SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
FOR ANNUAL AND TRANSITION REPORTS
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(Mark One)
[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2003
[ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Transition Period from
________ to ________
Commission File No. 001-13195
INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION GROUP, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
| DELAWARE | 58-2299339 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction | (I.R.S. Employer | |
| of incorporation or organization) | Identification No.) |
950 East Paces Ferry Road, Suite 1575, Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (404) 949-2100
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(B) of The Act:
| Title of Each Class | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered | |
|
|
||
| Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share |
New York Stock Exchange |
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(G) of the Act:
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 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 Registrants 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. [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes [ ] No [X]
The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates (which for purposes hereof are all holders other than executive officers and directors) of the Registrant as of June 30, 2003 was $22,401,936 (based on 7,671,896 shares held by non-affiliates at $2.92 per share, the last sales price on the NYSE on June 30, 2003).
The number of shares outstanding of the registrant's common stock as of February 16, 2004 was 9,191,700.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Registrants definitive Proxy Statement for the 2004 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed with the Commission, are incorporated by reference into Part III.
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PART I
Item 1. Business.
Background and General
Industrial Distribution Group, Inc. (IDG) was formed in 1997 through a combination of industrial distribution companies. We are a nationwide supplier of maintenance, repair, operating, and production (MROP) products and services to manufacturers and other industrial users. We provide an array of value-added services and other arrangements, including Flexible Procurement Solutions (FPS) such as storeroom management, which emphasize and utilize our specialized expertise in product applications and production process improvements. We distribute a full line of MROP products, specializing in cutting tools, abrasives, hand and power tools, coolants, lubricants, adhesives, safety products, and machine tools, and we can supply virtually any other MROP product that a customer may require.
While continuing to provide traditional sales of MROP products, which we refer to as General MROP sales, we have targeted sales of services through our FPS program to both mid-market (i.e., greater than $50,000 but less than $500,000 in potential annual revenues) and large market (i.e., greater than $500,000 in potential annual revenues) accounts as the principal growth areas for our business. We believe that our focus on and expansion of our FPS services are positioning IDG to proactively address the increasing demands of customers for ways to reduce their overall MROP costs and enhance their operating efficiencies. In many of our FPS arrangements, we seek to answer these demands by guaranteeing a minimum annual reduction in our customers total MROP procurement costs through our Documented Cost Savings Program. We are able to guarantee cost reductions by leveraging our expertise and our ability to analyze a customers acquisition, possession, and application processes for MROP products to design and implement a customized program and streamline these processes in order to reduce their associated costs. The specific programs we design may include improving the customers production and procurement processes, standardizing the products they use, reducing the number of suppliers from which they purchase products, or developing storeroom management arrangements that outsource to us some or all of their MROP procurement and management functions.
Our operations are organized into four regional divisions. Each regional division is headed by a President who reports directly to our Chief Executive Officer. We currently have sales coverage in 43 of the top 75 manufacturing markets in the United States and have an active presence in Mexico and China. We have approximately 20,000 active customers (customers that purchased at least one item in the last 12 months), which include a diverse group of large and mid-sized national and international corporations, including General Electric Company, Borg-Warner Inc., Ford Motor Company, Duracell Corporation, and The Boeing Company, as well as many local and regional businesses.
We had net sales of $483.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. Based on 2003 sales, we believe IDG is among the top 15 MROP providers and the top five operators of storeroom management sites in the nation.
Industry Overview and Trends
Manufacturers, processors, and other producers of industrial, commercial, or consumer products have a continual need for a broad range of MROP products. We estimate that the size of the market for industrial MROP products in which we primarily participate is approximately $70 billion annually. However, the entire U.S. MROP market is estimated to be in excess of $175 billion annually. This broader market includes electrical, PVF (pipes, valves, and fittings), power transmission, and other product categories in which we participate to a lesser extent than the industrial MROP product market.
Manufacturers and other users of MROP products continue to seek ways to enhance efficiencies and reduce MROP process and procurement costs in order to compete more effectively in the global economy. As a result, the industrial supply industry continues to experience consolidation, as customers focus on the convenience, cost savings, and economies of scale associated with a reduced number of suppliers who are capable of providing superior service and product selection.
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In recent years, the distribution channel in the MROP marketplace has been widened by e-commerce and business-to-business solutions that have resulted from technological advancements and the development of Internet-based platforms. While the first distributors to enter this channel were those who primarily use catalogs to sell their products, we believe the recent trend is to use such technology as a part of a procurement solution strategy that provides customers the option to outsource the commodity management aspects of MROP. As manufacturers have focused on their core manufacturing or other production competencies, they have increasingly outsourced their MROP procurement, management, and application processes in search of more comprehensive MROP solutions that include technology solutions that we provide.
