SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 -------------------- Form 10-Q X Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 For the quarterly period ended December 31, 1997. Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 For the transition period from __________ to __________ ------------------------------- Commission file number 1-10431 ------------------------------- AVX CORPORATION 			 Delaware 		 33-0379007 	 (State of other jurisdiction (IRS Employer ID No.) 		of incorporation or organization) 	 801 17th Avenue South, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577 (Address of principal executive offices) (803) 448-9411 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 period that the registrant was required to file such 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 issuer's classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date. Class Outstanding at January 30, 1998 - ----- ------------------------------- Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share 88,183,500 AVX CORPORATION INDEX --------- Page Number ----------- PART I: Financial Information ITEM 1. Financial Statements 	Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 1997 and 	March 31, 1997 1 	Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months ended December 31,1997 and 1996 and for the nine months ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 2 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 3 	Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 4-5 									 ITEM 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition 	 PART II: Other Information Signatures Exhibits 1 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (dollars in thousands, except share data) 	December 31, 1997 March 31, 1997 (unaudited) -------------- -------------- Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $195,637 $188,574 Accounts receivable, net 144,077 155,358 Inventories 324,410 247,895 Deferred income taxes 21,145 21,145 Other receivables - affiliate 4,534 3,131 Prepaid and other 30,363 22,365 ---------- ------- Total current assets 720,166 638,468 Property and equipment: Land 10,106 10,028 Buildings and improvements 121,012 113,614 Machinery and equipment 645,167 588,880 Construction in progress 39,861 34,040 ---------- ------- 						 816,146 746,562 Accumulated depreciation (538,697) (474,970) ---------- ------- 						 277,449 271,592 Goodwill, net 33,890 34,913 Other assets 10,813 4,334 ---------- --------					 TOTAL ASSETS $1,042,318 $949,307 ========== ======== 		 Current liabilities: Short-term bank debt $ 10,152 $ 12,216 Current maturities of long-term debt 1,297 1,362 Accounts payable: 	 Trade 36,155 39,399 	 Affiliates 39,165 38,621 Income taxes payable 26,010 25,405 Accrued payroll and benefits 38,035 34,328 Accrued expenses 32,190 30,465 --------- ------- Total current liabilities 183,004 181,796 Long-term debt 11,463 12,170 Deferred income taxes 10,627 12,190 Other liabilities 12,006 11,182 --------- ------- TOTAL LIABILITIES 217,100 217,338 --------- ------- 	 Contingencies (Note 4) Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share: Authorized, 20,000,000 shares; none issued or outstanding Common stock, par value $0.01 per share: Authorized, 300,000,000 shares; 88,183,500 and 88,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, and March 31, 1997 respectively 882 880 Additional paid-in capital 325,012 319,909 Retained earnings 498,045 408,904 Foreign currency translation adjustment 1,279 2,276 ---------- -------- TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 825,218 731,969 ---------- -------- TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $1,042,318 $949,307 ========== ======== See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. 2 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) (dollars in thousands, except share data) Three Months ended Nine Months ended December 31, December 31, 1997 1996 1997 1996 ------------------- -------------------- Net sales $319,651 $289,574 $962,682 $825,694 Cost of sales 245,478 224,941 731,111 621,980 ------- ------- ------- ------- Gross profit 74,173 64,633 231,571 203,714 ------- ------- ------- ------- Selling, general, and administrative expenses 27,727 22,253 84,668 74,989 ------- ------- ------- ------- Profit from operations 46,446 42,380 146,903 128,725 Other income (expense): Interest income 2,858 1,900 8,748 5,168 Interest expense (480) (497) (1,438) (1,503) Other, net (469) 444 246 988 ------- ------- -------- ------- Income before income taxes 48,355 44,227 154,459 133,378 Provision for income taxes 15,026 14,176 49,465 42,707 ------- ------- -------- ------- Net income $33,329 $30,051 $104,994 $90,671 ======= ======= ======== ======= 		 Basic and Diluted income per share $ 0.38 $ 0.34 $ 1.19 $ 1.03 ======= ======= ======== ======= Dividends Declared $ 0.06 $ 0.055 $ 0.18 $ 0.165 ======= ======= ======== ======= Weighted average number of common shares outstanding (Basic) 88,180,892 88,000,000 88,085,471 88,000,000 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. 3 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) (dollars in thousands) 	 Nine Months Ended December 31, ----------------------------- 1997 1996 -------- -------- Operating Activities: Net income $104,994 $90,671 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 64,896 59,241 Deferred income taxes (1,563) (3,158) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 5,180 9,852 Inventories (74,160) (8,196) Accounts payable and accrued expenses 2,722 (22,053) 	 Income taxes payable 668 5,226 	 Other assets and liabilities (3,175) 744 ------ ------- Net cash from operating activities 99,562 132,327 ------ ------- Investing Activities: Purchases of property and equipment (75,807) (70,475) Equity investments (5,300) Other 67 2 ------ ------ Net cash used in investing activities (81,040) (70,473) ------ ------ Financing Activities: Repayment of debt (127) (3,523) Dividends paid (15,853) (14,520) Proceeds from issuance of debt 65 Proceeds from issuance of common stock 4,482 -------- -------- Net cash from (used in) financing activities (11,498) (17,978) -------- -------- Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 39 426 -------- -------- Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 7,063 44,302 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 188,574 131,601 -------- -------- Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $195,637 $175,903 ======== ======== 				 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements 4 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (dollars in thousands, except share data) 1. Basis of presentation: The consolidated financial statements of AVX Corporation and subsidiaries (the "Company" or "AVX") include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that are necessary to a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods shown. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997. 2. Accounts Receivable: Accounts receivable consisted of: 	 December 31, March 31, 1997 1997 --------- -------- Trade $169,642 $173,414 Less, allowance for doubtful accounts, sales returns, distributor adjustments and discounts (25,565) (18,056) --------	 -------- 					 $144,077 $155,358 ======== ======== 3. Inventories: Inventories consisted of: 		 	December 31, March 31, 1997 1997 -------- --------- Finished goods $111,494 $ 83,711 Work in process 111,884 89,146 Raw materials and supplies 101,032 75,038 -------- -------- 					 $324,410 $247,895 ======== ======== 5 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (continued) 4. Environmental Matters and Contingencies: The Company has been named as a potentially responsible party in state and federal administrative proceedings seeking contribution for costs associated with the correction and remediation of environmental conditions at various waste disposal sites. Once it becomes probable that the Company will incur costs in connection with remediation of a site and such costs can be reasonably estimated, the Company establishes reserves or adjusts its reserve for its projected share of these costs. Based upon information known to the Company, the Company had accrued approximately $4,600 at December 31, 1997 and management believes that it has adequate reserves with respect to these matters. Actual costs may vary from these estimated reserves, but such costs are not expected to have material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations. 5. New Accounting Standards In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 131, Disclosure about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information ("SFAS No. 131"). SFAS No. 131 establishes standards for disclosure of segment information about products and services, geographic areas, major customers and certain interim disclosures of segment information which are not required by accounting standards currently applied by the Company. The Company will be required to adopt SFAS No. 131 for the year ended March 31, 1999. Currently, the Company is evaluating this standard and the timing of adoption and is uncertain as to the impact it will have on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130, Reporting Comprehensive Income ("SFAS No. 130"). SFAS No. 130 established standards for reporting and presenting comprehensive income and its components in a full set of general - purpose financial statements. SFAS No. 130 is effective for both interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 1997. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. 6. Earnings Per Share The Company has adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 128 ("SFAS 128"). The new standard replaces primary and fully diluted earnings per share with basic and diluted earnings per share. The adoption did not result in a difference between basic and diluted earnings per share for the periods presented. Basic earnings per share are computed by dividing net income for the periods by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period which were 88,180,892 and 88,000,000 for the quarters end December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively, and 88,085,471 and 88,000,000 for the nine months ended December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. Diluted earnings per share has been calculated by dividing net income for the periods by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and common stock equivalents outstanding for the period which were 88,284,467 and 88,063,387 for the quarters end December 31, 1997 and 6 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (continued) 1996, respectively, and 88,282,588 and 88,027,944 for the nine months ended December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. Stock options are the only common stock equivalents and are therefore considered in the diluted earnings per share calculations. Common stock equivalents are computed using the treasury stock method. 7. Subsequent Event On January 22, 1998, the Company declared a $0.06 dividend per share of common stock with respect to the quarter ended December 31, 1997, payable on February 11, 1998. 7 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION Results of Operations - --------------------- Three Months Ended December 31, 1997 Compared to Three Months Ended - ------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 1996 - ----------------- Net sales in the three months ended December 31, 1997 increased 10.4% to $319.7 million from $289.6 million in the three months ended December 31, 1996. The increase was attributable to continued growth in both ceramic and tantalum products, particularly surface mount capacitors and advanced products, and connector products. In addition, reported U.S. dollar sales were negatively impacted by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against certain European currencies. Gross profit in the three months ended December 31, 1997 increased 14.8% to $74.2 million (23.2% of net sales) from $64.6 million (22.3% of net sales) in the three months ended December 31, 1996. The increase in gross profit as a percentage of net sales can be attributed to the growth of higher margin advanced products, improvements in manufacturing efficiencies, and higher through-put in the factories. These increases were offset in part by (a) the continuation of the trend toward lower average selling prices, and (b) an increase in palladium prices. Selling, general and administrative expenses in the three months ended December 31, 1997 increased to $27.7 million (8.7% of net sales) from $22.3 million (7.7% of net sales) in the three months ended December 31, 1996. During the quarter ended December 31, 1996, selling, general and administrative expenses were reduced by $4.0 million as a result of changes in estimates for environmental remediation and legal costs. Exclusive of the $4.0 million benefit in 1996, selling, general and administrative expenses in the current quarter, as a percentage of sales, declined .4% (8.7% vs. 9.1%). The decrease is attributable to the benefit of higher sales and the Company's ongoing cost containment programs, offset somewhat by higher research and development spending. As the strengthening of the U.S. dollar served to reduce reported sales, it also reduced certain manufacturing cost incurred in the European facilities, therefore the net impact on earnings was not material. As a result of the above factors, profit from operations in the three months ended December 31, 1997 increased 9.6% to $46.4 million from $42.4 million in the three months ended December 31, 1996. For the reasons set forth above, net income in the three months ended December 31, 1997 increased 10.9% to $33.3 million (10.4% of net sales) from $30.1 million (10.4% of net sales) in the three months ended December 31, 1996. 