AXON ENTERPRISE, INC. - Quarter Report: 2007 March (Form 10-Q)
Table of Contents
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-Q
þ | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007
or
o | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 001-16391
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE | 86-0741227 | |
(State or other jurisdiction | (I.R.S. Employer | |
of incorporation or organization) | Identification Number) | |
17800 N. 85th St., SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA | 85255 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(480) 991-0797
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
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 þ
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. (Check one):
Large Accelerated Filer o Accelerated Filer þ 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 þ
There were
62,075,407 shares of the issuers common stock, par value $0.00001 per share,
outstanding as of May 7, 2007.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
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PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
BALANCE SHEETS
(UNAUDITED)
March 31, 2007 | December 31, 2006 | |||||||
ASSETS |
||||||||
Current assets |
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 16,073,479 | $ | 18,773,685 | ||||
Short-term investments |
| 3,557,289 | ||||||
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $110,000 in 2007 and 2006 |
7,493,522 | 10,068,049 | ||||||
Inventory |
10,311,705 | 9,257,746 | ||||||
Prepaids and other assets |
2,248,299 | 2,164,002 | ||||||
Current deferred income tax asset |
9,794,566 | 12,295,493 | ||||||
Total current assets |
45,921,571 | 56,116,264 | ||||||
Long-term investments |
25,483,105 | 25,477,574 | ||||||
Property and equipment, net |
21,344,706 | 20,842,632 | ||||||
Deferred income tax asset |
17,851,764 | 15,868,719 | ||||||
Intangible assets, net |
1,698,812 | 1,532,500 | ||||||
Total assets |
$ | 112,299,958 | $ | 119,837,689 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
||||||||
Current liabilities |
||||||||
Current portion of capital lease obligations |
$ | 45,774 | $ | 45,214 | ||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
6,056,758 | 6,789,474 | ||||||
Current deferred revenue |
1,105,871 | 1,037,441 | ||||||
Deferred insurance settlement proceeds |
476,139 | 509,067 | ||||||
Litigation settlement liabilities |
1,750,000 | 9,750,000 | ||||||
Customer deposits |
208,653 | 171,492 | ||||||
Total current liabilities |
9,643,195 | 18,302,688 | ||||||
Capital lease obligations, net of current portion |
19,314 | 30,974 | ||||||
Deferred revenue, net of current portion |
2,072,223 | 1,975,489 | ||||||
Other liabilities |
| 199,999 | ||||||
Total liabilities |
11,734,732 | 20,509,150 | ||||||
Commitments and Contingencies |
| | ||||||
Stockholders equity |
||||||||
Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share; 25 million shares
authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006 |
| | ||||||
Common stock, $0.00001 par value per share; 200 million shares
authorized; 62,065,407 and 61,939,974 shares issued and
outstanding at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively |
623 | 622 | ||||||
Additional paid-in capital |
81,371,791 | 80,629,659 | ||||||
Treasury stock, 300,000 shares |
(2,208,957 | ) | (2,208,957 | ) | ||||
Retained earnings |
21,401,769 | 20,907,215 | ||||||
Total stockholders equity |
100,565,226 | 99,328,539 | ||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders equity |
$ | 112,299,958 | $ | 119,837,689 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(UNAUDITED)
For the Three Months Ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||
Net Sales |
$ | 15,301,815 | $ | 13,893,563 | ||||
Cost of Products Sold: |
||||||||
Direct manufacturing expense |
4,608,569 | 3,529,401 | ||||||
Indirect manufacturing expense (1) |
1,804,217 | 1,409,468 | ||||||
Total Cost of Products Sold |
6,412,786 | 4,938,869 | ||||||
Gross Margin |
8,889,029 | 8,954,694 | ||||||
Sales, general and administrative expense (1) |
7,581,908 | 7,254,312 | ||||||
Research and development expense (1) |
970,786 | 663,810 | ||||||
Income from operations |
336,335 | 1,036,572 | ||||||
Interest and other income, net |
506,369 | 365,316 | ||||||
Income before provision for income taxes |
842,704 | 1,401,888 | ||||||
Provision for income taxes |
348,150 | 595,909 | ||||||
Net income |
$ | 494,554 | $ | 805,979 | ||||
Income per common and common equivalent shares |
||||||||
Basic |
$ | 0.01 | $ | 0.01 | ||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.01 | $ | 0.01 | ||||
Weighted average number of common and common
equivalent shares outstanding |
||||||||
Basic |
62,010,198 | 61,947,048 | ||||||
Diluted |
64,692,636 | 64,053,031 | ||||||
| ||||||||
For the Three Months Ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||
(1) Stock-based compensation was allocated as follows: |
||||||||
Indirect manufacturing expense |
$ | 31,698 | $ | 31,834 | ||||
Sales, general and administrative expense |
187,773 | 267,144 | ||||||
Research and development expense |
42,692 | 63,022 | ||||||
$ | 262,163 | $ | 362,000 | |||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
For the Three Months Ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
||||||||
Net income |
$ | 494,554 | $ | 805,979 | ||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash (used) provided by operating activities: |
||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
569,324 | 516,740 | ||||||
Provision for excess and obsolete inventory |
15,809 | 3,472 | ||||||
Provision for warranty |
233,827 | 100,707 | ||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
262,163 | 362,000 | ||||||
Deferred insurance settlement proceeds recognized |
(32,928 | ) | (34,043 | ) | ||||
Deferred
income tax provision |
517,882 | 540,699 | ||||||
Change in assets and liabilities: |
||||||||
Accounts receivable |
2,574,527 | (2,276,463 | ) | |||||
Inventory |
(1,069,768 | ) | 1,106,078 | |||||
Prepaids and other assets |
(84,297 | ) | 1,417,025 | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
(1,166,542 | ) | (836,833 | ) | ||||
Deferred
revenue |
165,164 | 209,195 | ||||||
Litigation
settlement liabilities |
(8,000,000 | ) | | |||||
Customer deposits |
37,161 | 48,306 | ||||||
Net cash
(used) provided by operating activities |
(5,483,124 | ) | 1,962,862 | |||||
Cash Flows from Investing Activities: |
||||||||
Purchases of investments |
(36,357,897 | ) | (33,520,470 | ) | ||||
Proceeds from investments |
39,909,655 | 29,927,921 | ||||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
(1,057,472 | ) | (538,569 | ) | ||||
Purchases of intangible assets |
(180,238 | ) | (4,624 | ) | ||||
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities |
2,314,048 | (4,135,742 | ) | |||||
Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
||||||||
Payments under capital leases |
(11,100 | ) | (10,592 | ) | ||||
Proceeds from options exercised |
479,970 | 99,022 | ||||||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
468,870 | 88,430 | ||||||
Net decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents |
(2,700,206 | ) | (2,084,450 | ) | ||||
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period |
18,773,685 | 16,351,909 | ||||||
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period |
$ | 16,073,479 | $ | 14,267,459 | ||||
Supplemental Disclosure: |
||||||||
Cash paid for interest |
$ | 1,500 | $ | 2,021 | ||||
Cash paid (refunded) for income taxes net |
$ | 281,000 | $ | (700 | ) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
5
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)
1. Company background
TASER International, Inc. (TASER or the Company) is a global leader in the development and
manufacture of advanced electronic control devices designed for use in law enforcement,
corrections, private security and personal defense. The Companys core expertise includes
proprietary, patented technology which is uniquely capable of incapacitating highly focused and
aggressive subjects. The Companys proprietary Neuro-Muscular Incapacitation (NMI) technology uses
electrical impulses to interfere with a subjects neuron-muscular system, causing substantial
incapacitation regardless of whether the subject feels or responds to pain. The Companys current
flagship products are the TASER X26 and TASER M26 models. Both the X26 and the M26 are hand-held
devices which launch two wire-tethered probes at a remote target up to a maximum distance of 35
feet. These wire tethered probes serve to form an electrical connection from the TASER device to
the subject, thereby eliminating the need for the user to make close contact with the potentially
dangerous target. In addition to the hand-held devices, the Company also sells disposable
cartridges which contain the probes, wires, and proprietary nitrogen propulsion system. These
cartridges are disposable and provide a recurring revenue stream from the Companys installed
customer base. There are several models of cartridges with ranges from 15 feet to 35 feet and
include both electrically active cartridges and inert simulation cartridges used only in training.
The Company also sells batteries, chargers, holsters and other accessories including the TASERCam.
The Companys products are often used in aggressive confrontations that may result in serious,
permanent bodily injury or death to those involved. A person injured in a confrontation or
otherwise in connection with the use of the Companys products may bring legal action against the
Company to recover damages on the basis of theories including personal injury, wrongful death,
negligent design, dangerous product or inadequate warning. The Company is currently subject to a
number of such lawsuits. The Company may also be subject to lawsuits involving allegations of
misuse of its products. The Company has seen and expects to continue to see additional complaints
filed against it alleging injuries resulting from the use of a TASER device. If successful,
personal injury, misuse and other claims could have a material adverse effect on the operating
results and financial condition of the Company. Although the Company carries product liability
insurance, significant litigation could also result in a diversion of managements attention and
resources, negative publicity and an award of monetary damages in excess of the Companys insurance
coverage. The outcome of any litigation is inherently uncertain and there can be no assurance that
existing or any future litigation will not have a material adverse effect on the Companys
revenues, financial condition or financial results.
The Companys deferred tax asset includes approximately $61.1 million in net operating loss
carryforwards. The amount of the deferred tax asset is considered realizable; however, it could be
reduced in the near term if estimates of future taxable income during the carry forward period are
reduced.
2. Summary of significant accounting policies
a. Basis of presentation
The accompanying unaudited financial
statements of TASER International, Inc. include all
adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) which management considers necessary for
the fair presentation of the Companys financial position as of
March 31, 2007 and its operating results and cash flows for the
three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and March 31, 2006. Certain information and note
disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) have been omitted from these
unaudited financial statements in accordance with applicable rules.
The results of operations for the three month period ended March 31, 2007 are not necessarily
indicative of the results to be expected for the full year (or any other period) and should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Companys Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on March 15, 2007.
b. Segment information
Management has determined that its operations are comprised of one reportable segment. For the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, sales by geographic area were as follows:
For the Three Months Ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 |
March 31, 2006 |
|||||||
United States |
88 | % | 92 | % | ||||
Other Countries |
12 | % | 8 | % | ||||
Total |
100 | % | 100 | % | ||||
Sales to customers outside the United States are denominated in U.S. dollars.
Substantially all assets of the Company are located in the United States.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
c. Stock-Based compensation
Effective January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the fair value recognition provisions of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R), Share Based Payment (SFAS No. 123(R))
using the modified-prospective transition method. Under that transition method, compensation cost
recognized in the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 includes: (a) compensation cost for
all stock-based payments granted prior to, but not yet vested as of January 1, 2006, based on the
grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the original provisions of SFAS No. 123, and (b)
compensation cost for all stock-based payments granted subsequent to January 1, 2006, based on the
grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R). Results for
prior periods have not been restated, as provided for under the modified-prospective method.
Total stock-based compensation expense recognized in the income statement for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was $262,163 and $362,000 before income taxes, respectively, $233,000
and $250,000 of which was related to Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) for which no tax benefit is
recognized. The total deferred tax benefits related to non-qualified stock options were
approximately $11,000 and $44,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
As a result of the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) the Company did not tax effect the stock based
compensation expense for tax purposes related to the non-qualified disposition of ISOs exercised
and sold. The benefit will be recorded when the Company is in a position to realize it with an
offset to taxes payable in future periods.
Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), the Company presented all tax benefits of deductions
resulting from the exercise of stock options as operating cash flows in the consolidated statements
of cash flows. SFAS No. 123(R) requires the tax benefits resulting from tax deductions in excess of
the compensation cost recognized for those options (excess tax benefits) to be classified and
reported as both an operating cash outflow and a financing cash inflow on a prospective basis upon
adoption.
