live-10k_20190930.htm

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

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 every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If any emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates computed based on the closing sales price of such stock on March 30, 2019 was $15,200,000.

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, as of January 29, 2020, was 1,765,196 shares.

As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Form 10-K”), unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, references to "we," "us," "our," the "Company," "Live Ventures" and similar references refer collectively to Live Ventures Incorporated and its subsidiaries.

This Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which involve risks and uncertainties. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as ‘‘believes,’’ ‘‘expects,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘seeks,’’ ‘‘approximately,’’ ‘‘intends,’’ ‘‘plans,’’ ‘‘estimates’’ or ‘‘anticipates’’ or similar expressions that concern our strategy, plans or intentions. Any statements we make relating to our future operations, performance and results, and anticipated liquidity are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time, and, therefore, our actual results may differ materially from those we expected. We derive most of our forward-looking statements from our operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, we caution that it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations, including, without limitation, in conjunction with the forward-looking statements included in this Form 10-K are disclosed in Item 1-Business, Item 1A – Risk Factors and Item 7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Some of the factors that we believe could affect our results include:

We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K may not in fact occur. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Any information contained on our website (www.liveventures.com) or any other websites referenced in this Form 10-K are not a part of this Form 10-K.

Live Ventures Incorporated, a Nevada corporation originally incorporated in the State of New Mexico in 1968 as Nuclear Corporation of New Mexico, is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: LIVE) holding company for diversified businesses. In fiscal year 2015, we commenced a strategic shift in our business plan away from solely providing online marketing solutions for small and medium business to acquiring profitable companies in various industries that have demonstrated a strong history of earnings power.

Under the Live Ventures brand, we seek opportunities to acquire profitable and well-managed companies. We work closely with third parties to help us identify target companies that fit within the criteria we have established for opportunities.

Marquis Industries, Inc. (“Marquis”) is a leading carpet manufacturer and a manufacturer of innovative yarn products, as well as a reseller of hard surface flooring products. Over the last decade, Marquis has been an innovator and leader in the value-oriented polyester carpet sector. We focus on the residential, niche commercial, and hospitality end-markets and serve over 2,000 customers.

On December 21, 2018, Marquis sold its A-O division to a third party for approximately $5.5 million in cash plus $0.10 per pound of nylon sold by the purchaser during the 36-month period immediately following the closing of such sale.

On November 1, 2019, Marquis entered into a purchase agreement, as amended (as amended, the “LOTC Purchase Agreement”), to acquire the outstanding capital stock of Lonesome Oak Trading Co., Inc. (“Lonesome Oak”). Pursuant to the LOTC Purchase Agreement, Marquis will acquire from the sole shareholder of Lonesome Oak (the “LOTC Shareholder”) all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Lonesome Oak. The transaction value under the Purchase Agreement is approximately $14.0 million. In addition, following the closing of the transaction, Lonesome Oak will be leasing back from the LOTC Shareholder certain properties owned by affiliates of the LOTC Shareholder that will be used in Lonesome Oak’s operations. Marquis will hold back $1.2 million of the purchase price (the “Holdback Amount”) to satisfy claims for indemnity arising out of breaches of certain representations, warranties, and covenants, and certain other enumerated items, if any. In connection with the closing of the transaction, the LOTC Shareholder will enter into an employment agreement with a five-year term and will serve as Lonesome Oak’s Executive Vice President pursuant to the terms thereof. Lonesome Oak had gross revenues of approximately $48.0 million for its 2018 fiscal year. At November 1, 2019, Lonesome Oak had approximately 280 employees. The parties expect that the transaction will close within the Company’s second fiscal quarter, subject to customary closing conditions. The LOTC Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties, and covenants. Subject to certain exceptions, the LOTC Shareholder has agreed to indemnify Marquis for breaches of certain representations, warranties, and covenants, and certain other enumerated items, if any. Indemnification by the LOTC Shareholder for breaches of certain representations and warranties is generally limited to the Holdback Amount. The LOTC Purchase Agreement contains a three-year non-competition covenant and non-solicitation covenant that apply to the LOTC Shareholder. The transaction closed on January 31, 2020.

At September 30, 2019, Marquis operated its business through 10 divisions, each specializing in a distinct area of the business. Marquis’ flooring source division is the largest of all of the operating divisions, with sales to over 2,000 floor covering dealers. The following is a breakdown of each division and the specialized products sold:

Marquis produces innovative residential and commercial floorcovering products. Marquis has 26 running line styles offering outstanding quality and value. It also offers special value in polyester and nylon styles. Marquis products feature high twist yarns produced with ultra-soft fibers and are designed to perform well in high traffic areas.

Marquis’s specialty print divisions offer printed patterned carpet designed for commercial applications. Patterns are tailored to a variety of end uses from fun centers, movies theatres, hotels, casinos and corporate. All products are printed on high performance nylon and are soil and stain resistant.

The Marquis Hard Surface product lineup includes products designed for both residential and commercial end uses. Marquis’s product offering has remained on the cutting edge of this rapidly evolving segment of the flooring industry and will continue to be an innovator in new technology and design. Marquis Hard Surface currently offers dry back, click and lock luxury vinyl plank and hundreds of rolls of vinyl flooring.

Marquis is an integrated carpet manufacturer, seller of hard surface products and manufacturer of nylon yarn within a fragmented industry composed of a wide variety of companies from small privately held firms to large multinationals. In 2018, the U.S. floor covering industry had an estimated $27.1 billion in sales.

Floor covering sales are influenced by the homeowner remodeling and residential builder markets, existing home sales and housing starts, average house size and home ownership. In addition, the level of sales in the floor covering industry is influenced by consumer confidence, spending for durable goods, the condition of residential and commercial construction, and overall strength of the economy.

The carpet and rug industry had shipments of $11.5 billion in 2018. The carpet and rugs industry has two primary markets, residential and commercial, with the residential market making up the largest portion of the industry. The industry has two primary sub-markets, replacement and new construction, with the replacement market making up the larger portion of the sub-markets. Approximately 59% of industry shipments are made in response to residential replacement demand.

Residential products consist of broadloom carpets and rugs in a broad range of styles, colors and textures. Commercial products consist primarily of broadloom carpet and modular carpet tile for a variety of institutional applications including office buildings, restaurant chains, schools and other commercial establishments. The carpet industry also manufactures carpet for the automotive, recreational vehicle, small boat and other industries.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (the “CRI”) is the national trade association representing carpet and rug manufacturers. Information compiled by the CRI suggests that the domestic carpet and rug industry is comprised of fewer than 100 manufacturers, with a meaningful percentage of the industry's production concentrated in a limited number of manufacturers focused on the lower end of the price curve.

Hard flooring surfaces such as ceramic, luxury vinyl tile, hardwood, stone, and laminate had shipments of $15.5 billion in 2018. As with carpet and rugs, the market is split between residential and commercial and replacement and new construction, with residential replacement being the largest segment of the market.

The North American flooring industry is highly competitive with an increasing variety of product categories, shifting consumer preferences and pressures from imported products, particularly in the rug and hard surface categories. Marquis competes with other flooring manufacturers and resellers. Marquis is a fully integrated carpet mill, and, as a result, is able to produce carpet at the lowest cost possible for its target price point. Marquis is a one stop shop for soft and hard surface products, allowing its customers to save time and receive exceptional service. Marquis offers innovative products and has quick turnaround times turning a new product in two weeks from order to delivery. The principal methods of competition are service, quality, price, product innovation and technology. Marquis’ lean operating structure plus investments in manufacturing equipment, computer systems and marketing strategy contribute to its ability to provide exceptional value on the basis of performance, quality, style and service.

We believe that we will have access to an adequate supply of raw material on satisfactory commercial terms for the foreseeable future. We are not dependent on any one supplier.

Marquis sells products to flooring dealers, home centers, other flooring manufacturers and directly to end users. Approximately 70% of sales are to a network of over 2,000 flooring dealers across several different end markets, geographies, and product lines. Management believes that the dealer market is the most profitable market for its products because it’s a diversified customer base that values innovation, style, and service. Dealer networks typically allow Marquis to achieve higher margin, lower volume accounts.

Marquis has a manufacturing facility with state-of-the-art equipment in all phases of its vertically integrated production, from extrusion of yarn to yarn processing to tufting carpet. Marquis manufactures high quality products and offer unique customization with exceptionally short lead-times. Marquis has recently invested in new, efficient equipment to expand the yarn extrusion capacity to enter new markets. The new equipment allows Marquis to reduce production costs and increase margins.

Marquis has a team of 29 full-time salespeople who deepen customer relationships throughout its markets.

Vintage Stock is an award-winning specialty entertainment retailer with 62 storefronts across the Midwest and Southwest. Vintage Stock enjoys a wide customer base comprised of electronic entertainment enthusiasts, avid collectors, female gamers, children, seniors and more. Vintage Stock offers a large selection of entertainment products including new and pre-owned movies, video games and music products, as well as ancillary products such as books, comics, toys and collectibles all available in a single location. With its integrated buy-sell-trade business model, Vintage Stock buys, sells and trades new and pre-owned movies, music, video games, electronics and collectibles through 35 Vintage Stock, 13 Movie Trading Company, 11 EntertainMart and 3 V-Stock retail locations strategically positioned across Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, Idaho, and New Mexico. Stores range in size from 3,000 square feet to as large as 46,000 square feet depending on market draw and population density. In addition to offering a wide array of products, Vintage Stock also offers services to customers, such as rentals, special orders, disc and video game hardware repair and more. Vintage Stock also sells new and used movies, video games, music, and toys through http://www.vintagestock.com. Vintage Stock’s “Cooler Than Cash” program rewards loyal customers. When Vintage Stock customers bring in items to sell, the customer has two options: (i) sell their pre-owned products for cash or (ii) opt for store credit and receive a fifty percent bonus.

Vintage Stock sources its products through purchasing and trade-ins from customers as well as through distributors, including Ingram Entertainment, Inc., Alliance Entertainment, Inc., Ingram Book Company, Inc., and Diamond Comics, Inc.

At September 30, 2019, ApplianceSmart operated 4 stores: two in Minnesota; one Ohio; and one in Georgia. ApplianceSmart is a major household appliance retailer with two product categories: one consisting of typical and commonly available, innovative appliances, and the other consisting of affordable value-priced, niche offerings such as close-outs, factory overruns, discontinued models, and special-buy appliances, including open box merchandise and others. One example of a special-buy appliance may be due to manufacturer product redesign, in which a current model is updated to include a few new features and is then assigned a new model number. Because the major manufacturers—primarily Whirlpool, General Electric, and Electrolux—ship only the latest models to retailers, a large quantity of the previous models often remain in the manufacturers' inventories. Special-buy appliances typically are not integrated into the manufacturers’ normal distribution channels and require a different method of management, which we provide. For many years, manufacturers relied on small appliance dealers to buy these specialty products to sell in their stores. However, today small retailers are struggling to compete with large appliance chains as the ten largest retailers of major appliances account for more than 85% of the sales volume. At the same time, expansion of big-box retailers that sell appliances has created an increase in the number of special-buy units, further straining the traditional outlet system for these appliances. Because these special-buy appliances have value, manufacturers and retailers need an efficient management system to recover their worth.

