-
-
448,800
-
-
658,535
(a) Mr.
Mills joined the Company effective October 15, 2015. Mr. Logan joined the Company effective November 2017.
(b)
Effective
March 19, 2020 and in response to state and local authorities forcing many businesses to temporarily reduce or cease operations to
slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a six-month reduction of the salaries of
the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer by twenty percent (20%), thereby reducing the salaries payable to such officers
in 2020 to $297,000 and $224,100, respectively. The salary reductions resulted in actual salaries to $277,962 and $209,735, respectively,
during 2020. During 2021, the Company reinstated lost salaries one-third on each of April 1, July 1, and October 1, the final reinstate
thereby increasing the compensation to its pre-pandemic levels of $330,000 and $249,000, respectively. The graded reinstatement resulted
in actual salaries for Mr. Mills and Mr. Logan during 2021 of $296,152, and $223,460, respectively.
(c)
There
were two tranches of stock options issued to Mr. Mills and Mr. Logan during the year. 50% of the stock options awarded become exercisable
in increments of 33 percent of the total shares purchasable under this issuance on June 1 annually, beginning in 2021 and ending
in 2023. The fair value of the options on the grant date was $1.87 and was determined using the Black-Scholes model. The values included
in the table above represent the number of shares awarded to Mr. Mills (480,000) and Mr. Logan (240,000) multiplied by the grant
date fair value of the awards as of the grant date. These calculations exclude any value associated with an equal number of performance
restricted stock options issued to both Mr. Mills and Mr. Logan which become exercisable in increments of 33 percent of the total
shares purchasable under this issuance on June 1 annually, beginning in 2021 and ending in 2023, subject to satisfying the Company
revenue target and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) target for the applicable
year. In each of calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022, one-third of the total shares may vest (if the revenue and EBITDA targets are
met), and the shares that are subject to vesting each year are allocated equally to each of the revenue and EBITDA targets for such
year. These performance options include a catch-up provision, where any options that did not vest during a prior year due to the
Company’s failure to meet a prior revenue or EBITDA target may vest in a subsequent vesting year if the revenue or EBITDA target,
as applicable, is met in the future year. No expense was recorded in 2020 as neither the revenue nor EBITDA target were achieved.
The Company recorded stock compensation expense of $449,623 related to Mr. Mills and Mr. Logan for current year and catch-up expense
related to the achievement of the EBITDA target in 2021. The revenue and EBITDA targets for the following years are as follows:
Calendar
Year
Revenue
Target
EBITDA
Target
2020
$32
million
$2.2
million
2021
$35
million
$3.1
million
2022
$38
million
$3.5
million
(d)
In
addition to the employee stock option plan approved by the Board of Directors in May 2020, the Board of Directors also approved an
employee bonus plan pursuant to which certain officers and other employees of the Company would be granted incentive compensation
in the form of cash bonuses. In each of the calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022, Mr. Mills was provided a target bonus of $165, or
50% of his base salary, and Mr. Logan was provided a target bonus of $62, or 25% of his base salary, subject to satisfying the same
Company revenue and EBITDA targets for the applicable year on which vesting of performance-based share compensation were set. The
Company targets for calendar year 2020 were not met and there was no impact on the Company’s financial statements of those
awards during 2020. While the Company targets for revenue were not achieved in 2021, the EBTIDA target was achieved and the Company
has accrued $114 in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2021 related to this bonus plan.
44
The
material terms of employment agreements of Richard Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Creative Realities, and Will Logan, Chief Financial
Officer of the Company, including those adopted on November 12, 2021, and payments to be made upon a change in control are discussed
below, in the narrative following “Employment Agreements.”
Our
named executive officers are eligible for retirement benefits on the same terms as non-executives under the Company’s defined contribution
401(k) retirement plan. Employees may contribute pretax compensation to the plan in accordance with current maximum contribution levels
proscribed by the Internal Revenue Service. Beginning on April 1, 2018 but suspended indefinitely as of March 19, 2020, the Company began
contributing an employer contribution match of 50% of employee wages up to 6%, for an effective match of 3%. Creative Realities re-implemented
the employer contribution match at the previous rate effective October 1, 2021.
Richard
Mills Employment Agreement
Creative
Realities employed Richard Mills as Creative Realities Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Mills’ employment agreement was initially effective
for a two-year term, which automatically renewed for additional one-year periods unless either Creative Realities or Mr. Mills elected
not to extend the term. The agreement provided for an initial annual base salary of $270 subject to annual increases but generally not
subject to decreases. Mr. Mills’ current annual base salary is $330. Under the agreement, Mr. Mills was eligible to participate
in performance-based cash bonus or equity award plans for Creative Realities senior executives. Mr. Mills participated in Creative Realities
employee benefit plans, policies, programs, prerequisites and arrangements to the extent he meets applicable eligibility requirements.
In the event of a termination of employment for good reason, as defined, without cause, as defined, or within 12 months following a change
in control, as defined, other than for reason of death, disability or for cause, any of which occur during the first year of Mr. Mills’
employment, Mr. Mills would have been entitled to receive a severance payment equal to six months of his base salary. After the one-year
anniversary of his employment (the current term of Mr. Mills’ employment is beyond the one-year anniversary), the severance amount
increased to 12 months of then-current base salary. The agreement provided that any severance payments would be paid in installments
over the course of the severance. The agreement contained certain non-solicitation and non-competition provisions that continue after
employment for a period of one year. The agreement also contained other customary restrictive and other covenants relating to the confidentiality
of information, the ownership of inventions and other matters.
Mr.
Mills and Creative Realities entered into a new employment agreement on November 12, 2021. The employment agreement is effective for
a one-year term, which automatically renews for additional one-year periods unless either Creative Realities or Mr. Mills elects not
to extend the term. The agreement provides for an initial annual base salary of $330 subject to annual increases but generally not subject
to decreases. The employment agreement provides that Mr. Mills’ annual base salary adjusts automatically upon the closing of the
Merger to $450 subject to annual increases but not generally subject to decreases. Under the agreement, Mr. Mills is eligible to participate
in performance-based cash bonus or equity award plans for Creative Realities senior executives. Mr. Mills will participate in Creative
Realities employee benefit plans, policies, programs, perquisites and arrangements to the extent he meets applicable eligibility requirements.
In the event of a termination of employment for good reason, as defined, without cause, as de-fined, or within 12 months following a
change in control, as defined, other than for reason of death, disability or for cause, Mr. Mills will be entitled to receive aggregate
severance payments equal to twelve months of his base salary. The agreement provides that any severance payments would be paid in installments
over the course of the severance. The agreement contains certain non-solicitation and non-competition provisions that continue after
employment for a period of one year. The agreement also contains other customary restrictive and other covenants relating to the confidentiality
of information, the ownership of inventions and other matters.
45
Will
Logan Employment Agreement
Will
Logan, Creative Realities’ Chief Financial Officer, had an at-will employment arrangement with Creative Realities. Mr. Logan’s
current annual base salary is $249. Mr. Logan participated in Creative Realities employee benefit plans, policies, programs, perquisites
and arrangements to the extent he meets applicable eligibility requirements, and also received the stock options discussed under “Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End” below.
Mr.
Logan and Creative Realities entered into an employment agreement on November 12, 2021. The employment agreement is effective for a one-year
term, which automatically renews for additional one-year periods unless either Creative Realities or Mr. Logan elects not to extend the
term. The agreement provides for an initial annual base salary of $249 subject to annual increases but generally not subject to decreases.
The employment agreement provides that Mr. Logan’s annual base salary adjusts automatically upon the closing of the Merger to $350,
subject to annual increases but not generally subject to decreases, and Mr. Logan will receive a $75 cash bonus upon the closing of the
Merger. The Merger closed on February 17, 2022. Under the agreement, Mr. Logan is eligible to participate in performance-based cash bonus
or equity award plans for Creative Realities senior executives. Mr. Logan participates in Creative Realities employee benefit plans,
policies, programs, prerequisites and arrangements to the extent he meets applicable eligibility requirements. In the event of a termination
of employment for good reason, as defined, without cause, as defined, or within 12 months following a change in control, as defined,
other than for reason of death, disability or for cause, Mr. Logan will be entitled to receive aggregate severance payments equal to
six months of his base salary. The agreement provides that any severance payments would be paid in installments over the course of the
severance. The agreement contains certain non-solicitation and non-competition provisions that continue after employment for a period
of one year. The agreement also contains other customary restrictive and other covenants relating to the confidentiality of information,
the ownership of inventions and other matters.
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The
following table sets forth certain information concerning outstanding stock options and restricted stock awards held by Creative Realities
named executive officers as of December 31, 2021:
Option Awards (a)
Stock Awards
Number of
Number of Securities
Number
Market value
Securities
Underlying
of shares
of shares
Underlying
Unexercised
or units of
or units of
Unexercised
Options
Option
stock
stock
Options
(#)
Exercise
Option
that has
that have
(#)
Non-
Price
Expiration
not vested
not vested
Name
Exercisable
Exercisable
($)
Date
(#)
($)
Richard Mills
160,000 (a)
320,000 (a)
$ 2.53
6/1/2030
-
-
160,000 (b)
320,000 (b)
$ 2.53
6/1/2030
-
-
Will Logan
19,167 (c)
- (c)
$ 8.70
11/6/2027
-
-
12,500 (d)
4,167 (d)
$ 7.50
9/20/2028
-
-
80,000 (a)
160,000 (a)
$ 2.53
6/1/2030
-
-
80,000 (b)
160,000 (b)
$ 2.53
6/1/2030
-
-
(a)
These
stock options become exercisable in increments of 33 percent of the total shares purchasable under this issuance on June 1 annually,
beginning in 2021 and ending in 2023.
(b)
These stock options become exercisable in increments of 16.67 percent of the total shares purchasable under this issuance subject to satisfying Creative Realities revenue target and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) target for the applicable year. In each of calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022, one-third of the total shares may vest (if the revenue and EBITDA targets are met), and the shares that are subject to vesting each year are allocated equally to each of the revenue and EBITDA targets for such year, with each target and vesting being independently achieved without regard for the other. These performance options include a catch-up provision, where any options that did not vest during a prior year due to Creative Realities’ failure to meet a prior revenue or EBITDA target may vest in a subsequent vesting year if the revenue or EBITDA target, as applicable, is met in the future year. The revenue and EBITDA targets for the following years are as follows:
46
Calendar Year
Revenue Target
EBITDA Target
2020
$32 million
$2.2 million
2021
$35 million
$3.1 million
2022
$38 million
$3.5 million
The
executives met the foregoing EBTIDA target for calendar year 2021.
(c)
These
stock options become exercisable in increments of 25 percent of the total shares purchasable under this issuance on November 6 annually,
beginning in 2018 and ending in 2021.
(d)
These
stock options become exercisable in increments of 25 percent of the total shares purchasable under this issuance on September 20
annually, beginning in 2019 and ending in 2022.
Director
Compensation
On
March 13, 2019, Creative Realities’ Board of Directors approved a plan to compensate non-officer directors for their service to
Creative Realities in the amount of $25 per year, beginning April 1, 2019, to be issued in either cash or restricted stock vesting immediately
upon issuance. Shares of restricted stock were issued quarterly in arrears for service the preceding quarter for a value of $6 per director,
with the number of shares issued based on the most recent close price of Creative Realities’ common stock at the end of the previous
calendar quarter.
On
November 17, 2021, Creative Realities’ Board of Directors updated its director compensation plan to compensate non-officer directors
as follows:
● Annual
grant of shares of unrestricted common stock of Creative Realities, issuable on November 17, 2021, 2022 and 2023, having an annual value
of $24, with the per-share price to be determined based upon the closing price of the Company’s common stock as reported on Nasdaq
on such issuance date; and
● An
option issuable to each non-executive director to purchase 60,000 shares of Creative Realities common stock (or in the case of Dennis
McGill, Chairman of the Creative Realities Board, 75,000 shares), which vest in three equal installments on November 17, 2021, 2022 and
2023, subject to continuing service as a director as of such vesting date. The exercise price of such options is $2.21, the closing price
of Creative Realities’ common stock as reported on Nasdaq on the date of adoption of such plan.
The
table below sets forth the compensation paid to Creative Realities non-employee directors during 2021:
Director Compensation ( table and footnotes in whole dollars )
Name
Fees earned
or paid in
cash
($)
Stock
awards
($) (1)
Option awards
($) (2)
Non-equity
incentive plan
compensation
($)
Nonqualified
deferred
compensation
earnings
($)
All other
compensation
($)
Total
($)
Dennis McGill
–
46,531
130,825
–
–
–
177,356
David Bell
–
46,531
104,660
–
–
–
151,191
Donald A. Harris
–
46,531
104,660
–
–
–
151,191
Stephen Nesbit
–
46,531
104,660
–
–
–
151,191
(1)
Each
director was awarded shares of the Company’s common stock for service having an aggregate value of $6,250 on a quarterly basis
in arrears for services completed during the immediately preceding quarter. This arrangement was in place for the first three quarters
of 2021, with $18,750 of the total above for each director representing the aggregate value of shares issued on the date of issuance.
(2)
Represents
the aggregate grant date fair value of three-year option awards vesting in 2021, 2022, and 2023 based on the Black-Scholes value
determined as of the November 17, 2021 grant date.
