The Quarterly
LANC 2015 10-K

Lancaster Colony Corp (LANC) SEC Quarterly Report (10-Q) for Q3 2015

LANC Q4 2015 10-Q
LANC 2015 10-K LANC Q4 2015 10-Q




UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

Form 10-Q

(Mark One)

ý

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

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2015

or

¨

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

For the transition period from                     to                    

Commission file number 000-04065

Lancaster Colony Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio

13-1955943

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

37 West Broad Street

Columbus, Ohio

43215

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

614-224-7141

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes   ý     No   ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes   ý     No   ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large Accelerated filer

ý

Accelerated filer

¨

Non-accelerated filer

o   (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller Reporting Company

¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes   ¨     No   ý

As of October 22, 2015 , there were 27,365,823 shares of Common Stock, without par value, outstanding.





LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

3

Item 1.

Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited):

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets – September 30, 2015 and June 30, 2015

3

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income – Three Months Ended September 30, 2015 and 2014

4

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income – Three Months Ended September 30, 2015 and 2014

5

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows – Three Months Ended September 30, 2015 and 2014

6

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

7

Item 2.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

13

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

17

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

17

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

18

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

18

Item 2.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

18

Item 6.

Exhibits

18

SIGNATURES

19

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

20


2




PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

(Amounts in thousands, except share data)

September 30, 
 2015

June 30, 
 2015

ASSETS

Current Assets:

Cash and equivalents

$

199,410


$

182,202


Receivables (less allowance for doubtful accounts, September-$147; June-$206)

74,141


62,437


Inventories:

Raw materials

34,158


30,655


Finished goods

55,997


47,244


Total inventories

90,155


77,899


Deferred income taxes and other current assets

18,273


20,460


Total current assets

381,979


342,998


Property, Plant and Equipment:

Land, buildings and improvements

113,938


113,844


Machinery and equipment

256,789


253,143


Total cost

370,727


366,987


Less accumulated depreciation

199,640


194,676


Property, plant and equipment-net

171,087


172,311


Other Assets:

Goodwill

143,788


143,788


Other intangible assets-net

47,025


47,771


Other noncurrent assets

8,148


8,076


Total

$

752,027


$

714,944


LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current Liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

48,798


$

38,823


Accrued liabilities

47,694


35,821


Total current liabilities

96,492


74,644


Other Noncurrent Liabilities

23,694


23,654


Deferred Income Taxes

35,119


35,728


Commitments and Contingencies



Shareholders' Equity:

Preferred stock-authorized 3,050,000 shares; outstanding-none



Common stock-authorized 75,000,000 shares; outstanding – September-27,364,707 shares; June-27,360,581 shares

108,448


107,767


Retained earnings

1,234,161


1,219,119


Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(9,976

)

(10,057

)

Common stock in treasury, at cost

(735,911

)

(735,911

)

Total shareholders' equity

596,722


580,918


Total

$

752,027


$

714,944


See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.


3




LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

2015

2014

Net Sales

$

294,085


$

259,987


Cost of Sales

226,118


202,563


Gross Margin

67,967


57,424


Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

26,079


22,820


Operating Income

41,888


34,604


Interest Income and Other-Net

122


8


Income Before Income Taxes

42,010


34,612


Taxes Based on Income

14,382


11,851


Net Income

$

27,628


$

22,761


Net Income Per Common Share:

Basic and diluted

$

1.01


$

0.83


Cash Dividends Per Common Share

$

0.46


$

0.44


Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:

Basic

27,319


27,286


Diluted

27,344


27,316


See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.



4




LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

(Amounts in thousands)

2015

2014

Net Income

$

27,628


$

22,761


Other Comprehensive Income:

Defined Benefit Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans:

Amortization of loss, before tax

131


100


Amortization of prior service asset, before tax

(1

)

(1

)

Total Other Comprehensive Income, Before Tax

130


99


Tax Attributes of Items in Other Comprehensive Income:

Amortization of loss, tax

(49

)

(36

)

Amortization of prior service asset, tax

-


-


Total Tax Expense

(49

)

(36

)

Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax

81


63


Comprehensive Income

$

27,709


$

22,824


See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.



