2005 Annual Report - Investor Relations - Sherwin-Williams

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
successful. The Company cannot reasonably determine
the impact that the State of Rhode Island decision and
determination of liability will have on the number or
nature of present or future claims and proceedings
against the Company.
Due to the uncertainties involved, management is
unable to predict the outcome of the lead pigment and
lead-based paint litigation, the number or nature of
possible future claims and proceedings, or the effect
that any legislation and/or administrative regulations
may have on the litigation or against the Company. In
addition, management cannot reasonably determine the
scope or amount of the potential costs and liabilities
related to such litigation, or any such legislation and
regulations. The Company has not accrued any
amounts for such litigation. Any potential liability that
may result from such litigation or such legislation and
regulations cannot reasonably be estimated. In the
event any significant liability is determined to be attributable
to the Company relating to such litigation, the
recording of the liability may result in a material
impact on net income for the annual or interim period
during which such liability is accrued. Additionally,
due to the uncertainties associated with the amount of
any such liability and/or the nature of any other remedy
which may be imposed in such litigation, any potential
liability determined to be attributable to the
Company arising out of such litigation may have a
material adverse effect on the Company’s results of
operations, liquidity or financial condition. An estimate
of the potential impact on the Company’s results of
operations, liquidity or financial condition cannot be
made due to the aforementioned uncertainties.
Market Risk
The Company is exposed to market risk associated
with interest rate and foreign currency fluctuations.
The Company occasionally utilizes derivative instruments
as part of its overall financial risk management
policy, but does not use derivative instruments for speculative
or trading purposes. During 2003, the Company
entered into two separate interest rate swap
contracts with a bank to hedge against changes in the
fair value of a portion of the Company’s 6.85% Notes.
During 2004, the Company paid $1.1 million to the
bank for discontinuation of the contracts. The net payment
decreased the carrying amount of the 6.85%
Notes and is being amortized to expense over the
remaining maturity of the Notes. The Company had
foreign currency option and forward contracts outstanding
at December 31, 2003 to hedge against value
changes in foreign currency (see Note 12, on page 66
of this report) that were settled in 2004. The Company
believes it may experience continuing losses from
foreign currency translation. However, the Company
does not expect currency translation, transaction or
hedging contract losses will have a material adverse
effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of
operations or cash flows.
Financial Covenant
Certain borrowings contain a consolidated leverage
covenant. At December 31, 2005, the Company was in
compliance with the covenant. The Company’s Notes,
Debentures and revolving credit agreement (see Note 7,
on pages 60 and 61 of this report) contain various
default and cross-default provisions. In the event of
default under any one of these arrangements, acceleration
of the maturity of any one or more of these borrowings
may result. In particular, the Company’s
revolving credit agreement provides that one or more
judgments against the Company or any subsidiary for
the payment of money in excess of $75.0 million and
not covered by insurance constitutes a default. Such a
judgment would become an event of default if it
remains undischarged for a period of 60 days during
which the execution of the judgment is not stayed,
vacated or bonded pending appeal. If a default or an
event of default occurs, the lenders may terminate any
borrowing commitments. If an event of default occurs
at the end of such 60 day period, the lenders may accelerate
the payment of any borrowings outstanding and
such event of default may also constitute an event of
default under other borrowing facilities.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS – 2005 vs. 2004
Shown below are net sales and the percentage change
for the current period by reportable segment for 2005
and 2004:
(thousands of dollars)
2005 Change 2004
Paint Stores.................. $ 4,848,070 21.9% $ 3,976,979
Consumer .................... 1,396,183 7.7% 1,296,251
Automotive Finishes .... 550,777 7.1% 514,304
International Coatings. 388,005 21.8% 318,627
Administrative ............. 7,626 0.0% 7,628
$ 7,190,661 17.6% $ 6,113,789
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