VIDLER WATER RESOURCES, INC. - Quarter Report: 2007 September (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC
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 September 30, 2007
OR
( )
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: 0-18786
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
California
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
|
|
94-2723335
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
|
875
Prospect Street , Suite 301
La
Jolla, CA
(Address
of Principal Executive
Offices)
|
92037
(Zip
Code)
|
(858)
456-6022
(Registrants
Telephone Number Including Area
Code)
Indicate
by check mark whether registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed
by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for
the past 90 days. Yes R 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 R 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 R
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's class of common
stock,
as of the latest practicable date.
The
number of shares outstanding of the Registrant’s Common Stock, $0.001 par value,
was 18,833,737 as of September 30, 2007, excluding 3,218,408 shares of common
stock held by the Registrant’s subsidiaries.
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC.
FORM
10-Q
For
the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
Page
No.
|
|
|
|
|
Part
I. Financial Information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Item
1.
|
Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2007 and December
31,
2006
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three and Nine Months
Ended
September 30, 2007 and 2006
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Nine Months Ended
September
30, 2007 and 2006
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
Notes
to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
|
5
|
|
|
|
Item
2.
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and the Results
of
Operations
|
13
|
|
|
|
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk
|
26
|
|
|
|
Item
4.
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
26
|
|
|
|
Part
II: Other Information
|
||
|
||
Item
1.
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
27
|
|
|
|
Item
1A.
|
Risk
Factors
|
28
|
|
|
|
Item
2.
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
28
|
|
|
|
Item
3.
|
Defaults
Upon Senior Securities
|
28
|
|
|
|
Item
4.
|
Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
|
28
|
|
|
|
Item
5.
|
Other
Information
|
28
|
|
|
|
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
29
|
1
|
Part
I.
Financial
Information
|
Item
1.
|
Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements
|
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
|
September
30, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||
ASSETS
|
|
|
||||||
Investments
|
$ |
406,283,676
|
$ |
271,961,941
|
||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
71,406,567
|
136,621,578
|
||||||
Notes
and other receivables, net
|
15,115,924
|
17,177,827
|
||||||
Reinsurance
receivables
|
16,182,076
|
17,290,039
|
||||||
Real
estate and water assets, net
|
172,754,463
|
102,538,859
|
||||||
Property
and equipment, net
|
1,167,164
|
518,564
|
||||||
Other
assets
|
3,931,370
|
2,934,131
|
||||||
Total
assets
|
$ |
686,841,240
|
$ |
549,042,939
|
||||
|
||||||||
LIABILITIES
AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
||||||||
Unpaid
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ |
37,393,203
|
$ |
41,083,301
|
||||
Deferred
compensation
|
53,374,293
|
49,776,043
|
||||||
Bank
and other borrowings
|
18,495,007
|
12,720,558
|
||||||
Deferred
income taxes, net
|
21,162,949
|
17,952,916
|
||||||
Other
liabilities
|
25,554,293
|
22,282,822
|
||||||
Total
liabilities
|
155,979,745
|
143,815,640
|
||||||
|
||||||||
Commitments
and Contingencies (Note 4)
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Common
stock, $.001 par value; authorized 100,000,000 shares, 23,259,367
shares
issued in 2007 and 20,306,923 shares issued in 2006
|
23,259
|
20,307
|
||||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
434,717,263
|
331,582,308
|
||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
|
86,447,450
|
60,950,679
|
||||||
Retained
earnings
|
87,956,752
|
90,968,815
|
||||||
|
609,144,724
|
483,522,109
|
||||||
Treasury
stock, at cost (common shares: 4,425,630 in 2007 and 4,426,465
in
2006)
|
(78,283,229 | ) | (78,294,810 | ) | ||||
Total
shareholders' equity
|
530,861,495
|
405,227,299
|
||||||
Total
liabilities and shareholders' equity
|
$ |
686,841,240
|
$ |
549,042,939
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
2
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2007
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2007
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Net
investment income
|
$ |
4,180,743
|
$ |
3,308,869
|
$ |
13,723,147
|
$ |
9,812,410
|
||||||||
Net
realized gain (loss) on investments
|
(848,488 | ) |
3,906,008
|
769,605
|
19,279,304
|
|||||||||||
Sale
of real estate and water assets
|
1,477,434
|
28,310,663
|
5,903,810
|
33,399,627
|
||||||||||||
Rents,
royalties and lease income
|
170,101
|
87,178
|
471,640
|
722,161
|
||||||||||||
Other
(principally gain on exchange during 2007, see Note 1)
|
3,435,709
|
586,113
|
3,574,974
|
779,989
|
||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
8,415,499
|
36,198,831
|
24,443,176
|
63,993,491
|
||||||||||||
Costs
and Expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating
and other costs
|
6,056,598
|
7,883,674
|
24,308,664
|
16,245,379
|
||||||||||||
Cost
of real estate and water assets sold
|
426,008
|
5,816,820
|
1,897,214
|
7,498,442
|
||||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
269,431
|
337,437
|
818,126
|
1,012,844
|
||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
121,826
|
332,586
|
||||||||||||||
Total
costs and expenses
|
6,752,037
|
14,159,757
|
27,024,004
|
25,089,251
|
||||||||||||
Income
(loss) before income taxes and minority interest
|
1,663,462
|
22,039,074
|
(2,580,828 | ) |
38,904,240
|
|||||||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
1,189,928
|
8,286,040
|
137,890
|
14,497,530
|
||||||||||||
Income
(loss) before minority interest
|
473,534
|
13,753,034
|
(2,718,718 | ) |
24,406,710
|
|||||||||||
Minority
interest in loss of subsidiaries
|
8,843
|
34,252
|
||||||||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations
|
473,534
|
13,761,877
|
(2,718,718 | ) |
24,440,962
|
|||||||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations, net of tax
|
(1,932,299 | ) | (5,011,000 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$ |
473,534
|
$ |
11,829,578
|
$ | (2,718,718 | ) | $ |
19,429,962
|
|||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
income (loss) per common share – basic:
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations
|
$ |
0.03
|
$ |
0.87
|
$ | (0.15 | ) | $ |
1.66
|
|||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations
|
(0.13 | ) | (0.34 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net
income (loss) per common share
|
$ |
0.03
|
$ |
0.74
|
$ | (0.15 | ) | $ |
1.32
|
|||||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
18,833,737
|
15,880,458
|
18,174,007
|
14,712,267
|
Net
income (loss) per common share – diluted:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Income
(loss) from continuing operations
|
$ |
0.02
|
$ |
0.87
|
$ | (0.15 | ) | $ |
1.66
|
|||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations
|
(0.13 | ) | (0.34 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net
income (loss) per common share
|
$ |
0.02
|
$ |
0.74
|
$ | (0.15 | ) | $ |
1.32
|
|||||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
19,026,136
|
15,880,458
|
18,174,007
|
14,712,267
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
3
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2007
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
||||||
OPERATING
ACTIVITIES:
|
|
|
||||||
Net
cash provided by (used in) operating activities - continuing
operations
|
$ | (38,048,344 | ) | $ |
12,356,244
|
|||
Net
cash used in operating activities - discontinued
operations
|
(3,063,279 | ) | ||||||
|
(38,048,344 | ) |
9,292,965
|
|||||
INVESTING
ACTIVITIES:
|
||||||||
Purchases
of investments
|
(145,643,885 | ) | (72,087,599 | ) | ||||
Proceeds
from sale of investments
|
5,128,795
|
39,342,472
|
||||||
Proceeds
from maturity of investments
|
44,609,747
|
45,728,000
|
||||||
Purchases
of property and equipment and costs capitalized to water
infrastructure
|
(35,044,316 | ) | (13,419,890 | ) | ||||
Cash
used in investing activities - discontinued operations
|
(1,936,237 | ) | ||||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(130,949,659 | ) | (2,373,254 | ) | ||||
|
||||||||
FINANCING
ACTIVITIES:
|
||||||||
Proceeds
from common stock offering, net
|
100,141,935
|
73,945,144
|
||||||
Sale
of treasury stock for deferred compensation plans
|
29,392
|
|||||||
Excess
tax benefits from share based payment arrangements
|
4,905,804
|
|||||||
Distributions to minority partner | (700,000 | ) | ||||||
Repayment
of borrowings
|
(37,929 | ) | ||||||
Cash
used in financing activities - discontinued operations
|
(498,272 | ) | ||||||
Net
cash provided by financing activities
|
105,077,131
|
72,708,943
|
||||||
|
||||||||
Effect
of exchange rate changes on cash
|
(1,294,138 | ) | (1,617,069 | ) | ||||
|
||||||||
INCREASE
(DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
(65,215,011 | ) |
78,011,587
|
|||||
|
||||||||
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD
|
136,621,578
|
37,794,416
|
||||||
|
||||||||
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD
|
$ |
71,406,567
|
$ |
115,806,003
|
||||
|
||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL
CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
|
||||||||
Cash
paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized
|
$ |
330,427
|
||||||
Cash
paid for income taxes, net of refunds
|
$ |
5,461,341
|
$ |
5,646,797
|
||||
Non-cash
Investing and Financing Activities:
|
||||||||
Change
in capitalized costs included in other liabilities
|
$ |
12,566,254
|
||||||
Mortgage
incurred to purchase land
|
$ |
5,180,00
|
|
|||||
Withholding taxes recorded in additional paid in capital related to stock apprecaition rights exercised | $ | 5,398,767 |
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
4
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(Unaudited)
1. Basis
of Presentation
The
accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of PICO
Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “PICO”) have
been prepared in accordance with the interim reporting requirements of Form
10-Q, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities
and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the
information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted
in
the United States of America (“US GAAP”) for complete consolidated financial
statements.
In
the
opinion of management, all adjustments and reclassifications considered
necessary for a fair and comparable presentation of the financial statements
presented have been included and are of a normal recurring nature. Operating
results presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may
be
expected for the year ending December 31, 2007.
These
condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction
with
the Company’s audited financial statements and notes thereto contained in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 filed
with the SEC.
The
preparation of financial statements in accordance with US GAAP requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts
of
assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date
of
the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
for
each reporting period. The significant estimates made in the preparation
of the
Company’s consolidated financial statements relate to the assessment
of other than temporary impairment and application of the equity method of
accounting, unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, reinsurance receivables,
real estate and water assets, deferred income taxes, stock-based
compensation and contingent liabilities. While management believes that the
carrying value of such assets and liabilities are appropriate as of September
30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, it is reasonably possible that actual results
could differ from the estimates upon which the carrying values were
based.
Stock-Based
Compensation:
On
January 1, 2006, PICO adopted Financial Accounting Standards No. 123
(revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment” (“FAS 123(R)”) using the modified
prospective method which requires the application of the accounting standard
as
of January 1, 2006. In accordance with the modified prospective method, the
consolidated financial statements for prior periods have not been restated
to
reflect, and do not include, the impact of FAS 123(R). However, as PICO had
no unvested stock options outstanding as of January 1, 2006, the adoption
of FAS
123(R) had no impact on the accompanying condensed consolidated financial
statements.
At
September 30, 2007 the Company had one stock-based payment arrangement
outstanding:
The
PICO
Holdings, Inc. 2005 Long Term
Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan provides for the grant or award of
various equity incentives to PICO employees, non-employee directors and
consultants. A total of 2,654,000 shares of common stock are issuable under
the
Plan and it provides for the issuance of incentive stock options, non-statutory
stock options, free-standing stock-settled stock appreciation rights (“SARs”),
restricted stock awards, performance shares, performance units, restricted
stock
units, deferred compensation awards and other stock-based awards. The Plan
allows for broker assisted cashless exercises and net-settlement of income
taxes
and employee withholding taxes required. Upon exercise, the employee
will receive newly issued shares of PICO Holdings common stock equal to the
in-the-money value of the award, less applicable US Federal, state and local
withholding and income taxes.
