NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP - Annual Report: 2005 (Form 10-K)
Table of Contents
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
þ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005
OR
o | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to .
Commission file number: 0-26272
NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
59-2705336 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
2050 Diplomat Drive Dallas, Texas (Address of principal executive offices) |
75234 (Zip code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: (972) 241-4080
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Common Stock, $0.001 par value
(Title of class)
(Title of class)
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act). Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for
such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been
subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes
o No þ
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is
not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in
definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K
or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer or
a non-accelerated filer (see definitions of accelerated filer and large accelerated filer in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Large accelerated filer o | Accelerated filer o | Non-Accelerated filer þ |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the
Act). Yes o No þ
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates
computed by reference to the closing price of such common equity on June 30, 2005 as reported by
the NASDAQ National Market on that date: $74,248,760
At
April 28, 2006, the number of shares outstanding of the registrants common stock was 8,199,933
shares.
Documents Incorporated by Reference
Certain information required for Part III of this report is incorporated by reference from the
registrants proxy statement for the 2006 annual meeting of the Companys shareholders to be held
during the second quarter of 2006.
NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
Form 10-K
December 31, 2005
Form 10-K
December 31, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Item 10. Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant |
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Item 11. Executive Compensation |
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Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
Matters |
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Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions |
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Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
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Specimen Certificate | ||||||||
Option Agreement - Terry LaCore | ||||||||
Option Agreement - LaCore and Woodburn Partnership | ||||||||
Option Agreement - LaCore and Woodburn Partnership | ||||||||
Option Agreement - Terry LaCore | ||||||||
Option Agreement - Capital Development S.A. | ||||||||
Option Agreement - Randall A. Mason | ||||||||
Subsidiaries | ||||||||
Certification of the Interim Principal Executive Officer | ||||||||
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer | ||||||||
Certification of the Interim Principal Executive Officer | ||||||||
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer |
Table of Contents
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this report constitute 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. All statements included in this report, other than statements of
historical facts, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated
revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. When
used in this report, the words believe, anticipate, intend, estimate, expect, project,
could, would, may, plan, predict, pursue, continue, feel and similar expressions
are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements
contain these identifying words.
We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and you
should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various
factors, including the risks described in Risk Factors, and elsewhere in this report. Our
forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers,
dispositions, joint ventures or strategic investments. In addition, any forward-looking statements
represent our expectation only as of the date of this report and should not be relied on as
representing our expectations as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to
do so, even if our expectations change.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in any of our forward-looking statements
are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of
our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well
as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and to inherent risks and uncertainties,
such as those disclosed in this report. Important factors that could cause our actual results,
performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or
projections contained in forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:
§ | our relationship with our distributors; | ||
§ | our need to continually recruit new distributors; | ||
§ | our internal controls and accounting methods may require further modification; | ||
§ | adverse consequences from audit committee investigations or management changes; | ||
§ | regulatory matters governing our products and network marketing system; | ||
§ | regulatory matters pertaining to direct-selling laws, specifically in China; | ||
§ | our ability to recruit and maintain key management, | ||
§ | adverse publicity associated with our products or direct selling organizations; | ||
§ | product liability claims; | ||
§ | our reliance on outside manufacturers; | ||
§ | risks associated with operating internationally, including foreign exchange risks; | ||
§ | product concentration; | ||
§ | dependence on increased penetration of existing markets; | ||
§ | the competitive nature of our business; and | ||
§ | our ability to generate sufficient cash to operate and expand our business. |
Market data and other statistical information used throughout this report is based on
independent industry publications, government publications, reports by market research firms or
other published independent sources and on our good faith estimates, which are derived from our
review of internal surveys and independent sources. Although we believe that these sources are
reliable, we have not independently verified the information and cannot guarantee its accuracy or
completeness.
Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our
forward-looking statements are set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including under the
heading Risk Factors, Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations and in our financial statements and the related notes.
Forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K speak only as of the date
hereof, and forward looking statements in documents attached are incorporated by reference speak
only as of the date of those documents. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or
release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances
after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by
law. Unless otherwise noted, the terms we, our, us, Company, refer to Natural Health
Trends Corp. and its subsidiaries.
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PART I
Item 1. BUSINESS
Overview of Business
Natural Health Trends Corp. (the Company) is an international direct-selling organization.
We control subsidiaries that distribute products through two separate direct-selling businesses
that promote health, wellness and vitality. Lexxus International, Inc., our wholly-owned
subsidiary (Lexxus U.S.), and other Lexxus subsidiaries (collectively, Lexxus), sell certain
personal care, wellness and quality of life products, which accounted for approximately 99% of
our consolidated net revenues in 2005. eKaire.com, Inc. (eKaire), our wholly-owned subsidiary,
distributes nutritional supplements aimed at general health and wellness.
Lexxus commenced operations in January 2001 and has experienced tremendous growth. As of
December 31, 2005, it is conducting business in 15 countries through approximately 119,000 active
distributors. These statistics do not include the countries and distributors of KGC Networks Pte
Ltd. (KGC) as the Company sold its 51% interest in that subsidiary to the minority shareholder
effective December 31, 2005 (see Recent Developments). eKaire has been in business since 2000
and is operating in four countries through approximately 3,000 active distributors. We consider a
distributor active if he or she has placed at least one product order with us during the
preceding year.
We seek to be a leader in the direct selling industry serving the health, wellness and
lifestyle marketplace by driving our products into as many venues and into as many markets as
possible through our direct selling marketing operations. Our objectives are to enrich the lives
of the users of our products and enable our distributors to benefit financially from the sale of
our products.
We maintain executive offices at 2050 Diplomat Drive, Dallas, Texas 75234 and our telephone
number is (972) 241-4080. The Companys corporate filings can be viewed on its website located at
www.naturalhealthtrendscorp.com. The information provided on our website should not be considered
part of this report.
Recent Developments
On February 22, 2005, the Companys common stock began trading on The NASDAQ National Market
under the ticker symbol BHIP. Prior to that time, the Companys common stock was quoted on the
NASD over-the-counter bulletin board under the symbol NHTC and subsequently NHLC.OB.
During April 2005, the Company launched a new product line, Gourmet Coffee Café, which
consists of coffee machines and the related coffee and tea pods, in the North American market.
Since the launch, the Company has experienced a high rate of defects and product returns. As a
result, the Company has delayed continued sales of our existing inventory of this product and
approached the manufacturer for resolution. The manufacturer has agreed to repair all of the
machines in our existing inventory and provide discounts on future purchases. The Company is
currently planning to re-start the sale of the coffee machines in the second half of 2006.
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On June 1, 2005, the Company held its annual meeting of shareholders. At that time, the
Companys reincorporation in the State of Delaware was approved by holders of a majority of the
Companys shares of common stock outstanding. On June 29, 2005, the Company re-incorporated in the
State of Delaware.
The Company entered into a settlement agreement (the Toyota Agreement) dated August 31, 2005
by and among Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (d/b/a Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Motor Sales,
U.S.A., Inc. (collectively, the Toyota Entities) and Lexxus U.S., pursuant to which the Toyota
Entities agreed to terminate their claims against the Company, and the Company agreed to
discontinue use of the Lexxus name and mark and change the name of its Lexxus operations and domain
names by June 1, 2006, and sell or otherwise dispose of all product inventory marked with the name
Lexxus by December 1, 2006. It is anticipated that, by June 1, 2006, the Company will change the
name of Lexxus U.S. to NHT Global, Inc. and the terms Lexxus and Lexxus International will be
replaced in all other uses by the Company and its subsidiaries by the terms NHT Global or a
variation that includes NHT or Natural Health Trends.
During September 2005, the Company reorganized its senior management team in connection with
an investigation conducted by the Companys Audit Committee. Effective October 3, 2005, each of
Mark Woodburn and Terry LaCore resigned as officers and members of the Companys Board of Directors
due to their failure to cooperate with the Audit Committees investigation. The investigation was
initiated in August 2005 and included allegations of misconduct by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore
asserted by an unrelated third party arising out of a lawsuit involving Mr. LaCore and such
unrelated third party. From October 3, 2005 through November 13, 2005, Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore
were employed as the Companys Global Managing Director Operations and Global Managing Director
Business Development, respectively.
Effective October 3, 2005, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Robert H. Hesse, a
member of the Companys Board of Directors since July 2004, as the Companys Interim Chief
Executive Officer. The Company also created the Office of the Chief Executive, comprised of Mr.
Hesse, Chris Sharng, the Companys Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and
Richard S. Johnson, President of Natural Health Trends Japan, Inc. (NHT Japan). The Office of
the Chief Executive was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Company. Since
Mr. Hesse was no longer considered to be an independent director, he resigned from the Companys
Audit Committee in September 2005.
On November 10, 2005, an independent investigator retained by the Companys Audit Committee
learned that an entity controlled by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore received payments from an
independent distributor of the Companys products during 2001 through August 2005. The Company
believes that Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore received from such independent distributor a total of
approximately $1.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively. The Company believes that the fees paid
by the Company to such independent distributor were not in excess of the amounts due under the
Companys regular distributor compensation plan. The Audit Committees investigation is continuing
(see Item 1A. Risk Factors).
Approximately $2.4 million of the funds paid by the independent distributor to Messrs.
Woodburn and LaCore were paid at the direction of Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore to an entity that is
partially owned by Mr. Woodburns father and Randall A. Mason, a member of the Companys Board of
Directors and former Chairman of the Companys Audit Committee. The funds were subsequently paid to
an entity controlled by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore at their direction. After investigation by the
Audit Committee, the Board of Directors of the Company concluded that Mr. Mason was unaware that
these payments were directed by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore to an entity partially owned by him
until uncovered by the Audits Committees independent investigator on November 10, 2005, and that
Mr. Mason was not involved in any misconduct and received no pecuniary benefit from the payments
made by the independent distributor. However, since payments were directed into an entity that is
partially owned by Mr. Mason, he could no longer be considered independent in accordance with the
rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market and under the federal securities laws. Therefore, effective
November 11, 2005, Mr. Mason resigned as Chairman and a member of the Companys Audit Committee.
Mr. Mason remained as a director.
On November 14, 2005, in light of the information learned by the Companys Audit Committee on
November 10, 2005, the Company terminated the employment of each of Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore. No
severance was paid by the Company to Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore and the Audit Committee is
investigating claims or actions that the Company may bring against them.
In addition, a loan made by the Company under the direction of Mr. Woodburn in the aggregate
principal amount of $256,000 in February 2004 was previously recorded as a loan to a third party.
On November 10, 2005, the Audit Committee investigator learned that the Company actually loaned the
funds to an entity owned and controlled by the parents of Mr. Woodburn. The loan was repaid in
full, partially by an entity controlled by a third party and partially by an entity controlled by
Mr. Woodburn in December 2004.
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On December 7, 2005, the Board of Directors expanded to six members and Anthony B. Martino,
Terrence M. Morris, and Colin J. OBrien were appointed to join Sir Brian Wolfson (Chairman),
Randall A. Mason, and Robert H. Hesse as members of the Companys Board of Directors. At that
time, the Board of Directors also appointed the following individuals as sole members of the
following committees:
Audit Committee | Compensation Committee | Nominating Committee | ||
Anthony B. Martino (Chairman)
|
Colin J. OBrien (Chairman) | Sir Brian Wolfson (Chairman) | ||
Colin J. OBrien
|
Terrence M. Morris | Terrence M. Morris | ||
Terrence M. Morris |
Effective December 31, 2005, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Bannks
Foundation, a Lichtenstein foundation and owner of 49% of the common shares of KGC, a Singapore
corporation, pursuant to which the Company sold to Bannks Foundation 51,000 common shares
representing the Companys 51% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of KGC for a total cash
purchase price of $350,000. KGC was a Company subsidiary through which the Companys Lexxus
products were sold into a separate network of independent distributors located primarily in Russia
and other Eastern European countries. In connection with the sale of its interest in KGC, the
Company entered into a separate agreement with KGC providing for the payment to the Company of 24
equal monthly installments of approximately $169,000 each relating to inventories ordered and
partially delivered, and the settlement of its outstanding inter-company receivable. The Company
also agreed to continue to supply KGC with certain products for a period of at least 48 months. As
a result of these transactions, the Company will no longer include the financial statements of KGC
in its consolidated financial statements. The Company does not believe these transactions result
in a discontinued operation as the Company will continue to supply KGC with a significant amount of
product for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the 2005 results of KGC have been reported in
results from operations.
On February 10, 2006, the Company entered into an Escrow Agreement (the Agreement) with
Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore, the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership, an affiliate of Woodburn and
LaCore, and Krage and Janvey LLP, as escrow agent (the Agent). Pursuant to the Agreement, (i)
the Company agreed to issue and deposit with the Agent stock certificates in the name of the Agent
representing an aggregate of 1,081,066 shares of the Companys common stock (the Escrowed Shares)
and (ii) Woodburn and LaCore deposited with the Agent $1,206,000 in immediately available funds
(the Cash Deposit). The Escrowed Shares are the shares of common stock issuable upon the
cashless exercise of options issued in 2001 and 2002 to LaCore and the LaCore and Woodburn
Partnership for 1,200,000 shares of common stock exercisable at $1.00 and $1.10 per share. The
number of Escrow Shares is based upon the closing price of the Companys common stock on February
9, 2006 of $10.14 and the surrender of 118,934 option shares as payment of the aggregate exercise
price of $1,206,000.
The Escrowed Shares were issued pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, to the Agent upon receipt from the Agent of an irrevocable proxy (the Proxy) to the
Company to vote the Escrowed Shares on all matters presented at meetings of stockholders or any
written consent executed in lieu thereof. The parties have agreed that the Agent will hold the
Escrowed Shares and the Cash Deposit until it receives (i) joint written instructions from the
Company, Woodburn and LaCore, or (ii) a final non-appealable order from a court of competent
jurisdiction. Each of the Company and Woodburn and LaCore has further agreed that all current and
future rights, claims, defenses and causes of actions they have or may have against each other are
preserved.
On March 10, 2006, the Company entered into a letter agreement dated March 1, 2006 with Robert
H. Hesse, the Companys Interim Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors.
Pursuant to the letter agreement, Mr. Hesse has agreed to continue acting as the interim chief
executive officer of the Company. In addition to continuing his base pay of $2,000 per day, the
Company has agreed to pay Mr. Hesse a retention bonus equal to $300,000, of which $150,000 is due
and payable upon executing the letter agreement and $150,000 is due
within five days after
satisfactory completion of Mr. Hesses term as Interim Chief Executive Officer.
On March 16, 2006, Richard S. Johnson, the Company and NHT Japan amended Mr. Johnsons
employment agreement effective as of February 1, 2006. As amended, the employment agreement is
extended through January 31, 2009. Under the amended employment agreement, Mr. Johnson will
continue to serve as President of NHT Japan and will provide advice and services to the Company, as
requested. For health reasons, Mr. Johnson will reside in the U.S. and is expected to work a
reduced number of hours. He will be compensated by the Company under the amended employment
agreement at the rate of $2,000 per day with a minimum of $16,000 per quarter (or $64,000 per
year). Under the amended employment agreement, the Company will issue to Mr. Johnson options
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exercisable for 8,000 shares of the Companys
common stock during each year of the term of the
consulting agreement. The options shall be exercisable at a price equal to the fair market value of
the shares of common stock on the date of grant and will be issued pursuant to the Companys 2002
Stock Plan. The Company has also agreed to reimburse Mr. Johnson for business related expenses.
On March 28, 2006,
the Board of Directors and Mr. Hesse mutually agreed that Mr. Hesse had
completed his assignment as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective
immediately. In addition, as of March 28, 2006, the Board of
Directors promoted Curtis E. Broome from President-Greater China and Southeast Asia to the position
of President of NHT Global designate Mr. Broome to serve as the Companys principal executive
officer on an interim basis. The Search Committee of the Board of Directors continues to conduct
an active search for a chief executive officer.
Also effective March 28,
2006, the Board of Directors terminated the Office of the Chief
Executive and formed an Executive Management Committee (the EMC) that consists of Mr. Broome, Mr.
Sharng, and John Cavanaugh, the President of the Companys MarketVision subsidiary. Terrence M.
Morris, a member of the Companys Board of Directors, will have the right to attend all meetings of
the EMC and will liaise with the Board of Directors regarding matters addressed by the EMC. The
EMC will manage the Companys day-to-day operations and will report directly to the Board of
Directors. In the event that the Board of Directors determines that continued participation with
the EMC would interfere with Mr. Morris exercise of independent judgment in carrying out his
responsibilities as a director, Mr. Morris may be asked to refrain from participating in EMC
matters in order to preserve his status as an independent director on the Board. As compensation
for Mr. Morris additional tasks, a monthly payment of $4,000 has been approved by the Board of
Directors.
Additionally, on March 28,
2006, Sir Brian Wolfson decided, for personal reasons, to resign as
Chairman of the Board of Directors and will continue to serve as its Vice Chairman. In connection
therewith, the Board of Directors appointed Randall A. Mason, a member of the Board of Directors
since May 2003, as its Chairman.
On April 6, 2006, a mutual agreement was entered into with two members of the Companys Mexico
management team, Oscar De la Mora and Jose Raul Villareal, terminating the employment of Messrs. De
la Mora and Villareal and all employment agreements between them and affiliates of the Company.
Messrs. De la Mora and Villareal may, in the future, serve as independent distributors for the
Company and its affiliates.
On April 18, 2006, the Company received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market stating that the
Company is not in compliance with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(14), which obligates listed issuers to
timely file those reports and other documents required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. On April 25, 2006, the Company requested a hearing
with the NASDAQ Hearings Panel concerning the Companys failure
to file its Form 10-K in a timely fashion. The Company received
a hearing date of June 1, 2006 from NASDAQ. The Company has been
advised that its shares of common stock will not be delisted prior to
the date of the hearing.
On April 20, 2006, the Board of Directors accepted Mr. Broomes request to resign as the
Companys interim principal executive officer and appointed Mr. Sharng as the interim principal
executive officer.
On
May 5, 2006, the Company paid $150,000 to Mr. Hesse as
provided in the above letter agreement dated as of March 1,
2006, that was signed on March 10, 2006. Mr. Hesse has
released the Company from all other obligations under that letter
agreement and, effective May 5, 2006, resigned from the
Companys Board of Directors.
Our Principal Products
We offer several Lexxus branded products, which principally include:
| Skindulgence® is a skin care system that includes a 30-Minute Non-Surgical FaceLift as well as a spa collection for hands, feet and all-over body. The 30-Minute Non-Surgical FaceLife is designed to create a more youthful appearance by helping to tone and firm facial muscles, by helping to diminish fine lines and wrinkles and by helping to improve skin tone and color. The facelift masque is coupled with a cleanser and moisturizer. | ||
| Alura® is an intimacy enhancing cream for women. | ||
| Valura Xtreme is an intimacy enhancing herbal supplement for men that will be offered for sale in 2006 to replace the Valura product previously offered for sale. |
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| Premium Noni Juice is a reconstituted morinda citrifolia fruit juice, made from organic noni puree. Noni is a fruit native in the Samoan Islands of the South Pacific. Marketed as a refreshing and energizing beverage, its natural flavor has been enhanced with white grape concentrate, concord grape concentrate, pineapple juice puree and other natural flavors. | ||
| LexLips is a lip enhancing gloss designed to create the effect of fuller lips and to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth. | ||
| La Vie is an energy-boosting dietary supplement described as a non-alcoholic red wine. | ||
| 180° Life System® - Carb Blocker is a weight management product. | ||
| Triotein is a lactose-free whey protein powder that provides amino acid substrates needed to stimulate the bodys production of an anti-oxidant, intracellular glutathione peroxidase, in an effort to optimize the bodys ability to heal itself. | ||
| Cluster Concentrate is a product created for increased and more efficient cell hydration. |
We offer Kaire branded products, generally nutritional supplements, which are organized into
several broad categories such as antioxidant support, immune support, bone & joint support,
digestive and dietary support, weight management, OmegaKaire hemp products, Sakaira Spa with Moor
Mud, Sakaira Skin & Hair Care, Kaire Essentials and ecoKaire Home Care. Among the products offered
by eKaire, Pycnogenol ® , Enzogenol, OptiMSM, OptiPure®, Phase2 & ActivAloe
are trademarks of our suppliers.
Operations of the Business
Sourcing of Products
The Companys independent research consultants and the executive staff work with research and
development personnel of our manufacturers to create product concepts and develop the product ideas
into actual products. Each of the Companys three current major product lines Skindulgence®,
Alura® and Premium Noni Juice - were originally conceived by our manufacturing vendors. The
Company or its subsidiaries then enter into supply agreements with the vendors pursuant to which
the Company obtains exclusive rights to sell the products under private labels (or trademarks) that
are owned by the Company. Because our current main products all came to us originally as proposals
from our vendors, we have incurred minimal out-of-pocket research and development costs through
December 31, 2005.
The Company or its subsidiaries generally purchase finished goods from manufacturers and sells
them to our distributors for their resale or personal consumption. Aloe Commodities International
(for Skindulgence®), 40Js LLC (for Alura®) and Two Harbor Trading (for Premium Noni Juice) are the
three most significant vendors, accounting for a majority of the Companys product purchases. The
Company is required to purchase from 40Js LLC a minimum volume of 15 barrels of product per quarter
to maintain the exclusivity and volume discount rights granted in the agreement. The terms of
these agreements are between one and three years, with annual automatic renewal. We believe that,
in the event we are unable to source products from these suppliers or the other suppliers of our
other products, our revenue, income and cash flow could be adversely and materially impacted.
Marketing and Distribution
Lexxus and eKaire are set up as direct-selling companies using separate networks of
distributors to sell products. Our distributors are independent full-time or part-time contractors
who purchase products directly from our subsidiaries via the Internet for resale to retail
consumers (other than in China) or for their own personal consumption. Purchasers of our products
in China may purchase only for their own personal consumption and not for resale in China. The
growth of a distributors business depends largely upon their ability to recruit a down-line
network of distributors and the popularity of our products in the marketplace.
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As of December 31, 2005, we had an active physical presence in eight (the U.S., Mexico, South
Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia and Canada) of the top 15 direct-selling markets in the
world. We experienced a 33% increase in active Lexxus distributors during 2005, following a 97%
increase in active distributors in 2004 compared to the prior year (excluding KGC distributors).
The following table represents the number of active distributors by market for both Lexxus and
eKaire as of December 31.
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
United States |
5,295 | 8,876 | 7,309 | |||||||||
Canada |
1,793 | 4,020 | 4,662 | |||||||||
North America |
7,088 | 12,896 | 11,971 | |||||||||
Hong Kong |
28,971 | 63,114 | 86,661 | |||||||||
Taiwan |
2,323 | 2,533 | 2,873 | |||||||||
Greater China |
31,294 | 65,647 | 89,534 | |||||||||
Singapore |
797 | 735 | 527 | |||||||||
Philippines |
1,139 | 2,799 | 341 | |||||||||
Southeast Asia |
1,936 | 3,534 | 868 | |||||||||
Australia |
214 | 374 | 710 | |||||||||
New Zealand |
34 | 32 | 75 | |||||||||
Australia/NZ |
248 | 406 | 785 | |||||||||
Russia and Eastern Europe1 |
26,775 | 40,727 | 52,679 | |||||||||
South Korea |
3,510 | 4,780 | 6,257 | |||||||||
Latin America |
192 | 87 | 1,456 | |||||||||
Central Europe |
| 891 | 1,895 | |||||||||
Japan |
| 848 | 5,947 | |||||||||
India |
883 | 25 | | |||||||||
Total Lexxus distributors |
71,916 | 129,841 | 171,392 | |||||||||
Less KGC1 |
(26,775 | ) | (40,727 | ) | (52,679 | ) | ||||||
Total Lexxus distributors without KGC |
45,151 | 89,114 | 118,713 | |||||||||
eKaire |
4,671 | 3,656 | 3,008 | |||||||||
Total distributors |
49,822 | 92,770 | 121,721 | |||||||||
We devoted much time and resources to pursue opening the Japanese, Mexican and Chinese markets
in 2005. We commenced revenue generation in Mexico and Japan in the fourth quarter of 2005. We have
submitted an application for a direct selling license in China in December 2005.
To become a Lexxus or eKaire distributor, a prospective distributor must agree to the terms
and conditions of our distributor agreement (posted on our respective Lexxus or eKaire website).
Lexxus distributors generally pay a nominal $100 annual enrollment fee. The distributor agreement
sets forth our policies and procedures, and we may elect to terminate a distributor for
non-compliance.
1 | The Company will no longer consolidate the operating results of KGC for periods beginning after December 31, 2005 as it sold its 51% equity interest to Bannks Foundation effective December 31, 2005. |
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We pay commissions to eligible Lexxus distributors based on sales by such distributors
down-line distributors during a given commission period. To be eligible to receive commissions,
distributors in some countries may be required to make nominal monthly purchases of products. We
believe that the uniqueness and efficacy of our Lexxus products, combined with a high commission
rate, creates a highly desirable business opportunity and work environment for our Lexxus
distributors. See Working with Distributors.
Distributors generally place orders through their own Internet page and pay by credit card
prior to shipment. Accordingly, we carry minimal accounts receivable and credit losses are
historically minimal.
We regularly sponsor promotional meetings and participate in motivational training events in
key cities around the world for Lexxus distributors. These events are designed to inform
prospective and existing distributors about both existing and new product lines as well as selling
techniques. Distributors typically share their direct selling experiences, their individual
selling styles and their recruiting methods at these promotional or training events. Prospective
distributors are educated about the structure, dynamics and benefits of the direct selling
industry. We are continually developing or updating our marketing strategies and programs to
motivate our distributors. These programs are designed to increase distributors monthly product
sales and the recruiting of new distributors in their down-lines.
Management Information Systems
The Lexxus business uses our proprietary web-based MarketVision system to process orders and
to communicate volume and commissions to distributors. KGC, a majority owned subsidiary until
December 31, 2005, used a third-party service provider, Septuor Consulting, and its software for
functionalities similar to those provided by MarketVision (see Recent Developments). The Kaire
business uses a third-party software package, Infotrax, to calculate commissions and provide each
independent distributor with a detailed monthly accounting of all sales and recruiting activity.
These statements eliminate the need for substantial record keeping on behalf of the distributor.
Other than MarketVision, the Company has not automated and integrated other critical business
processes such as inventory management and accounting. The Company began automating the financial
reporting processes with Oracles E-Business Suite in the fourth quarter of 2005 and expects to
continue this process for the first half of 2006.
Corporate History
The Companys current business can be traced back to Kaire Neutraceutical Inc., a privately
owned Colorado company involved in direct selling. Mr. Mark Woodburn was engaged by its investors
as an advisor and subsequently became the President in 1999. Mr. Woodburn engaged Mr. Terry LaCore
as a direct selling consultant to turn around the struggling business. Mr. Woodburn assisted with
its acquisition of the Company, which was an inactive publicly traded entity originally
incorporated in Florida in 1988, and reverse-merged Kaire Neutraceutical Inc. into the Company in
1999. In 2000, Kaire Neutraceutical Inc. was sold to certain private investors. Also in 2000, the
Company was relocated to Dallas, Texas.
In January 2001, the Company with certain minority investors launched the Lexxus business in
the U.S. The move was followed by a string of international expansions of the Lexxus business that
significantly fueled the growth of the Company. On March 31, 2004, the Company acquired
MarketVision Communications Corp. (MarketVision), the exclusive provider of the direct selling
software used by our Lexxus businesses around the world since mid-2001. Effective June 29, 2005,
the Company changed its state of incorporation from Florida to Delaware.
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Geographic Locations
The Company operates in 15 countries. The Companys business is generally organized along
geographic lines within the two different brands:
| Lexxus has active physical presence in the following markets: |
o | North America (United States and Canada) | ||
o | Greater China (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and China) and Southeast Asia (Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia) | ||
o | Australia and New Zealand | ||
o | South Korea | ||
o | Japan | ||
o | Latin America (primarily Mexico) | ||
o | Slovenia |
| eKaire has active physical presence in the following markets: |
o | North America (United States and Canada) | ||
o | Australia and New Zealand |
| Natural Health Trends Corp. is headquartered and mainly staffed in Dallas, Texas. | ||
| MarketVision is staffed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | ||
| Until December 31, 2005, the Company owned a 51% interest in KGC, which has a physical presence in Russia and Eastern Europe. |
See Item 2. Properties for specific locations of our facilities.
Employees
At December 31, 2005, the combined total number of world-wide employees for our company was
222, of which the United States had 54 employees, Cayman Islands 1, Canada 11, Hong Kong and China
73, Taiwan 26, the Philippines 1, Singapore 4, Indonesia 5, South Korea 17, Mexico 9, Japan 15, and
Australia 6. The number of employees is expected to increase in the coming year, especially in
China, where we anticipate using employees rather than independent distributors to market and sell
our products.
Seasonality
Our revenue has generally not been impacted by seasonality on any significant basis. From
quarter to quarter, the Company is somewhat impacted by seasonal factors and trends such as major
cultural events and vacation patterns. For example, most Asian markets celebrate their respective
local New Year in the first quarter, which generally has a small negative impact on that quarter.
We believe that direct selling in the United States and Europe is also generally negatively
impacted during the month of August, which is in our third quarter, when many individuals,
including our distributors, traditionally take time off for vacations.
