KRONOS WORLDWIDE INC - Annual Report: 2006 (Form 10-K)
UNITED
STATES
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SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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Washington,
D.C. 20549
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FORM
10-K
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Annual
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange
Act
of 1934:
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For
the fiscal year ended December
31, 2006
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Commission
file number 1-31763
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KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC.
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(Exact
name of Registrant as specified in its
charter)
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DELAWARE
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76-0294959
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
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5430
LBJ Freeway, Suite 1700
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Dallas,
Texas
75240-2697
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(Address
of principal executive offices)
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Registrant's
telephone number, including area code: (972) 233-1700
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Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the
Act:
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Title of each class
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Name
of each exchange on
which
registered
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Common
stock
($.01
par value)
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New
York Stock Exchange
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No
securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Act.
Indicate
by check mark:
If
the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of
the
Securities Act. Yes
No X
If
the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or
Section
15(d) of the Act. Yes
No X
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
and
(2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes
X
No
If
disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is
not
contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant's
knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by
reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form
10-K.
Yes
No X
Whether
the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer or a
non-accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Large accelerated
filer
Accelerated
filer X
Non-accelerated filer
Whether
the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
Yes
No X
The
aggregate market value of the 2.4 million shares of voting stock held by
nonaffiliates of Kronos Worldwide, Inc. as of June 30, 2006 (the last business
day of the Registrant's most recently-completed second fiscal quarter)
approximated $70 million.
As
of February 28, 2007, 48,953,049 shares of the Registrant's common stock
were
outstanding.
Documents
incorporated by reference
The
information required by Part III is incorporated by reference from the
Registrant's definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Commission pursuant
to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year
covered by this report.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Part
I
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Page
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Item
1.
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Business
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4
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Item
1A.
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Risk
Factors
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10
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Item
1B.
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Unresolved
Staff comments
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12
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Item
2.
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Properties
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12
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Item
3.
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Legal
Proceedings
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13
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Item
4.
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Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
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13
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Part
II
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Item
5.
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Market
for our Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters
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14
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Item
6.
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Selected
Financial Data
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15
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Item
7.
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Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operation
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17
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Item
7A.
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Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
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35
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Item
8.
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Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data
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36
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Item
9.
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Changes
in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial
Disclosures
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36
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Item
9A.
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Controls
and Procedures
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36
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Item
9B.
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Other
Information
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38
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Part
III
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Item
10.
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Directors,
Executive Officers and Corporate Governance*
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38
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Item
11.
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Executive
Compensation*
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38
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Item
12.
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Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related
Stockholder Matters*
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38
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Item
13.
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Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions and Director
Independence*
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38
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Item
14.
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Principal
Accounting Fees and Services*
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39
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Part
IV
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Item
15.
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Exhibits
and Financial Statement Schedules
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40
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Signatures
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*
All or a portion of the information required by this item is included
in
this Form 10-K through incorporation by reference to the Registrant’s
Proxy Statement for our May 17, 2007 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
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Forward-Looking
Information
This
report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statement in this report that
is
not a statement of historical fact may be deemed to be a forward-looking
statement. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed
or
implied by these forward-looking statements. We do not intend to assume any
duty
to update or revise any forward-looking statements for new information, future
events or otherwise.
Forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "intends,"
"may," "should," "could," "anticipates," "expected" or comparable terminology,
or by discussions of strategies or trends. Although we believe the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot give
assurances that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking
statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties which could significantly
impact expected results, and actual results could differ materially from
those
described. It
is not
possible to identify all of the risks and uncertainties we face
that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in this
report. But, we have included discussion on the following most significant
risk
factors in Item 1A of this document:
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Future
supply and demand for our products
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The
extent of the dependence of certain of our businesses on certain
market
sectors
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The
cyclicality of our businesses
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· |
Customer
inventory levels (such as the extent to which our customers may,
from time
to time, accelerate purchases of TiO2
in
advance of anticipated price increases or defer purchases of
TiO2
in
advance of anticipated price decreases)
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Changes
in raw material and other operating costs (such as energy
costs)
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The
possibility of labor disruptions
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General
global economic and political conditions (such
as changes in the level of gross domestic product in various regions
of
the world and the impact of such changes on demand for TiO2)
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Competitive
products and substitute products
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Customer
and competitor strategies
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Potential
consolidation of our competitors
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The
impact of pricing and production
decisions
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Competitive
technology positions
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The
introduction of trade barriers
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Fluctuations
in currency exchange rates (such as changes in the exchange rate
between
the U.S. dollar and each of the euro, the Norwegian kroner and the
Canadian dollar)
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Operating
interruptions (including, but not limited to, labor disputes, leaks,
natural disasters, fires, explosions, unscheduled or unplanned downtime
and transportation interruptions)
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The
timing and amounts of insurance
recoveries
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Our
ability to renew or refinance credit
facilities
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The
ultimate outcome of income tax audits, tax settlement initiatives
or other
tax matters
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The
ultimate ability to utilize income tax attributes, the benefits of
which
have been recognized under the “more-likely-than-not” recognition
criteria
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Environmental
matters (such
as those requiring compliance with emission and discharge standards
for
existing and new facilities)
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Government
laws and regulations and possible changes
therein
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The
ultimate resolution of pending litigation
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Possible
future litigation
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Should
one or more of these risks materialize (or the consequences of such a
development worsen), or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect,
actual results could differ materially from those forecasted or expected.
We
disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of changes in information, future events or
otherwise.
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
General
Kronos
Worldwide, Inc., (NYSE: KRO), a Delaware corporation, is a leading global
producer and marketer of value-added titanium dioxide pigments ("TiO2").
We,
along with our distributors and agents, sell and provide technical services
for
our products to over 4,000 customers in over 100 countries with the majority
of
sales in Europe and North America. We believe we have developed considerable
expertise and efficiency in the manufacture, sale, shipment and service of
our
products in domestic and international markets.
TiO2
is an
inorganic pigment used to impart whiteness, brightness and opacity for products
such as coatings, plastics, paper, fibers, food, ceramics and cosmetics.
TiO2
is
considered a “quality-of-life” product with demand and growth affected by gross
domestic product and overall economic conditions in our markets in various
parts
of the world. TiO2
derives
its value from its whitening properties and hiding power (opacity), which
is the
ability to cover or mask other materials effectively and efficiently.
TiO2
is the
largest commercially used whitening pigment because it has a high refractive
rating giving it more hiding power than any other commercially produced white
pigment. In addition, TiO2
has
excellent resistance to interaction with other chemicals, good thermal stability
and resistance to ultraviolet degradation. We ship TiO2
to our
customers in either a powder or slurry form via rail, truck or ocean carrier.
We, including our predecessors, have produced and marketed TiO2
in North
America and Europe for over 80 years.
We
believe that we are the second largest producer of TiO2
in
Europe with an estimated 20% share of European TiO2
sales
volume. Approximately half of our 2006 sales volumes were attributable to
markets in Europe. We have an estimated 15% share of North American
TiO2
sales
volume. Per capita utilization of TiO2
in the
United States and Western Europe far exceeds that of other areas in the world.
We expect these markets to continue to be the largest consumers of
TiO2
for
the
foreseeable future. It is probable that significant markets for TiO2
could
emerge in Eastern Europe or the Far East as the economies in these regions
develop to the point that quality-of-life products, including TiO2,
experience greater demand. In addition, China has developed into a significant
market and as its economy continues to develop it is probable that
quality-of-life products, including TiO2,
will
experience greater demand in that country.
Sales
of
TiO2
were
about 90% of our net sales in 2006. The remaining 10% of net sales is made
up of
other product lines that are complementary to TiO2.
These
other products are described as follows:
· |
We
own and operate an ilmenite mine in Norway pursuant to a governmental
concession with an unlimited term. Ilmenite is a raw material used
directly as a feedstock by some sulfate-process TiO2
plants, including all of our European sulfate-process plants. We
also sell
ilmenite ore to third-parties, some of whom are our competitors.
The mine
has estimated reserves that are expected to last at least 50 years.
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We
manufacture and sell iron-based chemicals, which are co-products
and
processed co-products of the TiO2
pigment production process. These co-product chemicals are marketed
through our Ecochem division, and are used primarily as treatment
and
conditioning agents for industrial effluents and municipal wastewater
as
well as in the manufacture of iron pigments, cement and agricultural
products.
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· |
We
manufacture and sell titanium oxychloride and titanyl sulfate, which
are
side-stream products from the production of TiO2.
Titanium oxychloride is used in specialty applications in the formulation
of pearlescent pigments, production of electroceramic capacitors
for cell
phones and other electronic devices. Titanyl sulfate products are
used
primarily in pearlescent pigments.
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At
December 31, 2006, approximately 59% of our common stock was owned by Valhi,
Inc. (NYSE: VHI) and approximately 36% was owned by NL Industries (NYSE:
NL).
Valhi also owns 83% of NL Industries’ outstanding common stock. Contran
Corporation and its subsidiaries own about 92% of Valhi’s outstanding common
stock. Substantially all of Contran Corporation’s outstanding voting stock is
held by trusts established for the benefit of certain descendants of Harold
C.
Simmons (of which Mr. Simmons is trustee), or is held by persons or other
entities related to Mr. Simmons. Consequently, Mr. Simmons may be deemed
to
control all of these companies.
Manufacturing
and operation
We
currently produce over 40 different TiO2
grades
under the Kronostm
trademark which provide a variety of performance properties to meet customers’
specific requirements. Our major customers include domestic and international
paint, plastics and paper manufacturers.
Extenders,
such as kaolin clays, calcium carbonate and polymeric opacifiers, are used
in a
number of the same end-use markets as white pigments. However, the opacity
in
these products is not able to duplicate the performance characteristics of
TiO2,
and so
we believe these products are not effective substitutes for TiO2.
We
produce TiO2
in
two
crystalline forms: rutile and anatase. Rutile TiO2
is
manufactured using both a chloride production process and a sulfate production
process, whereas anatase TiO2
is
only
produced using a sulfate production process. Chloride process rutile is
preferred for the majority of customer applications. From a technical
standpoint, chloride process rutile has a bluer undertone and higher durability
than sulfate process rutile. Although many end-use applications can use either
form, chloride process rutile is the preferred form for use in coatings and
plastics, the two largest end-use markets. Sulfate process anatase represents
a
much smaller percentage of annual global TiO2
production and is preferred for use in selected paper, ceramics, rubber tires,
man-made fibers, food and cosmetics.
Chloride
production process.
Approximately three-fourths of our current production capacity is based on
the
chloride process. The chloride process is a continuous process in which chlorine
is used to extract rutile TiO2.
The
chloride process typically has lower manufacturing costs than the sulfate
process due to newer technology, higher yield, less waste, lower energy
requirements and lower labor costs. The chloride process produces less waste
than the sulfate process because much of the chlorine is recycled and feedstock
bearing a higher titanium content is used.
Sulfate
production process.
The
sulfate process is a batch chemical process that uses sulfuric acid to extract
both rutile and anatase TiO2.
Once
an
intermediate TiO2
pigment
has been produced by either the chloride or sulfate process, it is “finished”
into products with specific performance characteristics for particular end-use
applications through proprietary processes involving various chemical surface
treatments and intensive micronizing (milling). Due to environmental factors
and
customer considerations, the proportion of TiO2
industry
sales represented by chloride process pigments has increased relative to
sulfate
process pigments and, in 2006, chloride process production facilities
represented over 60% of industry capacity.
We
produced a new company record of 516,000 metric tons of TiO2
in 2006,
compared to our prior record of 492,000 metric tons in 2005. Such production
amounts include our 50% interest in the TiO2
manufacturing joint-venture discussed below. Our average production capacity
utilization rates were near full capacity in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Our production
capacity has increased by approximately 30% over the past ten years due to
debottlenecking programs, with only moderate capital expenditures. We believe
our annual attainable production capacity for 2007 is approximately 525,000
metric tons, with some slight additional capacity available in 2008 through
our
continued debottlenecking efforts.
Raw
Materials
The
primary raw materials used in chloride process TiO2
are
titanium-containing feedstock (natural rutile ore or purchased slag), chlorine
and coke. Chlorine and coke are available from a number of suppliers.
Titanium-containing feedstock suitable for use in the chloride process is
available from a limited but increasing number of suppliers principally in
Australia, South Africa, Canada, India and the United States. We purchase
chloride process grade slag from Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium under a long-term
supply contract that expires at the end of 2010. We purchase natural rutile
ore
primarily from Iluka Resources, Limited under a long-term supply contract
that
expires at the end of 2009. We expect to be successful in obtaining long-term
extensions to these and other existing supply contracts prior to their
expiration. We expect the raw materials purchased under these contracts to
meet
our chloride process feedstock requirements over the next several years.
The
primary raw materials used in sulfate process TiO2
are
titanium-containing feedstock (primarily ilmenite from our Norwegian mine
or
purchased slag) and sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is available from a number
of
suppliers. Titanium-containing feedstock suitable for use in the sulfate
process
is available from a limited number of suppliers principally in Norway, Canada,
Australia, India and South Africa. As one of the few vertically integrated
producers of sulfate process TiO2,
we own
and operate a rock ilmenite mine in Norway, which provided all of our feedstock
for our European sulfate process TiO2
plants
in
2006. We expect ilmenite production from our mine to meet our European sulfate
process feedstock requirements for the foreseeable future. For our Canadian
sulfate process plant, we also purchase sulfate grade slag primarily from
Q.I.T.
Fer et Titane Inc. (also a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium, under
a
long-term supply contract that expires at the end of 2009 and Tinfos Titan
and
Iron KS under a supply contract that expires in 2010. We expect the raw
materials purchased under these contracts to meet our sulfate process feedstock
requirements over the next several years.
Many
of
our raw material contracts contain fixed quantities we are required to purchase,
although these contracts allow for an upward or downward adjustment in the
quantity purchased. We are not required to purchase feedstock in excess of
amounts that we would reasonably consume in any given year. The pricing under
these agreements is generally negotiated annually.
The
following table summarizes our raw materials purchased or mined in
2006.
Production
Process/Raw Material
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Raw
Materials Procured or Mined
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(In
thousands of metric tons)
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Chloride
process plants:
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Purchased
slag or natural rutile ore
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472
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Sulfate
process plants:
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Raw
ilmenite ore mined & used internally
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319
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Purchased
slag
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25
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TiO2
manufacturing joint venture
We
hold a
50% interest in a manufacturing joint venture with Huntsman Holding LLC.
The
joint venture owns and operates a chloride process TiO2
facility
located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. We share production from the plant equally
with Huntsman pursuant to separate offtake agreements.
A
supervisory committee directs the business and affairs of the joint venture,
including production and output decisions. This committee is composed of
four
members, two of whom we appoint and two of whom Huntsman appoints. Two general
managers manage the operations of the joint venture acting under the direction
of the supervisory committee. We appoint one general manager and Huntsman
appoints the other.
We
are
required to purchase one-half of the TiO2
produced
by the joint venture. The joint venture is not consolidated in our financial
statements because we do not control it. We account for our interest in the
joint venture by the equity method. The joint venture operates on a break-even
basis, and therefore we do not have any equity in earnings of the joint venture.
We share all costs and capital expenditures of the joint venture equally
with
Huntsman with the exception of raw material and packaging costs for the pigment
grades produced. Our share of the net costs is reported as cost of sales
as the
related TiO2
is sold.
See Notes 6 and 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Competition
The
TiO2
industry
is highly competitive. Our principal competitors are E.I. du Pont de Nemours
& Co.; Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc. (a subsidiary of Lyondell
Chemical Company (“Lyondell”)); Tronox Incorporated; Huntsman Corporation; and
Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. (“Ishihara”). These competitors have estimated
individual shares of TiO2
production capacity ranging from 4% (for Ishihara) to 24% (for DuPont), and
an
estimated aggregate share of worldwide TiO2
production volume in excess of 60%. DuPont has about one-half of total North
American TiO2
production capacity and is our principal North American competitor. Lyondell
has
announced that it intends to sell Millennium Inorganic Chemicals to National
Titanium Dioxide Company Ltd. in the first half of 2007.
We
compete primarily on the basis of price, product quality, technical service
and
the availability of high performance pigment grades. Although certain
TiO2
grades
are considered specialty pigments, the majority of our grades and substantially
all of our production are considered commodity pigments with price generally
being the most significant competitive factor. We believe that we are the
leading seller of TiO2
in
several countries, including Germany, with an estimated 11% share of worldwide
TiO2
sales
volume in 2006. Overall, we are the world’s fifth-largest producer of
TiO2.
Worldwide
capacity additions in the TiO2
market
resulting from construction of greenfield plants require significant capital
expenditures and substantial lead time (typically three to five years in
our
experience). We are not aware of any TiO2
plants
currently under construction. DuPont has announced its intention to build
a
TiO2
facility
in China, but it is not clear when construction will begin and it is not
likely
that any product would be available until 2010, at the earliest.
We
expect
that industry capacity will increase as we and our competitors continue to
debottleneck our existing facilities. We expect the average annual increase
in
industry capacity from announced debottlenecking projects to be less than
the
average annual demand growth for TiO2 during
the next three to five years. However,
we can not assure that future increases in the TiO2
industry
production capacity and future average annual demand growth rates for
TiO2
will
conform to our expectations. If actual developments differ from our
expectations, ours and the TiO2
industry's performances could be unfavorably affected.
Research
and development
Our
research and development activities are directed primarily on improving the
chloride and sulfate production processes, improving product quality and
strengthening our competitive position by developing new pigment applications.
We primarily conduct research and development activities at our Leverkusen,
Germany facility. Our expenditures for research and development and certain
technical support programs were approximately $8 million in 2004, $9 million
in
2005 and $11 million in 2006.
We
continually seek to improve the quality of our grades and have been successful
at developing new grades for existing and new applications to meet the needs
of
customers and increase product life cycle. Since 2002, we have added eleven
new
grades for plastics, coatings, fibers and paper laminate
applications.
Patents
and trademarks
We
believe that our patents held for products and production processes are
important to us and our continuing business activities. We seek patent
protection for our technical developments, principally in the United States,
Canada and Europe, and from time to time enter into licensing arrangements
with
third parties. Our existing patents generally
have terms of 20 years from the date of filing, and have remaining terms
ranging
from one to 19 years. We seek to protect our intellectual property rights,
including our patent rights, and from time to time are engaged in disputes
relating to the protection and use of intellectual property relating to our
products.
Our
trademarks, including Kronos,
are
protected by registration in the United States and elsewhere with respect
to
those products we manufacture and sell. We also rely on unpatented proprietary
know-how and continuing technological innovation, and other trade secrets
to
develop and maintain our competitive position. Our proprietary chloride
production process is an important part of our technology, and our business
could be harmed if we fail to maintain confidentiality of our trade secrets
used
in this technology.
Major
customers
We
sell
to a diverse customer base, and no single customer makes up more than 10%
of our
sales for 2006. Our largest ten customers accounted for approximately 28%
of
sales in 2006.
Seasonality
Neither
our business as a whole nor that of any of our principal product groups is
seasonal to any significant extent. However, TiO2
sales
are generally higher in the first half of the year. This is due in part to
the
increase in paint production in the spring to meet demand during the spring
and
summer painting season.
Employees
As
of
December 31, 2006, we employed approximately 2,450 persons (excluding employees
of the Louisiana joint venture), with 55 employees in the United States,
435
employees in Canada and 1,960 employees in Europe.
Our
hourly employees in production facilities worldwide, including the TiO2
joint
venture, are represented by a variety of labor unions under labor agreements
with various expiration dates. Our European union employees are covered by
master collective bargaining agreements in the chemicals industry that are
renewed annually. Our Canadian union employees are covered by a collective
bargaining agreement that expires in June 2007. We have begun negotiations
for a
new collective bargaining agreement in Canada and expect to have a new agreement
in place before the current agreement expires. We believe our labor relations
are good.
Regulatory
and environmental matters
Our
operations are governed by various environmental laws and regulations. Certain
of our operations are, or have been, engaged in the handling, manufacture
or use
of substances or compounds that may be considered toxic or hazardous within
the
meaning of applicable environmental laws and regulations. As with other
companies engaged in similar businesses, certain past and current operations
and
products of ours have the potential to cause environmental or other damage.
We
have implemented and continue to implement various policies and programs
in an
effort to minimize these risks. Our policy is to maintain compliance with
applicable environmental laws and regulations at all of our facilities and
to
strive to improve our environmental performance. It is possible that future
developments, such as stricter requirements in environmental laws and
enforcement policies, could adversely affect our production, handling, use,
storage, transportation, sale or disposal of such substances and could adversely
affect our consolidated financial position and results of operations or
liquidity.
Our
U.S.
manufacturing operations are governed by federal environmental and worker
health
and safety laws and regulations. These primarily consist of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), the Occupational Safety and Health Act,
the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the
Toxic
Substances Control Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act (“CERCLA”), as well as the state counterparts of these
statutes. We believe the TiO2
plant
owned by the joint venture and a TiO2
slurry
facility owned by us in Lake Charles, Louisiana are in substantial compliance
with applicable requirements of these laws or compliance orders issued
thereunder. These are our only U.S. manufacturing facilities.
While
the
laws regulating operations of industrial facilities in Europe vary from country
to country, a common regulatory framework is provided by the European Union.
Germany and Belgium are members of the European Union and follow its
initiatives. Norway is not a member but generally patterns its environmental
regulatory actions after the European Union. We believe we have obtained
all
required permits and are in substantial compliance with applicable environmental
requirements for our European and Canadian facilities.
At
our
sulfate plant facilities in Germany, we recycle weak sulfuric acid either
through contracts with third parties or at our own facilities. In addition,
at
our German locations we have a contract with a third party to treat certain
sulfate-process effluents. At our Norwegian plant, we ship spent acid to a
third party location where it is treated and disposed. These contracts may
be terminated by either party after giving three or four years advance notice,
depending on the contract.
From
time
to time, our facilities may be subject to environmental regulatory enforcement
under U.S. and foreign statutes. Typically we establish compliance programs
to
resolve these matters. Occasionally, we may pay penalties. To date such
penalties have not involved amounts having a material adverse effect on our
consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity. We believe
that all of our facilities are in substantial compliance with applicable
environmental laws.
Capital
expenditures in 2006 related to ongoing environmental compliance, protection
and
improvement programs were $4.4 million, and are currently expected to be
approximately $5 million in 2007.
Website
and other available information
Our
fiscal year ends December 31. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly
reports
on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports
are available on our website at www.kronostio2.com.
These
reports are available on the website, without charge, as soon as is reasonably
practicable after we file or furnish them electronically with the Securities
and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Additional information regarding us, including our
Audit Committee charter, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and our Corporate
Governance Guidelines, can also be found at this website. Information contained
on our website is not part of this report. We will also provide free copies
of
such documents upon written request. Such requests should be directed to
the
Corporate Secretary at our address on the cover page of this Form
10-K.
The
public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public
Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public
may
obtain information about the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling
the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. We are an electronic filer, and the SEC maintains
an
Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements,
and
other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC
at
www.sec.gov.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Below
are
certain risk factors associated with our business. In addition to the potential
effect of these risk factors discussed below, any risk factor which could
result
in reduced earnings or operating losses, or reduced liquidity, could in turn
adversely affect our ability to service our liabilities or pay dividends
on our
common stock or adversely affect the quoted market prices for our
securities.
Approximately
90% of our revenues are attributable to sales of TiO2.
Pricing
within the global TiO2
industry
over the long term is cyclical, and changes in economic conditions, especially
in Western industrialized nations, can significantly impact our earnings
and
operating cash flows. This may result in reduced earnings or operating
losses.
Historically,
the markets for many of our products have experienced alternating periods
of
increasing and decreasing demand. Relative changes in the selling prices
for our
products is one of the main factors that affects the level of our profitability.
In periods of increasing demand, our selling prices and profit margins generally
will tend to increase, while in periods of decreasing demand our selling
prices
and profit margins generally tend to decrease. Future growth in demand for
TiO2
may not
be sufficient to alleviate any future conditions of excess industry capacity,
and such conditions may not be sustained or may be further aggravated by
anticipated or unanticipated capacity additions or other events.
The
demand for TiO2
during a
given year is also subject to annual seasonal fluctuations. TiO2
sales
are generally higher in the first half of the year. This is due in part to
the
increase in paint production in the spring to meet demand during the spring
and
summer painting season. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for further discussion on
production and price changes.
We
sell several of our products in mature and highly competitive industries
and
face price pressures in the markets in which we operate, which may result
in
reduced earnings or operating losses.
The
global markets in which we operate our business are highly competitive.
Competition is based on a number of factors, such as price, product quality
and
service. Some of our competitors may be able to drive down prices for our
products because their costs are lower than our costs. In addition, some
of our
competitors' financial, technological and other resources may be greater
than
our resources, and such competitors may be better able to withstand changes
in
market conditions. Our competitors may be able to respond more quickly than
we
can to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements.
Further, consolidation of our competitors or customers may result in reduced
demand for our products or make it more difficult for us to compete with
our
competitors. New competitors could emerge by modifying their existing production
facilities so they could manufacture products that compete with our products.
The occurrence of any of these events could result in reduced earnings or
operating losses.
Higher
costs or limited availability of our raw materials may reduce our earnings
and
decrease our liquidity.
The
number of sources for and availability of, certain raw materials is specific
to
the particular geographical region in which a facility is located. For example,
titanium-containing feedstocks suitable for use in our TiO2
facilities are available from a limited number of suppliers around the world.
Political and economic instability in the countries from which we purchase
our
raw material supplies could adversely affect their availability. If our
worldwide vendors were unable to meet their contractual obligations and we
were
unable to obtain necessary raw materials, we could incur higher costs for
raw
materials or may be required to reduce production levels. We may not always
be
able to increase our selling prices to offset the impact of any higher costs
or
reduced production levels, which could reduce our earnings and decrease our
liquidity.
Our
leverage may impair our financial condition or limit our ability to operate
our
businesses.
