Limoneira CO - Quarter Report: 2010 April (Form 10-Q)
|
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
x
|
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
FOR
THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED APRIL 30, 2010
OR
¨
|
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
FOR
THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM
TO
Commission
File Number: 001-34755
Limoneira
Company
(Exact
name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware
|
77-0260692
|
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of
Incorporation
or Organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
1141
Cummings Road, Santa Paula, CA
|
93060
|
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (805) 525-5541
Not
Applicable
(Former
name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last
report)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. x Yes ¨ No
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on
its corporate web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this
chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit and post such
files). ¨ Yes ¨ No
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller
reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
¨ Large
accelerated filer
|
¨ Accelerated
filer
|
x Non-accelerated
filer
|
¨ Smaller
reporting company
|
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ¨ Yes x No
As of
Friday June 11, 2010, there were 11,194, 460 shares outstanding of the
registrant’s common stock.
LIMONEIRA
COMPANY
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
3
|
Item
1. Financial Statements
(unaudited)
|
3
|
Consolidated
Condensed Statement of Operations – three and six months ended April 30,
2010 and 2009
|
3
|
Consolidated
Condensed Balance Sheets – April 30, 2010 and October 31,
2009
|
4
|
Consolidated
Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) – three and six months
ended April 30, 2010 and 2009
|
5
|
Consolidated
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows – six months ended April 30, 2010 and
2009
|
6
|
Notes
to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
|
9
|
Item
2. Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
|
21
|
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative
Disclosures About Market Risk
|
36
|
Item
4. Controls and
Procedures
|
37
|
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
|
37
|
Item
1. Legal
Proceedings
|
37
|
Item
1A. Risk Factors
|
37
|
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity
Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
45
|
Item
3. Defaults Upon Senior
Securities
|
45
|
Item
4. [Removed and
Reserved]
|
45
|
Item
5. Other
Information
|
45
|
Item
6. Exhibits
|
45
|
SIGNATURES
|
46
|
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT
This
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains statements relating to our future results
(including certain projections and business trends) that are “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
are subject to the “safe
harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements
frequently are identifiable by the use of words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,”
“intend,” “will,” and other similar expressions. Our actual
results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks
and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to: increased competition, conducting substantial amounts of business
internationally, pricing pressures on agricultural products, adverse weather and
growing conditions confronting avocado growers, new governmental regulations, as
well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those set
forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q in Part II, Item 1A entitled Risk Factors, and those
detailed from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the
date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events, or otherwise.
2
PART I. FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial
Statements
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited)
Three months ended
April 30
|
Six months ended
April 30
|
||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|||||||||||||||
Agriculture
|
$
|
12,202,000
|
$
|
6,797,000
|
$
|
17,474,000
|
$
|
10,802,000
|
|||||||
Rental
|
962,000
|
955,000
|
1,917,000
|
1,866,000
|
|||||||||||
Other
|
45,000
|
8,000
|
180,000
|
8,000
|
|||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
13,209,000
|
7,760,000
|
19,571,000
|
12,676,000
|
|||||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
|||||||||||||||
Agriculture
|
8,791,000
|
6,995,000
|
15,684,000
|
13,633,000
|
|||||||||||
Rental
|
584,000
|
480,000
|
1,091,000
|
1,061,000
|
|||||||||||
Other
|
396,000
|
58,000
|
723,000
|
141,000
|
|||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
|
2,413,000
|
1,784,000
|
5,829,000
|
3,262,000
|
|||||||||||
Loss
on sale of assets
|
-
|
3,000
|
-
|
3,000
|
|||||||||||
Total
cost and expenses
|
12,184,000
|
9,320,000
|
23,327,000
|
18,100,000
|
|||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
1,025,000
|
(1,560,000
|
)
|
(3,756,000
|
)
|
(5,424,000
|
)
|
||||||||
Other
income (expense):
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
income (expense), net
|
1,000
|
(22,000
|
)
|
364,000
|
314,000
|
||||||||||
Interest
income
|
29,000
|
86,000
|
58,000
|
123,000
|
|||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(955,000
|
)
|
(88,000
|
)
|
(1,383,000
|
)
|
(301,000
|
)
|
|||||||
Total
other income (expense)
|
(925,000
|
)
|
24,000
|
(961,000
|
)
|
136,000
|
|||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations before income tax (provision) benefit
and equity in investments
|
100,000
|
(1,584,000
|
)
|
(4,717,000
|
)
|
(5,288,000
|
)
|
||||||||
Income
tax (provision) benefit
|
(48,000
|
)
|
739,000
|
1,661,000
|
2,391,000
|
||||||||||
Equity
in earnings (losses) of investments
|
64,000
|
(75,000
|
)
|
48,000
|
(99,000
|
)
|
|||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations
|
116,000
|
(920,000
|
)
|
(3,008,000
|
)
|
(2,996,000
|
)
|
||||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations, net of income taxes
|
(4,000
|
)
|
(5,000
|
)
|
(12,000
|
)
|
(6,000
|
)
|
|||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
112,000
|
(925,000
|
)
|
(3,020,000
|
)
|
(3,002,000
|
)
|
||||||||
Preferred
dividends
|
(65,000
|
)
|
(65,000
|
)
|
(131,000
|
)
|
(131,000
|
)
|
|||||||
Net
income (loss) applicable to common stock
|
$
|
47,000
|
$
|
(990,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,151,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,133,000
|
)
|
||||
Per
common share basic:
|
|||||||||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$
|
0.00
|
$
|
(0.09
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
||||
Discontinued
operations
|
(0.00
|
)
|
(0.00
|
)
|
(0.00
|
)
|
(0.00
|
)
|
|||||||
Basic
net income (loss) per share
|
$
|
0.00
|
$
|
(0.09
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
||||
Per
common share-diluted:
|
|||||||||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$
|
0.00
|
$
|
(0.09
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
||||
Discontinued
operations
|
(0.00
|
)
|
(0.00
|
)
|
(0.00
|
)
|
(0.00
|
)
|
|||||||
Diluted
net income (loss) per share
|
$
|
0.00
|
$
|
(0.09
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
$
|
(0.28
|
)
|
||||
Dividends
per common share
|
$
|
0.03
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
0.06
|
$
|
0.03
|
|||||||
Weighted-average
shares outstanding-basic
|
11,194,000
|
11,263,000
|
11,194,000
|
11,224,000
|
|||||||||||
Weighted-average
shares outstanding-diluted
|
11,194,000
|
11,263,000
|
11,194,000
|
11,247,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements.
3
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Condensed Balance Sheets (unaudited)
April 30
2010
|
October 31
2009
|
|||||||
Assets
|
||||||||
Current
assets:
|
||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
11,000
|
$
|
603,000
|
||||
Accounts
receivable
|
6,981,000
|
3,735,000
|
||||||
Notes
receivable – related parties
|
–
|
1,519,000
|
||||||
Inventoried
cultural costs
|
529,000
|
858,000
|
||||||
Prepaid
expenses and other current assets
|
1,618,000
|
894,000
|
||||||
Income
taxes receivable
|
1,669,000
|
-
|
||||||
Current
assets of discontinued operations
|
5,000
|
9,000
|
||||||
Total
current assets
|
10,813,000
|
7,618,000
|
||||||
Property,
plant, and equipment, net
|
53,964,000
|
53,817,000
|
||||||
Real
estate development
|
64,531,000
|
53,125,000
|
||||||
Assets
held for sale
|
6,774,000
|
6,774,000
|
||||||
Equity
in investments
|
8,834,000
|
1,635,000
|
||||||
Investment
in Calavo Growers, Inc.
|
11,531,000
|
11,870,000
|
||||||
Notes
receivable – related parties
|
94,000
|
284,000
|
||||||
Notes
receivable
|
2,109,000
|
2,000,000
|
||||||
Other
assets
|
4,471,000
|
4,307,000
|
||||||
Noncurrent
assets of discontinued operations
|
438,000
|
438,000
|
||||||
Total
assets
|
$
|
163,559,000
|
$
|
141,868,000
|
||||
Liabilities
and stockholders’ equity
|
||||||||
Current
liabilities:
|
||||||||
Accounts
payable
|
$
|
1,048,000
|
$
|
970,000
|
||||
Growers
payable
|
2,616,000
|
988,000
|
||||||
Accrued
liabilities
|
2,947,000
|
2,764,000
|
||||||
Current
portion of long-term debt
|
613,000
|
465,000
|
||||||
Current
liabilities of discontinued operations
|
-
|
2,000
|
||||||
Total
current liabilities
|
7,224,000
|
5,189,000
|
||||||
Long-term
liabilities:
|
||||||||
Long-term
debt, less current portion
|
95,609,000
|
69,251,000
|
||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
8,469,000
|
8,764,000
|
||||||
Other
long-term liabilities
|
5,172,000
|
6,903,000
|
||||||
Total
long-term liabilities
|
109,250,000
|
84,918,000
|
||||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
||||||||
Stockholders’
equity:
|
||||||||
Series
B Convertible Preferred Stock – $100.00 par value (50,000 shares
authorized: 30,000 shares issued and outstanding at April 30, 2010 and
October 31, 2009) (8.75% coupon rate)
|
3,000,000
|
3,000,000
|
||||||
Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock – $.01 par value (50,000 shares
authorized: 0 issued or outstanding at April 30, 2010 and October 31,
2009)
|
–
|
–
|
||||||
Common
Stock – $.01 par value (19,900,000 shares authorized:
|
||||||||
11,194,460
and 11,262,880 shares issued and outstanding at April 30, 2010
and October 31, 2009, respectively)
|
112,000
|
113,000
|
||||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
33,817,000
|
34,718,000
|
||||||
Retained
earnings
|
12,534,000
|
16,386,000
|
||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive loss
|
(2,378,000
|
)
|
(2,456,000
|
)
|
||||
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
47,085,000
|
51,761,000
|
||||||
Total
liabilities and stockholders’ equity
|
$
|
163,559,000
|
$
|
141,868,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements.
4
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (unaudited)
Three months ended
April 30
|
Six months ended
April 30
|
|||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$
|
112,000
|
$
|
(925,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,080,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,002,000
|
)
|
|||
Other
comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
|
||||||||||||||
Minimum
pension liability adjustment, net of tax
|
87,000
|
3,000
|
188,000
|
6,000
|
||||||||||
Unrealized
holding gains (losses) of security available-for-sale, net of
tax
|
265,000
|
1,119,000
|
(204,000
|
)
|
2,261,000
|
|||||||||
Unrealized
gains (losses) resulting from changes in fair values of derivative
instruments, net of tax
|
108,000
|
1,000
|
94,000
|
(901,000
|
)
|
|||||||||
Total
other comprehensive income, net of tax
|
460,000
|
1,123,000
|
78,000
|
1,366,000
|
||||||||||
Comprehensive
income (loss)
|
$
|
572,000
|
$
|
198,000
|
$
|
(2,942,000
|
)
|
$
|
(1,636,000
|
)
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements.
5
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)
Six months ended
|
||||||||
April 30
2010
|
April 30
2009
|
|||||||
Operating
activities
|
||||||||
Net
loss
|
$
|
(3,020,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,002,000
|
)
|
||
Less:
Net loss from discontinued operations
|
(12,000
|
)
|
(6,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
loss from continuing operations
|
(3,008,000
|
)
|
(2,996,000
|
)
|
||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
activities:
|
||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
1,158,000
|
1,153,000
|
||||||
Loss
on disposal/sale of fixed assets
|
-
|
3,000
|
||||||
Orchard
write-offs
|
-
|
23,000
|
||||||
Stock
compensation expense
|
242,000
|
450,000
|
||||||
Expense
related to Officers notes receivable forgiveness and payroll
taxes
|
687,000
|
-
|
||||||
Equity
in (earnings) losses of investments
|
(48,000
|
)
|
99,000
|
|||||
Amortization
of deferred financing costs
|
14,000
|
8,000
|
||||||
Non-cash
interest expense on derivatives (Note 11)
|
564,000
|
-
|
||||||
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||
Accounts
and notes receivable
|
(2,725,000
|
)
|
(1,915,000
|
)
|
||||
Inventoried
cultural costs
|
329,000
|
688,000
|
||||||
Prepaid
and other current assets
|
(592,000
|
)
|
(130,000
|
)
|
||||
Income
taxes receivable
|
(1,669,000
|
)
|
(1,159,000
|
)
|
||||
Other
assets
|
(5,000
|
)
|
(22,000
|
)
|
||||
Accounts
payable and growers payable
|
1,507,000
|
(551,000
|
)
|
|||||
Accrued
liabilities and payroll taxes
|
(468,000
|
)
|
(2,404,000
|
)
|
||||
Other
long-term liabilities
|
(4,000
|
)
|
(315,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash used in operating activities from continuing
operations
|
(4,018,000
|
)
|
(7,068,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash used in operating activities from discontinued
operations
|
(10,000
|
)
|
(8,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash used in operating activities
|
(4,028,000
|
)
|
(7,076,000
|
)
|
||||
Investing
activities
|
||||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
(2,857,000
|
)
|
(4,265,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
proceeds from sale of assets
|
13,000
|
23,000
|
||||||
Cash
distributions from equity investments
|
72,000
|
72,000
|
||||||
Equity
investment contributions
|
(17,000
|
)
|
-
|
|||||
Issuance
of notes receivable
|
(46,000
|
)
|
(325,000
|
)
|
||||
Investments
in water companies
|
(105,000
|
)
|
(15,000
|
)
|
||||
Other
|
(7,000
|
)
|
(100,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash used in investing activities from continuing
operations
|
(2,947,000
|
)
|
(4,610,000
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash used in investing activities from discontinued
operations
|
-
|
(5,000
|
)
|
|||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(2,947,000
|
)
|
(4,615,000
|
)
|
||||
Financing
activities
|
||||||||
Borrowings
of long-term debt
|
15,710,000
|
17,186,000
|
||||||
Repayments
of long-term debt
|
(8,494,000
|
)
|
(4,980,000
|
)
|
||||
Dividends
paid – Common
|
(702,000
|
)
|
(348,000
|
)
|
||||
Dividends
paid – Preferred
|
(131,000
|
)
|
(131,000
|
)
|
||||
Payments
of debt financing costs
|
-
|
(105,000
|
)
|
|||||
Net
cash provided by financing activities from continuing
operations
|
6,383,000
|
11,622,000
|
||||||
Net
decrease in cash and cash equivalents
|
(592,000
|
)
|
(69,000
|
)
|
||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of period
|
603,000
|
90,000
|
||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of period
|
$
|
11,000
|
$
|
21,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements.
6
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) (continued)
Six months ended
|
||||||||
April 30
2010
|
April 30
2009
|
|||||||
Supplemental
disclosures of cash flow information
|
||||||||
Cash
paid during the period for interest
|
$
|
1,910,000
|
$
|
1,533,000
|
||||
Cash
paid during the period for income taxes, net of (refunds)
received
|
$
|
93,000
|
$
|
(1,235,000
|
)
|
|||
Non-cash
investing, financing, and other comprehensive income (loss)
transactions:
|
||||||||
Minimum
pension liability adjustment, net of tax
|
$
|
(188,000
|
)
|
$
|
(6,000
|
)
|
||
Unrealized
holding loss (gain) on security, net of tax
|
$
|
204,000
|
$
|
(2,261000
|
)
|
|||
Unrealized
(gain) loss from derivatives, net of tax
|
$
|
(94,000
|
)
|
$
|
901,000
|
On
November 15, 2009, the Company and Windfall, LLC (Windfall) entered into an
agreement whereby Windfall irrevocably assigned to the Company its entire 85%
interest in Windfall Investors, LLC (Investors). In conjunction with
obtaining Windfall's 85% interest in Investors, the Company agreed to release
Windfall and its individual members from any and all liabilities including any
losses with respect to Windfall’s previous interest in Investors and any secured
and unsecured financing for Investors.
The
following table summarizes the fair value of non-cash assets acquired and
liabilities assumed at the date of the acquisition. We obtained
third-party valuations for the long-term assets acquired:
At November 15
2009
|
||||
Current
assets
|
$
|
218,000
|
||
Property,
plant and equipment
|
262,000
|
|||
Real
estate development
|
16,842,000
|
|||
Deferred
income taxes
|
345,000
|
|||
Other
assets
|
32,000
|
|||
Total
assets acquired
|
$
|
$17,699,000
|
||
Current
liabilities
|
(152,000
|
)
|
||
Current
portion of long-term debt
|
(10,141,000
|
)
|
||
Long-term
debt
|
(9,148,000
|
)
|
||
Net
liabilities assumed
|
$
|
(1,742,000
|
)
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements.
7
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Unaudited
Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
Preface
The
preparation of the unaudited interim consolidated condensed financial statements
requires management to make use of estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amount of assets and liabilities, revenue and expenses and certain
financial statement disclosures. Actual results may differ from these
estimates.
The
unaudited interim consolidated condensed financial statements for the
three and six months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009 and balance sheet as of April
30, 2010 included herein have not been audited by an independent registered
public accounting firm, but in our opinion, all adjustments (which include only
normal recurring adjustments) necessary to make a fair statement of the
financial position at April 30, 2010 and the results of operations and the cash
flows for the periods presented herein have been made. The results of operations
for the three and six months ended April 30, 2010 are not necessarily indicative
of the operating results expected for the full fiscal year.
The
unaudited interim consolidated condensed financial statements included herein
have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Although we believe
the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not
misleading, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in
financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such
rules or regulations. These unaudited interim consolidated condensed financial
statements should be read in conjunction with the October 31, 2009 consolidated
financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s General Form
for Registration of Securities on Form 10, as amended.
8
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
1.
Business
Limoneira
Company, a Delaware Company (the “Company”), engages primarily in growing citrus
and avocados, picking and hauling citrus, packing lemons, and housing rentals
and other real estate operations. The Company is also engaged in real estate
development.
The
Company markets its agricultural products primarily through Sunkist Growers,
Inc. (Sunkist) and Calavo Growers, Inc. (Calavo).
Most of
the Company’s citrus production is marketed and sold under the Sunkist brand to
the food service industry, wholesalers and retail operations throughout North
America, Asia, and certain other countries primarily through Sunkist, an
agricultural marketing cooperative of which the Company is a member. As an
agricultural cooperative, Sunkist coordinates the sales and marketing of the
Company’s citrus products which are processed through the Company’s
packinghouse.
