Blueprint
United States
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016
Commission file number: 0-11104
NOBLE ROMAN’S, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Indiana
|
|
35-1281154
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
organization)
|
|
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
|
One
Virginia Avenue, Suite 300
Indianapolis, Indiana
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|
46204 |
(Address of principal executive
offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
(317) 634-3377
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all
reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or
for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file
such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted
electronically and posted on its corporate web site, if any, every
Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant
to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter)
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes
☑ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer,
an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller
reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated
filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller
reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act.
Large Accelerated
Filer
|
☐
|
Accelerated
Filer
|
☐
|
Non-Accelerated
Filer
|
☐
|
Smaller Reporting
Company
|
☑
|
(do
not check if smaller reporting
company)
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined
in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☑
As of
November 9, 2016, there were 20,783,032 shares of Common Stock, no
par value, outstanding.
PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. Financial Statements
The
following unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are
included herein:
|
Condensed
consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2015
and September 30, 2016
(unaudited)
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Page 3
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Condensed
consolidated statements of operations for the three-month
and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2016
(unaudited)
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Page 4
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Condensed
consolidated statements of changes in stockholders' equity
for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016
(unaudited)
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Page 5
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Condensed
consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2015 and
2016 (unaudited)
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Page 6
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Notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements (unaudited) |
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Page 8
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Noble Roman's, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
Assets
|
|
|
Current
assets:
|
|
|
Cash
|
$194,021
|
$175,235
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Accounts
receivable - net
|
2,007,751
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2,323,301
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Inventories
|
492,222
|
743,022
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
634,016
|
869,853
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Deferred
tax asset - current portion
|
925,000
|
925,000
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Total
current assets
|
4,253,010
|
5,036,411
|
|
|
|
Property and
equipment:
|
|
|
Equipment
|
1,376,190
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1,829,736
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Leasehold
improvements
|
88,718
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88,718
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|
1,464,908
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1,918,454
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Less
accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
1,092,785
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1,157,927
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Net
property and equipment
|
372,123
|
760,527
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Deferred tax asset
(net of current portion)
|
8,158,523
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8,536,518
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Other assets
including long-term portion of receivables - net
|
5,681,272
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4,545,092
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Total
assets
|
$18,464,928
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$18,878,548
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Liabilities
and Stockholders' Equity
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Current
liabilities:
|
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Current
portion of term loan payable to bank
|
$601,081
|
$1,530,385
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Current
portion of loan payable to Super G Funding, LLC
|
-
|
1,250,000
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Note
payable to Kingsway America
|
-
|
600,000
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Accounts
payable and accrued expenses
|
847,418
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337,254
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Total
current liabilities
|
1,448,499
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3,717,639
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Long-term
obligations:
|
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Term
loans payable to bank – net of current portion
|
1,366,454
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-
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Loan
payable to Super G Funding, LLC (net of current
portion)
|
-
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576,418
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Notes
payable to officers
|
175,000
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310,000
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Note
payable to Kingsway America
|
600,000
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-
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Total
long-term liabilities
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2,141,454
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886,418
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|
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Stockholders'
equity:
|
|
|
Common
stock – no par value (25,000,000 shares authorized,
20,775,921 issued and
outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and 20,783,032
issued
and outstanding as of September 30, 2016)
|
24,294,002
|
24,304,841
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Accumulated
deficit
|
(9,419,027)
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(10,030,350)
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Total
stockholders' equity
|
14,874,975
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14,274,491
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Total
liabilities and stockholders’ equity
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$18,464,928
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$18,878,548
|
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements (unaudited).
Noble Roman's, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
|
Three-Months
Ended
September
30,
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Nine-Months
Ended
September
30,
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Revenue:
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Royalties
and fees
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$1,848,207
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$1,953,843
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$5,647,290
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$5,544,389
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Administrative
fees and other
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18,544
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12,459
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45,178
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34,168
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Restaurant
revenue
|
51,689
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55,691
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148,763
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162,737
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Total
revenue
|
1,918,440
|
2,021,993
|
5,841,231
|
5,741,294
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Operating
expenses:
|
|
|
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|
Salaries
and wages
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287,972
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275,694
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859,846
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759,603
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Trade
show expenses
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143,016
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124,209
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405,601
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383,086
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Travel
expenses
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57,145
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57,010
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171,698
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152,684
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Broker
commissions
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-
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10,421
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-
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32,241
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Other
operating expenses
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202,624
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200,367
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604,215
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575,651
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Restaurant
expenses
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47,539
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51,270
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148,974
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141,175
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Depreciation and
amortization
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26,354
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31,675
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79,063
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92,763
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General and
administrative
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418,784
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415,487
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1,228,611
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1,205,961
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Total
expenses
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1,183,434
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1,166,133
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3,498,008
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3,343,164
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Operating
income
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735,006
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855,860
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2,343,223
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2,398,130
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Interest
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50,412
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153,882
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138,641
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291,822
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Loss on restaurant
closed
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45,548
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-
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139,220
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36,776
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Adjust valuation of
receivables
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250,000
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-
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850,000
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750,659
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Income
before income taxes from continuing operations
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389,046
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701,978
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1,215,362
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1,318,873
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Income tax
expense
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163,286
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268,208
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506,932
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503,907
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Net
income from continuing operations
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225,760
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433,770
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708,430
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814,966
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Loss from
discontinued operations net of tax benefit of
$881,902 for 2016
|
-
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(1,426,289)
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-
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(1,426,289)
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Net
income (loss)
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$225,760
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$(992,519)
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$708,430
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$(611,323)
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Earnings
per share – basic:
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Operating
income
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$.04
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$.04
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$.11
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$.12
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Net
income from continuing operations
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.01
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.02
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.03
|
.04
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Net
loss from discontinued operations net of tax
benefit
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.00
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(.07)
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.00
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(.07)
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Net
income (loss)
|
.01
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(.05)
|
.03
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(.03)
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Weighted average
number of common shares outstanding
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20,722,497
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20,783,032
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20,436,846
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20,781,501
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Diluted
earnings per share:
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Operating
income
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$.03
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$.04
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$.11
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$.11
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Net
income from continuing operations
|
.01
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.02
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.03
|
.04
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Net
loss from discontinued operations net of tax
benefit
|
.00
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(.07)
|
.00
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(.07)
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Net
income (loss)
|
.01
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(.05)
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.03
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(.03)
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Weighted average
number of common shares outstanding
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22,012,769
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20,924,077
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21,727,118
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20,922,546
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See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements (unaudited).
Noble Roman's, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in
Stockholders' Equity
(Unaudited)
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Common Stock
Shares
Amount
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Balance
at December 31, 2015
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20,775,921
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$24,294,002
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$(9,419,027)
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$14,874,975
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Net
loss for nine months ended September
30, 2016
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(611,323)
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(611,323)
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Cashless
exercise of employee stock
option
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7,111
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Amortization
of value of employee stock
options
|
-
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10,839
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-
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10,839
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Balance
at September 30, 2016
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20,783,032
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$24,304,841
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$(10,030,350)
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$14,274,491
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See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements (unaudited).
