The company is in the planning process on an additional 26 properties covering 36,000 acres. Real Estate Segment operating income was 72% of its first quarter revenues for 2006, compared to 63% for 2005. This increase was due primarily to selling parcels with higher per acre values during the first quarter of 2006 and operating income from our real estate development activities compared to a loss in the first quarter of 2005. Real Estate Segment costs and expenses decreased by $8 million to $17 million in 2006. This decrease was due primarily to selling fewer acres during 2006.
We expect revenues from real estate sales during 2006 to range between $280 million and $300 million from the sale of 100,000 to 150,000 acres. We estimate these sales will consist of 45,000 to 60,000 non-strategic acres, up to 6,000 development acres and the remainder from the sales of higher and better use and conservation acres. Additionally, as of April 30, 2006, we have entered into five joint venture arrangements with land developers for three projects in northeast Florida and two in southeast Georgia. The five joint venture arrangements cover approximately 15,000 acres. We expect these joint venture arrangements will each take from five to ten years to complete all development and sales activities. We do not expect any significant revenues from these joint venture arrangements during the next twelve months. Manufactured Products Segment.Revenues increased by $5 million, or 4%, to $134 million in the first quarter of 2006. The increase was due primarily to higher plywood prices ($3 million) and slightly higher MDF volumes ($4 million), partially offset by slightly lower lumber volumes ($3 million). Plywood prices increased 8% due primarily to strong industrial markets as a result of a robust U.S. economy. Manufactured Products Segment operating income was 6% of its revenues for both the first quarter of 2006 and first quarter of 2005. Manufactured Products Segment costs and expenses increased by $5 million, or 4%, to $126 million in 2006. This increase was due primarily to higher MDF sales volume and higher MDF chip prices, resin costs and electricity costs due to higher fuel prices. Interest Expense.Interest expense increased $4 million, or 15%, to $31 million in the first quarter of 2006. This increase was due primarily to the issuance of $300 million of Senior Notes with an interest rate of 5.875% in connection with our November 2005 acquisition of 650,000 acres of timberlands in Northern Michigan. Other Costs and Eliminations. Other Costs and Eliminations (which consists of corporate overhead and intercompany profit elimination) decreased operating income by $15 million during the first quarter of 2006, compared to a decrease of $11 million during the first quarter of 2005. This increase of $4 million was due primarily to increased costs associated with strategic business development, information technology, and financial and tax reporting. Gain on Sale of Properties, net of tax.During the first quarter of 2005, Plum Creek sold its remaining coal reserves for total proceeds of $21 million. The net gain from this sale, after deducting our book basis was $20 million. Financial Condition and Liquidity Cash Flows from Operating Activities.Net cash provided by operating activities for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 totaled $140 million, compared to $79 million for the same period in 2005. The increase of $61 million was due primarily to a $73 million positive change in working capital. The change in working capital was due primarily to the timing of when proceeds from a like-kind exchange trust are either reinvested in replacement property (primarily timberlands) or distributed to the company. Proceeds associated with a forward like-kind exchange are either reinvested in like-kind property within 180-days, or if the exchange is not successful, are distributed to the company at the end of either the 45-day identification period or the 180-day reinvestment period. During the first quarter of 2006, we received proceeds from an unsuccessful like-kind exchange while during the first quarter of 2005 we had numerous real estate sales in which the proceeds were held in a like-kind exchange trust at the end of the quarter. (See Note 1 of the Notes to Financial Statements.) Debt Financing.In April 2006, the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a shelf registration statement under which Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc., from time to time, may offer and sell any combination of preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares, warrants and guarantees, and under which Plum Creek Timberlands, L.P., the company’s wholly owned operating partnership, may from time to time, offer and sell debt securities. The shelf registration statement expires on April 25, 2009.
