Seneca Foods Corp - Quarter Report: 2006 July (Form 10-Q)
Form
10-Q
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D. C. 20549
QUARTERLY
REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the Quarter Ended July
1, 2006
|
Commission
File Number 0-01989
|
Seneca
Foods Corporation
(Exact
name of Company as specified in its charter)
New
York
|
16-0733425
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
|
(I.
R. S. Employer
|
incorporation
or organization)
|
Identification
No.)
|
3736
South Main Street, Marion, New York
|
14505
|
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
Company's
telephone number, including area code 315/926-8100
Not
Applicable
Former
name, former address and former fiscal year,
if
changed since last report
Indicate
by check mark whether the Company (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 Company was required
to
file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the
past 90 days.
Yes X
No
Indicate
by check mark whether the Company is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated
filer, or a non-accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act).
Large
accelerated filer
Accelerated filer X
Non-accelerated
filer
Indicate
by check mark whether the Company is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2
of the Exchange Act).
Yes
No
X
The
number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common stock
at
the latest practical date are:
Class
|
Shares
Outstanding at July 31, 2006
|
Common
Stock Class A, $.25 Par
|
4,074,509
|
Common
Stock Class B, $.25 Par
|
2,760,905
|
PART
I ITEM 1 FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|||||||
SENECA
FOODS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
|||||||
(In
Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
|
|||||||
Unaudited
|
|||||||
July
1, 2006
|
March
31, 2006
|
||||||
ASSETS
|
|||||||
Current
Assets:
|
|||||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
|
$
|
1,654
|
$
|
6,046
|
|||
Accounts
Receivable, Net
|
40,669
|
46,618
|
|||||
Inventories:
|
|||||||
Finished
Goods
|
188,421
|
220,185
|
|||||
Work
in Process
|
17,654
|
22,012
|
|||||
Raw
Materials
|
95,166
|
65,095
|
|||||
301,241
|
307,292
|
||||||
Off-Season
Reserve (Note 2)
|
42,013
|
-
|
|||||
Deferred
Income Tax Asset, Net
|
6,032
|
6,426
|
|||||
Assets
Held For Sale
|
901
|
1,369
|
|||||
Other
Current Assets
|
6,281
|
2,141
|
|||||
Total
Current Assets
|
398,791
|
369,892
|
|||||
Property,
Plant and Equipment, Net
|
146,648
|
148,501
|
|||||
Other
Assets
|
1,155
|
5,273
|
|||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
546,594
|
$
|
523,666
|
|||
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
|||||||
Current
Liabilities:
|
|||||||
Notes
Payable
|
$
|
55,483
|
$
|
57,029
|
|||
Accounts
Payable
|
59,277
|
35,163
|
|||||
Accrued
Expenses
|
37,446
|
32,312
|
|||||
Income
Taxes Payable
|
2,853
|
6,090
|
|||||
Current
Portion of Long-Term Debt and Capital
|
|||||||
Lease
Obligations
|
9,606
|
9,788
|
|||||
Total
Current Liabilities
|
164,665
|
140,382
|
|||||
Long-Term
Debt, Less Current Portion
|
137,564
|
138,813
|
|||||
Capital
Lease Obligations, Less Current Portion
|
3,670
|
3,773
|
|||||
Deferred
Income Taxes
|
6,608
|
7,538
|
|||||
Other
Long-Term Liabilities
|
12,710
|
15,381
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities
|
325,217
|
305,887
|
|||||
Commitments
|
|||||||
10%
Preferred Stock, Series A, Voting, Cumulative,
|
|||||||
Convertible,
$.025 Par Value Per Share
|
102
|
102
|
|||||
10%
Preferred Stock, Series B, Voting, Cumulative,
|
|||||||
Convertible,
$.025 Par Value Per Share
|
100
|
100
|
|||||
6%
Preferred Stock, Voting, Cumulative, $.25 Par Value
|
50
|
50
|
|||||
Convertible,
Participating Preferred Stock, $12.00
|
|||||||
Stated
Value Per Share
|
41,005
|
41,005
|
|||||
Convertible,
Participating Preferred Stock, $15.50
|
|||||||
Stated
Value Per Share
|
13,229
|
13,229
|
|||||
Common
Stock $.25 Par Value Per Share
|
2,890
|
2,890
|
|||||
Paid
in Capital
|
17,810
|
17,810
|
|||||
Accumulated
Other Comprehensive Loss
|
(49
|
)
|
-
|
||||
Retained
Earnings
|
146,240
|
142,593
|
|||||
Stockholders'
Equity
|
221,377
|
217,779
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
$
|
546,594
|
$
|
523,666
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements.
