Dixie Group Inc: Form 10-Q for the period ended Sep 28, 2024

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated condensed financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this report.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This Report contains statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements include the use of terms or phrases such as "expects," "estimates," "projects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," and similar terms and phrases. Such forward-looking statements relate to, among other matters, our future financial performance, business prospects, growth strategies or liquidity. The following important factors may affect our future results and could cause those results to differ materially from our historical results; these factors include, in addition to those “Risk Factors” detailed in item 1A of this report, and described elsewhere in this document, the cost and availability of capital, raw material and transportation costs related to petroleum price levels, the cost and availability of energy supplies, the loss of a significant customer or group of customers, the ability to attract, develop and retain qualified personnel, materially adverse changes in economic conditions generally in carpet, rug and floorcovering markets we serve and other risks detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

OVERVIEW

Our business consists principally of marketing, manufacturing and selling floorcovering products to high-end customers through our various sales forces and brands. We focus primarily on the upper end of the floorcovering market where we believe we have strong brands and competitive advantages with our style and design capabilities and customer relationships. Our Fabrica, Masland, DH Floors and TRUCOR brands have a significant presence in the high-end residential floorcovering markets. Dixie International sells all of our brands outside of the North American market.

Our business is sensitive to macroeconomic events in the United States. High interest rates, delayed consumer discretionary spending due to inflationary pressures, and other macroeconomic factors continue to impact new home construction and residential renovation and remodeling activity. Residential remodeling is a primary sales driver of flooring products, and most flooring is replaced before a home is listed for sale or just after a home purchase is completed. The current housing market conditions have suppressed remodeling activity as home sales remain soft. Housing turnover rates remain suppressed due to high home mortgage rates and consumers continue to face a higher cost of living and delay discretionary spending on large durable goods purchases such as flooring. We have, to some extent, offset the impact of a soft housing market and decreased renovation activity through cost containment, productivity and lower input costs. Due to low housing availability, aging stock and greater household formation, we believe demand in our markets will accelerate when interest rates decline. We believe that a number of circumstances may influence trends in 2024, including the impact of inflation and higher interest rates, but the extent and duration of such impact cannot be predicted.

Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) requires that, for continued listing on the exchange, we must maintain a minimum bid price of $1 per share. We received notice from Nasdaq on September 27, 2023 that our closing bid price was below $1 per share for 30 consecutive business days. We requested, and were granted, an additional 180 calendar days from March 25, 2024 to September 24, 2024 to meet the applicable minimum bid price requirement. On September 24, 2024, the Company received a letter from Nasdaq notifying the Company that it had not regained compliance with the bid price requirement by the required compliance date and, as a result, the Company's Common Stock was subject to delisting. Effective at the opening of business on October 3, 2024, our Common Stock was suspended and delisted from Nasdaq and began trading on the Over-the-Counter Market pink sheets under the stock symbol DXYN. Effective October 4, 2024, we were upgraded to the Over-the-Counter OTCQB Market ("the OTCQB") trading under the same symbol DXYN.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following tables provide information derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the periods indicated. Percentages used are expressed as a percent of net sales. The discussion that follows each table should be read in conjunction with our unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements as well as our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2023.

Three Months Ended September 28, 2024 Compared with the Three Months Ended September 30, 2023

Net Sales from Continuing Operations

($ in thousands)

For the third quarter of 2024, our net sales from continuing operations decreased 5.4% compared with the third quarter of 2023. The lower net sales were attributed to lower demand within the floorcovering industry and related markets driven by continued high interest rates and inflation.

Gross Profit

Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 24.6% in the third quarter of 2024 compared with 26.6% in the third quarter of 2023. The lower gross profit percentage in 2024 was primarily driven by lower sales volume, higher healthcare and utility costs and additional lease expense due to the sale and leaseback of the Adairsville distribution center in 2023.

