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NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORP - Quarter Report: 2018 May (Form 10-Q)

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

______________________________

FORM 10-Q

(Mark one)

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended May 31, 2018

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ________________ to __________________.

Commission File Number: 001-11038

____________________

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

41-0857886

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

4201 Woodland Road

P.O. Box 69

Circle Pines, Minnesota 55014

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

(763) 225-6600
(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 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 ☒ 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 ☒ NO ☐

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

Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) ☐ Smaller reporting company ☒
  Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ☐ NO ☒

As of July 13, 2018, there were 4,541,304 shares of common stock of the registrant outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

FORM 10-Q

May 31, 2018

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Description Page
     
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION  
     
Item 1. Financial Statements  
     
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2018 (unaudited) and August 31, 2017 (audited) 3
     
  Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited) for the Three and Nine Months Ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 4
     
  Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (unaudited) for the Three and Nine Months Ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 5
     
  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) for the Nine Months Ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 6
     
  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) 7-19
     
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 20-33
     
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 33-34
     
Item 4. Controls and Procedures 34
     
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION  
     
Item 1. Legal Proceedings 34
     
Item 1A. Risk Factors 34
     
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 35
     
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities 35
     
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 35
     
Item 5. Other Information 35
     
Item 6. Exhibits 36
     
SIGNATURE PAGE 37

_________________

 

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. For more information, see “Part I. Financial Information – Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

1

 

_________________

 

As used in this report, references to “NTIC,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” or “us,” unless the context otherwise requires, refer to Northern Technologies International Corporation and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, all of which are consolidated on NTIC’s consolidated financial statements.

As used in this report, references to: (1) “NTIC China” refer to NTIC’s wholly-owned subsidiary in China, NTIC (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.; (2) “NTI Europe” refer to NTIC’s wholly-owned subsidiary in Germany, NTIC Europe GmbH; (3) “Zerust Mexico” refer to NTIC’s wholly-owned subsidiary in Mexico, ZERUST-EXCOR MEXICO, S. de R.L. de C.V; (4) “Zerust Brazil” refer to NTIC’s majority-owned Brazilian subsidiary, Zerust Prevenção de Corrosão S.A.; (5) “Natur-Tec India” refer to NTIC’s majority-owned subsidiary in India, Natur-Tec India Private Limited; and (6) “NTI Asean” refer to NTIC’s majority-owned holding company subsidiary, NTI Asean LLC, which is a holding company that holds investments in seven entities that operate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, including the following countries: Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

NTIC’s consolidated financial statements do not include the accounts of any of its joint ventures. Except as otherwise indicated, references in this report to NTIC’s joint ventures do not include any of NTIC’s wholly-owned or majority-owned subsidiaries.

As used in this report, references to “EXCOR” refer to NTIC’s joint venture in Germany, Excor Korrosionsschutz – Technologien und Produkte GmbH.

As used in this report, references to “Tianjin Zerust” refer to NTIC’s former joint venture in China, Tianjin-Zerust Anticorrosion Co., Ltd.

All trademarks, trade names or service marks referred to in this report are the property of their respective owners.

 

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PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM 1.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF MAY 31, 2018 (UNAUDITED)

AND AUGUST 31, 2017 (AUDITED)

 

   May 31, 2018  August 31, 2017
ASSETS      
CURRENT ASSETS:      
Cash and cash equivalents  $4,610,325   $6,360,201 
Available for sale securities   3,282,915    3,766,984 
Receivables:          
Trade excluding joint ventures, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $50,000 at May 31, 2018 and $40,000 at August 31, 2017   8,692,708    5,912,631 
Trade joint ventures   597,805    691,752 
Fees for services provided to joint ventures   1,352,249    1,302,944 
Income taxes   369,136    137,256 
Inventories   9,174,743    7,456,552 
Prepaid expenses   1,081,190    439,298 
Total current assets   29,161,071    26,067,618 
           
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET   7,233,307    7,359,662 
           
OTHER ASSETS:          
Investments in joint ventures   22,412,792    20,035,074 
Deferred income taxes   1,056,565    1,756,565 
Patents and trademarks, net   1,196,222    1,322,089 
Other   153,846    71,685 
Total other assets   24,819,425    23,185,413 
Total assets  $61,213,803   $56,612,693 
           
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY          
CURRENT LIABILITIES:          
Accounts payable  $3,316,169   $2,676,610 
Income taxes payable   112,686     
Accrued liabilities:          
Payroll and related benefits   1,804,451    1,540,386 
Other   1,115,595    677,621 
Total current liabilities   6,348,901    4,894,617 
           
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 12)          
           
EQUITY:          
Preferred stock, no par value; authorized 10,000 shares; none issued and outstanding        
Common stock, $0.02 par value per share; authorized 15,000,000 shares as of May 31, 2018 and 10,000,000 shares as of August 31, 2017; issued and outstanding 4,541,304 and 4,535,018, respectively   90,826    90,700 
Additional paid-in capital   14,516,510    14,163,509 
Retained earnings   40,275,326    37,077,483 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (3,058,672)   (2,471,064)
Stockholders’ equity   51,823,990    48,860,628 
Non-controlling interest   3,040,912    2,857,448 
Total equity   54,864,902    51,718,076 
Total liabilities and equity  $61,213,803   $56,612,693 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2018 AND 2017

 

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
NET SALES:            
Net sales, excluding joint ventures  $12,044,513   $9,360,883   $34,479,773   $26,552,434 
Net sales, to joint ventures   879,324    862,136    2,201,077    2,115,511 
Total net sales   12,923,837    10,223,019    36,680,850    28,667,945 
Cost of goods sold   8,592,366    6,774,001    24,493,672    19,256,953 
Gross profit   4,331,471    3,449,018    12,187,178    9,410,992 
                     
JOINT VENTURE OPERATIONS:                    
Equity in income from joint ventures   2,246,066    1,686,016    5,793,391    4,343,159 
Fees for services provided to joint ventures   1,508,500    1,442,048    4,624,532    3,941,667 
Total joint venture operations   3,754,566    3,128,064    10,417,923    8,284,826 
                     
OPERATING EXPENSES:                    
Selling expenses   2,784,694    2,430,824    8,028,279    6,716,390 
General and administrative expenses   1,987,785    1,682,669    6,012,746    5,996,977 
Research and development expenses   860,347    733,651    2,581,824    2,118,210 
Total operating expenses   5,632,826    4,847,144    16,622,849    14,831,577 
                     
OPERATING INCOME   2,453,211    1,729,938    5,982,252    2,864,241 
                     
INTEREST INCOME   35,630    10,996    84,569    19,075 
INTEREST EXPENSE   (3,139)   (7,409)   (14,007)   (15,502)
                     
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE   2,485,702    1,733,525    6,052,814    2,867,814 
                     
INCOME TAX EXPENSE   181,683    237,801    1,128,583    480,423 
                     
NET INCOME   2,304,019    1,495,724    4,924,231    2,387,391 
                     
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS   161,267    143,308    365,006    350,370 
                     
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NTIC  $2,142,752   $1,352,416   $4,559,225   $2,037,021 
                     
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NTIC PER COMMON SHARE:                    
Basic  $0.47   $0.30   $1.00   $0.45 
Diluted  $0.46   $0.30   $0.98   $0.45 
                     
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES ASSUMED OUTSTANDING:                    
Basic   4,539,353    4,526,771    4,538,838    4,528,523 
Diluted   4,707,032    4,591,527    4,663,847    4,571,395 
CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE  $0.10   $0.00   $0.30   $0.00 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2018 AND 2017

 

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
NET INCOME  $2,304,019   $1,495,724   $4,924,231   $2,387,391 
Other comprehensive income (LOSS) – foreign currency
translation adjustment
   (1,011,686)   780,726    (569,151)   (239,095)
                     
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME   1,292,333    2,276,450    4,355,080    2,148,296 
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS   137,501    160,223    383,463    353,423 
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NTIC  $1,154,832   $2,116,227   $3,971,617   $1,794,873 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2018 AND 2017

 

 

   Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:      
Net income  $4,924,231   $2,387,391 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:          
Stock-based compensation   309,743    293,748 
Depreciation expense   631,399    580,962 
Amortization expense   188,460    89,274 
Gain on disposal of assets   (11,662)    
Equity in income from joint ventures   (5,793,391)   (4,343,159)
Dividends received from joint ventures   2,941,807    5,179,786 
Deferred income taxes   700,000    24,939 
Changes in current assets and liabilities:          
Receivables:          
Trade, excluding joint ventures   (2,827,606)   (1,442,714)
Trade, joint ventures   93,947    (503,863)
Fees for services provided to joint ventures   (49,305)   181,610 
Income taxes   (267,131)   (154,171)
Inventories   (1,773,085)   (155,011)
Prepaid expenses and other   (718,839)   19,197 
Accounts payable   728,657    816,845 
Income tax payable   104,643    (3,466)
Accrued liabilities   676,138    (145,202)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities   (141,994)   2,826,166 
           
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:          
Purchase of available for sale securities   (1,018,596)   (3,013,572 
Proceeds from the sale of available for sale securities   1,502,665    1,500,756 
Additions to property and equipment   (500,924)   (760,847)
Additions to patents   (62,594)   (124,780)
Net cash used in investing activities   (79,449)   (2,398,443)
           
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:          
Dividend received by non-controlling interest   (200,000)   (200,000)
Repurchase of common stock       (196,164)
Dividends paid on NTIC common stock   (1,361,382)    
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan   27,951    46,475 
Proceeds from option exercises   15,433    41,000 
Net cash used in financing activities   (1,517,998)   (308,689)
           
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:   (10,435)   (14,144)
           
           
NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS   (1,749,876)   104,890 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD   6,360,201    3,395,274 
           
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD  $4,610,325   $3,500,164 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

1.       INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all necessary adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, and present fairly the consolidated financial position of Northern Technologies International Corporation and its subsidiaries (the Company) as of May 31, 2018 and August 31, 2017 and the results of their operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 and their cash flows for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).

These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017. These consolidated financial statements also should be read in conjunction with the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section appearing in this report.

Operating results for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year ending August 31, 2018.

The Company evaluates events occurring after the date of the consolidated financial statements requiring recording or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.