Stock-Settled
Stock Appreciation
Rights Granted in
2007:
During
the third quarter of 2007, the Company granted 659,409 SARs in five separate
grants to various members of management. Four of the awards totaling
486,470 SARs were granted on August 2, 2007 at a strike price equal to
the
closing market price of PICO common stock on that day of
$42.71. These awards vested 33% on the date of grant and vest one
third on each anniversary thereafter. The other award was granted on
September 4, 2007 with a strike price equal to the closing market price
of PICO
common stock on that day of $44.69. This award vests 33% on September 4,
2008
and one third on each anniversary thereafter.
Compensation
cost recognized under the Plan for these awards for the three and nine
months
ended September 30, 2007 was $3.5 million. The total income tax
benefit recognized in the statement of operations was $1.2 million. No
such
compensation cost or income tax benefit was recorded in the comparable
2006
period as no new grants were issued or vested during that
period.
5
The
fair
value of each award is estimated on the date of grant using a Black - Scholes
option pricing model that uses various assumptions and estimates to calculate
a
fair value as described below.
Expected
volatility is based on the actual trading volatility of the Company’s common
stock. The Company uses historical experience to estimate expected forfeitures
and estimated terms. The expected term of a SAR grant represents the period
of
time that the SAR is expected to be outstanding. The risk-free rate is the
U.S.
Treasury Bond yield that corresponds to the expected term of each SAR
grant. Expected dividend yield is zero as the Company has not and
does not foresee paying a dividend in the future.
Expected
volatility
|
29%
— 31%
|
Expected
term
|
7
years
|
Risk-free
rate
|
4.3%
— 4.7%
|
Expected
dividend yield
|
0%
|
Stock-Settled
Stock Appreciation
Rights Exercised in
2007:
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2007, 838,356 SARs were exercised at
a price
of $47.54 resulting in the issuance of 129,444 newly-issued common shares.
The
intrinsic value of the award was $11.6 million which represents an income
tax
deduction for the Company. No compensation cost was recorded for these options
as they were fully vested at December 31, 2006. However, the Company recorded
$4.9 million in excess tax benefits directly to shareholders’ equity along with
the corresponding employee withholding tax liability of $5.6 million, for a
net reduction of Additional Paid in Capital of $493,000.
A
summary
of SAR activity under the Plan is as follows:
SARs
|
Weighted
Average Exercise Price
|
Weighted
Average Contractual Term (In years)
|
Intrinsic
Value (In millions)
|
|||||||||||||
Outstanding
at January 1, 2007
|
2,185,965
|
$ |
33.76
|
|||||||||||||
Granted
|
659,409
|
$ |
43.23
|
|||||||||||||
Exercised
|
(838,356 | ) | $ |
33.76
|
||||||||||||
Outstanding
at September 30, 2007
|
2,007,018
|
$ |
36.87
|
8.7
|
$ |
10.3
|
||||||||||
Exercisable
at September 30, 2007
|
1,509,766
|
$ |
34.72
|
8.4
|
$ |
10.3
|
The
weighted average grant date fair value of SARs granted during the period
was
$18.15. The total intrinsic value of SARs exercised during the period
was $11.6 million.
A
summary
of the status of the Company’s unvested SARs as of September 30, 2007 and
changes during the nine months ended September 30, 2007 is as
follows:
SARs
|
Weighted
Average Gant Date Fair Value
|
|||||||
Unvested
at January 1, 2007
|
|
|||||||
Granted
|
659,409
|
$ |
18.15
|
|||||
Vested
|
(162,157 | ) | $ |
17.87
|
||||
Unvested
at September 30, 2007
|
497,252
|
$ |
18.24
|
At
September 30, 2007 there was $8.5 million of unrecognized compensation cost
related to unvested SARs granted under the Plan. That cost is
expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.2
years.
6
Deferred
Compensation:
At
September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006, the Company had $53.4 million and
$49.8 million, respectively recorded as deferred compensation payable to
various
members of management and certain non-employee directors of the Company.
The
assets of the plan are held in Rabbi Trust accounts which are invested
consistent with the Company’s investment policy. The investments are held in
separate accounts, accounted for as available for sale securities, and are
reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets within the line
item
“Investments”. Assets of the trust will be distributed according to
predetermined payout elections established by each employee.
The
Company applies the provisions of Emerging Issues Task Force No. 97-14, Accounting for Deferred
Compensation
Arrangements Where Amounts Earned Are Held in a Rabbi Trust and Invested.
In summary, investment returns generated are reported within the Company’s
financial statements (with a corresponding increase in the trust assets)
and an
expense is recorded within the caption, “Operating and other costs” for
increases in the market value of the assets held with a corresponding increase
in the deferred compensation liability (except in the case of PICO stock,
which
is reported as Treasury Stock, at cost). In the event the trust assets decline
in value, the Company will reverse previously expensed
compensation.
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2007, the Company sold 835 shares of
PICO
common stock that were held as trust assets and distributed cash proceeds
of
$29,000 to a director of the Company in satisfaction of deferred compensation
obligations.
Notes
and
other receivables primarily consist of installment notes from the sale of real
estate. These notes generally have terms ranging from three to ten years,
with
interest rates of 7% to 10%. The Company records a provision for doubtful
accounts to allow for any specific accounts which may be unrecoverable and
is
based upon an analysis of the Company's prior collection experience, customer
creditworthiness, and current economic trends and circumstances. No significant
provision for bad debts was required for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Other
Revenues:
Included
in
other revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007 is
a $3.5
million gain recorded as a result of an exchange transaction
whereby the Company released and terminated legal use
restrictions on real estate previously sold. The legal
restrictions had zero book value and the real estate and water assets
obtained in the exchange had a fair value of $3.5 million.
Accounting
for Income Taxes:
The
Company adopted the provisions of Financial Standards Accounting Board
Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty
in Income
Taxes” (“FIN 48”) an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (“SFAS
109”) on January 1, 2007. As a result of the implementation of FIN 48, the
Company recognized a $293,000 increase in the liability for unrecognized
income
tax benefits through opening retained earnings. At the adoption date of January
1, 2007, the Company provided for $3.5 million of unrecognized tax
benefits, $2.5 million of which would affect the effective tax rate if
recognized. For the three and nine months ended September 30 2007, there
was no
significant increase in the liability for unrecognized tax benefits.
The
Company recognizes any interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions
in income tax expense. As of September 30, 2007, the Company had recorded
approximately $445,000 of accrued interest related to uncertain tax
positions. The
tax
years 2002-2006 remain open to examination by the taxing jurisdictions to
which
the Company’s significant operations are subject. As of September 30,
2007, the
Company does not believe that it is reasonably possible that there will be
a
material change in the estimated unrecognized tax benefits within the next
twelve months.
The
income tax provision for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007
is an expense of $1.2 million on income before tax of $1.7 million and
an expense of $138,000 on a loss before income tax of $2.6 million,
respectively, primarily due to the write off of certain income tax
benefits and the recognition of interest expense on uncertain tax
positions.
7
Reclassifications:
During
the fourth quarter of 2006, HyperFeed (an 80% subsidiary of PICO) filed for
bankruptcy under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. After the bankruptcy
filing, HyperFeed was removed from PICO’s financial statements as a consolidated
entity. Consequently, the previously reported results from the three and
nine months ended September 30, 2006 have been recasted to present HyperFeed
as
a discontinued operations and the following balances have been
reclassified:
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
||||||
Revenues
|
$ |
1,029,141
|
$ |
2,911,160
|
||||
Expenses
|
$ |
8,803,834
|
$ |
15,704,441
|
||||
Income
tax benefit
|
$ |
5,677,394
|
$ |
7,452,281
|
Recently
Issued Accounting Pronouncements
SFAS
155 - In February 2006,
the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 155 (SFAS
155),
"Accounting for Certain
Hybrid
Financial Instruments - an amendment of FASB Statements No. 133 and 140."
SFAS 155 allows financial instruments that have embedded derivatives to be
accounted for as a whole, eliminating the need to separate the derivative
from
its host, if the holder elects to account for the whole instrument on a fair
value basis. This new accounting standard was effective January 1, 2007.
The
adoption of SFAS 155 did not have an impact on PICO’s financial
statements.
SFAS
157 - In September 2006,
FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 (SFAS 157),
"Fair Value
Measurements." This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework
for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP),
and
expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This Statement applies
under
other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements,
the Board having previously concluded in those accounting pronouncements
that
fair value is the relevant measurement attribute. Accordingly, this Statement
does not require any new fair value measurements. However, for some entities,
the application of this Statement will change current practice. This Statement
is effective on January 1, 2008. PICO is currently evaluating the impact
of this
pronouncement on the consolidated financial statements.
SFAS
159 - In February 2007,
the FASB issued FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.
159
(SFAS 159), “The Fair Value
Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities—Including an amendment of
FASB Statement No. 115”. This Statement permits entities to choose to
measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value.
This
Statement is effective for PICO on January 1, 2008. PICO is currently
evaluating the impact of this pronouncement on the consolidated financial
statements.
2. Net
Income (Loss) Per Share
Basic
earnings or loss per share is computed by dividing net earnings by the
weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted
earnings or loss per share is computed similarly to basic earnings or loss
per
share except the weighted average shares outstanding are increased to include
additional shares from the assumed exercise of any common stock equivalents
using the treasury method, if dilutive. The Company's SARs are considered
common stock equivalents for this purpose. The number of additional
shares is calculated by assuming that the SARs were exercised, and that the
proceeds were used to acquire shares of common stock at the average market
price
during the period.
For
the
three months ended September 30, 2007 192,399 shares of common stock from
the
assumed exercises of in the money SARs were added to average shares
outstanding for the computation of diluted earnings per share. For the nine
months ended September 30, 2007 and the three and nine months ended September
30, 2006 the Company’s stock-settled SARs were excluded from the diluted per
share calculation because their effect on the income or loss per share was
anti-dilutive.
8
3. Comprehensive
Income
The
Company applies the provisions of FAS No. 130, “Reporting Comprehensive Income.”
Comprehensive income for the Company includes foreign currency translation
and
unrealized holding gains and losses on available for sale
securities.
The
components of comprehensive income are as follows:
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2007
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2007
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2006
|
||||||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$ |
473,534
|
$ |
11,829,578
|
$ | (2,718,718 | ) | $ |
19,429,962
|
|||||||
Net
change in unrealized appreciation
|
||||||||||||||||
(depreciation)
on available for sale investments
|
3,515,628
|
1,956,060
|
23,488,873
|
(4,791,041 | ) | |||||||||||
Net
change in foreign currency translation
|
950,645
|
202,084
|
2,007,898
|
163,770
|
||||||||||||
Total
comprehensive income
|
$ |
4,939,807
|
$ |
13,987,722
|
$ |
22,778,053
|
$ |
14,802,691
|
Total
comprehensive income is net of deferred income tax benefit and charge of
$5
million and $3.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30,
2007,
respectively. Total comprehensive income for the three and nine
months ended September 30, 2006 is net of a deferred income tax benefit of
$1.9
million and $6.9 million, respectively.
The
components of accumulated other comprehensive income:
|
September
30, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||
Unrealized
appreciation on available for sale investments
|
$ |
89,682,301
|
$ |
66,193,428
|
||||
Foreign
currency translation
|
(3,234,851 | ) | (5,242,749 | ) | ||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
|
$ |
86,447,450
|
$ |
60,950,679
|
Accumulated
other comprehensive income is net of deferred income tax liabilities of $48.1
million and $37.1 million at September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006,
respectively.