Intellectual Property
Most of the Lexxus and eKaire products are packaged under a private label arrangement. We
have applied for trademark registration for names, logos and various product names in several
countries into which Lexxus and eKaire are doing business or considering expanding into. We
currently have three trademark registrations in the United States. Our registered trademarks expire
or become renewable in 2007 and 2008, and we rely on common law trademark rights to protect our
unregistered trademarks. These common law trademark rights do not provide us with the same level
of protection as afforded by a United States federal registration trademark. Common law trademark
rights are limited to the geographic area in which the trademark is actually utilized, while a
United States federal registration of a trademark enables the registrant to discontinue the
unauthorized use of the trademark by a third party anywhere in the United States even if the
registrant has never used the trademark in the geographic area where the trademark is
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being used, provided, however, that the unauthorized third party user has not, prior to the
registration date, perfected its common law rights in the trademark within that geographic area.
In November 2001, the inventor of our Alura® product, from whom we have a license to
distribute Alura®, was awarded a patent for the formulation of that product.
As a result of a settlement agreement with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (see Item 3. Legal
Proceedings), it is anticipated that, by June 1, 2006, the Company will change the name of Lexxus
International to NHT Global, Inc. and the terms Lexxus and Lexxus International will be
replaced in all other uses by the Company and its subsidiaries by the terms NHT Global or a
variation that includes NHT or Natural Health Trends. In connection with this name change,
the Company anticipates applying for registration of rights in these names and related marks in
various of the countries in which we do business.
In 2005, the Company implemented a foreign holding and operating company structure for our
non-United States businesses, which involved the division of our United States and non-United
States operations. As part of implementing this structure, the Company and some of its United
States subsidiaries granted an exclusive license to some of the Companys non-United States
subsidiaries to use outside of the United States all of their intangible property, including
trademarks, trade secrets and other proprietary information. See Item 7. Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Insurance
The Company currently carries general liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 per
occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate as well as customary cargo and other insurance coverage,
including coverage for international subsidiaries. We do not carry product liability insurance, but
may be covered by the insurance maintained by our principal suppliers. There can be no assurance,
however, that product liability insurance would be available, and if available, that it would be
sufficient to cover potential claims or that an adequate level of coverage would be available in
the future at a reasonable cost, if at all. A successful product liability claim could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In
November 2004, Dorothy Porter filed a complaint against the Company for strict liability, breach of
warranty and negligence in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, alleging
that she sustained a brain hemorrhage after taking Formula One, an ephedra-containing product
marketed by Kaire Neutraceutical Inc., a former subsidiary of the Company (see Item 3. Legal
Proceedings).
Working with Distributors
Sponsorship
Sponsoring of new distributors creates multiple levels in the direct-selling structure of
Lexxus. The persons that a distributor sponsors within the network are referred to as sponsored
distributors. Persons newly recruited are assigned by distributors into network positions that can
be under other distributors, thus they can be called down-line distributors. If down-line
distributors also sponsor new distributors, they create additional levels within the structure, but
their down-line distributors remain in the same down-line network as their original sponsoring
distributor.
We rely on our distributors to recruit and sponsor new distributors. Our top up-line
distributors tend to focus on building their network of down-line distributors. While we provide
product samples, brochures and other sales materials, distributors are primarily responsible for
recruiting and educating their new distributors with respect to products, the compensation plan and
how to build a successful distributorship network.
Distributors are not required to sponsor other distributors as their down-line, and we do not
pay any commissions for sponsoring new distributors. However, because of the financial incentives
provided to those who succeed in building a distributor network that consumes and resells products,
we believe that many of our distributors attempt, with varying degrees of effort and success, to
sponsor additional distributors. Because they are seeking new opportunities for income, people are
often attracted to become distributors after using our products or after attending introductory
seminars. Once a person becomes a distributor, he or she is able to purchase products directly
from us at wholesale prices via the Internet. The distributor is also entitled to sponsor other
distributors in order to build a network of distributors and product users.
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Compensation Plans
Lexxus employs what is commonly referred to as a binary compensation plan. We believe that
one of our key competitive advantages within the direct selling industry is our compensation plan
for Lexxus distributors. Under the Lexxus compensation plan, distributors are paid weekly
commissions in the distributors home country, in their local currency, for product sold by that
distributors down-line distributor network across all geographic markets. Distributors are not
paid commissions on purchases or sales of our products made directly by them, but instead earn a
spread between the wholesale price to the distributor and the retail price received by the
distributor. This seamless compensation plan enables a distributor located in one country to
sponsor other distributors located in other countries where we are authorized to do business.
Currently, there are two fundamental ways in which Lexxus distributors can earn income:
| Through retail markups on sales of products purchased by distributors at wholesale prices; and | ||
| Through a series of commissions paid on product purchases made by their down-line distributors. |
Each of our products carries a specified number of sales volume points, also called bonus
volume or BV. Commissions are based on total personal and group sales volume points per sales
period. Sales volume points are essentially based upon a percentage of a products wholesale cost.
As the distributors business expands from successfully sponsoring other distributors who in turn
expand their own businesses by sponsoring other distributors, the distributor receives higher
commissions from purchases made by an expanding down-line network. To be eligible to receive
commissions, a distributor may be required to make nominal monthly purchases of our products.
Certain of our subsidiaries do not require these nominal purchases for a distributor to be eligible
to receive commissions. In determining commissions, the number of levels of down-line distributors
included within the distributors commissionable group increases as the number of distributorships
directly below the distributor increases. Under our current compensation plan, commissions may be
limited to 60% of sales. In some markets, commissions may be further limited. From time to time
we make modifications and enhancements to our compensation plan to help motivate distributors,
which can have an impact on distributor commissions. From time to time we also enter into
agreements for business or market development, which may result in additional compensation to
specific distributors.
Distributor Support
We are committed to providing a high level of support services tailored to the needs of our
distributors in each marketplace we are serving. We attempt to meet the needs and build the loyalty
of distributors by providing personalized distributor services and by maintaining a generous
product return policy (see Product Warranties and Returns). Because many of our distributors
are working on a part-time basis and have only a limited number of hours each week to concentrate
on their business, we believe that maximizing a distributors efforts by providing effective
distributor support has been, and could continue to be, important to our success.
Through training meetings, annual conventions, web-based messages, distributor focus groups,
regular telephone conference calls and other personal contacts with distributors, we seek to
understand and satisfy the needs of our distributors. Via our websites, we provide product
fulfillment and tracking services that result in user-friendly and timely product distribution.
Most of our offices maintain meeting rooms, which our distributors may utilize for training and
sponsoring activities.
To help maintain communication with our distributors, we offer the following support programs:
Teleconferences. Lexxus and eKaire hold teleconferences with company management and associate
field leadership on various subjects such as technical product discussions, distributor
organization building and management techniques.
Internet. We maintain our main website at www.naturalhealthtrendscorp.com. On this
website, the user can read company news, learn more about various products, sign up to be a
distributor, place orders, and track the fulfillment and delivery of their order.
Product Literature. We offer a variety of literature to distributors, including product
catalogs, informational brochures, pamphlets and posters for individual products.
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Toll Free Access. eKaire offers a toll free number to place orders and to sponsor new
distributors. Lexxus offers these services only through its websites. Both eKaire and Lexxus offer
live consumer support where a customer service representative can address general questions or
concerns.
Broadcast E-mail. Announcements about Lexxus and eKaire are sent via e-mail to all active
distributors.
Technology and Internet Initiatives
We believe that the Internet has become increasingly important to our business as more
consumers communicate online and purchase products over the Internet as opposed to traditional
retail and direct sales channels. As a result, we have committed significant resources to our
e-commerce capabilities and the abilities of our distributors to take advantage of the Internet.
Substantially all of our sales have occurred via the Internet. eKaire has a personalized website
for its distributors to purchase products via the Internet. Lexxus offers a global web page that
allows a distributor to have a personalized website through which he or she can sell products in
all of the countries in which we do business. Links to these websites can be found at our main
website at www.naturalhealthtrendscorp.com. The information provided on these websites
should not be considered part of this report.
Rules Affecting Distributors
Our distributor policies and procedures establish the rules that distributors must follow in
each country. We also monitor distributor activity in an attempt to provide our distributors with
a level playing field so that one distributor may not be disadvantaged by the activities of
another. We require our distributors to present products and business opportunities in an ethical
and professional manner. Distributors further agree that their presentations to customers must be
consistent with, and limited to, the product claims and representations made in our literature.
We require that we produce or pre-approve all sales aids used by distributors such as
videotapes, audiotapes, brochures and promotional clothing. Further, distributors may not use any
form of media advertising to promote products unless it is pre-approved by the Company. Products
may be promoted only by personal contact or by literature produced or approved by us. Distributors
are not entitled to use our trademarks or other intellectual property without our prior consent.
Our compliance department reviews reports of alleged distributor misbehavior. If we determine
that a distributor has violated our distributor policies or procedures, we may terminate the
distributors rights completely. Alternatively, we may impose sanctions, such as warnings,
probation, withdrawal or denial of an award, suspension of privileges of the distributorship,
fines, withholding commissions, until specified conditions are satisfied or other appropriate
injunctive relief. Our distributors are independent contractors, not employees, and may act
independently of us. Further, our distributors may resign or terminate their distributorship at any
time without notice. See Item 1A Risk Factors Although Our Distributors Are Independent
Contractors, Improper Distributor Actions That Violate Laws or Regulations Could Harm Our
Business.
Government Regulations
Government Regulation of Direct Selling Activities
Direct selling activities are regulated by various federal, state and local governmental
agencies in the United States and foreign countries. These laws and regulations are generally
intended to prevent fraudulent or deceptive schemes often referred to as pyramid schemes, that
compensate participants for recruiting additional participants irrespective of product sales, use
high pressure recruiting methods and/or do not involve legitimate products. The laws and
regulations in our current markets often:
| impose cancellation/product return, inventory buy backs and cooling off rights for consumers and distributors; | ||
| require us or our distributors to register with governmental agencies; | ||
| impose reporting requirements; and | ||
| impose upon us requirements, such as requiring distributors to maintain levels of retail sales to qualify to receive commissions, to ensure that distributors are being compensated for sales of products and not for recruiting new distributors. |
The laws and regulations governing direct selling are modified from time to time to address
concern of regulators. For example, in South Korea, regulations were adopted that, among other
things, restrict direct selling marketing companies from imposing certain personal sales quota to
obtain or maintain distributorship or favorable compensation rates, modify product return
requirements so that product must be returned within a shorter period of time, and require the
companies to show sufficient insurance or guarantee to
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reimburse customers and/or distributors for cancelled or unfilled orders. We have had to make
some modifications to our compensation plan and policies in order to be in compliance with all of
these rules.
Based on research conducted in opening our existing markets, the nature and scope of inquiries
from government regulatory authorities, and our history of operations in such markets to date, we
believe that our methods of distribution are in compliance in all material respects with the laws
and regulations relating to direct selling activities of the countries in which we currently
operate. Many countries currently still have laws in place that would prohibit us from conducting
business in such markets. There can be no assurance that we would be allowed to continue to
conduct business in each of our existing markets that we currently service or any new market we may
enter in the future.
Regulation of Our Products
Our products and related promotional and marketing activities are subject to extensive
governmental regulation by numerous domestic and foreign governmental agencies and authorities,
including the FDA, the FTC, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the United States Department of
Agriculture, state attorneys general and other state regulatory agencies, and similar government
agencies in each country in which we operate. For example, in Taiwan, all medicated cosmetic and
pharmaceutical products require registration. These regulations can limit our ability to import
products into new markets and can delay introductions of new products into existing markets as we
comply with the registration and approval process for our products.
During the fall of 2003, the customs agency of the government of South Korea brought a charge
against LXK, Ltd. (LXK), the Companys wholly owned subsidiary operating in South Korea, with
respect to the importation of the Companys Alura® product. The customs agency alleges that Alura®
is not a cosmetic product, but rather should be categorized and imported as a pharmaceutical
product. This allegation prevailed in a Seoul district court ruling in February 2005. In the
verdict, the Company was fined and prohibited from marketing Alura®. The Company is currently
appealing against the Seoul district court ruling. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Some of our products are strictly regulated in certain markets in which we operate. These
markets have varied regulations that apply to and distinguish nutritional health supplements from
drugs or pharmaceutical products. For example, the FDA of the United States under the Federal
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act regulates our products. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act has
been amended several times with respect to nutritional supplements, most recently by the Nutrition
Labeling and Education Act and the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. The Dietary
Supplement Health and Education Act establishes rules for determining whether a product is a
dietary supplement. Under this statute, dietary supplements are regulated more like foods than
drugs, are not subject to the food additive provisions of the law, and are generally not required
to obtain regulatory approval prior to being introduced to the market. None of this limits,
however, the FDAs power to remove an unsafe substance from the market. In the event a product, or
an ingredient in a product, is classified as a drug or pharmaceutical product in any market, we
would generally not be able to distribute that product in that market through our distribution
channel because of strict restrictions applicable to drug and pharmaceutical products.
Most of our existing major markets also regulate product claims and advertising regarding the
types of claims and representations that can be made regarding the efficacy of products,
particularly dietary supplements. Accordingly, these regulations can limit our ability and that of
our distributors to inform consumers of the full benefits of our products. For example, in the
United States, we are unable to make any claim that any of our nutritional supplements will
diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent disease. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education
Act permits only substantiated, truthful and non-misleading statements of nutritional support to be
made in labeling, such as statements describing general well-being resulting from consumption of a
dietary ingredient or the role of a nutrient or dietary ingredient in affecting or maintaining a
structure or a function of the body. In addition, all product claims must be substantiated.
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Other Regulatory Issues
As a company incorporated in the United States and operating through subsidiaries in foreign
jurisdictions, we are subject to foreign exchange control, various forms of withholding taxes and
transfer pricing laws that regulate the flow of funds between our subsidiaries and us for product
purchases, management services and contractual obligations such as the payment of distributor
commissions.
Product Warranties and Returns
The Lexxus refund policies and procedures closely follow industry and country-specific
standards, which vary greatly by country. For example, in the United States, the Direct Selling
Association recommends that direct sellers permit returns during the twelve-month period following
the sale, while in Hong Kong the standard return policy is 14 days following the sale. Our return
policies have conformed to local laws or the recommendation of the local direct selling
association. In most cases, distributors who timely return unopened product that is in resalable
condition may receive a refund. The amount of the refund may be dependent on the country in which
the sale occurred, the timeliness of the return, and any applicable re-stocking fee. Lexxus must
be notified of the return in writing and such written requests would be considered a termination
notice of the distributorship.
From time to time, we alter our return policy in response to special circumstances. For
example, in April 2004, an investigative television program was aired in the Peoples Republic of
China with respect to the operations of the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary and the Lexxus
representative office located in Beijing. The television program made allegations that Lexxuss
Hong Kong operations engaged in fraudulent activities and sold products without proper permits. In
order to address the concerns of many independent distributors, Lexxus extended its existing 14-day
return policy in Hong Kong to 180 days to allow distributors and customers who purchased products
during the two-week period prior to, and the two-week period after, the airing of the television
program to return purchased merchandise for a full refund. In October 2004, this special extended
product return policy expired.
Our Industry
We are engaged in the direct selling industry, selling life-style enhancement products,
cosmetics, personal care and nutritional supplements. Direct selling is also referred to as network
marketing or multi-level marketing. This type of organizational structure and approach to
marketing and sales has proven to be extremely successful for several other direct selling
companies, particularly companies selling life-style-enhancement products, cosmetics and
nutritional supplements, or selling other types of consumer products, such as Tupperware
Corporation and Amway Corp. Generally, direct selling is based upon an organizational structure in
which independent distributors of a companys products are compensated for sales made directly to
consumers.
Lexxus distributors are compensated for sales generated by distributors they recruited and all
subsequent distributors recruited by their down-line network of distributors. The experience of
the direct selling industry has been that once a sizeable network of distributors is established,
new and alternative products and services can be offered to those distributors for sale to
consumers and additional distributors. The successful introduction of new products can
dramatically increase sales and profits for both distributors and the direct selling marketing
organization.
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Approximately 55 million individuals are now involved in direct selling worldwide and those
involved in direct selling generate approximately $96 billion in annual sales around the world.
Sales per | ||||||||||||
Retail Sales | Number of Distributors | Distributor | ||||||||||
(In Millions) | (In Thousands) | |||||||||||
United States |
$ | 29,900 | 13,600 | $ | 2,199 | |||||||
Japan |
23,000 | 2,000 | 11,500 | |||||||||
South Korea |
8,030 | 4,650 | 1,727 | |||||||||
Brazil |
3,921 | 1,539 | 2,548 | |||||||||
Mexico |
3,346 | 1,850 | 1,809 | |||||||||
United Kingdom |
3,032 | 520 | 5,831 | |||||||||
Italy |
2,979 | 272 | 10,952 | |||||||||
Germany |
2,875 | 206 | 13,956 | |||||||||
Taiwan |
2,000 | 3,877 | 516 | |||||||||
France |
1,718 | 170 | 10,106 | |||||||||
Russia |
1,268 | 2,305 | 550 | |||||||||
Malaysia |
1,400 | 3,000 | 467 | |||||||||
Australia |
1,083 | 700 | 1,547 | |||||||||
Canada |
1,000 | 898 | 1,114 | |||||||||
Thailand |
880 | 4,100 | 215 | |||||||||
Argentina |
662 | 683 | 969 | |||||||||
Poland |
644 | 585 | 1,101 | |||||||||
Indonesia |
625 | 5,427 | 115 | |||||||||
Spain |
623 | 136 | 4,581 | |||||||||
Colombia |
583 | 650 | 897 | |||||||||
Other |
6,308 | 7,798 | 809 | |||||||||
Total |
$ | 95,877 | 54,966 | 1,744 | ||||||||
Source:
World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (www.wfdsa.org) as of March 8, 2006
Competition
We compete with a significant number of other retailers that are engaged in similar lines of
business, including sellers of health-related products and other direct sellers such as Nu Skin
Enterprises, Inc., USANA Health Sciences, Inc., Mannatech, Inc., Reliv International, Inc, and
Herbalife, Ltd.. Many of the competitors have greater name recognition and financial resources
than us as well as many more distributors. The direct selling channel tends to sell products at a
higher price compared to traditional retailers, which poses a degree of competitive risk. There is
no assurance that we would continue to compete effectively against retail stores, internet based
retailers or other direct sellers.
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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
Risks Related to Our Business
As A Network Marketing Company, We Rely On An Independent Sales Force and We Do Not Have Direct
Control Over The Marketing Of Our Products.
We rely on non-employee, independent distributors to market and sell our products. We have a
large number of distributors and a relatively small corporate staff to implement our marketing
programs and to provide motivational support and training to our distributors. Directors may
voluntarily terminate their agreements with us at any time, and there is typically significant
turnover in our distributors from year to year. We anticipate using employees rather than
independent distributors to market and sell our products in China.
Since We Cannot Exert The Same Level Of Influence Or Control Over Our Independent Distributors As
We Could Were They Our Own Employees, Our Distributors Could Fail To Comply With Our Distributor
Policies and Procedures, Which Could Result in Claims Against Us That Could Harm Our Financial
Condition and Operating Results.
Our distributors are independent contractors and, accordingly, we are not in a position
to directly provide the same direction, motivation and oversight as we would if distributors were
our own employees. As a result, there can be no assurance that our distributors will participate in
our marketing strategies or plans, accept our introduction of new products, or comply with our
distributor policies and procedures. Extensive federal, state and local laws regulate
our business, our products and our network marketing program. Because we have expanded into foreign
countries, our policies and procedures for our independent distributors differ due to the different
legal requirements of each country in which we do business. While we have implemented distributor
policies and procedures designed to govern distributor conduct and to protect the goodwill
associated with the Companys trademarks and tradenames, it can be difficult to enforce these
policies and procedures because of the large number of distributors and their independent status
given the size and diversity of our distributor force, we experience problems with distributors
from time to time, especially with respect to our distributors in foreign markets. Distributors
often desire to enter a market, before we have received approval to do business, to gain an
advantage in the marketplace. Improper distributor activity in new geographic markets could result
in adverse publicity and can be particularly harmful to our ability to ultimately enter these
markets. Violations by our distributors of applicable law or of our policies and procedures in
dealing with customers could reflect negatively on our products and operations, and harm our
business reputation. In addition, it is possible that a court could hold us civilly or criminally
accountable based on vicarious liability because of the actions of our independent distributors. If
any of these events occur, the value of an investment in our common shares could be impaired.
Loss Of Key Personnel Could Adversely Affect Our Business.
Our future success depends to a significant degree on the skills, experience and efforts of
our top management. In November 2005, the Company terminated the top two employees, Mark D.
Woodburn, formerly the President, and Terry A. LaCore, formerly the Chief Executive Officer of
Lexxus U.S., due to misconduct (see Item 1. Recent Developments). The loss of the services of
these two individuals could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations
and financial condition. We also depend on the ability of our executive officers and other members
of senior management to work effectively as a team. We currently have an interim Chief Executive
Officer, and the failure to identify and hire a permanent replacement, or the loss of one or more
of our other executive officers or members of our senior management could have a material adverse
effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We May Be Unable To Protect Our Proprietary Technology Rights.
Our success depends to a significant degree upon the protection of our MarketVision software
and other proprietary technology rights. We rely on trade secret, copyright and trademark laws and
confidentiality agreements with employees and third parties, all of which offer only limited
protection. Moreover, the laws of some countries in which we market our products may afford little
or no effective protection of our proprietary technology. The reverse engineering, unauthorized
copying or other misappropriation of our proprietary technology could enable third parties to
benefit from our technology without paying us for it. This could have a material adverse effect on
our business, operating results and financial condition. If we resort to legal proceedings to
enforce our intellectual property rights, the proceedings could be burdensome and expensive and
could involve a high degree of risk.
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Claims May Arise Against the Company From Unknown Oral Agreements and Misconduct of Former Officers
and Directors.
We continue to investigate oral agreements and misconduct by Mr. Mark Woodburn, a former
director and the former President of the Company, and Mr. Terry LaCore, a former director of the
Company and the former Chief Executive Officer of the Companys subsidiary, Lexxus U.S. See Item
1. Recent Developments and Item 3. Legal Proceedings. There can be no assurance that all
such oral agreements and misconduct have been discovered. Additional discoveries could lead to
claims and proceedings against the Company, its subsidiaries and their officers and directors. We
are not aware that the Company is the target of any governmental investigation or proceeding.
However, if it is determined that any conduct by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore violated any law,
there can be no assurance that the Company or one or more of its subsidiaries would not be
subjected to prosecution or adverse proceedings. Any such claims, prosecutions or other
proceedings and the cost of their defense could have a material adverse impact on the reputation,
business and financial condition of the Company.
Adverse Publicity Associated With Our Products, Ingredients or Network Marketing Program, or Those
of Similar Companies, Could Harm Our Financial Condition and Operating Results.
Adverse publicity concerning any actual or claimed failure of our Company or our distributors
to comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding product claims and advertising, good
manufacturing practices, the regulation of our network marketing program, the licensing of our
products for sale in our target markets or other aspects of our business, whether or not resulting
in enforcement actions or the imposition of penalties, could have an adverse effect on the goodwill
of our Company and could negatively affect our ability to attract, motivate and retain
distributors, which would negatively impact our ability to generate revenue. We cannot ensure that
all distributors will comply with applicable legal requirements relating to the advertising,
labeling, licensing or distribution of our products.
In addition, our distributors and consumers perception of the safety and quality of our
products and ingredients as well as similar products and ingredients distributed by other companies
can be significantly influenced by national media attention, publicized scientific research or
findings, widespread product liability claims and other publicity concerning our products or
ingredients or similar products and ingredients distributed by other companies. Adverse publicity,
whether or not accurate or resulting from consumers use or misuse of our products, that associates
consumption of our products or ingredients or any similar products or ingredients with illness or
other adverse effects, questions the benefits of our or similar products or claims that any such
products are ineffective, inappropriately labeled or have inaccurate instructions as to their use,
could negatively impact our reputation or the market demand for our products.
Network marketing systems such as ours are frequently subject to laws and regulations directed
at ensuring that product sales are made to consumers of the products and that compensation,
recognition, and advancement within the marketing organization are based on the sale of products
rather than investment in the sponsoring company. We are subject to the risk that, in one or more
of our present or future markets, our marketing system could be found not to comply with these laws
and regulations or may be prohibited. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations or such a
prohibition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results
of operations. Further we may simply be prohibited from distributing products through a
network-marketing channel in some foreign countries, or be forced to alter our compensation plan.
Our Failure To Maintain and Expand Our Distributor Relationships Could Adversely Affect Our
Business.
We distribute our products through independent distributors, and we depend upon them directly
for all of our sales. Accordingly, our success depends in significant part upon our ability to
attract, retain and motivate a large base of distributors. Our direct selling organization is
headed by a relatively small number of key distributors. The loss of a significant number of
distributors, including any key distributors, could materially and adversely affect sales of our
products and could impair our ability to attract new distributors. Moreover, the replacement of
distributors could be difficult because, in our efforts to attract and retain distributors, we
compete with other direct selling organizations, including but not limited to those in the personal
care, cosmetic product and nutritional supplement industries. Our distributors may terminate their
services with us at any time and, in fact, like most direct selling organizations, we have a high
rate of attrition.
If The Number Or Productivity Of Independent Distributors Does Not Increase, Our Revenue Could Not
Increase.
To increase revenue, we must increase the number and/or the productivity of our distributors.
We can provide no assurances that distributor numbers could increase or remain constant or that
their productivity could increase. We experienced a 33% increase in active Lexxus distributors
during 2005, following a 97% increase in active distributors in 2004 compared to the prior years
(excluding
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KGC). The number of active distributors may not increase and could decline in the future.
Distributors may terminate their services at any time, and, like most direct selling companies, we
experience a high turnover among distributors from year to year. We cannot accurately predict any
fluctuation in the number and productivity of distributors because we primarily rely upon existing
distributors to sponsor and train new distributors and to motivate new and existing distributors.
Operating results could be adversely affected if our existing and new business opportunities and
products do not generate sufficient economic incentive or interest to retain existing distributors
and to attract new distributors.
Because Our Hong Kong Operations Account For A Majority Of Our Business, Any Adverse Changes In Our
Business Operations In Hong Kong Would Materially Harm Our Business.
In 2003, 2004 and 2005, approximately 49%, 56% and 62% of our revenue, respectively, was
generated in Hong Kong. It is anticipated that a higher percentage of our revenue will be
generated from Hong Kong in 2006 due to the sales of our interest in KGC in December 2005. Various
factors could harm our business in Hong Kong, such as worsening economic conditions or other events
that are out of our control. For example, on April 12, 2004, an investigative television program
was aired in the Peoples Republic of China with respect to the operations of the Companys Hong
Kong subsidiary and the Lexxus representative office located in Beijing. The television program
alleged that Lexxuss Hong Kong operations engaged in fraudulent activities and sold products
without proper permits. Due to the adverse publicity caused by the airing of the television
program, revenues from Hong Kong declined significantly. Our financial results could be harmed if
our products, business opportunity or planned growth initiatives fail to retain and generate
continued interest and enthusiasm among our distributors and consumers in this market.
Our Proposed Operations in China Could Have An Adverse Effect on Our Hong Kong Revenue.
Most of the Companys Hong Kong revenues are derived from the sale of products that are
delivered to members in China. Once we have implemented our proposed operations in China it is
possible that sales in Hong Kong could migrate to China. If that were to happen, we could
experience a material reduction in sales from Hong Kong.
Our Business In Hong Kong, Which Represented 62% Of Our Revenue in 2005, May Be Harmed By The Results Of Increased Government Scrutiny of Our
Current and Proposed Operations in China.
Since 1998, direct selling has been restricted in China to ten companies that have an approval
that the Company does not currently have. In November 2005, the Chinese government adopted an
anti-multilevel marketing legislation ahead of its December 2005 adoption of legislation to
legalize direct selling. The government has rigorously monitored multi-level marketing activities
and enforced these laws. In the past, the government has taken significant actions against
companies that the government found in violation of applicable laws. Governmental actions included
shutting down their businesses and arresting alleged perpetrators. Consequently, a few of our
direct selling peer companies have modified their business models and started selling to Chinese
consumers through owned, leased or franchised retail outlets. We have not implemented our direct
sales model in China. We intend to follow the path of some of our competitors and implement a
business model that utilizes retail stores and an employee sales force that we believe will comply
with applicable regulations. However, currently the Company is generating revenue from its members in
China in a manner that, while the Company does not believe violates the anti-multilevel marketing legislation in China, could be deemed by the
Chinese government to violate such legislation.
We Could Be Required To Modify Our Compensation Plan In China In A Way That Could
Make It Less Attractive To Members, And This Could Have A Significant Adverse Affect On Our Revenue.
We could be required to modify our compensation plan in China in a
way that could make it less attractive to members. Any such modification to our compensation plan
could, therefore, have a material adverse effect on revenue. Moreover, the business model that we
anticipate implementing in China will likely involve costs and expenses that we do not generally
incur in the e-commerce business that we have historically operated in other markets, including
Hong Kong. As a result, the business that we ultimately are able to conduct in China could be
materially less profitable than the e-commerce business that we have historically operated in Hong
Kong.
The
Companys E-Commerce Business In Hong Kong, Which Represents A
Significant Portion Of The Companys Total Revenue, Could Be Adversely Affected By The Activities
Of The Members In China, If Members In China Engage In Activities That Are Deemed
To Violate Chinas Anti-Multilevel Marketing Laws.
While the Company has strictly forbidden any of its
members in China to engage in activities that violate Chinas anti-multilevel marketing laws, some of our members in China have engaged in such activities.
