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EX-32.2 - EXHIBIT 32.2 - ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INCex32-2.htm
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EX-31.2 - EXHIBIT 31.2 - ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INCex31-2.htm
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EX-21 - EXHIBIT 21 - ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INCex21.htm

 

UNITED STATES 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 June 30, 2017

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 1-11692

 

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware  

 

 

 

06-1275288 

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) 

 

 

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 

         
Ethan Allen Drive, Danbury, CT       06811
(Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip Code)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code   (203) 743-8000

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

 

Title of Each Class 

 

 

 

Name of Each Exchange On Which Registered

Common Stock, $.01 par value

 

 

 

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

     

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

None

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  [ X ]   Yes      [   ]   No

 

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  [   ]   Yes      [X]   No

 

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. [X]  Yes      [   ]   No

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  [X]  Yes      [   ]   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. [ X ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company”in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:

 

Large accelerated filer     

[X]

Accelerated filer                        [   ]

Non-accelerated filer                   

[   ] Do not check if smaller reporting company)

Smaller reporting company      [   ]

Emerging growth company 

[   ]

   

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).           [  ]   Yes      [X]  No

 

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on December 31, 2016, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $703,752,000. As of July 31, 2017, there were 27,447,215 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $.01 per share, outstanding.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: Certain designated information contained in the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for the 2017 Annual Meeting of stockholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, is incorporated by reference into Part III hereof to the extent described herein.

 

 
 

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Item

  Page
  PART I  
     

Item 1.

Business

3

     

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

9

     

Item 1B.

Unresolved Staff Comments

13

     

Item 2.

Properties

13

     

Item 3.

Legal Proceedings

14

     

Item 4.

Mine Safety Disclosures

15

     
  PART II  
     

Item 5.

Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

15

     

Item 6.

Selected Financial Data

17

     

Item 7.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation

18

     

Item 7A.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

28

     

Item 8.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

28

     

Item 9.

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

50

     

Item 9A.

Controls and Procedures

51

     

Item 9B.

Other Information

51

     
  PART III  
     

Item 10.

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

52

     

Item 11.

Executive Compensation

52

     

Item 12.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters

52

     

Item 13.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

52

     

Item 14.

Principal Accounting Fees and Services

52

     
  PART IV  
     

Item 15.

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

52

     

Item 16.

Form 10-K Summary

56

     

SIGNATURES  

57

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

PART I

Item 1.     Business

 

Overview

 

Incorporated in Delaware in 1989, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ethan Allen Global, Inc., and Ethan Allen Global, Inc.’s subsidiaries (collectively, "We," "Us," "Our," "Ethan Allen" or the "Company"), is a leading interior design company and manufacturer and retailer of quality home furnishings. Founded in 1932, today we are a leading international home fashion brand doing business in North America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. We are vertically integrated from design through delivery, affording our clientele a value proposition of style, quality and price. We offer complimentary interior design service to our clients and sell a full range of furniture products and decorative accents through ethanallen.com and a retail network of approximately 300 design centers in the United States and abroad. The design centers represent a mix of independent licensees and our own Company operated retail segment. We own and operate nine manufacturing facilities including six manufacturing plants and one sawmill in the United States and one manufacturing plant in Mexico and one in Honduras. Approximately 75% of the products sold by the Company are manufactured in our North American plants.

 

Available Information

 

Our website is www.ethanallen.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Information that we furnish or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to, or exhibits included in, these reports are available for download, free of charge, on our website soon after such reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our SEC filings, including exhibits filed therewith, are also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may obtain and copy any document we furnish or file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s public reference facilities by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You may request copies of these documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC at its principal office at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549.

 

Operating Segments

 

Our wholesale and retail operating segments represent strategic business areas of our vertically integrated enterprise that operate separately and provide their own distinctive services. This vertical structure enables us to offer our complete line of home furnishings and accents more effectively while controlling quality and cost. We evaluate performance of the respective segments based upon revenues and operating income. Inter-segment transactions result, primarily, from the wholesale sale of inventory to the retail segment, including the related profit margin. For certain financial information regarding our operating segments, see Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included under Item 8 of this Annual Report and incorporated herein by reference.

 

As of June 30, 2017, the Company operated 148 design centers (our retail segment) and our independent retailers operated 155 design centers. Our wholesale segment net sales include sales to our retail segment, which are eliminated in consolidation, and sales to our independent retailers. Our retail segment net sales accounted for 79% of our consolidated net sales in fiscal 2017. Our wholesale segment net sales to independent retailers accounted for 21%, including approximately 11.9% of our consolidated net sales in fiscal 2017 to ten of our largest independent retailers, operating 101 design centers.

 

Wholesale Segment Overview:

 

The wholesale segment, principally involved in the development of the Ethan Allen brand, encompasses all aspects of design, manufacture, sourcing, marketing, sale, and distribution of our broad range of home furnishings and accents. Wholesale revenue is generated upon the sale and shipment of our products to our retail network of independently operated design centers and Company operated design centers.

 

Within the wholesale segment, we maintain revenue information according to each respective product line (i.e. case goods, upholstery, and home accents and other). Case goods include items such as beds, dressers, armoires, tables, chairs, buffets, entertainment units, home office furniture, and wooden accents. Upholstery items include sleepers, recliners and other motion furniture, chairs, ottomans, custom pillows, sofas, loveseats, cut fabrics and leather. Skilled artisans cut, sew and upholster custom-designed upholstery items which are available in a variety of frame, fabric and trim options. Home accent and other items include window treatments and drapery hardware, wall decor, florals, lighting, clocks, mattresses, bedspreads, throws, pillows, decorative accents, area rugs, wall coverings and home and garden furnishings.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Wholesale net sales for each of the last three fiscal years, allocated by product line, were as follows:

 

   

Fiscal Year Ended June 30,

 
   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

 

Case Goods

    33 %     32 %     34 %

Upholstered Products

    51 %     51 %     48 %

Home Accents and Other

    16 %     17 %     18 %
      100 %     100 %     100 %

 

We offer a mix of custom made-to-order and in-stock product programs. Our wholesale backlogs as of June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, were approximately $47.4 million and $40.3 million respectively. Because the size of our backlog at a given time may not be indicative of our future revenues, we do not rely entirely on backlogs to predict future revenues.

 

Our independent retailers are required to enter into license agreements with us, which (i) authorize the use of certain Ethan Allen trademarks and (ii) require adherence to certain standards of operation, including a requirement to fulfill related warranty service agreements. We are not subject to any territorial or exclusive retailer agreements in North America.

 

Wholesale profitability includes (i) the wholesale gross margin, which represents the difference between the wholesale net sales price and the cost associated with manufacturing and/or sourcing the related product, and (ii) other operating costs associated with wholesale segment activities.

 

Retail Segment Overview:

 

The retail segment sells home furnishings and accents to consumers through a network of Company operated design centers. Retail revenue is generated upon the retail sale and delivery of our products to our retail customers through our network of service centers. Retail profitability reflects (i) the retail gross margin, which represents the difference between the retail net sales price and the cost of goods, purchased primarily from the wholesale segment, and (ii) other operating costs associated with retail segment activities.

 

We measure the performance of our design centers based on net sales and written orders booked on a comparable period basis. Comparable design centers are those which have been operating for at least 15 months, including relocated design centers provided the original and relocated design center location had been operating for at least 15 months on a combined basis. During the first three months of operations of newly opened design centers, written orders are booked but minimal net sales are achieved through the delivery of products. Design centers we acquire from independent retailers are included in comparable design center sales in their 13th full month of Ethan Allen-owned operations. The frequency of our promotional events as well as the timing of the end of those events can also affect the comparability of orders booked during a given period. During fiscal 2017, we opened six new design centers, two of which were relocations. The geographic distribution of retail design center locations is included under Item 2 of Part I of this Annual Report.

 

Retail net sales for each of the last three fiscal years, allocated by product line, were as follows:

 

   

Fiscal Year Ended June 30,

 
   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

 

Case Goods

    30 %     31 %     32 %

Upholstered Products

    48 %     47 %     45 %

Home Accents and Other

    22 %     22 %     23 %
      100 %     100 %     100 %

 

Products 

 

Our strategy has been to position Ethan Allen as a preferred brand offering complimentary design service together with products of superior style, quality and value to provide consumers with a comprehensive, one-stop shopping solution for their home furnishing and interior design needs. In carrying out our strategy, we continue to expand our reach to a broader consumer base through a diverse selection of attractively priced products, designed to complement one another, reflecting current fashion trends in home decorating. One such example of this strategy is our new Ethan Allen | Disney product program, launched during fiscal 2017. We continuously monitor changes in home fashion trends through attendance at international industry events and fashion shows, internal market research, and regular communication with our retailers and design center design consultants who provide valuable input on consumer trends. We believe that the observations and input gathered enable us to incorporate appropriate style details into our products to react quickly to changing consumer tastes. 

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

75% of our furniture is built by artisans, one piece at a time, in our North American workshops. Most frames are hand-assembled and stitching is guided by hand. We select international partners who are as committed to quality as we are. All case good frames are made with premium lumber and veneers. We use best-in-class construction techniques, including mortise and tenon joinery and four-corner glued dovetail joinery on drawers. We combine technology with personal service and maintain an up-to-date broad range of styles and custom options in keeping with today’s home decorating trends. These factors continue to define Ethan Allen, positioning us as a fashion leader in the home furnishing industry.

 

The interior of our design centers, which were substantially refreshed during the past two fiscal years, are organized to facilitate display of our product offerings, both in room settings that project the category lifestyle and by product grouping to facilitate comparisons of the styles and tastes of our clients. To further enhance the experience, technology is used to expand the range of products viewed by including content from our website in applications used on large touch-screen flat panel displays.

 

Product Development and Sourcing Activities

 

Using a combination of on staff and outsourced product designers, we design the majority of the products we sell. All of our products are branded Ethan Allen. This important facet of our vertically integrated business enables us to control the design specifications and establish consistent levels of quality across the products in our own North American plants. We source approximately 25% of the products we sell from third-party suppliers, most of which are located outside the United States, primarily in Asia. We carefully select our sourcing partners and require them to provide products according to our specifications and quality standards. We believe that strategic investments in our manufacturing facilities balanced with outsourcing from foreign and domestic suppliers will accommodate significant future sales growth and allow us to maintain an appropriate degree of control over cost, quality and service to our customers.

 

Environmental Sustainability and Social Responsibility

 

We are focused on environmental and social responsibility and incorporating uniform social, environmental, health and safety programs into our manufacturing standards.

 

Our “green” initiatives include but are not limited to the use of responsibly harvested Appalachian woods, water based finishes and measuring our carbon footprint, greenhouse gases and recycled materials from our operations. We have implemented the Enhancing Furniture’s Environmental Culture (EFEC) environmental management system sponsored by the American Home Furnishing Alliance (AHFA) at all our domestic manufacturing, distribution and service center facilities, and have expanded these efforts to our retail design centers, which have now been registered in EFEC. Our Mexico and Honduras facilities have been audited and are registered under the AHFA's EFEC program. Our domestic manufacturing, distribution and service centers have also achieved Sustainable by Design (SBD) registration status under the EFEC program. SBD provides a framework for home furnishings companies to create and maintain a corporate culture of conservation and environmental stewardship by integrating socio-economic policies and sustainable business practices into their manufacturing operations and sourcing strategies.