We
currently have a significant amount of debt. As of December 31, 2006, our
total
consolidated debt was approximately $536 million, substantially all of which
relates to Senior Secured Notes of our wholly-owned subsidiary, Kronos
International, Inc. Our level of debt could have important consequences to
our
stockholders and creditors, including:
· |
making
it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect
to our
liabilities;
|
· |
increasing
our vulnerability to adverse general economic and industry
conditions;
|
· |
requiring
that a portion of our cash flows from operations be used for the
payment
of interest on our debt, which reduces our ability to use our cash
flow to
fund working capital, capital expenditures, dividends on our common
stock,
acquisitions or general corporate
requirements;
|
· |
limiting
our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working
capital,
capital expenditures, acquisitions or general corporate
requirements;
|
· |
limiting
our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business
and the industry in which we operate; and
|
· |
placing
us at a competitive disadvantage relative to other less leveraged
competitors.
|
In
addition to our indebtedness, we are party to various lease and other agreements
pursuant to which, along with our indebtedness, we are committed to pay
approximately $292 million in 2007. Our ability to make payments on and
refinance our debt, and to fund planned capital expenditures, depends on
our
future ability to generate cash flow. To some extent, this is subject to
general
economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors
that
are beyond our control. In addition, our ability to borrow funds under our
subsidiaries’ credit facilities in the future will in some instances depend in
part on these subsidiaries’ ability to maintain specified financial ratios and
satisfy certain financial covenants contained in the applicable credit
agreement.
Our
business may not generate cash flows from operating activities sufficient
to
enable us to pay our debts when they become due and to fund our other liquidity
needs. As a result, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our debt
before
maturity. We may not be able to refinance any of our debt in a timely manner
on
favorable terms, if at all. Any inability to generate sufficient cash flows
or
to refinance our debt on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect
on
our financial condition.
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED
STAFF COMMENTS.
None.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
We
operate six TiO2
facilities, two slurry facilities and an ilmenite mine at the following
locations:
Location
|
Description
|
Leverkusen,
Germany
|
TiO2
production,
Chloride and sulfate process
|
Nordenham,
Germany
|
TiO2
production, Sulfate process
|
Langerbrugge,
Belgium
|
TiO2
production, Chloride process
|
Fredrikstad,
Norway
|
TiO2
production, Sulfate process
|
Varennes,
Quebec
|
TiO2
production,
Chloride and sulfate process, slurry facility
|
Lake
Charles, Louisiana (1)
|
TiO2
production, Chloride process
|
Lake
Charles, Louisiana
|
Slurry
facility
|
Hauge
i Dalane, Norway
|
Ilmenite
mine
|
(1)
We
operate this facility in a 50% owned joint venture with Huntsman Holdings,
LLC.
(see Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements).
Our
co-products are produced at our German, Norwegian and Belgian facilities,
and
our titanium chemicals are produced at our Canadian and Belgian
facilities.
We
own
all of our principal production facilities described above, except for the
land
under the Fredrikstad, Norway and Leverkusen, Germany facilities. The Norwegian
plant is located on public land and is leased until 2013, with an option
to
extend the lease for an additional 50 years. Our principal German operating
subsidiary leases the land under our Leverkusen plant pursuant to a lease
with
Bayer AG that expires in 2050. We own the Leverkusen facility, which represents
about one-third of our current TiO2
production capacity and is located within an extensive manufacturing complex.
Rent for such land lease associated with the Leverkusen facility is periodically
established by agreement with Bayer AG for periods of at least two years
at a
time. Bayer AG provides some raw materials, including chlorine, auxiliary
and
operating materials, utilities and services necessary to operate the Leverkusen
facility under separate supplies and services agreements.
Our
corporate headquarters is located in Dallas, Texas. We have under lease various
corporate and administrative offices located in the U.S. and various sales
offices located in the U.S., France, the Netherlands, Denmark and the U.K.
The
roads leading to our facilities are generally maintained by the applicable
local government and are adequate for our purposes.
Information
on our properties is incorporated by reference to Item 1: Business,
Manufacturing and Operations above. See Note 14 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements for information on our leases.
ITEM 3. LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
We
are
involved in various environmental, contractual, intellectual property, product
liability and other claims and disputes incidental to our business. Information
called for by this Item is incorporated by reference to Note 14 to our
Consolidated Financial Statements.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION
OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
No
matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the quarter ended
December 31, 2006.
PART
II
ITEM 5.
|
MARKET
FOR COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER
MATTERS
|
Our
common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:
KRO).
As of February 28, 2007, there were approximately 4,100 holders of record
of
common stock. The following table sets forth the high and low closing per
share
sales price for common stock for the periods indicated according to Bloomberg,
and dividends paid during such periods. On February 28, 2007 the closing
price
of common stock according to the NYSE Composite Tape was $34.14.
High
|
Low
|
Cash
dividends
paid
|
||||||||
Year
ended December 31, 2005
|
|
|||||||||
First
Quarter
|
$
|
48.56
|
$
|
40.27
|
$
|
.25
|
||||
Second
Quarter
|
43.06
|
29.37
|
.25
|
|||||||
Third
Quarter
|
33.05
|
27.60
|
.25
|
|||||||
Fourth
Quarter
|
33.26
|
29.01
|
.25
|
|||||||
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
|
|||||||||
First
Quarter
|
32.40
|
28.41
|
.25
|
|||||||
Second
Quarter
|
31.95
|
27.60
|
.25
|
|||||||
Third
Quarter
|
30.70
|
27.52
|
.25
|
|||||||
Fourth
Quarter
|
40.53
|
28.20
|
.25
|
|||||||
January
1, 2007 through February
28,
2007
|
37.08
|
33.10
|
-
|
We
paid
four quarterly cash dividends of $.25 per share in 2005 and 2006. On February
15, 2007, our Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of
$.25
per share to stockholders of record as of March 9, 2007 to be paid on March
26,
2007. The declaration and payment of future dividends, and the amount thereof,
is discretionary, and will be dependent upon the Company’s results of
operations, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors
deemed relevant by the Company’s Board of Directors. The amount and timing of
past dividends is not necessarily indicative of the amount and timing of
any
future dividends which might be paid.
Performance
graph
Set
forth
below is a line graph comparing, for the period December 8, 2003 (the first
day
our common stock was publicly traded) through December 31, 2006, the cumulative
total stockholder return on our common stock against the cumulative total
return
of (a) the S&P Composite 500 Stock Index and (b) the S&P 500 Diversified
Chemicals Index. The graph shows the value at December 31 of each year, assuming
an original investment of $100 in each and reinvestment of cash dividends
and
other distributions to stockholders.
The
information contained in the performance graph shall not be deemed “soliciting
material” or “filed” with the SEC, or subject to the liabilities of Section 18
of the Securities Exchange Act, except to the extent we specifically request
that the material be treated as soliciting material or specifically incorporate
this performance graph by reference into a document filed under the Securities
Act or the Securities Exchange Act.
Equity
compensation plan information
We
have
an equity compensation plan, which was approved by our stockholders, which
provides for the discretionary grant to our employees and directors of, among
other things, options to purchase our common stock and stock awards. As of
December 31, 2006, there were no options outstanding to purchase shares of
our
common stock, and approximately 140,000 shares were available for future
grant
or issuance. We do not have any equity compensation plans that were not approved
by our stockholders. See Note 12 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
ITEM
6. SELECTED
FINANCIAL DATA
The
following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with our
Consolidated Financial Statements and Item 7 - "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
Net
income and net income per share for 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, and total
assets
and common stockholders’ equity as of December 31, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005,
have each been adjusted from amounts previously disclosed due to the adoption
of
FSP No. AUG-AIR1 Accounting for Planned Major Maintenance Activities in the
fourth quarter of 2006. See Note 17.
Years
ended December
31,
|
||||||||||||||||
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006 (6)
|
||||||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
(As
adjusted)
|
(As
adjusted)
|
(As
adjusted)
|
|||||||||||||
(In
millions, except per share data and TiO2
operating statistics)
|
||||||||||||||||
STATEMENTS
OF OPERATIONS DATA:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
875.2
|
$
|
1,008.2
|
$
|
1,128.6
|
$
|
1,196.7
|
$
|
1,279.4
|
||||||
Gross
margin (1)
|
203.7
|
270.3
|
261.2
|
327.5
|
310.5
|
|||||||||||
Net
income (2)
|
66.4
|
88.5
|
314.1
|
71.5
|
82.0
|
|||||||||||
Net
income per share (2)
|
1.36
|
1.81
|
6.42
|
1.46
|
1.67
|
|||||||||||
Cash
dividends per share (3)
|
2.27
|
.14
|
1.00
|
1.00
|
1.00
|
|||||||||||
BALANCE
SHEET DATA (at year end):
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
assets
|
$
|
988.5
|
$
|
1,121.9
|
$
|
1,353.3
|
$
|
1,298.9
|
$
|
1,421.5
|
||||||
Notes
payable and long-term debt including current maturities
|
370.5
|
556.7
|
533.2
|
465.3
|
536.2
|
|||||||||||
Common
stockholders’ equity (4)
|
315.7
|
162.2
|
473.1
|
412.5
|
448.4
|
|||||||||||
STATEMENTS
OF CASH FLOW DATA:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
cash provided (used) by:
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating
activities
|
$
|
111.1
|
$
|
107.7
|
$
|
151.0
|
$
|
97.8
|
$
|
71.9
|
||||||
Investing
activities
|
(34.6
|
)
|
(35.4
|
)
|
(39.8
|
)
|
(39.7
|
)
|
(50.9
|
)
|
||||||
Financing
activities
|
(93.9
|
)
|
(61.8
|
)
|
(108.8
|
)
|
(44.8
|
)
|
(35.0
|
)
|
||||||
TiO2
OPERATING STATISTICS:
|
||||||||||||||||
Sales
volume(5)
|
455
|
462
|
500
|
478
|
511
|
|||||||||||
Production
volume(5)
|
442
|
476
|
484
|
492
|
516
|
|||||||||||
Production
capacity at beginning of year(5)
|
455
|
470
|
480
|
495
|
516
|
|||||||||||
Production
rate as a percentage of capacity
|
96%
|
|
Full
|
Full
|
99%
|
|
Full
|
|||||||||
__________________________________
|
(1) |
Gross
margin as presented above is greater than amounts previously reported
by
$.3 million in 2002 and $1.4 million in 2003. See Note 17 to our
Consolidated
Financial Statements.
|
(2) |
Net
income and net income per share as presented above differ from amounts
previously reported by $.1 million
($0.01 per diluted share) in 2002 and $1.0 million
($0.02 per diluted share) in 2003. See Note 17 to our Consolidated
Financial Statements.
|
(3) |
Excludes
our December 2003 dividend to NL in the form of a $200 million long-term
note payable.
|
(4) |
Common
stockholders’ equity as presented above is greater than amounts previously
reported by $1.5 million
at December 31, 2002 and $2.8 million
at December 31, 2003. See Note 17 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
(5) |
Metric
tons in thousands
|
(6) |
We
adopted Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards No. 158 effective December 31,
2006. See
Note 10 to our
Consolidated
Financial Statements.
|
ITEM 7.
|
MANAGEMENT'S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS
|
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
Business
overview
We
are a
leading global producer and marketer of value-added TiO2.
TiO2
is used
for a variety of manufacturing applications, including plastics, paints,
paper
and other industrial products. For 2006, approximately one-half of our sales
volumes were into European markets. We believe that we are the second largest
producer of TiO2
in
Europe with an estimated 20% share of European TiO2
sales
volumes. In addition, we estimate that we have a 15% share of North American
TiO2
sales
volumes. Our production facilities are located throughout Europe and North
America.
We
consider TiO2
to be a
“quality of life” product, with demand affected by gross domestic product and
overall economic conditions in our markets located in various regions of
the
world. Over the long-term, we expect demand for TiO2
to grow
by 2% to 3% per year. This is consistent with our expectations for the long-term
growth in gross domestic product. However, demand for TiO2
in any
interim or annual period may not change in the same proportion as the change
in
GDP even if we and our competitors maintain consistent shares of the worldwide
market. This is due in part to relative changes in the TiO2
inventory levels of our customers. We believe that our customers’ inventory
levels are partly influenced by their expectation for future changes in the
market TiO2
selling
prices.
The
factors having the most impact on our reported operating results
are:
· |
TiO2
selling prices,
|
· |
Foreign
currency exchange rates (particularly the exchange rate for the U.S.
dollar relative to the euro and the Canadian dollar),
|
· |
TiO2
sales and production volumes, and
|
· |
Manufacturing
costs, particularly maintenance and energy-related
expenses.
|
Our
key
performance indicators are our TiO2
average
selling prices, and our level of TiO2
sales
and production volumes.
Executive
Summary
We
reported net income of $82.0
million, or $1.67 per diluted share for 2006, compared to net income of $71.5
million, or $1.46 per diluted share for 2005 and net income of $314.1 million
or
$6.42 per diluted share for 2004. Net income for 2006 rose $10.5 million
from
2005 due primarily to the net effect of (i) the favorable effect of certain
net
income tax benefits recognized in 2006, partially offset by (ii) lower income
from operations in 2006, (iii) a gain from the sale of our passive interest
in a
Norwegian smelting operation in 2005 and (iv) a charge in 2006 from redemption
of our 8.875% Senior Secured Notes.
We
reported net income of $71.5 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, in 2005
compared to $314.1 million, or $6.42 per diluted share, in 2004. Our diluted
earnings per share decreased from 2004 to 2005 as the favorable effect of
higher
income from operations and lower interest expense in 2005 was more than offset
by the favorable effect of the non-cash income tax benefit recognized in
2004.
Net
income for 2006 includes (i) a charge related to the prepayment of our 8.875%
Senior Secured Notes of $14.5 million ($.30 per diluted share) and (ii) a
net
income tax benefit of $.71 per diluted share related to the net effect of
the
withdrawal of certain income tax assessments previously made by the Belgian
and
Norwegian tax authorities, the resolution of certain income tax issues related
to our German and Belgian operations and the enactment of a reduction in
the
Canadian federal income tax rate.
Net
income for 2005 includes the net non-cash effects of (i) the aggregate favorable
effects of certain non-U.S. income tax audits of Kronos, principally in Belgium
and Canada, of $11.5 million ($.23 per diluted share), (ii) a securities
transaction gain of $3.5 million ($.07 per diluted share) and (iii) the
unfavorable effect with respect to the loss of certain income tax attributes
of
Kronos in Germany of $17.5 million ($.36 per diluted share).
Net
income in 2004 includes (i) an income tax benefit related to the reversal
of our
deferred income tax asset valuation allowance in Germany of $5.74 per diluted
share and (ii) income related to our contract dispute settlement of $4.1
million
or $.08 per diluted share.
We
currently expect income from operations will be lower in 2007 compared to
2006,
as the favorable effect of anticipated modest improvements in sales and
production volumes are expected to be more than offset by the effect of lower
average TiO2
selling
prices and higher production costs, particularly raw material and energy
costs.
Critical
accounting policies and estimates
The
accompanying "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and
Results of Operations" is based upon our Consolidated Financial Statements,
which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). The preparation of these
financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments 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
amount
of revenues and expenses during the reported period. On an on-going basis,
we
evaluate our estimates, including those related to, the recoverability of
long-lived assets, pension and other postretirement benefit obligations and
the
underlying actuarial assumptions related thereto, the realization of deferred
income tax assets and accruals for litigation, income tax and other
contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various
other assumptions which we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances,
the
results of which form the basis for making judgments about the reported amounts
of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. Actual results may differ
significantly from previously-estimated amounts under different assumptions
or
conditions.
The
following critical accounting policies affect our more significant judgments
and
estimates used in the preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements:
· |
We
recognize an impairment charge associated with our long-lived assets,
including property and equipment, whenever we determine that recovery
of
such long-lived asset is not probable. Such determination is made
in
accordance with the applicable GAAP requirements associated with
the
long-lived asset, and is based upon, among other things, estimates
of the
amount of future net cash flows to be generated by the long-lived
asset
and estimates of the current fair value of the asset. Adverse changes
in
such estimates of future net cash flows or estimates of fair value
could
result in an inability to recover the carrying value of the long-lived
asset, thereby possibly requiring an impairment charge to be recognized
in
the future. We do not assess our property and equipment for impairment
unless certain impairment indicators, as defined, are present.
|
· |
We
maintain various defined benefit pension plans and postretirement
benefits
other than pensions (“OPEB”). The amounts recognized as defined benefit
pension and OPEB expenses, and the reported amounts of prepaid and
accrued
pension and OPEB costs, are actuarially determined based on several
assumptions, including discount rates, expected rates of returns
on plan
assets and expected health care trend rates. Variances from these
actuarially assumed rates will result in increases or decreases,
as
applicable, in the recognized pension and OPEB obligations, pension
and
OPEB expenses and funding requirements. These assumptions are more
fully
described below under “Defined Benefit Pension Plans” and “OPEB Plans.”
|
· |
We
record a valuation allowance to reduce our deferred income tax assets
to
the amount that is believed to be realized under the
"more-likely-than-not" recognition criteria. While we have considered
future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning
strategies in assessing the need for a valuation allowance, it is
possible
that in the future we may change our estimate of the amount of the
deferred income tax assets that would "more-likely-than-not" be realized
in the future, resulting in an adjustment to the deferred income
tax asset
valuation allowance that would either increase or decrease, as applicable,
reported net income in the period such change in estimate was made.
For
example, we have substantial net operating loss carryforwards in
Germany
(the equivalent of $701 million for German corporate purposes and
$247
million for German trade tax purposes at December 31, 2006). During
2004,
we concluded that the more-likely-than-not recognition criteria had
been
met with respect to the income tax benefit associated with our net
operating loss carryforwards in Germany. Prior to the complete utilization
of such carryforwards, it is possible that we might conclude the
benefit
of such carryforwards would no longer meet the "more-likely-than-not"
recognition criteria, at which point we would be required to recognize
a
valuation allowance against the then-remaining tax benefit associated
with
the carryforwards.
|
In
addition, we make an evaluation at the end of each reporting period as to
whether or not some or all of the undistributed earnings of our foreign
subsidiaries are permanently reinvested (as that term is defined in GAAP).
While
we may have concluded in the past that some of such undistributed earnings
are
permanently reinvested, facts and circumstances can change in the future,
and it
is possible that a change in facts and circumstances, such as a change in
the
expectation regarding the capital needs of our foreign subsidiaries, could
result in a conclusion that some or all of such undistributed earnings are
no
longer permanently reinvested. In such an event, we would be required to
recognize a deferred income tax liability in an amount equal to the estimated
incremental U.S. income tax and withholding tax liability that would be
generated if all of such previously-considered permanently reinvested
undistributed earnings were distributed to the U.S.
· |
We
record accruals for legal, income tax and other contingencies when
estimated future expenditures associated with such contingencies
and
commitments become probable and the amounts can be reasonably estimated.
However, new information may become available or circumstances (such
as
applicable laws and regulations) may change, thereby resulting in
an
increase or decrease in the amount required to be accrued for such
matters
(and therefore a decrease or increase in reported net income in the
period
of such change).
|
Income
from operations is impacted by certain of these significant judgments and
estimates, such as allowance for doubtful accounts, reserves for obsolete
or
unmarketable inventories, impairment of equity method investments, goodwill
and
other long-lived assets, defined benefit pension plans and loss accruals.
In
addition, other income (expense) is impacted by the significant judgments
and
estimates for deferred income tax asset valuation allowances and loss
accruals.
Comparison
of 2006 to 2005 Results of Operations
Years
ended December 31,
|
|||||||||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
(Dollars
in millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
1,196.7
|
100
|
%
|
$
|
1,279.4
|
100%
|
|
|||||
Cost
of sales
|
869.2
|
73
|
%
|
968.9
|
76%
|
|
|||||||
Gross
margin
|
327.5
|
27
|
%
|
310.5
|
24%
|
|
|||||||
Other
operating income and expenses, net
|
151.5
|
13
|
%
|
167.3
|
13%
|
|
|||||||
Income
from operations
|
$
|
176.0
|
14
|
%
|
$
|
143.2
|
11%
|
|
|||||
Percent
|
|||||||||||||
|
Change
|
||||||||||||
Ti02
operating statistics:
|
|||||||||||||
Sales
volumes*
|
478
|
511
|
7%
|
|
|||||||||
Production
volumes*
|
492
|
516
|
5%
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
Percent
change in net sales:
|
|||||||||||||
TiO2
product pricing
|
-%
|
|
|||||||||||
TiO2
sales volumes
|
7 %
|
|
|||||||||||
TiO2
product mix
|
- %
|
|
|||||||||||
Changes
in currency exchange rates
|
-%
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
Total
|
7%
|
|
*
Thousands of metric tons
Net
Sales
- Net
sales increased 7% or $82.7 million for 2006 compared to the year ended 2005
primarily due to a 7% increase in TiO2
sales
volumes. We estimate the favorable effect of changes in currency exchange
rates
increased our net sales by approximately $2 million, or less than 1%, compared
to the same period in 2005.
Our
sales
volumes for 2006 were a new record for us. The 7% increase in sales volumes
in
2006 is primarily due to higher sales volumes in the United States, Europe
and
in export markets, which were somewhat offset by lower sales volumes in Canada.
Our sales volumes in Canada have been impacted by decreased demand for
TiO2
used
in
paper products.
Cost
of Sales
- Cost
of sales increased $99.7 million or 11% for 2006 compared to 2005 primarily
due
to the impact of increased sales volumes, a 14% increase in utility costs
(primarily energy costs), a 4% increase in raw material costs and currency
fluctuations (primarily the Canadian dollar). The cost of sales as a percentage
of net sales increased to 76% for 2006 compared to 73% for 2005 primarily
due to
increases in raw material and other operating costs (including energy costs).
The
negative impact of the increase in other operating costs and raw materials
was
somewhat offset by the 5% increase in production volumes. Our TiO2
production
volumes in 2006 were also a new record for us for the fifth consecutive year.
Our operating rates were at full capacity in 2006 and near full capacity
in
2005. The higher production volumes for 2006 were aided by enhancing our
processes and our continuing debottlenecking.
Income
from operations - Income
from operations for 2006 declined by 19% to $143.2 million compared to 2005.
As
a percentage of net sales, income from operations declined to 11% for 2006
from
14% in 2005. The decline in income from operations is driven by the decline
in
gross margin, which fell to 24% in 2006 compared to 27% in 2005. While our
sales
volumes were higher in 2006, our gross margin decreased as we were not able
to
achieve pricing levels to offset the negative impact of our increased operating
costs (primarily energy costs and raw materials). Changes in currency rates
have
also negatively affected our gross margin. We estimate the negative effect
of
changes in foreign currency exchange rates decreased income from operations
by
approximately $20 million.
As
a
percentage of net sales, selling, general and administrative expenses were
relatively consistent at 12% for 2006 and 13% for 2005.
Other
non-operating income (expense) -
In 2005
we recognized a gain on the sale of our passive interest in a Norwegian smelting
operation, which had a nominal carrying value for financial reporting purposes,
for aggregate consideration of approximately $5.4 million consisting of cash
of
$3.5 million and inventory with a value of $1.9 million. See Note 15 to our
Consolidated Financial Statements.
In
2006,
we issued our euro 400 million principal amount of 6.5% Senior Secured Notes,
and used the proceeds to redeem our euro 375 million principal amount of
8.875%
Senior Secured Notes. As a result of our prepayment of the 8.875% Senior
Secured
Notes, we recognized a $22.3 million pre-tax interest charge ($14.5 million
net
of income tax benefit) for the prepayment of the notes, representing (1)
the
call premium on the notes, (2) the write-off of deferred financing costs
and (3)
write off of the existing unamortized premium on the notes. See Note 8 to
our
Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Interest
expense decreased $1.4 million from $44.7 million for 2005 to $43.3 million
for
2006 due to the redemption of the 8.875% Senior Secured Notes and the issuance
of the 6.5% Senior Secured Notes during 2006, which was partially offset
by
unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates in 2006 compared to 2005.
Excluding the effect of currency exchange rates, we expect that interest
expense
will be lower in 2007 as compared to the 2006. The annual interest expense
on
the new 6.5% Notes will be approximately euro 6 million less than on the
old
8.875% Notes. The interest expense we recognize will vary with fluctuations
in
the euro exchange rate.
Provision
(benefit) for income taxes
- Our
benefit for income taxes was $.7 million for 2006 compared to a provision
for
income taxes of $67.4 million for 2005. See Note 9 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements for a tabular reconciliation of our statutory income tax expense
to
our actual tax expense. Some of the more significant items impacting this
reconciliation are summarized below.
Our
income tax benefit in 2006 includes:
· |
an
income tax benefit of $21.7 million resulting from a favorable resolution
of certain income tax audits in Germany that resulted in an increase
in
the amount of our German trade tax net operating loss
carryforward;
|
· |
an
income
tax benefit of $10.7 million resulting from the reduction in our
income
tax contingency reserves related to favorable developments with income
tax
audits in Belgium, Norway and Germany;
|
· |
an
income
tax benefit of $1.4 million related to the favorable resolution of
certain
income tax audit issues in Germany and
Belgium;
|
· |
a
$1.1 million benefit resulting from the enactment of a reduction
in
Canadian income tax rates.
|
Our
income tax expense for 2005 includes;
· |
an
income tax benefit of $11.5 million for the aggregate effect of favorable
developments with respect to income tax audits in Belgium and Canada;
and
|
· |
a
charge of $17.5 million for the unfavorable effect related to the
loss of
certain of our German income tax attributes.
|
Comparison
of 2005 to 2004 Results of Operations
Year
ended
December 31,
|
|||||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
||||||||||||
(Dollars
in millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
1,128.6
|
100
|
%
|
$
|
1,196.7
|
100%
|
|
|||||
Cost
of sales
|
867.4
|
77
|
%
|
869.2
|
73%
|
|
|||||||
Gross
margin
|
261.2
|
23
|
%
|
327.5
|
27%
|
|
|||||||
Other
operating income and expenses, net
|
147.4
|
13
|
%
|
151.5
|
13%
|
|
|||||||
Income
from operations
|
$
|
113.8
|
10
|
%
|
$
|
176.0
|
14%
|
|
|||||
Percent
|
|||||||||||||
|
Change
|
||||||||||||
Ti02
operating statistics:
|
|
||||||||||||
Sales
volumes*
|
500
|
478
|
-4%
|
|
|||||||||
Production
volumes*
|
484
|
492
|
2%
|
|
|||||||||
Percent
change in net sales:
|
|||||||||||||
TiO2
product pricing
|
8%
|
|
|||||||||||
TiO2
sales volumes
|
-4%
|
|
|||||||||||
TiO2
product mix
|
1%
|
|
|||||||||||
Changes
in currency exchange rates
|
1%
|
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
6%
|
|
*
Thousands of metric tons
Net
sales - Net
sales
increased 6% or $68.1 million for 2005 compared to 2004, primarily due to
an 8%
increase in average TiO2
selling
prices and favorable foreign currency exchange rates, offset somewhat by
a 4%
decrease in sales volumes. We estimate the favorable effect of changes in
currency exchange rates increased our net sales for 2005 by approximately
$16
million, or 1%, compared to the same period in 2004.