ApplianceSmart has entered into contracts for purchasing appliances that it sells in ApplianceSmart stores and in its commercial contracts. These contracts and arrangements are with the following five major manufacturers:

There are no guarantees on the number of units any of the manufacturers will sell us. However, we believe purchases from these manufacturers will provide an adequate supply of high-quality appliances for our ApplianceSmart stores and our commercial division.

On December 9, 2019, ApplianceSmart filed a voluntary petition (the “Chapter 11 Case”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Bankruptcy Court”) seeking relief under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”). The bankruptcy affects Live Ventures’ indirect subsidiary ApplianceSmart only and does not affect any other subsidiary of Live Ventures, or Live Ventures itself. ApplianceSmart expects to continue to operate its business in the ordinary course of business as debtor-in-possession under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and the orders of the Bankruptcy Court. In addition, the Company reserves its right to file a motion seeking authority to use cash collateral of the lenders under the reserve-based revolving credit facility. The case is being administrated under the caption In re: ApplianceSmart, Inc. (case number 19-13887). Court filings and other information related to the Chapter 11 Case are available at the PACER Case Locator website for those registered to do so or at the Courthouse located at One Bowling Green, Manhattan, New York 10004.

Vintage Stock. Vintage Stock markets its stores primarily via social media apps including but not limited to individual store & corporate Facebook and Twitter accounts. We have an approximately 550,000 customer list for distribution of our digital new release catalog and promotion of online and brick and mortar sales and coupons. In early 2018, Vintage Stock started converting accounts to mobile numbers to better engage its customers with offers and sales. Vintage Stock also uses guerrilla marketing by partnering and setting up booths with movie theaters for blockbuster releases, various trade fairs, and school donations.

ApplianceSmart. Our ApplianceSmart concept includes establishing large showrooms in metropolitan locations where we offer consumers a selection of hundreds of appliances at each of our stores. Our visual branding consists of ample display of product, manufacturers’ signage and custom-designed ApplianceSmart materials. We advertise our stores through television, radio, print media, social media and direct mail. Through www.ApplianceSmart.com, consumers can also search our inventory and purchase appliances online.

Vintage Stock. According to the Entertainment Software Association, today’s video games provide rich, engaging entertainment for players across all platforms. The 2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry Report (the “Video Game Industry Report”) underscores how video games have evolved into a mass medium, noting that over 164 million adults in the United States play video games, and three-quarters of Americans have at least one gamer in their household. In addition, the Video Game Industry Report also stated that in 2018, the industry generated $35.8 billion in video game content spending, up from $30.4 billion in 2017. Total video game content spending included purchases of digital content such as online subscriptions, downloadable content, mobile applications, and social networking games. Total consumer spending in the video game industry reached $43.4 billion in 2018, representing a 20% rise over 2017’s $36 billion, per recent data released by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service/Digital Games Tracking Service.

Separately, sixty-five percent (65%) of American adults play video games up from 45% in 2015, according to Entertainment Software Association (ESA). Gamers are spending an average of 11% of their leisure time with video games this year, a figure that has remained largely consistently over the past few years. The overall average age of gamers is 33 years and they have been playing video games for 14 years on average. These figures are a continuation of the trend that the average gamer age has been decreasing while the number of years playing has increased.

ApplianceSmart. The U.S. major appliance industry is increasing, growing by 2.9% over the course of the last five years. The Company also believes that the market is undergoing a significant advancement of “smart” or “connected” appliances. According to Grand View Research, manufacturers are investing substantially in research and development in the connected appliance space. With integrated computer chip and screens in refrigerators, consumers can sync up grocery lists, recipes, and even play a Pandora playlist through their appliance. According to Statista, these so called “smart appliances” generated approximately $887 million in 2016, which is a significant increase over 2011 (approximately $105 million). According to Grand View Research, the two major distribution channels for consumers to purchase appliances are brick and mortal retail and ecommerce. Brick and mortar retail holds the majority share in revenue and the Company believes will continue to increase through 2025.

Vintage Stock. Our industry is intensely competitive and subject to rapid changes in consumer preferences and frequent new product introductions. Competition is based on the ability to adopt new technology, aggressive franchising, establishment of brand names and quality of collections. We compete with mass merchants and regional chains; computer product and consumer electronics stores; other video game and PC software specialty stores; toy retail chains; direct sales by software publishers; and online retailers and game rental companies. We have, however, established a presence in areas where we can take a greater portion of market share. Video game products are also distributed through other methods such as digital delivery. We also compete with sellers of pre-owned and value video game products. Additionally, we compete with other forms of entertainment activities, including casual and mobile games, movies, television, theater, sporting events and family entertainment centers.

ApplianceSmart. Our competition comes mainly from new-appliance and other special-buy retailers. Each ApplianceSmart store competes with local and national retail appliance chains, as well as with independently owned retailers. Many of these retailers have been in business longer than us and may have significantly greater assets. Many factors, including obtaining adequate resources to create and support the infrastructure required to operate large-scale appliance recycling and replacement programs, affect competition in the industry.

Our success will depend significantly on our ability to develop and maintain the proprietary aspects of our technology and operate without infringing upon the intellectual property rights of third parties. We currently rely primarily on a combination of copyright, trade secret and trademark laws, confidentiality procedures, contractual provisions, and similar measures to protect our intellectual property.

We estimate that reliance upon trade secrets and unpatented proprietary know-how will continue to be our principal method of protecting our trade secrets and other proprietary technologies. While we have hired third-party contractors to help develop our proprietary software and to provide various fulfillment services, we generally own (or have permissive licenses for) the intellectual property provided by these contractors. Our proprietary software is not substantially dependent on any third-party software, although our software does utilize open source code. Notwithstanding the use of this open source code, we do not believe our usage requires public disclosure of our own source code nor do we believe the use of open source code will have a material impact on our business.

We register some of our product names, slogans and logos in the United States. In addition, we generally require our employees, contractors and many of those with whom we have business relationships to sign non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements. Neither intellectual property laws, contractual arrangements, nor any of the other steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property, can ensure that third parties will not exploit our technologies or develop similar technologies.

Our proprietary publishing system provides an advanced set of integrated tools for design, service, and modifications to support our mobile web app services. Our mobile web app builder software enables easy and efficient design, end user modification and administration, and includes a variety of other tools accessible by our team members.

We continue to generate revenue from servicing our existing customers under our legacy product offerings, primarily our InstantProfile® line of products and services. These services primarily consist of directory listing services. Because of the change in our business strategy and product lines, we no longer accept new customers under our legacy product and service offerings.

Our principal offices are located at 325 E. Warm Springs Road, Suite 102, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119, our telephone number is (702) 939-0231, and our corporate website (which does not form part of this Form 10-K) is located at www.liveventures.com.

As of September 30, 2019, we had approximately 1,000 employees, of which approximately 650 were full-time employees, in the United States, none of whom were covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

The following are certain risks that could affect our business and our results of operations. The risks identified below are not all encompassing but should be considered in establishing an opinion of our future operations.

Our results of operations could fluctuate due to factors outside of our control.

Our operating results have historically fluctuated significantly, and we could continue to experience fluctuations or revert to declining operating results due to factors that may or may not be within our control. Such factors include the following:

If we do not effectively manage our growth and business, our management, administrative, operational, and financial infrastructure and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

We have expanded our business over the past few years through the acquisition of different businesses in different industries and we intend to continue to acquire additional businesses (and possibly in different industries) in the future. Significant expansion of our present operations will be required to capitalize on potential growth in market opportunities and will require us to add additional management personnel and continue to upgrade our financial and management systems and controls and information technology infrastructure. Any further expansion will also place a significant strain on our existing management, operational, and financial resources. In order to manage our growth, we will be required to continue to implement and improve our operational, marketing and financial systems, to expand existing operations, to attract and retain superior management and personnel, and to train, manage, and expand our employee base. There is no assurance that we will be able to expand our operations effectively, our systems, procedures and controls may be inadequate to support our expanded operations, and our management may fail to implement our business plan successfully.

We may not be able to secure additional capital to expand our existing operations.

Although we currently have no material long-term needs for capital expenditures at our existing operating subsidiaries, we will likely be required to make increased capital expenditures to fund our anticipated growth of operations, infrastructure, and personnel. In the future, we may need to seek additional capital through the issuance of debt (including convertible debt) or equity, depending upon our results of operations, market conditions, or unforeseen needs or opportunities. Our future liquidity and capital requirements will depend on numerous factors, including:

The sale of equity or convertible debt securities could result in additional dilution to existing stockholders. There is no assurance that any financing arrangements will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

We are and may be exposed to litigation, claims and other legal proceedings relating to our company as a whole or our individual products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or our stock price.

In the ordinary course of business, we are and may be subject to a variety of legal proceedings, including the SEC investigation described below, and those relating to product liability, product warranty, product recall, personal injury, intellectual property infringement, and other matters and/or claims relating to our Company, including securities class action matters. A very large claim or several similar claims asserted by a large class of plaintiffs could have a material adverse effect on our business and cause our stock price to decline if we are unable to successfully defend against or resolve these matters or if our insurance coverage is insufficient to satisfy any judgments against us or settlements relating to these matters. In addition, any insurance we may have may not provide coverage for certain claims against us or may not be sufficient to cover all possible liabilities. Further, we may not be able to maintain insurance at commercially acceptable premium levels. Moreover, adverse publicity arising from claims made against us, even if the claims are not successful, could adversely affect our reputation or the reputation and sales of our products and cause our stock price to decline.

We have identified and disclosed in this Form 10-K material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, which have resulted in a restatement of our financial statements for fiscal year 2019. If we are not able to remediate these material weaknesses and maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial results, which could cause our stock price to fall or result in our stock being delisted.

We need to devote significant resources and time to comply with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”) with respect to internal control over financial reporting. In addition, Section 404 under Sarbanes-Oxley requires that we assess the design and operating effectiveness of our controls over financial reporting, which are necessary for us to provide reliable and accurate financial reports.

As reported in Part II – Item 9A, Controls and Procedures, there were material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting at September 30, 2019. Specifically, management’s assessment concluded that the company has the following material weaknesses: (a) lack of sufficient controls around the financial reporting process; (b) lack of proper segregation of duties within the financial reporting process; (c) lack of evaluation of internal controls; and (d) and lack of review of reconciliations surrounding the financial reporting process.

