NICHOLAS FINANCIAL INC - Quarter Report: 2011 December (Form 10-Q)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 10-Q

FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED December 31, 2011

Commission file number: 0-26680

NICHOLAS FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(727) 726-0763

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter periods that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act)    Yes  ¨    No  x

As of February 1, 2012, the registrant had 11,980,435 shares of common stock outstanding.

Table of Contents

NICHOLAS FINANCIAL, INC.

FORM 10-Q

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

See accompanying notes.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2011, which has been derived from audited financial statements, and the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Nicholas Financial, Inc. (including its subsidiaries, the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended in Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements, although the Company believes that the disclosures made are adequate to ensure the information is not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending March 31, 2012. It is suggested that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2011 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 14, 2011. The March 31, 2011 condensed consolidated balance sheet included herein has been derived from the March 31, 2011 audited consolidated balance sheet included in the aforementioned Form 10-K.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the determination of the allowance for credit losses on finance receivables, and the net realizable value of assets held for resale.

2. Revenue Recognition

Finance receivables consist of automobile finance installment contracts (“Contracts”) and direct consumer loans (“Direct Loans”). Interest income on finance receivables is recognized using the interest method. Accrual of interest income on finance receivables is suspended when a loan is contractually delinquent for 60 days or more or the collateral is repossessed, whichever is earlier.

The amount of future unearned income is computed as the product of the Contract rate, the Contract term, and the Contract amount.

Deferred revenues consist primarily of commissions received from the sale of ancillary products. These products include automobile warranties, roadside assistance programs, accident and health insurance, credit life insurance and forced placed automobile insurance. These commissions are amortized over the life of the contract using the interest method.

The Company’s net fees charged for processing a loan are recognized as an adjustment to the yield and are amortized over the life of the loan using the interest method.

The Company attributes its entire dealer discount to a reserve for credit losses. A dealer discount represents the difference between the finance receivable, net of unearned interest of a Contract, and the amount of money the Company actually paid for the Contract. After the analysis of purchase date accounting is complete, any uncollectable amounts would be contemplated in estimating the allowance for loan losses.

Sales relate principally to telephone support agreements and the sale of business forms to small businesses located primarily in the Southeastern United States. The aforementioned sales of the Nicholas Data Services, Inc. subsidiary, (“NDS”) represent less than 1% of the Company’s consolidated revenues.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Unaudited)

3. Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the reported net income for the period by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted earnings per share includes the effect of dilutive options and other share awards. Basic and diluted earnings per share have been computed as follows:

For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2011 potential common stock from stock options totaling 55,000 were not included in the diluted earnings per share calculation because their effect is anti-dilutive. For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2010 potential common stock from stock options totaling 28,500 and 76,900, respectively, were not included in the diluted earnings per share calculation because their effect is anti-dilutive.

4. Finance Receivables

Finance receivables consist of automobile finance installment Contracts and Direct Loans and are detailed as follows:

The terms of the finance receivables range from 12 to 72 months and the direct consumer loans range from 6 to 48 months. The receivables bear a weighted average interest rate of approximately 23.2% as of December 31, 2011 and 23.5% as of March 31, 2011.

Finance receivables consist of Contracts and Direct Loans, each of which comprises a portfolio segment. Each portfolio segment consists of smaller balance homogeneous loans which are collectively evaluated for impairment.

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of the changes in the allowance for credit losses on Contracts:

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Unaudited)