Noble Roman's, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
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Nine
Months Ended September 30,
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OPERATING
ACTIVITIES
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Net
income (loss)
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$708,430
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$(611,323)
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Adjustments
to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided
(used) by operating activities:
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Depreciation
and amortization
|
91,446
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75,982
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Non-cash
expense for the valuation of Heyser receivable
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850,000
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750,659
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Deferred
income taxes
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506,932
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(377,995)
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Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
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(Increase)
decrease in:
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Accounts
receivable
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(565,507)
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(315,551)
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Inventories
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(75,305)
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(250,800)
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Prepaid
expenses
|
(319,231)
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(235,837)
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Other
assets, including long-term portion of receivables
|
(899,541)
|
239,816
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Increase
(decrease) in:
|
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Accounts
payable and accrued expenses
|
183,746
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(446,851)
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NET
CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
480,970
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(1,171,900)
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INVESTING
ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
Purchase
of property and equipment
|
(11,843)
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(9,699)
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NET
CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
(11,843)
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(9,699)
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FINANCING
ACTIVITIES
|
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Payment
of principal on bank term loans
|
(1,106,632)
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(437,150)
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Payment
of principal on Super G Funding, LLC loan
|
-
|
(89,000)
|
Proceeds
from insurance company loan
|
600,000
|
-
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Proceeds
from the exercise of employee stock options
|
201,386
|
-
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Proceeds
from Super G Funding, LLC loan
|
-
|
1,915,417
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Proceeds
from officers loan
|
-
|
135,000
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NET
CASH PROVIDED (USED) BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
(305,246)
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1,524,267
|
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DISCONTINUED
OPERATIONS
|
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Payment
on discontinued operations
|
(172,796)
|
(361,454)
|
|
|
|
Decrease in
cash
|
(8,915)
|
(18,786)
|
Cash at beginning
of period
|
200,349
|
194,021
|
Cash at end of
period
|
$191,434
|
$175,235
|
|
|
|
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing
activities
Cash
paid for interest
|
$117,666
|
$266,412
|
In 2016, leased equipment in the amount of $443,848 was moved from
other assets to equipment account.
In the first nine months of 2015: an option to purchase 100,000
shares at an exercise price of $.95 per share was exercised
pursuant to the cashless exercise provision of the option and the
holder received 58,696 shares of common stock, options to purchase
300,000 shares at an exercise price of $1.05 per share were
exercised pursuant to the cashless exercise provision of the
options and the holders received 163,043 shares, an option to
purchase 66,666 shares at an exercise price of $.58 per share was
exercised pursuant to the cashless exercise provision of the option
and the holder received 49,855 shares, options to purchase 30,000
shares at an exercise price of $.90 per share were exercised
pursuant to the cashless exercise provision of the options and the
holders received 18,412 shares, an option to purchase 45,000 shares
at an exercise price of $.36 per share was exercised pursuant to
the cashless exercise provision of the option and the holder
received 36,900 shares and an option to purchase 45,000 shares at
an exercise price of $.36 was exercised pursuant to the cashless
exercise provision and the holder received 33,261 shares. In the
first nine months of 2015 the Company issued 50,000 shares of
common stock in exchange for $95,000 in payables.
In the first nine months of 2016, an option to purchase 20,000
shares at an exercise price of $.58 per share was exercised
pursuant to the cashless exercise provision of the option and the
holder received 7,111 shares of common stock.
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements (unaudited).
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Note 1
- The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated
financial statements, included herein, have been prepared by the
Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and
footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules
and regulations. These condensed consolidated statements have been
prepared in accordance with the Company’s accounting policies
described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2015 and should be read in conjunction with
the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto
included in that report. Unless the context indicates otherwise,
references to the “Company” mean Noble Roman’s,
Inc. and its subsidiaries.
In the
opinion of the management of the Company, the information contained
herein reflects all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation
of the results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods
presented and the financial condition as of the dates indicated,
which adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The results for
the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full year ending December 31, 2016.
Note 2
– Royalties and fees include initial franchise fees of
$87,000 and $153,000 for the three-month and nine-month periods
ended September 30, 2015 and $76,000 and $204,000 for the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively. Royalties and fees included equipment commissions of
$23,000 and $60,000 for the three-month and nine-month periods
ended September 30, 2015, and $7,000 and $17,000 for the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively. Royalties and fees including interest per franchise
agreements, less initial franchise fees and equipment commissions,
were $1.7 million and $5.4 million for the respective three-month
and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015, and $1.9 million
and $5.3 million for the respective three-month and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2016. Most of the cost for the services
required to be performed by the Company are incurred prior to the
franchise fee income being recorded, which is based on a
contractual liability of the franchisee. A significant amount of
the Company’s royalty income is paid by the Company
initiating a draft on the franchisee’s account by electronic
withdrawal.
There
were 2,562 franchises/licenses on December 31, 2015 and 2,736
franchises/licenses on September 30, 2016. During the nine-month
period ended September 30, 2016, there were 201 new outlets opened
and 27 outlets closed. In the ordinary course, grocery stores from
time to time add our licensed products, remove them and may
subsequently re-offer them. Therefore, it is unknown how many
licensed grocery store units included in the count above have left
the system.
Note 3
- The following table sets forth the calculation of basic and
diluted earnings per share for the three-month and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2015:
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2015
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income
|
$225,760
|
20,722,497
|
$.01
|
|
|
|
|
Effect
of dilutive securities
|
|
|
|
Options
|
-
|
1,290,272
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
earnings per share
|
|
|
|
Net
income
|
$225,760
|
22,012,769
|
$.01
|
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2015
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income
|
$708,430
|
20,436,846
|
$.03
|
|
|
|
|
Effect
of dilutive securities
|
|
|
|
Options
|
-
|
1,290,272
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
earnings per share
|
|
|
|
Net
income
|
$708,430
|
21,727,118
|
$.03
|
The
following table sets forth the calculation of basic and diluted
earnings per share for the three-month and nine-month periods ended
September 30, 2016:
|
Three Months
Ended September 30, 2016
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(992,519)
|
20,783,032
|
$(.05)
|
Effect
of dilutive securities
|
|
|
|
Options
|
-
|
141,045
|
|
Diluted
earnings per share
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(992,519)
|
20,924,077
|
$(.05)
|
|
Nine Months
Ended September 30, 2016
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(611,323)
|
20,781,501
|
$(.03)
|
Effect
of dilutive securities
|
|
|
|
Options
|
-
|
141,045
|
|
Diluted
earnings per share
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(611,323)
|
20,922,546
|
$(.03)
|
Note 4
- At the end of December 2015, the Company determined to close a
restaurant that had previously been used for demonstration and
training purposes. This restaurant was a part of the discontinued
operations in 2008, but the Company decided to continue operating
this location until the lease expired. Since the restaurant was
closed, the related revenue and expense were taken out of 2015
operating income at the end of the year for the full year and the
net expense shown as a loss on restaurant closed separate from the
ongoing operations. The results for the three-month and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2015 have been reclassified to remove
those operations from ongoing operations consistent with the full
year 2015 presentation for comparison purposes to the three-month
and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016.
