SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Quarter Ended: February 28,1999
Commission File Number: 0-7568
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
LOUISIANA
72-0646580
(State or other jurisdiction of
(I.R.S. Employer Identification
incorporation or organization)
Number)
HIGHWAY 18--RIVER ROAD, P.O. BOX 250, VACHERIE, LA 70090
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (225) 265-8181
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
NONE
(Title of each class)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
COMMON STOCK, WITHOUT PAR VALUE
(Title of class)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all
reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months
(or for such shorter periods that the registrant was required to
file reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days: Yes X No
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the
registrant's classes of common stock, as of the latest
practicable date:
Common stock, without par value 35,466,193
Class Outstanding at February 28, 1999
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION
INDEX TO FORM 10-Q
For The Quarter Ended February 28, 1999
Page
Part I Financial Information
Balance Sheets - February 28, 1999 and August 31,1998..... 3
Statements of Operations - Six Months
Ended February 28, 1999 and February 28, 1998............. 5
Statements of Cash Flows - Six Months
Ended February 28, 1999 and February 28, 1998............. 6
Notes to Financial Statements............................. 8
Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Financial
Conditions and Results of Operations...................... 15
Part II Other
Information............................................... 20
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION (A DEVELOPMENT STAGE ENTERPRISE)
COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)
February 28, AUGUST 31,
1999 1998
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash.................................... $ 239 918
Accounts receivable-other...............
Prepaid:
Leases...............................
Other...................................
Total Current Assets.................... 239 918
Property, Plant and Equipment Net....... 32,550 58,450
OTHER ASSETS
Investments in and Advances to
Armant Partnership Net.............. 32,354 45,354
Patents and Patent Rights (net of
accumulated amortization:........... 110 320
Total Other Assets....................... 65,014 107,124
TOTAL.................................... $ 65,253 $ 108,042
See notes to financial statement
February 28 August 31,
1999 1998
LIABILITIES
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Notes payable-related parties............ $ 23,100 $ 23,100
Notes payable-bank....................... - -
Notes payable-other ..................... 300,000 300,000
Accounts payable:
Trade............................... 520,350 498,300
Officers and employees.............. 410,291 357,491
Accrued salaries ........................ 2,447,995 2,246,955
Accrued expenses ........................ 284,400 243,000
Accrued interest payable................. 2,337,990 1,855,552
Total current liabilities................ 6,324,126 5,524,398
DEFERRED CREDIT ......................... 50,000 50,000
Series "A-1" Convertible Promissory Note1
Related Parties
Principal........................... 7,398,265 7,398,265
Accrued interest payable............ 6,402,733 5,958,838
Non-Related Parties
Principal........................... 5,978,421 5,978,421
Accrued interest payable............ 5,617,478 5,258,773
Total Series "A-1" Notes............ 25,396,897 24,594297
CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES PAYABLE
(net of discounts, commissions,
and offering costs of $1563......... 20,437 20,437
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:
Common stock - no par value............. 38,258,096* 38,258,096*
Common stock subscribed................. 20,000 20,000
Paid in capital......................... 164,774 164,774
Deficit accumulated during the
development stage.................. (70,098,635) (68,473,960)
Total stockholders' equity.............. (31,655,765) (30,031,090)
TOTAL................................... $ 65,258 $ 108,042
*See section 11, "notes to Financial Statements" of the August 31,
1999 10-K.
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION (A DEVELOPMENT STAGE ENTERPRISE)
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)
Three Months Ended Six Months Ended From Inception
February February February February to February
28, 28, 28, 28, 28,
1999 1998 1999 1998 1999
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Research and
Development.............. $ 7,410 $ 2,935 $ 10,830 $ 15,776 7,740,370
Promotional, general
and administrative...... 138,900 110,450 337,619 234,091 16,237,857
Interest.............. 668,219 888,201 1,184,145 1,366,342 15,946,063
Total............. 814,529 1,001,586 1,532,594 1,616,209 39,924,290
OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE:
Loss in Investment and
Advances to ArmantA.. 8,100 493,120 22,400 920,855 17,441,613
Equity in loss
of Armant........... 12,400 619,570 27,362 1,239,140 12,680,539
NET LOSS............... $ 835,029 $ 2,114,276 $ 1,582,406 $ 3,776,204 $ 70,046,442
Loss Per Common Share... $. 02 $.05 $. 04 $.10
ADue to the prolonged delay in attaining the necessary funding, the
company was forced to write down $17,441,613 of its investment and
advances in Armant.
