UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K/A

(Amendment No. 1)

10-K

(Mark One)

xANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 20192021

oTRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934  

For the transition period from _____________ to _______

_____

Commission file Number: 000-50587

WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware

13-4005439

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

(IRS Employer Identification Number)

 

118 North Bedford Road, Ste. 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

 

(914) 242-5700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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

None

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

Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yeso  ☐    Nox

  ☒

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yesx    No o


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

Large accelerated filer o

Accelerated filer o

Non-accelerated filer x

Smaller reporting company x

Emerging growth company o

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. Yes ☐    No ☒

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

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, computed by reference to the price at which the common stock was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common stock, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second quarter, is $4,000,000.

As of April 15, 2020, 19,839,777March 11, 2022, 20,210,529 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Part III of this report incorporates certain information by reference from the registrant’s proxy statement for the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, or an amendment to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, to be filed no later than 120 days after the close of the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.



  

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) is filing this Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A (this “Form 10-K/A”) pursuant to General Instruction G (3) to Form 10-K, which amends and supplements our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 30, 2020 (the “2019 Form 10-K”).    This Form 10-K/A provides the information required to be disclosed in Part III, Items 10 through 14 and updates the information contained in Part IV, Item 15.  As a result of this amendment, the Company is filing as exhibits to this Form 10-K/A the certifications required under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.  Because no financial statements are contained within this Form 10-K/A, the Company is not including certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 

Except for the amendments described above, this Form 10-K/A does not modify or update the disclosures in, or exhibits to, the 2019 Form 10-K.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 Page
 
PART IIII
Item 1.Business2
Item 1A.Risk Factors3
Item 1B.Unresolved Staff Comments5
Item 2.Properties6
Item 3.Legal Proceedings6
Item 4.Mine Safety Disclosures7
 
PART II
Item 5.Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities7
Item 6.Selected Financial Data7
Item 7.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations7
Item 7A.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk9
Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data10
Item 9.Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure22
Item 9A.Controls and Procedures22
Item 9B.Other Information22
PART III
Item 10.Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance123
Item 11.Executive Compensation423
Item 12.Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters923
Item 13.Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence1123
Item 14.Principal Accounting Fees and Services1223
Item 15.Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules23
Item 16.Form 10-K Summary24
PART IV
   
SIGNATURESPART IV
Item 15.Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules12
SIGNATURES1325

 

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PART III

ITEM 10.DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Directors

 Set forth below are the names of, and certain biographical information regarding, the directors of the Company. The Board of Directors currently consists of three directors.  

Harvey P. Eisen, 77, has served as Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since June 2007 and also has served as its President since July 2007.  Mr. Eisen has served as a director of the Company since 2004.  Mr. Eisen has served as Chairman and Managing Member of Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC, an investment partnership (“Bedford Oak”), since 1998 and was Chairman and Director of GP Strategies Corporation, a global performance solutions provider (“GP Strategies”) from 2004 to 2018. Mr. Eisen has also served on the board of directors of VerifyMe, Inc., a provider of physical, cyber and biometric security solutions from April 2018 through February 2019.

Mr. Eisen was previously Senior Vice President of Travelers, Inc. and held various executive positions with Primerica, SunAmerica Corp., and Integrated Resources Asset Management.  Mr. Eisen was president and portfolio manager of Eisen Capital Management for 10 years.  He began his career as an analyst with Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. and Wertheim.  Mr. Eisen has served on the Strategic Development Board for the Trulaske College of Business, University of Missouri since 1995 where he established the first accredited course on the Warren Buffett Principles of Investing. He also serves on the University’s Investment Advisory Committee.

Mr. Eisen is qualified to serve on our board of directors and brings valuable insight to our board of directors as a result of his broad range of business skills and his financial literacy and expertise and executive and management leadership skills. Mr. Eisen developed these skills and expertise during his long and successful business career as Chairman and Managing Member of Bedford Oak, a Senior Vice President of Travelers and Primerica, as well as his service on other public company and institutional boards.

Lawrence G. Schafran, 81, is a private investor and has served as a director and chairman of the audit committee of the Company since 2006.  Mr. Schafran also serves as a director of Glasstech, Inc., a manufacturer and seller of glass bending and tempering systems. Mr. Schafran also served as director of other public and private companies, such as Cupcake Digital, Inc., a developer of mobile applications focusing on the children’s market from 2013 to June 2019 and VerifyMe, Inc., a provider of physical, cyber and biometric security solutions from 2013 to June 2019. He also served as a Managing Director of Providence Capital, Inc., an investment and advisory firm from March 2003 until December 2012.

Mr. Schafran is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive business skills and experiences and his financial literacy and expertise.  Mr. Schafran also possesses a broad range of experiences and skill garnered from the various leadership positions and from his service on other public company boards and committees.

Dort A. Cameron III, 75, is currently the managing member of Airlie Enterprises, LLC, a private consulting and principal investments company established in 1995 and has served as a director and chairman of the Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee since February 2019. Mr. Cameron is also the President of the Cameron Family Foundation. Mr. Cameron was a principal of the Investment Manager, a managing director of the General Partner of the Investment Manager and Chief Investment Officer (portfolio manager) of the Airlie Opportunity Fund’s portfolio from 2003 through 2014. 

Mr. Cameron has over 30 years of investment banking, merchant banking, and investment management experience. 

His experience encompasses institutional portfolio management, alternative and principal investing, fiduciary oversight, and significant private equity, high yield, and distressed transactions/situations. Mr. Cameron’s professional experience includes a position as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and a majority owner of Entex Information Services, Inc., a computer services company headquartered in Rye Brook, New York (“Entex”).  Mr. Cameron was also the General Partner of BMA Limited Partnership, a mezzanine private equity fund, which was the general partner of Investment Limited Partnership (“ILP”), which he co-founded in 1984 with Richard Rainwater of the Bass organization and managed through June of 1996. 

Mr. Cameron has served as a member of the Board of Directors of First Marblehead Corporation, Greenwich Life Settlements, TLC Beatrice as well as Middlebury College, where he still currently serves, and the Rippowam Cisqua School.

Mr. Cameron’s is qualified to serve on our Board because of his senior management roles in investment banking, merchant banking, and investment management and his other professional experience, each of which have required him to balance the demands of clients, employees and investors.

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Executive Officers Who Are Not a DirectorCautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

Set forth below isThis Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the namemeaning of and certain biographical information regarding executive officersSection 27A of the Company who do not serveSecurities Act of 1933, as directors of the Company.

Harold D. Kahn, 66, is the Acting Chief Financial Officeramended (the “Securities Act”), and Acting Principal Accounting Officer of the Company since March 2019. Mr. Kahn previously served as a consultant to the Company. Mr. Kahn has been the Managing Member of Vela Capital Advisors, LLC, an independent advisory consultancy since February 2007. Mr. Kahn has been a senior principal for several privately-held technology consulting and investment management firms.  Earlier in his career, he was a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York and Tokyo. Mr. Kahn holds an AB in Economics from Stanford University.

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Corporate Governance

General

The Company is committed to establishing sound principles of corporate governance which promote honest, responsible and ethical business practices. The Company’s Board of Directors and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee actively review and evaluate the Company’s corporate governance practices. This review includes comparing the Board’s current governance policies and practices with those suggested by corporate governance authorities as well as the practices of other public companies of comparable size. The Board of Directors has adopted those corporate governance policies and practices that its evaluation suggests are the most appropriate for the Company.

