UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

For the Quarterly Period Ended February 3, 2006

 

THE TORO COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

1-8649

 

41-0580470

(State of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

 

8111 Lyndale Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55420

Telephone number: (952) 888-8801

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

 

Yes     ý

 

No     o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, 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   ý

 

Accelerated filer   o

 

Non-accelerated filer   o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

 

Yes     o

 

No     ý

 

The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of March 3, 2006 was 42,633,551.

 

 



 

THE TORO COMPANY

INDEX TO FORM 10-Q

 

 

 

 

Page Number

PART I.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.

Financial Statements

 

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited) -

 

 

 

Three Months Ended February 3, 2006 and January 28, 2005

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) -

 

 

 

February 3, 2006, January 28, 2005, and October 31, 2005

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) -

 

 

 

Three Months Ended February 3, 2006 and January 28, 2005

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

6-11

 

 

 

 

Item 2.

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

 

11-18

 

 

 

 

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

18-19

 

 

 

 

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

 

19

 

 

 

 

PART II.

OTHER INFORMATION:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.

Legal Proceedings

 

20

 

 

 

 

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

 

20

 

 

 

 

Item 2.

Changes in Securities, Use of Proceeds, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

21

 

 

 

 

Item 6.

Exhibits

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

Signatures

 

23

 

2



 

PART I.

 

Item 1.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited)

(Dollars and shares in thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net sales

 

$

369,640

 

$

346,913

 

Cost of sales

 

237,766

 

225,250

 

Gross profit

 

131,874

 

121,663

 

Selling, general, and administrative expense

 

107,205

 

102,239

 

Earnings from operations

 

24,669

 

19,424

 

Interest expense

 

(4,243

)

(3,760

)

Other income, net

 

886

 

1,141

 

Earnings before income taxes

 

21,312

 

16,805

 

Provision for income taxes

 

7,033

 

5,629

 

Net earnings

 

$

14,279

 

$

11,176

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic net earnings per share of common stock

 

$

0.33

 

$

0.24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted net earnings per share of common stock

 

$

0.32

 

$

0.23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding — Basic

 

43,608

 

46,136

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding — Diluted

 

44,959

 

47,758

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

3



 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

October 31,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2005

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

19,744

 

$

7,467

 

$

41,402

 

Receivables, net

 

313,157

 

312,984

 

295,683

 

Inventories, net

 

295,687

 

276,364

 

235,347

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

18,049

 

14,756

 

16,084

 

Deferred income taxes

 

70,251

 

54,662

 

58,558

 

Total current assets

 

716,888

 

666,233

 

647,074

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant, and equipment

 

514,232

 

479,901

 

506,884

 

Less accumulated depreciation

 

349,154

 

319,183

 

339,607

 

 

 

165,078

 

160,718

 

167,277

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

39

 

 

Other assets

 

12,036

 

21,465

 

15,737

 

Goodwill

 

81,208

 

78,082

 

81,197

 

Other intangible assets, net

 

5,249

 

2,043

 

5,452

 

Total assets

 

$

980,459

 

$

928,580

 

$

916,737

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

$

35

 

$

45

 

$

46

 

Short-term debt

 

51,900

 

62,162

 

325

 

Accounts payable

 

95,213

 

90,459

 

87,952

 

Accrued liabilities

 

256,605

 

235,683

 

252,879

 

Total current liabilities

 

403,753

 

388,349

 

341,202

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt, less current portion

 

175,000

 

175,035

 

175,000

 

Long-term deferred income taxes

 

872

 

3,837

 

872

 

Deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities

 

9,423

 

8,166

 

9,629

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, authorized 1,000,000 voting and 850,000 non-voting shares, none issued and outstanding

 

 

 

 

Common stock, par value $1.00 per share, authorized 100,000,000 shares, issued and outstanding 42,561,238 shares as of February 3, 2006 (net of 11,470,982 treasury shares), 43,257,212 shares as of January 28, 2005 (net of 10,775,008 treasury shares), and 41,898,463 shares as of October 31, 2005 (net of 12,133,757 treasury shares)

 

42,561

 

43,258

 

41,899

 

Retained earnings

 

360,336

 

320,054

 

359,716

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(11,486

)

(10,119

)

(11,581

)

Total stockholders’ equity

 

391,411

 

353,193

 

390,034

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

980,459

 

$

928,580

 

$

916,737

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

4



 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

 

$

14,279

 

$

11,176

 

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Equity losses from an investment

 

359

 

201

 

Provision for depreciation and amortization

 

10,534

 

9,429

 

Gain on disposal of property, plant, and equipment

 

(29

)

(205

)

Stock-based compensation expense

 

2,510

 

2,498

 

Increase in deferred income taxes

 

(11,679

)

(1,674

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Receivables, net

 

(17,599

)

(28,371

)

Inventories, net

 

(60,085

)

(53,832

)

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

(2,270

)

2,877

 

Accounts payable, accrued expenses, and deferred revenue

 

10,652

 

3,123

 

Net cash used in operating activities

 

(53,328

)

(54,778

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property, plant, and equipment

 

(8,026

)

(7,319

)

Proceeds from asset disposals

 

126

 

2,191

 

Decrease (increase) in other assets

 

3,118

 

(3,224

)

Proceeds from sale of a business

 

 

765

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(4,782

)

(7,587

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Increase in short-term debt

 

51,575

 

61,023

 

Repayments of long-term debt

 

(11

)

(11

)

Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards

 

12,275

 

1,709

 

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

 

4,101

 

2,950

 

Purchases of Toro common stock

 

(27,587

)

(83,763

)

Dividends paid on Toro common stock

 

(3,923

)

(2,793

)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

 

36,430

 

(20,885

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rates on cash

 

22

 

(39

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

 

(21,658

)

(83,289

)

Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period

 

41,402

 

90,756

 

Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period

 

$

19,744

 

$

7,467

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5



 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

February 3, 2006

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms “company” and “Toro” refer to The Toro Company and its subsidiaries. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting primarily of recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and the results of operations. Since the company’s business is seasonal, operating results for the three months ended February 3, 2006 cannot be annualized to determine the expected results for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2006. Certain amounts from prior period’s financial statements have been reclassified to conform to this period’s presentation.

 

The company’s fiscal year ends on October 31, and quarterly results are reported based on three month periods that generally end on the Friday closest to the quarter end. For comparative purposes, however, the company’s second and third quarters always include exactly 13 weeks of results so that the quarter end date for these two quarters is not necessarily the Friday closest to the quarter end.

 

For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005. The policies described in that report are used for preparing quarterly reports.

 

Accounting Policies

 

In preparing the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, management must make decisions that impact the reported amounts and the related disclosures. Such decisions include the selection of the appropriate accounting principles to be applied and the assumptions on which to base accounting estimates. In reaching such decisions, management applies judgments based on its understanding and analysis of the relevant circumstances, historical experience, and actuarial valuations. Actual amounts could differ from those estimated at the time the consolidated financial statements are prepared. Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K provides a summary of the significant accounting policies followed in the preparation of the financial statements. Other footnotes to the consolidated financial statements in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K describe various elements of the financial statements and the assumptions made in determining specific amounts.

