UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


FORM 10-K

x


         ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED FEBRUARY 3, 2018

JANUARY 30, 2021

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ………… TO …………


COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 0-14818


TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATIONKASPIEN HOLDINGS INC.

(Exact

 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


New York14-1541629
(State or other jurisdictionOther Jurisdiction of incorporationIncorporation or organization)Organization(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)No.


2818 N. Sullivan Rd. Ste 30
Spokane, WA 99216
12203
Address of Principal Executive OfficesZip Code

(855) 300-2710
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code

Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report
Trans World Entertainment Corporation
38 Corporate Circle

Albany, New YorkNY 12203

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(518) 452-1242

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)


Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common shares, $0.01Stock, $.01 par value per shareKSPNNASDAQ Stock Market (Common Shares)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None


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

Yeso Nox

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yeso  ☐   Nox


Indicate by a check mark whether the Registrantregistrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by SectionsSection 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrantregistrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yesx Noo




Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes x   No o


Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the Registrant’s Knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or an amendment to this Form 10-K.x

Indicate by checkmark 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, (as defined” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

Exchange Act.

Large accelerated fileroAccelerated filero
Non-accelerated fileroSmallSmaller reporting companyx
Emerging growth company ☐


If an 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 provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.o

    ☐


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  Yeso     Nox


As of July 29, 2017, 36,117,055August 1, 2020, the last business day of the Company’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, 1,825,198 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock were issued and outstanding.  The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, based upon the closing sale price of the Registrant’s Common Stock on July 29, 2017 as reported on the Global tier of The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.August 1, 2020, was $41,490,946, Shares of Common Stock held by the Company’s controlling shareholder, who controlled approximately 40% of the outstanding Common Stock, have been excluded for purposes of this computation. Because of such shareholder’s control, shares owned by other officers, directors and 5% shareholders have not been excluded from the computation.$5.5 million. As of March 29, 2018,April 15, 2021, there were 36,148,5702,478,752 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding.

Documents of Which Portions Are Incorporated by
Reference
Parts of the Form 10-K into Which
Portion of Documents are
Incorporated

Proxy Statement for Trans World Entertainment
Corporation’s June 27, 2018 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders to be filed on or about

May 30, 2018

III
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APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PRECEDING FIVE YEARS:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Section 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.      Yes ☐    No ☐

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:

None.


PART I


Cautionary Statement for Purposes of the “Safe Harbor” Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995


This document includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements also relate to the Trans World Entertainment Corporation’sKaspien Holdings Inc.’s (“the Company’s”) future prospects, developments and business strategies. The statements contained in this document that are not statements of historical fact may include forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties.


We have used the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “predict”, “project”, and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions, in this document to identify forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements are made based on management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events and are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. The following factors are among those that may cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s forward-looking statements.


·
     continued operating losses;
     impact of the novel coronavirus identified as “COVID-19” on our business and operating results;
     the ability of the Company to satisfy its liabilities and to continue as a going concern;
     maintaining Kaspien’s relationship with Amazon;
    failure to sustain our revenue growth rate;
•     decline in the Company’s stock price;
     the limited public float and trading volume for our Common Stock;
new product introductions;
·
continued and accelerated declines     advancements in compact disc (“CD”) and home video industry sales;
technology;
·
highly competitive nature of the retail entertainment business;
·new technology, including digital distribution and media streaming;
·competitive pricing;
·current economic conditions and changes in mall traffic;
·dependence on key employees, the ability to hire new employees and pay competitive wages;
·
the Company’s level of debt and related restrictions and limitations;
·
future cash flows;
·
availability of real estate;
·vendor terms;
·
interest rate fluctuations;
·
access to third party digital marketplaces
marketplaces;
·
adverse publicity;
·
product liability claims;
·
changes in laws and regulations;
·
breach of data security;
·
increase in Amazon feesMarketplace fulfillment and
storage fees;
·
     limitation on our acquisition and growth strategy as a result of our inability to raise necessary funding;
the other matters set forth under Item 1A “Risk Factors,” Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and  Results of Operations”, and other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K


The reader should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made by us in this document, or elsewhere, pertains only as of the date on which we make it. New risks and uncertainties come up from time-to-time and it’sit is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect us. In light of these risks and uncertainties, you should keep in mind that any forward-looking statements made in this report or elsewhere might not occur.


In addition, the preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires us to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect:

·the reported amounts and timing of revenue and expenses,
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·the reported amounts and classification of assets and liabilities, and
·the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.

the reported amounts and timing of revenue and expenses,
the reported amounts and classification of assets and liabilities, and
the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.

Actual results may vary from our estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions are based on historical results, assumptions that we make, as well as assumptions by third parties.


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Item 1. BUSINESS

Item 1.BUSINESS


Company Background


Kaspien Holdings Inc (f/k/a Trans World Entertainment Corporation,Corporation), which, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, is referred to herein as “the Company”the “Company”, “we”, “us” and “our”, was incorporated in New York in 1972.  We own 100% of the outstanding Common Stock of Record Town, Inc. and etailz,Kaspien Inc.  See below for additional information.

Our Reportable Segments

We operate our business


Acquired in two segments:

For Your Entertainment SegmentOctober 2016, Kaspien Inc. (“fye”Kaspien”)

provides a platform of software and services to empower brands to grow their online distribution channels on digital marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, eBay, among others. The Company’sCompany helps brands achieve their online retail goals through its innovative and proprietary technology, tailored strategies and mutually beneficial partnerships.


Previously, the Company also operated fye, segment operatesa chain of retail entertainment stores and two e-commerce sites, www.fye.comand is one ofwww.secondspin.com.  On February 20, 2020, the largest specialty retailers of entertainment products, including trend, video, music, electronics and related products in the United States.

Stores and Store Concepts

As of February3, 2018, the fye segment operated 260 stores totaling approximately 1.4 million square feet in the United States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands predominantly under the For Your Entertainment brand.

Mall stores. The Company operated 231 traditional mall-based stores as of February 3, 2018. Mall stores average about 5,200 square feet and carry a full complement of entertainment products, including trend, video, music, electronics, and related products.

Video only stores.The Company operated 6 video only stores as of February 3, 2018, predominately under the Suncoast Motion Pictures brand. These stores specialize inconsummated the sale of videosubstantially all of the assets and certain of the liabilities relating to fye to a subsidiary of 2428391 Ontario Inc. o/a Sunrise Records (“Sunrise Records”) pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement (as amended, the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) dated January 23, 2020, by and among the Company, Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World FL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, 2428392 Inc., and Sunrise Records. (the “FYE Transaction”).


The fye business is reported as discontinued operations in our Consolidated Statements of Operation, and the related product. They average about 2,500 square feet.

Freestanding Stores.assets and liabilities have been presented as held-for-sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, through their dates of disposal. These changes have been applied to all periods presented. Unless otherwise noted, discussion within this Form 10-K relates to continuing operations. Refer to Notes 2 and 3 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on discontinued operations.


Business Overview

Our mission is to optimize and grow brands on today’s leading online marketplaces. To deliver this mission, we provide a platform of software and services to empower brands to grow their online distribution channel on digital marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Target, and others. Our proprietary software platform of marketplace solutions has been developed with a tech-first approach over the last decade. Through our platform, more than a decade of marketplace expertise, and our subject matter expertise, Kaspien empowers brands to achieve their online retail goals. Through our diversified and flexible partnership approach, Kaspien supports brands all across their brands life cycle and maturity online.

By offering a one-stop-shop for all marketplace services, Kaspien intends to diversify its risk and leverage its assets to capture more market share across the seller services space.

The Company operated 23 freestanding stores predominantly underhas positioned itself to be a brand’s ultimate online growth partner. We are guided by seven core principles:

Partner ObsessionInsights Driven
SimplicityInnovation
ResultsOwnership
Diversity and Teamwork

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The Kaspien marketplace growth platform allows for a diversified go-to-market approach, enabling economies of scale for multiple operations. A high-level overview of the fye brand. They carry a full complementKaspien platform is shown in Figure 1 below:
Figure 1: Kaspien platform of entertainment products, including trend, video, music, electronics, and related products and services

The Kaspien marketplace growth platform is improved with increased utilization. It is built upon a data engine that synthesizes roughly one billion data points daily from over ten million unique products. The below image showcases the Kaspien “flywheel.” As brands and products use more services on our platform, Kaspien accumulates more data and derives greater insights, thereby strengthening the value of our platform. With increased growth, partners layer on additional software tools, creating even stronger integration and ultimately driving a more robust value proposition for brands. For Kaspien, this positive flywheel effect leads to partner growth and improved lifetime value of our brand relationships. We measure our success through gross merchandise value growth across the Kaspien platform.




Figure 2: Kaspien flywheel


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Partners
Kaspien views all brand customers of our platform as partners and defines them under this nomenclature. Our partners include brands, suppliers, distributors, liquidators, and affiliates such as venture capital firms and marketing agencies, as well as other industry brand aggregators.  Our market sectors include but are locatednot limited to: Pets/Sporting Goods, Tools/Office/Outdoors, Health & Personal Care and Home/Kitchen/Grocery. In fiscal 2020, these top categories made approximately 68% of our total revenue. We organize our operations by category, developing a deep understanding and subject matter expertise in freestanding, strip centerthese areas, powering our platform to drive better results across these category focal points.

The Company uses its proprietary data platform to identify brands that would be good strategic fits for its services. We utilize content marketing to strengthen its visibility within the industry. The Company’s public relations efforts consist of press releases, articles in industry publications, and downtown locations. articles on its website to build its brand. In addition, we regularly run advertisements on popular ad platforms such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to bring leads into its sales funnels.

In addition, Kaspien recently adopted a brand acquisition strategy whereby we will deploy capital to acquire certain strategic brands, bring them onto our platform, increasing the scale of such brands.

Partnership Models
The freestanding stores average approximately 10,300 square feet.

Retail Web Sites

Kaspien platform can be leveraged and engaged in three primary different business models.


Retail-as-a-Service (“RaaS”):We own inventory. We sell it.
In this model, Kaspien buys inventory and sells it on marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and eBay as a third-party seller. Additionally, Kaspien supports private label “dropship” integrations with various suppliers and distributors as well as incubates its own brands. At the end of fiscal 2019, Kaspien had a total of six (6) incubated brands – Jumpoff Jo, Brilliant Bee, Big Betty, Domestic Corner, Coy Beauty, Max Threads and Keto. In RaaS, our business model is the same as that of a wholesale retailer. During fiscal 2020, revenue per partner increased 40% to $237,000 from $169,000 in fiscal 2019.

Agency-as-a-Service(“AaaS”): Partner owns inventory. We sell it.
In this model, Kaspien serves as an extension of a partner’s e-commerce team, providing full service and managed services in the areas of inventory management, marketing management, creative, brand control, tax, compliance and other marketplace growth services. Kaspien charges a subscription fee and receives a small percentage of the revenue generated.

Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”): Partner owns inventory and sells it.
In this model, Kaspien provides partners access to software through its platform of proprietary technology to empower partners to self-manage their marketplace channel. Kaspien charges a subscription fee and receives a percentage of the transaction.
The fye segment operates two“Agency as a Service” and “Software as a Service” models are collectively called “Subscriptions.” The software products and tech-enabled services that form subscriptions are as follows:
Software:
-          Ad Management
-          Brand Protection and Seller Tracking
-          Cost Recovery and Case Management
-          Inventory Management and Advanced Supply Chain
-          Dropship Automation
Services:
-          Creative Services
-          Tax Compliance
-          Inventory Management & Supply Chain
-          Digital Marketing

As of January 30, 2021, we had 825 partners across our portfolio of external brand partners, including nearly 693 retail web sites includingwww.fye.compartners andwww.secondspin.com. fye.com 132 subscriptions partners. The Company’s subscriptions partner base increased 207% compared to fiscal year 2019.
While used for different models, the platform is designed to benefit from network effects. The more partners on our flagship siteplatform, the more data and carries entertainmentinsights it can collect. The more insights it gets, more products including trend, video, music, electronics and related products.  SecondSpin.comservices it can serve its partners and more marketplace integrations it can support. The more marketplace providers that can be integrated, the greater the number of possible partners to engage in our services.

Technology and Integrations

The Company’s marketplace platform is a leading sellerone stop shop insights driven platform built upon over a decade of used CDs, DVDs, Blu-Raymarketplace selling data. The platform includes a variety of artificial intelligent, data science solutions spanning across brand protection services, logistics and video games onlinesupply chain optimization, automated pricing, advertising marketing management, creative and carries one ofcontent services, tax and compliance services, among others. This is all accessible through the largest catalogs of used media available online. 

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Kaspien platform and can be leveraged through a managed service or a software as a service model.

etailz Segment (“etailz”)

etailz is the innovating and leading online marketplace retail expert. etailz

The platform uses a dataan insight driven approach to digital marketplace retailing utilizingusing proprietary software. Using data collected from marketplaces, optimal inventory thresholds and purchasing trends are calculated within its advanced inventory management software developed in-house. Kaspien also has proprietary software related to pricing, advertisement management, marketplace seller tracking and e-commerce insightchannel auditing.

Additionally, the Kaspien platform can be extended to identify new distributorsour business and wholesalers, isolate emerging product trends,service providers that are synergistic to Kaspien. This enables a network of partner integrations that can be extended and optimize price positioningexpanded upon. The Kaspien platform has formed strategic relationships and inventory purchase decisions.

etailz Retail Partnerships

Fulfilled by Amazon Global.etailz is a leading Amazonpartnerships with these other listed marketplace retailer that partners with brandsservice providers, including Deliverr and employs advanced technology and strategies to grow sales both domestically and internationally.

Additional Marketplace Opportunities.etailz partners with brands to expand their brand on eBay, Jet and Walmart.

Drop Ship.Drop ship arrangements allow etailz to offer partners’ entire catalog across marketplaces, expanding their brand presence and capturing additional sales.

Merchandise Categories

fye Segment

Net sales by merchandise category as a percentage of total net sales for fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015 were as follows:

    2017  2016  2015 
               
Trend    37.3%  32.0%  22.2%
Video (1)  30.9   34.9   41.9 
Music    19.3   21.9   25.1 
Electronics    12.5   11.2   10.8 
Total    100.0%  100.0%  100.0%

(1)Includes Video Games category, which represents 0.5% of fye fiscal 2017 net sales. Fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 percentages have been adjusted to include this immaterial reclassification.

etailz Segment

etailz generates revenue across a broad array of product lines primarily through the Amazon Marketplace. Approximately 60% of total etailz revenue was generated by four major categories: health & personal care; home/kitchen/grocery; tools/office/outdoor; and baby.

Business Environment

fye Segment

Video and music accounted for approximately 50% of the segment’s net sales in fiscal 2017 versus approximately 57% of net sales in fiscal 2016. Physical media sales have suffered from the shift of content to digital distribution, media streaming and online retailers that offer entertainment products to consumers and collectively have gained a larger share of the market.

According to statistical information from Billboard Bulletin, total albums sold, including CDs and digital albums, decreased 17.7% to approximately 169 million units in 2017.

According to the Digital Entertainment Group’s year-end report, total video salesMyFBAPrep in the United States declined 14% in 2017.

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logistics and fulfillment space,  TaxCloud, a tax services provider, VantageBP, a brand protection agency, Levin Consulting, an electronics specialty retailer, and others.

etailz Segment

The Company’s etailz segment operates as a third party e-commerce market place (“Digital Marketplace”) reseller. Digital Marketplaces are e-commerce platforms where online retailers enable third party sellers access to their website and customer base to sell various merchandise.

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Business Environment
Digital marketplaces allow consumers to shop from a variety of merchants in one place and have become an integral part of many e-commerce sellers’ businesses, including Amazon.com, Walmart/Jet.com and ebay.

e-commerce sales are growing faster than physical store sales. brand manufacturers’ businesses.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total estimated e-commerce sales for 2018 are projected at $461.6 billion, an increase of 13% from 2017, whileU.S. e-commerce sales in 2017 accounted2020 were $792 billion, up 32.4% from 2019 as the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdowns pushed shoppers to rely on internet retailers for 9%their consumer needs. Total retail sales in 2020 increased 3.4% from the prior year. As a result, e-commerce sales ended the year accounting for 14% of all U.S. retail sales, up from 11% in 2019.

According to emarketer.com, worldwide e-commerce sales in 2020 were $4.3 trillion, up 27.6% from 2019. Total worldwide retail sales declined 3.0% to $23.9 trillion. Worldwide e-commerce growth is projected to increase 14.3% in 2021. Although the growth will slow, e-commerce penetration of total global retail continues to rise and is predicted to be 19.5% of total retail.

In the United States, we sell on marketplaces that represent 50% of national e-commerce sales (Amazon.com, Walmart.com, eBay.com, Target.com, Google.com, Sears.com, jet.com, Pricefalls.com, Overstock.com, Wish.com). Internationally, we sell on marketplaces in the U.K. (Amazon.uk), Germany (Amazon.de), Canada (Amazon.ca) and India (Amazon.in). In 2021, Kaspien intends to begin selling its services in Japan and Mexico.
Competition and Strategic Positioning
Kaspien operates in a category within e-commerce called “Marketplace Growth Software and Services”. Businesses in this category provide services to brands and other sellers to facilitate growth on marketplaces. The market is very fragmented, and most providers are focused on a few focus areas where sellers have support needs. Subcategories in this market include: Account and Marketing Services, Supply Chain and Logistics Providers, Manufacturers and Product Suppliers, Legal Services and Accounting, Tax and Financial Services. In the Account and Marketing Services subcategory, services are further divided into retail services, agency services and software services. This is analogous to our business models – Retail as a Service, Agency as a Service and Software as a Service.

Kaspien positions itself as a comprehensive and fully customizable platform of software and services tailored towards online marketplace growth. Kaspien core focus is on the Account and Marketing Services subcategory and competes in this subcategory with Software Providers, Agencies and Retailers.

Our focus on the platform and subscriptions services has fueled strong growth in our subscription services, growing our partner base by 214% from 42 to 132 partners within our subscription platform. Our annual recurring revenue (“ARR”) in our subscriptions business grew by 181% from $0.7 million to $1.8 million from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2020.

Revenue Distribution
Kaspien’s primary source of revenue is through its “Retail as a Service” business, specifically as a third-party seller on the Amazon US marketplace. In fiscal 2020, the share of our retail revenues generated from our Amazon US business was 86%, as compared to 8%91% in fiscal 2019. Our international retail business grew from 3.2% in fiscal year 2019 to 4.8% in fiscal year 2020. The remaining retail revenue is generated from other marketplaces including Amazon International, Walmart, eBay and Target+.

Kaspien focuses on a broad array of categories, including pet supplies, sporting goods, tools/office/outdoors, health & personal care and home/kitchen/grocery. In fiscal year 2020, these categories represented  approximately 68% of our total retail sales for 2016.

Competition

fye Segment

The specialty entertainment retail industry is intensely competitiverevenue. Kaspien organizes our operations by category, developing a deep understanding and subject matter expertise in these areas, enabling us to rapid changesdrive better results across these categories.


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Human Capital
As of January 30, 2021, the Company employed approximately 136 people, of whom approximately 130 were employed on a full-time basis. At the end of fiscal 2020, the Company had department heads in consumer preferences. We competethe areas of marketing, supply chain, private label, business development, account management, human resources, accounting, FP&A, warehouse operations, compliance, product management, data, and engineering. Employee levels are managed to align with mass merchants, consumer electronics stores, lifestyle retailersthe pace of business and online retailers. Our media products are also distributed through other methods such as digital delivery. We also compete with sellers of pre-owned and value media products. Additionally, we compete with other forms of entertainment activities, including casual and mobile games, movies, television, theater, sporting events and family entertainment centers.

We compete with Walmart, Inc.; Target Corporation; Amazon.com, Inc. (“Amazon”); and Best Buy Co., Inc., among others.

The Companymanagement believes it has diversifiedsufficient human capital to operate its products and taken other measures to position itself competitively within its industry. business successfully


The Company believes it effectively competesthat its success depends on the ability to attract, develop, retain and incentivize our existing and new employees, consultants, and key personnel. It also believes that the skills, experience and industry knowledge of its key personnel significantly benefits its operations and performance. The principal purposes of equity and cash incentive plans are to attract, retain and reward personnel through the granting of stock-based and cash-based compensation awards, in order to increase shareholder value and the success of our company by motivating such individuals to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve our objectives.

Employee health and safety in the following ways:

§Diversified product mix: the Company is expanding the range of product offerings in our non-media businesses. As a result, the non-media categories contribution to total sales increased to 50% in fiscal 2017 as compared to 43% in fiscal 2016;
§Customer service: the Company offers personalized customer service in its stores guided by a commitment to approach every customer with gratitude, humility and respect;
§Location and convenience: a strength of the Company is its convenient store locations that are often the exclusive retailer in regional shopping centers offering a full complement of entertainment products;
§Marketing: the Company utilizes in-store visual displays, live events and digital marketing strategy that leverages email marketing, keyword buys, search engine optimization, social media, and display advertising. 

etailz Segment

etailz competesworkplace is one of the Company’s core values. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of keeping employees safe and healthy. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has taken actions aligned with other third-party marketplace sellersthe World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an effort to protect the Company’s workforce so they can more safely and effectively perform their work. These actions include shutting down its headquarters for some months during 2020, wearing facemasks in common areas in the office, and allowing employees to work from home.


Customer Acquisition
Kaspien engages its partners through a combination of brand building, inbound digital marketing, and outbound sales, as well as using aits proprietary data driven approach to digital marketplace retailing utilizing proprietary software and e-commerce insight coupled with a direct customer relationship engagementplatform to identify new distributors and wholesalers, isolate emerging product trends, and optimize price positioning and inventory purchase decisions.  In the past 12 months, etailz sold over 34,000 SKUs from over 2,300 suppliers in numerous product categories, primarily through the Amazon Marketplace. etailz generates $10.7 million, or 6% ofbrands that would be a strategic fit for its revenue from foreign marketplaces operated by Amazon.

Seasonality

The Company’s business is seasonal, with its fourth fiscal quarter constituting the Company’s peak selling period. In fiscal 2017, fourth quarter revenue accounted for approximately 33% of annual total revenue. In anticipation of increased sales activity in the fourth quarter, the Company purchases additional inventory and hires seasonal associates to supplement its

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core store sales and distribution center staffs. If, for any reason, the Company’s net sales were below seasonal norms during the fourth quarter, the Company’s operating results could be adversely affected. During fiscal 2017, fye comparable store sales declined 10% and adversely affected annual results. Quarterly sales can also be affected by the timing of new product releases, new store openings or closings and the performance of existing stores.

Advertising

fye Segment

The Company makes use of visual displays including in-store signage and external banners. The Company employs a marketing strategy including email blasts and social networking. Certain vendors from whom the Company purchases merchandise offer advertising allowances, of varying duration and amount, to promote their merchandise.

etailz Segment

etailzservices. Kaspien utilizes social media and content marketing to strengthen its visibility within the industry and locally. The segment’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter accounts have a strong and engaged following. etailzindustry. Kaspien’s public relations efforts consist of press releases, articles in industry publications, and articles on our website. its website to build its brand.


In addition, etailz hosts conferences forKaspien regularly runs advertisements on popular ad platforms such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to bring leads into its partners which strengthens its presence within the industry and establishes etailz as a leader in online marketplace retail.

Within in its marketing division, etailz offers advertising services to its partners including social media ads, influencer campaigns, and marketplace advertising.

Suppliers and Purchasing

fye Segment

sales funnels.


Trademarks
The fye segment purchases inventory from approximately 350 suppliers. In fiscal 2017, 47% of fye purchases were made from ten suppliers including Universal Studio Home Entertainment, AEC - Paramount Video, Buena Vista Home Video, SONY Music, SONY Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner/Elektra/Atlantic, Universal Music Group Distribution, Funko LLC, and Warner Home Video.

etailz Segment

During fiscal 2017, etailz sold over 34,000 SKUs from over 2,300 suppliers in numerous product categories, primarily through the Amazon Marketplace. In fiscal 2017, no individual supplier exceeded 10% of etailz revenue.

The Company does not have material long-term purchase contracts; rather, it purchases products from its suppliers on an order-by-order basis. Historically, the Company has not experienced difficulty in obtaining satisfactory sources of supply and management believes that it will continue to have access to adequate sources of supply.

Trade Customs and Practices

Under current trade practices with large suppliers, retailers of music and video products are generally entitled to return unsold merchandise they have purchased in exchange for other merchandise carried by the suppliers. The largest music suppliers charge a related merchandise return penalty or return handling fee. Most manufacturers and distributors of video products do not charge a return penalty or handling fee. Under current trade practices with large suppliers, retailers of trend, electronics, video games and related products may receive markdown support from suppliers to help clear discontinued or slow turning merchandise. Merchandise return policies and other trade practices have not changed significantly in recent years. The Company generally adapts its purchasing policies to changes in the policies of its largest suppliers.

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As of February 3, 2018, the Company employed approximately 2,600 people, of whom approximately 1,200 were employed on a full-time basis. Others were employed on a part-time basis. The fye segment had approximately 1,000 full-time employees and approximately 1,400 part-time employees. The etailz segment had approximately 200 full-time and 30 part-time employees. The fye segment hires seasonal sales and distribution center employees during its fourth quarter peak selling season to ensure continued levels of personalized customer service and in-stock position. Assistant store managers, store managers, district managers and regional managers are eligible to receive incentive compensation based on the sales and/or profitability of stores for which they are responsible. Sales support managers are generally eligible to receive incentive compensation based on achieving Company performance targets. None of the Company’s employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements and management believes that the Company enjoys favorable relations with its employees.

Trademarks

The trademarks, for your entertainment (fye), etailz, and Suncoast Motion Pictures aretrademark Kaspien is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and areis owned by the Company.Kaspien. We believe that our rights to these trademarks arethis trademark is adequately protected. We hold no material patents, licenses, franchises, or concessions; however, our established trademarks and trade names aretrademark is essential to maintaining our competitive position in the entertainment retail industry.

Information Systems

fye Segment

The Company’s inventory management systems and point-of-sale technology show daily sales and in-store stock by title by store. The systems use this data to automatically generate replenishment shipments to each store from our distribution centers, enabling each store to carry a merchandise assortment uniquely tailored to its own sales mix and rate of sale. Call lists and reservation system also provide our buying staff with information to determine order size and inventory management for store-by-store inventory allocation.

To support most operations, the Company uses a large-scale computing environment with a state-of-the-art storage area network, a wired and wireless corporate network installed at regional headquarters, and a secure virtual private network to access and provide services to computing assets located in stores, distribution centers and satellite offices, and to the mobile workforce.

An Oracle based point-of-sale system has been enhanced to facilitate trade-in transactions, including automatic lookup of trade-in prices and printing of machine-readable bar codes to facilitate in-store restocking of pre-owned products. In addition, our central database of all pre-owned products allows us to actively manage the pricing and product availability of our pre-owned products across our store base and reallocate our pre-owned products as necessary.

etailz segment

etailz has a data driven approach to digital marketplace retail utilizing proprietary software. Using data collected from the marketplaces, optimal inventory thresholds and purchasing trends are calculated within their advanced inventory management software developed in-house. etailz also has proprietary software related to pricing, marketing, and marketplace seller information.  To support most operations, etailz uses cloud computing services and a secure network to provide computing services.  

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position.

Business Combinations

etailz Acquisition

On October 17, 2016, the Company completed the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of etailz. The acquisition of etailz is part of our strategy to diversify our business into the fastest growing segment of retail: the Digital Marketplace. The Company plans to access the relationships, operational expertise, and infrastructure built by etailz to help unlock the full potential of etailz and to accelerate our progress towards being the industry leader for digital marketplace sales and expertise.

The Company paid $32.3 million in cash, issued 5.7 million shares of TWMC stock at closing to the shareholders of etailz as consideration for their shares, and paid $4.3 million in cash advances to settle obligations of the selling shareholders. Based on the fair value of $3.56 per share on the acquisition date, the shares had a value of $20.4 million. An earn-out of up to a maximum of $14.6 million will be payable in fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 subject to the achievement by etailz of $6 million in operating income in fiscal 2017 and $7.5 million in fiscal 2018 as outlined in the share purchase agreement. In connection with the acquisition, the Company assumed a liability of the selling shareholders for an etailz employee bonus plan, of which $1.9 million was due and payable at closing and funded as part of the cash advances and the remaining $2.3 million will be earned over a two year service period. The acquisition and related costs were funded primarily from the Company’s cash on hand and short term borrowings under its revolving credit facility. The acquisition was accounted for using the purchase method of accounting.

During the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2017, the share purchase agreement with the selling shareholders of etailz was amended to provide that $11.5 million be released from the earnout escrow account and the $3.1 million remaining in the earnout escrow account may be payable in cash to the selling shareholders in 2019, subject to the achievement by etailz of operating income in excess of $15.5 million during the twenty-four month period ending February 2, 2019. In the event that etailz achieves operating income in excess of $13.5 million, but less than $15.5 million, an earnout of $1.6 million would be payable in 2019. If etailz operating income is below $13.5 million, the $3.1 million escrow would be returned to the Company.

The amount released from the earnout escrow was disbursed during the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2017 as follows: $5.0 million to the Company for future investment to support growth initiatives, $5.0 million to the selling shareholders, and $1.5 million to the Company (to be allocated to increase the maximum amount available under the etailz employee bonus plan from $4.2 million to $5.7 million).

The acquisition date fair value of the consideration for the above transaction consisted of the following as of October 17, 2016 (in thousands):

Cash consideration $36,600 
Fair value of stock consideration  20,415 
Fair value of contingent consideration  10,381 
Fair value of indemnification consideration held in escrow  1,500 
Fair value of purchase consideration $68,896 

The following table summarizes the allocation of the aggregate purchase price to the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired:

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  ($ in thousands) 
  October 17, 2016 
Assets (Liabilities) Acquired    
Accounts receivable $1,533 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  5,896 
Inventory  14,608 
Property and equipment, net  663 
Other long term-assets  12 
Acquired intangible assets:    
  Trade names  3,200 
  Technology  6,700 
  Vendor relationships  19,100 
  Unfavorable lease valuation  (53)
  Goodwill  39,191 
Total assets acquired $90,850 
Liabilities Assumed    
Accounts payable $4,888 
Debt  4,729 
Other current liabilities  5,349 
Deferred taxes  6,988 
Total liabilities assumed $21,954 
Net assets acquired $68,896 

The amount of goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the net identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill primarily represents, among other factors, the value of synergies expected to be realized and for the knowledge and expertise of, and established presence in, the digital marketplace, which do not qualify as separate amortizable intangible assets. Goodwill arising from the acquisition of etailz is not deductible for tax purposes. There were no adjustments from preliminary purchase price accounting to final.

The results of operations of etailz are reported in the Company’s etailz segment and have been included in the consolidated results of operations of the Company from the date of acquisition, October 17, 2016.

Available Information


The Company’s headquarters are located at 38 Corporate Circle, Albany, New York 12203,2818 N. Sullivan Road, Suite 130, Spokane Valley, WA 99216, and its telephone number is (518) 452-1242.(855)-300-2710. The Company’s corporate website address is www.twec.com.www.kaspien.com. The Company makes available, free of charge, its Exchange Act Reports (Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and any amendments thereto) on its web site as soon as practical after the reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The public may read and copy any materials the Company files with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. This information can be obtained from the site http://www.sec.gov. The Company’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value, is listed on the NASDAQ NationalCapital Market under the trading symbol “TWMC”“KSPN”. The Company’s fiscal year end is the Saturday closest to January 31. The fiscal 2017 (“fiscal 2017”) year ended on February 3, 2018; fiscal 2016 (“fiscal 2016”) year ended January 28, 2017; and fiscal 2015 (“fiscal 2015”) year ended on January 30, 2016. Fiscal 2017 consisted of 53 weeks. All other periods presented were 52 weeks.

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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

Item 1A.RISK FACTORS


The following is a discussion of certain factors, which could affect the financial results of the Company.


Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

The Company’s results of operations are affected by the continued declines in the physical video and music industries.

Physical media sales have suffered from the shift of content to digital distribution, streaming and online retailers that offer entertainment products at discounted prices and collectively have gained a larger share of the market. Physical video and music represent approximately 50% of sales and have been impacted by new distribution channels, including digital distribution, streaming and internet fulfillment. As a result, the Company has had negative comparable store sales for all periods presented.


If we cannot successfully diversify our product mix and implement our business strategy our growth and profitability could be adversely impacted.


