Form 10-Q TRANS LUX Corp For: Mar 31

As used in this report, “Trans-Lux,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Trans-Lux Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Financial information included herein is unaudited, however, such information reflects all adjustments (of a normal and recurring nature), which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the interim periods. The results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.  The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and therefore do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).  The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.  The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2021 is derived from the December 31, 2021 audited financial statements.

The following new accounting pronouncements were adopted in 2022:

None.

The following new accounting pronouncements, and related impacts on adoption, are being evaluated by the Company:

None.

A fundamental principle of the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP is the assumption that an entity will continue in existence as a going concern, which contemplates continuity of operations and the realization of assets and settlement of liabilities occurring in the ordinary course of business.  This principle is applicable to all entities except for entities in liquidation or entities for which liquidation appears imminent.  In accordance with this requirement, the Company has prepared its accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements assuming the Company will continue as a going concern.

Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Company experienced a reduction in sales orders from customers in 2020 and 2021, which has just recently started to rebound.  The Company recorded income of $493,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2022 but recorded a loss of $5.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2021.  The Company had working capital deficiencies of $9.3 million and $9.8 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.

The Company is dependent on future operating performance in order to generate sufficient cash flows in order to continue to run its businesses. Future operating performance is dependent on general economic conditions, as well as financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control, including the impact of the current economic environment, the spread of major epidemics (including coronavirus), increases in interest rates and other related uncertainties such as government-imposed travel restrictions, interruptions to supply chains, extended shut down of businesses and the impact of inflation. In order to more effectively manage its cash resources, the Company had, from time to time, increased the timetable of its payment of some of its payables, which delayed certain product deliveries from our vendors, which in turn delayed certain deliveries to our customers.

If we are unable to (i) obtain additional liquidity for working capital, (ii) make the required minimum funding contributions to the defined benefit pension plan, (iii) make the required principal and interest payments on our outstanding 8¼% Limited convertible senior subordinated notes due 2012 (the “Notes”) and 9½% Subordinated debentures due 2012 (the “Debentures”) and/or (iv) repay our obligations under our Loan Agreement (hereinafter defined) with Unilumin, there would be a significant adverse impact on our financial position and operating results. The Company continually evaluates the need and availability of long-term capital in order to meet its cash requirements and fund potential new opportunities. Due to the above, there is substantial doubt as to whether we will have adequate liquidity, including access to the debt and equity capital markets, to operate our business over the next 12 months from the date of issuance of this Form 10-Q.

We recognize revenue in accordance with two different accounting standards: 1) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606 and 2) ASC Topic 842. Under Topic 606, revenue from contracts with customers is measured based on the consideration specified in the contract with the customer, and excludes any sales incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to a customer, and is the unit of account under Topic 606. Our contracts with customers generally do not include multiple performance obligations. We recognize revenue when we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for such products or services. None of the Company’s contracts contained a significant financing component as of March 31, 2022. Revenue from the Company’s digital product and maintenance service is recognized ratably over the lease term in accordance with ASC Topic 842.

Disaggregated Revenues

The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, along with the reportable segment for each category:

The Company has two primary revenue streams which are Digital product sales and Digital product lease and maintenance.

Digital Product Sales

The Company recognizes net revenue on digital product sales to its distribution partners and to end users related to digital display solutions and fixed digit scoreboards.  For the Company’s catalog products, revenue is generally recognized when the customer obtains control of the Company’s product, which occurs at a point in time, and may be upon shipment or upon delivery based on the contractual shipping terms of a contract.  For the Company’s customized products, revenue is either recognized at a point in time or over time depending on the length of the contract.  For those customized product contracts that are smaller in size, revenue is generally recognized when the customer obtains control of the Company’s product, which occurs at a point in time, and may be upon shipment or upon delivery based on the contractual shipping terms of a contract.  For those customized product contracts that are larger in size, revenue is recognized over time based on incurred costs as compared to projected costs using the input method, as this best reflects the Company’s progress in transferring control of the customized product to the customer.  The Company may also contract with a customer to perform installation services of digital display products.  Similar to the larger customized products, the Company recognizes the revenue associated with installation services using the input method, whereby the basis is the total contract costs incurred to date compared to the total expected costs to be incurred.

Revenue on sales to distribution partners are recorded net of prompt-pay discounts, if offered, and other deductions.  To the extent the transaction price includes variable consideration, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration that should be included in the transaction price utilizing the most likely amount method to which the Company expects to be entitled.  In the case of prompt-pay discounts, there are only two possible outcomes: either the customer pays on-time or does not.  Variable consideration is included in the transaction price if, in the Company’s judgment, it is probable that a significant future reversal of cumulative revenue under the contract will not occur.  Determination of whether to include estimated amounts in the transaction price are based largely on an assessment of the Company’s anticipated performance and all information (historical, current and forecasted) that is reasonably available.  The Company believes that the estimates it has established are reasonable based upon current facts and circumstances.  Applying different judgments to the same facts and circumstances could result in the estimated amounts to vary.  The Company offers an assurance-type warranty that the digital display products will conform to the published specifications.  Returns may only be made subject to this warranty and not for convenience.