We believe that we have the size, scale of operations, and technological and skilled personnel resources necessary to benefit from these industry trends and compete effectively in the MROP supply industry.
Flexible Procurement Solutions (FPS)
Services Program and Approach
FPS is a broad program of value-added service offerings to our customers and reflects our principal approach to addressing the MROP needs of our customers. We approach our customers and their needs proactively, not simply to sell MROP products, but to help design an overall MROP strategy that improves our customers supply chain and asset management and increases their operational efficiencies. We offer our customers our expertise in process improvement, inventory management, product application, productivity improvements, cost savings, software solutions, and logistics. Through FPS, we can provide any or all of these areas of expertise, depending on the size and the specific needs of the customer. As a result of our services, we hope that our customers can increase their profits and their return on assets.
We believe that the ability and flexibility to provide the ideal combination of MROP services required by each customer is the key to capturing market share for our business. The prerequisites for doing so will continue to evolve, and we will remain vigilant in assessing the needs of and developing solutions for our existing and prospective new customers. At December 31, 2003, we had arrangements in place to provide FPS services to approximately 225 customers covering 315 sites, including 59 storeroom management arrangements with customers covering 105 sites.
Spectrum of Service Offerings
The spectrum of services we offer in designing and implementing Flexible Procurement Solutions for customers is broad and encompasses all phases of a customers MROP cycle that is, the acquisition, possession, and application of MROP products. Our extensive process knowledge and the product expertise of our associates are key elements that allow us to present cost saving solutions to our customers in all of these phases. For example, our comprehensive product line supports our commitment to acquire and deliver the most appropriate product to our customers. In addition to maintaining more than 300,000 stock keeping units (SKUs), as well as special items in stock for regular customers, we can provide virtually any MROP item a customer may require. Our proprietary software programs provide a sophisticated system for our customers to accurately track their possession and use of these products. Moreover, our industry-specific experience and extensive product knowledge enable us to assist in the application of MROP products by evaluating manufacturing processes and the MROP products they use. Our understanding of the most appropriate product for specific customer applications helps us to identify the MROP product best suited for a customers specific need, or we may suggest process re-engineering in order to lower the customers total MROP costs.
The proper management of the acquisition, possession and application functions is important to customers because they must balance the need for immediate access to inventory with the cost of carrying the inventory. Many MROP products such as drill bits, sandpaper, saw blades, and gloves are consumed in production processes and are essential to maintain at the point of production to avoid unnecessary downtime. Other MROP products such as power tools, scales, hoists, and lathes have relatively longer operational lives and are therefore purchased less frequently, but still must be available
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on time in order to achieve production efficiencies. In all cases, the management of all phases of our customers MROP cycle is a fundamental part of our FPS services for our customers.
In addition to identifying and supplying the particular products a customer requires (in the proper quantities and at the proper times), our specialized services may include any one or more of the following to assist the customer in the acquisition, possession and application phases of the MROP cycle:
| | providing consolidated billing for MROP products and producing computerized management reports to customers regarding purchases and inventory levels; | ||
| | installing computer software and hardware to implement an electronic data interchange system to enable the customer to order products electronically, without contacting us, by telephone or facsimile; | ||
| | providing storeroom design and reorganization services to reduce inefficiencies, redundancies, obsolescence, and shrinkage; | ||
| | bar coding products in a customers tool crib to control inventory and track consumption by product, employee, and/or cost center; and | ||
| | providing the management and procurement of entire commodity groups utilizing our proprietary software to enable commodity rationalization, supplier surveys, supplier requests for quotes, quotation analysis, supplier selection, and contract awards. |
Storeroom Management Arrangements
The most complete offering of services in our FPS program is our storeroom management relationship (commonly referred to in our industry as integrated supply), where we essentially form a strategic alliance with the customer to procure, manage, and apply MROP products at the customers site and, in some cases, to share the benefits of the cost reductions achieved. In addition to all or most of the other FPS services we provide, our storeroom management relationships which are not standardized and vary from customer to customer usually include:
| | licensing to the customer our proprietary software that helps manage the acquisition, receipt, issuance, and application of MROP products and other key commodity supplies; | ||
| | gaining access to plant floors to re-engineer procurement and production processes and standardize MROP products; | ||
| | coordinating the purchase of multiple MROP product lines; | ||
| | providing consolidated invoices and customized management reports via a direct network link to customers; and | ||
| | managing and staffing tool cribs. |
In addition, in a storeroom management relationship we, rather than the customer, may own the inventory in the tool crib.
