Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As of December 31, 2024, our management,
with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls
and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of December 31, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at a reasonable
assurance level in ensuring that material information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange
Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules, regulations and forms of the SEC,
including ensuring that such material information is accumulated by and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
During the quarter ended December 31, 2024,
there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially
affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Report of Management 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.
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, management has conducted an assessment, including
testing, using the criteria in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework) (the COSO criteria). Our system of 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 generally accepted accounting principles. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies
and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions
and dispositions of the Company’s assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures
of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s
assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal
control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future
periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance
with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Based on the assessment, management has concluded
that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on the COSO criteria.
The effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered
public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is included herein.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
10b5-1 Trading Arrangements
During the three months ended December 31, 2024,
none of our directors or officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act) adopted , terminated or
modified a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement (as such terms are defined in Item 408 of
Regulation S-K).
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
67
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PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information required by Item 401 of
Regulation S-K regarding directors and officers will be contained in our definitive proxy statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation
14A for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, expected to be filed within 120 days of our fiscal year end, or in an amendment to this
Form 10-K, and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information required by Item 405 of
Regulation S-K will be contained in our definitive proxy statement or in an amendment to this Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by
reference.
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer and principal financial
and accounting officer. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on our website at https://ir.wisdomtree.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents .
We will post any amendments to, or waivers from,
a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics by posting such information on our website, at the address and location specified
above.
We have adopted an insider trading policy that
governs the purchase, sale and/or other transactions of our securities by our directors, officers and employees. A copy of our insider
trading policy is filed as Exhibit 19.1 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, with regard to our Company trading in its own
securities, it is our policy to comply with the federal securities laws and the applicable exchange listing requirements.
The information required by Item 407(c)(3),
(d)(4) and (d)(5) of Regulation S-K will be contained in our definitive proxy statement or in an amendment to this Form 10-K and is incorporated
herein by reference.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information required by Item 402 and
Item 407(e)(4) and (e)(5) of Regulation S-K will be contained in our definitive proxy statement or in an amendment to this Form 10-K
and is incorporated herein by reference (excluding the information required by Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K relating to pay versus performance).
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information required by Item 201(d) and
Item 403 of Regulation S-K will be contained in our definitive proxy statement or in an amendment to this Form 10-K and is incorporated
herein by reference.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by Item 404 and Item
407(a) of Regulation S-K will be contained in our definitive proxy statement or in an amendment to this Form 10-K and is incorporated
herein by reference.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Our independent public accounting firm is Ernst &
Young LLP, NewYork, New York, PCAOB Auditor ID 42 .
The information required by Item 9(e) of
Schedule 14A will be contained in our definitive proxy statement or in an amendment to this Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS; FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a). The following are filed as part of this
Report:
1. Consolidated Financial Statements : The consolidated financial statements and reports of independent registered public accounting
firm required by this item are included beginning on page F-1.
2. Financial Statement Schedules : None.
All other schedules are omitted because they
are not applicable or not required, or because the required information is shown either in the consolidated financial statements or in
the notes thereto.
(b). Exhibits: The list of exhibits in the Exhibit
Index immediately preceding the exhibits to this Report is incorporated herein by reference in response to this item.
68
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ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
69
Table of Contents
WISDOMTREE, INC.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Consolidated Financial Statements
Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
F-2
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2024 and 2023
F-5
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
F-6
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
F-7
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
F-8
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
F-9
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
F-11
F- 1
Table of Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
To the Stockholders and the Board
of Directors of WisdomTree, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of WisdomTree, Inc. and
subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income,
changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2024, and the related
notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the results of its
operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2024, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles.
Company’s disclosure of additional measures of segment profit or loss
In Note 27 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has elected to disclose adjusted operating
income and adjusted operating income margin as additional segment profit or loss measures as permitted pursuant to ASC 280 and that
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines as a non-GAAP measure. Accordingly, we express no opinion on whether the additional
segment profit or loss measures comply with SEC Regulation S-K, Item 10(e) and Regulation G, Item 101.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013
framework), and our report dated February 26, 2025 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
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 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. 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 the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated 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.
ETFS Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets – Assessment of Carrying Value
Description of the Matter
At December 31, 2024, the Company held indefinite-lived intangible assets related to the right to manage assets under management through customary advisory agreements, which have no expiration date, in connection with the ETFS acquisition, with an aggregate carrying value of $601,247,000. As described in Notes 2 and 24 to the consolidated financial statements, these assets were assessed for impairment based upon a quantitative test. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired if their estimated fair values are less than their carrying values. The Company determined the fair value of its ETFS intangible assets using an income approach (discounted cash flow analysis) with significant unobservable inputs that included the weighted average cost of capital and projected revenue growth rates.
F- 2
Table of Contents
Auditing the Company’s quantitative impairment assessment for its ETFS indefinite-lived intangible assets was complex due to the significant unobservable inputs required in determining fair value. In particular, the fair value estimate of the ETFS indefinite-lived intangible assets was sensitive to the significant unobservable inputs described above which are affected by future economic and market conditions and thus require significant judgment.
How we Addressed the Matter in Our Audit
We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of controls over the Company’s indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment assessment process. This included controls around management’s review of the significant unobservable inputs described above and the completeness and accuracy of the inputs to the valuation model.
To test the Company’s quantitative impairment assessment of ETFS indefinite-lived
intangible assets, our audit procedures included, among others, evaluating the Company’s selection of its fair value methodology,
testing the significant unobservable inputs used in the valuation model, evaluating the clerical accuracy of the valuation model and testing
the completeness and accuracy of the underlying data used by the Company to determine fair value. For example, we agreed certain inputs
used to calculate the weighted average cost of capital to market data. We compared the projected revenue growth rates to the Company's
historical results and to those of other guideline public companies in the same industry. In addition, we assessed the accuracy of the
Company's historical projections by comparing them to actual operating results. We involved our valuation specialists to assist in our
evaluation of the Company’s valuation model, the weighted average cost of capital used by the Company and the comparability of the
guideline public companies selected by the Company and to calculate an independent estimate of the indefinite-lived intangible assets
which we compared to the Company’s fair value estimate. Additionally, we performed sensitivity analyses of certain significant unobservable
inputs described above to evaluate the changes in the fair value of ETFS indefinite-lived intangible assets that would result from reasonably
expected changes in the significant assumptions.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company’s
auditor since 2010.
New York, New York
February 26, 2025
F- 3
Table of Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of WisdomTree, Inc.
Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited WisdomTree, Inc. and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee
of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, WisdomTree, Inc. and subsidiaries
(the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based
on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 2024 consolidated financial statements of the Company and our report dated February 26, 2025
expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control
over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying
Report of Management on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the 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 audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting
was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting,
assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control
based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our
audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to
provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external
purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes
those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect
the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures
of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable
assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that
could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not
prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls
may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 26, 2025
F- 4
Table of Contents
WisdomTree, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Assets
Current assets:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (including $ 11,282 and $ 5,007 invested in WisdomTree
Government Money Market Digital Fund at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively)
$ 181,191
$ 129,305
Financial instruments owned, at fair value (including $ 78,540 and $ 47,559 invested in WisdomTree products
at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively)
85,439
58,722
Accounts receivable (including $ 34,959 and $ 28,511 due from related parties at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively)
44,866
35,473
Prepaid expenses
5,340
5,258
Other current assets
1,542
1,036
Total current assets
318,378
229,794
Fixed assets, net
336
427
Securities held-to-maturity
206
230
Deferred tax assets, net
11,656
11,057
Investments (Note 7)
8,922
9,684
Right of use assets—operating leases (Note13)
880
563
Goodwill (Note 24)
86,841
86,841
Intangible assets, net (Note 24)
605,896
605,082
Other noncurrent assets
425
459
Total assets
$ 1,033,540
$ 944,137
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Liabilities
Current liabilities:
Fund management and administration payable
$ 31,135
$ 30,085
Compensation and benefits payable
39,701
38,111
Payable to Gold Bullion Holdings (Jersey) Limited (“GBH”) (Note 12)
14,804
14,804
Income taxes payable
724
3,866
Operating lease liabilities (Note 13)
709
578
Accounts payable and other liabilities
22,124
15,772
Total current liabilities
109,197
103,216
Convertible notes (Note 10)
512,033
274,888
Payable to GBH (Note 12)
12,159
24,328
Operating lease liabilities (Note 13)
171
—
Total liabilities
633,560
402,432
Preferred stock—Series A Non-Voting Convertible, par value $ 0.01 ; Zero and 14.750 shares authorized, issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively; redemption value of $ 0 and $ 96,869 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively) (Note 11)
—
132,569
Contingencies (Note 14)
Stockholders’ equity
Preferred stock, par value $ 0.01 ; 2,000 shares authorized:
—
—
Common stock, par value $ 0.01 ; 400,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding: 146,102 and 150,330 at
December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively
1,461
1,503
Additional paid-in capital
270,303
312,440
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
( 1,607 )
( 548 )
Retained earnings
129,823
95,741
Total stockholders’ equity
399,980
409,136
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 1,033,540
$ 944,137
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements
F- 5
Table of Contents
WisdomTree, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Operating Revenues:
Advisory fees
$ 395,362
$ 333,227
$ 293,632
Other revenues
32,375
15,808
7,713
Total revenues
427,737
349,035
301,345
Operating Expenses:
Compensation and benefits
121,281
109,532
97,897
Fund management and administration
83,963
71,348
64,761
Marketing and advertising
20,532
17,256
15,302
Sales and business development
14,817
13,584
11,871
Contractual gold payments (Note 9)
—
6,069
17,108
Professional fees
21,098
18,969
13,800
Occupancy, communications and equipment
5,344
4,684
3,898
Depreciation and amortization
1,752
872
262
Third-party distribution fees
11,138
9,377
7,656
Other
10,519
9,852
8,705
Total operating expenses
290,444
261,543
241,260
Operating income
137,293
87,492
60,085
Other Income/(Expenses):
Interest expense
( 18,911 )
( 15,242 )
( 14,935 )
Gain on revaluation/termination of deferred consideration—gold payments (Note 9)
—
61,953
27,765
Interest income
6,778
4,099
3,320
Impairments (Note 26)
—
( 7,942 )
—
Loss on extinguishment of debt (Note 10)
( 30,632 )
( 9,721 )
—
Other gains/(losses), net
874
( 1,631 )
( 36,285 )
Income before income taxes
95,402
119,008
39,950
Income tax expense/(benefit)
28,709
16,462
( 10,734 )
Net income
$ 66,693
$ 102,546
$ 50,684
Earnings per share—basic
$ 0.34
$ 0.66
$ 0.31
Earnings per share—diluted
$ 0.33
$ 0.64
$ 0.31
Weighted-average common shares—basic
144,630
144,707
143,020
Weighted-average common shares—diluted
158,844
170,413
158,914
Cash dividends declared per common share
$ 0.12
$ 0.12
$ 0.12
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these
consolidated financial statements
F- 6
Table of Contents
WisdomTree, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(In Thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Net income
$ 66,693
$ 102,546
$ 50,684
Other comprehensive (loss)/income
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income taxes
( 1,059 )
872
( 2,102 )
Other comprehensive (loss)/income
( 1,059 )
872
( 2,102 )
Comprehensive income
$ 65,634
$ 103,418
$ 48,582
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements
F- 7
Table of Contents
WisdomTree, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’
Equity
(In Thousands)
Series
C Preferred
Stock
Common
Stock
Additional
Accumulated
Other
(Accumulated
Shares
Issued
Par
Value
Shares
Issued
Par
Value
Paid-In
Capital
Comprehensive
Income/(Loss)
Deficit)/Retained
Earnings
Total
Balance—January 1, 2022
—
—
145,107
$ 1,451
$ 289,736
