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8-K - FORM 8-K - AMERICAN VANGUARD CORPd8k.htm
EX-10.1 - FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT - AMERICAN VANGUARD CORPdex101.htm
EX-99.2 - PRESS RELEASE - AMERICAN VANGUARD CORPdex992.htm

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AMERICAN VANGUARD REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER & FULL YEAR 2009 RESULTS

Newport Beach, CA – March 8, 2010 – American Vanguard Corporation (NYSE:AVD), today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2009.

Fiscal 2009 Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights – versus Fiscal 2008 Fourth Quarter:

 

   

Net sales were $50.8 million compared to $71.1 million.

   

Net income was ($8.6) million* compared to $7.9 million.

   

Earnings per diluted share were ($0.32)* versus $0.29

Fiscal 2009 Financial Highlights – versus Fiscal 2008 Results:

 

   

Net sales were $209.3 million compared to $237.5 million.

   

Net income was ($5.8) million* compared to $20.0 million.

   

Earnings per diluted share were ($0.21)* versus $0.73

* Net Income and Earnings per share results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2009 reflect the inclusion of a one-time, non-cash charge of $13.5 million taken to adjust the inventories of American Vanguard at December 31, 2009.

Eric Wintemute, President and CEO of American Vanguard, stated: “Challenging industry-wide conditions in the agricultural chemical marketplace during mid & late 2009 resulted in our revenue declines of 29% in the fourth quarter and 12% for the full year. Like many of our peers, we were negatively impacted in the quarter and the full year by unfavorable weather and by the continued reluctance of distributor channels to stock inventory for the upcoming 2010 spring planting season.”

“This drop in end-use demand and our determination not to over-accumulate our own inventories compelled us to run our factories at reduced operating rates, which invariably translated into higher unit costs and lower gross profit margins. The combination of sluggish sales demand and the impact of unabsorbed fixed manufacturing costs have resulted in financial performance well below our expectations. We have responded by intensifying our sales & marketing initiatives, reducing costs throughout the Company and accelerating our efforts to develop and introduce new products.”

“Additionally, during the year-end assessment of our inventory, we determined that it was appropriate to write down the value of certain items by way of a one time, non-cash charge of $13.5 million. This charge arises primarily from the effect of unabsorbed manufacturing overhead activity, net realizable value assessments of slow-moving and obsolete inventory, and finally, other annual adjustments to ensure that our standard costs continue to closely reflect actual manufacturing cost.”


Mr. Wintemute concluded: “Throughout this difficult period, we have made significant progress toward improving our balance sheet by reducing inventory levels, generating cash and paying down our bank revolver debt. In addition, we have secured an amendment to our senior credit facility which includes adjusted covenants that should serve to provide the necessary flexibility in meeting our working capital needs over the course of 2010. We are well positioned to benefit from improving market conditions and our organization is well-focused and highly motivated to improve our operating performance, achieve better financial results and maintain our corporate balance sheet strength.”

Conference Call

Eric Wintemute, President & CEO, Trevor Thorley, EVP & COO and David T. Johnson, VP & CFO, will conduct a conference call focusing on the financial results at 12:00 pm ET / 9:00 am PT on Monday, March 8, 2010. Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing 706-679-3155 – please call in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin, and ask for the American Vanguard call (conference ID # 55081944). The conference call will also be webcast live via the News and Media section of the Company’s web site at www.american-vanguard.com. To listen to the live webcast, go to the web site at least 15 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio software. If you are unable to listen live, the conference call will be archived on the Company’s web site.

About American Vanguard

American Vanguard Corporation is a diversified specialty and agricultural products company that develops and markets products for crop protection and management, turf and ornamentals management and public and animal health. American Vanguard is included on the Russell 2000® and Russell 3000® Indexes. To learn more about American Vanguard, please reference the Company’s web site at www.american-vanguard.com.

The Company, from time to time, may discuss forward-looking information. Except for the historical information contained in this release, all forward-looking statements are estimates by the Company’s management and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ from management’s current expectations. Such factors include weather conditions, changes in regulatory policy and other risks as detailed from time-to-time in the Company’s SEC reports and filings. All forward-looking statements, if any, in this release represent the Company’s judgment as of the date of this release.