2.        Accounting PronouncementS

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance creating Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Section 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which establishes a comprehensive new model for the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. This model is based on the core principle that revenue should be recognized to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The Company has performed a review of the requirements of the new guidance and has identified which of its revenue streams will be within the scope of ASC 606. The Company has applied the five-step model of the new standard to a selection of contracts within each of its revenue streams and has compared the results to its current accounting practices. The Company is expecting to utilize the modified retrospective transition method of adoption. The Company is continuing to work through the remaining steps of the adoption plan to facilitate adoption effective September 1, 2018. As part of this, the Company is assessing changes that might be necessary to information technology systems, processes, and internal controls to capture new data and address changes in financial reporting. The Company will be revising its revenue recognition accounting policy and expanding revenue disclosures to reflect the requirements of ASC 606, which include disclosures related to the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Additionally, qualitative and quantitative disclosures are required about customer contracts, significant judgments and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. Based on its assessment to date, the Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the way it recognizes revenue.

 

During February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. ASU No. 2016-02 was issued to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing all lease transactions (with terms in excess of 12 months) on the balance sheet as a lease liability and a right-of-use asset (as defined). ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with earlier application permitted. Upon adoption, the lessee will apply the new standard retrospectively to all periods presented or retrospectively using a cumulative effect adjustment in the year of adoption. The guidance will be effective for the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company is currently assessing the effect that ASU No. 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

 

7

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU No. 2016-15 eliminates the diversity in practice related to the classification of certain cash receipts and payments for debt prepayments or extinguishment costs, the maturing of a zero-coupon bond, the settlement of contingent liabilities arising from a business combination, proceeds from insurance settlements, distributions from certain equity method investees and beneficial interests obtained in a financial asset securitization. ASU No. 2016-15 designates the appropriate cash flow classification, including requirements to allocate certain components of these cash receipts and payments among operating, investing and financing activities. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of adopting ASU No. 2016-15 on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, which will allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for the tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Reform Act) that are stranded in accumulated other comprehensive income. This standard also requires certain disclosures about stranded tax effects. ASU No. 2018-02, however, does not change the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations. ASU No. 2018-02 will be effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2020, with the option for early adoption at any time prior to the effective date. It must be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Reform Act is recognized. The Company is currently assessing the impact this new accounting guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

 

In December 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 118 (as further clarified by FASB ASU No. 2018-05, Income Taxes (Topic 740): “Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118”) to provide guidance for companies that may not have completed their accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act in the period of enactment, which is the period that includes December 22, 2017. SAB No. 118 provides for a provisional one-year measurement period for entities to finalize their accounting for certain income tax effects related to the Tax Reform Act. SAB No. 118 provides guidance where: (i) the accounting for the income tax effect of the Tax Reform Act is complete and reported in the Tax Reform Act’s enactment period, (ii) the accounting for the income tax effect of the Tax Reform Act is incomplete and reported as provisional amounts based on reasonable estimates (to the extent determinable) subject to adjustments during a limited measurement period until complete, and (iii) accounting for the income tax effect of the Tax Reform Act is not reasonably estimable (no related provisional amounts are reported in the enactment period) and entities would continue to apply accounting based on tax law provisions in effect prior to the Tax Reform Act enactment until provisional amounts are reasonably estimable. SAB No. 118 requires disclosure of the reasons for incomplete accounting additional information or analysis needed, among other relevant information (see Note 15 - Income Taxes).

 

Although there are several other new accounting pronouncements issued or proposed by the FASB, which the Company has adopted or will adopt, as applicable, the Company does not believe any of these accounting pronouncements has had or will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or operating results.

 

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3.       INVENTORIES

Inventories consisted of the following:

   May 31, 2018  August 31, 2017
Production materials  $1,296,106   $1,747,189 
Finished goods   7,878,637    5,709,363 
   $9,174,743   $7,456,552 

 

4.       PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

 

Property and equipment, net consisted of the following:

   May 31, 2018  August 31, 2017
Land  $310,365   $310,365 
Buildings and improvements   6,903,231    6,847,177 
Machinery and equipment   4,554,692    4,171,387 
    11,768,288    11,328,929 
Less accumulated depreciation   (4,534,981)   (3,969,267)
   $7,233,307   $7,359,662 

 

5.       PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS, NET

Patents and trademarks, net consisted of the following:

   May 31, 2018  August 31, 2017
Patents and trademarks  $2,800,553   $2,737,959 
Less accumulated amortization   (1,604,331)   (1,415,870)
   $1,196,222   $1,322,089 

 

Patent and trademark costs are amortized over seven years. Costs incurred related to patents and trademarks are capitalized until filed and approved, at which time the amounts capitalized to date are amortized and any further costs, including maintenance costs, are expensed as incurred. Amortization expense is estimated to approximate $240,000 in each of the next five fiscal years.

6.       INVESTMENTS IN JOINT VENTURES

The consolidated financial statements of the Company’s foreign joint ventures are initially prepared using the accounting principles accepted in the respective joint ventures’ countries of domicile. Amounts related to foreign joint ventures reported in the below tables and the accompanying consolidated financial statements have subsequently been adjusted to conform with U.S. GAAP in all material respects. All material profits recorded that remain on the consolidated balance sheet on sales from the Company to its joint ventures and from joint ventures to other joint ventures have been eliminated for financial reporting purposes.

 

9

 

Financial information from the audited and unaudited financial statements of the Company’s joint venture in Germany, Excor Korrosionsschutz – Technologien und Produkte GmbH (EXCOR) and all the Company’s other joint ventures, are summarized as follows:

   As of May 31, 2018
   Total  EXCOR  All Other
Current assets  $58,113,904   $25,734,914   $32,378,990 
Total assets   62,004,849    27,838,358    34,166,491 
Current liabilities   16,622,611    3,830,246    12,792,365 
Noncurrent liabilities   110,926    -    110,926 
Joint ventures’ equity   45,271,314    24,008,112    21,263,202 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of joint ventures’ equity   22,412,792    12,004,058    10,408,734 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of joint ventures’ undistributed earnings   20,383,580    11,973,153    8,410,427 

 

   Three Months Ended May 31, 2018
   Total  EXCOR  All Other
Net sales  $31,480,885   $12,219,414   $19,261,471 
Gross profit   14,209,819    6,823,609    7,386,210 
Net income   4,540,968    3,113,660    1,427,308 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of equity in income from joint ventures  $2,246,066   $1,558,243   $687,823 

 

   Nine Months Ended May 31, 2018
   Total  EXCOR  All Other
Net sales  $90,200,146   $35,450,664   $54,749,482 
Gross profit   40,529,217    19,315,099    21,214,118 
Net income   11,753,467    8,272,237    3,481,230 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of equity in income from joint ventures  $5,793,391   $4,138,814   $1,654,577 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s dividends received from joint ventures  $2,941,807   $1,780,392   $1,161,415 

 

   As of August 31, 2017
   Total  EXCOR  All Other
Current assets  $51,518,210   $22,142,514   $29,375,696 
Total assets   55,633,891    24,301,194    31,332,697 
Current liabilities   15,118,074    4,469,567    10,648,507 
Noncurrent liabilities   181,210        181,210 
Joint ventures’ equity   40,334,607    19,831,627    20,502,980 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of joint ventures’ equity   20,035,074    9,915,816    10,119,258 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of joint ventures’ undistributed earnings   17,960,860    9,884,911    8,075,949 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s dividends received from joint ventures  $6,377,054   $5,379,062   $997,992 

 

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   Three Months Ended May 31, 2017
   Total  EXCOR  All Other
Net sales  $25,935,169   $9,884,546   $16,050,623 
Gross profit   11,517,711    5,271,028    6,246,683 
Net income   3,379,883    2,166,435    1,213,448 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of equity in income from joint ventures  $1,686,016   $1,083,494   $602,522 

 

   Nine Months Ended May 31, 2017
   Total  EXCOR  All Other
Net sales  $73,098,215   $28,169,978   $44,928,237 
Gross profit   32,376,247    15,032,724    17,343,523 
Net income   8,562,834    6,184,181    2,378,653 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s share of equity in income from joint ventures   4,343,159    3,089,935    1,253,224 
Northern Technologies International Corporation’s dividends received from joint ventures  $5,179,786   $4,240,400   $939,386 

 

The Company did not make any joint venture investments during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017.

7.       CORPORATE DEBT

The Company has a revolving line of credit with PNC Bank, National Association (PNC Bank) of $3,000,000. No amounts were outstanding under the line of credit as of both May 31, 2018 and August 31, 2017. At the option of the Company, outstanding advances under the line of credit bear interest at either (a) an annual rate based on LIBOR plus 2.15% for the applicable LIBOR interest period selected by the Company or (b) at the rate publicly announced by PNC Bank from time to time as its prime rate.

The line of credit is governed under a loan agreement. The loan agreement contains standard covenants, including affirmative financial covenants, such as the maintenance of a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, and negative covenants, which, among other things, limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, loans and equity investments, disposition of assets, mergers and consolidations and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. Under the loan agreement, the Company is subject to a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.10:1.00. As of May 31, 2018, the Company was in compliance with all debt covenants.

The revolving credit facility allows the Company to request that PNC Bank issue letters of credit up to $1,200,000. The Company did not have any letters of credit reserved against the available letters of credit balance as of May 31, 2018 and August 31, 2017 with PNC Bank. The availability of advances under the line of credit will be reduced by the face amount of any letter of credit issued and outstanding (whether or not drawn) under the revolving credit facility. 

As of May 31, 2018, and August 31, 2017, the Company had $88,831 and $89,543, respectively, of letters of credit with JP Morgan Chase Bank that are performance based and set to expire between 2020 and 2022.

On January 5, 2018, the Company and PNC Bank extended the maturity date of the line of credit to January 7, 2019. All other terms of the line of credit and the loan agreement and other documents evidencing the line of credit remain the same.

 

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8.       STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

During the nine months ended May 31, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors declared cash dividends on the following dates in the following amounts to the following holders of the Company’s common stock:

Declaration Date  Amount  Record Date  Payable Date
November 20, 2017  $0.10  December 8, 2017  December 21, 2017
January 24, 2018  $0.10  February 8, 2018  February 21, 2018
April 25, 2018  $0.10  May 9, 2018  May 23, 2018

 

During the nine months ended May 31, 2018, the Company repurchased and retired no shares of its common stock.

