sv1za
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
November 2, 2006
Registration
No. 333-137658
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
Amendment No. 1
to
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of
1933
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as
specified in its charter)
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California (prior to
reincorporation)
Delaware (after reincorporation)
(State or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation or organization)
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3721
(Primary Standard
Industrial
Classification Code Number)
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95-2705790
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
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181 W. Huntington
Drive, Suite 202
Monrovia, CA 91016
(626) 357-9983
(Address, including zip code,
and telephone number, including area code, of Registrants
principal executive offices)
Timothy E. Conver
President and Chief Executive
Officer
AeroVironment, Inc.
181 W. Huntington
Drive, Suite 202
Monrovia, CA 91016
(626) 357-9983
(Name, address, including zip
code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for
service)
Copies to:
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Craig M. Garner, Esq.
Michael E. Sullivan, Esq.
Latham & Watkins LLP
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92130
(858) 523-5400
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Andrew J. Pitts, Esq.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Worldwide Plaza
825 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
(212) 474-1000
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the
public: As soon as practicable after the
effective date of this Registration Statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the
following box. o
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to
Rule 434, please check the following
box. o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each
Class
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Proposed
Maximum
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Amount of
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of Securities to
be Registered
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Aggregate
Offering Price(1)(2)
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Registration
Fee
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Common Stock, $0.0001 par
value
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$115,000,000
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$12,305(3)
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(1)
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Estimated solely for the purpose of
computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to
Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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(2)
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Includes offering price of shares
that the underwriters have the option to purchase to cover
over-allotments, if any.
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The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on
such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective
date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this Registration Statement shall
thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration
Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission,
acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The
information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and
may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the
registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an
offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities
in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
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Subject to Completion. Dated
November 2, 2006.
Shares
AeroVironment, Inc.
Common Stock
This is an initial public offering of shares of common stock of
AeroVironment, Inc.
AeroVironment, Inc. is
offering
of the shares to be sold in the offering. The selling
stockholders identified in this prospectus are offering an
additional shares.
AeroVironment will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale
of the shares being sold by the selling stockholders.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the
common stock. It is currently estimated that the initial public
offering price per share will be between
$
and
$ .
AeroVironment has applied to have the common stock approved for
listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol
AVAV.
See Risk Factors on page 7 to read about
factors you should consider before buying shares of the common
stock.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other
regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities
or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Per
Share
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Total
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Initial public offering price
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$
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$
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Underwriting discount
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$
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$
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Proceeds, before expenses, to
AeroVironment, Inc.
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$
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$
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Proceeds, before expenses, to the
selling stockholders
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$
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$
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To the extent that the underwriters sell more
than shares
of common stock, the underwriters have the option to purchase up
to an
additional shares
from the selling stockholders at the initial public offering
price less the underwriting discount.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares against payment in
New York, New York
on ,
2006.
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Thomas
Weisel Partners LLC
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Prospectus
dated ,
2006
No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any
information or to represent anything not contained in this
prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or
representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the
shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in
jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information
contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date of
this prospectus.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Through and
including ,
2006 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all
dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or
not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a
prospectus. This is in addition to a dealers obligation to
deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with
respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
i
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in
this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that
you should consider in making your investment decision. Before
investing in our common stock, you should carefully read this
entire prospectus, including our financial statements and the
related notes included in this prospectus and the information
set forth under the headings Risk Factors and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations. In this prospectus,
all references to AeroVironment, we,
us and our refer to AeroVironment, Inc.
and its subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires or
where indicated.
AEROVIRONMENT,
INC.
Overview
We design, develop, produce and support a
technologically-advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft
systems that we supply primarily to organizations within the
U.S. Department of Defense, and fast charge systems for
electric industrial vehicle batteries that we supply to
commercial customers. We derive the majority of our revenue from
these two business areas, and we believe that both the small
unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and fast charge markets are
in the early stages of development and have significant growth
potential. Additionally, we believe that some of the innovative
potential products in our research and development pipeline will
emerge as new growth platforms in the future, creating market
opportunities. The success we have achieved with our current
products stems from our ability to invent and deliver advanced
solutions, utilizing our proprietary technologies, that help our
government and commercial customers operate more effectively and
efficiently. Our core technological capabilities, developed
through 35 years of innovation, include lightweight
aerostructures and electric propulsion systems, efficient
electric energy systems and storage, high-density energy
packaging, miniaturization, controls integration and systems
engineering optimization. We helped to pioneer and are now a
leader in the markets for small UAS and fast charge systems, and
we have experienced annual revenue growth rates of 121% and 33%
for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006,
respectively, and a compound annual revenue growth rate of 71%
for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
Our small UAS are well positioned to support the
transformational strategy of the U.S. Department of
Defense, or DoD, the purpose of which is to convert the military
into a smaller, more agile force that operates through a network
of observation, communication and precision targeting
technologies, and its efforts to prosecute the global war on
terror, which have increased the need for real-time, visual
information in new operational environments. Our small UAS,
including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp
and Puma, are designed to provide valuable
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, directly
to the small tactical unit, or individual warfighter
level, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and
execution. Our small unmanned aircraft wirelessly transmit
critical live video and other information generated by their
payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors, enabling the
operator to view and capture images, during the day or at night,
on a hand-held ground control unit. We also provide training by
our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive
military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair
services for our products.
We designed all of our small UAS to be man-portable, launchable
by one person and operated through a hand-held control unit. Our
small UAS are electrically powered, configured to carry
electro-optical or infrared sensors, provide real-time
situational awareness and intelligence, fly quietly at speeds
reaching 50 miles per hour and travel up to 20 miles
from their launch location on a modular, replaceable battery
pack. These characteristics make them well suited for
reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle
damage assessment operations. We believe that our small UAS
capabilities, combined with our high level of service,
logistical support and training, have enabled us to win both
competitively bid U.S. military small UAS programs of
record as of July 29, 2006.
1
Our PosiCharge products and services are designed to improve
productivity and safety for operators of electric industrial
vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support
equipment, by improving battery and fleet management. In
multi-shift fleet operations, traditional charging systems
require users to exchange vehicle batteries throughout the day
because these batteries discharge their energy through vehicle
usage and there is insufficient vehicle downtime to recharge
them during a shift. Changing these batteries, which can weigh
as much as 3,500 pounds, requires labor time and dedicated
battery changing rooms that consume valuable floor space.
PosiCharge utilizes our proprietary technology in energy and
battery management to recharge electric industrial vehicle
batteries rapidly during regularly scheduled breaks or other
times the vehicle is not in service, eliminating the costly and
time-consuming process of removing and replacing the battery.
PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial
vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional
charger. Utilizing its current, voltage and temperature
management capabilities, PosiCharge eliminates the need to cool
batteries after normal charging, which can take up to eight
hours, thereby allowing the vehicles to quickly return to
operation after the charging process. These capabilities can
also serve to enhance battery performance and lifespan. To date,
PosiCharge fast charge systems have been purchased and installed
by a diverse group of customers that includes Ford Motor
Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA. As of
July 29, 2006, our PosiCharge fast charge systems serviced
over 5,000 electric industrial vehicles. We estimate that
approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles
currently operate in North America, including over 100,000
new vehicles that we estimate were shipped in 2005.
Research and development activities are integral to our
business, and we follow a disciplined approach to investing our
resources to create new technologies and solutions. These
activities are funded both externally by customers and
internally. A fundamental part of this approach is a
well-defined screening process that helps business managers
identify commercial opportunities that support current or
desired technological capabilities. Our UAS research and
development activities focus specifically on creating
capabilities that support our existing small UAS product
portfolio as well as new UAS platforms. Our Energy Technology
Center also engages in research and development in support of
our existing product lines as well as to develop solutions for
other markets such as renewable energy.
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, we generated
revenue of $139.4 million, income from operations of
$16.3 million and net income of $11.4 million. For the
three months ended July 29, 2006, we generated revenue of
$31.6 million, income from operations of $2.0 million
and net income of $1.4 million. As of July 29, 2006,
we had funded backlog of $79.8 million and estimated
unfunded backlog of $457.3 million. Funded backlog consists
of unfilled firm orders for which funding currently is
appropriated to us under the contract by the customer, and
unfunded backlog consists of the remaining potential order
amounts under indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contracts.
IDIQ contracts do not obligate the U.S. government to
purchase goods or services.
Our
Strategy
We intend to grow our business by maintaining leadership in the
growing markets for small UAS and fast charge systems and by
creating new products that enable us to enter and lead new
markets. Key components of this strategy include the following:
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Expand our current solutions to existing and new
customers. Our small UAS and PosiCharge
products and services are leaders in their respective North
American markets. We intend to increase the penetration of our
small UAS products within the U.S. military, the militaries
of allied nations and non-military U.S. customers. We
believe that the increased use of our small UAS in the
U.S. military will be a catalyst for increased demand by
allied countries, and that our efforts to pursue new
applications will help to create non-military opportunities. We
similarly intend to increase the penetration of PosiCharge to
existing and new customers in North America and globally. Early
adopters of PosiCharge are now deploying it in additional
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facilities throughout their enterprises while its adoption is
increasing among new customers and new industry segments, such
as food and logistics.
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Deliver innovative
solutions. Innovation is the primary driver
of our growth. We plan to continue research and development
efforts to enable us to satisfy our customers through better,
more capable products and services, both in response to and in
anticipation of their needs. We believe that by continuing to
invest in research and development, we will continue to deliver
innovative, new products that address market needs within and
outside of our current target markets, enabling us to create new
opportunities for growth.
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Foster our entrepreneurial culture and continue to
attract, develop and retain highly-skilled
personnel. We have created a corporate
culture that encourages innovation and an entrepreneurial
spirit, which helps to attract highly-skilled professionals. We
intend to nurture this culture to encourage the development of
the innovative, highly technical solutions that give us our
competitive advantage. A core component of our culture is the
demonstration of trust and integrity in all of our interactions,
contributing to a positive work environment and engendering
trust among our customers.
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Preserve our agility and
flexibility. We are able to respond rapidly
to evolving markets and deliver new products and system
capabilities quickly, efficiently and affordably. We believe
that this ability helps us to strengthen our relationships with
customers. We intend to maintain our agility and flexibility,
which we believe to be important sources of differentiation when
we compete against larger and better-funded competitors.
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Our
History
Our company was founded by Dr. Paul B. MacCready, the
Chairman of our board of directors and an internationally
renowned innovator who was instrumental in creating our culture.
For over 35 years, this culture has enabled us to attract
and retain highly-motivated, talented employees and has
established our reputation as an innovator. This reputation for
innovation has been acknowledged through a variety of awards and
special citations, including Oak Ridge National
Laboratorys Small Business Innovator award in 2002, a
Cool Companies award from Fortune Magazine in 2004,
the World Technology Award for Energy in 2004, a Sustained
Excellence by a Performer award in 2005 from the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, and Automotive
Newss PACE award in 2006.
Corporate
Information
We were incorporated in California in July 1971 and, in
connection with this offering, plan to reincorporate in Delaware
prior to the effective date of the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part. Our principal executive offices
are located at 181 W. Huntington Drive,
Suite 202, Monrovia, California 91016, and our telephone
number is
(626) 357-9983.
Our website address is http://www.avinc.com. The information on,
or accessible through, our website is not part of this
prospectus and should not be relied upon in determining whether
to make an investment in our common stock.
AeroVironment®
and
PosiCharge®
are registered trademarks of AeroVironment, Inc. This prospectus
also includes other registered and unregistered trademarks of
AeroVironment, Inc. and other persons.
You should carefully consider the information contained in
the Risk Factors section of this prospectus
beginning on page 7 before you decide to purchase our
common stock.
3
THE
OFFERING
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Common stock offered by AeroVironment |
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shares |
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Common stock offered by the selling stockholders |
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shares |
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Common stock to be outstanding after this offering |
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shares |
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Use of proceeds |
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We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working
capital and other general corporate purposes, including to
finance research and development of new products, sales and
marketing activities, opportunistic acquisitions and other
capital expenditures. We will not receive any proceeds from the
sale of shares by the selling stockholders. See Use of
Proceeds for more information. |
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Dividend policy |
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We currently intend to retain all future earnings, if any, for
use in the operation and expansion of our business and do not
anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. |
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Proposed Nasdaq Global Market symbol |
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AVAV |
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after
this offering is based on shares outstanding as of July 29,
2006, assumes the exercise of options to purchase an aggregate
of shares
of common stock to be sold by selling stockholders in this
offering and excludes the following:
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shares
of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the remaining
options outstanding as of July 29, 2006 at a weighted
average exercise price of $ per
share; and
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shares
of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2006
equity incentive plan, which will become effective on the day
prior to the day on which we become subject to the reporting
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
which we refer to herein as the Exchange Act.
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Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this
prospectus assumes the following:
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our reincorporation in Delaware prior to the effective date of
the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part;
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the exercise of options to purchase an aggregate
of shares
of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of
$ per share to be sold by
selling stockholders in this offering;
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no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up
to an
additional shares
of common stock to cover over-allotments;
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except as provided above, no exercise of outstanding options
after July 29, 2006;
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the filing of our amended and restated certificate of
incorporation and amended and restated bylaws upon completion of
this offering; and
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a -for-one
stock split of our common stock to be effected before the
completion of this offering.
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4
SUMMARY
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
The following table provides a summary of our consolidated
financial data for the periods indicated. The summary historical
consolidated financial data for each of the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 have been derived from our
audited consolidated financial statements. The summary
historical consolidated financial data for the three months
ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006 have been
derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements.
You should read this information together with our consolidated
financial statements and related notes, Selected
Consolidated Financial Data and Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations included elsewhere in this prospectus.
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Three Months
Ended
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Fiscal Year Ended
April 30,
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July 30,
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July 29,
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2005
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2006
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(Unaudited)
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(In thousands,
except share and per share data)
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Consolidated Income Statement
Data:
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Revenue
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$
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47,680
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$
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105,155
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$
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139,357
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$
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30,752
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$
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31,557
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Cost of sales
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33,122
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58,549
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82,598
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19,516
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19,571
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Gross margin
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14,558
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46,606
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56,759
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11,236
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11,986
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Research and development
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1,715
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9,799
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16,098
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3,509
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3,841
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Selling, general and administrative
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9,725
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16,545
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24,577
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5,822
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6,132
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Income from operations
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3,118
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20,262
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16,084
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1,905
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2,013
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Interest income
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2
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61
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333
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37
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206
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Interest expense
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(90
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(110
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(127
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(30
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Income before income taxes
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3,030
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20,213
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16,290
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1,912
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2,219
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Income tax expense
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859
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5,531
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4,881
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574
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854
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Net income
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$
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2,171
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$
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14,682
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$
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11,409
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$
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1,338
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$
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1,365
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Earnings per common
share(1):
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Basic
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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Diluted
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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Weighted average common shares
outstanding(1):
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Basic
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Diluted
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma earnings per common
share(1)(2):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Pro forma weighted average
common shares
outstanding(1)(2):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
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5
|
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|
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As of
July 29, 2006
|
|
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
As
Adjusted(3)
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
(Unaudited, in
thousands)
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
13,478
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Restricted
cash(4)
|
|
|
1,555
|
|
|
|
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
30,243
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
55,776
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
19,850
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
35,926
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Earnings per common share and weighted average common shares
outstanding give effect to
a -for-one split of our
common stock to be effected prior to the completion of this
offering. |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Pro forma earnings per common share and pro forma weighted
average common shares outstanding give effect to our sale
of shares
of our common stock in connection with this offering, as if such
transaction was completed on May 1, 2005. |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
The as adjusted consolidated balance sheet data reflect the
issuance
of shares
of common stock upon the exercise of options at a weighted
average exercise price of
$ per share to be sold by
selling stockholders in this offering and our receipt of
estimated net proceeds from our sale
of shares
of common stock that we are offering at an assumed public
offering price of $ per share
(the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus), after deducting estimated discounts and commissions
and estimated offering expenses payable by us. |
|
|
|
(4) |
|
Restricted cash represents deposits with a bank to secure
standby letters of credit established for the benefit of our
customers. As of July 29, 2006, there were no claims
against these letters of credit. |
6
RISK
FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.
You should carefully consider the following risk factors, as
well as the other information in this prospectus, before
deciding whether to invest in our common stock. If any of the
following risks actually materializes, then our business,
financial condition and results of operations would suffer. The
trading price of our common stock could decline as a result of
any of these risks, and you might lose all or part of your
investment in our common stock. You should read the section
entitled Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements immediately following these risk factors for a
discussion of what types of statements are forward-looking
statements, as well as the significance of such statements in
the context of this prospectus.
Risks Related to
Our Business
We rely
heavily on sales to the U.S. government, particularly to
agencies of the Department of Defense.
Historically, a significant portion of our total sales and
substantially all of our small UAS sales have been to the
U.S. government and its agencies. Sales to the
U.S. government, either as a prime contractor or
subcontractor, represented approximately 82% of our revenue for
the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. The
U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, our principal
U.S. government customer, accounted for approximately 77%
of our revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. We
believe that the success and growth of our business for the
foreseeable future will continue to depend on our ability to win
government contracts, in particular from the DoD. Many of our
government customers are subject to budgetary constraints and
our continued performance under these contracts, or award of
additional contracts from these agencies, could be jeopardized
by spending reductions or budget cutbacks at these agencies. The
funding of U.S. government programs is uncertain and
dependent on continued congressional appropriations and
administrative allotment of funds based on an annual budgeting
process. We cannot assure you that current levels of
congressional funding for our products and services will
continue. Furthermore, all of our contracts with the
U.S. government are terminable by the U.S. government
at will. A significant decline in government expenditures
generally, or with respect to programs for which we provide
products, could adversely affect our business and prospects. Our
operating results may also be negatively impacted by other
developments that affect these government programs generally,
including the following:
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changes in government programs that are related to our products
and services;
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adoption of new laws or regulations relating to government
contracting or changes to existing laws or regulations;
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changes in political or public support for security and defense
programs;
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delays or changes in the government appropriations process;
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uncertainties associated with the war on terror and other
geo-political matters; and
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delays in the payment of our invoices by government payment
offices.
|
These developments and other factors could cause governmental
agencies to reduce their purchases under existing contracts, to
exercise their rights to terminate contracts at-will or to
abstain from renewing contracts, any of which would cause our
revenue to decline and could otherwise harm our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
7
Military
transformation and operational levels in Afghanistan and Iraq
may affect future procurement priorities and existing programs,
which could limit demand for our unmanned aircraft
systems.
Following the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military began
a transformation of its operational concepts, organizational
structure and technologies in an effort to improve warfighting
capabilities. The resulting shift in procurement priorities
toward achieving these capabilities, together with the current
high level of operational activity in Afghanistan and Iraq, have
led to an increase in demand for our small UAS. We cannot
predict whether current or future changes in priorities due to
defense transformation or continuation of the current nature and
magnitude of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq will afford new
opportunities for our small UAS business in terms of existing,
additional or replacement programs. Furthermore, we cannot
predict whether or to what extent this defense transformation or
current operational levels in Afghanistan or Iraq will continue.
If defense transformation or operations in Afghanistan and Iraq
cease or slow down, then our business, financial condition and
results of operations could be harmed.
We operate in
evolving markets, which makes it difficult to evaluate our
business and future prospects.
Unmanned aircraft systems, fast charge systems and other energy
technologies that we offer are sold in new and rapidly evolving
markets. Accordingly, our business and future prospects are
difficult to evaluate. We cannot accurately predict the extent
to which demand for our products will increase, if at all. Prior
to investing, you should consider the challenges, risks and
uncertainties frequently encountered by companies in rapidly
evolving markets. These challenges include our ability to do the
following:
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generate sufficient revenue to maintain profitability;
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acquire and maintain market share;
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manage growth in our operations;
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develop and renew contracts;
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attract and retain additional engineers and other
highly-qualified personnel;
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successfully develop and commercially market new products;
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adapt to new or changing policies and spending priorities of
governments and government agencies; and
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access additional capital when required and on reasonable terms.
|
If we fail to address these and other challenges, risks and
uncertainties successfully, our business, results of operations
and financial condition would be materially harmed.
We face
competition from other firms, many of which have substantially
greater resources.
The defense industry is highly competitive and generally
characterized by intense competition to win contracts. Our
current principal small UAS competitors include Advanced
Ceramics Research, Inc., Applied Research Associates, Inc.,
Elbit Systems Ltd., L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. and
Lockheed Martin Corporation. We do not view large UAS such as
Northrop Grumman Corporations Global Hawk, General
Atomics, Inc.s Predator, The Boeing Companys
ScanEagle and AAI Corporations Shadow as
direct competitors because they perform different missions and
are not hand launched and controlled, although we cannot be
certain that these platforms will not become direct competitors
in the future. Some of these firms have substantially greater
financial, management, research and marketing resources than we
have. The primary direct competitors to our PosiCharge business
are other fast charge suppliers, including Aker Wade Power
Technologies LLC, Minit-Charger, a subsidiary of Edison
International, and PowerDesigners, LLC, as well as industrial
battery
8
manufacturers who distribute fast charge systems from these
suppliers. Our competitors may be able to provide customers with
different or greater capabilities or benefits than we can
provide in areas such as technical qualifications, past contract
performance, geographic presence, price and the availability of
key professional personnel, including those with security
clearances. Furthermore, many of our competitors may be able to
utilize their substantially greater resources and economies of
scale to develop competing products and technologies, divert
sales away from us by winning broader contracts or hire away our
employees by offering more lucrative compensation packages. In
the event that the market for unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS,
expands, we expect that competition will intensify as additional
competitors enter the market and current competitors expand
their product lines. In order to secure contracts successfully
when competing with larger, well-financed companies, we may be
forced to agree to contractual terms that provide for lower
aggregate payments to us over the life of the contract, which
could adversely affect our margins. In addition, larger
diversified competitors serving as prime contractors may be able
to supply underlying products and services from affiliated
entities, which would prevent us from competing for
subcontracting opportunities on these contracts. Our failure to
compete effectively with respect to any of these or other
factors could have a material adverse effect on our business,
prospects, financial condition or operating results.
If the
unmanned aircraft systems and fast charge systems markets do not
experience significant growth, if we cannot expand our customer
base or if our products do not achieve broad acceptance, then we
will not be able to achieve our anticipated level of
growth.
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, unmanned aircraft
systems and fast charge systems accounted for 80% and 14% of our
total revenue, respectively. We cannot accurately predict the
future growth rates or sizes of these markets. Demand for these
types of systems may not increase, or may decrease, either
generally or in specific markets, for particular types of
products or during particular time periods. Moreover, there are
only a limited number of major programs under which the
U.S. military, our primary customer, is currently funding
the development or purchase of unmanned aircraft systems.
Although we are seeking to expand our customer base to include
foreign governments, domestic non-military agencies and
commercial customers, we cannot assure you that our efforts will
be successful. The expansion of the unmanned aircraft systems
and fast charge systems markets in general, and the market for
our products in particular, depends on a number of factors,
including the following:
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customer satisfaction with these types of systems as solutions;
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the cost, performance and reliability of our products and
products offered by our competitors;
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customer perceptions regarding the effectiveness and value of
these types of systems;
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|
limitations on our ability to market our small UAS products
outside the United States due to U.S. government
regulations;
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|
obtaining timely regulatory approvals, including, with respect
to our small UAS business, access to airspace and wireless
spectrum; and
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marketing efforts and publicity regarding these types of systems.
|
Even if unmanned aircraft systems and fast charge systems gain
wide market acceptance, our products may not adequately address
market requirements and may not continue to gain market
acceptance. If these types of systems generally, or our products
specifically, do not gain wide market acceptance, then we may
not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth and our
revenue and results of operations would suffer.
9
If critical
components of our products that we currently purchase from a
small number of suppliers or raw materials used to manufacture
our products become scarce or unavailable, then we may incur
delays in manufacturing and delivery of our products, which
could damage our business.
We obtain hardware components and various subsystems from a
limited group of suppliers. We do not have long-term agreements
with any of these suppliers that obligate them to continue to
sell components or products to us. For example, L-3
Communications Holdings Inc., which is one of our competitors,
and Rockwell Collins are currently the sole suppliers of our
downlink transmitters/receivers and GPS modules, respectively,
for several of our small UAS products, including Raven.
In addition, Miller Electric is the sole supplier of the power
sources for the PosiCharge ELT product line, and Bruno Bassi is
the sole supplier of the PosiCharge SVS product line. We also
have several sole suppliers of PosiCharge components and
subsystems, such as Accurate Electronics, which supplies
multiple items, including display panels and power stages. Our
reliance on these suppliers involves significant risks and
uncertainties, including whether our suppliers will provide an
adequate supply of required components of sufficient quality,
will increase prices for the components and will perform their
obligations on a timely basis.
In addition, certain raw materials and components used in the
manufacture of our products are periodically subject to supply
shortages, and our business is subject to the risk of price
increases and periodic delays in delivery. For example, the
airframes for our small UAS are made from certain nylon
composites, which experienced restrictions in available supply
in 2005 due to increased worldwide demand. Similarly, the market
for electronic components is subject to cyclical reductions in
supply. If we are unable to obtain components from third-party
suppliers in the quantities and of the quality that we require,
on a timely basis and at acceptable prices, then we may not be
able to deliver our products on a timely or cost-effective basis
to our customers, which could cause customers to terminate their
contracts with us, increase our costs and seriously harm our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
Moreover, if any of our suppliers become financially unstable,
then we may have to find new suppliers. It may take several
months to locate alternative suppliers, if required, or to
redesign our products to accommodate components from different
suppliers. We may experience significant delays in manufacturing
and shipping our products to customers and incur additional
development, manufacturing and other costs to establish
alternative sources of supply if we lose any of these sources or
are required to redesign our products. We cannot predict if we
will be able to obtain replacement components within the time
frames that we require at an affordable cost, if at all.
Any efforts to
expand our product offerings beyond our current markets may not
succeed, which could negatively impact our operating
results.
We have focused on selling our small unmanned aircraft systems
to the U.S. military and our fast charge systems to large
industrial electric vehicle fleet operators primarily in North
America. We plan, however, to seek to expand our unmanned
aircraft systems sales into other government and commercial
markets and our fast charge systems sales into international
markets. Efforts to expand our product offerings beyond the
markets that we currently serve may divert management resources
from existing operations and require us to commit significant
financial resources to unproven businesses that may not generate
additional sales, either of which could significantly impair our
operating results.
10
Our failure to
obtain necessary regulatory approvals from the Federal Aviation
Administration may prevent us from expanding the sales of our
small UAS to non-military customers in the United States and
require us to incur additional costs in the testing of our
products.
Regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA,
currently require that small UAS comply with the rules for
radio-controlled hobby aircraft. These rules require small UAS
to maintain flight altitude within 400 feet above the ground,
and operators to maintain line of sight with the aircraft at all
times it is in flight. These regulations prevent or inhibit the
use of our small UAS in certain civil and commercial
applications. The FAA is in the process of drafting updated
regulations specifically for small UAS operations, but we cannot
assure you that these regulations will allow the use of our
small UAS by potential civilian and commercial customers. If the
FAA does not modify its regulations to enable the civilian and
commercial use of small UAS, we may not be able to expand our
sales of UAS beyond our military customers, which could harm our
business prospects.
Recently, the Defense Contract Management Agency, or DCMA,
informed us that, under the terms of our DoD contracts, the
government parties with whom we are contracting are required to
obtain a certificate of authorization for flight tests of our
small UAS outside of military installations. If our DoD
customers are unable to obtain such a certificate, we may not be
able to perform our flight tests without incurring the
additional costs of transporting our small UAS products to
military installations, which could impair our operating results.
The markets in
which we compete are characterized by rapid technological
change, which requires us to develop new products and product
enhancements, and could render our existing products
obsolete.
Continuing technological changes in the market for our products
could make our products less competitive or obsolete, either
generally or for particular applications. Our future success
will depend upon our ability to develop and introduce a variety
of new capabilities and enhancements to our existing product
offerings, as well as introduce a variety of new product
offerings, to address the changing needs of the markets in which
we offer our products. Delays in introducing new products and
enhancements, the failure to choose correctly among technical
alternatives or the failure to offer innovative products or
enhancements at competitive prices may cause existing and
potential customers to purchase our competitors products.
If we are unable to devote adequate resources to develop new
products or cannot otherwise successfully develop new products
or enhancements that meet customer requirements on a timely
basis, our products could lose market share, our revenue and
profits could decline, and we could experience operating losses.
We expect to
incur substantial research and development costs and devote
significant resources to identifying and commercializing new
products, which could significantly reduce our profitability and
may never result in revenue to us.
Our future growth depends on penetrating new markets, adapting
existing products to new applications, and introducing new
products that achieve market acceptance. We plan to incur
substantial research and development costs as part of our
efforts to design, develop and commercialize new products and
enhance existing products. We spent $16.1 million, or 12%
of our revenue, in fiscal year 2006 on research and development
activities and expect to continue to spend significant funds on
research and development in the future. We expect to utilize a
portion of the proceeds of this offering and cash flow from
operations to fund our research and development, although we may
also utilize borrowings or other external funding in the future.
Because we account for research and development as an operating
expense, these expenditures will adversely affect our earnings
in the future. Further, our research and development program may
not produce successful results, and our new products may not
achieve market acceptance, create additional revenue or become
profitable, which could materially harm our business, prospects,
financial results and liquidity.
11
If we are
unable to manage our growth, our business could be adversely
affected.
Our headcount and operations have grown rapidly. This rapid
growth has placed, and will continue to place, a significant
strain on our management and our administrative, operational and
financial infrastructure. From January 2004 through July 2006,
we nearly doubled the number of our employees. We anticipate
further growth of headcount and facilities will be required to
address increases in our product offerings and the geographic
scope of our customer base. Our success will depend in part upon
the ability of our senior management to manage this growth
effectively. To do so, we must continue to hire, train, manage
and integrate a significant number of qualified managers and
engineers. If our new employees perform poorly, or if we are
unsuccessful in hiring, training, managing and integrating these
new employees, or retaining these or our existing employees,
then our business may suffer.
For us to continue our growth, we must continue to improve our
operational, financial and management information systems. If we
are unable to manage our growth while maintaining our quality of
service, or if new systems that we implement to assist in
managing our growth do not produce the expected benefits, then
our business, prospects, financial condition or operating
results could be adversely affected.
Our earnings
and profit margins may decrease based on the mix of our
contracts and programs and other factors related to our
contracts.
In general, we perform our production work under fixed-price
contracts and our repair and customer-funded research and
development work under cost-plus-fee contracts. Under
fixed-price contracts, we perform services under a contract at a
stipulated price. Under cost-plus-fee contracts, which are
subject to a contract ceiling amount, we are reimbursed for
allowable costs and paid a fee, which may be fixed or
performance based. We typically experience lower profit margins
under cost-plus-fee contracts than under fixed-price contracts,
though fixed-price contracts have higher risks. In general, if
the volume of services we perform under cost-plus-fee contracts
increases relative to the volume of services we perform under
fixed-price contracts, we expect that our operating margin will
suffer. In addition, our earnings and margins may decrease
depending on the costs we incur in contract performance, our
achievement of other contract performance objectives and the
stage of our performance at which our right to receive fees,
particularly under incentive and award fee contracts, is finally
determined.
Our senior
management and key employees are important to our customer
relationships and overall business.
We believe that our success depends in part on the continued
contributions of our senior management and key employees. We
rely on our executive officers, senior management and key
employees to generate business and execute programs
successfully. In addition, the relationships and reputation that
members of our management team and key employees have
established and maintain with government defense personnel
contribute to our ability to maintain good customer relations
and to identify new business opportunities. We do not have
employment agreements with any of our executive officers or key
employees, and these individuals could terminate their
employment with us at any time. The loss of any of our executive
officers, members of our senior management team or key employees
could significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our
business objectives and could materially harm our business and
customer relationships and impair our ability to identify and
secure new contracts and otherwise manage our business.
We must
recruit and retain highly-skilled employees to succeed in our
competitive business.
We depend on our ability to recruit and retain employees who
have advanced engineering and technical services skills and who
work well with our customers. These employees are in great
demand and are likely to remain a limited resource in the
foreseeable future. If we are unable to recruit and
12
retain a sufficient number of these employees, then our ability
to maintain our competitiveness and grow our business could be
negatively affected. In addition, because of the highly
technical nature of our products, the loss of any significant
number of our existing engineering personnel could have a
material adverse effect on our business and operating results.
Moreover, some of our U.S. government contracts contain
provisions requiring us to staff a program with certain
personnel the customer considers key to our successful
performance under the contract. In the event we are unable to
provide these key personnel or acceptable substitutes, the
customer may terminate the contract.
Our business
may be dependent upon our employees obtaining and maintaining
required security clearances.
Certain of our U.S. government contracts require our
employees to maintain various levels of security clearances, and
we are required to maintain certain facility security clearances
complying with DoD requirements. The DoD has strict security
clearance requirements for personnel who work on classified
programs. Obtaining and maintaining security clearances for
employees involves a lengthy process, and it is difficult to
identify, recruit and retain employees who already hold security
clearances. If our employees are unable to obtain security
clearances in a timely manner, or at all, or if our employees
who hold security clearances are unable to maintain the
clearances or terminate employment with us, then a customer
requiring classified work could terminate the contract or decide
not to renew it upon its expiration. In addition, we expect that
many of the contracts on which we will bid will require us to
demonstrate our ability to obtain facility security clearances
and employ personnel with specified types of security
clearances. To the extent we are not able to obtain facility
security clearances or engage employees with the required
security clearances for a particular contract, we may not be
able to bid on or win new contracts, or effectively rebid on
expiring contracts.
Cost overruns
on our contracts could subject us to losses, decrease our
operating margins and adversely affect our future
business.
Fixed-price contracts represented approximately 69% of our
revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. If we
fail to anticipate technical problems, estimate costs accurately
or control costs during our performance of fixed-price
contracts, then we may incur losses on these contracts because
we absorb any costs in excess of the fixed price. Under
cost-plus-fee contracts, if costs exceed the contract ceiling or
are not allowable under the provisions of the contract or
applicable regulations, then we may not be able to obtain
reimbursement for all such costs. Under time and materials
contracts, we are paid for labor at negotiated hourly billing
rates and for certain expenses. Under each type of contract, if
we are unable to control the costs we incur in performing under
the contract, then our financial condition and results of
operations could be materially adversely affected. Cost overruns
also may adversely affect our ability to sustain existing
programs and obtain future contract awards.
Our products
are complex and could have unknown defects or errors, which may
give rise to claims against us, diminish our brand or divert our
resources from other purposes.
Our unmanned aircraft systems rely on complex avionics, sensors,
user-friendly interfaces and tightly-integrated,
electromechanical designs to accomplish their missions, and our
fast charge systems and energy systems often rely upon the
application of intellectual property for which there may have
been little or no prior commercial application. Despite testing,
our products have contained defects and errors and may in the
future contain defects, errors or performance problems when
first introduced, when new versions or enhancements are
released, or even after these products have been used by our
customers for a period of time. These problems could result in
expensive and time-consuming design modifications or warranty
charges, delays in the introduction of new products or
enhancements, significant increases in our service and
maintenance costs, exposure to liability for damages, damaged
customer relationships and harm to our reputation, any of which
could materially harm our results of operations and ability to
achieve market acceptance. In addition, increased development
and warranty costs could be substantial and could reduce our
operating margins.
13
The existence of any defects, errors, or failures in our
products or the misuse of our products could also lead to
product liability claims or lawsuits against us. A defect, error
or failure in one of our unmanned aircraft systems could result
in injury, death or property damage and significantly damage our
reputation and support for unmanned aircraft systems in general.
While our fast charge systems include certain safety mechanisms,
these systems can deliver up to 600 amps of current in their
application, and the failure, malfunction or misuse of these
systems could result in injury or death. Although we maintain
insurance policies, we cannot assure you that this insurance
will be adequate to protect us from all material judgments and
expenses related to potential future claims or that these levels
of insurance will be available in the future at economical
prices or at all. A successful product liability claim could
result in substantial cost to us. Even if we are fully insured
as it relates to a claim, the claim could nevertheless diminish
our brand and divert managements attention and resources,
which could have a negative impact on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
The
operation of unmanned aircraft systems in urban environments may
be subject to risks, such as accidental collisions and
transmission interference, which may limit demand for our
unmanned aircraft systems in such environments and harm our
business and operating results.
Urban environments may present certain challenges to the
operators of unmanned aircraft systems. Unmanned aircraft
systems may accidentally collide with other aircraft, persons or
property, which could result in injury, death or property damage
and significantly damage the reputation of and support for
unmanned aircraft systems in general. While we are aware of only
one instance of an accidental collision involving an unmanned
aircraft system to date, as the usage of unmanned aircraft
systems has increased, particularly by military customers in
urban areas of Afghanistan and Iraq, the danger of such
collisions has increased. Furthermore, the number of unmanned
aircraft systems that can operate simultaneously in a given
geographic area is limited by the allocated frequency spectrum
available. In addition, obstructions to effective transmissions
in urban environments, such as large buildings, may limit the
ability of the operator to utilize the aircraft for its intended
purpose. The risks or limitations of operating unmanned aircraft
systems in urban environments may limit their value in such
environments, which may limit demand for our unmanned aircraft
systems and consequently materially harm our business and
operating results.
Our quarterly
operating results may vary widely.
Our quarterly revenue, cash flow and operating results have and
may continue to fluctuate significantly in the future due to a
number of factors, including the following:
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fluctuations in revenue derived from government contracts,
including cost-plus-fee contracts and contracts with a
performance-based fee structure;
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the size and timing of orders from military and other
governmental agencies, including increased purchase requests
from government customers for equipment and materials in
connection with the U.S. governments fiscal year end,
which may affect our second quarter operating results;
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the mix of products that we sell in the period;
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seasonal fluctuations in customer demand for some of our
products or services;
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unanticipated costs incurred in the introduction of new products;
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fluctuations in the adoption of our products in new markets;
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changes in the level of tax credits available for research and
development spending, including whether the federal research and
development tax credit which expired in December 2005 will be
reinstated;
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cancellations, delays or contract amendments by our governmental
agency customers; and
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changes in policy or budgetary measures that adversely affect
our governmental agency customers.
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Changes in the volume of products and services provided under
existing contracts and the number of contracts commenced,
completed or terminated during any quarter may cause significant
variations in our cash flow from operations because a relatively
large amount of our expenses are fixed. We incur significant
operating expenses during the
start-up and
early stages of large contracts and typically do not receive
corresponding payments in that same quarter. We may also incur
significant or unanticipated expenses when contracts expire or
are terminated or are not renewed. In addition, payments due to
us from government agencies may be delayed due to billing cycles
or as a result of failures of governmental budgets to gain
congressional and presidential administration approval in a
timely manner.
Shortfalls in
available external research and development funding could
adversely affect us.
We depend on our research and development activities to develop
the core technologies used in our small UAS and PosiCharge
products and for the development of our future products. A
portion of our research and development activities depends on
funding by commercial companies and the U.S. government.
U.S. government and commercial spending levels can be
impacted by a number of variables, including general economic
conditions, specific companies financial performance and
competition for U.S. government funding with other
U.S. government-sponsored programs in the budget
formulation and appropriation processes. Moreover, the U.S.,
state and local governments provide energy rebates and
incentives to commercial companies, which directly impact the
amount of research and development that companies appropriate
for energy systems. To the extent that these energy rebates and
incentives are reduced or eliminated, company funding for
research and development could be reduced. Any reductions in
available research and development funding could harm our
business, financial condition and operating results.
Volatility and
cyclicality in the market for electric industrial vehicles could
adversely affect us.
Our PosiCharge fast charge systems, which accounted for 14% of
our revenue during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006,
are purchased primarily by operators of fleets of electric
industrial vehicles, such as forklift trucks and airport ground
support equipment. Consequently, our ability to remain
profitable depends in part on the varying conditions in the
market for electric industrial vehicles. This market is subject
to volatility as it moves in response to cycles in the overall
business environment and is also particularly sensitive to the
industrial, food and beverage, retail and air travel sectors,
which generate a significant portion of the demand for such
vehicles. Sales of electric industrial vehicles have
historically been cyclical, with demand affected by such
economic factors as industrial production, construction levels,
demand for consumer and durable goods, interest rates and fuel
costs. A significant decline in demand for electric industrial
vehicles could adversely affect our revenue and prospects, which
would harm our business, financial condition and operating
results.
Our fast
charge business is dependent upon our relationships with battery
dealers and other third parties with whom we do not have
exclusive arrangements.
To remain competitive in the market for fast charge systems, we
must maintain our access to potential customers and ensure that
the service needs of our customers are met adequately. In many
cases, we rely on battery dealers for access to potential
PosiCharge customers. Currently, one of our fast charge system
competitors is working with a battery manufacturer to sell fast
charge systems and batteries together. Cooperative agreements
between our competitors and battery manufacturers could restrict
our access to battery dealers and potential PosiCharge
customers, adversely affecting our revenue and prospects.
Additionally, we rely on outside service providers to perform
post-sale services for our PosiCharge customers. If these
service providers fail to perform these services as required or
discontinue their business with us, then we could lose customers
to competitors, which would harm our business, financial
condition and operating results.
15
We work in
international locations where there are high security risks,
which could result in harm to our employees and contractors or
substantial costs.
Some of our services are performed in high-risk locations, such
as Iraq and Afghanistan, where the country or location is
suffering from political, social or economic issues, or war or
civil unrest. For example, we currently maintain a forward
operating depot in Iraq, located in a U.S. government
installation and typically staffed by two or three of our
employees. In addition, we have occasionally had one trainer
stationed in Kuwait and are obligated, pursuant to one of our
contracts, to provide overseas support personnel as needed. Last
year, pursuant to this contract, we had three trainers stationed
overseas for a period of 30 days. In those locations where
we have employees or operations, we may incur substantial costs
to maintain the safety of our personnel. Despite these
precautions, the safety of our personnel in these locations may
continue to be at risk, and we may in the future suffer the loss
of employees and contractors, which could harm our business and
operating results.
We may not be
able to obtain capital when desired on favorable terms, if at
all, or without dilution to our stockholders.
We operate in emerging and rapidly evolving markets, which makes
our prospects difficult to evaluate. It is possible that we may
not generate sufficient cash flow from operations or otherwise
have the capital resources to meet our future capital needs. If
this occurs, then we may need additional financing to pursue our
business strategies, including to:
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hire additional engineers and other personnel;
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develop new or enhance existing products;
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enhance our operating infrastructure;
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fund working capital requirements;
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acquire complementary businesses or technologies; or
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otherwise respond to competitive pressures.
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If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or
convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our
stockholders could be significantly diluted, and these
newly-issued securities may have rights, preferences or
privileges senior to those of existing stockholders, including
those acquiring shares in this offering. We cannot assure you
that additional financing will be available on terms favorable
to us, or at all. Our existing line of credit contains, and
future debt financing may contain, covenants or other provisions
that limit our operational or financial flexibility. In
addition, certain of our customers require that we obtain
letters of credit to support our obligations under some of our
contracts. Our existing
letter-of-credit
provider requires that we hold cash in an amount equal to the
amount of our outstanding letters of credit as collateral.
Continued access to letters of credit may be important to our
ability to regain and win contracts in the future. If adequate
funds are not available or are not available on acceptable
terms, if and when needed, then our ability to fund our
operations, take advantage of unanticipated opportunities,
develop or enhance our products, or otherwise respond to
competitive pressures would be significantly limited.
Our
international business poses potentially greater risks than our
domestic business.
We derived an average of 3.7% of our revenue from international
sales during the three fiscal years ended April 30, 2006.
We expect to derive an increasing portion of our revenue from
international sales. Our international revenue and operations
are subject to a number of material risks, including the
following:
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the unavailability of, or difficulties in obtaining any,
necessary governmental authorizations for the export of our UAS
products to certain foreign jurisdictions;
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changes in regulatory requirements that may adversely affect our
ability to sell certain products or repatriate profits to the
United States;
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the complexity and necessity of using foreign representatives
and consultants;
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difficulties in enforcing agreements and collecting receivables
through foreign legal systems and other relevant legal issues,
including fewer legal protections for intellectual property;
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potential fluctuations in foreign economies and in the value of
foreign currencies and interest rates;
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potential preferences by prospective customers to purchase from
local
(non-U.S.)
sources;
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general economic and political conditions in the markets in
which we operate;
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laws or regulations relating to
non-U.S. military
contracts that favor purchases from
non-U.S. manufacturers
over U.S. manufacturers;
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the imposition of tariffs, embargoes, export controls and other
trade restrictions; and
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different and changing legal and regulatory requirements in the
jurisdictions in which we currently operate or may operate in
the future.
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Negative developments in any of these areas in one or more
countries could result in a reduction in demand for our
products, the cancellation or delay of orders already placed,
threats to our intellectual property, difficulty in collecting
receivables and a higher cost of doing business, any of which
could negatively impact our business, financial condition or
results of operations. Moreover, our sales, including sales to
customers outside the United States, are denominated in dollars,
and downward fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies
relative to the U.S. dollar may make our products more
expensive than other products, which could harm our business.
Potential
future acquisitions could be difficult to integrate, divert the
attention of key personnel, disrupt our business, dilute
stockholder value and impair our financial
results.
We intend to consider strategic acquisitions that would add to
our customer base, technological capabilities or system
offerings. Acquisitions involve numerous risks, any of which
could harm our business, including the following:
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difficulties in integrating the operations, technologies,
products, existing contracts, accounting and personnel of the
target company and realizing the anticipated synergies of the
combined businesses;
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difficulties in supporting and transitioning customers, if any,
of the target company;
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diversion of financial and management resources from existing
operations;
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the price we pay or other resources that we devote may exceed
the value we realize, or the value we could have realized if we
had allocated the purchase price or other resources to another
opportunity;
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risks of entering new markets in which we have limited or no
experience;
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potential loss of key employees, customers and strategic
alliances from either our current business or the target
companys business;
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assumption of unanticipated problems or latent liabilities, such
as problems with the quality of the target companys
products; and
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inability to generate sufficient revenue to offset acquisition
costs.
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Acquisitions also frequently result in the recording of goodwill
and other intangible assets which are subject to potential
impairments in the future that could harm our financial results.
In addition, if
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we finance acquisitions by issuing equity, or securities
convertible into equity, then our existing stockholders may be
diluted, which could lower the market price of our common stock.
If we finance acquisitions through debt, then such future debt
financing may contain covenants or other provisions that limit
our operational or financial flexibility. As a result, if we
fail to properly evaluate acquisitions or investments, then we
may not achieve the anticipated benefits of any such
acquisitions, and we may incur costs in excess of what we
anticipate. The failure to successfully evaluate and execute
acquisitions or investments or otherwise adequately address
these risks could materially harm our business and financial
results.
Environmental
laws and regulations and unforeseen costs could impact our
future earnings.
The manufacture and sale of our products in certain states and
countries may subject us to environmental and other regulations.
For example, we obtain a significant number of our electronics
components from companies located in East Asia, where
environmental rules may be less stringent than in the United
States. Over time, the countries where these companies are
located may adopt more stringent environmental regulations,
resulting in an increase in our manufacturing costs.
Furthermore, certain environmental laws, including the
U.S. Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act of 1980, impose strict, joint and several
liability on current and previous owners or operators of real
property for the cost of removal or remediation of hazardous
substances and impose liability for damages to natural
resources. These laws often impose liability even if the owner
or operator did not know of, or was not responsible for, the
release of such hazardous substances. These environmental laws
also assess liability on persons who arrange for hazardous
substances to be sent to disposal or treatment facilities when
such facilities are found to be contaminated. Such persons can
be responsible for cleanup costs even if they never owned or
operated the contaminated facility. Although we have not yet
been named a responsible party at a contaminated site, we could
be named a potentially responsible party in the future. We
cannot assure you that such existing laws or future laws will
not have a material adverse effect on our future earnings or
results of operations.
Our business
and operations are subject to the risks of earthquakes and other
natural catastrophic events.
Our corporate headquarters, research and development and
manufacturing operations are located in Southern California, a
region known for seismic activity and wild fires. A significant
natural disaster, such as an earthquake, fire or other
catastrophic event, could severely affect our ability to conduct
normal business operations, and as a result, our future
operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Related to
Our U.S. Government Contracts
We are subject
to extensive government regulation, and our failure to comply
with applicable regulations could subject us to penalties that
may restrict our ability to conduct our business.
As a contractor to the U.S. government, we are subject to
and must comply with various government regulations that impact
our revenue, operating costs, profit margins and the internal
organization and operation of our business. The most significant
regulations and regulatory authorities affecting our business
include the following:
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the Federal Acquisition Regulations and supplemental agency
regulations, which comprehensively regulate the formation and
administration of, and performance under, U.S. government
contracts;
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the Truth in Negotiations Act, which requires certification and
disclosure of all factual cost and pricing data in connection
with contract negotiations;
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the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits
U.S. companies from providing anything of value to a
foreign official to help obtain, retain or direct business, or
obtain any unfair advantage;
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the False Claims Act and the False Statements Act, which impose
penalties for payments made on the basis of false facts provided
to the government and on the basis of false statements made to
the government, respectively;
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the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
and the Federal Communications Commission, which regulate the
wireless spectrum allocations upon which UAS depend for
operation and data transmission in the United States;
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the Federal Aviation Administration, which is in the process of
drafting regulations specifically for small UAS operation in the
United States;
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the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which regulate
the export of controlled technical data, defense articles and
defense services and restrict from which countries we may
purchase materials and services used in the production of
certain of our products; and
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laws, regulations and executive orders restricting the use and
dissemination of information classified for national security
purposes and the exportation of certain products and technical
data.
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Also, we need special security clearances and regulatory
approvals to continue working on certain of our projects with
the U.S. government. Classified programs generally will
require that we comply with various executive orders, federal
laws and regulations and customer security requirements that may
include restrictions on how we develop, store, protect and share
information, and may require our employees to obtain government
security clearances. Our failure to comply with applicable
regulations, rules and approvals or misconduct by any of our
employees could result in the imposition of fines and penalties,
the loss of security clearances, the loss of our government
contracts or our suspension or debarment from contracting with
the U.S. government generally, any of which would harm our
business, financial condition and results of operations. We are
also subject to certain regulations of comparable government
agencies in other countries, and our failure to comply with
these
non-U.S. regulations
could also harm our business, financial condition or results of
operations.
Our business
could be adversely affected by a negative audit by the
U.S. government.
U.S. government agencies, primarily the Defense Contract
Audit Agency and the Defense Contract Management Agency,
routinely audit and investigate government contractors. These
agencies review a contractors performance under its
contracts, cost structure and compliance with applicable laws,
regulations and standards. These agencies also may review the
adequacy of, and a contractors compliance with, its
internal control systems and policies, including the
contractors purchasing, property, estimating, compensation
and management information systems. Any costs found to be
improperly allocated to a specific contract will not be
reimbursed, while such costs already reimbursed must be
refunded. If an audit of our business were to uncover improper
or illegal activities, then we could be subject to civil and
criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, including
termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of
payments, fines and suspension or prohibition from doing
business with the U.S. government. In addition, we could
suffer serious harm to our reputation if allegations of
impropriety or illegal acts were made against us, even if the
allegations were inaccurate. If any of the foregoing were to
occur, our financial condition and operating results could be
materially adversely affected.
We were recently audited by the DCMA with respect to our system
for the care, control and accountability of government property.
The DCMA identified certain corrective actions to be taken with
respect to our system, which we have implemented. Although we
successfully implemented these corrective actions, we cannot
assure you that the DCMA will not require additional corrective
actions in the future. The failure to comply with requirements
for government contractors in the future would
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adversely affect our ability to do business with the
U.S. government and could harm our business and operating
results.
Some of our
contracts with the U.S. government allow it to use
inventions developed under the contracts and to disclose
technical data to third parties, which could harm our ability to
compete.
Some of our contracts allow the U.S. government to use,
royalty-free, or have others use, inventions developed under
those contracts on behalf of the government. Some of the
contracts allow the federal government to disclose technical
data without constraining the recipient on how those data are
used. The ability of third parties to use patents and technical
data for government purposes creates the possibility that the
government could attempt to establish alternative suppliers or
to negotiate with us to reduce our prices. The potential that
the government may release some of the technical data without
constraint creates the possibility that third parties may be
able to use this data to compete with us, which could have a
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations
or financial condition.
U.S. government
contracts are generally not fully funded at inception and
contain certain provisions that may be unfavorable to us, which
could prevent us from realizing our contract backlog and
materially harm our business and results of
operations.
DoD contracts typically involve long lead times for design and
development, and are subject to significant changes in contract
scheduling. Congress generally appropriates funds on a fiscal
year basis even though a program may continue for several years.
Consequently, programs are often only partially funded
initially, and additional funds are committed only as Congress
makes further appropriations. The termination or reduction of
funding for a government program would result in a loss of
anticipated future revenue attributable to that program.
As of July 29, 2006, we had funded U.S. government
contract backlog of $67.9 million and estimated unfunded
U.S. government contract backlog of $457.3 million.
The actual receipt of revenue on awards included in backlog may
never occur or may change because a program schedule could
change or the program could be canceled, or a contract could be
reduced, modified or terminated early.
In addition, U.S. government contracts generally contain
provisions permitting termination, in whole or in part, at the
governments convenience or for contractor default. Since a
substantial majority of our revenue is dependent on the
procurement, performance and payment under our
U.S. government contracts, the termination of one or more
critical government contracts could have a negative impact on
our results of operations and financial condition. Termination
arising out of our default could expose us to liability and have
a material adverse effect on our ability to re-compete for
future contracts and orders. Moreover, several of our contracts
with the U.S. government do not contain a limitation of
liability provision, creating a risk of responsibility for
indirect, incidental damages and consequential damages. These
provisions could cause substantial liability for us, especially
given the use to which our products may be put.
U.S. government
contracts are subject to a competitive bidding process that can
consume significant resources without generating any
revenue.
U.S. government contracts are frequently awarded only after
formal, protracted competitive bidding processes and, in many
cases, unsuccessful bidders for U.S. government contracts
are provided the opportunity to protest contract awards through
various agency, administrative and judicial channels. We derive
significant revenue from U.S. government contracts that
were awarded through a competitive bidding process. Much of the
UAS business that we expect to seek in the foreseeable
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future likely will be awarded through competitive bidding.
Competitive bidding presents a number of risks, including the
following:
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the need to bid on programs in advance of the completion of
their design, which may result in unforeseen technological
difficulties and cost overruns;
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the substantial cost and managerial time and effort that must be
spent to prepare bids and proposals for contracts that may not
be awarded to us;
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the need to estimate accurately the resources and cost structure
that will be required to service any contract we are
awarded; and
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the expense and delay that may arise if our competitors protest
or challenge contract awards made to us pursuant to competitive
bidding, and the risk that any such protest or challenge could
result in the delay of our contract performance, the distraction
of management, the resubmission of bids on modified
specifications, or in termination, reduction or modification of
the awarded contract.
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We may not be provided the opportunity to bid on contracts that
are held by other companies and are scheduled to expire if the
government extends the existing contract. If we are unable to
win particular contracts that are awarded through a competitive
bidding process, then we may not be able to operate in the
market for goods and services that are provided under those
contracts for a number of years. If we are unable to win new
contract awards over any extended period consistently, then our
business and prospects will be adversely affected.
Risks Related to
Our Intellectual Property
If we fail to
protect, or incur significant costs in defending, our
intellectual property and other proprietary rights, our business
and results of operations could be materially
harmed.
