2016 Form 10-K

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 OR TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TO COMMISSION FILE NO. 001-32750 SPARK NETWORKS, INC. (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER) DELAWARE 20-8901733 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 11150 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 600, Los Angeles, California 90025 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) REGISTRANT’S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (310) 893-0550 SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT: Title of Each Class Name of Each Exchange on which Registered Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share NYSE MKT Preferred Share Purchase Rights NYSE MKT SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: None. Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes No Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “accelerated filer,” “large accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one): Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes No The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity (which consists solely of shares of common stock) held by non- affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2016 was approximately $40,992,324 based on $1.58, the closing price of the registrant’s common stock on the NYSE MKT on June 30, 2016. The registrant had 32,001,046 shares of outstanding common stock, par value $0.001 per share, as of March 16, 2017. Information required by Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III are incorporated by reference from the Proxy Statement for the registrant’s 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Except with respect to information specifically incorporated by reference in the Form 10-K, the Proxy Statement is not deemed to be filed as part hereof. SPARK NETWORKS, INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2016 ITEM Page PART I Item 1. Business........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Item 1A. Risk Factors..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Item 2. Properties......................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Item 3. Legal Proceedings ........................................................................................................................................................... 27 Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.................................................................................................................................................. 29 PART II Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities..... 30 Item 6. Selected Financial Data................................................................................................................................................... 31 Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ......................................... 32 Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk ......................................................................................... 47 Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data............................................................................................................... 47 Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure ......................................... 47 Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.................................................................................................................................................. 47 Item 9B. Other Information............................................................................................................................................................ 48 PART III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.............................................................................................. 48 Item 11. Executive Compensation................................................................................................................................................. 48 Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters....................... 48 Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence................................................................ 48 Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services ......................................................................................................................... 48 PART IV Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules................................................................................................................... 49 Item 16. Form 10-K Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 49 Signatures........................................................................................................................................................................ 53 Spark Networks and Spark Networks logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Spark Networks USA, LLC, one of the Company’s indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. 2 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This annual report on Form 10-K, including the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business,” contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this annual report on Form 10-K, including statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “continue,” “should,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions described in the “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K, regarding, among other matters: our ability to attract members to our websites, convert members into paying subscribers and retain our paying subscribers; the highly competitive nature of our business; our ability to keep pace with rapid technological change and enhance existing or introduce new services; the strength of our existing brands and our ability to maintain and enhance those brands; our ability to effectively manage our operations and attract and retain qualified personnel; the hiring of a new management team, including

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