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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: June 30, 2004

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:       0-24464

THE CRONOS GROUP

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
     
LUXEMBOURG   NOT APPLICABLE
(State or other Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

16, ALLÉE MARCONI, BOÎTE POSTALE 260, L-2120 LUXEMBOURG
(Address of principal executive offices)(zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area codes:
(352) 453145


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2) Yes [   ] No [X]

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 [   ]

     The number of Common Shares outstanding as of August 13, 2004 :

         
Class
  Number of Shares Outstanding
Common
    7,260,080  

 


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THE CRONOS GROUP

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 EXHIBIT 10.1
 Exhibit 31.1
 Exhibit 31.2
 Exhibit 32.1

 


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THE CRONOS GROUP

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1 — Financial Statements

Management Representation

     Unless the context indicates otherwise, the “Company” means The Cronos Group and, where appropriate, includes its subsidiaries and predecessors, while “Cronos” or the “Group” means The Cronos Group together with its subsidiaries and predecessors.

     The condensed unaudited consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.

     These condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K.

     This financial information reflects, in the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary to present fairly, the results for the interim periods. Such adjustments consist of only normal recurring adjustments. The results of operations for such interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

     As discussed in the Company’s 2003 Form 10-K, the Group adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Interpretation No. 46 Revised - “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities” (“FIN 46R”) in December 2003 by restating previously issued financial statements with a cumulative effect adjustment at the beginning of 2001. This restatement included the first three quarters of 2003.

     The information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. These forward-looking statements reflect the current view of the Group with respect to future events and financial performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Group’s control. All statements, other than statements of historical facts included in this report, regarding the Group’s strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of the Group are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words “will”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report. The Group does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

Condensed Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income

                                 
    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
    June 30,   June 30,
    2004   2003   2004   2003
   
  Restated
 
  Restated
Gross lease revenue
  $ 32,112     $ 28,626     $ 63,015     $ 57,379  
Equipment trading revenue
    798       790       3,374       1,445  
Commissions, fees and other income:
                               
- Container Equity Programs
    227       276       450       557  
- Unrelated parties
    890       818       1,224       1,591  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Total revenues
    34,027       30,510       68,063       60,972  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Direct operating expenses
    4,951       7,206       11,959       12,891  
Payments to Managed Container Programs:
                               
- Container Equity Programs
    7,745       5,072       14,235       10,537  
- Other Managed Container Programs
    8,965       7,622       16,917       16,048  
Equipment trading expenses
    503       738       2,799       1,308  
Depreciation and amortization
    4,671       4,353       8,965       8,891  
Selling, general and administrative expenses
    4,336       3,777       8,578       7,608  
Interest expense
    1,194       1,324       2,348       2,817  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Total expenses
    32,365       30,092       65,801       60,100  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliate
    1,662       418       2,262       872  
Income taxes
    (249 )     (295 )     (592 )     (466 )
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate
    657       296       1,189       512  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Net income
    2,070       419       2,859       918  
Other comprehensive income (loss):
                               
- change in fair value of forward exchange contracts, net of tax
    54             325        
- change in fair value of derivatives held by affiliate, net of tax
    68             (169 )      
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Comprehensive income
  $ 2,192     $ 419     $ 3,015     $ 918  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Basic net income per common share
  $ 0.29     $ 0.06     $ 0.39     $ 0.13  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Diluted net income per common share
  $ 0.27     $ 0.06     $ 0.37     $ 0.12  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

Condensed Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets

                 
    June 30,   December 31,
    2004   2003
Assets
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 8,781     $ 8,432  
Restricted cash
    1,407       1,033  
Amounts due from lessees, net
    24,939       22,766  
Amounts receivable from Managed Container Programs
    2,738       3,399  
New container equipment for resale
    25,594       10,816  
Net investment in direct financing leases
    7,608       8,376  
Investments
    10,649       8,570  
Container equipment, net
    160,325       155,504  
Other equipment, net
    700       604  
Goodwill, net
    11,038       11,038  
Other intangible assets, net
    627       721  
Other assets
    6,147       6,778  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total assets
  $ 260,553     $ 238,037  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
               
