TESS TESSCO Technologies Inc

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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

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Commission file number 001-33938 

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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (410) 229-1000

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

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

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act.  Yes ☐  No ☒

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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 ☐

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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 ☐

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

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Large accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☐ Non-accelerated filer ☒

Smaller reporting company ☒ Emerging growth company ☐

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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.  ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  Yes ☒  No ◻

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

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The aggregate market value of Common Stock, $0.01 par value, held by non-affiliates of the registrant based on the closing sales price of the Common Stock as quoted on Nasdaq as of September 27, 2020, was $37,234,870.

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The number of shares of the registrant's Common Stock, $0.01 par value, outstanding as of June 2, 2021, was 8,886,031.

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DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:  Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement for the registrant’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled to be held July 29, 2021, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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We began our “total source” operations in 1982, reincorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1987, and have been listed on Nasdaq (symbol: TESS), since 1994. We operate under ISO 9001:2015 and TL 9000:2016-V R6.2/5.7 registrations.

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For information regarding our website address and regarding material available free of charge through the website, see the information appearing under the heading “Available Information” included in Item 7 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 28, 2021.

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Customers

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After exiting our Retail business, we operate as one business segment, formerly referred to as our Commercial segment, which consists of the following two markets: (1) public carriers that are generally responsible for building and maintaining the infrastructure system and provide airtime service to individual subscribers; and (2) value-added resellers and integrators, which includes value-added resellers, the government channel and private system operator markets. Inventory typically has a life cycle that tends to be tied to changes in regulation or technology and includes products typically used by business entities or governments.

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Sales to the public carrier market accounted for approximately 40% of our fiscal year 2021 revenues, and sales to the value-added resellers and integrator market accounted for 60% of fiscal year 2021 revenues.

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Our top ten customer relationships were responsible for 34% of our revenue for fiscal year 2021, and revenue from our largest customer accounted for 11% of our revenues.

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Approximately 97% of our sales have been made to customers in the United States during each of the past three fiscal years, although we currently sell to customers in over 50 countries. Due to our diverse product offering and our wide customer base, our business is not significantly affected by seasonality in the aggregate. However, our base station infrastructure sales could be affected by weather conditions or events in the United States, especially in our fourth fiscal quarter.  Our fourth quarter is also at times impacted by delays in our customers’ calendar year budget approval processes.  

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Products

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We principally offer competitively priced, manufacturer branded products, ranging from simple hardware items to sophisticated test equipment, with per item prices ranging from less than $1 to over $50,000 and gross profit margins ranging from less than 5% to 99%. We offer products broadly classified into the following three categories: base station infrastructure; network systems; and installation, test and maintenance products.

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Base station infrastructure products are used to build, repair and upgrade wireless broadband systems. These products include base station antennas, cable and transmission lines, small towers, lightning protection devices, connectors, power systems, enclosures, grounding, jumpers, miscellaneous hardware, and mobile antennas. Network systems products include fixed and mobile broadband radio equipment, wireless networking filtering systems, distributed antenna systems, two-way radios and security and surveillance products. Installation, test and maintenance products are used to install, tune, and maintain wireless communications equipment. Products include sophisticated analysis equipment and various frequency-, voltage- and power-measuring devices, as well as an assortment of tools, hardware, GPS, safety, replacement and component parts and supplies required by service technicians.  

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While we principally provide manufacturer branded products, a variety of products are developed, manufactured and offered under our own brand, Ventev^Ò. These products generally consist of network infrastructure products, such as radio enclosures, power products, cable and antennas. Sales of Ventev^® products were 8% of our revenues in fiscal year 2021.  

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Tessco’s Technical Services and Solutions Development teams are a key element of our offering as a value-added distributor. This includes Sales Engineering, Solution Architects, System Designers and Customer Technical Support (“CTS”). The broad product and supplier knowledge along with the multiple supplier certifications have also been recognized as a great benefit by our supplier partners and customers. The Sales Engineers provide regional coverage

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supporting Tessco’s customers on the total Solution portfolio. Solution Architects are specialists in their area of expertise providing consultation and system design. The CTS team are product level experts ensuring the correct devices are specified based on the application. This team can also recommend additional ancillary products (antennas, cables, power, enclosures, etc.) needed to provide a complete solution for the customer’s application. These services, other than design services, which comprise an immaterial portion of our revenue, are provided as a complete offering and are not billed in addition to the product.

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These teams provide customer support on thousands of calls and thousands of support ticket-items per year. They have completed designs covering solutions for DAS (Distributed Antenna Systems), IOT (Internet of Things), WiFi, Networking, Wireless Broadband, Power Systems and Test Systems. These solutions teams support both existing and emerging markets, including Smart Cities, Smart Buildings, Small Cell, FirstNet, Utilities, Transportation, Network Service Providers (NSP) and Fortune 500 companies.  

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As part of our commitment to customer service, we typically allow most customers to return most products for any reason, for credit, within 30 days of the date of purchase. Total returns and credits have been less than 3% of revenues in each of the past three fiscal years.

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Revenues from sales of products purchased from our largest wireless infrastructure supplier accounted for 29% of fiscal year 2021 continuing operations revenues. Sales of products purchased from our ten largest wireless infrastructure suppliers generated approximately 53% of our total fiscal year 2021 revenues. No other individual supplier accounted for more than 10% of sales.

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The amount of purchases we make from each of our approximately 300 suppliers may significantly increase or decrease over time.  As the level of business changes, we may request, or be requested by our suppliers, to adjust the terms of our relationships.  Therefore, our ability to purchase and re-sell products from each of our suppliers depends on being able to reach and maintain agreements with these suppliers on acceptable business terms.  In addition, the agreements and arrangements on which most of our larger supplier relationships are based are typically of limited duration and terminable for any or no reason by either party upon notice of varying lengths, usually between several months or otherwise short notice.  Generally, we believe that alternative sources of supply are available for many of the product types we carry, although we may be unable, or find it more difficult, to source branded products from other than the manufacturer.

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The scope of products available for purchase from a given supplier may fluctuate and is generally limited only by the scope of the supplier’s catalog and available inventory. Therefore, we may source the same product type from multiple suppliers, although in some instances branded products are available only from the manufacturer or a particular supplier, and in some instances, customers might favor one supplier or brand over another. The terms of the supplier contract typically apply to all products purchased from a particular supplier, whether or not the item is specifically identified in the contract.

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When negotiating with suppliers, we seek the most favorable terms available under the circumstances. Our preferred terms include among others, terms that provide for product warranty and return rights, as well as product liability and intellectual property indemnification rights, in each case consistent with our preferred business methods and objectives. We have not been able, nor do we expect in the future to be able, to negotiate the inclusion of all our preferred terms, or our preferred language for those terms, in every supplier contract. The degree of our success in this regard is largely a function of the parties’ relative bargaining positions.

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We are dedicated to superior performance, quality and consistency of service in an effort to maintain and expand supplier relationships but there can be no assurance that we will continue to be successful in this regard in the future, or that competitive pressures or other events beyond our control will not have a negative impact on our ability to maintain these relationships or to continue to derive revenues from these relationships.

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Method of Operation

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We believe that we have developed a highly integrated, technologically advanced and efficient method of operation based on the following key tenets:

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Market Development and Sales: In order to meet the needs of a dynamic and diverse marketplace, our sales and marketing activities are focused on our customers across these broad markets: 1) public carriers, and 2) value-added resellers and integrators.  This organization allows for the development of unique product and solution offerings to meet the needs of our diverse customer base.

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We understand and anticipate our customers’ needs, resulting in comprehensive solutions and long-lasting relationships. Our customer base includes more than 270,000 fully opted in contacts across the full breadth of the wireless industry, with over 250,000 additional active contacts in our database, representing potential new customers. We are able to identify each contact’s unique need for information and the way in which they wish to receive it.  This can include targeted marketing materials, including email marketing, web marketing, advertisements, direct mailers, and trade show marketing, to drive purchases and new business development. For instance, our email publication The Wireless Update is sent to a targeted list of 108,000 contacts each week.

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Our dedicated sales team provides customer service and maintains key information about every customer or potential customer utilizing our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and marketing automation tools ensuring a positive experience at every interaction and allowing us to identify promising leads and allocate resources to convert them to customers. We serve approximately 3,800 customers each month and our goal is to create an experience that nurtures loyalty among our customers and delivers mutually beneficial outcomes in every transaction.

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Solutions Development and Engineering and Product Management: We actively monitor advances in technologies and industry trends, through both market research and continual customer and manufacturer interaction to enhance our product offering as new wireless communications products and technologies are developed. To complement our broad product portfolio, we provide technical expertise and consultation to assist our customers in understanding technology and choosing the right products for their specific application. Our personnel, including those we refer to as “Solution Architects” offer applications engineering to market-specific needs such as:

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In addition to determining the product offering, our Product and Solutions Development and Engineering Teams provide the technical foundation for both customers and our personnel. Our product management software is continually updated to add new products and additional technical information in response to manufacturer specification changes and customer inquiries. This system contains detailed information on each SKU offered, including full product descriptions, category classifications, technical specifications, illustrations, product cost, pricing and delivery information, alternative

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and associated products, and purchase and sales histories. This information is available on a real-time basis to all of our personnel for product development, procurement, technical support, cataloging and marketing.

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Strategic Marketing – As a thought leader in the wireless industry, Tessco’s marketing materials educate the industry and promote our services and unique value proposition. Our weekly commercial digital newsletter, The Wireless Update, keeps 108,000 of our customers informed on the latest news in the industry, new products and solutions from our manufacturers, upcoming events and training opportunities, and more. In addition, strategic marketing supports the organization through the development of compelling original content, training programs, and other customer and manufacturer programs that solve business challenges and increase the value Tessco provides to the industry.

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Tessco.com^® is our e-commerce site and the digital gateway to our comprehensive industry expertise, products, and solutions for wireless. In addition to access to our inventory of products for every solution, Tessco.com features:

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Key improvements made to Tessco.com this past year include:

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Tessco.com empowers our customers to make better decisions by delivering product knowledge so they are fully informed. This destination also enables our manufacturers to reach a broad and diverse customer base with their product offer and brand features.

