SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

 

Form 10-K

 

 

Commission File Number 1-14173

 

 

 

 

MarineMax, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

18167 U.S. Highway 19 North

Suite 300

Clearwater, Florida 33764

(727) 531-1700

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of principal executive offices)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act:

 

None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes o     No þ

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Act.  Yes o     No þ

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filed, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12B-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer o     Accelerated Filer þ     Non-accelerated filer o

 

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

 

The aggregate market value of common stock held by nonaffiliates of the registrant (16,925,391 shares) based on the closing price of the registrant’s common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on March 31, 2006, which was the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $567,339,106. For purposes of this computation, all officers, directors, and 10% beneficial owners of the registrant are deemed to be affiliates. Such determination should not be deemed to be an admission that such officers, directors, or 10% beneficial owners are, in fact, affiliates of the registrant.

 

As of November 30, 2006, there were outstanding 18,610,001 shares of registrant’s common stock, par value $.001 per share.

 

Documents Incorporated by Reference

 

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

 

 

 

MARINEMAX, INC.

 

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2006

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

The statements contained in this report on Form 10-K that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our “expectations,” “anticipation,” “intentions,” “beliefs,” or “strategies” regarding the future. Forward-looking statements relating to our future economic performance, plans and objectives for future operations, and projections of revenue and other financial items that are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to us. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors, including those discussed in Item 1A. Risk Factors.

 

Introduction

 

Our Company

 

We are the largest recreational boat dealer in the United States. Through 88 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, we sell new and used recreational boats, including pleasure, and fishing boats, with a focus on premium brands in each segment. We also sell related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. In addition, we arrange related boat financing, insurance, and extended service contracts; provide repair and maintenance services; offer boat and yacht brokerage services; and, where available, offer slip and storage accommodations.

 

We are the nation’s largest retailer of Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Meridian, and Hatteras recreational boats and yachts, all of which are manufactured by Brunswick Corporation. Sales of new Brunswick boats accounted for approximately 59% of our revenue in fiscal 2006. Brunswick is the world’s largest manufacturer of marine products and marine engines. We believe our sales represented in excess of 13% of all Brunswick marine sales, including approximately 40% of its Sea Ray boat sales, during our 2006 fiscal year. Through operating subsidiaries, we are a party to dealer agreements with Brunswick covering these products and we are the exclusive dealer of each in our geographic markets.

 

We are the exclusive dealer for Italy-based Ferretti Group for Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Riva, Apreamare, and Mochi Craft mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats for the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and Mexico. We also are the exclusive dealer for Bertram in the United States (excluding the Florida peninsula and certain portions of New England), Canada, and the Bahamas.

 

We commenced operations as a result of the March 1, 1998 acquisition of five previously independent recreational boat dealers. Since that time, we have acquired 20 additional previously independent recreational boat dealers, two boat brokerage operations, and two full-service yacht repair operations. We capitalize on the experience and success of the acquired companies in order to establish a new national standard of customer service and responsiveness in the highly fragmented retail boating industry. As a result of our emphasis on premium brand boats, our average selling price for a new boat in fiscal 2006 was approximately $116,000, an increase of 12% from fiscal 2005, compared with the industry average calendar 2005 selling price of approximately $31,000 based on industry data published by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Our stores, which operated at least 12 months, averaged approximately $17.1 million in annual sales in fiscal 2006. We consider a store to be one or more retail locations that are adjacent or operate as one entity. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, we had revenue of $1.2 billion, operating income of $84.0 million, and net income of $39.4 million. Our same-store sales increased approximately 7% in fiscal 2006 and has averaged approximately 12% for the last five years.

 

We adopt the best practices developed by us and our acquired companies as appropriate to enhance our ability to attract more customers, foster an overall enjoyable boating experience, and offer boat manufacturers stable and professional retail distribution and a broad geographic presence. We believe that our full range of services, no-haggle sales approach, prime retail locations, premium product offerings, extensive facilities, strong management and team members, and emphasis on customer service and satisfaction before and after a boat sale are competitive advantages that enable us to be more responsive to the needs of existing and prospective customers.

 

The U.S. recreational boating industry generated approximately $37.3 billion in retail sales in calendar 2005, including sales of new and used boats; marine products, such as engines, trailers, equipment, and accessories; and related expenditures, such as fuel, insurance, docking, storage, and repairs. Retail sales of new and used boats, engines, trailers, and accessories accounted for approximately $28.9 billion of these sales in 2005 based on industry data from the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The highly fragmented retail boating industry generally consists of small dealers that operate in a single market and provide varying degrees of merchandising, professional management, and customer service. We believe that many small dealers are finding it increasingly difficult to make

the managerial and capital commitments necessary to achieve higher customer service levels and upgrade systems and facilities as required by boat manufacturers and demanded by customers. We also believe that many dealers lack an exit strategy for their owners. We believe these factors contribute to our opportunity.

 

Strategy

 

Our goal is to enhance our position as the nation’s leading recreational boat dealer. Key elements of our operating and growth strategy include the following:

 

 

Development of the Company; Expansion of Business

 

MarineMax was founded in January 1998. MarineMax itself, however, conducted no operations until the acquisition of five independent recreational boat dealers on March 1, 1998, and we completed our initial public offering in June 1998. Since the initial acquisitions in March 1998, we have acquired 20 additional recreational boat dealers, two boat brokerage operations, and two full-service yacht repair operations. Each of our acquired dealers is continuing its operations under the MarineMax name as a wholly owned operating subsidiary of our company.

 

We continually attempt to expand our business by providing a full range of services, offering extensive and high-quality product lines, maintaining prime retail locations, pursuing the MarineMax Value Price sales approach, and emphasizing the highest level of customer service and customer satisfaction.

 

We also evaluate opportunities to expand our operations by acquiring recreational boat dealers to expand our geographic scope; expanding our product lines; opening new retail locations within our existing territories; and providing new products and services for our customers.

Acquisitions of additional recreational boat dealers represent an important strategy in our goal to enhance our position as the nation’s leading retailer of recreational boats. The following table sets forth information regarding the businesses that we have acquired and their geographic regions.

 

 

 

 

Apart from acquisitions, we have opened 20 new retail locations in existing territories, excluding those opened on a temporary basis for a specific purpose. We also monitor the performance of our retail locations and close retail locations that do not meet our expectations. Based on these factors, we have closed nine retail locations since March 1998, excluding those opened on a temporary basis for a specific purpose.

As a part of our acquisition strategy, we frequently engage in discussions with various recreational boat dealers regarding their potential acquisition by us. In connection with these discussions, we and each potential acquisition candidate exchange confidential operational and financial information, conduct due diligence inquiries, and consider the structure, terms, and conditions of the potential acquisition. In certain cases, the prospective acquisition candidate agrees not to discuss a potential acquisition with any other party for a specific period of time, grants us an option to purchase the prospective dealer for a designated price during a specific time, and agrees to take other actions designed to enhance the possibility of the acquisition, such as preparing audited financial information and converting its accounting system to the system specified by us. Potential acquisition discussions frequently take place over a long period of time and involve difficult business integration and other issues, including in some cases, management succession and related matters. As a result of these and other factors, a number of potential acquisitions that from time to time appear likely to occur do not result in binding legal agreements and are not consummated.

 

In addition to acquiring recreational boat dealers and opening new retail locations, we also add new product lines to expand our operations. The following table sets forth various product lines that we have added to our existing locations:

 

 

As we add a brand, we believe we are offering a migration for our existing customer base or filling a gap in our product offerings. As a result, we do not believe that new product offerings will compete with or cannibalize the business generated from our other prominent brands.

 

We plan to continue to expand our business through acquisitions in new geographical territories, new store openings in existing territories, and new product lines. In addition, we plan to continue to expand other services, including conducting used boat sales; offering yacht and boat brokerage services; offering our customers the ability

to finance new or used boats; offering extended service contracts; arranging insurance coverage, including boat property, credit-life, accident, disability, and casualty coverage; selling related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories; providing maintenance and repair services at our retail locations and at stand-alone service facilities; and expanding our ability to provide slip and storage accommodations.

 

We maintain our executive offices at 18167 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 300, Clearwater, Florida 33764, and our telephone number is (727) 531-1700. We were incorporated in the state of Delaware in January 1998. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “MarineMax” mean MarineMax, Inc. prior to its acquisition of five previously independent recreational boat dealers in March 1998 (including their related real estate companies) and all references to the “Company,” “our company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” mean, as a combined company, MarineMax, Inc. and the 20 recreational boat dealers, two boat brokerage operations, and two full-service yacht repair operations acquired to date (the “acquired dealers,” and together with the brokerage and repair operations, “operating subsidiaries” or the “acquired companies”).

 

Our website is located at www.MarineMax.com.  Through our website, we make available free of charge our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K, our proxy statements, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These reports are available as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file those reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We also post on our website the charters of our Audit, Compensation, and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committees; our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, and Code of Ethics for the CEO and Senior Financial Officers, and any amendments or waivers thereto; and any other corporate governance materials contemplated by SEC or NYSE regulations. These documents are also available in print to any stockholder requesting a copy from our corporate secretary at our principal executive offices.

BUSINESS

 

General

 

We are the largest recreational boat dealer in the United States. Through 88 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, we sell new and used recreational boats, including pleasure boats (such as sport boats, sport cruisers, sport yachts, and yachts), and fishing boats, with a focus on premium brands in each segment. We also sell related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. In addition, we arrange related boat and yacht financing, insurance, and extended service contracts; provide repair and maintenance services; offer boat and yacht brokerage services; and, where available, slip and storage accommodations.

 

We are the nation’s largest retailer of Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Meridian, and Hatteras recreational boats and yachts. Sales of new Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Meridian, and Hatteras recreational boats and yachts, each of which is manufactured by Brunswick Corporation, accounted for approximately 59% of our revenue in fiscal 2006. Brunswick is the world’s largest manufacturer of marine products and marine engines. We believe our sales represented in excess of 13% of all Brunswick marine sales during our 2006 fiscal year. Our principal operating subsidiaries are a party to dealer agreements with Brunswick covering these products and are the exclusive dealer of such boats in its geographic market. We also have the right to sell Hatteras Yachts throughout the state of Florida (excluding the Florida panhandle) and the state of Texas, as well as the distribution rights for Hatteras products over 82 feet for North and South America, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas. We have distribution rights for Meridian Yachts in most of our geographic markets, excluding Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. We are the exclusive dealer for Italy-based Ferretti Group for Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Riva, Apreamare, and Mochi Craft mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats for the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and Mexico. We also are the exclusive dealer for Bertram in the United States (excluding the Florida peninsula and certain portions of New England), Canada, and the Bahamas. We are also the exclusive dealer for Cabo Yachts throughout the state of Florida. We are the exclusive dealer for Italy-based Azimut-Benetti Group for Azimut and Atlantis mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats for the Northeast United States from Maryland to Maine.

 

U.S. Recreational Boating Industry

 

The total U.S. recreational boating industry generated approximately $37.3 billion in retail sales in calendar 2005, including retail sales of new and used recreational boats; marine products, such as engines, trailers, parts, and accessories; and related boating expenditures, such as fuel, insurance, docking, storage, and repairs. Retail sales of new boats, engines, trailers, and accessories accounted for approximately $28.9 billion of such sales in 2005. Retail recreational boating sales were $17.9 billion in the late 1980s, but declined to a low of $10.3 billion in 1992 based on industry data published by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. We believe this decline was attributed to several factors, including a recession, the Gulf War, and the imposition throughout 1991 and 1992 of a luxury tax on boats sold at prices in excess of $100,000. The luxury tax was repealed in 1993 and, with the exception of 1998 and 2003, retail recreational boating sales have increased every year since.

 

The recreational boat retail market remains highly fragmented with little consolidation having occurred to date and consists of numerous boat retailers, most of which are small companies owned by individuals that operate in a single market and provide varying degrees of merchandising, professional management, and customer service. We believe that many boat retailers are encountering increased pressure from boat manufacturers to improve their levels of service and systems, increased competition from larger national retailers in certain product lines, and, in certain cases, business succession issues.

 

Strategy

 

Our goal is to enhance our position as the nation’s leading recreational boat dealer. Key elements of our strategy include the following:

 

Emphasizing Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty.  We seek to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction and establish long-term customer loyalty by creating an overall enjoyable boating experience

beginning with a negotiation-free purchase process. We further enhance and simplify the purchase process by helping to arrange financing and insurance at our retail locations with competitive terms and streamlined turnaround. We offer the customer a thorough in-water orientation of boat operations where available, as well as ongoing boat safety, maintenance, and use seminars and demonstrations for the customer’s entire family. We also continue our customer service after the sale by leading and sponsoring MarineMax Getaways! group boating trips to various destinations, rendezvous gatherings, and on-the-water organized events to provide our customers with pre-arranged opportunities to enjoy the pleasures of the boating lifestyle. We also endeavor to provide superior maintenance and repair services, often through mobile service at the customer’s wet slip and with extended service department hours and emergency service availability, that minimize the hassles of boat maintenance.

 

Emphasizing Best Practices.  We emphasize the “best practices” developed by us and our acquired dealers as appropriate throughout our locations. As an example, we follow a no-haggle sales approach at each of our dealerships. Under the MarineMax Value-Price approach, we sell our boats at posted prices, generally representing a discount from the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, thereby eliminating the anxieties of price negotiations that occur in most boat purchases. In addition, we adopt, where beneficial, the best practices developed by us and our acquired dealers in terms of location, design, layout, product purchases, maintenance and repair services (including extended service hours and mobile or dockside services), product mix, employee training, and customer education and services.

