1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In our opinion, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

References to “ASC” included hereinafter refer to the Accounting Standards Codification established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) as the source of authoritative GAAP.

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated (“Bassett”, “we”, “our”, or the “Company”) and our wholly-owned subsidiaries of which we have a controlling interest. In accordance with ASC Topic 810, we have evaluated our licensees and certain other entities to determine whether they are variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of which we are the primary beneficiary and thus would require consolidation in our financial statements. To date we have concluded that none of our licensees nor any other of our counterparties represent VIEs.

Revenue from the sale of furniture and accessories is reported in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of income net of estimates for returns and allowances.

Revenues from logistical services are generated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Zenith Freight Lines, LLC (“Zenith”). Sales of logistical services from Zenith to our wholesale and retail segments have been eliminated in consolidation, and Zenith’s operating costs and expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our condensed consolidated statements of income.

Our fiscal year, which ends on the last Saturday of November, periodically results in a 53-week year instead of the normal 52 weeks. The current fiscal year ending November 30, 2019 is a 53-week year, with the additional week being included in our first fiscal quarter. Accordingly, the information presented below includes 40 weeks of operations for the nine months ended August 31, 2019 as compared with 39 weeks included in the nine months ended August 25, 2018.

Lane Venture Acquisition

On December 21, 2017, we purchased certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Lane Venture from Heritage Home Group, LLC. Lane Venture is being operated as a component of our wholesale segment (see Note 3, Business Combinations). Results of operations for the Lane Venture business are included in our condensed consolidated statements of income since the date of acquisition.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Effective as of the beginning of fiscal 2019, we have adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 addresses how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows with the objective of reducing existing diversity in practice with respect to these items. Among the types of cash flows addressed are payments for costs related to debt prepayments or extinguishments, payments representing accreted interest on discounted debt, payments of contingent consideration after a business combination, proceeds from insurance claims and company-owned life insurance, and distributions from equity method investees, among others. The amendments in ASU 2016-15 are to be adopted retrospectively with comparative amounts in prior period cash flow statements reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Accordingly, for the nine months ended August 25, 2018 we have reclassified investments in Company-owned life insurance (net of death benefits received) of $672 from cash flows from operating activities to cash flows from investing activities, and we have reclassified $78 representing the portion of a debt payment attributable to discount accretion from cash flows from financing activities to cash flows from operating activities.

As of the beginning of fiscal 2019, we also adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue – Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606 or “ASC 606”). Refer to Note 14, Revenue Recognition, for more information regarding the impact of ASC 606 on our financial statements.

2. Interim Financial Presentation

All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the condensed consolidated financial statements. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 24, 2018.

Income Taxes and Impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

We calculate an anticipated effective tax rate for the year based on our annual estimates of pretax income and use that effective tax rate to record our year-to-date income tax provision.  Any change in annual projections of pretax income could have a significant impact on our effective tax rate for the respective quarter.

On December 22, 2017, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was signed into law. The Act reduced the federal statutory corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018 for all corporate taxpayers.  Our effective tax rates of 30.5% and 28.4% for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019, respectively, differ from the federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to the effects of state income taxes and various permanent differences. 

Because the Act specified the new 21% tax rate beginning on January 1, 2018, we were only subject to the reduced rate for 11 months of fiscal 2018.  Therefore, we computed our income tax expense for fiscal 2018 using a blended federal statutory rate of 22.2%.  Our effective tax rates for the three and nine months ended August 25, 2018 were 23.1% and 40.8%, respectively. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended August 25, 2018 differs from the blended statutory rate primarily due to a discrete charge of $2,032 arising from the re-measurement of our deferred tax assets at the lower statutory rate.  Other items impacting our effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended August 25, 2018 included the effects of state income taxes and various permanent differences including the favorable impacts of excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation of $26 and $223, respectively, non-taxable life insurance proceeds of $266 during the nine months ended August 25, 2018, and the Section 199: Domestic Production Activities Deduction, which was eliminated by the Act for our fiscal 2019 tax return.

3. Business Combinations

Acquisition of Lane Venture

On December 21, 2017, we purchased certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Lane Venture from Heritage Home Group, LLC for $15,556 in cash. Lane Venture is a manufacturer and distributor of premium outdoor furniture, and is now being operated as a component of our wholesale segment.

