UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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As of September 6, 2024, the registrant had
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled to be held on November 13, 2024, are incorporated into Part III.
2
A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
For the Year Ended June 30, 2024
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3
PART I
ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Overview
A-Mark, also referred to (together with its subsidiaries) as "we", "us" and the "Company", is a fully integrated precious metals platform that offers an array of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and copper bullion, numismatic coins, and related products to wholesale and retail customers via a portfolio of channels. The Company conducts its operations through three complementary segments: Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services, Direct-to-Consumer, and Secured Lending. A-Mark believes it has one of the largest customer bases in each of its markets and provides one of the most comprehensive offerings of products and services in the precious metals trading industry. Our global customer base, spanning four continents, includes mints, manufacturers and fabricators, refiners, coin and bullion dealers, e-commerce retailers, banks and other financial institutions, commodity brokerage houses, industrial users of precious metals, investors, collectors, and retail customers.
Specifically, A-Mark:
A-Mark believes its businesses largely function independently of the price movement of the underlying commodities. However, factors such as global economic activity or uncertainty and inflationary trends, which affect market volatility, have the potential to impact demand, supply, volumes, and margins.
History
A-Mark was founded in 1965 and has grown into a significant participant in the bullion and coin market. Over the years, A-Mark has been steadily expanding its products and services. In 1986, A-Mark became an authorized purchaser of gold and silver bullion coins struck by the United States Mint. Similar arrangements with other sovereign mints followed, so that by the early 1990s, A-Mark had (and continues to have) relationships with all major sovereign mints offering bullion coins and bars internationally. The Company became a publicly traded company in March 2014.
In 2005, the Company launched Collateral Finance Corporation ("CFC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary, for the purpose of making secured loans primarily collateralized by bullion and numismatic material. Since then, CFC has expanded the value of its aggregate loan portfolio and number of its customers and also makes secured loans collateralized by graded sport cards. CFC has achieved its growth through both loan origination and acquisitions of loan portfolios from wholesale customers of A-Mark.
The Company opened an overseas office in Vienna, Austria in 2009, for the purpose of marketing A-Mark's goods and services in the international markets. The office operates through A-Mark Trading AG ("AMTAG"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. In 2012, the Company formed Transcontinental Depository Services, LLC. ("TDS"), a wholly-owned subsidiary, for the purpose of providing customers with turn-key global storage solutions for their precious metal products.
In July 2015, the Company launched its Las Vegas-based logistics fulfillment center, A-M Global Logistics, LLC. ("AMGL" or "Logistics"), a wholly-owned subsidiary, for the purpose of providing our customers a platform of complementary services, including packaging, shipping, handling, receiving, processing, and inventorying of precious metals, custom coins, and graded sports cards on a secure basis.
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In August 2016, the Company formed a joint venture, AM&ST Associates, LLC. ("AMST"), with SilverTowne, L.P., an Indiana-based fabricator of silver bullion products, for the purpose of acquiring and operating SilverTowne, L.P.'s minting business unit ("Silver Towne Mint" or the "Mint"). Since the formation of AMST, the Company has invested in minting equipment and fabrication tools to expand output capabilities, increase production efficiencies and improve product quality, and has leveraged the Mint’s fabrication capabilities and coin die portfolio to expand our custom coin programs, as well as to introduce new custom products for individual customers. In April 2021, the Company purchased the 31% interest in AMST previously held by the joint venture partner and currently owns 100% of AMST.
In August 2017, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of Goldline, LLC, a direct retailer of precious metals to the investor community, and now conducts those operations through its subsidiary Goldline, Inc. ("Goldline"). Goldline, LLC was formed in 1960 and became well-known to collectors and investors for its distribution of gold, silver, and platinum bullion coins and bars, in part, due to its television, radio, and internet marketing and customer service outreach. Since our acquisition, Goldline has expanded its product offerings and improved its delivery times.
In August 2019, Goldline entered into a joint venture agreement with a U.S. subsidiary of Silver Gold Bull, Inc. ("SGB") to form Precious Metals Purchasing Partners, LLC ("PMPP"), primarily for the purpose of purchasing precious metals from the partners' retail customers for resale back into the marketplace. We currently own a controlling interest in PMPP, both through Goldline's 50% ownership interest and through our majority ownership interest in SGB. PMPP commenced operations in fiscal 2020.
In September 2014, the Company made an initial equity investment in JM Bullion, Inc. (“JMB”), and in October 2016, we made an additional investment in JMB, increasing our equity interest to approximately 20.5%. In March 2021, the Company acquired the 79.5% interest in JMB that we did not previously own. JMB is a leading e-commerce retailer providing access to a broad array of gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium products through its own websites. In April 2022, JMB commercially launched the CyberMetals online platform, where customers can purchase fractional ounces of digital gold, silver, platinum, and palladium in a range of denominations, with the option to convert their digital holdings to fabricated precious metals products via an integrated redemption flow with JMB. JMB owns and operates numerous websites targeting specific niches within the precious metals retail market, including JMBullion.com, ProvidentMetals.com, Silver.com, CyberMetals.com, GoldPrice.org, SilverPrice.org, BGASC.com, BullionMax.com, and Gold.com. JMB had approximately 2.4 million total customers as of June 30, 2024, and approximately 466,300 active customers for the year ended June 30, 2024.
In April 2021, CFC Alternative Investments, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CFC, formed a joint venture with a third party known as Collectible Card Partners, LLC, which was established for the purpose of making commercial loans collateralized by graded sports cards.
In February 2024, AM/LPM Ventures, LLC, a consolidated subsidiary of the Company, acquired LPM Group Limited ("LPM"), one of Asia's largest precious metals dealers. AM/LPM Ventures, LLC serves as the Company's Asia headquarters. LPM extends A-Mark's global reach by offering its full-service precious metals products and services in Asia and internationally.
In 2014, the Company acquired its initial ownership interest in SGB. In 2018 and 2022, the Company made incremental investments to increase its ownership interest in SGB to 47.4% as of June 2022. In June 2024, the Company acquired an additional 8% ownership interest in SGB, increasing its ownership interest to 55.4%. Founded in 2009, SGB is a leading e-commerce precious metals retailer in Canada focused on providing online innovation, high-quality products, competitive pricing, and enhanced customer service. SGB had approximately 523,000 total customers as of June 30, 2024.
Through strategic relationships with its customers and suppliers and vertical integration across its markets, A-Mark seeks to grow its business volume, expand its presence in non-U.S. markets around the globe, and enlarge its offering of complementary products and services. A-Mark seeks to continue its expansion by building on its strengths and what it perceives to be its competitive advantages. These include:
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As part of our growth strategy, we are focused on:
Business Segments
The Company conducts its operations in three reportable segments: (i) Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services, (ii) Direct-to-Consumer, and (iii) Secured Lending. See Note 19 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for further information regarding our reportable segments.
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Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services
A-Mark operates through several business units that comprise the Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment, including Industrial, Coin and Bar, Trading and Finance, Storage, Logistics, and Mint.
Industrial. Our Industrial unit sells gold, silver, platinum, and palladium to industrial and commercial users. Customers include coin fabricators such as mints and industrial manufacturers, encompassing electronics and component parts companies and refiners. Depending on the intended usage, the metals are either investment or industrial grade and are generally in the form of bars or grains.
Coin and Bar. Our Coin and Bar unit deals in approximately 2,100 different products, including gold and silver coins from around the world and gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and ingots in a variety of weights, shapes, and sizes. Our customers include coin and bullion dealers, banks and other financial institutions, commodity brokerage houses, manufacturers, investors, investment advisors, and collectors who qualify as “eligible commercial entities” and “eligible contract participants,” as those terms are defined in the Commodity Exchange Act.
We are an authorized distributor (and, in the case of the United States Mint, an authorized purchaser) of gold and silver coins for all of the major sovereign mints and various private mints. The sovereign mints include the United States Mint, the Australian (Perth) Mint, the Austrian Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, the China Mint, Banco de Mexico, the South African Mint (Rand Refinery) and the Royal Mint (United Kingdom). We purchase and take delivery of coins from the mints for resale to coin dealers, financial institutions, and other qualified purchasers.
Our distribution and purchase agreements with the mints are non-exclusive and may be terminated by the mints at any time, although in practice our relationships with the mints are long-standing, in some cases, as with the United States Mint, extending back for over 35 years. In some cases, we have developed exclusive products with sovereign and private mints for distribution through our dealer network.
In our Industrial and Coin and Bar units, orders are taken telephonically and on an electronic trading platform that can be accessed by qualified wholesale customers at www.amark.com. Pricing is generally based on screen quotes for bullion transactions in the spot market, with two-day settlement, although special pricing and extended settlement terms are also available. Almost all customers in these units take physical delivery of the precious metal. Product is shipped upon receipt of payment, except where the purchase is financed under credit arrangements between A-Mark and the customer. We have relationships with precious metal depositories around the world to facilitate shipment of product from our inventory to the customer, in many cases for next day delivery. Product may either be shipped to the customer's location or delivered to a depository or other storage facility designated by the customer. The Company also periodically loans metals to customers on a short-term consignment basis and may charge interest fees based on the value of the metals loaned.
Trading and Finance. Our Trading and Finance units engage in commodity hedging as well as borrowing and lending transactions in support of our Industrial and Coin and Bar units.
The Trading unit hedges the commodity risk on A-Mark's inventory in order to protect A-Mark from market price fluctuations. A-Mark maintains relationships with major market-makers and multiple futures brokers in order to provide a variety of alternatives for its hedging needs. Our traders employ a combination of future and forward contracts to hedge our market exposure. Because it seeks to substantially hedge its market exposure, A-Mark believes that its business largely functions independently of the price movements of the underlying commodities. Through its hedging activities, A-Mark may also earn contango yields, in which futures price are higher than the current spot prices, or backwardation yields, in which futures prices are lower than the spot prices. A-Mark also offers precious metals price quotes in a number of foreign currencies.
Our Finance unit engages in precious metals borrowing and lending transactions and other customized financial transactions with or on behalf of our customers and other counterparties. These arrangements range from simple hedging structures to complex inventory finance arrangements and forward purchase and sale structures, tailored to the needs of our customers.
Storage. Our Transcontinental Depository Services, LLC ("TDS") subsidiary provides storage solutions for precious metals and numismatic coins for financial institutions, dealers, investors, and collectors worldwide. TDS contracts on behalf of our clients with independent secure storage facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Singapore, and Hong Kong, for either fully segregated or allocated storage. We assist our clients in developing appropriate storage options for their particular requirements, and we manage the operational aspects of the storage with the third-party facilities on our clients' behalf. TDS's marketing efforts are conducted both in conjunction with A-Mark's trading operations and independently, including through its dedicated website www.tdsvaults.com.
Logistics. Our A-M Global Logistics, LLC ("Logistics") subsidiary, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, supports our Wholesale Sales business by providing a significant amount of the secured storage and shipping and delivery services that had historically been outsourced to third-party depositories in their various locations. By consolidating those operations into one central location under our control, we reduced our dependence on third-party service providers while enhancing quality control and reducing operating costs. Logistics also provides turn-key logistics services to our customers engaged in the retail business. We provide these customers inventory handling, packaging, storage, and drop-shipping services.
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AMTAG. Our A-Mark Trading AG ("AMTAG") subsidiary promotes the Company's products and services to certain international markets.
Mint. Through its AMST subsidiary, the Company owns the minting operations of the Silver Towne Mint (or the "Mint"), providing greater product selection to our customers and greater pricing stability within the supply chain, as well as increased access to fabricated silver products during volatile market environments. A-Mark has leveraged Silver Towne Mint’s fabrication capabilities to introduce new custom products for individual customers.
Although the Company is the Mint’s primary customer, the Mint also markets its products at www.silvertownemint.com. In March 2023, the Mint achieved ISO 9000:2015 certification which allows all products produced by the Mint to be accepted into individual retirement accounts ("IRA").
LPM. Based in Hong Kong, LPM serves as the Company's Asia headquarters, offering the Company's full-service precious metals products and services in Asia and internationally. LPM has a large numismatics showroom in the heart of Hong Kong's Central Financial District.
Direct-to-Consumer
The Company operates its Direct-to-Consumer segment through its wholly-owned subsidiaries JM Bullion, Inc. (“JMB”) and Goldline, Inc. (“Goldline”), and through its investment in Silver Gold Bull, Inc. ("SGB"). The Company’s Direct-to-Consumer segment expands the Company’s distribution capabilities with a retail distribution channel. It diversifies the products and services offered to the Company’s retail customers by providing them access to the Company’s wider assortment of precious metal coins and bars, as well as TDS’s storage and asset protection services.
JMB
JMB is a leading internet retailer of precious metal products that it sells through its proprietary websites.
Products. JMB’s products consist primarily of coins, rounds, and bars. Coins are minted by a sovereign government, are legal currency and have a face value, although the face value is typically less than the value of their precious metal content. Rounds are coin-like objects with thematic designs minted by private mints, have no face value and are not legal currency, and their value is solely based upon their precious metal content. Bars are ingot-shaped precious metal objects that are usually produced by private mints. Like rounds, bars have no face value, are not legal currency and are valued based on their precious metal content. Coins, rounds, and bars are made from silver, gold, platinum, or palladium and in some cases copper. JMB occasionally sells jewelry products fashioned around coins or rounds as well.
JMB offers over 6,000 different products, measured by stock keeping units or SKUs, on its websites during a fiscal year. This number can vary over time, particularly when demand is high. As a service to its customers, JMB makes available for sale on its websites protective accessories for precious metal products, including acrylic coin holders and capsules, coin tubes and silver bar tubes.
JMB owns and operates numerous websites targeting specific niches within the precious metals retail market, including JMBullion.com, ProvidentMetals.com, Silver.com, CyberMetals.com, GoldPrice.org, SilverPrice.org, BGASC.com, BullionMax.com, and Gold.com. GoldPrice.org and SilverPrice.org publish data on precious metal and cryptocurrency pricing and generate leads for its other websites.
Through the CyberMetals online platform, customers can purchase and sell fractional shares of digital gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars in a range of denominations. CyberMetals’ customers have the option to convert their digital holdings to fabricated precious metals products via an integrated redemption flow with JMB. These products may be designated for storage by the Company or shipped directly to the customer.
Customers may order product on each of the JMBullion.com, BGASC.com, BullionMax.com, ProvidentMetals.com and Silver.com websites. While each of these sites appeals to a different customer clientele and may from time to time have slightly different product offerings, all orders are processed in the same manner. Customers may place their orders online, or they may use the toll-free telephone number available on the websites to order through a customer representative. The SilverPrice.org and GoldPrice.org websites provide real time price information on silver, gold, and cryptocurrencies. We also own the gold.com domain, one of the most recognizable domains in the precious metals industry. Although customers cannot order product on these websites, the websites direct visitors to JMBullion.com for placing orders.
JMB utilizes an internally developed search engine optimization strategy to drive traffic to its websites, particularly to JMBullion.com. JMB also pays for placement on the major search engines, including Google, Bing, Apple, and Yahoo!, employing internally developed strategies to reach a targeted audience and to optimize the cost effectiveness of paid for searches.
