AMERICAS CARMART INC - Quarter Report: 2007 January (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
[X]
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
For
the fiscal quarter ended:
|
Commission
file number:
|
January
31,
2007
|
0-14939
|
AMERICA’S
CAR-MART, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Texas
|
63-0851141
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
|
802
Southeast Plaza Ave., Suite 200, Bentonville, Arkansas
72712
(Address
of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(479)
464-9944
(Registrant's
telephone number, including area code)
Not
Applicable
(Former
name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last
report)
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 ý
No
o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” in rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer o
|
Accelerated
filer ý
|
Non-accelerated
filer o
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No ý
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common
stock, as of the latest practicable date.
Outstanding
at
|
||
Title
of Each Class
|
March
9, 2007
|
|
Common
stock, par value $.01 per share
|
11,852,875
|
1
Part
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item
1. Financial Statements
Condensed
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
America’s
Car-Mart, Inc.
|
January
31, 2007
|
|||||
(unaudited)
|
April
30, 2006
|
||||
Assets:
|
|||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
304
|
$
|
255
|
|
Accrued
interest on finance receivables
|
762
|
818
|
|||
Finance
receivables, net
|
144,034
|
149,379
|
|||
Inventory
|
11,931
|
10,923
|
|||
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
|
1,102
|
802
|
|||
Income
taxes receivable
|
82
|
-
|
|||
Deferred
tax asset
|
871
|
-
|
|||
Property
and equipment, net
|
16,408
|
15,436
|
|||
|
|||||
$
|
175,494
|
$
|
177,613
|
Liabilities
and stockholders’ equity:
|
||||||
Accounts
payable
|
$
|
2,717
|
$
|
3,095
|
||
Accrued
liabilities
|
7,881
|
8,743
|
||||
Income
taxes payable
|
-
|
1,847
|
||||
Deferred
tax liabilities
|
-
|
1,089
|
||||
Revolving
credit facilities and notes payable
|
43,324
|
43,588
|
||||
53,922
|
58,362
|
|||||
Commitments
and contingencies - See Note H
|
||||||
Stockholders’
equity:
|
||||||
Preferred
stock, par value $.01 per share, 1,000,000 shares
authorized;
|
||||||
none
issued or outstanding
|
-
|
-
|
||||
Common
stock, par value $.01 per share, 50,000,000 shares
authorized;
|
||||||
11,964,125
issued (11,929,274 at April 30, 2006)
|
120
|
119
|
||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
35,185
|
34,588
|
||||
Retained
earnings
|
88,219
|
86,042
|
||||
Less:
Treasury stock, at cost, 111,250 shares (81,250 at April 30,
2006)
|
(1,952)
|
)
|
(1,498)
|
) | ||
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
121,572
|
119,251
|
||||
$
|
175,494
|
$
|
177,613
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
2
Consolidated
Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
America’s
Car-Mart, Inc.
|
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
January
31,
|
January
31,
|
||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|||||||||||||
Sales
|
$
|
53,376
|
$
|
53,200
|
$
|
163,383
|
$
|
157,377
|
|||||
Interest
income
|
5,932
|
5,048
|
17,655
|
14,379
|
|||||||||
59,308
|
58,248
|
181,038
|
171,756
|
||||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
|||||||||||||
Cost
of sales
|
31,289
|
29,636
|
93,765
|
87,011
|
|||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
|
10,489
|
9,769
|
31,405
|
28,710
|
|||||||||
Provision
for credit losses
|
16,342
|
10,936
|
48,846
|
34,596
|
|||||||||
Interest
expense
|
1,027
|
691
|
2,855
|
1,736
|
|||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
254
|
151
|
725
|
429
|
|||||||||
59,401
|
51,183
|
177,596
|
152,482
|
||||||||||
Income
(loss) before taxes
|
(93
|
)
|
7,065
|
3,442
|
19,274
|
||||||||
Provision
(benefit) for income taxes
|
(43
|
)
|
2,600
|
1,265
|
7,123
|
||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$
|
(50
|
)
|
$
|
4,465
|
$
|
2,177
|
$
|
12,151
|
||||
Earnings
(loss) per share:
|
|||||||||||||
Basic
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
.38
|
$
|
.18
|
$
|
1.03
|
|||||
Diluted
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
.37
|
$
|
.18
|
$
|
1.01
|
|||||
Weighted
average number of shares outstanding:
|
|||||||||||||
Basic
|
11,852,875
|
11,864,475
|
11,849,257
|
11,812,337
|
|||||||||
Diluted
|
11,852,875
|
12,011,480
|
11,958,615
|
11,984,883
|
|||||||||
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
3
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
(In
thousands)
|
America’s
Car-Mart, Inc.
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
|||||||
January
31,
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Operating
activities:
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
2,177
|
$
|
12,151
|
|||
|
|||||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating
activities:
|
|||||||
Provision
for credit losses
|
48,846
|
34,596
|
|||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
725
|
429
|
|||||
Loss
on sale of property and equipment
|
-
|
15
|
|||||
Stock
based compensation expense
|
398
|
-
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
(1,960
|
)
|
599
|
||||
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|||||||
Finance
receivable originations
|
(149,020
|
)
|
(144,863
|
)
|
|||
Finance
receivable collections
|
91,247
|
81,151
|
|||||
Accrued
interest on finance receivables
|
56
|
(227
|
)
|
||||
Inventory
|
13,618
|
7,785
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
|
(193
|
)
|
(251
|
)
|
|||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
(1,240
|
)
|
2,825
|
||||
Income
taxes payable
|
(1,929
|
)
|
635
|
||||
Net
cash provided by (used in) operating activities
|
2,725
|
(5,155
|
)
|
||||
|
|||||||
Investing
activities:
|
|||||||
Purchase
of property and equipment
|
(1,926
|
)
|
(3,709
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from sale of property and equipment
|
229
|
157
|
|||||
Payment
for businesses acquired
|
(460
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(2,157
|
)
|
(3,552
|
)
|
|||
|
|||||||
Financing
activities:
|
|||||||
Exercise
of stock options and related tax benefit
|
164
|
514
|
|||||
Purchase
of common stock
|
(454
|
)
|
(1,187
|
)
|
|||
Issuance
of common stock
|
35
|
-
|
|||||
Proceeds
from notes payable
|
11,200
|
-
|
|||||
Principal
payments on notes payable
|
(497
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Proceeds
from (repayments of) revolving credit facilities, net
|
(10,967
|
)
|
9,196
|
||||
Net
cash provided by (used in) financing activities
|
(519
|
)
|
8,523
|
||||
|
|||||||
Increase
(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
49
|
(184
|
)
|
||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
at:
Beginning
of period
|
255
|
459
|
|||||
|
|||||||
End
of period
|
$
|
304
|
$
|
275
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
4
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
|
America’s
Car-Mart, Inc.
|
A
- Organization and Business
America’s
Car-Mart, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), is the largest publicly
held automotive retailer in the United States focused exclusively on the “Buy
Here/Pay Here” segment of the used car market. References to the Company
typically include the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries. The Company’s
operations are principally conducted through its two operating subsidiaries,
America’s Car-Mart, Inc., an Arkansas corporation, (“Car-Mart of Arkansas”) and
Colonial Auto Finance, Inc. (“Colonial”). Collectively, Car-Mart of Arkansas and
Colonial are referred to herein as “Car-Mart”. The Company primarily sells older
model used vehicles and provides financing for substantially all of its
customers. Many of the Company’s customers have limited financial resources and
would not qualify for conventional financing as a result of limited credit
histories or past credit problems. As of January 31, 2007, the Company operated
91 stores located primarily in small cities throughout the South-Central United
States.
B
- Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
General
The
accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information
and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.
Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required
by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America
for
complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments
(consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair
presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine month
periods ended January 31, 2007 are not necessarily indicative of the results
that may be expected for the year ending April 30, 2007. For further
information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes
thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
April 30, 2006.
Use
of
Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
of
the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
during the period. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
Concentration
of Risk
The
Company provides financing in connection with the sale of substantially all
of
its vehicles. These sales are made primarily to customers residing in Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky and Missouri, with approximately 54% of revenues
from
customers residing in Arkansas. The Company maintains a security interest in
the
vehicles sold. Periodically, the Company maintains cash in financial
institutions in excess of the amounts insured by the federal government.
Car-Mart’s revolving credit facilities mature in April 2009. The Company expects
that these credit facilities will be renewed or refinanced on or before the
scheduled maturity dates.
Restrictions
on Subsidiary Distributions/Dividends
Car-Mart’s
revolving credit facilities limit distributions from Car-Mart to the Company
beyond (i) the repayment of an intercompany loan ($10.0 million at January
31,
2007), and (ii) dividends equal to 75% of Car-Mart of Arkansas’ net income. At
January 31, 2007, the Company’s assets (excluding its $109 million equity
investment in Car-Mart) consisted of $25,000 in cash, $2.8 million in other
net
assets and a $10.0 million receivable from Car-Mart. Thus, the Company is
limited in the amount of dividends or other distributions it can make to its
shareholders without the consent of Car-Mart’s lender. Beginning in February
2003, Car-Mart assumed substantially all of the operating costs of the Company.
Finance
Receivables, Repossessions and Charge-offs and Allowance for Credit
Losses
The
Company originates installment sale contracts from the sale of used vehicles
at
its dealerships. Finance receivables are collateralized by vehicles sold and
consist of contractually scheduled payments from installment contracts net
of
unearned finance charges and an allowance for credit losses. Unearned finance
charges represent the balance of interest income remaining from the total
interest to be earned over the term of the related installment contract. An
account is considered delinquent when a contractually scheduled payment has
not
been received by the scheduled payment date. At January 31, 2007 and 2006,
3.8%
and 4.7%, respectively, of the Company’s finance receivable balance were 30 days
or more past due.
5
The
Company takes steps to repossess a vehicle when the customer becomes delinquent
in his or her payments, and management determines that timely collection of
future payments is not probable. Accounts are charged-off after the expiration
of a statutory notice period for repossessed accounts, or when management
determines that timely collection of future payments is not probable for
accounts where the Company has been unable to repossess the vehicle. For
accounts where the vehicle has been repossessed, the fair value of the
repossessed vehicle is a reduction of the gross finance receivable balance
charged-off. On average, accounts are approximately 61 days past due at the
time
of charge-off. For previously charged-off accounts that are subsequently
recovered, the amount of such recovery is credited to the allowance for credit
losses.