|
SENECA
FOODS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF NET EARNINGS
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
(In
Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
|
|||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||
July
1, 2006
|
July
2, 2005
|
||||||
Net
Sales
|
$
|
148,341
|
$
|
156,595
|
|||
Costs
and Expenses:
|
|||||||
Cost
of Product Sold
|
127,482
|
138,091
|
|||||
Selling
and Administrative
|
11,979
|
10,969
|
|||||
Other
Operating Income
|
(688
|
)
|
(427
|
)
|
|||
Total
Costs and Expenses
|
138,773
|
148,633
|
|||||
Operating
Income
|
9,568
|
7,962
|
|||||
Interest
Expense
|
3,628
|
4,020
|
|||||
Earnings
Before Income Taxes
|
5,940
|
3,942
|
|||||
Income
Taxes
|
2,281
|
1,522
|
|||||
Net
Earnings
|
$
|
3,659
|
$
|
2,420
|
|||
Earnings
Applicable to Common Stock
|
$
|
2,244
|
$
|
1,465
|
|||
Basic
Earnings per Common Share
|
$
|
0.33
|
$
|
0.22
|
|||
Diluted
Earnings per Common Share
|
$
|
0.33
|
$
|
0.22
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements.
SENECA
FOODS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
|
|||||||
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
(In
Thousands)
|
|||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||
July
1, 2006
|
July
2, 2005
|
||||||
Cash
Flows from Operating Activities:
|
|||||||
Net
Earnings
|
$
|
3,659
|
$
|
2,420
|
|||
Adjustments
to Reconcile Net Earnings to
|
|||||||
Net
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operations:
|
|||||||
Depreciation
& Amortization
|
5,390
|
6,769
|
|||||
Gain
on the Sale of Assets
|
(688
|
)
|
(427
|
)
|
|||
Deferred
Tax Benefit
|
(536
|
)
|
(599
|
)
|
|||
Changes
in Working Capital:
|
|||||||
Accounts
Receivable
|
9,499
|
8,241
|
|||||
Inventories
|
6,051
|
567
|
|||||
Off-Season
Reserve
|
(42,013
|
)
|
(39,472
|
)
|
|||
Other
Current Assets
|
(4,140
|
)
|
1,092
|
||||
Income
Taxes
|
(3,237
|
)
|
565
|
||||
Accounts
Payable, Accrued Expenses
|
|||||||
and
Other Liabilities
|
26,891
|
19,551
|
|||||
Net
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operations
|
876
|
(1,293
|
)
|
||||
Cash
Flows from Investing Activities:
|
|||||||
Additions
to Property, Plant and Equipment
|
(3,408
|
)
|
(2,483
|
)
|
|||
Proceeds
from the Sale of Assets
|
685
|
1,264
|
|||||
Net
Cash Used in Investing Activities
|
(2,723
|
)
|
(1,219
|
)
|
|||
Cash
Flow from Financing Activities:
|
|||||||
Payments
on Notes Payable
|
(40,936
|
)
|
(45,116
|
)
|
|||
Borrowing
on Notes Payable
|
39,390
|
50,652
|
|||||
Long-Term
Borrowing
|
43
|
-
|
|||||
Payments
on Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations
|
(1,577
|
)
|
(4,605
|
)
|
|||
Other
|
547
|
(591
|
)
|
||||
Dividends
|
(12
|
)
|
(12
|
)
|
|||
Net
Cash (Used in) Provided by Financing Activities
|
(2,545
|
)
|
328
|
||||
Net
Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents
|
(4,392
|
)
|
(2,184
|
)
|
|||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of the Period
|
6,046
|
5,179
|
|||||
Cash
and Cash Equivalents, End of the Period
|
$
|
1,654
|
$
|
2,995
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements.
