LSI INDUSTRIES INC annual report, FY2017

LSI Industries Inc. — Fiscal 2017 Form 10-K Summary

Reporting period: Fiscal year ended June 30, 2017. The filing is not a fiscal 2016 Q4 filing; it includes fiscal 2017 annual results and unaudited quarterly data, including the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Business Context

LSI provides integrated lighting, graphics, digital signage, technology, installation, engineering and project-management solutions. Fiscal 2017 net sales were generated primarily by Lighting, which represented 72% of sales, followed by Graphics at 22% and Technology at 6%. Approximately 30% of sales came from the petroleum and convenience-store market.

On February 21, 2017, LSI acquired Atlas Lighting Products, a manufacturer of LED lighting products sold through electrical distribution. Atlas contributed $17.8 million of sales and $1.8 million of operating income after acquisition.

Key Financial Metrics

MetricFY2017FY2016Change
Net sales$331.4 million$322.2 millionUp 2.9%
Gross profit$81.9 million$83.7 millionDown 2.1%
Gross margin24.7%26.0%Down 130 basis points
Operating income$3.6 million$14.0 millionDown 74.1%
Net income$3.0 million$9.5 millionDown 68.4%
Diluted EPS$0.12$0.37Down $0.25
Cash flow from operations$21.0 million$17.8 millionUp $3.2 million
Capital expenditures$6.6 million$10.2 millionDown $3.6 million

Reported FY2017 adjusted operating income was $7.3 million versus $14.4 million in FY2016. Adjusted net income was $5.0 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, versus $9.8 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, in FY2016. These non-GAAP measures exclude selected restructuring, severance, acquisition, impairment and inventory-adjustment items.

Segment Performance

SegmentFY2017 SalesFY2017 Operating IncomeChange in SalesChange in Operating Income
Lighting$239.0 million$10.6 millionUp 5.3%Down 33.1%
Graphics$72.4 million$2.4 millionDown 7.1%Down 53.5%
Technology$20.0 million$3.9 millionUp 15.3%Down 0.4%

LED lighting sales increased 20.0% to $186.5 million and represented 78.0% of Lighting sales, compared with 68.5% in FY2016. However, Lighting sales excluding Atlas declined 2.5%, reflecting a soft market, particularly in the second half of the year. Graphics sales declined because of lower petroleum/convenience-store, drug-store and grocery-market activity.

Liquidity, Debt and Cash Flow

  • Cash and cash equivalents were $3.0 million at June 30, 2017, compared with $33.8 million a year earlier.
  • Working capital declined to $61.7 million from $88.5 million; the current ratio declined to 2.36 from 3.26.
  • Long-term debt was $49.7 million at year-end, compared with no long-term debt in FY2016. The debt was drawn primarily to fund the Atlas acquisition.
  • LSI had a secured $100 million revolving credit facility expiring in the third quarter of fiscal 2022. Approximately $50.3 million was available at June 30, 2017 and $49.9 million was available as of August 25, 2017.
  • The Company reported compliance with all loan covenants and stated that operating cash flow and available borrowing capacity were adequate for fiscal 2018 operating and capital needs.
  • Investing cash outflow was $98.6 million, including $95.1 million for Atlas and $6.6 million of capital expenditures. Financing activities provided $46.8 million, primarily from net debt borrowings.
  • Net accounts receivable increased to $48.9 million, and days sales outstanding increased to 52 days from 47 days. Inventory increased to $50.0 million from $44.1 million.
  • The indicated annual dividend rate was $0.20 per share, or $0.05 quarterly.

Material Changes, Unusual Items and Outlook

  • Operating performance was pressured by 5% to 6% material inflation, especially in steel, aluminum, copper and other commodities. Customer price increases did not fully offset the cost increases.
  • FY2017 included $1.5 million of restructuring costs in cost of sales, a $0.5 million finite-lived intangible impairment, $1.6 million of acquisition deal costs and $0.5 million of non-restructuring severance costs. The Company also recorded a $1.4 million gain on the sale of the Kansas City facility.
  • LSI closed its Kansas City fluorescent-lighting facility, consolidated its Beaverton, Oregon facility and began consolidating the Woonsocket, Rhode Island graphics operation into North Canton, Ohio. The Woonsocket facility was classified as held for sale at $1.5 million.
  • Management stated that lighting and graphics market softness continued into the first months of fiscal 2018. Elevated material prices were also expected to continue in the short term.
  • The FY2017 effective tax rate was unusually low at 2.6%, compared with 32.3% in FY2016, due to permanent book-tax differences, tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions and disqualifying dispositions, and a valuation-reserve reduction associated with the Kansas City facility sale.
  • Goodwill impairment testing resulted in no goodwill impairment. A $479,000 customer-relationship intangible asset impairment was recorded in the Graphics Segment.
  • Management and the independent auditor concluded that internal control over financial reporting was effective as of June 30, 2017. However, Atlas, representing 39% of consolidated assets and 5% of fiscal sales, was excluded from management’s internal-control evaluation because it was acquired during the year.
  • The Company expects to adopt the new revenue-recognition standard no later than July 1, 2018. It expects limited impact on total revenue, but timing could change for certain installation-related projects.

Principal Risks

  • Economic, cyclical and seasonal conditions affecting commercial, industrial, retail, petroleum and convenience-store markets.
  • Competitive pricing pressure and the risk that commodity inflation or supply shortages reduce margins.
  • Concentration in the petroleum/convenience-store market and dependence on major customers and re-imaging programs.
  • Risks associated with integrating Atlas, realizing expected acquisition benefits and managing increased goodwill and intangible assets.
  • Potential inventory write-offs for customer-specific graphics and image-conversion programs if customers cancel or change programs.
  • Warranty, product-development, technology-obsolescence, credit-collection, litigation, environmental, cybersecurity and key-personnel risks.

Investor Verification Checklist

  • Verify Atlas’s post-acquisition sales, operating contribution, purchase accounting and the $49.7 million year-end debt balance.
  • Assess whether Lighting and Graphics market softness and 5% to 6% material inflation persisted beyond the filing date.
  • Review normalized earnings excluding restructuring, acquisition, impairment, severance and tax-related items, while considering which costs may recur.
  • Monitor leverage, covenant compliance, cash conversion, receivables days and inventory levels following the acquisition.
  • Evaluate the sustainability of the $0.20 annual dividend against reduced earnings and increased debt service.
  • Review the effectiveness and integration of Atlas’s internal controls, which were excluded from the fiscal year-end control assessment.
  • Confirm the status and expected proceeds from the Woonsocket facility held for sale and any remaining restructuring obligations.