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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-K

 

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

 

For the fiscal year ended December 28, 2003

 

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: 0-24387

 

NAVIGANT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

DELAWARE   52-2080967
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)  

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

84 INVERNESS CIRCLE EAST

ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO

  80112
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 706-0800

 

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

 

Title of each class


 

Name of each exchange on which registered


None.   None.

 

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

 

Common Stock, $.001 par value per share

(Title of class)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (paragraph 229.405 of this chapter) 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. þ

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes þ No ¨

 

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates on June 27, 2003 was approximately $159,155,000, based on the closing price as reported on the NASDAQ National Market on such date of $12.67 per unit.

 

As of March 10, 2004, the registrant had 14,684,000 shares of its common stock outstanding.

 



DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

The information required by Part III of this Report, to the extent not set forth herein, is incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2004, which definitive proxy statement shall be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which this Report relates.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K, or Annual Report, includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements in Item 1. Business, Item 2. Properties, Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “seek,” “could,” “predict,” “continue,” “future,” “may” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Our actual results could differ materially. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including:

 

  Our ability to manage our business and implement growth strategies;

 

  Our adoption of new technology;

 

  The continued use of travel management companies by corporate clients;

 

  A recession or slower economic growth;

 

  A decline in travel demand caused by terrorism, war, weather conditions or health and safety concerns;

 

  Reductions in revenue as a consequence of, or related to, the failure, liquidation, bankruptcy or other reorganization of major travel suppliers, including airlines, rental car companies or hotel companies;

 

  Fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations;

 

  Further changes or reductions in the commission structure in the travel service industry;

 

  Changes in laws or regulations concerning the travel service industry;

 

  Trends in the travel service industry including competition, consolidation and increased use of the Internet and computer online services;

 

  Our ability to successfully integrate the operations of existing or acquired travel management companies;

 

  Limitations on the availability of funds or other capital resources to finance future acquisitions;

 

  Our ability to negotiate favorable travel management contracts with our current and future clients;

 

  Any loss or modification of material contracts we have with travel suppliers or current clients;

 

  An impairment of goodwill relating to past acquisitions.

 

All of our forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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LOGO

 

ANNUAL REPORT ON

 

FORM 10-K

 

FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 28, 2003

 

PART I

 

ITEM 1. BUSINESS.

 

GENERAL

 

We are the second largest provider of corporate travel management services in the United States based on number of airline tickets sold in 2002. With operations throughout the United States, various U.S. territories and 20 foreign countries, we manage all aspects of our clients’ travel processes, focusing on reducing their travel expenses, typically one of the largest controllable expenses in a corporate budget. We believe that by providing high quality service, proprietary technology, a local presence and entering into management contracts we are able to retain a significant portion of our clients from year to year. Through Scheduled Airlines Traffic Offices, Inc., or SatoTravel®, which we acquired in June 2001, we provide airline travel reservation services to the U.S. government and its employees and other private sector organizations. We also provide specific group, leisure and special event management travel services, largely to our corporate clients. On March 10, 2004, we had 116 regional and branch offices and approximately 540 on-site locations.

 

With our technology and experienced personnel, we create, implement and manage corporate travel policies, helping our clients reduce travel costs. We provide our clients with extensive data about individual, departmental and company travel activity and patterns to help identify potential cost savings. We also provide comprehensive accounting systems that track and reconcile travel expenses, process and classify billing information and provide management reports, all of which can be tailored to meet a client’s particular needs.

 

We believe that nearly all of our transactions currently are generated from clients under management contracts or service fee arrangements. Although the terms of our management contracts vary depending on the type of services provided and by client, we typically are entitled to receive a pre-negotiated management fee and to be reimbursed for our direct operating expenses and indirect overhead costs.

 

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

 

Additional information on us can be found on our website, www.Navigant.com. Here we make available free of charge our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practical after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. We have not incorporated by reference the information on our website into this annual report and you should not consider it part of this document. We also have available a code of ethics, which we will provide free of charge upon request.

 

The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS

 

In the late 1970s, Edward S. Adams, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, started a company in Denver, Colorado, focused on managing corporate travel. In 1983, Mr. Adams formed Professional Travel Corporation by merging his company with three of the largest corporate travel management companies in Colorado. By 1995, Professional Travel Corporation had become one of the 20 largest travel management companies in the United States.