Audit Committee

Our Audit Committee is currently composed of Lawrence G. Schafran (Chairman) and Dort A. Cameron III. The Board of Directors affirmatively determined that Mr. Schafran and Mr. Cameron are independent, in accordance with The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) independence criteria and for purposes of Section 10A(m)(3)21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).  The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but rather reflect our current expectations concerning future events and results. The words “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “project,” “predict,” “expect,” “estimate,” “continue,” and “intend,” as well as other similar words and expressions of the future, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements generally relate to our plans, objectives and expectations for future events and include statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts.  These statements are based upon our opinions and estimates as of the date they are made.  Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may be beyond our control, which could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from results, performance and achievements projected, expected, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.  While we cannot assess the future impact that any of these differences could have on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows or the market price of shares of our common stock, the differences could be significant. You are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements when evaluating the information presented in this report.

Factors that may cause actual results to differ from historical results or those results expressed or implied, include, but are not limited to, those listed below under Item 1A. “Risk Factors”.

If significant risks and uncertainties occur, or if our estimates or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could differ materially.  You are urged to consider all such risks and uncertainties. In light of the uncertainty inherent in such forward-looking statements, you should not consider their inclusion to be a representation that such forward-looking matters will be achieved.

Additional information concerning the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in Item 1. “Business”, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.  We undertake no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements or cautionary factors, except as required by law.

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PART I

Item 1.  Business.

General Development of Business

Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”, “Wright Holdings”, “we” or “us”) was incorporated on March 10, 1998 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of GP Strategies Corporation (“GP Strategies”) and in November 2004, the Company’s common stock was spun-off to holders of record of GP Strategies common stock and GP Strategies Class B capital stock.  The Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink Sheets and is traded under the symbol “iWSH”.

The Company currently has a substantial portion of its assets consisting of cash and cash equivalents.

Description of the Business of the Company

The Company has no or nominal operations. As a result, the Company is a “shell company”, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. As a shell company, its stockholders will be unable to utilize Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or Rule 144 to sell “restricted stock” as defined in Rule 144 or otherwise use Rule 144 to sell stock of the Company, and the Company would be ineligible to utilize registration statements on Form S-3 or Form S-8 for so long as the Company remains a shell company and for 12 months thereafter. Among other things, as a consequence, the offering, issuance and sale of its securities is likely to be more expensive and time consuming and may make the Company’s securities less attractive to investors.

The Company is not engaged in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities, and it does not hold itself out as being engaged in those activities. However, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), a company may fall within the scope of being an “inadvertent investment company” under section 3(a)(1)(C) of such Act if the value of the Company’s investment securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act) is more than 40% of the Company’s total assets (exclusive of government securities and cash and certain cash equivalents).

The Company intends to evaluate and explore all available strategic options. The Company will continue to work to maximize stockholder value. Such strategic options may include acquisition of an investment advisory business, acquisition of a financial services business, creating partnerships or joint ventures for those or other businesses and investing in other businesses that provide attractive opportunities for growth. The directors will also consider alternatives for distributing some or all of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents. Until such time as a decision is made as to how its liquid assets of the Company are so deployed, the Company intends to invest its liquid assets in high-grade, short-term investments (such as cash and cash equivalents) consistent with the preservation of principal, maintenance of liquidity and avoidance of speculation.

See “Risk Factors” The Company may be classified as an inadvertent investment company” and “The Company is a shell company under the federal securities laws.”

Employees

The Company has 2 full-time employees as of December 31, 2021.

Connecticut Property

The Company has interests in land and certain flowage rights in undeveloped property (the “properties”) primarily located in Killingly, Connecticut. The properties were fully impaired as of December 31, 2018.

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Item 1A.  Risk Factors.

RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the following risk factors relating to our business and the additional information in our other reports that we file with the SEC.

The Company may be classified as an inadvertent investment company if we acquire investment securities in excess of 40% of our total assets.

The Company is not engaged in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities, and we do not hold ourselves out as being engaged in those activities. However, under the Investment Company Act, a company may fall within the scope of being an “inadvertent investment company” under section 3(a)(1)(C) of such Act if the value of its investment securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act) is more than 40% of its total assets (exclusive of government securities and cash and certain cash equivalents).

If the Company was required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act, applicable restrictions could make it impractical for the Company to continue its business as contemplated and could have a material adverse effect on us.

The Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder contain detailed requirements for the organization and operation of investment companies. If we were required to register under the Investment Company Act, applicable restrictions and other requirements could have a material adverse effect on us. In the event that we were to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would be forced to comply with substantive requirements under the Act, including:

·limitations on our ability to borrow;

·limitations on our capital structure;

·limitations on the issuance of debt and equity securities,

·restrictions on acquisitions of interests in partner companies;

·prohibitions on transactions with affiliates;

·prohibitions on the issuance of options and other limitations on our ability to compensate key employees;

·certain governance requirements,

·restrictions on specific investments; and

·reporting, record-keeping, voting and proxy disclosure requirements.

In the event that we were to be deemed to be an investment company subject to registration as such under the Investment Company Act, compliance costs and burdens upon us may increase and the additional requirements may constrain our ability to conduct business, which may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

The Company is a shell company under the federal securities laws.

The Company has no or nominal operations. Pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act and Exchange Act Rule 12b-2, a shell company is defined as a registrant that has no or nominal operations, and either:

·no or nominal assets;

·assets consisting solely of cash and cash equivalents; or

·assets consisting of any amount of cash and cash equivalents and nominal other assets.

Our consolidated balance sheet reflects that after closing, our assets consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Accordingly, we are a shell company. Applicable securities rules prohibit shell companies from using a Form S-8 registration statement to register securities pursuant to employee compensation plans and from utilizing Form S-3 for the registration of securities for so long as the Company is a shell company and for 12 months thereafter.

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Additionally, Form 8-K requires shell companies to provide more detailed disclosure upon completion of a transaction that causes it to cease being a shell company. To the extent that we acquire a business in the future, we must file a current report on Form 8-K containing the financial and other information required in a registration statement on Form 10 within four business days following completion of such a transaction.

To assist the SEC in the identification of shell companies, we are required to check a box on our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our annual reports on Form 10-K indicating that we are a shell company.

Since we are required to comply with additional disclosure because we are a shell company, we may be delayed in executing any mergers or acquiring other assets that would cause us to cease being a shell company. In addition, under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, a holder of restricted securities of a “shell company” is not allowed to resell their securities in reliance upon Rule 144. Preclusion from any prospective purchase using the exemptions from registration afforded by Rule 144 may make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future and the inability to utilize registration statements on Forms S-8 and S-3 would likely increase our cost to register securities in the future. Additionally, the loss of the use of Rule 144 and Forms S-3 and S-8 may make investments in our securities less attractive to investors and may make the offering and sale of our securities to employees, directors and others under compensatory arrangements more expensive and less attractive to recipients.

Unless we select a particular industry or target business with which to complete a business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the risks of the industry or business in which we may ultimately operate.

The Company may develop or acquire a majority interest or at least a controlling interest (as defined for purposes of the Investment Company Act) in a company (or companies) with principal business operations in an industry that we believe will provide attractive opportunities for growth. We are not limited to any particular industry or type of business. Accordingly, there is no current basis for you to evaluate the possible risks of the particular industry in which we may ultimately operate. Although we will evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that all of the significant risks present in that target business will be properly assessed. Even if we properly assess those risks, some of them may be outside of our control or ability to affect.

Resources will be expended in researching potential acquisitions that might not be consummated.

