RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS, LTD. - Quarter Report: 2003 November (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-Q

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

[X]

Yes

[  ]

No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

[X]

Yes

[  ]

No

As of January 6, 2004, there were outstanding 12,408,435 shares of Common Stock, $.05 par value, inclusive of 1,504,843 shares held in treasury, and 3,196,320 shares of Class B Common Stock, $.05 par value, which are convertible into Common Stock on a share-for-share basis.

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RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS, LTD.
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT
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PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS, LTD
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

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RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS, LTD
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
FOR THE THREE- AND SIX-MONTH PERIODS ENDED NOVEMBER 29, 2003 AND NOVEMBER 30, 2002

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RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS, LTD
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE SIX-MONTH PERIODS ENDED NOVEMBER 29, 2003 AND NOVEMBER 30, 2002

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RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS, LTD
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(in thousands, except per share amounts)

     Note A – Basis of Presentation

     The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Statements) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of interim periods have been made and such adjustments were of a normal and recurring nature. The results of operations and cash flows for the three- and six-month periods ended November 29, 2003 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended May 31, 2004.
     For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2003. Certain fiscal 2003 balances have been reclassified to conform to the fiscal 2004 presentation.

     Note B - Restatement

     The Company identified an accounting error that occurred in a foreign subsidiary, which affected previously reported interest expense for the prior seven quarters. The correction of the error, which aggregated to $738, is presented as a restatement of these prior periods. The restatement increases diluted earnings per share to $0.15 for the second quarter of fiscal 2004 versus the $0.11 published in the December 18, 2003 earnings release.
     The Company is in the process of filing amended Forms 10-K for fiscal 2002 and 2003 and Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2004. A reconciliation of reported net income (loss) to amended net income (loss) including the additional interest expense for the affected quarters is provided in the following table:

     Note C - Change in Accounting Principle

     At November 29, 2003, the Company’s worldwide inventories were stated at the lower of cost or market using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Effective June 1, 2003, the North American operations, which represent a majority of the Company’s operations and approximately 76% of the Company’s inventories, changed from the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method to the FIFO method. All other inventories were consistently stated at the lower of cost or market using FIFO method. The FIFO method is preferable in the circumstances because it provides a better matching of revenue and expenses in the Company’s business environment. The accounting change was not material to the financial statements for any of the periods presented, and accordingly, no retroactive restatement of prior years’ financial statements was made.  Inventories include material, labor and overhead.

     Note D – Restructuring Charges

     As a result of the Company's fiscal 2003 restructuring initiative, a restructuring charge of $1,730 was recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended May 31, 2003. Severance costs of $328 were paid in fiscal 2003 with the remaining balance payable in fiscal 2004. The following table depicts the amounts associated with the activity related to the restructuring initiative through November 29, 2003:

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     The reversal of the employee severance and related costs resulted from the difference between the estimated severance costs and the actual payouts and was recorded in the quarter ended November 29, 2003. All employees originally notified were terminated. The lease termination did not occur as the agreement for the replacement facility was not finalized. The lease termination reversal was recorded in the quarter ended August 30, 2003.

     Note E – Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

     Effective June 1, 2002, the Company adopted SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. This statement changed the accounting for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets from an amortization approach to an impairment-only approach. As a result of the adoption of SFAS No. 142, the Company recorded a transitional impairment charge during the first quarter of fiscal 2003 of $21,587 ($17,862 net of tax), presented as a cumulative effect of accounting change. This charge related to the Company's segments as follows: RF & Wireless Communications Group (RFWC), $20,456; and Security Systems Division (SSD), $1,131.
     The Company periodically reviews the carrying amount of goodwill to determine whether an additional impairment may exist. A fair value approach is used to test goodwill for impairment. An impairment charge is recognized for the amount, if any, by which the carrying amount of the goodwill exceeds its fair value. Management establishes fair values using discounted cash flows. When available and as appropriate, management uses comparative market multiples to corroborate discounted cash flow results. The Company performed its annual impairment test during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003. The Company did not find any indication that additional impairment existed and, therefore, no additional impairment loss was recorded.