Selling and Administrative Expenses

Selling and administrative expenses were $17.6 million, or 27.1% of net sales, in the third quarter of 2024 compared with $18.7 million, or 27.3% of net sales in the year earlier period. Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to the third quarter of 2023 primarily due to lower sample and marketing expenses during the quarter.

Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net

Net other operating (income) expense was an expense of $193 thousand in the third quarter of 2024 compared with $147 thousand of income in the third quarter of 2023.

Facility Consolidation and Severance Expenses, Net

Facility consolidation and severance expenses in the third quarter of 2024 were $283 thousand compared with $552 thousand in the third quarter of 2023. The expenses in 2024 and 2023 were related to our restructuring plan for the consolidation of our east coast manufacturing.

Operating Loss

We reported an operating loss of $2.1 million in the third quarter of 2024 compared with an operating loss of $913 thousand in the third quarter of 2023. The increase in operating loss was primarily the result of lower sales volume, higher healthcare and utility costs and additional lease expense due to the sale and leaseback of the Adairsville distribution center in 2023.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased $167 thousand in the third quarter of 2024 compared with the third quarter of 2023. The decrease is primarily the result of a lower debt level in 2024 offset by an increase in interest rates on our variable rate debt.

Other (Income) Expense, Net

Net other (income) expense was $2 thousand of income in the third quarter of 2024 compared with $622 thousand of income in the third quarter of 2023. Net other (income) expense included a gain of $625 thousand related to an extinguishment of a debt arrangement in the third quarter of 2023.

Income Tax Provision (Benefit)

We recorded an income tax benefit from continuing operations of $4 thousand in the third quarter of 2024 compared to a income tax expense of $125 thousand in the third quarter of 2023.

The effective benefit tax rate for the three months ending September 28, 2024 was (0.11)% compared with a income tax rate of 6.00% for the three months ending September 30, 2023. Because we maintain a full valuation allowance against our deferred tax balances, we are only able to recognize refundable credits and a small amount of state taxes in the tax expense for the second quarter of 2024 and 2023. We are in a net deferred tax liability position of $91 thousand at September 28, 2024 and $91 thousand at December 30, 2023, which is included in other long-term liabilities in our consolidated condensed balance sheets.

We account for uncertainty in income tax positions according to FASB guidance relating to uncertain tax positions. Unrecognized tax benefits were $556 thousand and $555 thousand at September 28, 2024 and December 30, 2023, respectively. Such benefits, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate. There were no significant interest or penalties accrued as of September 28, 2024 and December 30, 2023.

Net Loss

Continuing operations reflected a loss of $3.7 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2024 compared with a loss of $2.2 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, in the same period in 2023. The loss from discontinued operations was $182 thousand in the third quarter of 2024 compared to a loss of $183 thousand in the third quarter of 2023. See Note 20 to the consolidated condensed financial statements for additional details related to discontinued operations.

Nine Months Ended September 28, 2024 Compared with the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023

Net Sales from Continuing Operations

($ in thousands)

For the first nine months of 2024, our net sales from continuing operations decreased 4.3% compared with the first nine months of 2023. The lower net sales were attributed to lower demand within the floorcovering industry and related markets driven by continued high interest rates and inflation.

Gross Profit

Gross profit as a percentage of net sales was 25.7% in the first nine months of 2024 compared with 26.6% in the first nine months of 2023. The lower gross profit percentage in 2024 was primarily driven by lower sales volume, higher healthcare and utility costs and additional lease expense due to the sale and leaseback of the Adairsville distribution center in 2023.

Selling and Administrative Expenses

Selling and administrative expenses were $51.3 million, or 25.6% of net sales, in the first nine months of 2024 compared with $54.2 million, or 25.9% of net sales in the year earlier period. Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to the first nine months of 2023 primarily due to lower sample and marketing expenses.

Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net

Net other operating (income) expense was $141 thousand of expense in the first nine months of 2024 compared with $313 thousand of income in the first nine months of 2023.