 

The Company requires its sourcing facilities that manufacture Ethan Allen branded products to implement a labor compliance program and meet or exceed the standards established for preventing child labor, involuntary labor, coercion & harassment, discrimination, and restrictions to freedom of association. These facilities must also provide a safe and healthy environment in all workspaces, compliance with all local wage and hour laws and regulations, compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, and they must authorize Ethan Allen and/or its designated agents (including third-party auditing companies) to engage in monitoring activities to confirm compliance.

 

Raw Materials and Other Suppliers

 

The most important raw materials we use in furniture manufacturing are lumber, veneers, plywood, hardware, glue, finishing materials, glass, laminates, fabrics, foam, and filling material. The various types of wood used in our products include cherry, ash, oak, maple, prima vera, African mahogany, birch, rubber wood and poplar.

 

Fabrics and other raw materials are purchased both domestically and outside the United States. We have no significant long-term supply contracts, and have sufficient alternate sources of supply to prevent disruption in supplying our operations. We maintain a number of sources for our raw materials, which we believe contribute to our ability to obtain competitive pricing. Lumber prices and availability fluctuate over time based on factors such as weather and demand. The cost of some of our raw materials such as foam and shipping costs are dependent on petroleum cost. Higher material prices, cost of petroleum, and costs of sourced products could have an adverse effect on margins.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Appropriate amounts of lumber and fabric inventory are typically stocked to maintain adequate production levels. We believe that our sources of supply for these materials are sufficient and that we are not dependent on any one supplier.

 

We enter into standard purchase agreements with certain foreign and domestic suppliers to source selected products. The terms of these arrangements are customary for the industry and do not contain any long-term contractual obligations on our behalf. We believe we maintain good relationships with our suppliers.

 

Distribution and Logistics

 

We distribute our products through three distribution centers, owned by the Company, strategically located in New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Virginia. These distribution centers provide efficient cross-dock operations to receive and ship product from our manufacturing facilities and third-party suppliers to our retail network of Company and independently operated retail service centers. Retail service centers prepare products for delivery into clients’ homes. At June 30, 2017, the Company operated retail design centers were supported by 14 Company operated retail service centers and 15 service centers operated by third parties.

 

While we manufacture to custom order the majority of our products, we also stock selected case goods, upholstery and home accents to provide for quick delivery of in-stock items and to allow for more efficient production runs. Wholesale shipments utilize our own fleet of trucks and trailers or are subcontracted with independent carriers. Our fleet of trucks are financed under capital lease agreements with remaining terms ranging from less than two to over three years, and all of our trailers are owned.

 

Our practice has been to sell our products at the same delivered cost to all Company and independently operated design centers in North America, regardless of their shipping point. This policy creates pricing credibility with our wholesale customers while providing our retail segment the opportunity to achieve more consistent margins by removing fluctuations attributable to the cost of shipping. Further, this policy eliminates the need for our independent retailers to carry significant amounts of inventory in their own warehouses. As a result, we obtain more accurate consumer product demand information.

 

Marketing Programs

 

Our multifaceted, multichannel marketing and advertising strategies drive traffic both to design centers and our digital mediums. We believe these efforts give us a strong competitive advantage in the home furnishings industry while benefiting our worldwide retail network of approximately 300 design centers as well as the independent members of our Interior Design Affiliate program.

 

Our team of advertising specialists works to position Ethan Allen as an authority on design, a leader in exemplary service, and a source of style for everyone. In our marketing campaigns, we capitalize on Ethan Allen's strong brand equity, finding creative and compelling ways to promote our tremendous range of products, services, special programs, and custom options. We deliver these messages in a variety of ways – locally, nationally, and globally – to connect and engage with our target audience and drive sales.

 

As digital channels have taken on increasing importance, we continue to expand our digital marketing reach – supplementing traditional advertising strategies. Our channels include digital and social media, national and local television, direct mail, national and local newspapers, local and satellite radio, and local shelter magazines. Additionally, our robust email marketing program delivers inspiration, sales messages, design solutions, and product information to an ever-expanding database of current and potential clients.

 

Our direct mail magazine, which emphasizes the breadth of our products and services, is one of Ethan Allen's key marketing tools. We produce these magazines multiple times a year; in fiscal 2017, we distributed approximately 21 million copies. We distribute them to targeted marketing segments based on data collected internally and through independent market research. We continually refine our direct mail marketing lists to target clients and potential clients who are most likely to purchase, which provides better returns on direct mail expenditures.

 

Our websites – ethanallen.com, ethanallen.ca, ethanallen.com/disney, and ethanallen.ca/disney – undergo continuous conversion optimization to boost sales as clients shop, design, and purchase. We also have a web presence to support our international licensees – in some cases, using local languages; in all cases, linking back to ethanallen.com. These websites position Ethan Allen in a manner consistent with our brand yet specific to the region.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

A robust and informative Extranet connects our retail network, keeping the lines of communication open among our retailers, design professionals, merchandisers, trainers, and corporate personnel. Information about every aspect of Ethan Allen's retail business is shared here, including advertising materials, prototype floor plan displays, and extensive product details.

 

Retail Design Centers

 

Ethan Allen design centers are typically located in busy retail settings as freestanding destinations or as part of town centers, lifestyle centers, suburban strip malls or shopping malls, depending upon the real estate opportunities in a particular market. Our design centers average approximately 15,000 square feet in size with 76% between 15,000 and 25,000 square feet and 20% less than 15,000 square feet and 4% greater than 25,000 square feet.

 

Combining technology with personal service in our design centers has allowed us to reduce the size of our design centers. As of June 30, 2017 we operated 19 design centers that have opened in the past three years, and these average 8,700 square feet. These smaller footprint design centers reflect our direction as we move forward in repositioning our retail design centers. These new and relocated design centers also reflect our shift from destination and shopping mall locations to lifestyle centers that better project our brand and offer increased traffic opportunities.

 

We strive to maintain consistency of presentation throughout our retail design centers through a comprehensive set of standards and display planning assistance. These interior display design standards assist each design center in presenting a high quality image by using focused lifestyle settings and select product category groupings to display our products and information to facilitate design solutions and to educate consumers. We also create a consistent brand projection through our exterior facades and signage. The establishment of these standards has helped position Ethan Allen as a leader in the home furnishings industry.

 

We continue to strengthen the Ethen Allen brand with many initiatives, including the opening of new and relocating design centers in desirable locations, updating presentations and floor plans, strengthening of the professionalism of our designers through training and certification, and the consolidation of certain design centers and service centers.

 

People

 

At June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016, the Company, through its subsidiaries, had approximately 5,200 employees. The majority of our employees are employed on a fulltime basis and we believe we maintain good relationships with our employees, none of whom are represented by unions.

 

Customer Service Offerings

 

We offer numerous customer service programs, each of which has been developed and introduced to consumers in an effort to make their shopping experience easier and more enjoyable.

 

Gift Card

 

This program allows customers to purchase and redeem gift cards through our website or at any participating retail design center, which can be used for any of our products or services.

 

Ethan Allen Consumer Credit Programs

 

The Ethan Allen Platinum program offers consumers (clients) a menu of custom financing options. Financing offered through this program is administered by a third-party financial institution and is granted to our customers on a non-recourse basis to the Company. Clients may apply for an Ethan Allen Platinum card at any participating design center or on-line at ethanallen.com.

 

Competition

 

The domestic and global home furnishings industry faces numerous challenges, which include an influx of low-priced products from overseas. As a result, there is a high degree of competition in our markets. We differentiate ourselves as a preferred brand by adhering to a business strategy focused on providing (i) high-quality, well designed and often custom, handmade products at good value, (ii) a comprehensive complement of home furnishing design solutions, including our complimentary design service, and (iii) excellence in customer service. We consider our vertical integration a significant competitive advantage in the current environment as it allows us to design, manufacture and source, distribute, market, and sell our products through one of the industry’s largest single-source retail networks.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

 

The internet also provides a highly competitive medium for the sale of a significant amount of home furnishings each year, and we believe it is becoming increasingly important. Although much of that product is sold through commodity oriented, low priced and low service retailers, we believe consumers are spending more time window shopping on the internet and are thus better informed when they do visit our brick and mortar facilities. At Ethan Allen, the ultimate goal of our internet strategy is to drive traffic into our design centers by combining technology with excellent personal service. Through our digital mediums, customers have the opportunity to buy our products online but we take the process further. With so much of our product offering being custom, we encourage our website customers to get help from our interior design professionals. Consumers also have the ability to immediately chat on-line with one of our qualified design consultants. This complimentary direct contact with one of our knowledgable interior designers creates a competitive advantage through our excellent personal service. This enhances the online experience and regularly leads to internet customers becoming clients of our network of interior design centers.  

 

Industry globalization has provided us an opportunity to adhere to a blended sourcing strategy, establishing relationships with certain manufacturers, both domestically and outside the United States, to source selected case goods, upholstery, and home accent items. We intend to continue to balance our own North American production with opportunities to source from foreign and domestic manufacturers, as appropriate, in order to maintain our competitive advantage.

 

We believe the home furnishings industry competes primarily on the basis of product styling and quality, personal service, prompt delivery, product availability and price. We further believe that we effectively compete on the basis of each of these factors and that, more specifically, our direct manufacturing, product presentations, website, and complimentary design service create a distinct competitive advantage, further supporting our mission of providing consumers with a complete home decorating and design solution. We also believe that we differentiate ourselves further with the quality of our design service through our intensive training. Our objective is to continue to develop and strengthen our retail network by (i) expanding the Company operated retail business through the repositioning of and opening of new design centers, (ii) obtaining and retaining independent retailers, encouraging such retailers to expand their business through the opening or relocation of new design centers with the objective of increasing the volume of their sales, (iii) further expanding our sales network through our IDA and realtor referral programs and (iv) further expanding our ecommerce.

 

Trademarks

 

We currently hold, or have registration applications pending for, numerous trademarks, service marks and copyrights for the Ethan Allen name, logos and designs in a broad range of classes for both products and services in the United States and in many foreign countries. In addition, we have registered, or have applications pending for certain of our slogans utilized in connection with promoting brand awareness, retail sales and other services and certain collection names. We view such trademarks and service marks as valuable assets and have an ongoing program to diligently monitor and defend, through appropriate action, against their unauthorized use.

 

Executive Officers of the Registrant

Set forth in the table below is a list of our executive officers, together with certain biographical information, including their ages as of the date of this Report:

 

M. Farooq Kathwari, age 72

 

Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer since 1988

     

Daniel M. Grow, age 71

  Senior Vice President, Business Development since February 2015
  Vice-President, Business Development from 2009 to 2015
     

Eric D. Koster, age 70

 

Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary since April 2013

  Private practice prior to joining the Company in April 2013
     

Tracy Paccione, age 51

  Vice-President, Merchandising since June 2009
     

Clifford Thorn, age 65

  Vice-President, Upholstery Manufacturing since May 2001
     

Corey Whitely, age 57

 

Executive Vice-President, Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since July 2014

  Executive Vice-President, Operations from October 2007 through July 2014

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Item 1A.     Risk Factors

 

The following information describes certain significant risks and uncertainties inherent in our business that should be carefully considered, along with other information contained elsewhere in this Annual Report and in other filings, when making an investment decision with respect to us. If one or more of these risks occurs, the impact on our business, including our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be adverse.