In Dongguan, four of our
members were detained for questioning in October 2005 with regard to possible violation of Chinese
law regarding the maximum number of people who can attend a meeting as well as possible improper
network marketing business activity. Charges were never filed and all individuals were released.
In April, 2006, a media report indicated that someone was detained by Public Security in Changsha
for investigation of similar allegations. The Company has not been able to determine if the
individual in question is, in fact, a member and whether or not any laws were actually broken.
Initial inquiries made by retained Chinese counsel indicate that no one is still being detained or
has been charged. Reviews and investigations of such activities by government regulators, if any
are commenced, could restrict our ability to conduct business.
Most of the Companys Hong Kong revenues are derived from the sale of products that
are delivered to members in China. The Company operates an e-commerce direct selling model in Hong
Kong and does not recognize this revenue as being
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generated in China. Orders are taken in Hong Kong. Commissions are earned by members in China
based on the same binary model used by the Company throughout the world and are recorded and paid in Hong
Kong and denominated in Hong Kong Dollars. Commission incomes are declared to the tax authorities
in Hong Kong. Members who order the products register themselves with a Hong Kong address and tax
ID number. None of the servers on which the Companys Hong Kong e-commerce activities are
conducted are located in China. Products purchased by members in China are delivered by the
Company to a third party that acts as the importer of record under an agreement to pay applicable
duties. From April 2005 through December 2005, the importer of record was a related party (see
Item 7 Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations).
The Company believes that the laws and regulations in China regarding direct selling and multi-level marketing are not
specifically applicable to the Companys Hong Kong based e-commerce activity. Nor is the Company
aware of any specific laws or regulations in China, or any official interpretation thereof, that
govern this Hong Kong centered e-commerce activity. However, there can be no assurance that such laws, regulations or interpretations will not be
adopted in the future. Should such laws, rules or interpretations be
adopted or should the government determine that the Companys
e-commerce activity violates Chinas anti-multilevel marketing legislation, there could be a
material adverse effect on the Companys business, cash flow and financial statements. There is no
way the Company can estimate the effect of such an adverse effect.
Although we would attempt to work closely with both national and local governmental agencies
in implementing our plans, our efforts to comply with national and local laws may be harmed by a
rapidly evolving regulatory climate, concerns about activities resembling violations of
anti-multi-level marketing legislation and any subjective interpretation of laws. Any determination
that our operations or activities, or the activities of our employee sales representatives,
distributors living outside of China or importers of record are not in compliance with applicable
regulations could result in the imposition of substantial fines, extended interruptions of
business, restrictions on our future ability to obtain business license or expand into new
locations, substantially diminishing our ability to retain existing sales representatives and
attract new sales representatives, changes to our business model, the termination of required
licenses to conduct business, or other actions, all of which would harm our business.
If We Fail To Obtain a Direct Selling License in China, Our Future Business Could Be Harmed.
The Chinese government has adopted new direct selling legislation as of December 1, 2005. The
Company has submitted an application for a direct selling license in December 2005. The Company
thinks it met all of the legal requirements, including capitalizing our Chinese entity with a $12.0
million cash infusion, but there can be no assurance that a license will be granted. Although we
currently do not operate a direct selling business in China, our future business could be harmed if
the Chinese government turns down our application or significantly defers granting a direct selling
license.
Intellectual Property Rights Are Difficult To Enforce In China.
Chinese commercial law is relatively undeveloped compared to most other major markets, and, as
a result, we may have limited legal recourse in the event we encounter significant difficulties
with patent or trademark infringers. Limited protection of intellectual property is available under
Chinese law, and the local manufacturing of our products may subject us to an increased risk that
unauthorized parties may attempt to copy or otherwise obtain or use our product formulations. As a
result, we cannot assure you that we would be able to adequately protect our product formulations.
Failure
to Properly Pay Business Taxes, Including Those in China, Could Have a Material Adverse Effect.
Between April and December 2005, the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary engaged a service provider
to facilitate product importation into China and act, or engage another party to act, as the
importer of record. The individual that owns that service provider is one of the directors of the
Companys wholly- owned Chinese subsidiary. The Company believes that the amount of duty paid to
Chinese Customs on the imported goods by the importer of record was
paid at the negotiated rate. However, there can be no assurance that Chinese
Customs will not elect, in the future, to examine the duty paid, and if they conduct such
examination, they may conclude that the valuation established was insufficient, resulting in an
underpayment of duties. As a consequence, the importer of record could be required to pay
additional duties and possible penalties to Chinese Customs. Additional duties could range between
zero and $46.0 million, plus penalties. The extreme worst case
was calculated using the highest possible assessment to
the highest possible declared value and assuming that negotiated valuation practices do not apply.
The Company believes that any such future assessment of additional duties or penalties would be
made against and become the responsibility of the importer of record. There can be no assurance
that the Company or its subsidiaries would not also be of assessed with such liability in the event
that the importer of record is unable to pay all or part of such amount.
As We Continue To Expand Into Foreign Markets Our Business Becomes Increasingly Subject To
Political and Economic Risks. Changes In These Markets Could Adversely Affect Our Business.
We believe that our ability to achieve future growth is dependent in part on our ability to
continue our international expansion efforts. However, there can be no assurance that we would be
able to grow in our existing international markets, enter new international markets on a timely
basis, or that new markets would be profitable. We must overcome significant regulatory and legal
barriers before we can begin marketing in any foreign market.
Also, it is difficult to assess the extent to which our products and sales techniques would be
accepted or successful in any given country. In addition to significant regulatory barriers, we
may also encounter problems conducting operations in new markets with different cultures and legal
systems from those encountered elsewhere. We may be required to reformulate certain of our
products before commencing sales in a given country. Once we have entered a market, we must adhere
to the regulatory and legal requirements of that market. No assurance can be given that we would
be able to successfully reformulate our products in any of our current or potential international
markets to meet local regulatory requirements or attract local customers. The failure to do so
could have a
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material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
There can be no assurance that we would be able to obtain and retain necessary permits and
approvals.
In many markets, other direct selling companies already have significant market penetration,
the effect of which could be to desensitize the local distributor population to a new opportunity,
or to make it more difficult for us to recruit qualified distributors. There can be no assurance
that, even if we are able to commence operations in foreign countries, there would be a
sufficiently large population of potential distributors inclined to participate in a direct selling
system offered by us. We believe our future success could depend in part on our ability to
seamlessly integrate our business methods, including distributor compensation plan, across all
markets in which our products are sold. There can be no assurance that we would be able to further
develop and maintain a seamless compensation program.
An Increase In The Amount Of Compensation Paid To Distributors Would Reduce Profitability.
A significant expense is the payment of compensation to our distributors. We paid
approximately 44%, 51% and 52% in 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively, of our net revenues as
compensation to our distributors. The increase is due to the growth of the distributor network and
number of down-line levels, an elevated level of promotions, local promotional programs and various
business development agreements. We compensate our distributors by paying commissions, bonuses, and
certain awards and prizes. We closely monitor the amount of compensation to distributors paid as a
percentage of net sales and may need to adjust our compensation plan to prevent distributor
compensation from having a significant adverse effect on earnings. There can be no assurance that
these changes or future changes to our compensation plan or product pricing would be successful in
maintaining the level of distributor compensation expense as a percentage of net sales.
Furthermore, these changes may make it difficult to recruit and retain qualified and motivated
distributors. An increase in compensation payments to distributors as a percentage of net sales
will reduce our profitability. Under our current compensation plan, commissions may be limited to
60% of sales. See Item 1. Working with Distributors Compensation Plans.
There May be Unfavorable Reactions to or Challenges to Our Use the New Name We Have Selected for
our Lexxus Subsidiaries, Internet Sites and Certain Products.
In connection with the settlement of a lawsuit, the Company is obligated to change the name of
its Lexxus subsidiaries, websites and certain products (see Item 3. Legal Proceedings). It is
anticipated that, by June 1, 2006, the Company will change the name of Lexxus International to NHT
Global, Inc. and the terms Lexxus and Lexxus International will be replaced in all other uses
by the Company and its subsidiaries by the terms NHT Global or a variation that includes NHT or
Natural Health Trends. The financial condition of the Company could be materially affected by
unfavorable reaction of distributors and customers to these new names or by claims of prior rights
to these names in one or more countries.
We Do Not Have Product Liability Insurance And Product Liability Claims Could Hurt Our Business.
Currently, we do not have product liability insurance, although the insurance carried by our
suppliers may cover certain product liability claims against us. Nevertheless, we do not conduct or
sponsor clinical studies of our products. As a marketer of nutraceuticals, cosmetics and other
products that are ingested by consumers or applied to their bodies, we may become subjected to
various product liability claims, including that:
| our products contain contaminants; | ||
| our products include inadequate instructions as to their uses; or | ||
| our products include inadequate warnings concerning side effects and interactions with other substances. |
Especially since we do not have direct product liability insurance, it is possible that
product liability claims and the resulting adverse publicity could negatively affect our business.
In November 2004, Dorothy Porter filed a complaint against the Company for strict liability, breach
of warranty and negligence in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois,
alleging that she sustained a brain hemorrhage after taking Formula One, an ephedra-containing
product marketed by Kaire Nutraceuticals, Inc., a former subsidiary of the Company. See Item 3.
Legal Proceedings.
If our suppliers product liability insurance fails to cover product liability claims or other
product liability claims, or any product liability claims exceeds the amount of coverage provided
by such policies or if we are unsuccessful in any third party claim against the manufacturer or if
we are unsuccessful in collecting any judgment that may be recovered by the Company against the
manufacturer,
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we could be required to pay substantial monetary damages which could materially harm our
business, financial condition and results of operations. As a result, we may become required to
pay higher premiums and accept higher deductibles in order to secure adequate insurance coverage in
the future.
Our Internal Controls and Accounting Methods Require Further Modification.
The Company modified certain of its accounting policies and made other adjustments to our
accounting for past transactions, which resulted in the restatement of the Companys financial
statements for each quarter in 2001, 2002, and 2003, for the years ended December 31, 2001, 2002,
and 2003, as well as the first quarter in 2004. In connection with the restatement of our
financial statements, many of the restatement items are the result of material weaknesses in the
Companys internal controls and procedures. Also, in October 2005, the Companys top two officers
at the time, Mark Woodburn and Terry LaCore, the President of the Company and the Chief Executive
Officer of Lexxus U.S., respectively, were terminated due to management misconduct.
The Company continues to develop controls and procedures and plans to implement additional
controls and procedures sufficient to accurately report our financial performance on a timely basis
in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, we continue to have material weaknesses (see Item
9A Controls and Procedures). If we are unable to development and implement effective controls
and procedures, we may not be able to report our financial performance on a timely basis and our
business and stock price would be adversely affected. See Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Non-Compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Could Materially Adversely Affect
Us.
The Securities Exchange Commission, as directed by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, adopted rules which could require us to include in our annual reports on Form 10-K, beginning
in fiscal 2007, an assessment by management of the effectiveness of our internal controls over
financial reporting. In addition, our independent auditors must attest to and report on
managements assessment of the effectiveness of such internal controls over financial reporting.
While we intend to diligently and thoroughly document, review, test and improve our internal
controls over financial reporting to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, if our
independent auditors are not satisfied with the adequacy of our internal controls over financial
reporting, or if the independent auditors interpret the requirements, rules and/or regulations
differently than we do, then they may decline to attest to managements assessment or may issue a
report that is qualified. This could result in an adverse reaction in the financial marketplace due
to a loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could
negatively impact the price of our common stock.
We Rely On And Are Subject To Risks Associated With Our Reliance Upon Information Technology
Systems.
Our success is dependent on the accuracy, reliability, and proper use of information
processing systems and management information technology. Our information technology systems are
designed and selected to facilitate order entry and customer billing, maintain distributor records,
accurately track purchases and distributor compensation payments, manage accounting operations,
generate reports, and provide customer service and technical support. Although we acquired
MarketVisionour distributor software service providerduring the first half of 2004, in part, to
gain greater control over its operations, any interruption in these systems could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our Lexxus Subsidiaries Have a Limited Operating History Which May Not be Indicative of Future
Performance.
Although our Lexxus subsidiaries accounted for approximately 99% of our consolidated net
revenues during fiscal 2005, it has been operating only since January 2001.
Our business prospects must be considered in light of the risk, expense and difficulties
frequently encountered by companies in an early stage of development, particularly companies in new
and rapidly evolving international markets. If we are unable to effectively allocate our resources
and help grow our Lexxus subsidiaries, our stock price may be adversely affected and we may be
unable to execute our strategy of expanding our network of independent distributors. Our business
depends upon the performance of our Lexxus subsidiaries and, due to its relatively short operating
history, past performance may not be indicative of future results.
Our success has been, and could continue to be, significantly dependent on our ability to
manage rapid growth through expansions and enhancements of our worldwide personnel and management,
order processing and fulfillment, inventory and shipping systems, financial reporting and other
aspects of operations. As we continue to expand our operations, the ability to manage this growth
could
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represent an increasing challenge and our failure to properly manage this growth may
materially and adversely affect our results of operation.
Regulatory Matters Governing Our Industry Could Have A Significant Negative Effect On Our Business.
In both our United States and foreign markets, we are affected by extensive laws, governmental
regulations, administrative determinations, court decisions and similar constraints. Such laws,
regulations and other constraints may exist at the federal, state or local levels in the United
States and at all levels of government in foreign jurisdictions.
Product Regulations
The formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution, importation, sale and
storage of certain of our products are subject to extensive regulation by various federal agencies,
including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Federal Trade Commission (the FTC), the
Consumer Product Safety Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture and by various
agencies of the states, localities and foreign countries in which our products are manufactured,
distributed and sold. Failure by our distributors or us to comply with those regulations could lead
to the imposition of significant penalties or claims and could materially and adversely affect our
business. In addition, the adoption of new regulations or changes in the interpretation of existing
regulations may result in significant compliance costs or discontinuation of product sales and may
adversely affect the marketing of our products, resulting in significant loss of sales revenues.
Product Claims, Advertising and Distributor Activities
Our failure to comply with FTC or state regulations, or with regulations in foreign markets
that cover our product claims and advertising, including direct claims and advertising by us, as
well as claims and advertising by distributors for which we may be held responsible, may result in
enforcement actions and imposition of penalties or otherwise materially and adversely affect the
distribution and sale of our products. Distributor activities in our existing markets that violate
applicable governmental laws or regulations could result in governmental or private actions against
us in markets where we operate. Given the size of our distributor force, we cannot assure that our
distributors would comply with applicable legal requirements.
Direct Selling System
Our direct selling system is subject to a number of federal and state regulations administered
by the FTC and various state agencies as well as regulations in foreign markets administered by
foreign agencies. Regulations applicable to direct selling organizations generally are directed at
ensuring that product sales ultimately are made to consumers and that advancement within the
organizations is based on sales of the organizations products rather than investments in the
organizations or other non-retail sales related criteria. We are subject to the risk that, in one
or more markets, our marketing system could be found not to be in compliance with applicable
regulations. The failure of our direct selling system to comply with such regulations could have a
material adverse effect on our business in a particular market or in general.
We are also subject to the risk of private party challenges to the legality of our direct
selling system. The regulatory requirements concerning direct selling systems do not include
bright line rules and are inherently fact-based. An adverse judicial determination with respect
to our direct selling system, or in proceedings not involving us directly but which challenge the
legality of other direct selling marketing systems, could have a material adverse effect on our
business.
Transfer Pricing and Similar Regulations
In many countries, including the United States, we are subject to transfer pricing and other
tax regulations designed to ensure that appropriate levels of income are reported as earned by our
United States or local entities and are taxed accordingly. In addition, our operations are subject
to regulations designed to ensure that appropriate levels of customs duties are assessed on the
importation of our products.
Our principal domicile is the United States. Under tax treaties, we are eligible to receive
foreign tax credits in the United States for taxes paid abroad. As our operations expand outside
the United States, taxes paid to foreign taxing authorities may exceed the credits available to us,
resulting in the payment of a higher overall effective tax rate on our worldwide operations.
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We have adopted transfer pricing agreements with our subsidiaries to regulate inter-company
transfers, which agreements are subject to transfer pricing laws that regulate the flow of funds
between the subsidiaries and the parent corporation for product purchases, management services, and
contractual obligations, such as the payment of distributor compensation. In 2005, we implemented
a foreign holding and operating company structure for our non-United States businesses. This new
structure re-organized our non-United States subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands. Though our goal
is to improve the overall tax rate, there is no assurance that the new tax structure could be
successful. If the United States Internal Revenue Service or the taxing authorities of any other
jurisdiction were to successfully challenge these agreements, plans, or arrangements, or require
changes in our transfer pricing practices, we could be required to pay higher taxes, interest and
penalties, and our earnings would be adversely affected.
We believe that we operate in compliance with all applicable transfer pricing laws and we
intend to continue to operate in compliance with such laws. However, there can be no assurance
that we will continue to be found to be operating in compliance with transfer pricing laws, or that
those laws would not be modified, which, as a result, may require changes in our operating
procedures.
Taxation Relating To Distributors
Our distributors are subject to taxation, and in some instances legislation or governmental
agencies impose an obligation on us to collect the taxes, such as value added taxes, and to
maintain appropriate records. In addition, we are subject to the risk in some jurisdictions of
being responsible for social security and similar taxes with respect to our distributors.
Other Regulations
We are also subject to a variety of other regulations in various foreign markets, including
regulations pertaining to employment and severance pay requirements, import/export regulations and
antitrust issues. Our failure to comply or assertions that we fail to comply with these regulations
could have a material adverse effect on our business in a particular market or in general.
To the extent we decide to commence or expand operations in additional countries, government
regulations in those countries may prevent or delay entry into or expansion of operations in those
markets. In addition, our ability to sustain satisfactory levels of sales in our markets is
dependent in significant part on our ability to introduce additional products into the markets.
However, government regulations in both our domestic and international markets can delay or prevent
the introduction, or require the reformulation or withdrawal, of some of our products.
Currency Exchange Rate Fluctuations Could Lower Our Revenue And Net Income.
In 2005, approximately 92% of our revenue was recorded in markets outside the United States.
However, that figure does not accurately reflect our foreign currency exposure mainly because the
Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar. Our European business, KGC, switched to euro for
both selling products and paying commissions at the end of 2004 but has been divested and thus no
longer consolidated with the Company in 2006. We also purchase all inventories in U.S. dollars.
Therefore, our currency exposure, mainly to Korean won, Singapore dollar, New Taiwan dollar and
Australia dollar, represented approximately 12% of our revenue in 2005, excluding KGC.
Our exposure to foreign currency fluctuation is expected to increase, as the Company
progresses in developing Japanese and Mexican markets.
In preparing our consolidated financial statements, we translate revenue and expenses in
foreign countries from their local currencies into U.S. dollars using the average exchange rates
for the period. The effect of the translation of the Companys foreign operations is included in
accumulated other comprehensive income within stockholders equity and do not impact the statement
of operations.
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Given our inability to predict the degree of exchange rate fluctuations, we cannot estimate
the effect these fluctuations may have upon future reported results, product pricing or our overall
financial condition. Further, to date we have not attempted to reduce our exposure to short-term
exchange rate fluctuations by using foreign currency exchange contracts.
Failure Of New Products To Gain Distributor And Market Acceptance Could Harm Our Business.
An important component of our business is our ability to develop new products that create
enthusiasm among our distributor force. If we fail to introduce new products on a timely basis, our
distributor productivity could be harmed. In addition, if any new products fail to gain market
acceptance, are restricted by regulatory requirements, or have quality problems, this would harm
our results of operations. Factors that could affect our ability to continue to introduce new
products include, among others, limited capital resources, government regulations, proprietary
protections of competitors that may limit our ability to offer comparable products and any failure
to anticipate changes in consumer tastes and buying preferences.
System Failures Could Harm Our Business.
Because of our diverse geographic operations and our internationally applicable distributor
compensation plans, our business is highly dependent on efficiently functioning information
technology systems provided by MarketVision. The MarketVision systems and operations are vulnerable
to damage or interruption from fires, earthquakes, telecommunications failures, computer viruses
and worms, software defects and other events. They are also subject to break-ins, sabotage, acts of
vandalism and similar misconduct. Despite precautions implemented by the staff of MarketVision,
problems could result in interruptions in services and materially and adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Limited Product Line.
The Company offers a limited number of products under its Lexxus brand (see Item 1. Our
Principal Products). Our Premium Noni Juice, Skindulgence®, Alura® and La Vie products each
account for a significant portion of our total sales and, together, account for a significant
majority of our total sales. If demand for any of these four products decreases significantly,
government regulation restricts the sale of these products, we are unable to adequately source or
deliver these products, or we cease offering any of these products for any reason without a
suitable replacement, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be
materially and adversely effected.
We Do Not Manufacture Our Own Products So We Must Rely On Independent Third Parties For The
Manufacturing And Supply Of Our Products.
All of our products are manufactured by independent third parties. There is no assurance that
our current manufacturers will continue to reliably supply products to us at the level of quality
we require. In the event any of our third-party manufacturers become unable or unwilling to
continue to provide the products in required volumes and quality levels at acceptable prices, we
will be required to identify and obtain acceptable replacement manufacturing sources. There is no
assurance that we will be able to obtain alternative manufacturing sources or be able to do so on a
timely basis. An extended interruption in the supply of our products will result in a substantial
loss of sales. In addition, any actual or perceived degradation of product quality as a result of
our reliance on third party manufacturers may have an adverse effect on sales or result in
increased product returns and buybacks.
The High Level Of Competition In Our Industry Could Adversely Affect Our Business.
The business of marketing personal care, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and lifestyle enhancement
products is highly competitive. This market segment includes numerous manufacturers, distributors,
marketers, and retailers that actively compete for the business of consumers both in the United
States and abroad. The market is highly sensitive to the introduction of new products, which may
rapidly capture a significant share of the market. Sales of similar products by competitors may
materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to significant competition for the recruitment of distributors from other
direct selling organizations, including those that market similar products. Many of our
competitors are substantially larger than we are, offer a wider array of products, have far greater
financial resources and many more active distributors than we have. Our ability to remain
competitive depends, in significant part, on our success in recruiting and retaining distributors
through an attractive compensation plan and other incentives. We believe that our compensation and
incentive programs provide our distributors with significant earning potential. However, we cannot
be sure that our programs for recruitment and retention of distributors would be successful.
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Terrorist Attacks, Acts Of War, Epidemics Or Other Communicable Diseases Or Any Other Natural
Disasters May Seriously Harm Our Business.
Terrorist attacks, or acts of war or natural disasters may cause damage or disruption to our
Company, our employees, our facilities and our customers, which could impact our revenues, expenses
and financial condition. The potential for future terrorist attacks, the national and international
responses to terrorist attacks, and other acts of war or hostility, such as the Chinese objection
to the Taiwan independence movement and its resultant tension in the Taiwan Strait, could
materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition in
ways that we currently cannot predict. Additionally, natural disasters less severe than the Indian
Ocean tsunami that occurred in December 2004 may adversely affect our business, financial condition
and results of operations.
Risks Related To Our Common Stock
Disappointing Quarterly Revenue Or Operating Results Could Cause The Price Of Our Common Stock To Fall.
Our quarterly revenue and operating results are difficult to predict and do fluctuate
significantly from quarter to quarter. If our quarterly revenue or operating results fall below
the expectations of investors or securities analysts, the price of our common stock could fall
substantially.
Our Common Stock Is Particularly Subject To Volatility Because Of The Industry That We Are In.
The market prices of securities of direct selling companies, have been extremely volatile, and
have experienced fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating
performance of such companies. These broad market fluctuations could adversely affect the market
price of our common stock.
Substantial Dilution May Occur From The Exercise of Outstanding Options or Warrants
As of December 31, 2005, the Company had outstanding (i) options to purchase an aggregate of
1,922,124 shares of our common stock at exercise prices between $1.00 and $18.11, and (ii) warrants
outstanding from the October 2004 private placement of units exercisable for 1,080,504 shares of
our common stock at an exercise price equal to $12.47 per share. In the event that these options
and warrants are exercised, and the shares issued upon such exercise are sold, the market price of
our shares of common stock could decline. In addition, holders of such options and warrants are
likely to exercise them when, in all likelihood, the Company could obtain additional capital on
terms more favorable to the Company than those provided by the options and warrants. Further,
while our options and warrants are outstanding, they may adversely affect the terms on which the
Company could obtain additional capital.
Moreover, on February 10, 2006, the Company entered into an Escrow Agreement (the Agreement)
with Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore, the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership, an affiliate of Woodburn and
LaCore, and Krage and Janvey LLP, as escrow agent (the Agent). Pursuant to the Agreement, (i)
the Company agreed to issue and deposit with the Agent stock certificates in the name of the Agent
representing an aggregate of 1,081,066 shares of the Companys common stock (the Escrowed Shares)
and (ii) Woodburn and LaCore deposited with the Agent $1,206,000 in immediately available funds
(the Cash Deposit). The Escrowed Shares are the shares of common stock issuable upon the
cashless exercise of certain options issued in 2001 and 2002 to LaCore and the LaCore and Woodburn
Partnership exercisable at $1.00 and $1.10 per share. The number of Escrow Shares is based upon the
closing price of the Companys common stock on February 9, 2006 of $10.14 and the surrender of
118,934 option shares as payment of the aggregate exercise price of $1,206,000.
The Escrowed Shares were issued pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, to the Agent upon receipt from the Agent of an irrevocable proxy (the Proxy) to the
Company to vote the Escrowed Shares on all matters presented at meetings of stockholders or any
written consent executed in lieu thereof. The parties have agreed that the Agent will hold the
Escrowed Shares and the Cash Deposit until it receives (i) joint written instructions from the
Company, Woodburn and LaCore, or (ii) a final non-appealable order from a court of competent
jurisdiction. Each of the Company and Woodburn and LaCore has further agreed that all current and
future rights, claims, defenses and causes of actions they have or may have against each other are
preserved. If the Escrowed Shares are released to Woodburn and LaCore or sold to a third party,
the market price of our shares of common stock could decline.
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Future Sales By the Company or Existing Security Holders Could Depress The Market Price Of Our
Common Stock.
If the Company or our existing stockholders sell a large number of shares of our common stock,
the market price of the common stock could decline significantly. Further, even the perception in
the public market that the Company or our existing stockholders might sell shares of common stock
could depress the market price of the common stock.
There is No Assurance That an Active Public Trading Market Would Continue.
The Companys common stock is not heavily traded. The Companys common stock began trading on
The NASDAQ National Market under the ticker symbol BHIP only since February 22, 2005. There can
be no assurance that an active public trading market for our common stock will be sustained. If for
any reason an active public trading market does not continue, purchasers of the shares of our
common stock may have difficulty in selling their securities should they desire to do so and the
price of our common stock may decline.
If Securities Analysts Do Not Publish Research Or Reports About Our Business Or If They Downgrade
Our Stock, The Price Of Our Stock Could Decline.
The trading market for our shares of common stock could rely in part on the research and
reporting that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business. We do not control
these analysts. Furthermore, if one or more of the analysts who do cover us downgrades our stock,
the price of our stock could decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our
company, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price to
decline.
Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
Item 2. PROPERTIES
The Company leases approximately 53,375 square feet in Dallas, Texas for its headquarters and
warehouse space. The warehouse primarily stores products that are bound for international markets.
The Companys subsidiary, MarketVision, leases office space in Minnesota for its employees.
Outside the United States, we have operations in leased sites in Hong Kong, China, Japan,
Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Canada.
We also lease a manufacturing facility in China for assembly operations. We believe that our
existing properties are in good condition and suitable for the conduct of our business.
Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
During the fall of 2003, the customs agency of the government of South Korea brought a charge
against LXK, the Companys wholly-owned subsidiary operating in South Korea, with respect to the
importation of the Companys Alura product. The customs agency alleges that Alura is not a cosmetic
product, but rather should be categorized and imported as a pharmaceutical product. On February 18,
2005, the Seoul Central District Court ruled against LXK and fined it a total of approximately
$200,000. LXK also incurred related costs of approximately $40,000 as a result of the judgment. The
Company recorded a reserve for the entire $240,000 at December 31, 2004 and has appealed the
ruling. The failure to sell Alura in South Korea is not anticipated to have a material adverse
effect on the financial condition, results of operations, cash flow or business prospects of LXK.
On or around March 31, 2004, Lexxus U.S. received a letter from John Loghry, a former Lexxus
distributor, alleging that Lexxus U.S. had wrongfully terminated an alleged oral distributorship
agreement with Mr. Loghry and that the Company had breached an alleged oral agreement to issue
shares of the Companys common stock to Mr. Loghry. On May 13, 2004, Lexxus U.S. and the Company
filed an action against Mr. Loghry in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
Texas seeking, inter alia, unspecified damages from Mr. Loghry for disparagement and a declaration
that Mr. Loghry was not wrongfully terminated and is not entitled to recover anything from Lexxus
U.S. or the Company. Mr. Loghry filed counterclaims against the Company and Lexxus U.S. asserting
his previously threatened claims. In September 2004, Mr. Loghry filed third party claims against
certain officers of the Company and Lexxus U.S., including against Terry LaCore, former Chief
Executive Officer of Lexxus U.S. and former director of the Company, and Mark Woodburn, former
President and director of the Company, for fraud, Messrs. LaCore, Woodburn, and a certain Lexxus
distributor for conspiracy to commit fraud and tortuous interference with contract. In February
2005, the court dismissed all of
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Mr. Loghrys claims against the individual defendants, except the claims for fraud and
conspiracy to commit fraud. Mr.Loghry then filed amended counterclaims and, on June 2, 2005, the
Company and the other counterclaim defendants moved to dismiss the counterclaims on the grounds
that the claims were barred by Mr. Loghrys failure to disclose their existence when he filed for
personal bankruptcy in September 2002. On June 30, 2005, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District
of Nebraska granted Mr. Loghrys request to reopen his bankruptcy case. On September 6, 2005, the
United States Trustee filed an action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska
against the Company; Lexxus U.S.; Messrs. LaCore and Woodburn; Curtis Broome, President of Greater
China and Southeast Asia; and a certain independent distributor of Lexxus U.S., essentially
alleging the same claims asserted by Loghry in the Northern District of Texas. On February 21,
2006, this case was transferred to the United States District Court for the Northern District of
Texas. The Company denies the allegations by Loghry and the United States Trustee and intends to
vigorously contest their claims. An unfavorable judgment could have a material adverse effect on
the financial condition of the Company.