4. Finance Receivables (continued)

The Company purchases Contracts from automobile dealers at a negotiated price that is less than the original principal amount being financed by the purchaser of the automobile. The Contracts are predominately for used vehicles. As of December 31, 2011, the average model year of vehicles collateralizing the portfolio was a 2005 vehicle. The average loan to value ratio, which expresses the amount of the Contract as a percentage of the average wholesale value of the automobile, is approximately 91%, at the time of purchase. A dealer discount represents the difference between the finance receivable, net of unearned interest, of a Contract, and the amount of money the Company actually pays for the Contract. The discount negotiated by the Company is a function of the credit quality of the customer, the wholesale value of the vehicle, and competition in any given market. In making decisions regarding the purchase of a particular Contract the Company considers the following factors related to the borrower: place and length of residence; current and prior job status; history in making installment payments for automobiles; current income; and credit history. In addition, the Company examines its prior experience with Contracts purchased from the dealer from which the Company is purchasing the Contract, and the value of the automobile in relation to the purchase price and the term of the Contract. For allowance purposes, the entire amount of discount is related to credit quality and is considered to be part of the credit loss reserve. The Company utilizes a static pool approach to track portfolio performance. A static pool retains an amount equal to 100% of the discount as a reserve for credit losses. Subsequent to the purchase, if the reserve for credit losses is determined to be inadequate for a static pool, then an additional charge to income through the provision is used to maintain adequate reserves based on management’s evaluation of the risk inherent in the loan portfolio, the composition of the portfolio, and current economic conditions. Such evaluation, considers among other matters, the estimated net realizable value or the fair value of the underlying collateral, economic conditions, historical loan loss experience, management’s estimate of probable credit losses and other factors that warrant recognition in providing for an adequate allowance for credit losses.

The average dealer discount associated with new volume for the three months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 was 8.41% and 8.74%, respectively. The average dealer discount associated with new volume for the nine months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 was 8.46% and 8.76%, respectively.

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of the changes in the allowance for credit losses on Direct Loans:

Direct Loans are loans originated directly between the Company and the consumer. These loans are typically for amounts ranging from $1,000 to $8,000 and are generally secured by a lien on an automobile, watercraft or other permissible tangible personal property. The majority of Direct Loans are originated with current or former customers under the Company’s automobile financing program. The typical direct loan represents a significantly better credit risk than our typical Contract due to the customer’s historical payment history with the Company. In deciding whether or not to make a loan, the Company considers the individual’s credit history, job stability, income and impressions created during a personal interview with a Company loan officer. Additionally, because most of the direct consumer loans made by the Company to date have been made to borrowers under Contracts previously purchased by the Company, the payment history of the borrower under the Contract is a significant factor in making the loan decision. As of December 31, 2011, loans made by the Company pursuant to its direct loan program constituted approximately 1% of the aggregate principal amount of the Company’s loan portfolio.

Changes in the allowance for credit losses for both Contracts and Direct Loans were driven by current economic conditions and trends over several reporting periods which are useful in estimating future losses and overall portfolio performance.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Unaudited)

4. Finance Receivables (continued)

The following table is an assessment of the credit quality by creditworthiness. A performing account is defined as an account that is less than 61 days past due. A non-performing account is defined as an account that is contractually delinquent for 61 days or more and the accrual of interest income is suspended. When an account is 120 days contractually delinquent, the account is written off.

The following tables present certain information regarding the delinquency rates experienced by the Company with respect to Contracts and under its direct consumer loan program:

The delinquency percentage for Contracts more than thirty days past due as of December 31, 2011 was 4.77% as compared to 3.89% as of December 31, 2010. The delinquency percentage for Direct Loans more than thirty days past due as of December 31, 2011 was 1.80% as compared to 1.83% as of December 31, 2010.

When the Company receives a payment for a Contract that was contractually delinquent for more than 60 days, the payment is posted to the account. At the time of the payment, the interest that was paid is recorded as income by the Company and the Contract is no longer considered over 60 days contractually delinquent; therefore, the accruing of interest is resumed.

