HONG YUAN HOLDING GROUP - Quarter Report: 2011 March (Form 10-Q)
Table of Contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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, 2011
OR
o | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
Commission File Number 001-34689
CEREPLAST, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
91-2154289 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
|
300 N. Continental Boulevard, Suite 100 | ||
El Segundo, California | 90245 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Office) | (Zip Code) |
(310) 615-1900
(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 has submitted electronically and posted on its
corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted
pursuant to Rule 405 or Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months
(or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes o No o
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a
non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of large accelerated
filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer o | Accelerated filer o | Non-accelerated filer o | Smaller reporting company þ | |||
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
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
The number of shares of common stock outstanding as of May 13, 2011 is 15,757,305.
CEREPLAST, INC.
FORM 10-Q
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORM 10-Q
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PART IFINANCIAL INFORMATION |
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PART IIOTHER INFORMATION |
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Exhibit 31.1 | ||||||||
Exhibit 31.2 | ||||||||
Exhibit 32.1 | ||||||||
Exhibit 32.2 |
Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this
report to we, us, our, Cereplast or the Company shall refer to Cereplast, Inc.
2
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PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. | CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
CEREPLAST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except shares data)
March 31, 2011 | December 31, 2010 | |||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||
ASSETS |
||||||||
Current Assets |
||||||||
Cash |
$ | 7,185 | $ | 2,391 | ||||
Accounts Receivable, Net |
11,665 | 5,289 | ||||||
Inventory, Net |
1,794 | 1,392 | ||||||
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets |
142 | 65 | ||||||
Total Current Assets |
20,786 | 9,137 | ||||||
Property and Equipment |
||||||||
Property and Equipment |
5,647 | 5,564 | ||||||
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization |
(2,423 | ) | (2,213 | ) | ||||
Property and Equipment, Net |
3,224 | 3,351 | ||||||
Other Assets |
||||||||
Restricted Cash |
43 | 43 | ||||||
Deferred Loan Costs |
387 | 266 | ||||||
Intangible Assets, Net |
109 | 173 | ||||||
Deposits |
24 | 14 | ||||||
Total Other Assets |
563 | 496 | ||||||
Total Assets |
$ | 24,573 | $ | 12,984 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY |
||||||||
Current Liabilities |
||||||||
Accounts Payable |
$ | 1,380 | $ | 2,567 | ||||
Accrued Expenses |
1,327 | 1,251 | ||||||
Capital Leases, Current Portion |
11 | 9 | ||||||
Loan Payable, Current Portion |
584 | 149 | ||||||
Total Current Liabilities |
3,302 | 3,976 | ||||||
Long-Term Liabilities |
||||||||
Loan Payable |
4,202 | 2,119 | ||||||
Total Long-Term Liabilities |
4,202 | 2,119 | ||||||
Total Liabilities |
7,504 | 6,095 | ||||||
Shareholders Equity |
||||||||
Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,0000 shares authorized and none outstanding |
| | ||||||
Common Stock, $0.001 par value; 495,000,000 shares authorized; 15,688,634 and 12,992,195 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively |
16 | 13 | ||||||
Common Stock Subscribed, not issued |
154 | | ||||||
Additional Paid in Capital |
61,557 | 49,737 | ||||||
Accumulated Deficit |
(44,683 | ) | (42,933 | ) | ||||
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income |
25 | 72 | ||||||
Total Shareholders Equity |
17,069 | 6,889 | ||||||
Total Liabilities and Shareholders Equity |
$ | 24,573 | $ | 12,984 | ||||
See accompanying notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.
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CEREPLAST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)
Three months ended | ||||||||
March 31, 2011 | March 31, 2010 | |||||||
GROSS SALES |
$ | 7,285 | $ | 319 | ||||
Sales Discounts, Returns and Allowances |
(45 | ) | (29 | ) | ||||
NET SALES |
7,240 | 290 | ||||||
COST OF SALES |
6,538 | 198 | ||||||
GROSS PROFIT |
702 | 92 | ||||||
Research and Development |
250 | 77 | ||||||
Selling, General and Administrative |
2,043 | 1,480 | ||||||
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE OTHER EXPENSES |
(1,591 | ) | (1,465 | ) | ||||
OTHER EXPENSES |
||||||||
Restructuring Costs |
| 219 | ||||||
Interest Expense, Net |
159 | 1 | ||||||
TOTAL OTHER EXPENSE, NET |
159 | 220 | ||||||
NET LOSS |
$ | (1,750 | ) | $ | (1,685 | ) | ||
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME |
||||||||
(Loss) Gain on Foreign Currency Translation |
(47 | ) | 18 | |||||
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE LOSS |
$ | (1,797 | ) | $ | (1,667 | ) | ||
BASIC AND DILUTED LOSS PER SHARE |
$ | (0.12 | ) | $ | (0.17 | ) | ||
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES
OUTSTANDING, BASIC AND DILUTED |
14,873 | 9,868 | ||||||
See accompanying notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.