     The table below provides changes in the carrying values of goodwill and intangible assets not subject to amortization by reportable segment:

     Intangible assets subject to amortization as of November 29, 2003 and May 31, 2003 are as follows:

     Amortization expense for the second quarter and six months is as follows:

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     The amortization expense associated with the existing intangible assets subject to amortization is expected to be $299, $180, $75 and $20 in fiscal 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively. The weighted average number of years of amortization expense remaining is 1.8.

     Note F – Warranties

     The Company offers warranties for specific products it manufactures. The Company also provides extended warranties for some products it sells that lengthen the period of coverage specified in the manufacturer’s original warranty. Terms generally range from one to three years.
     Warranty reserves are established for costs that are expected to be incurred after the sale and delivery of the products subject to warranty. Such costs are accrued at the time revenue is recognized. The warranty reserves are determined based on known product failures, historical experience, and other currently available evidence. The reserve is included in "Accrued Liabilities" on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
     Changes in the warranty reserve for the six months ended November 29, 2003 were as follows:

     The increase in the warranty accrual represents warranties related to a new product offering by the Company's Display Systems Group beginning in the third quarter of fiscal 2003.

     Note G – Income Taxes

     The income tax provisions for the six-month periods ended November 29, 2003 and November 30, 2002 are based on the estimated annual effective tax rate of 30.3% and 40.0%, respectively. The difference between the effective tax rate and the U.S. statutory rate of 35% primarily results from the Company's geographic distribution of taxable income and losses, certain non-tax deductible charges, and the Company's foreign sales corporation benefit on export sales, net of state income taxes.
     Income tax refund, net of foreign estimated tax payments, was $932 for six months ended November 29, 2003.

     Note H – Calculation of Earnings per Share

     Basic income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of Common and Class B Common shares outstanding. Diluted income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) (adjusted for interest savings, net of tax, on assumed conversion of bonds) by the actual shares outstanding and share equivalents that would arise from the exercise of stock options, certain restricted stock awards, and the assumed conversion of convertible bonds when such assumptions have a dilutive effect on the calculation. The Company’s 8¼% and 7¼% convertible debentures are excluded from the calculation in both fiscal 2004 and 2003, as assumed conversion and effect of interest savings would be anti-dilutive. The per share amounts presented in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) are based on the following amounts:

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     The effect of potentially dilutive stock options is calculated using the treasury stock method. Certain stock options are excluded from the calculations because the average market price of the Company's stock during the period did not exceed the exercise price of those options. For the three-month period ended November 29, 2003, there were 579 such options. However, some or all of the above mentioned options may be potentially dilutive in the future.

     Note I – Stock-Based Compensation

     The Company has stock-based compensation plans under which stock options are granted to key managers at the market price on the date of grant. Most of these new grants are fully exercisable after five years and have a ten-year life. Three such grants were issued during the six months ended November 29, 2003.
     The Company applies the intrinsic value-based method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, and related interpretations including FASB interpretation No. 44,Accounting for Certain Transactions Involving Stock Compensation, an interpretation of APB Opinion 25, issued in March 2000, to account for its stock options. Under this method, compensation expense is recorded on the date of grant only if the current market price of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price. Statement of Financial Accounting Standard ("SFAS") No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, established accounting and disclosure requirements using a fair value-based method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation plans. As allowed by SFAS No.123, the Company has elected to continue to apply the intrinsic value-based method of accounting described above, and has adopted only the disclosure requirements of SFAS No.123. The following table illustrates the pro-forma effect on net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders if the fair value-based method had been applied to all outstanding and unvested awards in each period.

     Note J – Segment Information

     The marketing, sales, product management, and purchasing functions of the Company consist of four strategic business units (SBU’s): RF & Wireless Communications Group (RFWC), Industrial Power Group (IPG), Security Systems Division (SSD), and Display Systems Group (DSG).
     RFWC serves the voice and data telecommunications market and the broadcast industry predominately for infrastructure applications.
     IPG serves a broad range of customers including the steel, automotive, textile, plastics, semiconductor manufacturing, and transportation industries.
     SSD provides security systems and related design services which includes such products as closed circuit television (CCTV), fire, burglary, access control, sound and communication products and accessories.
     DSG provides system integration and custom display solutions for the public information, financial, point-of-sale, and medical imaging markets.
     Each SBU is directed by a Vice President and General Manager who reports to the President and Chief Operating Officer. The President evaluates performance and allocates resources, in part, based on the direct operating contribution of each SBU. Direct operating contribution is defined as gross margin less product management and direct selling expenses.
     Accounts receivable, inventory, goodwill, and some intangible assets are identified by SBU. Cash, net property and other assets are not identifiable by SBU. Operating results for each SBU are summarized in the following table:

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     Fiscal 2003 data has been reclassified to conform with the current presentation, which includes the reclassification of the broadcast tubes product line from RFWC to the IPG business unit. Fiscal 2003 quarterly sales for the broadcast tubes were $4,685, $4,625, $4,717, and $3,995 for the first, second, third, and fourth quarters, respectively.

     A reconciliation of sales, gross margin, direct operating contribution and assets to the relevant consolidated amounts follows. Freight, Medical Glassware business, Logistics business, and miscellaneous sales are included in "Other sales". "Other assets" primarily represent miscellaneous receivables, manufacturing and other inventories, intangible assets subject to amortization and investments.

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     The Company sells its products to companies in diversified industries and performs periodic credit evaluations of its customers' financial condition. Terms are generally on open account, payable net 30 days in North America, and vary throughout Europe, Asia/Pacific and Latin America. Estimates of credit losses are recorded in the financial statements based on periodic reviews of outstanding accounts and actual losses have been consistently within management's estimates.

     Note K – Recently Issued Pronouncements

     On December 23, 2003, the FASB issued FASB Statement No. 132 (Revised 2003), Employers' Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits. This standard increases the existing GAAP disclosure requirements by requiring more details about pension plan assets, benefit obligations, cash flows, benefit costs and related information. Companies will be required to segregate plan assets by category, such as debt, equity and real estate, and to provide certain expected rates of return and other informational disclosures. Statement 132(R) also requires companies to disclose various elements of pension and postretirement benefit costs in interim-period financial statements for quarters beginning after December 15, 2003. The Company is in the process of reviewing the new disclosure requirements.

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (in thousands, except per share amounts)

     Second Quarter Overview

     During the quarter ended November 29, 2003, the Company increased sales by 7.6% from a year ago to $128.1 million. Net income was $2.2 million or $0.15 per share. The financial results marked the sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year sales growth and the fourth consecutive quarter of sales increases across all SBUs. The Company achieved record sales in both Europe and Asia/Pacific while sales in North America and Latin America were slightly down.
     The Company experiences moderate seasonality in its business and typically realizes lower sequential sales in its first and third quarters, reflecting decreased transaction volume in the summer and holiday months. Historically, sales in the third quarter were, on average, approximately 3% lower sequentially. However, strong second quarter bookings point to a flat third quarter amid increasing signs that technology spending may be increasing.
     The Company strengthened its balance sheet during the quarter, reducing inventory by $2.3 million and paying down $2.2 million of debt (offset by foreign currency exchange effects) despite a 7.4% sequential sales growth. Liquidity was further improved during the quarter as cash and equivalents increased $2.6 million driven by $5.1 million positive cash flows from operations. The Company’s selling, general and administrative expenses decreased to 19.9% as a percentage of net sales from 21.7% in the prior quarter and 20.6% a year ago.
     During the second quarter, the Company identified an accounting error that occurred in its Swedish subsidiary which affected interest expense previously reported for the prior seven quarters in the aggregate amount of $738. The Company is in the process of filing amended Forms 10-K for fiscal 2003 and 2002 and Form 10-Q for the period ended August 30, 2003, which will increase interest expense reported in those periods (See Note B to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements).

     Results of Operations

Sales and Gross Margins

     Consolidated sales for the quarter ended November 29, 2003 increased $9.1 million or 7.6% from the prior year to $128.1 million. For the six-month period, sales were up 8.7% to $247.4 million due to the increased demand across all SBUs and record sales in some geographic regions. Consolidated gross margins decreased 10 basis points (bps) and 30 bps for the second quarter and six months, respectively, primarily due to a mix shift to lower margin component sales.
     Sales, percentage changes from the prior year, gross margins and gross margin percent of sales by SBU are summarized in the following table. Freight, Medical Glassware business (sold in fiscal 2002), Logistics business, and miscellaneous costs are included under the caption “Other”.