SEC Form 10-Q filed by BT Brands Inc.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended: March 31, 2024

or

For the transition period from                            to                          

Commission File Number: 001-41061

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). ☒ Yes ☐ No

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

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).  ☐                

At May 1, 2024, there were 6,246,118 shares of common stock outstanding.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING RISKS

AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS

Forward-Looking Information

This quarterly report contains forward-looking statements about the business, financial condition and prospects of BT Brands, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (together, the “Company”). Forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “projects,” “expects,” “may,” “estimates,” “should,” “plans,” “targets,” “intends,” “could,” “would,” “anticipates,” “potential,” “confident,” “optimistic” or the negative thereof, or other variations thereon, or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, objectives, estimates, guidance, expectations, and future plans. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.

While the Company believes the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances that such expectations will prove to be accurate. Security holders are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this report in the context of the factors that could cause outcomes to differ materially from our expectations. These factors include, but are not limited to:

We caution you that the important factors referenced above may not contain all of the factors that are important to you. In addition, we cannot assure you that we will realize the results or developments we expect or anticipate or, even if substantially realized, will result in the consequences we anticipate or affect us or our operations in the ways we expect. The forward-looking statements included in this report are made only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates regarding those or other forward-looking statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

From time to time, oral or written forward-looking statements are also included in our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, our Schedule 14A, our press releases and other materials released to the public. Although we believe that at the time made, the expectations reflected in all of these forward-looking statements are and will be reasonable, any or all of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. This may occur as a result of inaccurate assumptions or as a consequence of known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, certain of which are beyond our control, will be important in determining our future performance. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from those anticipated from forward-looking statements. In light of these and other uncertainties, you should not regard the inclusion of a forward-looking statement in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or other public communications that we might make as a representation that our plans and objectives will be achieved, and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. However, your attention is directed to any further disclosures made on related subjects in our subsequent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

             See Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

See Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

See Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements

BT BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 (Unaudited)

See Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements

BT BRANDS, INC. 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION

The following discussion of the financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and capital resources of BT Brands, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (together, “BT Brands” or the “Company”) should be read in conjunction with the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included under Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Introduction

As of March 31, 2024, including our partially owned Bagger Dave’s business, we own and operate the following seventeen restaurants:

Burger Time opened its first restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota, in 1987. Burger Time restaurants feature grilled hamburgers and other affordable foods such as chicken sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, sides, and soft drinks. Burger Time’s operating principles include (i) offering bigger burgers and more value for the money; (ii) offering a limited menu to permit attention to quality and speed of preparation; (iii) providing fast service by way of single and double drive-thru designs and a point-of-sale system that expedites the ordering and preparation process, and (iv) great tasting and quality food made fresh to order at a fair price. Our primary strategy is to serve the drive-thru and take-out segment of the quick-service restaurant industry.

The average customer transaction at our Burger Time restaurants increased by approximately 8% in 2023, and the average check amount is currently about $15.00. This recent increase is principally the result of menu price increases. Many factors influence our sales trends. Our business environment is challenging, as competition is intense.

We operate through a central management organization that provides continuity across our restaurant base by utilizing the efficiencies of a central management team.

Notable Recent Events

Our recent acquisitions have allowed us to diversify our operations into new restaurant segments and new geographic regions, reducing our dependency on the financial performance of our Burger Time restaurants. During 2022, we acquired three operating restaurants and an approximately 40% ownership interest in Bagger Dave’s, an operator of six casual restaurants. We continue to consider new acquisition opportunities.

Material Trends and Uncertainties

Industry trends have a direct impact on our business. Current trends include difficulties attracting food service workers and rapid inflation in the cost of input items. Recent trends also include the rapidly changing area of technology and food delivery. The major companies in the restaurant industry have rapidly adopted and developed smartphone and mobile delivery applications, aggressively expanded drive-through operations, and developed loyalty programs and database marketing supported by a robust technology platform. We expect these trends to continue as restaurants aggressively compete for customers. Competitors will continue to discount prices through aggressive promotions.

Food costs have increased over the last two years, and we expect to see some moderating inflationary pressure during the remainder of 2024. Beef and egg costs trended down slightly in 2023. Given the competitive nature of the restaurant industry, raising menu prices to fully cover cost increases may be challenging. As a result, future margin improvements may be difficult to achieve. Margin improvement will be achieved through operational enhancements, equipment advances, and increased volumes offsetting food cost increases.