At
September 30, 2007, the Company had $136.5 million of unrealized gains before
tax and $2.5 million of unrealized losses before tax.
Marketable
equity securities:
The Company’s $263.5 million investments in marketable equity securities
at September 30, 2007 consisted primarily of investments in common stock
of
other publicly traded companies. The gross unrealized gains and losses on
equity
securities were $136.3 million and $1 million respectively, at September
30,
2007 and $100.3 million and $701,000, respectively at December 31,
2006. While approximately 60% of these losses were continuously
below cost for more than 12 months, none of the losses had any significant
severity of decline.
Corporate
Bonds and US Treasury
Obligations: At September 30, 2007, the bond portfolio consisted of
$141.7 million of publicly traded corporate bonds and $1.1 million United
States
Treasury obligations. The total bond portfolio had gross unrealized gains
and
losses of $242,000 and $1.4 million, respectively at September 30, 2007.
At
September 30, 2007, $271,000 of the gross loss was continuously below amortized
cost for greater than 12 months. During the three months ended
September 30, 2007, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $1.4 million
on
one bond holding after the issuer of the bond announced it was filing for
bankruptcy protection. The loss on impairment is reported within
realized gains and losses in the statement of operations. The
remaining unrealized losses in the bond portfolio are not considered to be
other
than temporarily impaired because of the Company’s intent and ability to hold
these bonds until recovery of fair value, which may be maturity. The
impairment is primarily due to interest rate fluctuations rather than
deterioration of the underlying issuer of the particular bonds.
4. Commitments
and
Contingencies
Fish
Springs Ranch:
The
Company has capitalized approximately $75.4 million, which includes $907,000
of
interest costs on construction of the pipeline project to convey water from
the
Fish Springs Ranch ("Fish Springs") to a storage tank near Reno, Nevada.
The
total budgeted cost of the pipeline project is $83.5 million (excluding
interest costs capitalized), and the balance of the remaining expenditure
will
be incurred over the next three to six months. The estimated
$83.5 million total cost is prior to any
proposed revisions from contractors involved in
construction of the pipeline. The Company received proposed revisions
from contractors for increased costs totaling $3.3 million, and is reviewing
the
proposed revisions. The Company has also budgeted approximately $5.5
million to construct approximately four additional miles of pipeline from
the
terminal tank of the original pipeline construction, to the general area
of
development in the north valleys of Reno.
9
The
final
regulatory approval required for the pipeline project was a Record of Decision
(“ROD”) for a right of way, which was granted on May 31, 2006.
Subsequently, there were two protests against the ROD, and the matter was
appealed to the Interior Board of Land Appeals (“IBLA”). During the third
quarter of 2006, the IBLA dismissed the two protests. However, in October
2006,
one protestant, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, filed an action with the U.S.
District Court against the Bureau of Land Management and US Department of
the
Interior. The Tribe asserted that the exportation of 8,000 acre feet of water
per year from Fish Springs Ranch to the northern valleys of Reno would
negatively impact their water rights located in a basin within the boundaries
of
the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe reservation.
The
Tribe
initiated several legal actions to assert their claims and to stop construction
of the pipeline. While the Company believed the claims were without merit,
the
Tribe’s legal actions might have caused significant delays to the completion of
the construction of the pipeline. To avoid future delays, Fish Springs and
the Tribe entered into negotiations to settle all outstanding claims and
legal
actions. On May 30, 2007 the parties signed an agreement that resolved all
of
the Tribe’s claims. The amounts payable to the Tribe as a result of the
settlement agreement are predominately attributable to settlement of the
claims
rather than the acquisition of additional water rights or other
assets. The settlement obligates Fish Springs to:
·
|
pay
$500,000 upon signing of agreement;
|
·
|
transfer
6,214 acres of real estate Fish Spring owns (fair value of $500,000
and a
book value of $139,000);
|
·
|
pay
$3.1 million on January 8, 2008; and
|
·
|
pay
$3.6 million on the later of January 8, 2009 or the date an Act
of
Congress ratifies the settlement agreement (Interest accrues at
the London
Inter-Bank Rate ("LIBOR") from January 8, 2009, if the payment is
made after that date).
|
There
are
13,000 acre-feet per-year of permitted water rights at Fish Springs Ranch.
The
existing permit allows up to 8,000 acre-feet of water per year to be exported
to
support the development in the Reno area. The settlement agreement also provides
that, in exchange for the Tribe agreeing to not oppose all permitting activities
for the pumping and export of groundwater in excess of 8,000 acre-feet of
water
per year, Fish Springs will pay the Tribe 12% of the gross sales price for
each
acre-foot of additional water that Fish Springs sells in excess of 8,000
acre-feet per year, up to 13,000 acre- feet per year. The obligation to
expense and pay the 12% fee is due only if and when the Company sells
water in excess of 8,000 acre-feet, accordingly, Fish Springs Ranch will
record
the liability for such amounts as they become due upon the sale of any such
excess water. Currently Fish Springs does not have regulatory approval to
export any water in excess of 8,000 acre-feet per year from Fish Springs
Ranch
to support further development in northern Reno, and it is uncertain whether
such regulatory approval will be granted in the future.
Consequently,
for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, the Company accrued settlement
expense of $7.3 million. At September 30, 2007, the Company had an accrued
liability of $6.7 million for the balance owed.
Exegy
Litigation:
On
November 13, 2006 Exegy Inc. filed a lawsuit against PICO and HyperFeed in
state
court in Missouri seeking a declaratory judgment that Exegy’s purported November
7, 2006 termination of the August 25, 2006 Contribution Agreement was
valid. In the event that Exegy’s November 7, 2006 letter is not determined
to be a valid termination of the Contribution Agreement, Exegy seeks a
declaration that PICO and HyperFeed have materially breached the Contribution
Agreement, for which Exegy seeks monetary damages and an injunction
against further material breach. Finally, Exegy seeks a declaratory
judgment that if its November 7, 2006 notice of termination was not valid,
and that if PICO and HyperFeed did materially breach the Contribution Agreement
but that a continuing breach cannot be remedied or enjoined, then Exegy
seeks a declaration that Exegy should be relieved of further performance
under
the Contribution Agreement due to alleged HyperFeed actions deemed by Exegy
to
be inconsistent with the Contribution Agreement. On December 15, 2006 the
lawsuit filed by Exegy on November 13, 2006 was removed from Missouri state
court to federal court. On February 2, 2007, this case was transferred to
the
United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware.
On
November 17, 2006 HyperFeed and PICO filed a lawsuit against Exegy in
state court in Illinois. PICO and HyperFeed allege that Exegy, after the
November 7, 2006 letter purporting to terminate the Contribution Agreement,
used
and continues to use HyperFeed’s confidential and proprietary information in an
unauthorized manner and without HyperFeed’s consent. PICO and HyperFeed are also
seeking a preliminary injunction enjoining Exegy from disclosing, using,
or
disseminating HyperFeed’s confidential and proprietary information, and from
continuing to interfere with HyperFeed’s business relations. PICO and
HyperFeed also seek monetary damages from Exegy. On January 18, 2007 this
case
was removed from Illinois state court to federal bankruptcy court in Illinois.
On February 6, 2007 this case was transferred to the United States Bankruptcy
Court, District of Delaware.
10
On
July
11, 2007, the parties entered into mediation to attempt to resolve these
two
lawsuits. The mediation was unsuccessful. Therefore, both
cases will resume as adversary proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy
Court, District of Delaware.
The
Company is subject to various litigation that arises in the ordinary course
of
its business. Based upon information presently available, management is of
the
opinion that resolution of such litigation will not likely have a material
adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations
or
cash flows of the Company.
5. Segment
Reporting
The
Company is a diversified holding company engaged in four major operating
segments: Water Resource and Water Storage Operations, Real Estate Operations,
Business Acquisitions and Financing, and Insurance Operations in Run
Off.
The
accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described
in the Company’s 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Total assets increased $137.8
million from December 31, 2006 primarily due to the proceeds received from
the
Company’s stock offering which closed in February 2007. Such proceeds were
allocated between the Water Resource and Water Storage Operations and the
Business Acquisitions and Financing segment.
11
Management
analyzes segments using the following information:
|
At
September 30, 2007
|
At
December 31, 2006
|
Increase
|
|||||||||
Segment Assets:
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations
|
$ |
235,720,726
|
$ |
146,115,727
|
$ |
89,604,999
|
||||||
Real
Estate Operations
|
79,725,018
|
73,266,067
|
6,458,951
|
|||||||||
Business
Acquisitions and Financing
|
143,025,621
|
127,304,477
|
15,721,144
|
|||||||||
Insurance
Operations in Run Off
|
228,369,875
|
202,356,668
|
26,013,207
|
|||||||||
|
$ |
686,841,240
|
$ |
549,042,939
|
$ |
137,798,301
|
Three
Months Ended
September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
Segment
Revenues:
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations
|
$ |
4,600,369
|
$ |
4,343,945
|
$ |
7,067,360
|
$ |
5,326,229
|
||||||||
Real
Estate Operations
|
2,590,612
|
26,021,029
|
9,057,837
|
32,412,616
|
||||||||||||
Business
Acquisitions and Financing
|
(286,138 | ) |
1,852,718
|
3,537,914
|
14,013,587
|
|||||||||||
Insurance
Operations in Run Off
|
1,510,656
|
3,981,139
|
4,780,065
|
12,241,059
|
||||||||||||
Total
Revenues
|
$ |
8,415,499
|
$ |
36,198,831
|
$ |
24,443,176
|
$ |
63,993,491
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
(Loss) Before Taxes and Minority Interest:
|
||||||||||||||||
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations
|
$ |
2,933,054
|
$ |
452,045
|
$ | (4,657,476 | ) | $ | (1,509,332 | ) | ||||||
Real
Estate Operations
|
1,486,908
|
21,262,153
|
5,325,497
|
24,912,546
|
||||||||||||
Business
Acquisitions and Financing
|
(4,022,768 | ) | (3,261,070 | ) | (7,078,347 | ) |
4,366,077
|
|||||||||
Insurance
Operations in Run Off
|
1,266,268
|
3,585,946
|
3,829,498
|
11,134,949
|
||||||||||||
Income
(Loss) Before Taxes and Minority Interest
|
$ |
1,663,462
|
$ |
22,039,074
|
$ | (2,580,828 | ) | $ |
38,904,240
|
6. Private
Placement of Common Stock
On
February 28, 2007, the Company completed the sale of 2,823,000 shares of
newly
issued common stock to institutional investors at a price of $37 per share.
After placement costs, net proceeds to the Company were $100.1 million. The
Company was obligated under the Securities Purchase Agreement to file a
registration statement on Form S-3 to register the shares under the Securities
Act of 1933. Such statement became effective on April 13, 2007.
12
Item
2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations
The
following discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations should be read in conjunction with the Unaudited Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included elsewhere in
this
report and the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included
in
our annual report on Form 10-K.
This
Form 10-Q (including the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” section) contains “forward-looking
statements” regarding our business, financial condition, results of operations,
and prospects, including, without limitation, statements about our expectations,
beliefs, intentions, anticipated developments, and other information concerning
future matters. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,”
“believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” and similar expressions or variations of such
words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the
exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements in this Form
10-Q.