47
ITEM 12 SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The
following table sets forth the number of common shares, and percentage of outstanding common shares, beneficially owned as of March 22,
2022, by:
●
each
person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of our outstanding common stock,
●
each
current director,
●
each
executive officer of the Company and other persons identified as a named executive in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and
●
all
current executive officers and directors as a group.
Unless
otherwise indicated, the address of each of the following persons is 13100 Magisterial Drive, Suite 100, Louisville, KY 40223, and each
such person has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares set forth opposite his, her or its name.
Name and Address
Common
Shares
Beneficially
Owned [1]
Percentage
of
Common
Shares [1]
Slipstream Funding, LLC [2]
c/o Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P.
750 E Main St., Suite 600
Stamford, CT 06902
952,365
5.56
%
Slipstream Communications, LLC [3]
c/o Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P.
750 E Main St., Suite 600
Stamford, CT 06902
6,463,974
33.47
%
Stephen Nesbit [4]
73,981
*
Donald A. Harris [5]
220,023
1.28
%
Dennis McGill [6]
89,296
*
David Bell [7]
73,981
*
Richard Mills [8]
1,076,904
6.17
%
Will Logan [9]
197,735
1.14
%
All current executive officers and directors as a group [10]
1,731,920
9.18
%
*
less
than 1%
(1)
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC, and includes general voting power and/or investment power with
respect to securities. Shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options or warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable
within 60 days of March 22, 2022, and shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of other securities currently convertible
or convertible within 60 days, are deemed outstanding for computing the beneficial ownership percentage of the person holding
such securities but are not deemed outstanding for computing the beneficial ownership percentage of any other person. Under applicable
SEC rules, each person’s beneficial ownership is calculated by dividing the total number of shares with respect to which they
possess beneficial ownership by the total number of outstanding shares of Creative Realities. In any case where an individual has
beneficial ownership over securities that are not outstanding, but are issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants or similar
rights within the next 60 days, that same number of shares is added to the denominator in the calculation described above. Because
the calculation of each person’s beneficial ownership set forth in the “Percentage of Common Shares” column of
the table may include shares that are not presently outstanding, the sum total of the percentages set forth in such column may exceed
100%.
48
(2)
Investment and voting power over shares held by Slipstream Funding, LLC is held by Slipstream Communications, LLC, its sole member, and may deemed to be directly or indirectly controlled by Craig Cogut, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pegasus Capital Advisors, LLC. See table footnote 3 for further information regarding Slipstream Communications, LLC.
(3)
Investment and voting power over shares held by Slipstream Communications, LLC may be deemed to be directly or indirectly controlled by Craig Cogut, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pegasus Capital Advisors, LLC. Slipstream Communications, LLC (“Slipstream Communications”) is the sole member of Slipstream Funding, LLC (“Slipstream Funding”). BCOM Holdings, LP (“BCOM Holdings”) is the managing member of Slipstream Communications. BCOM GP LLC (“BCOM GP”) is the general partner of BCOM Holdings. Business Services Holdings, LLC (“Business Services Holdings”) is the sole member of BCOM GP. PP IV BSH, LLC (“PP IV BSH”), Pegasus Investors IV, L.P. (“Pegasus Investors”) and Pegasus Partners IV (AIV), L.P. (“Pegasus Partners (AIV)”) are the members of Business Services Holdings. Pegasus Partners IV, L.P. (“Pegasus Partners”) is the sole member of PP IV BSH. Pegasus Investors IV, L.P. (“Pegasus Investors”) is the general partner of each of Pegasus Partners (AIV) and Pegasus Partners and Pegasus Investors IV GP, L.L.C. (“Pegasus Investors GP”) is the general partner of Pegasus Investors. Pegasus Investors GP is wholly owned by Pegasus Capital, LLC (“Pegasus Capital”). Pegasus Capital may be deemed to be directly or indirectly controlled by Craig Cogut. The share figure includes the 952,365 shares of common stock issued to and held by Slipstream Funding, LLC in connection with the merger transaction with Creative Realities, LLC. Share figure also includes 2,187,521 common shares purchasable upon exercise of outstanding warrants issued to and held by Slipstream Communications, LLC.
(4)
Mr.
Nesbit is a director of the Company. Share figure includes 20,000 shares purchasable upon the exercise of outstanding options.
(5)
Mr.
Harris is a director of the Company. Share figure includes 9,130 shares purchasable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants and
20,000 shares purchasable upon the exercise of outstanding options.
(6)
Mr.
McGill is a director of the Company and Chairman of the Board. Share figured includes 41,667 shares purchasable upon the exercise
of outstanding options.
(7)
Mr.
Bell is a director of the Company. Share figure includes 20,000 shares purchasable upon the exercise of outstanding options.
(8)
Mr.
Mills is a director of the Company and Chief Executive Officer. Share figure includes 320,000 shares purchasable upon the exercise
of outstanding options.
(9)
Mr.
Logan is the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Share figure includes 191,667 shares purchasable upon the exercise of outstanding
options.
(10)
Includes
Messrs. McGill, Mills, Bell, Harris, Nesbit and Logan.
49
Securities
Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The
table below sets forth certain information, as of the close of business on December 31, 2021, regarding equity compensation plans (including
individual compensation arrangements) under which our securities were then authorized for issuance.
Number of Securities to be
Issued Upon Exercise of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and Rights
Weighted-Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and Rights
Number of Securities Remaining
Available for Issuance Under Equity
Compensation Plans (excluding
securities reflected in column a)
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders
None (1)
N/A
None
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders
2,868,809 (1)
$ 3.10
3,143,326 (2)
(1)
All
shares reflected in the table are issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options issued under the 2006 Amended and Restated
Equity Incentive Plan or the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan.
(2)
Reflects
number of securities remaining available for issuance under the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan.
ITEM 13 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Debt
Financing
On
February 17, 2022, the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Borrowers”) refinanced their current debt facilities
with Slipstream, pursuant to a Second Amended and Restated Credit and Security Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Borrowers
include Reflect, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company as a result of the closing of the Merger on February 17, 2022.
The debt facilities continue to be fully secured by all assets of the Borrowers.
The Company raised $10,000 in gross proceeds, or
$9,950 in net proceeds, from entry into a new, 36-month senior secured term loan (the “Acquisition Loan”) with Slipstream
as part of the Credit Agreement, which matures on February 17, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”). The Acquisition Loan has an interest
rate of 8.0%, with 50.0% warrant coverage (or 2,500,000 warrants). On the first day of each month, commencing March 1, 2022 through February
1, 2025, the Borrowers will make interest-only payments on the Acquisition Loan (estimated to be $67 per monthly payment). No principal
payments on the Acquisition Loan are payable until the Maturity Date.
The Credit Agreement also provides that the Company’s
outstanding loans from Slipstream, consisting of its pre-existing $4,767 senior secured term loan and $2,418 secured convertible loan,
with an aggregate of $7,185 in outstanding principal and accrued and unpaid interest under such loans, were consolidated into a term loan
(the “Consolidation Term Loan”). The Consolidation Term Loan has an interest rate of 10.0%, with 75.0% warrant coverage (or
2,694,495 warrants). On the first day of each month, commencing March 1, 2022 through February 1, 2025, the Borrowers will make interest-only
payments on the Consolidation Term Loan (estimated to be $60 per monthly payment). Commencing on September 1, 2023, and on the first day
of each month thereafter until the Maturity Date, the Borrowers will make a payment on the Consolidation Term Loan, in an equal monthly
installment of principal sufficient to fully amortize the Consolidation Term Loan in eighteen equal installments (estimated to be $399
per monthly installment).
50
In connection with the
Acquisition Loan and the Consolidation Term Loan warrant coverage, the Company issued to Slipstream a warrant to purchase an aggregate
of 5,194,495 shares of Company common stock (the “Lender Warrant”). The Lender Warrant has a five-year term, an initial exercise
price of $2.00 per share, subject to adjustments in the Lender Warrant, and is not exercisable until August 17, 2022.
In
certain circumstances, upon a fundamental transaction of the Company, the holder of the Lender Warrant will have the right to require
the Company to repurchase the Lender Warrant at its fair value using a Black Scholes option pricing formula; provided that such holder
may not require the Company or its successor entity to repurchase the Lender Warrant for the Black Scholes value in connection with a
fundamental transaction that is not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, and therefore not within the Company’s
control.
33
Degrees
33 Degrees Convenience Connect, Inc., a related
party that was approximately 17.5% owned by a member of our senior management (“33 Degrees”) until September 2021, is
a customer of both equipment and services from the Company. For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had sales of $457 (2.5%
of consolidated sales) and $1,058 (6.1% of consolidated sales), respectively, with 33 Degrees. Accounts receivable due from 33 Degrees
was $35, or 1.0%, and $40, or 1.2% of consolidated accounts receivable at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.
Each
of the foregoing transactions were approved by our Board of Directors after full disclosure of any conflicts of interest. Any directors
that had a conflicting interest in the transactions abstained from approving such matter.
Independence
The
Company does not have a standing nominating committee. Instead, the entire Board of Directors shares the responsibility of identifying
potential director-nominees to serve on the Board of Directors. The Board believes the engagement of all directors in this function is
important at this time in the Company’s development in light of the Company’s recent acquisition activities.
The
Board of Directors has determined that there are presently four “independent” directors as such term is defined in Section
5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq listing rules, each of whom also meets the criteria for independence set forth in Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The directors whom the board has determined to be independent are Messrs. Bell, Harris, and Nesbit.
ITEM 14 PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
(All
currency is rounded to the nearest thousands, except share and per share amounts.)
The
following table presents fees for audit and other services provided by Deloitte and Touche LLP for 2021 and 2020. Fees for tax services
were provided by Ernst & Young, LLP beginning in the second quarter of 2018. Fees to Deloitte and Touche LLP were as follows:
2021
2020
Audit fees (a)
$ 260
$ 336
Audit related fees (b)
65
-
Tax fees (c)
-
-
$ 325
$ 336
(a)
Audit
fees for 2021 and 2020 relate to professional services provided in connection with the audit of our consolidated financial
statements, the reviews of our quarterly condensed consolidated financial statements, and audit services provided in connection with
other regulatory filings.
(b)
Audit related fees relate to professional services provided in connection
with the preparation and filing of SEC reports related to our Registered Direct Offering and the Reflect Merger.
(c)
There
were no tax fees paid to Deloitte and Touche LLP. Tax fees to other service providers consisted of the aggregate fees billed for
tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning of $223 and $105 for 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Our
Board of Directors pre-approved the audit services rendered by Deloitte and Touche LLP during 2021 and 2020, respectively, and concluded
that such services were compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence.
51
PART
IV
ITEM 15 EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a)
See
“Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” on page F-1 and “Exhibit Index” on page E-1.
(b)
See
“Exhibit Index” on page E-1.
(c)
Not
applicable.
ITEM
16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY .
None.
52
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, on March 22, 2022.
Creative
Realities, Inc.
By
/s/
Richard Mills
Richard
Mills
Chief
Executive Officer
By
/s/
Will Logan
Will
Logan
Chief
Financial Officer
In
accordance with the Exchange Act, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant, and in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ Richard
Mills
Chief
Executive Officer and Director
March
22, 2022
Richard
Mills
/s/ Will
Logan
Chief
Financial Officer (Principal Financial and
March
22, 2022
Will
Logan
Principal
Accounting Officer)
/s/ Dennis
McGill
Chairman
of the Board of Directors
March
22, 2022
Dennis
McGill
/s/ David Bell
Director
March
22, 2022
David Bell
/s/ Donald Harris
Director
March
22, 2022
Donald Harris
/s/
Steve Nesbit
Director
March
22, 2022
Steve
Nesbit
53
INDEX
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID No. 34 ) F-2 - F-3
Consolidated Financial Statements
Consolidated Balance Sheets F-4
Consolidated Statements of Operations F-5
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity F-6
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows F-7
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-8
F- 1
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Creative Realities, Inc.
Opinion
on the Financial Statements
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Creative Realities, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of
December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows, for each of
the two years in the period ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements").
In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December
31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2021,
in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis
for Opinion
These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's
financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities
laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company
is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits,
we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion
on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our
audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error
or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical
Audit Matter
The
critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that was communicated
or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial
statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters
does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit
matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Goodwill
– Refer to Notes 2 and 7 to the Financial Statements
Critical
Audit Matter Description
The
Company operates as a single reportable segment, operating segment and reporting unit. The Company’s evaluation of goodwill for
impairment involves comparing the book value of the reporting unit to its estimated fair value. The Company’s determination of
estimated fair value of the reporting unit is based primarily on a discounted cash flow model utilizing the income approach. The Company
used the discounted cash flow model to estimate fair value which requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions related
to the valuation of the reporting unit, including assumptions regarding discount rates and forecasts of future revenue and operating
margins. Changes in these assumptions could have a significant impact on either the fair value of the reporting unit, the amount of any
goodwill impairment charge, or both. The Company’s annual impairment assessment date is September 30. Accordingly, management performed
an impairment assessment as of September 30, 2021. The estimated fair value of the reporting unit exceeded the carrying value as of September
30, 2021 and, therefore, no impairment was recognized.
We
identified the valuation of goodwill as a critical audit matter because of the significant estimates and assumptions management made
to estimate the fair value of the reporting unit and the highly sensitive nature of Company’s operations to changes in demand.
This required a high degree of auditor judgment and an increased extent of effort, including the need to involve our fair value specialists,
when performing audit procedures to evaluate the reasonableness of management’s estimates and assumptions.
