SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 -------------------------- FORM 10-Q (Mark One) [X] Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 For the quarterly period ended March 31, 1998, or [ ] 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 0-16125 FASTENAL COMPANY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Minnesota 41-0948415 - ------------------------------- --------------------------- (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 2001 Theurer Boulevard Winona, Minnesota 55987 - ---------------------------------------- ---------------- (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) (507) 454-5374 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) Not Applicable ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report) 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 last practicable date. Class Outstanding at April 15, 1998 - ----------------------------- -------------------------------- Common Stock, $.01 par value 37,938,688 FASTENAL COMPANY INDEX Page No. -------- Part I Financial Information: Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 1998 and December 31, 1997 1 Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the three months ended March 31, 1998 and 1997 2 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 1998 and 1997 3 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 4 Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations 5-7 Quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk 7 Part II Other Information Item 6 Exhibits and reports on Form 8-K 7 - 1 - PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FASTENAL COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) March 31, December 31, Assets 1998 1997 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 418,000 386,000 Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $710,000 and $660,000, respectively 67,171,000 57,542,000 Inventories 82,129,000 79,415,000 Deferred income tax asset 1,591,000 1,591,000 Other current assets 6,293,000 5,237,000 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total current assets 157,602,000 144,171,000 Marketable securities 265,000 265,000 Property and equipment, less accumulated depreciation 59,205,000 57,084,000 Other assets, less accumulated amortization 3,606,000 3,617,000 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets $ 220,678,000 205,137,000 ========================================================================================= Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 13,326,000 12,950,000 Notes payable 11,362,000 16,303,000 Accrued expenses 9,219,000 7,314,000 Income taxes payable 7,612,000 1,049,000 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total current liabilities 41,519,000 37,616,000 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deferred income tax liability 1,649,000 1,649,000 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock of $.01 par value per share. Authorized 5,000,000 shares; none issued 0 0 Common stock of $.01 par value per share. Authorized 50,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 37,938,688 shares 379,000 379,000 Additional paid-in capital 4,424,000 4,424,000 Retained earnings 173,048,000 161,421,000 Translation loss (341,000) (352,000) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total stockholders' equity 177,510,000 165,872,000 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 220,678,000 205,137,000 ========================================================================================= The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements. -2- FASTENAL COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited) Three months ended March 31, ---------------------------------- 1998 1997 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net sales $116,707,000 87,095,000 Cost of sales 55,112,000 41,259,000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gross profit 61,595,000 45,836,000 Operating and administrative expenses 41,221,000 31,179,000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating income 20,374,000 14,657,000 Other income (expense): Interest income 3,000 15,000 Interest expense (299,000) (229,000) Gain on disposal of property and equipment 72,000 232,000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total other income (expense) (224,000) 18,000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings before income taxes 20,150,000 14,675,000 Income tax expense 7,764,000 5,910,000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings $ 12,386,000 8,765,000 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Basic and diluted earnings per share $ .33 .23 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average shares outstanding 37,938,688 37,938,688 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements. -3- FASTENAL COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Three months ended March 31, ------------------------------ 1998 1997 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows from operating activities: Net earnings $ 12,386,000 8,765,000 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation of property and equipment 2,305,000 2,075,000 Gain on disposal of property and equipment (72,000) (232,000) Amortization of goodwill and non-compete 55,000 55,000 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Trade accounts receivable (9,629,000) (10,678,000) Inventories (2,714,000) (3,480,000) Other current assets (1,056,000) (515,000) Accounts payable 376,000 2,982,000 Accrued expenses 1,905,000 1,216,000 Income taxes payable 6,563,000 4,970,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net cash provided by operating activities 10,119,000 5,158,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows from investing activities: Additions of property and equipment, net (6,481,000) (9,815,000) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 2,127,000 971,000 Translation adjustment 11,000 (28,000) Increase in other assets (44,000) (67,000) - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net cash used in investing activities (4,387,000) (8,939,000) - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows from financing activities: Net increase (decrease) in notes payable (4,941,000) 4,364,000 Payment of dividends (759,000) (759,000) - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (5,700,000) 3,605,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 32,000 (176,000) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 386,000 426,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 418,000 250,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid during each period for: Income taxes $ 1,201,000 940,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interest $ 290,000 229,000 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements. -4- FASTENAL COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS March 31, 1998 and 1997 (Unaudited) (1) Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Fastenal Company and subsidiaries (the Company) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information. They do not include all information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. However, there has been no material change in the information disclosed in the notes to consolidated financial statements included in the Company's consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 1997. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The Company's net earnings approximate comprehensive income. - 5 - ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS The following is management's discussion and analysis of certain significant factors which have affected the Company's financial position and operating results during the periods included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. First Three Months of 1998 vs. 1997 - ----------------------------------- Net sales for the three months ended March 31, 1998 increased 34.0% to $116,707,000 versus the $87,095,000 recorded during the comparable 1997 period. The increase came primarily from higher unit sales, rather than from price increases. Higher unit sales came from increases in sales at existing store sites and from the addition of new store sites. The increases in sales at existing store sites are due primarily to strength in the manufacturing segment of the economy and, to a lesser extent, the introduction of new product lines at the existing sites. Sites opened in 1996 or earlier had average sales increases of 20.0%. The remainder of the 34.0% sales growth came from store sites opened in 1997 and during the first three months of 1998. One hundred sixty-two new store sites were added from April 1997 through March 1998. During the first three months of 1998, 46 new sites were opened; 38 opened as Fastenal(R) stores and 8 opened as satellite stores. The total sites at the end of the first quarter were 690, which consisted of 636 Fastenal(R) stores and 54 satellite stores. The following table indicates product lines added to the original Fastenal(R) product line, the year of introduction, and the approximate percentage of total net sales related to each product line during the three months ended March 31, 1998 and 1997: NAME INTRODUCED 1998 1997 - -------------- ---------- ------ ------ FastTool(R) 1993 10.9% 12.4%(1) SharpCut(R) 1996 4.8% 3.7% PowerFlow(TM) 1996 3.3% 2.1% EquipRite(R) 1996 4.9% 1.9%(1) CleanChoice(R) 1996 1.3% 1.0% PowerPhase(TM) 1997 * -- FastArc(TM) 1997 * -- - --------------- * Less than 1% of net sales (1) Some FastTool(R) products were shifted to the EquipRite(R) line in the second quarter of 1997. Restated comparable numbers were not readily available. - 6 - ITEM 2. (continued) Net earnings for the first three months grew from $8,765,000 in 1997 to $12,386,000 in 1998, an increase of 41.3%. Net earnings increased at a higher rate than net sales primarily because of an increase in the overall gross margin from 52.6% in the first three months of 1997 to 52.8% in the first three months of 1998 and because operating and administrative expenses increased at a 32.2% rate between the comparable periods, a rate lower than the rate of increase in net sales. Payroll costs, the largest component of operating and administrative expenses, increased 30.4% over the comparable period. The Company increased its site personnel from 2,676 on December 31, 1997 to 2,742 on March 31, 1998, an increase of 2.5%. Lower fuel costs and mild temperatures also reduced operating and administrative expenses. With the exception of the impact of a planned increase in the hiring rate for branch store personnel in the second quarter of 1998 and higher commissions paid on the net sales growth, the Company expects to hold the operating and administrative expenses in the second quarter close to the levels of the first three months of 1998. The financial results for the first three months of 1998 reflect impacts from the weather in North America and from the turmoil in the Asian economies. Adverse weather diminished net sales on the East and West coasts in the months of January and February. A major winter storm in the second week of March impacted net sales in the midsection of the continent. The Asian economic turmoil created three effects, one favorable and two adverse. The favorable effect came from 20% lower prices compared to the same period a year ago on low-carbon and stainless steel fasteners imported from the Far East. To the extent the Company was able to retain the cost advantage, gross margins improved. However, some of these lower costs also affected our net sales because some of the lower costs were passed on to customers in the competitive marketplace. The second negative effect was the lower net sales of our products to customers who export to the Far East. The Company has lowered the planned store openings for 1998 from 200 units to 180. The Company will continue to modify the planned openings throughout the year based on current results. Liquidity and Capital Resources - ------------------------------- The higher level of sales during the three month period resulted in the growth of trade accounts receivable and inventory. Property and equipment increased because of an addition to the Winona, Minnesota warehouse and the purchase of pickup trucks and, to a lesser extent, additions for manufacturing, warehouse and data processing equipment. Disposals of property and equipment related to the planned disposition of certain pickup trucks and semi-tractors and trailers in the normal course. Cash requirements for these asset changes were satisfied from net earnings. - 7 - Liquidity and Capital Resources (continued) - ------------------------------------------- As of March 31, 1998, the Company had a remaining commitment of approximately $1.2 million related to the expansion of the Winona, Minnesota warehouse. No other material outstanding commitments for capital expenditures exist. Management anticipates funding the Company's commitments for capital expenditures with cash generated from operations, from its borrowing capacity and, to a lesser degree, from available cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. Certain Risks and Uncertainties - ------------------------------- This discussion contains statements that are not historical in nature and that are intended to be, and are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Reform Act"), including statements regarding planned hiring and store openings, and anticipated future operating and administrative expenses. The following factors are among those that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements: (i) a downturn in the economy, could impact sales at existing stores causing expenses to grow as a percentage of net sales, (ii) a change, from that projected, in the number of smaller communities able to support future store sites could impact the rate of new store openings, (iii) the ability of the Company to successfully attract and retain qualified personnel to staff the Company's smaller community stores could impact the hiring and the rate of new store openings, (iv) changes in government regulations related to product quality or product source traceability could impact the cost to the Company of regulatory compliance, and (v) inclement weather could impact the Company's distribution network. ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK Not Applicable. PART II - OTHER INFORMATION ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K (a) Exhibits: 3.1 Restated Articles of Incorporation of Fastenal Company, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Fastenal Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1993) 3.2 Restated By-Laws of Fastenal Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Registration Statement No. 33-14923) 27 Financial Data Schedule (b) Reports on Form 8-K: No report on Form 8-K was filed by Fastenal Company during the quarter ended March 31, 1998. 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 undersigned thereunto duly authorized. FASTENAL COMPANY /S/ ROBERT A. KIERLIN ----------------------------- (Robert A. Kierlin, President) (Duly Authorized Officer) Date APRIL 17, 1998 /S/ DANIEL L. FLORNESS ------------------ ----------------------------- (Daniel L. Florness, Treasurer) (Principal Financial Officer) INDEX TO EXHIBITS 3.1 Restated Articles of Incorporation of Fastenal Company, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Fastenal Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1993). 3.2 Restated By-Laws of Fastenal Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Registration Statement No. 33-14923). 27 Financial Data Schedule................................Electronically Filed