The
Company provides all of its avocado production to Calavo, a packing and
marketing company listed on NASDAQ under the symbol CVGW. Calavo’s customers
include many of the largest retail and food service companies in the United
States and Canada. The Company’s avocados are packed by Calavo, sold and
distributed under its own brands to its customers primarily in the United States
and Canada.
The
unaudited interim consolidated condensed financial statements include the
accounts of the Company and the accounts of all the subsidiaries and investments
in which a controlling interest is held by the Company. All significant
intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The unaudited interim condensed
financial statements represent the consolidated financial position, results of
operations and cash flows of Limoneira Company and its wholly-owned
subsidiaries; Limoneira Land Company, Limoneira Company International Division,
LLC, Limoneira Mercantile, LLC, Templeton Santa Barbara, LLC and Windfall
Investors, LLC (see Note 3). All variable interest entities for which the
Company is considered the primary beneficiary are consolidated. These variable
interest entities are 6037 East Donna Circle, LLC and 6146 East Cactus Wren
Road, LLC. All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been
eliminated in consolidation.
The
results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the
results that may be expected for the full year. These statements
should be read in conjunction with the October 31, 2009 consolidated financial
statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s General Form for
Registration of Securities on Form 10, as amended.
2.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Recently
Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In
April 2009, as amended in February 2010, the Company adopted
Accounting Standards Update No. 2010-09, Subsequent Events (ASU No.
2010-09), which establishes general standards of accounting for, and disclosure
of, events that occur after the balance sheet date, but before financial
statements are issued or are available to be issued. In particular, this
accounting guidance sets forth:
·
|
The
period after the balance sheet date during which management of a reporting
entity should evaluate events or transactions that may occur for potential
recognition or disclosure in the financial
statements.
|
·
|
The
circumstances under which an entity should recognize events or
transactions occurring after the balance sheet date in its financial
statements.
|
·
|
The
disclosures that an entity should make about events or transactions that
occurred after the balance sheet
date.
|
Our
adoption of this accounting guidance did not have a material impact on our
financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
In August 2009, the
FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2009-5, Measuring
Liabilities at Fair Value
(ASU No. 2009-05). ASU No. 2009-05 amends ASC 820, Fair
Value Measurements. Specifically, ASU No. 2009-05 provides clarification
that in circumstances in which a quoted price in an active market for the
identical liability is not available, a reporting entity is required to measure
fair value using one or more of the following methods: 1) a valuation technique
that uses a) the quoted price of the identical liability when traded as an
asset, or b) quoted prices for similar liabilities or similar liabilities when
traded as assets and/or 2) a valuation technique that is consistent with the
principles of ASC 820. ASU No. 2009-05 also clarifies that when estimating the
fair value of a liability, a reporting entity is not required to adjust to
include inputs relating to the existence of transfer restrictions on that
liability. The Company’s
adoption of the provisions of ASU No. 2009-05, effective the first quarter of
fiscal 2010, did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position,
results of operations or liquidity.
9
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
2.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
In
December 2008, the FASB issued FASB ASC 810 (SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in
Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB 51) which changes
the accounting and reporting for minority interests. Minority interests will be
re-characterized as noncontrolling interests and will be reported as a component
of equity separate from the parent’s equity, and purchases or sales of equity
interests that do not result in a change in control will be accounted for as
equity transactions. In addition, net income attributable to the noncontrolling
interest will be included in consolidated net income on the face of the income
statement and, upon a loss of control, the interest sold, as well as any
interest retained, will be recorded at fair value with any gain or loss
recognized in earnings. The Company’s adoption of the provisions of FASB ASC 810
(SFAS No. 160), effective the first quarter of fiscal 2010, did not have a
material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or
liquidity.
In
December 2008, the FASB issued FASB ASC 805 (SFAS No. 141R (revised
2008), Business
Combinations), which replaces SFAS No. 141. The statement retains
the purchase method of accounting for acquisitions, but requires a number of
changes, including changes in the way assets and liabilities are recognized in
the purchase accounting. It also changes the recognition of assets acquired and
liabilities assumed arising from contingencies, requires the capitalization of
in-process research and development at fair value, and requires the expensing of
acquisition-related costs as incurred. The Company adopted FASB ASC 805 (SFAS
No. 141R), effective the first quarter of fiscal 2010, and utilized
provisions noted in the guidance to account for its business combination of
Windfall Investors, LLC. See Note 3.
In
April 2008, the FASB issued FASB ASC 350-30 (FSP FAS No. 142-3, Determination of the Useful Life of
Intangible Assets). FASB ASC 350-30 (FSP FAS No. 142-3) amends the
factors that should be considered in developing renewal or extension assumptions
used to determine the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under FASB
ASC 350 (SFAS No. 142). This change is intended to improve the consistency
between the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under FASB ASC 350
(SFAS No. 142) and the period of expected cash flows used to measure the
fair value of the asset under FASB ASC 805 (SFAS No. 141R) and other
generally accepted account principles. The requirement for determining useful
lives must be applied prospectively to intangible assets acquired after the
effective date and the disclosure requirements must be applied prospectively to
all intangible assets recognized as of, and subsequent to, the effective date.
FASB ASC 350-30 (FSP FAS No. 142-3) is effective for financial statements
issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and interim
periods within those fiscal years. The Company’s adoption of the provisions of
FASB ASC 350-30 (FSP FAS No. 142-3), effective the first quarter of fiscal 2010,
did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of
operations or liquidity.
Recently
Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In
June 2009, the FASB issued the Accounting Standards Update No. 2009-16,
revising the guidance for the accounting of transfers of financial assets. This
guidance is intended to improve the relevance, representational faithfulness,
and comparability of the information that a reporting entity provides in its
financial statements about a transfer of financial assets; the effects of a
transfer on its financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; and a
transferor’s continuing involvement, if any, in transferred financial assets.
This accounting guidance will be effective for financial statements issued for
fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2009, and interim periods within
those fiscal years. Early adoption is not permitted. The Company does not
believe that adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its
financial position and results of operations.
In
June 2009, the FASB issued the Accounting Standards Update No. 2009 -17,
revising the guidance for the accounting of variable interest entities, which
replaces the quantitative-based risks and rewards approach with a qualitative
approach that focuses on identifying which enterprise has the power to direct
the activities of a variable interest entity that most significantly impact the
entity’s economic performance. This accounting guidance also requires an ongoing
reassessment of whether an entity is the primary beneficiary and requires
additional disclosures about an enterprise’s involvement in variable interest
entities. This accounting guidance will be effective for financial statements
issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2009, and interim
periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is not
permitted. The Company does not believe that adoption of this
guidance will have a material impact on its financial position and results of
operations.
10
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
3.
Business Combination
In
September 2005, the Company, along with Windfall, LLC (Windfall), formed a
partnership, Windfall Investors, LLC (Investors). Also, in September of 2005,
Investors purchased a 724-acre ranch in Creston, California (the Windfall
Ranch), for $12,000,000.
The
Company and Windfall each made initial capital contributions to Investors of
$300 (15% ownership interest) and $1,700 (85% ownership interest), respectively.
To fund the purchase of the Windfall Ranch, Investors secured a long-term loan
from Farm Credit West (the Bank) for $9,750,000 (term loan). The remaining
$2,250,000 of the purchase was provided from an $8,000,000 revolving line of
credit (revolving line of credit) provided to Investors by the Bank under an
agreement entered into between Investors and the Bank in September 2005. In May
2008, the Bank agreed to increase the total line of credit available to
Investors from $8,000,000 to $10,500,000. The total indebtedness outstanding
under the term loan and the revolving line of credit are guaranteed, jointly and
severally, by the Company and Windfall. At October 31, 2009, there was
$19,186,000, outstanding under the term loan and the revolving line of
credit.
Prior to
November 15, 2009, the Company had a variable interest in Investors (which was
deemed to be a variable interest entity). However, the Company was not required
to consolidate Investors since the Company was not the primary beneficiary of
Investors due to the Company not being required to absorb a majority of
Investor’s expected losses or receive a majority of Investor’s expected residual
returns.
Prior to
November 15, 2009, the Company accounted for its 15% ownership interest in
Investors as an equity method investment since the Company had significant
influence, but less than a controlling interest in Investors. The Company was
also required to record a negative equity method investment balance (which was
subsequently reclassified to other-long term liabilities) for Investors since
the Company had previously guaranteed Investor’s outstanding indebtedness under
its term loan and revolving line of credit.
On
November 15, 2009, the Company and Windfall entered into an agreement whereby
Windfall irrevocably assigned to the Company its entire 85% interest in
Investors. In conjunction with obtaining Windfall’s 85% interest in Investors,
the Company agreed to release Windfall and its individual members from any and
all liabilities including any losses with respect to Windfall’s previous
interest in Investors and any secured and unsecured financing for Investors. The
Company has accounted for its acquisition of Windfall’s 85% interest in
Investors utilizing the business combination guidance noted in FASB ASC 805
(SFAS No. 141R).
The
following table summarizes the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities
assumed at the date of the acquisition. We obtained third-party valuations for
the long-term assets acquired:
At November 15, 2009
|
||||
Current
assets
|
$ | 218,000 | ||
Property,
plant and equipment
|
262,000 | |||
Real
estate development
|
16,842,000 | |||
Deferred
income taxes
|
345,000 | |||
Other
assets
|
32,000 | |||
Total
assets acquired
|
17,699,000 | |||
Current
liabilities
|
(152,000 | ) | ||
Current
portion of long-term debt
|
(10,141,000 | ) | ||
Long-term
debt, less current portion
|
(9,148,000 | ) | ||
Net
liabilities assumed
|
$ | (1,742,000 | ) |
The
Company remeasured its previously held noncontrolling equity interest in
Investors at fair value on the November 15, 2009 acquisition date of
Investors. In remeasuring its previously held noncontrolling
interest, the Company considered the fair value of the assets and liabilities of
Windfall as of the acquisition date and also considered whether there was a
control premium that would not have been present in the previous noncontrolling
interest.
11
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
3.
Business Combination (continued)
The
Company calculated that its acquisition date fair value of its previous equity
interest in Investors was approximately $1,700,000. The Company did
not recognize any gain or loss as a result of remeasuring the fair value of its
equity interest held in Investors just prior to the business combination as the
fair value approximated the carrying value of the noncontrolling interest
previously accounted for under the equity method of accounting.
4.
Seasonality
Cultural
Costs
Costs of
bringing crops to harvest are inventoried when incurred. Such costs are expensed
when the crops are sold and are recorded in agricultural costs and expenses in
the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. Costs during the current
year related to the next year’s crop are inventoried and carried in inventory
until the matching crop is harvested and sold, which traditionally occurs during
the first and second quarters of each year. During the three months ended April
30, 2010, the Company expensed $33,000 of the $858,000 of cultural costs carried
in inventory at October 31, 2009 and during the three months ended April 30,
2009, the Company expensed $300,000 of the $1,146,000 of cultural costs carried
in inventory at October 31, 2008. During the six months ended April 30, 2010,
the Company expensed $329,000 of the $858,000 cultural costs carried in
inventory at October 31, 2009 and during the six months ended April 30, 2009 the
Company expensed $688,000 of the $1,146,000 of cultural costs carried in
inventory at October 31, 2008.
5.
Fair Value Measurements
Under the FASB ASC 820 (SFAS
No. 157), a fair value measurement is determined based on the assumptions
that a market participant would use in pricing an asset or liability. A
three-tiered hierarchy draws distinctions between market participant assumptions
based on (i) observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets (Level
1), (ii) inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable
either directly or indirectly (Level 2) and (iii) unobservable inputs that
require the Company to use present value and other valuation techniques in the
determination of fair value (Level 3). The following table sets forth the
Company’s financial assets and liabilities as of April 30, 2010, that are
measured on a recurring basis during the period, segregated by level within the
fair value hierarchy:
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||
Assets
at fair value:
|
||||||||||||||||
Available-
for -sale securities
|
$
|
11,531,000
|
$
|
–
|
$
|
–
|
$
|
11,531,000
|
||||||||
Liabilities
at fair value:
|
||||||||||||||||
Derivatives
|
–
|
2,579,000
|
–
|
2,579,000
|
Available-for-sale
securities consist of marketable securities in Calavo Growers, Inc. common
stock. The Company currently own approximately 4.6% of Calavo’s outstanding
common stock. These securities are measured at fair value by quoted market
prices. Calavo’s stock price at April 30, 2010 and October 31, 2009 equaled
$17.34 per share and $17.85 per share, respectively (see Note 7).
Derivatives
consist of an interest rate swap whose fair value is estimated using
industry-standard valuation models. Such models project future cash flows and
discount the future amounts to a present value using market-based observable
inputs (see Note 11).
12
Limoneira Company and
Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
6.
Real Estate Development Assets/Assets Held for Sale
Real
estate development assets consist of the following:
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
|||||||
East
Areas 1 and 2:
|
||||||||
Land
and land development costs
|
$
|
39,120,000
|
$
|
37,788,000
|
||||
Templeton
Santa Barbara, LLC:
|
||||||||
Land
and land development costs
|
8,338,000
|
15,337,000
|
||||||
Windfall
Investors, LLC:
|
||||||||
Land
and land development costs
|
17,073,000
|
–
|
||||||
Total
included in real estate development asset
|
$
|
64,531,000
|
$
|
53,125,000
|
Assets
held for sale consist of the following:
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
|||||||
Templeton
Santa Barbara, LLC and Arizona Development Project:
|
||||||||
Land
and land development costs
|
$
|
6,774,000
|
$
|
6,774,000
|
||||
Total
included in assets held for sale
|
$
|
6,774,000
|
$
|
6,774,000
|
East
Areas 1 and 2
In fiscal
year 2005, the Company began capitalizing the costs of two real estate projects
east of Santa Paula, California, for the development of 550 acres of land into
residential units, commercial buildings, and civic facilities. The initial net
book value of the land associated with this project was $8,253,000. During
fiscal year 2008, the Company purchased a 63-acre parcel of land within the
project boundary for $22,000,000, which is included in real estate development
assets in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at April 30, 2010 and
October 31, 2009. During the three months ended April 30, 2010 and April 30,
2009, the Company capitalized $822,000 and $296,000, respectively, of costs
related to these real estate projects. During the six months ended April 30,
2010 and April 30, 2009, the Company capitalized $1,332,000 and $750,000,
respectively, of costs related to these real estate development projects.
Additionally, in relation to this project, the Company has incurred expenses of
$16,000 and $14,000 in the three months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009,
respectively. The Company has incurred expenses related to this project of
$25,000 and $96,000 in the six months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009,
respectively.
Templeton
Santa Barbara, LLC
In
September 2009, one of the four real estate development parcels within the
Templeton project went into escrow. The sale of this real estate development
parcel fell out of escrow in March 2010 but the parcel is still being actively
marketed for sale. As such, the net carrying value (inclusive of all previous
impairment charges) related to this particular real estate development parcel is
$3,476,000 and is recorded in assets held for sale in the Company’s consolidated
balance sheets at April 30, 2010 and October 31, 2009.
In
February 2010, the Company and HM Manager, LLC formed a limited liability
company, HM East Ridge, LLC, for the purpose of developing one of the four
Templeton land parcels. The Company’s capital contribution into HM East Ridge,
LLC, is one of the real estate development parcels with a net carrying value
(inclusive of all previous impairment charges) of $7,207,000. Since the Company
has significant influence, but less than a controlling interest, the Company is
accounting for its investment in HM East Ridge, LLC using the equity method of
accounting and the investment is included in equity in investments in the
Company’s April 30, 2010 consolidated balance sheets.
13
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
6.
Real Estate Development Assets/Assets Held for Sale (continued)
Windfall
Ranch Development Project
As of the
November 15, 2010 acquisition date (see Note 3), based on the results of a
third-party appraisal the fair value of the Windfall Ranch’s land and land
development costs acquired was $16,842,000 which the Company recorded as real
estate development assets. Subsequent to its acquisition, the Company
capitalized an additional $162,000 of costs related to its real estate
development of the Windfall Ranch during the three months ended April 30, 2010
and $231,000 during the six months ended April 30, 2010.
The
Company is currently marketing for sale certain parcels of the 724 acres of
Windfall Ranch. However, the Company is not classifying any of its real estate
development assets related to Windfall Ranch as assets held for sale at April
30, 2010 since certain of the criterions required for an asset held for sale
classification have not been met at April 30, 2010.
7.
Investment in Calavo Growers, Inc.
In June
2005, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement with Calavo. Pursuant
to this agreement, the Company purchased 1,000,000 shares, or approximately
6.9%, of Calavo’s common stock for $10,000,000 and Calavo purchased 172,857
shares, or approximately 15.1%, of the Company’s common stock for $23,450,000.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Company received net cash consideration of
$13,450,000. The Company has classified its marketable securities investment as
available-for-sale.
The
changes in the fair value of the available-for-sale securities result in
unrealized holding gains or losses for the remaining shares held by the
Company. In the three months ended April 30, 2010, the Company recorded a
total unrealized holding gain of $386,000 due to the increase in the market
value of the Company’s remaining 665,000 shares of Calavo common stock at April
30, 2010. In the six months ended April 30, 2010, the Company recorded a
total unrealized holding loss of $339,000 due to the decrease in the market
value of the Company’s remaining 665,000 shares of Calavo common stock at April
30, 2010.
8.
Notes Receivable
In
connection with Company’s stock grant program, the Company has recorded total
notes receivable and accrued interest from related parties of $94,000 and
$1,803,000 at April 30, 2010 and October 31, 2009, respectively.
The
Company’s $94,000 notes receivable and accrued interest balance from employees
that are not due to be paid within one year at April 30, 2010 is recorded in
noncurrent notes receivable - related parties in the Company’s consolidated
balance sheet at April 30, 2010.
9.
Discontinued Operations
In
October 2006, the Company decided, that because of continuing operational losses
in its retail coffee and coffee distribution businesses, it would exit the
coffee business. In connection with that decision, the Company approved a plan
to exit the retail coffee and coffee distribution business. Sales and operating
losses for the three months ended April 30, 2010 were zero and $11,000,
respectively. Sales and operating losses for the three months ended April 30,
2009 were zero and $9,000, respectively. Sales and operating losses for the six
months ended April 30, 2010 were $3,000 and $19,000, respectively. Sales and
operating losses for the six months ended April 30, 2009 were $3,000 and
$10,000, respectively.
14
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
10.