Facility Consolidation and Severance Expenses, Net

Facility consolidation and severance expenses in the first nine months of 2024 were $772 thousand compared with $2.3 million in the first nine months of 2023. The expenses in 2024 and 2023 were related to our restructuring plan for the consolidation of our east coast manufacturing.

Operating Loss

We reported an operating loss of $669 thousand in the first nine months of 2024 compared with an operating loss of $354 thousand in the first nine months of 2023. The increase in operating loss was primarily the result of lower sales volume, higher healthcare and utility costs and additional lease expense due to the sale and leaseback of the Adairsville distribution center in 2023.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased $723 thousand in the first nine months of 2024 compared with the first nine months of 2023. The decrease is primarily the result of a lower debt level in 2024 offset by an increase in interest rates on our variable rate debt.

Other (Income) Expense, Net

Net other (income) expense was $8 thousand of expense in the first nine months of 2024 compared with $634 thousand of income in the first nine months of 2023. Net other (income) expense included a gain of $625 thousand related to an extinguishment of a debt arrangement in the first nine months of 2023.

Income Tax Provision (Benefit)

We recorded an income tax expense from continuing operations of $16 thousand in the first nine months of 2024 compared to a income tax expense of $159 thousand in the first nine months of 2023.

The effective income tax rate for the nine months ending September 28, 2024 was 0.30% compared with a income rate of 3.04% for the nine months ending September 30, 2023. Because we maintain a full valuation allowance against our deferred tax balances, we are only able to recognize refundable credits and a small amount of state taxes in the tax expense for the first nine months of 2024 and 2023.

Net Loss

Continuing operations reflected a loss of $5.5 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2024 compared with a loss of $5.4 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, in the same period in 2023. The loss from discontinued operations was $329 thousand in the first nine months of 2024 compared to a loss of $496 thousand in the first nine months of 2023. See Note 20 to the consolidated condensed financial statements for additional details related to discontinued operations.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

During the nine months ended September 28, 2024, cash used in operating activities in continuing operations was $497 thousand. An increase in accounts receivable used $3.0 million during the first nine months of 2024. Prepaid and other current assets used $2.6 million primarily as a result of prepaid sample and marketing expenses. A increase in inventory used $543 thousand and an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses generated $5.8 million primarily driven by the quarter end timing of payments based on supplier terms.

Purchases of capital assets for the nine months September 28, 2024 resulted in a $1.9 million cash out flow to the business. Depreciation and amortization for the nine months ended September 28, 2024 were $5.0 million. We expect capital expenditures to be approximately $2.8 million in 2024 while depreciation and amortization is expected to be approximately $6.2 million.

During the nine months ended September 28, 2024, cash provided by financing activities was $3.6 million. We had net borrowings on our revolving credit facility of $7.2 million and net payments on notes payable and financing leases of $3.5 million.

Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) requires that, for continued listing on the exchange, we must maintain a minimum bid price of $1 per share. We received notice from Nasdaq on September 27, 2023 that our closing bid price was below $1 per share for 30 consecutive business days. We requested, and were granted, an additional 180 calendar days from March 25, 2024 to September 24, 2024 to meet the applicable minimum bid price requirement. On September 24, 2024, the Company received a letter from Nasdaq notifying the Company that it had not regained compliance with the bid price requirement by the required compliance date and, as a result, the Company's Common Stock was subject to delisting. Effective at the opening of business on October 3, 2024, our Common Stock was suspended and delisted from Nasdaq and began trading on the Over-the-Counter Market pink sheets under the stock symbol DXYN. Effective October 4, 2024, we were upgraded to the Over-the-Counter OTCQB Market ("the OTCQB") trading under the same symbol DXYN. Our delisting from Nasdaq could make it more difficult for us to raise additional capital if needed.