The
Company maintains an allowance for credit losses on an aggregate basis at a
level it considers sufficient to cover estimated losses in the collection of
its
finance receivables. The allowance for credit losses is based primarily upon
historical and recent credit loss experience, with consideration given to recent
credit loss trends and changes in loan characteristics (i.e., average amount
financed and term), delinquency levels, collateral values, economic conditions
and underwriting and collection practices. The allowance for credit losses
is
periodically reviewed by management with any changes reflected in current
operations. Although it is at least reasonably possible that events or
circumstances could occur in the future that are not presently foreseen which
could cause actual credit losses to be materially different from the recorded
allowance for credit losses, the Company believes that it has given appropriate
consideration to all relevant factors and has made reasonable assumptions in
determining the allowance for credit losses.
At
October
31, 2006, management increased the allowance for credit loss percentage from
19.2% to 22% due to recent higher credit loss experience and trends. A change
in
accounting estimate was recognized to reflect the decision to increase the
allowance for credit losses, resulting in a pretax, non-cash charge of
$5,271,000 for the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2007. No such charge was
required in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.
Inventory
Inventory
consists of used vehicles and is valued at the lower of cost or market on a
specific identification basis. Vehicle reconditioning costs are capitalized
as a
component of inventory. Repossessed vehicles are recorded at fair value, which
approximates wholesale value. The cost of used vehicles sold is determined
using
the specific identification method.
Goodwill
Goodwill
reflects the excess of purchase price over the fair value of specifically
identified net assets purchased. In accordance with Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangibles”
(“SFAS 142”), goodwill and intangible assets deemed to have indefinite
lives are not amortized but are subject to annual impairment tests. The
impairment tests are based on the comparison of the fair value of the reporting
unit to the carrying value of such unit. If the fair value of the reporting
unit
falls below its carrying value, goodwill is deemed to be impaired and a
write-down of goodwill would be recognized. The Company’s goodwill is included
in Prepaid Expenses and Other at January 31, 2007, at approximately
$460,000.
Cash
Overdraft
The
Company’s primary disbursement bank account is set up to operate with a fixed
$100,000 cash balance. As checks are presented for payment, monies are
automatically drawn against cash collections for the day and, if necessary,
are
drawn against one of its revolving credit facilities. The cash overdraft balance
principally represents outstanding checks, net of any deposits in transit that
as of the balance sheet date had not yet been presented for payment.
Deferred
Sales Tax
Deferred
sales tax represents a sales tax liability of the Company for vehicles sold
on
an installment basis in the State of Texas. Under Texas law, for vehicles sold
on an installment basis, the related sales tax is due as the payments are
collected from the customer, rather than at the time of sale.
Income
Taxes
Income
taxes are accounted for under the liability method. Under this method, deferred
tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial
reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and are measured using the
enacted tax rates expected to apply in the years in which these temporary
differences are expected to be recovered or settled.
From
time
to time, the Company is audited by taxing authorities. These audits could result
in proposed assessments of additional taxes. The Company believes that its
tax
positions comply in all material respects with applicable tax law. However,
tax
law is subject to interpretation, and interpretations by taxing authorities
could be different from those of the Company, which could result in the
imposition of additional taxes. See footnote H for a discussion of the status
of
the current Internal Revenue Service examination.
6
Stock-based
Compensation
On
May 1,
2006, the Company adopted the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards 123R, “Share
Based Payment”
(“SFAS
123R”), which revises Statement 123, “Accounting
for Stock-Based Compensation,”
and
supersedes APB Opinion 25, “Accounting
for Stock Issued to Employees.”
SFAS
123R requires the Company to recognize expense related to the fair value of
stock-based compensation awards, including employee stock options.
Prior
to
the adoption of SFAS 123R, the Company accounted for stock-based compensation
awards using the intrinsic value method of Opinion 25. Accordingly, the Company
did not recognize compensation expense in the statement of operations for
options granted that had an exercise price equal to the market value of the
underlying common stock on the date of grant. As required by Statement 123,
the
Company also provided certain pro forma disclosures for stock-based awards
as if
the fair-value-based approach of Statement 123 had been applied.
The
Company has elected to use the modified prospective transition method as
permitted by SFAS 123R and therefore has not restated financial results for
prior periods. Under this transition method, the Company will apply the
provisions of SFAS 123R to new awards and to awards modified, repurchased,
or
cancelled after May 1, 2006. All stock options and warrants outstanding at
May
1, 2006 were fully vested.
The
Company recorded compensation cost for stock-based employee awards of $398,000
($251,000 after tax effects) during the nine months ended January 31, 2007.
The
pretax amount includes $268,000 for restricted shares issued on May 1, 2006.
The
Company had not previously issued restricted shares. Tax benefits were
recognized for these costs at the Company’s overall effective tax
rate.
As
a
result of the adoption of SFAS 123R, earnings were lower than under the previous
accounting method for share-based compensation by the following
amounts:
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
Nine
Months
Ended
January
31, 2007
|
Earnings
from continuing operations before income taxes
|
$130
|
Net
earnings
|
$
82
|
Basic
and diluted net earnings per common share
|
$
.01
|
Prior
to
the adoption of SFAS 123R, the Company presented all tax benefits resulting
from
the exercise of non-qualified stock options and any disqualifying disposition
of
vested stock options as operating cash flows in the Consolidated Statement
of
Cash Flows. During the nine months ended January 31, 2006, approximately $92,000
in tax benefits relating to stock options exercised were included in operating
cash flows. SFAS 123R requires that cash flows from the exercise of stock
options resulting from tax benefits in excess of recognized cumulative
compensation cost (excess tax benefits) be classified as financing cash flows.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2007, excess tax benefits relating to
warrant exercises in the amount of $127,000 were included in financing cash
flows.
The
following table illustrates the effect on net income after tax and net income
per common share as if the Company had applied the fair value recognition
provisions of SFAS 123 to stock-based compensation for the nine months ended
January 31, 2006:
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
Nine
Months Ended
January
31, 2006
|
|||
|
|
|||
Net
income, as reported
|
$
|
12,151
|
||
|
||||
Deduct:
Stock-based
employee compensation expense determined under fair
value-based method for all awards, net of related tax
effects
|
(100
|
)
|
||
|
||||
Pro
forma net income
|
$
|
12,051
|
||
|
||||
Basic
earnings per common share:
|
||||
As
reported
|
$
|
1.03
|
||
Pro
forma
|
$
|
1.02
|
||
|
||||
Diluted
earnings per common share:
|
||||
As
reported
|
$
|
1.01
|
||
Pro
forma
|
$
|
1.01
|
7
The
fair
value of options granted is estimated on the date of grant using the
Black-Scholes option pricing model based on the assumptions in the table
below.
January
31, 2007
|
January
31, 2006
|
||||
Expected
term (years)
|
5.0
|
5.0
|
|||
Risk-free
interest rate
|
5.11%
|
4.5%
|
|||
Volatility
|
60%
|
45%
|
|||
Dividend
yield
|
—
|
—
|
The
expected term of the options is based on evaluations of historical and expected
future employee exercise behavior. The risk-free interest rate is based on
the
U.S. Treasury rates at the date of grant with maturity dates approximately
equal
to the expected life at the grant date. Volatility is based on historical
volatility of the Company’s stock. The Company has not historically issued any
dividends and does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future.
Stock
Options
The
shareholders of the Company have approved three stock option plans, including
the 1986 Incentive Stock Option Plan (“1986 Plan”), the 1991 Non-Qualified Stock
Option Plan (“1991 Plan”) and the 1997 Stock Option Plan (“1997 Plan”). No
additional option grants may be made under the 1986 and 1991 Plans. The 1997
Plan set aside 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for grants to
employees, directors and certain advisors of the Company at a price not less
than the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant and for periods
not
to exceed ten years. The options vest upon issuance. At April 30, 2006, there
were 40,808, shares of common stock available for grant under the 1997 Plan.
Options granted under the Company’s stock option plans expire in the calendar
years 2008 through 2015.
Plan
|
||||
|
1986
|
1991
|
1997
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minimum
exercise price as a percentage of fair market value at date of
grant
|
100%
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
Last
expiration date for outstanding options
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
April
30, 2015
|
|
Shares
available for grant at January 31, 2007
|
0
|
0
|
29,558
|
The
following is a summary of the changes in outstanding options for the nine months
ended January 31, 2007:
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
Weighted
|
Average
|
|
|
Average
|
Remaining
|
|
Shares
|
Exercise
|
Contractual
|
|
Price
|
Life
|
||
Outstanding
at beginning of period
|
287,295
|
$10.38
|
61.2
Months
|
Granted
|
11,250
|
$20.47
|
113.1
Months
|
Exercised
|
(10,000)
|
$3.67
|
--
|
Outstanding
at end of period
|
288,545
|
$11.00
|
55.5
Months
|
The
grant-date fair value of options granted, net of tax, during the first nine
months of fiscal 2007 and 2006 was $81,000 and $100,000, respectively. The
total
intrinsic value of options exercised during the first nine months of fiscal
2007
was $150,970. The aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding options at January
31, 2007 is $1,036,751.
The
Company received cash from options exercised during the first nine months of
fiscal 2007 of $36,667. The impact of these cash receipts is included in
financing activities in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Cash
Flows.
8
Warrants
As
of
January 31, 2007, the Company had outstanding stock purchase warrants issued
in
2004 to purchase 18,750 shares at prices ranging from $11.83 to $18.23 per
share
(weighted average exercise price of $13.11). All of the warrants are presently
exercisable and expire between 2008 and 2009. The warrants have a weighted
average remaining contractual life of 18.8 months at January 31, 2007. There
were 22,329 shares of stock purchased as the result of warrants exercised during
the nine months ended January 31, 2007. The total intrinsic value of warrants
exercised during the first nine months of fiscal 2007 was $373,800. There were
no warrants exercised during the nine months ended January 31, 2006. The
outstanding warrants had no aggregate intrinsic value at January 31,
2007.
Restricted
Stock Plan
The
Company has a Restricted Stock Plan wherein a total of 39,978 shares were
available for award at January 31, 2007. The associated compensation expense
is
spread equally over the service periods established at award date and is subject
to the employee’s continued employment by the Company. During the first quarter
of fiscal 2007, 57,500 restricted shares were granted with a fair value of
$20.07 per share, the market price of the Company’s stock on grant date. These
restricted shares had a weighted average vesting period of 3.3 years and begin
vesting on April 30, 2007.
