RCI HOSPITALITY HOLDINGS INC

4. Segment Information

The Company owns and operates adult nightclubs and Bombshells Restaurants and Bars. The Company has identified such segments based on management responsibility and the nature of the Company’s products, services, and costs. There are no major distinctions in geographical areas served as all operations are in the United States. The Company measures segment profit (loss) as income (loss) from operations. Segment assets are those assets controlled by each reportable segment. The Other category below includes our media and energy drink divisions that are not significant to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Below is the financial information related to the Company’s segments (in thousands):

4. Segment Information - continued

Excluded from revenues in the table above are intercompany rental revenues of the Nightclubs and Corporate segments for the three months ended December 31, 2023, amounting to $4.5 million and $227,000, respectively, and for the three months ended December 31, 2022, amounting to $3.7 million and $231,000, respectively; and intercompany sales of Robust Energy Drink included in Other segment for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 amounting to $39,000 and $37,000, respectively. These intercompany revenue amounts are eliminated upon consolidation.

General corporate expenses include corporate salaries, health insurance and social security taxes for officers, legal, accounting and information technology employees, corporate taxes and insurance, legal and accounting fees, depreciation and other corporate costs such as automobile and travel costs. Management considers these to be non-allocable costs for segment purposes.

Certain real estate assets previously wholly assigned to Bombshells have been subdivided and allocated to other future development or investment projects. Accordingly, those asset costs have been transferred out of the Bombshells segment.

5. Selected Account Information

The components of accounts receivable, net are as follows (in thousands):

Notes receivable consist primarily of secured promissory notes executed between the Company and various buyers of our businesses and assets with interest rates ranging from 6% to 9% per annum and having original terms ranging from 1 to 20 years.

The components of prepaid expenses and other current assets are as follows (in thousands):

5. Selected Account Information - continued

The components of accrued liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

The components of selling, general and administrative expenses are as follows (in thousands):

6. Debt

On October 25, 2023, the Company entered into a debt modification transaction under which 26 investors holding a total principal amount of $15.7 million in unsecured promissory notes agreed to extend the maturity dates of such notes, with no other changes to the terms and conditions of the original promissory notes, which original promissory notes were issued in October 2021 and had original maturity dates in October 2024. The transaction was effected by the 26 investors returning for cancellation their original promissory notes, with us issuing new amended and restated promissory notes to such investors. The original promissory notes were deemed cancelled as of the end of the day on October 31, 2023, and the new amended promissory notes will have an original issue date, and be deemed effective, as of November 1, 2023.

Other than the extension of the maturity dates, there were no other changes to the terms and conditions of the original promissory notes (except for the reduction in principal, as described below, and the corresponding reduction in monthly installments of principal and interest). The new amended notes will continue to bear interest at the rate of 12% per annum. Of the new amended promissory notes, $9.1 million are payable interest-only monthly (or quarterly) in arrears, with a final lump sum payment of principal and accrued and unpaid interest due on October 1, 2026. The remaining $6.6 million in promissory notes are payable in monthly payments of principal and interest based on a 10-year amortization period, with the balance of the entire principal amount together with all accrued and unpaid interest due and payable in full on November 1, 2027. The original promissory notes that were returned and cancelled as consideration for the issuance of the $6.6 million in new amended promissory notes had an original principal amount of $7.5 million in October 2021.

On November 17, 2023, the Company closed on a construction loan agreement with a bank lender for a total amount of $7.2 million bearing an interest rate of 8.5% per annum for the construction of a Bombshells restaurant in Rowlett, Texas. The promissory note is payable in 120 monthly payments, the first 18 months of which will be interest-only. The succeeding 101 monthly payments will be payable in equal installments of $63,022 in principal and interest, and the remaining balance in principal and accrued interest payable on the 120th month. The loan is secured by the real estate property under construction. There are certain financial covenants with which the Company is to be in compliance related to this loan.