The investigation of target businesses and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention in addition to costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If a decision is made not to complete a specific business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached relating to a specific target business, we may fail to consummate the business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control.

There can be no guarantee that we will quickly identify a potential target business or complete a business combination.

The process to identify potential acquisition targets, to investigate and evaluate the future business prospects thereof and to negotiate an acceptable purchase agreement with one or more target companies can be time consuming and costly. The Company may incur operating losses, resulting from payroll, rent and other overhead and professional fees, while we are searching for a business to develop or acquire.

The Company has no revenue from operations; therefore, our existing assets may be diminished and ultimately depleted by our corporate overhead and other expenses.

The Company has no revenue from operations and have been experiencing significant negative cash flow. Expenditures related to corporate overhead generated and other related items are expensed. Until such time as we develop or acquire an operating business or businesses that generate revenue, we will continue to deplete our existing assets.

Risks Related to Our Stock

The Company has agreed to restrictions and adopted policies that could have possible anti-takeover effects and reduce the value of our stock.

Several provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws could deter or delay unsolicited changes in control of the Company. These include limiting the stockholders’ powers to amend the Bylaws or remove directors and prohibiting the stockholders from increasing the size of the Board of Directors or acting by written consent instead of at a stockholders’ meeting. Our Board of Directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders to fix the rights and preferences of and issue preferred stock. These provisions and others that could be adopted in the future could deter unsolicited takeovers or delay or prevent changes in control or management of the Company including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares over then current market prices. These provisions may limit the ability of stockholders to approve transactions that they may deem to be in their best interests.

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Risks Related to Owning Our Common Stock

A large portion of our common stock is held by a small group of large shareholders. Future sales of our common stock in the public market by the Company or its large stockholders could adversely affect the trading price of our common stock.

As of December 31, 2021, Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC and William H. Miller beneficially owned 27.27% and 17.09% of the Company’s common stock, respectively. Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC is controlled by Mr. Harvey P. Eisen, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Eisen beneficially owned at such date an aggregate of 30.15% of the Company’s common stock, which percentage includes the 27.27% beneficially owned by Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC. Sales by us or our large stockholders of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

Our common stock is thinly traded, which can cause volatility in its price.

Our stock is thinly traded due to our small market capitalization and the high level of ownership of our common stock by a small group of shareholders.  Thinly traded stock can be more susceptible to market volatility.  This market volatility could significantly affect the market price of our common stock without regard to our operating performance.

Possible additional issuances of our stock will cause dilution.

At December 31, 2021, we had outstanding 20,210,529 shares of our common stock. There were 66,666 shares of stock awards vested as of December 31, 2021. The Company is authorized to issue up to 30,000,000 shares of common stock and are therefore able to issue additional shares without being required under corporate law to obtain shareholder approval.  If we issue additional shares, or if our existing shareholders exercise their outstanding options, our other shareholders may find their holdings drastically diluted, which if it occurs, means they would own a smaller percentage of our Company.

The Company’s operations may be negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China. Through the first quarter of 2020, the disease became widespread around the world, and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic.

The future direct and indirect impact of the pandemic on our businesses, results of operations and financial condition remains uncertain. Should current economic conditions deteriorate or if the pandemic worsens due to various factors, including through the spread of more easily communicable variants of COVID-19, such conditions could have an adverse effect on our businesses and results of operations and could adversely affect our financial condition. However, the Company does not expect that the outbreak will have a material adverse effect on financial results at this time.

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments.

None.

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Item 2.  Properties.

The Company leases office space on a month to month basis for $3,800 per month in Mount Kisco, NY.

Item 3.  Legal Proceedings.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides, generally, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (except actions by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against all expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. A corporation may similarly indemnify such person for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of any action or suit by or in the right of the corporation, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in the case of claims, issues and matters as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation, provided that a court shall have determined, upon application, that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

The Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, subject to limited exceptions and requirements, the Company is required to indemnify its directors and officers, and each person serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, incorporator, partner, manager or trustee of another entity, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.  The Company’s bylaws also provide that, subject to limited exceptions and requirements, the Company is required to advance to such person’s expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred by them in defending and preparing for the defense of any proceeding or investigation in respect of which indemnification may be available.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides, generally, that the certificate of incorporation of a corporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision may not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under section 174 of Title 8 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision may eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission occurring prior to the date when such provision became effective.  The Company’s certificate of incorporation contains such a provision limiting the personal liability of the Company’s directors to the extent permitted by the DGCL. 

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Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

None.

PART II

Item 5.  Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters.

The Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value, is quoted on the OTC Pink Sheets under the symbol “iWSH”.  Such quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.

The Company did not declare or pay any cash dividends on its common stock in 2021 or 2020. The Company currently intends to retain future earnings to finance the growth and development of its business however, the directors will also consider alternative for distributing some or all of its cash and cash equivalents to stockholders.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

The Board of Directors determinedauthorized the Company to repurchase up to 5,000,000 outstanding shares of common stock from time to time either in open market or privately negotiated transactions. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had repurchased an aggregate of 2,041,971 shares of its common stock and a total of 2,958,029 shares remained available for repurchase at December 31, 2021 and 2020, pursuant to the 5,000,000 shares repurchase plans. The Company did not repurchase any common stock during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Item 6.  Selected Financial Data.

Not required.

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

General Overview

The Company is a “shell company”, as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.  Because the Company is a shell company, its stockholders are unable to utilize Rule 144 to sell “restricted stock” as defined in Rule 144 or to otherwise use Rule 144 to sell its securities, and the Company is ineligible to utilize registration statements on Form S-3 or Form S-8 for so long as the Company remains a shell company and for 12 months thereafter.  As a consequence, among other things, the offering, issuance and sale of its securities is likely to be more expensive and time consuming and may make its securities less attractive to investors.  See “Item 1A. Risk Factors”.

The Company’s Board of Directors is considering strategic uses for its funds to develop or acquire interests in one or more operating businesses.  While the Company has focused its development or acquisition efforts on sectors in which our management has expertise, the Company does not wish to limit itself to, or to foreclose any opportunities in, any particular industry or sector.  Prior to this use, the Company’ anticipate will continue to be, invested in high-grade, short-term investments (such as cash and cash equivalents) consistent with the preservation of principal, maintenance of liquidity and avoidance of speculation, until such time as we need to utilize such funds, or any portion thereof, for the purposes described above.   The directors will also consider alternatives for distributing some or all of its cash and cash equivalents to stockholders (see Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements). 

Investments

Investment in undeveloped properties.

The Company owns certain non-strategic assets, which includes an investment in land and certain flowage rights in undeveloped property (the “properties”) primarily located in Killingly, Connecticut, which were fully impaired as of December 31, 2018, due to the Company's belief that eachthe value of Messrs. Schafranthe land is nominal as there is no active market for sale of such land. The Company and Cameron is ableits representatives continue to readdiscuss a proposed ownership transfer with interested parties.