Our
4%
decrease in sales volumes in 2005 is primarily due to lower sales volumes
in all
regions of the world. Worldwide demand for TiO2
in 2005
was estimated to have declined by approximately 5% from 2004. We attribute
this
decline to slower overall economic growth and inventory destocking by our
customers.
Cost
of sales -
Cost of
sales increased $1.8 million (less than 1%) for 2005, compared to 2004, as
the
effect of lower sales volumes was more than offset by a 4% increase in raw
material and a 9% increase in utility costs (primarily energy costs). The
cost
of sales as a percentage of net sales decreased to 73% in the year ended
December 31, 2005, compared to 77% in the same period of 2004 primarily due
to
the effects of higher average selling prices which more than offset the
increases in raw material and other operating costs.
TiO2
production
volumes increased 2% for 2005 compared to the same period in 2004, which
favorably impacted our income from operations comparisons. Our operating
rates
were near full capacity in both periods. Production volume for 2005 was a
record
for us.
Income
from operations - Income
from operations in 2005 improved by 55% to $176.0 million compared to 2004;
the
income from operations as a percentage of net sales improved to 14% in 2005
from
10% for 2004. The improvement in income from operations is driven by the
improvement in gross margin, which rose to 27% in 2005 compared to 23% in
2004.
While our sales volumes were lower in 2005, our gross margin increased primarily
because of higher average TiO2
selling
prices and higher production volumes which more than offset the impact of
lower
sales volumes and higher raw material and maintenance costs and the $6.3
million
of income related to a contract dispute settlement with a customer recognized
in
2004. Changes in currency rates favorably affected our gross margin. We estimate
the favorable effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates increased
income from operations by approximately $6 million when comparing 2005 to
2004.
As
a
percentage of net sales, selling, general and administrative expenses were
relatively consistent at approximately 13% for both 2004 and 2005.
Other
non-operating income (expense) -
In 2005
we recognized a gain on the sale of our passive interest in a Norwegian smelting
operation, which had a nominal carrying value for financial reporting purposes,
for aggregate consideration of approximately $5.4 million consisting of cash
of
$3.5 million and inventory with a value of $1.9 million. See Note 15 to our
Consolidated Financial Statements.
We
did
not report any interest expense to affiliates in 2005 since we repaid our
prior
$200 million long-term note payable to affiliates in 2004.
Interest
expense increased $7.3 million from $37.4 million in 2004 to $44.7 million
in
2005 primarily due to the November 2004 issuance of an additional euro 90
million principal amount of our prior 8.875% Senior Secured Notes.
Provision
for income taxes -
Our
provision for income taxes was $67.4 million in 2005 compared to a benefit
of
$250.7 million for 2004. See Note 9 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements for a tabular reconciliation of our statutory income tax expense
to
our actual tax expense. Some of the more significant items impacting this
reconciliation are summarized below.
Our
income tax expense for 2005 includes:
· |
an
income tax benefit of $11.5 million for the aggregate effect of favorable
developments with respect to income tax audits in Belgium and Canada;
and
|
· |
a
charge of $17.5 million for the unfavorable effect related to the
loss of
certain of our German income tax attributes.
|
Our
income tax benefit for 2004 includes a $280.7 million benefit from the reversal
of our deferred income tax asset valuation allowance relating to our German
operations.
Effects
of Foreign Currency Exchange Rates
We
have substantial
operations and assets located outside the United States (primarily in Germany,
Belgium, Norway and Canada). The
majority of our foreign operations’ sales are denominated in foreign currencies,
principally the euro, other major European currencies and the Canadian dollar.
A
portion
of our sales generated from our foreign operations are denominated in the
U.S.
dollar. Certain raw materials used worldwide, primarily titanium-containing
feedstocks, are purchased in U.S. dollars, while labor and other production
costs are purchased primarily in local currencies. Consequently,
the
translated U.S. dollar value of our foreign sales and operating results are
subject to currency exchange rate fluctuations which may favorably or
unfavorably impact reported earnings and may affect the comparability of
period-to-period operating results. Overall, fluctuations in foreign currency
exchange rates had the following effects on our sales and income from operations
for the periods indicated.
Year
ended
December
31, 2005
vs.
2004
|
Year
ended
December
31, 2006
vs.
2005
|
|
Increase
(decrease), in millions
|
||
Impact
on:
|
||
Net
sales
|
$
16
|
$
2
|
Income
from operations
|
6
|
(20)
|
Other
On
September 22, 2005, the chloride-process TiO2
facility
operated by our 50%-owned joint venture, Louisiana Pigment Company (“LPC”),
temporarily halted production due to Hurricane Rita. Although storm damage
to
core processing facilities was not extensive, a variety of factors, including
loss of utilities, limited access and availability of employees and raw
materials, prevented the resumption of partial operations until October 9,
2005
and full operations until late 2005. The majority of LPC’s property damage and
unabsorbed fixed costs for periods in which normal production levels were
not
achieved were covered by insurance, and insurance covered our lost profits
(subject to applicable deductibles) resulting from our share of the loss
of
production at LPC. Both we and LPC filed claims with our insurers. We recognized
a gain of $1.8 million related to our business interruption claim in the
fourth
quarter of 2006, which is included in other operating income on our Consolidated
Statement of Income.
Outlook
We
expect
that our income from operations in 2007 will be lower than 2006, due to
continued downward pricing pressures and increased energy costs and raw
materials costs, offset in part by the effect of higher expected sales and
production volumes. Our expectations as to the future of the TiO2
industry
are based upon a number of factors beyond our control, including worldwide
growth of gross domestic product, competition in the marketplace, unexpected
or
earlier than expected capacity additions and technological advances. If actual
developments differ from our expectations, our results of operations could
be
unfavorably affected.
Our
efforts to debottleneck our production facilities to meet long-term demand
continue to prove successful. Such debottlenecking efforts included, among
other
things, the addition of finishing capacity in the German chloride process
facility and equipment upgrades and enhancements in several locations to
allow
for reduced downtime for maintenance activities. Our production capacity
has
increased by approximately 30% over the past ten years due to debottlenecking
programs, with only moderate capital expenditures. We believe our annual
attainable production capacity for 2007 is approximately 525,000 metric tons,
with some slight additional capacity expected to be available in 2008 through
our continued debottlenecking efforts.
LIQUIDITY
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Consolidated
cash flows
Operating
activities
Trends
in
cash flows as a result of our operating activities (excluding the impact
of
significant asset dispositions and relative changes in assets and liabilities)
are generally similar to trends in our earnings.
Cash
flows from operating activities provided $71.9 million in 2006 compared to
$97.8
million in 2005. This $25.9 million decrease was due primarily to the net
effects of the following items:
· |
lower
income from operations in 2006 of $32.6
million;
|
· |
payment
of the $20.9 million call premium as a result of the May 2006 prepayment
of our 8.875% Senior Secured Notes, which is required to be included
in
cash flows from operating activities; and
|
· |
higher
cash paid for income taxes in 2006 of $14.3 million, in part due
to the
net payment of $19.2 million in 2006 associated with the settlement
of
prior year income tax audits; offset by
|
· |
lower
cash paid for interest in 2006 of $7.9 million, primarily as a
result of
the May 2006 redemption of our 8.875% Senior Secured Notes (which
paid
interest semiannually in September and December) and the April
2006
issuance of our 6.5% Senior Secured Notes (which will pay interest
semiannually in April and October); and
|
· |
lower
net cash used from relative changes in our inventories, receivables,
payables and accruals of $27.7 million in 2006 as compared to 2005,
due
primarily to relative changes in our inventory levels, as discussed
below.
|
Cash
flows from operating activities decreased to $97.8 million in 2005 from $151.0
million in 2004. This $53.2 million decrease was due primarily to the net
effect
of the following items:
· |
higher
income from operations in 2005 of $62.2 million;
|
· |
lower
net distributions from our TiO2
manufacturing joint venture of $3.8
million;
|
· |
a
higher amount of net cash used to fund changes in inventories,
receivables, payables, accruals and accounts with affiliates of $69.6
million, as discussed below; and
|
· |
higher
cash paid for income taxes of $53.7 million, due primarily to aggregate
income tax refunds of $44.7 million received in
2004.
|
Changes
in working capital are affected by accounts receivable and inventory changes.
Our average days sales outstanding (“DSO”) increased from 55 days at December
31, 2005 to 61 days at December 31, 2006 due to the timing of collection
on
higher accounts receivable balances at the end of 2006. For comparative
purposes, our average DSO decreased from 60 days at December 31, 2004 to
55 days
at December 31, 2005 due to the timing of collections. Our average days sales
in
inventory (“DSI”) increased from 102 days at December 31, 2005 to 117 days at
December 31, 2006, as our TiO2
production volumes in the year ended 2006 exceeded our TiO2
sales
volumes during the period. For comparative purposes, our average DSI increased
to 102 days at December 31, 2005 from 97 days at December 31, 2004.
Investing
activities
Our
capital expenditures were $39.3 million in 2004, $43.4 million in 2005 and
$50.9
million in 2006. Capital expenditures are primarily for improvements and
upgrades to existing facilities. Our capital expenditures during the past
three
years include an aggregate of approximately $15 million ($4.4 million in
2006)
for our ongoing environmental protection and compliance programs.
Other
cash flows from investing activities include $3.5 million we received in
2005
from the sale of our passive interest in a Norwegian smelting operation.
Financing
activities
During
2006, we:
· |
issued
euro 400 million principal amount of 6.5% Senior Secured Notes at
99.306%
of par ($498.5 million when issued);
|
· |
redeemed
our euro 375 million principal amount of 8.875% Senior Secured Notes
($470.5 million when redeemed) using the proceeds from the issuance
of the
6.5% Notes;
|
· |
made
net payments of $5.1 million under our U.S. credit facility;
and
|
· |
borrowed
and repaid $4.4 million under our Canadian credit facility.
|
During
2005, we:
· |
repaid
euro 10 million ($12.9 million when repaid) under our European revolving
credit facility;
|
· |
borrowed
$47.3 million and repaid $35.8 million under our U.S. credit facility;
and
|
· |
entered
into additional capital leases for certain mining equipment in Norway
for
the equivalent of approximately $4.4
million.
|
During
2004, we:
· |
issued
an additional euro 90 million principal amount of our prior 8.875%
Senior
Secured Notes at 107% of par (equivalent to $130 million when issued);
and
|
· |
borrowed
an aggregate of euro 90 million ($112 million when borrowed) under
our
European credit facility, of which we repaid euro 80 million ($100
million
when repaid).
|
During
2004, we completely repaid our $200 million of notes payable to affiliates,
principally using available cash on hand and the proceeds from the November
2004
issuance of euro 90 million principal amount of our prior 8.875% Senior Secured
Notes.
During
each of 2004, 2005 and 2006, we paid a quarterly dividend to our stockholders
of
$.25 per share for an aggregate dividend $48.9 million in each year. On February
15, 2007, our Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of
$.25
per share to stockholders of record as of March 9, 2007 to be paid on
March 15, 2007. The declaration and payment of future dividends are
discretionary, and the amount, if any, will be dependent upon our results
of
operations, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors
deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.
Outstanding
debt obligations and borrowing availability
At
December 31, 2006, our consolidated debt was comprised of:
· |
euro
400 million principal amount of our 6.5% Senior Secured Notes ($525.0
million at December 31, 2006) due in
2013;
|
· |
$6.5
million under our U.S. revolving credit facility, which matures
in
September 2008; and
|
· |
approximately
$4.8 million of other indebtedness.
|
Certain
of our credit agreements contain provisions which could result in the
acceleration of indebtedness prior to their stated maturity for reasons other
than defaults for failure to comply with applicable covenants. For example,
certain credit agreements allow the lender to accelerate the maturity of
the
indebtedness upon a change of control (as defined in the agreement) of the
borrower. In addition, certain credit agreements could result in the
acceleration of all or a portion of the indebtedness following a sale of
assets
outside the ordinary course of business. We are in compliance with all of
our
debt covenants at December 31, 2006. See Note 8 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
Our
assets consist primarily of investments in operating subsidiaries, and our
ability to service our obligations, including the Senior Secured Notes, depends
in large part upon the distribution of earnings of our subsidiaries, whether
in
the form of dividends, advances or payments on account of intercompany
obligation or otherwise. None of our subsidiaries have guaranteed the Senior
Secured Notes, although our subsidiary Kronos International, Inc. has pledged
65% of the common stock or other ownership interests of certain of its
first-tier operating subsidiaries as collateral of the Senior Secured Notes.
At
December 31, 2006, our subsidiary, Kronos International, Inc., had approximately
$79 million available for payment of dividends and other restricted payments
as
defined in the indenture for the Senior Secured Notes.
Liquidity
Our
primary source of liquidity on an ongoing basis is cash flows from operating
activities which is generally used to (i) fund working capital expenditures,
(ii) repay any short-term indebtedness incurred for working capital purposes
and
(iii) provide for the payment of dividends. From time-to-time we will incur
indebtedness, generally to (i) fund short-term working capital needs, (ii)
refinance existing indebtedness or (iii) fund major capital expenditures
or the
acquisition of other assets outside the ordinary course of business. We will
also from time-to-time sell assets outside the ordinary course of business,
and
use the proceeds to (i) repay existing indebtedness, (ii) make investments
in
marketable and other securities, (iii) fund major capital expenditures or
the
acquisition of other assets outside the ordinary course of business or (iv)
pay
dividends.
Pricing
within the TiO2
industry
is cyclical, and changes in industry economic conditions significantly impact
earnings and operating cash flows. Changes in TiO2
pricing,
production volumes and customer demand, among other things, could significantly
affect our liquidity.
We
routinely evaluate our liquidity requirements, alternative uses of capital,
capital needs and availability of resources in view of, among other things,
our
dividend policy, our debt service and capital expenditure requirements and
estimated future operating cash flows. As a result of this process, we have
in
the past and may in the future seek to reduce, refinance, repurchase or
restructure indebtedness, raise additional capital, repurchase shares of
our
common stock, modify our dividend policy, restructure ownership interests,
sell
interests in our subsidiaries or other assets, or take a combination of these
steps or other steps to manage our liquidity and capital resources. Such
activities have in the past and may in the future involve related companies.
In
the normal course of our business, we may investigate, evaluate, discuss
and
engage in acquisition, joint venture, strategic relationship and other business
combination opportunities in the TiO2
industry.
In the event of any future acquisition or joint venture opportunity, we may
consider using then-available liquidity, issuing our equity securities or
incurring additional indebtedness.
At
December 31, 2006, unused credit available under all of our existing credit
facilities was approximately $158 million, consisting principally of $106
million under our European credit facility, $16 million under our Canadian
credit facility and $36 million under our U.S. credit facility. Based upon
our
expectation for the TiO2
industry
and anticipated demands on cash resources, we expect to have sufficient
liquidity to meet our future obligations including operations, capital
expenditures, debt service and current dividend policy. If actual developments
differ from our expectations, our liquidity could be adversely
affected.
Capital
expenditures
We
intend
to spend approximately $53 million for major improvements and upgrades to
our
existing facilities during 2007, including approximately $5 million in the
area
of environmental protection and compliance.
Off-balance
sheet financing
Other
than operating lease commitments disclosed in Note 14 to our Consolidated
Financial Statements, we are not party to any material off-balance sheet
financing arrangements.
Cash,
cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted marketable debt
securities
At
December 31, 2006, we had current cash and cash equivalents aggregating $63.3
million ($53.6 million held by non-U.S. subsidiaries). At December 31, 2006,
our
U.S. and non-U.S. subsidiaries had current restricted cash equivalents of
$1.5
million and noncurrent restricted marketable debt securities of $2.8 million.
Related
party transactions
We
are
party to certain transactions with related parties. See Note 13 to our
Consolidated Financial Statements. It is our policy to engage in transactions
with related parties on terms, in our opinion, no less favorable us than
could
be obtained from unrelated parties.
Commitments
and contingencies
See Notes 9 and 14 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for a description
of
certain income tax examinations currently underway and certain legal
proceedings.
Recent
accounting pronouncements
See Note 17 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Debt
and Other Contractual Commitments
As
more
fully described in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we
are a
party to various debt, lease and other agreements which contractually and
unconditionally commit us to pay certain amounts in the future. See Notes
8, 13
and 14 to our Consolidated Financial Statements. Our obligation for the purchase
of TiO2
feedstock is more fully described in Note 14 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements and above in “Business - raw materials.” The following table
summarizes such contractual commitments of ours and our consolidated
subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 by the type and date of
payment.
Payment
due
date
|
||||||||||||||||
Contractual
commitment
|
2007
|
2008/2009
|
2010/2011
|
2012
and
after
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
(In
millions)
|
||||||||||||||||
Indebtedness(1)
|
$
|
.9
|
$
|
8.3
|
$
|
2.0
|
$
|
525.0
|
$
|
536.2
|
||||||
Interest
payments on indebtedness
|
34.9
|
69.2
|
68.8
|
45.8
|
218.7
|
|||||||||||
Operating
leases
|
7.3
|
10.3
|
4.7
|
20.2
|
42.5
|
|||||||||||
Fixed
asset acquisitions
|
22.7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
22.7
|
|||||||||||
Long-term
supply contracts for the purchase of TiO2 feedstock
|
216.0
|
415.0
|
145.0
|
-
|
776.0
|
|||||||||||
Estimated
tax obligations
|
10.6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
10.6
|
|||||||||||
$
|
292.4
|
$
|
502.8
|
$
|
220.5
|
$
|
591.0
|
$
|
1,606.7
|
_____________________________
(1)
Primarily relates to Kronos International, Inc. Senior Secured Notes. See
Item
7A, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” and Note 8 to
our Consolidated Financial Statements.
The
timing and amount shown for our commitments related to indebtedness (principal
and interest), operating leases, fixed asset acquisitions, long-term supply
contracts and other are based upon the contractual payment amount and the
contractual payment date for such commitments. With respect to revolving
credit
facilities, the amount shown for indebtedness is based upon the actual amount
outstanding at December 31, 2006, and the amount shown for interest for any
outstanding variable-rate indebtedness is based upon the December 31, 2006
interest rate and assumes that such variable-rate indebtedness remains
outstanding until the maturity of the facility. The amount shown for estimated
tax obligations is the consolidated amount of income taxes payable at December
31, 2006, which is assumed to be paid during 2007. A significant portion
of the
amount shown for indebtedness relates to our 6.5% Senior Secured Notes ($525.0
million at December 31, 2006). Such indebtedness is denominated in euro.
See
Item 7A - “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” and Note
8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Our
contracts for the purchase of TiO2
feedstock contain fixed quantities that we are required to purchase, although
certain of these contracts allow for an upward or downward adjustment in
the
quantity purchased, generally no more than 10%, based on our feedstock
requirements. The pricing under these agreements is generally based on a
fixed
price with price escalation clauses primarily based on consumer price indices,
as defined in the respective contracts. The timing and amount shown for our
commitments related to the long-term supply contracts for TiO2
feedstock is based upon our current estimate of the quantity of material
that
will be purchased in each time period shown, and the payment that would be
due
based upon such estimated purchased quantity and an estimate of the effect
of
the price escalation clause. The actual amount of material purchased, and
the
actual amount that would be payable by us, may vary from such estimated
amounts.
The
above
table does not reflect any amounts that we might pay to fund our defined
benefit
pension plans and OPEB plans, as the timing and amount of any such future
fundings are unknown and dependent on, among other things, the future
performance of defined benefit pension plan assets, interest rate assumptions
and actual future retiree medical costs. Such defined benefit pension plans
and
OPEB plans are discussed below in greater detail. The table also does not
reflect any amounts that we might pay related to our asset retirement
obligations as the terms and amounts of such future fundings are unknown.
See
Notes 10 and 17 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
The
above
table also does not reflect any amounts we might pay to acquire TiO2
from our
TiO2
manufacturing joint venture, as the timing and amount of such purchases are
unknown and dependent on, among other things, the amount of TiO2
produced
by the joint venture in the future and the joint venture’s future cost of
producing such TiO2.
However, the table does include amounts related to our share of the joint
venture’s ore requirements necessary to produce TiO2
for us.
See Item 1, “Business” and Note 6 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
Defined
benefit pension plans
We
maintain various defined benefit pension plans in the U.S., Europe and Canada.
See Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
We
account for our defined benefit pension plans using SFAS No. 87, Employer’s
Accounting for Pensions, as
amended. Under SFAS No. 87, defined benefit pension plan expense and prepaid
and
accrued pension costs are each recognized based on certain actuarial
assumptions, principally the assumed discount rate, the assumed long-term
rate
of return on plan assets and the assumed increase in future compensation
levels.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, Employers’ Accounting for Defined
Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans. SFAS No. 158 requires the
recognition of an asset or liability for the over or under funded status
of each
of our individual defined benefit pension plans on our Consolidated Balance
Sheets. This standard does not change the existing recognition and measurement
requirements that determine the amount of periodic benefit cost we recognize
in
net income. We adopted the asset and liability recognition and disclosure
requirements of this standard effective December 31, 2006 on a prospective
basis, in which we recognized through accumulated other comprehensive income
all
of our prior unrecognized gains and losses and prior service costs or credits,
net of tax, as of December 31, 2006.
We
recognized consolidated defined benefit pension plan expense of $13.2 million
in
2004, $14.1 million in 2005, and $20.4 million in 2006. The amount of funding
requirements for these defined benefit pension plans is generally based upon
applicable regulations (such as ERISA in the U.S.), and will generally differ
from pension expense recognized under SFAS No. 87 for financial reporting
purposes. We made contributions to all of our plans which aggregated $17.1
million in 2004, $18.6 million in 2005, and $26.8 million in 2006.
The
discount rates we use for determining defined benefit pension expense and
the
related pension obligations are based on current interest rates earned on
long-term bonds that receive one of the two highest ratings given by recognized
rating agencies in the applicable country where the defined benefit pension
benefits are being paid. In addition, we receive advice about appropriate
discount rates from our third-party actuaries, who may in some cases use
their
own market indices. The discount rates are adjusted as of each measurement
date
(September 30) to reflect then-current interest rates on such long-term bonds.
Such discount rates are used to determine the actuarial present value of
the
pension obligations as of the measurement date, and such discount rates are
also
used to determine the interest component of defined benefit pension expense
for
the following year.
At
December 31, 2006, approximately 65%, 14%, 14% and 3% of the projected benefit
obligation related to our plans in Germany, Norway, Canada and the U.S.,
respectively. We use several different discount rate assumptions in determining
our consolidated defined benefit pension plan obligation and expense. This
is
because we maintain defined benefit pension plans in several different countries
in North America and Europe and the interest rate environment differs from
country to country.
We
used
the following discount rates for our defined benefit pension plans:
Discount
rates used for:
|
|||||
Obligations
at
December
31, 2004 and expense in 2005
|
Obligations
at
December
31, 2005 and expense in 2006
|
Obligations
at
December
31, 2006 and expense in 2007
|
|||
Germany
|
5.0%
|
4.0%
|
4.5%
|
||
Norway
|
5.0%
|
4.5%
|
4.8%
|
||
Canada
|
6.0%
|
5.0%
|
5.0%
|
||
U.S.
|
5.8%
|
5.5%
|
5.8%
|
The
assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets represents the estimated
average
rate of earnings expected to be earned on the funds invested or to be invested
in the plans’ assets provided to fund the benefit payments inherent in the
projected benefit obligations. Defined benefit pension expense each year
is
based upon the assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets for each plan
and
the actual fair value of the plan assets as of the beginning of the year.
Differences between the expected return on plan assets for a given year and
the
actual return are deferred and amortized over future periods based either
upon
the expected average remaining service life of the active plan participants
(for
plans for which benefits are still being earned by active employees) or the
average remaining life expectancy of the inactive participants (for plans
for
which benefits are not still being earned by active employees).
At
December 31, 2006, approximately 52%, 19%, 18% and 7% of the plan assets
related
to our plans in the Germany, Norway, Canada and the U.S., respectively. We
use
several different long-term rates of return on plan asset assumptions in
determining our consolidated defined benefit pension plan expense. This is
because the plan assets in different countries are invested in a different
mix
of investments and the long-term rates of return for different investments
differ from country to country.
In
determining the expected long-term rate of return on plan asset assumptions,
we
consider the long-term asset mix (e.g. equity vs. fixed income) for the assets
for each of our plans and the expected long-term rates of return for such
asset
components. In addition, we receive advice about appropriate long-term rates
of
return from our third-party actuaries. Such assumed asset mixes are summarized
below:
· |
In
Germany, the composition of our plan assets is established to satisfy
the
requirements of the German insurance commissioner. The plan asset
allocation at December 31, 2006 was 23% to equity managers, 48% to
fixed
income managers, 14% to real estate and other investments 15% (2005
- 23%,
48%, 14% and 15%, respectively).
|
· |
In
Norway, we currently have a plan asset target allocation of 14% to
equity
managers and 65% to fixed income managers and the remainder primarily
to
cash and liquid investments. The expected long-term rate of return
for
such investments is approximately 8% and 4.5% to 5% and 4%, respectively.
The plan asset allocation at December 31, 2006 was 13% to equity
managers,
64% to fixed income managers and the remaining 23% primarily to cash
and
liquid investments (2005 - 16%, 62% and 22%,
respectively).
|
· |
In
Canada, we currently have a plan asset target allocation of 65% to
equity
managers and 35% to fixed income managers, with an expected long-term
rate
of return for such investments to average approximately 125 basis
points
above the applicable equity or fixed income index. The current plan
asset
allocation at December 31, 2006 was 66% to equity managers, 32% to
fixed
income managers and 2% to other investments (2005 - 64%, 32% and
4%,
respectively).
|
During
2006, the plan assets in the U.S. were invested in the Combined Master
Retirement Trust (“CMRT”), a collective investment trust sponsored by Contran to
permit the collective investment by certain master trusts which fund certain
employee benefits plans sponsored by Contran and certain of its affiliates.
Harold Simmons is the sole trustee of the CMRT. The CMRT’s long-term investment
objective is to provide a rate of return exceeding a composite of broad market
equity and fixed income indices (including the S&P 500 and certain Russell
indices) utilizing both third-party investment managers as well as investments
directed by Mr. Simmons. During the 19-year history of the CMRT through December
31, 2006, the average annual rate of return has been approximately 14% (with
a
17% return for 2006). At December 31, 2006 the asset mix of the CMRT was
86% in
U.S. equity securities, 7% in international equity securities and 7% in cash,
fixed income securities and other investments. At December 31, 2005, the
asset
mix of the CMRT was 86% in U.S. equity securities, 7% in international equity
securities and 7% in cash, fixed income securities and other
investments.
