The Company announced expansion plans to expand its manufacturing capacity from 118MW of nameplate capacity at June 30, 2008, to 420MW by the end of 2010, 720MW by the end of 2011 and to 1GW by the end of 2012. As of September 30, 2008, the Company had purchase commitments of approximately $69,381 for its announced expansion, and the Company presently intends to fund this additional expansion through existing funds and cash from operations.
The Company, in the ordinary course of business, enters into purchase commitments for raw materials. The Company also enters into purchase commitments for capital equipment, including subcontracts for the purchase of components for the new solar manufacturing equipment being installed in Greenville, Michigan.
The increase in purchase commitments is primarily due to the aforementioned expansion plan, additional commitments to purchase steel for the new Auburn Hills facility, and construction and equipment commitments for the new Greenville and Tijuana facilities.
Our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note A, “The Company and Summary of Accounting Policies,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended June 30, 2008 as reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. The only change to our significant accounting policies since June 30, 2008 has been the adoption of SFAS 157. Certain of our accounting policies require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates and assumptions are based on our historical experience, the terms of existing contracts, our evaluation of trends in the industry, information provided by our customers and suppliers and information available from other outside sources, as appropriate. However, they are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. As a result, actual results in these areas may differ significantly from our estimates.
We consider an accounting estimate to be significant if it requires us to make assumptions about matters that were uncertain at the time the estimate was made and changes in the estimate would have had a significant impact on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.
For recently issued accounting pronouncements and their potential effect on our financial statements, refer to “Recent Pronouncements” in Note A of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-Q.
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Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning our plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, future sales or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans or intentions relating to acquisitions, business trends and other information that is not historical information. When used in this prospectus, the words “estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “forecasts,” “foresees,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “goal,” “target” and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us on the date of this report.
These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, among other things, the matters discussed in this Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, and in other filings with the SEC from time to time. Any or all of these factors could cause our actual results and financial or legal status for future periods to differ materially from those expressed or referred to in any forward-looking statement. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update, amend or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
There may be other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results referred to in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.
Item 3. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk |
The following discussion about our exposure to market risk of financial instruments contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those described.
Interest Rate Risk
Our holdings of financial instruments are comprised of debt securities. All such instruments are classified as securities available-for-sale. We do not invest in portfolio equity securities, or commodities, or use financial derivatives for trading purposes. Our debt security portfolio represents funds held temporarily, pending use in our business and operations. The Company had $458,916 and $483,350 of these investments on September 30, 2008 and June 30, 2008, respectively. It is the Company’s policy that investments (including cash equivalents) shall be rated “A” or higher by Moody’s or Standard and Poor’s, no single
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investment (excluding cash equivalents) shall represent more than 10% of the portfolio and at least 10% of the total portfolio shall have maturities of 90 days or less. Our market risk primarily relates to the risks of changes in the credit quality of issuers. An interest rate increase of 1% would decrease the value of our portfolio by approximately $115. A decrease of 1% would increase the fair value by approximately $120.
The Company invests in auction rate certificates. Recent market conditions have resulted in failures of certain auctions; however, the Company’s securities have not experienced such failures. Due to the recent temporary liquidation problems experienced with certain securities, we have reclassified them as long-term investments.
Our Convertible Senior Notes are subject to interest rate and market price risk due to the convertible feature of the notes. Since the notes are convertible to common stock, as the fair market value of our common stock increases, so will the fair market value of the notes. Conversely, as the fair market value of our common stock decreases, the fair market value of the notes will decrease as well. As interest rates rise, the fair market value of the notes will decrease and as interest rates fall, the fair market value of the notes will increase. At September 30, 2008, the estimated fair market value of our Convertible Senior Notes was approximately $263,158. An increase or a decrease in market interest rates of 1% would increase or decrease the fair value of our Convertible Senior Notes by approximately $2,635.
Foreign Exchange Risk
A significant portion of the equipment acquisitions necessary for our planned expansion are denominated in yen. We have entered into contracts for equipment purchases that are denominated in yen. In order to mitigate the risk associated with these transactions, we have entered in currency forward contracts to buy or sell yen at future dates. As of September 30, 2008, we have forward contracts to sell approximately 148.3 million yen and to purchase approximately 1.3 billion yen. For the quarter ended September 30, 2008, an increase or a decrease in exchange rates of 1% would increase or decrease our capital equipment purchases by approximately $107. We are unable to predict the future exchange rates between the dollar and the yen and, therefore, we cannot estimate the impact on our future operating results.
Item 4. | Controls and Procedures |
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we have evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as required by Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(b) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that these disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
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PART II – OTHER INFORMATION
Please see Note M to the accompanying unaudited financial statements for a summary of material pending litigation.
Recent global economic, capital markets and credit disruptions pose risks and present opportunities for our business segments.
The risks may include slower economic activity and investment in new construction projects that make use of our products. While credit availability is not presently a limiting factor for our planned manufacturing operations and expansion, the current volatile credit markets may diminish credit availability for some of our customers. Also, we conduct our business in U.S. dollars which may impact our foreign customers and suppliers as a result of changes in the currency exchange rates. These factors may adversely impact our existing or future take-or-pay agreements and require that we reallocate product shipments to other customers or pursue other remedies. Conversely, we are encouraged by the opportunities for large scale restructuring of the energy infrastructure to increase emphasis on renewable energy, like our solar laminates. Recent government support in this direction includes the solar investment tax credit initiatives enacted as part of the U.S. Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, including an 8-year extension of the 30%, uncapped investment tax credit for commercial and residential solar installations, and permitted utilities to benefit from these tax credits. We also foresee increased opportunity to generate cost reductions in our operations as the economic slowdown affects raw material and labor prices. We are actively managing these risks and opportunities as we continue to pursue our growth strategy.
10.1 | Revised Separation Agreement with Executive Officer effective August 31, 2008 (portions of the agreement have been omitted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment under Rule 24b-2) |
10.2 | Amendment No. 1 to 2006 Stock Incentive Plan |
10.3 | Form of Performance Share Award Agreement pursuant to the Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended |
10.4 | Amended Executive Severance Plan |
31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
31.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
32 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
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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.
| | ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES, INC. | |
| | (Registrant) |
Date: November 10, 2008 | By: | /s/ Harry W. Zike |
| | Harry W. Zike Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |
|
Date: November 10, 2008 | By: | /s/ Mark D. Morelli |
| | Mark D. Morelli President and Chief Executive Officer | |
| | | |
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