5. Line of Credit

Prior to September 1, 2011, the Company had a $140,000,000 line of credit facility expiring on November 30, 2011. On September 1, 2011, the Company executed a new agreement with its consortium of lenders that increased the size of the line of credit facility (the “Line”) from $140,000,000 to $150,000,000. The pricing of the Line, which expires on November 30, 2013, is 300 basis points above 30-day LIBOR (4.00% at December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2011) with a 1% floor on LIBOR. Pledged as collateral for this credit facility are all of the assets of the Company. The outstanding amount of the credit facility was approximately $116,000,000 and $118,000,000 as of December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2011, respectively. The amount available under the line of credit was approximately $34,000,000 and $22,000,000 as of December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2011, respectively.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Unaudited)

5. Line of Credit (continued)

The facility requires compliance with certain financial ratios and covenants and satisfaction of specified financial tests, including maintenance of asset quality and performance tests. Dividends do not require consent in writing by the agent and majority lenders under the new facility as long as the Company is in compliance with a net income covenant. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was in full compliance with all debt covenants.

6. Interest Rate Swap Agreements

As of December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2011, the Company did not have any outstanding interest rate swap agreements. Based on market conditions, the Company may or may not enter into new interest rate swap agreements during the current fiscal year. The swap agreements, in effect, converted a portion of the floating rate debt to a fixed rate, more closely matching the interest rate characteristics of finance receivables.

The following table summarizes the activity in the notional amounts of interest rate swaps:

These interest rate swaps were previously designated as cash flow hedges. Based on credit market events that transpired in October 2008, the Company made an economic decision to elect a prime rate pricing option available under the Line for the month of October 2008. As a result, the critical terms of the interest rate swaps and hedged interest payments were no longer identical and the Company undesignated its interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges. Consequently, beginning in October 2008 changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps (unrealized gains and losses) were recorded in earnings. Unrealized losses previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss were reclassified into earnings as interest payments on the Line affected earnings over the remaining term of the respective swap agreements. The Company did not use interest rate swaps for speculative purposes.

The locations and amounts of losses recognized in income are as follows:

The Company recorded net realized gains and losses from the swap agreements in the interest expense line item of the consolidated statement of income. The following table summarizes the average variable rates received and average fixed rates paid under the swap agreements.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Unaudited)

6. Interest Rate Swap Agreements (continued)

The following table reconciles net income with comprehensive income:

7. Fair Value Disclosures

The Company measures specific assets and liabilities at fair value, which is an exit price, representing the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When applicable, the Company utilizes market data or assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability under a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs about which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The Company may be required, from time to time, to measure certain assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis. The Company does not currently have any assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

Financial Instruments Not Measured at Fair Value

The Company’s financial instruments, consist of cash, finance receivables, accrued interest, line of credit, and accounts payable. For each of these financial instruments the carrying value approximates fair value. The carrying value of cash approximates the fair value due to the nature of these accounts. Finance receivables, net approximates fair value based on the price paid to acquire indirect loans. The price paid reflects competitive market interest rates and purchase discounts for the Company’s chosen credit grade in the economic environment. This market is highly liquid as the Company acquires individual loans on a daily basis from dealers. The initial terms of the indirect finance receivables range from 12 to 72 months. The initial terms of the direct finance receivables range from 6 to 48 months. In addition, there have been minimal changes in interest rates and purchase discounts related to these types of loans. If liquidated outside of the normal course of business, the amount received may not be the carrying value. The Line was amended within the quarter ended September 30, 2011. Based on current market conditions, any new or renewed credit facility would contain pricing that approximates the Company’s current Line. Based on these market conditions, the fair value of the Line as of December 31, 2011 was estimated to be equal to the book value. Accrued interest is paid monthly. As a result of the short-term nature of this activity, the carrying value of the accrued interest approximates fair value. The interest rate for the line of credit is a variable rate based on LIBOR pricing options.