Long-Term Debt
Long-term
debt is comprised of the following:
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
|||||||
Rabobank
revolving credit facility secured by property with a net book value of
$12,260,000 at April 30,
2010 and October 31, 2009. The interest rate is variable based on the
one-month London Interbank Offered
Rate plus 1.50%. Interest is payable monthly and the principal is due in
full in June 2013.
|
$ | 68,691,000 | $ | 61,671,000 | ||||
Central
Coast Federal Land Bank Association loan secured by property with a net
book value of $11,656,000
at April 30, 2010 and $11,674,000 at October 31, 2009. The interest rate
is variable and was
3.25% at April 30, 2010. The loan is payable in quarterly installments
through November 2022.
|
6,878,000 | 7,094,000 | ||||||
Central
Coast Federal Land Bank Association loan secured by property with a net
book value of $11,656,000 at April 30, 2010 and $11,674,000 at October 31,
2009. The interest rate is variable and was 3.25% at April 30, 2010. The
loan is payable in monthly installments through May 2032.
|
936,000 | 951,000 | ||||||
Farm
Credit West non-revolving line of credit. The interest rate is variable
and was 3.50% at April 30, 2010. Interest is payable monthly and the
principal is due in full in May 2013.
|
10,499,000 | – | ||||||
Farm
Credit West term loan secured by property with a net book value of
$17,073,000 at April
30, 2010. The interest rate is fixed at 6.73% until November 2011,
becoming variable for the remainder of the loan. The loan is payable in
monthly installments through October 2035.
|
9,218,000 | – | ||||||
Subtotal
|
96,222,000 | 69,716,000 | ||||||
Less
current portion
|
613,000 | 465,000 | ||||||
Total
long-term debt, less current portion
|
$ | 95,609,000 | $ | 69,251,000 |
In
November 2009, the Company assumed the long-term debt of Windfall Investors, LLC
with the acquisition of the business (see Note 3). The debt is held by Farm
Credit West and consists of a secured long-term loan with an original principal
balance of $9,750,000 and a revolving line of credit of $10,500,000. At the time
of the acquisition on November 15, 2009, there was $19,289,000 outstanding under
the term loan and the revolving line of credit. The due date for the revolving
line of credit was originally November 2009 and was extended until March 2010.
Farm Credit West subsequently extended the maturity date to May 2010 and then
further extended the maturity date to June 1, 2010. In May 2010, the Company
refinanced the revolving line of credit on a long-term basis through the
establishment of a $13,000,000 non-revolving line of credit with Farm Credit
West (see Note 18).
11.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
The
Company enters into interest rate swaps to minimize the risks and costs
associated with its financing activities. Derivative financial instruments are
as follows:
Notional Amount
|
Fair Value Net Liability
|
|||||||||||||||
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Pay
fixed-rate, receive floating-rate interest rate swap, maturing
2013
|
$
|
42,000,000
|
$
|
22,000,000
|
$
|
2,579,000
|
$
|
1,678,000
|
||||||||
Pay
fixed-rate, receive floating-rate interest rate swap designated as cash
flow hedge, cancelled April 2010
|
-
|
10,000,000
|
-
|
287,000
|
||||||||||||
Pay
fixed-rate, receive floating-rate interest rate swap designated as cash
flow hedge, cancelled April 2010
|
-
|
10,000,000
|
-
|
206,000
|
||||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
42,000,000
|
$
|
42,000,000
|
$
|
2,579,000
|
$
|
2,171,000
|
In April
2010, the Company cancelled two interest rate swaps with notional amounts of
$10,000,000 each and amended the remaining interest rate swap from a notional
amount of $22,000,000 to a notional amount of $42,000,000. This remaining
interest rate swap was also amended to a pay-fixed rate of 4.25%, which is 62
basis points lower than the original pay-fixed rate. The receive floating-rate
and maturity date of the amended interest rate swap remain unchanged. The Company did not incur
any out-of-pocket fees related to the
15
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
11.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (continued)
cancellation
or amendment of these interest rate swaps. These interest rate swaps
previously qualified as cash flow hedges, and were accounted for as accounting
hedges under the short-cut method. The fair value adjustments to the underlying
debt previously deferred and recorded in other comprehensive income (loss)
totaled $2,015,000 at April 30, 2010 and will be amortized over the swaps’
original remaining terms.
As a
result of the re-negotiated terms of the derivatives above, the remaining
interest rate swap with a notional amount of $42,000,000 no longer qualifies as
an accounting hedge as of April 30, 2010. Therefore, the fair value
adjustments to the underlying debt will be recorded in earnings and the net
liability balance will continue to be recorded in other long-term liabilities in
the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The fair value adjustment recognized
by Company on April 30, 2010 resulted in a non-cash charge to interest expense
of $564,000.
12.
Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Share
Basic net
loss per common share is calculated using the weighted-average number of common
shares outstanding during the period without consideration of the dilutive
effect of share-based compensation. Diluted net loss per common share is
calculated using the diluted weighted-average number of common shares. Diluted
weighted-average shares include weighted-average shares outstanding plus the
dilutive effect of share-based compensation calculated using the treasury stock
method of zero for the three months ended April 30, 2010 and April 30, 2009.
Diluted weighted-average shares include weighted-average shares outstanding plus
the dilutive effect of share-based compensation calculated using the treasury
stock method of zero for the six months ended April 30, 2010 and 23,000 for the
six months ended April 30, 2009. The Series B convertible preferred shares are
anti-dilutive for the three and six month periods ended April, 30 2010 and April
30, 2009, respectively. Basic and diluted net loss per share was calculated
after giving effect to the ten-for-one stock split (see Note 16).
13.
Related-Party Transactions
A member
of the Company’s Board of Directors is currently a Director of a mutual water
company in which the Company is an investor. The mutual water company provided
water to the Company, for which the Company paid $101,000 and $66,000 in the
three months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The mutual water
company provided water to the Company, for which the Company paid $193,000 and
$122,000 in the six months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Water
payments due to the mutual water company were $10,000 and $51,000 at April 30,
2010 and October 31, 2009, respectively.
In the
six months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009, the Company recorded dividend income
of $333,000 and $350,000, respectively, on its investment in Calavo; which is
included in other income (loss), net in the Company’s consolidated statements of
operations. Sales of the Company’s avocados by Calavo totaled $2,654,000 and
$98,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Sales
of the Company’s avocados by Calavo totaled $2,879,000 and $103,000 for the six
months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Such amounts are included in
agriculture revenues in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.
There was $1,455,000 receivable by the Company from Calavo at April 30, 2010 and
no amounts were receivable at October 31, 2009. Additionally, the Company leases
office space to Calavo and received rental income of $57,000 in each of the
three month periods ended April 30, 2010 and 2009. The Company received rental
income from Calavo of $114,000 in each of the six month periods ended April 30,
2010 and 2009. Such amounts are included in rental revenues in the
Company’s consolidated statements of operations.
14.
Income Taxes
The
Company’s projected annual effective tax rate for fiscal 2010 is approximately
34.1%. As such, the 29.3% effective tax rate was utilized by the Company
for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 to calculate its income tax provision
(benefit).
There has
been a no material changes to the Company’s uncertain tax position for the six
month period ended April 30, 2010. The Company does not expect its unrecognized
tax benefits to change significantly over the next 12 months.
The
Company’s policy is to recognize interest expense and penalties related to
income tax matters as a component of income tax expense. The Company has
accrued approximately $13,000 of interest and penalties associated with
uncertain tax positions as of April 30, 2010.
16
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
15.
Retirement Plans
Effective
December 31, 1991, the Company merged the Limoneira Hourly and Piece Rated
Pension Plan and their salaried plan, into the Sunkist Retirement Plan, Plan L
(the Plan). All participants became members of the Plan at that time, and all
assets became part of the Sunkist Retirement Plan L Trust. Until January 2006,
the Plan was administered by the Sunkist Retirement Investment Board. Since
January 2006, the Plan has been administered by City National Bank and Mercer
Human Resource Consulting.
The Plan
is a noncontributory, defined benefit, single employer pension plan, which
provides retirement benefits for all eligible employees of the Company. Since
Limoneira Company’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan is a single employer plan
within the Sunkist Master Trust, its liability was not commingled with that of
the other plans holding assets in the Master Trust. Limoneira Company has an
undivided interest in its assets. Benefits paid by the Plan are calculated based
on years of service, highest five-year average earnings, primary Social Security
benefit, and retirement age.
The Plan
is funded consistent with the funding requirements of federal law and
regulations. There were funding contributions of $300,000 during each of the six
month periods ended April 30, 2010 and 2009.
The
following tables set forth the Plan’s net periodic cost, changes in benefit
obligation and Plan assets, funded status, amounts recognized in the Company’s
consolidated balance sheets, additional year-end information and assumptions
used in determining the benefit obligations and periodic benefit
cost.
The net
periodic pension costs for the Company’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan for the
three months ended April 30 were as follows:
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
37,000
|
$
|
22,000
|
||||
Interest
cost
|
210,000
|
222,000
|
||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(255,000
|
)
|
(256,000
|
)
|
||||
Recognized
actuarial loss
|
156,000
|
5,000
|
||||||
Net
periodic pension cost
|
$
|
148,000
|
$
|
(7,000
|
)
|
The net
periodic pension costs for the Company’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan for the
six months ended April 30 were as follows:
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
74,000
|
$
|
43,000
|
||||
Interest
cost
|
420,000
|
444,000
|
||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(509,000
|
)
|
(513,000
|
)
|
||||
Recognized
actuarial loss
|
313,000
|
11,000
|
||||||
Net
periodic pension cost
|
$
|
298,000
|
$
|
(15,000
|
)
|
16.
Stockholder’s Equity
In 2002,
the Company adopted a stock grant program for key employees that replaced its
stock option and stock appreciation rights plan for key employees. As of October
31, 2009 there were no stock options outstanding. There are currently 51,430
shares outstanding that are subject to repurchase by the Company which had an
estimated repurchase price value of $156,000 at October 31, 2009. The Company
has determined that the terms of the shares outstanding subject to repurchase
constitute a liability due to the repurchase right and the liability is measured
each year at fair market value as defined in the plan. The $156,000 repurchase
obligation is included in other long-term liabilities in the Company’s
consolidated balance sheets at October 31, 2009. A mark-to-market reduction of
stock-based compensation of approximately $82,000 was recorded in the three
months ended April 30, 2010. The remaining $74,000 repurchase obligation is
included in other long-term liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance
sheets at April 30, 2010.
17
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
16.
Stockholder’s Equity (continued)
On March
23, 2010, the Company’s stockholders approved the Limoneira Company 2010 Omnibus
Incentive Plan.
Effective
March 24, 2010, the Company amended our certificate of incorporation to increase
the number of shares of common stock, and affected a ten-for-one stock split of
our common stock. All references in the accompanying unaudited interim
consolidated condensed financial statements to (i) the value and number of
shares of the Company’s common stock, (ii) the authorized number of shares of
the Company’s common stock and preferred stock, and (iii) loss per share and
dividends per share have been retroactively adjusted to reflect these
changes.
In April
2010, the Company paid a $0.03125 per common share dividend in the aggregate
amount of $350,000 to common shareholders of record on March, 23, 2010.
Additionally in April 2010, the Company paid a $2.1875 per preferred share
dividend in the aggregate amount of $65,000 to preferred shareholders of record
on March 23, 2010.
17.
Segment Information
The
Company operates and tracks results in three reportable operating segments;
agri-business, rental operations, and real estate development. The
reportable operating segments of the Company are strategic business units with
different products and services, distribution processes and customer bases. The
agri-business segment includes farming and citrus packing operations.
The rental operations segment includes housing and commercial rental
operations, leased land, and organic recycling. The real estate development
segment includes real estate development operations. The Company measures
operating performance, including revenues and earnings, of its operating
segments and allocates resources based on its evaluation. The Company does not
allocate selling, general and administrative expense, other income (expense),
interest expense, income tax expense and assets, or specifically identify them
to its operating segments. Revenues from Sunkist represent $7,875,000 of the
Company’s agri-business revenues for the three months ended April 30, 2010 and
$5,296,000 of the Company’s agri-business revenues for the three months ended
April 30, 2009. Revenues from Sunkist represent $11,264,000 of the Company’s
agri-business revenues for the six months ended April 30, 2010 and $8,532,000 of
the Company’s agri-business revenues for the six months ended April 30,
2009.
Segment
information for the three months ended April 30, 2010:
Agri-business
|
Rental
Operations
|
Real Estate
Development
|
Corporate and
Other
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$
|
12,202,000
|
$
|
962,000
|
$
|
45,000
|
$
|
–
|
$
|
13,209,000
|
||||||||||
Costs
and expenses
|
8,791,000
|
584,000
|
396,000
|
2,413,000
|
12,184,000
|
|||||||||||||||
Impairment
charges
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|||||||||||||||
Loss
on sale of assets
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
$
|
3,411,000
|
$
|
378,000
|
$
|
(351,000
|
)
|
$
|
(2,413,000
|
)
|
$
|
1,025,000
|
Segment
information for the three months ended April 30, 2009:
Agri-business
|
Rental
Operations
|
Real Estate
Development
|
Corporate and
Other
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$
|
6,797,000
|
$
|
955,000
|
$
|
8,000
|
$
|
–
|
$
|
7,760,000
|
||||||||||
Costs
and expenses
|
6,995,000
|
480,000
|
58,000
|
1,784,000
|
9,318,000
|
|||||||||||||||
Impairment
charges
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|||||||||||||||
Loss
on sale of assets
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
3,000
|
3,000
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
$
|
(198,000
|
)
|
$
|
475,000
|
$
|
(50,000
|
)
|
$
|
(1,787,000
|
)
|
$
|
(1,560,000
|
)
|
18
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
17.
Segment Information (continued)
The
following table sets forth revenues by category, by segment for the three months
ended:
April 30,
2010
|
April 30,
2009
|
|||||||
Lemons
|
$ | 7,875,000 | $ | 5,296,000 | ||||
Avocados
|
2,654,000 | 98,000 | ||||||
Navel
oranges
|
845,000 | 592,000 | ||||||
Valencia
oranges
|
– | 65,000 | ||||||
Specialty
citrus and other crops
|
828,000 | 746,000 | ||||||
Agri-business
revenues
|
12,202,000 | 6,797,000 | ||||||
Rental
operations
|
541,000 | 543,000 | ||||||
Leased
land
|
370,000 | 364,000 | ||||||
Organic
recycling
|
51,000 | 48,000 | ||||||
Rental
operations revenues
|
962,000 | 955,000 | ||||||
Real
estate operations
|
45,000 | 8,000 | ||||||
Real
estate revenues
|
45,000 | 8,000 | ||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 13,209,000 | $ | 7,760,000 |
Segment
information for the six months ended April 30, 2010:
Agri-business
|
Rental
Operations
|
Real Estate
Development
|
Corporate and
Other
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$
|
17,474,000
|
$
|
1,917,000
|
$
|
180,000
|
$
|
–
|
$
|
19,571,000
|
||||||||||
Costs
and expenses
|
15,684,000
|
1,091,000
|
723,000
|
5,829,000
|
23,327,000
|
|||||||||||||||
Impairment
charges
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|||||||||||||||
Loss
on sale of assets
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
$
|
1,790,000
|
$
|
826,000
|
$
|
(543,000
|
)
|
$
|
(5,829,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,756,000
|
)
|
Segment
information for the six months ended April 30, 2009:
Agri-business
|
Rental
Operations
|
Real Estate
Development
|
Corporate and
Other
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$
|
10,802,000
|
$
|
1,866,000
|
$
|
8,000
|
$
|
–
|
$
|
12,676,000
|
||||||||||
Costs
and expenses
|
13,633,000
|
1,061,000
|
141,000
|
3,262,000
|
18,097,000
|
|||||||||||||||
Impairment
charges
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|||||||||||||||
Loss
on sale of assets
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
3,000
|
3,000
|
|||||||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
$
|
(2,831,000
|
)
|
$
|
805,000
|
$
|
(133,000
|
)
|
$
|
(3,265,000
|
)
|
$
|
(5,424,000
|
)
|
19
Limoneira
Company and Subsidiaries
Notes
to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements
(continued)
17.
Segment Information (continued)
The
following table sets forth revenues by category, by segment for the six months
ended:
April 30,
2010
|
April 30,
2009
|
|||||||
Lemons
|
$ | 11,264,000 | $ | 8,532,000 | ||||
Avocados
|
2,879,000 | 103,000 | ||||||
Navel
oranges
|
1,422,000 | 893,000 | ||||||
Valencia
oranges
|
149,000 | 191,000 | ||||||
Specialty
citrus and other crops
|
1,760,000 | 1,083,000 | ||||||
Agri-business
revenues
|
17,474,000 | 10,802,000 | ||||||
Rental
operations
|
1,071,000 | 1,057,000 | ||||||
Leased
land
|
751,000 | 724,000 | ||||||
Organic
recycling
|
95,000 | 85,000 | ||||||
Rental
operations revenues
|
1,917,000 | 1,866,000 | ||||||
Real
estate operations
|
180,000 | 8,000 | ||||||
Real
estate revenues
|
180,000 | 8,000 | ||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 19,571,000 | $ | 12,676,000 |
18.
Subsequent Events
The
revolving line of credit for Investors matured in November 2009 and the maturity
date was extended by Farm Credit West until March, 1, 2010. Farm Credit West
subsequently extended the maturity date to May 1, 2010 and then further extended
the maturity date to June 1, 2010. In May 2010, the Company refinanced the
outstanding line of credit balance of $10,500,000 plus accrued interest on a
long-term basis through the establishment of a $13,000,000 non-revolving line of
credit with Farm Credit West. The non-revolving line of credit is secured by
property with a net book value of $1,145,000 and matures in May 2013.
Details related to this arrangement can be found in our Form 8-K with a
report date of May 27, 2010, which was filed on June 1, 2010.
On June
1, 2010, the Company paid a $0.03125 per share dividend in the aggregate amount
of $350,000 to common shareholders of record on May 18, 2010.
The
Company has evaluated events subsequent to April 30, 2010 to assess the
need for potential recognition or disclosure in this Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q. Based upon this evaluation, it was determined that no other
subsequent events occurred that require recognition or disclosure in the
unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements.
20
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Cautionary
Note on Forward-Looking Statements.