F- 2
How
the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our
audit procedures related to the forecasts of future revenues, gross profit, operating income/EBITDA, and capital expenditures, and the
selection of the long-term growth rate and discount rate for the reporting unit included the following, among others:
● We
evaluated the reasonableness of management’s forecasts of revenue, gross profit, operating
income/EBITDA, and capital expenditures by comparing the forecasts to:
(1) historical
revenue, gross profit, operating income/EBITDA, and capital expenditures,
(2) internal
communications to management and the Board of Directors, and
(3) forecasted
information included in industry reports for the Company.
● With
the assistance of our fair value specialists:
o We
evaluated the reasonableness of the discounted cash flow valuation methodology and performed
underlying procedures on the mathematical accuracy of the calculations.
o We
evaluated the reasonableness of the discount rate used in the discounted cash flow model
by testing the underlying source information, developing an independent range of estimated
discount rates and comparing that range to the discount rate selected by the Company.
o We
evaluated the reasonableness of the long-term growth rate used in the discounted cash flow
model by comparing the information used by the Company to third party economic and industry
related information.
/s/
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Louisville,
Kentucky
March
22, 2022
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.
F- 3
CREATIVE
REALITIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
December 31,
December 31,
2021
2020
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 2,883
$ 1,826
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $ 620 and $ 1,230 , respectively
3,006
2,302
Unbilled receivables
369
41
Inventories, net
1,880
2,351
Prepaids and other current assets
1,634
507
Total current assets
9,772
7,027
Operating lease right-of-use assets
654
931
Property and equipment, net
75
175
Intangibles, net
4,850
4,955
Goodwill
7,525
7,525
Other assets
5
5
TOTAL ASSETS
$ 22,881
$ 20,618
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term seller note payable
$ -
$ 1,637
Accounts payable
2,517
1,661
Accrued expenses
2,110
2,142
Deferred revenues
426
764
Customer deposits
1,525
770
Current maturities of operating leases
281
355
Current maturities of financing leases
-
4
Total current liabilities
6,859
7,333
Long-term Payroll Protection Program note payable
-
1,552
Long-term related party loans payable, net of $ 143 and $ 168 discount, respectively
4,624
4,436
Long-term related party convertible loans payable, at fair value
2,251
2,270
Long-term obligations under operating leases
373
584
Long-term accrued expenses
-
108
Other liabilities
45
-
TOTAL LIABILITIES
14,152
16,283
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common stock, $ 0.01 par value, 200,000 shares authorized; 12,009 and 10,924 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
120
109
Additional paid-in capital
60,863
56,712
Accumulated deficit
( 52,254 )
( 52,486 )
Total shareholders’ equity
8,729
4,335
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
$ 22,881
$ 20,618
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
F- 4
CREATIVE
REALITIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
For the Years Ended
December 31,
2021
2020
Sales
Hardware
$ 9,450
$ 8,991
Services and other
8,987
8,466
Total sales
18,437
17,457
Cost of sales
Hardware
6,914
6,251
Services and other
3,166
3,085
Total cost of sales
10,080
9,336
Gross profit
8,357
8,121
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing
1,153
1,676
Research and development
550
1,083
General and administrative
7,598
8,465
Bad debt expense/(recovery)
( 277 )
828
Depreciation and amortization
1,364
1,474
Lease termination expense
-
18
Goodwill impairment
-
10,646
Loss on disposal of fixed assets
-
13
Deal and transaction costs
518
-
Total operating expenses
10,906
24,203
Operating loss
( 2,549 )
( 16,082 )
Other income/(expenses):
Interest expense, including amortization of debt discount
( 805 )
( 1,023 )
Gain on settlement of obligations
3,449
209
Gain/(loss) on fair value of debt
166
( 93 )
Other income/(expense), net
( 7 )
( 13 )
Total other income/(expense)
2,803
( 920 )
Net income/(loss) before income taxes
254
( 17,002 )
Income tax benefit/(expense)
( 22 )
158
Net income/(loss)
232
( 16,844 )
Net income/(loss) per common share - basic
$ 0.02
$ ( 1.65 )
Net income/(loss) per common share - diluted
$ 0.02
$ ( 1.65 )
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic
11,761
10,195
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted
11,761
10,195
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
F- 5
CREATIVE
REALITIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
For
the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
(in
thousands, except shares)
Additional
Common Stock
paid in
Accumulated
Year ended December 31, 2021
Shares
Amount
capital
(Deficit)
Total
Balance as of December 31, 2020
10,924,287
$ 109
$ 56,712
$ ( 52,486 )
$ 4,335
Stock-based compensation – employees
-
-
1,494
-
1,494
Stock-based compensation - directors
106,528
1
398
-
399
Stock-based compensation - vendors
80,560
1
129
-
130
Conversion of Disbursed Escrow Loan
97,144
1
263
-
264
Gain on Extinguishment of Special Loan
-
-
26
-
26
Shares issued via registered direct offering
800,000
8
1,841
-
1,849
Net income
-
-
-
232
232
Balance as of December 31, 2021
12,008,519
$ 120
$ 60,863
$ ( 52,254 )
$ 8,729
Additional
Common Stock
paid in
Accumulated
Year ended December 31, 2020
Shares
Amount
capital
(Deficit)
Total
Balance as of December 31, 2019
9,774,546
98
54,052
( 35,642 )
18,508
Shares issued to directors as compensation
88,073
1
99
-
100
Stock-based compensation
-
-
620
-
620
Shares issued via at-the-market offering
1,034,068
10
1,821
-
1,831
Exercise of warrants
27,600
-
120
-
120
Net loss
-
-
-
( 16,844 )
( 16,844 )
Balance as of December 31, 2020
10,924,287
$ 109
$ 56,712
$ ( 52,486 )
$ 4,335
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
F- 6
CREATIVE
REALITIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in
thousands, except share per share amounts)
For the Years Ended
December 31,
2021
2020
Operating Activities:
Net income/(loss)
$ 232
$ ( 16,844 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income/(loss) to be used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
1,364
1,474
Amortization of debt discount
159
339
Stock-based compensation
1,893
719
Allowance for doubtful accounts
10
613
Employee retention and other government credits
( 785 )
-
Non-cash interest expense on related party loans
467
517
Non-cash receivables from in-process projects
( 369 )
-
Non-cash application of customer deposits to completed projects
( 506 )
-
Stock compensation issued to vendors for services
130
-
Deferred tax (benefit)/expense
-
( 175 )
Gain on forgiveness of PPP loan
( 1,552 )
-
Gain on settlement of Seller Note
( 1,538 )
-
Gain on settlement of other obligation
( 359 )
( 209 )
Loss on disposal of assets
-
13
(Gain)/loss on fair value of debt
( 166 )
93
Goodwill impairment
-
10,646
Changes to operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable and unbilled receivables
( 673 )
1,793
Inventories
471
( 1,972 )
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
18
( 71 )
Vendor deposits
( 360 )
( 116 )
Other assets
-
130
Operating lease right of use asset
277
149
Accounts payable and other current payables
869
3
Deferred revenue
( 338 )
( 8 )
Accrued expenses, net
206
( 502 )
Customer deposits
1,261
15
Operating lease liabilities
( 285 )
( 139 )
Other liabilities
45
2
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities
471
( 3,530 )
Investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment
( 19 )
( 92 )
Capitalization of internal and external labor for software development
( 1,140 )
( 565 )
Net cash used in investing activities
( 1,159 )
( 657 )
Financing activities
Proceeds from common stock issuance, net of issuance costs
1,849
1,831
Proceeds from Payroll Protection Program loan
-
1,552
Principal payments on finance leases
( 4 )
( 24 )
Repayment of seller note
( 100 )
-
Proceeds from warrant exercise into common stock
-
120
Net cash provided by financing activities
1,745
3,479
Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
1,057
( 708 )
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of year
1,826
2,534
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of year
$ 2,883
$ 1,826
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
F- 7
CREATIVE
REALITIES, INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(in
thousands, except share and per share amounts)
All
currency is rounded to the nearest thousands except share and per share amounts
NOTE
1: NATURE OF ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS
Unless
the context otherwise indicates, references in these Notes to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements to “we,”
“us,” “our” and “the Company” refer to Creative Realities, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Nature
of the Company’s Business
Creative
Realities, Inc. is a Minnesota corporation that provides innovative digital marketing technology and solutions to retail companies, individual
retail brands, enterprises and organizations throughout the United States and in certain international markets. The Company has expertise
in a broad range of existing and emerging digital marketing technologies, as well as the related media management and distribution software
platforms and networks, device management, product management, customized software service layers, systems, experiences, workflows, and
integrated solutions. Our technology and solutions include: digital merchandising systems and omni-channel customer engagement systems,
interactive digital shopping assistants, advisors and kiosks, and other interactive marketing technologies such as mobile, social media,
point-of-sale transactions, beaconing and web-based media that enable our customers to transform how they engage with consumers. We have
expertise in a broad range of existing and emerging digital marketing technologies, as well as the following related aspects of our business:
content, network management, and connected device software and firmware platforms; customized software service layers; hardware platforms;
digital media workflows; and proprietary processes and automation tools.
Our main operations are conducted directly through
Creative Realities, Inc., and under our wholly owned subsidiaries Allure Global Solutions, Inc., a Georgia corporation, and Creative Realities
Canada, Inc., a Canadian corporation, and Reflect Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation, which was acquired on February 17, 2022.
Acquisition of Reflect
On November 12, 2021,
the Company and Reflect Systems, Inc., or “Reflect,” entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as amended on as amended
on February 8, 2022, the “Merger Agreement)” pursuant to which a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Creative Realities, CRI
Acquisition Corporation, or “Merger Sub,” would merge with and into Reflect, with Reflect surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary
of Creative Realities, and the surviving company of the merger, which transaction is referred to herein as the “Merger.” On
February 17, 2022, the parties consummated the Merger.
Reflect provides digital
signage solutions, including software, strategic and media services to a wide range of companies across the retail, financial, hospitality
and entertainment, healthcare, and employee communications industries in North America. Reflect offers digital signage platforms, including
ReflectView, a platform used by companies to power hundreds of thousands of active digital displays. Through its strategic services, Reflect
assists its customers with designing, deploying and optimizing their digital signage networks, and through its media services, Reflect
assists customers with monetizing their digital advertising networks.
Subject to the terms and
conditions of the Merger Agreement, upon the closing of the Merger, Reflect stockholders as of to the effective time of the Merger collectively
received from the Company, in the aggregate, the following Merger consideration: (i) $16,166 payable in cash, (ii) 2,333,334 shares of
common stock of Creative Realities (valued based on an issuance price of $2 per share) (the “CREX Shares”), (iii) the Secured
Promissory Note (as described below), and (iv) supplemental cash payments (the “Guaranteed Consideration”), if any, payable
on or after the three-year anniversary of the effective time of the Merger (subject to the Extension Option described below, the “Guarantee
Date”), in an amount by which the value of the CREX Shares on such anniversary is less than $6.40 per share, or if certain customers
of Reflect collectively achieve over 85,000 billable devices online at any time on or before December 31, 2022, is less than $7.20 per
share (such applicable amount, the “Guaranteed Price”), multiplied by the amount of CREX Shares held by the Reflect stockholders
on the Guarantee Date (subject to the Extension Option described below), subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement.
Creative Realities may exercise an extension option
(the “Extension Option”) to extend the Guarantee Date from the three-year anniversary of the Closing Date to six (6) months
thereafter if (i) the Extension Threshold Price is greater than or equal to 70 % of the Guaranteed Price described above, and (ii) Creative
Realities provides written notice of its election to exercise the Extension Option at least ten (10) days prior to the three-year anniversary
of the Closing. The “Extension Threshold Price” means the average closing price per share of Creative Realities Shares as
reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market (or NYSE) in the fifteen (15) consecutive trading day period ending fifteen (15) days prior to the
three-year anniversary of the Closing Date. If the Extension Threshold Price is less than 80 % of the Guaranteed Price, then the Guaranteed
Price will be increased by $ 1.00 per share.
In connection with the Merger, the Company adopted
a Retention Bonus Plan and raised capital to, among other things, pay the cash portion of the Merger consideration.
F- 8
Equity
Financing
On February 3, 2022, the Company entered into a
securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with a purchaser (the “Purchaser”), pursuant
to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Purchaser, in a private placement priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules, (i) 1,315,000
shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and
accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,315,000 shares of Common Stock, and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase up to an
aggregate of 5,851,505 shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) and accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate
of 5,851,505 shares of Common Stock (collectively, the “Private Placement”). The accompanying warrants to purchase Common
Stock are referred to herein collectively as the “Common Stock Warrants.” Under the Securities Purchase Agreement, each Share
and accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock were sold together at a combined price of $1.535, and each Pre-Funded Warrant and accompanying
warrants to purchase Common Stock were sold together at a combined price of $1.5349, for gross proceeds of approximately $11,000 before
deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The net proceeds from the Private Placement were
used to fund, in part, payment of the closing cash consideration in the Merger.
Debt
Financing
On
February 17, 2022, the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Borrowers”) refinanced their current debt facilities
with Slipstream, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and raised $ 10,000 in gross proceeds with a maturity date of February 1, 2025 . The
Credit Agreement also provides that the Company’s outstanding loans from Slipstream, consisting of its pre-existing $ 4,767 senior
secured term loan and $ 2,418 secured convertible loan, with an aggregate of $ 7,185 in outstanding principal and accrued and unpaid interest
under such loans, were consolidated into a Consolidation Term Loan with a maturity date of February 1, 2025.
