virc-20220131
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 1-8777
VIRCO MFG. CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (310) 533-0474
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol Name of each exchange on which registered:
Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value VIRC The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the issuer is a well-known seasoned issuer as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ̈Noþ
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ̈Noþ
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. Yesþ No ̈
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 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 such files). Yesþ 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.
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ̈
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.) Yes ☐ Noþ
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on July 30, 2021 (the last business day of the registrant’s second fiscal quarter in 2021), was approximately $43 million (based upon the closing price of the registrant’s common stock on such day, as reported by NASDAQ.
As of April 25, 2022, there were 16,102,023 shares of the registrant’s common stock ($0.01 par value) outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K as set forth herein.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Numbers
PART I
Item 1. Business 3
Item 1A. Risk Factors 14
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 22
Item 2. Properties 22
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 22
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 23
PART II
Item 6. [Reserved] 24
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 36
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 37
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 65
Item 9B. Other Information 66
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections. 66
PART III
Item 11. Executive Compensation 67
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 67
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 68
SIGNATURES 70
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PART I
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This report on Form 10-K contains a number of “forward-looking statements” that reflect the current views of Virco Mfg. Corporation (the "Company" or "Virco") with respect to future events and financial performance, including, but not limited to, statements concerning: the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, school funding, the ability to operate our manufacturing and distribution operations and the availability of labor; availability of funding for educational institutions; plans and objectives of management for future operations, including relating to the Company’s future products, pricing, marketing, seasonal fluctuations in demand, expansion, manufacturing processes, and business strategies; the Company's ability to control costs and inventory levels; supply chain issues and the availability and cost of raw materials, especially steel and petroleum-based products; the cost and availability of imported components; the availability and cost of labor; transportation costs; market demand; the Company's ability to position itself in the market; current and future investments in and utilization of infrastructure; and management's beliefs that cash flow from current operations, existing cash reserves, and available lines of credit will be sufficient to support the Company's working capital requirements to fund existing operations. Forward-looking statements also include the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are out of the Company's control and difficult to forecast, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those which are expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in, or the Company's ability to predict, general economic conditions, the availability and cost of raw materials, the markets for school and office furniture generally and specifically in areas and with customers with which the Company conducts its principal business activities, the rate of approval of school bonds for the construction of new schools, the extent to which existing schools order replacement furniture, customer confidence, competition, and other factors included in the “Risk Factors” section of this report.
The forward-looking statements contained in this report on Form 10-K are made on the basis of the views and assumptions of management regarding future events and business performance as of the date this report is filed with the SEC. We do not undertake any obligation to update these statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date this report is filed.
In this report, words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “will continue,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “projects,” “potential,” “budgets,” “may,” “could” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
Please note that this report includes trademarks of Virco, including, but not limited to, the following: ZUMA®, ZUMAfrdTM, Ph.D.®, I.Q®, Virtuoso®, Classic SeriesTM, Martest® 21, Lunada®, Plateau®, Core-a-Gator®, Future Access®, Sigma®, Metaphor®, Telos®, TEXT®, Parameter®, SageTM, AnalogyTM and CivitasTM. Solely for convenience, from time to time, we refer to our trademarks in this report without the®and TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights to our trademarks. In addition, other names and brands included in this report may be claimed by us as well or by third parties.
Our fiscal year ends on January 31 of each year and references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to a year refer to our fiscal year. As such, references in this Annual Report to 2023, 2022, and 2021 relate to the fiscal year ending January 31, 2023, and fiscal years ended January 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively.
Item 1. Business
Introduction
Designing, producing and distributing high-value furniture for a diverse family of customers is a 72-year tradition at Virco Mfg. Corporation (“Virco” or the “Company”, or in the first person, “we”, “us” or “our”). Virco was incorporated in California in February 1950 and reincorporated in Delaware in April 1984. Virco started as a local manufacturer of chairs and desks for Los Angeles-area schools, and over the years has become the largest manufacturer and supplier of moveable educational furniture and equipment for the preschool through 12th grade market in the United States. The Company manufactures a wide assortment of products, including mobile tables, mobile storage equipment, desks, computer furniture, chairs, activity tables, folding chairs and folding tables. Additionally, Virco has worked with accomplished designers - such as Peter Glass, Richard Holbrook, and Bob Mills - to develop additional products for contemporary applications. These include the best-selling ZUMA Series; Analogy and Civitas furniture collections; Metaphor and Sage Series items for educational settings; the wide-ranging Plateau and Text Series; and the new Topaz Series.
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Along with serving customers in the education market - which in addition to preschool through 12th grade public and private schools includes: junior and community colleges; four-year colleges and universities; trade, technical and vocational schools - Virco is a furniture and equipment supplier for convention centers and arenas; the hospitality industry with respect to banquet and meeting facilities; government facilities at the federal, state, county and municipal levels; and places of worship. We also sell to wholesalers, distributors, traditional retailers and catalog retailers that serve these same markets.
To meet the furniture and equipment needs of our customers, Virco leases a 560,000 sq. ft. office, manufacturing and warehousing facility located on 23.5 acres of land in Torrance, California; this facility includes our corporate headquarters, West Coast showroom, and our West Coast distribution operations. To complement our Torrance-based operations, Virco owns three manufacturing and distribution facilities in Conway, Arkansas. The primary facility is located on 100 acres of land in Conway, Arkansas, containing 1,200,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing, warehousing, and office space. With high-density storage systems, 70 dock doors dedicated to outbound freight, and substantial yard capacity to store and stage trailers, this facility supports Virco's ability to handle increased sales during our peak summer delivery season and enhances the efficiency with which orders are filled. Virco also operates two other facilities in Conway. The first is a 375,000 sq. ft. factory - acquired in 1954 and expanded and modernized in subsequent years - where a variety of operations take place, including the manufacture of fabricated steel components, chrome plating, and plastic injection-molding; components generated here are transferred to other facilities for assembly into finished goods. The second is a 175,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility where compression-molded hard plastic components are fabricated and stored. The Company occupied this building under a series of leases for approximately 20 years and purchased this facility in the third quarter of the fiscal year ended January 31, 2018.
New Products and Markets
Because the product needs and preferences of our customers continue to evolve - and in response to competitive furniture and equipment offerings from domestic and offshore suppliers - Virco maintains an active new product development program. We've worked with accomplished designers - such as Peter Glass and Bob Mills - to introduce exciting furniture and equipment solutions for contemporary applications. In addition to new product programs, our domestic factories allow the Company to respond to custom requests or modifications to existing product offerings made by our customers. Often these custom requests are incorporated into our product offering for all customers. Over the past three years, Virco has continued to leverage our most popular classroom products while also launching a substantial number of new products, including the products discussed below.
For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020 (“fiscal 2020”), Virco continued to refine and enhance our product lines to further address the needs of today’s modern classrooms. We extended our line of 5000 Series stand-up height activity tables broadening the selection for this option popular in flexible classrooms. To address the needs of lower elementary classrooms, adjustable-height low legs were introduced for the 5000 series activity tables as well. Providing color choices is also important to our customers. As such, we added additional colors to our edge banding offerings for our various table lines. Because mobility is essential in dynamic classrooms, we introduced our Tetra Series Student desk with casters. Keeping up with technology, we updated our power and data ports to better accommodate modern devices. Looking beyond our K-12 market, the Virco Tilt-Top Training Table provides a simple and effective solution to setting up and storing multi-use tables.
The fiscal year ended January 31, 2021 ("fiscal 2021") was unique due to the unprecedented circumstances of the global COVID-19 pandemic. With many schools across the country completely shut down and others selectively opening under strict guidelines for safety and physical distancing, we saw a shift away from collaborative classroom furniture. More traditional single-student desks and chair desk combo units began to replace tables and collaborative set-ups to allow for physical distance in the classroom environment. While we did release several new products to address customer demand, such as both a ZUMA Series® and Plateau Series® slide-shaped student desk, a ZUMA Series adjustable-height lab stool and adjustable-height low legs for our TEXT Series student desk, this was not the year to introduce an extensive line of new products. Rather, we focused on meeting current customer needs by utilizing our existing product offerings that are well-suited to best help schools bring back students for in person learning. These included 785 Series open front desks, ZUMA Series student desks as well as the 9400 Series and 3400 Series combo desks. Our product development pipeline also continued during this time in preparation for new product releases in the coming year.
The fiscal year ended January 31, 2022 ("fiscal 2022") gave Virco an opportunity to return to launching product updates and new products, while also continuing to provide physically distanced furniture solutions where needed. The Plateau Series Table collection was expanded with more popular shapes and additional leg options including stand-up, low legs, and casters to broaden height ranges and mobility. Continuing focus on our tables, Virco released the Butcher Block Series, a new line of STEAM tables featuring durable and versatile hard maple tops. To further support healthy movement and flexible classrooms, we introduced a stand-up height version of our popular MoleculeTM Series student desk; and the Room to Move® Series Sit-to-
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Stand Workstations which adjust up and down with a simple lever. Designed by Peter Glass and Bob Mills with teachers in mind, Virco’s new Topaz SeriesTM combines sleek design with intelligent functionality to support modern learning environments. The collection offers a teacher desk and accessory table, classroom cart, mobile bookcases, mobile storage, and two new sit-to-stand workstations ideal for both teachers and students. We also continued to add to Virco’s robust color program with the introduction of four new soft plastic colors: Celery, Peach, Mustard and Avocado.
As of January 31, 2022, the Company employed approximately 815 full-time employees, manufacturing its products in 1.1 million square feet of fabrication facilities and 1.2 million square feet of assembly and warehousing facilities in Torrance, California and Conway, Arkansas.
Subsequent to the dot com bust in 2003 and again following the recession in 2008-2009, due to budgetary constraints, many schools reduced or eliminated central warehouses, janitorial services, and professional purchasing functions. As a result, fewer school districts now administer their own bids, and are more likely to use regional, state, or national contracts. A shift to site-based management combined with reductions in professional purchasing personnel has increased the reliance of schools on suppliers that provide for a variety of needs from one source rather than administering different vendor relationships for each item. In response to these changes, the Company has expanded both the products and the services it provides to its educational customers. Now, in addition to buying furniture FOB (Freight On Board) Factory, customers can purchase furniture for delivery to warehouses and school sites and can also purchase full-service furniture delivery that includes the delivery of the furniture in classrooms. Because the Company has been aggressively developing new furniture lines to enhance the range of products it manufactures - and by purchasing furniture and equipment from other companies for re-sale with Virco products - the Company is now able to provide “one-stop shopping” for all furniture, fixtures and equipment ("FF&E") needs in our educational market.
The expansion of the Company's product line combined with the expansion of its services over the years has provided Virco with the ability to serve various markets including the education market (the Company's primary market), which is made up of public and private schools (preschool through 12th grade), junior and community colleges; four-year colleges and universities; and trade, technical and vocational schools. Virco also serves convention centers and arenas; the hospitality industry with respect to banquet and meeting facilities; government facilities at the federal, state, county and municipal levels; and places of worship. In addition, the Company also sells to wholesalers, distributors, internet and catalog retailers that serve these same markets.
Manufacturing and Distribution
Virco serves its customers through a well-trained, nationwide sales and support team. Virco's educational product line is marketed through an extensive direct sales force, as well as through a dealer network. In addition, Virco has a Corporate Sales Group to pursue international business wholesalers, mail order accounts and national chains. The Company also has an array of support services, including complete package solutions for the FF&E line item on school budgets; computer-assisted layout planning; transportation planning; and product delivery. Virco also now offers registered customers the ability to purchase products online through our shop.virco.com website.
Another important element of Virco's business model is the Company's emphasis on developing and maintaining key manufacturing, assembly, distribution, and service capabilities. For example, Virco has developed competencies in several manufacturing processes that are important to the markets the Company serves, such as finishing systems, plastic molding, metal fabrication and woodworking. Virco's physical facilities are designed to support its Assemble-to-Ship ("ATS") strategy. Warehouses have substantial staging areas combined with a large number of dock doors to support the seasonal peak in shipments during summer months.
In years subsequent to China entering the World Trade Organization, many furniture manufacturers closed their domestic manufacturing facilities and began importing increasing quantities of furniture from international sources. During this same period, Virco elected to significantly reduce its work force, but retain its domestic factory locations. The Company believes that its domestic manufacturing capabilities are a significant strength. The Company has effectively used product selection, color selection, and dependable execution of delivery to customers to enhance its market position. With increasing costs from international sources, supply chain disruptions, and increasing freight costs, our factories are cost-competitive for bulky educational furniture and equipment items. The Company's ATS strategy allows for low-cube component parts to be sourced globally, with fabrication of bulky welded steel frames, wood tops, and larger molded-plastic components to be performed locally. Domestic production of laminated wood tops and molded plastic enables the Company to market a color palette that cannot be matched in a short delivery window by imported finished goods.
