SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

FORM 10-Q

Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the Quarterly Period Ended October 1, 2004
Commission File No. 1-12983

GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION

4 Tesseneer Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41076-9753
(Address of principal executive offices)

(859) 572-8000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes [X]  No [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2).

Yes [X]  No [  ]

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the most practicable date:

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GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION
INDEX TO QUARTERLY REPORT
ON FORM 10-Q

2

GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

3

GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

4

GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

1. General

General Cable Corporation and Subsidiaries (General Cable) is a leading global developer and manufacturer in the wire and cable industry. The Company sells copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products worldwide. The Company’s operations are divided into three main segments: energy, industrial & specialty and communications. As of October 1, 2004, General Cable operated 27 manufacturing facilities in nine countries and two regional distribution centers in North America in addition to the corporate headquarters in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

2. Summary of Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of General Cable Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company adopted FIN 46 as revised (Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities) which resulted in the consolidation of its fiber optic joint venture in the first quarter of 2004. Prior to the first quarter of 2004, the joint venture was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Accordingly, other non-current assets included an investment in the joint venture of $3.5 million at December 31, 2003. All transactions and balances among the consolidated companies have been eliminated. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year to conform to the current year’s presentation.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of General Cable Corporation and Subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Results of operations for the three and nine fiscal months ended October 1, 2004 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto in General Cable’s 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2004.

The Company’s fiscal year end is December 31. Prior to the fiscal quarter ended October 1, 2004, the Company’s fiscal quarters consisted of three month periods. Beginning with the fiscal quarter ended October 1, 2004, the Company’s fiscal quarters have been changed to the 13-week periods ending on the Friday nearest to the end of March, June and September. This change did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position, or its cash flows.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when goods are shipped to the customer, title and risk of loss are transferred, pricing is fixed or determinable and collectibility is reasonably assured.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per common share are computed based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Earnings per common share-assuming dilution are computed based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and the dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock units outstanding. See further discussion in Note 11.

Foreign Currency Translation

For operations outside the United States that prepare financial statements in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, results of operations and cash flows are translated at average exchange rates during the period, and assets and liabilities are translated at spot exchange rates at the end of the period. Foreign currency translation adjustments are included as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in shareholders’ equity. The effects of changes in exchange rates between the designated functional currency and the currency in which a transaction is denominated are recorded as foreign currency transaction gains (losses). See further discussion in Note 4.

Inventories

General Cable values all of its North American inventories and its non-North American metal inventories using the last-in first-out (LIFO) method and all remaining inventories using the first-in first-out (FIFO) method. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value. The Company determines whether a lower of cost or market provision is required on a

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GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

quarterly basis by computing whether inventory on hand, on a LIFO basis, can be sold at a profit based upon current selling prices less variable selling costs. No provision was required in the first nine fiscal months of 2004 or 2003. In the event that a provision is required in some future period, the Company will determine the amount of the provision by writing down the value of the inventory to the level where its sales, using current selling prices less variable selling costs, will result in a profit.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Costs assigned to property, plant and equipment relating to acquisitions are based on estimated fair values at that date. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets: new buildings, from 15 to 50 years; and machinery, equipment and office furnishings, from 3 to 15 years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the life of the lease.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Financial instruments are defined as cash or contracts relating to the receipt, delivery or exchange of financial instruments. Except as otherwise noted, fair value approximates the carrying value of such instruments.

Forward Pricing Agreements for Purchases of Copper and Aluminum

In the normal course of business, General Cable enters into forward pricing agreements for purchases of copper and aluminum to match certain sales transactions. General Cable expects to recover the cost of copper and aluminum under these agreements as a result of firm sales price commitments with customers.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk

General Cable sells a broad range of products throughout primarily the United States, Canada, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to trade receivables are limited due to the large number of customers, including members of buying groups, composing General Cable’s customer base. Ongoing credit evaluations of customers’ financial condition are performed, and generally, no collateral is required. General Cable maintains reserves for potential credit losses and such losses, in the aggregate, have not exceeded management’s estimates. Certain subsidiaries also maintain credit insurance for certain customer balances.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative financial instruments are utilized to manage interest rate, commodity and foreign currency risk. General Cable does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading purposes. Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 133, “Accounting For Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” as amended, requires that all derivatives be recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value of the derivative depends on the intended use of the derivative and whether it qualifies for hedge accounting. SFAS No. 133, as applied to General Cable’s risk management strategies, may increase or decrease reported net income, and shareholders’ equity, or both, prospectively depending on changes in interest rates and other variables affecting the fair value of derivative instruments and hedged items, but will have no effect on cash flows or economic risk. See further discussion in Note 8.