 

Competition from overseas manufacturers and domestic retailers may adversely affect our business, operating results or financial condition.

 

Our wholesale business segment is involved in the development of our brand, which encompasses the design, manufacture, sourcing, sales and distribution of our home furnishings products, and competes with other U.S. and foreign manufacturers. Our retail network sells home furnishings to consumers through a network of independently operated and Company operated design centers, and competes against a diverse group of retailers ranging from specialty stores to traditional furniture and department stores, any of which may operate locally, regionally, nationally or globally, as well as over the internet. We also compete with these and other retailers for appropriate retail locations as well as for qualified design consultants and management personnel. Such competition could adversely affect our future financial performance.

 

Industry globalization has led to increased competitive pressures brought about by the increasing volume of imported finished goods and components, particularly for case good products, and the development of manufacturing capabilities in other countries, specifically within Asia. The increase in overseas production capacity has created over‐capacity for many manufacturers, including us, which has led to industry‐wide plant consolidation. In addition, because many foreign manufacturers are able to maintain substantially lower production costs, including the cost of labor and overhead, imported product may be capable of being sold at a lower price to consumers, which, in turn, could lead to some measure of further industry‐wide price deflation.

 

We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to establish or maintain relationships with sufficient or appropriate manufacturers, whether foreign or domestic, to supply us with selected case goods, upholstery and home accent items to enable us to maintain our competitive advantage. In addition, the emergence of foreign manufacturers has served to broaden the competitive landscape. Some of these competitors produce furniture types not manufactured by us and may have greater financial resources available to them or lower costs of operating. This competition could adversely affect our future financial performance.

 

Failure to successfully anticipate or respond to changes in consumer tastes and trends in a timely manner could adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

Sales of our products are dependent upon consumer acceptance of our product designs, styles, quality and price. We continuously monitor changes in home design trends through attendance at international industry events and fashion shows, internal marketing research, and regular communication with our retailers and design consultants who provide valuable input on consumer tendencies. However, as with all retailers, our business is susceptible to changes in consumer tastes and trends. Such tastes and trends can change rapidly and any delay or failure to anticipate or respond to changing consumer tastes and trends in a timely manner could adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

Our success depends upon our brand, marketing and advertising efforts and pricing strategies. If we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand, or if we are not successful in these other efforts, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.

 

Maintaining and enhancing our brand is critical to our ability to expand our base of customers and may require us to make substantial investments. Our advertising campaign utilizes television, direct mail, digital, newspapers, magazines and radio to maintain and enhance our existing brand equity. We cannot provide assurance that our marketing, advertising and other efforts to promote and maintain awareness of our brand will not require us to incur substantial costs. If these efforts are unsuccessful or we incur substantial costs in connection with these efforts, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely affected.

 

We face changes in global and local economic conditions that may adversely affect consumer demand and spending, our manufacturing operations or sources of merchandise and international operations.

 

Historically, the home furnishings industry has been subject to cyclical variations in the general economy and to uncertainty regarding future economic prospects. Such uncertainty, as well as other variations in global economic conditions such as rising fuel costs, wage and benefit inflation, currency fluctuations, and increasing interest rates, may continue to cause inconsistent and unpredictable consumer spending habits, while increasing our own input costs. These risks, as well as industrial accidents or work stoppages, could also severely disrupt our manufacturing operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.

 

 
9

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

We import a portion of our merchandise from foreign countries and operate manufacturing plants in Mexico and Honduras and operate retail design centers in Canada. As a result, our ability to obtain adequate supplies or to control our costs may be adversely affected by events affecting international commerce and businesses located outside the United States, including natural disasters, changes in international trade, central bank actions, changes in the relationship of the U.S. dollar versus other currencies, labor availability and cost, and other governmental policies of the U.S. and the countries from which we import our merchandise or in which we operate facilities. The inability to import products from certain foreign countries or the imposition of significant tariffs could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

The Company’s business may be adversely affected by changes in U.S. policy related to imported merchandise.

 

A significant amount of the Company’s merchandise is sourced from outside of the United States. The U.S. government is considering proposals for substantial changes to its trade and tax policies, which could include import restrictions, increased import tariffs, changes to or withdrawal from existing trade agreements, and border-adjustment taxes among other possible measures. Material changes in these policies could increase the Company’s tax obligations or require the Company to increase prices to customers, which would likely adversely affect sales. Any significant change in U.S. policy related to imported merchandise could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and financial results.

 

An economic downturn may materially adversely affect our business.

 

Our business and results of operations are affected by international, national and regional economic conditions. Regional economic conditions in the United States and in other regions of the world where we have a concentration of design centers such as Canada or China may impact the Company greater compared to economic conditions in other parts of the world where we have lesser concentration of design centers. An economic downturn of significance or extended duration could adversely affect consumer demand and discretionary spending habits and, as a result, our business performance, profitability, and cash flows.

 

Our number of manufacturing and logistics sites may increase our exposure to business disruptions and could result in higher transportation costs.

 

We have a limited number of manufacturing sites in our case good and upholstery operations, consolidated our distribution network into fewer centers for both wholesale and retail segments, and operate a single home accents plant. Our upholstery operations consist of three upholstery plants at our North Carolina campus and one plant in Mexico. The Company operates three manufacturing plants (North Carolina, Vermont, and Honduras) and one sawmill in support of our case goods operations. Our plants require various raw materials and commodities such as logs and lumber for our case good plants and foam, springs and engineered hardwood board for our upholstery plants. As a result of the consolidation of our manufacturing operations into fewer facilities, if any of our manufacturing or logistics sites experience significant business interruption, our ability to manufacture or deliver our products in a timely manner would likely be impacted. While we have long‐standing relationships with multiple outside suppliers of our raw materials and commodities, there can be no assurance of their ability to fulfill our supply needs on a timely basis. The consolidation to fewer locations has resulted in longer distances for delivery and could result in higher costs to transport products if fuel costs increase significantly. 

 

Fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials could result in increased costs or cause production delays which might result in a decline in sales, either of which could adversely impact our earnings.

 

We use various types of wood, foam, fibers, fabrics, leathers, and other raw materials in manufacturing our furniture. Certain of our raw materials, including fabrics, are purchased domestically and outside North America. Fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials could result in increased costs or a delay in manufacturing our products, which in turn could result in a delay in delivering products to our customers. For example, lumber prices fluctuate over time based on factors such as weather and demand, which in turn, impact availability. Production delays or upward trends in raw material prices could result in lower sales or margins, thereby adversely impacting our earnings.

 

In addition, certain suppliers may require extensive advance notice of our requirements in order to produce products in the quantities we desire. This long lead time may require us to place orders far in advance of the time when certain products will be offered for sale, thereby exposing us to risks relating to shifts in consumer demand and trends, and any significant downturn in the U.S. economy.

 

 
10

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Our current and former manufacturing and retail operations and products are subject to increasingly stringent environmental, health and safety requirements.

 

We use and generate hazardous substances in our manufacturing and retail operations. In addition, both the manufacturing properties on which we currently operate and those on which we have ceased operations are and have been used for industrial purposes. Our manufacturing operations and, to a lesser extent, our retail operations involve risk of personal injury or death. We are subject to increasingly stringent environmental, health and safety laws and regulations relating to our products, current and former properties and our current operations. These laws and regulations provide for substantial fines and criminal sanctions for violations and sometimes require product recalls and/or redesign, the installation of costly pollution control or safety equipment, or costly changes in operations to limit pollution or decrease the likelihood of injuries. In addition, we may become subject to potentially material liabilities for the investigation and cleanup of contaminated properties and to claims alleging personal injury or property damage resulting from exposure to or releases of hazardous substances or personal injury because of an unsafe workplace.

 

In addition, noncompliance with, or stricter enforcement of, existing laws and regulations, adoption of more stringent new laws and regulations, discovery of previously unknown contamination or imposition of new or increased requirements could require us to incur costs or become the basis of new or increased liabilities that could be material.

 

The Company's sales and operating results could be adversely affected by product safety concerns.

 

If the Company's merchandise offerings do not meet applicable safety standards or consumers' expectations regarding safety, the Company could experience decreased sales, increased costs and/or be exposed to legal and reputational risk. Events that give rise to actual, potential or perceived product safety concerns could expose the Company to government enforcement action and/or private litigation. Reputational damage caused by real or perceived product safety concerns could negatively affect the Company's business and results of operations.

 

The Company relies heavily on information and technology to operate its business, and any disruption to its technology infrastructure (including cyber attacks) or the internet could harm the Company's operations.

 

We operate many aspects of our business including financial reporting, and customer relationship management through server and web‐based technologies, and store various types of data on such servers or with third‐parties who in turn store it on servers and in the “cloud”. Any disruption to the internet or to the Company's or its service providers' global technology infrastructure, including malware, insecure coding, “Acts of God,” attempts to penetrate networks, data theft or loss and human error, could have adverse effects on the Company's operations. A cyber attack of our systems or networks that impairs our information technology systems could disrupt our business operations and result in loss of service to customers. We have a comprehensive cybersecurity program designed to protect and preserve the integrity of our information technology systems. We have experienced and expect to continue to experience actual or attempted cyber attacks of our IT systems or networks; however, none of these actual or attempted cyber attacks had a material impact on our operations or financial condition. Additionally, we have access to sensitive customer information in the ordinary course of business. If a significant data breach occurred, our reputation may be adversely affected, customer confidence may be diminished, or we may be subject to legal claims, any of which may contribute to the loss of customers and have a material adverse impact on our business. While we have invested and continue to invest in information technology risk management, cybersecurity and disaster recovery plans, these measures cannot fully insulate the Company from technology disruptions or data theft or loss and the resulting adverse effect on the Company's operations and financial results.

 

Our business is sensitive to increasing labor costs, competitive labor markets, our continued ability to retain high‐quality personnel and risks of work stoppages.

 

The market for qualified employees and personnel in the retail and manufacturing industries is highly competitive. Our success depends upon our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified artisans, professional and clerical employees and upon the continued contributions of these individuals. We cannot provide assurance that we will be successful in attracting and retaining qualified personnel. A shortage of qualified personnel may require us to enhance our wage and benefits package in order to compete effectively in the hiring and retention of qualified employees. Our labor and benefit costs may continue to increase and such increases may not be recovered. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

 
11

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

We depend on key personnel and could be affected by the loss of their services.

 

The success of our business depends upon the services of certain senior executives, and in particular, the services of M. Farooq Kathwari, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, who is the only one of our senior executives who operates under a written employment agreement. The loss of any such person or other key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

We may be unable to obtain sufficient external funding to finance our operations and growth.

 

Historically, we have relied upon our cash from operations to fund our debt service, operations and growth. As we operate and expand our business, we may rely on external funding sources, including the proceeds from the issuance of additional debt or use of the $115 million revolving bank line of credit under our existing $150 million credit facility. The credit facility bears interest at a floating rate and there is a risk that the rate will increase and as we are not hedging our interest rate for the credit facility, our debt service costs could increase. Any unexpected reduction in cash flow from operations could increase our external funding requirements to levels above those currently available. There can be no assurance that we will not experience unexpected cash flow shortfalls in the future or that any increase in external funding required by such shortfalls will be available on acceptable terms or at all.