Future maturities of long-term debt as of December 31, 2023 are as follows: $20.4 million, $24.1 million, $22.6 million, $21.9 million, $19.9 million and $128.2 million for the twelve months ending December 31, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and thereafter, respectively. Of the maturity schedule mentioned above, $5.7 million, $11.1 million, $9.1 million, $7.9 million, $5.7 million and $70.6 million, respectively, relate to scheduled balloon payments. Unamortized debt discount and issuance costs amounted to $2.9 million and $2.9 million as of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, respectively.

7. Stock-based Compensation

On February 7, 2022, our board of directors approved the 2022 Stock Option Plan (the “2022 Plan”). The board’s adoption of the 2022 Plan was approved by the shareholders during the annual stockholders' meeting on August 23, 2022. The 2022 Plan provides that the maximum aggregate number of shares of common stock underlying options that may be granted under the 2022 Plan is 300,000. The options granted under the 2022 Plan may be either incentive stock options or non-qualified options. The 2022 Plan is administered by the compensation committee of the board of directors. The compensation committee has the exclusive power to select individuals to receive grants, to establish the terms of the options granted to each participant, provided that all options granted shall be granted at an exercise price not less than the fair market value of the common stock covered by the option on the grant date, and to make all determinations necessary or advisable under the 2022 Plan. On February 9, 2022, the board of directors approved a grant of 50,000 stock options to each ofsix members of management subject to the approval of the 2022 Plan.

Stock-based compensation for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, which is included in corporate segment selling, general and administrative expenses, amounted to $470,000 and $941,000, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had unrecognized compensation cost amounting to $4.0 million related to stock-based compensation awards granted, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.1 years.

7. Stock-based Compensation - continued

The February 9, 2022 stock options vest over four years with the first 20% having vested on the approval of the 2022 Plan at the 2022 annual stockholders' meeting on August 23, 2022, and 20% vesting on February 9 of each year thereafter, provided however that the options will be subject to earlier vesting under certain events set forth in the Plan, including without limitation a change in control. All of the options will expire, if not exercised, at the end offive years. The weighted average grant-date fair value of the stock options was $31.37 per share. No stock options were exercised during the three months ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023,120,000 stock options were vested and exercisable.

For the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we excluded 300,000 stock options from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because their effect was anti-dilutive. Aside from the outstanding stock options, there were no other potentially dilutive securities for inclusion in the calculation of diluted earnings per share.

8. Income Taxes

Income tax expense was $1.8 million and $3.0 million during the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The effective income tax expense rate was 19.9% and 22.8% for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our effective income tax rate is affected by state taxes, permanent differences, and tax credits, including the FICA tip credit, for both years, as presented below.

The Company or one of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various states. Fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 and subsequent years remain open to federal tax examination. The Company ordinarily goes through various federal and state reviews and examinations for various tax matters.

9. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Matters

Texas Patron Tax

A declaratory judgment action was brought byfive operating subsidiaries of the Company to challenge a Texas Comptroller administrative rule related to the $5 per customer Patron Tax Fee assessed against Sexually Oriented Businesses. An administrative rule attempted to expand the fee to cover venues featuring dancers using latex cover as well as traditional nude entertainment. The administrative rule was challenged on both constitutional and statutory grounds. On November 19, 2018, the Court issued an order that a key aspect of the administrative rule is invalid based on it exceeding the scope of the Comptroller’s authority. On March 6, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, ruled that the Texas Patron Tax is unconstitutional as it has been applied and enforced by the Comptroller. The State of Texas appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, who affirmed that the Texas Patron Fee is unconstitutional as applied. The State of Texas next sought review from the Supreme Court, but the high court declined to take the case and in doing so exhausted the State's rights to appeal the judgment. The lawsuit was sent back to the trial court for post-trial proceedings, which resulted in the award of attorneys' fees to the operating subsidiaries. Pursuant to the rulings, the Texas Patron Fee is unconstitutional as applied to clubs featuring dancers using latex cover.