See notes to financial statements.
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION (A DEVELOPMENT STAGE ENTERPRISE)
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOW
Six Months Ended From Inception
February 28, To February 28,
1999 1998 1999
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
NET LOSS................... $(1,582,406) $(3,776,204) ($70,046,442)
ADJUSTMENTS TO RECONCILE
NET INCOME TO NET CASH
PROVIDED BY OPERATING
ACTIVITIES:
Depreciation and
amortization............ 25,900 13,307 1,200,271
Amortization and write
off of patents.......... 210 35,209 440,768
Amortization of prepaid
leases.................. - - 302,424
Amortization of financing
Cost.................... 95,000
Loss on divestiture of
Subsidiaries............ 912,586
Loss from joint venture... 27,632 1,239,140 10,399,066
Other..................... 111,616
Proceeds from royalty
Prepayments............. 172,760
Prepayment of Leases...... (16,104)
Disposition of property,
Plant, and equipment.... 27,745
CHANGES IN OPERATING ASSETS
AND LIABILITIES:
Increases in accounts
receivable............
Decrease (Increase) in
Prepaid expenses...... (27,371)
Increase in accounts payable
and accrued expenses...... 716,807 437,134 14,399,605
Increase (decrease) in notes
notes payable.............. 802,600 1,159,797 21,512,674
(9,527) (880,830) ($ 20,515,402)
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION (A DEVELOPMENT STAGE ENTERPRISE)
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Six Months Ended From Inception
February 28, To February 28,
1999 1998 1999
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of property, plant
and equipment.............. (13,307) ($ 1,159,046)
Acquisition of patents....... (443,475)
Investment of Certificates
of Deposit................. (3,995,000)
Cash investment in and
Advances to TACMA.......... (1,076,595)
Cash investments in and
advances to Armant......... (13,000) (30,350) (20,768,327)
Write off of Investments and
Cash advance to Armant.... 22,400 17,095,172
Redemption of Certificates
of Deposit................. 3,995,000
Proceeds from sale of net
Profit interest............ $ 50,000
9,400 887,198 ($ 6,302,271)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Stock issued or subscribed
For cash................... 18,481,076
Preferred stock issued
For cash................... 266,400
Proceeds from long term
Obligations................ 1,430,349
Proceeds from warrants
Issued for cash............ 6,236,507
Common stock issuance
cost....................... (166,550)
Issuance of convertible
Debentures................. 1,913,963
Cash received upon
Conversion of debentures
To common stock............ 112,999
Payment of long term
Obligations................ (1,457,071)
- - 26,817,673
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH (127) (3,632) 239
CASH BEGINNING OF PERIOD 366 3,750
CASH END OF PERIOD 239 118 239
See notes to financial statements
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION (A DEVELOPMENT STAGE ENTERPRISE)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed
financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting only of
normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the
financial position of Toth Aluminum Corporation (the Company) as
of February 28, 1999, and the results of its operations and
changes in financial position for the three months then ended.
The accounting policies followed by the Company are set
forth in Note 1 to the Company's financial statements in Form 10-
K, dated August 31, 1998.
2. The accompanying financial statements of the Company have
been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the
realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the
normal course of business. The Company has incurred net losses
from its inception in August 1966 through February 28, 1999, and
August 31, 1998, of $70,098,635 and $68,473,960, respectively.
Although the Company's investees (TACMA and Armant) have
constructed facilities that will employ the Company's patented
processes, TACMA and Armant are both inactive. The Company has
determined that the operating plant of each investee will require
further modifications before commercial production can be
achieved.