We expect our systems and controls to become increasingly complex to the extent that we integrate acquisitions and as our business grows. To effectively manage our company today and this anticipated complexity, we need to remediate these material weaknesses and continue to improve our operational, financial, and management controls and our reporting systems and procedures. Any failure to remediate these material weaknesses and implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in the implementation or operation of these controls, could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, which could

adversely affect our business and jeopardize our listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market, either of which would harm our stock price.

If we do not introduce new or enhanced offerings to our customers, we may be unable to attract and retain those customers, which would significantly impede our ability to generate revenue.

Management actively evaluates and improves our marketing efforts and our product and service offerings, as well as contracts with new partners and hire and train personnel for management, sales, and fulfillment. Any new product offering is subject to certain risks, including customer acceptance, competition, product differentiation, challenges relating to economies of scale and the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, including management and designers. Many of our contracts with third party vendors permit our partners to terminate the contract, with short or no prior notice, for convenience, as well as in the event we default under the terms of the contract for failing to meet our contractual obligations.

The development of new products involves considerable costs and any new product may not generate sufficient customer interest and sales to become a profitable brand or to cover the costs of its development and subsequent promotions. There can be no assurance that any of our businesses will be able to develop and grow our current offerings, or any other new offerings, to a point where the new offerings will become profitable or generate positive cash flow. We may modify or terminate our current product and services offerings if our management determines that they are not yielding or will not yield desired results.

Our product introductions and improvements, along with our other marketplace initiatives, are designed to capitalize on customer demands and trends. In order to be successful, we must anticipate and react to changes in these demands and trends, and to modify existing products or develop new products or processes to address them. Potential customers may not subscribe to our current offerings or other online marketing products and services that we may offer in the future or may discontinue use if they find these products and services to be too costly, or ineffective for meeting their business needs than other methods of advertising and marketing. Our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations will be materially and adversely affected if we do not execute our strategy or our products and services are not adopted by a sufficient number of customers.

Our failure to comply with various applicable federal and state employment and labor laws and regulations could have a material, adverse impact on our business.

Various federal and state employment and labor laws and regulations govern our relationships with our employees. These laws and regulations relate to matters such as employment discrimination, wage and hour laws, requirements to provide meal and rest periods or other benefits, family leave mandates, requirements regarding working conditions and accommodations to certain employees, citizenship or work authorization and related requirements, insurance and workers’ compensation rules, healthcare laws, and anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws. Complying with these laws and regulations subjects us to substantial expense and non-compliance could expose us to significant liabilities. We could suffer losses from these and similar cases, and the amount of such losses or costs could be significant. In addition, several states and localities in which we operate, and the federal government have from time to time enacted minimum wage increases, changes to eligibility for overtime pay, paid sick leave and mandatory vacation accruals, and similar requirements. These changes have increased our labor costs and may have a further negative impact on our labor costs in the future.

In addition, a significant number of our employees are paid at rates related to the applicable minimum wage. Federal, state and local proposals that increase minimum wage requirements or mandate other employee matters could, to the extent implemented, materially increase our labor and other costs. Several states in which we operate have approved minimum wage increases that are above the federal minimum. As more jurisdictions implement minimum wage increases, we expect our labor costs will continue to increase. Our ability to respond to minimum wage increases by prices depends on willingness of our customers to pay the higher prices and our perceived value relative to competitors. Our distributors and suppliers could also be affected by higher minimum wage, benefit standards and compliance costs, which could result in higher costs for goods and services supplied to us.

Our success depends both on our internally developed technology and licensed third-party technology. We rely on a variety of trademarks, service marks, and designs to promote our brand names and identity. We also rely on a combination of contractual provisions, confidentiality procedures, and trademark, copyright, trade secrecy, unfair competition, and other intellectual property laws to protect the proprietary aspects of our products and services. The steps we take to protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to protect our intellectual property and may not prevent our competitors from gaining access to our intellectual property and proprietary information. In addition, we cannot provide assurance that courts will always uphold our intellectual property rights or enforce the contractual arrangements that we have entered into to obtain and protect our proprietary technology.

Third parties, including our partners, contractors, or employees may infringe or misappropriate our copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade dress, and other proprietary rights. Any such infringement or misappropriation could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations. We may be unable to prevent third parties from acquiring domain names that are similar to, infringe upon or otherwise decrease the value of our trademarks and other proprietary rights, which may result in the dilution of the brand identity of our services.

We may decide to initiate litigation in order to enforce our intellectual property rights or to determine the validity and scope of our proprietary rights. Any such litigation could result in substantial expense and may not adequately protect our intellectual property rights. In addition, we may be exposed to future litigation by third parties based on claims that our products or services infringe or misappropriate their intellectual property rights. Any such claim or litigation against us, whether or not successful, could result in substantial costs and harm our reputation. In addition, such claims or litigation could force us to do one or more of the following:

Even if we were to prevail, such claims or litigation could be time-consuming and expensive to prosecute or defend and could result in the diversion of our management’s time and attention. These expenses and diversion of managerial resources could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.

We may be subject to intellectual property claims that create uncertainty about ownership or use of technology essential to our business and divert our managerial and other resources.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to operate without infringing the intellectual property rights of others. Third parties may, in the future, claim our current or future services, products, trademarks, technologies, business methods or processes infringe their intellectual property rights, or challenge the validity of our intellectual property rights. We may be subject to patent infringement claims or other intellectual property infringement claims that would be costly to defend and could limit our ability to use certain critical technologies or business methods. We may also become subject to interference proceedings conducted in the patent and trademark offices of various countries to determine the priority of inventions.

The defense and prosecution, if necessary, of intellectual property suits, interference proceedings and related legal and administrative proceedings can become very costly and may divert our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. We may not prevail in any of these suits or proceedings. An adverse determination of any litigation or defense proceedings could require us to pay substantial compensatory and exemplary damages, could restrain us from using critical technologies, business methods or processes, and could result in us losing, or not gaining, valuable intellectual property rights.

Furthermore, due to the voluminous amount of discovery frequently conducted in connection with intellectual property litigation, some of our confidential information could be disclosed to competitors during this type of litigation. In addition, public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments in the litigation could be perceived negatively by investors, and thus have an adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.

Our ability to provide high-quality services largely depends upon the efficient and uninterrupted operation of our internal controls and computer and communications systems. We (or our third-party service providers) may be required to expand or upgrade our (or their) technology, infrastructure, fulfillment capabilities, or customer support capabilities in order to accommodate any significant growth in customers or to replace aging or faulty equipment or technologies. We (or they) may not be able to project accurately the rate or timing of increases, if any, in the use of our services or expand and upgrade our (or their) systems and infrastructure to accommodate these increases in a timely manner.

Any expansion of our (or our third-party service providers’) infrastructure may require us (or them) to make significant upfront expenditures for servers, routers, computer equipment, and additional internet and intranet equipment, as well as to increase bandwidth for internet connectivity. Any such expansion or enhancement may cause system disruptions.

Our (or our third-party service providers’) inability to expand or upgrade our technology, infrastructure, fulfillment capabilities, customer support capabilities, or equipment as required or without disruptions could impair the reputation of our brand and our services and diminish the attractiveness of our service offerings to our clients.

We depend upon third parties to provide certain services and software, and our business may suffer if the relationships upon which we depend fail to produce the expected benefits or are terminated.

We depend upon third-party software to operate certain of our services. The failure of this software to perform as expected could have a material adverse effect on our business. Additionally, although we believe that several alternative sources for this software are available, any failure to obtain and maintain the rights to use such software could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations. We also depend upon third parties who provide the cloud computing services which host our customers’ websites, including the mobile web apps, to be sufficiently reliable and provide sufficient capacity and bandwidth so that our business can function properly, and our customers’ websites are responsive to current and anticipated traffic. Any restrictions or interruption in those providers’ services or connection to the internet could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations. If we are forced to switch hosting facilities, we may not be successful in finding an alternative service provider on acceptable terms or in hosting the required computer servers and implementing the required technology ourselves. We may also be limited in our remedies against these providers in the event of a failure of service.

Our business could be negatively impacted if the security of our or our partners’ equipment becomes compromised.

To the extent that our activities involve the storage and transmission of proprietary information about our customers or users, security breaches could damage our reputation and expose us to a risk of loss or litigation and possible liability. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to protect against security breaches or to minimize problems caused by security breaches. Our (or our third-party service providers’) security measures may not prevent security breaches. The failure to prevent these security breaches or a misappropriation of proprietary information may have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.

Tax matters, including the changes in corporate tax rates, disagreements with taxing authorities and imposition of new taxes could impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to income and other taxes in the U.S. and our operations, plans and results are affected by tax and other initiatives. As a result of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, corporate tax rates in the United States decreased in 2018, which resulted in changes to our valuation of our deferred tax asset and liabilities. These changes in valuation were material to our income tax expense and deferred tax balances.

We are also subject to regular reviews, examinations, and audits by the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities with respect to our taxes. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, if a taxing authority disagrees with the positions we have taken, we could face additional tax liability, including interest and penalties. There can be no assurance that payment of such additional amounts upon final adjudication of any disputes will not have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.

We also need to comply with new, evolving or revised tax laws and regulations. The enactment of or increases in tariffs, or other changes in the application or interpretation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or on specific products that we sell or with which our products compete, may have an adverse effect on our business or on our results of operations.

Our business is subject to the risks of earthquakes, fires, tornados, floods and other natural catastrophic events and to interruption by man-made problems such as computer viruses or terrorism.

Our service systems and operations are vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, fires, tornados, floods, power losses, telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks, acts of war, human errors, break-ins and similar events. For example, a significant natural disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, tornado or flood, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition, and our insurance coverage will likely be insufficient to compensate us for losses that may occur. Our servers may also be vulnerable to computer viruses, break-ins and similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with our computer systems, which could lead to interruptions, delays, loss of critical data or the unauthorized disclosure of confidential intellectual property or client data. We may not have sufficient protection or recovery plans in certain circumstances, such as the tornado that struck Tulsa, Oklahoma in August 2017 and damaged one of Vintage Stock’s stores in our Retail and Online business, and our business interruption insurance may be insufficient to compensate us for losses that may occur. Such disruptions could negatively impact our ability to operate our business, which could have a material and adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

We may not be able to identify, acquire or establish control of, or effectively integrate previously acquired businesses, which could materially adversely affect our growth.

