Agribusiness revenue for the first nine months of 2007 decreased $2.0 million, or 2 percent, compared with the same period in 2006. The decrease was principally due to $3.6 million in lower bulk raw sugar revenue as a result of lower sugar prices and sales volumes, and $2.0 million in lower power revenue due principally to lower volumes sold, partially offset by $3.6 million in higher revenue from trucking and shop services, quarry royalties, coffee sales, and specialty sugar sales.
Cash Flows used in Investing Activities totaled $87 million for the first nine months of 2007, compared with $105 million used in the first nine months of 2006. The decrease was due principally to $183 million of lower capital expenditures in 2007, partially offset by net deposits to the Capital Construction Fund – as compared to significant net withdrawals in 2006 – and lower proceeds from investments, principally due to the 2006 return of capital from the Hokua joint venture.
Capital expenditures for the first nine months of 2007 totaled $72 million compared with $255 million for the first nine months of 2006. The 2007 expenditures included $51 million for the purchase of ocean transportation-related assets, $8 million for real estate related acquisitions, development and property improvements, and $13 million related to agricultural operations. The $72 million reported in Capital Expenditures on the Statement of Cash Flows for 2007 excludes $12 million of tax-deferred purchases since the Company did not actually take control of the cash during the exchange period. Capital expenditures for 2006 included $209 million for the purchase of ocean transportation-related assets, primarily related to the new China service, $31 million for real estate related acquisitions, development, and property improvements, and $9 million of routine asset replacements for agricultural operations. The 2006 amounts reported in Capital Expenditures on the Statement of Cash Flows excluded $33 million of tax-deferred purchases.
Cash Flows used in Financing Activities were $7 million for the first nine months of 2007, compared with $7 million provided during the first nine months of 2006. The $14 million decrease in cash flows from Financing Activities was principally due to $74 million in lower net borrowings on the Company’s debt facilities in 2007 as compared to 2006, partially offset by $60 million in higher share repurchases in 2006 than in 2007.
The Company believes that funds generated from results of operations, available cash and cash equivalents, and available borrowings under credit facilities will be sufficient to finance the Company’s business requirements for the next fiscal year, including working capital, capital expenditures, dividends, and potential acquisitions and stock repurchases. There can be no assurance, however, that the Company will continue to generate cash flows at or above current levels or that it will be able to maintain its ability to borrow under its available credit facilities.
Sources of Liquidity: Funds generated by operating activities continue to be the Company’s most significant source of liquidity. Additional sources of liquidity for the Company consisted of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, and sugar and coffee inventories that totaled $224 million at September 30, 2007, a decrease of $6 million from December 31, 2006. The decrease was due primarily to $16 million of lower cash balances, partially offset by $8 million in higher receivable balances and $3 million in higher sugar and coffee inventory balances. These fluctuations are due to normal operating activities.
The Company also has various revolving credit and term facilities that provide additional sources of liquidity for working capital requirements or investment opportunities on a short-term as well as longer-term basis. As of September 30, 2007, available borrowings under these facilities totaled $426 million.
Balance Sheet: Working capital was $23 million at September 30, 2007, a decrease of $5 million from the balance carried at the end of 2006. The decrease in working capital was due primarily to higher accounts payable balances.
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $29 million at the end of the third quarter compared with $45 million at the beginning of the year. The lower cash balance is due principally to dividends paid, capital expenditures, contributions to joint venture investments, and repurchases of stock, partially offset by cash from operations and debt borrowings.
Long-term Debt, including current portion, totaled $476 million at September 30, 2007 compared with a balance of $442 million at December 31, 2006. This $34 million increase was due mainly to borrowings used for capital expenditures.
Tax-Deferred Real Estate Exchanges: Sales – During the third quarter of 2007, there were sales of three leased properties totaling $72.1 million that qualified for potential tax-deferral treatment under the Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 (the “Code”). As of September 30, 2007, $72.1 million of proceeds had not been reinvested. The proceeds must be reinvested in qualifying property within 180 days from the date of the sale in order to qualify for tax deferral treatment under the Code.
