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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-Q

 


 

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

 

For the quarterly period ended March 26, 2005

 

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

 

For the transition period from              to             

 

Commission file number 0-14706.

 


 

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

North Carolina   56-0846267
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

P.O. Box 6676, Asheville NC   28816
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

(828) 669-2941

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

 


 

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

 

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

 

As of April 29, 2005, the Registrant had 11,787,470 shares of Class A Common Stock, $0.05 par value per share, outstanding and 12,366,791 shares of Class B Common Stock, $0.05 par value per share, outstanding.

 



Table of Contents

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED

 

INDEX

 

     Page No.

Part I — Financial Information

    

Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited)

    

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 26, 2005 and September 25, 2004

   3

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the
Three Months Ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004

   4

Six Months Ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004

   5

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the
Six Months Ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004

   6

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the
Six Months Ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004

   7

Notes to Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

   8

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

   11

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

   18

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

   18

Part II — Other Information

    

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

   20

Signatures

   21

 

2


Table of Contents

Part I. Financial Information

Item 1. Financial Statements

 

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)

 

    

MARCH 26,

2005


  

SEPTEMBER 25,

2004


ASSETS              

Current Assets:

             

Cash and Cash Equivalents

   $ 52,840,676    $ 80,593,990

Receivables

     38,086,071      34,449,988

Inventories

     199,136,538      189,431,944

Other Current Assets

     10,484,798      9,062,982
    

  

Total Current Assets

     300,548,083      313,538,904

Property and Equipment – Net

     735,295,405      738,218,926

Other Assets

     14,047,440      11,928,788
    

  

Total Assets

   $ 1,049,890,928    $ 1,063,686,618
    

  

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

             

Current Liabilities:

             

Current portion of long-term debt

   $ 25,699,699    $ 33,826,668

Accounts payable - trade

     100,496,934      88,725,461

Accrued expenses and current portion of other long-term liabilities

     59,295,568      66,188,884
    

  

Total Current Liabilities

     185,492,201      188,741,013

Deferred Income Taxes

     35,325,578      40,885,578

Long-Term Debt

     560,818,943      568,607,606

Other Long-Term Liabilities

     3,336,705      4,235,245
    

  

Total Liabilities

     784,973,427      802,469,442
    

  

Stockholders’ Equity:

             

Preferred stock, $0.05 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued

     —        —  

Common stocks:

             

Class A, $0.05 par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized; 11,767,418 shares issued and outstanding March 26, 2005; 11,697,868 shares issued and outstanding September 25, 2004

     588,370      584,893

Class B, $0.05 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 12,366,791 shares issued and outstanding March 26, 2005; 12,369,091 shares issued and outstanding September 25, 2004

     618,340      618,455

Paid-in capital in excess of par value

     113,749,395      113,001,794

Retained earnings

     149,961,396      147,012,034
    

  

Total Stockholders’ Equity

     264,917,501      261,217,176
    

  

Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

   $ 1,049,890,928    $ 1,063,686,618
    

  

 

See notes to unaudited interim financial statements.

 

3


Table of Contents

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)

 

     THREE MONTHS ENDED

    

MARCH 26,

2005


   

MARCH 27,

2004


Net sales

   $ 557,267,255     $ 520,792,146

Cost of goods sold

     415,239,138       383,611,145
    


 

Gross profit

     142,028,117       137,181,001

Operating and administrative expenses

     121,582,533       118,036,841

Rental income, net

     1,081,189       1,746,876
    


 

Income from operations

     21,526,773       20,891,036

Other income, net

     238,525       4,183,422

Interest expense

     12,911,766       13,712,365
    


 

Income before income taxes

     8,853,532       11,362,093
    


 

Income tax expense (benefit):

              

Current

     4,780,000       774,000

Deferred

     (1,400,000 )     3,343,000
    


 

       3,380,000       4,117,000
    


 

Net income

   $ 5,473,532     $ 7,245,093
    


 

Per share amounts:

              

Basic earnings per common share

   $ 0.23     $ 0.31
    


 

Diluted earnings per common share

   $ 0.23     $ 0.31
    


 

Cash dividends per common share:

              

Class A Common Stock

   $ 0.165     $ 0.165
    


 

Class B Common Stock

   $ 0.150     $ 0.150
    


 

 

See notes to unaudited interim financial statements.

 

4


Table of Contents

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED

    

MARCH 26,

2005


   

MARCH 27,

2004


Net sales

   $ 1,116,541,759     $ 1,055,098,583

Cost of goods sold

     832,561,821       784,581,714
    


 

Gross profit

     283,979,938       270,516,869

Operating and administrative expenses

     244,290,070       236,568,694

Rental income, net

     2,551,098       3,237,591
    


 

Income from operations

     42,240,966       37,185,766

Other income, net

     685,115       5,520,866

Interest expense

     25,958,369       27,581,958
    


 

Income before income taxes

     16,967,712       15,124,674
    


 

Income tax expense (benefit):

              

Current

     11,560,000       3,044,000

Deferred

     (5,130,000 )     2,432,000
    


 

       6,430,000       5,476,000
    


 

Net income

   $ 10,537,712     $ 9,648,674
    


 

Per share amounts:

              

Basic earnings per common share

   $ 0.44     $ 0.42
    


 

Diluted earnings per common share

   $ 0.44     $ 0.42
    


 

Cash dividends per common share:

              

Class A Common Stock

   $ 0.33     $ 0.33
    


 

Class B Common Stock

   $ 0.30     $ 0.30
    


 

 

See notes to unaudited interim financial statements.

 

5


Table of Contents

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (UNAUDITED)

 

SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 26, 2005 AND MARCH 27, 2004

 

    

CLASS A

COMMON STOCK


  

CLASS B

COMMON STOCK


   

PAID-IN

CAPITAL IN

EXCESS OF

PAR VALUE


  

RETAINED

EARNINGS


    TOTAL

 
     SHARES

   AMOUNT

   SHARES

    AMOUNT

        

Balance, September 27, 2003

   10,635,419    $ 531,770    12,391,216     $ 619,561     $ 102,465,443    $ 132,978,340     $ 236,595,114  

Net income

   —        —      —         —         —        9,648,674       9,648,674  

Cash dividends

   —        —      —         —         —        (7,246,559 )     (7,246,559 )

Exercise of stock options

   547,480      27,374    —         —         5,469,794      —         5,497,168  

Common stock conversions

   21,375      1,069    (21,375 )     (1,069 )     —        —         —    
    
  

  

 


 

  


 


Balance, March 27, 2004

   11,204,274    $ 560,213    12,369,841     $ 618,492     $ 107,935,237    $ 135,380,455     $ 244,494,397  
    
  

  

 


 

  


 


Balance, September 25, 2004

   11,697,868    $ 584,893    12,369,091     $ 618,455     $ 113,001,794    $ 147,012,034     $ 261,217,176  

