Note 7 – Commitments and Contingencies

The Company was named as a defendant in a putative class action filed in May 2018 in the Superior Court of California, Miles v. Kirkland’s Stores, Inc. The case has been removed to United States District Court for the Central District of California. The complaint alleges, on behalf of Miles and all other hourly Kirkland’s employees in California, various wage and hour violations and seeks unpaid wages, statutory and civil penalties, monetary damages and injunctive relief. Kirkland’s denies the material allegations in the complaint and believes that its employment policies are generally compliant with California law. On March 22, 2022, the District Court denied the plaintiff’s motion to certify in its entirety, and on May 26, 2022, the Ninth Circuit granted the plaintiff’s petition for permission to appeal. The appeal was argued before the Ninth Circuit on November 13, 2023, and on January 8, 2024, the Court issued its opinion affirming the District Court in part and reversing in part. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of certification as to the subclasses related to the security bag check and reversed as to the rest break claim. The Ninth Circuit did not find that there is liability nor that the rest break claim is certified. On February 28, 2025, the District Court dismissed this case in its entirety, without prejudice. On May 2, 2025, a complaint was refiled in this matter in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The Company continues to believe the case is without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegations.

The Company was named as a defendant in a putative class action filed in August 2022 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Sicard v. Kirkland’s Stores, Inc. The complaint alleges, on behalf of Sicard and all other hourly store employees based in New York, that Kirkland’s violated New York Labor Law Section 191 by failing to pay him and the putative class members their wages within seven calendar days after the end of the week in which those wages were earned, rather paying wages on a bi-weekly basis. Plaintiff claims the putative class is entitled to recover from the Company the amount of their untimely paid wages as liquidated damages, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. The Company believes the case is without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegations.

On June 12, 2024, the Company was sued in Federal Court in Memphis by Rugs America Corp. for allegedly breaching a 2019 letter of understanding between the parties regarding the display and sale of Rugs America rugs in the Company’s stores. Rugs America claims that the Company, among other things, displayed non-Rugs America rugs on its rug fixtures in violation of the understanding and is asking for $5 million in damages. The Company maintains that the term of the understanding was for only two years, expiring in 2021, and believes that it was in compliance during the two-year term. On May 30, 2025, the Court granted the Company’s request to assert a counterclaim against Rugs America arising out of Rugs America’s refusal to retrieve the rug racks from Kirkland’s stores. The alleged damages in the counterclaim are expected to be $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages. Discovery is currently pending in this litigation. After discovery is completed, the Company intends to file a motion for summary judgment, asking the Court to dismiss Rugs America’s claims before trial. The Company believes Rugs America’s claim is without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegations.

The Company is also party to other pending legal proceedings and claims that arise in the normal course of business. Although the outcome of such proceedings and claims cannot be determined with certainty, the Company’s management is of the opinion that it is unlikely that such proceedings and any claims in excess of insurance coverage will have a material effect on its consolidated financial condition, operating results or cash flows.