The
following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and
results of operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s
consolidated financial statements and the notes to those statements included
elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The following discussion
and analysis contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements in this 10-Q are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, some
of which are beyond the Company’s control. The potential risks and
uncertainties that could cause our actual financial condition, results of
operations and future performance to differ materially from those expressed or
implied include:
|
·
|
changes in laws, regulations,
rules, quotas, tariffs, and import
laws;
|
|
·
|
weather conditions, including
freezes that affect the production, transportation, storage, import and
export of fresh produce;
|
|
·
|
market responses to industry
volume pressures;
|
|
·
|
increased pressure from
disease, insects and other
pests;
|
|
·
|
disruption of water supplies
or changes in water
allocations;
|
|
·
|
product and raw materials
supplies and pricing;
|
|
·
|
energy supply and
pricing;
|
|
·
|
changes in interest and
current exchange rates;
|
|
·
|
availability of financing for
land development activities;
|
|
·
|
political changes and economic
crises;
|
|
·
|
international
conflict;
|
|
·
|
acts of
terrorism;
|
|
·
|
labor disruptions, strikes or
work stoppages;
|
|
·
|
loss of important intellectual
property rights; and
|
|
·
|
other factors disclosed in our
public filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
|
The
Company’s actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities could differ
materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Additional risks of which the Company is not currently aware
or which the Company currently deems immaterial could also cause the Company’s
actual results to differ, including those discussed in the section entitled
“Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Although we believe the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements
are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity,
performance, or achievements. You should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to update these
forward-looking statements, even if our situation changes in the
future.
The
terms the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” as used throughout this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q refer to Limoneira Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.
Significant
Accounting Estimates
The
unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements are prepared in conformity
with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements requires the use of estimates, judgments and assumptions
that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the
financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the
periods presented. Actual results could differ from those estimates and
assumptions. Our significant accounting policies and estimates are
described more fully in the General Form for Registration of Securities on Form
10, as amended. There have been no changes in our accounting policies in
the current period that had a material impact on our unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements.
21
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
Please
see note 2 to the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements for the
period ended April 30, 2010 elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
information concerning the Company’s Recent Accounting
Pronouncements.
Overview
Limoneira
Company was incorporated in Delaware in 1990 as the successor to several
businesses with operations in California since 1893. We are an
agribusiness and real estate development company founded and based in Santa
Paula, California, committed to responsibly using and managing our approximately
7,300 acres of land, water resources and other assets to maximize long-term
shareholder value. Our current operations consist of fruit production and
marketing, real estate development and capital investment
activities.
We are
one of California’s oldest citrus growers. According to Sunkist Growers,
Inc., we are one of the largest growers of lemons in the United States and,
according to the California Avocado Commission, the largest grower of avocados
in the United States. In addition to growing lemons and avocados, we grow
oranges and a variety of other specialty citrus and other crops. We have
agricultural plantings throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and Tulare Counties in
California, which plantings consist of approximately 1839 acres of lemons, 1372
acres of avocados, 1062 acres of oranges and 403 acres of specialty citrus and
other crops. We also operate our own packinghouse in Santa Paula,
California, where we process and pack lemons that we grow, as well as lemons
grown by others.
Our water
resources include water rights, usage rights to the water in aquifers under, and
canals that run through, the land we own. Water for our farming operations
is sourced from the existing water resources associated with our land, which
includes rights to water in adjudicated Santa Paula Basin (aquifer) and the
unadjudicated Fillmore, Santa Barbara and Paso Robles Basins (aquifers).
We also use ground water and water from local water districts in Tulare County,
which is in the San Joaquin Valley.
For more
than 100 years, we have been making strategic investments in California
agriculture and development real estate, and more recently, in Arizona real
estate. We currently have six active real estate development projects in
California and two in Arizona. Our real estate developments range from
apartments to luxury, single-family homes and in California include
approximately 200 completed units and another approximately 2,000 units in
various stages of planning and retirement. Our real estate developments in
Arizona consist of two luxury homes in Paradise Valley, which is adjacent to
Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Business
Segment Summary
We have
three business segments: agribusiness, rental operations and real estate
development. Our agribusiness segment currently generates the majority of our
revenue from its farming and lemon packing operations; our rental operations
segment generates revenue from our housing, organic recycling and commercial and
leased land operations and our real estate development segment has yet to
generate any significant revenues. From a general view, we see the Company
as a land and farming company that generates annual cash flows to support its
progress into diversified real estate development activities. As real
estate developments are monetized, our agribusiness will then be able to expand
more rapidly into new regions and markets.
Agribusiness
We are
one of the largest growers of lemons and the largest grower of avocados in the
United States and, as a result, our agribusiness segment is the largest of our
three segments, representing approximately 89%, 93% and 93% of our fiscal 2009,
fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2007 consolidated revenues, respectively. Our
lemons are primarily marketed by Sunkist, with a vast majority of our domestic
lemon and specialty citrus orders processed through the Sunkist network.
Approximately 85% of our domestic lemon orders are repeat weekly/monthly
customers and approximately 95% of those orders are FOB shipping dock.
Approximately 70% of our lemons are shipped to food service and wholesale
customers with the remaining 30% shipped to retail customers. Our export
orders are placed through the Sunkist system with long-standing United States
exporters. All orders placed through the Sunkist network are priced,
invoiced and collected by Sunkist with payment to the Company guaranteed by
Sunkist beginning 24 hours after acceptance of our fruit by the customer.
All commercial lemon by-products, such as juice, oils and essences, are
processed by Sunkist with payment to us within approximately 12 to 18 months
after the customer’s receipt of the product.
Historically
our agricultural operations have been seasonal in nature with the least amount
of our annual revenue being generated in our first quarter, increasing in the
second quarter, peaking in the third quarter and somewhat falling off in the
fourth quarter. Cultural costs in our agricultural business tend to be higher in
the first and second quarters and lower in the third and fourth quarters because
of the timing of expensing cultural costs in the current year that were
inventoried in the prior year. See note 4 to our unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for an explanation of the accounting treatment of certain of our cultural costs.
Our harvest costs generally increase in the second quarter and peak in the third
quarter coinciding with the increasing production and revenue.
22
Fluctuations
in price are a function of global supply and demand with weather conditions,
such as unusually low temperatures, typically having the most dramatic effect on
the amount of lemons supplied in any individual growing season. We believe
we have a competitive advantage by maintaining our own lemon packing operation,
even though a significant portion of the costs related to our lemon packing
operations are fixed. As a result, cost per carton is a function of fruit
throughput. While we regularly monitor our costs for redundancies and
opportunities for cost reductions, we also supplement the number of lemons we
pack in our packinghouse with additional lemons from outside growers.
Because the fresh utilization rate for our lemons, or percentage of lemons we
harvest and pack that go to the fresh market, is directly related to the quality
of lemons we pack and, consequently, the price we receive per 40-pound box, we
only pack lemons from outside growers if we determine their lemons are of good
quality.
Our
avocado producing business is important to us yet nevertheless faces some
constraints on growth as there is little additional land that can be
cost-effectively acquired to support new avocado orchards in Southern
California. Also, avocado production is cyclical as avocados typically
bear fruit on a bi-annual basis with large crops in one year followed by smaller
crops the next year. While our avocado production remains volatile, the
profitability and cash flow realized from our avocados frequently offsets
occasional losses in other crops we grow and helps to diversify our fruit
production base.
In
addition to growing lemons and avocados, we also grow oranges and specialty
citrus and other crops, typically utilizing land not suitable for growing high
quality lemons. We regularly monitor the demand for the fruit we grow in
the ever-changing marketplace to identify trends. For instance, while per
capita consumption of oranges in the United States has been decreasing since
2000 primarily as a result of consumers increasing their consumption of mandarin
oranges and other specialty citrus, the international market demand for U.S.
oranges has increased. As a result, we have focused our orange production
on high quality late season Navel and Valencia oranges primarily for export to
Japan, China and Korea, which are typically highly profitable niche
markets. We produce our specialty citrus and other crops in response to
consumer trends we identify and believe that we are a leader in the niche
production and sale of certain of these high margin fruits. Because we
carefully monitor the respective markets of specialty citrus and other crops, we
believe that demand for the types and varieties of specialty citrus and other
crops that we grow will continue to increase throughout the world.
Rental
Operations
Our
rental operations segment represented approximately 11%, 7% and 7% of our fiscal
2009, fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2007 consolidated revenues, respectively. Our
rental housing units generate reliable cash flows which we use to partially fund
the operations of all three of our business segments, and provide affordable
housing to many of our employees, including our agribusiness employees, a unique
employment benefit that helps us maintain a dependable, long-term employee
base. In addition, our leased land business provides us with a typically
profitable diversification. Revenue from our rental operations segment is
generally level throughout the year.
Real
Estate Development
Our real
estate development segment has not yet generated any significant revenues
to-date. We recognize that long-term strategies are required for
successful real estate development activities. We plan to redeploy any
financial gains into other income producing real estate as well as additional
agricultural properties.
Recent
Developments
In March
2010, our shareholders approved, among other things, a ten-for-one forward stock
split. The effect of the stock split has been retroactively applied to the
financial information contained in this discussion.
The
Windfall Investors revolving line of credit with Farm Credit West that we
assumed, along with the other assets and liabilities of Windfall Investors,
matured on March 1, 2010, was extended to May 1, 2010 and subsequently extended
again to June 1, 2010. Subsequent to April 30, 2010 the Company refinanced its
Windfall Investors revolving line of credit with Farm Credit West effective as
of May 7, 2010, see note 18 to the unaudited consolidated condensed financial
statements elsewhere in this Form 10-Q.
23
Results
of Operations
The
following table shows the results of operations for the second quarter and six
months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009:
Quarter
Ended April 30,
|
Six
Months Ended April 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||
Agriculture
|
$ | 12,202,000 | $ | 6,797,000 | $ | 17,474,000 | $ | 10,802,000 | ||||||||
Rental
|
962,000 | 955,000 | 1,917,000 | 1,866,000 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
45,000 | 8,000 | 180,000 | 8,000 | ||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
13,209,000 | 7,760,000 | 19,571,000 | 12,676,000 | ||||||||||||
Costs
and expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Agriculture
|
8,791,000 | 6,995,000 | 15,684,000 | 13,633,000 | ||||||||||||
Rental
|
584,000 | 480,000 | 1,091,000 | 1,061,000 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
396,000 | 58,000 | 723,000 | 141,000 | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
|
2,413,000 | 1,784,000 | 5,829,000 | 3,262,000 | ||||||||||||
Loss
on sale of assets
|
- | 3,000 | - | 3,000 | ||||||||||||
Total
cost and expenses
|
12,184,000 | 9,320,000 | 23,327,000 | 18,100,000 | ||||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
1,025,000 | (1,560,000 | ) | (3,756,000 | ) | (5,424,000 | ) | |||||||||
Other
income (expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Other
income (expense), net
|
1,000 | (22,000 | ) | 364,000 | 314,000 | |||||||||||
Interest
income
|
29,000 | 86,000 | 58,000 | 123,000 | ||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(955,000 | ) | (88,000 | ) | (1,383,000 | ) | (301,000 | ) | ||||||||
Total
other income (expense), net
|
(925,000 | ) | 24,000 | (961,000 | ) | 136,000 | ||||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations before income tax (provision) benefit
and equity in investments
|
100,000 | (1,584,000 | ) | (4,717,000 | ) | (5,288,000 | ) | |||||||||
Income
tax (provision) benefit
|
(48,000 | ) | 739,000 | 1,661,000 | 2,391,000 | |||||||||||
Equity
in earnings (losses) of investments
|
64,000 | (75,000 | ) | 48,000 | (99,000 | ) | ||||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations
|
116,000 | (920,000 | ) | (3,008,000 | ) | (2,996,000 | ) | |||||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations, net of income taxes
|
(4,000 | ) | (5,000 | ) | (12,000 | ) | (6,000 | ) | ||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
112,000 | (925,000 | ) | (3,020,000 | ) | (3,002,000 | ) | |||||||||
Preferred
dividends
|
(65,000 | ) | (65,000 | ) | (131,000 | ) | (131,000 | ) | ||||||||
Net
income (loss) applicable to common stock
|
$ | 47,000 | $ | (990,000 | ) | $ | (3,151,000 | ) | $ | (3,133,000 | ) | |||||
Per
common share basic:
|
||||||||||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$ | 0.00 | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | |||||
Discontinued
operations
|
0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||||||||||
Basic
net loss per share
|
$ | 0.00 | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | |||||
Per
common share-diluted:
|
||||||||||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$ | 0.00 | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | |||||
Discontinued
operations
|
0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||||||||||
Diluted
net loss per share
|
$ | 0.00 | $ | (0.09 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | $ | (0.28 | ) | |||||
Dividends
per common share
|
$ | 0.03 | $ | - | $ | 0.06 | $ | 0.03 | ||||||||
Weighted-average
shares outstanding-basic
|
11,194,000 | 11,263,000 | 11,194,000 | 11,224,000 | ||||||||||||
Weighted-average
shares outstanding-diluted
|
11,194,000 | 11,263,000 | 11,194,000 | 11,247,000 |
24
Second
Quarter Fiscal 2010 Compared to Second Quarter Fiscal 2009
Revenues
Total
revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $13.2 million compared to $7.8
million for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. The $5.4 million increase was the
result of increased agricultural revenue. Lemon revenue for the second quarter
of 2010 was $7.9 million compared to $5.3 million for the second quarter of
2009. This $2.6 million increase was achieved despite a nearly 10% decrease in
the number of fresh cartons sold in 2010 as compared to 2009. The 10%
decrease in the number of fresh cartons sold in 2010 is a result of oversupply
of lemons in 2009 that led to a comparatively lighter volume of fruit in
competitive growing areas in the early part of the 2010 growing season, enabling
us to achieve a nearly five dollar increase in per carton selling prices in 2010
compared to 2009.
Avocado
revenue for the second quarter of 2010 was $2.7 million compared to $0.1 million
in the second quarter of 2009. This $2.6 million increase was the result of
higher volume of fruit being harvested in the second quarter of 2010 compared to
the second quarter of 2009. The lower volume of fruit in 2009 resulted from the
Company’s decision to delay the harvest as long as possible to capture higher
prices later in the year. Additionally, the 2009 avocado crop was significantly
lighter than the 2010 crop because of an unseasonable heat in the spring of 2008
that adversely impacted the bloom and set of the 2009 crop. A superior eating
crop of Navel oranges in 2010 compared to 2009 resulted in increased shelf space
at the retail level and drove a nearly $0.3 million increase in revenue for this
variety in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter of 2009.
Revenue in our rental and real estate businesses was essentially flat quarter to
quarter with $1.0 million earned in the second quarter of 2010 and
2009.
Costs
and Expenses
Our total
costs and expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 were $12.2 million
compared to $9.3 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. $2.2 million of
this increase was attributable to increases in our agriculture, rental and real
estate businesses of $1.8 million, $0.1 million and $0.3 million,
respectively.
Costs
associated with our agriculture business include packing costs, harvest costs,
growing costs, amounts paid to our affiliated growers whose fruit we pack and
depreciation expense. Our packing costs during the second quarter of 2010 were
$2.4 million compared to $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2009. Harvest
costs for the second quarter of 2010 were $2.1 million compared to $1.4 million
for the second quarter of 2009. This $0.7 million increase resulted from a
higher number of field boxes being harvested in 2010 compared to 2009. During
the second quarter of 2010 we harvested approximately 544,000 field boxes of
lemons at an average cost of $2.94 per field box compared to approximately
396,000 field boxes at an average cost of $3.10 per field box during the second
quarter of 2009. The lower per field box harvest costs in 2010 resulted from
more lemons being harvested on our Southern ranches in the second quarter of
2010 compared to the second quarter of 2009. Lemons harvested from our Northern
ranches have the added cost of transportation to our lemon packing facility
located in Ventura County. Additionally, higher volume of oranges, avocados and
specialty citrus crops harvested in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the
second quarter of 2009 resulted in approximately $0.4 million more harvest costs
in the 2010 period compared to the 2009 period. Growing costs during the second
quarter of 2010 were $2.2 million compared to $2.1 million during the second
quarter of 2009. This $0.1 million increase was attributable to higher soil
amendment and fertilization costs in the 2010 second quarter compared to the
second quarter of 2009. Partially offsetting these increases was a reduction in
the amount of farming costs that were reclassified from the balance sheet to
farming expense in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter of
2009. See note 4 to our consolidated condensed financial statements elsewhere in
this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for an explanation of the accounting for
certain of our farming costs. Payments made to our affiliated growers related to
the lemons that we process were $1.7 million in the second quarter of 2010
compared to $0.9 million in the second quarter of 2009. This increase was
attributable to higher per carton sales prices in 2010 compared to 2009 and, to
a lesser extent, a higher volume of our affiliated growers fruit processed in
our packinghouse. Depreciation expense was $0.4 million for the second quarter
of 2010 and the second quarter of 2009.
Costs
associated with our rental business were $0.6 million in the second quarter of
2010 compared to $0.5 million in the second quarter of 2009 and include costs
associated with our residential rental business and depreciation. This slight
increase resulted from higher maintenance and repair costs for our residential
rental units in 2010. Depreciation expense for our rental business was $0.1
million for both the second quarter of 2010 and 2009.
Other
costs consist of costs incurred for our various real estate projects and
depreciation expense. During the second quarter of 2010 costs associated with
our real estate development business were $0.4 million compared to costs of $0.1
million in the second quarter of 2009. $0.2 million of this increase was
attributable to maintenance and repair costs at our Windfall Ranch real estate
development project which was not a part of our operations until fiscal 2010.
The balance of the increase relates to costs for our Templeton and Arizona real
estate projects that were being capitalized during 2009 and, because of the
reclassification of these assets on our balance sheet from real estate
development to assets held for sale, are being expensed in 2010. Depreciation
expense was minimal (less than twenty thousand dollars in the second quarter of
2010 and zero in the second quarter of 2009) and relates to one of our Arizona
residential units which are currently being leased.
25
Selling,
general and administrative costs for the three months ended April 30, 2010 were
$2.4 million compared to $1.8 million for the three months ended April 30, 2009.
This $0.6 million increase was primarily attributable to $0.6 million of costs
incurred during the second quarter of 2010 associated with the filing of our
Form 10 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, the second
quarter of 2010 includes $0.1 million of employee incentive accruals compared to
no employee incentive accruals in the second quarter of 2009. Partially
offsetting these increases were lower legal fees in the second quarter of 2010
versus the second quarter of 2009.
Other
Income/Expense
Our other
income (expense) consists of interest income, interest expense and other
miscellaneous income/expense. For the second quarter of fiscal 2010 our other
income (expense) totaled ($0.93) million and included $0.03 million of interest
income and ($0.96) million of interest expense. This compares to interest income
of $0.09 million, interest expense of ($0.09) million and ($0.02) million of
other miscellaneous expense for the first quarter of fiscal 2009. The increase
in interest expense in 2010 is primarily the result of recording a ($0.56)
million fair value adjustment to the underlying debt for our interest rate swap
in April 2010. Additionally, interest expense increased in 2010 due to our
assumption of debt as part of the Windfall Investors, LLC acquisition in
November 2009.