$ 682
$ ( 22,445 )
$ 269,424
Restricted stock issued and vesting of
restricted stock units, net
—
—
2,003
20
( 20 )
—
—
—
Shares repurchased
—
—
( 593 )
( 6 )
( 3,412 )
—
—
( 3,418 )
Stock-based compensation
—
—
—
—
10,385
—
—
10,385
Other comprehensive loss
—
—
—
—
—
( 2,102 )
—
( 2,102 )
Dividends
—
—
—
—
( 4,842 )
—
( 14,520 )
( 19,362 )
Net income
—
—
—
—
—
—
50,684
50,684
Balance—December 31, 2022
—
—
146,517
$ 1,465
$ 291,847
$ ( 1,420 )
$ 13,719
$ 305,611
Restricted stock issued and vesting of
restricted stock units, net
—
—
3,412
34
( 34 )
—
—
—
Shares issued in connection with
convertible notes that matured on
June 15, 2023 (Note 10)
—
—
1,037
10
35
—
—
45
Shares issued in connection with
termination of the deferred
consideration—gold payments
obligation, net of issuance costs
(Note 9)
13
—
—
—
86,801
—
—
86,801
Shares repurchased that were issued
in connection with termination of
the deferred consideration—gold
payments obligation, net of
issuance costs (Notes 12 and 23)
( 13 )
—
—
—
( 78,835 )
—
—
( 78,835 )
Shares repurchased
—
—
( 636 )
( 6 )
( 3,564 )
—
—
( 3,570 )
Stock-based compensation
—
—
—
—
16,190
—
—
16,190
Other comprehensive income
—
—
—
—
—
872
—
872
Dividends
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 20,524 )
( 20,524 )
Net income
—
—
—
—
—
—
102,546
102,546
Balance—December 31, 2023
—
—
150,330
$ 1,503
$ 312,440
$ ( 548 )
$ 95,741
$ 409,136
Restricted stock issued and vesting of
restricted stock units, net
—
—
2,572
26
( 26 )
—
—
—
Shares repurchased
—
—
( 6,800 )
( 68 )
( 62,802 )
—
—
( 62,870 )
Stock-based compensation
—
—
—
—
20,691
—
—
20,691
Repurchase of Series A Preferred
Stock (Note 11)
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 11,375 )
( 11,375 )
Excise taxes – Stock repurchases
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 1,868 )
( 1,868 )
Other comprehensive loss
—
—
—
—
—
( 1,059 )
—
( 1,059 )
Dividends
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 19,368 )
( 19,368 )
Net income
—
—
—
—
—
—
66,693
66,693
Balance—December 31, 2024
—
—
146,102
$ 1,461
$ 270,303
$ ( 1,607 )
$ 129,823
$ 399,980
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these
consolidated financial statements
F- 8
Table of Contents
WisdomTree, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In Thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 66,693
$ 102,546
$ 50,684
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Advisory fees received in gold and other precious metals
( 53,452 )
( 49,400 )
( 57,290 )
Loss on extinguishment of debt
30,632
9,721
—
Stock-based compensation
20,691
16,190
10,385
(Gains)/losses on financial instruments owned, at fair value
( 4,851 )
517
16,516
Imputed interest on payable to GBH
2,635
297
—
Amortization of issuance costs—convertible notes
1,893
1,817
2,592
Depreciation and amortization
1,752
872
262
Amortization of right of use asset
1,304
1,285
963
Losses on investments
1,135
242
—
Deferred income taxes
( 398 )
( 481 )
( 1,296 )
Gain on revaluation of deferred consideration—gold payments
—
( 61,953 )
( 27,765 )
Impairments
—
7,942
—
Contractual gold payments
—
6,069
17,108
Other
—
—
( 1,984 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
( 9,036 )
( 6,212 )
( 720 )
Prepaid expenses
( 107 )
( 518 )
( 808 )
Gold and other precious metals
52,640
42,150
41,847
Other assets
( 247 )
281
( 309 )
Fund management and administration payable
1,290
5,837
3,723
Compensation and benefits payable
1,937
1,209
4,485
Income taxes payable
( 3,126 )
2,260
( 2,308 )
Operating lease liabilities
( 1,320 )
( 1,284 )
( 965 )
Accounts payable and other liabilities
3,396
6,213
( 33 )
Net cash provided by operating activities
113,461
85,600
55,087
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of financial instruments owned, at fair value
( 69,439 )
( 57,364 )
( 67,734 )
Cash paid—software development
( 2,336 )
( 2,149 )
—
Purchase of investments
( 674 )
( 11,228 )
( 21,863 )
Purchase of fixed assets
( 141 )
( 113 )
( 220 )
Cash paid—acquisition of Securrency Transfers, Inc. (net of cash acquired)
—
( 985 )
—
Proceeds from the sale of financial instruments owned, at fair value
48,126
123,564
52,115
Proceeds from exiting investments
565
28,818
—
Proceeds from held-to-maturity securities maturing or called prior to maturity
24
29
45
Proceeds from receipt of contingent consideration related to the sale of Canadian ETF business
—
1,477
—
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities
( 23,875 )
82,049
( 37,657 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchase of Series A Preferred Stock
( 143,812 )
—
—
Repurchase and maturity of convertible notes
( 132,713 )
( 184,272 )
—
Shares repurchased
( 62,870 )
( 3,570 )
( 3,418 )
Dividends paid
( 19,002 )
( 20,144 )
( 19,362 )
Cash paid to GBH
( 14,804 )
—
—
Issuance costs—convertible notes
( 7,667 )
( 3,548 )
—
Repurchase costs—Series A Preferred Stock
( 132 )
—
—
Proceeds from the issuance of convertible notes (Note 10)
345,000
130,000
—
Termination of deferred consideration—gold payments
—
( 50,005 )
—
Repurchase of Series C Preferred Stock
—
( 40,000 )
—
Issuance costs—Series C Preferred Stock
—
( 97 )
—
Net cash used in financing activities
( 36,000 )
( 171,636 )
( 22,780 )
(Decrease)/increase in cash flow due to changes in foreign exchange rate
( 1,700 )
1,191
( 3,258 )
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
51,886
( 2,796 )
( 8,608 )
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash—beginning of year
129,305
132,101
140,709
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash—end of year
$ 181,191
$ 129,305
$ 132,101
F- 9
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Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for income taxes
$ 32,218
$ 16,156
$ 12,500
Cash paid for interest
$ 12,350
$ 10,709
$ 12,313
NON-CASH ACTIVITIES
On May 10, 2023, the Company issued 13.087 shares
of Series C Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) (valued at $86,898) in connection with
the termination of its deferred consideration—gold payments obligation. Those shares were subsequently repurchased on November 20,
2023 for aggregate consideration of approximately $84,411, with $40,000 paid on the closing date and the remainder of the purchase price
payable in equal annual installments on the first, second and third anniversaries of the closing date, with no requirement to pay interest.
See Notes 11 and 12 for additional information.
On June 15, 2023, the Company issued 1,037 shares
of common stock (as the conversion option was in the money) in connection with the maturity of $60,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.25%
Convertible Senior Notes due 2023.
The accompanying notes are
an integral part of these consolidated financial statements
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Table of Contents
WisdomTree, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(In Thousands, Except Share and Per Share Amounts)
1. Organization and Description of Business
WisdomTree, Inc., through its global subsidiaries (collectively, “WisdomTree”
or the “Company”), is a global financial innovator, offering a diverse suite of exchange-traded products (“ETPs”),
models, solutions and products leveraging blockchain technology. Building on its heritage of innovation, the Company has introduced next-generation
digital products and services, including blockchain-enabled mutual funds (“Digital Funds”) and tokenized assets, as well as
its blockchain-native digital wallet, WisdomTree Prime, and institutional platform, WisdomTree Connect. The Company has the following
wholly-owned operating subsidiaries:
● WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WTAM”) is a New York based investment adviser registered with the SEC, providing
investment advisory and other management services to the WisdomTree Trust (“WTT”) and WisdomTree exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).
The WisdomTree ETFs are issued in the U.S. by WTT. WTT is a non-consolidated Delaware statutory trust registered with the SEC as an open-end
management investment company. The Company has licensed to WTT the use of certain of its own indexes on an exclusive basis for the WisdomTree
ETFs in the U.S.
● WisdomTree Management Jersey Limited (“ManJer”) is a Jersey based management company providing management services
to seven issuers (the “ManJer Issuers”) in respect of the ETPs issued and listed by the ManJer Issuers covering commodity,
currency, cryptocurrency and leveraged-and-inverse strategies.
● WisdomTree Multi Asset Management Limited (“WTMAML”) is a Jersey based management company providing management
services to WisdomTree Multi Asset Issuer PLC (“WMAI”) in respect of the ETPs issued by WMAI. WMAI is a non-consolidated public
limited company domiciled in Ireland.
● WisdomTree Management Limited (“WML”) is an Ireland based management company providing management services to WisdomTree
Issuer ICAV (“WTICAV”) in respect of the WisdomTree UCITS ETFs issued by WTICAV. WTICAV is a non-consolidated public limited
company domiciled in Ireland.
● WisdomTree UK Limited (“WTUK”) is a U.K. based company registered with the Financial Conduct Authority currently
providing distribution and support services to ManJer, WTMAML and WML.
● WisdomTree Europe Limited is a U.K. based company which is the legacy distributor of the WMAI ETPs and WisdomTree UCITS ETFs.
These services are now provided directly by WTUK. WisdomTree Europe Limited is no longer regulated and does not provide any regulated
services.
● WisdomTree Ireland Limited (“WT Ireland”) is an Ireland based company authorized by the Central Bank of Ireland
providing distribution services to ManJer, WTMAML and WML.
● WisdomTree Digital Commodity Services, LLC is a New York based company that serves as the sponsor of the WisdomTree Bitcoin
Fund, which is currently effective with the SEC. The WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund is an exchange-traded fund that issues common shares of beneficial
interest and is listed on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. The WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund provides exposure to the spot price of bitcoin.
● WisdomTree Digital Management, Inc. (“WT Digital Management”) is a New York based investment adviser registered
with the SEC, providing investment advisory and other management services to the WisdomTree Digital Trust (“WTDT”) and WisdomTree
Digital Funds. The WisdomTree Digital Funds are issued in the U.S. by WTDT. WTDT is a non-consolidated Delaware statutory trust registered
with the SEC as an open-end management investment company. Each Digital Fund uses a blockchain-integrated recordkeeping system to maintain
a record of its shares on one or more blockchains (e.g., Stellar or Ethereum), but does not directly or indirectly invest in any assets
that rely on blockchain technology, such as cryptocurrencies.
● WisdomTree Digital Movement, Inc. (“WT Digital Movement”) is a New York based company operating as a money services
business registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. WT Digital Movement has obtained and is seeking additional state money
transmitter licenses to operate a platform for the purchase, sale and exchange of tokenized assets, while also providing blockchain-native
digital wallet services through WisdomTree Prime to facilitate such activity.
● WisdomTree Securities, Inc. is a New York based limited purpose broker-dealer (i.e., mutual fund retailer) registered with
the SEC and FINRA, facilitating transactions in WisdomTree Digital Funds.
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● WisdomTree Transfers, Inc. is a New York based transfer agent registered with the SEC, providing transfer agency and registrar
services for the Digital Funds. The transfer agent uses a blockchain-integrated recordkeeping system for the ownership of WisdomTree Digital
Fund shares.
● WisdomTree Digital Trust Company, LLC is a New York based limited liability trust company that has been formed to operate as
a limited purpose trust company under New York Banking Law and is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New
York State Department of Financial Services.
2. Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
These consolidated financial statements have
been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and in the opinion of management
reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements.
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts
and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Consolidation
The Company consolidates entities in which it
has a controlling financial interest. The Company determines whether it has a controlling financial interest in an entity by first evaluating
whether the entity is a voting interest entity (“VOE”) or a variable interest entity (“VIE”). The usual condition
for a controlling financial interest in a VOE is ownership of a majority voting interest. If the Company has a majority voting interest
in a VOE, the entity is consolidated. The Company has a controlling financial interest in a VIE when the Company has a variable interest
that provides it with (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance
and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant
to the VIE.
The Company reassesses its evaluation of whether
an entity is a VOE or VIE when certain reconsideration events occur.
Segment and Geographic Information
The Company, through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Europe, is a global financial
innovator, offering a diverse suite of ETPs, models, solutions and products leveraging blockchain technology. The Company conducts business
as a single operating segment as an ETP sponsor and asset manager, which is based upon the Company’s current organizational and
management structure, as well as information used by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (the chief operating decision maker,
or CODM) to allocate resources and other factors.
Foreign Currency Translation
Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries whose
functional currency is not the U.S. dollar are translated based on the end of period exchange rates from local currency to U.S. dollars.
Results of operations are translated at the average exchange rates in effect during the period. The impact of the foreign currency translation
adjustment is included in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income as a component of other comprehensive (loss)/income.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the Company’s consolidated
financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts
of assets and liabilities as of the balance sheet dates and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for the periods presented. Actual
results could differ materially from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition
The Company earns a significant portion of its
revenues in the form of advisory fees from its ETPs and recognizes this revenue over time, as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Advisory fees are based on a percentage of the ETPs’ average daily net assets. Progress is measured using the practical expedient
under the output method resulting in the recognition of revenue in the amount for which the Company has a right to invoice.
Other revenues are earned from swap providers
associated with certain of the Company’s European listed ETPs, the nature of which are based on a percentage of the ETPs’
average daily net assets. The Company also earns transaction-based income on flows associated with certain European listed ETPs. There
is no significant judgment in calculating amounts due, which are invoiced monthly or quarterly in arrears and are not subject to any potential
reversal. Progress is measured using the practical expedient under the output method resulting in the recognition of revenue in the amount
for which the Company has a right to invoice.
Contractual Gold Payments
Contractual gold payments were measured and
paid monthly based upon the average daily spot price of gold. The Company’s obligation to continue making these payments terminated
on May 10, 2023.
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Marketing and Advertising
Marketing and advertising costs, including media
advertising and production costs, are expensed when incurred.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization is provided for
using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets as follows:
Equipment
3 to 5 years
Internally-developed software
3 years
The assets listed above are recorded at cost
less accumulated depreciation and amortization.
Stock-Based Awards
Accounting for stock-based compensation requires
the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all equity awards based on estimated fair values. Stock-based compensation
is measured based on the grant-date fair value of the award and is amortized over the relevant service period. Forfeitures are recognized
when they occur.
Third-Party Distribution Fees
The Company pays a percentage of its advisory
fee revenues based on incremental growth in assets under management (“AUM”), subject to caps or minimums, to marketing agents
to sell WisdomTree ETPs and for including WisdomTree ETPs on third-party customer platforms and recognizes these expenses as incurred.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
The Company considers all highly liquid investments
with an original maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be classified as cash equivalents. The Company maintains
deposits with financial institutions in an amount that is in excess of federally insured limits. Restricted cash is required to be maintained
in a separate account with withdrawal and usage restrictions.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are customer and other obligations
due under normal trade terms. The Company measures credit losses, if any, by applying historical loss rates, adjusted for current conditions
and reasonable and supportable forecasts to amounts outstanding using the aging method.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company performs a review for the impairment
of long-lived assets when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be
generated by the assets are less than their carrying amounts or when other events occur which may indicate that the carrying amount of
an asset may not be recoverable.