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Domestic assembly allows the Company to use standard ATS components to assemble customer-specific product and color combinations shortly prior to delivery.
Finally, management continues to hone Virco's ability to finance, manufacture and warehouse furniture within the relatively narrow delivery window associated with the highly seasonal demand for education sales. Historically Virco ships approximately 50% of its annual revenue in the months of June, July, and August.In fiscal 2022 the seasonal peak was distorted due to severe supply chain interruptions, labor shortages, and COVID related employee absences and the Company delivered less than 40% of sales during June, July, and August. In fiscal 2021, approximately 52% of the Company's total sales were delivered in June, July, and August. The Company anticipates that the traditional seasonal peak will return when COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions normalize. Shipments of furniture during peak weeks in July and August can be six times greater than in the seasonally slow winter months. Virco's substantial warehouse space allows the Company to build adequate inventories to service this narrow delivery window for the education market.
Principal Products
Virco produces the broadest line of furniture for the K-12 market of any manufacturer in the United States. By supplementing products manufactured by Virco with products from other manufacturers, Virco provides a comprehensive product assortment that covers substantially all products and price points that are traditionally included on the FF&E line item on a new school project or school budget. Virco also provides a variety of products for preschool markets and has developed products that are targeted for college, university, and corporate learning center environments. The Company has an ambitious and on-going product development program featuring products developed in-house as well as products developed with accomplished designers. The Company's primary furniture lines are constructed of tubular metal legs and frames, combined with wood and plastic tops, plastic seats and backs, upholstered seats and backs, and upholstered rigid polyethylene and polypropylene shells. Virco also has flat metal forming capabilities to enable the production of desks, returns, bookcases, filing cabinets, mobile pedestals and related items.
Virco's principal manufactured products include:
SEATING - Virco offers a full line of classroom seating in a variety of price points providing high value and quality across all types of seating, from traditional to modern solutions. The ergonomically supportive ZUMA® line designed by Peter Glass and Bob Mills was launched in 2004 and continues to be the top-seller. In addition to fixed-height 4-leg chairs, the ZUMA line includes cantilever chairs; mobile task chairs and lab stools; tablet armchairs with a fixed or articulating work surface and a compact footprint; steel-frame rockers, and floor rockers. The SageTM line, originally designed to serve students in college, university and other adult education settings - and on high school campuses - now offers a 13” and a 15” 4-leg chair and a corresponding pair of cantilever chairs for younger or smaller students; there's also a selection of Sage rockers and floor rockers for K-12 applications and several tablet arm units. Selected adult-height Sage models can be ordered with a padded, upholstered seat. The Analogy seating line includes fixed-height 4-leg chairs, mobile task chairs and lab stools, cantilever chairs; tablet armchairs with a fixed or articulating work surface and a compact footprint; steel-frame rockers, and floor rockers. Other Virco seating choices include the Metaphor® Series - an updated sequel to Virco's best-selling Classic SeriesTM furniture with improvements in comfort, ergonomics, stackability, and manufacturing efficiencies. The Sage Contract line is targeted for offices and reception areas, colleges, hospitality venues and other adult environments. Virco expanded the Sage Contract line with the addition of a mobile tablet-arm workstation that includes an integrated bookrack to further penetrate the higher education market. CivitasTM chairs and stools are intended for foodservice, libraries, media centers, circulation areas, and related areas where people gather. Additional Virco seating alternatives range from 120, 121 and 122 Series stools to AnalogyTM Series chairs by Peter Glass and Bob Mills. The N2 Series was designed by Virco as a comprehensive, ergonomic seating line that specifically caters to the budget conscious consumer. Classic SeriesTM stack chairs and Martest 21® hard plastic seating models are popular choices in schools across America. Along with this range of seating, Virco serves additional markets such as event venues and training spaces with a line of folding chairs and upholstered stack chairs, as well as additional plastic stack chairs and upholstered ergonomic chairs.
TABLES - Our broad collection of tables offer solutions for K-12 classrooms and multi-use areas across the entire campus as well as serving higher learning, event, training and administrative spaces. Our 4000 and 5000 Series Activity Tables provide a broad range of shapes, sizes and heights ideal for collaborative learning. Virco’s TEXT® table collection for learning environments - designed by Peter Glass and Bob Mills- features heavy-gauge tubular steel and proven Virco construction for extended product life, and elliptical legs, swooping yokes and arched feet for exceptional elegance. Selected TEXT models can be equipped with a variety of technology-support and storage accessories. TEXT Tilt-Top Height Adjustable Table further expand Virco’s reach into the seminar, training room, and higher education markets by enhancing the functionality and flexibility of the table while strengthening the Virco and TEXT brands. The TetraTM Series is a versatile collection of tables and student desks suitable for various environments. From classrooms to open-office spaces, the Tetra is simple enough to
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serve as an everyday workstation but can be customized to suit the needs of a fast-paced computer lab or seminar training room. Lunada® tables, combining Virco's popular Lunada bi-point bases with a selection of 20 top sizes, make great choices for seminar, conference and related settings. Designed for Virco by Peter Glass, Plateau® tables bring exceptional versatility, sturdy construction and great styling to working and learning environments. For durable, easy-to-use lightweight folding tables, Virco's Core-a-Gator® models are unsurpassed. When paired with attractive, durable Virco cafe tops, Lunada bases by Peter Glass provide eye-catching table solutions for hospitality settings. Civitas tops and bases provide excellent furniture solutions for casual spaces where people gather. Virco’s Makerspace tables are designed specifically for hands-on learning environments most commonly found in vocational classes, makerspace areas and STEM / STEAM centered education. Virco also carries traditional folding tables, CT Series tables with a hand crank mechanism for top height adjustment, and office tables, as well as the computer tables and mobile tables described below.
COMPUTER FURNITURE - The TEXT® and Tetra Series table collections described in the preceding paragraph provides an array of computer furniture choices for learning or business environments; Virco's Flip-Top Technology tables and HWT (Hinged Wire Trough) Technology tables also deliver popular computer furniture solutions. Future Access® computer tables come with an integral wire management panel and all rectangular models have a smooth post-formed front and rear edge. Like our Future Access models, 8700 Series computer tables can be equipped with Virco's functional computing accessories, such as keyboard mouse trays, CPU holders and support columns for optional elevated shelves. To address the demand for collaborative solutions in a computer lab environment, Virco added the Quarter Round 8700 Series Computer Table that allows multiple tables to be grouped together while maintaining a technology-based environment. The 5700 Series features the thick profile leg of the 5000 Series with integrated technology for a modern look. The Plateau Office Solutions collection offers desks and workstations with technology-support capabilities, while the Plateau Library/Technology Solutions line has specialty tables and other products for computing applications. Virco offers Instructor Media Stations and Towers that include several options for media storage and presentation.
DESKS/CHAIR DESKS - From the ergonomic and collaborative-learning strengths of our best-selling ZUMA® student desks to the continuing popularity of our traditional Classic SeriesTM chair desks and combo units, Virco's wide-ranging furniture models can be found in thousands of America's schools. To expand on the popularity of the 785 Student Desk, Virco added a Collaborative Top work surface as an option on all 785 desk models, which facilitates convenient grouping of desks for break-out sessions and classroom collaboration. The Sage Contract Series now includes an optional bookrack, which combined with the tablet arm and caster options, creates a complete mobile workstation for a variety of environments. The Molecule is a student desk with a unique shaped collaborative work surface that can be used by a single student or grouped together with multiple Molecules to create various arrangements and group settings. Related products include an array of tablet arm units, Agile Combo models and AnalogyTM Series combo chair desks. Selected models are available with durable, colorfast Martest 21® or Fortified Recycled WoodTM hard plastic components. For teachers, principals and district administrators - and for business environments - Virco offers an extensive range of Parameter® desks, returns and credenzas designed by Peter Glass and Bob Mills. TextameterTM mobile workstations provide additional furniture choices for educators.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE FURNITURE - In addition to the Plateau® Office Solutions, Parameter®, and TextameterTM product lines, Virco manufactures a selection of desks, returns, bookcases and other items that employ the Company's flat metal forming capabilities. These products include 53 Series steel storage cabinets, an expanded range of 53 Series lateral files, and special versions of 543 and 546 Series desks with wire management capabilities. Other products range from 53 Series wardrobe tower cabinets and Parameter file credenzas to Parameter mobile pedestals and Plateau bookcases in popular 36” wide and 48” wide models that work in classroom settings and related educational environments as well as administrative offices.
LABORATORY FURNITURE - For biology and chemistry classes, and other school- and college-based lab settings, Virco offers a variety of steel-based science tables. Virco manufactures the table bases of these items and equips them with specialty Chemsurf® and epoxy resin tops. Virco's ZUMA®, SageTM, AnalogyTM, N2, Telos®, Metaphor®, Classic SeriesTM, and 3000 Series collections include pneumatically adjustable lab stools with high-range seat-height adjustment and a steel foot-ring. Virco also carries a selection of wood-frame science tables with Chemsurf and epoxy resin tops.
MOBILE FURNITURE - Cafeterias are perfect venues for the ever-popular Virco mobile tables - including a selection of oval mobile tables with attached benches or stools - while classrooms benefit from the spacious storage capacity of Virco mobile cabinets; additional mobile cabinet models with a magnetic marker back are available. ADA compliant Mobile Bench & Stool Tables were also introduced to the Virco line of mobile products to expand on our wheelchair accessible solutions. An array of Virco product lines includes mobile chairs for school settings and offices.
STORAGE EQUIPMENT - For moving selected Virco chairs and folding tables, the Company carries a wide range of handling and storage equipment. For our convention center, arena, and auditorium customers, Virco also manufactures stackable storage trucks that work with Virco upholstered stack chairs, folding chairs and folding tables.
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Virco's wide-ranging product selection includes hundreds of furniture models that have earned GREENGUARD® Gold Certification (formerly known as the GREENGUARD® Children & Schools Program for indoor air quality). Virco's ZUMA and ZUMAfrdTM products earned the distinction of being the first classroom furniture models to be certified by the GREENGUARD Children & Schools Program, now known as GREENGUARD Gold certification. All of the models in the Company's most popular product lines - including ZUMA, Sage, AnalogyTM, 9000 Series, 5000 and 4000 Series Activity Tables, TEXT®, Core-a-Gator®, Parameter®, Plateau®, TetraTM furniture models - are GREENGUARD-certified. Along with Virco's leadership relative to GREENGUARD-certified furniture, the Company also introduced the classroom furniture industry's first Take-Back program in, enabling qualifying schools, colleges, universities, and other organizations and customers to return selected out-of-service furniture components for recycling rather than sending these items to a landfill.
To provide a comprehensive product offering for the education market, the Company supplements Virco-manufactured products with items purchased for re-sale, including wood and steel office furniture, early learning products for pre-school and kindergarten classrooms, science laboratory furniture, and library tables, chairs and equipment. Virco offers customized, space-efficient workstations by Interior ConceptsTM for technology and language labs, media centers, computer classrooms, reception areas and offices. Interior Concepts is one of the many vendors with which the Company partners to effectively position Virco as the preferred one-stop furniture and equipment source for K-12 schools. None of the products from vendor partners accounted for more than 10% of consolidated net sales in fiscal 2022.
To complement Virco's extensive selection of furniture and equipment, we offer customers a variety of valuable services in connection with the purchase of Virco products; revenues from these service levels are included in the purchase price of the furniture items. In addition to giving customers the option of purchasing Virco products and making their own delivery arrangements, Virco provides three levels of delivery service. When customers choose Standard Delivery - also known as tailgate delivery - the delivery driver is responsible for moving the customer's goods to the tailgate of the truck only; therefore, the customer must have personnel on hand to unload the truck. Virco also offers Inside Delivery (to an inside location), or Full-Service Delivery (delivered and placed in the classroom).
Customers
Virco's major customers include educational institutions, convention centers and arenas, hospitality providers, government facilities, and places of worship. No customer exceeded 10% of the Company’s net sales for fiscal years ended January 31, 2022 and January 31, 2021.
Raw Materials
Virco purchases steel, aluminum, plastic, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, plywood, particleboard, medium density fiberboard ("MDF"), cartons and other raw materials from many different sources for the manufacture of its principal products. Management believes the Company is not more vulnerable with respect to the sources and availability of these raw materials than other manufacturers of similar products. The Company's largest raw material cost is for steel, followed by plastics and wood.