Note 5
- In June 2016, the Company borrowed $2.0 million from Super G
Funding, LLC ("Super G") and used those funds: (1) to repay the
$500,000 revolving bank loan and (2) for working capital purposes.
This loan is to be repaid in the total amount of $2.7 million in
regular bi-monthly payments over a two-year period.
Note 6
- In the second quarter ended June 30, 2016, the Company recorded a
valuation allowance of $750,659. This valuation allowance reflected
the charge off of certain receivables from the operations
discontinued in 2008 and was the remaining receivable from the
various plaintiffs in the Heyser lawsuit which the Company won by
summary judgment dismissing the Company from any liability and
after numerous appeals including an appeal to the Indiana Supreme
Court by the Heyser plaintiffs, in which the summary judgment was
upheld. The Company also won summary judgment on its counterclaims
against the various plaintiffs and was awarded a judgment against
the plaintiffs in excess of $2 million, which included damages and
attorneys' fees. The Company has been pursuing collection since
that time. During the second quarter the Company made the decision
that it was in its best interest to cease incurring additional
legal fees and to settle its pending claims for $350,000, which is
evidenced by a promissory note secured by a mortgage on two pieces
of real estate.
Note 7
- During the quarter ended September 30, 2016, the Company made the
decision to discontinue the stand-alone take-n-bake concept and
devote its efforts to its next generation stand-alone prototype,
Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub. As a result of that decision,
the Company is charging off all assets related to those
discontinued operations, including $504,000 after tax benefit
invested in three franchised locations, partially owned by certain
officers of the Company which were not involved in the management
of the operations, which had been used primarily to support
research and development by the Company in those three franchised
locations. The Company was using those franchised locations for
testing and development in an attempt to improve the stand-alone
take-n-bake concept for future franchising before the Company made
the decision in the third quarter to discontinue that concept. In
addition, $883,000 of the after-tax benefit reflected the
charge-off of various receivables due from unrelated former
franchisees of the stand-alone take-n-bake concept. This resulted
in the net loss on discontinued operations $1,426,289, net of tax
benefit of $881,902, for the three-month and nine-month periods
ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared to none in the
corresponding periods in 2015. That loss also included a loss of
$39,000, after the tax benefit, for settlement of rent on a former
location that was part of the discontinued operations in
2008.
Note 8
- The Company evaluated subsequent events through the date the
financial statements were issued and filed with SEC. On November 2,
2016 and November 8, 2016, the Company issued convertible,
subordinated, unsecured promissory notes (the “Notes”)
in an aggregate principal amount of $950,000 and warrants (the
“Warrants”) to purchase up to 950,000 shares of the
Company’s common stock, no par value per share (the
“Common Stock”). The Company issued Notes and the
Warrants to each of the following investors: Paul W. Mobley, the
Company’s Executive Chairman, Chief Financial Officer and a
director of the Company; Herbst Capital Management, LLC, the
principal of which is Marcel Herbst, a director of the Company; and
Roger and Darla Weissenberg, Lawrence and Susan Stanton, Neal and
Maria Stanton, James and Cornelia Sullivan, Robert H. Paul, Barry
W. Blank, Donald Miles, Nolan and Pamela Schabacker and Cleveland
Family Limited Partnership (collectively, the
“Investors”). The Company may issue additional Notes
and Warrants.
Interest
on the Notes accrues at the annual rate of 10% and is payable
quarterly in arrears. Principal of the Notes matures three years
after issuance. Each holder of the Notes may convert them at any
time into Common Stock of the Company at a conversion price of
$0.50 per share (subject to anti-dilution adjustment). Subject to
certain limitations, upon 30 days’ notice the Company may
require the Notes to be converted into Common Stock if the daily
average weighted trading price of the Common Stock equals or
exceeds $1.50 per share for a period of 30 consecutive trading
days. The Notes provide for customary events of
default.
The
Warrants expire three years from the date of issuance and provide
for an exercise price of $1.00 per share of Common Stock (subject
to anti-dilution adjustment). Subject to certain limitations, the
Company may redeem the Warrants at a price of $0.001 per share of
Common Stock subject to the Warrant upon 30 days’ notice if
the daily average weighted trading price of the Common Stock equals
or exceeds $2.00 per share for a period of 30 consecutive trading
days.
In
connection with the issuance of the Notes and Warrants, the Company
granted the Investors certain registration rights with respect to
the shares of Common Stock into which the Notes are convertible and
for which the Warrants are exercisable.
Divine
Capital Markets LLC served as the placement agent for the offering
of the Notes and Warrants (the “Placement Agent”).
Pursuant to its arrangement with the Placement Agent, the Company
may issue additional Notes in an aggregate principal amount of
$1,050,000 and additional Warrants to purchase up to 1,050,000
shares of the Common Stock. In consideration of the Placement
Agent’s services, the Company will pay the Placement Agent a
fee and expense allowance equal to 10% and 3%, respectively, of the
gross proceeds of the offering. The Company also has agreed to
issue to the Placement Agent a Warrant to purchase up to 10% of the
aggregate shares of Common Stock represented by the Investors'
Warrants at an exercise price of $1.20.
The
Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Notes to fund the
opening of a Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub restaurant and for
general working capital needs.
ITEM 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of
Operations
General Information
Noble Roman’s, Inc., an Indiana corporation incorporated in
1972 with two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Pizzaco, Inc. and N.R.
Realty, Inc., sells, services and operates franchises and licenses
for non-traditional foodservice operations and stand-alone
locations under the trade names “Noble Roman’s
Pizza”, “Noble Roman’s Take-N-Bake”, "Noble
Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub" and “Tuscano’s Italian
Style Subs”. The concepts’ hallmarks include high
quality pizza and sub sandwiches, along with other related menu
items, simple operating systems, fast service times,
labor-minimizing operations, attractive food costs and overall
affordability. Since 1997, the Company has concentrated its efforts
and resources primarily on franchising and licensing for
non-traditional locations and now has awarded franchise and/or
license agreements in 50 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico,
the Bahamas, Italy, the Dominican Republic and Canada. The Company
currently focuses all of its sales efforts on (1)
franchises/licenses for non-traditional locations primarily in
convenience stores, entertainment facilities and grocery stores,
and (2) development of next generation stand-alone Noble Roman's
Craft Pizza & Pub restaurants to offer franchises in that
venue. Pizzaco, Inc. owns and operates a Company location used for
testing and demonstration purposes. References in this report to
the “Company” are to Noble Roman’s, Inc. and its
subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.
Noble Roman’s Pizza
The hallmark of Noble Roman’s Pizza is “Superior
quality that our customers can taste.” Every ingredient and
process has been designed with a view to produce superior
results.
●
A
fully-prepared pizza crust that captures the made-from-scratch
pizzeria flavor which gets delivered to non-traditional locations
in a shelf-stable condition so that dough handling is no longer an
impediment to a consistent product in non-traditional
locations.
●
In-store
fresh made crust with only specially milled flour with above
average protein and yeast for use in its Craft Pizza & Pub
locations, the first of which is currently under
construction.
●
Fresh
packed, uncondensed and never cooked sauce made with secret spices,
parmesan cheese and vine-ripened tomatoes in all
venues.
●
100%
real cheese blended from mozzarella and Muenster, with no soy
additives or extenders.