Financial Instruments Owned and Financial Instruments Sold,
but Not yet Purchased (at Fair Value)
Financial instruments owned and financial instruments
sold, but not yet purchased are financial instruments classified as either trading or available-for-sale (“AFS”). These financial
instruments are recorded on their trade date and are measured at fair value. All equity instruments that have readily determinable fair
values are classified by the Company as trading. Debt instruments are classified based primarily on the Company’s intent to hold
or sell the instrument. Changes in the fair value of debt instruments classified as trading and AFS are reported in other income/(expenses)
and other comprehensive income, respectively, in the period the change occurs. Debt instruments classified as AFS are assessed for impairment
on a quarterly basis and an estimate for credit loss is provided when the fair value of the AFS debt instrument is below its amortized
cost basis. Credit-related impairments are recognized in earnings with a corresponding adjustment to the instrument’s amortized
cost basis if the Company intends to sell the impaired AFS debt instrument or it is more likely than not the Company will be required
to sell the instrument before recovering its amortized cost basis. Other credit-related impairments are recognized as an allowance with
a corresponding adjustment to earnings. Impairments resulting from noncredit-related factors are recognized in other comprehensive income.
Amounts recorded in other comprehensive income are reclassified into earnings upon sale of the AFS debt instrument using the specific
identification method.
Securities Held-to-Maturity
The Company accounts for certain of its securities
as held-to-maturity on a trade date basis, which are recorded at amortized cost. For held-to-maturity securities, the Company has the
intent and ability to hold these securities to maturity and it is not more-likely-than-not that the Company will be required to sell these
securities before recovery of their amortized cost bases, which may be maturity. Held-to-maturity securities are placed on non-accrual
status when the Company is in receipt of information indicating collection of interest is doubtful. Cash received on held-to-maturity
securities placed on non-accrual status is recognized on a cash basis as interest income if and when received.
F- 13
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The Company reviews its portfolio of held-to-maturity
securities for impairment on a quarterly basis, recognizing an allowance, if any, by applying an estimated loss rate after consideration
for the nature of collateral securing the financial asset as well as potential future changes in collateral values and historical loss
information for financial assets secured with similar collateral.
Investments in pass-through government-sponsored
enterprises (“GSEs”) are determined to have an estimated loss rate of zero due to an implicit U.S. government guarantee.
Investments
The Company accounts for equity investments
that do not have a readily determinable fair value under the measurement alternative prescribed in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)
Topic 321, Investments – Equity Securities (“ASC 321”), to the extent such investments are not subject to consolidation
or the equity method. Under the measurement alternative, these financial instruments are carried at cost, less any impairment (assessed
quarterly), plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment
of the same issuer. In addition, income is recognized when dividends are received only to the extent they are distributed from net accumulated
earnings of the investee. Otherwise, such distributions are considered returns of investment and are recorded as a reduction of the cost
of the investment.
Investments in debt instruments are accounted
for at fair value, with changes in fair value reported in other income/(expenses).
Goodwill
Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price
over the fair values of the identifiable net assets at the acquisition date. The Company tests goodwill for impairment at least annually
and at the time of a triggering event requiring re-evaluation, if one were to occur. Goodwill is considered impaired when the estimated
fair value of the reporting unit that was allocated the goodwill is less than its carrying value. If the estimated fair value of such
reporting unit is less than its carrying value, goodwill impairment is recognized based on that difference, not to exceed the carrying
amount of goodwill. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a component of an operating segment provided that the component constitutes
a business for which discrete financial information is available and management regularly reviews the operating results of that component.
Goodwill is allocated to the Company’s
U.S. business and European business components. For impairment testing purposes, these components are aggregated as a single reporting
unit as they fall under the same operating segment and have similar economic characteristics.
Goodwill is assessed for impairment annually
on November 30 th . When performing its goodwill impairment test, the Company considers a qualitative assessment, when appropriate,
and a quantitative assessment using the market approach and its market capitalization when determining the fair value of the reporting
unit.
Intangible Assets
Indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested
for impairment at least annually and are also reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired if their estimated fair values are less than
their carrying values.
Finite-lived intangible assets, if any, are
amortized over their estimated useful life, which is the period over which the assets are expected to contribute directly or indirectly
to the future cash flows of the Company. These intangible assets are tested for impairment at the time of a triggering event, if one were
to occur. Finite-lived intangible assets may be impaired when the estimated undiscounted future cash flows generated from the assets are
less than their carrying amounts.
The Company may rely on a qualitative assessment
when performing its intangible asset impairment test. Otherwise, the impairment evaluation is performed at the lowest level of reasonably
identifiable cash flows independent of other assets. The annual impairment testing date for all of the Company’s intangible assets
is November 30 th .
Software Development Costs
Software development costs incurred after the
preliminary project stage is complete are capitalized if it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used
as intended. Capitalized costs consist of employee compensation costs and fees paid to third parties who are directly involved in the
application development efforts and are included in intangible assets, net in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Such costs are amortized
over the estimated useful life of the software on a straight-line basis and are included in depreciation and amortization in the Consolidated
Statements of Operations. Once the application development stage is complete, additional costs are expensed as incurred.
Leases
The Company accounts for its lease obligations
in accordance with ASC Topic 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), which requires the recognition of both (i) a lease liability
equal to the present value of the remaining lease payments and (ii) an offsetting right-of-use asset. The remaining lease payments are
discounted using the rate implicit in the lease, if known, or otherwise the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. After lease commencement,
right-of-use assets are assessed for impairment and otherwise are amortized over the remaining lease term on a straight-line basis. These
recognition requirements are not applied to short-term leases which are those with a lease term of 12 months or less. Instead, lease payments
associated with short-term leases are recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
F- 14
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ASC 842 also provides a practical expedient
which allows for consideration in a contract to be accounted for as a single lease component rather than allocated between lease and non-lease
components. The Company has elected to apply this practical expedient to all lease contracts, where applicable.
Deferred Consideration—Gold Payments
Deferred consideration—gold payments represented
the present value of an obligation to pay gold to a third party into perpetuity and was measured using forward-looking gold prices observed
on the CMX exchange, a selected discount rate and perpetual growth rate (Note 9). Changes in the fair value and settlement of this obligation
were reported as gain on revaluation/termination of deferred consideration—gold payments in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Convertible Notes
Convertible notes are carried at amortized cost,
net of issuance costs. The Company accounts for convertible instruments as a single liability (applicable to the convertible notes) or
equity with no separate accounting for embedded conversion features unless the conversion feature meets the criteria for accounting under
the substantial premium model or does not qualify for a derivative scope exception. Interest expense is recognized using the effective
interest method and includes amortization of issuance costs over the life of the debt.
Contingencies
The Company may be subject to reviews, inspections
and investigations by regulatory authorities as well as legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company evaluates
the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome of all legal or regulatory proceedings to which it is a party and accrues a loss contingency
when the loss is probable and reasonably estimable.
Contingent Payments
The Company recognizes a gain on contingent
payments when the contingency is resolved and the gain is realized.
Earnings per Share
Basic earnings per share (“EPS”)
is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the
period. Net income available to common stockholders represents net income of the Company reduced by an allocation of earnings to participating
securities, as well as the loss related to the repurchase of the Series A non-voting convertible preferred stock and excise tax on stock
repurchases. The Series A non-voting convertible preferred stock and Series C non-voting convertible preferred stock (Notes 9 and 11)
and unvested share-based payment awards that contained non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents (whether paid or unpaid)
were participating securities while they were outstanding and were included in the computation of EPS pursuant to the two-class method.
Share-based payment awards that do not contain such rights are not deemed participating securities and are included in diluted shares
outstanding (if dilutive).
Diluted EPS is calculated under the treasury
stock method and the two-class method. The calculation that results in the lowest diluted EPS amount for the common stock is reported
in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The treasury stock method includes the dilutive effect of potential common shares
including unvested stock-based awards, the Series A non-voting convertible preferred stock, the Series C non-voting convertible preferred
stock and the convertible notes, if any. Potential common shares associated with the Series A non-voting convertible preferred stock,
the Series C non-voting convertible preferred stock and the convertible notes were computed under the if-converted method. Potential common
shares associated with the conversion option embedded in the convertible notes are dilutive when the Company’s average stock price
exceeds the conversion price.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using
the liability method, which requires the determination of deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the differences between the financial
and tax bases of assets and liabilities using the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which differences are expected to reverse.
Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that
some portion or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Tax positions are evaluated utilizing a two-step
process. The Company first determines whether any of its tax positions are more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination, based
solely on the technical merits of the position. Once it is determined that a position meets this recognition threshold, the position is
measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 % likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company records
interest expense and penalties related to tax expenses as income tax expense.
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Table of Contents
The Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”)
provisions of the Tax Reform Act requires the Company to include in its U.S. income tax return foreign subsidiary earnings in excess of
an allowable return on the foreign subsidiary’s tangible assets. An accounting policy election is available to either account for
the tax effects of GILTI in the period that is subject to such taxes or to provide deferred taxes for book and tax basis differences that
upon reversal may be subject to such taxes. The Company accounts for the tax effects of these provisions in the period that is subject
to such tax.
Non-income based taxes are recorded as part
of other liabilities and other expenses. Excise taxes on stock repurchases are accounted for as a direct cost of the share repurchase
transaction and reported as a reduction of stockholders’ equity.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
On December 14, 2023, the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures , which establishes new
income tax disclosure requirements in addition to modifying and eliminating certain existing requirements. Under the new guidance, entities
must consistently categorize and provide greater disaggregation of information in the rate reconciliation. They must also further disaggregate
income taxes paid. The standard is intended to benefit stockholders by providing more detailed income tax disclosures that would be useful
in making capital allocation decisions. The guidance applies to all entities subject to income taxes and is effective for annual periods
beginning after December 15, 2024. The guidance will be applied on a prospective basis with the option to apply the standard retrospectively.
Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this standard on a prospective basis for the year ended December 31, 2024. See Note 22
for additional information.
On January 1, 2024, the Company adopted ASU
2023-07, Segment Reporting—Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures , which requires public entities to provide
disclosures of significant segment expenses and other segment items. The guidance requires public entities to provide in interim periods
all disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets that are currently required annually and also applies to
public entities with a single reportable segment. Entities are permitted to disclose more than one measure of a segment’s profit
or loss if such measures are used by the CODM to allocate resources and assess performance, as long as at least one of those measures
is determined in a way that is most consistent with the measurement principles used to measure the corresponding amounts in the consolidated
financial statements. The guidance is applied retrospectively to all periods presented in financial statements, unless it is impracticable,
and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and for interim periods beginning after December 15, 2024. See Note
26 for additional information.
On January 1, 2024, the Company early adopted
ASU 2023-08, Accounting for and Disclosure of Crypto Assets , which contains final guidance requiring all entities to measure certain
crypto assets at fair value each reporting period and to reflect changes from remeasurement in net income. Entities are required to present
crypto assets measured at fair value separately from other intangible assets on the balance sheet and present changes from the remeasurement
of crypto assets separately from changes in the carrying amounts of other intangible assets in the income statement. Entities are required
to provide interim and annual disclosures about the types of crypto assets they hold and any changes in their holdings of crypto assets.
The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The
adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
3. Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Of the total cash, cash equivalents and restricted
cash of $ 181,191 and $ 129,305 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, $ 155,871 and $ 116,895 were held at three financial institutions.
At December 31, 2024 and 2023, cash equivalents were approximately $ 48,336 and $ 50,226 , respectively.
Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries
are required to maintain a minimum level of regulatory capital, generally satisfied by cash on hand, which was $ 39,423 and $ 29,156 at
December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Of these amounts, $ 13,403 and $ 2,130 , at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, was restricted
cash, which is required to be maintained in a separate account with withdrawal and usage restrictions in compliance with regulatory obligations.
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4. Fair Value Measurements
The fair value of financial instruments is defined
as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., “the exit price”) in an orderly
transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement , establishes a hierarchy for inputs
used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that
the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset
or liability developed based on market data obtained from independent sources. Unobservable inputs reflect assumptions that market participants
would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The hierarchy
is broken down into three levels based on the transparency of inputs as follows:
Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical
instruments in active markets.
Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar
instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations
whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.
Level 3 – Instruments whose significant
drivers are unobservable.
The availability of observable inputs can vary
from product to product and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of product, whether the product
is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation
is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment.
Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by management in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases,
for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is determined
based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
The tables below summarize the categorization
of the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no
transfers between Levels 2 and 3.
December 31, 2024
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Assets:
Recurring fair value measurements:
Cash equivalents
$ 48,336
$ 48,336
$ —
$ —
Financial instruments owned, at fair value:
ETFs
62,907
62,907
—
—
Pass-through GSEs
6,898
—
6,898
—
Other assets—seed capital (WisdomTree Digital Funds):
U.S. treasuries
5,251
—
5,251
—
Equities
8,478
8,478
—
—
Fixed income
1,905
1,019
886
—
Other investments
687
—
—
687
Total
$ 134,462
$ 120,740
$ 13,035
$ 687
Non-recurring fair value measurements:
Fnality International Limited—Series B-1 Preference Shares (1)
$ 8,288
$ —
$ —
$ 8,288
_____________________________
(1) Fair value determined on June 17, 2024. Not included above are prospective changes in value due to fluctuations in the British
pound to U.S. dollar exchange rate.
F- 17
Table of Contents
December 31, 2023
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Assets:
Recurring fair value measurements:
Cash equivalents
$ 50,226
$ 50,226
$ —
$ —
Financial instruments owned, at fair value:
ETFs
35,181
35,181
—
—
Pass-through GSEs
10,240
—
10,240
—
Other assets—seed capital (WisdomTree Digital Funds):
U.S. treasuries
5,007
—
5,007
—
Equities
6,337
6,337
—
—
Fixed income
1,957
1,008
949
—
Total
$ 108,948
$ 92,752
$ 16,196
$ —
Non-recurring fair value measurements:
Fnality International Limited—Series B-1 Preference Shares (1)
9,684
—
—
9,684
Other investments (2)
—
—
—
—
Total
$ 9,684
$ —
$ —
$ 9,684
_____________________________
(1)
Fair value determined on October 31, 2023
(2)
Fair value determined on September 30, 2023
Recurring Fair Value Measurements - Methodology
Cash Equivalents (Note 3) – These
financial assets represent cash invested in highly liquid investments with original maturities of less than 90 days. These investments
are valued at par, which approximates fair value, and are classified as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.