 

Comprehensive Income

 

Comprehensive income and the components of other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

Net earnings

 

$

14,279

 

$

11,176

 

Other comprehensive income (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

Cumulative translation adjustments

 

431

 

553

 

Unrealized (loss) gain on derivative instruments, net of taxes

 

(336

)

470

 

Comprehensive income

 

$

14,374

 

$

12,199

 

 

6



 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

The company accounts for stock-based compensation awards in accordance with the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 123 (Revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment.” During the first quarter of fiscal 2006, option awards were granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of the company’s common stock as of the date of grant. For certain non-officer employees, the options vest after two years from the date of grant and have a five-year contractual term. Other options granted during the first quarter of fiscal 2006 vest one-third each year over a three year period and have a ten-year contractual term. Compensation expense equal to the grant date fair value is recognized for these awards over the vesting period. The company also issues Performance Shares to key employees. The company determines the fair value of these Performance Shares as of the date of grant and recognizes the expense over the vesting period. Total compensation expense for these awards was $2.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 and $2.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

 

The fair value of each share-based option is estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes valuation method that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The expected life is a significant assumption as it determines the period for which the risk-free interest rate, volatility, and dividend yield must be applied. The expected life is the average length of time over which the employee groups will exercise their options, which is based on historical experience with similar grants. Separate groups of employees that have similar historical exercise behavior are considered separately for valuation purposes. Expected volatilities are based on the movement of the company’s stock over the most recent historical period equivalent to the expected life of the option. The risk-free rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury rate over the expected life at the time of grant. Dividend yield is estimated over the expected life based on the company’s dividend policy, historical dividends paid, expected increase in future cash dividends, and expected increase in the company’s stock price. The following table illustrates the assumptions for options granted in the following fiscal periods.

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3, 2006

 

January 28, 2005

 

Expected life of option in years

 

2.5 - 6.5

 

3 - 7

 

Expected volatility

 

25.26% - 26.96%

 

25.87% - 30.41%

 

Weighted-average volatility

 

26.12%

 

28.04%

 

Risk-free interest rate

 

4.399% - 4.526%

 

3.22% - 4.04%

 

Expected dividend yield

 

0.65% - 0.70%

 

0.18% - 0.25%

 

Weighted-average dividend yield

 

0.67%

 

0.22%

 

 

The weighted-average fair value of options granted during the first quarters of fiscal 2006 and 2005 was $10.90 and $11.14, respectively. The fair value of Performance Shares granted during the first quarters of fiscal 2006 and 2005 was $41.44 and $37.02, respectively.

 

Inventories

 

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined by the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method for most inventories and first-in, first-out (FIFO) for all other inventories. The company establishes a reserve for excess, slow-moving, and obsolete inventory that is based on the difference between the cost and estimated market value for that inventory. These reserves are based on a review and comparison of current inventory levels to the planned production as well as planned and historical sales of the inventory.

 

Inventories were as follows:

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

October 31,

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

2005

 

Raw materials and work in process

 

$

66,913

 

$

72,909

 

$

61,824

 

Finished goods and service parts

 

287,289

 

251,808

 

231,772

 

 

 

354,202

 

324,717

 

293,596

 

Less: LIFO

 

40,011

 

30,227

 

40,011

 

 Other reserves

 

18,504

 

18,126

 

18,238

 

Total

 

$

295,687

 

$

276,364

 

$

235,347

 

 

7



 

Per Share Data

 

Reconciliations of basic and diluted weighted average shares of common stock outstanding were as follows:

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

(Shares in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

Basic

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock

 

43,459

 

45,992

 

Assumed issuance of contingent shares

 

149

 

144

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock and assumed issuance of contingent shares

 

43,608

 

46,136

 

Diluted

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock and assumed issuance of contingent shares

 

43,608

 

46,136

 

Effect of dilutive securities

 

1,351

 

1,622

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock, assumed issuance of contingent shares, and effect of dilutive securities

 

44,959

 

47,758

 

 

Shares for all periods presented have been adjusted to reflect a two-for-one stock split effective March 28, 2005.

 

Segment Data

 

The presentation of segment information reflects the manner in which management organizes segments for making operating decisions and assessing performance. On this basis, the company has determined it has two reportable business segments: Professional and Residential. The Other segment consists of company-owned distributor operations in the United States and corporate activities, including corporate financing activities and elimination of intersegment revenues and expenses.

 

The following table shows the summarized financial information concerning the company’s reportable segments:

 

Three months ended February 3, 2006

 

Professional

 

Residential

 

Other

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

Net sales

 

$

253,605

 

$

108,185

 

$

7,850

 

$

369,640

 

Intersegment gross sales

 

7,590

 

670

 

(8,260

)

 

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

 

41,660

 

5,149

 

(25,497

)

21,312

 

Total assets

 

498,768

 

215,803

 

265,888

 

980,459

 

 

Three months ended January 28, 2005

 

Professional

 

Residential

 

Other

 

Total

 

Net sales

 

$

245,230

 

$

95,876

 

$

5,807

 

$

346,913

 

Intersegment gross sales

 

9,897

 

689

 

(10,586

)

 

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

 

38,865

 

4,434

 

(26,494

)

16,805

 

Total assets

 

451,636

 

214,636

 

262,308

 

928,580

 

 

The following table presents the details of the Other segment earnings (loss) before income taxes:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

Corporate expenses

 

$

(25,257

)

$

(25,947

)

Finance charge revenue

 

701

 

658

 

Elimination of corporate financing expense

 

3,481

 

2,974

 

Interest expense, net

 

(4,243

)

(3,760

)

Other

 

(179

)

(419

)

Total

 

$

(25,497

)

$

(26,494

)

 

8



 

Goodwill

 

The changes in the net carrying amount of goodwill for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were as follows:

 

 

 

Professional

 

Residential

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Segment

 

Segment

 

Total

 

Balance as of October 31, 2005

 

$

70,801

 

$

10,396

 

$

81,197

 

Translation adjustment

 

5

 

6

 

11

 

Balance as of February 3, 2006

 

$

70,806

 

$

10,402

 

$

81,208

 

 

Other Intangible Assets

 

The components of other amortizable intangible assets were as follows:

 

 

 

February 3, 2006

 

October 31, 2005

 

 

 

Gross Carrying

 

Accumulated

 

Gross Carrying

 

Accumulated

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Amount

 

Amortization

 

Amount

 

Amortization

 

Patents

 

$

6,553

 

$

(5,706

)

$

6,553

 

$

(5,620

)

Non-compete agreements

 

1,000

 

(844

)

1,000

 

(821

)

Customer related

 

1,242

 

(124

)

1,239

 

(93

)

Other

 

2,000

 

(1,355

)

2,000

 

(1,285

)

Total

 

$

10,795

 

$

(8,029

)

$

10,792

 

$

(7,819

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total other intangible assets, net

 

$

2,766

 

 

 

$

2,973

 

 

 

 

Amortization expense for intangible assets during the first quarter of fiscal 2006 was $210,000. Estimated amortization expense for the remainder of fiscal 2006 and succeeding fiscal years is as follows: 2006 (remainder), $620,000; 2007, $637,000; 2008, $461,000; 2009, $251,000; 2010, $174,000; 2011, $174,000; and after 2011, $449,000.