Under the acquisition method of accounting, the fair value of the consideration transferred was allocated to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and the liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date with the remaining unallocated amount recorded as goodwill.

The allocation of the $15,556 all-cash purchase price to the acquired assets and liabilities of the Lane Venture business, was as follows:

Goodwill was determined based on the residual difference between the fair value of the consideration transferred and the value assigned to the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities recognized in connection with the acquisition and is deductible for tax purposes. Among the factors that contributed to a purchase price resulting in the recognition of goodwill are the expected synergies arising from combining the Company’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities with Lane Venture’s position in the outdoor furnishings market, a segment of the market not previously served by Bassett.

A portion of the fair value of the consideration transferred was assigned to identifiable intangible assets as follows:

The finite-lived intangible asset is being amortized on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life. The indefinite-lived intangible asset and goodwill are not amortized but will be tested for impairment annually or between annual tests if an indicator of impairment exists.

The fair values of consideration transferred and net assets acquired were determined using a combination of Level 2 and Level 3 inputs as specified in the fair value hierarchy in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. See Note 4.

Acquisition costs related to the Lane Venture acquisition totaled $256 during the nine months ended August 25, 2018, and are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The acquisition costs are primarily related to legal, accounting and valuation services.

The pro forma results of operations for the acquisition of Lane Venture have not been presented because they are not material to our consolidated results of operations for the nine months ended August 25, 2018.

4. Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

Financial Instruments

Our financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments in certificates of deposit, accounts receivable, cost method investments, accounts payable and notes payable. Because of their short maturities, the carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments in certificates of deposit, accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximate fair value.

Investments

Our short-term investments of $17,643 at August 31, 2019 and $22,643 at November 24, 2018 consisted of certificates of deposit (CDs). At August 31, 2019, the CDs had original terms averaging nine months, bearing interest at rates ranging from 0.85% to 2.70%. At August 31, 2019, the weighted average remaining time to maturity of the CDs was approximately four months and the weighted average yield of the CDs was approximately 2.31%. Each CD is placed with a federally insured financial institution and all deposits are within federal deposit insurance limits. Due to the nature of these investments and their relatively short maturities, the carrying amount of the short-term investments at August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018 approximates their fair value. During the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019 and August 25, 2018, CDs totaling $5,000 and $482, respectively, matured and the proceeds were not reinvested. These maturities are included in cash flows from investing activities in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

Fair Value Measurement 

The Company accounts for items measured at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. ASC 820’s valuation techniques are based on observable and unobservable inputs. Observable inputs reflect readily obtainable data from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect our market assumptions. ASC 820 classifies these inputs into the following hierarchy:

Level 1 Inputs– Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.

Level 2 Inputs– Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.

Level 3 Inputs– Instruments with primarily unobservable value drivers.

We believe that the carrying amounts of our current assets and current liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these items. The recurring estimate of the fair value of our notes payable for disclosure purposes (see Note 8) involves Level 3 inputs. Our primary non-recurring fair value estimates typically involve business acquisitions (Note 3) which involve a combination of Level 2 and Level 3 inputs.

5. Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable consists of the following:

Activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts for the nine months ended August 31, 2019 was as follows:

We believe that the carrying value of our net accounts receivable approximates fair value. The inputs into these fair value estimates reflect our market assumptions and are not observable. Consequently, the inputs are considered to be Level 3 as specified in the fair value hierarchy in ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. See Note 4.

6. Inventories

Domestic furniture inventories are valued at the lower of cost, which is determined using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method, or market. Imported inventories and those applicable to Lane Venture are valued at the lower of cost, which is determined using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method, or net realizable value.

Inventories were comprised of the following:

We estimate an inventory reserve for excess quantities and obsolete items based on specific identification and historical write-offs, taking into account future demand, market conditions and the respective valuations at LIFO. The need for these reserves is primarily driven by the normal product life cycle. As products mature and sales volumes decline, we rationalize our product offerings to respond to consumer tastes and keep our product lines fresh. If actual demand or market conditions in the future are less favorable than those estimated, additional inventory write-downs may be required. In determining reserves, we calculate separate reserves on our wholesale and retail inventories. Our wholesale inventories tend to carry the majority of the reserves for excess quantities and obsolete inventory due to the nature of our distribution model. These wholesale reserves primarily represent design and/or style obsolescence. Typically, product is not shipped to our retail warehouses until a consumer has ordered and paid a deposit for the product. We do not typically hold retail inventory for stock purposes. Consequently, floor sample inventory and inventory for delivery to customers account for the majority of our inventory at retail. Retail reserves are based on accessory and clearance floor sample inventory in our stores and any inventory that is not associated with a specific customer order in our retail warehouses.