Amounts payable to Managed Container Programs
  $ 19,444     $ 17,643  
Amounts payable to container manufacturers
    35,218       17,312  
Direct operating expense payables and accruals
    4,058       5,269  
Other amounts payable and accrued expenses
    7,642       8,489  
Debt and capital lease obligations
    121,170       119,205  
Current and deferred income taxes
    2,934       2,981  
Deferred income and unamortized acquisition fees
    5,250       5,105  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total liabilities
    195,716       176,004  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Shareholders’ equity
               
Common shares issued and outstanding (7,372,080 shares)
    14,744       14,744  
Additional paid-in capital
    46,341       46,552  
Common shares held in treasury (112,000 shares)
    (297 )     (297 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (250 )     (406 )
Restricted retained earnings
    1,832       1,832  
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)
    2,467       (392 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total shareholders’ equity
    64,837       62,033  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 260,553     $ 238,037  
 
   
 
     
 
 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

Condensed Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

                 
    Six Months Ended
    June 30,
    2004   2003
   
  Restated
Net cash provided by operating activities
  $ 11,539     $ 11,378  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Cash flows from investing activities
               
Purchase of container and other equipment
    (19,068 )     (7,807 )
Investment in unconsolidated affiliate
    (890 )     (475 )
Investment in equipment acquired for direct financing lease
    (373 )     (283 )
Proceeds from sales of container and other equipment
    8,757       7,714  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net cash used in investing activities
    (11,574 )     (851 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
Cash flows from financing activities
               
Proceeds from issuance of term debt
    18,962       8,636  
Repayments of term debt and capital lease obligations
    (17,914 )     (19,141 )
Dividend paid
    (290 )     (294 )
Restricted cash
    (374 )     41  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
    384       (10,758 )
 
   
 
     
 
 
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
    349       (231 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
    8,432       5,626  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
  $ 8,781     $ 5,395  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Supplementary disclosure of cash flow information:
               
Cash paid during the period for:
               
- interest
  $ 1,955     $ 2,375  
- income taxes
    799       756  
Cash received during the period for:
               
- interest
    10       146  
- income taxes
          60  
Non-cash activities:
               
- container equipment acquired under capital lease
    917        
- direct finance lease equipment acquired under capital lease
          567  
- equity contribution to Joint Venture Program
          999  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

Consolidated Unaudited Statement of Shareholders’ Equity

Six months ended June 30, 2004

                                                         
                            Accumulated           Retained    
            Additional   Common   other   Restricted   earnings   Total
    Common   paid-in   shares held   comprehensive   retained   (accumulated   shareholders’
    shares   capital   in treasury   income / (loss)   earnings   deficit)   equity
Balance, December 31, 2003
  $ 14,744     $ 46,552     $ (297 )   $ (406 )   $ 1,832     $ (392 )   $ 62,033  
Net income
                                            2,859       2,859  
Amortization of employee share grant
            4                                       4  
Declaration of dividend
            (215 )                                     (215 )
Other comprehensive income
                            156                       156  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Balance, June 30, 2004
  $ 14,744     $ 46,341     $ (297 )   $ (250 )   $ 1,832     $ 2,467     $ 64,837  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

Notes to the Condensed Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

1. The condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Cronos Group and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Investments in which the Group does not own a majority interest or otherwise control or have the ability to assert significant influence over the investee have been accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

2. Restatement of previously issued condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements

     Financial data has been restated to reflect the adoption of FIN 46R. In addition, a reclassification has been made to the quarterly data in order to conform to the presentation for the year ended December 31, 2003.

                 
    June 30, 2003
    Three   Six
    months   months
    ended   ended
Financial data for the period ended June 30, 2003
               
Total revenues as previously reported
  $ 30,804     $ 61,482  
- adjustment for effect of change in accounting principle / reclassification
    (294 )     (510 )
Total revenues restated
  $ 30,510     $ 60,972  
Net income as previously reported
  $ 509     $ 978  
- adjustment for effect of change in accounting principle
    (90 )     (60 )
Net income restated
  $ 419     $ 918  
Basic and diluted net income per common share as previously reported
  $ 0.06     $ 0.13  
- adjustment for effect of change in accounting principle
           
Basic and diluted net income per common share restated
  $ 0.06     $ 0.12  

3. Stock-Based Compensation

     The Group has adopted disclosure requirements under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 123 — “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (“SFAS 123”) and SFAS No. 148 — “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation – Transition and Disclosure” (“SFAS 148”), but continues to account for stock-based compensation under Accounting Principles Board Opinion (“APB”) No. 25 — “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees” (“APB 25”). Under APB 25, compensation expense is measured as the amount by which the quoted market price of the stock at the date of the grant or award exceeds the exercise price, if any, to be paid by an employee and is recognized as expense over the period in which the related services are performed. In accordance with SFAS 123, the Company discloses the fair value of its stock options, which is calculated based on the Black Scholes option-pricing model.

