Washington, D.C. 20549
Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of theSecurities Exchange Act of 1934
For the quarterly period ended March 30, 2007
Commission File Number: 001-9249
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Large Accelerated Filer X Accelerated Filer Non-accelerated Filer
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
66,520,000 shares of the Registrants Common Stock, $1.00 par value were outstanding as of April 18, 2007.
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
GRACO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIESNOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
First quarter net earnings of $33.7 million were 5 percent below net earnings in the first quarter last year. The decrease resulted from a lower gross margin rate and higher expenses, which more than offset the favorable impact of a 3 percent increase in sales.
Results include the operations of Lubriquip, which was acquired in July 2006. The integration of Lubriquip is on track for completion by the end of the year and the consolidation of Gusmer operations was competed in the first quarter. Costs and expenses related to the integration and consolidation activities totaled approximately $1 million in the first quarter of 2007.
Foreign currency translation rates had a favorable impact on first quarter sales and net earnings. Translated at consistent exchange rates, sales increased 1 percent and net earnings decreased 8 percent.
Sales by reportable segment and geographic area were as follows (in thousands):
North and South America, including the U.S.
Europe, Africa and Middle East
Industrial segment sales increased 5 percent. A decrease in the Americas was more than offset by double-digit percentage increases in Europe and Asia Pacific.
Contractor segment sales decreased 6 percent. Segment sales in Europe increased 40 percent while sales were lower in the Americas and Asia Pacific. In the Americas, growth in the home center channel was not enough to offset the decline in the professional paint stores channel.
Lubrication segment sales increased 28 percent due to sales of Lubriquip products, acquired in mid-2006. Sales in this segment increased in all geographic areas.
Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 53.1 percent compared to 53.7 percent for the first quarter last year. The decrease was due mainly to lower margin rates on Lubriquip products and higher production and material costs, offset somewhat by the favorable impacts of currency translation and pricing.
Total operating expenses increased $4 million including approximately $1.5 million related to Lubriquip. The Contractor segment incurred approximately $1 million of expenses related to the market testing of a new line of sprayers in the home center channel.
The effective tax rate of 35 percent was the same as last years rate for the first quarter.
Significant uses of cash in the first quarter of 2007 included $24 million for purchases and retirement of Company common stock, $13 million for capital additions and $11 million for payment of dividends. During the first quarter of 2006, significant uses of cash included $17 million for purchases and retirement of Company common stock and $10 million for dividends.
At March 30, 2007, the Company had various lines of credit totaling $145 million, of which $115 million was unused. Internally generated funds and unused financing sources provide the Company with the financial flexibility to meet liquidity needs.
First quarter sales fell short of expectations due mostly to soft demand in the North American Industrial and Contractor businesses. Management expects that 2007 will continue to be a challenging sales growth environment in North America. Spending over the remainder of the year will be adjusted accordingly, however, the Company will continue to invest for the future by funding key growth strategies.
A forward-looking statement is any statement made in this report and other reports that the Company files periodically with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or in press or earnings releases, analyst briefings and conference calls, which reflects the Companys current thinking on market trends and the Companys future financial performance at the time they are made. All forecasts and projections are forward-looking statements.
The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 by making cautionary statements concerning any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. The Company cannot give any assurance that the results forecasted in any forward-looking statement will actually be achieved. Future results could differ materially from those expressed, due to the impact of changes in various factors. These risk factors include, but are not limited to: economic conditions in the United States and other major world economies, currency fluctuations, political instability, changes in laws and regulations, and changes in product demand. Please refer to Item 1A of, and Exhibit 99 to, the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2006 for a more comprehensive discussion of these and other risk factors.
Investors should realize that factors other than those identified above and in Item 1A and Exhibit 99 might prove important to the Companys future results. It is not possible for management to identify each and every factor that may have an impact on the Companys operations in the future as new factors can develop from time to time.
There are no material changes related to market risk from the disclosures made in the Companys 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
As of the end of the fiscal quarter covered by this report, the Company carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures. This evaluation was done under the supervision and with the participation of the Companys Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, Vice President and Controller and Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Based upon that evaluation, they concluded that the Companys disclosure controls and procedures are effective in gathering, analyzing and disclosing information needed to satisfy the Companys disclosure obligations under the Exchange Act.
During the quarter, there was no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to materially affect the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
There have been no material changes to the Companys risk factors from those disclosed in the Companys 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
On February 17, 2006, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to purchase up to a total of 7,000,000 shares of its outstanding common stock, primarily through open-market transactions. This authorization expires on February 29, 2008.
In addition to shares purchased under the Board authorization, the Company purchases shares of common stock held by employees who wish to tender owned shares to satisfy the exercise price or tax withholding on option exercises.
Information on issuer purchases of equity securities follows:
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.