The following table compares net sales in total and by area of application for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 to the prior year quarter. Commercial net sales for both periods now include vehicle seating product sales. Due to operational realignment related to shrinking markets and poor business conditions, and the changing nature of vehicle seating product applications, we will include these sales with commercial products on a go-forward basis.
Gross margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 was 21.8% compared to 18.7% in the prior year quarter. The improvement in gross margin percentage is primarily due to changes implemented during the prior fiscal year to better utilize capacity and control costs. In addition, we benefited from modest relief from some of the prior year cost increases for materials and freight.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $14.1 million or 18.6% of net sales and $16.8 million or 18.3% of net sales for the quarters ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, respectively, representing a reduction of approximately $2.7 million due to lower variable expenses on lower sales volume and control of fixed general and administrative expenses.
The effective income tax expense rate for the current fiscal quarter was 40.3% compared to an income tax benefit rate of 35.4% in the prior year fiscal quarter. The current year rate includes the federal statutory rate as well as the effect of the various state taxing jurisdictions. The prior year rate reflects the impact of recording a net loss for the period.
The above factors resulted in current quarter net income of $1.4 million or $0.21 per share, compared to the prior year quarter net loss of $0.7 million or $0.11 per share.
All earnings per share amounts are on a diluted basis.
Investing Activities:
Net cash used in investing activities was $0.4 million during the three-month period ended September 30, 2009 and included $0.6 million for the purchase of capital assets. The Company expects that capital expenditures will be $1.5 million for the remainder of the 2010 fiscal year.
Financing Activities:
Net cash used in financing activities was $3.3 million during the three-month period ended September 30, 2009. Borrowings were lower by $3.0 million primarily due to the reduction in inventory. Dividends of $0.3 million were paid during the three-month period.
During the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, the Company negotiated a refinancing of its working capital line of credit that would have expired June 30, 2009. The Company’s short-term credit facility was increased from $12 million to $15 million and expires June 30, 2010. The long-term credit facility was reduced from $20 million to $10 million and expires September 30, 2011.
The Company pledged accounts receivable and inventory as security under the amended credit facility agreements. The amount of credit available to the Company will be based on eligible accounts receivable and inventory as defined in the amended agreements. At September 30, 2009, the Company had available collateral, as defined by the bank, of $54.2 million with borrowing availability of $25.0 million of which $7.0 million was outstanding. The Company believes that the available credit under the amended agreements is sufficient to support its financing needs.
In the opinion of management, the Company’s current liquidity and credit resources provide it with the ability to react to opportunities as they arise, to pay quarterly dividends to its shareholders, and to purchase productive capital assets that enhance safety and improve operations. However, should the current economic conditions continue for an extended period of time or deteriorate significantly, we would further evaluate all uses of cash and credit facilities, including the payment of dividends and purchase of capital assets.
Outlook
Based upon current business conditions, we believe sales have stabilized at current levels and do not anticipate significant further declines. However, at this time we are not seeing a significant improvement in near-term business conditions. The consolidation of manufacturing operations and workforce reductions that the Company completed during the prior fiscal year has brought production capacity and fixed overhead in line with current and expected demand for our products. Company wide employment, which was reduced approximately 30% in the prior fiscal year through plant closures and workforce reductions, remains at these reduced levels.
We believe that our residential product category has performed reasonably well in relation to our competition. However, residential furniture continues to be a highly deferrable purchase item and is adversely impacted by low levels of consumer confidence, a depressed market for new housing, limited consumer credit and high unemployment. The commercial product category fell considerably as the U. S. economy contracted and credit tightened further during the fourth quarter of the prior fiscal year. We do not foresee any immediate improvement in these conditions and continue to operate on that basis.