The
Company recorded a pre-tax expense of $268,000 related to the restricted stock
plan during the nine months ended January 31, 2007.
There
have
been no modifications to any of the Company’s outstanding share-based payment
awards during the first nine months of fiscal 2007.
As
of
January 31, 2007, the Company has $886,000 of total unrecognized compensation
cost related to unvested awards granted under the Company’s Restricted Stock
Plan, which the Company expects to recognize over a weighted-average remaining
period of 2.6 years.
Treasury
Stock
For
the
nine month period ended January 31, 2007, the Company purchased 30,000 shares
of
its common stock to be held as treasury stock for a total cost of $454,029.
Treasury stock may be used for issuances under the Company’s stock-based
compensation plans or for other general corporate purposes.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncement
From
time
to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (“FASB”) or other standard setting bodies which the Company
adopts as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the
Company believes the impact of recently issued standards which are not yet
effective will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial
statements upon adoption.
In
June
2006, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”
(“FIN
48”), which will require companies to assess each income tax position taken
using a two-step process. A determination is first made as to whether it is
more
likely than not that the position will be sustained, based upon the technical
merits, upon examination by the taxing authorities. If the tax position is
expected to meet the more likely than not criteria, the benefit recorded for
the
tax position equals the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely to be
realized upon ultimate settlement of the respective tax position. The
interpretation applies to income tax expense as well as any related interest
and
penalty expense.
FIN
48
requires that changes in tax positions recorded in a company’s financial
statements prior to the adoption of this interpretation be recorded as an
adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings for the period of
adoption. FIN 48 will generally be effective for public companies for the first
fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2006. The Company anticipates adopting
the provisions of this interpretation during the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
No determination has yet been made regarding the materiality of the potential
impact of this interpretation on the Company’s financial
statements.
FASB
Statement No. 154, “Accounting
Changes and Error Corrections - a replacement of APB Opinion No. 20 and FASB
Statement No. 3”
(“SFAS
No. 154”) was issued in May 2005. SFAS No. 154 changes the requirements for the
accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. SFAS No.
154
is effective for accounting changes and corrections of errors made in fiscal
years beginning after December 15, 2005. The adoption of this new pronouncement
in fiscal 2007 did not impact the Company’s financial condition, results of
operations or cash flows.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standard
No. 157, “Fair
Value Measurements”
(“SFAS
157”), which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair
value in generally accepted accounting principles, and expands disclosures
about
fair value measurements. SFAS 157 does not require any new fair value
measurements, but provides guidance on how to measure fair value by providing
a
fair value hierarchy used to classify the source of the information. The Company
will be required to adopt this standard in the first quarter of the fiscal
year
ending April 30, 2009. The Company is in the process of evaluating the
anticipated effect of SFAS 157 on its consolidated financial statements and
is
not currently in a position to determine such effects.
9
In
September 2006, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 108,
“Financial
Statements - Considering
the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in
Current Year Financial Statements.”
SAB
108
requires quantification of the impact of all prior year misstatements from
both
an income statement and a balance sheet perspective to determine if the
misstatements are material. SAB 108 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year
ending April 30, 2007. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of SAB
108
on its financial position and results of operations.
C
- Finance Receivables
The
Company originates installment sale contracts from the sale of used vehicles
at
its dealerships. These installment sale contracts typically include interest
rates ranging from 6% to 19% per annum, are collateralized by the vehicle sold
and provide for payments over periods generally ranging from 12 to 36 months.
The components of finance receivables are as follows:
(In
thousands)
|
January
31,
2007
|
April
30, 2006 |
|||||
Gross
contract amount
|
$
|
207,129
|
$
|
207,378
|
|||
Unearned
finance charges
|
(21,985
|
)
|
(22,135
|
)
|
|||
Principal
balance
|
185,144
|
185,243
|
|||||
Less
allowance for credit losses
|
(41,110
|
)
|
(35,864
|
)
|
|||
$
|
144,034
|
$
|
149,379
|
Changes
in
the finance receivables, net balance for the nine months ended January 31,
2007
and 2006 are as follows:
Nine
Months
Ended
January
31,
|
|||||||
((In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Balance
at beginning of period
|
$
|
149,379
|
$
|
123,099
|
|||
Finance
receivable originations
|
149,020
|
144,863
|
|||||
Finance
receivables from acquisition of business
|
353
|
-
|
|||||
Finance
receivable collections
|
(91,247
|
)
|
(81,151
|
)
|
|||
Provision
for credit losses
|
(48,846
|
)
|
(34,596
|
)
|
|||
Inventory
acquired in repossession
|
(14,625
|
)
|
(10,018
|
)
|
|||
Balance
at end of period
|
$
|
144,034
|
$
|
142,197
|
Changes
in
the finance receivables allowance for credit losses for the nine months ended
January 31, 2007 and 2006 are as follows:
Nine
Months Ended
January
31,
|
|||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Balance
at beginning of period
|
$
|
35,864
|
$
|
29,251
|
|||
Provision
for credit losses
|
48,846
|
34,596
|
|||||
Net
charge-offs
|
(43,804
|
)
|
(30,065
|
)
|
|||
Allowance
related to purchased accounts
|
204
|
-
|
|||||
Balance
at end of period
|
$
|
41,110
|
$
|
33,782
|
10
D
- Property and Equipment
A
summary
of property and equipment is as follows:
(In
thousands)
|
January
31,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
|||||
Land
|
$
|
5,025
|
$
|
5,234
|
|||
Buildings
and improvements
|
5,953
|
5,093
|
|||||
Furniture,
fixtures and equipment
|
3,919
|
3,673
|
|||||
Leasehold
improvements
|
4,071
|
3,292
|
|||||
Less
accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
(2,560
|
)
|
(1,856
|
)
|
|||
$
|
16,408
|
$
|
15,436
|
E
- Accrued Liabilities
A
summary
of accrued liabilities is as follows:
(In
thousands)
|
January
31,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
|||||
Compensation
|
$
|
1,881
|
$
|
2,594
|
|||
Cash
overdraft
|
1,994
|
2,441
|
|||||
Deferred
service contract revenue
|
1,706
|
1,627
|
|||||
Deferred
sales tax
|
942
|
1,012
|
|||||
Subsidiary
redeemable preferred stock
|
500
|
500
|
|||||
Interest
|
314
|
257
|
|||||
Other
|
544
|
312
|
|||||
$
|
7,881
|
$
|
8,743
|
F
- Debt Facilities
The
Company’s debt consists of two revolving credit facilities totaling $50 million
and two term loans as follows:
Revolving
Credit Facilities
|
||||||||||||
Lender
|
Total
Facility
Amount
|
Interest
Rate
|
Maturity
|
Balance
at
January
31, 2007
|
Balance
at
April
30, 2006
|
|||||||
Bank
of Oklahoma
|
$50.0
million
|
Prime
+/-
|
April
2009
|
$32,621,077
|
$43,588,443
|
The
Company’s credit facilities set total borrowings allowed on the revolving credit
facilities at $50 million. In addition, a $10 million term loan was funded
in
May 2006 and calls for 120 consecutive and substantially equal installments
beginning June 1, 2006. The interest rate on the term loan was fixed at 7.33%.
The principal balance on the term loan was $9,546,453 at January 31, 2007.
The
combined total for the Company’s credit facilities and its term loan with its
primary lender is $60 million. On March 8, 2007, Car-Mart and its lenders
amended the credit facilities effective December 31, 2006.
The
significant provisions of the amendments include: a) an increase in the combined
maximum leverage ratio (as defined) until October 2008, b) a decrease in the
combined fixed charge coverage ratio (as defined) until January 2008, c)
expansion of the pricing grid based on the leverage ratio, which could result
in
a maximum interest rate of prime plus 1% (or LIBOR plus 4%), up from prime
plus
.5% (or LIBOR plus 3.5%), d) an adjustment to combined minimum tangible net
worth (as defined) and e) an increase in the interest rate on the $10 million
term loan to 8.08% with possible future reductions based on
performance.
The
facilities are collateralized by substantially all the assets of Car-Mart,
including finance receivables, inventory and real property. Interest is payable
monthly under the revolving credit facilities at the bank’s prime lending rate
or prime plus or minus quarter point increments depending upon the Company’s
ratio of funded debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization (8.25% and 7.50% at January 31, 2007 and April 30, 2006,
respectively). The facilities contain various reporting and performance
covenants including (i) maintenance of certain financial ratios and tests,
(ii)
limitations on borrowings from other sources, (iii) restrictions on certain
operating activities, and (iv) limitations on the payment of dividends or
distributions to the Company. The Company obtained a waiver from its lender
as
it was not in compliance with the collateral adjustment percentage covenant
at
January 31, 2007. The amount available to be drawn under the facilities is
a
function of eligible finance receivables and inventory. Based upon eligible
finance receivables and inventory at January 31, 2007, Car-Mart could draw
an
additional $8.3 million under the facility.
11
The
Company also has a $1.2 million term loan secured by the corporate aircraft.
The
term loan is payable over ten years and has a fixed interest rate of 6.87%.
The
principal balance on this loan was $1,156,542 at January 31, 2007.
G
- Weighted Average Shares Outstanding
Weighted
average shares outstanding, which are used in the calculation of basic and
diluted earnings per share, are as follows:
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||
January
31,
|
January
31,
|
||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding-basic
|
11,852,875
|
11,864,475
|
11,849,257
|
11,812,337
|
|||
Dilutive
options and warrants
|
-
|
147,005
|
109,358
|
172,546
|
|||
Weighted
average shares outstanding-diluted
|
11,852,875
|
12,011,480
|
11,958,615
|
11,984,883
|
|||
Antidilutive
securities not included:
|
|||||||
Options
and warrants
|
122,250
|
88,500
|
106,000
|
93,250
|
|||
Restricted
stock
|
57,500
|
-
|
57,500
|
-
|
Common
stock equivalent shares of 83,788 for options and warrants were excluded in
the
earnings per share calculation for the quarter due to the loss for the quarter
ended January 31, 2007.