Our success depends, in large part, on our ability to protect
our intellectual property and other proprietary rights. We rely
primarily on patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and
unfair competition laws, as well as license agreements and other
contractual provisions, to protect our intellectual property and
other proprietary rights. However, a significant portion of our
technology is not patented, and we may be unable or may not seek
to obtain patent protection for this technology. Moreover,
existing U.S. legal standards relating to the validity,
enforceability and scope of protection of intellectual property
rights offer only limited protection, may not provide us with
any competitive advantages, and may be challenged by third
parties. The laws of countries other than the United States may
be even less protective of intellectual property rights.
Accordingly, despite our efforts, we may be unable to prevent
third parties from infringing upon or misappropriating our
intellectual property or otherwise gaining access to our
technology. Unauthorized third parties may try to copy or
reverse engineer our products or portions of our products or
otherwise obtain and use our intellectual property. Moreover,
many of our employees have access to our trade secrets and other
intellectual property. If one or more of these employees leave
us to work for one of our competitors, then they may disseminate
this proprietary information, which may as a result damage our
competitive position. If we fail to protect our intellectual
property and other proprietary rights, then our business,
results of operations or financial condition could be materially
harmed.
In addition, affirmatively defending our intellectual property
rights and investigating whether we are pursuing a product or
service development that may violate the rights of others may
entail significant expense. We have not found it necessary to
resort to legal proceedings to protect our intellectual
property, but may find it necessary to do so in the future. Any
of our intellectual property rights may be challenged by others
or invalidated through administrative processes or litigation.
If we resort to legal proceedings to enforce our intellectual
property rights or to determine the validity and scope of the
intellectual property or other proprietary rights of others,
then the proceedings could result in significant expense to us
and divert the attention and efforts of our management and
technical employees, even if we prevail.
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We may be sued
by third parties for alleged infringement of their proprietary
rights, which could be costly, time-consuming and limit our
ability to use certain technologies in the future.
We may become subject to claims that our technologies infringe
upon the intellectual property or other proprietary rights of
third parties. Any claims, with or without merit, could be
time-consuming and expensive, and could divert our
managements attention away from the execution of our
business plan. Moreover, any settlement or adverse judgment
resulting from these claims could require us to pay substantial
amounts or obtain a license to continue to use the disputed
technology, or otherwise restrict or prohibit our use of the
technology. We cannot assure you that we would be able to obtain
a license from the third party asserting the claim on
commercially reasonable terms, if at all, that we would be able
to develop alternative technology on a timely basis, if at all,
or that we would be able to obtain a license to use a suitable
alternative technology to permit us to continue offering, and
our customers to continue using, our affected product. An
adverse determination also could prevent us from offering our
products to others. Infringement claims asserted against us may
have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations or financial condition.
Risks Relating to
Securities Markets and Investment in Our Stock
There may not
be a viable public market for our common stock.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our
common stock, and there can be no assurance that a regular
trading market will develop and continue after this offering or
that the market price of our common stock will not decline below
the initial public offering price. If no trading market
develops, then securities analysts may not initiate or maintain
research coverage of us which could further depress the market
for our common stock. As a result, investors may not be able to
sell their common stock at or above the initial public offering
price or at the time that they would like to sell. The initial
public offering price will be determined through negotiations
between us and the representatives of the underwriters and may
not be indicative of the market price of our common stock
following this offering.
Our
management, whose interests may not be aligned with yours, is
able to control the vote on all matters requiring stockholder
approval.
As of July 29, 2006, our executive officers and their
affiliates collectively
held shares,
or 80.7%, of our total outstanding shares of common stock. Upon
consummation of this offering, our executive officers will
collectively
hold shares,
or %, of our total outstanding shares of common
stock. Accordingly, our executive officers as a group will
continue to control the vote on all matters requiring
stockholder approval, including the election of directors. The
interests of our executive officers may not be fully aligned
with yours. Although there is no agreement among our executive
officers with respect to the voting of their shares, this
concentration of ownership may delay, defer or even prevent a
change in control of our company, and make transactions more
difficult or impossible without the support of all or some of
our executive officers. These transactions might include proxy
contests, tender offers, mergers or other purchases of common
stock that could give you the opportunity to realize a premium
over the then-prevailing market price for shares of our common
stock.
Market
volatility may affect our stock price and the value of your
investment.
Following this offering, the market price for our common stock
is likely to be volatile, in part because our shares have not
been traded publicly. The market prices for securities of
emerging technology companies have historically been highly
volatile, and the market has from time to time experienced
significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to
the operating performance of particular companies. The market
price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in
response to a number of factors, most of which we cannot
control, including the following:
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U.S. government spending levels, both generally and by our
particular customers;
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the volume of operational activity by the U.S. military;
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delays in the payment of our invoices by government payment
offices, resulting in potentially reduced earnings during a
particular fiscal quarter;
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announcements of new products or technologies, commercial
relationships or other events relating to us or our industry or
our competitors;
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failure of any of our key products to gain market acceptance;
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variations in our quarterly operating results;
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perceptions of the prospects for the markets in which we compete;
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changes in general economic conditions;
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changes in securities analysts estimates of our financial
performance;
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regulatory developments in the United States and foreign
countries;
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fluctuations in stock market prices and trading volumes of
similar companies;
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news about the markets in which we compete or regarding our
competitors;
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terrorist acts or military action related to international
conflicts, wars or otherwise;
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sales of large blocks of our common stock, including sales by
our executive officers, directors and significant
stockholders; and
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additions or departures of key personnel.
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In addition, the equity markets in general, and Nasdaq in
particular, have experienced extreme price and volume
fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate
to the operating performance of those companies. Further, the
market prices of securities of emerging technology companies
have been particularly volatile. These broad market and industry
factors may affect the market price of our common stock
adversely, regardless of our operating performance. In the past,
following periods of volatility in the market price of a
companys securities, securities class action litigation
often has been instituted against that company. This type of
litigation, if instituted against us, could result in
substantial costs and a diversion of managements attention
and resources.
Future sales
of our common stock may depress our stock price.
After completion of this offering, we will
have shares
of common stock outstanding. The shares sold in this offering,
or shares
if the underwriters over-allotment is exercised in full,
will be freely tradable without restriction or further
registration under federal securities laws unless purchased by
our affiliates as such term is used in Rule 144
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Securities
Act. shares
of common stock outstanding after completion of this offering,
based upon shares outstanding as of July 29, 2006, will be
available for sale in the public market as of the date of this
prospectus. After the
lock-up
agreements pertaining to this offering expire, up to an
additional shares
of our common stock will be eligible for sale in the public
market, of
which are held by executive officers, directors and other
affiliates and will be subject to volume limitations under
Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
The above information assumes the effectiveness of the
lock-up
agreements under which current holders
of shares
of our common stock and all of our officers and directors have
agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of their shares of
common stock. Goldman, Sachs & Co., on behalf of the
underwriters, may, in its sole discretion and at any time
without notice, release all or any portion of the securities
subject to
lock-up
agreements. In considering any request to release shares subject
to a lock-up
agreement, Goldman, Sachs & Co. will consider the facts
and circumstances relating to a request at the time of that
request.
23
If our existing common stockholders sell substantial amounts of
common stock in the public market, or if the market perceives
that these sales may occur, then the market price of our common
stock may decline, including below the initial public offering
price.
In addition, as soon as practicable after the completion of this
offering, we intend to file a registration statement under the
Securities Act
covering shares
of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options
under our Nonqualified Stock Option
Plan, shares
of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options
under our Directors Nonqualified Stock Option
Plan, shares
of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options
under our 2002 Equity Incentive Plan and shares of common stock
reserved for future issuance under our 2006 Equity Incentive
Plan. The shares registered under such registration statement
will be available for sale in the open market, subject to
vesting restrictions with us, the contractual
lock-up
agreements described above and the contractual
lock-up
agreements and market stand-off provisions contained in the
agreements pursuant to which these options were issued. If these
additional shares are sold, or if it is perceived that they will
be sold, in the public market, then the trading price of our
common stock could decline. See Shares Eligible for
Future Sale.
You will
experience immediate and substantial dilution as a result of
this offering and may experience additional dilution in the
future.
We expect the initial public offering price of our common stock
in this offering to be substantially higher than the net
tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock.
Accordingly, investors purchasing shares of common stock in this
offering will pay a price that substantially exceeds the value
of our tangible assets after subtracting our liabilities. As a
result, investors will:
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incur immediate dilution of
$ per share, based on an
assumed initial public offering price of
$ per share, the midpoint of
our expected public offering price range; and
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contribute % of the total amount invested to date to
fund our company based on the initial offering price to the
public of $ per share, but
will own only % of the shares of common stock
outstanding upon completion of this offering.
|
You will experience additional dilution upon the exercise of
options to purchase common stock under our equity incentive
plans, if we issue restricted stock to our employees under these
plans or if we otherwise issue additional shares of our common
stock. See Dilution.
We plan to
reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date of the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and
the provisions in our charter documents, as amended and
restated, and under Delaware law could delay or discourage a
takeover that stockholders may consider favorable.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of
incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, to be effective
upon completion of this offering, may have the effect of
delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our
management. Some of these provisions include:
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a board of directors divided into three classes serving
staggered three-year terms;
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a prohibition on stockholder action through written consent;
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a requirement that special meetings of stockholders be called
only by the chairman of our board of directors, the chief
executive officer, the president or by a majority of the total
number of authorized directors;
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advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and
nominations;
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a requirement of approval of not less than
662/3%
of all outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote
to amend any bylaws by stockholder action, or to amend specific
provisions of our certificate of incorporation; and
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24
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the authority of our board of directors to issue preferred stock
on terms determined by our board of directors without
stockholder approval.
|
In addition, because we plan to reincorporate in Delaware, we
will be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law, which may prohibit certain
business combinations with stockholders owning 15% or more of
our outstanding voting stock. These and other provisions in our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and
restated bylaws and Delaware law could make it more difficult
for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our
board of directors or initiate actions that are opposed by the
then-current board of directors, including to delay or impede a
merger, tender offer, or proxy contest involving our company.
Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or
changes in our board of directors could cause the market price
of our common stock to decline.
We will incur
significant increased costs as a result of operating as a public
company, and our management will be required to devote
substantial time to new compliance initiatives.
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting
and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company.
In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as the
related rules and regulations enacted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or SEC, and the Nasdaq Global Market, have
required changes in corporate governance practices of public
companies. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our
legal and financial compliance costs. In addition, we will incur
additional costs associated with our public company reporting
requirements. We also expect these rules and regulations to make
it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director
and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to
accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially
higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a
result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain
qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as
executive officers. We currently are evaluating and monitoring
developments with respect to these rules, and we cannot predict
or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the
timing of such costs.
We can provide
no assurance regarding our conclusions as of April 30, 2008
with respect to the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting.
Beginning with our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2008, pursuant to
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our management will
be required to deliver an annual report that assesses the
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting,
and we will be required to have our independent registered
public accounting firm deliver an attestation report on
managements assessment. If our management or our
independent registered public accounting firm were to conclude
in their reports that our internal control over financial
reporting was not effective, then investors could lose
confidence in our reported financial information and the trading
price of our stock could drop significantly.
We will be required to devote significant resources to complete
the assessment and documentation of our internal control system
and financial processes, including an assessment of the design
of our information systems. We also may incur significant costs
to remediate any control deficiencies we identify through these
efforts. We cannot assure you that we will be able to complete
the required management assessment by our Section 404
reporting deadline. An inability to complete and document this
assessment would cause our auditors to conclude that our
internal control over financial reporting was not effective. In
addition, if a material weakness were identified with respect to
our internal control over financial reporting, then neither we
nor our auditors would be able to conclude that our internal
control over financial reporting was effective. Ineffective
internal control over financial reporting also could cause
investors to lose confidence in our reported financial
information, which could have a negative effect on the trading
price of our common stock.
25
We may
allocate the net proceeds from this offering in ways in which
you and other stockholders may not agree or which may not yield
a return.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to increase
our working capital, fund general corporate purposes, fund
research and development, general marketing activities, general
and administrative matters and finance opportunistic
acquisitions and other capital expenditures.
Our management will, however, have broad discretion in the
application of the net proceeds from this offering and you will
not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision,
to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. The
net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not
necessarily improve our operating results or enhance the market
value of our common stock. Until the net proceeds are used, they
may be placed in investments that do not produce significant
income or that lose value.
26
SPECIAL
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. All
statements other than statements of historical facts contained
in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future
results of operations and financial position, business strategy
and plans and objectives of management for future operations,
are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by
terms such as may, will,
should, expects, plans,
anticipates, could, intends,
target, projects,
contemplates, believes,
estimates, predicts,
potential or continue or the negative of
these terms or other similar words. These statements are only
predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements
largely on our current expectations and projections about future
events and financial trends that we believe may affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations. We
discuss many of the risks in greater detail under the heading
Risk Factors. Also, these forward-looking statements
represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of
this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the
documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as
exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus
is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual
future results may be materially different from what we expect.
Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update
these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the
reasons actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new
information becomes available in the future.
This prospectus also contains estimates and other statistical
data made by independent parties and by us relating to market
size and growth and other industry data. These data involve a
number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not
to give undue weight to such estimates. We have not
independently verified the statistical and other industry data
generated by independent parties and contained in this
prospectus. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates
of our future performance and the future performance of the
industries in which we operate are necessarily subject to a high
degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors,
including those described in Prospectus Summary,
Risk Factors, Managements Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,
Business and elsewhere in this prospectus. These and
other factors could cause results to differ materially from
those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties
and by us.
27
USE OF
PROCEEDS
We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately
$ million from the sale of
the shares of common stock offered in this offering, based on an
assumed initial public offering price of
$ per share, which is the
midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting
discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses
payable by us. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the
sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders.
The primary purpose of this offering is to fund working capital
and other general corporate purposes, including to finance
research and development of products, sales and marketing
activities, opportunistic acquisitions and other capital
expenditures. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures
may vary significantly from our expectations depending on
numerous factors, including our results of operations, financial
condition and capital requirements. Management has broad
discretion to allocate the net proceeds of this offering among
the identified uses described above. Pending their use, we
intend to invest the net proceeds in short-term,
interest-bearing, investment-grade securities.
If we were to price the offering at
$ per share, the low end of
the range on the cover of this prospectus, we estimate that we
would receive net proceeds of
$ million, assuming the total
number of shares offered by us remains the same and after
deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and
estimated offering expenses payable by us. If we were to price
the offering at $ per share,
the high end of the range on the cover of this prospectus, then
we estimate that we would receive net proceeds of
$ million, assuming the total
number of shares offered by us remains the same and after
deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and
estimated offering expenses payable by us.
DIVIDEND
POLICY
We currently intend to retain all future earnings, if any, for
use in the operation and expansion of our business and do not
anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
Our debt agreements prohibit us from paying any dividends to our
stockholders. Any future determination related to dividend
policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors
and will depend upon, among other factors, our results of
operations, financial condition, capital requirements,
contractual restrictions and such other factors as our board of
directors deems relevant.
28
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization as of
July 29, 2006 on an actual basis and on an as adjusted
basis, giving effect to:
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the issuance
of shares
of common stock upon the exercise of outstanding options at a
weighted average exercise price of
$ per share to be sold by
selling stockholders in this offering;
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a -for-one stock split; and
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our receipt of the estimated net proceeds from this offering,
based on an assumed initial public offering price of
$ per share and after
deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions
and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
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You should read the following table in conjunction with our
consolidated financial statements and related notes and the
sections entitled Selected Consolidated Financial
Data and Managements Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations appearing
elsewhere in this prospectus.
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As of
July 29, 2006
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Actual
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As
Adjusted(1)
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(Unaudited)
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(In thousands,
except share and par value data)
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Cash and cash equivalents
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$
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13,478
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$
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Long-term debt (including current
maturities)(2):
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Total long-term debt
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Stockholders equity:
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Existing common stock, no par
value; 25,000,000 shares authorized and 1,935,289 shares issued
and outstanding
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2,156
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Preferred stock, $0.0001 par
value; shares
authorized and no shares issued or outstanding
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New common stock, $0.0001 par
value; shares
authorized; shares
issued and outstanding,
actual; shares
issued and outstanding, as
adjusted(3)
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Retained earnings
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33,770
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Additional paid-in capital
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Total stockholders equity
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35,926
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Total capitalization
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$
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35,926
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$
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(1) |
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A $1.00 decrease or increase in the offering price would result
in an approximately $ million
increase or decrease in each of as adjusted additional paid-in
capital, as adjusted total stockholders equity and as
adjusted total capitalization, assuming the total number of
shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting
estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated
offering expenses payable by us. |
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(2) |
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We have a line of credit that provides for aggregate borrowings
of up to $16.5 million and a term loan facility under which
we may borrow up to $5.0 million. No amounts were
outstanding as of July 29, 2006. |
29
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(3) |
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We will reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date of
the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a
part, and in connection therewith replace our existing common
stock with a new class of common stock. |
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after
this offering is based
on shares
outstanding as of July 29, 2006 and excludes the following:
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shares
of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the remaining
options outstanding as of July 29, 2006 at a weighted
average exercise price of
$ per share; and
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shares
of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2006
equity incentive award plan, which will become effective on the
day prior to the day on which we become subject to the reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act.
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30
DILUTION
If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted
to the extent the initial public offering price per share of our
common stock in this offering exceeds the as adjusted net
tangible book value per share of our common stock after
completion of this offering. Net tangible book value per share
is determined at any date by subtracting our total liabilities
from the total book value of our tangible assets (total assets
less intangible assets) and dividing the difference by the pro
forma number of our shares of common stock deemed to be
outstanding at that date. Dilution in net tangible book value
per share represents the difference between the amount per share
paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering
and the net tangible book value per share of common stock
immediately after completion of this offering.
Our net tangible book value as of July 29, 2006, was
approximately $35.9 million, or approximately
$ per share of our common
stock. Investors participating in this offering will incur
immediate and substantial dilution.
After giving effect to the sale
of shares
offered by us in this offering at an assumed initial public
offering price of $ per
share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of
this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting
discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses,
our as adjusted net tangible book value as of July 29, 2006
would have been approximately
$ million, or approximately
$ per share of common stock.
This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net
tangible book value of $ per
share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in as
adjusted net tangible book value of
$ per share to new investors.
The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
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Assumed initial public offering
price per share
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$
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Net tangible book value per share
as of July 29, 2006, before giving effect to this offering
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$
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Increase in net tangible book
value per share attributable to investors purchasing shares in
this offering
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As adjusted net tangible book
value per share after giving effect to this offering
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Dilution in net tangible book
value per share to investors in this offering
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$
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The following table summarizes, as of July 29, 2006, as
adjusted to give effect to this offering, the differences
between the number of shares of common stock purchased from us,
the total cash consideration paid, and the average price per
share paid by our existing stockholders and by our new investors
purchasing stock in this offering. The calculation below is
based on an assumed initial public offering price of
$ per share, the midpoint of
the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before
deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions
and estimated offering expenses payable by us:
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Shares
Purchased
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Total
Consideration
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Average Price
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Number
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Percent
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Amount
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Percent
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Per
Share
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Existing stockholders before this
offering
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%
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$
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%
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$
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Investors participating in this
offering
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Total
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100.0
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%
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$
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100.0
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%
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$
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If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in
full, our existing stockholders would own % and our
new investors would own % of the total number of
shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering.
31
The above discussion and tables assume the exercise of
outstanding options as of July 29, 2006 to purchase an
aggregate
of shares
of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of
$ per share that will be sold
by selling stockholders in the offering and no exercise of other
options outstanding as of July 29, 2006. As of
July 29, 2006, in addition to these options to purchase an
aggregate
of shares,
we had outstanding options to purchase a total
of shares
of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of
$ per share. To the extent
any of these options are exercised, there will be further
dilution to new investors.
Sales of common stock by the selling stockholders in the
offering will reduce the number of shares of common stock held
by existing stockholders
to ,
or approximately % of the total shares of common
stock outstanding after the offering, and will increase the
number of shares held by new public investors
to ,
or approximately % of the total shares of common
stock outstanding after the offering.
A $1.00 decrease in the assumed offering price would decrease
our net tangible book value after this offering by
$ million and dilution in net
tangible book value per share to new investors by
$ , assuming the total number of
shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting
estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated
offering expenses payable by us. A $1.00 decrease in the assumed
offering price would decrease each of total consideration paid
by new investors in the offering and total consideration paid by
all stockholders by
$ million, assuming the total
number of shares offered by us remains the same and before
deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and
estimated offering expenses payable by us.
A $1.00 increase in the assumed offering price would increase
our net tangible book value after this offering by
$ million and dilution in net
tangible book value per share to new investors by
$ , assuming the total number of
shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting
estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated
offering expenses payable by us. A $1.00 increase in the assumed
offering price would increase each of total consideration paid
by new investors in the offering and total consideration paid by
all stockholders by
$ million, assuming the total
number of shares offered by us remains the same and before
deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and
estimated offering expenses payable by us.
32
SELECTED
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
The following consolidated income statement data for the fiscal
years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and consolidated
balance sheet data as of April 30, 2005 and 2006 have been
derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and
related notes, which are included elsewhere in this prospectus.
The income statement data for the fiscal years ended
April 27, 2002 and April 30, 2003 and the balance
sheet data as of April 27, 2002 and April 30, 2003 and
2004 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial
statements that do not appear in this prospectus. The
consolidated financial data for the three months ended
July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006 have been derived from
our unaudited consolidated financial statements, which are
included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected consolidated
financial data should be read in conjunction with
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations and our consolidated
financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in
this prospectus. The historical results are not necessarily
indicative of the results to be expected for any future period.
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Fiscal Year
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Three Months
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Ended
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|
|
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
|
April 27,
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
April 30,
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2002
|
|
|
2003(1)
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
(In thousands,
except share and per share data)
|
|
|
Consolidated Income Statement
Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
32,468
|
|
|
$
|
45,817
|
|
|
$
|
47,680
|
|
|
$
|
105,155
|
|
|
$
|
139,357
|
|
|
$
|
30,752
|
|
|
$
|
31,557
|
|
Cost of sales
|
|
|
24,184
|
|
|
|
33,156
|
|
|
|
33,122
|
|
|
|
58,549
|
|
|
|
82,598
|
|
|
|
19,516
|
|
|
|
19,571
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
8,284
|
|
|
|
12,661
|
|
|
|
14,558
|
|
|
|
46,606
|
|
|
|
56,759
|
|
|
|
11,236
|
|
|
|
11,986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
575
|
|
|
|
2,091
|
|
|
|
1,715
|
|
|
|
9,799
|
|
|
|
16,098
|
|
|
|
3,509
|
|
|
|
3,841
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
7,715
|
|
|
|
8,531
|
|
|
|
9,725
|
|
|
|
16,545
|
|
|
|
24,577
|
|
|
|
5,822
|
|
|
|
6,132
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations
|
|
|
(6
|
)
|
|
|
2,039
|
|
|
|
3,118
|
|
|
|
20,262
|
|
|
|
16,084
|
|
|
|
1,905
|
|
|
|
2,013
|
|
Loss on equity
investment(2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,001
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
|
333
|
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
206
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(70
|
)
|
|
|
(80
|
)
|
|
|
(90
|
)
|
|
|
(110
|
)
|
|
|
(127
|
)
|
|
|
(30
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Other
income(3)
|
|
|
675
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
633
|
|
|
|
962
|
|
|
|
3,030
|
|
|
|
20,213
|
|
|
|
16,290
|
|
|
|
1,912
|
|
|
|
2,219
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
304
|
|
|
|
421
|
|
|
|
859
|
|
|
|
5,531
|
|
|
|
4,881
|
|
|
|
574
|
|
|
|
854
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from continuing operations
|
|
|
329
|
|
|
|
541
|
|
|
|
2,171
|
|
|
|
14,682
|
|
|
|
11,409
|
|
|
|
1,338
|
|
|
|
1,365
|
|
Gain from sale of discontinued
operations, net of income taxes of $31 in
2002(4)
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
362
|
|
|
$
|
541
|
|
|
$
|
2,171
|
|
|
$
|
14,682
|
|
|
$
|
11,409
|
|
|
$
|
1,338
|
|
|
$
|
1,365
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per common
share(5):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares
outstanding(5):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma earnings per common
share(5)(6):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Pro forma weighted average
common shares
outstanding(5)(6):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of
|
|
|
|
April 27,
|
|
|
As of
April 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2002
|
|
|
2003(1)
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet
Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,998
|
|
|
$
|
3,310
|
|
|
$
|
10,060
|
|
|
$
|
15,388
|
|
|
$
|
13,478
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
2,325
|
|
|
|
3,707
|
|
|
|
6,346
|
|
|
|
19,312
|
|
|
|
28,478
|
|
|
|
30,243
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
12,682
|
|
|
|
14,385
|
|
|
|
26,464
|
|
|
|
50,364
|
|
|
|
64,778
|
|
|
|
55,776
|
|
Long-term debt, including current
portion
|
|
|
278
|
|
|
|
422
|
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
2,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
4,810
|
|
|
|
5,363
|
|
|
|
7,514
|
|
|
|
22,647
|
|
|
|
34,131
|
|
|
|
35,926
|
|
Dividends paid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Effective for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2003, our board of directors approved the change
of our fiscal year-end from the last Saturday in April to
April 30. Included in the financial statements for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2003 are three additional days
of operations as compared to the fiscal year ended
April 27, 2002.
|
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
During the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2003, we recorded losses of $1.0 million in
a joint venture, iPower Technologies, Inc., which we accounted
for on the equity method.
|
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Other income of $675,000 for the
fiscal year ended April 27, 2002 consisted primarily of the
recovery of a note receivable, which had previously been written
off, from Alta Mesa Energy LLC pursuant to our sale of our
interests in various wind farm partnerships.
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Gain from sale of discontinued
operations, net of income taxes, represents final cash payments
of $64,000 made pursuant to the sale of certain assets of two of
our subsidiaries, AeroVironment Environmental Services, Inc. and
AeroVironment Remediation Services, effective July 31,
1998. This amount was fully reserved previously.
|
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Earnings per common share and
weighted average common shares outstanding give effect to
a -for-one split of our common
stock to be effected prior to the completion of this offering.
|
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Pro forma earnings per common share
and pro forma weighted average common shares outstanding give
effect to our sale
of shares
of our common stock in connection with this offering, as if such
transaction was completed on May 1, 2005.
|
34
MANAGEMENTS
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of our financial
condition and results of operations should be read in
conjunction with Selected Consolidated Financial
Data and our consolidated financial statements and related
notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to
historical information, this discussion and analysis contains
forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of
certain factors, including but not limited to, those set forth
under Risk Factors and elsewhere in this
prospectus.
Overview
We design, develop, produce and support a
technologically-advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft
systems that we supply primarily to organizations within the
U.S. Department of Defense, and fast charge systems for
electric industrial vehicle batteries that we supply to
commercial customers. We derive the majority of our revenue from
these two business areas. Customers for our small unmanned
aircraft systems, or UAS, include the U.S. Army,
U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Special Operations
Command, or SOCOM. Our PosiCharge customers, including Ford
Motor Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA,
utilize our fast charge systems in their factories, distribution
centers, cold storage facilities and airport ground support
operations. The success we have achieved with our current
products stems from our ability to invent and deliver advanced
solutions, utilizing our proprietary technologies, to help our
government and commercial customers operate more effectively and
efficiently.
Our small UAS are well positioned to support the
transformational strategy of the U.S. Department of
Defense, or DoD, the purpose of which is to convert the military
into a smaller, more agile force that operates through a network
of observation, communication and precision targeting
technologies, and its efforts to prosecute the global war on
terror, which have increased the need for real-time, visual
information in new operational environments. Our small UAS,
including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp and Puma,
are designed to provide valuable intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance, or ISR, directly to the small tactical unit, or
individual warfighter level, thereby increasing
flexibility in mission planning and execution. We also provide
training by our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have
extensive military experience, and continuous refurbishment and
repair services for our products.
Our PosiCharge products and services are designed to improve
productivity and safety for operators of electric industrial
vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support
equipment, by improving battery and fleet management. PosiCharge
utilizes our proprietary technology in energy and battery
management to recharge electric industrial vehicle batteries
rapidly during regularly scheduled breaks or other times the
vehicle is not in service, eliminating the costly and
time-consuming process of removing and replacing the battery.
PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial
vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional
charger. Utilizing its current, voltage and temperature
management capabilities, PosiCharge eliminates the need to cool
batteries during and after normal charging, which can take up to
eight hours, thereby allowing the batteries to remain in the
vehicles during the charging process. These capabilities can
also serve to enhance battery performance and lifespan. As of
July 29, 2006, our PosiCharge fast charge systems serviced
over 5,000 electric industrial vehicles. We estimate that
approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles
currently operate in North America, including over 100,000 new
vehicles that we estimate were shipped in 2005.
Revenue
We generate our revenue primarily from the sale and support of
our small UAS and PosiCharge solutions. Support for our small
UAS customers includes training, customer support and repair and
35
replacement work, which we refer to collectively as our
logistics operation. We derive most of our small UAS revenue
from fixed-price and cost-plus-fee contracts with the
U.S. government and most of our PosiCharge revenue from
sales and service to commercial customers. We also generate
revenue from our Energy Technology Center through the provision
of contract development and engineering services, the sale of
our power processing systems and license fees. For the fiscal
years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three
months ended July 29, 2006, the UAS segment accounted for
78%, 80% and 79% of our revenue, respectively; the PosiCharge
segment accounted for 15%, 14% and 16% of our revenue,
respectively; and the Energy Technology Center segment accounted
for 7%, 6% and 5% of our revenue, respectively.
Cost
of Sales
Cost of sales consists of direct costs and allocated indirect
costs. Direct costs include labor, materials, travel,
subcontracts and other costs directly related to the execution
of a specific contract. Indirect costs include overhead
expenses, fringe benefits and other costs that are not directly
related to the execution of a specific contract. For the fiscal
years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three
months ended July 29, 2006, cost of sales were 56%, 59% and
62% of our revenue, respectively.
Gross
Margin
Gross margin is equal to revenue minus cost of sales. We use
gross margin as a financial metric to help us understand trends
in our direct costs and allocated indirect costs when compared
to the revenue we generate. For the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended
July 29, 2006, gross margin was 44%, 41% and 38% of our
revenue, respectively.
Research
and Development Expense
Research and development, or R&D, is an integral part of our
business model. We conduct significant internally funded
research and development and anticipate that research and
development expense will continue to increase in absolute
dollars for the foreseeable future. Our UAS research and
development activities focus specifically on creating
capabilities that support our existing small UAS product
portfolio as well as new UAS platforms. These activities are
funded both externally by customers and internally. In addition,
we currently have a number of potential products in various
stages of development and commercialization within our research
and development program. For the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended
July 29, 2006, R&D expense accounted for 9%, 12% and
12% of our revenue, respectively.
Backlog
Our backlog is comprised of funded and unfunded amounts provided
in our contracts. We define funded backlog as unfilled firm
orders for products and services for which funding currently is
appropriated to us under the contract by the customer. We define
unfunded backlog as the total remaining potential order amounts
under indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ,
contracts. IDIQ contracts do not obligate the U.S. government to
purchase goods or services. Because of possible future changes
in delivery schedules
and/or
cancellations of orders, backlog at any particular date is not
necessarily representative of actual sales to be expected for
any succeeding period, and actual sales for the year may not
meet or exceed the backlog represented. Our funded backlog was
$70.4 million and $79.7 million as of April 30,
2005 and 2006, respectively. Our unfunded backlog was
$262.8 million and $475.5 million as of April 30,
2005 and 2006, respectively. As of July 29, 2006, our
funded backlog was $79.8 million and unfunded backlog was
$457.3 million.
36
Selling,
General and Administrative
Our selling, general and administrative expenses, or SG&A,
include salaries and other expenses related to selling,
marketing and proposal activities, and other administrative
costs. In addition, expense associated with our supplemental
executive retirement plan is included in SG&A. SG&A is
an important financial metric that we analyze to help us
evaluate the contribution of our selling, marketing and proposal
activities to revenue generation. For the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended
July 29, 2006, SG&A was 16%, 18% and 19% of our
revenue, respectively.
Other Income
and Expenses
Other income and expenses include interest income, interest
expense, and the recovery of a previously written-off note
receivable.
Income Tax
Expense
Beginning in fiscal 2005, our effective tax rates were
substantially lower than the statutory rates primarily due to
research and development tax credits. The federal research and
development tax credit expired in December 2005. If this tax
credit is not reinstated, then our annual tax rate likely will
increase.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations discusses our consolidated financial
statements, which have been prepared in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
When we prepare these consolidated financial statements, we are
required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of
contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses
during the reporting period. Some of our accounting policies
require that we make subjective judgments, including estimates
that involve matters that are inherently uncertain. Our most
critical estimates include those related to revenue recognition,
inventories and reserves for excess and obsolescence, our
supplemental executive retirement plan, self-insured
liabilities, accounting for stock-based awards, and income
taxes. We base our estimates and judgments on historical
experience and on various other factors that we believe to be
reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form
the basis for our judgments about the carrying values of assets
and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other
sources. Our actual results may differ from these estimates
under different assumptions or conditions.
We believe the following critical accounting estimates affect
our more significant judgments and estimates used in preparing
our consolidated financial statements. See Note 1 of the
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for our Summary of
Significant Accounting Policies. There have been no material
changes made to the critical accounting estimates during the
periods presented in the consolidated financial statements.
Revenue
Recognition
Significant management judgments and estimates must be made and
used in connection with the recognition of revenue in any
accounting period. Material differences in the amount of revenue
in any given period may result if these judgments or estimates
prove to be incorrect or if managements estimates change
on the basis of development of the business or market conditions.
The substantial majority of our revenue is generated pursuant to
written contractual arrangements to design, develop, manufacture
and/or
modify complex products, and to provide related engineering,
technical and other services according to customer
specifications. These contracts may be fixed-price or
cost-reimbursable. We consider all contracts for treatment in
accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Emerging
Issues Task Force
No. 00-21,
Revenue
37
Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables (EITF
00-21).
EITF 00-21
provides for deferral to higher authoritative guidance,
including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Statement of Position
81-1,
Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and
Certain Production-Type Contracts
(SOP 81-1),
under which the majority of our contracts are properly accounted
for. Contracts which provide for multiple deliverables to which
SOP 81-1
does not apply are accounted for in accordance with the
provisions of EITF
No. 00-21.
Revenue from product sales not under contractual arrangement is
recognized at the time title and the risk and rewards of
ownership pass, which typically occurs when the products are
shipped and collection is reasonably assured.
Revenue and profits on fixed-price contracts are recognized
using
percentage-of-completion
methods of accounting. Revenue and profits on fixed-price
production contracts, whose units are produced and delivered in
a continuous or sequential process, are recorded as units are
delivered based on their selling prices, or the
units-of-delivery
method. Revenue and profits on other fixed-price contracts with
significant engineering as well as production requirements are
recorded based on the ratio of total actual incurred costs to
date to the total estimated costs for each contract, or the
cost-to-cost
method. Under
percentage-of-completion
methods of accounting, a single estimated total profit margin is
used to recognize profit for each contract over its entire
period of performance, which can exceed one year. Accounting for
revenue and profits on a fixed-price contract requires the
preparation of estimates of (1) the total contract revenue,
(2) the total costs at completion, which is equal to the
sum of the actual incurred costs to date on the contract and the
estimated costs to complete the contracts statement of
work and (3) the measurement of progress towards
completion. The estimated profit or loss at completion on a
contract is equal to the difference between the total estimated
contract revenue and the total estimated cost at completion.
Under the
units-of-delivery
method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded as the
units are delivered during the period based on their contractual
selling prices. Under the
cost-to-cost
method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded at
amounts equal to the ratio of actual cumulative costs incurred
divided by total estimated costs at completion, multiplied by
(A) the total estimated contract revenue, less (B) the
cumulative sales recognized in prior periods. The profit
recorded on a contract in any period using either the
units-of-delivery
method or
cost-to-cost
method is equal to (X) the current estimated total profit
margin multiplied by the cumulative sales recognized, less
(Y) the amount of cumulative profit previously recorded for
the contract. In the case of a contract for which the total
estimated costs exceed the total estimated revenue, a loss
arises, and a provision for the entire loss is recorded in the
period that it becomes evident. The unrecoverable costs on a
loss contract that are expected to be incurred in future periods
are recorded in the program cost.
Revenue and profits on cost-reimbursable type contracts are
recognized as costs are incurred on the contract, at an amount
equal to the costs plus the estimated profit on those costs. The
estimated profit on a cost-reimbursable contract is generally
fixed or variable based on the contractual fee arrangement.
We review cost performance and estimates to complete at least
quarterly and in many cases more frequently. Adjustments to
original estimates for a contracts revenue, estimated
costs at completion and estimated profit or loss are often
required as work progresses under a contract, as experience is
gained and as more information is obtained, even though the
scope of work required under the contract may not change, or if
contract modifications occur. The impact of revisions in profit
estimates for all types of contracts are recognized on a
cumulative
catch-up
basis in the period in which the revisions are made. Amounts
representing contract change orders or claims are included in
revenue only when they can be reliably estimated and their
realization is probable. Incentives or penalties and awards
applicable to performance on contracts are considered in
estimating revenue and profit rates, and are recorded when there
is sufficient information to assess anticipated contract
performance. Revenue on arrangements that are not within the
scope of
SOP 81-1
are recognized in accordance with the SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 104, Revenue Recognition in
Financial Statements.
38
Inventories
and Reserve for Excess and Obsolescence
Our policy for valuation of inventory, including the
determination of obsolete or excess inventory, requires us to
perform a detailed assessment of inventory at each balance sheet
date, which includes a review of, among other factors, an
estimate of future demand for products within specific time
horizons, valuation of existing inventory, as well as product
lifecycle and product development plans. Inventory reserves are
also provided to cover risks arising from slow-moving items. We
write down our inventory for estimated obsolescence or
unmarketable inventory equal to the difference between the cost
of inventory and the estimated market value based on assumptions
about future demand and market conditions. We may be required to
record additional inventory write-downs if actual market
conditions are less favorable than those projected by our
management. Our inventory reserve balance was $0.6 million,
$1.1 million and $0.8 million at April 30, 2004,
2005, and 2006, respectively. The increase in the inventory
reserve of $0.5 million to $1.1 million at
April 30, 2005 from $0.6 million at April 30,
2004 was primarily due to additional inventory reserves for an
earlier generation small UAS product line.
Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan Obligation
We maintain a supplemental executive retirement plan, which is a
non-qualified defined benefit plan for Dr. MacCready, our
Founder and Chairman of our board of directors. The plan is
non-contributory and non-funded. Pension expense is determined
using various actuarial cost methods to estimate the total
benefits ultimately payable to the plan beneficiary, and this
amount is accrued as a liability on our balance sheet. We review
the actuarial assumptions used to calculate pension costs
annually. Based upon the terms of this plan, the plan and all
obligations under the plan will terminate automatically upon
completion of this offering without any payment or promise of
future payment to Dr. MacCready, which will result in a
reversal of the related accrued expense of approximately
$2.2 million in the period in which the offering is
completed.
Self-Insured
Liability
We are self-insured for employee medical claims, subject to
individual and aggregate stop-loss policies. We estimate a
liability for claims filed and incurred but not reported claims
based upon recent claims experience and an analysis of the
average period of time between the occurrence of a claim and the
time it is reported to and paid by us. We perform an annual
evaluation of this policy and have determined that for all prior
years during which this policy has been in effect there have
been cost advantages to this policy, as compared to obtaining
commercially available employee medical insurance. However,
actual results may differ materially from those estimated and
could have a material impact on our consolidated financial
statements.
Accounting for
Stock-Based Awards
Historically, we applied Accounting Principles Board
No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to
Employees, and related interpretations, or Opinion 25, in
accounting for our stock-based compensation plans. We granted
options with exercise prices at or above the estimated fair
value of our common stock. No compensation expense was recorded
as the exercise price equals or exceeds the fair value of the
underlying stock on the grant date.
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123
(revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, or
SFAS 123R. SFAS 123R eliminates the alternative of
applying the intrinsic value measurement provisions of Opinion
25 to stock compensation awards issued to employees. Instead,
SFAS 123R requires companies to measure the cost of
employee services received in exchange for an award of equity
instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award.
That cost must be recognized over the period during which an
employee is required to provide services in exchange for the
award, known as the requisite service period, which is usually
the vesting period. We adopted SFAS 123R effective
May 1, 2006. Because
39
we historically used the minimum value method of measuring stock
options, implementation of SFAS 123R applies prospectively
to new awards after adoption. No expense is recognized for
options granted prior to adoption. No awards were granted and no
expense was recognized during the three months ended
July 29, 2006 as a result of adoption.
Given the absence of an active market for our common stock, our
board of directors is required to estimate the fair value of our
common stock. Our board of directors considered numerous
objective and subjective factors in determining the value of our
common stock at each option grant date, including the following
factors: (1) recent arms-length transactions in our
common stock; (2) contemporaneous valuations; (3) the
fact that the option grants involved illiquid securities in a
private company; (4) our stage of development and revenue
growth; and (5) the likelihood of achieving a liquidity
event for the shares of common stock underlying the options,
such as an initial public offering or sale of our company, given
prevailing market conditions.
Income
Taxes
We are required to estimate our income taxes, which includes
estimating our current income taxes as well as measuring the
temporary differences resulting from different treatment of
items for tax and accounting purposes. We currently have
significant deferred assets, which are subject to periodic
recoverability assessments. Realizing our deferred tax assets
principally depends on our achieving projected future taxable
income. We may change our judgments regarding future
profitability due to future market conditions and other factors,
which may result in recording a valuation allowance against
those deferred tax assets. Beginning in fiscal 2005, our
effective tax rates were substantially lower than the statutory
rates primarily due to research and development tax credits. The
federal research and development tax credit expired in December
2005. If this tax credit is not reinstated, then our tax rate
for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2007 may be higher
than we experienced in the fiscal years ended April 30,
2005 and 2006 as it will not reflect such credit.
Fiscal
Periods
Our fiscal year ends on April 30 and our fiscal quarters
end on the last Saturday of July, October and January.
40
Results of
Operations
The following table sets forth certain historical consolidated
income statement data expressed in dollars (in thousands) and as
a percentage of revenue for the periods indicated. Certain
amounts may not calculate due to rounding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
April 30,
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
47,680
|
|
|
|
100%
|
|
|
$
|
105,155
|
|
|
|
100%
|
|
|
$
|
139,357
|
|
|
|
100%
|
|
|
$
|
30,752
|
|
|
|
100%
|
|
|
$
|
31,557
|
|
|
|
100%
|
|
Cost of sales
|
|
|
33,122
|
|
|
|
69%
|
|
|
|
58,549
|
|
|
|
56%
|
|
|
|
82,598
|
|
|
|
59%
|
|
|
|
19,516
|
|
|
|
63%
|
|
|
|
19,571
|
|
|
|
62%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
14,558
|
|
|
|
31%
|
|
|
|
46,606
|
|
|
|
44%
|
|
|
|
56,759
|
|
|
|
41%
|
|
|
|
11,236
|
|
|
|
37%
|
|
|
|
11,986
|
|
|
|
38%
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
1,715
|
|
|
|
4%
|
|
|
|
9,799
|
|
|
|
9%
|
|
|
|
16,098
|
|
|
|
12%
|
|
|
|
3,509
|
|
|
|
11%
|
|
|
|
3,841
|
|
|
|
12%
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
9,725
|
|
|
|
20%
|
|
|
|
16,545
|
|
|
|
16%
|
|
|
|
24,577
|
|
|
|
18%
|
|
|
|
5,822
|
|
|
|
19%
|
|
|
|
6,132
|
|
|
|
19%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
3,118
|
|
|
|
7%
|
|
|
|
20,262
|
|
|
|
19%
|
|
|
|
16,084
|
|
|
|
12%
|
|
|
|
1,905
|
|
|
|
6%
|
|
|
|
2,013
|
|
|
|
6%
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
333
|
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
206
|
|
|
|
1%
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(90
|
)
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
(110
|
)
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
(127
|
)
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
(30
|
)
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
3,030
|
|
|
|
6%
|
|
|
|
20,213
|
|
|
|
19%
|
|
|
|
16,290
|
|
|
|
12%
|
|
|
|
1,912
|
|
|
|
6%
|
|
|
|
2,219
|
|
|
|
7%
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
859
|
|
|
|
2%
|
|
|
|
5,531
|
|
|
|
5%
|
|
|
|
4,881
|
|
|
|
4%
|
|
|
|
574
|
|
|
|
2%
|
|
|
|
854
|
|
|
|
3%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
2,171
|
|
|
|
5%
|
|
|
$
|
14,682
|
|
|
|
14%
|
|
|
$
|
11,409
|
|
|
|
8%
|
|
|
$
|
1,338
|
|
|
|
4%
|
|
|
$
|
1,365
|
|
|
|
4%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our operating segments are UAS, PosiCharge fast charge systems
and our Energy Technology Center. The accounting policies for
each of these segments are the same. In addition, a significant
portion of our research and development, selling, general and
administrative, and general overhead resources are shared across
our segments.
The following table sets forth our revenue and gross margin
generated by each operating segment for the periods indicated:
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
April 30,
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UAS
|
|
$
|
30,372
|
|
|
$
|
82,249
|
|
|
$
|
111,104
|
|
|
$
|
24,303
|
|
|
$
|
24,983
|
|
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
|
|
|
9,111
|
|
|
|
15,642
|
|
|
|
19,928
|
|
|
|
4,559
|
|
|
|
4,943
|
|
Energy Technology Center
|
|
|
8,197
|
|
|
|
7,264
|
|
|
|
8,325
|
|
|
|
1,890
|
|
|
|
1,631
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
47,680
|
|
|
$
|
105,155
|
|
|
$
|
139,357
|
|
|
$
|
30,752
|
|
|
$
|
31,557
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross margin:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UAS
|
|
$
|
10,161
|
|
|
$
|
37,235
|
|
|
$
|
44,558
|
|
|
$
|
8,633
|
|
|
$
|
9,271
|
|
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
|
|
|
3,524
|
|
|
|
5,846
|
|
|
|
8,062
|
|
|
|
1,637
|
|
|
|
1,940
|
|
Energy Technology Center
|
|
|
873
|
|
|
|
3,525
|
|
|
|
4,139
|
|
|
|
966
|
|
|
|
775
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
14,558
|
|
|
$
|
46,606
|
|
|
$
|
56,759
|
|
|
$
|
11,236
|
|
|
$
|
11,986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
41
Three Months
Ended July 29, 2006 Compared to Three Months Ended
July 30, 2005
Revenue. Revenue for the three months
ended July 29, 2006 was $31.6 million, as compared to
$30.8 million for the three months ended July 30,
2005, representing an increase of $0.8 million, or 3%. UAS
revenue increased $0.7 million to $25.0 million for
the three months ended July 29, 2006, largely due to the
continued growth of our logistics operation, which was launched
in fiscal year 2005. Revenue from our logistics operation
increased $3.3 million, while UAS product sales decreased
$2.6 million. The decrease in UAS product sales was largely
due to product shipments being deferred into the latter part of
this fiscal year pending customer testing and evaluation, which
has been completed. PosiCharge fast charge systems revenue
increased by $0.4 million to $4.9 million for the
three months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to
installation of PosiCharge into additional facilities operated
by our existing customers. Energy Technology Center revenue
decreased by $0.3 million to $1.6 million in the three
months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to lower sales of
power processing test equipment.
Cost of Sales. Cost of sales for the
three months ended July 29, 2006 was $19.6 million, as
compared to $19.5 million for the three months ended
July 30, 2005, representing an increase of
$0.1 million, or less than 1%. The increase in cost of
sales was caused by higher PosiCharge fast charge systems cost
of sales of $0.1 million.
Gross Margin. Gross margin for the
three months ended July 29, 2006 was $12.0 million, as
compared to $11.2 million for the three months ended
July 30, 2005, representing an increase of
$0.8 million, or 7%. UAS gross margin increased
$0.6 million to $9.3 million for the three months
ended July 29, 2006. As a percentage of revenue, gross
margin for UAS increased from 36% to 37%. PosiCharge fast charge
systems gross margin increased $0.3 million to
$1.9 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006,
due to the increase in sales volume. As a percentage of revenue,
PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased from 36%
to 39% for the three months ended July 29, 2006, due to the
achievement of direct and indirect cost efficiencies coincident
with higher sales volume. Energy Technology Center gross margin
decreased $0.2 million to $0.8 million for the three
months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to lower sales of
power processing test equipment. As a percentage of revenue,
Energy Technology Center gross margin decreased from 51% to 48%
for the three months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to
the lower equipment sales relative to customer-funded research
and development work.
Research and Development. R&D
expense for the three months ended July 29, 2006 was
$3.8 million (or 12% of revenue), compared to R&D
expense of $3.5 million (or 11% of revenue) for the three
months ended July 30, 2005. The increase in R&D expense
reflected our investment in improvement and expansion of
existing product lines and development of new product
opportunities.
Selling, General and
Administrative. SG&A expense for the
three months ended July 29, 2006 was $6.1 million (or
19% of revenue), compared to SG&A expense of
$5.8 million (or 19% of revenue) in the three months ended
July 30, 2005. The increase in SG&A expense of
$0.3 million was caused primarily by the added
administrative and marketing infrastructure necessary as we
continue to grow our business.
Income Tax Expense. Our effective
income tax rate was 38.5% for the three months ended
July 29, 2006, as compared to 30.0% for the three months
ended July 30, 2005. This increase was due to the
expiration of the federal research and development tax credit on
December 31, 2005. As of July 29, 2006, this tax
credit had not been reinstated. If the tax credit is reinstated,
then we will make an adjustment to our effective tax rate in the
fiscal period during which the tax credit is reinstated.
Fiscal Year
Ended April 30, 2006 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended
April 30, 2005
Revenue. Revenue for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2006 was $139.4 million, as compared
to $105.2 million for the fiscal year ended April 30,
2005, representing an increase of $34.2 million, or 33%.
UAS revenue increased $28.9 million to $111.1 million
for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006,
42
largely due to the continued growth of our logistics operations,
which were launched in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005
and accounted for $20.1 million of the increase in UAS
revenue. The remaining increase in UAS revenue of
$8.8 million was due to an increase in product sales.
PosiCharge fast charge systems revenue increased by
$4.3 million to $19.9 million for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2006 primarily due to acceptance of
PosiCharge into multiple facilities operated by one of our
existing customers. Energy Technology Center revenue increased
by $1.1 million to $8.3 million in the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to an increase in sales
of power processing test equipment.
Cost of Sales. Cost of sales for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $82.6 million, as
compared to $58.5 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005, representing an increase of
$24.1 million, or 41%. The increase in cost of sales was
caused by higher UAS cost of sales of $21.5 million, higher
PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales of
$2.1 million, and higher Energy Technology Center cost of
sales of $0.4 million. The increase in UAS cost of sales
was largely due to a full year of our logistics activities. The
increase in PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales was
primarily due to the continued adoption of our fast charge
systems.
Gross Margin. Gross margin for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $56.8 million, as
compared to $46.6 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005, representing an increase of
$10.2 million, or 22%. UAS gross margin increased
$7.3 million to $44.6 million for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2006. As a percentage of revenue, gross
margin for UAS decreased from 45% to 40%, largely due to a
reduction in pricing on UAS production orders in fiscal year
2006 and an increase in cost-plus-fee contracts relative to
fixed-price contracts, the former of which tend to have lower
gross margins, as described more fully in Government
Contracting Process. The lower pricing also reflected the
pass-through of manufacturing cost efficiencies to our
customers. PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased
$2.2 million to $8.1 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006, due to the increase in sales volume. As a
percentage of revenue, PosiCharge fast charge systems gross
margin increased from 37% to 40% for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006, due to the achievement of direct and
indirect cost efficiencies coincident with higher sales volume.
Energy Technology Center gross margin increased
$0.6 million to $4.1 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006, primarily due to increased sales of power
processing test equipment. As a percentage of revenue, Energy
Technology Center gross margin increased from 49% to 50% for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to the
higher sales mix of equipment sales compared to customer-funded
research and development work.
Research and Development. R&D
expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was
$16.1 million (or 12% of revenue), compared to R&D
expense of $9.8 million (or 9% of revenue) for the fiscal
year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in R&D expense
reflected our investment in improvement and expansion of
existing product lines and development of new product
opportunities.
Selling, General and
Administrative. SG&A expense for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $24.6 million (or
18% of revenue), compared to SG&A expense of
$16.5 million (or 16% of revenue) in the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005. The increase in SG&A expense of
$8.1 million was caused primarily by the added
administrative and marketing infrastructure necessary to support
the growth in our business volume and to enhance the
documentation of our internal controls. Further, the increase in
SG&A expense partially reflects the lag in SG&A
infrastructure growth relative to the revenue growth we
experienced in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. As a
percentage of revenue, SG&A expense increased to 18% in the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to the
establishment of a supplemental executive retirement plan for
Dr. MacCready, our Founder and Chairman of our board of
directors. The expense associated with this plan was
$2.2 million (or 2% of revenue) in 2006.
Income Tax Expense. Our effective
income tax rate was 30.0% for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006, as compared to 27.4% for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2005. The increase was due to a reduction
in the federal research and development tax credit computed
based on the expiration of the tax credit on December 31,
2005. As of April 30, 2006, the tax credit had not been
reinstated. If
43
the tax credit is reinstated, then we will make an adjustment to
our effective tax rate in the fiscal period during which the tax
credit is reinstated.
Fiscal Year
Ended April 30, 2005 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended
April 30, 2004
Revenue. Revenue for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2005 was $105.2 million, as compared
to $47.7 million for the fiscal year ended April 30,
2004, representing an increase of $57.5 million, or 121%.
UAS sales increased $51.9 million to $82.2 million for
the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, due to the high
volume of UAS deliveries achieved during the first full year of
full-rate UAS production. PosiCharge fast charge systems sales
increased $6.5 million to $15.6 million for the fiscal
year ended April 30, 2005 due to the continued adoption of
these systems, particularly with one existing customer that
implemented PosiCharge in many of its North American plants. The
decrease in Energy Technology Center sales of $0.9 million
was largely due to a decrease in customer-funded research and
development.
Cost of Sales. Cost of sales for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $58.5 million, as
compared to $33.1 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2004, representing an increase of
$25.4 million, or 77%. The increase in cost of sales was
driven by higher UAS cost of sales of $24.8 million and
higher PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales of
$4.2 million, partially offset by a decline in Energy
Technology Center cost of sales of $3.6 million. The
increase in UAS cost of sales was largely due to the high volume
of UAS deliveries achieved during the first full year of
full-rate UAS production activities. The increase in PosiCharge
fast charge systems cost of sales was primarily due to increased
adoption and implementation of fast charge systems. The decrease
in Energy Technology Center cost of sales was primarily due to
lower overall sales and a change in the mix of business toward
lower cost power processing systems and write-down of inventory
that occurred in 2004 and was not present in 2005.
Gross Margin. Gross margin for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $46.6 million, as
compared to $14.6 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2004, representing an increase of
$32.0 million, or 220%. UAS gross margin increased
$27.1 million to $37.2 million for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2005. As a percentage of revenue, UAS gross
margin increased from 33% to 45% for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005, primarily due to efficiencies achieved
during the first full year of full-rate UAS production.
PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased
$2.3 million to $5.8 million as of April 30,
2005. As a percentage of revenue, PosiCharge fast charge systems
gross margin decreased from 39% to 37% for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005, primarily due to volume pricing incentives.
Energy Technology Center gross margin increased
$2.7 million to $3.5 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005. As a percentage of revenue, Energy
Technology Center gross margin increased from 11% to 49% for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, primarily due to the
change in the mix of business toward lower cost power processing
systems and write-down of inventory that occurred in 2004 and
was not present in 2005.
Research and Development. R&D
expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was
$9.8 million (or 9% of revenue), compared to R&D
expense of $1.7 million (or 4% of revenue) for the fiscal
year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in R&D expense
reflected our investment in improvement and expansion of
existing product lines and development of new product
opportunities.
Selling, General and
Administrative. SG&A expense for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $16.5 million (or
16% of revenue), compared to SG&A expense of
$9.7 million (or 20% of revenue) for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2004. The
year-over-year
increase in SG&A expense of $6.8 million was caused by
adding infrastructure necessary to support our
year-over-year
sales growth. As a percentage of revenue, our infrastructure
costs lagged behind the increase in revenue in 2005.
Income Tax Expense. Our effective
income tax rate was 27.4% for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005, as compared to 28.4% for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2004. The decrease was due
44
to an increase in research and development tax credits, offset
in part by a reduction of an amount in excess of the tax
liability for 2004.
Liquidity and
Capital Resources
We currently have no material cash commitments, except for
normal recurring trade payables, accrued expenses and ongoing
research and development costs, all of which we anticipate
funding through our existing working capital, funds provided by
operating activities and our working capital line of credit. The
majority of our purchase obligations are pursuant to funded
contractual arrangements with our customers. In addition, we do
not currently anticipate significant investment in property,
plant and equipment, and we believe that our existing cash, cash
equivalents, cash provided by operating activities, funds
available through our working capital line of credit and other
financing sources and the net proceeds from this offering will
be sufficient to meet our anticipated working capital, capital
expenditure and debt service requirements, if any, during the
next twelve months. There can be no assurance, however, that our
business will continue to generate cash flow at current levels.
If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow from
operations, then we may be required to sell assets, reduce
capital expenditures or obtain additional financing.
Our primary liquidity needs are for financing working capital,
investing in capital expenditures, supporting product
development efforts, introducing new products and enhancing
existing products, and marketing acceptance and adoption of our
products and services. Our future capital requirements, to a
certain extent, are also subject to general conditions in or
affecting the defense industry and are subject to general
economic, political, financial, competitive, legislative and
regulatory factors that are beyond our control. Moreover, to the
extent that existing cash, cash equivalents, cash from
operations, cash from short-term borrowing and the net proceeds
from this offering are insufficient to fund our future
activities, we may need to raise additional funds through public
or private equity or debt financing. Although we are currently
not a party to any agreement or letter of intent with respect to
potential investment in, or acquisitions of, businesses,
services or technologies, we may enter into these types of
arrangements in the future, which could also require us to seek
additional equity or debt financing.
Our working capital requirements vary by contract type. On
cost-plus-fee programs, we typically bill our incurred costs and
fees monthly as work progresses, and therefore working capital
investment is minimal. On fixed-price contracts, we typically
are paid as we deliver products, and working capital is needed
to fund labor and expenses incurred during the lead time from
contract award until contract deliveries begin.
Cash
Flows
The following table provides our cash flow data for each of the
years in the three-year period ended April 30, 2006 and for
each of the three months ended July 30, 2005 and
July 29, 2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended
April 30,
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in)
operating activities
|
|
$
|
1,570
|
|
|
$
|
8,832
|
|
|
$
|
13,588
|
|
|
$
|
(1,059
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1,423
|
)
|
Net cash used in investing
activities
|
|
$
|
(1,316
|
)
|
|
$
|
(3,533
|
)
|
|
$
|
(5,722
|
)
|
|
$
|
(636
|
)
|
|
$
|
(704
|
)
|
Net cash provided by (used in)
financing activities
|
|
$
|
1,058
|
|
|
$
|
1,451
|
|
|
$
|
(2,538
|
)
|
|
$
|
(250
|
)
|
|
$
|
217
|
|
Cash Provided by Operating
Activities. Net cash used in operating
activities for the three months ended July 29, 2006
increased by $0.3 million to $1.4 million, compared to
$1.1 million for the
45
three months ended July 30, 2005. This increase in net
cash used in operating activities was primarily due to increased
working capital needs of $0.2 million. Accounts receivable
and inventories were also higher at July 29, 2006 than at
July 30, 2005.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2006 increased by $4.8 million to
$13.6 million, compared to $8.8 million for the fiscal
year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in net cash
provided by operating activities was primarily due to improved
working capital of $5.2 million, an accrual for long-term
retirement costs of $2.2 million and increased depreciation
and amortization of $0.9 million, partially offset by lower
net income of $3.3 million. Accounts receivable was higher
at April 30, 2006 than at April 30, 2005 primarily due
to overall higher sales volume for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006. Inventories were roughly the same at
April 30, 2006 and at April 30, 2005.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2005 increased $7.2 million to
$8.8 million, compared to $1.6 million for the fiscal
year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in net cash
provided by operating activities was primarily due to higher net
income of $12.5 million and higher depreciation and
amortization of $0.3 million, partially offset by higher
working capital needs of $4.8 million. Accounts receivable
and inventories were higher at April 30, 2005 than at
April 30, 2004 primarily due to overall higher sales volume
for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005.
Our cash flows from operating activities are dependent on the
timing of receipts from various government payment offices and
commercial customers and, as a result, may differ from period to
period. Such variations from period to period in cash flows from
operating activities could be significant.
Cash Used in Investing Activities. Net
cash used in investing activities was $0.7 million for the
three months ended July 29, 2006, compared to
$0.6 million for the three months ended July 30, 2005.
During the three months ended July 29, 2006 and
July 30, 2005, we used cash to purchase property and
equipment totaling $0.7 million and $0.6 million,
respectively.
Net cash used in investing activities increased
$2.2 million to $5.7 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006, compared to $3.5 million for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in net cash
used in investing activities was primarily due to depositing
$1.5 million to collateralize standby letters of credit
with our bank, which is classified as restricted cash, and
increased purchases of property and equipment of
$0.6 million, primarily for the expansion of our UAS
business.
Net cash used in investing activities increased
$2.2 million to $3.5 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005, compared to $1.3 million for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in net cash
used in investing activities was primarily due to increased
purchases of property and equipment of $2.2 million,
primarily related to capital costs associated with the
implementation of our new ERP system.
Cash Provided by Financing
Activities. Net cash provided by financing
activities increased $0.5 million to $0.2 million for
the three months ended July 29, 2006, compared to net cash
used by financing activities of $0.3 million for the three
months ended July 30, 2005. During the three months ended
July 29, 2006, we collected $0.2 million from the
exercise of stock options. Long-term debt payments, net of
borrowings, during the three months ended July 29, 2006
decreased by $0.3 million, compared to the three months
ended July 30, 2005.
Net cash used in financing activities increased
$4.0 million to $2.5 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006, compared to net cash provided by financing
activities of $1.5 million for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2005. The increase in net cash used in financing
activities was primarily due to paying down our long term debt
of $2.0 million, partially offset by no debt borrowings and
fewer stock option exercises of $0.6 million. At
April 30, 2006, as a result of our strategy to pay down
debt, we had no long term debt.
46
Net cash provided by financing activities increased
$0.4 million to $1.5 million for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 2005, compared to $1.1 million for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in net cash
provided by financing activities was primarily due to higher
collections of stock option exercises of $0.8 million,
partially offset by common stock repurchases of
$0.4 million. At April 30, 2005, we had
$2.5 million in long term debt, incurred to finance the
expansion of our UAS segment.
Line of Credit
and Term Loan Facilities
We have a revolving line of credit with a bank, under which we
may borrow up to $16.5 million, and a term loan facility,
under which we may borrow up to $5.0 million. Borrowings
bear interest at the banks prime commercial lending rate,
which was 7.75% and 8.25% as of April 30, 2006 and
July 29, 2006, respectively. The line of credit is secured
by substantially all of our assets. All principal plus accrued
but unpaid interest on the line of credit is due August 31,
2007. All principal plus accrued but unpaid interest on the term
loan is due December 31, 2009. We had no outstanding
balance on the line of credit or the term loan as of
July 29, 2006.
Contractual
Obligations
The following table describes our commitments to settle
contractual obligations as of April 30, 2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payments Due By
Period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less Than
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More Than
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
1 Year
|
|
|
1
to 3 Years
|
|
|
3
to 5 Years
|
|
|
5 Years
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Operating lease obligations
|
|
$
|
5,122
|
|
|
$
|
1,477
|
|
|
$
|
2,490
|
|
|
$
|
1,155
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Supplemental Executive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retirement
Plan(1)
|
|
|
3,920
|
|
|
|
200
|
|
|
|
431
|
|
|
|
475
|
|
|
|
2,814
|
|
Purchase
obligations(2)
|
|
|
12,666
|
|
|
|
12,666
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
21,708
|
|
|
$
|
14,343
|
|
|
$
|
2,921
|
|
|
$
|
1,630
|
|
|
$
|
2,814
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The supplemental executive retirement plan is a non-qualified
benefit plan pursuant to which we have agreed to pay
Dr. MacCready, our Founder and Chairman, additional
benefits at retirement. This plan will terminate automatically
upon completion of this offering. See
Management Pension Plan. The amount
represents total cash payments anticipated under the plan. For
accounting purposes, the liability is recorded at net present
value of $2.2 million. |
|
(2) |
|
Consists of all non-cancelable purchase orders as of
April 30, 2006. |
We have entered into standby
letter-of-credit
agreements and bank guarantee agreements with financial
institutions and customers primarily relating to the guarantee
of our future performance on certain contracts to provide
products and services and to secure advance payments we have
received from certain international customers. As of
July 29, 2006, we had standby letters of credit totaling
$1.7 million without any claims against such letters of
credit. These letters of credit expire upon release by the
customer.
Off-Balance Sheet
Arrangements
As of July 29, 2006, we had no off-balance sheet
arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4) of the SECs
Regulation S-K.
Inflation
Our operations have not been, and we do not expect them to be,
materially affected by inflation. Historically, we have been
successful in adjusting prices to our customers to reflect
changes in our material and labor costs.
47
New Accounting
Standards
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
issued SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based Payment,
or SFAS 123R. SFAS 123R requires that compensation
expense relating to share-based payment transactions be
recognized in financial statements at estimated fair value. The
scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of share-based
compensation arrangements, including share options, restricted
share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation
rights, and employee share purchase plans. This standard
replaces SFAS 123 and supersedes APB 25. As a
nonpublic company, we previously utilized the minimum-value
method rather than the fair value based method of accounting for
stock-based employee compensation as permitted by SFAS 123.
In accordance with SFAS 123, we disclose pro forma net
income and earnings per share adjusted for non-cash compensation
expense arising from the estimated fair value of share-based
payment transactions. We adopted SFAS 123R on a prospective
basis, effective as of May 1, 2006. Share-based benefits
will be valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes option
pricing model. The fair value will be expensed over the vesting
period. The adoption of SFAS 123R did not result in a
significant impact on our consolidated financial statements, but
we will recognize a non-cash compensation expense for options
granted after May 1, 2006.
In March 2005, the SEC issued Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 107, Share-Based Payment, or
SAB 107. SAB 107 provides guidance to assist
registrants in the initial implementation of SFAS 123R.
SAB 107 includes interpretive guidance related to
share-based payment transactions with non-employees, valuation
methods and underlying expected volatility and expected term
assumptions, the classification of compensation expense and
accounting for the income tax effects of share-based
arrangements upon adopting SFAS 123R.
In May 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB,
issued SFAS No. 154, Accounting Changes and
Error Corrections, which requires retrospective
application of all voluntary changes in accounting principles to
all periods presented, rather than using a cumulative
catch-up
adjustment as currently required for most accounting changes
under APB Opinion 20, Accounting Changes. This
Statement replaces APB Opinion No. 20 and
SFAS No. 3, Reporting Accounting Changes in
Interim Financial Statements, and will be effective for
accounting changes and error corrections made in fiscal years
beginning after December 15, 2005.
In June 2005, the FASB approved Emerging Issues Task Force Issue
No. 05-06,
Determining the Amortization Period for Leasehold
Improvements, or
EITF 05-06.
EITF 05-06
provides guidance on determining the amortization period for
leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or
acquired subsequent to lease inception. The guidance requires
that leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination
or purchased subsequent to the inception of a lease be amortized
over the lesser of the useful life of the assets or a term that
includes renewals that are reasonably assured at the date of the
business combination or purchase. The guidance is effective for
periods beginning after June 29, 2005.
EITF 05-06
is not expected to have any impact on our financial position,
results of operations or cash flows.
In November 2005, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position
No. FAS 123R-3,
Transition Election Related to Accounting for the Tax
Effects of Share-Based Payment Awards, or FSP 123R-3. FSP
123R-3 provides an elective alternative transition method for
calculating the pool of excess tax benefits available to absorb
tax deficiencies recognized subsequent to the adoption of
FAS 123R. Companies may take up to one year from the
effective date of FSP 123R-3 to evaluate the available
transition alternatives and make a one-time election as to which
method to adopt. We are currently in the process of evaluating
the alternative methods.
In July 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes An
Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109, or
FIN 48. FIN 48 prescribes a recognition threshold and
measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition
and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken
in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on
derecognition, classification, interest and penalties,
accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and
48
transition. This accounting standard will be effective for us
beginning May 1, 2007. We are currently assessing the
provisions of FIN 48.
Quantitative and
Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Interest Rate
Risk
It is our policy not to enter into interest rate derivative
financial instruments. We do not currently have any significant
interest rate exposure.
Foreign
Currency Exchange Rate Risk
Since a significant part of our sales and expenses are
denominated in U.S. dollars, we have not experienced
significant foreign exchange gains or losses to date, and do not
expect to incur significant foreign exchange gains or losses in
the future. We occasionally engage in forward contracts in
foreign currencies to limit our exposure on
non-U.S. dollar
transactions.
49
BUSINESS
Overview
We design, develop, produce and support a
technologically-advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft
systems that we supply primarily to organizations within the
U.S. Department of Defense, and fast charge systems for
electric industrial vehicle batteries that we supply to
commercial customers. We derive the majority of our revenue from
these two business areas, and we believe that both the small
unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and fast charge markets are
in the early stages of development and have significant growth
potential. Additionally, we believe that some of the innovative
potential products in our research and development pipeline will
emerge as new growth platforms in the future, creating market
opportunities. The success we have achieved with our current
products stems from our ability to invent and deliver advanced
solutions, utilizing our proprietary technologies, to help our
government and commercial customers operate more effectively and
efficiently. Our core technological capabilities, developed
through 35 years of innovation, include lightweight
aerostructures and electric propulsion systems, efficient
electric energy systems and storage, high-density energy
packaging, miniaturization, controls integration and systems
engineering optimization. We helped to pioneer and are now a
leader in the markets for small UAS and fast charge systems, and
we have experienced annual revenue growth rates of 121% and 33%
for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006,
respectively, and a compound annual revenue growth rate of 71%
for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
Our small UAS are well positioned to support the
transformational strategy of the U.S. Department of
Defense, or DoD, the purpose of which is to convert the military
into a smaller, more agile force that operates through a network
of observation, communication and precision targeting
technologies, and its efforts to prosecute the global war on
terror, which have increased the need for real-time, visual
information in new operational environments. Our small UAS,
including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp
and Puma, are designed to provide valuable
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, directly
to the small tactical unit, or individual warfighter
level, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and
execution. Our small unmanned aircraft wirelessly transmit
critical live video and other information generated by their
payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors, enabling the
operator to view and capture images, during the day or at night,
on a hand-held ground control unit. We also provide training by
our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive
military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair
services for our products.
We designed all of our small UAS to be man-portable, launchable
by one person and operated through a hand-held control unit. Our
small UAS are electrically powered, configured to carry
electro-optical or infrared sensors, provide real-time
situational awareness and intelligence, fly quietly at speeds
reaching 50 miles per hour and travel up to 20 miles
from their launch location on a modular, replaceable battery
pack. These characteristics make them well suited for
reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle
damage assessment operations. Each of our small UAS typically
consists of three aircraft, associated ground control equipment,
spares and customer support. We believe that our small UAS
capabilities, combined with our high level of service,
logistical support and training, have enabled us to win both
competitively bid U.S. military small UAS programs of
record as of July 29, 2006.
We deliver new aircraft to satisfy orders against contracts, and
we also deliver new aircraft to replace those damaged in the
field. Our DoD customers have shifted from small initial order
quantities to long-term, high-volume contracts to purchase our
small UAS. As of July 29, 2006, we had U.S. government
contract funded backlog of $67.9 million and unfunded
indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, contracts
providing for potential purchases of up to approximately
$457.3 million. Our backlog consists primarily of contracts
and IDIQs with the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and
U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, which we won
through full and open competitions, and we are currently the
sole supplier for these contracts. The U.S. Army projects
its total demand for our Raven small UAS at approximately
1,900 new systems, of which we had delivered approximately
50
23% as of July 29, 2006. While military customers represent
the substantial majority of the domestic small UAS market today,
we believe that new applications in intelligence,
homeland/border security and local law enforcement, as well as
potential commercial applications, represent significant new
domestic and international growth opportunities for our small
UAS solutions.
Our PosiCharge products and services are designed to improve
productivity and safety for operators of electric industrial
vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support
equipment, by improving battery and fleet management. In
multi-shift fleet operations, traditional charging systems
require users to exchange vehicle batteries throughout the day
because these batteries discharge their energy through vehicle
usage and there is insufficient vehicle downtime to recharge
them during a shift. Changing these batteries, which can weigh
as much as 3,500 pounds, requires labor time and dedicated
battery changing rooms that consume valuable floor space.
PosiCharge utilizes our proprietary technology in energy and
battery management to recharge electric industrial vehicle
batteries rapidly during regularly scheduled breaks or other
times the vehicle is not in service, eliminating the costly and
time-consuming process of removing and replacing the battery.
PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial
vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional
charger. Utilizing its current, voltage and temperature
management capabilities, PosiCharge eliminates the need to cool
batteries after normal charging, which can take up to eight
hours, thereby allowing vehicles to quickly return to operation
after the charging process. These capabilities can also serve to
enhance battery performance and lifespan. To date, PosiCharge
fast charge systems have been purchased and installed by a
diverse group of customers that includes Ford Motor Company,
SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA. As of
July 29, 2006, our PosiCharge fast charge systems serviced
over 5,000 electric industrial vehicles. We estimate that
approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles
currently operate in North America, including over 100,000 new
vehicles that we estimate were shipped in 2005.
Research and development activities are integral to our
business, and we follow a disciplined approach to investing our
resources to create new technologies and solutions. These
activities are funded both externally by customers and
internally. A fundamental part of this approach is a
well-defined screening process that helps business managers
identify commercial opportunities that support current or
desired technological capabilities. Our UAS research and
development activities focus specifically on creating
capabilities that support our existing small UAS product
portfolio as well as new UAS platforms. Our Energy Technology
Center also engages in research and development in support of
our existing product lines as well as to develop solutions for
other markets such as renewable energy.
We foster an entrepreneurial culture that encourages our
engineers to pursue innovative solutions and new applications of
our core technological capabilities that we believe will be
important in future developments and market competition. This
approach has resulted in a portfolio consisting of 58 issued
patents, 32 in-process patents and 38 patents pending
disclosure as of July 29, 2006. In addition, we currently
have a number of potential products in various stages of
development and commercialization within our research and
development program. This process of creating new products
resulted in our current small UAS and PosiCharge products. We
believe some of our current research and development projects
will also produce new products that will be adopted in large
markets and will become important growth platforms for us.
Examples of current development projects include Global
Observer, a high-altitude, long-endurance UAS,
Switchblade, a small UAS that can carry both
reconnaissance and lethal payloads, Digital Data Link, a
wireless communication technology for UAS-based networking, and
Architectural Wind, a renewable energy system utilizing a
modular wind turbine design that can supply electricity into a
buildings electrical system or directly into the local
electric utilitys transmission system.
51
Market
Opportunity
Small
UAS
The market for our small UAS has grown significantly due to the
U.S. militarys post-Cold War transformation, the
demands of the global war on terror and the tactical limitations
of larger UAS. Following the end of the Cold War, the
U.S. military began its transformation into a smaller, more
agile force that fights through a network of observation,
communication and precision targeting technologies. This
transformation accelerated following the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001, as the U.S. military required
improved observation and targeting to combat enemies who operate
in small groups, often embedded in dense population centers or
dispersed in remote locations. We believe that UAS, which range
from large systems, such as Northrop Grummans Global
Hawk and General Atomics Predator, to small
systems, such as our Raven, are an integral part of this
transforming military force because they provide critical
observation and communications capabilities. The timely delivery
of this information from large UAS to small units on the ground
is often very difficult. Because our small UAS can provide
real-time observation and communication capabilities directly to
these small units who directly control them, the market for our
small UAS continues to expand. As we explore opportunities to
develop new markets for our small UAS such as border
surveillance and petrochemical industry infrastructure
monitoring, we expect further growth through the introduction of
UAS technology to non-military applications.
The transformation currently taking place in the U.S. Armed
Forces represents a shift from Industrial Age warfare, which
emphasized amassing large forces and weapon systems, to
Information Age warfare, which emphasizes networked and
distributed forces with enhanced situational awareness. At the
center of this transformation lies the concept of
Network-Centric Warfare, which includes the widespread
deployment of sensor and communication systems that collect and
transmit information to the small tactical unit, or individual
warfighter level.
Broadly defined, Network-Centric Warfare encompasses strategies,
tactics, techniques, procedures, organizations and technologies
that a networked force can employ to create a decisive
advantage. The principles for developing a network-centric force
established by the DoDs Office of Force Transformation
include the following:
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generate an information advantage through more timely, accurate
and relevant information;
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|
expand the use of deployable, networked sensors, by leveraging
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR,
capabilities;
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use sensors to gain information superiority;
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increase the opportunity for low-level forces to operate nearly
autonomously and to be able to rapidly adapt;
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make the U.S. military more rapidly deployable and able to
successfully complete its mission; and
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enable every weapon platform to be a sensor, from the individual
soldier to a satellite.
|
UAS can satisfy many of these new objectives. Large,
high-flying UAS provide a portion of the valuable ISR required
for Network-Centric Warfare. These complex systems do not,
however, provide warfighters with the direct ability to navigate
the aircraft and control its sensors to receive the most
relevant tactical information in real-time. Small UAS, on the
other hand, by virtue of their significantly lower cost, minimal
infrastructure requirements and portability, are operated by
small combat units. Our small UAS are capable of delivering
valuable ISR, including real-time tactical reconnaissance,
tracking, combat assessment and geographic data, directly to the
warfighter, which increases flexibility in mission planning and
execution. Furthermore, small UAS can contribute to urban combat
and stability operations by providing low-altitude ISR and
communications relay. Small UAS, therefore, act as force
multipliers to military commanders by allowing them to
observe and assess situations over
52
any terrain and adjust tactics, personnel and firepower to
enhance mission effectiveness. Current operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan have increased utilization of small UAS, resulting
in greater demand for spares, repairs and refurbishment. Most
importantly, the use of small UAS in Iraq and Afghanistan has
accelerated their broad adoption within the DoD. We believe that
the U.S. militarys ongoing transformation, coupled
with the nature of the threat associated with the global war on
terror, will continue to be long-term drivers of the demand for
small UAS. Small UAS offer a unique, reliable and proven tool
for U.S. and allied forces in this new threat environment. As
such, we believe that small UAS will play an increasing role in
transforming the U.S. military and that the armed forces of
NATO and other U.S. allies represent significant growth
opportunities.
We believe that the underlying demand for small UAS will
continue to grow as customers continue to deploy them throughout
their organizations and as new customers adopt this technology.
The ability of small UAS to provide real-time visual information
over long distances and into inaccessible areas in a relatively
quick and efficient manner creates significant potential for a
wide array of applications. Domestically, we expect the small
UAS market to develop as non-military government agencies and
commercial customers continue to explore the application of
small UAS technology to a variety of needs, such as border
surveillance and infrastructure monitoring. One example of a
current non-military government customer for small UAS is the
Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition, small UAS are
currently being tested for potential domestic application on the
U.S.-Mexico
border. We believe that potential commercial applications for
small UAS include petrochemical infrastructure monitoring,
natural disaster damage assessment and rescue operations,
utility infrastructure inspection and aerial imaging.
Potential commercial applications for small UAS are in the early
stages of development. To date, our primary focus has been to
address military demand for small UAS and we have only recently
begun to pursue commercial applications actively. Since these
markets traditionally have not been served by small UAS, we
believe that it will take time to educate potential customers
about these products. We intend to lever the experience of our
flight training organization to provide new operating services
to commercial customers. We have performed multiple commercial
demonstrations to date and recently executed our first service
agreements with commercial customers.
PosiCharge
Fast Charge Systems
Industrial vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground
support equipment, are employed throughout the world to
facilitate the movement of physical goods. As many businesses
increase their reliance on supply chain efficiency as part of
their competitive strategy, the operating efficiency of these
vehicles, which are an integral part of many supply chains,
becomes increasingly important to them. We estimate that there
are currently approximately 1.0 million electric industrial
vehicles in North America, with over 100,000 new vehicles
shipped in 2005. Over the past two decades, the market share for
electric industrial vehicles has risen compared to internal
combustion industrial vehicles as a result of their increased
reliability and capability and lower operating cost, as well as
the initiatives of more environmentally conscious companies and
regulatory requirements for improved air quality in working
environments.
Electric industrial vehicles are powered by large onboard
batteries that can consume up to 17 cubic feet and weigh up to
3,500 pounds. Charging these batteries represents a significant
cost and operational challenge to fleet operators because these
batteries do not typically store enough energy to support
continuous operation in a multiple shift environment. As a
result, drivers must leave the work area when the battery
reaches a low state of charge and drive to a dedicated battery
changing room, which often occupies valuable floor space and is
frequently located far from a drivers work area. The
driver or dedicated battery attendant must then remove the
battery from the vehicle, place it on a storage rack, connect it
to a conventional battery charger, identify a fully-charged
battery, move it into the vehicles battery compartment and
reconnect the battery to the motor before the driver may return
to their work area. These battery changes, which take place
every day in thousands of facilities around the world, result in
reduced material movement and increased operating costs.
Furthermore,
53
the movement of large lead-acid batteries, which contain
sulfuric acid, can result in employee injuries and hazardous
chemical spillage.
Depending on the type of battery, conventional battery chargers
can require up to eight hours to recharge the battery, which
then must cool for up to an additional eight hours before it is
ready to be used again. Consequently, depending on vehicle usage
and the number of shifts in an operation, a fleet may require
more than one battery per vehicle, which necessitates additional
storage space, chargers and maintenance time. Moreover, the high
levels of heat generated by conventional battery chargers during
their normal use can cause excessive evaporation of the water
contained in the battery and damage to the batterys
components. Over time, this evaporation of fluid and damage to
components result in battery degradation and negatively affect
the batterys life.
Fast charge technology, which charges a battery with a high
electrical current while the battery remains in the vehicle,
eliminates the need for battery changing and the dedicated
battery room. The earliest adopters of fast charge technology
include the automotive, air transportation and food distribution
markets. Large food and retail industry customers have also
begun to utilize fast charge technology. There are numerous
companies in North America, many of which manage large
multi-location electric industrial vehicle fleets both within
these markets and in others, such as the manufacturing markets
and logistics markets (which are comprised of businesses that
manage the flow of goods and materials for other companies),
that have yet to widely adopt fast charge technology and
represent a significant growth opportunity. We believe that the
market for our PosiCharge fast charge systems will continue to
grow as organizations that utilize electric vehicles seek to
enhance their operational performance. In addition, we believe
that the
non-U.S. market
offers significant opportunities for growth.
Our
Solutions
Our solutions incorporate and expand upon our core technological
capabilities and are intended to save lives, reduce costs,
increase productivity and improve operational effectiveness. We
believe that our products provide unique capabilities that had
not previously existed, perform reliably and affordably, and
help our customers operate more effectively. The high efficiency
of our solutions relative to previously available alternatives
contributes to their value and provides our customers a
recurring economic and environmental benefit.
Small
UAS
Our small UAS, including Raven, Dragon Eye,
Swift, Wasp and Puma, are designed to
provide valuable ISR, including real-time tactical
reconnaissance, tracking, combat assessment and geographic data,
directly to the warfighter, thereby increasing flexibility in
mission planning and execution. Our small unmanned aircraft
wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information
generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared
sensors, enabling the operator to view and capture images,
during the day or at night, on a hand-held ground control unit.
All of our ground control units allow the operator to control
the aircraft by programming it for GPS-based autonomous
navigation using operator-designated way-points and, with the
exception of Dragon Eyes ground control unit, also
provide for manual flight operation. These ground control units
are designed for durability and ease of use in harsh
environments and incorporate a user-friendly, intuitive
graphical user interface. With the exception of Dragon
Eye, all of our small unmanned aircraft operate from a
common ground control unit.
All of our small UAS are designed to be man-portable, assembled
without tools in less than five minutes and launched and
operated by one person with minimal training. The efficient and
reliable electric motors used in all of our small UAS are
powered by replaceable modular battery packs that can be changed
in seconds, enabling rapid return to flight during operations.
All of our small UAS can be recovered through an autonomous
landing feature that enables a controlled descent to a
designated location. We expect that our future small UAS will
include advanced payloads and data
54
integration capabilities, enabling communications among numerous
types of unmanned systems and between our small UAS and other
assets on the ground.
In military applications, our systems enable tactical leaders to
observe the next corner, intersection or ridgeline in real-time.
This information facilitates faster, safer movement through
urban and mountainous environments and can enable troops to act
on intelligence rather than react to an attack. Moreover, by
providing this information, our small UAS reduce the risk to
warfighters and to the surrounding population by providing the
ability to tailor the military response to the threat.
U.S. military personnel regularly use our small UAS, such
as Raven, for force protection, target acquisition,
improvised explosive device detection and damage assessment
missions. These reusable systems are easy to transport, assemble
and operate and are relatively difficult to hear when flying at
typical operational altitudes of 200 to 300 feet due to our
efficient electric propulsion systems. In addition, their small
size makes them difficult to see from the ground. Moreover, the
low cost of our small UAS relative to larger UAS platforms makes
it practical for warfighters to deploy these assets directly.
Our small UAS solutions also include spare equipment,
alternative payload modules, batteries, chargers, repairs and
Internet-enabled customer support. We provide training by our
highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive
military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair
services for our products. We currently maintain a forward
operating depot in Iraq to support the large fleet of our small
UAS deployed there. By maintaining close contact with our
customers and users in the field, we gather critical feedback on
our products and incorporate that information into ongoing
product development and research and development efforts. This
approach enables us to improve our solutions in response to, and
in anticipation of, evolving customer needs.
We believe that, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006,
sales of our small UAS accounted for a significant majority of
the U.S. militarys small UAS purchases. For the
fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, sales of
our UAS products and services accounted for 64%, 78% and 80% of
our revenue, respectively. Our UAS sales experienced annual
growth rates of 171% and 35% for the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and a 91% compounded
annual growth rate for the three-year period ended
April 30, 2006.
PosiCharge
Fast Charge Systems
Developed from our work on electric and hybrid electric vehicles
and advanced battery systems in the 1990s, PosiCharge is an
advanced system that eliminates battery changing. PosiCharge
quickly and safely recharges industrial vehicle batteries while
they are in the vehicle during regularly scheduled breaks and
other times when the vehicle is not in use, thereby maintaining
a sufficient level of energy throughout the workday. By
eliminating battery changing, PosiCharge improves supply chain
productivity by returning time to the vehicle operator to
complete more work. Furthermore, because of its advanced
efficient energy capabilities, PosiCharge can reduce the amount
of electricity required to support electric industrial vehicles
by several hundred dollars per year per vehicle as compared to
conventional battery chargers. Many customers who implement
PosiCharge in their facilities are able to re-purpose the
battery changing room floor space for more productive activities
and create a safer working environment, as drivers or battery
attendants no longer need to exchange large, lead-acid batteries.
Developed over years of advanced battery testing and usage,
PosiCharges proprietary battery charging algorithms, which
are tailored to battery type, brand and size, maximize the rate
at which energy is sent into the battery while minimizing heat
generation and its damaging effects. We believe our work to
develop these algorithms contributed to the major battery
manufacturers offering battery warranties for fast charge, which
provided a critical assurance to customers that fast charge
systems would not harm their batteries. In combination with a
weekly equalization charge that balances all the cells within
the battery pack, our intelligent charging process
enhances the performance of batteries and helps them to achieve
improved operation. We believe that other fast charge and
conventional charge systems, which lack our current and voltage
regulating tailored charge algorithms and
55
monitoring capabilities, may actually contribute to lower
battery performance and lifespan over time, ultimately resulting
in higher battery costs and degraded vehicle performance.
Our complete line of fast charge products enables us to design
customized system solutions for each facility based on its shift
schedule, workload, truck type and battery type. By customizing
the system to unique customer requirements, we can help to
reduce the cost of implementing and operating fast charge
systems while maximizing the benefit of PosiCharge to our
customers. Our complete solution consists of system
configuration, installation, training, asset management and
performance monitoring. Moreover, while fast charge technology
itself provides significant operational and financial benefits
to our customers, we believe that our ability to integrate the
system effectively into customer operations through installation
services, asset management capabilities and post-sale support
increases the value proposition. We believe that this
turnkey approach to the fast charge market
represents a potential source of competitive advantage.
We project that PosiCharge customers typically begin to realize
cost savings when compared to battery changing within the first
twelve months of operation. Operators of large fleets of
electric industrial vehicles who use PosiCharge in multiple
settings, including factories, distribution centers, cold
storage facilities and airport tarmacs, include Ford Motor
Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA. For the
fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, sales of
PosiCharge accounted for 19%, 15% and 14% of our revenue,
respectively. Our PosiCharge sales experienced annual growth
rates of 72% and 27% for the fiscal years ended April 30,
2005 and 2006, respectively, and a 48% compounded annual growth
rate for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
Our
Strategy
We intend to grow our business by maintaining leadership in the
growing markets for small UAS and fast charge systems and by
creating new products that enable us to enter and lead new
markets. Key components of this strategy include the following:
Expand our current solutions to existing and new
customers. Our small UAS and PosiCharge
products and services are leaders in their respective North
American markets. We intend to increase the penetration of our
small UAS products within the U.S. military, the militaries
of allied nations and non-military U.S. customers. We
believe that the increased use of our small UAS in the
U.S. military will be a catalyst for increased demand by
allied countries, and that our efforts to pursue new
applications will help to create non-military opportunities. We
similarly intend to increase the penetration of PosiCharge to
existing and new customers in North America and globally. Early
adopters of PosiCharge are now deploying it in additional
facilities throughout their enterprises while its adoption is
increasing among new customers and new industry segments, such
as food and logistics.
Deliver innovative
solutions. Innovation is the primary driver
of our growth. We plan to continue research and development
efforts to enable us to satisfy our customers through better,
more capable products and services, both in response to and in
anticipation of their needs. We believe that by continuing to
invest in research and development, we will continue to deliver
innovative, new products that address market needs within and
outside of our current target markets, enabling us to create new
opportunities for growth.
Foster our entrepreneurial culture and continue to
attract, develop and retain highly-skilled
personnel. We have created a corporate
culture that encourages innovation and an entrepreneurial
spirit, which helps to attract highly-skilled professionals. We
intend to nurture this culture to encourage the development of
the innovative, highly technical solutions that give us our
competitive advantage. A core component of our culture is the
demonstration of trust and integrity in all of our interactions,
contributing to a positive work environment and engendering
trust among our customers.
56
Preserve our agility and
flexibility. We are able to respond rapidly
to evolving markets and deliver new products and system
capabilities quickly, efficiently and affordably. We believe
that this ability helps us to strengthen our relationships with
customers. We intend to maintain our agility and flexibility,
which we believe to be important sources of differentiation when
we compete against larger and better-funded competitors.
Technology and
Research and Development
Our company was founded by Dr. Paul B. MacCready, the
Chairman of our board of directors and an internationally
renowned innovator who was instrumental in creating our culture.
For over 35 years, this culture has enabled us to attract
and retain highly-motivated, talented employees and has
established our reputation as an innovator. This reputation for
innovation has been acknowledged through a variety of awards and
special citations, including Oak Ridge National
Laboratorys Small Business Innovator award in 2002, a
Cool Companies award from Fortune Magazine in 2004,
the World Technology Award for Energy in 2004, DARPAs
Sustained Excellence by a Performer award in 2005 and Automotive
Newss PACE award in 2006.
The innovations of our company and Founder include, among
others: the worlds first effective human-powered and
manned solar-powered airplanes; the first modern consumer
electric car (the EV1 prototype for General Motors); the
worlds highest flying airplane in level flight, Helios, a
solar-powered UAS that reached over 96,000 feet in 2001;
and, more recently, the worlds first liquid
hydrogen-powered UAS. The Smithsonian Institution has selected
six vehicles developed by us and our Founder for its permanent
collection. Our history of innovation excellence is the result
of our creative and skilled employees whom we encourage to
innovate and develop new technologies.
Our primary areas of technological competence, UAS and efficient
electric energy, represent the sum of numerous technical skills
and capabilities that help to differentiate our approach and
product offerings. The following table highlights a number of
our key technological capabilities:
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UAS
Technology
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Efficient
Electric Energy Technology
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Lightweight, low speed
aerostructures and
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Battery management and
chemistries
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propeller design
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Power electronics and
controls
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Miniaturized avionics
and micro/nano
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Lightweight electric
propulsion
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unmanned aircraft systems
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Thermal management
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Image stabilization
and target tracking
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High-density energy
packaging
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Unmanned autonomous
control systems
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Electric power
generation, storage
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Payload integration
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and management
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Hydrogen propulsion
systems and high-
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Charging algorithms
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pressure-ratio turbochargers
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On/off grid controls
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Stratospheric flight
operations
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Controls integration
and systems
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Fluid dynamics
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engineering
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System integration and
optimization
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System integration and
optimization
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We follow a formal process to evaluate new ideas and inventions
that ultimately includes review by our intellectual property and
commercialization committees to determine if a technology,
product or solution is commercially feasible. The committee
members are selected by our Chief Executive Officer. Currently
our intellectual property committee consists of our Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Our
commercialization committee also consists of our Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer. In addition, each of our
operating segments has its own internal evaluators who determine
whether potential commercialization opportunities and
intellectual property developments merit review by our
intellectual property or commercialization committee. A
fundamental part of this process of innovation is a well-defined
screening process that helps business managers identify
commercial opportunities that support current or desired
technological capabilities. Similarly, we manage new product and
business concepts through a rigorous commercialization process
that governs spending, resources, time and intellectual property
considerations. An important element of
57
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our commercialization process is ensuring that our technology
and business development activities are strongly linked to
customer needs in attractive growth markets. Throughout the
process we revalidate our customer requirement assumptions to
ensure that the products and services we ultimately deliver are
of high value.
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As a result of our commitment to research and development, we
possess an extensive portfolio of intellectual property in the
form of patents, trade secrets, copyrights and trademarks across
a broad range of unmanned aircraft system and advanced energy
technologies. As of July 29, 2006, we had 58 issued
patents, 32 in-process patents and 38 patents pending
disclosure. In many cases, we opt to protect our intellectual
property through trade secrets as opposed to publication in
order to preserve the confidentiality of such intellectual
property.
For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006,
our internal research and development spending amounted to 4%,
9% and 12%, respectively, of our revenue, and customer-funded
research and development spending amounted to an additional 36%,
10% and 8%, respectively, of our revenue.
Products and
Services
We provide system solutions that typically include hardware,
software, training, service, spare parts and ongoing support
designed to help our customers operate more effectively and
efficiently.
Small
UAS
Products. Each system in our small UAS
portfolio typically includes three aircraft, a ground control
unit and an array of spare parts and accessories. Our small UAS
consist of:
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Flight
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Primary
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Wingspan
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Weight
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Standard
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Range
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Time
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Small UAS
Product
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Customers
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(ft.)
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(lbs.)
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Recovery
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Sensors
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(mi.)(1)
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(min.)(1)
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Raven
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U.S. Army, U.S. SOCOM
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4.5
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4.2
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Vertical autonomous landing capable
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Electro-optical or infrared
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6.0
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90
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Dragon Eye
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U.S. Marine Corps
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3.8
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5.9
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Horizontal autonomous landing
capable
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Electro-optical or infrared
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3.0
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60
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Swift
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U.S. SOCOM
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3.8
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5.9
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Horizontal autonomous landing
capable
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Electro-optical or infrared
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3.0
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60
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Wasp
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DARPA for: U.S. Army,
U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. SOCOM
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1.3
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0.6
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Horizontal autonomous landing
capable (ground or water)
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Electro-optical
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2.4
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30
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Puma
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U.S. Navy, U.S. SOCOM
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8.5
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12.5
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Vertical autonomous landing capable
(ground or water)
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Dual electro-optical and infrared
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6.0
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240
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(1)
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Represents minimum
customer-mandated specifications for all operating conditions.
In optimal conditions, the performance of our products may
significantly exceed these specifications.
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Raven, Dragon Eye and Swift provide
comparable flight durations, range, portability and payload
capability. Dragon Eye, the first small UAS to win a
U.S. military competitive bid program of record, was
designed to meet the specifications of the U.S. Marine
Corps, and led to the development of a SOCOM version called
Swift. Raven, a lighter UAS with
increased capability, was subsequently developed for, and
selected by, the U.S. Army and SOCOM as their designated
small UAS. Recently, the U.S. Marines announced their
intention to transition to Raven from Dragon Eye.
Wasp is the smallest of our products, providing maximum
portability and the most rapid assembly and launch. Puma
delivers the longest flight duration and greatest payload
capacity in a larger configuration. Each of these new products
was designed to address unique mission requirements identified
through extensive and ongoing contact with our customers and
users.
Maintenance and Operations. We provide
spare parts as well as repair, refurbishment and replacement
services for damaged small UAS through our logistics operation.
We designed our
58
logistics operation to minimize supply chain delays and provide
our customers with spare parts, replacement aircraft and support
whenever and wherever they need them. We developed an
Internet-accessible logistics system that provides our customers
with the status of their returned products and their inventory
that we help manage. This secure system also provides recent
parts and repairs history and tracks usage data to enable
inventory optimization forecasting. Our Simi Valley, California
facility, which also serves as the primary depot for repairs and
spare parts, is currently supplemented by a forward supply depot
in Iraq. Through July 29, 2006, we succeeded in maintaining
greater than 90% operational availability (percentage of time
when a small UAS is available and ready for a mission) for the
U.S. Armys Raven fleet, as determined by the
DoD. This support portion of our business continues to grow
rapidly as the total number of hours that our small UAS are
utilized increases. For the fiscal year ended April 30,
2006, our logistics operations accounted for 21% of our revenue.
Training. We provide complete training
services to support all of our small UAS. Our highly-skilled
instructors typically have extensive military experience. We
deploy training teams throughout the continental United States
and abroad to support our customers wide variety of
training needs on both production and development stage systems.
PosiCharge
Fast Charge Systems
Our PosiCharge solutions include dedicated fast charge systems
that support a heavy-duty vehicle from a single port, as well as
multi-port fast charge systems that support as many as 16
vehicles at a time. By supporting multiple vehicles from a
single building connection, and by amortizing the cost of the
power conditioning component over multiple charge ports, we are
able to reduce system cost to customers where this approach
supports their fleet strategy.
PosiCharge ELT. ELT, our original fast
charge product, is designed to safely deliver the highest
current (up to 600 amps) to electric forklifts, such as
counterbalance or sit-down trucks, used in
heavy-duty applications.
PosiCharge DVS. Capable of charging
either one vehicle at a time at up to 500 amps or two vehicles
simultaneously at up to 320 amps each, DVS is designed to
deliver lower up-front installation and ongoing utility costs
when compared to other single vehicle fast chargers. Because DVS
is a high-current, stand-alone system, it is capable of
supporting a variety of specific charging needs, including
isolated vehicles in remote areas, smaller fleets requiring
smaller systems and heavy-duty applications with variable usage
patterns.
PosiCharge MVS. MVS, a multiple-port,
multi-vehicle fast charge system, is designed for charging
low-to-medium-duty
electric industrial vehicles, such as pallet jacks, reach trucks
and tow motors, in distribution, warehousing, and general
manufacturing settings. Each system is capable of charging up to
16 vehicles at the same time and is designed to deliver greater
cost-savings as the number of vehicles simultaneously charged
increases, as compared to competitive charging systems, which
are currently capable of charging only up to eight vehicles at
the same time.
PosiCharge SVS. A cost-effective fast
charge solution for lower voltage, high-usage vehicles such as
pallet jacks and tuggers, SVS has a compact footprint and
provides up to 200 amps of current through its single port.
PosiCharge GSE. Ruggedized for outdoor
use in extreme weather conditions, GSE is designed to deliver
all the benefits of our MVS product to the airport ground
support equipment market.
Accessories. In addition to fast charge
systems, we offer a variety of accessories to help our customers
integrate PosiCharge into their operations. Single point,
automatic watering systems ensure that battery electrolyte is
maintained at an optimal level and that watering occurs at the
optimal time, thereby contributing to battery health and
reducing labor costs associated with manual watering. Charge
indicator lights provide fleet supervisors with color codes
visible from a distance that indicate
59
the status of the batterys charge. Battery-mounted fans
for use with the heaviest-duty types of vehicles keep these
batteries cool to improve battery performance. Cable management
options and charger stands provide customers the flexibility to
install PosiCharge in the most accessible location.
Installation and Post-Sale Services. We
offer our customers installation services for all of our
PosiCharge fast charge systems. In addition, we also offer
service contracts, which we typically outsource to authorized
service providers located in close proximity to our customers,
and we provide
24-hour
technical telephone support, technician dispatch and service
coordination.
Energy
Technology Center
Our Energy Technology Center provides contract engineering
services to internal and external customers. In addition to
generating revenue, these contract services enhance our
technical skills and capabilities, enabling us to conduct
internal research and development to support existing products
and to create new products to satisfy new market needs. Our
Energy Technology Center products include a line of advanced
electric load and sink systems used to test batteries, electric
motors and fuel cell systems.
Contract Engineering Services. We
actively pursue internal and externally funded projects that
help us to strengthen our technological capabilities. We submit
bids to large research customers such as Lockheed Martin, the
U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army for projects that we
believe have future commercial application. Contract engineering
services conducted through our Energy Technology Center
represent a strategic source of innovation for us. Providing
these services contributes to the development and enhancement of
our technical competencies. In an effort to manage the ability
of our key technical personnel to support multiple, high-value
research and development initiatives, we attempt to limit the
volume of contract engineering projects that we accept. This
process enables us to focus these personnel on projects we
believe offer the greatest current and future value to our
business. Consequently, while these projects typically add to
our operating margin, we are not seeking to grow this service
offering at this time. A research and development program that
results in a revenue-generating product is typically removed
from the Energy Technology Center and organized into an existing
or new product line. As a result, the revenue associated with
such a product line is reported in its own segment or as part of
another segment, and not as a part of the Energy Technology
Center segment.
Power Processing Systems. Our Power
Processing Systems represent a mature product line of advanced
electric load and sink systems that are used mainly by research
and development organizations in the public and private sectors
to test batteries, electric motors and fuel cell systems. Power
Processing Systems customers include many of the worlds
largest automotive manufacturers, including General Motors, as
well as the U.S. government.
Research,
Development and Commercialization Projects
One important aspect of our technology research and development
activity is the development and commercialization of innovative
solutions that we believe can become new products and open
opportunities for us to enter large new markets or accelerate
the growth of our current products. We invest in an active
pipeline of these commercialization projects that range in
maturity from technology validation to early market adoption. We
cannot predict when, if ever, these projects will be
successfully commercialized, or the level of capital
expenditures they could require, which could be substantial.
Four new products that we have been developing are described
below.
Global Observer. Global Observer
is a high-altitude, long-endurance UAS under development to
address the critical need for affordable,
24-hour,
365-days-a-year
persistent communications and ISR. The product of years of
research with both our own and U.S. government-sponsored
development funding, we believe Global Observer to be the
worlds first liquid hydrogen-powered UAS. The production
configuration now under development is designed to operate at
65,000 feet for over a week between landings. We expect its
extreme efficiency and endurance (three to four times the
longest
60
flight time of existing fixed-wing aerial options) to result in
dramatically lower operating and total life cycle costs for
missions where persistent communications or surveillance is
critical. The Global Observer platform is intended to be
the equivalent of a
twelve-mile-high,
low-cost, redeployable satellite, providing a footprint of
coverage of up to 600 miles in diameter and capable of
providing a broad array of services, including high-speed
broadband data, video and voice relay and ISR. We expect these
capabilities to provide the foundation for multiple high-value
applications including communications relay and ISR missions for
defense and homeland security, storm tracking,
telecommunications infrastructure, wildfire detection/tracking
and disaster recovery services.
Switchblade. We are developing a
hand-held, lethal small UAS with the ability to eliminate a
target quickly and with minimal collateral damage through
detonation of an onboard explosive. This system would be
launched by a single individual and operated through our
standard ground control unit. Switchblade is designed to
allow the operator to identify a threat on the ground control
unit, lock-on to it and neutralize it by triggering an
autonomous terminal guidance phase. We believe that recent
combat experience indicates that such a capability would be of
great value and could significantly improve the ability to
neutralize hostile elements such as snipers, machine guns and
mortar launchers.
Digital Data Link. We are developing a
robust, packet-switched, digital network module designed for
extremely small size, weight, power and latency requirements
that would enable it to operate on our small UAS. By switching
to digital technology from the current analog technology
employed in our small UAS, each small UAS will be enabled to
operate as an
IP-addressable
node on a broad, wireless network facilitating the transmission
of information between and among multiple small UAS, their
operators and other remote parties. Other advantages of the
switch to digital technology include reduced bandwidth usage for
transmissions relative to analog transmissions, resulting in the
ability to simultaneously operate more small UAS in closer
proximity than was previously possible.
Architectural Wind. Recognizing the
limited options available for renewable energy generation in
urban environments, our engineers and scientists are utilizing
our high efficiency electric powertrain and propeller design
capabilities to create a new type of wind energy system that can
be installed on buildings. The result is Architectural
Wind, a small, modular wind turbine designed to take
advantage of wind over buildings to provide renewable
electricity in a more cost-effective manner. Initial market
exploration has revealed significant interest in this product,
which has a visually compelling design.
Sales and
Marketing
Our marketing strategy is to increase awareness of our brand
among key target market segments and to associate AeroVironment
with innovation, flexibility, agility and the ability to deliver
new technology solutions that improve operational effectiveness.
Our reputation for innovation is a key component of our brand
and has been acknowledged through a variety of awards and
recognized in numerous articles in domestic and international
publications. We have registered the trademarks
AeroVironment®
and
PosiCharge®
and have submitted several other applications for trademark
registration, including for AV, Global Observer
and Architectural Wind.
Small
UAS
We organize our U.S. small UAS business development team
members by customer and product and have team members located in
California, Colorado, Florida and Virginia, where they are in
close proximity to customers they support. Supporting our
business development team members are our program managers, who
are organized by product and focus on designing optimal
solutions and contract fulfillment, as well as internalizing
feedback from customers and users. By maintaining assigned
points of contact with our customers, we believe that we are
able to enhance our relationships, service existing contracts
effectively and gain vital feedback to improve our
responsiveness and product offerings.
61
We are increasing our sales efforts abroad and have contracted
with international sales representatives who now cover most of
Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Internationally, we have sold our small UAS in markets including
Australia, France and Italy. For the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, domestic sales of our small
UAS amounted to 93.6%, 97.6% and 99.7% of our UAS revenue,
respectively.
PosiCharge
Fast Charge Systems
We primarily sell our PosiCharge products through a dedicated,
direct sales force whose members are located in Arizona,
California, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North
Carolina, Tennessee and Texas to address their respective
regions or industries efficiently. The sales team targets large
entities with the potential for domestic and international
enterprise adoption of our solutions. In addition to our direct
customer sales, we also employ a regional sales team that
coordinates distribution of PosiCharge systems through numerous
battery dealers. These dealers relationships with, and
proximity to, our customers facilities enable them to sell
our solutions and provide post-sale service to our customers. We
believe that these dealers are well suited to address the large
number of smaller and geographically dispersed customers with
industrial vehicle fleets. When evaluating a facility for its
ability to benefit from PosiCharge, we perform a detailed
analysis of the customers operations. This analysis allows
us to quantify the benefit projected for a PosiCharge
implementation, helping customers to determine for themselves if
the business case is sufficiently compelling. For the fiscal
years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, domestic sales
of PosiCharge amounted to 91.3%, 93.0% and 93.0% of our
PosiCharge fast charge systems revenue, respectively.
Backlog
Our historical backlog at the dates shown consisted of the
following:
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As of
April 30,
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As of
July 29,
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|
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2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
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(In
thousands)
|
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|
Funded
|
|
$
|
70,418
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|
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$
|
79,699
|
|
|
$
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79,768
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Unfunded
|
|
|
262,801
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|
|
|
475,469
|
|
|
|
457,275
|
|
|
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|
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Total
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$
|
333,219
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$
|
555,168
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$
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537,043
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Our backlog is comprised of funded and unfunded amounts provided
in our contracts. We define funded backlog as unfilled firm
orders for products and services for which funding currently is
appropriated to us under the contract by the customer. We define
unfunded backlog as the total remaining potential order amounts
under indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ,
contracts. Because of possible future changes in delivery
schedules
and/or
cancellations of orders, backlog at any particular date is not
necessarily representative of actual sales to be expected for
any succeeding period, and actual sales for the year may not
meet or exceed the backlog represented. As described under
Government Contracting Process, IDIQs do not
obligate the U.S. government to purchase goods or services.
As of July 29, 2006, our funded backlog was
$79.8 million as compared to $60.7 million as of
July 30, 2005. Of our funded backlog as of July 29,
2006, approximately 93% is expected to be delivered in this
fiscal year.
Manufacturing and
Operations
We pursue a common manufacturing strategy across our product
lines, focusing on rapid prototyping, supply chain management,
final assembly, quality systems and testing. Using concurrent
engineering techniques within an integrated product team
structure, we rapidly prototype design concepts and products to
produce products at reduced cost and optimize our designs for
manufacturing requirements, mission capabilities and customer
specifications. Within this framework, we develop
62
our products with feedback and input from manufacturing, supply
chain management, key suppliers, logistics personnel and
customers. We rapidly incorporate this feedback and input into
the design before tooling is finalized and full-rate production
begins. As a result, we believe that we can significantly reduce
the time required to move a product from its design phase to
full-rate production deliveries with high reliability, quality
and yields.
