Note 6 - Related-party Transactions

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

6. Related-Party Transactions

SPAR's policy respecting approval of transactions with related persons, promoters and control persons is contained in the SPAR Group Code of Ethical Conduct for its Directors, Executives, Officers, Employees, Consultants and other Representatives Amended and Restated (as of) March 15, 2018 (the "Ethics Code").

SPAR's Audit Committee has the specific duty and responsibility to review and approve the overall fairness to the Company and terms of all material related-party transactions and payments. The Audit Committee periodically (often annually) reviews, in accordance with the Audit Committee Charter, the Ethics Code, the Nasdaq rules and other applicable law to ensure that the overall economic and other terms will be (or continue to be) no less favorable to the Company than would be the case in an arms-length contract with an unrelated provider of similar services (i.e., its overall fairness to the Company, including pricing, payments to related parties and the ability to provide services at comparable performance levels). The Audit Committee periodically reviews all related party relationships and transactions.

Domestic Related Party Transactions

Change of Control, Voting and Restricted Stock Agreement

Approved by the majority of the Board and the Audit Committee and accepted by the Majority Stockholders on December 31, 2021, and signed and effective January 28, 2022, SGRP entered into the Change of Control, Voting and Restricted Stock Agreement ("CIC Agreement"), by and among SGRP, Robert G. Brown, ("Mr. Brown"), William H. Bartels, ("Mr. Bartels"), SPAR Administrative Services, Inc., a corporation ("SAS"), and SPAR Business Services, Inc., a corporation ("SBS"), and collectively with Mr. Brown, Mr. Bartels and SAS, the ("Majority Stockholders") (the "Agreement").

The financial terms of the CIC Agreement to the Majority Stockholders, totaling $4,477,585 and fully accrued in December 2021, consists of the following:

a. The Corporation issued to the Majority Stockholders 2,000,000 restricted shares of Series B Preferred Stock which are convertible into SGRP Shares subject to the conversion ratio as set forth in the CIC Agreement of 1:1.5 basis, subject to adjustment for a forward or reverse share split, share dividend, or similar transactions. These shares will vest over time upon execution of the CIC Agreement through November 10, 2023 in five (5) phases, assuming the Majority Stockholders' ongoing compliance with the terms and conditions of the CIC Agreement. Series B Preferred Shares may only be transferred to affiliates and certain related parties of the Majority Stockholders if those affiliates and certain related parties execute a joinder to the CIC Agreement. The Series B Preferred Stock was valued at $3,690,000 in total, based on the SGRP stock price on December 31, 2021 of $1.23 per share for 3,000,000 SGRP shares. Upon execution of the agreement in January of 2022, 2,000,000 restricted shares of Series B Preferred Stock were issued to the Majority Stockholders based on the SGRP stock price on January 28, 2022 of $1.09 per share and recorded in paid-in capital at $3,270,000 as of March 31, 2022. The $420,000 difference between what was accrued for as of December 31, 2021 was adjusted in selling, general and administrative expenses during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. Immediately after the issuance of the Series B restricted shares, 350,000 of Series B Preferred Stock was converted to 525,000 of common shares per terms of the agreement.

b. The Corporation made a $250,000 cash payment to Mr. Brown and agreed to reimburse up to $35,000 of the legal expenses of the Majority Stockholders that were incurred after January 1, 2021 in connection with the negotiation and execution of the CIC Agreement. Both payments have been made in Q1 of 2022.

c. The Corporation assumed financial responsibility for, and will pay directly to Affinity Insurance Company, Ltd., $502,585 to settle SAS obligations and the related claim for the 2014-2015 plan year. The payment has been made directly to Affinity Insurance Company, Ltd. in Q1 of 2022.

James R. Brown, Sr. Advisor Agreement

Effective January 26, 2022, SGRP entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. James R. Brown, Sr., following his retirement as a director of SGRP on January 25, 2022, pursuant to which Mr. Brown will serve as a Board advisor to SGRP from time to time for a term of one (1) year (the "Brown Advisor Agreement"). As compensation for his services, Mr. Brown is entitled to receive compensation at a rate of $55,000 for the term of the Brown Advisor Agreement. Payments will be made in equal quarterly installments and will be pro-rated for partial quarters.

Panagiotis Lazaretos Consulting Agreement

Effective February 1, 2022, SGRP entered into a consulting agreement with Thenablers, Ltd. (the "Lazaretos Consulting Agreement"). Thenablers, Ltd. is wholly owned by Mr. Panagiotis Lazaretos, a retired director of SGRP. Following Mr. Lazaretos' retirement as a director on January 25, 2022, Thenablers, Ltd. agreed to provide the consulting services of Mr. Lazaretos to SGRP regarding global sales and new markets' expansion. The Lazaretos Consulting Agreement cannot be terminated by the consent of either party for the first twelve (12) months, and automatically expires on January 31, 2024. Upon the one-year anniversary of the effective date, the Lazaretos Consulting Agreement may be terminated by either party with 180 days’ notice in writing to the other party. As compensation for its services, Thenablers, Ltd. is entitled to receive: (i) base compensation at a rate of $10,000 per month for the term of the Consulting Agreement; (ii) incentive-based compensation; and (iii) the outstanding options granted to Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos on February 4, 2021 will continue to be outstanding and vest according to their terms under the agreement.