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Customer Support and Order Entry: Our customer support teams are responsible for delivering sales and customer support services through an effective and efficient transaction system. We also continually monitor our customer service performance through customer surveys and process auditing. By combining our broad product offering with a commitment to superior customer service, we seek to reduce a customer's overall procurement costs by enabling the customer to consolidate the number of suppliers from which it obtains products, while also reducing the customer's need to maintain high inventory levels.

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Our information technology system provides detailed information on every customer account, including recent inquiries, buying and credit histories, separate buying locations within a customer account and contact history for key personnel, as well as detailed product information, including technical, product availability and pricing information. The information technology system enables any customer support representative to provide any customer with personalized

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service and also allows non-technical personnel to provide a high level of technical product information and order assistance.

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We believe that our commitment to providing prompt, professional and efficient customer service before, during and after the sale enables us to maximize sales, customer satisfaction and customer retention. The monthly average number of customers decreased from approximately 4,200 for fiscal year 2020 to approximately 3,800 in fiscal year 2021. Due to the addition of several larger new relationships, the average monthly purchase per customer increased from $5,300 in fiscal year 2020 to $5,500 in fiscal year 2021.

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Procurement and Inventory Management: Our product management and purchasing system provides customers with a total source of broad and deep product availability, while attempting to maximize the return on our inventory investment.

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We use our information technology system to monitor and manage our inventory. Historical sales results, sales projections and information regarding supplier lead times are all used to determine appropriate inventory levels. Our information technology system also provides early warning reports regarding upcoming inventory requirements. As of March 28, 2021, and March 29, 2020, we had an immaterial level of backlog orders. Most backlog orders as of March 28, 2021 are expected to be filled within 90 days of fiscal year-end. For fiscal years ended March 28, 2021, and March 29, 2020, inventory write-offs and reserves were 1.0% and 0.7% of total purchases, respectively. Inventory turns for fiscal years 2021 and 2020 were 5.9 and 6.7, respectively.

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Fulfillment and Distribution: Orders are received at our Timonium, Maryland, Reno, Nevada and San Antonio, Texas customer sales support centers. As orders are received, customer representatives have access to technical information, alternative and complementary product selections, product availability and pricing information, as well as customer purchasing and credit histories and recent inquiry summaries. An automated warehouse management system, which is integrated with the product planning and procurement system, allows us to ensure inventory control, to minimize multiple product shipments to complete an order and to limit inventory duplication. Bar-coded labels are used on every product, allowing distribution center personnel to utilize radio frequency scanners to locate products, fill orders and update inventory records in real-time, thus reducing overhead associated with the distribution functions. We contract with a variety of freight line and parcel transportation carrier partners to deliver orders to customers.

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Performance and Delivery Guarantee (PDG) charges are generally calculated on the basis of the weight of the products ordered and on the delivery service requested, rather than on distance to the customer. We believe that this approach emphasizes on-time delivery instead of shipment dates, enabling customers to minimize their inventories and reduce their overall procurement costs while guaranteeing date specific delivery, thereby encouraging them to make us their total source supplier.

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Information Technology: Our information technology system is critical to the success of our operations. We have made and continue to make substantial investments in the development of these systems, which integrate cataloging, marketing, sales, fulfillment, inventory control and purchasing, financial control and internal and external communications. The information technology system includes highly developed customer and product databases and is integrated with our Configuration, Fulfillment and Delivery system. The information contained in these systems is available on a real-time basis to all of our employees as needed and is utilized in every area of our operations. Over the past two years we have been preparing to replace our legacy ERP system with a modern SAP ERP system.  This new ERP system is expected to go live during fiscal year 2022.

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We believe that we have been successful to date in pursuing a highly integrated, technologically advanced and efficient method of operations; however, disruption to our day-to-day operations, including failure of our information technology or distribution systems, or freight carrier interruption, could impair our ability to receive and process orders or to ship products in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

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Competition

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The wireless communications distribution industry is competitive and fragmented, and is comprised of distributors such as Alliance Corporation, Anixter, Connectronics Corporation, DoubleRadius, GetWireless, Graybar,

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KGPCo Logistics, Primus, Talley Communications, Site Pro 1, WAV Wireless, and Winncom. In addition, many manufacturers sell and fulfill directly to customers. Barriers to entry for distributors are relatively low, and the risk of new competitors entering the market is high. In addition, the agreements or arrangements with our customers or suppliers looking to us for product and supply chain solutions are typically of limited duration and are often terminable by either party upon several months or otherwise short notice. Accordingly, our ability to maintain these relationships is subject to competitive pressures and challenges. Some of our current competitors have substantially greater capital resources and sales and distribution capabilities than we do. In response to competitive pressures from any of our current or future competitors, we may be required to lower selling prices in order to maintain or increase market share, and such measures could adversely affect our operating results. We believe, however, that our strength in service, the breadth and depth of our product offering, our information technology system, our knowledge and expertise in wireless technologies and the wireless marketplace, and our large customer base and purchasing relationships with approximately 300 manufacturers, provide us with a significant competitive advantage over new entrants to the market.

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Continuing changes in the wireless communications industry, including risks associated with conflicting technology, changes in technology, inventory obsolescence, and consolidation among wireless carriers, could adversely affect future operating results.

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We believe that the principal competitive factors in supplying products to the wireless communications industry are the quality and consistency of customer service, particularly timely delivery of complete orders, breadth and quality of products offered and total procurement costs to the customer. We believe that we compete favorably with respect to each of these factors. In particular, we believe we differentiate ourselves from our competitors based on the breadth of our product offering, our ability to quickly provide products and supply chain solutions in response to customer demand and technological advances, our knowledge and expertise in wireless technologies, the level of our customer service and the reliability of our order fulfillment process.

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Intellectual Property

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We seek to protect our intellectual property through a combination of trademarks, service marks, confidentiality agreements, trade secret protection and, if and when appropriate, patent protection. Thus far, we have generally sought to protect our intellectual property, including our product data and information, customer information and information technology systems, through trademark filings and nondisclosure, confidentiality and trade secret agreements. We typically require our employees, consultants, and others having access to our intellectual property, to sign confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements. There can be no assurance that these confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements will be honored, or whether they can be fully enforced, or that other entities may not independently develop systems, technologies or information similar to that on which we rely.

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TESSCO Communications Incorporated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TESSCO Technologies Incorporated, maintains a number of registered trademarks and service marks in connection with our business activities, including: A Simple Way of Doing Business Better^®, LinkUPS^®, Solutions That Make Wireless Work^®, TerraWave Solutions^®, TESSCO^®, TESSCO Making Wireless Work^®, TESSCO Technologies^®, Tessco.com^®, Ventev^®, The Vital Link to a Wireless World^®, Wireless Now^®, Wireless Solutions^®, The Wireless Update^®, Your Total Source^®, and Your Virtual Inventory^®, among many others. Our general policy is to file for trademark and service mark protection for each of our trademarks and trade names and to enforce our rights against any infringement.

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We currently hold eleven patents related to our Ventev^® products. We intend, if and when appropriate, to seek patent protection for any additional patentable technology. The ability to obtain patent protection involves complex legal and factual questions. Others may obtain patent protection for technologies that are important to our business, and as a result, our business may be adversely affected. In response to patents of others, we may need to license the right to use technology patented by others, or in the event that a license cannot be obtained, to design our systems around the patents of others.

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Environmental Regulation

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We are subject to various laws and governmental regulations concerning environmental matters and employee safety and health matters in the United States. Compliance with these federal, state and local laws and regulations related to protection of the environment and employee safety and health has had no material effect on our business. There were no material capital expenditures for environmental projects in fiscal year 2021, and there are no material expenditures planned for such purposes in fiscal year 2022.

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Human Capital

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At Tessco, we aspire to build partnerships within all levels of the organization to create a culture that values and rewards all team members. Our culture encourages and rewards exceptional performance and continuous improvement, fosters teamwork, and supports career development and growth. We provide benefits that address the needs of our team members, compensation that is rewarding, a learning environment that is both exciting and challenging and we provide many different growth opportunities that benefit from the many skills of our diverse workforce.  We have a professional working environment that fosters respect and celebrates our diverse perspectives.

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As of March 28, 2021, we had 589 full-time equivalent employees, reduced from 678 as of March 29, 2020, in part as a result of our Retail business exit. Of our full-time equivalent employees, 285 were engaged in customer and supplier service, marketing, sales and product management, 191 were engaged in fulfillment and distribution operations and 113 were engaged in administration and technology systems services. Our employees are not covered by collective bargaining agreements. Each year, we set corporate, department and individual goals that we use to measure performance during our annual review process.

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We offer a very competitive health benefit that is the same for all of our team members and is very affordable.  We encourage our employees to participate in our health and wellness programs which include medical, dental and vision insurance. We offer a 401(k) program with an employer match, tax saving flexible spending accounts and Tessco paid life insurance and Employee Assistance Program.

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We believe that the structure of our compensation program is aligned with the interests of our shareholders, rewards performance and serves to attract and retain employees.

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We post all of our positions internally and follow a selection process that is open to all.  Team Members that want to learn more about new opportunities are encouraged to have discussions with any of our Team Leaders as outlined in our open-door policy.  We follow all processes and procedures of Affirmative Action and set yearly goals to ensure diversity in all of our Equal Employment Opportunity categories.    

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We have a commitment to sustainable environmental practices and operations, diversity and inclusion, professional and leadership development, community involvement, and participation in and support of charitable causes. Our employee population is approximately 40% female and 36% minorities.  Additionally, women currently hold 47% and minorities hold 21% of the key leadership positions.  We continually strive to improve and created an ESG Committee made up of individuals from around the organization to focus on our employee population as well as our environmental and social stewardship.  We strive to provide our employees with a variety of resources and tools to promote training and development. We consider our employee relations to be excellent.

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Executive Officers

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Executive officers are appointed annually by the Board of Directors and, subject to the terms of any applicable employment agreement, serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Information regarding our named executive officers is as follows:

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rely upon. Because we source some of our products from foreign markets, we may be susceptible to the effects of continuing outbreaks or resurgences of coronavirus elsewhere, and any resulting disruption of our supply chain.  

