Oil-Dri Corp of America - Quarter Report: 2007 April (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D. C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
x |
Quarterly
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the
|
|
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
|
||
For
the Quarterly Period Ended April 30,
2007
|
||
OR
|
||
o |
Transition
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the
|
|
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
|
||
For
the transition period from _____________ to
______________
|
Commission
File Number 0-8675
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA
(Exact
name of the registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or
organization) |
36-2048898
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
|||
410
North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago,
Illinois
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
60611-4213
(Zip
Code)
|
The
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (312) 321-1515
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 and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
at
least the past 90 days.
Yes
|
√
|
No
|
_____ |
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one):
Large
accelerated filer
|
Accelerated
filer
|
Non-accelerated
filer
|
√
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes
|
_____
|
No
|
√
|
The
aggregate market value of the Registrant’s Common Stock owned by non-affiliates
as of January 31, 2007 for accelerated filer purposes was
$79,036,000.
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common
stock, as of the close of the period covered by this report.
Common
Stock - 4,961,354 Shares
Class
B
Stock - 1,909,797 Shares
CONTENTS
Page
|
|||
PART
I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|||
Item
1:
|
Financial
Statements
|
3
- 16
|
|
Item
2:
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results Of
Operations
|
17
-23
|
|
Item
3:
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
|
24
|
|
|
|||
Item
4:
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
25
|
|
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
|
|||
Item
1A:
|
Risk
Factors
|
26
|
|
Item
2:
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
26
|
|
Item
6:
|
Exhibits
|
27
|
|
Signatures
|
28
|
||
Exhibits
|
29
|
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Certain
statements in this report, including, but not limited to, those under the
heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations” and those statements elsewhere in this report and other documents
we file with the Commission contain forward-looking statements that are based
on
current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our future
performance, our business, our beliefs, and our management’s assumptions. In
addition, we, or others on our behalf, may make forward-looking statements
in
press releases or written statements, or in our communications and discussions
with investors and analysts in the normal course of business through meetings,
webcasts, phone calls, and conference calls. Words such as “expect,” “outlook,”
“forecast,” “would”, “could,” “should,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “continue,”
“believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe”, “may,” “assume,”
variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Such
statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that
could cause actual results to differ materially, including those described
in
Item 1A, Risk Factors, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended July 31, 2006, which risk factors are incorporated herein by reference.
Should one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or
should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those anticipated, intended, expected, believed, estimated,
projected or planned. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except
to
the extent required by law, we do not have any intention or obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statements after the distribution of this report,
whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions,
or otherwise.
TRADEMARK
NOTICE
Oil-Dri,
Agsorb, Oil-Dri All Purpose, Oil-Dri Lites, Cat’s Pride, Jonny Cat, KatKit,
ConditionAde, PureFlo, UltraClear, Poultry Guard, Flo-Fre, Saular, Terra Green
and Pro’s Choice are all registered trademarks of Oil-Dri Corporation of America
or of its subsidiaries. PelUnite Plus, Perform and Select are trademarks of
Oil-Dri Corporation of America. Fresh Step is the registered trademark of The
Clorox Company.
2
PART
I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|||||||
ITEM
1. Financial Statements
|
|||||||
Condensed
Consolidated Balance Sheets
|
|||||||
(in
thousands of dollars)
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
April
30,
2007
|
July
31,
2006 |
|||||
Current
Assets
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
10,061
|
$
|
6,607
|
|||
Investment
in treasury securities
|
14,800
|
19,248
|
|||||
Accounts
receivable, less allowance of $559 and
|
|||||||
$567
at April 30, 2007 and July 31, 2006, respectively
|
27,362
|
26,115
|
|||||
Inventories
|
14,724
|
15,697
|
|||||
Prepaid
overburden removal expense
|
--
|
1,686
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
1,722
|
1,722
|
|||||
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
|
4,880
|
4,627
|
|||||
Total
Current Assets
|
73,549
|
75,702
|
|||||
Property,
Plant and Equipment
|
|||||||
Cost
|
151,301
|
158,789
|
|||||
Less
accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
(99,130
|
)
|
(107,496
|
)
|
|||
Total
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
|
52,171
|
51,293
|
|||||
Other
Assets
|
|||||||
Goodwill
|
5,162
|
5,162
|
|||||
Trademarks
and patents, net of accumulated amortization of
|
|||||||
$327
and $308 at April 30, 2007 and July 31, 2006, respectively
|
786
|
780
|
|||||
Debt
issuance costs, net of accumulated amortization
|
|||||||
of
$432 and $393 at April 30, 2007 and July 31, 2006, respectively
|
431
|
444
|
|||||
Licensing
agreements, net of accumulated amortization of
|
|||||||
$2,707
and $2,558 at April 30, 2007 and July 31, 2006, respectively
|
732
|
881
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
1,443
|
1,151
|
|||||
Other
|
4,272
|
4,134
|
|||||
Total
Other Assets
|
12,826
|
12,552
|
|||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
138,546
|
$
|
139,547
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
|
3
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in
thousands of dollars)
(unaudited)
LIABILITIES
& STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
April
30,
2007
|
July
31,
2006
|
|||||
Current
Liabilities
|
|||||||
Current
maturities of notes payable
|
$
|
4,080
|
$
|
4,080
|
|||
Accounts
payable
|
5,309
|
7,596
|
|||||
Dividends
payable
|
763
|
754
|
|||||
Accrued
expenses:
|
|||||||
Salaries,
wages and commissions
|
5,623
|
3,492
|
|||||
Trade
promotions and advertising
|
2,702
|
3,522
|
|||||
Freight
|
1,742
|
1,377
|
|||||
Other
|
5,490
|
6,292
|
|||||
Total
Current Liabilities
|
25,709
|
27,113
|
|||||
Noncurrent
Liabilities
|
|||||||
Notes
payable
|
27,080
|
31,160
|
|||||
Deferred
compensation
|
4,392
|
4,093
|
|||||
Other
|
3,842
|
3,945
|
|||||
Total
Noncurrent Liabilities
|
35,314
|
39,198
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities
|
61,023
|
66,311
|
|||||
Stockholders’
Equity
|
|||||||
Common
Stock, par value $.10 per share, issued
|
|||||||
7,259,881
shares at April 30, 2007 and 7,158,158 shares
at July 31, 2006
|
726
|
716
|
|||||
Class
B Stock, par value $.10 per share, issued
|
|||||||
2,234,538
shares at April 30, 2007 and 2,234,544 shares
at July 31, 2006
|
223
|
223
|
|||||
Unrealized
gain on marketable securities
|
49
|
46
|
|||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
19,824
|
18,072
|
|||||
Retained
earnings
|
99,414
|
97,390
|
|||||
Restricted
unearned stock compensation
|
(1,074
|
)
|
(1,308
|
)
|
|||
Cumulative
translation adjustment
|
354
|
179
|
|||||
119,516
|
115,318
|
||||||
Less
Treasury Stock, at cost (2,298,527 Common and 324,741
|
|||||||
Class
B shares at April 30, 2007 and 2,304,103 Common and
|
|||||||
324,741
Class B shares at July 31, 2006)
|
(41,993
|
)
|
(42,082
|
)
|
|||
Total
Stockholders’ Equity
|
77,523
|
73,236
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities & Stockholders’ Equity
|
$
|
138,546
|
$
|
139,547
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
|
4
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Income and Retained
Earnings
|
|||||||
(in
thousands, except for per share amounts)
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
|||||||
For
The Nine Months Ended
April
30
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Net
Sales
|
$
|
157,958
|
$
|
153,516
|
|||
Cost
of Sales
|
(124,259
|
)
|
(124,499
|
)
|
|||
Gross
Profit
|
33,699
|
29,017
|
|||||
Gain
on Sale of Long-Lived Asset
|
--
|
415
|
|||||
Selling,
General and Administrative Expenses
|
(25,327
|
)
|
(22,400
|
)
|
|||
Income
from Operations
|
8,372
|
7,032
|
|||||
Other
Income (Expense)
|
|||||||
Interest
expense
|
(1,851
|
)
|
(1,608
|
)
|
|||
Interest
income
|
1,051
|
743
|
|||||
Other,
net
|
328
|
171
|
|||||
Total
Other Expense, Net
|
(472
|
)
|
(694
|
)
|
|||
Income
Before Income Taxes
|
7,900
|
6,338
|
|||||
Income
taxes
|
(2,291
|
)
|
(2,220
|
)
|
|||
Net
Income
|
5,609
|
4,118
|
|||||
Retained
Earnings
|
|||||||
Balance
at beginning of year
|
97,390
|
94,891
|
|||||
Cumulative
effect of change in accounting principle, net of tax*
|
(1,235
|
)
|
--
|
||||
Cash
dividends declared and treasury stock reissuances
|
(2,350
|
) |
(1,986
|
)
|
|||
Retained
Earnings - April 30
|
$
|
99,414
|
$
|
97,023
|
|||
Net
Income Per Share
|
|||||||
Basic
Common
|
$
|
0.90
|
$
|
0.65
|
|||
Basic
Class B
|
$
|
0.66
|
$
|
0.48
|
|||
Diluted
|
$
|
0.80
|
$
|
0.57
|
|||
Average
Shares Outstanding
|
|||||||
Basic
Common
|
4,882
|
5,014
|
|||||
Basic
Class B
|
1,814
|
1,823
|
|||||
Diluted
|
6,980
|
7,257
|
*
See Note 8 of the notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements
for a description of the change
|
|||||||
In
accounting for stripping costs incurred during
production.