Net income

   —        —      —         —         —        10,537,712       10,537,712  

Cash dividends

   —        —      —         —         —        (7,588,350 )     (7,588,350 )

Exercise of stock options

   67,250      3,362    —         —         747,601      —         750,963  

Common stock conversions

   2,300      115    (2,300 )     (115 )     —        —         —    
    
  

  

 


 

  


 


Balance, March 26, 2005

   11,767,418    $ 588,370    12,366,791     $ 618,340     $ 113,749,395    $ 149,961,396     $ 264,917,501  
    
  

  

 


 

  


 


 

See notes to unaudited interim financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED

 
    

MARCH 26,

2005


   

MARCH 27,

2004


 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

                

Net income

   $ 10,537,712     $ 9,648,674  

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

                

Depreciation and amortization expense

     28,489,672       28,322,771  

Losses (gains) on disposals of property and equipment

     859,475       (5,046,329 )

Receipt of advance payments on purchase contracts

     1,084,699       1,438,000  

Recognition of advance payments on purchase contracts

     (3,224,549 )     (3,789,852 )

Deferred income taxes

     (5,130,000 )     2,432,000  

Other

     (699,557 )     (223,135 )

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

                

Receivables

     (3,015,640 )     4,189,227  

Inventory

     (9,704,594 )     6,577,012  

Other assets

     (4,752,610 )     (2,149,241 )

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     7,159,012       (15,251,938 )
    


 


Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

     21,603,620       26,147,189  
    


 


Cash Flows from Investing Activities:

                

Proceeds from sales of property and equipment

     184,897       9,406,209  

Capital expenditures

     (26,788,812 )     (49,456,315 )
    


 


Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

     (26,603,915 )     (40,050,106 )
    


 


Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

                

Debt issuance costs

     —         (102,285 )

Principal payments on long-term debt

     (15,915,632 )     (20,915,414 )

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     750,963       5,497,168  

Dividends paid

     (7,588,350 )     (7,246,559 )
    


 


Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

     (22,753,019 )     (22,767,090 )
    


 


Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents

     (27,753,314 )     (36,670,007 )

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     80,593,990       80,879,318  
    


 


Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

   $ 52,840,676     $ 44,209,311  
    


 


 

See notes to unaudited interim financial statements.

 

7


Table of Contents

INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

NOTES TO UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Six Months Ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004

 

A. BASIS OF PREPARATION

 

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of March 26, 2005, the results of operations for the three-month and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, and the changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004. The adjustments made are of a normal recurring nature. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission for Form 10-Q. It is suggested that these unaudited interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 25, 2004 and the Form 10-Q/A for the March 27, 2004 quarter, both filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on February 10, 2005.

 

The results of operations for the three-month and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

 

Certain amounts as of September 25, 2004 and for the three-month and six-month periods ended March 27, 2004 have been reclassified for comparative purposes.

 

B. ACCOUNTING FOR STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

 

The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation plans under the fair value recognition provisions of FASB Statement No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (“FAS 123”). Under the fair value recognition provisions of FAS 123, stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the value of the award and is recognized as expense over the vesting period. Under the transition method selected by the Company as allowed by FASB Statement No. 148, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation – Transition and Disclosure” (“FAS 148”), the Company elected to apply the change in accounting principle using the prospective method. As no options were granted, modified or settled during the fiscal year ended September 25, 2004, or in the first six months of fiscal 2005, there was no stock-based employee compensation expense included in net income for the three-month and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 or March 27, 2004.

 

Had compensation cost for the Company’s plans been determined based on the fair market value at the grant date for awards granted prior to the adoption of FAS 123, the Company’s earnings and earnings per share, basic and diluted, would have been reduced to the pro forma amounts indicated below. In accordance with FAS 123, the fair value of each option grant was determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

 

     Three Months Ended

   Six Months Ended

    

MARCH 26,

2005


  

MARCH 27,

2004


  

MARCH 26,

2005


  

MARCH 27,

2004


BASIC

                           

Net income

   $ 5,473,532    $ 7,245,093    $ 10,537,712    $ 9,648,674

Net income, pro forma

   $ 5,460,194    $ 7,211,486    $ 10,509,167    $ 9,601,790

Basic earnings per common share

   $ 0.23    $ 0.31    $ 0.44    $ 0.42

Basic earnings per common share, pro forma

   $ 0.23    $ 0.31    $ 0.44    $ 0.41

DILUTED

                           

Diluted earnings

   $ 5,473,532    $ 7,245,093    $ 10,537,712    $ 9,648,674

Diluted earnings, pro forma

   $ 5,460,194    $ 7,211,486    $ 10,509,167    $ 9,601,790

Diluted earnings per common share

   $ 0.23    $ 0.31    $ 0.44    $ 0.42

Diluted earnings per common share, pro forma

   $ 0.23    $ 0.31    $ 0.43    $ 0.41

 

C. ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS

 

Receivables are presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $680,000 and $585,000 at March 26, 2005 and September 25, 2004, respectively.

 

8


Table of Contents

D. ACCRUED EXPENSES AND CURRENT PORTION OF OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES

 

Accrued expenses and current portion of other long-term liabilities consist of the following:

 

    

MARCH 26,

2005


  

SEPTEMBER 25,

2004


Property, payroll, and other taxes payable

   $ 9,745,013    $ 14,915,390

Salaries, wages and bonuses payable

     13,695,727      14,355,644

Self-insurance reserves

     8,849,508      7,833,391

Interest

     11,390,010      11,467,771

Income taxes

     3,414,808      4,300,762

Other

     12,200,502      13,315,926
    

  

     $ 59,295,568    $ 66,188,884
    

  

 

Self-insurance reserves are established for workers’ compensation and employee group medical and dental benefits based on claims filed and estimates of claims incurred but not reported. The Company is insured for covered costs in excess of $500,000 per occurrence for workers’ compensation and $250,000 per covered person for medical care benefits for a policy year. Employee insurance expense, including workers’ compensation and medical care benefits, net of employee contributions, totaled $5.3 million and $5.4 million for the three-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively. For the six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, employee insurance expense, net of employee contributions, totaled $9.9 million and $9.2 million, respectively.

 

E. LONG-TERM DEBT

 

At March 26, 2005, the Company had lines of credit with five banks totaling $135.0 million, all of which were unused. Of the $135.0 million of committed lines of credit, $120.0 million matures in October 2006, and $15.0 million matures in October and November 2005. At March 26, 2005, the Company had $14.7 million in unused letters of credit that reduced the amounts available to be drawn under its lines of credit. The letters of credit mature from March 2005 to January 2006. The lines provide the Company with various interest rate options generally at rates less than prime. The Company is not required to maintain compensating balances in connection with these lines of credit. The lines of credit contain provisions that under certain circumstances would permit lending institutions to terminate or withdraw their respective extensions of credit to the Company. Included among the triggering factors permitting the termination or withdrawal of lines of credit to the Company are certain events of default, including both monetary and non-monetary defaults, the initiation of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, and the failure of the Company to meet certain financial covenants designated in its respective loan documents. The Company was in compliance with all financial covenants related to these lines of credit at March 26, 2005.