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We may also experience negative effects from future health epidemics or outbreaks or other world events or disasters beyond our control.  These events are impossible to forecast and difficult to mitigate. As a consequence, our operating results for a particular period may be more difficult to predict. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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We face significant competition in the wireless communications distribution industry.

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The wireless communications distribution industry is competitive and fragmented, and is comprised of several national distributors, as well as numerous regional distributors. In addition, many manufacturers sell and fulfill directly to customers. Barriers to entry for distributors are relatively low and the risk of new competitors entering the market is high. Some of our current competitors have substantially greater capital resources and sales and distribution capabilities than we do. In response to competitive pressures from any of our current or future competitors, we may be required to lower selling prices in order to maintain or increase market share, and such measures could adversely affect our operating results. We are also seeing increased competition in the form of e-commerce sites as consumers and business are increasingly looking to the internet to purchase goods.

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We offer no assurance that we will not lose market share, or that we will not be forced in the future to reduce our prices in response to the actions of our competitors, thereby reducing our gross margins. Furthermore, to remain competitive we may be forced to offer more credit or extended payment terms to our customers. This could increase our required capital, financing costs, and the amount of our bad debt expenses.

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We typically purchase and sell our products on the basis of individual sales or purchase orders, and even in those cases where we have standing agreements or arrangements with our customers and suppliers, those agreements and arrangements typically contain no purchase or sale obligations and are otherwise terminable by either party upon several months or otherwise short notice.

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Our sales to customers and our purchases from suppliers are largely governed by individual sales or purchase orders, so there is no guarantee of future business. In some cases, we have formal agreements or arrangements with significant customers or suppliers, but they are largely administrative in nature and are terminable by either party upon several months or otherwise short notice, and they typically contain no purchase or sale obligations. Many of our customer and supplier contracts contain “evergreen” clauses, although this too is largely a matter of administrative convenience, because the contracts are nevertheless typically terminable on short notice, and because no purchase and sale obligation in any event arises other than pursuant to an accepted purchase order. When negotiating with customers and suppliers, we seek the most favorable terms available under the circumstances. Our preferred supplier terms include, among others, terms that provide for product warranty and return rights, as well as product liability and intellectual property indemnification rights, in each case consistent with our preferred business methods and objectives. We have not been able, nor do we expect in the future to be able to negotiate the inclusion of all our preferred terms, or our preferred language for those terms, in every contract. The degree of our success in this regard is largely a function of the parties’ relative bargaining positions.

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When unable to negotiate the inclusion of our preferred terms or preferred language in a particular supplier contract, we assess any increased risk presented, as well as mitigating factors, analyze our overall business objectives, and then proceed accordingly.  In some instances, we refuse the contract and seek other sources for the product, and in other instances business objectives and circumstances are determined to outweigh or mitigate any increased risk, or otherwise dictate that we proceed with the contract, notwithstanding.  We consistently seek to manage contractual risks resulting from supplier contracts not including our preferred terms or language. However, these risks persist, and even when we are successful in negotiating our preferred terms, performance of these terms is not assured.

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If our suppliers refuse to, or for any reason are unable to, supply products to us in sufficient quantities to meet demand, or at all, and if we are not able to procure those products from alternative sources, we may not be able to maintain appropriate inventory levels to meet customer demand and our financial position and results of operations would be

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adversely affected. Similarly, if customers decide to purchase from other sources, instead of from us, or experience significant changes in demand internally or from their own customer bases, become financially unstable (including on account of unforeseen events or events beyond their control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic), or are acquired by another company, our ability to generate revenues from these customers may, or in some cases would, be significantly affected, resulting in an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.  

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The loss or any change in the business habits of key customers or suppliers may have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

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Because our standing arrangements and agreements with our customers and suppliers typically contain no purchase or sale obligations and are terminable by either party upon several months or otherwise relatively short notice, we are subject to significant risks associated with the loss or change at any time in the business habits and financial condition of key customers or suppliers. We have experienced the loss and changes in the business habits of key customer and supplier relationships in the past and expect to do so again in the future. This is the nature of our business.

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Sales of products purchased from our largest wireless infrastructure supplier generated approximately 29% of our revenues in fiscal year 2021, and sales of products purchased from our largest ten suppliers generated approximately 53% of fiscal year 2021 revenues. As is the case with many of our supplier and customer relationships, our contractual arrangements with these large suppliers are terminable by either party upon several months’ notice. If these contracts or our relationships with these suppliers terminate for any reason, or if any of our other significant supplier relationships terminate for any reason, and we are not able to sell or procure a sufficient supply of those products from alternative sources, or at all, our financial position and results of operations would be adversely affected. Our suppliers are subject to many if not all of the same (or similar) risks and uncertainties to which we are subject, as well as other risks and uncertainties, and we compete with others for their business. Accordingly, we are at a continual risk of loss of their business on account of a number of factors and forces, many of which are largely beyond our control.

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In fiscal year 2021, our largest customer accounted for 11% of our revenues. 26% of our sales in fiscal 2021 were made to five customers. Also, customer mix can change rapidly, and we may see changes in customer concentrations in the future.  If or when any of our significant customer relationships terminate for any reason, and we are not able to replace those customers and associated revenues, our financial position and results of operations would be adversely affected.

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The loss of customer relationships and the corresponding reduction in the volume of product sales identified to those relationships, can also affect our negotiating ability with suppliers supplying those products.  This can affect our margins on sales of those products to other customers.  If we are unable to replace those products at favorable pricing and terms, or if we are unable to acquire those products from suppliers or offer those products to our customers on favorable terms, our competitiveness may suffer and result in reduced revenues and profits.  Like our suppliers, our customers are subject to many if not all of the same (or similar) risks and uncertainties to which we are subject, as well as other risks and uncertainties, and we compete with others for their business.  Accordingly, we are at continual risk of loss of their business on account of a number of factors and forces, many of which are largely beyond our control.

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There can be no assurance that we will be successful in replacing any of our past, present or future supplier or customer relationships if and when lost, or that we will not suffer a substantial reduction in revenues as a result of loss of any such relationship. As such, supplier, customer, or revenue loss would adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

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Changes in customer or product mix could cause our gross margin percentage to decline.

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We continually experience changes in customer and product mix that affects gross margin. Changes in customer and product mix result primarily from changes in customer demand, customer acquisitions or losses, selling and marketing activities and competition.    

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Our business depends on the continued tendency of wireless equipment manufacturers and network operators to outsource aspects of their business to us in the future.

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We provide functions such as distribution, inventory management, fulfillment, e-commerce solutions, and other outsourced services for many wireless manufacturers and network operators. Certain wireless equipment manufacturers and network operators have elected, and others may elect, to undertake these services internally. Additionally, our customer service levels, industry consolidation, competition, deregulation, technological changes or other developments could reduce the degree to which members of the global wireless industry rely on outsourced logistic services such as the services we provide. Any significant change in the market for our outsourced services could have a material adverse effect on our business. Our outsourced services are generally provided under short-term contractual arrangements. The failure to obtain renewals or otherwise maintain these agreements on terms, including price, consistent with our current terms could have an adverse effect on our business.

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We require substantial capital to operate, and the inability to obtain financing on favorable terms will adversely impact our business, financial position and results of operations.

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Our business requires substantial capital to operate and to finance accounts receivable and product inventory that are not financed by trade creditors. We have historically relied upon cash generated from operations, revolving credit facilities and trade credit from our suppliers to satisfy our capital needs and finance growth. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on financial markets continues to evolve, and as this occurs and new regulations come into effect, and as the financial markets change on account of other forces and events, the cost of acquiring financing and the methods of financing may change. Changes in our credit rating or other market factors may increase our interest expense or other costs of capital, or capital may not be available to us on competitive terms to fund our working capital needs. Our existing secured revolving credit facility contains various financial and other covenants that may limit our ability to borrow or limit our flexibility in responding to business conditions. In addition, even if the terms of our revolving credit facility would otherwise allow or require, our lenders may refuse to lend to us through no fault of ours. The inability to maintain or when necessary obtain adequate sources of financing could have an adverse effect on our business. Our existing secured revolving credit facility includes variable rate debt, thus exposing us to risk of fluctuations in interest rates. Such fluctuations in interest rates could have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. We may in the future use interest rate swaps in an effort to achieve a desired proportion of fixed and variable rate debt. We would utilize these derivative financial instruments to enhance our ability to manage risk, including interest rate exposures that exist as part of our ongoing business operations. However, our use of these instruments may not effectively limit or eliminate our exposure to a decline in operating results due to changes in interest rates.

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Our ability to maintain and borrow under our revolving credit agreement could be constrained by the level of eligible receivables and product inventory and by any failure to meet certain financial and other covenants in our revolving credit agreement.

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Our borrowing availability under our secured revolving credit facility is determined in part by a borrowing base and is limited to certain amounts of eligible accounts receivable and inventory.  If the value of these accounts receivable and product inventory were to decrease significantly, the amount available for borrowing under the facility would decrease and our ability to borrow under the facility could be significantly impacted. Borrowing under the facility is also conditioned upon compliance with financial and other covenants included in the revolving credit agreement and a related guaranty and security agreement. Among these is a covenant to maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio at any time during which the borrowing availability is otherwise less than $12.5 million. There are no assurances that we will be able to comply with all applicable covenants in these agreements, and in the event that we do not, our ability to borrow under our secured revolving credit facility could be limited or suspended or could terminate. 

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If we fail to meet our payment or other obligations under our secured revolving credit facility, our lenders could foreclose on, and acquire control of, a significant portion of our assets.

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Indebtedness under our secured revolving credit facility is secured by continuing first priority security interests in our inventory, accounts receivable, and deposit accounts, and on all documents, instruments, general intangibles, letter of credit rights, and chattel paper relating to inventory and accounts, and to all proceeds of the foregoing.  If we fail to

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meet our payment or other obligations under our secured revolving credit facility, our lenders could foreclose on these assets, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. 

