UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 8-K

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

Date of Report:
(Date of earliest event reported)

April 3, 2012


CONN’S, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)


000-50421

 

06-1672840

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

3295 College Street

Beaumont, Texas  77701

(Address of Principal Executive Offices and zip code)

 (409) 832-1696
(Registrant’s telephone
number, including area code)

N/A
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




Item 2.02  Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On April 3, 2012, the Company issued a press release announcing its earnings for its fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended January 31, 2012.  A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01(c) Exhibits.

Exhibit 99.1        Press Release, dated April 3, 2012.

All of the information contained in Item 2.02 and Item 9.01(c) in this Form 8-K and the accompanying exhibit shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall not be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

2

SIGNATURE

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 hereunto duly authorized.


CONN'S, INC.

 
 

Date:

April 3, 2012

By:

/s/ Michael J. Poppe

 

Michael J. Poppe

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

3

EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No.

Description

 
99.1

Press Release, dated April 3, 2012, for fiscal quarter and year

ended January 31, 2012 Earnings

4

Exhibit 99.1

Conn’s, Inc. Reports Results for the Quarter Ended January 31, 2012

BEAUMONT, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2012--Conn’s, Inc. (NASDAQ: CONN), a specialty retailer of consumer electronics, home appliances, furniture, mattresses, computers and lawn and garden products today announced its operating and financial results for the quarter ended January 31, 2012.

Significant items for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 include:

“We are pleased to report improved profitability in both our credit and retail segments,” stated Theodore M. Wright, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Sales and gross margins are increasing. Combined February and March same store sales grew 16.1% and retail gross margin for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 to date is above fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 levels. We are on track with our store opening plans and are looking forward to returning to unit growth after a period of retrenchment.”

Retail Segment Results

The increase in net sales during the quarter was driven by higher average selling prices in all major categories and increased furniture and mattress unit sales. The retail segment’s adjusted retail gross margin increased to 29.7% in the current-year quarter, from 25.1% in the same quarter of the prior year (the retail gross margins presented have been revised to reflect certain vendor rebates that were previously reported as a reduction of advertising expense in Selling, general and administrative expense, as a reduction of Cost of goods sold). The increase in the retail gross margin was driven by an increase in higher-margin furniture and mattress sales as a percent of total product sales, improved product gross margins and increased sales penetration of repair service agreements. During January 2012, the Company closed five underperforming locations, resulting in $5.1 million of store closing costs and long-lived asset impairment charges.

Credit Segment Results

The Company changed its presentation of net charge-offs and the provision for bad debts to be more consistent with finance industry practice. The impact of the change was to reflect the charges for repair service and credit insurance agreements related to credit account charge-offs in net charge-offs and the provision for bad debts. There was no effect on operating income or net income (loss) as a result of the presentation change.


The credit segment’s results, compared to the same quarter in the prior year, were impacted by:

Given the underwriting and collection practice changes made during the past year, and the change in retail sales trends, the Company expects to see:

More information on the credit portfolio and its performance may be found in the table included within this press release and in the Company’s Form 10-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Company reported net income of $7.7 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.24 for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, compared to a net loss of $3.6 million, or a diluted loss per share of $0.12, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011. Adjusted net income, considering the impact of the store closing costs and long-lived asset impairment charges, was $11.0 million, or adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.34, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.

Capital and Liquidity

As of January 31, 2012, there was $313.3 million, excluding $1.3 million of letters of credit, outstanding under the asset-based loan facility. Additionally, as of January 31, 2012, the Company had $79.1 million of immediately available borrowing capacity, and an additional $56.3 million that could become available upon increases in eligible inventory and customer receivable balances under the borrowing base. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had paid down the balance outstanding under its asset-based loan facility by $43.8 million, leaving $269.5 million outstanding, and increasing immediately available borrowing capacity to approximately $120 million.


