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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K


            x    ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2001

OR

            o 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: 0-18053

LASERSCOPE

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
     
California 77-0049527
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

3070 Orchard Drive San Jose, California 95134-2011

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (408) 943-0636


Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Common Stock, no par value

Common Share Purchase Rights

(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 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  o

          Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.     o

          The aggregate market value of the Registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant was approximately $49,727,199 as of March 8, 2002, based upon the closing sale price on the NASDAQ National Market System reported for such date. Shares of Common Stock held by each officer and director and by each person who owns 5% of more of the outstanding Common Stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.

          There were 16,214,813 shares of Registrant’s Common Stock issued and outstanding as of March 8, 2002.




TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I
Item 1.Business
Item 2.Properties
Item 3.Legal Proceedings
Item 4.Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
PART II
Item 6.Selected Financial Data
Item 7.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Item 9.Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
PART III
Item 10.Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant
Item 11.Executive Compensation
Item 12.Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
Item 13.Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
PART IV
Item 14.Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K
EXHIBIT 23.1
EXHIBIT 23.2


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DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

      Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporates information by reference from the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 21, 2002.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT, RISK FACTORS AND REFERENCES

      Some of the statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”), including but not limited to the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations,” “Business” and elsewhere in this document are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of those statements. We are under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this document to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

RISK FACTORS

      Our business, financial condition and results of operations have been, and in the future may be, affected by a variety of factors, including those set forth below and elsewhere in this report.

Limited Working Capital; Potential Need to Raise Additional Capital.

      As of December 31, 2001, our total assets were $25.5 million and our total liabilities were $12.1 million. As of the same date, our working capital was $13.3 million and our cash and cash equivalents totaled $3.4 million. Current and anticipated demand for our products as well as procurement and production affect our need for capital. Changes in these or other factors could have a material impact on capital requirements and may require us to raise additional capital.

      For example, to address our capital needs, on January 14, 2000 we completed a private placement of our common stock providing net proceeds of approximately $1.8 million to accredited investors. We issued 2.5 million shares of our no par value Common Stock at a price of $0.80 per share. We also issued warrants to purchase 218,875 shares of our Common Stock.

      Similarly, on February 11, 2000, we completed a private placement of subordinate convertible debentures to affiliates of Renaissance Capital Group, Inc., with net proceeds to us of approximately $2.9 million. The debentures mature seven years from issuance and bear an interest rate of 8.00%. The debentures are convertible into Laserscope common stock at an initial conversion price of $1.25, which is subject to adjustment. The private placement also included warrants convertible into 240,000 shares of our common stock.

      There are covenants associated with the debentures for debt-to-equity ratio, current ratio, and interest coverage. In the event that we are unable to satisfy any of these covenants, then we would be in default and the lender would have the right to exercise various remedies including declaring due all outstanding principal and interest. The interest coverage ratio requirement is 1.5 for the trailing twelve months, and as of December 31, 2001 our interest coverage was 1.7. Future ability to meet the interest coverage requirement will depend primarily on our ability to generate profits. The debt-to-equity requirement is a maximum of 1.5, and the current ratio requirement is a minimum of 1.0. As of December 31, 2001 we were in compliance with the provisions of the covenants.

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      In 2001, except for shares issued through the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the Incentive Stock Option Plans, no additional capital was raised through issuance of either equity or debt instruments.

      We anticipate that future changes in cash and working capital will be dependent on a number of factors including:

        Our ability to manage effectively non-cash assets such as inventory and accounts receivable;
 
        Our ability to anticipate and adapt to the changes in our industry such as new and alternative medical procedures;
 
        Our level of profitability; and
 
        Our determination to acquire or invest in products and businesses complementary to ours.

      We have historically financed acquisitions using our existing cash resources. While we believe our existing cash resources, including our bank line of credit, will be sufficient to fund our operating needs for the next twelve months, additional financing will be required for our currently envisioned long term needs.

      There also can be no assurance that any additional financing will be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, future equity financings could result in dilution to our shareholders, and future debt financings could result in certain financial and operational restrictions.

History of Losses; Uncertainty of Future Profitability.

      At December 31, 2001, we had an accumulated deficit of $39.8 million. We reported a net loss of $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2001, net income of $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2000, and a net loss of $7.6 million for the year ended December 31, 1999. There can be no assurance that we can achieve or maintain profitability on a quarterly basis or at all.

Government Regulation; Uncertainty of Obtaining Regulatory Approval.

      Government regulation in the United States and other countries is a significant factor in the development, manufacturing and marketing of many of our products.

      Laserscope and its products are regulated in the United States by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the “FDC Act”) and the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act. The FDC Act provides two basic review procedures for medical devices. Certain products qualify for a Section 510(k) (“510(k)”) procedure under which the manufacturer gives the FDA pre-market notification of the manufacturer’s intention to commence marketing the product. The manufacturer must, among other things, establish that the product to be marketed is “substantially equivalent” to a previously marketed product. In some cases, the manufacturer may be required to include clinical data gathered under an investigational device exemption (“IDE”) granted by the FDA allowing human clinical studies.

      There can be no assurance that the FDA will grant marketing clearance for our future products on a timely basis, or at all.