 

Achieving Operating Efficiencies and Synergies.  We strive to increase the operating efficiencies of and achieve certain synergies among our dealerships in order to enhance internal growth and profitability. We centralize various aspects of certain administrative functions at the corporate level, such as accounting, finance, insurance coverage, employee benefits, marketing, strategic planning, legal support, purchasing and distribution, and management information systems. Centralization of these functions reduces duplicative expenses and permits the dealerships to benefit from a level of scale and expertise that would otherwise be unavailable to each dealership individually. We also seek to realize cost savings from reduced inventory carrying costs as a result of purchasing boat inventories on a national level and directing boats to dealership locations that can more readily sell such boats; lower financing costs through our credit sources; and volume purchase discounts and rebates for certain marine products, supplies, and advertising. The ability of our retail locations to offer the complementary services of our other retail locations, such as offering customer excursion opportunities, providing maintenance and repair services at the customer’s boat location, and giving access to a larger inventory, increases the competitiveness of each retail location. By centralizing these types of activities, our store managers have more time to focus on the customer and the development of their teams.

 

Emphasizing Employee Training and Development.  To promote continued internal growth, we devote substantial efforts to train our employees to understand our core retail philosophies, which focus on making the purchase of a boat and its subsequent use as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. Through our MarineMax University, or MMU, we teach our retail philosophies to existing and new employees at various locations and online, through MMU-online. MMU is a modularized and instructor-led educational program that focuses on our retailing philosophies and provides instruction on such matters as the sales process, customer service, F&I, accounting, leadership, and human resources.

 

Offering Additional Products and Services, Including Those Involving Higher Profit Margins.  We plan to continue to offer additional product lines and services throughout our dealerships or, when appropriate, in selected dealerships. We are offering throughout our dealerships product lines that previously have been offered only at certain of our locations. We also may obtain additional product lines through the acquisition of distribution rights directly from manufacturers and the acquisition of dealerships with distribution rights. We have increased our used boat sales and yacht brokerage services through an increased emphasis on these activities, cooperative efforts among our dealerships, and the use of the Internet. We also plan to continue to grow our financing and insurance, parts and accessories, service and boat storage businesses to better serve our customers and thereby increase revenue and improve profitability of these higher margin businesses.

 

Pursuing Strategic Acquisitions.  We capitalize upon the significant consolidation opportunities available in the highly fragmented recreational boat dealer industry by acquiring independent dealers and

improving their performance and profitability through the implementation of our operating strategies. The primary acquisition focus is on well-established, high-end recreational boat dealers in geographic markets not currently served by us, particularly geographic markets with strong boating demographics, such as areas within the coastal states and the Great Lakes region. We also may seek to acquire boat dealers that, while located in attractive geographic markets, have not been able to realize favorable market share or profitability and that can benefit substantially from our systems and operating strategies. We may expand our range of product lines, service offerings, and market penetration by acquiring companies that distribute recreational boat product lines or boating-related services different from those we currently offer. As a result of our considerable industry experience and relationships, we believe we are well positioned to identify and evaluate acquisition candidates and assess their growth prospects, the quality of their management teams, their local reputation with customers, and the suitability of their locations. We believe we are regarded as an attractive acquiror by boat dealers because of (1) the historical performance and the experience and reputation of our management team within the industry; (2) our decentralized operating strategy, which generally enables the managers of an acquired dealer to continue their involvement in dealership operations; (3) the ability of management and employees of an acquired dealer to participate in our growth and expansion through potential stock ownership and career advancement opportunities; and (4) the ability to offer liquidity to the owners of acquired dealers through the receipt of common stock or cash. We have entered into an agreement regarding acquisitions with the Sea Ray Division of Brunswick. Under the agreement, acquisitions of Sea Ray dealers will be mutually agreed upon by us and Sea Ray with reasonable efforts to be made to include a balance of Sea Ray dealers that have been successful and those that have not been. The agreement provides that Sea Ray will not unreasonably withhold its consent to any proposed acquisition of a Sea Ray dealer by us, subject to the conditions set forth in the agreement, as further described in “Business — Brunswick Agreement Relating to Acquisitions.”

 

Opening New Facilities.  We intend to continue to establish additional retail facilities in our existing and new markets. We believe that the demographics of our existing geographic territories support the opening of additional facilities, and we have opened 20 new retail facilities, excluding those opened on a temporary basis for a specific purpose, since our formation in January 1998. We also plan to reach new customers through various innovative retail formats developed by us, such as mall stores and floating retail facilities. Our mall store concept is unique to the boating industry and is designed to draw mall traffic, thereby providing exposure to boating for the non-boating public as well as displaying our new product offerings to boating enthusiasts. Floating retail facilities place the sales facility, with a customer reception area and sales offices, on or anchored to a dock in a marina and use adjacent boat slips to display our new and used boats in areas of high boating activity. We continually monitor the performance of our retail locations and close retail locations that do not meet our expectations or that were opened for a specific purpose that is no longer relevant. Since March 1998, we have closed nine retail locations, excluding those opened on a temporary basis for a specific purpose.

 

Promoting Brand Name Recognition and the MarineMax Connection.  We are promoting our brand name recognition to take advantage of our status as the nation’s only coast-to-coast marine retailer. This strategy also recognizes that many existing and potential customers who reside in Northern markets and vacation for substantial periods in Southern markets will prefer to purchase and service their boats from the same well-known company. We refer to this strategy as the “MarineMax Connection.” As a result, our signage emphasizes the MarineMax name at each of our locations, and we conduct national advertising in various print and other media.

 

Utilization of the Internet.  Our web initiative, www.MarineMax.com, provides customers with the ability to learn more about our company and our products. Our website generates direct sales and provides our stores with leads to potential customers for new and used boats and brokerage services. We also plan to expand our ability to offer financing and parts and accessories on our website.

 

Operating with Decentralized Management.  We maintain a generally decentralized approach to the operational management of our dealerships. The decentralized management approach takes advantage of the extensive experience of local managers, enabling them to implement policies and make decisions, including the appropriate product mix, based on the needs of the local market. Local management authority also fosters responsive customer service and promotes long-term community and customer relationships. In addition, the

centralization of certain administrative functions at the corporate level enhances the ability of local managers to focus their efforts on day-to-day dealership operations and the customers.

 

Utilizing Technology Throughout Operations.  We believe that our management information system, which currently is being utilized by each operating subsidiary and was developed over a number of years through cooperative efforts with a common vendor, enhances our ability to integrate successfully the operations of our operating subsidiaries and future acquired dealers. The system facilitates the interchange of information and enhances cross-selling opportunities throughout our company. The system integrates each level of operations on a company-wide basis, including purchasing, inventory, receivables, financial reporting, budgeting, and sales management. The system also provides sales representatives with prospect and customer information that aids them in tracking the status of their contacts with prospects, automatically generates follow-up correspondence to such prospects, facilitates the availability of boats company-wide, locates boats needed to satisfy particular customer requests, and monitors the maintenance and service needs of customers’ boats. Our representatives also utilize the computer system to assist in arranging customer financing and insurance packages. Our managers use a web-based tool to access essentially all financial and operational data from anywhere at any time.

 

Products and Services

 

We offer new and used recreational boats and related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. While we sell a broad range of new and used boats, we focus on premium brand products. In addition, we assist in arranging related boat financing, insurance, and extended service contracts; provide boat maintenance and repair services; provide boat brokerage services; and offer slip and storage accommodations.

 

New Boat Sales

 

We primarily sell recreational boats, including pleasure boats and fishing boats. The principal products we offer are manufactured by Brunswick, the leading worldwide manufacturer of recreational boats, including Sea Ray pleasure boats; Boston Whaler and Laguna fishing boats; Meridian Yachts; Cabo Yachts; and Hatteras Yachts. In fiscal 2006, we derived approximately 59% of our revenue from the sale of new boats manufactured by Brunswick. We believe that we represented in excess of 13% of all of Brunswick’s marine product sales during that period. We also sell mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats manufactured by Bertram and the Italy-based Ferretti Group, including Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Riva, Apreamare, and Mochi Craft. Certain of our dealerships also sell luxury yachts, fishing boats, and pontoon boats provided by other manufacturers, including Italy-based Azimut. During fiscal 2006, new boat sales accounted for approximately 70.9% of our revenue.

 

We offer recreational boats in most market segments, but have a particular focus on premium quality pleasure boats and yachts as reflected by our fiscal 2006 average new boat sales price of approximately $116,000, an increase of 12% from fiscal 2005, compared with an estimated industry average calendar 2005 selling price of approximately $31,000 based on industry data published by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Given our locations in some of the more affluent, offshore boating areas in the United States and emphasis on high levels of customer service, we sell a relatively higher percentage of large recreational boats, such as mega-yachts, yachts, and sport cruisers. We believe that the product lines we offer are among the highest quality within their respective market segments, with well-established trade-name recognition and reputations for quality, performance, and styling.

The following table is illustrative of the range and approximate manufacturer suggested retail price range of new boats that we offer, but is not all inclusive:

 

 

Motor Yachts.  Hatteras Yachts, Ferretti Group, and Azimut are three of the world’s premier yacht builders. The motor yacht product lines typically include state-of-the-art designs with live-aboard luxuries. The Hatteras series offers a flybridge with extensive guest seating; covered aft deck, which may be fully or partially enclosed, providing the boater with additional living space; an elegant salon; and multiple staterooms for accommodations. Ferretti is known for its European styling, speed, performance, and offers luxurious salon/galley arrangements and multiple staterooms with private heads. Azimut yachts are known for their Americanized open layout with Italian design, powerful performance, and accuracy. The luxurious interiors are accented by windows and multiple accommodations that have been cleverly designed for comfort.

 

Convertibles.  Hatteras Yachts, Bertram Yachts, and Cabo Yachts are three of the world’s premier convertible yacht builders and offer state-of-the-art designs with live-aboard luxuries. Convertibles are primarily fishing vessels, which are well equipped to meet the needs of even the most serious tournament-class competitor. The Hatteras series features interiors that offer luxurious salon/galley arrangements, multiple staterooms with private heads, and a cockpit that includes a bait and tackle center, fishbox, and freezer. The Bertram series feature interiors that offer spacious living room and salon/galley arrangements, multiple staterooms with private heads, and a cockpit that includes storage for big catches, ample prep area, open sink area, live-bait storage, and stand-up rod storage. The Cabo series are known for spacious cockpits and accessibility to essentials, such as bait chests, livewells, bait prep centers, and tackle lockers. Cabo interiors offer elegance, highlighted by teak woodwork, halogen lighting, and ample storage areas.

 

Pleasure Boats.  Sea Ray and Meridian pleasure boats target both the luxury and the family recreational boating markets and come in a variety of configurations to suit each customer’s particular recreational boating style. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts serve the luxury segment of the recreational boating market and include top-of-the-line living accommodations with a salon, a fully equipped galley, and multiple staterooms. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts are available in cabin, bridge cockpit, and cruiser models. Sea Ray sport boat and sport cruiser models are designed for performance and dependability to meet family recreational needs and include many of the features and accommodations of Sea Ray’s sport yacht and yacht models. Meridian sport yachts and yachts are known for their

solid performance and thoughtful use of space with 360-degree views and spacious salon, galley, and stateroom accommodations. Meridian sport yachts and yachts are available in sedan, motoryacht, and pilothouse models. All Sea Ray and Meridian pleasure boats feature custom instrumentation that may include an electronics package; various hull, deck, and cockpit designs that can include a swim platform, bow pulpit, and raised bridge; and various amenities, such as swivel bucket helm seats, lounge seats, sun pads, wet bars, built-in ice chests, and refreshment centers. Most Sea Ray and Meridian pleasure boats feature Mercury or MerCruiser engines.

 

Fishing Boats.  The fishing boats we offer, such as Boston Whaler and Laguna, range from entry level models to advanced models designed for fishing and water sports in lakes, bays, and off-shore waters, with cabins with limited live-aboard capability. The fishing boats typically feature livewells, in-deck fishboxes, rodholders, rigging stations, cockpit coaming pads, and fresh and saltwater washdowns.

 

Specialty Boats.  Pershing, Riva, Apreamare, and Mochi Craft specialty boats and yachts are known for exceptional quality, design, and innovation and are considered premium products in their respective segments. The Pershing series is considered a perfect blend of high performance, luxury, and the comfort of perfectly blended interior space. The Riva series is considered by those who want the best, expect the best, and live the best as the luxury boat of choice. The Apreamare series is considered one of the most exciting and most desirable express cruisers on the market with an unparalleled European design. The Mochi Craft series is an old-style revolution that rediscovers the natural lines of the 1950s.

 

Used Boat Sales

 

We sell used versions of the new makes and models we offer and, to a lesser extent, used boats of other makes and models generally taken as trade-ins. During fiscal 2006, used boat sales accounted for approximately 17.0% of our revenue, and approximately 75% of the used boats we sold were Brunswick models.

 

Our used boat sales depend on our ability to source a supply of high-quality used boats at attractive prices. We acquire substantially all of our used boats through customer trade-ins. We intend to continue to increase our used boat business as a result of the increased availability of quality used boats generated from our expanding sales efforts, the increasing number of used boats that are well-maintained through our service initiatives, our ability to market used boats throughout our combined dealership network to match used boat demand, and the experience of our yacht brokerage operations. Additionally, substantially all of our used boat inventory is posted on our web site, www.MarineMax.com, which expands the awareness and availability of our products to a large audience of boating enthusiasts.

 

At most of our retail locations, we offer the Sea Ray Legacy warranty plan available for used Sea Ray boats less than six years old. The Legacy plan applies to each qualifying used Sea Ray boat, which has passed a 48-point inspection, and provides protection against failure of most mechanical parts for up to three years. We believe that the Sea Ray Legacy warranty plan, which is only available for used Sea Ray boats purchased from a Sea Ray dealer, enhances our sales of used Sea Ray boats by motivating purchasers of used Sea Ray boats to purchase only from a Sea Ray dealer and motivating sellers of Sea Ray boats to sell through a Sea Ray dealer.