The Company plans to fund its operations through short-term
borrowing secured by the personal assets of the Company's
Chairman of the Board. The capital and operating needs of Armant
will be raised through the formation of a joint venture partner
with Armant. The recoverability of the Company's investments in
and advances to Armant and the recoverability of the capitalized
cost of Armant is dependent on the investee achieving
sufficiently profitable commercial operations, as well as the
Company's ability to raise the funds to provide the necessary
capital and to support these operations.
The Company's continuation in existence is dependent upon
its ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its
continuing obligations on a timely basis, to fund the operating
and capital needs, obtain additional financing as may be
required, and ultimately to attain successful operations. Should
the Company be unable to obtain a joint venture partner(s) it
may experience significant difficulty raising funds. These
factors, among others, may indicate that the Company will be
unable to continue in existence. The financial statements do not
include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and
classification of recorded asset amounts or the amount and
classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the
Company be unable to continue in existence.
3. The Company has historically maintained investments in two
affiliates, TACMA and Armant. The Company applies the equity
method of accounting for its investment in Armant. The
collectibility of the advances to and the recovery of the
investment depends upon the affiliate achieving successful
commercial operations. The investment in TACMA was expensed
during 1988.
Armant
The Company is general partner in a limited partnership
(Armant) formed in 1982 to construct and operate a metal
chlorides plant in Vacherie, Louisiana. The plant, which through
August 31, 1989, has cost approximately $23 million to construct,
has been built on land (the Armant site) owned by Empresas Lince,
S.A., (ELSA), a Central American corporation controlled by a
former member of the Company's Board of Directors.
Under the terms of the original partnership agreement, the
Company was to have a 50% ownership interest in the partnership.
In March 1983, the partnership agreement was revised to provide
the Company a 2% ownership interest and under a separate license
agreement, a royalty payment based on net positive cash flow of
the partnership. The license agreement provides for royalty
payments to the Company equal to 29.6% of net positive cash flow
until each limited partnership unit has received $160,000 in
cash, at which time royalty payments increase to 49% of net
positive cash flow.
The Company's capital contribution to Armant consisted of
certain improvements to the property, a non-exclusive licensing
agreement providing for Armant's use of the Company's
carbo-chlorination processes for producing metal chlorides, and
prepaid leases as described in Note 4.
Contributions to Armant by the limited partners, on the
basis of a single limited partnership unit, consisted of $25,000
in initial cash deposits, $75,000 in cash to be paid in equal
monthly installments of $5,000 and either a $60,000 letter of
credit or the purchase of $60,000 of the Company's restricted
common stock. Armant has received subscriptions for all
thirty-five limited partnership units. At August 31, 1984,
Armant had received cash contributions of approximately
$3,459,000. The Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors
holds fifteen of the thirty-five units.
During November 1984, the Company loaned $3,995,000 to
Armant, resulting in the Company now having a receivable from
Armant in the amount of $3,995,000 bearing interest at 13.5% per
annum. As of August 31, 1989 the Company had made additional
cash advances to the Armant Partnership totaling $21,530,000,
bearing interest at 12% per annum. However the Company has
written down $17,387,674 of this investment. The Company has
also liquidated $240,000 of Armant's notes payable plus accrued
interest due to a corporation controlled by a member of the
Company's Board of Directors by issuing 240,000 shares of the
Company's restricted common stock. As a result the Company
recorded a receivable from Armant of $276,000 bearing interest at
12% per annum. The Company had additional non-interest bearing
receivables from Armant totaling $173,000 which were incurred in
fiscal 1984, resulting from billing under a service agreement.
Subsequent to that date all costs, including general and
administrative cost, incurred by the Company related to the
construction and operation of the Armant Plant, have been
absorbed by the Company and expensed as incurred.
The initial phase of construction of the Armant Plant was
completed in December 1983. Since that time, numerous test runs
have been performed in an effort to achieve continuous commercial
production of market grade metal chlorides. Subsequent to the
Company's 1986 fiscal year end, Armant determined additional
funding would be required to sustain successful operations.