In a storeroom management relationship, we often achieve a minimum annual reduction in the customers total MROP costs in relation to its production levels. We achieve these cost reductions through our focused and ongoing analysis and re-engineering of a customers production processes to reduce the variety and number of MROP products that the customer uses. In addition, we often achieve additional cost savings for our customer through the reduction of tool crib staffing expenses, the reduction in shrinkage and obsolete stock due to better inventory controls, and the elimination of certain inventory holding costs.
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We show our customers how we achieve savings for them through our Documented Cost Savings Program. Our customers agree with us on the savings criteria and measurements at the beginning of the relationship. We are measured to these pre-determined expectations. Where we save additional costs for a customer through these process improvements, and exceed their expectations in certain arrangements, the customer may share the additional savings with us.
We believe that, for appropriate customers, a storeroom management arrangement also has other benefits. For example, through the use of our proprietary Storeroom Management System, key products are readily available to our customers, which reduces their production downtime. We can also provide more useful information than our customers had previously collected about their inventory needs and consumption by cost center.
Quality Control Standards
Providing superior quality throughout the comprehensive range of MROP services we provide to customers is our hallmark. As part of our commitment to providing solutions-oriented customer service, we emphasize quality assurance in all phases of our operations. Our sales and service personnel receive ongoing periodic training in our services solutions, our products, total quality management and other team management skills to assure quality performance. As a result, all of our significant operating locations are ISO 9002 compliant.
Products
In tandem with our FPS program and its approach to serving our customers, we remain focused on satisfying the fundamental requirement of our distribution business getting customers the MROP products they need, when they need them. In order to do so, we offer a full line of industrial MROP products, with more than 300,000 SKUs in stock. In addition, we often maintain supplies of special items for regular customers, and we are able to supply virtually any special order MROP item. In order to achieve cost savings for us and for our customers, we periodically review our special order activities to identify items ordered with sufficient frequency to warrant inclusion in our stock.
Our principal product categories include cutting tools, abrasives, hand and power tools, coolants, lubricants, adhesives, safety products, and machine tools. We are able to offer significant depth and breadth in our core product lines throughout our nationwide operations. Our offering of specific products from multiple manufacturers, at different prices and quality levels, permits us to offer the product that provides the best value for the customer. For example, if a customer requires a drill bit to drill 100 holes, purchasing a top-of-the line product that is designed for a requirement of drilling 10,000 holes would be inefficient and costly. Our associates are trained specifically to assist customers in making such intelligent cost-saving purchases, with the goal of lowering the customers total MROP product costs. We believe these factors significantly enhance our volume of repeat business, and they are an integral part of our overall customer costs reduction program and total procurement solutions.
On an individual location basis, our products may be ordered electronically through business interchange services, e-commerce, by telephone, or by facsimile. We seek at all times to provide our customers with the most convenient method of selecting and ordering products, which in the future may include paper and electronic catalogs, internet and other electronic commerce. To facilitate on time delivery of our products, we store our stock MROP products primarily in distribution centers and smaller warehouses at various locations across the United States and China.
We currently obtain products from more than 20,000 vendors. During 2003, no vendor provided as much as 7% of the products we sold. We believe we are not materially dependent on any one vendor or small group of vendors.
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The following table sets forth illustrative examples of the myriad products we supply, organized by principal categories of MROP products, and also shows our sales of such products as a percentage of our aggregate revenue for 2003:
| % of | ||||||
| Aggregate | ||||||
| Product Category | Typical Products | Revenue | ||||
| Cutting Tools | Drills, Taps, Carbide Tools, End Mills | 21.1 | % | |||
| Abrasives |
Grinding Wheels, Sanding Belts, Discs, Sheets or Rolls |
14.9 | % | |||
| Maintenance Equipment and Supplies | Hydraulic Tools, Paint, Lubrication Equipment | 9.9 | % | |||
| Power Tools | Air and Electric Drills, Air Compressors, Impact Wrenches, Screwdrivers | 7.4 | % | |||
| Hand Tools | Wrenches, Socket Sets, Screw Drivers, Hammers | 7.2 | % | |||
| Coolants, Lubricants, and Adhesives |
Metal Cutting Coolants, Aerosols, Industrial Adhesives |
7.1 | % | |||
| Safety Products | Gloves, Signs, Absorbents, Glasses | 4.7 | % | |||
| Machine Tools and Accessories | Milling Machines, Work Holding Vises, Tool Holders | 4.6 | % | |||
| Material Handling Equipment | Hoists, Slings, Chain, Shelving, Casters | 2.9 | % | |||
| Machinery | Metal Removal Equipment, Metal Forming Equipment | 2.0 | % | |||
| Tapes | Masking, Filament and Duct Tape | 2.0 | % | |||
| Fluid Power | Hydraulic and Pneumatic Valves, Cylinders | 1.8 | % | |||