We outsource certain production activities, such as the
fabrication of structures and the manufacture of subassemblies
and payloads, to qualified suppliers with whom we have long-term
relationships. This outsourcing enables us to focus on final
assembly and test processes for our products, ensuring high
levels of quality and reliability. We believe that our efficient
supply chain is a significant strength of our manufacturing
strategy. We have forged strong relationships with our key
suppliers that we believe will allow us to continue to grow our
manufacturing capabilities and execute on our growth plans. We
continue to expand upon our suppliers expertise to improve
our existing products and develop new solutions. We rely on both
single and multiple suppliers for certain components and
subassemblies. See Risk Factors If critical
components of our products that we currently purchase from a
small number of suppliers or raw materials used to manufacture
our products become scarce or unavailable then we may incur
delays in manufacturing and delivery of our products, which
could damage our business for more information. All of our
manufacturing operations incorporate quality programs and
processes to increase acceptance rates, reduce lead times and
lower cost.
UAS
Manufacturing and Operations
We have successfully developed the manufacturing infrastructure
to execute production of both new products at low initial rates
and high-volume, full-rate production programs. For example, in
2003, we invested in the infrastructure necessary to transition
from low-rate prototype small UAS production to full-rate
production, successfully increasing production from 15 aircraft
per month to 200 per month in only six months to meet
customer demand. By drawing upon experienced personnel from our
PosiCharge and Energy Technology Center groups and levering our
prior ISO certification, integrated supply chain strategy,
document control systems, and process control methodologies into
this new manufacturing effort, we laid the groundwork for a high
volume, efficient production environment. Presently, our small
UAS manufacturing is performed at our 85,000 square foot
manufacturing facility established in 2005 in Simi Valley,
California. This ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing facility,
with over 150 employees, is currently producing approximately
200 aircraft per month and is designed to accommodate demand up
to 1,000 aircraft per month. ISO 9001:2000 refers to a set
of voluntary standards for quality management systems. These
standards are established by the International Organization for
Standardization, or ISO, to govern quality management systems
used worldwide. Companies that receive ISO certification have
passed audits performed by a Registrar Accreditation
Board-certified auditing company. These audits evaluate the
effectiveness of companies quality management systems and
their compliance with ISO standards. Some companies and
government agencies view ISO certification as a positive factor
in supplier assessments.
PosiCharge
Fast Charge Systems Manufacturing and Operations
We perform final assembly and testing of our PosiCharge fast
charge systems at a 20,000 square foot, ISO 9001:2000
certified facility located in Monrovia, California. We designed
this facility for flexibility, using a work cell model for final
assembly, and have included fixtures optimized for final testing.
Employees
As of July 29, 2006, we had 447 full-time employees,
of whom 134 were research and development/engineering, 43 were
sales and marketing, 178 were operations and 92 were general and
administrative. Of these employees, 134 have engineering
degrees, 53 have advanced engineering degrees, and 85 have
U.S. government security clearances. We believe that we
have a good relationship with our employees.
63
Facilities
All of our facilities are leased. Our corporate headquarters are
located in Monrovia, California where we lease approximately
13,000 square feet under an agreement expiring in September
2010. We have several other leased facilities in Monrovia that
house our PosiCharge and Energy Technology Center businesses.
These facilities have total square footage of approximately
50,000 square feet and leases that expire between the end
of 2006 and 2010.
Our principal UAS facilities are located in Simi Valley,
California. They consist of an 85,000 square foot research
and development, manufacturing and logistics facility, the lease
for which expires in 2009, and a 26,000 square foot
dedicated research and development facility, the lease for which
expires in late 2006.
We additionally have small leased offices in Florida, Hawaii,
Texas and Virginia for training, business development and sales.
We believe that our current leased facilities and additional or
alternative space available to us will be adequate to meet our
needs for the foreseeable future.
Competition
We believe that the principal competitive factors in the markets
for our products and services include product performance,
features, acquisition cost, lifetime operating cost, including
maintenance and support, ease of use, integration with existing
equipment, quality, reliability, customer support, brand and
reputation.
The market for small UAS is evolving rapidly and subject to
changing technologies, shifting customer needs and expectations
and the potential introduction of new products. We believe that
a number of established domestic and international defense
contractors have developed or are developing small UAS that have
and will continue to compete directly with our products. Some of
these contractors have significantly more financial and other
resources than we possess. Our current principal small UAS
competitors include Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc., Applied
Research Associates, Inc., Elbit Systems Ltd., L-3
Communications Holdings Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation. We
do not view large UAS such as Northrop Grumman
Corporations Global Hawk, General Atomics,
Inc.s Predator, The Boeing Companys
ScanEagle and AAI Corporations Shadow as
direct competitors because they perform different missions and
are not hand launched and controlled, although we cannot be
certain that these platforms will not become direct competitors
in the future.
The primary direct competitors to PosiCharge are other fast
charge suppliers, including Aker Wade Power Technologies LLC,
Minit-Charger, a subsidiary of Edison International, and
PowerDesigners, LLC. Some of the major industrial battery
suppliers have begun to align themselves with fast charge
suppliers, creating a potentially more significant source of
competition.
In addition, PosiCharge competes against the traditional method
of battery changing. Competitors in this area include suppliers
of battery changing equipment and infrastructure, designers of
battery changing rooms, battery manufacturers and dealers who
may experience reduced sales volume because PosiCharge
eliminates the need for extra batteries.
Regulation
Due to the fact that we contract with the DoD and other agencies
of the U.S. government, we are subject to extensive federal
regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulations,
Defense Federal Acquisitions Regulations, Truth in Negotiations
Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act and the
regulations promulgated under the DoD Industrial Security
Manual, which establishes the security guidelines for classified
programs and facilities as well as individual security
clearances.
In addition, due to the nature of the products and services we
provide, we are subject to further U.S. government
regulation, including by the Federal Aviation Administration,
which regulates airspace for all air vehicles, by the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration and Federal
64
Communications Commission, which regulate the wireless
communications upon which our small UAS depend, and under the
International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which regulate the
export of controlled technical data, defense articles and
defense services. The Federal Aviation Administration currently
requires that small UAS comply with the rules for
radio-controlled hobby aircraft that require small UAS to
maintain flight altitude below 400 feet above the ground
and the operator to maintain line of sight on the aircraft at
all times it is in flight. The Federal Aviation Administration
is in the process of drafting updated regulations specifically
for small UAS operations in support of military, civil
and/or
commercial applications. These new regulations will affect the
extent to which small UAS may be used for certain applications.
We have engaged in discussions with the Federal Aviation
Administration to help ensure that these new regulations allow
for the maximum safe utilization of our small UAS.
Recently, the DCMA informed us that, under the terms of our DoD
contracts, the government parties with whom we are contracting
are required to obtain a certificate of authorization for flight
tests of our small UAS outside of military installations. If our
DoD customers are unable to obtain such a certificate, we may
not be able to perform our flight tests without incurring the
additional costs of transporting our small UAS products to
military installations.
Certain of these regulations carry substantial penalty
provisions, including suspension or debarment from government
contracting or subcontracting for a period of time if we are
found to be in violation. We carefully monitor all of our
contracts and contractual efforts to minimize the possibility of
any violation of these regulations.
Furthermore, our
non-U.S. operations
are subject to the laws and regulations of foreign
jurisdictions, which may include regulations that are more
stringent than those imposed by the U.S. government on our
U.S. operations.
We were recently audited by the DCMA with respect to our system
for the care, control and accountability of government property.
The DCMA identified certain corrective actions to be taken with
respect to our current system, which we successfully implemented.
Legal
Proceedings
We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings.
We are, however, subject to lawsuits from time to time in the
ordinary course of business.
65
GOVERNMENT
CONTRACTING PROCESS
We sell the significant majority of our small UAS products and
services as the prime contractor under contracts with the
U.S. government. Certain important aspects of our
government contracts are described below.
Bidding
Process
We are awarded government contracts typically through a
competitive bidding process. The U.S. government awards
competitive-bid contracts based on proposal evaluation criteria
established by the procuring agency. Competitive-bid contracts
are awarded after a formal bid and proposal competition among
providers. Interested contractors prepare a bid and proposal in
response to the agencys request for proposal or request
for information. A bid and proposal is usually prepared in a
short time period in response to a deadline and requires the
extensive involvement of numerous technical and administrative
personnel. Following award, competitive-bid contracts may be
challenged by unsuccessful bidders.
Single and multiple award indefinite delivery indefinite
quantity, or IDIQ, contracts are contract forms used to obtain
commitments from contractors to provide certain products or
services on pre-established terms and conditions. Under IDIQ
contracts, the U.S. government issues task orders for
specific services or products it needs and the contractor
supplies products or services in accordance with the previously
agreed terms. IDIQ contracts do not obligate the
U.S. government to purchase goods or services. The
competitive process to obtain task orders is limited to the
pre-selected contractors. If the IDIQ contract has a single
prime contractor, then the award of task orders is limited to
that contractor. If the contract has multiple prime contractors,
then the award of the task order is competitively determined
among only those prime contractors. IDIQ contracts often have
multi-year terms and unfunded ceiling amounts, therefore
enabling but not committing the U.S. government to purchase
substantial amounts of products and services from one or more
contractors.
The contracts for our full-rate production UAS are funded either
through operational needs statements or as programs of record.
Operational needs statements represent allocations of
discretionary spending or reallocations of funding from other
government programs. Funding for our production of initial
Raven deliveries was provided through operational needs
statements, as is the case currently with our initial Puma
deliveries. Programs of record are programs which, after
undergoing extensive DoD review and product testing, are
included in the five-year government budget cycle, meaning that
funding will be allocated for purchases under these contracts
during the five-year cycle, absent affirmative action by the
customer or Congress to change the budgeted amount. Funding for
these programs is approved annually.
We are currently the sole provider under the only two programs
of record established by the DoD for small UAS, a 2005
U.S. Army/SOCOM contract for Raven B, our next
generation Raven product, and a 2003 U.S. Marine
Corps contract for Dragon Eye. Both programs of record
were awarded through a competitive bidding process. The
U.S. Army/SOCOM program of record provides for purchases of
up to $282.6 million through 2010 and also allows for
contract additions from the U.S. Army/SOCOM or other
U.S. military services. As of July 29, 2006, orders in
the amount of $58.8 million had been placed with us, and we
had provided approximately 20 systems under this program, with
each system consisting of three aircraft, two ground control
units with hand-held controllers, spare parts and other related
support equipment. The U.S. Marine Corps program of record,
unless modified, will provide for purchases of up to
$50.0 million through 2008. As of July 29, 2006,
orders in the amount of $46.1 million had been placed with
us, and we had provided approximately 167 systems under this
program, with each system consisting of three aircraft, optional
additional spare aircraft, one ground control unit with laptop,
spare parts and other related support equipment. Additional
aircraft and parts have also been delivered to repair and
replace the small UAS damaged in the field, funded both under
the programs of record and from other sources. Production
66
of Wasp is currently funded by a development program
through the DoD s Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency, or DARPA.
Material
Government Contract Provisions
The funding of U.S. government programs is subject to
congressional appropriations. Although multi-year contracts may
be authorized in connection with major procurements, Congress
generally appropriates funds on a fiscal year basis, even though
a program may continue for many years. Consequently, programs
are often only partially funded initially, and additional funds
are committed only as Congress makes further appropriations.
All contracts with the U.S. government contain provisions,
and are subject to laws and regulations, that give the
government rights and remedies not typically found in commercial
contracts, including rights that allow the government to:
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terminate existing contracts for convenience, which affords the
U.S. government the right to terminate the contract in
whole or in part anytime it wants for any reason or no reason,
as well as for default;
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reduce or modify contracts or subcontracts, if its requirements
or budgetary constraints change;
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cancel multi-year contracts and related orders, if funds for
contract performance for any subsequent year become unavailable;
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claim rights in products and systems produced by its contractors
if the contract is cost reimbursable and the contractor produces
the products or systems during the performance of the contract;
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adjust contract costs and fees on the basis of audits completed
by its agencies;
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suspend or debar a contractor from doing business with the
U.S. government; and
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control or prohibit the export of products.
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Generally, government contracts are subject to oversight audits
by government representatives. Provisions in these contracts
permit termination, in whole or in part, without prior notice,
at the governments convenience or upon contractor default
under the contract. Compensation in the event of a termination,
if any, is limited to work completed at the time of termination.
In the event of termination for convenience, the contractor may
receive a certain allowance for profit on the work performed.
Government
Contract Categories
We have three types of government contracts, each of which
involves a different payment methodology and level of risk
related to the cost of performance. These basic types of
contracts are typically referred to as fixed-price contracts,
cost reimbursable contracts (including cost-plus-fixed fee,
cost-plus-award fee, and cost-plus-incentive fee) and
time-and-materials
contracts.
Fixed-Price
These contracts are not subject to adjustment by reason of costs
incurred in the performance of the contract. With this type of
contract, we assume the risk that we will not be able to perform
at a cost below the fixed-price, except for costs incurred
because of contract changes ordered by the customer. Upon the
U.S. governments termination of a fixed-price
contract, generally we would be entitled to payment for items
delivered to and accepted by the U.S. government and, if
the termination is at the U.S. governments
convenience, for payment of fair compensation for work performed
plus the costs of settling and paying claims by any terminated
subcontractors, other settlement expenses and a reasonable
allowance for profit on the costs incurred.
67
Cost
Reimbursable
Cost reimbursable contracts include cost-plus-fixed fee
contracts, cost-plus-award fee contracts and cost-plus-incentive
fee contracts. Under each type of contract, we assume the risk
that we may not be able to recover costs if they are not
allowable under the contract terms or applicable regulations, or
if the costs exceed the contract funding.
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Cost-plus-fixed fee contracts are cost reimbursable contracts
that provide for payment of a negotiated fee that is fixed at
the inception of the contract. This fixed fee does not vary with
actual cost of the contract, but may be adjusted as a result of
changes in the work to be performed under the contract. This
contract type poses less risk of loss than a fixed-price
contract, but our ability to win future contracts from the
procuring agency may be adversely affected if we fail to perform
within the maximum cost set forth in the contract.
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A cost-plus-award fee contract is a cost reimbursable contract
that provides for a fee consisting of a base amount (which may
be zero) fixed at inception of the contract and an award amount,
based upon the governments satisfaction with the
performance under the contract. With this type of contract, we
assume the risk that we may not receive the award fee, or only a
portion of it, if we do not perform satisfactorily.
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A cost-plus-incentive fee contract is a cost reimbursable
contract that provides for an initially negotiated fee to be
adjusted later by a formula based on the relationship of total
allowable costs to total target costs.
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We typically experience lower profit margins and lower risk
under cost reimbursable contracts than under fixed-price
contracts. Upon the termination of a cost reimbursable contract,
generally we would be entitled to reimbursement of our allowable
costs and, if the termination is at the U.S. governments
convenience, a total fee proportionate to the percentage of work
completed under the contract.
Time-and-Materials
Under a
time-and-materials
contract, our compensation is based on a fixed hourly rate
established for specified labor or skill categories. We are paid
at the established hourly rates for the hours we expend
performing the work specified in the contract. Labor costs,
overhead, general and administrative costs and profit are
included in the fixed hourly rate. Materials, subcontractors,
travel and other direct costs are reimbursed at actual costs
plus an amount for material handling. We make critical pricing
assumptions and decisions when developing and proposing
time-and-materials
labor rates. We risk reduced profitability if our actual costs
exceed the costs incorporated into the fixed hourly labor rate.
One variation of a standard
time-and-materials
contract is a
time-and-materials,
award fee contract. Under this type of contract, a positive or
negative incentive can be earned based on achievement against
specific performance metrics.
The table below shows our UAS revenue for the periods indicated
by government contract type:
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Fiscal Year
Ended
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Three Months
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April 30,
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Ended
July 29,
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2006
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Fixed-price contracts
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63
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%
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88
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%
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60
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%
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74
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%
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Cost reimbursable contracts
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36
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%
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12
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%
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39
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%
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25
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%
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Time-and-materials
contracts
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1
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%
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1
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%
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1
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%
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68
MANAGEMENT
Executive
Officers and Directors
The following table sets forth certain information about our
executive officers and directors:
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Name
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Age
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Position
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Paul B. MacCready
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81
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Founder and Chairman of the Board
of Directors
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Timothy E. Conver
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63
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President, Chief Executive Officer
and Director
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Stephen C. Wright
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50
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Vice President of Finance, Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary
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John F. Grabowsky
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59
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Executive Vice President and
General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems
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Patrick R. Dellario
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49
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Vice President and General
Manager, PosiCharge Systems
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Joseph S. Edwards
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59
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Vice President and General
Manager, Energy Technology Center
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Cathleen S. Cline
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48
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Vice President of Administration
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Joseph F.
Alibrandi(1)(3)
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77
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Director
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Kenneth R.
Baker(1)(2)
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59
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Director
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Arnold L.
Fishman(1)(2)(3)
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62
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Director
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Murray
Gell-Mann(2)(3)
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77
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Director
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Charles R. Holland
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60
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Director
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(1)
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Member of the audit committee.
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(2)
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Member of the compensation
committee.
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(3)
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Member of the nominating and
corporate governance committee.
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Executive
Officers
Paul B. MacCready founded AeroVironment in 1971.
Dr. MacCready is an inventor and entrepreneur who has
become known as the father of human-powered flight
for his Gossamer Condor, which in 1977 made the first sustained
controlled flight powered solely by its pilots muscles.
Dr. MacCready has received numerous honors including the
Engineer of the Century Gold Medal from the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, the NASA Public Service Grand Achievement
Award and Aviation Weeks Aerospace Laureate designation.
In addition, Dr. MacCready was selected Graduate of the
Decade by the California Institute of Technology and was named
one of the 100 greatest minds of the 20th century by Time
Magazine. He received a B.S. from Yale and an M.S. in physics
and Ph.D. in aeronautics from the California Institute of
Technology.
Timothy E. Conver has served as our President since 1991
and as our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of
directors since 1993. Prior to joining AeroVironment,
Mr. Conver served as President of Whittaker Electronic
Resources, a supplier of engineered products for military
electronics and industrial instrumentation, for ten years.
Mr. Conver is a graduate of the University of Montana and
has an M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Stephen C. Wright has served as our Vice President of
Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since September
2002. Prior to joining us, Mr. Wright served as the Senior
Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of L-3
PrimeWave Communications, a fixed wireless equipment provider,
from January 2002 to August 2002 and as the Vice President of
Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Cellotape, a hi-tech
component and label manufacturer, from May 2001 to November
2001. Prior to joining Cellotape, Mr. Wright also served as
the Chief Financial Officer of both Adicom Wireless, a fixed
wireless equipment provider, and Globalstar L.P., a wireless
telecom service provider.
69
Mr. Wright has a B.S. in business from California State
University Northridge and an M.B.A. from San Diego State
University.
John F. Grabowsky joined us in April 2003, serving
initially as our Director of Programs from April 2003 to March
2004, as our Vice President and General Manager, Unmanned
Aircraft Systems from April 2004 to August 2006, and since
September 2006 as our Executive Vice President and General
Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Prior to joining us,
Mr. Grabowsky served as the Vice President and General
Manager of the OptoElectronics business unit of Teledyne
Technologies Incorporated, a leading provider of sophisticated
electronics and communications products, systems engineering
solutions, and aerospace products and components, from March
2000 to April 2003. From 1997 to 2000, he served as the Vice
President of Teledynes Broadband Communications division.
Mr. Grabowsky has a B.S. in electrical engineering from
Lehigh University.
Patrick R. Dellario has served as our Vice President and
General Manager, PosiCharge Systems since April 2002. Prior to
joining us, Mr. Dellario served in several positions of
responsibility with H.R. Textron, a manufacturer of customized
hydraulic, pneumatic, fuel management and electromechanical
products and solutions for the aerospace and defense industry,
including most recently as the General Manager of Servo, Fuel
and Pneumatic Products from 1997 to April 2002.
Mr. Dellario has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the
University of Kentucky and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.
Joseph S. Edwards has served as our Vice President and
General Manager, Energy Technology Center since July 2002, prior
to which he served as our Chief Financial Officer starting in
1996. Before joining us, Mr. Edwards was the Controller of
Space Systems/Loral, a leading designer, manufacturer, and
integrator of geostationary satellites and satellite systems.
Mr. Edwards has a B.S. in economics from Hofstra University
and an M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Cathleen S. Cline has served as our Vice President of
Administration since 1992. Prior to joining us, Ms. Cline
was the Human Resources Manager at both Whittaker Electronic
Resources and the law firm of OMelveny & Myers
LLP. Ms. Cline has a B.S. in psychology and a B.S. in
business management from the University of Oregon.
Board of
Directors
Joseph F. Alibrandi has served as a member of our board
of directors since 1999. Mr. Alibrandi has served as the
Chief Executive Officer of Alibrandi Associates, a money
management firm, since 1999 and is the former Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Whittaker Corporation, a leading designer
and manufacturer of a broad range of fluid control devices and
systems for both commercial and military aircraft, as well as
various industrial applications. Mr. Alibrandi has also
served as a director of BancAmerica Corporation, Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Corp., Jacobs Engineering, Catellus
Development Corp., as Chairman of the Board of the Federal
Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the International Policy
Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the California
Business Roundtables Task Force on Education and as
Co-Chairman of President Reagans Grace Commission.
Mr. Alibrandi has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Kenneth R. Baker has served as a member of our board of
directors since 1994. Mr. Baker has served as President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Altarum Institute, a
not-for-profit
research institution, since 1999 and prior to that served in a
variety of engineering, research and executive management
positions with General Motors Corporation, including as program
manager of its EV1 program, Vice President of Global Research
and Development, and Vice President/General Manager of its
Distributed Energy business venture. Mr. Baker is also a
member of the board of directors and chair of the audit
committee of Millennium Cell, Inc., and a member of the board of
directors of the Center for Automotive Research, the National
Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing and several other
philanthropic organizations. Mr. Baker has a B.S. in
mechanical engineering from Clarkson University.
Arnold L. Fishman has served as a member of our board of
directors since 1998. Mr. Fishman is the Founder of
Lieberman Research Worldwide, a leading market research firm in
the western United
70
States, Interviewing Service of America, a supplier of market
survey services, and Location Production Services, Inc., a firm
that co-produces films and arranges specialized financial
transactions in Croatia. Mr. Fishman has served as the
Chairman of Lieberman Research Worldwide, Interviewing Service
of America and Opinionsite.com since 1979, 1983 and 1999,
respectively and has been a member of Summit Selling Systems and
Location Production Services, Inc. since June 2005 and 2000,
respectively. Mr. Fishman has a B.S. in psychology from
Brooklyn College.
Murray Gell-Mann has served as a member of our board of
directors since 1971. Dr. Gell-Mann is a Co-Founder of the
Santa Fe Institute, which is devoted to the
interdisciplinary study of scientific problems related to
simplicity and complexity and to adaptation and evolution, where
he has served as a Distinguished Fellow since 1993.
Dr. Gell-Mann is a Professor Emeritus of Theoretical
Physics at the California Institute of Technology, a member of
the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a recipient of the
Research Corporation Award and the Franklin Medal of the
Franklin Institute and a 1969 Nobel Prize recipient for physics
for his work on the theory of elementary particles.
Dr. Gell-Mann is also a member of the Council on Foreign
Relations and has served on the Presidents Science
Advisory Committee and the Presidents Council of Advisors
on Science and Technology. In addition, as one of the directors
(1979 to 2002) of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, Dr. Gell-Mann helped found the World Resources
Institute, which conducts policy studies on global environmental
problems. Dr. Gell-Mann has a B.S. in physics from Yale
University and a Ph.D. in physics from Massachusetts Institute
of Technology.
Charles R. Holland has served as a member of our board of
directors since May 2004. General Holland retired as Commander,
Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command in November
2003 and currently serves as an independent consultant for
various entities, including as a consultant of ours since
February 2004. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Holland was
responsible for all special operations forces of the Army, Navy
and Air Force, both active duty and reserve. Mr. Holland
serves on the board of directors of General Atomics, Inc. and
Protonex Technology Corporation and as an advisor to both
Aerospace Integration Corp., a subsidiary of MTC Technologies,
and Camber Corporation. Mr. Holland has a B.S. in
aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy,
an M.S. in business management from Troy State University (W.
Germany) and an M.S. in astronautical engineering from the Air
Force Institute of Technology.
Board
Composition
Our board of directors is currently composed of seven members,
including five non-employee members, our current Chief Executive
Officer, Timothy E. Conver, and our Founder, Paul B. MacCready.
Upon completion of this offering, our amended and restated
certificate of incorporation will provide for a classified board
of directors consisting of three classes of directors, each
serving staggered three-year terms. As a result, a portion of
our board of directors will be elected each year. To implement
the classified structure, prior to the consummation of the
offering, two of the nominees to the board will be appointed to
one-year terms, two will be appointed to two-year terms and
three will be appointed to three-year terms. Thereafter,
directors will be elected for three-year terms. Our Class I
directors, whose terms will expire at the 2007 annual meeting of
stockholders, will
be
and .
Our Class II directors, whose terms will expire at the 2008
annual meeting of stockholders, will
be
and .
Our Class III directors, whose terms will expire at the
2009 annual meeting of stockholders, will
be ,
and .
Board
Committees
Our board of directors has established three committees: the
audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating
and corporate governance committee. Our board of directors may
establish other committees to facilitate the management of our
business.
Audit Committee. Our audit committee
consists of Messrs. Alibrandi (chair and audit committee
financial expert), Baker and Fishman, each of whom our board of
directors has determined is
71
independent within the meaning of the independent director
standards of the SEC and The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. This
committees main function is to oversee our accounting and
financial reporting processes, internal systems of control,
independent registered public accounting firm relationships and
the audits of our financial statements. This committees
responsibilities include:
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selecting and hiring our independent registered public
accounting firm;
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evaluating the qualifications, independence and performance of
our independent registered public accounting firm;
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reviewing and approving the audit and non-audit services to be
performed by our independent registered public accounting firm;
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reviewing the design, adequacy, implementation and effectiveness
of our internal controls established for finance, accounting,
legal compliance and ethics;
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reviewing the design, adequacy, implementation and effectiveness
of our critical accounting and financial policies;
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overseeing and monitoring the integrity of our financial
statements and our compliance with legal and regulatory
requirements as they relate to financial statements or
accounting matters;
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reviewing with management and our independent registered public
accounting firm our annual and quarterly financial statements;
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reviewing with management and our independent registered public
accounting firm any earnings announcements or other public
announcements concerning our operating results;
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preparing the audit committee report that the SEC will require
in our annual proxy statements; and
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reviewing and approving any related party transactions.
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Compensation Committee. Our
compensation committee consists of Messrs. Baker and
Fishman (chair) and Dr. Gell-Mann, each of whom our board
of directors has determined is independent within the meaning of
the independent director standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market
LLC. This committees purpose is to assist our board of
directors in determining the development plans and compensation
for our senior management and directors and recommend these
plans to our board. This committees responsibilities
include:
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reviewing and recommending compensation and benefit plans for
our officers and compensation policies for members of our board
of directors and board committees;
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reviewing the terms of offer letters and employment agreements
and arrangements with our officers;
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setting performance goals for our officers and reviewing their
performance against these goals;
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evaluating the competitiveness of our executive compensation
plans and periodically reviewing executive succession
plans; and
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preparing the report that the SEC will require in our annual
proxy statements.
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Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee. Our nominating and corporate
governance committee consists of Messrs. Alibrandi and
Fishman and Dr. Gell-Mann (chair), each of whom our board
of directors has determined is independent within the meaning of
the independent director standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market
LLC. This committees purpose is to assist our board by
identifying individuals qualified to become members of our board
of directors, consistent with criteria
72
set by our board, and to develop our corporate governance
principles. This committees responsibilities include:
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evaluating the composition, size and governance of our board of
directors and its committees and making recommendations
regarding future planning and the appointment of directors to
our committees;
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administering a policy for considering stockholder nominees for
election to our board of directors;
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evaluating and recommending candidates for election to our board
of directors;
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overseeing our board of directors performance and
self-evaluation process; and
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reviewing our corporate governance principles and providing
recommendations to the board regarding possible changes.
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Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of the members of our compensation committee at any time
has been one of our executive officers or employees. None of our
executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has
served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation
committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers
serving on our board of directors or compensation committee. Our
entire board of directors made all compensation decisions prior
to the creation of our compensation committee.
Director
Compensation
Our non-employee directors are currently paid $1,000 for each
board meeting they attend and $500 for each committee meeting
they attend. In addition, all of our directors are reimbursed
for their
out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in connection with such services. We have
awarded options to purchase our common stock to our non-employee
directors on two occasions in the last three fiscal years. In
June 2004, we awarded each of Messrs. Alibrandi, Baker,
Fishman and Holland and Dr. Gell-Mann options to
purchase shares
of our common stock at an exercise price of
$ per share. In October 2005,
we awarded each of Messrs. Alibrandi, Baker and Fishman and
Dr. Gell-Mann options to
purchase shares
of our common stock and Mr. Holland options to purchase
shares of our common stock, all at an exercise price of
$ per share.
Following this offering, directors who are not our employees or
who are not otherwise affiliated with us will receive
compensation that is commensurate with arrangements offered to
directors of companies that are similar to us. Compensation
arrangements for independent directors established by our board
may be in the form of cash payments
and/or
option grants.
73
Executive
Compensation
The following table shows compensation information for our Chief
Executive Officer and each of our four other most
highly-compensated executive officers, measured by base salary
and annual bonus, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006.
We refer to these officers in this prospectus as our named
executive officers.
Summary
Compensation Table
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Long-Term
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Compensation
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Annual
Compensation
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Securities
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Name
and
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Other
Annual
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Underlying
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All
Other
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Principal
Position
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Salary
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Bonus
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Compensation(1)
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Options
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Compensation
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Paul B. MacCready
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$
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249,054
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$
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900,000
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$
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$
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$
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6,713
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(2)
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Founder and Chairman of the Board
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Timothy E. Conver
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258,461
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1,350,000
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8,874
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(3)
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President and Chief Executive
Officer
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Stephen C. Wright
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202,174
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87,500
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11,224
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(4)
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Chief Financial Officer
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John F. Grabowsky
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205,150
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100,000
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8,092
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(5)
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Executive Vice President and
General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems
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Patrick R. Dellario
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208,281
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59,500
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10,149
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(6)
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Vice President and General Manager,
PosiCharge Systems
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(1)
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Pursuant to applicable SEC
regulations, perquisites and other personal benefits are omitted
because they did not exceed the lesser of either $50,000 or 10%
of total annual salary and bonus.
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(2)
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Consists of: (a) a matching
payment of $3,909 to our 401(k) plan; (b) $332 representing
the value of personal use of company-owned automobile; and
(c) $2,472 representing the total value of premium payments
for coverage under our group term life plan.
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(3)
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Consists of: (a) a matching
payment of $4,387 to our 401(k) plan; (b) $2,508
representing the value of personal use of company-owned
automobile; and (c) $1,979 representing the total value of
premium payments for coverage under our group term life plan.
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(4)
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Consists of: (a) a matching
payment of $10,691 to our 401(k) plan; and (b) $533
representing the total value of premium payments for coverage
under our group term life plan.
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(5)
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Consists of: (a) a matching
payment of $6,802 to our 401(k) plan; and (b) $1,290
representing the total value of premium payments for coverage
under our group term life plan.
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(6)
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Consists of: (a) a matching
payment of $9,699 to our 401(k) plan; and (b) $450
representing the total value of premium payments for coverage
under our group term life plan.
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Option Grants in
Last Fiscal Year
The following table sets forth information regarding grants of
stock options to each of the named executive officers during the
fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. All options included on
the table have
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an exercise price equal to no less than the fair market value of
our common stock, as determined by our board of directors, on
the date of grant.
Potential realizable value is based upon an assumed initial
public offering price of our common stock of
$ per share, the midpoint of
the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
Potential realizable values are net of exercise prices, but
before taxes associated with exercise. Amounts representing
hypothetical gains are those that could be achieved if options
are exercised at the end of the option term. The assumed 5% and
10% rates of stock price appreciation are provided in accordance
with the rules of the SEC based on the assumed initial offering
price and do not represent our estimate or projection of our
future stock price. We cannot assure you that any of the values
in the table will be achieved. Actual gains, if any, on stock
option exercises will depend on the future performance of our
common stock and overall stock market conditions.
The percentage of total options granted to our employees in the
last fiscal year is based on options to purchase an aggregate
of shares
of common stock granted under our equity incentive plans to our
employees during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006.
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Individual
Grants
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% of Total
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Potential
Realizable
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Number of
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Options
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Value at
Assumed
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Shares
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Granted to
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Annual Rates of
Stock
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Underlying
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Employees
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Exercise
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Price
Appreciation for
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Options
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In Last
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Price Per
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Expiration
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Options
Term
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Name
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Granted
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Fiscal
Year
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Share
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Date
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5%
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10%
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Paul B. MacCready
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$
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$
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$
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Timothy E. Conver
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Stephen C. Wright
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John F. Grabowsky
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23.8
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10/21/15
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Patrick R. Dellario
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7.9
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10/21/15
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Aggregate
Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option
Values
The following table describes for the named executive officers
the number and value of securities that they received upon
exercise of options during the fiscal year ended April 30,
2006, and the number and value of securities underlying
exercisable and unexercisable options held by them as of
April 30, 2006. The value realized and the value of
unexercised
in-the-money
options at April 30, 2006 are based on the assumed initial
public offering price of
$ per share less the per
share exercise price, multiplied by the number of shares issued
or issuable, as the case may be, upon exercise of the option.
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Number of
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Number of
Securities
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Value of
Unexercised
In-the-
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Shares
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Underlying
Unexercised
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Money Options
at
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Acquired on
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Value
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Options at
April 30, 2006
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April 30, 2006
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Name
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Exercise
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Realized
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Exercisable
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Unexercisable
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Exercisable
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Unexercisable
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Paul B. MacCready
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$
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$
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$
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Timothy E. Conver
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Stephen C. Wright
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John F. Grabowsky
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Patrick R. Dellario
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Employee
Benefit and Stock Plans
We currently have three plans pursuant to which we provide
equity compensation to our employees, consultants and directors,
the AeroVironment, Inc. Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, or
Option Plan; the AeroVironment, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan,
or Equity Plan; and the AeroVironment, Inc. Directors
Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, or Directors Plan, and
collectively with the Option Plan and the Equity Plan, the Prior
Plans. In connection with this offering, we will be adopting a
2006 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2006 Plan. Upon adoption of the
2006 Plan, no further options will be
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granted under the Prior Plans. On July 29, 2006, options to
purchase shares of our common stock remained outstanding under
the Prior Plans.
2006
Plan
Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors
and stockholders will approve the 2006 Plan. Once approved, the
2006 Plan will terminate on the earlier of ten years after
stockholder approval or when the board of directors terminates
the 2006 Plan. The 2006 Plan will provide for the grant of
incentive stock options, or ISOs, as defined in Section 422
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code,
nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock
units, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, deferred stock,
dividend equivalent rights, performance awards and stock
payments, which we collectively refer to as awards, to our
employees, consultants and directors.
Share Reserve. The 2006 Plan will
reserve for issuance upon grant or exercise of awards up
to shares
of our common stock. Once the 2006 Plan becomes subject to
Section 162(m) of the Code, no more
than shares
may be granted pursuant to awards which are intended to be
performance based compensation within the meaning of Code
Section 162(m) to any one participant in a twelve-month
period. The shares subject to the 2006 Plan, the limitations on
the number of shares that may be awarded under the 2006 Plan and
shares and option prices subject to awards outstanding under the
2006 Plan will be adjusted as the plan administrator deems
appropriate to reflect stock dividends, stock splits,
combinations or exchanges of shares, mergers, consolidations,
spin-offs, recapitalizations, or other distributions of Company
assets. As of the date hereof, no shares of common stock or
awards have been granted under the 2006 Plan.
Shares withheld for taxes, shares used to pay the exercise price
of an option in a net exercise and shares tendered to us to pay
the exercise price of an option or other award may be available
for future grants of awards under the 2006 Plan. In addition,
shares subject to stock awards that have expired, been forfeited
or otherwise terminated without having been exercised may be
subject to new awards. Shares issued under the 2006 Plan may be
previously authorized but unissued shares or reacquired shares
bought on the open market or otherwise.
Administration. Generally, the
compensation committee of our board will administer the 2006
Plan. However, with respect to awards made to our non-employee
directors or to individuals subject to Section 16 of the
Exchange Act, the full board will act as the administrator of
the 2006 Plan. The compensation committee or the full board, as
appropriate, has the authority to
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select the individuals who will receive awards;
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determine the type or types of awards to be granted;
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determine the number of awards to be granted and the number of
shares to which the award relates;
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determine the terms and conditions of any award, including the
exercise price and vesting;
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determine the terms of settlement of any award;
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prescribe the form of award agreement;
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establish, adopt or revise rules for administration of the 2006
Plan;
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interpret the terms of the 2006 Plan and any matters arising
under the 2006 Plan; and
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make all other decisions and determinations as may be necessary
to administer the 2006 Plan.
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The compensation committee may delegate its authority to grant
or amend awards with respect to participants other than senior
executive officers, employees covered by Section 162(m) of
the Code or the officers to whom the authority to grant or amend
awards has been delegated.
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The compensation committee, with the approval of the board, may
also amend the 2006 Plan. Amendments to the 2006 Plan are
subject to stockholder approval to the extent required by law,
or The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC Marketplace Rules. Additionally,
stockholder approval will be specifically required to increase
the number of shares available for issuance under the 2006 Plan
or to extend the term of an option beyond ten years.
Eligibility. Awards under the 2006 Plan
may be granted to individuals who are our employees or employees
of our subsidiaries, our non-employee directors and our
consultants and advisors. However, options which are intended to
qualify as ISOs may only be granted to employees.
Awards. The following will briefly
describe the principal features of the various awards that may
be granted under the 2006 Plan.
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Options Options provide for the right
to purchase our common stock at a specified price, and usually
will become exercisable in the discretion of the compensation
committee in one or more installments after the grant date. The
option exercise price may be paid in cash, by check, shares of
our common stock which have been held by the option holder for
at least six months, other property with value equal to the
exercise price, through a broker assisted cashless exercise or
such other methods as the committee may approve from time to
time. The committee may at any time substitute SARs for options
granted under the 2006 Plan. Options may take two forms,
nonstatutory options, or NSOs, and ISOs. ISOs will be designed
to comply with the provision of the Code and will be subject to
certain restrictions contained in the Code in order to qualify
as ISOs. Among such restrictions, ISOs must:
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have an exercise price not less than the fair market value of
our common stock on the date of grant, or if granted to certain
individuals who own or are deemed to own at least 10% of the
total combined voting power of all of our classes of stock (10%
stockholders), then such exercise price may not be less than
110% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of
grant;
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be granted only to our employees and employees of our subsidiary
corporations;
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expire within a specified time following the option
holders termination of employment;
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be exercised within ten years after the date of grant, or with
respect to 10% stockholders, five years after the date of
grant; and
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not be first exercisable during any calendar year for more than
$100,000 worth of our common stock, determined based on the
exercise price at the time the option is granted.
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No ISO may be granted under the 2006 Plan after ten years from
the date the 2006 Plan is approved by our stockholders.
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Restricted Stock A restricted stock
award is the grant of shares of our common stock that, during a
restricted period, is nontransferable and, unless otherwise
determined by the compensation committee at the time of award,
may be forfeited upon termination of employment or service. The
committee shall determine in the award agreement whether the
participant will be entitled to vote the shares of restricted
stock and/or
receive dividends on such shares.
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Stock Appreciation Rights SARs provide
for payment to the holder based upon increases in the price of
our common stock over a set base price. Payment for SARs may be
made in cash, our common stock or any combination of the two.
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Restricted Stock Units Restricted
stock units represent the right to receive shares of our common
stock at a specified date in the future, subject to forfeiture
of such right. If the restricted stock unit has not been
forfeited, then on the date specified in the restricted stock
award we will deliver to the holder of the restricted stock unit
unrestricted shares of our common stock, which will be freely
transferable.
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Dividend Equivalents Dividend
equivalents represent the value of the dividends per share we
pay, calculated with reference to the number of shares covered
by an award (other than a dividend equivalent award) held by the
participant.
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Performance Awards Performance awards
are denominated in shares of our common stock and are linked to
satisfaction of performance criteria established by the
compensation committee. If the committee determines that the
award is intended to meet the requirements of qualified
performance based compensation and therefore be deductible
under Section 162(m) of the Code, then the performance
criteria upon which the award will be based shall be with
reference to any one or more of the following: net earnings
(either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization), economic value-added (as determined by the
committee), sales or revenue, net income (either before or after
taxes), operating earnings, cash flow (including, but not
limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), return on
capital, return on assets (net or gross), return on
stockholders equity, return on sales, gross or net profit
margin, productivity, expense margins, operating efficiency,
customer satisfaction, working capital, earnings per share,
price per share, and market share, any of which may be measured
either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental
increase or as compared to results of a peer group.
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Change in Control. All awards granted
under the 2006 Plan will become exercisable in full upon the
occurrence of a change in control (as defined in the 2006 Plan),
unless the award is assumed by any successor in such change in
control, or the award agreement otherwise provides. In
connection with a change in control, the compensation committee
may cause the awards to terminate but shall give the holder of
the awards the right to exercise their outstanding awards or
receive their other rights under the awards outstanding for some
period of time prior to the change in control, even though the
awards may not be exercisable or otherwise payable.
Additionally, the committee may provide that all restrictions
imposed on some or all shares of restricted stock or restricted
stock units shall lapse.
Adjustment upon Certain Events. The
number and kind of securities subject to an award and the
exercise price or base price may be adjusted at the discretion
of the compensation committee to reflect any stock dividend,
stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger,
consolidation, spin-off, recapitalization or other distribution
(other than normal cash dividends) of our assets to
stockholders, or other similar changes affecting the shares. In
addition, upon such events the committee may provide for
(1) the termination of any awards in exchange for cash
equal to the amount the holder would otherwise be entitled to if
they had exercised the award, (2) the full vesting,
exercisability or payment of any award, (3) the assumption
of such award by any successor, (4) the replacement of such
award with other rights or property, (5) the adjustment of
the number, type of shares
and/or the
terms and conditions of the awards which may be granted in the
future or (6) the cessation of the ability of awards to
vest or become exercisable or payable after such event.
Awards not Transferable. Generally the
awards may not be pledged, assigned or otherwise transferred
other than by will or by laws of descent and distribution. The
compensation committee may allow awards other than ISOs to be
transferred for estate or tax planning purposes to members of
the holders family, charitable institutions or trusts for
the benefit of family members. In addition, the committee may
allow awards to be transferred to so-called blind
trusts by a holder of an award who is terminating
employment in connection with the holders service with the
government, an educational or other non-profit institution.
Miscellaneous. As a condition to the
issuance or delivery of stock or payment of other compensation
pursuant to the exercise or lapse of restrictions on any award,
we require participants to discharge all applicable withholding
tax obligations. Shares held by or to be issued to a participant
may also be used to discharge tax withholding obligations.
The 2006 Plan will expire and no further awards may be granted
after the tenth anniversary of its approval by our stockholders
or, if later, the approval by our board of directors.
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Prior
Plans
We currently
have
options to purchase our common stock outstanding under the Prior
Plans and have the ability to grant awards up
to
additional shares reserved for issuance under the Prior Plans.
The kind and number of shares of stock subject to the Prior
Plans and the awards thereunder, and the exercise price of any
option may be adjusted to reflect any changes in our
capitalization due to reorganization, recapitalization,
reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, stock
dividend, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination,
repurchase, liquidation, dissolution, sale, transfer or exchange
of all or substantially all assets, issuance of warrants or
other rights to purchase, or other similar events.
The Equity Plan provides for grants to employees, directors and
consultants of options and restricted stock. The Option Plan
provides for grants of options to employees and the Directors
Plan provides for grants of options to directors. At this time
only options remain outstanding under the Prior Plans. The Prior
Plans are currently administered by our board, but following the
consummation of this offering the compensation committee of the
board will have responsibility for administering the Prior
Plans. Upon a change in control, all options granted under the
Prior Plans will either be assumed by any successor or if not so
assumed, will fully vest and become exercisable.
Our board has the right to amend and terminate the Prior Plans.
In connection with the adoption of the 2006 Plan, our board will
terminate the Prior Plans. Upon such termination no further
options or stock purchase rights may be granted under the Prior
Plans, although any options previously granted will remain
outstanding and exercisable in accordance with their terms.
401(k)
Plan
We sponsor a tax-qualified employee savings and retirement plan,
or 401(k) plan, that covers all eligible employees. Under the
plan, highly-compensated employees may contribute up to 20% of
their cash compensation and non-highly-compensated employees may
contribute up to 25% of their cash compensation. We provide
matching payments of up to 5.75% of individual employees
contributions on a
dollar-for-dollar
basis for fiscal years in which we are profitable and on a fifty
cents on the dollar basis for fiscal years in which we are not
profitable. Our expenses related to this plan amounted to
$673,000, $724,000 and $918,000 for the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Retiree
Medical Plan
We sponsor participation in a third-party provided retiree
medical plan by the Chairman of our board of directors and our
Chief Executive Officer. This plan will provide supplemental
medical coverage for each of the participants and their spouses.
Coverage under the plan will be effective for each of the
participants upon their retirement.
Pension
Plan
On August 19, 2005, we established a supplemental executive
retirement plan for the benefit of Dr. MacCready, our
Founder and the Chairman of our board of directors. Pursuant to
the terms of this plan, in the event that Dr. MacCready
retires between July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007, he will
be entitled to receive an annual retirement benefit payable by
us in the amount of $200,000. The amount of the annual
retirement benefit payable to Dr. MacCready is subject to
annual cost of living increases based upon the Consumer Price
Index. This plan will terminate automatically upon completion of
this offering without any payment to Dr. MacCready.
79
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Other than compensation agreements and other arrangements which
are described as required in Management and the
transactions described below, since May 1, 2003, there has
not been, and there is not currently proposed, any transaction
or series of similar transactions to which we were or will be a
party in which:
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the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $60,000; and
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a director, executive officer, holder of 5% or more of any class
of our capital stock or any member of their immediate family had
or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
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All of the transactions set forth below were approved by a
majority of the board of directors, including a majority of the
independent and disinterested members of the board of directors.
We believe that we have executed all of the transactions set
forth below on terms no less favorable to us than we could have
obtained from unaffiliated third parties. It is our intention to
ensure that all future transactions between us and our officers,
directors and principal stockholders and their affiliates, are
approved by a majority of the board of directors, including a
majority of the independent and disinterested members of the
board of directors, and are on terms no less favorable to us
than those that we could obtain from unaffiliated third parties.
Limitation of
Liability and Indemnification of Officers and
Directors
As permitted by Section 102 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, we intend to adopt provisions to our amended
and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and
restated bylaws which limit or eliminate the personal liability
of our directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as
directors. The duty of care generally requires that when acting
on behalf of the corporation, directors exercise an informed
business judgment based on all material information reasonably
available to them. Consequently, a director will not be
personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages
or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability
for:
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any breach of the directors duty of loyalty to us or our
stockholders;
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any act or omission not in good faith or that involves
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
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any act related to unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or
other distributions or payment of dividends; or
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any transaction from which the director derived an improper
personal benefit.
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These limitations of liability, which will be effective upon our
reincorporation in Delaware, do not alter liability under the
federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of
equitable remedies such as injunction or rescission. As
permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of
incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will authorize us
to indemnify our officers, directors and other agents to the
fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and provide that:
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we may indemnify our directors, officers and employees to the
fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation
Law, subject to limited exceptions;
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we may advance expenses to our directors, officers and employees
in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent
permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to
limited exceptions; and
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the rights provided in our bylaws are not exclusive.
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Contemporaneous with the completion of this offering, we intend
to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our
executive officers and directors which will be in addition to
and may be broader than the indemnification provided for in our
charter documents. These agreements will provide
80
that we will indemnify each of our directors to the fullest
extent permitted by law and advance expenses to each indemnitee
in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is
available.
We also maintain general liability insurance that covers certain
liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims
based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or
officers and intend to obtain a policy of directors and
officers liability insurance that will be effective upon
completion of this offering which will also cover certain
liabilities arising under the Securities Act. Insofar as
indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers, or persons controlling
the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have
been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a
lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary
duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the
likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and
officers, even though such an action, if successful, might
otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a
stockholders investment may be adversely affected to the
extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against
directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification
provisions. We believe that these provisions, the
indemnification agreements and the insurance are necessary to
attract and retain talented and experienced directors and
officers.
At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding
involving any of our directors, officers, employees or agents in
which any of them is seeking indemnification from us, nor are we
aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that may result
in a claim for indemnification.
Transactions with
Officers and Directors
On July 29, 2004, we entered into a voting agreement with
certain of our stockholders, including the P. and J. MacCready
Living Trust (Restated), of which Dr. Paul B. MacCready,
our Founder and the Chairman of our board of directors, is the
trustee, and the Whiting Family Limited Partnership, of which
our Chief Executive Officer, Timothy E. Conver, is a limited
partner. Pursuant to this agreement, the stockholders named
above agreed to vote their shares of our common stock as
directed by the Whiting Family Limited Partnership. This
agreement will terminate automatically upon completion of this
offering.
On November 1, 2005, we entered into a consulting agreement
with one of our directors, Charles R. Holland. Pursuant to this
agreement, Mr. Holland performs consulting services for us
on a general basis and with respect to particular individual
projects assigned by us. During the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2006 and the three months ended July 29,
2006, we paid to Mr. Holland approximately $258,000 and
$53,000, respectively, in consulting fees pursuant to the terms
of this agreement. On February 1, 2004, we entered a
similar consulting agreement with Mr. Holland, pursuant to
which we paid Mr. Holland consulting fees of approximately
$34,000 and $242,000 during the fiscal years ended
April 30, 2004 and 2005, respectively.
In June 2004, we provided a loan to our Chief Executive Officer,
Timothy E. Conver, in the amount of $599,357 to facilitate the
exercise of certain stock options held by Mr. Conver. The
principal balance plus accrued interest was repaid in full in
April 2005.
81
PRINCIPAL AND
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The following table sets forth information about the beneficial
ownership of our common stock at July 29, 2006 and as
adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of common stock in
this offering, for:
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each person, or group of affiliated persons known to us to be
the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock;
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each of our named executive officers;
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each of our directors;
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all of our executive officers and directors as a group; and
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each selling stockholder.
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Unless otherwise noted below, the address of each beneficial
owner listed on the table is c/o AeroVironment, Inc.,
181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202, Monrovia, CA
91016.
We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the
rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we
believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the
persons and entities named in the tables below have sole voting
and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock
that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community
property laws.
We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial
ownership on 1,935,289 shares of common stock outstanding
on July 29, 2006
and shares
of common stock outstanding upon completion of this offering,
the latter of which includes an aggregate
of shares
of common stock to be sold by certain selling stockholders in
this offering that will be issued upon the exercise of
outstanding options. In computing the number of shares of common
stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage
ownership of that person, we deemed outstanding shares of common
stock subject to options held by that person that are currently
exercisable or exercisable as of September 27, 2006, which
is 60 days after July 29, 2006. We did not deem these
shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the
percentage ownership of any other person. Beneficial ownership
representing less than 1% is denoted with an asterisk (*).
Please see Certain Relationships and Related Party
Transactions for a description of the material
relationships between us and the selling stockholders.
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Shares
Beneficially
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Owned Prior to
the
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Shares
Beneficially
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Offering
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Shares Being
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Owned After the
Offering
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Beneficial
Owner
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Number
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Percentage
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Sold(12)
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Number
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Percentage
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5% Stockholders:
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Taylor Family Trust, dated
September 8,
1993(1)
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179,825
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9.3
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%
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Directors and Named Executive
Officers:
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Paul B.
MacCready(2)
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811,762
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41.9
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Timothy E.
Conver(3)
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669,003
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34.6
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Stephen C.
Wright(4)
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14,000
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*
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John F.
Grabowsky(5)
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9,600
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*
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Patrick R.
Dellario(6)
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10,000
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*
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Joseph F.
Alibrandi(7)
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7,400
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*
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Kenneth R.
Baker(8)
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7,400
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*
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Arnold L.
Fishman(9)
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32,400
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1.7
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Murray Gell-Mann
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9,900
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*
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Charles R.
Holland(10)
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2,000
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*
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Executive officers and directors as
a group (12
persons)(11)
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1,646,465
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80.7
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82
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Shares
Beneficially
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Owned Prior to
the
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Shares
Beneficially
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Offering
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Shares Being
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Owned After the
Offering
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Beneficial
Owner
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Number
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Percentage
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Sold(12)
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Number
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Percentage
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Other Selling
Stockholders:
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(1)
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The address for the Taylor Family
Trust, dated September 8, 1993, is 1405 S. Oakland Avenue,
Pasadena, CA 91106. Stanley and Joann Taylor are co-trustees of
the Taylor Family Trust and have shared voting and investment
power over these shares.
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(2)
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Includes 439,432 shares held
in the P. and J. MacCready Living Trust (Restated), of which
Dr. MacCready is the trustee, 23,625 shares held by
Ray Morgan, over which Mr. MacCready has voting power
pursuant to a proxy granted to him by Mr. Morgan and
116,235 shares held by each of Dr. MacCreadys
children, Marshall MacCready, Parker MacCready and Tyler
MacCready, over which Dr. MacCready has voting power
pursuant to proxies granted to him by his children.
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(3)
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Includes 545,965 shares held
by the Conver Family Trust, of which Mr. Conver is one of
the trustees; 109,238 shares held by the Whiting Family
Limited Partnership, over which Mr. Conver, as one of its
limited partners, has voting control and 4,600 shares held
by each of Mr. Convers children, Brent Conver, Morgan
Conver and Nicholas Conver, over which Mr. Conver has
voting power pursuant to a voting agreement.
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(4)
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Includes options to purchase
11,500 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(5)
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Includes options to purchase
4,000 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(6)
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Includes options to purchase
6,000 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(7)
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Includes options to purchase
7,400 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(8)
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Includes options to purchase
200 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(9)
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Includes options to purchase
200 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(10)
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Includes options to purchase
2,000 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(11)
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Includes options to purchase
45,000 shares of our common stock held by Joseph S.
Edwards that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
Includes options to purchase 28,000 shares of our common
stock held by Cathleen S. Cline that are fully vested and
immediately exercisable.
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(12)
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If the underwriters
over-allotment option is exercised in full, the additional
shares sold would be allocated among the selling stockholders as
follows:
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Shares Subject
to
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the
Over-allotment
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Selling
Stockholders
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Option
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If the underwriters over-allotment option is exercised in
part, the additional shares sold would be allocated pro rata
based upon the share amounts set forth in the preceding table.
83
DESCRIPTION OF
CAPITAL STOCK
Upon completion of this offering, after giving effect to filing
of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our
authorized capital stock will consist
of shares
of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share,
and shares
of undesignated preferred stock. The following description
summarizes some of the terms of our capital stock. Because it is
only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may
be important to you. For a complete description, you should
refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation
and amended and restated bylaws, copies of which have been filed
as exhibits to the registration statement of which the
prospectus is a part.
We plan to reincorporate in the state of Delaware prior to this
offering. The following description of our capital stock gives
effect to the reincorporation and the related changes in our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended
and restated bylaws.
Common
Stock
On July 29, 2006, there
were shares
of common stock outstanding, held of record by 41 stockholders.
After this offering, there will
be shares
of our common stock outstanding.