 

In 1997, U.S. Office Products purchased Professional Travel Corporation, and Mr. Adams became president of U.S. Office Products’ Corporate Travel Services Division. He was charged with building a national corporate travel management company focused on middle market clients. Under U.S. Office Products’ ownership, the management team led by Mr. Adams acquired an additional eleven regional corporate travel management companies and significantly increased the geographical scale and client base of the business. In June 1998, U.S. Office Products distributed 10,984,000 shares of our common stock to the stockholders of U.S. Office Products, or the Travel Distribution. Additionally, we completed an initial public offering of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock simultaneously with the Travel Distribution. The Travel Distribution was part of a restructuring plan in which U.S. Office Products spun off its print management, technology solutions, educational supplies and corporate travel services businesses. Following the Travel Distribution, we continued to acquire regional corporate travel management companies. From 1998 through 2002, we acquired approximately 30 regional travel management companies, including SatoTravel and an incentive and meeting company. In 2003, we acquired seven additional travel management companies along with a company specializing in the delivery of travel services over the Internet.

 

As of March 10, 2004 we had the following significant subsidiaries:

 

Name


  

Headquarters


AQUA Software Products, Inc.

   Santa Ana, California

Cornerstone Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a Navigant Performance Group

   Marlboro, Massachusetts

International Travel Consultants, d/b/a Navigant International/Belgium

   Brussels, Belgium

K.R. Agencia de Viagens Ltda., d/b/a Navigant International/Brazil

   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Marine & Oilfield Travel Logistics, L.P.

   Houston, Texas

Navigant International/Canada, Inc.

   Toronto, Ontario

Navigant International/North Central, Inc.

   Chicago, Illinois

Navigant International/Northeast, Inc.

   Stamford, Connecticut

Navigant International/Northwest, Inc.

   Seattle, Washington

Navigant International/Rocky Mountain, Inc.

   Denver, Colorado

Navigant International/South Central, L.P.

   Houston, Texas

Navigant International/Southeast, Inc.

   Raleigh, North Carolina

Navigant International/Southwest, L.L.C.

   Santa Ana, California

Navigant International/United Kingdom Ltd.

   London, England

Scheduled Airlines Traffic Offices, Inc., d/b/a SatoTravel, a Navigant International Company

   Sterling, Virginia

Transcap Voyages S.A., d/b/a Navigant International/France

   Paris, France

 

TRAVEL SERVICES INDUSTRY

 

We believe the travel services industry can be divided into two sectors: the unmanaged leisure and small business sector and the corporate travel management sector. We compete in the corporate travel management sector, which we believe is made up of approximately 170 travel management companies. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, Americans spent a total of $462 billion on domestic travel in 2002, of which we believe a significant portion was for business travel.

 

The corporate travel management industry grew dramatically as a result of the deregulation of the airline industry in 1978. The complex pricing strategies adopted by the airlines to maximize their yields and loads created an opportunity for travel management companies to assist mid-sized and large companies in managing their travel expenses. Over the years, the industry has progressed from merely delivering low-cost airline tickets to providing end-to-end support and services.

 

Travel generally is among the largest controllable expense for most companies. Businesses hire corporate travel management companies to reduce these expenses, and to manage the travel process. Corporate travel management companies can cut travel expenses for their clients in many ways, including creating travel policies to take advantage of

 

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savings opportunities inherent in complex airline pricing structures, collecting data for greater leverage with suppliers, negotiating favorable pricing directly with travel suppliers for the benefit of a particular client and passing on cost savings and price reductions negotiated for the benefit of all clients.

 

The corporate travel management industry has changed significantly since 1995. Some of the major changes are:

 

  Conversion to management contracts and service fee arrangements;

 

  Reduction in and elimination of commissions from airlines;

 

  Increasing industry reliance on technology; and

 

  Expansion of services offered to clients.

 

We believe that a successful response to these changes requires significant technological and financial resources, and that larger corporate travel management companies therefore may have a competitive advantage. Accordingly, we believe the corporate travel management industry is undergoing a period of consolidation and that significant growth opportunity exists. We believe that large companies providing integrated systems from purchasing to data collection, offering their services through both traditional and online means, will eventually be more successful.