During the nine months ended May 31, 2018, stock options to purchase an aggregate of 4,410 shares of common stock were exercised at a weighted average exercise price of $11.59 per share.

The Company granted stock options under the Northern Technologies International Corporation Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (2007 Plan) to purchase an aggregate of 47,252 shares of its common stock to various employees and directors during the nine months ended May 31, 2018. The weighted average per share exercise price of the stock options is $18.35, which was equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

The Company issued 891 and 3,029 shares of common stock on September 1, 2017 and 2016, respectively, under the Northern Technologies International Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The Company issued 985 and 1098 shares of common stock on March 1, 2018 and 2017, respectively, under the ESPP.

The Company held its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (2018 Annual Meeting) on January 12, 2018. At the 2018 Annual Meeting, a proposal to approve an amendment to the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the Company’s authorized shares of common stock from 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 (Share Increase Amendment) was approved by the Company’s stockholders by the required vote. The Share Increase Amendment was filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 16, 2018 and it became effective the same day. In determining that the Share Increase Amendment was approved by the required vote, votes cast by brokers, banks or other nominees without instruction from the beneficial owners of certain of our outstanding shares were counted in favor of the proposal in accordance with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange that govern how brokers may cast such votes. Because a disclosure in the definitive proxy statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting, which was filed on Schedule 14A with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 27, 2017 (2018 Proxy Statement), anticipated that brokers would not have discretion to vote for the proposal to approve the Share Increase Amendment, a question has been raised as to the validity of the vote taken on the proposal to approve the Share Increase Amendment. The Company believes that the Share Increase Amendment was properly approved and is effective. However, because the description of the authority of brokers to vote on proposals without instruction in the 2018 Proxy Statement may create some uncertainty as to the effect of the vote obtained at the 2018 Annual Meeting and out of an abundance of caution, the Company intends to ask its stockholders at either a special meeting or the next annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders to ratify the filing and effectiveness of the Share Increase Amendment pursuant to Delaware law in order to eliminate any uncertainty related to the effectiveness of the Share Increase Amendment. The Company has not issued, or reserved for issuance, and will not issue, or reserve for issuance, any of the additional 5,000,000 authorized shares as part of the Share Increase Amendment unless the vote at the special or annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders is in favor of the ratification of the Share Increase Amendment.

During the nine months ended May 31, 2017, the Company repurchased and retired 14,525 shares of its common stock at a price of $13.51 per share.

 

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During the nine months ended May 31, 2017, stock options to purchase an aggregate of 4,000 shares of common stock were exercised at a weighted average exercise price of $10.25 per share.

During the nine months ended May 31, 2017, the Company granted stock options under the 2007 Plan to purchase an aggregate of 56,677 shares of its common stock to various employees and directors. The weighted average per share exercise price of the stock options was $13.40, which was equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

9.       NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE

Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net income per share assumes the exercise of stock options using the treasury stock method, if dilutive.

The following is a reconciliation of the earnings per share computation:

 

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
Numerators:  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
Net income attributable to NTIC  $2,142,752   $1,352,416   $4,559,225   $2,037,021 
Denominators:                    
Basic – weighted shares outstanding   4,539,353    4,526,771    4,538,838    4,528,523 
Weighted shares assumed upon exercise of stock options   167,679    64,756    125,009    42,872 
Diluted – weighted shares outstanding   4,707,032    4,591,527    4,663,847    4,571,395 
Basic income per share:  $0.47   $0.30   $1.00   $0.45 
Diluted income per share:  $0.46   $0.30   $0.98   $0.45 

 

The dilutive impact summarized above relates to the periods when the average market price of the Company’s common stock exceeded the exercise price of the potentially dilutive option securities granted. Earnings per common share were based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods when computing the basic earnings per share. When dilutive, stock options are included as equivalents using the treasury stock market method when computing the diluted earnings per share. There were no shares excluded from the computation of diluted income per share for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018. Excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017 were options outstanding to purchase 48,067 shares of common stock.

10.       STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company has two stock-based compensation plans under which stock options and other stock-based awards have been granted, the Northern Technologies International Corporation Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Incentive Plan and the Northern Technologies International Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and the Board of Directors administer these plans.

The 2007 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock unit awards, performance awards and stock bonuses to eligible recipients to enable the Company and its subsidiaries to attract and retain qualified individuals through opportunities for equity participation in the Company, and to reward those individuals who contribute to the achievement of the Company’s economic objectives. Subject to adjustment as provided in the 2007 Plan, up to a maximum of 800,000 shares of the Company’s common stock are issuable under the 2007 Plan. Options granted under the 2007 Plan generally have a term of ten years and become exercisable over a three- or four-year period beginning on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant. Options are granted at per share exercise prices equal to the market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The Company issues new shares upon the exercise of options. As of May 31, 2018, only stock options and stock bonuses had been granted under the 2007 Plan.

 

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The maximum number of shares of common stock of the Company available for issuance under the ESPP is 100,000 shares, subject to adjustment as provided in the ESPP. The ESPP provides for six-month offering periods beginning on September 1 and March 1 of each year. The purchase price of the shares is 90% of the lower of the fair market value of common stock at the beginning or end of the offering period. This discount may not exceed the maximum discount rate permitted for plans of this type under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The ESPP is compensatory for financial reporting purposes.

The Company granted options to purchase an aggregate of 47,252 and 56,677 shares of its common stock during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The fair value of option grants is determined at date of grant, using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the assumptions listed below.  The Company recognized compensation expense of $309,473 and $293,748 during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, related to the options that vested during such time period. As of May 31, 2018, the total compensation cost for nonvested options not yet recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations was $322,402. Stock-based compensation expense of $103,267 is expected through the remainder of fiscal year 2018, and $153,901 and $65,234 is expected to be recognized during fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020, respectively, based on outstanding options as of May 31, 2018. Future option grants will impact the compensation expense recognized. Stock-based compensation expense is included in general and administrative expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions and results for the grants:

   Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
Dividend yield   2.18%    0.00%
Expected volatility   45.9%    46.4%
Expected life of option   10 years    10 years 
Average risk-free interest rate   1.87%    1.63%

 

The weighted average per share fair value of options granted during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 was $7.75 and $7.69, respectively. The weighted average remaining contractual life of the options outstanding as of May 31, 2018 and 2017 was 6.52 years and 6.73 years, respectively.

11.       SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Segment Information

The Company’s chief operating decision maker (CODM) is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s business is organized into two reportable segments: ZERUST® and Natur-Tec®. The Company has been selling its proprietary ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting products and services to the automotive, electronics, electrical, mechanical, military and retail consumer markets for over 40 years, and more recently, has targeted and expanded into the oil and gas industry. The Company also sells a portfolio of bio-based and compostable (fully biodegradable) polymer resins and finished products under the Natur-Tec® brand.

 

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The following table sets forth the Company’s net sales for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 by segment:

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
ZERUST® net sales  $10,382,884   $8,368,487   $30,102,080   $23,681,192 
Natur-Tec® net sales   2,540,953    1,854,532    6,578,770    4,986,753 
Total net sales  $12,923,837   $10,223,019   $36,680,850   $28,667,945 

 

The following table sets forth the Company’s cost of goods sold for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 by segment:

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  % of Segment Sales*  May 31, 2017  % of Segment Sales*  May 31, 2018  % of Segment Sales*  May 31, 2017  % of Segment Sales*
Direct cost of goods sold                        
ZERUST®  $6,139,699    59.1%  $4,834,355    57.8%  $17,948,941    59.6%  $13,788,416    58.2%
Natur-Tec®   1,812,084    71.3%   1,327,323    71.6%   4,738,523    72.0%   3,608,722    72.4%
Indirect cost of goods sold   640,583        612,323        1,806,208        1,859,815     
Total net cost of goods sold  $8,592,366        $6,774,001        $24,493,672        $19,256,953      

______________________________________

 

*The percent of segment sales is calculated by dividing the direct cost of goods sold for each individual segment category by the net sales for each segment category.

 

The Company utilizes product net sales and direct and indirect cost of goods sold for each product in reviewing the financial performance of a product type. Further allocation of Company expenses or assets, aside from amounts presented in the tables above, is not utilized in evaluating product performance, nor does such allocation occur for internal financial reporting.

 

Geographic Information

Net sales by geographic location for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
Inside the U.S.A. to unaffiliated customers  $7,434,991   $5,967,459   $19,771,031   $16,363,291 
Outside the U.S.A. to:                    
Joint ventures in which the Company is a shareholder directly and indirectly   879,324    862,136    2,201,077    2,115,511 
Unaffiliated customers   4,609,522    3,393,424    14,708,742    10,189,143 
   $12,923,837   $10,223,019   $36,680,850   $28,667,945 

 

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Net sales by geographic location are based on the location of the customer. Fees for services provided to joint ventures by geographic location as a percentage of total fees for services provided to joint ventures during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:

   Three Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  % of Total Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures  May 31, 2017  % of Total Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures
Germany  $224,366    14.9%  $212,257    14.7%
Poland   185,107    12.3%   180,969    12.6%
Japan   183,335    12.2%   153,903    10.7%
Sweden   155,588    10.3%   150,139    10.4%
France   146,949    9.7%   112,455    7.8%
Thailand   110,894    7.4%   104,771    7.3%
Czech Republic   100,131    6.6%   74,135    5.1%
Korea   96,574    6.4%   92,954    6.4%
Finland   81,402    5.4%   78,012    5.4%
United Kingdom   80,931    5.4%   87,768    6.1%
India   49,778    3.3%   90,469    6.3%
Other   93,445    6.1%   104,216    7.2%
   $1,508,500    100.0%  $1,442,048    100.0%

 

   Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  % of Total Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures  May 31, 2017  % of Total Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures
Germany  $680,939    14.7%  $614,766    15.6%
Poland   598,221    13.0%   483,626    12.3%
Japan   529,412    11.4%   445,662    11.3%
Sweden   448,707    9.7%   314,664    8.0%
France   416,913    9.0%   293,240    7.4%
Thailand   325,205    7.0%   339,852    8.6%
Czech Republic   283,193    6.1%   218,249    5.5%
Korea   279,524    6.0%   284,435    7.2%
United Kingdom   275,137    6.0%   227,140    5.8%
India   274,980    5.9%   229,200    5.8%
Finland   247,574    5.4%   221,294    5.6%
Other   264,727    5.8%   269,539    6.9%
   $4,624,532    100.0%  $3,941,667    100.0%

 

The geographical distribution of key financial statement data is as follows:

 

   At May 31, 2018  At August 31, 2017
China  $251,848   $228,458 
Brazil   81,161    54,646 
Germany   10,155    14,171 
India   21,628    14,712 
United States   6,868,515    7,047,675 
Total property and equipment  $7,233,307   $7,359,662 

 

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   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
China  $3,069,232   $1,695,508   $9,176,174   $4,991,807 
Brazil   853,675    565,089    2,310,131    1,683,255 
India   564,339    323,551    1,642,633    1,057,132 
Germany   312,057    161,139    556,859    378,635 
Other   955,418    583,752    2,318,569    2,115,511 
United States   7,169,116    6,893,980    20,676,484    18,441,605 
Total net sales  $12,923,837   $10,223,019   $36,680,850   $28,667,945 

 

Total property and equipment are periodically reviewed to assure the net realizable value from the estimated future production based on forecasted sales exceeds the carrying value of the assets.