| Saw Blades | Band, Hack, Hole, Jig Saw Blades | 1.8 | % | |||
| Tool & Die Supplies | Ground Stock, Drill Rod, Die Sets | 1.7 | % | |||
| Electrical | Fuses, Electrical Switches, Controls | 1.3 | % | |||
| Fasteners | Socket Screws, Hex Screws, Anchors | 1.2 | % | |||
| Power Transmission Equipment | Belts, Drives, Bearings, Gears, Pulleys | 1.1 | % | |||
| Brushes | Wire Wheel, Floor Brooms | 0.8 | % | |||
| Quality Control Products | Electronic Calipers, Micrometers | 0.8 | % | |||
| Contractor Supplies | Power-Actuated Tools, Ladders, Shovels | 0.7 | % | |||
| Industrial Hose | Air Hose, Water Hose | 0.7 | % | |||
| OEM Assembly Parts | Gaskets, Springs, Assembly Plates | 0.6 | % | |||
| Welding Equipment and Supplies | Welders, Weld Rod | 0.4 | % | |||
| Industrial Pipes, Valves, Fittings and Metal Goods | Pipes, Valves, Fittings, Angle Iron, Conduit | 0.2 | % | |||
| Other Products | 3.1 | % | ||||
| Total | 100.0 | % | ||||
Customers
Our active customers, who number approximately 20,000, include a broad range of industrial, commercial, and institutional users of MROP products, from small local machine shops to regional, national, and multi-national corporations such as General Electric Company, Borg-Warner Inc., Ford Motor Company, Duracell Corporation, and The Boeing Company. For 2003, we sold products to over 1,000 customers who purchased at least $50,000 of products, and no single customer accounted for more than 5% of our net sales.
We will continue to serve a large number and wide variety of customers. Our principal customers (in terms of the amount of services and products acquired from or through us) will likely continue to be divisions of large international, national, and middle-market corporations, and we will focus on increasing our business with such customers. We are also placing special emphasis, through our FPS program, on marketing and selling our services and products to middle-market industrial consumers. We believe these manufacturers may benefit from many of our value-added service offerings.
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Sales and Marketing
Each of our four regional divisions has personnel dedicated to FPS sales and marketing efforts focused on the regional and local markets. We have approximately 180 outside sales representatives and product specialists and 170 inside sales/customer service representatives. The majority of our outside sales representatives and product specialists call on designated customers and are responsible for providing technical support to those customers with respect to certain products. As part of our strategy to focus more on marketing our FPS services (and selling MROP products through such services), an increasing number of our outside sales representatives and product specialists are focusing on the broader spectrum of MROP services and then developing and marketing our value-added solutions. These solutions go beyond the sale of our products and help to improve our customers production processes and as a result reduce their total procurement costs. Our inside sales/customer service representatives are responsible for certain types of direct customer service and order entry, but primarily focus on supporting the outside sales representatives with respect to their respective customers.
Our Vice President of Flexible Procurement Solutions is responsible for the development of large national accounts that require cross-regional coordination and assisting our regional efforts when necessary. We believe this approach allows us to compete effectively both in local markets and for multi-location contracts.
We continue to assess, train, and augment our sales force as necessary to assure that it has the appropriate sales tools to achieve the objectives of our strategy to focus on FPS. We will also continue to ensure that we have adequate personnel to provide our customers with any dedicated or specialized product selection and applications expertise they require for their General MROP solutions.
We provide regular training programs for our sales personnel and special training programs for various product lines on both a national and regional basis. Each region also maintains a technical support group, as part of its overall sales and marketing function, dedicated to answering specific customer inquiries, assisting customers with the operation of products, and finding low cost solutions to manufacturing problems.
Management Information Systems
We continue to work company-wide to improve our back office information technology systems on a cost-effective basis. Currently, we operate on three nationally recognized distribution systems through which we manage key functions on a regional basis such as communication between warehouse and sales offices, inventory and accounts receivable management, purchasing, pricing, sales and distribution, and the preparation of periodic operating control reports.
At our customer locations, we utilize computerized management and information systems, including our highly specialized distributor based software programs such as our proprietary Storeroom Management System, InnoSource®, and Innoanalysis System for customer product procurement and management. These systems assist us in our business-to-business product offerings, and are important elements of our overall ability to meet customers requirements for increasing levels of individualized MROP procurement solutions, as well as to achieve our desired level of internal operating efficiencies. Our proprietary Storeroom Management System, InnoSource®, and Innoanalysis System are also key components in our FPS program.
During 2003, we developed a comprehensive IT strategy that includes strategic initiatives focused on centralization, e-commerce capabilities, FPS operations integration and standardized part numbering and descriptions. These initiatives are underway and will continue through 2004.