Financial instruments owned (Note 5) –
Financial instruments owned are investments in ETFs, pass-through GSEs, U.S. treasuries, equities and fixed income. ETFs and equities
are generally traded in active, quoted and highly liquid markets and are therefore classified as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.
Pricing of U.S. treasuries, pass-through GSEs and fixed income includes consideration given to date of issuance, collateral characteristics
and market assumptions related to yields, credit risk and timing of prepayments and may be classified as either Level 1 or Level 2.
F- 18
Table of Contents
Fair Value Measurements classified as Level
3 – The following table presents a reconciliation of beginning and ending balances of recurring fair value measurements classified
as Level 3:
These instruments consist of the following:
Years Ended
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Other Investments:
Beginning balance
$ —
$ —
Purchases
674
—
Net unrealized gains (1)
13
—
Ending balance
$ 687
$ —
Investments in Convertible Notes:
Beginning balance
$ —
$ 21,421
Purchases
—
11,228
Settlements
—
( 28,818 )
Conversions (2)
—
( 9,684 )
Net realized gains (3)
—
5,853
Ending balance
$ —
$ —
Deferred Consideration (Note 9):
Beginning balance
$ —
$ 200,290
Net realized losses (4)
—
6,069
Net unrealized gains (5)
—
( 61,953 )
Settlements
—
( 144,406 )
Ending balance
$ —
$ —
_____________________________
(1) Recorded in impairments and other gains/(losses), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(2) The Fnality convertible notes converted into Series B-1 Preference Shares on October 31, 2023 (Note 7).
(3) Recorded in impairments and other gains/(losses), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(4) Recorded as contractual gold payments expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(5) Recorded as gain on revaluation/termination of deferred consideration — gold payments in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
5. Financial instruments owned
These instruments consist of the following:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Financial instruments owned:
Trading securities
$ 69,805
$ 45,421
Other assets—seed capital (WisdomTree Digital Funds)
15,634
13,301
Total
$ 85,439
$ 58,722
The Company recognized net trading gains/(losses)
on financial instruments owned that were still held at the reporting dates of $ 1,773 and ($ 536 ) during the years ended December 31, 2024
and 2023, respectively, which were recorded in other gains/(losses), net, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
6. Securities Held-to-Maturity
The following table is a summary of the Company’s
securities held-to-maturity:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Debt instruments: Pass-through GSEs (amortized cost)
$ 206
$ 230
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Table of Contents
During the years ended December 31, 2024 and
2023, the Company received proceeds of $ 24 and $ 29 , respectively, from held-to-maturity securities maturing or being called prior to maturity.
The following table summarizes unrealized losses and fair
value (classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy) of securities held-to-maturity:
December 31,
2024
2023
Cost/amortized cost
$ 206
$ 230
Gross unrealized losses
( 19 )
( 15 )
Fair value
$ 187
$ 215
An allowance for credit losses was not provided
on the Company’s held-to-maturity securities as all securities are investments in pass-through GSEs which are determined to have
an estimated loss rate of zero due to an implicit U.S. government guarantee.
The following table sets forth the maturity
profile of the securities held-to-maturity; however, these securities may be called prior to maturity date:
December 31,
2024
2023
Due within one year
$ —
$ —
Due one year through five years
—
—
Due five years through ten years
18
22
Due over ten years
188
208
Total
$ 206
$ 230
7. Investments
The following table sets forth the Company’s
investments:
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
Carrying
Value
Cost
Carrying
Value
Cost
Fnality International Limited—Series B-1 Preference Shares
8,235
8,091
9,684
8,091
Other investments
687
674
—
250
Total
$ 8,922
$ 8,765
$ 9,684
$ 8,341
Fnality International Limited
The Company owns approximately 5.4 % (or 4.7 %
on a fully-diluted basis) of capital stock of Fnality International Limited (“Fnality”), a company incorporated in England
and Wales and focused on creating a peer-to-peer digital wholesale settlement ecosystem comprised of a consortium of financial institutions,
offering real time cross-border payments from a single pool of liquidity. The Company’s ownership interest is represented by 2,340,378
Series B-1 Preference Shares, resulting from the conversion of its investment of £ 6,000 ($ 8,091 ) in convertible notes upon
Fnality’s qualified equity financing which occurred in October 2023. The Series B-1 Preference Shares carry a 1.0x liquidation preference,
are convertible into ordinary shares at the option of the Company and contain various rights and protections.
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Table of Contents
This investment is accounted for under the measurement
alternative prescribed in ASC 321, as it does not have a readily determinable fair value and is otherwise not subject to the equity method
of accounting. The investment is assessed for impairment and similar observable transactions on a quarterly basis. This investment was
re-measured to fair value upon the conversion of Fnality’s Series B-2 Preference Shares held by other investors into Series B-1
Preference Shares, which occurred in June 2024. Fair value was determined using the backsolve method, a valuation approach that determines
the value of shares for companies with complex capital structures based upon the price paid for shares recently issued. Fair value was
allocated across the capital structure using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The table below presents the inputs used in the backsolve
valuation approach (classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy):
Inputs
June 17,
2024
December 31,
2023
Expected volatility 60 % 60 %
Time to exit (in years) 4.35 5.00
Probability that Series B-2 Preference Shares convert into Series B-1 Preference Shares N/A
75 %
Net unrealized (losses)/gains recognized on
this investment were ($ 1,449 ) and $ 1,534 during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, inclusive of changes in the
British pound to U.S. dollar exchange rate. These results are recorded in other gains/(losses), net on the Consolidated Statements of
Operations.
There was no impairment recognized on this investment
during the year ended December 31, 2024 based upon a qualitative assessment.
Securrency, Inc.
Exit from Investment
On December 7, 2023, the Company received proceeds of $ 28,818
relating to the exit from its investment in Securrency, Inc. (“Securrency”), a developer of institutional-grade blockchain-based
financial and regulatory technology, in connection with the sale of Securrency to an unaffiliated third party. This resulted in a net
impairment charge of $ 7,630 and additional losses of $ 1,777 , recorded in other gains/(losses), net, recognized during the year ended December
31, 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company received additional proceeds of $ 465 .
Other Investments
On October 2, 2024, the Company purchased an
investment of $ 674 . During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized a gain of $ 13 , recorded in other gains/(losses), net
on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized an impairment of $ 312 on
its other investments.
Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company received proceeds
of $ 100 from its former investment in AdvisorEngine Inc.
8. Fixed Assets, net
The following table summarizes fixed assets:
December 31,
2024
2023
Equipment
$ 1,069
$ 1,097
Less: accumulated depreciation
( 733 )
( 670 )
Total
$ 336
$ 427
9. Deferred Consideration—gold payments
Deferred consideration—gold payments represented
an obligation the Company assumed in connection with its acquisition of the European exchange-traded commodity, currency and leveraged-and-inverse
business of ETFS Capital Limited (“ETFS Capital”) which occurred on April 11, 2018 (“ETFS Acquisition”). The obligation
was for fixed payments to ETFS Capital of physical gold bullion equating to 9,500 ounces of gold per year through March 31, 2058 and then
subsequently reduced to 6,333 ounces of gold per year continuing into perpetuity (“contractual gold payments”). ETFS Capital
continued to pass through the payments to other parties to meet its payment obligations under prior royalty agreements, including to Gold
Bullion Holdings (Jersey) Limited (“GBH”), a subsidiary of the World Gold Council (“WGC”), Graham Tuckwell (“GT”),
and Rodber Investments Limited (“RIL”), an entity controlled by GT, who is also the Chairman of ETFS Capital.
On May 10, 2023, the Company terminated its
contractual gold payments obligation for aggregate consideration totaling $ 136,903 pursuant to a Sale, Purchase and Assignment Deed (the
“SPA Agreement”) with WisdomTree International Holdings Ltd, Electra Target HoldCo Limited, ETFS Capital, WGC, GBH, GT and
RIL. Under the terms of the transaction, GBH received approximately $ 4,371 in cash and 13,087 shares of Series C Non-Voting Convertible
Preferred Stock of the Company, $ 0.01 par value per share (the “Series C Preferred Stock”), convertible into 13,087,000 shares
of the Company’s common stock (see Note 12 for additional information), and RIL received approximately $ 45,634 in cash.
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Table of Contents
On November 20, 2023, the Company repurchased
the 13,087 shares of Series C Preferred Stock issued to GBH for aggregate consideration of $ 84,411 , $ 40,000 of which was paid on the closing
date, with the remaining $ 44,411 payable in equal, interest-free installments on the first, second and third anniversaries of the closing
date. See Note 12 for additional information.
During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023
and 2022, the Company recognized the following in respect of deferred consideration:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Contractual gold payments
$ —
$ 6,069
$ 17,108
Contractual gold payments — gold ounces paid
—
3,167
9,500
Gain on revaluation/termination of deferred consideration — gold payments (1)
$ —
$ 61,953
$ 27,765
_____________________________
(1) Gains on revaluation/termination of deferred consideration—gold payments resulted from a decrease in spot gold prices, a decrease in the forward-looking price of gold, a decrease in the perpetual growth rate and an increase in the discount rate used to compute the present value of the annual payment obligations.
10. Convertible Notes
The Company has the following convertible notes
outstanding as of December 31, 2024:
● $ 150,000 in aggregate principal amount of 3.25 % Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”);
● $ 25,845 in aggregate principal amount of 5.75 % Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “2028 Notes”); and
● $ 345,000 in aggregate principal amount of 3.25 % Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”).
Each class of notes were issued pursuant to
indentures dated as of the issuance dates between the Company and U.S Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (either initially
or as successor to U.S. Bank National Association, the “Trustee”), in private offerings to qualified institutional buyers
pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
In connection with the issuance of the 2029
Notes, the Company repurchased $ 104,155 in aggregate principal amount of the 2028 Notes. As a result of this repurchase, the Company recognized
a loss on extinguishment of $ 30,632 during the year ended December 31, 2024.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had an
aggregate principal amount of $ 520,845 outstanding of the 2026 Notes, the 2028 Notes and the 2029 Notes (collectively, the “Convertible
Notes”).
Key terms of the Convertible Notes are as follows:
2026 Notes 2028 Notes 2029 Notes
Principal outstanding $ 150,000 $ 25,845 $ 345,000
Issuance date June 14, 2021 February 14, 2023 August 13, 2024
Maturity date (unless earlier converted, repurchased or redeemed) June 15, 2026 August 15, 2028 August 15, 2029
Interest rate 3.25 % 5.75 % 3.25 %
Initial conversion price $ 11.04 $ 9.54 $ 11.82
Initial conversion rate 90.5797 104.8658 84.5934
Redemption price $ 14.35 $ 12.40 $ 15.37
● Interest rate: Payable semiannually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year for the 2029 Notes and the 2028 Notes
and on June 15 and December 15 of each year for the 2026 Notes.
● Conversion price: Convertible at an initial conversion rate into shares of the Company’s common stock, per $ 1,000 principal
amount of notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price set forth in the table above), subject to adjustment.
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Table of Contents
● Conversion: Holders may convert at their option at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately
preceding May 15, 2029 and May 15, 2028 for the 2029 Notes and the 2028 Notes, respectively, and March 15, 2026 for the 2026 Notes, only
under the following circumstances: (i) if the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock for at least 20 trading days
during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater
than or equal to 130 % of the conversion price for the respective Convertible Notes on each applicable trading day; (ii) during the five
business day period after any ten consecutive trading day period (the “measurement period”) in which the trading price per
$ 1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98 % of the product of the
last reported sales price of the Company’s common stock and the conversion rate on each such trading day; (iii) upon a notice of
redemption delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of the indentures but only with respect to the Convertible Notes called
(or deemed called) for redemption; or (iv) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events. On or after May 15, 2029 and May 15, 2028
in respect of the 2029 Notes and the 2028 Notes, respectively, and March 15, 2026 in respect of the 2026 Notes, until the close of business
on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, holders may convert their Convertible Notes at any time,
regardless of the foregoing circumstances.
● Cash settlement of principal amount: Upon conversion, the Company will pay cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the
Convertible Notes to be converted. At its election, the Company will also settle the conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate
principal amount of the Convertible Notes being converted in either cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares
of its common stock.
● Redemption price: The Company may redeem for cash all or any portion of the Convertible Notes, at its option, on or after August
20, 2026 and August 20, 2025 in respect of the 2029 Notes and the 2028 Notes, respectively, and June 20, 2023 in respect of the 2026 Notes
and on or prior to the 55 th scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, if the last reported sale price
of the Company’s common stock has been at least 130 % of the conversion price for the respective Convertible Notes then in effect
for at least 20 trading days, including the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company provides notice of redemption,
during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company
provides notice of redemption, at a redemption price equal to 100 % of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and
unpaid interest to, but excluding the redemption date. No sinking fund is provided for the Convertible Notes.
● Limited investor put rights: Holders of the Convertible Notes have the right to require the Company to repurchase for cash
all or a portion of their notes at 100 % of their principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, upon the occurrence of certain
change of control transactions or liquidation, dissolution or common stock delisting events.
● Conversion rate increase in certain customary circumstances: In certain circumstances, conversions in connection with a “make-whole
fundamental change” (as defined in the indentures) or conversions of Convertible Notes called (or deemed called) for redemption
may result in an increase to the conversion rate, provided that the conversion rate will not exceed 103.6269 shares, 167.7853 shares and
144.9275 shares of the Company’s common stock per $ 1,000 principal amount of the 2029 Notes, the 2028 Notes and the 2026 Notes,
respectively (the equivalent of 61,826,817 shares of the Company’s common stock based on the aggregate principal amount of Convertible
Notes outstanding), subject to adjustment.
