Birks Group Discloses Receipt of Notice From NYSE American

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Birks Group Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE American LLC: BGI), announced that it has received notice from the NYSE American LLC (“NYSE American”) on August 7, 2020 that the Company was not in compliance with the continued listing standards set forth in Section 1003(a)(ii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the “Company Guide”). That section applies if a listed company has stockholders’ equity of less than U.S. $4.0 million and has reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years. The Company reported stockholders’ equity of U.S $2.5 million (CAD $3.4 million) as of its fiscal year ended March 28, 2020, and has reported losses from continuing operations in each of its last four most recent fiscal years including the fiscal year ended March 28, 2020, despite reporting net income in two of its last four fiscal years. As a result, the Company has become subject to the procedures and requirements of Section 1009 of the Company Guide and must submit a plan to NYSE American by September 6, 2020 addressing how the Company intends to regain compliance with Section 1003(a)(ii) by February 6, 2022.

The Company intends to timely deliver a plan of compliance to NYSE American. If the Company does not submit a plan, or if the plan the Company submits is not accepted by NYSE American, the Company will be subject to delisting proceedings as specified in the Company Guide. In addition, if the plan is accepted by NYSE American, but the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards by February 6, 2022, or if the Company does not make progress consistent with the plan, the Company will be subject to delisting proceedings. If the plan is accepted, the Company will also be subject to periodic NYSE American reviews, including quarterly monitoring for compliance with the plan.

Receipt of the notice does not affect the Company’s business, operations, financial or liquidity condition, or reporting requirements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. During this time, the Company’s Class A voting shares will continue to be listed and trade on the symbol “BGI.”

About Birks Group Inc.

Birks Group is a leading designer of fine jewellery, timepieces and gifts and operator of luxury jewellery stores in Canada. The Company operates 27 stores under the Maison Birks brand in most major metropolitan markets in Canada, one retail location in Calgary under the Brinkhaus brand and two retail locations in Vancouver under the Graff and Patek Philippe brands. Birks Collections are available at Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths in the United Kingdom in addition to several jewellery retailers across North America. Birks was founded in 1879 and has become Canada’s premier retailer and designer of fine jewellery, timepieces, and gifts. Additional information can be found on the Company’s web site, www.birks.com

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking” statements. Given such statements include various risks and uncertainties, actual results might differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and no assurance can be given that we will meet the results projected in the forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: (i) the magnitude and length of economic disruption as a result of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, including its impact on macroeconomic conditions, generally, as well as its impact on the results of operations and financial condition of the Company and the trading price of its shares, (ii) economic, political and market conditions, including the economies of Canada and the U.S., which could adversely affect the Company’s business, operating results or financial condition, including its revenue and profitability, through the impact of changes in the real estate markets, changes in the equity markets and decreases in consumer confidence and the related changes in consumer spending patterns, the impact on store traffic, tourism and sales; (iii) the impact of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, increases in commodity prices and borrowing costs and their related impact on the Company’s costs and expenses; (iv) the Company’s ability to maintain and obtain sufficient sources of liquidity to fund its operations, to achieve planned sales, gross margin and net income, to keep costs low, to implement its business strategy, maintain relationships with its primary vendors, to mitigate fluctuations in the availability and prices of the Company’s merchandise, to compete with other jewelers, to succeed in its marketing initiatives, and to have a successful customer service program; (v) the Company’s ability to execute its strategic vision; (vi) acceptance of the Company’s plan by the NYSE American, and (vii) the Company’s ability to achieve compliance with the NYSE America’s continued listing standards within the required time frame. Information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 2020 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.