On
February 17, 2022, in connection with the closing of the acquisition of Reflect, the Company issued to RSI Exit Corporation (“Stockholders’
Representative”), the representative of Reflect stockholders, a $ 2,500 Note and Security Agreement (the “Secured Promissory
Note”). The Secured Promissory Note accrues interest at 0.59 % (the applicable federal rate) and requires the Company and Reflect
to pay equal monthly principal installments of $ 104 on the fifteenth (15th) day of each month, commencing on March 17, 2022, for twelve
months with any remaining or unpaid principal due and payable on February 15, 2023.
See Note 8 Loans Payable to the Consolidated
Financial Statements for an additional discussion of the Company’s debt obligations and further discussion of the Company’s
refinancing activities subsequent to December 31, 2021.
Management
believes that, based on (i) the execution of the Equity Financing, (ii) the refinancing of our debt as part of the Debt Financing, including
extension of the maturity date on our term loans, and (iii) our operational forecast through 2022 following completion of the Reflect
Acquisition, that we can continue as a going concern through at least March 31, 2023. However, given our historical net losses and cash
used in operating activities, we obtained a continued support letter from Slipstream through March 31, 2023. We can provide no assurance
that our ongoing operational efforts will be successful which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash
flows.
NOTE
2: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
A
summary of the significant accounting policies consistently applied in the preparation of the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements
follows:
1.
Basis of Presentation
The
accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-K and Article 8 of Regulation
S-X and include all of the information and disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America
(“GAAP”) for annual financial reporting.
The
Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Creative Realities, Inc. and our wholly owned subsidiaries Allure, and Creative
Realities (Canada), Inc. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation, as applicable.
2.
Revenue Recognition
We
recognize revenue in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)
606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , applying the five-step model.
If
an arrangement involves multiple performance obligations, the items are analyzed to determine the separate units of accounting, whether
the items have value on a standalone basis and whether there is objective and reliable evidence of their standalone selling price. The
total contract transaction price is allocated to the identified performance obligations based upon the relative standalone selling prices
of the performance obligations. The standalone selling price is based on an observable price for services sold to other comparable customers,
when available, or an estimated selling price using a cost plus margin approach.
F- 9
The
Company estimates the amount of total contract consideration it expects to receive for variable arrangements by determining the most
likely amount it expects to earn from the arrangement based on the expected quantities of services it expects to provide and the contractual
pricing based on those quantities. The Company only includes some or a portion of variable consideration in the transaction price when
it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated
with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved. The Company considers the sensitivity of the estimate, its relationship and
experience with the client and variable services being performed, the range of possible revenue amounts and the magnitude of the variable
consideration to the overall arrangement. The Company receives variable consideration in very few instances.
Revenue
is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services under the terms of a contract and is measured as the amount
of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for transferring goods or providing services. The Company does not have any
material extended payment terms as payment is due at or shortly after the time of the sale, typically ranging between thirty and ninety
days. Observable prices are used to determine the standalone selling price of separate performance obligations or a cost plus margin
approach when one is not available. Sales, value-added and other taxes collected concurrently with revenue producing activities are excluded
from revenue.
The
Company recognizes contract assets or unbilled receivables related to revenue recognized for services completed but not yet invoiced
to the clients. A contract liability is recognized as deferred revenue when the Company invoices clients in advance of performing the
related services under the terms of a contract. Deferred revenue is recognized as revenue when the Company has satisfied the related
performance obligation.
The
Company uses the practical expedient for recording an immediate expense for incremental costs of obtaining contracts, including certain
design/engineering services, commissions, incentives and payroll taxes, as these incremental and recoverable costs have terms that do
not exceed one year.
3.
Inventories
Inventories
are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method, and consist of the following:
December 31,
December 31,
2021
2020
Raw materials, net of reserve of $ 502 and $ 104 , respectively
$ 1,580
$ 1,920
Inventory on consignment with distributors
3
208
Work-in-process
297
223
Total inventories
$ 1,880
$ 2,351
4.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We
review the carrying value of all long-lived assets, including property and equipment, for impairment in accordance with ASC 360, Accounting
for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets . Under ASC 360, impairment losses are recorded whenever events or changes
in circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable.
If
the impairment tests indicate that the carrying value of the asset is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated
by such asset, an impairment loss would be recognized. The impairment loss is determined as the amount by which the carrying value of
such asset exceeds its fair value. We generally measure fair value by considering sale prices for similar assets or by discounting estimated
future cash flows from such assets using an appropriate discount rate. Assets to be disposed of are carried at the lower of their carrying
value or fair value less costs to sell. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of assets, and accordingly,
actual results could vary significantly from such estimates.
F- 10
5.
Basic and Diluted Income/(Loss) per Common Share
Basic
and diluted income/(loss) per common share for all periods presented is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding.
Basic weighted average shares outstanding includes only outstanding common shares. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding includes
outstanding common shares and potential dilutive common shares outstanding in accordance with the treasury stock method. Shares reserved
for outstanding stock options, including stock options with performance restricted vesting, and warrants totaling approximately 6,972,020
and 7,040,709 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively were excluded from the computation of income/(loss) per share as all options
and warrants were anti-dilutive due to the net loss in 2020 and no options or warrants were in the money for 2021. In calculating diluted
earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, in accordance with ASC 260 Earnings per share , we excluded
the dilutive effect of the potential issuance of common stock upon an assumed conversion of the Special Loan as the Company has both
the intent and ability to make the scheduled amortization payments on the Special Loan.
6.
Income Taxes
Deferred
income taxes are recognized in the financial statements for the tax consequences in future years of differences between the tax basis
of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates. Temporary differences
arise from net operating losses, differences in basis of intangibles, stock-based compensation, reserves for uncollectible accounts receivable
and inventory, differences in depreciation methods, and accrued expenses. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce
deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions utilizing an established
recognition threshold and measurement attributes for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected
to be taken in a tax return. We had no uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
7.
Goodwill and Definite-Lived Intangible Assets
We
follow the provisions of ASC 350, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. Pursuant to ASC 350, goodwill acquired in a purchase business
combination is not amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually. The Company uses an annual measurement date of September
30 (see Note 7 Intangible Assets and Goodwill ).
8.
Use of Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Our significant estimates include: the allowance for doubtful
accounts, valuation allowances related to deferred taxes, the fair value of acquired assets and liabilities, the fair value of liabilities
reliant upon the appraised fair value of the Company, valuation of stock-based compensation awards and other assumptions and estimates
used to evaluate the recoverability of long-lived assets, goodwill and other intangible assets and the related amortization methods and
periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
9.
Property and Equipment
Property
and equipment are carried at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is provided for in amounts sufficient
to relate the cost of depreciable assets to operations over the estimated service lives, principally using straight-line methods. Leasehold
improvements are amortized over the shorter of the life of the improvement or the lease term, using the straight-line method.
F- 11
Property
and equipment consist of the following at December 31, 2021 and 2020:
December 31,
2021
2020
Equipment
$ 89
$ 81
Leasehold improvements
135
135
Furniture and fixtures
121
119
Other depreciable assets
56
56
Total property and equipment
401
391
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization
( 326
)
( 216
)
Net property and equipment
$ 75
$ 175
The
estimated useful lives used to compute depreciation and amortization are as follows:
Asset
class
Useful
life assigned
Equipment
3 – 5 years
Furniture and fixtures
5 years
Leasehold improvements
Shorter of 5 years or term of lease
Depreciation expense was $ 109 and $ 124 for the
years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
12.
Research and Development and Software Development Costs
Research and development expenses consist primarily
of development personnel and non-employee contractor costs related to the development of new products and services, enhancement of existing
products and services, quality assurance and testing. The Company capitalizes its costs incurred for additional functionality to its internal
software. We capitalized approximately $ 1,140 and $ 603 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These software development
costs include both enhancements and upgrades of our client-based systems including functionality of our internal information systems to
aid in our productivity, profitability and customer relationship management. We are amortizing these costs over 3 years once the new projects
are completed and placed in service. These costs are included in intangible assets, net on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
13.
Leases
We
account for leases in accordance with ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as amended.
We
determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Right of use (“ROU”) assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement
date based on the present value of remaining lease payments over the lease term. For this purpose, we consider only payments that are
fixed and determinable at the time of commencement. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our incremental borrowing
rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. Our incremental borrowing
rate is a hypothetical rate based on our understanding of what our credit rating would be. The ROU asset also includes any lease payments
made prior to commencement and is recorded net of any lease incentives received. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate
the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise such options.
Operating
leases are included in operating lease right-of-use assets, current maturities of operating leases, and long-term obligations under operating
leases on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Finance leases are included in property and equipment, net, current maturities of financing
leases, and long-term obligations under financing leases on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
F- 12
NOTE
3: RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
Recently
adopted
None.
Not
yet adopted
In
October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract
Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2021-08), which clarifies that an acquirer of a business should recognize and
measure contract assets and contract liabilities in a business combination in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC)
Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) . This guidance will be effective for us in the first quarter
of 2023 on a prospective basis, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated
financial statements.
In
May 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-04, Modification of equity-classified written call options , which clarifies how an
issuer should account for modifications made to equity-classified written call options (e.g., warrants to purchase an issuer’s
common stock). The guidance in the ASU requires the issuer to treat a modification of an equity-classified warrant that does not cause
the warrant to become liability-classified as an exchange of the original warrant for a new warrant. This guidance applies whether the
modification is structured as an amendment to the terms and conditions of the warrant or as termination of the original warrant and issuance
of a new warrant. This guidance will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2022. We are currently evaluating the disclosure requirements
and potential impact on our consolidated financial statements, but anticipate there may be impacts as the Company has issued warrants
in prior debt financing activities, including in both our Equity Financing and Debt Financings.
In
August 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic
470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments
and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (ASU 2020-06) , which simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by
reducing the number of accounting models available for convertible debt instruments. This guidance also eliminates the treasury stock
method to calculate diluted earnings per share for convertible instruments and requires the use of the if-converted method. This
guidance will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2024 on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption
permitted. We are currently evaluating the disclosure requirements and potential impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In
June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses . The main objective is to provide financial
statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments
to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. The amendments in this update replace the incurred loss methodology
with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information
to calculate credit loss estimates. For trade receivables and loans, entities will be required to estimate lifetime expected credit losses.
The amendments are effective for public business entities that qualify as smaller reporting companies for fiscal years and interim periods
beginning after December 15, 2022. We are currently evaluating the disclosure and accounting requirements related to adopting this guidance,
given the transition from an incurred loss to an expected loss model.
NOTE
4: REVENUE RECOGNITION
The
Company applies ASC 606 for revenue recognition. The following table disaggregates the Company’s revenue by major source for the
years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:
(in thousands)
Year
Ended
December 31,
2021
Year
Ended
December 31,
2020
Hardware
$ 9,450
$ 8,991
Services:
Installation Services
2,600
2,537
Software Development Services
791
549
Managed Services
5,596
5,380
Total Services
8,987
8,466
Total Hardware and Services
$ 18,437
$ 17,457
F- 13
System
hardware sales
System
hardware revenue is recognized generally upon shipment of the product or customer acceptance depending upon contractual arrangements
with the customer in instances in which the sale of hardware is the sole performance obligation. Shipping charges billed to customers
are included in hardware sales and the related shipping costs are included in hardware cost of sales. The cost of freight and shipping
to the customer is recognized in cost of sales at the time of transfer of control to the customer. System hardware revenues are classified
as “Hardware” within our disaggregated revenue.
Installation
services
The
Company performs outsourced installation services for customers and recognizes revenue upon completion of the installations. Installation
services also includes engineering services performed as part of an installation project.
When
system hardware sales include installation services to be performed by the Company, the goods and services in the contract are not distinct,
so the arrangement is accounted for as a single performance obligation. Our customers control the work-in-process and can make changes
to the design specifications over the contract term. Revenues are recognized over time as the installation services are completed based
on the relative portion of labor hours completed as a percentage of the budgeted hours for the installation. Installation services revenues
are classified as “Installation Services” within our disaggregated revenue.
Software
design and development services
Software
and software license sales are revenue when a fixed fee order has been received and delivery has occurred to the customer. Revenue is
recognized generally upon customer acceptance (point-in-time) of the software product and verification that it meets the required specifications.
Software is delivered to customers electronically. Software design and development revenues are classified as “Software Development
Services” within our disaggregated revenue.
Software
as a service
Software
as a service includes revenue from software licensing and delivery in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally
hosted. These services often include software updates which provide customers with rights to unspecified software product upgrades and
maintenance releases and patches released during the term of the support period. Contracts for these services are generally 12-36 months
in length. We account for revenue from these services in accordance with ASC 985-20-15-5 and recognize revenue ratably over the performance
period. Software as a service revenue are classified as “Managed Services” within our disaggregated revenue.
Maintenance
and support services
The
Company sells support services which include access to technical support personnel for software and hardware troubleshooting. The Company
offers a hosting service through our network operations center, or NOC, allowing the ability to monitor and support its customers’
networks 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. These contracts are generally 12-36 months in length. Revenue is recognized over the term of
the agreement in proportion to the costs incurred in fulfilling performance obligations under the contract. Maintenance and Support revenues
are classified as “Managed Services” within our disaggregated revenue.