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

     If the stock options had been accounted for under a fair value based method of accounting, the impact on the Group’s net income and net income per share would have been as follows:

                                 
    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
    June 30,   June 30,
    2004   2003   2004   2003
        Restated       Restated
Net income:
                               
- as reported
  $ 2,070     $ 419     $ 2,859     $ 918  
- add stock-based compensation expense included in reported net income, net of related tax effects
    1       3       1       6  
- deduct stock-based compensation expense computed in accordance with SFAS 123, net of tax effects
    (6 )     (32 )     (18 )     (90 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
- pro forma
  $ 2,065     $ 390     $ 2,842     $ 834  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Basic net income per share:
                               
- as reported
  $ 0.29     $ 0.06     $ 0.39     $ 0.13  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
- pro forma
  $ 0.28     $ 0.05     $ 0.39     $ 0.11  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Diluted net income per share:
                               
- as reported
  $ 0.27     $ 0.06     $ 0.37     $ 0.12  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
- pro forma
  $ 0.27     $ 0.05     $ 0.37     $ 0.11  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

4. Operating segment data

Segment information is provided in the tables below:

                                 
            Other        
    Container   Managed        
    Equity   Container   Owned    
    Programs   Programs   Containers   Total
Three months ended June 30, 2004
                               
- gross lease revenue
  $ 10,455     $ 11,767     $ 9,890     $ 32,112  
- direct operating expenses
    (1,489 )     (1,978 )     (1,484 )     (4,951 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
- net lease revenue
    8,966       9,789       8,406       27,161  
- direct financing lease income
                392       392  
- payments to Managed Container Programs
    (7,745 )     (8,965 )           (16,710 )
- container depreciation
                (4,517 )     (4,517 )
- container interest expense
                (1,168 )     (1,168 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Segment profit
  $ 1,221     $ 824     $ 3,113     $ 5,158  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Segment assets at end of period
  $ 22,972     $ 13,743     $ 223,838     $ 260,553  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Three months ended June 30, 2003, restated
                               
- gross lease revenue
  $ 8,505     $ 11,031     $ 9,090     $ 28,626  
- direct operating expenses
    (2,265 )     (3,053 )     (1,888 )     (7,206 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
- net lease revenue
    6,240       7,978       7,202       21,420  
- direct financing lease income
                354       354  
- payments to Managed Container Programs
    (5,072 )     (7,622 )           (12,694 )
- container depreciation
                (4,247 )     (4,247 )
- container interest expense
                (1,324 )     (1,324 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Segment profit
  $ 1,168     $ 356     $ 1,985     $ 3,509  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Segment assets at end of period
  $ 18,230     $ 11,436     $ 210,036     $ 239,702  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Six months ended June 30, 2004
                               
- gross lease revenue
  $ 20,266     $ 23,099     $ 19,650     $ 63,015  
- direct operating expenses
    (3,620 )     (5,038 )     (3,301 )     (11,959 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
- net lease revenue
    16,646       18,061       16,349       51,056  
- direct financing lease income
                774       774  
- payments to Managed Container Programs
    (14,235 )     (16,917 )           (31,152 )
- container depreciation
                (8,711 )     (8,711 )
- container interest expense
                (2,292 )     (2,292 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Segment profit
  $ 2,411     $ 1,144     $ 6,120     $ 9,675  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Segment assets at end of period
  $ 22,972     $ 13,743     $ 223,838     $ 260,553  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 

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THE CRONOS GROUP

(US dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

                                 
            Other        
    Container   Managed        
    Equity   Container   Owned    
    Programs   Programs   Containers   Total
Six months ended June 30, 2003, restated
                               
- gross lease revenue
  $ 16,563     $ 22,371