●
100%
real meat toppings, with no additives or extenders – a
distinction compared to many pizza concepts.
●
Vegetable
and mushroom toppings that are sliced and delivered fresh, never
canned in non-traditional locations and vegetables will be sliced
fresh on premises in the Craft Pizza & Pub
locations.
●
An
extended product line that includes breadsticks and cheesy stix
with dip, pasta, baked sandwiches, salads, wings and a line of
breakfast products for the non-traditional locations.
Noble Roman’s Take-N-Bake
The Company developed a take-n-bake version of its pizza as an
addition to its menu offerings. The take-n-bake pizza is designed
as an add-on component for new and existing convenience stores and
as a stand-alone offering for grocery store delis. The Company
offers the take-n-bake program in grocery stores under a license
agreement rather than a franchise agreement. In convenience stores,
take-n-bake is an available menu offering under the existing
franchise/license agreement. The Company uses the same high quality
pizza ingredients for its take-n-bake pizza as with its baked
pizza, with slight modifications to portioning for enhanced home
baking performance.
Tuscano’s Italian Style Subs
Tuscano’s Italian Style Subs is a separate non-traditional
location concept that focuses on sub sandwich menu items but only
in locations that also have a Noble Roman's franchise.
Tuscano’s was designed to be comfortably familiar from a
customer’s perspective but with many distinctive features
that include an Italian-themed menu. The ongoing royalty for a
Tuscano’s franchise is identical to that charged for a Noble
Roman’s Pizza franchise. The Company has a grab-n-go service
system for a selected portion of the Tuscano’s menu in an
attempt to add sales opportunities for non-traditional Noble
Roman’s Pizza locations.
Business Strategy
The
Company’s business strategy includes the following principal
elements:
1. Focus on revenue expansion through franchising/licensing
traditional and non-traditional locations:
Sales of Non-Traditional Franchises and Licenses. The
Company believes it has an opportunity for increasing unit and
revenue growth within its non-traditional venue, particularly with
grocery store delis, convenience stores including Circle K
franchise stores, travel plazas, Walmart stores and entertainment
facilities. The Company’s franchises/licenses in
non-traditional locations are foodservice providers within a host
business and usually require a substantially lower investment
compared to stand-alone traditional locations.
Sale of Traditional Franchises. The Company has developed the next generation
stand-alone prototype, which features two styles of crust. First is
a popular traditional hand-tossed style pizza with a thinner crust,
crispy exterior and a flavorful and chewy interior. Second is the
Company's signature Deep-Dish Sicilian pizza baked in real olive
oil. Both crust styles feature traditional toppings plus several
fun new toppings and new specialty pizzas. The menu also includes
Noble Roman's famous breadsticks with spicy cheese sauce, an
assortment of fun new specialty salads and four new pasta dishes,
all designed to be fast, easy to prepare and delicious to eat. The
new prototype utilizes new oven technology which reduces
traditional pizza oven speeds to two minutes and 30 seconds. The
prototype dining room will be relaxed modern decor with seating for
100 plus guests, with a glass enclosed room where all dough and
breadsticks are made fresh daily in view of the customers,
highlighting the hand-crafted and fresh nature of the products as
well as providing entertainment for guests. The Company anticipates
opening the first two locations as Company-owned and-operated
locations followed by an aggressive plan to promote franchising in
concentric circles from those locations.
2. Leverage the results of research and development
advances.
The
Company has invested significant time and effort to create what it
considers to be competitive advantages in its products and systems
for both its non-traditional and traditional locations. The Company
will continue to make these advantages the focal point in its
marketing process. The Company believes that the quality and
freshness of its products, their cost-effectiveness, relatively
simple production and service systems, and its diverse, modularized
menu offerings will contribute to the Company’s strategic
attributes and growth potential. The menu items for the
non-traditional locations were developed to be delivered in a
ready-to-use format requiring only on-site assembly and baking
except for take-n-bake pizza, which is sold to bake at home. The
Company believes this process results in products that are great
tasting, quality consistent, easy to assemble, relatively low in
food cost, and require minimal labor, which allows for a
significant competitive advantage in the non-traditional locations
due to the speed and simplicity at which the products can be
prepared, baked and served to customers.
3. Aggressively communicate the Company’s competitive
advantages to its target market of potential franchisees and
licensees.
The
Company utilizes the following methods of reaching potential
franchisees and licensees and to communicate its product and system
advantages: (1) calling from both acquired and in-house prospect
lists; (2) frequent direct mail campaigns to targeted prospects;
(3) web-based lead capturing; and (4) live demonstrations at trade
and food shows. In particular, the Company has found that
conducting live demonstrations of its systems and products at
selected trade and food shows across the country allows it to
demonstrate advantages that can otherwise be difficult for a
potential prospect to visualize. There is no substitute for
actually tasting the difference in a product’s quality to
demonstrate the advantages of the Company’s products. The
Company carefully selects the national and regional trade and food
shows where it either has an existing relationship or considerable
previous experience to expect that such shows offer opportunities
for fruitful lead generation.
Business Operations
Distribution
The Company’s proprietary ingredients are manufactured
pursuant to the Company’s recipes and formulas by third-party
manufacturers under contracts between the Company and its various
manufacturers. These contracts require the manufacturers to produce
ingredients meeting the Company’s specifications and to sell
them to Company-approved distributors at prices negotiated between
the Company and the manufacturer.
At present, the Company has primary distributors strategically
located throughout the United States. The distributor agreements
require the primary distributors to maintain adequate inventories
of all ingredients necessary to meet the needs of the
Company’s franchisees and licensees in their distribution
areas for weekly deliveries to the franchisee/licensee locations
and to its grocery store distributors in their respective
territories. Each of the primary distributors purchases the
ingredients from the manufacturer at prices negotiated between the
Company and the manufacturers, but under payment terms agreed upon
by the manufacturer and the distributor, and distributes the
ingredients to the franchisee/licensee at a price determined by the
distributor agreement. Payment terms to the distributor are agreed
upon between each franchisee/licensee and the respective
distributor. In addition, the Company has agreements with numerous
grocery store distributors located in various parts of the country
which agree to buy the Company’s ingredients from one of the
Company's primary distributors and to distribute those ingredients
only to their grocery store customers who have signed license
agreements with the Company.
Franchising
The Company sells franchises for both non-traditional and
traditional locations.
The
initial franchise fees are as follows:
|
Non-Traditional,
Except Hospitals
|
|
|
Noble Roman’s
Pizza
|
$7,500
|
$10,000
|
$25,000(1)
|
Tuscano’s
Subs
|
$6,000
|
$10,000
|
-
|
Noble Roman’s
& Tuscano’s
|
$11,500
|
$18,000
|
-
|
(1)
With the sale of multiple traditional stand-alone franchises to a
single franchisee, the franchise fee for the first unit is $25,000,
the franchise fee for the second unit is $20,000 and the franchise
fee for the third unit and any additional unit is
$15,000.
The
franchise fees are paid upon signing the franchise agreement and,
when paid, are deemed fully earned and non-refundable in
consideration of the administration and other expenses incurred by
the Company in granting the franchises and for the lost and/or
deferred opportunities to grant such franchises to any other
party.