Income
Taxes
The
Company recorded an estimated income tax provision of $0.05 million in the
second quarter of fiscal 2010 on pre-tax earnings from continuing operations of
$0.16 million compared to an estimated income tax benefit of $0.74 million on
pre-tax losses from continuing operations of $1.66 million in the second quarter
of fiscal 2009. Our estimated effective tax rate was 29.3% for the second
quarter of 2010 compared to an estimated rate of 44.3% for the second quarter of
2009. The primary reasons for this decrease in our estimated effective tax rate
were increases in the allowable dividend exclusion and domestic production
deduction and decreases in the change in unrecognized tax benefits and other
nondeductible items in 2010 over the 2009 amounts.
Six
Months Ended April 30, 2010 Compared to the Six Months Ended April 30,
2009
Revenues
Total
revenue for the first six months of 2010 was $19.6 million compared to $12.7
million for the first six months of 2009. The $6.9 million increase was
substantially the result of increased sales of our agricultural products. Our
lemon revenue was $11.3 million for the first six months of 2010 compared to
$8.5 million dollars for the first six months of 2009. Our avocado, orange and
specialty crop revenues for the first six months of 2010 were $2.9 million, $1.6
million and $1.8 million, respectively. For the first six months of 2009 our
avocado, orange and specialty citrus crop revenues were $0.1 million, $1.1
million and $1.1 million, respectively. The increase in lemon revenue was
attributable to lighter fall and winter fruit volume from competitive growing
areas which allowed us to command significantly higher per carton sales prices
in 2010 compared to 2009. An unseasonable heat event in the spring of 2008
adversely impacted the bloom and set of the 2009 avocado crop resulting in a
significantly smaller avocado crop in 2009 compared to the 2010 crop.
Additionally, because of the small 2009 avocado crop the Company made the
decision to delay harvesting the 2009 crop until as late as possible in the year
to capture more favorable prices. Higher per acre production of Navel oranges in
the first six months of 2010 compared to 2009 and increased shelf space at the
retail level because of a superior eating Navel orange crop in 2010 resulted in
a $0.5 million increase in our orange revenue for the first six months of 2010
compared to the first six months of 2009. The same unseasonable heat event in
2008 that adversely impacted our 2009 avocado crop also negatively impacted our
2009 orange and specialty citrus crop revenues. Larger volume in our 2010
specialty crops and increased shelf space at the retail level contributed to the
$0.7 million increase in our specialty citrus crop revenues for the first six
months of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009.
Our
rental revenues were consistent year to year with revenues of $1.9 million in
the first six months of 2010 and 2009. Other revenue, which includes revenues
from our real estate development business, was $0.2 million for the first six
months of 2010 and insignificant for the first six months of 2009. The 2010
amount includes rental income from one of our Paradise Valley projects and
miscellaneous income generated by our Windfall Farms property while it is being
readied for development.
Costs
and Expenses
Our total
costs and expenses for the first six months of fiscal 2010 were $23.3 million
compared to $18.1 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. $2.7 million of
this increase was attributable to increases in our agriculture and real estate
businesses of $2.1 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
26
Costs
associated with our agriculture business include packing costs, harvest costs,
growing costs, amounts paid to our affiliated growers whose fruit we pack and
depreciation expense. Our packing costs during the first six months of 2010 were
$3.7 million compared to $4.3 million in the first six months of 2009. Harvest
costs for the first six months of 2010 were $2.7 million compared to $1.9
million for the first six months of 2009. This $0.8 million increase resulted
from a higher number of field boxes being harvested in 2010 compared to 2009.
During the first six months of 2010 we harvested approximately 663,000 field
boxes of lemons at an average cost of $3.09 per field box compared to
approximately 516,000 field boxes at an average cost of $3.18 per field box
during the first six months of 2009. The lower per field box harvest costs in
2010 resulted from more lemons being harvested on our Southern ranches in the
first six months of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009. Lemons
harvested from our Northern ranches have the added cost of transportation to our
lemon packing facility located in Ventura County. Additionally, higher volume of
oranges, avocados and specialty citrus crops harvested in the first six months
of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009 resulted in approximately $0.4
million more harvest costs in the 2010 period compared to the 2009 period.
Growing costs during the first six months of 2010 were $4.8 million compared to
$4.2 million during the first six months of 2009. This $0.6 million increase was
attributable to higher soil amendment and fertilization costs in the first six
months of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009. Partially offsetting
these increases was a reduction in the amount of farming costs that were
reclassified from the balance sheet to farming expense in the first six months
of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009. See note 4 to our consolidated
condensed financial statements elsewhere in this Form 10Q for an explanation of
the accounting for certain of our farming costs. Payments made to our affiliated
growers related to the lemons that we process were $3.7 million in the first six
months of 2010 compared to $2.4 million in the first six months of 2009. This
increase was attributable to higher per carton sales prices in 2010 compared to
2009 and, to a lesser extent, a higher volume of our affiliated growers fruit
processed in our packinghouse. Depreciation expense was $0.8 million for the
first six months of 2010 and the first six months of 2009.
Costs
associated with our rental business were $1.1 million in the first six months of
2010 and the first six months of 2009 and include costs associated with our
residential rental business and depreciation. Depreciation expense for our
rental business was $0.2 million for both of the first six months of 2010 and
2009.
Other
costs consist of costs incurred for our various real estate projects and
depreciation expense. During the first six months of 2010 costs associated with
our real estate development business were $0.7 million compared to costs of $0.1
million in the first six months of 2009. $0.5 million of this increase was
attributable to maintenance and repair costs at our Windfall Ranch real estate
development project which was not a part of our operations until fiscal 2010.
The balance of the increase relates to costs for our Templeton and Arizona real
estate projects that were being capitalized during 2009 and, because of the
reclassification of these assets on our balance sheet from real estate
development to assets held for sale, are being expensed in 2010. Depreciation
expense was minimal (less than fifty thousand dollars in the first six months of
2010 and zero in the first six months of 2009) and relates to one of our Arizona
residential units, which is currently being leased.
Selling,
general and administrative costs for the six months ended April 30, 2010 were
$5.8 million compared to $3.3 million for the six months ended April 30, 2009.
This $2.5 million increase was primarily attributable to a $1.3 million non-cash
charge related to our stock grant performance bonus plan (as described in our
Registration Statement on Form 10, as amended). Costs in the first six months of
2010 in connection with the preparation of our fiscal 2009 audited financial
statements and the filing of our Form 10 with the Securities and Exchange
Commission totaled $1.2 million. Costs in the first six months of 2009 in
connection with the preparation of our 2008 audited financial statements were
$0.2 million. Additionally, the first six months of 2010 includes $0.2 million
of employee incentive accruals compared to no employee incentive accruals in the
second quarter of 2009. Partially offsetting these increases were lower legal
fees in the first six months of 2010 versus the first six months of
2009.
Other
Income/Expense
Our other
income (expense) consists of interest income, interest expense and other
miscellaneous income/expense. For the first six months of fiscal 2010 our other
income (expense), totaled ($0.96) million and included $0.06 million of interest
income, ($1.38) million of interest expense and $0.36 million of other
miscellaneous income. This compares to interest income of $0.12 million,
interest expense of ($0.30) million and $0.31 million of other miscellaneous
income for the first six months of fiscal 2009. The increase in interest expense
in 2010 is primarily the result of recording a ($0.56) million fair value
adjustment to the underlying debt for our interest rate swap in April 2010.
Additionally, interest expense increased in 2010 due to our assumption of debt
as part of the Windfall Investors, LLC acquisition in November
2009.
Income
Taxes
The
Company recorded an estimated income tax benefit of $1.7 million in the first
six months of fiscal 2010 on pre-tax losses from continuing operations of $4.7
million compared to an estimated income tax benefit of $2.4 million on pre-tax
losses from continuing operations of $5.4 million in the first six months of
fiscal 2009. Our estimated effective tax rate was 35.6% for the first six months
of 2010 compared to an estimated rate of 44.3% for the first six months of 2009.
The primary reasons for this decrease in our estimated effective tax rate were
increases in the allowable dividend exclusion and domestic production deduction
and decreases in the change in unrecognized tax benefits and other nondeductible
items in 2010 over the 2009 amounts.
27
Segment
Results of Operations
We
evaluate the performance of our agribusiness, rental operations and real estate
development segments separately to monitor the different factors affecting
financial results. Each segment is subject to review and evaluations we for
current market conditions, market opportunities and available
resources.
The
following table shows the segment results of operations for the second quarter
and six months ended April 30, 2010 and 2009:
Quarter Ended April 30,
|
Six Months Ended April 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
||||||||||||||||
Agribusiness
|
$ | 12,202,000 | $ | 6,797,000 | $ | 17,474,000 | $ | 10,802,000 | ||||||||
Rental
operations
|
962,000 | 955,000 | 1,917,000 | 1,866,000 | ||||||||||||
Real
estate development
|
45,000 | 8,000 | 180,000 | 8,000 | ||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
13,209,000 | 7,760,000 | 19,571,000 | 12,676,000 | ||||||||||||
Costs
and expenses
|
||||||||||||||||
Agribusiness
|
8,791,000 | 6,995,000 | 15,684,000 | 13,633,000 | ||||||||||||
Rental
operations
|
584,000 | 480,000 | 1,091,000 | 1,061,000 | ||||||||||||
Real
estate development
|
396,000 | 58,000 | 723,000 | 141,000 | ||||||||||||
Corporate
and other
|
2,413,000 | 1,787,000 | 5,829,000 | 3,265,000 | ||||||||||||
Total
costs and expenses
|
12,184,000 | 9,320,000 | 23,327,000 | 18,100,000 | ||||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
||||||||||||||||
Agribusiness
|
3,411,000 | (198,000 | ) | 1,790,000 | (2,831,000 | ) | ||||||||||
Rental
operations
|
378,000 | 475,000 | 826,000 | 805,000 | ||||||||||||
Real
estate development
|
(351,000 | ) | (50,000 | ) | (543,000 | ) | (133,000 | ) | ||||||||
Corporate
and other
|
(2,413,000 | ) | (1,787,000 | ) | (5,829,000 | ) | (3,265,000 | ) | ||||||||
Total
operating income (loss)
|
$ | 1,025,000 | $ | (1,560,000 | ) | $ | (3,756,000 | ) | $ | (5,424,000 | ) |
Second
Quarter of Fiscal 2010 Compared to the Second Quarter of Fiscal
2009
Agribusiness
For the
second quarter of 2010 our agribusiness segment revenue was $12.2 million
compared to $6.8 million for the second quarter of 2009. The $5.4 million
increase reflected higher revenue in most varieties of our crops for the fiscal
2010 second quarter compared to the fiscal 2009 second quarter. Revenue from
lemon sales increased by $2.6 million; from $5.3 million in the second quarter
of fiscal 2009 to $7.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2010. This
increase resulted from substantially higher per carton sales prices in 2010
compared to 2009 partially offset by lower volume in 2010 compared to 2009. In
the second quarter of fiscal 2010 we sold approximately 413,000 fresh lemon
cartons at an average per carton sales price of $19.07 compared to 422,000 fresh
cartons at an average per carton price of $12.55 in the second quarter of fiscal
2009. This 52% increase in the average sales price was attributable to lower
industry volume of available fruit in the 2010 second quarter compared to the
2009 second quarter which allowed us to maintain higher prices in 2010. Our
avocado revenue was $2.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 compared
to $0.1 million in the first second of fiscal 2009. The low level of avocado
revenue in the second quarter of 2009 reflected our efforts to manage our very
small 2009 avocado crop by delaying the harvest to capture higher prices later
in the year. The small 2009 avocado crop was the result of an unseasonable heat
event in the spring of 2008 that adversely impacted the bloom and set of the
2009 crop. Our Navel and Valencia orange revenue was $0.8 million for the second
quarter of 2010 compared to $0.7 million for the second quarter of 2009. This
$0.1 million increase was attributable to our navel orange crop which produced
approximately 108,000 cartons in the second quarter of 2010 compared to
approximately 101,000 cartons in the second quarter of 2009. As with our
avocados, the lower production in 2009 resulted from the unseasonable heat event
in the spring of 2008 adversely impacting the 2009 crop. Our specialty citrus
revenue was $0.8 million for the second quarter of 2010 compared to $0.7 million
for the second quarter of 2009 on lower volume in 2009 compared to 2010 caused
by the 2008 heat event.
28
For the
second quarter of 2010 our agribusiness costs and expenses were $8.8 million
compared to $7.0 million for the second quarter of 2009. Our packing costs
during the second quarter of 2010 were $2.4 million compared to $2.3 million in
the second quarter of 2009. Harvest costs for the second quarter of 2010 were
$2.1 million compared to $1.4 million for the second quarter of 2009. This $0.7
million increase resulted from a higher number of field boxes being harvested in
2010 compared to 2009. During the second quarter of 2010 we harvested
approximately 544,000 field boxes of lemons at an average cost of $2.94 per
field box compared to approximately 396,000 field boxes at an average cost of
$3.10 per field box during the second quarter of 2009. The lower per field box
harvest costs in 2010 resulted from more lemons being harvested on our Southern
ranches in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter of
2009. Lemons harvested from our Northern ranches have the added cost
of transportation to our lemon packing facility located in Ventura County.
Additionally, higher volume of oranges, avocados and specialty citrus crops
harvested in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter of 2009
resulted in approximately $0.4 million more harvest costs in the 2010 period
compared to the 2009 period. Growing costs during the second quarter of 2010
were $2.2 million compared to $2.1 million during the second quarter of 2009.
This $0.1 million increase was attributable to higher soil amendment and
fertilization costs in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter
of 2009. Partially offsetting these increases was a reduction in the amount of
farming costs that were reclassified from the balance sheet to farming expense
in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter of 2009. See note 4
to our consolidated condensed financial statements elsewhere in this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for an explanation of the accounting for certain of our
farming costs. Payments made to our affiliated growers related to the lemons
that we process were $1.7 million in the second quarter of 2010 compared to $0.9
million in the second quarter of 2009. This increase was attributable to higher
per carton sales prices in 2010 compared to 2009 and, to a lesser extent, a
higher volume of our affiliated growers fruit processed in our packinghouse.
Depreciation expense was $0.4 million for the second quarter of 2010 and the
second quarter of 2009.
Rental
Operations
Our
rental operations had revenue of $0.96 million in the second quarter of 2010 and
2009. All three areas of this segment; residential and commercial rental
operations, leased land and organic recycling, were essentially flat in the
second quarter of 2010 compared to the second quarter of 2009. Our occupancy
rate in our residential rental business was slightly lower in the second quarter
of 2010 compared to the second quarter of 2009 and because of the downturn in
the economy we chose not to institute any rent increases in the second quarter
of 2010 and all of 2009. Revenue from the residential and commercial component
of this segment was $0.54 million for the second quarter of 2010 and 2009. The
revenue from the leased land component of this segment was $0.37 million for the
second quarter of 2010 compared to $0.36 million for the second quarter of 2009.
This slight increase was the result of scheduled rent increases on four of our
leases.
Total
expenses in our rental operations segment were $0.6 million in the second
quarter of 2010 compared to $0.5 million in the second quarter of 2009
reflecting higher costs for repairs in our residential rental business.
Depreciation expense in our rental operations segment was $0.1 million in the
second quarter of 2010 and 2009.
Real
Estate Development
Our real
estate development segment had revenue of $0.05 million in the second quarter of
2010 and no significant revenue in the second quarter of 2009. The 2010 revenue
represented lease income from some of the facilities at Windfall Ranch and from
one of our Arizona real estate properties. As a means of offsetting some of the
costs at our Windfall Ranch development project during its development stage we
are leasing some of the equestrian facilities to independent horse trainers and
some of the acreage to alfalfa growers. In July 2009 we entered into a lease for
one of our Arizona homes. The lease has an initial term of two years with an
option for a third year. The lessee has an option to purchase the property at
any time during their occupancy.
Costs and
expenses in our real estate development segment were $0.40 million in the second
quarter of 2010 compared to $0.06 million in the second quarter of 2009. The
2010 costs are primarily maintenance costs, property taxes and utility costs
incurred at our Windfall Investors project and to a lesser extent, costs for our
East Area 1 and 2 projects that are not capitalized. The 2009 costs consist
entirely of costs at our East Area 1 and 2 projects that are not
capitalized.
Corporate
and Other
Corporate
costs and expenses include selling, general and administrative costs and other
costs not allocated to the operating segments. For the second quarter of 2010
corporate and other costs were $2.4 million compared to $1.8 million for the
second quarter of 2009. This $0.6 million increase was primarily attributable to
$0.6 million of costs incurred during the second quarter of 2010 associated with
the filing of our Form 10 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Additionally, the second quarter of 2010 includes $0.1 million of employee
incentive accruals compared to no employee incentive accruals in the second
quarter of 2009. Partially offsetting these increases were lower legal fees in
the second quarter of 2010 versus the second quarter of 2009.
29
Six
Months Ended April 30, 2010 Compared to the Six Months Ended April 30,
2009
Agribusiness
Our lemon
revenue was $11.3 million for the first six months of 2010 compared to $8.5
million dollars for the first six months of 2009. Our avocado, orange and
specialty crop revenues for the first six months of 2010 were $2.9 million, $1.6
million and $1.8 million, respectively. For the first six months of 2009 our
avocado, orange and specialty citrus crop revenues were $0.1 million, $1.1
million and $1.1 million, respectively. The increase in lemon revenue was
attributable to lighter fall and winter fruit volume from competitive growing
areas which allowed us to command significantly higher per carton sales prices
in 2010 compared to 2009. An unseasonable heat event in the spring of
2008 adversely impacted the bloom and set of the 2009 avocado crop resulting in
a significantly smaller avocado crop in 2009 compared to the 2010 crop.
Additionally, because of the small 2009 avocado crop the Company made the
decision to delay harvesting the 2009 crop until as late as possible in the year
to capture more favorable prices. Higher per acre production of Navel oranges in
the first six months of 2010 compared to 2009 and increased shelf space at the
retail level because of a superior eating Navel orange crop in 2010 resulted in
a $0.5 million increase in our orange revenue for the first six months of 2010
compared to the first six months of 2009. The same unseasonable heat event in
2008 that adversely impacted our 2009 avocado crop also negatively impacted our
2009 orange and specialty citrus crop revenues. Larger volume in our 2010
specialty crops and increased shelf space at the retail level contributed to the
$0.7 million increase in our specialty citrus crop revenues for the first six
months of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009.