 

The industry’s role and capacity as a distribution channel, and its relationship with both clients and suppliers, is also undergoing significant change as a result of the Internet and other technological innovations. We believe these innovations offer opportunities for corporate travel management companies to increase the efficiency of their distribution capacities and enhance services provided to travelers and management.

 

The industry has been undergoing numerous challenges since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including the decline in travel from the levels that existed prior to those attacks, the decline of the U.S. economy, continued geopolitical instability, and world health concerns. These challenges, in part, led to bankruptcy filings by major airlines, including United Airlines and US Air. Although US Air emerged from bankruptcy protection, many factors could cause other airlines to experience adverse economic pressure, which could lead to other carriers seeking bankruptcy protection as well.

 

BUSINESS STRATEGY

 

Our mission is to provide corporate travel management services delivered globally by our unified team of responsive professionals who are committed to exceeding the expectations of shareholders, clients and fellow associates (we refer to our employees as associates).

 

The principal elements of our business strategy are to:

 

  Generate internal growth through:

 

  Local marketing focused on increasing our middle market client base. We intend to expand our client base of middle market companies by capitalizing on the breadth of our services, size, geographic scope and financial resources while maintaining our local and regional relationships and service. We believe that our global presence will attract middle market corporate clients that have locations in more than one geographic region.

 

  Increasing our military and government client base. The acquisition of SatoTravel increased our ability to compete for U.S. military and government clients. In the 50 years that SatoTravel has served the travel needs of U.S. military and government clients it has gained a strong understanding of the intricacies of military and government travel standards and protocol. SatoTravel has developed customized programs, technology and services to fit the unique needs of military and government travelers. We believe that we can use this expertise to compete effectively for additional similar business.

 

 

Expanding our client base to large-scale corporate clients. Through SatoTravel and Navigant Integrated Services®, we believe we have the ability to service and compete for large-scale corporate

 

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clients. Navigant Integrated Services operates state-of-the-art call centers, which provide clients with premium service, flexibility and cost-saving opportunities.

 

  Continuing our cross-selling efforts. We will continue to market our incentive, meeting and special event travel services to corporate clients, sell corporate travel management services to current incentive and group clients and market leisure travel to our clients’ employees.

 

  Use the Internet to attract new clients and increase efficiency. The Internet provides a multifaceted opportunity for us, which can be exploited both in our existing corporate business and in our growing leisure travel operations. On the corporate side, the Internet can be used to attract new clients and to serve existing clients more efficiently. By serving our clients electronically, whether over the Internet or through corporate intranets, we can reduce transaction costs. In addition, both the Internet and client intranets allow us to more effectively market leisure travel service to employees of our existing corporate clients and to reach substantial new markets for leisure travel through private label and co-branding initiatives.

 

  Leverage our size to decrease costs and increase revenues. As the second largest corporate travel management company in the United States based on airline tickets sold, we believe we can negotiate favorable contracts with vendors and travel suppliers, including incentive override contracts. These contracts include agreements with selected global distribution system vendors, hotel commission clearinghouses, rental car companies, hotel property management companies and airlines. Some of these agreements provide payments to us of up-front incentives, as well as annual payments or cost savings that we believe are significantly higher than amounts that would have been offered to any of our individual subsidiary companies. In addition, we believe that we can benefit from greater purchasing power in such key expense areas as telecommunications, advertising, insurance, overnight delivery, employee benefits, office supplies and printing. We believe that we continue to achieve economies of scale through the integration of our back-office operations, technology development and information and management systems at our current operations, while freeing local management to focus on growth and customer service. In addition, we continue to consolidate regional locations and eliminate unnecessary facilities.

 

  Continue to acquire established, profitable and well-managed corporate travel management companies. We continue to believe that the corporate travel management industry is highly fragmented with significant opportunities to consolidate through selective acquisitions of leading regional and local companies. We will seek to acquire companies that have demonstrated growth and profitability, have desirable geographical locations, are run by successful, experienced entrepreneurs whom we will endeavor to retain, predominantly serve the corporate market and emphasize customer service. We routinely review and conduct investigations of potential acquisitions of domestic and foreign travel management companies. When we believe a favorable opportunity exists, we seek to enter into discussions with the owners of such businesses regarding the possibility of an acquisition by us. At any given time, we may be in discussion with one or more corporate travel management company owners. We may also make other strategic investments in and acquisitions of other travel-related businesses.