Licensing
Noble Roman’s Take-n-Bake Pizza licenses for grocery stores
are governed by a supply agreement. The supply agreement generally
requires the licensee to: (1) purchase proprietary ingredients only
from a Noble Roman’s-approved distributor; (2) assemble the
products using only Noble Roman’s approved ingredients and
recipes; and (3) display products in a manner approved by Noble
Roman’s using Noble Roman’s point-of-sale marketing
materials. Pursuant to the distributor agreements, the primary
distributors place an additional mark-up, as determined by the
Company, above their normal selling price on the key ingredients as
a fee to the Company in lieu of royalty. The distributors agree to
segregate this additional mark-up upon invoicing the licensee, to
hold the fees in trust for the Company and to remit them to the
Company within ten days after the end of each month.
Financial Summary
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and
accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
The Company periodically evaluates the carrying values of its
assets, including property, equipment and related costs, accounts
receivable and deferred tax assets, to assess whether any
impairment indications are present due to (among other factors)
recurring operating losses, significant adverse legal developments,
competition, changes in demand for the Company’s products or
changes in the business climate which affect the recovery of
recorded value. If any impairment of an individual asset is
evident, a charge will be provided to reduce the carrying value to
its estimated fair value.
The following table sets forth the percentage relationship to total
revenue of the listed items included in Noble Roman’s
consolidated statements of operations for the three-month and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2016,
respectively.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Royalties and
fees
|
96.3%
|
96.6%
|
96.7%
|
96.6%
|
Administrative fees
and other
|
1.0
|
.6
|
.8
|
.6
|
Restaurant
revenue
|
2.7
|
2.8
|
2.5
|
2.8
|
Total
revenue
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
Operating
expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
Salaries
and wages
|
15.0
|
13.6
|
14.7
|
13.2
|
Trade
show expense
|
7.5
|
6.1
|
6.9
|
6.7
|
Travel
expense
|
3.0
|
2.8
|
2.9
|
2.7
|
Broker
commissions
|
-
|
.5
|
-
|
.5
|
Other
operating expense
|
10.6
|
9.9
|
10.3
|
10.0
|
Restaurant
expenses
|
2.5
|
2.6
|
2.6
|
2.5
|
Depreciation and
amortization
|
1.4
|
1.6
|
1.4
|
1.6
|
General and
administrative
|
21.7
|
20.5
|
21.0
|
21.0
|
Total
expenses
|
61.7
|
57.6
|
59.8
|
58.2
|
Operating
income
|
38.3%
|
42.4%
|
40.2%
|
41.8%
|
Results of Operations
Total
revenue increased to $2.0 million from $1.9 million for the
three-month period ended September 30, 2016 and decreased to $5.7
million from $5.8 million for the nine-month period ended September
30, 2016, compared to the corresponding periods in 2015. Franchise
fees and equipment commissions (“upfront fees”)
decreased to $83,000 from $110,000 for the three-month period ended
September 30, 2016 and increased to $222,000 from $213,000 for the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2016, compared to the
corresponding periods in 2015. Royalties and fees, less upfront
fees, increased to $1.9 million from $1.7 million for the three
month period ended September 30, 2016, and royalties and fees, less
upfront fees, decreased to $5.3 million from $5.4 million for the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2016, compared to the
corresponding periods in 2015. Royalties and fees from
non-traditional franchises other than grocery stores increased to
$1.2 million from $1.1 million for the three-month period ended
September 30, 2016 and remained approximately the same at $3.3
million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016,
compared to the corresponding periods in 2015. Royalties and fees
from the grocery store take-n-bake increased to $531,000 from
$486,000 and to $1.5 million from $1.4 million for the three-month
and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively,
compared to the corresponding periods in 2015. Royalties and fees
from stand-alone take-n-bake franchises decreased to $65,000 from
$131,000 and to $276,000 from $556,000 for the three-month and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared
to the corresponding periods in 2015. Royalties and fees from
traditional locations decreased to $60,000 from $67,000 and to
$180,000 from $201,000 for the three-month and nine-month periods
ended September 2016, respectively, compared to the corresponding
periods in 2015.
During
2014 and early 2015, the Company began auditing the reporting of
sales for computing royalties by each non-traditional franchisee
and is continuing to do so on an ongoing basis. The Company
estimates franchise sales based on product purchases as reflected
on distributor reports and, where under-reporting is identified,
the Company invoices the franchisees for royalties on the
unreported amount.
Restaurant
revenue increased to $56,000 from $52,000 and to $163,000 from
$149,000 for the three-month and nine-periods ended September 30,
2016, respectively, compared to the corresponding periods in 2015.
The Company currently operates one location used primarily for
testing and demonstration purposes. Those increases reflected an
increase in same store sales.
As a percentage of total revenue, salaries and wages decreased to
13.6% from 15.0% and to 13.2% from 14.7% for the three-month and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared
to the corresponding periods in 2015. Salaries and wages decreased
to $276,000 from $288,000 and to $760,000 from $860,00 for the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively, compared to the corresponding periods in 2015. These
decreases were a result of enhanced efforts to minimize
costs.
As a
percentage of total revenue, trade show expenses decreased to 6.1%
from 7.5% and to 6.7% from 6.9% for the three-month and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2016, compared to the corresponding
periods in 2015. Trade show expenses decreased to $124,000 from
$143,000 and to $383,000 from $406,000 for the three-month and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared
to the corresponding periods in 2015. These decreases were the
result of enhanced efforts to minimize costs.
As a percentage of total revenue, travel expenses decreased to 2.8%
from 3.0% and to 2.7% from 2.9% for the three-month and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared to the
corresponding periods in 2015. Travel expense remained
approximately the same for the three-month period ended September
30, 2016 at approximately $57,000 and decreased to $153,000 from
$172,000 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016,
compared to the corresponding periods in 2015. These decreases were
the result of enhanced efforts to minimize cost and by grouping
openings for multiple trainings to be done on the same
trip.
As a percentage of total revenue, other operating expenses
decreased to 9.9% from 10.6% and to 10.0% from 10.3% for the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively, compared to the corresponding periods in 2015. Other
operating expenses decreased to $200,000 from $203,000 and to
$576,000 from $604,000 for the three-month and nine-month periods
ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared to the
corresponding periods in 2015.
As a
percentage of total revenue, restaurant expenses increased to 2.6%
from 2.5% for the three-month period ended September 30, 2016 and
decreased to 2.5% from 2.6% for nine-month period ended September
30, 2016, compared to the corresponding period in 2015. The Company
currently operates one location used primarily for testing and
demonstration purposes.
As a
percentage of total revenue, general and administrative expenses
decreased to 20.5 from 21.7% for the three-month period ended
September 30, 2016 and remained at approximately 21.0% for the
nine-period ended September 30, 2016, compared to the corresponding
periods in 2015. General and administrative expenses decreased to
$415,000 from $419,000 for the three-month period ended September
30, 2016 and remained approximately the same at $1.2 million for
the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016, compared to the
corresponding periods in 2015.