H
- Commitments and Contingencies
Related
Finance Company
Car-Mart
of Arkansas and Colonial do not meet the affiliation standard for filing
consolidated income tax returns, and as such they file separate federal and
state income tax returns. Car-Mart of Arkansas routinely sells its finance
receivables to Colonial at what the Company believes to be fair market value,
and is able to take a tax deduction at the time of sale for the difference
between the tax basis of the receivables sold and the sales price. These types
of transactions, based upon facts and circumstances, are permissible under
the
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) as described in the Treasury
Regulations. For financial accounting purposes, these transactions are
eliminated in consolidation, and a deferred tax liability has been recorded
for
this timing difference. The sale of finance receivables from Car-Mart of
Arkansas to Colonial provides certain legal protection for the Company’s finance
receivables and, principally because of certain state apportionment
characteristics of Colonial, also has the effect of reducing the Company’s
overall effective state income tax rate by approximately 240 basis points.
The
actual interpretation of the Regulations is in part a facts and circumstances
matter. The Company believes it satisfies the provisions of the Regulations
in
all material respects. Failure to satisfy those provisions could result in
the
loss of a tax deduction at the time the receivables are sold, and have the
effect of increasing the Company’s overall effective income tax rate as well as
the timing of required tax payments.
The
Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) recently concluded the previously reported
examination of the Company’s consolidated income tax return for fiscal year 2002
and portions of the returns for fiscal 2003 and 2004. As a result of the
examination, the IRS has questioned whether Car-Mart of Arkansas may claim
certain tax losses upon the sale of its finance receivables to Colonial (as
opposed to claiming the losses in a subsequent year if and when an account
becomes uncollectible). The Company’s position is based upon the terms of a
specific Treasury Regulation.
By
letter
dated July 28, 2006, the IRS delivered to the Company a revenue agent’s report
(“RAR”), which proposes the disallowance of the losses in the year in which the
finance receivables were sold to Colonial, plus interest and penalties. The
Company intends to vigorously defend its position and on September 14, 2006,
the
Company filed an administrative protest with the Appeals Office of the IRS.
The
protest disputes the income tax changes proposed by the IRS, as well as the
penalty assertion, and requests a conference with a representative of the
Appeals Office. The Company has not yet been notified by the Appeals Office
of a
date for the conference. If the matter is not resolved in the Appeals Office,
and if the IRS intends to pursue its position, the Company will have the option
of asking an appropriate court to consider the issue.
Due
to the
preliminary stage of the foregoing proceedings, the Company is unable to
determine at the present time the amount of adjustments, if any, that may result
from this examination. If a tax deficiency is ultimately assessed by the IRS
and
thereafter sustained, such assessment could have a material adverse effect
on
the Company’s results of operations and financial condition, at least in the
near term.
12
Litigation
In
October
2006, the Company was named as a defendant in a putative class action complaint
served in the District Court of Pottawatomie County, State of Oklahoma. A motion
for class certification was denied after a hearing on March 1, 2007. The
plaintiff has thirty days to appeal. The complaint asserts that the Company
charged usurious interest rates to retail customers in the State of Oklahoma
for
the period June 11, 2004 and forward. The Company has answered the complaint
and
discovery is on going. The Company believes the complaint is without merit
and
intends to vigorously contest liability in this matter. Damages are unspecified
and the Company cannot predict the outcome of this litigation or estimate an
amount of possible loss or range of losses at this time.
I
- Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Supplemental
cash flow disclosures are as follows:
Nine
Months Ended
January
31,
|
|||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Supplemental
disclosures:
|
|||||||
Interest
paid
|
$
|
2,800
|
$
|
1,630
|
|||
Income
taxes paid, net
|
4,890
|
5,797
|
|||||
Non-cash
transactions:
|
|||||||
Inventory
acquired in repossession
|
14,626
|
10,017
|
|||||
13
Item
2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of
Operations
The
following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company's
consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in
this
report.
Forward-looking
Information
The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for
certain forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains, and other materials filed or to be
filed
by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (as well as
information included in oral statements or other written statements made or
to
be made by the Company or its management) contain or will contain,
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933,
as amended. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project”
and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current plans or
expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could
significantly affect current plans, anticipated actions and the Company’s future
financial condition and results. As a consequence, actual results may differ
materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or
on
behalf of the Company as a result of various factors. Uncertainties and risks
related to such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
those relating to the continued availability of lines of credit for the
Company’s business, the Company’s ability to underwrite and collect its finance
receivables effectively, assumptions relating to unit sales and gross margins,
changes in interest rates, competition, dependence on existing management,
adverse economic conditions (particularly in the State of Arkansas), changes
in
tax laws or the administration of such laws, changes in lending laws or
regulations, results of taxing authority examinations and litigation matters.
Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date
made.
Overview
America’s
Car-Mart, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), is the largest publicly
held automotive retailer in the United States focused exclusively on the “Buy
Here/Pay Here” segment of the used car market. References to the Company
typically include the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries. The Company’s
operations are principally conducted through its two operating subsidiaries,
America’s Car-Mart, Inc., an Arkansas corporation, (“Car-Mart of Arkansas”) and
Colonial Auto Finance, Inc. (“Colonial”). Collectively, Car-Mart of Arkansas and
Colonial are referred to herein as “Car-Mart”. The Company primarily sells older
model used vehicles and provides financing for substantially all of its
customers. Many of the Company’s customers have limited financial resources and
would not qualify for conventional financing as a result of limited credit
histories or past credit problems. As of January 31, 2007, the Company operated
91 stores located primarily in small cities throughout the South-Central United
States.
Car-Mart
has been operating since 1981. Car-Mart has grown its revenues between 13%
and
21% per year over the last nine full fiscal years. Growth has historically
resulted from same store revenue growth and the addition of new stores. For
the
nine months ended January 31, 2007, revenue growth has slowed to 5.4% compared
to the prior year. The growth for the nine month period resulted from a 22.8%
increase in interest income, an 8.3% increase in the average retail sales price
and increased wholesale volumes, offset by a 5.1% decrease in the number of
retail vehicles sold. For the three months ended January 31, 2007, revenue
growth slowed to 1.8% compared to the prior year. The growth for the three
month
period resulted from a 17.5% increase in interest income, a 10.5% increase
in
the average retail sales price and increased wholesale volumes, offset by an
11.7% decrease in the number of retail vehicles sold.
The
Company’s primary focus is on collections. Each store handles its own
collections with supervisory involvement of the corporate office. Over the
last
five full fiscal years, Car-Mart’s credit losses as a percentage of sales have
ranged between approximately 19% and 21% (average of 20.1%). Credit losses
as a
percentage of sales were 21.4% and 20.1% in fiscal years 2006 and 2005,
respectively. Credit losses in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 (26.6%,
excluding the effect of a $5.3 million increase in the allowance for loan losses
made at October 31, 2006) were higher than the Company’s historical averages.
Credit losses for the three months ended January 31, 2007 were 30.6%. Credit
losses were higher due to several factors, and included higher losses
experienced in most of the dealerships as the Company saw weakness in the
performance of its portfolio as customers had difficulty making payments under
the terms of their notes. The largest percentage increase was concentrated
in
the Texas dealerships but the largest dollar increase was seen in the
dealerships greater than 10 years old, particularly the Arkansas dealerships.
While overall credit loss percentages are much lower in mature stores (stores
in
existence for 10 years or more), the losses for these locations during the
quarter and nine months were higher than historical averages. Credit losses,
on
a percentage basis, tend to be higher at new and developing stores than at
mature stores. Generally, this is the case because the store management at
new and developing stores tends to be less experienced (in making credit
decisions and collecting customer accounts) and the customer base is less
seasoned. Generally, older stores have more repeat customers. On
average, repeat customers are a better credit risk than non-repeat customers.
Due to the rate of the Company’s growth, the percentage of new and developing
stores as a percentage of total stores has been increasing over the last few
years. The Company continues to believe that the most significant factor
affecting credit losses is the proper execution (or lack thereof) of its
business practices. The Company also believes that higher energy and fuel costs,
increasing interest rates, general inflation and personal discretionary spending
levels affecting its customers have had a negative impact on collection
results. At
January
31, 2007, 3.8% of the Company’s finance receivable balances were over 30 days
past due, compared to 4.7% at January 31, 2006.
14
The
Company’s gross margins as a percentage of sales have been fairly consistent
from year to year. Over the last nine fiscal years, Car-Mart’s gross margins as
a percentage of sales have ranged between approximately 44% and 48%. Gross
margins as a percentage of sales in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 were
42.7%, down from 44.7% in the same period of the prior fiscal year. The
Company’s gross margins are set based upon the cost of the vehicle purchased,
with lower-priced vehicles generally having higher gross margin percentages.
Discretionary
adjustments to the retail pricing guide, within a range, can and are routinely
made by lot managers.
The
Company’s gross margins have been negatively affected by higher operating costs,
mostly related to increased vehicle repair costs and higher fuel costs, a higher
volume and percentage of wholesale sales, which for the most part relate to
cash
sales of repossessed vehicles at break-even, and to the increase in the average
retail sales price (a function of a higher purchase price).
Hiring,
training and retaining qualified associates are critical to the Company’s
success. The rate at which the Company adds new stores is sometimes
limited by the number of trained managers the Company has at its disposal.
Over the last two fiscal years, the Company has added resources to train and
develop personnel. In fiscal 2007 and for the foreseeable future, the Company
expects to continue to invest in the development of its workforce.
Consolidated
Operations
(Operating
Statement Dollars in Thousands)
|
%
Change
|
As
a
% of Sales
|
||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
2007
|
Three
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||||
January
31,
|
vs.
|
January
31,
|
||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||
Sales
|
$
|
53,376
|
$
|
53,200
|
.3
|
%
|
100.0
|
%
|
100.0
|
%
|
||||||
Interest
income
|
5,932
|
5,048
|
17.5
|
11.1
|
9.5
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
59,308
|
58,248
|
1.8
|
111.1
|
109.5
|
|||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
of sales
|
31,289
|
29,636
|
5.6
|
%
|
58.6
|
55.7
|
||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
|
10,489
|
9,769
|
7.4
|
19.7
|
18.4
|
|||||||||||
Provision
for credit losses
|
16,342
|
10,936
|
49.4
|
30.6
|
20.6
|
|||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
1,027
|
691
|
48.6
|
1.9
|
1.3
|
|||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
254
|
151
|
68.2
|
.5
|
.3
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
59,401
|
51,183
|
16.1
|
111.3
|
96.2
|
|||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Pretax
(loss) income
|
$
|
(93
|
)
|
$
|
7,065
|
(.2
|
%)
|
13.3
|
%
|
|||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating
Data:
|
||||||||||||||||
Retail
units sold
|
6,002
|
6,799
|
||||||||||||||
Average
stores in operation
|
90.0
|
81.3
|
||||||||||||||
Average
units sold per store
|
66.5
|
83.6
|
||||||||||||||
Average
retail sales price
|
$
|
8,293
|
$
|
7,507
|
||||||||||||
Same
store revenue growth
|
(5.3
|
%)
|
16.7
|
%
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Period
End Data:
|
||||||||||||||||
Stores
open
|
91
|
84
|
||||||||||||||
Accounts
over 30 days past due
|
3.8
|
%
|
4.7
|
%
|
Three
Months Ended January 31, 2007 vs. Three Months Ended January 31,
2006
Revenues
increased $1.1 million, or 1.8%, for the three months ended January 31, 2007
as
compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year. The increase was
principally the result of (i) revenues from stores opened after January 31,
2006
($3.2 million) (ii) stores opened during the three months ended January 31,
2006
($900,000) offset by (iii) a $3 million reduction for stores that operated
a
full three months in both periods. The growth in revenues is lower than
historical experience as the Company works to improve its underwriting practices
and improve collection results in light of recent credit loss
experience.