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CEREPLAST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited, in thousands, except shares data)
(unaudited, in thousands, except shares data)
Three Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||
March 31, 2011 | March 31, 2010 | |||||||||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: |
||||||||||||||||
Net Loss |
$ | (1,750 | ) | $ | (1,685 | ) | ||||||||||
Adjustment to Reconcile Net Loss to Net Cash Used in Operating Activites |
||||||||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
216 | 155 | ||||||||||||||
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts |
42 | (1 | ) | |||||||||||||
Common Stock Issued for Services, Salaries and Wages |
584 | 175 | ||||||||||||||
Amortization of Loan Discount |
19 | | ||||||||||||||
Loss on Disposal of Leasehold Improvements |
| 12 | ||||||||||||||
Impairment of Intangible Assets |
64 | | ||||||||||||||
Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities |
||||||||||||||||
Accounts Receivable |
(6,417 | ) | 64 | |||||||||||||
Deferred Loan Costs |
28 | | ||||||||||||||
Inventory |
(403 | ) | (110 | ) | ||||||||||||
Deposits |
(10 | ) | 42 | |||||||||||||
Prepaid Expenses |
(76 | ) | 181 | |||||||||||||
Restricted Cash |
| (43 | ) | |||||||||||||
Intangibles |
| (1 | ) | |||||||||||||
Accounts Payable |
(1,337 | ) | (223 | ) | ||||||||||||
Accrued Expenses |
97 | 81 | ||||||||||||||
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
(8,943 | ) | (1,353 | ) | ||||||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: |
||||||||||||||||
Purchase of Property and Equipment, and Intangibles |
(89 | ) | (53 | ) | ||||||||||||
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES |
(89 | ) | (53 | ) | ||||||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: |
||||||||||||||||
Payments on Capital Leases |
(1 | ) | (9 | ) | ||||||||||||
Payments made on Notes Payable |
| (54 | ) | |||||||||||||
Proceeds from Loan Payable, Net of Loan Costs |
2,502 | 21 | ||||||||||||||
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock and Subscriptions, Net of Issuance Costs |
11,372 | 1,289 | ||||||||||||||
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES |
13,873 | 1,247 | ||||||||||||||
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION |
(47 | ) | 18 | |||||||||||||
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH |
4,794 | (141 | ) | |||||||||||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD |
2,391 | 1,306 | ||||||||||||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD |
$ | 7,185 | $ | 1,165 | ||||||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION |
||||||||||||||||
Cash Paid During the Year For: |
||||||||||||||||
Interest |
$ | 119 | $ | 1 | ||||||||||||
Income Taxes |
$ | | $ | | ||||||||||||
During the three months ended March 31, 2011, the Company issued 2,596,500
shares in exchange for net proceeds
of $11,218 under a private placement. During the three months ended March 31,
2010, the Company issued 705,000
shares in exchange for net proceeds of $1,289 under a private placement. |
||||||||||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS |
||||||||||||||||
During the three months ended March 31, 2011, the Company issued 83,877
shares valued at $414 for services to
directors and employees, 12,000 shares valued at $59 for prepaid services
and 4,062 shares valued at $20 for a settelment
agreement. The Company also recognized $112 of expense related to vesting
of employee stock options for the same
period. During the three months ended March 31, 2010, the Company
issued 31,250 shares valued at $125 for fees
associated with an early lease termination and 12,500 shares valued
at $50 for board member services. |
See accompanying notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.
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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31, 2010
(Unaudited)
March 31, 2010
(Unaudited)
1. ORGANIZATION AND LINE OF BUSINESS
Organization
We were incorporated on September 29, 2001 in the State of Nevada under the name Biocorp North
America Inc. On March 18, 2005, we filed an amendment to our certificate of incorporation to
change our name to Cereplast, Inc.
Line of Business
We have developed and are commercializing proprietary bio-based resins through two complementary
product families: (1) Cereplast Compostables® resins which are renewable, ecologically
sound substitute for petroleum-based plastics and (2) Cereplast Sustainables resins, which replace up
to 50% of the petroleum-based content of traditional plastics with materials from renewable
resources. Our resins aim to be competitively priced compared to petroleum-based plastic resins
and can be converted into finished products using conventional manufacturing equipment without
significant additional capital investment by downstream converters.
The demand for non-petroleum based, clean and renewable sources for materials, such as bioplastics,
and the demand for compostable/biodegradable products are being driven globally by a variety of
factors, including fossil fuel price volatility, energy security and environmental concerns. These
factors have led to increased spending on clean and renewable products by corporations and
individuals as well as legislative initiatives at the local and state level.
We are a full-service resin solution provider uniquely positioned to capitalize on the rapidly
increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastic
products.
We primarily conduct our operations through two product families:
| Cereplast Compostables® resins are renewable, ecologically-sound
substitutes for petroleum-based plastics targeting primarily single-use disposables and
packaging applications. We offer 12 commercial grades of Compostables resins in this
product line. These resins are compatible with existing manufacturing processes and
equipment making them a ready substitute for traditional petroleum-based resins. We
commercially introduced our Compostables line in November 2006. |
| Cereplast Sustainables resins are renewable, ecologically-sound substitutes
for petroleum-based plastics targeting primarily single-use disposables and packaging
applications. We offer eight commercial grades of Sustainables resins in this product line.
These resins are compatible with existing manufacturing processes and equipment, making
them a ready substitute for traditional petroleum-based resins. We commercially introduced
our Sustainables line in late 2007 under the name Cereplast Hybrid Resins®. |
| Cereplast Hybrid Resins® replace up to 50% of the petroleum content
in conventional plastics with bio-based materials such as industrial starches
sourced from plants. The Hybrid resins line is designed to offer similar
properties to traditional polyolefins such as impact strength and heat deflection
temperature, and is compatible with existing converter processes and equipment.
Cereplast Hybrid Resins® provide a viable alternative for brand owners
and converters looking to partially replace petroleum-based resins in durable goods
applications. Hybrid resins address this need in a wide range of markets,
including automotive, consumer goods, consumer electronics, medical, packaging, and
construction. We commercially introduced our first grade of Hybrid resin, Hybrid
150, at the end of 2007. We currently offer three commercial grades in this
product line. |
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| Cereplast Algae Plastics. In October 2009 we announced that we have been
developing a new technology to transform algae into bioplastics and intend to
launch a new family of algae-based resins that will complement the companys
existing line of Compostables and Sustainable resins. Although we do not expect
this new technology to become commercial before mid 2011, it remains an important
development as we believe that the potential for algae-based resins is quite
substantial. Cereplast algae-based resins could replace, in a first step, 50% or
more of the petroleum content used in traditional plastic resins. Currently, we are
using renewable material such as starches from corn, tapioca, wheat, potatoes and
Ingeo® PLA, which are considered food related crops. We believe that it
is important to enhance research on non-food crops as we expect a surge in demand
in bioplastics in future years thus potentially creating pressure on food crops.