Although
forward-looking statements in this Form 10-Q represent the good faith judgment
of our management, such statements can only be based on facts and factors
currently known by us. Consequently, forward-looking statements are inherently
subject to risks and uncertainties, and the actual results and outcomes could
differ from those discussed in or anticipated by the forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences in results and
outcomes include, without limitation, those discussed under the heading “Risk
Factors” and elsewhere in our 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are urged
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak
only as of the date of this Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to revise
or
update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect any event or
circumstance which may arise after the date of this Form 10-Q. Readers are
urged
to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in this Form
10-Q
and our 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which attempt to advise interested
parties of the risks and factors which may affect our business, financial
condition, results of operations, and prospects.
OVERVIEW
PICO
Holdings, Inc. (PICO and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to as
“PICO”
and “the Company,” and by words such as “we” and “our”) is a diversified holding
company. We seek to build and operate businesses where significant value
can be
created from the development of unique assets, and to acquire businesses
which
we identify as undervalued and where our management participation in operations
can aid in the recognition of the business’s fair value, as well as create
additional value.
Our
objective is to maximize long-term shareholder value. We manage our
operations to achieve a superior return on net assets over the long term,
as opposed to short-term earnings.
Our
business is separated into four major operating segments:
·
|
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations;
|
·
|
Real
Estate Operations;
|
·
|
Business
Acquisitions & Financing (which contains businesses, interests in
businesses, and other parent company assets); and
|
·
|
Insurance
Operations in “Run Off”.
|
Currently
our major consolidated subsidiaries are:
·
|
Vidler
Water Company, Inc. (“Vidler”), a business which we started more than 10
years ago, acquires and develops water resources and water storage
operations in the southwestern United States, with assets in
Nevada,
Arizona, Colorado, California and Idaho;
|
·
|
Nevada
Land & Resource Company, LLC (“Nevada Land”), an operation that we
built since we acquired the company more than 10 years ago, which
owns
approximately 493,000 acres of land in Nevada, and certain mineral
rights
and water rights related to the property;
|
·
|
Physicians
Insurance Company of Ohio (“Physicians”), which is “running off” its
medical professional liability insurance loss reserves;
|
·
|
Citation
Insurance Company (“Citation”), which is “running off” its historic
property & casualty insurance and workers’ compensation loss reserves;
and
|
·
|
Global
Equity AG, which holds our interest in Jungfraubahn Holding AG
(“Jungfraubahn”). Jungfraubahn is a Swiss public company that operates
railway and related tourism and transport activities in the Swiss
Alps.
Jungfraubahn’s shares trade on the SWZ Swiss
Exchange.
|
13
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS--THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 AND
2006
Shareholders’
Equity
At
September 30, 2007, PICO had shareholders’ equity of $530.9 million ($28.19 per
share), compared to $522.5 million ($27.74 per share) at June 30, 2007, and
$405.2 million ($25.52 per share) at December 31, 2006. Book value per share
increased by $2.67, or 10.5%, during the first nine months of 2007, and by
$0.45, or 1.6%, during the third quarter of 2007.
During
the third quarter of 2007, shareholders’ equity increased by $8.4 million,
primarily due to a $3.5 million net increase in unrealized appreciation in
available-for-sale securities (after-tax) and a $951,000 foreign currency
translation credit.
Shareholders’
equity increased by $125.7 million during the first nine months of 2007,
primarily due to a $23.5 million net increase in unrealized appreciation
in
available-for-sale securities (after-tax), and the issuance of 2.8 million
new
shares at $37 per share, for net proceeds of $100.1 million (after placement
costs) in February 2007.
At
September 30, 2007, on a consolidated basis, available-for-sale investments
showed a net unrealized gain of $89.7 million after-tax. This compares to
a net
unrealized gain of $66.2 million after-tax at December 31, 2006.
Comprehensive
Income
In
accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130, “Reporting
Comprehensive Income,” PICO reports comprehensive income as well as net income
from the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations. Comprehensive income
measures changes in shareholders’ equity from non-owner sources, and includes
unrealized items which are not recorded in the Consolidated Statement of
Operations, for example, foreign currency translation and the change in
investment gains and losses on available-for-sale securities.
For
the
third quarter of 2007, PICO recorded comprehensive income of $4.9 million,
which
consisted of a $3.5 million net increase in unrealized appreciation in
investments, a $951,000 foreign currency translation credit, and the quarter’s
net income of $474,000.
For
the
first nine months of 2007, PICO recorded comprehensive income of $22.8 million,
which consisted of a $23.5 million net increase in unrealized appreciation
in investments and a $2 million foreign currency translation credit, partially
offset by the first nine months’ net loss of $2.7 million.
Segment
Results of Operations
Segment
revenues and income (loss) before taxes and minority interest for the third
quarter and first nine months of 2007 and 2006 were:
|
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations
|
$ |
4,600,000
|
$ |
4,344,000
|
$ |
7,067,000
|
$ |
5,326,000
|
||||||||
Real
Estate Operations
|
2,591,000
|
26,021,000
|
9,058,000
|
32,413,000
|
||||||||||||
Business
Acquisitions and Financing
|
( 287,000 | ) |
1,853,000
|
3,538,000
|
14,013,000
|
|||||||||||
Insurance
Operations in Run Off
|
1,511,000
|
3,981,000
|
4,780,000
|
12,240,000
|
||||||||||||
Total
Revenues
|
$ |
8,415,000
|
$ |
36,199,000
|
$ |
24,443,000
|
$ |
63,992,000
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
(Loss) Before Taxes and Minority Interest:
|
||||||||||||||||
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations
|
$ |
2,933,000
|
$ |
452,000
|
$ | (4,657,000 | ) | $ | (1,509,000 | ) | ||||||
Real
Estate Operations
|
1,487,000
|
21,262,000
|
5,325,000
|
24,913,000
|
||||||||||||
Business
Acquisitions and Financing
|
(4,023,000 | ) | (3,261,000 | ) | (7,078,000 | ) |
4,365,000
|
|||||||||
Insurance
Operations in Run Off
|
1,266,000
|
3,586,000
|
3,829,000
|
11,134,000
|
||||||||||||
Income
(Loss) Before Taxes and Minority Interest
|
$ |
1,663,000
|
$ |
22,039,000
|
$ | (2,581,000 | ) | $ |
38,903,000
|
Third
Quarter Net Income
Third
quarter revenues were $8.4 million in 2007, compared to $36.2 million in
2006, a decrease of $27.8 million year over year. Revenues from Real Estate
Operations were $23.4 million lower year over year, primarily due to Nevada
Land’s sale of real estate and water assets at Spring Valley Ranch which added
$22 million to revenues in 2006. Revenues from Insurance Operations
in Run Off were $2.5 million lower year over year, primarily due to $2.7
million
lower realized gains on the sale of holdings. Similarly, revenues
from the Business Acquisitions and Financing segment decreased $2.1 million
year
over year, principally due to a $2.1 million unfavorable change in realized
gain
(loss) on the sale or impairment of holdings.
14
Third
quarter costs and expenses were $6.8 million in 2007, compared to $14.2
million in 2006, a decrease of $7.4 million year over year. Costs and
expenses include the cost of real estate and water assets sold by our Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations and Real Estate Operations segments,
which
fluctuates from period to period primarily depending on the volume of real
estate and water asset sales in the accounting period. The cost of
real estate and water assets sold declined by $5.4 million, consisting of
decreases of $3.8 million in Real Estate Operations, and $1.6 million in
Water
Resource and Water Storage Operations. In the third quarter of 2006,
Real Estate Operations segment costs and expenses included $3.2 million for
the
cost of the real estate and water assets sold at Spring Valley
Ranch.
PICO
recorded $1.7 million in income before taxes and minority interest in the
third
quarter of 2007, compared to income before taxes and minority interest of
$22
million in the third quarter of 2006. The $20.3 million year over year decrease
in third quarter income before taxes and minority interest primarily resulted
from $19.8 million lower segment income from Real Estate Operations, principally
as a result of the sale of Spring Valley Ranch which added $18.8 million
to
income in 2006. Insurance Operations in Run Off segment income
decreased $2.3 million year over year, primarily due to a $2.7 million reduction
in realized gains. In addition, the Business Acquisitions and Financing segment
incurred a $4 million loss in the third quarter of 2007, compared to a $3.3
million loss in the third quarter of 2006. These decreases were
partially offset by a $2.5 million year over year increase in Water Resource
and
Water Storage Operations segment income, largely resulting from a $3.5 million
gain on the release of restrictions on land which was recorded in the third
quarter of 2007.
After
an
income tax provision of $1.2 million, PICO reported net income of $474,000
($0.02 per share) for the third quarter of 2007. The income tax
provision represents 71.6% of income before taxes, which is significantly
higher
than the 35% US Federal income tax rate. This was due to
numerous factors, including the payment of interest to tax authorities and
the
accrual of interest on unrecognized tax benefits.
For
the
third quarter of 2006, PICO recorded net income of $11.8 million ($0.74 per
share), consisting of income of $13.8 million ($0.87 per share) from continuing
operations, partially offset by a loss from discontinued operations of $1.9
million after-tax ($0.13 per share).
First
Nine Months Net Income
Revenues
for the first nine months of 2007 were $24.4 million in 2007, compared to
$64
million in 2006, a decrease of $39.6 million year over year. Revenues
from Real Estate Operations were $23.4 million lower year over year, primarily
due to the sale of real estate and water assets at Spring Valley Ranch which
added $22 million to revenues in 2006. Revenues from the Business
Acquisitions and Financing segment decreased $10.5 million year over year,
principally as a result of a $10.8 million unfavorable change in net realized
gains and losses. Revenues from the Insurance Operations in Run Off
segment decreased $7.5 million year over year, primarily due to $7.9 million
lower realized gains. These decreases were partially offset by a $1.7
million increase in revenues from Water Resource and Water Storage Operations
year over year, primarily due to the $3.5 million gain on release of
restrictions on land recorded in the first nine months of 2007.
First
nine months costs and expenses were $27 million in 2007, compared to $25.1
million in 2006. Costs and expenses in the first nine months of 2007 included
a
$7.3 million expense resulting from the settlement with the Pyramid Lake
Pauite
Tribe (“the Tribe settlement”). As explained above, the cost of real
estate and water assets sold in the first nine months of 2007 was $5.6 million
lower than in the first nine months of 2006, consisting of a $4 million decrease
in Real Estate Operations (including $3.2 million from the sale of Spring
Valley
Ranch in 2006), and $1.6 million in Water Resource and Water Storage
Operations.
PICO
recorded a $2.6 million loss before taxes and minority interest in the first
nine months of 2007, compared to income before taxes and minority interest
of
$38.9 million in the first nine months of 2006. The $36.3 million
year over year decrease in the nine month income before taxes and minority
interest primarily resulted from $19.6 million lower segment income from
Real
Estate Operations, principally due to the $18.8 million contribution to income
in 2006 from the sale of Spring Valley Ranch. The Business
Acquisitions and Financing segment incurred a $7.1 million loss in the first
nine months of 2007, compared to income of $4.4 million in 2006, which included
realized gains of $9.4 million. Insurance Operations in Run Off
segment income decreased $7.3 million year over year, primarily due to $7.9
million lower realized gains. The $3.1 million year over year
increase in the Water Resource and Water Storage Operations segment loss
largely
resulted from the $7.3 million Tribe settlement expense, which was partially
offset by the $3.5 million gain on release of restrictions on land recorded
in
2007.
After
an
income tax provision of $138,000, PICO reported a net loss of $2.7 million
($0.15 per share) for the first nine months of 2007. Despite recording a
loss before taxes and minority interest, PICO recorded a provision for income
taxes. This was due to numerous factors, including the payment of
interest to tax authorities and the accrual of interest on unrecognized tax
benefits.