F- 14
Maintenance
and support fees are based on the level of service provided to end customers, which can range from monitoring the health of a customer’s
network to supporting a sophisticated web-portal to managing the end-to-end hardware and software of a digital marketing system. These
agreements are renewable by the customer. Rates for maintenance and support, including subsequent renewal rates, are typically established
based upon a fee per location, per device, or a specified percentage of net software license fees as set forth in the arrangement. These
contracts are generally 12-36 months in length. Revenue is recognized ratably and evenly over the service period.
The
Company also performs time and materials-based maintenance and repair work for customers. Revenue is recognized at a point in time when
the performance obligation has been fully satisfied.
NOTE
5: FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
We
measure certain financial assets, including cash equivalents, at fair value on a recurring basis. In accordance with ASC 820-10-30, fair
value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing
an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, ASC 820-10-35 establishes a three-level hierarchy that prioritizes
the inputs used in measuring fair value. The three hierarchy levels are defined as follows:
Level
1 — Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.
Level
2 — Valuations based on observable inputs (other than Level 1 prices), such as quoted prices for similar assets at the measurement
date; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level
3 — Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and involve management judgment and the reporting entity’s own assumptions
about market participants and pricing.
The
Company previously recorded warrant liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis using a binomial option pricing
model. All of the Company’s outstanding warrants classified as liabilities expired during 2019.
As
discussed in Note 7 Intangible Assets, Including Goodwill , the calculation of the weighted average cost of capital and management’s
forecast of future financial performance utilized within our discounted cash flow model for the impairment of goodwill contains inputs
which are unobservable and involve management judgment and are considered Level 3 estimates.
As
discussed in Note 8 Loans Payable , the Special Loan is reported at fair value. This liability is deemed to be a Level 3 valuation.
Certain unobservable inputs into the calculation of the fair value of this liability include an estimate of the fair value of the Company
at a future date using a discounted cash flow model, discount rate assumptions, and an estimation of the likelihood of conversion of
the Special Loan. We utilized a discounted cash flow analysis in updating our fair value analysis of the Convertible Loan, resulting
in recognition of a $ 166 gain during 2021 from the change in fair value of the liability and a corresponding decrease in the debt balance
recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company recorded a $ 93 loss during 2020 related to the fair value of the Special
Loan.
NOTE
6: SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW STATEMENT INFORMATION
Year Ended
December 31,
2021
2020
Supplemental non-cash Investing and Financing activities
Conversion of disbursed escrow loan into common stock
$ 264
$ -
Increase in debt related to financing fees
$ 200
$ -
Decrease in debt discount via amended Credit Agreement
$ 133
$ -
Supplemental disclosure information for cash flow
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest
$ 106
$ 140
Income taxes, net
$ 32
$ 19
F- 15
NOTE
7: INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL
Intangible
Assets
Intangible
assets consisted of the following at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
December 31,
December 31,
2021
2020
Gross
Gross
Carrying
Accumulated
Carrying
Accumulated
Amount
Amortization
Amount
Amortization
Technology platform
$ 4,635
3,652
$ 4,635
3,400
Purchased and developed software
3,488
2,713
3,167
2,002
In-Process internally developed software platform
824
-
-
-
Customer relationships
3,960
1,692
5,330
2,870
Trademarks and trade names
640
640
1,020
925
13,547
8,697
14,152
9,197
Accumulated amortization
8,697
9,197
Net book value of amortizable intangible assets
$ 4,850
$ 4,955
For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020,
amortization of intangible assets charged to operations was $ 1,251 and $ 1,330 , respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the
Company wrote-off a $ 380 fully amortized trade name asset and a $ 1,370 fully amortized customer list asset and the related accumulated
amortization for each related to ConeXus World Global, LLC, an entity dissolved by the Company during 2021. There was no impact on the
Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet or Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations during the period.
Estimated
amortization is as follows:
Year ending December 31,
Estimated Future Amortization
2022
$ 954
2023
636
2024
487
2025
415
Thereafter
1,503
Intangible
assets include the following and are being amortized over their estimated useful lives as follows:
Acquired Intangible Asset:
Amortization
Period:
(years)
Technology platform and patents
7
Purchased and developed software
3
Trademark
3
Customer relationships
15
Goodwill
Goodwill
represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired. Goodwill is subject to an impairment review at
a reporting unit level, on an annual basis as of the end of September of each fiscal year, or when an event occurs, or circumstances
change that would indicate potential impairment. The Company has only one reporting unit, and therefore the entire goodwill is allocated
to that reporting unit.
The Company assessed the carrying value of goodwill
at the reporting unit level based on an estimate of the fair value of the respective reporting unit. Fair value of the reporting unit
was estimated using a discounted cash flow analyses consisting of various assumptions, including expectations of future cash flows based
on projections or forecasts derived from analysis of business prospects and economic or market trends that may occur, specifically, the
Company gave significant consideration to actual historic financial results, including revenue growth rates in the preceding three years.
Based on the Company’s assessment, we determined that the fair value of our reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, and accordingly,
the goodwill associated with the reporting unit was not considered to be impaired at September 30, 2021.
F- 16
The
Company recognizes that any changes in our projected 2022 and future results could potentially have a material impact on our assessment
of goodwill impairment. The Company will continue to monitor the actual performance of its operations against expectations and assess
further indicators of possible impairment. The valuation of goodwill and intangible assets is subject to a high degree of judgment, uncertainty
and complexity. Should any indicators of impairment occur in subsequent periods, the Company will be required to perform an analysis
in order to determine whether goodwill is impaired.
Interim
Impairment Assessment – March 31, 2020
Despite
the excess fair value identified in our 2019 annual impairment assessment, we determined that the reduced cash flow projections and the
significant decline in our market capitalization as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic during the three months ended March 31, 2020 indicated
that an impairment loss may have been incurred during the first quarter. Therefore, we qualitatively assessed whether it was more likely
than not that the goodwill was impaired as of March 31, 2020. We reviewed our previous forecasts and assumptions based on our current
projections that are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including: (1) forecasted revenues, expenses and cash flows, including
the duration and extent of impact to our business and our alliance partners from the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) current discount rates, (3)
the reduction in our market capitalization, (5) changes to the regulatory environment and (6) the nature and amount of government support
that will be provided. As a result of this qualitative assessment, we concluded that indicators of impairment were present and that a
quantitative interim impairment assessment of our goodwill was necessary as of March 31, 2020.
As
a result of the adoption of ASU 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment
the impairment test consists solely of comparing the carrying value of the reporting unit with its fair value and recording impairment,
if identified.
The
fair value of the reporting unit was estimated via the income approach. Under the income approach, fair value is determined based on
the present value of estimated future cash flows, discounted at an appropriate risk-adjusted rate. We use our internal forecasts to estimate
future cash flows and include an estimate of long-term future growth rates based on our most recent views of the long-term outlook for
our industry. Actual results may differ from those assumed in our forecasts. We derive our discount rates using a capital asset pricing
model and by analyzing published rates relevant to our business to estimate the cost of equity financing. We use discount rates that
are commensurate with the risks and uncertainty inherent in the respective businesses and in our internally developed forecasts. We utilized
a discount rate of 14.5 % in our valuation completed as of March 31, 2020.
While
our outlook for the digital signage industry over the long term remains strong, we have experienced rapid and immediate deterioration
in our short term business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, generating increased uncertainty across our customer base in many of
our key vertical markets. The elective and forced closures of businesses across the United States has resulted in reduced demand for
our services, which primarily assist business in engaging with their end customers in a physical space through digital technology. The
elimination and minimization of public gatherings has materially impacted demand for products and services in our movie theater, sports
arena and large entertainment markets. These conditions resulted in downward revisions of our internal forecasts on current and future
projected earnings and cash flows, leading to an implied fair value of goodwill substantially below the carrying value. Therefore, during
the three months ended March 31, 2020, we recorded a non-cash impairment loss of $ 10,646 . We recorded the estimated impairment losses
in the caption “Goodwill impairment” in our Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Annual
Impairment Assessment – September 30, 2020
The
Company assessed the carrying value of goodwill at the reporting unit level based on an estimate of the fair value of the respective
reporting unit. Fair value of the reporting unit was estimated using a discounted cash flow analyses consisting of various assumptions,
including expectations of future cash flows based on projections or forecasts derived from analysis of business prospects and economic
or market trends that may occur, specifically, the Company gave significant consideration to actual historic financial results, including
revenue growth rates in the preceding three years. Based on the Company’s assessment, we determined that the fair value of our
reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, and accordingly, the goodwill associated with the reporting unit is not considered to be impaired
at September 30, 2020.
F- 17
NOTE
8: LOANS PAYABLE
The
outstanding debt with detachable warrants, as applicable, are shown in the table below. Further discussion of the notes follows.
As of December 31, 2021
Debt Type
Issuance
Date
Principal
Maturity
Date
Warrants
Interest Rate Information
C
8/17/2016
4,767
2/17/2025
588,236
8.0% interest
E
12/30/2019
2,418
2/17/2025
-
10.0% interest
Total debt, gross
7,185
588,236
Fair value (E)
( 166 )
Total debt, gross
7,019
Debt discount
( 144 )
Total debt, net
$ 6,875
Less current maturities
-
Long term debt
6,875
As
of December 31, 2020
Debt Type
Issuance
Date
Principal
Maturity
Date
Warrants
Interest
Rate Information
A
6/30/2018
$
264
N/A
-
0.0% interest
B
1/16/2018
1,085
3/31/2023
61,729
10.0% interest
(1)
C
8/17/2016
3,255
3/31/2023
588,236
10.0% interest
(1)
D
11/19/2018
1,637
2/15/2020
-
3.5% interest
E
12/30/2019
2,177
3/31/2023
-
10.0% interest
(2)
F
4/27/2020
1,552
4/27/2022
(3)
-
1.0% interest
(3)
Total debt, gross
9,970
649,965
Fair value (E)
93
Total debt, gross
10,063
Debt discount
( 168
)
Total debt, net
$
9,895
Less current maturities
( 1,637
)
Long term debt
8,258
A
– Secured Disbursed Escrow Promissory Note with related party
B
– Secured Revolving Promissory Note with related party
C
– Term Loan with related party
D
– Amended and Restated Seller Note from acquisition of Allure
E
– Secured Convertible Special Loan Promissory Note, at fair value
F
– Paycheck Protection Program Loan from Small Business Administration
(1) 8.0% cash interest per annum through March 31, 2020. 10.0% paid-in-kind interest (“PIK”) interest per annum from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. 8.0% cash interest per annum January 1, 2021 through the maturity date.
F- 18
(2) 8.0% cash interest per annum, comprised of 6.0% cash, 2.0% PIK through March 31, 2020. 10.0% PIK interest per annum through September 30, 2020. In an event of default, the interest rate increases by 6.0% to 16.0%. Debt is automatically convertible to a new class of senior preferred stock of the Company at the earlier of an event of default or November 30, 2020. The principal, including PIK interest, as of December 31, 2020 is $2,177; however, fair value accounting for the convertible debt instrument results in an additional $93 of debt recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2020 related to this instrument.
(3) 1,0% cash interest per annum. Payments are deferred for six months from the date of the Promissory Note and the Company can apply for forgiveness of the Promissory Note after 60 days.
Second
Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement
On
February 17, 2022, Creative Realities, Inc. (the” Company”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Borrowers”)
refinanced their current debt facilities with Slipstream Communications, LLC (“Slipstream”), pursuant to a Second Amended
and Restated Credit and Security Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Borrowers include Reflect Systems, Inc. (“Reflect”),
which became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company as a result of the closing of the Merger on February 17, 2022. The debt facilities
continue to be fully secured by all assets of the Borrowers.
The Credit Agreement also provides that the
Company’s outstanding loans from Slipstream at December 31, 2021, consisting of its pre-existing $4,767 senior secured term
loan and $2,418 secured convertible loan, with an aggregate of $7,185 in outstanding principal and accrued and unpaid interest under
such loans, were consolidated into a term loan (the “Consolidation Term Loan”). The Consolidation Term Loan has an
interest rate of 10.0%, with 75.0% warrant coverage (or 2,694,495 warrants). The Company issued to Slipstream a $7,185 Consolidation
Term Note in connection with consolidating the Consolidation Term Loan. On the first day of each month, commencing March 1, 2022
through February 1, 2025, the Borrowers will make interest-only payments on the Consolidation Term Loan (estimated to be $60 per
monthly payment). Commencing on September 1, 2023, and on the first day of each month thereafter until the Maturity Date, the
Borrowers will make a payment on the Consolidation Term Loan, in an equal monthly installment of principal sufficient to fully
amortize the Consolidation Term Loan in eighteen equal installments (estimated to be $399 per monthly installment).
In addition to refinancing the existing debt with
Slipstream, the Company also raised $ 10,000 in gross proceeds, or $ 9,950 in net proceeds, from entry into a new, 36-month senior secured
term loan (the “Acquisition Loan”) with Slipstream as part of the Credit Agreement, which matures on February 17, 2025 (the
“Maturity Date”). The Acquisition Loan has an interest rate of 8.0 %, with 50.0 % warrant coverage (or 2,500,000 warrants).