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JMB's Direct-to-Consumer Purchase Program. JMB also offers to purchase precious metal products through its websites. With this program, JMB provides collectors of precious metal products with a means to dispose of their holdings at transparent and competitive prices. Generally, JMB will indicate on its websites the products that it is interested in purchasing, and a collector seeking to sell such products may arrange the sale online. Alternatively, the collector may call a customer representative using the toll-free number on the website and arrange a sale by telephone.
The Direct-to-Consumer Purchase Program is a source of inventory for JMB, which enables JMB to acquire product for resale at a discount to dealer prices.
Logistics. The Company's main distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, together with its ancillary facility in Dallas, Texas, handle the back end logistics for the Company's Direct-to-Consumer Purchase Program and the secured storage for CyberMetals' precious metals.
Goldline
Goldline, acquired by the Company in August 2017, is a direct retailer of precious metals to the investor community. Goldline markets its precious metal products on television, radio, podcasts, and the internet, as well as through customer service outreach, particularly to Goldline’s repeat customers. Online orders are taken on an electronic trading platform that can be accessed by qualified retail customers at www.goldline.com.
Goldline customers are required to enter into an account agreement that specifies the terms and conditions of purchase and explains the availability of certain programs and services offered by Goldline to its customers.
Products. Goldline offers a variety of products from gold, silver, and platinum bullion in the form of bars and coins, as well as rare coins.
Goldline's and SGB's Direct-to-Consumer Purchase Program. Through Precious Metals Purchasing Partners, LLC ("PMPP"), a joint venture between Goldline and SGB, Goldline and SGB acquire precious metals from their retail customers in order to diversify their supply of product offerings and provide discounted pricing to their affiliates. This program provides Goldline's and SGB's customers with a means to monetize their holdings efficiently and at competitive prices.
Intellectual Property. AM IP Assets, LLC ("AMIP"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Goldline, manages certain intellectual property of Goldline, including customer lists and a sales lead data base.
SGB
The Company acquired its initial ownership interest in SGB in 2014, increasing its investment to 55.4% in June 2024. SGB is a leading e-commerce precious metals retailer in Canada. The Company's investment in SGB expands the Company's direct-to-consumer footprint in the international market.
Through its website, SilverGoldBull.com, SGB offers a variety of products from gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars, coins and rounds, as well as certified coins from mints around the world.
Secured Lending
The Company operates its Secured Lending segment through its wholly-owned subsidiary, CFC, which in turn owned AM Capital Funding, LLC (“AMCF”). CFC has been operating since fiscal year 2005; AMCF was dissolved in June 2024. CFC Alternative Investments, LLC (“CAI”), a subsidiary of CFC, is a party to a joint venture known as Collectible Card Partners, LLC (“CCP”), which was formed for the purpose of making commercial loans collateralized by graded sports cards.
CFC is a California licensed finance lender that, directly and through its subsidiaries, originates and acquires commercial loans secured by bullion, numismatic coins, and graded sports cards. CFC's customers include coin and precious metal dealers, investors, and collectors. As of June 30, 2024, the aggregate balance of CFC's secured loans was approximately $113.1 million which is comprised of approximately 15% of loans acquired from third-parties and approximately 85% of loans originated by CFC.
AMCF was a special purpose entity whose sole activity consisted of operating, owning, and financing precious metal inventory through the issuance of notes (the “AMCF Notes”). In December 2023, the AMCF Notes were repaid and AMCF was dissolved in June 2024. AMCF Notes were primarily payable from, and secured by, (i) precious metals obtained by AMCF, (ii) a portfolio of bullion loans collateralized by precious metals, which loans were originated by either CFC or acquired by CFC from third parties and conveyed by CFC to AMCF, and (iii) cash. The indenture governing the AMCF Notes required AMCF to maintain a specified level of collateral. The indenture also provided that AMCF’s assets were not to be commingled with those of CFC or A-Mark (or any affiliate) and that AMCF was to maintain separate books and records.
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General. The secured loans that CFC issues consist of on-demand loans and loans with a term of three months to 364 days, with a typical term of approximately six months. Repayment of the loans can be made at any time without penalty. Because the loans are of relatively short duration, CFC does not have significant exposure to interest rate fluctuations, even in a rising interest rate environment. Loans carried by CFC range in size up to approximately $14.0 million.
All loans are fully secured by bullion, numismatic coins, graded sports cards, or other eligible alternative investment assets. TDS, on behalf of CFC, takes physical custody of the coins or bullion collateralizing the loans. CFC requires loan-to-value ("LTV") ratios of between 50% and 85%. LTV ratio refers to the principal amount of the loan divided by the liquidation value of the collateral, as conservatively estimated by CFC for numismatic loans and based on daily spot market prices for bullion loans. The LTV ratio varies with the nature of the collateral, with CFC allowing, for example, a higher LTV ratio for bullion than for rare coins. If, because of fluctuations in the market price of the pledged collateral, the LTV ratio on a loan increases above a prescribed maximum ratio, typically 85%, CFC can make a margin call on the loan. If the borrower does not meet the margin call, either by wiring payment or supplying additional collateral, CFC is authorized to sell the collateral, which it does through its A-Mark affiliates. CFC has never experienced losses of principal on its loans.
Origination Activity. CFC's origination activities are complementary to the Company’s coin and bullion businesses and afford our customers a convenient means of financing their inventory or collections. CFC also attempts to leverage the worldwide storage capabilities of its TDS affiliate by offering clients TDS’s asset protection services in connection with the loans. CFC’s marketing efforts for its origination activity are conducted both in conjunction with A-Mark's trading operations, particularly with respect to dealers, and independently, including though its dedicated website www.cfcgoldloans.com. Interest rates on loans originated by CFC are determined based on current market conditions, borrower profile and type or mix of collateral. CFC also offers a variety of custom loan services to its origination clients, including renewal options, options to increase loan size, financing arrangements tailored to facilitate participation in numismatic auctions, and revolving loan arrangements. CFC services the loans that it originates.
Acquisition Activity. CFC also acquires portfolios of loans secured by bullion and numismatics coins from third-party originators. The loans acquired by CFC are sold subject to customary representations and warranties for loan portfolios of this type and must comply with CFC’s criteria for quality of collateral, LTV ratio, term and interest rate. Upon acquisition of a loan portfolio, CFC takes physical possession of the collateral securing the loans. In the event that a loan is non-performing, we will typically liquidate the collateral on behalf of the originator in order to retire the loan. Typically, loan portfolios acquired by CFC are serviced by the originator for a fee.
Financing Activity. CFC has historically financed its loan origination and acquisition activity primarily through A-Mark's demand line of credit with a syndicate of several financial institutions.
Liquidity
Our business depends substantially on our ability to obtain financing for our operations. Sources of cash generated from operating activities include receipts upon the sales of precious metals, and cash collected from interest payments on secured loans.
Sources of cash provided by financing activities are our uncommitted line of credit, fixed interest rate notes, and other structured financing products. The Company’s line of credit provides it with the liquidity to buy and sell billions of dollars of precious metals annually, and is used to fund a substantial portion of the operations of the Company. As of June 30, 2024, A-Mark's uncommitted line of credit provided access up to $422.5 million. The maturity date of the credit facility is September 2025.
The Company also generates funds from other finance products that include product financing arrangements with customers, whereby the Company sells its inventory with an option to repurchase, and through precious metal borrowing and leasing arrangements with its suppliers.
We periodically purchase our own common stock that is traded on public markets as part of our announced stock repurchase program. See more information regarding our share repurchase program in Part II, Item 5 of this Annual Report.
Market Making Activity
We act as a principal market maker, maintaining a two-way market for buying and selling precious metals. This means we both sell product to and purchase product from our customers.
Material Resources
We maintain a substantial inventory of bullion and coins in order to provide our customers with selection and prompt delivery. We acquire product for our inventory in the course of our trading activities with our customers, directly from government and private mints, mines, and refiners, and from commodities brokers and dealers, privately and in transactions on established commodity exchanges.
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A-Mark’s precious metals inventories are subject to market value changes created by change in the underlying commodity price, as well as supply and demand of the individual products the Company trades. Our inventory is marked-to-market daily for accounting and financial reporting purposes, except for a relatively insignificant amount of inventory that is accounted for at lower of cost or net realizable value. A-Mark’s policy is to remain substantially hedged as to its inventory position and its individual sale and purchase commitments. A-Mark seeks to minimize the effect of price changes of the underlying commodity through the use of financial derivative instruments, such as forward and futures contracts.
Sales and Marketing
We market our products and services to our wholesale customers primarily through our offices in El Segundo, California, Hong Kong, and Vienna, Austria, our websites, and our dealer network, which we believe is the largest of its kind. The dealer network consists of approximately 1,200 independent precious metal and coin companies, with whom we transact on a non-exclusive basis. The arrangements with the dealers vary, but generally the dealers acquire product from us for resale to their customers. In some instances, we deliver bullion to the dealers on a consignment basis. We also participate from time to time in trade shows and conventions, at which we promote our products and services. As a vertically integrated precious metals company, a key element of our marketing strategy is being able to cross-sell our products and services to customers within our various business units.
JMB and SGB market their products over the internet through their proprietary websites, using an internally developed search optimization strategy and paid placements with major search engines. Goldline reaches its retail customer base on television, radio, and the internet, as well as through customer service outreach.
We market our secured loan products and services to customers primarily through our proprietary websites, print advertising, and strategic partnerships.
Operational Support
The Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment maintains administrative and operational support related to its trading, hedging, and finance product operations at its global headquarters in El Segundo, California and regional headquarters in Hong Kong. We believe that our existing administrative and operational support infrastructure has the capacity to scale with our business activities. We store our inventories of bullion and numismatics at third-party depositories in major financial centers around the world and at our secured facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Direct-to-Consumer segment maintains administrative and operational support at its offices in Dallas, Texas, Los Angeles, California, and Calgary, Canada for originating and processing its retail orders. The Company's Trading, Finance, and Logistics business units provide supporting services such as hedging and order fulfillment.
The Secured Lending segment maintains administrative support at its headquarters in El Segundo, California for the processing of its originated loans, including billing, managing margin calls, and tracking of precious metal collateral. For the processing and administration of loans that are acquired from a third party (which may be a customer of A-Mark), customer invoices are typically processed by the originating dealer of the loan portfolio through a fee-based servicing arrangement. Collateral custody and security is managed by our Logistics business unit.
Customer Concentrations
For the year ended June 30, 2024, we had one customer that comprised more than 10% of our revenues. See Note 18 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company's largest customers generally are engaged with us in significant forward contract sales activity (as opposed to those customers with whom we principally have physical trading activity), which are entered into in order to hedge the Company's commodity holding risks, and not for speculative purposes.
Competition
A-Mark's activities cover a broad spectrum of the precious metals industry, with a concentration on the physical market. We service public, industrial, and private sector consumers of precious metals which include industrial manufacturers, refiners, minting facilities, banks, brokerage houses, and private investors. We frequently face different competitors in each area, and it is not uncommon for a customer and/or a supplier in one market segment to be a competitor in another.
Our Direct-to-Consumer segment competes with numerous online and other retailers of direct-to-consumer precious metal products. The principal competitors of JMB include APMEX, SD Bullion, and Bullion Exchanges. Competition is based primarily on price and customer service, including the ability to offer same day shipping. To a lesser extent, competition is also based on product availability, although all major ecommerce retailers will typically stock the products that are most in demand.
Our Secured Lending segment's market is believed to have limited direct competition. We believe factors, including access to capital, secure storage facilities, bullion and numismatic expertise, and other related services and offerings, provide us a competitive advantage in that marketplace.
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Seasonality and Other Factors Influencing Demand
Our business is generally not seasonal, although demand in the retail market tends to be lower in the summer months. On the other hand, we believe our business is directly impacted by the perception of market trends and global economic activity. Historically, higher levels of demand for precious metals are brought on during periods of macroeconomic uncertainty. Typically, factors that impact such uncertainty and correlate with a higher level of demand for precious metals include volatility in the equity markets, increases in rates of inflation, and the weakening of the U.S. dollar.
Compliance with Government Regulations
We are subject to a variety of domestic and foreign laws that relate particularly to our business. Because of the nature and value of the precious metal products in which deal, we must be careful to assure compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and a variety of anti-money laundering and know-your-customer rules in response to the USA Patriot Act, and similar foreign statutory regimes.
By reason of our direct-to-consumer business in particular, we collect personal data and are subject to European General Data Protection Regulation, the California Consumer Privacy Act and similar domestic and foreign statutes that address the collection, use and monitoring of such data. We continue to devote substantial resources to comply with these laws and regulations.
Our CFC financing subsidiary operates under a California Finance Lenders License issued by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. CFC is required to submit a finance lender law annual report to the state which summarizes certain loan portfolio and financial information regarding CFC, which are subject to audit.
Human Capital
The efforts and expertise of our team members are critical to our success. We are devoted to the attraction, development, and retention of our employees, which enable us to deliver a high level of service to our customers. Because we have a small number of employees, and certain of our subsidiaries are geographically dispersed as a result of various acquisitions as well as from internal growth, our focus is on maintaining a relationship-based and collaborative work environment within each of our geographical locations. For the most part, our operating businesses are authorized to establish specific policies and practices concerning the attraction and retention of person in their organizations, addressing, among other things: maintaining a safe work environment for employees, customers and other business partners, offering competitive compensation and benefits to employees, and hiring practices intended to identify qualified candidates and promote diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
At the same time, we recognize the importance of “Tone at the Top”, and we have adopted company-wide corporate governance policies and procedures which emphasize accountability, transparency, fairness, and responsibility. A-Mark’s senior management is responsible for establishing and monitoring A-Mark’s corporate governance practices, including monitoring governance efforts at each location, and participating in the resolution of governance-related issues as needed. A-Mark’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics emphasizes, among other things, the commitment to ethics and compliance with the law and provides basic standards for ethical and legal behavior of all its employees.
As of June 30, 2024, the Company had 489 employees, with 439 located in North America, 48 located in Asia, and 2 located in Europe; all except 7 of these employees were considered full-time employees. Our overall employee retention rate for the year ended June 30, 2024 was 83%; excluding the Mint and Logistics operations, which hire largely in response to fluctuating business demands, our retention rate was 93%. For the companies we have owned for more than five years, the percentage of employees who have more than five years of service was 36%. For the companies we have owned and operated for less than five years, the percentage of employees who have continued their employment since the respective acquisition dates was 73%.
A-Mark is committed to supporting our employees’ financial, mental, and physical well-being. Across our various companies, we offer competitive pay and benefits, including annual short-term incentive awards and long-term equity awards, an employee savings 401(k) plan and company matching contributions, health insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, health savings and flexible spending accounts, wellness incentives, paid time off, family leave, parental leave, and employee assistance programs.
A-Mark provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification. Equal employment opportunity includes, but is not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves of absence, and termination. The diversity of our workforce is essential, and we are committed to diversity and inclusion throughout the Company to ensure a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and skills to provide better solutions, drive innovation and creativity, and enhance decision making. As of June 30, 2024, approximately 34% of our employees identified as female, and 46% of our employees were made up of underrepresented minorities.
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Corporate Information
Our executive offices are located at 2121 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 6300, El Segundo CA 90245. Our telephone number is (310) 587-1477, and our website is www.amark.com. Through this website, we make available, free of charge, all of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including those under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"). Such reports are made available on the same day that they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. In addition, copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Employees, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Senior Financial and Other Officers, and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors are available through our website, along with other information regarding our corporate governance policies.