As part of our business strategy, we intend to pursue a wide array of potential strategic transactions, including acquisitions of new businesses, as well as strategic investments and joint ventures. Although we regularly evaluate such opportunities, we may not be able to successfully identify suitable acquisition candidates or investment opportunities, obtain sufficient financing on acceptable terms or at all to fund such strategic transactions, complete acquisitions and integrate acquired businesses with our existing businesses, or manage profitable acquired businesses or strategic investments.

The acquisition of a company or business is accompanied by a number of risks, including:

The acquisition of new businesses is costly and such acquisitions may not enhance our financial condition.

Our growth strategy is to acquire companies and identify and acquire assets and technologies from companies in various industries that have a demonstrated history of strong earnings potential. The process to undertake a potential acquisition is time-consuming and costly. We expend significant resources to undertake business, financial, and legal due diligence on our potential acquisition target and there is no guarantee that we will acquire the company after completing due diligence.

Our acquisitions could result in the use of substantial amounts of cash, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities or convertible debt securities, significant amortization expenses related to goodwill, and other intangible assets and exposure to undisclosed or potential liabilities of the acquired companies. To the extent that the goodwill arising from the acquisitions carried on the financial statements do not pass the annual goodwill impairment test, excess goodwill will be charged to, and reduce, future earnings.

Because we do not intend to use our own employees or members of management to run the daily operations at our acquired companies, business operations might be interrupted if employees at the acquired businesses were to resign.

As part of our acquisition strategy, we do not use our own employees or members of our management team to operate the acquired companies. Key members of management at these acquired companies have been in place for several years and have established relationships with their customers. Competition for executive-level personnel is strong and we can make no assurance that we will be able to retain these key members of management. Although we have entered into employment agreements with certain of these key members of management and provide incentives to stay with the business after it’s been acquired, if such key persons were to resign, we might face impairment of relationships with remaining employees or customers, which might cause long-term customers to terminate their relationships with the acquired companies, which may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The floor covering industry is sensitive to changes in general economic conditions, such as consumer confidence and income, corporate and government spending, interest rate levels, availability of credit and demand for housing. Significant or prolonged declines in the U.S. or global economies could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s flooring manufacturing business.

Downturns in the U.S. and global economies, along with the residential and commercial markets in such economies, negatively impact the floor covering industry and our flooring manufacturing business. Although the difficult economic conditions have improved in the U.S., there may be additional downturns that could cause the industry to deteriorate in the foreseeable future. A significant or prolonged decline in residential or commercial remodeling or new construction activity could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be unable to predict customer preferences or demand accurately, or to respond to technological developments.

We operate in a market sector where demand is strongly influenced by rapidly changing customer preferences as to product design and technical features. Failure to quickly and effectively respond to changing customer demand or technological developments could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We face intense competition in the flooring industry that could decrease demand for our products or force us to lower prices, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The floor covering industry is highly competitive. We face competition from a number of manufacturers and independent distributors. Maintaining our competitive position may require substantial investments in our product development efforts, manufacturing facilities, distribution network and sales and marketing activities. Competitive pressures may also result in decreased demand for our products or force us to lower prices. Moreover, a strong U.S. dollar combined with lower fuel costs may contribute to more attractive pricing for imports that compete with our products, which may put pressure on our pricing. The occurrence of one or more of these factors could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In periods of rising costs, we may be unable to pass raw materials, energy and fuel-related cost increases on to its customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The prices of raw materials and fuel-related costs vary significantly with market conditions. Although we generally attempt to pass on increases in raw material, energy and fuel-related costs to our customers, our ability to do so is dependent upon the rate and magnitude of any increase, competitive pressures and market conditions for our products. There have been in the past, and may be in the future, periods of time during which increases in these costs cannot be recovered. During such periods of time, the occurrence of such events may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

ApplianceSmart is subject to risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions and decisions of its creditors and other third parties who have interests in the Chapter 11 Case that may be inconsistent with ApplianceSmart’s plans.

ApplianceSmart is subject to risks and uncertainties associated with its voluntary proceedings under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code filed with the Bankruptcy Court on December 9, 2019 (the “Commencement Date”). For the duration of the bankruptcy proceedings, ApplianceSmart’s operations and our ability to execute the ApplianceSmart business strategy will be subject to risks and uncertainties associated with bankruptcy. These risks include:

These risks and uncertainties could significantly affect its business and operations in various ways. For example, negative publicity or events associated with the Chapter 11 Case could adversely affect its relationships with its vendors and employees, as well as with customers, which in turn could adversely affect its operations and financial condition. Also, pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code, ApplianceSmart requires Bankruptcy Court approval for transactions outside the ordinary course of business, which may limit its ability to respond to certain events in a timely manner or take advantage of certain opportunities. Because of the risks and uncertainties associated with the Chapter 11 Case, we cannot predict or quantify the ultimate impact that events occurring during the pendency of the Chapter 11 Case will have on ApplianceSmart’s or the Company’s consolidated business, financial condition, results of operations, or the certainty as to ApplianceSmart’s ability to continue as a going concern. As a result of the Chapter 11 Case, realization of assets and liquidation of liabilities are subject to uncertainty. While operating under the protection of the Bankruptcy Code, and subject to Bankruptcy Court approval or otherwise as permitted in the normal course of business, ApplianceSmart may sell or otherwise dispose of a portion or all of our assets and liquidate or settle liabilities for amounts other than those reflected in our consolidated financial statements. Further, a plan of reorganization could materially change the amounts and classifications reported in our consolidated historical financial statements, which do not give effect to any adjustments to the carrying value of assets or amounts of liabilities that might be necessary as a consequence of confirmation of a plan of reorganization.

ApplianceSmart’s businesses could suffer from a long and protracted restructuring.

ApplianceSmart’s future results are dependent upon the successful confirmation and implementation of a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. Failure to obtain this approval in a timely manner could adversely affect ApplianceSmart’s operating results and cash flows, as its ability to obtain financing to fund its operations may be adversely affected by protracted bankruptcy proceedings. If a protracted reorganization or liquidation is to occur, there is a significant risk that ApplianceSmart’s enterprise value would be substantially eroded to the detriment of all stakeholders.

Furthermore, we cannot predict the ultimate amount of all settlement terms for the liabilities of ApplianceSmart that will be subject to the plan of reorganization. Even if a plan of reorganization is approved and implemented, our operating results and cash flows may be adversely affected by the possible reluctance of prospective lenders to do business with a company that may have recently emerged from bankruptcy.

Operating as a Debtor in Possession under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code may restrict ApplianceSmart’s ability to pursue its business strategies.

Under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, transactions outside the ordinary course of business will be subject to the prior approval of the Bankruptcy Court, which may limit ApplianceSmart’s ability to respond to certain events in a timely manner or take advantage of certain opportunities. ApplianceSmart must obtain Bankruptcy Court approval to, among other things:

Sufficient debtor-in-possession financing may not be available and ApplianceSmart’s emergence from the Chapter 11 Case is not assured.

If cash flows and borrowings under any debtor-in-possession financing are not sufficient to meet our liquidity requirements, it is uncertain whether we would be able to reorganize our business. The amount of distributions that will be available to our creditors and other holders of claims against and interests in us and our businesses, including holders of secured claims, in connection with our reorganization and consummating a plan of reorganization is uncertain. We will likely incur significant costs in connection with developing and seeking approval of a plan of reorganization, and financing, which may not be supported by certain of our stakeholders. If we were unable to develop a feasible plan of reorganization, or if we were unable to gain access to financing to operate our businesses during the Chapter 11 Case, it is possible that ApplianceSmart would have to liquidate a portion or all of its assets, in which case it is likely that holders of claims would receive substantially less favorable distributions than they would receive if ApplianceSmart were to emerge as a viable, reorganized business.

Our senior management team and other key personnel may not be able to execute the ApplianceSmart business plan as currently developed, given the substantial attention required of such individuals by the Chapter 11 Case.

The execution of the ApplianceSmart business plan also depends on the efforts of our senior management team and other key personnel to execute the ApplianceSmart business plan. Such individuals may be required to devote significant efforts to the prosecution of the Chapter 11 Case, thereby potentially impairing their abilities to execute the ApplianceSmart business plan and the business plan of the Company generally. Accordingly, our business plan may not be implemented as anticipated, which may cause its financial results to materially deviate from the current projections.

ApplianceSmart may be subject to claims that will not be discharged in the Chapter 11 Case, which could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations and profitability.

The Bankruptcy Code generally provides that the confirmation of a plan of reorganization discharges a debtor from substantially all debts arising prior to confirmation and specified debts arising afterwards. With few exceptions, all claims that arose prior to the Commencement Date and before confirmation of the plan of reorganization (i) would be subject to compromise and/or treatment under the plan of reorganization or (ii) would be discharged in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code and the terms of the plan of reorganization. Any material claims not ultimately discharged by the Bankruptcy Court could have an adverse effect on ApplianceSmart’s results of operations and profitability.

In certain limited instances, a Chapter 11 case may be converted to a case under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code.

Upon a showing of cause, the Bankruptcy Court may convert our Chapter 11 Case to a case under Chapter7 of the Bankruptcy Code. In such event, a Chapter 7 trustee would be appointed or elected to liquidate our assets for distribution in accordance with the priorities established by the Bankruptcy Code. We believe that liquidation under Chapter 7 would result in significantly smaller distributions being made to our creditors than those provided for under a Chapter 11 proceeding because of (i) the likelihood that the assets would have to be sold or otherwise disposed of in a distressed fashion over a short period of time rather than in a controlled manner and as a going concern, (ii) additional administrative expenses involved in the appointment of a Chapter 7 trustee, and (iii) additional expenses and claims, some of which would be entitled to priority, that would be generated during the liquidation and from the rejection of leases and other executory contracts in connection with a cessation of operations.

ApplianceSmart’s, and our consolidated, financial results may be volatile and may not reflect historical trends.

While in Chapter 11, we expect that ApplianceSmart’s, and our consolidated, financial results may be volatile as asset impairments and dispositions, restructuring activities, contract terminations and rejections, and claims assessments may significantly impact our consolidated financial statements. As a result, our historical financial performance may not be indicative of our financial performance after the Commencement Date. In addition, if ApplianceSmart emerges from Chapter 11, the amounts reported in subsequent consolidated financial statements may materially change relative to historical consolidated financial statements, as a result of revisions to ApplianceSmart’s operating plans pursuant to a plan of reorganization. Moreover, if ApplianceSmart emerges from Chapter 11, we may be required to adopt fresh-start accounting. If fresh-start accounting is applicable, our assets and liabilities will be recorded at fair value as of the fresh-start reporting date. The fair value of our assets and liabilities may differ materially from the recorded values of assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. If fresh-start accounting is required, our financial results after the application of fresh-start accounting may be materially different from historical trends.