 

The company also had $2.5 million of non-amortizable intangible assets related to the Hayter brand name.

 

Warranty Guarantees

 

The company’s products are warranted to ensure customer confidence in design, workmanship, and overall quality. Warranty coverage ranges from a period of six months to seven years, and generally covers parts, labor, and other expenses for non-maintenance repairs, provided operator abuse, improper use, or negligence did not necessitate the repair. An authorized Toro distributor or dealer must perform warranty work. Distributors, dealers, and contractors submit claims for warranty reimbursement and are credited for the cost of repairs, labor, and other expenses as long as the repairs meet prescribed standards. Warranty expense is accrued at the time of sale based on the estimated number of products under warranty, historical average costs incurred to service warranty claims, the trend in the historical ratio of claims to sales, the historical length of time between the sale and resulting warranty claim, and other minor factors. Special warranty reserves are also accrued for major rework campaigns. The company also sells additional warranty coverage on select products when the factory warranty period expires.

 

Warranty provisions, claims, and changes in estimates for the three-month periods in fiscal 2006 and 2005 were as follows:

 

 

 

Beginning

 

Warranty

 

Warranty

 

Changes in

 

Ending

 

Three Months Ended

 

Balance

 

Provisions

 

Claims

 

Estimates

 

Balance

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

February 3, 2006

 

$

61,385

 

$

7,983

 

$

(7,647

)

$

(884

)

$

60,837

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 28, 2005

 

$

60,988

 

$

7,848

 

$

(9,594

)

$

54

 

$

59,296

 

 

9



 

Postretirement Benefit Plans

 

The following table presents the components of net periodic benefit costs:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

Service cost

 

$

95

 

$

131

 

Interest cost

 

128

 

128

 

Prior service cost

 

(48

)

(48

)

Amortization of losses

 

68

 

83

 

Net expense

 

$

243

 

$

294

 

 

As of February 3, 2006, approximately $90,000 of contributions had been made. The company presently expects to contribute a total of $500,000 to its postretirement health-care benefit plan in fiscal 2006.

 

The company maintains The Toro Company Investment, Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan for eligible employees. The company’s expenses under this plan were $4.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 and $3.7 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

 

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

 

The company uses derivative instruments to assist in the management of exposure to currency exchange rates. The company uses derivative instruments only to limit underlying exposure to currency fluctuations, and not for trading purposes. The company documents relationships between hedging instruments and the hedged items, as well as its risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. The company assesses, both at the hedge’s inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of the hedged item.

 

The company enters into foreign currency exchange contracts to hedge the risk from forecasted settlements in local currencies of trade sales and purchases. These contracts are designated as cash flow hedges and are reported at fair value as a hedge asset or liability in prepaid expenses or accrued liabilities, as applicable. Changes in the fair value of these contracts are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged transaction occurs. Once the forecasted transaction has been recognized as a sale or inventory purchase and a related asset or liability recorded in the balance sheet, the related fair value of the derivative hedge contract is reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into earnings. During the three months ended February 3, 2006, the amount of gains reclassified to earnings for such cash flow hedges was $0.5 million. For the three months ended February 3, 2006, the gains treated as an addition to net sales for contracts to hedge trade sales were $0.4 million and the gains treated as a reduction of cost of sales for contracts to hedge inventory purchases were $0.1 million. As of February 3, 2006, the notional amount of such contracts outstanding was $80.8 million. The unrecognized after-tax gain portion of the fair value of the contracts recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss as of February 3, 2006 was $0.2 million.

 

The company also enters into other foreign currency exchange contracts. These contracts are intended to hedge intercompany financing transactions and other activities and are not designed as hedging instruments under the accounting criteria of SFAS No. 133; therefore, changes in fair value of these instruments are recorded in other income, net.

 

Contingencies

 

On June 3, 2004, eight individuals who claim to have purchased lawnmowers in Illinois and Minnesota filed a lawsuit (Ronnie Phillips et al. v. Sears Roebuck Corporation et. al., No.04-L-334 (20th Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County, IL)) against the company and eight other defendants alleging that the horsepower labels on the products the plaintiffs purchased were inaccurate. The plaintiffs seek certification of a class of all persons in the United States who, beginning January 1, 1995 through the present, purchased a lawnmower containing a two stroke or four stroke gas combustible engine up to 20 horsepower that was manufactured or sold by the defendants. The complaint seeks an injunction, unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees. No answers have been entered in the case, and there has been no formal discovery. A number of procedural motions have been filed by the defendants, but have not yet been decided. On April 20, 2005, the court issued a stay of discovery and procedural matters to permit the parties to engage in settlement discussions. An attempt at mediation in October 2005 was unsuccessful, and the company expects the stay of procedural matters to be lifted so that various procedural motions may be determined. Management continues to evaluate this lawsuit and is unable to reasonably estimate the likelihood of loss or the amount or range of potential loss that could result from this litigation. Therefore, an accrual has not been established for any potential loss in connection with this lawsuit. The company is also unable to assess at

 

10



 

this time whether the lawsuit will have a material adverse effect on its annual consolidated operating results or financial condition, although an unfavorable resolution could be material to the company’s operating results for a particular period.

 

In the ordinary course of business, in addition to that described above, the company may become liable with respect to pending and threatened litigation for product liability, tax, patent, environmental, and other matters. While the ultimate results of current claims, investigations, and lawsuits involving the company are unknown at this time, management believes that, except for the lawsuit discussed above, the outcomes of these cases are unlikely to have a material adverse effect on the consolidated operating results or financial position of the company.

 

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

 

In March 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Interpretation No. 47, “Accounting for Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations,” an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 143. FASB Interpretation No. 47 clarifies the timing of liability recognition for legal obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets when the timing and (or) method of settlement are conditional on a future event. We adopted provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 47 on November 1, 2005, as required, and the adoption of this Interpretation had an immaterial impact on our consolidated results of operations or financial condition.

 

In November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 151, “Inventory Costs,” which amends the guidance in ARB No. 43, Chapter 4, “Inventory Pricing,” to clarify the accounting for abnormal amounts of idle facility expense, freight, handling costs, and wasted material. This Statement requires that those items be recognized as current-period charges regardless of whether they meet the criterion of “so abnormal.” In addition, this Statement requires that the allocation of fixed production overheads to the costs of conversion be based on the normal capacity of the production facilities. We adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 151 on November 1, 2005, as required, which had an immaterial impact on our consolidated results of operations.