Digital Product Lease and Maintenance

Digital product lease revenues represent revenues from leasing equipment that we own.  We do not generally provide an option for the lessee to purchase the rented equipment at the end of the lease and do not generate material revenue from sales of equipment under such options.  Our lease revenues do not include material amounts of variable payments.  Digital product maintenance revenues represent revenues from maintenance agreements for equipment that we do not own.  Lease and maintenance contracts generally run for periods of one month to 10 years.  A contract entered into by the Company with a customer may contain both lease and maintenance services (either or both services may be agreed upon based on the individual customer contract).  Maintenance services may consist of providing labor, parts and software maintenance as may be required to maintain the customer’s equipment in proper operating condition at the customer’s service location.  The Company concluded the lease and maintenance services represent a series of distinct services and the most representative method for measuring progress towards satisfying the performance obligation of these services is the input method.  Additionally, maintenance services require the Company to “stand ready” to provide support to the customer when and if needed.  As there is no discernable pattern of efforts other than evenly over the lease and maintenance terms, the Company will recognize revenue straight-line over the lease and maintenance terms of service.

The Company has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date, as evidenced by the requirement that the customer pay upfront for each month of services. Lease and maintenance service amounts billed ahead of revenue recognition are recorded in deferred revenue and are included in accrued liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revenues from equipment lease and maintenance contracts are recognized during the term of the respective agreements.  At March 31, 2022, the future minimum lease payments due to the Company under operating leases that expire at varying dates through 2029 for its rental equipment and maintenance contracts, assuming no renewals of existing leases or any new leases, aggregating $1,924,000 are as follows:  $508,000 – remainder of 2022, $457,000 – 2023, $349,000 – 2024, $266,000 – 2025, $186,000 – 2026 and $158,000 thereafter.

Contract Balances with Customers

Contract assets primarily relate to rights to consideration for goods or services transferred to the customer when the right is conditional on something other than the passage of time.  The contract assets are transferred to the receivables when the rights become unconditional.  As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had no contract assets.  The contract liabilities primarily relate to the advance consideration received from customers for contracts prior to the transfer of control to the customer and therefore revenue is recognized on completion of delivery.  Contract liabilities are classified as deferred revenue by the Company and are included in customer deposits and accrued liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following table presents the balances in the Company’s receivables and contract liabilities with customers:

During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized the following revenues as a result of changes in the contract asset and the contract liability balances in the respective periods:

Transaction Price Allocated to Future Performance Obligations

As of March 31, 2022, the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations for digital product sales was $6.7 million and digital product lease and maintenance was $1.9 million.

The Company expects to recognize revenue on approximately 86%, 8% and 6% of the remaining performance obligations over the next 12 months, 13 to 36 months and 37 or more months, respectively.

Costs to Obtain or Fulfill a Customer Contract

The Company capitalizes incremental costs of obtaining customer contracts.  Capitalized commissions are amortized based on the transfer of the products or services to which the assets relate.  Applying the practical expedient in paragraph 340-40-25-4, the Company recognizes the incremental costs of obtaining contracts as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the assets that the Company otherwise would have recognized is one year or less.  These costs are included in General and administrative expenses.

The Company accounts for shipping and handling activities related to contracts with customers as costs to fulfill the promise to transfer the associated products.  When shipping and handling costs are incurred after a customer obtains control of the products, the Company also has elected to account for these as costs to fulfill the promise and not as a separate performance obligation.  Shipping and handling costs associated with the distribution of finished products to customers are recorded in costs of goods sold and are recognized when the related finished product is shipped to the customer.

Inventories consist of the following:

Rental equipment consists of the following:

Depreciation expense for rental equipment for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 was $47,000 and $61,000, respectively.

Property, plant and equipment consists of the following:

Machinery, fixtures and equipment having a net book value of $1.9 million and $2.0 million at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, were pledged as collateral under various financing agreements.

Depreciation expense for property, plant and equipment for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 was $63,000 and $65,000, respectively.