Sales to the Company’s joint ventures are included in the foregoing segment and geographic information; however, sales by the Company’s joint ventures to other parties are not included. The foregoing segment and geographic information represents only sales and cost of goods sold recognized directly by the Company.

All joint venture operations, including equity in income, fees for services and related dividends, are primarily related to ZERUST® products and services.

12.       COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

On August 31, 2017, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved the material terms of an annual bonus plan for the Company’s executive officers as well as certain officers and employees for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2018. For fiscal 2018 as in past years, the total amount available under the bonus plan for all plan participants, including executive officers, is dependent upon the Company’s earnings before interest, taxes and other income (EBITOI), as adjusted to take into account amounts to be paid under the bonus plan and certain other adjustments (Adjusted EBITOI). Each plan participant’s percentage of the overall bonus pool is based upon the number of plan participants, the individual’s annual base salary and the individual’s position and level of responsibility within the Company. In the case of each of the Company’s executive officer participants, 75% of the amount of their individual bonus payout will be determined based upon the Company’s actual Adjusted EBITOI for fiscal 2018 compared to a pre-established target EBITOI for fiscal 2018 and 25% of the payout will be determined based upon such executive officer’s achievement of certain pre-established individual performance objectives. The payment of bonuses under the plan are discretionary and may be paid to executive officer participants in both cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, the exact amount and percentages will be determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Compensation Committee, after the completion of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for fiscal 2018. There was $1,380,000 accrued for management bonuses for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $600,000 accrued for management bonuses for the nine months ended May 31, 2017.

Three joint ventures (consisting of the Company’s joint ventures in South Korea, India and United States) accounted for 51.8% of the Company’s trade joint venture receivables at May 31, 2018, and three joint ventures (consisting of the Company’s joint ventures in South Korea, Thailand and India) accounted for 60.7% of the Company’s trade joint venture receivables at August 31, 2017.

From time to time, the Company is subject to various other claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of its business. The Company records a liability in its consolidated financial statements for costs related to claims, including future legal costs, settlements and judgments, where the Company has assessed that a loss is probable and an amount could be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of a probable loss is a range, the Company records the most probable estimate of the loss or the minimum amount when no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount. The Company discloses a contingent liability even if the liability is not probable or the amount is not estimable, or both, if there is a reasonable possibility that material loss may have been incurred. In the opinion of management, as of May 31, 2018, the amount of liability, if any, with respect to these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not materially affect the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

 

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13.       Fair Value Measurements

 

Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis primarily relate to marketable equity securities. These items are marked-to-market at each reporting period.

 

The following tables provide information by level for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

 

      Fair Value Measurements
Using Inputs Considered as
   Fair value as of
May 31, 2018
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3
Available for sale securities  $3,282,915   $3,282,915   $   $ 

 

      Fair Value Measurements
Using Inputs Considered as
   Fair value as of
August 31, 2017
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3
Available for sale securities  $3,766,984   $3,766,984   $   $ 

 

There were no transfers between Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017.

 

14.       SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION

 

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information consisted of:

 

     Three Months Ended
     May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
  Cash paid for interest  $3,139   $7,409 
  Cash paid for income taxes   45,000     

 

     Nine Months Ended
     May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
  Cash paid for interest  $14,007   $15,502 
  Cash paid for income taxes   45,000     

 

15.       INCOME TAXES

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or Tax Reform Act. The Tax Reform Act makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code that will affect the Company’s fiscal year ending August 31 2018, including, but not limited to, reducing the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, generally eliminating U.S. federal income taxes on dividends received from foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures after December 31, 2017, and imposing a one-time deemed repatriation tax on certain unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Company will be subject to a blended U.S. federal tax rate of 25.7% for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2018 as a result of the reduction of the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018.

 

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The Company recognized the income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act in its 2018 interim consolidated financial statements in accordance with SAB No. 118, which provides SEC staff guidance for the application of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, in the reporting period in which the Tax Reform Act was signed into law. As such, the Company’s financial results reflect the income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act for which the accounting under ASC Topic 740 is complete and provisional amounts for those specific income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act for which the accounting under ASC Topic 740 is incomplete but a reasonable estimate could be determined.

The Company recorded income tax expense during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 of $181,683 and $1,128,583, respectively, compared to $237,801 and $480,423 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017.

The Company measures deferred tax assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that will apply in the years in which the temporary differences are expected to be recovered or paid. Accordingly, the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities were re-measured to reflect the reduction in the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, resulting in an increase of $700,000 in income tax expense for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 and a corresponding decrease of $700,000 in net deferred tax assets as of May 31, 2018 compared to August 31, 2017. The $700,000 income tax expense and corresponding decrease in net deferred tax assets represents a provisional estimate based on the Company’s current interpretation of the Tax Reform Act and may change as the Company receives additional clarification and implementation guidance. No changes were recorded during the three months ended May 31, 2018.

The one-time deemed repatriation tax is applicable to the unremitted earnings of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Company calculated deemed repatriation tax of $489,000, which the Company expects to fully offset with foreign tax credit carryforwards for which the Company has not previously recognized a tax benefit. As a result, the transition tax resulted in zero increase in income tax expense and income taxes payable for the nine months ended May 31, 2018. The $489,000 transition tax on deemed repatriation of unremitted foreign earnings represents a provisional estimate and is subject to adjustment during the measurement period of up to one year following the December 2017 enactment date of the Tax Reform Act, as provided by recent SEC guidance. No adjustments were recorded during the three months ended May 31, 2018.

The Company continues to analyze the impact of other provisions of the Tax Reform Act on its financial statements and operations, including the impact of the global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) rules, and the impact of the Tax Reform Act on the Company’s indefinite reinvestment assertion with respect to the undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures. Any additional impacts from the enactment of the Tax Reform Act will be recorded as they are identified during the measurement period as provided for in accordance with SAB No. 118.

 

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ITEM 2.MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This Management’s Discussion and Analysis provides material historical and prospective disclosures intended to enable investors and other users to assess NTIC’s financial condition and results of operations. Statements that are not historical are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Part I. Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Forward-Looking Statements” in this report and under “Part 1. Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017. The following discussion of the results of the operations and financial condition of NTIC should be read in conjunction with NTIC’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included under the heading “Part I. Item 1. Financial Statements.”

Business Overview

NTIC develops and markets proprietary environmentally beneficial products and services in over 60 countries either directly or via a network of subsidiaries, joint ventures, independent distributors and agents. NTIC’s primary business is corrosion prevention marketed mainly under the ZERUST® brand. NTIC has been selling its proprietary ZERUST® products and services to the automotive, electronics, electrical, mechanical, military and retail consumer markets for over 40 years, and in recent years, has targeted and expanded into the oil and gas industry. NTIC also markets and sells a portfolio of biobased and certified compostable (fully biodegradable) polymer resin compounds and finished products under the Natur-Tec® brand. These products are intended to reduce NTIC’s customers’ carbon footprint and provide environmentally sound waste disposal options.

NTIC’s ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting products include plastic and paper packaging, liquids, coatings, rust removers, cleaners, and diffusers as well as engineered solutions designed specifically for the oil and gas industry. NTIC also offers worldwide on-site technical consulting for rust and corrosion prevention issues. NTIC’s technical service consultants work directly with the end users of NTIC’s ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting products to analyze their specific needs and develop systems to meet their performance requirements. In North America, NTIC sells its ZERUST® corrosion prevention solutions through a network of independent distributors and agents supported by a direct sales force. Internationally, NTIC sells its ZERUST® corrosion prevention solutions through its wholly-owned subsidiary in China, NTIC (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (NTIC China), its majority-owned joint venture holding company for NTIC’s joint venture investments in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, NTI Asean LLC (NTI Asean), its majority-owned subsidiary in Brazil, Zerust Prevenção de Corrosão S.A. (Zerust Brazil), and its wholly-owned subsidiary in Mexico, ZERUST-EXCOR MEXICO, S. de R.L. de C.V (Zerust Mexico), and joint venture arrangements in North America, Europe and Asia. NTIC also sells products directly to its joint venture partners through its wholly-owned subsidiary in Germany, NTIC Europe GmbH (NTI Europe).

One of NTIC’s strategic initiatives is to expand into and penetrate other markets for its ZERUST® corrosion prevention technologies. Consequently, for the past several years, NTIC has focused significant sales and marketing efforts on the oil and gas industry, as the infrastructure that supports that industry is typically constructed using metals that are highly susceptible to corrosion. NTIC believes that its ZERUST® corrosion prevention solutions will minimize maintenance downtime on critical oil and gas industry infrastructure, extend the life of such infrastructure and reduce the risk of environmental pollution due to corrosion leaks.

NTIC markets and sells its ZERUST® rust and corrosion prevention solutions to customers in the oil and gas industry across several countries either directly, through its subsidiaries or through its joint venture partners and other strategic partners. The sale of ZERUST® corrosion prevention solutions to customers in the oil and gas industry typically involves long sales cycles, often including multi-year trial periods with each customer and a slow integration process thereafter.

