ZIMMERMAN SIGN CO
10-Q, 2000-11-14
DURABLE GOODS, NEC
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-Q

(Mark  One)
[X]   QUARTERLY  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13  OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE  ACT  OF  1934  FOR  THE  QUARTERLY  PERIOD  ENDED  SEPTEMBER  30, 2000

                                       or

[ ]   TRANSITION  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13  OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE  ACT  OF  1934  FOR  THE  TRANSITION  PERIOD  FROM           TO
                                                           -----------  -------
Commission  File  Number:  0-21737

 Zimmerman  Sign  Company
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Exact  name  of  registrant  as  specified  in  its  charter)

           TEXAS                                                 75-0864498
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State  of  Incorporation)                                   (I.R.S.  Employer
                                                             Identification No.)


9846  HIGHWAY  31  EAST,  TYLER,  TEXAS                             75705
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address  of  principal  executive  offices)                      (Zip Code)

(903)  535-7400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Registrant's  telephone  number,  including  area  code)

NOT  APPLICABLE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Former  name,  former  address  and  fiscal  year, if changed since last report.

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.                         [X] Yes     [ ] No

Indicate  the  number  of  shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of
common  stock,  as  of  the  latest  practicable  date.

                 1,269,549  SHARES  OF  COMMON STOCK, $0.01 PAR VALUE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Common Stock Outstanding as of October 30, 2000


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                ZIMMERMAN SIGN COMPANY

                                         INDEX

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION                                                PAGE NO.
------------------------------                                                --------

Item 1.     Financial Statements  (Unaudited)
<S>                                                                           <C>
            Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2000 and December 31, 1999. .         1

            Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended
              September 30, 2000 and 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         2

            Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30,
              2000 and 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         3

            Notes to Financial Statements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         4

Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
              Results of Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         5

Item 3.     Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk. . . .         8

PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
---------------------------

Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         9

            Signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         9

            Exhibit Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        10
</TABLE>


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                ZIMMERMAN  SIGN  COMPANY
                                      Balance Sheets
                         September 30, 2000 and December 31, 1999
                                       (Unaudited)


                                                                   2000          1999
                                                               ------------  ------------
<S>                                                            <C>           <C>

                             Assets
                             ------

Current assets:
  Cash                                                         $    19,838   $   113,914
  Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts
    of $100,000 in 2000 and 1999                                11,183,038    10,139,711
  Inventories                                                   12,924,715    16,081,386
  Prepaids and other current assets                                208,484       147,828
  Deferred tax assets                                              465,189       529,911
                                                               ------------  ------------
                      Total current assets                      24,801,264    27,012,750
                                                               ------------  ------------
Property, plant and equipment, net                               3,260,852     3,353,990
Other assets                                                       163,609       234,140
                                                               ------------  ------------
                                                               $28,225,725   $30,600,880
                                                               ============  ============
               Liabilities and Stockholders' Deficit
               -------------------------------------
Current liabilities:
  Current installments of long-term debt                       $ 1,305,000   $ 1,219,000
  Accounts payable                                               6,152,017     6,179,551
  Accrued expenses                                               1,164,342     1,610,358
  Income taxes payable                                                   -        81,228
  Customer deposits                                                523,200       789,452
                                                               ------------  ------------
                      Total current liabilities                  9,144,559     9,879,589
                                                               ------------  ------------

Deferred tax liability                                              81,516        40,318
Long-term debt, excluding current installments:
   Bank debt                                                    16,432,679    18,083,695
   Subordinated notes                                            3,942,214     3,933,546
                                                               ------------  ------------
                      Total long-term debt                      20,374,893    22,017,241
                                                               ------------  ------------

Redeemable preferred stock:
  8% Series A, $.01 par value, redemption value of
    $5,250,000; 52,500 shares authorized, issued and
    outstanding                                                  4,673,914     4,601,904
  6% Series B, $.01 par value, redemption value of $700,000;
    7,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding                700,000       700,000
  6% Series C, $.01 par value, redemption value of $625,000;
  6,250 shares authorized, issued and outstanding                  625,000       625,000
                                                               ------------  ------------
                      Total redeemable preferred stock           5,998,914     5,926,904
                                                               ------------  ------------