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for
each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of
the stockholders, including the election of directors, and do
not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a
majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any
election of directors can elect all of the directors standing
for election if they so choose, subject to the rights of any
preferred stockholders. Subject to preferences that may be
applicable to any then-outstanding preferred stock, holders of
common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if
any, as may be declared by our board of directors out of legally
available funds. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding
up, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share
ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to
stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other
liabilities of our company, subject to the prior rights of any
preferred stock then outstanding. Holders of common stock have
no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights
and there are no redemption or sinking funds provisions
applicable to the common stock.
Preferred
Stock
Following the offering, our board of directors will have the
authority, without any action by the stockholders, to issue from
time to time up
to shares
of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the number
of shares, designations, preferences, powers, and relative,
participating, optional or other special rights and the
qualifications or restrictions thereof. The preferences, powers,
rights and restrictions of different series of preferred stock
may differ with respect to dividend rates, amounts payable on
liquidation, voting rights, conversion rights, redemption
provisions, sinking fund provisions, and purchase funds and
other matters. The issuance of preferred stock could decrease
the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to
holders of common stock or adversely affect the rights and
powers, including voting rights, of the holders of common stock,
and may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a
change in control of our company. Holders of shares of preferred
stock may be entitled to receive a preference payment in the
event of our liquidation, dissolution or
winding-up
before any payment is made to the holders of shares of common
stock. The existence of authorized but unissued preferred stock
may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to
discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a
merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example,
if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board
of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not
in our best interests, then our board of directors could cause
shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder
approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions
that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed
acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. Upon
consummation of this offering, there will
84
be no shares of preferred stock outstanding and we have no
present intention to issue any shares of preferred stock.
Anti-Takeover
Effects of Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, Our Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware
Law
Some provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of
incorporation and bylaws, as amended and restated prior to the
closing of this offering in connection with our reincorporation
in Delaware, will contain provisions that could make the
following transactions more difficult, including acquisition of
us by means of a tender offer, acquisition of us by means of a
proxy contest or otherwise or removal of our incumbent officers
and directors.
These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage
coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These
provisions also are designed to encourage persons seeking to
acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of
directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection
of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an
unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us
outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals
because negotiation of these proposals could result in an
improvement of their terms.
Undesignated
Preferred Stock
The ability to authorize undesignated preferred stock will make
it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock
with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the
success of any attempt to change the control of our company.
These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring
hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management
of our company.
Stockholder
Meetings
Our charter documents will provide that a special meeting of
stockholders may be called only by our chairman of the board or
president, or by the president or secretary at the request in
writing by a majority of our board of directors.
Requirements
for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and
Proposals
Our amended and restated bylaws will establish advance notice
procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the
nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than
nominations made by or at the direction of our board of
directors or a committee of our board of directors.
Elimination of
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will
eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent
without a meeting.
Election and
Removal of Directors
Our board of directors will be divided into three classes. The
directors in each class will serve for a three-year term, one
class being elected each year by our stockholders. For more
information on the classified board, see
Management Board Composition. This
system of electing and removing directors may tend to discourage
a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting
to obtain control of us, because it generally makes it more
difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the
directors.
Delaware
Anti-Takeover Statute
We plan to reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date
of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a
part. Once we reincorporate in Delaware, we will be subject to
the
85
provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law which prohibits persons deemed interested
stockholders from engaging in a business
combination with a Delaware corporation for three years
following the date these persons become interested stockholders.
Generally, an interested stockholder is a person
who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within
three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder
status did own, 15% or more of a corporations voting
stock. Generally, a business combination includes a
merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a
financial benefit to the interested stockholder. The existence
of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect
to transactions not approved in advance by our board of
directors.
Amendment of
Charter Provisions
The amendment of any of the above provisions, except for the
provision making it possible for our board of directors to issue
preferred stock, would require approval by holders of at least
662/3%
of our then-outstanding common stock. The provisions of Delaware
law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and
our amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of
discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a
consequence, they also may inhibit temporary fluctuations in the
market price of our common stock that often result from actual
or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions also may
have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is
possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to
accomplish transactions that stockholders may deem otherwise to
be in their best interests.
Transfer Agent
and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock
is ,
located
at .
Nasdaq Global
Market Listing
We have applied to have our common stock approved for listing on
the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol AVAV.
86
SHARES ELIGIBLE
FOR FUTURE SALE
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our
common stock. Future sales of our common stock in the public
market, or the availability of such shares for sale in the
public market, could adversely affect market prices prevailing
from time to time. As described below, only a limited number of
shares will be available for sale shortly after this offering
due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale.
Nevertheless, sales of our common stock in the public market
after such restrictions lapse, or the perception that those
sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market
price at such time and our ability to raise equity capital in
the future.
Sales of
Restricted Shares
Upon completion of this offering, we will
have shares
of common stock outstanding, assuming the issuance
of shares
of common stock offered hereby and the issuance of an aggregate
of shares
of common stock upon exercise of outstanding options that will
be sold by certain selling stockholders in this offering and no
other exercise of options after July 29, 2006. Of these
shares, the shares sold in this offering, plus any additional
shares sold upon exercise of the underwriters
over-allotment option, will be freely transferable without
restriction under the Securities Act, unless they are held by
our affiliates as that term is used under the
Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. The
remaining shares
of common stock held by existing stockholders are restricted
shares. Restricted shares may be sold in the public market only
if registered or if they qualify for an exemption from
registration under Rules 144 or 701 promulgated under the
Securities Act, which rules are summarized below.
As a result of the
lock-up
agreements described below and the provisions of Rule 144,
Rule 144(k) and Rule 701 under the Securities Act, the
shares of our common stock (excluding the shares sold in this
offering) that will be available for sale in the public market
are as follows:
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shares
will be eligible for immediate sale on the date of this
prospectus;
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shares
will be eligible for sale 90 days after the date of this
prospectus;
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shares
will be eligible for sale upon the expiration of the
lock-up
agreements, as more particularly and except as described below,
beginning 180 days after the date of this
prospectus; and
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the
remaining
restricted shares will be eligible for sale from time to time
thereafter upon expiration of their respective one-year holding
periods.
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Lock-up
Agreements
We, each of our directors and executive officers, the selling
stockholders and certain of our other stockholders, who
collectively
own shares
of our common stock, based on shares outstanding as of
July 29, 2006, have agreed that, without the prior written
consent of Goldman, Sachs & Co. on behalf of the
underwriters, we and they will not, subject to limited
exceptions, during the period ending 180 days after the
date of this prospectus, subject to extension in specified
circumstances:
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offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell,
grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any
shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; or
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enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences
of ownership of our common stock, whether any transaction
described above is to be settled by delivery of our common stock
or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.
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87
This 180-day
period may be extended if (1) during the last 17 days
of the
180-day
period we issue an earnings release or material news or a
material event relating to us occurs; or (2) prior to the
expiration of the
180-day
period, we announce that we will release earnings results during
the 16-day
period beginning on the last day of the
180-day
period. The period of such extension will be 18 days,
beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the
occurrence of the material news or material event.
Any determination to release any shares subject to the
lock-up
agreements would be made on a
case-by-case
basis based on a number of factors at the time of determination,
including the market price of the common stock, the liquidity of
the trading market for the common stock, general market
conditions, the number of shares proposed to be sold and the
timing, purpose and terms of the proposed sale. Goldman,
Sachs & Co., on behalf of the underwriters, may in its
sole discretion and at any time without notice release some or
all of the shares subject to
lock-up
agreements prior to the expiration of the
180-day
period. See Underwriting.
In addition, stockholders who collectively
own shares
of our outstanding common stock, as of July 29, 2006, have
agreed to a similar
lock-up
arrangement with us.
We do not currently expect any release of shares subject to
lock-up
agreements prior to the expiration of the applicable
lock-up
periods. Upon the expiration of the applicable
lock-up
periods, substantially all of the shares subject to such
lock-up
restrictions will become eligible for sale, subject to the
limitations discussed above.
Rule 144
In general, under Rule 144 as in effect on the date of this
prospectus, beginning 90 days after the date of this
offering, our affiliates, or a person (or persons whose shares
are aggregated) who has beneficially owned restricted shares (as
defined under Rule 144) for at least one year, is
entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of
shares that does not exceed the greater of one percent of the
then outstanding shares of common stock or the average weekly
trading volume of the common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market
during the four calendar weeks immediately preceding the date on
which notice of the sale is filed with the SEC. Sales under
Rule 144 are subject to requirements relating to the manner
of sale, notice, and the availability of current public
information about us.
Rule 144(k)
A person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who was not
our affiliate at any time during the 90 days immediately
preceding the sale and who has beneficially owned restricted
shares for at least two years is entitled to sell such shares
under Rule 144(k) without regard to the limitations
described above.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as
currently in effect, any of our directors, employees,
consultants or advisors who purchased shares from us in
connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or written
employment agreement is eligible to resell such shares
90 days after the date of the offering in reliance on
Rule 144 by complying with the applicable requirements of
Rule 144 of the Securities Act other than the holding
period conditions. In addition, non-affiliates may sell
Rule 701 shares without complying with the public
information, volume and notice provisions of Rule 144. On
the date 90 days after the effective date of this offering,
options to purchase
approximately shares
of our common stock will be vested and exercisable and upon
exercise and after expiration of the
lock-up
restrictions described above, may be sold pursuant to
Rule 701 of the Securities Act.
88
Equity Incentive
Plans
We intend to file with the SEC a registration statement on
Form S-8
under the Securities Act to register shares of our common stock
that we may issue upon exercise of outstanding options issued or
reserved for issuance under our Nonqualified Stock Option Plan,
Directors Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, 2002 Equity
Incentive Plan and 2006 Equity Incentive Plan. The registration
statement is expected to be filed and become effective as soon
as practicable after the completion of this offering.
Accordingly, shares registered under the registration statement
will be available for sale in the open market following its
effective date, unless such shares are subject to vesting
restrictions, Rule 144 volume limitations or the
180-day
lock-up
arrangement described above, if applicable.
89
UNDERWRITING
The company, the selling stockholders and the underwriters named
below have entered into an underwriting agreement with respect
to the shares being offered. Subject to certain conditions, each
underwriter has severally agreed to purchase the number of
shares indicated in the following table. Goldman,
Sachs & Co. is the representative of the underwriters.
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Number of
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Underwriters
|
|
Shares
|
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Goldman, Sachs & Co.
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Friedman, Billings,
Ramsey & Co., Inc.
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Jefferies Quarterdeck, a division
of Jefferies & Company, Inc.
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Raymond James &
Associates, Inc.
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Stifel, Nicolaus &
Company, Incorporated
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
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The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the
shares being offered, if any are taken, other than the shares
covered by the option described below unless and until this
option is exercised.
If the underwriters sell more shares than the total number set
forth in the table above, the underwriters have an option to buy
up to an
additional shares
from the selling stockholders to cover such sales. They may
exercise that option for 30 days. If any shares are
purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will
severally purchase shares in approximately the same proportion
as set forth in the table above.
The following tables show the per share and total underwriting
discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters by the
company and the selling stockholders. Such amounts are shown
assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the
underwriters option to
purchase
additional shares.
Paid by the
company
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No
Exercise
|
|
|
Full
Exercise
|
|
|
Per Share
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Paid by the
selling stockholders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No
Exercise
|
|
|
Full
Exercise
|
|
|
Per Share
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
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Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be
offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the
cover of this prospectus. Any shares sold by the underwriters to
securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to
$ per share from the initial
public offering price. If all the shares are not sold at the
initial public offering price, the representative may change the
offering price and the other selling terms.
The selling stockholders may be deemed to be underwriters within
the meaning of the Securities Act.
The company and its officers, directors, and holders of
substantially all of the companys common stock, including
the selling stockholders, have agreed with the underwriters,
subject to
90
certain exceptions, not to dispose of or hedge any of their
common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
shares of common stock during the period from the date of this
prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the
date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent
of the representative. This agreement does not apply to any
existing employee benefit plans. See Shares Available
for Future Sale for a discussion of certain transfer
restrictions.
These restrictions do not apply to:
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|
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the sale of shares to the underwriters;
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|
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the issuance by the company of shares of its common stock upon
the exercise of an option or a warrant or the conversion of a
security outstanding on the date of this prospectus of which the
underwriters have been advised in writing;
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the entry by the companys directors or executive officers
into written trading plans designed to comply with
Rule 10b5-1
of the Exchange Act, provided that no sales or other
dispositions may occur under such plans until the expiration of
the restricted period;
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transactions relating to shares of common stock or other
securities acquired in open market transactions after the
completion of this offering;
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the sale or transfer by a stockholder of shares of common stock
or any security convertible into common stock to the company
upon termination of such stockholders employment with the
company;
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the sale or transfer of shares of common stock to pay the
exercise price of options to purchase common stock pursuant to
the cashless exercise feature of such options;
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transfers by a stockholder to a trust, all of the beneficial
interests of which are held, directly or indirectly, by such
stockholder; or
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transfers of shares or any security convertible into common
stock as a bona fide gift;
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provided that, in the case of the last two bullet points, each
recipient agrees to accept the restrictions described in the
immediately preceding paragraph and, in the case of each of the
last six transactions, no filing under Section 16(a) of the
Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of
shares of common stock is required in connection with these
transactions during the
180-day
period.
The 180-day
restricted period described in the preceding paragraph will be
automatically extended if: (1) during the last 17 days
of the
180-day
restricted period the company issues an earnings release or
announces material news or a material event; or (2) prior
to the expiration of the
180-day
restricted period, the company announces that it will release
earnings results during the
15-day
period following the last day of the
180-day
period, in which case the restrictions described in the
preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration
of the
18-day
period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the
announcement of the material news or material event.
Prior to the offering, there has been no public market for the
shares. The initial public offering price will be negotiated
among the company and the representatives. Among the factors to
be considered in determining the initial public offering price
of the shares, in addition to prevailing market conditions, will
be the companys historical performance, estimates of the
business potential and earnings prospects of the company, an
assessment of the companys management and the
consideration of the above factors in relation to market
valuation of companies in related businesses.
The company has applied to have the common stock approved for
listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol
AVAV.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase
and sell shares of common stock in the open market. These
transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions
and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Shorts
sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number
of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering.
Covered short
91
sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the
underwriters option to purchase additional shares from the
selling stockholders in the offering. The underwriters may close
out any covered short position by either exercising their option
to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open
market. In determining the source of shares to close out the
covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among
other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the
open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase
additional shares pursuant to the option granted to them.
Naked short sales are any sales in excess of such
option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position
by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position
is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned
that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common
stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely
affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing
transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of common
stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the
completion of the offering.
The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when
a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of
the underwriting discount received by it because the
representative has repurchased shares sold by or for the account
of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering
transactions.
Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing
transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for
their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or
retarding a decline in the market price of the companys
stock, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may
stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the
common stock. As a result, the price of the common stock may be
higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open
market. If these activities are commenced, they may be
discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on
the Nasdaq Global Market or relevant exchange, in the
over-the-counter
market or otherwise.
Each of the underwriters has represented and agreed that:
(a) it has not made or will not make an offer of shares to
the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of
section 102B of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
(as amended) (FSMA) except to legal entities which are
authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or,
if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is
solely to invest in securities or otherwise in circumstances
which do not require the publication by the company of a
prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Rules of the Financial
Services Authority (FSA);
(b) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated
and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an
invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) to persons who
have professional experience in matters relating to investments
falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 or in
circumstances in which section 21 of FSMA does not apply to
the company; and
(c) it has complied with, and will comply with all
applicable provisions of FSMA with respect to anything done by
it in relation to the shares in, from or otherwise involving the
United Kingdom.
European Economic
Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area
which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant
Member State), each underwriter has represented and agreed that
with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus
Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the
Relevant Implementation Date) it has not made and will not make
an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member State
prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the
shares which has been approved by the competent authority in
that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in
another Relevant Member State and notified to the
92
competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in
accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may,
with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date,
make an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member
State at any time:
(a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to
operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or
regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in
securities;
(b) to any legal entity which has two or more of
(1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last
financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than
43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more
than 50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or
consolidated accounts; or
(c) in any other circumstances which do not require the
publication by the company of a prospectus pursuant to
Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an
offer of shares to the public in relation to any
shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in
any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms
of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an
investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the shares, as the
same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure
implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member
State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive
2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in
each Relevant Member State.
The shares may not be offered or sold by means of any document
other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an
offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies
Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to
professional investors within the meaning of the
Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong
Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other
circumstances which do not result in the document being a
prospectus within the meaning of the Companies
Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no
advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may
be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the
purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or
elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are
likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong
(except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other
than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be
disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to
professional investors within the meaning of the
Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong)
and any rules made thereunder.
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the
Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus
and any other document or material in connection with the offer
or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the
shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares
be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for
subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to
persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional
investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures
Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the SFA),
(ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to
Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions,
specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise
pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other
applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under
Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a
corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole
business of which is to hold investments and the entire share
capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of
whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the
trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to
hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor,
shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that
corporation or the beneficiaries rights and interest in
that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after
that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares under
Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor
under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or
any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance
with the conditions, specified
93
in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration
is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.
The securities have not been and will not be registered under
the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan (the Securities and
Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not
offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan
or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term
as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any
corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan),
or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly,
in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an
exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise
in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any
other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of
Japan.
At our request, Raymond James & Associates, Inc. has
reserved for sale as part of the underwritten offering, at the
initial public offering price, up
to shares,
or % of the total number of shares
offered by this prospectus, for the companys directors,
officers, employees, business associates and other persons with
whom the company has a relationship. If purchased by these
persons, these shares will be subject to a
180-day
lock-up
restriction. The number of shares of common stock available for
sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent such
persons purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares that
are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the
general public on the same basis as the other shares offered in
this prospectus.
The underwriters do not expect sales to discretionary accounts
to exceed five percent of the total number of shares offered.
The company estimates that its share of the total expenses of
the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions,
will be approximately $ .
The company and the selling stockholders have agreed to
indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.
94
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of our common stock offered by this prospectus will
be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP,
San Diego, California. The underwriters have been
represented by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements (including the schedule
appearing therein) of AeroVironment, Inc. at April 30, 2005
and 2006, and for each of the three years in the period ended
April 30, 2006, appearing in this prospectus and
registration statement have been audited by Ernst &
Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set
forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and
are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority
of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on
Form S-1
under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of our
common stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes
a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of
the information set forth in the registration statement or the
exhibits and schedules filed herewith. For further information
with respect to us and the common stock offered hereby,
reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits
and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this
prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other
document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration
statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement
is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of
such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the
registration statement. A copy of the registration statement and
the exhibits and schedules filed herewith may be inspected
without charge at the public reference facilities maintained by
the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
Copies of these materials may be obtained from the Public
Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549 upon the payment of the fees
prescribed by the SEC. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330
for further information on the operation of the public reference
facility. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that
contains reports, proxy and information statements and other
information regarding registrants that file electronically with
the SEC. The address of the SECs website is
http://www.sec.gov.
Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the
information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange
Act, and in accordance therewith, will file periodic reports,
proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such
periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be
available for inspection and copying at the SECs public
reference rooms and on the SECs website.
95
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary
Data
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F-2
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|
|
F-3
|
|
|
|
|
F-4
|
|
|
|
|
F-5
|
|
|
|
|
F-6
|
|
|
|
|
F-7
|
|
|
|
|
F-25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-26
|
|
|
|
|
F-27
|
|
|
|
|
F-28
|
|
|
|
|
F-29
|
|
|
|
|
|
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All other schedules are omitted because either they are not
applicable, not required or the information is included in the
consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto.
F-1
Report of
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
AeroVironment, Inc. and Subsidiaries
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of
AeroVironment, Inc. and subsidiaries as of April 30, 2005
and 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income,
shareholders equity and cash flows for each of the three
years in the period ended April 30, 2006. Our audits also
included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at
Item 16. These consolidated financial statements and
schedule are the responsibility of the Companys
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements and schedule based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those
standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an
audit of the Companys internal control over financial
reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit
procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not
for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of
the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and
disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, and evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable
basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred
to above present fairly, in all material respects, the
consolidated financial position of AeroVironment, Inc. and
subsidiaries at April 30, 2005 and 2006, and the
consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows
for each of the three years in the period ended April 30,
2006, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial
statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic
financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all
material respects the information set forth therein.
/s/ Ernst & Young, LLP
Los Angeles, California
July 22, 2006
F-2
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
(In thousands
except share data)
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Assets
|
Current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
10,060
|
|
|
$
|
15,388
|
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,532
|
|
Accounts receivable, net of
allowance for doubtful accounts of $88 in 2005 and $86 in 2006
|
|
|
19,378
|
|
|
|
21,582
|
|
Unbilled receivables and retentions
|
|
|
788
|
|
|
|
4,842
|
|
Inventories, net
|
|
|
11,505
|
|
|
|
11,453
|
|
Deferred income taxes
|
|
|
1,134
|
|
|
|
1,090
|
|
Prepaid expenses and other current
assets
|
|
|
2,587
|
|
|
|
621
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
45,452
|
|
|
|
56,508
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
4,175
|
|
|
|
6,098
|
|
Deferred income taxes
|
|
|
647
|
|
|
|
2,053
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
90
|
|
|
|
119
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
50,364
|
|
|
$
|
64,778
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and
shareholders equity
|
Current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable
|
|
$
|
9,273
|
|
|
$
|
8,521
|
|
Wages and related accruals
|
|
|
5,089
|
|
|
|
8,451
|
|
Customer advances
|
|
|
9,732
|
|
|
|
9,031
|
|
Other current liabilities
|
|
|
1,046
|
|
|
|
2,027
|
|
Current maturities of long-term
debt
|
|
|
1,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
26,140
|
|
|
|
28,030
|
|
Deferred rent
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
|
408
|
|
Long-term debt, less current
maturities
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term retirement costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,209
|
|
Commitments and contingencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, no par value:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Authorized shares
25,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issued and outstanding
shares 1,838,339 shares in 2005 and 1,887,489
in 2006
|
|
|
1,651
|
|
|
|
1,726
|
|
Retained earnings
|
|
|
20,996
|
|
|
|
32,405
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders equity
|
|
|
22,647
|
|
|
|
34,131
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and
shareholders equity
|
|
$
|
50,364
|
|
|
$
|
64,778
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-3
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Income
(In thousands
except share and per share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product sales
|
|
$
|
30,342
|
|
|
$
|
85,291
|
|
|
$
|
98,664
|
|
Contract services
|
|
|
17,338
|
|
|
|
19,864
|
|
|
|
40,693
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47,680
|
|
|
|
105,155
|
|
|
|
139,357
|
|
Cost of sales:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product sales
|
|
|
20,084
|
|
|
|
39,123
|
|
|
|
55,483
|
|
Contract services
|
|
|
13,038
|
|
|
|
19,426
|
|
|
|
27,115
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33,122
|
|
|
|
58,549
|
|
|
|
82,598
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
14,558
|
|
|
|
46,606
|
|
|
|
56,759
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
1,715
|
|
|
|
9,799
|
|
|
|
16,098
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
9,725
|
|
|
|
16,545
|
|
|
|
24,577
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
3,118
|
|
|
|
20,262
|
|
|
|
16,084
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
|
333
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(90
|
)
|
|
|
(110
|
)
|
|
|
(127
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
3,030
|
|
|
|
20,213
|
|
|
|
16,290
|
|
Provision for income taxes
|
|
|
859
|
|
|
|
5,531
|
|
|
|
4,881
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
2,171
|
|
|
$
|
14,682
|
|
|
$
|
11,409
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
1.32
|
|
|
$
|
8.15
|
|
|
$
|
6.17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
1.26
|
|
|
$
|
7.46
|
|
|
$
|
5.40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares
outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
1,639,543
|
|
|
|
1,800,930
|
|
|
|
1,848,822
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1,718,460
|
|
|
|
1,967,550
|
|
|
|
2,113,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-4
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Shareholders Equity
(In thousands
except share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
|
Retained
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Earnings
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Balance at May 1, 2003
|
|
|
1,649,587
|
|
|
$
|
1,220
|
|
|
$
|
4,143
|
|
|
$
|
5,363
|
|
Stock options exercised
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
53
|
|
Repurchase of common shares
|
|
|
(22,838
|
)
|
|
|
(73
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(73
|
)
|
Net income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,171
|
|
|
|
2,171
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at April 30, 2004
|
|
|
1,641,749
|
|
|
|
1,200
|
|
|
|
6,314
|
|
|
|
7,514
|
|
Stock options exercised
|
|
|
257,040
|
|
|
|
884
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
884
|
|
Repurchase of common shares
|
|
|
(60,450
|
)
|
|
|
(433
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(433
|
)
|
Net income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,682
|
|
|
|
14,682
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at April 30, 2005
|
|
|
1,838,339
|
|
|
|
1,651
|
|
|
|
20,996
|
|
|
|
22,647
|
|
Stock options exercised
|
|
|
69,950
|
|
|
|
274
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
274
|
|
Tax benefit from exercise of stock
options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
113
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
113
|
|
Repurchase of common shares
|
|
|
(20,800
|
)
|
|
|
(312
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(312
|
)
|
Net income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,409
|
|
|
|
11,409
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at April 30, 2006
|
|
|
1,887,489
|
|
|
$
|
1,726
|
|
|
$
|
32,405
|
|
|
$
|
34,131
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-5
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Operating
activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
2,171
|
|
|
$
|
14,682
|
|
|
$
|
11,409
|
|
Adjustments to reconcile net
income to net cash provided by operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
764
|
|
|
|
1,053
|
|
|
|
1,999
|
|
Long-term retirement costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,209
|
|
Provision for doubtful accounts
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
(2
|
)
|
Deferred income taxes
|
|
|
185
|
|
|
|
(678
|
)
|
|
|
(1,362
|
)
|
Tax benefit from exercise of stock
options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
113
|
|
(Gain) loss on disposition of
property and equipment
|
|
|
(51
|
)
|
|
|
(4
|
)
|
|
|
268
|
|
Changes in operating assets and
liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts receivable
|
|
|
(2,422
|
)
|
|
|
(9,139
|
)
|
|
|
(2,203
|
)
|
Unbilled receivables and retentions
|
|
|
(5,134
|
)
|
|
|
4,118
|
|
|
|
(4,053
|
)
|
Inventories
|
|
|
(2,785
|
)
|
|
|
(6,824
|
)
|
|
|
52
|
|
Prepaid expenses and other assets
|
|
|
(11
|
)
|
|
|
(2,220
|
)
|
|
|
1,937
|
|
Accounts payable
|
|
|
2,670
|
|
|
|
3,828
|
|
|
|
(752
|
)
|
Customer advances
|
|
|
5,496
|
|
|
|
4,614
|
|
|
|
(701
|
)
|
Other liabilities
|
|
|
684
|
|
|
|
(651
|
)
|
|
|
4,674
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by operating
activities
|
|
|
1,570
|
|
|
|
8,832
|
|
|
|
13,588
|
|
Investing
activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition of property and
equipment
|
|
|
(1,373
|
)
|
|
|
(3,541
|
)
|
|
|
(4,190
|
)
|
Transfer to restricted cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,532
|
)
|
Proceeds from sale of property and
equipment
|
|
|
57
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing
activities
|
|
|
(1,316
|
)
|
|
|
(3,533
|
)
|
|
|
(5,722
|
)
|
Financing
activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payment of long-term debt
|
|
|
(422
|
)
|
|
|
(500
|
)
|
|
|
(2,500
|
)
|
Proceeds from long-term debt
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise of stock options
|
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
884
|
|
|
|
274
|
|
Repurchase of common stock
|
|
|
(73
|
)
|
|
|
(433
|
)
|
|
|
(312
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in)
financing activities
|
|
|
1,058
|
|
|
|
1,451
|
|
|
|
(2,538
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase in cash and cash
equivalents
|
|
|
1,312
|
|
|
|
6,750
|
|
|
|
5,328
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at
beginning of year
|
|
|
1,998
|
|
|
|
3,310
|
|
|
|
10,060
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end
of year
|
|
$
|
3,310
|
|
|
$
|
10,060
|
|
|
$
|
15,388
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental disclosures of
cash flow information
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid during the year for:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
|
|
$
|
78
|
|
|
$
|
93
|
|
|
$
|
139
|
|
Income taxes
|
|
$
|
670
|
|
|
$
|
8,040
|
|
|
$
|
3,229
|
|
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-6
AeroVironment,
Inc.
April 30, 2006
|
|
1.
|
Organization and
Significant Accounting Policies
|
Organization
AeroVironment, Inc., a California corporation, is engaged in
design, development and production of unmanned aircraft systems
and energy technologies for various industries and governmental
agencies.
Significant
Accounting Policies
Basis of
Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the
accounts of AeroVironment, Inc. and its wholly-owned
subsidiaries: AV S.r.l., Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC,
Inc. and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC (collectively
referred to herein as the Company). AV S.r.l. was
created during the year ended April 30, 2006, to enable
customer support efforts in Italy and future business
development in Europe; no sales were recorded in the year ended
April 30, 2006. Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC, Inc.
and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC had no operations during
the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006. All
intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
Segments
The Companys products are sold and divided among three
reportable segments, as defined by SFAS No. 131,
Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information, to reflect the Companys strategic goals.
Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise
about which separate financial information is available that is
evaluated regularly by the Chief Operating Decision Maker
(CODM) in deciding how to allocate resources and in
assessing performance. The Companys CODM is the Chief
Executive Officer who reviews the revenue and gross margin
results for each of these segments in making decisions about
allocating resources, including the focus of research and
development activities, and assessing performance. The
Companys reportable segments are business units that offer
different products and services and are managed separately.
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in
conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles requires management to make estimates and
assumptions, including estimates of anticipated contract costs
and revenue utilized in the revenue recognition process, that
affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ
from those estimates.
Cash
Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an
original maturity of three months or less at the time of
purchase to be cash equivalents. The Company invests its excess
cash primarily in money market funds and certificates of deposit
of major financial institutions. Accordingly, these instruments
are subject to minimal credit and market risk. As of
April 30, 2005 and 2006, cash equivalents totaled
approximately $10,027,000 and $13,670,000, respectively. At
times, cash balances held at financial institutions were in
excess of federally insured limits.
F-7
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
Restricted
Cash
Restricted cash of approximately $1,532,000, as of
April 30, 2006, represents deposits with a bank to secure
standby letters of credit aggregating approximately $1,652,000,
as of April 30, 2006, established for the benefit of the
Companys customers. The restriction on cash will be
released upon expiration of the standby letters of credit. The
standby letters of credit will expire when the Companys
customers provide product acceptance and release their interest
in the letters of credit. Management believes this will occur
prior to April 30, 2007. There were no requirements for
restricted cash at April 30, 2005. As of April 30,
2006, there were no claims relevant to the letters of credit.
Fair Values of
Financial Instruments
Fair values of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash,
accounts receivable, unbilled receivables and retentions
approximate cost due to the short period of time to maturity.
Concentration
of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to
concentration of credit risk consist primarily of accounts
receivable. The Companys revenue and accounts receivable
are with a limited number of corporations and governmental
entities. In the aggregate, 69%, 74% and 77% of the
Companys revenue came from agencies of the
U.S. government for the years ended April 30, 2004,
2005 and 2006, respectively. These agencies accounted for 70%
and 77% of the accounts receivable balances at April 30,
2005 and 2006, respectively. One such agency, the
U.S. Army, accounted for 23%, 43% and 54% of the
Companys consolidated revenue for the years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. The
U.S. Army accounted for approximately 36%, 55% and 66% of
UAS reportable segment sales in fiscal year 2004, 2005 and 2006
respectively. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of
its commercial customers and maintains an allowance for
potential losses.
Accounts
Receivable, Unbilled Receivables and Retentions
Accounts receivable represents primarily U.S. government,
and to a lesser extent commercial receivables, net of allowances
for doubtful accounts. Unbilled receivables represent costs in
excess of billings on incomplete contracts and, where
applicable, accrued profit related to government long-term
contracts on which revenue has been recognized, but for which
the customer has not yet been billed. Retentions represent
amounts withheld by customers until contract completion. The
Company determines the allowance for doubtful accounts based on
historical customer experience and other currently available
evidence. When a specific account is deemed uncollectible, the
account is written off against the allowance. The allowance for
doubtful accounts reflects the Companys best estimate of
probable losses inherent in the accounts receivable balance;
such losses have been within managements expectations. An
account is deemed past due based on contractual terms rather
than on how recently payments have been received.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the weighted
average costing method) or market value. Inventory write-offs
and write-down provisions are provided to cover risks arising
from slow-moving items or technological obsolescence and for
market prices lower than cost. The Company periodically
evaluates the quantities on hand relative to current and
historical selling prices and historical and projected sales
volume. Based on this evaluation, provisions are made to write
inventory down to its market value. The Companys inventory
reserve balance was $0.6 million,
F-8
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
$1.1 million and $0.8 million at April 30, 2004,
2005, and 2006, respectively. The increase in the inventory
reserve of $0.5 million to $1.1 million at
April 30, 2005 from $0.6 million at April 30,
2004 was primarily due to additional inventory reserves for the
an earlier generation small UAS product line.
Long-Lived
Assets
Property and equipment are carried at cost. Depreciation of
property and equipment, including amortization of leasehold
improvements, are provided using the straight-line method over
the following estimated useful lives:
|
|
|
|
|
Assets held for lease
|
|
|
2 to 5 years
|
|
Machinery and equipment
|
|
|
3 years
|
|
Computer equipment and software
|
|
|
2 to 3 years
|
|
Furniture and fixtures
|
|
|
3 years
|
|
Leasehold improvements
|
|
|
Lesser of useful life or term of lease
|
|
Maintenance, repairs and minor renewals are charged directly to
expense as incurred. Additions and betterments to property,
plant and equipment are capitalized at cost. When the Company
disposes of assets, the applicable costs and accumulated
depreciation and amortization thereon are removed from the
accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in selling,
general and administrative expense in the period incurred.
Depreciation and amortization expense on property, plant and
equipment was approximately $764,000, $1,053,000 and $1,999,000
for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006,
respectively.
The Company reviews the recoverability of its long-lived assets
as required by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(SFAS) No. 144, Accounting for the
Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, whenever events
or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of
such assets may not be recoverable. The estimated future cash
flows are based upon, among other things, assumptions about
expected future operating performance, and may differ from
actual cash flows. If the sum of the projected undiscounted cash
flows (excluding interest) is less than the carrying value of
the assets, the assets will be written down to the estimated
fair value in the period in which the determination is made. At
April 30, 2005 and 2006, and during the years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, no indicators of impairment
were identified and no impairment reserve was recorded.
Product
Warranty
The Company accrues an estimate of its exposure to warranty
claims based upon both current and historical product sales data
and warranty costs incurred. Product warranty reserves were
recorded in other current liabilities.
Self-Insurance
Liability
The Company is self-insured for employee medical claims, subject
to individual and aggregate
stop-loss
policies. The Company estimates a liability for claims filed and
incurred but not reported claims based upon recent claims
experience and an analysis of the average period of time between
the occurrence of a claim and the time it is reported to and
paid by the Company. As of April 30, 2005 and 2006, the
Company estimated and recorded a self insurance liability in
wages and related accruals of approximately $140,000 and
$238,000 respectively.
F-9
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
Income
Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with FASB
Statement No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes.
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed annually
for differences between the financial statement and income tax
bases of assets and liabilities that will result in taxable or
deductible amounts in the future. The provision for income taxes
reflects the taxes to be paid for the period and the change
during the period in the deferred income tax assets and
liabilities. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce
the deferred tax assets to the amount of future tax benefit that
is more likely then not to be realized.
Customer
Advances and Amounts in Excess of Cost Incurred
The Company receives advances, performance-based payments and
progress payments from customers that may exceed costs incurred
on certain contracts, including contracts with agencies of the
U.S. government. These advances are classified as advances
from customers and will be offset against billings.
Revenue
Recognition
The substantial majority of the Companys revenue is
generated pursuant to written contractual arrangements to
design, develop, manufacture
and/or
modify complex products, and to provide related engineering,
technical and other services according to the specifications of
the buyers (customers). These contracts may be fixed price or
cost-reimbursable. The Company considers all contracts for
treatment in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards
Board Emerging Issues Task Force
No. 00-21,
Revenue Arrangements with Multiple
Deliverables (EITF
00-21).
EITF 00-21
provides for deferral to higher authoritative guidance,
including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Statement of Position
81-1,
Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain
Production-Type Contracts
(SOP 81-1),
under which the majority of the Companys contracts are
properly accounted for. Contracts which provide for multiple
deliverables to which
SOP 81-1
does not apply are accounted for in accordance with the
provisions of EITF
No. 00-21.
Product sales revenue is composed of revenue recognized on
contracts for the delivery of production hardware and related
activities. Contract services revenue is composed of revenue
recognized on contracts for the provision of services, including
repairs, training, engineering design, development, and
prototyping activities.
Revenue from cost-plus-fee contracts are recognized on the basis
of costs incurred during the period plus the fee earned. Revenue
from fixed-price contracts are recognized on the
percentage-of-completion
method. Contract costs include all direct material and labor
costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance.
Unbilled receivables represent costs incurred and related profit
on contracts not yet billed to customers, and are invoiced in
subsequent periods.
Product sales revenue are recognized on the
percentage-of-completion
method or upon transfer of title to the customer, which is
generally upon shipment. Shipping and handling costs incurred
are included in cost of sales.
Revenue and profits on fixed-price production contracts, where
units are produced and delivered in a continuous or sequential
process, are recorded as units are delivered based on their
selling prices (the
units-of-delivery
method). Revenue and profits on other fixed-price
contracts with significant engineering as well as production
requirements are recorded based on the ratio of total actual
incurred costs to date to the total estimated costs for each
contract (the
cost-to-cost
method). Accounting for revenue and profits on a
fixed-price contract requires the preparation of estimates of
F-10
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
(1) the total contract revenue, (2) the total costs at
completion, which is equal to the sum of the actual incurred
costs to date on the contract and the estimated costs to
complete the contracts statement of work, and (3) the
measurement of progress towards completion. The estimated profit
or loss at completion on a contract is equal to the difference
between the total estimated contract revenue and the total
estimated cost at completion. Under the
units-of-delivery
method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded as the
units are delivered during the period based on their contractual
selling prices. Under the
cost-to-cost
method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded at
amounts equal to the ratio of actual cumulative costs incurred
divided by total estimated costs at completion, multiplied by
(i) the total estimated contract revenue, less
(ii) the cumulative sales recognized in prior periods. The
profit recorded on a contract in any period using either the
units-of-delivery
method or
cost-to-cost
method is equal to (i) the current estimated total profit
margin multiplied by the cumulative sales recognized, less
(ii) the amount of cumulative profit previously recorded
for the contract. In the case of a contract for which the total
estimated costs exceed the total estimated revenue, a loss
arises, and a provision for the entire loss is recorded in the
period that it becomes evident. The unrecoverable costs on a
loss contract that are expected to be incurred in future periods
are recorded in the program cost.
Significant management judgments and estimates must be made and
used in connection with the recognition of revenue in any
accounting period. Material differences in the amount of revenue
in any given period may result if these judgments or estimates
prove to be incorrect or if managements estimates change
on the basis of development of the business, market conditions,
or other factors. Management judgments and estimates have been
applied consistently and have been reliable historically.
Stock-Based
Compensation
The Company grants stock options with an exercise price equal to
the fair value of the stock at the date of grant. The Company
accounts for stock-based compensation plans using the
intrinsic-value-based
method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board
Opinion (APB) No. 25, Accounting for Stock
Issued to Employees, and related interpretations. Under APB
No. 25, if the exercise price of the Companys
employee stock options equals or exceeds the fair value of the
underlying stock at the date of grant, no compensation expense
is recognized. In accordance with the provisions of
SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transition and Disclosure, the
Company discloses net income and basic diluted earnings per
share as reported; the stock-based employee compensation cost,
net of related tax effects, that would have been included in the
determination of net income if the fair value based method had
been applied to all awards; pro forma net income as if the fair
value based method had been applied to all awards; and pro forma
basic and diluted earnings per share as if the fair value based
method had been applied to all awards. Stock-based employee
compensation cost included in the determination of net income as
reported is not reported, as no compensation cost was recorded
in the periods presented.
Share
Repurchases
The Company repurchases shares in accordance with various
repurchase agreements which give the Company the right to
repurchase shares from employees upon their separation from the
Company and which specify the terms of such repurchase. The
Company also repurchases shares from other shareholders at the
discretion of its Board of Directors which are not subject to a
share repurchase plan.
The Company repurchases shares subject to repurchase agreements
at a price calculated by the terms of those agreements, which
approximates fair value. The Company negotiates the purchase
F-11
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
price for shares not subject to repurchase agreements, which it
believes also approximates fair value. Accordingly, no
compensation expense is recognized.
Repurchased shares are restored to the status of authorized but
unissued shares.
Research and
Development
Internally funded research and development costs
(IRAD) sponsored by the Company relate to both
U.S. government products and services and those for
commercial and foreign customers. IRAD costs for the
Companys businesses that are U.S. government
contractors are recoverable indirect contract costs that are
allocated to the U.S. government contracts in accordance
with U.S. government procurement regulations.
Customer-funded research and development costs are incurred
pursuant to contracts (revenue arrangements) to perform research
and development activities according to customer specifications.
These costs are direct contract costs and are expensed to cost
of sales when the corresponding revenue is recognized, which is
generally as the research and development services are
performed. Revenue from customer-funded research and development
were approximately $17,339,000, $10,641,000 and $11,568,000 for
the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006,
respectively. The related costs of sales for customer-funded
research and development were approximately $7,086,000,
$5,390,000 and $8,184,000 for the years ended April 30,
2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Lease
Accounting
The Company accounts for its leases under the provisions of
SFAS No. 13, Accounting for Leases, and
subsequent amendments, which require that leases be evaluated
and classified as operating leases or capital leases for
financial reporting purposes. Certain operating leases contain
rent escalation clauses, which are recorded on a straight-line
basis over the initial term of the lease with the difference
between the rent paid and the straight-line rent recorded as a
deferred rent liability. Lease incentives received from
landlords are recorded as deferred rent liabilities and are
amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term as a
reduction to rent expense. Deferred rent liabilities were
approximately $77,000 and $408,000 as of April 30, 2005 and
2006, respectively.
Advertising
Costs
Advertising costs consist of tradeshows and other marketing
activities, and are expensed as incurred. Advertising expenses
included in selling, general and administrative expenses were
approximately $100,000, $423,000 and $266,000 for the years
ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Earnings Per
Share
Basic earnings per share are computed using the weighted-average
number of common shares outstanding and excludes any
anti-dilutive effects of options, warrants and convertible
securities. The dilutive effect of potential common shares
outstanding is included in diluted earnings per share.
F-12
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
The reconciliation of diluted to basic shares is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Denominator for basic earnings per
share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares
|
|
|
1,639,543
|
|
|
|
1,800,930
|
|
|
|
1,848,822
|
|
Dilutive effect of employee stock
options
|
|
|
78,917
|
|
|
|
166,620
|
|
|
|
264,573
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Denominator for diluted earnings
per share
|
|
|
1,718,460
|
|
|
|
1,967,550
|
|
|
|
2,113,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, there
were no stock options that were anti-dilutive to earnings per
share.
Recently
Issued Accounting Standards
In June 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards (SFAS) No. 150, Accounting for
Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both
Liabilities and Equity. This statement establishes standards
for how an issuer classifies and measures certain financial
instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity.
It requires that an issuer classify a financial instrument
within its scope as a liability. Many of these instruments were
previously classified as equity. In October 2003, the FASB
issued FASB Staff Position (FSP)
SFAS 150-3,
Effective Date for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial
Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain
Mandatorily Noncontrolling Interests Under SFAS 150,
which defers certain provisions of Statement No. 150 as
they apply to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests.
The deferral is expected to remain in effect while those issues
are addressed in either Phase II of the FASBs
Liabilities and Equity project or Phase II of the Business
Combination project. The FASB also decided to (1) preclude
any early adoption of the deferred provisions for
these noncontrolling interests during the deferral period, and
(2) require the restatement of any consolidated financial
statements that have been issued where these provisions of
Statement No. 150 were applied to mandatorily redeemable
noncontrolling interests. The Company does not believe that the
impact of the adoption will have a material impact on the
Companys financial position or results of operations.
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123
(revised 2004), Share-Based Payment
(SFAS 123R). SFAS 123R requires that
compensation expense relating to share-based payment
transactions be recognized in financial statements at estimated
fair value. The scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of
share-based compensation arrangements, including share options,
restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share
appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. This
standard replaces SFAS 123 and supersedes APB 25. The
Company has historically utilized the minimum value method in
determining the volatility factors utilized in its fair value
estimates as a non-public entity. SFAS 123R does not
provide for the use of the minimum value method. If the Company
is unable to accurately estimate its expected volatility based
on the Companys share price, it may measure awards based
on calculated value (which substitutes the
volatility of an appropriate index for the volatility of the
entitys own share price). The Company plans to adopt
SFAS 123R on the prospective basis as of May 1, 2006.
Since the Company used the minimum value method of measuring
stock options for pro forma disclosure purposes under
SFAS 123, implementation of SFAS 123R applies
prospectively to new awards after May 1, 2006. Share-based
benefits will be valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes
option pricing model. The fair value will be expensed over the
vesting period. The adoption of SFAS 123R will result in
the recording of non-cash compensation expense for options
granted on or after May 1, 2006. If the Company issues
options, it may have a material effect on the Companys
results of operations.
F-13
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
In March 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) issued Staff Accounting Bulletin
(SAB) No. 107, Share-Based Payment
(SAB 107). SAB 107 provides guidance
to assist registrants in the initial implementation of
SFAS 123R. SAB 107 includes, but is not limited to,
interpretive guidance related to share-based payment
transactions with non-employees, valuation methods and
underlying expected volatility and expected term assumptions,
the classification of compensation expense and accounting for
the income tax effects of share-based arrangements upon adopting
SFAS 123R.
In May 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154
(SFAS 154), Accounting Changes and Error
Corrections, which requires retrospective application of all
voluntary changes in accounting principles to all periods
presented, rather than using a cumulative
catch-up
adjustment as currently required for most accounting changes
under APB Opinion 20, Accounting Changes.
SFAS 154 replaces APB Opinion No. 20 and
SFAS No. 3, Reporting Accounting Changes in Interim
Financial Statements, and will be effective for accounting
changes and error corrections made in fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2005. The adoption of SFAS 154 is
not expected to have any impact on the Companys financial
position or results of operations or cash flows.
In June 2005, the FASB approved Emerging Issues Task Force
(EITF) Issue No.
05-06,
Determining the Amortization Period for Leasehold
Improvements
(EITF 05-06).
EITF 05-06
provides guidance on determining the amortization period for
leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or
acquired subsequent to lease inception. The guidance requires
that leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination
or purchased subsequent to the inception of a lease be amortized
over the lesser of the useful life of the assets or a term that
includes renewals that are reasonably assured at the date of the
business combination or purchase. The guidance is effective for
periods beginning after June 29, 2005.
EITF 05-06
is not expected to have any impact on the Companys
financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
2. Inventories,
net
Inventories consist of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Raw materials
|
|
$
|
3,568
|
|
|
$
|
4,750
|
|
Work in process
|
|
|
5,404
|
|
|
|
2,413
|
|
Finished goods
|
|
|
3,665
|
|
|
|
5,103
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,637
|
|
|
|
12,266
|
|
Reserve for inventory obsolescence
|
|
|
(1,132
|
)
|
|
|
(813
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inventories, net
|
|
$
|
11,505
|
|
|
$
|
11,453
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-14
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
|
|
3.
|
Property and
Equipment, net
|
Property and equipment consist of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Assets held for lease
|
|
$
|
699
|
|
|
$
|
998
|
|
Leasehold improvements
|
|
|
1,335
|
|
|
|
1,556
|
|
Machinery and equipment
|
|
|
3,467
|
|
|
|
5,163
|
|
Furniture and fixtures
|
|
|
1,086
|
|
|
|
1,347
|
|
Computer equipment and software
|
|
|
2,693
|
|
|
|
5,387
|
|
Construction in process
|
|
|
2,127
|
|
|
|
560
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,407
|
|
|
|
15,011
|
|
Less accumulated depreciation and
amortization
|
|
|
(7,232
|
)
|
|
|
(8,913
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
$
|
4,175
|
|
|
$
|
6,098
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warranty reserves consist of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Beginning balance
|
|
$
|
160
|
|
|
$
|
282
|
|
Warranty expense
|
|
|
315
|
|
|
|
589
|
|
Warranty costs incurred
|
|
|
(193
|
)
|
|
|
(527
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending balance
|
|
$
|
282
|
|
|
$
|
344
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Company has a working capital line of credit with a bank,
amended on June 16, 2005, which increased the borrowing
limit from $10,000,000 to $16,500,000. Borrowings bear interest
at the banks prime commercial lending rate, which was
5.75% and 7.75% as of April 30, 2005 and 2006,
respectively. The line of credit is secured by substantially all
of the Companys assets. Payment of amounts outstanding is
made at the Companys discretion. The line of credit is
secured by substantially all of the Companys assets. All
principal plus accrued interest is due August 31, 2007. The
Company had no outstanding balance on the line of credit as of
April 30, 2006.
Under the same credit agreement, the Company had a term loan
dated March 31, 2004, payable over 36 months.
Borrowings bear interest at the banks prime commercial
lending rate, which was 4.00%, 5.75% and 7.75% at April 30,
2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. There were $1,000,000 in
borrowings outstanding under this term loan as of April 30,
2005. All principal plus accrued interest were repaid in the
year ended April 30, 2006.
Under the same credit agreement, the Company had a term loan
dated March 31, 2005, payable over 36 months.
Borrowings bear interest at the banks prime commercial
lending rate, which was 5.75% and 7.75% at April 30, 2005
and 2006, respectively. There were $1,500,000 in borrowings
F-15
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
outstanding under this term loan as of April 30, 2005. All
principal plus accrued interest were repaid in the year ended
April 30, 2006.
Interest expense was approximately $90,000, $110,000 and
$127,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006,
respectively, and is included in other expenses, net.
The credit agreement contains certain financial covenants and
conditions which require, among other things, that the Company
maintain certain tangible net worth and cash flow ratios. The
Company was in compliance with these covenants as of
April 30, 2005 and 2006.
The Company has an employee 401(k) savings plan covering all
eligible employees. The Company expensed approximately $673,000,
$724,000 and $918,000 in contributions to the plan for the years
ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Annual
contributions are at the discretion of management.
|
|
7.
|
Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan
|
On May 19, 2005, the Company implemented a Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan (SERP), which is a
non-qualified executive benefit plan in which the Company agrees
to pay the Chairman of the Board (Chairman)
additional benefits at retirement. The SERP is an unfunded plan,
which means there are no specific assets set aside by the
Company. The Chairman has no rights under the agreement beyond
those of a general creditor of the Company. During the year
ended April 30, 2006, the Company recognized approximately
$2,209,000 of expense charged to operations and recorded such
expense as a long-term liability in connection with this plan.
The SERP was fully vested on May 19, 2006, the first
anniversary of the Chairmans participation. On the
occurrence of a liquidity event as defined by the SERP,
including but not limited to a successful initial public
offering of equity securities, all remaining benefits to be paid
under the plan are forfeited.
The unfunded liability was estimated using the following
assumptions: an annual Consumer Price Index increase of 5% for
the expected benefit period based on U.S. mortality
statistics, and a discount rate of 7.75%.
Benefits are payable under the SERP as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year ending
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$
|
200
|
|
2008
|
|
|
210
|
|
2009
|
|
|
221
|
|
2010
|
|
|
232
|
|
2011
|
|
|
243
|
|
Thereafter
|
|
|
2,814
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
3,920
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.
|
Stock Based
Compensation
|
The Company has an Equity Incentive Plan (the 2002
Plan) for officers, directors and key employees. Under the
2002 Plan, incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options
may be
F-16
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
granted, as determined by the administrator at the time of
grant. Stock purchase rights may also be granted under the 2002
Plan. The maximum number of options which may be granted under
the 2002 Plan is equal to 50% of the Companys total shares
outstanding, less options outstanding under plans other than the
2002 Plan, but not to exceed 500,000. At April 30, 2006,
247,700 options were available for grant under the 2002 Plan.
Options under the 2002 Plan are granted at their fair market
value (as determined by the board of directors). The options
become exercisable at various times over a five-year period from
the grant date.
The Company has a 1992 nonqualified stock option plan (the
1992 Plan) for certain officers and key employees.
Options under the 1992 Plan were granted at their fair market
value (as determined by the board of directors) at the date of
grant and became exercisable at various times over a five-year
period from the grant date. The 1992 Plan expired in August 2002.
The Company has a 1994 nonqualified stock option plan (the
1994 Directors Plan) for the directors of
the Company. Options under the 1994 Directors Plan
were granted at their fair market value (as determined by the
board of directors) at the date of grant and became exercisable
on the date of grant. The 1994 Directors Plan expired
in June 2004.
Stock purchased through exercise of options under the 1992 Plan,
the 1994 Directors Plan and the 2002 Plan are subject
to various repurchase agreements which give the Company the
right to repurchase shares from employees upon separation from
the Company and specify the terms of such repurchase. The
Company is not obligated to repurchase such shares.
F-17
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
Information related to the stock option plans at April 30,
2004, 2005 and 2006, and for the years then ended is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002
Plan
|
|
|
1994 Directors
Plan
|
|
|
1992
Plan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
Outstanding at
May 1, 2003
|
|
|
127,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.60
|
|
|
|
210,140
|
|
|
$
|
3.57
|
|
|
|
424,000
|
|
|
$
|
3.73
|
|
Options granted
|
|
|
7,000
|
|
|
|
4.48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercised
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(15,000
|
)
|
|
|
3.55
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options canceled
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5,000
|
)
|
|
|
2.60
|
|
|
|
(4,000
|
)
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding at
April 30, 2004
|
|
|
134,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.60
|
|
|
|
190,140
|
|
|
$
|
3.60
|
|
|
|
420,000
|
|
|
$
|
3.73
|
|
Options granted
|
|
|
61,000
|
|
|
|
5.50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercised
|
|
|
(10,600
|
)
|
|
|
4.78
|
|
|
|
(180,140
|
)
|
|
|
3.57
|
|
|
|
(66,300
|
)
|
|
|
2.87
|
|
Options canceled
|
|
|
(1,000
|
)
|
|
|
4.48
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,800
|
)
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding at
April 30, 2005
|
|
|
183,400
|
|
|
$
|
4.89
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
351,900
|
|
|
$
|
3.89
|
|
Options granted
|
|
|
63,000
|
|
|
|
15.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercised
|
|
|
(9,150
|
)
|
|
|
4.69
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(60,800
|
)
|
|
|
3.81
|
|
Options canceled
|
|
|
(4,700
|
)
|
|
|
5.50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding at
April 30, 2006
|
|
|
232,550
|
|
|
$
|
7.62
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
291,100
|
|
|
$
|
3.91
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercisable at
April 30, 2004
|
|
|
31,800
|
|
|
$
|
4.58
|
|
|
|
190,140
|
|
|
$
|
3.60
|
|
|
|
381,800
|
|
|
$
|
3.68
|
|
Options exercisable at
April 30, 2005
|
|
|
46,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.55
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
336,900
|
|
|
$
|
3.88
|
|
Options exercisable at
April 30, 2006
|
|
|
73,750
|
|
|
$
|
4.70
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
291,100
|
|
|
$
|
3.91
|
|
The Company granted 63,000 options on October 20, 2005 at
an exercise price of $15, which was equal to the fair value. The
fair value was determined by recent substantial transactions in
the Companys stock, which consisted of two arms
length sales between third parties of 25,000 previously
issued shares of the Companys common stock each at
$15 per share on September 1, 2005 and on
October 5, 2005.