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

The Company may be required, from time to time, to measure certain assets and liabilities at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. The Company does not currently have any assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Unaudited)

8. Recently Issued Accounting Standards

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2011-02: “Receivables
(Topic 310) – A Creditor’s Determination of Whether a Restructuring is a Troubled Debt Restructuring” in April 2011. The ASU’s main objective is to provide greater transparency regarding whether additional guidance or clarification is needed to help creditors in determining whether a creditor has granted a concession and whether a debtor is experiencing financial difficulties for purposes of determining whether a restructuring constitutes a troubled debt restructuring. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after June 15, 2011. The guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The FASB issued ASU 2011-05: “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Presentation of Comprehensive Income” in June 2011. The ASU’s main objective is to show the components of comprehensive income to provide a better understanding of the entity’s activities. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Other than financial statement display, the update will have no impact on the reported amounts in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

9. Cash Dividend

On August 30, 2011, the Company’s Board of Directors announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share of common stock paid on September 20, 2011. On October 27, 2011, the Company’s Board of Directors announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share of common stock paid on December 20, 2011. On January 31, 2012, the Company’s Board of Directors declared another quarterly dividend equal to $0.10 per common share, to be paid on March 20, 2012 to shareholders of record as of March 13, 2012.

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Forward-Looking Information

This report on Form 10-Q contains various statements, other than those concerning historical information, that are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions, as well as information currently available to management, and should be considered forward-looking statements. This notice is intended to take advantage of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or expected. Among the key factors that may have a direct bearing on the Company’s operating results are fluctuations in the economy, the ability to access bank financing, the degree and nature of competition, demand for consumer financing in the markets served by the Company, the Company’s products and services, increases in the default rates experienced on Contracts, adverse regulatory changes in the Company’s existing and future markets, the Company’s ability to expand its business, including its ability to complete acquisitions and integrate the operations of acquired businesses, to recruit and retain qualified employees, to expand into new markets and to maintain profit margins in the face of increased pricing competition. All forward looking statements included in this report are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligations to update any such forward looking statement. You should also consult factors described from time to time in the Company’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and annual reports to shareholders.

Critical Accounting Policy

The Company’s critical accounting policy relates to the allowance for credit losses. It is based on management’s opinion of an amount that is adequate to absorb losses in the existing portfolio. The allowance for credit losses is established through allocations of dealer discount and a provision for losses based on management’s evaluation of the risk inherent in the loan portfolio, the composition of the portfolio, and current economic conditions. Such evaluation, considers among other matters, the estimated net realizable value or the fair value of the underlying collateral, economic conditions, historical loan loss experience, management’s estimate of probable credit losses and other factors that warrant recognition in providing for an adequate credit loss allowance.

Because of the nature of the customers under the Company’s Contracts and its direct loan program, the Company considers the establishment of adequate reserves for credit losses to be imperative. The Company segregates its Contracts into static pools for purposes of establishing reserves for losses. All Contracts purchased by a branch during a fiscal quarter comprise a static pool. The Company pools Contracts according to branch location because the branches purchase Contracts in different geographic markets. This method of pooling by branch and quarter allows the Company to evaluate the different markets where the branches operate. The pools also allow the Company to evaluate the different levels of customer income, stability, credit history, and the types of vehicles purchased in each market. Each such static pool consists of the Contracts purchased by a branch office during the fiscal quarter.

Contracts are purchased from many different dealers and are all purchased on an individual Contract by Contract basis. Individual Contract pricing is determined by the automobile dealerships and is generally the lesser of state maximum interest rates or the maximum interest rate the customer will accept. In certain markets, competitive forces will drive down Contract rates from the maximum rate to a level where an individual competitor is willing to buy an individual Contract. The Company only buys Contracts on an individual basis and never purchases Contracts in batches, although the Company may consider portfolio acquisitions as part of its growth strategy.

The Company has detailed underwriting guidelines it utilizes to determine which Contracts to purchase. These guidelines are specific and are designed to cause all of the Contracts that the Company purchases to have common risk characteristics. The Company utilizes its District Managers to evaluate their respective branch locations for adherence to these underwriting guidelines. The Company also utilizes an internal audit department to assure adherence to its underwriting guidelines. The Company utilizes the branch model, which allows for Contract purchasing to be done on the branch level. Each Branch Manager may interpret the guidelines differently, and as a result, the common risk characteristics tend to be the same on an individual branch level but not necessarily compared to another branch.