Outlook and Guidance

The Company updated earnings guidance for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2013, to diluted earnings per share of $1.20 to $1.30. The following factors were considered in developing the guidance:

Conference Call Information

Conn’s, Inc. will host a conference call and audio webcast today, April 3, 2012, at 10:00 AM, CDT, to discuss its financial results for the quarter ended January 31, 2012. A link to the live webcast, which will be archived for one year, and slides to be referred to during the call will be available at IR.Conns.com. Participants can join the call by dialing 877-754-5302 or 678-894-3020. Additionally, the Company has posted an updated investor presentation to its investor relations web page.

About Conn’s, Inc.

The Company is a specialty retailer currently operating 65 retail locations in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma: with 22 stores in the Houston area, 15 in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, seven in San Antonio, three in Austin, five in Southeast Texas, one in Corpus Christi, four in South Texas, six in Louisiana and two in Oklahoma. The Company’s primary product categories include:

Additionally, the Company offers a variety of products on a seasonal basis, including lawn and garden equipment, and continues to introduce additional product categories for the home to help respond to its customers' product needs and to increase same store sales. Unlike many of its competitors, the Company provides flexible in-house credit options for its customers, in addition to third-party financing programs and third-party rent-to-own payment plans. In the last three years, the Company financed, on average, approximately 61%, including down payments, of its retail sales under its in-house financing plan.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "could," "estimate," "should," "anticipate," or "believe," or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The actual future performance of the Company could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to:


Further information on these risk factors is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company is not obligated to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect the events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.


Conn's, Inc.
CONDENSED, CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited)
(in thousands, except earnings per share)
                     
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Revenues
Total net sales $ 189,671 $ 181,908 $ 653,684 $ 662,725
Finance charges and other   37,000     36,748     138,618     146,050  
Total revenues 226,671 218,656 792,302 808,775
Cost and expenses
Cost of goods and parts sold, including
warehousing and occupancy costs 132,273 136,677

462,020

482,475
Selling, general and administrative expense 62,491 60,902

237,911

239,806
Costs and impairment charges related
to store closings 5,082 2,321 9,115 2,321
Provision for bad debts   10,440     13,912     53,555     51,404  
Total cost and expenses   210,286     213,812     762,601     776,006  
Operating income 16,385 4,844 29,701 32,769
Interest expense, net 3,978 7,846 22,457 28,080
Costs related to financing facilities
terminated and transactions not completed - 1,387 - 4,283
Loss from early extinguishment of debt - - 11,056 -
Other (income) expense, net   (11 )   173     70     340  
Income (loss) before income taxes 12,418 (4,562 ) (3,882 ) 66
Provision (benefit) for income taxes   4,717     (984 )   (159 )   1,138  
Net income (loss) $ 7,701   $ (3,578 ) $ (3,723 ) $ (1,072 )
 
Earnings (loss) per share
Basic $ 0.24 $ (0.12 ) $ (0.12 ) $ (0.04 )
Diluted $ 0.24 $ (0.12 ) $ (0.12 ) $ (0.04 )
Average common shares outstanding
Basic 31,997

29,491

31,860 26,091
Diluted 32,572

29,491

31,860 26,091
 

Notes:


 
Conn's, Inc. - Retail Segment
CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
(unaudited)
(dollars in thousands)
                           
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Revenues
Product sales $ 173,446 $ 168,951 $ 596,360 $ 608,443
Repair service agreement commissions 12,629 9,179 42,078 37,795
Service revenues   3,596     3,778     15,246     16,487  
Total net sales   189,671     181,908     653,684     662,725  
Finance charges and other   657     176     1,335     858  
Total revenues   190,328     182,084     655,019     663,583  
Cost and expenses
Cost of goods sold, including
warehousing and occupancy costs 130,719 135,032

455,493

474,696
Cost of parts sold, including
warehousing and occupancy costs 1,554 1,645 6,527 7,779
Selling, general and administrative expense 48,631 44,765

180,641

175,777
Costs and impairment charges related
to store closings 5,082 2,321 9,115 2,321
Provision for bad debts   121     149     590     817  
Total cost and expenses   186,107     183,912     652,366     661,390  
Operating income (loss) 4,221 (1,828 ) 2,653 2,193
Other (income) expense, net   (11 )   173     70     340  
Segment income (loss) before income taxes $ 4,232   $ (2,001 ) $ 2,583   $ 1,853  
 