29
Purchases – There were no purchases during the third quarter of 2007 that utilized tax deferred funds.
The proceeds from 1031 tax-deferred sales are held in escrow pending future use to purchase new real estate assets. The proceeds from 1033 condemnations are held by the Company until the funds are redeployed.
The funds related to 1031 transactions are not included in the Statement of Cash Flows but are included as non-cash activities below the Statement. For “reverse 1031” transactions, the Company purchases a property in anticipation of receiving funds from a future property sale. Funds used for reverse 1031 purchases are included as capital expenditures on the Statement of Cash Flows and the related sales of property, for which the proceeds are linked, are included as property sales in the Statement.
Commitments, Contingencies and Off-balance Sheet Arrangements: The Company adopted FIN 48 on January 1, 2007. The Company has not provided a detailed estimate of the timing of payments due to the uncertainty of when the related tax settlements are due. A description of other commitments, contingencies, and off-balance sheet arrangements at September 30, 2007 is described in Note 3 to the financial statements of Item 1 in this Form 10-Q.
BUSINESS OUTLOOK
Transportation: For 2007, Matson expects its full-year operating profit to be significantly higher than 2006, based on the full-year impact and strength of its established China-Long Beach service and the strengthening Guam market.
Total Hawaii container volumes have been, and are expected to be, modestly lower than the prior year. Matson’s westbound Hawaii service container volume increased marginally in the third quarter of 2007, and is forecast to be flat in the fourth quarter, as compared to levels achieved in the same period of 2006. Eastbound container volume, which represents less than one-eighth of total Hawaii container volume, is expected to decrease in the fourth quarter and for the full year. While auto volumes were seasonally stronger in the third quarter of 2007, the Company does not expect that a return toward the higher volumes of preceding years will be achieved in the near-term.
The growth of Matson’s China-Long Beach service volume more than offset the moderating volume in the Hawaii market in the third quarter of 2007. Additionally, Matson’s China service advantage has provided meaningful rate and yield improvements that were favorably reflected in the results for the quarter. Matson expects that the favorable rate improvements will remain for the balance of the year. For the fourth quarter of 2007, Matson forecasts sustained, robust volumes, and expects that its ships will be effectively full, mirroring its volumes from the same period of the prior year.
Ocean Transportation financial performance for the fourth quarter of 2007 will be affected by cost increases related to contractual increases, higher Hawaii labor benefits, and increases in container terminal costs. The impact of these increases is expected to result in modestly to moderately lower financial performance in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared to the same period in the prior year.
30
For the fourth quarter of 2007, Matson Integrated Logistics (“MIL”) expects the volume environment to remain challenging, which is expected to unfavorably impact its financial performance in comparison to the same period from the prior year. Therefore, MIL expects only moderate improvement in its financial performance for the full year and expects margins in the fourth quarter to moderate from the high levels experienced in recent periods.
Real Estate: The real estate leasing portfolio continues to exhibit strong performance as occupancies remain at high levels. For the fourth quarter of 2007, existing high occupancy levels are expected to continue, although earnings are expected to be lower, compared to the same period in 2006, due in part to third quarter property sales, and various favorable non-recurring items that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2006. As a result, the year-over-year improvement for the real estate leasing portfolio is expected to be moderate.
Performance of the real estate sales segment in the third quarter of 2007 was significantly higher than the third quarter of 2006 due to the timing of property sales, which are inherently episodic. For the fourth quarter of 2007, given anticipated commercial property and residential real estate sales, the Company projects favorable year-over-year comparisons. For the full-year, the Company projects strong year-over-year growth.
Agribusiness: Unfavorable weather conditions have continued to negatively impact sugar yields in the third quarter of 2007, resulting in a loss in the third quarter of 2007. As a result, while the Company expects a favorable year-over-year comparison for the fourth quarter of 2007 versus the same period in 2006, the Company also expects nominal profitability for the full year.