Labor is a critical factor in operating our stores. Securing staff to run our locations at capacity has become more challenging in most areas where we operate our restaurants. The current labor market has resulted in higher wages as the competition for employees intensifies, not only in the restaurant industry but in practically all retail and service industries. To succeed, we must identify and retain quality employees.

Results of Operations for the Thirteen Weeks Ended March 31, 2024, and the Thirteen Weeks Ended April 2, 2023

The following table sets forth our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and percentages of total sales for the thirteen-week fiscal periods. The percentages below may not reconcile because of rounding.

Net Sales:

Net sales for the first fiscal quarter of 2024 increased $119,349 to $3,190,147 from $3,070,798 in the same period in fiscal 2023. Reflecting sales increases at most of our locations and the closing of the leased Sioux Falls location in February.

Restaurant unit sales for Burger Time for the first 13 weeks ranged from a low of approximately $125,000 to a high of approximately $290,000. The average sales for each Burger Time unit were approximately $209,000 in 2024, approximately $29,000 above the same period in 2023.

Our various restaurants all experience unique seasonal sales patterns.  The first quarter was seasonally slower for BTND and PIE, which had sales of $446,000, an increase of 4% from the same quarter a year ago.

Costs of Sales - food and paper:

The cost of sales—food and paper—for the fiscal 2024 period decreased as a percentage of restaurant sales to 40.1% from 42.0% in the first quarter of fiscal 2023. This decrease was the net result of moderating inflationary pressures, including a decline in the cost of several key inputs from a year ago.

Restaurant Operating Costs:

Restaurant operating costs (which refer to all the costs associated with the operation of our restaurants but do not include general and administrative expenses, gain on sales of assets, and depreciation and amortization) as a percentage of restaurant sales increased slightly to 100.5% of sales in the first fiscal quarter of 2024 from 99.2% in the similar period of fiscal 2023. This increase was the result of higher labor costs and declining and stabilizing commodity costs, as well as the matters discussed in the “Cost of Sales, - food and paper,” “Labor Costs,” and “Occupancy and Other Operating Costs” sections below.

Labor Costs

For the first quarter of fiscal 2024, labor and benefits costs increased as a percentage of restaurant sales to 43.5% from 39.2% in fiscal 2023. The increase in the percentage cost resulted from tighter labor markets, which resulted in higher hourly wage costs offset by leveraging existing staffing and higher labor costs associated with the PIE acquisition. Payroll costs are semi-variable, meaning they do not change proportionally to changes in revenue.

Occupancy and Other Operating Expenses

For the first fiscal quarter of 2024, occupancy and other expenses decreased to 16.9% of sales from 18.0% in the same period in 2023, reflecting the impact of a sales increase on fixed costs.

Depreciation and Amortization Expense:

For the first fiscal quarter of 2024, depreciation and amortization expenses were $160,542 (5.0% of sales), approximately the same as in the prior year of $163,507 (5.3% of sales).

General and Administrative Costs

General and administrative costs in the first fiscal quarter of 2024 were $454,615, up $28,700 from the same period in previous year’s first quarter of $425,915. They were 14.3% of sales, an increase from 13.9% in the previous year.

Loss from Operations

The loss from operations for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 was $630,829 compared to a loss of $564,446 in the prior fiscal year calculated before the asset sale gain and reflects slightly improved sales and higher hourly wage rates in virtually all of the company’s businesses and the items discussed in the “Net Sales” and “Restaurant Operating Costs” sections above.

Restaurant-level EBITDA

To supplement the condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, the Company uses restaurant-level EBITDA, which is not a measure defined by GAAP. This non-GAAP operating measure is useful to both management and, we believe, investors because it represents one means of gauging the overall profitability of our recurring and controllable core restaurant operations. This measure is not indicative of our overall results, nor does restaurant-level profit accrue directly to the benefit of stockholders, primarily due to the exclusion of corporate-level expenses. Restaurant-level EBITDA should not be considered a substitute or superior to operating income calculated under GAAP. The reconciliations to operating income set forth below should be carefully evaluated.

We define restaurant-level EBITDA as operating income before pre-opening costs, if any, general and administrative costs, depreciation and amortization, and impairment charges. General and administrative expenses are excluded as they are generally not specifically identifiable as restaurant-specific costs. Depreciation, amortization, and impairment charges are excluded because they are not ongoing controllable cash expenses and are not related to the health of ongoing operations.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The public response to COVID-19 positively impacted sales and liquidity. Customer activities have returned to normal patterns, resulting in a decline in sales activity to historic levels. More recently, our Burger Time business sales have shown a slight upward trend. On March 31, 2024, we had $6.1 million in cash and marketable securities and net working capital of $5.3 million, a net working capital decrease of $.4 million from December 31, 2023.