Geographic Information
See Note 19 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for information about Company's geographic operations.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Summary of Risk Factors
The following summary provides an overview of the material risks we are exposed to in the normal course business. This risk factor summary does not contain all of the information that may be important to you, and you should read these together with the more detailed discussion of risks set forth following this section, as well as elsewhere in this report under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Additional risks beyond those summarized below, or discussed elsewhere in “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” may apply to our activities or operations as currently conducted or as we may conduct them in the future, or to the markets in which we currently operate or may in the future operate.
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Introductory Risks
The demand for our products and our profitability ultimately depends on preferences and perceptions regarding the desirability of owning precious metals, but those preferences and perceptions are subject to change.
While the Company operates at both the wholesale and direct-to-consumer levels, the demand for our products is dependent upon the perceptions and preferences in the global market regarding the ownership of precious metals and numismatics. These perceptions and preferences depend on a variety of factors, including world events (as discussed more fully below), business and economic conditions, inflationary and other currency related trends and alternative investment opportunities. All such factors may change over time and as a consequence the results of our operations, profitability and stock price may vary over both the short and the long term.
We regularly seek to innovate and to anticipate market changes, but there is no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
We are alert to the special sensitivity of our business to economic, social and political trends and events, and we attempt to project their effects on our business over the long term. For example, we have placed increasing emphasis on our direct-to-consumer business, in anticipation that the economic uncertainties, market volatilities and global challenges that we face will continue to make investment in precious metals and numismatics more attractive to individual consumers. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be correct in our assessments of market trends or evolving business and consumer preferences, or that, even if our judgments are correct, our response to projected trends and preferences will be timely or effective. Moreover, because of the sensitivity of our business to macro-economic, social and political circumstances, there may be no effective strategy to insulate us from the adverse effects that these circumstances could have on our business.
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Risks Relating to our Operations
Our business is heavily dependent on our credit facility.
Our business depends substantially on our ability to obtain financing for our operations. On December 21, 2021, we entered into a committed facility provided by a syndicate of financial institutions (the “Trading Credit Facility”), with a total current revolving commitment of up to $422.5 million and with a termination date of September 20, 2025. The Trading Credit Facility provides the Company with the liquidity to buy and sell billions of dollars of precious metals annually. A-Mark routinely uses funds drawn under the Trading Credit Facility to purchase metals from its suppliers and for operating cash flow purposes. Our CFC subsidiary also uses the funds drawn under the Trading Credit Facility to finance certain of its lending activities.
The Trading Credit Facility requires us to comply with customary affirmative and negative covenants, and with a variety of financial covenants, including a minimum working capital requirement; a fixed charge coverage ratio; a ratio of total recourse debt to consolidated tangible net worth; and limitations on the amount of ownership-based financings (as defined). Owing to the cyclicality of our business, we may be required to request limited waivers of compliance with certain financial covenants under the Trading Credit Facility. There can be no assurance that such waivers will be granted. Upon the occurrence of an event of default under the Trading Credit Facility that was not cured or waived pursuant to the terms of the Trading Credit Facility, the lenders under the Trading Credit Facility could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the Trading Credit Facility to be due and payable immediately.
If we are unable to access funds under the Trading Credit Facility, we may be limited in the manner in which we conduct our business, and we may be unable to engage in favorable business activities or finance future operations or capital needs.
We cannot assure you that our assets or cash flow would be sufficient to fully repay borrowings under our outstanding debt instruments, including the Trading Credit Facility, upon acceleration or at maturity, or that we would be able to refinance or restructure the payments under the Trading Credit Facility. Our failure to renew or replace the Trading Credit Facility under such circumstances would reduce the financing available to us and could limit our ability to conduct our business, including certain lending activity of our CFC subsidiary. There can be no assurance that we could procure replacement financing on commercially acceptable terms on a timely basis, or at all. We have pledged a significant portion of our assets as collateral under the Trading Credit Facility, and if we were unable to repay the amounts outstanding thereunder, the administrative agent under the Trading Credit Facility could proceed against the collateral securing such indebtedness.
We are subject to fluctuations in interest rates based on the variable interest terms of the Trading Credit Facility, and we may not be able to pass along to our customers and borrowers some or any part of an increase in the interest that we are required to pay under the Trading Credit Facility.
Loans under our credit facility may bear interest based on SOFR, but experience with SOFR based loans is limited.
Revolving loans under the Trading Credit Facility are at our option either Based Rate Loans that bear interest at a base rate plus a prescribed margin, or SOFR Loans that bear interest at rates selected by us based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (SOFR) plus prescribed margins. The use of SOFR based rates replaced rates based on the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR), and reflects the cessation of the publication of LIBOR rates by regulators in the United Kingdom and the discontinuation of the use of LIBOR in the financial markets. The use of SOFR based rates may result in interest rates and/or payments that are higher or lower than the rates and payments that we experienced under our prior Trading Credit Facility, where interest rates were based on LIBOR. Also, the use of SOFR based rates is relatively new, and there could be unanticipated difficulties or disruptions with the calculation and publication of SOFR based rates. In particular, if the agent under the Trading Credit Facility determines that SOFR Rates cannot be determined or the agent or the lenders determine that SOFR based rates do not adequately reflect the cost of funding the SOFR Loans, outstanding SOFR Loans will be converted into Base Rate Loans. This could result in increased borrowing costs for the Company.
We could suffer losses with our financing operations.
We engage in a variety of financing activities with our customers:
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Our ability to minimize losses on the credit that we extend to our customers depends on a variety of factors, including:
Liquidity constraints may limit our ability to grow our business.
We will require adequate sources of liquidity to fund both our existing business and our strategy for expansion, evidenced by our acquisition of JMB and other acquisition activity. Currently, our main sources of liquidity are the cash that we generate from operations, and our borrowing availability under the Trading Credit Facility. There can be no assurance that our sources of liquidity will be adequate to support the growth that we are hoping to achieve or that additional sources of financing for this purpose, in the form of additional debt or equity financing, will be available to us, on satisfactory terms or at all. Also, the Trading Credit Facility contains, and any future debt financing is likely to contain, various financial and other restrictive covenants. The need to comply with these covenants may limit our ability to implement our growth initiatives.
We may experience supply chain disruptions in our operations.
As a result of various macro-economic factors, businesses in a variety of industries have experienced difficulty in obtaining the source materials required for their operations. We require coin and other bullion products, particularly products manufactured by government mints, for resale to our customers, and silver for the productions of bullion bars and rounds by our Silver Towne Mint. We have multiple sources for obtaining the bullion products which we resell to our customers, and our relationships with major refiners have to date provided us with an adequate source of material for our minting operations. We also maintain a supply of metal in case we experience a shortage of raw materials for our Silver Towne Mint. However, while we do not currently anticipate that our business will suffer as a consequence of problems in the national and global supply chains, we cannot assure you that this will continue to be the case. Our operations could be adversely impacted if we did not have an adequate source of supply for our Silver Towne Mint, particularly if we expand our minting operations to meet increased demand, or if supply chain disruptions significantly interfered with our sources of coin and bullion for resale. If significant supply chain constraints were to occur, we might be required to cut back on our minting operations or we might be unable to timely satisfy customer requirements for coin and bullion products. This could lead to a loss of sales and could adversely impact our reputation.
We are dependent on our key management personnel and our trading experts.
Our strategic vision and performance are dependent on Gregory Roberts, our Chief Executive Officer, other members of our senior management and certain other key employees. We have an employment agreement with Mr. Roberts which expires in June 2027. We also have employment agreements with Thor Gjerdrum, our President, and Brian Aquilino, our Chief Operating Officer, which expire in June 2025, and Robert Pacelli, Chief Executive Officer and President of JMB, which expires in June 2026.
These and other employees have expertise in the trading markets, e-commerce operations and digital marketing; have industry-wide reputations; and perform critical functions for our business. We cannot offer assurance that we will be able to negotiate acceptable terms for the renewal of the employment agreements or otherwise retain our key employees. Also, there is significant competition for skilled precious metals traders and other industry professionals. The loss of our current key officers and employees, without the ability to replace them, would have a materially adverse effect on our business.
We rely extensively on computer systems to execute trades and process transactions, and we could suffer substantial damages if the operation of these systems were interrupted.
We rely on our computer and communications hardware and software systems to execute a large volume of trading transactions each year. Our dependence on computer and communications technology increased with the acquisition of JMB, whose sales are conducted exclusively through the internet. It is therefore critical that we maintain uninterrupted operation of these systems, and we have invested considerable resources to protect our systems from physical compromise and security breaches and to maintain backup and redundancy. Nevertheless, our systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, including breaches of our transaction processing or other systems, catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes and hurricanes, and usage errors by our employees. Breaches, damage or malfunctions affecting our systems may require significant investment for repair or replacement, and could interrupt our ability to provide quotations or trading services, or to conduct our e-commerce business.
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We are also subject to ransomware attacks, in which malicious actors seek to deprive us of access to our computer systems unless we pay them a fee, which could be substantial. If personal data were compromised, we could be subject to costly litigation or government fines. See also “Risk Factors of General Applicability—If our customer data were breached, we could suffer damages and loss of reputation;” and “—New rules have recently become effective that will require the Company to provide disclosures regarding cybersecurity management and events.”
The Company has minority investments in a number of entities engaged in precious metal marketing; as a minority investor the Company is not able to exercise absolute control over these entities.
We hold minority interests in entities that are engaged in the business of precious metal and numismatic sales to consumers. Although by virtue of the Company’s investment in these entities, the Company is able to exert influence, and in some cases substantial influence, on the management of the entities, the Company does not have absolute control of these entities. As a consequence, circumstances may arise in which action may be taken by the management of these entities which we believe is not in our best interest and to which we object. The value of our investment in one or more of these entities may therefore decline. Also, because these investments are illiquid, we may not be able to dispose of our ownership interests in these entities should be choose to do so, at a price that we believe reflects its fair value or at all.
Risks Related to World Events
Our business is influenced by political conditions and world events.
The precious metals business is especially subject to global political conditions and world events. Precious metals are viewed by some as a secure financial investment in times of political upheaval or unrest, particularly in developing economies, which may drive up pricing. The volatility of the commodity prices for precious metals is also likely to increase in politically uncertain times. Conversely, during periods of relative international calm precious metal volatility is likely to decrease, along with demand, and the prices of precious metals may retreat. Because our business is dependent on the volatility and pricing of precious metals, we are likely to be influenced by world events more than businesses in other economic sectors.
Russia is continuing to engage in its military action against Ukraine. In response, the U.S. and certain other countries imposed significant sanctions and export controls, and could impose further sanctions and controls, against Russia, Belarus and certain individuals and entities connected to Russian or Belarusian political, business, and financial organizations. The conflict has also created uncertainty regarding, and potential shortages of, grain and fossil fuel supplies in Europe and elsewhere. It is not possible to predict the broader consequences of this conflict, which could materially adversely affect global trade, currency exchange rates, regional economies and the global economy, and its impact on us. We could benefit from the resulting uncertainty and instability, as it may encourage investors to seek perceived safety in the ownership of precious metals. On the other hand, we have a marketing support operation in Austria and have significant business in Germany and other parts of Europe that could be materially and adversely affected by the continuing or expanded military activity in that region. Hamas' attack on Israel and Israel's response have the potential for further disruption of economic markets, particularly as hostilities expand to include other state and non-state actors. The Company has no operations in the Middle East at the current time. However, events there could result in political turmoil in Europe, which could directly affect our operations there, and could adversely affect the business that we conduct with customers in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Also, the turmoil in the Middle East could have global economic effects that are the same as or more severe than those of the war in the Ukraine, with similar consequences for our business. In particular, a depressing effect on the global economy as a consequence of the military action in Ukraine and the Middle East could dampen our business activity and reduce the demand for our products and services.
The Company experienced outsized growth in its revenues and operating profits during periods of volatility in the financial markets over the last several years, and there can be no assurance that this level of performance will be attainable in the future.
The unprecedented growth of the business of the Company over the last several years may be attributed to a high degree of volatility in the financial markets, resulting from various geopolitical, macroeconomic, military and global uncertainties and events. In this environment, consumers may have sought perceived financial safety in precious coins and metals. Our stock price responded favorably to these unprecedented circumstances as well.
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Our profits have since retreated from their all-time highs experienced during these times, and there can be no assurance that this historically unprecedented performance of the precious metals business will be attainable in future periods. Our business in the past has been subject to cyclical fluctuations, and we are beginning to experience to a degree a return to cyclicality in our more recent operating results. Consumer perceptions with respect to precious coins and metals could shift, and these commodities may no longer be viewed as secure investments. Slower precious metals markets with lower volatility and greater supply, as we have experienced more recently, have had and could continue to have the effect of decreasing the volume of products sold and also adversely impact our product premiums, which are a key driver of our overall performance. A sustained decline in our revenues and earnings would have adverse effects on our operations and would likely cause our stock price to decline. It is not possible to predict with any accuracy future market trends, and in particular whether the extremely favorable environment for our business during these volatile financial markets will return. As a result, we cannot tell, when, if at all, our profitability will once more achieve the unprecedented levels that we experienced during these periods. Moreover, because of the nature of the current business and financial environment, particularly in regards to the precious metal industry, it is difficult to create with any acceptable measure of precision customary financial projections and forecasts for our business over the next several years. This could adversely affect our ability to engage in financial and operational planning for the future.
We derive significant revenues from business outside the United States.
We derive a significant portion of our revenues from business outside the United States, including from customers in developing countries. Business operations outside the U.S. are subject to political, economic and other risks inherent in operating in foreign countries. These include risks of general applicability, such as the need to comply with multiple regulatory regimes; trade protection measures and import or export licensing requirements and tariffs; and fluctuations in equity, revenues and profits due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Currently, we do not conduct substantial business with customers in developing countries. However, if our business in these areas of the world were to increase, we would also face risks that are particular to developing countries, including the difficulty of enforcing agreements, collecting receivables, protecting inventory and other assets through foreign legal systems, limitations on the repatriation of earnings, currency devaluation and manipulation of exchange rates, and high levels of inflation.
We try to manage these risks by monitoring current and anticipated political, economic, legal and regulatory developments in the countries outside the United States in which we operate or have customers and adjusting operations as appropriate, but there can be no assurance that the measures we adopt will be successful in protecting the Company’s business interests.
The Company’s recent acquisition of LPM, a precious metals business located in Hong Kong, reflects the Company’s efforts to increase its presence in Asia, particularly the Far East. There can be no assurance that the Company’s expansion efforts in the Far East will be successful. Moreover, there are particular regulatory and other challenges to the conduct of business in the Peoples Republic of China, and as a result certain foreign businesses have recently been decreasing their presence there. The Company may encounter similar challenges, which may impede the Company’s expansion efforts in the region.
The current inflationary and high interest rate environment may adversely affect our costs and expenses and the demand for our products.
The United States and other world economies are currently experiencing high interest rates and have recently experienced high levels of inflation, although this has eased in recent months. Certain investors, including customers of our Direct-to-Consumer segment, may regard precious metal products as a hedge against inflation and high interest rates, which could positively affect demand for our goods and services. However, inflation may also increase our expenses of operations, which because of the nature of our business we cannot generally pass along to our customers. Our Trading Credit Facility bears interest at a variable rate of interest, so that higher interest rates will also increase our cost of borrowing under that facility, and higher interest rates may also increase the costs under our product financing arrangements. We may be unable to compensate for these increases through higher interest income and other fees and charges received from our counterparties. Also, inflation, together with high interest rates, may reduce discretionary spending among consumers, thereby reducing product demand in the retail sector.