● Seniority and Security: The Convertible Notes rank equal in right of payment and are the Company’s senior unsecured obligations.
The indentures contain customary terms and covenants,
including that upon certain events of default occurring and continuing, either the Trustee or the respective holders of not less than
25 % in aggregate principal amount of the respective series of Convertible Notes outstanding may declare the entire principal amount of
all such respective Convertible Notes to be repurchased, plus any accrued special interest, if any, to be immediately due and payable.
The following table provides a summary of the
Convertible Notes at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:
December, 2024
December 31, 2023
2026 Notes
2028 Notes
2029 Notes
Total
2026 Notes
2028 Notes
Total
Principal amount
$ 150,000
$ 25,845
$ 345,000
$ 520,845
$ 150,000
$ 130,000
$ 280,000
Less: Unamortized issuance costs
( 1,263 )
( 466 )
( 7,083 )
( 8,812 )
( 2,125 )
( 2,987 )
( 5,112 )
Carrying amount
$ 148,737
$ 25,379
$ 337,917
$ 512,033
$ 147,875
$ 127,013
$ 274,888
Effective interest rate (1)
3.83 %
6.25 %
3.70 %
3.86 %
6.25 %
3.83 %
4.96 %
_____________________________
(1) Includes amortization of the issuance costs and premium.
Interest expense on the Convertible Notes during
the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $ 16,275 , $ 14,945 and $ 14,935 respectively. Interest payable of $ 5,107 and $ 3,041
at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, is included in accounts payable and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The fair value of the Convertible Notes (classified
as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy) was $ 571,031 and $ 281,897 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The if-converted value
of the 2028 Notes was $ 28,446 at December 31, 2024. The if-converted value of the 2026 Notes and the 2029 Notes did not exceed the principal
amount at December 31, 2024. The if-converted value of the Convertible Notes did not exceed the principal amount at December 31, 2023.
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Table of Contents
11. Series A Preferred Stock
On August 13, 2024, the Company repurchased
all of its then-outstanding Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), which was convertible
into 14,750,000 shares of the Company’s common stock from ETFS Capital for aggregate cash consideration of $ 143,812 (or $ 9.75 per
share). These shares were previously issued in April 2018, in connection with the completion of the ETFS Acquisition and were carried
at $ 132,750 , which was based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on April 10, 2018 of $ 9.00 per share, the trading
day prior to the closing of the transaction.
Under U.S. GAAP, the premium paid on repurchase
represents a return similar to a dividend to the preferred stockholder and is required to be recorded to retained earnings along with
the related transaction costs. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded a $ 11,375 reduction to retained earnings
in connection with this repurchase.
The following is a summary of the Series A Preferred
Stock balance:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Issuance of Series A Preferred Stock
$ —
$ 132,750
Less: Issuance costs
—
( 181 )
Series A Preferred Stock—carrying value
$ —
$ 132,569
Cash dividends declared per share (quarterly)
$ —
$ 0.03
The Company previously classified the Series
A Preferred Stock as temporary equity which is required for redeemable instruments for which redemption triggers are outside of the issuer’s
control. ETFS Capital had the right to redeem all the Series A Preferred Stock specified to be converted during the period of time specified
in the Series A Certificate of Designations in the event that: (a) the number of shares of the Company’s common stock authorized
by its certificate of incorporation was insufficient to permit the Company to convert all of the Series A Preferred Stock requested by
ETFS Capital to be converted; or (b) ETFS Capital did not, upon completion of a change of control of the Company, receive the same
amount per share of Series A Preferred Stock as it would have received had each outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock been converted
into common stock immediately prior to the change of control. However, the Company would not have been obligated to make any such redemption
payments to the extent such payments would have been a breach of any covenant or obligation the Company owed to any of its secured creditors
or is otherwise prohibited by applicable law.
Any such redemption would have been at a price
per share of Series A Preferred Stock equal to the dollar volume-weighted average price for a share of common stock for the 30-trading
day period ending on the date of such attempted conversion or change of control, as applicable, multiplied by 1,000. Such redemption payment
would have been made in one payment no later than 10 business days following the last day of the Company’s first fiscal quarter
that began on a date following the date ETFS Capital exercised such redemption right. The redemption value of the Series A Preferred Stock
was $ 96,869 at December 31, 2023.
12. Payable to Gold Bullion Holdings (Jersey) Limited (“GBH”)
On November 20, 2023, the Company repurchased all of its then-outstanding
Series C Preferred Stock, which was convertible into 13,087,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, from GBH, a subsidiary of
WGC, for aggregate cash consideration of approximately $ 84,411 . Under the terms of the transaction, the Company paid GBH $ 40,000 on the
closing date, with the remainder of the purchase price payable in equal, interest-free installments on the first, second and third anniversaries
of the closing date. The implied price per share was $ 6.02 when considering the interest-free financing element of the transaction. The
investor rights agreement that the Company and GBH entered into in May 2023 in connection with the issuance of the Series C Preferred
Stock, which provided GBH with certain rights and obligations with respect to the shares, including registration rights, was terminated
in this transaction.
Under U.S. GAAP, the obligation was recorded
at its present value utilizing a market rate of interest on the closing date of 7.0 % and the corresponding discount is being amortized
as interest expense pursuant to the effective interest method of accounting over the life of the obligation. The aggregate consideration
payable was valued at $ 38,835 on the closing date and the carrying value of this obligation is as follows:
December 31,
2024
Current:
$ 14,804
Long-term
12,159
Total
$ 26,963
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Table of Contents
Interest expense recognized during the years
ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $ 2,636 and $ 297 , respectively, and is included as a component of total interest expense recognized
on the Statements of Operations.
13. Leases
The Company has entered into operating leases
for its office facilities (including its corporate headquarters) and equipment. The Company has no finance leases. The following table
provides additional information regarding the Company’s leases:
Years Ended December 31,
2024 2023
Lease cost:
Operating lease cost $ 1,304 $ 1,285
Short-term lease cost 258 191
Total lease cost $ 1,562 $ 1,476
Other information:
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating liabilities (operating leases) $ 1,320 $ 1,284
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities n/a
n/a
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years)—operating leases 0.9 0.4
Weighted-average discount rate—operating leases 8.5 % 5.9 %
None of the Company’s leases include variable
payments, residual value guarantees or any restrictions or covenants relating to the Company’s ability to pay dividends or incur
additional financing obligations.
The following table discloses future minimum
lease payments at December 31, 2024 with respect to the Company’s operating lease liabilities:
2025
$ 769
2026
186
2027 and thereafter
—
Total future minimum lease payments (undiscounted)
$ 955
The following table reconciles the future minimum
lease payments (disclosed above) at December 31, 2024 to the operating lease liabilities recognized in the Company’s Consolidated
Balance Sheets:
Amounts recognized in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets
Lease liability — short term
$ 709
Lease liability — long term
171
Subtotal
880
Difference between undiscounted and discounted cash flows
75
Total future minimum lease payments (undiscounted)
$ 955
14. Contingencies
The Company may be subject to reviews, inspections
and investigations by regulatory authorities as well as legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business.
SEC ESG Settlement
On August 5, 2024, WTAM received a Wells Notice
from the Staff of the SEC advising WTAM that the Staff had made a preliminary determination to recommend that the SEC file an enforcement
action against WTAM alleging violations of certain provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws relating to three exchange-traded series
of WisdomTree Trust managed by WTAM that pursued ESG-focused strategies (collectively, the “Funds”). The Funds, which were
launched in March 2020 and were liquidated in February 2024, collectively had monthly average cumulative assets under management of approximately
$ 119 million throughout their lifetime as ESG-named funds.
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Table of Contents
In October 2024, without admitting or denying
the SEC’s allegations, WTAM agreed to resolve the matter by consenting to the entry of an order by the SEC, in which WTAM agreed
to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of Sections 206(2) and 206(4) of the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, Rules 206(4)-7 and 206(4)-8 thereunder, and Section 34(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, and to pay a civil money penalty of $ 4,000 (the “SEC ESG Settlement”). This amount has been reported in other gains/(losses),
net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations during the year ended December 31, 2024.
Excluding the penalty, the Company expects that
all legal and other related expenses incurred by WTAM in connection with the matter will be covered by insurance, less a $ 1,000 deductible.
These expected covered expenses totaled $ 4,306 during the year ended December 31, 2024 and have been reported in other revenue on the
Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Closure of the WisdomTree WTI Crude Oil 3x Daily Leveraged
ETP
Between December 2020 and December 2024, WMAI, WTMAML, WTUK
and/or WT Ireland were served with eight separate writs of summons to appear before the Courts of Milan, Udine or Turin, Italy by investors
seeking damages resulting from the closure of the WisdomTree WTI Crude Oil 3x Daily Leveraged ETP (“3OIL”) in March 2020.
The product was dependent on the receipt of payments from a swap provider to satisfy payment obligations to the investors. Due to an extreme
adverse move in oil futures relative to the oil futures’ closing price, the swap contract underlying 3OIL was terminated by the
swap provider, which resulted in the compulsory redemption of 3OIL, all in accordance with the prospectus.
Since February 2022, six of the eight actions have been resolved
in the Company’s favor, of which three are subject to appeal. Total damages sought by all investors related to the two remaining
open claims and the three claims subject to appeal were approximately € 19,030 ($ 19,820 ) at December 31, 2024. This amount includes
two claims resolved in the Company’s favor – one of which has been appealed (total damages of € 7,830 ($ 8,160 )) and the
other remains subject to appeal (total damages of € 8,592 ($ 8,951 )).
Additionally, in July 2023, WT Ireland received
a letter from counsel on behalf of additional investors seeking damages of up to approximately € 8,350 ($ 8,700 ) resulting from the
closure of 3OIL. The claim is in its preliminary stages and a writ of summons has not been served.
The Company continues to assess the open and appealed claims with its external counsel.
The Company expects that losses, if any, arising from these claims will be covered under its insurance policies, less a $ 500 deductible.
An accrual has not been made with respect to these matters at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
15. Variable Interest Entities
VIEs are entities with any of the following
characteristics: (i) the entity does not have enough equity to finance its activities without additional financial support; (ii) the equity
holders, as a group, lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest; or (iii) the entity is structured with non-substantive
voting rights.
Consolidation of a VIE is required for the party
deemed to be the primary beneficiary, if any. The primary beneficiary is the party who has both (a) the power to direct the activities
of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (b) an obligation to absorb losses of the entity or
a right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the entity. The Company is not the primary beneficiary
of any entities in which it has a variable interest as it does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact
the entities’ economic performance. Such power is conveyed through the entities’ boards of directors and the Company does
not have control over the boards.
The following table presents information about
the Company’s variable interests in non-consolidated VIEs:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Carrying Amount — Assets:
Fnality International Limited—Series B-1 Preference Shares (Note 7)
8,235
9,684
Other investments
687
—
Total
$ 8,922
$ 9,684
Maximum exposure to loss
$ 8,922
$ 9,684
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16. Revenues from Contracts with Customers
The following table presents the Company’s
total revenues from contracts with customers:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Revenues from contracts with customers:
Advisory fees
$ 395,362
$ 333,227
$ 293,632
Other
32,375
15,808
7,713
Total operating revenues
$ 427,737
$ 349,035
$ 301,345
The Company recognizes revenues from contracts
with customers when the performance obligation is satisfied, which is when the promised services are transferred to the customer. A service
is considered to be transferred when the customer obtains control, which is represented by the transfer of rights with regard to the service.
Transfer of control happens either over time or at a point in time. When a performance obligation is satisfied over time, an entity is
required to select a single method of measuring progress for each performance obligation that depicts the entity’s performance in
transferring control of services to the customer.
A significant portion of the Company’s revenues from
contracts with customers is derived primarily from investment advisory agreements with related parties (Note 17). These advisory fees
are recognized over time, are earned from the Company’s ETPs and are calculated based on a percentage of the ETPs’ average
daily net assets. There is no significant judgment in calculating amounts due which are invoiced monthly in arrears and are not subject
to any potential reversal. Progress is measured using the practical expedient under the output method resulting in the recognition of
revenue in the amount for which the Company has a right to invoice.
There are no contract assets or liabilities
that arise in connection with the recognition of advisory fee revenue. In addition, there are no costs incurred to obtain or fulfill the
contracts with customers, all of which are investment advisory agreements with related parties.
Other revenues include revenues the Company
earns from swap providers associated with certain of the Company’s European listed ETPs, the nature of which are based on a percentage
of the ETPs’ average daily net assets. The Company also earns transaction-based income on flows associated with certain European
listed ETPs. There is no significant judgment in calculating amounts due, which are invoiced monthly or quarterly in arrears and are not
subject to any potential reversal. Progress is measured using the practical expedient under the output method resulting in the recognition
of revenue in the amount for which the Company has a right to invoice.