On November 1, 2004, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (d/b/a Toyota Motor Corporation) and
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (the Toyota Entities) filed a complaint against the Company and Lexxus
U.S. in United States District Court for the Central District of California (CV04-9028). The
complaint alleged trademark and service mark dilution, unfair competition, trademark and service
mark infringement, and trade name infringement, each with respect to Toyotas Lexus trademark. The
Company reached a settlement agreement, dated August 31, 2005, under which the Toyota Entities
agreed to terminate their claims against the Company, and the Company agreed to discontinue use of
the Lexxus name and mark and change the name of its Lexxus operations and domain names by June 1,
2006, and sell or otherwise dispose of all product inventory marked with the name Lexxus by
December 1, 2006. This could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of
operations, cash flow or business prospects of the Company.
On November 12, 2004, Dorothy Porter filed a complaint against the Company in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois alleging that she sustained a brain
hemorrhage after taking Formula One, an ephedra-containing product marketed by Kaire Nutraceutical
Inc., a former subsidiary of the Company, and, thereafter, eKaire.com, Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company. Ms. Porter has sued the Company for strict liability, breach of warranty
and negligence. The Company intends to defend this case vigorously and on December 27, 2004 filed
an answer denying the allegations contained in the complaint. On March 7, 2005, a Notice of
Tag-Along Action was filed by Ms. Porter with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. The
case was subsequently transferred for pre-trial purposes to the consolidated Ephedra Products
Liability proceedings in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. If
the case proceeds to a jury trial, the matter will be transferred back to the Southern District of
Illinois and tried in that District. Full discovery between the parties is set to begin in this
action Spring 2006. The Company does not believe that the plaintiff can demonstrate that its
products caused the alleged injury and intends to vigorously defend this action.
On January 13, 2005, Natures Sunshine Products, Inc. and Natures Sunshine Products de Mexico
S.A. de C.V. (collectively Natures Sunshine) filed suit against the Company in the Fourth
Judicial District Court, Utah County, State of Utah, seeking injunctive relief and unspecified
damages against the Company, Lexxus U.S., the Companys Mexican subsidiary, and the Companys
Mexico management team, Oscar de la Mora Romo and Jose Villarreal Patino, alleging among other
things that the Companys employment of Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal violated or could lead to
the violation of certain non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements allegedly in
effect between Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal and Natures Sunshine. After the Company removed
the case to federal court, Natures Sunshine voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit and filed a new
lawsuit in the Fourth Judicial District Court in Utah County, Utah. After a hearing on August 22,
2005, the district court preliminarily enjoined Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal from disclosing
any confidential information of Natures Sunshine or soliciting any employee or distributor of
Natures Sunshine or inducing them to terminate their relationship with Natures Sunshine. The
court refused, however, to enjoin Messrs. De la Mora or Villarreal from competing with Natures
Sunshine. Natures Sunshine subsequently filed a petition for interlocutory review with the Utah
Supreme Court. The Supreme Court delegated the petition to the Utah Court of Appeals, which denied
the petition. On April 6, 2006, a mutual agreement was entered into
with Messrs. De la Mora and Villareal terminating their employment
between them and affiliates of the Company. If the Company or Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal are nevertheless unsuccessful in
defending this action, the Company may be required to pay any damages and attorneys
fees that may be assessed against it.
On or about March 1, 2006, the Company hired Peter Dale, a former executive with the Natures
Sunshine subsidiary doing business in Japan, Natures Sunshine Japan Co., Ltd. (NSJ), to serve as
an executive vice president with responsibilities in Asia. NSJ alleges that Mr. Dale has signed an
agreement containing covenants of non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality, and that
it believes Mr. Dales employment with the Company would violate the non-competition covenant. No
lawsuit has been filed at this point. If Natures Sunshine files suit, the Company and Mr. Dale
will vigorously defend against the enforcement of the non-competition covenant. However, if
Natures Sunshine were to prevail in such a lawsuit, Mr. Dale could be enjoined from working for
the Company until February 15, 2007 which could have a material adverse effect on the Companys
business in Japan.
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Currently, there is no other significant litigation pending against the Company other than as
disclosed in the paragraphs above. From time to time, the Company may become a party to litigation
and subject to claims incident to the ordinary course of the Companys business. Although the
results of such litigation and claims in the ordinary course of business cannot be predicted with
certainty, the Company believes that the final outcome of such matters will not have a material
adverse effect on the Companys business, results of operations or financial condition. Regardless
of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on the Company because of defense costs,
diversion of management resources and other factors.
Item 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
On June 1, 2005, the Company held its annual meeting of shareholders. At the meeting, the
shareholders (i) approved the re-election of the Companys five directors to the Board of Directors
of the Company, (ii) ratified the appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent
auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005, and (iii) approved certain amendments to
the Companys 2002 Stock Option Plan. The fourth proposal presented at the annual meeting which
addressed the reincorporation of the Company in the State of Delaware was adjourned until June 24,
2005. At that time, the Companys reincorporation in the State of Delaware was approved by holders
of a majority of the Companys shares of common stock outstanding. On June 29, 2005, the Company
re-incorporated in the State of Delaware.
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Part II
Item 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
Market Information
Our common stock has been quoted on The NASDAQ National Market under the symbol BHIP since
February 22, 2005. Prior to that time, our common stock was quoted on the NASD over-the-counter
bulletin board under the symbol NHTC and subsequently NHLC.OB.
The following table sets forth the range of high and low bid quotations for our common stock
for each of the quarterly periods indicated as reported on the NASD over-the-counter bulletin board
and The NASDAQ National Market. Bid quotations as reported on the NASD over-the-counter bulletin
board reflect inter-dealer prices without retail markup, markdown, or commission and may not
represent actual transactions.
Quarter Ended: | High | Low | ||||||
March 31, 2004 |
$ | 21.10 | $ | 10.80 | ||||
June 30, 2004 |
25.75 | 11.40 | ||||||
September 30, 2004 |
18.60 | 11.99 | ||||||
December 31, 2004 |
12.70 | 9.15 | ||||||
March 31, 2005 |
$ | 18.89 | $ | 11.00 | ||||
June 30, 2005 |
15.00 | 11.12 | ||||||
September 30, 2005 |
17.07 | 12.66 | ||||||
December 31, 2005 |
16.00 | 8.27 |
At
April 28, 2006, there were approximately 420 stockholders of record, and the closing price
of our common stock was $5.99 per share. We estimate that as of such date there were approximately
3,250 beneficial holders of our common stock.
On April 18, 2006, the
Company received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market stating that the
Company is not in compliance with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(14), which obligates listed issuers to
timely file those reports and other documents required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. On April 25, 2006, the Company requested a hearing
with the NASDAQ Hearings Panel concerning the Companys failure
to file its Form 10-K in a timely fashion. The Company received
a hearing date of June 1, 2006 from NASDAQ. The Company has been advised that its shares of common stock will not
be delisted prior to the date of the hearing.
Dividend Policy
We have never declared or paid any cash dividend on our common stock. We currently intend to
retain earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. We do not expect to
pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. Payment of any future dividends will be at the
direction of our Board of Directors.
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Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of December 31, 2005 with respect to the Companys
common stock that may be issued upon the exercise of options, warrants and rights under all of our
existing equity compensation plans (including individual arrangements).
Number of Securities | Weighted-Average | Number of Securities Remaining | ||||||||||
to be Issued Upon | Exercise Price of | Available for Future Issuance | ||||||||||
Exercise of | Outstanding | Under Equity Compensation | ||||||||||
Outstanding Options, | Options, Warrants | Plans (Excluding Securities | ||||||||||
Plan Category | Warrants and Rights | and Rights | Reflected in Column (a)) | |||||||||
(a) | (b) | (c) | ||||||||||
Equity compensation
plans approved by
security holders |
592,124 | $ | 14.41 | 957,876 | 1 | |||||||
Equity compensation
plans or
arrangements not
approved by
security holders |
1,330,000 | 2 | $ | 1.06 | | |||||||
Total |
1,922,124 | $ | 5.17 | 957,876 | ||||||||
1 | On June 1, 2005, an amendment was approved which increased the number of shares of common stock reserved under the 2002 Stock Option Plan to 1,550,000 shares. | |
2 | Includes (i) options exercisable for 570,000 shares of common stock issued to the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership, (ii) options exercisable for 570,000 shares of common stock issued to Mr. LaCore, (iii) options exercisable for 30,000 shares of common stock issued to Benchmark Consulting Group (which was subsequently assigned to the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership), (iv) options exercisable for 30,000 shares of common stock issued to Mr. LaCore, (v) options exercisable for 125,000 shares of common stock issued to certain employees and members of the Companys board of directors, and (vi) options exercisable for 5,000 shares of common stock issued to an unrelated party. See Item 1. Recent Developments regarding the exercise of stock options issued to the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership and to Mr. LaCore. |
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Item 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following data has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of the
Company and should be read in conjunction with those statements. Historical results are not
necessarily indicative of future results.
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||||||||
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Consolidated Statement of Operations Data: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 22,989 | $ | 36,968 | $ | 62,576 | $ | 133,225 | $ | 194,472 | ||||||||||
Gross profit |
17,691 | 29,216 | 48,900 | 103,904 | 149,726 | |||||||||||||||
Distributor commissions |
12,449 | 16,834 | 27,555 | 68,579 | 101,021 | |||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
5,187 | 10,710 | 15,770 | 33,102 | 49,000 | |||||||||||||||
Provision for KGC receivable |
| | | | 2,759 | |||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
(65 | ) | 238 | 5,575 | 2,223 | (3,054 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
466 | 2,139 | 4,728 | 1,241 | (5,502 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Diluted income (loss) from continuing operations per
share1: |
$ | (0.98 | ) | $ | (0.11 | ) | $ | 0.83 | $ | 0.18 | $ | (0.79 | ) | |||||||
Diluted weighted-average number of shares
outstanding1: |
1,342 | 3,118 | 5,688 | 6,822 | 6,934 | |||||||||||||||
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data (at end of period)2: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 324 | $ | 3,864 | $ | 11,133 | $ | 22,324 | $ | 18,470 | ||||||||||
Working capital |
(4,858 | ) | (1,187 | ) | 2,889 | 17,519 | 11,296 | |||||||||||||
Total assets |
3,075 | 10,319 | 20,340 | 62,105 | 63,315 | |||||||||||||||
Total debt |
1,021 | 684 | 199 | 818 | 109 | |||||||||||||||
Total stockholders equity (deficit) |
(4,370 | ) | (398 | ) | 4,824 | 37,029 | 36,536 |
1 | All share and earnings per share data gives effect to a 1-for-100 reverse stock split, which took effect in March 2003. | |
2 | The Company sold its 51% equity interest in KGC effective December 31, 2005. As a result, its balance sheet was not included in the Companys consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2005. |
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Item 7.
MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Business Overview
The Company is an international direct selling organization. We control subsidiaries that
distribute products through two separate direct selling businesses that promote health, wellness
and vitality. Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Lexxus U.S., and other Lexxus subsidiaries, sell
certain cosmetic products, consumer as well as quality of life products, which accounted for
approximately 96% of our consolidated net revenues in 2003 and 99% in each of 2004 and 2005.
eKaire.com, Inc. (eKaire), our wholly-owned subsidiary, distributes nutritional supplements aimed
at general health and wellness.
Lexxus commenced operations in January 2001 and has experienced tremendous growth. As of
December 31, 2005, it is conducting business in at least 15 countries through approximately 119,000
active distributors, excluding KGC (see discussion below). eKaire has been in business since 2000
and is operating in four countries through approximately 3,000 active distributors. We consider a
distributor active if they have placed at least one product order with us during the preceding
year.
We have experienced significant revenue growth over the last few years due in part to our
efforts to expand into new markets. We do not intend to devote material resources to opening any
additional foreign markets in 2006. Our priority for 2006 is to progress further on developing the
Japanese, Mexican and Chinese markets.
In 2005, we generated approximately 92% of our revenue from outside North America, with sales
in Hong Kong representing approximately 62% of revenue. Because of the size of our foreign
operations, operating results can be impacted negatively or positively by factors such as foreign
currency fluctuations, and economic, political and business conditions around the world. In
addition, our business is subject to various laws and regulations, in particular regulations
related to direct selling activities that create certain risks for our business, including improper
claims or activities by our distributors and potential inability to obtain necessary product
registrations.
Effective December 31, 2005, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Bannks
Foundation (Bannks), a Lichtenstein foundation and owner of 49% of the common shares of KGC
Networks Pte Ltd. (KGC), a Singapore corporation, pursuant to which the Company sold to Bannks 51,000 common
shares representing the Companys 51% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of KGC for a total
cash purchase price of $350,000.
At the same time and as a condition of the sale, the Company entered into a separate agreement
whereby KGC would pay to the Company 24 monthly payments of approximately $169,000 each, including
interest at 2.5%, to settle an outstanding inter-company payable in the amount of approximately
$2.1 million and to pay for inventories ordered and partially delivered totaling approximately
$884,000, as well as the Companys undertaking to continue to supply KGC with certain products for
a period of at least 48 months. The Company discounted the 24 monthly payments based on its cost
of capital and recorded the receivable at $3.1 million, of which $1.7 million is considered
non-current. Given its interest in the retained profits and cumulative translation adjustment of
KGC of approximately $434,000, the Company recognized a nominal gain on sale. Since the receivable
from KGC is unsecured, the Company recorded a reserve totaling approximately $2.8 million, which
will be reduced as payments are received.
KGC sells the Companys Lexxus products into a
separate network of independent distributors located primarily in Russia and other Eastern European
countries. Upon the effective date of the transactions above, the Company no longer consolidates
the financial statements of KGC. The Company does not believe these transactions result in a
discontinued operation as the Company will continue to supply KGC with a significant amount of
product for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the 2005 results of KGC have been reported in
results from operations.
Had KGC not been reflected in results from operations, the Companys 2005 statement of
operations would have reflected the following (in thousands):
Actual | As Adjusted | |||||||
Net sales |
$ | 194,472 | $ | 160,214 | ||||
Gross profit |
149,726 | 123,171 | ||||||
Distributor commissions |
101,021 | 85,388 | ||||||
Loss from operations |
(3,054 | ) | (2,301 | ) |
China is currently the Companys most important business development project. New direct
selling legislation was adopted in December 2005, while multi-level marketing was banned in
November 2005 by the government in China. Before the formal adoption of direct selling laws, many
of the international direct selling companies started to operate in China in a retail format. In
June 2004, Lexxus obtained a license to engage in retail business in China. The license stipulates
a capital requirement of $12 million over a three-year period, including a $1.8 million initial
payment the Company made in January 2005. In December 2005, the Company submitted a preliminary
application for a direct selling license and fully capitalized its Chinese entity with the $12.0
million cash infusion. The Company is currently in the process of finalizing its application
package.
In 2003, 2004 and 2005, approximately 49%, 56% and 62% of our revenue, respectively, was
generated in Hong Kong. Most of the Companys Hong Kong revenues are derived from the sale of
products that are delivered to members in China. After consulting with outside professionals, the
Company believes that our Hong Kong e-commerce business does not violate any applicable law in
China even though it is used for the e-purchase of our products by buyers in China. But the
government in China could, in the future, officially interpret its laws and regulations or adopt
new laws and regulations to prohibit some or all of our e-commerce activities with China and, if
our members engage in illegal activities in China, those actions could be attributable to us.
On April 12, 2004, an investigative television program was aired in China with respect to the
operations of the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary and the representative office located in Beijing.
Among other things, the television program alleged that our Hong Kong operations engaged in
fraudulent activities and sold products without proper permits. In response, the Company sent
Curtis Broome to China to investigate and manage what was happening in China. Prior to that time,
the Company did not have any management personnel in China. Among other things, Mr. Broome
determined that the Company should be proactive in demonstrating that alleged illegal acts of
individual members were not the acts of the Company itself and that the Company intended to invest
in China for the long-term. Accordingly, the Company took the following steps:
| The Company set up a school in Macau to train members about the applicable Chinese legal requirements and the need for distributors to accurately and fairly describe business opportunities available to potential members. The schools were operated from May 2004 to November 2005. | ||
| The Company suspended shipment of product to certain members until they had completed the required training. | ||
| The Company extended its existing 14-day return policy in Hong Kong to 180 days to allow distributors and customers who purchased products during the two-week period prior to, and the two-week period after, the airing of the television program to return purchased merchandise for a full refund. | ||
| The Company began posting announcements on its Hong Kong website to the effect that the resale of its products in China without the appropriate license would result in termination of membership. Since then, the Company has terminated at least four members in China for engaging in activities in violation of Chinese law. | ||
| In June 2004 the Company completed formation of its Chinese subsidiary (Lexxus China}, and by the end of 2005 had invested $12.0 million as capital in that entity. | ||
| Lexxus China is working to file an application for a direct selling license under proposed legislation. | ||
| Lexxus China has leased space in Zhuhai, purchased equipment and finished out a manufacturing plant. Although Lexxus China now has a license to manufacture and employee personnel at the plant, it does not yet have a license to sell any product manufactured there and will not begin manufacturing operations until it has obtained that license. | ||
| On November 1, 2005, Lexxus China obtained its general cosmetic manufacturing permit and has begun trial production testing. |
There have been other isolated cases of misconduct by our members in China. For example, four
of our members were detained in Dongguan for questioning in October 2005, with regard to possible
violation of Chinese law regarding the maximum number of people who can attend a meeting as well as
possible improper network marketing business activity. Charges were never filed and all individuals
were released. In April, 2006, a media report indicated that someone was detained by
Public Security in Changsha for investigation of similar allegations. The Company has not been able
to determine if the individual in question is, in fact, a member and whether or not any laws were
actually broken. Initial inquiries made by retained Chinese counsel indicate that no one is still
being detained or has been charged.
We make efforts to be informed of and in compliance with applicable laws in China, and we have
not received any official notice that we are or may be acting improperly or illegally, and we
continue our efforts to maintain regular contact with officials in all levels of government. In
September 2005, a 12-person delegation from the Zhuhai government made a point of visiting our
offices in Dallas, Texas as part of an economic development tour to the United States.
The Company is unable to predict whether it will be successful in obtaining a direct selling
license to operate in China, and if it is successful, when it will be permitted to commence direct
selling operations there. Further, even if the Company is successful in obtaining a direct selling
license to do business in China, it is uncertain as to whether the Company will generate profits
from such operations.
Between April and December 2005, the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary engaged a service provider
to facilitate product importation into China and act, or engage another party to act, as the
importer of record. The individual that owns that service provider is one of the directors of the
Companys wholly-owned Chinese subsidiary. The Company believes that the amount of duty paid to
Chinese Customs on the imported goods by the importer of record was
paid at the negotiated rate. However, there can be no assurance that Chinese
Customs will not elect, in the future, to examine the duty paid, and if they conduct such
examination, they may conclude that the valuation established was insufficient, resulting in an
underpayment of duties. As a consequence, the importer of record could be required to pay
additional duties and possible penalties to Chinese Customs. Additional duties could range between
zero and $46.0 million, plus penalties. The extreme worst case
was calculated using the highest possible assessment to
the highest possible declared value and assuming that negotiated valuation practices do not apply.
The Company believes that any such future assessment of additional duties or penalties would be
made against and become the responsibility of the importer of record. There can be no assurance
that the Company or its subsidiaries would not also be of assessed with such liability in the event
that the importer of record is unable to pay all or part of such amount.
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Income Statement Presentation
The Company derives its revenue from sales of its products, sales of its enrollment packages,
and from shipping charges. Substantially all of its product sales are to independent distributors
at published wholesale prices. We translate revenue from each markets local currency into U.S.
dollars using average rates of exchange during the period. The following table sets forth revenue
by market for each of Lexxus and eKaire for the time periods indicated (in thousands).
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
North America |
$ | 8,779 | 14.0 | % | $ | 15,631 | 11.7 | % | $ | 15,297 | 7.9 | % | ||||||||||||
Hong Kong |
30,763 | 49.2 | 74,293 | 55.8 | 120,968 | 62.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Taiwan |
3,097 | 4.9 | 3,261 | 2.5 | 3,722 | 1.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
Southeast Asia |
1,570 | 2.5 | 1,786 | 1.3 | 6,438 | 3.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Russia and Eastern Europe1 |
13,157 | 21.0 | 30,248 | 22.7 | 34,258 | 17.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
South Korea |
2,492 | 4.0 | 5,524 | 4.1 | 8,495 | 4.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Australia/New Zealand |
226 | 0.4 | 623 | 0.5 | 1,455 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Japan |
| | | | 1,659 | 0.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
Latin America |
| | | | 518 | 0.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other |
175 | 0.3 | 41 | | | | ||||||||||||||||||
Total Lexxus1 |
60,259 | 96.3 | 131,407 | 98.6 | 192,810 | 99.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
North America |
1,889 | 3.0 | 1,283 | 1.0 | 1,231 | 0.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Australia/New Zealand |
428 | 0.7 | 535 | 0.4 | 431 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total eKaire |
2,317 | 3.7 | 1,818 | 1.4 | 1,662 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
$ | 62,576 | 100 | % | $ | 133,225 | 100 | % | $ | 194,472 | 100 | % | |||||||||||||
Cost of sales consist primarily of products purchased from third-party manufacturers, freight
cost of shipping products to distributors and import duties for the products, costs of promotional
materials sold to the Companys distributors at or near cost, provisions for slow moving or
obsolete inventories and, prior to the closing of the merger with MarketVision Communications Corp.
as of March 31, 2004, the amortization of fees charged by the Companys third party software
service provider. Cost of sales also includes purchasing costs, receiving costs, inspection costs
and warehousing costs. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified into cost of sales so
that the financial statements are comparable between periods.
Distributor commissions are our most significant expense and are classified as operating
expenses. Under our compensation plan, distributors are paid weekly commissions in the
distributors home country, in their local currency, for product sold by that distributors
down-line distributor network across all geographic markets. Distributors are not paid commissions
on purchases or sales of our products made directly by them. This seamless compensation plan
enables a distributor located in one country to sponsor other distributors located in other
countries where we are authorized to do business. Currently, there are two fundamental ways in
which our distributors can earn income:
| Through retail markups on sales of products purchased by distributors at wholesale prices; and | ||
| Through a series of commissions paid on product purchases made by their down-line distributors. |
Each of our products carries a specified number of sales volume points. Commissions are based
on total personal and group sales volume points per sales period. Sales volume points are
essentially based upon a percentage of a products wholesale cost. To be eligible to receive
commissions, a distributor may be required to make nominal monthly purchases of our products.
Certain of our subsidiaries do not require these nominal purchases for a distributor to be eligible
to receive commissions. In determining commissions, the number of levels of down-line distributors
included within the distributors commissionable group increases as the
1 | The Company will no longer consolidate the operating results of KGC for periods beginning after December 31, 2005 as it sold its 51% interest in KGC to Bannks Foundation effective December 31, 2005. |
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number of distributorships directly below the distributor increases. Distributor commissions
are dependent on the sales mix and, for 2005, typically ranged between 45% and 55% of net sales.
From time to time we make modifications and enhancements to our compensation plan to help motivate
distributors, which can have an impact on distributor commissions. From time to time we also enter
into agreements for business or market development, which may result in additional compensation to
specific distributors.
Selling, general and administrative expenses consist of administrative compensation and
benefits, travel, credit card fees and assessments, professional fees, certain occupancy costs,
depreciation and amortization, and other corporate administrative expenses. In addition, this
category includes selling, marketing, and promotion expenses including costs of distributor
conventions which are designed to increase both product awareness and distributor recruitment.
Because our various distributor conventions are not always held at the same time each year, interim
period comparisons will be impacted accordingly.
Provision for income taxes depends on the statutory tax rates in each of the jurisdictions in
which we operate. We implemented a foreign holding and operating company structure for our
non-United States businesses. This new structure re-organizes our non-United States subsidiaries
in the Cayman Islands. Though our goal is to improve the overall tax rate, there is no assurance
that the new tax structure could be successful. If the United States Internal Revenue Service or
the taxing authorities of any other jurisdiction were to successfully challenge these agreements,
plans, or arrangements, or require changes in our transfer pricing practices, we could be required
to pay higher taxes, interest and penalties, and our earnings would be adversely affected.
Critical Accounting Policies
In response to SEC Release No. 33-8040, Cautionary Advice Regarding Disclosure about Critical
Accounting Policies and SEC Release Number 33-8056, Commission Statement about Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, the Company has
identified certain policies and estimates that are important to the portrayal of its consolidated
financial condition and consolidated results of operations. Critical accounting policies and
estimates are defined as both those that are material to the portrayal of our financial condition
and results of operations and as those that require managements most subjective judgments. These
policies and estimates require the application of significant judgment by the Companys management.
The most significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of the Companys
financial statements include estimates associated with obsolete inventory and the fair value of
acquired intangible assets and goodwill, as well as those used in the determination of liabilities
related to sales returns, distributor commissions, and income taxes. Various assumptions and other
factors prompt the determination of these significant estimates. The process of determining
significant estimates is fact specific and takes into account historical experience and current and
expected economic conditions. Historically, actual results have not significantly deviated from
those determined using the estimates described above. If circumstances change relating to the
various assumptions or other factors used in such estimates the Company could experience an adverse
effect on its consolidated financial condition, changes in financial condition, and results of
operations. The Companys critical accounting policies at December 31, 2005 include the following:
Inventory Valuation. The Company reviews its inventory carrying value and compares it to the
net realizable value of its inventory and any inventory value in excess of net realizable value is
written down. In addition, the Company reviews its inventory for obsolescence and any inventory
identified as obsolete is reserved or written off. The Companys determination of obsolescence is
based on assumptions about the demand for its products, product expiration dates, estimated future
sales, and managements future plans. Also, if actual sales or management plans are less favorable
than those originally projected by management, additional inventory reserves or write-downs may be
required. The Companys inventory value at December 31, 2005 was approximately $12.4 million.
Inventory write-downs for years 2003 and 2004 were not significant. The Company recorded a reserve
for obsolete inventory of approximately $534,000 in 2005 primarily related to coffee pods used in
the Gourmet Coffee Café coffee machines.
Valuation of Goodwill and Impairment Analysis. The Company has adopted Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. SFAS No. 142 requires
that goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives no longer be amortized, but
instead be tested for impairment at least annually or sooner whenever events or changes in
circumstances indicate that they may be impaired. At December 31, 2005, goodwill of approximately
$14.1 million was reflected on the Companys balance sheet. No impairment of goodwill has been
identified in any of the periods presented. The Company reviews the book value of its property and
equipment and intangible assets whenever an event or change in circumstances indicates that the net
book value of an asset or group of assets may be unrecoverable. The Companys impairment review
includes a comparison of future projected cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges)
generated by the asset or group of assets with its associated carrying value. The Company believes
its expected future cash flows approximate or exceed its net book value. However, if circumstances
change and the net book value of the asset or group of assets exceeds expected cash flows, the
Company would have to recognize an
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impairment loss to the extent the net book value of the asset exceeds its fair value. At
December 31, 2005, the net book value of the Companys property and equipment and intangible assets
were approximately $3.1 million and $4.5 million, respectively. No such losses were recognized for
the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005.
Allowance for Sales Returns. An allowance for sales returns is provided during the period the
product is shipped. The allowance is based upon the return policy of each country, which varies
from 14 days to one year, and their historical return rates, which range from approximately 1% to
approximately 10% of product sales. Sales returns are approximately 5% and 4% of product sales for
the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005, respectively. The allowance for sales returns was
approximately $1.5 million and $1.7 million at December 31, 2004 and 2005, respectively. No
material changes in estimates have been recognized for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005.
Revenue Recognition. Product sales are recorded when the products are shipped and title passes
to independent distributors. Product sales to distributors are made pursuant to a distributor
agreement that provides for transfer of both title and risk of loss upon our delivery to the
carrier that completes delivery to the distributors, which is commonly referred to as F.O.B.
Shipping Point. The Company primarily receives payment by credit card at the time distributors
place orders. The Companys sales arrangements do not contain right of inspection or customer
acceptance provisions other than general rights of return. Amounts received for unshipped product
are recorded as deferred revenue. Such amounts totaled approximately $4.8 million and $1.5 million
at December 31, 2004 and 2005, respectively. Shipping charges billed to distributors are included
in net sales. Costs associated with shipments are included in cost of sales.