 

In addition, line of credit agreements and other long-term debt contain various restrictive covenants requiring, among other things, minimum levels of net worth and maintenance of certain financial ratios. One of the covenants has the effect of restricting funds available for dividends to approximately $56.7 million, based on tangible net worth at March 26, 2005. As of March 26, 2005, the Company is in compliance with these covenants.

 

F. DIVIDENDS

 

The Company paid cash dividends of $0.165 for each share of Class A Common Stock and $0.15 for each share of Class B Common Stock on January 12, 2005 and October 6, 2004 to stockholders of record on January 3, 2005 and September 28, 2004, respectively.

 

9


Table of Contents

G. EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share:

 

     Three Months Ended

   Six Months Ended

    

MARCH 26,

2005


  

MARCH 27,

2004


   MARCH 26,
2005


  

MARCH 27,

2004


BASIC:

                           

Net income

   $ 5,473,532    $ 7,245,093    $ 10,537,712    $ 9,648,674
    

  

  

  

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding

     24,122,564      23,343,818      24,121,657      23,188,358
    

  

  

  

Basic earnings per common share

   $ 0.23    $ 0.31    $ 0.44    $ 0.42
    

  

  

  

DILUTED:

                           

Net income

   $ 5,473,532    $ 7,245,093    $ 10,537,712    $ 9,648,674
    

  

  

  

Weighted average number of common shares and common stock equivalent shares outstanding

     24,217,776      23,430,088      24,213,049      23,244,866
    

  

  

  

Diluted earnings per common share item

   $ 0.23    $ 0.31    $ 0.44    $ 0.42
    

  

  

  

 

H. LINES OF BUSINESS

 

The Company operates three lines of business: retail grocery sales, shopping center rentals, and a fluid dairy processing plant. All of the Company’s operations are domestic. Information about the Company’s operations by lines of business (in thousands) is as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended

   Six Months Ended

    

MARCH 26,

2005


  

MARCH 27,

2004


  

MARCH 26,

2005


  

MARCH 27,

2004


Revenues from unaffiliated customers:

                           

Grocery sales

   $ 529,127    $ 495,874    $ 1,061,863    $ 1,005,185

Shopping center rentals

     3,037      3,526      6,245      6,878

Fluid dairy

     28,140      24,918      54,679      49,914
    

  

  

  

Total revenues from unaffiliated customers

   $ 560,304    $ 524,318    $ 1,122,787    $ 1,061,977
    

  

  

  

Income from operations:

                           

Grocery sales

   $ 17,902    $ 16,664    $ 34,660    $ 29,469

Shopping center rentals

     1,081      1,747      2,551      3,238

Fluid dairy

     2,544      2,480      5,030      4,479
    

  

  

  

Total income from operations

   $ 21,527    $ 20,891    $ 42,241    $ 37,186
    

  

  

  

 

    

MARCH 26,

2005


   

SEPTEMBER 25,

2004


 

Assets:

                

Grocery sales

   $ 903,953     $ 917,645  

Shopping center rentals

     116,980       116,756  

Fluid dairy

     30,779       31,112  

Elimination of intercompany receivable

     (1,821 )     (1,826 )
    


 


Total assets

   $ 1,049,891     $ 1,063,687  
    


 


 

Revenue from shopping center rentals is reported on the rental income, net line of the income statements. The other revenues comprise the net sales reported.

 

For the three-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively, the fluid dairy segment had $12.1 million and $11.5 million in sales to the grocery sales segment. The fluid dairy segment had $23.5 million in sales to the grocery sales segment in each of the six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004. These sales have been eliminated in consolidation and are excluded from the amounts in the table above.

 

10


Table of Contents

I. RELATED PARTIES

 

The Company is in the process of constructing a store on land owned by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who has agreed to transfer the land to the Company at his cost.

 

J. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

In January 2003, the FASB released Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities” (“FIN 46”). FIN 46 requires that all primary beneficiaries of Variable Interest Entities (VIE) consolidate that entity. FIN 46 is effective immediately for VIEs created or acquired after January 31, 2003. It applies in the first fiscal year or interim period ending after March 15, 2004, to VIEs in which an enterprise holds an interest it acquired before February 1, 2003. The Company has determined that it does not have any relationships or contracts that constitute VIEs.

 

On December 16, 2004, the FASB issued FASB Statement No. 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment,” which is a revision of FASB Statement No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation.” Statement 123(R) supersedes APB Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and amends FASB Statement No. 95, “Statement of Cash Flows.” Generally, the approach in Statement 123(R) is similar to the approach described in Statement 123. However, Statement 123(R) requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the income statement based on their fair values. Pro forma disclosure is no longer an alternative. Statement 123(R) must be adopted by the Company no later than September 25, 2005. Early adoption will be permitted in periods in which financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company expects to adopt Statement 123(R) on September 25, 2005. Although the Company has previously adopted the provisions of FASB Statement No. 123 using the prospective approach, it will be required to adopt the new standard using one of two methods: (1) a “modified prospective” method in which compensation cost is recognized beginning with the effective date (a) based on the requirements of Statement 123(R) for all share-based payments granted after the effective date and (b) based on the requirements of Statement 123 for all awards granted to employees prior to the effective date of Statement 123(R) that remain unvested on the effective date, or (2) a “modified retrospective” method which includes the requirements of the modified prospective method described above, but also permits entities to restate based on the amounts previously recognized under Statement 123 for purposes of pro forma disclosures either (a) all prior periods presented or (b) prior interim periods of the year of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the adoption alternatives and expects to complete its evaluation by September 24, 2005. The Company expects the effect of the adoption of Statement 123(R)’s fair value method to be consistent with the disclosure of pro forma net income and earnings per share in Note B to its consolidated financial statements. Statement 123(R) also requires the benefits of tax deductions in excess of recognized compensation cost to be reported as a financing cash flow, rather than as an operating cash flow as required under current literature.

 

K. PROFESSIONAL FEES

 

Professional fees for the three-month and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 included $0.8 million and $1.9 million, respectively, of legal and audit costs incurred as a result of the ongoing informal SEC inquiry previously disclosed. No such costs were incurred in the six-month period ended March 27, 2004.