The Company issued to Slipstream a $ 10,000 Acquisition Term Note in connection with obtaining the Acquisition Loan. On the first day of
each month, commencing March 1, 2022 through February 1, 2025, the Borrowers will make interest-only payments on the Acquisition Loan
(estimated to be $67 per monthly payment). No principal payments on the Acquisition Loan are payable until the Maturity Date.
In connection with the
Acquisition Loan and Consolidation Term Loan warrant coverage, the Company issued to Slipstream a warrant to purchase an aggregate of
5,194,495 shares of Company common stock (the “Lender Warrant”). The Lender Warrant has a five-year term, an initial exercise
price of $2.00 per share, subject to adjustments in the Lender Warrant, and is not exercisable until August 17, 2022.
F- 19
In
certain circumstances, upon a fundamental transaction of the Company (e.g., a disposal or sale of all or the greater part of the assets
or undertaking of the Company, an amalgamation or merger with another company, or implementation of a scheme of arrangement), the holder
of the Lender Warrant will have the right to require the Company to repurchase the Lender Warrant at its fair value using a Black Scholes
option pricing formula; provided that such holder may not require the Company or its successor entity to repurchase the Lender Warrant
for the Black Scholes value in connection with a fundamental transaction that is not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors,
and therefore not within the Company’s control.
Secured
Promissory Note
On
February 17, 2022, in connection with the closing of the Reflect Acquisition, the Company issued to RSI Exit Corporation (“Stockholders’
Representative”), the representative of Reflect stockholders, a $ 2,500 Note and Security Agreement (the “Secured Promissory
Note”).
The
Secured Promissory Note accrues interest at 0.59 % (the applicable federal rate) and requires the Company and Reflect to pay equal monthly
principal installments of $ 104 on the fifteenth (15th) day of each month, commencing on March 17, 2022. Any remaining or unpaid principal
shall be due and payable on February 15, 2023. All payments under the Secured Promissory Note will be paid to the escrow agent in the
Merger Agreement to be placed into the escrow account to secure the Reflect stockholders’ indemnification obligations until released
on the one-year anniversary of the closing of the Merger, at which time any remaining proceeds not subject to a pending indemnification
claim will be paid to the exchange agent for payment to the Reflect Stockholders. The obligations of the Company and Reflect set forth
in the Secured Promissory Note are secured by a first-lien security interest in various contracts of Reflect, together with all accounts
arising under such contracts, supporting obligations related to the accounts arising under such contracts, all related books and records,
and products and proceeds of the foregoing. Slipstream subordinated its security interest in such collateral, and the recourse for any
breach of the Secured Promissory Note by the Company or Reflect will be against such collateral. The Company has the right to offset
amounts payable under the Secured Promissory Note upon a final, non-appealable decision of a court that entitles the Company or its affiliates
to any damages for indemnification under the Merger Agreement, or the Stockholders’ Representative’s agreement in writing
to such damages.
Amended
and Restated Loan and Security Agreement
On
March 7, 2021, the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Borrowers”) refinanced their current debt facilities
with Slipstream pursuant to an Amended and Restated Credit and Security Agreement (the “Prior Credit Agreement”). The debt
facilities continue to be fully secured by all assets of the Borrowers. The maturity date (“Maturity Date”) on the outstanding
debt and new debt is extended to March 31, 2023 . The Prior Credit Agreement (i) provides a $1,000 of availability under a line of credit
(the “Line of Credit”), (ii) consolidates our existing term and revolving line of credit facilities into a new term loan
(the “New Term Loan”) having an aggregate principal balance of approximately $4,550 (including a 3.0% issuance fee capitalized
into the principal balance), (iii) increases the outstanding special convertible term loan (the “Convertible Loan”) to approximately
$2,280 (including a 3.0% issuance fee capitalized into the principal balance), and (iv) extinguishes the outstanding obligations owed
with respect to a $264 existing disbursed escrow loan in exchange for shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Disbursed
Escrow Conversion Shares”), valued at $2.718 per share (the trailing 10-day VWAP as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market as of
the date of execution of the Prior Credit Agreement). The Line of Credit and Convertible Loan accrue interest at 10% per year, and the
New Term Loan accrues interest at 8% per year.
The
New Term Loan requires no principal payments until the Maturity Date, and interest payments are payable on the first day of each month
until the Maturity Date. All interest payments owed prior to October 1, 2021 are payable as PIK payments, or increases to the principal
balance only.
F- 20
The
Line of Credit and Convertible Loan require payments of accrued interest payable on the first day of each month through April 1, 2022.
All such interest payments made prior to October 1, 2021 are payable as PIK payments, or increases to the principal balances under the
Line of Credit and Convertible Loan only. No principal payments are owed under the Line of Credit or Convertible Loan until April 1,
2022, at which time all principal and interest on each of the Line of Credit and Convertible Loan will be paid in monthly installments
until the Maturity Date to fully amortize outstanding principal by the Maturity Date.
All
payments of interest (other than PIK payments) and principal on the Line of Credit and Convertible Loan may be paid, in the Borrowers’
sole discretion, in shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Payment Shares,” and together with the Disbursed Escrow
Conversion Shares, the “Shares”). The Payment Shares will be valued on a per-Share basis at 70 % of the VWAP of the Company’s
shares of common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market for the 10 trading days immediately prior to the date such payment is
due; provided that the Payment Shares shall not be valued below $ 0.50 per Share (the “Share Price”).
The
Prior Credit Agreement limits the Company’s ability to issue Shares as follows (the “Exchange Limitations”): (1) The
total number of Shares that may be issued under the Prior Credit Agreement will be limited to 19.99% of the Company’s outstanding
shares of common stock on the date the Prior Credit Agreement is signed (the “Exchange Cap”), unless stockholder approval
is obtained to issue shares in excess of the Exchange Cap; (2) if Slipstream and its affiliates (the “Slipstream Group”)
beneficially own the largest ownership position of shares of Company common stock immediately prior to the proposed issuance of Payment
Shares and such shares are less than 19.99% of the then-issued and outstanding shares of Company common stock, the issuance of such Payment
Shares will not cause the Slipstream Group to beneficially own in excess of 19.99% of the issued and outstanding shares of Company common
stock after such issuance unless stockholder approval is obtained for ownership in excess of 19.99%; and (3) if the Slipstream Group
does not beneficially own the largest ownership position of shares of Company common stock immediately prior to the proposed issuance
of Payment Shares, the Company may not issue Payment Shares to the extent that such issuance would result in Slipstream Group beneficially
owning more than 19.99% of the then issued and outstanding shares of Company common stock unless (A) such ownership would not be the
largest ownership position in the Company, or (B) stockholder approval is obtained for ownership in excess of 19.99%.
Accounting for the Prior Credit Agreement was accounted
for as a debt extinguishment in the first quarter of 2021.
Loan
and Security Agreement History
On
August 17, 2016, the Company entered into a Loan and Security Agreement with Slipstream (“Loan and Security Agreement”).
Since the initial entry into the Loan and Security Agreement in 2016, the Company has entered into several financing arrangements with
varying interest rates, maturity dates, and number of associated detachable warrants, each entered within the structure of the Loan and
Security Agreement. The debt instruments outstanding under the Loan and Security Agreement as of December 31, 2020 include the Term Loan,
Secured Revolving Promissory Note, Secured Disbursed Escrow Promissory Note, and the Special Loan.
The
Loan and Security Agreement contains certain customary restrictions including, but not limited to, restrictions on mergers and consolidations
with other entities, cancellation of any debt or incurring new debt (subject to certain exceptions), and other customary restrictions.
Obligations under the loan and security agreement are secured by a grant of collateral security in all of the tangible assets of Creative
Realities, Inc. and each of its wholly owned subsidiaries.
Ninth,
Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Amendment; Modification of Conversion Date of Special Loan under Loan and Security Agreement
On
February 28, 2021, January 31, 2021, December 31, 2020, November 30, 2020, and September 29, 2020, the Company entered into several amendments
to Loan and Security Agreement with its subsidiaries and Slipstream to amend the automatic conversion date of the Special Loan. Each
amendment extended the automatic conversion date of the Special Loan, which was ultimately Amended and Restated in full on March 7, 2021
as discussed further above. The Company paid no fees in exchange for these extensions.
F- 21
Eighth
Amendment; Modification of Interest Rates under Loan and Security Agreement
On
April 1, 2020, the Company entered into an Eighth Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement (the “Eighth Amendment”) with
its subsidiaries and Slipstream to amend the terms of the payments and interest accruing on the Company’s Term Loan, Secured Revolving
Promissory Note, and Special Loan. The Eighth Amendment increased the interest rates of these loans from 8 % to 10 %, effective April 1,
2020. Until January 1, 2021, rather than cash payments of accrued interest under the term and revolving loans, interest will be paid
by the issuance of and treated as additional principal thereunder. Commencing January 2, 2021, such interest will be payable in cash.
Interest on the special loan will no longer be paid in cash, but by the issuance of and treated as additional principal thereunder.
Upon
entry into the Eighth Amendment, the Company completed an analysis of the changes in the Loan and Security Agreement within ASC 470 Debt ,
concluding that the changes represent a modification to the existing debt that was not a troubled debt restructuring and will account
for the modified terms prospectively as yield adjustments, based on the revised terms.
Secured
Disbursed Escrow Promissory Note
The
Fourth Amendment to the Loan and Security Agreement included entry into a Secured Disbursed Escrow Promissory Note between the Company
and Slipstream, and, effective June 30, 2018, we drew $ 264 in conjunction with our exit from a previously leased operating facility.
The principal amount of the Secured Disbursed Escrow Promissory Note bears no interest. Upon entry into the Prior Credit Agreement on
March 7, 2021, this note was converted into Disbursed Escrow Conversion Shares, with elimination of the debt recorded as an equity issuance
with the Statement of Shareholder’s Equity.
SBA
Paycheck Protection Program Loan
On
April 27, 2020, the Company entered into a Promissory Note with Old National Bank (the “Promissory Note”), which provided
for an unsecured loan of $1,552 (the “PPP Loan”) pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
and Economic Security Act and applicable regulations (the “CARES Act”). The Promissory Note had a term of two years with
a 1% per annum interest rate.
On
January 11, 2021, the Company received a notice from Old National Bank that the full principal amount of the PPP Loan and the accrued
interest have been forgiven, resulting in a gain of $1,552 during the year-ended December 31, 2021.
Amended
and Restated Seller Note from acquisition of Allure
The
Amended and Restated Seller Note represented a note payable due from Allure to Seller, under a pre-existing Seller Note which was amended
and restated to a reduced amount of $1,637 through the Stock Purchase Agreement and a subsequent net working capital adjustment. That
debt accrued interest at 3.5% per annum, and required us to make quarterly payments of interest only through February 19, 2020, on which
date the promissory note matured and all remaining amounts owing thereunder became due.
On
February 20, 2020, Creative Realities, Inc. and Allure made a demand for arbitration against Seller for (1) breach of contract, (2) indemnification,
and (3) fraudulent misrepresentation under the Allure Purchase Agreement.
On
May 13, 2021, the Company and Seller entered into a settlement agreement wherein neither party admitted liability, and the Company agreed
to pay, and Seller agreed to accept, $ 100 as settlement in full for the outstanding balance of principal and accrued interest under the
Amended and Restated Seller Note and a mutual release of all claims related to the Amended and Restated Seller Note and sale transaction
under the Allure Purchase Agreement and all related agreements.
As
a result of this settlement, the full principal amount of the Seller Note and the accrued interest were eliminated, resulting in a gain
in the Condensed Consolidated Financial statements of $ 1,624 , representing $ 1,538 related to the Seller Note and $ 86 of related interest
thereon, during 2021.
F- 22
NOTE
9: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Litigation
On
August 2, 2019, the Company filed suit in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, against a supplier of Allure for breach of contract, breach
of warranty, and negligence with respect to equipment installations performed by such supplier for an Allure customer. This case remains
in the early stages of litigation, in part due to delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and, as a result, the outcome of each
case is unclear, so the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the possible recovery, or range of recovery, if any.
On October 10, 2019, the Allure customer that is
the basis of our claim above sent a demand to the Company for payment of $ 3,200 as settlement for an alleged breach of contract related
to hardware failures of equipment installations performed by Allure between November 2017 and August 2018. The suits filed by and against
Allure have been adjoined in the Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky in January 2020. Due to delays arising as a result of the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic, these suits remain in the early stages of litigation and, as a result, the outcome of the suits and the allocation of liability,
if any, remain unclear, so the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the possible liability, recovery, or range of magnitude for either
the liability or recover, if any, at the time of this filing.
The
Company has notified its insurance company of potential claims and continues to evaluate both the claim made by the customer and potential
avenues for recovery against third parties should the customer prevail.
On
February 20, 2020, Creative Realities, Inc. and Allure made a demand for arbitration against Seller for (1) breach of contract, (2) indemnification,
and (3) fraudulent misrepresentation under the Allure Purchase Agreement. This demand included a claim for the right to offset the amounts
owing under the Amended and Restated Seller Note due February 20, 2020. The Company did not pay the Amended and Restated Seller Note
on its maturity date. On February 27, 2020, Seller sent the Company a notice of breach for failure to pay the Amended and Restated Seller
Note on the maturity date of February 20, 2020 and demanding immediate payment. On September 11, 2020, the Company served a First Amended
Demand in the arbitration with Seller, and on November 5, 2020, Seller pre-served a Motion for Summary Disposition in the arbitration
demanding payment of the Amended and Restated Seller Note and accrued interest.
