DAVIDsTEA (DTEAF) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q4, 2019
Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Nov 02, 2019, filed Dec 23, 2019
Risk Change Over Time
No filing history is available.
- Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1Changes in accounting standards may materially affect reporting of our financial condition and results from operations.
Accounting principles as per the International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines, and interpretations for many aspects of our business, such as accounting for inventories, intangible assets, store closures, sales, leases, insurance, income taxes, stock-based compensation, are complex and involved subjective judgements. Changes in these rules or their interpretation may significantly change or add significant volatility to our reported income or loss without a comparable underlying change in cash flows from operations. As a result, changes in accounting standards may materially affect our reported financial condition and results from operations. Specifically, changes to financial accounting standards will require operating leases to be recognized on our balance sheet. We have significant obligations relating to our current operating leases, as all our existing stores are subject to leases, which have an average remaining term of approximately 6.2 years, and as of February 3, 2018, we had undiscounted operating lease commitments of approximately $135.0 million, scheduled through 2030, related primarily to our stores, including stores that are not yet open. These commitments represent the minimum lease payments due under our operating leases, excluding common area maintenance, insurance and taxes related to our operating lease obligations, and do not reflect fair market value rent reset provisions in the leases. These leases are classified as operating leases and disclosed in Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, but are not reflected in liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. During Fiscal 2017, our rent expense charged under operating leases was approximately $31.6 million. The International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") released IFRS 16, "Leases" ("IFRS 16") replacing IAS 17, "Leases". This standard requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities for most leases. The new standard will be effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019. Early application is permitted, provided the new revenue standard, IFRS 15, has been applied, or is applied at the same date as IFRS 16. The Company has performed a preliminary assessment of the potential impact of the adoption of IFRS 16 on its consolidated financial statements. The Company expects the adoption of IFRS 16 will have a significant impact as the Company will recognize new assets and liabilities for its operating leases of retail stores. In addition, the nature and timing of expenses related to those leases will change as IFRS 16 replaces the straight-line operating lease expense with a depreciation charge for right-of use assets and interest expense on lease liabilities. The Company has not yet determined which transition method it will apply or whether it will use the optional exemptions or practical expedients under the standard. The Company expects to disclose additional detailed information, including its transition method, any practical expedients elected and estimated quantitative financial effects, before the adoption of IFRS 16.
- Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2We are implementing a shift in our business strategy, and our efforts may not result in a successful growth strategy or strategic alternatives.
Previously, we had relied on a retail-based growth strategy in Canada and the United States; however, we believe that centering our momentum around new store openings is less likely to be successful in the current retail environment. We believe there is merit in continuing a retail strategy in conjunction with an advanced e-commerce platform, enhanced marketing and merchandising, and expanded wholesale distribution and grocery strategy. We have not completed our transition to a new multi channel strategy and have not set a timetable for the completion of the strategic review process. If we are not able to commit to a strategy on a timely basis, our operating results will likely be adversely affected. In addition, our Board of Directors announced in December 2017 that it would be reviewing and considering strategic alternatives. These could include, but are not limited to, a potential financing, refinancing, restructuring, merger, acquisition, joint venture, divestiture or disposition of some or all of the Company's assets outside of the ordinary course of business. There can be no assurance that this evaluation will result in a significant shift in our strategy. Our board has spent substantial time engaging with our significant shareholders following this announcement. Our management team and other employees may be required to spend a significant additional amount of time addressing potential strategic alternatives, which could mean that our normal operations receive less time and attention.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2019
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 44
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1Our largest shareholder owns 46% of our common shares, which may limit our minority shareholders' ability to influence corporate matters.