As a
percentage of total revenue, total expenses decreased to 57.6% from
61.7% and to 58.2% from 59.8% for the three-month and nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively, compared to the
corresponding periods in 2015. Total expenses remained at $1.2
million for the three-months ended September 30, 2016, compared to
the comparable period in 2015, and decreased to $3.3 million from
$3.5 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016,
compared the corresponding period in 2015. This evidences the
Company's efforts to maintain expenses stable while it attempts to
increase revenue.
As a
percentage of total revenue, operating income increased to 42.4%
from 38.3%, and to 41.8% from 40.2% , respectively, for the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively, compared to the corresponding periods in
2015.
Interest
expense increased to $154,000 from $50,000 and to $292,000 from
$139,000, respectively, for the three-month and nine-month periods
ended September 30, 2016, compared to the corresponding periods in
2015. The increase in interest expense is the result of additional
borrowing and an increase in the effective interest
rate.
In the
second quarter ended June 30, 2016, the Company recorded a
valuation allowance of $750,659. This valuation allowance reflected
the charge off of certain receivables from the operations
discontinued in 2008 and was the remaining receivable from the
various plaintiffs in the Heyser lawsuit which the Company won by
summary judgment dismissing the Company from any liability and,
after numerous appeals including an appeal to the Indiana Supreme
Court by the Heyser plaintiffs, in which the summary judgment was
upheld. The Company also won summary judgment on its counterclaims
against the various plaintiffs and was awarded a judgment against
the plaintiffs in excess of $2 million, which included damages and
attorneys' fees. The Company has been pursuing collection since
that time. During the second quarter the Company made the decision
that it was in its best interest to cease incurring additional
legal fees and to settle its pending claims for $350,000, which is
evidenced by a promissory note secured by a mortgage on two pieces
of real estate. Settling this case enables management to more
efficiently apply its efforts to the business and eliminate the
expense of this case which began in 2008.
Net
income before income taxes from continuing operations increased to
$702,000 from $389,000 and to $1.3 million from $1.2 million,
respectively, for the three-month and nine-month periods ended
September 30, 2016, compared to the corresponding periods in 2015.
Part of the increase in the three-month period ended September 30,
2016 was a result of a $250,000 valuation of receivables adjustment
in 2015 and none in 2016. The nine-month periods ended September
30, 2016 and 2015 contained an adjustment for the valuation of
receivables of $751,000 and $850,000, respectively. The adjustment
for valuation of receivables was made because of the age of certain
receivables in 2015 and in 2016 as described in Note 6 to the
accompanying financial statements which was the result of the
charge-off of certain receivables related to the Heyser lawsuit
regarding operations that were discontinued in 2008. Although
income tax expense is reflected on the Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Operations, the Company will not pay any income tax on
approximately the next $22 million in net income before income
taxes due to its net operating loss carry-forwards.
During
the quarter ended September 30, 2016, the Company made the decision
to discontinue the stand-alone take-n-bake concept and devote its
efforts to its next generation stand-alone prototype, Noble Roman's
Craft Pizza & Pub. As a result of that decision, the Company is
charging off all assets related to those discontinued operations,
including $504,000 after-tax benefit invested in three franchised
locations, partially owned by certain officers of the Company which
were not involved in the management of the operations, which had
been used primarily to support research and development by the
Company in those three franchised locations. The Company was using
those franchised locations for testing and development in an
attempt to improve the stand-alone take-n-bake concept for future
franchising before the Company made the decision in the third
quarter to discontinue that concept. In addition, $883,000 of the
after-tax benefit reflected the charge-off of various receivables
due from unrelated former franchisees of the stand-alone
take-n-bake concept. This resulted in the net loss on discontinued
operations $1,426,289, net of tax benefit of $881,902, for the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016,
respectively, compared to none in the corresponding periods in
2015. That loss also included a loss of $39,000, after the tax
benefit, for settlement of rent on a former location that was part
of the discontinued operations in 2008.
After the loss on discontinued operations and after the valuation
allowance for the Heyser receivable, net loss was $992,519 and
$611,323 for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September
30, 2016, respectively, compared to a net income of $225,760 and
$708,430 for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September
30, 2015, respectively. The losses in the current year were
primarily the result of the loss on discontinued operations for the
stand-alone take-n-bake venue that the Company discontinued in the
third quarter of 2016 and the Company's decision to cease incurring
additional legal fees and to settle its pending claims for
$350,000, which is evidenced by a promissory note secured by a
mortgage on two pieces of real estate.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The Company's strategy in recent years has been to grow its
business by concentrating on franchising/licensing non-traditional
locations including grocery store delis to sell take-n-bake pizza
and franchising stand-alone locations. This strategy was intended
to not require significant increase in expenses. The focus on
franchising/licensing non-traditional locations will most certainly
continue to be the Company's strategy but, in addition, over the
last two years the Company has been working on a major development
by re-designing and re-positioning its stand-alone franchise for
the next generation stand-alone prototype called "Craft Pizza &
Pub". As a result, the Company plans to open and operate two
locations of the Craft Pizza & Pub and, once open, the Company
plans to launch a major franchising effort based on Craft Pizza
& Pub. This plan requires additional capital investment, but is
not expected to change in any significant manner the operating
expenses of the Company except for growth in restaurant revenue and
restaurant expenses. The first Craft Pizza & Pub is now under
construction and is expected to open mid-January 2017. The Company
currently operates one restaurant location which it uses for
testing and demonstration purposes.
The Company’s current ratio was 1.35-to-1 as of September 30,
2016, compared to 2.9-to-1 as of December 31, 2015. A large portion
of the Company's outstanding debt is due in the first quarter of
2017 and July 2017; therefore that debt was reclassified from
long-term debt at December 31, 2015 to short-term debt at September
30, 2016.
In 2012, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement with BMO
Harris Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”) for a term loan in the
amount of $5.0 million which was repayable in 48 equal monthly
principal installments of approximately $104,000 plus interest with
a final payment due in May, 2016. In October, 2013, the Company
entered into a First Amendment to the Credit Agreement (the
“First Amendment”). The First Amendment maintained the
terms of the term loan except for reducing the monthly principal
payments from $104,000 to approximately $80,700 and extending the
loan’s maturity to February, 2017. All other terms and
conditions of the term loan remained the same including interest on
the unpaid principal at a rate per annum of LIBOR plus 4%. The
First Amendment also provided for a new term loan in the original
amount of $825,000 requiring monthly principal payments of
approximately $20,600 per month commencing in November, 2013 and
continuing thereafter until the final payment in February, 2017.
The term loan provided for interest on the unpaid principal balance
to be paid monthly at a rate per annum of LIBOR plus 6.08% per
annum. Proceeds from the new term loan were used to redeem the
Company's Series B Preferred Stock which were earning a return to
the holders of 12% per annum.
In October, 2014, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to
its Credit Agreement (the “Second Amendment”). Pursuant
to the Second Amendment, the Company borrowed $700,000 in the form
of a term loan repayable in 36 equal monthly installments of
principal in the amount of $19,444 plus interest on the unpaid
balance of LIBOR plus 6% per annum. The terms and conditions of the
Credit Agreement were otherwise unchanged. The Company used the
proceeds from the loan for additional working capital and open air
display coolers for grocery stores, as a result of the then recent
growth in the grocery store take-n-bake venue.