We believe, after having reviewed various financial scenarios, our operating cash flows, credit availability under our revolving credit facility and other sources of financing are adequate to finance our anticipated liquidity requirements under current operating conditions. We have specifically considered the impact of continued operating losses on our liquidity position and our ability to comply with financial covenants by our primary lenders. As part of our evaluation, we considered the cost reductions implemented under our East Coast Consolidation Plan, the return from the elimination of cash discounts, lower planned sample investments and cost savings expected to be generated from the operations of our extrusion equipment. Availability under our Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility on September 28, 2024 was $11.7 million. Significant additional cash expenditures above our normal liquidity requirements, significant deterioration in economic conditions or continued operating losses could affect our business and require supplemental financing or other funding sources.

Our Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility matures on October 30, 2025. In consideration of this, we have begun discussions with lenders to secure longer term financing in place of our senior debt. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to extend or replace our senior debt or that other supplemental financing or other sources of funding can be obtained or will be obtained on terms favorable to us.

Changes to Critical Accounting Policies

Our critical accounting policies were outlined in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There have been no changes in our critical accounting policies during 2024.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent accounting pronouncements are disclosed in Note 2 to the consolidated condensed financial statements.

Our earnings, cash flows and financial position are exposed to market risks relating to interest rates, among other factors. It is our policy to minimize our exposure to adverse changes in interest rates and manage interest rate risks inherent in funding our Company with debt. We address this financial exposure through a risk management program that includes maintaining a mix of fixed and floating rate debt.

At September 28, 2024, $77,319, or approximately 88% of our total debt, was subject to short-term floating interest rates. A one-hundred basis point fluctuation in the variable interest rates applicable to this floating rate debt would have an annual after-tax impact of approximately $773. Included in the $77,319, is the amount outstanding for term loans of $22,485. Both loans are currently set to bear interest of 5% for five years. Every five years, these rates will be reset to reflect the then current 5-year treasury rate plus a margin. A one-hundred basis point fluctuation in the interest rates applicable to this floating rate debt would have an annual after-tax impact of approximately $225. See Note 9 to the consolidated condensed financial statements for further discussion of these loans.

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as such terms are defined in Rules 13(a)-15(e) and 15(d)-15(e)) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) as of September 28, 2024, the date of the financial statements included in this Form 10-Q (the “Evaluation Date”). Based on that evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the Evaluation Date.

No changes in our internal control over financial reporting occurred during the quarter covered by this report that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Internal control over financial reporting cannot provide absolute assurance of achieving financial reporting objectives because of its inherent limitations. Internal control over financial reporting is a process that involves human diligence and compliance and is subject to lapses in judgment and breakdowns resulting from human failures, as well as diverse interpretation of U. S. generally accepted accounting principles by accounting professionals. It is also possible that internal control over financial reporting can be circumvented by collusion or improper management override. Because of such limitations, there is a risk that material misstatements may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis by internal control over financial reporting. Furthermore, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. These inherent limitations are known features of the financial reporting process; therefore, while it is possible to design into the process safeguards to reduce such risk, it is not possible to eliminate all risk.

In addition to the other information provided in this Report, the following risk factors should be considered when evaluating the results of our operations, future prospects and an investment in shares of our Common Stock. Any of these factors could cause our actual financial results to differ materially from our historical results, and could give rise to events that might have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our Common Stock was delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market, which could make trading in our Common Stock more difficult for investors, potentially leading to declines in our share price and liquidity and could limit our ability to raise additional capital.

Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) requires that, for continued listing on the exchange, we must maintain a minimum bid price of $1 per share. We received notice from Nasdaq on September 27, 2023 that our closing bid price was below $1 per share for 30 consecutive business days. We requested, and were granted, an additional 180 calendar days from March 25, 2024 to September 24, 2024 to meet the applicable minimum bid price requirement. On September 24, 2024, the Company received a letter from Nasdaq notifying the Company that it had not regained compliance with the bid price requirement by the required compliance date and, as a result, the Company's Common Stock was subject to delisting. Effective at the opening of business on October 3, 2024, our Common Stock was suspended and delisted from Nasdaq and began trading on the Over-the-Counter Market pink sheets under the stock symbol DXYN. Effective October 4, 2024, we were upgraded to the Over-the-Counter OTCQB Market ("the OTCQB") trading under the same symbol DXYN.

