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SHORT-TERM DEBT

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2025

14.

SHORT-TERM DEBT

Operating Line of Credit

In July 2025, the Company renewed its $30.0 million line of credit with a maturity date of June 28, 2027. The interest rate on the line of credit is the “Wall Street Journal” Prime Rate (the index) with a floor of 4.99%.

The line of credit is limited to a borrowing base calculation as summarized below:


	September 30, 2025			September 30, 2024
Eligible borrowing base	$	27,657,997		$	25,089,446

Borrowed on line of credit		24,750,000			4,500,000

Line of credit balance available	$	2,907,997		$	20,589,446

Interest rate		7.25	%		8.5	%

The Company’s $24.8 million and $4.5 million line of credit borrowings are recorded as a long-term debt as of September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

The modified financial covenants for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, and all subsequent quarters, are below:

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Minimum tangible net worth of $28.0 million,

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Minimum traditional debt service coverage of 1.50x on a rolling twelve- month basis,

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Minimum current ratio of 1.20x,

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Maximum debt to tangible net worth ratio (“TNW”) of 2.75x,

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Each ratio and covenant shall be determined, tested, and measured as of each calendar quarter beginning June 30, 2023,

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The Company shall maintain a ratio of Maximum Senior Funded Debt (“SFD”) to Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBDITA”) equal to or less than 3.5:1. SFD shall mean any funded debt or lease of the Company, other than subordinated debt. The covenant shall be tested quarterly, at the end of each fiscal quarter, with EBITDA based on the preceding four quarters.

The Company’s lender has agreed to omit the effect of the PPP loan restatement from the Company’s covenant compliance calculations while a final decision on PPP loan forgiveness remains in question. The Company was not in compliance with all covenants at September 30, 2025 and received a waiver from its lender. The Company projects to meet all covenant requirements for the next twelve months.

Paycheck Protection Program Loans

Due to the economic uncertainties created by COVID-19 and limited operating funds available, the Company applied for loans under the PPP. On April 15, 2020, the Company and its subsidiaries, C.J. Hughes, Contractors Rental and Nitro, entered into separate PPP notes effective April 7, 2020, with its Lender in an aggregate principal amount of $13.1 million pursuant to the PPP Loans. In a special meeting held on April 27, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Company unanimously voted to return $3.3 million of the PPP Loans after discussing the financing needs of the Company and subsidiaries. That left the Company and subsidiaries with $9.8 million in PPP Loans to fund operations. During fiscal year 2021, the Company received notice that the SBA had granted forgiveness of the $9.8 million of PPP Loans and the SBA repaid the Lender in full. The forgiveness was recorded as other income for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021.

During April 2023, management received notification from the SBA that one of the Company’s forgiveness applications related to the PPP Loans was under review. As part of the review, the SBA requested additional payroll information. Additionally, the SBA requested information regarding the ability of the Company’s affiliates to meet SBA size standards and/or PPP corporate maximum limits. The requested information was subsequently provided to the SBA through the Lender. The Company recognizes that there is a possibility that the SBA could reverse its previous determination on the forgiveness of the PPP Loans. As a result of this uncertainty, the Company restated the previously issued audited financial statements of the Company for fiscal 2022 and 2021. The Company has recorded a short-term borrowing due to the SBA inquiry for the full $9.8 million, plus accrued interest.

During July 2023, management received notification from the SBA that two additional forgiveness applications related to the PPP Loans were under review. As part of the review, the SBA requested information regarding the ability of the Company’s affiliates to meet SBA size standards and/or PPP corporate maximum limits. The requested information was subsequently provided to the SBA through the Lender. As of September 30, 2025, there have been no further requests or communications from the SBA relating to the PPP Loans.

Borrowers must retain PPP documentation for at least six years after the date the loan is forgiven or paid in full, and the SBA and SBA Inspector General must be granted these files upon request. The SBA could revisit its forgiveness decision and determine that the Company does not qualify in whole or in part for loan forgiveness and demand repayment of the loans. In addition, it is unknown what type of penalties could be assessed against the Company if the SBA disagrees with the Company’s certification. Any penalties in addition to the potential repayment of the PPP Loans could negatively impact the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations and prospects.