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
|
5
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive
Income
|
|||||||
(in
thousands of dollars)
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
|||||||
For
The Nine Months Ended
April
30
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
5,609
|
$
|
4,118
|
|||
Other
Comprehensive Income:
|
|||||||
Unrealized
gain on marketable securities
|
3
|
20
|
|||||
Cumulative
Translation Adjustments
|
175
|
490
|
|||||
Total
Comprehensive Income
|
$
|
5,787
|
$
|
4,628
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
6
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Income and Retained
Earnings
|
|||||||
(in
thousands, except for per share amounts)
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
|||||||
For
The Three Months Ended
April
30
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Net
Sales
|
$
|
52,956
|
$
|
51,764
|
|||
Cost
of Sales
|
(41,417
|
)
|
(41,742
|
)
|
|||
Gross
Profit
|
11,539
|
10,022
|
|||||
Selling,
General and Administrative Expenses
|
(8,515
|
)
|
(7,399
|
)
|
|||
Income
from Operations
|
3,024
|
2,623
|
|||||
Other
Income (Expense)
|
|||||||
Interest
expense
|
(593
|
)
|
(639
|
)
|
|||
Interest
income
|
360
|
333
|
|||||
Other,
net
|
181
|
69
|
|||||
Total
Other Expense, Net
|
(52
|
)
|
(237
|
)
|
|||
Income
Before Income Taxes
|
2,972
|
2,386
|
|||||
Income
taxes
|
(973
|
)
|
(1,163
|
)
|
|||
Net
Income
|
$
|
1,999
|
$
|
1,223
|
|||
Net
Income Per Share
|
|||||||
Basic
Common
|
$
|
0.32
|
$
|
0.19
|
|||
Basic
Class B
|
$
|
0.24
|
$
|
0.14
|
|||
Diluted
|
$
|
0.28
|
$
|
0.17
|
|||
Average
Shares Outstanding
|
|||||||
Basic
Common
|
4,925
|
5,034
|
|||||
Basic
Class B
|
1,822
|
1,822
|
|||||
Diluted
|
7,043
|
7,247
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
|
7
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
|
|||||||
(in
thousands of dollars)
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
|||||||
For
The Three Months Ended
April
30
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
1,999
|
$
|
1,223
|
|||
Other
Comprehensive Income:
|
|||||||
Unrealized
(loss) gain on marketable securities
|
(12
|
)
|
4
|
||||
Cumulative
Translation Adjustments
|
203
|
116
|
|||||
Total
Comprehensive Income
|
$
|
2,190
|
$
|
1,343
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
8
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
|
|||||||
(in
thousands of dollars)
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
|||||||
For
The Nine Months Ended
April 30 |
|||||||
CASH
FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
5,609
|
$
|
4,118
|
|||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash
|
|||||||
provided
by operating activities:
|
|||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
5,547
|
5,384
|
|||||
Amortization
of investment discount
|
(672
|
)
|
(432
|
)
|
|||
Non-cash
stock compensation expense
|
810
|
248
|
|||||
Excess
tax benefits for share-based payments
|
(249
|
)
|
(516
|
)
|
|||
Deferred
income taxes
|
(96
|
)
|
8
|
||||
Provision
for bad debts
|
289
|
207
|
|||||
Loss
(Gain) on the sale of long-lived assets
|
424
|
(346
|
)
|
||||
(Increase)
Decrease in:
|
|
||||||
Accounts
receivable
|
(1,536
|
)
|
(2,307
|
)
|
|||
Inventories
|
973
|
(3,395
|
)
|
||||
Prepaid
overburden removal expense
|
--
|
(133
|
)
|
||||
Prepaid
expenses
|
(253
|
)
|
(1,292
|
)
|
|||
Other
assets
|
44
|
(40
|
)
|
||||
Increase
(Decrease) in:
|
|||||||
Accounts
payable
|
(1,783
|
)
|
1,089
|
||||
Accrued
expenses
|
874
|
127
|
|||||
Deferred
compensation
|
299
|
195
|
|||||
Other
liabilities
|
(168
|
)
|
459
|
||||
Total
Adjustments
|
4,503
|
(744
|
)
|
||||
Net
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
|
10,112
|
3,374
|
|||||
CASH
FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
|||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
(6,616
|
)
|
(6,464
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from sale of property, plant and equipment
|
53
|
1,003
|
|||||
Purchases
of investments in debt securities
|
--
|
(3,302
|
)
|
||||
Maturities
of investments in debt securities
|
--
|
3,398
|
|||||
Purchases
of treasury securities
|
(42,580
|
)
|
(48,803
|
)
|
|||
Dispositions
of treasury securities
|
47,700
|
43,654
|
|||||
Net
Cash Used in Investing Activities
|
(1,443
|
)
|
(10,514
|
)
|
|||
CASH
FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
|||||||
Principal
payments on notes payable
|
(4,080
|
)
|
(3,080
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from issuance of note payable
|
--
|
15,000
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(2,271
|
)
|
(1,775
|
)
|
|||
Purchase
of treasury stock
|
(12
|
)
|
(4,538
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from issuance of treasury stock
|
31
|
631
|
|||||
Proceeds
from issuance of common stock
|
937
|
2,332
|
|||||
Excess
tax benefits for share-based payments
|
249
|
516
|
|||||
Other,
net
|
97
|
269
|
|||||
Net
Cash (Used in) Provided by Financing Activities
|
(5,049
|
)
|
9,355
|
||||
Effect
of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
|
(166
|
)
|
(335
|
)
|
|||
Net
Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
|
3,454
|
1,880
|
|||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Year
|
6,607
|
5,945
|
|||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, April 30
|
$
|
10,061
|
$
|
7,825
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
|
9
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA & SUBSIDIARIES
Notes
To Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
1.
BASIS
OF STATEMENT PRESENTATION
The
accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared
in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of
America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with instructions to
Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include
all
of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial
statements. The financial statements and the related notes are condensed and
should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and
related notes for the year ended July 31, 2006, included in our Annual Report
on
Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The
condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the parent
company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions are
eliminated.
The
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments,
consisting of normal recurring accruals, which are, in the opinion of
management, necessary for a fair presentation of the statements contained
herein. Operating results for the three months and the nine months ended April
30, 2007 are not necessarily an indication of the results that may be expected
for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2007.
The
preparation of the unaudited financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP
requires the use of estimates and assumptions related to the reporting of
assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures. Estimates
are
revised periodically. Actual results could differ from these
estimates.
Under
the
terms of our sales agreements with customers, we recognize revenue when title
is
transferred. Upon shipment an invoice is generated that sets the fixed and
determinable price. Promotional reserves are provided for sales incentives
made
directly to consumers and customers and are netted against sales. Sales returns
and allowances have historically not been material. Selling, general and
administrative expenses include salaries, wages and benefits associated with
staff outside the manufacturing and distribution functions, advertising costs,
research and development costs and all other non-manufacturing and
non-distribution expenses.
We
evaluate our allowance for doubtful accounts utilizing a combination of a
historical experience and a periodic review of our accounts receivable aging
and
specific customer account analysis. We maintain and monitor a list of customers
whose creditworthiness has diminished.
As
part
of our overall operations, we mine sorbent materials on property that we either
own or lease. A significant part of our overall mining cost is incurred during
the process of removing the overburden (non-usable material) from the mine
site,
thus exposing the sorbent material that is then used in a majority of our
production processes. Prior to fiscal 2007, the cost of the overburden removal
was recorded in a prepaid expense account and, as the usable sorbent material
was mined, the prepaid overburden removal expense was amortized over the
estimated available material. As described in Note 8 of the notes to the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, as of August 1, 2006
we
adopted EITF Issue No. 04-06, “Accounting for Stripping Costs Incurred during
Production in the Mining Industry”, which changed our reporting of production
stripping costs. Beginning in fiscal year 2007, production stripping costs
are
treated as a variable inventory production cost and are included in cost of
sales in the period they are incurred. We will continue to defer and amortize
the pre-production overburden removal costs associated with opening a new mine.