Risks Related to our Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services Segment
The loss of a government purchaser/distributorship arrangement could materially adversely affect our business.
A-Mark’s business is heavily dependent on its purchaser/distributorship arrangements with various governmental mints. Our ability to offer numismatic coins and bars to our customers on a competitive basis is based on the ability to purchase products directly from a government source. The arrangements with the governmental mints may be discontinued by them at any time. The loss of an authorized purchaser/distributor relationship, including with the U.S. Mint, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
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We operate in a highly competitive industry.
The business of buying and selling precious metals is global and highly competitive. The Company competes with precious metals firms and banks throughout North America, Europe and elsewhere in the world, some of whom have greater financial and other resources, and greater name recognition, than the Company. We believe that, as a full-service firm devoted exclusively to precious metals trading, we offer pricing, product availability, execution, financing alternatives and storage options that are attractive to our customers and allow us to compete effectively. We also believe that our purchaser/distributorship arrangements with various governmental mints give us a competitive advantage in our coin distribution business. However, given the global reach of the precious metals business, the absence of intellectual property protections and the availability of numerous, evolving platforms for trading in precious metals, we cannot assure you that A-Mark will be able to continue to compete successfully or that future developments in the industry will not create additional competitive challenges.
The Company is subject to risks relating to its AMST operations.
Our AMST subsidiary, which operates our Silver Towne Mint, depends on critical pieces of equipment which may be out of service occasionally for scheduled upgrades or maintenance or as a result of unanticipated failures or business interruptions. AMST’s facilities are subject to equipment failures and the risk of catastrophic loss due to unanticipated events such as fires, earthquakes, accidents or violent weather conditions. AMST has insurance to cover certain of the risks associated with equipment damage and resulting business interruption, but there are certain events that would not be covered by insurance, and there can be no assurance that insurance will continue to be available on acceptable terms. One such casualty event recently occurred as a result of a tornado, which although covered by insurance, temporarily interrupted operations at the mint.
AMST's ability to continue to expand the scope of its services and customer base depends in part on its ability to increase the size of its skilled labor force. In the past, the demand for skilled personnel has been high and the supply limited. The inability to employ or retain skilled technical personnel could constrain AMST’s operations and its growth opportunities.
Our business is dependent on a concentrated customer base.
One of A-Mark's key assets is the customer base of its Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment. This customer base provides deep distribution of product and makes A-Mark a desirable trading partner for precious metals product manufacturers, including sovereign mints seeking to distribute precious metals coinage or large refiners seeking to sell large volumes of physical precious metals. In any given quarter, our sales in this segment may be derived from a small number of significant customers. If our relationships with these customers deteriorated, or if we were to lose these customers, our business could be materially adversely affected.
We have in the past engaged, and continue to engage, in transactions with Stack’s Bowers, an affiliate of the Company, which could be perceived as not being made at arms-length.
Stack’s-Bowers Numismatics, LLC ("Stack's Bowers"), which is primarily engaged in the business of auctions of high-value and rare coins and in coin retailing, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spectrum Group International, Inc. ("SGI"), our former parent and a related party. We have engaged in the past, and continue to engage, in transactions with Stack’s Bowers. These transactions include secured lending transactions in which Stack’s Bowers is the borrower, and other transactions involving the purchase and sale of rare coins, including with JMB. SGI and the Company have a common chief executive officer, and the chief executive officer and the general counsel of the Company are board members of SGI. In addition, a majority of the board of directors of the Company have an ownership interest in SGI that in the aggregate represents a controlling interest in SGI. Transactions between the Company and Stack’s Bowers are approved by our Audit Committee, as appropriate, and we believe that all such transactions are on terms no less favorable to the Company than would be obtained from an unaffiliated third-party. Nonetheless, these transactions could be perceived as being conflicted.
The materials held by A-Mark are subject to loss, damage, theft or restriction on access.
A-Mark has significant quantities of high-value precious metals at its Logistics facilities, at third-party depositories and in transit. There is a risk that gold and other precious metals held by A-Mark, whether on its own behalf or on behalf of its customers, could be lost, damaged or stolen. In addition, access to A-Mark’s precious metals could be restricted by natural events (such as an earthquake) or human actions (such as a terrorist attack). Although we maintain insurance on terms and conditions that we consider appropriate, we may not have adequate sources of recovery if our precious metals inventory is lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed, and recovery may be limited. Among other things, our insurance policies exclude coverage in the event of loss as a result of terrorist attacks or civil unrest.
Our Logistics depository is subject to authorization by our lenders.
Our lenders under our Trading Credit Facility have approved our Logistics facilities as an authorized depository. If that approval were to be withdrawn for any reason, we would no longer be able to keep inventory at that location, which would substantially limit our ability to conduct business from that facility.
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Risks Related to our Direct-to Consumer Segment
Our Direct-to-Consumer businesses could be subject to accusations of improper sales practices.
Through our Direct-to-Consumer segment (JMB, Goldline, and our investment in SGB), the Company sells precious metals and numismatics directly to the retail investor community. JMB and SGB market their products primarily over the internet. Goldline markets its precious metal products on television, radio, and over the internet, and through customer service outreach. Prior to its acquisition by the Company, Goldline had been accused of improper sales practices, and was the subject of a state enforcement action that was subsequently settled. Other retailers of precious metal products have similarly been the subject of accusations regarding their sales practices, including claims of misrepresentation, excessive product markups, pressured sales tactics and product switching. The Company believes that the sales practices of its Goldline subsidiary conform to applicable legal and ethical standards, and that there is no material basis for claims against Goldline in this regard. Nevertheless, given the nature of the retail precious metals business, the possibility that investors in precious metals may lose a substantial portion of their investment as a result of adverse market trends and the vulnerability of certain retail precious metal investors to economic loss, there can be no assurance that claims will not be made regarding business practices of Goldline, JMB or SGB, or that, if made, such claims will not attract the attention of governmental and private sector consumer advocates. Were this to occur, the Company could suffer adverse publicity, be subject to governmental enforcement actions or be forced to modify the sales and marketing practices of its direct-to-consumer business.
Our Direct-to-Consumer businesses operate in a highly competitive environment.
JMB, Goldline, and SGB face competition from other specialty online precious metal and coin sites, as well as from traditional precious metal retail brokers and coin stores. In addition, certain general online merchandisers such as eBay also offer collectible coins and bullion for sale, and other major online retailers, with financial and marketing resources, name recognition and a customer base that are far greater than those that are available to us, may in the future enter this market. Competition is based upon the availability of coin and bullion product, price, delivery times, convenience and customer service. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete effectively with other retail sources and channels for precious coin and bullion, especially if the demand for these products were to contract from its current record high levels.
We intend to continue to pursue selective acquisitions and investments to complement our organic growth, which may not be successful.
As part of our Direct-to-Consumer operating strategy, we have sought, and in the future may seek, to supplement our organic growth through strategic acquisitions of and investments in other e-commerce retailers of coins and precious metals. We may not be able to identify suitable acquisition or investment candidates in the future. If we are unable to successfully execute on organic growth opportunities or complete acquisitions or investments in the future, or if we incur greater than anticipated costs to execute this strategy, our growth may be limited. To the extent that we grow through acquisitions or investments, we cannot ensure that we will be able to adequately or profitably manage this growth.
JMB’s search engine optimization strategies have provided it with an important competitive advantage, but this may not continue.
We believe that the internally developed search engine optimization (SEO) strategies of JMB provide its business with a competitive advantage in driving traffic to its sites over other e-commerce precious metal retailers and have been a significant factor in the growth of JMB. The challenges of efficient SEO programming are continually evolving, and other e-commerce retailers in the precious metal space are constantly working to improve their own SEO capabilities. If JMB does not continue to maintain its competitive edge in SEO technology, it could lose customers and market share to its competitors.
JMB and SGB rely upon paid and unpaid internet search engines to rank their product offerings and drive traffic to their websites, and their website traffic may suffer if their rankings decline or their relationships with these services deteriorates.
JMB and SGB rely on paid and unpaid internet search engines to attract consumer interest in their product offerings. Search engine companies change their natural search engine algorithms periodically, and these changes may adversely affect our Direct-to-Consumer product offerings in paid and/or unpaid searches. JMB and SGB may also at times be subject to ranking penalties if the operators of search engines believe it is not in compliance with their guidelines. If our Direct-to-Consumer's search engine rankings decline, and we are unable to timely regain our prior rankings, we may have to use more expensive marketing channels to sustain and grow our Direct-to-Consumer revenues, resulting in reduced profitability.
If JMB, Goldline, and SGB do not respond effectively to technological and market changes, they will cease to be competitive with other channels that consumers may have for the purchase of precious coins and bullion.
To remain competitive, JMB, Goldline, and SGB must continue to enhance and improve the responsiveness, functionality and features of their online operations. The internet and the electronic commerce industry are characterized by rapid technological change, changes in user and customer requirements and preferences, frequent new product and service introductions embodying new technologies, and the emergence of new industry standards and practices.
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The evolving nature of the internet could render our Direct-to-Consumer Segment's existing technology and systems obsolete. Its continuing success will depend, in part, on its ability to:
With the growth of e-commerce, the pace of change in product offerings and consumer tastes is faster now than in years past. This accelerated pace of change increases uncertainty and places a greater burden on management to anticipate and respond to such changes. The increased pace of change also means that the window in which a technologically advanced or sophisticated product or service can achieve and maintain partner and consumer interest is shrinking and, to the extent our Direct-to-Consumer Segment fails to timely anticipate or respond to changes in their industry, the effects of such missteps may be amplified.
Future advances in technology may not be beneficial to, or compatible with, JMB’s, Goldline’s, or SGB's businesses. Furthermore, JMB, Goldline and SGB may be unsuccessful in using new technologies effectively or adapting their technology and systems to user requirements or emerging industry standards on a timely basis. Their ability to remain technologically competitive may require substantial expenditures and lead time. If JMB, Goldline or SGB is unable to adapt in a timely manner and at reasonable cost to changing market conditions or user requirements, they will cease to be competitive with other channels for the purchase of precious coins and bullion.
If JMB fails to continuously improve its websites (on all relevant platforms, including mobile), it may not attract or retain customers.
JMB owns and operates numerous websites targeting specific niches within the precious metals retail market, including JMBullion.com, ProvidentMetals.com, Silver.com, CyberMetals.com, GoldPrice.org, SilverPrice.org, BGASC.com, BullionMax.com, and Gold.com. JMB must continually update its websites (on all relevant platforms, including mobile) to improve and enhance its content, accessibility, convenience and ease of use. Failure to do so may create a perception that the websites of JMB’s competitors are easier to use and navigate or that they are better able to service customer needs for precious metal coins and bullion. If such a perception were to gain currency, traffic to JMB’s websites and its revenues would suffer.
Certain of JMB’s websites publish data concerning the precious metal and cryptocurrency markets obtained from third parties, which could be inaccurate.
JMB’s GoldPrice.org and SilverPrice.org publish data on precious metal and cryptocurrency pricing which is obtained from third parties. While we believe that the sources of the published data are reliable, the data is not independently verified by JMB or us. If the data that JMB receives and publishes were inaccurate, and were relied upon by consumers visiting these websites, JMB could be exposed to liability and may suffer damage to its reputation.
JMB, Goldline, and SGB expect to profit on precious metals acquired from their customers, but that might not be the case.
Through the Direct-to-Consumer Purchase Program, JMB and, through PMPP, Goldline and SGB, offer to purchase precious coins and bullion owned by their customers. We believe that this program encourages the purchase of coins and bullion as an investment because it assures customers that their investment in the products offered by JMB, Goldline, and SGB will be liquid and can be monetized if the customers have a need for cash. JMB, Goldline, and SGB offer to purchase coins and bullion from their customers at prices designed to reflect current market valuations, but also allows JMB, Goldline, and SGB to profit on the resale of the products. There can be no assurance, however, that JMB, Goldline, or SGB will in fact be able to resell product that they purchase at a price that will justify the cost of purchase. In a declining market for precious metal products, JMB, Goldline, and SGB could be burdened with substantial amounts of purchased inventory that they are unable to resell at an economic price, or at all. The suspension or discontinuance of the Direct-to-Consumer Purchase Program because of adverse market conditions could impair the perception among JMB's, Goldline's, and SGB's customers that precious coin and bullion is a safe and attractive investment.
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Risks Related to our Secured Lending Segment
Our lending business depends on the ability of CFC to originate or acquire loans secured principally by bullion and numismatic coins.
The performance of our Secured Lending segment depends on having a portfolio of loans of sufficient size and quality to justify the expenses and allocation of financial resources committed to the Company’s loan business. CFC both originates loans to customers of our wholesale and trading business and also acquires portfolios of loans originated by other parties. The Company typically stores the bullion and numismatics that serve as collateral for the loans. As CFC does not independently market its lending business, it is dependent on the interest of the customers of the Company’s wholesale and trading business in financing their acquisition of bullion and numismatics with loans made by CFC. The interest of the Company’s customers in obtaining loans from CFC is dependent on numerous factors, including the availability of other sources of financing, the interest rate environment, other alternatives for the storage of their bullion and numismatics, their business relationship with the Company and the level and types of businesses conducted by the Company’s Wholesale Sales & and Ancillary Services segment. The Secured Lending segment is also dependent on CFC’s ability to identify and acquire portfolios of loans secured by bullion and numismatics originated by third parties satisfying the Company’s standard for quality and risk. There can be no assurance the CFC will be successful in continuing to originate and acquire secured loans in amounts sufficient to justify the conduct of this business.
The number of loans and the size of CFC’s loan portfolio can vary significantly from period to period.
CFC’s loan portfolio can vary considerably from period to period, both as to the number of loans in the portfolio and the total size of the portfolio in terms of dollar amount. The variation of CFCs loan portfolio is attributable to a variety of factors, including the success of the Company in originating and acquiring loans discussed above, as well as the maturities of the loans in the portfolio and the decisions of borrowers to prepay or extend the terms of their loans. As a consequence, the performance of the Secured Lending segment in a particular financial reporting period may not be indicative of the how the segment will perform in any future period, either in the short or the long term.
The growth of the Secured Lending segment is likely to require significant resources.
Historically, the Company has originated loans almost exclusively to customers of its wholesale and trading business. The opportunity to finance purchases of bullion and numismatics with secured loans obtained from CFC is part of a suite of ancillary services that the Company provides to its customers. The business of the Secured Lending segment, with respect to both the origination and acquisition of loan portfolios, is constrained by the Company’s borrowing capacity under its Trading Credit Facility, on which it relies to finance the much larger business of the Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment. Any significant future growth of the Secured Lending segment will require the application of significant additional resources to this business, and there can be no assurance that such resources will be available or that the Company will not determine that such resources, even if available, should be applied to other areas of the Company’s business.
Risks Relating to Commodities
A-Mark’s business is heavily influenced by volatility in commodities prices.