 

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Natur-Tec® biobased and compostable plastics are manufactured using NTIC’s patented and/or proprietary technologies and are intended to replace conventional petroleum-based plastics. The Natur-Tec® biopolymer resin compound portfolio includes formulations that have been optimized for a variety of applications including blown-film extrusion, extrusion coating, injection molding, and engineered plastics. These resin compounds are certified to be fully biodegradable in a composting environment and are currently being used to produce finished products including can liners, shopping and grocery bags, lawn and leaf bags, pet waste collection bags, cutlery and coated paper products. In North America, NTIC markets its Natur-Tec® resin compounds and finished products primarily through a network of regional and national distributors as well as independent agents. NTIC continues to see significant opportunities for finished bioplastic products and, therefore, continues to strengthen and expand its North American distribution network for finished Natur-Tec® bioplastic products. Internationally, NTIC sells its Natur-Tec® resin compounds and finished products both directly and through its majority-owned subsidiary in India, Natur-Tec India Private Limited (Natur-Tec India), and through distributors and certain joint ventures.

NTIC’s Subsidiaries and Joint Venture Network

NTIC has ownership interests in six subsidiaries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. The following table sets forth a list of NTIC’s operating subsidiaries as of May 31, 2018, the country in which the subsidiary is organized and NTIC’s ownership percentage in each subsidiary:

Subsidiary Name  Country  NTIC
Percent (%) Ownership
NTIC (Shanghai) Co., Ltd  China  100%
NTI Asean LLC  United States  60%
Zerust Prevenção de Corrosão S.A.  Brazil  85%
ZERUST-EXCOR MEXICO, S. de R.L. de C.V  Mexico  100%
Natur-Tec India Private Limited  India  90%
NTIC Europe GmbH  Germany  100%

 

The results of these subsidiaries are fully consolidated in NTIC’s consolidated financial statements.

NTIC participates in 20 active joint venture arrangements in North America, Europe and Asia. Each of these joint ventures generally manufactures and markets products in the geographic territory to which it is assigned. While most of NTIC’s joint ventures exclusively sell rust and corrosion inhibiting products, some of the joint ventures also sell NTIC’s Natur-Tec® resin compounds. NTIC has historically funded its investments in joint ventures with cash generated from operations.

NTIC’s receipt of funds from its joint ventures is dependent upon fees for services that NTIC provides to its joint ventures, based primarily on the net sales of the individual joint ventures, and NTIC’s receipt of dividend distributions from the joint ventures. The fees for services provided to joint ventures are determined based on either a flat fee or a percentage of sales depending on local laws and tax regulations. With respect to NTIC’s joint venture in Germany (EXCOR), NTIC recognizes an agreed upon quarterly fee for such services. NTIC recognizes equity income from each joint venture based on the overall profitability of the joint venture. Such profitability is subject to variability from quarter to quarter which, in turn, subjects NTIC’s earnings to variability from quarter to quarter. The profits of each joint venture are shared by the respective joint venture owners in accordance with their respective ownership percentages. NTIC typically directly or indirectly owns 50% or less of each of its joint venture entities and thus does not control the decisions of these entities regarding whether to pay dividends and, if paid, how much they should be in a given year. The payment of a dividend by an entity is determined by a joint vote of the owners and is not at the sole discretion of NTIC.

NTIC accounts for the investments and financial results of its joint ventures in its financial statements utilizing the equity method of accounting.

 

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NTIC considers EXCOR to be individually significant to NTIC’s consolidated assets and income; and therefore, provides certain additional information regarding EXCOR in the notes to NTIC’s consolidated financial statements and in this section of this report.

Financial Overview

NTIC’s management, including its chief executive officer who is NTIC’s chief operating decision maker, reports and manages NTIC’s operations in two reportable business segments based on products sold, customer base and distribution center: ZERUST® products and services and Natur-Tec® products.

NTIC’s consolidated net sales increased 26.4% and 28.0% during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017. These increases were primarily a result of increased demand of ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting packaging products and services and the addition of new customers in North America and China and an increase in sales of Natur-Tec® products.

During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, 80.3% and 82.1% of NTIC’s consolidated net sales, respectively, were derived from sales of ZERUST® products and services, which increased 24.1% and 27.1% to $10,382,884 and $30,102,080 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $8,368,487 and $23,681,192 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively. These increases were due to increased demand of ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting packaging products and services and the addition of new customers in North America and China. NTIC has focused its sales efforts of ZERUST® products and services by strategically targeting customers with specific corrosion issues in new market areas, including the oil and gas industry and other industrial sectors that offer sizable growth opportunities. NTIC’s consolidated net sales for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 included $1,418,573 of sales made to customers in the oil and gas industry compared to $1,287,789 for the nine months ended May 31, 2017. Overall demand for ZERUST® products and services depends heavily on the overall health of the markets in which NTIC sells its products, including the automotive, oil and gas, agriculture, and mining markets in particular.

During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, 19.7% and 17.9%, of NTIC’s consolidated net sales, respectively, were derived from sales of Natur-Tec® products compared to 18.1% and 17.4% during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively. Net sales of Natur-Tec® products increased 37.0% and 31.9% during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, primarily due to an increase in finished product sales in North America and finished product sales at NTIC’s majority owned subsidiary in India, Natur-Tec India Private Limited (Natur-Tec India).

Cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales increased slightly to 66.5% during the three months ended May 31, 2018 compared to 66.3% during the three months ended May 31, 2017 and decreased slightly to 66.8% during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to 67.2% during the prior fiscal year period, primarily due to product mix and the different gross profits realized on different products.

NTIC’s equity in income from joint ventures increased 33.2% and 33.4% to $2,246,066 and $5,793,391, respectively, during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $1,686,016 and $4,343,159 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively. These increases were primarily due to corresponding increases in net sales at the joint ventures, which increased 21.4% and 23.4% to $31,480,885 and $90,200,146 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $25,935,169 and $73,098,215 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively, as well as a strengthened Euro and other currencies compared to the U.S. Dollar. The increases in net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures were due primarily to higher sales from existing customers for new and existing products as a result of increased demand.

 

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NTIC’s total operating expenses increased 16.2% and 12.1% to $5,632,826 and $16,622,849 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $4,847,144 and $14,831,577 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017. These increases were primarily due to an increase in NTIC’s personnel expenses, including an increase in the management bonus accrual of $780,000. Operating expenses, as a percent of net sales, for the three months ended May 31, 2018 were 43.6%, compared to 47.4% for the same period last fiscal year and for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 were 45.3%, compared to 51.7% for the same period last fiscal year. These reductions in operating expenses, as a percent of net sales were primarily due to significantly higher net sales, partially offset by higher operating expenses.

NTIC spent $860,347 and $2,581,824 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $733,651 and $2,118,210 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively, in connection with its research and development activities. NTIC anticipates that it will spend a total of between $3,200,000 and $3,600,000 in fiscal 2018 on research and development activities.

Net income attributable to NTIC increased to $2,142,752, or $0.46 per diluted common share, for the three months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $1,352,416, or $0.30 per diluted common share, for the three months ended May 31, 2017, an increase of $790,336 or $0.16 per diluted share. Net income attributable to NTIC increased 123.7%, to $4,559,225, or $0.98 per diluted common share, for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $2,039,021, or $0.45 per diluted common share, for the nine months ended May 31, 2017, an increase of $2,520,204 or $0.53 per diluted share. These increases were primarily the result of the increases in net sales and corresponding gross profit, as well as the increases in income from joint venture operations, partially offset by the increase in operating expenses, as previously described. The increase for the nine-month comparison was partially offset by the significant impact of the $700,000 one-time provisional adjustment related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Reform Act), as described in more detail below.

NTIC anticipates that its quarterly net income will continue to remain subject to significant volatility primarily due to the financial performance of its subsidiaries and joint ventures and sales of its ZERUST® products and services into the oil and gas industry and Natur-Tec® bioplastics products, which sales fluctuate more on a quarterly basis than the traditional ZERUST® business. NTIC also anticipates that its operating results during the next few quarters will remain volatile primarily as a result of the changes in its Chinese operations.

NTIC’s working capital, as defined as current assets less current liabilities, was $22,812,170 at May 31, 2018, including $4,610,325 in cash and cash equivalents and $3,282,915 in available for sale securities, compared to $21,173,001 at August 31, 2017, including $6,360,201 in cash and cash equivalents and $3,766,984 in available for sale securities.

During the nine months ended May 31, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors declared cash dividends on the following dates in the following amounts to the following holders of the Company’s common stock:

Declaration Date  Amount  Record Date  Payable Date
November 20, 2017  $0.10  December 8, 2017  December 21, 2017
January 24, 2018  $0.10  February 8, 2018  February 21, 2018
April 25, 2018  $0.10  May 9, 2018  May 23, 2018

 

No cash dividends were declared by NTIC’s Board of Directors during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017. Although NTIC’s Board of Directors intends to continue to declare regular quarterly cash dividends, the declaration of future dividends is not guaranteed and will be determined by NTIC’s Board of Directors in light of conditions then existing, including NTIC’s earnings, financial condition, cash requirements, restrictions in financing agreements, business conditions and other factors.

 

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Results of Operations

The following tables set forth NTIC’s results of operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017.