The price of these commodities, particularly steel and plastic, can be volatile. Historically the Company has experienced years where the price of steel, plastic, and wood have spiked significantly, often because of global demand or tariffs on international supply but also in response to domestic supply interruptions. In fiscal 2022, the cost of commodities was extremely volatile and unfavorably impacted the results of operations.The cost of steel nearly tripled and the cost of plastic doubled.Other material costs increased, but not as severely.In fiscal 2021, the cost of commodities was relatively stable.Subsequent to fiscal year end 2022, the Company is anticipating that the global sanctions on Russia may severely impact plastic and fuel related costs and has already affected the cost and availability of nickel, a required material for chrome plating.
In addition to the raw materials described above, the Company purchases components used in the fabrication and assembly of furniture from a variety of overseas locations, primarily from China, and certain components from domestic suppliers. These components are classified as raw materials in the financial statements until such time that the components are consumed in a fabrication or assembly processes. These components are sourced from a variety of factories, none of which are owned or operated by the Company. Costs for these imported components can be volatile, impacted by tariffs, freight cost and availability, and price increases by the supplier.
The supply chain for components from China is typically interrupted for a short period of time each year during the Chinese New Year in January or February. As this is in a seasonally slow period of the Company’s business cycle and is predictable, it
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has not created supply chain disruptions. In fiscal 2022 the Company has experienced supply chain disruption caused primarily by availability of freight from China to the United States. During fiscal 2022, freight costs for containers from China increased by a factor of nearly eight. While we currently don’t believe there to be a material supply chain disruption, our suppliers in China may experience material disruptions in the future, whether due to COVID-19 or otherwise. In addition, our domestic suppliers of components, services and consumables used in the manufacturing process have been disrupted due to COVID-19 and may continue to be disrupted, which could result in a slowdown of our manufacturing processes and result in increased costs to us.
With respect to the Company's annual pricing contracts (or those contracts that have longer terms), the Company may have limited ability to increase prices during the term of the contract. The Company has, however, negotiated increased flexibility under many of these contracts, allowing the Company to increase prices on future orders. Nevertheless, even with respect to these more flexible contracts, the Company may not have the ability to increase prices on orders received prior to any announced price increases in commodities. Due to the intensely seasonal nature of our business, the Company may receive significant orders during the first and second quarters for delivery in the second and third quarters of its fiscal year. With respect to any of the contracts described above, if the costs of raw materials increase suddenly or unexpectedly, the Company cannot be certain that it will be able to implement corresponding increases in its sales prices to offset such increased costs. Significant cost increases in providing products during a given contract period can adversely impact operating results and have done so during prior years. The Company typically benefits from any decreases in raw material costs under the contracts described above.
Marketing and Distribution
Virco serves its customers through a well-trained, nationwide sales and support team, as well as a dealer network. In addition, Virco has a Corporate Sales Group to pursue international sales, wholesalers, mail order accounts and national chains where management believes it would be more efficient to have a single sales representative or group approach, as they tend to have needs that transcend the geographic boundaries established for Virco's local accounts.
Virco's educational product line is marketed through what management believes to be the largest direct sales force of any education furniture manufacturer. The Company's approach to servicing its customer base is very flexible and is tailored to best meet the needs of individual customers and regions. When considered to be most efficient, the sales force will call directly upon school business officials, who may include purchasing agents or individual school principals where site-based management is practiced. Where it is considered advantageous, the Company will use large exclusive distributors and full-service dealer partners. The Company's direct sales force is considered to be an important competitive advantage over competitors who rely primarily upon dealer networks for distribution of their products.
Virco's sales force is assisted by the Company's proprietary PlanSCAPE® software and experienced PlanSCAPE support team when preparing complete package solutions for the FF&E segment of bond-funded public-school construction projects. PlanSCAPE software also enables the entire Virco sales force to prepare quotations for less complicated projects.
A significant portion of Virco's business is awarded through annual bids with school districts or other buying groups used by school districts. These bids are typically valid for one year. Many contracts contain penalty, performance, and debarment provisions that can result in debarment for several years, a financial penalty, or calling of performance bonds.
Sales of commercial and contract furniture are made throughout the United States by distributorships and by Company sales representatives who service the distributorship network. Virco representatives call directly upon state and local governments, convention centers, individual hospitality venues, and places of worship. This market includes colleges and universities, preschools, private schools, and office training facilities, which typically purchase furniture through commercial channels.
The Company sells to thousands of customers, and, as such no single customer represented more than 10 percent of the Company's consolidated net sales in fiscal 2022. Significant purchases of furniture using public funds often require annual bids or some form of “authorization” to purchase goods or services from a vendor. This authorization can include state contracts, local and national buying groups, or local school districts that “piggyback” on the bid of a larger district. In virtually all cases, purchase orders and payments are processed by the individual school districts, even though the contract pricing may be determined by a state contract, national or local buying group, or consortium of school districts. Schools usually can purchase from more than one contract or purchasing vehicle if they are participants in buying groups as well as being eligible for a state or national contract.
Virco is the exclusive supplier of movable classroom furniture for one nationwide purchasing organization under which many of our customers price their furniture. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors:Approximately 60% to 70% of our sales are priced
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through one contract, under which we are the exclusive supplier of classroom furniture.” Sales priced under this contract represented approximately 69% of sales in fiscal 2022 and 67% of sales in fiscal 2021. We have had a history of contracts with the purchasing organization and was most recently awarded in fiscal 2018, a five-year contract with this organization that extends through December 2022, with two-year extensions at the sole discretion of the purchasing organization extending through 2026 if both options are exercised. If Virco were unable to sell under this contract, we believe we would be able to sell to the vast majority of our customers under alternative contracts.
The Company’s education customers typically do not have logistic capabilities and more than 75% of sales are FOB destination and include freight to customer. Sales of furniture that are sold FOB factory are typically made to resellers of our product who in turn provide logistics to the ultimate customer. More than 90% of the Company’s freight is supplied by third-party carriers. Utilizing third-party carriers is an effective method of addressing the significant seasonal peak in summer and moderating excess capacity issues in the slow season. Reliance on third-party carriers can expose the Company to freight rate volatility, fuel surcharges, and to capacity constraints in the transportation industry. Historically, the Company has been able to obtain adequate capacity from freight vendors to service the summer season.
Seasonality
The educational sales market is extremely seasonal. Historically Virco ships approximately 50% of its annual revenue in the months of June, July, and August. In fiscal 2022 the seasonal peak was distorted due to severe supply chain interruptions, labor shortages, and COVID-19 related employee absences and the Company delivered less than 40% of sales during June, July, and August. In fiscal 2021, approximately 52% of the Company's total sales were delivered in June, July, and August. The Company anticipates that the traditional seasonal peak will return when COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions normalize. Shipments during peak weeks in July and August can be as great as six times the level of shipments in the winter months.
Working Capital Requirements During Our “Peak” Summer Season
As discussed above, the market for educational furniture and equipment is marked by extreme seasonality, with the majority of shipments occurring from June to August each year, which is the Company's peak season. Because of this seasonality, Virco builds and carries significant amounts of inventory during the peak summer season to facilitate the rapid delivery requirements of customers in the educational market. This requires a large up-front investment in raw materials and components, labor, storage and related costs as inventory is built in anticipation of peak sales during the summer months. As the capital required for this build-up generally exceeds cash available from operations, Virco has historically relied on bank financing to meet cash flow requirements during the build-up period immediately preceding the peak season. Currently, the Company has a line of credit with PNC Bank to assist in meeting cash flow requirements as inventory is built for, and business is transacted during the peak summer season.
In addition, Virco typically is faced with a large balance of accounts receivable during the peak season. This occurs for three primary reasons. First, accounts receivable balances naturally increase during the peak season as product shipments increase. Second, many customers during this period are government institutions, which tend to pay accounts receivable more slowly than commercial customers. Third, many summer deliveries may be “projects” where the Company provides furniture for a new school or significant refurbishment of an existing school. Projects may require architect sign off, school board approval prior to payment, or punch list completion, all of which can delay payment. Virco has historically enjoyed high levels of collectability on these accounts receivable due to the low-credit risk associated with such customers. Nevertheless, due to the time differential between inventory build-up in anticipation of the peak season and the collection on accounts receivable throughout the peak season, the Company must rely on external sources of financing.
As a result of the seasonality of our business, our manufacturing capacity is dictated by the capacity requirement during the months of June, July and August. Because of this seasonality, factory utilization is lower during the slow season. The Company utilizes a variety of tactics to address this seasonal business. During the summer months, which comprise our second and third fiscal quarters, our full-time personnel utilization generally is at or exceeds full capacity. The Company utilizes temporary labor and significant overtime to meet these seasonal requirements. During the slow portions of the year, temporary labor and overtime are eliminated to moderate the off-season costs. Our manufacturing facility capacity utilization generally remains less than 100% during these off-season months; because physical structure capacity cannot be adjusted as readily as personnel capacity, we have secured sufficient physical structure capacity to accommodate our current needs as well as for anticipated future growth. Our physical structure utilization is significantly lower during the first and fourth quarters of each year than it is during the second and third quarters.
The Company utilizes a comparable strategy to address warehousing and distribution requirements. During summer months, temporary labor is hired to supplement experienced warehouse and distribution personnel. More than 90% of the Company's
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freight is provided by third-party carriers. Utilizing third-party carriers is an effective method of addressing the significant seasonal peak in summer and moderating excess capacity issues in the slow season. Reliance on third-party carriers can expose the Company to freight rate volatility, fuel surcharges, and to capacity constraints in the transportation industry. The Company has secured sufficient warehouse capacity to accommodate our current needs as well as anticipated future growth.
Virco's working capital requirements during, and in anticipation of, the peak summer season require management to make estimates and judgments that affect assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related contingent assets and liabilities. For example, management expends a significant amount of time in the first quarter of each year developing a stocking plan and estimating the number of temporary summer employees, the amount of raw materials, and the types of components and products that will be required during the peak season. If management underestimates any of these requirements, Virco's ability to meet customer orders in a timely manner or to provide adequate customer service may be diminished. If management overestimates any of these requirements, the Company may have to absorb higher storage, labor and related costs, each of which may negatively affect the Company's results of operations. On an on-going basis, management evaluates and adjusts its estimates, including those related to market demand, labor costs, and stocking inventory. Moreover, management continually strives to improve its ability to correctly forecast the requirements of the Company's business during the peak season each year based in part on annual contracts which are in place and management's experience with respect to the market.
As part of Virco's efforts to balance seasonality, financial performance and quality without sacrificing service or market share, management has been refining the Company's ATS (assemble-to-ship) operating model. ATS is Virco's version of mass-customization, which assembles standardized, stocked components into customized configurations before shipment. The ATS program reduces the total amount of inventory and working capital needed to support a given level of sales. It does this by increasing the inventory's versatility, delaying assembly until the customer’s specific product and color requests are identified, and reducing the amount of warehouse space needed to store finished goods. As part of the ATS stocking program, Virco has endeavored to create a more flexible work force. The Company has developed compensation programs to reward employees who are willing to move from fabrication to assembly to the warehouse as seasonal demands evolve.
Other Matters
Competition
Virco has numerous competitors in each of its markets. In the educational furniture market, Virco manufactures furniture and sells direct to educational customers. Competitors typically fall into two categories (1) furniture manufacturers that sell to dealers which re-sell furniture to the end user, and (2) dealers that purchase product from these manufacturers and re-sell to educational customers. The manufacturers that Virco competes with include Artco-Bell, KI Inc., Smith System (owned by Steelcase), V/S America, Scholarcraft, Academia, Alumni, Columbia, Moore Co., Paragon, SICO, Learniture (owned by School Outfitters) and Hon ("HNI"). Our competitors that purchase and re-sell furniture include School Outfitters, School Specialty ("SCHS"), MeTEOR (formerly Contrax), and Hertz. There are numerous catalogers, internet resellers, and smaller local education furniture dealers that sell into local markets. Competitors in contract and hospitality furniture vary depending upon the specific product line or sales market and include Falcon Products, National Public Seating, MTS and Mity Enterprises, Inc.
The educational furniture market is characterized by price competition, as many sales occur on a bid basis. Management compensates for this market characteristic through a combination of methods that include emphasizing the value of Virco's products and product assortment, the convenience of one-stop shopping for “Equipment for EducatorsTM”, the value of Virco's project management capabilities, the value of Virco's distribution and delivery capabilities, and the value of Virco's customer support capabilities and other intangibles. In addition, management believes that the streamlining of costs assists the Company in compensating for this market characteristic by allowing Virco to offer a higher value product at a lower price. For example, as discussed above, Virco has decreased distribution costs by avoiding re-sellers, and management believes that the Company's large direct sales force and the Company's sizeable manufacturing and warehousing capabilities facilitate these efforts. Although management prefers to compete on the value of Virco products and services, when market conditions warrant, the Company will compete based on direct prices and may reduce its prices to build or maintain its market share.