We
regularly review our actual asset allocation for each plan, and will
periodically rebalance the investments in each plan to more accurately reflect
the targeted allocation when considered appropriate.
Our
assumed long-term rates of return on plan assets for 2004, 2005 and 2006
were as
follows:
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||
Germany
|
6.0%
|
5.5%
|
5.3%
|
|||
Norway
|
6.0%
|
5.5%
|
6.5%
|
|||
Canada
|
7.0%
|
7.0%
|
7.0%
|
|||
U.S.
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
We
currently expect to use the same long-term rate of return on plan asset
assumptions in 2007 as we used in 2006 for purposes of determining the 2007
defined benefit pension plan expense.
To
the
extent that a plan’s particular pension benefit formula calculates the pension
benefit in whole or in part based upon future compensation levels, the projected
benefit obligations and the pension expense will be based in part upon expected
increases in future compensation levels. For all of our plans for which the
benefit formula is so calculated, we generally base the assumed expected
increase in future compensation levels upon average long-term inflation rates
for the applicable country.
In
addition to the actuarial assumptions discussed above, the amount of recognized
defined benefit pension expense and the amount of net pension asset and net
pension liability costs will vary based upon relative changes in foreign
currency exchange rates.
A
reduction in the assumed discount rate generally results in an actuarial
loss,
as the actuarially-determined present value of estimated future benefit payments
will increase. Conversely, an increase in the assumed discount rate
generally results in an actuarial gain. In addition, an actual return on
plan
assets for a given year that is greater than the assumed return on plan assets
results in an actuarial gain, while an actual return on plan assets that
is less
than the assumed return results in an actuarial loss. Other actual outcomes
that
differ from previous assumptions, such as individuals living longer or shorter
than assumed in mortality tables which are also used to determine the
actuarially-determined present value of estimated future benefit payments,
changes in such mortality table themselves or plan amendments, will also
result
in actuarial losses or gains. Under GAAP, we do not recognize all of such
actuarial gains and losses in earnings currently; instead these amounts are
deferred and amortized into income in the future as part of net periodic
defined
benefit pension cost. However, upon adoption of SFAS No. 158 effective December
31, 2006, these amounts are recognized in other comprehensive income. In
addition, any actuarial gains generated in future periods would reduce the
negative amortization effect of any cumulative unrecognized actuarial losses,
while any actuarial losses generated in future periods would reduce the
favorable amortization effect of any cumulative unrecognized actuarial
gains.
During
2006, all of our defined benefit pension plans generated a combined net
actuarial gain of $8.8 million. This actuarial gain resulted primarily from
the
general overall increase in the assumed discount rates and the actual return
on
plan assets in excess of the assumed return.
Based
on
the actuarial assumptions described above and our current expectation for
what
actual average foreign currency exchange rates will be during 2007, we expect
our defined benefit pension expense will approximate $21.0 million in 2007.
In
comparison, we expect to be required to contribute approximately $22 million
to
such plans during 2007.
As
noted
above, defined benefit pension expense and the amounts recognized as accrued
pension costs are based upon the actuarial assumptions discussed above. We
believe all of the actuarial assumptions used are reasonable and appropriate.
However, if we had lowered the assumed discount rate by 25 basis points for
all
plans as of December 31, 2006, our aggregate projected benefit obligations
would
have increased by approximately $19.6 million at that date, and our defined
benefit pension expense would be expected to increase by approximately $2.3
million during 2007. Similarly, if we lowered the assumed long-term rate
of
return on plan assets by 25 basis points for all of its plans, our defined
benefit pension expense would be expected to increase by approximately $1
million during 2007.
OPEB
plans
Certain
subsidiaries of ours in the U.S. and Canada currently provide certain health
care and life insurance benefits for eligible retired employees. See Note
10 to
the Consolidated Financial Statements. We account for such OPEB costs under
SFAS
No. 106, Employers
Accounting for Postretirement Benefits other than Pensions,
as
amended. Under SFAS No. 106, OPEB expense and accrued OPEB costs are based
on
certain actuarial assumptions, principally the assumed discount rate and
the
assumed rate of increases in future health care costs.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, Employers’ Accounting for Defined
Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans. SFAS No. 158 requires us
to recognize an asset or liability for the over or under funded status of
each
of our individual defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans
on
our Consolidated Balance Sheets. This standard does not change the
existing recognition and measurement requirements that determine the amount
of
periodic benefit cost we recognize in net income. We adopted the asset and
liability recognition and disclosure requirements of this standard effective
December 31, 2006 on a prospective basis, in which we recognized through
other
comprehensive income all of our prior unrecognized gains and losses and prior
service costs or credits, net of tax, as of December 31, 2006.
We
recognized consolidated OPEB
cost
of approximately $.5 million in 2004, $.2 million in 2005 and $.8 million
in
2006. Similar to defined benefit pension benefits, the amount of funding
will
differ from the expense recognized for financial reporting purposes, and
contributions to the plans to cover benefit payments aggregated $1.0 million
in
2004, $1.3 million in 2005 and $1.0 million in 2006. Substantially all of
our
accrued OPEB cost relates to benefits being paid to current retirees and
their
dependents, and no material amount of OPEB benefits are being earned by current
employees. As a result, the amount recognized for OPEB expense for financial
reporting purposes has been, and is expected to continue to be, significantly
less than the amount of OPEB benefit payments made each year. Accordingly,
the
amount of accrued OPEB expense has declined, and is expected to continue
to
decline, gradually.
The
assumed discount rates we use for determining OPEB expense and the related
accrued OPEB obligations are generally based on the same discount rates we
use
for our U.S. and Canadian defined benefit pension plans.
In
estimating the health care cost trend rate, we consider our actual health
care
cost experience, future benefit structures, industry trends and advice from
our
third-party actuaries. During each of the past three years, we have assumed
that
the relative increase in health care costs will generally trend downward
over
the next several years, reflecting, among other things, assumed increases
in
efficiency in the health care system and industry-wide cost containment
initiatives. For example, at December 31, 2006, the expected rate of increase
in
future health care costs ranges from 8% in 2007, declining to 5.5% in 2009
and
thereafter.
Based
on
the actuarial assumptions described above and our current expectation for
what
actual average foreign currency exchange rates will be during 2007, we expect
our consolidated OPEB expense will approximate $.8 million in 2007. In
comparison, we expect to be required to make approximately $1 million of
contributions to such plans during 2007.
We
believe that all of the actuarial assumptions used are reasonable and
appropriate. However, if we had raised or lowered the assumed discount rate
by
25 basis points for all of our OPEB plans as of December 31, 2006, our projected
benefit obligation would have increased by approximately $.4 million or
decreased by $.4 million at that date, respectively, and our OPEB expense
would
be expected to increase by less than $.1 million or decrease by less than
$.1
million during 2007. Similarly, if the assumed future health care cost trend
rate had been increased by 100 basis points, our accumulated OPEB obligation
would have increased by approximately $1.4 million at December 31, 2006,
and
OPEB expense would have increased by $.2 million in 2006.
Foreign
operations
As
discussed above, we have substantial operations located outside the United
States for which the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. As a result,
the reported amount of our assets and liabilities related to our non-U.S.
operations, and therefore our consolidated net assets, will fluctuate based
upon
changes in currency exchange rates. At December 31, 2006, we had substantial
net
assets denominated in the euro, Canadian dollar, Norwegian kroner and United
Kingdom pound sterling.
ITEM
7A. QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
General
We
are
exposed to market risk from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, interest
rates and security prices. In the past, we have periodically entered into
currency forward contracts, interest rate swaps or other types of contracts
in
order to manage a portion of our interest rate market risk. Otherwise, we
do not
generally enter into forward or option contracts to manage such market risks,
nor do we enter into any such contract or other type of derivative instrument
for trading or speculative purposes. Other than as described below,
we
were not
a party to any material forward or derivative option contract related to
foreign
exchange rates, interest rates or equity security prices at December 31,
2005
and 2006. See
Notes
1 and 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Interest
rates
We
are
exposed to market risk from changes in interest rates, primarily related
to
indebtedness. At December 31, 2005 and 2006, substantially all of our aggregate
indebtedness was comprised of fixed-rate instruments. The large percentage
of
fixed-rate debt instruments minimizes earnings volatility that would result
from
changes in interest rates. The following table presents principal amounts
and
weighted average interest rates for our aggregate outstanding indebtedness
at
December 31, 2006. Information shown below for such foreign currency denominated
indebtedness is presented in its U.S. dollar equivalent at December 31, 2006
using an exchange rate of 1.3208 U.S. dollars per euro. Certain Norwegian
kroner
denominated capital leases totaling $4.8 million in 2006 have been excluded
from
the table below.
Amount
|
|||||||||||||
Indebtedness
|
Carrying
value
|
Fair
value
|
Interest
rate
|
Maturity
date
|
|||||||||
(In
millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Fixed-rate
indebtedness - Euro-denominated:
|
|||||||||||||
Senior
Secured Notes
|
$
|
525.0
|
$
|
512.5
|
6.5%
|
|
2013
|
||||||
Variable
rate indebtedness -
dollar-denominated:
|
|||||||||||||
U.S.
Credit Facility
|
$
|
6.5
|
$
|
6.5
|
8.25%
|
|
2008
|
At
December 31, 2005, euro-denominated fixed-rate indebtedness, consisting solely
of the prior 8.875% Senior Secured Notes, aggregated $449.3 million (fair
value
- $463.6 million) with a weighted-average interest rate of 8.9%. Variable
rate indebtedness at December 31, 2005, U.S. dollar denominated, was $11.5
million with a weighted-average interest rate of 7.0%.
Foreign
currency exchange rates
We
are
exposed to market risk arising from changes in foreign currency exchange
rates
as a result of manufacturing and selling our products worldwide. Earnings
are
primarily affected by fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar relative
to
the euro, the Canadian dollar, the Norwegian kroner and the United Kingdom
pound
sterling.
As
described above, at December 31, 2006, we had the equivalent of $525.0
million of outstanding euro-denominated indebtedness (at December 31, 2005
- the
equivalent of $449.3 million of euro-denominated indebtedness). The
potential increase in the U.S. dollar equivalent of the principal amount
outstanding resulting from a hypothetical 10% adverse change in exchange
rates
at such date would be approximately $52.8 million at December 31, 2006 (at
December 31, 2005 - $44.4 million).
Certain
of our sales generated by our non-U.S. operations are denominated in U.S.
dollars. We periodically use currency forward contracts to manage a very
nominal
portion of foreign exchange rate risk associated with receivables denominated
in
a currency other than the holder's functional currency or similar exchange
rate
risk associated with future sales. We have not entered into these contracts
for
trading or speculative purposes in the past, nor do we currently anticipate
entering into such contracts for trading or speculative purposes in the future.
During 2005 and 2006, we have not used hedge accounting for any of our
contracts. At December 31, 2005, we held a series of short-term currency
forward
contracts, which mature at various dates through March 31, 2006, to exchange
an
aggregate of U.S. $7.5 million for an equivalent amount of Canadian dollars
at
an exchange rate of Cdn. $1.19 per U.S. dollar. These contracts were settled
in
2006. We held no such currency forward contracts at December 31, 2006 and
held
no other significant derivative contracts at December 31, 2005 or 2006.
Other
We
believe there may be a certain amount of incompleteness in the sensitivity
analyses presented above. For example, the hypothetical effect of changes
in
exchange rates discussed above ignores the potential effect on other variables
which affect our results of operations and cash flows, such as demand for
our
products, sales volumes and selling prices and operating expenses. Accordingly,
the amounts presented above are not necessarily an accurate reflection of
the
potential losses we would incur assuming the hypothetical changes in exchange
rates were actually to occur.
The
above
discussion and estimated sensitivity analysis amounts include forward-looking
statements of market risk which assume hypothetical changes in currency exchange
rates. Actual future market conditions will likely differ materially from
such
assumptions. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements should not be
considered to be projections by us of future events, gains or
losses.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The
information called for by this Item is contained in a separate section of
this
Annual Report. See "Index of Financial Statements and Schedules" (page
F-1).
ITEM 9. CHANGES
IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation
of disclosure controls and procedures
We
maintain a system of disclosure controls and procedures. The term "disclosure
controls and procedures," as defined by Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e), means
controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit to the SEC
under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in
the
SEC's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without
limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information we
are
required to disclose in the reports we file or submit to the SEC under the
Act
is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal
executive officer and our principal financial officer, or persons performing
similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions to be made regarding
required disclosure. Each of Harold C. Simmons, our Chief Executive Officer,
and
Gregory M. Swalwell, our Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer,
have evaluated the design and effectiveness of our disclosure controls and
procedures as of December 31, 2006. Based upon their evaluation, these executive
officers have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are
effective as of December 31, 2006.
Internal
control over financial reporting
We
also
maintain internal control over financial reporting. The term “internal control
over financial reporting,” as defined by Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f) means a
process designed by, or under the supervision of, our principal executive
and
principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and
effected by the board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
GAAP, and includes those policies and procedures that:
· |
Pertain
to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately
and
fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets,
|
· |
Provide
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and
that
receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with
authorizations of management and directors,
and
|
· |
Provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of
an
unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of assets that could
have a
material effect on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
Section
404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires us to report on internal control
over financial reporting in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended
December 31, 2006. Our independent registered public accounting firm is also
required to audit our internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2006.
As
permitted by the SEC, our assessment of internal control over financial
reporting excludes (i) internal control over financial reporting of equity
method investees and (ii) internal control over the preparation of our financial
statement schedules required by Article 12 of Regulation S-X. However, our
assessment of internal control over financial reporting with respect to equity
method investees did include controls over the recording of amounts related
to
our investment that are recorded in the consolidated financial statements,
including controls over the selection of accounting methods for our investments,
the recognition of equity method earnings and losses and the determination,
valuation and recording of our investment account balances.
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
has
been no change to our internal control over financial reporting during the
quarter ended December 31, 2006 that has materially affected, or is reasonably
likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
Management’s
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal
control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act
Rules
13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). Our evaluation of the effectiveness of internal
control
over financial reporting is based upon the criteria established in Internal
Control - Integrated Framework issued
by
the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (commonly
referred to as the “COSO” framework). Based on our evaluation under that
framework, we have concluded that our internal control over financial reporting
was effective as of December 31, 2006.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that has audited our
consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report, has audited
management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, as stated in their report which
is
included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Certifications
Our chief
executive officer is required to annually file a certification with the New
York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), certifying our compliance with the corporate governance
listing standards of the NYSE. During 2006, our chief executive officer filed
such annual certification with the NYSE. The 2006 certification was unqualified.
Our
chief
executive officer and chief financial officer are also required to, among
other
things, quarterly file certifications with the SEC regarding the quality
of our
public disclosures, as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of
2002. The certifications for the quarter ended December 31, 2006 have been
filed
as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 9B. OTHER
INFORMATION
Not
applicable.
PART
III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS,
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The
information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to our definitive
Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A within
120
days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report (“Proxy
Statement”).
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
The
information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to our
Proxy
Statement.
ITEM 12. SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER
ACTIVITY
The
information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy
Statement.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTORS
INDEPENDENCE
The
information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy
Statement. See also Note 14 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL
ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The
information required by the Item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy
Statement.
PART
IV
ITEM
15. EXHIBITS
AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a)
and
(c) Financial
Statements and Schedule
The
Registrant
The
consolidated financial statements and schedule of the Registrant listed on
the
accompanying Index of Financial Statements and Schedules (see page F-1) are
filed as part of this Annual Report.
(b)
Exhibits
Included
as exhibits are the items listed in the Exhibit Index. We will furnish a
copy of
any of the exhibits listed below upon payment of $4.00 per exhibit to cover
our
costs to furnish the exhibits. Pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation
S-K, any instrument defining the rights of holders of long-term debt issues
and
other agreements related to indebtedness which do not exceed 10% of consolidated
total assets as of December 31, 2006 will be furnished to the Commission
upon
request.
We
will
also furnish, without charge, a copy of its Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics,
as adopted by the board of directors on February 19, 2004, upon request.
Such
requests should be directed to the attention of the Corporate Secretary at
our
corporate offices located at 5430 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1700, Dallas, TX
75240.
Item
No. Exhibit
Index
2.1
|
Form
of Distribution Agreement between NL Industries, Inc. and Kronos
Worldwide, Inc. - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 of the
Registration Statement on Form 10 of the Registrant (File No.
001-31763).
|
3.1
|
First
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Kronos Worldwide,
Inc. - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registration
statement on Form 10 of the Registrant (File No.
001-31763).
|
3.2
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws of Kronos Worldwide, Inc. - incorporated by
reference
to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registration statement on Form 10 of the
Registrant
(File No. 001-31763).
|
4.1
|
Indenture
governing the 6.5% Senior Secured Notes due 2013,
dated
|
|
as
of April 11, 2006, between Kronos International, Inc. and
The
|
Bank
of New York, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1
to the
Current Report on Form 8-K of Kronos International, Inc. (File
No.
333-100047) that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on April 11, 2006).
|
4.2
|
Form
of certificate of Series A 6.5% Senior Secured Note due 2013 (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of
Kronos
International, Inc. (File No. 333-100047) that was filed with the
U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11,
2006).
|
4.3
|
Form
of certificate of Series B 6.5% Senior Secured Note due 2013 (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of
Kronos
International, Inc. (File No. 333-100047) that was filed with the
U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11,
2006).
|
4.4
|
Purchase
Agreement dated April 5, 2006 between Kronos International, Inc.
and
Deutsche Bank AG London (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1
to the
Current Report on Form 8-K of Kronos International, Inc. (File
No.
333-100047) that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on April 11, 2006).
|
4.5
|
Registration
Rights Agreement dated as of April 11, 2006 between Kronos International,
Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG London (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.5
to the Current Report on Form 8-K of Kronos International, Inc.
(File No.
333-100047) that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on April 11, 2006)
|
4.6
|
Collateral
Agency Agreement, dated April 11, 2006, among The Bank of New York,
U.S.
Bank, N.A. and Kronos International, Inc. (incorporated by reference
to
Exhibit 4.6 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of Kronos International,
Inc. (File No. 333-100047) that was filed with the U.S. Securities
and
Exchange Commission on April 11,
2006).
|
4.7
|
Security
Over Shares Agreement, dated April 11, 2006, between Kronos International,
Inc. and The Bank of New York (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
4.7 to
the Current Report on Form 8-K of Kronos International, Inc. (File
No.
333-100047) that was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on April 11, 2006).
|
4.8
|
Pledge
of Shares (shares in Kronos Denmark ApS), dated April 11, 2006,
between
Kronos International, Inc. and U.S. Bank, N.A. (incorporated by
reference
to Exhibit 4.8 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of Kronos International,
Inc. (File No. 333-100047) that was filed with the U.S. Securities
and
Exchange Commission on April 11,
2006).
|
4.9
|
Pledge
Agreement (shares in Societe Industrielle du Titane S.A.), dated
April 11,
2006, between Kronos International, Inc. and U.S. Bank, N.A. (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of
Kronos
International, Inc. (File No. 333-100047) that was filed with the
U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11,
2006)
|
4.10
|
Share
Pledge Agreement (shares in Kronos Titan GmbH), dated April 11,
2006,
between Kronos International, Inc. and U.S. Bank, N.A. (incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 4.10 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of
Kronos
International, Inc. (File No. 333-100047) that was filed with the
U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11,
2006).
|
10.1
|
Form
of Tax Agreement between Valhi, Inc. and Kronos Worldwide,
Inc.
-
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registration statement
on
Form 10 of the Registrant (File No.
001-31763).
|
10.2
|
Intercorporate
Services Agreement by and between Contran Corporation and Kronos
Worldwide, Inc., effective as of January 1, 2004 - incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
of the
Registrant (File No. 001-31763) for the quarter ended March 31,
2004.
|
10.3*
|
Form
of Kronos Worldwide, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan - incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Registration statement on Form
10 of the
Registrant (File No. 001-31763).
|
10.4
|
Euro
80,000,000 Facility Agreement, dated June 25, 2002, among Kronos
Titan
GmbH & Co. OHG, Kronos Europe S.A./N.V., Kronos Titan A/S and Titania
A/S, as borrowers, Kronos Titan GmbH & Co. OHG, Kronos Europe
S.A./N.V. and Kronos Norge AS, as guarantors, Kronos Denmark ApS,
as
security provider, Deutsche Bank AG, as mandated lead arranger,
Deutsche
Bank Luxembourg S.A., as agent and security agent, and KBC Bank
NV, as
fronting bank, and the financial institutions listed in Schedule
1
thereto, as lenders - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1
to the
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of NL Industries, Inc. for the quarter
ended
June 30, 2002.
|
10.5
|
First
Amendment Agreement, dated September 3, 2004, Relating to a Facility
Agreement dated June 25, 2002 among Kronos Titan GmbH, Kronos Europe
S.A./N.V., Kronos Titan AS and Titania A/S, as borrowers, Kronos
Titan
GmbH, Kronos Europe S.A./N.V. and Kronos Norge AS, as guarantors,
Kronos
Denmark ApS, as security provider, with Deutsche Bank Luxembourg
S.A.,
acting as agent - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of
the Current
Report on Form 8-K of the Registrant dated November 17, 2004 (File
No.
333-119639).
|
10.6
|
Second
Amendment Agreement Relating to a Facility Agreement dated June
25, 2002
executed as of June 14, 2005 by and among Deutsche Bank AG, as
mandated
lead arranger, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. as agent, the participating
lenders, Kronos Titan GmbH, Kronos Europe S.A./N.V, Kronos Titan
AS,
Kronos Norge AS, Titania AS and Kronos Denmark ApS - incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Kronos International, Inc.s’ Form 8-K dated
June 14, 2005. Certain schedules, exhibits, annexes and similar
attachments to this Exhibit 10.9 have not been filed; upon request,
the
Reporting Persons will furnish supplementally to the Commission
a copy of
any omitted exhibit, annex or
attachment.
|
10.7
|
Lease
Contract, dated June 21, 1952, between Farbenfabrieken Bayer
Aktiengesellschaft and Titangesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
(German
language version and English translation thereof)- incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.14 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of
NL
Industries, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 1985.
|
10.8
|
Contract
on Supplies and Services, dated as of June 30, 1995, among Bayer
AG,
Kronos Titan-GmbH & Co. OHG and Kronos International, Inc. (English
translation from German language document) - incorporated by reference
to
Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of NL Industries,
Inc. for
the quarter ended September 30,
1995.
|
10.9
|
Amendment
dated August 11, 2003 to the Contract on Supplies and Services
among Bayer
AG, Kronos Titan-GmbH & Co. OHG and Kronos International (English
translation of German language document) - incorporated by reference
to
Exhibit 10.32 of the Registration statement on Form 10 of the Registrant
(File No. 001-31763).
|
10.10
|
Master
Technology Exchange Agreement, dated as of October 18, 1993, among
Kronos
Worldwide, Inc. (f/k/a Kronos, Inc.), Kronos Louisiana, Inc., Kronos
International, Inc., Tioxide Group Limited and Tioxide Group Services
Limited - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q of NL Industries, Inc. for the quarter ended
September
30, 1993.
|
10.11
|
Form
of Assignment and Assumption Agreement, dated as of January 1,
1999,
between Kronos Inc. (formerly known as Kronos (USA), Inc.) and
Kronos
International, Inc. - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9
to Kronos
International, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File
No.
333-100047).
|
10.12
|
Form
of Cross License Agreement, effective as of January 1, 1999, between
Kronos Inc. (formerly known as Kronos (USA), Inc.) and Kronos
International, Inc. - incorporated by reference to Exhibit to Kronos
International, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File
No.
333-100047).
|
10.13
|
Formation
Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 among Tioxide Americas Inc.,
Kronos
Louisiana, Inc. and Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P. - incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report
on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
1993.
|
10.14
|
Joint
Venture Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 between Tioxide
Americas
Inc. and Kronos Louisiana, Inc. - incorporated by reference to
Exhibit
10.3 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the
quarter ended September 30, 1993.
|
10.15
|
Kronos
Offtake Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 between Kronos Louisiana,
Inc. and Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P. - incorporated by reference
to
Exhibit 10.4 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for
the quarter ended September 30,
1993.
|
10.16
|
Amendment
No. 1 to Kronos Offtake Agreement dated as of December 20, 1995
between
Kronos Louisiana, Inc. and Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P. - incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Annual Report
on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1995.
|
10.17
|
Tioxide
Americas Offtake Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 between
Tioxide
Americas Inc. and Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P. - incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.5 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report
on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
1993.
|
10.18
|
Amendment
No. 1 to Tioxide Americas Offtake Agreement dated as of December
20, 1995
between Tioxide Americas Inc. and Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P.
-
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to NL Industries, Inc.'s
Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995.
|
10.19
|
TCI/KCI
Output Purchase Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 between
Tioxide
Canada Inc. and Kronos Canada, Inc. - incorporated by reference
to Exhibit
10.6 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the
quarter ended September 30, 1993.
|
10.20
|
TAI/KLA
Output Purchase Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 between
Tioxide
Americas Inc. and Kronos Louisiana, Inc. - incorporated by reference
to
Exhibit 10.7 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for
the quarter ended September 30, 1993.
|
10.21
|
Parents'
Undertaking dated as of October 18, 1993 between ICI American Holdings
Inc. and Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (f/k/a Kronos, Inc.) - incorporated
by
reference to Exhibit 10.9 to NL Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report
on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1993.
|
10.22
|
Allocation
Agreement dated as of October 18, 1993 between Tioxide Americas
Inc., ICI
American Holdings, Inc., Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (f/k/a Kronos,
Inc.) and
Kronos Louisiana, Inc. - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10
to NL
Industries, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended
September 30, 1993.
|
10.23
|
Insurance
sharing agreement dated October 30, 2003 by and among CompX International
Inc., Contran Corporation, Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc.,
Titanium Metals Corp., Valhi, Inc., NL Industries, Inc. and Kronos
Worldwide, Inc. - incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.48 to
NL
Industries, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2003.
|
10.24*
|
Summary
of Consulting Arrangement beginning on August 1, 2003, as amended
between
Lawrence A. Wigdor and Kronos Worldwide, Inc. - incorporated by
reference
to Exhibit 10.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Registrant
for
the quarter ended March 31, 2004.
|
21.1 |
Subsidiaries.
|
23.1 |
Consent
of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
|
31.1 |
Certification.
|
31.2 |
Certification.
|
32.1 |
Certification.
|
* Management
contract, compensatory plan or arrangement
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
Kronos
Worldwide, Inc.