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We may be unable to successfully execute our merchandising and marketing strategic initiatives.

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We are focusing our sales and marketing efforts and initiatives to maximize sales. If we fail to successfully execute these initiatives, our business, financial position and results of operations could be adversely affected.

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The telecommunications products marketplace is dynamic and challenging because of the continued introduction of new products and services.

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We must constantly introduce new products, services and product features to meet competitive pressures. We may be unable to timely change our existing merchandise sales mix in order to meet these competitive pressures, which may result in increased inventory costs, inventory write-offs or loss of market share.

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Additionally, our inventory may also lose value due to price changes made by our significant suppliers, in cases where our arrangements with these suppliers do not provide for inventory price protection, or in cases where the supplier is unable or unwilling to provide these protections.

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Consolidation among wireless service carriers could result in the loss of significant customers.

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The wireless service carrier industry has experienced significant consolidation in recent years. If any of our significant customers or partners are acquired or consolidate with other carriers, or are otherwise involved in any significant transaction that results in them ceasing to do business with us, or significantly reducing the level of business that they do with us, our revenues from those customers could be affected, resulting in an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

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The failure of our information technology or telecommunication systems, or our inability to maintain or upgrade our information technology or telecommunication systems without incident or delay, or undue cost, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

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We are highly dependent upon our internal information technology and telecommunication systems, many of which are proprietary, to operate our business. These systems support all aspects of our business operations, including means of internal and external communication, inventory and order management, shipping, receiving and accounting. Most of our information technology systems contain a number of internally developed applications. In addition, all of these systems require continued maintenance and also require upgrading or replacement from time to time. There can be no assurance that these systems will not fail or experience disruptions, that we will be able to attract and retain qualified personnel necessary for the operation of such systems, that we will be able to expand and improve our systems, that we will be able to convert to new systems efficiently as and when necessary, or that we will be able to integrate new programs effectively with our existing programs, in each case without incident or delay, or undue cost.

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Complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning system could adversely impact our business and operations.

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We rely extensively on information systems and technology to manage our business and summarize operating results. We are in the process of an implementation of a new global enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system. This ERP system will replace our existing operating and financial systems. The ERP system is designed to accurately maintain the Company’s financial records, enhance operational functionality and provide timely information to the Company’s management team related to the operation of the business. The ERP system implementation process has required, and will continue to require, the investment of significant personnel and financial resources. We may not be able to successfully implement the ERP system without experiencing delays, increased costs and other difficulties. If we are unable to successfully design and implement the new ERP system as planned, our financial positions, results of operations and cash flows could be negatively impacted. Additionally, if we do not effectively implement the ERP system as planned or the

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ERP system does not operate as intended, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting could be adversely affected or our ability to assess those controls adequately could be delayed.

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We, like most businesses, are subject to risk of cyber-attack and fraudulent and criminal activities of others and incur significant costs in efforts to defend these attacks and activities.

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We like most businesses are continually subject to risk of cyber-attack and fraudulent and criminal activities of others, and are continually engaged in an effort to defend against and to ward off attacks from hackers and others. We have experienced cyber-attacks and suffered as a result of the fraudulent and criminal activities of others from time to time.  Any of such problems or events, including any significant damage or destruction of our systems, including pursuant to or as a result of system security breaches, data protection breaches or other cyber-attacks, could result in significant disruption in our business and operations, harm our relationship with our customers or suppliers, and result in significant losses in revenues. Corrective action and compliance with applicable privacy and data protection laws could be costly. Any of these or similar events or occurrences could have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. While we maintain insurance in an effort to manage some of these risks, insurance may not cover all losses and recovery is subject to applicable deductibles and other terms and limitations of the policies.

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We depend heavily on e-commerce, and website security breaches or internet disruptions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

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We rely on the internet (including Tessco.com^®) for a significant percentage of our orders and information exchanges with our customers. The internet and individual websites have experienced a number of disruptions and slowdowns, some of which were caused by organized attacks. In addition, some websites have experienced security breakdowns. There can be no assurances that our website will not experience any material breakdowns, disruptions or breaches in security. If we were to experience a security breakdown, disruption or breach that compromised sensitive information, this could harm our relationship with our customers or suppliers. Disruption of our website or the internet in general could impair our order processing or more generally prevent our customers and suppliers from accessing information or placing orders. This could have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

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System security breaches or data protection breaches could adversely disrupt our business and harm our reputation, financial position and results of operations.

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We manage and store various proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data relating to our business. In addition, we routinely process, store and transmit large amounts of data, including sensitive and personally identifiable information, including customer credit card data and other information. Breaches of our security measures or the accidental loss, inadvertent disclosure or unapproved dissemination of proprietary information or sensitive or confidential data about us or our customers or suppliers, including the potential loss or disclosure of such information or data as a result of fraud, trickery or other forms of deception, could expose us, our customers or the individuals affected to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, result in litigation and potential liability for us, damage our brand and reputation or otherwise harm our business. In addition, the cost and operational consequences of implementing further data protection measures could be significant. Such breaches, costs and consequences could adversely affect our business, results of operations or cash flows.

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We are also subject to payment card association operating rules, certification requirements and rules governing electronic funds transfers, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a security standard applicable to companies that collect, store or transmit certain data regarding credit and debit cards, holders and transactions.  From time to time we may not be fully or materially compliant with PCI DSS or other payment card operating rules.  Any failure to comply fully or materially with the PCI DSS now or at any point in the future may violate payment card association operating rules and the terms of our contracts with payment processors and merchant banks, and could subject us to fines, penalties, damages and civil liability, and could result in the loss of our ability to accept credit and debit card payments. Maintaining compliance with these regulations is costly and there is no guarantee that we will be successful or avoid fines, penalties, damages or civil liability, and even if successful, there is no guarantee that PCI DSS compliance

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will prevent illegal or improper use of our payment systems or the theft, loss or misuse of data pertaining to credit and debit cards, credit and debit card holders and credit and debit card transactions.

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The inability to hire or retain certain key professionals, management and staff could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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The nature of our business includes (but is not limited to) a high volume of transactions, business complexity, wide geographical coverage, and broad scope of products, suppliers, and customers. In order to compete, we must attract, retain and motivate executives and other key employees, including those in managerial, technical, sales, marketing and support positions. Hiring and retaining qualified executives, information technology and business generation personnel are critical to our business.  Most of the members of our senior management team are parties to employment contracts or arrangements with us that provide for, among other things, various severance payments or benefits upon termination of their employment under certain circumstances, including termination by the Company without “cause” or for “good reason”, and those contracts generally renew from year to year, except for the employment contract with Mr. Mukerjee, our CEO, which commenced in August 2019 and expires in March 2023. The loss of any of the members of our senior management team, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

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To attract, retain and motivate qualified employees, we rely heavily on stock-based incentive awards such as Performance Stock Units (PSUs) and stock options. If performance targets associated with PSUs are not met, or the value of such awards does not appreciate as measured by the performance of the price of our common stock and/or if our other stock-based compensation, such as stock options, otherwise ceases to be viewed as a valuable benefit, our ability to attract, retain and motivate our employees could be adversely impacted, which could negatively affect our business, financial position and results of operations and/or require us to increase the amount we spend on cash and other forms of compensation. Our ability to issue PSUs, stock options and other equity instruments is also limited by the provisions of and our available shares under our current and/or future stock incentive plans, which may be subject to shareholder approval. We may currently issue awards under our incentive plan through June 4, 2029, and only insofar as shares are available for awards thereunder.  As of May 25, 2021, the most recent date when PSUs and other equity instruments were issued, there were 303,279 shares available for future awards. Therefore, our ability to offer stock-based incentive awards may be limited, which may have an adverse effect on our continued ability to attract and retain, and motivate, our employees, and, subsequently, on our business, financial position and results of operations. In addition, an increase in the number of shares for future awards, under either current or future compensation or incentive plans or arrangements could lead to dilution of our other stockholders.

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The damage or destruction of any of our principal distribution or administrative facilities could materially adversely impact our business, financial position and results of operations.

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If either of our distribution centers in Hunt Valley, Maryland or Reno, Nevada, were to be significantly damaged or destroyed, we could suffer a loss of product inventory and our ability to conduct our business in the ordinary course could be materially and adversely affected. Similarly, if our office locations in Maryland, Nevada or Texas were to be significantly damaged or destroyed, our ability to conduct marketing, sales and other corporate activities in the ordinary course could be adversely affected.

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Disruption to our supply chain could impair our ability to produce or deliver inventory, resulting in a negative impact on our operating results.

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Due to several factors, including a raw materials shortage, global factory backlogs, transportation delays and customs delays caused in part due to the global economy recovering from the impact of COVID-19, our supply chain has been adversely impacted and lead times have increased considerably, beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021. Future disruption to our global manufacturing operations or our supply chain could also result from, among other factors, the following:

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•Natural disaster;

•Pandemic outbreak of disease;

•Climate change and severity of extreme weather;

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•Fire or explosion;

•Terrorism or other acts of violence;

•Labor strikes or other labor activities;

•Unavailability of raw or packaging materials;

•Operational and/or financial instability of key suppliers, and other vendors or service providers; and

•Suboptimal production planning which could impact our ability to cost-effectively meet product demand.

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While we believe that most competitors are experiencing similar supply chain delays, we also believe that we are taking adequate precautions to mitigate the impact of the current disruptions to the extent possible and reasonable. We have strategies and plans in place intended to manage disruptive events such as the current supply chain disruption and other disruptions, if and when they occur, including our global supply chain strategies. If we are unable, or find that it is not financially feasible, to effectively procure sufficient inventory on a timely basis to meet our customers’ demands, due to the potential impacts of such disruptive events on our supply chain, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be negatively impacted if such events were to occur.

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We depend on third parties to manufacture products that we distribute and, accordingly, rely on their quality control procedures.

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Product manufacturers typically provide limited warranties directly to the end consumer or to us, which we generally pass through to our customers. If a product we distribute for a manufacturer has quality or performance problems, our ability to provide products to our customers could be disrupted, which could adversely affect our operations.