      If the product does not qualify for the 510(k) procedure, the manufacturer must file a pre-market approval application (“PMA”) based on testing intended to demonstrate that the product is both safe and effective. The PMA requires more extensive clinical testing than the 510(k) procedure and generally involves a significantly longer FDA review process. Approval of a PMA allowing commercial sale of a product requires pre-clinical laboratory and animal tests and human clinical studies conducted under an IDE establishing safety and effectiveness. Generally, because of the amount of information required, the 510(k) procedure takes less time than the PMA procedure.

      To date, all of our products (except for the 600 Series Dye Module) have been marketed through the 510(k) procedure. Future products, however, may require clearance through the PMA procedure. There can be no assurance that such marketing clearances can be obtained on a timely basis, or at all. Delays in receiving

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such clearances could have a significant adverse impact on our ability to compete in our industry. The FDA may also require post-market testing and surveillance programs to monitor certain products.

      Certain other countries require medical device manufacturers to obtain clearances for products prior to marketing the products in those countries. The requirements vary widely from country to country and are subject to change.

      We are also required to register with the FDA and state agencies, such as the Food and Drug Branch of the California Department of Health Services (CDHS), as a medical device manufacturer. We are inspected routinely by these agencies to determine our compliance with the FDA’s current “Good Manufacturing Practice” regulations. Those regulations impose certain procedural and documentation requirements upon medical device manufacturers concerning manufacturing, testing and quality control activities. If these inspections determine violations of applicable regulations, the continued marketing of any products manufactured by us may be adversely affected.

      In addition, our laser products are covered by a performance standard for laser products set forth in FDA regulations. The laser performance standard imposes certain specific record-keeping, reporting, product testing, and product labeling requirements on laser manufacturers. These requirements also include affixing warning labels to laser systems, as well as incorporating certain safety features in the design of laser products.

      Complying with applicable governmental regulations and obtaining necessary clearances or approvals can be time consuming and expensive. There can be no assurance that regulatory review will not involve delays or other actions adversely affecting the marketing and sale of our products. We also cannot predict the extent or impact of future legislation or regulations.

      We are also subject to regulation under federal and state laws regarding, among other things, occupational safety, the use and handling of hazardous materials and protection of the environment. We believe that we are in material compliance with these requirements.

Insurance Reimbursement.

      Demand for certain of our products depends on government and private insurance reimbursement of hospitals and physicians for health care costs, including, but not limited to, reimbursement of capital equipment costs. Reductions or delays in such insurance coverage or reimbursement may negatively impact hospitals’ and physicians’ decision to purchase our products, adversely affecting our future sales. A substantial portion of our laser sales are for aesthetic procedures that are generally not subject to reimbursement by government or private health insurance. The general absence of insurance coverage for these cosmetic procedures may restrict the development of this market.

Uncertainty of Technological Change; Uncertainty of New Product Development and Acceptance.

      We operate in an industry that is subject to rapid technological change. Our ability to remain competitive and future operating results will depend upon, among other things, our ability to anticipate and respond rapidly to such change by developing, manufacturing and marketing technologically innovative products in sufficient quantities at acceptable costs to meet such demand. Without new products and enhancements, our existing products will likely become technologically obsolete, which could result in the write-off of inventory as well as diminished revenues. Therefore, we intend to continue to invest significant amounts in research and development.

      Our expenditures for research and development were approximately $3.8 million, $3.3 million and $4.5 million in 2001, 2000 and 1999, respectively. We anticipate that our ability to compete will require significant research and development expenditures with a continuing flow of innovative, high-quality products. We cannot assure that we will be successful in designing, manufacturing or selling enhanced or new products in a timely manner. Nor can we assure that a competitor could not introduce a new or enhanced product or technology that could have an adverse effect on our competitive position.

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      Our current research and development programs are directed toward the development of new laser systems and delivery devices. For example, we are currently developing new laser systems for the emerging aesthetic market and the urology market. We cannot assure that these markets will develop as anticipated or that our product development efforts will prove successful. Nor can we assure that such new products, if developed and introduced, will be accepted by the market.

Dependence on Single-Source Suppliers and Certain Third Parties.

      Certain of the components used in our laser products, including certain optical components, are purchased from single sources. While we believe that most of these components are available from alternate sources, an interruption of these or other supplies could adversely affect our ability to manufacture lasers.

Competition.

      We compete in the non-ophthalmic surgical segment of the worldwide medical laser market. In this market, lasers are used in hospital operating rooms, outpatient surgery centers and individual physician offices for a wide variety of procedures. This market is highly competitive. Our competitors are numerous and include some of the world’s largest organizations as well as smaller, highly-specialized firms. Our ability to compete effectively depends on such factors as:

  •  market acceptance of our products;
 
  •  product performance;
 
  •  price;
 
  •  customer support;
 
  •  the success and timing of new product development; and
 
  •  continued development of successful distribution channels.

      Some of our current and prospective competitors have or may have significantly greater financial, technical, research and development, manufacturing and marketing resources than we have. In 2001, two of our largest competitors, ESC Medical Systems (“ESC”) and Coherent Medical, completed a business combination. To compete effectively, we will need to continue to expand our product offerings, periodically enhance our existing products and continue to enhance our distribution.