15
For
the
first nine months of 2006, PICO recorded net income of $19.4 million ($1.32
per
share), consisting of income of $24.4 million ($1.66 per share) from continuing
operations, partially offset by a loss from discontinued operations of $5
million after-tax ($0.34 per share).
WATER
RESOURCE AND WATER STORAGE OPERATIONS
|
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Sale
of Real Estate and Water Assets
|
$ |
12,000
|
$ |
2,906,000
|
$ |
20,000
|
$ |
2,941,000
|
||||||||
Net
Investment Income
|
1,286,000
|
1,031,000
|
3,697,000
|
1,914,000
|
||||||||||||
Gain
on Release of Restrictions on Land
|
3,466,000
|
3,466,000
|
||||||||||||||
Other
|
(164,000 | ) |
407,000
|
(116,000 | ) |
471,000
|
||||||||||
Segment
Total Revenues
|
$ |
4,600,000
|
$ |
4,344,000
|
$ |
7,067,000
|
$ |
5,326,000
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
of Real Estate and Water Assets
|
$ | ( 2,000 | ) | $ | (1,593,000 | ) | $ | ( 5,000 | ) | $ | (1,605,000 | ) | ||||
Depreciation
and Amortization
|
(254,000 | ) | ( 313,000 | ) | ( 771,000 | ) | ( 902,000 | ) | ||||||||
Overhead
|
(591,000 | ) | (1,424,000 | ) | (1,629,000 | ) | (2,475,000 | ) | ||||||||
Project
Expenses
|
(820,000 | ) | ( 562,000 | ) | (9,319,000 | ) | (1,853,000 | ) | ||||||||
Segment
Total Expenses
|
$ | (1,667,000 | ) | $ | (3,892,000 | ) | $ | (11,724,000 | ) | $ | (6,835,000 | ) | ||||
Income
(Loss) Before Tax
|
$ |
2,933,000
|
$ |
452,000
|
$ | (4,657,000 | ) | $ | (1,509,000 | ) |
Over
the
past several years, several large sales of real estate and water assets have
generated the bulk of Vidler’s revenues. Since the date of closing
generally determines the accounting period in which the sales revenues and
cost
of sales are recorded, Vidler’s reported revenues and income fluctuate from
quarter to quarter depending on the dates when specific transactions
close. Consequently, sales of real estate and water assets for any
individual quarter are not necessarily indicative of likely revenues for
future
quarters or the full financial year.
Segment
Results
Vidler
generated revenues of $4.6 million for the third quarter of 2007, and $7.1
million for the first nine months of 2007.
Revenues
for the third quarter and first nine months of 2007 include a $3.5 million
gain
on the release of restrictions on the use of 2,428 acres of land in Maricopa
County. See
“Harquahala
Valley, Arizona”
below.
In
addition, Vidler generated net investment income of $1.3 million in the third
quarter of 2007, and $3.7 million for the first nine months of 2007, primarily
interest from the temporary investment of cash proceeds from the May 2006
and
February 2007 equity offerings by PICO. In aggregate, the stock offerings
raised
net proceeds of $174.1 million, which were principally allocated to Vidler
for
existing and new projects, including the design and construction of a pipeline
to convey water from Fish Springs Ranch to Reno. See "Fish Springs Ranch” and “Idaho”
below.
In
the
third quarter of 2006, Vidler generated $2.9 million in revenues from the
sale
of the following real estate and water assets:
|
·
|
the
Lincoln County Water District/Vidler undertaking (“Lincoln/Vidler”) sold
approximately 570 acre-feet of water rights at Meadow Valley, Nevada
for
$6,050 per acre-foot. Vidler’s 50% share of the sales price was
$1.7 million; and
|
|
·
|
Vidler
sold its water rights at Golden, Colorado for $1.2
million. After deducting the $1.6 million cost of real estate
and water assets sold, the resulting gross margin was $1.3
million.
|
Vidler
also generated net investment income of $1 million in the third quarter of
2006,
and $1.9 million in the first nine months of 2006.
Overhead
Expenses consist of costs which are not related to the development of specific
water resources, such as salaries and benefits, rent, and audit
fees.
Project
Expenses consist of costs related to the development of existing water
resources, such as maintenance and professional fees. Project Expenses
are expensed as incurred and could fluctuate from period to period
depending on activity within Vidler’s various water resource projects. Costs
related to the development of water resources which meet the criteria to
be
recorded as assets in our financial statements are capitalized as part of
the cost of the asset, and charged to cost of sales when revenue is
recognized. Project Expenses principally relate to:
16
·
|
the
operation and maintenance of the Vidler Arizona Recharge
Facility;
|
·
|
the
development of water rights in the Tule Desert groundwater basin
(part of
the Lincoln County agreement);
|
·
|
the
utilization of water rights at Fish Springs Ranch as future municipal
water supply for the north valleys of the Reno, Nevada
area;
|
·
|
the
operation of Fish Springs Ranch, and maintenance of the associated
water
rights; and
|
·
|
in
the first nine months of 2007, a settlement of all outstanding
claims and
legal actions with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (“the Tribe settlement”).
See “Fish Springs
Ranch”
below.
|
Overhead
Expenses were $591,000 in the third quarter of 2007, compared to $1.4 million
in
the third quarter of 2006. Overhead Expenses in the third quarter of 2006
included an accrual of $783,000 of incentive compensation for Vidler management.
Project Expenses were $820,000 in the third quarter of 2007, compared to
$562,000 in the third quarter of 2006.
Overhead
Expenses were $1.6 million in the first nine months of 2007, compared to
$2.5
million in the first nine months of 2006. However, Project Expenses were
$9.3
million in the first nine months of 2007, compared to $1.9 million in the
first
nine months of 2006. The increase was due to an expense of $7.3 million
resulting from a settlement between Fish Springs Ranch LLC, and the Pyramid
Lake
Paiute Tribe, in the second quarter of 2007. See “Fish Springs Ranch” below.
Excluding the Tribe
settlement, project expenses in the first nine months
of 2007 were approximately $2 million.
The
$2.5
million year over year increase in the third quarter segment result was
principally due to the $3.5 million gain on the release of restrictions on
land
recorded in the third quarter of 2007.
The
year
over year decrease of $3.1 million in the first nine months’ segment result was
principally due to the $7.3 million Tribe settlement expense recorded in
the
first nine months of 2007, which was partially offset by the $3.5 million
gain
on the release of restrictions on land.
Fish
Springs Ranch
Vidler
has a 51% membership interest in, and is the managing partner of, Fish Springs
Ranch. Vidler is constructing a pipeline to convey at least 8,000 acre-feet
of water annually from Fish Springs Ranch to a central storage tank in northern
Reno, Nevada, which could supply water to the new projects of several developers
in the north valleys of Reno.
We
believe that the current market value of water in the area exceeds the total
estimated cost of the pipeline and the water to be supplied. To date, Vidler
has
entered into agreements to sell approximately 117.5 acre-feet of water at
a
price of $45,000 per acre-foot, as and when water can be delivered through
the
completed pipeline.
During
2006, we began construction of the pipeline and an electrical substation
to
provide the power which will be required to pump the water. Construction
of the
pipeline to convey the water to Fish Springs Ranch to the central storage
tank
has been completed. We anticipate that construction of the remaining
infrastructure will be completed in November, that testing will take place
in
December, and that we will be able to deliver water in early 2008.
The
total
cost of the pipeline project is estimated to be approximately $83.5 million.
As
of September 30, 2007, approximately $73.5 million of the costs related to
the
design and construction of the pipeline have been spent and capitalized (i.e.,
recorded as an asset on our balance sheet, in the line “Real estate and water
assets, net”). The remaining costs will be incurred over the next three months
or so. The estimated $83.5 million total cost of the pipeline project
is prior to any revised calculations from contractors involved in the design
and
construction of the pipeline project. Fish Springs has received
proposed revisions totaling $3.3 million, and is reviewing the proposed
revisions. At this time is it is not possible to quantify the actual
amount which may be payable once the revisions have been agreed.
In
addition to the $83.5 million estimated total cost of the pipeline project,
Fish
Springs has budgeted approximately $5.5 million to construct additional
infrastructure. To date, expenditure of approximately $1 million has been
capitalized for this additional infrastructure. The proposed additional
infrastructure is approximately 4 miles of 30 inch pipeline, to be constructed
from the terminal tank (part of the original pipeline construction) to the
general area of development in the north valleys of Reno. Originally, it
was anticipated that this infrastructure would be constructed by the local
utility. However, Fish Springs is able to design, construct, and complete
this
infrastructure in less time, at a more competitive cost, and thus enhance
access
to the Fish Springs water resource by the development community. We estimate
that the additional infrastructure will be constructed during the fourth
quarter
of 2007 and first quarter of 2008. The cost of the additional infrastructure
will be factored in the price of the water that is sold to developers as
an
additional infrastructure line item.
Project
expenses for the first nine months of 2007 include an expense of $7.3 million
resulting from a settlement between Fish Springs Ranch LLC, and the Pyramid
Lake
Paiute Tribe.
17
The
final
regulatory approval required for the pipeline project was a Record of Decision
(“ROD”) for a right of way, which was granted in May 2006. Subsequently,
the Pyramid Tribe pursued a number of protests and legal challenges to the
granting of the ROD, which by April 2007 had resulted in construction on
the
Project being restricted to the private lands involved in the pipeline route
and
the existing open trench on the public lands.
The
Tribe
had asserted that exporting 8,000 acre-feet of water per year from the Fish
Springs Ranch to the north valleys of Reno through a 38 mile pipeline would
negatively impact the Tribe’s water rights in a basin, within the boundaries of
the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe reservation. While we believed that the
claims were without merit, the Tribe’s legal actions could have caused
significant delays to the completion of the construction of the pipeline.
To
avoid any such delays, Fish Springs and the Tribe entered into negotiations
to
settle all outstanding claims and legal actions. On May 30, 2007 Fish Springs
and the Tribe signed an agreement that resolved all of the Tribe’s claims to the
exportation of water from the Fish Springs ranch. The amounts payable to
the Tribe as a result of the settlement agreement are predominately attributable
to settlement of the claims rather than the acquisition of additional water
rights or other assets.
The
$7.3
million settlement expense consists of:
·
|
a
cash payment of $500,000, which was made during the second quarter
of
2007;
|
·
|
the
transfer of approximately 6,214 acres of land, with a fair value
of
$500,000 and a book value of $139,000, to the Tribe in the second
quarter
of 2007;
|
·
|
a
payment of $3.1 million scheduled for January 8, 2008;
and
|
·
|
a
payment of $3.6 million on the later of January 8, 2009 or the date
an Act of Congress ratifies the settlement agreement. If the
payment is made after January 8, 2009, interest will accrue at
the London
Inter-Bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) from January 8,
2009.
|
Accordingly,
Fish Springs accrued a liability of $6.7 million for the outstanding payments
due at September 30, 2007.
There
are
13,000 acre-feet per-year of permitted water rights at Fish Springs Ranch.
The
existing permit allows up to 8,000 acre-feet of water per year to be exported
to
support development in the Reno area. The settlement agreement also provides
that, in exchange for the Tribe agreeing to not oppose all permitting activities
for the pumping and export of groundwater in excess of 8,000 acre-feet of
water
per year, Fish Springs will pay the Tribe 12% of the gross sales price for
each
acre-foot of additional water that Fish Springs sells in excess of 8,000
acre-feet per year, up to 13,000 acre-feet per year. The obligation to
expense and pay the 12% fee is only due if, and when, the Company
sells water in excess of 8,000 acre-feet. Accordingly, Fish Springs
Ranch will record the liability for such amounts due at that time. Currently
Fish Springs does not have regulatory approval to export any water in
excess of 8,000 acre-feet per year from Fish Springs Ranch to support
development in northern Reno, and it is uncertain whether such regulatory
approval will be granted in the future.
