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):

January 11, 2011

 


 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-11038

 

41-0857886

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification

Incorporation)

 

 

 

Number)

 

4201 Woodland Road

 

 

P.O. Box 69

 

 

Circle Pines, Minnesota

 

55014

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

(763) 225-6600

(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:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 



 

Section 2 — Financial Information

 

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

 

On January 11, 2011, Northern Technologies International Corporation publicly announced its results of operations for the three months ended November 30, 2010.  For further information, please refer to the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated by reference herein.

 

The information contained in this report and the exhibit hereto shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any filings made by Northern Technologies International Corporation under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as may be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Section 9 — Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)         Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

99.1

 

Press Release issued January 11, 2011

 

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.

 

 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES

 

INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Matthew C. Wolsfeld

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Dated: January 12, 2011

 

 

2



 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

 

FORM 8-K

 

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

Method of Filing

99.1

 

Press Release issued January 11, 2011

 

Filed herewith

 

3


Exhibit 99.1

 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

REPORTS INCREASED SALES AND EARNINGS FOR

FIRST QUARTER FISCAL 2011

 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (January 11, 2010) — Northern Technologies International Corporation (NASDAQ: NTIC) today reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Highlights of NTIC’s financial and operating results include:

 

·                  Net income increased 105.4%, to $894,874, or $0.21 per diluted common share, for the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to $435,705, or $0.10 per diluted common share, for the three months ended November 30, 2009.

 

·                  NTIC’s consolidated net sales increased 51.2% to $4,098,441 during the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to the three months ended November 30, 2009.

 

·                  NTIC’s consolidated net sales during the three months ended November 30, 2010 included $517,140 of sales made by Zerust Brazil.  NTIC has consolidated the financial results of Zerust Brazil in NTIC’s consolidated financial statements for first quarter fiscal 2011 and expects to continue to do so going forward.

 

·                  Sales by NTIC’s joint ventures increased 39.1% to $27,101,587 in the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to $19,480,538 in the three months ended November 30, 2009.

 

·                  NTIC received a Department of Defense Phase I contract worth $70,000 for the development of marine biodegradable, biobased, non-plastic waste bags.

 

NTIC’s consolidated net sales increased 51.2% during the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to the three months ended November 30, 2009.  This increase was primarily a result of increased sales of ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting packaging products and services, sales to NTIC’s joint ventures and the consolidation of Zerust Brazil on NTIC’s consolidated financial statements.

 

During the three months ended November 30, 2010, 94.6% of NTIC’s consolidated net sales were derived from sales of ZERUST® products and services, which increased 47.5% to $3,875,428 during the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to $2,627,555 during the three months ended November 30, 2009 due to increased demand primarily as a result of the economic recovery of the domestic manufacturing sector, the addition of new customers and the consolidation of Zerust Brazil. NTIC has focused its sales efforts of ZERUST® products and services by strategically targeting customers with specific corrosion issues in new market areas, including the oil and gas industry and other industrial

 



 

sectors that offer sizable growth opportunities. NTIC’s consolidated net sales during the three months ended November 30, 2010 included $517,140 of sales made by its consolidated subsidiary, Zerust Brazil.

 

“December can be a relatively quiet month for industrial companies. NTIC, however, marked December of 2010 with its first delivery of FlangeSaver™ products to a customer in Russia. We also introduced new products targeted at mitigating a broader range of corrosion problems commonly found damaging Oil & Gas Industry infrastructure”, said G. Patrick Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer of NTIC.

 

During the three months ended November 30, 2010, $223,013, or 5.4% of NTIC’s consolidated net sales were derived from sales of Natur-Tec® products compared to 3.1% during the three months ended November 30, 2009.  Net sales of Natur-Tec® products increased 166.0% during the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to the three months ended November 30, 2009. This increase was primarily due to the addition of new Natur-Tec® distributors on the West Coast of the United States.  In addition, during the three months ended November 30, 2010, NTIC received a Department of Defense Phase I contract worth $70,000 for the development of marine biodegradable, biobased, non-plastic waste bags.

 

Cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales increased slightly to 65.7% for the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to 64.8% for the three months ended November 30, 2009 primarily as a result of slightly reduced margins resulting from a slight increase in raw material prices.

 

NTIC participates in 26 active joint venture arrangements in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Generally, NTIC consolidates the proportional equity results of its joint ventures. NTIC’s income from its joint ventures operations increased 69.4% to $3,146,911 during the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to $1,857,829 during the three months ended November 30, 2009.  The increase in fees for services provided to joint ventures was due primarily to the increase in net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures to $27,101,587 in the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to $19,480,538 in the three months ended November 30, 2009, representing an increase of 39.1%.  This increase in total net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures was primarily a result of the economic recovery, to some extent, of the international manufacturing sector that the NTIC joint venture network serves.

 

G. Patrick Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer of NTIC said, “The majority of our joint ventures enjoyed record fiscal 2011 first quarter sales for our ZERUST® corrosion inhibiting packaging products. We intend to focus on continuing this trend with the introduction of several new ZERUST products over the next few months. Our goal is to keep our company and joint ventures on pace to record our highest level of annual worldwide joint venture sales in history, which should translate to increased fees for services provided to joint ventures and equity in income of joint ventures for NTIC.”