Stockholders' deficit:
  Common stock, $.01 par value. Authorized 15,000,000
    shares; issued 1,854,692 shares; outstanding 1,269,549
    shares                                                          18,547        18,547
  Additional paid in capital                                       406,636       478,647
  Accumulated deficit                                           (5,751,340)   (5,712,366)
  Treasury stock, at cost, 585,143 common shares                (2,048,000)   (2,048,000)
                                                               ------------  ------------
                      Total stockholders' deficit               (7,374,157)   (7,263,172)
                                                               ------------  ------------
                                                               $28,225,725   $30,600,880
                                                               ============  ============
</TABLE>


See  accompanying  notes  to  financial  statements.


                                        1
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             ZIMMERMAN SIGN COMPANY
                            Statements of Operations
             Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2000 and 1999
                                  (Unaudited)

                                             Three Months Ended         Nine Months Ended
                                                September 30,              September 30,
                                          ------------------------  -------------------------
                                             2000          1999          2000          1999
                                          -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------
<S>                                       <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>
Net sales                                 $11,775,515  $14,737,834  $35,345,927   $40,636,896

Cost of goods sold                          9,189,424   11,734,816   28,637,616    32,386,933
                                          -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------

 Gross profit                               2,586,091    3,003,018    6,708,311     8,249,963

Selling, general and administrative
 expenses                                   1,388,203    1,342,566    4,230,804     4,326,130

Interest expense, net                         578,829      566,889    1,717,703     1,729,282
                                          -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------

 Income before income taxes                   619,059    1,093,563      759,804     2,194,551

Income taxes                                  320,818      377,417      419,989       763,604
                                          -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------

 Net income                                   298,241      716,146      339,815     1,430,947


Preferred stock dividends and accretion       153,041      148,879      450,799       444,676
                                          -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------
 Net income (loss) applicable to
   common stock                           $   145,200  $   567,267  $  (110,984)  $   986,271
                                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ============
Basic and diluted net income (loss)
 per common share                         $      0.11  $      0.45  $     (0.09)  $      0.78
                                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ============
</TABLE>


See  accompanying  notes  to  financial  statements.


                                        2
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      ZIMMERMAN SIGN COMPANY
                                     Statements of Cash Flows
                           Nine Months Ended September 30, 2000 and 1999
                                            (Unaudited)

                                                                           2000          1999
                                                                        -----------  ------------
<S>                                                                     <C>           <C>
Cash  flows  from  operating  activities:
   Net income                                                           $   339,815   $ 1,430,947
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
    operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization                                           354,474       437,006
    Provision for losses on accounts receivable                                   -        12,328
    Deferred income tax expense                                             105,920        94,776

    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
    Accounts receivable                                                  (1,043,327)   (1,036,003)
    Inventories                                                           3,156,671       184,491
    Prepaids and other current assets                                       (60,656)     ( 11,384)
    Other assets                                                             26,909        53,890
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses                                  (554,778)      160,135
    Customer deposits                                                      (266,252)      553,022
                                                                        -----------  ------------
          Net cash provided by operating activities                       2,058,776     1,879,208
                                                                        -----------  ------------

Cash flows used in investing activities - purchases of property, plant
   and equipment                                                           (209,049)     (706,344)
                                                                        -----------  ------------
Cash flows from financing activities:
   Net (payments) borrowings on revolving line of credit                   (593,665)      350,000
   Principal payments on long-term debt                                    (971,351)     (550,288)
   Dividends paid                                                          (378,787)     (372,664)
   Purchase of treasury stock                                                     -      (723,000)
                                                                        -----------  ------------
          Net cash used in financing activities                          (1,943,803)   (1,295,952)
                                                                        -----------  ------------

Net decreases in cash                                                       (94,076)     (123,088)
Cash at beginning of period                                                 113,914       126,339

Cash at end of period                                                   $    19,838   $     3,251
                                                                        ===========  ============
</TABLE>

See  accompanying  notes  to  financial  statements.