 

SERVICES

 

Travel Management Services

 

We provide our clients with a wide range of travel management services in addition to reservation and ticketing, including:

 

  Developing corporate travel policies;

 

  Managing adherence to travel policies;

 

  Outsourcing travel management consulting services;

 

  Designing information and management reporting systems;

 

  Negotiating favorable pricing with travel suppliers; and

 

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  Planning and organizing incentive programs, corporate meetings and special events.

 

We book travel reservations for our clients with a variety of travel suppliers, including airlines, hotels and rental car companies, using three major global distribution systems—Sabre, Galileo/Apollo and Worldspan. We have long term agreements with each of these companies. After making travel reservations for our clients, we issue tickets, both paper and electronic, and provide our customers with detailed itineraries, which include confirmation numbers for airline, hotel and car rental reservations.

 

We can assist our clients in developing travel policies that enable the client to manage its travel expenses. These policies can mandate the use of particular vendors, set parameters on the class of service used by travelers, require advance purchase of airline tickets and define the use of “frequent flier” program benefits. These policies may also have risk management features, such as limiting the number of officers and employees who may travel on the same flight.

 

Our management reports provide detailed and comprehensive information about each client’s travel expenses and patterns. These reports show savings achieved through the use of preferred vendors and adherence to travel policies, and analyze destinations, airlines and hotel usage and rental car expense. The information collected assists us and the client in negotiating discounts and pricing with vendors, and allows the client to monitor and enforce its travel policies.

 

We operate a 24-hour toll-free telephone service to provide emergency assistance to travelers. Many other travel management companies use this service and we believe it is one of the best 24-hour services in the travel industry.

 

We have a meetings and incentive subsidiary doing business as Navigant Performance Group, or NPG. NPG operates out of regional offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and provides innovation and expertise in the areas of incentive programs, meetings and special events. Services provided by NPG include, but are not limited to, strategic planning, promotion support, site selection, contract negotiations, program planning, registration, creative support and on-site management.

 

In 2001, we formed Navigant Integrated Services, or NIS to serve our large-scale corporate accounts. Through state-of-the-art call centers, NIS delivers cutting edge technology, providing our clients with premium service, flexibility and cost-saving opportunities.

 

In addition to corporate travel management, we provide leisure travel services to both individuals and groups as a small portion of our overall business. We derive part of our leisure travel business through our existing corporate client base.

 

Use of Technology

 

We embrace technology as a key to future success in the corporate travel management industry. Our information technology can provide our clients’ corporate travel managers, as well as financial officers, with extensive data about individual, departmental and company travel activity and patterns. We can use this information to consult with our corporate clients regarding the structure, operation and efficiency of a variety of corporate travel policies. In addition, we can provide corporate clients with comprehensive information about cost-saving opportunities for the travel undertaken by their employees.

 

Our wholly owned subsidiary, AQUA Software Products, Inc., has developed a fully-automated quality assurance program, AQUAPlatinumTM, which features both a quality auditing system and a computerized cost avoidance system. We have branded our version of this product AQUA. AQUA’s Trip Auditor module checks each travel record for accuracy and completeness and repetitively searches airline seat maps for each traveler’s preferred seat assignments, hotel rate comparisons and frequent-flier upgrade opportunities. AQUA’s FareBuster module is a computerized cost avoidance program which checks each record for a lower airline fare and continuously checks wait list flights and flight inventories for discount fares that become available prior to travel. AQUA also advises travel managers of travelers who are not taking advantage of the lowest fare. AQUAQuest is a product in development for AQUA’s customers, which is planned to offer travel agents access to Orbitz web-based search engine and its inventory of low fare ticket prices from numerous airlines. Currently, we have the AQUA system installed to process approximately 97% of our transactions, and plan to continue conversions of newly acquired companies during 2004. Three of the top five travel management companies in the United States license portions of the AQUA system.