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A dealer discount represents the difference between the finance receivable, net of unearned interest, of a Contract, and the amount of money the Company actually pays for the Contract. The discount negotiated by the Company is a function of the credit quality of the customer, the wholesale value of the vehicle, and competition in any given market. The automotive dealer accepts these terms by executing a dealer agreement with the Company. For allowance purposes, the Company considers the entire amount of discount to be related to credit quality and is part of the credit loss reserve. The Company utilizes a static pool approach to track portfolio performance. A static pool retains an amount equal to 100% of the discount as a reserve for credit losses.

Subsequent to the purchase, if the reserve for credit losses is determined to be inadequate for a static pool which is not fully liquidated, then an additional charge to income through the provision is used to reestablish adequate reserves. If a static pool is fully liquidated and has any remaining reserves, the excess discounts are immediately recognized into income and the excess provision is immediately reversed during the period. For static pools not fully liquidated that are determined to have excess discounts, such excess amounts are accreted into income over the remaining life of the static pool. For static pools not fully liquidated that are deemed to have excess reserves, such excess amounts are reversed against provision for credit losses during the period.

In analyzing a static pool, the Company considers the performance of prior static pools originated by the branch office, the performance of prior Contracts purchased from the dealers whose Contracts are included in the current static pool, the credit rating of the customers under the Contracts in the static pool, and current market and economic conditions. Each static pool is analyzed monthly to determine if the loss reserves are adequate and adjustments are made if they are determined to be necessary.

Introduction

Consolidated net income increased 20% to approximately $5.4 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 as compared to $4.5 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. Diluted earnings per share increased 18% to $0.45 for the three months ended December 31, 2011 as compared to $0.38 for the three months ended December 31, 2010. Consolidated net income increased 35% to approximately $16.2 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 as compared to $12.0 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. Diluted earnings per share increased 34% to $1.35 for the nine months ended December 31, 2011 as compared to $1.01 for the nine months ended December 31, 2010.

Earnings for both periods were favorably impacted by an increase in average finance receivables, a reduced provision for credit losses, and to a lesser degree, a decrease in the cost of borrowings under the line of credit. The favorable impacts were offset by slightly by an increase in Operating expenses as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest remained fairly consistent, decreasing slightly for the nine months ended December 31, 2011, and increasing slightly for the three months ended December 31, 2011. For certain pools, net charge offs during the current periods were less than the expected charge-offs previously contemplated in the allowance for loan losses. Accordingly, the amount of additional provision necessary to maintain an adequate allowance to absorb losses in the existing portfolio was less than the provision for the prior periods.

The Company’s software subsidiary, Nicholas Data Services, did not contribute significantly to consolidated operations in the three or nine months ended December 31, 2011 or 2010.

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Note: All three and nine month key performance indicators expressed as percentages have been annualized.

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Three months ended December 31, 2011 compared to three months December 31, 2010

Interest Income and Loan Portfolio

Interest and fee income on finance receivables, predominately finance charge income, increased 7% to approximately $17.1 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 from $16.0 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. Average finance receivables, net of unearned interest equaled approximately $274.6 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011, an increase of 7% from $255.6 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. The primary reason average finance receivables, net of unearned interest, increased was the increase in the receivable base of several existing branches in younger markets and also the opening of new branch locations (see “Contract Procurement” and “Loan Origination” below). The gross finance receivable balance increased 6% to approximately $381.8 million as of December 31, 2011, from $359.2 million as of December 31, 2010. The primary reason interest income increased was the increase in the outstanding loan portfolio. The gross portfolio yield remained fairly consistent at 24.95% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 compared to 25.02% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2010. The net portfolio yield increased to 22.49% for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2011 from 20.98% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2010. The gross portfolio yield remained relatively flat primarily due to an unchanged weighted APR earned on finance receivables. The net portfolio yield increased primarily due to a decrease in the actual and expected net charge-offs and a decrease in the provision for credit losses which are discussed below under “Analysis of Credit Losses.” The net portfolio yield also increased as a result of the decrease in interest expense as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest.