   Three Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  % of
Net Sales
  May 31, 2017  % of
Net Sales
  $
Change
  %
Change
Net sales, excluding joint ventures   $12,044,513    93.2%  $9,360,883    91.6%  $2,683,630    28.7%
Net sales, to joint ventures    879,324    6.8%   862,136    8.4%   17,188    2.0%
Cost of goods sold    8,592,366    66.5%   6,774,001    66.3%   1,818,365    26.8%
Equity in income from joint ventures    2,246,066    17.4%   1,686,016    16.5%   560,050    33.2%
Fees for services provided to joint ventures    1,508,500    11.7%   1,442,048    14.1%   66,452    4.6%
Selling expenses    2,784,694    21.5%   2,430,824    23.8%   353,870    14.6%
General and administrative expenses    1,987,785    15.4%   1,682,669    16.5%   305,116    18.1%
Research and development expenses    860,347    6.7%   733,651    7.2%   126,696    17.3%

 

   Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  % of
Net Sales
  May 31, 2017  % of
Net Sales
  $
Change
  %
Change
Net sales, excluding joint ventures   $34,479,773    94.0%  $26,552,434    92.6%  $7,927,339    29.9%
Net sales, to joint ventures    2,201,077    6.0%   2,115,511    7.4%   85,566    4.0%
Cost of goods sold    24,493,672    66.8%   19,256,953    67.2%   5,236,719    27.2%
Equity in income from joint ventures    5,793,391    15.8%   4,343,159    15.1%   1,450,232    33.4%
Fees for services provided to joint ventures    4,624,532    12.6%   3,941,667    13.7%   682,865    17.3%
Selling expenses    8,028,279    21.9%   6,716,390    23.4%   1,311,889    19.5%
General and administrative expenses    6,012,746    16.4%   5,996,977    20.9%   15,769    0.3%
Research and development expenses    2,581,824    7.0%   2,118,210    7.4%   463,614    21.9%

 

Net Sales. NTIC’s consolidated net sales increased 26.4% and 28.0% to $12,923,837 and $36,680,850 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017. NTIC’s consolidated net sales to unaffiliated customers excluding NTIC’s joint ventures increased 28.7% and 29.9% to $12,044,513 and $34,479,773, respectively, during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the same respective periods in fiscal 2017. These increases were primarily a result of increased demand from of ZERUST® products and services and the addition of new customers in North America and China and an increase in sales of Natur-Tec® products. Net sales to joint ventures increased 2.0% and 4.0% to $879,324 and $2,201,077, respectively, during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to the same respective periods in fiscal 2017. These increases were primarily a result of increased demand.

The following table sets forth NTIC’s net sales by product segment for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 by segment:

   Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended
   May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017  May 31, 2018  May 31, 2017
Total ZERUST® sales   $10,382,884   $8,368,487   $30,102,080   $23,681,192 
Total Natur-Tec® sales    2,540,953    1,854,532    6,578,770    4,986,753 
Total net sales   $12,923,837   $10,223,019   $36,680,850   $28,667,945 

 

During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, 80.3% and 82.1% of NTIC’s consolidated net sales, respectively, were derived from sales of ZERUST® products and services, which increased 24.1% and 27.1% to $10,382,884 and $30,102,080 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $8,368,487 and $23,681,192 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively. These increases were due to increased demand of ZERUST® industrial products and services and the addition of new customers in North America and China and increased demand of ZERUST® oil and gas products and services. NTIC has strategically focused its sales efforts for ZERUST® products and services on customers with sizeable corrosion problems in industry sectors that offer sizable growth opportunities, including the oil and gas sector. Overall demand for ZERUST® products and services depends heavily on the overall health of the market segments to which NTIC sells its products, including the automotive, oil and gas, agriculture, and mining markets in particular.

 

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The following table sets forth NTIC’s net sales of ZERUST® products for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 and 2017:

   Three Months Ended
   May 31,
2018
  May 31,
2017
  $
Change
  %
Change
ZERUST® industrial net sales   $8,947,847   $7,170,802   $1,777,045    24.8%
ZERUST® joint venture net sales    879,324    862,136    17,188    2.0%
ZERUST® oil & gas net sales    555,713    335,549    220,164    65.6%
Total ZERUST® net sales   $10,382,884   $8,368,487   $2,014,397    24.1%

 

   Nine Months Ended
   May 31,
2018
  May 31,
2017
  $
Change
  %
Change
ZERUST® industrial net sales   $26,482,430   $20,277,892   $6,204,538    30.6%
ZERUST® joint venture net sales    2,201,077    2,115,511    85,566    4.0%
ZERUST® oil & gas net sales    1,418,573    1,287,789    130,784    10.2%
Total ZERUST® net sales   $30,102,080   $23,681,192   $6,420,888    27.1%

 

Demand for ZERUST® oil and gas products around the world depends primarily on market acceptance and the reach of NTIC’s distribution network. Because of the typical size of individual orders and overall size of NTIC’s net sales derived from sales of oil and gas products, the timing of one or more orders can materially affect NTIC’s quarterly sales compared to prior fiscal year quarters. NTIC anticipates that its sales of ZERUST® products and services into the oil and gas industry will continue to remain volatile from quarter to quarter as sales are recognized due to the average order size and the timing of sales, as well as oil prices.

 

During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, 19.7% and 17.9% of NTIC’s consolidated net sales, respectively, were derived from sales of Natur-Tec® products, which increased 37.0% and 31.9% to $2,540,953 and $6,578,770 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017. These increases were primarily due to an increase in finished product sales in North America and finished product sales at NTIC’s majority-owned subsidiary in India, Natur-Tec India Private Limited (Natur-Tec India).

 

Cost of Goods Sold. Cost of goods sold increased 26.8% and 27.2% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017. These increases were primarily a result of the corresponding increased sales levels. Cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales increased slightly to 66.5% during the three months ended May 31, 2018 compared to 66.3% during the three months ended May 31, 2017 and decreased slightly to 66.8% during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to 67.2% during the nine months ended May 31, 2017 primarily due to product mix and the different gross profits realized on different products.

Equity in Income from Joint Ventures. NTIC’s equity in income from joint ventures increased 33.2% and 33.4% to $2,246,066 and $5,793,391 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $1,686,016 and $4,343,159 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively. These increases were primarily a result of improved profitability at the joint ventures. Of the total equity in income from joint ventures, NTIC had equity in income from joint ventures of $4,138,814 attributable to EXCOR during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $3,089,935 during the nine months ended May 31, 2017. NTIC had equity in income from all other joint ventures of $1,654,577 during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $1,253,224 during the nine months ended May 31, 2017.

 

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Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures. NTIC recognized fee income for services provided to joint ventures of $1,508,500 and $4,624,532 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $1,442,048 and $3,941,667 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively, representing increases of 4.6% and 17.3%, respectively. Fee income for services provided to joint ventures is traditionally a function of the sales made by NTIC’s joint ventures. Total net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures increased to $31,480,885 and $90,200,146 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $25,935,169 and $73,098,215 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively, representing increases of $5,545,716 and $17,101,931, respectively. Net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures are not included in NTIC’s consolidated financial statements. Of the total fee income for services provided to joint ventures, fees of $680,939 were attributable to EXCOR during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $614,766 attributable to EXCOR during the nine months ended May 31, 2017.

 

Selling Expenses. NTIC’s selling expenses increased 14.6% and 19.5% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the same respective periods in fiscal 2017 due primarily to increases in operating expenses associated with ZERUST® sales efforts, consisting primarily of selling and personnel expense. Selling expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased to 21.5% and 21.9% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, from 23.8% and 23.4% and during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively, primarily due to the significant increase in net sales, partially offset by the increase in selling expenses, as previously described.

General and Administrative Expenses. NTIC’s general and administrative expenses increased 18.1% and 0.3% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the same respective periods in fiscal 2017. The increase in expenses during the three-month comparison was primarily due to an increase in compensation expense and an increase in operating expenses at NTIC China. As a percentage of net sales, general and administrative expenses decreased to 15.4% and 16.4% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, from 16.5% and 20.9% for the same respective periods in fiscal 2017, respectively. These decreases were due primarily to the significant increase in net sales, partially offset by the increase in general and administrative expenses, as previously described.

Research and Development Expenses. NTIC’s research and development expenses increased 17.3% and 21.9% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to the same respective period in fiscal 2017 due primarily to increased research and development activities during the current fiscal year periods.

Interest Income. NTIC’s interest income increased to $35,630 and $84,569 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $10,996 and $19,075 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively, due to increased levels of invested cash.

Interest Expense. NTIC’s interest expense decreased to $3,139 and $14,007 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $7,409 and $15,502 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively.

Income Before Income Tax Expense. NTIC incurred income before income tax expense equal to $2,485,702 and $6,052,814 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to $1,733,525 and $2,867,814 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively.

Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense was $181,683 and $1,128,583 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018, respectively, compared to income tax expense of $237,801 and $480,423 during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2017, respectively. Income tax expense is calculated based on management’s estimate of NTIC’s annual effective income tax rate. The increase for the nine-month comparison was primarily due to one-time provisional adjustments related to the Tax Reform Act. The Tax Reform Act, among other things, reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, generally eliminated U.S. federal income taxes on dividends received from foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures after December 31, 2017, and imposed a one-time deemed repatriation tax on certain unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures. As a result of the change in the tax law, a one-time non-cash tax provisional charge of $700,000 related to the re-measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities was recorded in the nine months ended May 31, 2018. The impact of this non-cash tax charge increased NTIC’s effective rate by approximately 30.3% for the nine months ended May 31, 2018. The $700,000 income tax expense and corresponding decrease in net deferred tax assets represents a provisional estimate based on NTIC’s current interpretation of the Tax Reform Act and may change as NTIC receives additional clarification and implementation guidance. NTIC continues to analyze the impact of other provisions of the Tax Reform Act on its financial statements and operations, including the impact of the global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) rules, and the impact of the Tax Reform Act on NTIC’s indefinite reinvestment assertion with respect to the undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures. Any additional impacts from the enactment of the Tax Reform Act will be recorded as they are identified during the measurement period as provided for in accordance with SAB No. 118. No changes or adjustments were made during the three months ended May 31, 2018.

 

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Net Income Attributable to NTIC. Net income attributable to NTIC increased to $2,140,752, or $0.46, per diluted common share, for the three months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $1,352,416, or $0.30, per diluted common share, for the three months ended May 31, 2017, an increase of $790,336 or $0.16 per diluted share. Net income attributable to NTIC increased to $4,557,225, or $0.98 per diluted common share, for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to $2,037,021, or $0.45 per diluted common share, for the nine months ended May 31, 2017, an increase of $2,522,204 or $0.53 per diluted share. These increases were primarily the result of the increases in net sales and corresponding gross profit, as well as the increases in income from joint venture operations, partially offset by the increase in operating expenses. The increase for the nine-month comparison was partially offset by the significant impact of the $700,000 one-time provisional adjustment related to the Tax Reform Act. As previously mentioned, the impact from the enactment of the Tax Reform Act was driven by the provisional re-measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities, which resulted in a non-cash discrete tax charge of $700,000 during the nine months ended May 31, 2018.

