ITEM 2: | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
Unless indicated otherwise, or the context otherwise requires, references in this report to the “Company,” “
Morgan Group,” “
Morgan,” “we,” “us,” and “our” or similar terms are to
Morgan Group Holding Co. and its subsidiary.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Our disclosure and analysis in this Form 10-Q contains some forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements because they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will,” “should,” “may,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. They also appear in any discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, future performance of our products, expenses, the outcome of any legal proceedings, and financial results. Although we believe that we are basing our expectations and beliefs on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of what we currently know about our business and operations, there can be no assurance that our actual results will not differ materially from what we expect or believe. We are providing these statements as permitted by the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We do not undertake to update publicly any forward-looking statements if we subsequently learn that we are unlikely to achieve our expectations or if we receive any additional information relating to the subject matters of our forward-looking statements.
OVERVIEW
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q. This discussion contains forward-looking statements and involves numerous risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements as discussed under “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” appearing elsewhere in this Form 10-Q.
Morgan Group (OTC Pink®: MGHL), through G.research, acts as an underwriter and provides institutional research services. Institutional research services revenues consist of brokerage commissions derived from securities transactions executed on an agency basis or direct payments from institutional clients as well as underwriting profits, selling concessions and management fees associated with underwriting activities. Commission revenues vary directly with the perceived value of the research provided, as well as account activity and new account generation.
In light of the dynamics created by COVID-19 and its impact on the global supply chain and banks, oil, travel and leisure including the temporary closure of businesses deemed non-essential across the United States, we anticipate lower transaction volumes from our institutional clients. As a result of this pandemic, the majority of our employees are working remotely, including our order execution services. However, there has been no material impact of remote work arrangements on our operations, including our financial reporting systems, internal control over financial reporting, and disclosure controls and procedures, and there has been no material challenge in implementing our business continuity plan. The sponsored conferences are taking place as planned using virtual service providers. While at the present time, the Company is unable to estimate the potential impact of COVID-19 on its financial condition, a significant prolonged disruption in the financial markets leading to materially lower trading activity of the Company’s clients would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s revenue, operating results and financial position. Any potential impact to our results of operations and financial condition will depend to a large extent on future developments and new information that could emerge regarding the duration and severity of COVID-19 and the actions taken by authorities and other entities to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, all of which are beyond our control. We will continue to monitor the virus’ impact on our customers, clients, and financial results.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table (in thousands, except per share data) and discussion of our results of operations are based upon data derived from the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income contained in our condensed consolidated financial statements and should be read in conjunction with those statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q:
| | Three Months Ended June 30, | | | Six Months Ended June 30, | |
| | 2022 | | | 2021 | | | 2022 | | | 2021 | |
Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Commissions | | $ | 450 | | | $ | 566 | | | $ | 953 | | | $ | 1,222 | |
Principal transactions | | | 7 | | | | (2 | ) | | | 7 | | | | (5 | ) |
Dividends and interest | | | 9 | | | | 3 | | | | 14 | | | | 12 | |
Underwriting fees | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | 6 | |
Other revenues | | | 9 | | | | 17 | | | | 9 | | | | 27 | |
Total revenues | | | 475 | | | | 584 | | | | 984 | | | | 1,263 | |
Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Compensation and related costs | | | 293 | | | | 627 | | | | 621 | | | | 1,315 | |
Clearing charges | | | 228 | | | | 164 | | | | 458 | | | | 350 | |
General and administrative | | | 237 | | | | 430 | | | | 462 | | | | 718 | |
Occupancy and equipment | | | 68 | | | | 85 | | | | 141 | | | | 163 | |