Our delisting from Nasdaq could make trading in our common stock more difficult for investors, potentially leading to declines in our share price and liquidity. Shareholders may have a difficult time getting a quote for the sale or purchase of our stock, the sale or purchase of our stock will likely be made more difficult and the trading volume and liquidity of our stock could decline. Our delisting from Nasdaq could also result in negative publicity and could also make it more difficult for us to raise additional capital. The absence of such a listing may adversely impact the acceptance of our Common Stock as currency or the value accorded by other parties.

Our financial condition and results of operations have been and could likely be adversely impacted in the future by COVID-19 or other pandemics and the related negative impact on economic conditions.

Global and/or local pandemics, such as COVID-19, have negatively impacted areas where we operate and sell our products and services. The COVID-19 outbreak in the second quarter of 2020 had a material adverse effect on our ability to operate and our results of operations as public health organizations recommended, and many governments implemented, measures to slow and limit the transmission of the virus, including shelter in place and social distancing ordinances. Although the accessibility of vaccines and other preventive measures have lessened the impact, new variants or other pandemics may necessitate a return of such restrictive, preventive measures which may have a material adverse effect on our business for an indefinite period of time, such as the potential shut down of certain locations, decreased employee availability, disruptions to the businesses of our selling channel partners, and others. Our suppliers and customers may also face these and other challenges, which could lead to a disruption in our supply chain as well as decreased construction and renovation spending and consumer demand for our products and services. These issues may also materially affect our current and future access to sources of liquidity, particularly our cash flows from operations, and access to financing. The long-term economic impact and near-term financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic or other pandemics, including but not limited to, potential near term or long-term risk of asset impairment, restructuring, and other charges, cannot be reliably quantified or estimated at this time due to the uncertainty of future developments.

The floorcovering industry is sensitive to changes in general economic conditions and a decline in residential activity or home remodeling and refurbishment could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The floorcovering industry, in which we participate, is highly dependent on general economic conditions, such as interest rate levels, consumer confidence and income, corporate and government spending, availability of credit and demand for housing. We derive a majority of our sales from the replacement segment of the market. Therefore, unfavorable economic changes, such as an economic recession, could result in a significant or prolonged decline in spending for remodeling and replacement activities which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

The residential floorcovering market is highly dependent on housing activity, including remodeling. The U.S. and global economies, along with the residential markets in such economies, can negatively impact the floorcovering industry and our business. Although the impact of a decline in new housing activity is typically accompanied by an increase in remodeling and replacement activity, these activities typically lag during a cyclical downturn. Additional or extended downturns could cause prolonged deterioration. A significant or prolonged decline in residential housing activity could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

We have significant levels of indebtedness that could result in negative consequences to us.

We have a significant amount of indebtedness relative to our equity. Insufficient cash flow, profitability, or the value of our assets securing our loans could have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate sufficient funds to satisfy the terms of our senior loan agreements and other debt obligations. Our senior loan agreement and term loans include certain compliance, affirmative, and financial covenants. The impact of continued operating losses on our liquidity position could affect our ability to comply with these covenants by our primary lenders. Additionally, the inability to access debt or equity markets at competitive rates in sufficient amounts to satisfy our obligations could adversely impact our business. Significant increases in interest rates tied to our floating rate debt could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. Further, our trade relations depend on our economic viability and insufficient capital could harm our ability to attract and retain customers and or supplier relationships.

Uncertainty in the credit market or downturns in the economy and our business could affect our overall availability and cost of credit.

Economic factors, including an economic recession, could have a material adverse effect on demand for our products and on our financial condition and operating results. Uncertainty in the credit markets could affect the availability and cost of credit. If banks and financial institutions with whom we have banking relationships enter receivership or become insolvent in the future, we may be unable to access, and we may lose, some or all of our existing cash and cash equivalents to the extent those funds are not insured or otherwise protected by the FDIC. Market conditions could impact our ability to obtain financing in the future, including any financing necessary to refinance existing indebtedness. The cost and terms of such financing is uncertain. Continued operating losses could affect our ability to continue to access the credit markets under our current terms and conditions.