 

Access to consumer credit could be interrupted and reduce sales and profitability.

 

Our ability to continue to access consumer credit for our clients could be negatively affected by conditions outside our control. If capital market conditions have a material negative change, there is a risk that our business partner that issues our private label credit card program may not be able to fulfill its obligations under that agreement. In addition, the tightening of credit markets may restrict the ability and willingness of customers to make purchases.

 

Operating losses could reduce our liquidity and impact our dividend policy.

 

Historically, we have relied on our cash from operations or debt issuances to fund our operations and the payment of cash dividends. If the Company’s financial performance were to deteriorate resulting in financial losses we may not be able to fund a shortfall from operations and would require external funding. Some financing instruments used by the Company historically may not be available to the Company in the future. We cannot assure that additional sources of financing would be available to the Company on commercially favorable terms should the Company's capital requirements exceed cash available from operations and existing cash and cash equivalents. In such circumstances, the Company may reduce its quarterly dividends.

 

Additional impairment charges could reduce our profitability.

 

We have significant long‐lived tangible and intangible assets recorded on our balance sheets. If our operating results decline, we may incur impairment charges in the future, which could have a material impact on our financial results. We evaluate the recoverability of the carrying amount of our long‐lived tangible and intangible assets on an ongoing basis. There can be no assurance that the outcome of such future reviews will not result in substantial impairment charges. Impairment assessment inherently involves judgments as to assumptions about expected future cash flows and the impact of market conditions on those assumptions. Future events and changing market conditions may impact our assumptions as to prices, costs or other factors that may result in changes in our estimates of future cash flows. Although we believe the assumptions we use in testing for impairment are reasonable, significant changes in any of our assumptions could produce a significantly different result.

 

We may not be able to maintain our current design center locations at current costs. We may also fail to successfully select and secure design center locations.

 

Our design centers are typically located in busy urban settings as freestanding destinations or as part of suburban strip malls or shopping malls, depending upon the real estate opportunities in a particular market. Our business competes with other retailers and as a result, our success may be affected by our ability to renew current design center leases and to select and secure appropriate retail locations for existing and future design centers.

 

Our results of operations for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of our results of operations for a full year.

 

Sales of furniture and other home furnishing products fluctuate from quarter to quarter due to such factors as changes in global and regional economic conditions, changes in competitive conditions, changes in production schedules in response to seasonal changes in energy costs and weather conditions, changes in consumer order patterns, and the timing of various promotional events. From time to time, we have experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility with respect to demand for our home furnishing products. Accordingly, results of operations for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for a full year.

 

 
12

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Failure to protect our intellectual property could adversely affect us.

 

We believe that our copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, and all of our other intellectual property are important to our success. We rely on patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws, and confidentiality and restricted use agreements, to protect our intellectual property and may seek licenses to intellectual property of others. Some of our intellectual property is not covered by any patent, trademark, or copyright or any applications for the same. We cannot provide assurance that agreements designed to protect our intellectual property will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any such breach, or that the efforts we take to protect our proprietary rights will be sufficient or effective. Any significant impairment of our intellectual property rights or failure to obtain licenses of intellectual property from third parties could harm our business or our ability to compete. Moreover, we cannot provide assurance that the use of our technology or proprietary know‐how or information does not infringe the intellectual property rights of others. If we have to litigate to protect or defend any of our rights, such litigation could result in significant expense.

 

We could incur substantial costs due to compliance with conflict mineral regulations, which may materially adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.

 

The SEC has adopted rules regarding disclosure of the use of tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold (commonly referred to as conflict minerals), which are mined from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and surrounding countries. This requirement could affect the sourcing of materials used in some of our products as well as the companies we use to manufacture our products. If our products are found to contain conflict minerals sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo or surrounding countries, the Company would take actions such as changing materials or designs to reduce the possibility that the purchase of conflict minerals may fund armed groups in the region. These actions could add engineering and other costs to the manufacture of our products.

 

We expect to incur costs to continue to upgrade our process to discover the origin of the tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold used in our products, and to audit our conflict minerals disclosures. Our reputation and consequently our financial condition may also suffer if we have included conflict minerals originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or surrounding countries in our products, and those conflict minerals funded armed groups in the region.

 

Item 1B.     Unresolved Staff Comments

 

None.

 

Item 2.     Properties

 

Our 144,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters, located in Danbury, Connecticut, and adjacent Ethan Allen Hotel and Conference Center, containing approximately 200 guestrooms, are owned by the Company. The hotel is used primarily for functions and accommodations for the general public as well as in connection with Ethan Allen functions and training programs.

 

We operate nine manufacturing facilities located in the U.S., Mexico and Honduras. These facilities are owned by the Company and include four case good plants (including one sawmill) totaling 1,789,000 square feet, four upholstery furniture plants totaling 1,250,000 square feet, and one home accent plant of 177,000 square feet. Our wholesale division also owns and operates three national distribution and fulfillment centers, one of which shares a facility with our manufacturing, which are a combined 1,001,000 square feet. Two of our case goods manufacturing facilities are located in Vermont, one is in North Carolina and one is in Honduras. We have three upholstery manufacturing facilities at our North Carolina campus, and one in Mexico. During fiscal 2017, the Company’s 300,000 square foot expansion at our upholstery plant in Mexico was completed. Our home accents plant is located in New Jersey, and our distribution facilities are located in New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Virginia.

 

We own three and lease 11 retail service centers, totaling approximately 775,000 square feet. Our retail service centers are located throughout the United States and Canada and serve to support our various retail sales districts.

 

 
13

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

The location activity and geographic distribution of our retail network for fiscal years ended June 30 are as follows:

 

   

Fiscal 2017

   

Fiscal 2016

 
   

Independent

   

Company-

           

Independent

   

Company-

         
   

retailers

   

operated

   

Total

   

retailers

   

operated

   

Total

 

Retail Design Center location activity:

                                               

Balance at beginning of period

    153       143       296       155       144       299  

New locations

    8       6       14       15       10       25  

Closures

    (5 )     (2 )     (7 )     (16 )     (12 )     (28 )

Transfers

    (1 )     1       -       (1 )     1       -  

Balance at end of period

    155       148       303       153       143       296  

Relocations (in new and closures)

    1       2       3       2       6       8  
                                                 

Retail Design Center geographic locations:

                                               

United States

    48       142       190       50       137       187  

Canada

    -       6       6       -       6       6  

China

    82       -       82       83       -       83  

Other Asia

    12       -       12       11       -       11  

Europe

    6       -       6       2       -       2  

Middle East

    7       -       7       7       -       7  

Total

    155       148       303       153       143       296  

 

 

Of the 148 Company operated retail design centers, 49 of the properties are owned and 99 are leased, 17 of which are ground leases. We own one and lease four additional retail properties, two of which are subleased to independent Ethan Allen retailers, and three of which are subleased to unaffiliated third parties. See Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included under Item 8 of this Annual Report for more information with respect to our operating lease obligations.

 

We believe that all our properties are well maintained and in good condition. We estimate that our manufacturing plants are currently operating at approximately 61% of capacity based on their current shifts and staffing. We believe we have additional capacity at selected facilities, which we could utilize with minimal additional capital expenditures.

 

Item 3.     Legal Proceedings

 

In the ordinary course of our business, we are party to various legal proceedings and claims which we believe are incidental to the operation of our business. Other than as described under Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe the ultimate outcome of these proceedings to which we are currently a party will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Regulations issued under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 required the industry to reformulate certain furniture finishes or institute process changes to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds. Compliance with many of these requirements has been facilitated through the introduction of high solids coating technology and alternative formulations. In addition, we have instituted a variety of technical and procedural controls, including reformulation of finishing materials to reduce toxicity, implementation of high velocity low pressure spray systems, development of storm water protection plans and controls, and further development of related inspection/audit teams, all of which have served to reduce emissions per unit of production. We remain committed to implementing new waste minimization programs and/or enhancing existing programs with the objective of (i) reducing the total volume of waste, (ii) limiting the liability associated with waste disposal, and (iii) continuously improving environmental and job safety programs on the factory floor which serve to minimize emissions and safety risks for employees. To reduce the use of hazardous materials in the manufacturing process, we will continue to evaluate the most appropriate, cost-effective control technologies for finishing operations and production methods. We believe that our facilities are in material compliance with all such applicable laws and regulations. Our currently anticipated capital expenditures for environmental control facility matters are not material.

 

 
14

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Item 4.     Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

 

PART II

 

Item 5.     Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under ticker symbol "ETH". The following table sets forth, for each quarterly period during the past two fiscal years, (i) the intraday high and low sales prices of our common stock as reported on the NYSE and (ii) the dividends per share declared by us:

 

 

   

Market Price

   

Dividends

 
   

High

   

Low

   

Per Share

 

Fiscal 2017

                       

First Quarter

  $ 36.77     $ 30.63       0.17  

Second Quarter

    38.80       29.20       0.19  

Third Quarter

    37.90       27.75       0.19  

Fourth Quarter

    32.50       26.75       0.19  
                         

Fiscal 2016

                       

First Quarter

  $ 31.87     $ 25.76       0.14  

Second Quarter

    29.65       25.30       0.14  

Third Quarter

    32.10       22.46       0.17  

Fourth Quarter

    35.31       29.39       0.17  

 

As of July 31, 2017, there were 255 shareholders of record of our common stock. Management estimates there are approximately 9,000 beneficial shareholders of the Company’s common stock. The Company’s policy is to issue quarterly dividends, and we expect to continue to declare quarterly dividends for the foreseeable future, business conditions permitting.

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

 

The Equity Compensation Plan Information required by this Item will appear in the Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to be held on November 15, 2017 and is incorporated herein by reference in the introductory paragraph of Part III of this Annual Report.

 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 the Company repurchased 357,363 shares of our common stock at an average price of $28.67 per share. Certain information regarding purchases of our common stock made by us during the three months ended June 30, 2017 is as follows:

 

 

                   

Total Number of

   

Maximum Number of

 
                   

Shares Purchased

   

Shares that May Yet

 
   

Number of

   

Average

   

as Part of Publicly

   

Be Purchased

 
   

Shares

   

Price Paid

   

Announced

   

Under the

 
   

Purchased

   

Per Share

   

Plans or Programs

   

Plans or Programs

 

Period

                               

April 2017

    -     $ -       -       1,650,160  

May 2017

    186,167     $ 27.62       186,167       1,463,993  

June 2017

    63,496     $ 27.35       63,496       1,400,497  

Total

    249,663     $ 27.55       249,663          

 

 
15

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

On November 21, 2002, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase up to 2,000,000 shares of our common stock, from time to time, either directly or through agents, in the open market at prices and on terms satisfactory to us. Subsequent to that date, the Board of Directors increased the aggregate authorization under the repurchase program on several separate occasions, the last of which was on April 13, 2015 when the Board of Directors increased the aggregate authorization to approximately 3,000,000 shares. There is no expiration date on the repurchase authorization and the amount and timing of future share repurchases, if any, will be determined as market and business conditions warrant.

 

Comparative Company Performance

 

The following line graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return for the Company with the S&P 500 Index, and the S&P Retail Select Industry Index (SPSIRE), assuming $100 was invested on June 30, 2011.