Costs
associated with our agriculture business include packing costs, harvest costs,
growing costs, amounts paid to our affiliated growers whose fruit we pack and
depreciation expense. Our packing costs during the first six months of 2010 were
$3.7 million compared to $4.3 million in the second quarter of 2009. Harvest
costs for the first six months of 2010 were $2.7 million compared to $1.9
million for the first six months of 2009. $0.4 million of this $0.8 million
increase resulted from a higher number of lemon field boxes being harvested in
2010 compared to 2009. During the first six months of 2010 we harvested
approximately 663,000 field boxes of lemons at an average cost of $3.09 per
field box compared to approximately 516,000 field boxes of lemons at an average
cost of $3.18 per field box during the first six months of 2009. The lower per
field box lemon harvest costs in 2010 resulted from more lemons being harvested
on our Southern ranches in the first six months of 2010 compared to the first
six months of 2009. Lemons harvested from our Northern ranches have the added
cost of transportation to our lemon packing facility located in Ventura County.
Additionally, higher volume of oranges, avocados and specialty citrus crops
harvested in the first six months of 2010 compared to the first six months of
2009 resulted in approximately $0.4 million more harvest costs in the 2010
period compared to the 2009 period. Growing costs during the first six months of
2010 were $4.8 million compared to $4.2 million during the first six months of
2009. This $0.6 million increase was attributable to higher soil amendment and
fertilization costs in the first six months of 2010 compared to the first six
months of 2009. Partially offsetting these increases was a reduction in the
amount of farming costs that were reclassified from the balance sheet to farming
expense in the first six months of 2010 compared to the first six months of
2009. See note 4 to our consolidated condensed financial statements elsewhere in
this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for an explanation of the accounting for
certain of our farming costs. Payments made to our affiliated growers related to
the lemons that we process were $3.7 million in the first six months of 2010
compared to $2.4 million in the first six months of 2009. This increase was
attributable to higher per carton sales prices in 2010 compared to 2009 and, to
a lesser extent, a higher volume of our affiliated growers fruit processed in
our packinghouse. Depreciation expense was $0.8 million for the first six months
of 2010 and the first six months of 2009.
Rental
Operations
Our
rental operations had revenue of $1.9 million in the first six months of 2010
and 2009. All three areas of this segment; residential and commercial rental
operations, leased land and organic recycling, were essentially flat in the
first six months of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009. Our occupancy
rate in our residential rental business was slightly lower in the first six
months of 2010 compared to the first six months of 2009 and because of the
downturn in the economy we chose not to institute any rent increases in the
first half of fiscal 2010 and all of 2009. Revenue from the residential and
commercial component of this segment was $1.1 million for the first six months
of 2010 and 2009. The revenue from the leased land component of this segment was
$0.8 million for the first six months of 2010 compared to $0.7 million for the
first six months of 2009. This slight increase was the result of scheduled rent
increases on four of our leases.
Total
expenses in our rental operations segment were $1.1 million in the first six
months of 2010 and 2009. Depreciation expense in our rental operations segment
was $0.2 million in the first six months of 2010 and 2009.
Real
Estate Development
Our real
estate development segment had revenue of $0.18 million in the first six months
of 2010 and no significant revenue in the first six months of 2009. The 2010
revenue represented lease income from some of the facilities at Windfall Ranch
and from one of our Arizona real estate properties. As a means of offsetting
some of the costs at our Windfall Ranch development project during its
development stage we are leasing some of the equestrian facilities to
independent horse trainers and some of the acreage to alfalfa growers. In July
2009 we entered into a lease for one of our Arizona homes. The lease has an
initial term of two years with an option for a third year. The lessee has an
option to purchase the property at any time during their
occupancy.
30
Costs and
expenses in our real estate development segment were $0.7 million in the first
six months of 2010 compared to $0.1 million in the first six months of 2009. The
2010 costs are primarily maintenance costs, property taxes and utility costs
incurred at our Windfall Ranch project and to a lesser extent, costs for our
East Area 1 project that are not capitalized. The 2009 costs consist entirely of
costs at our East Area 1 project that are not capitalized.
Corporate
and Other
Selling,
general and administrative costs for the six months ended April 30, 2010 were
$5.8 million compared to $3.3 million for the six months ended April 30, 2009.
This $2.5 million increase was primarily attributable to a $1.3 million non-cash
charge related to our stock grant performance bonus plan (as described in our
Registration Statement on Form 10, as amended). Costs in the first
six months of 2010 in connection with the preparation of our fiscal 2009 audited
financial statements and the filing of our Registration Statement on Form 10, as
amended, totaled $1.2 million. Costs in the first six months of 2010 in
connection with the preparation of our 2008 audited financial statements were
$0.2 million. Additionally, the first six months of 2010 includes $0.2 million
of employee incentive accruals compared to no employee incentive accruals in the
second quarter of 2009. Partially offsetting these increases were lower legal
fees in the first six months of 2010 versus the first six months of
2009.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Cash
Flows from Operating Activities
For
the first six months of fiscal 2010 our net cash used in operating activities
was $4.0 million compared to $7.1 million net cash used in operating activities
in the first six months of fiscal 2009. Our net loss was $3.0 million in the
first six months of 2010 and 2009. Included in the net loss for the first six
months of 2010 were $1.5 million of non-cash charges related to our stock grant
performance bonus and Directors’ compensation programs. This compares to
non-cash charges of $0.5 million for these programs in the first six months of
2009. Also included in the net loss for the first six months of 2010 was a $0.56
million non-cash charge related to the fair value adjustment to the underlying
debt for our interest rate swap. Accounts payable and growers payable provided
$1.5 million of cash from operating activities in the first six months of 2010
compared to using $0.6 million of cash from operating activities in the first
six months of 2009. Significant costs related to our lemon packing and Southern
farming operations that were included in accounts payable at October 31, 2008
were paid in the first six months of 2009. Accrued liabilities used $0.5 million
in operating cash flows in the first six months of 2010 compared to using $2.4
million in the first six months of 2009. Accrued bonuses of $1.3 million for
fiscal 2008 were included in accrued liabilities at October 31, 2008 and paid in
the first six months of 2009. There were no accrued bonuses at October 31, 2009
for fiscal 2009. Accounts and notes receivable used $2.7 million in operating
cash flows in the first six months of 2010 compared to using $1.9 million in
operating cash flows in the first six months of 2009. This increase was
primarily the result of an increase in accounts receivable in the first six
months of $3.2 million compared to an increase of $1.6 million in the first six
months of 2009. Higher agricultural revenue in the first six months of 2010
compared to the first six months of 2009 was the primary reason for this
increase in accounts receivable, which resulted in a decrease in net cash used
from operating activities in 2010.
Cash
Flows from Investing Activities
For the
first six months of 2010 net cash used in investing activities was $2.9 million
compared to $4.6 million net cash used in investing activities in the first six
months of 2009. Capital expenditures in the first six months of 2010 were $2.9
million compared to $4.3 million in the first six months of 2009. Included in
the 2010 first six months capital expenditures were $1.7 million for our real
estate development projects and included $1.3 million for entitlement costs on
our East Area 1 development project, $0.2 million for entitlement costs on our
Templeton development project and $0.2 million on improvements at our Windfall
Ranch project. In the first six months of 2009 we spent $2.8 million on these
real estate development projects which included $0.7 million for our East Area 1
project, $0.8 million for our Templeton project and $1.3 million for the
completion of our Arizona development projects.
Cash
Flows from Financing Activities
Net cash
provided by financing activities in the first six months of 2010 was $6.4
million compared to $11.6 million net cash provided by financing activities in
the first six months of 2009. The decrease in net cash provided from financing
activities in the first six months of 2010 compared to the first six months of
2009 was primarily the result of lower borrowings under our Rabobank line of
credit in the first half of fiscal 2010 compared to the first half of fiscal
2009. During the first six months of 2010 we borrowed $15.2 million under our
Rabobank line to fund operating and other costs. This compares to $17.2 million
borrowed in the first six months of 2009. Additionally in 2010, $0.5 million was
borrowed under the Windfall Investors revolving line of credit after the
acquisition in November 2009. Partially offsetting these borrowings
were repayments of debt. In the first half of fiscal 2010 we repaid
$8.5 million of debt compared to $5.0 million in the first half of fiscal
2009.
31
Transactions
Affecting Liquidity and Capital Resources
We have a
revolving credit facility with Rabobank, NA, which we refer to as Rabobank that
permits us to borrow up to $80.0 million. Additionally, we have three term loans
and a revolving credit facility with Farm Credit West, FLCA, as successor by
merger to Central Coast Federal Land Bank, for an aggregate amount of
approximately $27.5 million.
As of
April 30, 2010 our outstanding borrowings under our Rabobank credit facility
were $68.7 million and we had $11.3 million of availability under this facility.
At October 31, 2009 we had $61.7 million outstanding and $18.3 million available
under this facility. Interest rates on borrowings under our Rabobank credit
facility were not materially different at April 30, 2010 than they were at
October 31, 2009. As of April 30, 2010 our term loans with Farm Credit West had
outstanding balances of $6.9 million and $0.9 million and at October 31, 2009
the outstanding balances were $7.1 million and $1.0 million. The outstanding
balances of the Windfall Investors revolving line of credit and term loan at
April 30, 2010 were $10.5 million and $9.2 million, respectively.
We
believe that the cash flows from operations and available borrow capacity from
our existing credit facilities will be sufficient to satisfy our future capital
expenditures, debt service, working capital needs and of other contractual
obligations for fiscal 2010. In addition we have the ability to
control the timing of our investing cash flows to the extent necessary based on
our liquidity demands.
Rabobank
Revolving Credit Facility
As of
April 30, 2010 we had $68.7 million outstanding under our Rabobank revolving
credit facility and we had $11.3 million of availability under the
facility. The interest rates on our borrowings under the Rabobank
revolving credit facility were not materially different at April 30, 2010 than
at October 31, 2009.
As of
October 31, 2009, we had $61.7 million outstanding under our Rabobank revolving
credit facility, $22.5 million of which bears interest at a variable rate equal
to the one month London Interbank Offer Rate, or LIBOR, plus a spread of
1.5%. At October 31, 2009 the interest rate on $22.5 million
outstanding balance was 1.75%. The variable interest rate resets on
the first of each month. At October 31, 2009 we had $8.3 million of
availability under this facility.
Under the
Rabobank revolving credit facility, the Company has the option of fixing the
interest rate on any portion of outstanding borrowings using interest rate
swaps. The fixed interest rate is calculated using the two, three or
five year LIBOR rates plus a spread of 1.5%. Details surrounding the
interest rate swaps can be found in footnote 11 to the unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements for the six months ended and as of April 30, 2010
included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
The
Rabobank revolving credit facility is secured by certain of our agricultural
properties and all of our equity interest in the San Cayetano Mutual Water
Company, and subjects us to affirmative and restrictive covenants including,
among other customary covenants, financial reporting requirements, requirements
to maintain and repair any collateral, restrictions on the sale of assets,
restrictions on the use of proceeds, prohibitions on the incurrence of
additional debt, and restrictions on the purchase or sale of major
assets. We also are subject to covenant that the Company maintains a
debt service coverage ratio (as defined in the Rabobank revolving credit
facility) of less than 1.25 to 1.0 measured annually. We were unable
to comply with the debt service coverage ratio for fiscal 2009 and in December
2009 received a waiver of such non-compliance from Rabobank for fiscal
2009. Under the terms of our agreement with Rabobank, the debt
service coverage ratio is measured annually and as such the next compliance
measurement date of this covenant is October 31, 2010 which will cover fiscal
2010. Based upon our results of operations for the first six months
of fiscal 2010 and our anticipated debt service coverage for the full year,
combined with other performance estimates available to management in our
agricultural and rental operations, we currently anticipate being in compliance
with all covenants under our agreement with Rabobank for fiscal
2010.
Under the
terms of the Rabobank revolving credit facility, no “Event of Default” occurred
as a result of the failure of the Company to meet the debt service coverage
ratio, as Rabobank never elected to provide the notice contemplated by Section
12.01(j) thereof, which would have created a ten (10) day grace period for
compliance. Instead, during the period contemplated by Section 9.02,
Rabobank provided the waiver filed with our Form 10. The Farm Credit
term loan documentation provides that the company would be in default only if
declared to be in default or in breach of a loan with another
lender. The Rabobank revolving credit facility was not declared to be
in default by Rabobank and, as a result of the waiver, the Company is not in
breach of any term thereof.
Unless
waived, our breach of any of these covenants would be an event of default under
the Rabobank revolving credit facility, among other customary events of
default. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, Rabobank would
have the right to accelerate the maturity of any debt outstanding under the
revolving credit facility and we would be subject to additional restrictions,
prohibitions and limitations.
We have
the ability to voluntarily prepay any amounts outstanding under the Rabobank
revolving credit facility without penalty.
32
Farm
Credit Term Loans
As of
April 30, 2010, we had $7.8 million outstanding under our term loans with Farm
Credit. We had $6.9 million outstanding under the first loan with
Farm Credit and $0.9 million outstanding under the second loan from Farm
Credit. The interest rates on our borrowings under both of the Farm
Credit term loans were 3.25%. Quarterly principal and interest
payments are due through November 2022 and May 2032, respectively, when both
loans mature. These term loans are secured by certain of our
agricultural properties and include certain affirmative covenants including,
among other customary covenants, financial reporting requirements and
restrictions on the sale of assets.
Windfall
Investors, LLC Revolving Line of Credit and Term Loan
As
described in our Form 10, we guaranteed, jointly and severally, with Windfall,
all amounts outstanding under the Windfall Investors revolving line of credit
and the Windfall Investors term loan. Beginning on November 15, 2009
the results of operations and all of the assets and liabilities of Windfall
Investors are included in the unaudited consolidated condensed financial
statements of the Company.
The
outstanding debt on the Windfall Investors balance sheet at April 30, 2010
consisted of approximately $9.2 million under the Windfall Investors term loan
and approximately $10.5 million under the Windfall Investors revolving line of
credit. The interest rates on our borrowings under both the Windfall
Investors term loan and Windfall Investors revolving line of credit were 6.73%
and 3.50%, respectively, which were not materially different at April 30, 2010
than at January 31, 2010.
On May
27, 2010 the terms surrounding the Windfall Investors revolving line of credit
were amended, effective as of May 7, 2010 to (i) extend the maturity date to May
1, 2013, and (ii) increase the commitment to $13 million. Details
related to this amendment can be found in our Form 8-K with a report date of May
27, 2010, which was filed on June 1, 2010.
Interest
Rate Swaps
We enter
into interest rate swaps (derivatives) to minimize the risks and costs
associated with our financing activities. Our interest rate swaps
(derivatives) previously qualified for hedge accounting. Therefore,
the fair value adjustments to the underlying debt were deferred and are included
in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated balance
sheets at April 30, 2010 and October 31, 2009. Details surrounding
the interest rate swaps can be found in note 11 to the unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements for the six months ended as of April 30, 2010
included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Contractual
Obligations
The
following table presents the Company’s total contractual obligations at April
30, 2010 for which cash flows are fixed and determinable:
Payments due by Period
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Contractual Obligations:
|
Total
|
< 1 year
|
1-3 years
|
3-5 years
|
5+ years
|
|||||||||||||||
Fixed
rate debt (principal)
|
$ | 51,218,000 | $ | 141,000 | $ | 312,000 | $ | 42,357,000 | $ | 8,408,000 | ||||||||||
Variable
rate debt (principal)
|
45,004,000 | 472,000 | 991,000 | 38,249,000 | 5,292,000 | |||||||||||||||
Operating
lease obligations
|
9,391,000 | 1,606,000 | 2,893,000 | 2,192,000 | 2,700,000 | |||||||||||||||
Total
contractual obligations
|
$ | 105,613,000 | $ | 2,219,000 | $ | 4,196,000 | $ | 82,798,000 | $ | 16,400,000 | ||||||||||
Interest
payments on fixed and variable rate debt
|
$ | 22,155,000 | $ | 3,753,000 | $ | 6,639,000 | $ | 3,803,000 | $ | 7,960,000 |
We
believe that the cash flows from our agribusiness and rental operations business
segments and available borrowing capacity from our existing credit facilities
will be sufficient to satisfy our future capital expenditure, debt service,
working capital and other contractual obligations for the remainder of fiscal
2010. In addition, we have the ability to control the timing of our investing
cash flows to the extent necessary based on our liquidity demands.
Fixed
Rate and Variable Rate Debt
Details
of amounts included in long-term debt can be found above and in note 10 to the
unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements for the six months ended
and as of April 30, 2010 included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q. The table above assumes that long-term debt is held to
maturity.
33
Interest
Payments on Fixed and Variable Debt
The above
table assumes that our fixed rate and long term debt is held to maturity and the
interest rates on our variable rate debt remains unchanged for the remaining
life of the debt from those in effect at April 30, 2009.
Operating
Lease Obligations
The
Company has numerous operating lease commitments with remaining terms ranging
from less than one year to ten years. The Company has installed a one mega-watt
photovoltaic solar array on one of its agricultural properties located in
Ventura County that produces the majority of the power to run its lemon
packinghouse. The construction of this array was financed by Farm
Credit Leasing and the Company has a long term lease with Farm Credit Leasing
for this array. Annual payments for this lease are $0.5 million, and
at the end of ten years the Company has an option to purchase the array for $1.1
million. The Company entered into a similar transaction with Farm
Credit Leasing for a second photovoltaic array at one of its agricultural
properties located in the San Joaquin Valley to supply the majority of the power
to operate four deep water well pumps located on Company
property. Annual lease payments for this facility range from $0.3
million to $0.8 million, and at the end of ten years the Company has the option
to purchase the array for $1.3 million. The Company leases
pollination equipment under a lease through 2013 with annual payments of $0.1
million. The Company also leases machinery and equipment for its
packing operations and land for its growing operations under leases with annual
lease commitments that are individually immaterial.
Real
Estate Development Activities and Related Capital Resources
As noted
above under “Transactions Affecting Liquidity and Capital Resources,” we have
the ability to control the timing of our investing cash flows to the extent
necessary based upon our liquidity demands. In order for our real
estate development operations to reach their maximum potential benefit to the
Company, however, we will need to be successful over time in identifying other
third party sources of capital to partner with us to move those development
projects forward. While we are in discussions with several external
sources of capital in respect of all of our development projects (other than our
Arizona projects, which are both complete, single family, luxury homes with one
under lease), current market conditions for California real estate projects,
while improving, continue to be challenging and make it difficult to predict the
timing and amounts of future capital that will be required to complete the
development of our projects.