During April 2005, the Company launched a new product line, Gourmet Coffee Café, which
consists of coffee machines and the related coffee and tea pods, in the North American market. As
the Gourmet Coffee Café is a very different product than the Companys other products and there is
no reliable information on the Companys sales returns or warranty obligation, the Company has
deferred all revenue generated from the sale of coffee machines and the related coffee and tea pods
until sufficient return and warranty experience on the product can be established. The deferral
totaled approximately $1.6 million and $1.2 million in revenue and related costs, respectively, for
product shipped through December 31, 2005. The deferred costs are recorded in other current assets,
as the sales return period for distributors is only for a year. Since the launch, the Company has
experienced a high rate of defects and product returns. As a result, the Company has delayed
continued sales of our existing inventory of this product and approached the manufacturer for
resolution. The manufacturer has agreed to repair all of the machines in our existing inventory
and provide discounts on future purchases. The Company is currently planning to re-start the sale
of the coffee machines in the second half of 2006.
Enrollment package revenue, including any nonrefundable set-up fees, is deferred and
recognized over the term of the arrangement, generally twelve months. During the third quarter of
2004, the Company changed its amortization methodology from a monthly method to the preferred daily
method whereby revenues for each enrollment package start the day of enrollment. The change in
methodology resulted in additional deferred revenue of approximately $280,000 during 2004.
Enrollment packages provide distributors access to both a personalized marketing website and a
business management system. Prior to the acquisition of MarketVision Communications Corp.
(MarketVision) on March 31, 2004, the Company paid MarketVision a fixed amount in exchange for
MarketVision creating and maintaining individual web pages for such distributors. These payments
to MarketVision were deferred and recorded as a prepaid expense. The related amortization was
recorded to cost of sales over the term of the arrangement. The remaining unamortized costs were
included in the determination of the purchase price of MarketVision. Subsequent to the acquisition
of MarketVision, no upfront costs are deferred as the amount is nominal. At December 31, 2005,
enrollment package revenue totaling $6.8 million was deferred. Although the Company has no
immediate plans to significantly change the terms or conditions of enrollment packages, any changes
in the future could result in additional revenue deferrals or could cause us to recognize the
deferred revenue over a longer period of time.
Tax Valuation Allowance. The Company evaluates the probability of realizing the future
benefits of any of its deferred tax assets and records a valuation allowance when it believes a
portion or all of its deferred tax assets may not be realized. At December 31, 2005, the Company
increased the valuation allowance to equal its net deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of
future operating results. The valuation allowance will be reduced at such time as management
believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. Any reductions
in the valuation allowance will reduce future income tax provisions.
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Results of Operations
The following table sets forth our operating results as a percentage of net sales for the
periods indicated.
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Net sales |
100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | ||||||
Cost of sales |
21.9 | 22.0 | 23.0 | |||||||||
Gross profit |
78.1 | 78.0 | 77.0 | |||||||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||
Distributor commissions |
44.0 | 51.5 | 51.9 | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
25.2 | 24.8 | 25.2 | |||||||||
Provision for KGC receivable |
| | 1.4 | |||||||||
Total operating expenses |
69.2 | 76.3 | 78.5 | |||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
8.9 | 1.7 | (1.5 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense) |
| 0.1 | (0.5 | ) | ||||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes and minority interest |
8.9 | 1.8 | (2.0 | ) | ||||||||
Income tax provision |
(1.4 | ) | (0.5 | ) | (0.8 | ) | ||||||
Minority interest |
| (0.4 | ) | | ||||||||
Net income (loss) |
7.5 | % | 0.9 | % | (2.8 | )% | ||||||
2005 Compared to 2004
Net Sales. Net sales were approximately $194.5 million for the twelve months ended December
31, 2005 compared to $133.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004, an increase of
approximately $61.3 million or 46.0 percent. The revenue increase for the twelve months of 2005
over a year ago was due to growth in the Hong Kong-based business (contributing approximately $46.7
million of the total increase) and the opening of the Japanese office ($6.8 million, including advance sales recorded in Singapore). Most of the
Companys Hong Kong revenue is derived from the sale of products that are delivered to members in
China. The Company expects revenue generated in Southeast Asia, specifically Singapore, to decline
as a substantial portion of its revenue is derived from the sale of products that are delivered
into Japan. KGC ($4.0 million), South Korea ($3.0 million), Taiwan ($0.5 million) and Australia
($0.8 million) accounted for the rest of the sales growth.
The overall growth in net sales is attributable to more net sales generated per distributor
enhanced by a 5% product price increase implemented in January 2005 in most of our markets, $20.5
million or approximately one third of the increase, and an increase in the number of active
independent distributors, approximately $40.8 million or approximately two thirds of the sales
increase. As of December 31, 2005, the operating subsidiaries of the Company had approximately
174,400 active distributors (including KGC), compared to 133,000 active independent distributors at
the end of 2004.
As of December 31, 2005, the Company had deferred revenue of approximately $9.9 million, of
which approximately $1.5 million pertained to product sales and approximately $6.8 million
pertained to unamortized enrollment package revenue. Additionally, deferred revenue included
approximately $1.6 million of Gourmet Coffee Café product shipped but unrecognized as of December
31, 2005 (approximately $1.2 million in Gourmet Coffee Café related costs are also deferred and
recorded in other current assets as of December 31, 2005).
Cost of Sales. Cost of sales was approximately $44.7 million or 23.0% of net sales for the
twelve months ended December 31, 2005 compared with approximately $29.3 million or 22.0% of net
sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004. This increase of approximately $15.4 million
or 52.6% was primarily driven by increased sales. Cost of sales as a percentage of net sales was
up approximately 1.0% due to an inventory write-off in 2005 and certain additional logistic
processing costs for our Hong Kong-based business, partly offset by the 5% price increase as well
as the elimination of the commissions paid to MarketVision after its acquisition by the Company on
March 31, 2004.
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Gross Profit. Gross profit was approximately $149.7 million or 77.0% of net sales for the
twelve months ended December 31, 2005 compared with approximately $103.9 million or 78.0% of net
sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004. This increase of approximately $45.8 million
or 44.1% was attributable to the increase in sales.
Distributor Commissions. Distributor commissions were approximately $101.0 million or 51.9%
of net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2005 compared with approximately $68.6
million or 51.5% of net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004. This increase of
approximately $32.4 million or 47.3% of net sales was primarily related to the significant increase
in sales as well the depth of the distributor network.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative costs were
approximately $49.0 million or 25.2% of net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2005
compared with approximately $33.1 million or 24.8% of net sales for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2004. This increase of approximately $15.9 million or 48.0% was mainly attributable to
increases in the following:
| costs of opening new markets in Mexico ($1.6 million) and Japan ($3.9 million); | ||
| costs of expansion into China ($1.4 million); | ||
| increased personnel costs and credit card charges and assessments in Hong Kong ($2.5 million); | ||
| increased marketing and professional fees in Russia and Eastern Europe by KGC ($2.7 million); and | ||
| higher professional fees and personnel cost in North America ($3.2 million). |
Other Income (Expense). Other expense was approximately $910,000 for the year ended December
31, 2005 compared with income of approximately $137,000 for the year ended December 31, 2004. This
decrease of approximately $1.0 million resulted primarily from foreign exchange losses on
inter-company transactions (primarily related to KGC which is denominated in euro), partly offset
by interest income.
Income Taxes. Income tax expense was approximately $1.6 million for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2005 compared with $0.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004. The
Companys income tax provision was negatively impacted by the repatriation of foreign earnings into
the U.S., taxable income on the KGC sale in December 2005 of approximately $1.3 million, and a
decrease in the net deferred tax assets of approximately $0.5 million. Additionally, approximately
$0.8 million in income tax expense was incurred in 2005 due to the operating profits generated by
the Greater China region.
Minority Interest. Minority interest benefit was approximately $49,000 for the twelve months
ended December 31, 2005, compared to expense of approximately $456,000 for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2004. The decrease in the expense relates primarily to the decreased profitability of
KGC.
Net Income(Loss). Net loss was approximately $5.5 million or 2.8% of net sales for the twelve
months ended December 31, 2005 compared to net income of approximately $1.2 million or 0.9% of net
sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004. The decrease in net income was primarily due
to higher distributor commissions, professional fees and marketing-related expenses. Additionally,
the Company recorded a provision for the receivable from KGC totaling $2.8 million, incurred higher
non-operating expenses during the twelve months ended December 31, 2005 resulting from foreign
exchange losses, and recorded higher income tax expense.
2004 Compared to 2003
Net Sales. Net sales were approximately $133.2 million for the twelve months ended December
31, 2004 compared to $62.6 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003. This net
increase of approximately $70.6 million or 113% was primarily attributable to the increased number
of active Lexxus distributors, approximately $46.5 million or approximately two thirds of the sales
increase, as well as more sales generated per distributor, $24.1 million or approximately one third
of the increase. Increases in net sales mainly occurred in Hong Kong ($43.5 million), Eastern
Europe ($17.1 million) and North America ($6.2 million). As of December 31, 2004, the Company had
deferred revenue of approximately $9.5 million of which $4.8 million pertained to goods shipped in
the first quarter of 2005 and recognized as revenue at that time and $4.7 million pertained to
enrollment package revenue.
Cost of Sales. Cost of sales was approximately $29.3 million or 22.0% of net sales for the
twelve months ended December 31, 2004 compared with approximately $13.7 million or 21.9% of net
sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004. This increase of approximately $15.6 million
or 114% was primarily driven by increased sales. Cost of sales as a percentage of net sales
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was flat with a year ago. Greater air freight costs to ship product from the US to Asia and
Europe in 2004 were largely offset by the elimination of the commissions paid to MarketVision after
its acquisition by the Company on March 31, 2004.
Gross Profit. Gross profit was approximately $103.9 million or 78.0% of net sales for the
twelve months ended December 31, 2004 compared with approximately $48.9 million or 78.1% of net
sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003. This increase of approximately $55.0 million
or 112% was attributable to the increase in sales.
Distributor Commissions. Distributor commissions were approximately $68.6 million or 51.5% of
net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 compared with approximately $27.6 million
or 44.0% of net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003. This increase of
approximately $41.0 million or 149% and as a percentage of sales was primarily related to the
significant increase in sales as well the depth of the distributor network. Approximately $1.1
million of the increase was due to commissions paid on returns and refunds pertaining to the
special product return privilege granted to certain Hong Kong distributors in the second quarter.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative costs were
approximately $33.1 million or 24.8% of net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004
compared with approximately $15.8 million or 25.2% of net sales for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2003. This increase of approximately $17.3 million or 110% was mainly attributable to
increases in the following:
| Marketing and promotional activities world-wide of $7.8 million (The Company resorted to the increase in marketing activities in most of the Companys markets around the world to drive the increase in the number of active distributors); | ||
| Credit card charges and assessments totaling $2.7 million; | ||
| Professional fees of $2.3 million; | ||
| Personnel costs mainly in the U.S. and Hong Kong of $2.2 million; | ||
| Costs for building the Chinese market totaling $600,000; and | ||
| Amortization of intangibles of $600,000 related to the MarketVision acquisition. |
Other Income (Expense). Other income was approximately $137,000 for the year ended December
31, 2004 compared with expense of approximately $1,000 for the year ended December 31, 2003. This
increase of approximately $138,000 was due to recognized gain on foreign exchange partly offset by
an increase in interest expense resulting from the MarketVision acquisition.
Income Taxes. Income tax expense was approximately $663,000 or 28.1% of the income before
income taxes and minority interest for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 compared with
$860,000 or 15.4% of income before income taxes and minority interest for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2003. The increase in effective tax rate was attributable to use of net operating
loss in the U.S. and lower effective tax rates on foreign earnings in 2003 compared to 2004.
Minority Interest. Minority interest expense was approximately $456,000 for the twelve months
ended December 31, 2004, compared to a benefit of approximately $14,000 for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2003. The increase in the expense relates primarily to the increased profitability of
our subsidiary, KGC.
Net Income. Net income was approximately $1.2 million or 0.9% of net sales for the twelve
months ended December 31, 2004 compared to net income of approximately $4.7 million or 7.5% of net
sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003. The decrease in net income was primarily due
to higher commissions paid to distributors and marketing-related expenses, partly offset by higher
volume.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash generated from operations is the main funding source for the Companys working capital
and capital expenditure. In the past, the Company also borrowed from institutions and individuals
and issued preferred stock. In October 2004, the Company raised approximately $16 million net of
transaction fees through a private equity placement. At December 31, 2005, the Companys cash and
cash equivalents totaled approximately $18.5 million.
At December 31, 2005, the ratio of current assets to current liabilities was 1.42 to 1.00 and
the Company had working capital of approximately $11.3 million. Working capital as of December 31,
2005 decreased from December 31, 2004 by approximately $6.2
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million mainly due to cash required to fund a $2.5 million consumer protection fund deposit as
part of the direct selling license application statutory requirement as well as the exclusion of
the KGCs working capital of $2.8 million as it is no longer consolidated.
Cash provided by operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2005 was approximately
$1.4 million. The significant sales increase was the most significant underlying trend for cash
flows from operating activities and the change in the Companys working capital. Cash was mainly
generated from increases in accrued distributor commissions and other accrued expenses such as
sales returns and deferred revenue, all driven by sales increase, partly offset by a significant
increase in inventory attributable to anticipated sales increase in the coming year. But there is
no assurance that the expected sales increase in the near turn will be realized.
Cash used in investing activities during the period was approximately $8.4 million, which
primarily relates to investments in setting up new offices in Japan and China, a new factory in
China as well as the financial reporting software implementation of the Oracle E-Business Suite.
Restricted cash increased approximately $2.8 million mainly due to cash required to fund a $2.5
million consumer protection fund deposit as part of the direct selling license application
statutory requirement. Additional investing activities included $1.3 million net cash reduction
from the sale of KGC and an investment in a certificate of deposit of approximately $1.3 million.
Cash provided by financing activities during the period was approximately $2.8 million due to
proceeds received of approximately $3.5 million from the exercise of warrants issued in the private
equity placement that occurred in October 2004, offset by the Companys full repayment of
MarketVision promissory notes payable of approximately $0.7 million. Total cash and cash
equivalents decreased by approximately $3.9 million during the period.
With cash generated from business operations and the net proceeds from the private placement
closed in October 2004, the Company believes that its existing liquidity and cash flows from
operations, including its cash and cash equivalents, should be adequate to fund normal business
operations expected in the future.
In addition to the Companys current obligations related to its accounts payable and accrued
expenses, the approximate future maturities of the Companys existing commitments and obligations
are as follows (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Thereafter | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Debt |
$ | 109 | $ | 109 | $ | | $ | | $ | | $ | | $ | | ||||||||||||||
Operating leases |
6,740 | 1,891 | 1,527 | 875 | 707 | 505 | 1,235 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Purchase commitments1 |
7,028 | 1,489 | 1,489 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Construction commitment |
580 | 580 | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Totals |
$ | 14,457 | $ | 4,069 | $ | 3,016 | $ | 2,225 | $ | 2,057 | $ | 1,855 | $ | 1,235 | ||||||||||||||
The Company has entered into non-cancelable operating lease agreements for locations within
the U.S. and for its international subsidiaries, with expirations through May 2015.
The Company maintains a purchase commitment with one of its suppliers to purchase its Cluster
Concentrate product. Pursuant to this agreement, the Company is required to purchase from this
supplier a minimum volume of 20,000 bottles of product per year. The total product cost is
$138,800 before any volume discounts.
In December 2005, the Company committed approximately $580,000 for buildout of a new training
facility in Japan. Construction completed and the facility opened in April 2006.
The Company has employment agreements with certain members of its management team, the terms
of which expire at various times through October 2009. Such agreements provide minimum salary
levels, as well as incentive bonuses that are payable if
1 | Purchase commitments include the Companys agreement with the supplier of its Alura® product to purchase a minimum volume of 15 barrels of product per quarter to maintain exclusivity and volume discounts. The total product cost is $1.4 million before any volume discounts. The Company intends to maintain this contract. The contract does not terminate unless the Company fails to purchase at least $350,000 a quarter. |
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specified management goals are attained. The aggregate commitment for future salaries at
December 31, 2005, assuming continued employment and excluding incentive bonuses, was approximately
$4.3 million.
The Company intends to continue to open additional operations in new foreign markets after
2006. The Company plans to focus on further developing the Japanese, the Mexican and the Chinese
markets in the next 12 months.
In connection with the MarketVision acquisition, the Company issued three different promissory
notes in the aggregate principal amount of approximately $3.2 million. As of December 31, 2005,
the three promissory notes have been paid off.
Related Party Transactions
In August 2001, the Company entered into a written lease agreement and an oral management
agreement with S&B Business Services, an affiliate of Brad LaCore, the brother of Terry LaCore,
former Chief Executive Officer of Lexxus U.S. and former director of the Company, and Sherry
LaCore, Brad LaCores spouse. Under the terms of the two agreements, S&B Business Services provides
warehouse facilities and certain equipment, manages and ships inventory, provides independent
distributor support services and disburses payments to independent distributors. In exchange for
these services, the Company pays $18,000 annually for leasing the warehouse, $3,600 annually for
the lease of warehouse equipment and $120,000 annually for the management services provided, plus
an annual average of approximately $12,000 for business related services. The Company paid S&B
Business Services approximately $150,000, $160,000 and $158,000 during 2003, 2004 and 2005,
respectively. As of December 31, 2005, the Company owed approximately $1,400 to S&B Business
Services.
The payment disbursement function was transferred to the Companys Dallas head office during
the third quarter of 2005. In January 2006, the Company hired Sherry LaCore as an employee and
simultaneously terminated the oral management agreement.
Additionally, the Company closed the warehouse facility by the end of
March 2006 and terminated the related lease agreement.
In September 2001, the Company entered into an oral consulting agreement with William
Woodburn, the father of Mark Woodburn, former President and director of the Company, pursuant to
which William Woodburn provided the Company with management advice and other advisory assistance.
In exchange for such services, the Company starting June 8, 2001 paid to Ohio Valley Welding, Inc.,
an affiliate of William Woodburn, $6,250 on a bi-weekly basis. The Company paid $168,750 and
$118,750 during 2003 and 2004, respectively, to Ohio Valley Welding, Inc. The consulting agreement
between the Company and William Woodburn was terminated as of September 30, 2004.
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The Companys former controller is married to Mark Woodburn, former President and director of
the Company. Her employment with the Company ended in August 2004. The Company paid her
approximately $100,000 in each of the years 2003 and 2004.
On March 31, 2004, the Company entered into a merger agreement with MarketVision, pursuant to
which the Company acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of MarketVision. As a
founding stockholder of MarketVision, Terry LaCore, former Chief Executive Officer of Lexxus U.S.
and former director of the Company, received 450,000 shares of the Companys common stock and was
entitled to receive approximately $840,000 plus interest from promissory notes issued by the
Company. As of December 31, 2005, no amounts remained outstanding to Mr. LaCore.
On October 6, 2004, certain members of the Companys board of directors and certain of the
Companys officers invested approximately $25,000 and purchased 1,984 units upon the same terms and
conditions as the other buyers in the private placement.
A director of the Companys China subsidiary is the sole director of Access Intl (Zhuhai Ftz)
Warehousing & Trading Co. Ltd. and its group (collectively, Access), a transportation and
logistics company, and the owner of Info Development Ltd. (Info), an import services company,
both of which provided services to the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary. Payments totaling
approximately $5.2 million and $0.2 million were paid to Access and Info during 2005, respectively.
At December 31, 2005, approximately $3,300 was due to Access.
On November 10, 2005, an independent investigator retained by the Companys Audit Committee
learned that an entity controlled by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore received payments from an
independent distributor of the Companys products during 2001 through August 2005. The Company
believes that Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore received from such independent distributor a total of
approximately $1.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively. The Company believes that the fees paid
by the Company to such independent distributor were not in excess of the amounts due under the
Companys regular distributor compensation plan.
Approximately $2.4 million of the funds paid by the independent distributor to Messrs.
Woodburn and LaCore were paid at the direction of Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore to an entity that is
partially owned by Mr. Woodburns father and Randall A. Mason, a member of the Companys Board of
Directors and former Chairman of the Companys Audit Committee. The funds were subsequently paid to
an entity controlled by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore at their direction. After investigation by the
Audit Committee, the Board of Directors of the Company concluded that Mr. Mason was unaware that
these payments were directed by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore to an entity partially owned by him
until uncovered by the Audits Committees independent investigator on November 10, 2005, and that
Mr. Mason was not involved in any misconduct and received no pecuniary benefit from the payments
made by the independent distributor. However, since payments were directed into an entity that is
partially owned by Mr. Mason, he could no longer be considered independent in accordance with the
rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market and under the federal securities laws. Therefore, effective
November 11, 2005, Mr. Mason resigned as Chairman and a member of the Companys Audit Committee.
Mr. Mason remained as a director.
On November 14, 2005, in light of the information learned by the Companys Audit Committee on
November 10, 2005, the Company terminated the employment of each of Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore. No
severance has been paid by the Company to Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore and the Audit Committee is
investigating claims or actions that the Company may bring against them.
In addition, a loan made by the Company under the direction of Mr. Woodburn in the aggregate
principal amount of $256,000 in February 2004 was previously recorded as a loan to a third party.
On November 10, 2005, the Audit Committee investigator learned that the Company actually loaned the
funds to an entity owned and controlled by the parents of Mr. Woodburn. The loan was repaid in
full, partially by an entity controlled by a third party and partially by an entity controlled by
Mr. Woodburn in December 2004.
On March 23, 2006, an independent investigator retained by the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors confirmed that affiliates of immediate family members of Mr. Woodburn have owned since
1998, and continue to own, equity interests in Aloe Commodities (Aloe), the largest manufacturer
of the Company and the supplier of the Skindulgence® Line and LaVie products, representing
approximately 5% of the outstanding shares of Aloe. The Audit Committee is continuing to
investigate to determine whether any financial or other benefits were paid to Mr. Woodburn, his
immediate family members or their respective affiliates. The Company has paid Aloe and certain of
its affiliates approximately $2.6 million, $9.9 million, and $8.6 million during 2003, 2004 and
2005, respectively.
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Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2004, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 151,
Inventory Costs (SFAS 151). This statement requires that certain costs such as idle facility
expense, excessive spoilage, double freight, and re-handling costs be recognized as current-period
charges and that allocation of fixed production overheads to the costs of conversion be based on
the normal capacity of the production facilities. The provisions of the statement shall be
effective for inventory costs incurred during fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2005. The
adoption of SFAS 151, effective January 1, 2006, did not have a significant impact on the Companys
financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment (SFAS 123(R)), which is a
revision of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation (SFAS 123). SFAS 123(R) supersedes Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25,
Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees (APB 25) and amends Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 95, Statement of Cash Flows. Generally, the approach in SFAS 123(R) is similar to
the approach described in SFAS 123. However, SFAS 123(R) will require all share-based payments to
employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in our Consolidated
Statements of Income, based on their fair values. Pro forma disclosure will no longer be an
alternative. SFAS 123(R) will be effective January 1, 2006 and permits us to adopt its requirements
using one of two methods:
| A modified prospective method in which compensation cost is recognized beginning with the effective date based on the requirements of SFAS 123(R) for all share-based payments granted after the effective date and based on the requirements of SFAS 123 for all awards granted to employees prior to the adoption date of SFAS 123(R) that remain unvested on the adoption date. | ||
| A modified retrospective method which includes the requirements of the modified prospective method described above, but also permits entities to restate either all prior periods presented or prior interim periods of the year of adoption based on the amounts previously recognized under SFAS 123 for purposes of pro forma disclosures. |
We will adopt the provisions of SFAS 123(R) using the modified prospective method. As
permitted by SFAS 123, we currently account for share-based payments to employees using the
intrinsic value method prescribed by APB 25 and related interpretations. Therefore, we do not
recognize compensation expenses associated with employee stock options. We estimate that the
adoption of SFAS 123(R) will result in an expense of approximately $0.5 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the year ended
December 31, 2006. However, the adoption of SFAS 123(R) fair value method could have a significant
impact on our future results of operations for future stock or stock option grants but no impact on
our overall financial position. Had we adopted SFAS 123(R) in prior periods, the impact would have
approximated the impact of SFAS 123 as described in the pro forma net income and income per-share
disclosures. The adoption of SFAS 123(R) will have no effect on our outstanding vested stock grant
awards.
In May 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections a
replacement of APB Opinion No. 20 and FASB Statement No. 3. This Statement changes the
requirements for the accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. This
Statement applies to voluntary changes as well as those changes required by an accounting
pronouncement if that pronouncement does not include specific transition provisions. This Statement
requires retrospective application to prior periods financial statements of changes in accounting
principle as opposed to being shown as a cumulative adjustment in the period of change. The
Statement is effective for all changes and corrections of errors made in fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2005. The adoption of this standard is not expected to materially impact the
Company.
OffBalance Sheet Arrangements
The Company does not utilize off-balance sheet financing arrangements other than in the normal
course of business. The Company finances the use of certain facilities, office and computer
equipment, and automobiles under various operating lease agreements.
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Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Foreign Currency Risk
In 2005, approximately 92% of our revenue was recorded in markets outside the United States.
However, that figure does not accurately reflect our foreign currency exposure mainly because the
Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar. Our 51% equity interest in the European business,
KGC, operating since the fourth quarter of 2004 in euro, was sold off to the minority interest
owner as of December 31, 2005. We also purchase all inventories in U.S. dollars. Therefore, our
currency exposure, mainly to Korean won, Singapore dollar, New Taiwan dollar and Australia dollar,
represented approximately 12% of our revenue in 2005, excluding KGC. With KGC, the Company
incurred a foreign currency loss of $1.1 million during 2005.
In preparing our consolidated financial statements, we translate revenue and expenses in
foreign countries from their local currencies into U.S. dollars using the average exchange rates
for the period. The local currency of each subsidiarys primary markets is considered the
functional currency. The effect of the translation of the Companys foreign operations is included
in accumulated other comprehensive income within stockholders equity and do not impact the
statement of operations.
As currency rates change, translation of our foreign currency functional businesses into U.S.
dollars affects year-over-year comparability of equity. We do not plan to hedge translation risks
because cash flows from our international operations are generally reinvested locally. Changes in
the currency exchange rates that would have the largest impact on translating our international net
assets include Korean won, New Taiwan dollar, Australian dollar and Canadian dollar. Japanese yen
and Mexican peso are expected to become more significant. Following are the average exchange rates
of U.S. $1 into local currency for each of our international operations:
2004 | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hong Kong |
$ | 7.78 | $ | 7.80 | $ | 7.80 | $ | 7.78 | $ | 7.80 | $ | 7.79 | $ | 7.77 | $ | 7.75 | ||||||||||||||||
Taiwan |
33.49 | 33.38 | 34.01 | 32.99 | 31.54 | 31.44 | 32.31 | 33.49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Singapore |
1.70 | 1.70 | 1.71 | 1.66 | 1.64 | 1.66 | 1.68 | 1.69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philippines |
56.13 | 56.11 | 56.15 | 56.38 | 55.09 | 54.73 | 56.11 | 54.62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Russia and Eastern
Europe1 |
0.80 | 0.83 | 0.82 | 0.77 | 0.76 | 0.79 | 0.83 | 0.84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Korea |
1,180.03 | 1,166.47 | 1,155.44 | 1,102.18 | 1,027.27 | 1,009.24 | 1,030.00 | 1,043.65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australia |
1.31 | 1.40 | 1.41 | 1.32 | 1.29 | 1.30 | 1.32 | 1.34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Zealand |
1.49 | 1.59 | 1.53 | 1.43 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.45 | 1.44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japan2 |
| | | | | | 111.19 | 117.20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Latin America2 |
| | | | | | 10.72 | 10.72 |
Hedging
Our exposure to foreign currency fluctuation is expected to increase as the Company further
develops the markets in Japan, Mexico and China. The Company currently has no specific plans but
expects to evaluate whether it should use forward or option contracts to hedge its foreign currency
exposure.
1 | Functional currency of is the euro. The Company will no longer consolidate the operating results of KGC for periods beginning after December 31, 2005 as it sold its 51% interest in KGC to Bannks Foundation effective December 31, 2005. | |
2 | No significant revenue generating activities occurred until the third quarter of 2005. |
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Seasonality
Generally our revenue has not been impacted by seasonality on any significant basis. From
quarter to quarter, the Company is somewhat impacted by seasonal factors and trends such as major
cultural events and vacation patterns. For example, most Asian markets celebrate their respective
local New Year in the first quarter, which generally has a small negative impact on that quarter.
We believe that direct selling in the United States and Europe is also generally negatively
impacted during the month of August, which is in our third quarter, when many individuals,
including our distributors, traditionally take time off for vacations.
The Companys spending is materially effected by the major events planned for at different
times of the year. A major promotional event could significantly increase the reported expenses
during the quarter in which the events actually takes place, while the revenue that might be
generated by the event may not occur in the same reporting period.
Interest Rate Risk
As of December 31, 2005, we do not think the Company has any exposure to interest rate risk as
the Company has limited borrowings that are interest rate sensitive.
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Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page | ||||
46 | ||||
47 | ||||
48 | ||||
49 | ||||
50 | ||||
51 |
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Board of Directors and Stockholders
Natural Health Trends Corp.
Dallas, Texas
Natural Health Trends Corp.
Dallas, Texas
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Natural Health Trends Corp. (the
Company) as of December 31, 2004 and 2005, and the related consolidated statements of operations,
stockholders equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31,
2005. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The
Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control
over financial reporting. Our audits include consideration of internal control over financial
reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but
not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control
over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management,
as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of Natural Health Trends Corp. at December 31, 2004 and
2005, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years ended
December 31, 2005, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of America.
As
discussed in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements,
sales of products delivered to members in China represent a
significant portion of the Companys net sales. Any disruption of
such sales would have a negative impact upon the Companys future
operations. Further, if
it were determined that import duties into China are underpaid, the Company could be required to satisfy part or all of the liability.
