Note 1 - Business and Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

NOTE 1—BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Business

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries’ (the “Company” or “Lindblad”) mission is offering life-changing adventures around the world and pioneering innovative ways to allow its guests to connect with exotic and remote places. The Company currently operates a fleet of ten owned expedition ships and five seasonal charter vessels under the Lindblad brand, operates land-based, eco-conscious expeditions and active nature focused tours under the Natural Habitat, Inc. (“Natural Habitat”) and Off the Beaten Path, LLC (“Off the Beaten Path”) brands, designs handcrafted walking tours under the Classic Journeys, LLC (“Classic Journeys”) brand and operates luxury cycling and adventure tours under the DuVine Cycling + Adventure Company (“DuVine”) brand.

The Company operates the following two reportable business segments:

Lindblad Segment. The Lindblad segment primarily provides ship-based expeditions aboard customized, nimble and intimately-scaled vessels that are able to venture where larger cruise ships cannot, thus allowing Lindblad to offer up-close experiences in the planet’s wild and remote places and capitals of culture. Each expedition ship is fully equipped with state-of-the-art tools for in-depth exploration and the majority of expeditions involve travel to remote places with limited infrastructure and ports, such as Antarctica and the Arctic, or places that are best accessed by a ship, such as the Galápagos Islands, Alaska, Baja California’s Sea of Cortez and Panama, and foster active engagement by guests. The Company has an alliance with National Geographic Partners, LLC (“National Geographic”), which provides for lecturers and National Geographic experts, including photographers, writers, marine biologists, naturalists, field researchers and film crews, to join many of the Company’s expeditions.

Land Experiences Segment. The Land Experiences segment includes our four primarily land-based brands, Natural Habitat, DuVine, Off the Beaten Path and Classic Journeys.

● Natural Habitat specializes in conservation-oriented adventures, providing life-enhancing forays into the natural world that feature wild habitats and the animals and people who live there. Natural Habitat’s travel adventures provide unparalleled access to the planet's most extraordinary wildlife, landscapes and cultures. Natural Habitat’s unique itineraries include access to private wildlife reserves, remote corners of national parks and distinctive, secluded and remote lodges and camps situated where wildlife viewing is best, such as polar bear tours in Churchill, Canada, Alaskan grizzly bear adventures, small-group Galápagos Islands tours and African safaris. Natural Habitat has partnered with World Wildlife Fund (“WWF”) to offer conservation travel, which is sustainable travel that contributes to the protection of nature and wildlife.

● DuVine specializes in luxury cycling and adventure tours around the world, providing immersive cultural and culinary experiences through thoughtfully designed itineraries led by expert local guides. Offerings primarily include tours throughout Europe, the United States and South America. Examples of DuVine’s tours include cycling and culinary tours throughout the Bordeaux and Burgundy wine making regions, Tuscan truffle, porcini and chestnut harvest regions, Napa and Sonoma wine making regions and lakes and volcanos throughout Patagonia. DuVine’s trips include top-quality gear and support and are tailored to riders of all abilities with an emphasis on exceptional food and wine experiences, along with boutique accommodations.

● Off the Beaten Path provides active small-group and private custom journeys around the world with a long-standing focus on offering unique adventures and experiences throughout United States (“U.S.”) National Parks. In addition to other U.S.-based adventures such as ranch vacations and fly-fishing expeditions, Off the Beaten Path’s small-group product offerings include international expeditions across Europe, Africa, Australia, Central and South America and the South Pacific, such as hiking through the Dolomites, family adventures in Patagonia’s Lake District and experiencing the culture of Morocco. All Off the Beaten Path expeditions are defined by a focus on outdoor activity led by experienced, friendly guides.

● Classic Journeys offers highly curated active small-group and private custom journeys centered around cinematic walks focused on engaging experiences that immerse guests into the history and culture of the places they are exploring and the people who live there, led by expert local guides in over 50 countries around the world. Classic Journeys’ tours are highlighted by luxury boutique accommodations and handcrafted itineraries curated through years of local connections such as experiencing Tuscan farmhouse kitchens, exploring Minoan ruins in Crete, or eating and dancing around a Berber encampment campfire.

The Company’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “LIND”.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) regarding unaudited interim financial information and include the accounts and transactions of the Company. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial statements for the periods presented. Operating results for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full year due to seasonality and other factors. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP have been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim reporting. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2021 contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2022 (the “2021 Annual Report”).

There have been no significant changes to the Company’s accounting policies from those disclosed in the 2021 Annual Report.

Ramp of Fleet Operations and COVID-19 Business Update

The Company continued to ramp its operations during the second quarter of 2022, providing immersive expeditions across all ten of its owned vessels including trips to Alaska, the Arctic, the Galápagos Islands, Iceland, Norway and the Baltic and North Seas. Due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the effects of travel restrictions around the world, the Company suspended or rescheduled the majority of its expeditions departing between March 16, 2020 through May 31, 2021. Travel restrictions related to COVID-19 have diminished dramatically, and the Company continues to work with local authorities on plans to operate itineraries in additional geographies during the second half of 2022 and in 2023. Where travel restrictions remain, which also includes a limited number of itineraries impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Company is adjusting itineraries where possible, and working with guests to reschedule travel plans and refund payments or issue future travel certificates, as applicable.

The Company believes there are a variety of strategic advantages that enable it to deploy its ships safely and quickly, while mitigating the risk of COVID-19 as travel restrictions are lifted. The most notable is the size of its owned and operated vessels which range from 48 to 148 passengers, allowing for a highly controlled environment that includes stringent cleaning protocols. The small nature of the Company’s ships also allows it to efficiently and effectively test its guests and crew prior to boarding, or as otherwise needed. Additionally, all guests age five and older, crew and staff are required to be fully vaccinated and the majority of expeditions take place in remote locations where human interactions are limited, so there is less opportunity for external influence.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

As of June 30, 2022, the Company had $126.9 million in unrestricted cash and $48.8 million in restricted cash primarily related to deposits on future travel originating from U.S. ports and credit card reserves.

As of June 30, 2022, the Company had a total debt position of $578.2 million and was in compliance with all of its debt covenants in effect. The Company estimates that it will be in compliance with all applicable covenants over the next 12 months. 

During May 2022, the Company further amended its senior secured export credit agreements to extend the waiver of its net leverage coverage ratio from March 2022 through December 31, 2022.

On February 4, 2022, the Company issued $360.0 million of 6.75% senior secured notes, maturing 2027, and entered into a new $45.0 million revolving credit facility, including a letter of credit sub-facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $5.0 million. Proceeds from the senior secured note issuance were used primarily to pay the outstanding borrowings under the Company's prior credit agreement, including the term facility, Main Street Loan and the revolving credit facility. The senior secured notes are guaranteed on a senior secured basis by the Company and certain of the Company’s subsidiaries and are collateralized by certain of the Company’s assets.