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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-K

 


 

(Mark One)

x   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

       For the Fiscal Year Ended: February 28, 2003

 

¨   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Commission File No. 1-12777

 


 

AZZ incorporated

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

TEXAS

 

75-0948250

(State of incorporation)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

University Centre I, Suite 200

1300 University Drive

Fort Worth, Texas

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

76107

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (817) 810-0095

 

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(b) of the act:

 

Title of Each Class


 

Name of Exchange on Which Registered


Common Stock, $1.00 par value

 

New York Stock Exchange

 

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the act: None

 


 

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 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.  ¨

 

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 Common Stock held by non-affiliates on May 12, 2003, was approximately $53,993,000. As of May 12, 2003, there were 5,027,277 shares of AZZ incorporated Common Stock $1.00 par value outstanding.

 

Documents Incorporated By Reference

 

Part III incorporates information by reference from the Proxy Statement for the 2003 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Registrant.

 


 


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Forward Looking Statements

 

This Report may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are generally identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “should,” “may,” “believe,” and terms with similar meanings. Although the Company believes that the current views and expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, those views and expectations, and the related statements, are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are not under the Company’s control. Those risks, uncertainties, and other factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from these in the forward-looking statements. Those risks, uncertainties, and factors include, but are not limited to: the level of customer demand for and response to products and services offered by the Company, including demand by the power generation markets, electrical transmission and distribution markets, the general industrial market, and the hot dip galvanizing markets; prices and raw material cost, including cost of zinc and natural gas which are used in the hot dip galvanizing process; changes in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, foreign and domestic, customer requested delays of shipments, acquisition opportunities, adequacy of financing, and availability of experienced management employees to implement the Company’s growth strategy. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations to release publicly any updates or revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its views or expectations. The Company can give no assurances that such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct.

 

PART I

 

Item 1.   Business

 

AZZ incorporated (“AZZ” or the “Company”) was established in 1956 and incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas. The Company is an electrical equipment and components manufacturer serving the global markets of power generation, transmission and distribution, and the general industrial markets as well as a leading provider of hot dip galvanizing services to the steel fabrication market nationwide.

 

The Company offers products through two distinct business segments, the Electrical and Industrial Products Segment and the Galvanizing Services Segment.

 

Electrical and Industrial Products Segment

 

The Electrical and Industrial Products Segment produces highly engineered specialty electrical products as well as lighting and tubular products. The Company markets and sells its products throughout the global market place. The Company classifies its products offered by this segment as electrical products and industrial products. The electrical products of this segment are defined as products that are designed, manufactured and configured to distribute electrical power to generators, transformers, switching devices or other electrical configurations (the “Electrical Products”). These electrical systems are supplied to the power generation, power transmission and power distribution markets as well as the general industrial market. While serving many of the same markets, the industrial products are defined as industrial lighting and tubular products used for petro-chemical and industrial applications (the “Industrial Products”). Lighting products are provided to the petroleum, food processing, and power generation industries, to consumer retail outlets and to industrial industries with unique lighting challenges. The principal market for tubular products is the petroleum industry. The markets for the Company’s Electrical and Industrial Products Segment are highly competitive and consist of a few large national companies, as well as numerous small independents. Competition is based primarily on product quality, range of product line, price and service. While some of these companies are much larger and better financed than the Company, the Company believes that it can compete favorably with them. Copper, aluminum and steel are the primary raw materials used in this segment and are readily available. This segment’s products are sold through manufacturers’ representatives and the Company’s internal sales force. This segment is not dependent on any single customer and the loss of any single customer would not have a

 

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material adverse effect on consolidated revenues or net income of the Company. Backlog of orders was approximately $49.1 million at February 28, 2003, $85.3 million at February 28, 2002 and $34.8 million at February 28, 2001. All of the year-end backlog should be delivered during the next 18 months. Orders included in the backlog are represented by contracts and purchase orders that the Company believes to be firm. Total employment in this segment is 582 persons.