5




LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

(Amounts in thousands)

2015

2014

Cash Flows From Operating Activities:

Net income

$

27,628


$

22,761


Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

6,039


4,766


Deferred income taxes and other noncash changes

(791

)

(1,218

)

Stock-based compensation expense

785


811


Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation

(186

)

(167

)

Pension plan activity

(74

)

(148

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Receivables

(11,633

)

(5,336

)

Inventories

(12,256

)

(4,095

)

Other current assets

2,587


7,317


Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

21,212


11,227


Net cash provided by operating activities

33,311


35,918


Cash Flows From Investing Activities:

Cash paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired

(12

)

-


Payments on property additions

(3,360

)

(7,940

)

Other-net

(331

)

(93

)

Net cash used in investing activities

(3,703

)

(8,033

)

Cash Flows From Financing Activities:

Payment of dividends

(12,586

)

(12,030

)

Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation

186


167


Net cash used in financing activities

(12,400

)

(11,863

)

Net change in cash and equivalents

17,208


16,022


Cash and equivalents at beginning of year

182,202


211,539


Cash and equivalents at end of period

$

199,410


$

227,561


Supplemental Disclosure of Operating Cash Flows:

Cash paid during the period for income taxes

$

2,237


$

478


See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.



6




LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and SEC Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In our opinion, the interim condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations and financial position for such periods. All such adjustments reflected in the interim condensed consolidated financial statements are considered to be of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Accordingly, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto contained in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Unless otherwise noted, the term "year" and references to a particular year pertain to our fiscal year, which begins on July 1 and ends on June 30; for example, 2016 refers to fiscal 2016 , which is the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 .

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation, except for those acquired as part of a business combination, which are stated at fair value at the time of purchase. Purchases of property, plant and equipment included in accounts payable and excluded from the property additions and the change in accounts payable in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows were as follows:

September 30,

2015

2014

Construction in progress in accounts payable

$

616


$

1,081


Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share ("EPS") is computed based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock and common stock equivalents (restricted stock and stock-settled stock appreciation rights) outstanding during each period. Unvested shares of restricted stock granted to employees are considered participating securities since employees receive nonforfeitable dividends prior to vesting and, therefore, are included in the earnings allocation in computing EPS under the two-class method. Basic EPS excludes dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period, which includes the dilutive potential common shares associated with nonparticipating restricted stock and stock-settled stock appreciation rights.


Basic and diluted net income per common share were calculated as follows:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Net income

$

27,628


$

22,761


Net income available to participating securities

(35

)

(39

)

Net income available to common shareholders

$

27,593


$

22,722


Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic

27,319


27,286


Incremental share effect from:

Nonparticipating restricted stock

5


5


Stock-settled stock appreciation rights

20


25


Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted

27,344


27,316


Net income per common share – basic and diluted

$

1.01


$

0.83



7


LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts in thousands, except per share data)



Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

The following table presents the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss by component:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Accumulated other comprehensive loss at beginning of period

$

(10,057

)

$

(8,061

)

Defined Benefit Pension Plan Items:

Amortization of unrecognized net loss (1)

135


107


Postretirement Benefit Plan Items:

Amortization of unrecognized net gain (1)

(4

)

(7

)

Amortization of prior service asset (1)

(1

)

(1

)

Total other comprehensive income, before tax

130


99


Total tax expense

(49

)

(36

)

Other comprehensive income, net of tax

81


63


Accumulated other comprehensive loss at end of period

$

(9,976

)

$

(7,998

)

(1) Included in the computation of net periodic benefit income/cost. See Notes 9 and 10 for additional information.