During
the normal course of our overburden removal activities we perform on-going
reclamation activities. As overburden is removed from a pit, it is hauled to
a
previously mined pit and used to refill the older site. This process allows
us
to continuously reclaim older pits and dispose of overburden simultaneously,
therefore minimizing the liability for the reclamation function.
Additionally,
it is our policy to capitalize the purchase cost of land and mineral rights,
including associated legal fees, survey fees and real estate fees. The costs
of
obtaining mineral patents, including legal fees and drilling expenses, are
also
capitalized. Pre-production development costs on new mines and any prepaid
royalties that can be offset against future royalties due upon extraction of
the
mineral are also capitalized. All exploration related costs are expensed as
incurred.
On
June
6, 2006, the Board announced a five-for-four stock split, to be effected by
a
stock dividend of one-quarter share for each outstanding share of Common Stock
and Class B Stock. The stock dividend was paid on September 8, 2006 to
stockholders of record at the close of business on August 4, 2006. The Board
also elected to maintain the per share dividend rates at $0.12 per share of
outstanding Common Stock and $0.09 per share of outstanding Class B Stock,
effectively increasing the dividend payout by approximately 25%. All shares
outstanding, earnings per share numbers and balance sheet values have been
restated to reflect the stock split.
10
2. INVENTORIES
The
composition of inventories is as follows (in thousands of dollars):
April
30,
|
July
31,
|
||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Finished
goods
|
$
|
8,498
|
$
|
8,408
|
|||
Packaging
|
2,934
|
3,688
|
|||||
Other
|
3,292
|
3,601
|
|||||
$
|
14,724
|
$
|
15,697
|
Inventories
are valued at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market. Inventory
costs
include the cost of raw materials, packaging supplies, labor and other overhead
costs. We perform a quarterly review of our inventory items to determine if
an
obsolescence reserve adjustment is necessary. The review surveys all of our
operating facilities and sales groups to ensure that both historical issues
and
new market trends are considered. The allowance not only considers specific
items, but also takes into consideration the overall value of the inventory
as
of the balance sheet date. The inventory obsolescence reserve values at April
30, 2007 and July 31, 2006 were $178,000 and $307,000, respectively.
3. PENSION
AND OTHER POST RETIREMENT BENEFITS
The
components of net periodic pension benefits cost of our sponsored defined
benefit plans were as follows:
PENSION
PLANS
|
|||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
April
30,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
April
30,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
||||||||||
Components
of net periodic pension benefit cost
|
(dollars
in thousands)
|
(dollars
in thousands)
|
|||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
198
|
$
|
244
|
$
|
603
|
$
|
732
|
|||||
Interest
cost
|
270
|
255
|
815
|
764
|
|||||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(301
|
)
|
(274
|
)
|
(903
|
)
|
(821
|
)
|
|||||
Net
amortization
|
6
|
32
|
18
|
97
|
|||||||||
$
|
173
|
$
|
257
|
$
|
533
|
$
|
772
|
Assumptions
used in the previous calculations are as follows:
PENSION
PLAN KEY
ASSUMPTIONS |
|||||||
Three
and Nine Months Ended
|
|||||||
April
30,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
||||||
Discount
rate for net periodic pension benefit cost
|
6.25
|
%
|
5.25
|
%
|
|||
Long-term
expected rate of return on assets
|
8.00
|
%
|
8.00
|
%
|
|||
Rate
of increase in compensation levels
|
4.00
|
%
|
4.00
|
%
|
|||
Measurement
date
|
7/31/2006
|
7/31/2005
|
|||||
Census
date
|
8/1/2006
|
8/1/2005
|
We
have
funded the plan based upon actuarially determined contributions that take into
account the amount deductible for income tax purposes, the normal cost and
the
minimum contribution required and the maximum contribution allowed under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. We made a
contribution to our pension plan during the third quarter of fiscal 2007 of
$780,000.
11
POST
RETIREMENT HEALTH BENEFITS
|
|||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
April
30,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
April
30,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
||||||||||
Components
of net periodic postretirement benefit cost
|
(dollars
in thousands)
|
(dollars
in thousands)
|
|||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$
|
16
|
$
|
18
|
$
|
48
|
$
|
54
|
|||||
Interest
cost
|
16
|
14
|
48
|
42
|
|||||||||
Amortization
of net transition obligation
|
4
|
4
|
12
|
12
|
|||||||||
Net
actuarial loss
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
9
|
|||||||||
Recognized
actuarial loss
|
$
|
37
|
$
|
38
|
$
|
111
|
$
|
117
|
Assumptions
used in the previous calculations are as follows:
POST
RETIREMENT
HEALTH BENEFITS KEY ASSUMPTIONS |
|||||||
Three
and Nine Months Ended
|
|||||||
April
30,
2007
|
April
30,
2006
|
||||||
Discount
rate for net periodic postretirement benefit cost
|
6.25
|
%
|
5.25
|
%
|
|||
Medical
trend
|
6.00
|
%
|
6.00
|
%
|
|||
Measurement
date
|
7/31/2006
|
7/31/2005
|
|||||
Census
date
|
8/1/2006
|
8/1/2005
|
Our
plan
covering postretirement health benefits is an unfunded plan.
4.
RECENTLY
ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
In
September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(“SFAS”) No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements”. This Statement defines fair value,
establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles and expands disclosures about fair value
measurements. The provisions of this Statement are effective at the beginning
of
our fiscal year ending July 31, 2009. We are currently evaluating the impact
of
adopting SFAS No. 157 on our consolidated financial statements.
In
February 2007, FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial
Assets and Financial Liabilities”. This Statement permits entities to choose to
measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value at
specified election dates. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the
fair value option has been elected will be reported in earnings at each
subsequent reporting date. The Statement also establishes presentation and
disclosure requirements relating to items measured at fair value. The provisions
of this Statement are to be applied prospectively and are effective at the
beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2009. We are currently evaluating
the impact of adoption of SFAS No. 159 on our consolidated financial
statements.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined
Pension and Other Postretirement Plans”. This Statement requires recognition of
the funded status of a single-employer defined benefit postretirement plan
as an
asset or liability in the statement of financial position. Funded status is
determined as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the
benefit obligation. Changes in the funded status should be recognized in other
comprehensive income. This recognition provision and the related disclosures
are
effective as of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2007 and will be applied
prospectively. Had SFAS No. 158 been effective as of July 31, 2006, we would
have recorded an increase of approximately $235,000 to net pension liabilities
and approximately $319,000 to other postretirement benefits liabilities and
a
total reduction of accumulated other comprehensive income within equity of
approximately $343,000, net of income tax effects. The Statement also requires
the measurement of plan assets and benefit obligations as of the date of the
fiscal year-end statement of financial position, which is the date we have
used
historically. We are continuing to review the impact this pronouncement will
have on our consolidated financial statements.
In
August
2006, President Bush signed into law The Pension Protection Act of 2006, which
will affect the manner in
which we administer our defined benefit pension plan. This legislation requires,
among other things, one set of funding rules for determining minimum required
contributions to defined benefit plans based on a comparison of the plan’s
assets to the plan’s liabilities, higher premium payments to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation by sponsors of defined benefit plans, plan document
amendments and additional plan disclosures in regulatory filings and to plan
participants. This legislation will be effective for plan years beginning after
December 31, 2007, with certain transition rules for 2008 through 2010. We
are
currently assessing the impact that it may have on our consolidated financial
statements.
12
In
June
2006, the FASB issued Interpretation (“FIN”) No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty
in Income Taxes”, effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006.
This interpretation clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes
in
accordance with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes”. The pronouncement
provides a recognition threshold and measurement guidance for the financial
statement recognition of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a
tax
return. We expect to implement FIN No. 48 for our fiscal year ending July 31,
2008. We are currently reviewing this pronouncement, but we believe it will
not
have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
5. SEGMENT
REPORTING
SFAS
No.
131, “Disclosures About Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information”
establishes standards for reporting information about operating segments. Under
this standard, we have two reportable operating segments: Retail and Wholesale
Products and Business to Business Products. These segments are managed
separately because each business has different customer characteristics. Net
sales and operating income for each segment are provided below. Revenues by
product line are not provided because it would be impracticable to do
so.