The weighted-average remaining contractual life of the
outstanding options under the 2002 Plan, the 1992 Plan and
1994 Directors Plan is 5.61 years at
April 30, 2006.
F-18
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
The following tabulation summarizes certain information
concerning outstanding and exercisable options at April 30,
2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
Outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
Exercisable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remaining
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
Range
of
|
|
As
of
|
|
|
Contractual
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
As
of
|
|
|
Average
|
|
Exercise
|
|
April 30,
|
|
|
Life In
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
April 30,
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
Prices
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
$2.60
|
|
|
49,000
|
|
|
|
7.15
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
|
|
49,000
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
$4.17
|
|
|
252,100
|
|
|
|
5.41
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
252,100
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
$4.17-$5.50
|
|
|
169,550
|
|
|
|
7.05
|
|
|
$
|
4.88
|
|
|
|
73,750
|
|
|
$
|
4.70
|
|
$15.00
|
|
|
63,000
|
|
|
|
9.47
|
|
|
$
|
15.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2.60-$15.00
|
|
|
533,650
|
|
|
|
6.57
|
|
|
$
|
5.53
|
|
|
|
374,850
|
|
|
$
|
4.07
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Company adopted SFAS No. 148, Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation Transition and
Disclosure, which amends SFAS No. 123 to provide
alternative methods of transition for a voluntary change to the
fair-value-based
method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation. In
addition, SFAS No. 148 amends the disclosure
requirement of SFAS No. 123 to require more prominent
and more frequent disclosures in consolidated financial
statements of the effects of stock-based compensation.
If the Company had elected to recognize compensation cost based
on the fair value of the options granted at the grant date as
prescribed by SFAS No. 148, net income would have been
reduced to the pro forma amounts shown below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In thousands
except share
|
|
|
|
and per share
data)
|
|
|
Pro forma:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income as reported
|
|
$
|
2,171
|
|
|
$
|
14,682
|
|
|
$
|
11,409
|
|
Stock based compensation, net of
tax
|
|
|
(48
|
)
|
|
|
(42
|
)
|
|
|
(114
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income pro forma
|
|
$
|
2,123
|
|
|
$
|
14,640
|
|
|
$
|
11,295
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic reported
|
|
$
|
1.32
|
|
|
$
|
8.15
|
|
|
$
|
6.17
|
|
Basic pro forma
|
|
$
|
1.29
|
|
|
$
|
8.13
|
|
|
$
|
6.11
|
|
Diluted reported
|
|
$
|
1.26
|
|
|
$
|
7.46
|
|
|
$
|
5.40
|
|
Diluted pro forma
|
|
$
|
1.24
|
|
|
$
|
7.44
|
|
|
$
|
5.34
|
|
Weighted average shares
outstanding used in computation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
1,639,543
|
|
|
|
1,800,930
|
|
|
|
1,848,822
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1,718,460
|
|
|
|
1,967,550
|
|
|
|
2,113,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The effects of applying SFAS No. 123 as amended by
SFAS No. 148, for purposes of determining pro forma
net income, are not likely to be representative of the effects
on reported net
F-19
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
income for future years. The fair value of each option grant is
estimated on the date of grant using the minimum value option
pricing model, with the following assumptions used: risk-free
interest rate of 3.0%, 4.0% and 6.75% for the years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, an expected
options life of four, five and five years after vesting for the
years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively,
and no expected dividends.
Subsequent to April 30, 2006 and through July 1, 2006,
various employees exercised approximately 42,900 shares of
the Companys stock.
A reconciliation of income tax expense computed using the
U.S. federal statutory rates to actual income tax expense
is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
U.S. federal statutory income
tax rate
|
|
|
34.0
|
%
|
|
|
35.0
|
%
|
|
|
35.0
|
%
|
State and local income taxes, net
of federal benefit
|
|
|
5.2
|
|
|
|
5.7
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
|
R&D credit
|
|
|
(11.0
|
)
|
|
|
(14.5
|
)
|
|
|
(11.6
|
)
|
Other
|
|
|
0.2
|
|
|
|
1.2
|
|
|
|
1.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Effective Income Tax Rate
|
|
|
28.4
|
%
|
|
|
27.4
|
%
|
|
|
30.0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Current:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal
|
|
$
|
407
|
|
|
$
|
5,730
|
|
|
|
$5,321
|
|
State
|
|
|
267
|
|
|
|
478
|
|
|
|
922
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
674
|
|
|
|
6,208
|
|
|
|
6,243
|
|
Deferred:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal
|
|
|
212
|
|
|
|
(149
|
)
|
|
|
(897
|
)
|
State
|
|
|
(27
|
)
|
|
|
(616
|
)
|
|
|
(463
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
185
|
|
|
|
(765
|
)
|
|
|
(1,360
|
)
|
Change in valuation allowance
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
88
|
|
|
|
(2
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total income tax expense
|
|
$
|
859
|
|
|
$
|
5,531
|
|
|
|
$4,881
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-20
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
Significant components of the Companys deferred income tax
assets are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Deferred income tax assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Book over tax depreciation
|
|
$
|
196
|
|
|
$
|
411
|
|
Accrued expenses
|
|
|
600
|
|
|
|
1,672
|
|
Allowances, reserves, and other
|
|
|
534
|
|
|
|
391
|
|
Research and development credit
carryforwards
|
|
|
451
|
|
|
|
663
|
|
Net operating loss and other
|
|
|
203
|
|
|
|
207
|
|
|
|
|
1,984
|
|
|
|
3,344
|
|
Less: valuation allowance
|
|
|
(203
|
)
|
|
|
(201
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total deferred income tax assets
|
|
$
|
1,781
|
|
|
$
|
3,143
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Companys California net operating loss carryforwards
of approximately $77,000 expire in 2007 and 2008. The research
and development credits of approximately $1,999,000 and the
other carryforwards are indefinite and therefore do not expire.
The Company has established a valuation allowance against its
California capital loss carryforward and solar credit net
deferred tax assets, as it is unlikely that such assets will be
fully utilized.
|
|
10.
|
Related Party
Transactions
|
In June 2004, the Company provided a loan to our Chief Executive
Officer (CEO), in the amount of approximately
$599,000 to facilitate the exercise of certain stock options
held by the CEO. The proceeds of the loan were used to exercise
118,450 options granted in May 1998 under the
1994 Directors Plan with a strike price of $3.55, and
7,000 options granted in October 2002 under the 2002 Plan with a
strike price of $4.93, including related income tax withholding.
The options were granted at or above fair market value, as
determined by the Board of Directors. Both the strike price and
number of options were known at the date of grant, and no
changes were subsequently made to any of the options; therefore,
variable accounting is not required. The note was a
full-recourse note which bore interest at 4.25%. The note was
secured by a pledge of stock other than that being purchased
through the proceeds of the note. All principal plus accrued
interest were due August 31, 2007 or on the day immediately
prior to the Companys filing of a registration statement
with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The principal balance plus accrued interest were repaid in April
2005.
On July 29, 2004, the Company entered into a voting
agreement with certain of its stockholders, including the P. and
J. MacCready Living Trust (Restated), of which Dr. Paul B.
MacCready, the Chairman of the Companys Board of
Directors, is the trustee, and the Whiting Family Limited
Partnership, of which the Companys Chief Executive
Officer, Timothy E. Conver, is a limited partner. Pursuant to
this agreement, the stockholders named above agreed to vote
their shares of the Companys common stock as directed by
the Whiting Family Limited Partnership. This agreement
terminates automatically in the event of a public offering of
equity.
Pursuant to a consulting agreement, the Company paid a board
member approximately $34,000, $242,000 and $258,000 during the
years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively,
for consulting services independent of his board service. The
agreement stipulates the payment of approximately $16,000 plus
expenses per month, in exchange for consulting services.
F-21
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
During the year ended April 30, 2006, the Company employed
the services of Summit Selling Systems, Inc.
(Summit), and accordingly paid Summit approximately
$35,000. One of the Companys board members has a
beneficial interest in Summit.
|
|
11.
|
Commitments and
Contingencies
|
Commitments
The Companys operations are conducted in leased
facilities. Following is a summary of non-cancelable operating
lease commitments:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year ending
|
|
|
|
April 30
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
2007
|
|
$
|
1,477
|
|
2008
|
|
|
1,231
|
|
2009
|
|
|
1,259
|
|
2010
|
|
|
883
|
|
2011
|
|
|
272
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
5,122
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rental expense under operating leases was approximately
$1,057,000, $1,428,000 and $1,723,000 for the years ended
April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Contingencies
The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims which
arise out of the ordinary course of its business. Although
occasional adverse decisions or settlements may occur, the
Company, in consultation with legal counsel, believes that the
final disposition of such matters will not have a material
adverse effect on the financial position, results of operations
or cash flows of the Company.
Contract Cost
Audits
Payments to the Company on government cost reimbursable
contracts are based on provisional, or estimated indirect rates,
which are subject to an annual audit by the Defense Contract
Audit Agency (DCAA). The cost audits result in the
negotiation and determination of the final indirect cost rates
that the Company may use for the period(s) audited. The final
rates, if different from the provisional rates, may create an
additional receivable or liability for the Company. The
Companys revenue recognition policy calls for revenue
recognized on all cost reimbursable government contracts to be
recorded at actual rates unless collectibility is not reasonably
assured.
The Companys product segments are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) The UAS
segment consists primarily of the design and manufacture of
small unmanned aircraft systems solutions.
|
|
|
|
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
(PosiCharge) The PosiCharge segment
supplies fast charge systems for users of electric industrial
vehicle batteries.
|
F-22
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
Energy Technology Center The Energy Technology
Center segment consists of energy development projects and power
processing test equipment product sales.
|
The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those
described in Note 1, Summary of Significant
Accounting Policies. Because the products they design and
sell generally define the operating segments, they do not make
sales to each other. Depreciation and amortization related to
the manufacturing of goods is included in gross margin for the
segments. The Company does not discretely allocate assets to its
operating segments, nor does the CODM evaluate operating
segments using discrete asset information. Consequently, the
Company operates its financial systems as a single segment for
accounting and control purposes, maintains a single indirect
rate structure across all segments, has no inter-segment sales
or corporate elimination transactions, and maintains only
limited financial statement information by segment.
The segment results are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
April 30
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UAS
|
|
$
|
30,372
|
|
|
$
|
82,249
|
|
|
$
|
111,104
|
|
PosiCharge
|
|
|
9,111
|
|
|
|
15,642
|
|
|
|
19,928
|
|
Energy Technology Center
|
|
|
8,197
|
|
|
|
7,264
|
|
|
|
8,325
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
47,680
|
|
|
|
105,155
|
|
|
|
139,357
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UAS
|
|
|
10,161
|
|
|
|
37,235
|
|
|
|
44,558
|
|
PosiCharge
|
|
|
3,524
|
|
|
|
5,846
|
|
|
|
8,062
|
|
Energy Technology Center
|
|
|
873
|
|
|
|
3,525
|
|
|
|
4,139
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
14,558
|
|
|
|
46,606
|
|
|
|
56,759
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
1,715
|
|
|
|
9,799
|
|
|
|
16,098
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
9,725
|
|
|
|
16,545
|
|
|
|
24,577
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
3,118
|
|
|
|
20,262
|
|
|
|
16,084
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
|
333
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(90
|
)
|
|
|
(110
|
)
|
|
|
(127
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
$
|
3,030
|
|
|
$
|
20,213
|
|
|
$
|
16,290
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Geographic
Information
Sales to non-U.S. customers accounted for 8.4%, 4.5% and 1.5% of
revenue for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and
2006, respectively.
F-23
AeroVironment, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
|
|
13.
|
Quarterly Results
of Operations (unaudited)
|
The following table presents selected unaudited consolidated
financial data for each of the eight quarters in the two-year
period ended April 30, 2006. In the Companys opinion,
this unaudited information has been prepared on the same basis
as the audited information and includes all adjustments
(consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for
a fair statement of the financial information for the period
presented.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
July 31,
|
|
|
October 30,
|
|
|
January 29,
|
|
|
April 30,
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
(In thousands
except per share data)
|
|
|
Year ended April 30,
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
18,305
|
|
|
$
|
27,951
|
|
|
$
|
26,212
|
|
|
$
|
32,687
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
$
|
6,035
|
|
|
$
|
11,122
|
|
|
$
|
11,485
|
|
|
$
|
17,964
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
1,018
|
|
|
$
|
4,211
|
|
|
$
|
3,651
|
|
|
$
|
5,802
|
|
Net income per share
Basic(1)
|
|
$
|
0.60
|
|
|
$
|
2.30
|
|
|
$
|
1.99
|
|
|
$
|
3.16
|
|
Net income per share
Diluted(1)
|
|
$
|
0.55
|
|
|
$
|
2.17
|
|
|
$
|
1.88
|
|
|
$
|
2.84
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
October 29,
|
|
|
January 28,
|
|
|
April 30,
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In thousands
except per share data)
|
|
|
Year ended April 30,
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
30,752
|
|
|
$
|
42,550
|
|
|
$
|
35,468
|
|
|
$
|
30,587
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
$
|
11,236
|
|
|
$
|
17,650
|
|
|
$
|
15,377
|
|
|
$
|
12,496
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
1,338
|
|
|
$
|
6,028
|
|
|
$
|
3,972
|
|
|
$
|
71
|
|
Net income (loss) per
share Basic
|
|
$
|
0.73
|
|
|
$
|
3.28
|
|
|
$
|
2.15
|
|
|
$
|
0.04
|
|
Net income (loss) per
share Diluted
|
|
$
|
0.65
|
|
|
$
|
2.85
|
|
|
$
|
1.88
|
|
|
$
|
0.03
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Earnings per share is computed independently for each of the
quarters presented. The sum of the quarterly earnings per share
in fiscal 2005 and 2006 does not equal the total earnings per
share computed for the year due to rounding. |
F-24
SCHEDULE II
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at
|
|
|
Charged to
|
|
|
Charged to
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at
|
|
|
|
Beginning
|
|
|
Costs and
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
End of
|
|
Description
|
|
of
Period
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Deductions
|
|
|
Period
|
|
|
Allowance for doubtful accounts
for the year ended April 30:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
$
|
32
|
|
|
$
|
153
|
|
|
$
|
36
|
|
|
$
|
(186
|
)
|
|
$
|
35
|
|
2005
|
|
$
|
35
|
|
|
$
|
159
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
(106
|
)
|
|
$
|
88
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
88
|
|
|
$
|
6
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
(8
|
)
|
|
$
|
86
|
|
Warranty reserve for the year
ended April 30:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
$
|
160
|
|
|
$
|
236
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
(236
|
)
|
|
$
|
160
|
|
2005
|
|
$
|
160
|
|
|
$
|
315
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
(193
|
)
|
|
$
|
282
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
282
|
|
|
$
|
589
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
(527
|
)
|
|
$
|
344
|
|
Reserve for inventory
excess and obsolescence for the year ended April 30:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
$
|
364
|
|
|
$
|
913
|
|
|
$
|
517
|
|
|
$
|
(1,201
|
)
|
|
$
|
593
|
|
2005
|
|
$
|
593
|
|
|
$
|
2,355
|
|
|
$
|
1,537
|
|
|
$
|
(3,353
|
)
|
|
$
|
1,132
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
1,132
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
505
|
|
|
$
|
(824
|
)
|
|
$
|
813
|
|
F-25
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands except share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
Assets
|
Current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
15,388
|
|
|
$
|
13,478
|
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
1,532
|
|
|
|
1,555
|
|
Accounts receivable, net of
allowance for doubtful accounts of $86 in April 30, 2006
and $86 in July 29, 2006
|
|
|
21,582
|
|
|
|
14,313
|
|
Unbilled receivables and retentions
|
|
|
4,842
|
|
|
|
5,310
|
|
Inventories, net
|
|
|
11,453
|
|
|
|
11,037
|
|
Deferred income taxes
|
|
|
1,090
|
|
|
|
1,090
|
|
Prepaid expenses and other current
assets
|
|
|
621
|
|
|
|
709
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
56,508
|
|
|
|
47,492
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
6,098
|
|
|
|
6,112
|
|
Deferred income taxes
|
|
|
2,053
|
|
|
|
2,053
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
119
|
|
|
|
119
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
64,778
|
|
|
$
|
55,776
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and
shareholders equity
|
Current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable
|
|
$
|
8,521
|
|
|
$
|
5,312
|
|
Wages and related accruals
|
|
|
8,451
|
|
|
|
5,173
|
|
Customer advances
|
|
|
9,031
|
|
|
|
4,312
|
|
Other accrued liabilities
|
|
|
2,027
|
|
|
|
2,452
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
28,030
|
|
|
|
17,249
|
|
Deferred rent
|
|
|
408
|
|
|
|
392
|
|
Long-term retirement costs
|
|
|
2,209
|
|
|
|
2,209
|
|
Commitments and contingencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, no par value:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Authorized shares
25,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issued and outstanding
shares 1,887,489 at April 30, 2006 and
1,935,289 at July 29, 2006
|
|
|
1,726
|
|
|
|
2,156
|
|
Retained earnings
|
|
|
32,405
|
|
|
|
33,770
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders equity
|
|
|
34,131
|
|
|
|
35,926
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and
shareholders equity
|
|
$
|
64,778
|
|
|
$
|
55,776
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements.
F-26
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands except share and per share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three months
ended
|
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product sales
|
|
$
|
25,933
|
|
|
$
|
23,844
|
|
Contract services
|
|
|
4,819
|
|
|
|
7,713
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,752
|
|
|
|
31,557
|
|
Cost of sales:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product sales
|
|
|
16,242
|
|
|
|
14,301
|
|
Contract services
|
|
|
3,274
|
|
|
|
5,270
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,516
|
|
|
|
19,571
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
11,236
|
|
|
|
11,986
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
3,509
|
|
|
|
3,841
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
5,822
|
|
|
|
6,132
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
1,905
|
|
|
|
2,013
|
|
Other income (expense)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
206
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(30
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
1,912
|
|
|
|
2,219
|
|
Provision for income taxes
|
|
|
574
|
|
|
|
854
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
1,338
|
|
|
$
|
1,365
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
0.73
|
|
|
$
|
0.71
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
0.65
|
|
|
$
|
0.63
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares
outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
1,838,339
|
|
|
|
1,919,361
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
2,050,620
|
|
|
|
2,154,890
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements.
F-27
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three months
ended
|
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Operating activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
1,338
|
|
|
$
|
1,365
|
|
Adjustments to reconcile net
income to net cash used in operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
373
|
|
|
|
667
|
|
Long-term retirement costs
|
|
|
559
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax benefit from grant of stock
options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
213
|
|
Loss on disposition of property
and equipment
|
|
|
185
|
|
|
|
|
|
Changes in operating assets and
liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts receivable
|
|
|
5,803
|
|
|
|
7,269
|
|
Unbilled receivables and retentions
|
|
|
(2,584
|
)
|
|
|
(468
|
)
|
Inventories
|
|
|
1,622
|
|
|
|
416
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
(19
|
)
|
|
|
(88
|
)
|
Accounts payable
|
|
|
(4,000
|
)
|
|
|
(3,209
|
)
|
Customer advances
|
|
|
(4,919
|
)
|
|
|
(4,719
|
)
|
Other liabilities
|
|
|
583
|
|
|
|
(2,869
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash and cash equivalents used
in operating activities
|
|
|
(1,059
|
)
|
|
|
(1,423
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investing activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition of property and
equipment
|
|
|
(636
|
)
|
|
|
(681
|
)
|
Transfer to restricted cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(23
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents used in
investing activities
|
|
|
(636
|
)
|
|
|
(704
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financing activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payment of long-term debt
|
|
|
(743
|
)
|
|
|
(6,232
|
)
|
Proceeds of long-term debt
|
|
|
493
|
|
|
|
6,232
|
|
Exercise of stock options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
217
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash (used in) provided by
financing activities
|
|
|
(250
|
)
|
|
|
217
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net decrease in cash
|
|
|
(1,945
|
)
|
|
|
(1,910
|
)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at
beginning of period
|
|
|
10,060
|
|
|
|
15,388
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end
of period
|
|
$
|
8,115
|
|
|
$
|
13,478
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental disclosures of
cash flow information
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid during the period for:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
|
|
$
|
38
|
|
|
$
|
5
|
|
Income taxes
|
|
$
|
69
|
|
|
$
|
13
|
|
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements.
F-28
AeroVironment,
Inc.
|
|
1.
|
Organization and
Significant Accounting Policies
|
Organization
AeroVironment, Inc., a California corporation, is engaged in
design, development and production of unmanned aircraft systems
and energy technologies for various industries and governmental
agencies.
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements
have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles or interim financial information
and with the instructions of
Form 10-Q
and Article 10 of
Regulation S-X.
Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and
footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of
management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring
adjustments necessary for a fair presentation with respect to
the interim financial statements have been included. The results
of operations for the three months ended July 29, 2006 are
not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year
ending April 30, 2007. For further information, refer to
the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto for
the year ended April 30, 2006, included herein.
Basis of
Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the
accounts of AeroVironment, Inc. and its wholly-owned
subsidiaries: AV S.r.l., Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC,
Inc. and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC (collectively
referred to herein as the Company). AV S.r.l. was
created during the year ended April 30, 2006, to enable
customer support efforts in Italy and future business
development in Europe; no sales were recorded in the year ended
April 30, 2006. Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC, Inc.
and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC had no operations during
the three months ended July 28, 2005 and July 29,
2006. All intercompany balances and transactions have been
eliminated in consolidation.
Segments
The Companys products are sold and divided among three
reportable segments as defined by Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 131,
Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information to reflect the Companys strategic goals.
Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise
about which separate financial information is available that is
evaluated regularly by the Chief Operating Decision Maker
(CODM), in deciding how to allocate resources and in
assessing performance. The Companys CODM is the Chief
Executive Officer who reviews the revenue and gross margin
results for each of these segments in making decisions about
allocating resources, including the focus of research and
development activities, and assessing performance. The
Companys reportable segments are business units that offer
different products and services and are managed separately.
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in
conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles requires management to make estimates and
assumptions, including estimates of anticipated contract costs
and revenue utilized in the revenue recognition process, that
affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ
from those estimates.
F-29
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited Notes
to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
Recently
Issued Accounting Standards
In November 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB) issued FASB Staff Position
No. FAS 123R-3
(FSP 123R-3), Transition Election Related to
Accounting for the Tax Effects of Share-Based Payment
Awards. FSP 123R-3 provides an elective alternative
transition method for calculating the pool of excess tax
benefits available to absorb tax deficiencies recognized
subsequent to the adoption of FAS 123R. Companies may take
up to one year from the effective date of FSP 123R-3 to evaluate
the available transition alternatives and make a one-time
election as to which method to adopt. The Company is currently
in the process of evaluating the alternative methods.
In July 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes An
Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (FIN 48).
FIN 48 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement
attribute for the financial statement recognition and
measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a
tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition,
classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim
periods, disclosure, and transition. This accounting standard
will be effective for the Company beginning May 1, 2007.
The Company is currently assessing the provisions of FIN 48.
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the weighted
average costing method) or market value. Inventory write-offs
and write-down provisions are provided to cover risks arising
from slow-moving items or technological obsolescence and for
market prices lower than cost. The Company periodically
evaluates the quantities on hand relative to current and
historical selling prices and historical and projected sales
volume. Based on this evaluation, provisions are made to write
inventory down to its market value.
Inventories consist of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
Raw materials
|
|
$
|
4,750
|
|
|
$
|
4,449
|
|
Work in process
|
|
|
2,413
|
|
|
|
2,757
|
|
Finished goods
|
|
|
5,103
|
|
|
|
4,661
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,266
|
|
|
|
11,867
|
|
Reserve for inventory obsolescence
|
|
|
(813
|
)
|
|
|
(830
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inventories, net
|
|
$
|
11,453
|
|
|
$
|
11,037
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Company has a working capital line of credit with a bank,
amended on June 16, 2005, which increased the borrowing
limit from $10,000,000 to $16,500,000. Borrowings bear interest
at the banks prime commercial lending rate, which was
7.75% and 8.25% as of April 30, 2006 and July 29,
2006, respectively. The line of credit is secured by
substantially all of the Companys assets. Payment of
amounts outstanding is made at the Companys discretion.
The line of credit is secured by substantially all of the
Companys assets. All principal plus accrued interest is
due August 31, 2007. The Company had no outstanding balance
on the line of credit as of April 30, 2006 and
July 29, 2006.
Interest expense was approximately $30,000 and $6,000 for the
three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006,
respectively, and is included in other (expenses) income, net.
F-30
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited Notes
to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
The credit agreement contains certain financial covenants and
conditions which require, among other things, that the Company
maintain certain tangible net worth and cash flow ratios. The
credit agreement also restricts the Company from paying any
dividends to stockholders. The Company was in compliance with
these covenants as of April 30, 2006 and July 29, 2006.
The reconciliation of diluted to basic shares is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Denominator for basic earnings per
share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares
|
|
|
1,838,339
|
|
|
|
1,919,361
|
|
Dilutive effect of employee stock
options
|
|
|
212,281
|
|
|
|
235,529
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Denominator for diluted earnings
per share
|
|
|
2,050,620
|
|
|
|
2,154,890
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During the three months ended July 30, 2005 and
July 29, 2006, there were no stock options that were
anti-dilutive to earnings per share.
|
|
5.
|
Stock Based
Compensation
|
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123
(revised 2004), Share-Based Payment
(SFAS 123R). SFAS 123R requires that
compensation expense relating to share-based payment
transactions be recognized in financial statements at estimated
fair value. The scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of
share-based compensation arrangements, including share options,
restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share
appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. This
standard replaces SFAS 123 and supersedes APB 25. The
Company has historically used the minimum value method in
determining the volatility factors utilized in its fair value
estimates as a non-public entity. SFAS 123R does not
provide for the use of the minimum value method. If the Company
is unable to accurately estimate its expected volatility based
on the Companys share price, it may measure awards based
on calculated value (which substitutes the
volatility of an appropriate index for the volatility of the
entitys own share price). Share-based benefits will be
valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing
model. The fair value will be expensed over the vesting period.
The adoption of SFAS 123R will result in the recording of
non-cash compensation expense for options granted on or after
May 1, 2006.
The Company adopted SFAS 123R effective May 1,
2006. Because the Company historically used the
minimum value method of measuring stock options, implementation
of SFAS 123R applies prospectively to new awards after
adoption. No expense is recognized for options granted prior to
adoption. No awards were granted and no expense recognized
during the three months ended July 29, 2006 as a result of
adoption.
The Company has an Equity Incentive Plan (the 2002 Plan) for
officers, directors and key employees. Under the 2002 Plan,
incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options may be
granted, as determined by the administrator at the time of
grant. Stock purchase rights may also be granted under the 2002
Plan. The maximum number of options which may be granted under
the 2002 Plan is equal to 50% of the Companys total shares
outstanding, less options outstanding under plans other than the
2002 Plan, but not to exceed 500,000. At July 29, 2006,
248,600 options were available for grant under the 2002 Plan.
Options under the 2002 Plan are granted at their fair market
value. The options become exercisable at various times over a
five-year period from the grant date.
F-31
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited Notes
to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
Information related to the stock option plans at July 29,
2006 and for the three months then ended is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002
Plan
|
|
|
1994 Directors
Plan
|
|
|
1992
Plan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
Outstanding at April 30, 2006
|
|
|
232,550
|
|
|
$
|
7.62
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
291,100
|
|
|
$
|
3.91
|
|
Options granted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercised
|
|
|
(28,600
|
)
|
|
|
4.79
|
|
|
|
(5,000
|
)
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
(14,200
|
)
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
Options canceled
|
|
|
(900
|
)
|
|
|
10.78
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding at July 29, 2006
|
|
|
203,050
|
|
|
$
|
8.01
|
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
276,900
|
|
|
$
|
3.89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercisable at
July 29, 2006
|
|
|
57,550
|
|
|
$
|
4.81
|
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
276,900
|
|
|
$
|
3.89
|
|
The following tabulation summarizes certain information
concerning outstanding and exercisable options at July 29,
2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
Outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
Exercisable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remaining
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
Range
of
|
|
As
of
|
|
|
Contractual
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
As
of
|
|
|
Average
|
|
Exercise
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
Life In
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
Exercise
|
|
Prices
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Price
|
|
|
$2.60
|
|
|
49,000
|
|
|
|
6.90
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
|
|
49,000
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
$4.17
|
|
|
232,900
|
|
|
|
5.68
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
232,900
|
|
|
$
|
4.17
|
|
$4.48-$5.50
|
|
|
140,550
|
|
|
|
6.88
|
|
|
$
|
4.90
|
|
|
|
57,550
|
|
|
$
|
4.81
|
|
$15.00
|
|
|
62,500
|
|
|
|
9.23
|
|
|
$
|
15.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2.60-$15.00
|
|
|
484,950
|
|
|
|
6.61
|
|
|
$
|
5.62
|
|
|
|
339,450
|
|
|
$
|
4.05
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Companys product segments are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) The UAS
segment consists primarily of the design and manufacture of
small unmanned aircraft systems solutions.
|
|
|
|
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
(PosiCharge) The PosiCharge segment
supplies fast charge systems for electric industrial vehicle
batteries.
|
|
|
|
Energy Technology Center The Energy Technology
Center segment consists of energy development projects and power
processing test equipment product sales.
|
Because the products they design and sell generally define
operating segments, they do not make sales to each other.
Depreciation and amortization related to the manufacturing of
goods is included in gross profit for the segments. The Company
does not discretely allocate assets to its operating segments,
nor does the CODM evaluate operating segments using discrete
asset information. Consequently, the Company operates its
financial systems as a single segment for accounting and control
purposes, maintains a single indirect rate structure across all
segments, has no inter-
F-32
AeroVironment,
Inc.
Unaudited Notes
to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Continued)
segment sales or corporate elimination transactions, and
maintains only limited financial statement information by
segment.
The segment results are as follows (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Three
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
July 30,
|
|
|
July 29,
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UAS
|
|
$
|
24,303
|
|
|
$
|
24,983
|
|
PosiCharge
|
|
|
4,559
|
|
|
|
4,943
|
|
Energy Technology Center
|
|
|
1,890
|
|
|
|
1,631
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
30,752
|
|
|
|
31,557
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UAS
|
|
|
8,633
|
|
|
|
9,271
|
|
PosiCharge
|
|
|
1,637
|
|
|
|
1,940
|
|
Energy Technology Center
|
|
|
966
|
|
|
|
775
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
11,236
|
|
|
|
11,986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
|
|
|
3,509
|
|
|
|
3,841
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
5,822
|
|
|
|
6,132
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
1,905
|
|
|
|
2,013
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
|
206
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(30
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
$
|
1,912
|
|
|
$
|
2,219
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Geographic
Information
Sales to non-U.S. customers accounted for 0.4% and 16.7% of
revenue for the three months ended July 30, 2005 and
July 29, 2006, respectively.
F-33
Shares
AeroVironment, Inc.
Common Stock
Goldman, Sachs &
Co.
Friedman Billings
Ramsey
Jefferies Quarterdeck
Raymond James
Stifel Nicolaus
Thomas Weisel Partners
LLC
Through and
including ,
2006 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all
dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or
not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a
prospectus. This is in addition to a dealers obligation to
deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with
respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT
REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
|
|
Item 13.
|
Other Expenses
of Issuance and Distribution
|
The following table sets forth the fees and expenses, other than
underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection
with the registration of the common stock hereunder. All amounts
are estimates except the SEC registration fee, the NASD filing
fee and the Nasdaq Global Market listing fee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount to be
|
|
Item
|
|
paid
|
|
|
SEC Registration Fee
|
|
$
|
12,305
|
|
NASD Filing Fee
|
|
|
12,000
|
|
Nasdaq Global Market Listing Fee
|
|
|
100,000
|
|
Legal Fees and Expenses
|
|
|
*
|
|
Accounting Fees and Expenses
|
|
|
*
|
|
Printing and Engraving Expenses
|
|
|
*
|
|
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses
|
|
|
*
|
|
Transfer Agent and Registrar Fees
|
|
|
*
|
|
Miscellaneous Expenses
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
To be completed by amendment. |
|
|
Item 14.
|
Indemnification
of Directors and Officers
|
We plan to reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effectiveness
of this registration statement. Section 102 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law allows a corporation to eliminate the
personal liability of directors of a corporation to the
corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach
of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director
breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith,
engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law,
authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock
repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an
improper personal benefit.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
provides, among other things, that we may indemnify any person
who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding other than an action by or in the right
of the corporation by reason of the fact that the
person is or was a director, officer, agent, or employee of the
corporation, or is or was serving at our request as a director,
officer, agent or employee of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses,
including attorneys fees, judgments, fines and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the
person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding. The
power to indemnify applies (a) if such person is successful
on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
proceeding or (b) if such person acting in good faith and
in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interest,
or not opposed to the best interest, of the corporation, and
with respect to any criminal action or proceeding had no
reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. The
power to indemnify applies to actions brought by or in the right
of the corporation as well but only to the extent of defense
expenses, including attorneys fees but excluding amounts
paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred and not to
any satisfaction of judgment or settlement of the claim itself,
and with the further limitation that in such actions no
indemnification shall be made in the event of any adjudication
of liability to the corporation, unless the court believes that
in light of all the circumstances indemnification should apply.
II-1
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, to be
attached as Exhibit 3.2 hereto, and our amended and
restated bylaws, to be attached as Exhibit 3.4 hereto,
which will be effective upon completion of the offering of our
common stock pursuant to this registration statement, will
provide that we will indemnify each of our directors and
officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General
Corporate Law. In addition, in connection with this offering, we
intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our
executive officers and directors. The indemnification provisions
contained in these agreements may be broader than those
contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. In addition,
we intend to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any
person who is or was a director or officer against any loss
arising from any claim asserted against him or her and incurred
by him or her in that capacity, subject to certain exclusions
and limits of the amount of coverage.
The underwriting agreement, to be attached as Exhibit 1.1
hereto, provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us,
our executive officers and directors, and indemnification of the
underwriters by us for certain liabilities, including
liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, in connection with matters specifically provided in
writing by the underwriters for inclusion in the registration
statement.
|
|
Item 15.
|
Recent Sales
of Unregistered Securities
|
During the last three years, we have issued securities in the
following transactions, each of which was exempt from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act. No underwriters
were involved in any of the below-referenced sales of securities.
1. From May 2003 through October 2006, we granted stock
options to purchase 148,500 shares of our common stock at
exercise prices ranging from $4.48 to $82.98 per share to
our employees and directors under our employee benefit plans.
During this period, 17,400 options were surrendered resulting in
a net of 131,000 options granted. During that time, options to
purchase 389,790 shares of our common stock were exercised,
for an aggregate consideration of approximately $1,428,032.
The sales and issuances of securities in the transactions
described above were deemed to be exempt from registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in reliance upon
Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as transactions pursuant to
compensatory benefit plans and contracts relating to
compensation as provided under Rule 701. The recipients of
securities in each transaction represented their intentions to
acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view
to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and
appropriate legends were affixed to the securities issued in
these transactions. All recipients had adequate access, through
employment or other relationships, to information about us.
There were no underwriters employed in connection with any of
the transactions set forth in this Item 15.
|
|
Item 16.
|
Exhibits and
Financial Statement Schedules
|
Exhibits
The attached Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by
reference.
Financial
Statement Schedules
Schedule II: Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the
information required to be set forth therein is not applicable
or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.
II-2
We hereby undertake to provide to the underwriters at the
closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in
such denominations and registered in such names as required by
the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification by the Registrant for liabilities
arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be
permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons of
the Registrant, we have been advised that in the opinion of the
SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against these liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by any of our directors,
officers or controlling persons in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by a director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether this
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be governed by the
final adjudication of this issue.
We hereby undertake that:
(a) For purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the information omitted from
a form of prospectus filed as part of this registration
statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the
form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, shall be deemed to be part of this
registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(b) For the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each post-effective
amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to
be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
II-3
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, AeroVironment, Inc. has duly caused this Amendment
No. 1 to Registration Statement on
Form S-1
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Monrovia, California on the 2nd day of November,
2006.
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Timothy
E. Conver
|
Timothy E. Conver
Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Amendment No. 1 to Registration
Statement on
Form S-1
has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and
on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature
|
|
Title
|
|
Date
|
|
/s/ Timothy
E. Conver
Timothy
E. Conver
|
|
Chief Executive Officer and
Director (Principal Executive Officer)
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Stephen
C. Wright
|
|
Chief Financial Officer (Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Paul
B. MacCready
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Directors
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Joseph
F. Alibrandi
|
|
Director
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Kenneth
R. Baker
|
|
Director
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Arnold
L. Fishman
|
|
Director
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Murray
Gell-Mann
|
|
Director
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Charles
R. Holland
|
|
Director
|
|
November 2, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: /s/ Timothy
E. Conver
Timothy
E. Conver
Attorney-in-Fact
|
|
|
|
|
II-4
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit
|
|
|
Number
|
|
Description
|
|
|
1
|
.1**
|
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement
|
|
3
|
.1*
|
|
Restated Articles of Incorporation
of AeroVironment, Inc., as currently in effect
|
|
3
|
.2
|
|
Form of Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of AeroVironment, Inc., to be in
effect upon completion of the offering
|
|
3
|
.3*
|
|
Amended Bylaws of AeroVironment,
Inc., as currently in effect
|
|
3
|
.4
|
|
Form of Amended and Restated
Bylaws of AeroVironment, Inc., to be in effect upon completion
of the offering
|
|
4
|
.1**
|
|
Form of AeroVironment, Inc.s
Common Stock Certificate
|
|
4
|
.2*
|
|
Voting Agreement, dated
July 29, 2004, among AeroVironment, Inc., P. and J.
MacCready Living Trust (Restated), Parker MacCready, Tyler
MacCready, Marshall MacCready, the Whiting Family Limited
Partnership and Timothy E. Conver
|
|
4
|
.3*
|
|
Irrevocable Proxy, dated
October 30, 2000, between W. Ray Morgan and AeroVironment,
Inc.
|
|
4
|
.4*
|
|
Proxy for Common Stock of
AeroVironment, Inc., dated January 8, 1993, between
Marshall MacCready and Paul B. MacCready
|
|
4
|
.5*
|
|
Proxy for Common Stock of
AeroVironment, Inc., dated January 14, 1993, between Tyler
MacCready and Paul B. MacCready
|
|
4
|
.6*
|
|
Proxy for Common Stock of
AeroVironment, Inc., dated January 14, 1993, between Parker
MacCready and Paul B. MacCready
|
|
5
|
.1**
|
|
Opinion of Latham &
Watkins LLP
|
|
10
|
.1#
|
|
Form of Director and Executive
Officer Indemnification Agreement
|
|
10
|
.2*#
|
|
AeroVironment, Inc. Nonqualified
Stock Option Plan
|
|
10
|
.3*#
|
|
Form of Nonqualified Stock Option
Agreement pursuant to the AeroVironment, Inc. Nonqualified Stock
Option Plan
|
|
10
|
.4*#
|
|
AeroVironment, Inc.
Directors Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
|
|
10
|
.5*#
|
|
Form of Directors
Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement pursuant to the
AeroVironment, Inc. Directors Nonqualified Stock Option
Plan
|
|
10
|
.6*#
|
|
AeroVironment, Inc. 2002 Equity
Incentive Plan
|
|
10
|
.7*#
|
|
Form of AeroVironment, Inc. 2002
Equity Incentive Plan Stock Option Agreement
|
|
10
|
.8**#
|
|
Director Equity Compensation Policy
|
|
10
|
.9#
|
|
AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity
Incentive Plan
|
|
10
|
.10**#
|
|
Form of Stock Option Agreement
pursuant to the AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan
|
|
10
|
.11*#
|
|
AeroVironment, Inc. Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan, dated May 19, 2005
|
|
10
|
.12*
|
|
Sublease Agreement, dated
February 17, 2005, among AeroVironment, Inc., L-3
Communications Corporation and Thermotrex Corporation, for the
property located at 900 Enchanted Way, Simi Valley, California
93065
|
|
10
|
.13*
|
|
Standard Industrial/Commercial
Single-Tenant Lease, dated August 8, 2005, between
AeroVironment, Inc. and FKT Associates, for the property located
at 1960 Walker Ave., Monrovia, California 91016
|
|
10
|
.14*
|
|
Business Loan Agreement, dated
June 16, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and California
Bank & Trust
|
|
10
|
.15*
|
|
AV Direct Project Request, dated
July 7, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Marine Corps
System Command
|
|
10
|
.16*
|
|
Award Contract, dated
December 22, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Marine
Corps System Command
|
|
10
|
.17*
|
|
Award Contract, dated
August 15, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and
U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command
|
|
10
|
.18*
|
|
Award Contract, dated
September 21, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Natick
Contracting Division
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit
|
|
|
Number
|
|
Description
|
|
|
10
|
.19*
|
|
Award Contract, dated
January 2, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and
U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command
|
|
10
|
.20*#
|
|
Standard Consulting Agreement,
dated February 1, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and
Charles R. Holland
|
|
10
|
.21*#
|
|
Standard Consulting Agreement,
dated November 1, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and
Charles R. Holland
|
|
10
|
.22*#
|
|
Promissory Note, dated
June 30, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Timothy E.
Conver
|
|
10
|
.23*#
|
|
Retiree Medical Plan
|
|
21
|
.1*
|
|
Subsidiaries of AeroVironment, Inc.
|
|
23
|
.1
|
|
Consent of Ernst & Young
LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
|
|
23
|
.2**
|
|
Consent of Latham &
Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
|
|
24
|
.1*
|
|
Power of Attorney
|
|
|
|
** |
|
To be filed by amendment. |
|
|
|
|
|
Confidential treatment has been requested for portions of this
exhibit. These portions have been omitted from the Registration
Statement and submitted separately to the SEC. |
|
# |
|
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan. |
exv3w2
Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
AeroVironment, Inc. (the Corporation), a corporation organized and existing under and by
virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
1. The name of the Corporation is AeroVironment, Inc. A Certificate of Merger whereby
AeroVironment, Inc., a California corporation, was merged with and into the corporation was filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on
[______ ___], 2006.
2. That by action taken by the Board of Directors at a meeting held on [______ ___, 2006
resolutions were duly adopted setting forth a proposed amendment and restatement of the Certificate
of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment and restatement to be advisable and
directing its officers to submit said amendment and restatement to the stockholders of the
Corporation for consideration thereof. The resolution setting forth the proposed amendment and
restatement is as follows:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby
amended to read in its entirety as follows, subject to the required consent of the stockholders of
the Corporation:
FIRST: The name of the Corporation (hereinafter the Corporation) is AeroVironment,
Inc.
SECOND: The address, including street, number, city and county, of the registered
office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City
of Wilmington, County of New Castle; and the name of the Registered Agent of the Corporation at
such address is Corporation Service Company.
THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted is to engage
in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL).
FOURTH: The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated,
respectively, Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (Common Stock) and Preferred Stock, par
value $0.0001 per share (Preferred Stock). The total number of shares the Corporation shall have
the authority to issue is [ ] ([ ]) shares, [ ]
([ ]) shares of which shall be Common Stock and [ ] ([ ])
shares of which shall be Preferred Stock.
(1) Common Stock. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common
Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any
series as may be designated by the Board of Directors upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock or
any series. The holders of the Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held at all
meetings of stockholders. There shall be no cumulative voting. Dividends may be declared and paid
on the Common Stock from funds lawfully available therefor as and when determined by the Board of
Directors and subject to any preferential dividend rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.
Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of the
Corporation will be
1
entitled to receive ratably all assets of the Corporation available for
distribution to stockholders, subject to any preferential rights of any then outstanding Preferred
Stock.
(2) Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more
series, each of such series to have such terms as stated in the resolution or resolutions providing
for the establishment of such series adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as
hereinafter provided. Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors of the
Corporation to issue, from time to time, shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, and, in
connection with the establishment of any such series by resolution or resolutions, to determine and
fix such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such other powers, designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, including, without limitation, dividend rights,
conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated in such
resolution or resolutions, all to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any
series of Preferred Stock may, to the extent permitted by law, provide that such series shall be
superior to, rank equally with or be junior to the Preferred Stock of any other series. The
powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series
of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may be
different from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. Except as otherwise
expressly provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any series
of Preferred Stock, no vote of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock shall be a
prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any series of the Preferred Stock authorized by and
complying with the conditions of this Certificate of Incorporation.
FIFTH: (1) The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under
the direction of a Board of Directors having that number of directors set out in the Bylaws of the
Corporation as adopted or as set forth from time to time by a duly adopted amendment thereto by the
Board of Directors or stockholders of the Corporation.
(2) No director (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) may be
removed from office by the stockholders except for cause and, in addition to any other vote
required by law, upon the affirmative vote of not less than 66⅔% of the total voting power of all
outstanding securities of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors, voting together as a single class.
(3) The directors of the Corporation, other than directors elected by one or more series of
Preferred Stock, shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III.
Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of
directors (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) constituting the
entire Board of Directors. Each director (other than directors elected by one or more series of
Preferred Stock) shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of
stockholders next following the annual meeting at which such director was elected, provided that
directors initially designated as Class I directors shall serve for a term ending on the date of
the 2007 annual meeting, directors initially designated as Class II directors shall serve for a
term ending on the date of the 2008 annual meeting and directors initially designated as Class III
directors shall serve for a term ending on the date of the 2009 annual meeting. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, each director shall hold office until such directors successor shall have been duly
elected and qualified or until such directors earlier death, resignation or
removal. If the number of directors (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) is changed,
any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in
each class as nearly equal as possible, but in no event will a decrease in the number of directors
shorten the term of any incumbent director. Vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from
death, resignation, removal or
2
otherwise and newly created directorships resulting from any
increase in the number of directors (other than directors elected by one or more series of
Preferred Stock) may be filled solely by a vote of a majority of the directors then in office
(although less than a quorum) or by a sole remaining director, and each director so elected shall
hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the class to which such
director shall have been elected. Whenever the holders of one or more classes or series of
Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately as a class or series, to elect directors,
the nomination, election, term of office, filling of vacancies, removal and other features of such
directorships shall not be governed by this Article FIFTH unless otherwise provided for in the
certificate of designation for such classes or series.
SIXTH: The Corporation is to have perpetual existence.
SEVENTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and
the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation and for the further definition of the powers of the
Corporation and its directors and stockholders:
(1) The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, adopt, amend, alter, rescind or
repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the stockholders may adopt,
amend, alter, rescind or repeal the Bylaws with, in addition to any other vote required by law, the
affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 66⅔% of the total voting power of all outstanding
securities of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting
together as a single class.
(2) Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation
so provide.
(3) Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of
stockholders may be taken only upon the vote of stockholders at an annual or special meeting duly
noticed and called in accordance with the DGCL and may not be taken by written consent of
stockholders without a meeting.
(4) Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be
called at any time by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or at
the written request of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors and may not be called by
any other person; provided, however, that if and to the extent that any special
meeting of stockholders may be called by any other person or persons specified in any provisions of
the Certificate of Incorporation or any amendment thereto or any certificate filed under Section
151(g) of the DGCL, then such special meeting may also be called by the person or persons, in the
manner, at the times and for the purposes so specified.
EIGHTH: (1) Subject to Article EIGHTH (3), the Corporation shall indemnify and hold
harmless any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened,
pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact
that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or
her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in
good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit
or proceeding by judgment,
3
order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith
and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to
believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(2) Subject to Article EIGHTH (3), the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless any
person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor
by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or
was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against expenses
(including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the
defense or settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or
she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except
that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such
person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that
the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was
brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of
all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for
such expenses which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other court shall deem
proper.
(3) Any indemnification under this Article EIGHTH (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by
the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification
of the director or officer or other person entitled to indemnification under this Article EIGHTH is
proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth
in Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2), as the case may be. Such determination shall be made,
with respect to an officer or director, (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of
directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even if constituting less than a
quorum, (ii) by a committee of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding
even if constituting less than a quorum, (iii) if there are no such directors, or if such directors
so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (iv) by the stockholders. To the
extent, however, that a present or former director or officer of the Corporation has been
successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in
Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he
or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by him or her in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the
specific case.
(4) Notwithstanding any contrary determination in the specific case under Article EIGHTH (3),
and notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, any present or former director or
officer of the Corporation may apply to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware for
indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible under Article EIGHTH (1) and Article EIGHTH
(2). The basis of such indemnification by a court shall be a determination by such court that
indemnification of such person is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the
applicable standards of conduct set forth in Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2), as the case
may be. Neither a contrary determination in the specific case under Article EIGHTH (3) nor the
absence of any determination thereunder shall be a defense to such application or create a
presumption that such person seeking
indemnification has not met any applicable standard of conduct. Notice of any application for
indemnification pursuant to this Article EIGHTH (4) shall be given to the Corporation promptly upon
the filing of such application. If successful, in whole or in part, such person seeking
indemnification in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall also be entitled to be paid
the expense of prosecuting such application.
4
(5) Expenses incurred by a person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation in
defending or investigating a threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the
Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of
an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be
determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in
this Article EIGHTH.
(6) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this
Article EIGHTH shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, contract,
vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or pursuant to the direction (howsoever embodied)
of any court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official
capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the
Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified in Article EIGHTH (1) and Article EIGHTH
(2) shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Article EIGHTH
shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Article
EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2) but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify
under the provisions of the DGCL or otherwise.
(7) The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was
a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as
a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him or her and
incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether
or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify him or her against such
liability under the provisions of this Article EIGHTH or Section 145 of the DGCL.
(8) For purposes of this Article EIGHTH, references to the Corporation shall include, in
addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a
constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued,
would have had the power and authority to indemnify its directors or officers, so that any person
who is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall
stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article EIGHTH with respect to the
resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent
corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article EIGHTH,
references to fines shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an
employee benefit plan; and references to serving at the request of the Corporation shall include
any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on,
or involves services by, such person with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or
beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed
to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be
deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation as referred
to in this Article EIGHTH. For purposes of any determination under Article EIGHTH (3), a person
shall be deemed to have acted in good faith in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his or her
conduct was unlawful, if his or her action is based on the records or books of account of the
Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to him or her by the officers of the
Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel
for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the
Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser
or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The term
another enterprise as used in this
5
Article EIGHTH (8) shall mean any other corporation or any
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person
is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The
provisions of this Article EIGHTH (8) shall not be deemed to be exclusive, or to limit in any way,
the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct
set forth in Article EIGHTH (1) or (2), as the case may be.
(9) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this
Article EIGHTH shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a
person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit
of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
(10) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article EIGHTH to the contrary, except for
proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification (which shall be governed by Article EIGHTH (4)),
the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any person in connection with a proceeding (or
part, thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or
consented to by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(11) The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of
Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and
agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article EIGHTH to directors and
officers of the Corporation.
NINTH: A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation
or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that
this Article shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of his or
her duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good
faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (iii) under
Section 174 of the DGCL or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper
personal benefit.
If the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize corporate action further limiting or eliminating
the personal liability of directors, then the liability of the director to the Corporation shall be
limited or eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended from time to time.
Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article shall be prospective only, and shall not
adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation under this Article NINTH
in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, repeal or
modification.
TENTH: Each reference in this Certificate of Incorporation to any provision of the
DGCL refers to the specified provision of the DGCL, as the same now exists or as it may hereafter
be amended or superseded.
ELEVENTH: The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to
amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the
manner now or hereafter prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware; and all rights conferred
on stockholders, directors or any other persons herein are granted subject to this reservation;
provided, however, that no amendment, alteration, change or repeal may be made to Article FIFTH,
SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH
or ELEVENTH without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% of the outstanding
voting stock of the corporation, voting together as a single class.
3. That said Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been consented to and
authorized by the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding stock entitled to vote in
accordance with the provisions of Section 228 of the DGCL.
6
4. That said Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance
with the applicable provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL.
7
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, AeroVironment, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be signed by Timothy C.
Conver, its Chief Executive Officer and Stephen Wright, its Chief Financial Officer, this
[___]th day of [ ] 2006.
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AeroVironment, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation
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By: |
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Name: |
Timothy C. Cover |
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ATTEST
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Name: |
Stephen C. Wright |
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Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
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8
exv3w4
Exhibit 3.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PAGE |
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ARTICLE I. OFFICES |
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3 |
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Section 1. |
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REGISTERED OFFICES. |
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3 |
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Section 2. |
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OTHER OFFICES. |
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3 |
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ARTICLE II. MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS |
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3 |
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Section 1. |
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PLACE OF MEETINGS. |
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3 |
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Section 2. |
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ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS. |
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3 |
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Section 3. |
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QUORUM; ADJOURNED MEETINGS AND NOTICE THEREOF. |
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3 |
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Section 4. |
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VOTING. |
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3 |
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Section 5. |
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PROXIES. |
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4 |
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Section 6. |
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SPECIAL MEETINGS. |
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4 |
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Section 7. |
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NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS. |
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4 |
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Section 8. |
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FIXING DATE FOR DETERMINATION OF STOCKHOLDERS |
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OF RECORD. |
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5 |
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Section 9. |
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NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS AND NOMINATIONS. |
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5 |
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Section 10. |
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MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF STOCKHOLDER LIST. |
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8 |
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Section 11. |
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STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT |
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A MEETING. |
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8 |
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ARTICLE III. DIRECTORS |
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8 |
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Section 1. |
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THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS. |
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Section 2. |
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VACANCIES. |
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8 |
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Section 3. |
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POWERS. |
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9 |
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Section 4. |
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PLACE OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS. |
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9 |
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Section 5. |
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REGULAR MEETINGS. |
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9 |
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Section 6. |
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SPECIAL MEETINGS. |
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9 |
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Section 7. |
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QUORUM. |
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Section 8. |
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ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. |
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Section 9. |
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TELEPHONIC MEETINGS. |
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Section 10. |
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COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS. |
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Section 11. |
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MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS. |
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Section 12. |
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COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS. |
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ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS |
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10 |
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Section 1. |
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OFFICERS. |
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Section 2. |
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ELECTION OF OFFICERS. |
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PAGE |
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Section 3. |
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SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. |
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11 |
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Section 4. |
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COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS. |
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Section 5. |
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TERM OF OFFICE; REMOVAL AND VACANCIES. |
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Section 6. |
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POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS. |
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ARTICLE V. INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS |
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11 |
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ARTICLE VI. CERTIFICATES OF STOCK |
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11 |
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Section 1. |
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CERTIFICATES. |
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Section 2. |
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SIGNATURES ON CERTIFICATES. |
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Section 3. |
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STATEMENT OF STOCK RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, PRIVILEGES. |
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12 |
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Section 4. |
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LOST CERTIFICATES. |
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12 |
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Section 5. |
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TRANSFERS OF STOCK. |
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12 |
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Section 6. |
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REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS. |
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12 |
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ARTICLE VII. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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12 |
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Section 1. |
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CHECKS. |
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Section 2. |
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FISCAL YEAR. |
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Section 3. |
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CORPORATE SEAL. |
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Section 4. |
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MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE. |
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Section 5. |
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WAIVER OF NOTICE. |
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ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS |
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ii
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
ARTICLE I.