Management discussion of critical accounting policies

The following discussion and understandanalysis of the financial condition and results of operations are based on the consolidated financial statements and notes to consolidated financial statements contained in this report that each of Messrs. Schafran and Cameron has accounting or related financial management expertisehave been prepared in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq.the SEC and include all the disclosures normally required in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Boardpreparation of Directors also determinedthese financial statements requires us to make estimates that eachaffect the reported amounts of Messrs. Schafranassets, liabilities, and Cameron, who serve as the Audit Committee financial experts, has the accounting orexpenses, and related financial management expertise necessarydisclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We base these estimates on historical results and various other assumptions believed to be considered a “financial expert” under SEC rules.reasonable, all of which form the basis for making estimates concerning the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily available from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

The Audit Committee is responsibleCertain of our accounting policies require higher degrees of judgment than others in their application.  These include stock-based compensation and accounting for maintaining free and open communications among itself, the independent registered public accounting firm and Company management. The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibility to the stockholders, potential stockholders, the investment community and others relating to the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and the financial reporting process, the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence, the Company’s systems of internal accounting and financial controls, the annual independent audit of the Company’s financial statements and the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm. income taxes which are summarized below.

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Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

 

Section 16(a)Stock-based compensation

Stock-based compensation cost for employees is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the Exchange Act requiresaward and is recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. Stock-based compensation cost for consultants is initially measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award, remeasured each reporting date until the instrument vests, at which time the cost is established. The cost is recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis, as adjusted each reporting period, over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding the Company’s executive officersstock-based compensation assumptions and directorsexpense.

Income taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to file reports regarding ownership of the Company’s common stock with the SEC,carryforwards and to furnishdifferences between the Company with copiesfinancial statement carrying amounts of all such reports. Basedexisting assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a review of these filings,change in tax rates is recognized in income in the Company believesperiod that with respect toincludes the most recently concluded fiscal year, all such reports were timely filed.

Code of Ethicsenactment date.

 

The Company has adopted a Code of Ethicsaccounting for its principal executive officer, senior financial officers, including the principal financial officer and the principal accounting officer, and persons performing similar functions for its subsidiaries. Ifuncertain tax positions guidance requires that the Company makes any substantive amendmentrecognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the Company would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties on income taxes, including those related to uncertain tax positions as interest and other expenses, respectively. 

Results of Operations

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the Code of Ethics or grants any waiver from a provision ofyear ended December 31, 2020

For the Code of Ethics for said executive officers,year ended December 31, 2021, the Company will disclose the naturehad a loss from operations before income taxes of such amendment or waiver in$1,116,000 compared to a filing on Form 8-K. The Codeloss from operations before income taxes of Ethics was originally filed as Exhibit 14.1 to the Company’s Form 10-K$1,014,000 for the year ended December 31, 2004, which2020.   

The increased loss of $102,000 was filed withprimarily the SEC on April 15, 2005result of a decrease in Other operating expenses of $110,000 and is incorporateddecrease in Compensation and benefits of $46,000, offset by reference herein. a decrease in Interest and other income of $258,000 mainly due to the sale of the Company’s former ticker symbol (WISH) for consideration of $250,000 during the year ended December 31, 2020.

Compensation and benefits

For the year ended December 31, 2021, Compensation and benefits were $450,000 as compared to $496,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020. 

The decreased Compensation and benefits of $46,000 in 2021 was primarily the result of a decrease in the health plan expense and salary expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 in comparison to the year ended December 31, 2020.

Other operating expenses

For the year ended December 31, 2021, Other operating expenses were $719,000 as compared to $829,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020. 

The decreased operating expenses of $110,000 were primarily the result of decreased professional fees of $80,000, decreased insurance expense of $14,000 and decreased other expenses of $16,000.

Income taxes

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the income tax expense (benefit) of $2,000 and $(21,000), respectively, substantially represents adjustments and accruals related to state minimum income taxes.

The Company recorded a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. Due to a full valuation allowance to offset deferred tax assets related to net operating loss carryforwards attributable to the loss, no tax benefit has been recorded in relation to the pre-tax loss for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Financial condition, liquidity, and capital resources

Liquidity and Capital Resources

At December 31, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents totaling $5,396,000, which it intends to use to acquire interests in one or more operating businesses, to fund the Company’s general and administrative expenses; the directors will also provide a copyconsider alternatives for distributing some or all of such Codeits cash and cash equivalents to stockholders.  The Company believes that its working capital is sufficient to support its operating requirements through March 31, 2023.

The decrease in cash and cash equivalents of Ethics to any person, without charge, upon written request made$1,073,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021 was the result of $1,073,000 used in operating activities.

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Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

Not required.

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Item 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.

Index to the Company’s Secretary at the following address:Consolidated Financial Statements

Financial Statements of Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc., Attn: Secretary, 118 North Bedford Road, Ste. 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549.

 

Page

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm –ITEM 11.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

11

(PCAOB ID: 274)

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 2021 and 2020

13

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

14

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity – Years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

15

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

16

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of

Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. 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 audits 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 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 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 audits 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 audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

Critical audit matters 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. We determined that there are no critical audit matters.

/s/ EisnerAmper LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2004

EISNERAMPER LLP

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

March 11, 2022

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

Years Ended December 31,

 

2021

2020

Expenses

 

 

 

Compensation and benefits

$

450

 

 

$

496

 

Other operating

719

829

Total operating expenses

1,169

1,325

 

Loss from operations

(1,169

)

(1,325

)

Interest and other income, net

53

311

Loss from operations before income taxes

(1,116

)

(1,014

)

Income tax (expense) benefit

(2

)

21

Net loss

$

(1,118

)

$

(993

)

 

Basic and diluted loss per share

$

(0.06

)

$

(0.05

)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

December 31,

2021

2020

Assets

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

$

5,396

$

6,469

Income tax receivable

73

73

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

46

40

Total current assets

5,515

6,582

 

Other assets

8

8

Total assets

$

5,523

$

6,590

 

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity

Current liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

93

83

Loan payable

0-

53

Total current liabilities

93

136

 

Total liabilities

93

136

 

Stockholders’ equity

Preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, authorized

10,000,000 shares; 00none issued

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, authorized

30,000,000 shares; Issued 21,025,748 and 20,654,996 as of December 31, 2021, 2020, respectively;

Outstanding 20,210,529 and 19,839,777 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively;

215,632 and 227,160 shares issuable as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

210

206

 

Additional paid-in capital

34,316

34,226

 

Accumulated deficit

(27,397

)

(26,279

)

 

Treasury stock, at cost (815,219 shares at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively)

(1,699

)

(1,699

)

Total stockholders’ equity

5,430

6,454

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

5,523

$

6,590

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

Years Ended December 31,

2021

2020

Cash flows from operating activities

Net loss

$

(1,118

)

$

(993

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

Equity based compensation, including issuance of stock to directors

94

92

Gain on extinguishment of debt

(53

)

0-

Changes in other operating items:

Deferred tax asset

0-

37

Income tax receivable

0-

(58

)

Prepaid expenses, other current assets, and other assets

(6

)

109

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

10

(107

)

Net cash used in operating activities

(1,073

)

(920

)

 

Cash flows from investing activities

Investments in U.S. Treasury Bills

0-

(250

)

Proceeds from redemption of U.S. Treasury Bills

0-

250

Net cash provided by investing activities

0-

0-

 

Cash flows from financing activities

Proceeds from loan

0-

53

Net cash provided by financing activities

0-

53

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(1,073

)

(867

)

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year

6,469

7,336

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year

$

5,396

$

6,469

 

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information

Net cash paid during the year for Income taxes

$

2

$

4

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021 AND 2020

(in thousands, except share data)

Total

Additional

Treasury

stock-

Common stock (Issued)

paid-in

Accumulated

stock, at

Holders’

shares

amount

Capital

deficit

cost

equity

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

20,654,996

206

34,134

(25,286

)

(1,699

)

7,355

Net loss

-

-

-

(993

)

-

(993

)

Equity based compensation expense

-

-

12

-

-

12

Stock based compensation expense to directors

-

-

80

-

-

80

Balance at December 31, 2020

20,654,996

$

206

$

34,226

$

(26,279

)

$

(1,699

)

$

6,454

Net loss

-

-

-

(1,118

)

-

(1,118

)

Equity based compensation expense

-

-

14

-

-

14

Stock based compensation expense to directors

370,752

4

76

-

-

80

Balance at December 31, 2021

21,025,748

$

210

$

34,316

$

(27,397

)

$

(1,699

)

$

5,430

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2021

1.Description of activities

Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) has nominal operations and nominal assets aside from its cash and cash equivalents, and is therefore considered a shell company, as defined in U.S. securities laws and regulations. The Company is not engaged in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities, and it does not hold itself out as being engaged in those activities.