The
accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in Note
1 of
the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Management
does not rely on any segment asset allocations and does not consider them
meaningful because of the shared nature of our production facilities; however,
we have estimated the segment asset allocations as follows:
Assets
|
|||||||
April
30,
|
July
31,
|
||||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
(in
thousands)
|
|||||||
Business
to Business Products
|
$
|
36,989
|
$
|
36,358
|
|||
Retail
and Wholesale Products
|
60,332
|
59,836
|
|||||
Unallocated
Assets
|
41,225
|
43,353
|
|||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
138,546
|
$
|
139,547
|
13
Nine
Months Ended April 30,
|
|||||||||||||
Net
Sales
|
Income
|
||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
(in
thousands)
|
|||||||||||||
Business
to Business Products
|
$
|
53,059
|
$
|
54,266
|
$
|
10,456
|
$
|
11,483
|
|||||
Retail
and Wholesale Products
|
104,899
|
99,250
|
11,598
|
5,738
|
|||||||||
Total
Sales/Operating Income
|
$
|
157,958
|
$
|
153,516
|
22,054
|
17,221
|
|||||||
Gain
on sale of long-lived Assets (1)
|
---
|
415
|
|||||||||||
Less:
|
|||||||||||||
Corporate
Expenses
|
13,354
|
10,433
|
|||||||||||
Interest
Expense, net of
|
|||||||||||||
Interest
Income
|
800
|
865
|
|||||||||||
Income
before Income Taxes
|
7,900
|
6,338
|
|||||||||||
Income
Taxes
|
(2,291
|
)
|
(2,220
|
)
|
|||||||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
5,609
|
$
|
4,118
|
Three
Months Ended April 30,
|
|||||||||||||
Net
Sales
|
Income
|
||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
(in
thousands)
|
Business
to Business Products
|
$
|
19,277
|
$
|
19,157
|
$
|
4,207
|
$
|
4,295
|
|||||
Retail
and Wholesale Products
|
33,679
|
32,607
|
3,509
|
1,801
|
|||||||||
Total
Sales/Operating Income
|
$
|
52,956
|
$
|
51,764
|
7,716
|
6,096
|
|||||||
Less:
|
|||||||||||||
Corporate
Expenses
|
4,511
|
3,404
|
|||||||||||
Interest
Expense, net of
|
|||||||||||||
Interest
Income
|
233
|
306
|
|||||||||||
Income
before Income Taxes
|
2,972
|
2,386
|
|||||||||||
Income
Taxes
|
(973
|
)
|
(1,163
|
)
|
|||||||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
1,999
|
$
|
1,223
|
(1)
See
Note 6 for a discussion of the sale of water rights.
6. SALE
OF WATER RIGHTS
On
September 16, 2005, in the first quarter of fiscal 2006, we recorded a $415,000
pre-tax gain from the sale of certain water rights in Nevada. These water rights
were geographically located in an area that we were not actively planning to
develop.
7. STOCK-BASED
COMPENSATION
We
adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004),
“Share-Based Payments” (“SFAS 123R”) in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. In
accordance with this pronouncement, we record compensation expense for all
awards granted after the date of adoption and for the unvested portion of
previously granted awards that remain outstanding at the date of adoption.
The
stock-based compensation expense in the first nine months of fiscal years 2007
and 2006 is the cost related to the unvested portion of grants issued after
August 1, 2000 and grants issued after July 31, 2005. The stock options granted
before August 1, 2000 were fully vested as of the beginning of fiscal 2006.
Stock
Options
Our
1995
Long Term Incentive Plan (“1995 Plan”) provided for grants of both incentive and
non-qualified stock options principally at an option price per share of 100%
of
the fair market value of our Class A Common Stock or, if no Class A Common
Stock
is outstanding, our Common Stock (“Stock”) on the date of grant. Stock options
were generally granted with a five-year vesting period and a 10-year term.
The
stock options generally vest 25% two years after the grant date and 25% in
each
of the three following anniversaries of the grant date. This plan expired for
purposes of issuing new grants on August 5, 2005. All stock issued from option
exercises under this plan were from authorized but unissued stock. All
restricted stock issued was from treasury stock.
14
On
March
14, 2006, our Board of Directors unanimously approved adoption of the Oil-Dri
Corporation of America 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan (“2006 Plan”). The 2006
Plan was approved by our stockholders at our annual meeting on December 5,
2006.
The 2006 Plan permits the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights,
restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards and other
stock-based and cash-based awards. Our employees and non-employee
directors are eligible to receive grants under the 2006 Plan. The total
number of shares of Stock subject to grants under the 2006 Plan may not exceed
919,500. One grant of 20,000 shares was issued in the first nine months of
fiscal 2007. During fiscal 2006, option grants covering 25,000 shares were
issued to our outside directors with a vesting period of one year and an option
grant covering 12,500 shares was issued to an employee with vesting similar
to
the vesting described above under the 1995 Plan. There were 90,000 shares of
restricted stock issued under the 2006 Plan.
The
Oil-Dri Corporation of America Outside Director Stock Plan (the “Directors’
Plan”) provides for grants of stock options to our directors at an option price
per share of 100% of the fair market value of Common Stock on the date of grant.
Our directors are considered employees under the provisions of SFAS 123R. Stock
options have been granted to our directors for a 10-year term with a one year
vesting period. There are 118,750 shares outstanding and no shares available
for
future grants under this plan. All stock issued under this plan were from
treasury stock.
A
five-for-four stock split was announced by our Board on June 6, 2006. In keeping
with historical practices, we have adjusted the number of shares and the option
prices to equitably adjust all outstanding stock options. Under SFAS 123R,
the
equitable adjustment of outstanding options to reflect a change in
capitalization (such as a stock split) may require the recognition of
incremental compensation expense if the adjustment is not determined to have
been required by the actual terms of the equity incentive plan. The Directors’
Plan and the 1995 Plan may be deemed to have been discretionary, rather than
required by the actual terms of these plans. We therefore recognized
approximately $103,000 and $351,000 additional stock based compensation expense
relating to the modification in the third quarter and the first nine months
of
fiscal 2007, respectively.
The
fair
value of the fiscal 2006 stock options was estimated on the date of grant using
a Black-Scholes option valuation model. The
assumptions used during the full fiscal 2006 were: volatility, 23.5%; risk
free
interest rate, 4.9%; expected life, 5.4 years; dividend rate, 2.5%. The
assumptions used for the fiscal 2007 stock options granted through April 30,
2007 were: volatility, 22.4%; risk free interest rate, 4.6%; expected life,
5.0
years; dividend rate, 2.8%. The
risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time
of grant. The expected life (estimated period of time outstanding) of the
options granted was estimated by reference to the vesting schedule, historical
and future expected exercise behavior of employees and comparison with other
reporting companies. Expected volatility was based on historical volatility
for
a period of five years, ending the day of grant, and calculated on a daily
basis. The dividend rate is based on the actual dividend and share price on
the
grant date.
Changes
in our stock options as of April 30, 2007 were as follows:
(shares
in thousands)
|
|||||||
Number
of Options |
Weighted
Average Exercise Price |
||||||
Options
outstanding, July 31, 2006
|
926
|
$
|
8.60
|
||||
Granted
|
20
|
17.00
|
|||||
Exercised
|
(108
|
)
|
8.93
|
||||
Cancelled
|
(26
|
)
|
7.52
|
||||
Options
outstanding, April 30, 2007
|
812
|
$
|
8.80
|
||||
Options
exercisable, April 30, 2007
|
453
|
$
|
8.37
|
The
weighted average remaining contractual term was 5.1 years for all stock options
outstanding and 4.1 years for options exercisable as of April 30, 2007. The
total intrinsic value was approximately $7,677,000 for stock options outstanding
and $4,478,000 for stock options exercisable as of April 30, 2007. The total
intrinsic value for stock options exercised during the first nine months of
fiscal 2007 was $853,000.
The
amount of cash received from the exercise of stock options was $968,000 and
the
related tax benefit was $249,000 for the nine months ending April 30, 2007.
Restricted
Stock
Our
1995
Plan and 2006 Plan both provide for grants of restricted stock. The vesting
schedule under the 1995 Plan has varied, but has generally been three years
or
less. Under the 2006 Plan, the grants issued so far have vesting periods between
three and five years.
15
Included
in our stock-based compensation expense in the first nine months of fiscal
2007
is a portion of the cost related to the unvested restricted stock granted in
fiscal 2005 and the 90,000 shares of restricted stock granted in fiscal 2006.
No
shares of restricted stock were granted in the first nine months of fiscal
2007.
Changes
in our restricted stock as of April 30, 2007 were as follows:
(shares
in thousands)
|
|||||||
Restricted
Shares |
Weighted
Average Grant Date Fair Value |
||||||
Unvested
restricted stock at July 31, 2006
|
95
|
$
|
15.37
|
||||
Vested
|
19
|
$
|
15.32
|
||||
Unvested
restricted stock at April 30, 2007
|
76
|
$
|
15.38
|
8. CHANGE
IN ACCOUNTING FOR STRIPPING COSTS INCURRED DURING
PRODUCTION
In
March
2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ratified the consensus reached
in
EITF Issue No. 04-06 (“EITF Issue 04-06”), “Accounting for Stripping Costs
Incurred during Production in the Mining Industry”. The consensus was effective
for the first fiscal period in the fiscal year beginning after December 15,
2005; therefore, we adopted the pronouncement at the beginning of fiscal 2007.