8 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION -(continued) Nine Months Ended December 31, 1997 Compared to Nine Months Ended - ----------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 1996 - ---------------- Net sales in the nine months ended December 31, 1997 increased 16.6% to $962.7 million from $825.7 million in the nine months ended December 31, 1996. The increase was primarily attributable to continued growth in both ceramic and tantalum products, particularly surface mount capacitors and advanced products. In addition, reported U.S. dollar sales were negatively impacted by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against certain European currencies. Gross profit in the nine months ended December 31, 1997 increased 13.7% to $231.6 million (24.1% of net sales) from $203.7 million (24.7% of net sales) in the nine months ended December 31, 1996. The decrease in gross profit as a percentage of net sales can be attributed to a combination of factors. Results for the nine months ended December 31, 1997 were negatively impacted by (a) a temporary halt in the Czech Republic facility as a result of floods, (b) the continuation of the trend toward lower average selling prices, and (c) an increase in palladium prices. However, the effect of these decreases was offset in part by the strength of advanced products, improvements in manufacturing efficiencies, and higher through-put in the factories. Selling, general and administrative expenses in the nine months ended December 31, 1997 were $84.7 million (8.8% of net sales) compared with $74.9 million (9.1% of net sales) in the nine months ended December 31, 1996. During the nine months ended December 31, 1996, selling, general and administrative expenses were reduced by $4.0 million as a result of changes in estimates for environmental remediation and legal costs. Exclusive of the $4.0 million benefit in 1996, selling, general and administrative expenses in the current period, as a percentage of sales, declined .7% (8.8% vs. 9.5%). The decrease is attributable to the benefit of higher sales and the Company's ongoing cost containment programs, offset somewhat by higher research and development spending. As the strengthening of the U.S. dollar served to reduce reported sales, it also reduced certain manufacturing cost incurred in the European facilities, therefore the net impact on earnings was not material. As a result of the above factors, profit from operations in the nine months ended December 31, 1997 increased 14.1% to $146.9 million from $128.7 million in the nine months ended December 31, 1996. For the reasons set forth above, higher interest income on invested cash and a $1.4 million dividend from a nonmarketable equity investment, net income in nine months ended December 31, 1997 increased 15.8% to $105.0 million (10.9% of net sales) from $90.7 million (11.0% of net sales) in the nine months ended December 31, 1996. 9 AVX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION -(continued) Liquidity and Capital Resources ------------------------------- The Company's liquidity needs arise primarily from working capital requirements, dividends and capital expenditures. Historically, the Company has satisfied its liquidity requirements through internally generated funds. As of December 31, 1997, the Company had a current ratio of 3.9 to 1, $195.6 million of cash and cash equivalents, $825.2 million of stockholders' equity and an insignificant amount of long-term debt. Net cash from operating activities was $99.6 million in the nine months ended December 31, 1997 compared to $132.3 million in the nine months ended December 31, 1996. Increases in working capital, particularly inventory, including the purchase of palladium at favorable prices, partially offset by higher income, contributed to the decrease. Purchases of property and equipment were $75.8 million in the nine month period ended December 31, 1997 and $70.5 million in the nine month period ended December 31, 1996. Expenditures for both periods were primarily for expanding production capabilities of the tantalum and ceramic surface-mount and advanced product lines in North America and Europe. During the nine month period ended December 31, 1997, the Company invested $5.3 million in a research and development company (Electro-Chemical Research Ltd. "ECR"). ECR has developed and patented the technology for high capacity electrical storage devices. The Company generated $4.5 million of cash during the nine months ended December 31, 1997 from the issuance of common stock in connection with various stock option plans. Based on the financial condition of the Company as of December 31, 1997, management believes that cash on hand and expected to be generated from operating activities will be sufficient to satisfy the Company's anticipated financing needs for working capital, capital expenditures, research and development expenses and any dividends to be paid in the foreseeable future. Cautionary Statement Pursuant to Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This report may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking information may include, among other information, statements concerning the Company's outlook for fiscal 1998, overall volume and pricing trends, cost reduction strategies and their anticipated results, and expectations for research and capital expenditures. There may also be other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information and statements in this report are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the information or statements. 10 Part II: Other Information Item 1. Legal Proceedings. None. Item 2. Change in Securities. None. Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities. None. Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. None. Item 5. Other Information. None. Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K. (a) Exhibits: None. (b) Reports on Form 8-K. None. 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 fundersigned thereunto duly authorized. Date: February 6, 1998 		 	AVX Corporation 								 				 /s/ Donald B. Christiansen ------------------------- 	Donald B. Christiansen 	Chief Financial Officer, 	Senior Vice President and 	Treasurer