Our future results will depend, among other things, on our success in implementing our business strategy.

During the third quarter of 2019, based on recurring losses from operations, the Company pursued several strategic initiatives towards its strategy of shifting its focus solely to the operation of Kaspien, improving profitability and meeting future liquidity needs and capital requirements.  The following initiatives were completed during the first quarter of 2020:

The sale of the For Your Entertainment (fye) business;

The establishment of a new secured $25 million revolving credit facility (the “New Credit Facility”) with Encina Business Credit, LLC (“Encina”);

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The execution of a separate subordinated loan agreement for Kaspien (the “Subordinated Loan”); and

The receipt by Kaspien of loan proceeds pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Plan (the “PPP Loan”) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the ability of the Company to meet its liabilities and to continue as a going concern is dependent on improved profitability, the continued implementation of the strategic initiative to reposition Kaspien as a platform of software and services, the availability of future funding and overcoming the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There can be no assurance that we will be successful in further implementing our business strategy or that the strategy, including the completed initiatives, will be successful in sustaining acceptable levels of sales growth and profitability.

The Company’s results of operations may suffer if the Company does not accurately predict consumer acceptance of new products or distribution technologies or adapt to a shift to multichannel experience.

The entertainment industry is characterized by changing technology, evolving format standards, and new and enhanced product introductions. These characteristics require the Company to respond quickly to technological changes and understand the impact of these changes on customers’ preferences. If the Company is unable to participate in new product or distribution technologies, its results of operations may suffer. Specifically, CD and DVD formats have experienced a continuous decline as digital forms of music and video content have become more prevalent. If the Company does not timely adapt to these changing technologies and sufficiently shift to other merchandise categories, operating results could significantly suffer.

In addition, multichannel retailingthe proceeds from the PPP Loan are subject to audit and there is rapidly evolving with the increasing usea risk of computers, tablets, mobile phonesrepayment.


Continued increases in Amazon Marketplace fulfillment and other devices to shop in stores and online and the increased use of social media as a means of interacting withstorage fees could have an adverse impact on our customers and enhancing their shopping experiences. If we are unable to adapt to the growth of multichannel retailing, and keep pace with the changing expectations of our customers and new developments by our competitors, customer experience could be negatively affected, resulting in a loss of customer confidence and satisfaction, and lost sales, which could adversely affect our reputationprofit margin and results of operations.

Increased competition from existing retailers, including internet retailers, could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

The Company competes with a wide variety of entertainment retailers, including mass merchandisers, consumer electronics outlets, internet retailersutilizes Amazon’s Freight by Amazon (“FBA”) platform to store their products at the Amazon fulfillment center and independent operators, some of whom have greater financialto pack and other resources than the Company and frequently sell their product at discounted prices or with added value.

In addition, the Company’s successdistribute these products to customers. If Amazon continues to increase its FBA fees, our profit margin could be adversely affected.


Our business depends on our ability to positively differentiate ourselves from other retailers. The retail business is highly competitive. In the past, the Company has beenbuild and maintain strong product listings on e-commerce platforms. We may not be able to compete by differentiatingmaintain and enhance our product listings if we receive unfavorable customer shopping experience, by creating an attractive value proposition through a careful combination of price, merchandise assortment, convenience, customer service and marketing efforts. Customer perceptions regarding our stores, our in-stock position and deep assortment of product are also factors in our ability to compete. No single competitive factor is dominant, and actions by our competitors on any of these factors could have an adverse effect on our sales, gross profit and expenses. If wecomplaints, negative publicity or otherwise fail to continuelive up to positively differentiate ourselves from our competitors, our results of operationsconsumers’ expectations, which could bematerially adversely affected.

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The ability to attract customers to our stores depends heavily on the success of the shopping malls in which many of our stores are located; any decrease in consumer traffic in those malls could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

In order to generate customer traffic, we depend heavily on locating many of our stores in prominent locations within shopping malls. Sales at these stores are derived from the volume of traffic in those malls. Our stores benefit from the ability of a mall’s other tenants to generate consumer traffic in the vicinity of our stores. Our sales volume and mall traffic generally may be adversely affected by, among other things, economic downturns in a particular area, competition from e-commerce retailers, non-mall retailers and other malls, increases in gasoline prices, fluctuations in exchange rates in border or tourism-oriented locations and the closing or decline in popularity of other stores in the malls in which we are located. An uncertain economic outlook could curtail new shopping mall development, decrease shopping mall traffic, reduce the number of hours that shopping mall operators keep their shopping malls open or force them to cease operations entirely. A reduction in mall traffic as a result of these or any other factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s businessgrowth prospects.


Maintaining and enhancing our product listings is influenced by general economic conditions.

The Company’scritical in expanding and growing our business. However, a significant portion of our perceived performance isto the customer depends on third parties outside of our control, including suppliers and third-party delivery agents as well as online retailers such as Amazon and Walmart. Because our agreements with our online retail partners are generally terminable at will, we may be unable to maintain these relationships, and our results of operations could fluctuate significantly from period to period. Because we rely on third parties to deliver our products, we are subject to general economic conditionsshipping delays or disruptions caused by inclement weather, natural disasters, labor activism, health epidemics or bioterrorism. We may also experience shipping delays or disruptions due to other carrier-related issues relating to their own internal operational capabilities. Further, we rely on the business continuity plans of these third parties to operate during pandemics, like the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have limited ability to influence their plans, prevent delays, and/or cost increases due to reduced availability and capacity and increased required safety measures.

Customer complaints or negative publicity about our products, delivery times, or marketing strategies, even if not accurate, especially on blogs, social media websites and third-party market sites, could rapidly and severely diminish consumer view of our product listings and result in harm to our brands. Customers may also make safety-related claims regarding products sold through our online retail partners, such as Amazon, which may result in an online retail partner removing the product from its marketplace. We have from time to time experienced such removals and such removals may materially impact our financial results depending on levelsthe product that is removed and length of discretionary consumer spending. General economic conditions impacting discretionary consumer spending include, among others, wagestime that it is removed. We also use and employment, consumer debt, reductions in net worth, residential real estate and mortgage markets, taxation, fuel and energy prices, interest rates, consumer confidence andrely on other macroeconomic factors.

Consumer purchases of discretionary items,services from third parties, such as our merchandise, generally decline during recessionary periodstelecommunications services, and other periods where disposable income is adversely affected. A downturn in the economy affects specialty retailers disproportionately, as consumers may prioritize reductions in discretionary spending, which could have a direct impact on purchases of our merchandise and adversely impact our results of operations. In addition, reduced consumer spending may drive us and our competitors to offer additional products at promotional prices, which would have a negative impact on gross profit.

Disruption of global capital and credit markets may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity and capital resources.

Distress in the financial markets has in the past and can in the future result in extreme volatility in security prices, diminished liquidity and credit availability. There can be no assurance that our liquidity will not be affected by changes in the financial markets and the global economy or that our capital resources will at all times be sufficient to satisfy our liquidity needs.

Because of our floating rate credit facility, wethose services may be adversely affected by interest rate changes.

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

Historically, in the fye segment, we have experienced declines and we may continue to experience fluctuation in our level of sales, results from operations and operating cash flow.

A variety of factors has historically affected, and will continue to affect, our comparable stores sales results and profit margins. These factors include general, regional and national economic conditions; competition; actions taken by our competitors; consumer trends and preferences; new product introductions and changes in our product mix; timing and effectiveness of promotional events and weather. fye’s comparable store sales may decline further than they did in fiscal 2017. Also, they may vary from quarter to quarter as our business is highly seasonal in nature. Our highest sales and operating income historically occur during the fourth fiscal quarter, which is due in part to the holiday selling season. The fourth quarter generated approximately 33% of our total revenue for fiscal 2017. Any decrease in our fourth quarter sales, whether due to a slow holiday selling season, unseasonable weather conditions, economic conditions or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results for the entire fiscal year. There is no

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assurance that we will achieve positive levels of sales and earnings growth, and any decline in our future growth or performance could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Failure to open new stores or renew existing leases in profitable stores may limit our earnings.

Historically, the Company’s growth has come from adding stores. The Company opens new stores if it finds desirable locations and is able to negotiate suitable lease terms for profitability. A lack of new store growth may impact the Company’s ability to increase sales and earnings. During 2017, the Company opened 1 new store and closed 25 stores with expiring leases. Likewise, the Company regularly renews leases at existing locations if those stores are profitable. Failure to renew these leases may impact the Company’s earnings. See Item 2: Properties, for timing of lease expirations.

A change in one or more of the Company’s vendors’partners’ policies or the Company’s relationship with those vendorspartners could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

The Company is dependent on its vendorspartners to supply merchandise in a timely and efficient manner. If a vendorpartner fails to deliver on its commitments, whether due to financial difficulties or other reasons, the Company could experience merchandise shortages that could lead to lost sales.

Approximately 47%


Historically, the Company has not experienced difficulty in obtaining satisfactory sources of fye segment’ssupply and management believes that it will continue to have access to adequate sources of supply. No individual partner exceeded 10% of purchases come from ten major suppliers and less than 20% of total etailz segmentin fiscal 2020.

Our revenue is generated fromdependent upon maintaining our relationship with Amazon and failure to do so, or any restrictions on our ability to offer products purchased from its ten major suppliers. As is standard in its industry,on the Company does not maintain long-term contracts with its suppliers but instead makes purchases on an order-by-order basis. If the Company fails to maintain customary trade terms or enjoy positive vendor relations, itAmazon Marketplace, could have an adverse effectimpact on the Company’s results of operations.

The Company’s results of operations are affected by the availability of new products.

The Company’sour business, is affected by the release of “hit” music and video titles, which can create fluctuations in sales. It is not possible to determine the timing of these fluctuations or the future availability of hit titles. The Company is dependent upon the major music and movie producers to continue to produce hit products. To the extent that new hit releases are not available, or not available at prices attractive to consumers, or, if manufacturers fail to introduce or delay the introduction of new products, the Company’s results of operations may be adversely affected.

If the Company’s vendors fail to provide marketing and merchandising support at historical levels, the Company’s results of operations could be adversely affected.

The manufacturers of entertainment products have typically provided retailers with significant marketing and merchandising support for their products. As part of this support, the Company receives cooperative advertising and other allowances from these vendors. These allowances enable the Company to actively promote and merchandise the products it sells at its stores and on its websites. If the Company’s vendors fail to provide this support at historical levels, the Company’s results of operations could be negatively impacted.

Parties with whom the Company does business may be subject to insolvency risks or may otherwise become unable or unwilling to perform their obligations to the Company.

The Company is a party to contracts, transactions and business relationships with various third parties, including vendors, suppliers, service providers and lenders, pursuant to which such third parties have performance, payment and other obligations to the Company. In some cases, the Company depends upon such third parties to provide essential products, services or other benefits, including with respect to store and distribution center locations, merchandise, advertising, software development and support, logistics, other agreements for goods and services in order to operate the Company’s business in the ordinary course, extensions of credit, credit card accounts and related receivables, and other vital matters. Economic, industry and market conditions could result in increased risks to the Company associated with the potential financial distress or insolvency of such third parties. If any of these third parties were to become subject to bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceedings, the rights and benefits of the Company in relation to its contracts, transactions and business relationships with such third parties could be terminated, modified in a manner adverse to the Company, or otherwise impaired. The Company cannot make any assurances that it would be able to arrange for alternate or replacement contracts, transactions or business

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relationships on terms as favorable as the Company’s existing contracts, transactions or business relationships, if at all. Any inability on the part of the Company to do so could negatively affect the Company’s cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company generates substantially all of its revenue through the Amazon Marketplace. Therefore, we depend in large part on our relationship with Amazon for growth. In particular, we depend on our ability to offer products on the Amazon Marketplace. We also depend on Amazon for the timely delivery of products to customers. Any adverse change in our relationship with Amazon, including restrictions on the ability to offer products or termination of the relationship, could adversely affect our continued growth and financial condition and results of operations.

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The terms of our asset-based revolving credit agreement impose certain restrictions on us that may impair our ability to respond to changing business and economic conditions, which could have a significant adverse impact on our business.  Additionally, our business could suffer if our ability to acquire financing is reduced or eliminated.
On February 20, 2020, Kaspien entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Encina, as administrative agent, under which the lenders committed to provide up to $25 million in loans under a three-year, secured revolving credit facility (the “New Credit Facility”).

Among other things, the Loan Agreement limits Kaspien’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, create liens, make investments, make restricted payments or specified payments and merge or acquire assets.  The Loan Agreement also requires Kaspien to comply with a financial maintenance covenant.

The Loan Agreement contains customary events (including our Subordinated Debt) of default, including, but not limited to, payment defaults, breaches of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, cross-defaults to other obligations, customary ERISA defaults, certain events of bankruptcy and insolvency, judgment defaults, the invalidity of liens on collateral, change in control, cessation of business or the liquidation of material assets of the borrowers and guarantors under the New Credit Facility taken as a whole, the occurrence of an uninsured loss to a material portion of collateral and failure of the obligations under the New Credit Facility to constitute senior indebtedness under any applicable subordination or intercreditor agreements, including our Subordinated Debt.

As of January 30, 2021, the Company had borrowings of $6.3 million under its credit facility with Encina.

Risks Related to Information Technology and Intellectual Property

Breach of data security could harm our business and standing with our customers.

The protection of our customer,partner, employee and business data is critical to us. Our business, like that of most retailers,companies, involves the receipt and transmission of customers’ personal information, consumer preferences and transmission of the payment card information, as well as confidential information about our employees, our suppliers and our Company. We rely on commercially available systems, software, tools and monitoring to provide security for processing, transmission and storage of all such data, including confidential information. Despite the security measures we have in place, our facilities and systems, and those of our third-party service providers, may be vulnerable to security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming or human errors, or other similar events. Unauthorized parties may attempt to gain access to our systems or information through fraud or other means, including deceiving our employees or third-party service providers. The methods used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems are also constantly changing and evolving, and may be difficult to anticipate or detect. We have implemented and regularly review and update our control systems, processes and procedures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of secured data and to prevent data loss. However, the ever-evolving threats mean we must continually evaluate and adapt our systems and processes, and there is no guarantee that they will be adequate to safeguard against all data security breaches or misuses of data. Any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of customer payment card or personal information or employee personal or confidential information, whether by us or our vendors, could damage our reputation, expose us to risk of litigation and liability, disrupt our operations, harm our business and have an adverse impact upon our net sales and profitability. As the regulatory environment related to information security, data collection and use, and privacy becomes increasingly rigorous, with new and changing requirements applicable to our business, compliance with those requirements could also result in additional costs. Further, if we are unable to comply with the security standards established by banks and the credit card industry, we may be subject to fines, restrictions and expulsion from card acceptance programs, which could adversely affect our retail operations.


Our hardware and software systems are vulnerable to damage, theft or intrusion that could harm our business.

Our success, in particular our ability to successfully manage inventory levels and process customer transactions, largely depends upon the efficient operation of our computer hardware and software systems. We use management information systems to track inventory at the store level and aggregate daily sales information, communicate customer information and process purchasing card transactions, process shipments of goods and report financial information.

Any failure of our computer hardware or software systems that causes an interruption in our operations or a decrease in inventory tracking could result in reduced net sales and profitability. Additionally, if any data intrusion, security breach, misappropriation or theft were to occur, we could incur significant costs in responding to such event, including responding to any resulting claims, litigation or investigations, which could harm our operating results.


Our inability or failure to protect our intellectual property rights, or any claimed infringement by us of third partythird-party intellectual rights, could have a negative impact on our operating results.

Our trademarks, service marks, copyrights, patents,trademark, trade secrets and other intellectual property, including proprietary software, are valuable assets that are critical to our success. The unauthorized reproduction or other misappropriation of our intellectual property could cause a decline in our revenue. In addition, any infringement or other intellectual property claim made against us could be time-consuming to address, result in costly litigation, cause product delays, require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements or result in our loss of ownership or use of the intellectual property.


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Risks Related to Human Capital

Loss of key personnel or the inability to attract, train and retain qualified employees could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

The Company believes that its future prospects depend, to a significant extent, on the services of its executive officers. Our future success will also depend on our ability to attract and retain qualified key personnel. The loss of the services of certain

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of the Company’s executive officers and other key management personnel could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.


In addition to our executive officers, the Company’s business is dependent on our ability to attract, train and retain a large number of qualified team members.  Many of those team members are employed in entry-level or part-time positions with historically high turnover rates. Our ability to meet our labor needs while controlling our costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, health care costs and changing demographics. If we are unable to attract and retain adequate numbers of qualified team members, our operations customer service levels and support functions could suffer. Those factors, together with increased wage and benefit costs, could adversely affect our results of operations.


We may face difficulties in meeting our labor needs to effectively operate our business.
We are heavily dependent upon our labor workforce. Our compensation packages are designed to provide benefits commensurate with our level of expected service. However, we face the challenge of filling many positions at wage scales that are appropriate to the industry and competitive factors. We also face other risks in meeting our labor needs, including competition for qualified personnel, overall unemployment levels, and increased costs associated with complying with regulations relating to COVID-19. Changes in any of these factors, including a shortage of available workforce, could interfere with our ability to adequately service our customers and could result in increasing labor costs.

Our business could be adversely affected by increased labor costs, including costs related to an increase in minimum wage and health care.
Labor is one of the primary components in the cost of operating our business.  Increased labor costs, whether due to competition, unionization, increased minimum wage, state unemployment rates, health care, or other employee benefits costs may adversely impact our operating expenses.  Additionally, there is no assurance that future health care legislation will not adversely impact our results or operations.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock.

The ownership of our Common Stock is concentrated, and entities affiliated with members of our Board of Directors have significant influence and control over the outcome of any vote of the Company’s Shareholders and may have competing interests.
The Robert J. Higgins TWMC Trust (the “Trust”) owns approximately 28.8% of the outstanding Common Stock and Neil Subin owns approximately 12.1% of the outstanding Common Stock, and as a result can significantly influence the outcome of most actions requiring shareholder approval.  In addition, entities affiliated with each of the Trust and Mr. Subin, as well as one of our directors, Mr. Simpson, and certain of his affiliated entities, collectively hold approximately 50% of the outstanding Common Stock, and as a result can control the outcome of most actions requiring shareholder approval. These Shareholders entered into a voting agreement (as described in “Related Party Transactions”) and agreed to how their respective shares of the Company’s Common Stock held by the parties will be voted with respect to the designation, election, removal, and replacement of members of the Board.  Pursuant to the voting agreement, Messrs. Marcus and Simpson were appointed as directors of the Company, and Mr. Reickert, a trustee of the Trust, remained as a director of the Company. Mr. Subin was also granted board observer rights. Entities affiliated with the Trust and Messrs. Marcus and Simpson are also lenders under our subordinated loan and security agreement, have received warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock and received contingent value rights (“CVRs”) representing the contractual right to receive cash payments from the Company in an amount equal, in the aggregate, to 19.9% of the proceeds received by the Company in respect of certain intercompany indebtedness owing to it by Kaspien and/or its equity interest in Kaspien, each as described in “Related Party Transactions”.  As a result, there may be instances in which the interest of Mr. Reickert, the Trust and its affiliated entities, Messrs. Marcus and Subin and their respective affiliated entities, and Mr. Simpson and his affiliated entities may conflict or be perceived as being in conflict with the interest of a holder of our securities or the interest of the Company.

The Company’s stock price has experienced and could continue to experience volatility and could decline, resulting in a substantial loss on your investment.
Our stock price has experienced, and could continue to experience in the future, substantial volatility as a result of many factors, including global economic conditions, broad market fluctuations and public perception of the prospects for the industries in which we operate and the value of our assets. We are reliant on the performance of Kaspien, and a failure to meet market expectations, particularly with respect to net revenues, operating margins and earnings per share, would likely result in a further decline in the market price of our stock.

If we do not meet the continued listing standards of the NASDAQ, our Common Stock could be delisted from trading, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our Common Stock and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Our common stock is listed on NASDAQ, which imposes continued listing requirements with respect to listed shares. On August 15, 2019, the Company effected a reverse stock split of its outstanding shares of Common Stock at a ratio of one-for-twenty pursuant to a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York. The reverse stock split was reflected on NASDAQ beginning with the opening of trading on August 15, 2019. The primary purpose of the reverse stock split, which was approved by the Company’s shareholders at the Company’s Annual Stockholders Meeting on June 27, 2019, was to enable the Company to comply with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on NASDAQ.

9

On August 4, 2020, the Company received a letter from the Listing Qualifications staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that it was not in compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement (the “Stockholders’ Equity Requirement”) for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1) requires listed companies to maintain stockholders’ equity of at least $2.5 million and as of August 4, 2020, the Company did not meet the alternative compliance standards relating to the market value of listed securities or net income from continuing operations.

On January 22, 2021, the Company received written notice from the Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) stating that the Company’s market value of listed securities was greater than $35 million for ten consecutive business days, from January 4, 2021 to January 21, 2021. Accordingly, the Company has regained compliance with the alternative requirement set forth under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(2) and the matter is now closed.

If we fail to maintain compliance with the continued listing requirements in the future and NASDAQ determines to delist our Common Stock, the delisting could adversely affect the market price and liquidity of our Common Stock and reduce our ability to raise additional capital.

The limited public float and trading volume for our Common Stock may have an adverse impact and cause significant fluctuation of market price.
Historically, ownership of a significant portion of our outstanding shares of Common Stock has been concentrated in a small number of stockholders. Consequently, our Common Stock has a relatively small float and low average daily trading volume, which could affect a shareholder’s ability to sell our stock or the price at which it can be sold. In addition, future sales of substantial amounts of our Common Stock in the public market by those larger stockholders, or the perception that these sales could occur, may adversely impact the market price of the stock and our stock could be difficult for a shareholder to liquidate.

General Risk Factors

The Company’s business is influenced by general economic conditions.
The Company’s performance is subject to general economic conditions and their impact on levels of discretionary consumer spending. General economic conditions impacting discretionary consumer spending include, among others, wages and employment, consumer debt, reductions in net worth, residential real estate and mortgage markets, taxation, fuel and energy prices, interest rates, consumer confidence and other macroeconomic factors.

Consumer purchases of discretionary items generally decline during recessionary periods and other periods where disposable income is adversely affected. A downturn in the economy affects retailers disproportionately, as consumers may prioritize reductions in discretionary spending, which could have a direct impact on purchases of our products and services and adversely impact our results of operations. In addition, reduced consumer spending may drive us and our competitors to offer additional products at promotional prices, which would have a negative impact on gross profit.

Disruption of global capital and credit markets may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity and capital resources.
Distress in the financial markets has in the past and can in the future result in extreme volatility in security prices, diminished liquidity and credit availability. There can be no assurance that our liquidity will not be affected by changes in the financial markets and the global economy or that our capital resources will at all times be sufficient to satisfy our liquidity needs.

Because of our floating rate credit facility, we may be adversely affected by interest rate changes.
Our financial position may be affected by fluctuations in interest rates, as the New Credit Facility is 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. As we borrow against our credit facility, a significant increase in interest rates could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

The Company is dependent upon access to capital, including bank credit facilities and short-term vendor financing, for its liquidity needs.
The Company must have sufficient sources of liquidity to fund its working capital requirements and indebtedness. The future availability of financing will depend on a variety of factors, such as economic and market conditions, the availability of credit and the Company’s credit rating, as well as the Company’s reputation with potential lenders. These factors could materially adversely affect the Company’s ability to fund its working capital requirements, costs of borrowing, and the Company’s financial position and results of operations would be adversely impacted.

10

We may complete a future significant strategic transaction that may not achieve intended results or could increase the number of our outstanding shares or amount of outstanding debt or result in a change of control.

We will evaluate and may in the future enter into strategic transactions. Any such transaction could happen at any time following the closing of the merger, could be material to our business and could take any number of forms, including, for example, an acquisition, merger or a sale of all or substantially all of our assets.
Evaluating potential transactions and integrating completed ones may divert the attention of our management from ordinary operating matters. The success of these potential transactions will depend, in part, on our ability to realize the anticipated growth opportunities and cost synergies through the successful integration of the businesses we acquire with our existing business. Even if we are successful in integrating the acquired businesses, we cannot assure you that these integrations will result in the realization of the full benefit of any anticipated growth opportunities or cost synergies or that these benefits will be realized within the expected time frames. In addition, acquired businesses may have unanticipated liabilities or contingencies.
If we complete an acquisition, investment or other strategic transaction, we may require additional financing that could result in an increase in the number of our outstanding shares or the aggregate principal amount of our debt. A strategic transaction may result in a change in control of our company or otherwise materially and adversely affect our business.

Historically, we have experienced declines, and we may continue to experience fluctuation in our level of sales and results from operations.
A variety of factors has historically affected, and will continue to affect, our sales results and profit margins. These factors include general economic conditions; competition; actions taken by our competitors; consumer trends and preferences; access to third party marketplaces; and new product introductions and changes in our product mix.

There is no assurance that we will achieve positive levels of sales and earnings growth, and any decline in our future growth or performance could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

The ability of the Company to satisfy its liabilities and to continue as a going concern will continue to be dependent on the implementation of several items, the success of which is not certain.
The Company has suffered recurring losses from operations and the Company’s primary sources of liquidity are borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility, available cash and cash equivalents, all of which are limited. Therefore, the ability of the Company to meet its liabilities and to continue as a going concern is dependent on, among other things, improved profitability, the continued implementation of the strategic initiative to reposition Kaspien as a platform of software and services, the availability of future funding, implementation of one or more corporate initiatives to reduce costs at the parent company level and other strategic alternatives, including selling all or part of the remaining business or assets of the Company, and overcoming the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There can be no assurance that we will be successful in further implementing our business strategy or that the strategy, including the completed initiatives, will be successful in sustaining acceptable levels of sales growth and profitability.

Parties with whom the Company does business may be subject to insolvency risks or may otherwise become unable or unwilling to perform their obligations to the Company.
The Company is a party to contracts, transactions and business relationships with various third parties, including partners, vendors, suppliers, service providers and lenders, pursuant to which such third parties have performance, payment and other obligations to the Company. In some cases, the Company depends upon such third parties to provide essential products, services or other benefits, including with respect to merchandise, advertising, software development and support, logistics, other agreements for goods and services in order to operate the Company’s business in the ordinary course, extensions of credit, credit card accounts and related receivables, and other vital matters. Economic, industry and market conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, could result in increased risks to the Company associated with the potential financial distress or insolvency of such third parties. The Company is not currently able to accurately determine the extent and scope of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on such third parties. If any of these third parties were to become subject to bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceedings, the rights and benefits of the Company in relation to its contracts, transactions and business relationships with such third parties could be terminated, modified in a manner adverse to the Company, or otherwise impaired. The Company cannot make any assurances that it would be able to arrange for alternate or replacement contracts, transactions or business relationships on terms as favorable as the Company’s existing contracts, transactions or business relationships, if at all. Any inability on the part of the Company to do so could negatively affect the Company’s cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Failure to comply with legal and regulatory requirements could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

The Company’s business is subject to a wide array of laws and regulations. Significant legislative changes that impact our relationship with our workforce (none of which is represented by unions) could increase our expenses and adversely affect our operations. Examples of possible legislative changes impacting our relationship with our workforce include changes to an employer’s obligation to recognize collective bargaining units, the process by which collective bargaining units are negotiated or imposed, minimum wage requirements, health care mandates, and changes in overtime regulations.


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Our policies, procedures and internal controls are designed to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including those imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the NASDAQ GlobalCapital Market, as well as applicable employment laws. Additional legal and regulatory requirements increase the complexity of the regulatory environment in which we operate and the related cost of compliance. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations may result in damage to our reputation, financial condition and market price of our stock.

We could be materially and adversely affected if our distribution center is disrupted.

We operate a distribution center in Albany, New York. We ship approximately 77% of our fye segment merchandise inventory through our distribution center. If our distribution center is destroyed or disrupted for any reason, including weather, fire, labor, or other issues we could incur significantly higher costs and longer lead times associated with distributing our products to our stores during the time it takes to reopen or replace the distribution center.

We maintain business interruption insurance to protect us from the costs relating to matters such as a shutdown, but our insurance may not be sufficient, or the insurance proceeds may not be timely paid to us, in the event of a shutdown.

We may face difficulties in meeting our labor needs to effectively operate our business.

We are heavily dependent upon our labor workforce in the geographic areas where we conduct our business.  Our compensation packages are designed to provide benefits commensurate with our level of expected service.  However, within our retail and logistics operations, we face the challenge of filling many positions at wage scales that are appropriate to the industry and competitive factors.  We also face other risks in meeting our labor needs, including competition for qualified personnel and overall unemployment levels.  Changes in any of these factors, including a shortage of available workforce in areas in which we operate, could interfere with our ability to adequately service our customers or to open suitable locations and could result in increasing labor costs.

Our business could be adversely affected by increased labor costs, including costs related to an increase in minimum wage and health care.

Labor is one of the primary components in the cost of operating our business.  Increased labor costs, whether due to competition, unionization, increased minimum wage, state unemployment rates, health care, or other employee benefits costs may adversely impact our operating expenses.  A considerable amount of our store team members are paid at rates related to the federal or state minimum wage and any changes to the minimum wage rate may increase our operating expenses.  Furthermore, inconsistent increases in state and or city minimum wage requirements limit our ability to increase prices across all markets and channels.  Additionally, we are self-insured with respect to our health care coverage in the U.S.

15

and do not purchase third party insurance for the health insurance benefits provided to employees with the exception of pre-defined stop loss coverage, which helps limit the cost of large claims.  There is no assurance that future health care legislation will not adversely impact our results or operations.  

Litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is subject to the risk of litigation by employees, consumers, partners, suppliers, competitors, stockholders, government agencies or others through private actions, class actions, administrative proceedings, regulatory actions or other litigation. The outcome of litigation, particularly class action lawsuits and regulatory actions, is difficult to assess or quantify. We may incur losses relating to these claims, and in addition, these proceedings could cause us to incur costs and may require us to devote resources to defend against these claims that could adversely affect our results of operations. For a description of current legal proceedings, see “Part I, Item 3, Legal Proceedings.”

Certain of our strategies, including product innovations and expanding our exclusive offerings, may present greater risks.

We are continuously assessing opportunities to improve store productivity and complementary products and services related to our core business, including product innovations and exclusive offerings. We may expend both capital and personnel resources on such business opportunities which may or may not be successful. There can be no assurance that we will be able to develop product innovations and exclusive offerings to a point where they will become profitable or generate positive cash flow.

We could incur losses due to impairment on long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets.

Because we have grown in part through acquisitions, goodwill and other acquired intangible assets represent a substantial portion of our assets. 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.

Under generally accepted accounting principles, we review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever economic events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Goodwill is not amortized but is evaluated annually for impairment. A more frequent evaluation is performed if events or circumstances indicate that an impairment could have occurred. In fiscal 2017, we recorded $29 million of asset impairment charges related to the long lived assets of the fye segment. In the future, significant negative industry or general economic trends, disruptions to our business and unexpected significant changes or planned changes in our use of our long-lived assets may result in additional impairments to our goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets. Any reduction in or impairment of the value of goodwill or intangible assets will result in a charge against earnings, which could have a material adverse impact on our reported results of operations and financial condition.


The effects of natural disasters, terrorism, acts of war, and public health issues may adversely affect our business.

Natural disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes may affect store and distribution center operations. In addition, acts of terrorism, acts of war, and military action both in the United States and abroad can have a significant effect on economic conditions and may negatively affect our ability to purchase merchandise from suppliers for sale to our customers. Public health issues, such as flu or other pandemics, whether occurring in the United States or abroad, could disrupt our operations and result in a significant part of our workforce being unable to operate or maintain our infrastructure or perform other tasks necessary to conduct our business. Additionally, public health issues may disrupt, or have an adverse effect on, our suppliers’ operations, our operations, our customers, or customer demand. Our ability to mitigate the adverse effect of these events depends, in part, upon the effectiveness of our disaster preparedness and response planning as well as business continuity planning. However, we cannot be certain that our plans will be adequate or implemented properly in the event of an actual disaster. We may be required to suspend operations in some or all of our locations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any significant declines in public safety or uncertainties regarding future economic prospects that affect customer spending habits could have a material adverse effect on customer purchases of our products.

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The terms

A pandemic, epidemic or outbreak of our asset-based revolving credit agreement impose certain restrictions on us thatan infectious disease, such as COVID-19, may impair our ability to respond to changing businessmaterially and economic conditions, which could have a significant adverse impact on our business.  Additionally, our business could suffer if our ability to acquire financing is reduced or eliminated.