Other Comprehensive Income - Foreign Currency Translations Adjustment. The changes in the foreign currency translations adjustment was due to the fluctuation of the U.S. dollar compared to the Euro and other foreign currencies during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2018 compared to the same period in fiscal 2017.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Cash and Working Capital. As of May 31, 2018, NTIC’s working capital was $22,812,170, including $4,610,325 in cash and cash equivalents and $3,282,915 in available for sale securities, compared to $21,173,001 at August 31, 2017, including $6,360,201 in cash and cash equivalents and $3,766,984 in available for sale securities.

As of May 31, 2018, NTIC had a revolving line of credit with PNC Bank of $3,000,000, with no amounts outstanding. The line of credit is evidenced by an amended and restated committed line of credit note in the principal amount of up to $3,000,000. The line of credit has a $1,200,000 standby letter of credit sub-facility, with any standby letters of credit issued thereunder being at the sole discretion of PNC Bank. Any lines of credit issued by PNC Bank would decrease the availability under the revolving line of credit. The line of credit is subject to standard covenants, including affirmative financial covenants, such as the maintenance of a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, and negative covenants, which, among other things, limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, loans and equity investments, disposition of assets, mergers and consolidations and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. Under the loan agreement, NTIC is subject to a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.10:1.00. As of May 31, 2018, NTIC was in compliance with all debt covenants.

On January 5, 2018, NTIC and PNC Bank extended the maturity date of the line of credit from January 7, 2018 to January 7, 2019. All other terms of the line of credit and the loan agreement and other documents evidencing the line of credit remain the same. It is anticipated that, as historically has been the practice, the line of credit will be renewed each year for one additional year for the immediate foreseeable future.

 

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NTIC believes that a combination of its existing cash and cash equivalents, available for sale securities, forecasted cash flows from future operations, anticipated distributions of earnings, anticipated fees to NTIC for services provided to its joint ventures, and funds available through existing or anticipated financing arrangements, will be adequate to fund its existing operations, investments in new or existing joint ventures or subsidiaries, capital expenditures, debt repayments, cash dividends and any stock repurchases for at least the next 12 months. During the remainder of fiscal 2018, NTIC expects to continue to invest in NTIC China, research and development and in marketing efforts and resources for the application of its corrosion prevention technology in the oil and gas industry and its Natur-Tec® bio-plastics business, although the amounts of these various investments are not known at this time. In order to take advantage of such new product and market opportunities to expand its business and increase its revenues, NTIC may decide to finance such opportunities by borrowing under its revolving line of credit or raising additional financing through the issuance of debt or equity securities. There is no assurance that any financing transaction will be available on terms acceptable to NTIC or at all, or that any financing transaction will not be dilutive to NTIC’s current stockholders.

NTIC traditionally has used the cash generated from its operations, distributions of earnings from joint ventures and fees for services provided to its joint ventures to fund NTIC’s new technology investments and capital contributions to new and existing subsidiaries and joint ventures. NTIC’s joint ventures traditionally have operated with little or no debt and have been self-financed with minimal initial capital investment and minimal additional capital investment from their respective owners. Therefore, NTIC believes there is limited exposure by NTIC’s joint ventures that could materially impact their respective operations and/or liquidity.

Uses of Cash and Cash Flows. Net cash used in operating activities during the nine months ended May 31, 2018 was $141,994, which resulted principally from NTIC’s equity in income from joint ventures, increases in trade receivables excluding joint ventures, inventories, and prepaid expenses and other, partially offset by NTIC’s net income, dividends received from joint ventures, and increases in accounts payable, accrued liabilities, depreciation and amortization. Net cash provided by operating activities during the nine months ended May 31, 2017 was $2,826,166, which resulted principally from dividends received from NTIC’s joint ventures, net income, an increase in accounts payable and depreciation and amortization, partially offset by NTIC’s equity in income from joint ventures and an increase in trade receivables.

NTIC’s cash flows from operations are impacted by significant changes in certain components of NTIC’s working capital, including inventory turnover and changes in receivables. NTIC considers internal and external factors when assessing the use of its available working capital, specifically when determining inventory levels and credit terms of customers. Key internal factors include existing inventory levels, stock reorder points, customer forecasts and customer requested payment terms, and key external factors include the availability of primary raw materials and sub-contractor production lead times. NTIC’s typical contractual terms for trade receivables excluding joint ventures are traditionally 30 days and for trade receivables from its joint ventures are 90 days. Before extending unsecured credit to customers, excluding NTIC’s joint ventures, NTIC reviews customers’ credit histories and will establish an allowance for uncollectible accounts based upon factors surrounding the credit risk of specific customers and other information. Accounts receivable over 30 days are considered past due for most customers. NTIC does not accrue interest on past due accounts receivable. If accounts receivables in excess of the provided allowance are determined uncollectible, they are charged to selling expense in the period that determination is made. Accounts receivable are deemed uncollectible based on NTIC exhausting reasonable efforts to collect. NTIC’s typical contractual terms for receivables for services provided to its joint ventures are 90 days. NTIC records receivables for services provided to its joint ventures on an accrual basis, unless circumstances exist that make the collection of the balance uncertain in which case the fee income will be recorded on a cash basis until there is consistency in payments. This determination is handled on a case by case basis.

 

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NTIC experienced an increase in trade receivables as of May 31, 2018 compared to August 31, 2017. Trade receivables excluding joint ventures as of May 31, 2018 increased $2,780,077 compared to August 31, 2017, primarily related to the timing of collections and the increase in sales. Outstanding trade receivables excluding joint ventures balances as of May 31, 2018 increased 11 days to an average of 66 days from balances outstanding from these customers as of August 31, 2017. Outstanding trade receivables from joint ventures as of May 31, 2018 decreased $93,947 compared to August 31, 2017 primarily due to the timing of payments. Outstanding balances from trade receivables from joint ventures increased as of May 31, 2018 by an average of 5 days from an average of 57 days from balances outstanding from these customers compared to August 31, 2017. The average days outstanding of trade receivables from joint ventures as of May 31, 2018 were primarily due to the receivables balances at NTIC’s joint ventures in South Korea and Thailand.

Outstanding receivables for services provided to joint ventures as of May 31, 2018 increased $49,305 compared to August 31, 2017, which resulted in an increase of 3 days of fees receivable outstanding as of May 31, 2018 to an average of 82 days compared to August 31, 2017.

Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 was $79,449, which was primarily the result of additions to property and equipment and additions to patents, partially offset by proceeds from the sale of available for sale securities. Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended May 31, 2017 was $2,398,443, which was primarily the result of cash used in the purchase of available for sale securities, additions to property and equipment, and additions to patents.

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended May 31, 2018 was $1,517,998, which resulted from dividends paid on NTIC common stock and a dividend paid to a non-controlling interest, partially offset by proceeds from stock option exercises and purchases under NTIC’s employee stock purchase plan. Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended May 31, 2017 was $308,689, which resulted from a dividend paid to a non-controlling interest and the repurchase of common stock, partially offset by proceeds from NTIC’s employee stock purchase plan and stock option exercises.

Share Repurchase Plan. On January 15, 2015, NTIC’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $3,000,000 in shares of NTIC common stock through open market purchases or unsolicited or solicited privately negotiated transactions. This program has no expiration date but may be terminated by NTIC’s Board of Directors at any time. No repurchases occurred during the nine months ended May 31, 2017. As of May 31, 2018, up to $2,640,548 in shares of NTIC common stock remained available for repurchase under NTIC’s stock repurchase program.

Cash Dividends. On April 25, 2018, NTIC’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per share of NTIC’s common stock, paid on May 23, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 9, 2018. During the nine months ended May 31, 2018, NTIC’s Board of Directors paid cash dividends totaling $0.30 per share of NTIC’s common stock. No cash dividends were declared during fiscal 2017. Although NTIC’s Board of Directors intends to declare regular quarterly cash dividends going forward, the declaration of future dividends is not guaranteed and will be determined by NTIC’s Board of Directors in light of conditions then existing, including NTIC’s earnings, financial condition, cash requirements, restrictions in financing agreements, business conditions and other factors.

Capital Expenditures and Commitments. NTIC spent $500,924 on capital expenditures during the nine months ended May 31, 2018, which related primarily to the purchase of new equipment. NTIC expects to spend an aggregate of approximately $500,000 to $600,000 on capital expenditures during fiscal 2018, which it expects will relate primarily to the purchase of new equipment.

 

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Contractual Obligations

There has been no material change to NTIC’s contractual obligations as provided in “Part II. Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Contractual Obligations,” included in NTIC’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

NTIC does not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet financial arrangements. As such, NTIC is not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if NTIC had engaged in such arrangements.

Inflation and Seasonality

Inflation in the United States and abroad historically has had little effect on NTIC. Although NTIC’s business historically has not been seasonal, NTIC believes there is now some seasonality in its business. NTIC believes its net sales in second fiscal quarter were adversely affected by the long Chinese New Year, the North American holiday season and overall less corrosion taking place at lower winter temperatures worldwide.

Market Risk

NTIC is exposed to some market risk stemming from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices and interest rates.

Because the functional currency of NTIC’s foreign operations and investments in its foreign joint ventures is the applicable local currency, NTIC is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk arising from transactions in the normal course of business. NTIC’s principal exchange rate exposure is with the Euro, the Japanese Yen, Indian Rupee, Chinese Renminbi, South Korean Won and the English Pound against the U.S. Dollar. NTIC’s fees for services provided to joint ventures and dividend distributions from these foreign entities are paid in foreign currencies and thus fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could result in declines in NTIC’s reported net income. Since NTIC’s investments in its joint ventures are accounted for using the equity method, any changes in foreign currency exchange rates would be reflected as a foreign currency translation adjustment and would not change NTIC’s equity in income from joint ventures reflected in its consolidated statements of operations. NTIC does not hedge against its foreign currency exchange rate risk.

Some raw materials used in NTIC’s products are exposed to commodity price changes. The primary commodity price exposures are with a variety of plastic resins.

At the option of NTIC, outstanding advances under NTIC’s $3,000,000 revolving line of credit with PNC Bank bear interest at either (a) an annual rate based on LIBOR plus 2.15% for the applicable LIBOR interest period selected by NTIC or (b) at the rate publicly announced by PNC Bank from time to time as its prime rate, and thus may subject NTIC to some market risk on interest rates. As of May 31, 2018, NTIC had no borrowings under the line of credit.