Therefore, because of unexpected construction delays and the
continued lack of commercial production at Armant, the Company
elected to discontinue accruing interest income on the Armant
receivable and reversed, in the fourth quarter of fiscal year
1986, all interest income previously accrued which totaled
$1,164,000 of which $551,000 was accrued through August 31, 1986.
Further, Armant elected to discontinue capitalizing plant
start-up costs. The net loss recognized by Armant during the year
ended August 31, 1987, which primarily resulted from expensing
start-up costs, was first allocated to the partners' equity
accounts based upon their respective percentage interests in the
total partnership equity. To the extent that this loss exceeded
the total limited partners' equity, all additional losses were
allocated to the Company's equity interest in the partnership,
since the Company is the sole general partner in the limited
partnership and is at risk for these losses in the form of
advances to Armant.
After an extensive revaluation of the Armant Partnership,
Management determined that the cost capitalized and deferred must
be written down in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting
Practices. Although the Company believes the Armant Plant will
ultimately achieve production, the prolonged delays in attaining
the needed capital to restart the Armant Plant has forced the
Company to write down $17,441,613 in capitalized costs.
Costs capitalized and deferred by Armant consisted of the
following:
February 28, August 31,
1999 1998
Direct carbo-chlorination plant costs:
Process equipment............... $ 2,120,000 $ 2,950,000
Other equipment................. - -
Leasehold improvements.......... 58,000 72,000
2,178,000 3,022,000
Self-construction and start-up costs:
Salaries:
Engineering ................. 21,000 40,000
Plant construction and
operations................... 560,000 702,000
Indirect labor and overhead.. 29,000 35,000
610,000 777,000
Presented below is summarized financial information of
Armant.
February 28, August 31,
1999 1998
Assets:
Plant and equipment.......... $ 2,788,000 $ 3,799,000
Other........................ 90,000 100,000
Total..................... $ 2,878,000 $ 3,899,000
Liabilities and Equity:
Notes payable - Toth Aluminum
Corporation.................. $ 3,785,000 $ 4,740,000
Notes payable - Bank......... - -
Payables - Toth Aluminum Corp. 17,002,000 16,970,000
Other payables........... 740,000 710,000
Equity - Toth Aluminum
Corporation.............. (18,636,000) (18,508,000)
- Other.................. (13,000) (13,000)
(18,649,000) (18,521,000)
Total.......................... $ 2,878,000 $ 3,899,000
Six Months Ended
February 28, February 28,
1999 1998
Statement of Plant Expenses
Direct plant costs............ 16,000 3,000
Interest expense.............. 153,000 96,000
General and
administrative costs.... 34,000 11,000
Net loss $ 203,000 $ 110,000
February 28, August 31,
1999 1998
Payable to and Equity of
Toth Aluminum Corporation:
Notes payable................... $ 19,902,000 $ 19,842,000
Payables........................ 4,800,000 5,240,000
Beginning equity of the Company. (5,560,000) (5,560,000)
Less: Loss from Armant.... (11,030,000) (11,650,000)
Affiliates interest:
Capitalized by Armant, but
not accrued by the Company... (5,620,000) (5,620,000)
Expensed by Armant, but not
accrued by the Company....... (2,460,000) (2,310,000)
Investment in and advances to
Armant................... $ 32,000 $ 58,000
TACMA
In January 1982, the Company and an Indian company entered
into a Promotion Agreement providing for the formation of TACMA.
TACMA was formed to construct a plant in India designed to
produce metal chloride through the use of the Company's
carbo-chlorination processes. The Promotion Agreement provided
for an initial capital contribution by the Company of
approximately $42,800 in exchange for a 40% equity interest in
TACMA. During the 1983 fiscal year, the Company and TACMA's other
stockholder assigned to a third party the right to a 25% equity
interest in TACMA in exchange for the third party's $200,000
advance to TACMA. A transfer of equity interest to the third
party, which is subject to the prior approval of the Indian
government, would have reduced the Company's equity interest in
TACMA to 27 2%. The Company and the third party also entered
into a separate agreement which provided that the third party
could convey to the Company its right to the 25% equity interest
in TACMA in exchange for 200,000 shares of the Company's common
stock. During July 1987, the Company issued 200,000 shares of
its common stock valued at $325,000 in exchange for the third
party's rights to the additional equity in TACMA. Under this
agreement, the transfer to the Company of the additional equity
interest in TACMA, which is subject to the prior approval of the
Indian government, would increase the Company's equity interest
in TACMA to 52 2%.