      Certain surgical laser manufacturers have targeted their efforts on narrow segments of the market, such as angioplasty and lithotripsy. Their products may compete for the same capital equipment funds as our products, and accordingly, these manufacturers may be considered our competitors. More generally, surgical laser manufacturers such as Laserscope compete with standard surgical methods and other medical technologies and treatment modalities. We cannot assure that we can compete effectively against such competitors. In addition, we cannot assure that these or other companies will not succeed in developing technologies, products or treatments that are more effective than ours or that would render our technology or products obsolete or non-competitive.

Reliance on Patents and Licenses.

      We hold several patents issued in the United States, generally covering surgical laser systems, delivery devices, calibration inserts, the laser resonator and the connector used to attach disposable and reusable instrumentation to our laser systems. We have also licensed certain technologies from others.

      We cannot assure that any patents or licenses that we hold or that may be issued as a result of our patent applications will provide any competitive advantages for our products. Nor can we assure that any of the patents that we now hold or may hold in the future will not be successfully challenged, invalidated or circumvented in the future. In addition, we cannot assure that competitors, many of which have substantial resources and have made substantial investments in competing technologies, will not seek to apply for and obtain patents that will prevent, limit or interfere with our ability to make, issue, use and sell our products.

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Failure to Attract or Retain Key Personnel Can Adversely Affect Results.

      We depend upon the efforts and abilities of a number of current key personnel. If we are unable to attract and retain key employees it would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and future cash flows.

Reliance on Key Customers

      In December 2000, Laserscope and McKesson Corporation (“McKesson”) entered into a five year agreement whereby McKesson would obtain exclusive distribution rights for the Company’s aesthetic product lines to doctors’ offices in the United States. During 2001, aesthetic product sales in the United States accounted for approximately 34% of our total revenues and at December 31, 2001, accounts receivable from McKesson accounted for approximately 16% of our total accounts receivable. If we are unable to maintain a favorable relationship with McKesson or if McKesson encounters financial difficulties, it would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and future cashflows.

Fluctuations in Quarterly Operating Results.

      A number of factors affect our quarterly financial results including the timing of shipments and orders. Our laser products are relatively expensive pieces of medical capital equipment and the precise shipment date of specific units can have a marked effect on our results of operations on a quarterly basis. Any delay in product shipments near the end of a quarter could cause our quarterly results to fall short of anticipated levels. Furthermore, to the extent we receive orders near the end of a quarter, we may not be able to fulfill the order during the balance of that same quarter. Moreover, we typically receive a disproportionate percentage of orders toward the end of each quarter. From time to time, we may also request that our distributors purchase additional product near the end of a quarter. To the extent that we do not receive anticipated orders or orders are delayed beyond the end of the applicable quarter, our results may be adversely affected and may be unpredictable from quarter to quarter. In addition, because a significant portion of our revenues in each quarter result from orders received in that quarter, we base our production, inventory and operating expenditure levels on anticipated revenue levels. Thus, if sales do not occur when expected, expenditure levels could be disproportionately high and operating results for that quarter and potentially future quarters, would be adversely affected. We cannot assure that Laserscope will accomplish revenue growth or profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Nor can we assure that revenue growth or profitability will not fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter.

Product Liability Risk; Limited Insurance Coverage.

      Our business has significant risks of product liability claims. We have experienced product liability claims from time to time, which we believe are ordinary for our business. While we cannot predict or determine the outcome of the actions brought against us, we believe that these actions will not ultimately have a material adverse impact on Laserscope’s financial position, results of operations, and future cash flows.

      At present, we maintain product liability insurance on a “claims made” basis with coverage of $10.0 million in the aggregate with a deductible of $0.1 million per occurrence and an annual maximum aggregate deductible of $0.5 million. We cannot assure that such insurance coverage will be available to us in the future at a reasonable cost, if at all. Nor can we assure that other claims will not be brought against us in excess of our insurance coverage.

Factors Affecting Financial Results and Stock Price.

      A number of factors affect our financial results and stock price including, but not limited to:

  •  product mix;
 
  •  competitive pricing pressures;
 
  •  material costs;

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  •  revenue and expenses related to new products and enhancements to existing products;
 
  •  delays in customer purchases in anticipation of new products or product enhancements by Laserscope or its competitors; and
 
  •  the risk of loss or interruption to our operations or increased costs due to earthquakes, the availability of power and energy supplies and other events beyond our control.

      The market price of our common stock may be subject to significant fluctuations. These fluctuations may be due to factors specific to Laserscope, such as:

  •  quarterly fluctuations in our financial results;
 
  •  changes in analysts’ estimates of future results;
 
  •  changes in investors’ perceptions of our products;
 
  •  announcement of new or enhanced products by us or our competitors;
 
  •  announcements relating to acquisitions and strategic transactions by us or our competitors;
 
  •  general conditions in the medical equipment industry; and
 
  •  general conditions in the financial markets.

      The stock market has from time to time experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations, particularly among stocks of high technology companies, which, on occasion, have been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. Factors not directly related to Laserscope’s performance, such as negative industry reports or disappointing earnings announcements by publicly traded competitors, may have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

      As of March 8, 2002, we had 16,214,813 shares of outstanding common stock. The sale of a substantial number of shares of common stock or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock.