 

Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Overview

 

Ingles, a leading supermarket chain in the Southeast, operates 195 supermarkets in Georgia (77), North Carolina (61), South Carolina (34), Tennessee (20), Virginia (2) and Alabama (1). The Company locates its supermarkets primarily in suburban areas, small towns and rural communities. Ingles supermarkets offer customers a wide variety of nationally advertised food products, including grocery, meat and dairy products, produce, frozen foods and other perishables and non-food products, including health and beauty care products and general merchandise, as well as quality private label items. In addition, the Company focuses on selling high-growth, high-margin products to its customers through the development of book sections, media centers, floral departments, bakery departments and prepared foods including delicatessen sections. During fiscal 2000, the Company began adding fuel centers and pharmacies at select store locations. As of March 26, 2005, the Company operated 37 in-store pharmacies and 24 fuel centers.

 

Ingles also operates two other lines of business, fluid dairy processing and shopping center rentals. The fluid dairy processing segment sells approximately 30% of its products to the retail grocery segment and approximately 70% of its products to third parties. Real estate ownership (including the shopping center rental segment) is an important component of the Company’s operations, providing both operational and economic benefit.

 

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Critical Accounting Policies

 

Critical accounting policies are those accounting policies that management believes are important to the portrayal of Ingles’ financial condition and results of operations, and require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.

 

Self-Insurance

 

The Company is self-insured for workers’ compensation and group medical and dental benefits. Risks and uncertainties are associated with self-insurance; however, the Company has limited its exposure by maintaining excess liability coverage. Self-insurance reserves are established based on claims filed and estimates of claims incurred but not reported. The estimates are based on data provided by the respective claims administrators. The majority of the Company’s properties are self-insured for casualty losses and business interruption; however, liability coverage is maintained.

 

Asset Impairments

 

The Company accounts for the impairment of long-lived assets in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144. For assets to be held and used, the Company tests for impairment using undiscounted cash flows and calculates the amount of impairment using discounted cash flows. For assets held for sale, impairment is recognized based on the excess of remaining book value over expected recovery value. The recovery value is the fair value as determined by independent quotes or expected sales prices developed by internal specialists. Estimates of future cash flows and expected sales prices are judgments based upon the Company’s experience and knowledge of local operations and cash flows that are projected for several years into the future. These estimates can fluctuate significantly due to changes in real estate market conditions, the economic environment, capital spending decisions and inflation.

 

Closed Store Accrual

 

For properties closed prior to December 31, 2002 that were under long-term lease agreements, the present value of any remaining liability under the lease, discounted using risk-free rates and net of expected sublease recovery, is recognized as a liability and expensed. For all store closures subsequent to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 146, effective December 31, 2002, the liability is recognized and expensed based on the difference between the present value of any remaining liability under the lease and the present value of the estimated market rate at which the Company expects to be able to sublease the properties. The Company’s estimates of market rates are based on its experience, knowledge and third-party advice or market data. If the real estate and leasing markets change, sublease recovery could vary significantly from the recoveries originally assumed, resulting in a material change in the Company’s recorded liability.

 

Vendor Allowances

 

The Company receives funds for a variety of merchandising activities from the many vendors whose products the Company buys for resale in its stores. These incentives and allowances include volume or purchase based incentives, advertising allowances, slotting fees, and promotional discounts. The purpose of these incentives and allowances is generally to help defray the costs incurred by the Company for stocking, advertising, promoting and selling the vendor’s products. Whenever possible, vendor discounts and allowances that relate to buying and merchandising activities are recorded as a component of item cost in inventory and recognized in merchandise costs when the item is sold. Due to system constraints and the nature of certain allowances, it is sometimes not practicable to apply allowances to the item cost of inventory. In those instances, the allowances are applied as a reduction of merchandise costs using a rational and systematic methodology, which results in the recognition of these incentives when the inventory related to the initial purchase is sold. Amounts that represent a reimbursement of specific identifiable incremental costs, such as advertising, are recorded as a reduction to the related expense in the period that the related expense is incurred.

 

Tax Contingencies

 

Despite the Company’s belief that its tax positions are consistent with applicable tax laws, the Company believes that certain positions are likely to be challenged by taxing authorities. Settlement of any challenge can result in no change, a complete disallowance, or some partial adjustment reached through negotiations or litigation. Significant judgment is required in evaluating the Company’s tax contingencies. The Company’s contingencies are adjusted in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress of its tax audits as well as evolving case law. Income tax expense includes the impact of contingency provisions and changes to contingencies that the Company considers appropriate. Unfavorable settlement of any particular issue would require use of cash. Favorable resolution would be recognized as a reduction to income tax expense at the time of resolution.

 

Results of Operations

 

Ingles operates on a 52 or 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in September. There are 13 and 26 weeks of operations included in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and

 

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March 27, 2004. Comparable store sales are defined as sales by grocery stores in operation for the entire duration of the previous and current fiscal years. Replacement stores and major and minor remodels are included in the comparable store sales calculation. A replacement store is a new store that is opened to replace an existing nearby store that is closed. A major remodel entails substantial remodeling of an existing store and may include additional retail square footage. A minor remodel includes repainting, remodeling and updating the lighting and equipment throughout an existing store. For the three and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, comparable store sales include 193 stores.

 

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, selected financial information as a percentage of net sales. For information regarding the various segments of the business, see Note H “Lines of Business” to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

     Three Months Ended

    Six Months Ended

 
    

MARCH 26,

2005


   

MARCH 27,

2004


   

MARCH 26,

2005


   

MARCH 27,

2004


 

Net sales

   100.0 %   100.0 %   100.0 %   100.0 %

Gross profit

   25.5 %   26.3 %   25.4 %   25.6 %

Operating and administrative expenses

   21.8 %   22.6 %   21.8 %   22.4 %

Rental income, net

   0.2 %   0.3 %   0.2 %   0.3 %

Income from operations

   3.9 %   4.0 %   3.8 %   3.5 %

Other income, net

   0.0 %   0.8 %   0.0 %   0.5 %

Interest expense

   2.3 %   2.6 %   2.3 %   2.6 %

Income before income taxes

   1.6 %   2.2 %   1.5 %   1.4 %

Income taxes

   0.6 %   0.8 %   0.6 %   0.5 %

Net income

   1.0 %   1.4 %   0.9 %   0.9 %

 

Three Months Ended March 26, 2005 Compared to the Three Months Ended March 27, 2004

 

Net Sales. Net sales increased 7.0% to $557.3 million for the three months ended March 26, 2005 from $520.8 million for the three months ended March 27, 2004. Ingles operated 195 stores at March 26, 2005, compared to 197 stores at March 27, 2004. Retail square footage was approximately 9.3 million at both March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004. Comparable store sales for the same period grew $31.1 million or 6.3%. Sales improved in each department; however, sales in the perishable departments increased at a higher rate than the non-perishable departments, with the exception of the pharmacy and gasoline departments. The Company operated 8 additional pharmacy departments and 6 additional gasoline departments at March 26, 2005 compared to March 27, 2004. In addition, fuel price inflation increased gasoline department sales in the March 2005 three-month period.