While we expect that current business conditions will persist for the remainder of fiscal year 2010, we remain optimistic that our strategy, which includes a wide range of quality product offerings and price points to the residential and commercial markets, combined with our conservative approach to business, will be rewarded when business conditions improve. We will maintain our focus on a strong balance sheet during these challenging economic times through emphasis on cash flow and improving profitability.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
General– Market risk represents the risk of changes in value of a financial instrument, derivative or non-derivative, caused by fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and equity prices. As discussed below, management of the Company does not believe that changes in these factors could cause material fluctuations in the Company’s results of operations or cash flows. The ability to import furniture products can be adversely affected by political issues in the countries where suppliers are located, disruptions associated with shipping distances and negotiations with port employees. Other risks related to furniture product importation include government imposition of regulations and/or quotas; duties and taxes on imports; and significant fluctuation in the value of the U. S. dollar against foreign currencies. Any of these factors could interrupt supply, increase costs and decrease earnings.
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Foreign Currency Risk –During the three months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, the Company did not have sales, purchases, or other expenses denominated in foreign currencies. As such, the Company is not exposed to material market risk associated with currency exchange rates and prices.
Interest Rate Risk –The Company’s primary market risk exposure with regard to financial instruments is changes in interest rates. At September 30, 2009, a hypothetical 100 basis point increase in short-term interest rates would decrease annual pre-tax earnings by approximately $20,000, assuming no change in the volume or composition of debt. At September 30, 2009, the Company had effectively fixed the interest rates at 4.9% on approximately $5.0 million of its short-term debt through the use of interest rate swaps. As of September 30, 2009, the cumulative fair value of the swaps is a liability of approximately $0.2 million and is included in other liabilities.
Tariffs – The Company has exposure to actions by governments, including tariffs. Tariffs are a possibility on any imported or exported products.
Inflation – Increased operating costs are reflected in product or services pricing with any limitations on price increases determined by the marketplace. The impact of inflation on the Company has not been significant during the past three years because of the relatively low rates of inflation experienced in the United States. Raw material costs, labor costs and interest rates are important components of costs for the Company. Inflation or other pricing pressures could impact any or all of these components, with a possible adverse effect on our profitability, especially where increases in these costs exceed price increases on finished products. In recent years, the Company has faced strong inflationary and other pricing pressures with respect to steel, fuel and health care costs, which have been partially mitigated by pricing adjustments.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
(a)Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures. As of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief executive officer (“CEO”) and chief financial officer (“CFO”) of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) were effective as of the date of such evaluation.
(b)Changes in internal control over financial reporting.During the quarter ended September 30, 2009, there were no significant changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that has materially affected, or is reasonable likely to materially affect the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Cautionary Statement Relevant to Forward-Looking Information for the Purpose of “Safe Harbor” Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
The Company and its representatives may from time to time make written or oral forward-looking statements with respect to long-term goals or anticipated results of the Company, including statements contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in its reports to stockholders.
Statements, including those in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which are not historical or current facts, are “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There are certain important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those anticipated by some of the statements made herein. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty. Some of the factors that could affect results are the cyclical nature of the furniture industry, the effectiveness of new product introductions and distribution channels, the product mix of sales, pricing pressures, the cost of raw materials and fuel, foreign currency valuations, actions by governments including taxes and tariffs, inflation, the amount of sales generated and the profit margins thereon, competition (both foreign and domestic), changes in interest rates, credit exposure with customers and general economic conditions. For further information regarding these risks and uncertainties, see the “Risk Factors” section in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.
The Company specifically declines to undertake any obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements that have been made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
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PART II OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1A. Risk Factors
There has been no material change in the risk factors set forth under Part 1, Item 1A “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.
Item 6. Exhibits
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| 31.1 | Certification by Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| 31.2 | Certification by Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| 32 | Certification by 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. |
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.
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| | FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. |
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Date: | October 23, 2009 | | By: | /S/ Timothy E. Hall |
| | | | Timothy E. Hall |
| | | Chief Financial Officer |
| | | (Principal Financial & Accounting Officer) |
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