(Registrant)
By:/s/
Harold C. Simmons
Harold
C.
Simmons
March
13,
2007
(Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer)
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has
been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in
the
capacities and on the dates indicated:
/s/
Harold C. Simmons
|
|
/s/
Steven L.
Watson
|
Harold
C. Simmons, March 13, 2007
|
|
Steven
L. Watson, March 13, 2007
|
(Chairman
of the Board and
Chief
Executive Officer)
|
|
(Director)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
George E. Poston
|
|
/s/
Glenn R.
Simmons
|
George
E. Poston, March 13, 2007
|
|
Glenn
R. Simmons, March 13, 2007
|
(Director)
|
|
(Director)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
C. H. Moore, Jr.
|
|
/s/
Keith R.
Coogan
|
C.
H. Moore, Jr., March 13, 2007
|
|
Keith
R. Coogan, March 13, 2007
|
(Director)
|
|
(Director)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
R. Gerald Turner
|
|
/s/
Gregory M.
Swalwell
|
R.
Gerald Turner, March 13, 2007
|
|
Gregory
M. Swalwell, March 13, 2007
|
(Director)
|
|
(Vice
President, Chief Financial Officer, Principal Financial
Officer)
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/
Tim C.
Hafer
|
|
|
Tim
C. Hafer, March 13, 2007
|
|
|
(Vice
President, Controller, Principal Accounting
Officer
|
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC.
Annual
Report on Form 10-K
Items
8, 15(a) and 15(c)
Index
of Financial Statements and Schedule
Financial
Statements
|
Page
|
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
F-2
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets - December 31, 2005 (As adjusted);
|
|
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
F-4
|
Consolidated
Statements of Income -
|
|
Years
ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 (As adjusted); and
|
|
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
F-6
|
Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) -
|
|
Years
ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 (As adjusted); and
|
|
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
F-7
|
Consolidated
Statements of Stockholders' Equity -
|
|
Years
ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 (As adjusted); and
|
|
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
F-8
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows -
|
|
Years
ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 (As adjusted); and
|
|
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
F-9
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
F-11
|
Financial
Statement Schedule
|
|
Schedule
I - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant
|
S-1
|
Schedules
II, III and IV are omitted because they are not applicable or the
required
amounts are either not material or are presented in the Notes to
the
Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the
Stockholders and Board of Directors of Kronos Worldwide, Inc.:
We
have
completed integrated audits of Kronos Worldwide, Inc.’s consolidated financial
statements and of its internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2006, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States). Our opinions, based on our audits, are
presented below.
Consolidated
financial statements and financial statement schedule
In
our
opinion, the consolidated financial statements listed in the accompanying
index
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Kronos
Worldwide, Inc. and its subsidiaries at December 31, 2005 and 2006, and the
results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years
in
the period ended December 31, 2006 in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America. In addition, in our opinion,
the financial statement schedule listed in the accompanying index presents
fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein when
read in
conjunction with the related consolidated financial statements. These financial
statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the
Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements and financial statement schedule based on our audits.
We
conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with the standards
of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance
about
whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit
of
financial statements includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management,
and
evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that
our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
As
discussed in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company
changed the manner in which it accounts for planned major maintenance expense
and the manner in which it accounts for pension and other postretirement
benefit
obligations in 2006.
Internal
control over financial reporting
Also,
in
our opinion, management’s assessment, included in Management’s Report on
Internal Control Over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A, that the
Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as
of
December 31, 2006 based on criteria established in Internal
Control - Integrated Framework
issued
by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission
(“COSO”), is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on those criteria.
Furthermore, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects,
effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006,
based on criteria established in Internal
Control - Integrated Framework
issued
by the COSO. The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective
internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility
is to express opinions on management’s assessment and on the effectiveness
of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit of internal control over financial reporting in
accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board
(United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit
to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over
financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. An audit of
internal control over financial reporting includes obtaining an understanding
of
internal control over financial reporting, evaluating management’s assessment,
testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal
control, and performing such other procedures as we consider necessary in
the
circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for
our
opinions.
A
company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to
provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over
financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain
to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and
fairly
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;
(ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures
of
the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management
and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance
regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use,
or
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the
financial statements.
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may
not
prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of
effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may
become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance
with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
Dallas,
Texas
March
13,
2007
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
December
31, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands, except per share data)
ASSETS
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
|||||||
Current
assets:
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
72,029
|
$
|
63,268
|
|||
Restricted
cash
|
1,355
|
1,480
|
|||||
Accounts
and other receivables
|
184,584
|
202,052
|
|||||
Receivables
from affiliate
|
2
|
151
|
|||||
Refundable
income taxes
|
1,053
|
1,566
|
|||||
Inventories
|
259,844
|
286,521
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses
|
4,290
|
5,712
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
2,187
|
2,139
|
|||||
Total
current assets
|
525,344
|
562,889
|
|||||
Other
assets:
|
|||||||
Investment
in TiO2
manufacturing joint venture
|
115,308
|
113,613
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
213,722
|
264,380
|
|||||
Other
|
25,638
|
18,631
|
|||||
Total
other assets
|
354,668
|
396,624
|
|||||
Property
and equipment:
|
|||||||
Land
|
31,678
|
35,676
|
|||||
Buildings
|
184,800
|
203,165
|
|||||
Equipment
|
786,953
|
884,675
|
|||||
Mining
properties
|
68,165
|
82,140
|
|||||
Construction
in progress
|
13,457
|
17,934
|
|||||
1,085,053
|
1,223,590
|
||||||
Less
accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
666,133
|
761,587
|
|||||
Net
property and equipment
|
418,920
|
462,003
|
|||||
$
|
1,298,932
|
$
|
1,421,516
|
||||
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED)
December
31, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands, except per share data)
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
|||||||
Current
liabilities:
|
|||||||
Current
maturities of long-term debt
|
$
|
958
|
$
|
912
|
|||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
161,645
|
155,197
|
|||||
Payable
to affiliates
|
10,382
|
10,882
|
|||||
Income
taxes
|
24,014
|
10,256
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
5,553
|
2,210
|
|||||
Total
current liabilities
|
202,552
|
179,457
|
|||||
Noncurrent
liabilities:
|
|||||||
Long-term
debt
|
464,365
|
535,336
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
53,383
|
47,312
|
|||||
Accrued
pension cost
|
139,786
|
185,882
|
|||||
Accrued
postretirement benefits cost
|
10,174
|
9,809
|
|||||
Other
|
16,055
|
15,280
|
|||||
Total
noncurrent liabilities
|
683,763
|
793,619
|
|||||
Minority
interest
|
75
|
41
|
|||||
Stockholders'
equity:
|
|||||||
Preferred
stock, $.01 par value; 100 shares authorized; no shares issued
or
outstanding
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Common
stock, $.01 par value; 60,000 shares authorized; 48,950 and 48,953
shares
issued
|
489
|
489
|
|||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
1,061,539
|
1,061,644
|
|||||
Retained
deficit
|
(439,300
|
)
|
(406,283
|
)
|
|||
Accumulated
other comprehensive loss:
|
|||||||
Currency
translation
|
(114,367
|
)
|
(81,379
|
)
|
|||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
(95,819
|
)
|
(126,192
|
)
|
|||
Postretirement
benefit (OPEB) plans
|
-
|
120
|
|||||
Total
stockholders' equity
|
412,542
|
448,399
|
|||||
$
|
1,298,932
|
$
|
1,421,516
|
||||
Commitments
and contingencies (Notes 9 and 14)
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial
statements.
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF INCOME
Years
ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands, except per share data)
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
1,128,600
|
$
|
1,196,729
|
$
|
1,279,447
|
||||
Cost
of sales
|
867,432
|
869,168
|
968,915
|
|||||||
Gross
margin
|
261,168
|
327,561
|
310,532
|
|||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expense
|
145,433
|
150,729
|
158,063
|
|||||||
Other
operating income (expense):
|
||||||||||
Currency
transaction gains (losses), net
|
(3,949
|
)
|
5,235
|
(3,651
|
)
|
|||||
Disposition
of property and equipment
|
(1,120
|
)
|
(1,506
|
)
|
(1,915
|
)
|
||||
Other
income
|
6,715
|
576
|
2,192
|
|||||||
Corporate
expense
|
(3,474
|
)
|
(4,985
|
)
|
(5,776
|
)
|
||||
Other
expense
|
(73
|
)
|
(108
|
)
|
(110
|
)
|
||||
Income
from operations
|
113,834
|
176,044
|
143,209
|
|||||||
Other
income (expense):
|
||||||||||
Trade
interest income
|
1,212
|
1,181
|
2,332
|
|||||||
Other
interest income
|
961
|
874
|
1,339
|
|||||||
Securities
transaction gain
|
-
|
5,439
|
-
|
|||||||
Interest
expense to affiliates
|
(15,210
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Loss
on prepayment of debt
|
-
|
-
|
(22,311
|
)
|
||||||
Other
interest expense
|
(37,399
|
)
|
(44,686
|
)
|
(43,258
|
)
|
||||
Income
before income taxes and minority interest
|
63,398
|
138,852
|
81,311
|
|||||||
Provision
(benefit) for income taxes
|
(250,747
|
)
|
67,389
|
(667
|
)
|
|||||
Income
before minority interest
|
314,145
|
71,463
|
81,978
|
|||||||
Minority
interest
|
53
|
12
|
9
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
314,092
|
$
|
71,451
|
$
|
81,969
|
||||
Net
income per basic and diluted share
|
$
|
6.42
|
$
|
1.46
|
$
|
1.67
|
||||
Basic
and diluted weighted average shares used in the calculation of
net income
per share
|
48,945
|
48,948
|
48,952
|
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial
statements.
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Years
ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
314,092
|
$
|
71,451
|
$
|
81,969
|
||||
Other
comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
|
||||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
272
|
(57,065
|
)
|
7,169
|
||||||
Currency
translation
|
45,004
|
(26,878
|
)
|
32,988
|
||||||
Total
other comprehensive income (loss)
|
45,276
|
(83,943
|
)
|
40,157
|
||||||
Comprehensive
income (loss)
|
$
|
359,368
|
$
|
(12,492
|
)
|
$
|
122,126
|
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial
statements.
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Years
ended December 31, 2004,
2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
Accumulated
other
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
comprehensive
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Additional
|
Retained
|
income
(loss)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Common
|
paid-in
|
earnings
|
Currency
|
Pension
|
OPEB
|
|||||||||||||||||
stock
|
capital
|
(deficit)
|
translation
|
plans
|
plans
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
(As
adjusted)
|
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2003:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
As
previously reported
|
$
|
489
|
$
|
1,060,157
|
$
|
(729,260
|
)
|
$
|
(133,009
|
)
|
$
|
(39,026
|
)
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
159,351
|
|||||
Change
in accounting principle
|
-
|
-
|
2,311
|
516
|
-
|
-
|
2,827
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance
as adjusted
|
489
|
1,060,157
|
(726,949
|
)
|
(132,493
|
)
|
(39,026
|
)
|
-
|
162,178
|
||||||||||||
Net
income*
|
-
|
-
|
314,092
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
314,092
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
comprehensive income, net of tax*
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
45,004
|
272
|
-
|
45,276
|
|||||||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock
|
-
|
90
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
90
|
|||||||||||||||
Cash
dividends declared - $1.00 per share
|
-
|
-
|
(48,945
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(48,945
|
)
|
|||||||||||||
Other
|
-
|
396
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
396
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2004*
|
489
|
1,060,643
|
(461,802
|
)
|
(87,489
|
)
|
(38,754
|
)
|
-
|
473,087
|
||||||||||||
Net
income*
|
-
|
-
|
71,451
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
71,451
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
comprehensive loss, net of tax*
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(26,878
|
)
|
(57,065
|
)
|
-
|
(83,943
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock
|
-
|
108
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
108
|
|||||||||||||||
Cash
dividends declared - $1.00 per share
|
-
|
-
|
(48,949
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(48,949
|
)
|
|||||||||||||
Other
|
-
|
788
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
788
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2005*
|
489
|
1,061,539
|
(439,300
|
)
|
(114,367
|
)
|
(95,819
|
)
|
-
|
412,542
|
||||||||||||
Net
income
|
-
|
-
|
81,969
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
81,969
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
32,988
|
7,169
|
-
|
40,157
|
|||||||||||||||
Issuance
of common stock
|
-
|
105
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
105
|
|||||||||||||||
Cash
dividends declared - $1.00 per share
|
-
|
-
|
(48,952
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(48,952
|
)
|
|||||||||||||
Adoption
of SFAS No. 158
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(37,542
|
)
|
120
|
(37,422
|
)
|
|||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2006
|
$
|
489
|
$
|
1,061,644
|
$
|
(406,283
|
)
|
$
|
(81,379
|
)
|
$
|
(126,192
|
)
|
$
|
120
|
$
|
448,399
|
*
As
adjusted
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial
statements.
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Years
ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
314,092
|
$
|
71,451
|
$
|
81,969
|
||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
44,053
|
43,539
|
44,253
|
|||||||
Loss
on prepayment of debt
|
-
|
-
|
22,311
|
|||||||
Call
premium paid
|
-
|
-
|
(20,898
|
)
|
||||||
Noncash
interest expense
|
2,375
|
2,854
|
1,999
|
|||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
(263,579
|
)
|
26,779
|
(28,202
|
)
|
|||||
Minority
interest
|
53
|
12
|
9
|
|||||||
Net
loss from disposition of property and equipment
|
1,120
|
1,506
|
1,915
|
|||||||
Securities
transaction gain
|
-
|
(5,439
|
)
|
-
|
||||||
Benefit
plan expense greater (less) than cash funding:
|
||||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
(2,986
|
)
|
(5,250
|
)
|
(893
|
)
|
||||
Other
postretirement benefit plans
|
(151
|
)
|
(1,289
|
)
|
41
|
|||||
Distributions
from TiO2
manufacturing joint venture, net
|
8,600
|
4,850
|
2,250
|
|||||||
Other,
net
|
2,858
|
(1,935
|
)
|
(667
|
)
|
|||||
Change
in assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||||
Accounts
and other receivable
|
(21,813
|
)
|
(13,893
|
)
|
1,800
|
|||||
Inventories
|
48,237
|
(47,922
|
)
|
(6,102
|
)
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses
|
(478
|
)
|
(237
|
)
|
(1,210
|
)
|
||||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
1,888
|
13,456
|
(5,866
|
)
|
||||||
Income
taxes
|
24,699
|
10,264
|
(21,496
|
)
|
||||||
Accounts
with affiliates
|
(5,771
|
)
|
1,171
|
(1,010
|
)
|
|||||
Other
noncurrent assets
|
(1,103
|
)
|
515
|
240
|
||||||
Other
noncurrent liabilities
|
(1,089
|
)
|
(2,606
|
)
|
1,484
|
|||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
151,005
|
97,826
|
71,927
|
|||||||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
||||||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
(39,295
|
)
|
(43,366
|
)
|
(50,936
|
)
|
||||
Purchase
of interest in subsidiary
|
(575
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Change
in restricted cash equivalents and restricted marketable debt securities,
net
|
(70
|
)
|
129
|
(33
|
)
|
|||||
Proceeds
from disposal of interest in Norwegian smelting operation
|
-
|
3,542
|
-
|
|||||||
Other,
net
|
99
|
37
|
48
|
|||||||
Net
cash used by investing activities
|
(39,841
|
)
|
(39,658
|
)
|
(50,921
|
)
|
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONTINUED)
Years
ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
||||||||||
Indebtedness:
|
||||||||||
Borrowings
|
$
|
241,648
|
$
|
51,920
|
$
|
772,703
|
||||
Principal
payments
|
(100,073
|
)
|
(48,959
|
)
|
(749,847
|
)
|
||||
Deferred
financing fees
|
(1,989
|
)
|
-
|
(8,890
|
)
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(48,945
|
)
|
(48,949
|
)
|
(48,952
|
)
|
||||
Repayment
of loans from affiliates
|
(200,000
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Other,
net
|
609
|
1,214
|
-
|
|||||||
Net
cash used by financing activities
|
(108,750
|
)
|
(44,774
|
)
|
(34,986
|
)
|
||||
Cash
and cash equivalents - net change from:
|
||||||||||
Operating,
investing and financing activities
|
2,414
|
13,394
|
(13,980
|
)
|
||||||
Currency
translation
|
2,500
|
(2,155
|
)
|
5,219
|
||||||
4,914
|
11,239
|
(8,761
|
)
|
|||||||
Balance
at beginning of year
|
55,876
|
60,790
|
72,029
|
|||||||
Balance
at end of year
|
$
|
60,790
|
$
|
72,029
|
$
|
63,268
|
||||
Supplemental
disclosures - cash paid (received) for:
|
||||||||||
Interest
|
$
|
49,206
|
$
|
41,309
|
$
|
33,893
|
||||
Income
taxes
|
(23,657
|
)
|
30,021
|
44,288
|
||||||
Inventories
received as partial consideration for disposal of interest in Norwegian
smelting operation
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
1,897
|
$
|
-
|
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial
statements.
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note
1 - Summary of significant accounting policies:
Organization
and basis of presentation. At
December 31, 2006, (i) Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) held approximately 59% of our
outstanding common stock (ii) NL Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NL) held an additional
36% of our common stock, (iii) Valhi owned approximately 83% of NL's outstanding
common stock and (iv) Contran Corporation and its subsidiaries held
approximately 92% of Valhi's outstanding common stock. Substantially all
of
Contran's outstanding voting stock is held by trusts established for the
benefit
of certain children and grandchildren of Harold C. Simmons (for which Mr.
Simmons is the sole trustee), or is held by Mr. Simmons or other persons
or
related companies to Mr. Simmons. Consequently, Mr. Simmons may be deemed
to
control each of such companies.
Unless
otherwise indicated, reference in this report to “we,” “us” or “our” refer to
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Management’s
estimates. In
preparing our financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) we are required 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 amount of revenues and expenses
during the reporting period. Actual results may differ significantly from
previously-estimated amounts under different assumptions or
conditions.
Principles
of consolidation.
The
consolidated financial statements include our accounts and our majority-owned
subsidiaries. We have eliminated all material intercompany accounts and
balances. Minority interest relates to our 99%-owned subsidiary in France,
which
conducts our marketing and sales activities in that country.
Translation
of foreign currencies.
We
translate the assets and liabilities of our subsidiaries whose functional
currency is other than the U.S. dollar at year-end rates of exchange, while
we
translate their revenues and expenses at average exchange rates prevailing
during the year. We accumulate the resulting translation adjustments in
stockholder’s equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss),
net of related deferred income taxes and minority interest. We recognize
currency transaction gains and losses in income currently.
Derivatives
and hedging activities.
We
recognize derivatives as either assets or liabilities and measured at fair
value
in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (“SFAS”) No. 133,
Accounting
for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, as
amended and interpreted. We recognize the changes in the fair value of
derivatives either in net income or other comprehensive income, depending
on the
intended use of the derivative.
Cash
and cash equivalents.
We
classify bank time deposits and U.S. Treasury securities purchased under
short-term agreements to resell with original maturities of three months
or less
as cash equivalents.
Restricted
marketable debt securities. We
classify marketable debt securities that have been segregated or otherwise
limited in use as restricted. Restricted
marketable
debt securities
are
primarily invested in corporate debt securities, and include amounts restricted
in accordance with applicable Norwegian law regarding certain requirements
of
the our Norwegian defined benefit pension plans ($2.6 million and $2.8 million
at December 31, 2005 and 2006, respectively). The restricted marketable
debt securities
are
generally classified as either a current or noncurrent asset depending upon
the
maturity date of each such debt security and are carried at market which
approximates cost.
Accounts
receivable.
We
provide an allowance for doubtful accounts for known and estimated potential
losses arising from sales to customers based on a periodic review of these
accounts.
Investment
in TiO2
manufacturing joint venture.
We
account for our investment in a 50%-owned manufacturing joint venture for
by the
equity method.
Property
and equipment and depreciation.
We
state
property and equipment at cost. We
have a
governmental concession with an unlimited term to operate an ilmenite mine
in
Norway. Mining properties consist of buildings and equipment used in our
Norwegian ilmenite mining operations. While we own the land and ilmenite
reserves associated with the mine, such land and reserves were acquired for
nominal value and we have no material asset recognized for the land and
reserves related to such mining operations. We compute depreciation of property
and equipment for financial reporting purposes (including mining properties)
principally
by the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of ten to 40
years
for buildings and three to 20 years for equipment. We use accelerated
depreciation methods for income tax purposes, as permitted. Upon sale or
retirement of an asset, we remove the related cost and accumulated depreciation
from the accounts and recognize any gain or loss in income currently.
We
expense expenditures for maintenance, repairs and minor renewals (including
planned major maintenance), while we capitalize expenditures for major
improvements. See Note 17.
We
capitalize interest costs related to major long-term capital projects and
renewals as a component of construction costs. Capitalized interest costs
were
not material in 2004, 2005 or 2006.
When
events or changes in circumstances indicate that assets may be impaired,
we
perform an evaluation to determine if an impairment exists. Such events or
changes in circumstances include, among other things, (i) significant current
and prior periods or current and projected periods with operating losses,
(ii) a
significant decrease in the market value of an asset or (iii) a significant
change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used. We consider all
relevant factors. We perform the impairment test by comparing the estimated
future undiscounted cash flows (exclusive of interest expense) associated
with
the asset to the asset's net carrying value to determine if a write-down
to
market value or discounted cash flow value is required. We assess impairment
of
property and equipment in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting
for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.
Long-term
debt. We
state
long-term debt net of any unamortized original issue premium or discount.
We
classify amortization of deferred financing costs and any premium or discount
associated with the issuance of indebtedness as interest expense and compute
such amortization by the interest method over the term of the applicable
issue.
Employee
benefit plans.
Accounting and funding policies for our retirement plans are described in
Note
10.
Income
taxes.
We and
Valhi and our qualifying subsidiaries are members of Contran’s consolidated
U.S. federal income tax group (the "Contran Tax Group"), and we and certain
of
our qualifying subsidiaries also file consolidated income tax returns with
Contran in various U.S. state jurisdictions. As a member of the Contran Tax
Group, we are jointly and severally liable for the federal income tax liability
of Contran and the other companies included in the Contran Tax Group for
all
periods in which we are included in the Contran Tax Group. See Note 14. As
a
member of the Contran Tax Group, we are a party to a tax sharing agreement
which
provides that we compute our provision for U.S. income taxes on a
separate-company basis using the tax elections made by Contran. Pursuant
to the
tax sharing agreement, we make payments to or receive payments from Valhi
in
amounts we would have paid to or received from the U.S. Internal Revenue
Service
or the applicable state tax authority had we not been a member of the Contran
Tax Group. We
made
net payments to Valhi of $7.7 million in 2005 and $5.0 million in 2006, and
we
received a net refund of $.9 million in 2004.
We
recognize deferred income tax assets and liabilities for the expected future
tax
consequences of temporary differences between the income tax and financial
reporting carrying amounts of assets and liabilities, including investments
in
our subsidiaries and affiliates who are not members of the Contran Tax Group
and
undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries which are not deemed to be
permanently reinvested. The earnings
of foreign subsidiaries subject to permanent reinvestment plans aggregated
$707
million at December 31, 2005 and $739 million at December 31, 2006. It is
not
practical for us to determine the amount of the unrecognized deferred income
tax
liability related to such earnings due to the complexities associated with
the
U.S. taxation on earnings of foreign subsidiaries repatriated to the U.S.
We
periodically evaluate our deferred tax assets in the various taxing
jurisdictions in which we operate and adjust any related valuation allowance
based on the estimate of the amount of such deferred tax assets that we believe
does not meet the “more-likely-than-not” recognition criteria.
Net
sales.
We
record sales when products are shipped and title and other risks and rewards
of
ownership have passed to the customer, or when services are performed.
Shipping
terms of products shipped are generally FOB shipping point, although in some
instances shipping terms are FOB destination point (for which we do not
recognize sales until the product is received by the customer). We include
amounts charged to customers for shipping and handling in net sales. We state
sales net of price, early payment and distributor discounts and volume rebates.
We report any tax assessed by a governmental authority that we collect from
our
customers that is both imposed on and concurrent with our revenue-producing
activities (such as sales, use, value added and excise taxes) on a net basis
(meaning we do not recognize these taxes either in our revenues or in our
costs
and expenses).
Inventories
and cost of sales.
We state
inventories at the lower of cost (principally average cost) or market, net
of
allowance for slow-moving inventories. We remove amounts from inventories
at
average cost. Cost of sales includes costs for materials, packing and finishing,
utilities, salary and benefits, maintenance and depreciation.
Selling,
general and administrative expense; shipping and handling
costs. Selling,
general and administrative expense include costs related to marketing, sales,
distribution, shipping and handling, research and development, legal, and
administrative functions such as accounting, treasury and finance, and includes
costs for salaries and benefits, travel and entertainment, promotional materials
and professional fees. We include shipping and handling costs in selling,
general and administrative expense and these costs were $70 million in 2004,
$76
million in 2005 and $81 million in 2006. We expense advertising costs as
incurred and these costs were $1 million in each of 2004, 2005 and 2006.
We
expense research, development and certain sales technical support costs as
incurred and these costs approximated $8 million in 2004, $9 million in 2005
and
$11 million in 2006.
Note
2 - Geographic
information:
Our
operations are associated with the production and sale of titanium dioxide
pigments (“TiO2”).
Titanium dioxide pigments are used to impart whiteness, brightness and opacity
to a wide variety of products, including paints, plastics, paper, fibers
and
ceramics. At December 31, 2005, and 2006 the net assets of non-U.S. subsidiaries
included in consolidated net assets approximated, $272 million and $299 million,
respectively.
For
geographic information, we attribute net sales to the place of manufacture
(point of origin) and the location of the customer (point of destination);
we
attribute property and equipment to their physical location.