9. Commitments and Contingencies - continued

Indemnity Insurance Corporation

As previously reported, the Company and its subsidiaries were insured under a liability policy issued by Indemnity Insurance Corporation, RRG (“IIC”) through October 25, 2013. The Company and its subsidiaries changed insurance companies on that date.

On November 7, 2013, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware entered a Rehabilitation and Injunction Order (“Rehabilitation Order”), which declared IIC impaired, insolvent and in an unsafe condition and placed IIC under the supervision of the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Delaware (“Commissioner”) in her capacity as receiver (“Receiver”). The Rehabilitation Order empowered the Commissioner to rehabilitate IIC through a variety of means, including gathering assets and marshaling those assets as necessary. Further, the order stayed or abated pending lawsuits involving IIC as the insurer until May 6, 2014.

On April 10, 2014, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware entered a Liquidation and Injunction Order With Bar Date (“Liquidation Order”), which ordered the liquidation of IIC and terminated all insurance policies or contracts of insurance issued by IIC. The Liquidation Order further ordered that all claims against IIC must have been filed with the Receiver before the close of business on January 16, 2015 and that all pending lawsuits involving IIC as the insurer were further stayed or abated until October 7, 2014. As a result, the Company and its subsidiaries no longer had insurance coverage under the liability policy with IIC. The Company has retained counsel to defend against and evaluate these claims and lawsuits. We are funding 100% of the costs of litigation and will seek reimbursement from the bankruptcy receiver. The Company filed the appropriate claims against IIC with the Receiver before the January 16, 2015 deadline and has provided updates as requested; however, there are no assurances of any recovery from these claims. It is unknown at this time what effect this uncertainty will have on the Company. As previously stated, since October 25, 2013, the Company has obtained general liability coverage from other insurers, which have covered and/or will cover any claims arising from actions after that date. As of December 31, 2023, we have 1 remaining unresolved claim out of the original 71 claims.

Shareholder Derivative Action

On January 21, 2022, Shiva Stein and Kevin McCarty filed a shareholder derivative action in the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division against former director Nourdean Anakar, Yura Barabash, former director Steven L. Jenkins, Eric Langan, Luke Lirot, former CFO Phillip K. Marshall, Elaine J. Martin, Allan Priaulx, and Travis Reese as defendants, as well as against RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. as nominal defendant. The action, styled Stein v. Anakar, et al., No. 4:22-mc-00149 (S.D. Tex.), alleges claims for breach of fiduciary duty based on alleged dissemination of inaccurate information and failure to maintain internal controls. These allegations are substantively similar to claims asserted in a prior securities class action that was settled in August of 2022 and a prior derivative action that was dismissed in June of 2021. On July 24, 2023, the parties reached an agreement in principle to resolve the action. On October 10, 2023, the parties submitted an agreement to settle the action to the Court for the Court's preliminary approval. The Company believes that payments under the settlement agreement will be covered by insurance.

Other

On June 23, 2014, Mark H. Dupray and Ashlee Dupray filed a lawsuit against Pedro Antonio Panameno and our subsidiary JAI Dining Services (Phoenix) Inc. (“JAI Phoenix”) in the Superior Court of Arizona for Maricopa County. The suit alleged that Mr. Panameno injured Mr. Dupray in a traffic accident after being served alcohol at an establishment operated by JAI Phoenix. The suit alleged that JAI Phoenix was liable under theories of common law dram shop negligence and dram shop negligence per se. After a jury trial proceeded to a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs against both defendants, in April 2017 the Court entered a judgment under which JAI Phoenix’s share of compensatory damages is approximately $1.4 million and its share of punitive damages is $4.0 million. In May 2017, JAI Phoenix filed a motion for judgment as a matter of law or, in the alternative, motion for new trial. The Court denied this motion in August 2017. In September 2017, JAI Phoenix filed a notice of appeal. In June 2018, the matter was heard by the Arizona Court of Appeals. On November 15, 2018 the Court of Appeals vacated the jury’s verdict and remanded the case to the trial court. It is anticipated that a new trial will occur at some point in the future. JAI Phoenix will continue to vigorously defend itself.