Recent and unforeseen public health matters may impact the United States economy in the future. It is difficult to predict the ultimate impact on the United States economy in general, the impact on the quick service drive-through segment of the food service industry, and our operating results and financial condition.

Our primary requirements for liquidity are to fund our working capital needs, capital expenditures, and general corporate needs, as well as to invest in or acquire businesses. Our operations do not require significant working capital, and, like many restaurant companies, we generally operate with negative working capital. We anticipate that working capital deficits may be incurred and possibly increase. Our primary liquidity and cash flow sources are operating cash flows and cash on hand. We use this to service debt, maintain our stores to operate efficiently and increase our working capital. Our working capital position benefits from the fact that we collect cash from sales from our customers at the point of purchase or within a few days from our credit card processor; generally, payments to our vendors are not due for thirty days.

Summary of Cash Flows

Cash Flows Provided by Operating Activities

Operating cash flow for the thirteen weeks ending March 31, 2024, was a negative $408,875. Cash flow in the first quarter was impacted by seasonal patterns in our business.

Cash Flows Used in Investing Activities

We have continued to make improvements in our existing businesses and to seek acquisitions in the food service and related industries.

Cash Flows Used in Financing Activities

A significant portion of our cash flow used in financing activities is allocated to service our debt.

Contractual Obligations

As of March 31, 2024, we had $4.2 million in contractual obligations relating to amounts due under mortgages on the real property where our stores are situated, including $1.8 million in capitalized lease obligations related to our recent acquisitions. Our monthly required payments on lease and mortgage obligations are approximately $49,000.

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK.

As a smaller reporting company, as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, we have elected to comply with certain scaled disclosure reporting obligations and are not required to provide the information required by this item.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

(1) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain a set of disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we filed under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed to ensure that this information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

As of March 31, 2024, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation and the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at a reasonable assurance level in ensuring that material information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the periods specified in the rules, regulations, and forms of the SEC, including ensuring that such material information is accumulated by and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(2) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

In addition to the matters discussed previously, the Company identified a consultant as an extension of management to assist in the accounting for acquisitions. Except for the items described above, there were no other changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during our most recently completed fiscal quarter, which ended March 31, 2024, that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There are no pending legal proceedings to which the Company is a party or as to which any of its property is subject, and no such proceedings are known to be threatened or contemplated against it.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information required under this item.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

On February 9, 2022, the independent members of the Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors approved a grant of 250,000 shares of common stock to each of Gary Copperud and Kenneth Brimmer, the Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer, respectively, if, so long as the Company’s publicly traded warrants are outstanding, the Company’s common stock trades at $8.50 per share for 20 consecutive trading days. The award of the shares is tied directly to the price at which the common stock purchase warrants issued in the Company’s initial public offering completed in November 2021 are redeemable by the Company. The warrants initially are exercisable at $5.50 per share (subject to adjustment under certain circumstances). The Company expects that if and when the warrants become redeemable, holders will exercise their warrants, and the Company will receive additional capital to fund acquisitions and growth. On July 5, 2023, the Company granted a seven-year option to purchase 100,000 shares of its common stock at $2.50 per share to a consultant.  These options granted to the consultant vest monthly over a 60-month period so long as the consulting relationship continues. On April 1, 2024, the Company granted to the three independent members of the Board of Directors options to purchase an aggregate of 15,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.61 per share. Under these awards, options to purchase 20% of the total granted vested on the grant date and the balance of the options vest in equal annual installments on the anniversary of the grant date in each of the four ensuing years.

Other than as set forth above, since the date on which the Company filed its Annual Report on Form 10-K and through the date of this quarterly report, we did not sell any securities.

Use of Proceeds

Since the closing of the Company’s initial public offering in November 2021, the Company has used the proceeds received from the sale of securities for general working capital purposes and to acquire (i) the restaurant assets of Keegan’s Seafood Grille ($1,150,000) and Pie in the Sky Bakery and Coffee Shop ($1,160,000) and (ii) a 41.2% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Bagger Dave’s ($1,390,000) and (iii) the Village Bier Garten, all as more fully described under Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None.

 ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION

None

ITEM 6. EXHIBITS.

SIGNATURES

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