Our disclosure and analysis in this report and in documents that are incorporated by reference contain some forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can
identify these statements because they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,”
“believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. They also appear in any discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, future performance of our products,
expenses, the outcome of any legal proceedings, and financial results.
Although we believe that we are basing our expectations and beliefs on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of what we currently
know about our business and operations, there can be no assurance that our actual results will not differ materially from what we expect or believe. Some of the factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our expectations or beliefs
include, without limitation: the adverse effect from a decline in the securities markets; a decline in the performance of our products; a general downturn in the economy; changes in government policy or regulation; changes in our ability to attract
or retain key employees; and unforeseen costs and other effects related to legal proceedings or investigations of governmental and self-regulatory organizations. We also direct your attention to any more specific discussions of risk contained in
our other public filings or in documents incorporated by reference here or in prior filings or reports.
We are providing these statements as permitted by the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We do not undertake to update publicly
any forward-looking statements if we subsequently learn that we are unlikely to achieve our expectations or if we receive any additional information relating to the subject matters of our forward-looking statements.
Unless we have indicated otherwise, or the context otherwise requires, references in this report to “Morgan Group Holding Co.” “Morgan Group,” “the
Company,” “MGHL,” “we,” “us” and “our” or similar terms are to Morgan Group Holding Co., its predecessors and its subsidiaries.
Our offices are located at 401 Theodore Fremd, Rye, NY 10580. Our website address is morgangroupholdingco.com. Information on our website is not
incorporated by reference herein and is not part of this report. We provide a link on our website to the following filings as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“Commission” or “SEC”): our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All such filings on our website are available free of charge. In addition, these reports and the other documents we file with the SEC are available at www.sec.gov.
We were incorporated November 2001 in Delaware as a holding company. Morgan Group had no operating companies prior to the October 31, 2019 merger with
G.research, LLC (“G.research”), (discussed below). Our wholly-owned subsidiary, G.research is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and is a member of FINRA (Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority). Our primary source of revenue is our institutional research and securities brokerage services including acting as an underwriter.
We publish research on approximately 100 companies globally with an emphasis on small and mid-cap investment. We operate an institutional sales trading desk which
facilitates security transactions on behalf of our clients.
Morgan Group Merger with G.research and Spin off
Morgan Group Holding Co. (the “Company,” “Morgan Group,” or “Morgan”) was incorporated in November 2001 as a Delaware corporation to serve as a holding company which seeks acquisitions as part of
its strategic alternatives. Prior to the October 31, 2019 merger with G.research, LLC (“G.research”), discussed below, Morgan Group had no operating companies.
The Company acquired G.research from Associated Capital Group, Inc. (“AC”), an affiliate of the Company, on October 31, 2019, in exchange for issuing
500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to AC (the “Merger”). Accordingly, G.research became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Prior to the transaction, G.research was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Institutional Services holdings, LLC,
which, in turn, was a wholly-owned subsidiary of AC. After the transaction, AC had an 83.3% ownership interest in the Company. As a result of this common ownership, the transaction was treated as a combination between entities under common control
that led to a change in the reporting entity. The recognized assets and liabilities were transferred at their carrying amounts at the date of the transaction. For 2019 year comparative information, for the period prior to the Merger the companies
have been combined retrospectively.
On March 16, 2020, AC’s Board of Directors approved the spin-off of the Company to AC’s shareholders. Upon execution of the spin-off on August 5, 2020, AC distributed to its shareholders on a pro
rata basis the 500,000 shares of Morgan that AC owns.
On May 5, 2020, the Morgan Group board approved a reverse stock split of the issued and outstanding shares of their common stock, par value $0.01 per share, in a ratio of 1‑for‑100 that was
effective on June 10, 2020.
Institutional Services
G.research’s revenues are derived primarily from institutional services, underwriting fees (primarily for the Company) and selling concessions.
G.research generates revenues via direct fees and commissions on securities transactions executed on an agency basis on behalf of clients. Clients include
institutional investors (e.g., hedge funds and asset managers) as well as affiliated mutual funds and managed accounts. Institutional research services revenues totaled $2.3 million and $4.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020,
respectively.
A significant portion of G.research institutional research services are provided to GAMCO Investors Inc., (“GAMCO”) and its affiliates. For the years
ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, G.research earned $1.2 million and $2.5 million, or approximately 55% and 64%, of its commission revenue from transactions executed on behalf of funds advised by Gabelli Funds, LLC (“Gabelli Funds”)
and clients advised by GAMCO Asset Management Inc. (“GAMCO Asset” ). The agreements between G.research and Gabelli Funds and GAMCO Asset to provide institutional research services were terminated effective January 1, 2020. We can provide no
assurance that GAMCO and its affiliates will continue to use G.research’s institutional brokerage services to the same extent in the future. G.research continues to pursue expansion of third party and affiliated activities.
Underwriting
In October 2021, G.research participated in the secondary offering of the Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust Preferred 4.25% Series K as a member of the underwriting syndicate and selling group
earning $50,823 and $144,950, respectively. In December 2021, G.research entered into placement agent agreement for the private placement of The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc. earning $500,000 and is included in a receivable in other assets
During 2020, G.research participated as Sales Manager in the at market offerings of The GAMCO Global Gold, Natural Resources & Income Trust. For the year ended December 31, 2020, G.research
earned $334,825 for these roles.