Total expenses | | | 827 | | | | 1,305 | | | | 1,682 | | | | 2,546 | |
Loss before income tax benefit | | | (351 | ) | | | (721 | ) | | | (698 | ) | | | (1,283 | ) |
Income tax benefit | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
Net loss | | $ | (351 | ) | | $ | (721 | ) | | $ | (698 | ) | | $ | (1,283 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net loss per share | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic and diluted | | $ | (0.59 | ) | | $ | (1.20 | ) | | $ | (1.16 | ) | | $ | (2.14 | ) |
Three Months Ended June 30, 2022 as Compared to the Three Months Ended June 30, 2021
Revenues
Institutional research service revenues were $0.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, $0.1 million, or 20.6%, lower than total revenues of $0.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Institutional research services revenues by revenue component, excluding principal transactions and dividends and interest, were as follows (dollars in thousands):
| | Three Months Ended June 30, | | | Increase (Decrease) | |
| | 2022 | | | 2021 | | | $ | | |
| % | |
Commissions | | $ | 421 | | | $ | 493 | | | $ | (72 | ) | | | -14.7 | % |
Hard dollar payments | | | 29 | | | | 74 | | | | (44 | ) | | | -60.4 | % |
| | | 450 | | | | 566 | | | $ | (117 | ) | | | -20.6 | % |
Underwriting fees | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | n/a | |
Total | | $ | 450 | | | $ | 566 | | | $ | (117 | ) | | | -20.6 | % |
Commissions and hard dollar payments for the three months ended June 30, 2022 were $0.5 million, a $0.6 million, or 20.6%, decrease from $0.1 million in the comparable 2021 period. The decrease was primarily due to lower brokerage commissions from securities transactions executed on an agency basis. For the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, G.research earned $0.3 million and $0.3 million, or approximately 58% and 52%, of its commission revenue from transactions executed on behalf of funds advised by Gabelli Funds, LLC (“Gabelli Funds”) and clients advised by GAMCO Asset Management Inc. (“GAMCO Asset”).
Principal Transactions
During the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, net gains from principal transactions were negligible.
Interest and dividend increased to $0.01 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022 primarily due to a slight increase in short-term interest rates.
Expenses
Total expenses were $0.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, a decrease of $0.5 million, or 36.7%, from $1.3 million in the comparable 2021 period. The decrease results primarily from lower compensation and related costs along with general and administrative expenses reductions.
Compensation costs, which includes salaries, bonuses, and benefits, were $0.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, a decrease of $0.3 million from $0.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. The decrease was due to headcount reductions and lower commission expense in line with lower commission revenues.
Income Tax Benefit
For the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, we recorded income tax benefits of $0.0 million and $0.0 million, respectively, and the effective tax rate (“ETR”) was 0.0% and 0.0%, respectively. The ETR differs from the U.S. corporate rate of 21%, for all periods, due to state taxes and a valuation allowance recorded on the deferred tax assets, mainly net operating loss carryforwards.
Net Loss
Net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2022 was $0.4 million versus $0.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021
.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 as Compared to the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021
Revenues
Institutional research service revenues were $1.0 million for six months ended June 30, 2022, $0.2 million, or 22.0%, lower than total revenues of $1.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. Institutional research services revenues by revenue component, excluding principal transactions and dividends and interest, were as follows (dollars in thousands):
| | Six Months Ended June 30, | | | Increase (Decrease) | |
| | 2022 | | | 2021 | | | $ | | |
| % | |
Commissions | | $ | 881 | | | $ | 1,084 | | | $ | (204 | ) | | | -18.8 | % |
Hard dollar payments | | | 73 | | | | 138 | | | | (65 | ) | | | -47.1 | % |
| | | 953 | | | | 1,222 | | | $ | (269 | ) | | | -22.0 | % |
Underwriting fees | | | - | | | | 6 | | | | (6 | ) | | | -100.0 | % |
Total | | $ | 953 | | | $ | 1,228 | | | $ | (275 | ) | | | -22.4 | % |
Commissions and hard dollar payments in the 2022 period were $1.0 million, a $0.2 million, or 22.0%, decrease from $1.2 million in the comparable 2021 period. The decrease was primarily due to lower brokerage commissions from securities transactions executed on an agency basis. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, respectively, G.research earned $0.5 million and $0.7 million, or approximately 56% and 54%, of its commission revenue from transactions executed on behalf of funds advised by Gabelli Funds and clients advised by GAMCO Asset.
Principal Transactions
During the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, net losses from principal transactions were negligible.