Backlog
Sales order backlog at January 31, 2022, totaled approximately $40.8 million and approximated 16 weeks of sales, compared to $20.9 million at January 31, 2021. Substantially all of the backlog will ship during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2023.
Patents and Trademarks
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In the last 15 years, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has issued to Virco more than 50 patents on its various new product lines. These patents cover various design and utility features in Ph.D.® chairs, I.Q.® Series furniture, the ZUMAfrdTM family of products, and the ZUMA® family of products, among others.
Virco has a number of other design and utility patents in the United States and other countries that provide protection for Virco's intellectual property as well. These patents expire over the next one to 18 years. Virco maintains an active program to protect its investment in technology and patents by monitoring and enforcing its intellectual property rights. While Virco's patents are an important element of its success, Virco's business as a whole is not believed to be materially dependent on any one patent. See “Item 1A.Risk Factors: An inability to protect our intellectual property could have a significant impact on our business.”
To distinguish genuine Virco products from competitors' products, Virco has obtained the rights to certain trademarks and trade names for its products and engages in advertising and sales campaigns to promote its brands and to identify genuine Virco products. While Virco's trademarks and trade names play an important role in its success, Virco's business as a whole is not believed to be materially dependent on any one trademark or trade name, except perhaps “Virco,” which the Company has protected and enhanced as an emblem of quality educational furniture for over 72 years.
Virco has no franchises or concessions that are considered to be of material importance to the conduct of its business and has not appraised or established a value for its patents or trademarks.
Human Capital
As of January 31, 2022, Virco and its subsidiaries employed approximately 815 full-time employees across our facilities. Of this number, approximately 645 are involved in manufacturing and distribution, approximately 110 in sales and marketing and approximately 60 in administration. Our employees are not unionized or represented by collective bargaining agreements. The Company also utilizes temporary workers as necessary to meet seasonal production, warehousing or distribution requirements that cannot be filled by its full-time workforce. In a typical year, the Company employs a range of 200 - 300 temporary workers during the months of May, June, and July, with smaller numbers immediately preceding and following these months. For fiscal 2022 the Company utilized fewer temporary workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our employees play a central role in the success of our long-term strategy. Our values – Voice, Dignity, Fairness, Leadership and Merit – direct the management of our company and are built on the foundation that our people and the way we treat one another promote inclusion, creativity, innovation and productivity, which drives the Company’s success. In addition, as a manufacturing company, our safety policy centers around safety, housekeeping and quality, which fosters an atmosphere where health and safety are given a high priority.
We believe we offer fair, competitive compensation and benefits that support our employees’ overall well-being and foster their growth and development. To ensure alignment with our short-term and long-term goals, our compensation programs for employees include base pay, short-term incentives, and opportunities for long-term incentives. We offer a wide array of benefits including comprehensive health and welfare insurance; generous time-off and leave; and retirement programs. We provide emotional, physical, legal and financial well-being services through our Employee Assistance Program. Our emotional well-being support offers help with a wide range of issues including stress management, work/life balance, grief and loss, self-esteem and personal development. In addition, our financial education and financial wellness coaches offer employees tools and resources to reach their personal financial goals.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented significant changes that we determined were in the best interest of our employees as well as the communities in which we operate. The Company adopted a number of measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since fiscal 2021 our sales force has been working remotely and as a general matter only physically called on school sites when specifically invited by the district. The Company is considered to be an essential manufacturer under the California public health order issued in March 2020, and with the exception of a two brief closures of our Torrance operations that occurred during fiscal 2021, all facilities in California and Arkansas operated during fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
Environmental Compliance
Virco is subject to numerous federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations in the various jurisdictions in which it operates that (a) govern operations that may have adverse environmental effects, such as the discharge of materials into the environment, as well as handling, storage, transportation and disposal practices for solid and hazardous wastes, and (b) impose liability for response costs and certain damages resulting from past and current spills, disposals or other releases of hazardous materials. In this context, Virco works diligently to remain in compliance with all such environmental laws and regulations as
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these affect the Company's operations. Moreover, Virco has enacted policies for recycling and resource recovery that have earned repeated commendations, including: recognition by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery ("CalRecycle") in 2012 and 2011 as a Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) honoree; recognition by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2019 as a WasteWise Winner for reducing waste, in 2004 as a WasteWise Hall of Fame Charter Member, in 2003 as a WasteWise Partner of the Year and in 2002 as a WasteWise Program Champion for Large Businesses; and recognition by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County for compliance with industrial waste water discharge guidelines in 2008 through 2011. In addition to these awards and commendations, Virco's ZUMA® and ZUMAfrdTM product lines were the first classroom furniture collections to earn indoor air quality certification through the stringent GREENGUARD® Children & Schools Program, now known as Greenguard Gold certification. As a follow-up to the certification of ZUMA and ZUMAfrd models in 2006, hundreds of other Virco furniture items - including AnalogyTM furniture models and TextameterTM instructor workstations - have earned GREENGUARD certification. Moreover, all Virco products covered by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 are in compliance with this legislation. All affected Virco models are also in compliance with the California Air Resources Board rule and Toxic Substances Control Act rule concerning formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. Environmental laws have changed rapidly in recent years, and Virco may be subject to more stringent environmental laws in the future. The Company has expended, and may be expected to continue to expend, significant amounts in the future for compliance with environmental rules and regulations, for the investigation of environmental conditions, for the installation of environmental control equipment, or remediation of environmental contamination. Normal recurring expenses relating to operating our factories in a manner that meets or exceeds environmental laws are matched to the cost of producing inventory. It is possible that the Company's operations may result in noncompliance with, or liability for remediation pursuant to, environmental laws. Should such eventualities occur, the Company records liabilities for remediation costs when remediation costs are probable and can be reasonably estimated. See "Item 1A.Risk Factors: We could be required to incur substantial costs to comply with environmental requirements and other legal requirements." Violations of, and liabilities under, environmental laws and regulations may increase our costs or require us to change our business practices.
Financial Information About Industry Segment and Geographic Areas
Virco operates in a single industry segment. For information regarding the Company's revenues, gross profit and total assets for each of the last two fiscal years, see the Company's consolidated financial statements.
During fiscal 2022, Virco derived approximately 3.6% of its revenues from customers located outside of the United States (primarily Canada).
During fiscal 2021, Virco derived approximately 4.5% of its revenues from customers located outside of the United States (primarily Canada).
The Company determines sales to these markets based upon the customers' principal place of business.
During fiscal 2022 and 2021, the Company did not have any long-lived assets outside of the United States.
Executive Officers of the Registrant
As of April 1, 2022, the executive officers of the Company, who are elected by and serve at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors, were as follows:
Name Office Age atJanuary 31, 2022 Has HeldOffice Since
Robert A. Virtue (1) Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer 89 1990
Douglas A. Virtue (2) President 63 2014
________________________
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None of the Company’s executive officers have written employment contracts.
Available Information
Virco files Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Stockholders may read and copy this information at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Stockholders may also obtain copies of this information by mail from the Public Reference Room at the address set forth above, at prescribed rates.
The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about issuers such as Virco that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.
In addition, Virco makes available to its stockholders, free of charge through its Internet website, its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed, or furnished pursuant to, Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after Virco electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the SEC. The address of that site is www.virco.com. The inclusion of our website address in this report does not include or incorporate by reference into this report any information on, or accessible through, our website.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The following risk factors and other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K should be carefully considered. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we presently deem less significant may also adversely affect our business, operating results, cash flows and financial condition. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, operating results, cash flows and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
RISKS RELATED TO COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our operations and financial performance.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the actions taken by various governments and third parties to combat the spread of COVID-19, including mandatory quarantines and other suspensions of non-essential business operations, caused significant disruptions in our product sales and marketing, manufacturing and distribution operations, and supply chains during fiscal 2021 and 2022, and this impact is anticipated to continue into fiscal 2023. In March 2020, most school districts that we serve closed their doors to students and initiated remote learning. During the 2020-2021 academic year many school districts and private schools successfully re-introduced in-class or hybrid learning, but the majority of students in the United States were learning remotely during the Company’s fiscal year ended January 31, 2021. As a result, demand for school furniture declined during the Company’s fiscal 2021, and the Company reduced its production levels. During fiscal 2022 most school districts returned to on site learning and orders and production returned to more normal levels. While the disruption to demand for our products from the COVID-19 pandemic is currently expected to be temporary, there remains a great deal of uncertainty around the severity and duration of the pandemic, as well as the long-term structural effects of the pandemic on in-person learning in the United States.
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In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has materially adversely impacted the U.S. economy and the education system and is expected to continue to do so. The education system and education budgets are typically highly dependent on state and local tax revenues. The severity of the pandemic may adversely impact state and local tax revenues in the future and result in changes in spending priorities for state and local governments, which may have a material adverse effect on future school budgets. The loss of state and local revenues may be substantially or partially offset by federal programs providing assistance to state governments, local governments and schools, although there can be no assurance that any federal funds could be used for capital expenditures or that the level of federal funding, if any, will be sufficient to maintain our historic order rates for school furniture.
The Company has also experienced material disruption in its supply chain related to COVID 19 pandemic, which is expected to continue. Although we own and operate our own domestic manufacturing facilities, we purchase components used in the fabrication and assembly of furniture from a variety of overseas locations, primarily from China, and certain components from domestic suppliers. These suppliers have experienced ongoing manufacturing and shipping disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These disruptions have increased our costs and negatively impacted the timing and reliability of deliveries to us of these components. If we are not able to respond to and effectively manage disruptions in the supply chain for components, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
RISKS RELATED TO SCHOOL FUNDING
Our product sales are significantly affected by education funding, which is a function of tax revenues and general economic conditions. If the economy weakens, funding for education may fail to improve or decrease, which would adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Our sales are significantly impacted by the level of education funding primarily in North America, which, in turn is a function of the general economic environment. In a weak economy, state and local tax revenues for many of our customers are flat or decline, restricting funding for K-12 education spending, which typically leads to a decrease in demand for school furniture. Sustained declines in the per-student funding levels provided for in state and local budgets in the future could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations as they have in the past.
In addition, medical pandemics including COVID-19, geopolitical uncertainties, terrorist attacks, acts of war, natural disasters, increases in energy and other costs or combinations of such factors and other factors that are outside of our control could at any time have a significant effect on the economy, which in turn would affect government revenues and allocations of government spending. The occurrence of any of these or similar events in the future could cause demand for our products to decline or competitive pricing pressures to increase, any of which would likely adversely affect our business, operating results, cash flows and financial condition.
Gaps in state budgets may adversely affect our revenue and results of operations.
Virtually all states are required to balance their operating budgets either on an annual or biannual basis. Unlike the federal government, states cannot maintain services during an economic downturn by running a deficit. Many states are adversely impacted by underfunded retirement and health insurance obligations and face competing requests for available funding. Tax revenues and other state funds may be allocated to underfunded benefit obligations instead of education. If states in which we do business cut spending for education to address such budgetary shortfalls or for other reasons, our sales in those states will likely decline and our revenue and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Reduced levels of spending on education may significantly impact spending on furniture and increase price competition in the furniture market. If price competition increases, we may need to reduce our prices to build or maintain our market share, which in turn could lower our profit margins.
The educational furniture market is characterized by price competition, as many sales occur on a bid basis and are based on demand related to educational funding available to schools. When funding for education declines, schools typically reduce spending on all budget line items prior to reducing teacher and administrator salaries and benefits. This in turn can result in reduced demand for school furniture, which in turn can intensify price competition in our industry. This price competition could impact our ability to implement price increases or, in some cases, such as during an industry downturn, maintain prices. In addition, when market conditions warrant, we may need to reduce prices to build or maintain our market share. If we are unable to increase or maintain prices for our products, our profit margins could decline. Such decline will be compounded to the extent we are unable to maintain or reduce the cost of our products, which may be especially difficult in the current environment given the volatility of the commodities markets.
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STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL RISKS
Our efforts to introduce new products that meet customer requirements may not be successful, which could limit our sales growth or cause our sales to decline.