A primary driver of A-Mark’s profitability is volatility in commodities prices, which leads to wider bid and ask spreads. Among the factors that can impact the price of precious metals are supply and demand of precious metals; political, economic, and global financial events; movement of the U.S. dollar versus other currencies; and the activity of large speculators such as hedge funds. If commodity prices were to stagnate, there would likely be a reduction in trading activity, resulting in less demand for the services A-Mark provides, and spreads would likely decrease, which could materially adversely affect our profitability.
The period to period changes in volatility may cause our revenues to fluctuate, as a consequence of which our results for any one period may not be indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Our business is exposed to the risk of changes in commodity prices, and our hedging activity to protect our inventory is subject to risks of default by our counterparties.
A-Mark’s precious metals inventory is subject to market value changes created by changes in the underlying commodity price, as well as supply and demand of the individual products the Company trades. In addition, open sale and purchase commitments are subject to changes in value between the date the purchase or sale is fixed (the trade date) and the date metal is delivered or received (the settlement date). A-Mark seeks to minimize the effect of price changes of the underlying commodity through the use of financial derivative instruments, such as forward and futures contracts. A-Mark’s policy is to remain substantially hedged as to its inventory position and its individual sale and purchase commitments. A-Mark’s management monitors its hedged exposure daily. However, there can be no assurance that these hedging activities will be adequate to protect the Company against commodity price risks associated with A-Mark’s business activities.
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Furthermore, even if we are fully hedged as to any given position, there is the risk of default by our counterparties to the financial instruments that we use to hedge our inventory. A default by a counterparty on a substantial hedge could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Increased commodity pricing could limit the inventory that we are able to carry.
We maintain a large and varied inventory of precious metal products, including bullion and coins, in order to support our trading and Direct-to-Consumer activities and provide our customers with superior service. The amount of inventory that we are able to carry is constrained by the borrowing limitations and working capital covenants under the Trading Credit Facility. If commodity prices were to rise substantially, and we were unable to modify the terms of the Trading Credit Facility to compensate for the increase, the quantity of product that we could finance, and hence maintain in our inventory, would fall. This would likely have a material adverse effect on our operations.
We rely on the efficient functioning of commodity exchanges around the world, and disruptions on these exchanges could adversely affect our business.
The Company buys and sells precious metals contracts on commodity exchanges around the world, both in support of its customer operations and to hedge its inventory and transactional exposure against fluctuations in commodity prices. The Company’s ability to engage in these activities would be compromised if the exchanges on which the Company trades or any of their clearinghouses were to discontinue operations or to experience disruptions in trading, due to computer problems, unsettled markets, sanctions against commodity exporting countries or other factors. For example, if there were to be disruptions in the supply chain for gold, silver, platinum or palladium, our ability to buy and sell these metals on the commodity exchanges would be materially and adversely affected.
The Company may also experience disruption and risk of loss if futures commission merchants or commodity brokers with whom the Company deals were to become insolvent or bankrupt.
Our business is subject to the risk of fraud and counterfeiting.
The precious metals (particularly bullion) business is exposed to the risk of loss as a result of “materials fraud” in its various forms. We seek to minimize our exposure to this type of fraud through a number of means, including third-party authentication and verification, reliance on our internal experts and the establishment of procedures designed to detect fraud. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in preventing or identifying this type of fraud, or in obtaining redress in the event such fraud is detected.
Risk Related to our Regulatory Environment
The CFTC may seek to assert jurisdiction over the Company’s activities.
The Company believes that its Direct-to-Consumer operations are generally conducted in a manner that does not implicate the jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), as it does not sell products to retail customers for future delivery. The Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”) and the rules and regulations of the CFTC are drafted broadly, however, and practices that the Company does not regard as futures transactions may be regarded as such by the CFTC.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company and Goldline settled an action in which the CFTC alleged, among other things, that certain financing arrangements that were made available to customers constituted off-exchange retail commodity transactions. Although this matter was settled on terms satisfactory to the Company with no material financial impact, and Goldline has discontinued these particular arrangements and practices, there can be no assurance that the CFTC will not in the future accuse us of violating the CEA or the rules and regulations of the CFTC, or otherwise (along with other federal or state agencies) seek to assert oversight over aspects of our operations which could adversely affect us.
Recent legislative and regulatory initiatives will require us to expend time and resources on environmental reporting.
Although our manufacturing activity is limited to the production of silver bullion products at our Silver Towne Mint, recent California legislation and new rules of the SEC will require us to make disclosures regarding environmental matters that could entail significant time and expense.
On October 7, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill ("SB") 261, Greenhouse Gases: Climate-Related Financial Risk, and SB 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, which significantly expand climate-related disclosure requirements for companies doing business in California. As a company with operations in California, we may fall under the jurisdiction of these new laws, which impose rigorous reporting obligations regarding our climate-related financial risks and extensive requirements for the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions.
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SB 253 imposes its greenhouse gas reporting obligations on companies with annual revenues exceeding $1.0 billion. Given our current revenue levels, we are subject to the requirements of SB 253. SB 253 requires the reporting of Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions (direct emissions from our operations) and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (indirect emissions from our operations) for the prior fiscal year beginning in 2026. SB 253 requires reporting of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions (emission from third parties in our value chain) for the prior fiscal year beginning in 2027. Although we will not know the full requirements of this law until the California Air Resources Board issues implementing rules, the law will likely require us to report emissions from our operations in and outside of California, including our mint operations in Winchester, Indiana, and emissions from our suppliers and customers.
Commencing on January 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, SB 261 mandates that we publicly disclose our climate-related financial risks, which may include risks to our own operations, the operations of our suppliers and customers and the precious metals markets generally. This includes detailing the strategies we have adopted to mitigate and adapt to these risks. Our compliance reports must be made publicly available on our company's website. Non-compliance with the requirements of SB 261 could expose us to a fine of up to $50,000 per reporting year and we may also be required to pay an annual filing fee. The California climate disclosure is the subject of ongoing litigation that could impact whether and when the Company is required to make the disclosures required by the regime. The Company will monitor that litigation as it prepares to comply with the rule.
On March 6, 2024 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued final rules requiring public companies, such as A-Mark, to disclose both greenhouse gas emissions and climate risk. The SEC final rules overlap significantly with both the California reporting regime discussed above and the European Corporate Sustainability Directive (“CSRD”) discussed below but there are also material differences.
Like the California reporting regime, the SEC final rule would require the Company to measure and disclose both Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its facilities including its mint operations in Winchester, Indiana. Unlike the California reporting scheme, the final SEC rules would not require the Company to report Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. The SEC final rule would also require the Company to obtain attestation reports of its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from an independent expert in greenhouse gas emissions measurement.
Like the California reporting regime, the SEC final rule will also require the Company to track and disclose material climate related financial risks and how we manage those risks. Unlike the California rule, the SEC final rule will require the Company to track and report material capitalized costs, expenditures expensed and charged and losses incurred as a result of severe weather events and other natural conditions and any carbon reduction goal we may have along with our use of offsets or Renewable Energy Credits to achieve that goal.
Like the California reporting regime, the SEC final rule is the subject to ongoing litigation that could impact whether and when the Company is required to make the disclosures required by the rule. The Company will monitor that litigation as it prepares to comply with the rule.
The European Union adopted new disclosure standards and rules related to environmental, social, and corporate governance ("ESG") matters in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) which became effective in 2023 and applies to both EU and non-EU entities. Because our operations in Europe surpass the net turnover threshold in the rule and we may be deemed to have an EU branch or subsidiary, we may be subject to CSRD reporting requirements. We will know more about the specific disclosure requirements when the EU adopts implementing regulations for the non-EU groups that are covered by the rule.
These changing rules and regulations, and the stakeholder expectations related to ESG described in "Risk Factors of General Applicability – Third-party expectations relating to ESG factors may impose additional costs and expose us to new risks," have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and increased management time and attention spent complying with or meeting such regulations and expectations.
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Compliance with new and existing data protection/privacy statutes could increase our costs and expose the Company to possible sanctions for violation.
By reason of our Direct-to-Consumer business in particular, we collect personal data or personal information, which is broadly defined to include all information that can be related to a consumer or household, including identification information, demographics, usage, transactions and inquiries, preferences, and inferences drawn to create a profile about a consumer (“Personal Information”). We are subject to numerous data privacy and protection obligations that govern our handling of Personal Information, including: various federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, and guidance; industry standards; external and internal privacy notices and policies; contracts; and other obligations that apply to the handling of Personal Information by us and on our behalf. These obligations may change, are subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent among relevant jurisdictions in which we operate or from which we collect Personal Information. The data privacy and protection landscape continues to evolve in jurisdictions worldwide. This evolution may create uncertainty in our business; affect us or our collaborators’, service providers’, and others’ ability to operate in certain jurisdictions or to collect, store, transfer, use, share, and otherwise process Personal Information; necessitate the acceptance of more onerous obligations in our contracts; cause us to modify our business operations; result in liabilities; or otherwise impose additional compliance costs on us. Moreover, despite our efforts, we may not be successful in achieving compliance if our personnel or third parties upon whom we rely fail to comply with such obligations. For example, any failure by a service provider to comply with applicable data privacy or protection law, regulations, contractual, or other obligations could result in significant consequences against us. These consequences may include: government enforcement actions (e.g., investigations, fines, penalties, audits, inspections and similar activities); litigation (including class-related claims); additional reporting requirements and/or oversight; orders to destroy or not use Personal Information; damage to our reputation; loss of revenue and profits; loss of goodwill; and other adverse business impacts..
In 2016, the European Union ("EU") adopted a comprehensive overhaul of its data protection regime from a national legislative approach to a single European Economic Area Privacy Regulation, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which went into effect in May 2018. The EU data protection regime expands the scope of the EU data protection law to all foreign companies processing Personal Information of EU residents, imposes a strict data protection compliance regime with severe penalties of up to the greater of 4% of worldwide turnover or €20 million, and includes new rights such as the “portability” of Personal Information. Although the GDPR applies across the EU without a need for local implementing legislation, EU member states have the ability to interpret the GDPR opening clauses, which permit region-specific data protection legislation and have the potential to create inconsistencies on a country-by-country basis. The United Kingdom passed similar legislation (the “UK GDPR”) which took effect in 2021 and provides severe penalties of up to the greater of 4% of worldwide turnover or €17.5 million. We may also be subject to many other foreign privacy laws that are modeled at least in part after the GDPR, including China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and territorial Canadian privacy laws, and the Privacy Acts of Australia and New Zealand.
Our Direct-to-Consumer business currently has limited international operations which would subject it to these foreign privacy laws. Our Wholesale Sales and Ancillary Services segment maintains an office in Vienna, Austria that provides marketing support services for its international customers. We have evaluated these foreign privacy laws and their requirements, and believe we are currently in compliance in all material respects. Going forward, however, the expansion of our international operations could require us to change our business practices and may increase the costs and complexity of compliance. Also, a violation by the Company of these regulations could expose us to penalties and sanctions under the regulations.
California passed amendments to the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) that took effect on January 1, 2023. This law provides California consumers with a high level of transparency and broad rights and choices with respect to their Personal Information. For example, CCPA grants consumers privacy rights including the rights of data correction and data portability, the right to limit the Company’s use of a subset of Personal Information called “sensitive Personal Information” that requires heightened protections, and the right to appeal the Company’s response to an individual’s exercise of these new or existing privacy rights. Compliance with CCPA requires the implementation of a series of operational measures such as: preparing data maps, inventory, or other records of all Personal Information pertaining to California residents, households and devices, as well as information sources, usage, storage, and sharing; maintaining and updating detailed disclosures in privacy policies; conducting risk assessments for the use of sensitive Personal Information; establishing mechanisms (including, at a minimum, a toll-free telephone number and an online channel) to respond to consumers’ data access, deletion, portability, and opt-out requests; and providing clear and conspicuous links on the home page of the business’ website, where applicable, allowing residents to limit or opt-out of certain data processing activities. CCPA prohibits businesses from discriminating against consumers who have opted out of the sale of their Personal Information, subject to narrow exceptions. Failure to comply with CCPA can result in civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation or actual damages suffered by a consumer.
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Colorado, Virginia, Utah, and Connecticut also passed comprehensive privacy laws, modeled in part after the CCPA, that took effect in 2023. Fifteen other states have passed similar privacy laws that have taken or will take effect between 2024 and 2026, including Florida, Texas, Delaware, Oregon, Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Montana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Rhode Island. These U.S. privacy laws have some provisions and requirements similar to the CCPA. However, preparing to comply with the varying requirements of these laws has already subjected the Company to costs and legal fees and will subject the Company to additional costs and risks as they take effect. For example, these laws may limit the Company’s ability to use Personal Information for advertising purposes, may limit the ways in which the Company may use certain categories of personal information, may require the Company to obtain additional permissions from the consumer, and may require revision of the Company's contracts with service providers with whom the Company shares Personal Information in the course of providing its products and services. These laws may also limit the Company’s ability to process sensitive Personal Information, which includes financial data, account information, identification card numbers, social security numbers, and precise geolocation. The Company will have to update is policies, notices, procedures, and permissions in response to these new privacy laws. The Company may also have to update its advertising practices. Failure to comply with these privacy laws can result in civil penalties ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 per violation.
All fifty U.S. states and the District of Columbia have enacted data breach notification laws that may require us to notify investors, employees, regulators and others in the event of a security breach (for example, unauthorized access to or disclosure of Personal Information experienced by us or our service providers). These laws may not be consistent, and compliance in the event of a widespread data breach may be difficult and costly. We may also be contractually required or otherwise obligated to notify investors and others of a security breach. Although we may have contractual protections against our service providers should they experience a security breach, any actual or perceived security breach could harm our reputation and brand, expose us to potential liability and require us to expend significant resources on data security as well as in responding to any such actual or perceived breach. Any contractual protections we may have against relevant counterparties may not be sufficient to protect adequately us from any such liabilities and losses, and we may be unable to enforce any such contractual protections.
Nevada law requires operators of websites and online services to post a notice on their websites regarding their privacy practices. The law also requires operators of internet websites or online services to establish a designated request address through which a consumer may submit a verified request directing such operators not to make any sale of covered information collected about the consumer. The “covered information” regulated by the Nevada law is defined to include an enumerated list of items of personally identifiable information (including names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers and identifiers that allow a specific person to be contacted).
We have evaluated these state privacy laws and their requirements, and believe we are currently in compliance in all material respects with those that are in effect. Going forward, however, the changes introduced by state privacy laws that will soon take effect, and other similar regulations enacted by other jurisdictions, will subject the Company to additional costs and complexity of compliance, by requiring, among other things, changes to the Company’s security systems, policies, procedures and practices. In addition, a violation by the Company of the new regulations could expose us to penalties and sanctions.
We are subject to other laws and regulations.
There are various federal, state, local and foreign laws, ordinances and regulations that affect our trading business. For example, because of the nature and value of the products in which deal, we are required to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and a variety of anti-money laundering and know-your-customer rules in response to the USA Patriot Act.
The SEC has promulgated rules mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act regarding disclosure, on an annual basis, of the use of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, known as conflict minerals, in products manufactured by public companies. These rules require due diligence to determine whether such minerals originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC") or an adjoining country and whether such minerals helped finance the armed conflict in the DRC.