/s/ BDO Seidman, LLP
BDO Seidman, LLP
BDO Seidman, LLP
Dallas, Texas
April 28, 2006, except for Note 16
as to which the date is May 5, 2006
April 28, 2006, except for Note 16
as to which the date is May 5, 2006
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NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In Thousands, Except Share Data)
(In Thousands, Except Share Data)
December 31, | ||||||||
2004 | 2005 | |||||||
ASSETS |
||||||||
Current assets: |
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 22,324 | $ | 18,470 | ||||
Restricted cash |
2,395 | 2,236 | ||||||
Accounts receivable |
209 | 300 | ||||||
Inventories, net |
13,991 | 12,360 | ||||||
Other current assets |
2,096 | 4,632 | ||||||
Total current assets |
41,015 | 37,998 | ||||||
Property and equipment, net |
579 | 3,143 | ||||||
Goodwill |
14,145 | 14,145 | ||||||
Intangible assets, net |
5,474 | 4,529 | ||||||
Deferred tax assets |
434 | | ||||||
Other assets |
458 | 3,500 | ||||||
Total assets |
$ | 62,105 | $ | 63,315 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
||||||||
Current liabilities: |
||||||||
Accounts payable |
$ | 1,344 | $ | 2,023 | ||||
Income taxes payable |
1,797 | 1,308 | ||||||
Accrued distributor commissions |
4,259 | 4,001 | ||||||
Other accrued expenses |
4,154 | 6,827 | ||||||
Deferred revenue |
9,551 | 9,897 | ||||||
Current portion of debt |
796 | 109 | ||||||
Other current liabilities |
1,595 | 2,537 | ||||||
Total current liabilities |
23,496 | 26,702 | ||||||
Debt |
22 | | ||||||
Total liabilities |
23,518 | 26,702 | ||||||
Commitments and contingencies
|
||||||||
Minority interest |
598 | 77 | ||||||
Mezzanine common stock |
960 | | ||||||
Stockholders equity: |
||||||||
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 1,500,000
and 5,000,000 shares authorized at December
31, 2004 and 2005, respectively; none issued
and outstanding |
| | ||||||
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 500,000,000
and 50,000,000 shares authorized, 6,819,667
and 7,108,867 shares issued and outstanding
at December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2005,
respectively |
7 | 7 | ||||||
Additional paid-in capital |
64,933 | 69,417 | ||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(27,799 | ) | (33,301 | ) | ||||
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss): |
||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
(112 | ) | 413 | |||||
Total stockholders equity |
37,029 | 36,536 | ||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders equity |
$ | 62,105 | $ | 63,315 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 62,576 | $ | 133,225 | $ | 194,472 | ||||||
Cost of sales |
13,676 | 29,321 | 44,746 | |||||||||
Gross profit |
48,900 | 103,904 | 149,726 | |||||||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||
Distributor commissions |
27,555 | 68,579 | 101,021 | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
15,770 | 33,102 | 49,000 | |||||||||
Provision for KGC receivable |
| | 2,759 | |||||||||
Total operating expenses |
43,325 | 101,681 | 152,780 | |||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
5,575 | 2,223 | (3,054 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense), net |
(1 | ) | 137 | (910 | ) | |||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes and minority interest |
5,574 | 2,360 | (3,964 | ) | ||||||||
Income tax provision |
(860 | ) | (663 | ) | (1,587 | ) | ||||||
Minority interest |
14 | (456 | ) | 49 | ||||||||
Net income (loss) |
4,728 | 1,241 | (5,502 | ) | ||||||||
Preferred stock dividends |
1 | | | |||||||||
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders |
$ | 4,727 | $ | 1,241 | $ | (5,502 | ) | |||||
Income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||
Basic |
$ | 1.03 | $ | 0.22 | $ | (0.79 | ) | |||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.83 | $ | 0.18 | $ | (0.79 | ) | |||||
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: |
||||||||||||
Basic |
4,609 | 5,580 | 6,934 | |||||||||
Diluted |
5,688 | 6,822 | 6,934 | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
(In Thousands, Except Share Data)
(In Thousands, Except Share Data)
Accumulated | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Additional | Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preferred Stock | Common Stock | Paid-In | Accumulated | Deferred | Comprehensive | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Compensation | Income (Loss) | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BALANCE, December 31, 2002 |
16 | $ | 16 | 4,239,495 | $ | 4 | $ | 33,504 | $ | (33,767 | ) | $ | (146 | ) | $ | (9 | ) | $ | (398 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net income |
| | | | | 4,728 | | | 4,728 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustments |
| | | | | | | (138 | ) | (138 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total comprehensive income |
4,590 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conversion of Series J preferred stock |
(16 | ) | (16 | ) | 28,468 | | 16 | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued in acquisition |
| | 360,000 | | 433 | | | | 433 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued for services |
| | 28,500 | | 53 | | | | 53 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preferred stock dividends |
| | | | 1 | (1 | ) | | | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deferred compensation |
| | | | | | 146 | | 146 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BALANCE, December 31, 2003 |
| | 4,656,463 | 4 | 34,007 | (29,040 | ) | | (147 | ) | 4,824 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net income |
| | | | | 1,241 | | | 1,241 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustments |
| | | | | | | 35 | 35 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total comprehensive income |
1,276 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued in acquisitions |
| | 790,000 | 1 | 14,704 | | | | 14,705 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise of stock options and warrants |
| | 3,500 | | 25 | | | | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock and common
stock purchase warrants in private
placement |
| | 1,369,704 | 2 | 16,065 | | | | 16,067 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Imputed compensation |
| | | | 132 | | | | 132 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BALANCE, December 31, 2004 |
| | 6,819,667 | 7 | 64,933 | (27,799 | ) | | (112 | ) | 37,029 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss |
| | | | | (5,502 | ) | | | (5,502 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustments |
| | | | | | | 451 | 451 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: reclassification adjustment on
sale of KGC |
| | | | | | | 74 | 74 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total comprehensive loss |
(4,977 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise of warrants |
| | 289,200 | | 3,606 | | | | 3,606 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offering costs |
| | | | (115 | ) | | | | (115 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Expiration of put right |
| | | | 960 | | | | 960 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Imputed compensation |
| | | | 33 | | | | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BALANCE, December 31, 2005 |
| $ | | 7,108,867 | $ | 7 | $ | 69,417 | $ | (33,301 | ) | $ | | $ | 413 | $ | 36,536 | |||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In Thousands)
(In Thousands)
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: |
||||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
$ | 4,728 | $ | 1,241 | $ | (5,502 | ) | |||||
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
provided by operating activities, net: |
||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment |
418 | 495 | 529 | |||||||||
Amortization of intangibles |
115 | 801 | 945 | |||||||||
Minority interest |
(14 | ) | 456 | (49 | ) | |||||||
Deferred income taxes |
| (515 | ) | 515 | ||||||||
Imputed compensation |
| 132 | 33 | |||||||||
Common stock issued for services and penalties |
53 | 14 | | |||||||||
Change in deferred compensation |
146 | | | |||||||||
Changes in
assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and dispositions: |
||||||||||||
Accounts receivable |
301 | 50 | (863 | ) | ||||||||
Inventories, net |
(364 | ) | (10,366 | ) | (3,702 | ) | ||||||
Other current assets |
43 | (1,630 | ) | (2,077 | ) | |||||||
Other assets |
(375 | ) | 330 | 1,164 | ||||||||
Accounts payable |
482 | 230 | 1,040 | |||||||||
Income taxes payable |
933 | 406 | (293 | ) | ||||||||
Accrued distributor commissions |
322 | 3,213 | 1,362 | |||||||||
Other accrued expenses |
(496 | ) | 2,099 | 3,221 | ||||||||
Deferred revenue |
3,493 | 2,560 | 3,847 | |||||||||
Other current liabilities |
(160 | ) | 912 | 1,256 | ||||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
9,625 | 428 | 1,426 | |||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: |
||||||||||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
(580 | ) | (150 | ) | (3,120 | ) | ||||||
Increase in restricted cash |
(1,022 | ) | (980 | ) | (2,753 | ) | ||||||
Increase in certificate of deposit |
| | (1,267 | ) | ||||||||
Net cash reduction from sale of subsidiary |
| | (1,307 | ) | ||||||||
Business acquired |
| (1,357 | ) | | ||||||||
Purchase of minority interest |
| (141 | ) | | ||||||||
Purchase of database |
(191 | ) | | | ||||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(1,793 | ) | (2,628 | ) | (8,447 | ) | ||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: |
||||||||||||
Payments on debt |
(339 | ) | (2,600 | ) | (709 | ) | ||||||
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net |
| 16,078 | 3,491 | |||||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(339 | ) | 13,478 | 2,782 | ||||||||
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents |
(224 | ) | (87 | ) | 385 | |||||||
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
7,269 | 11,191 | (3,854 | ) | ||||||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period |
3,864 | 11,133 | 22,324 | |||||||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period |
$ | 11,133 | $ | 22,324 | $ | 18,470 | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Nature of Operations
Natural Health Trends Corp. (the Company) is an international direct-selling organization
headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The Company was originally incorporated as a Florida corporation
in 1988. The Company was merged into one of its subsidiaries and re-incorporated in the state of
Delaware effective June 29, 2005 (see Note 2). Subsidiaries controlled by the Company sell
products to a distributor network that either use the products themselves or resell them to
consumers. The Companys products promote health, wellness and vitality and are sold under the
Lexxus and Kaire brands.
The Companys majority-owned subsidiaries have an active physical presence in the following
markets: North America, which consists of the United States and Canada; Greater China, which
consists of Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and China; Southeast Asia, which consists of Singapore, the
Philippines and Indonesia; Australia and New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Latin America, which
primarily consists of Mexico; and Slovenia.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all of its
majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been
eliminated in consolidation.
Effective December 31, 2005, the Company sold its 51% equity interest in its Eastern European
business, KGC Networks Pte Ltd. (KGC) (see Note 7). As a result, KGCs balance sheet is not
included in the Companys consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2005. KGCs results of
operations are included in the Companys consolidated statement of operations for the twelve months
ended December 31, 2005.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The most significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of the Companys
financial statements include estimates associated with obsolete inventory and the fair value of
acquired intangible assets and goodwill, as well as those used in the determination of liabilities
related to sales returns, distributor commissions, and income taxes. Various assumptions and
other factors prompt the determination of these significant estimates. The process of determining
significant estimates is fact specific and takes into account historical experience and current and
expected economic conditions. Historically, actual results have not significantly deviated from
those determined using the estimates described above.
Reclassification
Certain balances have been reclassified in the prior year consolidated financial statements to
conform to current year presentation.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months
or less, when purchased, to be cash equivalents.
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Restricted Cash
The Company maintains a cash reserve with certain credit card processing companies to provide
for potential uncollectible amounts and chargebacks. The cash reserve is generally calculated as a
percentage of sales over a rolling monthly time period.
In addition, the Company is required to maintain on deposit approximately $2.5 million as part
of its direct selling license application in China. Such amount is reflected in other non-current
assets.
Inventories
Inventories consist primarily of finished goods and are stated at the lower of cost or market,
using the first-in, first-out method. In addition, the Company reviews its inventory for
obsolescence and any inventory identified as obsolete is reserved or written off. The Companys
determination of obsolescence is based on assumptions about the demand for its products, product
expiration dates, estimated future sales, and managements future plans.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over
the following estimated useful lives:
Office equipment and software
|
3 5 years | |
Furniture and fixtures
|
5 7 years | |
Plant Equipment
|
5 years | |
Leasehold improvements
|
Shorter of estimated useful life or lease term |
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
The Company has adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets. SFAS No. 142 requires that goodwill and intangible assets with
indefinite useful lives no longer be amortized, but instead be tested for impairment at least
annually or sooner whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that they may be impaired.
No impairment of goodwill has been identified in any of the periods presented.
SFAS No. 142 also requires that intangible assets with definite lives be amortized over their
estimated useful lives. The Company is currently amortizing its acquired intangible assets with
definite lives over periods ranging from 5 to 7 years.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews property and equipment and certain identifiable intangibles for impairment
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be
recoverable. Recoverability of these assets is measured by comparison of its carrying amounts to
future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate. If property and equipment and
certain identifiable intangibles are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized
equals the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair market value. The
Company has made no adjustments to its long-lived assets in any of the periods presented.
Income Taxes
The Company recognizes income taxes under the liability method of accounting for income taxes.
Deferred income taxes are recognized for differences between the financial reporting and tax bases
of assets and liabilities at enacted statutory tax rates in effect for the years in which the
differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce
deferred tax assets to the amounts expected to be ultimately realized.
Foreign Currency
The functional currency of the Companys international subsidiaries is generally the local
currency. Local currency assets and liabilities are translated at the rates of exchange on the
balance sheet date, and local currency revenues and expenses are translated at average rates of
exchange during the period. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded directly into a
separate component of stockholders equity and represents the only component of accumulated other
comprehensive loss.
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Revenue Recognition
Product sales are recorded when the products are shipped and title passes to independent
distributors. Product sales to distributors are made pursuant to a distributor agreement that
provides for transfer of both title and risk of loss upon our delivery to the carrier that
completes delivery to the distributors, which is commonly referred to as F.O.B. Shipping Point.
The Company primarily receives payment by credit card at the time distributors place orders.
Amounts received for unshipped product are recorded as deferred revenue. The Companys sales
arrangements do not contain right of inspection or customer acceptance provisions other than
general rights of return.
Actual product returns are recorded as a reduction to net sales. The Company estimates and
accrues a reserve for product returns based on its return policies and historical experience.
During April 2005, the Company launched a new product line, Gourmet Coffee Café, which
consists of coffee machines and the related coffee and tea pods, in the North American market. As
the Gourmet Coffee Café is a very different product than the Companys other products and there is
no reliable information on the Companys sales returns or warranty obligation, the Company has
deferred all revenue generated from the sale of coffee machines and the related coffee and tea pods
until sufficient return and warranty experience on the product can be established. The deferral
totaled approximately $1.6 million and $1.2 million in revenue and related costs, respectively, for
product shipped through December 31, 2005. The deferred costs are recorded in other current assets,
as the sales return period for distributors is only for a year. Since the launch, the Company has
experienced a high rate of defects and product returns. As a result, the Company has delayed
continued sales of our existing inventory of this product and approached the manufacturer for
resolution. The manufacturer has agreed to repair all of the machines in our existing inventory
and provide discounts on future purchases. The Company is currently planning to re-start the sale
of the coffee machines in the second half of 2006.
Enrollment package revenue, including any nonrefundable set-up fees, is deferred and
recognized over the term of the arrangement, generally twelve months. During the third quarter of
2004, the Company changed its amortization methodology from a monthly method to the preferred daily
method whereby revenues for each enrollment package start the day of enrollment. The change in
methodology resulted in additional deferred revenue of approximately $280,000 during 2004.
Enrollment packages provide distributors access to both a personalized marketing website and a
business management system. Prior to the acquisition of MarketVision Communications Corp.
(MarketVision) on March 31, 2004, the Company paid MarketVision a fixed amount in exchange for
MarketVision creating and maintaining individual web pages for such distributors. These payments
to MarketVision were deferred and recorded as a prepaid expense. The related amortization was
recorded to cost of sales over the term of the arrangement. The remaining unamortized costs were
included in the determination of the purchase price of MarketVision. Subsequent to the acquisition
of MarketVision, no upfront costs are deferred as the amount is nominal.
Shipping charges billed to distributors are included in net sales. Costs associated with
shipments are included in cost of sales.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company continued through December 31, 2005 to account for stock-based compensation plans
under the recognition and measurement principles of Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25,
Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, and related Interpretations. The following table
illustrates the effect on net income and earnings per share if the Company had applied the fair
value recognition provisions of FASB Statement No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,
to stock-based employee compensation (in thousands).
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) available to
common stockholders, as reported |
$ | 4,727 | $ | 1,241 | $ | (5,502 | ) | |||||
Add: Stock-based employee
compensation expense included in
reported net income, net of
related tax effects |
| | | |||||||||
Deduct: Stock-based employee
compensation expense determined
under fair value based method for
all awards, net of related tax
effects |
(38 | ) | (3,893 | ) | (393 | ) | ||||||
Pro forma net income (loss)
available to common stockholders |
$ | 4,689 | $ | (2,652 | ) | $ | (5,895 | ) | ||||
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Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Basic income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||
As reported |
$ | 1.03 | $ | 0.22 | $ | (0.79 | ) | |||||
Pro forma |
$ | 1.02 | $ | (0.48 | ) | $ | (0.85 | ) | ||||
Diluted income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||
As reported |
$ | 0.83 | $ | 0.18 | $ | (0.79 | ) | |||||
Pro forma |
$ | 0.82 | $ | (0.48 | ) | $ | (0.85 | ) |
The weighted-average fair value of options granted was $1.05, $11.91, and $6.47 for 2003,
2004, and 2005, respectively. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of
grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions:
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Risk-free interest rate |
4.25 | % | 2.50 | % | 4.38 | % | ||||||
Expected volatility |
100 | % | 97 | % | 94 | % | ||||||
Expected life (in years) |
3 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||
Dividend yield |
| | |
Income Per Share
Basic income per share is computed by dividing net income applicable to common stockholders by
the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted income per
share is determined using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the
period, adjusted for the dilutive effect of common stock equivalents, consisting of shares that
might be issued upon the exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants. In periods where
losses are reported, the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding excludes common stock
equivalents, because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.
The dilutive effect of stock options and warrants is reflected by application of the treasury
stock method. The potential tax benefit derived from exercise of non-qualified stock options has
been excluded from the treasury stock calculation as the Company is uncertain that the benefit will
be realized.
Certain Risks and Concentrations
In 2004 and 2005, a substantial portion of our revenue was generated in Hong Kong (see Note
15). Various factors could harm our business in Hong Kong, such as worsening economic conditions
or other events that are out of our control. Our financial results could be harmed if our
products, business opportunity or planned growth initiatives fail to retain and generate continued
interest among our distributors and consumers in this market. Moreover, most of the Companys
Hong Kong revenue is derived from the sale of products that are delivered to members in China. We
have plans to obtain the appropriate licenses and conduct business in China; however, at this time
there are no guarantees that we will obtain these licenses. If we are successful in obtaining
these licenses, it is possible that sales in Hong Kong could migrate to China. If that were to
happen we could experience a material reduction in sales from Hong Kong. We could be required to
modify our compensation plan in China in a way that could make it less attractive to members. Any
such modification to our compensation plan could, therefore, have a material adverse effect on
revenue. Moreover, the business model that we anticipate implementing in China will likely
involve costs and expenses that we do not generally incur in the e-commerce business that we have
historically operated in other markets, including Hong Kong. As a result, the business that we
ultimately are able to conduct in China could be materially less profitable than the e-commerce
business that we have historically operated in Hong Kong.
Four major product lines Premium Noni Juice, Skindulgence®, Alura® and La Vie - generated
a significant majority of the Companys sales for 2003, 2004 and 2005. We obtain Skindulgence® and
La Vie product from a single supplier, and Premium Noni Juice and Alura® from two other
suppliers. We believe that, in the event we were unable to source products from these suppliers or
other suppliers of our products, our revenue, income and cash flow could be adversely and
materially impacted.
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The Company maintains its cash in bank accounts which, at times, may exceed federally insured
limits. Accounts in the United States are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(FDIC) up to $100,000. A portion of the Companys cash balances at December 31, 2005 exceeds the
insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of the Companys financial instruments, including cash and cash
equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and debt, approximate fair
value because of their short maturities.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2004, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 151,
Inventory Costs (SFAS 151). This statement requires that certain costs such as idle facility
expense, excessive spoilage, double freight, and re-handling costs be recognized as current-period
charges and that allocation of fixed production overheads to the costs of conversion be based on
the normal capacity of the production facilities. The provisions of the statement shall be
effective for inventory costs incurred during fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2005. The
adoption of SFAS 151, effective January 1, 2006, did not have a significant impact on the Companys
financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment (SFAS 123(R)), which is a
revision of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation (SFAS 123). SFAS 123(R) supersedes Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25,
Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees (APB 25) and amends Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 95, Statement of Cash Flows. Generally, the approach in SFAS 123(R) is similar to
the approach described in SFAS 123. However, SFAS 123(R) will require all share-based payments to
employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in our Consolidated
Statements of Income, based on their fair values. Pro forma disclosure will no longer be an
alternative. SFAS 123(R) will be effective January 1, 2006 and permits us to adopt its requirements
using one of two methods:
| A modified prospective method in which compensation cost is recognized beginning with the effective date based on the requirements of SFAS 123(R) for all share-based payments granted after the effective date and based on the requirements of SFAS 123 for all awards granted to employees prior to the adoption date of SFAS 123(R) that remain unvested on the adoption date. | ||
| A modified retrospective method which includes the requirements of the modified prospective method described above, but also permits entities to restate either all prior periods presented or prior interim periods of the year of adoption based on the amounts previously recognized under SFAS 123 for purposes of pro forma disclosures. |
We will adopt the provisions of SFAS 123(R) using the modified prospective method. As
permitted by SFAS 123, we currently account for share-based payments to employees using the
intrinsic value method prescribed by APB 25 and related interpretations. Therefore, we do not
recognize compensation expenses associated with employee stock options. We estimate that the
adoption of SFAS 123(R) will result in an expense of approximately $527,000, or $0.08 per diluted
share, for the year ended December 31, 2006. However, the adoption of SFAS 123(R) fair value method could
have a significant impact on our future results of operations for future stock or stock option
grants but no impact on our overall financial position. Had we adopted SFAS 123(R) in prior
periods, the impact would have approximated the impact of SFAS 123 as described in the pro forma
net income and income per-share disclosures. The adoption of SFAS 123(R) will have no effect on our
outstanding vested stock grant awards.
In May 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections a
replacement of APB Opinion No. 20 and FASB Statement No. 3. This Statement changes the
requirements for the accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. This
Statement applies to voluntary changes as well as those changes required by an accounting
pronouncement if that pronouncement does not include specific transition provisions. This Statement
requires retrospective application to prior periods financial statements of changes in accounting
principle as opposed to being shown as a cumulative adjustment in the period of change. The
Statement is effective for all changes and corrections of errors made in fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2005. The adoption of this standard is not expected to materially impact the
Company.
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2. RE-INCORPORATION
On March 21, 2005, Natural Health Trends Corp, a Delaware corporation (the Delaware
Corporation) was incorporated as a subsidiary of Natural Health Trends Corp, a Florida corporation
(the Florida Corporation). Effective June 29, 2005, the Delaware Corporation was merged into the
Florida Corporation, becoming the parent company. Concurrent with the merger, the Company was
re-incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Florida Corporation ceased to exist. Each share of
common stock outstanding of the Florida Corporation was converted into one share of $0.001 par
value common stock of the Delaware Corporation. Options and warrants to purchase common stock of
the Florida Corporation were converted into like securities of the Delaware Corporation, with all
terms and conditions unchanged. In addition, the number of authorized shares of preferred stock
was increased to 5,000,000 and the number of authorized shares of common stock was
decreased to 50,000,000.
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Table of Contents
3. OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Other income (expense) consist of the following (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Gain (loss) on foreign exchange |
$ | (77 | ) | $ | 215 | $ | (1,082 | ) | ||||
Interest income |
5 | 19 | 241 | |||||||||
Interest expense |
(68 | ) | (101 | ) | (31 | ) | ||||||
Other |
139 | 4 | (38 | ) | ||||||||
$ | (1 | ) | $ | 137 | $ | (910 | ) | |||||
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4. BALANCE SHEET COMPONENTS
Selected balance sheet components are as follows (in thousands):
December 31, | ||||||||
2004 | 2005 | |||||||
Property and equipment: |
||||||||
Office equipment |
$ | 615 | $ | 1,236 | ||||
Office software |
157 | 1,029 | ||||||
Furniture and fixtures |
422 | 430 | ||||||
Plant equipment |
| 127 | ||||||
Leasehold improvements |
311 | 1,628 | ||||||
Property and equipment, at cost |
1,505 | 4,450 | ||||||
Accumulated depreciation and amortization |
(926 | ) | (1,307 | ) | ||||
$ | 579 | $ | 3,143 | |||||
Other accrued expenses: |
||||||||
Sales returns |
$ | 1,541 | $ | 1,743 | ||||
Employee-related expense |
443 | 1,222 | ||||||
Professional fees |
202 | 1,264 | ||||||
Warehousing and inventory-related expense |
711 | 846 | ||||||
Other |
1,257 | 1,752 | ||||||
$ | 4,154 | $ | 6,827 | |||||
Deferred revenue: |
||||||||
Unshipped product |
$ | 4,842 | $ | 1,468 | ||||
Enrollment package revenue |
4,709 | 6,849 | ||||||
Unrecognized coffee revenue |
| 1,580 | ||||||
$ | 9,551 | $ | 9,897 | |||||
5. GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
No changes occurred in the carrying amount of goodwill during 2005.
Intangible assets consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, 2004 | December 31, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross | Gross | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Carrying | Accumulated | Carrying | Accumulated | |||||||||||||||||||||
Amount | Amortization | Net | Amount | Amortization | Net | |||||||||||||||||||
Computer software and programs |
$ | 5,600 | $ | 600 | $ | 5,000 | $ | 5,600 | $ | 1,400 | $ | 4,200 | ||||||||||||
Distributor database |
790 | 316 | 474 | 790 | 461 | 329 | ||||||||||||||||||
$ | 6,390 | $ | 916 | $ | 5,474 | $ | 6,390 | $ | 1,861 | $ | 4,529 | |||||||||||||
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Amortization expense for intangible assets was $115,000, $801,000, and $945,000 for 2003, 2004, and 2005,
respectively. Estimated amortization expense for the five succeeding fiscal years is as follows
(in thousands):
2006 |
$ | 958 | ||
2007 |
958 | |||
2008 |
813 | |||
2009 |
800 | |||
2010 |
800 | |||
Thereafter |
200 | |||
$ | 4,529 | |||
6. ACQUISITIONS
MarketVision Communications Corp.
On March 31, 2004, the Company entered into a merger agreement with MarketVision.
MarketVision is the exclusive developer and service provider of direct selling internet technology
used by the Company since 2001. Pursuant to the merger agreement, the Company acquired all of the
outstanding capital stock of MarketVision in exchange for the issuance of 690,000 shares of
restricted common stock (the Issued Shares), promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount
of approximately $3.2 million (see Note 8), a cash payment of approximately $1.3 million in April
2004, less pre-acquisition net payables due to MarketVision of approximately $646,000, for a total
purchase price of approximately $17.6 million, including acquisition costs of approximately
$153,000. The Issued Shares were valued at $13.5 million based on the average closing price of
$23.08 a few days before and after the acquisition was announced discounted by 15% due to certain
restrictions contained in the purchase agreement.
MarketVision hosts and maintains the internet technology for the Company and charges an annual
fee for this service based upon the number of enrolled distributors of the Companys products.
MarketVision earned revenues for this service of approximately $1.8 million and $579,000 for the
year ended December 31, 2003 and three months ended March 31, 2004, respectively.
The Company believes that this transaction was in the best interests of the Company because
(i) the success of the Companys business is dependent upon MarketVisions direct selling software
and (ii) the Company projects enrolling a significant number of new distributors in the future,
which would be very expensive under the former compensation agreement between the Company and
MarketVision. Since the former owners of MarketVision include Terry LaCore, a member of the
Companys board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer of Lexxus International, Inc., a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (Lexxus U.S.) at the transaction date, the board of directors hired the
independent appraisal firm of Bernstein, Conklin & Balcombe to assess the fairness of the
transaction with MarketVision from a financial point of view. In March 2004, Bernstein, Conklin &
Balcombe delivered its opinion to the Companys board of directors that the MarketVision
transaction is fair to the Company from a financial point of view.
In addition, the Company entered into a shareholders agreement with the former stockholders
of MarketVision. Such agreement contained customary terms and conditions, including restrictions
on transfers of the Issued Shares, rights of first refusal and indemnification. Further, the
shareholders agreement contained a one time put right related to 240,000 Issued Shares for the
benefit of the former stockholders of MarketVision (other than Mr. LaCore) that required the
Company, during the six month period commencing following the earlier of (i) the first anniversary
of the closing date, or (ii) the date on which the Issued Shares are registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) for resale to the public, to repurchase all or part
of such shares still owned by the such stockholders for $4.00 per share less any amount previously
received by such stockholders from the sale of their Issued Shares. The Company has recorded this
obligation of $960,000 as mezzanine common stock in the consolidated
balance sheet (see Note 10).
The estimated fair value of the put right based on the Black-Scholes option pricing model, as
determined by the independent valuation firm, of approximately $133,000 was not included in the
cost of MarketVision due to materiality.
The agreement also provided the former stockholders of MarketVision with piggyback
registration rights in the event the Company files a registration statement with the SEC, other
than on Forms S-4 or S-8, stock option grants for the former stockholders (other than Mr. LaCore)
as well as three-year employment agreements for the former stockholders, other than Mr. LaCore. In
the event that the Company defaulted on its payment obligations under the notes or the employment
agreements, an entity owned by the former stockholders of MarketVision (other than Mr. LaCore) had
certain rights to use, develop, modify, market, distribute and sublicense the MarketVision software
to third parties.
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The transaction was accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and the purchase
price was allocated among the assets acquired based on their estimated fair market values.