Significant Accounting Policies

There were no changes to our Significant Accounting Policies from those disclosed in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In July 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new accounting guidance which requires entities to measure most inventory "at the lower of cost or net realizable value," thereby simplifying current guidance. Under current guidance an entity must measure inventory at the lower of cost or market, where market is defined as one of three different measures, one of which is net realizable value. The guidance will be effective prospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently evaluating this guidance, but do not believe it will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance for the recognition of revenue under the principle: "Recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services." Following a one-year deferral of the effective date, the guidance will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017 and will require either retrospective application to each prior period presented or retrospective application with the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard recognized at the date of adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact of this guidance.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In September 2015, the FASB issued new accounting guidance which allows entities to prospectively reflect adjustments made to provisional amounts recognized for a business combination during the measurement period. Under the current guidance these adjustments need to be reflected retrospectively as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. The guidance will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015 but can be adopted early if financial statements have not been issued. We are adopting this guidance effective July 1, 2015, but it is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Note 2 – Acquisition

On March 13, 2015, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Flatout Holdings, Inc. ("Flatout"), a privately owned manufacturer and marketer of flatbread wraps and pizza crusts based in Saline, Michigan. The purchase price, net of cash acquired, was $92.2 million and was funded by cash on hand. Flatout is reported in our Specialty Foods segment, and its results of operations have been included in our consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition.


8


LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts in thousands, except per share data)



The following preliminary purchase price allocation is based on the fair value of the net assets acquired:

Balance Sheet Captions

Allocation


Receivables

$

2,479


Inventories

3,748


Other current assets

212


Property, plant and equipment

6,937


Goodwill (not tax deductible)

53,948


Other intangible assets

44,000


Current liabilities

(2,445

)

Deferred tax liabilities

(16,651

)

Net assets acquired

$

92,228


Further adjustments may occur to the allocation above as certain tax aspects of the transaction are finalized during the measurement period.

Note 3 – Long-Term Debt

At September 30, 2015 and June 30, 2015 , we had an unsecured credit facility ("Facility") under which we may borrow, on a revolving credit basis, up to a maximum of $120 million at any one time, with potential to expand the total credit availability to $200 million subject to us obtaining consent of the issuing banks and certain other conditions. The Facility expires on April 18, 2017 , and all outstanding amounts are then due and payable. Interest is variable based upon formulas tied to LIBOR or an alternative base rate defined in the credit agreement, at our option. We must also pay facility fees that are tied to our then-applicable consolidated leverage ratio. Loans may be used for general corporate purposes. When we have outstanding borrowings under this Facility, they will be classified as long-term debt due to the long-term nature of this Facility.

At September 30, 2015 and June 30, 2015 , we had no borrowings outstanding under this Facility. At September 30, 2015 , we had $4.7 million of standby letters of credit outstanding, which reduced the amount available for borrowing on the Facility. We paid no interest for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 .

The Facility contains certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on indebtedness, asset sales and acquisitions. There are two principal financial covenants: an interest expense test that requires us to maintain an interest coverage ratio not less than 2.5 to 1 at the end of each fiscal quarter; and an indebtedness test that requires us to maintain a consolidated leverage ratio not greater than 3 to 1 at all times. The interest coverage ratio is calculated by dividing Consolidated EBIT (as defined more specifically in the credit agreement) by Consolidated Interest Expense (as defined more specifically in the credit agreement), and the leverage ratio is calculated by dividing Consolidated Debt (as defined more specifically in the credit agreement) by Consolidated EBITDA (as defined more specifically in the credit agreement).

Note 4 – Commitments and Contingencies

At September 30, 2015 , we were a party to various claims and litigation matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Such matters did not have a material effect on the current-year results of operations and, in our opinion, their ultimate disposition will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Note 5 – Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill attributable to the Specialty Foods segment was $143.8 million at September 30, 2015 and June 30, 2015 .


