Certain statements contained herein with respect to factors which may affect future earnings, including management’s beliefs and assumptions based on information currently available, are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements that are not historical facts involve risks and uncertainties, and results could vary materially from the descriptions contained herein.
Overview
The following is a discussion of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of and for the periods ended April 30, 2006 and 2005. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements of the Company and the related notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended January 31, 2006.
The Company’s principal business activities include the operation of full-service travel centers and restaurants that offer brand name food and gasoline, and a unique variety of Southwestern merchandise to the traveling public in New Mexico and Arizona.
The Company’s gross retail sales include merchandise, retail gasoline sales, restaurant sales and wholesale gasoline sales. Each of the Company’s travel center locations retail a variety of unique Southwestern souvenirs and gifts. Eleven of the twelve retail operations retail gasoline. Five of the Company’s twelve locations have full-service restaurants that operate under the Dairy Queen/Brazier or Dairy Queen brand names. The merchandise, gasoline and restaurant retail sales are all a part of the Company’s ongoing retail business and have been aggregated.
The Company wholesales gasoline to four independent third party locations. The wholesale gasoline does not meet the operating segment definition criteria of paragraph 10(b) of FAS 131 as the Company does not review wholesale gasoline operating results for decision making about resource allocation. Therefore, wholesale gasoline sales have been aggregated with the Company’s business activities.
The discussion of results of operations, which follows, compares such selected operating data for the interim periods presented.
Results of Operations
The following table presents certain income and expense items derived from the Statements of Operations for the three months ended April 30, 2006 and 2005 (unaudited and amounts in thousands):
BOWLIN TRAVEL CENTERS, INC.
Comparison of the Three Months Ended April 30, 2006 and April 30, 2005
Gross sales at the Company’s travel centers increased by 23.3% to $7.639 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $6.194 million for the three months ended April 30, 2005. Merchandise sales increased 5.9% to $2.514 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $2.376 million for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is due to sales incentives, supervisory support dedicated to the stores as well as improved performance by store management. Retail gasoline sales increased 13.3% to $3.117 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $2.752 million for the same period in 2005. The increase is due to market price increases. Restaurant sales increased 2.3% to $618,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $604,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is due to improvement in middle management that supports restaurant operations. Wholesale gasoline sales to independent retailers increased 200.9% to $1.390 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $462,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is primarily due to the addition of three independent wholesale locations during the three months ended April 30, 2006.
Cost of goods sold increased 30.3% to $5.266 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $4.040 million for the three months ended April 30, 2005. Merchandise cost of goods decreased 0.4% to $929,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $933,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. This decrease corresponds to adjustments of standard markups within certain product categories that the Company gets as a result of volume purchasing. Retail gasoline cost of goods increased 12.6% to $2.782 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $2.471 million for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase corresponds to market price increases. Restaurant cost of goods decreased 6.6% to $171,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $183,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The decrease is primarily due to a realignment of retail prices in relationship to cost increases as well as better inventory control. Wholesale gasoline cost of goods increased 205.5% to $1.384 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $453,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is primarily due to the addition of three independent wholesale locations during the three months ended April 30, 2006. Cost of goods sold as a percentage of gross revenues increased to 68.9% for the three months ended April 30, 2006, as compared to 65.2% for the three months ended April 30, 2005.
Gross profit increased 8.3% to $2.286 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $2.110 million for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase corresponds to adjustments of standard markups within certain product categories that the Company gets as a result of volume purchasing as well as improved performance by store management.
General and administrative expenses consist of salaries, bonuses and commissions for travel center personnel, property costs and repairs and maintenance. General and administrative expenses also include executive and administrative compensation and benefits, accounting, legal and investor relations fees. General and administrative expenses increased 5.2% to $1.935 million for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $1.840 million for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is due to store related personnel expenses, sign repairs and maintenance as the Company prepares for its peak season, and credit card fees related to processing credit cards through the Company’s gasoline distributorships.
Depreciation and amortization expense decreased 4.0% to $217,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $226,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The decrease is associated with certain assets becoming fully depreciated.
BOWLIN TRAVEL CENTERS, INC.
The above factors contributed to an overall increase in operating income of 204.5% to $134,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, compared to operating income of $44,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005.
