In December 2010, the Company entered into a new credit facility with a syndication of banks led by JPMorgan Chase. The new credit arrangement provides for a five-year, $200.0 million term loan and a $400.0 million revolving credit facility. The new credit facility contains an expansion feature by which the term loan and revolving credit facility may be increased, at the Company’s option and under certain conditions, by up to an additional $150.0 million in the aggregate.
We finance our operations primarily through cash generated from our on-going operating activities. As of March 31, 2011, we had $109.0 million of cash and cash equivalents and $336.9 million of available borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility. Our cash and cash equivalents are held in numerous locations throughout the world, with approximately 86% held outside the United States as of March 31, 2011.
We believe that we have adequate liquidity and that the cash we expect to earn from our on-going operating activities, our existing cash balances, and the expanded borrowing capacity we have under our revolving credit facility will be sufficient for our expected short-term and foreseeable long-term operating needs.
The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s cash and cash equivalents (in thousands):
Operating cash flow decreased by $16.7 million when comparing the three months ended March 31, 2011 to the same quarter of 2010, primarily relating to the Company’s strong financial performance and stock-based compensation exercises.
The Company paid approximately $22.0 million in additional bonus and commission payments in February 2011 compared to February 2010 due to a substantially stronger full year financial performance in 2010 compared to 2009. We also had $15.4 million in additional excess tax benefits in 2011 from exercises of stock-based compensation awards due to higher exercise activity and a substantially higher market value of our Common Stock. In accordance with U.S. GAAP accounting rules, these excess tax benefits are required to be reclassified from the operating activities category to the financing activities category. However, the reclassification has no impact on the net change in cash and cash equivalents for the period.
Partially offsetting these operating cash flow decreases in the first quarter of 2011 was a $9.8 million increase in net income and $11.0 million in lower cash payments for interest, severance, taxes, and acquisition costs.
Cash used in our investing activities declined in 2011 due to the $11.7 million in payments for the acquisition of Burton Group in the prior year quarter. We used $3.7 million for capital expenditures in 2011 compared to $3.4 million in 2010.
Cash provided from financing activities increased $3.0 million quarter-over-quarter, primarily due to share-based payment activity. We realized $22.7 million more from higher option exercises and excess tax benefits in the 2011 period as a higher average stock price in the 2011 period resulted in a significantly increased number of exercises. Substantially offsetting the $22.7 million increase was $16.7 million in additional cash used for share repurchases and $3.0 million in lower net proceeds from debt in the 2011 quarter.
OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS
2010 Credit Agreement
As of March 31, 2011, we had $255.0 million outstanding under our 2010 Credit Agreement which provides for a five-year, $200.0 million term loan and a $400.0 million revolving credit facility. The 2010 Credit Agreement contains an expansion feature by which the term loan and revolving credit facility may be increased, at the Company’s option and under certain conditions, by up to an additional $150.0 million in the aggregate.
The term loan will be repaid in 19 consecutive quarterly installments which commenced on March 31, 2011, plus a final payment due on December 22, 2015, and may be prepaid at any time without penalty or premium at the Company’s option. The revolving credit facility may be used for loans, and up to $40.0 million may be used for letters of credit. The revolving loans may be borrowed, repaid and re-borrowed until December 22, 2015, at which time all amounts borrowed must be repaid. See Note 7 — Debt herein in the Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the 2010 Credit Agreement.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Through March 31, 2011, we have not entered into any off-balance sheet arrangements or transactions with unconsolidated entities or other persons.
BUSINESS AND TRENDS
Our quarterly and annual revenue, operating income, and cash flow fluctuate as a result of many factors, including: the timing of our Symposium/ITxpo series that normally occurs during the fourth calendar quarter, and other events; the amount of new business generated; the mix of domestic and international business; changes in market demand for our products and services; changes in foreign currency rates; the timing of the development, introduction and marketing of new products and services; competition in the industry; and other factors. The potential fluctuations in our operating income could cause period-to-period comparisons of operating results not to be meaningful and could provide an unreliable indication of future operating results.
FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE PERFORMANCE
We operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment that involves numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. A description of the risk factors associated with our business is included under “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A. of our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K which is incorporated herein by reference.
RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
Accounting guidance issued by the various standard setting and governmental authorities that have not yet become effective or may impact our Consolidated Financial Statements in future periods are described below, together with our assessment of the potential impact they may have on our Consolidated Financial Statements:
In December 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2010-29, “Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations”(“ASU 2010-29”). The intent of the new rule is to improve consistency in how pro forma disclosures are calculated. Additionally, FASB ASU 2010-29 enhances the disclosure requirements and requires description of the nature and amount of any material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to a business combination. The new rule should be applied prospectively to business combinations for which the acquisition date is after the effective date. Gartner adopted FASB ASU 2010-29 on January 1, 2011 and there was no impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures. However, since the new rule is prospective in application, in the event of a future business combination we believe we will be required to provide additional disclosures.
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ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Interest Rate Risk
We have exposure to changes in interest rates arising from borrowings under our 2010 Credit Agreement. On March 31, 2011, we had $195.0 million outstanding under the term loan and $60.0 million outstanding under the revolver. Borrowings under this facility are floating rate, which may be either prime-based or Eurodollar-based. Interest rates under these borrowings include a base rate plus a margin between 0.50% and 1.25% on prime borrowings and between 1.50% and 2.25% on Eurodollar-based borrowings.
As of March 31, 2011, the annualized interest rate on the term loan was 2.31%, which consisted of a 0.31% Eurodollar base rate plus a margin of 2.00%, and 2.26% on the revolver, which consisted of a 0.26% Eurodollar base rate plus a margin of 2.0%. We have an interest rate swap contract which effectively converts the floating base rate on the first $200.0 million of our borrowings to a 2.26% fixed rate.
The Company only hedges the base interest rate risk on the first $200.0 million of its outstanding borrowings. Accordingly, we are exposed to interest rate risk on borrowings in excess of $200.0 million. A 25 basis point increase or decrease in interest rates would change pre-tax annual interest expense on the additional $336.9 million borrowing capacity under the 2010 Credit Agreement by approximately $0.8 million.
Foreign Currency Risk
We have customers in numerous countries and 44% and 45% of our revenues for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, were derived from sales outside of the U.S. As a result we conduct business in numerous currencies other than the U.S dollar. Among the major foreign currencies in which we conduct business are the Euro, the British Pound, the Japanese Yen, the Australian dollar, and the Canadian dollar. Our foreign currency exposure results in both translation risk and transaction risk:
Translation Risk
We are exposed to foreign currency translation risk since the functional currencies of our foreign operations are generally denominated in the local currency. Translation risk arises since the assets and liabilities that we report for our foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet dates, and these exchange rates fluctuate over time. These foreign currency translation adjustments are deferred and are recorded as a component of stockholders’ equity and do not impact our operating results.
A measure of the potential impact of foreign currency translation on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets can be determined through a sensitivity analysis of our cash and cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2011, we had $109.0 million of cash and cash equivalents, a substantial portion of which was denominated in foreign currencies. If the foreign exchange rates of the major currencies in which we operate changed in comparison to the U.S. dollar by 10%, the amount of cash and cash equivalents we would have reported on March 31, 2011 would have increased or decreased by approximately $6.0 million.
Because our foreign subsidiaries generally operate in a local functional currency that differs from the U.S. dollar, revenues and expenses in these foreign currencies translate into higher or lower revenues and expenses in U.S. dollars as the U.S. dollar continuously weakens or strengthens against these other currencies. Therefore, changes in exchange rates may affect our consolidated revenues and expenses (as expressed in U.S. dollars) from foreign operations. Historically, this impact on our consolidated earnings has not been material since foreign currency movements in the major currencies in which we operate tend to impact our revenues and expenses fairly equally.