Cost
of
sales as a percentage of sales increased 2.9% to 58.6% for the three months
ended January 31, 2007 from 55.7% in the same period of the prior fiscal year.
The Company’s gross margins have been negatively affected by higher operating
costs, mostly related to increased vehicle repair costs, a higher volume and
percentage of wholesale sales, which for the most part relate to cash sales
of
repossessed vehicles at break-even, and to the higher purchase price of vehicles
the Company sells. The Company’s selling prices are based upon the cost of the
vehicle purchased, with lower-priced vehicles generally having higher gross
margin percentages. Discretionary adjustments to the Company’s retail pricing
guide, within a range, can and are routinely made by lot managers.
15
Selling,
general and administrative expense as a percentage of sales was 19.7% for the
three months ended January 31, 2007, an increase of 1.3% from the same period
of
the prior fiscal year. Selling, general and administrative expenses are, for
the
most part, more fixed in nature. The overall dollar expense met plan for the
quarter; however, on a percentage basis fell short due to sales being lower
than
forecast. Had the Company met its internal revenue projection range, selling
general and administrative expense would have been lower, on a percentage of
sales basis, than for the same period in the prior year. The increase related
primarily to increased advertising, higher insurance costs and higher costs
related to increased repossession activity during the quarter. Additionally,
the
overall dollar increase was due, in part, to increased costs incurred to
strengthen controls and improve efficiencies in the corporate infrastructure
as
well as incremental costs associated with the eight new lots opened within
the
last twelve months. Also, approximately $89,000 of non-cash stock-based
compensation expense was recorded during the current quarter.
Provision
for credit losses as a percentage of sales increased 10.0%, to 30.6% for the
three months ended January 31, 2007 from 20.6% in the same period of the prior
fiscal year. Credit losses were higher due to several factors and included
higher losses experienced in most of the dealerships as the Company saw weakness
in the performance of its portfolio as customers had difficulty making payments
under the terms of their loans. Higher credit losses during the quarter were
most pronounced in the mature lots (10 years and older) and in the Texas lots
but were genrerally weaker for all lots. Credit losses, on a percentage basis,
tend to be higher at new and developing stores than at mature stores.
Generally, this is the case because the store management at new and developing
stores tends to be less experienced (in making credit decisions and collecting
customer accounts) and the customer base is less seasoned. Generally,
older stores have more repeat customers. On average, repeat customers are
a better credit risk than non-repeat customers. Due to the rate of the Company’s
growth, the percentage of new and developing stores as a percentage of total
stores has been increasing over the last few years. The Company believes the
most significant factor affecting credit losses is the proper execution (or
lack
thereof) of its business practices. The Company also believes that higher energy
and fuel costs, increasing interest rates, general inflation and personal
discretionary spending levels affecting customers have had a negative impact
on
recent collection results. The Company intends to increase the focus of
store management on credit quality, underwriting and collections, at all stores,
and decrease the focus on sales growth. At January 31, 2007, 3.8% of the
Company’s finance receivable balances were over 30 days past due, compared to
4.7% at January 31, 2006.
Interest
expense as a percentage of sales increased .6% to 1.9% for the three months
ended January 31, 2007 from 1.3% for the same period of the prior fiscal year.
The increase was attributable to higher average borrowings during the three
months ended January 31, 2007 (approximately $48 million) as compared to the
same period in the prior fiscal year (approximately $38 million), and an
increase in the rate charged during the three months ended January 31, 2007
(average
rate of 8.1% per annum)
as
compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year (average rate of 7.3%
per
annum). The increase in average borrowings resulted from the growth in accounts
receivable, inventory and fixed assets as well as the repurchase of common
stock. The increase in interest rates is attributable to increases in the prime
interest rate of the Company’s lender as well as changes in the Company’s
operating performance which, under the Company’s revolving credit facilities,
caused increases in the interest rates charged to the Company.
16
Consolidated
Operations
(Operating
Statement Dollars in Thousands)
%
Change
|
As
a
% of Sales
|
|||||||||||||||
Nine
Months Ended
|
2007
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||||
January
31,
|
vs.
|
October
31,
|
||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2006
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
|||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||
Sales
|
$
|
163,383
|
$
|
157,377
|
3.8
|
%
|
100.0
|
%
|
100.0
|
%
|
||||||
Interest
income
|
17,655
|
14,379
|
22.8
|
10.8
|
9.1
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
181,038
|
171,756
|
5.4
|
110.8
|
109.1
|
|||||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
of sales
|
93,765
|
87,011
|
7.8
|
%
|
57.4
|
55.3
|
||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
|
31,405
|
28,710
|
9.4
|
19.2
|
18.2
|
|||||||||||
Provision
for credit losses
|
48,846
|
34,596
|
41.2
|
29.9
|
22.0
|
|||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
2,855
|
1,736
|
64.5
|
1.7
|
1.1
|
|||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
725
|
429
|
69.0
|
.4
|
.3
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
177,596
|
152,482
|
16.5
|
108.7
|
96.9
|
|||||||||||
Pretax
income
|
$
|
3,442
|
$
|
19,274
|
2.1
|
%
|
12.2
|
%
|
||||||||
Operating
Data:
|
||||||||||||||||
Retail
units sold
|
19,282
|
20,319
|
||||||||||||||
Average
stores in operation
|
88.7
|
79.8
|
||||||||||||||
Average
units sold per store
|
223.6
|
254.6
|
||||||||||||||
Average
retail sales price
|
$
|
8,046
|
$
|
7,429
|
||||||||||||
Same
store revenue growth
|
(.5
|
%)
|
10.7
|
%
|
||||||||||||
Period
End Data:
|
||||||||||||||||
Stores
open
|
91
|
84
|
||||||||||||||
Accounts
over 30 days past due
|
3.8
|
%
|
4.7
|
%
|
Nine
Months Ended January 31, 2007 vs. Nine Months Ended January 31,
2006
Revenues
increased $9.3 million, or 5.4%, for the nine months ended January 31, 2007
as
compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year. The increase was
principally the result of (i) revenues from stores opened after January 31,
2006
($7 million) (ii) stores opened during the nine months ended January 31, 2006
($3.1 million) offset by (iii) an $800,000 reduction in revenues from stores
that operated a full nine months in both periods .
Cost
of
sales as a percentage of sales increased 2.1% to 57.4% for the nine months
ended
January 31, 2007 from 55.3% in the same period of the prior fiscal year. The
Company’s gross margins have been negatively affected by higher operating costs,
mostly related to increased vehicle repair costs, a higher volume and percentage
of wholesale sales, which, for the most part relate to cash sales of repossessed
vehicles at break-even and due to the higher purchase price of vehicles the
Company sells. The Company’s selling prices are based upon the cost of the
vehicle purchased, with lower-priced vehicles generally having higher gross
margin percentages. Discretionary adjustments to the Company’s retail pricing
guide, within a range, can and are routinely made by lot managers.
Selling,
general and administrative expense as a percentage of sales was 19.2% for the
nine months ended January 31, 2007, an increase of 1.0% from the same period
of
the prior fiscal year. Selling, general and administrative expenses are, for
the
most part, more fixed in nature. The overall dollar expense met plan for the
quarter; however, on a percentage basis fell short due to sales being lower
than
forecast. Had the Company met its internal revenue projection range, selling
general and administrative expense would have been lower, on a percentage of
sales basis, than for the same period in the prior year. The increase related
primarily to increased advertising, higher insurance costs and additional
repossession activity during the nine months. Additionally, the overall dollar
increase was due, in part, to increased costs incurred to strengthen controls
and improve efficiencies in the corporate infrastructure as well as incremental
costs associated with the eight new lots opened within the last twelve months.
Also, approximately $398,000 of non-cash stock-based compensation expense was
recorded during the current period. The above increases were offset, to an
extent, by a reduction in professional fees incurred related to fiscal 2005
in
connection with completion of the Company’s fiscal 2005 audit and compliance
with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
17
Provision
for credit losses as a percentage of sales increased 7.9%, to 29.9% for the
nine
months ended January 31, 2007 from 22.0% in the same period of the prior fiscal
year. The increase included a $5.3 million charge to increase the allowance
for
credit losses at October 31, 2006. Credit losses were higher due to several
factors and included higher losses experienced in most of the dealerships as
the
Company saw weakness in the performance of its portfolio as customers had
difficulty making payments under the terms of their loans. The largest
percentage increase was concentrated in the Texas dealerships but the largest
dollar increase was seen in the dealerships greater than 10 years old,
particularly the Arkansas dealerships. While overall credit loss percentages
are
much lower in mature stores (stores in existence for 10 years or more), the
losses for these locations during nine months were higher than historical
averages. Credit losses, on a percentage basis, tend to be higher at new and
developing stores than at mature stores. Generally, this is the case
because the store management at new and developing stores tends to be less
experienced (in making credit decisions and collecting customer accounts) and
the customer base is less seasoned. Generally, older stores have more
repeat customers. On average, repeat customers are a better credit risk
than non-repeat customers. Due to the rate of the Company’s growth, the
percentage of new and developing stores as a percentage of total stores has
been
increasing over the last few years. The Company believes the most significant
factor affecting credit losses is the proper execution (or lack thereof) of
its
business practices. The Company also believes that higher energy and fuel costs,
increasing interest rates, general inflation and personal discretionary spending
levels affecting customers have had a negative impact on recent collection
results. The Company intends to increase the focus of store management on
credit quality, underwriting and collections, at all stores, and decrease the
focus on sales growth. At January 31, 2007, 3.8% of the Company’s finance
receivable balances were over 30 days past due, compared to 4.7% at January
31,
2006.