In July, 2015, the Company borrowed $600,000 from a third-party
lender, evidenced by a promissory note which matures in July, 2017.
Interest on the note is payable at the rate of 8% per annum
quarterly in arrears and this loan is subordinate to borrowings
under the Company's bank loan. In connection with the loan, the
Company issued, to the holder of the promissory note, a warrant
entitling the holder to purchase up to 300,000 shares of the
Company's common stock at an exercise price per share of $2.00. The
warrant expires in July 2020. Proceeds were used to increase
working capital in anticipation of expected growth due to the
Company hiring two new sales people, a Vice President of
Supermarket Development, and entering into an agreement with a
franchise broker.
In December 2015, the Company borrowed $100,000 from Paul Mobley
and $75,000 from A. Scott Mobley, two officers of the Company,
which are evidenced by promissory notes that were originally to
mature in January 2017. In January 2016, $25,000 of the previous
borrowing from A. Scott Mobley was repaid. In February 2016, A.
Scott Mobley loaned the Company another $10,000, evidenced by a
promissory note. In April 2016, the Company borrowed an additional
$150,000 from Paul Mobley, evidenced by a promissory note. Proceeds
were used for working capital. In conjunction with the loan from
Super G Funding, LLC ("Super G"), as described below, both Paul
Mobley and A. Scott Mobley subordinated their notes to the Super G
loan and agreed to extend the maturity of each to June 10, 2018.
Interest on the notes are payable at the rate of 10% per annum paid
quarterly in arrears and the loans are unsecured.
In January, 2016, the Company entered into a Third Amendment to its
Credit Agreement (the “Third Amendment”). Pursuant to
the Third Amendment, the Company consolidated its three term loans
with the Bank into a new term loan of $1,967,000 repayable in
monthly payments of principal in the amount of $54,654 plus
interest on the unpaid balance of LIBOR plus 6% per annum. The new
term loan matures March 31, 2017 when the remaining principal
balance becomes due. In addition, the Third Amendment provided for
a revolving loan in the maximum amount of $500,000 with a maturity
of March 31, 2017. In conjunction with a new loan in June 2016 from
Super G Funding, LLC ("Super G"), the $500,000 revolving loan to
the Bank was repaid.
In June 2016, the Company borrowed $2.0 million from Super G and
used those funds: (i) to repay the $500,000 revolving Bank loan and
(ii) for working capital purposes. This loan is to be repaid in the
total amount of $2.7 million in regular bi-monthly payments over a
two year period.
As discussed in Note 8 regarding subsequent events, on November 2,
2016 and November 8, 2016, the Company issued Notes in an aggregate
principal amount of $950,000 and Warrants to purchase up to 950,000
shares of the Company’s Common Stock. The Company issued
Notes and the Warrants to each of the following investors: Paul W.
Mobley, the Company’s Executive Chairman, Chief Financial
Officer and a director of the Company; Herbst Capital Management,
LLC, the principal of which is Marcel Herbst, a director of the
Company; and Roger and Darla Weissenberg, Lawrence and Susan
Stanton, Neal and Maria Stanton, James and Cornelia Sullivan,
Robert H. Paul, Barry W. Blank, Donald Miles, Nolan and Pamela
Schabacker and Cleveland Family Limited Partnership (collectively,
the “Investors”). The Company may issue additional
Notes and Warrants.
Interest on the Notes accrues at the annual rate of 10% and is
payable quarterly in arrears. Principal of the Notes matures three
years after issuance. Each holder of the Notes may convert them at
any time into Common Stock of the Company at a conversion price of
$0.50 per share (subject to anti-dilution adjustment). Subject to
certain limitations, upon 30 days’ notice the Company may
require the Notes to be converted into Common Stock if the daily
average weighted trading price of the Common Stock equals or
exceeds $1.50 per share for a period of 30 consecutive trading
days. The Notes provide for customary events of
default.
The Warrants expire three years from the date of issuance and
provide for an exercise price of $1.00 per share of Common Stock
(subject to anti-dilution adjustment). Subject to certain
limitations, the Company may redeem the Warrants at a price of
$0.001 per share of Common Stock subject to the Warrant upon 30
days’ notice if the daily average weighted trading price of
the Common Stock equals or exceeds $2.00 per share for a period of
30 consecutive trading days.
In connection with the issuance of the Notes and Warrants, the
Company granted the Investors certain registration rights with
respect to the shares of Common Stock into which the Notes are
convertible and for which the Warrants are
exercisable.
Divine Capital Markets LLC served as the placement agent for the
offering of the Notes and Warrants (the “Placement
Agent”). Pursuant to its arrangement with the Placement
Agent, the Company may issue additional Notes in an aggregate
principal amount of $1,050,000 and additional Warrants to purchase
up to 1,050,000 shares of the Common Stock. In consideration of the
Placement Agent’s services, the Company will pay the
Placement Agent a fee and expense allowance equal to 10% and 3%,
respectively, of the gross proceeds of the offering. The Company
also has agreed to issue to the Placement Agent a Warrant to
purchase up to 10% of the aggregate shares of Common Stock
represented by the Investors' Warrants at an exercise price of
$1.20.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Notes to fund
the opening of a Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub restaurant and
for general working capital needs.
As a result of the financial arrangements described above and the
Company’s cash flow projections, the Company believes it will
have sufficient cash flow to meet its obligations and to carry out
its current business plan until March 31, 2017. The Company will
need to refinance its bank debt as of March 31, 2017 with an
expected balance at that time of $1.2 million. Once the offering of
Notes and Warrants, as described above, is complete the Company
will begin efforts to refinance all of its loans except the Notes
into one loan with an extended amortization schedule. The
Company’s cash flow projections for the next two years are
primarily based on the Company’s strategy of growing the
non-traditional franchising/licensing venues including growth in
the number of grocery store locations licensed to sell the
take-n-bake pizza and operating two Craft Pizza & Pub
locations, as described above, plus launching an aggressive
franchising program of Craft Pizza & Pub
restaurants.
The Company does not anticipate that any of the recently issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards will have a material
impact on its Statement of Operations or its Balance Sheet
except:
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") recently
issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2015-17 as part of its
Simplification Initiative. The amendments eliminate the guidance in
Topic 740, Income Taxes, that required an entity to separate
deferred tax liabilities and assets between current and noncurrent
amounts in a classified balance sheet. Rather, deferred taxes will
be presented as noncurrent under the new standard. It takes effect
in 2017 for public companies and early adoption is
permitted.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, its leasing standard
for both lessees and lessors. Under its core principle, a lessee
will recognize lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet
for all arrangements with terms longer than 12 months. The new
standard takes effect in 2019 for public business
entities.
The Company does not believe these accounting pronouncements will
have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or
results of operations.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements contained above in Management’s Discussion and
Analysis concerning the Company’s future revenues,
profitability, financial resources, market demand and product
development are forward-looking statements (as such term is defined
in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating
to the Company that are based on the beliefs of the management of
the Company, as well as assumptions and estimates made by and
information currently available to the Company’s management.
