Core Viewpoint - BARK, Inc. has engaged Moelis & Company LLC and Sidley Austin LLP to assist its Special Committee in evaluating proposals for the acquisition of the company, indicating potential strategic changes ahead [1][3]. Proposal Details - The Great Dane Group, which includes current stockholders such as CEO Matt Meeker, has proposed to acquire all outstanding shares not owned by them for $0.90 per share in an all-cash transaction [2]. - The GNK/Lemonis Group has made a competing proposal to acquire all outstanding shares not owned by them for $1.10 per share, also in an all-cash transaction [2]. Company Overview - BARK is a leading global omnichannel dog brand focused on enhancing the happiness of dogs through various products and services, including subscription boxes and premium dog food [4]. - Founded in 2011, BARK serves millions of dogs across the nation and partners with major retailers like Target, Chewy, and Amazon [4].

Core Viewpoint - BARK has launched a new video series titled "Who's A Good Guest?" aimed at engaging dog owners and promoting the brand's mission to enhance the happiness of dogs [1] Group 1: New Product Launch - The video series is hosted by entertainment journalist Josh Horowitz and produced by both BARK and Horowitz [1] - Season one features a lineup of notable dog parents, including Zoey Deutch, Dylan O'Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Johnny Knoxville, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Patrick Wilson [1] - The first episode, which showcases Dylan O'Brien and his dog Tony, has debuted [1]

Valuation and Financial Performance - BARK trades at approximately 0.31× price/sales compared to a 1.15× specialty-retail median, with a price/book ratio near multi-year lows at 1.6×, indicating potential upside if subscriber growth stabilizes and margins improve [1] - In Q2, BARK reported revenue of $107 million, a 15% year-over-year decline, driven by fewer subscription orders, while direct-to-consumer sales fell 20% [11] - The net loss widened to $10.7 million from a $5.3 million loss in the prior year, and free cash flow was negative $19.9 million, with cash on hand at $63.4 million [11][12] Market Activity and Investor Sentiment - BARK shares fell about 50% over the past year due to slowing growth, softening demand, and rising costs, but a recent 30% rally was sparked by takeover speculation [2] - A non-binding take-private proposal at $0.90 per share from an insider group led by CEO Matt Meeker sent shares surging over 30%, putting BARK back on traders' radar [6][8] - Analyst sentiment is mixed, with Canaccord Genuity adopting a cautious stance and lowering its price target to $2, while Lake Street Capital Markets maintains a "Buy" rating with a target of $3, reflecting a potential upside of 150% to 400% [13][14] Strategic Initiatives and Challenges - BARK introduced a Subscriber Perks package valued at approximately $1,500 annually for BarkBox members to enhance subscriber value and monetization [3] - The company is focused on cost discipline and diversification, having repaid a $45 million convertible note, making it debt-free, and extending its $35 million line of credit [12] - The consumer-discretionary sector faces pressure from economic uncertainty, inflation, and tariffs, impacting margins and leading to choppy trading for pet and subscription-based retailers [7]

Core Viewpoint - GNK Holdings LLC, along with Marcus Lemonis, has submitted a preliminary, non-binding indication of interest to acquire BARK, Inc. for $1.10 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $188.7 million, representing a 22% premium over a previous proposal by Great Dane Ventures, LLC [1][2]. Company Overview - BARK, Inc. is being targeted for acquisition due to its strong brand and customer loyalty, with the Group believing it presents a compelling opportunity for value creation through improved operational execution and customer engagement [3][5]. - GNK Holdings LLC is a private investment firm focused on consumer and retail investments, emphasizing operational value creation and disciplined capital deployment [6]. Proposed Transaction Details - The proposed acquisition values BARK at an implied enterprise value of around $188.7 million, with the offer of $1.10 per share representing a 22% premium [2]. - The transaction is subject to customary conditions, confirmatory due diligence, and the negotiation of definitive agreements, with an accelerated timeline for completion expected within approximately 30 days [8]. - Financing for the transaction will be sourced through equity capital and debt [8].

