Provision for income taxes in the third quarter of 2008 increased $500,000 compared to the same period in 2007 due to an increase in our taxable income in 2008. For the next several years, we will only be an alternative minimum tax payer as we will utilize our existing net operating loss carry forwards to offset any current taxes payable.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash Flows
Our cash and cash equivalents were $18,434,000 and $25,198,000 at September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. Our subsidiaries generally distribute all of their available cash quarterly, after establishing reserves for estimated capital expenditures and working capital. For the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, our subsidiaries distributed cash of approximately $42,797,000 and $35,697,000, respectively, to minority interest holders.
Cash provided by our operations, before minority interest, was $51,305,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and $45,564,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2007. For the nine months ended September 30, 2008 compared to the same period in 2007, fee and other revenue collected increased by $14,798,000 due primarily to increased revenues from our acquisitions. Cash paid to employees, suppliers of goods and others for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 increased by $8,692,000 compared to the same period in 2007. This fluctuation is primarily attributable to increased operating expenses from our acquisitions and significant pay down of certain accrued expenses related to our AMPI acquisition.
Cash used by our investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, was $17,513,000. We utilized $17,270,000 in 2008 to acquire interest in certain entities. Approximately $10 million of that cash was used to acquire AMPI and $6.3 million to acquire Uropath. In addition we increased our interest in certain existing litho partnerships. We purchased equipment and leasehold improvements totaling $8,762,000 in 2008, $3,774,000 of which were for additional Revolix lasers. Cash used by our investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, was $12,480,000. We utilized approximately $7,976,000 in cash in 2007 for acquisitions; our Keystone partnership represented $7.8 million of these costs. We also, purchased equipment and leasehold improvements totaling $6,838,000 in 2007.
Cash used in our financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, was $40,556,000, primarily due to distributions to minority interests of $42,797,000 and payments on notes payable of $10,561,000 offset by borrowings on notes payable of $13,547,000. Cash used in our financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, was $37,486,000, primarily due to distributions to minority interests of $35,697,000 and net payments on notes payable of $1,937,000.
Accounts receivable as of September 30, 2008 increased $4,893,000 from December 31, 2007. This increase relates primarily to our purchases of AMPI and Uropath, whose accounts receivable at acquisition totaled $3,072,000 and $1,040,000, respectively. |