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Geographic
areas
|
||||||||||
Net
sales - point of origin:
|
||||||||||
Germany
|
$
|
576,138
|
$
|
613,081
|
$
|
671,986
|
||||
United
States
|
449,351
|
495,538
|
527,721
|
|||||||
Canada
|
170,309
|
202,077
|
212,778
|
|||||||
Belgium
|
186,445
|
186,951
|
192,821
|
|||||||
Norway
|
144,492
|
160,528
|
173,529
|
|||||||
Eliminations
|
(398,135
|
)
|
(461,446
|
)
|
(499,388
|
)
|
||||
$
|
1,128,600
|
$
|
1,196,729
|
$
|
1,279,447
|
|||||
Net
sales - point of destination:
|
||||||||||
Europe
|
$
|
666,701
|
$
|
690,884
|
$
|
730,581
|
||||
North
America
|
363,510
|
404,926
|
424,133
|
|||||||
Other
|
98,389
|
100,919
|
124,733
|
|||||||
|
||||||||||
|
$
|
1,128,600
|
$
|
1,196,729
|
$
|
1,279,447
|
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Identifiable
assets -
|
|||||||
net
property and equipment:
|
|||||||
Germany
|
$
|
235,932
|
$
|
262,541
|
|||
Norway
|
54,759
|
68,833
|
|||||
Belgium
|
57,943
|
63,991
|
|||||
Canada
|
67,480
|
63,653
|
|||||
Other
|
2,806
|
2,985
|
|||||
$
|
418,920
|
$
|
462,003
|
Note
3 - Accounts
and other receivables:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Trade
receivables
|
$
|
170,619
|
$
|
182,985
|
|||
Recoverable
VAT and other receivables
|
15,930
|
20,559
|
|||||
Allowance
for doubtful accounts
|
(1,965
|
)
|
(1,492
|
)
|
|||
$
|
184,584
|
$
|
202,052
|
Note
4 - Inventories
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Raw
materials
|
$
|
52,343
|
$
|
46,087
|
|||
Work
in progress
|
17,959
|
25,650
|
|||||
Finished
products
|
149,900
|
167,663
|
|||||
Supplies
|
39,642
|
47,121
|
|||||
$
|
259,844
|
$
|
286,521
|
Note
5 - Other
noncurrent assets:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Deferred
financing costs, net
|
$
|
8,150
|
$
|
9,109
|
|||
Restricted
marketable debt securities
|
2,572
|
2,814
|
|||||
Pension
asset
|
-
|
5,634
|
|||||
Unrecognized
net pension obligation
|
11,916
|
-
|
|||||
Other
|
3,000
|
1,074
|
|||||
$
|
25,638
|
$
|
18,631
|
We
adopted the asset and liability recognition and disclosure requirements of
SFAS
No. 158, Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other
Postretirement Plans at December 31, 2006. See Note 10.
Note
6 - Investment
in TiO2
manufacturing joint venture:
We
own a
50% interest in Louisiana Pigment Company, L.P. (“LPC”). LPC is a manufacturing
joint venture whose other 50%-owner is Tioxide Americas Inc. (“Tioxide”).
Tioxide is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huntsman Holdings LLC. LPC owns and
operates a chloride-process TiO2
plant in
Lake Charles, Louisiana.
We
and
Tioxide are both required to purchase one-half of the TiO2
produced
by LPC. LPC operates on a break-even basis and, accordingly, we report no
equity
in earnings of LPC. Each owner’s acquisition transfer price for its share of the
TiO2
produced
is equal to its share of the joint venture’s production costs and interest
expense, if any. Our share of net cost is reported as cost of sales as the
related TiO2
acquired
from LPC is sold. We report distributions we receive from LPC, which generally
relate to excess cash generated by LPC from its non-cash production costs,
and
contributions we make to LPC, which generally relate to cash required by
LPC
when it builds working capital, as part of our cash flows from operating
activities in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Such distributions
are
reported net of any contributions made to LPC during the periods. Net
distributions we received from LPC were $8.6 million in 2004, $4.9 million
in
2005, and $2.3 million in 2006. These net distributions are stated net of
contributions of $15.6 million in 2004, $10.1 million in 2005, and $11.9
million
in 2006.
Summary
balance sheets of LPC are shown below:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
|||||||
Current
assets
|
$
|
62,878
|
$
|
56,192
|
|||
Property
and equipment, net
|
200,383
|
192,627
|
|||||
$
|
263,261
|
$
|
248,819
|
||||
LIABILITIES
AND PARTNERS’ EQUITY
|
|||||||
Other
liabilities, primarily current
|
$
|
29,896
|
$
|
18,843
|
|||
Partners’
equity
|
233,365
|
229,976
|
|||||
$
|
263,261
|
$
|
248,819
|
Summary
income statements of LPC are shown below:
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Revenues
and other income:
|
||||||||||
Kronos
|
$
|
104,849
|
$
|
109,417
|
$
|
124,149
|
||||
Tioxide
|
105,543
|
110,379
|
125,202
|
|||||||
Interest
|
54
|
196
|
446
|
|||||||
210,446
|
219,992
|
249,797
|
||||||||
Cost
and expenses:
|
||||||||||
Cost
of sales
|
209,983
|
219,576
|
249,330
|
|||||||
General
and administrative
|
463
|
416
|
467
|
|||||||
210,446
|
219,992
|
249,797
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
On
September 22, 2005, LPC temporarily halted production due to Hurricane Rita.
Although storm damage to core processing facilities was not extensive, a
variety
of factors, including loss of utilities, limited access and availability
of
employees and raw materials, prevented the resumption of partial operations
until October 9, 2005 and full operations until late 2005. The majority of
LPC’s
property damage and unabsorbed fixed costs, for periods in which normal
production levels were not achieved, were covered by insurance, and insurance
covered our lost profits (subject to applicable deductibles) resulting from
our
share of the lost production from LPC. Both
we
and LPC have filed claims with our insurers. We recognized income of $1.8
million related to our business interruption claim in the fourth quarter
of
2006, which is included in other income on our Consolidated Statement of
Income.
Note
7 - Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
|||||||
Accounts
payable
|
$
|
91,397
|
$
|
88,776
|
|||
Employee
benefits
|
35,610
|
25,670
|
|||||
Accrued
interest
|
190
|
7,525
|
|||||
Other
|
34,448
|
33,226
|
|||||
$
|
161,645
|
$
|
155,197
|
||||
Note
8 - Long-term
debt:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Kronos
International, Inc.:
|
|||||||
8.875%
Senior Secured Notes
|
$
|
449,298
|
$
|
-
|
|||
6.5%
Senior Secured Notes
|
-
|
525,003
|
|||||
Revolving
credit facilities:
|
|||||||
Kronos
U.S. subsidiaries
|
11,500
|
6,450
|
|||||
Other
|
4,525
|
4,795
|
|||||
465,323
|
536,248
|
||||||
Less
current maturities
|
958
|
912
|
|||||
$
|
464,365
|
$
|
535,336
|
Senior
Secured Notes - On April 11, 2006, Kronos International, Inc. (“KII”), one of
our subsidiaries, issued an aggregate of euro 400 million principal amount
of
new 6.5% Senior Secured Notes due April 2013, at 99.306% of their principal
amount ($498.5 million when issued) to yield an effective interest rate of
7.1%.
These Senior Secured Notes are collateralized by a pledge of 65% of the common
stock or other ownership interests of certain of our first-tier European
operating subsidiaries. Such operating subsidiaries are Kronos Titan GmbH,
Kronos Denmark ApS, Kronos Limited and Societe Industrielle Du Titane, S.A.
We
issued the 6.5% Notes pursuant to an indenture which contains a number of
covenants and restrictions which, among other things, restricts our ability
to
incur debt, incur liens, pay dividends or merge or consolidate with, or sell
or
transfer all or substantially all of the assets of these subsidiaries to,
another entity. At our option, we may redeem the 6.5% Notes on or after October
15, 2009 at redemption prices ranging from 103.25% of the principal amount,
declining to 100% on or after October 15, 2012. In addition, on or before
April
15, 2009, we may redeem up to 35% of the 6.5% Notes with the net proceeds
of a
qualified public equity offering at 106.5% of the principal amount. In the
event
of a change of control, as defined, we would be required to make an offer
to
purchase the 6.5% Notes at 101% of the principal amount. We would also be
required to make an offer to purchase a specified portion of the 6.5% Notes
at
par value in the event we generate a certain amount of net proceeds from
the
sale of assets outside the ordinary course of business, and such net proceeds
are not otherwise used for specified purposes within a specified time period.
At
December 31, 2006, the estimated market price of the 6.5% Notes was
approximately euro 970 per euro 1,000 principal amount. At December 31, 2006,
the carrying amount of the Notes includes euro 2.5 million ($3.4 million)
of
unamortized original issue discount.
We
used
the proceeds from the 6.5% Notes to fund the May 2006 redemption of our 8.875%
Senior Secured Notes at 104.437% of the aggregate principal amount of euro
375
million for an aggregate of $491.4 million, including the $20.9 million call
premium. We recognized a $22.3 million pre-tax interest charge in 2006 related
to the prepayment of the 8.875% Notes, consisting of the call premium on
the
8.875% Notes and the write-off of deferred financing costs and unamortized
premium related to the notes.
Revolving
credit facilities - Our operating subsidiaries in Germany, Belgium, Norway
and
Denmark have a euro 80 million secured revolving bank credit facility that
matures in June 2008. We may denominate borrowings in euros, Norwegian kroners
or U.S. dollars. Outstanding borrowings bear interest at the applicable
interbank market rate plus 1.125%. We may also issue up to euro 5 million
of
letters of credit under the facility. The credit facility is collateralized
by
the accounts receivable and inventories of the borrowers, plus a limited
pledge
of all of the other assets of the Belgian borrower. The credit facility contains
certain restrictive covenants which, among other things, restricts the ability
of the borrowers to incur debt, incur liens, pay dividends or merge or
consolidate with, or sell or transfer all or substantially all of their assets
to, another entity. In
addition, the credit facility contains customary cross-default provisions
with
respect to other debt and obligations of the borrowers, KII and its other
subsidiaries. At
December 31, 2006, no amounts were outstanding under the European Credit
Facility, and the equivalent of $105.6 million was available for additional
borrowing by the subsidiaries.
Certain
of our U.S. subsidiaries have a $50 million revolving credit facility ($6.5
million outstanding at December 31, 2006) that matures in September 2008.
The
facility is collateralized by the accounts receivable, inventories and certain
fixed assets of the borrowers. Borrowings under this facility are limited
to the
lesser of $45 million or a formula-determined amount based upon the accounts
receivable and inventories of the borrowers. Borrowings bear interest at
either
the prime rate or rates based upon the eurodollar rate (8.25% at December
31,
2006). The facility contains certain restrictive covenants which, among other
things, restricts the abilities of the borrowers to incur debt, incur liens,
pay
dividends in certain circumstances, sell assets or enter into mergers. At
December 31, 2006, $35.6 million was available for additional borrowing under
the facility.
Our
Canadian subsidiary has a Cdn. $30 million revolving credit facility that
matures in January 2009. The facility is collateralized by the accounts
receivable and inventories of the borrower. Borrowings under this facility
are
limited to the lesser of Cdn. $26 million or a formula-determined amount
based
upon the accounts receivable and inventories of the borrower. Borrowings
bear
interest at rates based upon either the Canadian prime rate, the U.S. prime
rate
or LIBOR (6.75% at December 31, 2006). The facility contains certain restrictive
covenants which, among other things, restrict the ability of the borrower
to
incur debt, incur liens, pay dividends in certain circumstances, sell assets
or
enter into mergers. At December 31, 2006, no amounts were outstanding and
the
equivalent of $16.1 million was available for borrowing under the
facility.
Under
the
cross-default provisions of the 6.5% Notes, the 6.5% Notes may be accelerated
prior to their stated maturity if KII or any of KII’s subsidiaries default under
any other indebtedness in excess of $20 million due to a failure to pay such
other indebtedness at its due date (including any due date that arises prior
to
the stated maturity as a result of a default under such other indebtedness).
Under the cross-default provisions of the European credit facility, any
outstanding borrowings under the facility may be accelerated prior to their
stated maturity if the borrowers or KII default under any other indebtedness
in
excess of euro 5 million due to a failure to pay such other indebtedness
at its
due date (including any due date that arises prior to the stated maturity
as a
result of a default under such other indebtedness). Under
the
cross-default provisions of our U.S. credit facility, any outstanding borrowing
under such facility may be accelerated prior to their stated maturity in
the
event of our bankruptcy. The Canadian revolving credit facility contains
no
cross-default provisions. The European, U.S. and Canadian revolving credit
facilities each contain provisions that allow the lender to accelerate the
maturity of the applicable facility in the event of a change of control,
as
defined, of the applicable borrower. In the event any of these cross-default
or
change-of-control provisions become applicable, and such indebtedness is
accelerated, we would be required to repay such indebtedness prior to their
stated maturity.
Aggregate
maturities of long-term debt at December 31, 2006 are shown in the table
below.
Years
ending December 31,
|
Amount
|
|||
(In
thousands)
|
||||
2007
|
$
|
912
|
||
2008
|
7,373
|
|||
2009
|
954
|
|||
2010
|
986
|
|||
2011
|
1,020
|
|||
2012
and thereafter
|
525,003
|
|||
$
|
536,248
|
Restrictions.
Certain
of the credit facilities described above require the respective borrower
to
maintain minimum levels of equity, require the maintenance of certain financial
ratios, limit dividends and additional indebtedness and contain other provisions
and restrictive covenants customary in lending transactions of this type.
At
December 31, 2006, the restricted net assets of consolidated subsidiaries
approximated $79 million. At December 31, 2006, there were no restrictions
on
our ability to pay dividends.
Note
9 - Income taxes:
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
(In
millions)
|
||||||||||
Pre-tax
income:
|
||||||||||
U.S.
|
$
|
3.3
|
$
|
13.0
|
$
|
9.4
|
||||
Non-U.S.
|
60.1
|
125.8
|
71.9
|
|||||||
$
|
63.4
|
$
|
138.8
|
$
|
81.3
|
|||||
Expected
tax expense, at U.S. federal
statutory income tax rate of 35%
|
$
|
22.3
|
$
|
48.6
|
$
|
28.5
|
||||
Non-U.S.
tax rates
|
.2
|
.3
|
(1.6
|
)
|
||||||
German
tax attribute adjustment
|
-
|
17.5
|
(21.7
|
)
|
||||||
Canadian
tax rate change
|
-
|
.9
|
(1.1
|
)
|
||||||
Incremental
U.S. tax and rate differences on equity in earnings of non-tax
group
companies
|
(.1
|
)
|
.2
|
2.3
|
||||||
Change
in deferred income tax valuation allowance, net
|
(280.7
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Nondeductible
expenses
|
4.3
|
4.6
|
4.4
|
|||||||
U.S.
state income taxes, net
|
.2
|
4.3
|
1.1
|
|||||||
Tax
contingency reserve adjustment, net
|
(3.1
|
)
|
(11.5
|
)
|
(10.7
|
)
|
||||
Assessment
(refund) of prior year income taxes
|
(2.5
|
)
|
2.3
|
(1.4
|
)
|
|||||
Other,
net
|
8.7
|
.2
|
(.5
|
)
|
||||||
$
|
(250.7
|
)
|
$
|
67.4
|
$
|
(.7
|
)
|
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
(In
millions)
|
||||||||||
Components
of income tax expense (benefit):
|
||||||||||
Currently
payable (refundable):
|
||||||||||
U.S.
federal and state
|
$
|
.8
|
$
|
8.2
|
$
|
5.5
|
||||
Non-U.S.
|
12.1
|
32.4
|
22.0
|
|||||||
12.9
|
40.6
|
27.5
|
||||||||
Deferred
income taxes (benefit):
|
||||||||||
U.S.
federal and state
|
11.4
|
(1.0
|
)
|
.4
|
||||||
Non-U.S.
|
(275.0
|
)
|
27.8
|
(28.6
|
)
|
|||||
(263.6
|
)
|
26.8
|
(28.2
|
)
|
||||||
$
|
(250.7
|
)
|
$
|
67.4
|
$
|
(.7
|
)
|
|||
Comprehensive
provision for income taxes allocable to:
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
(250.7
|
)
|
$
|
67.4
|
$
|
(.7
|
)
|
||
Paid
in capital
|
.2
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||
Other
comprehensive income -
|
||||||||||
Defined
benefit pension liabilities
|
(8.3
|
)
|
(33.8
|
)
|
7.1
|
|||||
Adoption
of SFAS No. 158:
|
||||||||||
Defined
benefit pension liabilities
|
-
|
-
|
(20.0
|
)
|
||||||
OPEB
|
-
|
-
|
.3
|
|||||||
$
|
(258.8
|
)
|
$
|
33.6
|
$
|
(13.3
|
)
|
The
components of the net deferred tax liability at December 31, 2005 and 2006,
and
changes in the deferred income tax valuation allowance during the past three
years, are summarized in the following tables.
December
31,
|
|||||||||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
(As
Adjusted)
|
|||||||||||||
Assets
|
Liabilities
|
Assets
|
Liabilities
|
||||||||||
(In
millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Tax
effect of temporary differences related to:
|
|||||||||||||
Inventories
|
$
|
2.2
|
$
|
(3.4
|
)
|
$
|
2.5
|
$
|
(2.4
|
)
|
|||
Property
and equipment
|
25.6
|
(58.2
|
)
|
19.4
|
(55.9
|
)
|
|||||||
Accrued
postretirement benefits other than pension (“OPEB”) costs
|
3.9
|
-
|
2.9
|
-
|
|||||||||
Pension
asset
|
-
|
(36.1
|
)
|
-
|
(37.6
|
)
|
|||||||
Accrued
pension cost
|
55.1
|
-
|
68.5
|
-
|
|||||||||
Other
accrued liabilities and deductible differences
|
26.3
|
-
|
25.5
|
-
|
|||||||||
Other
taxable differences
|
-
|
(33.5
|
)
|
-
|
(20.3
|
)
|
|||||||
Tax
on unremitted earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries
|
-
|
(3.1
|
)
|
-
|
(4.9
|
)
|
|||||||
Tax
loss and tax credit carryforwards
|
178.1
|
-
|
219.3
|
-
|
|||||||||
Adjusted
gross deferred tax assets (liabilities)
|
291.2
|
(134.3
|
)
|
338.1
|
(121.1
|
)
|
|||||||
Netting
of items by tax jurisdiction
|
(75.3
|
)
|
75.3
|
(71.6
|
)
|
71.6
|
|||||||
215.9
|
(59.0
|
)
|
266.5
|
(49.5
|
)
|
||||||||
Less
net current deferred tax asset (liability)
|
2.2
|
(5.6
|
)
|
2.1
|
(2.2
|
)
|
|||||||
Net
noncurrent deferred tax asset (liability)
|
$
|
213.7
|
$
|
(53.4
|
)
|
$
|
264.4
|
$
|
(47.3
|
)
|
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(In
millions)
|
||||||||||
Increase
(decrease) in valuation allowance:
|
||||||||||
Recognition
of certain deductible tax attributes for which the benefit had
not
previously been recognized under the “more-likely-than-not” recognition
criteria
|
$
|
(280.7
|
)
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
|||
Foreign
currency translation
|
(3.0
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Offset
to the change in gross deferred income tax assets due principally
to
redeterminations of certain tax attributes and implementation
of certain
tax planning strategies
|
121.0
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||
$
|
(162.7
|
)
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
Tax
authorities are examining certain of our non-U.S. tax returns and have or
may
propose tax deficiencies, including penalties and interest. For
example:
· |
We
previously received a preliminary tax assessment related to 1993
from the
Belgian tax authorities proposing tax deficiencies, including related
interest, of approximately euro 6 million. The Belgian tax authorities
filed a lien on the fixed assets of our Belgian TiO2
operations in connection with their assessment. This lien did not
interfere with on-going operations at the facility. We filed a
protest to
this assessment, and in July 2006 the Belgian tax authorities withdrew
the
assessment. The lien was subsequently released.
|
· |
The
Norwegian tax authorities previously notified us of their intent
to assess
tax deficiencies of approximately kroner 12 million relating to
the years
1998 through 2000. We objected to this proposed assessment, and
in May
2006 the Norwegian tax authorities withdrew the assessment.
|
Principally
as a result of the withdrawal of the Belgian and Norwegian assessments discussed
above and the resolution of our ongoing income tax audits in Germany, we
recognized a $10.7 million income tax benefit in 2006 related to the total
reduction in our income tax contingency reserve.
Due
to
the favorable resolution of certain income tax audits related to our German
and
Belgian operations during 2006, we recognized a net $1.4 million income tax
benefit related to adjustments of prior year income taxes.
Due
to
the resolution of certain income tax audits in Germany, we also recognized
a
$21.7 million income tax benefit in 2006 primarily related to an increase
in the
amount of our German trade tax net operating loss carryforward. The increase
resulted from a reallocation of expenses between our German units related
to
periods in which such units did not file on a consolidated basis for German
trade tax purposes, with the net result that the amount of our German trade
tax
carryforward recognized by the German tax authorities has
increased.
Other
income tax examinations related to our operations continue, and we cannot
guarantee that these tax matters will be resolved in our favor due to the
inherent uncertainties involved in settlement initiatives and court and tax
proceedings. We believe we have adequate accruals for additional taxes and
related interest expense which could ultimately result from tax examinations.
We
believe the ultimate disposition of tax examinations should not have a material
adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations
or
liquidity.
In
June
2006, Canada enacted a 2% reduction in the Canadian federal income tax rate
and
the elimination of the federal surtax. The 2% reduction will be phased in
from
2008 to 2010, and the federal surtax will be eliminated in 2008. As a result,
in
2006, we recognized a $1.1 million income tax benefit related to the effect
of
such reduction on our previously-recorded net deferred income tax
liability.
In
2005,
we reached an agreement in principle with the German tax authorities regarding
such tax authorities’ objection to the value assigned to certain intellectual
property rights held by our operating subsidiary in Germany. Under the agreement
in principle, the value assigned to such intellectual property for German
income
tax purposes was reduced retroactively, resulting in a reduction in the amount
of our net operating loss carryforward in Germany as well as a future reduction
in the amount of amortization expense attributable to such intellectual
property. As a result, we recognized a $17.5 million non-cash deferred income
tax expense in the third quarter of 2005 related to such agreement. The $11.5
million tax contingency adjustment income tax benefit in 2005 relates primarily
to the withdrawal of the Belgium tax authorities’ assessment related to 1999 and
the Canadian tax authorities’ reduction of one of its assessments relating to
1998 and 1999.
At
December 31, 2003, we had a significant amount of net operating loss
carryforwards for German corporate and trade tax purposes. These carryforwards
have no expiration date. We generated these net operating loss carryforwards
principally during the 1990’s when KII had a significantly higher level of
outstanding indebtedness than we currently have. At December 31, 2003, we
had
not recognized the benefit of these carryforwards for financial reporting
purposes because we concluded they did not meet the “more-likely-than-not”
recognition criteria. Therefore, we had recognized a deferred income tax
asset
valuation allowance to completely offset the benefit of these carryforwards
and
our other tax attributes in Germany. During 2004, and based on all available
evidence, we concluded that the benefit of these carryforwards and other
German
tax attributes now met the “more-likely-than-not” recognition criteria and that
reversal of the deferred income tax asset valuation allowance related to
Germany
was appropriate. The aggregate amount of the valuation allowance related
to
Germany that we reversed during 2004 was $280.7 million.
At
December 31, 2006, we had the equivalent of $701 million and $247 million
of net
operating loss carryforwards for German corporate and trade tax purposes,
respectively, all of which have no expiration date.
Note
10 - Employee benefit plans:
Defined
contribution plans.
We
maintain various defined contribution pension plans with our contributions
based
on matching or other formulas. Defined contribution plan expense approximated
$.4 million in 2004 and $.6 million in each of 2005 and 2006.
Defined
benefit plans.
We
maintain various defined benefit pension plans. Non-U.S. employees are covered
by plans in their respective countries and a majority of U.S. employees are
eligible to participate in a contributory savings plan. Variances
from actuarially assumed rates will result in increases or decreases in
accumulated pension obligations, pension expense and funding requirements
in
future periods. At December 31, 2006, we expect to contribute the equivalent
of
approximately $22 million to all of our defined benefit pension plans during
2007.
The
funded status of our defined benefit pension plan, the components of net
periodic defined benefit pension cost and the rates used in determining the
actuarial present value of benefit obligations are presented in the tables
below. We use a September 30 measurement date for our defined benefit pension
plan.
Years
ended December 31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Change
in projected benefit obligations (“PBO”):
|
|||||||
Benefit
obligations at beginning of the year
|
$
|
368,863
|
$
|
429,570
|
|||
Service
cost
|
7,373
|
7,759
|
|||||
Interest
cost
|
17,718
|
19,001
|
|||||
Participant
contributions
|
1,526
|
1,503
|
|||||
Actuarial
losses (gain)
|
95,342
|
(16,117
|
)
|
||||
Change
in foreign currency exchange rates
|
(41,362
|
)
|
39,162
|
||||
Benefits
paid
|
(19,890
|
)
|
(20,729
|
)
|
|||
Benefit
obligations at end of the year
|
$
|
429,570
|
$
|
460,149
|
|||
Change
in plan assets:
|
|||||||
Fair
value of plan assets at beginning of the year
|
$
|
242,473
|
$
|
237,973
|
|||
Actual
return on plan assets
|
18,282
|
14,327
|
|||||
Employer
contributions
|
18,555
|
26,849
|
|||||
Participant
contributions
|
1,526
|
1,503
|
|||||
Change
in foreign currency exchange rates
|
(22,973
|
)
|
19,869
|
||||
Benefits
paid
|
(19,890
|
)
|
(20,729
|
)
|
|||
Fair
value of plan assets at end of year
|
$
|
237,973
|
$
|
279,792
|
|||
Accumulated
benefit obligations (“ABO”)
|
$
|
391,087
|
$
|
400,298
|
|||
Funded
status at end of the year
|
|||||||
Plan
assets less than PBO
|
$
|
(191,597
|
)
|
$
|
(180,357
|
)
|
|
Unrecognized
actuarial losses
|
197,255
|
188,468
|
|||||
Unrecognized
prior service cost
|
7,441
|
7,415
|
|||||
Unrecognized
net transition obligations
|
4,666
|
4,311
|
|||||
$
|
17,765
|
$
|
19,837
|
||||
Amounts
recognized in the balance sheet:
|
|||||||
Unrecognized
net pension obligations
|
$
|
11,916
|
$
|
-
|
|||
Pension
asset
|
-
|
5,634
|
|||||
Accrued
pension costs:
|
|||||||
Current
|
(12,320
|
)
|
(109
|
)
|
|||
Noncurrent
|
(139,786
|
)
|
(185,882
|
)
|
|||
Accumulated
other comprehensive loss
|
157,955
|
200,194
|
|||||
|
|||||||
|
$
|
17,765
|
$
|
19,837
|
The
amounts shown in the table above for actuarial losses, prior service cost
and
net transition obligations at December 31, 2005 and 2006 have not yet been
recognized as components of our periodic defined benefit pension cost as
of
those dates. These amounts will be recognized as components of our periodic
defined benefit cost in future years. However, upon adoption of SFAS No.