 

Galvanizing Services Segment

 

The Galvanizing Services Segment provides hot dip galvanizing to the steel fabrication industry through facilities located throughout the South and Southwest United States. The eleven galvanizing plants of the Company are located in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Arizona. Hot dip galvanizing is a metallurgical process by which molten zinc is applied to a customer’s material. The zinc bonding provides corrosion protection of fabricated steel for extended periods of up to 50 years. Galvanizing is a highly competitive business and the Company competes with other galvanizing companies, captive galvanizing facilities operated by manufacturers, and alternate forms of corrosion protection such as paint. The Company is limited, to some extent, in its galvanizing market to areas within a close proximity of its existing locations due to freight cost. Zinc, the principal raw material used in the galvanizing process, is readily available, but has volatile pricing. The Company manages its exposure to commodity pricing of zinc by utilizing contracts with zinc suppliers that include protective caps to guard against rising commodity prices. This segment typically serves fabricators and/or manufacturers involved in the highway construction, electrical utility, transportation, water treatment, agriculture, petrochemical and chemical, pulp and paper industries, and numerous OEM’s. The market in general is broken into two major categories, being large structural steel projects and custom fabrication. This segment is not dependent on any single customer and the loss of any customer would not have a material adverse effect on consolidated revenues or net income of the Company. The backlog of galvanizing orders generally is nominal due to the short time requirement involved in the process. Total employment in this segment is 410 persons.

 

General

 

The Company does not have a material portion of business that may be subject to renegotiations of profits or termination of contracts or subcontracts at the election of the government. There were no material amounts spent on research and development activities during the proceeding three fiscal years.

 

Environmental

 

The Company is subject to various environmental protection reviews by state and federal government agencies. The ultimate liability, if any, which might result from such reviews or additional clean-up and remediation expenses cannot presently be determined; however, as a result of an internal analysis and prior clean-up efforts, management believes the results will not have a material impact on the Company and that the recorded reserves for estimated losses are adequate. The Company has reserved $561,000 and $590,000 as of February 28, 2003 and 2002, respectively, for estimated costs related to environmental liabilities.

 

In order to maintain permits to operate certain of the Company’s facilities, future capital expenditures for equipment may be required to meet new or existing environmental regulations.

 

Legal

 

The Company is involved from time to time in various suits and claims arising in the normal course of business. In management’s opinion, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

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Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

Name


  

Age


  

Business Experience for Past
Five Years; Position or Office with Registrant


  

Held Since


David H. Dingus

  

55

  

President and Chief Executive Officer
President and Chief Operating Officer
President and Chief Executive Officer of Reedrill Corp

  

2001
1998-2000
1989-1998

Dana L. Perry

  

54

  

Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Asst. Sec.

  

1992

Fred L. Wright, Jr.

  

62

  

Senior Vice President Operations, Galvanizing Services Segment

  

1992

Clement H. Watson

  

56

  

Vice President Sales, Electrical Products
Vice President Marketing and Sales Pulsafeeder, Inc.

  

2000
1995-2000

John V. Petro

  

57

  

Vice President Operations, Electrical Products
General Manager of CGIT, Inc.

  

2001
1995-2001

 

Each executive officer was elected by the Board of Directors to hold office until the next Annual Meeting or until his successor is elected. There are no family relationships between Executive Officers of the Registrant.

 

Available Information

 

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and its rules and regulations. The Exchange Act requires us to file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Copies of these reports, proxy statements and other information can be inspected and copied at:

 

SEC Public Reference Room

450 Fifth Street, N.W.

Room 1024

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You may also obtain copies of any material we have filed with the SEC by mail at prescribed rates from:

 

Public Reference Section

Securities and Exchange Commission

450 Fifth Street N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20549-0004

 

You may obtain these materials electronically by accessing the SEC’s home page on the Internet at:

 

http://www.sec.gov

 

In addition, we make available, free of charge, on our internet Web site, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file this material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. You may review these documents, under the heading “Investor Relations,” by accessing our Web site:

 

http://www.azz.com

 

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Also, reports and other information concerning us are available for inspection and copying at:

 

New York Stock Exchange

20 Broad Street

New York, New York 10005

 

Item 2.   Properties

 

The following table sets forth information about the Company’s principal facilities owned or leased on February 28, 2003:

 

Location


  

Land/Acres


  

Buildings/
Sq. Footage


  

Segment/Occupant


Crowley, Texas

  

123.5

  

201,000

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Houston, Texas

  

5.4

  

67,400

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Jackson, Mississippi

  

6.7

  

58,700

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Pittsburg, Kansas

  

15.3

  

86,000

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Westborough, Massachusetts

  

—  

  

(Leased) 36,400

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Fulton, MO

  

—  

  

(Leased) 85,000

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Tulsa, OK

  

—  

  

(Leased) 66,000

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Greenville, SC

  

—  

  

(Leased) 65,000

  

Electrical and Industrial Products

Crowley, Texas

  

28.5

  

79,200

  

Galvanizing Services

Houston, Texas

  

45.7

  

61,800

  

Galvanizing Services

Waskom, Texas

  

10.6

  

30,400

  

Galvanizing Services

Beaumont, Texas

  

12.9

  

33,700

  

Galvanizing Services

Moss Point, Mississippi

  

13.5

  

16,000

  

Galvanizing Services

Jackson, Mississippi

  

5.6

  

22,800

  

Galvanizing Services

Citronelle, Alabama

  

10.8

  

34,000

  

Galvanizing Services

Goodyear, Arizona

  

11.75

  

36,800

  

Galvanizing Services

Prairie Grove, Arkansas

  

11.5

  

34,000

  

Galvanizing Services

Belle Chasse, Louisiana

  

9.5

  

34,000

  

Galvanizing Services

Port Allen, Louisiana

  

22.2

  

48,700

  

Galvanizing Services

Fort Worth, Texas

  

—  

  

(Leased) 15,300

  

Corporate Office

 

Item 3.   Legal Proceedings

 

Environmental Proceedings

 

The Company is subject to various environmental protection reviews by state and federal government agencies. The ultimate liability, if any, which might result from such reviews or additional clean-up and remediation expenses cannot presently be determined; however, as a result of an internal analysis and prior clean-up efforts, management believes the results will not have a material impact on the Company and that the recorded reserves for estimated losses are adequate. The Company has reserved $561,000 and $590,000 as of February 28, 2003 and 2002, respectively, for estimated cost related to environmental compliance.

 

In order to maintain permits to operate certain of the Company’s facilities, future capital expenditures for equipment may be required to meet new or existing environmental regulations.

 

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Legal Proceedings

 

The Company is involved from time to time in various suits and claims arising in the normal course of business. In management’s opinion, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

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

 

No matter was submitted during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended February 28, 2003, to a vote of security holders through the solicitation of proxies or otherwise.

 

PART II

 

Item 5.   Market for Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

 

The common stock, $1.00 par value, of Registrant (“Common Stock”) is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and its symbol is AZZ. The Company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and started trading on March 20, 1997. Prior to that date, the Company’s stock traded on the NASDAQ National Market.

 

The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices of the Company’s Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on a quarterly basis and dividends declared during the period indicated.

 

    

Quarter Ended
May 31,


    

Quarter Ended August 31,


  

Quarter Ended November 30,


  

Quarter Ended February 28,


Per Share


  

2002


  

2001


    

2002


  

2001


  

2002


  

2001


  

2003


  

2002


High

  

$

20.20

  

$

22.50

 

  

$

18.55

  

$

25.75

  

$

13.45

  

$

21.35

  

$

12.78

  

$

21.50

Low

  

$

16.40

  

$

15.90

 

  

$

12.46

  

$

19.00

  

$

10.95

  

$

14.20

  

$

11.20

  

$

16.90

Dividends Declared

         

$

0.16

(a)

  

 

—  

  

 

—  

  

 

—  

  

 

—  

  

 

—  

      

 

Effective January 7, 1999, the Board of Directors approved a stock rights plan, which authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right for each share of common stock outstanding at the close of business on February 4, 1999. The rights are exercisable at an initial exercise price of $60, subject to certain adjustments as defined in the agreement, if a person or group acquires 15% or more of the Company’s common stock or announces a tender offer that would result in ownership of 15% or more of the common stock. Alternatively, the rights may be redeemed at one cent per right at any time until ten business days following the first public announcement of the acquisition of 15% of the Company’s common stock. The rights expire on January 7, 2009.