Defined
Benefit Plan Contributions
As more
fully described in footnote 15 to our consolidated financial statements for the
year ended October 31, 2009, the Company’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan was
frozen as of June 30, 2004. During the first six months of 2010, the
Company made a $300,000 contribution to such plan and expects to make similar
contributions to such plan for the third and fourth quarters of fiscal
2010.
Other
Obligations and Commitments
As
described in our Registration Statement on Form 10, as amended, we guaranteed,
jointly and severally, with Windfall, all amounts outstanding under the Windfall
Investors revolving line of credit and the Windfall Investors term
loan.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
The
preparation of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles requires us to develop critical
accounting policies and make certain estimates and judgments that may affect the
reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. We
base our estimates and judgments on historical experience, available relevant
data and other information that we believe to be reasonable under the
circumstances. Actual results may materially differ from these
estimates under different assumptions or conditions as new or additional
information become available in future periods. We believe the
following critical accounting policies reflect our more significant estimates
and judgments used in the preparation of our consolidated financial
statements.
Revenue
Recognition – Sales of products and related costs of products are
recognized when (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) delivery
has occurred, (iii) selling price is fixed or determinable, and (iv)
collectability is reasonably assured.
Revenue
from the sales of certain of our agricultural products is recorded based on
estimated proceeds provided by certain of our sales and marketing partners
(Calavo and other third-party packinghouses) due to the timing differences
between when the product is delivered by us and the closing of the pools for
such fruits at the end of each month. Calavo and other third-party
packinghouses are agricultural cooperatives or function in a similar manner as
an agricultural cooperative. As such, we apply specific authoritative
agriculture revenue recognition guidance related to transactions between patrons
and marketing cooperatives to record revenue at time of delivery to the
packinghouses relating to fruits that are in pools that have not yet closed at
month end if (a) the related fruits have been delivered to and accepted by
Calavo and other third-party packinghouses (i.e. title has transferred to Calavo
and other third-party packinghouses) and (b) sales price information has been
provided by Calavo and other third-party packinghouses (based on the marketplace
activity for the related fruit) to estimate with reasonable certainty the final
selling price for the fruit upon the closing of the
pools. Historically, the revenue that is recorded based on the sales
price information provided to us by Calavo and other third-party packinghouses
at the time of delivery, have not materially differed from the actual amounts
that are paid after the monthly pools are closed.
34
For
citrus products processed through our packinghouse and sold by Sunkist on our
behalf, we have (i) the general and physical inventory risk, (ii) the discretion
in supplier selection, and (iii) are involved in the determination of the
product that is ultimately sold to the customer. In addition, Sunkist earns a
fixed amount per carton sold for its sales and marketing
services. The sales and marketing services received from Sunkist are
an identifiable benefit to us as it enables us to effectively market and sell
its citrus product (for which we are charged a fixed amount per carton sold
through by Sunkist) and can be sufficiently separable from the purchase of the
citrus products by the end-customer. In addition, we have the ability
to enter into an exchange transaction with a party other than Sunkist in order
to receive the similar sales and marketing services that Sunkist currently
provides to us. Lastly, we are able to reasonably estimate that the fair value
of the sales and marketing services received from Sunkist approximates the per
carton fee charged by Sunkist since Sunkist, an agricultural marketing
cooperative of which we are a member, charges standard per carton fees to all
members within its cooperative and such fees are based on sales and marketing
expenses incurred by Sunkist for which we have an adequate level of visibility
as a cooperative member. As such, we record the revenues related to
these citrus sales on a gross basis with the amounts paid to Sunkist for the
sales and marketing services it renders being recorded in agriculture cost and
expenses in our consolidated statement of operations.
Our
avocados, oranges, specialty citrus and other specialty crops are packed and
sold through by Calavo and other third-party
packinghouses. Specifically, we deliver all of our avocado production
from our orchards to Calavo. These avocados are then packed by Calavo
at its own packinghouse, and then sold and distributed under its own brands to
its customers primarily in the United States and Canada. Our
arrangements with other third-party packinghouses as it relates to our oranges,
specialty citrus and other specialty crops are similar to our arrangement with
Calavo.
Our
arrangements with third-party packinghouses are such that we are the producer
and supplier of the product and the third-party packinghouses are our
customers. The revenues we recognize related to the fruits sold to
the third-party packinghouses are based on the volume and quality of the fruits
delivered, the market price for such fruit, less the packinghouses’ charges to
pack and market the fruit. Such packinghouse charges include the grading,
sizing, packing, cooling, ripening and marketing of the related
fruit. We bear inventory risk until product is delivered to the
third-party packinghouses at which time title to the product is transferred to
the third-party packinghouses and revenue is recognized. The
third-party packinghouses are (a) the primary obligor in the arrangements with
their end customers, (b) have general inventory risk once we deliver the product
to the packinghouse and (c) bear the credit risk related to sales to their
end-customer. We are charged by the third-party packinghouse for
packaging and marketing services and record revenues net of such charges. Such
third-party packinghouse charges are recorded as a reduction of revenue based on
the application of specific authoritative revenue recognition guidance related
to a “Vendor’s Income Statement Characterization of Consideration Given to a
Customer”. The identifiable benefit we receive from the third-party
packinghouses for packaging and marketing services cannot be sufficiently
separated from the third-party packinghouses’ purchase of our
products. In addition, we are not able to reasonably estimate the
fair value of the benefit received from the third-party packinghouses for such
services and as such, these costs are characterized as a reduction of revenue in
our consolidated statement of operations.
For
rental revenue, minimum rent revenues are generally recognized on a
straight-line basis over the respective initial lease term. Contingent rental
revenues are contractually defined as to the percentage of rent to be received
by us and are tied to fees collected by the lessee. Our contingent rental
arrangements generally require payment on a monthly basis with the payment based
on the previous month’s activity. We accrue contingent rental
revenues based upon estimates and adjust to actuals as we receive
payments. Organic recycling percentage rents range from 5% to
10%.
Capitalization of
Costs - We capitalize the planning, entitlement and certain development
costs associated with our various real estate development
projects. Costs that are not properly capitalized are expensed as
incurred. Based on potential changes in the nature of these projects,
future costs incurred could not be properly capitalized and would be expensed as
incurred. For the first six months of 2010, we capitalized
approximately $1.3 million of costs related to our real estate projects and
expensed approximately $0.7 million of costs.
Income
Taxes – Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed annually
for differences between the financial statement and income tax bases of assets
and liabilities that will result in taxable or deductible amounts in the
future. Such deferred income tax asset and liability computations are
based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to periods in which the
differences are expected to affect taxable income. An evaluation
allowance is established, when necessary, to reduce deferred income tax assets
to the amount expected to be realized.
Tax
benefits from an uncertain tax position are only recognized if it is more likely
than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by the taxing
authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits
recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based
on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized
upon ultimate settlement.
35
Derivative
Financial Instruments – We use derivative financial instruments for
purposes other than trading to manage our exposure to interest rates as well as
to maintain an appropriate mix of fixed and floating-rate
debt. Contract terms of our hedge instruments closely mirror those of
the hedged item, providing a high degree of risk reduction and
correlation. Contracts that are effective at meeting the risk
reduction and correlation criteria are recorded using hedge
accounting. If a derivative instrument is a hedge, depending on the
nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of the instrument will be either
offset against the change in the fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities or
firm commitments through earnings or be recognized in other comprehensive income
until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective
portion of an instrument’s change in fair value will be immediately recognized
in earnings. Instruments that do not meet the criteria for hedge
accounting, or contracts for which we have not elected hedge accounting, are
valued at fair value with unrealized gains or losses reported in earnings during
the period of change.
Impairment of
Long-Lived Assets – We evaluate our long lived assets including our real
estate development projects for impairment when events or changes in
circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets may not be
recoverable. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years we
recorded impairment charges of $6.2 million in 2009. These
charges were based on independent, third-party appraisals provided to us and
were developed using various facts, assumption and estimates. Future
changes in these facts, assumptions and estimates could result in additional
changes.
Defined Benefit
Retirement Plan – We sponsor a defined benefit retirement plan that was
frozen in June, 2004, and no future benefits accrued to participants subsequent
to that time. Ongoing accounting for this plan under FASB ASC 715
provides guidance as to, among other things, future estimated pension expense,
minimum pension liability and future minimum funding
requirements. This information is provided to us by third party
actuarial consultants. In developing this data, certain estimates and
assumptions are used including, among other things, discount rate, long term
rates of return, and mortality tables. Changes in any of these
estimates could materially affect the amounts recorded that are related to our
defined benefit retirement plan.
Item
3. Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Interest
Rate Risk
Borrowings
under each of our Rabobank revolving credit facility, Farm Credit term loans and
Windfall revolving line of credit are subject to variable interest
rates. These variable interest rates subject us to the risk of
increased interest costs associated with any upward movements in interest
rates. Under each of our Rabobank revolving credit facility and Farm
Credit term loans, our borrowing interest rate is a LIBOR-based rate plus a
spread. Under the Windfall Investors revolving line of credit, our
borrowing interest rate is an internally calculated rate based on Farm Credit’s
internal monthly operations and their cost of funds and generally follows the
changes in the 90-day treasury rates in increments divisible by
0.25%. At April 30, 2010 our total debt outstanding under the
Rabobank revolving credit facility and the Farm Credit term loans was
approximately $68.7 million, $6.9 million, and $0.9 million,
respectively. At April 30, 2010 our total debt outstanding under the
Windfall Investors revolving line of credit and term loan was $10.5 million and
$9.2 million, respectively.
We manage
our exposure to interest rate movements by utilizing interest rate swaps
(derivatives). We fixed $42 million of our outstanding borrowings
with “fixed-to-floating” interest rate swaps as described in the following
table:
Notional Amount
|
Fair Value Net Liability
|
|||||||||||||||
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
April 30,
2010
|
October 31,
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Pay
fixed-rate, receive floating-rate interest rate swap, maturing
2013
|
$
|
42,000,000
|
$
|
22,000,000
|
$
|
2,579,000
|
$
|
1,678,000
|
||||||||
Pay
fixed-rate, receive floating-rate interest rate swap designated as cash
flow hedge, cancelled April 2010
|
-
|
10,000,000
|
-
|
287,000
|
||||||||||||
Pay
fixed-rate, receive floating-rate interest rate swap designated as cash
flow hedge, cancelled April 2010
|
-
|
10,000,000
|
-
|
206,000
|
||||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
42,000,000
|
$
|
42,000,000
|
$
|
2,579,000
|
$
|
2,171,000
|
36
Based on
our level of borrowings at April 30, 2010, after taking into consideration the
effects of our interest rate swaps (derivatives), a 1% increase in interest
rates would increase our interest expense $0.23 million for the remainder of
fiscal 2010 and an annual average of $0.34 million for the three subsequent
fiscal years. Additionally, a 1% increase in the interest rate would decrease
our net income by $0.14 million for the remainder of fiscal 2010 and an annual
average of $0.20 million for the three subsequent fiscal years.
Commodity
Sales Price Risk
Commodity
pricing exposures include the potential impacts of weather phenomena and their
effect on industry volumes, prices, product quality and costs. We
manage our exposure to commodity price risk primarily through our regular
operating activities, however, significant commodity price fluctuations,
particularly for lemons, avocados and oranges could have a material impact on
our results of operations.
Item 4. Controls and
Procedures
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures. As of April 30, 2010, we carried out an
evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management,
including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the
effectiveness of the design and operation of our “disclosure controls and
procedures,” as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Based upon
that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the
end of the period covered by this report. There have been no significant changes
in our internal controls over financial reporting during the period covered by
this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or, to our knowledge, in other factors that
have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our
internal controls over financial reporting.
Limitations on
the Effectiveness of Controls. Control systems, no matter how well
conceived and operated, are designed to provide a reasonable, but not an
absolute, level of assurance that the objectives of the control system are met.
Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are
resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative
to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no
evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues
and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. Because
of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements
due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal
Proceedings
We are from time to time involved in
legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business. Other
than proceedings incidental to our business, we are not a party to, nor is any
of our property the subject of, any material pending legal proceedings and no
such proceedings are, to our knowledge, threatened against us.
Item 1A. Risk
Factors
Investing
in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. There are
numerous and varied risks, known and unknown, that may prevent us from achieving
our goals. The risks described below are not the only ones we will
face. If any of these or other risks actually occur, our business,
financial condition, results of operations or future prospects may be materially
and adversely affected. In such event, the trading price of our
common stock could decline and investors in our common stock could lose all or
part of their investment.
Risks
Related to Our Agribusiness
Adverse
weather conditions, natural disasters, crop disease, pests and other natural
conditions can impose significant costs and losses on our business.
Fresh
produce is vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, including windstorms,
floods, drought and temperature extremes, which are quite common but difficult
to predict. Unfavorable growing conditions can reduce both crop size
and crop quality. In extreme cases, entire harvests may be lost in
some geographic areas. These factors can increase costs, decrease
revenues and lead to additional charges to earnings, which may have a material
adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial
condition.
Citrus
and avocado orchards are subject to damage from frost and freezes and this has
happened periodically in the recent past. In some cases, the fruit is
simply lost while in the case of extended periods of cold, the trees can also be
damaged or killed.
37
Fresh
produce is also vulnerable to crop disease and to pests (e.g. the Mediterranean Fruit
Fly and the Asian Citrus Psyillid), which may vary in severity and effect,
depending on the stage of production at the time of infection or infestation,
the type of treatment applied and climatic conditions. The costs to
control these diseases and other infestations vary depending on the severity of
the damage and the extent of the plantings affected. Moreover, there
can be no assurance that available technologies to control such infestations
will continue to be effective. These infestations can increase costs,
decrease revenues and lead to additional charges to earnings which may have a
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial
condition.
Our
business is highly competitive and we cannot assure you that we will maintain
our current market share.
Many
companies compete in our different businesses. However, only a few
well-established companies operate on an international, national and regional
basis with one or several product lines. We face strong competition
from these and other companies in all our product lines.
Important
factors with respect to our competitors include the following:
·
|
Some
of our competitors may have greater operating flexibility and, in certain
cases, this may permit them to respond better or more quickly to changes
in the industry or to introduce new products and packaging more quickly
and with greater marketing support.
|
|
·
|
We
cannot predict the pricing or promotional actions of our competitors or
whether those actions will have a negative effect on
us.
|
There can
be no assurance that we will continue to compete effectively with our present
and future competitors, and our ability to compete could be materially adversely
affected by our debt levels and debt service requirements.
Our
earnings are sensitive to fluctuations in market prices and demand for our
products.
Excess
supplies often cause severe price competition in our
industry. Growing conditions in various parts of the world,
particularly weather conditions such as windstorms, floods, droughts and
freezes, as well as diseases and pests, are primary factors affecting market
prices because of their influence on the supply and quality of
product.
Fresh
produce is highly perishable and generally must be brought to market and sold
soon after harvest. Some items, such as avocados, oranges and
specialty citrus, must be sold more quickly, while other items can be held in
cold storage for longer periods of time. The selling price received
for each type of produce depends on all of these factors, including the
availability and quality of the produce item in the market, and the availability
and quality of competing types of produce.
In
addition, general public perceptions regarding the quality, safety or health
risks associated with particular food products could reduce demand and prices
for some of our products. To the extent that consumer preferences
evolve away from products that we produce for health or other reasons, and we
are unable to modify our products or to develop products that satisfy new
consumer preferences, there will be a decreased demand for our
products. However, even if market prices are unfavorable, produce
items which are ready to be, or have been harvested must be brought to market
promptly. A decrease in the selling price received for our products
due to the factors described above could have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our
earnings are subject to seasonal variability.
Our
earnings may be affected by seasonal factors, including:
·
|
the
seasonality of our supplies and consumer demand;
|
|
·
|
the
ability to process products during critical harvest periods;
and
|
|
·
|
the
timing and effects of ripening and
perishability.
|
Our
lemons are generally grown and marketed throughout the year. Our
Navel oranges are sold January through April and our Valencia oranges are sold
June through September. Our avocados are sold generally throughout
the year with the peak months being March through July. Our specialty
citrus is sold from November through June, our cherries in the May/June time
period and our pistachios in the September/October period.
38
Currency
exchange fluctuation may impact the results of our operations.
We
distribute our products both nationally and internationally. Our
international sales are transacted in U.S. dollars. Our results of
operations are affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates in both
sourcing and selling locations. In the past, periods of a strong U.S.
dollar relative to other currencies has led international customers,
particularly in Asia, to find alternative sources of fruit.
Increases
in commodity or raw product costs, such as fuel, paper, and plastics, could
adversely affect our operating results.
Many
factors may affect the cost and supply of fresh produce, including external
conditions, commodity market fluctuations, currency fluctuations, changes in
governmental laws and regulations, agricultural programs, severe and prolonged
weather conditions and natural disasters. Increased costs for
purchased fruit have in the past negatively impacted our operating results, and
there can be no assurance that they will not adversely affect our operating
results in the future.
The price
of various commodities can significantly affect our costs. Our fuel
costs have increased substantially in recent years, and there can be no
assurance that there will not be further increases in the future. In
addition, the rising price of oil can have a significant impact on the cost of
our herbicides and pesticides.
The cost
of paper is also significant to us because some of our products are packed in
cardboard boxes for shipment. If the price of paper increases and we
are not able to effectively pass these price increases along to our customers,
then our operating income will decrease. Increased costs for paper
have in the past negatively impacted our operating income, and there can be no
assurance that these increased costs will not adversely affect our operating
results in the future.
The
lack of sufficient water would severely impact our ability to produce crops or
develop real estate.
The
average rainfall in Ventura County is between 14 and 15 inches per year, with
most of it falling in fall and winter. These amounts are
substantially below amounts required to grow crops and therefore we are
dependent on our rights to pump water from underground
aquifers. Extended periods of drought in California may put
additional pressure on the use and availability of water for agricultural uses
and in some cases Governmental authorities have diverted water to other
uses. As California has grown, there are increasing and multiple
pressures on the use and distribution of water which many view as a finite
resource. Lack of available potable water can also limit real estate
development.
The
use of herbicides, pesticides and other potentially hazardous substances in our
operations may lead to environmental damage and result in increased costs to
us.