 

NTIC’s total operating expenses increased 48.5% during the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to the three months ended November 30, 2009 primarily as a result of increased selling, general and administrative expenses due primarily to the consolidation of Zerust Brazil on NTIC’s consolidated financial statements and increased personnel and other expenses to support the increased sales efforts with respect to both NTIC’s traditional ZERUST® corrosion inhibiting packaging products and its Natur-Tec® products.

 

Net income increased 105.4%, to $894,874, or $0.21 per diluted common share, for the three months ended November 30, 2010 compared to $435,705, or $.010 per diluted common share, for the three months ended November 30, 2009.  This increase was primarily the result of increased income from NTIC’s corporate joint ventures and holding companies and gross profit partially offset by an increase in operating expenses.

 

NTIC’s working capital was $8,248,855 at November 30, 2010, including $1,302,444 in cash and cash equivalents compared to $5,918,923 at August 31, 2010, including $1,776,162 in cash and cash

 



 

equivalents. Subsequent to the end of first quarter of fiscal 2011, NTIC refinanced its $1,275,000 original principal amount term loan and increased its line of credit with PNC Bank, National Association from $2,500,000 to $3,000,000.  The maturity date of the term loan was changed from May 2011 to January 2016.

 

Outlook

 

For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2011, NTIC continues to expect its net sales to range between $18.0 million and $19.5 million, inclusive of sales made by NTIC’s subsidiary in Brazil, and to recognize net income of $3.6 million to $3.8 million, or $0.84 to $0.88 per diluted share.

 

Webcast

 

NTIC will host a webcast tomorrow morning, January 12, 2010, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Central Standard Time, to review its results of operations for first quarter fiscal 2011, followed by a question and answer session.

 

The live audio webcast will be available to interested parties at http://ir.ntic.com/events.cfm, where it will be archived and accessible for approximately one year.

 

Financial Results

 

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2010 AND 2009

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

November 30,
2010

 

November 30,
2009

 

NET SALES:

 

 

 

 

 

Net sales, excluding joint ventures

 

$

3,446,303

 

$

2,182,244

 

Net sales, to joint ventures

 

652,138

 

529,158

 

NET SALES

 

4,098,441

 

2,711,402

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of goods sold

 

2,690,705

 

1,757,496

 

Gross profit

 

1,407,736

 

953,906

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOINT VENTURE OPERATIONS:

 

 

 

 

 

Equity in income of joint ventures

 

1,695,131

 

705,899

 

Fees for services provided to joint ventures

 

1,451,780

 

1,151,930

 

 

 

3,146,911

 

1,857,829

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

 

 

 

 

 

Selling expenses

 

999,053

 

596,769

 

General and administrative expenses

 

1,104,167

 

920,029

 

Expenses incurred in support of joint ventures

 

228,721

 

244,910

 

Research and development expenses

 

1,193,456

 

611,656

 

 

 

3,525,397

 

2,373,364

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

 

1,029,250

 

438,371

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTEREST INCOME

 

3,933

 

1,496

 

INTEREST EXPENSE

 

(23,234

)

(25,987

)

OTHER INCOME

 

6,925

 

6,825

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT)

 

1,016,874

 

420,705

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT)

 

122,000

 

(15,000

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCOME

 

894,874

 

435,705

 

 



 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

November 30,
2010

 

November 30,
2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO NON CONTROLLING INTEREST

 

(4,907

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NTIC

 

$

899,781

 

$

435,705

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.21

 

$

0.10

 

Diluted

 

$

0.21

 

$

0.10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES ASSUMED OUTSTANDING:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

4,264,187

 

4,149,096

 

Diluted

 

4,324,757

 

4,165,441

 

 

About Northern Technologies International Corporation

 

Northern Technologies International Corporation develops and markets proprietary environmentally beneficial products and services in over 55 countries either directly or via a network of joint ventures, independent distributors and agents. NTIC’s primary business is corrosion prevention marketed primarily under the ZERUST® brand. NTIC has been selling its proprietary ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting products and services to the automotive, electronics, electrical, mechanical, military and retail consumer markets, for over 35 years. NTIC also offers worldwide on-site technical consulting for rust and corrosion prevention issues.  NTIC’s technical service consultants work directly with the end users of NTIC’s products to analyze their specific needs and develop systems to meet their technical requirements. In addition, NTIC markets proprietary bio-plastic technologies under the Natur-Tec® brand.  Finally, NTIC’s Polymer Energy® joint venture manufactures and sells advance waste plastic to fuel conversion machines.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical information are forward-looking statements as defined within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include NTIC’s expectations regarding the future performance of its new businesses and other statements that can be identified by words such as “expect,” “intend,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” or words of similar meaning and any other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of NTIC’s management and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied.  Such potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, in no particular order: NTIC’s dependence on the success of its joint ventures and fees and dividend distributions that NTIC receives from them; NTIC’s relationships with its joint ventures and its ability to maintain those relationships; risks associated with NTIC’s international operations; exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the health of the U.S. and worldwide economies, including in particular the U.S. automotive industry; the level of growth in NTIC’s markets; NTIC’s investments in research and development efforts; acceptance of existing and new products; increased competition; the costs and effects of complying with changes in tax, fiscal, government and other regulatory policies, including rules relating to environmental, health and safety matters; and NTIC’s reliance on its intellectual property rights and the absence of infringement of the intellectual property rights of others. More detailed information on these an d additional factors which could affect NTIC’s operating and financial results is described in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K. NTIC urges all interested parties to read these reports to gain a better understanding of the many business and other risks that the company faces. Additionally, NTIC undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.