The Company has electedintends to evaluate and explore all available strategic options. The Company will continue to work to maximize stockholder value. Such strategic options may include acquisition of an investment advisory business, acquisition of a financial services business, creating partnerships or joint ventures for those or other businesses and investing in other businesses that provide attractive opportunities for growth. The directors will also consider alternatives for distributing some or all of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents. Until such time as a decision is made as to how the liquid assets of the Company are so deployed, the Company intends to invest its liquid assets in high-grade, short- term investments (such as cash and cash equivalents) consistent with the preservation of principal, maintenance of liquidity and avoidance of speculation.

The Company may be classified as an inadvertent investment company if the Company acquires investment securities in excess of 40% of its total assets. As of December 31, 2021, the Company is not considered an inadvertent investment company.

2.Summary of significant accounting policies

Principles of consolidation.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, all of which are inactive. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash equivalents represent short-term, highly liquid investments, which are readily convertible to cash and have maturities of three months or less at time of purchase. Cash equivalents, which are carried at fair value or amortized cost, as applicable, consist of holdings in a money market fund and in treasury bills. Cash and cash equivalents amounted to approximately $5,396,000 and $6,469,000 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2021

Investment Valuation

The Company carries its investments at fair value. Fair value is an estimate of the exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants (i.e., the exit price at the measurement date). Fair value measurements are not adjusted for transaction costs. A fair value hierarchy provides for prioritizing inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels:

Level 1Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2Inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable, either directly or indirectly, and reasonably available. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the Smaller Reportingasset or liability and are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company.

Level 3Unobservable inputs. Unobservable inputs reflect the assumptions that the Company rules issueddevelops based on available information about what market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability.

An asset or liability's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Availability of observable inputs can vary and is affected by a variety of factors. The Company uses judgment in determining fair value of assets and liabilities and Level 3 assets and liabilities involve greater judgment than Level 1 or Level 2 assets or liabilities.

As of December 31, 2021, and 2020, the Company held $5,250,000 and $5,950,000 in U.S. government securities. U.S. government securities are valued using a model that incorporates market observable data, such as reported sales of similar securities, broker quotes, yields, bids, offers, and reference data. Certain securities are valued principally using dealer quotations. Money market funds are valued at the closing price reported by the SECfund sponsor from an actively traded exchange. U.S. government securities are categorized in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, depending on the inputs used and market activity levels for specific securities. The U.S. government securities, which have maturities of three months or less at time of purchase, are reported as Cash and cash equivalents on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.

The following table presents the Company’s financial instruments at fair value (in thousands):

Fair Value Measurements

as of December 31, 2021

12/31/2021

Quoted Prices

in Active

Markets for

Identical

Assets

(Level 1)

Significant

Other

Observable

Inputs

(Level 2)

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

(Level 3)

 

Treasury bills included in cash and cash equivalents

$

5,250

$

0-

$

5,250

0-

Fair Value Measurements

as of December 31, 2020

12/31/2020

Quoted Prices

in Active

Markets for

Identical

Assets

(Level 1)

Significant

Other

Observable

Inputs

(Level 2)

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

(Level 3)

 

Treasury bills included in cash and cash equivalents

$

5,950

$

0-

$

5,950

0-

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2021

Investment in undeveloped land

The Company owns certain non-strategic assets, including an investment in land and certain flowage rights in undeveloped property (the “properties”) primarily located Killingly, Connecticut. The properties were fully impaired as of December 31, 2018.

Per share data

Loss per share for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, is calculated based on 20,286,936 and 19,977,927 weighted average outstanding shares of common stock, including weighted average issuable shares of 276,043 and 138,150 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Stock awards

Unvested Stock awards for 33,334 and 66,666 shares of common stock for the year ended December 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, were not included in the diluted computation as their effect would be anti-dilutive since the Company incurred net losses for both years.

Stock-based compensation

Stock-based compensation cost for employees is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. In accordance with ASU 2016-09, the Company has made the accounting policy election to continue to estimate forfeitures based upon historical occurrences. See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding the disclosureCompany’s stock-based compensation assumptions and expense.

Income taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to carryforwards and to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of executive compensation.existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year 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.

The accounting for uncertain tax positions guidance requires that the Company recognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the Company would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties on income taxes, including those related to uncertain tax positions as interest and other expenses, respectively. The Company had two executive officers (our “named executive officers”) includingno income tax uncertainties at December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Concentrations of credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the principal executive officer atCompany to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash investments. Investments in cash and money market funds are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank. Investments in treasury bills are insured up to $500,000. For the end of the last completed fiscal year. Consequently, we are providing a Summary Compensation Table covering 2019 and 2018 compensation for these two individuals.

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

The table below summarizes the total compensation paid to or earned by each of the Company’s Named Executive Officers for the fiscal years ended December 31, 20192021 and 2018.

Name and Principal

Position

Year

Salary

 

Bonus

 

All Other

Compensation

 

Total
  ($)($)($)($)

 

Harvey P. Eisen, Chairman

of the Board and Chief

Executive Officer

(Principal Executive

2019230,00000230,000
Officer) (1)2018300,00000300,000

 

Harold D. Kahn, Acting Chief

Financial Officer and Acting

Principal Accounting Officer (2)

2019

2018

124,000

144,000

0

50,000

5,776

8,191

129,776

202,191

(1)The Compensation Committee of the Company decreased the compensation of Mr. Eisen to $20,000 per month from $300,000 annually, for the period of July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019. Effective October 1, 2019 the Compensation Committee returned Mr. Eisen’s compensation to $300,000 per annum to reflect his duties in exploring strategic alternatives for the Company.

(2)For Mr. Kahn, the amount reflected under “All Other Compensation” is comprised of:

·$5,776 and $8,191 for 2019 and 2018, respectively, for travel expenses.

Mr. Kahn was appointed Acting Chief Financial Officer and Acting Principal Accounting Officer2020, a substantial portion of the Company's investments in cash and treasury bills are in excess of these limits.

3.Certain New Accounting guidance not yet adopted

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13 (ASU 2016-13) "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments", which requires the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13 replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss model which requires the use of forward-looking information to calculate credit loss estimates. It also eliminates the concept of other-than-temporary impairment and requires credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities to be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost basis of the securities. These changes will result in earlier recognition of credit losses. The standard, as amended, is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2022 for both interim and annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company in March 2019 atdoes not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-13 to have an agreed feeimpact on its consolidated financial statements.