We use
herbicides, pesticides and other potentially hazardous substances in the
operation of our business. We may have to pay for the costs or
damages associated with the improper application, accidental release or the use
or misuse of such substances. Our insurance may not be adequate to
cover such costs or damages or may not continue to be available at a price or
under terms that are satisfactory to us. In such cases, payment of
such costs or damages could have a material adverse effect on our business,
results of operations and financial condition.
Global
capital and credit market issues affect our liquidity, increase our costs of
borrowing and disrupt the operations of our suppliers and
customers.
The
global capital and credit markets have experienced increased volatility and
disruption over the past year, making it more difficult for companies to access
those markets. We depend in part on stable, liquid and
well-functioning capital and credit markets to fund our
operations. Although we believe that our operating cash flows and
existing credit facilities will permit us to meet our financing needs for the
foreseeable future, there can be no assurance that continued or increased
volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets will not impair our
liquidity or increase our costs of borrowing. Our business could also
be negatively impacted if our suppliers or customers experience disruptions
resulting from tighter capital and credit markets or a slowdown in the general
economy.
The
current global economic downturn may have other impacts on participants in our
industry, which cannot be fully predicted.
The full
impact of the current global economic downturn on customers, vendors and other
business partners cannot be anticipated. For example, major customers
or vendors may have financial challenges unrelated to us that could result in a
decrease in their business with us or, in extreme cases, cause them to file for
bankruptcy protection. Similarly, parties to contracts may be forced
to breach their obligations under those contracts. Although we
exercise prudent oversight of the credit ratings and financial strength of our
major business partners and seek to diversify our risk to any single business
partner, there can be no assurance that there will not be a bank, insurance
company, supplier, customer or other financial partner that is unable to meet
its contractual commitments to us. Similarly, stresses and pressures
in the industry may result in impacts on our business partners and competitors
which could have wide ranging impacts on the future of the
industry.
39
Terrorism
and the uncertainty of war may have a material adverse effect on our operating
results.
Terrorist
attacks, such as the attacks that occurred in New York and Washington, D.C. on
September 11, 2001, the subsequent response by the United States in Afghanistan,
Iraq and other locations, and other acts of violence or war in the United States
or abroad may affect the markets in which we operate and our operations and
profitability. Further terrorist attacks against the United States or
operators of United States-owned businesses outside the United States may occur,
or hostilities could develop based on the current international
situation. The potential near-term and long-term effect these attacks
may have on our business operations, our customers, the markets for our
products, the United States economy and the economies of other places we source
or sell our products is uncertain. The consequences of any terrorist
attacks, or any armed conflicts, are unpredictable, and we may not be able to
foresee events that could have an adverse effect on our markets or our
business.
We
are subject to the risk of product contamination and product liability
claims.
The sale
of food products for human consumption involves the risk of injury to
consumers. Such injuries may result from tampering by unauthorized
third parties, product contamination or spoilage, including the presence of
foreign objects, substances, chemicals, other agents, or residues introduced
during the growing, storage, handling or transportation phases. While
we are subject to governmental inspection and regulations and believe our
facilities comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and
regulations, we cannot be sure that consumption of our products will not cause a
health-related illness in the future or that we will not be subject to claims or
lawsuits relating to such matters. Even if a product liability claim
is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding any
assertion that our products caused illness or injury could adversely affect our
reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate and brand
image. Moreover, claims or liabilities of this sort might not be
covered by our insurance or by any rights of indemnity or contribution that we
may have against others. We maintain product liability insurance,
however, we cannot be sure that we will not incur claims or liabilities for
which we are not insured or that exceed the amount of our insurance
coverage.
We
are subject to transportation risks.
An
extended interruption in our ability to ship our products could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations. Similarly, any extended disruption in the distribution of
our products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations. While we believe we are
adequately insured and would attempt to transport our products by alternative
means if we were to experience an interruption due to strike, natural disasters
or otherwise, we cannot be sure that we would be able to do so or be successful
in doing so in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Events
or rumors relating to the LIMONEIRA brand could significantly impact our
business.
Consumer
and institutional recognition of the LIMONEIRA trademarks and related brands and
the association of these brands with high quality and safe food products are an
integral part of our business. The occurrence of any events or rumors
that cause consumers and/or institutions to no longer associate these brands
with high quality and safe food products may materially adversely affect the
value of the LIMONEIRA brand name and demand for our products.
We are dependent on key personnel and
the loss of one or more of those key personnel may materially and adversely
affect our prospects.
We
currently depend heavily on the services of our key management
personnel. The loss of any key personnel could materially and
adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, or our ability
to pursue land development. Our success will also depend in part on
our ability to attract and retain additional qualified management
personnel.
Inflation
can have a significant adverse effect on our operations.
Inflation
can have a major impact on our farming operations. The farming
operations are most affected by escalating costs and unpredictable revenues (due
to an oversupply of certain crops) and very high irrigation water
costs. High fixed water costs related to our farm lands will continue
to adversely affect earnings. Prices received for many of our
products are dependent upon prevailing market conditions and commodity
prices. Therefore, it is difficult for us to accurately predict
revenue, just as we cannot pass on cost increases caused by general inflation,
except to the extent reflected in market conditions and commodity
prices.
Risks
Related to Our Indebtedness
We
may be unable to generate sufficient cash flow to service our debt
obligations.
To
service our debt, we require a significant amount of cash. Our
ability to generate cash, make scheduled payments or refinance our obligations
depends on our successful financial and operating performance. Our
financial and operating performance, cash flow and capital resources depend upon
prevailing economic conditions and various financial, business and other
factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include
among others:
40
·
|
economic
and competitive conditions;
|
·
|
changes
in laws and regulations;
|
·
|
operating
difficulties, increased operating costs or pricing pressures we may
experience; and
|
·
|
delays
in implementing any strategic
projects.
|
If our
cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service
obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell
material assets or operations, obtain additional capital or restructure our
debt. If we are required to take any actions referred to above, it
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations. In addition, we cannot assure you that we
would be able to take any of these actions on terms acceptable to us, or at all,
that these actions would enable us to continue to satisfy our capital
requirements or that these actions would be permitted under the terms of our
various debt agreements.
Restrictive
covenants in our debt instruments restrict or prohibit our ability to engage in
or enter into a variety of transactions, which could adversely restrict our
financial and operating flexibility and subject us to other risks.
Our
revolving credit and term loan facilities contain various restrictive covenants
that limit our and our subsidiaries’ ability to take certain
actions. In particular, these agreements limit our and our
subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things:
·
|
incur
additional indebtedness;
|
·
|
make
certain investments or
acquisitions;
|
·
|
create
certain liens on our assets;
|
·
|
engage
in certain types of transactions with
affiliates;
|
·
|
merge,
consolidate or transfer substantially all our assets;
and
|
·
|
transfer
and sell assets.
|
Our
revolving credit facility with Rabobank contains a financial covenant that
requires us to maintain compliance with a specified debt service coverage ratio
on an annual basis. At October 31, 2009, we were not in compliance
with such debt service coverage ratio and we may not be able to comply with such
covenant in the future. Although this prior noncompliance with the
covenant was waived by Rabobank and the next compliance measurement date of this
covenant is October 31, 2010 (which will cover fiscal 2010), our failure to
comply with this covenant in the future may result in the declaration of an
event of default under our revolving credit facility with Rabobank.
Any or
all of these covenants could have a material adverse effect on our business by
limiting our ability to take advantage of financing, merger and acquisition or
other corporate opportunities and to fund our operations. Any future
debt could also contain financial and other covenants more restrictive than
those imposed under our revolving credit and term loan facilities.
A breach
of a covenant or other provision in any credit facility governing our current
and future indebtedness could result in a default under that facility and, due
to cross-default and cross-acceleration provisions, could result in a default
under our other credit facilities. Upon the occurrence of an event of
default under any of our credit facilities, the applicable lender(s) could elect
to declare all amounts outstanding to be immediately due and payable and, with
respect to our revolving credit facility, terminate all commitments to extend
further credit. If we were unable to repay those amounts, our lenders
could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure the
indebtedness. If the lenders under our current or future indebtedness
were to accelerate the payment of the indebtedness, we cannot assure you that
our assets or cash flow would be sufficient to repay in full our outstanding
indebtedness.
Despite
our relatively high current indebtedness levels and the restrictive covenants
set forth in agreements governing our indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may
still incur significant additional indebtedness, including secured indebtedness.
Incurring more indebtedness could increase the risks associated with our
substantial indebtedness.
Subject
to the restrictions in our credit facilities, we and our subsidiaries may incur
significant additional indebtedness. If new debt is added to our and
our subsidiaries' current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could
increase.
41
Some
of our debt is based on variable rates of interest, which could result in higher
interest expenses in the event of an increase in the interest
rates.
Our
revolving credit facilities and a portion of our term loan facilities bear
interest at variable rates which will generally change as interest rates
change. We bear the risk that the rates we are charged by our lenders
will increase faster than the earnings and cash flow of our business, which
could reduce profitability, adversely affect our ability to service our debt,
cause us to breach covenants contained in our revolving credit facility, any of
which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and
results of operations. In addition, while we have entered into
interest rate swaps as hedging instruments to fix a substantial portion of the
variable component of our indebtedness, such interest rate swaps could also have
an adverse impact on the comparative results of operation of the Company if
prevailing interest rates remain below fixed rates established in such
instruments.
Risks
Related to Our Real Estate Development Business
We
are involved in a cyclical industry and are affected by changes in general and
local economic conditions.
The real
estate development industry is cyclical and is significantly affected by changes
in general and local economic conditions, including:
·
|
employment
levels;
|
·
|
availability
of financing;
|
·
|
interest
rates;
|
·
|
consumer
confidence;
|
·
|
demand
for the developed product, whether residential or industrial;
and
|
·
|
supply
of similar product, whether residential or
industrial.
|
The
process of project development and the commitment of financial and other
resources occurs long before a real estate project comes to market. A
real estate project could come to market at a time when the real estate market
is depressed. It is also possible in a rural area like ours that no
market for the project will develop as projected.
A
prolonged recession in the national economy, or a further downturn in national
or regional economic conditions, could continue to adversely impact our real
estate development business.
The
collapse of the housing market together with the crisis in the credit markets,
have resulted in a recession in the national economy. At such times,
potential home buyer and commercial real estate customers often defer or avoid
real estate transactions due to the substantial costs involved and uncertainties
in the economic environment. Our future real estate sales, revenues,
financial condition and results of operations could suffer as a
result. Our business is especially sensitive to economic conditions
in California and Arizona, where our properties are located.
There is
no consensus as to when the current recession will end, and California and
Arizona, as two of the hardest hit states, could take longer to recover than the
rest of the nation. A prolonged recession will continue to have a
material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Higher
interest rates and lack of available financing can have significant impacts on
the real estate industry.
Higher
interest rates generally impact the real estate industry by making it harder for
buyers to qualify for financing, which can lead to a decrease in the demand for
residential, commercial or industrial sites. Any decrease in demand
will negatively impact our proposed developments. Lack of available
credit to finance real estate purchases can also negatively impact
demand. Any downturn in the economy or consumer confidence can also
be expected to result in reduced housing demand and slower industrial
development, which would negatively impact the demand for land we are
developing.
42
We
are subject to various land use regulations and require governmental approvals
for our developments that could be denied.
In
planning and developing our land, we are subject to various local, state, and
federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning zoning,
infrastructure design, subdivision of land, and construction. All of
our new developments require amending existing general plan and zoning
designations, so it is possible that our entitlement applications could be
denied. In addition, the zoning that ultimately is approved could
include density provisions that would limit the number of homes and other
structures that could be built within the boundaries of a particular area, which
could adversely impact the financial returns from a given project. In
addition, many states, cities and counties (including Ventura County) have in
the past approved various “slow growth” or “urban limit line”
measures.
Third-party
litigation could increase the time and cost of our development
efforts.
The land
use approval processes we must follow to ultimately develop our projects have
become increasingly complex. Moreover, the statutes, regulations and
ordinances governing the approval processes provide third parties the
opportunity to challenge the proposed plans and approvals. As a
result, the prospect of third-party challenges to planned real estate
developments provides additional uncertainties in real estate development
planning and entitlements. Third-party challenges in the form of
litigation would, by their nature, adversely affect the length of time and the
cost required to obtain the necessary approvals. In addition, adverse
decisions arising from any litigation would increase the costs and length of
time to obtain ultimate approval of a project and could adversely affect the
design, scope, plans and profitability of a project.
We
are subject to environmental regulations and opposition from environmental
groups that could cause delays and increase the costs of our development efforts
or preclude such development entirely.
Environmental
laws that apply to a given site can vary greatly according to the site’s
location and condition, present and former uses of the site, and the presence or
absence of sensitive elements like wetlands and endangered
species. Environmental laws and conditions may result in delays,
cause us to incur additional costs for compliance, where a significant amount of
our developable land is located, mitigation and processing land use
applications, or preclude development in specific areas. In addition,
in California, third parties have the ability to file litigation challenging the
approval of a project, which they usually do by alleging inadequate disclosure
and mitigation of the environmental impacts of the project. While we
have worked with representatives of various environmental interests and wildlife
agencies to minimize and mitigate the impacts of our planned projects, certain
groups opposed to development may oppose our projects vigorously, so litigation
challenging their approval could occur. Recent concerns over the
impact of development on water availability and global warming increases the
breadth of potential obstacles that our developments face.
Our
developable land is concentrated entirely in California.
All of
our developable land is in California and our business is especially sensitive
to the economic conditions within California. Any adverse change in
the economic climate of California, which is currently in a recession, or our
region of that state, and any adverse change in the political or regulatory
climate of California, or the counties where our land is located could adversely
affect our real estate development activities. There is no consensus
as to when the recession will end or how long it could take to recover from the
recession. Ultimately, our ability to sell or lease lots may decline
as a result of weak economic conditions or restrictive regulations.
If
the downturn in the real estate industry or the instability of the mortgage
industry and commercial real estate financing continues, it could have an
adverse effect on our real estate business.
Our
residential housing projects are currently in various stages of planning and
entitlement, and therefore they have not been impacted by the current downturn
in the housing market or the mortgage lending crisis. However, if the
downturn in the housing market or the instability of the mortgage industry
continues at the time these projects move into their development and marketing
phases, our residential business could be adversely affected. An
excess supply of homes available due to foreclosures or the expectation of
deflation in house prices could also have a negative impact on our ability to
sell our inventory when it becomes available.
We
may encounter other risks that could impact our ability to develop our
land.
We may
also encounter other difficulties in developing our land,
including:
·
|
natural
risks, such as geological and soil problems, earthquakes, fire, heavy
rains and flooding, and heavy
winds;
|
·
|
shortages
of qualified trades people;
|
·
|
reliance
on local contractors, who may be inadequately
capitalized;
|
·
|
shortages
of materials; and
|
·
|
increases
in the cost of certain
materials.
|
43
Risks
Relating to Our Common Stock
The
value of our common stock could be volatile.
The
overall market and the price of our common stock may fluctuate greatly and we
cannot assure you that you will be able to resell shares at or above market
price. The trading price of our common stock may be significantly
affected by various factors, including:
·
|
quarterly
fluctuations in our operating
results;
|
·
|
changes
in investors and analysts perception of the business risks and conditions
of our business;
|
·
|
our
ability to meet the earnings estimates and other performance expectations
of financial analysts or investors;
|
·
|
unfavorable
commentary or downgrades of our stock by equity research
analysts;
|
·
|
fluctuations
in the stock prices of our peer companies or in stock markets in general;
and
|
·
|
general
economic or political conditions.
|
Concentrated
ownership of our common stock creates a risk of sudden change in our share
price.
As of
December 31, 2009, directors and members of our executive management team
beneficially owned or controlled approximately 16% of our common
stock. Investors who purchase our common stock may be subject to
certain risks due to the concentrated ownership of our common
stock. The sale by any of our large shareholders of a significant
portion of that shareholder’s holdings could have a material adverse effect on
the market price of our common stock. In addition, the registration
of any significant amount of additional shares of our common stock will have the
immediate effect of increasing the public float of our common stock and any such
increase may cause the market price of our common stock to decline or fluctuate
significantly.
Our
charter documents contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a change
of control.
Provisions
of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make it more difficult for
a third party to acquire control of us, even if the change in control would be
beneficial to stockholders. These provisions include the
following:
·
|
division
of our board of directors into three classes, with each class serving a
staggered three-year term;
|
·
|
removal
of directors by stockholders by a supermajority of two-thirds of the
outstanding shares;
|
·
|
ability
of the board of directors to authorize the issuance of preferred stock in
series without stockholder approval;
and
|
·
|
prohibitions
on our stockholders that prevent them from acting by written consent and
limitations on calling special
meetings.
|
We
will incur increased costs as a result of being a publicly traded
company.
As a
Company with publicly traded securities, we will incur significant legal,
accounting and other expenses not presently incurred. In addition,
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which we refer to as SOX, as well as rules
promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to as
the SEC, and Nasdaq, require us to adopt corporate governance practices
applicable to U.S. public companies. These rules and regulations may
increase our legal and financial compliance costs.
44
If
we do not timely satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of SOX, the trading
price of our common stock could be adversely affected.
As a
voluntary filer with the SEC, we are currently subject to Section 404 of SOX, as
a non-accelerated filer. SOX requires us to document and test the
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance
with an established internal control framework and to report on our conclusion
as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial
reporting. Our annual report for the fiscal year ending October 31,
2011 will include management's first report of internal control over financial
reporting which will be required to be audited by an Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm. Any delays or difficulty in satisfying the
requirements of SOX could, among other things, cause investors to lose
confidence in, or otherwise be unable to rely on, the accuracy of our reported
financial information, which could adversely affect the trading price of our
common stock.
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of
Proceeds
None.
Item
3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item
4. [Removed and Reserved]
Item
5. Other Information
None.
Item
6. Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
|
Exhibit
|
|
31.1
|
Certificate
of the Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a)
and 15d-14(a)
|
|
31.2
|
Certificate
of the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a)
|
|
32.1
|
Certification
of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
45
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
LIMONEIRA
COMPANY
|
||
June
14, 2010
|
By:
|
/s/
HAROLD S. EDWARDS
|
Harold
S. Edwards
|
||
Director,
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
||
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
||
June
14, 2010
|
By:
|
/s/
DON P. DELMATOFF
|
Don
P. Delmatoff
|
||
Vice
President of Finance & Administration,
Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary
|
||
(Principal
Financial and Accounting
Officer)
|
46