SFAS No. 123(R) requires the use of a valuation model to calculate the fair value of
stock-based awards. The Company has elected to use the Black-Scholes-Merton (BSM) option
valuation model, which incorporates various assumptions including volatility, expected life, and
interest rates. The assumptions used for the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 and
the resulting estimates of weighted-average fair value per share of options granted during those
periods are as follows:
Three Months Ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||
Expected life of options |
4.00 | years | 3.49 | years | ||||
Weighted average volatility |
60.20 | % | 68.08 | % | ||||
Weighted average risk-free interest rate |
4.54 | % | 4.55 | % | ||||
Dividend rate |
0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | ||||
Weighted average fair value of options granted |
$ | 3.93 | $ | 4.44 |
The expected life of the options represents the estimated period of time until exercise and is
based on the Companys historical experience of similar awards, giving consideration to the
contractual terms, vesting schedules and expectations of future employee behavior. Expected stock
price volatility is based on a combination of historical volatility of the Companys stock and the
one-year implied volatility of its traded options for the related vesting periods. The risk-free
interest rate is based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with an
equivalent remaining term. The Company has not paid dividends in the past and does not plan to pay
any dividends in the near future. As stock-based compensation expense is recognized on awards
ultimately expected to vest, it is reduced for estimated forfeitures. SFAS No. 123(R) requires
forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods
if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The Company forfeiture rate was calculated based
on its historical experience of awards which ultimately vested.
d. Income per Common Share
The
Company accounts for income per share in accordance with SFAS No. 128, Earnings per
Share. Basic income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of
common shares outstanding during the periods presented. Diluted income per share reflects the
potential dilution that could occur if outstanding stock options were exercised. The calculation of
the weighted average number of shares outstanding and earnings per share are as follows:
7
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
Earnings Per Share | ||||||||
For the Three Months Ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share |
||||||||
Net income |
$ | 494,554 | $ | 805,979 | ||||
Denominator for basic earnings per share weighted average
shares outstanding |
62,010,198 | 61,947,048 | ||||||
Dilutive effect of shares issuable under stock options outstanding |
2,682,438 | 2,105,983 | ||||||
Denominator for diluted earnings per share adjusted weighted
average shares outstanding |
64,692,636 | 64,053,031 | ||||||
Net income per common share |
||||||||
Basic |
$ | 0.01 | $ | 0.01 | ||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.01 | $ | 0.01 |
Basic net income per share is based upon the weighted average number of common
shares outstanding during the period. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, the
effects of 1,766,179 and 561,986 stock options, respectively, were excluded from the calculation of
diluted net income per share as their effect would have been antidilutive and increased the net
income per share.
e. Warranty Costs
The Company warrants its products from manufacturing defects on a limited basis for a period
of one year after purchase, and thereafter will replace any defective TASER unit for a fee. The
Company also sells extended warranties for periods of up to four years after the expiration of the
limited one year warranty. The Company tracks historical data related to returns and related
warranty costs on a quarterly basis, and estimates future warranty claims by applying the estimated
average return rate to the product sales for the period. Historically, the reserve amount is
increased if the Company becomes aware of a component failure that could result in larger than
anticipated returns from its customers. After the one year warranty expires, if the device fails to
operate properly for any reason, the Company will replace the ADVANCED TASER device for a fee and
the TASER X26 for a prorated discounted price depending on when the product was placed into
service. These fees are intended to cover the handling and repair costs and include a profit. A
summary of changes in the warranty accrual for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 is as
follows:
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||
Balance at Beginning of Period |
$ | 713,135 | $ | 851,920 | ||||
Utilization of Accrual |
(159,596 | ) | (127,733 | ) | ||||
Warranty Expense |
233,827 | 100,707 | ||||||
Balance at End of the Period |
$ | 787,366 | $ | 824,894 | ||||
f. Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets
and Financial Liabilities (SFAS No. 159). SFAS No. 159 allows entities the option to measure
eligible financial instruments at fair value as of specified dates. Such election, which may be
applied on an instrument by instrument basis, is typically irrevocable once elected. Statement 159
is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and early application is allowed
under certain circumstances. Management has not yet determined the impact, if any, the adoption of
SFAS No. 159 will have on our financial position.
In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS No. 157.)
SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in generally
accepted accounting principles and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This
Statement applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value
measurements, the FASB having previously concluded in those accounting pronouncements that fair
value is the relevant measurement attribute. Accordingly, this Statement does not require any new
fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15,
2007. The Company plans to adopt SFAS No. 157 beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
Management has not yet determined the impact, if any, the adoption of SFAS No. 157 will have on the
Companys financial position.
In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Interpretation No. 48
(FIN 48), Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxesan interpretation of FASB Statement No.
109, which seeks to reduce the diversity in practice associated with the accounting and reporting
for uncertainty in income tax positions. FIN 48 prescribes a comprehensive model for the financial
statement recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or
expected to be taken in income tax returns. FIN 48 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2006. The adoption of FIN 48 did not have an impact on the Companys financial
statements.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
3. Cash, cash equivalents and investments
Cash and cash equivalents include funds on hand and short-term investments with original
maturities of three months or less. Short-term investments include securities generally having
original maturities of 90 days to one year. Long-term investments include securities having
original maturities of more than one year. The Companys long-term investments are invested in
federal agency mortgage-backed securities, and are classified as held to maturity. These
investments are recorded at amortized cost. The Company intends to hold these securities until
maturity. The Company intends to reinvest the proceeds from maturing long term investments into
securities with similar original maturities.
The following is a summary of cash, cash equivalents and held-to-maturity investments by type
at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
March 31, 2007 | December 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross Unrealized | Gross Unrealized | Gross Unrealized | Gross Unrealized | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cost | Gains | Losses | Fair Value | Cost | Gains | Losses | Fair Value | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cash |
$ | 10,925,688 | $ | | $ | | $ | 10,925,688 | $ | 14,130,112 | $ | | $ | | $ | 14,130,112 | ||||||||||||||||
Government sponsored entity securities |
30,630,896 | 3,908 | (158,227 | ) | 30,476,577 | 33,678,436 | 3,756 | (221,849 | ) | 33,460,343 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Total cash, cash equivalents and
investments |
$ | 41,556,584 | $ | 3,908 | $ | (158,227 | ) | $ | 41,402,265 | $ | 47,808,548 | $ | 3,756 | $ | (221,849 | ) | $ | 47,590,455 | ||||||||||||||
March 31, | December 31, | |||||||
2007 | 2006 | |||||||
Government sponsored entity securities reported as: |
||||||||
Cash equivalents |
$ | 5,147,791 | $ | 4,643,573 | ||||
Short term investments |
| 3,557,289 | ||||||
Long term investments |
25,483,105 | 25,477,574 | ||||||
$ | 30,630,896 | $ | 33,678,436 | |||||
The following table summarizes the contractual maturities of government sponsored
entity securities at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
March 31, | December 31, | |||||||
2007 | 2006 | |||||||
Less than 1 year |
$ | 28,127,557 | $ | 22,694,186 | ||||
1-3 years |
2,503,339 | 10,984,250 | ||||||
$ | 30,630,896 | $ | 33,678,436 | |||||
The following table provides information about held-to-maturity investments with
gross unrealized losses and the length of time that individual investments have been in a
continuous unrealized loss position at March 31, 2007:
Less than 12 months | 12 months or more | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross | Gross | Gross | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Unrealized | Unrealized | Unrealized | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Description of Securities | Fair Value | Losses | Fair Value | Losses | Fair Value | Losses | ||||||||||||||||||
Government sponsored entity securities |
$ | 6,131,983 | $ | (22,241 | ) | $ | 22,506,561 | $ | (135,986 | ) | $ | 28,638,544 | $ | (158,227 | ) |
The unrealized losses on the Companys investment in government sponsored entity
securities were caused by interest rate increases. The contractual cash flows of these investments
are guaranteed by an agency of the U.S. Government and accordingly, it is expected that the
securities would not be settled for a price less than the amortized cost of the investment. Since
the decline in fair value was attributable to interest rates and not credit quality, and because
the Company has the ability and intent to hold these investments to maturity, the Company does not
consider these investments to be other than temporarily impaired at March 31, 2007.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
4. Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined using the weighted
average cost of raw materials which approximates the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method and
manufacturing labor and overhead. Provisions are made to reduce potentially excess, obsolete or
slow-moving inventories to their net realizable value. Inventories as of March 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006 consist of the following:
March 31, 2007 | December 31, 2006 | |||||||
Raw materials and work-in-process |
$ | 5,810,210 | $ | 5,990,238 | ||||
Finished goods |
4,740,505 | 3,490,709 | ||||||
Reserve for excess and obsolete inventory |
(239,010 | ) | (223,201 | ) | ||||
Total Inventory |
$ | 10,311,705 | $ | 9,257,746 | ||||
5. Intangible assets
Intangible assets consist of the following at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
March 31, 2007 | December 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross | Gross | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carrying | Accumulated | Net Carrying | Carrying | Accumulated | Net Carrying | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Useful Life | Amount | Amortization | Amount | Amount | Amortization | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Amortized intangible assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TASER.com domain name |
5 Years | $ | 60,000 | $ | 60,000 | $ | | $ | 60,000 | $ | 60,000 | $ | | |||||||||||||||
Issued patents |
4 to 15 Years | 250,294 | 90,998 | 159,296 | 248,984 | 84,248 | 164,736 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Issued trademarks |
9 to 11 Years | 15,434 | 2,591 | 12,843 | 15,434 | 2,200 | 13,234 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Non compete agreements |
5 to 7 Years | 150,000 | 31,786 | 118,214 | 50,000 | 25,000 | 25,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
475,728 | 185,375 | 290,353 | 374,418 | 171,448 | 202,970 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Unamortized intangible assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TASER Trademark |
900,000 | 900,000 | 900,000 | 900,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Patents and trademarks pending |
508,459 | 508,459 | 429,530 | 429,530 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1,408,459 | 1,408,459 | 1,329,530 | 1,329,530 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total intangible assets |
$ | 1,884,187 | $ | 185,375 | $ | 1,698,812 | $ | 1,703,948 | $ | 171,448 | $ | 1,532,500 | ||||||||||||||||
Amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was $13,926
and $11,015, respectively. Estimated amortization expense of intangible assets for the balance of
2007, the next four years and thereafter is as follows:
2007 |
$ | 43,143 | ||
2008 |
57,079 | |||
2009 |
45,157 | |||
2010 |
37,003 | |||
2011 |
29,547 | |||
Thereafter |
78,424 | |||
$ | 290,353 | |||
6. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consist of the following at March 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006:
March 31, 2007 | December 31, 2006 | |||||||
Accounts payable |
$ | 3,785,682 | $ | 4,554,203 | ||||
Accrued salaries and benefits |
869,128 | 832,576 | ||||||
Accrued expenses |
614,582 | 689,560 | ||||||
Accrued warranty expense |
787,366 | 713,135 | ||||||
Total |
$ | 6,056,758 | $ | 6,789,474 | ||||
10
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
7. Income taxes
The deferred income tax asset at March 31, 2007 is comprised primarily of a net operating loss
carryforward, which resulted from the compensation expense the Company recorded for income tax
purposes when employees exercised stock options in 2004. Additionally, warranty and inventory
reserves, accrued vacation, capitalized research and development and other items have contributed
to the deferred income tax asset.
The Companys total current and long term deferred tax asset at March 31, 2007 is $27.6
million. In preparing the Companys financial statements, the Company has assessed the likelihood
that its deferred tax assets will be realized through future taxable income. In evaluating the ability
to recover its deferred income tax assets, Management considers all available positive and
negative evidence, including its operating results, ongoing tax planning and forecasts of future
taxable income on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. A valuation allowance is established if it
is determined that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax
assets will not be realized. Management exercises significant judgment in determining its
provisions for income taxes, its deferred tax assets and liabilities and its future taxable income
for purposes of assessing its ability to utilize any future tax benefit from its deferred tax
assets. Although Management believes that its tax estimates are reasonable, the ultimate tax
determination involves significant judgments that could become subject to audit by tax authorities
in the ordinary course of business. As a result of the shareholder litigation settlement expense
recorded in the second quarter of 2006, Management has determined that it is more likely than not
that its net operating loss carryforwards for the state of Arizona, which expire in 2009, will not
be fully realized. Accordingly, the Company has a valuation allowance which was recorded in 2006 of
$250,000, against its deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2007. Management believes that, other
than as previously described, as of March 31, 2007, based on an evaluation and projections of
future sales and profitability, no other valuation allowance was
deemed necessary as Management
concluded that it is more likely than not that the Companys net deferred tax assets will be
realized. However, the deferred tax asset could be reduced in the near-term if estimates of future
taxable income during the carryforward period are reduced.