OFFICES
Section 1. REGISTERED OFFICES. The registered office shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of
Delaware.
Section 2. OTHER OFFICES. The corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State
of Delaware as the Board of Directors (the Board) may from time to time determine or the business
of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II.
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware
designated by the Board. In the absence of any such designation, stockholders meetings shall be
held at the principal executive office of the corporation.
Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held each year on a date and time designated by
the Board. At each annual meeting directors shall be elected, and any other proper business may be
transacted.
Section 3. QUORUM; ADJOURNED MEETINGS AND NOTICE THEREOF. A majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at any meeting of
stockholders, the holders of which are present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of
Incorporation or by these Bylaws. A quorum, once established, shall not be broken by the withdrawal
of enough votes to leave less than a quorum, and the votes present may continue to transact
business until adjournment. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any
meeting of the stockholders, a majority of the voting stock represented in person or by proxy may
adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until
a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be
present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the
meeting as originally notified. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the
adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record
entitled to vote thereat.
Section 4. VOTING. When a quorum is present at any meeting, in all matters other than the election of directors,
the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock having voting power present in person or
represented by proxy and entitled to vote on a particular question shall decide such question
brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the
statutes, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a different
3
vote is required in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Directors shall
be elected by a plurality of the votes of the stock present in person or represented by proxy at
the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors.
Section 5. PROXIES. At each meeting of the stockholders, each stockholder having the right to vote may vote in
person or may authorize another person or persons to act for him or her by proxy appointed by an
instrument in writing subscribed by such stockholder and bearing a date not more than three years
prior to said meeting, unless said instrument provides for a longer period. All proxies must be
filed with the Secretary of the corporation at the beginning of each meeting in order to be counted
in any vote at the meeting. Each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock having
voting power, registered in his name on the books of the corporation on the record date set by the
Board as provided in Article II, Section 8 hereof.
Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed
by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, may be called by the Chairman of the Board or
the President and shall be called by the President or the Secretary at the request in writing of a
majority of the members of the Board. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders
shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
Section 7. NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written
notice of the meeting shall be given, which notice shall state the place, date and hour of the
meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is
called. The written notice of any meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at
such meeting not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting. If mailed,
notice is deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the
stockholder at his address as it appears on the records of the corporation.
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Section 8. FIXING DATE FOR DETERMINATION OF STOCKHOLDERS OF RECORD. In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote
at, any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to
exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of
any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the
date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record
date: (a) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of
stockholders or adjournment thereof, shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than
sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting; and (b) in the case of any other
action, shall not be more than sixty days prior to such other action. If no record date is fixed:
(i) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of
stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is
given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which
the meeting is held; and (ii) the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose
shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating
thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting
of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board
may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 9. NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS AND NOMINATIONS.
(a) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of the corporation and the proposal of
business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i)
pursuant to the corporations notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (ii) by or at the
direction of the Board or (iii) by any stockholder of the corporation who was a stockholder of
record at the time notice provided for in this Section 9 is given to the Secretary of the
corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures in
this Section 9.
(b) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a
stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 9, the stockholder must have
given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation, and any such proposed
business other than the nominations of persons for election to the Board must constitute a proper
matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholders notice shall be delivered to the
Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of
business on the ninetieth day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth
day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting; provided, however, that
in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty days before or more than sixty
days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not
earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth day prior to such annual meeting
and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth day prior to such annual
meeting or the tenth day following the earlier of (i) the day on which notice of the meeting was
mailed or (ii) the date public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the
corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an
annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a
stockholders notice as described above. Such stockholders notice shall set forth:
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(A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director, all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies
for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
Exchange Act), and Rule 14a-101 thereunder (including such persons written consent to being
named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (B) as to any
other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of
the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business
(including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such
business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the
reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of
such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is
made; and (C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the nomination or proposal is made, (I) the name and address of such stockholder and of such
beneficial owner, as they appear on the corporations books, (II) the class and number of shares of
capital stock of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and
such beneficial owner, (III) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock
of the corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at
the meeting to propose such business or nomination and (IV) a representation whether the
stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (y) to
deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the
corporations outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the
nominee and/or (z) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal or
nomination. The foregoing notice requirements shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder if the
stockholder has notified the corporation of his or her intention to present a proposal at an annual
meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 (or any successor thereof) promulgated under the Exchange Act
and such stockholders proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by
the corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting. The corporation may require any
proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the
eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the corporation.
(c) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have
been brought before the meeting pursuant to the corporations notice of meeting. Nominations of
persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which
directors are to be elected pursuant to the corporations notice of meeting (i) by or at the
direction of the Board or (ii) provided that the Board has determined that directors shall be
elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the corporation who is a stockholder of record at
the time the notice provided for in this Section 9 is delivered to the Secretary of the
corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set
forth in this Section 9. In the event the corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for
the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board, any such stockholder entitled to vote
in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to
such position(s) as specified in the corporations notice of meeting, if the stockholders notice
required by paragraph (b) of this Section 9 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal
executive offices of the corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred
twentieth day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later
of
6
(i) the ninetieth day prior to such special meeting or (ii) the tenth day following the day on
which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees
proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend
any time period) for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above.
(d) (i) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this
Section 9 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the
corporation to serve as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of
stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set
forth in this Section 9. Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of the meeting shall
have the power and duty (A) to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be
brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the
procedures set forth in this Section 9 (including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if
any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made solicited (or is part of a group which
solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies in support of such stockholders
nominee or proposal in compliance with such stockholders representation as required by paragraph
(b) of this Section 9) and (B) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in
compliance with this Section 9, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such
proposed business shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 9, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at
the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation to present a nomination or
business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted,
notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation.
(ii) For purposes of this Section 9, public announcement shall include disclosure in a press
release reported by PRNewswire, Business Wire, the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or
comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9, a stockholder shall also
comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 9. Nothing in this
Section 9 shall be deemed to affect any rights (A) of stockholders to request inclusion of
proposals in the corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (B)
of the holders of any series of preferred stock of the corporation to elect directors pursuant to
any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.
7
Section 10. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF STOCKHOLDER LIST. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare and make, at
least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled
to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder
and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the
examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business
hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be
specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is
to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during
the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
Section 11. STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required to be taken
at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation, or any action which may be
taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may not be taken without a meeting.
ARTICLE III.
DIRECTORS
Section 1. THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS. The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board shall be not less than seven
nor more than eleven. The actual number of directors shall be fixed from time to time solely by
resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors. The directors need not
be stockholders. The directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders, except
as provided in Section 2 of this Article, and each director elected shall hold office until his
successor is elected and qualified; provided, however, that unless otherwise restricted by the
Certificate of Incorporation or by law, any director or the entire Board may be removed, for cause,
from the Board at any meeting of stockholders by not less than 66 2/3% of the outstanding stock of
the Corporation.
Section 2. VACANCIES. Vacancies on the Board by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal
from office or otherwise, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the
authorized number of directors may be filled solely by a vote of a majority of the directors then
in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and each director so
elected shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the class to
which such director shall have been elected. If there are no directors in office, then an election
of directors may be held in the manner provided by statute. If, at the time of filling any vacancy
or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office shall constitute less than a
majority of the whole Board (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Court of
Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least ten percent of
the total number of the shares at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors,
summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships,
or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office.
8
Section 3. POWERS. The property and business of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its
Board. In addition to the powers and authorities by these Bylaws expressly conferred upon them, the
Board may exercise all such powers of the corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are
not by statute, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be
exercised or done by the stockholders.
Section 4. PLACE OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS. The directors may hold their meetings, have one or more offices and keep the books of the
corporation outside of the State of Delaware.
Section 5. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and place as shall from
time to time be determined by the Board.
Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman of the Board or the President on
forty-eight hours notice to each director, either personally, by mail, electronic mail or by
telegram; special meetings shall be called by the President or the Secretary in like manner and on
like notice on the written request of two directors, unless the Board consists of only one
director, in which case special meetings shall be called by the President or Secretary in like
manner or on like notice on the written request of the sole director.
Section 7. QUORUM. At all meetings of the Board a majority of the authorized number of directors shall be
necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote of a
majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the
Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, by the Certificate of
Incorporation or by these Bylaws. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board, the
directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than
announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present. If only one director is authorized,
such sole director shall constitute a quorum.
Section 8. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action
required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be
taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent
thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the
Board or committee.
Section 9. TELEPHONIC MEETINGS. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of
the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or similar communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such
participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
9
Section 10. COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS. The Board may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more
committees, each such committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation. The
Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace
any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or
disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting
and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may
unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such
absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the
Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of
the business and affairs of the corporation and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be
affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority
in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or
consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially
all of the corporations property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the
corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending the Bylaws of the corporation; and,
unless the resolution or the Certificate of Incorporation expressly so provide, no such committee
shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock.
Section 11. MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board
when required.
Section 12. COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board
shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors. The directors may be paid their
expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid a fixed sum for
attendance at each meeting of the Board or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall
preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation
therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending
committee meetings.
ARTICLE IV.
OFFICERS
Section 1. OFFICERS. The officers of this corporation shall be chosen by the Board and shall include a President, a
Secretary and a Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer. The corporation may also have at the
discretion of the Board such other officers as are desired, including one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers
as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 hereof. In the event there are
two or more Vice Presidents, then one or more may be designated as Executive Vice President, Senior
Vice President or other similar or dissimilar title. At the time of the election of officers, the
directors may by resolution determine the order of their rank. Any number of offices may be held by
the same person, unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws otherwise provide.
Section 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The Board, at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders, shall choose the
officers of the corporation.
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Section 3. SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. The Board may appoint such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary who shall hold
their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be
determined from time to time by the Board.
Section 4. COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS. The salaries of all officers and agents of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board.
Section 5. TERM OF OFFICE; REMOVAL AND VACANCIES. The officers of the corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and
qualify in their stead. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board may be removed at any time by
the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board. If the office of any officer or officers becomes
vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board.
Section 6. POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS. The officers of the corporation shall have such powers and duties in the management of the
corporation as may be prescribed in a resolution by the Board and, to the extent not so provided,
as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
ARTICLE V.
INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS
The corporation may indemnify every person who is or was a party or is or was threatened to be
made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was an employee or agent of the
corporation or, while an employee or agent of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of
the corporation as an employee or agent or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including counsel
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, to the
extent permitted by applicable law.
ARTICLE VI.
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
Section 1. CERTIFICATES. Every holder of stock of the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or
in the name of the corporation by, the President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation, certifying the
number of shares represented by the certificate owned by such stockholder in the corporation.
Section 2. SIGNATURES ON CERTIFICATES. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer,
transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a
certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such
certificate is issued, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if he or she
were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
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Section 3. STATEMENT OF STOCK RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, PRIVILEGES. If the corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one
series of any class, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or
other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualification, limitations or
restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face
or back of the certificate which the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of
stock, provided that, except as otherwise provided in section 202 of the General Corporation Law of
Delaware, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the
certificate which the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a
statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the
powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of
each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such
preferences and/or rights.
Section 4. LOST CERTIFICATES. The Board may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any
certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen
or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate
of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or
certificates, the Board may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance
thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his
legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or to give the
corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or
destroyed.
Section 5. TRANSFERS OF STOCK. Upon surrender to the corporation, or the transfer agent of the corporation, of a certificate
for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority
to transfer, it shall be the duty of the corporation to issue a new certificate to the person
entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.
Section 6. REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS. The corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of
stock as the holder in fact thereof and accordingly shall not be bound to recognize any equitable
or other claim or interest in such share on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall
have express or other notice thereof, except as expressly provided by the laws of the State of
Delaware.
ARTICLE VII.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. CHECKS. All checks or demands for money and notes of the corporation shall be signed by such officer
or officers as the Board may from time to time designate.
Section 2. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board.
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Section 3. CORPORATE SEAL. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the corporation and shall be in
such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board.
Section 4. MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE. Whenever, under the law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, notice is required
to be given to any director or stockholder, it shall not be construed to mean personal notice, but
such notice may be given in writing, by mail, addressed to such director or stockholder, at his
address as it appears on the records of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such
notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United
States mail. Notice to directors may also be given by telegram, telecopier or other means of
communication permitted by law.
Section 5. WAIVER OF NOTICE. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the law, the Certificate of Incorporation or
these Bylaws, a waiver thereof via electronic mail or in writing, signed by the person or persons
entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed
equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such
meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the
beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully
called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or
special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be
specified in any written waiver of notice.
ARTICLE VIII.
AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed or new Bylaws may be adopted by the
stockholders or by the Board in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation. If
the power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws is conferred upon the Board by the Certificate of
Incorporation, it shall not divest or limit the power of the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeal
Bylaws.
* * * * *
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exv10w1
Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (Agreement) is made as of , 2006 by
and between AeroVironment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and
(Indemnitee).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve corporations as
directors or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through
insurance and adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them
arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board) has determined that, in
order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an
ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and
its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a
customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business
enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance
may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same
time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are
being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other
things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business
enterprise itself. The certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company require
indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to
indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (DGCL).
The certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification
provisions set forth therein are not exclusive and thereby contemplate that contracts may be
entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect
to indemnification;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased
the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining
such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Companys stockholders and that the
Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection
in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate
itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from
undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the certificate of
incorporation and bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto and shall not
be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Companys certificate
of incorporation, bylaws and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances and may not be
willing to serve as a director, officer or key employee without adequate protection, and the
Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, to continue to serve
and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she
be so indemnified.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the covenants contained herein, the
Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer,
director or key employee of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or
until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation.
2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) Beneficial Owner shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under
the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person
otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company approving a
merger of the Company with another entity.
(b) A Change in Control shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after
the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or
becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then
outstanding securities;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive
years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals, who
at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a
director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect
a transaction described in Sections 2(b)(i), 2(b)(iii) or 2(b)(iv)) whose election by the
Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at
least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the
beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so
approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the
Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation
of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would
result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger
or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50.1% of the combined
voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after
such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of
directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a
complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or
disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Companys assets; or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be
required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a
response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange
Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting
requirement.
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(c) Corporate Status describes the status of a person who is or was a director,
officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or
of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of
the Company.
(d) Disinterested Director means a director of the Company who is not and was not a
party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(e) Enterprise shall mean the Company and any other corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which
Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general
partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(f) Exchange Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(g) Expenses shall include all reasonable attorneys fees, retainers, court costs,
transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and
binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other disbursements or
expenses of the type customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to
prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise
participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include expenses incurred in connection with
any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for
and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or other appeal bond or its equivalent.
Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of
judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(h) Independent Counsel means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is
experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has
been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such
party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other
indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding
giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term
Independent Counsel shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the
Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitees rights under this Agreement. The
Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above
and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
(i) Person shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii)
any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company and
(iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
(j) The term Proceeding shall include any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, formal or informal,
inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether
brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative nature,
3
in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, witness or otherwise by reason of
the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action
taken (or failure to act) by him or her or of any action (or failure to act) on his or her part
while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner,
managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not
serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which
indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(k) References to fines shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any
employee benefit plan; references to serving at the request of the Company shall include
any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or
involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit
plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or
she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an
employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best
interests of the Company as referred to in this Agreement.
3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance
with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or
a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee
shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection
with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement)
actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such
Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in
the case of a criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her
conduct was unlawful.
4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened
to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee
shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his
or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if
Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under
this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been
finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any
court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court of Chancery shall determine upon
application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the
case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.
5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to
(or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection
therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the
merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such
Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection with each
4
successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such
Proceeding, the Company also shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in
connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue or matter on which Indemnitee
was successful. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim,
issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be
a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any
Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.
7. Additional Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4 or 5, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be
made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure
a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection
with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement)
actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnity
shall be made under this Section 7(a) on account of Indemnitees conduct which constitutes a breach
of Indemnitees duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders or is an act or omission not in
good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
(b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase to the fullest extent
permitted by law shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or
contemplates additional indemnification by agreement or the corresponding provision of any
amendment to or replacement of the DGCL; and
(ii) the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of
the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a
corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
8. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not
be obligated under this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee in connection with any claim made against
Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any
insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount
actually received under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by
Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or
similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 13(d)-(f) hereof, prior to a Change in Control,
in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee,
including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the
Company or
5
its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of Directors of
the Company authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or
(ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers
vested in the Company under applicable law.
9. Advances of Expenses; Defense of Claim.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall advance
the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after
the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time,
whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and
interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay the expenses
and without regard to Indemnitees ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other
provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred
pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and
forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. Indemnitee shall qualify for
advances solely upon the execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking providing that
Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. This Section 9(a) shall not apply to
any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 8.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which
would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitees
prior written consent.
10. Procedure for Notification and Application for Indemnification.
(a) Within sixty (60) days after the actual receipt by Indemnitee of notice that he or she is
a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall submit
to the Company a written notice identifying the Proceeding. The omission by Indemnitee to notify
the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee (i)
otherwise than under this Agreement and (ii) under this Agreement unless and only to the extent
that the Company can establish that such omission to notify resulted in actual prejudice to the
Company.
(b) Indemnitee shall thereafter deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify
Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to
time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion. Following
such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitees entitlement to
indemnification shall be determined in accordance with Section 11(a) of this Agreement.
11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(b), a
determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitees entitlement thereto
shall be made in the specific case: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if
constituting less than a quorum of the Board; or (ii) if so requested by Indemnitee, in his or her
sole discretion, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be
delivered to Indemnitee. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification,
payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee
shall reasonably cooperate with
6
the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitees
entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon
reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise
protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary
to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including attorneys fees and disbursements)
incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such
determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitees
entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee
harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by
Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as
provided in this Section 11(b). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent
Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to
Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and the basis for
the Board determination that such counsel qualified as Independent Counsel. If a Change in Control
shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee
shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors, in which event the preceding
sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the
identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as
the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been
received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such
selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the
ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of Independent
Counsel as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with
particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the
person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and
substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and
until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such
objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request
for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been
selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent
jurisdiction (the Court) for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by
the Company or Indemnitee to the others selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the
appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by such other person as the
Court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the
person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due
commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement,
Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity
(subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of Independent Counsel and to fully
indemnify such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
12. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the
person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in
accordance with Section 10(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to
overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any
determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including
7
by the Board or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of
any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because
Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company
(including by the Board or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has
not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 11 of this Agreement
to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination
within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite
determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee
shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material
fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statement not materially
misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such
indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period
shall be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the
person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification
in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or
information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment,
order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself
adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee
did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that
Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted
in good faith if Indemnitees action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise,
including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the
Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or
on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified
public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise. The provisions of
this Section 12(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other
circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of
conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, trustee, partner,
managing member, fiduciary, officer, agent, advisor or employee of the Enterprise shall not be
imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this
Agreement.
13. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement
that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of
Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of
entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement
within the time period specified in Section 12(b) of this Agreement, (iv) payment of
indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 11(a) of
this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor or
(v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or Section 4 of this Agreement is not made
within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that
8
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by
a court of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses.
Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted
by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration
Association. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitees right to seek any such adjudication or
award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or
arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a
de novo trial or arbitration on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced
by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced
pursuant to this Section 13, the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not
entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not
refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement
adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or
arbitration pursuant to this Section 13, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company
for any advances pursuant to Section 9 until a final determination is made with respect to
Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted
or lapsed).
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any
judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13, absent (i) a misstatement
by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees
statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a
prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 13, seeks a judicial adjudication
of or an award in arbitration to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach
of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be
indemnified by the Company against, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or
her in such judicial adjudication or arbitration. If it shall be determined in said judicial
adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the
indemnification or advancement of Expenses sought, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the
Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company against, any and all Expenses reasonably incurred
by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration
commenced pursuant to this Section 13 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are
not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such
arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all
Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Companys receipt
of such written request) advance such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee for (i)
indemnification or advances of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement or any other agreement
or provision of the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws now or hereafter in effect or
(ii) recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of
Indemnitee, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advance or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
9
14. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this
Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be
entitled under applicable law, the Companys certificate of incorporation, the Companys bylaws,
any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment,
alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right
of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in
his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. The parties hereto intend
that, to the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits
greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the
Companys bylaws and this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater
benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be
exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in
addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law, in
equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder or otherwise,
shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing
liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managing members, fiduciaries,
employees or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the
request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with
its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, trustee,
partner, managing member, fiduciary, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If,
at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a
party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability
insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all
amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the
extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers
required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents
as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts
otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the
extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy,
contract, agreement or otherwise.
(e) The Companys obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is
or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing
member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount
Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such
Enterprise.
15. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later
of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director,
officer or key employee of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing
member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee served at the request of the Company; or
(b) one (1) year after the final
10
termination of any Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto) then pending in respect
of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and
of any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13 of this Agreement relating thereto
(including any rights of appeal of any Section 13 Proceeding).
16. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and
enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each
portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be
affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law;
(b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to
applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the
fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each
portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to
give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
17. Enforcement and Binding Effect.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and
assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director
or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this
Agreement in serving as a director, officer or key employee of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to
the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and
implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this
Agreement shall apply to Indemnitees service as an officer, director or key employee of the
Company prior to the date of this Agreement.
(d) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this
Agreement shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent
and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
18. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall
be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this
Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
19. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon
being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other
document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or
advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company
shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this
Agreement or otherwise, except as provided in Section 10(a).
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20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) if delivered by hand and if
receipt is acknowledged in writing by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have
been directed or (b) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third
business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or
such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to:
AeroVironment, Inc.
181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202
Monrovia, California 91016
Attn.: Chief Executive Officer
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
21. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the
indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason
whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount
incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to
be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an
indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in
light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect: (i) the relative benefits
received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving
rise to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors,
officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or
transaction(s).
22. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among
the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the
State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any
arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, the Company and
Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising
out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of the
State of Delaware (the Delaware Court) and not in any other state or federal court in the
United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in
connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not a resident of the
State of Delaware, irrevocably Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in
the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, as its agent in the State of Delaware as such partys
agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such
party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the
State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding
in the Delaware Court and (v) waive and agree not to plead or to make any claim that any such
action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient
forum.
23. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each
of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom
enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
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24. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the
feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Agreement
are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or
to affect the construction thereof.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year
first above written.
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AEROVIRONMENT, INC.,
a Delaware corporation |
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INDEMNITEE |
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By:
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Name:
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[NAME] |
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Title: |
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14
exv10w9
Exhibit 10.9
AEROVIRONMENT, INC
2006 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
PURPOSE
The purpose of the AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) is to
promote the success and enhance the value of AeroVironment, Inc. (the Company) by linking
the personal interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of Company
stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to
generate superior returns to Company stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide
flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members
of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the
successful conduct of the Companys operation is largely dependent.
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified
below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the
plural where the context so indicates.
2.1 Award means an Option, a Restricted Stock award, a Stock Appreciation Right
award, a Performance Share award, a Performance Stock Unit award, a Dividend Equivalents award, a
Stock Payment award, a Deferred Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, an Other Stock-Based
Award, a Performance Bonus Award, or a Performance-Based Award granted to a Participant pursuant to
the Plan.
2.2 Award Agreement means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or
document evidencing an Award.
2.3 Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.4 Change in Control means and includes each of the following:
(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Stock to the general
public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby
any person or related group of persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2)
of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan
maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or a person that, prior to such transaction,
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company)
directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting
power of the Companys securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or
(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such
period, constitute the Board together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by
a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction
described in Section 2.4(a) or Section 2.4(c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for
election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the
directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two year period or
whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to
constitute a majority thereof; or
(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly
involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation,
reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the Companys assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the
acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
(i) Which results in the Companys voting securities outstanding immediately before the
transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into
voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls,
directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of
the Companys assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such
person, the Successor Entity)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the
combined voting power of the Successor Entitys outstanding voting securities immediately after the
transaction, and
(ii) After which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or
more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or
group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.4(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more
of combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the
Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or
(d) The Companys stockholders approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
The Committee shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to
determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the
above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental
matters relating thereto.
2.5 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.6 Committee means the committee of the Board described in Article 12.
2.7 Consultant means any consultant or adviser if:
(a) The consultant or adviser renders bona fide services to the Company;
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(b) The services rendered by the consultant or adviser are not in connection with the offer or
sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or
maintain a market for the Companys securities; and
(c) The consultant or adviser is a natural person who has contracted directly with the Company
to render such services.
2.8 Covered Employee means an Employee who is, or could be, a covered employee
within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
2.9 Deferred Stock means a right to receive a specified number of shares of Stock
during specified time periods pursuant to Article 8.
2.10 Disability means that the Participant qualifies to receive long-term disability
payments under the Companys long-term disability insurance program, as it may be amended from time
to time.
2.11 Dividend Equivalents means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article
8 to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Stock) of dividends paid on Stock.
2.12 Effective Date shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1.
2.13 Eligible Individual means any person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a
member of the Board, as determined by the Committee.
2.14 Employee means any officer or other employee (as defined in accordance with
Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or any Subsidiary.
2.15 Equity Restructuring means a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and
its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or
recapitalization including any large non-recurring cash dividend, that affects the Stock (or other
securities of the Company) or the share price and causes a change in the per share value of the
Stock underlying outstanding Awards as determined by the Committee.
2.16 Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.17 Fair Market Value means, as of any given date, the fair market value of a share
of Stock on the immediately preceding date determined by such methods or procedures as may be
established from time to time by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the
Fair Market Value of a share of Stock as of any date shall be the average of the closing sale price
(or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) for a share of Stock as listed on the Nasdaq Global
Market (or on any national securities exchange or national marketed system on which the Stock is
then listed) for the immediately preceding date.
2.18 Incentive Stock Option means an Option that is intended to meet the
requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
3
2.19 Independent Director means a member of the Board who is not an Employee of the
Company.
2.20 Non-Employee Director means a member of the Board who qualifies as a
Non-Employee Director as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) of the Exchange Act, or any successor
definition adopted by the Board.
2.21 Non-Qualified Stock Option means an Option that is not intended to be an
Incentive Stock Option.
2.22 Option means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 5 of the Plan
to purchase a specified number of shares of Stock at a specified price during specified time
periods. An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
2.23 Other Stock-Based Award means an Award granted or denominated in Stock or units
of Stock pursuant to Section 8.7 of the Plan.
2.24 Participant means any Eligible Individual who, as a member of the Board,
Consultant or Employee, has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.
2.25 Performance-Based Award means an Award granted to selected Covered Employees
pursuant to Articles 6 and 8, but which is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Article
9. All Performance-Based Awards are intended to qualify as Qualified Performance-Based
Compensation.
2.26 Performance Bonus Award has the meaning set forth in Section 8.8.
2.27 Performance Criteria means the criteria that the Committee selects for purposes
of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Participant for a Performance
Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to
the following: net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization), economic value-added (as determined by the Committee), sales or revenue, net income
(either before or after taxes), operating earnings, cash flow (including, but not limited to,
operating cash flow and free cash flow), cash flow return on capital, return on net assets, return
on stockholders equity, return on assets, return on capital, stockholder returns, return on sales,
gross or net profit margin, productivity, expense, margins, operating efficiency, customer
satisfaction, working capital, earnings per share, price per share of Stock, and market share, any
of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or as
compared to results of a peer group. The Committee shall, within the time prescribed by Section
162(m) of the Code, define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance
Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period for such Participant.
2.28 Performance Goals means, for a Performance Period, the goals established in
writing by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Depending
on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be
expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a division, business unit,
or an individual. The Committee, in its discretion, may, within the time prescribed by Section
162(m) of the Code, adjust or modify the calculation of
4
Performance Goals for such Performance Period in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement
of the rights of Participants (a) in the event of, or in anticipation of, any unusual or
extraordinary corporate item, transaction, event, or development, or (b) in recognition of, or in
anticipation of, any other unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial
statements of the Company, or in response to, or in anticipation of, changes in applicable laws,
regulations, accounting principles, or business conditions.
2.29 Performance Period means the one or more periods of time, which may be of
varying and overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or
more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participants right to,
and the payment of, a Performance-Based Award.
2.30 Performance Share means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8,
to receive Stock, the payment of which is contingent upon achieving certain Performance Goals or
other performance-based targets established by the Committee.
2.31 Performance Stock Unit means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to
Article 8, to receive Stock, the payment of which is contingent upon achieving certain Performance
Goals or other performance-based targets established by the Committee.
2.32 Plan means this AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, as it may be
amended from time to time.
2.33 Public Trading Date means the first date upon which Stock is listed (or
approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved
for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation
system.
2.34 Qualified Performance-Based Compensation means any compensation that is
intended to qualify as qualified performance-based compensation as described in Section
162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.
2.35 Restricted Stock means Stock awarded to a Participant pursuant to Article 6
that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.
2.36 Restricted Stock Unit means an Award granted pursuant to Section 8.6.
2.37 Securities Act shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.38 Stock means the common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value, and such other
securities of the Company that may be substituted for Stock pursuant to Article 11.
2.39 Stock Appreciation Right or SAR means a right granted pursuant to
Article 7 to receive a payment equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a specified number
of shares of Stock on the date the SAR is exercised over the Fair Market Value on the date the SAR
was granted as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
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2.40 Stock Payment means (a) a payment in the form of shares of Stock, or (b) an
option or other right to purchase shares of Stock, as part of any bonus, deferred compensation or
other arrangement, made in lieu of all or any portion of the compensation, granted pursuant to
Article 8.
2.41 Subsidiary means any subsidiary corporation as defined in Section 424(f) of
the Code and any applicable regulations promulgated thereunder or any other entity of which a
majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or
indirectly by the Company.
ARTICLE 3
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
3.1 Number of Shares.
(a) Subject to Article 11 and Section 3.1(b), the aggregate number of shares of Stock which
may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be [ ] shares. To
the extent that an Award terminates, expires, or lapses for any reason, any shares of Stock subject
to the Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan.
Additionally, any shares of Stock tendered or withheld to satisfy the grant or exercise price or
tax withholding obligation pursuant to any Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award
pursuant to the Plan. To the extent permitted by applicable law or any exchange rule, shares of
Stock issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity
acquired in any form of combination by the Company or any Subsidiary shall not be counted against
shares of Stock available for grant pursuant to this Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in
conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the shares available for
issuance under the Plan.
3.2 Stock Distributed. Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in
whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or Stock purchased on the open
market.
3.3 Limitation on Number of Shares and Values Subject to Awards. Notwithstanding any
provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Article 11, the maximum number of shares of
Stock with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one Participant during any
twelve month period (measured from the date of any grant) shall be [ ] and the maximum
amount that may be paid in cash as a Performance Award that is intended to be a Performance Based
Award shall not exceed $___; provided, however, that the foregoing limitations shall not apply
following the Public Trading Date until the earliest of: (a) the first material modification of the
Plan (including any increase in the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan in
accordance with Section 3.1); (b) the issuance of all of the shares of Stock reserved for issuance
under the Plan; (c) the expiration of the Plan; (d) the first meeting of stockholders at which
members of the Board are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year
following the calendar year in which the Public Trading Date occurs; or (e) such other date
required by Section 162(m) of the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
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ARTICLE 4
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
4.1 Eligibility. Each Eligible Individual shall be eligible to be granted one or more
Awards pursuant to the Plan.
4.2 Participation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from
time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom Awards shall be granted and
shall determine the nature and amount of each Award. No Eligible Individual shall have any right
to be granted an Award pursuant to this Plan.
4.3 Foreign Participants. In order to assure the viability of Awards granted to
Participants employed in foreign countries, the Committee may provide for such special terms as it
may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy, or
custom. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or
alternative versions of, the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes
without thereby affecting the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose; provided,
however, that no such supplements, amendments, restatements, or alternative versions shall increase
the share limitations contained in Sections 3.1 and 3.3 of the Plan.
ARTICLE 5
STOCK OPTIONS
5.1 General. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the
following terms and conditions:
(a) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock subject to an Option shall
be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement.
(b) Time and Conditions of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times
at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part. The Committee shall also determine the
performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may
be exercised.
(c) Payment. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of
an Option may be paid, the form of payment, including, without limitation: (i) cash, (ii) shares of
Stock held for such period of time as may be required by the Committee in order to avoid adverse
accounting consequences and having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the
aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof, or (iii) other property
acceptable to the Committee (including through the delivery of a notice that the Participant has
placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to shares of Stock then issuable upon
exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the
net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the Option exercise price; provided that
payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale), and the methods
by which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no
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Participant who is a member of the Board or an executive officer of the Company within the
meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to pay the exercise price of an
Option in any method which would violate Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
(d) Evidence of Grant. All Options shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement
between the Company and the Participant. The Award Agreement shall include such additional
provisions as may be specified by the Committee.
5.2 Incentive Stock Options. The terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted
pursuant to the Plan must comply with the conditions and limitations contained Section 13.2 and
this Section 5.2.
(a) Eligibility. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the
Company or any subsidiary corporation thereof (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code
and the applicable regulations promulgated thereunder).
(b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock shall be set by the
Committee; provided that subject to Section 5.2(e) the exercise price for any Incentive Stock
Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant.
(c) Expiration. Subject to Section 5.2(e), an Incentive Stock Option may not be
exercised to any extent by anyone after the tenth anniversary of the date it is granted, unless an
earlier time is set in the Award Agreement.
(d) Individual Dollar Limitation. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of
the time the Option is granted) of all shares of Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock
Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year may not exceed $100,000 or such
other limitation as imposed by Section 422(d) of the Code, or any successor provision. To the
extent that Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in excess of such
limitation, the excess shall be considered Non-Qualified Stock Options.
(e) Ten Percent Owners. An Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any individual
who, at the date of grant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting
power of all classes of Stock of the Company only if such Option is granted at a price that is not
less than 110% of Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is exercisable for no more
than five years from the date of grant.
(f) Notice of Disposition. The Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of
any disposition of shares of Stock acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within (i) two
years from the date of grant of such Incentive Stock Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of
such shares of Stock to the Participant.
(g) Right to Exercise. During a Participants lifetime, an Incentive Stock Option may
be exercised only by the Participant.
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5.3 Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may provide in the Award
Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option that the Committee, in its sole discretion,
shall have to right to substitute a Stock Appreciation Right for such Option at any time prior
to or upon exercise of such Option, subject to the provisions of Section 7.2 hereof; provided that
such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of shares of
Stock for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable.
5.4 Paperless Exercise. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or
using the services of a third party, an automated system for the exercise of Options, such as a
system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless exercise of
options by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.
ARTICLE 6
RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS
6.1 Grant of Restricted Stock. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of
Restricted Stock to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such
terms and conditions as determined by the Committee. All Awards of Restricted Stock shall be
evidenced by a written Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
6.2 Issuance and Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions
on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without
limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on
the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times,
pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee determines at
the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.
6.3 Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the
grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or service during the applicable
restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be
forfeited; provided, however, that, the Committee may (a) provide in any Restricted Stock Award
Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock will be waived in
whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other
cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock.
6.4 Certificates for Restricted Stock. Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan
may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing
shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, certificates must bear an
appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such
Restricted Stock, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the
certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.
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ARTICLE 7
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
7.1 Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights.
(a) A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to any Participant selected by the Committee. A
Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the
Plan as the Committee shall impose and shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
(b) A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to
exercise the Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion
of the Stock Appreciation Right (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to
receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting
the exercise price per share of the Stock Appreciation Right from the Fair Market Value of a share
of Stock on the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of shares of Stock
with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised, subject to any
limitations the Committee may impose.
7.2 Payment and Limitations on Exercise.
(a) Payment of the amounts determined under Section 7.1(b) above shall be in cash, in Stock
(based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised) or a
combination of both, as determined by the Committee in the Award Agreement. To the extent payment
for a Stock Appreciation Right is to be made in cash. The Award Agreements shall specify the date
of payment which may be different than the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right, to the
extent necessary to comply with the requirements to Section 409A of the Code, as applicable. If
the date of payment for a Stock Appreciation Right is later than the date of exercise, the Award
Agreement may specify that the Participant be entitled to earnings on such amount until paid.
(b) To the extent any payment under Section 7.1 (b) is effected in Stock it shall be made
subject to satisfaction of all provisions of Article 5 above pertaining to Options.
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ARTICLE 8
OTHER TYPES OF AWARDS
8.1 Performance Share Awards. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be
granted one or more Performance Share awards which shall be denominated in a number of shares of
Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific
performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or
dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. In making such determinations,
the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the
specific type of award) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the
particular Participant.
8.2 Performance Stock Units. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted
one or more Performance Stock Unit awards which shall be denominated in units of value including
dollar value of shares of Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance
Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each
case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. In
making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems
relevant in light of the specific type of award) the contributions, responsibilities and other
compensation of the particular Participant.
8.3 Dividend Equivalents.
(a) Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted Dividend Equivalents based on the
dividends declared on the shares of Stock that are subject to any Award, to be credited as of
dividend payment dates, during the period between the date the Award is granted and the date the
Award is exercised, vests or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such Dividend Equivalents
shall be converted to cash or additional shares of Stock by such formula and at such time and
subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee.
(b) Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to Options or SARs that are intended to be
Qualified Performance-Based Compensation shall be payable, with respect to pre-exercise periods,
regardless of whether such Option or SAR is subsequently exercised.
8.4 Stock Payments. Any Participant selected by the Committee may receive Stock
Payments in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The number of shares shall
be determined by the Committee and may be based upon the Performance Criteria or other specific
performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, determined on the date such Stock
Payment is made or on any date thereafter.
8.5 Deferred Stock. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted an award
of Deferred Stock in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The number of
shares of Deferred Stock shall be determined by the Committee and may be linked to the Performance
Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined to be appropriate by
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the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods
determined by the Committee. Stock underlying a Deferred Stock award will not be issued until the
Deferred Stock award has vested, pursuant to a vesting schedule or performance criteria set by the
Committee. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a Participant awarded Deferred Stock shall
have no rights as a Company stockholder with respect to such Deferred Stock until such time as the
Deferred Stock Award has vested and the Stock underlying the Deferred Stock Award has been issued.
8.6 Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted
Stock Units to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms
and conditions as determined by the Committee. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify
the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable,
and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. At the time of grant, the
Committee shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units which
shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the
election of the grantee. On the maturity date, the Company shall, subject to Section 10.5(b),
transfer to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable share of Stock for each Restricted
Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited. The Committee shall
specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the grantee to the Company for such shares of
Stock.
8.7 Other Stock-Based Awards. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be
granted one or more Awards that provide Participants with shares of Stock or the right to purchase
shares of Stock or that have a value derived from the value of, or an exercise or conversion
privilege at a price related to, or that are otherwise payable in shares of Stock and which may be
linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria
determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any
period or periods determined by the Committee. In making such determinations, the Committee shall
consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the specific type of Award) the
contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the particular Participant.
8.8 Performance Bonus Awards. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be
granted one or more Performance-Based Awards in the form of a cash bonus (a Performance Bonus
Award) payable upon the attainment of Performance Goals that are established by the Committee
and relate to one or more of the Performance Criteria, in each case on a specified date or dates or
over any period or periods determined by the Committee. Any such Performance Bonus Award paid to a
Covered Employee shall be based upon objectively determinable bonus formulas established in
accordance with Article 9.
8.9 Term. Except as otherwise provided herein, the term of any Award of Performance
Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock, Restricted
Stock Units or Other Stock-Based Award shall be set by the Committee in its discretion.
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8.10 Exercise or Purchase Price. The Committee may establish the exercise or purchase
price, if any, of any Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Deferred
Stock, Stock Payments, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock-Based Award; provided, however,
that such price shall not be less than the par value of a share of Stock on the date of grant,
unless otherwise permitted by applicable state law.
8.11 Exercise Upon Termination of Employment or Service. An Award of Performance
Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Deferred Stock, Stock Payments, Restricted
Stock Units and Other Stock-Based Award shall only be exercisable or payable while the Participant
is an Employee, Consultant or a member of the Board, as applicable; provided, however, that the
Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may provide that an Award of Performance Shares,
Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock, Restricted Stock
Units or Other Stock-Based Award may be exercised or paid subsequent to a termination of employment
or service, as applicable, or following a Change in Control of the Company, or because of the
Participants retirement, death or disability, or otherwise; provided, however, that any such
provision with respect to Performance Shares or Performance Stock Units shall be subject to the
requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code that apply to Qualified Performance-Based Compensation.
8.12 Form of Payment. Payments with respect to any Awards granted under this Article
8 shall be made in cash, in Stock or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee.
8.13 Award Agreement. All Awards under this Article 8 shall be subject to such
additional terms and conditions as determined by the Committee and shall be evidenced by a written
Award Agreement.
ARTICLE 9
PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS
9.1 Purpose. The purpose of this Article 9 is to provide the Committee the ability to
qualify Awards other than Options and SARs and that are granted pursuant to Articles 6 and 8 as
Qualified Performance-Based Compensation. If the Committee, in its discretion, decides to grant a
Performance-Based Award to a Covered Employee, the provisions of this Article 9 shall control over
any contrary provision contained in Articles 6 or 8; provided, however, that the Committee may in
its discretion grant Awards to Covered Employees that are based on Performance Criteria or
Performance Goals but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Article 9.
9.2 Applicability. This Article 9 shall apply only to those Covered Employees
selected by the Committee to receive Performance-Based Awards. The designation of a Covered
Employee as a Participant for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant
to receive an Award for the period. Moreover, designation of a Covered Employee as a Participant
for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Covered Employee as a
Participant in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one Covered Employee as a
Participant shall not require designation of any other Covered Employees as a Participant in such
period or in any other period.
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9.3 Procedures with Respect to Performance-Based Awards. To the extent necessary to
comply with the Qualified Performance-Based Compensation requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of
the Code, with respect to any Award granted under Articles 6 and 8 which may be granted to one or
more Covered Employees, no later than ninety (90) days following the commencement of any fiscal
year in question or any other designated fiscal period or period of service (or such other time as
may be required or permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, in writing, (a)
designate one or more Covered Employees, (b) select the Performance Criteria applicable to the
Performance Period, (c) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable,
which may be earned for such Performance Period, and (d) specify the relationship between
Performance Criteria and the Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be
earned by each Covered Employee for such Performance Period. Following the completion of each
Performance Period, the Committee shall certify in writing whether the applicable Performance Goals
have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amount earned by a Covered
Employee, the Committee shall have the right to reduce or eliminate (but not to increase) the
amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the
Committee may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the
Performance Period.
9.4 Payment of Performance-Based Awards. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable
Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary on the day a
Performance-Based Award for such Performance Period is paid to the Participant. Furthermore, a
Participant shall be eligible to receive payment pursuant to a Performance-Based Award for a
Performance Period only if the Performance Goals for such period are achieved.
9.5 Additional Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, any
Award which is granted to a Covered Employee and is intended to constitute Qualified
Performance-Based Compensation shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in Section
162(m) of the Code (including any amendment to Section 162(m) of the Code) or any regulations or
rulings issued thereunder that are requirements for qualification as qualified performance-based
compensation as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, and the Plan shall be deemed amended
to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.
ARTICLE 10
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
10.1 Stand-Alone and Tandem Awards. Awards granted pursuant to the Plan may, in the
discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, any other
Award granted pursuant to the Plan. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards
may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other
Awards.
10.2 Award Agreement. Awards under the Plan shall be evidenced by Award Agreements
that set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each Award which may include the term of
an Award, the provisions applicable in the event the Participants employment or service
terminates, and the Companys authority to unilaterally or bilaterally
amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind an Award.
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10.3 Limits on Transfer. No right or interest of a Participant in any Award may be
pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or a
Subsidiary, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any
other party other than the Company or a Subsidiary. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee,
no Award shall be assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of by a Participant other than by
will or the laws of descent and distribution. The Committee by express provision in the Award or
an amendment thereto may permit an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) to be transferred
to, exercised by and paid to certain persons or entities related to the Participant, including but
not limited to members of the Participants family, charitable institutions, or trusts or other
entities whose beneficiaries or beneficial owners are members of the Participants family and/or
charitable institutions, or to such other persons or entities as may be expressly approved by the
Committee, pursuant to such conditions and procedures as the Committee may establish. Any
permitted transfer shall be subject to the condition that the Committee receive evidence
satisfactory to it that the transfer is being made for estate and/or tax planning purposes (or to a
blind trust in connection with the Participants termination of employment or service with the
Company or a Subsidiary to assume a position with a governmental, charitable, educational or
similar non-profit institution) and on a basis consistent with the Companys lawful issue of
securities.
10.4 Beneficiaries. Notwithstanding Section 10.3, a Participant may, in the manner
determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and
to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participants death. A beneficiary,
legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is
subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the
Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any
additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If the Participant is
married and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the
Participants spouse as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participants
interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participants
spouse. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made
to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participants will or the laws of descent and
distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a
Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.
10.5 Stock Certificates; Book Entry Procedures.
(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to
issue or deliver any certificates evidencing shares of Stock pursuant to the exercise of any Award,
unless and until the Board has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance and delivery
of such certificates is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental
authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any exchange on which the shares of Stock are
listed or traded. All Stock certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan are subject to any
stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply
with federal, state, or foreign jurisdiction, securities or other laws, rules and regulations and
the rules of any national securities exchange or automated quotation system on
15
which the Stock is listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any Stock
certificate to reference restrictions applicable to the Stock. In addition to the terms and
conditions provided herein, the Board may require that a Participant make such reasonable
covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board, in its discretion, deems advisable in
order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. The Committee shall have the
right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to
the settlement or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in
the discretion of the Committee.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the
Committee or required by any applicable law, rule or regulation, the Company shall not deliver to
any Participant certificates evidencing shares of Stock issued in connection with any Award and
instead such shares of Stock shall be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its
transfer agent or stock plan administrator).
ARTICLE 11
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
11.1 Adjustments.
(a) In the event that any dividend or other distribution, reorganization, merger,
consolidation, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Stock or other securities of the Company, or
other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Stock (other than an Equity
Restructuring) occurs such that an adjustment is determined by the Committee (in its sole
discretion) to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or
potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such
manner as it may deem equitable, adjust (i) the number and type of shares which may be delivered
under the Plan (including but not limited to adjustments of the limitations in Sections 3.1 and
3.3); (ii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including without limitation, any
applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (ii) the grant or exercise
price per share and the number of shares of Stock covered by each Award.
(b) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in Section 11(a):
(i) The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price
or grant price thereof, if applicable, will be proportionately adjusted so that the fair value of
each such Award and the proportionate interest represented thereby immediately after the Equity
Restructuring will equal the fair value of such Award and the proportionate interest represented
thereby immediately prior to such Equity Restructuring. The adjustments provided under this
Section 11(b)(i) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected
Participant and the Company.
(ii) The Committee shall make such proportionate adjustments, if any, as it in its discretion
may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to
the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not
limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 and 3.3).
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(c) All adjustments under this Section 11 shall be made (i) in a manner that does not cause a
modification to any Awards outstanding on the date of such adjustment within the meaning of Section
409A of the Code and the regulations or published guidance thereunder, (ii) with respect to any
Award intended as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation consistent with the requirements of
Section 162(m) of the Code; and (iii) with respect to any Incentive Stock Option consistent with
the requirements of Section 424 of the Code.
(d) In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 11.1(a), an Equity
Restructuring or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any
affiliate of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate (including
without limitation any Change in Control), or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or
accounting principles, and whenever the Committee determines that action is appropriate in order to
prevent the dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made
available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such
transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles, the
Committee, in its sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either
by amendment of the terms of any outstanding Awards or by action taken prior to the occurrence of
such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Participants request, is hereby
authorized to take any one or more of the following actions:
(i) To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash
and/or other property, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise
of such Award or realization of the Participants rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of
the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 11.1(b) the
Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of
such Award or realization of the Participants rights, then such Award may be terminated by the
Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property
selected by the Committee in its sole discretion;
(ii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a
parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards
covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof,
with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices; and
(iii) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Stock (or other securities or
property) subject to outstanding Awards, and in the number and kind of outstanding Restricted Stock
or Deferred Stock and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price),
and the criteria included in, outstanding options, rights and awards and options, rights and awards
which may be granted in the future;
(iv) To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect
to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the
applicable Award Agreement; and
17
(v) To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.
11.2 Acceleration Upon a Change in Control. Notwithstanding Section 11.1, and except
as may otherwise be provided in any applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement entered
into between the Company and a Participant, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participants
Awards are not converted, assumed, or replaced by a successor entity, then immediately prior to the
Change in Control such Awards shall become fully exercisable and all forfeiture restrictions on
such Awards shall lapse. Upon, or in anticipation of, a Change in Control, the Committee may cause
any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future, including
but not limited to the date of such Change in Control, and shall give each Participant the right to
exercise such Awards during a period of time as the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion,
shall determine or the right to receive the consideration that stockholders of the Company would
receive in connection with such Change in Control less any exercise price or base price for any
Award. In the event that the terms of any agreement between the Company or any Company subsidiary
or affiliate and a Participant contains provisions that conflict with and are more restrictive than
the provisions of this Section 11.2, this Section 11.2 shall prevail and control and the more
restrictive terms of such agreement (and only such terms) shall be of no force or effect.
11.3 No Other Rights. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall
have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the
payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class or
any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation.
Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Committee under the Plan, no
issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of
stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect
to, the number of shares of Stock subject to an Award or the grant or exercise price of any Award.
ARTICLE 12
ADMINISTRATION
12.1 Committee. Unless and until the Board delegates administration of the Plan to a
Committee as set forth below, the Plan shall be administered by the full Board, and for such
purposes the term Committee as used in this Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board. The
Board, at its discretion or as otherwise necessary to comply with the requirements of Section
162(m) of the Code, Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or to the extent required by any
other applicable rule or regulation, shall delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee. The
Committee shall consist solely of two or more members of the Board each of whom is both an outside
director, within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and a Non-Employee Director.
Notwithstanding the foregoing: (a) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office,
shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to all Awards granted to
Independent Directors and for purposes of such Awards the term Committee as used in this Plan
shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (b) the Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to
the extent permitted by Section 12.5. Appointment of
18
Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment. The Board may abolish
the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan. Committee
members may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the Board. Vacancies in the
Committee may only be filled by the Board.
12.2 Action by the Committee. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts
approved in writing by a majority of the Committee in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts
of the Committee. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any
report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the
Company or any Subsidiary, the Companys independent certified public accountants, or any executive
compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the
administration of the Plan.
12.3 Authority of Committee. Subject to any specific designation in the Plan, the
Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:
(a) Designate Participants to receive Awards;
(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;
(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of shares of Stock to which an
Award will relate;
(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including,
but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any reload provision, any
restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture restrictions or
restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, any
provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such
considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines; provided, however, that the
Committee shall not have the authority to accelerate the vesting or waive the forfeiture of any
Performance-Based Awards;
(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and pursuant to what circumstances an Award may be
settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other
property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;
(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each
Participant;
(g) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;
(h) Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or
advisable to administer the Plan;
(i) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan or any Award
Agreement; and
19
(j) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or
as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.
12.4 Decisions Binding. The Committees interpretation of the Plan, any Awards
granted pursuant to the Plan, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the
Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.
12.5 Delegation of Authority. To the extent permitted by and subject to the
provisions of applicable law, the Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or
more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend
Awards to Participants other than (a) senior executives of the Company who are subject to Section
16 of the Exchange Act, (b) Covered Employees, or (c) officers of the Company (or members of the
Board) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder. Any delegation
hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Committee specifies at the time
of such delegation, and the Committee may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint
a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 12.5 shall serve in such
capacity at the pleasure of the Committee.
ARTICLE 13
EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE
13.1 Effective Date. The Plan is effective as of the date the Plan is approved by the
Companys stockholders (the Effective Date). The Plan will be deemed to be approved by
the stockholders if it receives the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of
stock of the Company present or represented and entitled to vote at a meeting duly held in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the Companys Bylaws.
13.2 Expiration Date. The Plan will expire on, and no Incentive Stock Option or other
Award may be granted pursuant to the Plan after, the earlier of the tenth anniversary of (i) the
Effective Date or (ii) the date this Plan is approved by the Board. Any Awards that are
outstanding on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain in force according to the
terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.
ARTICLE 14
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION
14.1 Amendment, Modification, And Termination. With the approval of the Board, at any
time and from time to time, the Committee may terminate, amend or modify the Plan; provided,
however, that (a) to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with any applicable law,
regulation, or stock exchange rule, the Company shall obtain stockholder approval of any Plan
amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required, and (b) stockholder approval is
required for any amendment to the Plan that (i) increases the number of shares available under the
Plan (other than any adjustment as provided by Article 11), (ii) permits the Committee to grant
Options with an exercise price that is below Fair Market Value on the date of grant, or (iii)
permits the Committee to extend the exercise period for an Option beyond ten years from the
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date of grant. Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan to the contrary, absent approval of
the stockholders of the Company, no Option may be amended to reduce the per share exercise price of
the shares subject to such Option below the per share exercise price as of the date the Option is
granted and, except as permitted by Article 11, no Option may be granted in exchange for, or in
connection with, the cancellation or surrender of an Option having a higher per share exercise
price.
14.2 Awards Previously Granted. No termination, amendment, or modification of the
Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted pursuant to the Plan
without the prior written consent of the Participant.
ARTICLE 15
GENERAL PROVISIONS
15.1 No Rights to Awards. No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any claim
to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is
obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Participants or any other persons uniformly.
15.2 No Stockholders Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall
have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to shares of Stock covered by any Award until
the Participant becomes the record owner of such shares of Stock.
15.3 Withholding. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the
right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient
to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participants FICA obligation)
required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising
as a result of this Plan. The Committee may in its discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing
requirement allow a Participant to elect to have the Company withhold shares of Stock otherwise
issuable under an Award (or allow the return of shares of Stock) having a Fair Market Value equal
to the sums required to be withheld. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number
of shares of Stock which may be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment
of any Award (or which may be repurchased from the Participant of such Award within six months (or
such other period as may be determined by the Committee) after such shares of Stock were acquired
by the Participant from the Company) in order to satisfy the Participants federal, state, local
and foreign income and payroll tax liabilities with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or
payment of the Award shall be limited to the number of shares which have a Fair Market Value on the
date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the
minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll
tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income.
15.4 No Right to Employment or Services. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement
shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate
any Participants employment or services at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to
continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary.
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15.5 Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an unfunded plan for
incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an
Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights
that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.
15.6 Indemnification. To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member
of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any
loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in
connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be
a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to
the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in
such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an
opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to
handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be
exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to
the Companys Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any
power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
15.7 Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken
into account in determining any benefits pursuant to any pension, retirement, savings, profit
sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to
the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.
