FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC quarterly report, Q2 FY2016

Flexible Solutions International Inc. — Form 10-Q Summary

Business Context and Reporting Period

Quarterly report for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, filed August 12, 2016. The company develops and sells water- and energy-conservation chemicals, including HEATSAVR and WATERSAVR, and biodegradable polymers and chemical additives used primarily in petroleum, chemical, utility, mining, agriculture, detergent and consumer-care applications.

The company operates in two reportable segments: Energy and Water Conservation Products (EWCP) and Biodegradable Polymers and Chemical Additives (BPCA). The financial statements are unaudited and prepared under U.S. GAAP.

Key Financial Metrics

MetricThree Months Ended June 30, 2016Three Months Ended June 30, 2015Six Months Ended June 30, 2016Six Months Ended June 30, 2015
Sales$3.733 million$3.901 million$9.046 million$8.865 million
Gross profit$1.983 million$1.627 million$4.222 million$3.526 million
Gross margin53.1%41.7%46.7%39.8%
Operating expenses$1.054 million$1.022 million$1.993 million$1.988 million
Net income$561,237$318,671$1.303 million$822,936
Net margin15.0%8.2%14.4%9.3%
Basic diluted EPS$0.05$0.02$0.11$0.06

For the six months, operating cash flow was $1.248 million versus $779,357 in the prior-year period. Investing cash flow was $(80,100), including $79,750 of equipment purchases. Financing cash flow was $(1.126) million, primarily reflecting the $1.575 million repurchase of common stock, partially offset by $550,000 of additional line-of-credit borrowings. Ending cash and cash equivalents were $2.581 million, compared with $1.126 million at June 30, 2015.

At June 30, 2016, current assets were $8.633 million and current liabilities were $2.225 million. Reported working capital was $6.408 million. Debt consisted of $750,000 outstanding under the short-term revolving line of credit and $653,879 of long-term debt, including its current portion. The company reported compliance with all loan covenants.

Total assets were $14.392 million, total liabilities were $2.667 million and stockholders’ equity was $11.714 million. The company had $2.006 million of accounts receivable and $3.221 million of inventory. Three customers represented 58% of six-month sales and 58% of accounts receivable at June 30, 2016.

Material Changes Versus the Prior Comparable Period

  • Six-month sales increased 2.0%, while second-quarter sales decreased 4.3%. The six-month increase was driven principally by higher EWCP sales from new customers; second-quarter BPCA sales declined because of lower customer orders.
  • Gross profit increased 19.7% for the six months and 21.9% for the quarter. Management attributed the margin improvement primarily to lower aspartic acid costs resulting from lower oil prices.
  • Six-month net income increased 58.3%; quarterly net income increased 76.1%. The improvement reflected higher gross profit, lower interest expense, and a $1,914 gain on equipment sales compared with losses in the prior-year periods.
  • Operating expenses were broadly stable for the six months. Lower rent, consulting, professional fees, interest and utilities were partly offset by higher office and miscellaneous costs, travel, research and commissions.
  • The company repurchased and cancelled 1.75 million common shares on January 6, 2016 for $1.575 million at $0.90 per share, reducing shares outstanding and capital in excess of par value.
  • The short-term line of credit balance increased to $750,000 from $200,000 at December 31, 2015. The line permits borrowings up to the lesser of $3.0 million or specified percentages of eligible receivables and inventory and bears interest at 4.0%.
  • Long-term debt decreased to $653,879 from $754,475 at December 31, 2015 through scheduled repayments.

Outlook, Commentary, Risks and Unusual Items

  • The Taber, Alberta, aspartic-acid plant remains suspended. Management is seeking a partner to complete process development and reach profitable production levels. The suspension is expected to save approximately $800,000 annually in plant operating and general and administrative costs.
  • Management identified crude-oil prices, activity in the oil and gas industry, and drought conditions as factors that may materially affect future results. The company also expects future client-building efforts and regulatory-compliance research to affect expenses.
  • Management stated that existing cash resources are sufficient for expected commitments and cash-flow requirements for the coming year and that no significant capital requirements are anticipated through December 31, 2016, other than disclosed commitments.
  • Lease commitments total approximately $303,963 through December 31, 2020. The company also has scheduled debt repayments, including $100,598 in 2016, $201,193 in 2017, $201,193 in 2018 and $150,895 in 2019.
  • A $500,000 short-term note receivable issued June 22, 2016 at 5% annual interest was repaid with interest on July 25, 2016.
  • Three customers accounted for 52% of second-quarter sales and 58% of six-month sales. Customer concentration creates exposure to customer loss, order reductions and collection risk.
  • Other risks include competition, economic conditions, interest rates and borrowing costs, regulatory changes, sales weakness, inability to achieve projected operating results, limited capital availability, operational inefficiencies, foreign-exchange fluctuations and dependence on oil-and-gas and agricultural markets. The company does not hedge foreign-exchange exposure.
  • Management concluded that disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of June 30, 2016, and reported no material change in internal control over financial reporting during the quarter.
  • The company adopted specified stock-compensation and consolidation guidance without material impact. It was evaluating the future effects of new revenue-recognition, lease and stock-compensation standards.

Investor Verification Items

  • Verify the sustainability of the improved gross margin and the extent to which lower oil prices, rather than volume or structural efficiency, drove the improvement.
  • Assess BPCA customer concentration, order trends and the effect of oil-and-gas industry activity on future revenue.
  • Monitor the $750,000 revolving-credit balance, borrowing-base availability, interest costs and compliance with financial covenants.
  • Reconcile the reported share counts: the balance sheet states 11,427,991 shares outstanding at June 30, 2016, while the filing cover page appears to show a different figure.
  • Evaluate the commercial prospects and funding requirements for the suspended Taber plant and the likelihood of securing a development partner.
  • Review accounts receivable concentration, inventory levels and cash conversion, particularly because three customers represented 58% of receivables.
  • Confirm the subsequent repayment and interest on the $500,000 note receivable and the August 2016 issuance of 9,000 shares upon employee stock-option exercise.