                                        3
<PAGE>
                             ZIMMERMAN SIGN COMPANY
                          Notes to Financial Statements
                               September 30, 2000
                                   (Unaudited)

1.   Basis of Presentation

     The accompanying  financial statements have been prepared by Zimmerman Sign
     Company (the "Company"),  without audit. In the opinion of management,  all
     adjustments (which consist only of normal recurring  adjustments) necessary
     to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and changes
     in cash flows at September 30, 2000 and for the three and nine months ended
     September 30, 2000 and 1999 have been made.

     Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial
     statements  prepared  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting
     principles  have been  condensed  or omitted.  These  financial  statements
     should  be read in  conjunction  with the  financial  statements  and notes
     thereto included in the Company's 1999 Annual Report to  Stockholders.  The
     results of  operations  for the period  ended  September  30,  2000 are not
     necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.

2.   Long-Term Debt

     Long-term debt consists of the following at September 30, 2000 and December
     31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    2000         1999
                                                                 -----------  -----------
<S>                                                              <C>          <C>
  Revolving line of credit with a bank, due September 30, 2002,
   monthly interest at prime plus .25% or LIBOR plus 2.75%
   (9.75% to 9.39% at September 30, 2000)                        $14,331,335  $14,925,000

  Secured term notes payable to a bank, due between October
   1, 2002, and October 1, 2005, monthly payments of
   $108,750 plus interest at prime plus .25% to 1.5%
   or LIBOR plus 2.75% to 4.0% (9.75% to 10.65% at
   September 30, 2000)                                             3,406,344    4,377,695

  Subordinated notes, $4,000,000 principal amount, due
   September 30, 2005, interest payable quarterly at 12%,
   quarterly payments of principal of $500,000 due beginning
   September 30, 2003, net of discount of  $57,786 at September
   30, 2000 and $66,454 at December 31, 1999                       3,942,214    3,933,546
                                                                 -----------  -----------
                                                                  21,679,893   23,236,241

  Less current installments                                        1,305,000    1,219,000
                                                                 -----------  -----------
                                                                 $20,374,893  $22,017,241
                                                                 ===========  ===========
</TABLE>

     On July 31,  2000,  the Company  entered  into an amendment to its existing
     credit  facilities with its senior lender.  The terms and conditions of the
     amended  credit  facilities  are  substantially  the  same as the  original
     facility  except that the  revolving  line of credit  term was  extended to
     September  30, 2002,  and that several  definitions  and certain  financial
     covenants were redefined.


                                        4
<PAGE>
     On September 30, 2000, the Company  amended its senior  subordinated  note,
     preferred  stock  and  warrant  purchase  agreement  with its  subordinated
     lenders.   The  terms  and   conditions  of  the  amended   agreement  were
     substantially  the  same as the  original  agreement  except  that  several
     definitions and certain financial covenants were redefined.

3.   Net Income Per Share

     Basic earnings per share (EPS) is computed by dividing income  available to
     common  stockholders  by  the  weighted-average  number  of  common  shares
     outstanding  for the period.  Diluted EPS reflects the  potential  dilution
     that could occur if  securities  or other  contracts  to issue common stock
     were  exercised or converted  into common stock or resulted in the issuance
     of  common  stock  that then  shared  in  earnings  of the  entity.  Income
     applicable  to common stock gives effect to preferred  stock  dividends and
     accretion of preferred stock for the difference  between carrying value and
     liquidation preference.

     Shares used in  calculating  basic and diluted net income  (loss) per share
     are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  Three  Months  Ended   Nine  Months  Ended
                                                      September  30,       September  30,
                                                  --------------------  --------------------
<S>                                               <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
                                                    2000       1999       2000       1999
                                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------

Weighted average common shares outstanding        1,269,549  1,269,549  1,269,549  1,269,549
Dilutive securities - common stock options                -          -          -      2,008
                                                  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Weighted average common and potentially dilutive
  shares outstanding                              1,269,549  1,269,549  1,269,549  1,271,557
                                                  =========  =========  =========  =========
</TABLE>

     Stock options and warrants  totaling  1,008,338 shares and 1,003,338 shares
     were excluded  from the three months ended  September 30, 2000 and 1999 net
     income per share calculations, respectively, and stock options and warrants
     totaling  1,008,338  shares and 916,059  shares were excluded from the nine
     months  ended  September  30,  2000 and 1999 net  income  (loss)  per share
     calculations,   respectively,   as  their   inclusion   would   have   been
     antidilutive.