ApplianceSmart may not have sufficient cash to maintain its operations during the Chapter 11 Case or fund its emergence from the bankruptcy.

Because of ApplianceSmart’s financial condition, it will have heightened exposure to, and less ability to withstand, the operating risks that are customary in its industry, such as fluctuations in raw material prices and currency exchange rates. Any of these factors could result in the need for substantial additional funding. A number of other factors, including the Chapter 11 Case, ApplianceSmart’s financial results in recent years and the competitive environment it faces, adversely affect the availability and terms of funding that might be available to ApplianceSmart during, and upon emergence from, Chapter 11. As such, ApplianceSmart may not be able to source capital at rates acceptable to it, or at all, to fund its current operations or our exit from bankruptcy. The inability to obtain necessary additional funding on acceptable terms would have a material adverse impact on ApplianceSmart and on its ability to sustain our operations, both currently and upon emergence from bankruptcy.

A disruption in ApplianceSmart’s relationships with, or in the operations of, any of ApplianceSmart’s key suppliers could cause ApplianceSmart’s, and our, net sales and profitability to decline.

The success of ApplianceSmart’s business and growth strategy depends to a significant degree on the availability of open box and b-line product from our suppliers. Our largest suppliers include GE Appliances, Whirlpool, Electrolux, LG, and Samsung. ApplianceSmart does not have long-term supply agreements or exclusive arrangements with its major suppliers. ApplianceSmart typically orders its inventory through the issuance of individual purchase orders to vendors allowing ApplianceSmart to remain selective of the quality and type of product it purchases. ApplianceSmart has no contractual assurance of the continued supply of merchandise in the amount and assortment currently offered to its customers and may be subjected to rationing by suppliers. In addition, ApplianceSmart relies heavily on a relatively small number of suppliers. The top three suppliers represented the majority of its appliance purchases in fiscal 2019.

ApplianceSmart’s suppliers also provide it with specific types of marketing allowances and volume rebates. If ApplianceSmart’s suppliers fail to continue these incentives, it could have a materially adverse effect on the breadth at which the Company can achieve brand awareness that translates to net sales.

The financial condition of ApplianceSmart’s suppliers may also adversely affect their access to capital liquidity with which to maintain their inventory, production levels and product quality and to operate their businesses, all of which could adversely affect its supply chain. Negative impacts on the financial condition of any of ApplianceSmart’s suppliers may cause suppliers to reduce their offerings of customer incentives and vendor allowances, cooperative marketing expenditures and product promotions. It may also cause them to change their pricing policies, which could impact the demand for their products.

Economic conditions in the U.S. could adversely affect demand for the products we sell.

Sales of products by Vintage Stock are driven, in part, by discretionary spending by consumers. Consumers are typically more likely to make discretionary purchases, including purchasing movies, games, music and other discretionary products when there are favorable economic conditions. Consumer spending may be affected by many economic factors outside of our control. Some of these factors include consumer disposable income levels, consumer confidence in current and future economic conditions, levels of employment, consumer credit availability, consumer debt levels, inflation, political conditions and the effect of weather, natural disasters, and civil disturbances. These and other economic factors could adversely affect demand for Vintage Stock’s products, which may negatively impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The video game industry is cyclical and affected by the introduction of next-generation consoles, which could negatively impact the demand for existing products or Vintage Stock’s pre-owned business.

The video game industry has been cyclical in nature in response to the introduction and maturation of new technology. Following the introduction of new video game platforms, sales of these platforms and related software and accessories generally increase due to initial demand, while sales of older platforms and related products generally decrease as customers migrate toward the new platforms. If the new video game platforms do not continue to be successful, Vintage Stock’s sales of video game products could decline. The introduction of these next-generation consoles could negatively impact the demand for existing products or Vintage Stock’s pre-owned business, which could have a negative impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flow and liquidity. It is anticipated that Sony and Microsoft will release new consoles in December 2020.

Technological advances in the delivery and types of video, video games and PC entertainment software, as well as changes in consumer behavior related to these new technologies, could lower Vintage Stock’s sales

While it is currently possible to download video, video game content and music to the current generation of video and gaming systems, downloading is somewhat constrained by bandwidth capacity and video game and movie file sizes. However, broadband speeds are increasing and downloading technology is becoming more prevalent and continues to evolve rapidly. The current game consoles from Sony and Microsoft have facilitated download technology. If these consoles and other advances in technology continue to expand our customers’ ability to access and download the current format of video, music and games and incremental content from their games and videos through these and other sources, our customers may no longer choose to purchase videos, DVDs, video games and music in our stores or reduce their purchases in favor of other forms of video, digital and game delivery. As a result, our sales and earnings could decline.

Vintage Stock may not compete effectively as browser, mobile and social video viewing and gaming becomes more popular.

Listening to music, gaming and viewing video and digital content continues to evolve rapidly. The popularity of browser, mobile and social viewing and gaming have increased greatly, and this popularity is expected to continue to grow. Browser, mobile and social video viewing, listening to music and gaming is accessed through hardware other than the game consoles and traditional hand-held video and game devices we currently sell. If there is continued growth in popularity of browser, mobile and social viewing and gaming, our financial position, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity could be impacted negatively.

Sales of video games containing graphic violence may decrease as a result of actual violent events or other reasons, and Vintage Stock’s, and our, financial results may be adversely affected as a result.

Many popular video games contain material with graphic violence. These games receive an “M” or “T” rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. As actual violent events occur and are publicized, or for other reasons, public acceptance of graphic violence in video games may decline. Consumer advocacy groups may increase their efforts to oppose sales of graphically-violent video games and may seek legislation prohibiting their sales. As a result, our sales of those games may decrease, which could negatively impact our results of operations.

As a seller of certain consumer products, Vintage Stock and ApplianceSmart are subject to various federal, state and local laws, regulations, and statutes related to product safety and consumer protection.

While we take steps to comply with these laws, there can be no assurance that we will be in compliance, and failure to comply with these laws could result in penalties which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations, cash flows and liquidity. We may also be subject to involuntary or voluntary product recalls or product liability lawsuits. Direct costs or reputational damage associated with product recalls or product liability lawsuits, individually or in the aggregate, could have a negative impact on future revenues and results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

International events could delay or prevent the delivery of products to our suppliers.

Some of our suppliers rely on foreign sources to manufacture a portion of the products we purchase from them. As a result, any event causing a disruption of imports, including natural disasters or the imposition of import restrictions or trade restrictions in the form of tariffs or quotas, could increase the cost and reduce the supply of products available to us, which could lower our sales and profitability.

If we are unable to renew or enter into new leases on favorable terms, our revenue growth may decline.

All of Vintage Stock’s and ApplianceSmart’s retail stores are located in leased premises. If the cost of leasing existing stores increases, we cannot be certain that we will be able to maintain our existing store locations as leases expire. In addition, we may not be able to enter into new leases on favorable terms or at all, or we may not be able to locate suitable alternative sites or additional sites for new store expansion in a timely manner. Our revenues and earnings may decline if we fail to maintain existing store locations, enter into new leases, locate alternative sites, or find additional sites for new store expansion.

An adverse trend in sales during the winter and holiday selling season could impact our financial results.

Our retail business, like that of many retailers, is seasonal, with a major portion of Vintage Stock’s and ApplianceSmart’s sales realized around various holidays and other days, including Black Friday, President’s Day, tax refund season, Memorial Day, July 4^th and Labor Day. Any adverse trend in sales during these times could negatively impact our results of operations.

Our results of operations may fluctuate from quarter to quarter depending upon several factors, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include, but are not limited to:

These and other factors could affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, cash flows and liquidity, and this makes the prediction of our financial results on a quarterly basis difficult. Also, it is possible that our quarterly financial results may be below the expectations of public market analysts.

Failure to effectively manage our new store openings could lower our sales and profitability.

Our growth strategy depends in part upon opening new stores and operating them profitably. Our ability to open new stores and operate them profitability depends upon a number of factors, some of which may be beyond our control. These factors include the ability to:

If we fail to manage new store openings in a timely and cost-efficient manner, our growth or profits may decrease.

If our management information systems fail to perform or are inadequate, our ability to manage our business could be disrupted.

We rely on computerized inventory and management systems to coordinate and manage the activities in our stores and distribution centers. We use inventory replenishment systems to track sales and inventory. Our ability to rapidly process incoming shipments of new products and deliver them to all of our stores, enables us to meet peak demand and replenish stores to keep our stores in stock at optimum levels and to move inventory efficiently. If our inventory or management information systems fail to adequately perform these functions, our business could be adversely affected. In addition, if operations in any of our distribution centers were to shut down or be disrupted for a prolonged period of time of if these centers were unable to accommodate the continued store growth in a particular region, our business would suffer.

Data breaches involving customer or employee data stored by us could adversely affect our reputation and revenues.

We store confidential information with respect to our customers and employees. A compromise of our data security systems or those of businesses with which we interact could result in information related to our customers or employees being obtained by unauthorized persons. Any such breach of our systems could lead to fraudulent activity resulting in claims and lawsuits against us or other operational problems or interruptions in connection with such breaches. Any breach or unauthorized access in the future could result in significant legal and financial exposure and damage to our reputation that could potentially have an adverse effect on our business. While we also seek to obtain assurances that others with whom we interact will protect confidential information, there is a risk the confidentiality of data held or accessed by others may be compromised. If a compromise of our data security or function of our computer systems or website were to occur, it could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition, cash flows and liquidity and possibly, subject us to additional legal, regulatory and operating costs and damage our reputation in the marketplace.

Also, the interpretation and enforcement of data protection laws in the United States are uncertain and, in certain circumstances contradictory. These laws may be interpreted and enforced in a manner that is inconsistent with our policies and practices. If we are subject to data security breaches or government-imposed fines, we may have a loss in sales or be forced to pay damages or other amounts, which could adversely affect profitability, or be subject to substantial costs related to compliance.

We may record future goodwill impairment charges or other asset impairment charges which could negatively impact our future results of operations and financial condition.

We have previously recorded significant goodwill as a result of our acquisition of Vintage Stock. Because we have grown in part through acquisitions, goodwill and other acquired intangible assets represent a substantial portion of our assets. We also have long-lived assets consisting of property and equipment and other identifiable intangible assets which we review both on an annual basis as well as when events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If a determination is made that a significant impairment in value of goodwill, other intangible assets or long-lived assets has occurred, such determination could require us to impair a substantial portion of our assets. Asset impairments could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Because of our floating rate credit facilities, we may be adversely affected by interest rate changes.

Our financial position may be affected by fluctuations in interest rates, as our floating rate credit facilities are subject to floating interest rates. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. If we were to borrow against our float rate credit facilities, a significant increase in interest rates could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We are not in compliance with NASDAQ’s requirements for continued listing, and if NASDAQ does not concur that we have adequately remedied our non-compliance with applicable listing rules, our common stock may be delisted from trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market, which could have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders.