SENECA
FOODS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
(In
Thousands)
July
1,
2006
1. Unaudited
Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
In
the
opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements contain all adjustments, which are normal and recurring
in
nature, necessary to present fairly the financial position of Seneca Foods
Corporation (the “Company”) as of July 1, 2006 and results of its operations and
its cash flows for the interim periods presented. All significant intercompany
transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. The March
31,
2006 balance sheet was derived from the audited consolidated financial
statements.
The
results of operations for the three month period ended July 1, 2006 are not
necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full
year.
In
the
three months ended July 1, 2006, the Company did not sell any product for
cash,
on a bill and hold basis, versus $11,796,000 for the three-months ended July
2,
2005 of Green Giant finished goods inventory to General Mills Operations,
Inc.
(“GMOI”). Under the terms of the above bill and hold agreement, title to the
specified inventory transferred to GMOI. In addition, the aforementioned
finished goods inventory was complete, ready for shipment and segregated
from
the Company’s other finished goods inventory. Further, the Company had performed
all of its obligations with respect to the sale of the specified Green Giant
finished goods inventory.
The
accounting policies followed by the Company are set forth in Note 1 to the
Company's Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2006 Seneca Foods Corporation
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Other
footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared
in accordance with U. S. generally accepted accounting principles have been
condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and
notes
included in the Company's 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
2. |
The
seasonal nature of the Company's food processing business results
in a
timing difference between expenses (primarily overhead expenses)
incurred
and absorbed into product cost. All Off-Season Reserve balances,
which
essentially represent a contra-inventory account, are zero at fiscal
year
end. Depending on the time of year, Off-Season Reserve is either
the
excess of absorbed expenses over incurred expenses to date or the
excess
of incurred expenses over absorbed expenses to date. Other than at
the end
of the first and fourth quarter of each year, absorbed expenses exceed
incurred expenses due to timing of production.
|
3. |
Comprehensive
income totaled $3,610,000, including a $29,000 Net Unrealized Gain
on
Securities classified as available-for-sale, for the three months
ended
July 1, 2006 which are purchased solely for the Company’s 401(k) match and
a $78,000 Net Unrealized Loss on a Natural Gas Hedge discussed below.
Comprehensive income equaled Net Earnings for the three months ended
July
2, 2005.
|
4. |
During
the first quarter of 2007, the Company entered into a Natural Gas
Hedge in
the form of a swap transaction where the Company purchased, on a
forward
basis, 50% of its requirements for natural gas during the June 1,
2006 to
December 31, 2006 time frame at $7.00 per decatherm. The Company
realized
a $43,000 loss on this hedge during the first quarter of 2007, and
marked
the remaining hedge to market resulting in a Net Unrealized Loss
on this
hedge of $78,000 which was recorded as an Accumulated Other Comprehensive
Loss on the Balance Sheet.
|
5. |
In
November 2004, the FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 151, Inventory Costs
- An
Amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4. This statement amends ARB No.
43,
Chapter 4, Inventory Pricing, to clarify that abnormal amounts of
idle
facility expense, freight, handling costs, and wasted material (spoilage)
should be recognized as current-period charges. Additionally, SFAS
151
requires that allocation of fixed production overheads to the costs
of
conversion be based on the normal capacity of the production facilities.
As required, the Company adopted SFAS 151 effective April 1, 2006.
This
statement did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial
position or results of operations.
|
6. |
During
the quarter ended October 1, 2005, the Company announced the phase
out of
the labeling operation within the leased distribution facility in
Salem,
Oregon which resulted in a restructuring charge of $1,461,000. During
the
quarter ended December 31, 2005, the Company recorded an additional
restructuring charge of $290,000 which represented a planned further
reduction in utilization of the facility. The total restructuring
charge
of $1,751,000 consisted of a provision for future lease payments
of
$1,306,000, a cash severance charge of $368,000, and a non-cash impairment
charge of $77,000. With the closure of the Walla Walla facility in
the
fall of 2004, the Company’s labeling and warehousing requirements at the
Salem location were dramatically reduced. The Company intends to
use a
portion of the facility for warehousing and will attempt to sublease
the
remaining unutilized portion of the facility until the February 2008
expiration of the lease.
|
7. |
During
the quarter ended December 25, 2004, the Company announced the closure
of
a processing facility in Walla Walla, Washington. This facility was
sold
during the quarter ended July 2, 2005 for $514,000 in cash and a
$3,550,000 note which carries an interest rate of 8% and is due in
full
May 14, 2007. This Note is secured by a mortgage on the property.
