operating in the ordinary course for an extended period and could have a significant adverse impact on the Company’s financial statements.
Should the adverse impacts described above (or others that are currently unknown) occur, whether individually or collectively, the Company would expect to experience, among other things, increases in defaults under customer contracts, and decreases in future demand for finished lots and homes, likely resulting in reduced revenues and profitability. Such impacts could be material to the Company’s financial statements. The Company could also be forced to reduce its average selling prices in order to generate homebuilder or homebuyer demand or in reaction to competitive pressures. In addition, should the COVID-19 public health effort intensify to such an extent that the Company cannot operate in Rio Rancho, the Company could generate few or no sales during the applicable period, which could be prolonged. If there are prolonged government restrictions on the Company’s operations or the Company’s employees, trade contractors or customers, or an extended economic recession, the Company could be unable to produce revenues and cash flows sufficient to conduct operations, meet the terms of the Company’s covenants and other requirements under its financing arrangements or service the Company’s outstanding debt. Such a circumstance could, among other things, exhaust the Company’s available liquidity (and ability to access liquidity sources) or trigger an acceleration to pay a significant portion or all of the Company’s then-outstanding debt obligations, which the Company may be unable to do.
Pension Plan. The Company has a defined benefit pension plan for which accumulated benefits were frozen and future service credits were curtailed as of March 1, 2004. Under generally accepted accounting principles, the Company’s defined benefit pension plan was overfunded as of April 30, 2022 by $90,000, with $18,054,000 of assets and $17,964,000 of liabilities, and was underfunded as of April 30, 2021 by $476,000, with $21,102,000 of assets and $21,578,000 of liabilities. The pension plan liabilities were determined using a weighted average discount interest rate of 3.97% per year as of April 30, 2022 and 2.48% per year as of April 30, 2021, which are based on the FTSE Pension Discount Curve as of such dates as it corresponds to the projected liability requirements of the pension plan. As of April 30, 2022, for each 0.25% increase in the weighted average discount interest rate, the pension plan liabilities are forecasted to decrease by $337,000 and for each 0.25% decrease in the weighted average discount interest rate, the pension plan liabilities are forecasted to increase by $350,000. As of April 30, 2022, the effect of every 0.25% change in the investment rate of return on pension plan assets would increase or decrease the subsequent year’s pension expense by $42,000, and the effect of every 0.25% change in the weighted average discount interest rate would increase or decrease the subsequent year’s pension expense by $7,000. The pension plan is subject to minimum IRS contribution requirements, but these requirements can be satisfied by the use of the pension plan’s existing credit balance. No cash contributions were required during 2022. The Company made voluntary contributions to the pension plan of $1,847,000 during 2021.
Cash Flow. The following presents information on the cash flows for the Company (dollars in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended April 30, | | % Increase | |
| | 2022 | | 2021 | | (Decrease) | |
Net cash provided by operating activities | | $ | 15,476 | | $ | 12,609 | | 23 | % |
Net cash used in investing activities | | | (1,195) | | | (5) | | (a) | |
Net cash used in financing activities | | | (23,361) | | | (5,305) | | (a) | |
(Decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | | $ | (9,080) | | $ | 7,299 | | (a) | |
(a)Percentage not meaningful.
Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities for 2022 was higher than 2021 by $2,867,000 primarily due to (i) an increase in the Company’s net income, accounts payable and accrued expenses and taxes payable and (ii) a decrease in the amount of investment assets and pension costs, partially offset by (a) a decrease in the amount of deferred income taxes and (b) an increase in the amount of real estate inventory.
Investing Activities. Net cash used in investing activities for 2022 was higher than 2021 by $1,190,000 primarily due to the acquisition of a 7,000 square foot office building in Rio Rancho from which the Company’s real estate business now operates.
Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities for 2022 was higher than 2021 by $18,056,000 primarily due to the Company’s share repurchase activity. Notes payable, net decreased from $3,448,000 as of April 30, 2021 to $2,030,000 as of April 30, 2022, primarily due to repayments made on outstanding borrowings partially offset by additional borrowings to fund land acquisitions and land development activities. Refer to Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements contained in this annual report on Form 10-K for detail regarding each of the Company’s notes payable. Refer to Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements contained in this annual report on Form 10-K for detail regarding the Company’s share repurchase activity. The Company does not expect the Company’s share repurchase activity to be indicative of its future activity in this area.