9


LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts in thousands, except per share data)



The following table summarizes our identifiable other intangible assets, all included in the Specialty Foods segment:

September 30, 
 2015

June 30, 
 2015

Tradename (30-year life)

Gross carrying value

$

34,500


$

34,500


Accumulated amortization

(623

)

(365

)

Net carrying value

$

33,877


$

34,135


Trademarks (40-year life)

Gross carrying value

$

370


$

370


Accumulated amortization

(225

)

(223

)

Net carrying value

$

145


$

147


Customer Relationships (10 to 15-year life)

Gross carrying value

$

18,020


$

18,020


Accumulated amortization

(9,241

)

(8,882

)

Net carrying value

$

8,779


$

9,138


Technology / Know-how (10-year life)

Gross carrying value

$

3,900


$

3,900


Accumulated amortization

(211

)

(114

)

Net carrying value

$

3,689


$

3,786


Non-compete Agreements (5-year life)

Gross carrying value

$

600


$

600


Accumulated amortization

(65

)

(35

)

Net carrying value

$

535


$

565


Total net carrying value

$

47,025


$

47,771


Amortization expense for our other intangible assets, which is reflected in Selling, General and Administrative Expenses, was as follows:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Amortization expense

$

746


$

236


Total annual amortization expense for each of the next five years is estimated to be as follows:

2017

$

2,764


2018

$

2,764


2019

$

2,764


2020

$

2,729


2021

$

2,644


Note 6 – Income Taxes

Accrued Federal income taxes of $8.9 million were included in Accrued Liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2015 . Prepaid Federal income taxes of $3.8 million were included in Deferred Income Taxes and Other Current Assets at June 30, 2015 . Prepaid state and local income taxes of $0.3 million and $0.6 million were included in Deferred Income Taxes and Other Current Assets at September 30, 2015 and June 30, 2015 , respectively.

The gross tax contingency reserve at September 30, 2015 was $1.5 million and consisted of tax liabilities of $1.0 million and interest and penalties of $0.5 million . We have not classified any of the gross tax contingency reserve at September 30, 2015 as a current liability as none of these amounts are expected to be resolved within the next 12 months. Consequently, the entire liability of $1.5 million was included in other noncurrent liabilities. We expect that the amount of these liabilities will change within the next 12 months; however, we do not expect the change to have a significant effect on our financial position or results of operations. We recognize interest and penalties related to these tax liabilities in income tax expense.


10


LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts in thousands, except per share data)



Note 7 – Business Segment Information

The September 30, 2015 identifiable assets by reportable segment are consistent with that of June 30, 2015 . The following summary of financial information is consistent with the basis of segmentation and measurement of segment profit or loss presented in our June 30, 2015 consolidated financial statements:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Net Sales

$

294,085


$

259,987


Operating Income

Specialty Foods

$

44,961


$

37,499


Corporate Expenses

(3,073

)

(2,895

)

Total

$

41,888


$

34,604


Note 8 – Stock-Based Compensation

Our shareholders previously approved the adoption of and subsequent amendments to the Lancaster Colony Corporation 2005 Stock Plan (the "2005 Plan"). The 2005 Plan reserved 2,000,000 common shares for issuance to our employees and directors, and all awards granted under the 2005 Plan were exercisable at prices not less than fair market value as of the date of the grant. The vesting period for awards granted under the 2005 Plan varies as to the type of award granted, but generally these awards have a maximum term of five years . As the 2005 Plan expired in May 2015, we are seeking shareholder approval for adoption of a new equity compensation plan at our November 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The new plan will not affect any currently outstanding equity awards granted under the 2005 Plan.

In general, varying levels of stock-settled stock appreciation rights ("SSSARs") and restricted stock awards are granted to certain employees in the third fiscal quarter each year. Restricted stock grants to our nonemployee directors generally occur in the second fiscal quarter each year.

We recognize compensation expense over the requisite service period of the grant. Compensation expense is reflected in Cost of Sales or Selling, General and Administrative Expenses based on the grantees' salaries expense classification. We record tax benefits and excess tax benefits related to SSSARs and restricted stock awards. These excess tax benefits are included in the financing section of the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Stock-Settled Stock Appreciation Rights

We use periodic grants of SSSARs as a vehicle for rewarding certain employees with long-term incentives for their efforts in helping to create long-term shareholder value. We calculate the fair value of SSSARs grants using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Our policy is to issue shares upon SSSARs exercise from new shares that had been previously authorized.

The following table summarizes our SSSARs compensation expense recorded:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Compensation expense

$

347


$

354


At September 30, 2015 , there was $1.5 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to SSSARs that we will recognize over a weighted-average period of 2 years .