In
accordance with the Fish Springs partnership agreement, our 49% partner’s
proportionate share of all costs related to the pipeline project, including
the
Tribe settlement expense and additional infrastructure described above, will
be
recouped from the net revenues generated from the sale of Fish Springs water
resources.
In
October 2007, Fish Springs entered into an Infrastructure Dedication Agreement
(“IDA”) with Washoe County, Nevada. The IDA, together with a Water Banking Trust
Agreement (“Banking Agreement”) entered into between Fish Springs and Washoe
County in 2006, is the final phase to bring the Fish Springs Ranch water
resources to the north valleys of the Reno area. On completion of
construction and system testing, which is scheduled for early 2008, the water
rights will be available for use in the north valleys.
Under
the Banking Agreement, Washoe County holds the transferred and dedicated
water
rights in trust on behalf of Fish Springs, which will then be able to transfer
and assign water rights credits. Fish Springs can sell the water credits
to
developers, who would then dedicate the water to the local water utility
for
service. Under the IDA, the entire project infrastructure will be dedicated
to
Washoe County to operate and maintain as part of their existing water delivery
system, with the pipeline capacity reserved for Fish Springs. Fish
Springs retains the exclusive right to convey any and all water rights
(initially 8,000 acre-feet per year) through the project
infrastructure.
Without
changing the potential revenues to Fish Springs, the two agreements allow
Washoe
County to perform its role as a water utility by delivering and maintaining
water service to new developments. The agreements enable Fish Springs to
complete its water development project by selling water credits to developers,
who can then obtain will-serve commitments from Washoe County.
Coyote
Springs
In
January 2007, Lincoln County Water District and Vidler (“Lincoln/Vidler”) were
awarded 1,000 acre-feet of new water rights at Kane Springs, Nevada. Once
the
final permit is received and a right of way has been obtained, sale of the
water
rights to Coyote Springs is scheduled to close in 30 days. We expect to obtain
the right of way in late 2007 or early 2008. The current price for the water
under contract is $7,320 per acre-foot.
18
Western
Nevada
Vidler
is
developing water resources in the Carson City and Lyon County areas of western
Nevada, to help resolve system demand and water shortage
issues. Vidler entered into a water resource teaming agreement with
Carson City in December 2006, which could initially result in the creation
of
2,000 acre-feet of new water supply. In
addition, and separately from our agreement with Carson City, Vidler has
obtained an option to acquire 1,000 acre-feet of agricultural water rights,
which we intend to deliver to municipal users.
Idaho
In
July
2007, Vidler closed on the purchase of approximately 1,350 acres of land
and the
related 5,186 acre-feet of agricultural water rights for $9.2 million, located
in Idaho. The property is currently being farmed, and grows apples, silage
corn,
and alfalfa. This
purchase is Vidler’s first acquisition of real estate and water resources in
Idaho. The property is near the fast-growing areas of Boise, Nampa, and
Caldwell, where future development could be constrained by the lack of
developable land with water to support development. We
believe that the property is well suited to a residential planned unit
development, although we are also considering other alternative future uses
for
both the land and the water resources acquired.
Harquahala
Valley, Arizona
In
September 2007, Vidler concluded a transaction with an energy supply company
concerning certain properties in Maricopa County and La Paz County, Arizona.
The
energy supply company purchased approximately 2,428 acres of real estate
and
related water assets from Vidler in 2001. At the time of the sale,
Vidler recorded certain legal restrictions on both the surface and underground
use of the properties. During
the third quarter of 2007, Vidler released and terminated the restrictions
on
the use of the 2,428 acres in Maricopa County in exchange for 503 acres of
unencumbered real estate and water assets in La Paz County, Arizona.
Vidler
established the fair value of the real estate and water assets acquired in
the
transaction at approximately $3.5 million. Accordingly, we recorded a
$3.5 million pre-tax gain on the exchange in segment income for the third
quarter and first nine months of 2007.
19
REAL
ESTATE OPERATIONS
|
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Sale
of Land:
|
||||||||||||||||
Former
Railroad Land
|
$ |
1,465,000
|
$ |
3,405,000
|
$ |
5,884,000
|
$ |
8,459,000
|
||||||||
Spring
Valley Ranch
|
22,000,000
|
22,000,000
|
||||||||||||||
Net
Investment Income
|
926,000
|
391,000
|
2,463,000
|
770,000
|
||||||||||||
Other
|
200,000
|
225,000
|
711,000
|
1,184,000
|
||||||||||||
Segment
Total Revenues
|
$ |
2,591,000
|
$ |
26,021,000
|
$ |
9,058,000
|
$ |
32,413,000
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
of Land Sold:
|
||||||||||||||||
Former
Railroad Land
|
$ | (424 ,000 | ) | $ | (1,049,000 | ) | $ | (1,893,000 | ) | $ | (2,720,000 | ) | ||||
Spring
Valley Ranch
|
(3,174,000 | ) | (3,174,000 | ) | ||||||||||||
Operating
Expenses
|
(680,000 | ) | ( 536,000 | ) | (1,840,000 | ) | (1,606,000 | ) | ||||||||
Segment
Total Expenses
|
$ | (1,104,000 | ) | $ | (4,759,000 | ) | $ | (3,733,000 | ) | $ | (7,500,000 | ) | ||||
Income
Before Tax
|
$ |
1,487,000
|
$ |
21,262,000
|
$ |
5,325,000
|
$ |
24,913,000
|
The
largest business in the Real Estate Operations segment is Nevada Land &
Resource Company, LLC (“Nevada Land”).
Nevada
Land recognizes revenue from land sales when a sale transaction closes. On
closing, the entire sales price is recorded as revenue, and the associated
cost
basis is reported as cost of land sold. Since the date of closing determines
the
accounting period in which the revenue and cost of land are recorded, Nevada
Land’s reported results fluctuate from quarter to quarter, depending on the
dates when transactions close. Consequently, results for any one quarter
are not
necessarily indicative of likely results for future quarters or the full
financial year. In the following, gross margin is defined as revenue less
cost
of sales, and gross margin percentage is defined as gross margin divided
by
revenue.
During
the first quarter of 2007, we commenced two new real estate operations through
two wholly-owned subsidiary companies, Bedrock Land Development, Inc.
(“Bedrock”), and Global Equity Corporation (“Global Equity”). The new real
estate operations generated minimal revenues in the first nine months of
2007.
Bedrock
has been formed with the objective of acquiring attractive and well-located
developable land, partially developed lots, or finished lots, in select
California markets, where medium-sized regional developers and homebuilders
may
have run into liquidity challenges as a result of the downturn in the housing
market.
In
April
2007, Bedrock closed on the purchase of 167 un-entitled lots in Fresno,
California for approximately $3.7 million. Bedrock is now working through
the
entitlement process. The City of Fresno is located in the Central Valley
of
California, an area where housing is affordable and which is forecast to
experience strong population growth over the next 20 years. Bedrock is taking
a
highly selective approach to acquisitions, and is actively reviewing other
opportunities.
Global
Equity is a Canadian company which manages the Phoenix Capital Income Trust
and
its subsidiary Phoenix Capital, Inc. (collectively “Phoenix”). Phoenix is in the
business of acquiring interests in privately-traded Canadian real estate
partnerships and syndicates (collectively “partnership units”) at an appropriate
discount, to reflect the lack of a public trading market for the partnership
units. Global Equity is managing the existing portfolio of partnership units
owned by Phoenix, and Global Equity will be the vehicle through which additional
partnership units will be acquired. During the first nine months of 2007,
Global
Equity acquired partnership units and debentures secured by partnership units
with a cost basis of $1.4 million.
Spring
Valley Ranch
During
the third quarter of 2006, we closed on the sale of approximately 7,315 acres
of
deeded land and related water assets at Spring Valley Ranch, which is located
approximately 40 miles east of Ely in White Pine County, Nevada. The
sale of Spring Valley Ranch real estate and water assets added $22 million
to
revenues and approximately $18.8 million to income in the third quarter and
first nine months of 2006.
All
Other Real Estate Operations
In
the
third quarter of 2007, Nevada Land sold approximately 15,104 acres of former
railroad land for $1.5 million. The average sales price was $97 per acre,
and
our average basis in the land sold was $28 per acre. The gross margin on
land
sales was $1 million, which represents a gross margin percentage of
71.1%.
20
In
the
third quarter of 2006, Nevada Land sold approximately 43,013 acres of former
railroad land for $3.4 million. The average sales price was $79 per acre,
and
our average basis in the land sold was $24 per acre. The gross margin on
land
sales was $2.4 million, which represents a gross margin percentage of
69.2%.
The
third
quarter segment result decreased by $19.8 million year over
year. This was principally due to the $18.8 million contribution to
income in the third quarter of 2006 from the sale of Spring Valley
Ranch. In addition, there was a $1.3 million, or 56%, decline in
gross margin from the sale of former railroad land year over year. This
primarily resulted from a 65% decrease in the volume of land sold, although
the
gross margin percentage improved slightly year over year. These decreases
were
partially offset by a $535,000 year over year increase in net investment
income,
which represents interest earned on the proceeds from land sales and on land
sales contracts where Nevada Land has provided vendor financing.
In
the
first nine months of 2007, segment total revenues were $9.1 million. Nevada
Land
sold approximately 62,508 acres of former railroad land for $5.9 million.
The
average sales price was $94 per acre, and our average basis in the land sold
was
$30 per acre. The gross margin on land sales was $4 million, which represents
a
gross margin percentage of 67.8%.
In
the
first nine months of 2006, Nevada Land sold approximately 108,916 acres of
former railroad for $8.5 million. The average sales price was $78 per acre,
and
our average basis in the land sold was $25 per acre. The gross margin on
land
sales was $5.7 million, which represents a gross margin percentage of
67.8%.
The
segment result for the first nine months decreased by $19.6 million year
over
year. This was principally due to the $18.8 million contribution to income
in
the third quarter of 2006 from the sale of Spring Valley Ranch. The
gross margin from land sales declined $1.7 million, or 30%, year over year,
primarily as a result of a 43% decrease in the volume of land
sold. These decreases were partially offset by a $1.7 million year
over year increase in net investment income.
BUSINESS
ACQUISITIONS AND FINANCING
|
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Net
Realized Gain (Loss) on Sale or Impairment of
|
$ | (1,398,000 | ) | $ |
727,000
|
$ | (1,392,000 | ) | $ |
9,424,000
|
||||||
Holdings
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
Investment Income
|
1,104,000
|
1,032,000
|
4,890,000
|
4,298,000
|
||||||||||||
Other
|
7,000
|
94,000
|
40,000
|
291,000
|
||||||||||||
Segment
Total Revenues
|
$ | (287,000 | ) | $ |
1,853,000
|
$ |
3,538,000
|
$ |
14,013,000
|
|||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Segment
Total Expenses
|
$ | (3,736,000 | ) | $ | (5,114,000 | ) | $ | (10,616,000 | ) | $ | (9,648,000 | ) | ||||
Income
(Loss) Before Tax
|
$ | (4,023,000 | ) | $ | (3,261,000 | ) | $ | (7,078,000 | ) | $ |
4,365,000
|
This
segment contains businesses, interests in businesses, and other parent company
assets and liabilities. The segment also contains the deferred
compensation assets and liabilities and the revenues and corresponding deferred
compensation expense arising from these assets are recorded in this
segment. The
expenses recorded in this segment primarily consist of holding company costs
which are not allocated to our other segments, for example, rent for our
head
office and any compensation cost for stock-settled stock appreciation rights
("SARs") granted and deferred compensation expense. In any one
accounting period, Business Acquisitions & Financing segment expenses can be
increased, or reduced, by one or more individually significant expense or
benefit items which occur irregularly (e.g., the recording of
compensation expense when SARs are granted and vest), or fluctuate from
period to period (e.g., the foreign currency expense or benefit,
described below). Consequently, Business Acquisitions & Financing
segment expenses are not necessarily directly comparable from one accounting
period to another.