4.   Capital Stock Transactions

     During  January 1999,  the Company  purchased  357,143 shares of its common
     stock from its largest  stockholder at a cost of $625,000 in cash and 6,250
     shares  of  the  Company's  6%  Series  C  Preferred  Stock,  which  has  a
     liquidation  and redemption  value of $625,000.  Additionally,  the Company
     purchased 228,000 shares of its common stock from an officer of the Company
     at a cost of $98,000 in cash and 7,000 shares of the  Company's 6% Series B
     Preferred Stock,  which has a liquidation and redemption value of $700,000.
     The Series B and Series C Preferred  Stock are subordinate to the Company's
     Series A Preferred  Stock. The Company had 1,269,549 shares of common stock
     outstanding  immediately following the above stock purchases. In connection
     with  the  above  transactions,   the  Company  cancelled  343,655  of  its
     outstanding  warrants.  Common shares outstanding  assuming exercise of the
     outstanding  options  (including  30,921  options  which  have not yet been
     granted) and warrants would be 2,308,808.

ITEM  2.  MANAGEMENT'S  DISCUSSION  AND  ANALYSIS  OF  FINANCIAL  CONDITION  AND
RESULTS  OF  OPERATIONS

The  following  discussion  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with the attached
unaudited  financial statements and notes thereto, and with the Company's Annual
Report  on  Form  10-K  for  the year ended December 31, 1999, including audited
financial  statements  and  notes  thereto for the year ended December 31, 1999.


                                        5
<PAGE>
The  Company's  net  sales  for  the three-month period ended September 30, 2000
decreased  $2,962,000  or  20.1%  to  $11,776,000  from $14,738,000 for the same
period  last  year.  Net  sales  for  the  nine  months ended September 30, 2000
decreased  $5,291,000  or  13.0%  to $35,346,000 compared to $40,637,000 for the
same  period  in  1999.  The  net sales decreases are due primarily to decreased
sales  to petroleum, convenience, financial services and retail customers offset
partially  by  increased  sales  to automotive customers. The decreased sales to
these customers is due largely to slowing purchases of old style products as new
images  have  begun  being  implemented  but have not yet shipped in significant
quantities.

The  Company's gross profit margin for the three months ended September 30, 2000
increased  to  22.0% from 20.4% for the same period in 1999 due largely to a mix
of  products with a better direct margin contribution. For the nine months ended
September  30, 2000 the gross profit percentage decreased to 19.0% from 20.3% in
1999.  The  decrease for the nine month period is primarily due to higher direct
manufacturing  costs,  including  a  larger  portion  of  sales  related  to
subcontracted  installation  efforts  which  have  a  lower  direct contribution
margin,  along  with  increased  costs  of  factory  maintenance and higher than
expected expenses related to the larger Kodak Boulevard facility in Longview and
to  several  large  health  insurance  claims  for  plant  personnel.

Selling,  general  and  administrative  expenses were $1,388,000 or 11.8% of net
sales  for  the quarter ended September 30, 2000 compared to  $1,343,000 or 9.1%
of  net  sales  for the same period in the prior year. For the nine months ended
September  30,  2000,  selling,  general  and  administrative expenses decreased
$95,000  to  $4,231,000  and  were 12.0% of net sales compared to $4,326,000 and
10.6%  of  net  sales for the nine months ended September 30, 1999. The decrease
for  the  nine  month  period is primarily the result of lower selling costs and
lower  depreciation  and  amortization  being  partially offset by higher office
payrolls  and  related  taxes, travel expenses, consulting fees and property tax
increases.