The consensus on EITF Issue 04-06 calls for production stripping costs to be
treated as a variable inventory production cost and to be included in cost
of
sales in the period they are incurred. We will continue to defer and amortize
the pre-production overburden removal costs associated with opening a new mine.
Prior
to
this new pronouncement, we recorded these production stripping costs in a
prepaid expense account and, as the usable sorbent material was mined, the
prepaid overburden removal expense was amortized over the estimated available
material. In accordance with the transition guidance provided by this new
pronouncement, we wrote off the August 1, 2006 balance of our prepaid overburden
removal expense account to opening retained earnings, with no charge to current
earnings. The results for prior periods have not been restated. The cumulative
effect adjustment reduced opening retained earnings by $1,235,000, eliminated
the $1,686,000 balance of the prepaid overburden removal expense account and
adjusted our tax accounts by $451,000.
16
ITEM 2. |
MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS
|
The
following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of
operations should be read together with the financial statements and the related
notes included herein and our consolidated financial statements, accompanying
notes and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended July 31, 2006. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from
the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might
cause a difference include, but are not limited to, those discussed under
“Forward-Looking Statements” and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006.
OVERVIEW
We
develop, manufacture and market sorbent products principally produced from
clay
minerals and, to a lesser extent, other sorbent materials. Our principal
products include cat litter, industrial and automotive floor absorbents, fluid
purification and filtration bleaching clays, agricultural chemical carriers
and
sports field products. Our products are sold to two primary customer groups,
including customers who resell our products as originally produced to the end
customer and those who use our products as part of their production process
or
use them as an ingredient in their final finished product. We have organized
our
management group to best support our customers’ needs. As a result, we have two
reportable segments, the Retail and Wholesale Products Group and the Business
to
Business Products Group.
On
January 31, 2007, our market capitalization met the threshold required to become
an accelerated filer. Consequently, as of the end of fiscal 2007, the due dates
for our Form 10-K and subsequent Form 10-Q filings will be accelerated. In
addition, we will be required to comply with the internal control reporting
requirements mandated by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for
our
fiscal 2007 Form 10-K.
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
NINE
MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2007 COMPARED TO
NINE
MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2006
Consolidated
net sales for the nine months ended April 30, 2007 were $157,958,000, an
increase of 2.8% from net sales of $153,516,000 in the first nine months of
fiscal 2006. Net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 was $5,609,000,
an increase of 36.2% from net income of $4,118,000 in the first nine months
of
fiscal 2006. Diluted income per share for the first nine months of fiscal 2007
was $0.80 versus $0.57 diluted net income per share for the first nine months
of
fiscal 2006.
Net
income for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 was positively impacted by
an
increase in operating income in the Retail and Wholesale Products Group. A
5.7%
increase in net sales for the Retail and Wholesale Group, driven by price
increases and reduced trade spending, contributed to the higher net income.
Net
income was also positively impacted by the continuation of price increases,
energy surcharges and internal cost reduction programs implemented to address
cost increases that have reduced our margins over the past couple of years.
Procurement initiatives have stabilized packaging costs during the first nine
months of fiscal 2007. Although costs of materials and freight continue to
increase overall, these costs are generally increasing at a slower rate than
in
fiscal 2006. Net income was negatively impacted by a decline in agricultural
chemical carrier sales in the Business to Business Products Group.
Net
sales
of the Business to Business Products Group for the first nine months of fiscal
2007 were $53,059,000, a decrease of $1,207,000 from net sales of $54,266,000
in
the first nine months of fiscal 2006. The sales decline was driven by
agricultural chemical carriers and animal health and nutrition products.
Agricultural chemical carrier sales decreased 19.1% due to 24.7% lower volume
as
genetically modified seed continued to erode the market. The decrease in
agricultural chemical carrier production reduced the availability of the Group’s
Flo-Fre product line (because our Flo-Fre product is a by-product of the
manufacture of our agricultural chemical carrier products) resulting in a 10.5%
sales decline. Animal health and nutrition products sales declined due to the
discontinued production of our Poultry Guard product during the second quarter
of fiscal 2007; however, the termination of this product did not have a material
impact on net income. Partially offsetting these declines were a 38.8% increase
in sports products sales driven by strong sales of baseball products and price
increases for those products. Additionally, a 4.5% increase in bleaching clay
sales was due to a higher selling price and higher volume.
The
Business to Business Products Group’s operating income decreased 8.9% from
$11,483,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 to $10,456,000 in the first
nine months of fiscal 2007. Although prices were higher in the first nine months
of fiscal 2007, the price increases did not overcome the overall 7.9% lower
volume for the Group. In addition, costs continued to increase in the first
nine
months of fiscal 2007. Costs were higher approximately 8.7% for materials,
7.1%
for freight and 6.2% for packaging in the first nine months of fiscal 2007
compared to the same period in fiscal 2006.
17
Net
sales
of the Retail and Wholesale Products Group for the first nine months of fiscal
2007 were $104,899,000, an increase of $5,649,000 from net sales of $99,250,000
reported in the first nine months of fiscal 2006. Private label cat litter
sales
were the primary driver of the sales increase. Private label cat litter sales
were up 18.0% compared to the first nine months of fiscal 2006 due to price
increases and 5.5% higher volume. The volume increase was due to both new
distribution and new product offerings. Reduced trade spending and a higher
selling price for our branded cat litter contributed to a 1.3% increase in
net
sales. Our clay-based floor absorbent net sales increased 3.2% due to increased
prices which overcame a decline in volume. Net sales of synthetic-based
industrial absorbents were up slightly due to higher selling
prices.
The
Retail and Wholesale Products Group’s operating income increased 102.1% from
$5,738,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 to $11,598,000 in the first
nine months of fiscal 2007. Price increases and reduced trade spending overcame
higher material and freight costs. Freight and material costs were 4.9% and
4.7%
higher, respectively, compared to the first nine months of fiscal 2006.
Packaging costs were comparable between years due to company-wide initiatives
to
manage costs.
Consolidated
gross profit as a percentage of net sales for the first nine months of fiscal
2007 increased to 21.3% from 18.9% in the first nine months of fiscal 2006.
Price increases were implemented in an attempt to recover margin declines
experienced over the past couple of years due to cost increases in materials,
packaging and freight. Further contributing to the improved gross profit was
an
8.4% decrease in the cost of fuel used in the manufacturing process in the
first
nine months of fiscal 2007 compared to the first nine months of fiscal 2006;
however, non-fuel manufacturing costs rose 7.7%, which had a negative impact
on
gross profit. Non-fuel manufacturing costs increased for repairs, labor and
other raw materials.
Selling,
general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales for the first
nine months of fiscal 2007 increased to 16.0% compared to the 14.6% for the
first nine months of fiscal 2006. Selling, general and administrative expenses
in fiscal 2007 included a $189,000 impairment charge for equipment related
to
technology we are no longer actively pursuing. The increase in year-to-date
fiscal 2007 expenses was primarily due to an increase in the fiscal 2007
estimated discretionary incentive bonus accrual, accrued audit and stock-based
compensation expense.
Interest
expense was up $243,000 for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 as compared
to
the same period in fiscal 2006. The increase is due to the new debt issuance
on
December 16, 2005 which was outstanding for nine months in fiscal 2007 and
for
only four and a half months in fiscal 2006. Interest income increased $308,000
from the first nine months of fiscal 2006 due to increased market rates and
increased average investment balances.
Our
effective tax rate was 29.0% of pre-tax income in the first nine months of
fiscal 2007 based on projected full year income. Currently we do not believe
we
will be in an alternative minimum tax position for fiscal 2007. The effective
tax rate for the same period of fiscal 2006 was 35.0%, which included an
additional $525,000 estimated tax impact for the planned repatriation
of previously accumulated untaxed foreign earnings and profits.
Total
assets decreased $1,001,000 or 0.7% during the first nine months of fiscal
2007.
Current assets decreased $2,153,000 or 2.8% from fiscal 2006 year-end balances,
primarily due to decreases in investments in treasury securities, prepaid
overburden removal and inventories. These decreases were partially offset by
increases in cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The changes
in
cash and cash equivalents and investments are described in Liquidity and Capital
Resources. Prepaid overburden removal decreased due to the $1,686,000 pre-tax
write-off described in Note 8 of the notes to the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements. Inventories decreased due to a concerted
effort to reduce packaging inventory levels, lower fuel inventory and cost
reduction initiatives. Accounts receivable increased due to higher sales in
the
third quarter of fiscal 2007 versus the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006.
Property,
plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, increased $878,000 during
the first nine months of fiscal 2007. The increase was driven by purchases
of
machinery and equipment.
Total
liabilities decreased $5,288,000 during the first nine months of fiscal 2007.