 

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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

There have been no material changes to NTIC’s critical accounting policies and estimates from the information provided in “Part II. Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies,” included in NTIC’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017.

Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 to NTIC’s consolidated financial statements for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.

Forward-Looking Statements

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q contains not only historical information, but also forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. In addition, NTIC or others on NTIC’s behalf may make forward-looking statements from time to time in oral presentations, including telephone conferences and/or web casts open to the public, in press releases or reports, on NTIC’s Internet web site or otherwise. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this report or expressed by NTIC orally from time to time that address activities, events or developments that NTIC expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements including, in particular, the statements about NTIC’s plans, objectives, strategies and prospects regarding, among other things, NTIC’s financial condition, results of operations and business, the outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings and the effect of the liquidation of Tianjin Zerust and the operations of NTIC China. NTIC has identified some of these forward-looking statements in this report with words like “believe,” “can,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “forecast,” “possible,” “potential,” “project,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “approximate,” “outlook” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other words and terms of similar meaning. The use of future dates is also an indication of a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements may be contained in the notes to NTIC’s consolidated financial statements and elsewhere in this report, including under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting NTIC and are subject to uncertainties and factors that affect all businesses operating in a global market as well as matters specific to NTIC. These uncertainties and factors are difficult to predict and many of them are beyond NTIC’s control. The following are some of the uncertainties and factors known to us that could cause NTIC’s actual results to differ materially from what NTIC has anticipated in its forward-looking statements:

·The effect of current worldwide economic conditions and any turmoil and disruption in the global credit and financial markets on NTIC’s business;
·The variability in NTIC’s sales of ZERUST® products and services into oil and gas industry and Natur-Tec® products and NTIC’s equity income of joint ventures, which variability in sales and equity in income from joint venture in turn, subject NTIC’s earnings to quarterly fluctuations;
·Risks associated with NTIC’s international operations and exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, import duties and taxes and tariffs;
·The effect of the United Kingdom’s process to exit the European Union on NTIC’s operating results, including in particular future net sales of NTIC’s European and other joint ventures;
·The health of the U.S. automotive industry on NTIC’s business;

 

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·NTIC’s dependence on the success of its joint ventures and fees and dividend distributions that NTIC receives from them;
·NTIC’s relationships with its joint ventures and its ability to maintain those relationships, especially in light of anticipated succession planning issues;
·Fluctuations in the cost and availability of raw materials, including resins and other commodities;
·The success of and risks associated with NTIC’s emerging new businesses and products and services, including in particular NTIC’s ability and the ability of NTIC’s joint ventures to sell ZERUST® products and services into oil and gas industry and Natur-Tec® products and the often lengthy and extensive sales process involved in selling such products and services;
·NTIC’s ability to introduce new products and services that respond to changing market conditions and customer demand;
·Market acceptance of NTIC’s existing and new products, especially in light of existing and new competitive products;
·Maturation of certain existing markets for NTIC’s ZERUST® products and services and NTIC’s ability to grow market share and succeed in penetrating other existing and new markets;
·Increased competition, especially with respect to NTIC’s ZERUST® products and services, and the effect of such competition on NTIC’s and its joint ventures’ pricing, net sales and margins;
·NTIC’s reliance upon and its relationships with its distributors, independent sales representatives and joint ventures;
·NTIC’s reliance upon suppliers;
·Oil prices, which may affect sales of NTIC’s ZERUST® products and services into the oil and gas industry;
·NTIC’s operations in China, the termination of the joint venture agreements with Tianjin Zerust, and the anticipated liquidation of Tianjin Zerust and the effect of all these events on NTIC’s business and future operating results;
·The costs and effects of complying with laws and regulations and changes in tax, fiscal, government and other regulatory policies, including rules relating to environmental, health and safety matters;
·Unforeseen product quality or other problems in the development, production and usage of new and existing products;
·Unforeseen production expenses incurred in connection with new customers and new products;
·Loss of or changes in executive management or key employees;
·Ability of management to manage around unplanned events;
·Pending and future litigation;
·NTIC’s reliance on its intellectual property rights and the absence of infringement of the intellectual property rights of others;

 

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·NTIC’s ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, especially in light of its joint venture arrangements;
·Changes in applicable laws or regulations and NTIC’s failure to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations;
·Changes in generally accepted accounting principles and the effect of new accounting pronouncements;
·Fluctuations in NTIC’s effective tax rate, including from the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act;
·Effect of extreme weather conditions on NTIC’s operating results; and
·NTIC’s reliance upon its management information systems.

For more information regarding these and other uncertainties and factors that could cause NTIC’s actual results to differ materially from what NTIC has anticipated in its forward-looking statements or otherwise could materially adversely affect its business, financial condition or operating results, see NTIC’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017 under the heading “Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

All forward-looking statements included in this report are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. NTIC wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement that speaks only as of the date made and to recognize that forward-looking statements are predictions of future results, which may not occur as anticipated. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and from historical results, due to the uncertainties and factors described above, as well as others that NTIC may consider immaterial or does not anticipate at this time. Although NTIC believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, NTIC does not know whether its expectations will prove correct. NTIC’s expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions NTIC might make or by known or unknown uncertainties and factors, including those described above. The risks and uncertainties described above are not exclusive and further information concerning NTIC and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect its financial results or condition, may emerge from time to time. NTIC assumes no obligation to update, amend or clarify forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting such forward-looking statements. NTIC advises you, however, to consult any further disclosures NTIC makes on related subjects in its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K NTIC files with or furnishes to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

NTIC is exposed to some market risk stemming from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices and interest rates.

Because the functional currency of NTIC’s foreign operations and investments in its foreign joint ventures is the applicable local currency, NTIC is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk arising from transactions in the normal course of business. NTIC’s principal exchange rate exposure is with the Euro, the Japanese Yen, Indian Rupee, Chinese Renminbi, South Korean Won and the English Pound against the U.S. Dollar. NTIC’s fees for services provided to joint ventures and dividend distributions from these foreign entities are paid in foreign currencies and thus fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could result in declines in NTIC’s reported net income. Since NTIC’s investments in its joint ventures are accounted for using the equity method, any changes in foreign currency exchange rates would be reflected as a foreign currency translation adjustment and would not change NTIC’s equity in income from joint ventures reflected in its consolidated statements of operations. NTIC does not hedge against its foreign currency exchange rate risk.

 

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Some raw materials used in NTIC’s products are exposed to commodity price changes. The primary commodity price exposures are with a variety of plastic resins.

At the option of NTIC, outstanding advances under NTIC’s $3,000,000 revolving line of credit with PNC Bank bear interest at either (a) an annual rate based on LIBOR plus 2.15% for the applicable LIBOR interest period selected by NTIC or (b) at the rate publicly announced by PNC Bank from time to time as its prime rate, and thus may subject NTIC to some market risk on interest rates. As of May 31, 2018, NTIC had no borrowings under the line of credit.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

NTIC maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by NTIC in the reports it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to NTIC’s management, including NTIC’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. NTIC’s management evaluated, with the participation of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of the design and operation of NTIC’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered in this report. Based on that evaluation, NTIC’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that NTIC’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of such period to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in the reports that NTIC files or submits under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to NTIC’s management, including NTIC’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There was no change in NTIC’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended May 31, 2018 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect NTIC’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1.LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

On March 23, 2015, NTIC and NTI Asean LLC (NTI Asean), a majority-owned subsidiary of NTIC, filed a lawsuit in Tianjin No 1 Intermediate People’s Court against two individuals, Tao Meng and Xu Hui, related to breaches of duties and contractual commitments owed to NTI Asean under certain agreements related to NTIC’s former joint venture in China, Tianjin Zerust Anti-Corrosion Technologies Ltd. (Tianjin Zerust). The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that Mr. Tao Meng and Xu Hui have engaged in self-dealing, usurped business opportunities, and received economic benefits that were required to go to Tianjin Zerust. At this point it is too early in the lawsuit to reasonably estimate the amount of any recovery to NTI Asean, if any.

ITEM 1A.RISK FACTORS

This Item 1A is inapplicable to NTIC as a smaller reporting company.

 

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ITEM 2.UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Recent Sales of Unregistered Equity Securities

During the three months ended May 31, 2018, NTIC did not issue any shares of its common stock or other equity securities of NTIC that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table shows NTIC’s third quarter of fiscal 2018 stock repurchase activity.

 

Period

Total Number of Shares

(or Units) Purchased

Average Price Paid Per Share (or Unit)

Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased As Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs Maximum Number of Shares (or Units) that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
March 1, 2018 through March 31, 2018 0 $0 0 (1)
April 1, 2018 through April 30, 2018 0 $0 0 (1)(2)

May 1, 2018 through May 31, 2018

0 $0 0 (1)(2)
Total 0 $0 0 (1)(2)

 

(1)On January 15, 2015, NTIC’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $3,000,000 in shares of NTIC common stock through open market purchases or unsolicited or solicited privately negotiated transactions. This program has no expiration date but may be terminated by NTIC’s Board of Directors at any time.

 

(2)As of May 31, 2018, up to $2,640,548 in shares of NTIC common stock remained available for repurchase under NTIC’s stock repurchase program.

 

ITEM 3.DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

Not applicable.

ITEM 4.MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

ITEM 5.OTHER INFORMATION

Not applicable.

 

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ITEM 6.EXHIBITS

The following exhibits are being filed or furnished with this quarterly report on Form 10-Q:

Exhibit No.

 

Item

 

Method of Filing

31.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002   Filed herewith
         
31.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002   Filed herewith
         
32.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002   Furnished herewith
         
32.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002   Furnished herewith
         
101   The following materials from NTIC’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended May 31, 2018, formatted in XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language): (i) the unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets, (ii) the unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations, (iii) the unaudited Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iv) the unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, and (v) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements   Filed herewith
         

 

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL

CORPORATION

 
     
   
Date: July 16, 2018 Matthew C. Wolsfeld, CPA  
  Chief Financial Officer  
  (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer and  
  Duly Authorized to Sign on Behalf of the Registrant)  
     

 

 

 

 

 

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