Non-operating income (expense) includes interest income, rental income and interest expense. Interest income is unchanged at $17,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006 and for the three months ended April 30, 2005. There was miscellaneous income of $24,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006 compared to no miscellaneous income for the three months ended April 30, 2005. Rental income was $45,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006 as well as the three months ended April 30, 2005. Interest expense increased 12.0% to $103,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, from $92,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is primarily due to increases in interest rates.
Income before income taxes increased 757.1% to $120,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, compared to income before income taxes of $14,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. As a percentage of gross revenues, income before income taxes was 1.6% for the three months ended April 30, 2006, compared to 0.2% for the three months ended April 30, 2005.
Income tax expense increased 500.0% to $48,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, compared to an income tax expense of $8,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. The increase is a result of higher income before income taxes.
The foregoing factors contributed to net income for the three months ended April 30, 2006 of $72,000 compared to a net income of $6,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
At April 30, 2006, the Company had working capital of $4.459 million compared to working capital of $4.465 million as of January 31, 2006 (“working capital” is the excess of total current assets over total current liabilities). At April 30, 2006 the Company had a current ratio of 2.5:1, compared to a current ratio of 3.1:1 at January 31, 2006 (“current ratio” is the ratio of current assets to current liabilities). The decrease in working capital is due to an increase in prepaids of $130,000 and accounts payable of $961,000. The decrease in working capital is offset by an increase in cash of $300,000, an increase in accounts receivable of $234,000, an increase in inventory of $359,000, a decrease in accrued liabilities of $104,000 and a decrease in the current portion of deferred revenue of $77,000. The decrease in prepaids is due to decreases in insurance and rent. The increase in accounts payable is due to the preparation for the Company’s summer peak season that typically begins in the second quarter as well as an increase in the market price of gasoline. The increase in cash is attributable to net income and increases in credit cards clearing as well as receivables collected related to gasoline wholesale sales. The increase in accounts receivable is due to the three new wholesale locations. The increase in inventory is due to preparation for the Company’s summer peak season that typically occurs in the second quarter as well as an increase in the market price of gasoline. The decrease in accrued liabilities is primarily due to decreases in accrued salaries and wages, as discretionary bonuses were accrued through January 2006 to be paid the following fiscal year partially offset by an increase in property taxes that were paid in December 2005 and have been accruing since that time. The decrease in deferred revenue is a result of the end of a two-year brand incentive programs for four locations branded ExxonMobil in fiscal year 2004 as well as a decrease in outdoor advertising billboard revenue as the Company had several annual contracts that did not begin until August 1, 2006.
BOWLIN TRAVEL CENTERS, INC.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $589,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2006, compared to $214,000 for the three months ended April 30, 2005. Net cash provided by operating activities for the three months ended April 30, 2006 is primarily attributable to net income of $72,000 adjusted for depreciation and amortization expense of $217,000 and changes in operating assets and liabilities of $296,000 partially offset by the gain on property and equipment of $3,000. Net cash provided by operating activities for the three months ended April 30, 2005 was primarily attributable to net income adjusted for depreciation and amortization expense of $226,000 and amortization of loan fees of $9,000 partially offset by changes in other operating assets and liabilities of $20,000 and deferred income taxes $7,000.
Net cash used in investing activities for the three months ended April 30, 2006 was $164,000 primarily consisting of $179,000 which was used for purchases of property and equipment, offset by accrued interest receivable of $9,000, notes receivable of $5,000 and proceeds from the sale of property and equipment of $1,000. Net cash used in investing activities for the three months ended April 30, 2005 was $102,000 primarily consisting of $94,000 which was used for purchases of property and equipment plus accrued interest receivable of $8,000.
Net cash used by financing activities for the three months ended April 30, 2006 was $125,000, which consisted of payments on long-term debt. For the three months ended April 30, 2005, net cash used in financing activities was $137,000, which were payments on long-term debt.
The Company’s business and cash flow from operations rely on revenues generated from the sale of gasoline. During the quarter ended April 30, 2006, retail gasoline sales accounted for approximately 49.9% of the Company’s gross sales. To the extent that the availability of gasoline was restricted for any reasons, including due to storms, political issues, pipeline disruption, war, act or threats of terrorism in the United States or abroad, the Company’s gross sales would be affected, thereby reducing the amount of net cash that would be provided by operating activities. It is impossible to foresee or predict the exact economic effect on cash flows that any such restriction would have.