18


Table of $12,000 per month. Effective September 1, 2019, Mr. Kahn’s agreed fee was reducedContents

WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Notes to $7,000 per month. Effective January 1, 2020 Mr. Kahn’s agreed fee was further reduced to $5,000 per month.Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2021

4.Accounts payable and accrued expenses

Accounts payable and accrued expenses consist of the following (in thousands):

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Year Ended December 31,

2021

2020

 

Accrued professional fees

$

40

$

42

Other

53

41

Total

$

93

$

83

OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END

5.Income taxes

The following table provides information concerningcomponents of income tax expense (benefit) are as follows (in thousands):

Year Ended December 31,

2021

2020

Current

Federal

$

0-

$

(37

)

State and local

2

(21

)

Total current

2

(58

)

 

Deferred

Federal

$

0-

$

37

State and local

0-

0-

Total deferred

$

0-

$

37

 

Total income tax (benefit) expense

$

2

$

(21

)

For the holdings of unexercised and vested options to purchase shares of common stock of the Company for each of the named executive officers at December 31, 2019.

Name

Number of

Shares of

Common

Stock

Underlying

Unexercised

Options which

are

Exercisable

Number of

Shares of

Common

Stock

Underlying

Unexercised

Options

which are

Unexercisable

Option

Exercise Price

Per Share of

Common

Stock

Option Expiration Date

 

 (#)(#)($) 

 

Harvey P. Eisen

250,000(1)0$1.36April 28, 2020

 

Harold D. Kahn

0000

(1)These options were fully vested at December 31, 2019.

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Overview of Material Compensation Arrangements with Our Named Executive Officers

The following is a summary of the material terms of employment and compensation arrangements pursuant to which compensation was paid to our named executive officers for their service with the Company or its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.2021, current income tax expense related to operations represents accruals of minimum state income taxes. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the current income tax benefit related to operations represents a refundable alternative minimum tax credit net of adjustments to and accruals of minimum state income taxes. For the year ended December 31, 2020, deferred income tax expense represents the utilization of the alternative minimum tax credit carryforward.

The difference between the benefit for income taxes computed at the statutory rate and the reported amount of tax expense (benefit) from operations is as follows:

Harvey P. Eisen

Year ended December 31,

2021

2020

Federal income tax rate

(21.0

)%

(21.0

)%

State income tax (net of federal effect)

(5.0

)

55.5

Change in valuation allowance

26.4

(38.5

)

Deferred tax asset write-down

(1.2

)

0-

Non-deductible expenses

1.0

1.9

Effective tax rate

0.2

%

(2.1

)%

19


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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2021

The deferred tax assets and liabilities are summarized as follows (in thousands):

December 31,

2021

2020

Deferred tax assets:

Net operating loss carryforwards

$

4,770

$

4,501

Capital loss carryforwards

703

703

Equity-based compensation

157

132

Unrealized loss on investments

98

98

Gross deferred tax assets

5,728

5,434

Less: valuation allowance

(5,728

)

(5,434

)

Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance

0-

0-

 

Net Deferred tax assets

$

0-

0-

A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. The valuation allowance increased / (decreased) by approximately $294,000 and $(391,000) respectively, during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. The increase in the valuation allowance during the year ended December 31, 2021 was mainly due to increases in the net operating loss carryforward and other deferred tax assets. The decrease in the valuation allowance during the year ended December 31, 2020 was mainly due to adjustments to the net operating loss carryforward.

The Company files a consolidated federal tax return with its subsidiaries. As requestedof December 31, 2021, the Company has a federal net operating loss carryforward of approximately $21,339,000, of which $15,177,000 expires from 2031 through 2037, and $6,162,000 does not expire. The Company also has various state and local net operating loss carryforwards totaling approximately $5,182,000, which expire between 2022 and 2042, and a capital loss carryforward of approximately $2,690,000, which expires between 2022 and 2024. State net operating loss carryforwards were reduced during the year ended December 31, 2020 by Harvey P. Eisen, effective Julyapproximately $16,244,000 due to a change in State tax filings.

6.Loan Payable

On May 1, 2019,2020, the Company received $53,000 from Fieldpoint Private Bank pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP Loan”) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The Company used all proceeds from the PPP Loan to retain employees, maintain payroll and make operating expense payments to support business continuity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The total amount of the PPP Loan was forgiven as of January 7, 2021 and the gain on extinguishment of debt of $53,000 was recorded as Other Income for the year ended December 31, 2021.

7.Capital Stock

The Company’s Board of Directors, voted unanimouslywithout any vote or action by the holders of common stock, is authorized to reduce Mr. Eisen’s compensationissue preferred stock from an annual amounttime to time in one or more series and to determine the number of $300,000shares and to an annual amountfix the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of $20,000 for the periodany series of July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019. Effective October 1, 2019, the Compensation Committee returned Mr. Eisen’s compensation to $300,000 per annum to reflect his duties in exploring strategic alternatives for the Company.

Harold D. Kahn

preferred stock.

The Board of Directors appointed Harold D. Kahn as Acting Chief Financial Officerauthorized the Company to repurchase up to 5,000,000 outstanding shares of common stock from time to time either in open market or privately negotiated transactions. At December 31, 2021 and Acting Chief Accounting Officer effective March 25, 2019 at an agreed fee2020, the Company had repurchased 2,041,971 shares of $12,000 per month. Effective September 1, 2019, Mr. Kahn’s agreed fee was reduced to $7,000 per month. Effective January 1, 2020 Mr. Kahn’s agreed fee was further reduced to $5,000 per month.

6
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DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Only directors who are not employeesits common stock and a total of 2,958,029 of the Company or its subsidiaries are entitled to receive compensationauthorized shares, remained available for service as a director. The table below summarizesrepurchase at December 31, 2021.

During the total compensation paid to or earned by each director of the Company (who is not an employee of the Company) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. The column “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash” includes common stock of2021, the Company issued in lieu of cash.

2019 Director Compensation

Name

Fees Earned or

Paid in Cash

Stock Awards

All Other

Compensation

Total
 ($)($)($)($)
Lawrence G. Schafran5,00040,000 (1)045,000
Dort Cameron III3,50040,000 (2)043,500

(1)Mr. Schafran received 96,267 shares of Company common stock in lieu of $40,000 of his annual director’s fee.

(2)Mr. Cameron received 96,267 shares of Company common stock in lieu of $40,000 of his annual director’s fee.

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Director Compensation Program

Directors who are not employees of the Company or its subsidiaries, shall be paid as set forth below:

·annual director compensation to each member of the Board of Directors of $25,000, paid in quarterly installments of $6,250 (a Vice Chairman receives annual director compensation of $35,000, paid in quarterly installments of $8,750, currently the Company does not have a Vice Chairman);

·$1,500 in cash for each meeting of the Board of Directors and for each committee meeting attended in person and $750 in cash for each Board of Directors or Board committee meeting attended by means of conference telephone connection;

·annual director compensation of $5,000, paid in quarterly installments of $1,250, to each member of the Audit Committee (except the Chairman of the Audit Committee who is to receive annual compensation of $10,000), plus $750 in cash for each meeting of the Audit Committee attended in person and $500 in cash for each meeting of the Audit Committee attended by telephone, except that the per meeting attendance fee is reduced to $500 for attendance at any Audit Committee meeting held on the same day as a regular or special meeting of the Board; and

·annual director compensation of $2,500, paid in quarterly installments of $625, to each member of the Compensation Committee and each member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (except the Chairman of each such Committee, who is to receive annual compensation of $5,000), plus $750 in cash for each meeting of the Audit Committee attended in person and $500 in cash for each meeting of the Audit Committee attended by telephone, except that the per attendance meeting fee is reduced to $500 for attendance at any Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meeting held on the same day as a regular or special meeting of the Board.