The
Company accounted for the sale under the installment method. During
the
quarter ended July 2, 2005, $427,000 of the gain was included in
Other
Income and an additional $2,800,000 of the gain on this sale was
deferred
in Other Long-Term Liabilities.
|
8. |
The
following table summarizes the restructuring and related asset impairment
charges recorded and the accruals established:
|
Long-Lived
|
|||||||||||||
Severance
|
Asset
Charges
|
Other
Costs
|
Total
|
||||||||||
Total
expected
|
|||||||||||||
restructuring
charge
|
$
|
1,097
|
$
|
5,287
|
$
|
3,214
|
$
|
9,598
|
|||||
Balance
March 31, 2006
|
$
|
169
|
$
|
250
|
$
|
2,687
|
$
|
3,106
|
|||||
Cash
payments
|
(10
|
)
|
(195
|
)
|
(205
|
)
|
|||||||
Balance
July 1, 2006
|
$
|
159
|
$
|
250
|
$
|
2,492
|
$
|
2,901
|
|||||
Total
costs incurred
|
|||||||||||||
to
date
|
$
|
938
|
$
|
5,037
|
$
|
722
|
$
|
6,697
|
The
restructuring costs above relate to the phase out of the labeling operation
of
the leased distribution facility in Salem, Oregon, the closure of corn plants
in
Wisconsin and Washington and a green bean plant in upstate New York plus
the
removal of canned meat production from a plant in Idaho. The corn plant in
Washington has been sold. The restructuring is complete in the Idaho plant
and
the New York plant. The Wisconsin plant is closed and is expected to be sold
within a year.
The
remaining severance costs are expected to be paid prior to September 30,
2006.
The other costs relate to outstanding lease payments which will be paid over
the
remaining lives of the corresponding lease terms, which are up to five
years.
9. |
Earnings
per share (In thousands, except per share
data):
|
Quarters
Ended July 1, 2006 and July 2, 2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
|||||
Basic
|
|||||||
Net
Earnings
|
$
|
3,659
|
$
|
2,420
|
|||
Deduct
preferred stock dividends paid
|
6
|
6
|
|||||
Undistributed
earnings
|
3,653
|
2,414
|
|||||
Earnings
allocated to participating preferred
|
1,409
|
949
|
|||||
Earnings
allocated to common shareholders
|
$
|
2,244
|
$
|
1,465
|
|||
Weighted
average common shares outstanding
|
6,835
|
6,753
|
|||||
Basis
earnings per common share
|
$
|
0.33
|
$
|
0.22
|
|||
Diluted
|
|||||||
Earnings
allocated to common shareholders
|
$
|
2,244
|
$
|
1,465
|
|||
Add
dividends on convertible preferred stock
|
5
|
5
|
|||||
Earnings
applicable to common stock on a diluted basis
|
$
|
2,249
|
$
|
1,470
|
|||
Weighted
average common shares outstanding-basic
|
6,835
|
6,753
|
|||||
Additional
shares to be issued under full conversion of preferred
stock
|
67
|
67
|
|||||
Total
shares for diluted
|
6,902
|
6,820
|
|||||
Diluted
Earnings per common share
|
$
|
0.33
|
$
|
0.22
|
10. |
The
net periodic benefit cost for pension plans consist
of:
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||
July
1, 2006
|
July
2, 2005
|
||||||
Service
Cost
|
$
|
1,059
|
$
|
940
|
|||
Interest
Cost
|
1,117
|
1,027
|
|||||
Expected
Return on Plan Assets
|
(1,458
|
)
|
(1,378
|
)
|
|||
Amortization
of Transition Asset
|
(69
|
)
|
(69
|
)
|
|||
Net
Periodic Benefit Cost
|
$
|
649
|
$
|
520
|
During
the three months ended July 1, 2006, the Company made no contributions to its
defined benefit pension plans. No pension contributions are required during
2007.