Marketing, Salaries, Employee Benefits, Depreciation, and Administrative Expenses

Marketing, salaries, employee benefits, depreciation and administrative expenses increased to approximately $6.8 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 from approximately $6.2 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. The increase of 10% was primarily attributable to salaries expense and expenses attributed to new branch locations. The Company opened additional branches and increased average headcount to 301 for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 from 269 for the three-month period ended December 31, 2010. Marketing, salaries, employee benefits, depreciation, and administrative expenses as a percentage of finance receivables, net of unearned interest, increased to 9.76% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 from 9.69% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2010.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased to approximately $1.2 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011 from $1.4 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2010. All interest rate swaps agreements matured during fiscal 2011 and no new agreements were entered into. The following table summarizes the Company’s average cost of borrowed funds:

The primary reason that the Company’s average cost of funds decreased is attributed to the costs associated with settlements under interest rate swap agreements during the three months ended December 31, 2010.

The weighted average notional amount of interest rate swaps was $16.9 million at a weighted average fixed rate of 3.58% for the three months ended December 31, 2010. For further discussions regarding the effect of interest rate swap agreements see
note 6 – “Interest Rate Swap Agreements”.

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Nine months ended December 31, 2011 compared to nine months ended December 31, 2010

Interest Income and Loan Portfolio

Interest and fee income on finance receivables, predominately finance charge income, increased 9% to approximately $51.0 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 from $46.6 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. Average finance receivables, net of unearned interest equaled approximately $272.2 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011, an increase of 10% from $247.7 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. The primary reason average finance receivables, net of unearned interest, increased was the increase in the receivable base of several existing branches in younger markets and also the opening of new branch locations (see “Contract Procurement” and “Loan Origination” below). The gross finance receivable balance increased 6% to approximately $381.8 million as of December 31, 2011, from $359.2 million as of December 31, 2010. The primary reason interest income increased was the increase in the outstanding loan portfolio. The gross portfolio yield decreased to 24.96% for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 from 25.12% for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2010. The net portfolio yield increased to 22.80% for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2011 from 20.34% for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2010. The gross portfolio yield decreased primarily due to a slight decrease in the weighted APR earned on finance receivables. The net portfolio yield increased primarily due to a decrease in the actual and expected net charge-offs and a decrease in the provision for credit losses which is discussed below under “Analysis of Credit Losses.”. The net portfolio yield also increased as a result of the decrease in interest expense as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest.

Marketing, Salaries, Employee Benefits, Depreciation, and Administrative Expenses

Marketing, salaries, employee benefits, depreciation and administrative expenses increased to approximately $20.2 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 from approximately $18.7 million for the corresponding period ended December 31, 2010. The increase of 8% was primarily attributable to salaries expense and expenses attributed to new branch locations. The Company opened additional branches and increased average headcount to 297 for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 from 267 for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2010. Marketing, salaries, employee benefits, depreciation, and administrative expenses as a percentage of finance receivables, net of unearned interest, decreased to 9.82% for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 from 9.99% for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2010.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased to approximately $3.7 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2011 from $4.4 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2010. The following table summarizes the Company’s average cost of borrowed funds for the nine-month period ended December 31:

The primary reason that the Company’s average cost of funds decreased is attributed to the costs associated with settlements under interest rate swap agreements during the nine months ended December 31, 2010.

The weighted average notional amount of interest rate swaps was $29.7 million at a weighted average fixed rate of 3.89% for the nine months ended December 31, 2010. For further discussions regarding the effect of interest rate swap agreements see
note 6 – “Interest Rate Swap Agreements”.

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Contract Procurement

The Company purchases Contracts in the fifteen states listed in the table below. The Contracts purchased by the Company are predominately for used vehicles; for the three-month and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, less than 2% were for new vehicles.

The following tables present selected information on Contracts purchased by the Company, net of unearned interest.