The
only
significant holding at September 30, 2007 in this segment is Jungfraubahn
Holding AG, which has a market value and carrying value of $68.9 million
(before
taxes) at September 30, 2007, compared to $49.1 million at December 31, 2006.
Third
quarter segment revenues decreased $2.1 million year over year, primarily
due to
less realized gains and an increase in impairment charges on
securities..
A
$1.4
million net realized loss for the impairment of securities was recorded in
the
third quarter of 2007. This principally represented a provision for
other-than-temporary impairment in a bond held in deferred compensation accounts
for the benefit of several PICO officers. This $1.4 million provision
is offset by the corresponding $1.4 million reduction in deferred
compensation payable to the participating officers, which reduced Segment
Total
Expenses, resulting in no net effect on the segment loss before
tax. During the third quarter of 2007, the issuer filed for
bankruptcy protection, and the market value of the pledged collateral declined
sharply. However, the bond we own is a senior collateralized
note. The provision for other-than-temporary impairment reduced the
basis in the bond from amortized cost to estimated realizable value at September
30, 2007.
21
Certain
of our interests in Swiss public companies are held by PICO European Holdings,
LLC (“PICO European Holdings”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Physicians
Insurance Company of Ohio. Part of PICO European Holdings’ funding comes from a
loan from PICO Holdings, Inc. which is denominated in Swiss Francs. Since
the
U.S. dollar is the functional currency for our financial reporting, under
GAAP
we are required to record a benefit or expense through the statement of
operations to reflect fluctuation in the rate of exchange between the Swiss
Franc and the U.S. dollar, although there is no net impact on consolidated
shareholders’ equity before the related tax effects.
Third
quarter segment expenses decreased $1.4 million year over year, from $5.1
million in 2006 to $3.7 million in 2007.
In
the
third quarter of 2006, segment expenses:
|
·
|
included
a $1.8 million accrual for incentive compensation expense;
and
|
|
·
|
included
a $775,000 exchange rate expense.
|
In
the
third quarter of 2007, segment expenses:
|
·
|
included
a $3.5 million expense resulting from the granting, and partial
vesting,
of additional SAR during the third quarter of 2007. See below;
and
|
|
·
|
were
reduced by the $1.4 million decrease in deferred compensation payable,
and
by a $1.3 million exchange rate benefit, as discussed
above.
|
There
was
no accrual for incentive compensation expense in the third quarter of 2007,
as
growth in our book value per share for the first nine months of 2007 did
not
exceed the pre-determined threshold which would trigger the payment of incentive
compensation.
Under
the
PICO Holdings, Inc. 2005 Long Term Incentive Plan (“the 2005 SAR Plan”), 486,470
stock-settled SAR were issued to four officers with an exercise price of
$42.71 on August 2, 2007, and 172,939 stock-settled SAR were issued to one
officer with an exercise price of $44.69 on September 4, 2007. In
both instances, the exercise price was the last sale price for PICO common
stock
on the NASDAQ National Market on the day the SARs were granted. These
SAR vest over the next four years, and we expect to record additional expense
related to these SAR over the vesting period.
Under
the
2005 SAR Plan, when the holder exercises stock-settled SAR, the holder is
issued
with new PICO common shares with a market value equal to the net in-the-money
amount of the SAR. This is calculated as the total in-the-money
spread amount, less applicable withholding taxes, divided by the market price
of
PICO common stock on the date of exercise. At September 30, 2007,
based on the $41.44 closing PICO stock price, if all 1,509,766 vested SARs
were
exercised, we estimate that approximately 142,000 new shares of PICO common
stock would be issued.
First
nine months segment revenues decreased $10.5 million year over year, primarily
due to a $10.8 million reduction in net realized gains on the sale or impairment
of securities.
In
the
first nine months of 2007, a net realized loss of $1.4 million was recorded
for
an other-than-temporary impairment in a bond held in deferred compensation
accounts discussed above. In the first nine months of 2006,
realized gains on the sale of securities was $9.4 million.
First
nine months segment expenses increased $1 million year over year, from $9.6
million in 2006 to $10.6 million in 2007.
In
the
first nine months of 2006, segment expenses:
|
·
|
included
a $3.9 million accrual for incentive compensation expense;
and
|
|
·
|
were
reduced by a $1.6 million exchange rate
benefit.
|
In
the
first nine months of 2007, segment expenses:
|
·
|
included
a $3.5 million expense for SAR as described
above
|
|
·
|
included
legal costs of the litigation against Exegy , Inc. of $1.3
million (see Part II Item 1: “Legal
Proceedings”); and
|
|
·
|
were
reduced by the $1.4 million decrease in deferred compensation payable,
and
by a $1.3 million exchange rate benefit, as discussed
above.
|
There
was
no accrual for incentive compensation expense in the first nine months of
2007.
22
INSURANCE
OPERATIONS IN RUN OFF
|
Three
Months Ended
September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
||||||||||||||
|
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Realized
Gains on Sale of Holdings
|
$ |
521,000
|
$ |
3,180,000
|
$ |
1,953,000
|
$ |
9,855,000
|
||||||||
Net
Investment Income
|
866,000
|
800,000
|
2,673,000
|
2,385,000
|
||||||||||||
Earned
Premium
|
99,000
|
99,000
|
||||||||||||||
Other
|
25,000
|
1,000
|
55,000
|
1,000
|
||||||||||||
Segment
Total Revenues
|
$ |
1,511,000
|
$ |
3,981,000
|
$ |
4,780,000
|
$ |
12,241,000
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Segment
Total Expenses
|
$ | (245,000 | ) | $ | (395,000 | ) | $ | (951,000 | ) | $ | (1,106,000 | ) | ||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
Before Taxes:
|
||||||||||||||||
Physicians
Insurance Company of Ohio
|
$ |
831,000
|
$ |
2,593,000
|
$ |
2,821,000
|
$ |
8,538,000
|
||||||||
Citation
Insurance Company
|
435,000
|
993,000
|
1,008,000
|
2,597,000
|
||||||||||||
Income
Before Tax
|
$ |
1,266,000
|
$ |
3,586,000
|
$ |
3,829,000
|
$ |
11,135,000
|
This
segment consists of Physicians Insurance Company of Ohio and Citation Insurance
Company. Both Physicians and Citation are in “run off.” This means that the
companies are handling and resolving claims on expired policies, but not
writing
new business.
Once
an
insurance company has gone into “run off” and the last of its policies have
expired, typically most revenues come from net investment income and realized
gains or losses on the sale of the securities investments which correspond
to
the insurance company’s reserves and shareholders’
equity. Occasionally, earned premiums are recorded, which relate to
reinsurance.
Revenues
and results in this segment vary considerably from period to period and are
not
necessarily comparable from year to year, primarily due to fluctuations in
net
realized investment gains, and favorable or unfavorable development in our
loss
reserves.
Realized
investment gains were $2 million in the first nine months of 2007, compared
to
$9.9 million in the first nine months of 2006. Segment income decreased from
$11.1 million in the first nine months of 2006 to $3.8 million in the first
nine
months of 2007, primarily due to a $7.9 million decrease in realized
gains.
Realized
investment gains were $521,000 in the third quarter of 2007, compared to
$3.2
million in the third quarter of 2006. Segment income decreased from
$3.6 million in the third quarter of 2006 to $1.3 million in the third quarter
of 2007, primarily due to a $2.7 million decrease in realized
gains.
Physicians
Insurance Company of Ohio
PHYSICIANS
INSURANCE COMPANY OF OHIO -- LOSS AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSE
RESERVES
|
||||||||
|
September
30,
2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||
|
|
|
||||||
Direct
Reserves
|
$ |
9,642,000
|
$ |
10,374,000
|
||||
Ceded
Reserves
|
( 804,000 | ) | ( 989,000 | ) | ||||
Net
Medical Professional Liability Insurance Reserves
|
$ |
8,838,000
|
$ |
9,385,000
|
Net
reserves decreased by $547,000 during the first nine months of 2007, due
to the
payment of direct losses and loss adjustment expenses. No unusual trends
in
claims were noted.
23
Citation
Insurance Company
CITATION
INSURANCE COMPANY -- LOSS AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSE
RESERVES
|
||||||||
|
September
30,
2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||
Property
& Casualty Insurance
|
|
|
||||||
Direct
Reserves
|
$ |
6,119,000
|
$ |
6,635,000
|
||||
Ceded
Reserves
|
(1,497,000 | ) | (1,558,000 | ) | ||||
Net
Property & Casualty Insurance Reserves
|
$ |
4,622,000
|
$ |
5,077,000
|
||||
|
||||||||
Workers’
Compensation
|
||||||||
Direct
Reserves
|
$ |
21,633,000
|
$ |
24,074,000
|
||||
Ceded
Reserves
|
(13,292,000 | ) | (14,425,000 | ) | ||||
Net
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Reserves
|
$ |
8,341,000
|
$ |
9,649,000
|
||||
|
||||||||
Total
Reserves
|
$ |
12,963,000
|
$ |
14,726,000
|
During
the first nine months of 2007, Citation’s net property and casualty insurance
reserves declined by $455,000, principally due to the payment of direct losses
and loss adjustment expenses.
During
the first nine months of 2007, Citation’s net workers’ compensation reserves
declined by $1.3 million, due to the payment of $1.2 million in direct losses
and loss adjustment expenses, partially offset by the recovery of approximately
$69,000 from reinsurance companies. There were no unusual trends in claims
during the first nine months of 2007.
DISCONTINUED
OPERATIONS - HYPERFEED TECHNOLOGIES
|
Three
Months
Ended
September 30,
|
Nine
Months
Ended
September 30,
|
||||||
|
2006
|
2006
|
||||||
Loss
Before Income Taxes
|
$ | (7,775,000 | ) | $ | (12,793,000 | ) | ||
Income
Tax Benefit
|
5,678,000
|
7,452,000
|
||||||
Gain
On Sale of HyperFeed’s Discontinued Operations
|
165,000
|
330,000
|
||||||
Loss
After Tax
|
$ | (1,932,000 | ) | $ | (5,011,000 | ) |
During
the fourth quarter of 2006, HyperFeed filed for bankruptcy under Chapter
7 of
the Bankruptcy Code. After the bankruptcy filing, HyperFeed was removed from
PICO’s financial statements as a consolidated entity, so there were no
Discontinued Operations related to HyperFeed in 2007.
24
LIQUIDITY
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES—NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 AND 2006
Cash
Flow
The
Company’s assets primarily consist of our operating subsidiaries,
holdings in public companies, and cash and cash equivalents. On a consolidated
basis, the Company had $71.4 million in cash and equivalents at September
30,
2007, compared to $136.6 million at December 31, 2006.
Our
cash
flow position fluctuates depending on the requirements of our operating
subsidiaries for capital, and activity in our insurance company investment
portfolios. Our primary sources of funds include cash balances, cash flow
from
operations, the sale of holdings, and the proceeds of borrowings or offerings
of
equity and debt.