On January 17, 2020, we received a deficiency letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”) indicating that, as a result of not filing this Form 10-K in a timely manner, we were not in compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market. The deficiency letter indicated that we have until March 17, 2020 to regain compliance or submit a plan to regain compliance with NASDAQ’s continued listing standards; however, we believe our filing of this Form 10-K has resulted in our regained compliance with NASDAQ’s continued listing standards and has eliminated the need to submit such a compliance plan. Although we believe that, as of our filing of this Form 10-K, we are currently in compliance with NASDAQ’s continued listing requirements, we could fail to comply with these requirements again in the future. In that case, we would receive additional deficiency letters from NASDAQ and our common stock could be delisted from trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market, which could severely limit the liquidity of our common stock and materially adversely affect the price of our common stock.

The trading price of our common stock may be volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

The trading price of our common stock has been highly volatile over the past few years and investors could experience losses in response to factors including the following, many of which are beyond our control:

Domestic and international stock markets often experience significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies with securities trading in those markets. These fluctuations, as well as political events, terrorist attacks, threatened or actual war, and general economic conditions unrelated to our performance, may adversely affect the price of our common stock. In the past, securities holders of other companies often have initiated securities class action litigation against those companies following periods of volatility in the market price of those companies’ securities. If the market price of our stock fluctuates and our stockholders initiate this type of litigation, we could incur substantial costs and experience a diversion of our management’s attention and resources, regardless of the outcome. This could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.

Due to our concentrated stock ownership, public stockholders may have no effective voice in our management and the trading price of our common stock may be adversely affected.

As of January 29, 2020, Isaac Capital Group LLC (ICG), together with Jon Isaac, our President and CEO and the President and sole member of ICG, control approximately 43.1% of the outstanding voting power of our company (assuming the exercise of all outstanding and exercisable warrants held by them). Jon Isaac has the sole power to vote the shares of our common stock owned by ICG. As a result, Jon Isaac, both individually and through ICG, is able to exercise significant influence over all matters that require us to obtain shareholder approval, including the election of directors to our board and approval of significant corporate transactions that we may consider, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets. Moreover, such a concentration of voting power could have the effect of delaying or preventing a third party from acquiring us. This significant concentration of share ownership may also adversely affect the trading price for our common stock because investors may perceive disadvantages in owning stock in companies with concentrated stock ownership.

Because we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock for foreseeable future, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your shares of common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

We may retain future earnings, if any, for future operation, expansion, and debt repayment and, with the exception of dividends payable on shares of our Series E Preferred Stock, we have no current plans to pay cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends may be limited by covenants of any existing and future outstanding indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur. Therefore, any return on your investment would likely come only from an increase in the market value of our common stock. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

Certain provisions of Nevada law, in our organizational documents and in contracts to which we are party may prevent or delay a change of control of our company.

We are subject to the Nevada anti-takeover laws regulating corporate takeovers. These anti-takeover laws prevent Nevada corporations from engaging in a merger, consolidation, sales of its stock or assets, and certain other transactions with any stockholder, including all affiliates and associates of the stockholder, who owns 10% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock, for three years following the date that the stockholder acquired 10% or more of the corporation’s voting stock, except in certain situations. In addition, our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws include a number of provisions that may deter or impede hostile takeovers or changes of control or management. These provisions include the following:

These provisions of Nevada law and our articles and bylaws could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change of control of our company and may discourage attempts by other companies to acquire us, even if such a transaction would be beneficial to our stockholders.

We are involved in an ongoing SEC investigation, which could divert management’s focus, result in substantial investigation expenses and have an adverse impact on our reputation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

On February 21, 2018, the Company received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and a letter from the SEC stating that it is conducting an investigation. The subpoena requests documents and information concerning, among other things the restatement of the Company’s financial statements for the quarterly periods ended December 31, 2016, March 31, 2017, and June 30, 2017, the acquisition of Marquis Industries, Inc., Vintage Stock, Inc., and ApplianceSmart, Inc., and the change in auditors. We have incurred and may continue to incur significant legal and accounting expenditures in connection with the SEC’s investigation. We are unable to predict how long the SEC’s investigation will continue or its outcome.

If securities analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or if they publish unfavorable commentary about us or our industry or downgrade our common stock, the trading price of our common stock could decline.

We expect that the trading price for our common stock will be affected by any research or reports that securities analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of the analysts who may elect to cover us or our business downgrade their evaluations of our common stock, the price of our common stock would likely decline. We may be unable or slow to attract research coverage and if one or more analysts cease coverage of our company, we could lose visibility in the market for our common stock, which in turn could cause our stock price to decline.

At September 30, 2019, we leased approximately 11,000 square feet of space located in Las Vegas, Nevada which we utilize as principal executive and administrative offices.

We believe that our existing facilities are well maintained, in good operating condition and are adequate for our present level of operations.

Marquis owns or leases all of the land, and owns all of the improvements on such leased land, as described in the following table, which also provides information regarding the general location and use at September 30, 2019:

Property	Location	Owned or Leased
Corporate Offices and Warehouse	Chatsworth, Georgia	Leased
Sales Offices, Showroom and Warehouse	Chatsworth, Georgia	Owned
Warehouse	Chatsworth, Georgia	Leased
Office and Storage	Chatsworth, Georgia	Leased
Tufting Department	Chatsworth, Georgia	Leased
Machine Storage and Forklift	Chatsworth, Georgia	Leased
Storage and Extrusion	Dalton, Georgia	Leased
Yarn Processing Facility	Dalton, Georgia	Leased
Printing Facility	Calhoun, Georgia	Leased

At September 30, 2019, Vintage Stock leased all 62 of its stores under agreements that vary as to rental amounts, expiration dates, renewal options and other rental provisions. Vintage Stock leased its corporate offices in Joplin, Missouri.

State	Retail Stores		Brand(s)
Arkansas		2	Vintage Stock
Colorado		1	EntertainMart
Idaho		1	EntertainMart
Illinois		1	Vintage Stock
Kansas		6	Vintage Stock
Missouri		18	Vintage Stock, V-Stock and EntertainMart
New Mexico		1	EntertainMart
Oklahoma		13	Vintage Stock
Texas		17	Movie Trading Co. and EntertainMart
Utah		2	EntertainMart

At September 30, 2019, ApplianceSmart leased all 4 stores under agreements that vary as to rental amounts, expiration dates, renewal options, and other rental provisions. The following is a breakdown by state of ApplianceSmart retail stores:

On February 21, 2018, the Company received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and a letter from the SEC stating that it is conducting an investigation. The subpoena requests documents and information concerning, among other things the restatement of the Company’s financial statements for the quarterly periods ended December 31, 2016, March 31, 2017, and June 30, 2017, the acquisition of Marquis Industries, Inc., Vintage Stock, Inc., and ApplianceSmart, Inc., and the change in auditors. The letter from the SEC states that “this inquiry does not mean that the SEC has concluded that the Company or any of its officers and directors has broken the law or that the SEC has a negative opinion of any person, entity, or security.” The Company is cooperating with the SEC in its investigation.

On October 1, 2018, the Company received a letter from the SEC requesting information regarding a potential violation of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, based upon the timing of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 14, 2018. The Company provided a response to the SEC on October 26, 2018. The Company is cooperating with the SEC in its inquiry.

On April 26, 2019, New Leaf Serv. Contracts, LLC (“New Leaf”) filed suit again ApplianceSmart and the Company in the District Court of Dallas County, Texas (the “Dallas Court”) alleging, among other things, breach of contract. Plaintiff seeks damages of approximately $215,000, plus interest and attorneys’ fees. This matter was subsequently abated to allow the parties to arbitrate this dispute. The Company has asserted certain counterclaims against New Leaf. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case (as defined below).

On December 12, 2019, Crossroads Center LLC served a lawsuit against ApplianceSmart in the District Court for the State of Minnesota, County of Olmsted, alleging, among other things, breach of contract and seeking damages in excess of $64,411. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On December 9, 2019, ApplianceSmart filed a voluntary petition (the “Chapter 11 Case”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Bankruptcy Court”) seeking relief under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”). The bankruptcy affects Live Ventures’ indirect subsidiary ApplianceSmart only and does not affect any other subsidiary of Live Ventures, or Live Ventures itself. ApplianceSmart expects to continue to operate its business in the ordinary course of business as debtor-in-possession under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and the orders of the Bankruptcy Court. In addition, the Company reserves its right to file a motion seeking authority to use cash collateral of the lenders under ApplianceSmart’s reserve-based revolving credit facility. The case is being administrated under the caption In re: ApplianceSmart, Inc. (case number 19-13887). Court filings and other information related to the Chapter 11 Case are available at the PACER Case Locator website for those registered to do so or at the Courthouse located at One Bowling Green, Manhattan, New York 10004.

On November 22, 2019, Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. d/b/a GE Appliances filed suit against ApplianceSmart in the District Court for the State of Minnesota, County of Hennepin (the “Hennepin Court”) alleging, among other things, breach of contract and seeking damages in excess of $250,000. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On November 1, 2019, OIRE Minnesota, L.L.C. filed suit against ApplianceSmart in the Hennepin Court alleging, among other things, breach of contract and seeking damages in excess of $60,000. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On October 16, 2019, VanMile, LLC filed a lawsuit against ApplianceSmart in the Magistrate Court of Gwinnett County, State of Georgia alleging unpaid invoices and seeking damages therefor. Plaintiff is seeking damages of $15,000. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On September 12, 2019, Fisher & Paykel Appliances, Inc. initiated an arbitration against ApplianceSmart in San Diego alleging breach of contract and seeking damages in excess of $100,000. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On July 22, 2019, Trustee Main/270, LLC (the “Reynoldsburg Landlord”) filed a lawsuit against ApplianceSmart and JanOne Inc. (formerly known as Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.) (“JanOne”) in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus, Ohio, alleging, with respect to ApplianceSmart, default under a lease agreement and, with respect to JanOne, guaranty of lease. The complaint sought damages of $1,530,000 attorney fees, and other charges. On or about September 27, 2019, the parties entered into a second lease modification agreement and ratification of agreement (the “Second Lease Modification Agreement”) whereby the Reynoldsburg Landlord restored ApplianceSmart’s access to the property. Pursuant to the terms of the Second Lease Modification Agreement, in exchange for such restored access, ApplianceSmart paid the Reynoldsburg Landlord $141,048 in partial satisfaction of past due rent and costs and the Reynoldsburg Landlord agreed to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice. In addition, the Reynoldsburg Landlord agreed to reduced minimum annual rent for the remainder of the term and waived the rent due for October 2019, December 2019, and January 2020. In addition, JanOne ratified its guaranty under the lease.