Algae is the first non-food crop project the company will introduce and our R&D
department is contemplating the development of additional non-food crop polymers in
future years. Recently the algae production business has attracted considerable
attention when Exxon announced a $600 million investment in Synthetic Genomics and
BP invested $10 million in Martek Biosciences. We maintain that algae is a very
attractive feedstock as it offers a low carbon footprint alternative and at the
same time could be accessible in very large quantities. We also have a long-term
future plan to create algae plastic made of 100% algae component, abandoning any
reliance on fossil fuels. However, the availability of algae production in large
quantities is several years away. |
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation and Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). The unaudited consolidated financial
statements include the financial condition and results of operations of our wholly-owned
subsidiary, Cereplast International, S.A., a Luxembourg company organized during the year ended
December 31, 2008, for the purpose of conducting sales operations in Europe. Intercompany balances
and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations for interim
periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year. These
financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and
the notes thereto included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2010.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the accompanying financial
statements. Significant estimates made in preparing these financial statements include the
estimate of useful lives of property and equipment, the deferred tax valuation allowance and the
fair value of stock options. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or
less to be cash equivalents. At various times throughout the year, the Company may have exceeded
federally insured limits. At March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, balances in our cash accounts
exceeded federally insured limits of $0.25 million by approximately, $7.2 million and $2.3 million,
respectively. We have not experienced any losses in such accounts and we do not believe we are
exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and cash equivalents.
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Concentration of Credit Risk
We had unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investment, totaling $7.2 million and
$2.4 million at March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The unrestricted cash and cash
equivalents are held for working capital purposes. We do not enter into investments for trading
or speculative purposes. Some of the securities in which we invest, however, may be subject to
market risk. This means that a change in prevailing interest rates may cause the principal amount
of the investment to fluctuate. To minimize this risk, we intend to maintain our portfolio of cash
equivalents and short-term investments in a variety of securities, including commercial paper,
money market funds, debt securities and certificates of deposit. Due to the short-term nature of
these investments, we believe that we do not have any material exposure to changes in the fair
value of our investment portfolio as a result of changes in interest rates. We actively monitor
changes in interest rates.
Other Concentration
During the three months ended months ended March 31, 2011, we had three significant suppliers that
accounted for 34.5%, 17.2% and 15.0% of total cost of goods sold. During the same period in the
prior year, we had four significant suppliers that accounted for 20.1%, 16.3%, 12.9% and 12.1% of
total cost of goods sold. During the three months ended March 31, 2011, we had three new customers
that accounted for 64.3%, 16.8% and 10.1% of gross sales. No other suppliers or customers accounted
for more than 10% of cost of sales or gross sales, respectively, during these periods.
Restricted Cash
We had restricted cash in the amount of approximately $43,000 on March 31, 2011 and December 31,
2010. The restricted cash amount consists of a Certificate of Deposit which supports a Letter of
Credit for a leased facility.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of our financial instruments as of March 31, 2011, which include cash
equivalents, accounts receivable, unbilled receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and
advances on financing from investors, approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of
these instruments.
Accounts Receivable
We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses that may arise if any of our
customers are unable to make required payments. Management performs a review of the receivables
past due from customers on a monthly basis and reserves against uncollectible items for each
customer after all reasonable means of collection have been exhausted, and the potential for
recovery is considered remote. The allowance for doubtful accounts was approximately $109,000 and
$66,000 as of March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out basis) or market, and consist
primarily of raw materials used in the manufacturing of bioplastic resins, finished bioplastic
resins and finished goods. Inventories are reviewed for excess and obsolescence and a reserve is
established accordingly. As of March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, inventories consisted of the
following (in thousands):
March 31, 2011 | December 31, 2010 | |||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||
Raw Materials |
$ | 1,290 | $ | 936 | ||||
Bioplastic Resins |
400 | 318 | ||||||
Finished Goods |
43 | 44 | ||||||
Packaging Materials |
61 | 53 | ||||||
WIP |
| 41 | ||||||
Obsolescence Reserve |
| | ||||||
Inventories, net |
$ | 1,794 | $ | 1,392 | ||||
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Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost, and depreciation is computed on the straight-line method
over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The estimated useful lives of the assets are between
five and seven years. Repairs and maintenance expenditures are charged to expense as incurred.
Property and Equipment consist of the following (in thousands):
March 31, 2011 | December 31, 2010 | |||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||
Equipment |
$ | 5,079 | $ | 5,074 | ||||
Construction in Progress |
212 | 135 | ||||||
Furniture & Fixtures |
279 | 279 | ||||||
Automobile |
25 | 25 | ||||||
Leasehold Improvements |
52 | 51 | ||||||
5,647 | 5,564 | |||||||
Less Accumulated Depreciation |
(2,423 | ) | (2,213 | ) | ||||
Net Property and Equipment |
$ | 3,224 | $ | 3,351 | ||||
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets are stated at cost and consist primarily of patents and trademarks. Amortization
is computed on the straight-line method over the estimated life of these assets, estimated to be
between five and fifteen years. Intangible assets consist of the following (in thousands):
March 31, 2011 | December 31, 2010 | |||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||
Intangible Assets |
$ | 142 | $ | 206 | ||||
Less Accumulated Amortization |
(33 | ) | (33 | ) | ||||
Net Intangibles |
$ | 109 | $ | 173 | ||||
Deferred Income Taxes
Deferred income taxes are provided using the liability method whereby deferred tax assets are
recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards
and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary
differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their
tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of
management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not
be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of the changes in
tax laws and rates of the date of enactment.
The benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which,
based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position
will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if
any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions. Tax positions that
meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold are measured as the largest amount of tax
benefit that is more than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with the applicable
taxing authority. The portion of the benefits associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the
amount measured as described above is reflected as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the
accompanying balance sheet along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable
to the taxing authorities upon examination.
Interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits are classified as additional
income taxes in the statement of income.
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Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue at the time of shipment of products, when the following fundamental criteria
are met: (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (ii) delivery has occurred; (iii) the
price to the customer is fixed or determinable; and (iv) collection of the sales price is probable.
Marketing and Advertising
We expense marketing and advertising costs as incurred. Marketing and advertising costs for the
three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2010 were approximately $136,000 and $189,000 respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation
Compensation cost for all stock-based awards is measured at fair value on the date of grant and
recognized over the service period for awards expected to vest. The fair value of stock options is
determined using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Such value is recognized as expense over the
service period, net of estimated forfeitures, using the straight-line method. Adjustments to this
expense are made periodically to recognize actual rates of forfeiture which vary significantly from
estimates.