In
broad
terms, the cash flow profile of our principal operating subsidiaries
is:
·
|
As
Vidler’s water assets are monetized, Vidler should generate free cash
flow
as receipts from the sale of real estate and water assets have
overtaken
maintenance capital expenditure, development costs, financing costs,
and
operating expenses;
|
·
|
Nevada
Land is actively selling land which has reached its highest and
best use.
Nevada Land’s principal sources of cash flow are the proceeds of cash land
sales, and collections of principal and interest on sales contracts
where
Nevada Land has provided vendor financing. These receipts and other
revenues exceed Nevada Land’s operating and development costs, so Nevada
Land is generating strong cash flow;
and
|
·
|
Investment
income more than covers the operating expenses of the “run off” insurance
companies, Physicians and Citation. The funds to pay claims come
from the
maturity of fixed-income securities, the realization of fixed-income
investments and stocks held in their investment portfolios, and
recoveries
from reinsurance companies.
|
The
Departments of Insurance in Ohio and California prescribe minimum levels
of
capital and surplus for insurance companies, set guidelines for insurance
company investments, and restrict the amount of profits which can be distributed
as dividends.
Typically,
our insurance subsidiaries structure the maturity of fixed-income securities
to
match the projected pattern of claims payments. When interest rates are at
very
low levels, to insulate the capital value of the bond portfolios against
a
decline in value which would be brought on by a future increase in interest
rates, the bond portfolios may have a shorter duration than the projected
pattern of claims payments.
As
shown
in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow, cash and cash equivalents
decreased by $65.2 million in the first nine months of 2007, compared to
a $78
million net increase in the first nine months of 2006.
During
the first nine months of 2007, Operating Activities used $38 million of cash.
The principal operating cash inflow was land sales by Nevada Land. The principal
operating cash outflows include overhead expenses, tax payments, the payment
of
management incentive compensation related to 2006 performance and $4 million
for
the purchase of a ranch in Idaho (net of vendor financing of $5.2 million).
In
addition, an Operating Cash outflow of $4.9 million was recorded, which relates
to the exercise of stock-based Stock Appreciation Rights (“SAR”) during the
first nine months of 2007.
During
the first nine months of 2006, the Operating Activities of continuing operations
provided cash of $12.4 million. The principal operating cash inflows were
the
sale of Spring Valley Ranch for $22 million, and land sales by Nevada Land.
The
principal operating cash outflows include overhead expenses, the payment
of
management incentive compensation related to 2005 performance, tax payments,
the
cost of drilling wells in several locations by Vidler, and the payment of
claims
by our insurance companies. In addition, the operating activities of
discontinued operations used cash of $3.1 million
Investing
Activities used $130.9 million of cash in the first nine months of 2007.
The
principal investing use of cash was an $82.4 million net increase in
fixed-income securities, which represents the temporary investment of a portion
of the proceeds of the February 2007 stock offering. We used $34.3 million
for
the construction of the Fish Springs pipeline project. In addition,
$13.5 million net was invested in stocks.
In
the
first nine months of 2006, the Investing Activities of continuing operations
used cash of $437,000. The sale and maturity of investments exceeded purchases,
providing $13 million in cash. The principal use of investing cash was $13.4
million in outlays for property and equipment, primarily related to the Fish
Springs pipeline project. In the first nine months of 2006, the investing
activities of discontinued operations used cash of $1.9 million.
Financing
Activities provided $105.1 million of cash in the first nine months of 2007.
This primarily represented the sale of 2.8 million newly-issued shares of
PICO
common stock for net proceeds of $100.1 million. In addition, there was a
$4.9
million tax benefit related to the exercise of SAR.
In
the
first nine months of 2006, the Financing Activities of continuing operations
provided cash of $73.2 million, which primarily represented the sale of 2.6
million newly-issued shares of PICO common stock for net proceeds of $73.9
million, and the financing activities of discontinued operations used $498,000
of cash.
During
the first nine months of 2007, we completed construction of a pipeline to
convey
water from the Fish Springs Ranch to a storage tank near Reno, Nevada, and
continued construction of a plant to generate the electricity which will
be
required to pump the water. As of September 30, 2007, we had incurred
approximately $73.5 million of the estimated $83.5 million of the costs related
to the design and construction of the Fish Springs Ranch pipeline project.
However, the Company intends to enter new contracts to build additional
infrastructure related to the pipeline that could cost up to $5.5 million.
The
total remaining expenditure will be incurred over the next three to six
months.
25
Share
Repurchase Program
In
October 2002, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $10
million of PICO common stock. The stock purchases may be made from time to
time
at prevailing prices through open market or negotiated transactions, depending
on market conditions, and will be funded from available cash.
As
of
September 30, 2007, no stock had been repurchased under this
authorization.
Contractual
Obligations / Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We
have
no significant contractual obligations not fully recorded on our condensed
consolidated balance sheets or fully disclosed in the notes to our condensed
consolidated financial statements. We have no material off-balance sheet
arrangements as defined in S-K 303(a)(4)(ii).
Additional
information regarding our financial commitments at September 30, 2007 is
provided in the notes to our condensed consolidated financial statements.
See
“Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 4 – Commitments and
Contingencies.”
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Our
balance sheets include a significant amount of assets and liabilities whose
fair
value are subject to market risk. Market risk is the risk of loss arising
from
adverse changes in market interest rates or prices. We currently have interest
rate risk as it relates to its fixed maturity securities, equity price risk
as
it relates to its marketable equity securities, and foreign currency risk
as it
relates to investments denominated in foreign currencies. Generally, our
borrowings are short to medium term in nature and therefore approximate fair
value. At September 30, 2007, we had $142.8 million of fixed maturity
securities, $263.5 million of marketable equity securities that were subject
to
market risk, of which $165.5 million were denominated in foreign currencies,
primarily Swiss francs. Our investment strategy is to manage the duration
of the
portfolio relative to the duration of the liabilities while managing interest
rate risk.
We
use
two models to report the sensitivity of its assets and liabilities subject
to
the above risks. For its fixed maturity securities PICO uses duration modeling
to calculate changes in fair value. The sensitivity analysis duration model
calculates the price of a fixed maturity assuming a theoretical 100 basis
point
increase in interest rates and compares that to the actual quoted price of
the
security. At September 30, 2007, the model calculated a loss in fair value
of
$2.5 million. For its marketable securities, we use a hypothetical 20% decrease
in the fair value to analyze the sensitivity of its market risk assets and
liabilities. For investments denominated in foreign currencies, We use a
hypothetical 20% decrease in the local currency of that investment. The actual
results may differ from the hypothetical results assumed in this disclosure
due
to possible actions taken by us to mitigate adverse changes in fair value
and
because the fair value of securities may be affected by credit concerns of
the
issuer, prepayment rates, liquidity, and other general market conditions.
The
hypothetical 20% decrease in fair value of our marketable equity securities
produced a loss in fair value of $52.7 million that would impact the unrealized
appreciation in shareholders’ equity, before the related tax effect. The
hypothetical 20% decrease in the local currency of our foreign denominated
investments produced a loss of $29.4 million that would impact the foreign
currency translation in shareholders’ equity.
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
Under
the
supervision of and with the participation of our management, including our
principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we evaluated
the
effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is
defined
under Rules 13a-15(e) promulgated under the United States Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive
officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls
and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this
quarterly report. There were no material changes in our internal controls
over
financial reporting for the three months ended September 30,
2007.
26
Part
II: Other Information
The
Company is subject to various litigation arising in the ordinary course of
its
business. Members of PICO’s insurance group are frequently a party in claims
proceedings and actions regarding insurance coverage, all of which PICO
considers routine and incidental to its business. Based upon information
presently available, management is of the opinion that such litigation will
not
have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results
of operations or cash flows of the Company.
Neither
PICO nor its subsidiaries are parties to any potentially material pending
legal
proceedings other than the following.
Exegy
Litigation:
On
November 13, 2006 Exegy Inc. filed a lawsuit against PICO and HyperFeed in
state
court in Missouri seeking a declaratory judgment that Exegy’s purported November
7, 2006 termination of the August 25, 2006 Contribution Agreement was
valid. In the event that Exegy’s November 7, 2006 letter is not determined
to be a valid termination of the Contribution Agreement, Exegy seeks a
declaration that PICO and HyperFeed have materially breached the Contribution
Agreement, for which Exegy seeks monetary damages and an injunction
against further material breach. Finally, Exegy seeks a declaratory
judgment that if its November 7, 2006 notice of termination was not valid,
and that if PICO and HyperFeed did materially breach the Contribution Agreement
but that a continuing breach cannot be remedied or enjoined, then Exegy
seeks a declaration that Exegy should be relieved of further performance
under
the Contribution Agreement due to alleged HyperFeed actions deemed by Exegy
to
be inconsistent with the Contribution Agreement. On December 15, 2006 the
lawsuit filed by Exegy on November 13, 2006 was removed from Missouri state
court to federal court. On February 2, 2007, this case was transferred to
the
United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware.
On
November 17, 2006 HyperFeed and PICO filed a lawsuit against Exegy in
state court in Illinois. PICO and HyperFeed allege that Exegy, after the
November 7, 2006 letter purporting to terminate the Contribution Agreement,
used
and continues to use HyperFeed’s confidential and proprietary information in an
unauthorized manner and without HyperFeed’s consent. PICO and HyperFeed are also
seeking a preliminary injunction enjoining Exegy from disclosing, using,
or
disseminating HyperFeed’s confidential and proprietary information, and from
continuing to interfere with HyperFeed’s business relations. PICO and
HyperFeed also seek monetary damages from Exegy. On January 18, 2007 this
case
was removed from Illinois state court to federal bankruptcy court in Illinois.
On February 6, 2007 this case was transferred to the United States Bankruptcy
Court, District of Delaware.
On
July
11, 2007, the parties entered into mediation to attempt to resolve these
two
lawsuits. The mediation was unsuccessful. Therefore, both
cases will resume as adversary proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy
Court, District of Delaware.
Fish
Springs Ranch, LLC:
All
outstanding claims and legal actions between Fish Springs Ranch LLC and the
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (“the Tribe”) were settled during the second quarter
of 2007, in an agreement which permanently resolves all of the Tribe’s
objections to the exportation of water from Fish Springs Ranch. The agreement
is
awaiting ratification by an Act of Congress. See the Water Resources
and Water
Storage Operations segment discussion in Part I, Item 2, “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.
27
Item
1A. Risk Factors
There
are
no material changes to our risk factors described in our Form 10-K for
the year
ended December 31, 2006, as filed on March 12, 2007.
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
None.
Item
3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item
4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
None.
Item
5. Other Information
None.
28
Item
6. Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
3(i)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Articles of Incorporation of PICO.
|
3(ii)
|
|
Amended
and Restated By-laws of PICO. (1)
|
4.1
|
|
Form
of Form of Securities Purchase Agreement dated February 28, 2007
between
PICO Holdings, Inc. and the Purchasers. (2)
|
10 | Material Contracts (3) | |
31.1
|
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)
as adopted
pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
31.2
|
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)
as adopted
pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
32.1
|
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section
906
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002).
|
32.2
|
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section
906
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002).
|
|
(1)
|
Incorporated
by reference to Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 5,
2007.
|
|
(2)
|
Incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Form 8-K filed on March 2,
2007.
|
(3) | Infrastructure Dedication Agreement between Fish Springs Ranch LLC and Washoe County, Nevada dated October 16, 2007. |
29
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
PICO
HOLDINGS, INC.
Dated:
November 6, 2007
By:
/s/
Maxim C. W.
Webb
Maxim
C.
W. Webb
Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer
(Principal
Financial and Accounting
Officer and Authorized Signatory)