International Business.

      Our international revenues were 35% of total revenues in the year ended December 31, 2001, compared to 38% of total revenues during the comparable period in 2000. Our international sales are made through international distributors and wholly-owned subsidiaries with payments to us typically denominated in the local currencies of the United Kingdom and France, and in U.S. Dollars in the rest of the world. We intend to continue our operations outside of the United States and potentially to enter additional international markets, These activities, require significant management attention and financial resources and further subject us to the risks of operating internationally. These risks include, but are not limited to:

  •  changes in regulatory requirements;
 
  •  delays resulting from difficulty in obtaining export licenses for certain technology;
 
  •  customs, tariffs and other barriers and restrictions; and
 
  •  the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws.

      We are also subject to general geopolitical risks in connection with our international operations, such as:

  •  differing economic conditions;
 
  •  changes in political climate;
 
  •  differing tax structures; and
 
  •  changes in diplomatic and trade relationships.

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      In addition, fluctuations in currency exchange rates may negatively affect our ability to compete in terms of price against products denominated in local currencies.

      Accordingly, our future results could be materially adversely affected by changes in these regulatory, geopolitical and other factors.

      We do not engage in hedging transactions for speculative or trading purposes.

Legal Proceedings.

      Laserscope is a party to a number of legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While it is not feasible to predict or determine the outcome of the actions brought against us, we believe that the ultimate resolution of these claims will not ultimately have a material adverse effect on Laserscope’s financial position or results of operations.

Interest Rate Risk.

      Laserscope’s exposure to market rate risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to our outstanding debt. In 2001, 2000, and 1999 we did not use derivative financial instruments. We invest excess cash in money market funds. Our debt financing consists of convertible debentures and bank loans requiring either fixed or variable rate interest payments. Investments in and borrowings under both fixed-rate and floating-rate interest-earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk. On the investment side, fixed-rate securities may have their fair market value adversely affected due to a rise in interest rates, while floating-rate securities may produce less income than expected if interest rates fall. In addition, our future investment income may fall short of securities analyst expectations due to changes in interest rates, or we may suffer losses in principal if forced to sell securities which have declined in market value due to changes in interest rates. On the debt side, borrowings that require fixed-rate interest payments require greater than current market rate interest payments if interest rates fall, while floating rate borrowings may require greater interest payments if interest rates rise. Additionally, our future interest expense may be greater than expected due to changes in interest rates.

Warranty Obligations.

      We have a direct field service organization that provides service for our products. We generally provide a twelve month warranty on our laser systems. After the warranty period, maintenance and support is provided on a variety of service contract bases or on an individual call basis. We also have a “99.0% Uptime Guarantee” on our laser systems. Under provisions of this guarantee, we extend the term of the related warranty or service contract if specified system uptime levels are not maintained. Although most systems covered by this guarantee have achieved a 99.0% uptime rate to date, we cannot assure that we can maintain such uptime rates in the future.

No Dividends.

      We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying cash dividends on the common stock in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on the common stock will depend on our earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting us at such time as the Board of Directors may consider relevant.

“Penny Stock” Rules.

      Our common stock is traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (“NASDAQ”) National Market System, which requires that a company have a minimum bid price of $1.00 in order to qualify for continued listing. Our low bid price in 2001 for each of the quarters March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 was $0.94, $0.90, $1.35 and $ 1.38, respectively, and our last traded price on March 8, 2002 was $3.63. If we fail to maintain our listing for our common stock on the NASDAQ National Market System, and no other exclusion from the definition of “penny stock” under the Exchange Act is available, any brokers engaging in transactions in our securities would be required to provide their customers

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with a risk disclosure document, the compensation of the broker/dealer in the transaction and monthly account statements showing the market values of our securities held in the customers’ accounts. The bid and offer quotations and compensation information must be provided prior to effecting the transaction and must be contained on the customer’s confirmation. If brokers become subject to the “penny stock” rules when engaging in transactions in our securities, they would become less willing to engage in such transactions, thereby making it more difficult for shareholders to dispose of their shares of Laserscope common stock.

Dilution.

      Shareholders may experience dilution in the net tangible book value of their investment upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants granted under Laserscope’s stock option plans and other options, warrants and outstanding convertible securities.

Other.

      Other risks are detailed from time to time in our press releases and other public disclosure filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), copies of which are available upon request from the Company.

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REFERENCES

      References made in this Report to “Laserscope,” the “Company,” the “Registrant,” “We,” “Us,” or “Our” refer to Laserscope and its subsidiaries. References made in the Report to “NWL” refer to NWL Laser-Technologie GmbH.

      The following are registered trademarks of Laserscope which may be mentioned in this report:

  •  Laserscope;
 
  •  Dermastat;
 
  •  KTP/532;
 
  •  KTP/ YAG;
 
  •  MicroBeam.

      The following are common law trademarks and service marks of Laserscope, which also may be mentioned in this report:

     
• AccuStat;
  • Lyra XP;
• ADD;
  • MicronSpot;
• ADDStat,
  • Microstat;
• Aura;
  • Niagara;
• Aura SL;
  • Niagara PV;
• Aura XP;
  • PVP;
• Coolspot;
  • SmartConnector;
• Dermastat;
  • StarPulse;
• Endostat;
  • Venus;
• Lyra.
   

