Sales in North America increased 3% or $197,000. International sales decreased $1,261,000, or 31%, due to weakness with several international customers, mainly in southeast Asia, Brazil, and northern Europe. Sales of media converters decreased 16% or $1,200,000 due to continued competitive pressures and delays in new product introduction.
Gross margin on first quarter Transition Networks’ sales decreased 18% to $4,706,000 in 2014 from $5,721,000 in 2013. Gross margin as a percentage of sales decreased to 48% in 2014 from 53% in 2013 due to unfavorable product mix and competitive prices. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 14% to $5,196,000 in 2014 compared to $6,045,000 in 2013 due to restructuring of certain go-to-market functions in the last three quarters of 2013 and higher ERP related expenses in the first quarter of 2013. Operating loss increased to $711,000 in 2014 compared to an operating loss of $324,000 in 2013.
JDL Technologies, Inc. sales decreased 39% to $2,567,000 in the first quarter of 2014 compared to $4,227,000 in 2013.
Revenues earned in Broward County, Florida increased $1,233,000 or 177% in the first quarter of 2014 as compared to the 2013 first quarter due to the combination of a multi school network refresh that started in late 2013 and was completed in the first quarter of 2014 along with some key network core infrastructure upgrades during the first quarter. Revenues earned in Miami Dade County in the first quarters of both 2014 and 2013 are related to the district’s “Bringing Wireless to the Classroom” initiative for which the district received federal funding under the E-Rate program to expand wireless connectivity for students and staff. This was completed in the first quarter of 2014. Revenue from JDL’s sales to small and medium sized commercial businesses (SMBs) increased by 48% to $538,000 as a result of JDL’s continued successful marketing and sales efforts.
JDL gross margin increased 7% to $791,000 in the first quarter of 2014 compared to $740,000 in the same period in 2013. Gross margin as a percentage of sales increased to 31% in 2014 from 17% in 2013 reflecting the fact that a significant portion of its 2013 revenue was hardware-based, rather than its more traditional value-added service. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 6% in 2014 to $685,000 compared to $732,000 in 2013. JDL reported operating income of $107,000 in the first quarter of 2014 compared to $7,000 in the same period of 2013.
Because federal and local funding for investments in IT infrastructure and services for K-12 schools varies substantially from year to year, JDL has experienced large swings in its quarterly and annual revenues. We expect this volatility in JDL’s revenues to continue in 2014 and future years. Based on recent indications from the federal government, we anticipate that there will not be sufficient funds in the E-Rate program to complete all the projects in our South Florida market that we anticipated this year. There may still be additional federal government funding, but if not, we may experience delays or cancellations in present or future school district wireless infrastructure projects. In addition, as previously reported, our 2013 results included approximately $23.0 million in revenue from a Miami- Dade County school district project.
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To reduce its dependence on government funding, JDL continues to aggressively pursue opportunities to provide managed services, migration to the cloud, virtualization and other network services to SMBs with a focus on healthcare, legal and financial services markets.
Other
The Company’s effective income tax rate was 46.9% for the 2014 first quarter. This effective tax rate differs from the federal tax rate of 35% due to state income taxes, foreign losses not deductible for U.S. income tax purposes, and provisions for interest charges for uncertain income tax positions. The effect of the foreign operations is an overall rate increase of approximately 9.9% in the 2014 first quarter. The Company’s effective income tax rate for the 2013 first quarter was 36.5%, and differed from the federal tax rate due to state income taxes, foreign losses not deductible for U.S. income tax purposes, provisions for interest charges, and the effect of operations conducted in lower foreign tax rate jurisdictions.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2014, the Company had approximately $32,688,000 in cash, cash equivalents and investments. Of this amount, $6,618,000 was invested in short-term money market funds that are not considered to be bank deposits and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or other government agency. These money market funds seek to preserve the value of the investment at $1.00 per share; however, it is possible to lose money investing in these funds. The remainder in cash and cash equivalents is operating cash and certificates of deposit which are fully insured through the FDIC. The Company also had $14,800,000 in investments consisting of certificates of deposit and corporate notes and bonds that are traded on the open market and are classified as available-for-sale at March 31, 2014.
The Company had working capital of $63,301,000, consisting of current assets of approximately $75,239,000 and current liabilities of $11,938,000 at March 31, 2014 compared to working capital of $70,599,000, consisting of current assets of $83,672,000 and current liabilities of $13,073,000 at December 31, 2013. The Company’s working capital at March 31, 2014 decreased slightly from year-end due to the fact that the Company increased its ownership of long-term investments, which are not classified as current assets, to $9,478,000 from $3,928,000.