The Company has concluded that it is not currently subject to the conflict minerals rules because it is not a manufacturer of conflict minerals under the definitions set forth in the rules. Depending on developments in the Company’s business, it could become subject to the rules at some point in the future. In that event, there will be costs associated with complying with these disclosure requirements, including costs to determine the origin of gold used in our products. In addition, the implementation of these rules could adversely affect the sourcing, supply and pricing of gold used in our products. Also, we may face disqualification as a supplier for customers and reputational challenges if the due diligence procedures we implement do not enable us to verify the origins for the gold used in our products or to determine that the gold is conflict free.
CFC operates under a California Finance Lenders License issued by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. CFC is required to submit a finance lender law annual report to the state which summarizes certain loan portfolio and financial information regarding CFC. The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation may audit the books and records of CFC to determine whether CFC is in compliance with the terms of its lending license.
There can be no assurance that the regulation of our trading, Direct-to-Consumer, and lending businesses will not increase or that compliance with the applicable regulations will not become more costly or require us to modify our business practices.
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For other risks related to government regulation, see below this section and see “Risk Factors of General Applicability — We are subject to other laws and regulations,” below.
One or more states or municipalities could assert that the Company is liable for sales and use, commerce, or similar type of taxes, which could adversely affect our business.
We ship product to retail customers throughout the United States. In South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. et al ("Wayfair"), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states may charge tax on purchases made from out-of-state sellers, even if the seller does not have a physical presence in the taxing state. The effect of Wayfair was to uphold economic nexus principles in determining sales and use tax nexus. As a result of the decision, most states have adopted laws that require an out-of-state retailer to register and collect sales and use or other non-income type taxes upon meeting certain economic nexus standards regardless of whether the company has physical presence in the state. Although the Company believes it is complying with these requirements, our interpretation and application of the newly enacted legislation may differ from the states, which could result in the states' attempt to impose additional tax liabilities, including potential penalties and interest. Furthermore, the requirements by state or local governments on out-of-state sellers to collect sales and use taxes could deter futures sales, which could have an adverse impact on our business.
For other risks related to taxation, see “Risk Factors of General Applicability — Changes in tax law could adversely affect our business,” below.
We use lead providers and marketing affiliates to assist us in obtaining new customers, and if lead providers or marketing affiliates do not comply with an increasing number of applicable laws and regulations, or if our ability to use such lead providers or marketing affiliates is otherwise impaired, it could adversely affect our business.
We are dependent on third parties, referred to as lead providers (or lead generators) and marketing affiliates, as a source of new customers for our Direct-to-Consumer segment. Our marketing affiliates place our advertisements on their websites that direct potential customers to our websites. Generally, lead providers operate, and also work with their own marketing affiliates who operate, separate websites to attract prospective customers and then sell those “leads” to online traders and lenders. As a result, the success of our Direct-to-Consumer business depends materially on the willingness and ability of lead providers or marketing affiliates to provide us customer leads at acceptable prices.
If regulatory oversight of lead providers or marketing affiliates is increased, through the implementation of new laws or regulations or the interpretation of existing laws or regulations, our ability to use lead providers or marketing affiliates could be restricted or eliminated. For example, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") has indicated its intention to examine compliance with federal laws and regulations by lead providers and to scrutinize the flow of non-public, private borrower information between lead providers and lead buyers, such as us. Over the past few years, several states have taken actions that have caused us to discontinue the use of lead providers in those states. While these discontinuations did not have a material adverse effect on us, other states may propose or enact similar restrictions on lead providers and potentially on marketing affiliates in the future, and if other states adopt similar restrictions, our ability to use lead providers or marketing affiliates in those states would also be interrupted.
The failure by lead providers or marketing affiliates to comply with applicable laws or regulations, or any changes in laws or regulations applicable to lead providers or marketing affiliates or changes in the interpretation or implementation of such laws or regulations, could have an adverse effect on our business and could increase negative perceptions of our business and industry. Additionally, the use of lead providers and marketing affiliates could subject us to additional regulatory cost and expense. If our ability to use lead providers or marketing affiliates were to be impaired, our business could be materially adversely affected.
Judicial decisions, CFPB rulemaking or amendments to the Federal Arbitration Act could render the arbitration agreements we use illegal or unenforceable.
We include arbitration provisions in our loan and financing agreements. These provisions are designed to allow us to resolve any customer disputes through individual arbitration rather than in court and explicitly provide that all arbitrations will be conducted on an individual and not on a class basis. Thus, our arbitration agreements, if enforced, have the effect of shielding us from class action liability. Our arbitration agreements do not generally have any impact on regulatory enforcement proceedings. We take the position that the arbitration provisions in loan and financing agreements, including class action waivers, are valid and enforceable; however, the enforceability of arbitration provisions is often challenged in court. If those challenges are successful, our arbitration and class action waiver provisions could be unenforceable, which could subject us to additional litigation, including class action litigation.
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In addition, the U.S. Congress has considered legislation that would generally limit or prohibit mandatory arbitration agreements in consumer contracts and has enacted legislation with such a prohibition with respect to certain mortgage loan agreements and also certain consumer loan agreements to members of the military on active duty and their dependents. Further, the Dodd-Frank Act directed the CFPB to study consumer arbitration and authorized the CFPB to adopt rules limiting or prohibiting consumer arbitration, consistent with the results of its study. In July 2017, the CFPB issued a new rule on arbitration, which would have prohibited class action waivers in certain consumer financial services contracts. However, in November 2017, a joint resolution passed by Congress was signed disapproving the rule under the Congressional Review Act. Because the rule was disapproved, it cannot be reissued in substantially the same form, and the CFPB cannot issue a substantially similar rule, unless the new rule is specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of the joint resolution disapproving the original rule.
Any judicial decisions, legislation or other rules or regulations that impair our ability to enter into and enforce consumer arbitration agreements and class action waivers could increase our exposure to class action litigation as well as litigation in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions, which would be costly and could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our advertising and marketing materials and disclosures related to our Direct-to-Consumer and Secured Lending segments have been and continue to be subject to regulatory scrutiny.
In the jurisdictions where our Direct-to-Consumer and Secured Lending businesses operate, our advertising and marketing activities and disclosures are subject to regulation under various industry standards, borrower protection laws, and other applicable laws and regulations. As a whole, our advertising and marketing materials have come under increased scrutiny.
There can be no guarantee that we will be able to continue advertising and marketing our business units in a manner we consider effective. Any inability to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Risks Relating to Our Common Stock
We may not continue to pay any dividends in the future.
A-Mark’s board of directors has adopted a regular quarterly cash dividend policy of $0.20 per common share ($0.80 per share on an annual basis). The initial quarterly cash dividend under the policy was paid on October 24, 2022 to stockholders of record as of October 10, 2022. The most recent cash dividend under the policy was paid on July 31, 2024 to stockholders of record as of July 18, 2024. The declaration of regular cash dividends in the future is subject to the determination each quarter by the board of directors, based on a number of factors, including the Company’s financial performance, available cash resources, cash requirements and alternative uses of cash and applicable bank covenants.
There can be no assurance that the Company will pay dividends in the future on a regular basis or otherwise. If the board of directors were to determine not to pay dividends in the future, stockholders would not receive any further return on an investment in our capital stock in the form of dividends and may obtain an economic benefit from the common stock only after an increase in its trading price and only by selling the common stock.
The Company has paid non-recurring special cash dividends to our stockholders as a consequence in part of the Company's favorable performance during the preceding periods. There is no assurance that any such non-recurring special dividend will be paid in the future, and if made, the timing or amount of any such dividend.
See Note 20 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for more information regarding our dividends.
Your percentage ownership in the Company could be diluted in the future.
Your percentage ownership in A-Mark potentially could be diluted in the future because of additional common stock-based equity awards that we expect will be granted to our directors, officers and employees, including through our current equity incentive plan. In addition, we may issue equity in order to raise capital or in connection with future acquisitions and strategic investments, which could dilute your percentage ownership. For example, in the acquisition of JMB, our increased investments in Pinehurst Coin Exchange, Inc. and Silver Gold Bull, Inc., and our recent acquisition of LPM, we issued stock to the sellers in partial consideration for the acquired interests. We also issued stock to the public to finance, in part, the acquisition of JMB.
Provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and of Delaware law may prevent or delay an acquisition of the Company, which could decrease the trading price of our common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law contain certain anti-takeover provisions that could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third-party to acquire, or of discouraging a third-party from attempting to acquire, control of the Company without negotiating with our board of directors. Such provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for the Company’s securities. Certain of such provisions allow the Company to issue preferred stock with rights senior to those of the common stock, impose various procedural and other requirements which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions and set forth rules regarding how stockholders may present proposals or nominate directors for election at stockholder meetings.
28
We believe these provisions protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirors to negotiate with our board of directors and by providing our board of directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. However, these provisions apply even if an acquisition offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our board of directors determines is not in the best interests of our Company and our stockholders. Accordingly, in the event that our board determines that a potential business combination transaction is not in the best interests of our Company and our stockholders, but certain stockholders believe that such a transaction would be beneficial to the Company and its stockholders, such stockholders may elect to sell their shares in the Company and the trading price of our common stock could decrease.
Our board and management beneficially own a sizable percentage of our common stock and therefore have the ability to exert substantial influence as stockholders.
Members of our board and management beneficially own approximately 22% of our outstanding common stock. Acting together in their capacity as stockholders, the board members and management could exert substantial influence over matters on which a stockholder vote is required, such as the approval of business combination transactions. Also because of the size of their beneficial ownership, the board members and management may be in a position effectively to determine the outcome of the election of directors and the vote on stockholder proposals. The concentration of beneficial ownership in the hands of our board and management may therefore limit the ability of our public stockholders to influence the affairs of the Company.
Risk Factors of General Applicability
New rules have recently become effective that will require the Company to provide disclosures regarding cybersecurity management and events.
The SEC recently changed its disclosure requirements regarding cybersecurity risk management, strategy, governance and incident reporting. While the Company believes it has robust cybersecurity risk management procedures for addressing cybersecurity events, the new rules may increase the costs of cybersecurity protection and require disclosure of cybersecurity events that the Company might not otherwise deem to be material. The new rules require companies to investigate all cybersecurity incidents without unreasonable delay, determine their level of materiality, and report specific details about any material cybersecurity incidents in a separate filing within four business days. The new rules also require additional information in annual disclosures regarding the Company’s cybersecurity risk management and reporting processes, as well as the cybersecurity expertise of relevant Company personnel and third-party service providers or auditors.
The Company’s failure or inability to protect its intellectual property could harm its competitive position.
The Company relies on a combination of patent, trade secret, copyright and trademark laws and contractual restrictions, such as confidentiality agreements and licenses, to protect its business, services, know-how and information. The Company’s patent, trademarks or service marks may be challenged or found to be unenforceable, and contractual arrangements to protect our intellectual property may be insufficient to prevent its misappropriation. If that were the case, the Company’s competitive position would suffer.
Third parties may assert violations of their intellectual property rights against the Company.
Third parties may currently have, or may be issued, patents upon which the technologies used by the Company infringe. The Company could incur significant costs to defend infringements claims, regardless of their validity, or could be required to develop non-infringing technology at considerable expense or be compelled to enter into expensive royalty or license agreements. For example, JMB was compelled to expend significant resources as a consequence of litigation in which it was accused of infringement prior to its acquisition by the Company.
We are subject to other laws and regulations.
In addition to matters discussed above, we are subject to various laws, and regulations, both domestic and foreign, as well as responsible business, social and environmental practices, which may change from time to time. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations or to implement responsible business practices could subject us to damage to our reputation, lawsuits, criminal exposure, or increased cost of regulatory compliance.
Changes in tax law could adversely affect our business.
Changes to tax laws (which changes may have retroactive application) could adversely affect us or holders of our common stock. It cannot be predicted whether, when, in what form, or with what effective dates, new tax laws or regulations may be enacted under existing or new tax laws. This could result in an increase in our tax liability or require changes in our business in order to mitigate any adverse effects of changes in tax laws.
29
Third-party expectations relating to ESG factors may impose additional costs and expose us to new risks.
In recent years, there has been an increasing focus by stakeholders of public companies—including investors, employees, customers, suppliers, and governmental and non-governmental organizations—on ESG matters. A failure, whether real or perceived, to address ESG could adversely affect our business, including by heightening other risks that we face, such as those related to consumer behavior and consumer perceptions of us. We may also face pressure from stakeholders to provide disclosure and establish commitments, targets or goals, and take actions to meet them, regarding ESG. If we fail to satisfy the expectations of investors and other stakeholders or our initiatives are not executed as planned, our reputation, results of our operations and ability to grow our business may be negatively impacted. Additionally, new legislative or regulatory initiatives related to ESG could adversely affect our business.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy
We recognize the importance of information security practices designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of company information and the personal information that we process. Cybersecurity risk management is an integral part of our overall enterprise risk management efforts. We manage cybersecurity risks using a framework based on applicable regulations, industry standards and recognized best practices. Through this framework, we devote significant resources to identifying, monitoring, assessing and responding to cybersecurity threats and incidents, including those associated with our use of third-party software, applications, services, and cloud infrastructure.
Our Cybersecurity Program includes multiple policies, procedures, and other components designed to identify, analyze, and respond to cybersecurity risks, including reliance on a layered system of preventative and detective technologies and controls designed to detect, mitigate, and contain cybersecurity threats. As part of our Cybersecurity Program, we maintain a Written Information Security Plan that outline internal controls and procedures designed to protect our information systems. Our Cybersecurity Program contains a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity policies that are commensurate with companies in our industry of similar size and sophistication, and these policies are also informed by the sensitivity of our data processing activities. Our Cybersecurity Program also includes policies and procedures designed to ensure adequate business continuity, disaster recovery, and incident response. We also have access through our insurer to computer forensics firms and specialized legal counsel in case of a cybersecurity incident. While we maintain cybersecurity insurance to assist in the cost of recovery from a cybersecurity incident, such coverage may not be sufficient to cover all costs resulting from such incidents.
We leverage qualified third-party consultants, advisors, counsel, and other experts to inform, audit, and update our Cybersecurity Program throughout each year. We engage security assessors to identify vulnerabilities through both internal and external penetration tests and to perform cybersecurity maturity assessments. We perform risk assessments annually, or more frequently if circumstances require, using both internal and external resources. We may also be subject to examinations by applicable regulators. We conduct annual cybersecurity training for employees to enhance awareness of how to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats, as well as periodic phishing training and testing campaigns. We also conduct table-top exercises annually to simulate a response to a cybersecurity incident.
Our designated IT team members monitor cybersecurity threats in real time for the Company at the enterprise level, with the assistance of third-party threat detection and monitoring software. Cybersecurity threats at the subsidiary level are also monitored in real time by experienced IT professionals at those subsidiaries, including our Vice President of Digital and Technology at JM Bullion. These individuals report cybersecurity incidents immediately to our Chief Information Officer (CIO), who in turn follows approved reporting protocols, as more fully described below.
Our Cybersecurity Compliance and Disclosure Committee (CCDC), which is further described below, is chaired by our CIO and includes the General Counsel of A-Mark and other representatives from the Company and our subsidiaries, including top-level management, to ensure enterprise-wide implementation and consistent application of the Company’s data security policies and procedures. The CCDC regularly enlists subject matter experts to assist where necessary.