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PART I

Item 1. Business

General Overview of Business

      Laserscope designs, manufactures, sells and services, on a worldwide basis, an advanced line of medical laser systems and related energy devices for the medical office, outpatient surgical center and hospital markets. The Company is a pioneer in the development and commercialization of lasers and advanced fiber-optic devices for a wide variety of applications. Our product portfolio consists of more than 350 products, including KTP/532, CO2, Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, and Dye medical laser systems and related energy delivery devices.

      Our primary medical markets include dermatology, aesthetic surgery and urology. Our secondary markets include ear, nose and throat surgery, general surgery, gynecology, photo-dynamic therapy and other surgical specialties.

Mission

      Our corporate mission is to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of health care by providing innovative medical products and services.

History

      Laserscope is a California corporation that was founded in 1982 and shipped its first product in 1984. During its initial years, the Company was funded by several venture capital firms and by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. We received the first in a series of U.S. regulatory clearances in 1987 and completed our initial public offering in December 1989.

Market Focus

      We entered the dermatology/aesthetic surgery market in the mid 1990’s with several, highly-versatile laser systems. Our desktop-sized Aura Laser System is among the industry’s leading systems for the treatment of red leg and facial veins. Our Aura SL is specifically designed for the treatment of facial veins. Our Lyra and Lyra XP are designed specifically for hair removal and for the treatment of leg veins. Our Venus is engineered for skin resurfacing (wrinkle removal) applications. As a percentage of total revenues in 2001, the dermatology/aesthetic surgery market accounted for approximately 68% of revenues.

      Our products are also used in several other applications. Since the early 1990’s, the ear, nose and throat (ENT), gynecology (OB/GYN), general surgery and urology specialties have continued to represent markets into which we sell our broad range of laser systems and the majority of our energy delivery devices and surgical instruments. As a percentage of total revenues in 2001 these markets accounted for approximately 32% of our total revenues.

Products

     Laser Platforms:

      Our Niagara laser system is a KTP single wavelength laser used for Photo Vaporization of the Prostate (“PVP”), a procedure to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (“BPH”). BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, the male’s walnut-size gland located just below the bladder, which squeezes the urethra as it grows and restricts the flow of urine. BPH is a condition which increases in incidence as the male population ages, and it is estimated that 30 million men worldwide have this condition.

      Our Lyra and Lyra XP laser systems are compact Nd:YAG, single wavelength lasers used primarily for hair removal and leg vein treatments in doctors’ offices. These lasers are approved by the FDA for hair removal on all skin color types and were the first lasers approved by the FDA for treatment of pseudo folliculitis barbae (“PFB”), commonly referred to as “shaving bumps,” “razor bumps” or “ingrown hairs.”

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PFB is a condition that has an incidence estimated from 20-60 percent in African American men and is of particular concern in the military services.

      Our Aura laser system is a compact, highly portable, KTP/532 single wavelength laser designed for office use. Its integrated StarPulse feature is designed for the removal of benign vascular and pigmented surface lesions, including leg and facial telangiectasia (spider-like veins). It can also be used as a continuous wave laser for surgical applications that include endoscopic blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, facelifts, tonsillectomy, wart removal and snoring cessation.

      Our Aura SL treats primarily facial spider veins, including superficial pigmented lesions such as age spots. Its special design provides greater patient comfort, quicker healing and a lower price.

      Our Orion Laser System is a mid-size, more powerful system for outpatient surgical centers and hospitals. It features dual KTP/532 and Nd:YAG wavelengths as well as StarPulse. The range of applications includes ENT, OB/GYN, urology, general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, spine surgery, aesthetic surgery and dermatology. Both the Aura and Orion systems are available with SmartScan, a microprocessor-controlled beam-scanning device.

      Our Venus Erbium:YAG Laser System is among the most compact and powerful, commercially available Erbium lasers for skin resurfacing and other medical laser applications. Venus is one-half the size and weight of most other Erbium systems on the market.

      Our 800 Series KTP/ YAG Surgical Laser System is designed for use in hospitals. It is a high-power, dual-wavelength system with applications in urology, general surgery, and other surgical specialties. The KTP/532 beam surgically cuts, vaporizes and coagulates tissue with minimal disruption to adjacent areas. Cutting and vaporization are achieved hemostatically, making the system effective for endoscopic as well as open surgical procedures. Complementing the KTP/532 beam is the Nd:YAG infrared beam which provides deep coagulation and powerful ablative capabilities. The 800 Series System, which provides up to 40 watts of KTP/532 energy and 100 watts of Nd:YAG energy, can also serve as a base laser system for Laserscope’s PDT laser dye module, enabling photo-dynamic therapy applications.

      Laserscope’s PDT systems include the Model 630 and 630XP PDT Dye Modules. The Model 630 Dye Module provides 3.2 watts of power while the Model 630 XP Dye Module provides 7.0 watts of power. Both systems operate at 630 nm for photoactivation of Photofrin, a photo dynamic therapy drug, and are portable and may be tunable to other wavelengths.