Our stock price has been and could remain volatile, which could further adversely affect the market price of our stock, our ability to raise additional capital.

The market price of our common stock has historically experienced and may continue to experience significant volatility. Our progress in restructuring our business, our quarterly operating results, our perceived prospects, lack of securities analysts’ recommendations or earnings estimates, changes in general conditions in the economy or the financial markets, adverse events related to our strategic relationships, significant sales of our common stock by existing stockholders, and other developments affecting us or our competitors could cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate substantially. In addition, in recent years, the stock market has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. This volatility has affected the market prices of securities issued by many companies for reasons unrelated to their operating performance and may adversely affect the price of our common stock. Such market price volatility could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital.

We face intense competition in our industry, which could decrease demand for our products and could have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

The floorcovering industry is highly competitive. We face competition from a number of domestic manufacturers and independent distributors of floorcovering products and, in certain product areas, foreign manufacturers. Significant consolidation within the floorcovering industry has caused a number of our existing and potential competitors to grow significantly larger and have greater access to resources and capital than we do. Maintaining our competitive position may require us to make substantial additional investments in our product development efforts, manufacturing facilities, distribution network and sales and marketing activities. These additional investments may be limited by our access to capital, as well as restrictions set forth in our credit facilities. Competitive pressures and the accelerated growth of hard surface alternatives have resulted in decreased demand for our soft floorcovering products and in the loss of market share to hard surface products. As a result, competition from providers of other soft surfaces has intensified and may result in lower demand for our products. In addition, we face, and will continue to face, competitive pressures on our sales prices and cost of our products. As a result of any of these factors, there could be a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability.

If we are unable to anticipate consumer preferences and successfully develop and introduce new, innovative and updated products, we may not be able to maintain or increase our net revenues and profitability.

Our success depends on our ability to identify and originate product trends as well as to anticipate and react to changing consumer demands in a timely manner. All of our products are subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. In addition, long lead times for certain products may make it hard for us to quickly respond to changes in consumer demands. New products may not receive consumer acceptance as consumer preferences could shift rapidly to different types of flooring products or away from these types of products altogether, and our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to these changes. Failure to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to changing consumer preferences could lead to, among other things, lower sales and excess inventory levels, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Raw material prices will vary and the inability to either offset or pass on such cost increases or avoid passing on decreases larger than the cost decrease to our customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We require substantial amounts of raw materials to produce our products, including nylon and polyester yarn, as well as wool yarns, synthetic backing, latex, and dyes. Substantially all of the raw materials we require are purchased from outside sources. The prices of raw materials and fuel-related costs have increased significantly due to market conditions and inflationary pressures, the duration and extent of which is difficult to predict. The fact that we source a significant amount of raw materials means that several months of raw materials and work in process are moving through our supply chain at any point in time. We are sourcing the majority of our new luxury vinyl flooring and wood product lines from overseas. We are not able to predict whether commodity costs will significantly increase or decrease in the future. If commodity costs continue to increase in the future and we are not able to reduce or eliminate the effect of the cost increases by reducing production costs or implementing price increases, our profit margins could decrease. If commodity costs decline, we may experience pressures from customers to reduce our selling prices. The timing of any price reductions and decreases in commodity costs may not align. As a result, our margins could be affected.

Disruption to suppliers of raw materials could have a material adverse effect on us.

Nylon yarn is the principal raw material used in our floorcovering products. The supply of all nylon yarn and yarn systems has been negatively impacted by a variety of overall market factors. The cost of nylon yarns has risen significantly and availability of nylon yarns has been restricted. An interruption in the supply of these or other raw materials or sourced products used in our business or in the supply of suitable substitute materials or products would disrupt our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Supply constraints may impact our ability to successfully develop products and effectively service our customers. We have developed and are developing products and product offerings using fiber systems from multiple external fiber suppliers as well as from vertically integrated production of our yarn supply through dedicated internal extrusion operations. There can be no certainty as to the success of our efforts to develop and market such products. We continually evaluate our sources of yarn and other raw materials for competitive costs, performance characteristics, brand value, and diversity of supply.