Restricted Stock

We use periodic grants of restricted stock as a vehicle for rewarding our nonemployee directors and certain employees with long-term incentives for their efforts in helping to create long-term shareholder value.


11


LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts in thousands, except per share data)



The following table summarizes our restricted stock compensation expense recorded:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Compensation expense

$

438


$

457


At September 30, 2015 , there was $1.7 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted stock that we will recognize over a weighted-average period of 2 years .

Note 9 – Pension Benefits

We sponsor multiple defined benefit pension plans that covered certain workers under collective bargaining contracts. However, as a result of prior-years' restructuring activities, for all periods presented, we no longer have any active employees continuing to accrue service cost or otherwise eligible to receive plan benefits. Benefits being paid under the plans are primarily based on negotiated rates and years of service. We contribute to these plans at least the minimum amount required by regulation.

The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit income for our pension plans:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Components of net periodic benefit income

Interest cost

$

421


$

403


Expected return on plan assets

(630

)

(658

)

Amortization of unrecognized net loss

135


107


Net periodic benefit income

$

(74

)

$

(148

)

For the three months ended September 30, 2015 , we made no pension plan contributions and we do not expect to make any contributions to our pension plans during 2016 .

Note 10 – Postretirement Benefits

We and certain of our operating subsidiaries provide multiple postretirement medical and life insurance benefit plans. We recognize the cost of benefits as the employees render service. Postretirement benefits are funded as incurred.

The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit cost for our postretirement plans:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

2015

2014

Components of net periodic benefit cost

Service cost

$

7


$

8


Interest cost

30


27


Amortization of unrecognized net gain

(4

)

(7

)

Amortization of prior service asset

(1

)

(1

)

Net periodic benefit cost

$

32


$

27


For the three months ended September 30, 2015 , we made $29,000 in contributions to our postretirement medical and life insurance benefit plans. We expect to make approximately $0.1 million more in contributions to our postretirement medical and life insurance benefit plans during the remainder of 2016 .


12





Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Our fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. Unless otherwise noted, references to "year" pertain to our fiscal year; for example, 2016 refers to fiscal 2016 , which is the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 .

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto, all included elsewhere in this report. The forward-looking statements in this section and other parts of this report involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, including statements regarding our plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and financial performance. Our actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements due to these factors. For more information, see the section below entitled "Forward-Looking Statements."

OVERVIEW

Business Overview

Lancaster Colony Corporation is a manufacturer and marketer of specialty food products for the retail and foodservice markets.

In March 2015 we acquired all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Flatout Holdings, Inc. ("Flatout"), a privately owned manufacturer and marketer of flatbread wraps and pizza crusts based in Saline, Michigan. The purchase price was $92.2 million, net of cash acquired. This transaction is discussed in further detail in Note 2.

Part of our future growth may result from acquisitions. We continue to review potential acquisitions that we believe will complement our existing product lines, enhance our gross margins and/or offer good expansion opportunities in a manner that fits our overall strategic goals.

Our operations are organized into one reportable segment: "Specialty Foods." Our sales are predominately domestic.

Our business has the potential to achieve future growth in sales and profitability due to attributes such as:

leading retail market positions in several branded products with a high-quality perception;

recognized innovation in retail products;

a broad customer base in both retail and foodservice accounts;

well-regarded culinary expertise among foodservice accounts;

recognized leadership in foodservice product development;

experience in integrating complementary business acquisitions; and

historically strong cash flow generation that supports growth opportunities.

Our goal is to grow both retail and foodservice sales over time by:

leveraging the strength of our retail brands to increase current product sales;

introducing new retail products and expanding into new channels;

growing our foodservice sales through the strength of our reputation in product development and quality; and

pursuing acquisitions that meet our strategic criteria.

We have made substantial capital investments to support our existing food operations and future growth opportunities. For example, in 2015 we completed a significant processing capacity expansion at our Horse Cave, Kentucky dressing facility to help meet demand for our dressing products. Based on our current plans and expectations, we believe our capital expenditures for 2016 could total approximately $15 to $20 million . We anticipate we will be able to fund all of our capital needs in 2016 with cash generated from operations.