Business Strategy
Our strategy is to continue to operate and expand our institutional brokerage business through the coverage of additional market sectors and companies.
In order to achieve performance and growth in revenues and profitability, we are pursuing a strategy which includes the following key elements:
Attracting and Retaining Experienced Professionals
We offer significant variable compensation that provides opportunities to our staff. Our ability to attract and retain highly experienced investment and
other professionals with a long-term commitment to us and our clients has been, and will continue to be, a significant factor in our long term growth.
Competition
The institutional brokerages services industry is intensely competitive and is expected to remain so. We face competition in all aspects of our business
and in each of our investment strategies from other managers both in the United States and globally. We compete with other institutional research firms, insurance companies, brokerage firms, banks, and other financial institutions that offer
services that have similar features and investment objectives. Many of these competitors are subsidiaries of large diversified financial companies and may have access to greater resources, including liquidity sources, not available to us.
Historically, we have competed primarily on the basis of the superior service. However, we have taken steps to increase our outreach to the investment community, brand name awareness and marketing efforts. However, no assurance can be given that
our efforts to obtain new business will be successful.
Regulation
Virtually all aspects of our business are subject to various federal, state and foreign laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are primarily
intended to protect investors, the markets and customers of broker-dealers. Under such laws and regulations, agencies that regulate broker-dealers have broad powers, including the power to limit, restrict or prohibit such broker-dealer from
carrying on its business in the event that it fails to comply with such laws and regulations. In such an event, the possible sanctions that may be imposed include civil and criminal liability, the suspension of individual employees, injunctions,
limitations on engaging in certain lines of business for specified periods of time, revocation of registrations, censures and fines.
Broker-Dealer and Trading and Investment Regulation
G.research is registered as broker-dealer with the SEC and is subject to regulation by FINRA and various states. In its capacity as a broker-dealer,
G.research is required to maintain certain minimum net capital amounts. These requirements also provide that equity capital may not be withdrawn, advances to affiliates may not be made or cash dividends paid if certain minimum net capital
requirements are not met. G.research’s net capital, as defined, met or exceeded all minimum requirements as of December 31, 2021. As a registered broker-dealer, G.research is also subject to periodic examination by FINRA, the SEC and the state
regulatory authorities.
Our trading and investment activities for client accounts are regulated under the Exchange Act, as well as the rules of various U.S. and non-U.S.
securities exchanges and self-regulatory organizations, including laws governing trading on inside information, market manipulation and a broad number of technical requirements (e.g., short sale limits,
volume limitations and reporting obligations) and market regulation policies in the United States and globally. Violation of any of these laws and regulations could result in restrictions on our activities and damage our reputation.
The institutional research and brokerage services industry is likely to continue facing a high level of regulatory scrutiny and become subject to
additional rules designed to increase disclosure, tighten controls and reduce potential conflicts of interest. In addition, the SEC has substantially increased its use of focused inquiries which request information from broker dealers regarding
particular practices or provisions of the securities laws. We participate in some of these inquiries in the normal course of our business. Changes in laws, regulations and administrative practices by regulatory authorities, and the associated
compliance costs, have increased our cost structure and could in the future have a material adverse impact. Although we have installed procedures and utilize the services of experienced administrators, accountants and lawyers to assist us in
adhering to regulatory guidelines and satisfying these requirements, and maintain insurance to protect ourselves in the case of client losses, there can be no assurance that the precautions and procedures that we have instituted and installed, or
the insurance that we maintain to protect ourselves in case of client losses, will protect us from all potential liabilities.
The Patriot Act
The USA Patriot Act of 2001 contains anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws and mandates the implementation of various new regulations
applicable to broker-dealers and other financial services companies, including standards for verifying client identification at account opening, and obligations to monitor client transactions and report suspicious activities. Anti-money laundering
laws outside of the United States contain some similar provisions. Our failure to comply with these requirements could have a material adverse effect on us.
Employees
The Company has one executive officer and 4 employees performing day-to-day functions. The Company was a subsidiary of AC and can avail itself of the
transition services agreement with GAMCO.
Real Estate Properties
The Company does not own any properties. The Company is currently renting office space located at 401 Theodore Fremd Avenue in Rye, New York from AC
under AC’s leasehold with GAMCO.
Status as a Smaller Reporting Company
Under the Exchange Act, we qualify as a “smaller reporting company,” which is defined as a company with either (a) public float of less than $250 million
or (b) less than $100 million in annual revenues and (1) no public float or (2) public float of less than $700 million. As a smaller reporting company, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements
that are applicable to other public companies that are not “smaller reporting companies.” These exemptions include reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and two, instead of
three, fiscal years of audited financial statements.
We may take advantage of some or all of the reduced regulatory and reporting requirements that will be available to us as long as we qualify as a smaller
reporting company, except that we have irrevocably elected not to take advantage of the extension of time to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards available under Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act.