Retail gross margin 29.7 % 24.2 % 28.7 % 26.5 %
Selling, general and administrative expense
as percent of revenues 25.6 % 24.6 % 27.6 % 26.5 %
Operating margin 2.2 % (1.0 %) 0.4 % 0.3 %
Number of stores, end of period 65 76 65 76
 

 
Conn's, Inc. - Credit Segment
CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
                           
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Revenues
Finance charges and other $ 36,343   $ 36,572   $ 137,283   $ 145,192  
Total revenues   36,343     36,572     137,283     145,192  
Cost and expenses
Selling, general and administrative expense 13,860 16,137 57,270 64,029
Provision for bad debts   10,319     13,763     52,965     50,587  
Total cost and expenses   24,179     29,900     110,235     114,616  
Operating income 12,164 6,672 27,048 30,576
Interest expense, net 3,978 7,846 22,457 28,080
Costs related to financing facilities terminated
and transactions not completed - 1,387 - 4,283
Loss from early extinguishment of debt   -     -     11,056     -  
Segment income (loss) before income taxes $ 8,186   $ (2,561 ) $ (6,465 ) $ (1,787 )
 
Selling, general and administrative expense
as percent of revenues 38.1 % 44.1 % 41.7 % 44.1 %
Operating margin 33.5 % 18.2 % 19.7 % 21.1 %
 
 
MANAGED PORTFOLIO STATISTICS
(dollars in thousands, except average outstanding balance per account)
                   
 
Year ended January 31,
2012 2011 2010 2009
 
Total accounts 484,169 525,950 551,312 537,957
Total outstanding balance $ 643,301 $ 675,766 $ 736,041 $ 753,513
Average outstanding balance per account $ 1,329 $ 1,285 $ 1,335 $ 1,401
Weighted average origination credit score of
sales financed 621 624 620 612
Weighted average credit score of
outstanding balances 602 591 586 585
Balance 60+ days delinquent $ 55,190 $ 58,042 $ 73,391 $ 55,141
Percent 60+ days delinquent 8.6 % 8.6 % 10.0 % 7.3 %
Percent 60-209 days delinquent 8.6 % 7.0 % 8.3 % 6.0 %
Percent of portfolio re-aged 13.8 % 19.8 % 20.2 % 18.8 %
Weighted average monthly payment rate (YTD) 5.60 % 5.37 % 5.23 % 5.48 %
Net charge-off ratio (YTD annualized) 7.5 % 7.3 % 5.0 % 4.4 %
 

Note: The net charge-off ratio for the year ended January 31, 2012, is impacted by the additional $5.9 million charged-off as a result of the charge-off policy change earlier in the fiscal year, which impacted the net charge-off ratio by approximately 90 basis points.


 
Conn's, Inc.
CONDENSED, CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
             
 
January 31, January 31,
2012 2011
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,265 $ 10,977
Other accounts receivable, net 38,715 30,476
Customer accounts receivable, net 316,385 337,673
Inventories 62,540 82,354
Deferred income taxes

17,111

19,478
Prepaid expenses and other assets   11,994   10,418
Total current assets

453,010

491,376
Non-current deferred income tax asset

9,754

8,009
Long-term customer accounts receivable, net 272,938 285,667
Total property and equipment, net 38,484 46,890
Other assets, net   9,564   10,118
Total assets $ 783,750 $ 842,060
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current Liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt $ 726 $ 167
Accounts payable 44,711 57,740
Accrued compensation and related expenses 7,213 5,477
Accrued expenses 24,482 16,045
Other current liabilities   17,994   22,925
Total current liabilities 95,126 102,354
Long-term debt 320,978 373,569
Other long-term liabilities 14,275

13,240

Total stockholders' equity   353,371   352,897
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 783,750 $

842,060

 