The Company’s actual results in the future may differ
materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements
due to risks and uncertainties that exist in the Company’s
operations and business environment, including, but not limited to
its need to refinance its indebtedness that matures in March 2017,
its ability to market the Craft Pizza & Pub locations,
competitive factors and pricing pressures, non-renewal of franchise
agreements, shifts in market demand, general economic conditions,
changes in demand for the Company’s products or franchises,
the impact of franchise regulation, the success or failure of
individual franchisees and changes in prices or supplies of food
ingredients and labor as well as the factors discussed under
“Risk Factors” contained in the Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. Should one or
more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should
underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results
may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated,
believed, estimated, expected or intended.
ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market
Risk
The
Company’s exposure to interest rate risk relates primarily to
its variable-rate debt. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had
outstanding variable interest-bearing debt in the aggregate
principal amount of $1.5 million. The Company’s current bank
borrowings are at a variable rate tied to LIBOR plus 6% per annum
adjusted on a monthly basis. Based on its current debt structure,
for each 1% increase in LIBOR the Company’s interest expense
could increase by approximately $13,800 over the succeeding
12-month period.
ITEM 4. Controls and Procedures
Based on their evaluation as of the end of the period covered by
this report, A. Scott Mobley, the Company’s President and
Chief Executive Officer, and Paul W. Mobley, the Company’s
Executive Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, have concluded that
the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended) are effective. There have been no changes in
internal controls over financial reporting during the period
covered by this report that have materially affected, or are
reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. Legal Proceedings.
The Company is not involved in material litigation against
it.
ITEM 6. Exhibits.
(a)
Exhibits: See the accompanying Exhibit Index.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly
authorized.
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NOBLE
ROMAN'S, INC.
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Date:
November 14, 2016
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By:
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/s/
Paul W. Mobley
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Paul W. Mobley |
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Executive Chairman, Chief Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer
(Authorized Officer and Principal Financial
Officer)
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Index
to Exhibits
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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3.1
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Amended Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant, filed as an
exhibit to the Registrant’s Amendment No. 1 to the Post
Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form S-1
filed July 1, 1985 (SEC File No.2-84150), is incorporated herein by
reference.
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3.2
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Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant, as currently in
effect, filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 8-K
filed December 23, 2009, is incorporated herein by
reference.
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3.3
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Articles of Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the
Registrant effective February 18, 1992 filed as an exhibit to the
Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (SEC File
No. 33-66850), ordered effective on October 26, 1993, is
incorporated herein by reference.
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3.4
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Articles of Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the
Registrant effective May 11, 2000, filed as Annex A and Annex B to
the Registrant’s Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed March
28, 2000, is incorporated herein by reference.
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3.5
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Articles of Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the
Registrant effective April 16, 2001 filed as Exhibit 3.4 to
Registrant’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2005, is incorporated herein by
reference.
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3.6
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Articles of Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the
Registrant effective August 23, 2005, filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the
Registrant’s current report on Form 8-K filed August 29,
2005, is incorporated herein by reference.
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4.1
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Specimen Common Stock Certificates filed as an exhibit to the
Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-18 filed
October 22, 1982 and ordered effective on December 14, 1982 (SEC
File No. 2-79963C), is incorporated herein by
reference.
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4.2
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Warrant to purchase common stock, dated July 1, 2015, filed as
Exhibit 10.11 to the Registrant's Form 10-Q filed on August 11,
2015 in incorporated herein by reference.
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10.1
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Employment Agreement with Paul W. Mobley dated January 2, 1999
filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Registrant’s annual report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, is incorporated herein
by reference.
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10.2
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Employment Agreement with A. Scott Mobley dated January 2, 1999
filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Registrant’s annual report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, is incorporated herein
by reference.
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10.3
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Credit Agreement with BMO Harris Bank, N.A., dated May 25, 2012,
filed as Exhibit 10.17 to the Registrant’s quarterly report
on Form 10-Q filed on August 13, 2012, is incorporated herein by
reference.
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10.4
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First Amendment to Credit Agreement with BMO Harris Bank, N.A.
dated October 31, 2013, filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the
Registrant’s annual report on Form 10-K filed on March 12,
2014, is incorporated herein by reference.
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10.5
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Second Amendment to Credit Agreement with BMO Harris Bank, N.A.
dated October 15, 2014, filed as Exhibit 10.7 to the
Registrant’s annual report on Form 10-K filed on March 12,
2015, is incorporated herein by reference.
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10.6
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Agreement dated April 8, 2015, by and among Noble Roman’s,
Inc. and the Shareholder Parties, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to
Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on April 8, 2015, is incorporated
herein by reference.
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10.7
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Promissory Note payable to Kingsway America, Inc. dated July 1,
2015, filed as Exhibit 10.10 to the Registrant's Form 10-Q filed on
August 11, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference.
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10.8
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Third Amendment to Credit Agreement with BMO Harris Bank, N.A.
dated January 22, 2016,filed as Exhibit 10.11 to the Registrant's
Form 10-K filed on March 14, 2016 is incorporated herein by
reference.
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10.9
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Promissory Note payable to BMO Harris Bank, N.A. dated January 22,
2016, filed as Exhibit 10.12 to the Registrant's Form 10-K filed on
March 14, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference.
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10.1
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Promissory Note payable to Paul Mobley dated December 21, 2015,
filed as Exhibit 10.14 to the Registrant's Form 10-K filed on March
14, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference.
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10.11
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Promissory Note payable to A. Scott Mobley dated December 21, 2015,
filed as Exhibit 10.15 to the Registrant's Form 10-K filed on March
14, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference.
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10.12
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Amended and Restated Promissory Note payable to Paul and Jenny
Mobley dated August 10, 2016, filed as Exhibit 10.12 to the
Registrant's Form 10-Q filed on August 11, 2016 is incorporated
herein by reference.
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10.13
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Amended and Restated Promissory Note payable to Scott Mobley dated
August 10, 2016, filed as Exhibit 10.13 to the Registrant's Form
10-Q filed on August 11, 2016 is incorporated herein by
reference.
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10.14
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Subordination Letter from Paul Mobley dated June 8, 2016, filed as
Exhibit 10.15 to Registrant's Form 10-Q filed on August 11, 2016 is
incorporated herein by reference.
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10.15
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Subordination Letter from A. Scott Mobley dated June 8, 2016, filed
as Exhibit 10.16 to Registrant's Form 10-Q filed on August 11, 2016
is incorporated hereby by reference.
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10.16
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Business Loan and Security Agreement with Super G Funding LLC dated
June 10, 2016, filed as Exhibit 10.17 to the Registrant's Form 10-Q
filed on August 11, 2016 is incorporated hereby by
reference.
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10.17
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Debt and Lien Subordination Agreement between Super G Funding, LLC
and BMO Harris Bank, N.A., filed as Exhibit 10.18 to the
Registrant's Form 10-Q filed on August 11, 2016 is incorporated
hereby by reference
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21.1
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Subsidiaries of the Registrant filed in the Registrant’s
Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (SEC File No. 33-66850) ordered
effective on October 26, 1993, is incorporated herein by
reference.
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C.E.O. Certification under Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)
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C.F.O. Certification under Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)
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C.E.O. Certification under 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
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C.F.O. Certification under 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
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101
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Interactive Financial Data
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