The next phase to improving our information systems involves providing IT solutions that will help our customers place and track their orders more easily, which will enable us to more effectively implement our business strategy. This phase includes a plan to implement a centralized data management system, which will reduce the number of regional platforms.
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Competition
The industrial MROP products industry is highly competitive and features numerous distribution channels, including: international, national, regional, and local distributors; direct mail suppliers; internet suppliers; large catalog warehouses; and manufacturers own sales forces. Many of our competitors are small enterprises who sell to such customers in a limited geographic area, but we also compete against several large MROP distributors that have significantly greater resources than we do. Certain of our competitors sell identical products for lower prices than we offer.
We believe, however, that we will be able to compete effectively because of our ability to address the MROP needs of our customers for services and solutions (as well as MROP products) that enable them to improve productivity and reduce costs.
Personnel
We had approximately 1,200 full-time and 60 part-time associates as of December 31, 2003. Of these, approximately 350 associates reside at our customers storeroom management facilities. Eight of our associates are employed pursuant to collective bargaining agreements with local unions affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. We believe that the regions that have been employing persons pursuant to those contracts enjoy good relations with these associates, and we have not experienced work stoppages. We believe our business relationships are good with all of our associates.
Executive Officers
Certain information regarding our executive officers is set forth in the following table and paragraphs.
| Name | Age | Position | ||||
| Andrew B. Shearer | 40 | President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||
| Jack P. Healey | 44 | Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary | ||||
| Thomas W. Aldridge, Jr. | 56 | Senior Vice President | ||||
| Martin C. Burkland | 52 | President (Northwest region) | ||||
| John R. Kramer | 40 | President (Midwest region) | ||||
| Charles A. Lingenfelter | 53 | President (Southern region) | ||||
| Robert E. Vanderhoff | 48 | President (Northeast region) | ||||
Mr. Shearer is one of our co-founders, and became our President and Chief Executive Officer in August 2001. Prior to that time, Mr. Shearer served as the President of our IDG-York business unit (from 1991), formerly Shearer Industrial Supply Co., one of the companies that combined to form us in 1997. Mr. Shearer received his undergraduate degree in Business Management from New Hampshire College.
Mr. Healey joined us in June 1997 as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and became Senior Vice President in 1998. Prior to 1997, Mr. Healey was the partner in charge of assurance services for a regional accounting firm and member of the SEC practice section of the AICPA, during which time he served as auditor for one of our founding companies. Mr. Healey is a certified public accountant and a certified fraud examiner. He received his undergraduate degree in Accounting from Syracuse University.
Mr. Aldridge joined us in August 1998, as Senior Vice President of Procurement. Prior to that time, Mr. Aldridge served (from 1991) as Senior Vice President, Vendor Relations, of Affiliated Distributors, a purchasing organization for industrial distributors. From 1987 to 1990, Mr. Aldridge served as Vice President Sales of Bauer Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial ladders and personal access equipment. Mr. Aldridge received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Burkland was named President of our Northwest region in January 2002. Prior to that time, Mr. Burkland served (from 1995) as President of our IDG-Seattle business unit, formerly B&J Industrial Supply Co., one of the companies that combined to form us in 1997. Mr. Burkland received his undergraduate degree in Biology from Central Washington University.
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Mr. Kramer joined us as the President of our Midwest region in November 2002. From 1988 to 2002, Mr. Kramer served the General Electric Company, most recently as U.S. Business Sales Leader for GE Polymershapes. Mr. Kramer received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Spanish from St. Johns University.
Mr. Lingenfelter was named President of our Southern region in January 2002. Prior to that time, Mr. Lingenfelter served as President of our IDG-Charlotte business unit (from January 2001) and as President of The Distribution Group, Inc. (from 1997), one of the companies that combined to form us in 1997 and with whom he had been an executive since 1988. Prior to 1988, Mr. Lingenfelter served Ingersoll-Rand Company, including as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for its Tools Group. Mr. Lingenfelter received his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indiana Institute of Technology.
Mr. Vanderhoff joined us as President of our Northeast region in February 2004. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Vanderhoff served in management positions with Coleman Cable, Inc., most recently as Corporate Senior Vice-President. From 1990 to 2000, Mr. Vanderhoff served Wesco Distribution in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Manufactured Structures. Mr. Vanderhoff received his undergraduate degree in Behavioral Sciences from Messiah College.
Certain Factors Affecting Forward Looking Statements
From time to time, information provided by us or statements made by our directors, officers or employees may constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Any statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including any statements incorporated by reference, that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as may, will, should, expects, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, intends, potential, continue, or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include our expectations with respect to growth of sales, the effect of economic conditions, the impact of operational improvements or cost reduction initiatives, operating margins and overall profitability.