RESULTS OF CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS

Net Sales and Gross Margin

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2015

2014

Change

Net Sales

$

294,085


$

259,987


$

34,098


13

%

Gross Margin

$

67,967


$

57,424


$

10,543


18

%

Gross Margin as a Percentage of Net Sales

23.1

%

22.1

%


13




In March 2015 we acquired Flatout and its results of operations have been included in our consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition with Flatout contributing $12 million in net sales to our results for the three months ended September 30, 2015 .

Net sales for the three months ended September 30, 2015 in creased 13% . The growth was primarily driven by the contribution from Flatout, as well as increased retail and foodservice volumes on our existing business. Net pricing actions relating to our ingredient cost changes and lower new product placement costs also contributed to our net sales growth. Retail net sales increased 16% during the three months ended September 30, 2015 on the addition of Flatout and higher sales of certain product lines including Olive Garden ® retail dressings, Marzetti ® Simply Dressed ® refrigerated dressings and New York BRAND ® croutons and salad toppings. Foodservice net sales improved 11% as demand from national chain restaurants remained strong. Our overall sales volume, as measured by pounds shipped, improved by 8%. In general, the net impact of higher pricing represented 1% of net sales for the three months ended September 30, 2015 .

Excluding sales contributed by Flatout, net sales increased 9% for the three months ended September 30, 2015 .

Gross margin percentages improved for the three months ended September 30, 2015 due to the benefits of a more favorable retail sales mix, improved operating efficiencies in our dressing and sauce manufacturing, lower new product placement costs and lower soybean oil and dairy-based ingredient costs. These benefits were offset, in part, by higher egg costs attributed to the avian influenza outbreak. Excluding any pricing actions, we estimate total ingredient costs negatively affected our gross margins by nearly 2% of net sales for the quarter.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2015

2014

Change

SG&A Expenses

$

26,079


$

22,820


$

3,259


14

%

SG&A Expenses as a Percentage of Net Sales

8.9

%

8.8

%

Selling, general and administrative expenses in creased 14% for the three months ended September 30, 2015 but were consistent as a percentage of net sales for the first quarter of 2016 and 2015 . In general, the in crease in these costs reflects the influence of higher sales volumes and amortization expense attributable to the Flatout intangible assets.

Operating Income

The foregoing factors contributed to consolidated operating income totaling $41.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015 . Our operating income can be summarized as follows:

Three Months Ended 
 September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2015

2014

Change

Operating Income

Specialty Foods

$

44,961


$

37,499


$

7,462


20

%

Corporate Expenses

(3,073

)

(2,895

)

(178

)

6

%

Total

$

41,888


$

34,604


$

7,284


21

%

Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales

Specialty Foods

15.3

%

14.4

%

Total

14.2

%

13.3

%


Looking forward, we are entering what is typically our strongest sales quarter due to the holiday impact. We expect continued incremental benefit from our Flatout business, as well as volume-driven growth from both retail and foodservice channels. We anticipate higher marketing and promotional costs in support of our retail brands, especially Sister Schubert's, ® for the holiday season. High egg costs remain a concern, with pricing actions helping to offset some of the impact. Excluding eggs, commodity costs are expected to remain modestly favorable for the quarter. Finally, the level of efficiency gains we are ultimately able to achieve from our dressing capacity expansion and our other cost-saving initiatives will impact our results.

Interest Income and Other – Net

Interest income and other was not material for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 due to the nominal interest rates earned by us on our cash balances, our customers being largely invoiced in U.S. dollars and our capital structure.


14




Income Before Income Taxes

As impacted by the factors discussed above, income before income taxes for the three months ended September 30, 2015 in creased by $7.4 million to $42.0 million from the prior-year total of $34.6 million .

Taxes Based on Income

Consistent with our expectations, our effective tax rate was 34.2% for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and was unchanged from the prior year.