 

Net sales to outside parties for the Company’s milk processing subsidiary increased $3.2 million or 12.9% in the March 2005 quarter compared to the March 2004 quarter. The sales increase is primarily attributable to an increase in raw milk costs in the March 2005 quarter compared to the March 2004 quarter, which is passed on to the subsidiary’s customers in the pricing of milk products.

 

Sales comparisons for the three and six-month periods were affected by the timing of the Easter holiday. In fiscal 2005, Easter fell on the day following the end of the March quarter, therefore Easter related sales were included in the three and six-month periods ended March 26, 2005. Easter related sales were included in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Excluding the effect of Easter, comparable store sales increased $25.7 million, or 5.7%, for the March 2005 quarter compared to the March 2004 quarter.

 

The Company expects moderate sales growth in the remainder of fiscal year 2005 as sales comparisons are made to the high sales growth experienced in fiscal 2004 and due to the effect of Easter related sales discussed above. The Company expects that both the maturation of new and expanded stores and successful promotional efforts will continue to drive sales growth.

 

Gross Profit. Gross profit for the three-month period ended March 26, 2005 increased $4.8 million or 3.5% to $142.0 million, or 25.5% of sales, compared to $137.2 million, or 26.3% of sales, for the three-month period ended March 27, 2004. Gross profit increased due to the higher sales volume, but decreased as a percentage of sales due primarily to promotional efforts and the effect of lower margins in the pharmacy and gasoline departments. Pharmacy gross margin percentage decreased due to tightening of negotiated rates with third party insurers, while gasoline gross margin percentage decreased due to rising fuel costs and competitive pressures.

 

Gross profit for the Company’s milk processing subsidiary for the March 2005 quarter increased $0.1 million or 1.9% to $5.0 million, or 12.5% of sales, compared to $4.9 million, or 13.5% of sales for the March 2004 quarter. Although sales increased, gross profit as a percentage of sales declined as raw milk cost increases were passed on to customers on a dollar for dollar basis.

 

In addition to the direct product cost, the cost of goods sold line item for the grocery segment includes inbound freight charges. Purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, internal transfer costs, and other costs of the Company’s distribution network are included in operating and administrative expenses. The milk processing segment is a manufacturing process. Therefore, all of the costs mentioned above incurred by the milk processing segment are included in the cost of sales line item.

 

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The Company’s gross margins may not be comparable to those of other retailers, since some retailers include all of the costs related to their distribution network in cost of goods sold and others, like the Company, exclude a portion of the costs from gross profit, including the costs instead in a line item such as operating and administrative expenses.

 

Operating and Administrative Expenses. Operating and administrative expenses increased $3.5 million or 3.0% to $121.6 million for the three months ended March 26, 2005, from $118.0 million for the three months ended March 27, 2004. As a percentage of sales, operating and administrative expenses decreased to 21.8% for the three months ended March 26, 2005 compared to 22.6% for the three months ended March 27, 2004. A variety of factors contributed to the dollar increase.

 

A breakdown of the major increases (decreases) in operating and administrative expenses is as follows:

 

     Increase
(decrease)
in millions


   

Increase
(decrease)
as a %

of sales


 

Salaries and wages

   $ 2.8     (0.1 )%

Professional fees

   $ 0.9     0.2  %

Taxes and licenses

   $ 0.7     —    %

Advertising and promotion

   $ (0.6 )   (0.2 )%

Rent expense

   $ (0.7 )   (0.2 )%

 

Salaries and wages increased in dollars due to additional labor hours required for the increased sales volume but decreased to 9.1% of sales for the March 2005 quarter compared to 9.2% for the March 2004 quarter.

 

Professional fees increased primarily due to $0.8 million of legal and audit costs incurred during the March 2005 quarter in connection with the previously disclosed internal investigation resulting from an informal SEC inquiry. The Company anticipates additional costs to be incurred in the June 2005 quarter related to the ongoing informal inquiry.

 

Taxes and licenses increased primarily due to increased property tax expense and higher payroll taxes as a result of increased salaries and wages.

 

Advertising and promotion expense decreased in conjunction with a change in vendor for the production of the Company’s direct mail advertising. The Company brought certain functions in-house that were provided by the previous direct mail vendor.

 

Rent expense declined due primarily to increased sub-lease activity on previously closed store properties.

 

Rental Income, Net. Rental income, net decreased $0.7 million to $1.1 million for the March 2005 quarter from $1.8 million for the March 2004 quarter. Gross rental income decreased $0.5 million, while shopping center expenses increased $0.2 million. The sale of a shopping center in September 2004 in which Ingles was not a tenant, the relocation of several drug stores from shopping centers to stand alone sites and the relocation of a significant tenant in a stand alone retail store owned by the Company all decreased gross rental income.

 

Other Income, Net. Other income, net decreased $4.0 million to $0.2 million for the three-month period ended March 26, 2005 from $4.2 million for the three-month period ended March 27, 2004. During the March 2004 quarter, the Company sold a shopping center in which it no longer operated a store for a gain of $3.8 million.

 

Interest Expense. Interest expense decreased $0.8 million for the three-month period ended March 26, 2005 to $12.9 million from $13.7 million for the three-month period ended March 27, 2004. Total debt at March 26, 2005 was $586.5 million compared to $620.0 million at March 27, 2004.

 

Income Taxes. Income tax expense as a percentage of pre-tax income increased to 38.2% in the March 2005 quarter compared to 36.2% in the March 2004 quarter due to a larger percentage of income allocated to higher tax jurisdictions.

 

Net Income. Net income decreased $1.7 million or 24.5% for the three-month period ended March 26, 2005 to $5.5 million compared to $7.2 million for the three-month period ended March 27, 2004. As noted above, the March 2004 quarter included a $3.8 million pre-tax gain ($2.5 million net of income tax) on the sale of a shopping center. Net income, as a percentage of sales, was 1.0% for the March 2005 quarter and 1.4% for the March 2004 quarter. Basic and diluted earnings per share were $0.23 and $0.31 for the March 2005 and March 2004 quarters, respectively.

 

Six Months Ended March 26, 2005 Compared to the Six Months Ended March 27, 2004

 

Net Sales. Net sales for the six months ended March 26, 2005 increased 5.8% to $1.12 billion, compared to $1.06 billion for the six months ended March 27, 2004. Comparable store sales increased $55.4 million or 5.6% for the same period. Sales improved in each department; however sales in the perishable departments increased at a higher rate than the non-perishable departments, with the exception of the pharmacy and gasoline departments as noted above in the three-month discussion.