 

Marine Engines, Related Marine Equipment, and Boating Accessories

 

We offer marine engines and propellers, substantially all of which are manufactured by Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick. We sell marine engines and propellers primarily to retail customers as replacements for their existing engines or propellers. Mercury Marine has introduced various new engine models that reduce engine emissions to comply with current Environmental Protection Agency requirements. See “Business — Environmental and Other Regulatory Issues.” An industry leader for almost six decades, Mercury Marine specializes in state-of-the-art marine propulsion systems and accessories. Many of our operating subsidiaries have been recognized by Mercury Marine as “Premier Service Dealers.” This designation is generally awarded based on meeting certain standards and qualifications.

We also sell related marine parts and accessories, including oils, lubricants, steering and control systems, corrosion control products, engine care, maintenance, and service products (primarily Mercury Marine’s Quicksilver line); high-performance accessories (such as propellers) and instruments; and a complete line of boating accessories, including life jackets, inflatables, and water sports equipment. We also offer novelty items, such as shirts, caps, and license plates bearing the manufacturer’s or dealer’s logo.

 

The sale of marine engines, related marine equipment, and boating accessories accounted for approximately 2.9% of our fiscal 2006 revenue.

 

Maintenance, Repair, and Storage Services

 

Providing customers with professional, prompt maintenance and repair services is critical to our sales efforts and contributes to our profitability. We provide maintenance and repair services at most of our retail locations, with extended service hours at certain of our locations. In addition, in many of our markets, we provide mobile maintenance and repair services at the location of the customer’s boat. We believe that this service commitment is a competitive advantage in the markets in which we compete and is critical to our efforts to provide a trouble-free boating experience. To further this commitment, in certain of our markets, we have opened stand-alone maintenance and repair facilities in locations that are more convenient for our customers and that increase the availability of such services. We also believe that our maintenance and repair services contribute to strong customer relationships and that our emphasis on preventative maintenance and quality service increases the potential supply of well-maintained boats for our used boat sales.

 

We perform both warranty and non-warranty repair services, with the cost of warranty work reimbursed by the manufacturer in accordance with the manufacturer’s warranty reimbursement program. For warranty work, Brunswick reimburses a percentage of the dealer’s posted service labor rates, with the percentage varying depending on the dealer’s customer satisfaction index rating and attendance at service training courses. We derive the majority of our warranty revenue from Brunswick products, as Brunswick products comprise the majority of products sold. Certain other manufacturers reimburse warranty work at a fixed amount per repair. Because boat manufacturers permit warranty work to be performed only at authorized dealerships, we receive substantially all of the warranted maintenance and repair work required for the new boats we sell. The third-party extended warranty contracts we offer also result in an ongoing demand for our maintenance and repair services for the duration of the term of the extended warranty contract.

 

Our maintenance and repair services are performed by manufacturer-trained and certified service technicians. In charging for our mechanics’ labor, many of our dealerships use a variable rate structure designed to reflect the difficulty and sophistication of different types of repairs. The percentage markups on parts are similarly based on manufacturer suggested prices and market conditions for different parts.

 

At many of our locations, we offer boat storage services, including in-water slip storage and inside and outside land storage. These storage services are offered at competitive market rates and include in-season and winter storage.

 

Maintenance, repair, and storage services accounted for approximately 4.9% of our revenue during fiscal 2006. This includes warranty and non-warranty services.

 

F&I Products

 

At each of our retail locations, we offer our customers the ability to finance new or used boat purchases and to purchase extended service contracts and arrange insurance coverage, including boat property, credit life, and accident, disability, and casualty insurance coverage (collectively, “F&I”).

 

We have relationships with various national marine product lenders under which the lenders purchase retail installment contracts evidencing retail sales of boats and other marine products that are originated by us in accordance with existing pre-sale agreements between us and the lenders. These arrangements permit us to receive a portion of the finance charges expected to be earned on the retail installment contract based on a variety of factors, including the credit standing of the buyer, the annual percentage rate of the contract charged to the buyer, and the lender’s then current minimum required annual percentage rate charged to the buyer on the contract. This

participation is subject to repayment by us if the buyer prepays the contract or defaults within a designated time period, usually 90 to 180 days. To the extent required by applicable state law, our dealerships are licensed to originate and sell retail installment contracts financing the sale of boats and other marine products.

 

We also offer third-party extended service contracts under which, for a predetermined price, we provide all designated services pursuant to the service contract guidelines during the contract term at no additional charge to the customer above a deductible. While we sell all new boats with the boat manufacturer’s standard hull warranty of generally five years and standard engine warranty of generally one year, extended service contracts provide additional coverage beyond the time frame or scope of the manufacturer’s warranty. Purchasers of used boats generally are able to purchase an extended service contract, even if the selected boat is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Generally, we receive a fee for arranging an extended service contract. Most required services under the contracts are provided by us and paid for by the third-party contract holder.

 

We also are able to assist our customers with the opportunity to purchase credit life insurance, accident and disability insurance, and property and casualty insurance. Credit life insurance policies provide for repayment of the boat financing contract if the purchaser dies while the contract is outstanding. Accident and disability insurance policies provide for payment of the monthly contract obligation during any period in which the buyer is disabled. Property and casualty insurance covers loss or damage to the boat. We do not act as an insurance broker or agent or issue insurance policies on behalf of insurers. We, however, provide marketing activities and other related services to insurance companies and brokers for which we receive marketing fees. One of our strategies is to generate increased marketing fees by offering more competitive insurance products.

 

During fiscal 2006, fee income generated from F&I products accounted for approximately 3.2% of our revenue. We believe that our customers’ ability to obtain competitive financing quickly and easily at our dealerships complements our ability to sell new and used boats. We also believe our ability to provide customer-tailored financing on a “same-day” basis gives us an advantage over many of our competitors, particularly smaller competitors that lack the resources to arrange boat financing at their dealerships or that do not generate sufficient volume to attract the diversity of financing sources that are available to us.

 

Brokerage Services

 

Through employees or subcontractors that are licensed boat or yacht brokers, we offer boat or yacht brokerage services at most of our retail locations. For a commission, we offer for sale brokered boats or yachts, listing them on the “BUC” system, and advising our other retail locations of their availability through our integrated computer system and posting them on our web site, www.MarineMax.com. The BUC system, which is similar to a real estate multiple listing service, is a national boat or yacht listing service of approximately 900 brokers maintained by BUC International. Often sales are co-brokered, with the commission split between the buying and selling brokers. We believe that our access to potential used boat customers and methods of listing and advertising customers’ brokered boats or yachts is more extensive than is typical among brokers. In addition to generating revenue from brokerage commissions, our brokerage services also enable us to offer a broad array of used boats or yachts without increasing related inventory costs. During fiscal 2006, brokerage services accounted for approximately 1.1% of our revenue.

 

Our brokerage customers generally receive the same high level of customer service as our new and used boat customers. Our waterfront retail locations enable in-water demonstrations of an on-site brokered boat. Our maintenance and repair services, including mobile service, also are generally available to our brokerage customers. The purchaser of a Sea Ray boat brokered through us also can take advantage of MarineMax Getaways! weekend and day trips and other rendezvous gatherings and in-water events, as well as boat operation and safety seminars. We believe that the array of services we offer are unique in the brokerage business.

 

Retail Locations

 

We sell our recreational boats and other marine products and offer our related boat services through 88 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Each retail location generally includes an indoor showroom (including some

of the industry’s largest indoor boat showrooms) and an outside area for displaying boat inventories, a business office to assist customers in arranging financing and insurance, and maintenance and repair facilities.

 

Many of our retail locations are waterfront properties on some of the nation’s most popular boating locations, including the Delta Basin, Newport Harbor, and Mission Bay in California; Norwalk Harbor in Connecticut; multiple locations on the Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, Boca Ciega Bay, Naples Bay (next to the Gulf of Mexico), Tampa Bay, and the Caloosahatchee River in Florida; Lake Lanier and Lake Altoona in Georgia; Chesapeake Bay in Maryland; Leech Lake and the St. Croix River in Minnesota; Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, and the Mississippi River in Missouri; Barnegat Bay, the Delaware River, the Hudson River, Lake Hopatcong, Little Egg Harbor, and the Manasquan River in New Jersey; Great Sound Bay, the Hudson River, and Huntington Harbor in New York; the Intracoastal Waterway in North Carolina; Lake Erie in Ohio; Grand Lake in Oklahoma; Myrtle Beach in South Carolina; and Clear Lake, Lake Conroe, and Lake Lewisville in Texas. Our waterfront retail locations, most of which include marina-type facilities and docks at which we display our boats, are easily accessible to the boating populace, serve as in-water showrooms, and enable the sales force to give customers immediate in-water demonstrations of various boat models. Most of our other locations are in close proximity to water.

 

We plan to reach new customers by expanding in new locations through various innovative retail formats, such as mall stores and floating retail facilities. Our mall store concept is unique to the boating industry and is designed to draw mall traffic, thereby providing exposure to boating to the non-boating public as well as displaying our new product offerings to boating enthusiasts. Floating retail facilities place the sales facility, with a customer reception area and sales offices, on or anchored to a dock in a marina and use adjacent boat slips to display new and used boats in areas of high boating activity.

 

Operations

 

Dealership Operations and Management

 

We have adopted a generally decentralized approach to the operational management of our dealerships. While certain administrative functions are centralized at the corporate level, local management is primarily responsible for the day-to-day operations of the retail locations. Each retail location is managed by a store manager, who oversees the day-to-day operations, personnel, and financial performance of the individual store, subject to the direction of a district manager, who generally has responsibility for the retail locations within a specified geographic region. Typically, each retail location also has a staff consisting of a sales manager, an F&I manager, a parts and service manager, sales representatives, maintenance and repair technicians, and various support personnel.

 

We attempt to attract and retain quality employees at our retail locations by providing them with ongoing training to enhance sales professionalism and product knowledge, career advancement opportunities within a larger company, and favorable benefit packages. We maintain a formal training program, called MarineMax University or “MMU,” which provides training for employees in all aspects of our operations. Training sessions are held at our various regional locations covering a variety of topics. MMU-online offers various modules over the Internet. Highly trained, professional sales representatives are an important factor to our successful sales efforts. These sales representatives are trained at MMU to recognize the importance of fostering an enjoyable sales process, to educate customers on the operation and use of the boats, and to assist customers in making technical and design decisions in boat purchases. The overall focus of MMU is to teach our core retailing values, which focus on customer service.

 

Sales representatives receive compensation primarily on a commission basis. Each store manager is a salaried employee with incentive bonuses based on the performance of the managed dealership. Maintenance and repair service managers receive compensation on a salary basis with bonuses based on the performance of their departments. Our management information system provides each store and department manager with daily financial and operational information, enabling them to monitor their performance on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. We have a uniform, fully integrated management information system serving each of our dealerships.

Sales and Marketing

 

Our sales philosophy focuses on selling the pleasures of the boating lifestyle. We believe that the critical elements of our sales philosophy include our appealing retail locations, our no-hassle sales approach, highly trained sales representatives, high level of customer service, emphasis on educating the customer and the customer’s family on boat usage, and providing our customers with opportunities for boating. We strive to provide superior customer service and support before, during, and after the sale.

 

Each retail location offers the customer the opportunity to evaluate a large variety of new and used boats in a comfortable and convenient setting. Our full-service retail locations facilitate a turn-key purchasing process that includes attractive lender financing packages, extended service agreements, and insurance. Many of our retail locations are located on waterfronts and marinas, which attract boating enthusiasts and enable customers to operate various boats prior to making a purchase decision.

 

We sell our boats at posted value prices that generally represent a discount from the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Our sales approach focuses on customer service by minimizing customer anxiety associated with price negotiation.

 

As a part of our sales and marketing efforts, we also participate in boat shows and in-the-water sales events at area boating locations, typically held in January and February, in each of our markets and in certain locations in close proximity to our markets. These shows and events are normally held at convention centers or marinas, with area dealers renting space. Boat shows and other offsite promotions are an important venue for generating sales orders. The boat shows also generate a significant amount of interest in our products resulting in boat sales after the show.

 

We emphasize customer education through one-on-one education by our sales representatives and, at some locations, our delivery captains, before and after a sale, and through in-house seminars for the entire family on boat safety, the use and operation of boats, and product demonstrations. Typically, one of our delivery captains or the sales representative delivers the customer’s boat to an area boating location and thoroughly instructs the customer about the operation of the boat, including hands-on instructions for docking and trailering the boat. To enhance our customer relationships after the sale, we lead and sponsor MarineMax Getaways! group boating trips to various destinations, rendezvous gatherings, and on-the-water organized events that promote the pleasures of the boating lifestyle. Each company-sponsored event, planned and led by a company employee, also provides a favorable medium for acclimating new customers to boating and enables us to promote actively new product offerings to boating enthusiasts.

 

As a result of our relative size, we believe we have a competitive advantage within the industry by being able to conduct an organized and systematic advertising and marketing effort. Part of our marketing effort includes an integrated prospect management system that tracks the status of each sales representative’s contacts with a prospect, automatically generates follow-up correspondence, facilitates company-wide availability of a particular boat or other marine product desired by a customer, and tracks the maintenance and service needs for the customer’s boat.

 

Suppliers and Inventory Management

 

We purchase substantially all of our new boat inventory directly from manufacturers, which allocate new boats to dealerships based on the amount of boats sold by the dealership. We also exchange new boats with other dealers to accommodate customer demand and to balance inventory.