On August 29, 2019, Martin Drive, LLC filed suit against ApplianceSmart in the Hennepin Court, alleging, among other things, breach of contract and failure to pay rent under the terms of a lease agreement. The plaintiff was awarded a default judgment in the aggregate amount of $265,281. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On August 27, 2019, CH Robinson Worldwide, Inc. served a lawsuit against ApplianceSmart in the District Court for the State of Minnesota, County of Carver, alleging, among other things, breach of contract and seeking damages in excess of $139,508. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On August 15, 2019, 280 Business Center, LLC filed suit against ApplianceSmart in the District Court for the State of Minnesota, County of Ramsey for eviction from the premises. This matter was settled in September 2019 for $130,000.

On June 19, 2019, Graceland Retail 2017 LLC filed suit against ApplianceSmart in the Court of Common Pleas in Franklin County, Ohio, alleging, among other things, breach of contract and failure to pay rent under the terms of a lease agreement. The plaintiff was seeking damages of approximately $940,000. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On May 29, 2019, Hopkins Mainstreet II, LLC (“Hopkins Mainstreet”) filed suit against ApplianceSmart, Inc. in the Hennepin Court alleging, among other things, breach of contract and failure to pay rent. The Hennepin Court subsequently entered a default judgment in favor of Hopkins Mainstreet in the amount of $225,111, plus attorneys’ fees in the amount of $3,150, and costs and disbursements in the amount of $904. This matter has been stayed as a result of the Chapter 11 Case.

On or about December 28, 2018, Berger Transfer & Storage, Inc. filed suit against ApplianceSmart in the District Court for the State of Minnesota, County of Ramsey for breach of contract. This matter was settled in April 2019 for $31,000.

We are involved in various claims and lawsuits arising in the normal course of business. The ultimate results of claims and litigation cannot be predicted with certainty. We currently believe that the ultimate outcome of such lawsuits and proceedings will not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

ITEM 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “LIVE”.

The following table sets forth the quarterly high and low trading prices per share of our common stock during the last two fiscal years.

	Quarter Ended	High		Low
2019	October 1 – December 31, 2018	$	9.45	$	6.53
	January 1 – March 31, 2019	$	8.38	$	6.25
	April 1 – June 30, 2019	$	7.89	$	6.70
	July 1 – September 30, 2019	$	8.70	$	5.65
2018	October 1 – December 31, 2017	$	19.97	$	11.63
	January 1 – March 31, 2018	$	17.33	$	12.16
	April 1 – June 30, 2018	$	14.45	$	11.86
	July 1 – September 30, 2018	$	13.20	$	8.99

On September 30, 2019, there were approximately 195 holders of record of our common stock, approximately 29 holders of record of our Series E Preferred Stock, and 2 holders of record of our Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”). We have no record of the number of stockholders who hold our common stock in “street name” with various brokers.

We have two classes of authorized preferred stock. As of September 30, 2019, our Series E Preferred Stock had 77,840 shares issued outstanding. Each share of Series E Preferred Stock is entitled to and receives a dividend of $0.015 per year. At September 30, 2019, the Company had accrued but unpaid preferred stock dividends totaling approximately $1,100.

Our Series B Preferred Stock, as of September 30, 2019, had 214,244 shares issued and outstanding. The shares, as a series, have waived their rights to dividends and are not entitled to dividends, unless they are declared by the Board of Directors through special action, subject to a $1.00 (in the aggregate for all then-issued and outstanding shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock).

Presently, we do not pay dividends on shares of our common stock or our Series B Preferred Stock. Our declaration and payment of cash dividends in the future and the amount thereof will depend upon our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, future prospects, limitations imposed by credit agreements or indentures governing debt securities and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.

On February 20, 2018, the Company announced a $10 million common stock repurchase plan. The following table provides information regarding repurchases of common stock during the three months ended September 30, 2019.

Period	Number of Shares		Average Purchase Price Paid		Number of Share Purchases as Part of a Publicly Announced Plan or Program		Maximum Amount that May be Purchased Under the Announced Plan or Program
July 2019		6,472	$	7.08		6,472	$	9,021,756
August 2019		9,186		6.62		9,186		8,960,945
September 2019		18,615		8.06		18,615		8,810,908
Totals		34,273				34,273

See “Item 11 – Executive Compensation – Executive Compensation Plan Information.”

ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

For a description of our significant accounting policies and an understanding of the significant factors that influenced our performance during the year ended September 30, 2019, this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” (hereafter referred to as “MD&A”) should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements, including the related notes, appearing in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Form 10-K”) includes statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the terms “may,” “believes,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “expects,” or “anticipates,” and do not reflect historical facts.

Specific forward-looking statements contained in this portion of the Annual Report include, but are not limited to: (i) statements that are based on current projections and expectations about the markets in which we operate, (ii) statements about current projections and expectations of general economic conditions, (iii) statements about specific industry projections and expectations of economic activity, (iv) statements relating to our future operations, prospects, results, and performance, (v) statements about the Chapter 11 Case, (vi) statements that the cash on hand and additional cash generated from operations together with potential sources of cash through issuance of debt or equity will provide the Company with sufficient liquidity for the next 12 months, and (vii) statements that the outcome of pending legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on business, financial position and results of operations, cash flow or liquidity.

Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors and risks that could affect our results, future performance and capital requirements and cause them to materially differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements include those identified in this Form 10-K under Item 1A “Risk Factors”, as well as other factors that we are currently unable to identify or quantify, but that may exist in the future.

In addition, the foregoing factors may generally affect our business, results of operations and financial position. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements were made. We do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Any information contained on our website www.liveventures.com or any other websites referenced in this Annual Report are not part of this Annual Report.

Live Ventures Incorporated is a holding company of diversified businesses, which, together with our subsidiaries, we refer to as the “Company”, “Live Ventures”, “we”, “us” or “our”. We acquire and operate profitable companies in various industries that have demonstrated a strong history of earnings power. We currently have three segments to our business, Manufacturing, Retail and Online, and Services.

Under the Live Ventures brand, we seek opportunities to acquire profitable and well-managed companies. We will work closely with consultants who will help us identify target companies that fit within the criteria we have established for opportunities that will provide synergies with our businesses.

Our Manufacturing segment is composed of Marquis Affiliated Holdings LLC and wholly owned subsidiaries (“Marquis”). Marquis is a leading carpet manufacturer and a manufacturer of innovative yarn products, as well as a reseller of hard surface flooring products. Over the last decade, Marquis has been an innovator and leader in the value-oriented polyester carpet sector, which is currently the market’s fastest-growing fiber category. We focus on the residential, niche commercial, and hospitality end-markets and serve over 2,000 customers.

Since commencing operations in 1995, Marquis has built a strong reputation for outstanding value, styling, and customer service. Its innovation has yielded products and technologies that differentiate its brands in the flooring marketplace. Marquis’s state-of-the-art operations enable high quality products, unique customization, and exceptionally short lead-times. Furthermore, the Company has recently invested in additional capacity to grow several attractive lines of business, including printed carpet and yarn extrusion.

Vintage Stock Holdings LLC, Vintage Stock, V-Stock, Movie Trading Company and EntertainMart (collectively “Vintage Stock”) is an award-winning specialty entertainment retailer offering a large selection of entertainment products including new and pre-owned movies, video games and music products, as well as ancillary products such as books, comics, toys and collectibles all available in a single location. With its integrated buy-sell-trade business model, Vintage Stock buys, sells and trades new and pre-owned movies, music, video games, electronics and collectibles through 62 retail locations strategically positioned across Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma Texas and Utah.

At September 30, 2019, ApplianceSmart Affiliated Holdings LLC, ApplianceSmart Inc. and ApplianceSmart Contracting, Inc (collectively “ApplianceSmart”) operated four stores: two in Minnesota; one Ohio; and one in Georgia. ApplianceSmart is a major household appliance retailer with two product categories: one consisting of typical and commonly available, innovative appliances, and the other consisting of affordable value-priced, niche offerings such as close-outs, factory overruns, discontinued models, and special-buy appliances, including open box merchandise and others. In addition to retailing household appliances, ApplianceSmart through ApplianceSmart Contracting Inc. provides household appliances to builders and developers in the Minnesota and Ohio markets.

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Preparation of these statements requires us to make judgments and estimates. Some accounting policies have a significant and material impact on amounts reported in these financial statements. Estimates and assumptions are based on management's experience and other information available prior to the issuance of our financial statements. Our actual realized results may differ materially from management’s initial estimates as reported. Our critical and significant accounting policies include Trade and Other Receivables, Inventories, Goodwill, Revenue Recognition, Fair Value Measurements, Stock Based Compensation, Income Taxes, Segment Reporting and Concentrations of Credit Risk.

The following table sets forth certain statement of income items and as a percentage of revenue, for the periods indicated:

	Year Ended						Year Ended
	September 30, 2019						September 30, 2018
				% of Total						% of Total
				Revenue						Revenue
Statement of Income Data:
Revenues	$	193,288			100.0	%	$	199,633			100.0	%
Cost of revenues		122,415			63.3	%		125,435			62.8	%
Gross profit		70,873			36.7	%		74,198			37.2	%
General and administrative expenses		52,840			27.3	%		49,258			24.7	%
Sales and marketing expenses		14,777			7.6	%		14,140			7.1	%
Operating income		3,256			1.7	%		10,800			5.4	%
Interest expense, net		(6,315	)		(3.3	)%		(8,643	)		(4.3	)%
Bargain purchase gain on acquisition		—			—			7,294			3.7	%
Impairment charges		(3,222	)		(1.7	)%		—			—
Other income		644			0.3	%		879			0.4	%
Income (loss) before income taxes		(5,637	)		(2.9	)%		10,330			5.2	%
(Benefit) Provision for income taxes		(1,625	)		(0.8	)%		4,407			2.2	%
Net income (loss)	$	(4,012	)		(2.1	)%	$	5,923			3.0	%

The following tables set forth revenues for key product categories, percentages of total revenue and gross profits earned by key product category and gross profit percent as compared to revenues for each key product category indicated:

	Year Ended					Year Ended
	September 30, 2019					September 30, 2018
	Net		% of Total			Net		% of Total
	Revenue		Revenue			Revenue		Total Revenue
Revenue
Used Movies, Music, Games and Other	$	42,298		21.9	%	$	43,014		21.5	%
New Movies, Music, Games and Other		33,695		17.4	%		32,980		16.5	%
Rentals, Concessions and Other		968		0.5	%		1,189		0.6	%
Retail Appliance		23,740		12.3	%		32,943		16.5	%
Carpets		60,747		31.4	%		58,451		29.3	%
Hard Surface Products		29,146		15.1	%		24,229		12.1	%
Synthetic Turf Products		2,058		1.1	%		6,082		3.0	%
Other		636		0.3	%		745		0.4	%
Total Revenue	$	193,288		100.0	%	$	199,633		100.0	%

	Year Ended					Year Ended
	September 30, 2019					September 30, 2018
	Gross		Gross			Gross		Gross
	Profit		Profit %			Profit		Profit %
Gross Profit
Used Movies, Music, Games and Other	$	34,114		80.7	%	$	34,095		79.3	%
New Movies, Music, Games and Other		8,921		26.5	%		8,341		25.3	%
Rentals, Concessions and Other		582		60.2	%		762		64.1	%
Retail Appliance		1,539		6.5	%		7,842		23.8	%
Carpets		16,861		27.8	%		15,548		26.6	%
Hard Surface Products		7,725		26.5	%		6,360		26.2	%
Synthetic Turf Products		535		26.0	%		542		8.9	%
Directory Services		596		93.7	%		708		95.0	%
Total Gross Profit	$	70,873		36.7	%	$	74,198		37.2	%

Revenue decreased $6,345, or 3.2% for the year ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2018 primarily attributable to the following:

Revenue from ApplianceSmart decreased $9,203 due to the closure of certain retail locations that incurred continued drop in sales resulting from increased competition.