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We are subject to potential declines in inventory value.

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We are subject to the risk that the value of our inventory will decline as a result of price reductions by suppliers or technological obsolescence or failure. It is the policy of many of our suppliers to protect distributors like us from the loss in value of inventory due to technological change or failure, or the suppliers’ price reductions. Some suppliers (including those who manufacture our proprietary products), however, may be unwilling or unable to pay us for price protection claims or products returned to them under purchase agreements. No assurance can be given that such practices to protect distributors like us will continue, that unforeseen new product developments, product failure or product obsolescence will not adversely affect us, or that we will be able to successfully manage our existing and future inventories.

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Our future operating results depend on our ability to purchase a sufficient amount of inventory to meet the demands of our customers.

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Our ability to meet our customers' demands depends, in part, on our ability to obtain timely and adequate delivery of inventory from our suppliers. We have experienced shortages in the past that have negatively impacted our operations. Although we work closely with our suppliers to avoid these types of shortages, there can be no assurances that we will not encounter these problems in the future. Furthermore, certain of our products or components are available only from a single source or limited sources. We may not be able to diversify sources in a timely manner. A reduction or interruption in supplies or a significant increase in the price of supplies could have a negative impact on our results of operations or financial condition.

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If our business does not perform well, or if we otherwise experience a decline in the fair values of a portion or all of our business, we may be required to recognize impairments of our intangible or other long-lived assets, which could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

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Indefinite lived intangible assets that are not amortized are initially recorded at fair value, and are reviewed for impairment at least annually or more frequently if impairment indicators are present.

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In assessing the recoverability of indefinite lived intangible assets, we make estimates and assumptions about sales, operating margin, growth rates and discount rates based on our budgets, business plans, economic projections, anticipated future cash flows and marketplace data. There are inherent uncertainties related to these factors and

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management’s judgment in applying these factors. As of March 28, 2021, we had $795,000 of indefinite lived intangible assets, which represented approximately 0.4% of total assets.

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Deferred income tax assets and liabilities represent the tax effect of the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets are assessed periodically by management to determine if they are realizable. Factors in management’s determination include the current tax laws, historical results, performance of the business, projections of future taxable income, and the feasibility of ongoing tax planning strategies. If based on available information, it is more likely than not that the deferred income tax asset will not be realized then a valuation allowance must be established with a corresponding charge to net income. Such charges could have an adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.  

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Our future results of operations may be impacted by prolonged weakness in the economic environment which may result in an impairment of the long-lived assets or the recording of a valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets, which could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

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We primarily rely on trademark filings and confidentiality agreements to protect our intellectual property rights.

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In an effort to protect our intellectual property, including our product data, customer information and information technology systems, through trademark filings and nondisclosure, confidentiality and trade secret agreements, we typically require our employees, consultants and others having access to this information or our technology to execute confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. These agreements, however, may not provide us with adequate protection against improper use or disclosure of confidential information, and these agreements may be breached. A breach of confidentiality could adversely affect our business. In addition, in some situations, these agreements may conflict with, or be subject to, the rights of third parties with whom our employees, consultants and others have previous employment or consulting relationships. Also, others may independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information and techniques or otherwise gain access to our trade secrets. Adequate remedies may not exist in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure of our confidential information. The disclosure of our proprietary information or trade secrets could impair our competitive position and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Others may obtain patent protection for technologies that are important to our business, and as a result, our business, financial position and results of operations may be adversely affected. In response to patents of others, we may need to license the rights to use the technology patented by others, or in the event that a license cannot be obtained, design our systems around the patents of others. There can be no assurances as to our ability to obtain any such licenses or to design around the patents of others, and our inability to do so could have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

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We offer credit to our customers and, therefore, are subject to significant credit risk.

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We sell our products to a large and diverse customer base. We finance a significant portion of such sales through trade credit, typically by providing 30-day payment terms. As a result, our business could be adversely affected in the event of a deterioration of the financial condition of our customers, resulting in the customers’ inability to repay us. This risk may increase if there is a general economic downturn affecting a large number of our customers and in the event our customers do not adequately manage their business or properly disclose their financial condition. Also, several of our larger customers, including tier 1 public carrier customers, require greater than 30-day payment terms which could increase our credit risk and decrease our operating cash flow.  

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We may explore additional growth through acquisitions.

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As part of our growth strategy, we may continue to pursue the acquisition of companies that either complement or expand our existing business. As a result, we from time to time evaluate potential acquisition opportunities, which may be material in size and scope. In addition to those risks to which our business and the acquired businesses are generally subject to, the acquisition of these businesses gives rise to transactional and transitional risks, and the risk that the anticipated benefits will not be realized.

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Risks associated with the foreign suppliers from whom our products are sourced could adversely affect our financial performance.

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The products we sell are sourced from a wide variety of domestic and international suppliers. Global sourcing of many of the products we sell is an important factor in our financial performance. Since the onset of the weakness in the global economic environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain of our suppliers, particularly those in the far-east, have experienced financial difficulties and we believe it is possible that a limited number of suppliers may either cease operations or require increased prices in order to fulfill their obligations. Changes in our relationships with suppliers or increases in the costs of purchased raw materials, component parts or finished goods could result in delays, inefficiencies or our inability to market products. In addition, our profit margins would decrease if prices of purchased raw materials, component parts, or finished goods increase and we are unable to pass on those increases to our customers. The adoption or expansion of trade restrictions or the occurrence of trade wars could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operation.

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We rely on independent shipping companies to deliver inventory to us and to ship products to customers.

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We rely on arrangements with independent shipping companies, for the delivery of our products from suppliers and to customers. The failure or inability of these shipping companies to deliver products, or the unavailability of their shipping services, even temporarily, could have a material adverse effect on our business. We may also be adversely affected by an increase in freight surcharges due to rising fuel costs and added security. This could adversely impact our selling, general and administrative expenses or lead to price increases to our customers which could decrease customer demand for our products.

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Changes in income tax and other regulatory legislation.

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We operate in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and make plans for our structure and operations based upon existing laws and anticipated future changes in the law. When new legislation is enacted with minimal advance notice, or when new interpretations or applications of existing laws are made, we may need to implement changes in our policies or structure. We are susceptible to unanticipated changes in legislation, especially relating to income and other taxes, import/export laws, hazardous materials and other laws related to trade, accounting and business activities. Such changes in legislation may have an adverse effect on our business.

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We may be subject to litigation.

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We may be subject to legal claims or regulatory matters involving stockholder, consumer, antitrust, intellectual property and other issues. Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. An unfavorable ruling could include monetary damages or other adverse effects. Were an unfavorable ruling to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our business, financial position and results of operations for the period in which the ruling occurred or future periods.

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We may incur product liability claims which could be costly and could harm our reputation.

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The sale of our products subjects us to the risk of product liability claims. We have also been increasing our focus on sales of our proprietary Ventev® products and on providing an increased level of support services, including product and network designs, which also subjects us to risk of product liability and performance claim risk. We seek to allocate product liability risk to our suppliers where available but may not be successful in doing so. We currently maintain product liability insurance, but our product liability insurance coverage is subject to various coverage exclusions and limits and may not be obtainable in the future on terms acceptable to us, or at all. We do not know whether claims against us with respect to our products and services, if any, would be successfully defended or whether we might be successful in allocating that risk to others, or whether our insurance would be sufficient to cover liabilities resulting from such claims. Any claims successfully brought against us could adversely affect our financial condition, and if substantial and relating to our products or industry generally, could adversely affect our business as a whole.

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Our expanding offering of private labeled products may have a negative impact on our relationship with our manufacturer partners.

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Our product offering includes a growing number of our own proprietary products, which represented approximately 8% of our sales in fiscal year 2021. Our proprietary products often compete with other manufacturers' branded items that we offer. A manufacturer may choose to not sell its products to us, or may substantially increase the price of products to us, in response to the competition created by the sales of our proprietary branded products. Either could have an adverse effect on our business and financial performance.

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A significant portion of our product offerings, including a majority of our Ventev® products and products we acquire from our suppliers, are manufactured in foreign countries, making the price and availability of these products susceptible to international trade risks and other international conditions.

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A significant portion of our products are manufactured in foreign countries, including China.  The countries, specifically China, in which many of our products currently are manufactured or may be manufactured in the future are or could become subject to trade restrictions imposed by the U.S., including increased tariffs or quotas, embargoes and customs restrictions, which would increase the cost or could reduce the supply of products available to us, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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There is also a concern that the imposition of additional tariffs by the United States could result in the adoption of tariffs by other countries as well. Such tariffs on imports from foreign countries, as well as changes in tax and trade policies, such as a border adjustment tax or disallowance of certain tax deductions for imported product, could materially increase our manufacturing costs, the costs of our imported products or our income tax expense, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Tariffs imposed by China or other foreign countries on imports of our products could also adversely affect our international e-commerce sales. Any increase in manufacturing costs, the cost of our products or limitation on the amount of products we are able to purchase, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Unless we are able to sufficiently mitigate their effects as applicable to us, the persistence or increase of tariffs, may adversely affect us or our business.

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Legislative or regulatory action could be taken that could limit our ability to use certain foreign suppliers to supply us with products.

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Members of the U.S. Congress and certain regulatory agencies have raised concerns about American companies purchasing equipment and software from Chinese telecommunications companies, including concerns relating to alleged violations of intellectual property rights by Chinese companies and potential security risks posed by U.S. companies purchasing technical equipment and software from Chinese companies. In October 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issued a report asserting that network equipment manufactured by Chinese telecommunications companies poses a security threat to the United States and recommending the use of other network suppliers.  The report also recommends that Congress consider adopting legislation to address these and other purported risks. Any such legislative or regulatory requirement that restricts us from purchasing or utilizing equipment or software from Chinese or other foreign companies with which we do or seek to do business, any determination by foreign companies upon which we rely to cease doing business in the United States, any determination by any of our suppliers or customers not to do business with us on account of actual or perceived business relationships that we may have with these suspect Chinese or other foreign companies, or any determination that we otherwise make that it is either necessary or advantageous for us to cease doing business with such foreign companies, could limit our product offerings, result in increased costs of goods and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.  