 

Company Contact:

American Vanguard Corporation

William A. Kuser, Director of Investor Relations

(949) 260-1200

williamk@amvac-chemical.com

 

Investor Representative

The Equity Group Inc.

www.theequitygroup.com

Lena Cati

Lcati@equityny.com

(212) 836-9611

 


CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31, 2009 and 2008

(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

 

     2009     2008  
Assets     

Current assets:

    

Cash

   $ 383      $ 1,229   

Receivables:

    

Trade, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $636 and $472, respectively

     40,681        51,405   

Other

     382        563   
                
     41,063        51,968   
                

Inventories

     72,512        90,626   

Prepaid expenses

     2,143        1,688   

Income taxes receivable

     3,575        —     
                

Total current assets

     119,676        145,511   

Property, plant and equipment, net

     39,196        41,241   

Intangible assets

     86,973        91,079   

Other assets

     8,866        9,106   
                
   $ 254,711      $ 286,937   
                
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity     

Current liabilities:

    

Current installments of long-term debt

   $ 8,528      $ 6,656   

Accounts payable

     11,401        16,195   

Accrued program costs

     27,188        16,204   

Accrued expenses and other payables

     3,762        6,767   

Income taxes payable

     —          3,332   
                

Total current liabilities

     50,879        49,154   

Long-term debt, excluding current installments

     45,432        75,748   

Other long-term liabilities

     192        —     

Deferred income taxes

     5,121        6,091   
                

Total liabilities

     101,624        130,993   
                

Commitments and contingent liabilities Stockholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock, $.10 par value per share; authorized 400,000 shares; none issued

     —          —     

Common stock, $.10 par value per share; authorized 40,000,000 shares; issued 29,575,562 shares in 2009 and 29,209,863 shares in 2008

     2,958        2,921   

Additional paid-in capital

     41,529        38,873   

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (1,743     (3,593

Retained earnings

     113,496        120,896   
                
     156,240        159,097   

Less treasury stock, at cost, 2,260,996 shares in both 2009 and 2008

     (3,153     (3,153
                

Total stockholders’ equity

     153,087        155,944   
                
   $ 254,711      $ 286,937   
                


CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

Three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2009 and 2008

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

     For the three months
ended December 31
    For the twelve months
ended December 31
 
     2009     2008     2009     2008  

Net sales

   $ 50,836      $ 71,060      $ 209,329      $ 237,538   

Cost of sales

     46,749        40,063        148,903        136,407   
                                

Gross profit

     4,087        30,997        60,426        101,131   

Operating expenses

     17,185        17,494        66,755        64,987   
                                

Operating (loss) income

     (13,098     13,503        (6,329     36,144   

Interest expense

     631        955        3,253        4,300   

Interest income

     —          —          —          (75

Interest capitalized

     (6     (83     (44     (254
                                

(Loss) income before provision for income taxes

     (13,723     12,631        (9,538     32,173   

Income taxes (benefit) expense

     (5,142     4,716        (3,749     12,154   
                                

Net (loss) income

   $ (8,581   $ 7,915      $ (5,789   $ 20,019   
                                

(Loss) earnings per common share—basic

   $ (0.32   $ 0.30      $ (0.21   $ 0.75   
                                

(Loss) earnings per common share—assuming dilution

   $ (0.32   $ 0.29      $ (0.21   $ 0.73   
                                

Weighted average shares outstanding—basic

     27,241        26,803        27,120        26,638   
                                

Weighted average shares outstanding—assuming dilution

     27,241        27,418        27,120        27,469   
                                


CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008

(Dollars in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     2009     2008  

Increase (decrease) in cash

    

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net (loss) income

   $ (5,789   $ 20,019   

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization

     9,050        7,271   

Amortization of intangibles

     4,437        4,342   

Loss from foreign currency contracts

     —          174   

Stock-based compensation expense related to stock options, employee stock purchases and directors’ fees

     1,223        822   

Deferred income taxes

     (778     3,700   

Changes in assets and liabilities associated with operations:

    

Decrease in net receivables

     10,905        4,602   

(Increase) decrease in inventories

     18,114        (27,171

Increase in Income Tax Receivable

     (3,575     —     

Increase in prepaid expenses and other assets

     (2,898     (4,913

Decrease in accounts payable

     (3,385     (1,871

Increase (decrease) in other payables and accrued expenses

     4,647        (6,091
                

Net cash provided by operating activities

     31,951        884   
                

Cash flows from investing activities:

    

Capital expenditures

     (4,322     (14,444

Acquisitions of intangible assets

     —          (10,439
                

Net cash used in investing activities

     (4,322     (24,883
                

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Net (repayments) borrowings under line of credit agreement

     (21,900     24,500   

Payments on long-term debt

     (4,106     (4,106

(Decrease) increase in other notes payable

     (2,438     3,750   

Proceeds from the issuance of common stock

     1,470        1,555   

Acquisition of treasury stock

     —          (408

Payment of cash dividends

     (1,611     (2,127
                

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

     (28,585     23,164   
                

Net (decrease) increase in cash

     (956     (835

Cash at beginning of year

     1,229        3,201   

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

     110        (1,137
                

Cash at end of year

   $ 383      $ 1,229   
                

Supplemental cash flow information:

    

Cash paid during the year for:

    

Interest

   $ 3,279      $ 4,135   
                

Income taxes

   $ 3,361      $ 6,785