The Company is currently under audit by the United States Internal Revenue Service for its 2004
fiscal year. The Company is unable to determine the outcome of the audit process at this time.
There can be no assurance the outcome of this audit will not have an adverse effect on the
Companys future operating results.
8. Stockholders equity
Stock Award Activity
At March 31, 2007, the Company had three stock-based compensation plans, which are described
more fully in Note 11 to the financial statements included in the Companys Annual Report on Form
10-K as filed on March 15, 2007.
The following table summarizes the stock options available and outstanding as of March 31,
2007 as well as activity during the three months then ended:
Outstanding Options | ||||||||||||
Weighted | ||||||||||||
Shares Available | Number of | Average | ||||||||||
for Grant | options | Exercise Price | ||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2006 |
5,340,411 | 5,902,182 | $ | 5.13 | ||||||||
Granted |
(33,105 | ) | 33,105 | $ | 7.82 | |||||||
Exercised |
| (125,433 | ) | $ | 3.83 | |||||||
Expired/terminated |
48,743 | (48,743 | ) | $ | 9.69 | |||||||
Balance at March 31, 2007 |
5,356,049 | 5,761,111 | $ | 5.13 | ||||||||
11
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
The options outstanding as of March 31, 2007 have been segregated into five ranges for additional
disclosure as follows:
Options Outstanding | Options Exercisable | |||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | Average | Weighted | ||||||||||||||||||
Number | Average | Remaining | Number | Average | ||||||||||||||||
Range of Exercise Price | Outstanding | Exercise Price | Contractual Life | Exercisable | Exercise Price | |||||||||||||||
$0.28 - $0.99 |
1,278,747 | $ | 0.36 | 5.6 | 1,278,747 | $ | 0.36 | |||||||||||||
$1.03 - $2.41 |
1,642,532 | $ | 1.52 | 3.7 | 1,642,532 | $ | 1.52 | |||||||||||||
$5.89 - $9.65 |
2,351,619 | $ | 8.08 | 7.0 | 2,153,804 | $ | 8.08 | |||||||||||||
$10.10 - $19.76 |
423,530 | $ | 14.31 | 7.5 | 359,035 | $ | 14.66 | |||||||||||||
$20.12 - $29.98 |
64,683 | $ | 23.89 | 7.1 | 60,367 | $ | 23.70 | |||||||||||||
$0.28 - $29.98 |
5,761,111 | $ | 5.13 | 5.8 | 5,494,485 | $ | 4.92 | |||||||||||||
At March 31, 2007, the Company had 266,626 unvested options outstanding with a
weighted average exercise price of $9.39 per share, a weighted average fair value of $5.42 per
share and a weighted average remaining contractual life of 8.9 years. Of the unvested options
outstanding, the Company expects that 261,293 options will ultimately vest based on its historical
experience.
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding and options exercisable at March 31, 2007 was
$21.4 million and $21.3 million, respectively. Aggregate intrinsic value represents the difference
between the Companys closing stock price on the last trading day of the fiscal period, which was
$8.03 as of March 30, 2007, and the exercise price multiplied by the number of options outstanding.
Total intrinsic value of options exercised was $519,000 and $676,000 for the three month period
ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. As of March 31, 2007, total unrecognized stock-based
compensation expense related to non-vested stock options was approximately $1.3 million, which is
expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 12 months.
The total fair value of options exercisable at March 31, 2007 and 2006 was $14.0 million and
$13.7 million, respectively.
9. Line of credit
The Company has a line of credit agreement with a bank which provides for a total availability
of $10 million. The line is secured primarily by the Companys accounts receivable and inventory
and bears interest at varying rates of interest, ranging from LIBOR plus 1.5% to prime. The
availability under this line is computed on a monthly borrowing base, which is based on the
Companys eligible accounts receivable and inventory. The line of credit matures on June 30, 2008
and requires monthly payments of interest only. At March 31, 2007, the available borrowing was $7.6
million and there was no amount outstanding under the line of credit. There have been no borrowings
under the line of credit to date.
The Companys agreement with the bank requires the Company to comply with certain financial
and other covenants including maintenance of minimum tangible net worth and fixed charge coverage
ratios. At March 31, 2007, the Company was in compliance with all such covenants.
10. Commitments and Contingencies
Legal proceedings
Securities Litigation
Securities Class Action Litigation
Beginning on or about January 10, 2005, numerous securities class action lawsuits were filed
against the Company and certain of its officers and directors. These actions were filed on behalf
of the purchasers of the Companys stock in various class periods, beginning as early as May 29,
2003 and ending as late as January 14, 2005. The majority of these lawsuits were filed in the
District of Arizona. Four actions were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York and one in the Eastern District of Michigan. The New York and Michigan actions
were transferred to the District of Arizona. The class actions were consolidated by Judge Susan
Bolton and Lead Plaintiff and Lead Counsel were selected. The Lead Plaintiff filed a consolidated
complaint (which became the operative complaint for all of the class actions) on August 29, 2005.
The operative class period is May 29, 2003 to January 11, 2005. The defendants filed a motion to
dismiss the consolidated complaint, which was fully briefed for the Court but was not decided.
12
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
The consolidated complaint alleges, among other things, violations of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10B-5, promulgated thereunder, and seeks unspecified monetary
damages and other relief against all defendants. The consolidated amended complaint generally
alleges that the Company and the individual defendants made false or misleading public statements
regarding, among other things, the safety of the Companys products and the Companys ability to
meet its sales goals, including the validity of a $1.5 million sales order with the Companys
distributor, Davidsons, in the fourth quarter of 2004. The consolidated complaint also alleges
that product defects were leading to excessive product returns by customers.
On October 11, 2006, the parties filed a joint Stipulation of Settlement and related
documents, setting forth terms of settlement including, among other things, full releases of any
and all related known or unknown claims among the plaintiff, plaintiff class and the defendants,
and payment of $20 million from TASER for the benefit of the plaintiff class to be comprised of $12
million in cash (approximately $4.1 million to be provided from the Directors and Officers
Liability Insurance policy), and $8 million in Company common stock valued as set forth in the
Stipulation. At the Companys election, the stock portion of the settlement may be funded with
cash. On December 14, 2006, the Court entered an order, which among other things, approved
preliminarily the Stipulation of Settlement, provided for notice of the Settlement, set forth for
the submissions of objections to and exclusions from the Settlement, and set a final Settlement
Hearing. On March 19, 2007, the Court entered the Final Judgment and Order of Dismissal with
Prejudice, which, among other things, approved the settlement terms as set forth in the Stipulation
of Settlement and dismissed with prejudice the consolidated securities class actions. The Company
made the final payment of $8 million in cash in settlement of the shareholder class action
litigation in March 2007. On April 17, 2007, the Court entered an additional order which, among other things,
awarded plaintiffs attorneys fees and costs.
Shareholder Derivative Litigation
Beginning on or about January 11, 2005, numerous shareholder derivative actions were also
filed against the Companys officers and directors. Such actions have been filed in the United
States District Court for the District of Arizona, the Arizona Superior Court in Maricopa County,
and the Delaware Chancery Court in New Castle County. The derivative actions pending in the Arizona
Superior Court and the Delaware Chancery Court have been stayed pending resolution of the
consolidated Arizona District Court action.
The plaintiffs in the Arizona District Court action filed a consolidated complaint on May 13,
2005. The Company and the individual defendants filed motions to dismiss the consolidated complaint
on August 19, 2005. On March 17, 2006, the Court denied the motions to dismiss. Defendants answered
the consolidated complaint on April 21, 2006. Discovery commenced but no trial date was set.
The derivative complaints are based on similar facts and events as those alleged in the
securities class action complaints. The complaints generally allege that the individual defendants
breached the fiduciary duties that they owe to the Company and its shareholders by reason of their
positions as officers and/or directors of the Company. The complaints claim that such duties were
breached by defendants disclosure of allegedly false or misleading statements about the safety and
effectiveness of Company products and the Companys financial results. The complaints also claim
that fiduciary duties were breached by defendants alleged use of non-public information regarding
the safety of Company products and the Companys financial condition and future business prospects
to commit insider trading of the Companys stock. The derivative plaintiffs seek damages and
restitutionary, equitable, injunctive and other relief.
On December 8, 2006, the parties filed with the Arizona District Court a joint Stipulation of
Settlement and related documents, which set forth the terms of settlement of the Arizona District
Court action, the Arizona Superior Court action and the Delaware Chancery Court action. Settlement
terms include, among other things, the Companys adoption of certain corporate governance
provisions, settlement between the defendants and the Companys insurance carrier, and the
Companys payment of plaintiffs attorneys fees in the amount of $1.75 million in Company common
stock valued as set forth in the Stipulation. On December 13, 2006, the Arizona District Court
entered an order, which among other things, approved preliminarily the Stipulation of Settlement,
provided for notice of the Settlement, set forth for the submissions of objections to the
Settlement, and set a final Settlement Hearing. On March 14, 2007, the Arizona District Court
entered the Final Judgment and Order of Dismissal with Prejudice, which, among other things,
approved the settlement terms as set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement and dismissed with
prejudice the Arizona District Court action. On March 20, 2007, the Delaware Chancery Court
entered an order granting the parties stipulation of dismissal, which, among other things,
dismissed with prejudice the Delaware Chancery Court action. On March 23, 2007, the Arizona
Superior Court entered an order granting the parties stipulation of dismissal, which, among other
things, dismissed with prejudice the Arizona Superior Court action. The remaining liability of
$1.75 million for settlement of the derivative
litigation will be paid in stock in the second quarter
of 2007.
Product Liability Litigation
The Company is currently named as a defendant in 48 lawsuits in which the plaintiffs allege
either wrongful death or personal injury in situations in which the TASER device was used (or
present) by law enforcement officers or during training exercises. Companion cases arising from the
same incident have been combined into one for reporting purposes. In addition, 44 other lawsuits
have been dismissed and are not included in this number. Two of the lawsuits that have been
dismissed or judgment entered in favor of TASER, are on appeal. With respect to each of these
pending 48 lawsuits, the following table lists the name of plaintiff, the date the Company was
served with process, the jurisdiction in which the case is pending, the type of claim and the
status of the matter. This table also lists those cases that were dismissed during the most recent
fiscal quarter. Cases that were dismissed in prior fiscal quarters are not included in this table.
In each of the pending lawsuits, the plaintiff is seeking monetary damages from the Company. The
defense of each of these lawsuits has been submitted to our insurance carriers that maintained
insurance coverage during these applicable periods and we continue to maintain product liability
insurance coverage with varying limits and deductibles. Our product liability insurance coverage
during these periods ranged from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 in coverage limits and from $10,000 to
$500,000 in per incident deductibles. We are defending each of these lawsuits vigorously.
13
Table of Contents
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
Month | ||||||||
Plaintiff | Served | Jurisdiction | Claim Type | Status | ||||
City of Madera
|
6/2003 | CA Superior Court | Wrongful Death | Dismissed by Summary Judgment, Appeal Pending |
||||
Glowczenski
|
10/2004 | US District Court, ED NY |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
LeBlanc
|
12/2004 | CA Superior Court, Los Angeles County |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
M. Elsholtz
|
12/2004 | TX District Court | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Washington
|
5/2005 | US District Court, ED CA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Sanders
|
5/2005 | US District Court ED CA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Woolfolk
|
6/2005 | US District Court MD FL |
Wrongful Death | Dismissed Without Prejudice | ||||
Graff
|
9/2005 | US District Court, AZ | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Tucker
|
10/2005 | US District Court, NV | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Heston
|
11/2005 | US District Court, ND CA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Rosa
|
11/2005 | US District Court, ND CA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Yeagley
|
11/2005 | Hillsborough County Circuit Court, FL |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Neal-Lomax
|
12/2005 | US District Court, NV | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Yanga Williams
|
12/2005 | Gwinnett County State Court, GA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Mann
|
12/2005 | US District Court, ND GA, Rome Div |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
King
|
12/2005 | US District Court, MD FL, Jacksonville |
Wrongful Death | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Robert Williams
|
1/2006 | US District Court, TX | Wrongful Death | Case Stayed | ||||
Lee
|
1/2006 | Davidson County, TN Circuit Court |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase, Trial Scheduled for June 2008. | ||||
Zaragoza
|
2/2006 | CA Superior Court, Sacramento County |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Tapia
|
4/2006 | CA Superior Court, Los Angeles County |
Wrongful Death | Dismissed With Prejudice | ||||
Kinkle
|
6/2006 | US District Court, ND MS |
Wrongful Death | Dismissed With Prejudice | ||||
Nunez
|
6/2006 | 72 nd District Court, Lubbock County, TX |
Wrongful Death | Dismissed | ||||
Bagnell
|
7/2006 | Supreme Court for British Columbia, Canada |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Salazar
|
7/2006 | Maricopa County Superior Court, AZ |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Gillson
|
7/2006 | US District Court, NV | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Hollman
|
8/2006 | US District Court, ED NY |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Oliver
|
9/2006 | US District Court, MD FL, Orlando |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Teran/LiSaola
|
10/2006 | CA District Court | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Short, Rhonda
|
10/2006 | US District Court, ND TX, Forth Worth |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Fernandez
|
11/2006 | US District Court, ND CA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Brown
|
12/2006 | 15 th Judicial District Court, Lafayette Parish, LA |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Moreno
|
12/2006 | CA Superior Court, Los Angeles County (Companion to LeBlanc Litigation) | Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Augustine
|
1/2007 | 11 th Judicial Circuit Court, Miami-Dade |
Wrongful Death | Discovery Phase | ||||
Nunez
|
1/2007 | County,
FL US District Court, ND TX, Amarilllo |
Wrongful Death | Complaint Served | ||||
Smith
|
2/2007 | Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, LA |
Wrongful Death | Complaint Served |
14
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
Month | ||||||||
Plaintiff | Served | Jurisdiction | Claim Type | Status | ||||
Pierson, Preston
|
2/2007 | Superior Court of CA, San Bernardino County | Wrongful Death | Complaint Served | ||||
Son Thompson
|
3/2007 | US District Court, MD FL, Ft. Myers | Wrongful Death | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Powers
|
11/2003 | AZ Superior Court | Training Injury | Verdict for TASER, Appeal Pending | ||||
Cook
|
8/2004 | NV District Court | Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
J.J
|
7/2005 | FL Circuit Court | Training Injury | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
J.B
|
7/2005 | FL Circuit Court | Training Injury | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Howard
|
8/2005 | AZ Superior Court | Training Injury | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Wagner
|
8/2005 | AZ Superior Court | Training Injury | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Gerdon
|
8/2005 | AZ Superior Court | Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Gallant
|
8/2005 | AZ Superior Court | Training Injury | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Herring
|
8/2005 | Circuit Court of City of St. Louis, MO | Training Injury | Discovery Phase, Trial Scheduled for 9/2007 |
||||
Stewart
|
10/2005 | Circuit Court for Broward County, FL |
Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Lewandowski
|
1/2006 | US District Court, NV | Training Injury | Partial Motion to Dismiss Granted, Discovery Phase | ||||
Peterson
|
1/2006 | US District Court, NV | Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Husband
|
3/2006 | British Columbia Supreme Court, Canada |
Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Wright
|
4/2006 | US District Court, SD OH, Cincinatti |
Training Injury | Dismissed With Prejudice | ||||
Richthofen
|
7/2006 | 22 nd Judicial District Court, St. Tammany Parish, LA | Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Wilson
|
8/2006 | US District Court, ND GA |
Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Diamond
|
8/2006 | Circuit Court, Douglas County, Oregon |
Training Injury | Discovery Phase | ||||
Cuckovic
|
8/2006 | Circuit Court, McDonald County, Missouri |
Personal Injury | Dismissed With Prejudice | ||||
Cosby
|
8/2004 | US District Court, SD NY |
Injury During Arrest | Dismissed by Summary Judgment | ||||
Bynum
|
10/2005 | US District Court SD NY |
Injury During Arrest | Discovery Phase | ||||
Lopez
|
11/2005 | US District Court, ND IL Eastern Div |
Injury During Police Call |
Discovery Phase | ||||
Bellemore
|
2/2006 | AZ Superior Court | Injury During Arrest | Discovery Phase | ||||
Wieffenbach
|
6/2006 | Circuit Court of 12 th Judicial District, Will County, Il | Injury During Arrest | Discovery Phase | ||||
Cruz
|
7/2006 | CA Superior Court, Los Angeles County |
Injury During Arrest | Discovery Phase | ||||
Turner
|
8/2006 | US District Court, CD, CA |
Injury During Arrest | Dismissed with Prejudice | ||||
Molina
|
9/2006 | US District Court, ND West Virginia |
Injury During Detention |
Discovery Phase | ||||
Short, Harvey
|
10/2006 | US District Court, SD West Virginia |
Injury During Arrest | Complaint Served | ||||
Payne
|
10/2006 | Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois | Injury During Arrest | Discovery Phase | ||||
Powell
|
12/2006 | US District Court, ND IL, Eastern Division | Injury During Arrest (3 rd Party Complaint against TASER) |
Complaint Served |
15
Table of Contents
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
In December 2005, the Company received a defense verdict in the Samuel Powers v. TASER
International personal injury case. As part of its legal strategy to aggressively defend these
cases, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with its own insurance provider in order to
prevent its insurance provider from settling the case with the plaintiff. Under the terms of the
settlement, the Company received $575,000 from its liability insurance provider associated with a
settlement and release agreement and the Company assumed all future potential liability and costs
from and after the date the settlement and release agreement was signed. After offsetting
approximately $179,000 through March 31, 2007 in legal expenses to defend and win the trial and
cover the subsequent costs of appeal, the Company has a remaining balance of approximately $396,000
which is recorded as deferred proceeds on its balance sheet. This deferred
income will be used to cover any costs through all appeals and the
remaining balance if any will be
recorded as other income when final resolution is completed. During the three months ended March
31, 2007 and 2006, the Company expended approximately $29,000 and $34,000, respectively, in
connection with the appeal and reduced the deferred insurance settlement amount by these costs.
In November 2006, the Company received a defense verdict in the Alvarado v. Taser
International in-custody death case. In September 2006, as part of its legal strategy to
aggressively defend these cases, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with its own
insurance provider in order to prevent its insurance provider from settling the case with the
plaintiff. Under the terms of the settlement, the Company received $225,000 from its liability
insurance provider associated with a settlement and release agreement and the Company assumed all
future potential liability and costs from and after the date the settlement and release agreement
was signed. The Company has recorded the $225,000 as deferred insurance settlement proceeds on its
balance sheet. This deferred income will be used to cover any costs through all appeals and the
remaining balance if any will be recorded as other income when final resolution is completed.
Through March 31, 2007, the Company expended approximately $145,000 in connection with the trial
and appeal and reduced the deferred insurance settlement amount by these costs.
Other Litigation
In February 2005, we filed a complaint in Superior Court for Maricopa County against Thomas G.
Watkins III, our former patent attorney, for declaratory judgment, breach of fiduciary duty,
constructive fraud, and breach of contract. Mr. Watkins originally filed patent applications on our
behalf as our patent attorney for inventions utilized in the TASER X26 device in February and May
2003. In each patent application he filed a declaration stating that Magne Nerheim, our employee,
was the sole inventor. These patent applications have been granted and patents have been issued for
both applications as U.S. Patent No. US 7,145,762 and U.S. Patent No. US 7,102,870. Mr. Nerheim
assigned his interest in these patents to us. In December 2004, Mr. Watkins informed us that he now
felt that he was the inventor of a portion of this invention. We vigorously dispute his claim and
we believe that we are the sole owner of this invention. On February 14, 2006, U.S. Patent No. US
6,999,295 entitled Dual Operating Mode Electronic Disabling Device For Generating A
Time-Sequenced, Shaped Voltage Output Waveform was issued to named inventors Thomas G. Watkins,
III and Mr. Nerheim. Mr. Nerheim assigned his interest in this patent to us. This patent covers a
portion of the technology utilized in the TASER X26 device. This patent was applied for by Mr.
Watkins without our knowledge or consent. Since we are a joint owner of this patent, this patent
will not restrict us from manufacturing and selling the TASER X26 device. We have other patent
applications pending that cover inventions contained in this patent. In March 2006, the Court
issued a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction preventing Mr. Watkins from
selling, assigning, transferring or licensing this patent to a third party during the duration of
this litigation. On August 2, 2006, the Court issued an order granting our motion for partial
summary judgment on liability, leaving open the matter of remedies and other residual issues for
resolution in subsequent proceedings. We filed a motion for summary judgment in January 2007
requesting an equitable assignment or constructive trust of Mr. Watkins interest in U.S. Patent No.
US 6,999,295, which motion was granted by the Court in March 2007. On February 5, 2007, the
Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Arizona recommended that Mr. Watkins be disbarred
as a result of his conduct in this matter.
In December 2005, we filed a lawsuit in Vigo County, Indiana, Superior Court against Roland M.
Kohr for defamation, product disparagement, Lanham Act violations, tortuously affecting the
fairness and integrity of litigation as an adverse third-party witness, and intentional
interference with a business relationship. Dr. Kohr was the medical examiner and expert witness in
the James Borden wrongful death litigation, which litigation was dismissed with prejudice. This
case is in the discovery phase and no trial date has been set.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
In June 2006, we filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
against Bestex Company, Inc. for patent infringement, false patent marking, unfair competition and
breach of written contract. Bestex filed a counterclaim for unfair competition and false
advertising. Both parties filed motions for summary judgment, which motions were granted and the
matter was resolved on those motions before the Court in January 2007.
In November 2006, we filed a lawsuit against the Chief Medical Examiner of Summit County, OH,
in the Court of Common Pleas of Summit County Ohio, to correct erroneous cause of death
determinations relating to the autopsy reports prepared by medical examiner, Dr. Lisa Kohler, which
associate the TASER device as being a contributing factor in the deaths of Richard Holcomb and
Dennis Hyde. We asked the Court to order a hearing on the appropriate causes of death of Mr. Hyde
and Mr. Holcomb, and to order changes in the medical examiners cause of death determinations for
both Mr. Hyde and Mr. Holcomb removing all references to any TASER device causing or contributing
to the causes of death for Mr. Hyde or Mr. Holcomb. Defendant filed a motion to dismiss for lack of
standing and that motion was denied by the Court in January 2007. This case is in the discovery
phase.
In January 2007, we filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Arizona against Stinger
Systems, Inc. alleging patent infringement, patent false marking, and false advertising. Defendant
filed an answer but discovery has not yet begun and no trial date has been set.
General
From time to time, the Company is notified that it may be a party to a lawsuit or that a claim
is being made against it. It is the Companys policy to not disclose the specifics of any claim or
threatened lawsuit until the summons and complaint are actually served on the Company. We intend to
pursue and defend any lawsuit filed against or by the Company vigorously. Although we do not expect
the outcome in any individual case to be material, the outcome of any litigation is inherently
uncertain and there can be no assurance that any expense, liability or damages that may ultimately
result from the resolution of these matters will be covered by our insurance or will not be in
excess of amounts provided by insurance coverage and will not have a material adverse effect on our
business, operating results or financial condition. The Company may settle a lawsuit in situations
where a settlement can be obtained for nuisance value and for an amount that is expected to be less
than the cost of defending a lawsuit. Due to the confidentiality of our litigation strategy and the
confidentiality agreements that are executed in the event of a settlement, the Company does not
identify or comment on which lawsuits have been settled or the amount of any settlement.
11. Related Party Transactions
Aircraft charter
The Company reimburses Thomas P. Smith,
Chairman of the Companys Board of Directors and
Patrick W. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, for business use of their personal aircraft. For the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, the Company incurred expenses of approximately $95,000
and $83,000 respectively, to Thomas P. Smith. For the three months
ended March 31, 2007, the Company incurred expenses of approximately
$13,000 to Patrick W. Smith. No amounts were reimbursed to Patrick W.
Smith for the three
months ended March 31, 2006. At March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, the
Company had outstanding payables of approximately $44,000 and $36,000, respectively to Thomas P.
Smith. At March 31, 2007, the Company had outstanding payables of
approximately $13,000 to Patrick W. Smith. The Company believes that
the rates charged by Thomas P. Smith and Patrick W. Smith are equal to or below commercial rates the Company would pay to charter similar aircraft from
independent charter companies.
During the first quarter of 2007 Thomas P. Smith also chartered an aircraft from Thundervolt,
LLC, which is 50% owned by Patrick W. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, for the
purposes of business related travel. For the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company
incurred expenses of $30,000 to reimburse Mr. Thomas P. Smith. The Company believes that the rates
charged by Thundervolt, LLC to Mr. Thomas P. Smith are equal to or below commercial rates the
Company would pay to charter similar aircraft from independent charter companies.
In the first quarter of 2007, the Company also entered into a charter agreement for future use
of an aircraft for business travel from Thundervolt, LLC, should the need arise. For the three
months ended March 31, 2007, the Company did not incur any direct charter expenses from Thundervolt, LLC.
The Company believes that the rates charged by Thundervolt, LLC are equal to or below commercial
rates the Company would pay to charter similar aircraft from independent charter companies.
The Company performed a review of the above relationships with Thundervolt, LLC, in accordance
with the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, Consolidation
of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51 (FIN 46R). Neither of the
relationships were determined to meet the definition of a variable interest entity (VIE) as defined
by FIN 46R as Thundervolt, LLC is adequately capitalized, their owners possess all of the essential
characteristics of a controlling financial interest, and the Company does not have any voting
rights in the entity. Therefore, the entity is not required to be consolidated into the Companys
results.
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TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) Continued
TASER Foundation
In November 2004, the Company established the TASER Foundation. The TASER Foundation is a
501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and has been granted tax exempt status by the IRS. The TASER
Foundations mission is to honor the service and sacrifice of local and federal law enforcement
officers in the United States and Canada lost in the line of duty by providing financial support to
their families. Daniel M. Behrendt, an officer of the Company, serves on the Board of Directors of
the TASER Foundation. Patrick W. Smith and Thomas P. Smith resigned from the Board of Directors of
the TASER Foundation in January 2006. Over half of TASER Foundations initial $1 million endowment was contributed
directly by TASER International, Inc. employees. The Company bears all administrative costs of the
TASER Foundation in order to ensure 100% of all donations are distributed to the families of fallen
officers. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, the Company incurred approximately
$48,000 and $74,000, respectively, in such administrative costs. The
Company is authorized by its Board of Directors to make a
discretionary contribution up to a maximum of $200,000 per quarter. For the three months ended March
31, 2007 and 2006, the Company contributed $0 and $75,000, respectively, to the TASER Foundation.
In January, 2007, the Company granted the TASER Foundation a non-exclusive royalty free
license to use the Companys trademarks, including its logo, for promotional products used in
fundraising activities.
Consulting services
Beginning in August 2005, the Company agreed to pay Mark Kroll, a member of the Board of
Directors, to provide consultancy services. The expense for the three months ended March 31, 2007
and 2006 were approximately $48,000 and $43,000, respectively. At March 31, 2007, the Company had
accounts payable of approximately $18,000 related to these services.
12. Employee Benefit Plan
In January 2006, the Company established a defined contribution profit sharing 401(k) plan
(the Plan) for eligible employees, which is qualified under Sections 401(a) and 401(k) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Employees are entitled to make tax-deferred
contributions of up to the maximum allowed by law of their eligible compensation, but not exceeding
$15,500. The Company matches 50% of the first 6% of eligible compensation contributed to the Plan
by each participant. The Companys matching contributions cliff vest at 20% per annum and are fully
vested after five years of service, at age 59 1/2 regardless of service, upon the death or
permanent disability of the employee, or upon termination of the Plan. The Companys matching
contributions to the Plan for the three months ended March 31,
2007 were approximately $60,000 and $45,000,
respectively. Future matching or profit sharing contributions to the Plan are at the Companys sole
discretion.
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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
The following is a discussion of the Companys financial condition and results of operations
for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and March 31, 2006. The following discussion may be
understood more fully by reference to the financial statements, notes to the financial statements,
and the Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
section contained in the Companys Annual Report as of December 31, 2006 on Form 10-K filed on
March 15, 2007.
Certain statements contained in this report may be deemed to be forward-looking statements as
defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and the Company intends that such
forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor created thereby. Such forward-looking
statements may relate to, among other things: expected revenue and earnings growth; estimates
regarding the size of our target markets; successful penetration of the law enforcement market;
expansion of product sales to the private security, military and consumer self-defense markets;
growth expectations for new and existing accounts; expansion of production capability; new product
introductions; and our business model. We caution that these statements are qualified by important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by the
forward-looking statements herein. Such factors include, but are not limited to: market acceptance
of our products; establishment and expansion of our direct and indirect distribution channels;
attracting and retaining the endorsement of key opinion-leaders in the law enforcement community;
the level of product technology and price competition for our products; the degree and rate of
growth of the markets in which we compete and the accompanying demand for our products; potential
delays in international and domestic orders; implementation risks of manufacturing automation;
risks associated with rapid technological change; execution and implementation risks of new
technology; new product introduction risks; ramping manufacturing production to meet demand;
litigation resulting from alleged product- related injuries; risks related to government inquiries
and pending class action and derivative litigation; media publicity concerning allegations of
deaths occurring after use of the TASER device and the negative impact this publicity could have on
sales; product quality risks; potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results; competition;
financial and budgetary constraints of prospects and customers; dependence upon sole and limited
source suppliers; fluctuations in component pricing; risks of governmental regulations; dependence
on a single product; dependence upon key employees; employee retention risks; and other factors
detailed in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including in Part II
Item 1A. Risk Factors in this report on Form 10-Q.
Overview
We are a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced electronic control
devices designed for use in law enforcement, corrections, private security and personal defense. We
have focused our efforts on the continuous development of our technology for both new and existing
products as well as industry leading training services while building distribution channels for
marketing our products and services to law enforcement agencies, primarily in North America with
increasing efforts on expanding these programs with a view toward international markets.
Our core expertise includes proprietary, patented technology which is uniquely capable of
incapacitating highly focused and aggressive subjects. Competing non-lethal weapons rely primarily
on pain to dissuade subjects from continuing unwanted behavior. Our proprietary Neuro-Muscular
Incapacitation (NMI) technology uses electrical impulses to interfere with a subjects
neuron-muscular system, causing substantial incapacitation regardless of whether the subject feels
or responds to pain. Our NMI technology stimulates the motor nerves which control muscular
movement.
Law enforcement, military and corrections agencies represent our primary target markets. In
each of these markets, the decision to purchase TASER devices is normally made by a group of people
including the agency head, his or her training staff, and weapons experts. Depending on the size
and cost of the device deployment, the decision may involve political decision-makers such as city
council members and the federal government. The decision making process can take as little as a few
weeks or as long as several years.
Our devices are not considered to be a firearm by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives. Therefore, no firearms-related regulations apply to the sale and
distribution of our devices within the United States. However, many states have regulations
restricting the sale and use of stun guns, which we believe apply to our devices as well. Our
products are often used in aggressive confrontations that may result in serious, permanent bodily
injury or death to those involved. Our products may cause or be associated with these injuries. A
person injured in a confrontation or otherwise in connection with the use of our products may bring
legal action against us to recover damages on the basis of theories including personal injury,
wrongful death, negligent design, dangerous product or inadequate warning. We are currently subject
to a number of such lawsuits. We may also be subject to lawsuits involving allegations of misuse of
our products. If successful, personal injury, misuse and other claims could have a material adverse
effect on our operating results and financial condition. Although we carry product liability
insurance, significant litigation could also result in a diversion of managements attention and
resources, negative publicity and an award of monetary damages in excess of our insurance coverage.
The outcome of any litigation is inherently uncertain and there can be no assurance that our
existing or any future litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our revenues, our
financial condition or financial results.
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Results of Operations
Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 Compared to the Three Months Ended March 31, 2006
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, our statements of income as well as the
percentage relationship to total net revenues of items included in our statements of income
(dollars in thousands):
Three Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||
March 31, 2007 | March 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 15,302 | 100 | % | $ | 13,894 | 100 | % | ||||||||
Cost of products sold |
6,413 | 42 | % | 4,939 | 36 | % | ||||||||||
Gross margin |
8,889 | 58 | % | 8,955 | 64 | % | ||||||||||
Sales, general and administrative expenses |
7,582 | 50 | % | 7,254 | 52 | % | ||||||||||
Research and development expenses |
971 | 6 | % | 664 | 5 | % | ||||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
336 | 2 | % | 1,037 | 7 | % | ||||||||||
Interest and other income, net |
506 | 3 | % | 365 | 3 | % | ||||||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes |
843 | 5 | % | 1,402 | 10 | % | ||||||||||
Provision (benefit) for income taxes |
348 | 2 | % | 596 | 4 | % | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
$ | 495 | 3 | % | $ | 806 | 6 | % | ||||||||
# | - Less than 1% |
Net Sales
For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, sales by product line and by geography
were as follows (dollars in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
2007 | 2006 | |||||||||||||||
Sales by Product Line |
||||||||||||||||
TASER X26 |
$ | 9,282 | 61 | % | $ | 9,197 | 66 | % | ||||||||
TASER Cam |
625 | 4 | % | | 0 | % | ||||||||||
ADVANCED TASER |
541 | 4 | % | 695 | 5 | % | ||||||||||
AIR TASER |
23 | # | 29 | # | ||||||||||||
Single Cartridges |
4,039 | 26 | % | 3,550 | 26 | % | ||||||||||
Other |
792 | 5 | % | 423 | 3 | % | ||||||||||
Total |
$ | 15,302 | 100 | % | $ | 13,894 | 100 | % | ||||||||
# | - Less than 1% |
For the Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||
2007 | 2006 | |||||||
Sales by Geographic Area |
||||||||
United States |
88 | % | 92 | % | ||||
Other Countries |
12 | % | 8 | % | ||||
Total |
100 | % | 100 | % | ||||
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Net sales increased $1.4 million, or 10%, to $15.3 million for the first quarter of 2007 compared
to $13.9 million for the first quarter of 2006. The growth was primarily driven by $625,000 of
TASERCam sales which were not sold until the second quarter of 2006 and a $489,000 increase in
sales of single cartridges which is mainly attributable to a larger installed base of law
enforcement agencies deploying TASER technology and, to a lesser extent, a small price increase to
partially offset increased materials costs. Sales of the TASER X26 product line increased
marginally to $9.3 million for the first quarter of 2007 compared to $9.2 million for the first
quarter of 2006. Other sales include warranty, research funding, training and shipping revenues net
of cash and distributor discounts. International sales for the first quarter of 2007 represented
approximately $1.8 million, or 12% of total net sales, compared to international sales of $1.1
million, or 8% of total net sales for the first quarter of 2006.
Cost of Products Sold
Cost of products sold increased by $1.5 million, or 30%, to $6.4 million for the first quarter
of 2007 compared to $4.9 million for the first quarter of 2006. As a percentage of net sales, cost
of products sold increased to 42% for the first quarter of 2007 compared to 36% for the first
quarter of 2006. The increase in cost of products sold as a percentage of net sales was driven by a
combination of factors. In particular, we experienced a change in sales mix with the introduction
of our lower margin TASERCam product as well as an increase in cartridge sales. Additionally we
experienced a rise in raw material costs due to higher price of cartridge components, plastics and
printed circuit board assemblies. During the first quarter of 2007, we also invested in our
manufacturing infrastructure for the production of a new product by hiring new production operators
and transferring existing employees to the new production lines. As a result, temporary labor and
overtime costs increased to backfill forecasted production requirements which, in turn, drove up
our average labor rate per hour. Finally, due to increased production throughput, some supplier
quality issues and some operator related issues on our assembly lines, production scrap increased
by approximately $200,000.