Interest and dividend income remained steady at $0.01 million over the six months ended June 30, 2022 from the comparable 2021 period as a slight increase in short-term interest rates offset lower cash and cash equivalents balances.
Expenses
Total expenses were $1.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, a decrease of $0.8 million, or 33.9%, from $2.5 million in the comparable 2021 period. The decrease results primarily from lower compensation and related costs and a reductions in general and administrative costs.
Compensation costs, which includes salaries, bonuses, and benefits, were $0.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, a decrease of $0.7 million from $1.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The decrease was due to headcount reductions and a decrease in commission expense driven by lower commission income.
Clearing expenses increased by $0.1 million to $0.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022 from $0.4 million for the same period in 2021. The increase was due to a modification in clearing broker terms.
Income Tax Benefit
For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, we recorded income tax benefits of $0.0 million and $0.0 million, respectively, and the ETR was 0.0% and 0.0%, respectively. The ETR differs from the U.S. corporate rate of 21%, for all periods, due to state taxes and a valuation allowance recorded on the deferred tax assets, mainly net operating loss carryforwards.
Net Loss
Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2022 was $0.7 million versus $1.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Our principal assets are highly liquid in nature and consist of cash and cash equivalents, comprised primarily of a 100% U.S. Treasury money market fund, The Gabelli U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund, advised by Gabelli Funds, LLC, which is an affiliate of the Company. Summary cash flow data for the first six months of 2022 and 2021 was as follows (in thousands):
| | Six months ended June 30, | |
| | 2021 | | | 2020 | |
Cash flows provided by (used in) activities: | | | | | | |
Operating activities | | $ | (389 | ) | | $ | (1,460 | ) |
Financing activities | | | - | | | | - | |
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents | | | (389 | ) | | | (1,460 | ) |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | | | 2,889 | | | | 4,746 | |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | | $ | 2,500 | | | $ | 3,287 | |
As of June 30, 2022 the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $2.5 million. Net cash used by operating activities was $0.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, resulting from a net loss of $0.7 million and net decrease in operating liabilities of $0.1 million and an increase in operating assets of $0.4 million. As of June 30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of $3.2 million, a decrease of $1.6 million from December 31, 2020, primarily due to the Company’s operating activities.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods presented. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. See Note B in Part II, Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, and the Company’s Critical Accounting Policies in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, in Morgan Group’s 2021 annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2022 for details on Critical Accounting Policies.
ITEM 3. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
Smaller reporting companies are not required to provide the information required by this item.
ITEM 4. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
The Company maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures that is designed to provide reasonable assurance that information, which is required to be timely disclosed, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported to management within the time periods specified in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act. The Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, after evaluating the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report, have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and are effective to provide reasonable assurance that such information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined by Rule 13a-15(f) that occurred during our most recently completed fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II: | OTHER INFORMATION |
From time to time, the Company may be named in legal actions and proceedings. These actions may seek substantial or indeterminate compensatory as well as punitive damages or injunctive relief. The Company is also subject to governmental or regulatory examinations or investigations. The examinations or investigations could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, injunctions, restitutions or other relief. For any such matters, the condensed consolidated financial statements include the necessary provisions for losses that the Company believes are probable and estimable. Furthermore, the Company evaluates whether there exist losses which may be reasonably possible and will, if material, make the necessary disclosures. However, management believes such amounts, both those that are probable and those that are reasonably possible, are not material to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows at June 30, 2022. See also Note 9, Guarantees, Contingencies, and Commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item I of this Form 10-Q.
Smaller reporting companies are not required to provide the information required by this item.
| 31.1 | Certification of CEO pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a). |
| 31.2 | Certification of CAO pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a). |
| 32.1 | Certification of CEO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
| 32.2 | Certification of CAO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002. |
101.INS | XBRL Instance Document |
101.SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
101.DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document |
101.LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document |
101.PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
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.
MORGAN GROUP HOLDING CO. |
(Registrant) |
|
By: /s/ Joseph L. Fernandez |
Name: Joseph L. Fernandez |
Title: Executive Vice President - Finance |
|
Date: August 15, 2022 |
20