Long-term debt consists of the following:

On September 16, 2019, the Company entered into a loan agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with MidCap. On June 3, 2020, March 23, 2021 and May 31, 2021, the Company and MidCap entered into modification agreements to the Loan Agreement. On July 30, 2021, MidCap assigned the loan to Unilumin. The Loan Agreement terminates on September 16, 2022, unless earlier terminated by the parties in accordance with the termination provisions of the Loan Agreement. The Loan Agreement allows the Company to borrow up to an aggregate of $4.0 million at an interest rate of the 3-month LIBOR interest rate plus 4.75% (12.00% at March 31, 2022) on a revolving credit loan based on accounts receivable, inventory and equipment for general working capital purposes. As of March 31, 2022, the balance outstanding under the Loan Agreement was $1.4 million, including $250,000 of borrowings in the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The Loan Agreement also requires the payment of certain fees, including a facility fee, an unused credit line fee and a collateral monitoring charge. The Loan Agreement contains financial and other covenant requirements, including financial covenants that require the Company to attain certain EBITDA amounts for certain periods, including the period ended March 31, 2022. The Company was not in compliance with this covenant. As such, Unilumin has the right to demand payment of the outstanding balance, but no such demand has been made as of the time of this filing. The Loan Agreement is secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets.

The Company entered into a loan note (the “Loan Note”) with the SBA (“Lender”) as lender under their Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, dated as of December 10, 2021.  Under the Loan Note, the Company borrowed $500,000 from Lender under the EIDL Program.  As of March 31, 2022, $500,000 was outstanding.  The loan matures on December 10, 2051 and carries an interest rate of 3.75%.  As of March 31, 2022, the Company had accrued $5,000 of interest related to the Loan Note, which is included in Accrued liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

On April 23, 2020, the Company entered into a loan note (the “Loan Note”) with Enterprise Bank and Trust (“Lender”) as lender under the CARES Act of the Small Business Administration of the United States of America (“SBA”), dated as of April 20, 2020. Under the Loan Note, the Company borrowed $810,800 from Lender under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) included in the SBA’s CARES Act. The Loan Note proceeds were forgivable as long as the Company uses the loan proceeds for eligible purposes including payroll costs, including salaries, commissions, and similar compensation, group health care benefits, and paid leave; rent; utilities; and maintains its payroll levels. In January 2022, the loan was forgiven in full and the payments that had previously been paid were refunded. Refund proceeds in the amount of $ 452,631 are included in proceeds from long-term debt in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2022.

The Company has a $500,000 loan from Carlisle Investments Inc. (“Carlisle”) at a fixed interest rate of 12.00%, which matured on April 27, 2019 with a bullet payment of all principal due at such time.  Interest is payable monthly.  Carlisle had agreed to not demand payment on the loan through at least December 31, 2020, and has not made any such demands as of the date of this filing. As of March 31, 2022, the entire amount was outstanding and is included in current portion of long-term debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had accrued $255,000 and $240,000, respectively, of interest related to this loan, which are included in accrued liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company has an additional $500,000 loan from Carlisle at a fixed interest rate of 12.00%, which matured on December 10, 2017 with a bullet payment of all principal due at such time (the “Second Carlisle Agreement”).  Interest is payable monthly.  Carlisle had agreed to not demand payment on the loan through at least December 31, 2020, and has not made any such demands as of the date of this filing. As of March 31, 2022, the entire amount was outstanding and is included in current portion of long-term debt Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had accrued $255,000 and $240,000, respectively, of interest related to this loan, which are included in accrued liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  Under the Second Carlisle Agreement, the Company granted a security interest to Carlisle in accounts receivable, materials and intangibles relating to a certain purchase order for equipment issued in April 2017.

As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had outstanding $302,000 of Notes.  The Notes matured as of March 1, 2012 and are currently in default.  As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had accrued $314,000 and $307,000, respectively, of interest related to the Notes, which is included in Accrued liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The trustee, by notice to the Company, or the holders of 25% of the principal amount of the Notes outstanding, by notice to the Company and the trustee, may declare the outstanding principal plus interest due and payable immediately. On January 15, 2021, holders of $50,000 of the Notes accepted the Company’s offer to exchange each $1,000 of principal, forgiving any related interest, for $400 in cash, for an aggregate payment by the Company of $20,000.  As a result of the transaction, the Company recorded a gain on the extinguishment of debt, net of expenses, of $77,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2021.

As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had outstanding $220,000 of Debentures.  The Debentures matured as of December 1, 2012 and are currently in default.  As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had accrued $258,000 and $253,000, respectively, of interest related to the Debentures, which is included in Accrued liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The trustee, by notice to the Company, or the holders of 25% of the principal amount of the Debentures outstanding, by notice to the Company and the trustee, may declare the outstanding principal plus interest due and payable immediately.

As of December 31, 2003, the benefit service under the pension plan had been frozen and, accordingly, there is no service cost.  As of April 30, 2009, the compensation increments had been frozen and, accordingly, no additional benefits are being accrued under the pension plan.