15.8 Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company
and its Subsidiaries.
15.9 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for
convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than
such titles or headings, shall control.
15.10 Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued and the
Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional
shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down as appropriate.
15.11 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other
provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any Participant who is then
subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth
in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to
Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall
be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.
22
15.12 Government and Other Regulations. The obligation of the Company to make
payment of awards in Stock or otherwise shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and
regulations, and to such approvals by government agencies as may be required. The Company shall be
under no obligation to register pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any of the
shares of Stock paid pursuant to the Plan. If the shares paid pursuant to the Plan may in certain
circumstances be exempt from registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Company may restrict the transfer of such shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the
availability of any such exemption.
15.13 Governing Law. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed in
accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of California.
* * * * *
I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of
AeroVironment, Inc. on ___, 2006.
* * * * *
I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the stockholders of AeroVironment,
Inc. on ___, 2006.
Executed
on this ___ day of , 2006.
23
exv23w1
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption Experts and to the use of our report
dated July 22, 2006, in the Registration Statement
(Form S-1 No. 333-137658) and related Prospectus
of AeroVironment, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on November 2, 2006.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG, LLP
Los Angeles, California
November 1, 2006
corresp
Craig M. Garner
Direct Dial: (858) 523-5407
Craig.Garner@LW.com
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, California 92130-2071
Tel: (858) 523-5400 Fax: (858) 523-5450
www.lw.com
FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
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Frankfurt
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Hamburg
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Hong Kong
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San Diego |
London
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San Francisco |
Los Angeles
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Shanghai |
Milan
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Moscow
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Munich
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Tokyo |
New Jersey
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Washington, State D.C. |
File No. 029637-0010
November 2, 2006
Max A. Webb
Assistant Director
Division of Corporation Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E., Mail Stop 3561
Washington, D.C. 20549
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Re:
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AeroVironment, Inc. |
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Registration Statement on Form S-1 |
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Filed September 28, 2006 |
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File No. 333-137658 |
Dear Mr. Webb:
We are in receipt of the Staffs letter dated October 25, 2006 with respect to the
above-referenced Registration Statement. We are responding to the Staffs comments on behalf of
AeroVironment, Inc. (AeroVironment or the Company) as set forth below. Simultaneously with the
filing of this letter, AeroVironment is submitting (by EDGAR) Amendment No. 1 to its Registration
Statement on Form S-1 (the Amendment), responding to the Staffs comments. Courtesy copies of
this letter and the Amendment (specifically marked to show the changes thereto) are being submitted
to the Staff by hand delivery.
AeroVironments responses set forth in this letter are numbered to correspond to the numbered
comments in the Staffs letter. All terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned
to such terms in the Amendment. For ease of reference, we have set forth the Staffs comments and
AeroVironments response for each item below.
Prospectus
General
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Please provide us with any artwork that you intend to use. The inside front cover artwork
should be clear illustrations of your product or business with concise language describing the
illustrations. Artwork that does not convey the business purpose and language that strays
beyond a limited scope will not be appropriate inside the front cover. Please refer to
Section VIII of the Division of Corporation Finance March 31, 2001 Current Issues and
Rulemaking Projects Quarterly Update available at www.sec.gov. |
November 2, 2006
Page 2 of 27
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that the artwork
is currently in development and could not be included in the Amendment. AeroVironment will include
the artwork in the next amendment and provide it to the Staff prior to that time if it becomes
available. It is contemplated that the artwork will consist of illustrations and short
descriptions of the Companys products.
2. |
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Please revise your statement on page i that [t]he information contained in this prospectus
is current only as of its date to clarify that the date to which you refer is the date of the
prospectus. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page i of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
3. |
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In numerous places in the prospectus, you indicate your belief regarding some aspect of your
UAS or PosiCharge products. Please provide us with the basis for these beliefs, examples of
which include: |
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On page 51: Your UAS and PosiCharge products provide unique
capabilities that had not previously existed, perform reliably and
affordably, and have high efficiency... relative to previous available
alternatives. |
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On page 52: [F]or the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, sales
of our small UAS accounted for a significant majority of the U.S.
militarys small UAS purchases. |
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On page 52: Your work to develop certain battery charging
algorithms contributed to the major battery manufacturers offering battery
warranties for fast charge. |
AeroVironment Response: In response to the Staffs comment, AeroVironment has
provided, as Annex A to this letter, material supporting the statements of belief contained
in the Amendment regarding its UAS and PosiCharge products.
4. |
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In numerous places in the prospectus, you compare your PosiCharge product to others in your
industry. Please provide us with the basis for such comparisons and, if available to you and
not already included, include in the prospectus a comparison with other fast charge
competitors like those listed on page 8. Examples of your statements include: |
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On pages 2 and 48: PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical
electric industrial vehicle battery and return it to service up to 16 times
faster than conventional charging methods. |
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On page 52: PosiCharge can reduce the amount of electricity
required to support electric industrial vehicles by several hundred dollars
per year per vehicle as compared to conventional battery chargers. |
November 2, 2006
Page 3 of 27
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On page 52: [O]ther fast charge and conventional charge
systems, which lack our current and voltage regulating tailored charge
algorithms and monitoring capabilities, may actually contribute to lower
battery performance and lifespan over time, ultimately resulting in higher
battery costs and degraded vehicle performance. |
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On page 52: PosiCharge customers typically begin to realize
cost savings when compared to battery charging within the first twelve
months of operation. |
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On page 56: PosiCharge DVS is designed to deliver lower
up-front installation and ongoing utility costs when compared to other
single vehicle fast chargers. |
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On page 56: PosiCharge MVS is designed to deliver greater
cost-savings as the number of vehicles simultaneously charged increases, as
compared to competitive charging systems, which are currently capable of
charging only up to eight vehicles at the same time. |
AeroVironment Response: In response to the Staffs comment, AeroVironment has
provided, as Annex B to this letter, material supporting the statements contained in the
Amendment comparing its PosiCharge product to others in the industry. In addition, AeroVironment
respectfully advises the Staff that it does not have available data providing direct comparisons of
its PosiCharge products to the fast charge products of its competitors to include in the Amendment.
5. |
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We note the dealer prospectus delivery obligation language you include on page i of the
prospectus. Please also include this language on the outside back cover page of the
prospectus. Refer to Item 502(b) of Regulation S-K. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has added the legend to the outside back cover
page of the prospectus which is contained in the Amendment, in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Prospectus Summary
Overview, page 1
6. |
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Please explain here what you mean by funded backlog and unfunded backlog in the last
paragraph of this section. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 2 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
7. |
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Revise the last sentence of the first paragraph to give the growth rate for each of the three
years, not the compound rate. |
November 2, 2006
Page 4 of 27
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 1 and 50 of
the Amendment to include the annual growth rate for the period from April 30, 2004 to April 30,
2005 and for the period from April 30, 2005 to April 30, 2006. AeroVironment believes that
additionally disclosing its compound annual growth rate for the aggregate of these periods provides
prospective investors with a better understanding of its performance.
8. |
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Revise the first sentence of the second paragraph to eliminate the capital letters in global
war on terror. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 1, 50, 52
and 53 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Summary Consolidated Financial Data, page 5
9. |
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We refer you to footnote 1 concerning the stock split to be reflected in your pro forma
earnings per share. Please clarify whether the stock split will occur prior or subsequent to
the effectiveness of your Form S-1 registration statements. If prior to effectiveness, SAB
Topic 4C requires that stock splits effected after the date of the latest balance sheet
presented, but before the effective date of the registration statement, be retroactively
reflected, with disclosure, in the financial statements for all periods presented. Please
advise or revise as appropriate. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 5, 6, 33
and 34 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Risk Factors
General
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Please consider a risk factor about growing congestion in battlefield skies and how this
could limit the use of UAS vehicles. Describe any accidents that have occurred involving UAS
vehicles. See Too many drones in Armys future? Tight airspace may force cuts in UAV
programs, dated July 10, 2006, in Army Times. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has added a new risk factor on page 14 of the
Amendment in response to the Staffs comment.
11. |
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Please consider a risk factor about the forward operating depot you maintain in Iraq to
support your UAS fleet used by the U.S. military, as referenced at the top of page 52.
Include the number of company employees and the potential harmful results to the company and
its employees should it be attacked or destroyed. As part of this risk factor, include
instructors or other support personnel that you have stationed abroad generally, as referenced
on page 55. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 16 of the
Amendment in response to the Staffs comment. In addition, AeroVironment notes that all inventory
and equipment located at this forward operating depot is property of the U.S. government, which
bears the risk of loss in the event that this equipment is damaged or destroyed.
November 2, 2006
Page 5 of 27
12. |
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Consider adding a risk factor that any winding down of the war in Iraq might adversely affect
your sales. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 8 of the
Amendment in response to the Staffs comment.
We rely heavily on sales to the U.S. government, page 7
13. |
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You indicate that governmental agencies could exercise their rights to terminate contracts
at-will. Please revise to indicate whether all or substantially all of your government
contracts are terminable at will. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 7 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
If critical components of our products that we currently purchase, page 9
14. |
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Name your sole suppliers of critical components here or in the Business section and
cross-reference the site here. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 10 and 63
of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Our earnings and profit margins may decrease, page 12
15. |
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We note that you define fixed-price and cost-plus-fee contracts in the risk factor on page 13
entitled, Cost overruns on our contracts could subject us to losses... Please define these
terms in this risk factor instead or switch the order in which these risk factors appear. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 12 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
16. |
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In addition, please revise to indicate whether development work references research and
development work. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 12 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Our business could be adversely affected by a negative audit, page 19
17. |
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You indicate here and on page 61 that you are currently being audited by the Defense Contract
Management Agency (DCMA) and that DCMA has identified certain corrective actions to be
taken with respect to our current system, which we are in the process of implementing. On
page 61, you identify the system under audit as the system for the care, control and
accountability of government property. Please so identify the system in this risk factor, as
well. In addition, please summarize material corrective actions which DCMA has identified, if
practicable. For example, if the need for certificates of authorization for certain flight
tests of UAS outside military installations,
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November 2, 2006
Page 6 of 27
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which you discuss on the bottom of page 10, was identified as part of this audit, please so
indicate. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 19, 20 and
65 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. AeroVironment respectfully advises the
Staff that because implementation of the corrective measures identified by the DCMA has not had a
material impact on its business, financial condition or results of operations, it believes that a
summary of the corrective actions taken is not necessary.
Our management, whose interest may not be aligned with yours, page 22
18. |
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We note the disclosure on page 22 indicating that the Companys executive officers and their
affiliates collectively own 80.7% of the Companys outstanding shares of common stock. We
also note that they currently control the vote on all matters requiring stockholder approval,
including the election of directors and will continue to do so following completion of the
offering. Please revise the notes to the Companys financial statements to disclose the
existence of this control relationship. Refer to the disclosure requirements outlined in
paragraph 2 of SFAS No. 57. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully disagrees with the Staffs
analysis of the requirements of SFAS No. 57. Paragraph 2 of SFAS No. 57 states that [f]inancial
statements shall include disclosures of material related party transactions. . . . As ownership
of the Companys outstanding shares of common stock is not a transaction, the Company does not
believe that disclosure of common stock ownership should be included in the Related Party
Transactions footnote to the Companys financial statements. In addition, the Company notes that,
as the definition of what constitutes ownership is different for purposes of the financial
statements than it is for purposes of calculating the percentages for the Companys principal
stockholders in the Registration Statement, inclusion of this information in the notes to the
financial statements could be confusing to investors. Also, as noted in the Companys response to
the Staffs Comment No. 45, the Company has revised the disclosure on page F-21 to disclose the
significant terms of the voting agreement with certain stockholders of the Company.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements, page 26
19. |
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We note your statement in the last paragraph of this section that you cannot guarantee the
accuracy or completeness of statistical and other industry data generated by independent
parties. A disclaimer of liability for material information provided by the issuer is not
appropriate. Please revise to remove the language noted above. Alternately, revise to say
that you believe and act as if they are accurate. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 27 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Use of Proceeds, page 27
20. |
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Please quantify the various uses of proceeds, if practicable. |
November 2, 2006
Page 7 of 27
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that it has not
yet determined the allocation of the proceeds among the proposed uses and that consequently it is
not able to quantify the various potential uses at this time.
Dividend Policy, page 27
21. |
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We note the disclosure on page 27 indicating that the Companys debt agreements restrict the
Company from paying any dividends to its stockholders. Please revise the notes to the
Companys financial statements to disclose the nature and terms of the restrictions imposed on
the Companys ability to pay dividends by the terms of its debt arrangements. Refer to the
requirements outlined in Rule 4-08(e) of Regulation S-X. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-31 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. AeroVironment notes that the credit agreement
referred to on page F-31 prohibits it from paying any dividends to its stockholders, except in
certain cases which do not apply to AeroVironment.
Capitalization, page 28
22. |
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We note from the disclosure in the paragraph preceding your capitalization table on page 28
that as adjusted capitalization gives effect to the exercise of outstanding options by
certain selling shareholders in the offering. If the exercise of these options will result in
a material reduction of earnings applicable to common shareholders (excluding the effects of
the offering), please revise to disclose pro forma earnings per share for the latest fiscal
year and subsequent interim period presented giving effect to the conversion, but not to the
offering. This pro forma presentation should be included on the face of your statements of
operations for the latest fiscal year and subsequent interim period presented and should also
be disclosed in your Summary Consolidated Financial Data. Refer to the guidance outlined in
Topic Three, Section IV.C. 3. of the Division of Corporation Finance Staff Training Manual. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that the
determination of the number of options that are to be exercised by certain selling stockholders in
the offering has not been determined. When that determination is made, the Company will revise the
disclosure in the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment if the exercise will result in a
material reduction of the earnings applicable to common stockholders.
Selected Consolidated Financial Data, page 32
23. |
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Please disclose the nature of any matters that impact the comparability of your selected
financial data for the periods presented. Refer to the guidance outlined in Instruction 2 to
Item 301 of Regulation S-K. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 33 and 34
of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. AeroVironment is aware of no other
matters, including accounting changes, business combinations, dispositions of business operations,
or other transactions, that materially affect the comparability of the information reflected in its
selected financial data. AeroVironment is also not aware of any additional items or
November 2, 2006
Page 8 of 27
material uncertainties which it believes would enhance the understanding of or would highlight
other trends in its financial condition and results of operations.
Managements Discussion and Analysis, page 34
24. |
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Please expand your MD&A to identify and discuss key performance indicators that management
uses to manage the business and that would be material to investors, and to provide
information about the quality of, and potential variability of, the Companys earnings and
cash flows, so that investors can ascertain the likelihood that past performance is indicative
of future performance. Refer to SEC Release No. 33-8350. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that the key
performance indicators that its management considers in evaluating its business include revenue,
cost of sales, gross margin, research and development expenses, backlog and selling, general and
administrative expenses. In response to the Staffs comment, AeroVironment has provided additional
disclosure regarding each of these performance indicators and how AeroVironment views its business
on pages 35, 36 and 37.
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan Obligation, page 36
25. |
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We note the disclosure indicating that accruals due to Dr. MacCready under the Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plan will be reversed in connection with the Companys planned public
offering. As Dr. MacCready is one of the Companys principal shareholders, it appears the
reversal of this obligation should be accounted for as a capital contribution in the Companys
financial statements. Please revise to explain your planned accounting treatment for the
reversal of this obligation and the relevant technical accounting literature that supports
your planned treatment. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 39 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. The Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the
SERP) was designed to provide retirement benefits for Dr. MacCready based upon the assumption
that no initial public offering of the Company was likely to occur. However, upon a successful
initial public offering, the SERP would be canceled. Unless and until the Companys initial public
offering is completed, the Company believes that the most accurate estimate of the liability
associated with the SERP is the net present value of the expected payment stream. Upon the
occurrence of the initial public offering or other liquidity event, the most accurate estimate of
the liability associated with the SERP will be zero. The Company therefore views this reversal as
a change in an accounting estimate that is consistent with the application of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, paragraph 19.
Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 42
26. |
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Revise to describe reasons for material changes in cash flows from operating, investing, and
financing activities from period to period. We note that your disclosures are merely a
reiteration of the cash flow statement. The liquidity discussion should focus on the reasons
for the changes in assets and liabilities and the need for purchases of property and
equipment, treasury stock, investments, acquisitions, etc. |
November 2, 2006
Page 9 of 27
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 45, 46 and
47 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Overview, page 47
27. |
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Please better explain what grid-tied means with reference to Architectural Wind. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 51 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Small UAS, page 48
28. |
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Please clarify here that Global Hawk and Predator referenced at the top of page 49 are not
manufactured by you. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 52 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
29. |
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Please indicate to what extent commercial applications for UAS, such as those that you
mention in the last paragraph of this section, have already developed. If most have not yet
developed, please explain why not. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 53 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems, page 50
30. |
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Please define what you mean by logistics in a business setting, as referenced on page 51. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 54 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Small UAS, page 51
31. |
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You indicate that your five types of small UAS vehicles, with the exception of Dragon Eye,
share a common ground control unit. Does this mean that their ground control units are the
same? |
AeroVironment Response: Yes. The same ground control unit is used to operate all of
the Companys small UAS, with the exception of Dragon Eye.
32. |
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In addition, how does the need for landing space comport with the use of these vehicles in
urban environments? Please describe any other challenges to use of UAS vehicles in urban
environments. For example, see Army finds Raven UAVs unsuitable for Baghdad use,
dated September 6, 2005, in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report. |
AeroVironment Response: Given the ability of system operators to maintain line of
sight communications between the transceiver and the aircraft, which can be accomplished by
mounting the transceiver on a high location such as a rooftop, AeroVironment believes that UAS
vehicles are
November 2, 2006
Page 10 of 27
valuable tools in urban environments and will continue to be used extensively in such
settings. Regarding the need for landing space, the Company notes that Raven and Puma can land
nearly vertically through a controlled stall, enabling either vehicle to land on a rooftop or small
clearing. With respect to the risks presented by air traffic congestion in urban environments,
AeroVironment has provided additional disclosure on page 14 of the Amendment. The Companys small
UAS, including Raven and Dragon Eye, are being used extensively in both urban and rural
environments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
33. |
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Revise the last sentence of this section to replace the compound annual growth rate with the
growth rate for each of the three years. Make a similar change in the last sentence of the
next section. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 55 of the
Amendment to include the annual growth rate for the period from April 30, 2004 to April 30, 2005
and for the period from April 30, 2005 to April 30, 2006. AeroVironment believes that additionally
disclosing its compound annual growth rate for the aggregate of these periods provides prospective
investors with a better understanding of its performance.
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems, page 52
34. |
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You indicate that PosiCharge was developed from your innovative work on electrical and
hybrid vehicles and battery systems in the 1990s. Either revise to eliminate this adjective
or detail how your work was innovative. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 55 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Technology and Research and Development, page 53
35. |
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Please describe the makeup of and selection process for the intellectual property and
commercialization committee you mention in the third paragraph on page 54. Is this a
committee of the board of directors, management, or other employees? |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 57 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
36. |
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Please indicate why you often choose to protect your intellectual property through trade
secrets as opposed to publication, as referenced in the fourth paragraph on page 54. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 58 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Products and Services, page 54
37. |
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We note the disclosure on page 54 indicating that the Company provides system solutions that
typically include hardware, software, training, service, spare parts, and ongoing support. We
also note from the disclosure on page F-10 that the substantial majority of the Companys
revenue is generated pursuant to written contractual arrangements to design,
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November 2, 2006
Page 11 of 27
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develop, manufacture, and/or modify complex products, and to provide related engineering,
technical and other services according to the specification of the customers. We further
note that these arrangements are accounted for pursuant to SOP 81-1. Please tell us and
clarify in your accounting policy disclosures whether any of your sales arrangements provide
for multiple deliverables that must be accounted for in accordance with the guidance
outlined in EITF 00-21. If so, please tell us and expand your disclosure to explain how you
consider the guidance outlined in EITF 00-21 in accounting for these arrangements. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 38 and F-10
of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. AeroVironment considers all contracts for treatment in accordance with Financial Accounting
Standards Board Emerging Issues Task Force No. 00-21, Revenue Arrangements with Multiple
Deliverables (EITF 00-21). EITF 00-21 provides for deferral to higher authoritative guidance,
including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Statement of Position 81-1, Accounting
for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts (SOP 81-1), under
which the majority of AeroVironments contracts are properly accounted for. Contracts which provide
for multiple deliverables to which SOP 81-1 does not apply are accounted for in accordance with the
provisions of EITF No. 00-21.
Small UAS, page 55
38. |
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Please include the size of the fleet for each vehicle and each of its primary customers. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully requests that it not be required
to provide disclosure regarding the size of the fleet for each vehicle for each of its primary
customers. Certain of the Companys vehicles are in the evaluation stage with its customers.
Making the number of such vehicles that have been supplied to these customers publicly available
would alert AeroVironments competitors as to the stage of the evaluation process to which these
programs had progressed. Such knowledge would provide its competitors, who AeroVironment believes
to be actively attempting to sell their products to the same customers, with competitively
sensitive information that could be used by them to target their marketing efforts to the Companys
disadvantage, thereby damaging AeroVironments prospects for successful program acquisition.
Further, AeroVironment has limited awareness of how its vehicles are deployed once they are
shipped to its customers and is unable to ascertain how many of the vehicles it has supplied to a
customer are being actively deployed at any given time as opposed to being retained for training or
inventory purposes. Moreover, due to the national security implications of their operations,
AeroVironment does not believe that its Department of Defense customers would be willing to provide
it with such information, or if it were willing to provide such information to AeroVironment, that
it would be willing for AeroVironment to make such information publicly available.
Contract Engineering Services, page 57
39. |
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Please indicate why you are not seeking to grow this service offering at this time. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 60 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
November 2, 2006
Page 12 of 27
UAS Manufacturing and Operations, Page 59
40. |
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Please define ISO and ISO 9001: 2000 referenced on the top of page 60. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 63 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Competition, page 60
41. |
|
Your list of UAS competitors here differs somewhat from that provided on page 8. For
example, you include Northrop Grumman Corporation as a competitor on page 8 but state here
that its Global Hawk is not viewed by you as direct competition. Please revise to make your
disclosure consistent. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 8 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Regulation, page 61
42. |
|
Please revise to elaborate on the corrective actions identified by the DCMA. Include any
financial statement impact including costs of implementation in your disclosure. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 65 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff
that because implementation of the corrective measures identified by the DCMA has not had a
material impact on its business, financial condition or results of operations, it believes that a
summary of the corrective actions taken is not necessary.
Bidding Process, page 62
43. |
|
You state in the third paragraph that you are the sole provider under the only two programs
of record established by the DoD for small UAS, a 2006 U.S. Army/SOCOM contract for Raven and
a 2003 U.S. Marine Corps contract for Dragon Eye. Please provide additional background and
context for these contracts so investors can better assess their significance. For example,
how big are the contracts in dollars and in number of vehicles delivered, and for what length
of time are the contracts? |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 66 and 67
of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
44. |
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In addition, if these were the only two such UAS programs, how did you come to supply the
U.S. Navy, as identified in the chart on page 55, which is not one of the customers under the
two contracts? How did you come to supply customers with the Swift, the Wasp, and the Puma,
as identified in that same chart, which are not vehicles you supplied under the two contracts?
Furthermore, how did you come to be the sole provider of Ravens to the U.S. Army in 2004,
which you highlight in the second paragraph, two years before your contract with the Army
under one of the two programs of record? In addition, you also identify these contracts on
page 47 as the only competitively bid U.S. military small UAS
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November 2, 2006
Page 13 of 27
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programs of record as of July 29, 2006. Were these the only two such programs of
any kind or the only two competitive programs? Please revise to clarify
your disclosure or advise. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 66 and 67
of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment in order to provide greater clarity with
regards to the various types of contracts it has entered into with the U.S. government and how
these contracts are funded.
Transactions with Officers and Directors, page 77
45. |
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Revise the notes to the financial statements to disclose the significant terms of the voting
agreement with certain principle shareholders of the Company. Refer to the requirements
outlined in paragraph 2 of SFAS No. 57. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-21 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Principal and selling stockholders, page 78
46. |
|
By footnote or otherwise, please identify the natural persons with voting or investment
control over the Taylor Family Trust. Refer to Interpretation 1.60 of Telephone
Interpretation Manual (July 1997). |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 83 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Common Stock, page 80
47. |
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The last sentence of the first paragraph of this section, which says that all shares now
outstanding and to be outstanding upon completion of this offering are fully paid and
non-assessable, is a legal conclusion which you are not qualified to make. Either delete the
sentence or attribute it to a law firm and file a consent in the next amendment. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 84 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Underwriting, page 86
48. |
|
Please expand this section to disclose that the selling shareholders may be deemed to be
underwriters with respect to the shares they are offering for resale. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 90 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
November 2, 2006
Page 14 of 27
April 30, 2006 Financial Statements, page F-1
Consolidated Statements of Income, page F-4
49. |
|
We note from pages 34 and F-9 that you classify the gains and losses from sales and disposals
of assets as a component of other income (expenses), net. Please revise to reflect these
amounts as components of operating income or explain why you do not believe this is required.
Refer to the guidance outlined in paragraphs 25 and 45 of SFAS No. 144 and footnote 68 to SAB
Topic 13. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 5, 33, 37,
41, F-4, F-23 and F-27 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. The Company has
reclassified gains and losses from sales and disposals of assets from other income to SG&A.
50. |
|
We note from the disclosure on page 34 that you include interest income and expense in other
income and expense. Please revise to provide separate disclosure of interest expense in your
consolidated statements of operations. Refer to the requirements outlined in Rule 5-03(8) of
Regulation S-X. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 5, 33, 37,
41, F-4, F-23 and F-27 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders Equity, page F-5
51. |
|
We note that you have repurchases of common shares, however, have no treasury stock
presented. Please tell us and revise to disclose your accounting policies with regard to
these repurchased shares including any plans authorizing the repurchases, any stock retired,
and any stock held and how the value was determined. Also, please tell us and clarify in your
financial statements whether any compensation expense was required to be recognized in
connection with share repurchases. If not, please explain why. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages F-11 and
F-12 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. Regarding treasury stock, as a
California corporation, the Company accounts for repurchased shares according to California
Corporations Code Section 510, which states: When a corporation reacquires its own shares, those
shares are restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares, unless the articles prohibit
the reissuance thereof. The Companys articles do not prohibit such reissuance.
Research and Development, page F-11
52. |
|
Revise to disclose the related costs of sales associated with customer funded research and
development for the periods presented in your financial statements. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-12 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
November 2, 2006
Page 15 of 27
Note 2. Inventories, net, page F-14
53. |
|
From the schedule on page F-24, the balance of inventory reserves increased significantly in
fiscal 2005. Please tell us and explain in MD&A and the notes to your financial statements
the facts or circumstances responsible for the increase in inventory reserves during 2005.
Also, please provide us with further details on any write-downs or impairments taken and the
reasons for such actions. Additionally, revise the notes to your financial statements to
disclose such transactions as necessary. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 39, F-8 and
F-9 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. The Company notes that it has made no
further write-downs or impairments.
Note 8. Stock Based Compensation, page F-16
54. |
|
We note from the disclosure provided in Note 8 that the Company granted 63,000 stock options
with an exercise price of $15.00 per share during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006.
Please tell us and explain in the notes to the Companys financial statements and MD&A how the
Company determined the fair market value of its common shares and the related exercise price
of the options granted during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. As part of your response
and your revised disclosure, please address the following: |
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For each option grant made during the period, please indicate
the number of options granted, the exercise price, the fair value of the
common stock at the date of grant, and the intrinsic value, if any, per
option. |
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Indicate the valuation method and significant assumptions used
to determine the fair value of your common shares and indicate whether the
valuation was based on a contemporaneous or retrospective valuation. Also,
please indicate whether the valuation was performed by an independent
valuation specialist or a related party. |
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To the extent that the expected public offering price of your
common shares exceeds the exercise price of options granted during the
preceding twelve month period, please discuss in MD&A each significant
factor contributing to a difference between the fair value of each option
grant and the expected public offering price. |
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Refer to the guidance outlined in paragraphs 179 and 182 of The
AICPA Practice Aid Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities.
We may have further comment upon review of your response and your revised
disclosures. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 40 and F-18
of the Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment. AeroVironment granted options to acquire
63,000 shares of its common stock on October 20, 2005, at an exercise price of $15 per share. The
Board of Directors determined the fair market value of its common stock at such time based upon two
arms-length sales by third parties of 25,000 shares of its common stock, occurring
November 2, 2006
Page 16 of 27
on September 1, 2005 and October 5, 2005, both of which were priced at $15 per share. The
shares were sold by one of the Companys independent directors, Dr. Murray Gell-Mann, and purchased
by another of its independent directors, Arnie Fishman and by the Whiting Family Partnership, a
family limited partnership of which Tim Conver, the Companys Chief Executive Officer, is a limited
partner.
In September 2006, during its second fiscal quarter, AeroVironment issued options to purchase
17,500 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $82.98 per share, which was determined to
be the fair market value of its common stock at such time, based upon a contemporaneous independent
third-party valuation. AeroVironment will provide the requested disclosure with respect to these
options in the amendment in which it includes its second quarter financial statements. No other
options were granted during the twelve-month period prior to the expected date of the consummation
of this offering.
55. |
|
Also, please revise to include the pro forma disclosures required by paragraph 45 of SFAS
No. 123 in your Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. Refer to the guidance outlined in
paragraph 2e of SFAS No. 148. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-11 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
Note 9. Income Taxes, page F-19
56. |
|
Please tell us and explain in Note 9 the nature of the reconciling item included in the
reconciliation of your statutory tax rate to your effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 2004, described as reduction of amount in excess of tax liability. As part of
your response, you should also explain why you believe it is appropriate to account for this
item as a change in estimate rather than as a correction of an error. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has determined based upon a detailed review
that the majority of the reductions in the tax liability consisted of research and development
credits. While no errors in accounting were discovered, the disclosure presentation has been
revised in footnote 9 on page F-20 of the Amendment in response to the Staffs comment.
Note 10. Related Party Transactions, page F-20
57. |
|
We note the disclosure indicating that the Company provided a loan to its Chief Executive
Officer for $599,000 in June 2004 to facilitate the exercise of stock options. We also note
that this loan was repaid during April 2005. Please tell us and revise the disclosures
provided in Note 10 to indicate the number and terms of the options exercised through the
issuance of this note and the significant terms of the note received from the Companys Chief
Executive Officer. Your response and your revised disclosure should indicate whether this
note was recourse or non-recourse and should also indicate whether variable accounting was
required for the options exercised through the issuance of the note and the reasons why
variable accounting was or was not required. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-21 of the
Amendment in accordance with the Staffs comment.
November 2, 2006
Page 17 of 27
General
58. |
|
Please update the financial statements, if necessary, as required by Rule 3-12 of Regulation
S-X. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has concluded that no update to the financial
statements as required by Rule 3-12 of Regulation S-X is necessary for the Amendment.
59. |
|
An updated accountants consent should be included with any future amendments to your Form
S-1 registration statement. |
AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has provided an updated accountants consent
attached as an exhibit to the Amendment.
Confidential Treatment Request
60. |
|
We have received your confidential treatment request related to this filing and will respond
to it separately. |
AeroVironment Response: Thank you.
*********************
Any comments or questions regarding the foregoing should be directed to the undersigned at
(858) 523-5407. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in connection with this matter.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ Craig M. Garner
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Craig M. Garner |
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of LATHAM & WATKINS LLP |
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cc:
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Mr. Timothy Conver |
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Michael E. Sullivan, Esq. |
November 2, 2006
Page 18 of 27
Annex A
Statements of Belief Regarding the Companys Small UAS and PosiCharge Products
1. On pages 1 and 50: [W]e believe that both the small unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS,
and fast charge markets are in the early stages of development and have significant growth
potential.
Support: According to General Hobbins, Director of the Joint Air Power Competence
Center of the Air Force, the market for UAS is expected to grow from 4% of total U.S. military
funding for aircraft in 2000 to 31% of total U.S. military funding for aircraft by 2010 (Please see
the attached article published at UVonline.com entitled Unmanned Aircraft Key to Future
Operations, General Says by Captain Elizabeth Culbertson, USAF (Annex A-1)). The
Company has also received feedback from its UAS customers, including the U.S. Army, Marine Corps
and Special Operations Command, which indicate a high degree of utility of its small UAS products.
Customers deployment plans exceed current deployment levels, suggesting continued demand for its
small UAS products. For example, the Armys current acquisition objective is 1,900 Raven systems,
of which approximately 23% had been delivered as of July 29, 2006. While the Armys acquisition
objective would deploy AeroVironments small UAS at the company level, the Company anticipates that
future deployment may occur at the platoon level, which may suggest a larger future volume of small
UAS to equip a larger number of platoons. Penetration into other branches of the U.S. military,
such as the U.S. Navy and Air Force, is lower than for the Companys U.S. Army, Marine Corps and
Special Operations Command customers, but the Company believes that these branches are also likely
to adopt this technology in the future. For example, the U.S. Air Force is currently in the
process of selecting a micro UAV. Initial acquisitions smaller in scope by allied militaries such
as France, Italy and Australia similarly suggest future adoption on a larger scale.
The Company expects non-military applications for small UAS to grow once the Federal Aviation
Administration develops a comprehensive regulatory framework for integrating them into the national
airspace and as programs such as the Secure Borders Initiative, a potentially large program to
limit illegal transit across U.S. borders using technology, communications and coordination,
evolve. The Company also believes that as it actively seeks to educate different commercial market
segments on the benefits of small UAS deployment, such as first responders, commercial demand will
increase.
Regarding the market for fast charge systems, the Company estimates that of the approximately
100,000 electric forklifts delivered in North America in 2005, only 3,000 to 5,000 of those
vehicles were supported by fast charge systems. Given the financial, operational and safety
benefits offered by fast charge technology, the Company expects continued market penetration and a
resulting increase in the share of new electric forklifts being supported by fast charge systems.
2. On pages 1 and 50: We believe that our small UAS capabilities, combined with our high
level of service, logistical support and training, have enabled us to win both competitively bid
U.S. military small UAS programs of record as of July 29, 2006.
November 2, 2006
Page 19 of 27
On page 64: We believe that the principal competitive factors in the markets for our
products and services include product performance, features, acquisition cost, lifetime operating
cost, including maintenance and support, ease of use, integration with existing equipment, quality,
reliability, customer support, brand and reputation.
Support: Please see the attached summary (Annex A-2) of the set of criteria
employed by the U.S. Army to evaluate the applicants for its 2005 SUAV award for which the Company
was ultimately selected the winner. These criteria included technical specifications, cost to the
U.S. Army, management and evaluation of past performance of the Companys small UAS. Prior to
being declared the winner of the SUAV award from the Marine Corps, the Company secured a Marine
Corps award for its Dragon Eye product. Please see the attached summary (Annex A-3) of
the set of criteria employed by the U.S. Marine Corps to evaluate the applicants for its 2003 SUAV
award, which included technical specifications, cost to the U.S. Marine Corps, supportability
features and evaluation of past performance of the Companys small UAS. The Company believes that
its overall small UAS offering, which includes hardware, service, training and support, enables it
to deliver a compelling solution to its customers to satisfy their requirements better than the
Companys competitors.
3. On pages 2 and 56: We believe that the increased use of our small UAS in the U.S.
military will be a catalyst for increased demand by allied countries, and that our efforts to
pursue new applications will help to create non-military opportunities.
On page 51: While military customers represent the substantial majority of the
domestic small UAS market today, we believe that new applications in intelligence, homeland/border
security and local law enforcement, as well as potential commercial applications, represent
significant new domestic and international growth opportunities for our small UAS solutions.
On page 53: As such, we believe that small UAS will play an increasing role in
transforming the U.S. military and that the armed forces of NATO and other U.S. allies represent
significant growth opportunities.
On page 53: We believe that potential commercial applications for small UAS include
petrochemical infrastructure monitoring, natural disaster damage assessment and rescue operations,
utility infrastructure inspection and aerial imaging.
Support: The Company believes that the utilization of small UAS among U.S. military
forces may result in subsequent adoption by other NATO countries, due to joint operations and
procurement programs between the U.S. military and the militaries of these other nations. For
example, the United Kingdoms military is currently borrowing the Companys Raven systems from the
U.S. Army for use in Iraq operations (Please see the article British Forces in Iraq now have Raven
UAV for Surveillance (Annex A-4)). The Company believes that the U.S. militarys
sharing of technology and tactics with NATO and other allied forces will increase their level of
familiarity with small UAS and help to drive their acquisition of the Companys small UAS products.
November 2, 2006
Page 20 of 27
The Company has provided demonstrations of its small UAS in a variety of non-military
applications, including firefighting, search and rescue, border security, and offshore oil platform
inspection. In addition, the Company has provided small UAS surveillance services to a pipeline
operator on a commercial basis. The Company believes that although its small UAS provide a
potentially safer and more cost-effective method of delivering aerial data, it will take time to
educate different market segments regarding the utility of this technology for their needs. The
Company believes that its demonstrations of the commercial applications of its small UAS and
initial commercial projects will help to drive increased adoption of small UAS in non-military
applications over time.
The Company expects non-military applications for small UAS to grow once the Federal Aviation
Administration develops a comprehensive regulatory framework for integrating them into the national
airspace and as programs such as the Secure Borders Initiative, a potentially large program to
limit illegal transit across U.S. borders using technology, communications and coordination,
evolve. The Company also believes that as it actively seeks to educate different commercial market
segments on the benefits of small UAS deployment, such as first responders, commercial demand will
increase.
5. On page 52: We believe that UAS, which range from large systems, such as Global Hawk
and Predator, to small systems, such as our Raven, are an integral part of this transforming
military force because they provide critical observation and communications capabilities.
Support: The Company refers the Staff to a joint article by the Office of Force
Transformation and the Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense, which states: Transformation is
the roadmap that will lead the U.S. to ...a future force that is defined less by size and more by
mobility and swiftness, one that is easier to deploy and sustain, one that relies more heavily on
stealth, precision weaponry, and information technologies (Network Centric Operations Conceptual
Framework Version 2.0, a collaborative effort of John Garstka, Office of Force Transformation and
David Alberts, Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense).
A key component of the Department of Defenses military transformation effort is the concept
of Network Centric Operations, or NCO. The NCO strategy contemplates a variety of sensors and
sensor platforms distributed throughout the battlefield, effectively transmitting data to necessary
military personnel. The Company believes that unmanned vehicles, and unmanned aircraft systems in
particular, offer a unique platform for collecting data. Their position above the battlefield
affords them a valuable vantage point for gathering visual and other data to aid in activities such
as target identification, battle damage assessment and force protection. Benefits specific to the
utilization of small UAS include the ability to deploy them when and where needed, without a large
logistics or support footprint, as well as their potential to provide data and communications relay
for troops whose communications are limited by obstacles to line-of-sight systems. As an example
of the perceived value of small UAS in this military transformation, the U.S. Armys Future Combat
Systems program identifies four classes of unmanned aircraft system for integration into its force
structure.
November 2, 2006
Page 21 of 27
6. On page 53: We believe that the U.S. militarys ongoing transformation, coupled with
the nature of the threat associated with the global war on terror, will continue to be long-term
drivers of the demand for small UAS.
Support: The Company refers the Staff to #5 in this Annex A above for a discussion of
the demand for small UAS as a result of the U.S. militarys ongoing transformation.
Regarding the global war on terror as a long-term driver for the demand for small UAS, the
U.S. political and military leadership have consistently maintained that the global war on terror
is a longer-term conflict that will run its course over many years. This conflict is characterized
by small groups of enemy combatants operating in a clandestine fashion in urban and other areas,
requiring the U.S. and allied forces to deploy small groups of highly-skilled warfighters supported
by advanced technology and weapons systems to seek out and neutralize these opponents. This trend
suggests that small UAS, which provide a cost-effective and flexible platform for collecting and
transmitting data on a warfighter level, will continue to be utilized as important tools in this
conflict.
7. On page 54: We believe that the market for our PosiCharge fast charge systems will
continue to grow as organizations that utilize electric vehicles seek to enhance their operational
performance. In addition, we believe that the non-U.S. market offers significant opportunities for
growth.
Support: The Company estimates that of the approximately 100,000 electric forklifts
delivered in North America in 2005, only 3,000 to 5,000 of those vehicles were supported by fast
charge systems. Given the financial, operational and safety benefits offered by fast charge
technology, the Company expects continued market penetration and a resulting increase in the share
of new electric forklifts being supported by fast charge systems. The Company believes that
penetration of the market outside of North America is also in a relatively early stage of
development.
The Company believes that PosiCharge can increase productivity, enhance safety, reduce
infrastructure cost, and liberate valuable floorspace occupied by battery changing rooms. The
Company believes that as more operators of factories, distribution centers, warehouses and airport
ground support equipment implement PosiCharge or other fast charge systems, awareness of the
technology will continue to increase and resistance to adopting the technology, both from potential
customers and entrenched distribution channel participants, will decrease, resulting in market
growth.
8. On page 54: We believe that our products provide unique capabilities that had not
previously existed, perform reliably and affordably, and help our customers operate more
effectively.
Support: Regarding the assertion that AeroVironment provided products with
capabilities that had not previously existed, based upon its extensive industry knowledge and
experience, the Company believes that it developed the first back-packable small UAS (Pointer,
Raven) that could
November 2, 2006
Page 22 of 27
be hand launched and provide real-time video and infrared, as well as the first fast charge system
that could deliver charge up to 16 vehicles simultaneously from a single utility connection.
Regarding the reliability, affordability and effectiveness of the Companys small UAS, the
fleet of Raven small UAS currently operating in Iraq have an Operational Availability, a measure of
readiness for use that was developed and is managed by the Army, of above 90%, which is considered
by the U.S. Army to be high. As compared to other methods of conducting reconnaissance, including
sending personnel into potentially dangerous locations, the Company believes that small UAS provide
an affordable solution, particularly compared to larger UAS such as Hunter, Shadow, Predator and
Global Hawk. By utilizing the Companys small UAS, military personnel are able to increase their
situational awareness, thereby increasing their operating effectiveness. Furthermore, a single
person using a single ground control unit and receiver/transmitter can operate the Companys small
UAS, such as Raven, whereas larger UAS typically require larger support teams and infrastructure.
For example, the Predator UAS requires a support team of 55 personnel.
Regarding the reliability, affordability and effectiveness of the Companys PosiCharge
systems, its systems have been in continuous use in customer facilities since the year 2000. Once
installed, PosiCharge systems tend to operate effectively and reliably for multiple years;
PosiCharge systems installed in 2000 and 2001 are still currently in service. From the Companys
experience, the most common replacement service required for PosiCharge systems is the replacement
of charge cable connectors that have been damaged by operators. In terms of affordability and
effectiveness, PosiCharge allows customers to increase the productivity of their lift truck
drivers, reduce labor costs, re-purpose battery changing rooms for more productive activities and
improve facility safety through the elimination of battery changing and its associated risk of
battery acid spillage and personal injury.
9. On page 55: We believe that, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, sales of our
small UAS accounted for a significant majority of the U.S. militarys small UAS purchases.
Support: Based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience, as of April 30,
2006, the Company was aware of only two active, material small UAS procurement programs in the U.S.
Department of Defense. AeroVironment was the only company selected to provide small UAS to the
U.S. Army, Marine Corps and SOCOM as a result of winning both of these programs. As such, the
Company believes that it has a significant majority share of the U.S. militarys small UAS
purchases.
10. On page 55: We believe our work to develop these algorithms contributed to the major
battery manufacturers offering battery warranties for fast charge, which provided a critical
assurance to customers that fast charge systems would not harm their batteries.
Support: Extensive testing of motive power battery performance and lifespan with
PosiCharge fast charge systems has been conducted in the Companys advanced battery development
testing laboratories, beginning in 1998 and continuing today. Battery brands from all major U.S.
motive battery manufacturers have been tested, and data derived from this testing has been shared
with the battery manufacturers. The Company believes that this collaborative
November 2, 2006
Page 23 of 27
approach of sharing extensive test data with battery manufacturers was a key driver for the
issuance of fast charge warranties for brands including Deka (2001), GNB (2001), Crown (2001) and
EnerSys (2002). In the case of Deka batteries (produced by East Penn Manufacturing), the Company
tested one of their batteries over several years, sending individual cells to them for analysis at
three points during the test program. The Company believes that the issuance of battery warranties
by the battery manufacturers for fast charge systems helped to reduce the perceived risk of
implementing fast charge systems by customers, contributing to further adoption.
11. On page 56: Moreover, while fast charge technology itself provides significant
operational and financial benefits to our customers, we believe that our ability to integrate the
system effectively into customer operations through installation services, asset management
capabilities and post-sale support increases the value proposition. We believe that this turnkey
approach to the fast charge market represents a potential source of competitive advantage.
Support: The Companys sales offering previously consisted primarily of application
engineering (determining the appropriate configuration of PosiCharge components to suit a
particular customers needs) and system sales. Customers typically contracted an in-house or local
service provider for installation. Based on its experience, the Company believes that providing
installation services itself increases the probability of successful operation and use by the
customer. Similarly, by supporting its customers through post-sale services (provided through a
combination of employees and contracted service providers), the Company believes that this
increases its customers success with the systems and strengthen its relationships with them, which
may lead to subsequent sales to them.
The Companys PosiCharge systems record each charging event. By collecting this data and
synthesizing it into reports, the Company can provide actionable information to its customers
regarding the level of use of their individual lift trucks. This information enables customers to
increase the efficiency of their fleet by tailoring maintenance and rotating assets to reduce cost
and improve vehicle performance. The Company believes that this capability is a significant
element of competitive differentiation. A sample of recent transactions involving the sale of
installation or data services indicated an average increase in revenue per transaction of over 20%.
12. On page 60: The product of years of research with both our own and U.S.
government-sponsored development funding, we believe Global Observer to be the worlds first liquid
hydrogen-powered UAS.
Support: Based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience,
including over 20 years of experience developing stratospheric and other unmanned aircraft, the
Company is not aware of any other liquid hydrogen-powered unmanned aircraft that has flown
successfully.
13. On page 61: We believe that recent combat experience in urban environments indicates
that such a capability would be of great value and could significantly improve the ability to
neutralize hostile elements such as snipers, machine guns and mortar launchers.
Support: The U.S. military is pursuing means of shortening the kill chain, which
refers to a six-stage plan of attack find, fix, track, target, engage and assess. The objective
is to act quickly when a target is identified to increase the probability of neutralizing that
target. (See
November 2, 2006
Page 24 of 27
Compressing the Kill Chain by Adam J. Hebert, published in Air Force Magazine Online (Annex
A-5). Threats such as snipers, machine gunners and mortar or small rocket launchers are
particularly difficult to find and tend to be highly mobile, making them difficult to track after
they attack. Urban environments offer numerous places for these targets to hide. Switchblade is a
development program that would provide an easy-to-launch small UAS designed to identify the
location of these types of targets through its onboard video camera. The operator would view the
target through a screen on the ground control unit and then activate a terminal guidance mode that
would launch Switchblade at high speed toward the target. An explosive charge within Switchblade
would detonate upon contact.
14. On page 61: By maintaining assigned points of contact with our customers, we believe
that we are able to enhance our relationships, service existing contracts effectively and gain
vital feedback to improve our responsiveness and product offerings.
Support: In both its UAS and PosiCharge product lines, the Company has deployed
dedicated business development and sales personnel to pursue specific prospects and manage
relationships with certain customers. These individuals provide single points of contact for the
Companys customers and facilitate an up-to-date understanding of customer needs. The Company
believes that the relationships between these individuals and the Companys customers play a
significant role in providing a flow of information from the customers back to AeroVironment,
allowing it to continually improve its product and service offerings.
15. On page 62: We believe that these dealers are well suited to address the large number
of smaller and geographically dispersed customers with industrial vehicle fleets.
Support: Based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience, the Company
believes that independent battery dealers tend to focus on specific geographic areas. Their
coverage areas range based on the geographic concentration of potential customers, the scope of the
distributors sales and service operation and whether or not they have offices in multiple
locations. Because these dealers are regionally-based, they are not able to support customers with
extensive operations in multiple regions, states or nations, but are well-suited to identify
prospective customers within their regions, sell to those customers and provide services with rapid
response levels based on their geographic proximity.
16. On page 63: As a result, we believe that we can significantly reduce the time
required to move a product from its design phase to full-rate production deliveries with high
reliability, quality and yields.
Support: The Company believes that it maintains an agile and flexible design approach
that permits it to respond quickly to customer input. As a result, the Company believes that it
can develop solutions to address evolving customer needs relatively quickly and efficiently. This
ability is based on a number of factors, including the Companys design and engineering approach,
its strategic deployment of internal research and development funding, and its people and other
resources. The Companys design and engineering approach is based on the concept of engineering
first principles, where the Company focuses on the issues most critical to enabling a successful
result. This allows the Company to avoid spending a great deal of time and money on
November 2, 2006
Page 25 of 27
related but unnecessary activities. The Company also allocates internal funding to research and
development programs that it determines to be high potential. This enables it to begin formal
contracting processes with a head start compared to where its competitors might be. Finally, the
Companys skilled people take a direct path to delivering rapid and effective prototypes, in part
by utilizing equipment, such as its CNC machinery, to accelerate the development of tooling for new
components and products. All of these factors, and others, result in the Companys ability to
respond rapidly to customer, product and market requirements.
November 2, 2006
Page 26 of 27
Annex B
Statements of Comparison Regarding PosiCharge and its Competitors
1. On pages 2 and 35: PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial
vehicle battery and return it to service up to 16 times faster than conventional charging methods.
Support: Although AeroVironment believes this assertion to be accurate, the Company
has revised the disclosure on pages 2 and 48 of the Amendment to conform to the data available in
the following documents. Please see the attached (1) study commissioned by the Electric Power
Research Institute (the EPRI Study) (Annex B-1) and (2) article from BuyerZone.com
entitled Electric forklifts: clean and quiet for indoor use (the BuyerZone Article) (Annex
B-2). According to the BuyerZone Article, conventional forklift battery chargers typically
require eight hours to complete a full charge. This charging process typically generates heat
inside the battery, which requires another eight hours for the battery to cool down to a
temperature low enough to permit installation into a forklift. According to the EPRI Study,
PosiCharge can return a batterys state of charge from 20% to 80%, while not generating the heat of
a conventional forklift battery charger (and therefore not requiring a cooling period), in one to
two hours. While it is true that PosiCharge is capable of restoring a batterys state of charge in
as little as one hour under optimal conditions, the Companys experience is that a recharge time of
approximately one hour and 20 minutes is more typical for the fastest charge time under real world
conditions. For this reason, the Company has revised its disclosure to indicate that PosiCharge
can recharge a typical industrial vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional
charger.
2. On page 55: PosiCharge can reduce the amount of electricity required to support
electric industrial vehicles by several hundred dollars per year per vehicle as compared to
conventional battery chargers.
Support: Please see the attached EPRI Study. The EPRI Study disclosed the results of
a trial conducted by a Ford Motor Company assembly plant between August 2001 and December 2001,
during which the assembly plant had installed and operated both PosiCharge fast charge systems and
conventional battery charging equipment. The EPRI Study concluded that PosiCharge fast charge
systems reduced electricity consumption by over $500 per electric lift truck per year, when
compared to electricity consumption utilizing conventional battery charging equipment.
3. On pages 55 and 56: [O]ther fast charge and conventional charge systems, which lack
our current and voltage regulating tailored charge algorithms and monitoring capabilities, may
actually contribute to lower battery performance and lifespan over time, ultimately resulting in
higher battery costs and degraded vehicle performance.
Support: Please see the attached article by Edward P. Rafter, P.E., Tier IV
Consulting Group, entitled Why Batteries Fail Prematurely, published in EC&M Magazine (the EC&M
Article) (Annex B-3). The EC&M Article indicates that undercharging or overcharging a
battery can cause it to fail prematurely, and that setting the proper charging level requires
effective monitoring of the interaction between voltage and temperature. Based upon its extensive
knowledge of and experience in the industry, AeroVironment believes that no other fast charge
November 2, 2006
Page 27 of 27
systems offered by competitors and no conventional charging systems have the monitoring and
control capabilities comparable to those of the PosiCharge system.
4. On page 56: PosiCharge customers typically begin to realize cost savings when compared
to battery charging within the first twelve months of operation.
Support: AeroVironment provides potential PosiCharge customers with a financial
analysis that details the expenditures and estimated cost savings over time for the PosiCharge
system. AeroVironment is providing the staff a copy of such an analysis, which is attached hereto
as Annex B-4. AeroVironment believes that the primary cost savings obtained using
PosiCharge systems includes the productivity that is regained by eliminating the need for the
vehicle operator to drive the vehicle to a dedicated area to change the battery. Additionally,
PosiCharge systems typically reduce the need for battery maintenance, thereby reducing labor costs
for battery maintenance personnel. AeroVironment respectfully
requests that the staff return Annex B-4 when it has finished
its review.
5. On page 59: PosiCharge DVS is designed to deliver lower up-front installation and
ongoing utility costs when compared to other single vehicle fast chargers.
Support: Please see the attached data sheet for PosiCharge DVS, which is attached
hereto as Annex B-5. PosiCharge DVS draws electricity from a single utility connection,
which it then converts and routes to charge two vehicles simultaneously. Because of the costs
associated with the installation of any battery charger into a buildings electrical system, DVS
offers lower total installation costs to support two vehicles than would be the case if two single
vehicle fast chargers were each installed. Additionally, by employing more efficient power
management components than some other fast charge systems, DVS can more efficiently transfer
electricity into the battery, resulting in less electricity loss and, potentially, lower utility
cost.
6. On page 59: PosiCharge MVS is designed to deliver greater cost-savings as the number
of vehicles simultaneously charged increases, as compared to competitive charging systems, which
are currently capable of charging only up to eight vehicles at the same time.
Support Please see the attached data sheet for PosiCharge MVS, which is attached
hereto as Annex B-6. PosiCharge MVS draws electricity from a single utility connection,
which it then converts and routes to charge up to 16 vehicles simultaneously. Because of
the costs associated with the installation of any battery charger into a buildings electrical
system, MVS offers lower total installation costs to support 16 vehicles than would be the case if
two eight-vehicle fast chargers were each installed. Additionally, by employing more efficient
power management components than some other fast charge systems, MVS can more efficiently transfer
electricity into the battery, resulting in less electricity loss and, potentially, lower utility
cost.
cover
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, California 92130-2071
Tel: (858) 523-5400 Fax: (858) 523-5450
www.lw.com
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November 2, 2006
VIA EDGAR
Max A. Webb
Assistant Director
Division of Corporation Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E., Mail Stop 3561
Washington, D.C. 20549
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Re:
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AeroVironment, Inc. |
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Registration Statement on Form S-1 |
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Filed September 28, 2006 |
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File No. 333-137658 |
Dear Mr. Webb:
Simultaneously with the filing of this letter, AeroVironment, Inc. is submitting (by EDGAR)
Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the Amendment). Courtesy copies of
this letter and the Amendment (specifically marked to show the changes thereto) are being submitted
to the Staff by hand delivery.
Any comments or questions regarding the Amendment should be directed to the undersigned at
(858) 523-3959. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in connection with this matter.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ MICHAEL SULLIVAN
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Michael Sullivan |
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cc:
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Craig M. Garner, Esq., Latham & Watkins LLP |
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Stuart L. Hindle, AeroVironment, Inc. |