All of the sums designated above as “annual director compensation” are required to be paid in Company common stock; provided that common stock issued in lieu of annual compensation is valued at the average between the closing bid and ask price on the day prior to the date upon which the annual compensation became payable.   

8
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ITEM 12.        SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Security Ownership of Principal Stockholders

The following table sets forth the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned as of April 15, 2020 by each person who is known by the Company to own beneficially more than five percent of outstanding Company common stock other than executive officers or directors of the Company, whose beneficial ownership is reflected in the Security Ownership of Directors and Executive Officers table below.  There were 19,839,777,370,752 shares of Company common stock outstanding on April 15, 2020.

Security Ownership of Principal Stockholders Table

Name and Address

of Beneficial Owner

Amount and Nature of Beneficial

Ownership

Percent of Class

Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC

118 North Bedford Road, Suite 100

Mount Kisco, NY 10549

5,511,169 (1)27.78%

William H. Miller III

2,870,400 (2)14.47%

Joseph H. Moglia

1,165,877 (3)5.88%

(1)Based on a Schedule 13D/A filed jointly by Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC (“Bedford Oak”), Bedford Oak Capital, L.P. (“Capital”), Bedford Oak Acorn, L.P. (“Acorn”) and Mr. Eisen with the SEC on August 30, 2019, and updated for other information known to the Company, including various Form 4’s filed jointly by Bedford Oak, Capital and Mr. Eisen with the SEC through August 30, 2019,  Mr. Eisen is deemed to have beneficial ownership of such shares by virtue of his position as managing member of Bedford Oak, the investment manager of Capital and Acorn and certain other private investment partnerships. Mr. Eisen beneficially owned at such date an aggregate of 29.04% of the Company’s common stock, which percentage includes the 27.78% beneficially owned by Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC. Does not include options to purchase 250,000 shares of Company common stock exercisable by Mr. Eisen within 60 days of April 15, 2020.  See Security Ownership of Directors and Executive Officers table below.

(2)Based on a Schedule 13D/A filed jointly by William H. Miller III and William H. Miller III Living Trust with the SEC on August 30, 2019.

(3)Based on a Schedule 13D filed by Joseph H. Moglia with the SEC on September 12, 2019.

9
Table of Contents

Security Ownership of Directorsto directors, 66,666 stock awards vested which were not issued and Executive Officers

The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of Company outstanding common stock as of April 15, 2020 by each person who is a director or named executive officer of the Company as of such date, naming each such person, and all persons who are directors and executive officers of the Company as of such date, as a group.

Security Ownership of Directors and Executive Officers Table

 Name

Amount and Nature of Beneficial

Ownership

Percent of Class
Harvey P. Eisen5,761,169 (1)29.04%
Dort Cameron III396,267 (2)2.45%
Lawrence G. Schafran485,968 (3)2.00%
Harold D. Kahn0 0%

Directors and executive officers as a group

(4 persons) (4)

6,643,404 33.49%

(1)Includes 5,511,169 shares of Company common stock beneficially owned by Bedford Oak, Capital and Acorn.  Mr. Eisen is deemed to have beneficial ownership of such shares by virtue of his position as managing member of Bedford Oak, the investment manager of Capital and Acorn.  See footnote 1 to Principal Stockholders table above.  Also includes 250,000 shares of Company common stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are fully vested and exercisable by Mr. Eisen on April 28, 2020.

(2)On February 13, 2019 the Board of Directors of the Corporation appointed Dort A. Cameron III as a director of the Corporation. Includes 100,000 RSU’s which shall vest in 1/3 increments of 33,333 on each of the one year and two year anniversary and 33,334 on the three year anniversary of the February 13, 2019 date of grant (the “Grant Date”) and shall be subject to a three year transfer of sale restriction until the three year anniversary of the Grant Date.

(3)Includes 100,000 shares of Company common stock issuable to Mr. Schafran upon the exercise of options, all of which are fully vested and exercisable by Mr. Schafran on April 28, 2020.

(4)Includes Messrs. Schafran, and Cameron, each of whom is currently a director of the Company, and Mr. Eisen who is currently a director and a named executive officer of the Company and Mr. Kahn who is a named executive officer of the Company.

10
Table of Contents

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2019 with respect tothere were 148,966 shares of Company common stock that mayto be issued under existingto the independent directors of the Company, in payment of quarterly directors’ fees due to them for services in 2021. The equity compensation plans.awards were issued pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”) provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act.

Plan category

Number of securities

to be issued upon

exercise of

outstanding options,

warrants, Restricted

Stock Units and rights

(a)

Weighted-average

exercise price of

outstanding options,

warrants and rights

(b)

Number of securities

remaining

available for future

issuance

under equity

compensation

plans (excluding

securities

reflected in column (a))

(c)

Equity compensation

plans approved by

security holders (1)

550,000$1.350

20

(1)Consists of: (i) the 2003 Stock Plan, as amended, which was originally adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by the sole stockholder of the Company on November 3, 2003 and the amendment thereto, which was approved by the Board of Directors of the Company on March 1, 2007 and by the stockholders of the Company on December 20, 2007; and (ii) the 2007 Incentive Stock Plan, which was approved by the Board of Directors on July 30, 2007 and by the stockholders of the Company on December 20, 2007.

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WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2021

8.Incentive stock plans and stock-based compensation

Stock awards

On February 13, 2019, 100,000 stock awards were issued to a newly appointed director of the Company. The stock awards vest equally, annually, over 3 years. The stock awards are valued based on the closing price of $0.42 of the Company’s common stock on February 13, 2019. At December 31, 2021, 33,334 stock awards remained unvested and 66,666 shares are to be issued.

The Company recorded compensation expense of approximately $13,800 and $12,500 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, related to those stock awards. The total unrecognized compensation expense related to these unvested stock awards at December 31, 2021 is $1,750, which will be recognized over the remaining vesting period of approximately 0.1 years.

Common stock options

The Company adopted a stock-based compensation plan for employees and non-employee members of its Board of Directors in November 2003 (the “2003 Plan”), and the National Patent Development Corporation 2007 Incentive Stock Plan in December 2007 (the “2007 NPDC Plan”). The periods during which additional awards may be granted under the plans have expired and no further awards may be granted under any of these plans after December 20, 2017.

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

Other As a consequence, any equity compensation awards issued after that time will be on terms determined by the Board of Directors or the Compensation

See the narrative disclosure following the Summary Compensation Table and the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table in “Item 11. Executive Compensation” for summaries Committee of the Board of Directors and pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the securities laws.

As of December 31, 2021, all options were vested and there were no outstanding options under the 2007 NPDC Plan. There were no grants, forfeitures or exercises of options during the year of 2021. During 2021, 100,000 options with a weighted average exercise price of $1.29, a weighted average contractual term of 1 years, and 0 aggregate intrinsic value per share had expired.

As of December 31, 2020, all options were vested and there were outstanding options to acquire 100,000 common shares under the 2007 NPDC Plan. All 100,000 options were vested and exercisable, having an exercise price of $1.29 per share, a remaining contractual term of 1 year and zero aggregate intrinsic value. There were no grants, forfeitures or exercises of options during the year of 2020. During 2020, 450,000 options with a weighted average exercise price of $1.36, a weighted average contractual term of 2 years, and 0 aggregate intrinsic value per share had expired.