158,
the December 31, 2006 amounts, net of deferred income taxes, are recognized
in
our accumulated other comprehensive income. Of the amounts included in
accumulated other comprehensive income as of December 31, 2006 related to
our
pension plans, we expect to recognize net actuarial losses of $8 million,
prior
service costs of $.6 million and net transition obligations of $.5 million
as a
component of our net periodic pension expense during 2007.
The
components of our net periodic defined benefit pension cost are presented
in the table below.
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Net
periodic pension cost:
|
||||||||||
Service
cost benefits
|
$
|
6,758
|
$
|
7,373
|
$
|
7,759
|
||||
Interest
cost on PBO
|
17,403
|
17,718
|
19,001
|
|||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(15,240
|
)
|
(15,704
|
)
|
(16,136
|
)
|
||||
Amortization
of prior service cost
|
569
|
597
|
603
|
|||||||
Amortization
of net transition obligations
|
657
|
417
|
431
|
|||||||
Recognized
actuarial losses
|
3,015
|
3,672
|
8,727
|
|||||||
$
|
13,162
|
$
|
14,073
|
$
|
20,385
|
Certain
information concerning our defined benefit pension plans is presented in
the
table below.
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
PBO
at end of the year:
|
|||||||
U.S.
plans
|
$
|
15,069
|
$
|
14,335
|
|||
Non-U.S.
plans
|
414,501
|
445,814
|
|||||
|
$
|
429,570
|
$
|
460,149
|
|||
Fair
value of plan assets at end of the year:
|
|||||||
U.S.
plans
|
$
|
17,619
|
$
|
19,076
|
|||
Non-U.S.
plans
|
220,354
|
260,716
|
|||||
$
|
237,973
|
$
|
279,792
|
||||
Plans
for which the ABO exceeds plan assets (all non-U.S.
plans):
|
|||||||
PBO
|
$
|
414,501
|
$
|
445,814
|
|||
ABO
|
376,945
|
361,737
|
|||||
Fair
value of plan assets
|
220,354
|
260,716
|
|||||
The
weighted-average rate assumptions used in determining the actuarial present
value of benefit obligations as of December 31, 2005 and 2006 are presented
in
the table below. Such weighted-average rates were determined using the projected
benefit obligations at each date.
Rate
|
December
31,
|
|
|
2005
|
2006
|
Discount
rate
|
4.3%
|
4.7%
|
Increase
in future compensation levels
|
2.8%
|
3.0%
|
The
weighted-average rate assumptions used in determining the net periodic pension
cost for 2004, 2005 and 2006 are presented in the table below. The
weighted-average discount rate and the weighted-average increase in future
compensation levels were determined using the projected benefit obligations
as
of the beginning of each year, and the weighted-average long-term return
on plan
assets was determined using the fair value of plan assets as of the beginning
of
each year.
Rate
|
Years
ended December
31,
|
||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
|
Discount
rate
|
5.5%
|
5.2%
|
4.3%
|
Increase
in future compensation levels
|
2.8%
|
2.8%
|
2.8%
|
Long-term
return on plan assets
|
7.1%
|
6.4%
|
6.1%
|
In
determining the expected long-term rate of return on plan asset assumptions,
we
consider the long-term asset mix (e.g. equity vs. fixed income) for the assets
for each of our plans and the expected long-term rates of return for such
asset
components. In addition, we receive advice about appropriate long-term rates
of
return from our third-party actuaries. Such assumed asset mixes are summarized
below:
· |
In
Germany, the composition of our plan assets is established to satisfy
the
requirements of the German insurance commissioner. The
plan asset allocation at December 31, 2006 was 23% to equity managers,
48%
to fixed income managers, 14% to real estate and other investments
15%
(2005 - 23%, 48%, 14% and 15%,
respectively).
|
· |
In
Norway, we currently have a plan asset target allocation of 14%
to equity
managers, 65% to fixed income managers and the remainder primarily
to
liquid investments such as money markets. The expected long-term
rate of
return for such investments is approximately 8%, 4.5% and 4%,
respectively. The
plan asset allocation at December 31, 2006 was 13% to equity managers,
64%
to fixed income managers, and the remaining 23% primarily to cash
and
liquid investments (2005 - 16%, 62% and 22%,
respectively).
|
· |
In
Canada, we currently have a plan asset target allocation of 65%
to equity
managers and 35% to fixed income managers, with an expected long-term
rate
of return for such investments to average approximately 125 basis
points
above the applicable equity or fixed income index. The
current plan asset allocation at December 31, 2006 was 66% to equity
managers, 32% to fixed income managers and 2% to other investments
(2005 -
64%, 32% and 4%, respectively).
|
We
regularly review our actual asset allocation for each of our plans, and will
periodically rebalance the investments in each plan to more accurately reflect
the targeted allocation when considered appropriate.
At
December 31, 2005 and 2006, all of the assets attributable to U.S. plans
were
invested in The Combined Master Retirement Trust (“CMRT”), a collective
investment trust sponsored by Contran to permit the collective investment
by
certain master trusts which fund certain employee benefit plans sponsored
by
Contran and certain of its affiliates.
At
December 31, 2006, the asset mix of the CMRT was 86% in U.S. equity securities,
7% in international equity securities and 7% in cash, fixed income securities
and other investments. At December 31, 2005, the asset mix of the CMRT was
86%
in U.S. equity securities, 7% in international equity securities and 7% in
cash,
fixed income securities and other investments.
The
CMRT’s long-term investment objective is to provide a rate of return exceeding
a
composite of broad market equity and fixed income indices (including the
S&P
500 and certain Russell indices) utilizing both third-party investment managers
as well as investments directed by Mr. Simmons. Mr. Simmons is the sole trustee
of the CMRT. The trustee of the CMRT, along with the CMRT’s investment
committee, of which Mr. Simmons is a member, actively manage the investments
of
the CMRT. Such parties have in the past, and may in the future, periodically
change the asset mix of the CMRT based upon, among other things, advice they
receive from third-party advisors and their expectations as to what asset
mix
will generate the greatest overall return. For the years ended December 31,
2004, 2005 and 2006, the assumed long-term rate of return for plan assets
invested in the CMRT was 10%. In determining the appropriateness of such
long-term rate of return assumption, we considered, among other things, the
historical rates of return for the CMRT, the current and projected asset
mix of
the CMRT and the investment objectives of the CMRT’s managers. During the
18-year history of the CMRT from its inception in 1987 through December 31,
2006, the average annual rate of return has been 14% (including a 36% return
for
2005 and a 17% return for 2006).
We
expect
future benefits paid from all defined benefit pension plans are as
follows:
Years
ending December 31,
|
Amount
|
|||
(In
thousands)
|
||||
2007
|
$
|
21,293
|
||
2008
|
21,365
|
|||
2009
|
18,629
|
|||
2010
|
19,047
|
|||
2011
|
19,547
|
|||
2012
to 2016
|
110,600
|
Postretirement
benefits other than pensions.
In
addition to providing pension benefits, we currently provide certain health
care
and life insurance benefits for eligible retired employees. Certain
of our Canadian employees may become eligible for such postretirement health
care and life insurance benefits if they reach retirement age while working
for
us. In 1989 we began phasing out such benefits for active U.S. employees
over a
ten-year period and U.S. employees retiring after 1998 are not entitled to
any
such benefits. The majority of all retirees are required to contribute a
portion
of the cost of their benefits and certain current and future retirees are
eligible for reduced health care benefits at age 65. We fund medical claims
as
they are incurred, net of any contributions by the retiree.
The
components of the periodic OPEB cost and accumulated OPEB obligations and
the
rates used in determining the actuarial present value of benefit obligations
are
presented in the tables below. We use a December 31 measurement date for
our
postretirement benefit plans. Variances from actuarially-assumed rates will
result in additional increases or decreases in accumulated OPEB obligations,
net
periodic OPEB cost and funding requirements in future periods. At December
31,
2006, the expected rate of increase in future health care costs is 7% to
8% in
2007, declining to 5.5% in 2009 and thereafter for U.S. plans and from 7%
to 8%
declining to 5.5% in 2010 and thereafter for Canadian plans. (At December
31,
2005, the expected rate of increase in future healthcare costs ranged from
8% to
9% in 2005 declining to 5.5% in 2009 and thereafter for U.S. plans and declining
to 5% in 2008 and thereafter for Canadian plans.) If the healthcare cost
trend
rate was increased (decreased) by one percentage point for each year, OPEB
expense would have increased by $.2 million (decreased by $.1 million) in
2006,
and the actuarial present value of accumulated OPEB obligations at December
31,
2006 would have increased by $1.4 million (decreased by $1.1
million).
Years
ended December 31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Change
in accumulated OPEB obligations:
|
|||||||
Obligations
at beginning of the year
|
$
|
10,520
|
$
|
11,280
|
|||
Service
cost
|
222
|
288
|
|||||
Interest
cost
|
584
|
630
|
|||||
Actuarial
losses (gains)
|
923
|
(380
|
)
|
||||
Plan
amendments
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Change
in foreign currency exchange rates
|
286
|
(3
|
)
|
||||
Benefits
paid from employer contributions
|
(1,255
|
)
|
(1,030
|
)
|
|||
Obligations
at end of the year
|
$
|
11,280
|
$
|
10,785
|
|||
Funded
status at end of the year
|
|||||||
Benefit
obligations
|
$
|
(11,280
|
)
|
$
|
(10,785
|
)
|
|
Unrecognized
net actuarial losses
|
1,102
|
621
|
|||||
Unrecognized
prior service credit
|
(1,211
|
)
|
(1,011
|
)
|
|||
$
|
(11,389
|
)
|
$
|
(11,175
|
)
|
||
Amounts
recognized in the balance sheet:
|
|||||||
Current
accrued pension costs
|
$
|
(1,215
|
)
|
$
|
(976
|
)
|
|
Noncurrent
accrued pension costs
|
(10,174
|
)
|
(9,809
|
)
|
|||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
|
-
|
(390
|
)
|
||||
$
|
(11,389
|
)
|
$
|
(11,175
|
)
|
||
The
components of our periodic OPEB costs is presented in the table
below.
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Net
periodic OPEB cost (credit):
|
||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
232
|
$
|
222
|
$
|
288
|
||||
Interest
cost
|
724
|
584
|
630
|
|||||||
Amortization
of prior service credit
|
(638
|
)
|
(639
|
)
|
(200
|
)
|
||||
Recognized
actuarial losses
|
137
|
72
|
115
|
|||||||
|
$
|
455
|
$
|
239
|
$
|
833
|
The
amounts shown in the table above for actuarial losses and prior service credit
at December 31, 2005 and 2006 have not yet been recognized as components
of our
periodic OPEB cost as of those dates. These amounts will be recognized as
components of our periodic OPEB cost in future years. However, upon adoption
of
SFAS No. 158, the December 31, 2006 amounts, net of deferred income taxes,
are
recognized in our accumulated other comprehensive income. Of the amounts
included in accumulated other comprehensive income as of December 31, 2006
related to our OPEB plans, we expect to recognize net actuarial losses of
$91,000 and prior service credit of $200,000 as a component of our net periodic
pension expense during 2007.
The
weighted average discount rate used in determining the actuarial present
value
of benefit obligations as of December 31, 2006 was 5.8% (2005 - 5.6%). Such
weighted average rate was determined using the projected benefit obligation
as
of such dates. The impact of assumed increases in future compensation levels
does not have a material effect on the actuarial present value of the benefit
obligation as substantially all of such benefits relate solely to eligible
retirees, for which compensation is not applicable.
The
weighted average discount rate used in determining the net periodic OPEB
cost
for 2006 was 5.6% (2005 - 5.7%; 2004 - 5.9%). Such weighted average rate
was
determined using the projected benefit obligation as of the beginning of
each
year. The impact of assumed increases in future compensation levels does
not
have a material effect on the net periodic OPEB cost as substantially all
of
such benefits relate solely to eligible retirees, for which compensation
is not
applicable. The impact of assumed rate of return on plan assets also does
not
have a material affect on the net periodic OPEB cost as there were no plan
assets as of December 31, 2005 or 2006.
At
December 31, 2006, the accumulated OPEB obligations for all OPEB plans was
comprised of $3.8 million related to U.S. plans and $7.0 million related
to our
Canadian plan (2005 - $4.4 million and $6.9 million, respectively).
We
expect
future benefits paid from all OPEB plans are as follows:
Years
ending December 31,
|
Amount
|
|||
(In
thousands)
|
||||
2007
|
$
|
976
|
||
2008
|
755
|
|||
2009
|
730
|
|||
2010
|
700
|
|||
2011
|
671
|
|||
2012
to 2016
|
2,992
|
The
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (the
“Medicare 2003 Act”) introduced a prescription drug benefit under Medicare
(Medicare Part D) as well as a federal subsidy to sponsors of retiree health
care benefit plans that provide a benefit that is at least actuarially
equivalent to Medicare Part D. In 2004, we determined that benefits provided
by
our plan are actuarially equivalent to the Medicare Part D benefit and
therefore we are eligible for the federal subsidy provided for by the Medicare
2003 Act. The effect of such subsidy, which we accounted for prospectively
from
the date actuarial equivalence was determined, as permitted by and in accordance
with FASB Staff Position No. 106-2, did not have a material impact on the
accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, and will not have a material
impact on the net periodic OPEB cost going forward.
New
accounting standard.
We
account for our defined benefit pension plans using SFAS No. 87, Employer’s
Accounting for Pensions,
as
amended, and we account for our OPEB plans under SFAS No. 106, Employers
Accounting for Postretirement Benefits other than Pensions, as
amended. In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, Employers’ Accounting
for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans. SFAS No. 158,
which further amended SFAS Nos. 87 and 106, requires us to recognize an asset
or
liability for the over or under funded status of each of our individual defined
benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans on our Consolidated Balance
Sheets. This standard does not change the existing recognition and
measurement requirements that determine the amount of periodic benefit cost
we
recognize in net income. We adopted the asset and liability recognition and
disclosure requirements of this standard effective December 31, 2006 on a
prospective basis, in which we recognized through accumulated other
comprehensive income all of our prior unrecognized gains and losses and prior
service costs or credits, net of tax, as of December 31, 2006. We will recognize
all future changes in the funded status of these plans through comprehensive
income, net of tax. These future changes will be recognized either in net
income, to the extent they are reflected in periodic benefit cost, or through
other comprehensive income. In addition, we currently use September 30 as
a measurement date for our defined benefit pension plans, but under this
standard we will be required to use December 31 as the measurement date.
The
measurement date requirement of SFAF No. 158 will become effective for us
by the
end of 2008 and provides two alternate transition methods; we have not yet
determined which transition method we will select.
Adopting
this standard had the following effects on our Consolidated Financial Statements
as of December 31, 2006:
Before
application
of
SFAS
No.
158
|
Adjustments
|
After
application of SFAS
No.
158
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Assets:
|
||||||||||
Current
deferred income tax asset
|
$
|
5,157
|
$
|
(3,018
|
)
|
$
|
2,139
|
|||
Total
current assets
|
565,907
|
(3,018
|
)
|
562,889
|
||||||
Pension
asset
|
-
|
5,634
|
5,634
|
|||||||
Unrecognized
net pension obligations
|
9,752
|
(9,752
|
)
|
-
|
||||||
Noncurrent
deferred income tax asset
|
247,104
|
17,276
|
264,380
|
|||||||
Total
other assets
|
383,466
|
13,158
|
396,624
|
|||||||
Total
assets
|
1,411,376
|
10,140
|
1,421,516
|
|||||||
Liabilities:
|
||||||||||
Current
accrued pension and OPEB costs
|
12,675
|
(11,590
|
)
|
1,085
|
||||||
Current
deferred income taxes
|
674
|
1,536
|
2,210
|
|||||||
Total
current liabilities
|
189,511
|
(10,054
|
)
|
179,457
|
||||||
Noncurrent
accrued pension costs
|
120,849
|
65,033
|
185,882
|
|||||||
Noncurrent
accrued OPEB costs
|
10,199
|
(390
|
)
|
9,809
|
||||||
Noncurrent
deferred income taxes
|
54,339
|
(7,027
|
)
|
47,312
|
||||||
Total
noncurrent liabilities
|
736,003
|
57,616
|
793,619
|
|||||||
Stockholders’
equity:
|
||||||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive
income
- minimum pension liability
|
(88,650
|
)
|
88,650
|
-
|
||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive
income
- defined benefit
pension
plans
|
-
|
(126,192
|
)
|
(126,192
|
)
|
|||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive
income
- OPEB plans
|
-
|
120
|
120
|
|||||||
Total
accumulated other comprehensive
income
|
(170,029
|
)
|
(37,422
|
)
|
(207,451
|
)
|
||||
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
525,821
|
(37,422
|
)
|
488,399
|
||||||
Total
liabilities and stockholders’ equity
|
1,411,376
|
10,140
|
1,421,516
|
Note
11 - Other noncurrent liabilities:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Insurance
claims and expenses
|
$
|
1,733
|
$
|
1,942
|
|||
Employee
benefits
|
4,735
|
6,887
|
|||||
Other
|
9,587
|
6,451
|
|||||
$
|
16,055
|
$
|
15,280
|
Note
12 - Common stock compensation and other stock
transactions:
NL
common stock options held by our employees.
Certain
of our employees have been granted nonqualified options to purchase NL common
stock under the terms of certain option plans sponsored by NL. Generally,
the
stock options are granted at a price equal to or greater than 100% of the
market
price of NL's common stock at the date of grant, vest over a five-year period
and expire ten years from the date of grant.
At
December 31, 2006, our employees held options to purchase approximately 102,000
shares of NL common stock. These options are exercisable at various dates
through 2011 and 27,100 have exercise prices ranging from $2.66 to $5.63
per
share, and 74,750 have an exercise price of $11.49 per share.
At
December 31, 2006, all of the outstanding options were exercisable,
with
an
aggregate intrinsic value (defined as the excess of the market price of NL’s
common stock over the exercise price) of $132,000.
Of such
outstanding options, 27,100 had exercise prices less than NL’s December 31, 2006
quoted market price of $10.34 per share. Outstanding options at December
31,
2006 expire at various dates through 2011.
The
intrinsic value of these NL options exercised aggregated $1.8 million in
2004,
$1.2 million in 2005 and $.1 million in 2006 and the related income tax benefit
from such exercises was $.6 million in 2004, $.4 million in 2005, less than
$50,000 in 2006.
Long-term
incentive compensation plan.
We have
a long-term incentive compensation plan that provides for the discretionary
grant of, among other things, qualified incentive stock options, nonqualified
stock options, restricted common stock, stock awards and stock appreciation
rights. Up to 150,000 shares of our common stock may be issued pursuant to
this
plan. As of December 31, 2006, no options had been granted pursuant to this
plan, and 140,000 shares were available for future grants. During each of
2005
and 2006, we awarded an aggregate of 3,500 shares of our common stock pursuant
to this plan to members of our board of directors.
Other
capital transactions. In
December 2004 and in 2005, NL sold certain shares of our common stock in
market
transactions. Within six months of such sales by NL, Valhi purchased shares
of
our common stock in market transactions. In
settlement of any alleged short-swing profits derived from these transactions
as
calculated pursuant to Section
16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Valhi remitted
approximately $600,000 and $1.2 million to us during 2004 and 2005,
respectively. We recorded these amounts, net of applicable income taxes,
as
capital contributions that increased our additional paid-in
capital.
Note
13 - Related party transactions:
We
may be
deemed to be controlled by Harold C. Simmons. See Note 1. Corporations that
may be deemed to be controlled by or affiliated with Mr. Simmons sometimes
engage in (a) intercorporate transactions such as guarantees, management
and
expense sharing arrangements, shared fee arrangements, joint ventures,
partnerships, loans, options, advances of funds on open account, and sales,
leases and exchanges of assets, including securities issued by both related
and
unrelated parties and (b) common investment and acquisition strategies, business
combinations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, securities repurchases,
and
purchases and sales (and other acquisitions and dispositions) of subsidiaries,
divisions or other business units, which transactions have involved both
related
and unrelated parties and have included transactions which resulted in the
acquisition by one related party of a publicly-held minority equity interest
in
another related party. While no transactions of the type described above
are
planned or proposed with respect to us other than as set forth in these
financial statements, we continuously consider, review and evaluate, and
understand that Contran and related entities consider, review and evaluate
such
transactions. Depending upon the business, tax and other objectives then
relevant, it is possible that we might be a party to one or more such
transactions in the future.
Current
receivables from and payables to affiliates are summarized in the table
below.
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Current
receivables from affiliate:
|
|||||||
Titanium
Metals Corporation
|
$
|
2
|
$
|
105
|
|||
Other
|
-
|
46
|
|||||
$
|
2
|
$
|
151
|
||||
Current
payables to affiliates:
|
|||||||
Income
taxes payable to Valhi
|
$
|
434
|
$
|
312
|
|||
NL
|
145
|
238
|
|||||
LPC
|
9,803
|
10,332
|
|||||
$
|
10,382
|
$
|
10,882
|
Amounts
payable to LPC are generally for the purchase of TiO2
(see
Note 6). Purchases of TiO2
from LPC
were $104.8 million in 2004, $109.4 million in 2005, and $124.2 million in
2006.
Amounts payable to Titanium Metals Corporation and NL Industries, Inc.,
affiliates of Valhi, are for ordinary course of business trade
items.
Prior
to
December 2003, we were a wholly-owned subsidiary of NL. In December 2003,
immediately prior to NL's distribution of approximately 48.8% of the outstanding
shares of our common stock to NL stockholders, we distributed a $200 million
dividend to NL in the form of a note payable. The $200 million long-term
note
payable was unsecured and bore interest at 9% per annum. During 2005, we
completely repaid this $200 million note payable. Interest expense on this
note
payable was $15.2
million in 2004.
Under
the
terms of various intercorporate services agreements ("ISAs") entered into
between us and various related parties, including Contran, employees of one
company will provide certain management, tax planning, financial and
administrative services to the other company on a fee basis. Such charges
are
based upon estimates of the time devoted by the employees of the provider
of the
services to the affairs of the recipient, and the compensation and associated
expenses of such persons. Because of the large number of companies affiliated
with Contran and NL, we believe we benefit from cost savings and economies
of
scale gained by not having certain management, financial and administrative
staffs duplicated at each entity, thus allowing certain individuals to provide
services to multiple companies but only be compensated by one entity.
The
net
ISA fee charged to us included in selling, general and administrative expense
and corporate expense, was $4.4 million in 2004, $5.7 million in 2005, and
$6.3
million in 2006.
Tall
Pines Insurance Company, and EWI RE, Inc. provide for or broker certain
insurance policies for Contran and certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates,
including ourselves. Tall Pines and EWI are subsidiaries of Valhi. Consistent
with insurance industry practices, Tall Pines and EWI receive commissions
from
insurance and reinsurance underwriters and/or assess fees for the policies
that
they provide or broker. The aggregate premiums paid to Tall Pines (including
amounts paid to Valmont Insurance Company, another subsidiary of Valhi that
was
merged into Tall Pines in 2004) and EWI by us and our joint venture were
$7.7
million in 2004, $7.0 million in 2005, $8.2 million in 2006. These amounts
principally included payments for insurance and reinsurance premiums paid
to
third parties, but also included commissions paid to Tall Pines and EWI.
Tall
Pines purchases reinsurance for substantially all of the risks it underwrites.
We expect that these relationships with Tall Pines and EWI will continue
in
2007.
Contran
and certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates, including us, purchase certain
of their insurance policies as a group, with the costs of the jointly-owned
policies being apportioned among the participating companies. With respect
to
certain of such policies, it is possible that unusually large losses incurred
by
one or more insureds during a given policy period could leave the other
participating companies without adequate coverage under that policy for the
balance of the policy period. As a result, Contran and certain of its
subsidiaries and affiliates, including us, have entered into a loss sharing
agreement under which any uninsured loss is shared by those entities who
have
submitted claims under the relevant policy. We believe the benefits, in the
form
of reduced premiums and broader coverage associated with the group coverage
for
such policies, justifies the risk associated with the potential for any
uninsured loss.
Note
14 - Commitments and contingencies:
Environmental
matters.
Our
operations are governed by various environmental laws and regulations. Certain
of our operations are and have been engaged in the handling, manufacture
or use
of substances or compounds that may be considered toxic or hazardous within
the
meaning of applicable environmental laws and regulations. As with other
companies engaged in similar businesses, certain of our past and current
operations and products have the potential to cause environmental or other
damage. We have implemented and continue to implement various policies and
programs in an effort to minimize these risks. Our policy
is
to maintain compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations
at all
of our facilities and to strive to improve its environmental performance.
From
time to time, we may be subject to environmental regulatory enforcement under
U.S. and foreign statutes, resolution of which typically involves the
establishment of compliance programs.
It is
possible that future developments, such as stricter requirements of
environmental laws and enforcement policies thereunder, could adversely affect
our production, handling, use, storage, transportation, sale or disposal
of such
substances. We
believe
all of our plants are in substantial compliance with applicable environmental
laws.
Litigation
matters. We
are
involved in various environmental, contractual, product liability, patent
(or
intellectual property), employment and other claims and disputes incidental
to
our business. We currently believe the disposition of all claims and disputes,
individually or in the aggregate, should not have a material adverse effect
on
our consolidated financial condition, results of operations or
liquidity.
Concentrations
of credit risk.
Sales of
TiO2
accounted for approximately 90% of our sales during each of the past three
years. The remaining sales result from the mining and sale of ilmenite ore
(a
raw material used in the sulfate pigment production process), and the
manufacture and sale of iron-based water treatment chemicals and certain
titanium chemical products (derived from co-products of the TiO2
production processes). TiO2
is
generally sold to the paint, plastics and paper industries. Such markets
are
generally considered “quality-of-life” markets whose demand for TiO2
is
influenced by the relative economic well-being of the various geographic
regions. We sell TiO2
to over
4,000 customers, with the top ten customers approximating 28% of net sales
in
2006, 26% of net sales in 2005 and 25% of net sales in 2004. By volume,
approximately one-half of our TiO2
sales
were to Europe in each of the past three years and approximately 38% in each
of
2004 and 2005, and 36% in 2006 were attributable to North America.