Loss per Share Calculations
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the
weighted-average number of common shares available. Diluted earnings per share is computed similar
to basic earnings per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of
additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been
issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Our diluted loss per share is the same as
the basic loss per share for the three months and ended March 31, 2011 and 2010 as inclusion of any
potential shares would have had and anti-dilutive effect due to us generating a loss.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings, which arise in
the ordinary course of business. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an
adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business. We
are currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that we believe will have,
individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or
operating results.
Comparative Figures
Certain of the prior year figures have been reclassified to conform to the presentation adopted in
the current year.
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3. CAPITAL STOCK
Reverse Stock Split
On March 15, 2010, we implemented a reverse split of our common stock in ratio of one-for-forty.
The reverse split was effective at 6:00 a.m. on March 15, 2010. All historical and per share
amounts have been adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split.
Capital Stock Issued
During the three months ended March 31, 2011, we issued shares of common stock as follows:
| We issued 2,596,500 shares of common stock and 649,128 warrants with an exercise price of
$6.35 for gross proceeds of $12.3 million pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement dated
January 26, 2011 between the Company and each of the signatories thereto. The Company
incurred stock issuance costs of approximately $1.1 million. |
| We issued 95,877 shares of common stock valued at $0.5 million to various employees,
directors, and third parties for services rendered during the period. |
| We issued 4,062 shares of common stock valued at $20,000 pursuant to a settlement
agreement. |
Valuation Assumptions for Stock Options
During the quarter ended March 31, 2011, total stock options granted to employees were 300,000 with
estimated total grant-date fair values of $0.7 million. We estimate that stock-based compensation
for awards not expected to be exercised is $0.2 million. During the three months ended March 31,
2011, we recorded stock-based compensation related to stock options of $0.1 million. The fair
value of stock options granted during the 3 months ended March 31, 2011 was estimated at the date
of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, assuming no dividends and the following
assumptions:
March 31, | ||||
2011 | ||||
Average risk-free interest rate |
2.29 | % | ||
Average expected life (in years) |
6.0 | |||
Volatility |
41.9 | % |
| Expected Volatility: The fair values of stock based payments were valued using a
volatility factor based on our historical stock prices. |
| Expected Term: We elected to use the simplified method as discussed in SAB No. 107 to
develop the estimate of the expected term. |
| Expected Dividend: We have not paid any dividends and do not anticipate paying dividends
in the foreseeable future. |
| Risk-Free Interest Rate: We base the risk-free interest rate used on the implied yield
currently available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with remaining term equivalent to
the expected term of the options. |
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Stock Option Activity
Under the 2004 Employee Stock Option Plan adopted by our Board of Directors, the Board of
Directors may issue incentive and non-qualified stock options to our employees. Options granted
under the Plan generally expire at the end of five or ten years and vest in accordance with a
vesting schedule determined by our Board of Directors, usually over three years from the grant
date. As of March 31, 2011, 34,375 shares are available for future grants under our 2004 Employee
Stock Option Plan. We settle stock option exercises with newly issued common shares. The following
is a summary of stock option activity (in thousands, except per share data):
2011 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
Weighted | Weighted | |||||||||||||||
Average | Average | |||||||||||||||
Shares | Exercise Price | Shares | Exercise Price | |||||||||||||
OutstandingJanuary 1 |
73 | $ | 22.40 | 73 | $ | 22.40 | ||||||||||
Granted at fair value |
300 | 5.31 | | | ||||||||||||
Exercised |
| | | | ||||||||||||
Canceled/forfeited |
| | | | ||||||||||||
OutstandingMarch 31 |
373 | 8.65 | 73 | 22.40 | ||||||||||||
Options exercisable at March 31 |
133 | $ | 14.69 | 73 | $ | 22.40 | ||||||||||
The following table summarizes information about stock options as of March 31, 2011, (in thousands,
except per share data):
Options Outstanding | Options Exercisable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | Weighted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | Average | Weighted | Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average | Remaining | Aggregate | Average | Remaining | Aggregate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise | Contract | Intrinsic | Exercise | Contract | Intrinsic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Range of Exercise Prices | Shares | Price | Life | Value | Shares | Price | Life | Value | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
$0.0 $5.31 |
300 | $ | 5.31 | 9.93 | $ | 12 | 60 | $ | 5.31 | 9.93 | $ | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
$5.32 $22.40 |
73 | $ | 22.40 | 3.67 | $ | | 73 | $ | 22.40 | 3.67 | $ | |
The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pretax intrinsic value,
based on our closing stock price of $5.35 at March 31, 2011 which would have been received by the
option holders had all option holders exercised their options as of that date.
4. LOANS PAYABLE
Venture Loan Payable
On December 21, 2010, we entered into a Venture Loan and Security Agreement (the Loan
Agreement) with Compass Horizon Funding Company, LLC (the Lender). The Loan Agreement
provides for a total loan commitment of $5.0 million comprising of Loan A and Loan B, each in
the amount of $2.5 million. Loan A was funded at closing on December 21, 2010 and matures 39
months after the date of advance. Loan B was funded on February 17, 2011 and also matures 39
months after the date of advance. We are obligated to pay interest per annum equal to the
greater of (a) 12% or (b) 12% plus the difference between (i) the one month LIBOR Rate, on the
date which is five business days before the funding of such loan and (ii) .30%. We are required
to make interest only payments for the first nine months of each loan and equal payments of
principal over the final thirty months of each loan. We granted a security interest to the
Lender in all of our property.
In connection with loan, we issued a seven year warrant to the Lender to purchase 140,000
shares of common stock of the Company at an exercise price of $4.40. The relative fair value of
the warrants was $0.2 million and will be recorded as interest expense over the term of the
loan. We estimated the fair value of the warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model
using the following assumptions:
December 22, | ||||
Assumptions: | 2010 | |||
Expected Life |
7 years | |||
Expected volatility |
39.9 | % | ||
Dividends |
None | |||
Risk-free interest rate |
2.74 | % |
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Also in connection with the Loan Agreement, we incurred $0.3 million of debt issue costs which
were deferred and are being amortized to interest expense over the term of the loan.