As of August 31, 1984, the Company had also made cash
advances to TACMA totaling approximately $218,600. In addition,
during December 1984, the Company acquired from Empresas Lince,
S.A., a receivable from TACMA of $60,000 in exchange for 60,000
shares of the Company's restricted common stock. The Company
has also incurred costs on TACMA's behalf which the Company
considers reimbursable under the terms of its service agreement
with TACMA. At February 28, 1998, the Company's receivable for
such costs billed to TACMA was approximately $815,000. TACMA has
not recorded a corresponding payable for such costs because the
approval of the Indian government and Reserve Bank of India is
required before TACMA can make payment to the Company. The
collectibility of this receivable is dependent on obtaining
approval of foreign authorities as well as TACMA commencing and
sustaining sufficiently profitable commercial operations, for
which the Company currently has no plans. During the fiscal year
ended August 31, 1987, because of the continuing delays in
obtaining government approval, the Company reversed the
previously recorded receivable from TACMA. During 1988, based
upon the Company's decision to indefinitely postpone attempts to
bring the TACMA plant to full commercial production, its
previously recorded investment in the TACMA facility was also
reversed.
4. Notes payable consisted of the following:
February 28, August 31,
1999 1998
Notes payable to bank,
collateralized (A):
At 12% .................. $ - $ -
Demand notes payable to related
parties, unsecured:
At 12% ................... 23,100 23,100
Notes payable to other parties,
secured (A):
At 12% .................... 300,000 300,000
323,100 323,100
Series AA-1" Convertible
Promissory Notes
Payable to related parties.. 7,398,265 7,398,265
Payable to others........... 5,978,421 5,978,421
13,376,686 13,376,686
Total............................$ 13,699,786 13,699,786
A) Collateralized by a pledge of personal assets owned by
the Company's Chairman of the Board.
5. During 1988, the Company commenced a private offering of
1,500,000 units of its securities. Each unit consisted of one
share of the Company's common stock and the right to acquire an
option to purchase an additional share at a price equal to the
original purchase price of the unit. At the close of the
offering, the Company had sold 1,292,367 units and had issued
option rights to purchase 1,292,367 shares with an exercise price
ranging from $0.75 per share to $0.95 per share. Of the
1,292,367 units sold, during September 1988, 27,386 units were
issued in satisfaction of $20,539 of lease payments. The option
is exercisable for a period of three years, commencing on the
date that the Company's shareholders approve an increase in the
authorized shares of the Company so as to permit the exercise of
all of the options offered hereby.
6. The financial statements are summarized and reference is made
to the "NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS" included in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31,
1998, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
During the six months ended February 28, 1999, total assets
decreased to $65,258 from $108,000 at August 31, 1998, and
current assets decreased from $918 to $239. The primary assets
of the Company is its Investment in and Advances to the Armant
Partnership of $32,550. The recoverability of this sum is
dependent on the Armant Partnership achieving and sustaining
sufficiently profitable commercial operations (see note 3 of
Notes to Financial Statements). Total liabilities, including the
Series "A-1" Convertible Promissory Note, increased from
$30,189,132 to $31,791,460 during the same period.
On December 24, 1985, the Company commenced an offering of
its 10% Convertible Debentures due August 1, 1990 (the
"Debentures"). The offering contemplated the sale of a maximum
of $4,320,000 of Debentures, convertible, at the election of the
Debenture holders, into 3,175,000 shares of common stock, no par
value, of the Company. The purchase price of each Debenture was
$1,000, payable in cash. No minimum offering of Debentures was
established and offerees were apprised of the fact that the
proceeds of the offering would not be placed into escrow, but
would be applied directly to the Company.