 

 

 

 

 
16

 

 

ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Item 6.     Selected Financial Data

 

The following table presents selected financial data for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 through 2017 that has been derived from our consolidated financial statements. The information set forth below should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included under Item 7 of this Annual Report and our Consolidated Financial Statements (including the notes thereto) included under Item 8 of this Annual Report. Dollar amounts are in thousands except per share data.

 

   

Fiscal Year Ended June 30,

 
   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

   

2014

   

2013

 

Consolidated Operations Data

                                       

Net Sales

  $ 763,385     $ 794,202     $ 754,600     $ 746,659     $ 729,083  

Cost of Sales

    343,662       351,966       343,437       340,163       330,734  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    361,773       353,057       345,229       336,860       337,912  

Operating income

    57,950       89,179       65,934       69,636       60,437  

Interest and other expense, net

    955       1,223       9,251       7,234       10,263  

Income before income tax expense

    56,995       87,956       56,683       62,402       50,174  

Income tax expense (benefit)

    20,801       31,319       19,541       19,471       17,696  

Net income

  $ 36,194     $ 56,637     $ 37,142     $ 42,931     $ 32,478  
                                         

Per Share Data

                                       

Net income per basic share

  $ 1.31     $ 2.02     $ 1.29     $ 1.48     $ 1.13  

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

    27,679       28,072       28,874       28,918       28,864  

Net income per diluted share

  $ 1.29     $ 2.00     $ 1.27     $ 1.47     $ 1.11  

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

    27,958       28,324       29,182       29,276       29,239  

Cash dividends per share

  $ 0.74     $ 0.62     $ 0.50     $ 0.40     $ 0.77  
                                         

Other Information

                                       

Depreciation and amortization

  $ 20,115     $ 19,353     $ 19,142     $ 17,930     $ 18,008  

Capital expenditures and acquisitions

  $ 18,321     $ 23,132     $ 21,778     $ 19,305     $ 19,775  

Working capital

  $ 116,653     $ 124,857     $ 130,012     $ 169,582     $ 127,631  

Current ratio

    1.92 to 1       2.01 to 1       1.92 to 1       2.25 to 1       1.96 to 1  

Effective tax rate

    36.5 %     35.6 %     34.5 %     31.2 %     35.3 %
                                         

Balance Sheet Data (at end of period)

                                       

Total assets

  $ 568,222     $ 577,409     $ 605,977     $ 654,434     $ 617,285  

Total debt, including capital lease obligations

    14,339       41,838       76,237       130,912       131,289  

Shareholders' equity

  $ 400,896     $ 392,202     $ 370,535     $ 367,467     $ 334,357  

Debt as a percentage of equity

    3.6 %     10.7 %     20.6 %     35.6 %     39.3 %

Debt as a percentage of capital

    3.5 %     9.6 %     17.1 %     26.3 %     28.2 %

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Item 7.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation

 

The following discussion of financial condition and results of operations is based upon, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements (including the notes thereto) included under Item 8 of this Annual Report.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations and other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), which represent management’s beliefs and assumptions concerning future events based on information currently available to us relating to our future results. Such forward-looking statements are identified in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in documents incorporated herein by reference by use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", “will”, “may”, “continue”, “project”, ”target”, “outlook”, “forecast”, “guidance”, and similar expressions and the negatives of such forward-looking words. These forward-looking statements are subject to management decisions and various assumptions about future events, and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements due to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: competition from overseas manufacturers and domestic retailers; our anticipating or responding to changes in consumer tastes and trends in a timely manner; our ability to maintain and enhance our brand, marketing and advertising efforts and pricing strategies; changes in global and local economic conditions that may adversely affect consumer demand and spending, our manufacturing operations or sources of merchandise and international operations; changes in U.S. policy related to imported merchandise; an economic downturn; our limited number of manufacturing and logistics sites; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials; environmental, health and safety requirements; product safety concerns; disruption to our technology infrastructure (including cyber attacks); increasing labor costs, competitive labor markets and our continued ability to retain high-quality personnel and risks of work stoppages; loss of key personnel; our ability to obtain sufficient external funding to finance our operations and growth; access to consumer credit; the effect of operating losses on our ability to pay cash dividends; our ability to locate new design center sites and/or negotiate favorable lease terms for additional design centers or for the expansion of existing design centers; the effects of terrorist attacks or conflicts or wars involving the United States or its allies or trading partners; and those matters discussed in Items 1A and 7A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other SEC filings. Accordingly, actual circumstances and results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements.

 

Given the risks and uncertainties surrounding forward-looking statements, you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles that require, in some cases, that certain estimates and assumptions be made that affect the amounts and disclosures reported in those financial statements and the related accompanying notes. Estimates are based on currently known facts and circumstances, prior experience and other reasonable assumptions. We use our best judgment in valuing these estimates and may, as warranted, solicit external advice. Actual results could differ from these estimates, assumptions and judgments, and these differences could be material. The following critical accounting policies, some of which are impacted significantly by estimates, assumptions and judgments, affect our consolidated financial statements.

 

Inventories – Inventories (finished goods, work in process and raw materials) are stated at the lower of cost, determined on a first-in, first-out basis, or market. Cost is determined based solely on those charges incurred in the acquisition and production of the related inventory (i.e. material, labor and manufacturing overhead costs). We estimate an inventory reserve for excess quantities and obsolete items based on specific identification and historical write-downs, taking into account future demand and market conditions. If actual demand or market conditions in the future are less favorable than those estimated, additional inventory write-downs may be required.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Revenue Recognition – Revenue is recognized when all the following have occurred: persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists (e.g., a wholesale purchase order or retail sales invoice); the sales arrangement specifies a fixed or determinable sales price; title and risk of ownership has passed to the customer; no specific performance obligations remain; product is shipped or services are provided to the customer; collectability is reasonably assured. As such, revenue recognition generally occurs upon the shipment of goods to independent retailers or, in the case of Ethan Allen operated retail design centers, upon delivery to the customer. If a shipping charge is billed to customers, this is included in revenue. Recorded sales provide for estimated returns and allowances. We permit our customers to return defective products and incorrect shipments, and terms we offer are standard for the industry.

 

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts – We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on a review of specifically identified accounts in addition to an overall aging analysis. Judgments are made with respect to the collectability of accounts receivable based on historical experience and current economic trends. Actual losses could differ from those estimates.

 

Retail Design Center Acquisitions - We account for the acquisition of retail design centers and related assets with the purchase method. Accounting for these transactions as purchase business combinations requires the allocation of purchase price paid to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their fair values as of the date of the acquisition. The amount paid in excess of the fair value of net assets acquired is accounted for as goodwill.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Goodwill Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for impairment on an annual basis during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, and between annual tests whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the goodwill or other intangible asset may exceed its fair value. When testing goodwill for impairment, we may assess qualitative factors for some or all of our reporting units to determine whether it is more likely than not (that is, a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. Alternatively, we may bypass this qualitative assessment for some or all of our reporting units and determine whether the carrying value exceeds the fair value using a quantitative assessment.

 

The recoverability of long-lived assets is evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that we may not be able to recover the carrying amount of an asset or asset group. Our assessment of recoverability determines whether the carrying value will be recovered through the expected undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset. In the event the sum of the expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the carrying value of the asset, an impairment loss equal to the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value is recorded. The long-term nature of these assets requires the estimation of cash inflows and outflows several years into the future and only takes into consideration technological advances known at the time of the impairment test.

 

The fair value of our trade name, which is the Company’s only indefinite-lived intangible asset other than goodwill, is valued using the relief-from-royalty method. Significant factors used in trade name valuation are rates for royalties, future growth, and a discount factor. Royalty rates are determined using an average of recent comparable values. Future growth rates are based on the Company’s perception of the long-term values in the market in which we compete, and the discount rate is determined using the weighted average cost of capital for companies within our peer group, adjusted for specific company risk premium factors.

 

In the fourth quarter of fiscal years 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company performed qualitative assessments of the fair value of the wholesale reporting unit and concluded that the fair value of its goodwill exceeded its carrying value. The fair value of the trade name exceeded its carrying value by a substantial margin in fiscal years 2017, 2016, and 2015. To calculate fair value of these assets, management relies on estimates and assumptions which by their nature have varying degrees of uncertainty. Wherever possible, management therefore looks for third party transactions to provide the best possible support for the assumptions incorporated. Management considers several factors to be significant when estimating fair value including expected financial outlook of the business, changes in the Company’s stock price, the impact of changing market conditions on financial performance and expected future cash flows, and other factors. Deterioration in any of these factors may result in a lower fair value assessment, which could lead to impairment of the long-lived assets and goodwill of the Company.

 

Income Taxes – Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Additional factors that we consider when making judgments about the deferred tax valuation include tax law changes, a recent history of cumulative losses, and variances in future projected profitability.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

The Company evaluates, on a quarterly basis, uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken on tax returns for recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure in its financial statements. If an income tax position exceeds a 50% probability of success upon tax audit, based solely on the technical merits of the position, the Company recognizes an income tax benefit in its financial statements. The tax benefits recognized are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The liability associated with an unrecognized tax benefit is classified as a long-term liability except for the amount for which a cash payment is expected to be made or tax positions settled within one year. We recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters as a component of income tax expense.

 

Business Insurance Reserves – We have insurance programs in place to cover workers’ compensation and property/casualty claims. The insurance programs, which are funded through self-insured retention, are subject to various stop-loss limitations. We accrue estimated losses using actuarial models and assumptions based on historical loss experience. Although we believe that the insurance reserves are adequate, the reserve estimates are based on historical experience, which may not be indicative of current and future losses. In addition, the actuarial calculations used to estimate insurance reserves are based on numerous assumptions, some of which are subjective. We adjust insurance reserves, as needed, in the event that future loss experience differs from historical loss patterns.

 

Other Loss Reserves – We have a number of other potential loss exposures incurred in the ordinary course of business such as environmental claims, product liability, litigation, tax liabilities, restructuring charges, and the recoverability of deferred income tax benefits. Establishing loss reserves for these matters requires the use of estimates and judgment with regard to maximum risk exposure and ultimate liability or realization. As a result, these estimates are often developed with our counsel, or other appropriate advisors, and are based on our current understanding of the underlying facts and circumstances. Because of uncertainties related to the ultimate outcome of these issues or the possibilities of changes in the underlying facts and circumstances, additional charges related to these issues could be required in the future.

 

Results of Operations

 

In this Item 7 of this Annual Report , unless otherwise noted, all comparisons are from the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 to the prior fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 ($ in millions except per share amounts).

 

A summary of our consolidated operations for the past three fiscal years is presented in the following table.

 

   

Fiscal years ended June 30,

   

2017

   

%

   

2016

   

%

   

2015

   

%

   

Net sales

  $ 763.4       100.0 %   $ 794.2       100.0 %   $ 754.6       100.0 %  

Gross profit

  $ 419.7       55.0 %   $ 442.2       55.7 %   $ 411.2       54.5 %  

SG&A

  $ 361.8       47.4 %   $ 353.1       44.5 %   $ 345.2       45.7 %  

Operating income

    58.0       7.6 %     89.2       11.2 %     65.9       8.7 %  

Net income

    36.2       4.7 %     56.6       7.1 %     37.1       4.9 %  

Earnings per diluted share

  $ 1.29             $ 2.00             $ 1.27            

Net cash provided by operating activities

  $ 78.6             $ 58.4             $ 55.1            

 

A summary of changes from the preceding fiscal year are presented in the following table.

