of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Recreational Vehicles:
The following table presents RV Group net sales by division for fiscal 2005 and 2004 (amounts in thousands):
| 2005 | 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | % of Net Sales |
Amount | % of Net Sales |
Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||
| Motor homes | $ | 1,097,091 | 66.1 | % | $ | 1,104,624 | 62.1 | % | $ | (7,533 | ) | (.7 | )% | ||||||||||
| Travel trailers | 477,610 | 28.8 | 570,420 | 32.0 | (92,810 | ) | (16.3 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Folding trailers | 85,181 | 5.1 | 104,189 | 5.9 | (19,008 | ) | (18.2 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 1,659,882 | 100.0 | % | $ | 1,779,233 | 100.0 | % | $ | (119,351 | ) | (6.7 | )% | ||||||||||
In calendar 2004, our motor home market share improved slightly to 17.9 percent and retail unit sales increased by 9 percent compared to calendar 2003. However, wholesale revenues were impacted by fluctuations in dealers retail inventories and decreased by 0.7 percent in fiscal 2005 compared to fiscal 2004. Prior year wholesale shipments contributed to a rise in dealer inventories at that time, whereas, in 2005, dealer inventories have contracted in response to signs of a softer retail market. In fiscal 2005, the Company experienced growth in the Class C and diesel segments with market erosion in the Class A gas segment.
Travel trailer sales were down 16.3 percent in fiscal 2005 compared to fiscal 2004. Wholesale ships in the prior fiscal year also benefited from increasing dealer inventories which, in the current year, were down slightly or were flat. Underlying retail unit sales were up by 4 percent in calendar 2004, compared to the prior year. Lost market share, particularly in the higher-priced fifth-wheel travel trailer class, added to the deterioration in wholesale results.
A continuing decline in folding trailer sales was consistent with the overall market decline for these products, although we continue to maintain dominant market share in this segment.
The RV Group incurred a $39.2 million operating loss in fiscal 2005, compared to operating income of $58.1 million in the prior fiscal year. The deterioration was mainly due to lower sales and margins in all divisions combined with the previously mentioned overproduction earlier in the year. Operating expenses increased from 11.1 percent of sales to 14.8 percent in the current year primarily due to higher selling costs from expanded RV market initiatives, higher warranty costs and a higher allocation of general and administrative costs.
The following table presents division operating income (loss) for fiscal 2005 and 2004 (amounts in thousands):
| 2005 | 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | % of Net Sales |
Amount | % of Net Sales |
Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||
| Motor homes | $ | 27,702 | 2.5 | % | $ | 57,122 | 5.2 | % | $ | (29,420 | ) | (51.5 | )% | ||||||||||
| Travel trailers | (40,897 | ) | (8.6 | ) | 1,876 | 0.3 | (42,773 | ) | (2,280.0 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Folding trailers | (25,974 | ) | (30.5 | ) | (852 | ) | (0.8 | ) | (25,122 | ) | (2,948.7 | ) | |||||||||||
| RV Group | $ | (39,169 | ) | (2.4 | )% | $ | 58,146 | 3.3 | % | $ | (97,315 | ) | (167.4 | )% | |||||||||
Manufactured Housing:
The following table presents Housing Group net sales for fiscal 2005 and 2004 (amounts in thousands):
| 2005 | 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | % of Net Sales |
Amount | % of Net Sales |
Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale sales | $ 785,547 | 100.0 | % | $ 657,388 | 100.0 | % | $ 128,159 | 19.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
Results for the Housing Group consisted of factory wholesale revenues, including sales to our own retail stores. Transactions between these operating divisions were eliminated in consolidation, including any intercompany profit in inventory still held by the retail division. Revenues for the retail business were presented separately as part of discontinued operations.
Revenues in fiscal 2005 were up 19.5 percent from the prior year, and included $127.7 million of intercompany sales to Company-owned retail sales centers. Manufacturing unit volume increased 15 percent to 23,962 homes, but the total number of housing sections was up a lesser 9 percent to 40,867 due to a shift in sales mix toward single-section homes. Multi-section homes represented
68 percent of factory shipments for the fiscal year versus 78 percent last year.
Sales volume was improved over the prior year because of significant sales in Florida in response to hurricane damage, as well as improving industry conditions in certain stronger regional markets and sales to manufactured housing community developers.
Gross profit margin of 22.2 percent of sales was unchanged from the prior year. Operating costs increased $22.2 million or
16 percent as a result of higher product warranty expenses and overhead costs. Other operating expenses also increased by
$5.3 million compared to the prior year, primarily due to a $1.9 million impairment charge, $0.8 million of severance charges, and litigation charges of $1.7 million in the current year. Overall results improved from an operating profit of $5.4 million to $6.4 million.
Supply Operations:
Including intercompany sales, our Supply Group contributed revenues of $232.8 million in fiscal 2005 compared to $209.9 million in fiscal 2004, of which $57.0 million and $41.1 million, respectively, were sales to third party customers. Operating income from sales to third party customers decreased from $6.1 million to $3.8 million primarily as a result of lower margins and a gain on the sale of the drapery operation in the prior year.
Discontinued Operations:
In March 2005, we announced our intention to exit the manufactured housing retail and financial services businesses. These businesses were presented as discontinued operations in the Companys financial statements. Retail housings revenues declined
1 percent from $242.5 million to $240.7 million for fiscal 2005. Unit sales for the retail operation were down 12 percent to 4,157 homes. The average unit price increased by 12 percent to $56,181 for fiscal 2005 due to the sale of more multi-section homes and less discounting of prices, and gross margins declined slightly by 0.1 percent to 19.6 percent. The retail housing business incurred an operating loss of $85.2 million in fiscal 2005, before interest expense on inventory financing, compared to an operating loss of
$35.9 million in fiscal 2004. The loss in 2005 includes non-cash impairment charges of $50.5 million to record assets held-for-sale at their estimated fair value less costs to sell. Interest expense on inventory financing increased slightly from $2.1 million to $2.4 million.
Discontinued operations also included the results of the financial services business. Operating losses were $0.3 million and
$1.6 million in fiscal 2005 and 2004, respectively, before deducting interest expense
on the warehouse line of $1.1 million in fiscal 2005. Interest expense in fiscal 2004 was not significant. The operating loss in fiscal 2005 included non-cash charges of $0.3 million to write-down loans held-for-sale to their net realizable value.
