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Item 1A. Risk Factors
There have been no material changes in our risk factors from those disclosed in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.
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, except as follows.
Business and Industry Risks
We may be unable to successfully realize the anticipated benefits of the Alline Acquisition.
On December 19, 2024, we acquired Alline, a former franchisee of Regis, which immediately prior to the acquisition owned and operated 314 stores under our Cost Cutters, Holiday Hair, and Supercuts brand names (the Alline Stores). The success of the Alline acquisition depends on our ability to successfully integrate the Alline Stores with our existing limited network of company-owned stores and operate the Alline Stores as company-owned stores. The anticipated benefits of the Alline Acquisition may not be realized fully, or at all, or may take longer to realize than expected. We may face significant challenges in realizing the anticipated benefits of the Alline Acquisition, including, without limitation:
the diversion of managements attention from ongoing business concerns and performance shortfalls as a result of the devotion of managements attention to the integration of the Alline Stores and Alline personnel;
retaining key business relationships and retaining and attracting employees and stylists
potential unknown liabilities associated with the Alline Acquisition; and
unforeseen expenses and delays related to the integration of Alline Stores into our system.
Many of these factors will be outside of our control and any one of them could result in increased costs, decreased revenue, including royalty revenue, or increased operating costs, which may have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operation.
Operating Risks
Materially increasing the number of salons that we own and operate could expose us to additional risk and adversely affect our financial results.
Previously, we transitioned to a fully franchised business model. However, in connection with the Alline acquisition, we acquired 314 stores under our Cost Cutters, Holiday Hair, and Supercuts brand names. We now operate approximately 7.5% of the salons in our system.
Operating salons can expose us to additional risks or exacerbate those risks to which we are already exposed as a franchisor. Operating additional salons inherently increases the operating lease costs, advertising and marketing expenses, professional fees and other expenses. Furthermore, as a result of the Alline Acquisition, we increased our number of employees by approximately 1,750. This increase in employees may expose us to additional liability and operating costs, such as risks associated with labor shortages, minimum wage requirements, employment taxes, increased overtime pay and benefits, increased costs for insurance, employment and labor liability, and regulatory compliance risks. We could also be subject to additional liability such as property, environmental and other liability as a result of being a direct operator and lessee of additional salons and liability arising from regulatory compliance. Furthermore, it may create additional costs, expose us to additional legal and compliance risks, cause disruption to our business and impact our financial condition and results of operation.
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Financial and Economic Risks
Any audit by the Internal Revenue Service with respect to Allines receipt of an employee retention credit under The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act could result in additional taxes or costs to Alline for which we may ultimately be liable.
Alline applied for and received an employee retention credit (ERC) under the CARES Act amounting to approximately $29 million. In July 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stated its intention to shift its focus to review ERC claims for compliance concerns, including intensifying audit work. Although Alline received the amounts related to the ERC from the IRS, no formal determination regarding Allines eligibility to claim the ERC was received, and such eligibility remains subject to audit by the IRS. If the IRS audits Alline during the applicable statute of limitations period and finds that Alline was not eligible to receive all or part of the ERC, Alline would be required to return some or all of the ERC to the IRS, together with any applicable interest and penalties. While the former owners of Alline would be required to indemnify us for any such amounts required to be repaid to the IRS (together with any applicable interest and penalties, and all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by us in defending or addressing any matters related to the ERC), we may not ultimately be able to timely or fully recoup such amounts from the former owners of Alline. If we are ultimately required to repay the ERC, and we are unable to sufficiently recover such amounts from the former owners of Alline, our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity may be materially adversely affected.
The recent uncertainty of trade policies, treaties, tariffs and customs duties and taxes may have a significant impact on our financial statements
There is currently significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and various other countries, including China, Mexico, Canada, and the European Union, with respect to trade policies, treaties, tariffs and customs duties and taxes. If tariffs, trade restrictions or trade barriers are expanded, increased or interpreted by a court or governmental agency to apply to more of our products, then our exposure to future taxes and duties on such imported products and components could be significant and could have a material effect on our financial results and we may be required to raise prices on certain imported products and services.
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