 

In 1999, we embarked upon a standardized program to consolidate our accounting and client reporting systems. This resulted in converting accounting systems to a single system and reporting systems to a standard system. With the

 

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exception of SatoTravel and acquisitions made in the last six months, 100% of our North America transactions are now processed on our consolidated system. We continue to evaluate the consolidation of SatoTravel’s system and expect to consolidate their transactions when it is appropriate to do so.

 

We believe that the Internet has the potential to allow us to provide an even higher level of service to our corporate clients while significantly reducing distribution costs, especially labor costs. We serve our corporate clients through our consolidated website, Navigant.com, and our suite of Internet products and services, BusinessFLYR, ReportFLYR, RescueFLYR, AlertFLYR and WebFLYR. BusinessFLYR allows our corporate clients to book air, car and hotel travel online while enforcing corporate travel policy and capturing their travel spending patterns. Several different online booking systems can be configured based on the corporate client’s requirements. Through ReportFLYR, the corporate client can view trip information sorted at every level of corporate organization, from individual travel to department, division or entire company. ReportFLYR allows corporate travel managers and other executives the ability to view their company’s travel activities and real-time data 24 hours a day using a password protected system. We have introduced additional Internet products, including RescueFLYR, a product designed to help travelers salvage value from an unused, non-refundable ticket; AlertFLYR, a tool to organize and monitor valuable travel data in a single, customizable view; and WebFLYR, a product to provide customers with access to the Orbitz inventory of low fare ticket prices from numerous airlines. In addition, we have developed an integrated online travel management solution, Passportal, and plan to launch the initial version of this product in the second quarter of 2004. We have also been developing a web-based application, NetProfile, to provide customer creation and management of traveler profiles that are centrally managed, standardized, and easily accessible.

 

We are also expanding our efforts to cross-sell leisure travel to employees of our corporate clients and members of affinity group clients through our BenefitVacations® Corporate Affiliate program and to provide reservation and ticketing, as well as our quality control and cost reduction services, to other leisure consumers. This program will allow our customers and their employees access to discount pricing, exclusive inventory and added incentives for leisure travel.

 

Distribution of Services

 

We provide corporate travel management services to our clients through several channels, including on-site offices, regional travel management offices, call centers and on-site satellite ticket printers, or STPs.

 

As of March 10, 2004, we had approximately 540 on-site offices on client premises, where we provide customized trip planning and reservation and ticketing services to the employees of corporate and governmental clients. On-site operations are typically used by clients with airline expenditures in excess of $1.0 million per year. Through an on-site office, we are able to work one-on-one with the client’s travel manager to meet the client’s travel needs, including the need for customized travel information and negotiations with travel suppliers frequently used by the customer.

 

As of March 10, 2004, we had approximately 116 regional and branch offices. These offices are typically used by corporate customers with less than $1.0 million in travel expenditures per year. The regional offices provide local companies with comprehensive travel management services, including trip planning, reservation and ticketing services, accounting, corporate travel reporting, negotiations with frequently used travel suppliers and consulting. The regional nature of these offices allows them to leverage their local market expertise and to provide quick, responsive and personalized service. In addition, regional offices provide backup to nearby on-site locations.

 

As of March 10, 2004, we operated five call centers, which serve our large-scale corporate clients and several military and governmental customers. Call centers are typically used by corporate, military and government clients with more than $40.0 million in travel expenditures per year. The call centers provide clients with premium service, flexibility and cost-saving opportunities.

 

As of March 10, 2004, we also operated approximately 290 STPs at client locations across the country. We use these printers to distribute tickets instantly to clients whose field locations have enough volume to justify the STP. Locations with lower volume can receive tickets via overnight delivery services. We believe that the growth of electronic ticketing will eventually eliminate the need for STPs and overnight delivery, thus lowering distribution costs.

 

We have entered into arrangements with third parties pursuant to which we fulfill travel reservations placed on the Internet. In addition, through our Navigant.com website, we allow clients to, among other things, check flight times, make reservations, access and sort password-protected corporate travel data, find restaurants and automatic teller machines and access the latest currency conversions.