11. |
During
June 2005, there were 114,242 shares of Participating Convertible
Preferred Stock converted to Class A Common
Stock.
|
12. |
Certain
previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform to
current
period classification.
|
13. |
During
the first quarter of 2007, the Company sold a closed plant in Newark,
New
York and a receiving station in Pasco, Washington which resulted
in gains
of $282,000 and $406,000, respectively. These gains are included
in Other
Operating Income in the Statements of Net Earnings. Both of these
facilities had been included in Assets Held For Sale on the Balance
Sheet.
|
14. |
The
only changes in Stockholders’ Equity accounts for the quarter ended July
1, 2006, other than the Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss described
above, is an increase of $3,659,000 for Net Earnings and a reduction
of
$12,000 for dividends.
|
15. |
Subsequent
to the end of the quarter ended July 1, 2006, the Company began
negotiations to acquire Signature Fruit Company, LLC. In conjunction
with
these negotiations, the Company deposited in escrow $5 million related
to
this potential transaction which is non-refundable under
certain circumstances.
|
ITEM
2
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION RESULTS AND OF OPERATIONS
July
1,
2006
Seneca
Foods Corporation is primarily a vegetable processing company with manufacturing
facilities located throughout the United States. Its products are sold under
the
Libby’sÒ,
Aunt
Nellie’s Farm KitchenÒ,
Stokely’sÒ,
READÒ,
and
SenecaÒ
labels
as well as through the private label and industrial markets. In addition, under
an alliance with General Mills Operations, Inc. (GMOI), a successor to the
Pillsbury Company and a subsidiary of General Mills, Inc., Seneca produces
canned and frozen vegetables, which are sold by General Mills Operations, Inc.
under the Green GiantÒ
label.
The
Company’s raw product is harvested mainly between June through November. The
Company experienced favorable growing conditions last summer and early fall
reflecting a combination of adequate heat units and moisture. These beneficial
growing conditions favorably impacted crop yields and plant recovery rates,
and
further resulted in favorable manufacturing variances.
During
fiscal 2005, the Company implemented a restructuring program which principally
involved the closure of three processing facilities, including a green bean
plant in upstate New York and corn plants in Wisconsin and Washington. The
rationalization of the Company’s productive capacity: (1) improved the Company’s
overall cost structure and competitive position; (2) addressed the excess
capacity situation arising from the recent acquisition of Chiquita Processed
Foods and decline in GMOI volume requirements; and (3) mitigated the effect
of
inflationary pressures on the Company’s raw material inputs such as steel and
fuel.
During
the quarter ended October 1, 2005, the Company announced the phase out of the
labeling operation within the leased distribution facility in Salem, Oregon
which resulted in a restructuring charge of $1,461,000. During the quarter
ended
December 31, 2005, the Company recorded an additional restructuring charge
of
$290,000 which represented a planned further reduction in utilization of the
facility. The total restructuring charge of $1,751,000 consisted of a provision
for future lease payments of $1,306,000, a cash severance charge of $368,000,
and a non-cash impairment charge of $77,000. With the closure of the Walla
Walla
facility in the fall of 2004, the Company’s labeling and warehousing
requirements at the Salem location were dramatically reduced. The Company
intends to use a portion of the facility for warehousing and will attempt to
sublease the remaining unutilized portion of the facility until the February
2008 expiration of the lease.
During
the quarter ended December 25, 2004, the Company announced the closure of a
processing facility in Walla Walla, Washington. This facility was sold during
the quarter ended July 2, 2005 for $514,000 in cash and a $3,550,000 note which
carries an interest rate of 8% and is due in full May 14, 2007. This Note is
secured by a mortgage on the property. The Company accounted for the sale under
the installment method. During the quarter ended July 2, 2005, $427,000 of
the
gain was included in Other Income and an additional $2,800,000 of the gain
on
this sale was deferred in Other Long-Term Liabilities.
The
fiscal 2006 asparagus harvest, completed in the first quarter, represented
a
partial pack as GMOI moved the production of asparagus offshore from the Dayton,
Washington manufacturing facility. As fiscal 2006 represents the final year
of
operation for the Dayton, Washington facility, the Company and GMOI have
negotiated a definitive agreement related to the pending closure of this
facility. Under the terms of the agreement, any costs incurred by the Company
related to the asparagus production prior to March 31, 2006 were paid by GMOI.
The Company retained ownership of the real estate associated with the Dayton
facility. In addition, the manufacturing equipment of the Dayton facility was
either conveyed to GMOI, redeployed by the Company, or salvaged. GMOI reduced
the principal balance of the $43.1 million secured nonrecourse subordinated
promissory note by $0.6 million, which represents the net book value of the
equipment to be conveyed to GMOI or salvaged.