The decrease in Used Movies, Music, Games and Other was offset by an increase in New Movies, Music, Games and Other due to a lack of new content related to video games and new movie releases performing better as compared to the prior year.

Carpet and hard surface revenues increased a total of $7,213 as a result of development of new products. This increase was partially offset by the decrease in Synthetic Turf Products of $4,024 due to the sale of equipment related to this division.

Cost of revenue decreased $3,020, or 2.4% for the year ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to the ApplianceSmart store closures as the Company reduced its appliance inventory.

Gross profit for the year ended September 30, 2019 decreased $3,325 or 4.5% compared gross profit for the year ended September 30, 2018, due to the decrease in revenue and cost of revenue discussed above.

General and Administrative expense increased $3,582 or 7.3%, for the year ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to costs associated with the closing of certain ApplianceSmart locations, increased employee costs and legal expenses associated with various transactions and compliance.

Selling and marketing expense for the year ended September 30, 2019 approximated selling and marketing expense for the year ended September 30, 2018 as the Company maintained the same level of selling and marketing efforts.

Because of the factors described above, operating income was $3,256 for the year ended September 30, 2019, representing a decrease of $7,544 or 69.9% over the comparable prior year of $10,800.

Interest expense net decreased $2,328 or 26.9%, for the year ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the year ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to the reduction in outstanding debt and decreased borrowing costs for Marquis and Vintage Stock, which was slightly offset by ApplianceSmart entering into a new debt agreement during the period.

Bargain Purchase Gain for the year ended September 30, 2018 was $7,294, which was a result of the ApplianceSmart acquisition. There was no similar transaction during the year ended September 30, 2019.

Impairment charges of $3,222 for the year ended September 30, 2019, were related to the write down of intangibles associated with the ApplianceSmart customer list and trade names due to the bankruptcy filing in December 2019, the write down of lease intangibles related to the ApplianceSmart retail locations closed during the period and the write down of software that is no longer in use. There were no impairment charges for the year ended September 30, 2018.

For the year ended September 30, 2019, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $1,625 as compared to a tax provision of $4,407 the year ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to the net loss in the current period. The rate for the year ended September 30, 2019 was impact by a significant change in valuation allowances, State income tax rates, net of Federal benefits and carryforward adjustments. The rate for the year ended September 30, 2018 was impacted by the Tax Act rate changes and the bargain purchase accounting related to the purchase of ApplianceSmart.

The factors described above led to net loss of $4,012 for the year ended September 30, 2019, or an 167.7% decrease from net income of $5,923 for the year ended September 30, 2018.

	Year Ended September 30, 2019									Year Ended September 30, 2018
	Retail &									Retail &
	Online			Mfg		Services		Total		Online		Mfg		Services		Total
Revenue	$	100,701		$	91,951	$	636	$	193,288	$	110,125	$	88,763	$	745	$	199,633
Cost of Revenue		55,547			66,829		39		122,415		59,086		66,313		36		125,435
Gross Profit		45,154			25,122		597		70,873		51,039		22,450		709		74,198
General and Administrative Expense		47,524			5,314		2		52,840		43,535		5,720		3		49,258
Selling and Marketing Expense		6,704			8,073		—		14,777		6,166		7,974		—		14,140
Operating Income (Loss)	$	(9,074	)	$	11,735	$	595	$	3,256	$	1,338	$	8,756	$	706	$	10,800

	Year Ended September 30, 2019												Year Ended September 30, 2018
	Segments in % of Revenue												Segments - % of Revenue
	Retail &												Retail &
	Online			Mfg			Services			Total			Online			Mfg			Services			Total
Revenue		100.0	%		100.0	%		100.0	%		100.0	%		100.0	%		100.0	%		100.0	%		100.0	%
Cost of Revenue		55.2	%		72.7	%		6.1	%		63.3	%		53.7	%		74.7	%		4.8	%		62.8	%
Gross Profit		44.8	%		27.3	%		93.9	%		36.7	%		46.3	%		25.3	%		95.2	%		37.2	%
General and Administrative Expense		47.2	%		5.8	%		0.3	%		27.3	%		39.5	%		6.4	%		0.4	%		24.7	%
Selling and Marketing Expense		6.7	%		8.8	%		0.0	%		7.6	%		5.6	%		9.0	%		0.0	%		7.1	%
Operating Income		(9.0	)%		12.8	%		93.6	%		1.7	%		1.2	%		9.9	%		94.8	%		5.4	%

Segment results for Retail and Online include Vintage Stock and ApplianceSmart. Revenue for the year ended September 30, 2019 decreased $9,424, or 8.6%, as compared to the prior year, primarily due to the ApplianceSmart retail location closures during 2019. Cost of revenue for the year ended September 30, 2019 decreased $3,539 or 6.0%, as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the ApplianceSmart retail location closures during 2019. Operating loss for the year ended September 30, 2019 was $9,074, as compared to operating income of $1,338 the prior year period, primarily due to the decrease in gross profit of $5,885 and an increase in general and administrative expense of $3,989.

Segment results for Manufacturing include Marquis, which is our carpet, hard surface and synthetic turf products business. Revenue for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased $3,188, or 3.6%, as compared to the prior year period, due to increased sales of carpets and hard surface products related to development of new products, partially offset by a decrease in synthetic turf products due to the sale of equipment for this division. Cost of revenue for the year ended September 30, 2019 remained constant, as compared to the prior year period. Operating income for the year ended September 30, 2019 increased $2,979, or 34.0%, as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to an increase in gross profit of $2,672 and a decrease in general and administrative expense of $406.

Segment results for Services include Telco results, which is our directory services business. Revenues and operating income continue to decline due to decreasing renewals. We expect revenue and operating income from this segment to continue to decrease in the future. We are no longer accepting new customers in our directory services business.

Based on our current operating plans, we believe that available cash balances, cash generated from our operating activities and funds available under our asset based revolver lines of credit will provide sufficient liquidity to fund our operations, pay our scheduled loan payments, fund our continued investments in store openings and remodeling activities, continue to repurchase shares, and pay dividends on our shares of Series E Preferred Stock as declared by the Board of Directors, for at least the next 12 months.

We have two asset-based revolver lines of credit (i) Bank of America Revolver Loan (“BofA Revolver”) that Marquis uses and (ii) Texas Capital Bank Revolver Loan (“TCB Revolver”) used by Vintage Stock.

As of September 30, 2019, we had total cash on hand of $2,681 and an additional $14,914 of available borrowing under the BofA Revolver and an additional $1,410 of available borrowing under the TCB Revolver. As we continue to pursue acquisitions, and other strategic transactions to expand and grow our business, we regularly monitor capital market conditions and may raise additional funds through borrowings or public or private sales of debt or equity securities. The amount, nature and timing of any borrowings or sales of debt or equity securities will depend on our operating performance and other circumstances; our then-current commitments and obligations; the amount, nature and timing of our capital requirements; any limitations imposed by our current credit arrangements; and overall market conditions.

We utilize cash on hand and cash generated from operations and have funds available to us under our two revolving loan facilities (BofA Revolver and TCB Revolver) to cover normal and seasonal fluctuations in cash flows and to support our various growth initiatives. Our cash and cash equivalents are carried at cost and consist primarily of demand deposits with commercial banks. Our term debt facilities are not revolving credit facilities and require scheduled payments of principal and interest.

Marquis may borrow funds for operations under the BofA Revolver subject to availability as described in Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements. The following tables summarize the BofA Revolver for the year ended and as of September 30, 2019:

Nevada		85-0206668
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

325 E Warm Springs Road, Suite 102, Las Vegas, Nevada		89119
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Title of each class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share		LIVE		The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (The NASDAQ Capital Market)


		Page

Part I			2

Item 1.	Business		2
Item 1A.	Risk Factors		9
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments		25
Item 2.	Properties		25
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings		27
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures		28

Part II			29

Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities		29
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data		30
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations		31
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk		40
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data		41
	Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms		F-1
	Consolidated Financial Statements:
	Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2019 and 2018		F-2
	Consolidated Statements of Income for the Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018		F-3
	Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018		F-4
	Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018		F-5
	Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements		F-7
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure		39
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures		39
Item 9B.	Other Information		40

Part III			41

Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance		41
Item 11.	Executive Compensation		45
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters		51
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence		52
Item 14.	Principal Accounting Fees and Services		53

Part IV			54

Item 15.	Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules		54
Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary		59
Signatures			60

Division		Products and/or Services
Marquis Industries		All forms of floor covering to dealers and home centers
Marquis Hard Surfaces		Hard surface products provided to dealers
Omega Pattern Works		Specialty printed carpet to the entertainment industry (bowling alleys, fun centers, movie theaters, and casinos)
Astro Carpet Mills		Specialty printed carpet to the entertainment industry and artificial turf
Artisans Hospitality		Carpets to commercial and hospitality markets
Dalton Carpet Depot		Sells specials and off grade carpet products to dealers
M&M Fibers		Internal extrusion carpet fiber division supplying raw material to Marquis
Quantum Textiles		Internal twisting and heat set yarn plant
B&H Tufters		Internal tufting operations
Constellation Industries		Contract commission printing

During the year ended September 30, 2019
Cumulative borrowing during the period	$	87,771
Cumulative repayment during the period		95,358


Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☒
		Emerging growth company	☐