 

Item 2.  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Nature of Operations

 

The Toro Company is in the business of designing, manufacturing, and marketing professional turf maintenance equipment and services, turf and micro irrigation systems, landscaping equipment, and residential yard products worldwide. Our products are sold through a network of distributors, dealers, hardware retailers, home centers, mass retailers, and over the Internet, mainly through Internet retailers. Our businesses are organized into two segments: professional and residential. A third segment called “other” consists of domestic distribution companies and corporate activities. Our emphasis is to provide well-built, dependable, and innovative products supported by an extensive service network. A significant portion of our revenues has historically been attributable to new and enhanced products. As we enter our final year of our “6 + 8” profitability and growth initiative, we expect to continue to invest in growth strategies directed at underserved markets, such as accelerating our growth in international markets. The goals of this initiative are to achieve a consistent after-tax return on net sales of 6 percent or more and grow revenues at an average rate of 8 percent or more over the three-year period ending October 31, 2006.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Overview

 

Our results for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were strong with net sales growth of 6.6 percent and a double digit net earnings growth rate of 27.8 percent compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Sales were up in all of our segments, led by significant international sales growth as a result of continued strong demand, introduction of new products, and the addition of Hayter Limited, which we acquired in February 2005. Hayter accounted for slightly more than half of our total net sales growth for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Net earnings increased significantly, and as a percentage of net sales rose from 3.2 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2005 to 3.9 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. Higher gross margins and continued leveraging of selling, general, and administrative expenses contributed to the earnings improvement. Our financial condition remains strong with only modest increases in receivables and inventory levels. We also increased our first quarter cash dividend by 50 percent compared to the quarterly cash dividend paid in the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

 

Our fiscal 2006 first quarter results were strong, and we are optimistic that results for the full fiscal year of 2006 will end strong. However, as net sales and earnings for the first quarter of our fiscal year are typically lower than other quarters, the results of our first quarter are not necessarily an indicator of spring season sales trends, which are still ahead. We continue to keep a cautionary eye on the domestic and global economies, weather, field inventory levels, commodity prices, competitive actions, and other factors identified below under the heading “Forward-Looking Information,” which could cause our actual results to differ from our outlook.

 

11



 

Net Earnings

 

First quarter of fiscal 2006 net earnings were $14.3 million or $0.32 per diluted share compared to $11.2 million or $0.23 per diluted share for the first quarter of fiscal 2005, a net earnings increase of 27.8 percent. The primary factors contributing to this increase were higher sales volumes, an increase in gross margins, and improved leveraging of selling, general, and administrative costs. In addition, first quarter of fiscal 2006 diluted earnings per share were benefited by approximately $0.02 per share compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005 as a result of reduced shares outstanding due to our significant Toro common stock repurchases last fiscal year.

 

The following table summarizes the major operating costs and other income as a percentage of net sales:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

Net sales

 

100.0

%

100.0

%

Cost of sales

 

(64.3

)

(64.9

)

Gross profit

 

35.7

 

35.1

 

Selling, general, and administrative expense

 

(29.0

)

(29.5

)

Interest expense

 

(1.1

)

(1.1

)

Other income, net

 

0.2

 

0.3

 

Provision for income taxes

 

(1.9

)

(1.6

)

Net earnings

 

3.9

%

3.2

%

 

Net Sales

 

Worldwide consolidated net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were up 6.6 percent compared to last fiscal year’s first quarter. Factoring out the effect of the additional sales from our acquisition of Hayter in February 2005, net sales increased 3.1 percent over last fiscal year’s first quarter. International sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were up significantly, increasing by 33.9 percent compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. International sales were strong in both the professional and residential segments as a result of continued growth in demand in international markets, introduction of new products, and improved availability of some products. However, sales of professional segment products in the U.S. were down, mainly for commercial and Exmark landscape contractor equipment, due to efforts to ship product closer to retail demand and reduce field inventory levels. Sales of residential segment products in the U.S. were also down due to lower shipments of Lawn-Boy products due to initial stocking shipments and expanded placement last year for new products. Other segment net sales were up for the first quarter comparison due to strong sales at a company-owned distributorship.

 

Gross Profit

 

Gross profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 increased 8.4 percent compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. As a percentage of net sales, gross profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 was 35.7 percent compared to 35.1 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2005. The increase in gross profit as a percentage of net sales was the result of the following factors: (i) price increases introduced on some products to help mitigate the impact of higher commodity costs during the past two years; (ii) cost reduction efforts, including benefits from past and continuing profit improvement initiatives; and (iii) a change in the method of distribution of Exmark products to shipping directly to dealers in certain markets. Somewhat offsetting those positive factors were (i) increased outbound freight costs due to higher fuel costs and increased demand for transportation; (ii) higher tooling costs for new products introduced during the past two years; and (iii) the addition of Hayter sales that carry lower margins than the company total.

 

Selling, General, and Administrative Expense

 

Selling, general, and administrative expense (SG&A) for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 increased by 4.9 percent compared to the same period last fiscal year. However, SG&A as a percentage of net sales declined to 29.0 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to 29.5 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2005. The decrease in SG&A expense as a percentage of net sales was due primarily to leveraging the fixed portion of SG&A costs over higher sales volumes as well as: (i) reduced warranty expense due to lower costs related to a reimbursement received from a vendor for a special product modification and lower claims experience and (ii) lower administrative expenses. Somewhat offsetting those decreases were: (i) increased investments in engineering and information systems as part of our “6 + 8” initiative and (ii) higher incentive compensation expense.

 

12



 

Interest Expense

 

Interest expense for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 increased by 12.8 percent compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005 due to higher average interest rates on our short-term debt.

 

Other Income, Net

 

Other income, net for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 was $0.9 million compared to $1.1 million for the same period last fiscal year, a decline of 22.3 percent. The decrease was due primarily to lower interest income as a result of decreased invested funds.

 

Provision for Income Taxes

 

The effective tax rate for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 was 33.0 percent compared to 33.5 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2005. The decline in the effective tax rate was due to a reduction in the tax on international operations.

 

BUSINESS SEGMENTS

 

As described previously, we operate in two reportable business segments: professional and residential. A third reportable segment called “other” consists of company-owned domestic distributorships, corporate activities, and financing functions. Operating earnings for each of our two business segments is defined as earnings from operations plus other income, net. Operating loss for our third “other” segment includes earnings (loss) from operations, corporate activities, including corporate financing activities, other income, net, and interest expense.

 

The following table summarizes net sales by segment:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

 

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

$ Change

 

% Change

 

Professional

 

$

253,605

 

$

245,230

 

$

8,375

 

3.4

%

Residential

 

108,185

 

95,876

 

12,309

 

12.8

 

Other

 

7,850

 

5,807

 

2,043

 

35.2

 

Total *

 

$

369,640

 

$

346,913

 

$

22,727

 

6.6

%


* Includes international sales of:

 

$

120,059

 

$

89,653

 

$

30,406

 

33.9

%

 

The following table summarizes operating earnings (loss) by segment:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,

 

January 28,

 

 

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

2006

 

2005

 

$ Change

 

% Change

 

Professional

 

$

41,660

 

$

38,865

 

$

2,795

 

7.2

%

Residential

 

5,149

 

4,434

 

715

 

16.1

 

Other

 

(25,497

)

(26,494

)

997

 

3.8

 

Total

 

$

21,312

 

$

16,805

 

$

4,507

 

26.8

%

 

Professional

 

Net Sales. Worldwide net sales for the professional segment in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were up 3.4 percent compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. This increase was led by strong international sales, which were up 25.9 percent for the professional segment for the first quarter comparison, due to continued demand in the international markets, the success of new products introduced within the past two years, improved availability of some products, and the additional sales from the Hayter acquisition. Shipments of domestic commercial and Exmark landscape contractor equipment were down for the first quarter comparison due mainly to efforts to ship product closer to retail demand and reduce field inventory levels.