 

    Fiscal years ended June 30,   
    2017     2016     2015  

Net sales

    -3.9 %     5.2 %     1.1 %

Operating income

    -35.0 %     35.3 %     -5.3 %

Net income

    -36.1 %     52.5 %     -13.5 %

Earnings per diluted share

    -35.5 %     57.5 %     -13.6 %

Net cash provided by operating activities

    34.7 %     5.9 %     -8.0 %

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Beginning in the fall of 2014, we commenced a major transformation of our product offerings in several phases. We introduced Casual Classics during the first phase in the fall of 2014. In the spring and summer of 2015, we launched the second phase, Romantic Classics. We launched the third phase in the fall of 2015, during which we further developed Romantic Classics. We further expanded our Casual Classics with three new design projections; Buckhead introduced in June 2016; Santa Monica introduced in July 2016; and Brooklyn introduced in August 2016. These new product offerings were followed by the introduction of our Ethan Allen | Disney home line in November 2016. We believe that we are now well positioned to benefit from this major product refresh. While we implement major product introductions, such as the introductions described above, our wholesale segment experiences some disruptions in manufacturing as we change tooling and manufacturing methods, build prototypes and then ramp up production. In our retail segment, some disruption also occurs in our design centers as we update floor displays, and sell the remainder of our older products on clearance to make space for the new product. These disruptions may affect sales and expenses.

 

Our net sales decreased from the prior fiscal year, following three years of growth. While our new introductions and marketing efforts have gained traction with consumers, the retail consumer market in the United States faced a difficult year. Gross margin, while remaining at a high level historically, was below the prior year primarily due to an inventory write-down of $6.4 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2017. Operating expenses increased as a percentage of sales, mostly due to a 16.5% increase in advertising expenses. This resulted in a net decrease in earnings per diluted share of $0.71, which followed an increase of $0.73 in the previous fiscal year. Net cash provided by operating activities along with operating cash enabled us to repurchase $10.2 million of our common stock under our share repurchase program, pay down $25.0 million of our debt earlier than scheduled, and return $20.0 million in cash dividends to our shareholders. At June 30, 2017 we had total cash and securities of $65.0 million, and working capital of $116.7 million.

 

The components of consolidated revenues and operating income (loss) by business segment are as follows (in millions):

 

   

Fiscal Year Ended June 30,

 
   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

 

Revenue:

                       

Wholesale segment

  $ 453.3     $ 491.5     $ 469.4  

Retail segment

    603.7       626.5       579.7  

Elimination of inter-segment sales

    (293.6 )     (323.8 )     (294.5 )

Consolidated revenue

  $ 763.4     $ 794.2     $ 754.6  
                         

Operating income :

                       

Wholesale segment

  $ 53.5     $ 74.4     $ 67.0  

Retail segment

    1.2       16.5       1.7  

Adjustment for inter-company profit (1)

    3.3       (1.7 )     (2.8 )

Consolidated operating income

  $ 58.0     $ 89.2     $ 65.9  

 

 

(1)

Represents the change in wholesale profit contained in Ethan Allen operated design center inventory existing at the end of the period.

 

A summary by business segment of annual percentage changes from the preceding fiscal years are presented in the following tables.

 

 

      Fiscal Year Ended June 30,  
      2017       2016       2015  

Wholesale segment

                       

Revenue

    -7.8 %     4.7 %     3.5 %

Operating Income

    -28.1 %     11.1 %     15.9 %

 

      Fiscal Year Ended June 30,  
       2017       2016        2015   

Retail segment

                       

Revenue

    -3.6 %     8.1 %     -0.2 %

Comparable design center revenue

    -4.6 %     8.3 %     0.0 %

Total written orders

    -0.6 %     1.7 %     3.9 %

Comparable design center written orders

    -2.5 %     1.8 %     4.0 %

Operating Income

    -92.7 %     853.1 %     -83.6 %

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Business Results:

 

Our revenues are composed of (i) wholesale sales to independently operated and Company operated retail design centers and (ii) retail sales of Company operated design centers. See Note 15 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended June 30, 2017 included under Item 8 of this Annual Report.

 

Fiscal 2017 Compared to Fiscal 2016

 

Consolidated revenue was $763.4 million compared to $794.2 million. There was a year-over-year decline in sales in both the wholesale and retail segments.

 

Wholesale revenue decreased by $38.1 million, or 7.8%, to $453.3 million from $491.5 million. The year-over-year decrease was attributable to lower sales to our Company operated design centers and domestic independent retailers, partly offset by an increase to our international independent design centers, primarily in China. There were 303 design centers globally as of June 30, 2017, an increase of seven. There was a net increase of two independently operated retail network locations, which included a decrease of one legacy location in the U.S. and the purchase of one independently owned location by the Company, bringing the total U.S. independent total to 48, and a net decrease of one location in China, bringing the China total to 82. Other international dealers opened five new locations. Our international net sales to independent retailers was 6.5% of our consolidated net sales compared to 5.4%.

 

Retail revenue from Ethan Allen operated design centers decreased by $22.8 million, or 3.6%, to $603.7 million from $626.5 million. Comparable store revenue decreased 4.6%. Year-over-year, written orders for the Company operated design centers decreased 0.6% and comparable design centers written orders decreased 2.5%. Consumer spending patterns were disrupted during the fiscal year, especially around the election cycle, and negatively impacted sales.

 

Gross profit decreased to $419.7 million from $442.2 million. The $22.5 million decrease in gross profit was attributable to decreases in both our retail and wholesale segment net sales and a write-down of inventory of $6.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2017. This was partly offset by a slightly higher mix of retail net sales to consolidated net sales of 79.1% compared to the 78.9% in the prior fiscal year, and a decrease in cost of goods sold due to the net release of intercompany profit previously held in ending inventory.

 

Operating expenses increased $8.7 million or 2.5% to $361.8 million or 47.4% of net sales in fiscal 2017 from $353.1 million or 44.5% of net sales in fiscal 2016. The increase in fiscal year 2017 expenses in absolute dollars and as a percent of net sales is primarily due to increased advertising costs, a loss on disposal of real estate in fiscal 2017 compared to a gain on real estate sales in the prior fiscal year, and an increase in retail occupancy expense associated with a net increase of five design centers, partly offset by a reduction in incentive compensation.

 

Operating income for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 totaled $58.0 million, or 7.6% of net sales, compared to $89.2 million, or 11.2% of net sales, in the prior fiscal year. Wholesale operating income for fiscal 2017 totaled $53.5 million, or 11.8% of net sales, as compared to $74.4 million, or 15.1% of net sales, in the prior year. Retail operating income was $1.2 million, or 0.2% of sales, for fiscal 2017, compared to $16.5 million, or 2.6% of sales, for fiscal 2016, a decrease of $15.3 million. The decrease in consolidated operating income was primarily attributable to decreased net sales, an inventory write-down at both our wholesale and retail segments due to a decision to reduce clearance and discontinued inventory by donation, increased advertising expenses, the net impact of real estate dispositions, and an increase in retail occupancy expense, partly offset by the net release of intercompany profit previously held in ending inventory and a reduction in incentive compensation.

 

Interest and other related financing costs decreased $0.4 million to $1.2 million from $1.6 million in the prior fiscal year. The decrease is primarily due to lower interest expense throughout fiscal 2017 due to debt repayments during fiscal 2017 including a $25.0 million paydown on our revolving credit facility to reduce our future debt carrying costs.

 

Income tax expense was $20.8 million for fiscal 2017 and $31.3 million for fiscal 2016. Our effective tax rate for fiscal 2017 was 36.5% compared to 35.6% in fiscal 2016. The effective tax rate for both fiscal years primarily includes tax expense on that fiscal year’s net income, and tax and interest expense on uncertain tax positions, partially offset by the reversal and recognition of some uncertain tax positions.

 

Net income for fiscal 2017 was $36.2 million as compared to $56.6 million in fiscal 2016. Net income per diluted share totaled $1.29 in fiscal 2017 compared to $2.00 per diluted share in the prior fiscal year.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Fiscal 2016 Compared to Fiscal 2015

 

Consolidated revenue for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 was $794.2 million compared to $754.6 million for fiscal 2015. There was year-over-year sales growth in both the wholesale and retail segments.

 

Wholesale revenue for fiscal 2016 increased by $22.1 million, or 4.7%, to $491.5 million from $469.4 million in the prior fiscal year. The year-over-year increase was attributable to increased sales to our Company operated design centers and domestic independent retailers, partly offset by a decrease to our international independent design centers, primarily in China. There were 296 design centers globally as of June 30, 2016, a decrease by three from June 30, 2015. There was a net decrease of two independently operated retail network locations, which included a decrease of eight legacy locations in the U.S., bringing the total U.S. independent total to 50, and a net increase of eight new locations in China, bringing the China total to 83. Our international net sales to independent retailers was 5.4% of our consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 compared to 7.5% the previous fiscal year.

 

Retail revenue from Ethan Allen operated design centers for the twelve months ended June 30, 2016 increased by $46.8 million, or 8.1%, to $626.5 million from $579.7 million for the twelve months ended June 30, 2015. Comparable store revenue increased 8.5%. Year-over-year, written orders for the Company operated design centers increased 1.7% and comparable design centers written orders increased 1.8%. A higher increase in net sales relative to written orders is reflected in the 13.1% decrease in ending backlog at June 30 2016.

 

Gross profit for fiscal 2016 increased to $442.2 million from $411.2 million in fiscal 2015. The $31.1 million increase in gross profit was attributable to increases in both our retail and wholesale segment net sales, as well as a higher mix of retail net sales to consolidated net sales in fiscal 2016 of 78.9% compared to the 76.8% in the prior fiscal year.

 

Operating expenses increased $7.8 million or 2.3% to $353.1 million or 44.5% of net sales in fiscal 2016 from $345.2 million or 45.7% of net sales in fiscal 2015. The increase in fiscal year 2016 expenses in absolute dollars is primarily due to increased variable costs associated with our increased sales in both business segments. As a percentage of net sales, expenses decreased during fiscal 2016 as compared to fiscal 2015 primarily due to gains associated with the disposal of real estate in fiscal 2016 compared to expenses in the prior fiscal year.

 

Operating income for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 totaled $89.2 million, or 11.2% of net sales, compared to $65.9 million, or 8.7% of net sales, in the prior fiscal year. Wholesale operating income for fiscal 2016 totaled $74.4 million, or 15.1% of net sales, as compared to $67.0 million, or 14.3% of net sales, in the prior year. Retail operating income was $16.5 million, or 2.6% of sales, for fiscal 2016, compared to $1.7 million, or 0.3% of sales, for fiscal 2015, an increase of $14.7 million. The increase in consolidated operating income was primarily attributable to increased net sales, and the net impact of real estate dispositions on both fiscal years as previously discussed.

 

Interest and other income, net was $0.4 million in fiscal 2016 compared to an expense of $3.3 million in fiscal 2015. The prior fiscal year included a loss on the early extinguishment of our Senior Notes in the quarter ended March 31, 2015 of $3.7 million, which consisted of a $3.5 million “make whole” payment, and the write-off of unamortized balances of original issue discount, deferred financing fees and derivative instruments.