The purchase price was allocated among assets acquired based on their estimated fair market
values as follows (in thousands):
Property and equipment |
$ | 25 | ||
Computer software and programs |
5,600 | |||
Goodwill |
11,958 | |||
Deferred tax liabilities |
(1,904 | ) | ||
Deferred tax assets recognized by the Company resulting from
offset against MarketVisions deferred tax liabilities |
1,904 | |||
Total purchase price allocation |
$ | 17,583 | ||
Goodwill includes but is not limited to the synergistic value and potential competitive
benefits that could be realized by the Company from the acquisition and any future services that
may arise from MarketVisions internet technology. The goodwill amount is not deductible for tax
purposes.
The results of operations of MarketVision have been included in the Companys consolidated
statements of operations since the completion of the acquisition on March 31, 2004. The following
unaudited pro forma information presents a summary of the results of operations of the Company
assuming the acquisition of MarketVision occurred on January 1, 2003 (in thousands, except per
share data):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
2003 | 2004 | |||||||
Net sales |
$ | 62,576 | $ | 133,225 | ||||
Net income |
$ | 4,533 | $ | 1,342 | ||||
Income per share: |
||||||||
Basic |
$ | 0.86 | $ | 0.21 | ||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.71 | $ | 0.18 |
Acquisitions of Minority Interests
On March 29, 2004, the Company purchased 4,900 shares of common stock owned by the minority
stockholders of Lexxus U.S., a Delaware corporation, representing the 49% interest in Lexxus U.S.
not owned by the Company, in exchange for 100,000 shares of restricted common stock. The total
purchase price, including acquisition related costs of approximately $7,000, was approximately $2.0
million based upon the average closing price of the Companys common stock of $23.08 a few days
before and after the acquisition was announced discounted by 15% due to the restrictions contained
in the purchase agreement. The entire purchase price was allocated to goodwill.
On April 19, 2004, the Company purchased 510,000 shares of common stock owned by the minority
stockholders of Lexxus International Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), a Taiwan limited liability corporation
(Lexxus Taiwan), representing the 30% interest in Lexxus Taiwan not owned by the Company, in
exchange for approximately $136,000 in cash. The cash consideration given approximated the book
value of the shares acquired and no goodwill resulted from the transaction. All Lexxus Taiwan
minority stockholders were unrelated to the Company.
7. SALE OF KGC NETWORKS
Effective December 31, 2005, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Bannks
Foundation (Bannks), a Lichtenstein foundation and owner of 49% of the common shares of KGC
Networks Pte Ltd. (KGC), a Singapore corporation, pursuant to which the Company sold to Bannks 51,000 common
shares representing the Companys 51% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of KGC for a total
cash purchase price of $350,000.
At the same time and as a condition of the sale, the Company entered into a separate agreement
whereby KGC would pay to the Company 24 monthly payments of approximately $169,000 each, including
interest at 2.5%, to settle an outstanding inter-company
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payable in the amount of approximately $2.1 million and to pay for inventories ordered and
partially delivered totaling approximately $884,000, as well as the Companys undertaking to
continue to supply KGC with certain products for a period of at least 48 months. The Company
discounted the 24 monthly payments based on its cost of capital and recorded the receivable at $3.1
million, of which $1.7 million is considered non-current. Given its interest in the retained
profits and cumulative translation adjustment of KGC of approximately $434,000, the Company
recognized a nominal gain on sale. Since the receivable from KGC is unsecured, the Company
recorded a reserve totaling approximately $2.8 million, which will be reduced as payments are
received.
KGC sells the Companys Lexxus products into a
separate network of independent distributors located primarily in Russia and other Eastern European
countries. Upon the effective date of the transactions above, the Company no longer consolidates
the financial statements of KGC. The Company does not believe these transactions result in a
discontinued operation as the Company will continue to supply KGC with a significant amount of
product for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the 2005 results of KGC have been reported in
results from operations.
Had KGC not been included in results from operations, the Companys 2005 statement of
operations would have reflected the following (in thousands):
Actual | As Adjusted | |||||||
Net sales |
$ | 194,472 | $ | 160,214 | ||||
Gross profit |
149,726 | 123,171 | ||||||
Distributor commissions |
101,021 | 85,388 | ||||||
Loss from operations |
(3,054 | ) | (2,301 | ) |
8. DEBT
Debt consists of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | ||||||||
2004 | 2005 | |||||||
MarketVision promissory note |
$ | 682 | $ | | ||||
Notes payable a distributor, due upon demand, interest at 1% per annum |
86 | 86 | ||||||
Note payable to a governmental agency, monthly installments of
$2,200, interest at 7% per annum, maturing May 2006 |
34 | 9 | ||||||
Notes payable to a vendor, monthly installments of $580, interest at
25.49% per annum, maturing October 2008 |
16 | 14 | ||||||
818 | 109 | |||||||
Current maturities |
(796 | ) | (109 | ) | ||||
Debt |
$ | 22 | $ | | ||||
On March 31, 2004, the Company issued two six month promissory notes in the aggregate
principal amount of approximately $2.2 million, bearing interest at 4% per annum, and a twenty-one
month promissory note in the principal amount of $1.0 million, bearing interest at 4.5% per annum,
in connection with the acquisition of MarketVision (see Note 6). The Company repaid the two six
month notes in full on October 12, 2004. The twenty-one month note required monthly payments of
approximately $58,200 commencing June 30, 2004. The note was repaid in full in November 2005.
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9. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Operating Leases
The Company has entered into non-cancelable operating lease agreements for locations within
the U.S. and for its international subsidiaries, with expirations through May 2015. Rent expense
in connection with operating leases was approximately $1.1 million, $1.4 million, and $2.4 million
during 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively.
Future minimum lease obligations as of December 31, 2005, are as follows (in thousands):
2006 |
$ | 1,891 | ||
2007 |
1,527 | |||
2008 |
875 | |||
2009 |
707 | |||
2010 |
505 | |||
Thereafter |
1,235 | |||
Total minimum lease obligations |
$ | 6,740 | ||
Purchase Commitments
The Company maintains a purchase commitment with one of its suppliers to purchase its Cluster
Concentrate product. Pursuant to this agreement, the Company is required to purchase from this
supplier a minimum volume of 20,000 bottles of product per year. The total product cost is
$138,800 before any volume discounts.
In addition, the Company has an agreement with the supplier of its Alura® product to purchase
a minimum volume of 15 barrels of product per quarter to maintain exclusivity and volume discounts.
The total product cost is $1.4 million before any volume discounts. The Company intends to
maintain this contract.
Construction Commitment
In December 2005, the Company committed approximately $580,000 for buildout of a new training
facility in Japan. Construction completed and the facility opened in April 2006.
Employment Agreements
The Company has employment agreements with certain members of its management team, the terms
of which expire at various times through October 2009. Such agreements provide minimum salary
levels, as well as incentive bonuses that are payable if specified management goals are attained.
The aggregate commitment for future salaries at December 31, 2005, assuming continued employment
and excluding incentive bonuses, was approximately $4.3 million.
Legal Matters
During the fall of 2003, the customs agency of the government of South Korea brought a charge
against LXK, Ltd. (LXK), the Companys wholly-owned subsidiary operating in South Korea, with
respect to the importation of the Companys Alura product. The customs agency alleges that Alura is
not a cosmetic product, but rather should be categorized and imported as a pharmaceutical product.
On February 18, 2005, the Seoul Central District Court ruled against LXK and fined it a total of
approximately $200,000. LXK also incurred related costs of approximately $40,000 as a result of the
judgment. The Company recorded a reserve for the entire $240,000 at December 31, 2004 and has
appealed the ruling. The failure to sell Alura in South Korea is not anticipated to have a material
adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations, cash flow or business prospects
of LXK.
On or around March 31, 2004, Lexxus U.S. received a letter from John Loghry, a former Lexxus
distributor, alleging that Lexxus U.S. had wrongfully terminated an alleged oral distributorship
agreement with Mr. Loghry and that the Company had breached an alleged oral agreement to issue
shares of the Companys common stock to Mr. Loghry. On May 13, 2004, Lexxus U.S. and the Company
filed an action against Mr. Loghry in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
Texas seeking, inter alia, unspecified damages from Mr. Loghry for disparagement and a declaration
that Mr. Loghry was not wrongfully terminated and is not entitled to recover anything from Lexxus
U.S. or the Company. Mr. Loghry filed counterclaims against the Company and Lexxus U.S.
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asserting his previously threatened claims. In September 2004, Mr. Loghry filed third party
claims against certain officers of the Company and Lexxus U.S., including against Terry LaCore,
former Chief Executive Officer of Lexxus U.S. and former director of the Company, and Mark
Woodburn, former President and director of the Company, for fraud, Messrs. LaCore, Woodburn, and a
certain Lexxus distributor for conspiracy to commit fraud and tortuous interference with contract.
In February 2005, the court dismissed all of Mr. Loghrys claims against the individual defendants,
except the claims for fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud. Mr.Loghry then filed amended
counterclaims and, on June 2, 2005, the Company and the other counterclaim defendants moved to
dismiss the counterclaims on the grounds that the claims were barred by Mr. Loghrys failure to
disclose their existence when he filed for personal bankruptcy in September 2002. On June 30, 2005,
the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska granted Mr. Loghrys request to reopen his
bankruptcy case. On September 6, 2005, the United States Trustee filed an action in the U.S.
District Court for the District of Nebraska against the Company; Lexxus U.S.; Messrs. LaCore and
Woodburn; Curtis Broome, President of Greater China and Southeast Asia; and a certain independent
distributor of Lexxus U.S., essentially alleging the same claims asserted by Loghry in the Northern
District of Texas. On February 21, 2006, this case was transferred to the United States District
Court for the Northern District of Texas. The Company denies the allegations by Loghry and the
United States Trustee and intends to vigorously contest their claims. An unfavorable judgment
could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company.
On November 1, 2004, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (d/b/a Toyota Motor Corporation) and
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (the Toyota Entities) filed a complaint against the Company and Lexxus
U.S. in United States District Court for the Central District of California (CV04-9028). The
complaint alleged trademark and service mark dilution, unfair competition, trademark and service
mark infringement, and trade name infringement, each with respect to Toyotas Lexus trademark. The
Company reached a settlement agreement, dated August 31, 2005, under which the Toyota Entities
agreed to terminate their claims against the Company, and the Company agreed to discontinue use of
the Lexxus name and mark and change the name of its Lexxus operations and domain names by June 1,
2006, and sell or otherwise dispose of all product inventory marked with the name Lexxus by
December 1, 2006. This could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of
operations, cash flow or business prospects of the Company.
On November 12, 2004, Dorothy Porter filed a complaint against the Company in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois alleging that she sustained a brain
hemorrhage after taking Formula One, an ephedra-containing product marketed by Kaire Nutraceutical
Inc., a former subsidiary of the Company, and, thereafter, eKaire.com, Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company. Ms. Porter has sued the Company for strict liability, breach of warranty
and negligence. The Company intends to defend this case vigorously and on December 27, 2004 filed
an answer denying the allegations contained in the complaint. On March 7, 2005, a Notice of
Tag-Along Action was filed by Ms. Porter with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. The
case was subsequently transferred for pre-trial purposes to the consolidated Ephedra Products
Liability proceedings in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. If
the case proceeds to a jury trial, the matter will be transferred back to the Southern District of
Illinois and tried in that District. Full discovery between the parties is set to begin in this
action Spring 2006. The Company does not believe that the plaintiff can demonstrate that its
products caused the alleged injury and intends to vigorously defend this action.
On January 13, 2005, Natures Sunshine Products, Inc. and Natures Sunshine Products de Mexico
S.A. de C.V. (collectively Natures Sunshine) filed suit against the Company in the Fourth
Judicial District Court, Utah County, State of Utah, seeking injunctive relief and unspecified
damages against the Company, Lexxus U.S., the Companys Mexican subsidiary, and the Companys
Mexico management team, Oscar de la Mora Romo and Jose Villarreal Patino, alleging among other
things that the Companys employment of Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal violated or could lead to
the violation of certain non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements allegedly in
effect between Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal and Natures Sunshine. After the Company removed
the case to federal court, Natures Sunshine voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit and filed a new
lawsuit in the Fourth Judicial District Court in Utah County, Utah. After a hearing on August 22,
2005, the district court preliminarily enjoined Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal from disclosing
any confidential information of Natures Sunshine or soliciting any employee or distributor of
Natures Sunshine or inducing them to terminate their relationship with Natures Sunshine. The
court refused, however, to enjoin Messrs. De la Mora or Villarreal from competing with Natures
Sunshine. Natures Sunshine subsequently filed a petition for interlocutory review with the Utah
Supreme Court. The Supreme Court delegated the petition to the Utah Court of Appeals, which denied
the petition. On April 6, 2006, a mutual agreement was entered
into with Messrs. De la Mora and Villareal terminating their
employment between them and affiliates of the Company. If the Company or Messrs. De la Mora and Villarreal are nevertheless unsuccessful in
defending this action, the Company may be required to pay any damages and attorneys
fees that may be assessed against it.
On or about March 1, 2006, the Company hired Peter Dale, a former executive with the Natures
Sunshine subsidiary doing business in Japan, Natures Sunshine Japan Co., Ltd. (NSJ), to serve as
an executive vice president with responsibilities in Asia. NSJ alleges that Mr. Dale has signed an
agreement containing covenants of non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality, and that
it believes Mr. Dales employment with the Company would violate the non-competition covenant. No
lawsuit has been filed at
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this point. If Natures Sunshine files suit, the Company and Mr. Dale will vigorously defend
against the enforcement of the non-competition covenant. However, if Natures Sunshine were to
prevail in such a lawsuit, Mr. Dale could be enjoined from working for the Company until February
15, 2007 which could have a material adverse effect on the Companys business in Japan.
Currently, there is no other significant litigation pending against the Company other than as
disclosed in the paragraphs above. From time to time, the Company may become a party to litigation
and subject to claims incident to the ordinary course of the Companys business. Although the
results of such litigation and claims in the ordinary course of business cannot be predicted with
certainty, the Company believes that the final outcome of such matters will not have a material
adverse effect on the Companys business, results of operations or financial condition. Regardless
of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on the Company because of defense costs,
diversion of management resources and other factors.
Other Matters
In 2003, 2004 and 2005, approximately 49%, 56% and 62% of our revenue, respectively, was
generated in Hong Kong. Most of the Companys Hong Kong revenues are derived from the sale of
products that are delivered to members in China. After consulting with outside professionals, the
Company believes that our Hong Kong e-commerce business does not violate any applicable law in
China even though it is used for the e-purchase of our products by buyers in China. But the
government in China could, in the future, officially interpret its laws and regulations or adopt
new laws and regulations to prohibit some or all of our e-commerce activities with China and, if
our members engage in illegal activities in China, those actions could be attributable to us.
On April 12, 2004, an investigative television program was aired in China with respect to the
operations of the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary and the representative office located in Beijing.
Among other things, the television program alleged that our Hong Kong operations engaged in
fraudulent activities and sold products without proper permits. In response, the Company sent
Curtis Broome to China to investigate and manage what was happening in China. Prior to that time,
the Company did not have any management personnel in China. Among other things, Mr. Broome
determined that the Company should be proactive in demonstrating that alleged illegal acts of
individual members were not the acts of the Company itself and that the Company intended to invest
in China for the long-term. Accordingly, the Company took the following steps:
| The Company set up a school in Macau to train members about the applicable Chinese legal requirements and the need for distributors to accurately and fairly describe business opportunities available to potential members. The schools were operated from May 2004 to November 2005. | ||
| The Company suspended shipment of product to certain members until they had completed the required training. | ||
| The Company extended its existing 14-day return policy in Hong Kong to 180 days to allow distributors and customers who purchased products during the two-week period prior to, and the two-week period after, the airing of the television program to return purchased merchandise for a full refund. | ||
| The Company began posting announcements on its Hong Kong website to the effect that the resale of its products in China without the appropriate license would result in termination of membership. Since then, the Company has terminated at least four members in China for engaging in activities in violation of Chinese law. | ||
| In June 2004 the Company completed formation of its Chinese subsidiary (Lexxus China}, and by the end of 2005 had invested $12.0 million as capital in that entity. | ||
| Lexxus China is working to file an application for a direct selling license under proposed legislation. | ||
| Lexxus China has leased space in Zhuhai, purchased equipment and finished out a manufacturing plant. Although Lexxus China now has a license to manufacture and employee personnel at the plant, it does not yet have a license to sell any product manufactured there and will not begin manufacturing operations until it has obtained that license. | ||
| On November 1, 2005, Lexxus China obtained its general cosmetic manufacturing permit and has begun trial production testing. |
There have been other isolated cases of misconduct by our members in China. For example, four
of our members were detained in Dongguan for questioning in October 2005, with regard to possible
violation of Chinese law regarding the maximum number of people who can attend a meeting as well as
possible improper network marketing business activity. Charges were never filed and all individuals
were released. In April, 2006, a media report indicated that someone was detained by
Public Security in Changsha for investigation of similar allegations. The Company has not been able
to determine if the individual in question is, in fact, a member and whether or not any laws were
actually broken. Initial inquiries made by retained Chinese counsel indicate that no one is still
being detained or has been charged.
We make efforts to be informed of and in compliance with applicable laws in China, and we have
not received any official notice that we are or may be acting improperly or illegally, and we
continue our efforts to maintain regular contact with officials in all levels of government. In
September 2005, a 12-person delegation from the Zhuhai government made a point of visiting our
offices in Dallas, Texas as part of an economic development tour to the United States.
The Company is unable to predict whether it will be successful in obtaining a direct selling
license to operate in China, and if it is successful, when it will be permitted to commence direct
selling operations there. Further, even if the Company is successful in obtaining a direct selling
license to do business in China, it is uncertain as to whether the Company will generate profits
from such operations.
Between April and December 2005, the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary engaged a service provider
to facilitate product importation into China and act, or engage another party to act, as the
importer of record. The individual that owns that service provider is one of the directors of the
Companys wholly- owned Chinese subsidiary. The Company believes that the amount of duty paid to
Chinese Customs on the imported goods by the importer of record was paid at the negotiated rate. However,
there can be no assurance that Chinese Customs will not elect, in the future, to examine the duty paid, and if they conduct such
examination, they may conclude that the valuation established was insufficient, resulting in an
underpayment of duties. As a consequence, the importer of record could be required to pay
additional duties and possible penalties to Chinese Customs. Additional duties could range between
zero and $46.0 million, plus penalties. The extreme worst case was calculated using the highest possible assessment to
the highest possible declared value and assuming that negotiated valuation practices do not apply.
The Company believes that any such future assessment of additional duties or penalties would be
made against and become the responsibility of the importer of record. There can be no assurance
that the Company or its subsidiaries would not also be assessed with such liability in the event
that the importer of record is unable to pay all or part of such amount.
On April 18, 2006, the Company received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market stating that the
Company is not in compliance with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(14), which obligates listed issuers to
timely file those reports and other documents required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. On April 25, 2006, the Company requested a hearing
with the NASDAQ Hearings Panel concerning the Companys failure
to file its Form 10-K in a timely fashion. The Company received
a hearing date of June 1, 2006 from NASDAQ. The Company has been advised that its shares of common stock will not be delisted prior to the date of the hearing.
10. MEZZANINE COMMON STOCK
The shareholders agreement entered into upon the merger with MarketVision contained a one
time put right related to 240,000 shares issued to the former stockholders of MarketVision (other
than Mr. LaCore). The put right required the Company, during the six month period commencing
following the earlier of (i) the first anniversary of the closing date, or (ii) the date on which
the shares are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission for resale to the public, to
repurchase all or part of such shares still owned by the stockholders for $4.00 per share less any
amount previously received by such stockholders from the sale of their shares. As the put right
expired unexercised on September 30, 2005, the Company reclassified the put right obligation of
$960,000 to additional paid-in capital.
11. STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
Authorized Shares
The Company is authorized to issue two classes of capital stock consisting of up to 5,000,000
shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value, and 50,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par
value.
Stock Split
The Company effected a 1-for-100 reverse stock split in March 2003 of all outstanding shares
of capital stock and unexercised stock options and warrants. All references to share and per share
data have been adjusted to reflect the stock split.
Private Placement of Units
On October 6, 2004, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (and subscription
agreements with respect to certain Canadian investors) with certain institutional and accredited
investors as well as certain officers and directors of the Company. Pursuant to the purchase and
subscription agreements, the Company sold 1,369,704 units at a price of $12.595 per unit. Each
unit consist of one share of the Companys common stock and one stock purchase warrant exercisable
for one share of the Companys common stock at any time through October 6, 2009 at an exercise
price of $12.47 per share. Proceeds were approximately $16.0 million, net of transaction fees.
Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, the Company has agreed to register the shares
included in the units and the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants for resale. The
registration rights agreement provides for the payment of certain liquidated damages in the event
that delays are experienced in the Securities and Exchange Commissions declaring that registration
statement effective. The Company agrees to use commercially reasonable effort to effect and
maintain the effectiveness of a registration statement. If the registration statement is not
effective 180 days after the closing date, or approximately April 4, 2005, the Company will pay the
buyers approximately $85,000, which also applies in the event that the Company fails to maintain
the effectiveness of the registration statement after its initial effectiveness, subject to certain
exceptions. The Company filed a preliminary registration
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statement with the SEC on April 13, 2005
and paid a total of approximately $85,000 in liquidated damages on April 14, 2005. The
registration statement became effective on April 28, 2005.
Stock Options
The Company maintains the 2002 Stock Option Plan (the Plan) which provides for the granting
of incentive and nonqualified stock options to employees, directors and officers of the Company,
members of the board of directors, or consultants. The terms of any particular grant are
determined by the board of directors or a committee appointed by the board of directors. In 2005,
the Company amended the Plan to increase the maximum number of shares available to be issued to
1,550,000 shares. As of December 31, 2005, the Company had granted options to purchase 592,124
shares of common stock under the Plan. As of December 31, 2005, 957,876 shares remained available
to be granted under the Plan.
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | Weighted | Weighted | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Average | Average | Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise | Exercise | Exercise | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Price | Shares | Price | Shares | Price | |||||||||||||||||||
Outstanding, beginning of year |
1,321,500 | $ | 1.05 | 1,331,500 | $ | 1.06 | 1,674,124 | $ | 4.42 | |||||||||||||||
Granted |
10,000 | 1.80 | 344,124 | 17.44 | 248,000 | 10.21 | ||||||||||||||||||
Exercised |
| | (1,500 | ) | 1.10 | | | |||||||||||||||||
Outstanding, end of year |
1,331,500 | 1.06 | 1,674,124 | 4.42 | 1,922,124 | 5.17 | ||||||||||||||||||
Exercisable at end of year |
1,291,504 | $ | 1.03 | 1,640,000 | $ | 4.28 | 1,698,322 | $ | 4.49 |
The following table summarizes information about options outstanding and exercisable at
December 31, 2005:
Options Outstanding | Options Exercisable | |||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weighted | Average | Weighted | ||||||||||||||||||
Average | Remaining | Average | ||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Exercise | Contractual | Shares | Exercise | ||||||||||||||||
Range of Exercise Prices | Outstanding | Price | Life | Exercisable | Price | |||||||||||||||
$1.00 to $1.80 |
1,330,000 | $ | 1.06 | 6.2 years | 1,330,000 | $ | 1.06 | |||||||||||||
$11.40 to $18.11 |
592,124 | 14.41 | 5.3 years | 368,322 | 16.90 | |||||||||||||||
$1.00 to $18.11 |
1,922,124 | 5.17 | 5.9 years | 1,698,322 | 4.49 | |||||||||||||||
Common Stock Purchase Warrants
On June 23, 2004, warrants to purchase 2,000 shares of common stock were exercised at an
exercise of $5.00 per share.
On March 31, 2005, a warrant to purchase 1,419 shares of common stock, with an exercise price
of $141.00, expired without being exercised.
In May 2005, a warrant to purchase 51,600 shares of common stock was exercised for proceeds of
approximately $643,500. In July 2005, warrants to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock were
exercised for proceeds of approximately $311,800. In August 2005, warrants to purchase 93,600
shares of common stock were exercised for proceeds of approximately $1.2 million and in September
warrants to purchase 119,000 were exercised for proceeds of approximately $1.5 million. At
December 31, 2005, warrants to purchase 1,080,504 shares of common stock were outstanding, all of
which were included as a component of the units sold on October 6, 2004 (see Private Placement of
Units). Such warrants are exercisable for one share of the Companys common stock at any time
through October 6, 2009 at an exercise price of $12.47 per share. The weighted-average remaining
contractual life of outstanding warrants as of December 31, 2005 was 3.8 years.
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Restricted Stock
On October 7, 2004, the Company entered into employment agreements with two members of its
Mexican management team whereby each member was entitled to receive a bonus payable in restricted
shares of the Companys common stock based upon the Mexican subsidiary achieving certain (1) net
sales and (2) net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (collectively
EBITDA). The maximum aggregate amount payable in restricted shares was $14.5 million, assuming
net sales of $300 million and EBITDA of $30 million. The shares were to be issued by no later than
April 15 in the year following satisfaction of both targets. These employment agreements were
terminated in April 2005, and thus the right to receive restricted share bonuses was forfeited.
Income Per Share
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data) | ||||||||||||
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders |
$ | 4,727 | $ | 1,241 | $ | (5,502 | ) | |||||
Basic weighted-average number of shares outstanding |
4,609 | 5,580 | 6,934 | |||||||||
Effect of dilutive stock options and warrants |
1,079 | 1,242 | | |||||||||
Diluted weighted-average number of shares outstanding |
5,688 | 6,822 | 6,934 | |||||||||
Income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||
Basic |
$ | 1.03 | $ | 0.22 | $ | (0.79 | ) | |||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.83 | $ | 0.18 | $ | (0.79 | ) |
Options and warrants to purchase 310,000 and 1,371,123 shares of common stock, respectively,
were outstanding during 2004 but were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share
because the exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the common shares.
Options and warrants to purchase 1,922,124 and 1,081,923 shares of common stock, respectively,
were outstanding during 2005 but were not included in the computation of diluted income per share
because of the net loss reported for 2005. The options, which fully expire on June 23, 2014, were
still outstanding at the end of 2005. Warrants to purchase 1,080,504 shares of common stock
remained outstanding at the end of 2005 and fully expire on October 6, 2009.
12. INCOME TAXES
The components of income (loss) before income taxes consist of the following (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Domestic |
$ | 4,482 | $ | (2,108 | ) | $ | (8,637 | ) | ||||
Foreign |
1,092 | 4,468 | 4,673 | |||||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes |
$ | 5,574 | $ | 2,360 | $ | (3,964 | ) | |||||
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The components of the provision for income taxes consist of the following (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Current taxes: |
||||||||||||
Federal |
$ | 256 | $ | 248 | $ | 103 | ||||||
State |
40 | 171 | 168 | |||||||||
Foreign |
564 | 759 | 801 | |||||||||
860 | 1,178 | 1,072 | ||||||||||
Deferred taxes |
| (515 | ) | 515 | ||||||||
Provision for income taxes |
$ | 860 | $ | 663 | $ | 1,587 | ||||||
A reconciliation of the reported provision for income taxes to the amount that would result
from applying the domestic federal statutory tax rate to pretax income is as follows (in
thousands):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Income tax at federal statutory rate |
$ | 1,895 | $ | 802 | $ | (1,348 | ) | |||||
Effect of permanent differences |
37 | 709 | 3,054 | |||||||||
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance |
(1,066 | ) | (602 | ) | 497 | |||||||
Foreign rate differential |
(32 | ) | (471 | ) | (787 | ) | ||||||
State income taxes, net of federal benefit |
26 | 113 | 111 | |||||||||
Other reconciling items |
| 112 | 60 | |||||||||
Income tax provision |
$ | 860 | $ | 663 | $ | 1,587 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | ||||||||
2004 | 2005 | |||||||
Deferred tax assets: |
||||||||
Net operating losses |
$ | 3,144 | $ | 2,051 | ||||
Stock-based compensation |
488 | 488 | ||||||
Accrued expenses |
255 | 468 | ||||||
Tax credits |
80 | 183 | ||||||
Deferred revenue |
| 133 | ||||||
Provision for KGC receivable |
| 938 | ||||||
Other |
12 | 12 | ||||||
Total deferred tax assets |
3,979 | 4,273 | ||||||
Valuation allowance |
(1,492 | ) | (2,652 | ) | ||||
2,487 | 1,621 | |||||||
Deferred tax liabilities: |
||||||||
Intangible assets |
(1,861 | ) | (1,540 | ) | ||||
Depreciation |
(34 | ) | (17 | ) | ||||
Prepaids |
(50 | ) | (64 | ) | ||||
Other |
(27 | ) | | |||||
Total deferred tax liabilities |
(1,972 | ) | (1,621 | ) | ||||
Deferred tax assets, net |
$ | 515 | $ | | ||||
As of December 31, 2004, the current portion of the net deferred tax assets totaling $81,000
is presented in other current assets.
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A valuation allowance was established for approximately $1,492,000 of the net deferred tax
assets at December 31, 2004, as the Company was unable to determine that the more likely than not
criteria had been met. During 2005, the Company adjusted the valuation allowance for approximately
$663,000 of net operating losses generated in the December 31, 2004 tax period. The Company
increased the valuation allowance to equal its net deferred tax assets at December 31, 2005, due to
the uncertainty of future operating results. The valuation allowance will be reduced at such time
as management believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized.
Any reductions in the valuation allowance will reduce future income tax provisions.