Gross Margin
Gross margin decreased $66,000, or less than 1%, to $8.9 million for the first quarter of 2007
compared to $9.0 million for the first quarter of 2006. As a percentage of net sales, gross margins
decreased to 58% for the first quarter of 2007 compared to 64% for the first quarter of 2006. The
decrease in gross margin was attributable to the increased percentage of direct and indirect costs
as a percentage of net sales for the reasons noted above.
Sales, General and Administrative Expenses
For
the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, sales, general and administrative expenses
were comprised as follows (amounts in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
$ | % | |||||||||||||||
2007 | 2006 | Change | Change | |||||||||||||
Salaries and benefits |
$ | 1,701 | $ | 1,394 | $ | 307 | 22.0 | % | ||||||||
D&O and liability insurance |
476 | 532 | (56 | ) | -10.5 | % | ||||||||||
Depreciation |
405 | 401 | 4 | # | ||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation |
188 | 267 | (79 | ) | # | |||||||||||
Legal, professional and accounting fees |
1,765 | 1,956 | (191 | ) | -9.8 | % | ||||||||||
Travel and meals |
861 | 669 | 192 | 28.7 | % | |||||||||||
Other |
2,186 | 2,035 | 151 | 7.4 | % | |||||||||||
Total |
$ | 7,582 | $ | 7,254 | $ | 328 | 4.5 | % | ||||||||
Sales, general and administrative as % of net sales |
50 | % | 52 | % |
# | - Less than 1% |
Sales, general and administrative expenses were $7.6 million and $7.3 million in the
first quarter of 2007 and 2006, respectively, an increase of
$328,000, or 5% for the 2007 period
compared to the 2006 period. As a percentage of total net sales, sales, general and administrative
expenses decreased to 50% for the first quarter of 2007 compared to 52% for the first quarter of
2006. The dollar increase for the first quarter of 2007 over the same period in 2006 is
substantially attributable to a $307,000, or 22%, growth in salaries and benefits related to an
increase in personnel to support the expansion of our business infrastructure combined with annual
salary increases. In addition, travel and meals expenses increased $192,000 primarily due to
attendance at several large consumer product and tradeshows to introduce and promote the TASER C2
product launch. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in legal, professional and
accounting fees of $191,000 primarily due to a reduction in the level of expert witness fees used
in litigation and lower accounting fees.
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Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses increased $307,000, or 46%, to $971,000 for the first
quarter of 2007 compared to $664,000 for the first quarter of 2006. The increase is predominantly
related to growth in salary, supplies, tooling and consulting costs to support our continuing
efforts to develop for manufacture new products such as the TASER C2 and the XREP (Extended Range
Electro-Muscular Projectile).
Interest and Other Income, Net
Interest
and other income increased $141,000 or 38%, to $506,000 for the first quarter of 2007 compared
to $365,000 for the first quarter of 2006. The increase in interest
income is primarily attributable to higher average
yields on our investments. Our cash and investment accounts earned interest at an approximate
average rate of 4.6% during the first quarter of 2007 compared to 3.3% during the first quarter
of 2006. Interest expense related to capital lease obligations was $1,500 and $2,000 for the three
months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes decreased by $248,000 to $348,000 for the first quarter of 2007
compared to $596,000 for the first quarter of 2006. This is attributable to the decrease in income
before provision for income taxes to $843,000 in the first quarter of 2007 compared to $1.4 million
for the same period in the prior year.
Our effective income tax rate for the first quarter of 2007 was 41.3% compared to 42.5% for
the first quarter of 2006. The decrease in the effective tax rate is
due to the impact of R&D tax credits that were extended by the
IRS in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Net Income
Net income decreased by $311,000 to $495,000 for the first quarter of 2007 compared to
$806,000 for the same period in the prior year. Income per basic and diluted share was $0.01 for
both the first quarters of 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity
As of | ||||||||
March 31, 2007 | December 31, 2006 | |||||||
(In thousands) | ||||||||
Cash, cash equivalents and short term investments |
$ | 16,073 | $ | 22,331 | ||||
Accounts receivable, net |
7,494 | 10,068 | ||||||
Inventory |
10,312 | 9,258 | ||||||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities |
6,057 | 6,789 | ||||||
Working Capital |
$ | 36,278 | $ | 37,814 |
As of March 31, 2007, we had $16.1 million in cash, cash equivalents and short term
investments, a decrease of $6.3 million from December 31, 2006 which is primarily attributable to
the final $8.0 million payment for the settlement of our shareholder litigation as described in
note 11 to our financial statements included in this report. The final payment was made in cash
rather than stock at our discretion.
Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||
2007 | 2006 | |||||||
(In thousands) | ||||||||
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
$ | (5,483 | ) | $ | 1,963 | |||
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities |
2,314 | (4,136 | ) | |||||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
$ | 469 | $ | 88 |
Net cash used by operating activities for the first three months of 2007 of $5.5
million was mainly attributable to the final $8.0 million cash payment for the shareholder
litigation settlement, a $1.1 million increase in finished goods inventory related to some
significant sales orders which were anticipated to ship in the first quarter but were delayed until
the second quarter of 2007 and a $732,000 decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
mainly due to a difference in timing of period end payments. These uses of cash were partially
offset by our net income for the period of $495,000, a $2.6 million decrease in accounts receivable
due to the lower sales levels in the first quarter of 2007 compared to the fourth quarter of 2006
and total non-cash expenses incurred of $1.6 million which includes $569,000 of depreciation and
amortization, $518,000 of deferred taxes and $262,000 of stock-based compensation expense.
We generated $2.3 million from investing activities during the three months ended March 31,
2007 which was comprised of a $3.5 million net decrease in our investments partially offset by $1.1
million in acquisitions of property and equipment, which mainly
related to production equipment for the TASER C2 manufacturing line and capitalized website
development costs.
During the first three months of 2007, we generated $469,000 from financing activities
attributable to stock options exercised in the period.
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Capital Resources
On March 31, 2007, we had total cash and investments of $41.6 million and $0.1 million of
capital lease obligations outstanding.
We negotiated a revolving line of credit on July 13, 2004 through a domestic bank. The total
availability on the line is $10 million. The line is secured by substantially all of our assets,
other than intellectual property, and bears interest at varying rates, ranging from LIBOR plus 1.5%
to prime. The line of credit matures on June 30, 2008 and requires monthly payments of interest
only. At March 31, 2007, there was a calculated availability of $7.6 million based on the defined
borrowing base, which is based on our eligible accounts receivable and inventory. However, there
was no outstanding balance under the line of credit at March 31, 2007, and no borrowings under the
line as of the date of the filing of this Form 10-Q.
We believe that our existing balance of cash and investments of $41.6 million as of March 31,
2007, together with cash expected to be generated from operations and availability under the line
of credit will be adequate to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months. However, we may
require additional resources to expedite manufacturing of new and existing technologies in order to
meet possible demand for our products. Although we believe financing will be available at terms
favorable to us, both through our existing credit lines and possible additional equity financing,
there is no assurance that such funding will be available, or on terms acceptable to us.
Commitments and Contingencies
There have been no material changes in future contractual financial obligations as of March
31, 2007 compared to the information at December 31, 2006 set forth in our Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
We had no off balance sheet arrangements as of March 31, 2007.
Critical Accounting Estimates
We have identified the following accounting estimates as critical to our business operations
and the understanding of our results of operations. The preparation of these financial statements
requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and
liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial
statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. There can
be no assurance that actual results will not differ from those estimates. The effect of these
estimates on our business operations is discussed below.
Standard Warranty Costs
We warrant our products from manufacturing defects on a limited basis for a period of one year
after purchase, and thereafter will replace any defective TASER unit for a fee. We track historical
data related to returns and related warranty costs on a quarterly basis, and estimate future
warranty claims by applying our four quarter average return rate to our product sales for the
period. We have also historically increased our reserve amount if we become aware of a component
failure that could result in larger than anticipated returns from our customers. As of March 31,
2007, our reserve for warranty returns was $787,000 compared to a $713,000 reserve at December 31,
2006. In the event that product returns under warranty differ from our estimates, changes to
warranty reserves might become necessary.
Inventory
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, with cost determined using the weighted
average cost, which approximates the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Provisions are made to
reduce potentially excess, obsolete or slow-moving inventories to their net realizable value. These
provisions are based on our best estimates after considering historical demand, projected future
demand, inventory purchase commitments, industry and market trends and conditions and other
factors. Our reserve for excess and obsolete inventory was $239,000 at March 31, 2007 compared to
$223,000 at December 31, 2006. In the event that actual excess, obsolete or slow-moving inventories
differ from these estimates, changes to inventory reserves might become necessary.
Accounts Receivable
Sales are typically made on credit and we generally do not require collateral. We perform
ongoing credit evaluations of our customers financial condition and maintain an allowance for
estimated potential losses. Uncollectible accounts are written off when deemed uncollectible, and
accounts receivable are presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. These allowances
represent our best estimates and are based on our judgment after considering a number of factors
including third-party credit reports, actual payment history, customer-specific financial
information and broader market and economic trends and conditions. In the event that actual
uncollectible amounts differ from these estimates, changes in allowances for doubtful accounts
might become necessary.
Valuation of Long-lived Assets
We review long-lived assets, such as property and equipment and intangible assets subject to
amortization, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such
assets may not be recoverable. We utilize a two-step approach to testing long-lived assets for
impairment. The first step tests for possible impairment indicators. If an impairment indicator is
present, the second step measures whether the asset is recoverable based on a comparison of the
carrying amount of the asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be
generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows,
an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds
the fair value of the asset. Our review requires the use of judgment and estimates. Management
believes that no such impairments have occurred to date. However, future events or circumstances may result in a charge
to earnings if we determine that the carrying value of a long-lived asset is not recoverable.
Income Taxes
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 109, or SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income
Taxes , establishes financial accounting and reporting standards for the effect of income taxes. In
accordance with SFAS No. 109, we recognize federal, state and foreign current tax liabilities or
assets based on our estimate of taxes payable or refundable in the current fiscal year by tax
jurisdiction. We also recognize federal, state and foreign deferred tax assets or liabilities, as
appropriate, for our estimate of future tax effects attributable to temporary differences and
carryforwards. We are currently under audit by the United States Internal Revenue Service for our
2004 fiscal year. We are unable to determine the outcome of the process at this time. There can be
no assurance that the final outcome of this audit will not have an adverse effect on our future
operating results.
In July 2006, the FASB issued Interpretation 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
(FIN 48), which became effective for us beginning in 2007. FIN 48 addresses the
determination of how tax benefits claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return should be
recorded in the financial statements. Under FIN 48, the we recognize the tax benefit from
an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be
sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position.
The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on
the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate resolution. Under FIN 48, management must also assess
whether uncertain tax positions as filed could result in the
recognition of a liability for possible interest and penalties. We
adopted the provisions of FIN 48 effective January 1, 2007. The impact on our reassessment of our tax positions in accordance
with FIN 48 did not have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition or
liquidity. Our estimates are based on the information available to us at the time we prepare the
income tax provisions. We generally file our annual income tax returns several months after our
fiscal year end. Income tax returns are subject to audit by federal, state, and local governments,
generally years after the returns are filed. These returns could be subject to material adjustments
or differing interpretations of the tax laws.
Our calculation of current and deferred tax assets and liabilities is based on certain
estimates and judgments and involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax
laws. Our estimates of current and deferred tax assets and liabilities may change based, in part,
on added certainty or finality to an anticipated outcome, changes in accounting or tax laws in the
United States, or changes in other facts or circumstances. In addition, we recognize liabilities
for potential United States tax contingencies based on our estimate of whether, and the extent to
which, additional taxes may be due. If we determine that payment of these amounts is unnecessary or
if the recorded tax liability is less than our current assessment, we may be required to recognize
an income tax benefit or additional income tax expense in our financial statements.