On May 2, 2006, Plum Creek Timberlands, L.P., the company’s wholly owned operating partnership issued off the shelf registration statement, $225 million aggregate principal amount of its senior notes with a coupon rate of 5.875%, at a market price of 96.686% of the principal amount. The notes mature in 2015 and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. The net proceeds of $216 million will be used to repay outstanding debt maturing during 2006, consisting of the $50 million one-year term loan due in May of 2006, $27 million of senior notes and first mortgage notes due in June of 2006, $55 million of senior notes due in October of 2006, and $75 million of senior notes due in November of 2006. The company may use the proceeds to temporarily reduce outstanding indebtedness on the revolving line of credit prior to the maturities of the first mortgage and senior notes. The company has a $650 million revolving line of credit maturing on January 15, 2009. As of March 31, 2006, the weighted-average interest rate for the line of credit was 5.55%. The interest rate on the line of credit is based on LIBOR plus 0.875%, which includes facility fees. This rate can range from LIBOR plus 0.75% to LIBOR plus 1.625% depending on our financial results. Subject to customary covenants, the line of credit allows for borrowings from time to time up to $650 million, including up to $50 million of standby letters of credit. Borrowings on the line of credit fluctuate daily, based on cash needs. As of March 31, 2006, we had $495 million of borrowings and $6 million of standby letters of credit outstanding; $149 million remained available for borrowing under our line of credit. As of April 7, 2006, $377 million of the borrowings under our line of credit was repaid. The company’s borrowing agreements contain various restrictive covenants, including limitations on harvest levels, sales of assets, the incurrence of indebtedness and making restricted payments (such as payments of cash dividends or stock repurchases). The borrowing agreements limit our ability to make restricted payments based on available cash, which is generally our net income (excluding gains on the sale of capital assets) after adjusting for non-cash charges (such as depreciation and depletion), changes in various reserves, less capital expenditures and principal payments on indebtedness that are not financed. Additionally, the amount of available cash may be increased by the amount of proceeds from the sale of higher and better use properties and, under certain circumstances, by 50% of the amount of net proceeds from the sale of other assets. Furthermore, our line of credit requires that we maintain certain interest coverage and maximum leverage ratios. The company was in compliance with all of our borrowing agreement covenants as of March 31, 2006. The company’s financial policy is to maintain a balance sheet that provides the financial flexibility to pursue our strategic objectives. In order to maintain this financial flexibility, the company’s objective is to maintain its investment grade credit rating. This is reflected in our moderate use of debt, good access to credit markets and no material covenant restrictions in our debt agreements that would prevent us from prudently using debt capital. Capital Expenditures.Capital expenditures for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 were $17 million, compared to $10 million for the same period in 2005. Planned capital expenditures for 2006, excluding the acquisition of timberlands, are expected to range between $110 million and $120 million. Of planned capital expenditures in 2006, approximately 50% are considered to be discretionary. Discretionary expenditures consist primarily of silviculture investments and land development investments. Other capital expenditures consist primarily of reforestation and projects at our manufacturing facilities to sustain operating activities or improve safety. Equity.On May 2, 2006, our Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.40 per share, or approximately $74 million, which will be paid on May 31, 2006, to stockholders of record on May 15, 2006. Future dividends will be determined by our Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, based on consideration of a number of factors including, but not limited to, our results of operations, cash flow and capital requirements, economic conditions, tax considerations, debt covenant restrictions that may impose limitations on the company’s ability to make cash payments, borrowing capacity, changes in the prices of and demand for Plum Creek’s products, and changes in our ability to sell timberlands at attractive prices. Other factors that our Board of Directors considers include the appropriate timing of timber harvests, acquisition and divestiture opportunities, stock repurchases, debt repayment and other means by which the company could deliver value to its stockholders. In October of 2002, our Board of Directors authorized the company to repurchase up to $200 million of the company’s common stock. As of March 31, 2006, the company had repurchased approximately 2 million shares of common stock for a total cost of $43 million at an average price of $21.53 per share. Future Cash Requirements.Cash required to meet our financial needs will be significant. We believe, however, that cash on hand and cash flows from continuing operations will be sufficient to fund planned capital expenditures, and interest and principal payments on our indebtedness for the next year. The company refinanced most of the 2006 maturities with the $225 million aggregate principal amount senior notes issued on May 2, 2006. In 2007, the company has significant long-term debt principal payment requirements. The company intends to refinance the 2007 principal payments at the time of maturity with the use of a combination of short-term and long-term borrowings, depending on interest rate and market conditions. Management believes that the company’s credit ratings, asset base and historical financial performance will allow these refinancings to be completed at attractive interest rates.
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK Approximately $1.7 billion of Plum Creek’s long-term debt bears interest at fixed rates, and therefore the fair value of these instruments is affected by changes in market interest rates. The following table presents contractual principal cash flows based upon maturity dates of the company’s debt obligations and the related weighted-average contractual interest rates by expected maturity dates for the fixed rate debt (in millions): |