These forward-looking statements and other forward-looking statements made by us or our representatives are based on a number of assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and, accordingly, actual results could differ materially. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the following:
Based on our perception of industry trends among MROP customers, we have dedicated significant resources to our FPS program, but we cannot be certain that these initiatives will generate the growth we anticipate and desire.
We have dedicated significant resources to promote our FPS program as a strategic area for future growth. In particular, we have redirected our sales and marketing efforts towards sales of broad-based services and products through this program, rather than towards sales of particular products. This focus is based on our perception of industry trends among users of MROP products for more comprehensive solutions to their MROP requirements. If the trends that we perceive do not continue to develop, FPS sales may not grow at the levels we anticipate and desire, and our results of operations could be affected.
We expect that our continued focus on FPS will require a substantial amount of time and effort in the retraining of our sales and marketing personnel. We may encounter unanticipated difficulties in retraining our sales and marketing personnel to focus more broadly on the sale of FPS services to our customers, rather than focusing exclusively or primarily on direct sales of MROP products.
Our back office structure supporting our General MROP sales has high fixed costs and we cannot be sure that sales levels will continue to support that structure.
We have significant fixed costs including costs related to warehouses dedicated to supporting our General MROP sales. The decline in our 2002 and 2003 General MROP sales was attributable to economic
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conditions and a loss of market share due primarily to price competition. While we have initiated efforts to increase our General MROP sales, we cannot be sure that those efforts will be successful. If General MROP sales continue to decline, we may not be able to sufficiently reduce our back office cost structure and results of operations may be affected.
The delivery of our services requires highly skilled and specialized employees who are not easy to locate or replace.
The timely provision of our high-quality services requires an adequate supply of skilled sales and customer service personnel, including the specialists whose expertise is an essential element of both our customer-oriented FPS program and our General MROP business. Accordingly, our ability to implement solutions for our customers depends to a significant degree on our ability to employ the skilled personnel necessary to meet our marketing and servicing requirements. From time to time, we have experienced difficulty in attracting or retaining sufficient numbers of qualified personnel. As a result, our operating costs may be adversely affected by turnover in such positions. We cannot be assured that we will be able to maintain an adequately skilled sales and customer service force or that our labor expenses will not increase as a result of a shortage in the supply of such skilled personnel.
We rely heavily on our senior management and the expertise of management personnel.
Our operations will depend for the foreseeable future on the efforts of our executive officers, regional presidents, and our other senior management. Our business and prospects could be adversely affected if these persons, in significant numbers, do not perform their key roles as expected or leave the company, and we are unable to attract and retain qualified replacements.
We continue to rely upon our three regional management information systems for our internal management information and related functions, which could adversely affect our operations until we can implement our centralized data management system.
We utilize and are dependent upon the information and operating systems of our three regional platforms for many functions, including procurement of products, financial reporting and analysis, and inventory control, among others. In addition, our proprietary FPS software programs are not fully integrated with any of our regional platforms. Although we have put control mechanisms in place to avoid delays, disruptions, and unanticipated expenses until we implement, integrate, and operate centralized systems, these problems may occur and could have a material adverse effect on our operations. In addition, we will not be able to achieve the full benefit of certain contemplated operating efficiencies until we have fully implemented our centralized data management information and operating systems and integrated our proprietary FPS software programs into those systems.
Our ability to sell our services and products in the quantity we desire depends heavily upon the operations levels of our customers and the economic factors that affect them.
Some of the primary markets for the products and services we sell are subject to cyclical fluctuations that generally affect demand for industrial and consumer durable goods that the users of MROP supplies produce. Consequently, the demand for our services and products has been and will continue to be influenced by most of the same regional, national, or even international economic factors that affect the demand for and production of such goods. When our customers or prospective customers reduce their production levels in response to lower demand for their products, as happened in the recent economic downturn, they have less need for MROP supplies and may delay or slow (or even cancel) orders for MROP products or services.
The current economic environment continues to be adverse for many customers to whom we have historically sold larger amounts of MROP products and services. Specifically, customers in industries such as the aerospace, energy and automotive industries reduced production significantly throughout 2002 and 2003. As a result, these customers did not need our products at their historical levels and curtailed some purchases from us. Unless and until these economic conditions dissipate, our results of operations will continue to be adversely impacted.
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We rely on a variety of distribution rights granted by our suppliers to offer their product lines to our customers.
For a substantial portion of our business, we depend on the collection of varied distribution arrangements with suppliers for certain product lines that have been established by our regional divisions in their respective geographic markets. A significant percentage of these current distribution arrangements are oral, and many of them can be terminated by the supplier immediately or upon short notice. The termination or limitation by any key supplier of its relationship with us could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our industry is very competitive, both as to the number and strength of the different companies with which we compete and the business terms offered to potential customers.