We also maintain a formal Vendor Management Program that provides oversight of cybersecurity risks related to our vendor and supplier relationships. During vendor onboarding, we perform risk-based due diligence on these third-parties, with heightened requirements for vendors that have access to confidential or personal information or that require access to our information systems. This Vendor Management Program includes specific cybersecurity requirements for our vendors, as well as ongoing monitoring, assessment, and contract review. Members of the CCDC are involved in and review the Vendor Management Program at least annually.
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To date, we have not identified any risks from cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected us or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. However, the sophistication of and risks from cybersecurity threats and incidents continue to increase, and the preventative actions that we have taken and continue to take to reduce the risk of cybersecurity threats and incidents may not successfully protect against all cybersecurity threats and incidents. For more information on the risks that we face from cybersecurity threats, see “Risk Factors – Risk Factors of General Applicability—New rules have recently become effective that will require the Company to provide disclosures regarding cybersecurity management and events.” in Part 1, Item 1A of this report.
Cybersecurity Governance
The Board has overall responsibility for risk oversight and has delegated oversight of our Cybersecurity Program, including enterprise-wide risk assessment and management, to the CCDC. The CCDC’s charter requires it to monitor Company efforts to prevent, detect, mitigate, and remediate cybersecurity incidents, and to comply with cybersecurity laws and regulations. The CCDC oversees and approves all Company policies and procedures related to cybersecurity. The CCDC also ensures that significant cybersecurity issues or concerns are reported to the Board and A-Mark’s CEO, and disclosed to the public, individuals, or regulators where required by law.
The CCDC directly oversees information technology and information security risks through regular meetings, reports from management on information technology, cybersecurity, and related risk assessments, and incidents disclosed by third-party service providers as applicable. If a cybersecurity threat is identified, our Vice President of IT or other reporting individuals will immediately inform our IT service desk and notify our CIO. Once the threat has been analyzed, our CIO will inform our General Counsel of any security incidents. The General Counsel will report on the incident, as appropriate, to the CCDC, our CEO, President and CFO, and to the Board, either at the next scheduled meeting or on a current basis, depending on the severity of the incident.
The CCDC reports at least quarterly to the Board and A-Mark’s CEO on the following topics, among possible others: our current risk posture and threat landscape; new material cybersecurity threats and high-risk exposures; risk mitigations and controls; incident response readiness; and updates to cybersecurity policies and procedures. The CCDC is also authorized and directed to report to the Board and A-Mark’s CEO promptly in the event of a significant cybersecurity incident, as appropriate.
A-Mark’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) chairs the CCDC. Our CIO brings over 14 years of IT experience to A-Mark. Since joining A-Mark in 2019, he has been pivotal in enhancing our data privacy compliance program, significantly strengthening our data protection and privacy measures, particularly ensuring protection of sensitive data. The co-vice chairs of the CCDC are A-Mark’s Vice President of IT and JM Bullion’s Vice President of Digital and Technology. Our Vice President of IT has over 25 years of experience in IT working in various industries including ecommerce, health care, and financial industries focusing on IT operations, cybersecurity and compliance. Since joining the company in 2014, he has been instrumental in the creation and growth of our cybersecurity program. Our Vice President of Digital and Technology at JM Bullion has comprehensive experience in the cybersecurity field. He successfully established a 24/7 security operation center (SOC) to continuously detect and respond to security incidents, as well as implemented various advanced services to proactively detect vulnerabilities on potential attack surfaces with high accuracy spanning across assets, applications, data, endpoints and network. He also centralized the workforce identity and access management (IAM) of the various systems for improved administration and control at the subsidiary level. He joined JM Bullion in 2015 and has served in his current role as Vice President of Digital and Technology since 2021.
Other members of the CCDC include top executives and management from the Company and its subsidiaries, including A-Mark’s General Counsel, President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Senior Director of Financial Reporting, Director of Internal Audit, and Director of Enterprise Development and Administration, as well as JM Bullion’s President and Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer. Finally, the CCDC is assisted by an external compliance consultant with over twenty years of IT experience, and A-Mark’s outside legal counsel for privacy and data security.
31
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
As of June 30, 2024, the Company owned or leased properties as described below:
Location |
|
General Use of Facility |
|
Square |
|
Ownership |
|
Lease-term Expiration |
Wholesale Sales and Ancillary Services Segment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
El Segundo, California (1) |
|
Corporate headquarters, trading desk, secured lending, marketing, and back-office operations |
|
9,000 |
|
Leased |
|
March-2026 |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
|
Storage and fulfillment logistics operations |
|
24,743 |
|
Leased |
|
April-2030 |
Winchester, Indiana |
|
Minting operations |
|
17,000 |
|
Owned |
|
not applicable |
Winchester, Indiana |
|
Minting operations |
|
5,000 |
|
Owned |
|
not applicable |
Winchester, Indiana |
|
Fabrication facility |
|
17,000 |
|
Leased |
|
May-2025 |
Carson City, Nevada |
|
Die-cutting and engraving facility |
|
2,000 |
|
Leased |
|
June-2025 |
Vienna, Austria |
|
International marketing support operations |
|
248 |
|
Leased |
|
every three months |
Hong Kong |
|
Regional headquarters and back-office operations |
|
4,599 |
|
Leased |
|
June-2026 |
Hong Kong |
|
Numismatics showroom |
|
3,500 |
|
Leased |
|
January-2026 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct-to-Consumer Segment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Los Angeles, California |
|
Corporate office and support center |
|
11,468 |
|
Leased |
|
January-2028 |
Dallas, Texas |
|
Corporate office and support center |
|
3,093 |
|
Leased |
|
December-2024 |
Dallas, Texas |
|
Corporate office and support center |
|
10,586 |
|
Leased |
|
November-2028 |
Irving, Texas |
|
Distribution hub |
|
24,640 |
|
Leased |
|
April-2031 |
Calgary, Canada |
|
Corporate office and support center |
|
22,650 |
|
Leased |
|
August-2028 |
Calgary, Canada |
|
Corporate office and support center |
|
4,176 |
|
Leased |
|
August-2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) The Secured Lending segment shares office space at this facility. |
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are from time to time involved in legal proceedings, claims, or investigations that are incidental to the conduct of our business.
Although the ultimate outcome of any legal matter cannot be predicted with certainty, based on current information, including our assessment of the merits of the particular claim, we do not expect that these legal proceedings or claims will have any material adverse impact on our future consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
None.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
A-Mark's shares of common stock are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "AMRK". As of September 6, 2024, there were 104 registered stockholders of record of our common stock.
Stock Performance Graph
Set forth below is a graph comparing the cumulative total stockholder return on shares of A-Mark common stock against the cumulative total return of (i) the Nasdaq Composite Index and (ii) a group of companies that are in lines of business reasonably comparable to A-Mark's businesses ("peer companies") for the five-year period from June 30, 2019 to June 30, 2024. The graph assumes that $100 was invested on June 30, 2019 in our common stock, in the Nasdaq Composite Index companies and in the peer group companies (on a market-capitalization-weighted basis), and that all dividends were reinvested in the same class of stock.
32
Below are the companies which comprise the peer group in the graph above, in the indicated lines of business:
Alternative Brokerage Firms |
Alternative Financial Services |
E-Commerce |
BGC Group, Inc. (BGC) |
Enova International, Inc. (ENVA) |
Carvana Co. (CVNA) |
IG Group Holdings plc (IGG.L) |
EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) |
Stitch Fix, Inc. (SFIX) |
StoneX Group Inc. (SNEX) |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc. (FCFS) |
The Lovesac Company (LOVE) |
Swissquote Group Holding Ltd (SQN.SW) |
Regional Management Corp. (RM) |
Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) |
B. Riley Financial, Inc. (RILY) |
World Acceptance Corporation (WRLD) |
Beyond, Inc. (BYON) |
Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (OPY) |
GreenDot Corporation (GDOT) |
PC Connection, Inc. (CNXN) |
Dividend Policy
The Company's board of directors has adopted a regular quarterly cash dividend policy of $0.20 per common share ($0.80 per share on an annual basis). While we currently intend to continue paying quarterly dividends, any future determination regarding the payment of dividends will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent on a number of factors, including the Company’s financial performance, available cash resources, cash requirements and alternative uses of cash and applicable bank covenants.
In fiscal 2023, the Company paid the following dividends.
In fiscal 2024, the Company paid the following dividends:
33
See Note 20 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for more information regarding our dividends.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of June 30, 2024 with respect to the shares of our common stock that may be issued under existing equity compensation plans:
Plan category |
|
(a) |
|
|
(b) |
|
|
|
(c) |
|||||
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders |
|
|
1,261,794 |
|
|
$ |
6.52 |
|
(1) |
|
|
1,692,891 |
|
(2) |
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
|
1,261,794 |
|
|
$ |
6.52 |
|
(1) |
|
|
1,692,891 |
|
(2) |
Share Repurchase Program
In April 2018, the Company's board of directors approved a share repurchase program which authorized the Company to purchase up to 1.0 million shares (as adjusted for the two-for-one split of A-Mark’s common stock in the form of a stock dividend in fiscal 2022) of its common stock. Prior to fiscal 2023, no shares were repurchased under our share repurchase program. In fiscal 2023, we repurchased a total of 335,735 shares under the program for $9.8 million. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, the board revised the repurchase program to authorize the purchase of up to 1.0 million shares of our common stock, in addition to the shares previously repurchased, and extended the expiration date from June 30, 2023 to June 30, 2028. In November 2023, the Company's board of directors further amended the share repurchase program to authorize an additional 1.2 million shares to be repurchased under the program, resulting in a total of 2.0 million shares authorized for repurchase, after taking into account the shares previously purchased at that date. As of June 30, 2024, 1,151,491 shares had been repurchased and 848,509 shares remain authorized for repurchase under the program.
Under the share repurchase program, we may repurchase shares of our common stock from time to time at prevailing market prices, depending on market conditions, through open market or privately negotiated transactions. Subject to applicable corporate securities laws, repurchases may be made at such times and in amounts as management deems appropriate. We are not obligated to repurchase any shares under the program, and repurchases under the program may be discontinued if management determines that additional repurchases are not warranted.
We did not repurchase any shares during the quarter ended June 30, 2024.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Equity Securities
We did not sell any unregistered equity securities during the period covered by this report.
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]
34
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Form 10-K") contains statements that are considered forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations and forecasts of future events. All statements other than statements of current or historical fact contained in this Annual Report, including statements regarding the Company's future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the Company's current plans, estimates and beliefs, and the Company's actual future activities and results of operations may be materially different from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report may turn out to be inaccurate. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. The forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date hereof. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this Form 10-K.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes contained elsewhere in this Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those factors discussed below and elsewhere in this Annual Report, particularly in “Risk Factors.”
INTRODUCTION
Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is provided as a supplement to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes to aid in the understanding of our results of operations and financial condition. We have omitted discussion of our fiscal year 2022 results where it would be redundant to the discussion previously included in Item 7 of our fiscal year 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our discussion is organized as follows:
35
comparing results for the periods presented.
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
Our Business
The Company conducts its operations in three reportable segments: (i) Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services, (ii) Direct-to-Consumer, and (iii) Secured Lending.
Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services Segment
The Company operates its Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment directly and through its consolidated subsidiaries, A-Mark Trading AG (“AMTAG”), Transcontinental Depository Services, LLC ("TDS" or “Storage”), A-M Global Logistics, LLC (“AMGL” or "Logistics"), AM&ST Associates, LLC ("AMST" or the “Silver Towne Mint"), and AM/LPM Ventures, LLC, which we formed in February 2024 to acquire LPM Group Limited ("LPM").
The Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment operates as a full-service precious metals company. We offer gold, silver, platinum, and palladium in the form of bars, plates, powder, wafers, grain, ingots, and coins. Our Industrial unit services manufacturers and fabricators of products utilizing or incorporating precious metals. Our Coin and Bar unit deals in approximately 2,100 coin and bar products in a variety of weights, shapes, and sizes for distribution to dealers and other qualified purchasers. We have a marketing support office in Vienna, Austria, a numismatics showroom in Hong Kong, and a trading center in El Segundo, California. The trading center, for buying and selling precious metals, is available to receive orders 24 hours every day, even when many major world commodity markets are closed. In addition to Wholesale Sales activity, A-Mark offers its customers a variety of ancillary services, including financing, storage, consignment, logistics, and various customized financial programs. As a U.S. Mint-authorized purchaser of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins, A-Mark purchases product directly from the U.S. Mint, and it also purchases product from other sovereign mints, for sale to its customers.
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary AMTAG, the Company promotes its products and services to certain international markets. Through our wholly-owned subsidiary TDS, we offer a variety of managed storage options for precious metals products to financial institutions, dealers, investors, and collectors around the world.
The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary AMGL is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and provides our customers an array of complementary services, including receiving, handling, inventorying, processing, packing, and shipping of precious metals and custom coins on a secure basis.
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary AMST, the Company designs and produces minted silver products. Our Silver Towne Mint operations allow us to provide greater product selection to our customers and greater pricing stability within the supply chain, as well as to gain increased access to fabricated silver products during volatile market environments, which have historically created higher demand for precious metals products.
36
In February 2024, the Company acquired LPM, one of Asia's largest precious metals dealers. Headquartered in Hong Kong, LPM extends A-Mark's global reach by offering its full-service precious metals products and services in Asia and internationally.
Direct-to-Consumer
The Company operates its Direct-to-Consumer segment through its wholly-owned subsidiaries JM Bullion, Inc. (“JMB”) and Goldline, Inc. (“Goldline”), and through its investment in Silver Gold Bull, Inc. ("SGB"). JMB currently has six wholly-owned subsidiaries: Buy Gold and Silver Corp. ("BGASC"), BX Corporation ("BullionMax"), Gold Price Group, Inc. (“GPG”), Silver.com, Inc. (“Silver.com”), Provident Metals Corp. (“PMC”), and CyberMetals Corp. ("CyberMetals"). Goldline owns 100% of AMIP, LLC ("AMIP"). SGB and Goldline each have a 50% ownership interest in Precious Metals Purchasing Partners, LLC ("PMPP"). As the context requires, references to JMB may include BGASC, BullionMax, GPG, Silver.com, PMC, and CyberMetals and references to Goldline may include AMIP and PMPP.
JMB is a leading e-commerce retailer providing access to a broad array of gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium products through its websites. JMB owns and operates numerous websites targeting specific niches within the precious metals retail market, including JMBullion.com, ProvidentMetals.com, Silver.com, CyberMetals.com, GoldPrice.org, SilverPrice.org, BGASC.com, BullionMax.com, and Gold.com.
In April 2022, JMB commercially launched the CyberMetals online platform, where customers can purchase and sell fractional shares of digital gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars in a range of denominations. CyberMetals’ customers have the option to convert their digital holdings to fabricated precious metals products via an integrated redemption flow with JMB. These products may be designated for storage by the Company or shipped directly to the customer.
The Company acquired Goldline in August 2017 through an asset purchase transaction with Goldline, LLC, which had been in operation since 1960. Goldline is a direct retailer of precious metals to the investor community, and markets its precious metal products on television, radio, and the internet, as well as through customer service outreach. AMIP manages Goldline’s intellectual property.
PMPP was formed in fiscal 2019 pursuant to terms of a joint venture agreement between Goldline and SGB, for the purpose of purchasing precious metals from the partners' retail customers, and then reselling the acquired products back to affiliates of the partners. PMPP commenced operations in fiscal 2020.