Interest expense increased slightly to $579,000 for the three-month period ended
September 30, 2000 from $567,000 for the same period in the prior year. Interest
expense  for  the  nine  months  ended  September 30, 2000 decreased slightly to
$1,718,000  from  $1,729,000  for  the nine months ended September 30, 2000. The
decrease  was  due  primarily  to  lower  borrowings  partially offset by higher
interest  rates  under the Company's revolving line of credit for both the three
month  and  nine  month  periods.

Income  before  income  taxes decreased $475,000 to $619,000 for the three month
period  ended  September  30, 2000 compared to $1,094,000 for the same period in
the  prior  year. Income before income taxes for the nine months ended September
30, 2000 decreased $1,435,000 to $760,000 from $2,195,000 for the same period in
1999.  Decreased  income  before income taxes in both periods resulted primarily
from  lower  sales  volume  and  higher  direct  cost  of sales, as noted above.

The effective tax rates for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2000
increased  compared  to  the  comparable  prior  years' periods due primarily to
revision  of  prior  year  estimates  of  state  income  taxes.

Liquidity  and  Capital  Resources

Operating working capital (defined as accounts receivable plus inventories, less
accounts  payable, including accrued expenses, income taxes payable and customer
deposits)  decreased  $1,293,000  to  $16,268,000  at  September  30,  2000 from
$17,561,000  at  December  31,  1999.  The decrease in operating working capital
resulted  from  a  reduction  in  inventory,  which  was  partially offset by an
increase  in  accounts  receivable and decreases in accounts payable and accrued
expenses  and  customer  deposits.  Net  cash  of  $2,059,000  was  provided  by
operating  activities  for  the nine months ended September 30, 2000 compared to
$1,879,000  for  the  nine months ended September 30, 1999.  Decreased inventory
was  the  primary  source  of  cash  provided by operating activities, which was
partially offset by an increase in accounts receivable and decreases in accounts
payable  and  accrued  expenses  and  customer  deposits.


                                        6
<PAGE>
Investing activities used $209,000 for the first nine months of 2000 as a result
of  net  property and equipment purchases. Financing activities used net cash of
$1,944,000  as  a  result  of  preferred  dividends  and net repayments of debt.

The  Company's  future  capital  expenditures  will  relate  principally  to the
acquisition of new machinery and equipment designed to increase productivity and
factory efficiency.  The Company believes its cash generated from operations and
funds  available  under  the  senior  credit  facilities  are sufficient for its
planned  requirements  during  2000.

On  July  31, 2000, the Company entered into an amendment to its existing credit
facilities  with  its  senior  lender.  The  terms and conditions of the amended
credit  facilities  are  substantially  the same as the original facility except
that  the  revolving line of credit term was extended to September 30, 2002, and
that  several  definitions  and  certain  financial  covenants  were  redefined.

On  September  30,  2000,  the  Company  amended  its  senior subordinated note,
preferred  stock  and  warrant purchase agreement with its subordinated lenders.
The terms and conditions of the amended agreement were substantially the same as
the  original  agreement  except  that several definitions and certain financial
covenants  were  redefined.

Seasonality

The Company's sales exhibit limited seasonality, with sales in the first quarter
generally  being  the lowest of the four calendar quarters.  First quarter sales
tend  to  be  relatively lower because of weather constraints which may restrict
customers'  construction  activities  and  may  reduce  their  sign  purchases.

Recent  Accounting  Pronouncements

In  June  1998, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement
on  Financial  Accounting  Standards  (SFAS) No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments  and  Hedging  Activities"  that  impacts  the  Company's accounting
treatment  and/or  its  disclosure  obligations.  The  statement  establishes
accounting  and  reporting  standards  for  derivative  instruments,  including
derivative  instruments embedded in other contracts, and for hedging activities.
It  requires  that  an  entity  recognize  all  derivatives  as either assets or
liabilities in the statement of financial position and measure those instruments
at  fair  value.  The  statement,  as  amended  by SFAS No. 137, "Accounting for
Derivative  Instruments  and Hedging Activities - Deferral of the Effective Date
of FASB Statement No. 133," is effective for all fiscal quarters of fiscal years
beginning  after  June 15, 2000. The adoption of SFAS No. 133 is not expected to
have  a  material impact on the Company, which will adopt the provisions of SFAS
No.  133  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2001.

In  December  1999,  the  Securities  and Exchange Commission staff issued Staff
Accounting Bulletin No. 101, "Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements" ("SAB
101"). SAB 101 summarizes certain of the SEC staff's views in applying generally
accepted  accounting  principles  to revenue recognition in financial statements
and  affects a broad range of industries. Subsequently, the SEC has issued Staff
Accounting  Bulletins  No.  101A  and 101B which defer the effective date of SAB
101. The accounting and disclosure requirements of SAB 101 will now be effective
for  the Company in the last quarter of fiscal 2000. The Company does not expect
the  impact  of  SAB  101  to have a material impact on the Company's results of
operations  or  financial  position.


                                        7
<PAGE>
Forward-Looking  Information

This  report  and other reports and statements filed by the Company from time to
time  with  the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, "SEC Filings")
contain  or  may contain certain forward-looking statements and information that
are  based  on beliefs of, and information currently available to, the Company's
management  as  well  as  estimates  and  assumptions  made  by  the  Company's
management.  When  used  in  SEC  Filings,  the  words  "anticipate," "believe,"
"estimate," "expect," "future," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions as they
relate  to  the  Company  or  the Company's management, identify forward-looking
statements.  Such  statements  reflect  the  current  views  of the Company with
respect  to  future  events  and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and
assumptions  relating  to  the  Company's  operations and results of operations,
competitive  factors  and  pricing  pressures,  shifts  in  market  demand,  the
performance  and  needs  of  the industries served by the Company, the costs for
product development and other risks and uncertainties, including, in addition to
any  uncertainties  specifically  identified  in  the  text  surrounding  such
statements,  uncertainties  with  respect  to  changes or development in social,
economic,  business,  industry,  market,  legal and regulatory circumstances and
conditions  and actions taken or omitted to be taken by third parties, including
the  Company's  shareholders,  customers,  suppliers,  business  partners,
competitors,  and  legislative,  regulatory,  judicial  and  other  governmental
authorities  and  officials.  Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties
materialize,  or  should  the  underlying  assumptions  prove  incorrect, actual
results  may  vary  significantly  from  those anticipated, believed, estimated,
expected,  intended  or  planned.

The  Company  does  not  intend  to  and  undertakes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statements and information, but investors are advised to consult
previous  and any future disclosures by the Company in its SEC Filings regarding
important  factors  that  could cause actual results to differ from expected  or
historical  results.  It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors
and,  as  such,  investors should not consider any list of such factors to be an
exhaustive  statement  of  all  risks,  uncertainties  or potentially inaccurate
assumptions.

ITEM  3.     QUANTITATIVE  AND  QUALITATIVE  DISCLOSURE  ABOUT  MARKET  RISK

The principal market risk (i.e. the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in
market  rates  and  prices) to which the Company is exposed is interest rates on
its  outstanding  debt.  At September 30, 2000, the Company has $17.7 million of
debt  outstanding  under its senior credit facilities which provide for interest
to  be  charged  at  the prime rate plus a margin of 0.25% to 1.5% or at a LIBOR
rate plus a margin of 2.75% to 4.0%. Based on the Company's level of outstanding
debt,  a  1.0% change in the interest rate would result in a $0.2 million annual
change  in  interest  expense.  The Company does not own nor is it obligated for
other  significant  debt  or  equity  securities  that  would  be  affected  by
fluctuations  in  market  risk.

The  Company  has  limited involvement with derivative financial instruments and
uses  them  to  manage  well-defined  interest  rate risks. Interest rate collar
agreements  are  used to reduce the potential impact of fluctuations in interest
rates  on floating-rate long-term debt. At September 30, 2000, the Company has a
one-year  interest  rate  collar  agreement  for  notional  amounts  aggregating
$15,000,000.


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<PAGE>
                                     PART II
                                OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM  6.  EXHIBITS  AND  REPORTS  ON  FORM  8-K

               (a)     See  Exhibit  Index  on  page  10.
               (b)     No  reports  on  Form  8-K  were filed during the quarter
                       ended  September  30,  2000.

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,  on  November  8,  2000.


                             ZIMMERMAN SIGN COMPANY
                                   Registrant


                             /s/Jeffrey P. Johnson
                     ---------------------------------------
                     Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
              (Authorized Officer and Principal Financial Officer)


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<PAGE>
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

All  of  the following exhibits are being or have heretofore been filed with the
Commission  and  are  incorporated  herein  by  reference:

Exhibit  No.                         Title
------------                         -----

3.1      Amended and  Restated  Articles  of  Incorporation  of  Zimmerman  Sign
         Company.  (1)

3.2      Amended  and  Restated Bylaws  of  Zimmerman  Sign Company, amended and
         restated  as  of  September  29,  1998.  (1)

4.1      Distribution Agreement,  dated  as of November 26, 1996, by and between
         Zimmerman  Sign  Company  and  Independence  Holding  Company.  (2)

4.2      Registration Rights  Agreement,  dated as of September 30, 1998, by and
         between Zimmerman Sign Company, Continental Illinois Venture
         Corporation, MIG Partners  VIII  and  certain  shareholders.  (1)

4.3      Stockholders Agreement,  dated as of September 30, 1998, by and between
         Zimmerman  Sign  Company  and  certain  shareholders.  (1)

10.1     Second  Amended  and Restated Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement,
         dated  as  of  September  30,  1998,  by  and between Zimmerman Sign
         Company and Comerica  Bank-Texas.  (1)

10.2     Senior  Subordinated  Note,  Preferred  Stock  and  Warrant  Purchase
         Agreement,  dated  as  of  September  30,  1998,  by  and between
         Zimmerman Sign Company, Continental Illinois Venture Corporation, MIG
         Partners VIII and certain management  purchasers.  (1)

10.3     Stock  Option  Plan  of Zimmerman Sign Company, dated as of December 1,
         1996.  (2)

10.9     Share Option Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 30, 1998, by and
         between  Zimmerman  Sign  Company     and  certain  shareholders.  (1)

10.10    Purchase  Agreement,  dated  as  of September 30, 1998, by and between
         Zimmerman  Sign  Company  and  David  E.  Anderson.  (1)

10.11    Letter  Agreement,  dated  as  of  September  30, 1998, by and between
         Zimmerman  Sign  Company  and  certain  shareholders.  (1)

10.12    Form  of 12% Senior Subordinated Note issued by Zimmerman Sign Company
         in connection with the Senior Subordinated Note, Preferred Stock and
         Warrant Purchase  Agreement,  dated  as  of  September  30,  1998. (1)

10.13    Form  of  Stock  Purchase Warrants issued by Zimmerman Sign Company in
         connection with the Senior Subordinated Note, Preferred Stock and
         Warrant Purchase  Agreement,  dated  as  of  September  30,  1998. (1)

10.14    First  Amendment to the Second Restated Revolving Credit and Term Loan
         Agreement, dated as of July 31, 2000,  by and between Zimmerman Sign
         Company and Comerica  Bank-Texas.

10.15    Amendment  No.  1  to  Senior  Subordinated  Note, Preferred Stock and
         Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated  as  of  September 30, 2000, by and
         between  Zimmerman  Sign  Company,  Continental  Illinois  Venture
         Corporation, MIG Partners VIII  and  certain  management  purchasers.

27.1     Financial  Data  Schedule.

99.1      Registration  Statement on Form 10/A-2 filed by Zimmerman Sign Company
          with the Securities and Exchange Commission and declared effective on
          December 16,  1996.  (3)


(1)     Previously  filed  as  an  exhibit  to  the  Company's Form 10-Q for the
        quarter ended September 30, 1998 and incorporated herein  by  reference.
(2)     Previously  filed  as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement
        on Form 10 (No.  000-21737)  and  incorporated  herein  by  reference.
(3)     Previously  filed  (No.  000-21737).


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<PAGE>


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