Other Domestic Related Party Transactions 

National Merchandising Services, LLC ("NMS"), is a consolidated domestic subsidiary of the Company and is owned jointly by SGRP through its indirect ownership of 51% of the NMS membership interests and by National Merchandising of America, Inc. ("NMA"), through its ownership of the other 49% of the NMS membership interests. Mr. Edward Burdekin is the Chief Executive Officer and President and a director of NMS and also is an executive officer and director of NMA. Ms. Andrea Burdekin, Mr. Burdekin's wife, is the sole stockholder and also a director of both NMA and NMS. NMA is an affiliate of the Company but is not under the control of or consolidated with the Company. Mr. Burdekin also owns 100% of National Store Retail Services ("NSRS"). Since September 2018 through June of 2021, NSRS provided substantially all of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by NMS. For those services, NMS agrees to reimburse NSRS certain costs for providing those services plus a premium ranging from 4.0% to 10.0% of certain costs. Starting in July of 2021, the domestic merchandising specialist field force services provided by NSRS was transitioned to National Remodel & Setup Services, LLC ("NRSS") with the same financial arrangement. Mrs. Andrea Burdekin is the owner of NRSS. NMS also leases office space from Mr. Burdekin's Personal property. The costs associated with this transaction were approximately $2.1M and $1.8M as of  March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Resource Plus of North Florida, Inc. ("Resource Plus"), is a consolidated domestic subsidiary of the Company and is owned jointly by SGRP through its indirect ownership of 51% of the Resource Plus membership interests and by Mr. Richard Justus through his ownership of the other 49% of the Resource Plus membership interests. Mr. Justus has a 50% ownership interest in RJ Holdings which owns the buildings where Resource Plus is headquartered and operates. Both buildings are subleased to Resource Plus. The costs associated with these transactions were approximately $180,000 and $290,000 for the three-month periods ended  March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

International Related Party Services

SGRP Meridian (Pty), Ltd. ("Meridian") is a consolidated international joint venture of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP, 23% by Friedshelf 401 Proprietary Limited and 26% by Lindicom Empowerment Holdings Proprietary Limited. Until December 31, 2021, Meridian owned 51% of CMR (Pty), Ltd. (“CMR”) where Mr. Adrian Wingfield owned 49% and was also a Director of CMR Meridian. Meridian leases office space from Merhold Holding Trust ("MHT") where Mr. Wingfield is one of the beneficial owners. Effective January 1, 2022 Meridian acquired the remaining CMR shares from Mr. Wingfield and terminated his CMR directorship as a result. 

The Corporation's principal Brazilian subsidiary, SPAR BSMT, is owned 51% by the Company, 39% by JK Consultoria Empresarial Ltda.-ME, a Brazilian limitada ("JKC"), and 10% by EILLC. JKC is owned by Mr. Jonathan Dagues Martins, a Brazilian citizen and resident ("JDM") and his sister, Ms. Karla Dagues Martins, a Brazilian citizen and resident. JDM is the Chief Executive Officer and President of each SPAR Brazil subsidiary pursuant to a Management Agreement between JDM and SPAR BSMT dated September 13, 2016. JDM also is a director of SPAR BSMT. Accordingly, JKC and JDM are each a related party respecting the Company. EILLC is owned by Mr. Peter W. Brown, a director of SPAR BSMT and SGRP. 

SPARFACTS is a consolidated international joint venture of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP and 49% by Ms. Lydna Chapman. Ms. Chapman is a director of SPARFACTS. Her various companies provide office lease, accounting and consultant services to SPARFACTS. The costs associated with these activities were approximately $91,000 and $76,000 for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Summary of Certain Related Party Transactions

Due to affiliates consists of the following (in thousands):	March 31,		December 31,
	2022		2021
Loans from local investors: (1)
Australia	$	656	$	597
Mexico		623		623
China		1,788		1,784
Resource Plus		266		266
Total due to affiliates	$	3,333	$	3,270

(1) Represent loans due from the local investors into the Company's subsidiaries (representing their proportionate share of working capital loans). The loans have no payment terms, are due on demand, and are classified as current liabilities in the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Bartels' Retirement and Director Compensation

Mr. William H. Bartels retired as an employee of the Company as of January 1, 2020 but continues to serve as a member of SPAR's Board, a position he has held since July 8, 1999. Mr. Bartels is also one of the founders and a significant stockholder of SGRP. Effective January 18, 2020, SPAR's Governance Committee proposed and unanimously approved retirement benefits for the five-year period commencing January 1, 2020, and ending December 31, 2024 (the "Five-Year Period"), for Mr. Bartels. The aggregate value of benefits payable to Mr. Bartels is approximately $220,558 per year and a total of $1,102,790 for the Five-Year Period. As of March 31, 2022 $355,918 remains outstanding and is included within accrued expenses and other current liabilities.

Other Related Party Transactions and Arrangements

SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS") and SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech") are related parties and affiliates of SGRP, but are not under the control or part of the consolidated Company. SBS is an affiliate because it is owned by SBS LLC, which in turn is beneficially owned by Robert G. Brown, Director, Chairman of the Board, and significant shareholder of SGRP. Infotech is an affiliate because it is owned principally by Robert G. Brown.

In July 1999 SMF, SBS and Infotech entered into a perpetual software ownership agreement providing that each party independently owned an undivided share of and has the right to unilaterally license and exploit certain portions of the Company's proprietary scheduling, tracking, coordination, reporting and expense software are co-owned with SBS and Infotech and each entered into a non-exclusive royalty-free license from the Company to use certain "SPAR" trademarks in the United States.