 

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Net sales to outside parties for the Company’s milk processing subsidiary increased $4.8 million or 9.5% in the March 2005 six-month period compared to the March 2004 six-month period due to the increased raw milk costs mentioned above in the three-month discussion.

 

Sales comparisons for the three and six-month periods were affected by the timing of the Easter holiday, as described in the three-month discussion. Excluding the effect of Easter, comparable store sales increased $50.0 million, or 5.2%, for the six month 2005 period compared to the six month 2004 period.

 

The Company expects moderate sales growth in the remainder of fiscal year 2005 as sales comparisons are made to the high sales growth experienced in fiscal 2004 and due to the effect of Easter related sales discussed above. The Company expects that both the maturation of new and expanded stores and successful promotional efforts will continue to drive sales growth.

 

Gross Profit. Gross profit for the six months ended March 26, 2005 increased $13.5 million or 5.0% to $284.0 million compared to $270.5 million, for the six months ended March 27, 2004. As a percent of sales, gross profit decreased to 25.4% for the six months ended March 26, 2005 from 25.6% for the six months ended March 27, 2004 for reasons described in the three-month discussion. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was comparable at 25.5% and 25.4% for the first and second quarters of fiscal 2005, respectively.

 

Gross profit for the Company’s milk processing subsidiary for the March 2005 six-month period increased $1.0 million or 11.2% to $10.1 million, or 12.9% of sales compared to $9.1 million or 12.4% of sales for the March 2004 six-month period. Higher cream prices contributed to the increase in gross profit in dollars and as a percentage of sales. Excess cream is produced in the processing of milk and is sold in bulk to producers of ice cream and cheese. The sale of excess cream is accounted for as a reduction to cost of goods sold.

 

Operating and Administrative Expenses. Operating and administrative expenses increased $7.7 million or 3.3% to $244.3 million for the six months ended March 26, 2005, from $236.6 million for the six months ended March 27, 2004. As a percentage of sales, operating and administrative expenses decreased to 21.8% for the March 2005 six-month period from 22.4% for the March 2004 six-month period. A variety of factors contributed to the dollar increase.

 

A breakdown of the major increases (decreases) in operating and administrative expenses is as follows:

 

     Increase
(decrease)
in millions


   

Increase
(decrease)
as a %

of sales


 

Salaries and wages

   $ 4.3     (0.1 )%

Professional fees

   $ 2.3     0.2  %

Bank charges

   $ 1.0     0.1  %

Taxes and licenses

   $ 1.0     —    %

Advertising and promotion

   $ (1.3 )   (0.2 )%

 

Salaries and wages increased in dollars due to additional labor hours required for the increased sales volume but decreased to 9.1% of sales for the March 2005 six-month period compared to 9.2% for the comparable 2004 period.

 

Professional fees increased primarily due to $1.9 million of legal and audit costs incurred during the March 2005 six month period in connection with the previously disclosed internal investigation resulting from an informal SEC inquiry. The Company anticipates additional costs to be incurred related to the ongoing informal inquiry.

 

Bank charges rose primarily due to increased fees for processing debit and credit cards. The increase is a result of both increased usage of cards and increased transaction fees related to the usage.

 

Taxes and licenses increased primarily due to increased property tax expense and higher payroll taxes as a result of increased salaries and wages.

 

Advertising and promotion expense decreased in conjunction with a change in vendor for the production of the Company’s direct mail advertising. The Company brought certain functions in-house that were provided by the previous direct mail vendor.

 

Rental Income, Net. Rental income, net decreased $0.7 million to $2.5 million in the March 2005 six-month period from $3.2 million in the March 2004 six-month period. Gross rental income decreased $0.6 million, while shopping center expenses increased $0.1 million. The sale of a shopping center in September 2004 in which Ingles was not a tenant, the relocation of several drug stores from shopping centers to stand alone sites and the relocation of a significant tenant in a stand alone retail store owned by the Company all decreased gross rental income.

 

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Other Income, Net. Other income, net decreased $4.8 million for the March 2005 six-month period over the comparable period in fiscal 2004. During the March 2004 six-month period, the Company sold a shopping center in which it no longer operated a store for a gain of $3.8 million and an out-parcel adjacent to an existing shopping center for a gain of $1.0 million.

 

Interest Expense. Interest expense decreased $1.6 million to $26.0 million for the six months ended March 26, 2005 from $27.6 million for the six months ended March 27, 2004. Total debt at March 26, 2005 was $586.5 million compared to $620.0 million at March 27, 2004.

 

Income Taxes. Income tax expense as a percentage of pre-tax income increased to 37.9% in the March 2005 six-month period from 36.2% in the March 2004 six-month period due to a larger percentage of income allocated to higher tax jurisdictions.

 

Net Income. Net income increased $0.9 million or 9.2% for the March 2005 six-month period to $10.5 million, compared to $9.6 million, for the March 2004 six-month period. Basic and diluted earnings per common share were $0.44 and $0.42 for the March 2005 and March 2004 six-month periods, respectively. Net income was 0.9% of sales in both periods. As noted above, the six months ended March 27, 2004 included $4.8 million of gains ($3.1 million net of tax) on the sale of real property.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Capital Expenditures

 

The Company believes that a key to its ability to continue to develop a loyal customer base is providing conveniently located, clean and modern stores which provide customers with good service and a broad selection of competitively priced products. As such, the Company has invested and will continue to invest significant amounts of capital toward the modernization of its store base. The Company’s modernization program includes the opening of new stores, the completion of major remodels and expansion of selected existing stores, the relocation of selected existing stores to larger, more convenient locations and the completion of minor remodeling of its remaining existing stores.

 

Capital expenditures totaled $26.8 million for the six-month period ended March 26, 2005 including the completion of one new store, one major remodel/expansion and the purchase of three future store sites. Capital expenditures also included the costs of upgrading and replacing store equipment, technology investments, capital expenditures related to the Company’s distribution operation and its milk processing plant, and expenditures for stores to open later in fiscal 2005 and in fiscal 2006.

 

Ingles’ capital expenditure plans for all of fiscal 2005 include investments of approximately $70.0 million. For the balance of fiscal 2005, the Company plans to open three new stores, one of which will be leased and two of which will be owned, complete one major remodel/expansion, add approximately seven new fuel stations and purchase one store site for future expansion. Expenditure plans will also include investments in stores expected to open in fiscal 2006 as well as technology improvements, upgrading and replacing existing store equipment, warehouse and transportation equipment, and improvements to the Company’s milk processing plant.

 

The Company expects that its net annual capital expenditures will remain in the range of approximately $70.0 to $75.0 million going forward in order to maintain a modern store base. The number of projects pursued during each fiscal year could decline to some degree as the Company increases the average size of stores built. The number of projects may also fluctuate due to the varying costs of the types of projects pursued including new stores, major remodel/expansions or minor remodels. The Company makes decisions on the allocation of capital expenditure dollars based on many factors including the competitive environment, other Company capital initiatives and its financial condition.