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Claims that our products infringe the proprietary rights of others could harm our business and cause us to incur significant costs.

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Our industry has increasingly been subject to patent and other intellectual property rights litigation. We expect this trend to continue and accelerate and expect that we may be required to defend against this type of litigation, not only asserted against our own intellectual property rights, but also against the intellectual property of products which we have

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purchased for resale. Further, we may be obligated to indemnify and defend our customers if the products or services we supply to them are alleged to infringe a third party’s intellectual property rights. While we may be able to seek indemnification from our suppliers to protect our customers and us from such claims, there is no assurance that we will be successful in negotiating contractual terms with our suppliers to provide for such indemnification, or that we will otherwise be successful in obtaining such indemnification or that we will be protected from such claims. We may also be prohibited from marketing products, could be forced to market products without desirable features, or could incur substantial costs to defend legal actions, including where third parties claim that we or suppliers who may or may not have indemnified us are infringing upon their intellectual property rights. In recent years, individuals and groups have begun purchasing intellectual property assets for the sole purpose of making claims of infringement and attempting to extract settlements from target companies. Even if we believe that such infringement claims are without merit, the claims can be time-consuming and costly to defend and divert management’s attention and resources away from our business. Claims of intellectual property infringement may require us to enter into costly settlements or pay costly damage awards, or face a temporary or permanent injunction prohibiting us from marketing or selling certain products or services, which could affect our ability to compete effectively. If an infringement claim is successful, we may be required to pay damages or seek royalty or license arrangements, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms. Even if we have an agreement that indemnifies us against such costs, the indemnifying party may be unable or unwilling to uphold its contractual obligations to us.

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We may be adversely affected by laws or regulations.

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We are subject to various U.S. Federal, state and local, and non-U.S. laws and regulations. We cannot predict the substance or impact of pending or future legislation or regulations, or the application thereof. The introduction of new laws or regulations or changes in existing laws or regulations, or the interpretations thereof, could increase the cost of doing business for us or our customers or suppliers or restrict our actions and adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. For example, annual disclosure and reporting requirements relating to the SEC’s conflict minerals rule require us to perform a reasonable country of origin inquiry and conduct further due diligence measures on our supply chain. There are costs and uncertainties associated with complying with these disclosure requirements, including for diligence to determine the sources of conflict minerals that we may find to be used in our products.  

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Risks Related to our Exit from the Retail Business

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We may not receive all of the potential payments to us under the terms of the Inventory Purchase Agreement applicable to our exit from the Retail business, or we may otherwise realize less net cash from the sale than expected.

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In addition to amounts already paid to us, there are a number of payment obligations between the parties under the terms of the Inventory Purchase Agreement with Voice Comm for the sale of certain assets related to our Retail business. These include post-closing adjustments up to two years, potential payments to us in respect of certain future re-sales by Voice Comm of retail inventory purchased from us, potential royalty payments to us related to Voice Comm’s sale of Ventev-branded mobile accessory products, and warranty and indemnity obligations. Voice Comm’s business, on which its future payments to us are dependent, is subject to many of the same risks that we are subject to, and perhaps other risks. Accordingly, we may not receive all of the payments due to us under the terms of the Inventory Purchase Agreement or we may be required to make payments to Voice Comm in the form of adjustments or otherwise, and we may realize less overall net cash from the sale than we might otherwise anticipate. In addition, we have not transferred but have instead retained our receivables related to our historical Retail business, and those receivables remain subject to risks typically associated with receivables, including collection risks.      

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The Inventory Purchase Agreement with Voice Comm exposes us to contingent liabilities and other risks that could adversely affect our business or financial condition.  

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Pursuant to the Inventory Purchase Agreement, we have made customary representations and warranties and the parties have agreed to indemnify each other for breaches of representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Inventory Purchase Agreement. The Inventory Purchase Agreement also subjects us to other risks typical in business transactions of this type, including payment and performance risks. The terms of the Inventory Purchase Agreement are complex and address all aspects of our former Retail business, including return of sold inventory, product warranty

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obligations, and customer and vendor relationships, among others. Should disputes arise or should we incur liability for breach of any of these representations, warranties or obligations, or should any of these other risks materialize, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In addition, we have assigned or licensed Ventev^®- related intellectual property to Voice Comm, including the Ventev^® trademark for their use in connection with the sale of mobile device and accessory products, while we continue to use the brand and other Ventev^®-related intellectual property in our ongoing and continuing business. This intellectual property sharing arrangement could result in identity confusion in the marketplace, and the actions or activities of one of Tessco or Voice Comm in respect of the shared intellectual property, whether positive or negative, may reflect on the other. 

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Our long-term business prospects will depend on the success of our Commercial business.

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As a result of our exit from the Retail business, our Commercial business is our sole remaining cash-generating business, and our overall business has become less diverse. Our long-term business prospects will, therefore, be dependent almost entirely on the success of our Commercial business and any other businesses that we pursue.

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The Inventory Purchase Agreement with Voice Comm imposes non-compete obligations on us and our affiliates.

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Under the terms of the Inventory Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed, on behalf of itself and its affiliates (including any owner of a majority of Tessco), not to compete with Voice Comm’s retail business as operated by the Company at closing, for a period of five years after the closing date. Tessco will, however, retain the ability to continue to supply retail products to its commercial customers; and other exceptions to the non-compete obligation allow Tessco to divest itself of Retail inventory not acquired by Voice Comm. The overall non-compete obligation may, however, be terminated early by us upon the occurrence of certain change in control events and the payment to Voice Comm of certain agreed upon amounts (approximately $5,000,000, initially), which diminishes ratably over the five year non-compete period. This could make certain changes in control involving us more costly and therefore more difficult or less likely. Disagreements may arise between the parties as to the scope and meaning of the non-compete obligations and the various exceptions, which could be disruptive and subject us to claims for damages or specific performance of the non-compete obligations.  

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RISKS RELATED TO OWNERSHIP OF OUR COMMON STOCK

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A significant portion of our voting stock is controlled by our executive officers, directors and beneficial owners of 5% or more of our common stock.

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Our executive officers, directors and beneficial owners of 5% or more of our common stock and their affiliates, in the aggregate, beneficially owned approximately 54% of our outstanding common stock as of March 28, 2021. Robert B. Barnhill, Jr., our Chairman of the Board, beneficially owned approximately 18% of our outstanding common stock as of March 28, 2021. These shareholders, and particularly if they decide to act together, have or would have the ability to significantly influence all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of directors and any significant corporate transaction requiring shareholder approval.

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Our business could be negatively impacted as a result of any future activism activities by Robert B. Barnhill, Jr. and certain other participants in his consent solicitation and/or other activist investors.

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As noted above, Mr. Robert B. Barnhill Jr. holds approximately 18% of our outstanding common stock.  In September 2020, Mr. Barnhill and persons acting together with Mr. Barnhill initiated a consent solicitation to seek the consent of our stockholders holding at least a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock to, among other things, remove five members of our Board and replace them with four director candidates identified by Mr. Barnhill (the “Consent Solicitation”). Consents solicited during the Consent Solicitation were delivered to the Company on December 11, 2020.

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The Consent Solicitation and the Company’s response to it has resulted in, significant distraction for management and significant costs to the Company.  Further, Consent Solicitations or other activities by Mr. Barnhill or by other activist shareholders could result in yet additional distractions and costs and could lead to a materially adverse impact on our business or operating results.

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Our quarterly financial results may fluctuate, which could lead to volatility in our stock price.

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Our revenue and operating results have fluctuated from quarter to quarter in the past and may continue to do so in the future. As a result, you should not rely on quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our operating results as an indication of our future performance. Fluctuations in our revenue and operating results could negatively affect the trading price of our stock. Most of our operating expenses, such as compensation expenses, do not vary directly with the amount of sales and are difficult to adjust in the short term. As a result, if sales in a particular quarter are below expectations for that quarter, we may not proportionately reduce operating expenses for that quarter, and therefore such a sales shortfall would have a disproportionate effect on our net income for the quarter. Therefore, our revenue and results of operations may, in the future, be below the expectations of analysts and investors, which could cause our stock price to decline. Factors that are likely to cause our revenue and operating results to fluctuate include the risk factors discussed throughout this section.

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Without approval of our Board of Directors, it may be difficult for a third party to acquire control of the Company. This could affect the price of our common stock.

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Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, including advance notice bylaws, and applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) may each make it more difficult for or may prevent a third party from acquiring control of us or changing our Board of Directors and management. We are afforded the protections of Section 203 of the DGCL, which will prevent us from engaging in a business combination with a person who acquires at least 15% of our common stock for a period of three years from the date such person acquired such common stock, unless Board of Director or shareholder approval were obtained. Some believe that the provisions described above, as well as any resulting delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or changes in our Board of Directors or management, could deter potential acquirers or prevent the completion of a transaction in which our shareholders could receive a substantial premium over the then current market price for their shares. We, on the other hand, believe that these provisions serve to protect our shareholders against abusive takeover tactics, to preserve and maximize the value of the Company for all shareholders, and to better ensure that each shareholder will be treated fairly in the event of an unsolicited offer to acquire the Company.

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Potential uncertainty resulting from unsolicited acquisition proposals and related matters may adversely affect our business.

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In the past we have received, and in the future, we may receive, unsolicited proposals to acquire our company or our assets. For example, in September 2010, the Board of Directors received an unsolicited non-binding proposal for the acquisition of all of our stock. The review and consideration of acquisition proposals and related matters could require the expenditure of significant management time and personnel resources. Such proposals may also create uncertainty for our employees, customers and suppliers. Any such uncertainty could make it more difficult for us to retain key employees and hire new talent, and could cause our customers and suppliers to not enter into new arrangements with us or to terminate existing arrangements. Additionally, we and members of our Board of Directors could be subject to future lawsuits related to unsolicited proposals to acquire us. Any such future lawsuits could become time consuming and expensive.