The Debenture offering was closed as of May 31, 1986,
resulting in net proceeds of $3,852,963 (after deducting offering
costs of $467,037). As of November 30, 1988, 4,298 debentures
were converted into 3,152,995 shares of the Company's common
stock, resulting in an increase in common stock of $3,833,307
(net offering costs of $464,693) and a balance in debentures
payable of $20,437 (net offering costs of $1,563).
The Board of Directors of the Company learned that not all
of the Debentures were sold for cash. Instead of the maximum
offering of $4,320,000, $2,014,137 of Debentures were purchased
in exchange for the cancellation of pre-existing debt which the
Company owed to these purchasers. Of the $2,014,137 of
Debentures sold in exchange for the cancellation of indebtedness,
$1,957,137 or 97%, was sold to or through directors, officers or
affiliates of the Company.
As a result of the sale of Debentures for consideration
other than cash, the proceeds of the Debenture offering were not
directly applied in the manner that the Company intended, or as
the Company would have applied the proceeds had the Debentures
been sold entirely for cash. The Debenture offering contemplated
that net proceeds (after deduction of sales commissions and
offering costs) of $3,842,000 would be applied approximately
$2,882,000 toward a loan to the Armant Partnership (A Louisiana
Partnership of which the Company is the General Partner) for the
repayment of the partnership's loan, capital expenditures, and
working capital, with the balance of $960,000 for the Company's
working capital and development expenses. Instead, the net
proceeds of the Debenture offering were directly applied as
follows: (I) $1,939,000 toward the retirement of debt, of which
$1,045,000 was to retire the Company's debt and the balance of
which was to retire the partnership's debt, and (ii) $1,902,000
was loaned to the Partnership for its working capital and for
capital expenditures.
This discrepancy is a result of the considerable delay which
was experienced in bringing the Debenture offering effective. As
a result, the Company, wishing to continue the operations of the
Armant facility, and to continue the Company's research
activities, borrowed funds from directors, affiliates and outside
lenders, relying on the guarantee of certain directors and
affiliates for Armant and corporate purposes. When the Debenture
offering became effective, the proceeds of the offering were used
substantially to retire this debt. Consequently, the Company
believes that the net proceeds of the Debenture offering were
applied, albeit indirectly, in the matter contemplated by the
Debenture offering.
However, if it were subsequently determined that this
variance in the terms of the offering would require the Company
to make an offer of rescission of the debenture offering, the
Company has made no provision in the financial statements for
such an offering. To date, there have been no claims against the
Company with respect to this issue and the Company is not aware
that any such claims are planned or contemplated. Because of the
complex nature of securities law, legal counsel has not formed an
opinion on whether there is any potential or actual liability to
the Company.
Working Capital Meeting Operating Needs and Commitments
From inception, the Company has sustained its operations
primarily through funds provided by private placements and public
offerings of its common stock. Due to the length of its
development stage activities, liquidity has always been a
continuing concern. The Company has incurred net losses from its
inception in 1966 through February 28, 1999, of approximately
$63,270,211. Although the Company's investees (Armant and TACMA)
have constructed facilities that employ the Company's patented
processes, Armant has not achieved continuous commercial
production, and the commercial viability of the processes has not
been demonstrated. TACMA has not commenced commercial production
and no such activities are currently planned. The recoverability
of the Company's investments in and advances to Armant, is
dependent on Armant achieving sufficiently profitable commercial
operations. These factors, among others, may indicate that the
Company will be unable to continue in existence. The financial
statements do not include any adjustments relating to the
recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or
the amount and classification of liabilities that might be
necessary should the Company be unable to continue in existence.
The Company's continuation in existence is dependent upon its
ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its continuing
obligations on a timely basis, to obtain additional financing as
may be required, and ultimately to attain successful operations.
Management believes that the plants constructed by Armant and
TACMA demonstrate that the production of metal chlorides and
aluminum intermediates through the Company's patented processes
is possible.
Immediate Development Plans
The Company's intention in the near-term is to focus its
efforts and resources on completing a project to commercialize
the Clay-to-Aluminum Process be undertaken in two steps.
