Advertisement
Canada markets closed

  • S&P/TSX

    21,873.72
    -138.00 (-0.63%)
     

  • S&P 500

    5,071.63
    +1.08 (+0.02%)
     

  • DOW

    38,460.92
    -42.77 (-0.11%)
     

  • CAD/USD

    0.7302
    +0.0005 (+0.07%)
     

  • CRUDE OIL

    82.71
    -0.10 (-0.12%)
     

  • Bitcoin CAD

    88,593.57
    -2,797.88 (-3.06%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,392.24
    -31.86 (-2.24%)
     

  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,329.20
    -9.20 (-0.39%)
     

  • RUSSELL 2000

    1,995.43
    -7.22 (-0.36%)
     

  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.6520
    +0.0540 (+1.17%)
     

  • NASDAQ futures

    17,479.50
    -185.00 (-1.05%)
     

  • VOLATILITY

    15.97
    +0.28 (+1.78%)
     

  • FTSE

    8,040.38
    -4.43 (-0.06%)
     

  • NIKKEI 225

    37,930.33
    -529.75 (-1.38%)
     

  • CAD/EUR

    0.6819
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     

David Kanen , president of KWM LLC issues letter to PRTS CEO and board highlighting poor stock performance and value creation strategy

KWM | Philotimo
·3 min read

CORAL SPRING, Fla., March 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Dear Mr. Meniane and the Members of the Board

I am writing on behalf of Kanen Wealth Management, LLC which, together with its affiliates (“Kanen” or “we”), is one of CarParts.com, Inc.’s (“PRTS” or the “Company”) largest stockholders, owning approximately 3 million shares of the Company’s common stock. As you know, we have attempted, on multiple occasions, to privately address our concerns with management's failure to meaningfully generate stockholder value at PRTS. These engagements have been to no avail. Unfortunately, we are now forced to publicly communicate our frustrations in a way that may be unflattering to Mr. Meniane and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).

As you may be aware, in early 2019, when Mr. Mehran Nia and I had recently joined the Board, the Company’s market cap was approximately $40 million. By April of 2021, just two years later, PRTS’s stock was approximately $17 per share and the Company’s market cap had risen to over $815 million. At that time, Mr. Nia and I had both resigned from the Board to pursue other ventures, thinking that the Company was well-positioned for continued growth. Sadly, we were mistaken, as since then, the Company’s market cap has declined by half a billion dollars and PRTS’s stock price now sits at less than $6 per share.

ADVERTISEMENT

Against this precipitous decline in the Company’s stock price, it was puzzling to hear Mr. Meniane state on the Company’s recent Q4 earnings call:

“The key to our success lies in our culture and our commitment to shareholders. We’ve built an incredible business centered around positive unit economics, repeat customers and a laser focus on financial discipline, all with the intention of maximizing long-term shareholder value.”

Mr. Meniane, clearly you are seeing something the stockholders are not seeing. We certainly don’t see your commitment to stockholders. Nor do we see how you are “maximizing long-term shareholder value” given the Company’s declining market cap and stock price. Do you think that stockholders don’t understand the situation? Mr. Meniane, we feel the need to remind you that the Company’s stock price and market cap are the ultimate scorecards of success. Under your watch as COO, CFO, and now CEO, the Company has suffered $500 million destruction of stockholder value! This is the unpleasant truth – and we need the Company to address it.

In our private conversations, you have demonstrated a clear disregard for meaningful input from one of your largest stockholders. To date, we have requested, among other things, that: (1) Mr. Nia rejoin the Board; (2) the Company actively repurchase shares pursuant to the stock repurchase program announced last year; and (3) the Company review and rationalize expenses. Each time, you have rebuffed our input and failed to implement any of our suggestions. Your desperate attempts to shun friendly advice from significant and concerned stockholders reflect poorly on the state of the Company’s corporate governance and highlight your indifference to the interests of some of your most important stakeholders.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that the Company immediately take the following actions to restore stockholder value at PRTS:

 

1)

Repurchase shares under the previously announced $30 million share repurchase program announced in 2022;

 

2)

Conduct a detailed and thoughtful expense rationalization program;

 

3)

Halt any further equity dilution until stockholder value is restored to peak levels;

 

4)

Form a strategic review committee to explore alternatives that maximize stockholder value including a sale of the Company;

 

5)

Re-instate me as a shareholder representative in the boardroom; and

 

6)

Consult with Mr. Nia to determine his desire and willingness to be re-instated as a director to the Board, and appoint him to the Board if he’s so willing to serve.

We hope that this serves as a wake-up call to management and the Board and begins a productive and collaborative dialogue. Otherwise, we intend to take all steps necessary to restore stockholder value at PRTS.

Very truly yours,

KANEN WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC


David Kanen
President
dkanen@kanenadvisory.com