 

We purchase new boats and other marine-related products from Brunswick, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of marine products, including Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Baja, Cabo, Hatteras, Princecraft, and Meridian. We also purchase new boats and other marine related products from other manufacturers, including Azimut, Bertram, Century, the Ferretti Group, Grady White, Sea Pro, and Tracker Marine. In fiscal 2006, sales of new Brunswick boats accounted for approximately 59% of our revenue. No other manufacturer accounted for more than 10% of our revenue in fiscal 2006. We believe our Sea Ray boat purchases represented approximately 40% of Sea Ray’s new boat sales and in excess of 13% of all Brunswick marine product sales during fiscal 2006.

Through operating subsidiaries, we have entered into agreements with Brunswick covering Sea Ray products. The dealer agreements with the Sea Ray division of Brunswick do not restrict our right to sell any Sea Ray product lines or competing products. The terms of the dealer agreement appoints a designated geographical territory for the dealer, which is exclusive to the dealer as long as the dealer is not in breach of the material obligations and performance standards under the agreement and Sea Ray’s then current material policies and programs following notice and the expiration of any applicable cure periods without cure.

 

The dealer agreement with Ferretti Group and Bertram does not restrict our right to sell any Ferretti Group and Bertram product lines but has certain restrictions relating to competing products. The dealer agreement appoints us as the exclusive dealer for the retail sale, display, and servicing of designated Ferretti Group and Bertram products and repair parts currently or in the future sold by Ferretti Group and Bertram in the designated geographic areas.

 

Upon the completion of the Surfside-3 acquisition, we became the exclusive dealer for Azimut-Benetti Group’s (Azimut) product line of Azimut. The Azimut dealer agreement provides a geographic territory to promote the product line and to network with the appropriate clientele through various independent locations designated for Azimut retail sales.

 

Arrangements with certain other manufacturers may restrict our right to offer some product lines in certain markets.

 

We typically deal with each of our manufacturers, other than the Sea Ray division of Brunswick, under an annually renewable, non-exclusive dealer agreement. Manufacturers generally establish prices on an annual basis, but may change prices in their sole discretion. Manufacturers typically discount the cost of inventory and offer inventory financing assistance during the manufacturers’ slow seasons, generally October through March. To obtain lower cost of inventory, we strive to capitalize on these manufacturer incentives to take product delivery during the manufacturers’ slow seasons. This permits us to gain pricing advantages and better product availability during the selling season.

 

We transfer individual boats among our retail locations to fill customer orders that otherwise might take substantially longer to fill from the manufacturer. This reduces delays in delivery, helps us maximize inventory turnover, and assists in minimizing potential overstock or out-of-stock situations. We actively monitor our inventory levels to maintain levels appropriate to meet current anticipated market demands. We are not bound by contractual agreements governing the amount of inventory that we must purchase in any year from any manufacturer, but the failure to purchase at agreed upon levels may result in the loss of certain manufacturer incentives. We participate in numerous end-of-summer manufacturer boat shows, which manufacturers sponsor to sell off their remaining inventory at reduced costs before the introduction of new model year products, typically beginning in July.

 

Inventory Financing

 

Marine manufacturers customarily provide interest assistance programs to retailers. The interest assistance varies by manufacturer and may include periods of free financing or reduced interest rate programs. The interest assistance may be paid directly to the retailer or the financial institution depending on the arrangements the manufacturer has established. We believe that our financing arrangements with manufacturers are standard within the industry.

 

In March 2003, the Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) revised certain provisions of its previously reached conclusions on EITF 02-16, “Accounting by a Customer (Including a Reseller) for Certain Consideration Received from a Vendor” (EITF 02-16), and provided additional transitional guidance. We determined that EITF 02-16 impacts the way we account for interest assistance received from vendors beginning after July 1, 2003 with the renewal of and amendments to our dealer agreements with the manufacturers of our products. EITF 02-16 most significantly requires us to classify interest assistance received from manufacturers as a reduction of inventory cost and related cost of sales as opposed to netting the assistance against our interest expense incurred with our lenders.

 

Our revolving credit facility currently provides us with a line of credit with asset-based borrowing availability of up to $500 million for working capital and inventory financing and an additional $20 million for traditional floorplan borrowings, all of which are determined pursuant to a borrowing base formula. The credit facility requires

us to satisfy certain covenants, including maintaining a tangible net worth ratio. The credit facility currently matures in May 2011, with two one-year renewal options remaining. The credit facility was last amended in June 2006 to extend the terms and increase the borrowing availability.

 

As of September 30, 2006, we owed an aggregate of $321.5 million under our revolving credit facility. As of September 30, 2006, our revolving credit facility provided us with an additional available borrowing capacity of approximately $130.0 million. Advances on the facility accrued interest at a rate of 6.8% as of September 30, 2006. We were in compliance with all covenants in the facility as of September 30, 2006.

 

Management Information System

 

We believe that our management information system, which currently is being utilized by each of our operating subsidiaries and was developed over a number of years through cooperative efforts with the vendor, enhances our ability to integrate successfully the operations of our operating subsidiaries and future acquisitions, facilitates the interchange of information, and enhances cross-selling opportunities throughout our company. The system integrates each level of operations on a company-wide basis, including purchasing, inventory, receivables, financial reporting and budgeting, and sales management. The system enables us to monitor each dealership’s operations in order to identify quickly areas requiring additional focus and to manage inventory. The system also provides sales representatives with prospect and customer information that aids them in tracking the status of their contacts with prospects, automatically generates follow-up correspondence to such prospects, facilitates the availability of a particular boat company-wide, locates boats needed to satisfy a particular customer request, and monitors the maintenance and service needs of customers’ boats. Company representatives also utilize the system to assist in arranging financing and insurance packages. In October 2002, Brunswick acquired the vendor of our management information system.

 

Brunswick Agreement Relating to Acquisitions

 

We and the Sea Ray Division of Brunswick are parties to an agreement extending through December 2015 that provides a process for our continued growth through the acquisition of additional Sea Ray boat dealers that desire to be acquired by us. Under the agreement, acquisitions of Sea Ray dealers will be mutually agreed upon by us and Sea Ray with reasonable efforts to be made to include a balance of Sea Ray dealers that have been successful and those that have not been. The agreement provides that Sea Ray will not unreasonably withhold its consent to any proposed acquisition of a Sea Ray dealer by us, subject to the conditions set forth in the agreement. Among other things, the agreement provides for us to provide Sea Ray with a business plan for each proposed acquisition, including historical financial and five-year projected financial information regarding the acquisition candidate; marketing and advertising plans; service capabilities and managerial and staff personnel; information regarding the ability of the candidate to achieve performance standards within designated periods; and information regarding the success of our previous acquisitions of Sea Ray dealers. The agreement also contemplates Sea Ray reaching a good faith determination whether the acquisition would be in its best interest based on our dedication and focus of resources on the Sea Ray brand and Sea Ray’s consideration of any adverse effects that the approval would have on the resulting territory configuration and adjacent or other dealers sales and the absence of any violation of applicable laws or rights granted by Sea Ray to others.

 

Dealer Agreements with Brunswick

 

Brunswick, through its Sea Ray division, and we, through our principal operating subsidiaries, are parties to Sales and Service Agreements relating to Sea Ray products extending through December 2015. Each of these dealer agreements appoints one of our operating subsidiaries as a dealer for the retail sale, display, and servicing of designated Sea Ray products, parts, and accessories currently or in the future sold by Sea Ray. Each dealer agreement designates a designated geographical territory for the dealer, which is exclusive to the dealer as long as the dealer is not in breach of the material obligations and performance standards under the agreement and Sea Ray’s then current material policies and programs following notice and the expiration of any applicable cure periods without cure. Each dealer agreement also specifies retail locations, which the dealer may not close, change, or add to without the prior written consent of Sea Ray, provided that Sea Ray may not unreasonably withhold its consent. Each dealer agreement also restricts the dealer from selling, advertising (other than in recognized and established

marine publications), soliciting for sale, or offering for resale any Sea Ray products outside its territory without the prior written consent of Sea Ray as long as similar restrictions also apply to all domestic Sea Ray dealers selling comparable Sea Ray products. In addition, each dealer agreement provides for the lowest product prices charged by Sea Ray from time to time to other domestic Sea Ray dealers, subject to the dealer meeting all the requirements and conditions of Sea Ray’s applicable programs and the right of Sea Ray in good faith to charge lesser prices to other dealers to meet existing competitive circumstances, for unusual and non-ordinary business circumstances, or for limited duration promotional programs.

 

Among other things, each dealer agreement requires the dealer to

 

 

 

Sea Ray has agreed to indemnify each of our dealers against any losses to third parties resulting from Sea Ray’s negligent acts or omissions involving the design or manufacture of any of its products or any breach by it of the agreement. Each of our dealers has agreed to indemnify Sea Ray against any losses to third parties resulting from the dealer’s negligent acts or omissions involving the dealer’s application, use, or repair of Sea Ray products, statements or representation not specifically authorized by Sea Ray, the installation of any after market components or any other modification or alteration of Sea Ray products, and any breach by the dealer of the agreement.

 

Each dealer agreement may be terminated

 

 

Employees

 

As of September 30, 2006, we had 2,182 employees, 2,090 of whom were in store-level operations and 92 of whom were in corporate administration and management. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements and are not aware of any efforts to unionize our employees. We consider our relations with our employees to be excellent.

Trademarks and Service Marks

 

We have registered trade names and trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for various names, including “MarineMax,” “MarineMax Getaways!,” “MarineMax Care,” “Delivering the Dream,” “MarineMax Delivering the Boating Dream,” “Newcoast Financial Services,” “MarineMax Boating Gear Center,” and “Women on Water.” We have registered the name “MarineMax” in the European Community. We have a trademark application pending with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “Value Price.” We have trade name and trademark applications pending in Canada for various names, including “MarineMax,” “MarineMax Value-Price,” “Value-Price,” “Delivering the Dream,” “Selling and Delivering the Dream,” “Selling the Dream,” and “The Water Gene.” There can be no assurance that any of these applications will be granted.

 

Seasonality and Weather Conditions

 

Our business, as well as the entire recreational boating industry, is highly seasonal, with seasonality varying in different geographic markets. Over the three-year period ended September 30, 2006, the average revenue for the quarters ended December 31, March 31, June 30, and September 30 represented approximately 18%, 25%, 32%, and 25%, respectively, of our average annual revenues. With the exception of Florida, we generally realize significantly lower sales and higher levels of inventories and related short-term borrowings, in the quarterly periods ending December 31 and March 31. The onset of the public boat and recreation shows in January stimulates boat sales and allows us to reduce our inventory levels and related short-term borrowings throughout the remainder of the fiscal year.

 

Our business is also subject to weather patterns, which may adversely affect our results of operations. For example, drought conditions (or merely reduced rainfall levels) or excessive rain, may close area boating locations or render boating dangerous or inconvenient, thereby curtailing customer demand for our products. In addition, unseasonably cool weather and prolonged winter conditions may lead to a shorter selling season in certain locations. Hurricanes and other storms could result in disruptions of our operations or damage to our boat inventories and facilities, as was the case during fiscal 2005 and 2006 when Florida and other markets were affected by numerous hurricanes. Although our geographic diversity is likely to reduce the overall impact to us of adverse weather conditions in any one market area, these conditions will continue to represent potential, material adverse risks to us and our future financial performance.

 

Environmental and Other Regulatory Issues

 

Our operations are subject to extensive regulation, supervision, and licensing under various federal, state, and local statutes, ordinances, and regulations. While we believe that we maintain all requisite licenses and permits and are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain all requisite licenses and permits. The failure to satisfy those and other regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The adoption of additional laws, rules, and regulations could also have a material adverse effect on our business. Various federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, and similar federal and local agencies, have jurisdiction over the operation of our dealerships, repair facilities, and other operations with respect to matters such as consumer protection, workers’ safety, and laws regarding protection of the environment, including air, water, and soil.

 

The EPA has various air emissions regulations for outboard marine engines that impose more strict emissions standards for two-cycle, gasoline outboard marine engines. Emissions from such engines must be reduced by approximately 75% over a nine-year period beginning with the 1998 model year. The majority of the outboard marine engines we sell are manufactured by Mercury Marine. Mercury Marine’s product line of low-emission engines, including the OptiMax, Verado and other four-stroke outboards, have already achieved the EPA’s mandated 2006 emission levels. Any increased costs of producing engines resulting from EPA standards or the inability of our manufacturers to comply with EPA requirements, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Certain of our facilities own and operate underground storage tanks, or USTs, for the storage of various petroleum products. The USTs are generally subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations that require testing and upgrading of USTs and remediation of contaminated soils and groundwater resulting from leaking

USTs. In addition, if leakage from company-owned or operated USTs migrates onto the property of others, we may be subject to civil liability to third parties for remediation costs or other damages. Based on historical experience, we believe that our liabilities associated with UST testing, upgrades, and remediation are unlikely to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or operating results.

 

As with boat dealerships generally, and parts and service operations in particular, our business involves the use, handling, storage, and contracting for recycling or disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, including environmentally sensitive materials, such as motor oil, waste motor oil and filters, transmission fluid, antifreeze, freon, waste paint and lacquer thinner, batteries, solvents, lubricants, degreasing agents, gasoline, and diesel fuels. Accordingly, we are subject to regulation by federal, state, and local authorities establishing requirements for the use, management, handling, and disposal of these materials and health and environmental quality standards, and liability related thereto, and providing penalties for violations of those standards. We are also subject to laws, ordinances, and regulations governing investigation and remediation of contamination at facilities we operate to which we send hazardous or toxic substances or wastes for treatment, recycling, or disposal.