Capital Stock

During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company incurred $80,000 of director fees payable in 325,889 shares of its common stock, of which 176,923 were issued and 148,966 are issuable as of December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, there were 148,966 shares of Company common stock to be issued to the independent directors of the Company, in payment of quarterly directors’ fees due to them for services in 2021 and 66,666 stock awards to be issued to a director of the Company. The equity compensation arrangementsawards were issued pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”) provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act.

9.Commitments, Contingencies, and agreementsOther

a)The future direct and indirect impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on our businesses, results of operations and financial condition remains uncertain. Should current economic conditions deteriorate or if the pandemic worsens due to various factors, including through the spread of more easily communicable variants of COVID-19, such conditions could have an adverse effect on our businesses and results of operations and could adversely affect our financial condition. However, the Company does not expect that the outbreak will have a material adverse effect or financial results at this time.

b)The Company has interests in land and certain flowage rights in undeveloped property (the “properties”) primarily located in Killingly, Connecticut. The properties were fully impaired as of December 31, 2018.

In September 2014, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) issued two Consent Orders requiring the investigation and repair of two dams, Acme Pond Dam and Killingly Pond Dan, in which the Company and its executive officerssubsidiaries have certain ownership interests. Both matters have been fully resolved. In February 2020 and directors are participants.May 2020, DEEP issued to the Company Certificates of Compliance for the Consent Orders relating to Acme Pond Dam and Killingly Pond Dam, respectively.

10.Subsequent Event

Director Independence

Since the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in July 2002, there has been growing public and regulatory focus on the independence of directors. The Company is not subjectevaluated subsequent events through the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and determined that there have been no events that have occurred that would require adjustments to the listing requirements of any securities exchange, including Nasdaq, because the Company’s common stock is traded on the over-the-counter bulletin board. However, in July 2007, the Board of Directors adopted the standards for independence for Nasdaq-listed companies, and the independence determinations that follow are based upon the criteria established by Nasdaq for determining director independence and upon the criteria established by Nasdaq and the SEC for determining Audit Committee member independence.

The Board of Directors determines the independence of its members through a broad consideration of all relevant facts and circumstances, including an assessment of the materiality of any relationship between the Company and a director. In making each of these independence determinations, the Board of Directors considered and broadly assessed, from the standpoint of materiality and independence, all of the information provided by each director in response to detailed inquiries concerning his independence and any direct or indirect business, family, employment, transactional or other relationship or affiliation of such director with the Company.

Using the objective and subjective independence criteria enumeratedour disclosures in the Nasdaq marketplace rules listing requirements and SEC rules, the Board of Directors has reviewed all relationships between each director and the Company and, based on this review, the Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that, in accordance with Nasdaq independence criteria, (i) Messrs. Cameron and Schafran are independent, and that (ii) Messrs. Eisen is not independent.consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

ITEM 14.PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

Item 9.Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

None.

Item 9A.Controls and Procedures.

(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2021 were effective. 

(b) Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f).  Our internal control processes and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.  Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that reasonably allow us to record, process, summarize, and report information and financial data within prescribed time periods and in accordance with Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the Company conducted an evaluation of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 based on the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) (“COSO Framework”).  Based upon our evaluation, the Company concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2021.

(c) Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting Firm

This annual report does not include an attestation report of the Company's registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting.  Management's report was not subject to attestation by the Company's registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the SEC that permit the Company to provide only management's report in this annual report.

(d) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

The fees billed for services rendered for 2019Company’s Chief Executive Officer and 2018 by EisnerAmper LLP, were as follows:Chief Financial Officer have also concluded that there have not been any changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2021 that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially effect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

  2019  2018 
       
        
Audit Fees (1) $78,000  $144,000 

Item 9B.    Other Information

 

None

(1)22Audit fees consisted principally of fees for the audit of the annual financial statements and reviews of the condensed consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and review of the Company’s 10-K containing proxy statement disclosure.
Table of Contents

  

Policy on Pre-Approval of Services Provided by Independent AuditorPART III

 

PursuantItem 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the requirementsCompany’s definitive proxy statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the Company’s fiscal year end of December 31, 2021 for its annual stockholders’ meeting for 2021 (the “Proxy Statement”) under the captions “Directors and Executive Officers”, “Corporate Governance”, “Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley ActExchange Act”, “Code of 2002,Ethics” and “Audit Committee.”

Item 11.  Executive Compensation.

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the termsCompany’s Proxy Statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the engagementcaption “Executive Compensation.”

Item 12.  Security Ownership of EisnerAmper LLP are subjectCertain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.

Additional information required by this item is incorporated by reference to specific pre-approval policies.  In 2019the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the caption “Stock Ownership of Management and 2018, all auditPrincipal Stockholders”.

Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.

This information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the captions “Certain Transactions with Management” and “Director Independence”.

Item 14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services.

The information regarding principal accountant fees and services and other services to be performed by EisnerAmper LLP were pre-approved by the Audit Committee in accordance withCompany’s pre-approval policies established by the Board of Directors.  Theand procedures require that all proposed engagements of EisnerAmper LLP for services of any kind be directed to the Audit Committee prior to the beginning of any service.

Allaudit and non-audit services provided by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firmaccountants is incorporated by reference to the Company’s Proxy Statement for 2019its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the caption “Principal Accountant Fees and 2018 were approved in advance by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.Services.”

 

PART IVItem 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

ITEM 15.(a)(1)EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULESThe following financial statements are included in Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data:

 

Page
Financial Statements of Wright Investors’ Service Holdings, Inc.:
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm11
Consolidated Statements of Operations - Years ended December 31,
2021 and 2020

12

Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 2021 and 202013
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31,
2021 and 2020

14

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity – Years
ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
15
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements16

(a)(2)Schedules have been omitted because they are not required or are not applicable, or the required information has been included in the financial statements or the notes thereto.
(a)(3)See accompanying Index to Exhibits.

23
Table of Contents

EXHIBITS
3(i)Articles of Incorporation.  Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Form S-1, Registration No. 333-118568.
3(ii)Bylaws.  Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant’s Form S-1, Registration No. 333-118568.
4.1Form of certificate representing shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share.   Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Form S-1, Registration No. 333-118568.
10.1Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on December 22, 2012.
14Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers of the Registrant and its subsidiaries.     Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 14.1 to the Registrant’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 filed on April 15, 2005
21  Subsidiaries of the Registrant*
31.1*Certification of the principal executive officer of the Registrant, pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a)
31.2*Certification of the principal financial officer of the Registrant, pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a)
32*Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, signed by the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company
101.INS

XBRL Instance Document. The instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document 

101.SCH

XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document 

101.CALInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document. 

101.LABInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

104Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)  

 *Filed within

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary

None.

 

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Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 WRIGHT INVESTORS’ SERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.INC 
   
Date:  April28, 2020March 11, 2022By:/s/ HARVEY P. EISEN 
  Name:Harvey P. Eisen 
  Title:

Chairman, President and

Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

13
Table of Contents

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

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.

 

NumberSignature DescriptionCapacityDate
   
31.1*Certification of
/s/ HARVEY P. EISENChairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerMarch 11, 2022
Harvey P. Eisen(Principal Executive OfficerOfficer)
31.2*Certification of
/s/ HAROLD KAHNActing Chief Financial Officer and Acting Principal
Accounting Officer
March 11, 2022
Harold Kahn(Principal Financial OfficerOfficer)

*Filed herewith
/s/ LAWRENCE G. SCHAFRANDirectorMarch 11, 2022
Lawrence G. Schafran
/s/ DORT CAMERON IIIDirectorMarch 11, 2022
Dort Cameron III

 

 

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