At December 31, 2005, the Company has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $6.0
million that begin to expire in 2020, if not utilized. A portion of the net operating loss
carryforward is subject to an annual limitation as defined by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue
Code. The Company has not provided for U.S. federal and foreign withholding taxes on the
undistributed earnings of its foreign subsidiaries as of December 31, 2005. Such earnings are
intended to be reinvested indefinitely.
13. SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
(In Thousands) | ||||||||||||
Cash paid during the year for: |
||||||||||||
Income taxes |
$ | 42 | $ | 552 | $ | 1,436 | ||||||
Interest |
50 | 86 | 22 | |||||||||
Non-cash investing and financing activities: |
||||||||||||
Receivable from KGC |
| | 3,100 | |||||||||
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock |
16 | | | |||||||||
Preferred stock dividends |
1 | | | |||||||||
Common stock issued for acquisitions |
433 | 15,665 | | |||||||||
Debt issued for acquisitions |
| 3,203 | | |||||||||
Common stock issued for services |
53 | | |
14. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In August 2001, the Company entered into a written lease agreement and an oral management
agreement with S&B Business Services, an affiliate of Brad LaCore, the brother of Terry LaCore,
former Chief Executive Officer of Lexxus U.S. and former director of the Company, and Sherry
LaCore, Brad LaCores spouse. Under the terms of the two agreements, S&B Business Services provides
warehouse facilities and certain equipment, manages and ships inventory, provides independent
distributor support services and disburses payments to independent distributors. In exchange for
these services, the Company pays $18,000 annually for leasing the warehouse, $3,600 annually for
the lease of warehouse equipment and $120,000 annually for the management services provided, plus
an annual average of approximately $12,000 for business related services. The Company paid S&B
Business Services approximately $150,000, $160,000 and $158,000 during 2003, 2004 and 2005,
respectively. As of December 31, 2005, the Company owed approximately $1,400 to S&B Business
Services.
The payment disbursement function was transferred to the Companys Dallas head office during
the third quarter of 2005. In January 2006, the Company hired Sherry LaCore as an employee and
simultaneously terminated the oral management agreement.
Additionally, the Company closed the warehouse facility by the end of
March 2006 and terminated the related lease agreement.
In September 2001, the Company entered into an oral consulting agreement with William
Woodburn, the father of Mark Woodburn, former President and director of the Company, pursuant to
which William Woodburn provided the Company with management advice and other advisory assistance.
In exchange for such services, the Company starting June 8, 2001 paid to Ohio Valley Welding, Inc.,
an affiliate of William Woodburn, $6,250 on a bi-weekly basis. The Company paid $168,750 and
$118,750 during 2003 and 2004, respectively, to Ohio Valley Welding, Inc. The consulting agreement
between the Company and William Woodburn was terminated as of September 30, 2004.
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The Companys former controller is married to Mark Woodburn, former President and director of
the Company. Her employment with the Company ended in August 2004. The Company paid her
approximately $100,000 in each of the years 2003 and 2004.
On March 31, 2004, the Company entered into a merger agreement with MarketVision, pursuant to
which the Company acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of
MarketVision (see Note 6). As a
founding stockholder of MarketVision, Terry LaCore, former Chief Executive Officer of Lexxus U.S.
and former director of the Company, received 450,000 shares of the Companys common stock and was
entitled to receive approximately $840,000 plus interest from promissory notes issued by the
Company. As of December 31, 2005, no amounts remained outstanding to Mr. LaCore.
On October 6, 2004, certain members of the Companys board of directors and certain of the
Companys officers invested approximately $25,000 and purchased 1,984 units upon the same terms and
conditions as the other buyers in the private placement (see Note 11).
A director of the Companys China subsidiary is the sole director of Access Intl (Zhuhai Ftz)
Warehousing & Trading Co. Ltd. and its group (collectively, Access), a transportation and
logistics company, and the owner of Info Development Ltd. (Info), an import services company,
both of which provided services to the Companys Hong Kong subsidiary. Payments totaling
approximately $5.2 million and $0.2 million were paid to Access and Info during 2005, respectively.
At December 31, 2005, approximately $3,300 was due to Access.
On November 10, 2005, an independent investigator retained by the Companys Audit Committee
learned that an entity controlled by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore received payments from an
independent distributor of the Companys products during 2001 through August 2005. The Company
believes that Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore received from such independent distributor a total of
approximately $1.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively. The Company believes that the fees paid
by the Company to such independent distributor were not in excess of the amounts due under the
Companys regular distributor compensation plan.
Approximately $2.4 million of the funds paid by the independent distributor to Messrs.
Woodburn and LaCore were paid at the direction of Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore to an entity that is
partially owned by Mr. Woodburns father and Randall A. Mason, a member of the Companys Board of
Directors and former Chairman of the Companys Audit Committee. The funds were subsequently paid to
an entity controlled by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore at their direction. After investigation by the
Audit Committee, the Board of Directors of the Company concluded that Mr. Mason was unaware that
these payments were directed by Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore to an entity partially owned by him
until uncovered by the Audits Committees independent investigator on November 10, 2005, and that
Mr. Mason was not involved in any misconduct and received no pecuniary benefit from the payments
made by the independent distributor. However, since payments were directed into an entity that is
partially owned by Mr. Mason, he could no longer be considered independent in accordance with the
rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market and under the federal securities laws. Therefore, effective
November 11, 2005, Mr. Mason resigned as Chairman and a member of the Companys Audit Committee.
Mr. Mason remained as a director.
On November 14, 2005, in light of the information learned by the Companys Audit Committee on
November 10, 2005, the Company terminated the employment of each of Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore. No
severance has been paid by the Company to Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore and the Audit Committee is
investigating claims or actions that the Company may bring against them.
In addition, a loan made by the Company under the direction of Mr. Woodburn in the aggregate
principal amount of $256,000 in February 2004 was previously recorded as a loan to a third party.
On November 10, 2005, the Audit Committee investigator learned that the Company actually loaned the
funds to an entity owned and controlled by the parents of Mr. Woodburn. The loan was repaid in
full, partially by an entity controlled by a third party and partially by an entity controlled by
Mr. Woodburn in December 2004.
On March 23, 2006, an independent investigator retained by the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors confirmed that affiliates of immediate family members of Mr. Woodburn have owned since
1998, and continue to own, equity interests in Aloe Commodities (Aloe), the largest manufacturer
of the Company and the supplier of the Skindulgence® Line and LaVie products, representing
approximately 5% of the outstanding shares of Aloe. The Audit Committee is continuing to
investigate to determine whether any financial or other benefits were paid to Mr. Woodburn, his
immediate family members or their respective affiliates. The Company has paid Aloe and certain of
its affiliates approximately $2.6 million, $9.9 million, and $8.6 million during 2003, 2004 and
2005, respectively.
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15. SEGMENT INFORMATION
The Company operates in one reportable operating segment by selling products to a distributor
network that operates in a seamless manner from market to market. The Companys net sales and
long-lived assets by market are as follows (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Net sales to external customers: |
||||||||||||
North America |
$ | 10,668 | $ | 16,914 | $ | 16,528 | ||||||
Hong Kong |
30,763 | 74,293 | 120,968 | |||||||||
Taiwan |
3,097 | 3,261 | 3,722 | |||||||||
Southeast Asia |
1,570 | 1,786 | 6,438 | |||||||||
Russia and Eastern Europe 1 |
13,157 | 30,248 | 34,258 | |||||||||
South Korea |
2,492 | 5,524 | 8,495 | |||||||||
Australia/New Zealand |
654 | 1,158 | 1,886 | |||||||||
Japan |
| | 1,659 | |||||||||
Latin America |
| | 518 | |||||||||
Other |
175 | 41 | | |||||||||
Total net sales |
$ | 62,576 | $ | 133,225 | $ | 194,472 | ||||||
December 31, | ||||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Long-lived assets: |
||||||||||||
North America |
$ | 1,203 | $ | 20,124 | $ | 19,504 | ||||||
Hong Kong |
217 | 247 | 554 | |||||||||
Taiwan |
271 | 117 | 179 | |||||||||
Southeast Asia |
202 | 133 | 47 | |||||||||
China |
| | 3,265 | |||||||||
South Korea |
389 | 398 | 323 | |||||||||
Australia/New Zealand |
46 | 35 | 33 | |||||||||
Japan |
| | 834 | |||||||||
Latin America |
| | 573 | |||||||||
Other |
51 | 36 | 5 | |||||||||
Total long-lived assets |
$ | 2,379 | $ | 21,090 | $ | 25,317 | ||||||
Due to system constraints, it is impracticable for the Company to separately disclose product
and enrollment package revenue for the years presented.
16. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On February 10, 2006, the Company entered into an Escrow Agreement (the Agreement) with
Messrs. Woodburn and LaCore, the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership, an affiliate of Woodburn and
LaCore, and Krage and Janvey LLP, as escrow agent (the Agent). Pursuant to the Agreement, (i)
the Company agreed to issue and deposit with the Agent stock certificates in the name of the Agent
representing an aggregate of 1,081,066 shares of the Companys common stock (the Escrowed Shares)
and (ii) Woodburn and LaCore deposited with the Agent $1,206,000 in immediately available funds
(the Cash Deposit). The Escrowed Shares are the shares of common stock issuable upon the
cashless exercise of options issued in 2001 and 2002 to LaCore and the LaCore and Woodburn
Partnership for 1,200,000 shares of common stock exercisable at $1.00 and $1.10 per share. The
number of Escrow Shares is based upon the closing price of the Companys common stock on February
9, 2006 of $10.14 and the surrender of 118,934 option shares as payment of the aggregate exercise
price of $1,206,000.
1 | The Company will no longer consolidate the operating results of KGC for periods ending after December 31, 2005 as it sold its 51% interest in KGC to Bannks Foundation effective December 31, 2005. |
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The Escrowed Shares were issued pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, to the Agent upon receipt from the Agent of an irrevocable proxy (the Proxy) to the
Company to vote the Escrowed Shares on all matters presented at meetings of stockholders or any
written consent executed in lieu thereof. The parties have agreed that the Agent will hold the
Escrowed Shares and the Cash Deposit until it receives (i) joint written instructions from the
Company, Woodburn and LaCore, or (ii) a final non-appealable order from a court of competent
jurisdiction. Each of the Company and Woodburn and LaCore has further agreed that all current and
future rights, claims, defenses and causes of actions they have or may have against each other are
preserved.
Effective
October 3, 2005, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed
Robert H. Hesse, a member of the Companys Board of
Directors since July 2004, as the Companys Interim Chief
Executive Officer. On March 10, 2006, the Company and Mr. Hesse
entered into a letter agreement dated March 1, 2006, pursuant to
which Mr. Hesse agreed to continue acting as the interim chief
executive officer of the Company. In addition to continuing his base
pay of $2,000 per day, the Company agreed to pay Mr. Hesse a
retention bonus equal to $300,000, of which $150,000 was due and
payable upon executing the letter agreement and $150,000 is due
within five days after satisfactory completion of Mr. Hesses term as
Interim Chief Executive Officer, which was scheduled to conclude when
the new chief executive officer commenced his or her employment with
the Company. On March 28, 2006, the Board of Directors and Mr.
Hesse mutually agreed that Mr. Hesse had completed his assignment as
the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective
immediately. On
May 5, 2006, the Company paid $150,000 to Mr. Hesse as
provided in the above letter agreement. Mr. Hesse has
released the Company from all other obligations under that letter
agreement and, effective May 5, 2006, resigned from the
Companys Board of Directors.
On April 18, 2006, the
Company received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market stating that the
Company is not in compliance with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(14), which obligates listed issuers to
timely file those reports and other documents required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. On April 25, 2006, the Company requested a hearing
with the NASDAQ Hearings Panel concerning the Companys failure to
file its Form 10-K in a timely fashion. The Company received a
hearing date of June 1, 2006 from NASDAQ. The Company has been
advised that its shares of common stock will not be delisted prior to
the date of the hearing.
17. QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
Quarter Ended | ||||||||||||||||
March 31 | June 30 | September 30 | December 31 | |||||||||||||
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data) | ||||||||||||||||
Fiscal 2004: |
||||||||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 38,745 | $ | 17,686 | $ | 40,482 | $ | 36,312 | ||||||||
Gross profit |
30,491 | 12,823 | 31,612 | 28,978 | ||||||||||||
Distributor commissions |
19,745 | 12,578 | 17,422 | 18,834 | ||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
5,968 | 8,194 | 8,288 | 10,652 | ||||||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
4,778 | (7,949 | ) | 5,902 | (508 | ) | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
3,761 | (6,746 | ) | 5,028 | (802 | ) | ||||||||||
Income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||||||
Basic |
$ | 0.81 | $ | (1.24 | ) | $ | 0.92 | $ | (0.12 | ) | ||||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.64 | $ | (1.24 | ) | $ | 0.75 | $ | (0.12 | ) | ||||||
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: |
||||||||||||||||
Basic |
4,667 | 5,447 | 5,450 | 6,745 | ||||||||||||
Diluted |
5,909 | 5,447 | 6,692 | 6,745 |
Quarter Ended | ||||||||||||||||
March 31 | June 30 | September 30 | December 31 | |||||||||||||
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data) | ||||||||||||||||
Fiscal 2005: |
||||||||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 42,759 | $ | 49,959 | $ | 58,071 | $ | 43,683 | ||||||||
Gross profit |
34,593 | 37,519 | 45,087 | 32,527 | ||||||||||||
Distributor commissions |
21,273 | 27,599 | 29,087 | 23,062 | ||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
9,246 | 12,308 | 15,108 | 12,338 | ||||||||||||
Provision for KGC receivable |
| | | 2,759 | ||||||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
4,074 | (2,388 | ) | 892 | (5,632 | ) | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
2,795 | (2,159 | ) | 119 | (6,257 | ) | ||||||||||
Income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||||||
Basic |
$ | 0.41 | $ | (0.32 | ) | $ | 0.02 | $ | (0.88 | ) | ||||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.34 | $ | (0.32 | ) | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.88 | ) | ||||||
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: |
||||||||||||||||
Basic |
6,820 | 6,853 | 6,951 | 7,109 | ||||||||||||
Diluted |
8,254 | 6,853 | 8,418 | 7,109 |
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Item 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over
financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP). Internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures
that:
| pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; | ||
| provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and | ||
| provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. |
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent
or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are
subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that
the degree of compliance with existing policies or procedures may deteriorate.
The Company carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of
management, including the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), pursuant to Rule 13a-15 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), of the effectiveness of our disclosure
controls and procedures at December 31, 2005. In making this evaluation, the CFO considered, among
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other matters, the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that
we or our external auditor, BDO Seidman, LLP, have identified. A material weakness is a control
deficiency, or combination of control deficiencies, that results in more than a remote likelihood
that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or
detected. The following material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2005 are listed below:
| We did not maintain an effective control environment because (1) we lack an effective anti-fraud program to detect and prevent fraud, for example, relating to the previous top two executive officers of the Company, Mark Woodburn and Terry LaCore, in terms of (i) conflicts of interests related to executive officers, especially their financial dealings with independent distributors and other vendors, and (ii) proper supervision of the executives conduct separating their executive duties from personal financial interests outside the Company, (2) we failed to perform background checks consistently on personnel being placed into positions of responsibility, (3) an adequate tone was not set from the top as control measures in place were ignored by the previous top two executives and the importance of controls was not properly emphasized and communicated throughout the Company and (4) we did not effectively address the control deficiencies noted in the fiscal year 2004 audit; | ||
| We did not maintain effective monitoring controls over financial reporting because (1) our policies regarding review, supervision and monitoring of our accounting operations throughout the Company were not fully designed, in place, or operating effectively and (2) we do not have an internal audit function; | ||
| We did not maintain effective control over period-end financial close and reporting because (1) we lacked sufficient complement of personnel with an appropriate level of accounting knowledge, experience and training in the application of GAAP commensurate with our financial reporting requirements to prepare, review and approve account reconciliations and supporting schedules, and (2) our legacy accounting systems do not facilitate the appropriate review and approval over the recording of journal entries to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the journal entries recorded; | ||
| We did not maintain effective controls over the disbursement function since we (1) lacked adequate segregation of duties and (2) lacked appropriate review, approval, and supporting documentation; | ||
| We did not maintain effective controls over the payroll function since we (1) lacked adequate segregation of duties and (2) lacked appropriate review, approval, and supporting documentation; | ||
| We did not maintain effective controls over the inventory function since we (1) did not maintain restricted access to the inventory detail schedule used to support the general ledger balances and (2) used the periodic inventory system and performed monthly inventory counts using physical inventory count sheets lacking reviewer documentation; | ||
| We lacked documentation with respect to certain related party transactions, subsidiary operations and expense reimbursement procedures. In addition, sufficient policies regarding loans to employees and third parties had not been adopted or implemented, and policies related to independent distributor relationships were inadequate; | ||
| We lacked timely resolution of identified accounting and legal issues, and as a result, did not timely complete period-end financial statements and reporting; and | ||
| We do not have all material contracts in writing and approved by all parties. |
Each of the control deficiencies described above could result in a misstatement of the
aforementioned accounts or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement to the annual
or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected. Management
has determined that each of the control deficiencies constitutes a material weakness.
Based on this evaluation, the CFO has concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures at
December 31, 2005 were not effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to
be disclosed in the reports we file and submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported as and when required.
In light of this conclusion and as part of the preparation of this report, we have applied
compensating procedures and processes as necessary to ensure the reliability of our financial
reporting. Accordingly, management believes, based on its knowledge, that (1) this report does not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements made not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report, and (2) the
financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in
all material respects our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows as of December,
31, 2005 and for the period then ended.
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Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
During the three months ended December 31, 2005, the Company made changes to improve its
internal control over financial reporting with respect to the audit committee investigations by
implementing changes to its senior management team including the dismissal of Mark Woodburn and
Terry LaCore (see Item 1. Recent Developments). There were no additional changes in our
internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period that have materially
affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
In light of the noted material weaknesses, we have instituted, and will continue to institute,
control improvements that we believe will reduce the likelihood of similar errors:
| We plan to devote more resources to developing an anti-fraud program to detect and prevent fraud. The program may include the hiring of outside or in-house counsel to be dedicated to the development and enforcement of compliance programs. Background checks will be performed on personnel being placed into positions of material responsibility. The compliance program also will include a communication project to set the right tone from the top. Additionally, we also plan to put more resources to following up on addressing control deficiencies identified in the previous audits; | ||
| The Company intends to develop additional policies and procedures to further strengthen its reporting, including the areas of revenue recognition, sales and expense cut-off and sales returns. In addition, we plan to evaluate hiring additional resources to perform the internal audit function; | ||
| The Company began implementation of the Oracle E-Business Suite during the fourth quarter of 2005 and commenced use of certain functionality on January 1, 2006 that address certain of the material weaknesses listed above, including the effective control over period-end financial close and reporting and the effective control over certain accounting functions. The Oracle implementation should facilitate the appropriate review and approval over the recording of journal entries to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the journal entries recorded. Additionally, the Company has made changes to its corporate accounting staff, including the hiring or contracting of additional personnel in the U.S. In December 2005, the Company hired a new general counsel to assist in the legal and compliance effort. The new general counsel commenced work in January 2006; | ||
| Additional segregation of duties and appropriate review, approval, and supporting documentation were installed in 2006 to maintain effective controls over the disbursement function. We are developing policies for proper documentation, review and approval related to related party transactions, subsidiary operations, distributor compensation adjustments, employee loans, expense reimbursements, and distributor relationships; | ||
| Additional segregation of duties and appropriate review, approval, and supporting documentation have been implemented since 2005 year end to maintain effective controls over the payroll function; | ||
| With the implementation of the Oracle e-Business Suites financial reporting package, we should be able to further restrict access to the inventory detail schedule used to support the general ledger balances. With additional implementation of Oracle applications, we plan to eventually replace the current periodic inventory system, relying on monthly inventory counts using physical inventory count sheets, with a perpetual inventory system. Meanwhile, more procedures will be installed for review of inventory count documentation; | ||
| Additional processes will be instituted to timely resolve identified accounting and legal issues so that period-end financial statements and reporting can be timely completed; and | ||
| Stronger policy enforcement will be pushed down throughout the Company to eliminate executives making verbal agreements ahead of properly approved written contracts. |
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Furthermore, certain of these remediation efforts, primarily associated with our information
technology infrastructure and related controls, will require significant ongoing effort and
investment. Our management, with the oversight of our audit committee, will continue to identify
and take steps to remedy known material weaknesses as expeditiously as possible and enhance the
overall design and capability of our control environment. We intend to further expand our staff,
accounting policy and controls capabilities by attracting additional talent and enhancing training
in such matters. We believe that the foregoing actions have improved and will continue to improve
our internal control over financial reporting, as well as our disclosure controls and procedures.
If the remedial policies and procedures we have implemented, and continue to implement, are
insufficient to address the material weakness or if additional significant deficiencies or other
conditions relating to our internal controls are discovered in the future, we may fail to meet our
future reporting obligations, our financial statements may contain material misstatements and our
operating results may be adversely affected. Any such failure could also adversely affect the
results of the periodic management evaluations and annual auditor attestation reports regarding the
effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, which will be required when the
SECs rules under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 become applicable to us beginning
with the filing of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007. Internal
control deficiencies could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial
information. Although we believe that we have addressed, or will address in the near future, our
material weakness in internal controls, we cannot guarantee that the measures we have taken to date
or any future measures will remediate the material weakness identified or that any additional
material weakness or significant deficiencies will not arise in the future due to a failure to
implement and maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting.
Item 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
Part III
The information required by Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, is incorporated by reference from the
proxy statement to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the end of the fiscal year covered by
this report.
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Part IV
Item 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Documents filed as part of this Form 10-K:
1. | Financial Statements. See index to Consolidated Financial Statements under Item 8 of Part II. | ||
2. | Financial Statement Schedules. Financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not required or are not applicable, or because the required information is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto. | ||
3. | Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed with this Form 10-K: |
Exhibit | ||||
Number | Exhibit Description | Reference | ||
3.1
|
Certificate of Incorporation of Natural Health Trends Corp. | (a) | ||
3.2
|
By-Laws of Natural Health Trends Corp. | (a) | ||
4.1
|
Specimen Certificate for shares of common stock, $.001 par value per share, of Natural Health Trends Corp. | * | ||
4.2
|
Form of Common Stock Purchase Warrant issued in October 2004 Private Placement | (b) | ||
10.1
|
2002 Stock Plan, as amended | (c) | ||
10.2
|
Forms of Notice of Grant of Stock Option Agreement under the Companys 2002 Stock Option Plan. | (h) | ||
10.3
|
Option Agreement dated as of January 18, 2001, granting option for 30,000 shares to Terry LaCore, as amended. | * | ||
10.4
|
Option Agreement dated as of January 18, 2001, granting option for 30,000 shares to the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership, assignee of Benchmark Consulting, as amended. | * | ||
10.5
|
Option Agreement dated as October 14, 2002 granting 570,000 options to the LaCore and Woodburn Partnership, as amended. | * | ||
10.6
|
Option Agreement dated as October 14, 2002 granting 570,000 options to Terry LaCore, as amended. | * | ||
10.7
|
Option Agreement dated as July 24, 2002 granting 60,000 options to Capital Development S.A., an affiliate of Sir Brian Wolfson. | * | ||
10.8
|
Option Agreement dated as July 24, 2002 granting 60,000 options to Randall A. Mason. | * | ||
10.9
|
Distributorship Agreement dated March 1, 2002 between the Company and 40Js. | (d) | ||
10.10
|
Founder Compensation Agreement by and among Lexxus International, Inc., Natural Health Trends Corp., Rodney Sullivan and Pam Sullivan, Michael Bray, and Jeff Provost. | (d) | ||
10.11
|
Amendment No. 1 to Founder Compensation Agreement by and among Lexxus International, Inc., Natural Health Trends Corp., Rodney Sullivan and Pam Sullivan, Michael Bray, and Jeff Provost. | (l) | ||
10.12
|
Database Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 31, 2003, by and among NuEworld.com Commerce, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Lighthouse Marketing Corporation, a Delaware corporation), and the Company. | (l) | ||
10.13
|
KGC Agreement dated March 17, 2004 between the Company and Bannks Foundation. | (l) | ||
10.14
|
Stock Purchase Agreement dated March 29, 2004 between Michael Bray, Jeff Provost, Rodney Sullivan and Pam Sullivan and the Company. | (l) | ||
10.15
|
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 31, 2004, by and among the Company, MergerCo and MarketVision. | (e) | ||
10.16
|
Stockholders Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2004, by and among the Company, John Cavanaugh, Terry LaCore and Jason Landry. | (e) | ||
10.17
|
Employment Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2004, between MarketVision and John Cavanaugh. | (e) | ||
10.18
|
Employment Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2004, between MarketVision and Jason Landry. | (e) | ||
10.19
|
Guaranty of the Employment Agreements dated as of March 31, 2004 executed by Lexxus U.S. | (e) | ||
10.20
|
Software License Agreement dated as of March 31, 2004 among the Company, MergerCo and MarketVision Consulting Group, LLC. | (e) | ||
10.21
|
Employment Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2004, by and between the Company and Chris Sharng. | (b) | ||
10.22
|
Employment Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2004, by and between Lexxus International (Mexico), S.A. and Jose Raul Villarreal Patino | (l) |
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Exhibit | ||||
Number | Exhibit Description | Reference | ||
10.23
|
Employment Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2004, by and between Lexxus International (Mexico), S.A. and Oscar de la Mora | (l) | ||
10.24
|
Amended Employment Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2006, by and between the Company, Natural Health Trends Japan, Inc. and Richard Johnson. | (m) | ||
10.25
|
Securities Purchase Agreement dated October 6, 2004 by and among the Company and the investors signatory thereto. | (f) | ||
10.26
|
Subscription Agreement (Canada) dated October 6, 2004 by and among the Company and the investors signatory thereto. | (f) | ||
10.27
|
Form of Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the investors in the Companys October 2004 private placement. | (b) | ||
10.28
|
Amendment No. 1 to Registration Rights Agreement dated February 23, 2005 between the Company and the investors in the Companys October 2004 private placement. | (l) | ||
10.29
|
Amendment No. 1 to Founder Compensation Agreement by and among Lexxus International, Inc., Natural Health Trends Corp., Rodney Sullivan and Pam Sullivan, Michael Bray, and Jeff Provost. | (l) | ||
10.30
|
Royalty Agreement dated March 1, 2005 by and among Steve Francisco, Dan Catto, and the Company. | (l) | ||
10.31
|
Lease by and between CLP Properties Texas, LLP and Natural Health Trends Corp. dated as of June 18, 2005. | (g) | ||
10.32
|
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated March 23, 2005, between Natural Health Trends Corp., a Florida corporation, and Natural Health Trends Corp., a Delaware corporation. | (a) | ||
10.33
|
Form of Indemnification Agreement dated December 13, 2005, between Natural Health Trends Corp. and each of its directors. | (i) | ||
10.34
|
Stock Purchase Agreement dated December 21, 2005 between Natural Health Trend Corp. and Bannks Foundation. | (j) | ||
10.35
|
Agreement dated December 21, 2005 between Natural Health Trends Corp. and KGC Networks Pte Ltd. | (j) | ||
10.36
|
Escrow Agreement dated February 10, 2006, among Natural Health Trends Corp., Terry L. LaCore, Mark D. Woodburn, LaCore and Woodburn Partnership and Krage and Janvey LLP, as escrow agent. | (k) | ||
10.37
|
Letter agreement dated as of March 1, 2006 between Natural Health Trends Corp. and Robert H. Hesse | (m) | ||
14.1
|
Worldwide Code of Business Conduct. | (l) | ||
14.2
|
Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers. | (l) | ||
21.1
|
Subsidiaries of the Company. | * | ||
31.1
|
Certification of the Interim Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). | * | ||
31.2
|
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Exchange Act. | * | ||
32.1
|
Certification of the Interim Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) of the Exchange Act and 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 Rule 13a-14(b) of the Exchange Act and 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | * |
* | Filed herewith. | |
(a) | Previously filed July 12, 2005, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(b) | Previously filed November 12, 2004, as an Exhibit to the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(c) | Previously filed April 27, 2005, as Appendices to the Companys Definitive Proxy Statement, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(d) | Previously filed on April 1, 2002 as an Exhibit to the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2001, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(e) | Previously filed on April 15, 2004, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. |
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(f) | Previously filed October 12, 2004, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(g) | Previously filed June 24, 2005, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(h) | Previously filed December 1, 2005, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(i) | Previously filed December 13, 2005, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(j) | Previously filed December 28, 2005, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(k) | Previously filed February 16, 2006, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(l) | Previously filed March 31, 2005, as an Exhibit to the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference. | |
(m) | Previously filed March 16, 2006, as an Exhibit to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
NATURAL HEALTH TRENDS CORP. | ||||
Date:
May 8, 2006
|
/s/ Chris T. Sharng | |||
Chris T. Sharng Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, this report has been signed below
by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Chris T. Sharng
|
Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer (Interim Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer) |
May 8, 2006 | ||
/s/ Timothy S. Davidson
|
Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) |
May 8, 2006 | ||
/s/ Randall A. Mason
|
Chairman of the Board and Director | May 8, 2006 | ||
/s/ Sir Brian Wolfson
|
Vice Chairman of the Board and Director | May 8, 2006 | ||
/s/ Anthony B. Martino
|
Director | May 8, 2006 | ||
/s/ Colin J. OBrien
|
Director | May 8, 2006 | ||
/s/ Terrence M. Morris
|
Director | May 8, 2006 |
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