The following table presents the components of net periodic pension cost:

As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had recorded a current pension liability of $138,000 and $129,000, respectively, which is included in accrued liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, and a long-term pension liability of $3.3 million and $3.4 million, respectively, which is included in deferred pension liability and other in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The minimum required contribution in 2022 is expected to be $138,000, none of which the Company has contributed as of March 31, 2022.

The Company leases administrative and manufacturing facilities through operating lease agreements. The Company has no finance leases as of March 31, 2022.  Our leases include both lease (e.g., fixed payments including rent) and non-lease components (e.g., common area or other maintenance costs). The facility leases include one or more options to renew.  The exercise of lease renewal options is typically at our sole discretion, therefore, the renewals to extend the lease terms are not included in our right of use (“ROU”) assets or lease liabilities as they are not reasonably certain of exercise.  We regularly evaluate the renewal options and, when they are reasonably certain of exercise, we include the renewal period in our lease term.

Operating leases result in the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  ROU assets represent our right to use the leased asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments.  Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term.  As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use our estimated incremental borrowing rate at the commencement date to determine the present value of lease payments.  Most real estate leases include one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term from 1 to 5 years or more.  Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.  Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The primary leases we enter into with initial terms of 12 months or less are for equipment.

Supplemental information regarding leases:

Supplemental cash flow information regarding leases:

Total operating lease expense was $130,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022. There was no short-term lease expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022.  Total operating lease expense and short-term lease expense was $94,000 and $2,000, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

The following table presents the calculation of income (loss) per share for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021:

Basic earnings (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common shares by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common shares, by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, adjusted for shares that would be assumed outstanding after warrants and stock options vested under the treasury stock method.

As of March 31, 2022, the Company included the effects of the 280,000 stock options outstanding in the calculation of diluted income per share. As of March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had other warrants to purchase 1.6 million shares of Common Stock outstanding, which were excluded from the calculation of diluted income (loss) per share because their exercise price was greater than the average stock price for the period and their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

On March 28, 2022, the Company issued 280,000 stock options to executives and employees at an exercise price of $0.40 per share, which become vested on March 28, 2023.  The options were valued at the grant date using the Black-Scholes model with the following inputs:  expiration date March 28, 2026; risk-free rate of return 2.55%; and volatility 108%.

A summary of the status of the Company’s stock options as of March 31, 2022 and the changes during the three months then ended is presented below:

Equity based compensation was $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.  The total unrecognized equity based compensation cost related to unvested stock options was approximately $152,000 as of March 31, 2022 and will be recognized over the vesting period.

The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims which arise in the ordinary course of its business and/or which are covered by insurance.  The Company has accrued reserves individually and in the aggregate for such legal proceedings.  Should actual litigation results differ from the Company’s estimates, revisions to increase or decrease the accrued reserves may be required.  There are no open matters that the Company deems material.

The Company has the following related party transactions:

As of March 31, 2022, Unilumin USA (“Unilumin”) owns 52.0% of the Company’s Common Stock and beneficially owns 53.7% of the Company’s Common Stock. Nicholas J. Fazio, Yang Liu and Yantao Yu, each directors of the Company, are each directors and/or officers of Unilumin. The Company purchased $492,000 and $59,000 of product from Unilumin in the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company borrowed $250,000 under the revolving credit line with Unilumin in the three months ended March 31, 2022. The amount payable by the Company to Unilumin, including accounts payable, accrued interest and long-term debt, was $4.5 million and $3.7 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.

Operating segments are based on the Company’s business components about which separate financial information is available and are evaluated regularly by the Company’s chief operating decision makers in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance of the business.

The Company evaluates segment performance and allocates resources based upon operating income (loss). The Company’s operations are managed in two reportable business segments: Digital product sales and Digital product lease and maintenance.  Both design and produce large-scale, multi-color, real-time digital displays.  Both operating segments are conducted on a global basis, primarily through operations in the United States.  The Company also has operations in Canada.  The Digital product sales segment sells equipment and the Digital product lease and maintenance segment leases and maintains equipment.  Corporate general and administrative items relate to costs that are not directly identifiable with a segment.  There are no intersegment sales.

Foreign revenues represent less than 10% of the Company’s revenues in the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.  The Company’s foreign operation does not manufacture its own equipment; the domestic operation provides the equipment that the foreign operation leases or sells.  The foreign operation operates similarly to the domestic operation and has similar profit margins.  Foreign assets are immaterial.

Information about the Company’s operations in its two business segments for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

The Company has evaluated events and transactions subsequent to March 31, 2022 and through the date these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were included in this Form 10-Q and filed with the SEC.