Core Viewpoint - Bark Inc's shares experienced a significant increase of 19.9% to $0.74 in pre-market trading following a non-binding acquisition proposal from Great Dane, as disclosed in a 13D filing [1] Gainers - Signing Day Sports Inc saw a substantial gain of 43.7% to $0.71 in pre-market trading [4] - Ping An Biomedical Co Ltd rose by 34.3% to $0.27 after a previous decline of 68% on Friday [4] - Abivax SA increased by 23.6% to $141.35, with Morgan Stanley analyst Judah Frommer maintaining an Overweight rating and raising the price target from $101 to $145 [4] - Cellectar Biosciences Inc gained 18.4% to $3.65 after a 7% drop on Friday [4] - China SXT Pharmaceuticals Inc surged 17.5% to $0.18 following an 88% decline on Friday, announcing a $10 million registered direct offering [4] - Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Ltd increased by 13.8% to $12.55 [4] - Critical Metals Corp rose 12.3% to $16.82 after an 11% increase on Friday [4] - Rich Sparkle Holdings Ltd gained 11.7% to $97.00, following a 259% jump on Friday after announcing a $39 million offering of 3 million shares at $13 per share [4] - 3 E Network Technology Group Ltd rose 10.3% to $0.41 after announcing the closing of a $2 million convertible promissory note offering [4] Losers - Lexaria Bioscience Corp fell 12.9% to $0.65 after a 7% gain on Friday [4] - Plus Therapeutics Inc declined 11.8% to $0.49, announcing an offering of 22,321,429 pre-funded units at $0.56 per unit [4] - RenovoRx Inc fell 11.3% to $0.99 after a 3% decline on Friday [4] - Synchrony Financial dipped 9.5% to $78.61 [4] - Eastern International Ltd shares decreased by 9.1% to $1.41 after a 30% increase on Friday [4] - Stoke Therapeutics Inc declined 8.7% to $30.00, announcing updates to timelines for the completion of enrollment and Phase 3 data readout from the EMPEROR study [4] - Capital One Financial Corp fell 8.4% to $228.35 [4] - Bread Financial Holdings Inc tumbled 8.3% to $73.72 [4] - OSR Holdings Inc decreased by 8% to $0.61 after a 6% gain on Friday [4] - Himalaya Shipping Ltd dipped 5.7% to $8.72 [4]

Core Viewpoint - BARK, Inc. has received a preliminary non-binding indicative proposal from Great Dane Ventures, LLC, which includes a group of current stockholders [1] Group 1 - The proposal letter was noted in a Schedule 13D filing made on January 9, 2026 [1] - Great Dane Ventures, LLC is comprised of a group of the Company's current stockholders, including Matt Meeker, the Company's Chief [1]

Core Viewpoint - NYSE Regulation has decided to delist the warrants for BARK, Inc., while trading of the company's common stock will continue on the NYSE [1] Group 1 - The warrants, identified by the ticker symbol BARK WS, are each exercisable for one share of common stock of BARK, Inc. [1] - Trading in the warrants will be suspended immediately on the NYSE [1] - The common stock of BARK, Inc., identified by the ticker symbol BARK, will remain available for trading on the NYSE [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for the second quarter was $107 million, exceeding the high end of guidance, with adjusted EBITDA at negative $1.4 million within guidance range [5][12][18] - The company is now debt-free after paying off a $45 million convertible note, strengthening its balance sheet [4][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The commerce segment generated $24.8 million in revenue, up 6% year over year, contributing 24% to total revenue, marking an all-time high [5][12] - BARK Air revenue reached $3.6 million, up more than 138% year over year and 54% from the prior quarter, with a 99% five-star review rate [6][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Direct-to-consumer (D2C) revenue, excluding BARK Air, was $78.5 million, down from last year due to a smaller subscriber base and moderated marketing spend [12][13] - The company experienced the lowest customer acquisition cost since fiscal 2023, with two-thirds of new subscribers opting for premium offerings [9][10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on revenue diversification and maintaining bottom-line discipline, with plans to expand retail distribution and product assortment [5][12] - The partnership with the Girl Scouts for their annual cookie program is expected to enhance brand awareness and revenue opportunities [7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in executing the plan despite external challenges such as tariffs and macroeconomic volatility, aiming for profitability by the end of the fiscal year [22][25] - The company anticipates improved gross margins in the second half of fiscal 2026 due to strategic sourcing and price increases [14][18] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with $63 million in cash, down $22 million sequentially due to working capital timing [17] - Guidance for the fiscal third quarter is set at total revenue between $101 million and $104 million, with adjusted EBITDA between negative $5 million and negative $1 million [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: What flexibility does being debt-free provide? - Management indicated that being debt-free allows for continued execution of the business plan without the burden of interest payments, focusing on reinvestment for growth [20][21] Question: Confidence in achieving full-year profitability? - Management maintains the goal of being EBITDA positive by year-end, acknowledging the volatility in tariffs and consumer sentiment [25] Question: Factors driving commerce growth? - Growth in the commerce segment is attributed to increased distribution, product availability, and timing benefits from orders shifting into Q2 [26][27] Question: Insights on subscriber acquisition and retention? - Improved retention is driven by a favorable mix of organic customer acquisition and enhancements in the subscription platform, leading to higher quality subscribers [30][34][40]

