Get Started for Free Contexxia identifies hard-to-find pieces of information in SEC filings. No more highlighters, no more redlining, no more poring over huge documents. OPPENHEIMER HOLDINGS INC (791963) 10-Q published on May 01, 2020 at 8:45 am
Reporting Period: Mar 30, 2020
As of March 31, 2020, the Company has $45.0 million of notes receivable. Notes receivable represents recruiting and retention payments generally in the form of upfront loans to financial advisers and key revenue producers as part of the Company's overall growth strategy. These notes generally amortize over a service period of 3 to 10 years from the initial date of the note or based on productivity levels of employees. All such notes are contingent on the employees' continued employment with the Company. The unforgiven portion of the notes becomes due on demand in the event the employee departs during the service period. At this point any uncollected portion of the notes gets reclassified into a defaulted notes category.
The allowance for uncollectibles is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of the defaulted notes balance to present the net amount expected to be collected. Balances are charged-off against the allowance when management deems the amount to be uncollectible.
On January 30, 2020, the spread of the novel coronavirus was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization ("WHO"). Subsequently, on March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. The United States now has the world’s most reported COVID-19 cases, and all 50 states and the District of Columbia have reported cases of infected individuals. Several states, including the State of New York, where we are headquartered, have declared states of emergency. Our management is continuously monitoring the situation and providing frequent communications to both external clients and our employee partners. We have adopted enhanced cleaning practices in most of our offices, taken measures to restrict non-essential business travel and have practices in place to quarantine employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19, or show any relevant symptoms. Since early March 2020, the Company implemented a Business Continuity Plan whereby we have requested that the vast majority of our employees work remotely with only a few "essential" employees reporting to our offices. We accomplished this by significantly expanding the use of technology infrastructure that facilitates remote operations. Our ability to avoid significant business disruptions are predicated on the continued facilitation of remote operations. To date, there have been no significant disruptions to our business or control processes as a result of this dispersion of employees.
The performance of the financial markets during the first quarter of 2020 was a tale of two diametrical halves split almost equally. The quarter began with financial markets weathering the threat of war in the Middle East rallying to new highs by mid-February fueled by an easy monetary policy, 50-year record low unemployment, solid corporate earnings, and strong consumer confidence. On February 19, 2020, the S&P 500 index hit an all-time high of 3,386 while the CBOE Volatility Index ("VIX") stood at 14.38, well below its 20-year average of 19.7. Then, as a result of the realization of the seriousness of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the equity markets dramatically reversed course amidst extreme volatility and fell into “bear market territory” in record time. At its low point on March 23, 2020, the S&P 500 was down almost 34% from its all-time high as a reaction to COVID-19 Pandemic-related news and Federal and state government action taken to shut down the U.S. economy. The equities markets then rebounded from their lows during the last week in March in response to the Congressional passage of a $2 trillion economic rescue package and aggressive steps to further ease monetary policy by the Federal Reserve with the S&P 500 closing the quarter down 20%. During this period, the VIX rose sharply before hitting its peak of 82.69 on March 16, 2020 and ended the quarter at 53.54.
The ongoing COVID-19 global and national health emergency has caused significant disruption in the international and United States economies and financial markets. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 has caused illness, quarantines, cancellation of events and travel, business and school shutdowns, reduction in business activity and financial transactions, labor shortages, supply chain interruptions and overall economic and financial market instability. The United States now has the world’s most reported COVID-19 cases, and all 50 states and the District of Columbia have reported cases of infected individuals. Several states, including New York, where we are headquartered, have declared states of emergency. Similar impacts have been experienced in every country in which we do business. Impacts to our business could be widespread and global, and material impacts may be possible, including the
We are taking precautions to protect the safety and well-being of our employees and customers. However, no assurance can be given that the steps being taken will be deemed to be adequate or appropriate, nor can we predict the level of disruption which will occur to our employees' ability to provide customer support and service. The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has resulted in meaningfully lower stock prices for many companies, as well as the trading prices for our own securities. The further spread of the COVID-19 outbreak may materially disrupt banking and other financial activity generally and in the areas in which we operate. This would likely result in a decline in demand for our products and services, which would negatively impact our liquidity position and our growth strategy. Any one or more of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our and our consolidated subsidiaries' business, operations, consolidated financial condition, and consolidated results of