In the first step, which TAC has designated Phase 1, TAC
proposes that a semi-commercial demonstration plant be built and
operated. Operation of this semi-commercial plant will permit
engineers to fine tune the design of the subsequent full
commercial facility in Phase 2. Equally important, the Phase 1
plant will provide a hands-on training facility for commercial
plant staff. Phase 2 of the project will comprise the design and
construction of a full scale commercial Clay-to-Aluminum plant.
Cost of Phase 1 is estimated to be $45 million and the cost of
Phase 2 will be determined after Phase 1 has been completed.
There will be two principal goals in executing Phase 1. The
first goal is to refine TAC's clay chlorination procedures for
implementation in commercial production facilities. TAC has
already developed these procedures to an advanced stage in its
pilot plant, but the design of that pilot plant did not permit
long duration, continuous operation runs. Refinement of
procedures will permit confident scale-up to full scale
commercial plant capacity.
The second goal will be generation of refined designs for
full scale commercial smelting cells. This will be accomplished
by constructing and operating a complete ACS smelting facility
which will consume a portion of the aluminum chloride produced in
clay chlorination. The balance of production will be marketed as
high purity anhydrous aluminum chloride to generate revenues to
help defray plant operating costs. Smelting specialists foresee
rapid development of a final design for commercial cells in Phase
1, and anticipate that this will consume nine to twelve months of
development time.
The project will start as soon as TAC has secured the
financing for Phase 1. Initial tasks includes detailed
engineering design of clay chlorination and smelting facilities,
and the selection of a suitable plant site. Construction will
begin with site preparation, approximately nine months after the
project start. After an initial run up period, the Phase 1 plant
is expected to reach full design capacity within 36 months after
project start.
After confirmation of the economic viability of the Clay-to-
Aluminum Process, work will begin on the second phase of the
project, namely the design, construction and operation of a
commercial Clay-to-Aluminum plant. TAC proposes that a modular
design concept be adopted for Phase 2, such that the eventual
full scale commercial plant will consist of a set of duplicate
plant modules, operating in parallel. TAC estimates that the
first plant module will be completed in the seventh year of the
project, with additional modules constructed in parallel in
subsequent years.
Results of Operations
The Company had no operating revenues and reported net
losses. The Company is considered to be a development stage
enterprise; start-up activities have commenced, but the Company
has received no revenue therefrom.
The net loss for the six months ended February 28, 1999, was
$1,582,406 compared to $3,776,204 for the corresponding period in
1998. During the six month period ending February 28, 1998, the
company wrote down a significant amount of its investment in the
Armant Partnership which affected its net loss.
The initial phase of construction of the Armant Plant was
completed in December, 1983. Since that time, numerous test runs
have been performed in an effort to achieve continuous commercial
production of market grade metal chlorides. Subsequent to the
Company's 1986 fiscal year end, Armant determined additional
funding would be required to sustain successful operations.
Therefore, because of unexpected construction delays and the
continued lack of commercial production, Armant elected to
discontinue capitalizing plant start-up costs as of August 31,
1986. The net loss recognized by Armant during the three months
ended November 30, 1987, resulted primarily from expensing start-
up costs. The net loss recognized by Armant during the year
ended August 31, 1987, was first allocated to the partners'
equity accounts based upon their respective percentage interests
in the total partnership equity. To the extent that this loss
exceeded the total partners' equity, all additional losses were
allocated to the Company's equity interest in the partnership,
since the Company is the sole general partner in the limited
partnership and is at risk for these losses in the form of
advances to Armant. The Company's equity in the loss of Armant
for the six months ended February 28,1999, was $27,362, which
was a result of Armant losses in excess of total partnership
equity and was recorded as a reduction in investment in and
advances to Armant.
PART II. Other Information
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
See Item 10 of the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended
August 31, 1998, concerning legal proceedings.
Item 6. Exhibits and reports on Form 8.
SIGNATURE
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.
TOTH ALUMINUM CORPORATION
(Registrant)
BY: Charles E. Toth Date: April 28, 1999
Charles E. Toth
Treasurer
BY: Charles Toth Date: April 28, 1999
Charles Toth
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer