The following is an analysis of changes in key items included in the consolidated statements of operations for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 compared to the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008:
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Selling expenses decreased $3.4 million, or 34.3 percent, for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 but, as a percent of net revenues, selling expenses were 6.4 percent and 2.6 percent during the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 and the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008, respectively. The decrease in dollars for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 was due to reductions in advertising expenses of $1.2 million, labor-related expenses of $750,000 as a result of reduced headcount, salesmen incentives of $400,000 and stock compensation.
General and administrative expenses decreased $3.6 million, or 30.0 percent, for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 but, as a percent of net revenues, general and administrative expenses were 8.2 percent and 3.1 percent during the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 and the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008, respectively. The decrease in dollars for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 was due to reductions of $1.6 million in management incentive compensation expense, labor-related expenses of $850,000, as a result of reduced headcount, product liability expenses of $500,000 and legal expenses of $250,000. Also during the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009, we incurred ongoing expenses of $650,000 on our idle facilities. During the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008, $500,000 in severance payments were made in connection with our restructuring activities.
Financial income decreased $1.3 million, or 53.3 percent, for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009. The decrease in financial income was due primarily to a decrease in the average yield of 2.5 percent and to a lesser extent due to a decrease in average investment balances of approximately $31.0 million. In addition, the realized impairment on ARS of $403,000 was partially offset by the valuation of the Put Options of $375,000. See Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The overall effective income tax rate for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 was a benefit of (41.8 percent) compared to an expense of 32.6 percent for the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008. The following table breaks down the two aforementioned tax rates:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Twenty-Six Weeks Ended | | Twenty-Seven Weeks Ended | |
| | February 28, 2009 | | March 1, 2008 | |
(Dollars in thousands) | | Amount | | Effective Rate (%) | | Amount | | Effective Rate (%) | |
Tax (benefit) provision before discrete items(1) | | $ | (13,717 | ) | | (39.9 | ) | $ | 6,035 | | | 32.6 | |
Discrete item: tax planning initiative(2) | | | (650 | ) | | (1.9 | ) | | — | | | 0.0 | |
Total (benefit) provision for taxes | | $ | (14,367 | ) | | (41.8 | ) | $ | 6,035 | | | 32.6 | |
| |
(1) | The effective tax benefit rate, before discrete items, of (39.9) percent as compared to a 32.6 percent expense is primarily attributable to the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 pre-tax loss of $34.3 million versus the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008 pre-tax income of $18.5 million. Included within the first half of Fiscal 2009 pre-tax loss of $34.3 million was $1.2 million of financial income which is primarily tax-free investment income from investments in life insurance assets and student loan related securities and resulted in an increase to the tax benefit of $826,000 and increased the effective tax benefit rate by 2.4 percent. In the first half of Fiscal 2008, tax-free investment income resulted in a tax benefit of $785,000 (a 4.2 percent reduction in the effective tax rate). |
(2) | Benefits of $650,000 were recorded due to a tax planning initiative that was recognized during the second quarter of Fiscal 2009. |
Analysis of Financial Condition, Liquidity and Resources
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $27.5 million and $17.9 million as of February 28, 2009 and August 30, 2008, respectively.
Short-term and long-term investments net of temporary impairments totaled $33.5 million as of February 28, 2009 and $40.6 million as of August 30, 2008. These investments were comprised of ARSs. During the second quarter of Fiscal 2009, we were able to redeem two separate ARSs at par value for $5.4 million. In addition, we borrowed $9.1 million on a portion of our ARS portfolio. See Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further disclosures and developments related to our investments in ARSs.
At the end of the second quarter, we had generated an income tax receivable of $19.5 million primarily due to the current year’s loss, which we have the ability to carry back to our Fiscal 2007. We filed our Fiscal 2008 federal tax return during the second quarter and in March 2009 (our third quarter), we received a federal tax refund of $5.8 million.
On September 17, 2008, we entered into a Credit and Security Agreement with Wells Fargo (Credit Agreement). The Credit Agreement provides for a $25.0 million maximum revolving credit facility (Credit Facility), based on certain accounts receivable and inventory accounts, expiring on September 17, 2010, unless terminated earlier in accordance with its terms. Interest on loans under the Credit Agreement will be a rate equal to either LIBOR plus 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent or prime rate plus (0.75 percent) to 0.25 percent. No borrowings have been made under the Credit Facility through April 7, 2009. The Credit Facility provides increased financial flexibility and, if needed, will be used for working capital and for other general corporate purposes.
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Working capital at February 28, 2009 and August 30, 2008 was $92.7 million and $108.5 million, respectively, a decrease of $15.8 million. We currently expect cash on hand, the availability on the Credit Facility and funds generated from operations (if any) to be sufficient to cover both short-term and long-term operation requirements.
Operating Activities
Cash used in operating activities was $2.3 million for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 compared to $12.6 million for the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008. In Fiscal 2009, inventory reductions of $37.8 million were offset by net operating losses of $20.0 million and an additional $24.5 million reduction in income taxes, accounts payable and other accrued expenses.
Investing Activities
Cash provided by investing activities was due primarily to ARS redemptions of $8.5 million in the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 offset by capital spending of $1.3 million. During the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008, cash provided by investing activities was due to proceeds from the sale and maturity of the investments.
Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities of $5.4 million for the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2009 was due to a borrowing on our ARS portfolio offset by a dividend payment. On October 16, 2008, the Company announced that it would suspend cash dividends payments in order to conserve capital and maintain liquidity, pending subsequent review of the cash dividend policy throughout the remainder of the fiscal year. Primary uses of cash in financing activities for the twenty-seven weeks ended March 1, 2008 were for repurchase of Company common stock and paying dividends.
Anticipated Use of Funds
Estimated uses of our liquid assets, at February 28, 2009 for the remainder of Fiscal 2009 consist of capital spending of approximately $2.2 million primarily for manufacturing equipment and facilities and to fund all or part of any operating losses incurred in the balance of the fiscal year.
ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are exposed to market risks related to fluctuations in interest rates on marketable investments, investments underlying a company-owned life insurance program (COLI) and variable rate debt under our revolving credit facility. With respect to the COLI program, the underlying investments are subject to both interest rate risk and equity market risk. We have not drawn on the Credit Facility as of April 7, 2009. We do not currently use interest rate swaps, futures contracts or options on futures, or other types of derivative financial instruments.
Our investments are comprised of ARSs. These securities have historically traded at par and are callable at par at the option of the issuer. Interest is typically paid at the end of each auction period or semiannually. At the end of the fiscal quarter, all of the long-term ARSs we held were AAA/Aaa rated with most collateralized by student loans guaranteed by the U.S. Government under the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Until Fiscal 2008, the auction rate securities market was highly liquid. During Fiscal 2008, a substantial number of auctions “failed,” meaning that there was not enough demand to sell the entire issue of the securities that holders desired to sell at auction. The immediate effect of a failed auction is that certain holders cannot sell the securities at auction and the interest or dividend rate on the security generally resets to a maximum auction rate. In the case of a failed auction, with respect to the ARSs held by us, the ARS is deemed not currently liquid. In the case of funds invested by us in ARSs which are the subject of a failed auction, we may not be able to access the funds prior to maturity without a loss of principal, unless a future auction on these investments is successful or the issuer calls the security pursuant to a mandatory tender or redemption.
Additional information regarding our investment portfolio is detailed in Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the period ended February 28, 2009.
We do not believe that future market equity or interest rate risks related to our marketable investments or debt obligations will have a material impact on our results.
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ITEM 4. Controls and Procedures
We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f), to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures.As of the end of the period covered by this report, we, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as required by Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) Rule 13a-15(e). Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
We, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors or all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions; over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. There have been no significant changes in our internal controls or in other factors which could significantly affect internal controls over financial reporting subsequent to the date we carried out our evaluation. In connection with the evaluation of internal control over financial reporting described above, no changes in our internal control over financing reporting were identified that occurred during the second quarter of Fiscal 2009 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
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ITEM 1. | | Legal Proceedings |
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| | We are involved in various legal proceedings which are ordinary routine litigation incidental to our business, some of which are covered in whole or in part by insurance. While it is impossible to estimate with certainty the ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to this litigation, we believe that while the final resolution of any such litigation may have an impact on our consolidated results for a particular reporting period, the ultimate disposition of such litigation will not have any material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity. |
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ITEM 1A. | | Risk Factors |
| | | |
| | There have been no material changes from our risk factors as previously disclosed in Part 1, Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 30, 2008 except as provided below: |
| | | |
| | Potential Repurchase Liabilities |
| | | |
| | In accordance with customary practice in the recreation vehicle industry, we enter into formal repurchase agreements with lending institutions pursuant to which it is agreed, in the event of a default by an independent retailer in its obligation to a lender and repossession of the unit(s) by the lending institution, we will repurchase units at declining prices over the term of the agreements, which can last up to 18 months. The difference between the gross repurchase price and the price at which the repurchased product can then be resold, which is typically at a discount to the gross repurchase price, represents a potential expense to us. Our maximum potential exposure under these formal repurchase agreements was approximately $131.2 million at February 28, 2009. |
| | | |
| | In certain instances, we also repurchase inventory from our dealers due to state law or regulatory requirements that govern voluntary or involuntary terminations. Incremental repurchase exposure beyond repurchase agreements was approximately $6.7 million at February 28, 2009. |
| | | |
| | Historically, our losses associated with repurchase have not been material. However, the substantial decrease in retail demand for recreation vehicles in the past 12 months and tightened credit standards by lenders could result in a significant increase in defaults by our dealers. Thus, if we are obligated to repurchase a larger number of motor homes in the future, this would increase our costs, and could be material. |
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ITEM 2. | | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds |
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| | On December 19, 2007, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of outstanding shares of our common stock, depending on market conditions, for an aggregate consideration of up to $60 million. There is no time restriction on this authorization. During the second quarter of Fiscal 2009, there were no shares repurchased under this authorization. As of February 28, 2009, there was approximately $59.6 million remaining under this authorization to be used for future repurchases of our common stock. |
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ITEM 4. | | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders |
| | | |
| | (a) | The Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held December 16, 2008. |
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| | (b) | John V. Hanson, Gerald C. Kitch and Robert J. Olson were elected directors at the Annual Meeting for terms expiring at the annual meeting following Fiscal 2011. |
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| | Directors whose terms continued after the shareholders meeting: |
| | | |
| Irvin E. Aal | (2009) | |
| Joseph W. England | (2009) | |
| Jerry N. Currie | (2010) | |
| Lawrence A. Erickson | (2010) | |
| Robert M. Chiusano | (2010) | |
| | | |
| ( ) Represents calendar year of Annual Meeting that individual’s term will expire. |
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| | | |
| (c) The breakdown of votes for the election of three directors was as follows:* |
| | | | | | | |
| | Votes Cast For | | Authority Withheld | |
John V. Hanson (2011) | | 25,695,454 | | 145,567 | |
Gerald C. Kitch (2011) | | 25,692,061 | | 148,960 | |
Robert J. Olson (2011) | | 25,697,016 | | 144,005 | |
| | | | | |
There were no broker nonvotes. | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Company’s proposal regarding ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche, LLP, as our independent registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending August 29, 2009.* | |
| | | | | | | | |
Votes Cast For | | Votes Cast Against | | Abstentions | |
25,470,430 | | 360,401 | | 10,190 | |
| | |
| * | There were no broker nonvotes. |
| |
ITEM 6. | Exhibits |
| |
| (a) Exhibits - See Exhibit Index on page 25. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| | | | |
| | | | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| | | | (Registrant) |
| | | | |
Date | April 7, 2009 | | | /s/ Robert J. Olson |
| | | | Robert J. Olson |
| | | | Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President (Principal Executive Officer) |
| | | | |
Date | April 7, 2009 | | | /s/ Sarah N. Nielsen |
| | | | Sarah N. Nielsen |
| | | | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
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Exhibit Index
| |
31.1 | Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dated April 7, 2009. |
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31.2 | Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dated April 7, 2009. |
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32.1 | Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dated April 7, 2009. |
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32.2 | Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dated April 7, 2009. |
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