The industrial MROP supplies industry is highly competitive and features numerous distribution channels, including: international, national, regional, and local distributors; direct mail suppliers; internet suppliers; large catalog warehouses; and manufacturers own sales forces. Many of our competitors are small enterprises who sell to customers in a limited geographic area, but we also compete against several large distributors that have significantly greater resources than we do. Competition with all of these distributors has increased as customers increasingly seek low-cost alternatives to traditional methods of purchasing and sources of supply by, among other things, reducing the number of their MROP suppliers.
Competition in the MROP supplies industry may increase in other ways as well. For example, other distributors are consolidating to achieve economies of scale and increase efficiencies, which may strengthen their competitive position relative to us. In addition, new competitors, of which we are not currently aware, may emerge, further increasing competition.
Some of our competitors presently sell some of the same products we sell at lower prices than we offer. Moreover, we compete on the basis of our ability to design and implement Flexible Procurement Solutions that will enable our customers to achieve productivity improvements and reduce costs overall, rather than seeking simply to offer the lowest price for any particular MROP item. While we believe such FPS services are increasingly attractive to more customers, we cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully if such low unit-cost suppliers become predominant in our target markets.
Our credit facility includes financial covenants that restrict certain of our activities and impose certain financial tests that we must meet in order to continue to borrow under the facility.
The terms of our revolving credit facility restrict our ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, pay dividends or make other restricted payments on investments, consummate asset sales or similar transactions, create liens, or merge or consolidate with any other person or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. The terms also contain covenants that require us to meet financial tests in order to continue to borrow under the facility and to avoid a default that might lead to an early termination of the facility. The most restrictive of these covenants, and our compliance with them, are described in Item 7 Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. We currently are in compliance with these restrictions and covenants and expect that we will continue to comply. If we were not able to do so, we could be materially and adversely affected, especially if we could not renegotiate with our current lenders or obtain a new credit facility on satisfactory terms.
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Item 2. Description of Facilities.
Currently, we own five and lease 39 operating properties in 43 cities in the United States for our warehouse, sales, and administrative offices. We also lease two properties in a foreign country. Certain property locations contain multiple operations such as a warehouse and a sales office. The facilities range in size from less than 1,000 square feet to over 120,000 square feet. Leases for the facilities expire at various periods between 2004 and 2020. The aggregate annual lease payments for real properties in 2003 was approximately $7.8 million.
Our corporate offices are located in approximately 7,500 square feet of office space at 950 East Paces Ferry Road, Suite 1575, Atlanta, Georgia. This lease, which we entered into in December 1998, was amended in February 2004, extending the expiration date of the lease to August 31, 2009.
We believe that our facilities are adequate for our current needs and do not anticipate inordinate difficulty in replacing such facilities or opening additional facilities, if needed.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
We are, from time to time, a party to litigation arising in the normal course of business. We do not believe that any of these actions, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse affect on our financial position or results of operations.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders of the company during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report.
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrants Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters.
Our common stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol IDG. The following table sets forth for the periods indicated the high and low closing market prices of the common stock on the NYSE.
| Price Range | |||||||||
| High | Low | ||||||||
2002 |
|||||||||
First Quarter |
$ | 2.93 | $ | 1.50 | |||||
Second Quarter |
$ | 3.80 | $ | 2.75 | |||||
Third Quarter |
$ | 3.30 | $ | 2.70 | |||||
Fourth Quarter |
$ | 3.20 | $ | 2.50 | |||||
2003 |
|||||||||
First Quarter |
$ | 3.20 | $ | 2.80 | |||||
Second Quarter |
$ | 3.04 | $ | 2.76 | |||||
Third Quarter |
$ | 3.66 | $ | 2.90 | |||||
Fourth Quarter |
$ | 6.55 | $ | 3.31 | |||||
2004 |
|||||||||
First Quarter (through February 16) |
$ | 6.20 | $ | 5.37 | |||||
As of February 16, 2004, there were 174 holders of record of our common stock. Investors who beneficially own our common stock that is held in street name by brokerage firms or similar holders are not included in this number. Accordingly, based upon the quantities of periodic reports requested by such brokerage firms in the past, we believe that the actual number of individual beneficial owners of our common stock exceeds 3,350.
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We have not paid dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to finance the growth, development, and expansion of our business and, accordingly, do not currently intend to declare or pay any dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future. The declaration, payment, and amount of future dividends, if any, will be subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon our future earnings, results of operations, financial condition, and capital requirements, among other factors. Under Delaware law, we are prohibited from paying any dividends unless we have capital surplus or net profits available for this purpose. In addition, our credit agreement prohibits the payment of dividends.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data.