In preparing our financial statements, we assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets
will be realized from future taxable income. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred
income tax assets we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including our operating
results, ongoing tax planning and forecasts of future taxable income. We establish a valuation
allowance if we determine that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net
deferred tax assets will not be realized. We exercise significant judgment in determining our
provisions for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities and our future taxable income
for purposes of assessing our ability to utilize any future tax benefit from our deferred tax
assets. Although we believe that our tax estimates are reasonable, the ultimate tax determination
involves significant judgments that could become subject to audit by tax authorities in the
ordinary course of business. As a result of the shareholder litigation settlement expense recorded
in the second quarter of 2006, we recorded a valuation allowance of $250,000 in 2006 against our
deferred tax assets for Arizona NOLs. We believe that, other than as previously described, as of
March 31, 2007, based on our evaluation, no additional valuation allowance was deemed necessary as
it is more likely than not that our net deferred tax assets will be realized. However, the deferred
tax asset could be reduced in the near term if estimates of taxable income during the carryforward
period are reduced.
Stock Based Compensation
We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with the fair value recognition
provisions of SFAS No. 123R. We use the Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model which requires
the input of highly subjective assumptions. These assumptions include estimating the length of time
employees will retain their stock options before exercising them (expected term), the estimated
volatility of our common stock price over the expected term and the number of options that will
ultimately not complete their vesting requirements (forfeitures). We contracted with a
third-party consultant who utilized our historical data to validate our assumptions for the 2007
option grants. Changes in the subjective assumptions can materially affect the estimate of fair
value of stock-based compensation and consequently, the related amount recognized on our statements
of operations. Refer to Note 2c to our financial statements for further discussion of how we
determined our valuation assumptions.
Contingencies
We are subject to the possibility of various loss contingencies including product related
litigation, arising in the ordinary course of business. We consider the likelihood of loss or
impairment of an asset or the incurrence of a liability, as well as our ability to reasonably
estimate the amount of loss in determining loss contingencies. An estimated loss contingency is
accrued when it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a
liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. We regularly evaluate current
information available to us to determine whether such accruals should be adjusted and whether new
accruals are required.
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ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Interest Rate Risk
We invest in a limited number of financial instruments, consisting principally of investments
in high-credit quality government sponsored entity securities, denominated in United States
dollars.
We account for our investment instruments in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 115, Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities, (SFAS No.
115). All of our cash equivalents and marketable securities are treated as held-to-maturity under
SFAS No. 115. Investments in fixed-rate interest earning instruments carry a degree of interest
rate risk as their market value may be adversely impacted due to a rise in interest rates. As a
result, we may suffer losses in principal if forced to sell securities that decline in market value
due to changes in interest rates. However, because we classify our debt securities as
held-to-maturity, no gains or losses are recognized due to changes in interest rates and, as
such, a 10% change in interest rates would not have a material adverse affect on our results of
operations. These securities are reported at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
Exchange Rate Risk
We consider our direct exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations to be minimal.
Currently, sales to customers provide for pricing and payment in United States dollars, and
therefore are not subject to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not engaged in any
currency hedging activities, although we may do so in the future. Fluctuations in currency exchange
rates could harm our business in the future.
ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures
Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer evaluated the effectiveness of our
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31,
2007 to ensure that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the
time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms and (ii) is
accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief
Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our
disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that such
information is accumulated and communicated to our management. Our disclosure controls and
procedures include components of our internal control over financial reporting. Managements
assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is expressed at
the level of reasonable assurance because a control system, no matter how well designed and
operated, can provide only reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that the control systems
objectives will be met.
Changes in internal control over financial reporting
There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended
March 31, 2007, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our
internal control over financial reporting.
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PART IIOTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
See discussion of legal proceedings in Note 11 to the financial statements included in PART I,
ITEM 1 of this Form 10-Q.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
We are materially dependent on acceptance of our products by the law enforcement and corrections
market, and if law enforcement and corrections agencies do not purchase our products, our revenues
will be adversely affected and we may not be able to expand into other markets.
A substantial number of law enforcement and corrections agencies may not purchase our
electronic control devices. In addition, if our products are not widely accepted by the law
enforcement and corrections market, we may not be able to expand sales of our products into other
markets such as the military market. Law enforcement and corrections agencies may be influenced by
claims or perceptions that our devices are unsafe or may be used in an abusive manner. In addition,
earlier generation conducted energy devices may have been perceived as ineffective. Sales of our
products to these agencies may also be delayed or limited by these claims or perceptions.
We substantially depend on sales of our TASER X26 products, and if these products are not widely
accepted, our growth prospects will be diminished.
In the three months ended March 31, 2007 and in fiscal 2006, we derived our revenues
predominantly from sales of the TASER X26 brand devices and related cartridges, and expect to
depend on sales of these products for the foreseeable future. A decrease in the prices of or demand
for these products, or their failure to achieve broad market acceptance, would significantly harm
our growth prospects, operating results and financial condition.
If we are unable to manage any growth in our business, our prospects may be limited and our future
profitability may be adversely affected.
We intend to expand our sales and marketing programs and our manufacturing capacity as needed
to meet future demand. Any significant expansion may strain our managerial, financial and other
resources. If we are unable to manage our growth, our business, operating results and financial
condition could be adversely affected. We will need to continually improve our operations,
financial and other internal systems to manage our growth effectively, and any failure to do so may
lead to inefficiencies and redundancies, and result in reduced growth prospects and profitability.
We may face personal injury, wrongful death and other liability claims that harm our reputation and
adversely affect our sales and financial condition.
Our products are often used in aggressive confrontations that may result in serious, permanent
bodily injury or death to those involved. Our products may be associated with these injuries. A
person injured in a confrontation or otherwise in connection with the use of our products may bring
legal action against us to recover damages on the basis of theories including personal injury,
wrongful death, negligent design, defective product or inadequate warning. We are currently subject
to a number of such lawsuits. We may also be subject to lawsuits involving allegations of misuse of
our products. If successful, personal injury, misuse and other claims could have a material adverse
effect on our operating results and financial condition. Although we carry product liability
insurance, we incur large legal expenses within our self insured retention in defending these
lawsuits and significant litigation could also result in a diversion of managements attention and
resources, negative publicity and a potential award of monetary damages in excess of our insurance
coverage. The outcome of any litigation is inherently uncertain and there can be no assurance that
our existing or any future litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our revenues, our
financial condition or financial results.
Pending litigation may subject us to significant litigation costs, judgments, fines and penalties
in excess of insurance coverage, and divert management attention from our business.
We are involved in numerous litigation matters relating to our products or the use of such
products, litigation against persons who we believe have defamed our products, litigation against
medical examiners who we believe made errors in their autopsy reports, litigation against a
competitor and litigation against our former patent attorney. We were also involved in shareholder
class action and shareholder derivative lawsuits. Such matters have resulted and are expected to
continue to result in substantial costs to us and a likely diversion of our managements attention,
which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results. In particular,
in 2006 we reached an agreement to settle our shareholder class action lawsuits and derivative
lawsuits for approximately $21.75 million, of which approximately $4.1 million was covered by
insurance.
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Our future success is dependent on our ability to expand sales through distributors and our
inability to recruit new distributors would negatively affect our sales.
Our distribution strategy is to pursue sales through multiple channels with an emphasis on
independent distributors. Our inability to recruit and retain police equipment distributors who can
successfully sell our products would adversely affect our sales. In addition, our arrangements with
our distributors are generally short-term. If we do not competitively price our products, meet the
requirements of our distributors or end-users, provide adequate marketing support, or comply with
the terms of our distribution arrangements, our distributors may fail to aggressively market our
products or may terminate their relationships with us. These developments would likely have a
material adverse effect on our sales. Our reliance on the sales of our products by others also
makes it more difficult to predict our revenues, cash flow and operating results.
If we are unable to design, introduce and sell new products or new product features successfully,
our business and financial results could be adversely affected.
Our future success will depend on our ability to develop new products or new product features
that achieve market acceptance in a timely and cost-effective manner. The development of new
products and new product features is complex, and we may experience delays in completing the
development and introduction of new products or new features. We cannot provide any assurance that
products or new features that we may develop in the future will achieve market acceptance. If we
fail to develop new products or new product features on a timely basis that achieve market
acceptance, our business, financial results and competitive position could be adversely affected.
We expend significant resources in anticipation of a sale due to our lengthy sales cycle and may
receive no revenue in return.
Generally, law enforcement and corrections agencies consider a wide range of issues before
committing to purchase our products, including product benefits, training costs, the cost to use
our products in addition to or in place of other non-lethal products, budget constraints and
product reliability, safety and efficacy. The length of our sales cycle may range from a few weeks
to as long as several years. Adverse publicity surrounding our products or the safety of such
products has in the past and could in the future lengthen our sales cycle with customers. In the
first quarter of 2007, our sales were adversely affected by a longer than expected sales cycle on
certain orders. We may incur substantial selling costs and expend significant effort in connection
with the evaluation of our products by potential customers before they place an order. If these
potential customers do not purchase our products, we will have expended significant resources and
received no revenue in return.
Most of our end-users are subject to budgetary and political constraints that may delay or prevent
sales.
Most of our end-user customers are government agencies. These agencies often do not set their
own budgets and therefore have little control over the amount of money they can spend. In addition,
these agencies experience political pressure that may dictate the manner in which they spend money.
As a result, even if an agency wants to acquire our products, it may be unable to purchase them due
to budgetary or political constraints. Some government agency orders may also be canceled or
substantially delayed due to budgetary, political or other scheduling delays which frequently occur
in connection with the acquisition of products by such agencies.
Government regulation of our products may adversely affect sales.
Federal regulation of sales in the United States: Our devices are not firearms regulated by
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, but are consumer products regulated by the
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Although there are currently no federal laws
restricting sales of our devices in the United States, future federal regulation could adversely
affect sales of our products.
Federal regulation of international sales: Our devices are controlled as a crime control
product by the United States Department of Commerce, or DOC, for export directly from the United
States. Consequently, we must obtain an export license from the DOC for the export of our devices
from the United States other than to Canada. Our inability to obtain DOC export licenses on a
timely basis for sales of our devices to our international customers could significantly and
adversely affect our international sales.
State and local regulation: Our devices are controlled, restricted or their use prohibited by
a number of state and local governments. Our devices are banned from private citizen sale or use in
seven states: New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Michigan, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Hawaii.
Law enforcement use of our products is also prohibited in New Jersey. Some municipalities,
including Omaha, Nebraska and Washington, D.C., also prohibit private citizen use of our products.
Other jurisdictions may ban or restrict the sale of our products and our product sales may be
significantly affected by additional state, county and city governmental regulation.
Foreign regulation: Certain foreign jurisdictions, including Japan, Australia, Italy and Hong
Kong, prohibit the sale of conducted energy devices such as our products, limiting our
international sales opportunities.
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Environmental laws and regulations subject us to a number of risks and could result in significant
liabilities and costs.
We may be subject to various state, federal and international laws and regulations governing
the environment, including restricting the presence of certain substances in electronic products
and making producers of those products financially responsible for the collection, treatment,
recycling and disposal of those products. The EU has published Directives on the restriction of
certain hazardous substances in electronic and electrical equipment (the RoHS Directive) which
became effective in July 2006, and on electronic and electrical waste management (the WEEE
Directive). The RoHS Directive restricts the use of a number of substances, including lead. The
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, or WEEE directs members of the European Union
to enact laws, regulations, and administrative provisions to ensure that producers of electric and
electronic equipment are financially responsible for the collection, recycling, treatment and
environmentally responsible disposal of certain products sold into the market after August 15, 2005
and from products in use prior to that date that are being replaced. This legislation may increase
our cost of doing business internationally and adversely impact our revenues from EU countries as
we comply with and implement these new requirements. In addition, similar environmental legislation
has been or may be enacted in other jurisdictions, including the U.S. (under federal and state
laws) and other countries, the cumulative impact of which could be significant.