Geographic Distribution of Revenues
The following table presents the Company’s
total revenues geographically as determined by where the respective management companies reside:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Revenues from contracts with customers:
United States
$ 284,527
$ 220,117
$ 184,036
Jersey
120,932
113,325
103,692
Ireland
22,278
15,593
13,617
Total operating revenues
$ 427,737
$ 349,035
$ 301,345
17. Related Party Transactions
Investment Advisory Agreements
The Company’s revenues are derived primarily
from investment advisory agreements with related parties. Under these agreements, the Company has licensed to related parties the use
of certain of its own indexes for the U.S. WisdomTree ETFs, WisdomTree Digital Funds and WisdomTree UCITS ETFs. The relevant boards of
trustees or boards of directors (including certain officers of the Company) of each of the related parties is primarily responsible for
overseeing the management and affairs of the entities for the benefit of their respective stakeholders and have contracted with the Company
to provide for general management and administration services. The Company is also responsible for certain expenses of the related parties,
including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration and accounting, legal, audit, and other non-distribution services,
excluding extraordinary expenses, taxes and certain other expenses, which are included in fund management and administration in the Consolidated
Statements of Operations. In exchange, the Company receives fees based on a percentage of the ETPs’ and the Digital Funds’
average daily net assets. A majority of the independent members of the respective board of trustees or board of directors are required
to initially and annually (after the first two years) approve the advisory agreements of the U.S. WisdomTree ETFs and the WisdomTree Digital
Funds and these agreements may be terminated by such board of trustees or board of directors upon notice.
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Table of Contents
The following table summarizes accounts receivable
from related parties which are included as a component of accounts receivable in the Consolidated Balance Sheets:
December 31,
2024
2023
Receivable from WTT
$ 24,672
$ 21,226
Receivable from ManJer Issuers
5,155
4,411
Receivable from WMAI and WTICAV
5,132
2,874
Total
$ 34,959
$ 28,511
The allowance for credit losses on accounts
receivable from related parties is insignificant when applying historical loss rates, adjusted for current conditions and supportable
forecasts, to the amounts outstanding in the table above. Amounts outstanding are all invoiced in arrears, are less than 30 days aged
and are collected shortly after the applicable reporting period.
The following table summarizes revenues from
advisory services provided to related parties:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Advisory services provided to WTT
$ 278,230
$ 218,834
$ 183,409
Advisory services provided to ManJer Issuers
94,854
98,800
96,606
Advisory services provided to WMAI and WTICAV
22,278
15,593
13,617
Total
$ 395,362
$ 333,227
$ 293,632
Pursuant to a license agreement between WisdomTree,
Inc. (“WTI”) and WML to provide indices for a number of the sub-funds of WTICAV, WTI earned revenue amounting to € 1,867
($ 2,010 ), € 1,044 ($ 1,128 ) and € 642 ($ 671 ) for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, which has been
eliminated in consolidation. No other revenue was earned by WTI from providing indices for use in the European Union during 2024, 2023
or 2022.
Investments in WisdomTree Products
The Company also has investments in certain WisdomTree products
of $ 89,822 and $ 52,566 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. This includes $ 20,866 and $ 18,308 , respectively, of seed investments
in certain consolidated affiliated Digital Funds advised by WT Digital Management, referred to herein as “other assets–seed
capital.” The Company also has invested an additional $ 6,050 in the WisdomTree Government Money Market Digital Fund at December
31, 2024.
Net unrealized and realized gains and losses
related to trading WisdomTree products during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 were $ 1,232 , $ 1,294 and ($ 107 ), respectively,
which are recorded in other gains/(losses), net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Deferred Consideration—Gold Payments – Termination
On May 10, 2023, the Company terminated its
contractual gold payments obligation to ETFS Capital, which included the payment of $ 45,634 to an entity controlled by GT, a stockholder
of the Company. See Note 9 for additional information.
18. Stock-Based Awards
On July 15, 2022, the Company’s stockholders
approved the 2022 Equity Plan under which the Company may issue up to 16,000,000 shares of common stock (less one share for every share
granted under the 2016 Equity Plan since March 31, 2022 and inclusive of shares available under the 2016 Equity Plan as of March 31, 2022)
in the form of stock options and other stock-based awards.
The Company grants equity awards to employees
and directors, which include restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”), including deferred
RSUs to non-employee directors, performance-based restricted stock units (“PRSUs”) and stock options. Certain awards described
below are subject to acceleration under certain conditions.
Stock options: Generally issued
for terms of ten years and may vest after at least one year of service and have an exercise price equal to the Company’s stock price
on the grant date. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options (when granted) using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
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Table of Contents
RSAs/RSUs: Awards are valued based on the Company’s stock price on grant date and generally vest ratably, on an annual basis, over three
years. For non-employee directors, such awards generally vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date.
Deferred RSUs: Awards are valued based
on the Company’s stock price on grant date and generally vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date. The awards are issued
pursuant to the Company’s Non-Employee Director Deferred Compensation Program and are settled based on timing elected by the recipient
in advance.
PRSUs: These awards cliff vest three years from the grant date and contain a market condition whereby the number of PRSUs ultimately vesting
is tied to how the Company’s total shareholder return (“TSR”) compares to a peer group of other publicly traded asset
managers over the three-year period. A Monte Carlo simulation is used to value these awards.
The number of PRSUs vesting ranges from 0% to 200% of the
target number of PRSUs granted, as follows:
● If the relative TSR is below the 25 th percentile, then 0% of the target number of PRSUs granted will vest;
● If the relative TSR is at the 25th percentile, then 50% of the target number of PRSUs granted will vest;
● If the relative TSR is above the 25th percentile, then linear scaling is applied such that the percent of the target number of PRSUs
vesting is 100% at the 50th percentile and capped at 200% of the target number of PRSUs granted for performance at the 85th percentile;
and
● If the Company’s TSR is negative, the target number of PRSUs vesting is capped at 100% regardless of the relative TSR percentile.
During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023
and 2022, total stock-based compensation expense was $ 20,691 , $ 16,190 and $ 10,385 , respectively, and the related tax benefit recognized
on the Consolidated Statements of Operations was $ 5,032 , $ 3,919 and $ 2,371 , respectively.
The actual tax benefit realized for the tax
deductions for share-based compensation was $ 2,884 , $ 1,820 and $ 1,548 during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
A summary of unrecognized stock-based compensation
expense and average remaining vesting period is as follows:
December 31, 2024
Unrecognized Stock-
Based
Compensation Weighted-Average
Remaining
Vesting Period
(Years)
Employees and directors $ 18,106 0.78
Stock Options
There was no option activity during the years
ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and there were no options outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.
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Table of Contents
RSAs, RSUs and PRSUs
The aggregate fair value of RSAs, RSUs and PRSUs
that vested during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $ 19,891 , $ 10,158 and $ 9,466 , respectively. A summary of activity
is as follows:
RSA
RSU
PRSU (1)
Shares
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Shares
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Shares
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Unvested Balance at January 1, 2022
3,036,905
$ 5.20
54,990
$ 4.93
550,686
$ 5.73
Granted
2,170,432
5.71
116,247
5.18
319,838 (2)
6.80
Vested
( 1,621,201 )
5.31
( 27,894 )
5.10
( 202,336 )
6.24
Forfeited
( 195,054 )
5.43
( 1,380 )
5.73
—
—
Unvested Balance at December 31, 2022
3,391,082
$ 5.46
141,963
$ 5.09
668,188
$ 6.09
Granted
3,363,501
5.63
152,265
6.24
576,240 (2)
6.49
Vested
( 1,629,925 )
5.28
( 72,461 )
5.66
( 108,113 )
3.11
Forfeited
( 114,436 )
5.55
( 34,385 )
5.70
—
—
Stock dividends accrued
—
—
2,762
6.24
37,777
6.49
Unvested Balance at December 31, 2023
5,010,222
$ 5.63
190,144
$ 5.70
1,174,092
$ 6.58
Granted
2,135,016
7.18
117,112
8.08
474,056 (2)
8.62
Vested
( 2,210,103 )
5.64
( 37,422 )
5.58
( 253,744 )
6.49
Forfeited
( 108,091 )
6.10
( 3,089 )
6.16
—
—
Stock dividends accrued
—
—
1,339
8.08
12,156
8.62
Unvested Balance at December 31, 2024
4,827,044
$ 6.31
268,084 (3)
$ 6.75
1,406,560
$ 7.28
_____________________________
(1) Represents the target number of PRSUs granted and outstanding. The number of PRSUs that ultimately vest ranges from 0 % to 200 % of this amount. During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, 200 %, 77 % and 0 %, respectively, of the target number of PRSUs previously granted and vesting in such years ultimately vested, inclusive of shares attributable the reinvestment of dividend equivalents during the period between grant date and vesting date.
(2) A Monte Carlo simulation was used to value these awards using the following assumptions for the Company and the peer group: (i) beginning
90-day average stock prices; (ii) valuation date stock prices; (iii) correlation coefficients based upon the price data used to calculate
the historical volatilities; and (iv) the following additional assumptions:
Granted in
2024
Granted in
2023
Granted in
2022
Historical stock price volatility (low)
28 %
37 %
33 %
Historical stock price volatility (high)
38 %
56 %
57 %
Historical stock price volatility (average)
34 %
47 %
44 %
Risk free interest rate
4.08 %
3.80 %
1.28 %
Expected dividend yield
0.00 %
0.00 %
0.00 %
(3) Includes 103,512 deferred RSUs that have vested.
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Table of Contents
19. Stockholder Rights Plan
On March 17, 2023, the Board of Directors of
the Company adopted a stockholder rights plan, as set forth in the Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated March 17, 2023, between the Company
and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated May 4, 2023 (“Amendment
No. 1”), Amendment No. 2 thereto, dated May 10, 2023 (“Amendment No. 2”), Amendment No. 3 thereto, dated March 18, 2024
(“Amendment No. 3”), Amendment No. 4 thereto, dated March 25, 2024 (“Amendment No. 4”), and Amendment No. 5 thereto,
dated April 30, 2024 (“Amendment No. 5”) (as amended, the “Stockholder Rights Agreement”). At the Company’s
2024 annual meeting of stockholders held on June 12, 2024, the Company’s stockholders ratified the adoption by the Board of Directors
of the extension of the Stockholder Rights Agreement.
On March 18, 2024, the Company entered into
Amendment No. 3, which extended the Stockholder Rights Agreement, such that the Rights will now expire on the close of business on March
17, 2025. Amendment No. 3 also changed the definition of “Exercise Price” in the Stockholder Rights Agreement from $ 32.00
to $ 45.00 per Unit (as defined below) to account for the difference in share price between when the Stockholder Rights Agreement was originally
adopted and when it was extended.
Pursuant to the terms of the Stockholder Rights
Agreement, the Board of Directors declared a dividend distribution of (i) one Right (as defined below) for each outstanding share of common
stock, par value $ 0.01 per share, of the Company’s common stock and (ii) 1,000 Rights for each outstanding share of the Company’s
Series A Preferred Stock, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 28, 2023 (the “Record Date”). In
addition, one Right will automatically attach to each share of common stock and 1,000 Rights will automatically attach to each share of
Series A Preferred Stock, in each case, issued between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date (as defined below) and
the expiration date of the Rights. Each “Right” entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase from the Company a unit
consisting of one ten-thousandth of a share (a “Unit”) of Series B Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value
$ 0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) at a cash exercise price of $ 45.00 per Unit (the “Exercise
Price”), subject to adjustment, under certain conditions specified in the Stockholder Rights Agreement and summarized below.
Initially, the Rights are not exercisable and
are attached to and trade with all shares of common stock and Series A Preferred Stock outstanding as of, and issued subsequent to, the
Record Date. The Rights will separate from the common stock and Series A Preferred Stock and will become exercisable upon the earlier
of (i) the close of business on the tenth calendar day following the first public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 10 % (or 20 % in the case of passive stockholders
or “13G Investors,” as defined in the Stockholder Rights Agreement) or more of the outstanding shares of common stock, other
than as a result of repurchases of stock by the Company or certain inadvertent actions by a stockholder (the date of such announcement
being referred to as the “Stock Acquisition Date”), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day (or such later
day as the Board of Directors may determine) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that could result upon its
consummation in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution
Date”). A person or group who beneficially owned 10% or more (or 20% or more in the case of 13G Investors) of the Company’s
outstanding common stock prior to the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Stockholder Rights Agreement will
not trigger the Stockholder Rights Agreement so long as they do not acquire beneficial ownership of any additional shares of common stock
at a time when they still beneficially own 10% or more (or 20% or more in the case of 13G Investors) of such common stock, subject to
certain exceptions as set forth in the Stockholder Rights Agreement.
For purposes of the Stockholder Rights Agreement,
beneficial ownership is defined to include ownership of securities that are subject to a derivative transaction and acquired derivative
securities. Swaps dealers unassociated with any control intent or intent to evade the purposes of the Stockholder Rights Agreement are
excepted from such imputed beneficial ownership. Pursuant to Amendment No. 1, beneficial ownership did not include the right to vote pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to voting on the proposal to approve and ratify the Stockholder Rights Agreement
presented to the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s 2023 annual meeting of stockholders. Pursuant to Amendment No. 2,
the parties to the SPA Agreement are not deemed to be “Acquiring Persons” solely by virtue of, or as a result of, the parties’
entry into the SPA Agreement, the issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock to GBH, and the performance or consummation of any of the other
transactions contemplated by the SPA Agreement, among other conditions, under the terms and conditions set forth in Amendment No. 2. Pursuant
to Amendment No. 4, beneficial ownership excludes the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect
to voting (i) arising solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation, or exempt
solicitation, made pursuant to a written proxy or consent solicitation statement filed with the SEC and that is not also then reportable
on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act, or (ii) on a proposal to approve and ratify the Stockholder Rights Agreement (as amended from
time to time), including any amendment thereto or extension thereof, presented to the Company’s stockholders at any annual or special
meeting of the Company’s stockholders (including any adjournments or postponements thereof). Pursuant to Amendment No. 5, the Stockholder
Rights Agreement was amended to (a) remove language stating that (i) the Company has the “exclusive” power and authority to
administer the Stockholder Rights Agreement and (ii) all actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations necessary or advisable
for the administration of the Stockholder Rights Agreement done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith are final,
conclusive and binding on all parties, and (b) provide that nothing in the Stockholder Rights Agreement shall be deemed to limit or eliminate
the fiduciary duties of the Board of Directors under applicable law.