Interest
expense as a percentage of sales increased .6% to 1.7% for the nine months
ended
January 31, 2007 from 1.1% for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The
increase was attributable to higher average borrowings during the nine months
ended January 31, 2007 (approximately $47 million) as compared to the same
period in the prior fiscal year (approximately $34 million), and an increase
in
the rate charged during the nine months ended January 31, 2007 (average rate
of
8.1% per annum) as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year (average
rate of 6.8% per annum). The increase in our average borrowings resulted from
the growth in finance receivables, inventory and fixed assets as well as the
repurchase of common stock. The increase in interest rates is attributable
to
increases in the prime interest rate of the Company’s lender as well as changes
in the Company’s operating performance which, under the Company’s revolving
credit facilities, caused increases in the interest rates charged to the
Company.
Financial
Condition
The
following table sets forth the major balance sheet accounts of the Company
as of
the dates specified (in thousands):
January
31,
2007
|
|
April
30,
2006
|
|||||
Assets:
|
|||||||
Finance
receivables, net
|
$
|
144,034
|
$
|
149,379
|
|||
Inventory
|
11,931
|
10,923
|
|||||
Property
and equipment, net
|
16,408
|
15,436
|
|||||
Liabilities:
|
|||||||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
10,598
|
11,838
|
|||||
Debt
facilities
|
43,324
|
43,588
|
Historically,
finance receivables have tended to increase from period to period slightly
faster than revenue growth. This has historically been due, to a large extent,
to an increasing average term necessitated by increases in the average retail
sales price. In fiscal 2006, finance receivables, net grew 21.6% as compared
to
revenue growth of 14.4%. In fiscal 2005, finance receivables, net grew 18.7%
as
compared to revenue growth of 16.2%. Average months to maturity for the
portfolio of finance receivables was 15 months as of January 31, 2007 compared
to 16 months at January 31, 2006.
In
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007, inventory grew by 9% as compared to revenue
growth of 5.4%. Inventory grew at a faster pace than revenues as a result of
the
Company’s decision to increase the level of inventory it carries at many of its
stores to facilitate sales growth and meet competitive demands. Additionally,
sales levels for the first nine months of fiscal 2007, and particularly during
the most recent quarter, have been below projections, resulting in additional
vehicles available for sale.
Property
and equipment, net increased $972,000 during the nine months ended January
31,
2007 as the Company opened six new locations and completed improvements at
other
existing properties.
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities decreased $1.2 million during the nine months
ended January 31, 2007. The decrease was largely due to a decrease in accounts
payable ($378,000) which resulted from a significantly lower volume of purchase
activity during the three months ended January 31, 2007 compared to the three
months ended April 30, 2006, and to the decrease in accrued compensation and
cash overdrafts which resulted from timing. Cash overdraft fluctuates based
upon
the day of the week, as daily deposits vary by day of the week and the level
of
checks that are outstanding at any point in time. The timing of payment for
vehicle purchases is primarily tied to the date on which the seller presents
a
title for the purchased vehicle. Income taxes payable decreased $1.9 million
and
deferred income tax liabilities decreased $2.0 million during the nine months
ended January 31, 2007. These decreases related primarily to payments made
for
prior year taxes and the non-deductibility of the $5.3 million increase in
the
allowance for loan losses which was recorded at October 31,
2006.
18
Borrowings
on the Company’s revolving credit facilities fluctuate based upon a number of
factors including (i) net income, (ii) finance receivables growth, (iii) capital
expenditures, (iv) stock repurchases and (v) income tax payments.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
The
following table sets forth certain summarized historical information with
respect to the Company’s statements of cash flows (in thousands):
Nine
Months Ended January 31,
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Operating
activities:
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
2,177
|
$
|
12,151
|
|||
Provision
for credit losses
|
48,846
|
34,596
|
|||||
Finance
receivable originations
|
(149,020
|
)
|
(144,863
|
)
|
|||
Finance
receivable collections
|
91,247
|
81,151
|
|||||
Inventory
|
13,618
|
7,785
|
|||||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
(1,240
|
)
|
2,825
|
||||
Income
taxes payable
|
(1,929
|
)
|
635
|
||||
Other
|
(974
|
)
|
565
|
||||
Total
|
2,725
|
(5,155
|
)
|
||||
|
|||||||
Investing
activities:
|
|||||||
Purchase
of property and equipment
|
(1,926
|
)
|
(3,709
|
)
|
|||
Sale
of property and equipment
|
229
|
157
|
|||||
Payment
for business acquired
|
(460
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Total
|
(2,157
|
)
|
(3,552
|
)
|
|||
|
|||||||
Financing
activities:
|
|||||||
Exercise
of stock options and related tax benefits
|
164
|
514
|
|||||
Issuance
of common stock
|
35
|
-
|
|||||
Purchase
of common stock
|
(454
|
)
|
(1,187
|
)
|
|||
Debt
facilities, net
|
(264
|
)
|
9,196
|
||||
Total
|
(519
|
)
|
8,523
|
||||
|
|||||||
Increase
(decrease) in Cash
|
$
|
49
|
$
|
(184
|
)
|
The
Company generates cash flow from net income from operations. Most or all of
this
cash is used to fund finance receivables growth. To the extent finance
receivables growth exceeds net income from operations, generally the Company
increases borrowings under its credit facilities.
In
general, in order to preserve capital and maintain flexibility, the Company
prefers to lease the majority of the properties where its stores are located.
As
of January 31, 2007, the Company leased approximately 75% of its store
properties. The Company expects to continue to lease; however, the Company
does
periodically purchase the real property where its stores are located,
particularly if the Company expects to be in that location for 10 years or
more.
The
Company’s credit facilities with its primary lender total $60 million and
consist of a combined $50 million revolving line of credit and a $10 million
term loan. The facilities limit distributions from Car-Mart to the Company
beyond (i) the repayment of an intercompany loan ($10.0 million at January
31,
2007), and (ii) dividends equal to 75% of Car-Mart of Arkansas’ net income. At
January 31, 2007, the Company’s assets (excluding its $109 million equity
investment in Car-Mart) consisted of $25,000 in cash, $2.8 million in other
net
assets and a $10.0 million receivable from Car-Mart. Thus, the Company is
limited in the amount of dividends or other distributions it can make to its
shareholders without the consent of Car-Mart’s lender. Beginning in February
2003, Car-Mart assumed substantially all of the operating costs of the Company.
The Company was in violation of certain loan covenants at January 31, 2007.
Waivers have been received from the Company’s lenders for the
violations.
At
January 31, 2007, the Company had $304,000 of cash on hand and an additional
$8.3 million of availability under the revolving credit facilities. On a
short-term basis, the Company’s principal sources of liquidity include income
from operations and borrowings under the revolving credit facilities. On a
longer-term basis, the Company expects its principal sources of liquidity to
consist of income from continuing operations and borrowings under revolving
credit facilities and/or fixed interest term loans. Further, while the Company
has no present plans to issue debt or equity securities, the Company believes,
if necessary, it could raise additional capital through the issuance of such
securities.
19
The
Company expects to use cash to grow its finance receivables portfolio and to
purchase property and equipment in the amount of approximately $1 million to
$2
million in the next 12 months in connection with refurbishing existing stores.
In addition, from time to time the Company may use cash to repurchase its common
stock. During the nine months ended January 31, 2007, the Company repurchased
30,000 shares of its common stock for $454,000.
The
revolving credit facilities mature in April 2009. The $10 million term loan
is
payable in 120 consecutive and substantially equal installments beginning June
1, 2006. The interest rate on the term loan was fixed at 7.33%. On March 8,
2007, Car-Mart and its lenders amended the credit facilities effective December
31, 2006.
The
significant provisions of the amendments include: a) an increase in the combined
maximum leverage ratio (as defined) until October 2008, b) a decrease in the
combined fixed charge coverage ratio (as defined) until January 2008, c)
expansion of the pricing grid based on the leverage ratio, which could result
in
a maximum interest rate of prime plus 1% (or LIBOR plus 4%), up from prime
plus
.5% (or LIBOR plus 3.5%), d) an adjustment to combined minimum tangible net
worth (as defined) and e) an increase in the interest rate on the $10 million
term loan to 8.08% with possible future reductions based on
performance.
The
Company expects that it will be able to renew or refinance the revolving credit
facilities on or before the date they mature. The Company believes it will
have
adequate liquidity to satisfy its capital needs for the foreseeable
future.
Contractual
Payment Obligations
There
have
been no material changes outside of the ordinary course of business in the
Company’s contractual payment obligations from those reported at April 30, 2006
in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
The
Company has entered into operating leases for approximately 75% of its store
and
office facilities. Generally these leases are for periods of three to five
years
and usually contain multiple renewal options. The Company expects to continue
to
lease the majority of its store and office facilities under arrangements
substantially consistent with the past.
Other
than
its operating leases, the Company is not a party to any off-balance sheet
arrangement that management believes is reasonably likely to have a current
or
future effect on the Company’s financial condition, revenues or expenses,
results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources
that
are material to investors.
Related
Finance Company Contingency
Car-Mart
of Arkansas and Colonial do not meet the affiliation standard for filing
consolidated income tax returns, and as such they file separate federal and
state income tax returns. Car-Mart of Arkansas routinely sells its finance
receivables to Colonial at what the Company believes to be fair market value,
and is able to take a tax deduction at the time of sale for the difference
between the tax basis of the receivables sold and the sales price. These types
of transactions, based upon facts and circumstances, are permissible under
the
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) as described in the Treasury
Regulations. For financial accounting purposes, these transactions are
eliminated in consolidation, and a deferred tax liability has been recorded
for
this timing difference. The sale of finance receivables from Car-Mart of
Arkansas to Colonial provides certain legal protection for the Company’s finance
receivables and, principally because of certain state apportionment
characteristics of Colonial, also has the effect of reducing the Company’s
overall effective state income tax rate by approximately 240 basis points.