At
December 31, 2006, consolidated cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
includes $6.3 million invested in U.S. Treasury securities purchased under
short-term agreements to resell (2005 - $2.8 million), substantially all
of
which were held in trust for us by a single U.S. bank. At December 31, 2006,
consolidated cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash includes approximately
$8.9 million on deposit at a single U.S. bank (2005 - $4.4
million).
Long-term
contracts.
We have
long-term supply contracts that provide for our TiO2
feedstock requirements through 2010. The agreements require us to purchase
certain minimum quantities of feedstock with minimum purchase commitments
aggregating approximately $776 million at December 31, 2006.
Operating
leases.
Our
principal German operating subsidiary leases the land under its Leverkusen
TiO2
production facility pursuant to a lease with Bayer AG that expires in 2050.
The
Leverkusen facility itself, which we own and which represents approximately
one-third of our current TiO2
production capacity, is located within Bayer's extensive manufacturing complex.
We periodically establish the amount of rent
for
the land lease associated with the Leverkusen facility by agreement with
Bayer
for periods of at least two years at a time. The
lease
agreement provides for no formula, index or other mechanism to determine
changes
in the rent for such land lease; rather, any change in the rent is subject
solely to periodic negotiation between Bayer and ourselves. We recognize
any
change in the rent based on such negotiations as part of lease expense starting
from the time such change is agreed upon by both parties, as any such change
in
the rent is deemed “contingent rentals” under GAAP. Under
a
separate supplies and services agreement expiring in 2011, the lessor provides
some raw materials, including chlorine, auxiliary and operating materials,
utilities and services necessary to operate the Leverkusen facility.
We
also
lease various other manufacturing facilities and equipment. Some of the leases
contain purchase and/or various term renewal options at fair market and fair
rental values, respectively. In most cases we expect that, in the normal
course
of business, such leases will be renewed or replaced by other leases. Net
rent
expense approximated $11 million in each of 2004 and 2005 and 2006. At December
31, 2006, future minimum payments under noncancellable operating leases having
an initial or remaining term of more than one year were as follows:
Years
ending December 31,
|
Amount
|
|||
(In
thousands)
|
||||
2007
|
$
|
7,280
|
||
2008
|
6,170
|
|||
2009
|
4,130
|
|||
2010
|
3,128
|
|||
2011
|
1,540
|
|||
2012
and thereafter
|
20,217
|
|||
$
|
42,465
|
Approximately
$22 million of the $42.5 million aggregate future minimum rental commitments
at
December 31, 2006 relates to our Leverkusen facility lease discussed above.
The
minimum commitment amounts for such lease included in the table above for
each
year through the 2050 expiration of the lease are based upon the current
annual
rental rate as of December 31, 2006. As discussed above, any change in the
rent
is based solely on negotiations between Bayer and ourselves, and any such
change
in the rent is deemed “contingent rentals” under GAAP which is excluded from the
future minimum lease payments disclosed above.
Income
taxes. Contran
and Valhi have agreed to a policy providing for the allocation of tax
liabilities and tax payments as described in Note 1. Under applicable law,
we,
along with every other member of the Contran Tax Group, are each jointly
and
severally liable for the aggregate federal income tax liability of Contran
and
the other companies included in the Contran Tax Group for all periods in
which
we are included in the Contran Tax Group. Contran has agreed, however, to
indemnify us for any liability for income taxes of the Contran Tax Group
in
excess our tax liability previously computed and paid by Valhi in accordance
with the tax allocation policy.
Note
15 - Other income:
Years
ended December 31,
|
||||||||||
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Contract
dispute settlement
|
$
|
6,289
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
||||
Business
interruption insurance proceeds
|
-
|
-
|
1,800
|
|||||||
Other
income
|
426
|
576
|
392
|
|||||||
$
|
6,715
|
$
|
576
|
$
|
2,192
|
We
recognized a gain of $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 for business
interruption insurance proceeds we received related to Hurricane Rita. See
Note
6.
The
Securities transaction gain in 2005, classified as nonoperating income, relates
to the sale of our passive interest in a Norwegian smelting operation, which
had
a nominal carrying value for financial reporting purposes, for aggregate
consideration of approximately $5.4 million consisting of cash of $3.5 million
and inventory with a value of $1.9 million.
The
contract dispute settlement relates to our settlement with a customer. As
part
of the settlement, the customer agreed to make payments to us through 2007
aggregating $7.3 million. The $6.3 million gain recognized in 2004 represents
the present value of the future payments to be paid by the customer to us.
Of
such $7.3 million, $1.5 million, $1.75 million and $1.75 million was paid
to us
in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively and $2.25 million is due in 2007. At
December 31, 2006 the remaining $2.25 million due to be paid to us in 2007
is
included in accounts and other receivables.
Note
16 - Financial instruments:
Summarized
below is the estimated fair value and related net carrying value of our
financial instruments.
December
31,
|
December
31,
|
||||||||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Carrying
Amount
|
Fair
Value
|
Carrying
Amount
|
Fair
Value
|
||||||||||
(As
Adjusted)
|
|||||||||||||
(In
millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Cash,
cash equivalents, restricted cash and noncurrent restricted marketable
debt securities
|
$
|
76.0
|
$
|
76.0
|
$
|
67.6
|
$
|
67.6
|
|||||
Notes
payable and long-term debt:
|
|||||||||||||
Fixed
rate with market quotes -
|
|||||||||||||
8.875%
Senior Secured Notes
|
$
|
449.3
|
$
|
463.6
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
|||||
6.5%
Senior Secured Notes
|
-
|
-
|
525.0
|
512.5
|
|||||||||
Variable
rate debt
|
11.5
|
11.5
|
6.5
|
6.5
|
|||||||||
Common
stockholders’ equity
|
412.5
|
1,420.0
|
448.4
|
1,593.9
|
Fair
value of our restricted marketable debt securities, the 6.5% Notes, the 8.875%
Notes and the fair value of our common stockholders’ equity are based upon
quoted market prices at each balance sheet date.
Certain
of our sales generated by our non-U.S. operations are denominated in U.S.
dollars. We periodically use currency forward contracts to manage a very
nominal
portion of foreign exchange rate risk associated with receivables denominated
in
a currency other than the holder's functional currency or similar exchange
rate
risk associated with future sales. We have not entered into these contracts
for
trading or speculative purposes in the past, nor do we currently anticipate
entering into such contracts for trading or speculative purposes in the future.
Derivatives used to hedge forecasted transactions and specific cash flows
associated with foreign currency denominated financial assets and liabilities
which meet the criteria for hedge accounting are designated as cash flow
hedges.
Consequently, the effective portion of gains and losses is deferred as a
component of accumulated other comprehensive income and is recognized in
earnings at the time the hedged item affects earnings. Contracts that do
not
meet the criteria for hedge accounting are marked-to-market at each balance
sheet date with any resulting gain or loss recognized in income currently
as
part of net currency transactions. During 2005 and 2006, we have not used
hedge
accounting for any of our contracts. At December 31, 2005, we held a series
of
short-term currency forward contracts, which matured at various dates through
March 31, 2006, to exchange an aggregate of U.S. $7.5 million for an equivalent
amount of Canadian dollars at an exchange rate of Cdn. $1.19 per U.S. dollar.
At
December 31, 2005, the actual exchange rate was Cdn. $1.16 per U.S. dollar.
The
estimated fair value of such foreign currency forward contracts was not material
at December 31, 2005. We held no such currency forward contracts at December
31,
2006 and held no other significant derivative contracts at December 31, 2005
or
2006.
Note
17 - Recent accounting pronouncements:
Variable
interest entities.
We
complied with the consolidation requirements of FASB Interpretation (“FIN”) No.
46R, “Consolidation
of Variable Interest Entities, an interpretation of ARB No. 51,”
as
amended, as of March 31, 2004. We do not have any involvement with any variable
interest entity (as that term is defined in FIN No. 46R) covered by the scope
of
FIN No. 46R that would require us to consolidate such entity under FIN No.
46R
which had not already been consolidated under prior applicable GAAP, and
therefore the impact to us of adopting the consolidation requirements of
FIN No.
46R was not material.
Inventory
Costs.
Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 151, Inventory
Costs, an amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4,
became
effective for us for inventory costs incurred on or after January 1, 2006.
SFAS
No. 151 requires that the allocation of fixed production overhead costs to
inventory be based on normal capacity of the production facilities, as defined
by SFAS No. 151. SFAS No. 151 also clarifies the accounting for abnormal
amounts
of idle facility expense, freight handling costs and wasted material, requiring
those items be recognized as current-period charges. Our existing production
cost policies complied with the requirements of SFAS No. 151, therefore the
adoption of SFAS No. 151 did not affect our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
Stock
options. We
adopted the fair value provisions of SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based
Payment,
on
January 1, 2006, using the modified prospective application method. SFAS
No.
123R, among other things, requires the cost of employee compensation paid
with
equity instruments to be measured based on the grant-date fair value. That
cost
is then recognized over the vesting period. Using the modified prospective
method, we will apply the provisions of the standard to all new equity
compensation granted after January 1, 2006 and any existing awards vesting
after
January 1, 2006. We have not issued any stock options to purchase Kronos
common
stock. However, certain of our employees have been granted options by NL
to
purchase NL common stock. The number of non-vested equity awards issued by
NL at
December 31, 2005 was not material. Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R
we
accounted for equity compensation in accordance with APBO No. 25, Accounting
for Stock Issued to Employees. Our
affiliate NL accounted for their equity awards under the variable accounting
method whereby the equity awards were revalued based on the current trading
price at each balance sheet date. We now account for these awards using the
liability method under SFAS No. 123R, which is substantially identical to
the
variable accounting method we previously used. We recorded compensation expense
of $2.8 million in 2004, and compensation income of $1.0 million in 2005
and $.4
million in 2006 for stock-based employee compensation. If we
grant a
significant number of equity awards or modify, repurchase or cancel existing
equity awards in the future, the amount of equity compensation expense in
our
Consolidated Financial Statements could be material.
Planned
Major Maintenance Activities. In
September 2006, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) No. AUG AIR-1,
Accounting
for Planned Major Maintenance Activities.
Under
FSP No. AUG AIR-1, accruing in advance for major maintenance is no longer
permitted. Upon adoption of this standard, companies that previously accrued
in
advance for major maintenance activities are required to retroactively restate
their financial statements to reflect a permitted method of expense for all
periods presented. In the past we accrued in advance for planned major
maintenance. We adopted this standard effective December 31, 2006. Accordingly,
we have retroactively adjusted our Consolidated Financial Statements to reflect
the direct expense method of accounting for planned major maintenance (a
method
permitted under this standard). The effect of adopting this standard on our
previously reported Consolidated Financial Statements is summarized in the
tables below.
Years
ended December 31,
|
|||||||
2004
|
2005
|
||||||
(In
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|||||||
Increase
(decrease) in:
|
|||||||
Cost
of sales (repairs and maintenance expense)
|
$
|
1,119
|
$
|
(709
|
)
|
||
Provision
for income taxes
|
(358
|
)
|
264
|
||||
Net
income
|
(761
|
)
|
445
|
||||
Other
comprehensive income - foreign currency
|
176
|
(129
|
)
|
||||
Total
comprehensive income
|
(585
|
)
|
316
|
||||
Net
income per diluted share
|
$
|
(.01
|
)
|
$
|
.01
|
December
31, 2005
|
||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||
Decrease
in accrued maintenance costs
|
$
|
3,900
|
||
Decrease
in current deferred income tax asset
|
1,342
|
|||
Decrease
in retained deficit
|
1,995
|
|||
Decrease
in accumulated other comprehensive loss - foreign currency
|
563
|
|||
Increase
in total stockholders’ equity
|
2,558
|
Pension
and OPEB plans. We
adopted the asset and liability recognition and disclosure requirements of
SFAS
No. 158 effective December 31, 2006. See Note 10.
Quantifying
Financial Statement Misstatements.
In
the
third
quarter of
2006 the
SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 108 expressing their views
regarding the process of quantifying financial statement misstatements.
The SAB is effective for us as of December 31, 2006. According to SAB 108
both the “rollover” and “iron curtain” approaches must be considered when
evaluating a misstatement for materiality. This is referred to as the
“dual approach.” For companies that have previously evaluated
misstatements under one, but not both, of these methods, SAB 108 provides
companies with a one-time option to record the cumulative effect of their
prior
unadjusted misstatements in a manner similar to a change in accounting principle
in their 2006 annual financial statements if (i) the cumulative amount of
the
unadjusted misstatements as of January 1, 2006 would have been material under
the dual approach to their annual financial statements for 2005 or (ii) the
effect of correcting the unadjusted misstatements during 2006 would cause
those
annual financial statements to be materially misstated under the dual
approach. The adoption of SAB 108 did not have a material effect on our
previously reported consolidated financial position or results of
operations.
Fair
Value Measurements.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair
Value Measurements,
which
became effective for us on January 1, 2008. SFAS No. 157 generally provides
a
consistent, single fair value definition and measurement techniques for GAAP
pronouncements. SFAS No. 157 also establishes a fair value hierarchy for
different measurement techniques based on the objective nature of the inputs
in
various valuation methods. We will be required to ensure all of our fair
value
measurements are in compliance with SFAS No. 157 on a prospective basis
beginning in the first quarter of 2008. In addition, we will be required
to
expand our disclosures regarding the valuation methods and level of inputs
we
utilize in the first quarter of 2008. The adoption of this standard is not
expected to have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
Uncertain
Tax Positions.
In
the
second quarter of 2006 the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued
FASB Interpretation No. (“FIN”) 48, Accounting
for Uncertain Tax Positions, which
became
effective
for us on January 1, 2007. FIN 48 clarifies when and how much of a benefit
we can recognize in our Consolidated Financial Statements for certain positions
taken in our income tax returns under SFAS No. 109, Accounting
for Income Taxes, and
enhances the disclosure requirements for our income tax policies and
reserves.
Among
other things, FIN 48 will prohibit us from recognizing the benefits
of a tax
position unless we believe it is more-likely-than-not our position will prevail
with the applicable tax authorities and limits the amount of the benefit
to the
largest amount for which we believe the likelihood of realization is greater
than 50%. FIN 48 also requires companies to accrue penalties and
interest on the difference between tax positions taken on their tax returns
and
the amount of benefit recognized for financial reporting purposes under the
new
standard. Our current income tax accounting policies comply with this
aspect of the new standard. We will also be required to reclassify any
reserves we have for uncertain tax positions from deferred income tax
liabilities, where they are currently recognized, to a separate current or
noncurrent liability, depending on the nature of the tax position. In
January 2007, the FASB indicated that they will issue clarifying guidance
regarding certain aspects of the new standard by the end of March 2007. We
are
still in the process of evaluating the impact FIN 48 will have on our
consolidated financial position and results of operations, and do not expect
we
will complete that evaluation until the FASB issues their clarifying
guidance.
Fair
Value Option
- In the
first quarter of 2007 the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option
for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. SFAS 159 permits companies to
chose,
at specified election dates, to measure eligible items at fair value, with
unrealized gains and losses included in the determination of net income.
The
decision to elect the fair value option is generally applied on an
instrument-by-instrument basis, is irrevocable unless a new election date
occurs, and is applied to the entire instrument and not to only specified
risks
or cash flows or a portion of the instrument. Items eligible for the fair
value
option include recognized financial assets and liabilities, other than an
investment in a consolidated subsidiary, defined benefit pension plans, OPEB
plans, leases and financial instruments classified in equity. An investment
accounted for by the equity method is an eligible item. The specified election
dates include the date the company first recognizes the eligible item, the
date
the company enters into an eligible commitment, the date an investment first
becomes eligible to be accounted for by the equity method and the date SFAS
No.
159 first becomes effective for the company. If we elect to measure eligible
items at fair value under the standard, we would be required to present certain
additional disclosures for each item we elect. SFAS No. 159 becomes effective
for us on January 1, 2008, although we may apply the provisions earlier on
January 1, 2007 if, among other things, we also adopt SFAS No. 157 on January
1,
2007 and elect to adopt SFAS No. 159 by April 30, 2007. We have not yet
determined when we will choose to have SFAS No. 159 first become effective
for
us, nor have we determined which, if any, of our eligible items we will elect
to
be measured at fair value under the new standard. Therefore, we are currently
unable to determine the impact, if any, this standard will have on our
consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Note
18 - Quarterly
results of operations (unaudited):
Quarter
ended
|
|||||||||||||
March
31
|
June
30
|
September
30
|
December
31
|
||||||||||
(In
millions, except per share data)
|
|||||||||||||
Year
ended December 31, 2005
|
|||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
291.9
|
$
|
311.7
|
$
|
292.1
|
$
|
301.1
|
|||||
Gross
margin*
|
85.8
|
93.9
|
76.2
|
71.7
|
|||||||||
Net
income*
|
22.4
|
32.4
|
8.2
|
8.5
|
|||||||||
Basic
and diluted earnings per common share*
|
$
|
.46
|
$
|
.66
|
$
|
.17
|
$
|
.17
|
|||||
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
|||||||||||||
Net
sales
|
$
|
304.3
|
$
|
345.1
|
$
|
331.7
|
$
|
298.4
|
|||||
Gross
margin*
|
75.8
|
80.9
|
76.4
|
77.4
|
|||||||||
Net
income*
|
15.7
|
12.8
|
12.2
|
41.2
|
|||||||||
Basic
and diluted earnings per common share*
|
$
|
.32
|
$
|
.26
|
$
|
.25
|
$
|
.84
|
*
All
periods presented except fourth quarter 2006 have each been adjusted from
amounts previously reported due to the adoption of FSP No. AUG-AIR 1, Accounting
for planned major maintenance activities in the fourth quarter 2006. See
Note
17.
The
sum
of the quarterly per share amounts may not equal the annual per share amounts
due to relative changes in the weighted average number of shares used in
the per
share computations.
As
discussed in Note 17, effective December 31, 2006 we retroactively adjusted
our
Consolidated Financial Statements to reflect the direct expense method of
accounting for planned major maintenance in accordance with FSP No. AUG AIR-1.
The adoption of the FSP had the following effect on our previously reported
Gross margin, net income and earnings per common share for the periods
indicated:
Quarter
Ended
|
|||||||||||||
Increase/(decrease)
|
March
31
|
June
30
|
September
30
|
December
31
|
|||||||||
Year
ended December 31, 2005
|
|||||||||||||
Gross
margin
|
$
|
1.5
|
$
|
(.7
|
)
|
$
|
.3
|
$
|
(.4
|
)
|
|||
Net
income
|
1.0
|
(.5
|
)
|
.2
|
(.3
|
)
|
|||||||
Basic
and diluted earnings per common share
|
$
|
.02
|
$
|
(.01
|
)
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
||||
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
|||||||||||||
Gross
margin
|
$
|
1.0
|
$
|
(1.1
|
)
|
$
|
.9
|
$
|
-
|
||||
Net
income
|
.7
|
(.8
|
)
|
.6
|
-
|
||||||||
Basic
and diluted earnings per common share
|
$
|
.01
|
$
|
(.01
|
)
|
$
|
.01
|
$
|
-
|
||||
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE
I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
Condensed
Balance Sheets
December
31, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(As
Adjsuted)
|
|||||||
Current
assets:
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
186
|
$
|
102
|
|||
Receivables
from affiliates
|
4,661
|
5,326
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses
|
530
|
316
|
|||||
Total
current assets
|
5,377
|
5,744
|
|||||
Other
assets:
|
|||||||
Notes
receivable from subsidiaries
|
23,280
|
5,895
|
|||||
Investment
in subsidiaries
|
580,501
|
657,514
|
|||||
Other
|
-
|
325
|
|||||
Total
other assets
|
603,781
|
663,734
|
|||||
$
|
609,158
|
$
|
669,478
|
||||
Current
liabilities:
|
|||||||
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
$
|
113
|
$
|
415
|
|||
Payable
to affiliates
|
436
|
312
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
2
|
2
|
|||||
Total
current liabilities
|
551
|
729
|
|||||
Noncurrent
liabilities:
|
|||||||
Notes
payable to subsidiaries
|
192,941
|
215,415
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
3,124
|
4,935
|
|||||
Total
noncurrent liabilities
|
196,065
|
220,350
|
|||||
Stockholders’
equity
|
412,542
|
448,399
|
|||||
$
|
609,158
|
$
|
669,478
|
Contingencies
(Note 4)
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE
I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
(Continued)
Condensed
Statements of Income
Years
ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
Revenues
and other income:
|
||||||||||
Equity
in earnings of subsidiaries
|
$
|
336,161
|
$
|
77,882
|
$
|
96,907
|
||||
Interest
income from affiliates
|
2,678
|
2,627
|
578
|
|||||||
Interest
and dividends
|
382
|
69
|
20
|
|||||||
Other
income
|
-
|
1,846
|
833
|
|||||||
339,221
|
82,424
|
98,338
|
||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
||||||||||
General
and administrative
|
1,601
|
2,048
|
2,291
|
|||||||
Intercompany
interest and other
|
17,973
|
18,943
|
18,840
|
|||||||
Other
expense
|
130
|
-
|
250
|
|||||||
19,704
|
20,991
|
21,381
|
||||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
319,517
|
61,433
|
76,957
|
|||||||
Provision
(benefit) for income taxes
|
5,425
|
(10,018
|
)
|
(5,012
|
)
|
|||||
Net
income
|
$
|
314,092
|
$
|
71,451
|
$
|
81,969
|
||||
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE
I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
(Continued)
Condensed
Statements of Cash Flows
Years
ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
(In
thousands)
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
314,092
|
$
|
71,451
|
$
|
81,969
|
||||
Cash
distributions from subsidiaries
|
60,000
|
25,500
|
50,136
|
|||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
10,831
|
(4,260
|
)
|
1,855
|
||||||
Equity
in earnings of subsidiaries
|
(336,161
|
)
|
(77,882
|
)
|
(96,907
|
)
|
||||
Other,
net
|
90
|
(174
|
)
|
355
|
||||||
Net
change in assets and liabilities
|
(4,379
|
)
|
(2,525
|
)
|
(4,895
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
44,473
|
12,110
|
32,513
|
|||||||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
||||||||||
Loans
to affiliates
|
(8,000
|
)
|
-
|
(32,750
|
)
|
|||||
Collections
of loans to affiliates
|
7,000
|
27,970
|
49,430
|
|||||||
Other,
net
|
-
|
-
|
(325
|
)
|
||||||
Net
cash provided (used) by investing activities
|
(1,000
|
)
|
27,970
|
16,355
|
||||||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
||||||||||
Loans
from affiliates
|
209,524
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||
Repayments
of loans from affiliates
|
(200,000
|
)
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Dividends
paid
|
(48,945
|
)
|
(48,949
|
)
|
(48,952
|
)
|
||||
Capital
contributions
|
609
|
1,321
|
-
|
|||||||
Net
cash used by financing activities:
|
(38,812
|
)
|
(47,628
|
)
|
(48,952
|
)
|
||||
Net
change during the year from operating, investing and financing
activities
|
4,661
|
(7,548
|
)
|
(84
|
)
|
|||||
Balance
at beginning of year
|
3,073
|
7,734
|
186
|
|||||||
Balance
at end of year
|
$
|
7,734
|
$
|
186
|
$
|
102
|
||||
KRONOS
WORLDWIDE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE
I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
(Continued)
Notes
to Condensed Financial Information
Note
1 - Basis of presentation:
The
accompanying financial statements of Kronos Worldwide, Inc. reflect our
investment in a majority-owned subsidiaries on the equity method. The
Consolidated Financial Statements of Kronos and its majority-owned subsidiaries
(the “Company”) and the related Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are
incorporated herein by reference.
Note
2 - Net receivable from (payable to) subsidiaries and
affiliates:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Current:
|
|||||||
Receivable
from:
|
|||||||
Kronos
Louisiana, Inc. (“KLA”)
|
$
|
2,751
|
$
|
1,756
|
|||
KLA
- income taxes
|
1,874
|
3,556
|
|||||
Kronos
(US), Inc. (“KUS”)
|
36
|
14
|
|||||
$
|
4,661
|
$
|
5,326
|
||||
Payable
to:
|
|||||||
Valhi
- income taxes
|
$
|
434
|
$
|
312
|
|||
Other
|
2
|
-
|
|||||
$
|
436
|
$
|
312
|
||||
Noncurrent:
|
|||||||
Receivable
from KUS
|
$
|
23,280
|
$
|
5,895
|
|||
Payable
to KII
|
$
|
192,941
|
$
|
215,415
|
In
2004,
KII loaned us an aggregate euro 163.1 million ($209.5 million at the borrowing
date) instead of paying us cash dividends. Interest on both notes is payable
on
a quarterly basis at an annual rate of 9.25%, such interest was and is expected
to be paid quarterly. The notes mature on December 31, 2010, with all principal
due at that date. The notes are unsecured, contain no financial covenants
and
provide for default only upon our failure to pay any amount when due (subject
to
a short grace period). Due to the long-term investment nature of these notes,
settlement of the principal balance of the notes is not contemplated within
the
foreseeable future. We currently expect that settlement of the principal
amount
of the notes will occur through a capital transaction. We recognize interest
expense on such notes, which is expected to be paid quarterly, as incurred.
Until such time as the notes are settled, we will recognize interest expense
on
the promissory notes. We have reflected the $209.5 million principal amount
of
these loans as a component of cash flows from financing activities in the
accompanying Statements of Cash Flows.
Note
3 - Investment in subsidiaries:
December
31,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2006
|
||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
|||||||
(In
thousands)
|
|||||||
Investment
in:
|
|||||||
KLA
|
$
|
99,376
|
$
|
148,468
|
|||
KC
|
88,282
|
88,076
|
|||||
KII
|
392,843
|
420,970
|
|||||
$
|
580,501
|
$
|
657,514
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||
(As
adjusted)
|
||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||
Equity
in income from continuing operations of subsidiaries:
|
||||||||||
KLA
|
$
|
12,969
|
$
|
19,664
|
$
|
17,448
|
||||
KC
|
(2,634
|
)
|
1,458
|
5,020
|
||||||
KII
|
325,826
|
56,760
|
74,439
|
|||||||
$
|
336,161
|
$
|
77,882
|
$
|
96,907
|
Note
4 - Contingencies:
See
Note
14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.