In 2014, the Company acquired its initial ownership interest in SGB, a leading e-commerce precious metals retailer in Canada, increasing its ownership to 55.4% in June 2024. Our investment in SGB expands our direct-to-consumer footprint in the international market. SGB's financial results and performance metrics have been included in our consolidated financial results from June 21, 2024, the date we obtained a controlling ownership interest in SGB, and SGB became a consolidated subsidiary of the Company. Through its website, SilverGoldBull.com, SGB offers a variety of products from gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars, coins and rounds, as well as certified coins from mints around the world.
Secured Lending
The Company operates its Secured Lending segment through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Collateral Finance Corporation, LLC, including its wholly-owned subsidiary, CFC Alternative Investments (“CAI”) (collectively “CFC”).
CFC is a California licensed finance lender that originates and acquires commercial loans secured primarily by bullion and numismatic coins. CFC's customers include coin and precious metal dealers, investors, and collectors. As of June 30, 2024, CFC had approximately $113.1 million in secured loans outstanding, of which approximately 14.6% were acquired from third parties (some of which may be customers of A-Mark) and approximately 85.4% were originated by CFC.
CAI is a holding company that has an equity method interest in Collectible Card Partners, LLC (“CCP”). CCP originates commercial loans secured by graded sports cards. CCP commenced operations in fiscal 2022.
AM Capital Funding, LLC (“AMCF”), previously a wholly-owned subsidiary of CFC, was formed for the purpose of securitizing eligible secured loans of CFC. AMCF issued and administered Secured Senior Term Notes: Series 2018-1, Class A, with an aggregate principal amount of $72.0 million and Secured Subordinated Term Notes, Series 2018-1, Class B in the aggregate principal amount of $28.0 million (collectively referred to as the "AMCF Notes"). The AMCF Notes were repaid in full in December 2023. AMCF was dissolved in June 2024. See Note 15 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for additional information.
37
Our Strategy
The Company was formed in 1965 and has grown into a significant participant in the bullion and coin markets, with $9.7 billion in revenues for fiscal year 2024. We have remained active in seeking investment opportunities to strategically enhance our business, and also continue to focus on growth in the volume of our business, our geographic presence, and the scope of complementary products, services, and technological tools that we offer to our customers. In doing so, we seek to leverage off the strengths of our existing integrated operations, which span trading, distribution, logistics, minting, storage, hedging, financing, and consignment products and services, including:
Our Customers
Our customers include financial institutions, bullion retailers, industrial manufacturers and fabricators, sovereign mints, refiners, coin and metal dealers, investors, collectors, and e-commerce and other retail customers. The Company makes a two-way market in its wholesale operations, which results in many customers also operating as our suppliers in that segment. This diverse base of wholesale customers purchases a variety of products from the Company in a multitude of grades, primarily in the form of coins and bars. Our Direct-to-Consumer segment sells to (and, through JMB and PMPP, buys from) retail customers, with JMB and SGB focusing on e-commerce operations and Goldline marketing through various traditional and e-commerce channels to the investor community. The Direct-to-Consumer segment offers these customers a variety of gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium products.
Factors Affecting Revenues, Gross Profit, Interest Income, and Interest Expense
Set forth below are the key factors affecting the Company’s revenues, gross profit, interest income, and interest expense. These factors may be attributable to both the Company’s ongoing business activities as well as from Company acquisitions.
Revenues. The Company enters into transactions to sell and deliver gold, silver, platinum, and palladium to industrial and commercial users, coin and bullion dealers, mints, and financial institutions. The metals are investment or industrial grade and are sold in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The Company also sells and delivers gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and copper products directly to customers and the investor community through its Direct-to Consumer segment. Customers may place orders online at one of the Company's websites or over the phone.
The Company sells precious metals on forward contracts at a fixed price based on current prevailing precious metal spot prices with a certain delivery date in the future (up to six months from inception date of the forward contract). The Company also uses other derivative products (primarily futures contracts) or combinations thereof to hedge commodity risks. We enter into these forward and futures contracts as part of our hedging strategy to mitigate our price risk of holding inventory; they are not entered into for speculative purposes.
Forward sales contracts by their nature are required to be included in revenues, unlike futures contracts which do not impact the Company’s revenue. The decision to use a forward contract versus another derivative type of product (e.g., a futures contract) for hedging purposes is based on the economics of the transaction. Since the volume of hedging can be significant, the movement in and out of forwards can substantially impact revenues, either positively or negatively, from period to period. For this reason, the Company believes ounces sold (excluding ounces sold on forward sales contracts) is a meaningful metric to assess our top line performance.
38
In addition, the Company earns revenue by providing storage solutions for precious metals and numismatic coins for financial institutions, dealers, investors, and collectors worldwide and by providing storage and order-fulfillment services to our retail customers. The Company also earns revenue from advertisements placed on our Direct-to-Consumer websites. These revenue streams represent less than 1% of the Company’s consolidated revenues.
The Company operates in a high volume/low margin industry. Revenues are impacted by three primary factors: product volume, market prices, and market volatility. A material change in any one or more of these factors may result in a significant change in the Company’s revenues. A significant increase or decrease in revenues can occur simply based on changes in the underlying commodity prices and may not be reflective of an increase or decrease in the volume of products sold.
Gross Profit. Gross profit is the difference between our revenues and the cost of our products sold. Since we quote prices based on the current commodity market prices for precious metals, we enter into a combination of forward and futures contracts to effect a hedge position equal to the underlying precious metal commodity value, which substantially represents inventory subject to price risk. We enter into these derivative transactions solely for the purpose of hedging our inventory, and not for speculative purposes. Our gross profit includes the gains and losses resulting from these derivative instruments. However, the gains and losses on the derivative instruments are substantially offset by the gains and losses on the corresponding changes in the market value of our precious metals inventory. As a result, our results of operations generally are not materially impacted by changes in commodity prices.
Interest Income. The Company enters into secured loans and secured financing structures with its customers under which it charges interest. CFC originates loans and acquires loan portfolios that are secured by precious metal bullion and numismatic material owned by the borrowers and held by the Company for the term of the loan. Also, the Company offers a number of secured financing options to its customers to finance their precious metals purchases including consignments and other structured inventory finance products whereby the Company earns a fee based on the underlying value of the precious metal ("repurchase arrangements with customers").
Interest Expense. The Company incurs interest expense associated with its lines of credit, notes payable, product financing agreements for the transfer and subsequent re-acquisition of gold, silver, and platinum at a fixed price with a third-party finance company ("product financing arrangements"), and short-term precious metal borrowing arrangements with our suppliers ("liabilities on borrowed metals").
Performance Metrics
In addition to financial statement indicators, management also utilizes key operational metrics to assess the performance of our business. SGB's performance metrics have been included in our consolidated financial results from June 21, 2024, the date we obtained a controlling ownership interest in SGB, and SGB became a consolidated subsidiary of the Company.
Gold and Silver Ounces Sold and Delivered to Customers. A key performance metric we utilize is the number of ounces of gold and silver sold and delivered to our customers (excluding ounces recorded on forward contracts). These metrics reflect our business volume without regard to changes in commodity pricing, which also impacts revenue, but can mask actual business trends.
The primary purpose of entering into forward sales transactions is to hedge commodity price risk. Although the revenues realized from these forward sales transactions are often significant, they generally have negligible impact on gross margins. As a result, the Company excludes the ounces recorded on forward contracts from its performance metrics, as the Company does not enter into forward sales transactions for speculative purposes.
Wholesale Sales Ticket Volume. Another measure of our business that is unaffected by changes in commodity pricing is ticket volume (or number of orders processed). Ticket volume for the Wholesale Sales & Ancillary Services segment measures the total number of wholesale orders processed during the period. In periods of higher volatility, there is generally increased trading in the commodity markets, causing increased demand for our products, resulting in higher business volume. During periods of heightened demand, order size per ticket may increase.
Direct-to-Consumer Customers. We are focused on attracting new customers and retaining existing customers to drive revenue growth. We use the following three metrics as revenue growth indicators when assessing our customer base:
Direct-to-Consumer Ticket Volume. Ticket volume for the Direct-to-Consumer segment measures the number of product orders processed during the period. In periods of higher volatility, there is generally increased consumer demand for our products, resulting in higher business volume. We use the following three metrics indicators when assessing our ticket volume:
39
Average Order Value. Average order value for the Direct-to-Consumer segment and JMB measures the average dollar value of product orders (excluding accumulation program orders) delivered to the customer during the period.
Inventory Turnover. Inventory turnover is another performance measure on which we are focused and is calculated as the cost of sales divided by the average inventory during the relevant period. Inventory turnover is a measure of how quickly inventory has moved during the period. A higher inventory turnover ratio, which we typically experience during periods of higher volatility when trading is more robust, typically reflects a more efficient use of our capital.
The period of time that inventory is held by the Company varies depending upon the nature of our inventory commitments with customers and suppliers. See Note 6 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for a description of our classifications of inventory by type. When management analyzes inventory turnover on a period over period basis, consideration is given to each inventory type and its corresponding impact on the inventory turnover calculation. For example:
Additionally, our inventory turnover ratio can be affected by hedging activity, as the period over period change of the inventory turnover ratio may be significantly impacted by a period over period change in hedging volume. For example, if trading activity were to remain constant over two periods, but there were significantly higher forward sales in the current period compared to a prior period, the calculated inventory turnover ratio would increase notwithstanding the constancy of the trading volume.
Number of Secured Loans. Finally, as a measure of the size of our Secured Lending segment, we utilize the number of outstanding secured loans to customers that are primarily collateralized by precious metals at the end of each quarter.
The Company calculates a loan-to-value ("LTV") ratio for each loan as the principal amount of the loan divided by the liquidation value of the collateral, which is based on daily spot market prices of precious metal bullion. When the market price of the pledged collateral decreases and thereby increases the LTV ratio of a loan above a prescribed maximum ratio, usually 85%, the Company has the option to make a margin call on the loan. As a result, a decline of precious metal market prices may cause a decrease in the number of loans outstanding in a period.
Non-GAAP Measures
In addition to key operational metrics that are used to assess the performance of our business, management also uses non-GAAP financial performance and liquidity measures. We believe "adjusted net income before provision for income taxes” and "EBITDA" can provide useful information to evaluate our financial performance and liquidity position. Non-GAAP measures do not have standardized definitions and should not be a substitute for measures that are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure reported in our consolidated statements of income and consolidated statements of cash flows and a discussion of certain limitations inherent in such measures, refer to the “Non-GAAP Measures” section below.
Fiscal Year
Our fiscal year end is June 30 each year.
40
Macroeconomic Volatility
Continued macroeconomic uncertainty and the volatility in the financial markets in recent years have positively affected the Company’s trading revenues and gross profit as the volatility of the price of precious metals and numismatics typically results in an increase in the spread between bid and ask prices on these products. Although conditions may fluctuate from period to period, when volatility is high, we historically experience increased demand for products in each of our coin and bar, industrial, and retail businesses. While macroeconomic uncertainty continues to impact our business, its effects have been less pronounced in the current fiscal year. The Company cannot predict the periods during which such increased volatility will occur or the level of such increased volatility, the effect of such volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty on the Company, or whether other effects on the Company and its businesses will materialize in the short or long term.
41
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview of Results of Operations
Consolidated Results of Operations for the Years Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023
The operating results of our business were as follows (in thousands, except per share and performance metrics data):
|
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||||||||||||||||||
Year Ended June 30, |
|
2024 |
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|
2023 |
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|
|
Change |
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||||||||||||||||||
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
% of revenue |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
% of revenue |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
% |
|
||||||
Revenues |
|
$ |
9,699,039 |
|
|
|
|
100.000 |
% |
|
|
$ |
9,286,561 |
|
|
|
|
100.000 |
% |
|
|
$ |
412,478 |
|
|
|
|
4.4 |
% |
Gross profit |
|
|
173,255 |
|
|
|
|
1.786 |
% |
|
|
|
294,669 |
|
|
|
|
3.173 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(121,414 |
) |
|
|
|
(41.2 |
%) |
Selling, general, and administrative expenses |
|
|
(89,800 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.926 |
%) |
|
|
|
(85,282 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.918 |
%) |
|
|
$ |
4,518 |
|
|
|
|
5.3 |
% |
Depreciation and amortization expense |
|
|
(11,397 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.118 |
%) |
|
|
|
(12,525 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.135 |
%) |
|
|
$ |
(1,128 |
) |
|
|
|
(9.0 |
%) |
Interest income |
|
|
27,168 |
|
|
|
|
0.280 |
% |
|
|
|
22,231 |
|
|
|
|
0.239 |
% |
|
|
$ |
4,937 |
|
|
|
|
22.2 |
% |
Interest expense |
|
|
(39,531 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.408 |
%) |
|
|
|
(31,528 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.340 |
%) |
|
|
$ |
8,003 |
|
|
|
|
25.4 |
% |
Earnings from equity method investments |
|
|
4,044 |
|
|
|
|
0.042 |
% |
|
|
|
12,576 |
|
|
|
|
0.135 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(8,532 |
) |
|
|
|
(67.8 |
%) |
Other income, net |
|
|
2,071 |
|
|
|
|
0.021 |
% |
|
|
|
2,663 |
|
|
|
|
0.029 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(592 |
) |
|
|
|
(22.2 |
%) |
Remeasurement gain on pre-existing equity interest |
|
|
16,669 |
|
|
|
|
0.172 |
% |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
$ |
16,669 |
|
|
|
|
— |
% |
Unrealized gains on foreign exchange |
|
|
299 |
|
|
|
|
0.003 |
% |
|
|
|
366 |
|
|
|
|
0.004 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(67 |
) |
|
|
|
(18.3 |
%) |
Net income before provision for income taxes |
|
|
82,778 |
|
|
|
|
0.853 |
% |
|
|
|
203,170 |
|
|
|
|
2.188 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(120,392 |
) |
|
|
|
(59.3 |
%) |
Income tax expense |
|
|
(13,745 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.142 |
%) |
|
|
|
(46,401 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.500 |
%) |
|
|
$ |
(32,656 |
) |
|
|
|
(70.4 |
%) |
Net income |
|
|
69,033 |
|
|
|
|
0.712 |
% |
|
|
|
156,769 |
|
|
|
|
1.688 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(87,736 |
) |
|
|
|
(56.0 |
%) |
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
|
|
487 |
|
|
|
|
0.005 |
% |
|
|
|
409 |
|
|
|
|
0.004 |
% |
|
|
$ |
78 |
|
|
|
|
19.1 |
% |
Net income attributable to the Company |
|
$ |
68,546 |
|
|
|
|
0.707 |
% |
|
|
$ |
156,360 |
|
|
|
|
1.684 |
% |
|
|
$ |
(87,814 |
) |
|
|
|
(56.2 |
%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
||||||
Basic and diluted net income per share attributable to |
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||||||||
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|
||||||
Per Share Data: |
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Basic |
|
$ |
2.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6.68 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(3.71 |
) |
|
|
|
(55.5 |
%) |
||
Diluted |
|
$ |
2.84 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6.34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(3.50 |
) |
|
|
|
(55.2 |
%) |
||
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|
||||||
Performance Metrics:(1) |
|
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|
|
|
||||||
Gold ounces sold(2) |
|
|
1,839,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,667,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(828,000 |
) |
|
|
|
(31.0 |