9. Commitments and Contingencies - continued

As set forth in the risk factors as disclosed in this report, the adult entertainment industry standard is to classify adult entertainers as independent contractors, not employees. While we take steps to ensure that our adult entertainers are deemed independent contractors, from time to time, we are named in lawsuits related to the alleged misclassification of entertainers. Claims are brought under both federal and where applicable, state law. Based on the industry standard, the manner in which the independent contractor entertainers are treated at the clubs, and the entertainer license agreements governing the entertainer’s work at the clubs, the Company believes that these lawsuits are without merit. Lawsuits are handled by attorneys with an expertise in the relevant law and are defended vigorously.

In March 2023, the New York State Department of Labor assessed a final judgment against one of our subsidiaries in a state unemployment tax matter for the years 2009-2022. The assessment of $2.8 million, which was recorded by the Company during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, was issued in final notice by the NY DOL after several appeals were denied by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Third Department. In September 2023, the NY DOL assessed another of our subsidiaries for approximately $280,000 on the same matter for the period January 2015 through June 2022. We recorded this latter assessment during the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

General

In the regular course of business affairs and operations, we are subject to possible loss contingencies arising from third-party litigation and federal, state, and local environmental, labor, health and safety laws and regulations. We assess the probability that we could incur liability in connection with certain of these lawsuits. Our assessments are made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as codified in ASC 450-20, and is not an admission of any liability on the part of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. In certain cases that are in the early stages and in light of the uncertainties surrounding them, we do not currently possess sufficient information to determine a range of reasonably possible liability. In matters where there is insurance coverage, in the event we incur any liability, we believe it is unlikely we would incur losses in connection with these claims in excess of our insurance coverage.

There wereno lawsuit settlements incurred during the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. As of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, the Company has accrued $2.1 million and $2.4 million in accrued liabilities, respectively, related to settlement of lawsuits.

10. Related Party Transactions

Presently, our Chairman and President, Eric Langan, personally guarantees all of the commercial bank indebtedness of the Company. Mr. Langan receives no compensation or other direct financial benefit for any of the guarantees. The balance of our commercial bank indebtedness, net of debt discount and issuance costs, as of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, was $116.7 million and $119.2 million, respectively.

Included in the October 2023 debt transaction (see Note 6) are notes borrowed from related parties—one note for $500,000 (Ed Anakar, an employee of the Company and brother of our former director Nourdean Anakar) and another note for $150,000 (from a brother of Company CFO, Bradley Chhay) in which the terms of the notes are the same as the rest of the lender group.

We used the services of Nottingham Creations, and previously Sherwood Forest Creations, LLC, both furniture fabrication companies that manufacture tables, chairs and other furnishings for our Bombshells locations, as well as providing ongoing maintenance. Nottingham Creations is owned by a brother of Eric Langan (as was Sherwood Forest). Amounts billed to us for goods and services provided by Nottingham Creations and Sherwood Forest were $142,098 and $0 during the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, we owed Nottingham Creations and Sherwood Forest $36,308 and $10,700, respectively, in unpaid billings.

10. Related Party Transactions - continued

TW Mechanical LLC provided plumbing and HVAC services to both a third-party general contractor providing construction services to the Company, as well as directly to the Company during fiscal 2024 and 2023. A son-in-law of Eric Langan owns a 50% interest in TW Mechanical. Amounts billed by TW Mechanical to the third-party general contractor were $0 and $0 for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Amounts billed directly to the Company were $2,932 and $0 for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, the Company owed TW Mechanical $0 and $0, respectively, in unpaid direct billings.

11. Leases

Total lease expense included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows (in thousands):