 

Operating Earnings. Operating earnings for the professional segment were $41.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to $38.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2005, an increase of 7.2 percent. Expressed as a percentage of net sales, professional segment operating margins increased to 16.4 percent compared to 15.8 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

 

13



 

This profit improvement was the result of higher gross margins in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005 due to the same factors discussed previously in the Gross Profit section above. Somewhat offsetting the operating earnings improvement was an increase in SG&A expense, primarily from increased investments in engineering and marketing as part of our “6 + 8” initiative.

 

Residential

 

Net Sales. Worldwide net sales for the residential segment in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were up by 12.8 percent compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. This increase was led by strong international sales due to continued demand in the international markets, the success of new products introduced within the past two years, and the additional sales from the Hayter acquisition. Domestic shipments of Toro walk power mowers were up due mainly to a key mass customer ordering product earlier than last year. Electric blower sales also increased due to the warm fall weather that extended the selling season and expanded placement at a key retailer. Somewhat offsetting those increases were lower Lawn-Boy walk power mower sales due mainly to initial stocking shipments last year as a result of additional store placement in the home center distribution channel and the introduction of new products. Riding product shipments were also down from the comparative quarter due to continued strong competition.

 

Operating Earnings. Operating earnings for the residential segment increased 16.1 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Expressed as a percentage of net sales, residential segment operating margins increased to 4.8 percent compared to 4.6 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2005. This increase was due mainly to higher gross margins due to the same factors discussed previously in the Gross Profit section above. In addition, SG&A expense as a percentage of net sales slightly decreased due to leveraging the fixed portion of SG&A costs over higher sales volumes.

 

Other

 

Net Sales. Net sales for the other segment include sales from our wholly owned domestic distribution companies less sales from the professional and residential segments to those distribution companies. In addition, elimination of the professional and residential segments’ floor plan interest costs from Toro Credit Company are also included in this segment. The other segment net sales increased $2.0 million or 35.2 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005 due to increased sales at a company-owned distributorship.

 

Operating Losses. Operating losses for the other segment were down $1.0 million or 3.8 percent for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005. This loss decrease was due to lower administrative costs and lower operating losses at the company-owned distributorships, somewhat offset by higher interest expense.

 

FINANCIAL POSITION

 

Working Capital

 

During the first quarter of fiscal 2006, our financial condition remained strong, and emphasis continued on improving asset management. Average working capital for the first three months of fiscal 2006 was $306.5 million compared to $312.0 million for the first three months of fiscal 2005, a slight decrease of 1.8 percent. Average receivables for the first three months of fiscal 2006 slightly decreased by 0.1 percent compared to the first three months of fiscal 2005 on a sales increase of 6.6 percent. Factoring out the incremental average receivables for Hayter, average receivables were down 4.8 percent. Average inventory levels slightly increased by 3.3 percent for the first three months of fiscal 2006 compared to the first three months of fiscal 2005, and average inventory turnover improved 2.1 percent for the last twelve months ended February 3, 2006 compared to the last twelve months ended January 28, 2005. Factoring out the incremental average inventory for Hayter, average inventory was down slightly (1.4 percent) for the first three months of fiscal 2006 compared to the first three months of fiscal 2005. These improvements reflect our continuing efforts to improve asset utilization.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Our businesses are seasonally working capital intensive and require funding for purchases of raw materials used in production, replacement parts inventory, capital expenditures, expansion and upgrading of existing facilities, as well as for financing receivables from customers. We believe that cash generated from operations, together with our fixed rate long-term debt, bank credit lines, and cash on hand, will provide us with adequate liquidity to meet our operating requirements. We believe that the funds available through existing or anticipated financing arrangements and forecasted cash flows, will be sufficient to provide the

 

14



 

necessary capital resources for our anticipated working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt repayments, dividend payments, and stock repurchases for at least the next twelve months.

 

Our Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0.09 per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 paid on January 12, 2006, which was an increase over our cash dividend of $0.06 per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

 

Cash Flow. Our first fiscal quarter historically uses more operating cash than other quarters due to the seasonality of our business. Cash used in operating activities for the first three months of fiscal 2006 was 2.6 percent lower than the first three months of fiscal 2005 due primarily to higher earnings, a lower increase in receivables, and a higher increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, somewhat offset by a higher increase in inventory levels and deferred taxes for the first three months of fiscal 2006 compared to the first three months of fiscal 2005. Cash used in investing activities was lower by $2.8 million compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005, due mainly to cash payments received on notes receivable. In the first quarter of fiscal 2006, we generated $36.4 million cash from financing activities, whereas in the first quarter of fiscal 2005, we used $20.9 million of cash for financing activities. This change of $57.3 million was due to lower levels of our common stock repurchased and an increase in tax benefits for stock-based awards in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

 

Credit Lines and Other Capital Resources. Our business is seasonal, with accounts receivable balances historically increasing between January and April as a result of higher sales volumes and extended payment terms made available to our customers, and decreasing between May and December when payments are received. The seasonality of production and shipments causes our working capital requirements to fluctuate during the year. Our peak borrowing usually occurs between February and May. Seasonal cash requirements are financed from operations and with short- and medium-term financing arrangements, including a $175.0 million unsecured senior five-year revolving credit facility, which expires in October 2010. We also have a $75.0 million secured credit line backed by a multi-year credit agreement, expiring in July 2006, which is renewable annually. Interest expense on these credit lines is determined based on a LIBOR or commercial paper rate plus a basis point spread defined in the credit agreements. In addition, our non-U.S. operations and a domestic subsidiary also maintain unsecured short-term lines of credit of approximately $12 million. These facilities bear interest at various rates depending on the rates in their respective countries of operation. We also have a letter of credit subfacility as part of our credit agreements. Average short-term debt was $22.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 compared to $22.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2005, a slight decrease of 1.5 percent. As of February 3, 2006, we had $210.0 million of unutilized availability under our credit agreements.

 

Significant financial covenants in our credit agreements are interest coverage and debt to capitalization ratios. We were in compliance with all covenants related to our credit agreements as of February 3, 2006, and expect to be in compliance with all covenants during fiscal 2006. If we were out of compliance with any covenant required by our credit agreements, the banks could terminate their commitments unless we could negotiate a covenant waiver from the banks. In addition, our long-term public notes and debentures could become due and payable if we were unable to obtain a covenant waiver or refinance our medium-term debt under our credit agreements. If our credit rating falls below investment grade, the interest rate we currently pay on outstanding debt under the credit agreements would increase, but the credit commitments could not be cancelled by the banks based only on a ratings downgrade. Our debt rating for long-term unsecured senior, non-credit enhanced debt has been unchanged for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 by Standard and Poor’s Ratings Group at BBB- and by Moody’s Investors Service at Baa3.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations

 

Our off-balance sheet arrangements generally relate to customer financing activities, inventory purchase commitments, operating lease commitments, and currency contracts. See our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details regarding our off-balance sheet arrangements and contractual obligations. There has been no material change in this information.