Promissory Note
We signed a promissory note in the amount of $20,359 related to the purchase of an automobile in
fiscal year 2010. The note bears interest at 7.69% per annum and is to be repaid over a period of
60 months.
5. LEASES
We currently operate out of three locations in El Segundo, California and Seymour, Indiana and
Bönen, Germany. The leases underlying these three facilities are summarized below:
California
Facilities The El Segundo facility consists of 3,634 square feet of corporate office
space. The lease commenced on March 1, 2010, for a period of five years at $9,118 per month.
Indiana Facility The 105,000 square foot Seymour facility is currently used as a manufacturing
and distribution facility for our products. The Seymour facility is subject to a lease with monthly
rents of $25,000 expiring in January 2018.
Bönen
Facility The Bönen facility consists of approximately 1000 square feet of corporate office
space. The facility is subject to a lease with monthly rents of approximately $1,000 expiring in
December 2018.
6. MAJOR CUSTOMERS AND FOREIGN SALES
During the three months ended March 31, 2011 we had three customers that accounted for 64.3%, 16.8%
and 10.1% of total gross sales. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of cost of sales or
sales during these periods.
Our gross sales were made up of sales to customers in the following geographic regions (in
thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
2011 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
North America |
$ | 238 | 3.3 | % | $ | 281 | 88.1 | % | ||||||||
International |
||||||||||||||||
Germany |
4,687 | 64.3 | % | 31 | 9.7 | % | ||||||||||
Italy |
1,578 | 21.7 | % | | | % | ||||||||||
Other |
782 | 10.7 | % | 7 | 2.2 | % | ||||||||||
Gross sales |
$ | 7,285 | 100.0 | % | $ | 319 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||
7.
INCOME TAX
We are subject to U.S. and California income tax. Subject to limited statutory exceptions, we are
no longer subject to federal, state and local or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax
authorities for years before 2006. We are not presently liable for any income taxes nor are we
undergoing any tax examinations by the Internal Revenue Service. No Deferred Tax Assets or
Deferred Tax Liabilities are included in our balance sheets at March 31, 2011 or December 31, 2010.
Our policy is to recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest
expense and penalties in operating expenses.
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8. COMMON STOCK WARRANTS
In connection with the issue of 2,596,500 shares of common stock to accredited investors pursuant
to the Securities Purchase Agreement entered into on January 26, 2011, we issued warrants to
purchase 649,128 shares of the Companys common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $6.35
per share and are exercisable for a period of five years commencing August 1, 2011.
A summary of warrant activity for the period is as follows (in thousands except per share data):
2011 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
Weighted | Weighted | |||||||||||||||
Number of | Average | Number of | Average | |||||||||||||
Warrants | Exercise Price | Warrants | Exercise Price | |||||||||||||
Outstanding January 1, |
1,273 | $ | 4.44 | | $ | | ||||||||||
Issued |
649 | 6.35 | | | ||||||||||||
Exercised |
| | | | ||||||||||||
OutstandingMarch 31 |
1,922 | 5.08 | | | ||||||||||||
Warrants exercisable at end of period |
1,922 | $ | 5.08 | | $ | | ||||||||||
9.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The company has evaluated subsequent events pursuant to ASC 855 and has determined the following
event should be disclosed:
Issuance of Capital Stock
| Subsequent to March 31, 2011 we issued 35,000 shares upon the exercise of warrants for
proceeds of $155,000. |
| Subsequent to March 31, 2011 we issued 33,671 shares of restricted common stock valued
at $140,000 to employees and third parties for services rendered |
Italian Expansion
On May 2, 2011 we announced plans to establish a manufacturing plant in Cannara, Italy. No firm
commitments have been entered into with respect to the purchase or financing of any related
facility.
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ITEM 2. | MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
This Form 10-Q may contain forward-looking statements, as that term is used in federal securities
laws, about our financial condition, results of operations and business. These statements include,
among others, statements concerning the potential benefits that we may experience from our business
activities and certain transactions we contemplate or have completed; and statements of our
expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated developments and other matters that
are not historical facts. These statements may be made expressly in this Form 10-Q. You can find
many of these statements by looking for words such as believes, expects, anticipates, estimates,
opines, or similar expressions used in this Form 10-Q. These forward-looking statements are
subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to be
materially different from any future
results expressed or implied by us in those statements. The most important facts that could prevent
us from achieving our stated goals include, but are not limited to, the following:
| inability to raise sufficient additional capital to finance operations; |
| potential fluctuation in quarterly results; |
| failure to earn profits; |
| inadequate capital to expand our business, inability to raise additional capital or
financing to implement our business plans; |
| decline in demand for our products and services; |
| inability to source raw materials in sufficient quantities to support growth in customer
demand; |
| rapid and significant changes in markets and other factors, including national, state
and local legislation, that encourage use of bioplastics; |
| failure to commercialize new grades of resin being pursued in our technical / market
development pipeline; |
| competitor actions that curtail our market share, negatively affect pricing or limit
sales growth; |
| litigation with or legal claims and allegations by outside parties; |
| insufficient revenues to cover operating costs; |
There is no assurance that we will be profitable. We may not be able to successfully manage or
market our products, attract or retain qualified executives and technology personnel or obtain
additional customers for our products. Our products may become obsolete, government regulation may
hinder our business, additional dilution in outstanding stock ownership may be incurred due to the
issuance of more shares, warrants and stock options, or the exercise of outstanding warrants and
stock options, and other risks inherent in our business.
Because forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may
differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We caution
you not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date of this Form
10-Q. The cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section should be considered in
connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that our company or
persons acting on our behalf may issue. We do not undertake any obligation to review or confirm
analysts expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Form 10-Q, or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events.