Results
of Operations:
Sales:
First
quarter results include Net Sales of $148.3 million, which represent a 5.3%
reduction from the first quarter of fiscal 2006. This sales decrease primarily
reflects a planned decrease in Green Giant Alliance sales of $20.3 million
partially offset by canned vegetable sales increase of $13.7 million from growth
in retail sales.
The
following table presents the changes by business:
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||
July
1, 2006
|
July
2, 2005
|
||||||
Canned
Vegetables
|
$
|
130.1
|
$
|
116.4
|
|||
Green
Giant Alliance
|
3.1
|
23.4
|
|||||
Frozen
Vegetables
|
6.6
|
6.4
|
|||||
Fruit
and Chip Products
|
5.2
|
7.7
|
|||||
Other
|
3.3
|
2.7
|
|||||
$
|
148.3
|
$
|
156.6
|
Operating
Income:
The
following table presents components of Operating Income as a percentage of
Net
Sales:
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||
July
1, 2006
|
July
2, 2005
|
||||||
Gross
Margin
|
14.1
|
%
|
11.8
|
%
|
|||
Selling
|
4.9
|
%
|
3.7
|
%
|
|||
Administrative
|
3.2
|
%
|
3.3
|
%
|
|||
Other
Operating Income
|
-0.5
|
%
|
-0.3
|
%
|
|||
Operating
Income
|
6.5
|
%
|
5.1
|
%
|
|||
Interest
Expense
|
2.4
|
%
|
2.6
|
%
|
For
the
three month period ended July 1, 2006, the gross margin increased from 11.9%
to
14.1% reflecting favorable manufacturing variances associated with the excellent
growing season last year which drove improved crop yields and plant recovery
rates. Furthermore, the Company’s overall cost structure benefited from the
closure of three processing facilities in connection with the plant
restructuring program implemented in 2005.
Interest
decreased as a percentage of sales from 2.6% to 2.4% primarily due to lower
average seasonal borrowings during the three-month period ended July 1, 2006
as
compared to the three-month period end July 2, 2005.
Income
Taxes:
The
effective tax rate was 38.4% and 39.0% for the three month periods ended July
1,
2006 and July 2, 2005, respectively. The reduction in the rate reflects the
impact of the second phase of the Manufacturers Credit on the Company’s
effective tax rate. The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 created the
Manufacturers Credit which is commonly referred to as Section 199. Under this
new law, once fully phased in, manufacturers will receive a nine percent tax
credit for certain qualifying production activities income for the taxable
year.
This credit is limited to 50 percent of W-2 wages for the taxable
year.
Earnings
per Share
Basic
and
diluted earnings per share were $0.33 and $0.22 for the three months ended
July
1, 2006 and July 2, 2005, respectively. For details of the calculation of these
amounts, refer to footnote 8 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources:
The
financial condition of the Company is summarized in the following table and
explanatory review (in thousands except ratios):
June
|
March
|
||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2006
|
2005
|
||||||||||
Working
Capital:
|
|||||||||||||
Balance
|
$ |
234,126
|
$ |
209,292
|
$ |
229,510
|
$ |
205,430
|
|||||
Change
in Quarter
|
4,616
|
3,862
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||
Notes
Payable
|
55,483
|
66,269
|
57,029
|
60,733
|
|||||||||
Long-Term
Debt
|
141,234
|
152,430
|
142,586
|
154,125
|
|||||||||
Current
Ratio
|
2.42
|
2.19
|
2.63
|
2.34
|
As
shown
in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, Cash Provided by
Operating Activities was $876,000 in the first quarter of 2007, compared to
Cash
Used by Operating Activities of $1,293,000 in the first quarter of 2006. The
$2,169,000 increase in cash generation is primarily a result of improved
operating earnings of $9.6 million in the first quarter of 2007 as compared
to
$8.0 million in the first quarter of 2006.
In
addition, as compared to July 2, 2005, Inventory increased $9.8 million
(including the Off Season Reserve, which is $2.5 million). The Inventory
increase primarily reflects a $4.4 million increase (including the Off Season
Reserve increase) in Finished Goods, a $8.2 million decrease in Work in Process
and $13.9 million increase in Raw Materials. The Finished Goods increase
reflects a larger harvest this year. The Work in Process decrease and the Raw
Materials increase are both due to Cans and Ends which net to $6.0 million
increase between the two categories due to increased internalization of
production of Cans and Ends.