On
May 13, 2021, the Company and Seller entered into a settlement agreement wherein neither party admitted liability, and the Company agreed
to pay, and Seller agreed to accept, $ 100 as settlement in full for the outstanding balance of principal and accrued interest under the
Amended and Restated Seller Note and a mutual release of all claims related to the Amended and Restated Seller Note and sale transaction
under the Allure Purchase Agreement and all related agreements. The Company recorded a gain on settlement of obligations of $ 1,624 during
2021 upon settlement.
Except as noted above, the Company is not party
to any other material legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, and there were no other such
proceedings pending during the period covered by this Annual Report.
Settlement
of obligations
During
2021, (i) the full principal amount of the PPP Loan and the accrued interest of $ 1,552 were forgiven and recorded as a gain on settlement,
(ii) the Company settled the Amended and Restated Seller Note and related accrued interest for $ 100 , recording a gain on settlement of
$ 1,624 , representing $ 1,538 related to the Amended and Restated Seller Note and $ 86 of related interest thereon, and (iii) the statute
of limitations passed related to the remaining liability on a lease abandoned by the Company in 2015, resulting in a gain of $ 256 .
F- 23
During
the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company settled and/or wrote off obligations of $ 348 for aggregate cash payments of $ 139 and recognized
a gain of $ 209 related to legacy accounts payable deemed to no longer be legal obligations to vendors.
Employee-related
Expenses
We
implemented cost-control measures in light of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including employment compensation
reductions designed to achieve preliminary cost savings. On March 19, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a six-month
reduction of the salaries of several Company employees by between five percent (5%) and twenty percent (20%). During 2021, the Company
reinstated lost salaries one-third on each of April 1, July 1, and October 1, the final reinstate thereby increasing the compensation
to its pre-pandemic levels.
On
March 20, 2020, we completed a reduction-in-force and accrued one-time termination benefits related to severance to the affected employees
of $ 135 , the total of which was paid during 2020.
Lease
termination
On
December 31, 2020, we vacated our office facilities located in Dallas, TX. In ceasing use of these facilities, we recorded a one-time
non-cash charge of $ 18 . There were no such lease terminations during 2021.
NOTE
10: RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In
addition to the financing transactions with Slipstream, a related party, discussed in Note 8 Loans Payable , we have the following
related party transactions.
33
Degrees Convenience Connect, Inc., a related party that was approximately 17.5 % owned by a member of our senior management (“33
Degrees”) until September 2021, is a customer of both equipment and services from the Company. For the years ended December 31,
2021 and 2020, we had sales of $457 (2.5% of consolidated sales) and $1,057 (6.1% of consolidated sales), respectively, with 33 Degrees.
Accounts receivable due from 33 Degrees was $ 35 , or 1.0 %, and $ 40 , or 1.2 % of consolidated accounts receivable at December 31, 2021 and
December 31, 2020, respectively.
NOTE
11: INCOME TAXES
Income
tax benefit/(expense) consisted of the following:
Year ended December 31,
2021
2020
Tax provision summary:
State income tax
$ ( 22 )
$ ( 17 )
Deferred tax benefit/(expense) - federal
-
150
Deferred tax benefit/(expense) – state
-
25
Tax benefit/(expense)
$ ( 22 )
$ 158
The
income tax benefit includes federal and state income taxes currently payable and those deferred or prepaid because of temporary differences
between financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities. The Company records income taxes under the liability method. Under
this method, deferred income taxes are recognized for the estimated future tax effects of differences between the tax bases of assets
and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws.
F- 24
A
reconciliation of the statutory income tax rate to the effective income tax rates as a percentage of income before income taxes is as
follows:
2021
2020
Federal statutory rate
21.00 %
21.00 %
State taxes, net of federal benefit
5.21 %
1.53 %
Foreign rate differential
( 26.47 )%
0.51 %
PPP Loan Forgiveness
( 128.43 )%
0.00 %
Discrete items, Transaction items, and Other
21.92 %
( 7.00 )%
Changes in valuation allowance
115.43 %
( 15.11 )%
Effective tax rate
8.66 %
0.93 %
The
net deferred tax assets and liabilities recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets, determined using the income tax rate
applicable to each period, consist of the following:
December 31,
2021
2020
Deferred tax assets (liabilities):
Reserves
$ 267
$ 318
Property and equipment
( 2 )
( 40 )
Accrued expenses
106
326
Right-of-use Asset
( 91 )
( 147 )
Right-of-use Liability
91
149
IRC 163(j) Interest Deduction
18
18
Non-qualified stock options
1,074
675
R&D credits
1,801
1,801
Net foreign carryforwards
3,485
3,106
US net operating loss and credit carryforwards
35,448
35,566
Intangibles
( 11 )
( 13 )
Total deferred tax assets, net
42,186
41,759
Valuation allowance
( 42,186 )
( 41,759 )
Net deferred tax assets
$ -
$ -
As
of December 31, 2021, the Company had no reserves recorded as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits for U.S. federal and state tax
jurisdictions. There were no unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2021 that, if recognized, would affect the tax rate. It
is the Company’s policy to accrue interest and penalties related to liabilities for income tax contingencies in the provision for
income taxes. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had no accrued interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions.
Our
deferred tax assets are primarily related to net federal and state operating loss carryforwards (NOLs). As of December 31, 2021, the
Company has federal and state net operating loss carryforwards expiring between 2022 and 2037, $10,651 of which has an indefinite carryforward
period. The federal statute of limitations remains open for tax years 2018 through 2020 and state tax jurisdictions generally have statutes
of limitations open for tax years 2017 through 2020.
We
have substantial NOLs that are limited in usage by IRC Section 382. IRC Section 382 generally imposes an annual limitation on the amount
of NOLs that may be used to offset taxable income when a corporation has undergone significant changes in stock ownership within a statutory
testing period.
The
goodwill impairment recorded March 31, 2020 altered the deferred tax impact associated with indefinite lived goodwill from a deferred
tax liability to a deferred tax asset. As the indefinite-lived intangibles can no longer provide a source of income, a full valuation
allowance was placed against the deferred tax assets.
We
have performed a preliminary analysis of the annual NOL carryforwards and limitations that are available to be used against taxable income.
Based on the history of losses of the Company, there continues to be a full valuation allowance against the net deferred tax assets of
the Company.
F- 25
NOTE
12: WARRANTS
A
summary of outstanding warrants for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 is included below:
Year Ended December 31, 2021
Warrants (Equity)
Amount
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Balance January 1, 2021
4,426,900
$ 4.62
2.83
Warrants issued
-
-
-
Warrants expired
( 323,689 )
4.69
-
Balance December 31, 2021
4,103,211
$ 4.48
1.73
Year Ended December 31, 2020
Warrants (Equity)
Amount
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Balance January 1, 2020
4,733,028
$ 4.83
3.41
Warrants issued
-
-
-
Warrants exercised
( 27,600 )
4.38
-
Warrants expired
( 278,528 )
7.08
-
Balance December 31, 2020
4,426,900
$ 4.62
2.83
As
of December 31, 2021, there remained outstanding 597,678 warrants which contain weighted average anti-dilution protection. During 2021,
those warrants were subject to a downward adjustment in their strike price following completion of the Company’s issuance of common
stock in (1) the Registered Direct Offering in February 2021 and (2) the conversion of the Disbursed Escrow Note in March 2021. The strike
prices prior to adjustment ranged from $ 5.80 to $ 5.96 and were adjusted to between $ 5.61 and $ 5.76 . The remaining weighted-average contractual
life of warrants subject to weighted average anti-dilution protection is 0.92 years as of December 31, 2021.
As
of December 31, 2020, there remained outstanding 921,367 warrants which contain weighted average anti-dilution protection. During 2020,
those warrants were subject to a downward adjustment in their strike price following completion of the Company’s issuance of common
stock via at-the-market offering activities. The strike prices prior to adjustment ranged from $ 6.09 to $ 6.25 and were adjusted to between
$ 5.80 and $ 5.96 . The remaining weighted-average contractual life of warrants subject to weighted average anti-dilution protection is
1.71 years as of December 31, 2020.
Subsequent
Events
On
February 17, 2022, in connection with obtaining a waiver of certain restrictions in investment documents between an investor and the
Company in order to consummate the financing contemplated by the Credit Agreement, the Company paid consideration to such investor in
the form of a warrant (the “Purchaser Warrant”) to purchase 1,400,000 shares of Company common stock in an at-the-market
offering under Nasdaq rules. The number of shares of Company common stock subject to the Purchaser Warrant is equal to the waiver fee
($ 175 ) divided by $ 0.125 per share. The exercise price of the Purchaser Warrant is $ 1.41 per share, and the Purchaser Warrant is not
exercisable until August 17, 2022. The Purchaser Warrant expires five years from the date of issuance.
F- 26
On February 3, 2022, the Company, entered into a securities purchase
agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with a purchaser (the “Purchaser”), pursuant to which the Company
agreed to issue and sell to the Purchaser, in a private placement priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules, (i) 1,315,000 shares (the “Shares”)
of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and accompanying warrants to purchase
an aggregate of 1,315,000 shares of Common Stock, and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 5,851,505 shares of Common
Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) and accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate of 5,851,505 shares of Common Stock (collectively,
the “Private Placement”). The accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock are referred to herein collectively as the “Common
Stock Warrants.” Under the Securities Purchase Agreement, each Share and accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock were sold
together at a combined price of $1.535, and each Pre-Funded Warrant and accompanying warrants to purchase Common Stock were sold together
at a combined price of $1.5349, for gross proceeds of approximately $11,000, before deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering
expenses payable by the Company.
On February 17, 2022, in connection with the restructured
Credit Agreement with Slipstream, the Company issued 5,194,495 warrants with an exercise price of $ 2.00 per share which expire five years
from the date of issuance.
NOTE
13: STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
A
summary of outstanding options as of December 31, 2021 is included below:
Time Vesting Options
Weighted
Average
Weighted
Weighted
Remaining
Average
Average
Range of Exercise
Number
Contractual
Exercise
Options
Exercise
Prices between
Outstanding
Life
Price
Exercisable
Price
$ 0.01 - $ 3.00
1,780,000
8.62
$ 2.48
601,667
$ 2.47
$ 3.01 - $ 7.50
184,830
4.35
$ 6.72
176,496
$ 6.69
$ 7.51 +
103,979
3.44
11.74
103,979
$ 11.74
2,068,809
7.71
$ 3.48
882,142
Performance Vesting Options
Weighted
Average
Weighted
Weighted
Remaining
Average
Average
Exercise
Number
Contractual
Exercise
Options
Exercise
Price
Outstanding
Life
Price
Exercisable
Price
$ 2.53
800,000
8.42
$ 2.53
266,667
$ 2.53
800,000
8.42
$ 2.53
266,667
$ 2.53
Time Vesting Options
Performance Vesting Options
Weighted
Weighted
Average
Average
Options
Exercise
Options
Exercise
Date/Activity
Outstanding
Price
Outstanding
Price
Balance, December 31, 2020
1,813,809
3.48
800,000
$ 2.53
Granted
255,000
2.21
-
-
Exercised
-
-
-
-
Forfeited or expired
-
-
-
-
Balance, December 31, 2021
2,068,809
3.48
800,000
$ 2.53
The
weighted average remaining contractual life for options exercisable is 7.2 years as of December 31, 2021.
F- 27
Valuation
Information for Stock-Based Compensation
For
purposes of determining estimated fair value under FASB ASC 718-10, Stock Compensation , the Company computed the estimated fair
values of stock options using the Black-Scholes model.
On
November 17, 2021, Creative Realities’ Board of Directors updated its director compensation plan to compensate non-officer directors
resulting in the Company granting 10 -year options to purchase an aggregate of 255,000 shares of its common stock to non-employee directors
of the Company under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). One-third of the options vested immediately,
with the half of the remaining options vesting at each of the first and second anniversaries of the grant date. The options have an exercise
price of $ 2.21 , the market value of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The fair value of the options on the grant date
was $ 1.744 and was determined using the Black-Scholes model. These values were calculated using the following weighted average assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate
1.60 %
Expected term
6.25 years
Expected price volatility
97.78 %
Dividend yield
0 %
On
June 1, 2020 the Board of Directors of the Company granted 10-year options to purchase an aggregate of 2,380,000 shares of its common
stock to employees of the Company subject to shareholder approval of an increase in the reserve of shares authorized for issuance under
the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). On July 10, 2020, the Company held a special meeting of the Company’s
shareholders at which the shareholders approved the amendment to the Plan, which increased the reserve of shares authorized for issuance
thereunder to 6,000,000 shares.
Of
the 2,380,000 options awarded, 1,580,000 vest over 3 years and have an exercise price of $ 2.53 , the market value of the Company’s
common stock on the grant date. The fair value of the options on the grant date was $ 1.87 and was determined using the Black-Scholes
model. These values were calculated using the following weighted average assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate
0.66 %
Expected term
6.25 years
Expected price volatility
89.18 %
Dividend yield
0 %
The
remaining 800,000 options awarded vest in equal installments over a three-year period subject to satisfying the Company revenue target
and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) target for the applicable year. In each of
calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022, one-third of the total shares may vest (if the revenue and EBITDA targets are met), and the shares
that are subject to vesting each year are allocated equally to each of the revenue and EBITDA targets for such year.