 

Inflation

 

We are subject to the effects of inflation and changing prices. In the first quarter of fiscal 2006, average prices paid for fuel, petroleum-based resins, and other commodities were higher compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2005, which resulted in a negative impact on our gross margin and net earnings. We expect this trend to continue for the remainder of fiscal 2006. We will continue to attempt to mitigate the impact of these anticipated increases in commodity prices and other inflationary pressures by actively pursuing internal cost reduction efforts, introduce moderate price increases on some products, and vendor negotiations.

 

15



 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

In preparing the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, we must make decisions which impact the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures. Such decisions include the selection of the appropriate accounting principles to be applied and the assumptions on which to base accounting estimates. In reaching such decisions, we apply judgments based on our understanding and analysis of the relevant circumstances, historical experience, and actuarial valuations. Actual amounts could differ from those estimated at the time the consolidated financial statements are prepared.

 

Our significant accounting policies are described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005. Some of those significant accounting policies require us to make difficult subjective or complex judgments or estimates. An accounting estimate is considered to be critical if it meets both of the following criteria: (i) the estimate requires assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time the accounting estimate is made, and (ii) different estimates reasonably could have been used or changes in the estimates that are reasonably likely to occur from period to period would have a material impact on the presentation of our financial condition, changes in financial condition or results of operations. Our critical accounting estimates include the following:

 

Warranty Reserve. Warranty coverage on our products ranges from a period of six months to seven years, and covers parts, labor, and other expenses for non-maintenance repairs, provided operator abuse, improper use or negligence did not necessitate the repair. At the time of sale, we accrue a warranty reserve by product line for estimated costs in connection with future warranty claims. We also establish reserves for major rework campaigns upon approval. The amount of our warranty reserves is based primarily on the estimated number of products under warranty, historical average costs incurred to service warranty claims, the trend in the historical ratio of claims to sales, and the historical length of time between the sale and resulting warranty claim. We periodically assess the adequacy of our warranty reserves based on changes in these factors and record any necessary adjustments if actual claim experience indicates that adjustments are necessary. Actual claims could be higher or lower than amounts estimated, as the amount and value of warranty claims are subject to variation of such factors as performance of new products, significant manufacturing or design defects not discovered until after the product is delivered to customers, product failure rates, and higher or lower than expected service costs for a repair. We believe that analysis of historical trends and knowledge of potential manufacturing or design problems provide sufficient information to establish a reasonable estimate for warranty claims at the time of sale. However, since we cannot predict with certainty future warranty claims or costs associated with servicing those claims, our actual warranty costs may differ from our estimates. An unexpected increase in warranty claims or in the costs associated with servicing those claims would result in an increase in our warranty accrual and a decrease in our net earnings.  The accrual for future estimated warranty claims was $60.8 million as of February 3, 2006 compared to $59.3 million as of January 28, 2005.

 

Accounts and Notes Receivable Valuation. We value accounts and notes receivable, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Each quarter, we estimate our ability to collect outstanding receivables that provides a basis for an allowance estimate for doubtful accounts. In doing so, we evaluate the age of our receivables, past collection history, current financial conditions of key customers, and economic conditions. Based on this evaluation, we establish a reserve for specific accounts and notes receivable that we believe are uncollectible, as well as an estimate of uncollectible receivables not specifically known. Portions of our accounts receivable are protected by a security interest in products held by customers, which minimizes our collection exposure. A deterioration in the financial condition of any key customer or a significant slow down in the economy could have a material negative impact on our ability to collect a portion or all of the accounts and notes receivable. We believe that an analysis of historical trends and our current knowledge of potential collection problems provide us with sufficient information to establish a reasonable estimate for an allowance for doubtful accounts. However, since we cannot predict with certainty future changes in the financial stability of our customers, our actual future losses from uncollectible accounts may differ from our estimates. In the event we determined that a smaller or larger uncollectible accounts reserve is appropriate, we would record a credit or charge to selling, general, and administrative expense in the period that we made such a determination. As of February 3, 2006, we had $2.6 million reserved against our accounts and notes receivable compared to $2.3 million as of January 28, 2005.

 

16



 

Forward-Looking Information

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains not only historical information, but also forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and that are subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. In addition, we or others on our behalf may make forward-looking statements from time to time in oral presentations, including telephone conferences and/or web casts open to the public, in press releases or reports, on our Internet web sites, or otherwise.  Statements that are not historical are forward-looking and reflect expectations and assumptions. We try to identify forward-looking statements in this report and elsewhere by using words such as “expect”, “looking ahead”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “believe”, “should”, “may”, “intend”, and similar expressions. Our forward-looking statements generally relate to our future performance, including our anticipated operating results and liquidity requirements, our business strategies and goals, and the effect of laws, rules, regulations, and new accounting pronouncements and outstanding litigation on our business, operating results, and financial condition.

 

Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include factors that affect all businesses operating in a global market as well as matters specific to Toro. The following are some of the factors known to us that could cause our actual results to differ materially from what we have anticipated in our forward-looking statements:

 

            Weather conditions may reduce demand for some of our products and adversely affect our net sales.

            Increases in the cost and availability of raw materials and components that we purchase and increases in our other costs of doing business, such as transportation costs, may adversely affect our profit margins and business.

            Our professional segment net sales are dependent upon the level of growth in the residential and commercial construction markets, growth of homeowners’ outsourcing lawn care, the amount of investment in golf course renovations and improvements, new golf course development, and the amount of government spending.

            Our residential segment net sales are dependent upon the amount of shelf space retailers assign to our products, changing buying patterns of customers, and The Home Depot, Inc. as a major customer.

            A significant percentage of our consolidated net sales is generated outside of the United States, and we intend to continue to expand our international business. Our international operations require significant management attention and financial resources, expose us to difficulties presented by international economic, political, legal, accounting, and business factors, and may not be successful or produce desired levels of net sales.

            Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could result in declines in our reported net sales and net earnings.

            We intend to grow our business in part through additional acquisitions, alliances, and joint venture arrangements, which are risky and could harm our business.

            If we are unable to smoothly transition leadership roles and responsibilities, retain our key employees, and attract and retain other qualified personnel, we may not be able to meet strategic objectives and our business could suffer.

            We rely on our management information systems for inventory management, distribution, and other functions. If our information systems fail to adequately perform these functions or if we experience an interruption in their operation, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.

            A significant portion of our net sales are financed by third parties. Some Toro dealers and Exmark distributors and dealers finance their inventories with third party financing sources. The termination of our agreements with these third parties, any material change to the terms of our agreements with these third parties or in the availability or terms of credit offered to our customers by these third parties, or any delay in securing replacement credit sources, could adversely affect our sales and operating results.