We rely on information systems in managing our operations and any system failure, cyber incident or deficiencies of such systems may have an adverse effect on our business.

Our businesses rely on sophisticated systems to obtain, rapidly process, analyze and manage data. We rely on these systems to, among other things, facilitate the purchase, manufacture and distribution of our products; receive, process and ship orders on a timely basis; and to maintain accurate and up-to-date operating and financial data for the compilation of management information. We rely on our computer hardware, software and network for the storage, delivery and transmission of data to our sales and distribution systems, and certain of our production processes are managed and conducted by computer. Any damage by unforeseen events or system failure which causes interruptions to the input, retrieval and transmission of data or increase in the service time, whether caused by human error, natural disasters, power loss, computer viruses, intentional acts of vandalism, various forms of cyber crimes including and not limited to hacking, ransomware, intrusions and malware or otherwise, could disrupt our normal operations. Depending upon the severity of the incident, there can be no assurance that we can effectively carry out our disaster recovery plan to handle a failure of our information systems, or that we will be able to restore our operational capacity within sufficient time to avoid material disruption to our business. The occurrence of any of these events could cause unanticipated disruptions in service, decreased customer service and customer satisfaction and harm to our reputation, which could result in loss of customers, increased operating expenses and financial losses. Any such events could in turn have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

The long-term performance of our business relies on our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified personnel.

To be successful, we must attract, develop and retain qualified and talented personnel in management, sales, marketing, product design and operations. We compete with other floorcovering companies for these employees and invest resources in recruiting, developing, motivating and retaining them. The failure to attract, develop, motivate and retain key employees could negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to various governmental actions that may interrupt our supply of materials.

We import most of our luxury vinyl flooring ("LVF"), some of our wood offering, some of our rugs and broadloom offerings. Though currently a small part of our business, the growth in LVF products is an important product offering to provide our customers a complete selection of flooring alternatives. There have been trade proposals that threatened these product categories with added tariffs which would make our offerings less competitive compared to those manufactured in other countries or produced domestically. These proposals, if enacted, or if expanded, or imposed for a significant period of time, would materially interfere with our ability to successfully enter into these product categories and could have a material adverse effect upon our cost of sales and results of operations.

Regulatory efforts to monitor political, social, and environmental conditions in foreign countries that produce products or components of products purchased by us will necessarily add complexity and cost to our products and processes and may reduce the availability of certain products. Regulatory efforts to prevent or reduce the risk that certain flooring products or elements of such products are produced in regions where forced or involuntary labor are known or believed to occur will result in increased cost to us as we attempt to ensure that none of our products or components of our products are produced in such regions. Such increased cost may make our products less competitive.

We may experience certain risks associated with internal expansion, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic investments.

We continually look for strategic and tactical initiatives, including internal expansion, acquisitions and investment in new products, to strengthen our future and to enable us to return to sustained growth and to achieve profitability. Growth through expansion and acquisition involves risks, many of which may continue to affect us after the acquisition or expansion. An acquired company, operation or internal expansion may not achieve the levels of revenue, profitability and production that we expect. The combination of an acquired company’s business with ours involves risks. Further, internally generated growth that involves expansion involves risks as well. Such risks include the integration of computer systems, alignment of human resource policies and the retention of valued talent. Reported earnings may not meet expectations because of goodwill and intangible asset impairment, other asset impairments, increased interest costs and issuance of additional securities or debt as a result of these acquisitions. We may also face challenges in consolidating functions and integrating our organizations, procedures, operations and product lines in a timely and efficient manner.