This selected financial data has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and should be read in conjunction with such financial statements and the notes thereto, and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, included in Item 7 of this Report.
| YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | |||||||||||||||||
| (in thousands, except per share data) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Statements of Income Data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net sales(*) |
$ | 483,442 | $ | 492,450 | $ | 514,385 | $ | 546,681 | $ | 547,935 | |||||||||||
Gross profit |
108,389 | 109,406 | 114,521 | 123,142 | 124,975 | ||||||||||||||||
Selling, general, and administrative
expenses(**) |
101,673 | 103,298 | 110,811 | 115,862 | 116,488 | ||||||||||||||||
Impairment, severance, and litigation
settlement expense |
0 | 0 | 0 | 15,050 | 5,887 | ||||||||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
6,716 | 6,108 | 3,710 | (7,770 | ) | 2,600 | |||||||||||||||
Accounting change |
0 | (50,347 | ) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
Extraordinary item |
0 | 0 | 0 | (200 | ) | (270 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Net
earnings (loss) (excluding accounting change
and extraordinary item)*** |
$ | 2,556 | $ | 1,598 | $ | (1,358 | ) | $ | (9,412 | ) | $ | (1,619 | ) | ||||||||
Net
earnings (loss) (including accounting change
but excluding extraordinary item)** |
2,556 | (48,749 | ) | (1,358 | ) | (9,412 | ) | (1,619 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net
earnings (loss)*** |
2,556 | (48,749 | ) | (1,358 | ) | (9,612 | ) | (1,889 | ) | ||||||||||||
Earnings (loss) per common share: |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Basic and diluted (excluding extraordinary
item)*** |
$ | 0.28 | $ | 0.18 | $ | (0.16 | ) | $ | (1.09 | ) | $ | (0.19 | ) | ||||||||
Basic (including accounting change but
excluding extraordinary item) |
0.28 | (5.53 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (1.09 | ) | (0.19 | ) | ||||||||||||
Basic |
0.28 | (5.53 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (1.11 | ) | (0.22 | ) | ||||||||||||
Diluted (including accounting change but
excluding extraordinary item)** |
0.28 | (5.44 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (1.09 | ) | (0.19 | ) | ||||||||||||
Diluted*** |
0.28 | (5.44 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (1.11 | ) | (0.22 | ) | ||||||||||||
Balance Sheet Data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Working capital |
$ | 75,058 | $ | 75,974 | $ | 79,907 | $ | 94,265 | $ | 78,148 | |||||||||||
Property and equipment, net |
7,006 | 11,274 | 13,077 | 15,446 | 31,538 | ||||||||||||||||
Total assets |
133,145 | 139,182 | 201,044 | 223,958 | 230,804 | ||||||||||||||||
Long-term debt, including current portion |
26,533 | 36,363 | 42,762 | 53,305 | 47,953 | ||||||||||||||||
Stockholders equity |
$ | 56,593 | $ | 52,660 | $ | 101,135 | $ | 102,115 | $ | 112,072 | |||||||||||
| (*) | Net sales reflect accounting changes required by Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 00-10: Accounting for Shipping and Handling Fees and Costs. Issue No. 00-10 requires that amounts billed to customers as shipping and handling be classified as revenue. | |
| (**) | The Company reclassified amortization of deferred loan costs from selling, general, and administrative expenses to interest expense. For the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999 the amounts reclassified were $360, $317, $139, and $175, respectively. | |
| (***) | On January 1, 2002, we adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets and recorded a charge of $50,347 for impairment of goodwill. If we had applied the non-amortization provisions of SFAS No. 142 prior to January 1, 2002, net earnings and diluted earnings per share would have increased by approximately $1,289 ($0.15 per share), $1,289 ($0.15 per share), and $1,241 ($0.15 per share), for the years ended December 31, 2001, 2000, and 1999, respectively. |
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Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
In the following discussions, most percentage and dollar amounts have been rounded to aid presentation; as a result, all such figures are approximations. References to approximations have generally been omitted.
General Trends Affecting our Operations
In the last several years, we believe that MROP requirements of large and middle-market companies have moved towards a need for services that are customized for each company. In many cases, our customers needs are centered upon reducing overall MROP costs and increasing operating efficiencies. As a result, we have targeted sales through our FPS program as the principal growth area of our business, and our resulting services for many customers extend well beyond the traditional business of supplying MROP products on a timely basis at a favorable price.
In connection with distributing a full line of MROP products to meet the needs of manufacturers and other industrial users, we offer to our customers a wide range of specialized services through our FPS program that relate to product selection and application and the customers production processes that affect the utilization and costs of MROP supplies. These servic