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In addition, we lease 66,000 square feet of office and warehouse space adjacent to the GLC in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The monthly rent for this facility ranges from $40,500 to $43,000 throughout the remaining lease term, which expires on July 31, 2023, subject to our annual option to terminate.

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Additional sales and marketing offices are located in 13,100 square feet of leased office space in San Antonio, Texas. Monthly rent payments are $19,100 and the lease expires October 31, 2021.

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West coast sales and fulfillment are facilitated by our Company-owned 115,000 square-foot Americas Sales & Logistics Center (ALC) located in Reno, Nevada. The ALC is used to configure and fulfill product and supply chain solutions, provide disaster backup for the GLC, and allow for future growth of staffing and increased fulfillment capabilities.

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While we anticipate the need for additional space, we believe our existing facilities are generally adequate for our current requirements and that suitable additional space will be available as needed to accommodate future expansion of our operations.  

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Stock Performance Graph

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The graph set forth below shows the value of an investment of $100 on March 27, 2016 in each of the Company’s common stock, the Russell 2000 Index and a peer group for the period of March 27, 2016 to March 28, 2021. The graph assumes that all dividends, if any, were reinvested.

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⁽¹⁾ – The Peer Group consists of the following: ScanSource Inc., and W.W. Grainger Inc.

The peer group was selected based on a review of publicly available information about these companies and the Company’s determination that they are engaged in business similar to that of the Company.  This group has been updated since prior years to remove two previously included peer group companies whose shares are no longer traded.

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markets. Inventory typically has a life cycle that tends to be tied to changes in regulation or technology and includes products typically used by business entities or governments.

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We offer a wide range of products that are classified into three categories: base station infrastructure; network systems; and installation, test and maintenance. Base station infrastructure products are used to build, repair and upgrade wireless telecommunications. Sales of traditional base station infrastructure products, such as base station radios, cable and transmission lines and antennas are in part dependent on capital spending in the wireless communications industry. Network systems products are used to build and upgrade computing and internet networks. In this category, we have also been growing our offering of wireless broadband, network equipment, security and surveillance products, which are not as dependent on the overall capital spending of the industry. Installation, test and maintenance products are used to install, tune, and maintain wireless communications equipment. This category is made up of sophisticated analysis equipment and various frequency-, voltage- and power-measuring devices, replacement parts and components as well as an assortment of tools, hardware and supplies required by service technicians.

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The wireless communications distribution industry is competitive and fragmented, and is comprised of several national distributors. In addition, many manufacturers sell direct. Barriers to entry for distributors are relatively low, and the risk of new competitors entering the market is high. Consolidation of larger wireless carriers has and will most likely continue to impact our current and potential customer base. In addition, the agreements or arrangements with our customers or suppliers looking to us for product and supply chain solutions are typically of limited duration and are terminable by either party upon several months or otherwise short notice. Our ability to maintain these relationships is subject to competitive pressures and challenges. We believe, however, that our strength in service, the breadth and depth of our product offering, our information technology system, our large customer base and our purchasing relationships with approximately 300 manufacturers provide us with a significant competitive advantage over new entrants to the market.

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Fiscal Year 2021 Compared to Fiscal Year 2020

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As noted above, we exited our Retail business during fiscal year 2021 and now report activity from that Retail business as discontinued operations.  The analysis below reflects activity and results from continuing operations only, including references to Ventev^®.

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Revenues. Revenue for fiscal year 2021 decreased by 8.7% as compared to fiscal year 2020. Revenue in our public carrier market and value-added resellers and integrators market decreased by 4.2% and 11.5%, respectively. The decline was largely driven by a combination of continued headwinds from the economic downturn and the impact of COVID-19. Both markets were also impacted in the fourth quarter by delays in the global supply chain which delayed our receipt of inventory from our vendors and as a result caused delays in our ability to ship products to our customers.  These delays are expected to continue into a substantial portion of fiscal year 2022.

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Cost of Goods Sold. Cost of goods sold for fiscal year 2021 decreased by 7.2% as compared to fiscal year 2020. Cost of goods sold in our public carrier market and value-added resellers and integrators market decreased by 3.2% and 10.1%, respectively. The decline was primarily due to a decrease in related revenue in both markets.

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Gross Profit. Gross profit decreased by 15.0% in fiscal year 2021 as compared to fiscal year 2020. This compares to a decline in revenue of 8.7% in fiscal year 2021 as compared to fiscal year 2020. Gross profit in our public carrier market and value-added resellers and integrators market decreased from 12.0% to 11.1% and from 24.1% to 22.9%, respectively. We experienced margin compression within our public carrier market primarily due to a change in customer mix, with increased sales going to larger customers which require better pricing. The margin decline in the value-added resellers and integrators market declined due to product mix, including lower sales of Ventev^® products and customer mix.  As a result of these drivers on gross profit, overall gross profit margin decreased to 18.1% in fiscal year 2021, compared to 19.5% in fiscal year 2020.

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Our ongoing ability to earn revenues and gross profits from customers and suppliers looking to us for product and supply chain solutions is dependent upon a number of factors. The terms, and accordingly the factors, applicable to each relationship often differ. Among these factors are the strength of the customer’s or supplier’s business, the supply and demand for the product or service, including price stability, changing customer or supplier requirements, and our ability to support the customer or supplier and to continually demonstrate that we can improve the way they do business. In addition, the agreements or arrangements on which our customer and supplier relationships are based are typically of limited duration, typically do not include any obligation in respect of any specific product purchase or sale and are terminable by either party upon several months or otherwise short notice. Our customer relationships could also be affected by wireless carrier consolidation or global financial crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic or other events beyond our control.

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We account for inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value and as a result write-offs/write-downs occur due to damage, deterioration, obsolescence, changes in prices and other causes. These expenses were 3% or less of overall purchases for each of the last three fiscal years.

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Selling, General, Administrative and Restructuring Expenses. Total selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 7.1% during fiscal year 2021 as compared to fiscal year 2020. Total selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues increased from 22.5% in fiscal year 2020 to 22.9% in fiscal year 2021. The following are descriptions of changes in significant components of selling, general, administrative, goodwill charges and restructuring expenses.

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We continually evaluate the credit worthiness of our existing customer receivable portfolio and provide an appropriate reserve based on this evaluation. We also evaluate the credit worthiness of prospective and current customers and make decisions regarding extension of credit terms to such customers based on this evaluation. Accordingly, we recorded a recovery of bad debts of $0.3 million for fiscal year 2021, and a provision for bad debts of $1.1 million, for fiscal year 2020. The recovery of bad debts for fiscal year 2021 primarily related to receivables written off in fiscal 2020 based on the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Interest, Net. Net interest expense decreased from $1.1 million in fiscal year 2020 to $0.6 million in fiscal year 2021. The decrease is primarily related to higher capitalized interest amount. Refer to Note 6 of the financial statements included as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information on our borrowings.

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Income Taxes, Net Income and Diluted Earnings Per Share. The effective tax rates in fiscal year 2021 and 2020 were 21.1% and 32.4%, respectively. The decrease in the effective tax rate is primarily a result of provisions in the CARES Act which allowed the Company to carry back certain net operating losses up to five years. These net operating losses were applied against net income that was taxed at a higher federal rate prior to the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act which was signed into law in December 2017 (the “2017 Tax Act”) and went into effect in the third quarter of fiscal 2018.  The benefit of the carry back provision of the CARES Act was partially offset by valuation allowances on the deferred tax assets. As a result of the factors discussed above, net loss for fiscal year 2021 decreased 7.9% and net loss per diluted share decreased by 9.7%, compared with fiscal year 2020.

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Fiscal Year 2020 Compared to Fiscal Year 2019

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As noted above, we exited our Retail business during fiscal year 2021 and now report activity from that Retail business as discontinued operations.  The analysis below is based on activity and results from continuing operations only, including references to Ventev^®.

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Revenues. Revenue for fiscal year 2020 decreased by 2.4% as compared to fiscal year 2019. Revenue in our public carrier market and value-added resellers and integrators market decreased by 0.4% and 3.6%, respectively. The decline was primarily because we did not realize the full benefits of sales strategy refinements in the value-added resellers and integrators market.

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Cost of Goods Sold. Cost of goods sold for fiscal year 2020 decreased by 1.6% as compared to fiscal year 2019. Cost of goods sold in our value-added resellers and integrators market decreased by 3.2%, partially offset by a cost of goods sold increase in our public carrier market of 0.7%. The decline was primarily due to a decrease in related revenue in the value-added resellers and integrators market.

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The imposition of tariffs on products that we imported increased the costs of those products and adversely affected our gross profits and overall financial performance. A significant portion of our Ventev products are manufactured in foreign countries, including China and increasingly of late, Vietnam. On May 9, 2019, the United States government announced a 25% tariff on a range of products from China that are exported to the U.S. Responding to this, we were successful in moving the manufacturing of a majority of our Ventev products out of China in an effort to mitigate tariff costs, but we continued to incur additional tariff costs on product we have manufactured in, or component parts we continue to source from, China.  In January 2020, China and the U.S. entered the first phase of an economic and trade agreement.  There is no assurance that a broader trade agreement will be successfully negotiated between the U.S. and China to reduce or eliminate existing tariffs applicable to the business of the Company.

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Gross Profit. Gross profit decreased by 5.6% in fiscal year 2020 as compared to fiscal year 2019. This compares to a decline in revenue of 2.4% in fiscal year 2020 as compared to fiscal year 2019. Gross profit in our public carrier market and value-added resellers and integrators market decreased from 12.9% to 12.0% and from 24.5% to 24.1%, respectively. We experienced margin compression within our public carrier market primarily due to a change in customer mix, with increased sales going to larger customers which require better pricing. As a result of these drivers on gross profit, overall gross profit margin decreased to 19.5% in fiscal year 2020, compared to 20.1% in fiscal year 2019.

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Selling, General, Administrative and Restructuring Expenses. Total selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 3.5% during fiscal year 2020 as compared to fiscal year 2019. Total selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased from 22.8% in fiscal year 2019 to 22.5% in fiscal year 2020. The following are descriptions of changes in significant components of selling, general, administrative, goodwill charges and restructuring expenses.

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The Company also incurred a $0.5 million restructuring charge related to severance expense for the first quarter of fiscal 2020, and a $9.1 million non-cash goodwill impairment loss during fiscal 2020. The goodwill impairment was due to the decline of results in fiscal year 2020 and future year projections, the significant reduction in our market capitalization during the second half of the fiscal year (due to decrease in stock price) and significant decline in market multiples considered in the market based valuation.

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We continually evaluate the credit worthiness of our existing customer receivable portfolio and provide an appropriate reserve based on this evaluation. We also evaluate the credit worthiness of prospective and current customers and make decisions regarding extension of credit terms to such customers based on this evaluation. Accordingly, we recorded a provision for bad debts of $1.1 million and $1.4 million for fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2019, respectively.

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Interest, Net. Net interest expense increased from $0.9 million in fiscal year 2019 to $1.1 million in fiscal year 2020. The increase is primarily related to higher borrowing levels on our secured revolving credit facility. Refer to Note 6 of the financial statements included as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information on our borrowings.

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Income Taxes, Net Income and Diluted Earnings Per Share. The effective tax rates in fiscal year 2020 and 2019 were 32.4% and 24.7%, respectively. The change in the effective tax rate is primarily a result of provisions in the CARES Act which allows the Company to carry back certain net operating losses up to five years. These net operating losses for fiscal year 2020 were applied against net income that was taxed at a higher federal rate prior to the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act which was signed into law in December 2017 (the “2017 Tax Act”) and went into effect in the third quarter of fiscal 2018.  The benefit of the carry back provision of the CARES Act was partially offset by valuation allowances recorded in fiscal year 2020 on the deferred tax assets. As a result of the factors discussed above, net loss and diluted loss per share for fiscal year 2020 increased 75.6% and 74.3%, respectively, compared with fiscal year 2019.

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to $75 million (the “Revolving Credit Facility”), which matures in forty-two months, on April 29, 2024. As of March 28, 2021, borrowings under the secured Revolving Credit Facility totaled $30.6 million; therefore, we then had $44.4 million available, subject to the Borrowing Base limitations and compliance with the other applicable terms of the Credit Agreement discussed in Note 6 to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement accrue interest at the rates, and the Company is required to pay a monthly commitment fee, as also discussed in Note 6 to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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At the end of fiscal year 2021, we were in compliance with all required financial covenants applicable under our revolving credit facility with SunTrust Bank.

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Working capital (current assets less current liabilities) increased to $67.8 million as of March 28, 2021 as compared to $51.2 million as of March 29, 2020. Shareholders' equity was $76.8 million as of March 28, 2021, and $83.7 million as of March 29, 2020.  

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We believe that our existing cash, payments from customers, pending tax refunds and availability under our revolving credit facility (including any amendment or replacement thereof), or if needed, financing we believe would be available to us from other sources, will be sufficient to support our operations for at least the next twelve months. We expect to meet short-term liquidity needs through cash on our balance sheet and operating cash flow, supplemented by our revolving credit facility; and we expect to meet long-term liquidity needs through these same resources. If we were to undertake an acquisition or other major capital purchases that require funds in excess of our existing sources of liquidity, we would look to sources of funding from additional credit facilities, debt and/or equity issuances. There can be no assurances that such additional future sources of funding, either to fund an acquisition or major capital purchase, or to support our cash flow needs in the event of the termination of our existing revolving credit facility before it can be replaced with an asset based facility, would be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

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In addition, our liquidity could be negatively impacted by decreasing revenues and profits resulting from a decrease in demand for our products or a reduction in capital expenditures by our customers, or by the weakened financial conditions of our customers or suppliers, in each case as a result of a possible downturn in the global economy, caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic among other factors. Anticipated capital expenditures for fiscal year 2022 are expected to range from $6 million to $10 million.

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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

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We believe that presenting certain non-GAAP financial measures may enhance an investor’s understanding of our financial performance. We further believe that these financial measures are useful in assessing our operating performance from period to period by excluding certain items that we believe are not representative of our core business. We also use certain of these financial measures for business planning purposes, including management incentives.

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Accordingly, the below selected financial data includes certain non-GAAP financial measures we believe are commonly used by investors to evaluate our performance and that of our competitors. The use of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) and Adjusted EBITDA (EBITDA, less stock compensation and goodwill impairment) should not be considered as an alternative to operating income (loss), net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP as measures of operating performance, operating cash flows or liquidity.

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In accordance with the SEC staff Financial Reporting Manual and in conjunction with the filing of the fiscal 2021 Form 10-K, we elected not to recast the selected financial data for fiscal year 2017 and 2018 for the exit of the Retail business that occurred in fiscal 2021 as discontinued operations. As such, the below selected financial data for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 includes the results of the since divested Retail segment, while fiscal years 2021, 2020, and 2019 exclude that Retail activity.

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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

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Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of our operations are based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amount of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

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We have identified the policies below as critical to our business operations and the understanding of our results of operations:

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Revenue Recognition. We account for revenue in accordance with ASC No. 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which we adopted on April 2, 2018, using the modified retrospective method. We recognize revenue when control of promised goods is transferred to the customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring the goods.

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In most cases, shipments are made using Freight on Board (FOB) shipping terms. FOB destination terms are used for a portion of sales, and revenue for these sales is recorded when the product is received by the customer. Prices are always fixed at the time of sale. Historically, there have not been any material price concessions provided to customers, future discounts provided by the Company, or other incentives subsequent to a sale. The Company sells under normal commercial terms and, therefore, only records sales on transactions where collectability is reasonably assured. The Company recognizes revenues net of sales tax.

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We recognize revenues from sales transactions containing sales returns provisions at the time of the sale.  The potential for customer returns are considered a component of variable consideration under ASC No. 606 and it is therefore considered when estimating the transaction price for a sale.  We use the most likely amount method to determine the amount of expected returns.  The amount of expected returns is recognized as a refund liability, representing the obligation to return the customer’s consideration.  The return asset is measured at the former carrying amount of the inventory, less any expected costs to recover the goods.

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Our current and potential customers are continuing to look for ways to reduce their inventories and lower their total costs, including distribution, order taking and fulfillment costs, while still providing their customers excellent service. Some of these companies have turned to us to implement supply chain solutions, including purchasing inventory, assisting in demand forecasting, configuring, packaging, kitting and delivering products and managing customer and supplier relations, from order taking through cash collections. In performing these solutions, we assume varying levels of involvement in the transactions and varying levels of credit and inventory risk. As our offerings continually evolve to meet the needs of our customers, we constantly evaluate our revenue accounting based on the guidance set forth in accounting standards generally accepted in the United States. When applying this guidance in accordance with the FASB standard regarding revenue recognition for principal-agent considerations, we look at the following indicators: whether we are the primary obligor in the transaction; whether we have general inventory risk; whether we have latitude in establishing price; whether the customer holds us responsible for the acceptability of the product; whether the product returns are handled by us; and whether an obligation exists between the other parties and our customer. Each of our customer relationships is independently evaluated based on the above guidance and revenues are recorded on the appropriate basis.  Based on a review of the factors above, in the majority of our sales relationships, we have concluded that we are the principal in the transaction, and we record revenues based upon the gross amounts earned and booked. However, we do have certain relationships where we are not the principal and we record revenues on a net fee basis, regardless of amounts billed (less than 1% of our total revenues for fiscal year 2021).

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Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. We use estimates to determine the amount of the allowance for doubtful accounts necessary to reduce accounts receivable to their expected net realizable value. We estimate the amount of the required allowance by reviewing the status of past-due receivables and analyzing historical bad debt trends. Actual collection experience has not varied significantly from estimates, due primarily to credit policies, collection experience and our stability as it relates to our current customer base. Typical payments from commercial customers are due 30 days from the date of the invoice. We write-off receivables deemed to be uncollectible to the allowance for doubtful accounts. Accounts receivable balances are not collateralized by our customers.

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Inventory Reserves. We establish inventory reserves for excess and obsolete inventory. We regularly review inventory to evaluate continued demand and identify any obsolete or excess quantities of inventory. We record a provision for the difference between excess and obsolete inventory and its estimated realizable value. Estimated realizable value is based on anticipated future product demand, market conditions and liquidation values. Actual results differing from these projections could have a material effect on our results of operations.

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Impairment of Long-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Assets. Our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 28, 2021, includes indefinite lived intangible assets of $0.8 million. We perform an annual impairment test for the indefinite lived asset on the first day of our fourth quarter. We also periodically evaluate our long-lived assets for potential impairment indicators. The intangible assets impairment test involves an initial qualitative analysis to determine if it is more likely than not that an intangible asset’s fair value is less than its carrying amount. If qualitative factors suggest a possible impairment the Company then performs a quantitative analysis. Our judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on estimated future cash flows, market conditions, operational performance and legal factors.

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Future events, such as significant changes in cash flow assumptions, could cause us to conclude that impairment indicators exist and that the net book value of long-lived assets or intangible assets are impaired. Had the determination been made that the indefinite lived intangible assets were impaired, the value of this asset would have been reduced by an amount up to $0.8 million, resulting in a corresponding charge to operations.

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Income Taxes. We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. We regularly review our deferred tax assets for recoverability. This review is based on historical taxable income, projected future taxable income and the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences. Based on this review, we have established a valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets that are not more likely than not realizable.  

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We account for income taxes under the FASB’s ASC No. 740 on accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. This standard prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. It also provides guidance on de-recognition, measurement, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.

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Stock-Based Compensation. We record stock-based compensation in accordance with the FASB standard regarding stock compensation and share-based payments. We account for forfeitures as they occur rather than estimate expected forfeitures. The standard also requires stock awards granted or modified after the adoption of the standard that include both performance conditions and graded vesting to be amortized by an accelerated method rather than the straight-line method.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

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We have no material off-balance sheet arrangements.

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Recent Accounting Pronouncements

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A description of recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements is contained in Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Forward-Looking Statements

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This Report may contain 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. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, strategy and plans, and our expectations for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” and similar expressions, but the absence of these words or phrases does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward looking.

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