The diversion of management attention and any difficulties encountered in the transition and integration process could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, level of expenses and operating results. Failure to successfully manage and integrate an acquisition with our existing operations or expansion of our existing operations could lead to the potential loss of customers of the acquired or existing business, the potential loss of employees who may be vital to the new or existing operations, the potential loss of business opportunities or other adverse consequences that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if integration occurs successfully, failure of the expansion or acquisition to achieve levels of anticipated sales growth, profitability or productivity, or otherwise perform as expected, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to various environmental, safety and health regulations that may subject us to costs, liabilities and other obligations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to various environmental, safety and health and other regulations that may subject us to costs, liabilities and other obligations which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The applicable requirements under these laws are subject to amendment, to the imposition of new or additional requirements and to changing interpretations of agencies or courts. We could incur material expenditures to comply with new or existing regulations, including fines and penalties and increased costs of our operations. Additionally, future laws, ordinances, regulations or regulatory guidelines could give rise to additional compliance or remediation costs that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. For example, producer responsibility regulations regarding end-of-life disposal could impose additional cost and complexity to our business.

The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has declared an intent to focus on perceived risks posed by certain chemicals (principally PFOA and PFOAS) previously used by the carpet industry. Recently, such chemicals have been declared to be hazardous substances by the EPA. New or revised regulatory actions could result in requirements that industry participants, including us, incur costs related to testing and cleanup of areas affected by such chemical usage. Other chemicals or materials historically used by the industry and us could become the focus of similar governmental action.

Various federal, state and local environmental laws govern the use of our current and former facilities. These laws govern such matters as:

• Discharge to air and water;
• Handling and disposal of solid and hazardous substances and waste, and
• Remediation of contamination from releases of hazardous substances in our facilities and off-site disposal locations.

We are a manufacturer and distributor of flooring products which require processes and materials that necessarily utilize substantial amounts of carbon-based energy and accordingly involve the emission of “greenhouse gasses.” Regulatory monitoring, reporting and, more generally, efforts to eliminate or substantially reduce “greenhouse gasses” will necessarily add complexity and cost to our products and processes decreasing profitability and consumer demand. Additionally, consumer preferences may be affected by publicly announced issues related to “greenhouse gasses” which may negatively affect demand for our products. There can be no assurance that we can cost effectively respond to any such regulatory efforts or that demand for our products can be sustained under such pressures.

Our operations also are governed by laws relating to workplace safety and worker health, which, among other things, establish noise standards and regulate the use of hazardous materials and chemicals in the workplace. We have taken, and will continue to take, steps to comply with these laws. If we fail to comply with present or future environmental or safety regulations, we could be subject to future liabilities. However, we cannot ensure that complying with these environmental or health and safety laws and requirements will not adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may be exposed to litigation, claims and other legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business relating to our products or business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In the ordinary course of business, we are subject to a variety of work-related and product-related claims, lawsuits and legal proceedings, including those relating to product liability, product warranty, product recall, personal injury, and other matters that are inherently subject to many uncertainties regarding the possibility of a loss to our business. Such matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition if we are unable to successfully defend against or resolve these matters or if our insurance coverage is insufficient to satisfy any judgments against us or settlements relating to these matters. Although we have product liability insurance, the policies may not provide coverage for certain claims against us or may not be sufficient to cover all possible liabilities. Further, we may not be able to maintain insurance at commercially acceptable premium levels. Additionally, adverse publicity arising from claims made against us, even if the claims are not successful, could adversely affect our reputation or the reputation and sales of our products.

Our business operations could suffer significant losses from natural disasters, catastrophes, fire or other unexpected events.

Many of our business activities involve substantial investments in manufacturing facilities and many products are produced at a limited number of locations. These facilities could be materially damaged by natural disasters, such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes, or by fire or other unexpected events such as adverse weather conditions or other disruptions to our facilities, supply chain or our customer's facilities. We could incur uninsured losses and liabilities arising from such events, including damage to our reputation, and/or suffer material losses in operational capacity, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.