 
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME (LOSS), AS ADJUSTED
AND DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE, AS ADJUSTED
(unaudited)
(in thousands, except earnings per share)
                           
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Net income (loss), as reported $ 7,701 $ (3,578 ) $ (3,723 ) $ (1,072 )
Adjustments:
Costs and impairment charges related to store closings 5,082 2,321 9,115 2,321
Costs related to financing facilities terminated
and transactions not completed - 1,387 - 4,283
Loss from early extinguishment of debt - - 11,056 -
Severance costs - - 813 -
Inventory reserve adjustments - 1,651 4,669 1,651
Charge to record reserves required by the adoption
of troubled debt restructuring accounting guidance - - 27,487 -
Reserves previously provided related to accounts
considered restructured under the troubled debt
restructuring accounting guidance - - (13,350 ) -
Tax impact of adjustments   (1,789 )   (1,886 )   (14,006 )   (2,906 )
Net income (loss), as adjusted $ 10,994   $ (105 ) $ 22,061   $ 4,277  
 
Average common shares
outstanding - Diluted 32,572

29,491

31,860 26,091
 
Earnings (loss) per share - Diluted
As reported $ 0.24 $ (0.12 ) $ (0.12 ) $ (0.04 )
As adjusted $ 0.34 $ (0.00 ) $ 0.69 $ 0.16
 

 
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION OF RETAIL SEGMENT
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS), AS ADJUSTED
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
                   
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Operating income (loss), as reported $ 4,221 $ (1,828 ) $ 2,653 $ 2,193
Adjustments:
Inventory adjustments - 1,651 4,669 1,651
Costs and impairment charges related
to store closings   5,082   2,321     9,115   2,321
Operating income, as adjusted $ 9,303 $ 2,144   $ 16,437 $ 6,165
 
 
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION OF RETAIL SEGMENT
GROSS MARGIN, AS ADJUSTED
(unaudited)
(dollars in thousands)
                           
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Product sales, as reported $ 173,446 $ 168,951 $ 596,360 $ 608,443
Repair service agreement commissions,
as reported   12,629     9,179     42,078     37,795  
186,075 178,130 638,438 646,238
Cost of goods sold, including warehousing and
occupancy costs, as reported   130,719     135,032     455,493     474,696  
Gross Profit, as reported $ 55,356   $ 43,098   $ 182,945   $ 171,542  
Gross Margin, as reported 29.7 % 24.2 % 28.7 % 26.5 %
Adjustments:
Inventory reserve adjustments   -     1,651     4,669     1,651  
Gross Profit, as adjusted $ 55,356   $ 44,749   $ 187,614   $ 173,193  

Gross Margin, as adjusted

29.7 % 25.1 % 29.4 % 26.8 %
 

 
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION OF CREDIT SEGMENT
OPERATING INCOME, AS ADJUSTED
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
                     
 
Three Months Ended

January 31,

Year Ended

January 31,

2012 2011 2012 2011
Operating income, as reported $ 12,164 $ 6,672 $ 27,048 $ 30,576
Adjustments:
Charge to record reserves required by the
adoption of troubled debt restructuring
accounting guidance - - 27,487 -
Reserves previously recorded related to accounts
considered restructured under the troubled debt
restructuring accounting guidance   -   -   (13,350 )   -
Operating income, as adjusted $ 12,164 $ 6,672 $ 41,185   $ 30,576
 

Basis for presentation of non-GAAP disclosures:

To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), the Company also provides adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per diluted share information. These non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures but should be considered in addition to results presented in accordance with GAAP, and are intended to provide additional insight into the Company’s operations and the factors and trends affecting the Company’s business. The Company’s management believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to financial statement readers because (1) they allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics the Company uses in its financial and operational decision making and (2) they are used by some of its institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze the Company’s operating results.

Conn-F

CONTACT:
Conn’s, Inc., Beaumont
Mike Poppe, (409) 832-1696 Ext. 3294
Chief Financial Officer
or
Investors:
S.M. Berger & Company
Andrew Berger, (216) 464-6400