To keep pace with industry trends, such as changes in education curriculum and increases in the use of technology, and with evolving regulatory and industry requirements, including environmental, health, safety and other standards for the education environment and for product performance, we must periodically introduce new products or modify existing ones. The introduction of new or modification of existing products requires the coordination of the design, manufacturing and marketing of such products, which may be affected by factors beyond our control. The design and engineering of certain of our new products can take a year or more, and further time may be required to achieve customer acceptance. Accordingly, the launch of any product may be later or less successful than we originally anticipated. Additionally, our competitors may develop new product designs that achieve a high level of customer acceptance, which could give them a competitive advantage over us in making future sales. Difficulties or delays in introducing new or modified products or lack of customer acceptance of such products could limit our sales growth or cause our sales to decline.
We depend on a global network of outside suppliers for raw materials and components, who may be unable to meet our volume and quality requirements on a timely basis, and we may be unable to obtain alternative sources.
We require substantial amounts of raw materials and components to manufacture our products, which we purchase from a global network of third-party suppliers. Materials comprised our single largest total cost. Contracts with most of our suppliers are short-term. These suppliers may not continue to provide raw materials and components to us at attractive prices, or at all, and we may not be able to obtain the raw materials we need in the future from these or other providers on the scale and within the time frames we require. In a deteriorating economic environment, including the current economic disruption caused by COVID-19 and global supply chain disruptions, many of the Company's suppliers may experience difficulty obtaining financing and may go out of business. The Company may have difficulty replacing these suppliers, especially if the supplier fails as the Company is entering the seasonal summer shipping season. Moreover, we do not carry significant inventories of raw materials, components or finished goods that could mitigate an interruption or delay in the availability of raw materials and components. In addition, because we purchase components from international sources, primarily China, we are subject to tariffs, fluctuations in currency exchange rates as well as the impact of natural disasters, war and other factors that may disrupt the transportation systems, ports, or shipping lines used by our suppliers, and other uncontrollable factors such as changes in foreign regulation or economic conditions.
In fiscal 2022, the cost of raw materials and components, including steel and plastic, was extremely volatile and unfavorably impacted our results of operations. In addition, the current conflict in Ukraine and global sanctions recently placed on Russia have increased the cost and negatively impacted the availability of fuel, plastic and nickel, a required material for chrome plating used in our steel furniture.
Any failure to obtain raw materials and components on a timely basis, or any significant delays or interruptions in the supply of raw materials, could prevent us from being able to manufacture and deliver products ordered by our customers in a timely fashion and increase our cost of obtaining raw materials and components in excess of our ability to pass along such costs to customers, any of which could have a negative impact on our reputation, sales and profitability.
Cost and availability of third-party freight can adversely affect our profitability and results of operations.
The majority of our sales are FOB destination and include freight from Virco’s facilities to the customer location. Virco depends upon third-party carriers for more than 90% of customer deliveries. The size of many carriers’ fleets varies due to economic conditions. Increased regulation and more stringent enforcement of federal regulations governing the transportation industry (especially regarding drivers) have adversely impacted the cost and availability of transportation services. Further, there may be a lack of available trained and licensed drivers, which may reduce the availability of transportation services. Inability to obtain adequate third-party freight on a timely basis during the summer delivery season can adversely affect cost to deliver products to customers and the level of customer service, which can in turn adversely impact future sales.
The Company imports component parts from international sources (primarily China). During fiscal 2022, freight costs for containers from China increased by a factor of nearly eight. Ongoing disruptions in the cost or availability of ocean freight or disruptions in port operations, may adversely impact the Company’s ability to obtain adequate component parts on a cost effective basis to support sales, particularly in the busy summer season, which could have an adverse effect on our sales and profitability. There can be no assurance that our suppliers in China will not experience material disruptions in the future, whether due to COVID-19 or otherwise.
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The majority of our sales are priced through one contract, under which we are the exclusive supplier of classroom furniture.
We utilize a nationwide contract/price list for the pricing of a significant portion of our sales. This contract/price list allows schools and school districts to purchase furniture without bidding, and is sponsored by a nationwide purchasing organization that does not purchase products from the Company. By providing a public bid specification and authorization service to publicly funded agencies, the organization's contract/price list enables such agencies to make authorized expenditures of taxpayer funds. For all sales under this contract/price list, Virco has a direct selling relationship with the purchaser, whether it is a school, a district, or another publicly funded agency. In addition, Virco can ship directly to the purchaser; perform delivery services at the purchaser's location; and finally bill directly to, and collect from, the purchaser. Although Virco sells direct to hundreds of individual schools and school districts, these schools and school districts can purchase our products and services under several bids and contracts available to them. Approximately 69% of Virco's sales in fiscal 2022 and 67% of Virco's sales in fiscal 2021 were priced under this nationwide contract/price list. In November 2017, the Company was awarded a five-year contract extending through December 2022 along with two two-year extensions through 2026. If Virco were to lose its exclusive supplier status under this contract/price list, and other manufacturers were allowed to sell under this contract/price list, it could cause Virco's sales, or growth in sales, to decline.
In addition, this contract/price list determines selling prices for goods and services for periods of one year and occasionally longer. Though the Company has negotiated increased flexibility under many of these contracts that may allow the Company to increase prices on future orders, the Company has limited ability to raise prices on orders received prior to any announced price increase. Due to the intensely seasonal nature of our business, the Company may receive significant orders during the first and second quarters for delivery in the second and third quarters. With respect to any of the contracts described above, if the costs of providing our products or services increase between the date the orders are received and the shipping date, we will likely not be able to implement corresponding increases in our sales prices for such products or services to offset the related increased costs. Significant cost increases in providing either the services or products during a given contract period could therefore lower our profit margins.
We operate in a seasonal business and require significant amounts of working capital through our existing credit facility to fund acquisitions of inventory, fund expenses for freight and classroom delivery and finance receivables during the summer delivery season. Restrictions imposed by the terms of our existing credit facility may limit our operating and financial flexibility. The Company may not meet the requirements of its financial covenants on an ongoing basis or that should it fail to meet such covenants in the future, the agent and lender under the Credit Agreement will agree to waivers or amendments with respect thereto.
Our credit facility with PNC, among other things, largely prevents us from incurring any additional indebtedness, limits capital expenditures, limits dividends and stock repurchases, and provides for seasonal variations in the maximum borrowing amount, including a reduced maximum level of borrowing during the fourth fiscal quarter. Our credit facility also provides for periodic financial covenants, which currently include a minimum EBITDA or minimum fixed charge coverage ratio requirement. As a result of the foregoing, our operational and financial flexibility may be limited, which may prevent us from engaging in transactions that might further our growth strategy or otherwise be considered beneficial to us.
Under our credit facility, substantially all of our accounts receivable is automatically and promptly swept to repay amounts outstanding under the credit facility upon our receipt. Due to this automatic liquidating nature, if we breach any covenant, violate any representation or warranty or suffer any deterioration in our ability to borrow pursuant to the borrowing base calculation contained in the credit facility, we may not have access to cash liquidity unless provided by the lender in its discretion. If the indebtedness under our credit facility were to be accelerated, we cannot be certain that we will have sufficient funds available to pay such indebtedness or that we will have the ability to refinance the accelerated indebtedness on terms favorable to us or at all. Any such acceleration could also result in a foreclosure on all or substantially all of our assets, which would have a negative impact on the value of our common stock and jeopardize our ability to continue as a going concern. In addition, certain of the covenants and representations and warranties set forth in our credit facility contain limited or no materiality thresholds, and all of the representations and warranties must be true and correct in all material respects upon each borrowing, which we expect to occur on an ongoing basis. There can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with all such covenants and be able to continue to make such representations and warranties on an ongoing basis. There can be no assurance that the Company will meet the requirements of its financial covenants on an ongoing basis or that, should it fail to meet such covenants, the Agent and Lender under our credit facility will agree to waivers or amendments with respect thereto. If we breach any of our financial covenants without receiving a corresponding waiver or amendment, the Agent and Lender may accelerate our credit facility and impose default interest and other fees, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC RISKS
Increases in basic commodity, raw material and component costs could adversely affect our profitability.
Fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of the commodities, raw materials and components used in manufacturing our products could have an adverse effect on our costs of sales, profitability and our ability to meet customers' demand. The price of commodities, raw materials and components, including steel and plastics, our largest raw material categories, have been volatile in prior years, and the cost, quality and availability of such commodities have been significantly affected in recent years by, among other things, changes in global supply and demand, changes in laws and regulations (including tariffs and duties), changes in exchange rates and worldwide price levels, natural disasters, public health issues such as the current COVID-19 pandemic (or other future pandemics), labor disputes, terrorism and political unrest or instability. These factors could lead to further price increases or supply interruptions in the future. As discussed above, in the short term, rapid changes in raw material costs can be very difficult for us to offset with price increases because, in the case of many of our contracts, we have committed to selling prices for goods and services for periods of one year, and occasionally longer. Our profit margins could be adversely affected if commodity, raw material and component costs remain high or escalate further, and we are unable to pass along a portion of the higher costs to our customers.
In fiscal 2022 the Company incurred material increases in commodity costs and shortages in commodity availability that were material and adversely impacted the results of operations. Total material costs for fiscal 2023, as a percentage of sales, could be higher than in fiscal 2022. The Company has increased list prices for its products in fiscal 2023 in an effort to recover anticipated increases in material costs.
We are affected by the cost of petroleum-based products and increases in petroleum prices could reduce our margins and profits.
The profitability of our operations is sensitive to the cost of fuel, which materially affects our transportation costs, the costs of petroleum-based materials (like plastics) and the costs of energy (including electricity and natural gas) used in operating our manufacturing facilities. Petroleum prices have fluctuated significantly in recent years and are expected to rise from current levels. Prices and availability of petroleum products are subject to political, economic and market factors that are generally outside our control. Political events in petroleum-producing regions, as well as hurricanes and other weather-related events may cause petroleum prices to increase. If such prices increase, our transportation costs may be adversely affected in the form of increased operation costs for our fleet and surcharges on freight paid to third-party carriers. If our transportation costs increase, and/or the price of petroleum-based products and cost of operating our manufacturing facilities increase, these increases could have a negative impact on our gross margins and profitability.
FINANCING RISKS
We may not be able to renew our credit facility on favorable terms, or at all, which would adversely affect our results of operations.
We have historically relied on third-party bank financing to meet our seasonal cash flow requirements. Our current credit facility with PNC Bank was originally scheduled to mature on March 19, 2023. Subsequent to fiscal 2022, the Company extended the final maturity date of the credit line with PNC Bank to April 2027. At various times during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were in non-compliance with certain financial covenants under our credit facility with PNC Bank, and in each case, we received a waiver of such violations from PNC Bank. In addition, on an annual basis, we prepare a lender-approved forecast of seasonal working capital requirements and use borrowings under our credit facility with PNC Bank to help meet these seasonal cash flow and working capital requirements. Uncertainty in the credit markets may negatively impact our ability to obtain approval of our annual forecast, make changes in our forecast or renew our credit facility upon its maturity in 2027
on favorable terms or at all. If we are unable to access or renew our credit facility on favorable terms (including available borrowing line and the rate of interest charged thereunder), or at all, or we are in violation of our financial covenants in the future and do not receive a waiver, our ability to fund our operations would be impaired, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
If management does not accurately forecast the Company's requirements for the peak summer season, the Company's results of operations could be adversely affected.
The Company's business is highly seasonal and requires significant working capital in anticipation of and during the peak summer season. This requires management to make estimates and judgments with respect to the Company's working capital
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requirements during, and in anticipation of, the peak summer season. These estimates are complicated by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with respect to anticipated future demand and the ability to maintain our supply chain.
Management expends a significant amount of time in the fourth quarter of the prior year and the first quarter of each year developing a stocking plan and estimating the number of temporary summer employees, the amount of raw materials and the types of components and products that will be required during the peak season. If management does not accurately forecast the Company's requirements, the Company's results of operations could be adversely affected. For example, if management underestimates any of these requirements, Virco's ability to meet customer orders in a timely manner or to provide adequate customer service may be diminished. If management overestimates any of these requirements, the Company may be required to absorb higher storage, labor and related costs, each of which may negatively affect the Company's results of operations.
We may require additional capital in the future, which may not be available or may be available only on unfavorable terms.
Our capital requirements depend on many factors, including capital improvements, tooling and new product development. To the extent that our existing capital is insufficient to meet these requirements and cover any losses, we may need to raise additional funds through financings or curtail our growth and reduce our assets. Any equity or debt financing, if available at all, may be on terms that are not favorable to us. Equity financings could result in dilution to our stockholders, and the securities may have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior to those of our common stock. If our need for capital arises because of significant losses, the occurrence of these losses may make it more difficult for us to raise the necessary capital.