Current liabilities decreased $1,404,000 or 5.2% during the first nine months
of
fiscal 2007. The decrease in current liabilities was driven mostly by a decrease
in accounts payable, accrued trade spending and other accrued expenses. The
decrease in accounts payable was due to normal timing of payments and reduction
of packaging inventory levels. Accrued trade spending decreased due to timing
and reduced promotions. Other accrued expenses decreased due to lower packaging
and fuel inventories and interest payments made on notes payable. Partially
offsetting these decreases in current liabilities was an increase in accrued
audit expense and accrued salaries. The audit expense accrual was higher due
to
additional expense to comply with the internal control reporting requirements
mandated by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 now that we have
met
the accelerated filer market capitalization threshold. Accrued salaries are
up
due to a higher fiscal 2007 estimated discretionary bonus accrual. Non-current
liabilities decreased $3,884,000 or 9.9% due to payment of notes
payable.
18
THREE
MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2007 COMPARED TO
THREE
MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2006
Consolidated
net sales for the three months ended April 30, 2007 were $52,956,000, an
increase of 2.3% from net sales of $51,764,000 in the third quarter of fiscal
2006. Net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 was $1,999,000, an
increase of 63.5% from net income of $1,223,000 in the third quarter of fiscal
2006. Diluted income per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 was $0.28
versus $0.17 diluted net income per share for the third quarter of fiscal
2006.
Net
income for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 was positively impacted by price
increases and the results of efforts to manage costs by our procurement and
operations teams. The price increases in the Retail and Wholesale Products
Group
contributed to overall profitability. Price increases in the Business to
Business Products Group were not sufficient to offset the decline in volume.
Overall costs of materials and freight are higher than for the third quarter
of
fiscal 2006, however packaging costs have declined due to procurement efforts
to
manage costs of purchased items.
Net
sales
of the Business to Business Products Group for the third quarter of fiscal
2007
were $19,277,000, an increase of $120,000 from net sales of $19,157,000 in
the
third quarter of fiscal 2006. Sports product sales were strong in both golf
and
baseball products. Sports product sales increased 64.8% due to 34.1% higher
volume, price increases and changes in distribution channels. Sales of bleaching
earth were also up 12.6% due to higher volume and price increases. Partially
offsetting these increases were sales declines in agricultural chemical carriers
and animal health and nutrition products. Agricultural chemical carrier sales
decreased 16.0% due to 18.0% lower volume. The decline reflects the continued
market erosion due to growth of genetically modified seed use. The decrease
in
agricultural chemical carrier production reduced the availability of the Group’s
Flo-Fre product line (because our Flo-Fre product is a by-product of the
manufacture of our agricultural chemical carrier products) resulting in a 13.8%
sales decline for the quarter. Animal health and nutrition products sales
declined due to the discontinued production of our Poultry Guard product during
the second quarter of fiscal 2007; however the termination of this product
did
not have a material impact on net income.
The
Business to Business Products Group’s segment income decreased 2.1% from
$4,295,000 in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 to $4,207,000 in the third
quarter of fiscal 2007. The net selling price for most products in the Group
was
higher in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 versus the third quarter of fiscal
2006; however these price increases did not overcome the lower volume and the
cost increases. Overall volume for the Group was down 4.7%. Material, packaging
and freight costs were a combined approximately 11.3% higher in the third
quarter of fiscal 2007 compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2006. Costs
increased throughout fiscal 2006 and these costs remain high in the third
quarter of fiscal 2007. However, fuel costs were lower in the third quarter
of
fiscal 2007 versus the third quarter of fiscal 2006.
Net
sales
of the Retail and Wholesale Products Group for the third quarter of fiscal
2007
were $33,679,000, an increase of $1,072,000 from net sales of $32,607,000
reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2006. Net sales of private label cat
litter increased 22.9% due to price increases and introduction of a new product.
Private label cat litter volume increased 8.2% compared to the third quarter
of
fiscal 2006. Sales of clay-based industrial absorbents were up for the quarter
due to price increases; however this increase was offset by a decline in
synthetic-based industrial absorbent sales. Branded cat litter sales volume
also
declined during the third quarter of fiscal 2007 compared to the same period
in
fiscal 2006 due to timing of promotional offerings and loss of distribution
at
one customer.
The
Retail and Wholesale Products Group’s segment income increased 94.9% from
$1,801,000 in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 to $3,509,000 in the third
quarter of fiscal 2007. Price increases and successful efforts to lower costs
contributed to this increase. Combined material, packaging and freight costs
were only 0.8% higher in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 compared to the third
quarter of fiscal 2006. Similar to the Business to Business Products Group,
fuel
costs are lower and our packaging costs in particular are benefiting from
procurement cost reduction initiatives.
Consolidated
gross profit as a percentage of net sales for the third
quarter
of fiscal 2007 increased to 21.8% from 19.4% in the third
quarter
of fiscal 2006. Price increases were implemented during fiscal 2006 and in
the
third
quarter
of fiscal 2007 to recover margin declines experienced over the past couple
of
years due to cost increases. Further contributing to the improved gross profit
was a 5.3% decrease in the cost of fuel used in the manufacturing process in
the
third
quarter
of fiscal 2007 compared to the third
quarter
of fiscal 2006. However, non-fuel manufacturing costs rose 5.7%, which had
a
negative impact on gross profit. Non-fuel manufacturing costs increased for
labor and other raw materials.
Selling,
general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales for the third
quarter of fiscal 2007 increased to 16.1% compared to the 14.3% for the third
quarter of fiscal 2006. The increase in expenses was primarily due to an
increase in the fiscal 2007 estimated discretionary incentive bonus accrual,
accrued audit and stock-based compensation expense.
19
Interest
expense was down $46,000 for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 as compared to
the
same period in fiscal 2006 due to continued debt reduction. Interest income
was
comparable to the third quarter of fiscal 2006 due to higher interest rates
on
lower average investment balances.
Our
effective tax rate was 32.7% of pre-tax income in the third quarter of fiscal
2007 compared to 48.7% in the third quarter of fiscal 2006. The tax expense
for
the third quarter of fiscal 2007 included an adjustment to increase the nine
month effective tax rate to 29% as described above. The tax expense for the
third quarter of fiscal 2006 included an additional $525,000 estimated tax
impact for the planned repatriation
of previously accumulated untaxed foreign earnings and profits.
FOREIGN
OPERATIONS
Net
sales
by our foreign subsidiaries during the first nine months of fiscal 2007 were
$12,696,000 or 8.0% of total Company sales. This represents an increase of
4.5%
from the first nine months of fiscal 2006, in which foreign subsidiary sales
were $12,155,000 or 7.9% of total Company sales. The increase in net sales
was
seen in our Canadian operations, while the United Kingdom net sales were flat
with the comparable period in fiscal 2006. Canadian sales were up due to higher
selling prices and a stronger Canadian dollar compared to the U.S. dollar.
For
the first nine months of fiscal 2007, the foreign subsidiaries reported net
income of $696,000, an increase of $460,000 from the $237,000 net income
reported in the first nine months of fiscal 2006. Higher prices, lower fuel
and
material costs and improved labor productivity contributed to the improved
net
income.
Identifiable
assets of our foreign subsidiaries as of April 30, 2007 were $9,939,000 compared
to $13,230,000 as of April 30, 2006. The decrease was driven by reduced cash
and
investments due to the repatriation of previously untaxed earnings from our
Swiss subsidiary during fiscal 2006, as described in the notes to the
consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year
ended July 31, 2006.
Net
sales
by our foreign subsidiaries during the third quarter of fiscal 2007 were
$4,186,000 or 7.9% of total Company sales. This represents an increase of 4.9%
from the third quarter of fiscal 2006, in which foreign subsidiary sales were
$3,990,000 or 7.7% of total Company sales. For the third quarter of fiscal
2007,
the foreign subsidiaries reported net income of $387,000, an increase of
$245,000 from the net income of $142,000 reported in the third quarter of fiscal
2006. The reasons for the improved net income for the quarter are the same
as
described above for the first nine months.
LIQUIDITY
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Our
principal capital requirements include funding working capital needs, the
purchasing and upgrading of real estate, equipment and facilities, and investing
in infrastructure and potential acquisitions. We principally have used cash
generated from operations and, to the extent needed, issuance of debt securities
and borrowings under our credit facilities to fund these requirements. Cash
and
cash equivalents increased $3,454,000 during the first nine months of fiscal
2007 to $10,061,000 at April 30, 2007.