 

We do not believe we have any material environmental liabilities or that compliance with environmental laws, ordinances, and regulations will, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. However, soil and groundwater contamination has been known to exist at certain properties owned or leased by us. We have also been required and may in the future be required to remove aboveground and underground storage tanks containing hazardous substances or wastes. As to certain of our properties, specific releases of petroleum have been or are in the process of being remedied in accordance with state and federal guidelines. We are monitoring the soil and groundwater as required by applicable state and federal guidelines. In addition, the shareholders of the acquired dealers have indemnified us for specific environmental issues identified on environmental site assessments performed by us as part of the acquisitions. We maintain insurance for pollutant cleanup and removal. The coverage pays for the expenses to extract pollutants from land or water at the insured property, if the discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration, release, or escape of the pollutants is caused by or results from a covered cause of loss. We may also have additional storage tank liability insurance and “Superfund” coverage where applicable. In addition, certain of our retail locations are located on waterways that are subject to federal or state laws regulating navigable waters (including oil pollution prevention), fish and wildlife, and other matters.

 

Two of the properties we own were historically used as gasoline service stations. Remedial action with respect to prior historical site activities on these properties has been completed in accordance with federal and state law. Also, two of our properties are within the boundaries of a “Superfund” site, although neither property has been nor is expected to be identified as a contributor to the contamination in the area. We, however, do not believe that these environmental issues will result in any material liabilities to us.

 

Additionally, certain states have required or are considering requiring a license in order to operate a recreational boat. While such licensing requirements are not expected to be unduly restrictive, regulations may discourage potential first-time buyers, thereby limiting future sales, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Product Liability

 

The products we sell or service may expose us to potential liabilities for personal injury or property damage claims relating to the use of those products. Historically, the resolution of product liability claims has not materially affected our business. Our manufacturers generally maintain product liability insurance, and we maintain third-party product liability insurance, which we believe to be adequate. However, we may experience legal claims in excess of our insurance coverage, and those claims may not be covered by insurance. Furthermore, any significant claims against us could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations and result in negative publicity. Excessive insurance claims also could result in increased insurance premiums.

Competition

 

We operate in a highly competitive environment. In addition to facing competition generally from recreation businesses seeking to attract consumers’ leisure time and discretionary spending dollars, the recreational boat industry itself is highly fragmented, resulting in intense competition for customers, quality products, boat show space, and suitable retail locations. We rely to a certain extent on boat shows to generate sales. Our inability to participate in boat shows in our existing or targeted markets could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

We compete primarily with single-location boat dealers and, with respect to sales of marine equipment, parts, and accessories, with national specialty marine stores, catalog retailers, sporting goods stores, and mass merchants. Dealer competition continues to increase based on the quality of available products, the price and value of the products, and attention to customer service. There is significant competition both within markets we currently serve and in new markets that we may enter. We compete in each of our markets with retailers of brands of boats and engines we do not sell in that market. In addition, several of our competitors, especially those selling boating accessories, are large national or regional chains that have substantial financial, marketing, and other resources. However, we believe that our integrated corporate infrastructure and marketing and sales capabilities, our cost structure, and our nationwide presence enable us to compete effectively against these companies. Private sales of used boats is an additional significant source of competition.

 

Executive Officers

 

The following table sets forth information concerning each of our executive officers:

 

 

William H. McGill Jr. has served as the Chief Executive Officer of MarineMax since January 23, 1998 and as the Chairman of the Board and as a director of our company since March 6, 1998. Mr. McGill served as the President of our company from January 23, 1988 until September 8, 2000 and re-assumed the position on July 1, 2002. Mr. McGill was the principal owner and president of Gulfwind USA, Inc., one of our operating subsidiaries, from 1973 until its merger with us.

 

Michael H. McLamb has served as Executive Vice President of our company since October 2002, as Chief Financial Officer since January 23, 1998, as Secretary since April 5, 1998, and as a director of our company since November 1, 2003. Mr. McLamb served as Vice President and Treasurer of our company from January 23, 1998 until October 22, 2002. Mr. McLamb, a certified public accountant, was employed by Arthur Andersen LLP from December 1987 to December 1997, serving most recently as a senior manager.

 

Kurt M. Frahn has served as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of our company since October 22, 2002. Mr. Frahn served as Director of Taxes and Acquisitions of our company from May 15, 1998 until October 22, 2002. Mr. Frahn was employed by Arthur Andersen LLP from September 3, 1991 until May 15, 1998, serving most recently as a tax consulting manager.

 

Jack P. Ezzell has served as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of our company since October 22, 2002 and as Corporate Controller of our company since June 1, 1999. Mr. Ezzell served as Assistant Controller from

January 13, 1998 until June 1, 1999. Mr. Ezzell, a certified public accountant, was employed by Arthur Andersen LLP from August 1996 until January 1998, serving most recently as a senior auditor.

 

Edward A. Russell has served as Vice President of Operations since March 2006. Mr. Russell has been a Vice President of our company since October 22, 2002. Mr. Russell has served as the Regional Manager of our Florida operations since August 1, 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Russell served as the District President for our Central and West Florida operations from March 1998 until August 1, 2002. Mr. Russell was an owner and General Sales Manager of Gulfwind USA Inc., one of our operating subsidiaries, now called MarineMax of Central Florida, from 1984 until its merger with our company in March 1998.

 

Michael J. Aiello has served as Vice President of our company since October 22, 2002. Mr. Aiello has served as the Regional Manager of the state of New Jersey and surrounding areas since 1999 and was a principal owner and operator of Merit Marine Inc., one of our operating subsidiaries, now called MarineMax of Mid-Atlantic, from 1985 until its merger with our company in March 1999.

 

Anthony M. Aisquith has served as Vice President of our company since November 1, 2003. Mr. Aisquith has served as the Regional Manager of our Georgia, Carolinas, Texas, and California operations since August 1, 2000, March 1, 2002, March 15, 2003, and March 1, 2004, respectively. Mr. Aisquith previously served as the Store Manager of our Tampa, Florida location from October 1, 1997 until August 1, 2000 and as a salesperson in our Clearwater, Florida location from June 18, 1995 until October 1, 1997. Mr. Aisquith joined our company on June 18, 1995 after 10 years of experience in the auto industry.

 

Our success depends to a significant extent on the continued popularity and reputation for quality of the boating products of our manufacturers, particularly Brunswick’s Sea Ray, Meridian and Hatteras boat lines, Ferretti Group’s Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Pershing, and Bertram product lines and Azimut-Benetti Group’s Azimut and Atlantis products.

 

Approximately 59% of our revenue in fiscal 2006 resulted from sales of new boats manufactured by Brunswick, including approximately 45% from Brunswick’s Sea Ray division and approximately 6% from Brunswick’s Hatteras Yacht division. The remainder of our fiscal 2006 revenue from new boat sales resulted from sales of products from a limited number of other manufacturers, none of which accounted for more than 10% of our revenue. Any adverse change in the financial condition, production efficiency, product development, management, marketplace acceptance and marketing capabilities of our manufacturers, particularly Brunswick given our reliance on Sea Ray, Meridian, and Hatteras, would have a substantial adverse impact on our business. Additionally, given the revenue generated by each yacht and mega-yacht sale, any adverse change in the financial condition, production efficiency, product development, management, marketplace acceptance, and marketing capabilities of Ferretti Group would have a substantial adverse impact on our business.

 

To ensure adequate inventory levels to support our expansion, it may be necessary for Brunswick and other manufacturers to increase production levels or allocate a greater percentage of their production to us. The interruption or discontinuance of the operations of Brunswick or other manufacturers could cause us to experience shortfalls, disruptions, or delays with respect to needed inventory. Although we believe that adequate alternate sources would be available that could replace any manufacturer other than Brunswick as a product source, those alternate sources may not be available at the time of any interruption, and alternative products may not be available at comparable quality and prices.

 

Through our principal operating subsidiaries, we maintain dealer agreements with Brunswick covering Sea Ray products. Each dealer agreement has a multi-year term and provides for the lowest product prices charged by the Sea Ray division of Brunswick from time to time to other domestic Sea Ray dealers. These terms are subject to

 

 

 

 

Each dealer agreement designates a designated geographical territory for the dealer, which is exclusive to the dealer as long as the dealer is not in breach of the material obligations and performance standards under the agreement and Sea Ray’s then current material policies and programs following notice and the expiration of any applicable cure periods without cure.

 

Through certain of our operating subsidiaries, we also maintain dealer agreements with Hatteras covering Hatteras products. Each agreement allows Hatteras to revise prices at any time, and such new prices will supersede previous prices. Pursuant to the agreement, we must bear any losses we incur as a result of such price changes and may not recover from Hatteras for any losses. In addition, certain of our operating subsidiaries may not represent manufacturers or product lines that compete directly with Hatteras without its prior written consent.

 

Upon the completion of the Surfside-3 acquisition, we became the exclusive dealer for Azimut-Benetti Group’s product line of Azimut. The Azimut dealer agreement provides a geographic territory to promote the product line and to network with the appropriate clientele through various independent locations designated for Azimut retail sales.

 

As is typical in the industry, we deal with manufacturers, other than the Sea Ray division of Brunswick, under renewable annual dealer agreements. These agreements do not contain any contractual provisions concerning product pricing or required purchasing levels. Pricing is generally established on a model year basis, but is subject to change in the manufacturer’s sole discretion. Any change or termination of these arrangements for any reason could adversely affect product availability and cost and our financial performance.

 

Our operations depend upon a number of factors relating to or affecting consumer spending for luxury goods, such as recreational boats.

 

Unfavorable local, regional, national, or global economic developments or uncertainties regarding future economic prospects could reduce consumer spending in the markets we serve and adversely affect our business. Consumer spending on luxury goods also may decline as a result of lower consumer confidence levels, even if prevailing economic conditions are favorable. In an economic downturn, consumer discretionary spending levels generally decline, at times resulting in disproportionately large reductions in the sale of luxury goods. Similarly, rising interest rates could have a negative impact on the ability or willingness of consumers to finance boat purchases, which could also adversely affect our ability to sell our products and impact the profitability of our finance and insurance activities. Local influences, such as corporate downsizing and military base closings, also could adversely affect our operations in certain markets. We may be unable to maintain our profitability during any period of adverse economic conditions or low consumer confidence. Changes in federal and state tax laws, such as an imposition of luxury taxes on new boat purchases, and stock market performance also could influence consumers’ decisions to purchase products we offer and could have a negative effect on our sales. For example, during 1991 and 1992 the federal government imposed a luxury tax on new recreational boats with sales prices in excess of $100,000, which coincided with a sharp decline in boating industry sales from a high of more than $17.9 billion in the late 1980s to a low of $10.3 billion in 1992.

 

General economic conditions and competitive factors that impact the recreational boating industry could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our profitability.

 

General economic conditions, consumer spending patterns, federal tax policies, interest rate levels, and the cost and availability of fuel can impact overall boat purchases. Economic conditions in areas in which we operate dealerships, particularly Florida in which we generated 53%, 55%, and 46% of our revenue during fiscal years 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, can have a major impact on our operations. We also believe that the level of boat purchases has been adversely affected by increased competition from other recreational activities, perceived hassles of boat ownership, and relatively poor customer service and education throughout the retail boat industry. Although our strategy addresses many of these industry factors and we have expanded our operations during periods of stagnant or

declining industry trends, the cyclical nature of the recreational boating industry or the lack of industry growth could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations in the future.

 

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to continue to make successful acquisitions and to integrate the operations of acquired dealers and each dealer we acquire in the future.

 

Since March 1, 1998, we have acquired 20 recreational boat dealers, two boat brokerage operations, and two full-service yacht repair facilities. Each acquired dealer operated independently prior to its acquisition by us. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to continue to make successful acquisitions and to integrate the operations of acquired dealers and each dealer we acquire in the future, including centralizing certain functions to achieve cost savings and pursuing programs and processes that promote cooperation and the sharing of opportunities and resources among our dealerships. We may not be able to oversee the combined entity efficiently or to implement effectively our growth and operating strategies. To the extent that we successfully pursue our acquisition strategy, our resulting growth will place significant additional demands on our management and infrastructure. Our failure to pursue successfully our acquisition strategies or operate effectively the combined entity could have a material adverse effect on our rate of growth and operating performance.

 

Unforeseen expenses, difficulties, and delays frequently encountered in connection with rapid expansion through acquisitions could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our profitability.

 

Our growth strategy of acquiring additional recreational boat dealers involves significant risks. This strategy entails reviewing and potentially reorganizing acquired business operations, corporate infrastructure and systems, and financial controls. Unforeseen expenses, difficulties, and delays frequently encountered in connection with rapid expansion through acquisitions could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our profitability. We may be unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates or to complete the acquisitions of candidates that we identify. Increased competition for acquisition candidates or increased asking prices by acquisition candidates may increase purchase prices for acquisitions to levels beyond our financial capability or to levels that would not result in the returns required by our acquisition criteria. Acquisitions also may become more difficult in the future as we acquire more of the most attractive dealers. In addition, we may encounter difficulties in integrating the operations of acquired dealers with our own operations or managing acquired dealers profitably without substantial costs, delays, or other operational or financial problems.

 

We may issue common or preferred stock and incur substantial indebtedness in making future acquisitions. The size, timing, and integration of any future acquisitions may cause substantial fluctuations in operating results from quarter to quarter. Consequently, operating results for any quarter may not be indicative of the results that may be achieved for any subsequent quarter or for a full fiscal year. These fluctuations could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

 

Our ability to continue to grow through the acquisition of additional dealers will depend upon various factors, including the following:

 

 

As a part of our acquisition strategy, we frequently engage in discussions with various recreational boat dealers regarding their potential acquisition by us. In connection with these discussions, we and each potential acquisition candidate exchange confidential operational and financial information, conduct due diligence inquiries, and consider the structure, terms, and conditions of the potential acquisition. In certain cases, the prospective acquisition candidate agrees not to discuss a potential acquisition with any other party for a specific period of time, grants us an option to purchase the prospective dealer for a designated price during a specific time, and agrees

to take other actions designed to enhance the possibility of the acquisition, such as preparing audited financial information and converting its accounting system to the system specified by us. Potential acquisition discussions frequently take place over a long period of time and involve difficult business integration and other issues, including in some cases, management succession and related matters. As a result of these and other factors, a number of potential acquisitions that from time to time appear likely to occur do not result in binding legal agreements and are not consummated.