 

Interest and other related financing costs decreased $4.3 million to $1.6 million from $5.9 million in the prior fiscal year. The decrease is primarily due to lower interest expense throughout fiscal 2016 due to early extinguishment of our Senior Notes in the quarter ended March 31, 2015, as well as further debt repayments during fiscal 2016.

 

Income tax expense was $31.3 million for fiscal 2016 and $19.5 million for fiscal 2015. Our effective tax rate for fiscal 2016 was 35.6% compared to 34.5% in fiscal 2015. The effective tax rate for both fiscal years primarily includes tax expense on that fiscal year’s net income, and tax and interest expense on uncertain tax positions, partially offset by the reversal and recognition of some uncertain tax positions.

 

Net income for fiscal 2016 was $56.6 million as compared to $37.1 million in fiscal 2015. Net income per diluted share totaled $2.00 in fiscal 2016 compared to $1.27 per diluted share in the prior fiscal year.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

At June 30, 2017, we held unrestricted cash and equivalents of $57.7 million and restricted cash and investments of $7.3 million. At June 30, 2016, we held unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $52.7 million and restricted cash and investments of $7.8 million. During fiscal 2017 we used cash to further pay down a portion of our debt and for common share repurchases. Our principal sources of liquidity include cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, cash flow from operations, amounts available under our credit facility, and other borrowings.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

For a detailed discussion of our debt obligations and timing of our related cash payments see Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included under Item 8 of this Annual Report.

 

A summary of net cash provided by (used in) operating, investing, and financing activities for each of the last three fiscal years is provided below (in millions):

 

   

Fiscal Years Ended June 30,

 
   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

 

Cash provided by (used in) operating activities

                       

Net income plus depreciation and amortization

  $ 56.3     $ 76.0     $ 56.3  

Working capital items

    14.5       (19.3 )     (15.2 )

Other operating activities

    7.8       1.7       14.0  

Total provided by operating activities

  $ 78.6     $ 58.4     $ 55.1  
                         

Cash provided by (used in) investing activities

                       

Capital expenditures & acquisitions

  $ (18.3 )   $ (23.1 )   $ (21.8 )

Net sales of marketable securities

    -       2.2       15.4  

Other investing activities

    1.9       8.4       9.8  

Total provided (used) in investing activities

  $ (16.4 )   $ (12.5 )   $ 3.4  
                         

Cash provided by (used in) financing activities

                       

Payments of long-term debt and capital lease obligations

  $ (28.4 )   $ (34.8 )   $ (133.7 )

Borrowings from revolving credit and term loan facilities

  $ -     $ -     $ 75.0  

Purchases and retirements of company stock

    (10.2 )     (19.3 )     (17.6 )

Payment of cash dividends

    (20.0 )     (16.6 )     (13.3 )

Other financing activities

    1.3       1.6       (1.4 )

Total used in financing activities

  $ (57.3 )   $ (69.1 )   $ (91.0 )

 

 

Cash Provided By (Used in) Operating Activities

 

In fiscal 2017 cash of $78.6 million was provided by operating activities, an increase of $20.2 million from $58.4 million in the prior year comparable period. Working capital items were a $14.5 million source of cash in the current year and a $19.3 million use of cash in the prior year, with a net difference of $33.8 million. Most of the working capital difference was due to an Inventory decrease of $13.5 million in the current year compared to a $10.0 million use of cash in the prior year. Most of the current year inventory decrease was due to a $6.4 million write-down of inventory discussed previously in Business Results. Net income plus depreciation and amortization decreased $19.7 million. Working capital items consist of current assets (accounts receivable, inventories, prepaid and other current assets) less current liabilities (customer deposits, payables, and accrued expenses and other current liabilities).

 

Cash Provided By (Used in) Investing Activities

 

In fiscal 2017, cash of $16.4 million was used in investing activities, an increase in cash used of $3.9 million from $12.5 million which was used during the prior year comparable period. More cash was used during fiscal 2017 primarily due to less proceeds from the sale of real estate in fiscal 2017 than in the prior fiscal year, and decreased current fiscal year capital expenditures. We anticipate that cash from operations will be sufficient to fund future capital expenditures in the near and longer term.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Cash Provided By (Used in) Financing Activities 

 

In fiscal 2017, $57.3 million was used in financing activities, a decrease of $11.8 million from $69.1 million in the prior year comparable period. During fiscal 2017 we paid $25 million on our revolver, $3.4 million in scheduled payments on debt and capital leases, and utilized $10.2 million to repurchase 357,363 shares at a weighted average cost of $28.67 per share. At June 30, 2017 we have remaining Board authorization to repurchase 1.4 million shares. Cash dividends have been paid every quarter since July 1996. The following chart shows our dividend history by payment date from July 2013 to the present.

 

  

 

We expect to continue to declare quarterly dividends for the foreseeable future, business conditions permitting.

 

 

The following table summarizes, as of June 30, 2017, the timing of cash payments related to our outstanding contractual obligations (in millions):

 

           

Less

                   

More

 
           

than 1

      1-3       4-5    

than 5

 
   

Total

   

Year

   

Years

   

Years

   

Years

 

Long-term debt obligations:

                                       

Debt maturities

  $ 14.9     $ 3.0     $ 11.8     $ 0.1     $ -  

Contractual interest

    0.8       0.4       0.4       -       -  

Operating lease obligations

    197.1       34.9       57.8       44.6       59.8  

Letters of credit

    0.1       0.1       -       -       -  

Purchase obligations (1)

    -       -       -       -       -  

Other long-term liabilities

    0.2       -       -       0.0       0.2  

Total contractual obligations

  $ 213.2     $ 38.4     $ 70.0     $ 44.8     $ 60.0  

 

(1) For purposes of this table, purchase obligations are defined as agreements that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms, including fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transaction. While we are not a party to any significant long-term supply contracts or purchase commitments, we do, in the normal course of business, regularly initiate purchase orders for the procurement of (i) selected finished goods sourced from third-party suppliers, (ii) lumber, fabric, leather and other raw materials used in production, and (iii) certain outsourced services. All purchase orders are based on current needs and are fulfilled by suppliers within short time periods. At June 30, 2017, our open purchase orders with respect to such goods and services totaled approximately $36 million.

 

Further discussion of our contractual obligations associated with outstanding debt and lease arrangements can be found in Notes 6 and 7, respectively, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included under Item 8 of this Annual Report.

 

We believe that our cash flow from operations, together with our other available sources of liquidity, will be adequate to make all required payments of principal and interest on our debt, to permit anticipated capital expenditures, and to fund working capital and other cash requirements. As of June 30, 2017, we had working capital of $116.7 million compared to $124.9 million at June 30, 2016, a decrease of $8.2 million and a current ratio of 1.92 to 1 at June 30, 2017 and 2.0 to 1 at June 30, 2016. In addition to using available cash to fund changes in working capital, necessary capital expenditures, acquisition activity, the repayment of debt, and the payment of dividends, the Company has been authorized by our board of directors to repurchase our common stock, from time to time, either directly or through agents, in the open market at prices and on terms satisfactory to us.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Other Commitments, Contingencies and Contractual Obligations

 

Except as indicated below, we do not utilize or employ any off-balance sheet arrangements, including special-purpose entities, in operating our business. As such, we do not maintain any (i) retained or contingent interests, (ii) derivative instruments, or (iii) variable interests which could serve as a source of potential risk to our future liquidity, capital resources and results of operations.

 

We may, from time to time in the ordinary course of business, provide guarantees on behalf of selected affiliated entities or become contractually obligated to perform in accordance with the terms and conditions of certain business agreements. The nature and extent of these guarantees and obligations may vary based on our underlying relationship with the benefiting party and the business purpose for which the guarantee or obligation is being provided. The only such program in place at both June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016 was for our consumer credit program described below.

 

Ethan Allen Consumer Credit Program

 

The terms and conditions of our consumer credit program, which is financed and administered by a third-party financial institution on a non-recourse basis to Ethan Allen, are set forth in an agreement between the Company and that financial service provider (the “Program Agreement”) which was last amended effective January 2014. Any independent retailer choosing to participate in the consumer credit program is required to enter into a separate agreement with that same third-party financial institution which sets forth the terms and conditions under which the retailer is to perform in connection with its offering of consumer credit to its customers (the “Retailer Agreement”). We have obligated ourselves on behalf of any independent retailer choosing to participate in our consumer credit program by agreeing, in the event of default, breach, or failure of the independent retailer to perform under such Retailer Agreement, to take on certain responsibilities of the independent retailer, including, but not limited to, delivery of goods and reimbursement of customer deposits. Customer receivables originated by independent retailers remain non-recourse to Ethan Allen. The Program Agreement will terminate on July 31, 2019, but includes a provision for automatic one-year renewals unless either party gives notice of termination. While the maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) that we could be required to make under this obligation is indeterminable, recourse provisions exist that would enable us to recover, from the independent retailer, any amount paid or incurred by us related to our performance. Based on the underlying creditworthiness of our independent retailers, including their historical ability to satisfactorily perform in connection with the terms of our consumer credit program, we believe this obligation will expire without requiring funding by us. To ensure funding for delivery of products sold, the terms of the Program Agreement also contain a right for the financial services provider to demand from the Company collateral at a variable rate based on the volume of program sales if the Company does not meet certain covenants. At June 30 of 2017 and 2016, no collateral was required under the Program Agreement.

 

Product Warranties 

 

Our products, including our case goods, upholstery and home accents, generally carry explicit product warranties that extend up to seven years and are provided based on terms that are generally accepted in the industry. All our domestic independent retailers are required to enter into, and perform in accordance with the terms and conditions of, a warranty service agreement. We record provisions for estimated warranty and other related costs at time of sale based on historical warranty loss experience and make periodic adjustments to those provisions to reflect actual experience. On rare occasion, certain warranty and other related claims involve matters of dispute that ultimately are resolved by negotiation, arbitration or litigation. In certain cases, a material warranty issue may arise which is beyond the scope of our historical experience. We provide for such warranty issues as they become known and are deemed to be both probable and estimable. It is reasonably possible that, from time to time, additional warranty and other related claims could arise from disputes or other matters beyond the scope of our historical experience. As of June 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company’s product warranty liability totaled $1.3 million and $1.2 million, respectively. 

 

Impact of Inflation

 

We believe inflation had an impact on our business the last three fiscal years but we have generally been able to create operational efficiencies, seek lower cost alternatives, or raise selling prices to offset increases in product and operating costs. It is possible in the future that we will not be successful in our efforts to offset the impacts from inflation.

 

Business Outlook

 

We continue to strengthen our vertically integrated structure from concept of idea, to engineering, to manufacturing, to retail and logistics. We intend to maintain strong manufacturing capabilities in North America, which we believe is a long-term competitive advantage that will allow us to advance our objectives of maintaining fast order delivery, exceptional quality and improving capacity to ship stocked and custom made-to-order items more quickly, which in turn will allow us to grow our business.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Our network of professionally trained interior design professionals differentiates us significantly from our competitors. We continue to strengthen the level of service, professionalism, and interior design competence, as well as to improve the efficiency of our retail operations. We believe that over time, we will continue to benefit from (i) continuous repositioning of our retail network, (ii) frequent new product introductions, (iii) new and innovative marketing promotions and effective use of targeted advertising media, and (iv) continued use of the latest technology combined with personal service from our interior design professionals.