The
following table sets forth certain elements of our unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of cash flows (in thousands):
Nine
Months Ended
|
|||||||
April
30,
2007 |
April
30,
2006 |
||||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
$
|
10,112
|
$
|
3,374
|
|||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(1,443
|
)
|
(10,514
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash (used in) provided by financing activities
|
(5,049
|
)
|
9,355
|
||||
Effect
of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
|
(166
|
)
|
(335
|
)
|
|||
Net
increase in cash and cash equivalents
|
3,454
|
1,880
|
Net
cash provided by operating activities
Net
cash
provided by operations was $10,112,000 for the nine months ended April 30,
2007
compared to $3,374,000 for the nine months ended April 30, 2006. The increase
was due primarily to an increase in net income and non-cash charges and a
decrease in working capital. For the first nine months of fiscal years 2007
and
2006, the primary components of working capital that impacted operating cash
flows were as follows:
20
Accounts
receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts, increased by $1,247,000 in
the
first nine months of fiscal 2007 versus an increase of $2,100,000 in the first
nine months of fiscal 2006. Higher sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2007
versus the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 resulted in higher accounts receivable
as of April 30, 2007. The increase in accounts receivable for the first nine
months of fiscal 2006 was due to an increase in sales in the third quarter
of
fiscal 2006 versus sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005.
Inventories
decreased $973,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 versus an increase
of
$3,395,000 in the same period in fiscal 2006. Inventories decreased in the
first
nine months of fiscal 2007 due to a concerted effort to reduce packaging
inventory levels, lower fuel inventory and procurement cost reduction
initiatives. The increase in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 was due to
higher costs of materials, anticipated new business and normal
seasonality
As
described in Note 8 of the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements, we
wrote
off the August 1, 2006 balance of our prepaid overburden removal expense account
to opening retained earnings.
Beginning in fiscal 2007, production
stripping costs have been treated as a variable inventory production cost and
are included in cost of sales in the period they are incurred. Prepaid
overburden removal expense increased $133,000 in the first nine months of fiscal
2006, under the prior accounting principle, due to different amounts of
non-usable material that needed to be removed from the various sites.
Other
prepaid expenses increased $253,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2007
versus an increase of $1,292,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2006. The
significant increase in fiscal 2006 was due to timing of insurance premium
payments.
Accounts
payable decreased $1,783,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 versus
an
increase of $1,089,000 in the same period in fiscal 2006. The decrease in fiscal
2007 was due to lower packaging inventory levels and costs. The increase in
fiscal 2006 was due to increased energy and packaging costs.
Accrued
expenses increased $874,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2007 versus
an
increase of $127,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2006. In the first
nine
months of fiscal 2007, accrued salaries increased due to a higher estimated
fiscal 2007 discretionary bonus accrual. Accrued audit expense increased due
to
additional expense to comply with the internal control reporting requirements
mandated by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 now that we have
met
the accelerated filer market capitalization threshold. These increases were
partially offset by lower accrued trade spending accruals due to timing and
reduction of promotional activities. Other accrued expenses decreased due to
lower interest accruals for notes payable and lower packaging and fuel
inventories. In the first nine months of fiscal 2006, accrued expenses increased
for operating expense accruals due to increased costs. These increases were
partially offset by decreased accruals for trade spending and estimated
discretionary bonus.
Net
cash used in investing activities
Cash
used
in investing activities was $1,443,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2007
compared to $10,514,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2006. In the first
nine months of fiscal 2007, cash used for capital expenditures was $6,616,000
versus $6,464,000 in the same period of fiscal 2006. During the first nine
months of fiscal 2007, net dispositions of investment securities were
$5,120,000; however, in the same period of fiscal 2006 net purchases of
investments were $5,053,000. During the first nine months of fiscal 2006 new
debt proceeds provided cash for additional investment purchases. Cash proceeds
from the sale of property, plant and equipment were $53,000 in the first nine
months of fiscal 2007 versus $1,003,000 in the first nine months of fiscal
2006.
Net
cash (used in) provided by financing activities
Cash
used
in financing activities was $5,049,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2007
compared to cash provided by financing activities of $9,355,000 in the first
nine months of fiscal 2006. Proceeds from issuance of new debt in the first
nine
months of fiscal 2006 provided $15,000,000 cash. There were no new debt proceeds
in the first nine months of fiscal 2007. Higher stock options exercise activity
in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 provided $2,332,000 from the issuance
of
common stock compared to $937,000 for the same period in fiscal 2007.
Conversely, only $12,000 cash was used to purchase treasury stock in the first
nine months of fiscal 2007 compared to $4,538,000 repurchased in the same period
of fiscal 2006. Also, cash used for dividend payments was $2,271,000 in the
first nine months of fiscal 2007 due to a dividend increase versus $1,775,000
paid in the first nine months of fiscal 2006.
21
Other
Total
cash and investment balances held by our foreign subsidiaries at April 30,
2007
and 2006 were $1,085,000 and $4,061,000, respectively.
Certain
investments held by our foreign subsidiaries were liquidated in fiscal 2006
to
facilitate the repatriation of previously untaxed foreign earnings and profits
as described in the notes to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2006.
As
part
of our normal course of business, we guarantee certain debts and trade payables
of our wholly owned subsidiaries. These arrangements are made at the request
of
the subsidiaries’ creditors because separate financial statements are not
distributed for the wholly owned subsidiaries. As of April 30, 2007, the value
of these guarantees was $157,000 of lease liabilities and $2,500,000 of
long-term debt.
On
January 27, 2006, we entered into a $15,000,000 unsecured revolving credit
agreement with Harris N.A. (“Harris”) that is effective until January 27, 2009.
The credit agreement provides that we may select a variable rate based on either
Harris’ prime rate or a LIBOR-based rate, plus a margin which varies depending
on our debt to earnings ratio, or a fixed rate as agreed between us and Harris.
At April 30, 2007, the variable rates would have been 8.5% for the Harris’
prime-based rate or 6.2% for the LIBOR-based rate. At April 30, 2006, the
variable rates would have been 7.8% for the Harris’ prime-based rate or 5.8% for
the LIBOR-based rate. The credit agreement contains restrictive covenants that,
among other things and under various conditions (including a limitation on
capital expenditures), limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness or
to
dispose of assets. The agreement also requires us to maintain a minimum fixed
coverage ratio and a minimum consolidated net worth. As of April 30, 2007 and
2006, we had $15,000,000 available under this credit facility and we were in
compliance with its covenants.
We
believe that cash flow from operations, availability under our revolving credit
facility and current cash and investment balances will provide adequate cash
funds for foreseeable working capital needs, capital expenditures at existing
facilities and debt service obligations for at least the next 12 months. Our
ability to fund operations, to make planned capital expenditures, to make
scheduled debt payments and to remain in compliance with all of the financial
covenants under debt agreements, including, but not limited to, the credit
agreement, depends on our future operating performance, which, in turn, is
subject to prevailing economic conditions and to financial, business and other
factors. The timing and size of any new business ventures or acquisitions that
we complete may also impact the cash requirements.
Our
capital requirements are subject to change as business conditions warrant and
opportunities arise. The tables in the following subsection summarize our
contractual obligations and commercial commitments at April 30, 2007 for the
timeframes indicated.
CONTRACTUAL
OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS
The
tables below depict our Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments
at
April 30, 2007 for the timeframes listed:
Payments
Due by Period
|
||||||||||||||||
Contractual
Obligations
|
Total
|
Less
Than 1 Year
|
1
- 3 Years
|
4
- 5 Years
|
After
5 Years
|
|||||||||||
Long-Term
Debt
|
$
|
31,160,000
|
$
|
4,080,000
|
$
|
8,780,000
|
$
|
7,100,000
|
$
|
11,200,000
|
||||||
Interest
on Long-Term Debt
|
7,780,000
|
1,905,000
|
2,852,000
|
1,920,000
|
1,103,000
|
|||||||||||
Operating
Leases
|
12,309,000
|
3,170,000
|
2,555,000
|
1,844,000
|
4,740,000
|
|||||||||||
Unconditional
Purchase Obligations
|
5,681,000
|
4,793,000
|
888,000
|
--
|
--
|
|||||||||||
Total
Contractual Cash Obligations
|
$
|
56,930,000
|
$
|
13,948,000
|
$
|
15,075,000
|
$
|
10,864,000
|
$
|
17,043,000
|
We
are
not required to make a contribution to our defined benefit pension plan in
fiscal 2007. We have not presented this obligation for future years in the
table
above because the funding requirement can vary from year to year based on
changes in the fair value of plan assets and actuarial assumptions.
The
unconditional purchase obligations represent forward purchase contracts we
have
entered into for a portion of our natural gas fuel needs for fiscal 2007. As
of
April 30, 2007, the remaining purchase obligation for fiscal 2007 contracts
was
$1,537,000 for 180,000 MMBtu and for fiscal 2008 was $4,144,000 for 480,000
MMBtu. These contracts were entered into in the normal course of business and
no
contracts were entered into for speculative purposes.