Cash
Used
in Investing Activities was $2.7 million in the first quarter of 2007 compared
to $1.2 million in the first three quarter of 2006. Additions to Property,
Plant
and Equipment were $3.4 million in fiscal 2007 as compared to $2.5 million
in
fiscal 2006. In 2007, there were no significant capital projects.
Cash
Used
in Financing Activities was $2.5 million in the first quarter of 2007,
principally consisting of the repayment of $1.6 million of Long-Term Debt.
Cash
Provided by Financing Activities of $0.3 million in the first quarter of 2006
included the issuance of $5.5 million of Notes Payable partially offset by
the
repayment of $4.6 million of Long-Term Debt.
In
connection with the May 27, 2003 acquisition of Chiquita Processed Foods, the
Company entered into a $200 million revolving credit facility (subsequently
reduced to $125 million at the request of the Company) with a five-year term
to
finance its seasonal working capital requirements. During the first quarter
of
2006, the Company and its lenders extended the term of the Revolver for an
additional year with a final maturity date of May 27, 2009. The Company reduced
the Revolver from $125 million to $100 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal
2006. In the first quarter of fiscal 2007, the Company and its lenders extended
the term of the Revolver for an additional two years with a final maturity
date
of July 31, 2011. We believe that cash flows from operations and availability
under our Revolver will provide adequate funds for our working capital needs,
planned capital expenditures, and debt service obligations for at least the
next
12 months.
The
Company’s credit facilities contain various financial covenants. At July 1,
2006, the Company was in compliance with all such financial covenants.
Seasonality
The
Company's revenues typically have been higher in the second and third quarters,
primarily because the Company sells, on a bill and hold basis, Green Giant
canned and frozen vegetables to General Mills Operations, Inc. at the end of
each pack cycle. The two largest commodities are peas and corn, which are sold
in the second and third quarters, respectively. See the Critical Accounting
Policies section below for further details. In addition, our non Green Giant
sales have exhibited seasonality with the third quarter generating the highest
sales. This quarter reflects increased sales of the Company’s products during
the holiday period.
Forward-Looking
Statements
Statements
that are not historical facts, including statements about management's beliefs
or expectations, are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act (PSLRA) of 1995. The Company wishes to take
advantage of the "safe harbor" provisions of the PSLRA by cautioning that
numerous important factors which involve risks and uncertainties in the future
could affect the Company's actual results and could cause its actual
consolidated results to differ materially from those expressed in any
forward-looking statement made by, or on behalf of, the Company. These factors
include, among others: general economic and business conditions; cost and
availability of commodities and other raw materials such as vegetables, steel
and packaging materials; transportation costs; climate and weather affecting
growing conditions and crop yields; leverage and ability to service and reduce
the Company's debt; foreign currency exchange and interest rate fluctuations;
effectiveness of marketing and trade promotion programs; changing consumer
preferences; competition; product liability claims; the loss of significant
customers or a substantial reduction in orders from these customers; changes
in,
or the failure or inability to comply with, U.S., foreign and local governmental
regulations, including environmental regulations; and other factors discussed
in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which
reflect management's analysis only as the date hereof. The Company assumes
no
obligation to update forward-looking statements.
Critical
Accounting Policies
In
the
three months ended July 1, 2006, the Company did not sell any product for cash,
on a bill and hold basis, versus $11,796,000 for the three-months ended July
2,
2005 of Green Giant finished goods inventory to General Mills Operations, Inc.
(“GMOI”). Under the terms of the above bill and hold agreement, title of the
specified inventory transferred to GMOI. In addition, the aforementioned
finished goods inventory was complete, ready for shipment and segregated from
the Company’s other finished goods inventory. Further, the Company had performed
all of its obligations with respect to the sale of the specified Green Giant
finished goods inventory.
The
seasonal nature of the Company's Food Processing business results in a timing
difference between expenses (primarily overhead expenses) incurred and absorbed
into product cost. All Off-Season Reserve balances, which essentially represent
a contra-inventory account, are zero at fiscal year end. Depending on the time
of year, Off-Season Reserve is either the excess of absorbed expenses over
incurred expenses to date or the excess of incurred expenses over absorbed
expenses to date. Other than at the end of the first and fourth quarter of
each
year, absorbed expenses exceed incurred expenses due to timing of production.