 

Beginning in the fall of 2014 and through the fall of 2016, we completed a major transformation of our product offerings, which refreshed over 70% of our entire line of products. During the third quarter of fiscal 2017 we expanded the reach of our Ethan Allen | Disney product program by selling a curated selection on Disneystore.com, we were awarded a blanket purchase agreement for the Department of State "Worldwide Residential Furniture Program" and entered into an agreement with Amazon to sell products through the Amazon marketplace. Now that we have completed this major transformation, we believe that we are well positioned to leverage all the actions we have taken.

 

We expect the home furnishings industry to remain extremely competitive with respect to both the sourcing of products and the wholesale and retail sale of those products for the foreseeable future. Domestic manufacturers continue to face pricing pressures because of the lower manufacturing costs on imports, particularly from Asia. While we also utilize overseas sourcing for approximately one quarter of our products, we choose to differentiate ourselves by maintaining a substantial North American manufacturing base, the majority of which is located in the United States. This structure enables us to leverage our vertically integrated structure to our advantage. We continue to believe that a balanced approach to product sourcing, which includes our own North American manufacturing of about 75% of our product offerings coupled with the import of other selected products, provides the greatest degree of flexibility and shorter lead times and is the most effective approach to ensuring that acceptable levels of quality, service and value are attained.

 

We therefore remain cautiously optimistic about our performance due to the many strong programs already in place and others we currently plan to introduce in the coming months. Our retail strategy involves (i) a continued focus on providing relevant product offerings, a wide array of product solutions, and superior interior design solutions through our large staff of interior design professionals, (ii) continuing strong advertising and marketing campaigns to get our message across and to continue broadening our customer base, (iii) the opening of new or relocated design centers in more prominent locations, and encouraging independent retailers to do the same, (iv) leveraging the use of technology and personal service within our retail network and online through www.ethanallen.com, and (v) further expansion internationally. We believe this strategy provides an opportunity to grow our business. Further discussion of the home furnishings industry has been included under Item 1 of this Annual Report.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This ASU provides a framework for revenue recognition that replaces most existing GAAP revenue recognition guidance when it becomes effective. We have an option to use either a retrospective approach or a cumulative effect adjustment approach to implement the guidance. The new standard is effective for us on July 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We are currently conducting a comprehensive review of our revenue streams and contracts as they relate to this guidance to identify potential differences that would result from applying the new requirements. While we are still assessing the overall impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and financial statement disclosures, based on the work performed to date, we do not believe that the adoption will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” which states that inventory should be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is defined as estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. The new guidance is effective for the Company on July 1, 2017. The new guidance should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. We plan on adopting effective July 1, 2017.We do not believe that the adoption will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which requires the Company to present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. This pronouncement is effective for the Company on July 1, 2017, and early adoption is permitted. We plan on adopting effective July 1, 2017. At June 30, 2017 and 2016 we had net current deferred tax assets of $3.9 million and $3.2 million respectively which would have been classified as noncurrent under the new standard.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which is intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. The ASU will require lessees that lease assets with lease terms of more than twelve months to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases. Lessors will remain largely unchanged from current GAAP. In addition, the ASU will require disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. This pronouncement is effective for the Company on July 1, 2019, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact on our consolidated financial statements. We plan on adopting effective July 1, 2019.

 

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends ASC Topic 718, Stock Compensation. The objective of this amendment is part of the FASB’s Simplification Initiative as it applies to several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This pronouncement is effective for the Company on July 1, 2017, and allows for prospective, retrospective or modified retrospective adoption, depending on the area covered in the update, with early adoption permitted. We plan on adopting effective July 1, 2017. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company recorded a credit to additional paid in capital of $0.1 million and $1.0 million respectively, that under the new standard would have been recognized in income. Excess tax benefits were not material in either fiscal years 2017, 2016 or 2015.

 

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash.  It is intended to reduce diversity in the presentation of restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement.  The statement requires that restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents be included as components of total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the statement of cash flows. The Company currently does not include restricted cash as a component of cash and equivalents as presented on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance is effective for the Company on July 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact on our consolidated financial statements. We plan on adopting effective July 1, 2018.

 

 

Item 7A.     Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

We are exposed to market risks relating to fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates.

 

Interest rate risk exists primarily through our borrowing activities. We utilize United States dollar denominated borrowings to fund substantially all our working capital and investment needs. Short-term debt, if required, is used to meet working capital requirements and long-term debt is generally used to finance long-term investments. There is inherent rollover risk for borrowings as they mature and are renewed at current market rates. The extent of this risk is not quantifiable or predictable because of the variability of future interest rates and our future financing requirements.

 

For floating-rate obligations, interest rate changes do not affect the fair value of the underlying financial instrument but would impact future earnings and cash flows, assuming other factors are held constant. Conversely, for fixed-rate obligations, interest rate changes affect the fair value of the underlying financial instrument but would not impact earnings or cash flows. At June 30, 2017, we had $13.8 million of floating-rate debt obligations outstanding under our Facility. We currently do not engage in any interest rate hedging activity and we have no intention of doing so in the foreseeable future. Based on the average interest rate of the loans under the Facility during the quarter ended June 30, 2017, and to the extent that borrowings were outstanding, a 10% change in the interest rate would not have a material effect on our consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

Foreign currency exchange risk is primarily limited to our operation of Ethan Allen operated retail design centers located in Canada, one distribution center in Belgium, and our plants in Mexico and Honduras, as substantially all purchases of imported parts and finished goods are denominated in United States dollars. As such, gains or losses resulting from market changes in the value of foreign currencies have not had, nor are they expected to have, a material effect on our consolidated results of operations. A decrease in the value of foreign currencies (in particular Asian) relative to the United States dollar may affect the profitability of our vendors but as we employ a balanced sourcing strategy, we believe any impact would be moderate relative to peers in the industry.

 

Item 8.     Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

Our Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data are listed in Item 15 of this Annual Report.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Board of Directors and Shareholders

 

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.:

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of June 30, 2017 and 2016, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended June 30, 2017. We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. and subsidiaries as of June 30, 2017 and 2016, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended June 30, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

 


August 2, 2017

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

June 30, 2017 and 2016

(In thousands, except share data)

 

   

2017

   

2016

 

ASSETS

               

Current assets:

               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 57,701     $ 52,659  

Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,667 at June 30, 2017 and $1,639 at June 30, 2016

    12,293       9,467  

Inventories

    149,483       162,323  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    23,621       23,755  

Total current assets

    243,098       248,204  

Property, plant and equipment, net

    270,198       273,615  

Goodwill and other intangible assets

    45,128       45,128  

Restricted cash and investments

    7,330       7,820  

Other assets

    2,468       2,642  

Total assets

  $ 568,222     $ 577,409  

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

               

Current liabilities:

               

Current maturities of long-term debt

  $ 2,731     $ 3,001  

Customer deposits

    62,960       60,958  

Accounts payable

    16,961       15,437  

Accrued compensation and benefits

    20,352       22,067  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    23,441       21,884  

Total current liabilities

    126,445       123,347  

Long-term debt

    11,608       38,837  

Other long-term liabilities

    29,273       23,023  

Total liabilities

    167,326       185,207  

Shareholders' equity:

               

Common stock, par value $0.01; 150,000,000 shares authorized; 48,979,994 shares issued at June 30, 2017 and 48,921,544 shares issued at June 30, 2016

    490       489  

Preferred stock, par value $0.01; 1,055,000 shares authorized; none issued

    -       -  

Additional paid-in-capital

    377,550       374,972  

Less: Treasury stock (at cost), 21,532,779 shares at June 30, 2017 and 21,175,416 shares at June 30, 2016

    (635,179 )     (624,932 )

Retained earnings

    661,976       646,315  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

    (4,131 )     (4,846 )

Total Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. shareholders' equity

    400,706       391,998  

Noncontrolling interests

    190       204  

Total shareholders' equity

    400,896       392,202  

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

  $ 568,222     $ 577,409  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

For Years Ended June 30, 2017, 2016, and 2015

(In thousands, except share data)

 

   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

 

Net sales

  $ 763,385     $ 794,202     $ 754,600  

Cost of sales

    343,662       351,966       343,437  

Gross profit

    419,723       442,236       411,163  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    361,773       353,057       345,229  

Operating income

    57,950       89,179       65,934  

Interest and other income (expense)

    268       395       (3,333 )

Interest and other related financing costs

    1,223       1,618       5,918  

Income before income taxes

    56,995       87,956       56,683  

Income tax expense

    20,801       31,319       19,541  

Net income

  $ 36,194     $ 56,637     $ 37,142  
                         

Per share data:

                       

Net income per basic share

  $ 1.31     $ 2.02     $ 1.29  

Basic weighted average common shares

    27,679       28,072       28,874  

Net income per diluted share

  $ 1.29     $ 2.00     $ 1.27  

Diluted weighted average common shares

    27,958       28,324       29,182  

Dividends declared per common share

  $ 0.74     $ 0.62     $ 0.50  
                         

Comprehensive income:

                       

Net income

  $ 36,194     $ 56,637     $ 37,142  

Other comprehensive income

                       

Curency translation adjustment

    715       (2,208 )     (3,308 )

Other

    (14 )     27       78  

Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax

    701       (2,181 )     (3,230 )

Comprehensive income

  $ 36,895     $ 54,456     $ 33,912  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 
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ETHAN ALLEN INTERIORS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

For Years Ended June 30, 2017, 2016, and 2015

(In thousands)

 

   

2017

   

2016

   

2015

 

Operating activities:

                       

Net income

  $ 36,194     $ 56,637     $ 37,142  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

                       

Depreciation and amortization

    20,115       19,353       19,142  

Compensation expense related to share-based payment awards

    1,259       2,356       1,236  

Provision for deferred income taxes

    3,507       671       3,923  

Restructuring and impairment charge

    -       -       784  

Loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment

    1,033       (2,267 )     4,180  

Other

    (6 )     (1,295 )     3,606  
                         

Change in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquired businesses:

                       

Accounts receivable

    (2,826 )     2,926       (559 )

Inventories

    13,507       (9,982 )     (5,036 )

Prepaid and other current assets

    1,010       5,113       (9,628 )

Customer deposits

    1,883       (7,275 )     7,517  

Accounts payable

    1,524       (3,509 )     (5,349 )

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    (547 )     (6,550 )     (2,113 )

Other assets and liabilities

    1,980       2,191       261  

Net cash provided by operating activities

    78,633       58,369       55,106  
                         

Investing activities:

                       

Proceeds from the disposal of property, plant & equipment

    1,273       8,073       9,103  

Change in restricted cash and investments

    490       190       497  

Capital expenditures

    (17,645 )     (22,967 )     (19,787 )

Acquisitions

    (676 )     (165 )     (1,991 )

Sales of marketable securities

    -       2,150       15,430  

Other investing activities

    175       193       176  

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

    (16,383 )     (12,526 )     3,428  
                         

Financing activities:

                       

Borrowings from revolving credit and term loan facilities

    -       -       75,000  

Payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations

    (28,401 )     (34,840 )     (133,710 )