Transaction Risk
We also have foreign exchange transaction risk since we typically enter into transactions in the normal course of business that are denominated in foreign currencies that differ from the local functional currency in which the foreign subsidiary operates.
We typically enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to offset the effects of foreign currency transaction risk. These contracts are normally short term in duration and unrealized and realized gains and losses are recognized in current period earnings. At March 31, 2011, we had 25 outstanding foreign currency forward contracts with a total notional amount of $90.0 million and a net unrealized gain of $0.3 million. All of these contracts matured by the end of April 2011.
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Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of short-term, highly liquid investments classified as cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and interest rate swap contracts. The majority of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents and its interest rate swap contracts are with large investment grade commercial banks that are participants in the Company’s 2010 Credit Agreement. Accounts receivable balances deemed to be collectible from customers have limited concentration of credit risk due to our diverse customer base and geographic dispersion.
ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
We have established disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that the information we are required to disclose in our reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported in a timely manner. Specifically, these controls and procedures ensure that the information is accumulated and communicated to our executive management team, including our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management conducted an evaluation, as of March 31, 2011, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, under the supervision and with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Based upon that evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in alerting them in a timely manner to material Company information required to be disclosed by us in reports filed under the Act.
In addition, there have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
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PART II OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are involved in legal and administrative proceedings and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We believe that the potential liability, if any, in excess of amounts already accrued from all proceedings, claims and litigation will not have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations when resolved in a future period.
The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has completed its examination of the Federal income tax return of the Company for the tax year ended December 31, 2007. In December 2010 the Company received a report of the audit findings. The Company disagrees with certain of the proposed adjustments and is disputing this matter through applicable IRS and judicial procedures, as appropriate. In April 2011 the Company received notice that the IRS intends to conduct an audit of the 2008 and 2009 tax years. Although the final resolution of these audits is uncertain and there are no assurances that the ultimate resolution will not exceed the amounts recorded, the Company believes that the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, cash flows, or results of operations.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
A description of the risk factors associated with our business is included under “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A. of our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
There were no unregistered sales of equity securities during the period covered by this report.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The Company has a $500.0 million share repurchase program to be utilized to acquire shares of Common Stock. Repurchases may be made from time-to-time through open market purchases, private transactions, tender offers or other transactions. The amount and timing of repurchases will be subject to the availability of stock, prevailing market conditions, the trading price of the stock, the Company’s financial performance and other conditions. Repurchases may also be made from time-to-time in connection with the settlement of the Company’s shared-based compensation awards. Repurchases will be funded from cash flow from operations and borrowings under the Company’s Credit Agreement.
The following table provides detail related to repurchases of our Common Stock for treasury in the three months ended March 31, 2011:
| | | | | | | | | | |
Period | | Total Number of Shares Purchased | | Average Price Paid Per Share | | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that may yet be Purchased Under our Share Repurchase Program (in thousands) | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
2011 | | | | | | | | | | |
January | | | 2,031 | | $ | 34.60 | | | | |
February | | | 1,082,232 | | | 36.26 | | | | |
March | | | 326,565 | | | 38.52 | | | | |
| |
|
| |
|
| | | | |
Total | | | 1,410,828 | | $ | 36.78 | | $ | 452.1 | |
| |
|
| |
|
| | | | |
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ITEM 6. EXHIBITS
| | |
EXHIBIT NUMBER | | DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT |
| |
|
31.1 | | Certification of chief executive officer under Rule 13a — 14(a)/15d — 14(a). |
|
31.2 | | Certification of chief financial officer under Rule 13a — 14(a)/15d — 14(a). |
|
32 | | Certification under 18 U.S.C. 1350. |
|
101 | | Interactive data files pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T: (i) the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, (ii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2010, (iii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2010, and (iv) the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. |
Items 3, 4, and 5 of Part II are not applicable and have been omitted.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| |
| Gartner, Inc. |
| |
Date: May 5, 2011 | /s/ Christopher J. Lafond |
|
|
| Christopher J. Lafond |
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
| (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
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