The
actual interpretation of the Regulations is in part a facts and circumstances
matter. The Company believes it satisfies the provisions of the Regulations
in
all material respects. Failure to satisfy those provisions could result in
the
loss of a tax deduction at the time the receivables are sold, and have the
effect of increasing the Company’s overall effective income tax rate as well as
the timing of required tax payments.
The
Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) recently concluded the previously reported
examination of the Company’s consolidated income tax return for fiscal year 2002
and portions of the returns for fiscal 2003 and 2004. As a result of the
examination, the IRS has questioned whether Car-Mart of Arkansas may claim
certain tax losses upon the sale of its finance receivables to Colonial (as
opposed to claiming the losses in a subsequent year if and when an account
becomes uncollectible). The Company’s position is based upon the terms of a
specific Treasury Regulation.
By
letter
dated July 28, 2006, the IRS delivered to the Company a revenue agent’s report
(“RAR”), which proposes the disallowance of the losses in the year in which the
finance receivables were sold to Colonial, plus interest and penalties. The
Company intends to vigorously defend its position and on September 14, 2006,
the
Company filed an administrative protest with the Appeals Office of the IRS.
The
protest disputes the income tax changes proposed by the IRS, as well as the
penalty assertion, and requests a conference with a representative of the
Appeals Office. The Company has not yet been notified by the Appeals Office
of a
date for the conference. If the matter is not resolved in the Appeals Office,
and if the IRS intends to pursue its position, the Company will have the option
of asking an appropriate court to consider the issue.
20
Due
to the
preliminary stage of the foregoing proceedings, the Company is unable to
determine at the present time the amount of adjustments, if any, that may result
from this examination. If a tax deficiency is ultimately assessed by the IRS
and
thereafter sustained, such assessment could have a material adverse effect
on
the Company’s results of operations and financial condition, at least in the
near term.
Critical
Accounting Policies
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America requires the Company to
make
estimates and assumptions in determining the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
of
the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from the Company’s
estimates. The Company believes the most significant estimate made in the
preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements relates to
the
determination of its allowance for credit losses, which is discussed below.
The
Company’s accounting policies are discussed in Note B to the accompanying
consolidated financial statements.
The
Company maintains an allowance for credit losses on an aggregate basis at a
level it considers sufficient to cover estimated losses in the collection of
its
finance receivables. The allowance for credit losses is based primarily upon
historical credit loss experience, with consideration given to recent credit
loss trends and changes in loan characteristics (i.e., average amount financed
and term), delinquency levels, collateral values, economic conditions,
underwriting and collection practices, and management’s expectation of future
credit losses. The allowance for credit losses is periodically reviewed by
management with any changes reflected in current operations. Although it is
at
least reasonably possible that events or circumstances could occur in the future
that are not presently foreseen which could cause actual credit losses to be
materially different from the recorded allowance for credit losses, the Company
believes that it has given appropriate consideration to all relevant factors
and
has made reasonable assumptions in determining the allowance for credit
losses.
At
October
31, 2006, management increased the allowance for credit loss percentage from
19.2% to 22% due to recent higher credit loss experience and trends. A change
in
accounting estimate was recognized to reflect the decision to increase the
allowance for credit losses, resulting in a pretax, non-cash charge of
$5,271,000 for the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2007. No such charge was
required in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.
Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement No. 154, “Accounting
Changes and Error Corrections - a replacement of APB Opinion No. 20 and FASB
Statement No. 3”
(“SFAS
No. 154”) was issued in May 2005. SFAS No. 154 changes the requirements for the
accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. SFAS No.
154
is effective for accounting changes and corrections of errors made in fiscal
years beginning after December 15, 2005. The adoption of this new pronouncement
in fiscal 2007 did not impact the Company’s financial condition, results of
operations or cash flows.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncement
From
time
to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard
setting bodies which the Company adopts as of the specified effective date.
Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes the impact of recently issued
standards which are not yet effective will not have a material impact on our
consolidated financial statements upon adoption.
The
Company adopted SFAS 123R effective May 1, 2006, using the modified-prospective
transition method, and results for prior periods were not adjusted. Prior to
adoption of SFAS 123R, the Company elected to use the intrinsic method under
Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, to account for its stock-based
compensation arrangements. Compensation expense for stock options was recognized
to the extent the market price of the underlying stock on the date of grant
exceeded the exercise price of the option. SFAS 123R requires all stock-based
awards to employees to be recognized in the income statement based on their
fair
values. SFAS 123R also requires the Company to estimate forfeitures of
share-based payments upon grant and to reevaluate this estimate during the
requisite service period. The Company will recognize compensation expense
related to restricted stock grants over the vesting period of the underlying
award in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the
date of the grant. Restricted stock grants with only service conditions will
be
accounted for under the straight-line attribution method.
For
the nine months ended January 31, 2007, the Company recognized total stock-based
compensation expense of $251,000 (net of an $147,000 related income tax
benefit).
As
of January 31, 2007, the total compensation cost related to unvested restricted
stock awards not yet recognized was $886,000. There are no expected forfeitures.
The weighted-average period over which these awards are expected to be
recognized is 3.1 years.
In
June
2006, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”
(“FIN
48”), which will require companies to assess each income tax position taken
using a two-step process. A determination is first made as to whether it is
more
likely than not that the position will be sustained, based upon the technical
merits, upon examination by the taxing authorities. If the tax position is
expected to meet the more likely than not criteria, the benefit recorded for
the
tax position equals the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely to be
realized upon ultimate settlement of the respective tax position. The
interpretation applies to income tax expense as well as any related interest
and
penalty expense.
21
FIN
48
requires that changes in tax positions recorded in a company’s financial
statements prior to the adoption of this interpretation be recorded as an
adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings for the period of
adoption. FIN 48 will generally be effective for public companies for the first
fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2006. The Company anticipates adopting
the provisions of this interpretation during the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
No determination has yet been made regarding the materiality of the potential
impact of this interpretation on the Company’s financial
statements.
In
September 2006, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 108,
“Financial
Statements - Considering
the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in
Current Year Financial Statements.”
SAB
108
requires quantification of the impact of all prior year misstatements from
both
an income statement and a balance sheet perspective to determine if the
misstatements are material. SAB 108 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year
ending April 30, 2007. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of SAB
108
on its financial position and results of operations.
Seasonality
The
Company’s automobile sales and finance business is seasonal in nature. The
Company’s third fiscal quarter (November through January) has historically been
the slowest period for car and truck sales. Many of the Company’s operating
expenses such as administrative personnel, rent and insurance are fixed and
cannot be reduced during periods of decreased sales. Conversely, the Company’s
fourth fiscal quarter (February through April) is historically the busiest
time
for car and truck sales as many of the Company’s customers use income tax
refunds as a down payment on the purchase of a vehicle. Further, the Company
experiences seasonal fluctuations in its finance receivable credit losses.
As a
percentage of sales, the Company’s first and fourth fiscal quarters tend to have
lower credit losses (averaging 19.1% over the last five full fiscal years),
while its second and third fiscal quarters tend to have higher credit losses
(averaging 21.2% over the last five full fiscal years).
22
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market
Risk
The
Company is exposed to market risk on its financial instruments from changes
in
interest rates. In particular, the Company has exposure to changes in the
federal primary credit rate and the prime interest rate of its lender. The
Company does not use financial instruments for trading purposes or to manage
interest rate risk. The Company’s earnings are impacted by its net interest
income, which is the difference between the income earned on interest-bearing
assets and the interest paid on interest-bearing notes payable. As described
below, a decrease in market interest rates would generally have an adverse
effect on the Company’s profitability.
The
Company’s financial instruments consist of fixed rate finance receivables and
fixed and variable rate notes payable. The Company’s finance receivables
generally bear interest at fixed rates ranging from 6% to 19%. These finance
receivables generally have remaining maturities from one to 36 months. Certain
of the Company’s borrowings contain variable interest rates that fluctuate with
market interest rates (i.e., the rate charged on the revolving credit facilities
fluctuate with the prime interest rate of its lender). However, interest rates
charged on finance receivables originated in the State of Arkansas are limited
to the federal primary credit rate (6.25% at January 31, 2007) plus 5.0%.
Typically, the Company charges interest on its Arkansas loans at or near the
maximum rate allowed by law. Thus, while the interest rates charged on the
Company’s loans do not fluctuate once established, new loans originated in
Arkansas are set at a spread above the federal primary credit rate which does
fluctuate. At January 31, 2007, approximately 58% of the Company’s finance
receivables were originated in Arkansas. Assuming that this percentage is held
constant for future loan originations, the long-term effect of decreases in
the
federal primary credit rate would generally have a negative effect on the
profitability of the Company. This is the case because the amount of interest
income lost on Arkansas originated loans would likely exceed the amount of
interest expense saved on the Company’s variable rate borrowings (assuming the
prime interest rate of its lender decreases by the same percentage as the
decrease in the federal primary credit rate). The initial impact on
profitability resulting from a decrease in the federal primary credit rate
and
the rate charged on its variable interest rate borrowings would be positive,
as
the immediate interest expense savings would outweigh the loss of interest
income on new loan originations. However, as the amount of new loans originated
at the lower interest rate increases to an amount in excess of the amount of
variable interest rate borrowings, the effect on profitability would become
negative.
The
table
below illustrates the estimated impact that hypothetical changes in the federal
primary credit rate would have on the Company’s continuing pretax earnings. The
calculations assume (i) the increase or decrease in the federal primary credit
rate remains in effect for two years, (ii) the increase or decrease in the
federal primary credit rate results in a like increase or decrease in the rate
charged on the Company’s variable rate borrowings, (iii) the principal amount of
finance receivables ($185 million) and variable interest rate borrowings ($33.0
million), and the percentage of Arkansas originated finance receivables (58%),
remain constant during the periods, and (iv) the Company’s historical collection
and charge-off experience continues throughout the periods.
Year
1
|
Year
2
|
|||
Increase
(Decrease)
|
Increase
(Decrease)
|
Increase
(Decrease)
|
||
In
Interest Rates
|
in
Pretax Earnings
|
in
Pretax Earnings
|
||
(in
thousands)
|
(in
thousands)
|
|||
+200
basis points
|
$
220
|
$1,247
|
||
+100
basis points
|
110
|
623
|
||
-
100 basis points
|
-110
|
|
-623
|
|
-
200 basis points
|
-220
|
-1,247
|
A
similar
calculation and table was prepared at April 30, 2006. The calculation and table
was comparable with the information provided above.