  Laser Devices, Instruments and Disposables:

      We offer a broad line of surgical instrumentation, disposables, kits and other accessories for use with our surgical laser systems. These products include disposable optical fibers, side-firing devices, individual custom hand pieces for specific surgical applications, scanning devices, micromanipulators for microscopic surgery and various other devices, procedure-specific kits and accessories.

      Our disposable optical fibers are available in different lengths and diameters for different surgical applications and preferences. The hand pieces, which are used to hold and aim the optical fiber, give the doctor the feel of a traditional surgical tool. When used in contact with body tissue, they provide tactile feedback similar to conventional surgery.

Sales and Marketing

      We concentrate much of our marketing efforts for our laser products on high volume surgical procedures such as the treatment of BPH, facial vascular lesions, the treatment of leg veins and hair removal. We believe that increased market awareness of both the benefits of laser procedures and the drawbacks of conventional procedures is one of the most important factors in expanding the market for our laser and laser-based products. As a result, we have designed our marketing and sales strategy around a strong educational effort to promote awareness of the versatility, safety, and cost-effectiveness of our surgical laser systems.

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      We promote our products through trade shows and exhibits covering most of the surgical specialties, physician workshops and seminars, medical journal advertising and direct mailings. We support and participate in a substantial number of workshops and seminars. For laser products, the workshops usually include a demonstration of our laser systems and provide surgeons with hands-on experience using our products.

Distribution

      In the United States, we distribute our products to hospitals, outpatient surgical centers and physician offices through our own direct sales force and through the McKesson Corporation Medical Group, (“McKesson”). In December 2000, we signed a distribution agreement that grants to McKesson the exclusive distribution rights for our core aesthetic laser products in the United States. McKesson Medical Group’s Primary Care Division has a sales force of more than 500 representatives throughout the United States who are supported by our own direct sales force.

      In the United Kingdom and France, we distribute our products to hospitals, outpatient surgical centers and physician offices through our own direct sales force. Elsewhere, we sell our products through regional distributor networks throughout Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Laserscope is both ISO 9001 and CE certified.

International Business

      Revenues from Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim continue to account for a large percentage of total sales. Approximately 35% of Laserscope’s 2001 revenues were derived from its international operations including export sales, compared to 38% in 2000 and 45% in 1999. We expect that international sales will continue to represent a significant percentage of net revenue in 2002.

      On February 18, 2000, Laserscope signed an agreement with Wavelight Laser Technologie AG to sell its interest in NWL. The sale had an effective date of January 1, 2000. NWL continued to distribute our products in Germany until January 2002 when their distribution agreement was terminated.

Installed Base of Lasers

      We have more than 6,000 laser systems installed worldwide. The installed base provides a market for service as well as the sale of devices, instruments and disposables.

Service and Support

      We have a direct field service organization that provides service for our products. We generally provide a twelve-month warranty on our laser systems. After the warranty period, maintenance and support is provided on a variety of service contract bases or on an individual call basis. We also have a “99.0% Uptime Guarantee” on our laser systems. Under provisions of this guarantee, we extend the term of the related warranty or contract if specified system uptime levels are not maintained.

Research and Development

      We operate in an industry that is subject to rapid technological changes. Our ability to remain competitive in our industry depends on, among other things, our ability to anticipate and react to such technological changes. Therefore, we intend to continue to invest significant amounts in research and development. We spent $3.8 million, $3.3 million, and $4.5 million on company-sponsored research and development in 2001, 2000, and 1999 respectively.

      Our current research and development programs are directed toward the development of new laser systems and delivery devices. For example, we are currently developing new laser systems for the emerging aesthetic market and the urology market.

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Manufacturing

      We manufacture the laser resonators, system chassis and certain accessories used in our laser systems in the United States. Our laser manufacturing operations concentrate on the assembly and test of components and subassemblies manufactured to our designs and specifications by outside vendors. We believe that we have sufficient manufacturing capacity in our present facilities to support current operations at least through the end of 2002.

      In addition to our laser manufacturing capability, we have a production facility in the United States for certain of our disposable products and re-usable hand pieces.

Employees

      At December 31, 2001, Laserscope had 167 employees. We believe that we maintain competitive compensation, benefit, equity participation and work environment policies to assist in attracting and retaining qualified personnel. We also believe that the success of our business will depend, in part, on our ability to attract and retain such personnel, who are in great demand.

Competition

      We compete in the non-ophthalmic surgical segment of the worldwide medical laser market. In this market, lasers are used in hospital operating rooms, outpatient surgery centers and individual physician offices for a wide variety of procedures. This market is highly competitive. Our competitors are numerous and include some of the world’s largest organizations as well as smaller, highly-specialized firms. Our ability to compete effectively depends on such factors as:

  •  market acceptance of our products;
 
  •  product performance;
 
  •  price;
 
  •  customer support;
 
  •  the success and timing of new product development; and
 
  •  continued development of successful distribution channels.

      Some of our current and prospective competitors have or may have significantly greater financial, technical, research and development, manufacturing and marketing resources than we have. In early 2001, two of our largest competitors, ESC Medical Systems (“ESC”) and Coherent Medical, completed a business combination. To compete effectively, we will need to continue to expand our product offerings, periodically enhance our existing products and continue to enhance our distribution.

