BASSETT FURNITURE INDUSTRIES INC

Previous wording

We have a significant amount of accounts receivable attributable to our network of licensee-owned stores. We also guarantee two leases of one of our licensees. If these stores do not generate the necessary level of sales and profits, the licensees may not be able to fulfill their obligations to us resulting in additional bad debt expenses and real estate related losses.

Current wording

We have a significant amount of accounts receivable attributable to our network of licensee-owned stores. We also guarantee one lease each for two licensees. If these stores do not generate the necessary level of sales and profits, the licensees may not be able to fulfill their obligations to us resulting in additional bad debt expenses and real estate related losses

Previous wording

Maintaining and enhancing our brand is critical to our ability to expand our base of customers and drive increased traffic at both Company-owned and licensee-owned stores and to our website. Digital advertising and outreach continue to dominate our marketing expenditures. We also invested heavily in our website and e-commerce. We cannot provide assurance that our marketing, advertising and other efforts to promote and maintain awareness of our brand will not require us to incur substantial costs. If these efforts are unsuccessful or we incur substantial costs in connection with these efforts, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Current wording

Maintaining and enhancing our brand is critical to our ability to expand our base of customers and drive increased traffic at both Company-owned and licensee-owned stores and to our website. While digital advertising and outreach continue to dominate our marketing expenditures in 2024, we plan to supplement those strategies in 2025 with added direct mail and television. We have also invested heavily in our website and e-commerce. We cannot provide assurance that our marketing, advertising and other efforts to promote and maintain awareness of our brand will not require us to incur substantial costs. If these efforts are unsuccessful or we incur substantial costs in connection with these efforts, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Previous wording

Our use of foreign sources for the supply of certain of our products exposes us to risks associated with overseas sourcing. These risks are related to government regulation, volatile ocean freight costs, delays in shipments, extended lead time in ordering. Governments in the foreign countries where we source our products may change their laws, regulations and policies, including those related to tariffs and trade barriers, investments, taxation and exchange controls which could make it more difficult to service our customers resulting in an adverse effect on our earnings.

Current wording

Our use of foreign sources for the supply of certain of our products exposes us to risks associated with overseas sourcing. These risks are related to government regulation, volatile ocean freight costs, delays in shipments, and extended lead time in ordering. The U.S. government as well as governments in the foreign countries where we source our products may change their laws, regulations and policies, including those related to tariffs and trade barriers, investments, taxation and exchange controls which could make it more difficult to service our customers resulting in an adverse effect on our earnings.

Previous wording

Our primary and back-up computer systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, natural disasters and errors by employees. Though losses arising from some of these issues would be covered by insurance, interruptions of our critical business computer systems or failure of our back-up systems could reduce our sales or result in longer production times. If our critical business computer systems or back-up systems are damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make a significant investment to repair or replace them.

Current wording

Our primary and back-up computer systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, natural disasters and errors by employees. Though losses arising from some of these issues would be covered by insurance, interruptions of our critical business computer systems or failure of our back-up systems could reduce our sales or result in longer production times. If our critical business computer systems or back-up systems are damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make a significant investment to repair or replace them. For example, we disclosed a cybersecurity incident in Item 1.05 of Current Reports on Form 8-K and 8-K/A filed on July 15, 2024 and August 6, 2024, respectively, relating to the detection of unauthorized occurrences on a portion of our information technology (IT) systems.

Previous wording

We accept electronic payment cards in our stores and also gather certain personal identifiable information in the processing of our retail sales transactions. Certain of these transactions were processed through our e-commerce site that was hosted and maintained by a third party that was subject to at least one data breach. We have subsequently moved our e-commerce site to another provider that we believe provides greater overall security. We also store and process confidential information pertaining to our employees and other third parties on our networks. We have and may in the future become subject to claims for purportedly fraudulent transactions arising out of the actual or alleged theft of credit or debit card information. In addition, if there were a disclosure of confidential information provided by, or concerning, our employees, customers or other third parties, including through inadvertent disclosure, unapproved dissemination, or unauthorized access, our reputation could be harmed, and we could be subject to civil or criminal liability and regulatory actions. Proceedings related to theft of credit or debit card information may be brought by payment card providers, banks and credit unions that issue cards, cardholders (either individually or as part of a class action lawsuit) and federal and state regulators. Any such proceedings could distract our management from running our business and cause us to incur significant unplanned losses and expenses. Consumer perception of our brand could also be negatively affected by these events, which could further adversely affect our results and prospects.

Current wording

We accept electronic payment cards in our stores and also gather certain personal identifiable information in the processing of our retail sales transactions. We also store and process confidential information pertaining to our employees and other third parties on our networks. We may in the future become subject to claims for purportedly fraudulent transactions arising out of the actual or alleged theft of credit or debit card information. In addition, if there were a disclosure of confidential information provided by, or concerning, our employees, customers or other third parties, including through inadvertent disclosure, unapproved dissemination, or unauthorized access, our reputation could be harmed, and we could be subject to civil or criminal liability and regulatory actions. Proceedings related to theft of credit or debit card information may be brought by payment card providers, banks and credit unions that issue cards, cardholders (either individually or as part of a class action lawsuit) and federal and state regulators. Any such proceedings could distract our management from running our business and cause us to incur significant unplanned losses and expenses. Consumer perception of our brand could also be negatively affected by these events, which could further adversely affect our results and prospects.