Net Income

First quarter net income for 2016 of $27.6 million in creased from the preceding year's net income for the quarter of $22.8 million , as influenced by the factors noted above. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding have remained relatively stable. As a result, and due to the change in net income for each year, net income per share for the first quarter of 2016 totaled $1.01 per diluted share, as compared to net income of $0.83 per diluted share in the prior year.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

For the three months ended September 30, 2015 , net cash provided by operating activities totaled $33.3 million , as compared to $35.9 million in the prior-year period. The de crease was due to higher working capital requirements as partially offset by the increase in net income and depreciation and amortization. In general, the increased levels of working capital requirements reflect higher sales volumes, the influence of inventory builds for our second quarter seasonal sales and the impact of our recent Flatout acquisition. Additionally, the changes in other current assets and accounts payable and accrued liabilities reflect the timing of estimated tax payments and the favorable tax impact of the loss on sale of discontinued operations in prior years. The increase in depreciation and amortization reflects the amortization of intangibles relating to the Flatout acquisition and the related depreciation on its acquired fixed assets, as well as additional depreciation on recent capital expenditures.

Cash used in investing activities for the three months ended September 30, 2015 was $3.7 million , as compared to $8.0 million in the prior year. This de crease reflected a lower level of capital expenditures in 2016 . Our 2015 capital expenditures included a processing capacity expansion project at our Horse Cave, Kentucky dressing facility which was essentially complete at December 31, 2014.

Cash used in financing activities for the three months ended September 30, 2015 of $12.4 million in creased slightly from the prior-year total of $11.9 million . This in crease was due to higher dividend payments. There were no share repurchases in the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 . At September 30, 2015 , 1,419,682 shares remained authorized for future buyback under the existing share repurchase program.

Under our unsecured revolving credit facility ("Facility"), we may borrow up to a maximum of $120 million at any one time. Loans may be used for general corporate purposes. We had no borrowings outstanding under this Facility at September 30, 2015 . At September 30, 2015 , we had $4.7 million of standby letters of credit outstanding, which reduced the amount available for borrowing on the Facility. The Facility expires in April 2017, and all outstanding amounts are then due and payable. Interest is variable based upon formulas tied to LIBOR or an alternative base rate defined in the credit agreement, at our option. We must also pay facility fees that are tied to our then-applicable consolidated leverage ratio. When we have outstanding borrowings under this Facility, they will be classified as long-term debt due to the long-term nature of this Facility.

The Facility contains certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on indebtedness, asset sales and acquisitions, and financial covenants relating to interest coverage and leverage. At September 30, 2015 , we were in compliance with all applicable provisions and covenants of the Facility, and we exceeded the requirements of the financial covenants by substantial margins.

We expect to remain in compliance with the Facility's covenants for the foreseeable future. However, a default under the Facility could accelerate the repayment of any outstanding indebtedness and limit our access to additional credit available under the Facility. Such an event could require a reduction in or curtailment of cash dividends or share repurchases, reduce or delay beneficial expansion or investment plans, or otherwise impact our ability to meet our obligations when due. At September 30, 2015 , we were not aware of any event that would constitute a default under the Facility.

We believe that internally generated funds and our existing balances in cash and equivalents, in addition to our currently available bank credit arrangements, should be adequate to meet our cash requirements through 2016 . If we were to borrow outside of our Facility under current market terms, our average interest rate may increase significantly and have an adverse effect on our results of operations.


15




CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

We have various contractual obligations that are appropriately recorded as liabilities in our condensed consolidated financial statements. Certain other items, such as purchase obligations, are not recognized as liabilities in our condensed consolidated financial statements. Examples of items not recognized as liabilities in our condensed consolidated financial statements are commitments to purchase raw materials or inventory that has not yet been received as of September 30, 2015 and future minimum lease payments for the use of property and equipment under operating lease agreements. Aside from expected changes in raw-material needs due to changes in product demand and the impact of commodity prices, there have been no significant changes to the contractual obligations disclosed in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