 

The approximate number of holders of record of common stock of Registrant at May 12, 2003 was 744.


(a)   A cash dividend of $.16 per share was declared on March 27, 2001, and was paid on April 27, 2001.

 

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Item 6.   Selected Financial Data

 

    

Fiscal Year


 
    

2003


    

2002(a)


    

2001


  

2000(c)


  

1999


 
    

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

Summary of operations:

                                        

Net sales

  

$

183,370

 

  

$

152,917

 

  

$

121,406

  

$

92,544

  

$

80,922

 

Net income

  

$

8,615

 

  

 

7,804

 

  

 

8,172

  

 

6,593

  

 

4,874

(d)

Earnings per share:

                                        

Basic earnings per common share

  

$

1.63

 

  

$

1.53

 

  

$

1.67

  

$

1.39

  

$

.87

(d)

Diluted earnings per common share

  

 

1.63

 

  

 

1.50

 

  

 

1.63

  

 

1.38

  

 

.86

(d)

Total assets

  

$

134,037

 

  

$

147,044

 

  

$

88,368

  

$

84,804

  

$

58,399

 

Long-term debt

  

 

37,875

 

  

 

53,550

 

  

 

22,947

  

 

31,075

  

 

20,266

 

Total liabilities

  

 

70,628

 

  

 

92,293

 

  

 

44,988

  

 

51,783

  

 

31,514

 

Shareholders’ equity

  

 

63,409

 

  

 

54,751

 

  

 

43,380

  

 

33,021

  

 

26,885

 

Working capital

  

 

23,711

 

  

 

26,761

 

  

 

18,732

  

 

15,128

  

 

15,033

 

Cash provided by operating activities

  

$

22,927

 

  

$

14,150

 

  

$

12,372

  

$

13,833

  

$

8,774

 

Capital expenditures

  

 

3,959

 

  

 

12,772

 

  

 

5,099

  

 

4,152

  

 

6,992

 

Depreciation & amortization

  

 

7,061

(b)

  

 

6,347

(b)

  

 

5,838

  

 

4,770

  

 

3,630

 

Cash dividend per common share

  

 

0

 

  

 

.16

 

  

 

0

  

$

.16

  

$

.12

 

Weighted average shares outstanding

  

 

5,280

 

  

 

5,117

 

  

 

4,892

  

 

4,753

  

 

5,614

 


(a)   Includes the acquisitions of Central Electric Company and Carter & Crawley, Inc. on November 1, 2001.
(b)   Includes the amortizations of debt issue costs of $505,000 in fiscal 2003 and $81,000 in fiscal 2002.
(c)   Includes the acquisition of CGIT Westboro, Inc. and Westside Galvanizing Services, Inc. in September 1999 and February 2000, respectively.
(d)   Includes a pretax charge of $914,000 (or 10 cents per share) for the liquidation and write-down of tubular goods inventories.

 

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

 

AZZ incorporated (the “Company”) operates two distinct segments, the Electrical and Industrial Products Segment and the Galvanizing Services Segment. The Electrical and Industrial Products Segment serves the power generation, transmission and distribution market as well as the general industrial market. The Galvanizing Services Segment consists of eleven hot dip galvanizing facilities located throughout the South and Southwest United States that provides a value added galvanizing service to the steel fabrication industry.

 

Management believes that the following commentary appropriately discusses and analyzes the comparative results of operations and the financial conditions of the Company for the periods covered.