Foreign currency and commodity contracts are used to hedge future sales and purchase commitments. Interest rate swaps are used to achieve a targeted mix of floating rate and fixed rate debt. Unrealized gains and losses on these derivative financial instruments are recorded in other comprehensive income until the underlying transaction occurs and is recorded in the income statement at which point such amounts included in other comprehensive income are recognized in income which generally will occur over periods less than one year.

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GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Stock-Based Compensation

SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” encourages, but does not require, companies to record compensation cost for stock-based employee compensation plans at fair value. General Cable has chosen to continue to account for stock-based compensation using the intrinsic value method prescribed in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations. Accordingly, compensation cost for stock options is measured as the excess, if any, of the quoted market price of the Company’s stock at the date of the grant over the amount an employee must pay to acquire the stock. No compensation cost for stock options is reflected in net income, as all options granted had an exercise price equal to the market value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. The following table illustrates the effect on net income and earnings per share if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 to stock-based employee compensation.

New Standards

In January 2003, FIN No. 46, as revised “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities” was issued. FIN 46 is intended to achieve more consistent application of consolidation policies to variable interest entities. Application of FIN 46 is required in financial statements of public entities that have interests in variable interest entities or potential variable interest entities commonly referred to as special-purpose entities for periods ending after December 15, 2003. Application by public entities for all other types of entities is required in financial statements for periods ending after March 15, 2004. Accordingly, the Company has adopted FIN 46 which resulted in the consolidation of its fiber optic joint venture in the first quarter of 2004. The adoption of FIN 46 did not have a material affect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows. See further discussion in Note 3.

In December 2003, SFAS No. 132 (R), “Employers’ Disclosure about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” was issued. This statement revised employers’ disclosure requirements about pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans. The annual disclosure requirements apply to fiscal years ending after December 15, 2003, except for the disclosure of expected future benefit payments, which must be disclosed for fiscal years ending after June 15, 2004. Interim disclosure requirements are generally effective for interim periods beginning after December 15, 2003. Accordingly, the Company has adopted SFAS No. 132(R).

3. Acquisitions and Divestitures

During the second quarter of 2002, General Cable formed a joint venture company to manufacture and market fiber optic cables. General Cable contributed assets, primarily inventory and machinery and equipment, to a subsidiary company which was then contributed to the joint venture in exchange for a $10.2 million note receivable which resulted in a $5.6 million deferred gain on the transaction. The Company will recognize the gain as the note is repaid. The October 1, 2004 and December 31, 2003 balance sheets included a $10.2 million note receivable from the joint venture partner in other non-

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GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

current assets. The December 31, 2003 balance sheet included a deferred gain from the initial joint venture formation of $5.6 million in other liabilities.

In January 2004, the Company reduced its ownership percentage in the joint venture from 49% to 40% and as a result the deferred gain was reduced to $4.8 million. The October 1, 2004 balance sheet included the $4.8 million deferred gain in other liabilities. Beginning in the first quarter of 2004 the Company consolidated the joint venture company as a result of the adoption of FIN No. 46, as revised. Accordingly, the Company recorded a 60% minority interest in the net losses of the joint venture company in SG&A expense and the October 1, 2004 balance sheet included a $3.7 million minority interest in the joint venture company in other liabilities. For the third quarter of 2004, the joint venture company had sales of $5.4 million and an operating loss and net loss of $0.7 million. For the first nine fiscal months of 2004, the joint venture company had sales of $16.5 million and an operating loss and net loss of $1.1 million. At October 1, 2004, the joint venture company had total assets of $11.1 million, total liabilities of $5.1 million and total equity of $6.0 million. Prior to the first quarter of 2004, the joint venture company was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. At December 31, 2003, other non-current assets included an investment in the joint venture of $3.5 million.

4. Other Expense

Other expense includes foreign currency transaction gains or losses which result from changes in exchange rates between the designated functional currency and the currency in which a transaction is denominated. During the nine fiscal months ended October 1, 2004, the Company recorded a $0.9 million loss resulting from an unfavorable foreign currency transaction loss.

5. Inventories

Inventories consisted of the following (in millions):