Activity in the reserves for excess quantities and obsolete inventory by segment are as follows:

Additions charged to expense for our wholesale segment during the nine months ended August 31, 2019 includes a $390 inventory valuation charge arising from our decision to exit the juvenile furniture line of business.

Our estimates and assumptions have been reasonably accurate in the past. We have not made any significant changes to our methodology for determining inventory reserves in 2019 and do not anticipate that our methodology is likely to change in the future.

7. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets consisted of the following:

There were no accumulated impairment losses on goodwill as of August 31, 2019 or November 24, 2018.

The carrying amounts of goodwill by reportable segment at both August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018 were as follows:

Amortization expense associated with intangible assets during the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019 and August 25, 2018 was as follows:

Estimated future amortization expense for intangible assets that exist at August 31, 2019 is as follows:

8. Notes Payable and Bank Credit Facility

Real Estate Notes Payable

Certain of our retail real estate properties were financed through commercial mortgages with outstanding principal totaling $292 at November 24, 2018, which was included in other current liabilities and accrued expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet. These obligations were paid in full during the third quarter of fiscal 2019.

Fair Value

We believe that the carrying amount of our notes payable approximated fair value at November 24, 2018. In estimating the fair value, we utilize current market interest rates for similar instruments. The inputs into these fair value calculations reflect our market assumptions and are not observable. Consequently, the inputs are considered to be Level 3 as specified in the fair value hierarchy in ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. See Note 4.

Bank Credit Facility

Our credit facility with our bank provides for a line of credit of up to $25,000. This credit facility is unsecured and contains covenants requiring us to maintain certain key financial ratios. We are in compliance with all covenants under the agreement and expect to remain in compliance for the foreseeable future. The credit facility will mature in December 2021.

At August 31, 2019, we had $2,798 outstanding under standby letters of credit against our line, leaving availability under our credit line of $22,202. In addition, we have outstanding standby letters of credit with another bank totaling $325.

9. Post Employment Benefit Obligations

Defined Benefit Plans

We have an unfunded Supplemental Retirement Income Plan (the “Supplemental Plan”) that covers one current and certain former executives. The liability for the Supplemental Plan was $10,065 and $10,574 as of August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018, respectively.

We also have the Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated Management Savings Plan (the “Management Savings Plan”) which was established in the second quarter of fiscal 2017. The Management Savings Plan is an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan maintained for the benefit of certain highly compensated or management level employees. As part of the Management Savings Plan, we have made Long Term Cash Awards (“LTC Awards”) totaling $2,000 to certain management employees in the amount of $400 each. The liability for the LTC Awards was $1,147 and $1,078 as of August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018, respectively.

The combined pension liability for the Supplemental Plan and LTC Awards is recorded as follows in the condensed consolidated balance sheets:

Components of net periodic pension costs for our defined benefit plans for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019 and August 25, 2018 are as follows:

The components of net periodic pension cost other than the service cost component are included in other loss, net in our condensed consolidated statements of income.

Deferred Compensation Plans

We have an unfunded deferred compensation plan that covers one current executive and certain former executives and provides for voluntary deferral of compensation. This plan has been frozen with no additional participants or deferrals permitted. Our liability under this plan was $1,782 and $1,837 as of August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018, respectively.

We also have an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan maintained for the benefit of certain highly compensated or management level employees which was established under the Management Savings Plan. Our liability under this plan, including both accrued Company contributions and participant salary deferrals, was $786 and $611 as of August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018, respectively.

Our combined liability for all deferred compensation arrangements, including Company contributions and participant deferrals under the Management Savings Plan, is recorded as follows in the condensed consolidated balance sheets:

We recognized expense under our deferred compensation arrangements during the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019 and August 25, 2018 as follows:

10. Other Operating Gains and Losses

Fiscal 2019

Early Retirement Program

During the first quarter of fiscal 2019, we offered a voluntary early retirement package to certain eligible employees of the Company. Twenty-three employees accepted the offer, which expired on February 28, 2019. These employees are to receive pay equal to one-half their current salary plus benefits over a period of one year from the final day of each individual’s active employment. Accordingly, we recognized a charge of $835 during the nine months ended August 31, 2019. The unpaid obligation of $564 is included in other current liabilities and accrued expenses in our condensed consolidated balance sheet as of August 31, 2019.

