Great Elm Group, Inc. 10-K

Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified entirely by, our consolidated financial statements (including Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements) and the other consolidated financial information appearing elsewhere in this report. Some of the information in this discussion and analysis includes forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. Actual results and timing of events could differ from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. Overview GEG is a publicly-traded alternative asset management company focused on growing a scalable and diversified portfolio of long-duration and permanent capital vehicles across credit, real estate, specialty finance, and other alternative strategies. GEG and its subsidiaries currently manage GECC, a publicly-traded BDC, and Monomoy UpREIT, an industrial-focused real estate investment trust, in addition to other investment vehicles. The combined assets under management of these entities at June 30, 2024 was approximately $727.4 million. GEG continues to explore other investment management opportunities, as well as opportunities in other areas that it believes provide attractive risk-adjusted returns on invested capital. As of the date of this report, GEG had no unfunded binding commitments to make additional investments. On December 30, 2022, GEG and its wholly-owned subsidiary, FM Acquisition, entered into the Stock Purchase Agreement with JPM to sell 61 shares of the common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of Forest owned by FM Acquisition and GEG, which constituted 61% of the issued and outstanding shares of Forest’s common stock, to JPM for approximately $18.4 million in cash. In connection with the Stock Purchase Agreement, GEG, JPM and Forest entered into the Stockholders Agreement. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, from January 17, 2023 until February 17, 2023, GEG had the the Put Option to sell its remaining 19% interest in Forest for its then fair market value. On January 17, 2023, GEG exercised the Put Option and sold the Investment in Forest for approximately $26.5 million in cash. 12 On January 3, 2023, GEG’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Great Elm DME Holdings, Inc., along with the minority owners of Great Elm Healthcare, LLC ( HC LLC ), entered into a purchase agreement with QHM Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Quipt Home Medical Corp ( Quipt ), to sell 100% of the outstanding membership interests in HC LLC to Quipt (the Sale of HC LLC ) for $80.0 million, consisting of approximately $72.8 million in cash, $5.2 million of indebtedness assumed by Quipt and $2.0 million in shares of Quipt common stock based on the 20-day volume-weighted average price of Quipt’s common stock for the period ending on and including the second business day prior to the closing of the transaction. After transaction costs of $2.5 million, distributions to non-controlling interests of $5.9 million, and indemnity escrow payment of $0.4 million, cash proceeds to GEG and its subsidiaries were $64.1 million, pending finalization of working capital adjustments. The disposal group satisfied the criteria for presentation as held for sale and discontinued operations through the date of sale, and as such GEG's historical segment information was recast to reflect its ongoing business as a single reportable segment and to remove the activity of discontinued operations. In January 2023, MBTS, GEG's wholly-owned subsidiary, completed purchases of certain land parcels. Contemporaneously with the land purchases, MBTS entered into commercial lease agreements, as a lessor, in respect to the land parcels and build-to-suit improvements to be constructed thereon. The leases will commence upon substantial completion of the build-to-suit development. GEG intends to sell the land and improvements with the attached leases at or close to the respective lease commencement date. During the year ended June 30, 2024, GEG capitalized development costs of $8.5 million attributed to the cost of land and development and construction costs directly identifiable with the two real estate projects. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ( GAAP ). The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates all of these estimates and assumptions. Actual results could be different from these estimates. The historical results of the DME business and related activity have been presented in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the years ended June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023 as discontinued operations. See Note 16 - Discontinued Operations in the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Following presentation of our DME business as discontinued operations, the Company views its operations and manages its business as one operating segment focused on growing a scalable and diversified portfolio of long-duration and permanent capital vehicles across credit, real estate, specialty finance, and other alternative strategies. Asset Acquisitions Asset acquisitions are accounted for using the cost accumulation method while business combinations are accounted for at fair value. Determining whether the acquired set represents an asset acquisition or a business combination requires quantitative and qualitative assessments subject to judgment. The fair values assigned to tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed are based on management’s estimates and assumptions, as well as other information compiled by management, including projected financial information, effective income tax rates, present value discount factors, and long-term growth expectations. The Company utilizes third-party specialists to assist management with the identification and valuation of intangible assets using customary valuation procedures and techniques. Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes revenue at amounts that reflect the consideration to which it expects to be entitled in exchange for providing services to its customers under agreements with each investment product, which may be terminated at any time by either party subject to the specific terms of each respective agreement. Our revenues primarily consist of proceeds from the sale of build-to-suit properties and fees from managed investment products. Fees from managed investment products include fees based on a percentage of assets under management, fees based on rents collected, fees based on the performance of managed assets, and administration and service fees. Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amount of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and operating loss and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established when necessary, in order to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts more likely than not to be recovered. 13 The Company has established a valuation allowance for its deferred tax assets that are not recoverable from taxable temporary differences because the Company is unable to conclude that future utilization of a portion of its net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets is more likely than not. The calculation of the Company’s tax positions involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations for federal and several different state tax jurisdictions. The Company is periodically reviewed by tax authorities regarding the amount of taxes due. These reviews include inquiries regarding the timing and amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. GAAP provides guidance on the accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions and requires the evaluation of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing the Company's tax returns to determine whether the tax positions are "more likely than not" of being sustained by the applicable taxing authority. The Company recognizes in its consolidated financial statements the impact of a tax position if that position is more likely than not of being sustained upon examination, based on the technical merits of the position. In making these assessments, the Company determines the accounting recognition based on the technical merits of the position and consults with external tax experts as appropriate. The Company does not recognize income tax benefits for positions that it takes on its income tax returns that do not meet the more likely than not standard on its technical merits. New Accounting Pronouncements See Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Results of Operations Continuing Operations The following table provides the consolidated results of our continuing operations: For the twelve months ended June 30, (in thousands) 2024 Percent Change 2023 Revenues $ 17,834 106% $ 8,663 Cost of Revenues (5,526 ) *NM - Operating costs and expenses: Investment management expenses, excluding non-cash compensation (9,723 ) 9% (8,938 ) Non-cash compensation (3,113 ) 6% (2,948 ) Other selling, general and administrative (6,202 ) (9)% (6,836 ) Depreciation and amortization (1,108 ) (4)% (1,152 ) Total operating costs and expenses (20,146 ) (19,874 ) Operating loss (7,838 ) (11,211 ) Other income (expense): Interest expense (4,334 ) (29)% (6,074 ) Other income (expense), net 11,331 (65)% 31,964 Total other income (expense), net 6,997 25,890 Income (loss) before income taxes from continuing operations $ (841 ) $ 14,679 *NM - not meaningful Revenues Revenues for the year ended June 30, 2024 increased $9.2 million, as compared to the prior year. Of the $9.2 million increase, $6.6 million is related to MBTS's June 2024 asset sale, which is offset by $5.5 million of cost of revenues related to the sale. The remaining $2.6 million expansion is primarily driven by increases in management and incentive fees from GECC as a result of increases in assets under management. Operating Costs and Expenses Operating costs and expenses for the year ended June 30, 2024 increased $0.3 million, as compared to the prior year. Investment management expenses increased $0.8 million, which was mainly attributable to costs associated with business operations due to our company now functioning primarily as an investment management company. Other selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $0.6 million, which was mainly attributed to a decrease in our strategic initiative costs and other professional and operating fees due to our transition from a primarily durable medical equipment business to an asset management firm. 14 Other Expenses and Income Interest expense for the year ended June 30, 2024 decreased by $1.7 million, compared to the prior year, primarily due to the decrease in interest expense attributed to the 35,010 shares of preferred stock issued by Forest to JPM on December 29, 2020 (the Forest Preferred Stock ) following the Sale of Controlling Interest in Forest on December 30, 2022. During the year ended June 30, 2024, the Company recognized $11.3 million of other income (net), comprised of dividends and interest income of $8.1 million and net realized and unrealized gain on investments of $2.2 million, partially. During the year ended June 30, 2023, the Company recognized $32.0 million of other income (net), comprised of gain on Sale of Controlling Interest in Forest of $10.5 million, gain on the Investment in Forest of $24.4 million, and dividends and interest income of $6.2 million, partially offset by net realized and unrealized loss on investments (excluding the Investment in Forest) of $9.2 million. Income Taxes The Company recognized an income tax expense from continuing operations of $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the years ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. This expense consisted of federal and state and local taxes for the year ended June 30, 2024. No federal income taxes were incurred for the year ended June 30, 2023. As of June 30, 2024, we had $8.9 million of net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes, of which approximately $3.4 million will expire in fiscal years 2025 through 2037 and $5.5 million can be carried forward indefinitely. Discontinued Operations The following table provides the consolidated results of our discontinued operations: For the twelve months ended June 30, (in thousands) 2024 2023 Discontinued operations: Durable medical equipment sales and services revenue $ - $ 21,574 Durable medical equipment rental income - 11,874 Net revenue - 33,448 Cost of durable medical equipment sold and services - (8,654 ) Cost of durable medical equipment rentals - (4,263 ) Durable medical equipment other operating expenses 16 (17,519 ) Depreciation and amortization - (783 ) Transaction costs - (2,462 ) Interest expense - (46 ) Loss on extinguishment of debt - (23 ) Other (expense) income, net - (50 ) Gain on disposal of discontinued operations - 13,264 Income before income taxes from discontinued operations 16 12,912 Income tax benefit - 289 Net income from discontinued operations $ 16 $ 13,201 During the year ended June 30, 2023, the results of the discontinued DME business only included operations through the date of its sale (January 3, 2023). Upon sale of the DME business, we initially recognized a gain on sale of $13.6 million. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, we recorded a loss of $0.3 million following finalization of working capital adjustments to the initial sales price for HC LLC, with the respective payment made to Quipt in September 2023. There was minimal operating activity related to discontinued operations during the year ended June 30, 2024. Liquidity and Capital Resources The following table presents selected financial information: (in thousands) June 30, 2024 June 30, 2023 Current assets $ 127,570 $ 123,138 Current liabilities 8,359 7,377 Working capital $ 119,211 $ 115,761 Long-term liabilities $ 61,892 $ 64,674 15 For the twelve months ended June 30, (in thousands) 2024 2023 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities - continuing operations $ (15,555 ) $ (3,139 ) Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities - discontinued operations - 766 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ (15,555 ) $ (2,373 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities - continuing operations $ 3,217 $ 16,733 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities - discontinued operations (947 ) 67,230 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities $ 2,270 $ 83,963 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities - continuing operations $ 2,838 $ (42,399 ) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities - discontinued operations - (5,221 ) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities $ 2,838 $ (47,620 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including cash and cash equivalents classified within current assets held for sale $ (10,447 ) $ 33,970 Less: net increase in cash and cash equivalents classified within current assets held for sale - 62,775 Plus: cash received from discontinued operations - 66,689 Net change in cash and cash equivalents $ (10,447 ) $ 37,884 As of June 30, 2024, we had an unrestricted cash balance of $48.1 million, short-term investments in marketable securities of $9.9 million and investments with a fair value of $44.6 million, including 1,518,162 shares of GECC common stock with an estimated fair value of $16.2 million. We intend to make acquisitions that will likely result in our investment of all of our liquid financial resources, the issuance of equity securities and the incurrence of indebtedness. If we are unsuccessful at raising additional capital resources, through either debt or equity, it is unlikely we will be able execute our strategic growth plan. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” Cash flows used in operating activities of our continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2024 were $15.6 million. The adjustments to reconcile our net loss from continuing operations of $0.9 million to net cash used in operating activities included add-backs for net proceeds from sale of real estate of $6.2 million and for various non-cash charges, such as $2.4 million of stock-based compensation expense, $2.4 million of non-cash interest and amortization of capitalized issuance costs, and $1.1 million of depreciation and amortization, which was partially offset by a $0.5 million of change in fair value of contingent consideration payable to ICAM, $2.3 million of realized gain on redemption of Convertible Notes, $12.0 million of purchases of investments and the net negative change in our operating assets and liabilities of $11.2 million. Cash flows used in operating activities of our continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2023 were $3.1 million. The adjustments to reconcile our net income from continuing operations of $14.5 million to net cash used in operating activities included add-backs for various non-cash charges, such as $2.6 million of stock-based compensation expense, $2.3 million of non-cash interest and amortization of capitalized issuance costs, $1.2 million of depreciation and amortization, and $0.8 million of change in fair value of contingent consideration payable to ICAM, which was partially offset by deduction of $10.9 million of unrealized gain on our investments, $4.3 million of realized gain on our investments, $10.5 million of gain on Sale of Controlling Interest in Forest in December 2022, and the net negative change in our operating assets and liabilities of $0.7 million. During the year ended June 30, 2023 we also received $1.6 million attributed to sales of investments by GESOF. Cash flows provided by operating activities of our discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2023 were $0.8 million. Cash flows provided by investing activities of our continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2024 were $3.2 million which is attributed to the proceeds from settlement of held-to-maturity securities of $65.1 million and sales of investments of $6.8 million, partially offset by purchases of investments of $19.6 million and purchases of investments in held-to-maturity securities of $49.0 million. Cash flows used in investing activities of our discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2024 of $0.9 million were attributed to investing activities of our DME business. Cash flows provided by investing activities of our continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2023 were $16.7 million which is attributed to the combined proceeds from sale of Forest, net of cash sold, of $44.3 million, partially offset by purchases of investments of $3.1 million and purchases of investments in marketable securities of $24.4 million. Cash flows provided by investing activities of our discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2023 of $67.2 million were primarily attributed to the cash proceeds from the Sale of HC LLC, net of cash sold and before transaction costs and distributions to non-controlling interests, of $71.3 million, partially offset by other investing activities of our DME business. 16 Cash flows provided by financing activities of our continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2024 were $2.8 million, which is attributed to contributions of non-controlling interests in our Consolidated Funds, offset by a redemption of the Convertible Notes and share repurchase. Cash flows used in financing activities of our continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2023 were $42.4 million, which consisted of principal payments of $38.1 million on the promissory note issued to Forest on December 29, 2022 and fully repaid by January 3, 2023, and principal payments of $3.7 million on the Seller Note, as well as distributions to non-controlling interests in GESOF of $0.6 million. Cash flows used in financing activities of our discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2023 of $5.2 million were primarily attributed to distributions to non-controlling interests upon Sale of HC LLC of $5.9 million. We believe we have sufficient liquidity available to meet our short-term and long-term obligations for at least the next 12 months and the foreseeable future thereafter. Borrowings As of June 30, 2024, the Company had $26.9 million in outstanding aggregate principal of the GEGGL Notes. The GEGGL Notes are due on June 30, 2027, and interest is paid quarterly. The GEGGL Notes include covenants that limit additional indebtedness or the payment of dividends in the event that our net consolidated debt to equity ratio is, or would be on a pro forma basis, greater than 2 to 1. In addition, if our net consolidated debt to equity ratio is greater than 2 to 1 at the end of any calendar quarter, we must retain no less than 10% of our excess cash flow as cash and cash equivalents until such time as our net consolidated debt to equity ratio is less than 2 to 1 at the end of a calendar quarter. As of June 30, 2024, the Company had $35.5 million principal balance in outstanding Convertible Notes (including cumulative interest paid in-kind) held by a consortium of investors, including related parties, that accrue interest at 5.0% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears on June 30 and December 31, in cash or in-kind at the option of the Company. The Convertible Notes are due on February 26, 2030, but are convertible at the option of the holders, subject to the terms therein, prior to maturity into shares of our common stock. Upon conversion of any note, the Company will pay or deliver, as the case may be, to the noteholder, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of notes being converted, shares of common stock equal to the conversion rate in effect on the conversion date, together with cash, if applicable, in lieu of delivering any fractional share of common stock. To date, all interest on these instruments has been paid in-kind. Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitat ive Disclosures About Market Risk. Not applicable. Item 8. Financial Statemen ts and Supplementary Data. The information required by this Item appears beginning on page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated in this Item 8 by reference. Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accou ntants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure. Not applicable.