Trade
promotions are an important component of the sales and marketing of the
Company’s branded products, and are critical to the support of the business.
Trade promotion costs, which are recorded as a reduction of net sales, include
amounts paid to encourage retailers to offer temporary price reductions for
the
sale of our products to consumers, amounts paid to obtain favorable display
positions in retailers’ stores, and amounts paid to retailers for shelf space in
retail stores. Accruals for trade promotions are recorded primarily at the
time
of sale of product to the retailer based on expected levels of performance.
Settlement of these liabilities typically occurs in subsequent periods primarily
through an authorized process for deductions taken by a retailer from amounts
otherwise due to us. As a result, the ultimate cost of a trade promotion program
is dependent on the relative success of the events and the actions and level
of
deductions taken by retailers for amounts they consider due to them. Final
determination of the permissible deductions may take extended periods of time.
Recently
issued accounting standards have been considered by the Company and are not
expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or
results of operations.
ITEM
3
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
In
the
ordinary course of business, the Company is exposed to various market risk
factors, including changes in general economic conditions, competition and
raw
material pricing and availability. In addition the Company is exposed to
fluctuations in interest rates, primarily related to its revolving credit
facility. To manage interest rate risk, the Company uses both fixed and variable
interest rate debt. During fiscal 2006, the Company entered into a natural
gas
hedge for 50% of its requirements during the production season. There have
been
no other material changes to the Company’s exposure to market risk since March
31, 2006.
ITEM
4
Controls and Procedures
The
Company maintains a system of internal and disclosure controls and procedures
designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in reports filed
or
submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported on a timely basis. The Company’s Board of
Directors, operating through its Audit Committee, which is composed entirely
of
independent outside directors, provides oversight to the financial reporting
process.
An
evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of
our
management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,
of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls
and
procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities and Exchange
Act
of 1934, as amended) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Our
disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that information
we are required to disclose in our reports that we file with the SEC under
the
Exchange Act is recorded, processed and reported on a timely basis.
Based
upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer concluded that, as of July 1, 2006, our disclosure controls and
procedures were effective at providing reasonable assurance that information
required to be disclosed by us in reports filed or submitted under the Exchange
Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods
specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and that our controls and procedures are
effective in timely alerting them to material information required to be
included in this report.
There
were no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting
during its most recently completed fiscal quarter that have materially affected
or are reasonably likely to materially affect its internal control over
financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange
Act.
PART
II -
OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1. Legal
Proceedings
None.
Item
1A. Risk
Factors
There
have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in the Company’s
Form 10-K for the period ended March 31, 2006.
Item
2. Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Period
|
Total
Number of Shares Purchased (1)
|
Average
Price Paid per Share
|
Total
Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or
Programs
|
Maximum
Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) or Shares that May Yet Be Purchased
Under the Plans or Programs
|
||
Class
A Common
|
Class
B Common
|
Class
A Common
|
Class
B Common
|
|||
04/01/06
- 04/30/06
|
14,000
|
-
|
$20.87
|
-
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
05/01/06
- 05/31/06
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
06/01/06
- 06/30/06
|
4,500
|
-
|
$23.93
|
-
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Total
|
18,500
|
-
|
$21.62
|
-
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
__________
(1)
These
purchases were made in open market transactions by the trustees under the Seneca
Foods Corporation Employees' Savings Plan 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to
provide employee matching contributions under the plan.
Item
3. Defaults
on Senior Securities
None.
Item
4. Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
None.
Item
5. Other
Information
None.
Item
6. Exhibits
31.1
Certification of Kraig H. Kayser pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 (filed herewith)
31.2
Certification of Philip G. Paras pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 (filed herewith)
32
Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed
herewith)
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has
duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly
authorized.
Seneca
Foods Corporation
(Company)
/s/Kraig
H. Kayser
August
4,
2006
Kraig
H.
Kayser
President
and
Chief
Executive Officer
/s/Jeffrey
L. Van Riper
August
4,
2006
Jeffrey
L. Van Riper
Controller
and
Chief
Accounting Officer