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Table of Contents
In the event that a Stock Acquisition Date occurs,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right (other than an Acquiring Person or its associates or affiliates, whose Rights
shall become null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise, in lieu of a number of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock, that number of shares of common stock of the Company (or, in certain circumstances, including if there are insufficient shares
of common stock to permit the exercise in full of the Rights, Units of Series B Preferred Stock, other securities, cash or property, or
any combination of the foregoing) having a market value of two times the Exercise Price of the Right (such right being referred to as
the “Subscription Right”). In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company consolidates
with, or merges with and into, any other person, and the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation, (ii) any person consolidates
with the Company, or merges with and into the Company and the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in
connection with such merger, all or part of the shares of common stock are changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of
any other person or cash or any other property, or (iii) 50 % or more of the Company’s assets or earning power is sold, mortgaged
or otherwise transferred, each holder of a Right (other than an Acquiring Person or its associates or affiliates, whose Rights shall become
null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a market value equal
to two times the Exercise Price of the Right (such right being referred to as the “Merger Right”). The holder of a Right will
continue to have the Merger Right whether or not such holder has exercised the Subscription Right. Rights that are or were beneficially
owned by an Acquiring Person may (under certain circumstances specified in the Stockholder Rights Agreement) become null and void.
The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not
in part, at a price of $ 0.01 per Right (payable in cash, common stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors)
by the Board of Directors only until the earlier of (i) the time at which any person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration
date of the Stockholder Rights Agreement. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and thereafter the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price.
The Stockholder Rights Agreement may be amended
by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion at any time prior to the time at which any person becomes an Acquiring Person. After
such time the Board of Directors may, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Stockholder Rights Agreement, amend the Stockholder
Rights Agreement only to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to shorten or lengthen any time period, or to make changes that
do not adversely affect the interests of Rights holders (excluding the interests of an Acquiring Person or its associates or affiliates).
Until a Right is exercised, the holder will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company (beyond those as an existing stockholder), including the right to vote or to receive dividends.
While the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances,
recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for shares of common stock, other securities of the Company,
other consideration or for common stock of an acquiring company.
The Stockholder Rights Agreement provides the
holders of the common stock with the ability to exempt an offer to acquire, or engage in another business combination transaction involving,
the Company that is deemed a “Qualifying Offer” (as defined in the Stockholder Rights Agreement) from the terms of the Stockholder
Rights Agreement. A Qualifying Offer is, in summary, an offer determined by a majority of the independent members of the Board to have
specific characteristics that are generally intended to preclude offers that are coercive, abusive or highly contingent. Among those characteristics
are that it be: (i) a fully financed all-cash tender offer or an exchange offer offering shares of common stock of the offeror, or a combination
thereof, for any and all of the common stock; and (ii) an offer that is otherwise in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders.
The Stockholder Rights Agreement provides additional characteristics necessary for an acquisition offer to be deemed a “Qualifying
Offer,” including if the consideration offered in a proposed transaction is stock of the acquiror.
Pursuant to the Stockholder Rights Agreement,
if the Company receives a Qualifying Offer and the Board of Directors has not redeemed the outstanding Rights or exempted such Qualifying
Offer from the terms of the Stockholder Rights Agreement or called a special meeting of stockholders (the “Special Meeting”)
for the purpose of voting on whether to exempt such Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Stockholder Rights Agreement, in each case
by the end of the 90 business day period following the commencement of such Qualifying Offer, provided such offer remains a Qualifying
Offer during such period, the holders of 10 % of the common stock may request that the Board call a Special Meeting to vote on a resolution
authorizing the exemption of the Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Stockholder Rights Agreement. If such a Special Meeting is not
held by the 90th business day following the receipt of such a request from stockholders to call a Special Meeting, the Qualifying Offer
will be deemed exempt from the terms of the Stockholder Rights Agreement on the 10th business day thereafter.
20. Employee Benefit Plans
The Company has a 401(k) savings plan covering
all eligible employees in which the Company can make discretionary contributions from its profits. The amounts included in the table below
are recorded in compensation expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
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Table of Contents
A summary of discretionary contributions made
by the Company is as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
$ 1,610
$ 1,450
$ 1,342
21. Earnings Per Share
The following tables set forth reconciliations
of the basic and diluted earnings per share computations for the periods presented:
Years Ended December 31,
Basic Earnings per Share
2024
2023
2022
Net income
$ 66,693
$ 102,546
$ 50,684
Less: Loss on repurchase of Series A Preferred Stock
( 13,243 )
—
—
Less: Income distributed to participating securities
( 1,406 )
( 2,770 )
( 2,186 )
Less: Undistributed income allocable to participating securities
( 2,183 )
( 12,680 )
( 3,528 )
Add: Gain on repurchase of Series C Preferred Stock
—
7,966
—
Net income available to common stockholders—Basic EPS
$ 49,861
$ 95,062
$ 44,970
Weighted average common shares (in thousands)
144,630
144,707
143,020
Basic earnings per share
$ 0.34
$ 0.66
$ 0.31
Years Ended December 31,
Diluted Earnings per Share
2024
2023
2022
Net income available to common stockholders
$ 49,861
$ 95,062
$ 44,970
Add back: Undistributed income allocable to participating securities
2,183
12,680
3,528
Less: Reallocation of undistributed income allocable to participating securities considered potentially dilutive
( 2,120 )
( 12,449 )
( 3,522 )
Net income available to common stockholders—Diluted EPS
$ 49,924
$ 95,293
$ 44,976
Weighted Average Diluted Shares (in thousands) :
Weighted average common shares
144,630
144,707
143,020
Dilutive effect of common stock equivalents, excluding participating securities
4,623
3,120
275
Weighted average diluted shares, excluding participating securities (in thousands)
149,253
147,827
143,295
Diluted earnings per share
$ 0.33
$ 0.64
$ 0.31
Diluted earnings per share presented above is
calculated using the two-class method as this method results in the lowest diluted earnings per share amount for common stock. During
the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized a loss of $ 13,243 (which includes an excise tax of $ 1,868 ) and a gain
of $ 7,966 , respectively, related to the repurchase of the Series A Preferred Stock and the Series C Preferred Stock. These items are excluded
from net income but are required to be added to net income to arrive at income available to common stockholders in the calculation of
earnings per share.
There were no antidilutive non-participating
common stock equivalents during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Total antidilutive non-participating common stock equivalents
were 405 during the year ended December 31, 2022 (shares herein are reported in thousands).
There were no potential common shares associated
with the conversion option embedded in the Convertible Notes included in weighted average diluted shares for the years ended December
31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 as the Company’s average stock price was lower than the conversion price.
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The following table reconciles weighted average
diluted shares as reported on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and
2022, which are determined pursuant to the treasury stock method, to the weighted average diluted shares used to calculate diluted earnings
per share as disclosed in the table above:
Years Ended December 31,
Reconciliation of Weighted Average Diluted Shares (in thousands)
2024
2023
2022
Weighted average diluted shares as disclosed on the Consolidated Statements of Operations
158,844
170,413
158,914
Less: Participating securities:
Weighted average shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock (Note 11)
( 9,068 )
( 14,750 )
( 14,750 )
Weighted average shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock (Note 12)
—
( 6,992 )
—
Potentially dilutive restricted stock awards
( 523 )
( 844 )
( 869 )
Weighted average diluted shares used to calculate diluted earnings/(loss) per share as disclosed in the table above
149,253
147,827
143,295
22. Income Taxes
Income before Income Tax Expense – Domestic and Foreign
The U.S. and foreign components of income before
income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
U.S.
$ 27,638
$ 4,652
$ ( 4,067 )
Foreign
67,764
114,356
44,017
Total
$ 95,402
$ 119,008
$ 39,950
Income Tax Expense/(Benefit) – By Jurisdiction
The components of current and deferred income
tax expense included in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Current:
Federal
$ 13,377
$ 6,957
$ 4,685
State and local
3,547
1,883
1,415
Foreign
12,183
8,103
( 15,538 )
$ 29,107
$ 16,943
$ ( 9,438 )
Deferred:
Federal
$ ( 581 )
$ ( 494 )
$ ( 6 )
State and local
( 120 )
( 102 )
( 1 )
Foreign
303
115
( 1,289 )
( 398 )
( 481 )
( 1,296 )
Income tax expense/(benefit)
$ 28,709
$ 16,462
$ ( 10,734 )
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Reconciliation of Statutory Federal Income Tax Rate to the
Effective Income Tax Rate
Below is a tabular rate reconciliation pursuant
to the disclosure requirements of ASU 2023-09 for the year ended December 31, 2024:
Year Ended
December 31, 2024
Amount
Percent
U.S. federal statutory income tax
$ 20,034
21.0 %
State and local income taxes, net of federal benefit (1)
909
1.0 %
Foreign tax effects:
Jersey, Channel Islands:
Statutory tax rate difference
( 3,456 )
( 3.6 % )
United Kingdom:
Statutory tax rate difference
1,822
1.9 %
Other
( 96 )
( 0.1 % )
Ireland:
Statutory tax rate difference
( 351 )
( 0.4 % )
Other
75
0.1 %
Other Foreign Jurisdictions
226
0.2 %
Changes in valuation allowances
290
0.3 %
Non-taxable or non-deductible items
Loss on debt extinguishment
6,219
6.5 %
Civil money penalty relating to SEC ESG Settlement
972
1.0 %
Executive compensation
901
1.0 %
Stock-based compensation tax shortfalls
409
0.4 %
Other adjustments
755
0.8 %
Income tax expense
$ 28,709
30.1 %
_____________________________
(1) State and local taxes in New York and California comprise the majority of this category.
Below is a reconciliation of the statutory federal
income tax expense and the Company’s total income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
Years Ended December 31,
2023
2022
U.S. federal statutory income tax
$ 24,992
$ 8,386
Gain on revaluation/termination of deferred consideration (1)
( 13,007 )
( 5,842 )
Non-deductible loss on extinguishment of convertible notes
2,263
—
Foreign operations
( 1,868 )
( 2,919 )
Non-deductible executive compensation
1,833
789
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits, net
( 1,386 )
( 19,871 )
Change in valuation allowance – Capital losses
1,340
4,761
Expiration of capital losses
796
—
Stock-based compensation tax shortfalls
373
507
Change in tax-related indemnification assets, net
291
4,173
Change in foreign net operating losses (“NOLs”)
174
—
State income tax rate, net of federal benefit
153
( 134 )
Change in valuation allowance—Foreign NOLs and interest carryforwards
—
( 1,609 )
GILTI
—
499
Other differences, net
508
526
Income tax expense/(benefit)
$ 16,462
$ ( 10,734 )
_____________________________
(1) The gain on revaluation of deferred consideration is not adjusted for income taxes as the obligation was assumed by a wholly-owned subsidiary that is based in Jersey, a jurisdiction where the Company is subject to a zero percent tax rate.
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Table of Contents
Income Tax Payments
Disclosed below is a summary of income taxes
paid by jurisdiction pursuant to the disclosure requirements of ASU 2023-09 for the year ended December 31, 2024:
Year Ended
December 31, 2024
United States - Federal
$ 16,139
United States - State and local
4,005
United Kingdom
11,485
Other
589
$ 32,218
Disclosed below is a summary of income taxes
paid by jurisdiction for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
Years Ended December 31,
2023
2022
Federal
$ 4,824
$ 6,424
State and local
1,457
1,431
Foreign
9,875
4,645
$ 16,156
$ 12,500
Deferred Tax Assets
A summary of the components of the Company’s
deferred tax assets at December 31, 2024 and 2023 is as follows:
2024
2023
Deferred tax assets:
Capital losses
$ 21,984
$ 22,489
Accrued expenses
6,465
6,000
Stock-based compensation
2,843
2,468
NOLs—Foreign
1,024
1,502
Goodwill and intangible assets
705
895
Foreign currency translation adjustment
427
146
Software capitalization
199
—
Operating lease liabilities
95
96
NOLs—U.S.
—
127
Unrealized losses
—
335
Other
332
401
Deferred tax assets
34,073
34,459
Deferred tax liabilities:
Fixed assets and prepaid assets
246
296
Right of use assets—operating leases
95
96
Unremitted earnings—European subsidiaries
92
186
Unrealized gains
76
—
Deferred tax liabilities
509
578
Total deferred tax assets less deferred tax liabilities
33,564
33,881
Less: Valuation allowance
( 21,908 )
( 22,824 )
Deferred tax assets, net
$ 11,656
$ 11,057
Net Operating and Capital Losses – U.S.
The Company’s tax effected capital losses
at December 31, 2024 were $ 21,984 . These capital losses expire between the years 2025 and 2028. During the years ended December 31, 2024
and 2023, tax effected capital losses in the amount of $ 0 and $ 3,278 expired, respectively.
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Net Operating Losses – Europe
One of the Company’s European subsidiaries
generated NOLs outside the U.S. These tax effected NOLs, all of which are carried forward indefinitely, were $ 1,024 at December 31, 2024.
Valuation Allowance
The Company’s valuation allowance has
been established on its net capital losses (net of unrealized gains), as it is more-likely-than-not that these deferred tax assets will
not be realized.
Income Tax Examinations
The Company is subject to U.S. federal income
tax as well as income tax of multiple state, local and certain foreign jurisdictions.
As of December 31, 2024, with few exceptions,
the Company was no longer subject to income tax examinations by any taxing authority for the years before 2020.
Uncertain Tax Positions
During the year ended December 31, 2023, $ 1,353
of unrecognized tax benefits lapsed due to the statute of limitations. There were no unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2024 and
2023.
Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries
ASC 740-30 Income Taxes provides guidance that
U.S. companies do not need to recognize tax effects on foreign earnings that are indefinitely reinvested. The Company repatriates earnings
of its foreign subsidiaries and therefore has recognized a deferred tax liability of $ 92 and $ 186 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
23. Shares Repurchased
On February 22, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an increase
of $ 85,709 to the Company’s share repurchase program to $ 100,000 and extended the term for three years through April 27, 2025 . On
February 24, 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors approved another increase of $ 129,158 to the repurchase program, bringing the
total authorization to $ 150,000 , and extended the program’s term for another three years through April 27, 2028. Included under
the Company’s share repurchase program are purchases to offset future equity grants made under the Company’s equity plans
and purchases made in open market or privately negotiated transactions. This authority may be exercised from time to time, subject to
regulatory considerations. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate
and regulatory requirements, market conditions and other corporate liquidity requirements and priorities. The repurchase program may be
suspended or terminated at any time without prior notice. Shares repurchased under this program are returned to the status of authorized
and unissued on the Company’s books and records.
During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023
and 2022, the Company repurchased 6,800,301 , 635,653 and 593,261 shares of its common stock, respectively, under this program for an aggregate
cost of $ 62,870 , $ 3,570 and $ 3,418 , respectively. Shares repurchased under this program were returned to the status of authorized and
unissued on the Company’s books and records.
As of December 31, 2024, $ 33,536 remained
under this program for future purchases.
In addition, as further described in Note 11,
in August 2024, the Company repurchased all of its then-outstanding Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock, which was convertible
into 14,750,000 shares of the Company’s common stock from ETFS Capital for aggregate cash consideration of $ 143,812 (or $ 9.75 per
share).
24. Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Goodwill
The table below sets forth goodwill which is
tested annually for impairment on November 30 th :
Total
Balance at January 1, 2024
$ 86,841
Changes
—
Balance at December 31, 2024
$ 86,841
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Goodwill was tested for impairment on November
30, 2024. The quantitative impairment test was performed using a market approach, whereby the market capitalization of the Company (a
single reporting unit) was compared to its carrying value. The market capitalization was derived from the Company’s publicly traded
stock price plus a reasonable control premium. The fair value of the reporting unit exceeded its carrying value and therefore no impairment
was recognized.
Of the total goodwill of $ 86,841 at December
31, 2024, $ 85,042 is not deductible for tax purposes as the acquisitions that gave rise to the goodwill were structured as stock acquisitions.
The remainder of the goodwill is deductible for U.S. tax purposes.
Intangible Assets
The table below sets forth the Company’s
intangible assets which are tested annually for impairment on November 30 th :
Balance at December 31, 2024
Item
Gross Asset
Accumulated
Amortization
Net Asset
ETFS acquisition
$ 601,247
$ —
$ 601,247
Software development
6,855
( 2,206 )
4,649
Balance at December 31, 2024
$ 608,102
$ ( 2,206 )
$ 605,896
Balance at December 31, 2023
Item
Gross Asset
Accumulated
Amortization
Net Asset
ETFS acquisition
$ 601,247
$ —
$ 601,247
Software development
4,519
( 684 )
3,835
Balance at December 31, 2023
$ 605,766
$ ( 684 )
$ 605,082
ETFS Acquisition (Indefinite-Lived)
In connection with the ETFS Acquisition, which
was completed on April 11, 2018 , the Company identified intangible assets valued at $ 601,247 related to the right to manage AUM through
customary advisory agreements. These intangible assets were determined to have indefinite useful lives and are not deductible for tax
purposes.
The Company performed its indefinite-lived intangible
asset impairment test related to these customary advisory agreements on November 30, 2024. The results of this analysis identified no
indicators of impairment to be recognized based upon a quantitative assessment (discounted cash flow analysis) which relied upon significant
unobservable inputs including a projected revenue growth rate of 3 % and a weighted average cost of capital of 10.3 %.
Software Development (Finite-Lived)
Internally-developed software is amortized over
a useful life of three years . During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized amortization expense on
internally-developed software of $ 1,522 , $ 634 and $ 50 , respectively.
As of December 31, 2024, expected amortization
expense for the unamortized finite-lived intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter is as follows:
2025
$ 2,219
2026
1,653
2027
764
2028
13
2029
—
Total expected amortization expense
$ 4,649
The weighted-average remaining useful life of
the finite-lived intangible assets is 2.3 years.
25. Contingent Payments
The Company recognized a gain of $ 0 and $ 1,477
during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, from remeasuring contingent payments arising from the sale of its former
Canadian ETF business to their realizable value. These gains were recorded in other gains/(losses), net.
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Table of Contents
26.
Impairments
The following table summarizes impairments recognized
by the Company:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Securrency (Note 7)
$ —
$ 7,630
$ —
Other investments (Note
7)
—
312
—
Total
$ —
$ 7,942
$ —
27. Segment Information
The Company, through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Europe, is a global financial
innovator, offering a diverse suite of ETPs, models, solutions and products leveraging blockchain technology. The Company conducts business
as a single operating segment as an ETP sponsor and asset manager, which is based upon the Company’s current organizational and
management structure, as well as information used by the CODM to allocate resources and assess performance and other factors. The accounting
policies of the segment are the same as those described in Note 2.
The key measures of segment profit or loss that
the CODM uses to allocate resources and assess performance are the Company’s consolidated net income, as reported on the Consolidated
Statements of Operations, as well as adjusted operating income and adjusted operating income margin, which are exclusive of items that
are non-recurring or not core to the Company’s operating business.
The table below discloses these key measures
and is inclusive of a reconciliation of the Company’s operating income and operating income margin as computed under U.S. GAAP to
the Company’s Non-GAAP adjusted operating income and adjusted operating income margin utilized by the CODM:
2024
2023
2022
Net income
$ 66,693
$ 102,546
$ 50,684
Adjusted Operating Income Margin
Operating revenues
$ 427,737
$ 349,035
$ 301,345
Less: Legal expenses expected to be covered by insurance
( 4,306 )
—
—
Operating revenues, as adjusted
$ 423,431
$ 349,035
$ 301,345
Operating income
$ 137,293
$ 87,492
$ 60,085
Add back: Expenses incurred in response to an activist campaign
4,966
5,880
4,459
Adjusted operating income
$ 142,259
$ 93,372
$ 64,544
Operating income margin
32.1 %
25.1 %
19.9 %
Adjusted operating income margin
33.6 %
26.8 %
21.4 %
Expenses incurred in response to an activist
campaign for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 include $ 4,857 , $ 5,734 and $ 4,187 , respectively, of professional fees, and
$ 109 , $ 146 and $ 272 , respectively, of other expenses.
All expense categories on the Consolidated Statements
of Operations are significant and there are no other significant segment expenses that would require disclosure. Assets provided to the
CODM are consistent with those reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets with particular emphasis on the Company’s available liquidity,
including its cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, financial instruments owned, accounts receivable and securities held-to-maturity,
reduced by current liabilities, seed capital and regulatory capital requirements.
There are no intra-entity sales or transfers
and no significant expense categories regularly provided to the CODM beyond those disclosed in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The CODM manages the business using consolidated expense information, adjusted for items that are non-recurring or not core to the Company’s
operating business as disclosed in the table above, as well as regularly provided budgeted or forecasted expense information for the single
operating segment.
Information related to the Company’s products
and services and geographical distribution of revenues is disclosed in Note 16.
28. Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events through
the date of issuance of the consolidated financial statements. There were no events requiring disclosure.
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Table of Contents
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
Description
3.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
3.2
Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (Name Change) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 7, 2022)
3.3
Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (Declassification of Board of Directors) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 20, 2022)
3.4
Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (Increase in Authorized Shares) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 20, 2022)
3.5
Certificate of Designations of Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 13, 2018)
3.6
Certificate of Elimination of Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 13, 2024 )
3.7
Certificate of Designations of Series B Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on March 20, 2023)
3.8
Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.7 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 2, 2024)
4.1
Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
4.2
Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement among the Registrant and certain investors dated December 21, 2006 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
4.3
Securities Purchase Agreement among the Registrant and certain investors dated December 21, 2006 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
4.4
Securities Purchase Agreement among the Registrant and certain investors dated October 15, 2009 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
4.5
Third Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement dated October 15, 2009 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
4.6
Indenture, dated as of June 14, 2021, by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 14, 2021)
4.7
Form of Global Note, representing the Registrant’s 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 14, 2021)
4.8
Indenture, dated as of February 14, 2023, by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 14, 2023)
4.9
Form of Global Note, representing the Registrant’s 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 14, 2023)
4.10
Indenture, dated as of August 13, 2024, by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 13, 2024)
4.11
Form of Global Note, representing the Registrant’s 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 13, 2024)
4.12
Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated March 17, 2023, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on March 20, 2023)
Table of Contents
Exhibit
Number
Description
4.13
Amendment No. 1 to Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of May 4, 2023, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 5, 2023)
4.14
Amendment No. 2 to Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2023, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 10, 2023)
4.15
Amendment No. 3 to Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2024, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 18, 2024)
4.16
Amendment No. 4 to Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of March 25, 2024, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024)
4.17
Amendment No. 5 to Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of April 30, 2024, between the Registrant and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 30, 2024)
10.1
Representative Form of Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and WisdomTree Trust (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
10.2
Form of Proprietary Rights and Confidentiality Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.34 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2011)
10.3
Form of Indemnification Agreement for Officers and Directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.35 of the Registrant’s Amendment to Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on May 26, 2011)
10.4
Amended and Restated License Agreement between the Registrant and WisdomTree Trust dated March 1, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 14, 2012)
10.5
WisdomTree Investments, Inc. 2016 Equity Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 9, 2016)
10.6
Form of Employment Agreement for Executive Officers dated December 22, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 23, 2016)
10.7(a)
Appendix A to Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Jonathan Steinberg, dated December 22, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1(A) of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 23, 2016)
10.7(b)
Appendix A to Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Peter M. Ziemba, dated December 22, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1(E) of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 23, 2016)
10.8
Form of Amendment, dated May 5, 2017, to Form of Employment Agreement for Executive Officers, dated December 22, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 8, 2017)
10.9
Employment Agreement between the Registrant and R. Jarrett Lilien, dated November 27, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018)
10.10
Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Marci Frankenthaler, dated November 5, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 6, 2020)
10.11
Form of Amendment, dated April 21, 2023, to Employment Agreements between the Registrant and each of Jonathan Steinberg, Peter M. Ziemba, R. Jarrett Lilien and Marci Frankenthaler (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 9, 2023)
10.12
Share Sale Agreement among the Registrant, WisdomTree International and ETFS Capital dated November 13, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018)
10.13
Waiver and Variation Agreement, dated April 11, 2018, by and among the Registrant, WisdomTree International and ETFS Capital (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 13, 2018 )
Table of Contents
Exhibit
Number
Description
10.14
Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Alexis Marinof, dated June 8, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 of Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2021)
10.15
Amendment to Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Alexis Marinof, dated July 20, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22 of Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2021)
10.16
Amendment to Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Alexis Marinof, dated April 21, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 9, 2023)
10.17
WisdomTree Investments, Inc. 2022 Equity Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the SEC on July 25, 2022)
10.18
Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for Non-Employee Directors (2022 Equity Plan) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 4, 2022)
10.19
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (Deferred) for Non-Employee Directors (2022 Equity Plan) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 4, 2022)
10.20
Non-Employee Director Deferred Compensation Program (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.26 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023)
10.21
Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for Executive Officers applicable to grants after January 1, 2023 and prior to January 1, 2024 (2022 Equity Plan) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.23 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023)
10.22
Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement for U.S. Executive Officers applicable to grants after January 1, 2023 (2022 Equity Plan) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023)
10.23
Form of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement for U.K. Executive Officers applicable to grants after January 1, 2023 (2022 Equity Plan) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.25 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023)
10.24
WisdomTree, Inc. Executive Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2023)
10.25
Form of Employee Confidentiality, Assignment and Restrictive Covenant Agreement executed by participants of the WisdomTree, Inc. Executive Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 9, 2023)
10.26
Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for Executive Officers applicable to grants after January 1, 2024 (2022 Equity Plan)(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2024)
19.1 (1)
Statement of Company Policy on Insider Trading and Disclosure
21.1 (1)
Subsidiaries of the Registrant
23.1 (1)
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
31.1 (1)
Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) Certification
31.2 (1)
Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) Certification
32.1 (2)
Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
97
Amended and Restated Compensation Clawback Policy (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 97 of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2024)
101
Financial Statements from the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company are attached to this report, formatted in XBRL pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T: (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023; (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022; (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income/(Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022; (iv) Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022; (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 and (vi) Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Table of Contents
Exhibit
Number
Description
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 Labels Linkbase Document
101.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
104 (1)
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL with applicable taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101.*)
______________________________________________________
* Schedules and exhibits to these Exhibits have been omitted in accordance with Item 601 of Regulation S-K. The Company agrees to furnish
supplementally a copy of all omitted schedules and exhibits to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.
(1) Filed herewith.
(2) Furnished herewith.
Table of Contents
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
hereunto duly authorized.
WISDOMTREE, INC.
By:
/s/ Jonathan Steinberg
Jonathan Steinberg
February 26, 2025
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated
below on the 26 th day of February, 2025.
Signature
Title
/s/ Jonathan Steinberg
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Jonathan Steinberg
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Bryan Edmiston
Chief Financial Officer
Bryan Edmiston
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ Smita Conjeevaram
Non-Executive Chair of the Board
Smita Conjeevaram
/s/ Lynn S. Blake
Director
Lynn S. Blake
/s/ Anthony Bossone
Director
Anthony Bossone
/s/ Rilla Delorier
Director
Rilla Delorier
/s/ Daniela Mielke
Director
Daniela Mielke
/s/ Shamla Naidoo
Director
Shamla Naidoo
/s/ Win Neuger
Director
Win Neuger
/s/ Tonia Pankopf
Director
Tonia Pankopf