            Our reliance upon patents, trademark laws, and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary rights may not be sufficient to protect our intellectual property from others who may sell similar products.

            We manufacture our products at and distribute our products from several locations in the United States and internationally.  Any disruption at any of these facilities or our inability to cost-effectively expand existing and move production between manufacturing facilities could adversely affect our business and operating results.

            Our business is subject to a number of other factors that may adversely affect our operating results, financial condition, or business, such as changes in domestic and global economies, including but not limited to slow growth rate, slow down in home sales, rise in interest rates, inflation, unemployment, weaker consumer confidence, and currency exchange rates; natural disasters that may result in shortages of raw materials, higher fuel costs, and an increase in insurance premiums; financial viability of some distributors and dealers, changes in distributor ownership, our success in partnering with new dealers, and our customers’ ability to pay amounts owed to us; and continued threat of terrorist acts and war that may result in heightened

 

17



 

security and higher costs for import and export shipments of components or finished goods, reduced leisure travel, and contraction of the U.S. and world economies.

            If we are unable to continue to enhance existing products and develop and market new products that respond to customer needs and achieve market acceptance, we may experience a decrease in demand for our products, and our business could suffer.

            We face intense competition in all of our product lines, including some competitors that have greater resources than us. We may not be able to compete effectively against competitors’ actions, which could harm our business and operating results.

            Our business, properties, and products are subject to governmental regulation with which compliance may require us to incur expenses or modify our products or operations and may expose us to penalties for non-compliance. Governmental regulation may also adversely affect the demand for some of our products and our operating results.

            We are subject to product liability claims, product quality issues, and other litigation from time to time that could adversely affect our operating results or financial condition.

 

For more information regarding these risks, see our most recent filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

We wish to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement which speaks only as of the date made and to recognize that forward-looking statements are predictions of future results, which may not occur as anticipated. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and from historical results, due to the risks and uncertainties described above, as well as others that we may consider immaterial or do not anticipate at this time. The foregoing risks and uncertainties are not exclusive and further information concerning the company and our businesses, including factors that potentially could materially affect our financial results or condition, may emerge from time to time. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting such forward-looking statements. We advise you, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our future quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Item 3.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITIATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

We are exposed to market risk stemming from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, and commodity prices. Changes in these factors could cause fluctuations in our net earnings and cash flows. See further discussions on these market risks below.

 

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk. In the normal course of business, we actively manage the exposure to foreign currency market risk by entering into various hedging instruments, authorized under company policies that place controls on these activities, with counterparties that are highly rated financial institutions. Our hedging activities involve the use of a variety of derivative financial instruments. We use derivative instruments only in an attempt to limit underlying exposure from currency fluctuations and to minimize earnings and cash flow volatility associated with foreign exchange rate changes, and not for trading purposes. We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk arising from transactions in the normal course of business, such as sales and loans to wholly owned subsidiaries as well as sales to third party customers, purchases from suppliers, and bank lines of credit with creditors denominated in foreign currencies. Because our products are manufactured or sourced primarily from the United States, a stronger U.S. dollar generally has a negative impact on results from operations outside the United States while a weaker dollar generally has a positive effect. Our primary exchange rate exposures are with the Euro, the Australian dollar, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, and the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar.

 

We enter into various contracts, principally forward contracts that change in value as foreign exchange rates change, to protect the value of existing foreign currency assets, liabilities, anticipated sales, and probable commitments. Decisions on whether to use such contracts are made based on the amount of exposures to the currency involved, and an assessment of the near-term market value for each currency. Worldwide foreign currency exchange rate exposures are reviewed monthly. The gains and losses on these contracts offset changes in the value of the related exposures. Therefore, changes in market values of these hedge instruments are highly correlated with changes in market values of underlying hedged items both at inception of the hedge and over the life of the hedge contract. During the three months ended February 3, 2006, the amount of gains reclassified to earnings for such cash flow hedges was $0.5 million. For the three months ended February 3, 2006, the gains treated as an addition to net sales for contracts to hedge trade sales were $0.4 million and the gains treated as a reduction of cost of sales for contracts to hedge inventory purchases were $0.1 million.

 

The following foreign currency exchange contracts held by us have maturity dates in fiscal 2006. All items are non-trading and stated in U.S. dollars. Some derivative instruments we enter into do not meet the hedging criteria of SFAS No. 133, “Accounting

 

18



 

for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities;” therefore, changes in their fair value are recorded in other income, net. The average contracted rate, notional amount, pre-tax value of derivative instruments in accumulated other comprehensive loss (AOCL), and fair value impact of derivative instruments in other income, net for the three months ended February 3, 2006 were as follows:

 

Dollars in thousands
(except average contracted rate)

 

Average
Contracted
Rate

 

Notional
Amount

 

Value in
AOCL
Income (Loss)

 

Fair Value
Impact
Gain (Loss)

 

Buy US dollar/Sell Australian dollar

 

0.7446

 

$

41,193.6

 

$

(87.0

)

$

(201.0

)

Buy US dollar/Sell Canadian dollar

 

0.8430

 

5,724.2

 

(241.7

)

(51.4

)

Buy US dollar/Sell Euro

 

1.2161

 

93,448.3

 

385.1

 

315.1

 

Buy US dollar/Sell British pound

 

1.7783

 

21,873.1

 

 

55.3

 

Buy Australian dollar/Sell US dollar

 

0.7539

 

527.7

 

 

(1.1

)

Buy Euro/Sell U.S. dollar

 

1.2088

 

483.5

 

 

(0.4

)

Buy British pound/Sell U.S. dollar

 

1.7741

 

1,774.1

 

 

(0.6

)

Buy Mexican peso/Sell U.S. dollar

 

10.8523

 

11,334.0

 

278.9

 

(135.7

)

 

Interest Rate Risk. We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from transactions that are entered into during the normal course of business. Our short-term debt rates are dependent upon a LIBOR or commercial paper rate plus a basis point spread defined in our credit agreements. See our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K (Item 7A). There has been no material change in this information.

 

Commodity Price Risk. Some raw materials used in our products are exposed to commodity price changes. We manage some of this risk by using a combination of short- and long-term agreements with some vendors. The primary commodity price exposures are with steel, aluminum, plastic resin, and linerboard. Further information regarding rising prices for commodities is presented in Item 2, section entitled “Inflation.”

 

We utilize well-defined financial contracts in the normal course of operations as a means to manage certain commodity price risks. The majority of these contracts are fixed-price contracts for future purchases of natural gas, which meet the definition of “normal purchases and normal sales” and therefore, are not considered derivative instruments for accounting purposes.