These
performance options include a catch-up provision, where any options that did not vest during a prior year due to the Company’s
failure to meet a prior revenue or EBITDA target may vest in a subsequent vesting year if the revenue or EBITDA target, as applicable,
is met in the future year. The revenue and EBITDA targets for the three plan years are as follows:
Calendar Year
Revenue Target
EBITDA Target
2020
$ $ 32 million
$ 2.2 million
2021
$ $ 35 million
$ 3.1 million
2022
$ $ 38 million
$ 3.5 million
F- 28
The
executives met the foregoing EBTIDA target for calendar year 2021.
The
exercise price of the foregoing options is $ 2.53 per share, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date.
The options were issued from the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan. The fair value of the options on the grant date was $ 1.87
and was determined using the Black-Scholes model. These values were calculated using the same weighted average assumptions as the time
vesting options issued. Performance against the identified revenue and EBITDA targets will be assessed quarterly by the Company in order
to determine whether any compensation expense should be recorded. No expense was recorded in 2020 as neither the revenue nor EBITDA target
were achieved. The Company recorded stock compensation expense of $ 500 within general and administrative expense related to these awards
for current year and catch-up expense related to the achievement of the EBITDA target in 2021.
Stock
Compensation Expense Information
ASC
718-10, Stock Compensation , requires measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock-based payments including
warrants, stock options, restricted stock grants and stock bonuses based on estimated fair values. Under the Amended and Restated 2006
Equity Incentive Plan, the Company reserved 1,720,000 shares for purchase by the Company’s employees and under the Amended and
Restated 2006 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan the Company reserved 700,000 shares for purchase by the Company’s employees.
There are 12,135 options outstanding under the 2006 Equity Incentive Plan.
In
October 2014, the Company’s shareholders approved the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, under which 7,390,355 shares were reserved for
purchase by the Company’s employees. In August 2018, a special meeting of shareholders was held in which the shareholders voted
to amend the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the reserve of shares authorized for issuance thereunder, from 7,390,355
shares to 18,000,000 shares. Following a 1-for-30 reverse stock split, the shares authorized for issuance under the Company’s 2014
Stock Incentive Plan was reduced to 600,000 . On July 10, 2020, the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the Company’s
2014 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the reserve of authorized for issuance thereunder to 6,000,000 . There are 2,856,674 options outstanding
under the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan.
Employee
Awards
Compensation expense recognized for the issuance
of stock options to employees for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $ 1,494 and $ 620 , respectively, was included in general
and administrative expense in the Consolidated Financial Statements.
At
December 31, 2021, there was approximately $ 1,360 and $ 999 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested share-based
awards with time vesting and performance vesting criteria for employees, respectively. Generally, expense related to the time vesting
options will be recognized over the next two- and one-half years and will be adjusted for any future forfeitures as they occur. Compensation
expense related to performance vesting options will be recognized if it becomes probable that the Company will achieve the identified
performance metrics.
Non-Employee
Awards
Compensation
expense recognized for the issuance of stock options, including those options awarded to our Board of Directors, for the years ended
December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $ 399 and $ 100 , respectively, was included in general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Financial
Statements. At December 31, 2021, there was approximately $ 260 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested share-based
awards with time vesting criteria for non-employee directors. Generally, expense related to the time vesting options will be recognized
over the next two- years and will be adjusted for any future forfeitures as they occur.
During
2021, the Company engaged certain consultants to perform services in exchange for Company common stock. Shares issued for services were
calculated based on the ten (10) day volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) for the last ten (10) days during the month of
service provided. The Company recorded $ 130 in compensation expenses in exchange for issuance of shares during 2021. $ 30 of the compensation
expenses were recorded as capitalized software.
F- 29
NOTE
14: LEASES
We
have entered into various non-cancelable operating lease agreements for certain of our offices and office equipment. Our leases have
original lease periods expiring between 2022 and 2025. Many leases include one or more options to renew. We do not assume
renewals in our determination of the lease term unless the renewals are deemed to be reasonably assured at lease commencement. Our lease
agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.
The
components of lease costs, lease term and discount rate are as follows:
(in thousands)
Year Ended
December 31,
2021
Year Ended
December 31,
2020
Finance lease cost
Amortization of right-of-use assets
$ 4
$ 20
Interest
-
2
Operating lease cost
379
626
Total lease cost
$ 383
$ 648
Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term
Operating leases
2.8 years
3.8 years
Finance leases
-
0.9 years
Weighted Average Discount Rate
Operating leases
10.0 %
10.0 %
Finance leases
-
%
14.0 %
The
following is a schedule, by years, of maturities of lease liabilities as of December 31, 2021:
(in thousands)
Operating
Leases
2022
$ 298
2023
295
2024
85
2025
78
Thereafter
-
Total undiscounted cash flows
756
Less imputed interest
( 102 )
Present value of lease liabilities
654
Lease liabilities, current
281
Lease liabilities, non-current
373
Present value of lease liabilities
$ 654
Supplemental
cash flow information related to leases are as follows:
(in thousands)
Year Ended
December 31,
2021
Year Ended
December 31,
2020
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases
$ 383
$ 627
Financing cash flows from finance leases
( 4 )
24
F- 30
NOTE
15: PROFIT-SHARING PLAN
We
have a defined contribution 401(k) retirement plans for eligible associates in the United States. Associates may contribute up to 15%
of their pretax compensation to the plan subject to IRS limitations. Beginning on April 1, 2018, the Company began contributing an employer
contribution match of 50% of employee wages up to 6%, for an effective match of 3% . The Company indefinitely suspended the employer match
at the end of March 2020 in response to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and reinstated the employer match in October 2021.
We
have a Registered Retirement Savings Plan for eligible associates in Canada. Associates may contribute up to 18% of earned income reported
on their tax return in the previous year, subject to legal contribution limits. Beginning on April 1, 2018, the Company began contributing
an employer contribution match of 50% of employee wages up to 6%, for an effective match of 3% . The Company indefinitely suspended the
employer match at the end of March 2020 in response to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and reinstated the employer match in
October 2021.
The
Company contributed $ 19 and $ 35 to employee retirement plans for the year-ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
NOTE
16: SEGMENT INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS/VENDORS
Segment
Information
We
currently operate in one reportable segment, marketing technology solutions. Substantially all property and equipment is located at our
offices in the United States, and a data center located in the United States. All material sales for the years ended December 31, 2021
and 2020 were in the United States and Canada.
Significant
Customers
We
had two (2) customers that accounted for 41.1 % and 27.8 % of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
We
had two (2) and customers that in the aggregate accounted for 56.6 % and 42.6 % of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2021 and December
31, 2020, respectively.
Significant
Vendors
We
had three (3) and two (2) vendors that accounted for 69.1 % and 46.8 % of outstanding accounts payable at December 31, 2021 and December
31, 2020, respectively.
F- 31
NOTE 17: SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Equity Financing
On February 3, 2022,
the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with the Purchaser for gross proceeds of approximately $ 11,000 before
deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses. The net proceeds from such equity financing were used to fund, in
part, payment of the closing cash consideration in the Merger. A detailed explanation of this transaction is included in Note 1
to the audited annual financial statements included within this Annual Report.
Debt Financing
On February 17, 2022, the Company raised $ 10,000
in gross proceeds, or $ 9,950 in net proceeds, from entry into the Acquisition Loan with Slipstream as part of the Credit Agreement, with
an interest rate of 8.0 % and which matures on February 17, 2025. The Company also refinanced their current debt facilities with Slipstream,
pursuant to the Credit Agreement into a single note for $ 7,185 with interest rate of 10.0 % maturing on the same date. A detailed explanation
of this transaction is included in Note 1 to the audited annual financial statements included within this Annual Report.
Warrant Exercise
On March 18, 2022, the
Purchaser exercised 1,301,505 pre-funded warrants at an exercise price of $ 0.0001 per share in exchange for 1,301,505 shares of Company
common stock.
F- 32
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
Description
2.2
Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 20, 2018, by and between the registrant and Christie Digital System, Inc. (incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 20, 2018).
2.3
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 12, 2021, by and between the registrant, CRI Acquisition Corporation, Reflect Systems, Inc., and RSI Exit Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 15, 2021)
2.4
Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 8, 2022, by and among the registrant, CRI Acquisition Corporation, Reflect Systems, Inc., and RSI Exit Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 9, 2022)
3.2
Articles of Incorporation, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 17, 2014)
3.3
Articles of Amendment Filed on October 17, 2018 (incorporate by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1 filed October 17, 2018)
3.4
Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations filed October 30, 3015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
3.5
Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 17, 2014)
3.6
Articles of Amendment (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 16, 2014)
3.7
Articles of Amendment Filed on October 17, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1 filed October 17, 2018)
3.8
Statement of Cancellation of Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 18, 2019)
3.9
Statement of Cancellation of Certificate of Designation of Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 18, 2019)
3.10
Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 2, 2011)
4.1
Specimen certificate evidencing shares of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-136972))
4.2
Form of Indenture between the registrant and one or more trustees to be named (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-238275)
4.3
Form of Warrant Issued to Selling Stockholders (November 19, 2018 Issuance date) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-239108)
4.4
Warrant dated August 10, 2017, issued in favor of Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 14, 2017)
4.5
Warrant dated November 13, 2017, issued in favor of Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Form S-1 filed with the SEC on June 25, 2018)
4.6
Warrant dated January 16, 2018, issued in favor of Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to the registrant’s Form S-1 filed with the SEC on June 25, 2018)
E- 1
Exhibit No.
Description
4.7
Warrant
to Purchase Common Stock issued to Slipstream Communications, LLC on April 27, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 of
the registrant’s Form S-1 filed with the SEC on June 25, 2018).
4.8
Warrant
to Purchase Common Stock (entered into in connection with Loan and Security Agreement dated August 17, 2016) (incorporated by reference
to the registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 21, 2016)
4.9
Form
of Investor Warrant issued November 19, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the registrant’s Amendment No. 5
to Form S-1/A filed with the SEC on November 14, 2018)
4.10
Form
of Representative’s Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the registrant’s Amendment No. 3 to Form S-1/A
filed with the SEC on October 22, 2018)
4.11
Description
of Registrant’s Securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.14 of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended 12/31/2019)
4.12
Form
of Pre-Funded Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed
February 4, 2022)
4.13
Form of Common Stock Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 4, 2022)
4.14
Lender
Warrant dated February 17, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K filed February 18, 2022)
4.15
Purchaser
Warrant dated February 17, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K filed February 18, 2022)
9.1
Voting
and Lock-up Agreement dated November 12, 2021 among registrant, Reflect Systems, Inc. and certain stockholders of Reflect
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 9.1 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 15,
2021)
9.2
Voting Agreement dated November 12, 2021 among registrant, Reflect Systems, Inc. and certain stockholders of registrant(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 9.2 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 15, 2021)
E- 2
Exhibit No.
Description
10.1
Form of Warrant Agency Agreement between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 of the registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1 filed October 22, 2018)
10.2**
2014 Stock Incentive Plan as amended (incorporated by reference to the registrant’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on July 24, 2018)
10.3
Master Distribution Agreement dated June 19, 2020 by and between the Company and InReality, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the registrant’s report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 19, 2020)
10.4
Twelfth Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement dated January 31, 2021 by and among the Company, its subsidiaries and Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the registrant’s report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 3, 2021)
10.5
Securities Purchase Agreement dated February 18, 2021 by and between Creative Realities, Inc. and purchaser identified on the signature page thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the registrant’s report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2021)
10.6
Thirteenth Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement dated February 28, 2021 by and among the Company, its subsidiaries and Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the registrant’s report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 4, 2021)
10.7
Amended and Restated
Loan and Security Agreement by and among the Company, its subsidiaries and Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.36 to the registrant's report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March
10, 2021)
10.8**
Employment Agreement dated as of November 12, 2021 by and between the registrant and Rick Mills (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 15, 2021).
10.9**
Employment Agreement dated as of November 12, 2021 by and between the registrant and Will Logan. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 15, 2021)**
10.10
Form of Securities Purchase Agreement dated February 3, 2022 by and between Creative Realities, Inc. and the Investors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 4, 2022)
10.11
Form of Registration Rights Agreement dated February 3, 2022 by and between Creative Realities, Inc. and the Investors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 4, 2022)
10.12
Second Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement by and among the registrant, its subsidiaries and Slipstream Communications, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 18, 2022)
E- 3
Exhibit No.
Description
10.13
$10,000,000 Acquisition Term Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 18, 2022)
10.14
$7,185,319.06 Consolidation Term Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 18, 2022)
10.15
Secured Promissory Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 18, 2022)
10.16**
2014 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the registrant's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on June 12, 2020)
10.17**
Retention Bonus Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 18, 2022)
10.18**
Form of Retention Bonus Plan Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 18, 2022)
14.1
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14.1 of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018)
21.1
List of Subsidiaries*
23.1
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP*
31.1
Chief Executive Officer Certification pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a).*
31.2
Chief Financial Officer Certification pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a).*
32.1
Chief Executive Officer Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.*
32.2
Chief Financial Officer Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350.*
99.1
Press Release dated March 22, 2022
101.INS
Inline XBRL Instance Document.*
101.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document. *
101.CAL
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document. *
101.DEF
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document. *
101.LAB
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document. *
101.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document. *
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).*
* Filed
herewith
** Compensatory
Plan or arrangement required to be filed pursuant to Item 15(b) of Form 10-K.
+ This
exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any of the
Company’s filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific
reference in such filing.
E-4
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.