There have been no changes in critical accounting policies from those policies disclosed in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Recent accounting pronouncements and their impact on our consolidated financial statements are disclosed in Note 1 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We desire to take advantage of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "PSLRA"). This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains various "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the PSLRA and other applicable securities laws. Such statements can be identified by the use of the forward-looking words "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "believe," "intend," "plan," "expect," "hope" or similar words. These statements discuss future expectations; contain projections regarding future developments, operations or financial conditions; or state other forward-looking information. Such statements are based upon assumptions and assessments made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements involve various important risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ as a result of factors over which we have no, or limited, control including, without limitation, the specific influences outlined below. Management believes these forward-looking statements to be reasonable; however, one should not place undue reliance on such statements that are based on current expectations. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update such forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Items which could impact these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

the potential for another large outbreak of avian influenza in the U.S. and the resulting fluctuations in the cost and availability of egg-based ingredients;

fluctuations in the cost and availability of other raw materials and packaging;

the reaction of customers or consumers to the effect of price increases we may implement;

the potential for loss of larger programs or key customer relationships;

the effect of consolidation of customers within key market channels;

price and product competition;

the success and cost of new product development efforts;

the lack of market acceptance of new products;

the possible occurrence of product recalls or other defective or mislabeled product costs;

changes in demand for our products, which may result from loss of brand reputation or customer goodwill;

maintenance of competitive position with respect to other manufacturers;

adverse changes in freight, energy or other costs of producing, distributing or transporting our products;

capacity constraints that may affect our ability to meet demand or may increase our costs;

dependence on contract manufacturers;

efficiencies in plant operations;

stability of labor relations;

the outcome of any litigation or arbitration;

the impact of fluctuations in our pension plan asset values on funding levels, contributions required and benefit costs;

the ability to successfully grow the Flatout business;

the extent to which future business acquisitions are completed and acceptably integrated;

dependence on key personnel;

changes in financial markets;


16




access to any required financing;

changes in estimates in critical accounting judgments; and

certain other factors, including the information disclosed in our discussion of risk factors under Item 1A of our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Our market risks have not changed materially from those disclosed in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. As of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer evaluated, with the participation of management, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")). Based upon this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2015 to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is 1) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms and 2) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, in a manner that allows timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. No changes were made to our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during our most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.


17





PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1A. Risk Factors

There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed under Item 1A in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

(c) In November 2010, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase authorization of 2,000,000 shares, of which 1,419,682 shares remained authorized for future repurchases at September 30, 2015 . This share repurchase authorization does not have a stated expiration date. In the first quarter, we did not repurchase any of our common stock.

Period

Total

Number of

Shares

Purchased

Average

Price Paid

Per Share

Total Number

of Shares

Purchased as

Part of

Publicly

Announced

Plans

Maximum

Number of

Shares that

May Yet be

Purchased

Under the

Plans

July 1-31, 2015

-


$

-


-


1,419,682


August 1-31, 2015

-


$

-


-


1,419,682


September 1-30, 2015

-


$

-


-


1,419,682


Total

-


$

-


-


1,419,682


Item 6. Exhibits

See Index to Exhibits following Signatures.



18




SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

L ANCASTER  C OLONY  C ORPORATION

(Registrant)

Date:

November 3, 2015

By:

/s/ J OHN  B. G ERLACH , J R .

John B. Gerlach, Jr.

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer,

President and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

Date:

November 3, 2015

By:

/s/ D OUGLAS  A. F ELL

Douglas A. Fell

Treasurer, Vice President,

Assistant Secretary and

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)



19




LANCASTER COLONY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

FORM 10-Q

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit

Number

Description

Located at

2.1

First Amendment, dated as of September 30, 2015, to Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 13, 2015, by and among T. Marzetti Company, as Buyer, Flatout Holdings, Inc., as the Company, the Shareholders of the Company, as Sellers, and NCP-Flatout Seller Rep LLC, as Sellers' Representative

Filed herewith

31.1

Certification of CEO under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Filed herewith

31.2

Certification of CFO under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Filed herewith

32

Certification of CEO and CFO under Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Furnished herewith

101.INS

XBRL Instance Document

Filed herewith

101.SCH

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

Filed herewith

101.CAL

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

Filed herewith

101.DEF

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

Filed herewith

101.LAB

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

Filed herewith

101.PRE

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

Filed herewith


20