Revenue Performance - Revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $106,970,000, a decrease of 15.1% compared to $126,111,000 for the same period in 2024[16] - Total revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $106.97 million, a decrease of 15.2% compared to $126.11 million for the same period in 2024[136] - Total revenue for the six months ended September 30, 2025 was $209.8 million, a decrease of $32.5 million or 13.4% compared to $242.3 million in the same period of 2024[149] - Direct to Consumer revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $82.15 million, down 19.9% from $102.60 million in 2024[50] - Direct to Consumer revenue decreased by $38.3 million, or 18.3%, primarily due to a 20.1% decrease in Total Orders and a 0.3% decrease in Average Order Value (AOV)[150] - Commerce revenue increased by $1.3 million, or 5.6%, driven by sales volume from existing and new customers[139] Profit and Loss - Gross profit for the six months ended September 30, 2025, was $126,037,000, down from $149,378,000 in the prior year, reflecting a decline of 15.6%[16] - Net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $10,672,000, compared to a net loss of $5,263,000 for the same period in 2024, representing a 102.8% increase in losses[16] - For the six months ended September 30, 2025, the net loss was $17.7 million, compared to a net loss of $15.3 million for the same period in 2024, representing an increase in loss of approximately 15.7%[24] - Total gross profit for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $62.0 million, compared to $76.1 million for the same period in 2024, reflecting a decrease of 18.5%[98] - The net loss attributable to common stockholders for the three months ended September 30, 2025 was $10,672,000, resulting in a net loss per share of $(0.06)[91] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Cash flows from operating activities resulted in a net cash used of $23.5 million for the six months ended September 30, 2025, compared to a net cash provided of $4.6 million in the same period of 2024[24] - The company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $63.4 million as of September 30, 2025, which is expected to be sufficient to fund operations for at least the next 12 months[176] - Free cash flow for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $(19,926,000), a decrease from $966,000 in the same period in 2024[175] - The net decrease in cash and restricted cash for the six months ended September 30, 2025, was $28.9 million, significantly higher than the $5.8 million decrease in 2024[188] - The company incurred net cash used in investing activities of $2.6 million in 2025, a decrease from $3.9 million in 2024, primarily due to software development costs and capital expenditures[191] Assets and Liabilities - Total current assets decreased to $193,940,000 as of September 30, 2025, from $201,637,000 as of March 31, 2025, a decline of 3.4%[13] - Total liabilities increased slightly to $161,508,000 as of September 30, 2025, compared to $161,109,000 as of March 31, 2025[13] - Cash and cash equivalents decreased to $63,427,000 as of September 30, 2025, down from $94,022,000 as of March 31, 2025, a decline of 32.5%[13] - Total stockholders' equity decreased to $86,472,000 as of September 30, 2025, from $99,526,000 as of March 31, 2025, a decline of 13.1%[13] Operating Expenses - Operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $72,619,000, a decrease of 11.3% from $81,808,000 in the same period in 2024[16] - General and administrative expenses decreased by $5.92 million, or 9.4%, primarily due to lower shipping and fulfillment costs and decreased compensation expenses[144] - Advertising and marketing expenses decreased by $3.27 million, or 17.5%, attributed to reduced Direct to Consumer marketing spend[145] Stock and Equity - The Company had deferred revenue of $20.0 million as of September 30, 2025, compared to $21.3 million as of March 31, 2025[52] - The Company did not repurchase any shares during the three months ended September 30, 2025, but repurchased 1,310,627 shares for $1.8 million during the six months ended September 30, 2025[68] - The total number of stock options to purchase common stock as of September 30, 2025 was 8,958,512, down from 10,773,297 in 2024[92] - The Company granted equity awards for 25,000 and 1,087,500 shares of common stock during the six months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, at weighted average exercise prices of $1.26 and $1.37[77] Future Outlook - The company expects its cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operations for at least the next twelve months despite recurring losses[32] - The company anticipates significant long-term growth in its consumables category, driven by new product offerings and market expansion[126] - The company is currently navigating challenges related to customer acquisition and retention, which may impact future revenue growth[206][208] - The company expects future capital requirements to depend on customer growth and investments in partnerships and unexplored channels, indicating potential for additional equity or debt financing[176]

Core Insights - Bark reported Q3 CY2025 results that exceeded market revenue expectations, with sales of $107 million, although this represents a 15.2% year-on-year decline [1][8] - The company's revenue guidance for the next quarter is $102.5 million, which is 4% below analysts' estimates [1] - Bark's non-GAAP loss per share was $0.03, missing analysts' consensus by $0.02 [1] Company Overview - Bark specializes in subscription-based, personalized pet products, gaining recognition through its BarkBox offering [4] Financial Performance - Bark's revenue growth over the last five years has been a compounded annual growth rate of 9.8%, which is below the benchmark for the consumer discretionary sector [5] - The company has experienced a decline in revenue over the past two years, with an annual decrease of 5.3% [6] - For Q3 CY2025, Bark's revenue was $107 million, beating analyst estimates of $104.3 million by 2.6% [7] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was -$1.44 million, significantly missing analyst estimates [7] - The operating margin for the quarter was -10%, a decline from -4.5% in the same quarter last year [7] - Free cash flow was reported at -$19.93 million, down from $966,000 in the same quarter last year [7] Future Guidance - Management is guiding for an 18.9% year-on-year decline in sales for the next quarter [8] - EBITDA guidance for Q4 CY2025 is projected at -$3 million, below analyst estimates of -$1.43 million [7]