OTHER MATTERS
Share Repurchases: During the third quarter, the Company repurchased 262,882 shares at an average price of $48.99 through open market purchases. As of September 30, 2007, approximately 1,737,000 shares remain available for repurchase under a two million share authorization that was approved by the A&B Board of Directors in October 2006. This authorization expires December 31, 2008.
Dividends: On April 25, 2007, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a 16% increase in the quarterly dividend from $0.25 per share to $0.29 per share, effective with the second quarter of 2007. On June 28, 2007, the Company’s Board of Directors announced a third-quarter 2007 dividend of $0.29 per share, payable on September 6, 2007 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 2, 2007. On October 25, 2007, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a fourth-quarter 2007 dividend of $0.29 per share, payable on December 6, 2007 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 8, 2007.
Significant Accounting Policies: The Company’s significant accounting policies are described in Note 1 of the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of the Company’s most recently filed Form 10-K.
31
Critical Accounting Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, upon which the Management’s Discussion and Analysis is based, requires that management exercise judgment when making estimates and assumptions about future events that may affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Future events and their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty and actual results will, inevitably, differ from those critical accounting estimates. These differences could be material. The most significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of A&B’s financial statements were described in Item 7 of the Company’s most recently filed Form 10-K.
Economic Conditions: Two primary sources of periodic economic forecasts for the State of Hawaii are the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) and the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT). Forecasts from these independent organizations suggest that the economic rate of growth has moderated, but remains positive for the rest of the year and into 2008.
32
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Information concerning market risk is incorporated herein by reference to Item 7A of the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006. There has been no material change in the quantitative and qualitative disclosure about market risk since December 31, 2006.
ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
| (a) | Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company’s management, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on such evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of the end of such period, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective. |
| (b) | Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. There have not been any changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the fiscal quarter to which this report relates that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. |
33
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
In connection with the complaint filed by the Government of Guam with the Surface Transportation Board (the “Board”) against Matson in 1998, the Board, on August 30, 2007, denied the Government of Guam’s petition for reconsideration of the Board’s February 2, 2007 decision. As a result, the Government of Guam filed a motion to dismiss its complaint on September 18, 2007. The Board issued a decision dismissing the complaint on October 12, 2007.
ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | Maximum Number of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs |
Jul 1 – 31, 2007 | 520 (1) | 52.51 | -- | -- |
Aug 1 – 31, 2007 | 157,268 | 49.05 | 157,268 | 1,842,732 (2) |
Sep 1 – 30, 2007 | 105,614 | 48.90 | 105,614 | 1,737,118 (2) |
(1) Represents shares accepted in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of non-vested common stock.
(2) The Company has a continuing share repurchase program (approved in October 2006) under which the Company may repurchase shares of common stock in either open market or private transactions. The share repurchase authorization expires December 31, 2008. See Note 10 included in Item 1 of this Form 10-Q for additional information related to share repurchases that occurred subsequent to September 30, 2007.
34
ITEM 6. EXHIBITS
10.a.(xxx) Amendment No. 1 dated September 21, 2007, to Security Agreement between Matson Navigation Company, Inc. and the United States of America, with respect to $55 million of Title XI ship financing bonds, dated July 29, 2004.
31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer, as Adopted 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.
35
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.
| | ALEXANDER & BALDWIN, INC. |
| | (Registrant) |
| | |
| | |
| | |
Date: October 26, 2007 | | /s/ Christopher J. Benjamin |
| | Christopher J. Benjamin |
| | Senior Vice President, |
| | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
| | |
| | |
| | |
Date: October 26, 2007 | | /s/ Paul K. Ito |
| | Paul K. Ito |
| | Vice President, Controller and |
| | Assistant Treasurer |
EXHIBIT INDEX
10.a.(xxx) Amendment No. 1 dated September 21, 2007, to Security Agreement between Matson Navigation Company, Inc. and the United States of America, with respect to $55 million of Title XI ship financing bonds, dated July 29, 2004.
31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer, as Adopted 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.