 

We may be required to obtain the consent of Brunswick and various other manufacturers prior to the acquisition of other dealers.

 

In determining whether to approve acquisitions, manufacturers may consider many factors, including our financial condition and ownership structure. Manufacturers also may impose conditions on granting their approvals for acquisitions, including a limitation on the number of their dealers that we may acquire. Our ability to meet manufacturers’ requirements for approving future acquisitions will have a direct bearing on our ability to complete acquisitions and effect our growth strategy. There can be no assurance that a manufacturer will not terminate its dealer agreement, refuse to renew its dealer agreement, refuse to approve future acquisitions, or take other action that could have a material adverse effect on our acquisition program.

 

We and the Sea Ray Division of Brunswick have an agreement extending through June 2015 that provides a process for our continued growth through the acquisition of additional Sea Ray boat dealers that desire to be acquired by us. Under the agreement, acquisitions of Sea Ray dealers will be mutually agreed upon by us and Sea Ray with reasonable efforts to be made to include a balance of Sea Ray dealers that have been successful and those that have not been. The agreement provides that Sea Ray will not unreasonably withhold its consent to any proposed acquisition of a Sea Ray dealer by us, subject to the conditions set forth in the agreement. Among other things, the agreement provides for us to provide Sea Ray with a business plan for each proposed acquisition, including historical financial and five-year projected financial information regarding the acquisition candidate; marketing and advertising plans; service capabilities and managerial and staff personnel; information regarding the ability of candidate to achieve performance standards within designated periods; and information regarding the success of our previous acquisitions of Sea Ray dealers. The agreement also contemplates Sea Ray reaching a good faith determination whether the acquisition would be in its best interest based on our dedication and focus of resources on the Sea Ray brand and Sea Ray’s consideration of any adverse effects that the approval would have on the resulting territory configuration and adjacent or other dealers sales and the absence of any violation of applicable laws or rights granted by Sea Ray to others.

 

Our growth strategy also entails expanding our product lines and geographic scope by obtaining additional distribution rights from our existing and new manufacturers. We may not be able to secure additional distribution rights or obtain suitable alternative sources of supply if we are unable to obtain such distribution rights. The inability to expand our product lines and geographic scope by obtaining additional distribution rights could have a material adverse effect on the growth and profitability of our business.

 

Boat manufacturers exercise substantial control over our business.

 

We depend on our dealer agreements. Through dealer agreements, boat manufacturers, including Brunswick, exercise significant control over their dealers, restrict them to specified locations, and retain approval rights over changes in management and ownership, among other things. The continuation of our dealer agreements with most manufacturers, including Brunswick, depends upon, among other things, our achieving stated goals for customer satisfaction ratings and market share penetration in the market served by the applicable dealership. Failure to meet the customer satisfaction, market share goals, and other conditions set forth in any dealer agreement could have various consequences, including the following:

 

 

 

Our dealer agreements with certain manufacturers, including Brunswick, do not give us the exclusive right to sell those manufacturers’ products within a given geographical area. Accordingly, a manufacturer, including Brunswick, could authorize another dealer to start a new dealership in proximity to one or more of our locations, or an existing dealer could move a dealership to a location that would be directly competitive with us. These events could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position and financial performance.

 

The failure to receive rebates and other dealer incentives on inventory purchases could substantially reduce our margins.

 

We rely on manufacturers’ programs that provide incentives for dealers to purchase and sell particular boat makes and models or for consumers to buy particular boat makes or models. Any eliminations, reductions, limitations, or other changes relating to rebate or incentive programs that have the effect of reducing the benefits we receive could increase the effective cost of our boat purchases, reduce our margins and competitive position, and have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.

 

Our growth strategy may require us to secure significant additional capital, the amount of which will depend upon the size, timing, and structure of future acquisitions and our working capital and general corporate needs.

 

If we finance future acquisitions in whole or in part through the issuance of common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock, existing stockholders will experience dilution in the voting power of their common stock and earnings per share could be negatively impacted. The extent to which we will be able or willing to use our common stock for acquisitions will depend on the market value of our common stock from time to time and the willingness of potential sellers to accept our common stock as full or partial consideration. Our inability to use our common stock as consideration, to generate cash from operations, or to obtain additional funding through debt or equity financings in order to pursue our acquisition program could materially limit our growth.

 

Any borrowings made to finance future acquisitions or for operations could make us more vulnerable to a downturn in our operating results, a downturn in economic conditions, or increases in interest rates on borrowings that are subject to interest rate fluctuations. If our cash flow from operations is insufficient to meet our debt service requirements, we could be required to sell additional equity securities, refinance our obligations, or dispose of assets in order to meet our debt service requirements. In addition, our credit arrangements contain financial and operational covenants and other restrictions with which we must comply, including limitations on capital expenditures and the incurrence of additional indebtedness. Adequate financing may not be available if and when we need it or may not be available on terms acceptable to us. The failure to obtain sufficient financing on favorable terms and conditions could have a material adverse effect on our growth prospects and our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Our current revolving credit facility provides a line of credit with asset-based borrowing availability of up to $500 million and allows us $20 million in traditional floorplan borrowings. We have pledged various of our assets, including boat inventories, accounts receivable, equipment, and fixtures, to secure borrowings under our credit facility. While we believe we will continue to obtain adequate financing from lenders, such financing may not be available to us.

 

Our internal growth and operating strategies of opening new locations and offering new products involve risk.

 

In addition to pursuing growth by acquiring boat dealers, we intend to continue to pursue a strategy of growth through opening new retail locations and offering new products in our existing and new territories. Accomplishing these goals for expansion will depend upon a number of factors, including the following:

 

 

 

Our dealer agreements with Brunswick require Brunswick’s consent to open, close, or change retail locations that sell Sea Ray products, and other dealer agreements generally contain similar provisions. We may not be able to open and operate new retail locations or introduce new product lines on a timely or profitable basis. Moreover, the costs associated with opening new retail locations or introducing new product lines may adversely affect our profitability.

 

As a result of these growth strategies, we expect to expend significant time and effort in opening and acquiring new retail locations and introducing new products. Our systems, procedures, controls, and financial resources may not be adequate to support our expanding operations. The inability to manage our growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Our planned growth also will impose significant added responsibilities on members of senior management and require us to identify, recruit, and integrate additional senior level managers. We may not be able to identify, hire, or train suitable additions to management.

 

Our business, as well as the entire recreational boating industry, is highly seasonal, with seasonality varying in different geographic markets. In addition, weather conditions may adversely impact our business.

 

During the three-year period ended September 30, 2006, the average revenue for the quarterly periods ended December 31, March 31, June 30, and September 30 represented 18%, 25%, 32%, and 25%, respectively, of our average annual revenues. With the exception of Florida, we generally realize significantly lower sales in the quarterly periods ending December 31 and March 31. The onset of the public boat and recreation shows in January stimulates boat sales and allows us to reduce our inventory levels and related short-term borrowings throughout the remainder of the fiscal year. Our business could become substantially more seasonal as we acquire dealers that operate in colder regions of the United States.

 

Weather conditions may adversely impact our operating results. For example, drought conditions, reduced rainfall levels, and excessive rain may force boating areas to close or render boating dangerous or inconvenient, thereby curtailing customer demand for our products. In addition, unseasonably cool weather and prolonged winter conditions may lead to shorter selling seasons in certain locations. Hurricanes and other storms could result in the disruption of our operations or damage to our boat inventories and facilities as was the case during fiscal 2005 and 2006 when Florida and other markets were affected by numerous hurricanes. Many of our dealerships sell boats to customers for use on reservoirs, thereby subjecting our business to the continued viability of these reservoirs for boating use. Although our geographic diversity and our future geographic expansion will reduce the overall impact on us of adverse weather conditions in any one market area, weather conditions will continue to represent potential material adverse risks to us and our future operating performance. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, our operating results in some future quarters could be below the expectations of stock market analysts and investors.

 

We face intense competition.

 

We operate in a highly competitive environment. In addition to facing competition generally from non-boating recreation businesses seeking to attract discretionary spending dollars, the recreational boat industry itself is highly fragmented and involves intense competition for customers, product distribution rights, and suitable retail locations, particularly on or near waterways. Competition increases during periods of stagnant industry growth.

We compete primarily with single-location boat dealers and, with respect to sales of marine parts, accessories, and equipment, with national specialty marine parts and accessories stores, catalog retailers, sporting goods stores, and mass merchants. Competition among boat dealers is based on the quality of available products, the price and value of the products, and attention to customer service. There is significant competition both within markets we currently serve and in new markets that we may enter. We compete in each of our markets with retailers of brands of boats and engines we do not sell in that market. In addition, several of our competitors, especially those selling marine equipment and accessories, are large national or regional chains that have substantial financial, marketing, and other resources. Private sales of used boats represent an additional source of competition.

 

Due to various matters, including environmental concerns, permitting and zoning requirements and competition for waterfront real estate, some markets in the United States have experienced an increased waiting list for marina and storage availability. In general, the markets in which we currently operate are not experiencing any unusual difficulties. However, marine retail activity could be adversely effected in markets that do not have sufficient marine and storage availability to satisfy demand.

 

The availability of boat insurance is critical to our success.

 

The ability of our customers to secure reasonably affordable boat insurance that is satisfactory to lenders that finance our customer’s purchase is critical to our success. Historically, affordable boat insurance has been available. With the hurricanes that have impacted the state of Florida and other markets over the past several years, insurance rates have escalated and insurance coverage has become more difficult to obtain. Any difficulty of customers to obtain affordable boat insurance could adversely affect our business.

 

We depend on income from financing, insurance, and extended service contracts.

 

A portion of our income results from referral fees derived from the placement or marketing of various F&I products, consisting of customer financing, insurance products, and extended service contracts, the most significant component of which is the participation and other fees resulting from our sale of customer financing contracts. During fiscal 2006, F&I products accounted for approximately 3.2% of our revenue.

 

The availability of financing for our boat purchasers and the level of participation and other fees we receive in connection with such financing depend on the particular agreement between us and the lender and the current rate environment. Lenders may impose terms in their boat financing arrangements with us that may be unfavorable to us or our customers, resulting in reduced demand for our customer financing programs and lower participation and other fees.

 

The reduction of profit margins on sales of F&I products or the lack of demand for or the unavailability of these products could have a material adverse effect on our operating margins.

 

We depend on key personnel.

 

Our success depends, in large part, upon the continuing efforts and abilities of our executive officers. Although we have an employment agreement with certain of our executive officers, we cannot assure that these or other executive personnel will remain with us. Our expanding operations may require us to add additional executive personnel in the future. As a result of our decentralized operating strategy, we also rely on the management teams of our operating subsidiaries. In addition, we likely will depend on the senior management of any significant businesses we acquire in the future. The loss of the services of one or more of these key employees before we are able to attract and retain qualified replacement personnel could adversely affect our business.

 

The products we sell or service may expose us to potential liability for personal injury or property damage claims relating to the use of those products.

 

Manufacturers of the products we sell generally maintain product liability insurance. We also maintain third-party product liability insurance that we believe to be adequate. We may experience claims that are not covered by or that are in excess of our insurance coverage. The institution of any significant claims against us could subject us to damages, result in higher insurance costs, and harm our business reputation with potential customers.

Environmental and other regulatory issues may impact our operations.

 

Our operations are subject to extensive regulation, supervision, and licensing under various federal, state, and local statutes, ordinances, and regulations. The failure to satisfy those and other regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Various federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, including OSHA or the EPA, and similar federal and local agencies, have jurisdiction over the operation of our dealerships, repair facilities, and other operations, with respect to matters such as consumer protection, workers’ safety, and laws regarding protection of the environment, including air, water, and soil. The EPA recently promulgated emissions regulations for outboard marine engines that impose stricter emissions standards for two-cycle, gasoline outboard marine engines. Emissions from such engines must be reduced by approximately 75% over a nine-year period beginning with the 1998 model year. The majority of the outboard marine engines we sell are manufactured by Mercury Marine. Mercury Marine’s product line of low-emission engines, including the OptiMax, Verado and other four-stroke outboards, have already achieved the EPA’s mandated 2006 emission levels. Any increased costs of producing engines resulting from EPA standards or the inability of our manufacturers to comply with EPA requirements, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Certain of our facilities own and operate USTs for the storage of various petroleum products. USTs are generally subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations that require testing and upgrading of USTs and remediation of contaminated soils and groundwater resulting from leaking USTs. In addition, we may be subject to civil liability to third parties for remediation costs or other damages if leakage from our owned or operated USTs migrates onto the property of others.

 

Our business involves the use, handling, storage, and contracting for recycling or disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, including environmentally sensitive materials, such as motor oil, waste motor oil and filters, transmission fluid, antifreeze, freon, waste paint and lacquer thinner, batteries, solvents, lubricants, degreasing agents, gasoline, and diesel fuels. Accordingly, we are subject to regulation by federal, state, and local authorities establishing investigation and health and environmental quality standards, and liability related thereto, and providing penalties for violations of those standards.

 

We also are subject to laws, ordinances, and regulations governing investigation and remediation of contamination at facilities we operate or to which we send hazardous or toxic substances or wastes for treatment, recycling, or disposal. In particular, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA or “Superfund,” imposes joint, strict, and several liability on

 

 

A majority of states have adopted “Superfund” statutes comparable to and, in some cases, more stringent than CERCLA. If we were to be found to be a responsible party under CERCLA or a similar state statute, we could be held liable for all investigative and remedial costs associated with addressing such contamination. In addition, claims alleging personal injury or property damage may be brought against us as a result of alleged exposure to hazardous substances resulting from our operations. In addition, certain of our retail locations are located on waterways that are subject to federal or state laws regulating navigable waters (including oil pollution prevention), fish and wildlife, and other matters.