Volatility in the equity markets or interest rates could substantially increase our pension costs and have a negative impact on our operating results.
We sponsor one qualified defined benefit pension plan, the Virco Employee Retirement Plan (“Employee Plan”), and one nonqualified pension plan. Benefits under the Plans were frozen in 2003. The difference between plan obligations and assets, or the funded status of the Employee Plan, significantly affects net periodic benefit costs of our Employee Plan and our ongoing funding requirements with respect to the Employee Plan. The Employee Plan is funded with trust assets invested in a diversified portfolio of debt and equity securities and other investments. Among other factors, changes in interest rates, investment returns, and the market value of plan assets can (i) affect the level of plan funding; (ii) cause volatility in the net periodic pension cost; and (iii) increase our future contribution requirements. Because the current economic environment is characterized by historically low interest rates, we may be required to make additional cash contributions to the Employee Plan and recognize further increases in our net pension cost to satisfy our funding requirements. A significant decrease in investment returns or the market value of plan assets or a significant decrease in interest rates could increase our net periodic pension costs and adversely affect our results of operations. These factors are further complicated by the substantial intervention in the U.S. credit markets by the Federal Reserve Board and Treasury Department in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have the effect of artificially reducing market interest rates.
LEGAL AND REGULATORY RISKS
An inability to protect our intellectual property could have a significant impact on our business.
We attempt to protect our intellectual property rights through a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws. Our ability to compete effectively with our competitors depends, to a significant extent, on our ability to maintain the proprietary nature of our intellectual property. The degree of protection offered by the claims of the various patents, trademarks and service marks may not be broad enough to provide significant proprietary protection or competitive advantages to us, and patents, trademarks or service marks may not be issued on our pending or contemplated applications. In addition, not all of our products are covered by patents. It is also possible that our patents, trademarks and service marks may be challenged, invalidated, cancelled, narrowed or circumvented. If we are unable to maintain the proprietary nature of our intellectual property with respect to our significant current or proposed products, our competitors may be able to sell copies of our products, which could adversely affect our ability to sell our original products and could also result in competitive pricing pressures.
If third parties claim that we infringe upon their intellectual property rights, we may incur liability and costs and may have to redesign or discontinue an infringing product.
We face the risk of claims that we have infringed third parties' intellectual property rights. Companies operating in the furniture industry routinely seek protection of the intellectual property for their product designs, and our principal competitors may have large intellectual property portfolios. Our efforts to identify and avoid infringing third parties' intellectual property rights may
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not be successful. Any claims of intellectual property infringement, even those without merit, could (i) be expensive and time-consuming to defend; (ii) cause us to cease making, licensing or using products that incorporate the challenged intellectual property; (iii) require us to redesign, reengineer, or rebrand our products or packaging, if feasible; or (iv) require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements in order to obtain the right to use a third party's intellectual property. Such claims could have a negative impact on our sales and results of operations.
We could be required to incur substantial costs to comply with environmental and other legal requirements. Violations of, and liabilities under, these laws and regulations may increase our costs or require us to change our business practices.
Our past and present ownership and operation of manufacturing plants are subject to extensive and changing federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to discharges to air, water and land, the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous waste and the cleanup of properties affected by hazardous substances. As a result, we are involved from time to time in administrative and judicial proceedings and inquiries relating to environmental matters and could become subject to fines or penalties related thereto. We cannot predict what environmental legislation or regulations will be enacted in the future, how existing or future laws or regulations will be administered or interpreted or what environmental conditions may be found to exist. Compliance with more stringent laws or regulations, or stricter interpretation of existing laws, may require additional expenditures by us, some of which may be material. If new environmental laws and regulations are introduced and enforced domestically, but not implemented or enforced internationally, we will operate at a competitive disadvantage compared to competitors who source product primarily from international sources. In addition, in the past we have been identified as a potentially responsible party pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) for remediation costs associated with waste disposal sites previously used by us. In general, CERCLA can impose liability for costs to investigate and remediate contamination without regard to fault or the legality of disposal and, under certain circumstances, liability may be joint and several, resulting in one party being held responsible for the entire obligation. Liability may also include damages for harm to natural resources. We may also be subject to claims for personal injury or contribution relating to CERCLA sites. We reserve amounts for such matters when expenditures are probable and reasonably estimable.
In addition to environmental laws and regulations affecting our manufacturing activities, the Company is subject to laws and regulations related to consumer product regulation. The Company sells products that are subject to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the California Air Resources Board rule and Toxic Control Substances Act rule, concerning formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products.
We are subject to potential labor disruptions, which could have a significant impact on our business.
None of our work force is represented by unions, and while we believe that we have good relations with our work force, we may experience work stoppages or other labor problems in the future. Any prolonged work stoppage could have an adverse effect on our reputation, our vendor relations and our customers.
Our insurance coverage may not adequately cover for any product liability claims.
We maintain product liability and other insurance coverage that we believe to be generally in accordance with industry practices. Our insurance coverage may not be adequate to protect us fully against substantial claims and costs that may arise from product defects, particularly if we have a large number of defective products that we must repair, retrofit, replace or recall.
Holders of approximately 35% of the shares of our stock have entered into an agreement restricting the sale of the stock.
Certain shares of the Company's common stock received by the holders thereof as gifts from Julian A. Virtue, including shares received in subsequent stock dividends, are subject to an agreement that restricts the sale or transfer of those shares. Because of the share ownership and representation on the board and in management, the parties to the agreement have significant influence on affairs and actions of the Company, including matters requiring stockholder approval such as the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. In addition, these transfer restrictions and concentration of ownership could have the effect of impeding an acquisition of the Company.
Our corporate documents and Delaware law contain provisions that could discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company.
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Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition involving us that our stockholders may consider favorable. For example, our certificate of incorporation currently provides for a staggered board of directors, whereby directors serve for three-year terms, with approximately one-third of the directors coming up for reelection each year. Having a staggered board will make it more difficult for a third party to obtain control of our board of directors through a proxy contest, which may be a necessary step in an acquisition of us that is not favored by our board of directors. In addition, provisions in our certificate of incorporation require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of our outstanding shares for any business combination with a shareholder who beneficially holds, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of our outstanding stock, except where such transaction is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the acquisition of the 5% ownership position.
We are also subject to the anti-takeover provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Under these provisions, if anyone becomes an “interested stockholder,” we may not enter into a “business combination” with that person for three years without special approval, which could discourage a third party from making a takeover offer and could delay or prevent a change of control. For purposes of Section 203, “interested stockholder” means, generally, someone owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock or an affiliate of ours that owned 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock during the past three years, subject to certain exceptions as described in Section 203.
GENERAL RISK FACTORS
We may not be able to manage our business effectively if we are unable to retain our experienced management team or recruit other key personnel.
The success of our operations is highly dependent upon our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and upon the ability of our senior management and other key employees to implement our business strategy. We believe there are only a limited number of qualified executives in the industry in which we compete. The loss of the services of key members of our management team could seriously harm our efforts to successfully implement our business strategy.
Failure in our information technology and storage systems could significantly disrupt the operation of our business.
Our ability to execute our business plan and maintain operations depends on the continued and uninterrupted performance of our information technology systems. These systems are vulnerable to risks and damages from a variety of sources, including telecommunications or network failures, malicious human acts and natural disasters. Moreover, despite network security and backup measures, some of our computer servers and those of our vendors are potentially vulnerable to physical or electronic break-ins, including cyber-attacks, ransomware attacks, computer viruses and similar disruptive problems. These events could lead to the unauthorized access, disclosure and use of non-public information and disruption of our accounting, sales and purchasing systems and overall operations. The techniques used by criminal elements to attack computer systems are sophisticated, change frequently and may originate from less regulated and remote areas of the world. As a result, we may not be able to address these techniques proactively or implement adequate preventative measures. If any of our computer systems are compromised, our business could be interrupted and we could be subject to fines, damages, litigation and enforcement actions and we could lose trade secrets, the occurrence of which could harm our business.
Any failure by us to comply with a variety of privacy and consumer protection laws may harm us.
Any failure by us or our vendor or other business partners to comply with privacy, data protection or security laws or regulations relating to the processing, collection, use, retention, security and transfer of personally identifiable information could result in regulatory or litigation-related actions against us, legal liability, fines, damages, ongoing audit requirements and other significant costs. Substantial expenses and operational changes may be required in connection with maintaining compliance with such laws, and in particular certain emerging privacy laws are still subject to a high degree of uncertainty as to their interpretation and application. The California Consumer Privacy Act took effect on January 1, 2020 and imposes certain legal obligations on our use and processing of personal information related to California residents, including certain personal information regarding our California employees. In November 2020, California voters passed the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act of 2020, which further expands the California Consumer Privacy Act with additional data privacy compliance requirements that may impact our business, and establishes a regulatory agency dedicated to enforcing those requirements. Aspects of these new laws and their interpretation and enforcement remain uncertain, and their potential effects are far-reaching and may require us to modify our data processing practices and policies and incur substantial costs and expenses in order to comply. These new laws may also lead other states to pass comparable legislation, with potentially greater penalties and more rigorous compliance requirements relevant to our business.
Our stock price has historically been volatile, and investors in our common stock could suffer a decline in value.
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There has been significant volatility in the market price and trading volume of equity securities, which may be unrelated to the financial performance of the companies issuing the securities. The economic impact and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this volatility in both our common stock and the overall stock markets. The limited “float” of shares available for purchase or sale of Virco stock can magnify this volatility. These broad market fluctuations may negatively affect the market price of our common stock. Some specific factors that may have a significant effect on our common stock market price include:
•actual or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results or future prospects;
•our announcements or our competitors’ announcements of new products;
•the public’s reaction to our press releases, our other public announcements and our filings with the SEC;
•strategic actions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions or restructurings;
•new laws or regulations or new interpretations of existing laws or regulations applicable to our business;
•changes in our growth rates or our competitors’ growth rates;
•our inability to raise additional capital;
•conditions of the school furniture industry as a result of changes in funding or general economic conditions, including those resulting from war, incidents of terrorism and responses to such events; and
•changes in stock market analyst recommendations or earnings estimates regarding our common stock, other comparable companies or the education furniture industry generally.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
Torrance, California
Virco leases a 560,000 sq. ft. office, manufacturing and warehousing facility located on 23.5 acres of land in Torrance, California. This facility is occupied under a lease expiring on April 30, 2025. This facility also includes the corporate headquarters, the West Coast showroom, and all West Coast distribution operations.
Conway, Arkansas
The Company owns 100 acres of land in Conway, Arkansas, containing 1,200,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing, warehousing, and office space. This facility - which is equipped with high-density storage systems, features 70 dock doors dedicated to outbound freight, and has substantial yard capacity to store and stage trailers - has enabled the Company to consolidate the warehousing function and implement the Assemble-to-Ship inventory stocking program. Management believes that this facility supports Virco's ability to handle increased sales during the peak delivery season and enhances the efficiency with which orders are filled. This facility and the underlying real estate, along with the rest of the Company’s assets, secure the Company’s obligations under its credit facility.
In addition to the complex described above, the Company operates two other facilities in Conway, Arkansas. The first is a 375,000 sq. ft. fabrication facility that was acquired in 1954 and expanded and modernized over subsequent years. The Company manufactures fabricated steel components, chrome plates, and fabricates injection-molded plastic components at this facility. These components are transferred to other facilities for assembly into finished goods. The second is a 175,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility that is used to fabricate and store compression-molded components. This building was occupied under a series of leases for approximately 20 years. In August 2017, the Company purchased this building.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
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Table of Contents
Virco is involved in legal proceedings from time to time in the ordinary course of business. In the opinion of the Company, such legal proceedings are not material in amount or management expects that the Company will be successful on the merits in pending cases against the Company or any liabilities resulting from such cases will be substantially covered by insurance. While it is impossible to estimate with certainty the ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to these suits and claims, management believes that the aggregate amount of such liabilities will not be material to the results of operations, financial position, or cash flows of the Company.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The NASDAQ Global Market is the principal market on which Virco Mfg. Corporation (VIRC) stock is traded. As of April 22, 2022, there were approximately 160 registered stockholders according to the Company's transfer agent records. As of such date, there were approximately 1,260 beneficial stockholders.
Dividend Policy
At present, we do not intend to pay cash dividends on the shares of our common stock. Our future dividend policy will be determined from time to time by our board of directors, taking into account the Company’s earnings and liquidity, among other factors. In addition, our Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with PNC Bank limits our ability to pay cash dividends
to $3,000,000 in the aggregate during any fiscal year, provided that no default or event or default shall have occurred or be continuing under the Credit Agreement or result from any such dividend. In addition, under the Credit Agreement we must demonstrate pro forma compliance with a fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.20:1.00 for the most recent twelve month period ending as of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the date of such dividend.