Patents and Licenses

      While we believe the patents that we have and for which we have applied are of value, other factors are of greater competitive importance. We hold several patents issued in the United States, generally covering surgical laser systems, delivery devices, calibration inserts, the laser resonator and the connector used to attach disposable and reusable instrumentation to our laser systems. We have also licensed certain technologies from others.

Dispositions

      On February 18, 2000, the Company signed an agreement with Wavelight Laser Technologie AG to sell its interest in NWL. The sale had an effective date of January 1, 2000. NWL continued to distribute Laserscope’s products until January of 2002 when their distribution agreement was terminated.

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Executive Officers of the Company

      The following sets forth certain information with respect to the executive officers of the Company, and their ages as of December 31, 2001:

             
Name Age Position



Robert J. Pressley, Ph.D. 
    69    
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Eric M. Reuter
    40    
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Robert L. Mathews
    56    
Executive Vice President
Ken Arnold
    32    
Vice President, Research and Development
Van Frazier
    49    
Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs
Dennis LaLumandiere
    48    
Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Kerrick Securda
    62    
Vice President, Marketing and Business Development

      Robert J. Pressley, Ph.D. is a co-founder of the Company and has been a director since its founding. Dr. Pressley was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors in June 1998. Dr. Pressley co-founded Candescent Technologies Corporation (formerly named Silicon Video Corporation), a developer of electronic products, and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer from January 1991 to January 1994. Dr. Pressley also founded XMR, Inc., a manufacturer of eximer lasers and laser systems, and served as its Chief Executive Officer from March 1979 until March 1990. Dr. Pressley has been a self-employed technology consultant since January 1995.

      Eric M. Reuter joined Laserscope as Vice President, Research and Development in September 1996 and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company in June 1999. Prior to joining Laserscope, from February 1994 to August 1996, Mr. Reuter was employed at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center at Stanford University (SLAC) as the Project Engineer for the B-Factory High Energy Ring, an electron storage ring used for high energy physics research. From February 1991 to January 1994, he served as a Senior Staff Engineer and Program Manager in digital imaging at Siemens Medical Systems — Oncology Care Systems, a medical device company.

      Robert L. Mathews joined Laserscope as Executive Vice President in August 1999. Before joining Laserscope, from December 1998 to August 1999, he was Executive Vice President & General Manager of the MasterPlan Division of COHR, Inc., a management consulting and independent service organization. From April 1997 to December 1998, he was Vice President and General Manager of Diasonics Vingmed Ultrasound, Inc., a medical device manufacturer. From April 1996 to April 1997, he was Senior Director, Corporate Accounts at Spacelabs Medical, Inc., a medical device manufacturer. From May 1995 to April 1996 Mr. Mathews was a self employed business consultant and from February 1994 to May 1995 he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Resonex Holdings Ltd., a medical device manufacturer.

      Ken Arnold joined Laserscope as a Manufacturing Engineer in March 1996. Mr. Arnold then served as a Design Engineer from April 1997 to July 1999, Director of Engineering and Technology from July 1999 to October 2001 and as Vice President of Research and Development since October 2001. Prior to joining Laserscope, from 1993 to 1996, he was a Program Manager and Design Engineer at United Defense LP, a major defense contractor.

      Van Frazier joined Laserscope as Director of Quality Assurance in January 1999 and was appointed Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs in June 1999. Before joining Laserscope, from October 1997 to January 1999, he was Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs of St. Jude Medical, a medical device manufacturer. From January 1996 to October 1997, Mr. Frazier held various regulatory management positions at Telectronics Pacing Systems, a medical device manufacturer and from November 1991 to January 1996, he was Regulatory Compliance Manager for Physio-Control, a medical device manufacturer.

      Dennis LaLumandiere joined Laserscope in September 1989 as Corporate Controller. Mr. LaLumandiere has served as Vice President, Finance since February 1995, Chief Financial Officer since February 1996, Assistant Secretary from November 1996 to October 2001 and Secretary since October 2001. Prior to joining

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Laserscope, from 1983 to 1989, Mr. LaLumandiere held various financial and operations management positions at Raychem Corporation, a multinational materials science company.

      Kerrick Securda joined Laserscope in August 2001. Before joining Laserscope, from February 1999 to August 2001, Mr. Securda was Executive Director, Worldwide Marketing and Knowledge Management of Sunrise Technologies International, Inc., a medical device manufacturer. From October 1991 to February 1999, Mr. Securda was President of KCS Enterprises, a consulting company specializing in the medical device industry.

Item 2. Properties

      Laserscope leases two buildings aggregating approximately 35,000 square feet in San Jose, California under leases expiring in September 2005. We have options to extend the leases at the then-current market rates. These facilities house our research and development and manufacturing operations as well as our principal sales, marketing, service and administrative offices. We believe that these facilities are suitable for our current operations and are adequate to support those operations through at least the end of 2002. We also lease offices in the United Kingdom and France where our local sales and marketing staffs are based.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

      Not Applicable.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

      Not Applicable.

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PART II

 
Item 5.  Market for the Registrant’s Common Stock and Related Shareholder Matters

      Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol LSCP. As of March 8, 2002, Laserscope had approximately 700 shareholders of record.