Our largest shareholder, Rainy Day Investments, Ltd. ("Rainy Day") owns 46% of our common shares. Rainy Day may have the ability to influence the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to shareholders for approval and the interests of Rainy Day may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. Rainy Day, as our largest shareholder, has significant influence in electing our directors and, consequently, has a substantial say in the appointment of our executive officers, our management policies and strategic direction. In addition, certain matters, such as amendments to our articles of incorporation or votes regarding a potential merger or a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, require approval of at least two thirds of our shareholders; Rainy Day's approval will be required to achieve any such threshold. Accordingly, should the interests of Rainy Day differ from those of other shareholders, the other shareholders are highly susceptible to the influence of Rainy Day's votes.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2Our stock price may be volatile or may decline
Our common shares have traded as high as US$29.97 and as low as US$1.07 during the period from our IPO to April 17, 2019. An active, liquid and orderly market for our common shares may not be sustained, which could depress the trading price of our common shares. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling shares and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using our shares as consideration. In addition, broad market and industry factors, most of which we cannot control, may harm the price of our common shares, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, securities markets worldwide have experienced, and are likely to continue to experience, significant price and volume fluctuations. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market and political conditions and Canadian dollar exchange rate relative to the U.S. dollar, could subject the market price of our shares to wide price fluctuations regardless of our operating performance. Our operating results and the trading price of our shares may fluctuate in response to various factors, including: - conditions or trends affecting our industry or the economy globally; in particular, in the retail sales environment; - stock market price and volume fluctuations of other publicly traded companies and, in particular, those that are in the retail industry; - fluctuations of the Canadian dollar exchange rate relative to the U.S. dollar; - variations in our operating performance and the performance of our competitors; - seasonal fluctuations; - our entry into new markets; - timing of new store openings and our levels of comparable sales; - actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly financial and operating results or other operating metrics, such as comparable store sales, that may be used by the investment community; - changes in financial estimates by us or by any securities analysts who might cover our shares; - issuance of new or changed securities analysts' reports or recommendations; - loss of visibility as to investor expectations as a result of a lack of published reports from industry analysts; - actions and announcements by us or our competitors, including new product offerings, significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships or divestitures; - sales, or anticipated sales, of large blocks of our shares, including sales by our directors, officers or significant shareholders; - additions or departures of key personnel; - significant developments relating to our relationships with business partners, vendors and distributors; - regulatory developments negatively affecting our industry; - changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretation or principles; - volatility in our share price, which may lead to higher share-based compensation expense under applicable accounting standards; - speculation about our business in the press or investment community; - investors' perception of the retail industry in general and our Company in particular; and - other events beyond our control such as major catastrophic events, weather and war. These and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, may cause our operating results and the market price and demand for our shares to fluctuate substantially. Fluctuations in our quarterly operating results could limit or prevent investors from readily selling their shares and may otherwise negatively affect the market price and liquidity of our shares. In addition, in the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in their stock price. If any of our shareholders brought a lawsuit against us, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit. Such a lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of our management from our business, which could significantly harm our profitability and reputation.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3Shareholder activism, including public criticism of our company or our management team or litigation, may adversely affect our stock price.
Responding to actions by activist stockholders can be costly and time-consuming and may divert the attention of management and our employees. The review, consideration, and response to public announcements or criticism by any activist shareholder, or litigation initiated by such shareholders, requires the expenditure of significant time and resources by us. We have previously experienced shareholder activism, which became the subject of contention among other of our significant shareholders and ultimately resulted in changes to our Board of Directors and management. Additional public disagreements or proxy contests for the election of directors at our annual meeting could require us to incur significant legal fees and proxy solicitation expenses, may negatively affect our stock price, potentially result in litigation, and may have other material adverse effects on our business.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4Our articles, bylaws and certain Canadian legislation contain provisions that may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.
Certain provisions of our articles of amendment and bylaws, together or separately, could discourage potential acquisition proposals, delay or prevent a change in control and limit the price that certain investors may be willing to pay for our common shares. For instance, our bylaws contain provisions that establish certain advance notice procedures for nomination of candidates for election as directors at shareholders' meetings. The Investment Canada Act requires that a "non-Canadian," as defined therein, file an application for review with the Minister responsible for the Investment Canada Act and obtain approval of the Minister prior to acquiring control of a Canadian business, where prescribed financial thresholds are exceeded. Otherwise, there are no limitations either under the laws of Canada or in our articles on the rights of non-Canadians to hold or vote our common shares. Any of these provisions may discourage a potential acquirer from proposing or completing a transaction that may have otherwise presented a premium to our shareholders.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5Because we are a federally incorporated Canadian corporation and the majority of our directors and officers are resident in Canada, it may be difficult for investors in the United States to enforce civil liabilities against us based solely upon the federal securities laws of the United States.
We are a federally incorporated Canadian corporation with our principal place of business in Canada. A majority of our directors and officers and the auditors named herein are residents of Canada and all or a substantial portion of our assets and those of such persons are located outside the United States. Consequently, it may be difficult for U.S. investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or our directors or officers or such auditors who are not residents of the United States, or to realize in the United States upon judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon civil liabilities under the Securities Act. Investors should not assume that Canadian courts: (1) would enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or the securities or "blue sky" laws of any state within the United States or (2) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against us or such persons predicated upon the U.S. federal securities laws or any such state securities or blue sky laws.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6There could be adverse tax consequence for our shareholders in the United States if we are a passive foreign investment company.
Under United States federal income tax laws, if a company is, or for any past period was, a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC"), it could have adverse United States federal income tax consequences to U.S. shareholders even if the company is no longer a PFIC. The determination of whether we are a PFIC is a factual determination made annually based on all the facts and circumstances and thus is subject to change, and the principles and methodology used in determining whether a company is a PFIC are subject to interpretation. While we do not believe that we currently are or have been a PFIC, we could be a PFIC in the future. United States purchasers of our common shares are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning United States federal income tax consequences of holding our common shares if we are considered to be a PFIC. If we are a PFIC, U.S. holders would be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences, such as ineligibility for any preferred tax rates on capital gains or on actual or deemed dividends, interest charges on certain taxes treated as deferred, and additional reporting requirements under U.S. federal income tax laws or regulations. Whether or not U.S. holders make a timely qualified electing fund, or QEF, election or mark-to-market election may affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common shares and any distributions such U.S. holders may receive. Investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding all aspects of the application of the PFIC rules to our common shares.
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