Cash flow provided by operating activities was approximately $5,823,000 in the first three months of 2014 compared to $7,483,000 used in the same period of 2013. Significant working capital changes from December 31, 2013 to March 31, 2014 included a decrease in receivables of $6,686,000 due to the receipt of outstanding receivables at JDL Technologies related to the Miami Dade project in 2013.
Net cash used in investing activities was $5,978,000 in the first three months of 2014 compared to $728,000 provided in the same period of 2013. The Company continued to make capital investments and purchases of certificates of deposit and other marketable securities.
Net cash used by financing activities was $2,027,000 in the first three months of 2014 compared to $229,000 in the same period of 2013. The Company made $566,000 in contingent consideration payments related to the Patapsco acquisition. Cash dividends paid on common stock increased to $1,369,000 in 2014 ($0.16 per common share) from $0 in 2013 due to an accelerated payment of the dividend declared and paid in December 2012. Proceeds from common stock issuances, principally shares sold to the Company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan and under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan, totaled approximately $206,000 in 2014 and $44,000 in 2013. The Company purchased and retired no shares in 2014 and 2013. At March 31, 2014, Board of Director authority to purchase approximately 411,910 additional shares remained in effect.
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The Company has a $10,000,000 line of credit from Wells Fargo Bank. Interest on borrowings on the credit line is at LIBOR plus 1.1% (1.3% at March 31, 2014). There were no borrowings on the line of credit during the first three months of 2014 or 2013. The credit agreement expires October 31, 2014 and is secured by assets of the Company. The Company intends to renew the agreement in 2014.
In the opinion of management, based on the Company’s current financial and operating position and projected future expenditures, sufficient funds are available to meet the Company’s anticipated operating and capital expenditure needs.
Enterprise Resource Planning
On April 4, 2013, our Transition Networks business unit and the parent Communications Systems, Inc. “went live” on a new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system. Due to the restructuring of the Company into a holding company structure with more focus on our three operating business units, we are moving more deliberately to implement the new ERP system to the rest of the Company. We expect Suttle to convert to the new ERP system in 2015.
Critical Accounting Policies
Our critical accounting policies, including the assumptions and judgments underlying them, are discussed in our 2013 Form 10-K in Note 1 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies included in our Consolidated Financial Statements. There were no significant changes to our critical accounting policies during the three-months ended March 31, 2014.
The Company’s accounting policies have been consistently applied in all material respects and disclose such matters as allowance for doubtful accounts, sales returns, inventory valuation, warranty expense, income taxes, revenue recognition, asset and goodwill impairment recognition and foreign currency translation. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the result of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Results may differ from these estimates due to actual outcomes being different from those on which we based our assumptions. Management reviews these estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
We do not believe there are any recently issued accounting standards that have not yet been adopted that will have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk. |
The Company has no freestanding or embedded derivatives. The Company’s policy is to not use freestanding derivatives and to not enter into contracts with terms that cannot be designated as normal purchases or sales.
The vast majority of our transactions are denominated in U.S. dollars; as such, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have historically not been material to the Company. At March 31, 2014 our bank line of credit carried a variable interest rate based on LIBOR plus 1.1%.
Based on the Company’s operations, in the opinion of management, no material future losses or exposure exist relative to market risk.
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Item 4. Controls and Procedures |
The Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of its management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in the Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
There was no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Company’s most recently completed fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
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Item 1. Legal Proceedings |
Not Applicable. |
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Item 1A. Risk Factors |
Not Applicable. |
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Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds |
Not Applicable. |
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Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities |
Not Applicable. |
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Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures |
Not Applicable. |
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Item 5. Other Information |
Not Applicable. |
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Item 6. Exhibits. |
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| The following exhibits are included herein: |
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| 31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of the Exchange Act). |
| 31.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of the Exchange Act). |
| 32. | Certifications pursuant Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. §1350). |
| | |
| 99.1 | Press Release dated May 7, 2014 announcing 2014 First Quarter Results. |
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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 thereto duly authorized.
| | | | |
| | | Communications Systems, Inc. | |
| | | | |
| | By | /s/ Curtis A. Sampson | |
| | | Curtis A. Sampson | |
Date: May 8, 2014 | | | Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer | |
| | | | |
| | | /s/ Edwin C. Freeman | |
| | | Edwin C. Freeman | |
Date: May 8, 2014 | | | Chief Financial Officer | |
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