 

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We offer reservation services to our clients through the Internet, e-mail and facsimile. These distribution methods offer clients the option of performing reservation services directly, while we provide a supporting role. Our role includes performing quality control on the reservation, assessing travel policy compliance, assisting the traveler with the use of the reservation system and issuing and delivering tickets reserved by the client. Additionally, we report to management on matters such as pre- and post-travel activity, cost-saving opportunities and the development and assessment of the client’s travel policy and negotiated rate opportunities.

 

MARKETING AND SALES

 

Our marketing continually targets both new and existing customers. Our sales staff identifies potential clients, and develops opportunities to provide additional travel services to existing clients. Over the past few years, travel policy and travel purchasing decisions in larger companies have been centralized in purchasing departments, with travel managers or within the offices of chief financial officers. The selection of a travel agency has also become more formal, with larger accounts soliciting bids through “requests for proposals.” We have adapted to these changes by relying on a sales force specially trained in the business of corporate travel, supported by experienced marketing staff. We have approximately 120 associates in our sales and marketing departments.

 

COMPETITION

 

The corporate travel management industry is extremely competitive. We compete primarily with other corporate travel management companies. Some of our competitors may have greater brand-name recognition and financial resources than we do. The largest corporate travel management company is significantly larger than us or our other competitors, and we compete with several companies which are similar in size to us. Competition within the corporate travel management industry is increasing as the industry undergoes a period of consolidation. Some of our competitors are expanding their size and financial resources through consolidation. Some travel management companies may have relationships with travel suppliers that give them access to favorable availability of products, including airplane seats and hotel rooms, or more competitive pricing than that offered by us. Furthermore, some corporate travel management companies have a strong presence in particular geographic areas that may make it difficult for us to attract clients in those areas. As a result of competitive pressures, we may suffer a loss of clients, and our revenues or margins may decline.

 

We also compete with online travel providers as well as travel suppliers, including airlines, hotels and rental car companies. Innovations in technology, such as the Internet and computer online services, have increased the ability of travel suppliers to distribute their travel products and some limited services directly to the consumer. Although corporate travel management companies and travel agencies remain the primary channel for travel distribution, businesses and consumers can use the Internet to access information about travel products and services and to purchase such products and services directly from the suppliers, thus bypassing corporate travel management companies and travel agents. We believe that no single Internet-based service presently provides access to the full range of information or services that we can provide. An Internet-based travel service may, however, provide such access in the future.

 

We believe that we compete for clients based upon service, price and specialized knowledge. We believe that we are well-positioned to compete on these bases due to our combination of size and regional focus. We use our size to achieve operating efficiencies by implementing customized and industry-standard technologies and by consolidating administrative functions. Our size also provides opportunities to negotiate favorable arrangements with travel suppliers, such as airlines, hotels and rental car companies. Our regional focus, conversely, fosters personalized customer service and specialized local market knowledge, which help improve customer service, solidify customer relationships and expand our customer base.

 

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

 

We use networked management information systems for financial management, reporting and communication. These systems provide management with current financial information from all of our offices, and allow management to share that information easily and quickly with others. The systems also allow management to communicate efficiently with associates and each other throughout the business day. We employ technicians to administer, install and maintain our computer hardware and software, as well as computer programmers to create software solutions for us and our customers. We began implementing a single, company wide information technology platform to service our accounting and reporting requirements in 1999, and with the exception of SatoTravel and acquisitions made in the last six months, 100% of our North American transactions are currently being transacted on the same platform. We continue to evaluate the consolidation of SatoTravel’s system and expect to consolidate their transactions when it is appropriate to do so.

 

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EMPLOYEES

 

As of March 10, 2004, we had approximately 4,200 full-time associates, none of whom is subject to collective bargaining agreements. We believe that we enjoy good relations with our associates.

 

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES.

 

As of March 10, 2004, we operated 116 travel agency facilities, all of which are leased. We operated 100 travel agency facilities in the United States and 16 internationally. We believe that our properties are generally in good condition, are well maintained and are generally suitable and adequate to carry on our business at capacity for the foreseeable future.

 

Our headquarters facility is also leased. See Item 8, Note 10 in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for details.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 84 Inverness Circle East, Englewood, Colorado 80112, and our telephone number is (303) 706-0800.