OVERVIEW
General
We have developed and are commercializing proprietary bio-based resins through two complementary
product families: (1) Cereplast Compostables® resins, which are renewable, ecologically
sound substitutes for petroleum-based plastics, and (2) Cereplast Sustainables resins, which
replace up to 50% of the petroleum-based content of traditional plastics with materials from
renewable resources. Our resins aim to be competitively priced compared to petroleum-based plastic
resins and can be converted into finished products using conventional manufacturing equipment
without significant additional capital investment by downstream converters.
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The demand for non-petroleum based, clean and renewable sources for materials, such as bioplastics,
and the demand for compostable/biodegradable products are being driven globally by a variety of
factors, including fossil fuel price volatility, energy security and environmental concerns. These
factors have led to increased spending on clean and renewable products by corporations and
individuals as well as legislative initiatives at the local and state level.
We are a full-service resin solution provider uniquely positioned to capitalize on the rapidly
increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastic
products.
We primarily conduct our operations through two product families:
| Cereplast Compostables® resins are renewable, ecologically-sound substitutes
for petroleum-based plastics targeting primarily single-use disposables and packaging
applications. We offer 12 commercial grades of Compostables resins in this product line.
These resins are compatible with existing manufacturing processes and equipment making them
a ready substitute for traditional petroleum-based resins. We commercially introduced our
Compostables line in November 2006. |
| Cereplast Sustainables resins are renewable, ecologically-sound substitutes
for petroleum-based plastics targeting primarily single-use disposables and packaging
applications. We offer eight commercial grades of Sustainables resins in this product
line. These resins are compatible with existing manufacturing processes and equipment,
making them a ready substitute for traditional petroleum-based resins. We commercially
introduced our Sustainables line in late 2007 under the name Cereplast Hybrid
Resins®. |
| Cereplast Hybrid Resins® replace up to 50% of the petroleum content
in conventional plastics with bio-based materials such as industrial starches
sourced from plants. The Hybrid resins line is designed to offer similar
properties to traditional polyolefins such as impact strength and heat deflection
temperature, and is compatible with existing converter processes and equipment.
Cereplast Hybrid Resins® provide a viable alternative for brand owners
and converters looking to partially replace petroleum-based resins in durable goods
applications. Hybrid resins address this need in a wide range of markets,
including automotive, consumer goods, consumer electronics, medical, packaging and
construction. We commercially introduced our first grade of Hybrid resin, Hybrid
150, at the end of 2007. We currently offer three commercial grades in this
product line. |
| Cereplast Algae Plastics. In October 2009 we announced that we have
been developing a new technology to transform algae into bioplastics and intend to
launch a new family of algae-based resins that will complement the Companys
existing line of Compostables and Sustainable resins. Although we do not expect
this new technology to become commercial before mid-2011, it remains an important
development as we believe that the potential for algae-based resins is quite
substantial. Cereplast algae-based resins could replace, in a first step, 50% or
more of the petroleum content used in traditional plastic resins. Currently, we are
using renewable material, such as starches from corn, tapioca, wheat, potatoes and
Ingeo® PLA, which are considered food-related crops. We believe that it
is important to enhance research on non-food crops as we are expecting a surge in
demand in bioplastics in future years, thus potentially creating pressure on food
crops. Algae is the first non-food crop project the Company will introduce and our
R&D department is contemplating the development of additional non-food crop
polymers in future years. Recently, the algae production business has attracted
considerable attention when Exxon announced a $600 million investment in Synthetic
Genomics and BP invested $10 million in Martek Biosciences. We believe that algae
is a very attractive feedstock as it offers a low carbon footprint alternative and,
at the same time, could be accessible in very large quantities. We also have a
long-term future plan to create algae plastic made of 100% algae component,
abandoning any reliance on fossils fuels. However, the availability of Algae
production in large quantities is several years away. |
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Recent Strategic Events
Italian Expansion. On May 2, 2011 we announced our intention to establish a bioplastics
manufacturing plant in Cannara, Italy to meet the growing demand for bioplastic resin in Europe
while improving efficiencies, reducing transportation costs and minimizing logistics related risks.
The plant will be located on a 125,000 square foot former industrial plant site, enabling us to
benefit from existing infrastructure. Current plans for the plant include a total capacity of
approximately 220 million pounds, which will be built in phases; the first phase of 50,000 tons is
expected to start operations in late 2012. Additional capacity will be added coincidental with
market demand.
We expect that the expansion will be financed entirely through local and regional debt facilities
with Italian financial institutions as well as subsidies from various Italian state and local
agencies. Capital expenditures to complete Phase I of the expansion are estimated at between 10
million and 12 million, or $14 million to $17 million.
New Distribution Agreements. During the first quarter 2011, we announced the signing of 5 new
distribution agreements in Italy, Romania, Poland, Croatia and Slovenia with multiple companies.
These contracts reflect our rapid growth and expansion across the Pan-European marketplace.
European Office. On January 4, 2011 we announced the opening of our European headquarters in
Bönen, Germany to support the rapid expansion of our European operations and provide European-based
customer with regional support and provide us with an effective platform to support the growth of
bioplastics outside of the U.S.
Private Placement. In February, 2011 we raised $12.3 million through a private placement offering
pursuant to which we issued 2,596,500 shares of common stock and 649,128 warrants with an exercise
price of $6.35. Proceeds of the financing are being allocated to fund working capital needed to
meet the rapidly growing demand for our products, particularly in the European market.
Venture Loan. In February, 2011 we received additional $2.5 million in growth capital from Horizon
Technology Finance Corporation pursuant to a Venture Loan and Security Agreement entered into in
December, 2010. Proceeds from the loan are being allocated to fund working capital needed to meet
the robust demand for our resin.
Trends and Uncertainties that May Impact Future Results of Operations
Global Market and Economic Conditions. Recent global market and economic conditions have been
unprecedented and challenging with tighter credit conditions and slower growth. These conditions,
combined with volatile oil prices, declining business and consumer confidence and increased
unemployment have contributed to continued volatility of unprecedented levels.
As a result of these market conditions, the cost and availability of credit has been, and may
continue to be, adversely affected by illiquid credit markets and wider credit spreads. Concern
about the stability of the markets generally, and the strength of counterparties specifically, has
led many lenders and institutional investors to reduce, and in some cases, cease to provide funding
to borrowers and to developing companies, such as ours. Continued turbulence in the U.S. and
international markets and economies may adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and
the liquidity and financial condition of our customers. If these market conditions continue, they
may limit our ability, and the ability of our customers, to timely replace maturing liabilities and
access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs, resulting in an adverse effect on our financial
condition and results of operations.