 

The Company does not generally enter into commitments for capital expenditures other than on a store-by-store basis at the time it begins construction on a new store or begins a major or minor remodeling project. Construction commitments at March 26, 2005 totaled $16.2 million.

 

Liquidity

 

The Company generated net cash from operations of $21.6 million for the six months ended March 26, 2005 compared to $26.1 million for the comparable 2004 period. Inventory increased by $9.7 million and accounts payable increased $11.8 million for the six months ended March 2005 as a result of increased inventory requirements to support increased sales. Deferred income taxes payable decreased $5.6 million for the six months ended March 2005, due primarily to gains previously deferred for income tax purposes for planned like-kind exchanges. The planned exchanges did not take place within statutory time limits, causing the reversal of previously deferred income taxes.

 

Cash used by investing activities for the March 2005 six-month period totaled $26.6 million comprised primarily of $26.8 million of capital expenditures during the period, partially offset by $0.2 million of proceeds from the sale of assets.

 

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Cash used by financing activities during the March 2005 six-month period totaled $22.8 million including principal payments on long-term debt of $15.9 million and dividend payments of $7.6 million offset in part by cash received from the exercise of stock options of $0.7 million.

 

At March 26, 2005, the Company had committed lines of credit with five banks totaling $135.0 million. No amounts were borrowed under the lines of credit at March 26, 2005; however unused letters of credit totaling $14.7 million reduced the amount available to be drawn under these lines to $120.3 million at March 26, 2005. Of the $135.0 million of committed lines of credit, $120.0 million matures in October 2006 and $15.0 million matures in October and November 2005. The lines provide the Company with various interest rate options generally at rates less than prime. The Company is not required to maintain compensating balances in connection with these lines of credit. The Company was in compliance with all financial covenants related to these lines of credit at March 26, 2005.

 

The Company has outstanding $349.8 million principal amount of 8 7/8% Senior Unsubordinated Notes (“the Notes”) maturing in December 2011. The indenture governing the Notes contains certain restrictive covenants relating to, among other things, the issuance of indebtedness and the payment of dividends. The Company was in compliance with all financial covenants related to the Notes at March 26, 2005.

 

The Company’s principal sources of liquidity are expected to be cash flow from operations, borrowings under its lines of credit and long-term financing. As of March 26, 2005, the Company had unencumbered real property and equipment with a net book value of approximately $378.5 million. The Company believes, based on its current results of operations and financial condition, that its financial resources, including existing bank lines of credit, short- and long-term financing expected to be available to it and internally generated funds, will be sufficient to meet planned capital expenditures and working capital requirements for the foreseeable future, including any debt service requirements of additional borrowings. However, there can be no assurance that any such sources of financing will be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all.

 

It is possible that, in the future, the Company’s results of operations and financial condition will be different from that described in this report based on a number of intangible factors. These factors may include, among others, increased competition, changing regional and national economic conditions, adverse climatic conditions affecting food production and delivery and changing demographics as well as the additional factors discussed below under “Forward Looking Statements”. It is also possible, for such reasons, that the results of operations from the new, expanded, remodeled and/or replacement stores will not meet or exceed the results of operations from existing stores that are described in this report.

 

Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments

 

There have been no material changes in contractual obligations and commercial commitments subsequent to September 25, 2004.

 

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

The Company is not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements that have, or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future material effect on the Company’s financial condition, revenues, expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

 

Quarterly Cash Dividends

 

Since December 27, 1993, the Company has paid regular quarterly cash dividends of $0.165 (sixteen and one-half cents) per share on its Class A Common Stock and $0.15 (fifteen cents) per share on its Class B Common Stock for an annual rate of $0.66 and $0.60 per share, respectively.

 

The Company expects to continue paying regular cash dividends on a quarterly basis. However, the Board of Directors periodically reconsiders the declaration of dividends. The Company pays these dividends at the discretion of the Board of Directors and the continuation of these payments, the amount of such dividends, and the form in which the dividends are paid (cash or stock) depends upon the results of operations, the financial condition of the Company and other factors which the Board of Directors deems relevant. In addition, certain loan agreements containing provisions outlining minimum tangible net worth requirements restrict the ability of the Company to pay additional dividends to approximately $56.7 million based on tangible net worth at March 26, 2005. Further, the Company is prevented from declaring dividends at any time that it is in default under the indenture governing the Company’s senior subordinated debt. In addition, the terms of the indenture may restrict the ability of the Company to pay additional dividends based on certain financial parameters.

 

Seasonality

 

Sales in the grocery segment of the Company’s business are subject to a slight seasonal variance due to holiday related sales. Sales are traditionally higher in the Company’s first fiscal quarter due to the inclusion of sales related to Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Company’s second fiscal quarter traditionally has the lowest sales of the year, unless Easter falls in that quarter. The fluid dairy segment of the Company’s business has slight seasonal variation to the extent of its sales into the grocery industry. The Company’s real estate segment is not subject to seasonal variations.

 

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Table of Contents

Impact of Inflation

 

Inflation in food prices during the March 2005 quarter and six-month period was lower than the overall increase in the Consumer Price Index. One of the Company’s significant costs is labor, which increases with inflation.

 

New Accounting Pronouncements

 

For new accounting pronouncements, see Note J to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel Decision

 

As has previously been disclosed, the Company was subject to potential delisting proceedings by the Nasdaq Stock Market due to its failure to timely file its Form 10-K for the year ended September 25, 2004 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 25, 2004. On March 16, 2005, the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel (the “Panel”) granted the Company’s request for continued listing on The Nasdaq National Market subject to three conditions. First, by March 31, 2005, the Company had to file its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 25, 2004. This report was filed by the Company on March 18, 2005. Second, the Company had to provide the Panel with additional information regarding the Securities and Exchange Commission’s informal inquiry, which has been provided. Third, the Company must timely file all periodic reports with the SEC and Nasdaq for all reporting periods ending on or before December 31, 2005 and demonstrate continued compliance with all other Nasdaq continued listing criteria.

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This Quarterly Report contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “seek” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. While these forward-looking statements and the related assumptions are made in good faith and reflect the Company’s current judgment regarding the direction of the Company’s business, actual results will almost always vary, sometimes materially, from any estimates, predictions, projections, assumptions or other future performance suggested herein. Such statements are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant risks and uncertainties many of which are beyond the Company’s control. Some of these assumptions inevitably will not materialize, and unanticipated events will occur which will affect the Company’s results. Some important factors (but not necessarily all factors) that affect the Company’s revenues, growth strategies, future profitability and operating results, or that otherwise could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any forward-looking statement, include business and economic conditions generally in the Company’s operating area; the Company’s ability to successfully implement its expansion and operating strategies and to manage rapid expansion; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; the Company’s ability to reduce costs and achieve improvements in operating results; the availability and terms of financing; increases in labor and utility costs; success or failure in the ownership and development of real estate; changes in the laws and government regulations applicable to the Company; whether the ongoing SEC informal inquiry becomes a formal investigation and the ultimate resolution of the SEC’s inquiry; and changes in accounting policies, standards, guidelines or principles as may be adopted by regulatory agencies as well as the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

Consequently, actual events affecting the Company and the impact of such events on the Company’s operations may vary significantly from those described in this report or contemplated or implied by statements in this report.