23
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
a) |
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and
Procedures
|
We
completed an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of
management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,
of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls
and
procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) as of the
end
of the period covered by this report (January 31, 2007). Based upon that
evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure
that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that
it
files or submits under the Exchange Act is (1) recorded, processed, summarized
and reported within the time periods specified in applicable rules and forms
and
(2) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely discussions
regarding required disclosures.
b) |
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial
Reporting
|
During
the
last fiscal quarter, there have been no changes in the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are
reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting.
Item
4T. Controls and Procedures
Not
applicable.
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1. Legal Proceedings
In
October
2006, the Company was named as a defendant in a putative class action complaint
served in the District Court of Pottawatomie County, State of Oklahoma. A motion
for class certification was denied after a hearing on March 1, 2007. The
plaintiff has thirty days to appeal. The complaint asserts that the Company
charged usurious interest rates to retail customers in the State of Oklahoma
for
the period June 11, 2004 and forward. The Company has answered the complaint
and
discovery is on going. The Company believes the complaint is without merit
and
intends to vigorously contest liability in this matter. Damages are unspecified
and the Company cannot predict the outcome of this litigation or estimate an
amount of possible loss or range of losses at this time.
Item
1A. Risk Factors
Information
regarding risk factors appears in the Company’s MD&A under the heading
“Forward-Looking Information” in Part I, Item 2 of this report and in Part I,
Item 1a. “Risk Factors” of the Company’s Fiscal 2006 Form 10-K.
The
following is an update to certain risk factors since the filing of the Fiscal
2006 Form 10-K.
The
Company’s allowance for credit losses may not be sufficient to cover actual
credit losses which could adversely affect its financial condition and operating
results.
From
time
to time, the Company has to recognize losses resulting from the inability of
certain borrowers to repay loans and the insufficient realizable value of the
collateral securing loans. The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses
in an attempt to cover credit losses inherent in its loan portfolio. Additional
credit losses will likely occur in the future and may occur at a rate greater
than the Company has experienced to date. The allowance for credit losses is
based primarily upon historical credit loss experience, with consideration
given
to delinquency levels, collateral values, economic conditions and underwriting
and collection practices. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it
requires estimates of material factors that may be susceptible to significant
change. If the Company’s assumptions and judgments prove to be incorrect, its
current allowance may not be sufficient and adjustments may be necessary to
allow for different economic conditions or adverse developments in its loan
portfolio.
At
October
31, 2006, management increased the allowance for credit loss percentage from
19.2% to 22% due to recent higher credit loss experience and trends. A change
in
accounting estimate was recognized to reflect the decision to increase the
allowance for credit losses, resulting in a pretax, non-cash charge of
$5,271,000 for the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2007. No such charge was
required in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.
24
An
unfavorable determination by the Internal Revenue Service in connection with
a
pending tax audit could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s
financial results and condition.
Car-Mart
of Arkansas and Colonial do not meet the affiliation standard for filing
consolidated income tax returns, and as such they file separate federal and
state income tax returns. Car-Mart of Arkansas routinely sells its finance
receivables to Colonial at what the Company believes to be fair market value,
and is able to take a tax deduction at the time of sale for the difference
between the tax basis of the receivables sold and the sales price. These types
of transactions, based upon facts and circumstances, are permissible under
the
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) as described in the Treasury
Regulations. For financial accounting purposes, these transactions are
eliminated in consolidation, and a deferred tax liability has been recorded
for
this timing difference. The sale of finance receivables from Car-Mart of
Arkansas to Colonial provides certain legal protection for the Company’s finance
receivables and, principally because of certain state apportionment
characteristics of Colonial, also has the effect of reducing the Company’s
overall effective state income tax rate by approximately 240 basis points.
The
actual interpretation of the Regulations is in part a facts and circumstances
matter. The Company believes it satisfies the provisions of the Regulations
in
all material respects. Failure to satisfy those provisions could result in
the
loss of a tax deduction at the time the receivables are sold, and have the
effect of increasing the Company’s overall effective income tax rate as well as
the timing of required tax payments.
The
Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) recently concluded the previously reported
examination of the Company’s consolidated income tax return for fiscal year 2002
and portions of the returns for fiscal 2003 and 2004. As a result of the
examination, the IRS has questioned whether Car-Mart of Arkansas may claim
certain tax losses upon the sale of its finance receivables to Colonial (as
opposed to claiming the losses in a subsequent year if and when an account
becomes uncollectible). The Company’s position is based upon the terms of a
specific Treasury Regulation.
By
letter
dated July 28, 2006, the IRS delivered to the Company a revenue agent’s report
(“RAR”), which proposes the disallowance of the losses in the year in which the
finance receivables were sold to Colonial, plus interest and penalties. The
Company intends to vigorously defend its position and on September 14, 2006,
the
Company filed an administrative protest with the Appeals Office of the IRS.
The
protest disputes the income tax changes proposed by the IRS, as well as the
penalty assertion, and requests a conference with a representative of the
Appeals Office. The Company has not yet been notified by the Appeals Office
of a
date for the conference. If the matter is not resolved in the Appeals Office,
and if the IRS intends to pursue its position, the Company will have the option
of asking an appropriate court to consider the issue.
Due
to the
preliminary stage of the foregoing proceedings, the Company is unable to
determine at the present time the amount of adjustments, if any, that may result
from this examination. If a tax deficiency is ultimately assessed by the IRS
and
thereafter sustained, such assessment could have a material adverse effect
on
the Company’s results of operations and financial condition, at least in the
near term.
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of
Proceeds
The
Company is authorized to repurchase up to 1 million shares of its common stock
under the common stock repurchase program last approved by the Board of
Directors and announced on December 2, 2005. During the quarter ended January
31, 2007, the Company did not repurchase any shares of the common stock under
the stock repurchase program.
Item
5. Other Information
On
March
8, 2007 (effective date of December 31, 2006), Colonial Auto Finance, Inc.
(“Colonial”), a subsidiary of America’s Car-Mart, Inc., a Texas corporation (the
“Company”), entered into the Fifth Amendment to Amended and Restated Agented
Revolving Credit Agreement (the “Amended ARCA”) with a group of lenders,
including Bank of Arkansas, N.A., Great Southern Bank, First State Bank of
Northwest Arkansas, Enterprise Bank and Trust, Sovereign Bank, Commerce Bank,
N.A. and First State Bank. Bank of Arkansas, N.A. serves as the agent for the
lenders. The Amended ARCA increased the maximum combined Leverage Ratio (as
defined) until October 2008, decreased the combined Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
(as defined) until January 2008, expanded the pricing grid, which is based
on
the combined Leverage Ratio and reset combined Minimum Tangible Net Worth (as
defined).
Also
on
March 8, 2007 (effective date of December 31, 2006), America's Car-Mart, Inc.,
an Arkansas corporation (“ACM”), a subsidiary of the Company, and Texas
Car-Mart, Inc. (“TCM”), a subsidiary of ACM, entered into the Fourth Amendment
to Revolving Credit Agreement (“Amended RCA”) with Bank of Arkansas, N.A. The
Amended RCA increased the maximum combined Leverage Ratio (as defined) until
October 2008, decreased the combined Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (as defined)
until January 2008, expanded the pricing grid, which is based on the combined
Leverage Ratio, reset combined Minimum Tangible Net Worth (as defined) and
increased the interest rate on the $10 million Term Note to 8.08% with possible
reductions based on performance.
25
Item
6. Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
of Exhibit
|
|
3.1
|
Articles
of Incorporation of the Company (formerly SKAI, Inc.), as amended,
incorporated by reference from the Company’s Registration Statement on
Form S-8 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
November
16, 2005, File No. 333-129727, exhibits 4.1 through
4.8.
|
|
3.2
|
By-Laws
dated August 24, 1989, incorporated by reference from the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-8 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on November 16, 2005, File No. 333-129727, exhibit
4.9.
|
|
*
4.1
|
Fifth
Amendment to Amended and Restated Agented Revolving Credit Agreement,
dated March 8, 2007 (effective December 31, 2006), among Colonial
Auto
Finance, Inc., as borrower, Bank of Arkansas, N.A., Great Southern
Bank,
First State Bank of Northwest Arkansas, Enterprise Bank and Trust,
Sovereign Bank, Commerce Bank, N.A. and First State
Bank.
|
|
*
4.2
|
Fourth
Amendment to Revolving Credit Agreement, dated March 8, 2007 (effective
December 31, 2006), among America’s Car-Mart, Inc., an Arkansas
corporation, and Texas Car-Mart, Inc., as borrowers, and Bank of
Arkansas,
N.A., as lender.
|
|
*
4.3
|
Guaranty
Agreement dated March 8, 2007 (effective December 31, 2006), among
America’s Car-Mart, Inc., an Arkansas corporation, and Bank of Arkansas,
N.A., as lender.
|
|
*
31.1
|
Rule
13a-14(a) certification.
|
|
*
31.2
|
Rule
13a-14(a) certification.
|
|
*
32.1
|
Section
1350 certification.
|
|
*
Filed
herewith.
26
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
America’s Car-Mart, Inc. | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Tilman J. Falgout, III | |
Chief
Executive Officer
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Jeffrey A. Williams | |
Jeffrey
A. Williams
Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary
(Principal
Financial and Accounting
Officer)
|
Dated: March 9, 2007
27
Exhibit
Index
4.1
|
Fifth
Amendment to Amended and Restated Agented Revolving Credit Agreement,
dated March 8, 2007 (effective December 31, 2006), among Colonial
Auto
Finance, Inc., as borrower, Bank of Arkansas, N.A., Great Southern
Bank,
First State Bank of Northwest Arkansas, Enterprise Bank and Trust,
Sovereign Bank, Commerce Bank, N.A. and First State
Bank.
|
4.2
|
Fourth
Amendment to Revolving Credit Agreement, dated March 8, 2007 (effective
December 31, 2006), among America’s Car-Mart, Inc., an Arkansas
corporation, and Texas Car-Mart, Inc., as borrowers, and Bank of
Arkansas,
N.A., as lender.
|
4.3
|
Guaranty
Agreement dated March 8, 2007 (effective December 31, 2006), among
America’s Car-Mart, Inc., an Arkansas corporation, and Bank of Arkansas,
N.A., as lender.
|
31.1
|
Rule
13a-14(a) certification.
|
31.2
|
Rule
13a-14(a) certification.
|
32.1
|
Section
1350 certification.
|
28