Sales. We record sales at the time that we ship our products, provided that evidence of an
arrangement exists, title and risk of loss have passed to the customer, fees are fixed or
determinable and collection of the related receivable is reasonably assured. We record sales net
of sales discounts and allowances. For the three months ended March 31, 2011 we provided price
incentives to several customers that entered into significant supply contract for their initial
purchase commitments to assist in commercial launch activities. In the future, we may offer these
incentives on a selective basis as we continue to grow our customer base. The amount of these
incentives in future periods will be a function of the growth of our customer base and the
particular commercialization.
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Operating Expenses. Operating expenses consist principally of salaries (both cash and non-cash
equity-based compensation), professional fees (including legal, accounting, patent-related,
government compliance), marketing, sales commissions, rent and research and development. Salaries
include all cash and non-cash compensation and related costs for all principal selling, general and
administrative functions. During recent periods we have made grants of equity awards, including
shares of restricted stock and stock options, to attract directors and members of senior
management, which have resulted in non-cash compensation expense for the periods reported. We
expect that non-cash compensation expense attributed to equity-based awards may increase in future
periods as the result of future equity-based incentive compensation awards granted to attract and
retain talented employees as we continue to grow our business. In addition, we expect to experience
increases in our research and development expenses as we continue to develop new products and
formulations, as well as increases in marketing and promotional expenses as we seek to increase our
customer base.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND USE OF ESTIMATES
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our
unaudited financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements
requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets,
liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.
We monitor our estimates on an ongoing basis for changes in facts and circumstances, and material
changes in these estimates could occur in the future. Changes in estimates are recorded in the
period in which they become known. We base our estimates on historical experience and other
assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ
from our estimates if past experience or other assumptions do not turn out to be substantially
accurate.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue at the time of shipment of products, provided that evidence of an arrangement
exists, title and risk of loss have passed to the customer, fees are fixed or determinable, and
collection of the related receivable is reasonably assured.
Research and Development Costs
Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred. These costs consist primarily of
research with respect to new grades of bioplastic resins, testing of both the bioplastic resins as
well as testing of finished products made from the bio-based resins.
Stock-Based Compensation
Compensation cost for all stock-based awards is measured at fair value on the date of grant and
recognized over the service period for awards expected to vest. The fair value of stock options is
determined using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Such value is recognized as expense over the
service period, net of estimated forfeitures, using the straight-line method. Adjustments to this
expense are made periodically to recognize actual rates of forfeiture which vary significantly from
estimates.
Accounts Receivable
We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses that may arise if any of our
customers are unable to make required payments. Management performs a review of the receivables
past due from customers on a monthly basis and reserves against uncollectible items for each
customer after all reasonable means of collection have been exhausted, and the potential for
recovery is considered remote.
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Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out basis) or market, and consist
primarily of raw materials used in the manufacturing of bioplastic resins, finished bioplastic
resins and finished goods. Inventories are reviewed for excess and obsolescence and a reserve is
established accordingly.
Intangibles
Intangibles are stated at cost and consist primarily of patents and trademarks. Amortization is
computed on the straight-line method over the estimated life of these assets, estimated to be
between five and fifteen years.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost, and depreciation is computed on the straight-line method
over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The estimated useful lives of the assets are between
five and seven years. Repairs and maintenance expenditures are charged to expense as incurred.
Deferred Income Taxes
Deferred income taxes are provided using the liability method whereby deferred tax assets are
recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards
and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary
differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their
tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of
management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not
be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of the changes in tax
laws and rates of the date of enactment.
The benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which,
based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position
will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if
any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions. Tax positions that meet
the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit
that is more than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with the applicable taxing
authority. The portion of the benefits associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount
measured as described above is reflected as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the
accompanying balance sheet along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable
to the taxing authorities upon examination.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2011 COMPARED TO THE THREE MONTHS ENDED
MARCH 31, 2010
Sales
Net sales for the three months ended March 31, 2011 were $7.2 million, an increase of
$6.9 million, compared to the same period in 2010. The sales increase for the period is
attributable to volume increases associated with both existing customer contracts and new contracts
with European customers. Environmental legislation, such as that banning the use of plastic bags in
Italy that took effect on January 1st, 2011, was a key driver of demand for our
bioplastic resins in the current quarter.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales includes both fixed and variable costs, including materials and supplies, labor,
facilities and other overhead costs associated with our product revenues. Cost of sales for the
three months ended March 31, 2011 was $6.5 million, or 90.3% of net sales, compared to $0.2
million, or 68.3% of net sales, for the same period in 2010. The increase in cost of sales over
the same period in the prior year is attributable to two main factors: (1) Cost of sales in the
prior year period cannot be considered representative of normal sales or operations as we were in
the process of relocating our production operations from California to Indiana and therefore had
minimal production
during this period in 2010, and (2) Cost of sales in the current period reflects the tremendous
growth in sales volume from the prior year.
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Gross Profit
Gross profit for the three months ended March 31, 2011 was $0.7 million, or 9.7% of net sales,
compared to $0.1 million, or 31.7% of net sales, for the same period in 2010. The decrease in
gross profit reflects the unusually high margins on very low volume sales in the prior year period
combined with our sales strategy to gain critical market share by offering low introductory pricing to
some key customers to support their programs to bring new bioplastic products to market. This
strategy has proven effective in contributing to strong sales growth and growing market share. We
expect that margins will improve gradually through 2011 as we capitalize on demand growth to
diversify our customer base, implement strategic price increases, and continue to gain operational
efficiencies.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2011 were $0.2 million, or
3.5% of net sales, compared to approximately $0.1 million, or 26.6% of net sales, for the same
period in 2010. Although research and development expenses decreased as a percentage of net sales,
we incurred higher expenses in 2011 related to additional headcount, including the appointment of a
new Chief Technology Officer, increased manufacturing supplies used for new product development and
impairment charges on intangible assets.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2011 were $2.0
million, or 28.2% of net sales, compared to $1.5 million, or 510.3% of net sales, for the same
period in 2010. Although selling, general and administrative expenses decreased as a percentage
of net sales, we incurred incremental expenses in 2011 across all areas of the business, including
compensation associated with increased headcount, marketing, sales commissions, professional fees
(including legal and accounting fees) to support the rapid growth of the business.