We continue to evaluate the impact of specific registration and compliance activities required
by the RoHS and WEEE Directives. We endeavor to comply with these environmental laws, yet
compliance with such laws could increase our operations and product costs; increase the
complexities of product design, procurement, and manufacturing; limit our ability to manage excess
and obsolete non-compliant inventory; limit our sales activities; and impact our future financial
results. Any violation of these laws can subject us to significant liability, including fines,
penalties, and prohibiting sales of our products into one or more states or countries, and result
in a material adverse effect on our financial condition.
If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, we may lose a competitive advantage or incur
substantial litigation costs to protect our rights.
Our future success depends upon our proprietary technology. Our protective measures, including
patents, trademarks and trade secret protection, may prove inadequate to protect our proprietary
rights. Our earliest expiring United States patent generally covers projectile propellant devices
having a container of compressed gas in place of gunpowder as a propellant. We use this technology
in our cartridges. This patent expires in 2010. The scope of any patent to which we have or may
obtain rights may not prevent others from developing and selling competing products. The validity
and breadth of claims covered in technology patents involve complex legal and factual questions,
and the resolution of such claims may be highly uncertain, lengthy and expensive. In addition, our
patents may be held invalid upon challenge, or others may claim rights in or ownership of our
patents.
On February 14, 2006, U.S. Patent No. US 6,999,295 entitled Dual Operating Mode Electronic
Disabling Device For Generating A Time-Sequenced, Shaped Voltage Output Waveform was issued to
named inventors Thomas G. Watkins, III and Magne Nerheim. Mr. Nerheim assigned his interest in this
patent to us. This patent covers a portion of the technology utilized in the TASER X26 device. This
patent was applied for by Mr. Watkins, who was our former patent attorney, without our knowledge or
consent. Mr. Watkins originally filed patent applications on our behalf as our patent attorney for
the same inventions in February and May 2003 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In each
application he filed a declaration stating that Mr. Nerheim was the sole inventor. These patent
applications are now issued as granted patents. In December 2004, he informed us that he now felt
that he was the inventor of a portion of this invention. We vigorously dispute his claim and we
have filed litigation against Mr. Watkins for declaratory judgment, breach of fiduciary duty,
constructive fraud, and breach of contract. We believe that we are the sole owner of this
invention. Since we are a joint owner of this patent, this patent will not restrict us from
manufacturing and selling the TASER X26 device. We have other patent applications pending that
cover inventions contained in this patent. In March 2006, the court issued a temporary restraining
order and a preliminary injunction preventing Mr. Watkins from selling, assigning, transferring, or
licensing this patent to a third party during the duration of this litigation. We filed a motion
for summary judgment in January 2007 requesting an equitable assignment or constructive trust of
Mr. Watkins interest in U.S. Patent No. US 6,999,295, which motion was granted by the Court in
March 2007. On February 5, 2007, the Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Arizona
recommended that Mr. Watkins be disbarred as a result of his conduct in this matter.
We may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims, which could cause us to incur
litigation costs and divert management attention from our business.
Any intellectual property infringement claims against us, with or without merit, could be
costly and time-consuming to defend and divert our managements attention from our business. If our
products were found to infringe a third partys proprietary rights, we could be required to enter
into royalty or licensing agreements in order to be able to sell our products. Royalty and
licensing agreements, if required, may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all.
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If we face competition in foreign countries, we can enforce patent rights only in the jurisdictions
in which our patent applications have been granted.
Our US patents only protect us from imported infringing products coming into the US from
abroad. We have made applications for patents in a few foreign countries; however, these may be
inadequate to protect markets for our products in other foreign countries. Each foreign patent is
examined and granted according to the law of the country where it was filed independent of whether
a US patent on similar technology was granted.
Government regulations applied to our products may affect our markets for these products.
We rely on the opinions of The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, including that a device
that has projectiles propelled by the release of compressed gas, in place of the expanding gases
from ignited gunpowder, are not classified as firearms. Changes in statutes, regulations, and
interpretation outside of our control may result in our products being classified or reclassified
as firearms. Our market to civilians could be substantially reduced if consumers are required to
obtain registration to own a firearm prior to purchasing our products.
Competition in the law enforcement and corrections market could reduce our sales and prevent us
from achieving profitability.
The law enforcement and corrections market is highly competitive. We face competition from
numerous larger, better capitalized and more widely known companies that make other non-lethal
devices and products. Increased competition may result in greater pricing pressure, lower gross
margins and reduced sales. During 2006, one of our competitors introduced a new device to compete
with the TASER X26. We are unable to predict the impact such product will have on our sales or our
sales cycle, but existing or potential customers may choose to evaluate such product which could
lengthen our sales cycle and potentially reduce our future sales.
Defects in our products could reduce demand for our products and result in a loss of sales, delay
in market acceptance and injury to our reputation.
Complex components and assemblies used in our products may contain undetected defects that are
subsequently discovered at any point in the life of the product. Defects in our products may result
in a loss of sales, delay in market acceptance and injury to our reputation and increased warranty
costs.
Our dependence on third party suppliers for key components of our devices could delay shipment of
our products and reduce our sales.
We depend on certain domestic and foreign suppliers for the delivery of components used in the
assembly of our products. Our reliance on third-party suppliers creates risks related to our
potential inability to obtain an adequate supply of components or subassemblies and reduced control
over pricing and timing of delivery of components and sub-assemblies. Specifically, we depend on
suppliers of sub-assemblies, machined parts, injection molded plastic parts, printed circuit
boards, custom wire fabrications and other miscellaneous customer parts for our products. We also
do not have long-term agreements with any of our suppliers. We believe that there are readily
available alternative suppliers in most cases, however there is no guarantee that supply will not
be interrupted. Any interruption of supply for any material components of our products could
significantly delay the shipment of our products and have a material adverse effect on our
revenues, profitability and financial condition.
Component shortages could result in our inability to produce volume to adequately meet customer
demand. This could result in a loss of sales, delay in deliveries and injury to our reputation.
Single source components used in the manufacture of our products may become unavailable or
discontinued. Delays caused by industry allocations, or obsolescence may take weeks or months to
resolve. In some cases, part obsolescence may require a product re-design to ensure quality
replacement circuits. These delays could cause significant delays in manufacturing and loss of
sales, leading to adverse effects significantly impacting our financial condition or results of
operations.
Our dependence on foreign suppliers for key components of our products could delay shipment of our
finished products and reduce our sales.
We depend on foreign suppliers for the delivery of certain components used in the assembly of
our products. Due to changes imposed for imports of foreign products into the United States, as
well as potential port closures and delays created by terrorist threats, public health issues or
national disasters, we are exposed to risk of delays caused by freight carriers or customs
clearance issues for our imported parts. Delays caused by our inability to obtain components for
assembly could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, profitability and financial
condition.
We may experience a decline in gross margins due to rising raw material and transportation costs
associated with an increase in petroleum prices.
A significant number of our raw materials are comprised of petroleum based products, or incur
some form of landed cost associated with transporting the raw materials or components to our
facility. Any significant rise in oil prices such as that which occurred in 2006 could adversely
impact our ability to sustain current gross margins, by reducing our ability to control component
pricing.
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Our revenues and operating results may fluctuate unexpectedly from quarter to quarter, which may
cause our stock price to decline.
Our revenues and operating results have varied significantly in the past and may vary
significantly in the future due to various factors, including, but not limited to:
| market acceptance of our products and services | ||
| the outcome of any existing or future litigation | ||
| adverse publicity surrounding our products, the safety of our products, or the use of our products | ||
| increased raw material expenses | ||
| changes in our operating expenses | ||
| regulatory changes that may affect the marketability of our products | ||
| budgetary cycles of municipal, state and federal law enforcement and corrections agencies | ||
| the outcome of any current or future tax audits. |
As a result of these and other factors, we believe that period- to-period comparisons of our
operating results may not be meaningful in the short term, and our performance in a particular
period may not be indicative of our performance in any future period.
We may experience difficulties in the future in complying with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404.
We are required to evaluate our internal controls under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002. Beginning with our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2005, we have been required to furnish a report by our management on our internal control over
financial reporting. Such report contains among other matters, an assessment of the effectiveness
of our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of our fiscal year, including a
statement as to whether or not our internal control over financial reporting is effective. Such
report also contains a statement that our independent registered public accounting firm has issued
an attestation report on managements assessment of such internal controls. In our Form 10-K for
our 2005 fiscal year, because the previously reported material weaknesses related to not having
controls in place to record appropriate accruals related to professional fees in the appropriate
accounting period and inadequate resources related to accounting and financial statement
preparation particularly with respect to financial statement footnote preparation were not fully
remediated and tested at December 31, 2005, our management assessment and the report of our
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm concluded that our internal controls were not
effective at December 31, 2005.
Because of these material weaknesses, there was a heightened risk that a material misstatement
of our annual or quarterly financial statements would not be prevented or detected. While we have
completed our remediation efforts to address these material weaknesses and while we did not
identify any materials weaknesses at December 31, 2006, we cannot assure you that material
weaknesses will not occur in future periods. If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal
controls in future periods, it could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition
and our ability to run our business effectively and could cause investors to lose confidence in our
financial reporting. We have incurred, and expect to continue to incur increased expense and to
devote additional management resources to Section 404 compliance. In the event that our chief
executive officer, chief financial officer or our independent registered public accounting firm
determine that our internal control over financial reporting is not effective as defined under
Section 404, investor confidence in us may be adversely affected and could cause a decline in the
market price of our stock.
Foreign currency fluctuations may affect our competitiveness and sales in foreign markets.
The relative change in currency values creates fluctuations in product pricing for potential
international customers. These changes in foreign end-user costs may result in lost orders and
reduce the competitiveness of our products in certain foreign markets. These changes may also
negatively affect the financial condition of some existing or potential foreign customers and
reduce or eliminate their future orders of our products.
Use of estimates may cause our financial results to differ from expectations.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States 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 revenue and expenses during the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
We face risks associated with rapid technological change and new competing products.
The technology associated with non-lethal devices is receiving significant attention and is
rapidly evolving. While we have patent protection in key areas of electro-muscular disruption
technology, it is possible that new non-lethal technology may result in competing products that
operate outside our patents and could present significant competition for our products.
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To the extent demand for our products increases, our future success will be dependent upon our
ability to ramp manufacturing production capacity which will be accomplished by the implementation
of customized manufacturing automation equipment.
We experienced significant revenue growth in 2006 compared to 2005. To the extent demand for
our products increases significantly in future periods, one of our key challenges will be to ramp
our production capacity to meet sales demand, while maintaining product quality. Our primary
strategies to accomplish this include increasing the physical size of our assembly facilities, the
hiring of additional production staff, and the implementation of customized automation equipment.
We have limited previous experience in implementing automation equipment, and the investments made
on this equipment may not yield the anticipated labor and material efficiencies. Our inability to
meet any future increase in sales demand or effectively manage our expansion could have a material
adverse affect on our revenues, financial results and financial condition.
We depend on our ability to attract and retain our key management and technical personnel.
Our success depends upon the continued service of our key management personnel. Our success
also depends on our ability to continue to attract, retain and motivate qualified technical
personnel. Although we have employment agreements with certain of our officers, the employment of
such persons is at-will and either we or the employee can terminate the employment relationship
at any time, subject to the applicable terms of the employment agreements. The competition for our
key employees is intense. The loss of the service of one or more of our key personnel could harm
our business.
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ITEM 6. EXHIBITS
31.1
|
Chief Executive Officer Certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. | |
31.2
|
Chief Financial Officer Certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. | |
32.1
|
Chief Executive Officer Certification pursuant to U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |
32.2
|
Chief Financial Officer Certification pursuant to U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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Table of Contents
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.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC. (Registrant) |
||||
Date: May 10, 2007 | /s/ Patrick W. Smith | |||
Patrick W. Smith, | ||||
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | ||||
Date: May 10, 2007 | /s/ Daniel M. Behrendt | |||
Daniel M. Behrendt | ||||
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
||||
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Table of Contents
Index to Exhibits
Exhibits: | ||
31.1
|
Chief Executive Officer Certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities exchange Act of 1934. | |
31.2
|
Chief Financial Officer Certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities exchange Act of 1934. | |
32.1
|
Chief Executive Officer Certification pursuant to U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | |
32.2
|
Chief Financial Officer Certification pursuant to U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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