 

Soil and groundwater contamination has been known to exist at certain properties owned or leased by us. We have also been required and may in the future be required to remove aboveground and underground storage tanks containing hazardous substances or wastes. As to certain of our properties, specific releases of petroleum have been or are in the process of being remediated in accordance with state and federal guidelines. We are monitoring the soil and groundwater as required by applicable state and federal guidelines. We also may have additional storage tank liability insurance and “Superfund” coverage where applicable. Environmental laws and regulations are complex and subject to frequent change. Compliance with amended, new, or more stringent laws or regulations, more strict

interpretations of existing laws, or the future discovery of environmental conditions may require additional expenditures by us, and such expenditures may be material.

 

Two of the properties we own were historically used as gasoline service stations. Remedial action with respect to prior historical site activities on these properties has been completed in accordance with federal and state law. Also, two of our properties are within the boundaries of a “Superfund” site, although neither property has been identified as a contributor to the contamination in the area.

 

Additionally, certain states have required or are considering requiring a license in order to operate a recreational boat. These regulations could discourage potential buyers, thereby limiting future sales and adversely affecting our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Fuel prices and supply may affect our business.

 

All of the recreational boats we sell are powered by diesel or gasoline engines. Consequently, an interruption in the supply, or a significant increase in the price or tax on the sale, of fuel on a regional or national basis could have a material adverse effect on our sales and operating results. At various times in the past, diesel or gasoline fuel has been difficult to obtain. The supply of fuels may be interrupted, rationing may be imposed, or the price of or tax on fuels may significantly increase in the future.

 

We must evaluate goodwill and identifiable intangible assets for impairment annually and we would recognize an impairment loss if the carrying amount of goodwill or an identifiable intangible asset exceeds its fair value.

 

Intangible assets and goodwill represent the excess of the purchase price of businesses acquired over the fair value of the net tangible assets acquired at the date of acquisition. We have determined that our most significantly acquired specifically identifiable intangible assets are dealer agreements, which are indefinite-lived intangibles.

 

Goodwill and identifiable intangible assets are accounted for in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 141, “Business Combinations” (SFAS 141), and Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142). SFAS 141 requires that all business combinations initiated after June 30, 2001 be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination be recognized as assets and reported separately from goodwill. SFAS 142 requires that goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets no longer be amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of an identifiable intangible asset or goodwill exceeds its fair value, we would recognize an impairment loss. We measure any potential impairment based on various business valuation methodologies, including a projected discounted cash flow method. We completed the annual impairment test during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005, based on financial information as of the third quarter of fiscal 2005, which resulted in no impairment of goodwill or identifiable intangible assets. To date, we have not recognized any impairment of goodwill or identifiable intangible assets. Prior to the adoption of SFAS 142, all purchase price in excess of the tangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill and no identifiable intangible assets were recognized. Identifiable intangible assets and net goodwill amounted to $94.1 million and $22.1 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2006.

 

Impairment of the identifiable intangible assets or goodwill or regulatory action that changes the impairment testing methodology, requires amortization, or a write-off of identifiable intangible assets or goodwill may materially and adversely affect the financial position of our company. A reduction in net income resulting from the impairment of identifiable intangible assets or goodwill may have an adverse impact upon the market price of our common stock.

 

The market price of our common stock could be subject to wide fluctuations as a result of many factors.

 

Factors that could affect the trading price of our common stock include the following:

 

 

 

In addition, market demand for small-capitalization stocks, and price and volume fluctuations in the stock market unrelated to our performance could result in significant fluctuations in market price of our common stock. The performance of our common stock could adversely affect our ability to raise equity in the public markets and adversely affect our acquisition program.

 

The issuance of additional common stock in the future, including shares that we may issue pursuant to option grants and future acquisitions, may result in dilution in the net tangible book value per share of our common stock.

 

Our board of directors has the legal power and authority to determine the terms of an offering of shares of our capital stock, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for these shares, to the extent of our shares of authorized and unissued capital stock.

 

A substantial number of shares are eligible for future sale.

 

As of September 30, 2006, there were outstanding 18,529,524 shares of our common stock. Substantially all of these shares are freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the securities laws, unless held by an “affiliate” of our company, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the securities laws. Shares held by affiliates of our company, which generally include our directors, officers, and certain principal stockholders, are subject to the resale limitations of Rule 144 described below. Outstanding shares of common stock issued in connection with the acquisition of any acquired dealers are available for resale beginning one year after the respective dates of the acquisitions, subject to compliance with the provisions of Rule 144 under the securities laws.

 

As of September 30, 2006, we had issued options to purchase approximately 2,364,538 shares of common stock under our 1998 incentive stock plan and we issued 446,684 of the 750,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our 1998 employee stock purchase plan. We have filed a registration statement under the securities laws to register the common stock to be issued under these plans. As a result, shares issued under these plans will be freely tradable without restriction unless acquired by affiliates of our company, who will be subject to the volume and other limitations of Rule 144.

 

We may issue additional shares of common stock or preferred stock under the securities laws as part of any acquisition we may complete in the future. If issued pursuant to an effective registration statement, these shares generally will be freely tradable after their issuance by persons not affiliated with us or the acquired companies.

 

We rely on our operating subsidiaries.

 

We are a holding company, the principal assets of which are the shares of the capital stock or membership interests of our corporate or limited liability company subsidiaries, including the operating subsidiaries. As a holding company without independent means of generating operating revenue, we depend on dividends and other

payments from our subsidiaries to fund our obligations and meet our cash needs. Financial covenants under future loan agreements of our subsidiaries may limit our subsidiaries’ ability to make sufficient dividend or other payments to permit us to fund our obligations or meet our cash needs, in whole or in part.

 

We do not pay cash dividends.

 

We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock. Moreover, financial covenants under certain of our credit facilities restrict our ability to pay dividends.

 

Our stockholders’ rights plan may adversely affect existing stockholders.

 

Our Stockholders’ Rights Plan may have the effect of deterring, delaying, or preventing a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders. Under the Rights Plan, we issued a dividend of one Preferred Share Purchase Right for each share of our common stock held by stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 7, 2001.

 

In general, subject to certain limited exceptions, the stock purchase rights become exercisable when a person or group acquires 15% or more of our common stock or a tender offer or exchange offer for 15% or more of our common stock is announced or commenced. After any such event, our other stockholders may purchase additional shares of our common stock at 50% of the then-current market price. The rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire us on terms not approved by our board of directors. The rights may be redeemed by us at $0.01 per stock purchase right at any time before any person or group acquires 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. The rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by our board of directors. The rights expire on August 28, 2011.

 

Certain provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law may make a change in the control of our company more difficult to complete, even if a change in control were in the stockholders’ interest or might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by the stockholders.

 

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws divide the board of directors into three classes of directors elected for staggered three-year terms. The certificate of incorporation also provides that the board of directors may authorize the issuance of one or more series of preferred stock from time to time and may determine the rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions and fix the number of shares of any such series of preferred stock, without any vote or action by our stockholders. The board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock. The certificate of incorporation also allows our board of directors to fix the number of directors and to fill vacancies on the board of directors.

 

We also are subject to the anti-takeover provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits us from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an “interested stockholder,” unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.

 

Certain of our dealer agreements could also make it difficult for a third party to attempt to acquire a significant ownership position in our company. In addition, the stockholders’ agreement and governance agreement will have the effect of increasing the control of our directors, executive officers, and persons associated with them.

 

Our sales of Ferretti Group and Azimut product may be adversely affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the Euro.

 

Products purchased from the Italy-based Ferretti Group and Azimut are subject to fluctuations in the Euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate, which ultimately may impact the retail price at which we can sell such products. As a result, fluctuations in the value of the Euro as compared with the U.S. dollar may impact the price points at which we can sell profitably Ferretti Group and Azimut products, and such price points may not be competitive with other product lines in the United States. Accordingly, such fluctuations in exchange rates ultimately may impact the

amount of revenue, cost of goods sold, cash flows, and earnings we recognize for the Ferretti Group and Azimut product lines. The impact of these currency fluctuations could increase, particularly as our revenue from the Ferretti Group and Azimut products increase as a percentage of our total revenue. We also could incur losses from hedging transactions designed to reduce our risk to fluctuation in exchange rates. We cannot predict the effects of exchange rate fluctuations or currency rate hedges on our operating results. Therefore, in certain cases, we have entered into foreign currency cash flow hedges to reduce the variability of cash flows associated with firm commitments to purchase boats and yachts from Ferretti Group.. We cannot assure that our strategies will adequately protect our operating results from the effects of exchange rate fluctuations.

 

Not applicable.

 

We lease our corporate offices in Clearwater, Florida. We also lease 52 of our retail locations under leases, many of which contain multi-year renewal options and some of which grant us a first right of refusal to purchase the property at fair value. In most cases, we pay a fixed rent at negotiated rates. In substantially all of the leased locations, we are responsible for taxes, utilities, insurance, and routine repairs and maintenance. We own the property associated with 34 other retail locations and operate 2 additional locations as noted below.

 

The following table reflects the status, approximate size, and facilities of our various retail locations as of the date of this report.

 

 

 

 

We are party to various legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. With the exception of a single lawsuit award that we are currently appealing, the ultimate liability, if any, associated with the other matters was not material at September 30, 2006. However, based on information available at September 30, 2006 surrounding the single lawsuit award, our litigation accrual approximated $2.0 million. While it is not feasible to determine the actual outcome of these actions as of September 30, 2006, we do not believe that these matters will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

 

Not applicable.

 

Our common stock has been traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HZO since our initial public offering on June 3, 1998 at $12.50 per share. The following table sets forth high and low sale prices of the common stock for each calendar quarter indicated as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

 

On November 30, 2006, the closing sale price of our common stock was $26.86 per share. On November 30, 2006, there were approximately 100 record holders and approximately 5,300 beneficial owners of our common stock.

 

In November 2005, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase plan allowing our company to repurchase up to 1,000,000 shares of our common stock. Under the plan, we may buy back common stock from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated blocks, dependant upon various factors, including price and availability of the shares, and general market conditions. At September 30, 2006, we have purchased an aggregate of 306,300 shares of common stock under the plan for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $6.9 million.

 

The following table contains certain financial and operating data and is qualified by the more detailed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this report. The balance sheet and statement of operations data were derived from the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto that have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered certified public accounting firm. The financial data shown below should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this report.

 

 

 

 

 

The following should be read in conjunction with Part I, including the matters set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of this Form 10-K, and our Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

 

Overview

 

We are the largest recreational boat retailer in the United States with fiscal 2006 revenue exceeding $1.2 billion. Through our current 88 retail locations in 22 states, we sell new and used recreational boats and related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. We also arrange related boat financing, insurance, and extended warranty contracts; provide boat repair and maintenance services; and offer yacht and boat brokerage services, and where available, offer slip and storage accommodations.

 

MarineMax was incorporated in January 1998. We commenced operations with the acquisition of five independent recreational boat dealers on March 1, 1998. Since the initial acquisitions in March 1998, we have significantly expanded our operations through the acquisition of 20 recreational boat dealers, two boat brokerage operations, and two full-service yacht repair facilities. As a part of our acquisition strategy, we frequently engage in discussions with various recreational boat dealers regarding their potential acquisition by us. Potential acquisition discussions frequently take place over a long period of time and involve difficult business integration and other issues, including in some cases, management succession and related matters. As a result of these and other factors, a number of potential acquisitions that from time to time appear likely to occur do not result in binding legal agreements and are not consummated. The following are the acquisitions we have completed during the fiscal years ending September 30, 2006 and 2004. No significant acquisitions were completed during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005.

 

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, we completed the acquisition of two recreational boat dealers. During March 2006, we acquired substantially all of the assets and assumed certain liabilities of Surfside-3 Marina, Inc. (Surfside), a privately held boat dealership with eight locations in New York and Connecticut, for approximately $24.8 million in cash and 665,024 shares of common stock, plus $24.0 million in working capital adjustments including acquisition costs. The shares were valued at $33.71 per share, which was the average closing market price of our common stock for the five-day period beginning two days prior to and ending two days subsequent to the acquisition date. Based on the provisions of the asset purchase agreement, 100,000 shares of common stock are currently held in escrow, subject to the satisfaction of working capital adjustments and other provisions in the acquisition documents. We and Surfside are in current discussions to resolve such matters. The acquisition expands our ability to serve consumers in the Northeast boating community and allows us to capitalize on Surfside’s market position and leverage our inventory management and inventory financing resources over the acquired locations. Based on our preliminary valuation, the purchase price, including acquisition costs, is anticipated to result in the recognition of approximately $37.0 million in tax deductible goodwill and approximately $14.7 million in tax deductible indefinite-lived intangible assets (dealer agreements). We are in the process of finalizing the purchase price allocation and determining the fair value of acquired intangible assets; accordingly, certain purchase price allocations are subject to change. Surfside has been included in our consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition.

 

During January 2006, we acquired substantially all of the assets, including certain real estate, and assumed certain liabilities of the Port Arrowhead Group (Port Arrowhead), a privately held boat dealership with locations in Missouri and Oklahoma, for approximately $27.5 million in cash, plus $5.0 million in working capital adjustments including acquisition costs. Port Arrowhead operates six retail locations, including a large marina with more than 300 slips. The acquisition expands our ability to serve consumers in the Midwest boating community, including neighboring boating destinations in Illinois, Kansas, and Arkansas. The acquisition also allows us to capitalize on Port Arrowhead’s market position and leverage our inventory management and inventory financing resources over the acquired locations. Based on our preliminary valuation, the purchase price, including acquisition costs, is anticipated to result in the recognition of approximately $6.1 million in tax deductible goodwill and approximately

$2.0 million in tax deductible indefinite-lived intangible assets (dealer agreements). We are in the process of finalizing the purchase price allocation and determining the fair value of acquired intangible assets; accordingly, certain purchase price allocations are subject to change. Port Arrowhead has been included in our consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition.