Other Expense, Net
Other expense, net for the three months ended March 31, 2011 was $0.2 million, as compared to $0.2
million in the same period in 2010. While there was little year over year change in these
expenses, a reduction non-recurring restructuring costs from 2010 was offset by an increase in
interest expense in 2011 attributable to our Venture Loan and Security Agreement with Compass
Horizon Funding Company, LLC entered into in December, 2010.
Net Loss
Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2011 was $1.8 million, as compared to $1.7 million in
the same period in 2010. As discussed above, our results were favorably impacted by increases in
net sales and gross profit, offset by higher research and development, and selling, general and
administrative expenses incurred to support the growth of the business.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
We require working capital to fund our operations, including payments to finance our research and
development and expand sales and marketing, to purchase equipment, service indebtedness, satisfy
lease obligations and execute on our business plan and growth strategy.
We had net unrestricted cash of $7.2 million at March 31, 2011 as compared to $2.4 million at
December 31, 2010. The net increase in unrestricted cash is attributable principally to funds
received through equity sold through a private placement and proceeds received from our venture
loan, offset by cash used in operations.
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Our working capital increased from $5.2 million at December 31, 2010, to $17.5 million at March 31,
2011. The increase in working capital is due primarily to net proceeds received from a private
placement offering consummated on February 1, 2011 of $11.2 million and a loan of $2.5 million,
combined with increases in accounts receivable associated with higher revenue.
Cash used in operating activities during the three months ended March 31, 2011 was $8.9 million,
compared to $1.4 million during the same period in the 2010. The increase in the use of cash for
operating activities was primarily a result of an increase in working capital, including reductions
in accounts payable and an increase in accounts receivable, which reflect the significant sales
growth in the 2011 compared to 2010.
Cash used in investing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2011 was $0.1 million
compared to cash used in investing activities of $0.1 million during the same period
in 2010.
Cash provided by financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2011 was $13.9
million compared to $1.2 million provided by financing activities during the same period in 2010.
The increase is attributable to an increase in funds received through a private placement offering
consummated on February 1, 2011 and proceeds from a venture loan from Compass Horizon Technology.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We do not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships such as
entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities that would have been
established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance-sheet arrangements or for other
contractually narrow or limited purposes. As such, we are not exposed to any financing, liquidity,
market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in such relationships.
ITEM 3. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
We are exposed to a number of market risks in the ordinary course of business. These risks, which
include interest rate risk, foreign currency exchange risk and commodity price risk, arise in the
normal course of business rather than from trading. We have examined our exposures to these risks
and concluded that none of our exposures in these areas is material to fair values, cash flows or
earnings. We regularly review these risks to determine if we should enter into active strategies,
such as hedging, to help manage the risks. At the present time, we do not have any hedging programs
in place and we are not trading in any financial or derivative instruments.
We currently do not have any material debt, so we do not have interest rate risk from a liability
perspective. We do have a significant amount of cash and short-term investments with maturities
less than three months. This cash portfolio exposes us to interest rate risk as short-term
investment rates can be volatile. Given the short-term maturity structure of our investment
portfolio, and the high-grade investment quality of our portfolio, we believe that we are not
subject to principal fluctuations and the effective interest rate of our portfolio tracks closely
to various short-term money market interest rate benchmarks.
ITEM 4. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this report, we conducted an evaluation, under the
supervision and with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer
of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) of the
Exchange Act). Based upon this evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is: (i)
recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commissions
rules and forms, and (ii) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief
executive officer and chief
financial officer, or persons performing similar functions as appropriate to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure.
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Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule
13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, during the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2011 that
have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over
financial reporting.
PART II OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings that arise in
the ordinary course of business. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an
adverse result in matters that may harm our business may arise from time to time. We are currently
not aware of nor have any knowledge of any such legal proceedings or claims that we believe will
have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition or operating results.
ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
There are no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in the Registrants Form
10-K filed on March 31, 2011.
ITEM 2. | UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS |
We issued the following unregistered securities during the three months ended March 31, 2011:
| On January 26, 2011 we issued 2,596,500 shares of common stock and 649,128 warrants with an
exercise price of $6.35 for gross proceeds of $12.3 million in a private placement. |
| On February 28, 2011, we issued 95,877 shares of common stock valued at $0.5 million to
various employees, directors and third parties for services rendered for prepaid rent. |
| On February 28, 2011, we issued 4,062 shares of common stock valued at $20,00 pursuant to a
settlement agreement |
All of the offerings and sales above were deemed to be exempt under rule 506 of Regulation D and/or
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, No advertising or general solicitation was employed in offering
the securities. The offerings and sales were made to a limited number of persons, all of whom were
accredited investors, our business associates or our executive officers, and transfers of the
securities were restricted by us in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. In
addition to representations by the above-referenced persons, we have made independent
determinations that all of the above-referenced persons were accredited or sophisticated investors,
were capable of analyzing the merits and risks of their investment, and understood the speculative
nature of their investment. Furthermore, all of the above-referenced persons were provided with
access to our SEC filings.
ITEM 3. | DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES |
Not applicable.
ITEM 4. | RESERVED |
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ITEM 5. | OTHER INFORMATION |
None
ITEM 6. | EXHIBITS |
Exhibit | ||||
Number | Description | |||
31.1 | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
|||
31.2 | Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|||
32.1 | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. *** |
|||
32.2 | Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*** |
*** | In accordance with Item 601(b)(32)(ii) of Regulation S-K, this exhibit shall not be deemed
filed for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the
liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act. |
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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.
Date: May 16, 2011 | CEREPLAST, INC. |
|||
By: | /s/ Frederic Scheer | |||
Frederic Scheer | ||||
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
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