Stock Repurchases
The Company did not repurchase any shares of its stock during 2022 and 2021.
Item 6. [Reserved]
Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate impact on the Company’s operating activities during fiscal 2021, and this impact continued through fiscal 2022. In March 2020, most school districts that we serve closed their doors to students and initiated remote learning. Most school districts in the United States kept campuses closed to students for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year, and district business officials typically operated from home offices. During the 2020-2021 academic year many school districts and private schools successfully re-introduced in-class or hybrid learning, but the majority of students in the United States were learning remotely during the Company’s fiscal year ended January 31, 2021. These mass closures impacted more than ten of the twelve months included in this fiscal year, including all of the traditionally busy summer season. The demand for school furniture was adversely impacted by COVID-19 in fiscal year 2021. School administrators were challenged by COVID-19, and purchases of furniture for empty classrooms were not a priority. As a result, order rates declined by approximately 20% compared to the prior year.
The Company adopted a number of measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our sales force worked remotely from March 2020 through January 31, 2021, and as a general matter only physically called on school sites when specifically invited by the district. While students returned to class in many locations, districts continued to limit in person sales calls.
Virco determined that the Company is considered to be an essential manufacturer under the California public health order issued in March 2020, and with the exception of a two brief closures of our Torrance operations, all facilities in California and Arkansas have been operating.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2022 many schools reopened and virtually all schools were reopened for the beginning of academic year beginning August 2021. The Company received a 26.7% increase in orders in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, substantially all for immediate delivery, to support the back-to-school endeavors. The strong rebound in order rates continued through fiscal 2022 as schools reopened. Order rates for fiscal year 2022 increased by nearly 40% compared to the prior year.
Going into fiscal 2022, the Company was cautious about building inventory and began the year with a reduced level of product. The Company was able to support the first quarter increase in orders as the first quarter is a traditionally slow time of the year. The Company experienced severe supply chain issues throughout the rest of the year. The cost and availability of container freight adversely impacted the cost and timely delivery of components imported from China. Domestic suppliers raised prices dramatically, with the cost of steel nearly tripling and the cost of plastic nearly doubling. In addition to increased costs, many domestic suppliers put the Company on allocation as they did not have the production capacity to service all of their customers.
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When this occurs, the supplier allocates their available capacity to existing customers based upon the customers historic purchase activity.
In addition to severe shortages of materials, the Company incurred a severe shortfall of both temporary and full-time labor. This shortfall was exacerbated by COVID-19 related absences that caused as much as 15% of our workforce to be out at any time. In order to meet required levels of production, the Company made a decision to reward our full-time workforce by paying them double-time in lieu of time and one-half for all overtime hours worked. This successfully motivated our employees to work extended hours but cost the Company approximately $2 million. Inability to hire production workers continued through the year, and in October and November the Company significantly increased the starting wages for production workers followed by raises for all hourly workers. With these raises the Company was able to attract and retain additional workers, and as of the date of this report, the Company has an adequate workforce to support anticipated levels of business.
Factory efficiencies deteriorated as a result of these events. Rather than execute efficient production runs, factories ran smaller less efficient production runs to utilize whatever materials were available and to fulfill urgent orders. Customers were asked to substitute products requested for products for which materials were available. Labor shortages and absences contributed to the inefficiencies. The cost of materials, unavailability of materials, and labor issues adversely affected gross margins for the year.
The education system and education budgets are typically highly dependent on state and local tax revenues. The severity of this pandemic may materially adversely impact state and local tax revenues and result in changes in spending priorities for state and local governments, which may have a material adverse effect on future school budgets. The loss of state and local revenues may be substantially or partially offset by federal programs providing assistance to state governments, local governments and schools, although there can be no assurance that any federal funds could be used for capital expenditures or that the level of federal funding, if any, will be sufficient to maintain our historic order rates for school furniture.
Executive Overview of Operating Results
The market for school furniture is traditionally seasonal, with approximately 50% of annual sales occurring in the months of June, July, and August. The Company has traditionally met the seasonal needs with significant overtime and by hiring seasonal temporary labor. During fiscal 2021, the demand for school furniture declined primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruption, and the Company reduced production levels. Because of the traditional dependence on temporary seasonal labor, the Company was able to reduce seasonal hiring to match production to demand. The Company did not sever any of its full-time employees during the pandemic. During fiscal 2022 order rates recovered, increasing by nearly 40% compared to fiscal 2021. The Company was unable to hire adequate new permanent workers or temporary labor to meet the traditional summer delivery needs.
The markets that Virco serves include the education market (the Company's primary market), which is made up of public and private schools (preschool through 12th grade), junior and community colleges, four-year colleges and universities and trade, technical and vocational schools. Virco also serves convention centers and arenas; the hospitality industry, with respect to their banquet and meeting facilities; government facilities at the federal, state, county and municipal levels; and places of worship. In addition, the Company sells to wholesalers, distributors, retailers, catalog retailers, and internet retailers that serve these same markets. These institutions are frequently characterized by extreme seasonality and/or a bid-based purchasing function. The Company's business model, which is designed to support this strategy, is highly integrated. The Company purchases coils of steel, plastic resin, particle board, and other raw materials and fabricated finished goods for the education market. The Company markets and sells direct to the schools and provides project management and logistics. The Company primarily sells to schools FOB destination, with more than 75% of sales delivered FOB classroom destination.
As part of this integrated business model, the Company has developed several competencies to enable superior service to the markets in which Virco competes. An important element of Virco's business model is the Company's emphasis on developing and maintaining key manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, delivery, project management and service capabilities. The Company has developed a comprehensive product offering for the furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) needs of the K-12 education market, enabling a school to procure all of its FF&E requirements from one source.
Virco's product offering consists primarily of items manufactured by Virco, complemented with products sourced from other furniture manufacturers to fill any gaps in product manufactured by the Company. The Company has served the education industry for over 72 years and over this time developed products to address a variety classroom management trends, from collaborative learning to individual and combination desks facilitating distancing and classroom control. The pandemic caused a noticeable change in the types of product requested by educators. In fiscal 2021, although total sales were lower than last year, we experienced an increase in the demand for individual desks. Our product offerings are continually enhanced with an ongoing new product development program that incorporates internally developed products as well as product lines developed
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with accomplished designers. Finally, management continues to hone Virco's ability to forecast, finance, manufacture, warehouse, deliver and install furniture within the relatively narrow delivery window associated with the highly seasonal demand for education sales. The educational sales market is extremely seasonal. Historically Virco ships approximately 50% of its annual revenue in the months of June, July, and August. In fiscal 2022 the seasonal peak was distorted due to severe supply chain interruptions, labor shortages, and COVID-19 related employee absences and the Company delivered slightly less than 40% of sales during June, July, and August. In fiscal 2021, approximately 52% of the Company's total sales were delivered in June, July, and August. The Company anticipates that the traditional seasonal peak will return when COVID and supply chain disruptions normalize.
During periods of traditional seasonality, average weekly shipments during July and August can be as great as six times the level of average weekly shipments in the winter months. Virco's substantial warehouse space allows the Company to build and ship adequate inventories to service this narrow delivery window for the education market.
The budgetary pressures directly impact the demand for the Company's products, as the demand for educational furniture largely depends upon: (1) available funding in a school's general operating fund and (2) the completion of bond-funded projects, which is directly impacted by the amount of bond financing issued to fund new school construction, to renovate older schools, and to fully equip new and renovated schools.
We believe that a significant majority, approximately 80-85%, of a school's operating budget is for the salaries and benefits for school teachers and administrators. Increasing costs for medical insurance, combined with pressures from unfunded post-retirement medical and pension obligations reduces funds available for other purposes. In response to these budgetary pressures, schools typically elect to retain teachers and spend less on repairs, maintenance and replacement furniture, which in turn reduces the demand for, and sales of, the Company's products. Prior to COVID-19, there had been an improvement in state and local tax collections. The long-term impact of COVID-19 combined with potential federal relief is not clear at this time.
The significant budgetary challenges faced by the education industry have had an impact on the Company’s business model over this time frame and have created opportunities as well. In response to their budgetary challenges, many school districts closed warehouses and reduced janitorial and support staff in order to retain accredited teachers. Selling efforts must now reach school principals and administrative staff in addition to the district business offices. Sales priced under national contracts or buying groups are displacing competitive bids administered by professional purchasing departments. Distribution has become a more meaningful component of our business as most deliveries are to school sites, and often include delivery into the classroom. This evolution adds to the seasonal challenges of our business, but also creates opportunities to suppliers that can execute during the short summer delivery window.
The Company’s operating results can be impacted significantly by cost and volatility of commodities, especially steel, plastic, wood and energy. Because a majority of the Company's sales are generated under annual contracts in which the Company has limited ability to raise the price of its products during the term of the contract, if the costs of the Company's raw materials increase suddenly or unexpectedly, the Company cannot be certain that it will be able to implement immediate corresponding increases in its sales prices in order to offset such increased costs. The Company moderates this exposure by building significant quantities of finished goods and component parts during the first and second quarters. In fiscal 2022, the cost of commodities was extremely volatile and unfavorably impacted the results of operations. The cost of steel nearly tripled and the cost of plastic doubled. Other material costs increased, but not as severely. During fiscal 2021 commodities were reasonably stable.
The majority of Virco’s sales include freight to the customer facility and the cost or availability of transportation equipment can adversely impact both profitability and customer service. Significant cost increases in manufacturing or distributing products during a given contract period can adversely impact operating results and have done so during prior years. The Company typically benefits from any decreases in raw material or distribution costs under the contracts described above.
During the year ending January 31, 2023 ("fiscal 2023"), the Company anticipates continued uncertainty and volatility in commodity costs, particularly with respect to steel, plastic, and other raw materials, transportation and energy.The global pandemic related to COVID-19 and global sanctions are expected to continue to disrupt global and domestic supply chains.
While the Company anticipates challenging economic conditions to continue to impact its core customer base in the near term, there are certain underlying demographics, customer responses and changes in the competitive landscape that provide opportunities. First, the underlying demographics of the student population are stable compared to the volatility of school budgets and the related level of furniture and equipment purchases. This volatility is attributable to the financial health of the
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school systems. Virco management believes that there is a pent-up demand for quality school furniture (though it is unclear when and to what extent that pent-up demand will be converted into a meaningful increase in purchases). Second, management believes that parents and voters will make quality education an ongoing priority for future government spending. The disruption related to COVID-19 school closures reinforced the need for learning in classroom settings. Third, many schools have responded to the budget strains by reducing their support infrastructure. This change provides opportunities to provide services to schools, such as project management for new or renovated schools, delivery to individual school sites rather than truckload deliveries to central warehouses and delivery of furniture into classrooms. Moreover, this change offers opportunities for Virco to promote its complete product assortment which allows one-stop shopping as opposed to sourcing furniture needs from a variety of suppliers. Fourth, many suppliers previously shut down or dramatically curtailed their domestic manufacturing capabilities, making it difficult for competitors to adapt to dynamic fluctuations in demand or provide custom colors or finishes during a narrow seasonal summer delivery window when they are reliant upon a supply chain extending to Asia or elsewhere. Meanwhile, Virco has continued to invest in automation at its domestic manufacturing facilities, adding flat metal forming processes to its manufacturing capabilities and bringing production into its factories of items formerly sourced from other suppliers (both domestic and international). Domestic production facilitates our product development process, enabling the Company to more rapidly develop new products, release extensions of product families and offer customized variants of our product offering. Virco views its domestic factories as a strategic resource for providing its customers with timely delivery of a broad selection of colors, finishes, laminates, and product styles.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
This discussion and analysis of Virco's financial condition and results of operations is based upon the Company's consolidated financial statements (“financial statements”), which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires Virco management to make estimates and judgments that affect the Company's reported assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Certain of these estimates are considered critical accounting estimates. On an on-going basis, management evaluates such critical estimates, including those related to valuation of inventory and related excess and obsolescence reserves, self-insured retention for workers' compensation insurance, liabilities under defined benefit and other compensation programs, and estimates related to deferred tax assets and liabilities. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. This forms the basis of judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the factors discussed above under “Item 1, Business”, and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Virco's critical accounting policies and estimates are as follows:
Inventory Valuation: Inventory is valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value (determined on a first-in, first-out basis) and includes material, labor and factory overhead. The Company records valuation adjustments for the excess cost of the inventory over its estimated net realizable value. Valuation adjustments for slow-moving and obsolete inventory are calculated using an estimated percentage applied to inventories based on a physical inspection of the product in connection with a physical inventory, a review of slow-moving products and component stage, inventory category, historical and forecasted consumption of sales, and consideration of active marketing programs. The market for education furniture is traditionally driven by value, not style, and the Company has not typically incurred material obsolescence expenses. If market conditions are less favorable than those anticipated by management, additional valuation adjustments may be required. Due to reductions in sales volume in the past years, the Company's manufacturing facilities are operating at reduced levels of capacity. The Company records the cost of excess capacity as a period expense, not as a component of capitalized inventory valuation.