 

Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

There have been no material changes in market interest rates subsequent to September 25, 2004.

 

Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving the objective that information in its Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified and pursuant to the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, include controls and procedures designed to ensure the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. It should be noted that the Company’s system of controls, however well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, and not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the system are met.

 

As required by SEC Rule 13a-15(b), the Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with participation of its management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures as of March 26, 2005, the end of the period covered by this report. In making this evaluation, it considered matters previously identified and disclosed in connection with the filing of its Form 10-K for fiscal 2004, including the

 

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related weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting identified during the recently completed internal investigation of certain vendor allowances and related accounting. After consideration of the matters discussed above, the Company has concluded that its controls and procedures were not effective in all respects as of the end of the period covered by this report.

 

As was discussed in the Company’s Form 10-K for fiscal 2004, the Company delayed the filing of its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 25, 2004 due to its internal investigation of certain vendor allowances and related accounting in prior periods. In February 2005, the Company filed its fiscal 2004 Form 10-K containing certain restated financial statements and related information for the years ended September 27, 2003 and September 28, 2002 to reflect the proper recognition of vendor allowances in the appropriate accounting periods and to correct the improper accounting for certain revenue and expense items and correcting certain accounting errors related to certain lease transactions in these periods. The Company also filed Forms 10-Q/A for the fiscal quarters ended December 27, 2003, March 27, 2004 and June 26, 2004 to reflect the restatement of its consolidated financial statements included therein, the notes thereto, and related disclosures for such fiscal periods. As a result of the delays created by the internal investigation and restatement, the Company was delayed in the filing of its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 25, 2004.

 

As was disclosed by the Company in its Form 10-K for fiscal 2004, the errors giving rise to the restatements related to the recognition of certain vendor allowances in the Company’s financial statements, the recording of certain other revenue and expense items in the improper accounting period principally due to errors in the financial statement closing process, and errors in the accounting for certain lease transactions.

 

The errors related to the recognition of vendor allowances occurred because of a variety of factors including incomplete or inaccurate information concerning vendor allowances provided internally by certain company associates dealing with vendors, due in certain instances to inappropriate actions of certain former officers of the Company, and the complexity of guidance relating to the accounting for vendor allowances. Prior to and at the beginning of fiscal 2004, the Company implemented additional controls and procedures designed to ensure that information regarding vendor allowances provided internally was complete and accurate, including new requirements regarding the signing of vendor invoices and new approvals for vendor invoices and contracts with vendors, however such controls did not address the reporting or disclosure of previously recorded transactions. The Company believes that these additional controls and procedures substantially corrected any material weakness in existence in prior years relating to the recognition of vendor allowances.

 

In reviewing its controls following the internal investigation, the Company determined that additional training regarding controls over the accounting for vendor allowances is necessary for its accounting and other staff dealing with vendor allowances. Further, the Company has concluded that there were material weaknesses in its internal controls for financial reporting relating to its period closing process and particularly related to its systems and processes between the Company’s accounting department and its real estate department regarding the recognition of tenant reimbursements of expenses paid by the Company. In addition, in a review of its lease transactions, the Company identified accounting errors related to certain lease transactions. These errors resulted from a lack of understanding and communication of the Company’s accounting policies related to accounting for leasehold improvements, incomplete reviews of such transactions and the complexity of guidance for lease accounting.

 

In order to remediate the remaining weaknesses in internal controls, the Company has reviewed the staffing functions in its accounting and real estate departments, including monitoring of compliance with accounting policies and procedures. The Company is considering the hiring of additional staff to supplement existing resources. Further, the Company is providing additional training to its associates. These changes, among others, will allow the accounting department to more closely monitor vendor allowance transactions, its real estate billing processes and lease transactions, and to achieve a more accurate financial statement close and reconciliation process.

 

In connection with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Company will document and test its systems of internal controls for financial reporting in order to provide the basis for evaluation and report on these systems as of the end of its 2005 fiscal year. This documentation is in its early stages and will be affected as to scope and timing by the additional controls described above.

 

At this time the Company has determined that it is probable that management’s assessment of internal controls will conclude that the Company will continue to have a material weakness or weaknesses, although the complete extent of any such material weakness or weaknesses has not been fully determined. If material weaknesses exist, management will be required to conclude, and report in its fiscal 2005 Form 10-K, that its internal control over financial reporting was not effective at September 24, 2005. Likewise, in this event, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm would be required to issue an adverse opinion on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

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Part II. Other Information.

 

Item 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

 

(a) Exhibits.

 

  1) Exhibit 31.1 Rule 13a-14(a) Certificate

 

  2) Exhibit 31.2 Rule 13a-14(a) Certificate

 

  3) Exhibit 32.1 Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350

 

  4) Exhibit 32.2 Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350

 

(b) The Company filed a Form 8-K on December 29, 2004 to announce a notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market that the Company was not in compliance with Nasdaq’s requirement for continued listing of the Company’s securities due to the late filing of its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 25, 2004.

 

The Company filed a Form 8-K on February 8, 2005 furnishing a press release announcing preliminary earnings for fiscal 2004 and its intention to restate prior periods.

 

The Company filed a Form 8-K on February 15, 2005 furnishing a press release announcing financial information for its fourth fiscal quarter and year ended September 25, 2004.

 

The Company filed a Form 8-K on February 22, 2005 to announce an additional notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market that the Company was not in compliance with Nasdaq’s requirement for continued listing of the Company’s securities due to the late filing of its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 25, 2004.

 

The Company filed a Form 8-K on February 25, 2005 to announce the resignation of Brenda Tudor as Vice-President Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

 

The Company filed a Form 8-K on March 18, 2005 furnishing a press release announcing financial information for its first fiscal quarter ended December 25, 2004.

 

The Company filed a Form 8-K on March 22, 2005 to announce the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel had granted the Company’s request for continued listing of the Company’s securities, subject to certain conditions.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Form 10-Q to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

    INGLES MARKETS, INCORPORATED
Date: May 5, 2005  

/s/ Robert P. Ingle


    Robert P. Ingle
    Chief Executive Officer
Date: May 5, 2005  

/s/ Ronald B. Freeman


    Ronald B. Freeman
    Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer

 

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