      The following table shows Laserscope’s high and low selling prices for the years ended December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000 as reported by the Nasdaq National Market System:

                 
2001

High Bid Low Bid


First Quarter
  $ 1.81     $ 0.94  
Second Quarter
  $ 2.50     $ 0.90  
Third Quarter
  $ 2.18     $ 1.35  
Fourth Quarter
  $ 2.85     $ 1.38  
                 
2000

High Bid Low Bid


First Quarter
  $ 4.00     $ 0.81  
Second Quarter
  $ 2.25     $ 1.03  
Third Quarter
  $ 2.75     $ 1.50  
Fourth Quarter
  $ 2.09     $ 1.06  

      We have not paid dividends on our common stock and have no present plans to do so. Provisions of our bank line of credit prohibit the payment of dividends without the bank’s consent.

      To address our capital needs in 2000, we completed a private placement of our Common Stock pursuant to Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933 to accredited investors providing gross proceeds of approximately $1.9 million to Laserscope. The transaction consisted of two closings. The first was approximately $1.1 million in gross proceeds in exchange for 1,505,000 shares of Laserscope common stock, which closed on December 30, 1999. The second closing was for approximately $0.8 million in exchange for 995,000 shares of Laserscope common stock which closed on January 14, 2000. The shares had no par value and were issued at a price of $0.80 per share. We also issued warrants to purchase 218,875 shares of common stock on the date of the second closing. The warrants are convertible into shares of Laserscope’s common stock at $1.25 per share and expire in 2005.

      On February 11, 2000, we completed a private placement of subordinate convertible debentures pursuant to Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933 to affiliates of Renaissance Capital Group, Inc. with gross proceeds to Laserscope of $3.0 million. The debentures mature seven years from issuance and bear an interest rate of 8.00%. The debentures are convertible into Laserscope common stock with an initial conversion price, which is subject to adjustment, of $1.25. The private placement also included warrants convertible into 240,000 shares of Laserscope common stock at $1.50 per share and expire in 2005.

      There are covenants associated with the debentures for debt-to-equity ratio, current ratio, and interest coverage. In the event that we are unable to satisfy any of these covenants, then we would be in default, and the lender would have the right to exercise various remedies including declaring due all outstanding principal and interest. The interest coverage ratio requirement is 1.5 for the trailing twelve months, and as of December 31, 2001 our interest coverage was 1.7. Future ability to meet the interest coverage requirement will depend primarily on our ability to generate profits. The debt-to-equity requirement is a maximum of 1.5, and the current ratio requirement is a minimum of 1.0. As of December 31, 2001 we were in compliance with the provisions of the covenants.

      The proceeds from both of these financings were used for general corporate working capital.

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data

(thousands, except per share amounts)

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

                                         
2001 2000(1) 1999(2) 1998(3)(4) 1997(5)(6)





Net revenues
  $ 35,087     $ 35,399     $ 40,990     $ 52,728     $ 61,349  
Net income (loss)
    (829 )     186       (7,573 )     (9,796 )     (843 )
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share
    (0.05 )     0.01       (0.60 )     (0.79 )     (0.07 )

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data (at end of period):

                                         
2001 2000(1) 1999(2) 1998(3)(4) 1997(5)(6)





Cash, cash equivalents & short-term investments
  $ 3,408     $ 2,698     $ 1,449     $ 1,456     $ 2,465  
Working capital
    13,336       14,793       6,806       13,722       20,313  
Total assets
    25,482       24,087       28,956       36,593       47,306  
Capital leases (excluding current portion)
    60       277       534       1,012       274  
Other long term debt
    3,000       3,000       862       1,693       2,970  
Shareholders’ equity
    13,412       14,114       12,047       18,671       28,117  

Consolidated Quarterly Statement of Operations Data (Unaudited):

                                 
Three Months Ended

March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31,




2001
                               
Net revenues
  $ 8,228     $ 9,302     $ 7,953     $ 9,604  
Gross margin
    3,709       5,021       3,799       4,823  
Net income (loss)
    (490 )     182       (641 )     120  
Basic & diluted net income (loss) per share
    (0.03 )     0.01       (0.04 )     0.01  
2000
                               
Net revenues
  $ 8,628     $ 9,294     $ 9,254     $ 8,223  
Gross margin
    3,869       4,392       4,640       3,924  
Net income ( loss)
    (352 )     303       505       (270 )
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share
    (0.02 )     0.02       0.03       (0.02 )

(1)  The Company sold its ownership interest in NWL Laser-Technologie GmbH effective January 1, 2000.
 
(2)  The Company recorded a $750,000 obsolete inventory provision in the quarter ended June 30, 1999.
 
(3)  The Company sold assets & liabilities related to its AMS product line on November 9, 1998 at a loss of $1.1 million.
 
(4)  The Company recorded a $2.1 million obsolete inventory provision in the quarter ended December 31, 1998.
 
(5)  The Company closed the acquisition of a 52% equity ownership of NWL Laser-Technologie GmbH on June 13, 1997.
 
(6)  The Company recorded a $3.0 million obsolete inventory provision in the quarter ended December 31, 1997.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

      Our discussion