We maintain an asset-based revolving credit agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which provides for a senior secured revolving credit facility (“ABL Facility”) of up to $75 million. The ABL Facility contains various representations, warranties and restrictive covenants that, among other things and subject to specified circumstances and exceptions, restrict our ability to incur indebtedness (including guarantees), grant liens, make investments, pay dividends or distributions with respect to capital stock, make prepayments on other indebtedness, engage in mergers, dispose of certain assets or change the nature of their business. In addition, excess availability equal to at least 10% of the loan cap must be maintained under the ABL Facility. The ABL Facility does not otherwise contain financial maintenance covenants. These restrictions could (1) limit our ability to plan for or react to market conditions or meet capital needs or otherwise restrict our activities or business plans; and (2) adversely affect our business.

Our business, results of operations, and financial condition may be materially adversely impacted if a public health outbreak, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic, interferes with our ability, to financeor the ability of our operations, strategic acquisitions, investments or other capital needs or to engage inemployees, contractors, suppliers, and other business activitiespartners to perform our and their respective responsibilities and obligations relative to the conduct of our business.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, resulting in an economic downturn that would be in our interest.

The ABL Facility includes customary events of default including non-payment of principal, interest or fees, violation of covenants, inaccuracy of representations or warranties, cross-default to other material indebtedness, bankruptcy and insolvency events, invalidity or impairment of guarantees or security interests, material judgments and change of control. Additionally, we cannot be assured that our borrowing relationship with our lenders will continue or that our lenders will remain able to support their commitments to us in the future.  If our lenders fail to do so, then we may not be able to secure alternative financing on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

etailz revenue is dependent upon maintaining etailz’s relationship with Amazon and failure to do so, or any restrictions on our ability to offer products on the Amazon Marketplace, could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

etailz generates substantially all of its revenue through the Amazon Marketplace. Therefore, we depend in large part on our relationship with Amazon for the continued growth of the etailz segment. In particular, we depend on As a result, our ability to offerfund through public or private equity offerings, debt financings, and through other means at acceptable terms, if at all, may be disrupted, in the event our financing needs for the foreseeable future are not able to be met by our New Credit Facility, balances of cash, cash equivalents and cash generated from operations.


In addition, the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and various governmental responses in the United States has adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our business operations, including our ability to carry on business development activities, restrictions in business-related travel, delays or disruptions in our on-going projects, and unavailability of the employees of the Company or third parties with whom we conduct business, due to illness or quarantines, among others. Our business was negatively impacted by disruptions in our supply chain, which limited our ability to source merchandise, and limits on products fulfillment placed by Amazon. For example, we may be unable to launch new products, replenish inventory for existing products, ship into or receive inventory in our third-party warehouses in each case on a timely basis or at all. During the fourth quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021, we have experienced production and shipment delays for certain of our products that could result in stock outs on the Amazon Marketplace. We alsomarketplace resulting in a decrease of net revenue. The extent to which COVID-19 could impact our business will depend on Amazon forfuture developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, and will depend on many factors, including the timely delivery of products to customers. Any adverse change in our relationship with Amazon, including restrictions on the ability to offer products or terminationduration of the relationship, could adversely affect the continued growth of our etailz segment and our financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock.

The Robert J. Higgins TWMC Trust (the “Trust”) owns approximately 39.5% of the outstanding Common Stock. Therefore, the trustees have significant influence and control over the outcome of any vote of the Company’s Shareholders.

The Robert J. Higgins TWMC Trust owns approximately 39.5% of the outstanding Common Stock and there are no limitations on the Trust acquiring shares in the future.  Accordingly, the trustees have significant influence over the election of our directors, the appointment of new management and the approval of actions requiring shareholder approval, such as adopting amendments to our articles of incorporation and approving mergers or sales of all or substantially all of our assets. Such concentration of ownership and substantial voting influence may haveoutbreak, the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control, even if a change of control istravel restrictions and social distancing efforts in the best interestUnited States and other countries, the scope and length of all shareholders. Therebusiness closures or business disruptions, and the actions taken by governments to contain and treat the disease. As such, we cannot presently predict the scope and extent of any potential business shutdowns or disruptions. Possible effects may include, but are not limited to, disruption to our customers and revenue, absenteeism in our labor workforce, unavailability of products and supplies used in our operations, shutdowns that may be instances in which the interest of the Trust may conflictmandated or be perceived as being in conflict with the interest of a holder of our securities or the interest of the Company. W. Michael Reickert, a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, is a trustee of the Trust.

The Company’s stock price has experiencedrequested by governmental authorities, and could continue to experience volatility and could decline, resulting in a substantial loss on your investment.

Our stock price has experienced, and could continue to experience in the future, substantial volatility as a result of many factors, including global economic conditions, broad market fluctuations and public perception of the prospects for music

17

and the home video industry. Changes in our comparable store net sales could also affect the price of our Common Stock. Failure to meet market expectations, particularly with respect to comparable store sales, net revenues, operating margins and earnings per share, would likely result in a decline in the market pricevalue of our stock.

In addition, an active trading market for our Common Stock may not be sustained, which could affect the ability of our stockholders to sell their shares and could depress the market price of their shares. The stock market has been highly volatile. For example, the closing price of our Common Stock at quarter ends has fluctuated between $1.25 and $2.90 from January 30, 2017 to March 29, 2018. Investors in our Common Stock may experience a decrease in the value of their stock,assets, including decreases unrelated to our operating performance or prospects.

The declaration of dividend payments or the repurchase of our Common Stock pursuant to our share repurchase program may not continue.

Our dividend policy and share repurchase program may be affected by, among other items, business conditions, changes in our business strategy, our views on potential future capital requirements, the terms of our debt instruments, legal risks, changes in federal income tax law and challenges to our business model. Our dividend policy may change from time to time and we may or may not continue to declare discretionary dividend payments. The Company’s amended credit facility contains certain restrictions related to the payment of cash dividends and share repurchases, including limiting the amount of dividends to $5.0 million annually and not allowing borrowings under the amended facility for the six months before or six months after the dividend payment. Additionally, although we have a share repurchase program authorized by our Board of Directors, we are not obligated to make any purchases under the program and we may discontinue it at any time. During fiscal 2017, we did not make any share repurchases under the aforementioned program an may not resume making purchases in the future.

The failure to maintain a minimum closing share price of $1.00 per share of our Common Stock could result in the delisting of our shares on the NASDAQ Global Market, which would harm the market price of the Company’s Common Stock.

In order to retain our listing on the NASDAQ Global Market we are required by NASDAQ to maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share. Our stock price is currently above $1.00. However, in the event that our stock did close below the minimum bid price of $1.00 per share for any 30 consecutive business days, we would regain compliance if our Common Stock closed at or above $1.00 per share for 10 consecutive days during the 180 days immediately following failure to maintain the minimum bid price. If we are unable to do so, our stock could be delisted from the NASDAQ Global Market, transferred to a listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market, or delisted from the NASDAQ markets altogether. The failure to maintain our listing on the NASDAQ Global Market could harm the liquidity of the Company’s Common Stock and could have an adverse effect on the market price of our Common Stock. Our stock price traded below $1.00 on April 6th, 2018, however, the closing price of our stock has remained at or above $1.00 since April 6th, 2018.

The limited public float and trading volume for our Common Stock may have an adverse impact and cause significant fluctuation of market price.

Historically, ownership of a significant portion of our outstanding shares of Common Stock has been concentrated in a small number of stockholders. Consequently, our Common Stock has a relatively small float and low average daily trading volume, which could affect a stockholder’s ability to sell our stock or the price at which it can be sold. In addition, future sales of substantial amounts of our Common Stock in the public market by those larger stockholders, or the perception that these sales could occur, may adversely impact the market price of the stock and our stock could be difficult for a stockholder to liquidate.

various long-lived assets.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED SEC COMMENTS

None.

18Item 1B.UNRESOLVED SEC COMMENTS

None.

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Item 2. PROPERTIES

Retail Stores

As of February 3, 2018, the fye segment leased and operated 260 stores some of which have renewal options. The majority of the leases provide for the payment of fixed monthly rent and expenses for maintenance, property taxes and insurance, while others provide for the payment of monthly rent based on a percentage of sales. Certain leases provide for additional rent based on store sales in excess of specified levels. The following table lists the leases due to expire in each of the fiscal years shown as of the fiscal year-end, assuming any renewal options are not exercised:

Year

 No. of
Leases

Year

 No. of
Leases
      
2018 1972022 5
      
2019 112023 3
      
2020 162024 and beyond 3
      
2021 25   

As leases expire, the Company will evaluate the decision to exercise renewal rights or obtain new leases for the same or similar locations based on store profitability.

Item 2.PROPERTIES


Corporate Offices and Distribution Center FacilitiesFacility


As of February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, we leased the following office and distribution facilities:


LocationSquare
Footage
Owned or
Leased
Use
fye 
Albany, NY39,800LeasedOffice administration
Albany, NY141,500LeasedDistribution center
Square
Footage
 
etailz
Owned or
Leased
 Use
Spokane, WA8,30030,700LeasedOffice administration
Spokane, WA74,00032,000LeasedDistribution center


The Company believes that it has adequate distribution facilities to meet the Company’s current business needs. Shipments from the Albany distribution facility to the fye segment’s retail stores provide approximately 77% of merchandise shipment requirements to stores. Stores are serviced by common carriers chosen on the basis of geography and rate considerations. The balance of the stores’ merchandise requirements is satisfied through direct shipments from vendors. The Spokane, WA distribution center supports the distribution to outside distribution facilities for sale on third-party marketplaces.

marketplaces for Kaspien.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Item 3.LEGAL PROCEEDINGS


The Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of its business and have not been finally adjudicated.  Although there can be no assurance as to the ultimate disposition of these matters, it is management’s opinion, based upon the information available at this time, that the expected outcome of these matters, individually orand in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition of the Company.

19

Store Manager

Loyalty Memberships and Magazine Subscriptions Class Actions

Two former Store Managers filed actions alleging claims of entitlement to unpaid compensation for overtime. In one action, the plaintiff seeks to represent a class of allegedly similarly situated employees who performed the same position (Store Manager and Senior Assistant Manager) while the other plaintiff seeks to represent a class of allegedly similarly situated employees who performed the same position (Store Manager).

Specifically, Carol SpackAction

On November 14, 2018, three consumers filed a punitive class action complaint against Trans World Entertainment Corporation (Trans World)the Company and Synapse Group, Inc. in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Boston Division (Case No.1:18-cv-12377-DPW) concerning enrollment in the Company’s Backstage Pass VIP loyalty program and associated magazine subscriptions.  The complaint alleged, among other things, that the Company’s “negative option marketing” misled consumers into enrolling for membership and subscriptions without obtaining the consumers’ consent.  The complaint sought to represent a nationwide class of “all persons in the United States” who were enrolled in and/or charged for Backstage Pass VIP memberships and/or magazine subscriptions, and to obtain statutory and actual damages on their behalf.

On April 11, 2019, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit.  On May 8, 2019, two of the plaintiffs from the dismissed lawsuit filed a similar putative class action in Massachusetts state court (Civ. Act. No. 197CV00331, Mass. Super. Ct. Hampden Cty.), based on the same allegations, but this time seeking to represent only a class of “FYE customers in Massachusetts” who were charged for VIP Backstage Pass Memberships and/or magazine subscriptions.  The Company removed that lawsuit back to federal court on June 12, 2019, and then filed a motion to dismiss and/or strike the plaintiff’s class action allegations on June 28, 2019.  On February 2, 2021 the court granted the Company’s motion, struck the class action allegations, and dismissed the individual plaintiffs’ claims for lack of jurisdiction.  Plaintiffs appealed the court’s decision on February 24, 2021. The parties participated in a mandatory court-annexed mediation session on April 8, 2021.  The parties have agreed on terms to resolve the matter fully and finally, and the appeal will be dismissed without material impact on the financial results of the Company.

In the event the Court of Appeals reinstates the case, the Company believes it has meritorious defenses to the plaintiffs’ claims and will vigorously defend the action.

Store Manager Class Actions
There are two pending class actions.  The first, Spack v. Trans World Entertainment Corp. was originally filed in the District of New Jersey, on April 20, 2017 (Case No.: 3:17-cv-02687-BRM-LHG) alleging(the “Spack Action”).  The Spack Action alleges that she is entitled to unpaid compensation for overtime under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). She brings a nationwide collective action under the FLSA on behalf of allCompany misclassified Store Managers and(“SMs”) as exempt nationwide.  It also alleges that Trans World improperly calculated overtime for Senior Assistant Managers. SheManagers (“SAMs”) nationwide, and that both SMs and SAMs worked “off-the-clock.”  It also brings class action claims underalleges violations of New Jersey and Pennsylvania law on behalf of all persons who worked as Store Managers in New Jersey or Senior Assistant Managers in Pennsylvania.

On May 19, 2017, NatashaState Law with respect to calculating overtime for SAMs.  The second, Roper filed a complaint againstv. Trans World Entertainment Corp., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, (Case No.: 1:17-cv-0553-TJM-CFH) in which sheMay 2017 (the “Roper Action”).  The Roper Action also alleges that she is entitled to unpaid compensation for overtime under the FLSA. Ms. Roper bringsasserts a nationwide collective action under the FLSAmisclassification claim on behalf of all similarly situated Store Managers.

SMs.  Both actions were consolidated into the Northern District of New York, with the Spack Action being the lead case.

The Company has reached a settlement with the plaintiffs for both store manager class actions, which has received approval from the court.  The Company reserved $0.4 million for the settlement as of January 30, 2021.  Notices of the settlement have been issued to class members, and the settlement claims process is currently ongoing.

Item 4.MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES


Not applicable.

Mine Safety Disclosures13

None.


PART II

Item 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Item 5.MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES


Market Information: The Company’s Common Stock trades on the NASDAQ GlobalCapital Market under the symbol “TWMC.“KSPN.”  As of March 29, 2018,April 15, 2021, there were 292296 shareholders of record.  The following table sets forth high and low last reported sale prices for each fiscal quarter during the period from February 1, 20163, 2019 through March 29, 2018.

 Closing Sales Prices
   
 HighLow
2016  
1st Quarter$4.00$3.13
2nd Quarter$4.00$3.45
3rd Quarter$3.92$3.40
4th Quarter$3.90$2.65
   
2017  
1st Quarter$2.90$1.65
2nd Quarter$1.90$1.50
3d Quarter$2.80$1.55
4th Quarter$1.90$1.60
   
2018  
1st Quarter (through  
     March 29, 2018)$1.80$1.25

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April 25, 2021.

  Closing Sales Prices 
       
  High  Low 
2019      
1st Quarter
 $12.48  $5.77 
2nd Quarter
 $8.01  $5.00 
3d Quarter
 $6.08  $2.74 
4th Quarter
 $6.98  $1.92 
         
2020        
1st Quarter
 
$
5.35
  $2.39 
2nd Quarter
 
$
8.14
  
$
3.62
 
3d Quarter
 
$
12.38
  
$
6.51
 
4th Quarter
 
$
52.15
  
$
10.00
 
         
         
2021        
1st Quarter (through April 15, 2021)
 
$
46.00
  
$
21.50
 


On March 29, 2018, the last trading date in March,April 15, 2021, the reported sale price on the Common Stock on the NASDAQ NationalCapital Market was $1.25.

$26.91. On August 15, 2019, the Company completed a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of outstanding Common Stock. All closing prices reflect the reverse stock split.


On March 18, 2021, the Company closed an underwritten offering of 416,600 shares of common stock of the Company, at a price to the public of $32.50 per share. The gross proceeds of the offering were approximately $13.5 million, prior to deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital to implement its strategic plans focused on brand acquisition, investments in technology to enhance its scalable platform and its core retail business.

Dividend Policy:The Company did not pay cash dividends in fiscal 20172020 and fiscal 2016.The2019.  The declaration and payment of any dividends is at the sole discretion of the board of directors and is not guaranteed. The Company’s amended credit facility contains certain restrictions related to the payment of cash dividends, including limiting the amount of dividends to $5.0 million annually and not allowing borrowings under the amended facility for the six months before or six months after the dividend payment.


Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Duringduring the Quarter Ended February 3, 2018

January 30, 2021

During the three monththree-month period ended February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, the Company did not repurchase any shares under thea share repurchase program.

The Company’s amended credit facility contains certain restrictions related to share repurchases, including limiting the amount of repurchases to $5.0 million annually and not allowing borrowings under the amended facility for the six months before or six months after the share repurchase transaction.


Item 6.
Item 6.SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The following table sets forth selected Statements of Operations and Balance Sheet data for the five fiscal years ended February 3, 2018 and is derived from the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements. The fiscal year ended February 3, 2018 consisted of 53 weeks while all the other fiscal years of the Company presented consisted of 52 weeks. This information should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes and other financial information included herein, including Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.

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  Fiscal Year Ended 
  February 3,  January 28,  January 30,  January 31,  February 1, 
($ in thousands, except per share data) 2018  2017  2016  2015  2014 
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:                    
Net sales $437,173  $348,672  $334,661  $358,490  $393,659 
Other revenue(1)  5,683   4,798   4,843   4,773   4,326 
  Total revenue  442,856   353,470   339,504   363,263   397,985 
                     
Cost of sales  299,013   218,811   204,089   222,572   245,755 
Gross profit  143,843   134,659   135,415   140,691   152,230 
Selling, general and administrative expenses  167,924   139,691   130,845   136,916   141,855 
Income from joint venture  (1,787)             
Gain on sale of asset     (1,164)          
Asset impairment charges  29,107             
Income (loss) from operations  (51,401)   (3,868)   4,570   3,775   10,375 
Interest expense  332   775   1,860   1,951   2,010 
Other  income  (8,881)   (1,081)   (160)   (70)   (80) 
Income (loss) before income taxes  (42,852)   (3,562)   2,870   1,894   8,445 
Income tax expense (benefit)  (299)   (6,773)   181   116   168 
Net income (loss) $(42,553)  $3,211  $2,689  $1,778  $8,277 
Basic earnings (loss) per share $(1.19)  $0.10  $0.09  $0.06  $0.25 
                     
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic  36,191   32,162   31,167   31,744   32,584 
Diluted earnings (loss) per share $(1.18)  $0.10  $0.09  $0.06  $0.25 
                     
Weighted average number  of shares – diluted  36,191   32,321   31,323   31,897   32,862 
                     
Cash dividend paid per share          $0.50    
                
  Fiscal Year Ended
  February 3,  January 28,  January 30,  January 31,  February 1, 
  2018  2017  2016  2015  2014 
       (in thousands, except store count data)
BALANCE SHEET DATA (at the end of the period):          
                     
Total  assets $247,906  $307,810  $271,605  $280,009  $311,591 
                     
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations           938   1,066 
Long-term obligations              938 
Shareholders’ equity $158,214  $197,936  $175,268  $171,740  $190,970 
                     
OPERATING DATA:                    
Store count (open at end of period):                    
     Mall stores  237   256   267   270   293 
     Freestanding stores  23   28   32   40   46 
     Total stores  260   284   299   310   339 
                     
Comparable store sales decreases(2)  (9%)  (4%)   (1%)  (1%)  (5%)
                     
Total square footage in operation (Year end)  1,439   1,593   1,730   1,799   2,030 
                     
Total square footage in operation (Average)  1,508   1,669   1,793   1,940   2,134 

1.Other revenue is comprised of third-party commission income and management fees related to the fye segment.
2.A store is included in comparable store sales calculations at the beginning of its thirteenth full month of operation. Stores relocated, expanded or downsized are excluded from comparable store sales if the change in square footage is greater than 20% until the thirteenth full month following relocation, expansion or downsizing. Closed stores that were open for at least thirteen months are included in comparable store sales through the month immediately preceding the month of closing.
22

Not required under the requirements of a Smaller Reporting Company.

14

Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Item 7.MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


Overview


Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations provide information that the Company’s management believes necessary to achieve an understanding of its financial condition and results of operations.  To the extent that such analysis contains statements which are not of a historical nature, such statements are forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties.  These risks include, but are not limited to, changes in the competitive environment for the Company’s merchandise, including the entry or exit of non-traditional retailers of the Company’s merchandise to or from its markets; releases by the musicproducts and video, industries of an increased or decreased number of “hit releases”;services; general economic factors in markets where the Company’s merchandise isproducts and services are sold; and other factors including, but not limited to: cost of goods, consumer disposable income, consumer debt levels and buying patterns, consumer credit availability, interest rates, customer preferences, unemployment, labor costs, inflation, fuel and energy prices, weather patterns, climate change, catastrophic events, competitive pressures and insurance costs discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The following discussion and analysis

FYE Transaction

On February 20, 2020, the Company consummated the sale of substantially all of the assets and certain of the liabilities relating to fye to a subsidiary of Sunrise Records pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated January 23, 2020, by and among the Company, Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World FL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, 2428392 Inc., and Sunrise Records.

Following the FYE Transaction, Kaspien is the Company’s financial condition andonly operating segment.

Impact of COVID-19

To date, as a direct result of COVID-19, most of our employees are working remotely. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will directly or indirectly impact our business, results of operations shouldand financial condition, including expenses, reserves and allowances, and employee-related amounts, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain, including as a result of new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain or treat it, as well as the economic impact on local, regional, national and international customers and markets, which are highly uncertain and cannot be readpredicted at this time. Management is actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, industry, and workforce. Given the daily evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak and the response to curb its spread, currently we are not able to estimate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak to our results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity.

In response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we activated our business continuity program, led by our Executive Team in conjunction with “Item 6: Selected Consolidated Financial Data”Human Resources, to help us manage the situation. In mid-March of 2020, we transitioned our corporate office staff to work 100% remotely. This process was aided through the implementation of a flexible work from home policy rolled out to the organization in fiscal 2019, having a companywide communication platform for instant messaging and video conferencing, and cloud-based critical business applications. However, while our business is not dependent on physical office locations nor travel, having a 100% remote workforce does present increased operational risk. Our leadership team believes we have the necessary controls in place to mitigate these impacts and allow the team to continue to operate effectively remotely as long as required by State guidelines.

While e-commerce has largely benefited from the closure of brick-and-mortar locations as consumer spending has been pushed online to marketplaces such as Amazon and Walmart, the industry nor our organization has been immune to the impact to our supply chains. For instance, in March 2020, Amazon reduced replenishment in their fulfillment centers to essential items which limited a significant percentage of SKUs carried by Kaspien and a number of Kaspien’ partners shut their warehouses or suffered limited processing capacity due to COVID-19. While Amazon has since lifted restrictions and the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included elsewhere inleadership team executed contingency plans to mitigate the adverse impact from these restrictions, this report.

During October 2016,highlights the Company acquired allfluid nature of COVID-19 across supply chains.


Additionally, since the beginning of the issued and outstanding capital stockpandemic, tens of etailz, Inc., an innovative and leading digital marketplace retail expert. See Note 3 tomillions of Americans have lost their jobs, significantly increasing the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. Subsequent to this acquisition, reportable segments consistrisk of fye and etailz. The etailz acquisition represents a significant step forward in the Company’s reinvention. The Company believes the rapid growth of marketplace sales will continue and is clear evidence of the explosive long-term trends underway in retailing. As of February 3, 2018, the Company operated 260 stores totaling approximately 1.4 million square feetnear-term economic contraction in the United States that may affect e-commerce sales. The risk of another wave or increased numbers of positive COVID-19 cases also presents further risk to supply chains. Leadership is actively monitoring the Districtsituation and potential impacts on its financial condition, liquidity, operations and workforce but the full extent of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

fye Segment

The U.S. entertainment retailing industry is a mature industry and continues to experience declines. Physical video and music represent approximately 50% of sales and both categories have been impacted by new distribution channels, including digital distribution and internet fulfillment. As a result, the Company has had negative comparable store sales for the past five years. To mitigate or lessen the impact these changes have had, the Company has focused on the following areas in an effort to improve its business:

Evolve the fye Brand Customer Experience.

The Company is evolving the fye brand experience by diversifying its merchandise assortment and enhancing its merchandise presentation as it continues its strategy towards becoming the most compelling entertainment and pop culture centric engagement in the marketplace. In addition, the Company offers personalized customer service in its stores guided by a commitment to approach every customer with gratitude, humility and respect.

Store Portfolio Evaluation

fye Segment

The Company’s real estate strategy is to maintain a core group of profitable locations, while evaluating opportunities for new locations in new and existing malls. During fiscal 2017, the Company opened 1 new and remodeled 4 existing fye stores under a new format which expands the merchandise selection and enhances the presentation of the trend and electronics categories while maintaining a strong presence in the media categories. As of February 3, 2018, the Company operated 36 stores under the new format.

23
still highly uncertain.

During fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016, the Company closed 25 and 29 stores, respectively. The Company closes stores when minimum operating thresholds are not achieved or upon lease expiration when either renewal is not available or management determines that renewal is not in the Company’s best interest. The Company has signed short-term lease agreements for desirable locations, which enables us to negotiate rents that are responsive to the then-current sales environment. The Company has 197 stores with leases expiring during fiscal 2018. We will continue to close stores that do not meet our profitability goals, a process which could result in further asset impairments and store closure costs. A continued reduction in the number of stores would lower total sales.

The Company believes that there is near-term opportunity for improving the productivity of existing stores. The environment in which our stores operate is intensely competitive and includes internet-based retailers and mass merchants. We believe a specialty retailer that can differentiate itself by offering a distinctive assortment and customer experience, and that can operate efficiently, will be better positioned to maintain its market share. Therefore, we remain dedicated to enhancing our merchandise assortment through introducing additional product lines, improving the operational efficiency of our stores and offering our customers a rewarding shopping experience guided by an approach to engage every customer with gratitude, humility and respect.

Expanding Customer Base

fye Segment

To strengthen customer loyalty, the fye stores offer its customers the option of signing up for a Backstage Pass card which provides an additional 10% discount off of everyday selling prices on nearly all products in addition to other value added benefits members receive through the program in exchange for a membership fee.  Events are also co-sponsors in many stores to provide various segments of customers an opportunity to experience entertainment and shop for unique and exclusive products based on their particular interests. 

etailz Segment

On October 17, 2016, etailz was acquired to continue to build upon its credibility with fans of entertainment and pop culture. The Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of etailz, Inc., an innovative and leading digital marketplace retail expert. etailz uses a data driven approach to digital marketplace retailing utilizing proprietary software and e-commerce insight coupled with a direct customer relationship engagement to identify new distributors and wholesalers, isolate emerging product trends, and optimize price positioning and inventory purchase decisions. The etailz acquisition represents a significant step forward in the Company’s reinvention. The Company believes the rapid growth of marketplace sales will continue and is clear evidence of the explosive long-term trends underway in retailing. fye’s progress onboarding digital and marketing talent, accelerated through the etailz acquisition, will enable the Company to reach a large portion of the market share through a multi-channel approach spanning across retail storefronts, direct websites, and all major online marketplaces.

Key Performance Indicators


Management monitors a number of key performance indicators to evaluate its performance, including:


15

Net Sales and Comparable Store Net Sales:Revenue: The fye segment measures the rate of comparable store net sales change. A store is included in comparable store net sales calculations at the beginning of its thirteenth full month of operation. Stores relocated, expanded or downsized are excluded from comparable store sales if the change in square footage is greater than 20%until the thirteenth full month following relocation, expansion or downsizing. Closed stores that were open for at least thirteen months are included in comparable store sales through the month immediately preceding the month of closing. The fye segment further analyzes net sales by store format and by product category.The etailz segmentCompany measures total year over year sales growth bygrowth. Net sales performance is measured through several key performance indicators including number of partners and active product category.

24
listings and sales per listing.

Cost of Sales and Gross Profit:  Gross profit is calculated based on the cost of product in relation to its retail selling value. Changes in gross profit are impacted primarily by net sales levels, mix of products sold, vendor discounts and allowances, shrinkage, obsolescence and distribution costs.  Distribution expenses include those costs associated with receiving, inspecting & warehousing merchandise, Amazon fulfillment fees, and costs associated with product returns to vendors.


Selling, General and Administrative (“SG&A”) Expenses: Included in SG&A expenses are payroll and related costs, occupancy charges, general operating and overhead expenses and depreciation charges (excluding those related to distribution operations, as discussed in Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this report).charges.  SG&A expenses also include fixed assets write-offs associated with store closures, if any, and miscellaneous income and expense items, other than interest.  The Company recorded miscellaneous income items for fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015 in the amount of $0.4 million, $0.4 million, and $3.6 million, respectively.  Included in fiscal 2015 miscellaneous income items was a one-time reimbursement of expenses incurred in prior years, related to a legal settlement of $1.4 million.


Balance Sheet and Ratios:  The Company views cash, netmerchandise inventory, investment (merchandise inventory less accounts payable)payable leverage, and working capital (current assets less current liabilities) as key indicators of its financial position.  See Liquidity“Liquidity and Capital ResourcesResources” for further discussion of these items.

25

Gross Merchandise Value (“GMV”): The total value of merchandise sold over a given time period through a customer-to-customer exchange site. It is the measurement of merchandise value sold across all channels and partners within our platform.
Fiscal Year Ended February 3, 2018January 30, 2021 (“fiscal 2017”2020”)

Compared to Fiscal Year Ended January 28, 2017February 1, 2020 (“fiscal 2016”2019”)


The Company’s fiscal year is a 52 or 53-week period ending the Saturday nearest to January 31.  Fiscal 2017, 2016,2020 and 2015fiscal 2019 ended February 3, 2018, January 28, 2017, and January 30, 2016,2021 and February 1, 2020, respectively. Fiscal 2017 had 53 weeksBoth fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2016 and fiscal 20152019 had 52 weeks. The 53rd week

Net Revenue. Net revenue increased 18.8% to $158.3 million compared to $133.2 million in fiscal 2017 contributed approximately 1%2019. The primary source of revenue is the Retail as a Service (“RaaS”) model, which represented 99% of net revenue. As part of the Company’s diversification strategic initiative, net revenue from non-Amazon US marketplaces increased to 5.4% of net sales.

etailz results for fiscal 2016 includedrevenue from 3.4% of net revenue in the tables below are for thecomparable period starting from the dateprior year. The increase was attributable to Amazon International, Walmart and Other Marketplaces. Subscriptions and Other share of acquisition.

Segment Highlights:

($ in thousands)   Fiscal Year
Ended
February 3, 2018
  Fiscal Year
Ended
January 28, 2017
 
Total Revenue          
fye   $268,397  $313,211 
etailz    174,459   40,259 
Total Company   $442,856  $353,470 
           
Gross Profit          
fye   $104,254  $124,735 
etailz    39,589   9,924 
Total Company   $143,843  $134,659 
           
Loss From Operations          
fye   $(49,261) $(1,932)
etailz    (2,140)  (1,936)
Total Company   $(51,401) $(3,868)
           
Reconciliation of etailz Loss from Operations to etailz Adjusted Income from Operations   
etailz loss from operations   $(2,140) $(1,936)
           
Acquisition related transaction expenses    -   2,325 
Acquisition related intangible amortization expenses    3,871   1,130 
Acquisition related compensation expenses    4,262   1,035 
Earnout contingency benefit    (3,280)  (1,829)
etailz adjusted income from operations (1) $2,713  $725 

(1)In addition to the results of operations determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), we reported non-GAAP adjusted operating income for the etailz segment as shown above. The Company believes that etailz adjusted income from operations as per the segment disclosure, when considered together with its GAAP financial results, provides management and investors with a more complete understanding of its business operating results, including underlying trends, by excluding the effects of certain charges. This measure is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP in the United States, and should not be considered as a substitute for operating earnings (losses), net earnings (loss) from continuing operations or cash flows from operating activities, as determined in accordance with GAAP.
26

Total Revenue.net revenue increased to 0.8% of net revenue from 0.4% of net revenue in the comparable period from the prior year.  The increase was attributable an increase in the number of partners and higher gross merchandise value (“GMV”) of partner revenue flowing through the platform Amazon Marketplace. The following table sets forth net revenue by marketplace as a year-over-year comparisonpercentage of the Company’s total revenue:

        2017 vs 2016 
  2017  2016  $  % 
($ in thousands)            
fye net sales $262,714  $308,413  $(45,699)   (14.8%) 
etailz net sales  174,459   40,259   134,200   333.3%
Other revenue (1)  5,683   4,798   885   18.4%
Total revenue $442,856  $353,470  $89,386   25.3%

1.Other revenue is comprised of third-party commission income and management fees related to the fye segment.

Total revenue increased 25.3% to $442.9 million compared to $353.5 million in fiscal 2016, driven by $174.5 million in revenue from etailz. For fiscal 2016, results for etailz are included in the consolidated results from October 17, 2016 through January 28, 2017.

fye Segment

The 14.8% net sales decline from the prior year is primarily due to an 8.5% decline in total stores in operation and an 8.7% decline in comparable store net sales. Stores closed in fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 recorded sales of $14.9 million and $45.2 million, respectively. Total product units sold for fiscal 2017 decreased 11.1% and the average retail price for units sold decreased 8.1%.

Net fye sales by merchandise category for fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 were as follows:

($ in thousands)   2017
Net Sales
  %
 Total
  2016
Net Sales
  %
Total
  Total  $
 Net Sales
Change
  Total  %
Net Sales
Change
  Comparable
Store % Net
Sales Change
 
                        
Trend/lifestyle   $98,019   37.3% $98,692   32.0% $(673)  (0.6%)  3.5% 
Video (1)  81,261   30.9%  107,637   34.9%  (26,376)  (24.5%)  (15.9%)
Music    50,691   19.3%  67,542   21.9%  (16,851)  (24.9%)  (19.6%) 
Electronics    32,743   12.5%  34,542   11.2%  (1,799)  (5.1%)  1.1% 
Total   $262,714   100.0% $308,413   100.0% $(45,699)  (14.8%)  (8.7%) 

(1)Includes Video Games category, which represented 0.5% of fye fiscal 2017 net sales. Fiscal 2016 datawas adjusted to include this immaterial reclassification.

Trend/lifestyle

fye stores offer a selection of trend/lifestyle products that primarily relate to theatrical releases, music, and gaming. The trend/lifestyle category increased 3.5% on a comparable store sales basis in fiscal 2017. The trend represented 37.3% of the Company’s total net sales in fiscal 2017 versus 32.0% in fiscal 2016. revenue:


  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
  Change 
Amazon US $148,526  $128,114  $20,412 
Amazon International  7,646   4,201   3,445 
Walmart & Other Marketplaces  884   362   522 
Subtotal Retail  157,056   132,677   24,379 
Subscriptions & Other  1,289   539   750 
Total $158,345  $133,216  $25,129 

The Company continues to take advantage of opportunities to strengthen its selection and shift product mix to growing categories of entertainment-related merchandise. The Company grew sales in this category by strengthening its assortment of consumables and collectables, as well as by improving the product presentation and value proposition.

27

Video

fye stores offer a wide range of new and used DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4Ks in a majority of its stores. Total net sales for the video category declined 15.9% on a comparable store sales basis in fiscal 2017. Video sales were negatively impacted by industry wide declines in physical video due to digital options.

According to the Digital Entertainment Group’s year-end report, total video sales in the United States declined 14.0% in 2017.

Music

fye stores offer a wide range of new and used CDs, music DVDs and vinyl across most music genres, including new releases from current artists as well as an extensive catalog of music from past periods and artists. Total net sales in the music category declined 19.6% on a comparable store sale basis in fiscal 2017.

According to SoundScan, total physical album unit sales in the United States declined 17.0% during the period corresponding with the Company’s fiscal 2017.

Electronics

fye stores offer a selection of complementary portable electronics and accessories to support our entertainment products. The electronics category increased 1.1% on a comparable store sales basis. Electronics represented 12.5% of the Company’s total net sales in fiscal 2017 versus 11.2% in fiscal 2016.

etailz Segment

etailz recorded sales of $174.5 million for fiscal 2017. etailz generates revenue across a broad array of product lines primarily through the Amazon Marketplace. Categories include:include apparel, baby, beauty, electronics, health & personal care, home/kitchen/grocery, pets, sporting goods, toys & art.

Annual platform GMV for fiscal year 2020 was $246 million. Fourth quarter 2020 GMV increased 86% to $73.9 million, compared to $39.7 million in the comparable year-ago period. Subscription GMV increased 886% to $26.9 million (36.3% of total GMV), compared to $2.7 million (6.9%% of total GMV) in the same year-ago period.
Gross Profit.   Gross profit as a percentage of revenue was 10.3% in fiscal 2020 as compared to 8.1% in fiscal 2019. The increase in the gross profit rate was primarily due to an increase in merchandise margin to 46.4% in fiscal 2020 as compared to 46.1% in fiscal 2019 and the leveraging of fulfillment fees and commissions and warehousing and freight expenses on the higher sales. The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s gross profit:

    2017 vs 2016
           
  2017 2016 $ %
($ in thousands)              
fye gross profit $104,254  $124,735  $(20,481) -16.4%
etailz gross profit $39,589   9,924   29,665  298.9%
Total gross profit $143,843  $134,659  $9,184  6.8%
fye gross profit as a % of fye revenue  38.8%   39.8%       
etailz gross profit as a % of etailz revenue  22.7%   24.7%       
Total gross profit as a % of total revenue  32.5%   38.1%       

Gross profit increased 6.8% to $143.83 million compared to $134.7 million in fiscal 2016 as a result of the increased gross profit from etailz attributed to the full year results, partially offset by the decline in overall fye gross profit.

fye Segment

The decline in gross profit as a percentage of revenue was due to lower sales and higher inventory markdowns to sell off seasonal merchandise. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 38.8% in fiscal 2017 as compared to 39.8% in fiscal 2016. The decline in gross margin as a percentage of revenue was due to aggressive actions to clear slow moving merchandise.

etailz Segment

etailz gross profit as a percentage of revenue was 22.7% in fiscal 2017 as compared to 24.7% in fiscal 2016. The decline in etailz gross profit percentage was primarily due to a $2.0 million markdown of inventory from a one-time large purchase.

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     Change 
(amounts in thousands) January 30, 2021  February 1, 2020   $  
% 
           
Merchandise margin $73,448  $61,379  $12,069   19.7%
% of net revenue  46.4%  46.1%  0.3%    
                 
Fulfillment fees and  commissions  (49,158)  (42,530)  (6,628)  15.6%
Warehousing and freight  (7,986)  (7,998)  12   0.2%
Gross profit $16,304  $10,851  $5,453   50.3%
                 
% of net revenue  10.3%  8.1%        


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Selling, General and Administrative Expenses.

The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s SG&A expenses:

    2017 vs. 2016
            
  2017 2016 $ %
  ($ in thousands)      
fye SG&A before depreciation and amortization $114,982  $120,201   ($5,219)  -4.3%
As a % of total fye revenue  42.8%   38.4%      4.4%
               
etailz SG&A before depreciation and amortization  39,446   10,464   28,982  277.0%
As a % of total etailz revenue  22.6%   26.0%      -3.4%
               
Depreciation and amortization  13,496   9,026   4,470  49.5%
               
Total SG&A $167,924  $139,691  $28,233  20.2%
               
As a % of total revenue  37.9%   39.5%       

TotalSG


     Change 
(amounts in thousands) January 30, 2021  February 1, 2020  $
  
% 
           
Kaspien SG&A expenses $16,540  $16,491  $49   0.3%
Corporate SG&A expenses  5,489   8,591   (3,102)  (36.1%)
Total SG&A expenses $22,029  $25,082  $(3,053)  (12.2%)
                 
As a % of total revenue  13.9%  18.8%        

SG&A expenses increased $28.2decreased $3.1 million, or 12.2%, primarily due to a 36% reduction in in Corporate SG&A expenses. SG&A expenses for etailz and higher amortization expenses.

fye Segment

Kaspien increased $49,000.


SG&A excluding depreciation and amortization, expenses decreased $5.2 million, or 4.3%, primarily as a resultpercentage of lower expenses duenet revenue decreased to fewer stores13.9% as compared to 18.8% in operation.

etailz Segment

etailz SG&A, excluding depreciation and amortization, expenses for fiscal 2017 were $39.4 million, or 22.6% of etailz revenue.

Depreciation and amortization expense. Consolidated depreciation and amortization expense increased $4.5 million primarily due to amortization of intangibles, and the fye segment’s investments in technology enhancements during previous fiscal years.

Income from Joint Venture

Income from joint venture was $1.8 million during fiscal 2017.

Asset Impairment Charge – fye segment. During fiscal 2017, the Company concluded, based on continued operating losses for the fye segment, that a triggering event had occurred, pursuant to FASB ASC 360,Property, Plant, and Equipment,requiring a test of long-lived assets for impairment at its retail stores. Long-lived assets at locations where impairment was determined to exist were written down to their estimated fair values as of the end of fiscal 2017 resulting2019. The decrease in the recordingrate as a percentage of asset impairment charges of $29.1 million. Estimated fair values for long-lived assets at these locations, including store fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements were determined based on a measure of discounted future cash flows over the remaining lease terms at the respective locations. Future cash flows were estimated based on store plans and were discounted at a rate approximating the Company’s cost of capital. Management believes its assumptions were reasonable and consistently applied.

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The Company did not recognize impairment during fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015. Losses for store closings in the ordinary course of business represent the write down of the net book value of abandoned fixtures and leasehold improvements. The loss on disposal of fixed assets related to store closings was $0.6 million, $1.1 million and $0.6 million in fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and is included in selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and loss on disposal of fixed assets in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Store closings usually occur at the expiration of the lease, at which time leasehold improvements, which constitute a majority of the abandoned assets, are fully depreciated.

Interest Expense.Interest expense in fiscal 2017 was $0.3 million, compared to $0.8 million in fiscal 2016.

Other Income.Other income was $8.9 million in fiscal 2017 compared to $1.1 million in fiscal 2016. Other income for fiscal 2017 consisted primarily of a gain on insurance proceeds relatedto the death of the Company’s former Chairman. Other income for fiscal 2016 consisted primarily of a gain on the sale of an investment of $0.8 million.

Income Tax Benefit. The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s income tax benefit:

    2017 vs 2016
  2017  2016  $
  ($ in thousands)    
Income tax benefit $(299)  $(6,773)  $6,474 
             
Effective tax rate  0.7%   190.1%     

The fiscal 2017 income tax benefit includes the refund of alternative minimum tax credits partially offset by state taxes, adjustments to the reserve for uncertain tax positions, and the accrual of interest. The fiscal 2016 income tax expense includes state taxes, adjustments to the reserve for uncertain tax positions, the accrual of interest and an income tax benefit from the etailz, Inc. acquisition.  See Note 11 in the Consolidated Financial Statements for further detail.

Net (Loss) Income. The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s net (loss) income:

  2017 2016 $
  ($ in thousands)    
Net (loss) income $(42,553)  $3,211  $(45,764)
             
Net (loss) income as a percentage of total revenue  (9.6%)   0.9%     

Net loss was $42.6 million for fiscal 2017, compared to net income of $3.2 million for fiscal 2016. Included in the results for fiscal 2017 is a non-cash charge of $29.1 million which is the result of recording impairment against certain long-lived assets in the fye segment. The increase in net lossrevenue was primarily due to the decline in fye sales and a lower gross margin rate partially offset by an $8.7 million gain on proceeds from company owned life insurance policies.

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Fiscal Year Ended January 28, 2017 (“fiscal 2016”)

Compared to Fiscal Year Ended January 30, 2016 (“fiscal 2015”)

Segment Highlights:

etailz results included in the tables below are for the period starting from the date of acquisition.

($ in thousands) Fiscal Year
Ended
January 28,
 Fiscal Year
Ended
January 30,
  2017 2016
Total Revenue        
fye $313,211  $339,504 
etailz  40,259   - 
Total Company $353,470  $339,504 
         
Gross Profit        
fye $124,735  $135,415 
etailz  9,924   - 
Total Company $134,659  $135,415 
         
Income (Loss) From Operations
fye $(1,932)  $4,570 
etailz  (1,936)   - 
Total Company $(3,868)  $4,570 

Reconciliation of etailz Loss from Operations to etailz Adjusted Income from Operations

etailz loss from operations   $(1,936)
       
Acquisition related transaction expenses    2,325 
Acquisition related intangible amortization expenses    1,130 
       
Acquisition related compensation expenses    1,035 
Earnout contingency benefit    (1,829)
etailz adjusted income from operations(1)   $725 

1.In addition to the results of operations determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), we reported non-GAAP adjusted operating income for the etailz segment as shown above. The Company believes that etailz adjusted income from operations as per the segment disclosure, when considered together with its GAAP financial results, provides management and investors with a more complete understanding of its business operating results, including underlying trends, by excluding the effects of certain charges. This measure is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP in the United States, and should not be considered as a substitute for operating earnings (losses), net earnings (loss) from continuing operations or cash flows from operating activities, as determined in accordance with GAAP.
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Total Revenue.The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s total revenue:

    2016 vs 2015
  2016  2015  $  %
($ in thousands)           
fye net sales $308,413  $334,661  $(26,248)  (7.8%)
etailz net sales  40,259   -   40,259  n/a
Other revenue(1)  4,798   4,843   (45)  (0.9%)
Total revenue $353,470  $339,504  $13,966  4.1%

1.Other revenue is comprised of third-party commission income and management fees related to the fye segment.

Total revenue increased 4.1% to $353.5 million compared to $339.5 million in fiscal 2015, driven by $40.3 million in net sales from etailz from the date of acquisition, and partially offset by the decline in fye net sales.

fye Segment

The 7.8% net sales decline from the prior year is due to a 5% decline in total stores in operation and a 3.6% decline in comparable store net sales. Stores closed in fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 recorded sales of $21.6 million and $45.2 million, respectively. Total product units sold for fiscal 2016 decreased 7.5%Corporate SG&A expenses and the average retail price for units sold decreased 1.8%.

fye net sales by merchandise category for fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 were as follows:

($ in thousands) 2016
Net Sales
  %
Total
  2015
Net Sales
  %
Total
  Total  $
Net Sales
Change
  Total %
Net Sales
Change
  Comparable
Store % Net
Sales Change
 
                             
Video(1)  $107,637   34.9%   $140,223   41.9%  $(32,856)  (23.4%)   (15.5%) 
Trend/lifestyle  98,692   32.0%   74,295   22.2%   24,397   32.8%   30.9% 
Music  67,542   21.9%   84,000   25.1%   (16,458)  (19.6%)   (15.7%) 
Electronics  34,542   11.2%   36,143   10.8%   (1,601)  (4.4%)   0.8% 
Total  $308,413   100.0%   $334,661   100.0%  $(26,248)  (7.8%)   (3.6%) 

1.Includes Video Games category, which represented 0.8% of fye fiscal 2016 net sales. Fiscal 2015 data was adjusted to include this immaterial reclassification.

Video

fye stores offer a wide rangeleveraging of new and used DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4Ks in a majority of its stores. Total net sales for the video category declined 15.5% on a comparable store sales basis in fiscal 2016. Video sales were negatively impacted by industry wide declines in physical video due to non-physical options.

According to Warner Home Video, total video sales in the United States declined 11% during the period corresponding with the Company’s fiscal 2016.

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Trend/lifestyle

fye stores offer a selection of trend products that primarily relate to theatrical releases, music, and gaming. The trend/lifestyle category increased 30.9% on a comparable store sales basis in fiscal 2016. Trend/lifestyle represented 32.0% of the fye’s total net sales in fiscal 2016 versus 22.2% in fiscal 2015. fye continues to take advantage of opportunities to strengthen its selection and shift product mix to growing categories of entertainment-related merchandise. fye grew sales by strengthening its assortment and improving the product presentation and value proposition.

Music

fye stores offer a wide range of new and used CDs, music DVDs and vinyl across most music genres, including new releases from current artists as well as an extensive catalog of music from past periods and artists. Total net sales in the music category declined 15.7% on a comparable store sale basis in fiscal 2016. fye has offset declines in CD sales by adding vinyl to its stores.

According to SoundScan, total CD unit sales in the United States declined 14.0% during the period corresponding with the Company’s fiscal 2016.

Electronics

fye stores offer a selection of complementary portable electronics and accessories to support our entertainment products. The electronics category increased 0.8% on a comparable store sales basis. Electronics represented 11.2% of the fye’s net sales in fiscal 2016 versus 10.8% in fiscal 2015.

etailz Segment

etailz recorded sales of $40.2 million from the date of acquisition. etailz generates revenue across a broad array of product lines primarily through the Amazon Marketplace.

Gross Profit. The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s gross profit:

    2016 vs 2015
  2016  2015  $  %
($ in thousands)              
fye gross profit $124,735  $135,415  $(10,680) -7.9%
etailz gross profit  9,924   -   9,924  n/a
Total gross profit $134,659  $135,415  $(756) -0.6%
fye gross profit as a % of fye revenue  39.8%   39.9%       
etailz gross profit as a % of etailz revenue  24.7%   -       
Total gross profit as a % of total revenue  38.1%   39.9%       

Gross profit decreased 0.6% to $134.7 million compared to $135.4 million in fiscal 2015 as incremental gross profit from etailz did not offset lower gross profit from fye.

fye Segment

The decline in gross profit as a percentage of revenue was due to lower sales and higher inventory markdowns to sell off seasonal merchandise. Gross profit as a percentage of fye revenue was 39.8% in fiscal 2016 as compared to 39.9% in fiscal 2015.

etailz Segment

etailz reported gross profit of $9.9 million from the date of acquisition. etailz gross profit as a percentage of etailz revenue was 24.7%.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses.

The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s SG&A expenses:

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    2016 vs. 2015
  2016  2015  $  % 
  ($ in thousands)       
fye SG&A excluding depreciation and amortization  $120,201   $126,177   ($5,976)   -4.7% 
As a % of total fye revenue  38.4%  37.2%       1.2% 
                 
etailz SG&A excluding depreciation and amortization  10,464   -   10,464   n/a 
As a % of total etailz revenue  26.0%   -   n/a   n/a 
                 
Depreciation and amortization  9,026   4,668   4,358   93.4% 
                 
Total SG&A  $139,691   $130,845   $8,846   6.8% 

Kaspien SG&A expenses increased $8.8 million primarily due to expenses for etailz, acquisition related expenses andon the higher depreciationsales.


Depreciation and amortization expenses.

fye Segment

SG&A, excludingexpense. Consolidated depreciation and amortization expenses, decreased $6.0 million, or 4.7%, due to lower performance-based compensation and lower expenses due to fewer stores in operation. Included in fiscal 2015 miscellaneous income items was a one-time reimbursement of expenses incurred in prior years, related to a legal settlement of $1.4 million.

etailz Segment

etailz SG&A, excluding depreciation and amortization expenses, was $10.5 million from the date of acquisition, which primarily includes commission fees, payroll costs, and acquisition related expenses.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense increased $4.4 million due to intangible assets amortization resulting from$0.3 million.


Asset Impairment Charges. During fiscal 2019, the etailzacquisition, investments in technology enhancements, new and remodeled storesCompany fully impaired its vendor relationships, and the chain wide rolloutCompany recognized an impairment loss of new marketplace fixtures to support the shift in merchandising assortment.

Gain on Sale of Asset.The gain on sale of asset of $1.2 million represented the sale of property located in St. Louis, Missouri. The gain represents cash proceeds of $2.8 million less carrying value of $1.6$0.8 million.


Interest Expense.Interest expense in fiscal 20162020 was $0.8$1.7 million, compared to $1.9interest income of $0.7 million in fiscal 2015, as the Company’s capital lease obligation ended in fiscal 2015.

Other Income.Other income was $1.1 million in fiscal 2016 compared to $160 thousand in fiscal 2015. Other income for fiscal 2016 consisted primarily of a gain on the sale of an investment of $800 thousand.

2019.


Income Tax Expense.(Benefit) expense.    The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s income tax expense:

($ in thousands)     2016 vs. 2015
  2016 2015 $
Income tax expense (benefit) $(6,773) $181 $(6,954)
       
Effective tax rate 190.1% 6.30%  



(amounts in thousands)       Change 
  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
  
 $ 
           
Income tax (benefit) expense $(3,542) $44  $(3,586)
             
Effective tax rate  (47.6%)  0.3%  (47.9%)

During fiscal 2020, based on the Company’s evaluation of new information that occurred in the current financial reporting period, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $3.5 million related to the recognition of previously unrecognized income tax benefits pursuant to ASC 740-10-25, Accounting for Income Taxes – Recognition. Prior to the current financial reporting period, the Company had accrued the liabilities for unrecognized income tax benefits, including accrued interest and penalties related to tax positions created by the fye business.  As a result of the FYE Transaction and a reorganization of the Company’s corporate structure, the Company will not utilize the tax attributes attributable to the tax positions and the corporate entities associated with the tax positions have been liquidated.

The fiscal 2016 and 20152019 income tax expense includes state taxes adjustments toand the accrual of interest on the reserve for uncertain tax positionspositions.

,Loss From Discontinued Operations.  For fiscal 2019, the accrualCompany recognized a loss from discontinued operations of interest, and an income tax benefit from$44.4 million related to the etailz, Inc. acquisition.  FYE Transaction.

See note 11 tpNote 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further detail.

34
more information on the loss from discontinued operations.

17

Net Income.Loss.   The following table sets forth a year-over-year comparison of the Company’s net income:

($ in thousands)     2016 vs. 2015
  2016 2015 $
       
Net income $3,211$2,689 $522
       
Net income as a percentage of total revenue 0.9%0.8% 

loss:


(amounts in thousands)       Change 
  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
  
 $ 
           
Net loss $(3,892) $(58,744) $54,852 
             
Net loss as a percentage of Net revenue  (2.5%)  (44.1%)    

Net income for fiscal 2016 increased by $522 thousand to $3.2 million, as compared to $2.7loss was $3.9 million for fiscal 2015.

35
2020, compared to $58.7 million for fiscal 2019. Included in the results for fiscal 2019 is a loss from the fye business of $44.4 million.  The decrease in net loss was primarily due to improved loss from operations and the elimination of the loss from fye business.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES


Liquidity and Cash Flows:
The consolidated financial statements for the year ended January 30, 2021 were prepared on the basis of a going concern which contemplates that the Company will be able to realize assets and satisfy liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The ability of the Company to meet its liabilities and to continue as a going concern is dependent on improved profitability, the continued implementation of the strategic initiative to reposition the Company as a platform of software and services, the availability of future funding and overcoming the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The audited consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

The Company incurred net losses of $3.9 million and $58.7 million for the fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, respectively, and has an accumulated deficit of $112.9 million as of January 30, 2021.  In addition, net cash used in operating activities during fiscal 2020 was $13.6 million. Net cash used in operating activities during fiscal 2019 was $15.8 million.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2019, in response to recurring losses from operations, the expectation of continuing operating losses, and uncertainty with respect to any available future funding, the Company pursued several strategic initiatives towards its strategy of shifting its focus solely to the operation of Kaspien, improving profitability and meeting future liquidity needs and capital requirements.  Initiatives completed during the first quarter of fiscal 2020 include:

The sale of the For Your Entertainment (fye) business;
The establishment of a new secured $25 million revolving credit facility with Encina:
The execution of a separate subordinated loan agreement for Kaspien, Inc. (the “Subordinated Loan”); and
The receipt by Kaspien, Inc. of loan proceeds pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Plan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

There can be no assurance that we will be successful in further implementing our business strategy or that the strategy, including the completed initiatives, will be successful in sustaining acceptable levels of sales growth and profitability.  In addition, the proceeds from the PPP Loan are subject to audit and there is a risk of repayment.

The Company’s primary sources of working capitalliquidity are cash provided by operations andits borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility. The Company’sNew Credit Facility, available cash flows fluctuateand cash equivalents, and to a lesser extent, cash generated from quarteroperations. Our cash requirements relate primarily to quarter dueworking capital needed to various items,operate Kaspien, including seasonalityfunding operating expenses, the purchase of sales and earnings, merchandise inventory purchases and returns, common stock purchases and capital expenditures. Management believes itOur ability to achieve profitability and meet future liquidity needs and capital requirements will have adequate resourcesdepend upon numerous factors, including the timing and amount of our revenue; the timing and amount of our operating expenses; the timing and costs of working capital needs; successful implementation of our strategy and planned activities; and our ability to fundovercome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 18, 2021, the Company closed an underwritten offering of 416,600 shares of common stock of the Company, at a price to the public of $32.50 per share. The gross proceeds of the offering were approximately $13.5 million, prior to deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital to implement its cash needs forstrategic plans focused on brand acquisition, investments in technology to enhance its scalable platform and its core retail business.

In addition to the foreseeable future, includingaforementioned current sources of existing working capital, the Company is continuing its capital spending, its seasonalefforts to generate additional sales and increase in merchandise inventory and other operating cash requirements and commitments.

Management anticipatesmargins. There can be no assurance that any cash requirements due to a shortfall in cash from operationsof the initiatives or strategic alternatives will be funded by the Company’s revolving credit facility, discussed hereafter. Cash flows from investing activities are expected to be comprised primarily of capital expenditures during fiscal 2018. The Company does not expect any material changes in the mix (between equity and debt)implemented, successful or the relative cost of capital resources.

consummated.


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The following table sets forth a three-yeartwo-year summary of key components of cash flow and working capital:

 ($ in thousands) 2017 2016 2017 vs.
2016
 2015 2016 vs.
2015
 Operating Cash Flows $(13) $4,436  $(4,449) $7,963  $(3,527)
 Investing Cash Flows  4,482   (57,333)  61,815   (20,185)  (37,148)
 Financing Cash Flows  (5,040)  (7,337)  2,297   (2,004)  (5,333)
                      
 Capital Expenditures  (8,407)  (24,672)  16,265   (20,700)  (3,972)
                      
 End of Period Balances:                    
                      
 Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash  43,506 (1) 44,077   (571)  104,311   (60,234)
                      
 Merchandise Inventory  109,112   126,004   (16,892)  120,046   5,958 
                      
 Merchandise Inventory Per Square Foot - fye  59.9   68.8       69.4     
                      
 Inventory leverage - fye  44.0   40.2   3.8   43.2   (3.0)
 Inventory turns - fye  1.5   1.5       1.6     
 Working Capital  93,327   98,601   (5,774)  161,142   (62,541)
                      
(1)Cash and cash equivalents per
Consolidated Balance Sheets
 $31,326  $27,974             
                      
 Add: Restricted cash  12,180   16,103             
 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $43,506  $44,077             


(amounts in thousands)  2020  2019  
2020 vs.
2019
 
Operating Cash Flows  $(13,391) $(15,827) $2,436 
Investing Cash Flows   10,589   (2,696)  13,285 
Financing Cash Flows   505   13,149   (12,644)
              
Capital Expenditures   (1,190)  (2,823)  1,633 
              
End of Period Balances:             
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash
(1) 
  6,555   8,852   (2,297)
Merchandise Inventory   24,515   17,836   6,679 
Working Capital   10,762   9,004   1,758
 

(1) 
Cash and cash equivalents per Consolidated Balance Sheets $1,809  $2,977   (1,168)
 Add: Restricted cash  4,746   5,875   (1,129)
 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $6,555  $8,852   (2,297)

During fiscal 2017,2020, cash used in operations was $13 thousand$13.4 million compared to $15.8 million in fiscal 2019.  During 2020, cash used in operations consisted primarily due toof a net loss of $42.6$3.9 million, adding backan increase of $6.7 million in inventory and the payment of $5.5 million in accounts payable partially offset by a decrease in prepaid expenses and accounts receivables.  During 2019, cash used in operations consisted primarily of a net loss of $58.7 million offset by non-cash charges, including the $24.0 million impairment of long-lived assets, a $12.7 inventory net realizable adjustment and $11.5 million in depreciation and amortization and changes in operating assets and liabilities of $14.1 million, loss on fixed assets impairment$6.5 million.  See the Consolidated Statement of $29.1 million, non-cash compensation of $3.1 million, decrease in merchandise inventory of $16.9 million, and a decrease in accounts receivable and other current assets of $3.9 million, less the adjustment to the contingent consideration liability of $3.3 million, the gain on insurance proceeds of $8.7 million, and reductions in accounts payable and deferred revenue of $10.5 million and $1.3 million, respectively. During fiscal 2016, cash flow from operations was $4.4 million primarily due to net income of $3.2 million, plus depreciation and amortization of $9.3 million, less a deferred tax benefit of $7.0 million.

Cash Flows for further detail.


The Company monitors various statistics to measure its management of inventory, including inventory turnover (annual cost of sales divided by average merchandise inventory balances), inventory investment per square foot (merchandise inventory divided by total store square footage) and inventoryaccounts payable leverage (accounts payable divided by merchandise inventory).

36

Inventory turnover measures the Company’s ability to sell merchandise and how many times it is replaced in a year. This ratio is important in determining the need for markdowns and planning future inventory levels and assessing customer response to our merchandise.  For the fye segment, inventoryInventory turnover in fiscal 20172020 and in fiscal 20162019 was 1.5. For the etailz segment, inventory turnover in fiscal 2017 was 4.5. Inventory investment per square foot measures the productivity of the inventory. It is important in determining if the Company has the appropriate level of inventory to meet customer demands while controlling its investment in inventory. Inventory investment per square foot in the fye segment was $60 per square foot at the end of fiscal 2017 as compared to $69 per square foot at the end of fiscal 2016.4.0 and 3.3, respectively.  Accounts payable leverage measures the percentage of inventory being funded by the Company’s product vendors.  The percentage is important in determining the Company’s ability to fund its business.  Accounts payable leverage on inventory for the fye segmentKaspien was 44.0%36.3% as of January 30, 2021 compared with 29.2% as of February 3, 2018 compared with 40.2% as of January 28, 2017. Accounts payable leverage on inventory for the etailz segment was 16.6% as of February 3, 2018.

1, 2020.


Cash provided by investing activities was $4.5$10.6 million in fiscal 2017,2020, compared to cash flows used byin investing activities of $57.3$2.7 million in fiscal 2016.2019.  During fiscal 2017,2020, cash provided by investing activities consisted of Company owned life insurance proceeds of $14.4 million, and $1.1 million in capital distributions received from the joint venture, less $8.4sale of the fye business of $11.8 million, partially offset by capital expenditures of $1.2 million.  During fiscal 2019, cash used in investing activities consisted of $2.8 million in capital expenditures andpartially offset by a $2.6 million investment in$127,000 capital distribution from a joint venture. During fiscal 2016, the primary uses of cash in investing activities were the investment in etailz of $36.6 million and capital expenditures of $24.7 million offset by proceeds from sale of St. Louis property and sale of miscellaneous investments.


The Company has historically financed its capital expenditures through borrowings under its revolving credit facility select financing arrangements and cash flow from operations.  The Company anticipates capital spending of approximately $3$1.7 million in fiscal 2018 as the Company has made the majority of its planned capital investments.

2021.


Cash used inprovided by financing activities was $5.0$505,000 in fiscal 2020, compared to $13.1 million in fiscal 2017, compared to $7.32019.  In fiscal 2020, cash provided by financing activities consisted of $6.3 million in fiscal 2016.proceeds from short term borrowings, $5.1 million in proceeds from long term borrowings, $2.0 million in proceeds from a PPP loan, partially offset by $13.1 million in payment of short-term borrowings. In fiscal 2017,2019, cash used inprovided by financing activities was primarily comprised of a $5.0 million payment to the etailz shareholders in connection with the amendment to the share purchase agreement. In fiscal 2016, the primary uses of cash in financing activities were the payment of etailz’s outstanding line of credit of $4.7 million and common stock repurchases of $2.6 million.

In January 2017, the Company amended and restated its revolving credit facility (“Credit Facility”). The Credit Facility provides for commitments of $50 million subject to increase up to $75 million during the months of October to December of each year, as needed. The availability under the Credit Facility is subject to limitations based on receivables and inventory levels. The principal amount of all outstanding loans under the Credit Facility together with any accrued but unpaid interest, are due and payable in January 2022, unless otherwise paid earlier pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility. Payments of amounts due under the Credit Facility are secured by the assets of the Company. During fiscal 2017, the Company exercised the right to increase its availability to $60 million subject to the same limitations noted above.

The Credit Facility contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including restrictions on dividends and share repurchases, incurrence of additional indebtedness and acquisitions and covenants around the net number of store closings and restrictions related to the payment of cash dividends and share repurchases, including limiting the amount of dividends to $5.0 million annually and not allowing borrowings under the amended facility for the six months before or six months after the dividend payment. The Credit Facility also includes customary events of default, including, among other things, material adverse effect, bankruptcy, and certain changes of control. As of February 3, 2018, the Company was compliant with all covenants.

Interest under the Credit Facility will accrue, at the election of the Company, at a Base Rate or LIBO Rate, plus, in each case, an Applicable Margin, which is determined by reference to the level of availability, with the Applicable Margin for LIBO Rate loans ranging from 1.75% to 2.00% and the Applicable Margin for Prime Rate loans ranging from 0.75% to 1.00%. In addition, a commitment fee of 0.25% is also payable on unused commitments. As of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, the Company did not have any borrowings under the Credit Facility. Peak borrowings under the Credit Facility during fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 were $11.7 million and $21.5 million, respectively.

37
short-term borrowings.

As of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, the Company had no outstanding letters of credit. The Company had $41 million and $39 million available for borrowing under the Credit Facility as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, respectively.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements.The Company has no off-balance sheet arrangements as defined by Item 303 (a) (4) of Regulation S-K.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments. The following table summarizes the Company’s contractual obligations as of February 3, 2018, and the effect that such obligations are expected to have on liquidity and cash flows in future periods.

Contractual
Obligation
 2018  2019-
2020
  2021-
2022
  2023-
2027
  Total 
$ in thousands               
                
Operating lease and maintenance agreement obligations $25,308  $17,832  $6,550  $965  $50,655 
Asset retirement obligations(1)  2,014   247   231   11   2,503 
Pension  benefits(2)  1,199   2,391   2,333   6,510   12,433 
Total $28,521  $20,470  $9,114  $7,486  $65,591 
(1)

Asset retirement obligations are estimated costs associated with the fixed assets and leasehold improvements at the Company’s store locations that arise under the terms of operating leases.

(2)

In addition to the scheduled pension benefit payments, the Company offers 401(k) Savings Plans to eligible employees (see also Note 10 of the Consolidated Financial Statements in this report).


19

Related Party Transactions.

The Company leases its 181,300 square foot distribution center/office facility in Albany, New York from an entity controlled by

Directors Jonathan Marcus, Thomas Simpson, and Michael Reickert are the estatechief executive officer of Alimco Re Ltd. (“Alimco”), the managing member of Kick-Start III, LLC and Kick-Start IV, LLC (“Kick-Start”), and a trustee of the Robert J. Higgins its former ChairmanTWMC Trust (the “Trust”), an affiliate of RJHDC, LLC (“RJHDC” and largest shareholder.together with Alimco and Kick-Start, “Related Party Entities”), respectively.  The original distribution center/office facility was occupied in 1985. On December 4, 2015,Related Party Entities are parties to the following agreements with the Company amendedentered into on March 30, 2020:

Subordinated Loan and restatedSecurity Agreement, pursuant to which the lease. The lease commenced January 1, 2016,Related Party Entities made a $5.2 million secured term loan ($2.7 million from Alimco, $0.5 million from Kick-Start, and expires$2.0 million from RJHDC) to Kaspien with a scheduled maturity date of May 22, 2023, interest accruing at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum and compounded on December 31, 2020.

Under the new lease dated December 4, 2015,last day of each calendar quarter by becoming a part of the principal amount, and accounted for as an operating lease,secured by a second priority security interest in substantially all of the assets of the Company paid $1.2 million in both fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016. Under the lease priorKaspien;


Common Stock Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”), pursuant to December 4, 2015,which the Company paid annual rentissued warrants to purchase up to 244,532 shares of $2.1 millionCommon Stock to the Related Party Entities (127,208 shares for Alimco, 23,401 shares for Kick-Start, and 93,923 shares for RJHDC), subject to adjustment in fiscal 2015. Underaccordance with the terms of the lease agreement,Warrants, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share.  As of April 15, 2021, 236,993 warrants were exercised by the Related Party Entities and 7,539 remained outstanding;

Contingent Value Rights Agreement (the “CVR Agreement”), pursuant to which the Related Party Entities received contingent value rights (“CVRs”) representing the contractual right to receive cash payments from the Company is responsiblein an amount equal, in the aggregate, to 19.9% of the proceeds (10.35% for property taxesAlimco, 1.90% for Kick-Start, and other operating costs7.64% for RJHDC) received by the Company in respect of certain intercompany indebtedness owing to it by Kaspien and/or its equity interest in Kaspien; and

Voting Agreement (the “Voting Agreement”), pursuant to which the Related Party Entities, the Trust, Mr. Simpson and their respective related entities agreed to how their respective shares of the Company’s capital stock held by the parties will be voted with respect to the premises.

Sara Neblett,designation, election, removal, and replacement of members of the wifeBoard. Pursuant to the Voting Agreement, Messrs. Marcus and Simpson were appointed as directors of Josh Neblett, the Executive Advisor of etailz, was employed with the Company, and Mr. Reickert, a trustee of the Trust, remained as a director of the Vice President of Partner Care of etailz.  Ms. Neblett received $165,250 in cash compensation during fiscal 2017.

38
Company. Mr. Subin was also granted board observer rights.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES


The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires that management apply accounting policies and make estimates and assumptions that affect results of operations and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements.  Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.  Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.  Note 1 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this report includes a summary of the significant accounting policies and methods used by the Company in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements. Management believes that of the Company’s significant accounting policies and estimates, the following involve a higher degree of judgment or complexity:


Merchandise Inventory and Return Costs:Costs. Merchandise inventory is stated at the lower of cost or marketnet realizable value under the average cost method. The average cost method attaches a cost to each item and is a blended average of the original purchase price and those of subsequent purchases or other cost adjustments throughout the life cycle of that item.

Inventory valuation requires significant judgment and estimates, including obsolescence shrink and any adjustments to market value;net realizable value, if marketnet realizable value is lower than cost.  Inherent in the entertainment products industry is the risk of obsolete inventory.  Typically, newer media releases generate a higher product demand.  Some media vendors offer credits to reduce the cost of products that are selling more slowly, thus allowing for a reduction in the selling price and reducing the possibility for items to become obsolete.  For all merchandise categories, the Company records obsolescence and any adjustments to marketnet realizable value (if lower than cost) based on current and anticipated demand, customer preferences, and market conditions. The provision for inventory shrink is estimated as a percentage of sales for the period from the last date a physical inventory was performed to the end of the fiscal year.  Such estimates are based on historical results and trends and the shrink results from the last physical inventory.  Physical inventories are taken at least annually for all stores and the distribution center throughout the year and inventory records are adjusted accordingly.

Shrink expense, including obsolescence was $5.4 million, $5.9 million and $4.7 million, in fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively.  As a rate to total revenue, this equaled 1.2%, 1.7% and 1.4%, respectively.  Presently, a 0.1% change in the rate of shrink provision would equal approximately $0.2 million in additional charge or benefit to cost of sales, based on fiscal 2017 net sales since the last physical inventories.

The Company is generally entitled to return merchandise purchased from major music and video vendors for credit against


Long-Lived Assets other purchases from these vendors. Certain vendors reduce the credit with a per unit merchandise return charge which varies depending on the type of merchandise being returned. Certain other vendors charge a handling fee based on units returned. The Company records merchandise return charges in cost of sales. The Company incurred merchandise return charges in fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 of $0.4 million, $0.6 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

Income Taxes: Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and tax operating loss carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the results of operations in the period that includes the enactment date.

Accounting for income taxes requires management to make estimates and judgments regarding interpretation of various taxing jurisdictions, laws and regulations as well as the ultimate realization of deferred tax assets. These estimates and judgments include the generation of future taxable income, viable tax planning strategies and support of tax filings. In assessing the value of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income. Management considers the scheduled reversal of taxable temporary differences, projected future

39

taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based on the available objective evidence, management concluded that a full valuation allowance should be recorded against its net deferred tax assets as of February 3, 2018.

In late 2017, new tax legislation was enacted in the United States (Tax Reform Act) which resulted in significant changes to income tax expense.  As a result of the Tax Reform Act, the Company re-measured certain deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the newly enacted federal rate of 21%.  Accordingly, the federal net deferred tax assets were written down to account for the change.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets:Our goodwill results from our acquisition of etailz and represents the excess purchase price over the net identifiable assets acquired. All of our goodwill is associated with etailz, a separate reporting unit, and there is no goodwill associated with our other reporting unit, fye. Goodwill is not amortized and we are required to evaluate our goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever indicators of impairment are present. Our annual test is completed during the fourth fiscal quarter, and interim tests are conducted when circumstances indicate the carrying value of the goodwill or other intangible assets may not be recoverable. 

Estimating the fair value of reporting units requires the use of estimates and significant judgments that are based on a number of factors including actual operating results. It is possible that these judgments and estimates could change in future periods.

The determination of the fair value of intangible assets and liabilities acquired in a business acquisition, including the Company’s acquisition of etailz in 2016, is subject to many estimates and assumptions. Our identifiable intangible assets that resulted from our acquisition of etailz consist of vendor relationships, technology and tradenames. We review amortizable intangible asset groups for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable.

Long Lived Assets.Goodwill: Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset over its remaining useful life.  If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.  Fair value is generally measured based on discounted estimated future cash flows. Assets to be disposed of would be separately presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less disposition costs. ForAs of January 30, 2020, for the purposepurposes of the asset impairment test, the fye segmentCompany has multipleone asset groupings – corporate and individual store level assets.

grouping.


During fiscal 2017,2019, the Company concluded, based on continued operating losses for the fye segment,Kaspien that a triggering event had occurred, and pursuant to FASB ASC 360,Property, Plant, and Equipmentrequiring a test, an evaluation of long-livedthe Kaspien fixed assets and intangible assets for impairment at its retail stores. Long-livedwas required.  For fiscal 2019, intangible assets at locations where impairment was determinedrelated to existvendor relationships were written down to their estimated fair values as of the end of fiscal 2017fully impaired resulting in the recordingrecognition of asset impairment charges of $29.1$0.8 million. Estimated fair values for long-lived assets at these locations, including store fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements were determined based on a measure of discounted future cash flows over the remaining lease terms at the respective locations. Future cash flows were estimated based on store plans and were discounted at a rate approximating the Company’s cost of capital. Management believes its assumptions were reasonable and consistently applied.

The Company did not recognize impairment during fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015. Losses for store closings in the ordinary course of business represent the write down of the net book value of abandoned fixtures and leasehold improvements. The loss on disposal of fixed assets related to store closings was $0.6 million, $1.1 million and $0.6 million in fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and is included in selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and loss on disposal of fixed assets in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Store closings

40

usually occur at the expiration of the lease, at which time leasehold improvements, which constitute a majority of the abandoned assets, are fully depreciated.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements.


The information set forth above may be found under Notes to Consolidated Statements, Note 2, which is incorporated herein by reference.

4.

Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

The Company does not hold any financial instruments that expose it to significant market risk and does not engage in hedging activities. To
Item 7A.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK


Not required under the extent the Company borrows under its revolving credit facility, the Company is subject to risk resulting from interest rate fluctuations since interest on the Company’s borrowings under its credit facility can be variable. If interest rates on the Company’s revolving credit facility were to increase by 25 basis points, and to the extent borrowings were outstanding, for every $1,000,000 outstanding on the facility, income before income taxes would be reduced by $2,500 per year. Information about the fair valuerequirements of financial instruments is included in Note 1 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this report.

a Smaller Reporting Company.

20

Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Item 8.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA


The indexExhibits and financial statement schedules to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements is included in Item 15, and the Consolidated Financial Statements follow the signature page to this report and are incorporated herein by reference.


The quarterly results of operations are included herein in Note 1416 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this report.


Item 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Item 9.CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE


None.


Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Item 9A.CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES


Conclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures:Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).  Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and as of the end of the period covered by this annual report, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective, in that they provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit, under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and reported within the time period specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer.


Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting:  Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d – 15(f) under the

41

Exchange Act, as amended). Under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) inInternal Control-Integrated Framework (2013). Based on our evaluation under the framework inInternal Control-Integrated Framework (2013), our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of February 3, 2018.

January 30, 2021.


Changes in Controls and Procedures:The acquisition of etailz, Inc. was significant to the Company and was consummated effective October 17, 2016. Upon consummation of the acquisition, etailz, Inc. became a consolidated subsidiary of the Company. As of February 3, 2018 etailz operations are fully incorporated within the Company, including internal controls over financial reporting. In connection with the foregoing evaluation by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, other than as noted above,January 30, 2021, there have been no changes in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during fiscal 20172020 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

  We have not experienced any material impact to our internal controls over financial reporting despite the fact that most of our employees are working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continually monitoring and assessing the COVID-19 situation on our internal controls to minimize the impact on their design and operating effectiveness.

Item 9B.Other Information

Item 9B.OTHER INFORMATION


No events have occurred which would require disclosure under this Item.

Item 9B.


PART III


Item 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Item 10.DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE


Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the information to be included in the Proxy Statement for our 20182021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with the SEC on or about May 29, 2018,30, 2021, which information is incorporated by reference.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted the Trans World Entertainment Corporation Code of Ethics that applies to all officers, directors, employees and consultants of the Company. The Code of Ethics is intended to comply with Item 406 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and with applicable rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. Our Code of Ethics is posted on our Internet website under the “Corporate” page. Our Internet website address is www.twec.com. To the extent required by the rules of the SEC and NASDAQ, we will disclose amendments and waivers relating to our Code of Ethics in the same place on our website.


Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Item 11.EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION


Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the information to be included in the Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with the SEC on or about May 29, 2018,30, 2021, which information is incorporated by reference.

42

21

Item 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS

Item 12.SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS


Certain information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the information to be included in the Proxy Statement for our 20182021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with the SEC on or about May 29, 2018,30, 2021, which information is incorporated by reference.

The following table contains information about the Company’s Common Stock that may be issued upon the exercise of options, warrants and rights under all of the Company’s equity compensation plans as of February 3, 2018:

Plan CategoryNumber of Shares to be
Issued upon Exercise of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and Rights(1)
Weighted Average Exercise
Price of Outstanding
Options, Warrants and
Rights
Number of Shares
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance Under
Equity Compensation Plans
(Excluding Outstanding
Options, Warrants and
Rights)
Equity Compensation Plan Approved by Shareholders2,764,341$3.061,311,164
Equity Compensation Plans and Agreements not Approved  by Shareholders

(1)Includes 178,427 deferred shares which may be issued for no consideration.

Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Item 13.CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR   INDEPENDENCE


Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the information to be included in the Proxy Statement for our 20182021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with the SEC on or about May 30, 2018,2021, which information is incorporated by reference.


Item 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

Item 14.PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES


Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the information to be included in the Proxy Statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with the SEC on or about May 29, 2018,30, 2021, which information is incorporated by reference.

43

PART IV


Item 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

Item 15.EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES


15(a) (1) Financial Statements

The Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes are listed in the Index to Consolidated Financial Statements on page F-1 of this report.


15(a) (2) Financial Statement Schedules

Consolidated Financial Statement Schedules not filed herein have been omitted as they are not applicable or the required information or equivalent information has been included in the Consolidated Financial Statements or the notes thereto.


15(a) (3) Exhibits

Exhibits are as set forth in the “Index“ Index to Exhibits” which follows the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements and immediately precedes the exhibits filed.


Item 16. Form 10-K Summary

44Item 16.Form 10-K Summary

None.


22

SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


 KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC.
Date:   April 30, 2021TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATIONBy:  /s/ Kunal Chopra
 
Date:   May 4, 2018By:  /s/ Michael Feurer
Michael Feurer
Chief
Kunal Chopra
Principal Executive Officer


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.


NameTitleDate
 /s/ Michael FeurerKunal Chopra
Chief Executive Officer and DirectorMay 4, 2018April 30, 2021
 (Michael Feurer)(Kunal Chopra)(Principal Executive Officer)Officer 
   
/s/ John AndersonEdwin Sapienza
Chief Financial OfficerMay 4, 2018April 30, 2021
(John Anderson)Edwin Sapienza)(Principal Financial and Chief Accounting Officer) 
   
/s/ Martin HanakaJonathan Marcus
  
 (Martin Hanaka)(Jonathan Marcus)DirectorMay 4, 2018April 30, 2021
   
 /s/Robert Marks
 (Robert Marks)DirectorMay 4, 2018
/s/ Michael Nahl
 (Michael Nahl)DirectorMay 4, 2018
/s/ Michael Reickert
  
 (Michael Reickert)DirectorMay 4, 2018April 30, 2021
   
/s/ Michael B.  SolowTom Simpson
  
 (Michael B. Solow)(Tom Simpson)DirectorMay 4, 2018April 30, 2021
45

23

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
INDEX


KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC.
 TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


 
Form 10-K
Page No.
  
  
F-225
  
Consolidated Financial Statements 
  
27
  
Consolidated Balance Sheets at February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017F-3
F-428
  
29
  
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) - fiscal years ended
February 3, 2018, January 28, 2017, and January 30, 2016
F-5
F-630
  
F-731
  
F-832
F-1

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
and Stockholders of Kaspien Holdings, Inc. (f/k/a Trans World Entertainment Corporation:

Corporation)

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheetssheet of Trans World Entertainment CorporationKaspien Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company)(“the Company”) as of February 3, 2018January 30, 2021, and January 28, 2017, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss),loss, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the fiscal years in the three-year periodyear ended February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017,30, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the fiscal years in the three-year periodyear then ended, February 3, 2018, in conformity with U.S.accounting principles generally accepted accounting principles.

in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidatedthe Company’s financial statements based on our audits.audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with thePublic Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our auditsaudit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
Valuation of inventory costs and reserves
Description of the Critical Audit Matter
As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company periodically assess and estimates its allowances and reserves for stagnant, unfulfillable, or obsolete inventory based on current and anticipated demand, customer preference, or market conditions. Also discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the cost of inventory includes certain costs associated with preparation of inventory for resale, including inbound freight and handling costs. The recognition and evaluation of inventory costs and reserves involves significant complexity and judgment in applying the relevant accounting standards when auditing management’s estimates and conclusions on inventory transactions.
How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our principal audit procedures to evaluate management’s calculation of capitalized inventory costs and reserves included, among other procedures, the following:
We evaluated the appropriateness and consistency of management’s methods and assumptions used in the identification, recognition, and measurement of the inventory costs and reserves in considering applicable generally accepted accounting standards.
We tested the significant inputs, sampled underlying transactions, and analyzed historical trends associated with management’s reserve estimates and recognition of inbound costs.
We evaluated whether management had appropriately considered new information that could significantly change the measurement or disclosure of the inventory valuation, and evaluated the disclosures related to the financial statement impacts of the transactions.
/s/ Fruci & Associates II, PLLC

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.
Spokane, Washington
April 30, 2021

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
Kaspien Holdings Inc.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited, before the effects of the adjustments to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting described in Note 1 – Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Segment Information) and Note 2 – Discontinued Operations, the consolidated balance sheet of Kaspien Holdings Inc. (f/k/a Trans World Entertainment Corporation) and subsidiaries (the Company) as of February 1, 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2020, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). The 2020 consolidated financial statements before the effects of the adjustments described in Note 1 – Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Segment Information) and Note 2 – Discontinued Operations are not presented herein. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements, before the effects of the adjustments to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting described in Note 1 – Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Segment Information) and Note 2 – Discontinued Operations, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of February 1, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We were not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the adjustments to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting described in Note 1 – Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Segment Information) and Note 2 – Discontinued Operations and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance about whether such adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. Those adjustments were audited by other auditors.
Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company continues to experience recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, anOur audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our auditsaudit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provideaudit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP



We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1994.

from 1994 to 2020.

Albany, NYNew York
May 4, 2018

June 15, 2020
F-2
26

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

($ in thousands, except per share and share amounts)

  February 3,
2018
 January 28,
2017
 
ASSETS     
CURRENT ASSETS     
Cash and cash equivalents $31,326 $27,974 
Restricted cash 1,505 - 
Accounts receivable 4,469 7,085 
Merchandise inventory 109,112 126,004 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 6,976 8,271 
Total current assets 153,388 169,334 
      
Restricted cash 10,675 16,103 
Net fixed assets 13,546 45,097 
Goodwill 39,191 39,191 
Net intangible assets 23,967 27,857 
Other assets 7,139 10,228 
TOTAL ASSETS $247,906 $307,810 
      
LIABILITIES     
CURRENT LIABILITIES     
Accounts payable $41,780 $52,307 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 10,846 9,198 
Deferred revenue 7,935 9,228 
Total current liabilities 60,561 70,733 
      
Other long-term liabilities 29,131 39,141 
TOTAL LIABILITIES 89,692 109,874 
      
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY     
Preferred stock ($0.01 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued) - - 
Common stock ($0.01 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 64,305,171 shares and 64,252,671 shares issued, respectively) 643 643 
Additional paid-in capital 341,103 338,075 
Treasury stock at cost (28,156,601 and 28,137,283 shares, respectively) (230,145) (230,144) 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (998) (802) 
Retained earnings 47,611 90,164 
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 158,214 197,936 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY $247,906 $307,810 


  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
ASSETS      
CURRENT ASSETS      
Cash and cash equivalents $1,809  $2,977 
Restricted cash  1,184
   950 
Accounts receivable  2,718   4,139 
Merchandise inventory  24,515   17,836 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  564   2,974 
Assets held for discontinued operations  -   51,189 
Total current assets  30,790   80,065 
         
Restricted cash  3,562   4,925 
Fixed assets, net  2,268   2,190 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  2,742   3,311 
Intangible assets, net  732   1,760 
Cash surrender value  3,856   3,353 
Other assets  1,342   2,202 
TOTAL ASSETS $45,292  $97,806 
         
LIABILITIES        
CURRENT LIABILITIES        
Accounts payable $8,894  $14,447 
Short-term borrowings  6,339   13,149 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities  2,512   3,521 
Current portion of operating lease liabilities  596   534 
Current portion of PPP loan  1,687   - 
Liabilities held for discontinued operations  -   39,410 
Total current liabilities  20,028   71,061 
         
Operating lease liabilities  2,258   2,204 
PPP loan  330   - 
Long-term debt  5,000   - 
Other long-term liabilities  16,187   20,026 
TOTAL LIABILITIES  43,803   93,291 
         
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
Preferred stock ($0.01 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued)  -   - 
Common stock ($0.01 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 3,336,576 shares and 3,225,627 shares issued, respectively)  33   32 
Additional paid-in capital  346,495   345,102 
Treasury stock at cost (1,410,378 shares and 1,409,316 shares, respectively)  (230,169)  (230,169)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss  (2,007)  (1,479)
Accumulated deficit  (112,863)  (108,971)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY  1,489   4,515 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY $45,292  $97,806 

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

F-3

27

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

($ in thousands, except per share and share amounts)

  Fiscal Year Ended 
  February 3,
2018
  January 28,
2017
  January 30,
2016
 
             
Net sales $437,173  $348,672  $334,661 
Other revenue  5,683   4,798   4,843 
Total revenue  442,856   353,470   339,504 
             
Cost of sales  299,013   218,811   204,089 
Gross profit  143,843   134,659   135,415 
             
Selling, general and administrative expenses  167,924   139,691   130,845 
Income from joint venture  (1,787)       
Gain on sale of asset     (1,164)   
Asset impairment charges  29,107       
Income (loss) from operations  (51,401)   (3,868)   4,570 
Interest expense  332   775   1,860 
Other  income  (8,881)   (1,081)   (160) 
Income (loss) before income taxes  (42,852)   (3,562)   2,870 
Income tax expense (benefit)  (299)   (6,773)  181 
Net income (loss) $(42,553)  $3,211  $2,689 
             
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share $(1.18)  $0.10  $0.09 
             
Weighted average number of shares outstanding  - basic  36,191   32,162   31,167 
             
Weighted average number  of shares – diluted  36,191   32,321   31,323 


  Fiscal Year Ended 
  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
       
Net revenue $158,345  $133,216 
         
Cost of sales  142,041   122,365 
Gross profit  16,304   10,851 
         
Selling, general and administrative expenses  22,029   25,082 
Asset impairment charge  -   765 
Loss from continuing operations  (5,725)  (14,996)
Interest (income) expense  1,709   (647)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit  (7,434)  (14,349)
Income tax (benefit) expense  (3,542)  44 
Loss from continuing operations  (3,892)  (14,393)
Loss from fye business, net of tax  -   (44,351)
Net loss $(3,892) $(58,744)
         
Basic and diluted loss per share $(2.10) $(32.35)
         
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic and diluted  1,849   1,816 

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

F-4

28

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

LOSS

($ in thousands)

  Fiscal Year Ended
  February 3,
2018
 January 28,
2017
 January 30,
2016
             
Net income (loss) $(42,553) $3,211  $2,689 
             
Pension actuarial income (loss) adjustment  (196)  10   1,369 
Comprehensive income (loss) $(42,749) $3,221  $4,058 


  Fiscal Year Ended 
  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
       
Net loss $(3,892) $(58,744)
         
Pension actuarial loss adjustment  (528)  (744)
Comprehensive loss $(4,420) $(59,488)

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

F-5

29

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

($dollars and shares in thousands)

  Common
Shares
  Common
Stock
  Additional
Paid-in
Capital
  Treasury
Shares
  Treasury
Stock
At Cost
  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss
  Retained
Earnings
  Shareholders’
Equity
 
Balance as of January 31, 2015  58,338  $583  $  315,486   (27,094) $  (226,412) $(2,181) $  84,264  $171,740 
Net Income  -   -   -   -   -   -   2,689   2,689 
Pension actuarial income adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   1,369   -   1,369 
Amortization of unearned compensation - stock options  -   -   424   -   -   -   -   424 
Exercise of equity grants  8   -   19   -   -   -   -   19 
Purchase of treasury stock  -   -   -   (279)  (1,085)  -   -   (1,085)
Vested restricted shares  50   1   (69)  (38)  -   -   -   (68)
Amortization of unearned compensation - restricted stock  -   -   180   -   -   -   -   180 
Balance as of January 30, 2016  58,396  $584  $316,040   (27,411) $(227,497) $(812) $86,953  $175,268 
Net Income  -   -   -   -   -   -   3,211   3,211 
Pension actuarial income adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   10   -   10 
Vesting of performance based awards  -   1   429   -   -   -   -   430 
Exercise of equity grants  18   -   39   -       -   -   39 
Purchase of treasury stock  -   -   -   (686)  (2,644)  -   -   (2,644)
Issuance of  deferred stock to Directors  -   -   46   -   -   -   -   46 
Vested restricted shares  108   1   (143)  (40)  (3)  -   -   (145)
Common stock issued in the acquisition of etailz  5,731   57   20,358   -   -   -   -   20,415 
Stock based compensation  -   -   1,306   -   -   -   -   1,306 
Balance as of January 28, 2017  64,253  $643  $338,075   (28,137) $(230,144) $(802) $90,164  $197,936 
Net Loss  -   -   -   -   -   -   (42,553)  (42,553)
Pension actuarial loss adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   (196)  -   (196)
Vested restricted shares  50   -   (39)  (20)  (1)  -   -   (40)
Common stock issued in the acquisition of etailz  2   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Stock based compensation  -   -   3,067   -   -   -   -   3,067 
Balance as of February 3, 2018  64,305  $643  $341,103   (28,157) $(230,145) $(998) $47,611   158,214 


  
Common
Shares
  
Treasury
Shares
  
Common
Stock
  
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
  
Treasury
Stock
At Cost
  
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss
  
Retained
Earnings
(Accumulated
Deficit)
  
Shareholders’
Equity
 
Balance as of February 3, 2019  3,222   (1,409) $32  $344,826  $(230,166) $(735) $(50,227) $63,730 
Net Loss  -   -   -   -   -   -   (58,744)  (58,744)
Pension actuarial loss adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   (744)  -   (744)
Vested restricted shares  4   -   -   3   (3)  -   -   - 
Amortization of unearned compensation/restricted stock amortization  -   -   -   273   -   -   -   273 
Balance as of February 1, 2020
  3,226   (1,409) $32  $345,102  $(230,169) $(1,479) $(108,971) $4,515 
Net Loss  -   -   -   -   -   -   (3,892)  (3,892)
Pension actuarial loss adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   (528)  -   (528)
Issuance of warrants  -   -   -   836   -   -   -   836 
Vested restricted shares  4   (1)  -   (9)  -   -   -   (9)
Common stock issued- Director grants  6   -   -   243   -   -   -   243 
Exercise of warrants  101   -   1   -   -   -   -   1 
Amortization of unearned compensation/restricted stock amortization  -   -   -   323   -   -   -   323 
Balance as of January 30, 2021  3,337   (1,410) $33   346,495  $(230,169) $(2,007) $(112,863) $1,489 

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

F-6

30

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

($ in thousands)

  Fiscal Year Ended
  February 3,
2018
 January 28,
2017
 January 30,
2016
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:            
Net income (loss)  ($42,553)   $3,211   $2,689 
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash  provided by (used in) operating activities:            
Depreciation of fixed assets  10,272   8,139   5,191 
Amortization of intangible assets  3,890   1,143   - 
Amortization of lease valuations  (20)   (31)   23 
Deferred tax benefit  -   (6,988)   - 
Stock based compensation  3,067   1,306   538 
Adjustment to contingent consideration  (3,280)   (1,829)   - 
Loss on disposal of fixed assets  579   1,089   613 
Loss on impairment of fixed assets  29,107   -   - 
Gain on sale of property  -   (1,164)   - 
Gain on sale of investments  -   (800)   (250) 
Change in cash surrender value  (399)   (980)   356 
Gain on life insurance asset  (8,733)   -   - 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities that provide (use) cash:            
Accounts receivable  2,616   (1,755)   (3) 
Merchandise inventory  16,892   8,650   6,331 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  1,295   (342)   4,666 
Other long-term assets  (668)   1,217   (2,561) 
Accounts payable  (10,527)   (4,469)   (11,639) 
Deferred revenue  (1,293)   245   (869) 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities  1,648   (4,792)   1,576 
Other long-term liabilities  (1,906)   2,586   1,302 
Net cash  provided by (used in) operating activities  (13)   4,436   7,963 
             
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:            
Acquisition of a business  -   (36,600)   - 
Purchases of fixed assets  (8,407)   (24,672)   (20,700) 
Proceeds from company owned life insurance  14,363   -   - 
Investment in joint venture  (2,575)   -   - 
Capital distributions from joint venture  1,101   -   - 
Proceeds from sale of assets  -   2,839   1,567 
Proceeds from sale of investments  -   1,600   - 
Purchases of investments  -   (500)   (1,052) 
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities  4,482   (57,333)   (20,185) 
             
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:            
Exercise of long term equity awards  -   39   19 
Vesting of long term equity awards  (39)   -   - 
Payments of capital lease obligations  -   -   (938) 
Payments of long term borrowings  (11,657)   (26,192)   - 
Proceeds from long term borrowings  11,657   21,463   - 
Payments to etailz shareholders  (5,000)   -   - 
Purchase of treasury stock  (1)   (2,647)   (1,085) 
Net cash  used in financing activities  (5,040)   (7,337)   (2,004) 
             
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents  (571)   (60,234)   (14,226) 
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of year  44,077   104,311   118,537 
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of year $43,506  $44,077  $104,311 
Supplemental disclosures and non-cash investing and financing activities:            
Interest paid  $332   $775   $1,861 
Issuance of restricted performance based awards / deferred / restricted shares under deferred / restricted stock agreements  120   572   69 
             
Net assets acquired  -   68,896   - 
Less: Contingent consideration not yet paid  -   (10,381)   - 
Less: Fair value of shares issued as consideration  -   (20,415)   - 
Less: Indemnity liability not yet paid  -   (1,500)   - 
Acquisition of a business $-  $36,600  $- 


  Fiscal Year Ended 
  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:      
Net loss $(3,892) $(58,744)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:        
Depreciation of fixed assets  1,111   3,330 
Amortization of intangible assets  1,028   1,143 
Amortization of right-of-use asset  569   6,990 
Stock based compensation  323   276 
Write down of investment  -   500 
Warrant proceeds amortization to interest  232   - 
Interest on long term debt  542   - 
Treasury stock received for payment of withholding tax on exercises of RSUs  -   (3)
Reversal of ASC 740 liability  (3,545)  - 
         
Loss on disposal of fixed assets  -   125 
Inventory net realizable value adjustment  -   12,701 
Loss on impairment of long-lived assets  -   23,983 
Change in cash surrender value  (503)  (329)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities that provide (use) cash:        
Accounts receivable  1,423   1,182 
Merchandise inventory  (6,679)  14,183 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  2,761   1,931 
Other long-term assets  571   (913)
Accounts payable  (5,458)  (10,209)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities  (1,107)  (1,888)
Deferred revenue  -   (274)
Other long-term liabilities  (767)  (9,811)
Net cash used in operating activities  (13,391)  (15,827)
         
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:        
Purchases of fixed assets  (1,190)  (2,823)
Proceeds from sale of fye business  11,779   - 
Capital distributions from joint venture  -   127 
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities  10,589   (2,696)
         
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:        
Proceeds from long term borrowings  5,063
   - 
Proceeds from PPP Loan  2,018   - 
Issuance of director deferred shares and RSUs  234   - 
Proceeds from short term borrowings  6,339   35,851 
Payments of short-term borrowings  (13,149)  (22,702)
Net cash provided by financing activities  505   13,149 
         
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash  (2,297)  (5,374)
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of year  8,852   14,226 
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of year $6,555  $8,852 
Supplemental disclosures and non-cash investing and financing activities:        
         
Interest paid $463  $838 

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

F-7

Index to Notes to Consolidated Financial StatementStatements


Note Number and Description

Note No.

1.Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
2.Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
3.Acquisition and Investment
4.Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
5.Fixed Assets
6.Restricted Cash
7.Credit Facility
8.Leases
9.Shareholders’ Equity
10.Benefit Plans
11.Income Taxes
12.Related Party Transactions
13.Commitments and Contingencies
14.Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)
F-8

Note No. 
Pages
No
   
1.Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies33
   
2.Discontinued Operations37
   
3.Sale of fye Business38
   
4.Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements39
   
5.Other Intangible Assets40
   
6.Fixed Assets41
  
7.Restricted Cash41
  
8.Debt41
  
9.Leases42
  
10.Shareholders’ Equity43
  
11.Benefit Plans43
  
12.Income Taxes46
  
13.Related Party Transactions48
  
14.Commitments and Contingencies49
  
15.Basic and Diluted Loss Per Share49
  
16.Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)50
  
17.Subsequent Events50

32

TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

KASPIEN HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


Note 1.  Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies


Nature of Operations: Trans World Entertainment Corporation Kaspien Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries (“the Company”) operates in twoa single reportable segments: fye and etailz. The fye segmentsegment: Kaspien is one of the largest specialty retailers of entertainment products, including trend, video, music, electronics and related products in the United States. The fye segment operates a chain of retail entertainment stores and e-commerce sites,www.fye.comandwww.secondspin.com. As of February 3, 2018, the fye segment operated 260 stores totaling approximately 1.4 million square feet in the United States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The etailz segment is a leading digital marketplace retailer and generates substantially all of its revenue through Amazon Marketplace. The Company’s business is seasonal in nature, with

Previously, the peak selling period beingCompany also operated fye, a chain of retail entertainment stores and e-commerce sites, www.fye.com and www.secondspin.com.  On February 20, 2020, the holiday season which fallsCompany consummated the sale of substantially all of the assets and certain of the liabilities relating to fye to a subsidiary of 2428391 Ontario Inc. o/a Sunrise Records (“Sunrise Records”) pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement (as amended, the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) dated January 23, 2020, by and among the Company, Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World FL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, 2428392 Inc., and Sunrise Records. (the “FYE Transaction”).

Effects of COVID-19: As reflected in the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter.

discussion below, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and actions taken in response to it had varying effects on our 2020 results of operations. Higher net sales reflect increased demand, particularly as people are staying at home, including for household staples and other essential and home products, partially offset by fulfillment network capacity and supply chain constraints. Other effects include increased fulfillment costs and cost of sales as a percentage of net sales, primarily due to the impact of lower productivity and costs to maintain safe workplaces.


We expect the effects of fulfillment network capacity and supply chain constraints and increased fulfillment costs and cost of sales as a percentage of net sales to continue into all or portions of 2021. However, it is not possible to determine the duration and scope of the pandemic, including any recurrence, the actions taken in response to the pandemic, the scale and rate of economic recovery from the pandemic, any ongoing effects on consumer demand and spending patterns, or other impacts of the pandemic, and whether these or other currently unanticipated consequences of the pandemic are reasonably likely to materially affect our results of operations.

Also, as a direct result of COVID-19, most of our employees are working remotely. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will directly or indirectly impact our business, results of operations and financial condition, including expenses, reserves and allowances, and employee-related amounts, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain, including as a result of new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain or treat it, as well as the economic impact on local, regional, national and international customers and markets, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time. Management is actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, industry, and workforce. Given the daily evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak and the response to curb its spread, currently we are not able to estimate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak to our results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity.

Liquidity:The Company’s primary sources of working capitalliquidity are cash provided by operations and borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility. The Company’sfacility, available cash flows fluctuateand cash equivalents, and to a lesser extent, cash generated from quarteroperations.  Our cash requirements relate primarily to quarter dueworking capital needed to various items,operate and grow our business, including seasonality of salesfunding operating expenses and earnings, merchandise inventory purchases and returns, the related terms on the purchasespurchase of inventory and capital expenditures. Management believes itOur ability to achieve profitability and meet future liquidity needs and capital requirements will have adequate resourcesdepend upon numerous factors, including the timing and amount of our revenue; the timing and amount of our operating expenses; the timing and costs of working capital needs; successful implementation of our strategy and planned activities; and our ability to fund its cash needsovercome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in further implementing our business strategy or that the strategy, including the completed initiatives, will be successful in sustaining acceptable levels of sales growth and profitability. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

The Company incurred net losses of $3.9 million and $58.8 million for the foreseeable future, including its capital spending, its seasonal increase in merchandise inventoryyears ended January 30, 2021 and other operatingFebruary 1, 2020, respectively, and has an accumulated deficit of $112.9 million as of January 30, 2021.

The Company experienced negative cash requirements and commitments.

Management anticipates any cash requirements due to a shortfall in cashflows from operations will be funded by the Company’sduring fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 and we expect to incur net losses in 2021. As of January 30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of $1.8 million, net working capital of $10.8 million, and outstanding borrowings of $6.3 million on our revolving credit facility, as further discussed hereafter.

below. This compares to $3.0 million in cash and cash equivalents and net working capital of $9.0 million and borrowings of $13.1 million on our revolving credit facility as of February 1, 2020.

As of June 15, 2020, the issuance date of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2020, the Company had concluded there was substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The completed initiatives and transactions as described below have alleviated the substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2021 were prepared on the basis of a going concern which contemplates that the Company will be able to realize assets and discharge liabilities in the normal course of business. The ability of the Company to meet its liabilities and to continue as a going concern is dependent on improved profitability, the strategic initiatives for Kaspien and the availability of future funding. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.
New Credit Facility
On February 20, 2020, Kaspien Inc. entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Encina Business Credit, LLC (“Encina”), as administrative agent, under which the lenders party thereto committed to provide up to $25 million in loans under a three-year, secured revolving credit facility (the “ New Credit Facility”).  Concurrent with the FYE Transaction, the Company borrowed $3.3 million under the New Credit Facility in order to satisfy the remaining obligations of the Company under the previous credit facility.

The commitments by the lenders under the New Credit Facility are subject to borrowing base and availability restrictions. Up to $5.0 million of the New Credit Facility may be used for the making of swing line loans.

As of January 30, 2021, the Company had borrowings of $6.3 million under the New Credit Facility.  Peak borrowings under the New Credit Facility during fiscal 2020 were $12.4 million.  As of January 30, 2021, the Company had no outstanding letters of credit. The Company had $5.0 million available for borrowing under the New Credit Facility as of January 30, 2021.

Previously, the Company had an amended and restated its revolving credit facility (“Credit Facility”) with Wells Fargo.  As of February 1, 2020, the Company had borrowings of $13.1 million under the Credit Facility.  Peak borrowings under the Credit Facility during fiscal 2019 were $35.9 million.  As of February 1, 2020, the Company had no outstanding letters of credit. The Company had $12 million available for borrowing under the Credit Facility as of February 1, 2020.

On February 20, 2020, in conjunction with the FYE Transaction, the Company fully satisfied its obligations under the Credit Facility through proceeds received from the sale of the fye business and borrowings under the New Credit Facility, as further discussed above, and the Credit Facility is no longer available to the Company.

Subordinated Debt Agreement

On March 30, 2020, the Company and Kaspien (the “Loan Parties”) entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Loan Agreement (the “Amendment”). Pursuant to the Amendment, among other things, (i) the Company was added as “Parent” under the Amended Loan Agreement, (ii) the Company granted a first priority security interest in substantially all of the assets of the Company, including inventory, accounts receivable, cash and cash equivalents and certain other collateral, and (iii) the Loan Agreement was amended to (a) permit the incurrence of certain subordinated indebtedness under the Subordinated Loan Agreement (as defined below) and (b) limit the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, create liens, make investments, make restricted payments or specified payments and merge or acquire assets.

On March 30, 2020, the Loan Parties entered into a Subordinated Loan and Security Agreement (the “Subordinated Loan Agreement”) with the lenders party thereto from time to time (the “Lenders”) and TWEC Loan Collateral Agent, LLC (“Collateral Agent”), as collateral agent for the Lenders, pursuant to which the Lenders made a $5.2 million secured term loan (the “Subordinated Loan”) to Kaspien with a scheduled maturity date of May 22, 2023. As of January 30, 2021, unamortized debt issuance costs of $0.2 million are included in “Long-Term Debt” on the consolidated balance sheet.

Directors Jonathan Marcus, Thomas Simpson, and Michael Reickert are the chief executive officer of Alimco Re Ltd. (“Alimco”), the managing member of Kick-Start III, LLC and Kick-Start IV, LLC (“Kick-Start”), and a trustee of the Robert J. Higgins TWMC Trust (the “Trust”), an affiliate of RJHDC, LLC (“RJHDC” and together with Alimco and Kick-Start, “Related Party Entities”), respectively.  The Related Party Entities are parties to the Subordinated Loan Agreement.

Paycheck Protection Program
On April 17, 2020, Kaspien received loan proceeds of $2.0 million (the “PPP Loan”) pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). The PPP Loan, which was in the form of a promissory note (the “Note”), dated April 10, 2020, between Kaspien and First Interstate Bank, as the lender, matures on April 17, 2022, bears interest at a fixed rate of 1% per annum, and is payable in monthly installments of $112,976. While under the terms of the PPP, some or all of the PPP Loan amount may be forgiven if the PPP Loan proceeds are used for qualifying expenses as described in the CARES Act and the Note, such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, and utilities, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in qualifying for and receiving forgiveness on the PPP Loan amount. On August 20, 2020, the Company submitted an application for forgiveness to the SBA. On October 30, 2020, the Company received a follow up letter requesting additional information related to its forgiveness application. The Company submitted the requested information on November 9, 2020. On January 4, 2021, the Company received another request for additional information. The Company submitted the requested information on January 14, 2021. On April 14, 2021, the Company received another request for additional information. The Company submitted the requested information on April 26, 2021. As of April 30, the Company has not received a decision on its PPP Loan forgiveness request.

In addition to the aforementioned current sources of existing working capital, the Company may explore certain other strategic alternatives that may become available to the Company, as well continuing our efforts to generate additional sales and increase margins.  If the Company is unable to improve its operations, it may be required to obtain additional funding, and the Company’s financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. Furthermore, broad market and industry factors may seriously harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance, and may adversely impact our ability to raise additional funds, should we require such additional funds.

Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements consist of Kaspien Holdings Inc., its wholly owned subsidiaries, Kaspien NY, LLC  (f/k/a Trans World Entertainment Corporation, its wholly-owned subsidiaries,NY Sub, Inc. (f/k/a Record Town, Inc. (“Record Town”), Record Town’s and its subsidiaries, and etailz,Kaspien, Inc.  All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.  The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions, including those related to merchandise inventory and return costs;inventory; valuation of long-lived assets,  goodwill and intangible assets, income taxes, accounting, for gift card liability, retirement plan obligation, liability, and other long-term liabilities that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.


Items Affecting Comparability:The Company’s fiscal year is a 52 or 53-week period ending the Saturday nearest to January 31.  Fiscal 2017, 2016,2020 and 2015fiscal 2019 ended February 3, 2018, January 28, 2017, and January 30, 2016,2021 and February 1, 2020, respectively. Fiscal 2017 had 53 weeks andBoth fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 had 52 weeks.

During the fiscal year 2016, the Company recorded an immaterial adjustment between Other Revenue and Selling, General and Administrative expenses in its fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 consolidated financial statements for miscellaneous income, primarily related to commissions earned from third parties. The immaterial adjustment did not impact fiscal 2016 or fiscal 2015 income (loss) from operations, net income, and basic and diluted income per share.

years were 52-week periods.


Concentration of Business Risks:The fye segmentCompany purchases various inventory from approximately 350 suppliers. In fiscal 2017, 47% of fye purchases were made from tennumerous suppliers including Universal Studio Home Entertainment, AEC - Paramount Video, Buena Vista Home Video, SONY Music, SONY Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner/Elektra/Atlantic, Universal Music Group Distribution, Funko LLC,

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and Warner Home Video. The etailz segment sold over 34,000 SKU’s from over 2,300 suppliers during fiscal 2017. The Company does not have material long-term purchase contracts; rather, it purchases products from its suppliers on an order-by-order basis.  Historically, the CompanyKaspien has not experienced difficulty in obtaining satisfactory sources of supply and management believes that it will continue to have access to adequate sources of supply.

etailz


The Company generates substantially all of its revenue through the Amazon Marketplace.  Therefore, the Company depends in large part on its relationship with Amazon for theits continued growth of the etailz segment.growth. In particular, the Company depends on its ability to offer products on the Amazon Marketplace and on its timely delivery of products to customers.


Cash and Cash Equivalents: The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Concentration of Credit Risks: The Company maintains centralized cash management


Restricted Cash: Cash and investment programs whereby excess cash balances are invested in short-term money market funds. The Company’s investments consist of short-term investment grade securities consistent with its investment guidelines. These guidelines include the provision that sufficient liquidity will be maintained to meet anticipated cash flow needs. The Company maintains these investments, all of which are classified as cash equivalents duethat are restricted as to their short term nature, with Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. The Company limitswithdrawal or use under the amountterms of credit exposure with any one financial institution and believes that no significant concentration of credit risk exists with respect to cash investments.

certain contractual agreements are recorded in Restricted Cash on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.


Accounts Receivable:Accounts receivable for the fye segment are primarily comprised of receivables due from commissions due from third parties. For the etailz segment, accountsAccounts receivable are comprised of receivables due from Amazon. There are no provisionsIncluded in the balance is an allowance of $0.1 million for uncollectible amounts from retail sales of merchandise inventory since payment is received at the time of sale.

doubtful accounts.


Merchandise Inventory and Return Costs: Merchandise inventory is stated at the lower of cost or marketnet realizable value under the average cost method. Inventory valuation requires significant judgment and estimates, including obsolescence, shrink and any adjustments to marketnet realizable value, if market value is lower than cost. The Company records obsolescence and any adjustments to marketnet realizable value (if lower than cost) based on current and anticipated demand, customer preferences and market conditions. As of January 30, 2021, the Company recorded an obsolescence reserve of $0.8 million. The provisioncost of inventory also includes certain costs associated with the preparation of inventory for inventory shrink is estimated as a percentage of store sales for the period from the last date a physical inventory was performed to the end of the fiscal year. Such estimates are based on historical results and trends, and the shrink results from the last physical inventory. Physical inventories are taken at least annually for all stores and theresale, including distribution center throughoutcosts and freight. As of January 30, 2021, the year, and inventory records are adjusted accordingly.

The Company is generally entitled to return merchandise purchased from major music vendors for credit against other purchases from these vendors. Certain vendors reduce the credit with a merchandise return charge which varies depending on the typehad recorded capitalized freight of merchandise being returned. Certain other vendors charge a handling fee based on units returned. The Company records all merchandise return charges in cost of sales.

$1.3 million.

Fixed Assets and Depreciation: Fixed assets are recorded at cost and depreciated or amortized over the estimated useful life of the asset using the straight-line method.  The estimated useful lives are as follows:


Leasehold improvementsLesser of estimated useful life of the asset or the lease term
Fixtures and equipment3-77 years
Leasehold improvements7 years
Technology1-5 years
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Major improvements and betterments to existing facilities and equipment are capitalized.  Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

Impairment of


Long-Lived Assets:Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset over its remaining useful life.  If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.  Fair value is generally measured based on discounted estimated future cash flows. Assets to be disposed of would be separately presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less disposition costs.  For the purposepurposes of the asset impairment test, Kaspien has one asset grouping, which is the fye segment has multiple asset groupings - corporate and individual store level assets.

same as the Kaspien reporting unit level.


During fiscal 2017,2019, the Company concluded, based on continued operating losses for the fye segment, that a triggering event had occurred, and pursuant to FASB ASC 360,Property, Plant, and Equipment, requiring a testan evaluation of long-livedthe Company’s fixed assets and intangible assets for impairment at its retail stores in the fye segment. Long-livedwas required.  For fiscal 2019, intangible assets at stores, the corporate home office and the Albany distribution center where impairment was determinedrelated to existvendor relationships were written down to their estimated fair values as of the end of fiscal 2017fully impaired resulting in the recordingrecognition of asset impairment charges of $29.1 million. Estimated fair values for long-lived assets at these locations, including store fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements were determined based on a measure of discounted future cash flows over the remaining lease terms at the respective locations. Future cash flows were estimated based on an individual store and corporate level plans and were discounted at a rate approximating the Company’s cost of capital. Management believes its assumptions were reasonable and consistently applied.

The Company did not recognize any other long-lived asset impairments during fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015.

Losses for store closings in the ordinary course of business represent the write down of the net book value of abandoned fixtures and leasehold improvements. The loss on disposal of fixed assets related to store closings was $0.6$0.8 million $1.1 million and $0.6 million in fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and is included in selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and loss on disposal of fixed assets in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Store closings usually occur at the expiration of the lease, at which time leasehold improvements, which constitute a majority of the abandoned assets, are fully depreciated.

Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations:The Company records the fair value of an asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) as a liability in the period in which it incurs a legal obligation associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets that result from the acquisition, construction, development, and/or normal use of the asset. The Company also records a corresponding asset that is depreciated over the life of the asset. Subsequent to its initial measurement, the ARO is adjusted at the end of each period to reflect the passage of time and changes in the estimated future cash flows underlying the obligation.


Commitments and Contingencies:The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of its business and have not been finally adjudicated.business.  Although there can be no assurance as to the ultimate disposition of these matters, it is management’s opinion, based upon the information available at this time, that the expected outcome of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition of the Company.

  During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company recognized a charge of $0.4 million related to litigation (see Note 14).


Revenue Recognition: The Company’s

Retail Sales
Retail revenue is primarily from retail salesrelated to the sale of merchandise inventory.goods to customers. Revenue is recognized atwhen control of the point-of-sale. Internetgoods is transferred to the customer, which generally occurs upon shipment to the customer. Additionally, estimated sales returns are calculated based on expected returns.

Agency as a service
Retail as a service revenue is primarily commission fees for both segments, fye and etailz,services paid on a periodic basis with an additional fee based on percentage of gross merchandise value generated. The commissions earned from these arrangements are recognized as

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revenue upon shipment. Shipping and handling fee income fromwhen the fye segment’s internet operations isservices are rendered on a periodic basis with additional fees recognized as net sales.revenue is generated.


Software as a service
Software as a service revenue primarily includes a subscription fee with an additional fee based on a percentage of gross merchandise value generated. The Company records shipping and handling costs in cost of sales. Loyalty cardsubscription fee earned from these arrangements are recognized when the services are rendered on a periodic basis with additional fees recognized as revenue for the fye segment is amortized over the life of the membership period or upon cancelation of the membership. Net sales are recorded net of estimated amounts for sales returns and other allowances, and net of applicable sales taxes.

Total annual membership fees collected in advance and recognized in revenue, net of estimated refunds, were as follows: the unearned revenue as of January 28, 2017, January 30, 2016, and January 31, 2015, was $7.0 million, $6.5 million, and $6.3 million, respectively. The amount of cash received from customers during fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015, was $16.9 million, $16.8 million, and $15.8 million, respectively. The amount of revenue recognized in earnings was $17.9 million, $16.3 million, and $15.6 million in fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. The unearned revenue as of February 3, 2018 was $6.1 million.

generated.


Cost of Sales: In addition to the cost of product, the Company includes in cost of sales those costs associated with purchasing, receiving, shipping, online marketplace fulfillment fees and commissions, and inspecting and warehousing product, and depreciation related to distribution operations. Also included are costs associated with the return of product to vendors.product. Cost of sales further includes the cost of inventory shrink losses and obsolescence and the benefit of vendor allowances and discounts.

obsolescence.


Selling, General and Administrative (“SG&A”) Expenses (SG&A): Included in SG&A expenses are payroll and related costs, store operating costs, occupancy charges, Amazon fees, professional and service fees, general operating and overhead expenses and depreciation charges (excluding those related to distribution operations).and amortization charges.  Selling, general and administrative expenses also include fixed asset write offs associated with store closures, if any, and miscellaneous income and expense items, other than interest. The Company recorded miscellaneous income items

Lease Accounting: Operating lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of the fixed lease payments using the Company's incremental borrowing rates for fiscal 2017, 2016,its population of leases. Related operating ROU assets are recognized based on the initial present value of the fixed lease payments, reduced by contributions from landlords, plus any prepaid rent and 2015direct costs from executing the leases. ROU assets are tested for impairment in the amountsame manner as long-lived assets. Lease terms include the non-cancellable portion of $0.4 million, $0.4 million,the underlying leases along with any reasonably certain lease periods associated with available renewal periods, termination options and $3.6 million, respectively. Included in fiscal 2015 miscellaneous income was a one-time reimbursement of expenses incurred in prior years, related to a legal settlement of $1.4 million.

Advertising Costspurchase options.  Lease agreements with lease and Vendor Allowances:The fye segment often receives allowances from its vendors to fund in-store displays, print and radio advertising, and other promotional events. Vendor advertising allowances which exceed specific, incremental and identifiable costs incurred in relation to the advertising and promotions offered by the Company to its vendorsnon-lease components are classifiedcombined as a reduction in the purchase pricesingle lease component for all classes of merchandise inventory. Accordingly, advertisingunderlying asset

Advertising Costs: Advertising and sales promotion costs are charged to operations, offset by direct vendor reimbursements, as incurred. Total advertising expense, excluding vendor allowances, was $3.1 million, $3.2 million, and $2.9 million in fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. In the aggregate, vendor allowances supporting the fye segment’s advertising and promotion are included as a reduction of SG&A expenses, and reimbursements of such costs were $3.1 million, $3.2 million, and $2.9 million in fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. Advertising costs for the etailz segment primarily consist of Amazon marketing expenses which were $1.2$1.4 million and $0.9 million in fiscal 2017.

Lease Accounting: The Company’s calculation of straight-line rent expense includes the impact of escalating rents for the lease period2020 and includes any period during which the Company is not obligated to pay rent while the store is being constructed (“rent holiday”). The Company accounts for step rent provisions, escalation clauses and other lease concessions by recognizing these amounts on a straight line basis over the initial lease term. The Company capitalizes leasehold improvements funded by tenant improvement allowances, depreciating them over the term of the related leases. The tenant improvement allowances are recorded as deferred rent within other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and are amortized as a reduction in rent expense over the life of the related leases.

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fiscal 2019, respectively.

Store Closing Costs: Management periodically considers the closing of underperforming stores. In the event of a store closing, reserves are established at the time a liability is incurred for the present value of any remaining lease obligations, net of estimated sublease income, and other exit costs. Store closings are not considered discontinued operations and as such, closings do not represent a significant change on the Company’s operations and financial results.

Gift Cards:The Company offers gift cards for sale. A deferred revenue account, which is included in deferred revenue in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, is established for gift cards issued. The deferred revenue balance related to gift cards was $1.7 million, $2.0 million and $2.3 million at the end of fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. When gift cards are redeemed at the store level, revenue is recorded and the related liability is reduced. Breakage is estimated based on the historical relationship of the redemption of gift cards redeemed to gift cards sold, over a certain period of time. The Company has the ability to reasonably and reliably estimate gift card liability based on historical experience with redemption rates associated with a large volume of homogeneous transactions, from a period of more than ten years. The Company’s estimate is not susceptible to significant external factors and the circumstances around purchases and redemptions have not changed significantly over time. The Company recorded breakage on its gift cards for fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015 in the amount of $0.4 million, $0.4 million and $0.1 million, respectively. Gift card breakage is recorded as a reduction of SG&A expenses.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets:Our goodwill results from our acquisition of etailz and represents the excess purchase price over the net identifiable assets acquired. All of our goodwill is associated with etailz, a separate reporting unit, and there is no goodwill associated with our other reporting unit, fye. Goodwill is not amortized and we are required to evaluate our goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever indicators of impairment are present. Our annual test is completed during the fourth fiscal quarter, and interim tests are conducted when circumstances indicate the carrying value of the goodwill or other intangible assets may not be recoverable. Estimating the fair value of reporting units requires the use of estimates and significant judgments that are based on a number of factors including actual operating results. It is possible that these judgments and estimates could change in future periods. The determination of the fair value of intangible assets and liabilities acquired in a business acquisition, including the Company’s acquisition of etailz in 2016, is subject to many estimates and assumptions. Our identifiable intangible assets that resulted from our acquisition of etailz consist of vendor relationships, technology and tradenames. We review amortizable intangible asset groups for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable.

Income Taxes:Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.  Deferred tax assets are subject to valuation allowances based upon management’s estimates of realizability.


The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs.  It is the Company’s practice to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense (benefit) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

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Comprehensive Loss:Comprehensive loss consists of net loss and a pension actuarial loss adjustment that is recognized in other comprehensive loss (see Note 9).

Stock-Based Compensation:Stock-based compensation represents the cost related to stock-based awards granted to employees and directors. The Company measures stock-based compensation cost at grant date, based on the estimated fair value of the award, and recognizes the cost as expense on a straight-line basis (net of estimated forfeitures) over the option’s requisite service period.  The Company recognizes compensation expense based on estimated grant date fair value using the Black-Scholes option-pricingBlack‑Scholes option‑pricing model.  Tax benefits, if any, resulting from tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for those options are to be classified and reported as both an operating cash outflow and financing cash inflow.

Comprehensive Income (Loss):Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net income (loss) and a pension actuarial income (loss) adjustment that is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) (see Note 10).

Income (Loss)


Loss Per Share: Basic and diluted income (loss)loss per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss)loss by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the period.  Diluted income (loss)During fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, the impact of all outstanding stock awards was not considered because the Company reported a net loss and such impact would be anti-dilutive.  Accordingly, basic and diluted loss per share gives effect to all dilutive potential shares outstanding resulting from employeefor fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 was the same.  Total anti-dilutive stock options during that period. The dilutive effectawards for each of employee stock options did not have any impact on basic income per share in fiscal 20162020 and 2015, when net income was recorded.

The following is a reconciliation of the basic weighted average number of shares outstanding to the diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding:

  2017  2016  2015 
  (in thousands)    
          
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic  36,191   32,162   31,167 
             
Dilutive effect of employee stock options  -   159   156 
             
Weighted average common shares outstanding–diluted  36,191   32,321   31,323 
             
Anti-dilutive stock options  2,586   2,175   1,744 

fiscal 2019 were approximately were 130,000 and 100,000, respectively.


Fair Value of Financial Instruments: Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

In determining fair value, the accounting standards establish a three-level hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value, as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 — Significant observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, such as quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 — Significant unobservable inputs reflecting our own assumptions, consistent with reasonably available assumptions made by other market participants.

The carrying amounts reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other current liabilities approximate fair value because of the immediate or short-term maturity of these financial instruments. The carrying value of life insurance policies included in other assets approximates fair value based on estimates received from insurance companies.

Segment Information:companies and are classified as Level 2 measurements within the hierarchy as defined by applicable accounting standards. The Company had no Level 3 financial assets or liabilities as of January 30, 2021 or as of February 1, 2020.


Segment Information:
Change in Reportable Segments

As a result of the sale of the fye business on February 20, 2020, further disclosed in Note 2, the Company’s previously reported fye segment is no longer in operation, and the Company now operates as a single reporting segment.
The impact of the sale of the fye business on the Company’s operating segments, and reportable segments was reflected in two reportable segments: fye and etailz.the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of February 1, 2020. Prior year segment information was reclassified to conform to the acquisition of etailz in October 2016,reporting structure change.
Note 2. Discontinued Operations

On February 20, 2020, the Company operated as oneconsummated the sale of substantially all of the assets and certain of the liabilities relating to fye to a subsidiary of Sunrise Records pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated January 23, 2020, by and among the Company, Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World FL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, 2428392 Inc., and Sunrise Records.

The results for fye were previously reported in the fye segment. Operating earnings (loss) by operatingCertain corporate overhead costs and segment is defined as income (loss) fromcosts previously allocated to fye for segment reporting purposes did not qualify for classification within discontinued operations net interest expense, other income, and income taxes. Resultshave been reallocated to continuing operations.

The following table summarizes the major line items for etailzfye that are included in the consolidated resultsincome from discontinued operations, net of tax line item in the Consolidated Statements of Income:

  Fifty-two Weeks Ended 
(In thousands) 
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
Net revenue $  $192,719 
Cost of goods sold     127,013 
Selling, general and administrative expenses     84,667 
Impairment of long-lived assets     23,218 
Interest expense     1,531 
Other expense     364 
Loss from discontinued operations before income taxes     (44,074)
Income tax expense     277 
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax $  $(44,351)



The following table summarizes the carrying amounts of major classes of assets and liabilities of discontinued operations for alleach of the periods presented for fiscal 2017. For periods presented for fiscal 2016, results for etailzpresented:

(In thousands) 
January 30,
2021
  February 1, 2020 
Cash $  $ 
Accounts receivable, net     62 
Inventories     50,122 
Other current assets     1,005 
Property, plant and equipment, net      
Operating lease right-to-use asset      
Other assets      
Total assets of discontinued operations $  $51,189 
         
Accounts payable $  $9,769 
Accrued liabilities     779 
Deferred revenue     6,764 
Current portion of lease liabilities     8,976 
Operating lease liabilities     11,059 
Other liabilities     2,063 
Total liabilities of discontinued operations $  $39,410 

The cash flows related to discontinued operations have not been segregated and are included in consolidated results from October 17, 2016 throughthe Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The following table summarizes the cash flows for discontinued operations that are included in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:

  Fifty-two Weeks Ended 
(In thousands) 
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
Net cash used in operating activities $  $(12,849)
Net cash used in investing activities     (1,171)
         
Depreciation and amortization     2,674 
Purchases of fixed assets     1,171 

Note 3. Sale of fye business

On February 20, 2020, the Company consummated the sale of substantially all of the assets and certain of the liabilities relating to fye to a subsidiary of Sunrise Records pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated January 28, 2017. Significant financial statement captions23, 2020, by reportable segment in U.S. dollarsand among the Company, Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World FL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, 2428392 Inc., and Sunrise Records. The following table reconciles the assets sold to and liabilities assumed by Sunrise to cash proceeds received:

Assets sold   
Inventory $50,122 
Accounts receivable  62 
Other current assets  1,005
 
fye business assets sold $51,189 
     
     
Less liabilities assumed:    
Accounts payable  (9,769)
Deferred revenue  (6,764)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities  (779)
Other long-term liabilities  (2,063)
Operating lease liabilities  (20,035)
fye business liabilities assumed $39,410 
     
Net proceeds $11,779 

The Company did not recognize a gain/loss upon the sale of the fye business as the assets of fye were impaired to the fair value of the assets as follows:

of February 1, 2020.
F-14

38

($ in thousands) Fiscal Year
Ended
February 3, 2018
  Fiscal Year
Ended
January 28, 2017
 
Total Revenue        
fye $268,397  $313,211 
etailz  174,459   40,259 
Total Company $442,856  $353,470 
         
Gross Profit        
fye $104,254  $124,735 
etailz  39,589   9,924 
Total Company $143,843  $134,659 
         
Loss From Operations        
fye $(49,261)  $(1,932) 
etailz  (2,140)   (1,936) 
Total Company $(51,401)  $(3,868) 
         
Merchandise Inventory        
fye $86,217  $109,612 
etailz  22,895   16,392 
Total Company $109,112  $126,004 
         
Total Assets        
fye $153,050  $215,466 
etailz  94,856   92,344 
Total Company $247,906  $307,810 
         
Other Long Term Liabilities        
fye $27,777  $38,792 
etailz  1,354   349 
Total Company $29,131  $39,141 
         
Capital Expenditures        
fye $7,342  $24,418 
etailz  1,065   254 
Total Company $8,407  $24,672 

Note 2.4.  Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements


In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. This ASU will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. The new standard is effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning February 4, 2018. The Company is continuing to assess the impact on our consolidated financial statements but will result in enhanced footnote disclosure requirements during the first quarter of fiscal 2018 including certain balance sheet activity and unsatisfied performance obligations related to certain promotional programs. The Company has determined that the adoption of this ASU will impact the timing of revenue recognition for gift card breakage. Gift card breakage is currently recognized at the point gift card redemption becomes remote. In accordance with this ASU, the Company will recognize gift card breakage in proportion to the pattern of rights exercised by the customer. Additionally, the Company has assessed and determined that our revenue recognition practices related to our current vendor-direct sales arrangements, for which the Company is the principal and recorded on a gross basis, will remain unchanged upon adoption. Based upon our preliminary assessment of potential impacts to the presentation of our consolidated financial statements primarily related to sales return reserves,

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our customer loyalty program, and certain other promotional programs, the Company will use a modified retrospective approach upon adoption of this ASU during the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact of the ASU’s expanded disclosure requirements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases”,No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which will replace most existing lease accounting guidance in U.S. GAAP.introduced an expected credit loss model for the impairment of financial assets measured at amortized cost. The core principle of this ASU is thatmodel replaces the probable, incurred loss model for those assets and instead, broadens the information an entity should recognize the rights and obligations resulting from leases asmust consider in developing its expected credit loss estimate for assets and liabilities. The new standard requires qualitative and specific quantitative disclosures to supplement the amounts recorded in the financial statements so that users can understand more about the nature of an entity’s leasing activities, including significant judgments and changes in judgments. The newmeasured at amortized cost. This standard will be effective for the Company’ssmaller reporting companies for fiscal yearyears beginning February 3, 2019, and requires the modified retrospective method of adoption. The Companyafter December 15, 2022, however early adoption is in the process of determiningpermitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-02this new standard on itsthe consolidated financial statements. Given the nature of the operating leases for the Company’s home office, distribution center, and stores, the Company expects an increase to the carrying value of its assets and liabilities, however, the Company continues to evaluate the impact of the ASU on its consolidated financial statements.


In January 2017,August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill2018-14, “Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework— Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans”, which removes certain disclosures that are no longer cost beneficial and Other (Topic 350): Simplifyingalso includes additional disclosures to improve the Testoverall usefulness of the disclosure requirements to financial statement users. This standard will be effective for Goodwill Impairment,” which simplifies how an entitypublic entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, however early adoption is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating step two frompermitted. We are currently evaluating the goodwill impairment test whereby a goodwill impairment loss is determined by comparing the implied fair valueimpact of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. Rather, an entity will perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and recognizing an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The Company adopted ASU 2017-04 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, which did not have a significant impactthis new standard on the consolidated financial statements.


In March 2017,December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, “Compensation - Retirement Benefits2019-12, “Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes” (Topic 715): Improving740), which simplifies the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost,” which is intendedaccounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to improve the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic post-retirement benefit costguidance in ASC 740 related to the approach for intra-period tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an entity’sinterim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The standard also simplifies aspects of the enacted changes in tax laws or rates. This standard will be effective for public entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020, however early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on the consolidated financial statementsstatements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting” (“ASU 2020-04”). ASU 2020-04 provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contract modifications and hedging relationships that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. ASU 2020-04 provides, among other things, guidance that modifications of contracts within the scope of Topic 470, Debt, should be accounted for by requiringprospectively adjusting the service cost componenteffective interest rate; modifications of contracts within the scope of Topic 840, Leases, should be disaggregated from other componentsaccounted for as a continuation of net benefit coststhe existing contract; and, presentedchanges in the same line item or itemscritical terms of hedging relationships, caused by reference rate reform, should not result in the de-designation of the instrument, provided certain criteria are met. The Company’s exposure to LIBOR rates includes its credit facility. The amendments are effective as other compensation costs for the employees. Additionally, only the service cost component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization when applicable. ASU 2017-07 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning February 3, 2019, and must be applied retrospectively. ASU 2017-07March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. Adoption is permitted for early adoption, but only at the beginning of an annual period for which financial statements have not been issued or made available for issuance.any time. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this ASUupdate will have on its reporting and asset recognition.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting,” which provided clarity as to what changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. ASU 2017-09 is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods in fiscal year beginning February 3, 2019, with early adoption permitted and is applied prospectively to changes in terms or conditions of awards occurring on or after the adoption date.

Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
F-16

39

Note 3. Acquisition and Investment

Business Combination - etailz

On October 17, 2016, the Company completed the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of etailz. The acquisition of etailz is part of our strategy to diversify our business into the fastest growing segment of retail: the Digital Marketplace. The Company plans to access the relationships, operational expertise, and infrastructure built by etailz to help unlock the full potential of etailz and to accelerate our progress towards being the industry leader for digital marketplace sales and expertise.

The Company paid $32.3 million in cash, issued 5.7 million shares of TWMC common stock at closing to the shareholders of etailz as consideration for their shares, and paid $4.3 million in cash advances to settle obligations of the selling shareholders. Based on the fair value of $3.56 per share on the acquisition date, the shares had a value of $20.4 million. An earn-out of up to a maximum of $14.6 million will be payable in fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 subject to the achievement by etailz of $6 million in operating income in fiscal 2017 and $7.5 million in fiscal 2018 as outlined in the share purchase agreement. In connection with the acquisition, the Company assumed a liability of the selling shareholders for an etailz employee bonus plan, of which $1.9 million was due and payable at closing and funded as part of the cash advances and the remaining $2.3 million will be earned over a two year service period. The acquisition and related costs were funded primarily from the Company’s cash on hand and short term borrowings under its revolving credit facility. The acquisition was accounted for using the purchase method of accounting.

During the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2017, the share purchase agreement with the selling shareholders of etailz was amended to provide that $11.5 million be released from the earnout escrow account and the $3.1 million remaining in the earnout escrow account may be payable in cash to the selling shareholders in 2019, subject to the achievement by etailz of operating income in excess of $15.5 million during the twenty-four month period ending February 2, 2019. In the event that etailz achieves operating income in excess of $13.5 million, but less than $15.5 million, an earnout of $1.6 million would be payable in 2019. If etailz operating income is below $13.5 million, the $3.1 million escrow would be returned to the Company.

The amount released from the earnout escrow was disbursed during the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2017 as follows: $5.0 million to the Company for future investment to support growth initiatives, $5.0 million to the selling shareholders, and $1.5 million to the Company (to be allocated to increase the maximum amount available under the etailz employee bonus plan from $4.2 million to $5.7 million).

During fiscal 2017, the Company recorded a $3.3 million benefit related to its contingent consideration liability. The decrease in the value of the contingent consideration liability resulted from the actual financial results of etailz and the amendment of the earnout agreement as described in the paragraph above. This benefit is recorded in selling, general, and administrative expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company recorded a $1.4 million benefit related to the contingent consideration liability. The decrease in the value of contingent liability resulted from actual fourth quarter financial results of etailz. This benefit is recorded in selling, general, and administrative expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

F-17

The acquisition date fair value of the consideration for theRecent accounting pronouncements pending adoption not discussed above transaction consisted of the following as of October 17, 2016 (in thousands):

Cash consideration $36,600 
Fair value of stock consideration  20,415 
Fair value of contingent consideration  10,381 
Fair value of indemnification consideration held in escrow  1,500 
Fair value of purchase consideration $68,896 

The following table summarizes the allocation of the aggregate purchase price to the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired:

  ($in thousands) 
  October 17, 2016 
Assets (Liablilities) Acquired    
Accounts receivable  1,533 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  5,896 
Inventory  14,608 
Property and equipment, net  663 
Other long term-assets  12 
Acquired intangible assets:    
Trade names  3,200 
Technology  6,700 
Vendor relationships  19,100 
Unfavorable lease valuation  (53)
Goodwill  39,191 
Total assets acquired $90,850 
Liabilities Assumed    
Accounts payable $4,888 
Debt  4,729 
Other current liabilities  5,349 
Deferred taxes  6,988 
Total liabilities assumed $21,954 
Net assets acquired $68,896 

The amount of goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the net identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill primarily represents, among other factors, the value of synergiesare either not applicable or are not expected to be realized and for the knowledge and expertise of, and established presence in, the digital marketplace, which do not qualify as separate amortizable intangible assets. Goodwill arising from the acquisition of etailz is not deductible for tax purposes. There were no adjustments from preliminary purchase price accounting to final.

Thehave a material impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, of etailz are reported in the Company’s etailz segment and included in the fiscal 2016 consolidated results of operations of the Company from the date of acquisition. The following unaudited pro forma financial information for the fifty-two weeks ended January 28, 2017, presents consolidated information as if the etailz acquisition had occurred on January 31, 2016. Because of different fiscal period ends, and in order to present results for comparable periods, the unaudited pro forma financial information for the fifty-weeks ended January 28, 2017, combines (i) the Company’s historical statement of operations for the fifty-two weeks ended January 28, 2017, and (ii) etailz historical statement of operations for the period from January 1, 2016 through August 31, 2016 and October 1, 2016 through October 16, 2016. The unaudited pro forma financial information is presented after giving effect to certain adjustments for acquisition-related costs, depreciation, amortization of definite lived intangible assets, interest expense on acquisition financing, and

F-18
or cash flows.

related income tax effects. The unaudited pro forma financial information is based upon currently available information and upon certain assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances. The unaudited pro forma financial information does not purport to present what the Company’s results of operations would actually have been if the aforementioned transaction had in fact occurred on such date or at the beginning of the period indicated, nor does it project the Company’s financial position or results of operations at any future date or for any future period.

  Fifty-two Weeks
Ended
 
  January 28, 
  2017 
(in thousands)��   
Pro forma total revenue $434,171 
Pro forma net loss  (4,986) 
     
Pro forma basic and diluted loss per share $(0.14) 
     
Pro forma weighted average number of common shares outstanding – basic and diluted  36,239 

Joint Venture

On April 11, 2017, the etailz segment of the Company entered into an agreement with another party for the purpose of acquiring and selling certain retail merchandise. etailz holds a 50% economic interest in the arrangement as of February 3, 2018. The initial cash investment was $2.6 million dollars. During the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, the Company received distributions in the amount of $2.9 million from the joint venture, of which $1.1 million was return of capital and $1.8 million was the Company’s share of joint venture income. The remaining investment of $1.5 million was included in other assets in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as of February 3, 2018.

Note 4. Goodwill and5. Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill is not amortized, but is tested for impairment at least annually. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in the etailz acquisition.


Determining the fair value of a reporting unit requires the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including revenue growth rates, operating margins, discount rates, and future market conditions, among others. Goodwill and otherOther long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

We are continuing


During fiscal 2019, the Company fully impaired its vendor relationships and the Company recognized an impairment loss of $0.8 million.

The Company continues to amortize certain vendor relationships, technology, and trade names and trademarks that have finite lives.

F-19

Identifiable intangible assets as of February 3, 2018January 30, 2021 consisted of the following (in thousands, except weighted-average amortization period):

  February 3, 2018 
  Weighted
Average
Amortization
Period
(in months)
 Gross
Carrying
Amount
  Accumulated
Amortization
 Net
Carrying
Amount
             
Vendor Relationships  120  $19,100  $2,487  $16,612 
Technology  60   6,700   1,738   4,962 
Trade names and trademarks  60   3,200   807   2,393 
      $29,000  $5,032  $23,967 
 
The changes in net intangibles and goodwill from January 28, 2017 to February 3, 2018 were as follows:
          
($ in thousands) January 28,
2017
  Amortization  February 3,
2018
 
             
Amortized intangible assets:            
Vendor relationships $18,522  $1,910  $16,612 
Technology  6,302   1,340   4,962 
Trade names and trademarks  3,033   640   2,393 
Net amortized intangible assets $27,857  $3,890  $23,967 
             
Unamortized intangible assets:            
Goodwill $39,191   -  $39,191 
Total unamortized intangible assets $39,191   -  $39,191 

Estimatedfollowing:


(amounts in thousands) January 30, 2021 
  
Weighted Average
Amortization
Period
(in months)
  
Gross Carrying
Amount
  
Accumulated
Amortization
  Impairment  
Net Carrying
Amount
 
                
Technology  60   6,700   3,854   2,587   259 
Trade names and trademarks  60   3,200   2,727   -   473 
      $9,900  $6,581  $2,587  $732 

The changes in net intangibles from February 1, 2020 to January 30, 2021 were as follows:

(amounts in thousands) 
February 1,
2020
  Amortization  
January 30,
2021
 
          
Amortized intangible assets:         
Technology  647   388   259 
Trade names and trademarks  1,113   640   473 
Net amortized intangible assets $1,760  $1,028  $732 

The changes in net intangibles from February 2, 2019 to February 1, 2020 were as follows:

(amounts in thousands) 
February 2,
2019
  Amortization  Impairment  
February 1,
2020
 
             
Amortized intangible assets:            
Vendor relationships $880  $115  $765  $- 
Technology  1,035   388   -   647 
Trade names and trademarks  1,753   640   -   1,113 
Net amortized intangible assets $3,668  $1,143  $765  $1,760 

The remaining amortization expense for eachwill be recognized in fiscal 2021, at which time all of the five succeeding fiscal years and thereafter is as follows ($ in thousands):

Fiscal Year Amortization 
 
2018  3,890 
2019  3,890 
2020  3,890 
2021  3,325 
2022  1,910 
Thereafter  $7,062 
other intangible assets will be fully amortized.
F-20

Note 5.6. Fixed Assets


Fixed assets consist of the following:

  February 3,  January 28, 
  2018  2017 
($ in thousands)      
Fixtures and equipment  $14,403   $131,216 
Leasehold improvements  9,836   43,491 
Total fixed assets  24,239   174,707 
Allowances for depreciation  (10,693)   (129,610) 
Fixed assets, net  $13,546   $45,097 


  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
(amounts in thousands)      
Capitalized software $3,721  $2,388 
Fixtures and equipment  395   538 
Leasehold improvements  45   45 
Total fixed assets  4,161   2,971 
Allowances for depreciation and amortization  (1,893)  (781)
Fixed assets, net $2,268  $2,190 

Depreciation of fixed assets isexpense included in fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 SG&A expenses within the Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows:

  Fiscal Year 
  2017  2016  2015 
($ in thousands)            
Cost of sales  $645   $440   $523 
Selling, general and administrative expenses  9,627   7,699   4,668 
Total  $10,272   $8,139   $5,191 

Depreciation expense related to the Company’s distribution center facilitywere $1.1 million and related equipment is included in cost of sales. All other depreciation of fixed assets is included in SG&A expenses.

$1.8 million, respectively.


Note 6.7. Restricted Cash


As of January 30, 2021 and February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017,1, 2020, the Company had restricted cash of $12.2$4.7 million and $16.1$5.9 million, respectively.

In connection with


Restricted cash balance at the acquisitionend of etailz and under the termsfiscal 2020 consisted of the share purchase agreement, as amended (see Note 3), the Company designated $1.5a $4.7 million of the restricted cash to be made available to satisfy any indemnification claims within 18 monthsrabbi trust that resulted from the date of acquisition, and $3.2 million of the restricted cash to equal the maximum earn-out amount that could be paid to the selling shareholders of etailz in accordance with the share purchase agreement, as amended.

In addition, as a result of the death of itsthe Company’s former Chairman, the Company received $7.5of which $1.2 million which is held in a rabbi trust and has beenwas classified as restricted cash onin current assets and $3.5 million was classified as restricted cash as a long-term asset.


Restricted cash balance at the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheetend of fiscal 2019 consisted of a $5.9 million rabbi trust, that resulted from the death of the Company’s former Chairman, of which $1.0 million was classified as of February 3, 2018.

restricted cash in current assets and $4.9 million was classified as restricted cash as a long-term asset.


A summary of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash is as follows (in(amounts in thousands):

  February 3,  January 28, 
  2018  2017 
Cash and cash equivalents $31,326  $27,974 
Restricted cash  12,180   16,103 
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $43,506  $44,077 

There was


  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
Cash and cash equivalents $1,809  $2,977 
Restricted cash  4,746   5,875 
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $6,555  $8,852 

Note 8.  Debt

New Credit Facility
On February 20, 2020, Kaspien Inc. entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Encina Business Credit, LLC (“Encina”), as administrative agent, under which the lenders party thereto committed to provide up to $25 million in loans under a three-year, secured revolving credit facility (the “New Credit Facility”).  Concurrent with the FYE Transaction, the Company borrowed $3.3 million under the New Credit Facility in order to satisfy the remaining obligations of the Company under its previous credit facility.

The commitments by the lenders under the New Credit Facility are subject to borrowing base and availability restrictions. Up to $5.0 million of the New Credit Facility may be used for the making of swing line loans.

As of January 30, 2021, the Company had borrowings of $6.3 million under the New Credit Facility.  Peak borrowings under the New Credit Facility during fiscal 2020 were $12.4 million.  As of January 30, 2021, the Company had no restricted cashoutstanding letters of credit. The Company had $5.0 million available for borrowing under the New Credit Facility as of January 30, 2016.

F-21
2021.

Note 7. Credit Facility

In January 2017,

Previously, the Company entered into a $50 million asset basedhad an amended and restated its revolving credit facility (“Credit Facility”) which amended the previous credit facility. The principal amount of all outstanding loans under the Credit Facility, together with any accrued but unpaid interest, are due and payable in January 2022, unless otherwise paid earlier pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility. Payments of amounts due under the Credit Facility are secured by the assets of the Company. The Credit Facility contains a provision to increase availability to $75 million during October to December of each year, as needed. The availability under the Credit Facility is subject to limitations based on receivables and inventory levels. During fiscal 2017, the Company exercised the right to increase its availability to $60 million subject to the same limitations noted above.

The Credit Facility contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including restrictions on dividends and share repurchases, incurrence of additional indebtedness and acquisitions and covenants around the net number of store closings and restrictions related to the payment of cash dividends and share repurchases, including limiting the amount of dividends and share repurchases to $5.0 million annually and not allowing borrowings under the amended facility for the six months before or six months after the dividend payment. The Credit Facility also includes customary events of default, including, among other things, material adverse effect, bankruptcy, and certain changes of control.Wells Fargo.  As of February 3, 2018,1, 2020, the Company was compliant with all covenants.

Interest under the Credit Facility will accrue, at the electionhad borrowings of the Company, at a Base Rate or LIBO Rate, plus, in each case, an Applicable Margin, which is determined by reference to the level of availability, with the Applicable Margin for LIBO Rate loans ranging from 1.75% to 2.00% and the Applicable Margin for Prime Rate loans ranging from 0.75% to 1.00%. In addition, a commitment fee of 0.25% is also payable on unused commitments.

As ofFebruary 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, the Company did not have any borrowings$13.1 million under the Credit Facility.  Peak borrowings under the Credit Facility during fiscal 2017 and fiscal 20162019 were $11.7 million and $21.5 million, respectively.$35.9 million.  As of February 1, 2020, the Company had no outstanding letters of credit. The Company had $41.0 million and $39.0$12 million available for borrowing under the Credit Facility as ofFebruary 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, respectively.

Note 8. Leases

Atof February 3, 2018,1, 2020.


On February 20, 2020, in conjunction with the FYE Transaction, the Company leased 260 storesfully satisfied its obligations under operating leases, manythe Credit Facility through proceeds received from the sale of the fye business and borrowings under the New Credit Facility, as further discussed above, and the Credit Facility is no longer available to the Company.

Subordinated Debt Agreement

On March 30, 2020, the Company and Kaspien (the “Loan Parties”) entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Loan Agreement (the “Amendment”). Pursuant to the Amendment, among other things, (i) the Company was added as “Parent” under the Amended Loan Agreement, (ii) the Company granted a first priority security interest in substantially all of the assets of the Company, including inventory, accounts receivable, cash and cash equivalents and certain other collateral, and (iii) the Loan Agreement was amended to (a) permit the incurrence of certain subordinated indebtedness under the Subordinated Loan Agreement (as defined below) and (b) limit the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, create liens, make investments, make restricted payments or specified payments and merge or acquire assets.

On March 30, 2020, the Loan Parties entered into a Subordinated Loan and Security Agreement (the “Subordinated Loan Agreement”) with the lenders party thereto from time to time (the “Lenders”) and TWEC Loan Collateral Agent, LLC (“Collateral Agent”), as collateral agent for the Lenders, pursuant to which the Lenders made a $5.2 million secured term loan (the “Subordinated Loan”) to Kaspien with a scheduled maturity date of May 22, 2023. As of January 30, 2021, unamortized debt issuance costs of $0.2 million are included in “Long-term Debt” on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Directors Jonathan Marcus, Thomas Simpson, and Michael Reickert are the chief executive officer of Alimco Re Ltd. (“Alimco”), the managing member of Kick-Start III, LLC and Kick-Start IV, LLC (“Kick-Start”), and a trustee of the Robert J. Higgins TWMC Trust (the “Trust”), an affiliate of RJHDC, LLC (“RJHDC” and together with Alimco and Kick-Start, “Related Party Entities”), respectively.  The Related Party Entities are parties to the Subordinated Loan Agreement.

On March 30, 2020, in conjunction with the Subordinated Loan Agreement, the Company issued warrants to purchase up to 244,532 shares of Common Stock with an aggregate grant date fair value of $0.8 million recorded as a discount to the Subordinated Loan Agreement, $0.6 million of which contain renewal optionswas unamortized as of January 30, 2021.
Paycheck Protection Program
On April 17, 2020, Kaspien received loan proceeds of $2.0 million (the “PPP Loan”) pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and escalation clauses,Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). The PPP Loan, which was in the form of a promissory note (the “Note”), dated April 10, 2020, between Kaspien and First Interstate Bank, as the lender, matures on April 17, 2022, bears interest at a fixed rate of 1% per annum, and is payable in monthly installments of $112,976. While under the terms of the PPP, some or all of the PPP Loan amount may be forgiven if the PPP Loan proceeds are used for periods ranging from one to ten years. Most leases also provide for payment of operatingqualifying expenses as described in the CARES Act and real estate taxes. Some also provide for contingentthe Note, such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, based on percentage of sales over a certain sales volume. In addition, as more fully discussed in Note 12 to Consolidated Financial Statements,and utilities, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in qualifying for and receiving forgiveness on the PPP Loan amount. On August 20, 2020, the Company submitted an application for forgiveness to the SBA. On October 30, 2020, the Company received a follow up letter requesting additional information related to its forgiveness application. The Company submitted the requested information on November 9, 2020. On January 4, 2021, the Company received another request for additional information. The Company submitted the requested information on January 14, 2021. On April 14, 2021, the Company received another request for additional information. The Company submitted the requested information on April 26, 2021. As of April 30, the Company has not received a decision on its PPP Loan forgiveness request.

Note 9.  Leases

The Company currently leases its Albany, NY distribution center and administrative offices under an operatingand distribution center. During fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, the Company recorded net lease from an entity controlled bycosts of $0.8 million, and did not record any contingent rentals.

As of January 30, 2021, the estatematurity of its former Chairman.

Rental expense waslease liabilities is as follows ($ in thousands):

  Fiscal Year 
  2017  2016  2015 
Minimum rentals  $25,033   $28,531   $30,311 
Contingent rentals     9   13 
   $25,033   $28,540   $30,324 
follows:
F-22

  Operating Leases 
(amounts in thousands)   
2021  726 
2022  748 
2023  767 
2024  652 
2025  296 
Thereafter  - 
Total lease payments  3,189 
Less: amounts representing interest  (335)
Present value of lease liabilities $2,854 

Lease term and discount rate are as follows:

As of January 30, 2021
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years)
Operating leases4.3
Weighted-average discount rate Operating leases5%

Other information:

  Fiscal 2020 
(amounts in thousands)   
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities    
Operating cash flows from operating leases $695 

Future minimum rental payments required under allthe remaining leases that have initial or remaining non-cancelable lease terms at February 3, 2018,for the administrative office and distribution center in Spokane, Washington as of January 30, 2021, are as follows ($(amounts in thousands):

  Operating
Leases
   
2018 $25,308
2019 9,933
2020 7,899
2021 4,804
2022 1,746
Thereafter 965
Total minimum payments required   $50,655

In addition to the obligations in the table above, a number of the Company’s stores have leases which have rent payments based on the store’s sales volume in lieu of fixed minimum rent payments. During fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016, and fiscal 2015, minimum rent payments based on a store’s sales volume were $0.6 million, $0.8 million and $0.9 million, respectively.


(amounts in thousands) Operating Leases 
2021 $726 
2022  748 
2023  767 
2024  652 
2025  296 
Thereafter  - 
Total minimum lease payments $3,189 

Note 9.10.  Shareholders’ Equity


The Company classifies the repurchased shares as treasury stock on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. There were no treasury stock repurchases during fiscal 2017. 2020 and fiscal 2019.

During fiscal 2016,2020, 9,949 shares were issued to Directors and employees. Of the Company repurchased 686,137 shares of common stock at an average price of $3.87 per share.issued, 1,062 were returned to the company to satisfy withholding requirements and retired to treasury shares. During fiscal 2015,2020, 100,988 warrants were exercised for proceeds of $1,010.

On August 15, 2019, we completed a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of our outstanding Common Stock. As a result of this stock split, our issued and outstanding Common Stock decreased from 36,291,620 to 1,814,581 shares. Accordingly, all share and per share information contained in this report has been restated to retroactively show the Company repurchased 298,225 shareseffect of commonthis stock at an average price of $3.64 per share. Since the inception of the share repurchase program, the Company has repurchased 2,558,180 shares of common stock at an average price of $3.83 per share. The Company has approximately $12.2 million available for future purchases under its share repurchase program.

split.


No cash dividends were paid in fiscal 2017,2020 and fiscal 2016, or fiscal 2015. The Company’s Credit Facility contains certain restrictions related to the payment of cash dividends, including limiting the amount of dividends to $5.0 million annually and not allowing borrowings under the amended facility for the six months before or six months after the dividend payment.

2019.


Note 10.11. Benefit Plans


401(k) Savings Plan

Each segment of the Company offers a 401(k) Savings Plan to eligible employees meeting certain age and service requirements.

The fye segment


Kaspien offers a 401(k) plan, which permits participants to contribute up to 80% of their salary, including bonuses, up to the maximum allowable by IRS regulations. The Company matches 50% of the first 6% of employee contributions after completing one year of service. Participants are immediately vested in their voluntary contributions plus actual earnings thereon. Participant vesting of the Company’s matching contribution is based on the years of service completed by the participant. Participants are fully vested upon the completion of four years of service.

F-23

The etailz segment offers a 401(k) planKaspien Inc. 401(K) Plan, which permits participants to contribute up to the maximum allowable by IRS regulations.  The Company matches 100% of the first 6% of employee contributions after completing one year of service. Participants are immediately vested in their voluntary contributions plus actual earnings thereon.  Participant vesting of the Company’s matching contribution is based on the years of service completed by the participant.  Participants are fully vested upon the completion of three years of service.  All participant forfeitures of non-vested benefits are used to reduce the Company’s contributions or fees in future years.


Total expense related to the Company’s matching contributions was approximately $525,000, $592,000$266,000 and $424,000$303,000 in fiscal 2017, 20162020 and 2015,fiscal 2019, respectively.


Stock Award Plans


As of January 30, 2021, there was approximately $0.4 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to stock option awards expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of 3.5 years.  The FYE Transaction in February 2020 constituted a change of control and vesting on all unvested options was accelerated. As a result, unrecognized compensation expense of $0.2 million was recognized in fiscal 2020. Total compensation expense related to stock awards recognized in fiscal 2020 was $0.3 million.

The Company has outstanding awards under three employee stock award plans, the 2005 Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan, the Amended and Restated 2005 Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan (the “Old Plans”); and the 2005 Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan (as amended and restated April 5, 2017 (the “New Plan”).  Collectively, these plans are referred to herein as the Stock Award Plans.  Additionally, the Company had a stock award plan for non-employee directors (the “1990 Plan”). The Company no longer issues stock options under the Old Plans or the 1990 Plan.

Plans.


Equity awards authorized for issuance under the New Plan total 5.0 million.250,000.  As of February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, of the awards authorized for issuance under the Stock Award Plans, 2.8 millionapproximately 133,356 were granted and are outstanding, 1.4 million45,025 of which were vested and exercisable.  Shares available for future grants of options and other share basedshare-based awards under the New Plan at February 3, 2018as of January 30, 2021 were 4.9 million. Shares available for future grants of options and other share based awards at February 3, 2018 were 1.1 million.

Total stock-based compensation expense, related to Company based Stock Award Plans, recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 was $0.6 million, $0.6 million and $0.5 million, respectively. During fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, the related total deferred tax benefit was $0. As of February 3, 2018, there was $0.8 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to stock option awards that is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of 2.5 years. Stock awards typically vest ratably over 4 years and expire ten years after the date of grant.

In connection with the acquisition of etailz, the Company issued 1,572,552 restricted shares of Company common stock to a key etailz employee, with a grant date fair value of $3.56 per share. These shares vest ratably through January 2019. As of February 3, 2018, the Company recognized $3.1 million of compensation cost related to these restricted shares. As of February 3, 2018, there was approximately $2.5 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to these restricted shares that is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of 1.0 year.

145,419.


The fair values of the options granted have been estimated at the date of grant using the Black - Scholes option pricing model with the following assumptions:

  2017 2016 2015
Dividend yield 0% 0% 0%
Expected stock price volatility 40.1%-46.4% 38.0%-47.5% 39.7%-50.2%
Risk-free interest rate 1.74%-2.39% 1.06%-2.18% 1.32%-1.94%
Expected award life ( in years) 5.64-5.71 4.92-6.98 4.92-5.71
Weighted average fair value per share of awards granted during the year $0.73 $1.19 $1.49
F-24

  2020  2019 
Dividend yield  0%  0%
Expected stock price volatility  88.0-105.5%  63.7-70.1%
Risk-free interest rate  0.28%-0.56%  1.35%-1.62%
Expected award life ( in years)  4.93-7.12   5.64-6.98 
Weighted average fair value per share of awards granted during the year $5.81  $4.46 


The following table summarizes information about stock awards outstandingoption activity under the Company’s Stock Award Plans asPlans:

  Employee and Director Stock Award Plans 
                
  
Number of
Shares
Subject To
Option
  
Stock Award
Exercise Price
Range Per Share
  
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  
Other
Share
Awards (1)
  
Weighted
Average Grant
Fair Value/
Exercise Price
 
                
Balance February 2, 2019
  138,921  $19.60-$97.40  $55.00   13,571  $33.60 
Granted  5,750  $3.51-$5.40   3.76   -   - 
Cancelled/Forfeited  (15,475) $34.60-$95.40   57.68   -   - 
Exercised  -   -   -   (3,626)  5.66 
Balance February 1, 2020
  129,196  $3.51-$97.40  $52.11   9,945  $36.75 
Granted  98,898  $3.68 -$10.75   7.36   -   - 
Cancelled/Forfeited  (94,738) $7.12 -$97.40   51.84   -   - 
Exercised  -   -   -   (9,945)  (36.75)
Balance January 30, 2021  133,356  $3.51-$97.40  $20.41   -  $- 

 (1) Other Share Awards include deferred shares granted to executives and directors.

As of February 3, 2018:

  Outstanding Exercisable
      Weighted     Weighted  
    Average Average Aggregate   Average Aggregate
Exercise   Remaining Exercise Intrinsic   Exercise Intrinsic
 Price Range Shares Life Price Value Shares Price Value
 $0.00-$2.66 932,000 6.9 1.94 $— 352,000 $2.86 $—
 2.67-3.50 721,000 7.2 3.35  480,000 6.72 
 3.51-4.87 932,914 7.6 3.95  479,164 3.29 
 Total 2,585,914 7.2 $3.06 $— 1,311,164 $3.29 $—

TheJanuary 30, 2021, the aggregate intrinsic value in the preceding table represents the total pretax intrinsic valueof all outstanding and vested awards based on the Company’s closing common stock price of $1.60$38.56 as of February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021 was $3.3 million and $0.4 million, respectively.  The aggregate intrinsic value represents the value which would have been received by the award holders had all award holders under the Stock Award Plans exercised their awards as of that date.

The following table summarizes stock option activity under the Stock Award Plans:

  Employee and Director Stock Award Plans
  Number of Shares
Subject To
Option
 Stock Award
Exercise Price
Range Per
Share
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Other
Share
Awards
(1)
 Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Value
           
Balance January 31, 2015 2,471,850 $1.73-$14.32 $6.81 237,400 $3.75
Granted 380,000 3.40-3.88 3.72 23,774 3.59
Exercised/vested (8,000) 1.73-2.53 2.33 (50,000) 0.00
Forfeited (18,500) 1.73-4.87 3.62  0.00
Canceled (713,525) 1.73-14.32 13.28  0.10
Balance January 30, 2016 2,111,825 $1.73-$6.41 $4.04 211,174 $3.79
Granted 1,009,664 2.80-3.90 3.66 68,097 3.84
           
Exercised/vested (18,000) 1.73-2.53 2.09 (108,344) 3.68
           
Forfeited (38,250) 2.53-4.87 3.82  0.00
Canceled (605,675) 2.53-6.41 5.23  0.00
Balance January 28, 2017 2,459,564 $1.73-$5.50 $3.58 170,927 $3.63
Granted 680,000 1.60-1.85 1.84 65,000 1.85
Exercised/vested    (52,500) 3.50
Forfeited (389,500) 1.85-4.87 3.23 (5,000) 3.53
Canceled (164,150) 3.79-5.50 5.43 - 0.00
Balance February 3, 2018 2,585,914 $1.60-$4.87 $3.06 178,427 $3.26
(1)Other Share Awards include deferred shares granted to executives and Directors.


During fiscal 2017 and 2016, the Company did not issue any deferred shares to non-employee directors. During fiscal 2015,2019, the Company recognized approximately $9,000$40,000 in expenses for deferred shares issued to non-employee directors.

F-25
  There were no exercises of non-restricted stock options during fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019.

($ in thousands) Stock Option Exercises
  2017 2016 2015
Cash received for exercise price  $39 $19
Intrinsic value  $25 $12

Defined Benefit Plans


The Company maintains a non-qualified Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) for certain Executive Officers of the Company.  The SERP, which is unfunded, provides eligible executives defined pension benefits that supplement benefits under other retirement arrangements.  The annual benefit amount is based on salary and bonus at the time of retirement and number of years of service.


Prior to June 1, 2003, the Company had provided the Board of Directors with a noncontributory, unfunded retirement plan (“Director Retirement Plan”) that paid retired directors an annual retirement benefit.

The final payments due under the director retirement plan were made in fiscal 2020.


For fiscal 2017, 2016,2020 and 2015,2019, net periodic benefit cost recognized under both plans totaled approximately $0.6 million, $0.8$0.3 million and $1.0$0.6 million, respectively.  The accrued pension liability for both plans was approximately $18.3$17.4 million and $18.7$17.5 million atas of January 30, 2021 and February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017,1, 2020, respectively, and is recorded within other long termlong-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.   The accumulated benefit obligation for both plans was $18.4$17.4 million and $19.0$17.7 million foras of the fiscal years ended January 30, 2021 and February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017,1, 2020, respectively.


The following is a summary of the Company’s defined benefit pension plans as of each fiscal year-end :

year-end:


Obligation and funded status:

($ in thousands) February 3,
2018
  January 28,
2017
 
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:        
Benefit obligation at beginning of year $18,700  $19,026 
Service cost  63   61 
Interest cost  555   549 
Actuarial loss  177   196 
Benefits paid  (1,161)  (1,132)
Benefit obligation at end of year $18,334  $18,700 
         
Fair value of plan assets at end of year $-  $- 
         
         
Funded status $(18,334) $(18,700)
Unrecognized prior service cost  -   17 
Unrecognized net actuarial gain  (102)  (315)
Accrued benefit cost $(18,436) $(18,998)
F-26
Funded Status:

(amounts in thousands) 
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:      
Benefit obligation at beginning of year $17,673  $17,476 
Service cost  -   55 
Interest cost  355   568 
Actuarial loss
  535   773 
Benefits paid  (1,192)  (1,199)
Benefit obligation at end of year $17,371  $17,673 
         
Fair value of plan assets at end of year $-  $- 
         
Funded status $(17,371) $(17,673)
Unrecognized net actuarial loss
  1,077   529 
Accrued benefit cost $(16,294) $(17,144)


Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of:

  February 3,
2018
  January 28,
2017
 
($ in thousands)      
Current liability $(1,199) $(1,161)
Long term liability  (17,135)  (17,539)
Add: Accumulated other comprehensive income  (102)  (298)
Net amount recognized $(18,436) $(18,998)


  
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
(amounts in thousands)      
Current liability $(1,184) $(1,199)
Long term liability  (16,722)  (17,247)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss  535   773 
Net amount recognized $(17,371) $(17,673)

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost and Other Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Loss:

Net Periodic Benefit Cost: Fiscal Year 
  2017  2016  2015 
Service cost $63  $61  $66 
Interest cost  555   549   583 
Amortization of prior service cost  17   220   342 
Amortization of actuarial net gain  (36)  (14)  (34)
Net periodic benefit cost $599  $816  $957 


Net Periodic Benefit Cost:

  Fiscal Year 
  2020  2019 
Service cost $-  $55 
Interest cost  355   568 
Amortization of actuarial net gain  -   (20)
Net periodic benefit cost $355  $603 

Other Changes in Benefit Obligations Recognized in Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss:

  2017  2016 
Net prior service cost recognized as a component of  net periodic benefit cost $(17)  $(220)
Net actuarial gain recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost  36   14 
Net actuarial losses arising during the period  177   196 
   196   (10) 
Income tax effect  -   - 
Total recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss $196  $(10) 
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive loss $795  $806 


  2020  2019 
Net prior service cost recognized as a component of  net periodic benefit cost $-  $- 
Net actuarial loss arising during the period  528   744 
   528   744 
Income tax effect  -   - 
Total recognized in other comprehensive loss $528  $744 
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive loss $883  $1,341 

The pre-tax components of accumulated other comprehensive loss, which have not yet been recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost as of February 3, 2018, January 28, 2017, and January 30, 20162021 and February 1, 2020 and the tax effect are summarized below.

($ in thousands) February 3, January 28, January 30,
  2018 2017 2016
Net unrecognized actuarial gain ($102) ($315) ($525)
Net unrecognized prior service cost        - 17 237
Accumulated other comprehensive income ($102) ($298) ($288)
Tax expense 1,100 1,100 1,100
Accumulated other comprehensive loss $998 $802 $812
F-27

  Fiscal Year  
  2017 2016  
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligation:      
Discount rate 3.42% 3.58%  
Salary increase rate 3.00% 3.00%  
Measurement date Jan 31, 2018 Jan 28, 2017  
       
  Fiscal Year
  2017 2016 2015
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost:      
Discount rate 3.16% 3.63% 3.00%
Salary increase rate 3.00% 3.00% 3.00%

(amounts in thousands) January 30,  February 1, 
  2021  2020 
Net unrecognized actuarial loss
 $528  $744 
Other actuarial adjustments  379   (365)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
 $907  $379 
Tax expense  1,100   1,100 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss $2,007  $1,479 


  Fiscal Year 
  2020  2019 
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligation:      
Discount rate  1.94%  2.31%
Salary increase rate  0.00%  0.00%
Measurement date Jan 31, 2021  Jan 31, 2020 

  Fiscal Year 
  2020  2019 
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost:      
Discount rate  1.94%  2.31%
Salary increase rate  N/A   N/A 

The discount rate is based on the rates implicit in high-quality fixed-income investments currently available as of the measurement date.  The Citigroup Pension Discount Curve (CPDC) rates are intended to represent the spot rates implied by the high qualityhigh-quality corporate bond market in the U.S.  The projected benefit payments attributed to the projected benefit obligation have been discounted using the CPDC mid-year rates and the discount rate is the single constant rate that produces the same total present value.


The following benefit payments which reflect expected future service, as appropriate,over the next ten years are expected to be paid:

Year Pension Benefits 
($ in thousands)
2018  1,199 
2019  1,199 
2020  1,192 
2021  1,184 
2022  1,149 
2023 – 2027  6,510 

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

($ in thousands)Pension
Benefit
January 28, 2017($802)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications(196)
February 3, 2018($998)
F-28

Year Pension Benefits 
(amounts in thousands)
    
2021  1,184 
2022  1,149 
2023  1,149 
2024  1,149 
2025  1,269 
2026 – 2030  6,511 


Note 11.12.  Income Taxes


Income tax benefitexpense consists of the following:

  Fiscal Year
  2017 2016 2015 
($ in thousands)  
Federal - current $(500)  $-  $- 
State - current  201   215   181 
Deferred  -   (6,988)  - 
Income tax expense (benefit) $(299)  $(6,773) $181 


  Fiscal Year 
  2020  
2019(1)
 
(amounts in thousands)   
Federal - current $(3,542) $- 
State - current  -   44 
Deferred  -   - 
Income tax (benefit) expense $(3,542) $44 

(1) Amount adjusted to reflect impact of discontinued operations.

A reconciliation of the Company’s effective income tax rate with the federal statutory rate is as follows:

  Fiscal Year
  2017 2016 2015
Federal statutory rate  33.7%   35.0%   35.0%
State income taxes  (0.5%)   (6.0%)   4.1%
Change in valuation allowance  36.1%   (57.2%)   (39.0%) 
Cash surrender value - insurance / benefit program  7.0%   4.0%   5.3%
Contingent consideration  2.6%   19.1%   —%
Change in US Federal Statutory Tax Rate  (79.4%)   —%   —%
Deferred tax benefit - acquisition  —%   196.1%   —%
Other  1.2%   (0.9%)   0.9%
Effective tax rate  0.7%   190.1%   6.3%


 Fiscal Year 

  2020  
2019(1)
 
Federal statutory rate  21.0%  21.0%
State income taxes, net of federal tax effect  0.0%  0.3%
Change in Valuation Allowance  (27.7%)  (21.0%)
Cash surrender value - insurance / benefit program  6.8%  0.1%
Uncertain tax position  47.6%  ---%
Other  (0.19%)  (0.1%)
Effective tax rate  (47.6%)  0.3%

(1) Amount adjusted to reflect impact of discontinued operations.

The Other category is comprised of various items, including the impacts of non-deductible meals, dues,entertainment, penalties and parking benefits and the refundable portion of the federal currentalternative minimum tax benefit on refundable AMT taxcarryover credit.


Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

  February 3,
2018
 January 28,
2017
($ in thousands)  
DEFERRED TAX ASSET        
Accrued Expenses $260  $400 
Inventory  -   347 
Retirement and compensation related accruals  6,724   9,063 
Fixed assets  7,561   1,718 
Federal and state net operating loss and credit carry forwards  64,807   83,221 
Real estate leases, included deferred rent  2,446   4,141 
Losses on investment  827   1,268 
Others  577   901 
Gross deferred tax assets before valuation allowance  83,202   101,059 
Less: valuation allowance  (76,810)  (89,443)
Total deferred tax assets $6,392  $11,616 
         
DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES        
Intangibles $(6,193) $(11,616)
Inventory  (199)  - 
Total deferred tax liabilities $(6,392) $(11,616)
         
NET DEFERRED TAX ASSET $-  $- 
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January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
(amounts in thousands)   
DEFERRED TAX ASSETS      
Accrued Expenses $71  $1,783 
Inventory  215   32 
Retirement and compensation related accruals  3,981   5,888 
Fixed assets  218   6,470 
Federal and state net operating loss and credit carry forwards  90,206   83,562 
Real estate leases, included deferred rent  -   5,712 
Losses on investment  853   896 
Others  107   549 
Gross deferred tax assets before valuation allowance  95,651   104,892 
Less: valuation allowance  (95,022)  (104,556)
Total deferred tax assets $629  $336 
         
DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES        
Intangibles $(629) $(336)
Inventory  -   - 
Total deferred tax liabilities $(629) $(336)
         
NET DEFERRED TAX ASSET $-  $- 


The Company, at the end of fiscal 2020, has a net operating loss carryforward of $208.3$346.7 million for federal income tax purposes andwhich will expire at various times throughout 2040 with a portion being available indefinitely.  The Company has approximately $273.4$219.5 million of net operating loss carryforward for state income tax purposes as of the end of fiscal 20172020 that expire at various times through 20372040 and are subject to certain limitations and statutory expiration periods.  The reduction in state net operating loss carryforward is due to the FYE Transaction, as the Company will not utilize those losses. The state net operating loss carryforwards are subject to various business apportionment factors and multiple jurisdictional requirements when utilized.   The Company has federal tax credit carryforwards of $0.5 million which will expire in various amounts through 2026.  The Company has state tax credit carryforwards of $1.1 million, of which $0.2 million will expire in 2027 with the remainder available indefinitely.

million.


In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.  The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income.  Management considers the scheduled reversal of taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment.   Based on the available objective evidence, management concluded that a full valuation allowance should be recorded against its deferred tax assets.  As of February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, the valuation allowance decreased to $76.8$95.0 million from $89.4$104.6 million at January 28, 2017. The decrease in the Company’s deferred tax assets was caused primarily by enactmentas of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which was enacted on December 22, 2017 and changes in certain deductible temporary differences to offset income before income taxes earned in fiscal 2017.February 1, 2020.   Management will continue to assess the valuation allowance against the gross deferred assets.


A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits for the respective years is provided below.  Amounts presented excluded interest and penalties, where applicable, on unrecognized tax benefits:

  Fiscal Year
  2017 2016 2015
($ in thousands)  
Unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of year $1,930  $1,930  $1,930 
Increases in tax positions from prior years  -   -   - 
Decreases in tax positions from prior years  -   -   - 
Increases in tax positions for current years  -   -   - 
Settlements  -   -   - 
Lapse of applicable statute of limitations  -   -   - 
Unrecognized tax benefits at end of year $1,930  $1,930  $1,930 


  Fiscal Year 
  2020  2019 
(amounts in thousands)   
Unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of year $1,930  $1,930 
Increases in tax positions from prior years  -   - 
Decreases in tax positions from prior years  (1,517)  - 
Increases in tax positions for current years  -   - 
Settlements  -   - 
Lapse of applicable statute of limitations  -   - 
Unrecognized tax benefits at end of year $413  $1,930 

As of February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, the Company had $1.9 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, $1.5 million of which would affect the Company’s tax rate if recognized.  While it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will increase or decrease within the next twelve months, the Company does not expect the change to have a significant impact on its results of operations or financial position.  The Company is subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income tax of multiple state jurisdictions.  The Company has substantially concluded all federal income tax matters and all material state and local income tax matters through fiscal 2013.


The Company’s practice is to recognize interest and penalties associated with its unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.  During fiscal 2017,2020, the Company accrued a provision for interest expense of $0.2 million.  As of February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, the liability for uncertain tax positions reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets was $3.1$3.5 million, including accrued interest and penalties of $2.3$2.7 million.

On December 22, 2017, the


The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was enacted. The Act makes broad and complex change to the U.S. tax code including a significant reduction to the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from

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35 percent to 21 percent effective January 1, 2018. Accordingly, the federal deferred tax assets were written down to account for the change. The write down is reflected in both the valuation allowance and the deferred tax assets which total $34.0 million. This change is also presented in the effective tax rate schedule as a reduction to the current year losses by 79.3%. The valuation allowance rate impact includes an offsetting reduction for the tax rate which results in no change to the provision for income taxes.

The Act also repeals the Corporation Alternative Minimum Tax (“AMT”) for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.  Any AMT carryover credits will bebecame refundable starting in the 2018 tax year, and any remaining credit will be fully refundable in 2021, as such, the Company recorded a current benefit in its' financial statements.

2021.

Note 12.13.  Related Party Transactions

The


Prior to the consummation of the FYE Transaction, the Company leasesleased its 181,300 square foot distribution center/office facility in Albany, New York from an entity controlled by the estate of Robert J. Higgins, its former Chairman and largest shareholder. The original distribution center/office facility was occupiedLoss from fye business in 1985.the Statement of Operations. On December 4, 2015,February 20, 2020, as part of the FYE Transaction, the Company amendedassigned the rights and restatedobligations of the lease.lease to the acquiror.

Directors Jonathan Marcus, Thomas Simpson, and Michael Reickert are the chief executive officer of Alimco Re Ltd. (“Alimco”), the managing member of Kick-Start III, LLC and Kick-Start IV, LLC (“Kick-Start”), and a trustee of the Robert J. Higgins TWMC Trust (the “Trust”), an affiliate of RJHDC, LLC (“RJHDC” and together with Alimco and Kick-Start, “Related Party Entities”), respectively.  The lease commenced January 1, 2016, and expires on December 31, 2020.

UnderRelated Party Entities are parties to the new lease dated December 4, 2015, and accounted for as an operating lease,following agreements with the Company paid $1.2entered into on March 30, 2020:


Subordinated Loan and Security Agreement, pursuant to which the Related Party Entities made a $5.2 million secured term loan ($2.7 million from Alimco, $0.5 million from Kick-Start, and $2.0 million from RJHDC) to Kaspien with a scheduled maturity date of May 22, 2023, interest accruing at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum and compounded on the last day of each calendar quarter by becoming a part of the principal amount, and secured by a second priority security interest in both fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016. Undersubstantially all of the lease prior to December 4, 2015,assets of the Company paid annual rentand Kaspien;

Common Stock Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”), pursuant to which the Company issued warrants to purchase up to 244,532 shares of $2.1 millionCommon Stock to the Related Party Entities (127,208 shares for Alimco, 23,401 shares for Kick-Start, and 93,923 shares for RJHDC), subject to adjustment in fiscal 2015. Underaccordance with the terms of the lease agreement,Warrants, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share.  As of April 15, 2021, 236,993 of the Warrants had been exercised by the Related Party Entities and 7,539 warrants remained outstanding;

Contingent Value Rights Agreement (the “CVR Agreement”), pursuant to which the Related Party Entities received contingent value rights (“CVRs”) representing the contractual right to receive cash payments from the Company is responsiblein an amount equal, in the aggregate, to 19.9% of the proceeds (10.35% for property taxesAlimco, 1.90% for Kick-Start, and other operating costs7.64% for RJHDC) received by the Company in respect of certain intercompany indebtedness owing to it by Kaspien and/or its equity interest in Kaspien; and

Voting Agreement (the “Voting Agreement”), pursuant to which the Related Party Entities, the Trust, Mr. Simpson and their respective related entities agreed to how their respective shares of the Company’s capital stock held by the parties will be voted with respect to the premises.

Sara Neblett,designation, election, removal, and replacement of members of the wifeBoard of Josh Neblett,Directors of the Executive Advisor of etailz, was employed with the Company as the Vice President of Partner Care of etailz. Ms. Neblett received $165,250 in cash compensation during fiscal 2017.

Company.

Note 13.14. Commitments and Contingencies


Legal Proceedings


The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of its business and have not been finally adjudicated.  Although there can be no assurance as to the ultimate disposition of these matters, it is management’s opinion, based upon the information available at this time, that the expected outcome of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition of the Company.

Store Manager


Loyalty Memberships and Magazine Subscriptions Class Actions

Two former Store Managers filed actions alleging claims of entitlement to unpaid compensation for overtime. In one action, the plaintiff seeks to represent a class of allegedly similarly situated employees who performed the same position (Store Manager and Senior Assistant Manager) while the other plaintiff seeks to represent a class of allegedly similarly situated employees who performed the same position (Store Manager).

Specifically, Carol SpackAction

On November 14, 2018, three consumers filed a punitive class action complaint against Trans World Entertainment Corporation (Trans World)the Company and Synapse Group, Inc. in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Boston Division (Case No.1:18-cv-12377-DPW) concerning enrollment in the Company’s Backstage Pass VIP loyalty program and associated magazine subscriptions.  The complaint alleged, among other things, that the Company’s “negative option marketing” misled consumers into enrolling for membership and subscriptions without obtaining the consumers’ consent.  The complaint sought to represent a nationwide class of “all persons in the United States” who were enrolled in and/or charged for Backstage Pass VIP memberships and/or magazine subscriptions, and to obtain statutory and actual damages on their behalf.

On April 11, 2019, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit.  On May 8, 2019, two of the plaintiffs from the dismissed lawsuit filed a similar putative class action in Massachusetts state court (Civ. Act. No. 197CV00331, Mass. Super. Ct. Hampden Cty.), based on the same allegations, but this time seeking to represent only a class of “FYE customers in Massachusetts” who were charged for VIP Backstage Pass Memberships and/or magazine subscriptions.  The Company removed that lawsuit back to federal court on June 12, 2019, and then filed a motion to dismiss and/or strike the plaintiff’s class action allegations on June 28, 2019.  On February 2, 2021 the court granted the Company’s motion, struck the class action allegations, and dismissed the individual plaintiffs’ claims for lack of jurisdiction.  Plaintiffs appealed the court’s decision on February 24, 2021.   The parties participated in a mandatory court-annexed mediation session on April 8, 2021.  The parties have agreed on terms to resolve the matter fully and finally, and the appeal will be dismissed without material impact on the financial results of the Company.

Store Manager Class Actions
There are two pending class actions.  The first, Spack v. Trans World Entertainment Corp. was originally filed in the District of New Jersey, on April 20, 2017 (Case No.: 3:17-cv-02687-BRM-LHG) alleging(the “Spack Action”).  The Spack Action alleges that she is entitled to unpaid compensation for overtime under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). She brings a nationwide collective action under the FLSA on behalf of allCompany misclassified Store Managers and(“SMs”) as exempt nationwide.  It also alleges that the Company improperly calculated overtime for Senior Assistant Managers. SheManagers (“SAMs”) nationwide, and that both SMs and SAMs worked “off-the-clock.”  It also brings class action claims underalleges violations of New Jersey and Pennsylvania law on behalf of all persons who worked as Store Managers in New Jersey or Senior Assistant Managers in Pennsylvania.

On May 19, 2017, NatashaState Law with respect to calculating overtime for SAMs.  The second, Roper filed a complaint againstv. Trans World Entertainment Corp., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, (Case No.: 1:17-cv-0553-TJM-CFH) in which sheMay 2017 (the “Roper Action”).  The Roper Action also alleges that she is

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entitled to unpaid compensation for overtime under the FLSA. Ms. Roper bringsasserts a nationwide collective action under the FLSAmisclassification claim on behalf of all similarly situated Store Managers.

SMs.  Both actions were consolidated into the Northern District of New York, with the Spack Action being the lead case.


The Company has reached a settlement with the plaintiffs for both store manager class actions, which has received preliminary approval from the court.  The Company reserved $0.4 million for the settlement as of February 1, 2020.  Notices of the settlement have been issued to class members, and the settlement claims process is currently ongoing.  A final settlement approval hearing has been set by the court for April 14, 2021.

Note 14.15. Basic and Diluted Loss Per Share

Basic loss per share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted loss per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into Common Stock or resulted in the issuance of Common Stock (net of any assumed repurchases) that then shared in the earnings of the Company, if any.  It is computed by dividing net loss by the sum of the weighted average shares outstanding and additional Common Shares that would have been outstanding if the dilutive potential common shares had been issued for the Company’s Common Stock awards from the Company’s Stock Award Plans.

The following represents basic and diluted loss per share for continuing operations, loss from discontinued operations and net loss for the respective periods:

  Fifty-two Weeks Ended 
(in thousands, except per share amounts) 
January 30,
2021
  
February 1,
2020
 
    
Loss from continuing operations $(3,892) $(14,393)
         
Basic and diluted loss per common share from continuing operations $(2.10) $(7.93)
         
Loss from discontinued operations $-  $(44,351)
Basic and diluted loss per common share from discontinued operations $-  $(24.42)
         
Net loss $(3,892) $(58,744)
         
         
Basic and diluted loss per common share $(2.10) $(32.35)
         
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding – basic and diluted  1,849   1,816 

Note 16.  Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)

    Fiscal 2017 Quarter Ended
  Fiscal February 3, October 28, July 29, April 29,
  2017 2018(2) 2017 2017 2017(1)
  ($ in thousands, except for per share amounts)
Total Revenue $442,856  $145,409   $93,001   $102,479   $101,967 
Gross profit  143,843  40,787   31,581   35,170   36,305 
Net income (loss) ($42,553) ($32,450) ($8,071) ($5,565) $3,533 
Basic and diluted income (loss) per share ($1.18) ($0.90) ($0.22) ($0.15) $0.10 
   
    Fiscal 2016 Quarter Ended
  Fiscal January 28, October 29, July 30, April 30,
  2016 2017 2016 2016 2016
  ($ in thousands, except for per share amounts)
Total Revenue $353,470 $147,109 $66,282 $64,349 $75,730
Gross profit 134,659 50,258 26,872 26,701 30,828
Net income (loss) $3,211 $8,322 ($483) ($4,655) $27
Basic and diluted income (loss) per share $0.10 $0.23 ($0.02) ($0.15) $0.00


     Fiscal 2020 Quarter Ended 
  
Fiscal
2020
  
January 30,
2021
  
October 31,
2020(2)
  
August 1,
2020
  
May 2,
2020
 
    
Total Revenue $158,345  $45,547  $38,913  $42,296  $31,589 
Gross profit  16,304   4,678   3,891   4,423   3,312 
Income (loss) from continuing operations  
(3,892
)  
(139
)
  
2,552

  
(899
)  
(5,406
)
Net income (loss) $(3,892) $(139) $2,552  $(899) $(5,406)
Diluted income (loss) per share (3)
 $(2.10) $(0.03) $1.39  $(0.49) $(2.97)

     Fiscal 2019 Quarter Ended 
  
Fiscal
2019
  
February 1,
2020(1)
  
November 2,
2019
  
August 3,
2019
  
May 4,
2019
 
    
Total Revenue $133,216  $35,208  $28,616  $34,260  $35,132 
Gross profit  10,851   2,267   2,720   3,087   2,777 
Loss from continuing operations  (14,393)  (3,195)  (3,094)  (3,758)  (4,346)
Net loss $(58,744) $(19,659) $(23,155) $(8,128) $(7,802)
Basic and diluted loss per share(3)
 $(32.35) $(10.81) $(12.73) $(4.48) $(4.20)

1.Includes $0.8 million impairment of fixed assets and intangibles.

2.Includes an income tax benefit of $3.5 million related to the reversal of liabilities accrued pursuant to ASC 740-10, Accounting for Uncertain Tax Positions

3.Per share amounts reflect the 1-for- 20 stock split during fiscal 2019.

Note 17.  Subsequent Events

On March 18, 2021 the Company completed the closing of an underwritten offering of 416,600 shares of common stock of the Company, at a price to the public of $32.50 per share. The gross proceeds of the offering were approximately $13.5 million, prior to deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital to implement its strategic plans focused on brand acquisition, investments in technology to enhance its scalable platform and its core retail business.

Index to Exhibits
Document Number and Description

Exhibit No.

Underwriting Agreement, dated March 16, 2021, by and between Kaspien Holdings Inc. and Aegis Capital Corp. - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on March 16, 2021. Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
1.Includes $8.7 million gain from insurance proceeds.
2.Includes $29.1 million impairment of fixed assets.
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Index to Exhibits

Document Number and Description

Exhibit No.
2.1ShareAsset Purchase Agreement by and among Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World Entertainment Corporation, etailz,FL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, Kaspien Holdings Inc., each equityholder ofetailz,2428392 Inc., and Thomas C. Simpson, as sellers’ representative,2428391 Ontario Inc, o/a Sunrise Records, dated as of October 17, 2016January 23, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on October 18, 2016.January 23, 2020. Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Registration RightsAmendment No. 1 to Asset Purchase Agreement by and among Record Town, Inc., Record Town USA LLC, Record Town Utah LLC, Trans World Entertainment CorporationFL LLC, Trans World New York, LLC, Kaspien Holdings Inc., 2428392 Inc., and each holder of Consideration Shares,2428391 Ontario Inc, o/a Sunrise Records, dated as of October 17, 2016February 20, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on October 18, 2016.February 20, 2020. Commission File No. 0-14818.
2.3Amendment No. 1 to Share Purchase Agreement by and among Trans World Entertainment Corporation, etailz Inc. and Thomas C. Simpson, as sellers’ representative, dated as of May 3, 2017 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on May 4, 2017. Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
3.1Restated Certificate of Incorporation incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 1994.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation — incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended October 29, 1994. Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 1998.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Amended By-Laws incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2000.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Form of Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation—Incorporation – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, No. 333-75231.
  
Form of Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation—Incorporation – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, No. 333-75231.
  
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation—Incorporation – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed August 15, 2000.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-A filed August 15, 2000. Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed July 16, 2019.  Commission File  No. 0-14818.

Amendment No. 1 to By-Laws – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 31, 2020. Commission File No. 0-14818.
 
4.8Second Amended and restated Credit Agreement between
Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation of Trans World Entertainment Corporation, and Wells Fargo; National Association dated January 17, 2017–September 3, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on September 3, 2020. Commission File No. 0-14818.
Amendment No. 2 to Bylaws of Kaspien Holdings Inc., dated September 3, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on September 3, 2020. Commission File No. 0-14818.
Specimen of Kaspien Holdings Inc. Stock Certificate – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s CurrentAnnual Report on Form 8-K filed January 19, 2017. Commission File No. 0-14818.
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10.1Amended and Restated Lease, dated December 4, 2015, between Robert J. Higgins, as Landlord, and Record Town, Inc. and Trans World Entertainment Corporation, as Tenant — incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q10-K for the fiscal quarteryear ended October 31, 1998.February 1, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Description of Kaspien Holdings Inc. Capital Stock.
 
10.5Trans World Music Corporation 1990 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors,Loan and Security Agreement by and among Kaspien Inc. and Encina Business Credit, LLC, dated as amended and restated —of February 20, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Annex AExhibit 10.1 to Trans World’s Definitive Proxy Statement onthe Company’s Form 14A8-K filed as of May 19, 2000.February 20, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.

Amendment No. 1 to Loan and Security Agreement by and among Kaspien Inc. and Encina Business Credit, LLC, dated as of March 30, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 31, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
Amendment No. 2 to Loan and Security Agreement by and among Kaspien Inc. and Encina Business Credit, LLC, dated as of March 30, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed April 8, 2021.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
 
10.6Subordinated Loan and Security Agreement dated as of March 30, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 31, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
 
Contingent Value Rights Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 31, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
Common Stock Purchase Warrants, dated as of March 30, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 31, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
Voting Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 31, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
Promissory Note by and between Kaspien Inc. Inc. and First Interstate Bank, dated as of April 10, 2020 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed April 23, 2020.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
Form of Indemnification Agreement dated May 1, 1995 between the Company and its officers and directors—directors – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 29, 1995.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
10.7Trans World Entertainment CorporationKaspien Holdings Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as amended incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on July 16, 2012.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
10.8Trans World Entertainment CorporationKaspien Holdings Inc. 2005 Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan—incorporatedPlan –incorporated herein by reference to Appendix A to Trans  World Entertainment Corporation’sKaspien Holdings Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Form 14A filed as of May 11, 2005.  Commission File No. 0-14818.

10.9Trans World Entertainment CorporationKaspien Holdings Inc. Bonus Plan incorporated herein by reference to Appendix A to Trans World Entertainment Corporation’sKaspien Holdings Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Form 14A filed as of May 30, 2014.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
10.10Trans World Entertainment CorporationKaspien Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan—Plan – incorporated herein by reference to Appendix A to Trans  World Entertainment Corporation’sKaspien Holdings Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Form 14A filed as of May 30, 2014.  Commission File No. 0-14818.
  
10.11EmploymentSeverance, Retention and Restrictive Covenant Agreement dated as of August 27, 2014 between the Company and Michael Feurer,—Edwin J. Sapienza, dated February 26, 2019 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on March 4, 2019. Commission File No. 0-14818.
Offer Letter by and between Kaspien Holdings Inc. and Kunal Chopra, dated July 5, 2019 – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K10-Q filed on September 3, 2014.17, 2019. Commission File No. 0-14818
  
10.12Amendment to Offer Letter by and between Trans World Entertainment CorporationKaspien Holdings Inc. and Josh Neblett,Kunal Chopra, dated OctoberJuly 17, 2016— incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on October 18, 2016. Commission File No. 0-148182019.
  
Significant Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
  
Consent of KPMG LLP.Fruci & Associates II, PLLC.
  
*23.1
Consent of KPMG LLC
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer dated May 4, 2018,April 30, 2021, relating to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15a-14(a).
  
Certification of Chief Financial Officer dated May 4, 2018,April 30, 2021, relating to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 3, 2018,January 30, 2021,  pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15a-14(a).
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Registrant, dated May 4, 2018,April 30, 2021, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section   1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 relating to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 3, 2018.January 30, 2021.

*101.INSXBRL Instance Document
  
*101.SCHXBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
  
*101.CALXBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
  
*101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
  
*101.LABXBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
  
*101.PREXBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase


* Filed herewith

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