 

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004, we completed the acquisition of three recreational boat dealers. During June 2004, we acquired substantially all of the assets, including real estate, and assumed certain liabilities of Imperial Marine (Imperial), a privately held boat dealership with locations in Baltimore and the northern Chesapeake area of Maryland, for approximately $9.3 million in cash, including acquisition costs. Imperial operates a highway location and a marina on the Gunpowder River. The acquisition expands our ability to serve consumers in the Mid-Atlantic United States boating community. Additionally, the acquisition allows us to capitalize on Imperial’s market position and leverage our inventory management and inventory financing resources over the acquired locations. The acquisition resulted in the recognition of approximately $1.1 million in tax deductible goodwill, including acquisition costs, and approximately $580,000 in tax deductible indefinite-lived intangible assets (dealer agreements). Imperial has been included in our consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition.

 

During June 2004, we purchased inventory and certain equipment and assumed certain liabilities from the previous Jacksonville, Florida-based Sea Ray dealer (Jacksonville) for the sport boat and sport cruiser product lines for approximately $900,000 in cash, including acquisition costs. The purchase enhanced our ability to serve customers in the northeast Florida boating community by adding the sport boat and sport cruiser product lines to our existing Sea Ray product offerings. The acquisition resulted in the recognition of approximately $240,000 in tax deductible goodwill, including acquisition costs, and approximately $450,000 in tax deductible indefinite-lived intangible assets (dealer agreements). Jacksonville has been included in our consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition.

 

During October 2003, we acquired substantially all of the assets and assumed certain liabilities of Emarine International, Inc. and Steven Myers, Inc. (Emarine), a privately held boat dealership located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for approximately $305,000 in cash. The acquisition resulted in the recognition of approximately $300,000 in tax deductible goodwill, including acquisition costs. The acquisition provides us with an established retail location to sell the newly offered Ferretti Group products in the southeast Florida boating community. The assets purchase agreement contained an earn out provision based on the future profits of the location, assuming certain conditions and provisions were met. In August 2004, the earn out provisions were modified withdrawing the requirements for any future earn out payments. Emarine has been included in our consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition.

 

Application of Critical Accounting Policies

 

We have identified the policies below as critical to our business operations and the understanding of our results of operations. The impact and risks related to these policies on our business operations is discussed throughout Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations when such policies affect our reported and expected financial results.

 

In the ordinary course of business, we make a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of results of operations and financial condition in the preparation of our financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. The results form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates under different assumptions and conditions. We believe that the following discussion addresses our most critical accounting policies, which are those that are most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and require our most difficult, subjective, and complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

We recognize revenue from boat, motor, and trailer sales, and parts and service operations at the time the boat, motor, trailer, or part is delivered to or accepted by the customer or service is completed. We recognize commissions

earned from a brokerage sale at the time the related brokerage transaction closes. We recognize revenue from slip and storage services on a straight-line basis over the term of the slip or storage agreement. We recognize commissions earned by us for placing notes with financial institutions in connection with customer boat financing when the related boat sales are recognized. We also recognize marketing fees earned on credit life, accident and disability, and hull insurance products sold by third-party insurance companies at the later of customer acceptance of the insurance product as evidenced by contract execution, or when the related boat sale is recognized. We also recognize commissions earned on extended warranty service contracts sold on behalf of third-party insurance companies at the later of customer acceptance of the service contract terms as evidenced by contract execution, or recognition of the related boat sale.

 

Certain finance and extended warranty commissions and marketing fees on insurance products may be charged back if a customer terminates or defaults on the underlying contract within a specified period of time. Based upon our experience of terminations and defaults, we maintain a chargeback allowance that was not material to our financial statements taken as a whole as of September 30, 2005 or 2006. Should results differ materially from our historical experiences, we would need to modify our estimate of future chargebacks, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating margins.

 

Vendor Consideration Received

 

We account for consideration received from our vendors in accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 02-16, “Accounting by a Customer (Including a Reseller) for Certain Consideration Received from a Vendor” (EITF 02-16). EITF 02-16 requires us to classify interest assistance received from manufacturers as a reduction of inventory cost and related cost of sales. Pursuant to EITF 02-16, amounts received by us under our co-op assistance programs from our manufacturers, are netted against related advertising expenses.

 

Inventories

 

Inventory costs consist of the amount paid to acquire the inventory, net of vendor consideration and purchase discounts, the cost of equipment added, reconditioning costs, and transportation costs relating to acquiring inventory for sale. New and used boat, motor, and trailer inventories are stated at the lower of cost, determined on a specific-identification basis, or market. Parts and accessories are stated at the lower of cost, determined on the first-in, first-out basis, or market. If the carrying amount of our inventory exceeds its fair value, we reduce the carrying amount to reflect fair value. We utilize our historical experience and current sales trends as the basis for our lower of cost or market analysis. If events occur and market conditions change, causing the fair value to fall below carrying value, further reductions may be required.

 

Valuation of Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

 

We account for goodwill and identifiable intangible assets in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 141, “Business Combinations” (SFAS 141), and Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142). SFAS 141 requires that all business combinations initiated after June 30, 2001 be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination be recognized as assets and reported separately from goodwill. We have determined that our most significant acquired identifiable intangible assets are dealer agreements, which are indefinite-lived intangible assets. SFAS 142 requires that goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets no longer be amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of goodwill or an identifiable intangible asset exceeds its fair value, we would recognize an impairment loss. We measure any potential impairment based on various business valuation methodologies, including a projected discounted cash flow method. We completed our last annual impairment test during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, based on financial information as of the third quarter of fiscal 2006, which resulted in no impairment of goodwill or identifiable intangible assets. To date, we have not recognized any impairment of goodwill or identifiable intangible assets in the application of SFAS 142. We will continue to test goodwill and identifiable intangible assets for impairment at least annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Prior to the adoption of SFAS 142, all purchase price in excess of the net tangible assets was recorded as goodwill and no identifiable intangible assets were recognized. Net goodwill and identifiable intangible assets amounted to $94.1 million and $22.1 million, respectively, at September 30, 2006.

The most significant estimates used in our goodwill valuation model include estimates of the future growth in our cash flows and future working capital needs to support our projected growth. Should circumstances change causing these assumptions to differ materially than expected, our goodwill may become impaired, resulting in a material adverse effect on our operating margins.

 

For a more comprehensive list of our accounting policies, including those which involve varying degrees of judgment, see Note 3 — “Significant Accounting Policies” of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth certain financial data as a percentage of revenue for the periods indicated:

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2006 Compared with Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2005

 

Revenue.  Revenue increased $266.2 million, or 28.1%, to $1.2 billion for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 from $947.3 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005. Of this increase, $204.9 million was attributable to stores opened or acquired that were not eligible for inclusion in the comparable-store base and $61.3 million was attributable to a 6.5% growth in comparable-store sales in fiscal 2006. The increase in comparable-store sales in fiscal 2006 resulted primarily from an increase of approximately $45.2 million in boat and yacht sales. This increase in boat and yacht sales on a comparable-store basis helped generate an increase in revenue from our parts, service, finance, and insurance products of approximately $16.1 million.

 

Gross Profit.  Gross profit increased $72.3 million, or 30.8%, to $306.8 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 from $234.5 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue increased to 25.3% in fiscal 2006 from 24.8% in fiscal 2005. This increase was primarily attributable to an increase in service, finance, insurance, parts, and brokerage revenue, which generally yield higher gross margins than boat sales, and an increase in manufacturer programs in place for the year ended September 30, 2006. The increase in gross profit was partially offset by a decrease in gross margins on boat sales, coupled with an increase in yacht sales, which generally yield lower gross margins than boat sales.

 

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses.  Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased $52.8 million, or 31.1%, to $222.8 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 from $170.0 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005. Selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue increased approximately 50 basis points to 18.4% for the year ended September 30, 2006 from 17.9% for the year ended September 30, 2005. In fiscal 2006, the increase as a percentage of revenue was attributable to approximately $3.5 million of stock option compensation expense resulting from the adoption of SFAS 123R and approximately $1.2 million of hurricane related expenses to move and repair inventory (net of related insurance reimbursements) and uninsured losses to our locations. Additionally, our selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue increased due to increased marketing and commission expenses associated with achieving our level of comparable-store sales growth, increased facilities, and other costs associated with new and acquired stores.

Interest Expense.  Interest expense increased $9.3 million, or 100.4%, to $18.6 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 from $9.3 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005. Interest expense as a percentage of revenue increased to 1.5% for fiscal 2006 from 1.0% for fiscal 2005. The increase was primarily a result of increased borrowings associated with our revolving credit facility and mortgages, which accounted for an increase in interest expense of approximately $5.7 million and a less favorable interest rate environment, which accounted for an increase of approximately $3.6 million in interest expense.

 

Income Tax Provision.  Income taxes increased $4.5 million, or 21.2%, to $26.0 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 from $21.4 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 as a result of increased earnings. Our effective tax rate increased to 39.7% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 from 38.8% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 as a result of the adoption of SFAS 123R.

 

Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2005 Compared with Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2004

 

Revenue.  Revenue increased $185.3 million, or 24.3%, to $947.3 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 from $762.0 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004. Of this increase, $11.9 million was attributable to stores opened or acquired that were not eligible for inclusion in the comparable-store base and $173.4 million was attributable to a 22.8% growth in comparable-store sales in fiscal 2005. The increase in comparable-store sales in fiscal 2005 resulted primarily from an increase of approximately $160.2 million in boat and yacht sales. This increase in boat and yacht sales on a comparable-store basis helped generate an increase in revenue from our parts, service, finance, and insurance products of approximately $13.2 million.

 

Gross Profit.  Gross profit increased $46.1 million, or 24.5%, to $234.5 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 from $188.4 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue increased to 24.8% in fiscal 2005 from 24.7% in fiscal 2004. This increase was primarily attributable to an increase in gross margins on boat sales and improvements in service, finance, insurance, parts, and brokerage revenues, which generally yield higher gross margins than boat sales. The increase in gross profit was partially offset by an increase in yacht sales, which generally yield lower gross margins than boat sales.

 

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses.  Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased $30.5 million, or 21.9%, to $170.0 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 from $139.5 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004. Selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue decreased approximately 35 basis points to 17.9% for the year ended September 30, 2005 from 18.3% for the year ended September 30, 2004. The decrease as a percentage of revenue was attributable to an approximate 60 basis point decrease in our comparable-stores selling, general, and administrative expenses. This decrease incurred by our comparable-store locations resulted from the leveraging of our operating expense structure, which resulted in decreases in personnel costs and fixed expenses as a percentage of revenue. These decreases were partially offset by an approximate $4.4 million increase in marketing expenses associated with achieving our level of comparable-store sales growth, the addition and expansion of various product lines, increases in inventory maintenance costs related to supporting our increase in comparable-store sales and the addition and expansion of various product lines, and an increase in our accrued litigation expense related to a single lawsuit award that we are currently appealing. Additionally, the reduction of the comparable-store expenses was partially offset by an increase in expenses associated with stores opened or acquired that were not eligible for inclusion in the comparable-store base. These opened or acquired stores generally operate at a higher expense structure than our other locations.

 

Interest Expense.  Interest expense increased $2.8 million, or 43.0%, to $9.3 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 from $6.5 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004. Interest expense as a percentage of revenue increased to 1.0% for fiscal 2005 from 0.9% for fiscal 2004. The increase was primarily a result of a less favorable interest rate environment, which accounted for approximately $2.2 million of the increase, coupled with an increase in the average borrowings associated with our revolving credit facility and mortgages, which accounted for approximately $600,000.

 

Income Tax Provision.  Income taxes increased $5.3 million, or 32.8%, to $21.4 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 from $16.1 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004 as a result of increased earnings. Our effective tax rate increased to 38.8% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 from 38.0% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004 as a result of a review of our effective tax rate calculation for the jurisdictions in which we currently operate.

Quarterly Data and Seasonality

 

Our business, as well as the entire recreational boating industry, is highly seasonal, with seasonality varying in different geographic markets. With the exception of Florida, we generally realize significantly lower sales and higher levels of inventories, and related short-term borrowings, in the quarterly periods ending December 31 and March 31. The onset of the public boat and recreation shows in January stimulates boat sales and allows us to reduce our inventory levels and related short-term borrowings throughout the remainder of the fiscal year. Our business could become substantially more seasonal as we acquire dealers that operate in colder regions of the United States.

 

Our business is also subject to weather patterns, which may adversely affect our results of operations. For example, drought conditions (or merely reduced rainfall levels) or excessive rain, may close area boating locations or render boating dangerous or inconvenient, thereby curtailing customer demand for our products. In addition, unseasonably cool weather and prolonged winter conditions may lead to a shorter selling season in certain locations. Hurricanes and other storms could result in disruptions of our operations or damage to our boat inventories and facilities, as was the case during fiscal 2005 and 2006 when Florida and other markets were affected by numerous hurricanes. Although our geographic diversity is likely to reduce the overall impact to us of adverse weather conditions in any one market area, these conditions will continue to represent potential, material adverse risks to us and our future financial performance.

 

The following table sets forth certain unaudited quarterly financial data for each of our last eight quarters. The information has been derived from unaudited financial statements that we believe reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of such quarterly financial information.

 

The operating results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period.