 

Item 4.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) that are designed to reasonably ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, we recognize that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and we are required to apply our judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible internal controls. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of such period to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that material information relating to our company and our consolidated subsidiaries is made known to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, particularly during the period when our periodic reports are being prepared. There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during our fiscal first quarter ended February 3, 2006 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

19



 

PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

On June 3, 2004, eight individuals who claim to have purchased lawnmowers in Illinois and Minnesota filed a lawsuit (Ronnie Phillips et al. v. Sears Roebuck Corporation et. al., No.04-L-334 (20th Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County, IL)) against the company and eight other defendants alleging that the horsepower labels on the products the plaintiffs purchased were inaccurate. The plaintiffs seek certification of a class of all persons in the United States who, beginning January 1, 1995 through the present, purchased a lawnmower containing a two stroke or four stroke gas combustible engine up to 20 horsepower that was manufactured or sold by the defendants. The complaint seeks an injunction, unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees. No answers have been entered in the case, and there has been no formal discovery. A number of procedural motions have been filed by the defendants, but have not yet been decided. On April 20, 2005, the court issued a stay of discovery and procedural matters to permit the parties to engage in settlement discussions. An attempt at mediation in October 2005 was unsuccessful, and the company expects the stay of procedural matters to be lifted so that various procedural motions may be determined. Management continues to evaluate this lawsuit and is unable to reasonably estimate the likelihood of loss or the amount or range of potential loss that could result from this litigation. Therefore, an accrual has not been established for any potential loss in connection with this lawsuit. The company is also unable to assess at this time whether the lawsuit will have a material adverse effect on its annual consolidated operating results or financial condition, although an unfavorable resolution could be material to the company’s operating results for a particular period.

 

We are a party to litigation in the ordinary course of business. Litigation occasionally involves claims for punitive as well as compensatory damages arising out of use of our products. We are also subject to administrative proceedings with respect to claims involving the discharge of hazardous substances into the environment. Some of these claims assert damages and liability for remedial investigations and clean up costs. We are also typically involved in commercial disputes, employment disputes, and patent litigation cases in the ordinary course of business, both as a plaintiff and as a defendant. While the ultimate results of the current cases are unknown at this time, management believes that, except for the lawsuit discussed above, the outcomes of these cases are unlikely to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated operating results or financial position. Further, we maintain insurance against some product liability losses.

 

Item 1A.  RISK FACTORS

 

We are affected by risks specific to us as well as factors that affect all businesses operating in a global market. The significant factors known to us that could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or operating results are described in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K (Item 1A). There has been no material change in those risk factors.

 

20



 

Item 2.  CHANGES IN SECURITIES, USE OF PROCEEDS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

 

The following table shows our first quarter of fiscal 2006 stock repurchase activity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Number of

 

Maximum Number

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares Purchased

 

of Shares that May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Part of Publicly

 

Yet Be Purchased

 

 

 

Total Number of

 

Average Price

 

Announced Plans

 

Under the Plans or

 

Period

 

Shares Purchased (1)

 

Paid per Share

 

or Programs

 

Programs (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 1, 2005 through December 2, 2005

 

238,200

 

$

37.68

 

238,200

 

1,607,989

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 3, 2005 through December 30, 2005

 

44,349

 

41.45

 

44,349

 

1,563,640

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2005 through February 3, 2006

 

384,137

(2)

44.08

 

380,755

 

1,182,885

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

666,686

 

$

41.62

 

663,304

 

 

 

 


(1)          On July 19, 2005, the company’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 2,000,000 shares of the company’s common stock in open-market or in privately negotiated transactions. This program has no expiration date but may be terminated by the company’s Board of Directors at any time. The company purchased 663,304 shares during the periods indicated above under this program, including 398,697 shares repurchased by the company from current or former employees in connection with the payment of withholding taxes.

 

(2)          Includes 3,382 units (shares) of the company’s common stock purchased in open-market transactions at an average price of $46.20 per share on behalf of a rabbi trust formed to pay benefit obligations of the company to participants in deferred compensation plans. These 3,382 shares were not repurchased under the company’s repurchase program described in footnote (1) above.

 

21



 

Item 6.  EXHIBITS

 

(a)

Exhibits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3(i) and 4(a)

 

The Toro Company Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(i) and 4(a) to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 15, 2005, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

3(ii) and 4(b)

 

Bylaws of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 30, 2005, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

4(c)

 

Specimen Form of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(c) to Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K dated October 31, 2004).

 

 

 

 

 

4(d)

 

Rights Agreement dated as of May 20, 1998, between Registrant and Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, National Association relating to rights to purchase Series B Junior Participating Voting Preferred Stock, as amended (incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 27, 1998, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

4(e)

 

Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares dated April 14, 2003 filed by Registrant with Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights Agent, in connection with Rights Agreement dated as of May 20, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2 to Registrant’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A dated April 14, 2003, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

4(f)

 

Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares dated April 12, 2005 filed by Registrant with Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights Agent, in connection with Rights Agreement dated as of May 20, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2 to Registrant’s Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A dated March 21, 2005, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

4(g)

 

Indenture dated as of January 31, 1997, between Registrant and First National Trust Association, as Trustee, relating to the Registrant’s 7.125% Notes due June 15, 2007 and its 7.80% Debentures due June 15, 2027 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(a) to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K for June 24, 1997, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

10(a)

 

Post-Retirement Consulting and Noncompetition Agreement dated as of December 31, 2005 between The Toro Company and Kendrick B. Melrose (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 31, 2005, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

10(b)

 

The Toro Company Performance Share Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 16, 2006, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

10(c)

 

Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 30, 2005, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

10(d)

 

Form of Performance Share Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 30, 2005, Commission File No. 1-8649).

 

 

 

 

 

31(a)

 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) (filed herewith).

 

 

 

 

 

31(b)

 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) (filed herewith).

 

 

 

 

 

32

 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith).

 

22



 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

THE TORO COMPANY

(Registrant)

 

Date: March 13, 2006

By

/s/ Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

 Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 Vice President Finance

 

 and Chief Financial Officer

 

 (duly authorized officer and principal financial officer)

 

23


Exhibit 31(a)

 

Certification pursuant to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

I, Michael J. Hoffman, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of The Toro Company;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

a)            Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

b)             Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

c)              Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

d)             Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

a)              All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

b)             Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

Date: March 13, 2006

 

 

/s/ Michael J. Hoffman

 

 

Michael J. Hoffman

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 


Exhibit 31(b)

 

Certification pursuant to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

I, Stephen P. Wolfe, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of The Toro Company;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in the report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

a)            Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

b)             Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

c)              Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

d)             Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

a)              All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

b)             Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

Date: March 13, 2006

 

 

/s/ Stephen P. Wolfe

 

Stephen P. Wolfe

Vice President Finance and

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

 


Exhibit 32

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Quarterly Report of The Toro Company (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended February 3, 2006 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), we, Michael J. Hoffman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Stephen P. Wolfe, Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to our knowledge:

 

(1)          The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

(2)          The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

 

/s/ Michael J. Hoffman

 

Michael J. Hoffman

President and Chief Executive Officer

March 13, 2006

 

 

 /s/ Stephen P. Wolfe

 

Stephen P. Wolfe

Vice President Finance and

Chief Financial Officer

March 13, 2006

 

This certification accompanies the Report pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and shall not, except to the extent required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, be deemed filed by the Company for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.