Self-Insured Retention: For fiscal 2022 and 2021 the Company was self-insured for product liability losses up to $250,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation losses up to $250,000 per occurrence, auto and general liability losses up to $50,000 per occurrence. The Company obtains quarterly or semi-annual actuarial valuations for the self-insured retentions. Product liability, workers' compensation and auto reserves for known and unknown incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) losses are recorded at the net present value of the estimated losses using a risk-free discount rate of 4% for fiscal 2022 and 2021. Given the relatively short term over which the known losses and IBNR losses are discounted, the sensitivity to the discount rate is not significant. Estimated workers' compensation losses were funded during the insurance year and subject to retroactive loss adjustments. The Company's exposure to self-insured retentions varies depending upon the market conditions in the insurance industry and the availability of cost-effective insurance coverage. Self-insured retentions for fiscal 2023 will be comparable to the retention levels for fiscal 2022.
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Defined Benefit Obligations: The Company has two defined benefit plans, the Virco Employees Retirement Plan (“Employee Plan”) and the Virco Important Performers Plan (“VIP Plan”), which provide retirement benefits to employees. Virco discounted the pension obligations for the various plans using the following discount rates for the fiscal years ended January 31:
Because new benefit accruals for both plans were frozen by the Company effective December 31, 2003, the assumed rate of increase in compensation has no effect on the accounting for the plans. For the Employee Plan, the Company estimated a 6.0% return on plan assets for 2022 and 6.0% for fiscal 2021. The VIP Plan is unfunded and has no plan assets. These rate assumptions can vary due to changes in interest rates and expected returns in the stock market. In prior years, the discount rate has decreased, causing pension expense and pension obligations to increase.
Because the plans have been frozen for many years, there is no service cost related to the plans. In prior years, due to a large number of lump-sum benefits paid to retired and terminated employees, the Company has incurred settlement costs for the Employee Plan. In effort to “de-risk” the Employee Plan, the Company intends to continue to reach out to and offer lump sum benefits to terminated and retired employees, which may result in settlement costs in the future. The Company incurred settlement costs in the second, third, and fourth quarters of fiscal 2022. The Company did not incur settlement costs in fiscal 2021.
Due to the size of the Company's pension obligations, a one percent change in discount rates can cause a material change in the pension obligations. A one percent reduction in discount rates would cause obligations under the Plans to increase by approximately $7.6 million and increase pension expense by approximately $801,000. A one percent decrease in return on Plan assets would increase pension expense by $210,000 and have no impact on retirement obligations. The retirement obligations would decrease by similar amounts if discount rate were to increase by a comparable percentage. The Company obtains annual actuarial valuations for both plans.
Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities: In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company considers whether it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of its deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income or reversal of deferred tax liabilities during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. As a part of this evaluation, the Company assesses all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, the availability of tax carry backs, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations (including cumulative losses in recent years), to determine whether sufficient future taxable income will be generated to realize existing deferred tax assets.
The Company has identified objective and verifiable negative evidence in the form of cumulative losses in the U.S. and in certain state jurisdictions over the preceding twelve quarters ended January 31, 2022. During the fourth quarter of the year ended January 31, 2022, based on this evaluation, and after considering future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and the effects of seasonality on the Company’s business, the Company determined the realization of a majority of the net deferred tax assets no longer met the more likely than not criteria and a valuation allowance was recorded against the majority of the net deferred tax assets.
The amount of the deferred tax asset considered realizable could be adjusted if the Company’s actual results in the future generate taxable income that will allow the Company to utilize its deferred tax assets. The Company’s future taxable income projections are subject to a high degree of uncertainty and could be impacted, both positively and negatively, by changes in our business or the markets in which we operate. A change in the assessment of the realizability of our deferred tax assets could materially impact our results of operations.
Results of Operations (fiscal 2022 vs. 2021)
Financial Highlights
The Company incurred a pre-tax loss of ($3,728,000) on net sales of $184,828,000 for fiscal 2022, compared to pre-tax loss of ($2,976,000) on net sales of $152,795,000 in fiscal 2021. Pre-tax loss deteriorated by $752,000. Net loss per diluted share increased to a loss of ($0.95) for fiscal 2022, compared to a loss of ($0.14) per diluted share in the prior year. Cash flow used in operations was $401,000 in fiscal 2022, compared to cash provided by operations of $7,799,000 in fiscal 2021.
Net Sales
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Virco's net sales increased by 21% in fiscal 2022 to $184,828,000 compared to $152,795,000 in fiscal 2021. The increase in net sales was primarily attributable to an increase in volume in addition to a 5% increase in list selling prices.
Virco’s order rates and sales volume have been severely impacted during the last two years by COVID-19, but the impact has been markedly different each year. In fiscal 2021, the Company incurred approximately a 20% reduction in sales orders and sales volume. This reduction was in large part due to the closure of schools throughout the nation. In fiscal year 2022 many schools reopened during the Company’s first quarter, and virtually all schools reopened by the beginning of the Company’s third quarter. During fiscal 2022 order rates increased by approximately 40% compared to the prior year. However, due to severe supply chain issues and labor shortages, we were not able to increase deliveries at the same rate and net sales increased by only 21%. The Company ended the fiscal year with an order backlog that was approximately $20 million higher than the prior year.
For fiscal 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to create uncertainty as state and local government revenues may be adversely impacted. The potential government revenue shortfall may be offset significantly or in part by a variety of federal government programs. The Company increased selling prices under its largest contracts for orders received after January 1, 2022 to recover volatile and increasing commodity, energy, freight and labor costs. As we have throughout this economic cycle, the Company continues to focus on strategies to develop and strengthen its brand with an aggressive product development campaign. We will continue to use our domestic factories to provide greater flexibility for custom specifications such as laminates, colors and on-time delivery. The Company will continue to emphasize the value, design, variety of its products, the value of its distribution, delivery, classroom delivery and project management capabilities, and the importance of timely deliveries during the peak-seasonal delivery period. To increase or maintain market share during fiscal 2023, when market conditions warrant, the Company may selectively compete based on direct prices to build or maintain its market share. Estimates of sales volume for the next year may continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and global events. Demand for project business is anticipated to be stable compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. Short term transactional business increased in fiscal 2022 when schools re-opened and is anticipated to continue. The potential impact of Government stimulus programs and possible failures of competitors cannot be reasonably estimated as of the date of this report.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales was 67.0% of net sales in fiscal 2022 and 64.1% of net sales in fiscal 2021. The increase in cost of sales as a percentage of sales was primarily attributable to an increase in the cost and availability of raw materials. The Company incurred severe increases in the cost of steel, plastic, and ocean freight. Other costs increased but not as severely. In addition to increased costs the Company was unable to obtain desired quantities of many materials on a timely basis. Finally, the Company experienced labor shortages, both due to COVID-19 related absences and a lack of available temporary labor. The Company incurred material overtime expenses for its existing employees in effort to meet demand. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Company significantly increased the beginning wage rate for all hourly workers and gave meaningful raises to all other hourly workers. This adversely impacted margins in the fourth quarter as selling prices were not increased until January 1, 2022. Direct labor and manufacturing overhead expenses as a percentage of sales were comparable to the prior year, but the Company did not benefit from volume related efficiencies or yield a benefit from the price increase put in place at the beginning of the year. In fiscal 2021, the cost of commodities and labor was reasonably stable.
During fiscal 2023, the Company anticipates continued uncertainty and volatility in commodity costs, particularly with respect to certain raw materials, transportation, energy and tariffs due to potential macroeconomic events, including global economic sanctions and the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. The Company also anticipates continued and possibly increased supply chain disruptions from both domestic and international suppliers. Due in part to volatile transportation and energy costs, we may incur higher commodity costs in fiscal 2023. For more information, please see the section below entitled “Inflation and Future Change in Prices.”
Selling, General and Administrative and Other Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses for fiscal 2022, increased by $7.1 million to $61,265,000 from $54,197,000 but decreased as a percentage of net sales by approximately 2.4% to 33.1% in fiscal 2022 from 35.5% in fiscal 2021. Service costs, including warehousing, freight and classroom delivery costs increased by $3,856,000 and decreased by 0.4% as a percentage of net sales. Selling costs increased by $2,365,000 and decreased as a percentage of sales by 0.9% compared to the prior year. Increased selling costs were attributable to increased variable expenses and because the sales force was able to return to traditional selling practices. G&A spending increased in terms of dollars but decreased as a percentage of net sales by 1.3%. Interest expense was $343,000 lower in fiscal 2022 compared to fiscal 2021 because of reduced levels of borrowing.
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Provision for Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate is based on recurring factors, including the forecasted mix of income before taxes in various jurisdictions, estimated permanent differences and the recording of a partial valuation allowance on net deferred tax asset.
During 2022 and 2021 the Company incurredoperating losses. When combined with operating results from 2020 the Company has incurred a cumulative operating loss for the last three years. While the Company has taken significant measures to return to profitability, and order rates at the beginning of the year are favorable, the short-term outlook for the school furniture market is challenging, particularly relating to ongoing supply chain difficulties. During the fourth quarter of the year ended January 31, 2022, based on this evaluation, and after considering future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and the effects of seasonality on the Company’s business, the Company determined the realization of a majority of the net deferred tax assets no longer met the more likely than not criteria and a valuation allowance was recorded against the majority of the net deferred tax assets. Valuation allowances of $11,412,000 are needed for federal and certain state net operating loss carryforwards to reduce the carrying amount of deferred tax assets to an amount that is more likely than not to be realized. At January 31, 2022, the Company has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $12,513,000 for U.S. federal, with no expirations, and $31,222,000 for state income tax purposes, expiring at various dates through January 31, 2041.
Cash Flow
The following table shows summary cash flows information for the years ended January 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively:
Year ended January 31,
(In thousands)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities $ (401) $ 7,799
Net cash used in investing activities (2,371) (2,135)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 3,729 (6,412)
Net increase (decrease) in cash 957 (748)
Operating activities. Our cash flows from operating activities are primarily collections from the sale and distribution of furniture to our customers in the education market. Net cash used in operating activities was $(0.4) million for the year ended January 31, 2022, a decrease of $8.2 million compared to the prior year. The decrease was primarily due to the timing of sales. Due to the seasonal nature of our business, the Company traditionally has low levels of sales in the fourth quarter. In the current year the Company experienced severe supply chain issues which delayed shipping activity. Fourth quarter sales more than doubled compared to the prior year, driving an $8 million increase in accounts receivable and contributing to a $9 million increase in inventory at fiscal year-end. In addition, the Company incurred increased material costs, which increased the dollar value of inventory at fiscal year end.
Investing activities. Our investments primarily consist of investments in our factories and technology to support our business activities. Net investment activities were lower than typical for the years ended January 31, 2022 and January 31, 2021 due to reduced business activity related to the COVID pandemic. Capital expenditures have been financed using cash provided by operating activities and borrowings under our line of credit with PNC Bank. There were no material commitments for capital expenditures as of January 31, 2022.
Financing activities. Our financing activities primarily consist of the proceeds and repayments of borrowings under our line of credit with PNC Bank. Due to the seasonal nature of our business, the Company typically borrows material amounts under the line to finance seasonal building of inventory and financing of accounts receivable. The Company typically repays the seasonal borrowings at the conclusion of the summer busy season.
Inflation and Future Change in Prices
We commit to annual contracts that determine selling prices for goods and services for periods of one year and occasionally longer. Though the Company has negotiated flexibility under many of these contracts that may allow the Company to increase prices on future orders, the Company may not have the ability to raise prices on orders received prior to any announced price increase. Due to the intensely seasonal nature of our business, the Company may receive significant orders during the first and second quarters for delivery in the second and third quarters. With respect to any of the contracts described above, if the costs
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of providing our products or services increase between the date the orders are received and the shipping date, we may not be able to implement corresponding increases in our sales prices for such products or services to offset the related increased costs. In fiscal 2022 the cost of sales were volatile compared to prior years. The Company incurred material increases in steel, plastic and other materials.