 

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

 

We are involved in certain disputes and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of our business. While it is not feasible to predict or determine the outcome of these proceedings, in our opinion, based on a review with legal counsel, none of these disputes and legal actions is expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business (see Item 8, Note 14, “Commitments and Contingencies”, for additional discussion of our legal contingencies).

 

ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

 

No matter was submitted to a vote of our stockholders, through the solicitation of proxies or otherwise, during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2003.

 

PART II

 

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.

 

Market Information

 

Navigant’s common stock, or Common Stock, is quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “FLYR.” The following table sets forth, for the period indicated, the high and low closing sales prices per share of Common Stock, as reported on the NASDAQ National Market:

 

     High

   Low

Fiscal Year Ended December 28, 2003:

             

First Quarter

   $ 13.03    $ 9.62

Second Quarter

     13.68      10.41

Third Quarter

     14.75      12.18

Fourth Quarter

     15.65      12.75

Fiscal Year Ended December 29, 2002:

             

First Quarter

   $ 14.50    $ 11.45

Second Quarter

     17.35      13.43

Third Quarter

     15.05      8.87

Fourth Quarter

     13.25      10.45

 

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Holders

 

As of March 10, 2004, the number of holders of record of the Common Stock was 2,771.

 

Dividends

 

We have not declared or paid dividends on our Common Stock since our formation, and we do not anticipate paying dividends in the foreseeable future. The decision whether to apply legally available funds to the payment of dividends on our Common Stock will be made by the Board of Directors from time to time in the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account, among other things, our results of operations and financial condition, any then existing or proposed commitments by us for the use of available funds and our obligations with respect to the holders of any then outstanding indebtedness or preferred stock. Furthermore, we are prohibited from paying dividends by financial covenants in our credit agreement.

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

 

Plan Category


   Number of Securities
To Be Issued Upon
Exercise of
Outstanding
Options, Warrants
and Rights


   Weighted-Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding
Options, Warrants
and Rights


   Number of Securities
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance Under
Equity Compensation Plans
(Excluding Securities
Reflected in Column (a))


     (a)    (b)    (c)

Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders

   2,820,585    $ 10.43    1,128,315

Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders

                
    
  

  

Total

   2,820,585    $ 10.43    1,128,315
    
  

  

 

9


Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2003, we issued the following unregistered securities:

 

Persons or
Classes of
Persons to
Whom Sold


  

Date of Sale


  

Title of
Securities
Sold


  

Number or
Principal
Amount of
Securities
Sold


  

Name of Underwriter
or Placement Agent


  

Consideration
Received


  

Exemption
from
Registration
Claimed


  

Term of
Exercise of
Conversion


Equity holders of acquired companies    September 30, 2003 – December 15, 2003    Common Stock    171,000 shares    None    Ownership Rights    Non-public offering under Section 4(2)    N/A
Qualified institutional buyers    November 1, 2003    4.875% Convertible Subordinated Debentures    $72,000,000    Banc of America Securities LLC, McDonald Investments Inc., LaSalle Debt Capital Markets, a division of ABN AMRO Financial Services, Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., C.E. Unterberg, Towbin and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC    $72,000,000    Non-public offering under Section 4(2)    Convertible under certain conditions, at a rate of 60.4084 principal amount of debentures

 

10


ITEM 6. SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA.

 

The historical financial data presented below should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that appear elsewhere in this Annual Report.

 

     Fiscal Year Ended

 
     December 28,
2003


    December 29,
2002


    December 30,
2001


    December 31,
2000


    December 26,
1999


 
     (In thousands, except per share data)  

Statement of Operations Data (1):

                                        

Revenues

   $ 352,283     $ 371,283     $ 350,331     $ 315,029     $ 229,161  

Operating expenses

     189,900       202,216       205,953       176,359       128,971  

General and administrative expenses

     112,681       111,525       103,801       88,635       61,320  

Depreciation and amortization expense

     10,307       10,049       18,028       12,433       9,752  

Restructuring charges (2)

                     3,550       1,900          
    


 


 


 


 


Operating income

     39,395       47,493       18,999       35,702       29,118  

Interest expense (3)

     28,372       17,141       16,248       13,070       5,929  

Interest income

     (50 )     (39 )     (299 )     (673 )     (199 )

Other, net

     35       35