22
Amount
of Commitment Expiration Per Period
|
||||||||||||||||
Other
Commercial Commitments
|
Total
|
Less
Than 1 Year
|
1
- 3 Years
|
4
- 5 Years
|
After
5 Years
|
|||||||||||
Standby
Letters of Credit
|
$
|
271,000
|
$
|
271,000
|
$
|
--
|
$
|
--
|
$
|
--
|
||||||
Other
Commercial Commitments
|
13,332,000
|
13,332,000
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|||||||||||
Total
Commercial Commitments
|
$
|
13,603,000
|
$
|
13,603,000
|
$
|
--
|
$
|
--
|
$
|
--
|
CRITICAL
ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
This
discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is
based on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, which have
been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in
the
United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires the use
of
estimates and assumptions related to the reporting of assets, liabilities,
revenues, expenses and related disclosures. In preparing these financial
statements, we have made our best estimates and judgments of certain amounts
included in the financial statements. Estimates are revised periodically. Actual
results could differ from these estimates.
See
the
information concerning our critical accounting policies included under
Management’s Discussion of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006 filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is incorporated by reference
in
this Form 10-Q. For additional information on our adoption of SFAS No. 123R
and
EITF
Issue 04-06,
see
Note 7, Stock-Based Compensation, and Note 8, Change in Accounting for Stripping
Costs Incurred during Production, of the notes to unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q.
23
ITEM 3. |
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET
RISK
|
We
are
exposed to interest rate risk and employ policies and procedures to manage
our
exposure to changes in the market risk of our cash equivalents and short-term
investments. We had two interest rate swap agreements as of April 30, 2007.
We
believe that the market risk arising from holding our financial instruments
is
not material.
We
are
exposed to currency risk as it relates to certain accounts receivables and
from
our foreign operations. We believe that the currency risk is immaterial to
the
overall presentation of the financial statements.
We
are
exposed to regulatory risk in the fluid purification and agricultural markets,
principally as a result of the risk of increasing regulation of the food chain
in the United States and Europe. We actively monitor developments in this area,
both directly and through trade organizations of which we are a
member.
We
are
exposed to commodity price risk with respect to natural gas. We have contracted
for a portion of our fuel needs for fiscal 2007 and 2008 using forward purchase
contracts to manage the volatility in fuel prices related to this exposure.
The
weighted average cost of the fiscal 2007 contracts has been estimated to be
approximately 10.4% higher than the contracts for fiscal 2006. The weighted
average cost of the fiscal 2008 contracts has been estimated to be approximately
4.2% higher than the contracts for fiscal 2007. All contracts were entered
into
during the normal course of business and no contracts were entered into for
speculative purposes.
The
tables below provide information about our natural gas future contracts, which
are sensitive to changes in commodity prices, specifically natural gas prices.
For the future contracts, the table presents the notional amounts in MMBtu’s,
the weighted average contract prices, and the total dollar contract amount,
which will mature by July 31, 2007 and July 31, 2008. The Fair Value was
determined using the “Most Recent Settle” price for the “Henry Hub Natural Gas”
option contract prices as listed by the New York Mercantile Exchange on May
29,
2007.
Commodity
Price Sensitivity
Natural
Gas Future Contracts
For
the Year Ending July 31, 2007
|
|||||||
Expected
2007 Maturity
|
Fair
Value
|
||||||
Natural
Gas Future Volumes (MMBtu)
|
1,030,000
|
--
|
|||||
Weighted
Average Price (Per MMBtu)
|
$
|
8.28
|
--
|
||||
Contract
Amount ($ U.S., in thousands)
|
$
|
8,527.6
|
$
|
6,997.0
|
Commodity
Price Sensitivity
Natural
Gas Future Contracts
For
the Year Ending July 31, 2008
|
|||||||
Expected
2008 Maturity
|
Fair
Value
|
||||||
Natural
Gas Future Volumes (MMBtu)
|
480,000
|
--
|
|||||
Weighted
Average Price (Per MMBtu)
|
$
|
8.63
|
--
|
||||
Contract
Amount ($ U.S., in thousands)
|
$
|
4,143.9
|
$
|
4,169.5
|
Factors
that could influence the fair value of the natural gas contracts, include,
but
are not limited to, the creditworthiness of our
natural gas suppliers, the overall general economy, developments in world
events, and the general demand for natural gas by the manufacturing sector,
seasonality and the weather patterns throughout the United States and the world.
Some of these same events have allowed us to mitigate the impact of the natural
gas contracts by the continued, and in some cases expanded, use of recycled
oil
in our manufacturing processes. Accurate estimates of the impact that these
contracts may have on our fiscal 2007 and fiscal 2008 financial results are
difficult to make due to the inherent uncertainty of future fluctuations in
option contract prices in the natural gas options market.
24
ITEM 4. |
CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES
|
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management
conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of
our
disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this
Form 10-Q. The controls evaluation was conducted under the supervision and
with
the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”)
and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”). Based upon the controls evaluation, our CEO
and CFO have concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report,
our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to provide reasonable
assurance that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports
is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified by the SEC, and that material information relating to us and our
consolidated subsidiaries is made known to management, including the CEO and
CFO, during the period when our periodic reports are being
prepared.
Changes
in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There
were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred
during the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2007 that have materially affected,
or
are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
Inherent
Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
Our
management, including the CEO and CFO, do not expect that our disclosure
controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will
prevent or detect all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how
well
designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance
that
the control system’s objectives will be met. The design of a control system must
reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of
controls must be considered relative to their costs. Further, because of the
inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can
provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not
occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the
Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities
that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur
because of simple error or mistake. Controls can also be circumvented by the
individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by
management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is
based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events,
and
there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated
goals under all potential future conditions. Projections of any evaluation
of
controls effectiveness to future periods are subject to risks. Over time,
controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or deterioration
in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures.
25
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
Items
1,
3, 4 and 5 of this Part II are either inapplicable or are answered in the
negative and are omitted pursuant to the instructions to Part II.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
For
information regarding Risk Factors, please refer to Item 1A in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2006. There have been no material
changes in risk factors since July 31, 2006.
ITEM
2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
During
the three months ended April 30, 2007, we did not sell any securities which
were
not registered under the Securities Act. The following chart summarizes Common
Stock repurchases during this period.
ISSUER
PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES1
|
|||||||||||||
For
the Three Months Ended April 30, 2007
|
(a)
Total Number of Shares Purchased
|
(b)
Average Price Paid per Share
|
(c)
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans
or
Programs
|
(d)
Maximum Number of Shares that may yet be Purchased Under Plans or
Programs2
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
February
1, 2007 to
|
|||||||||||||
February
28, 2007
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
315,809
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
March
1, 2007 to
|
|||||||||||||
March
31, 2007
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
315,809
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
April
1, 2007 to
|
|||||||||||||
April
30, 2007
|
674
|
$
|
17.98
|
674
|
315,135
|
||||||||
|
1
The
table
summarizes repurchases of (and remaining authority to repurchase) shares of
our
Common Stock. We did not repurchase any shares of our Class B Stock during
the
period in question, and no shares of our Class A Common Stock are currently
outstanding. Descriptions of our Common Stock, Class B Stock and Class A Common
Stock are contained in Note 6 of the consolidated financial statements included
in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2 On
October 10, 2005, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to
500,000 shares of Common Stock, with repurchases to be made from time to time
in
the discretion of our management and in accordance with applicable laws, rules
and regulations. This authorization does not have a stated expiration
date. The share numbers in this column indicate the number of shares of
Common Stock that may yet be repurchased under this authorization. The share
numbers are not affected by the five-for-four stock split that occurred on
September 8, 2006. We do not have any current authorization from our Board
of
Directors to repurchase shares of Class B Stock, and no shares of Class A Common
Stock are currently outstanding.
26
ITEM
6. EXHIBITS
(a)
|
EXHIBITS:
|
Exhibit
No.
|
Description
|
SEC
Document Reference
|
||
11
|
Statement
re: Computation of Earnings per Share.
|
Filed
herewith.
|
||
31
|
Certifications
pursuant to Rule 13a - 14(a).
|
Filed
herewith.
|
||
32
|
Certifications
pursuant to Section 1350 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
Furnished
herewith.
|
27
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.
OIL-DRI
CORPORATION OF AMERICA
(Registrant)
BY
/s/ Andrew N. Peterson
Andrew
N.
Peterson
Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer
BY
/s/ Daniel S. Jaffee
Daniel
S.
Jaffee
President
and Chief Executive Officer
Dated:
June 7, 2007
28
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
No.
|
Description
|
|
11
|
Statement
re: Computation of Earnings per Share.
|
|
31
|
Certifications
pursuant to Rule 13a - 14(a).
|
|
32
|
Certifications
pursuant to Section 1350 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
|
Note:
|
Stockholders may receive copies of the above listed exhibits, without fee, by written request to Investor Relations, Oil-Dri Corporation of America, 410 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400, Chicago, Illinois 60611-4213. |
29