Fiscal 2018

Sale of Retail Location

In May 2018 we sold the land and building occupied by our Spring, Texas retail store in connection with the eventual relocation of the store to another site in the Houston market. We received net cash proceeds of $2,463 from the sale, resulting in a gain of $165 recognized during the nine months ended August 25, 2018 which is included in income from operations in our accompanying condensed consolidated statements of income.

11. Commitments and Contingencies

We are involved in various legal and environmental matters, which arise in the normal course of business. Although the final outcome of these matters cannot be determined, based on the facts presently known, we believe that the final resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position or future results of operations.

We lease land and buildings that are used in the operation of our Company-owned retail stores as well as in the operation of certain of our licensee-owned stores, and we lease land and buildings at various locations throughout the continental United States for warehousing and distribution hubs used in our retail and logistical services segments. We also lease tractors and trailers used in our logistical services segment, and local delivery trucks used in our retail segment. Our real estate lease terms range from one to 15 years and generally have renewal options of between five and 15 years. Some store leases contain contingent rental provisions based upon sales volume. Our transportation equipment leases have terms ranging from two to seven years with fixed monthly rental payments plus variable charges based upon mileage. The following schedule shows future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases with terms in excess of one year as of August 31, 2019:

Improvement allowances received from lessors at the inception of a lease are deferred and amortized over the term of the lease. The unamortized balance of such amounts was $8,016 and $6,716 at August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018, respectively, with the non-current portion of $6,793 and $5,715, respectively, included in other long term liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets and the remaining current portion included in other current liabilities and accrued expenses. At August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018 prepaid rent of $3,079 and $245, respectively, was included in other current assets in our condensed consolidated balance sheets.

We also have guaranteed certain lease obligations of licensee operators. Lease guarantees range from one to ten years. We were contingently liable under licensee lease obligation guarantees in the amount of $1,818 and $2,021 at August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018, respectively.

In the event of default by an independent dealer under the guaranteed lease, we believe that the risk of loss is mitigated through a combination of options that include, but are not limited to, arranging for a replacement dealer or liquidating the collateral (primarily inventory). The proceeds of the above options are expected to cover the estimated amount of our future payments under the guarantee obligations, net of recorded reserves. The fair value of lease guarantees (an estimate of the cost to the Company to perform on these guarantees) at August 31, 2019 and November 24, 2018 was not material.

12. Earnings Per Share

The following reconciles basic and diluted earnings per share:

For the three and nine months ended August 31, 2019 and August 25, 2018, the following potentially dilutive shares were excluded from the computations as their effect was anti-dilutive:

13. Segment Information

We have strategically aligned our business into three reportable segments as defined in ASC 280, Segment Reporting, and as described below:

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, we substantially completed transferring operational control of home delivery services for BHF stores from Zenith to our retail segment, including the transfer of the assets and many of the employees used in providing that service. Accordingly, the results for the retail and logistical services segments for all periods presented have been restated to present the depreciation and amortization, capital expenditures and identifiable assets associated with home delivery services formerly provided by Zenith to the Bassett retail segment as though they had been incurred within the retail segment, and intercompany revenues for those services are no longer included in the logistical services segment. The impact of the restatement upon the income (loss) from operations for both the logistical services and retail segments was not material. Concurrently with the transfer of home delivery operations to retail, Zenith also ceased providing such services to third party customers. Revenues from Zenith’s home delivery services formerly provided to third party customers and the associated costs thereof continue to be reported in the logistical services segment. Zenith continues to provide other intercompany shipping and warehousing services to Bassett which are eliminated in consolidation.

Inter-company net sales elimination represents the elimination of wholesale sales to our Company-owned stores and the elimination of Zenith logistics revenue from our wholesale and retail segments. Inter-company income elimination includes the embedded wholesale profit in the Company-owned store inventory that has not been realized. These profits will be recorded when merchandise is delivered to the retail consumer. The inter-company income elimination also includes rent paid by our retail stores occupying Company-owned real estate, and the elimination of shipping and handling charges from Zenith for services provided to our wholesale and retail operations.

The following table presents our segment information: