ACETO CORP
10-Q, 1997-02-07
CHEMICALS & ALLIED PRODUCTS
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             SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              
                   WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                          Form 10-Q
                              
         QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)
           OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


For the quarter ended December 31, 1996 Commission file
number 0-4217
                      ACETO CORPORATION
   (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          New York                        11-1720520
 (State or other jurisdiction          (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)    Identification Number)

 One Hollow Lane, Lake Success, NY            11042
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(516) 627-6000

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

NONE

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

                Common Stock, par value $.01
                      (Title of Class)
                              
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  X  No____

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the
issuer's class of common stock, as of the close of the
period covered by this report.
Common Stock - 4,927,001

       ACETO CORPORATION AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES
                              
         CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                              
          (In thousands, except per share amounts)

                                                 For Six Months Ended
                                                      Dec.31st
                                            1996                    1995

Net sales                                $ 75,034                $ 87,683
Cost of sales                              65,724                  76,328
     Gross profit                           9,310                  11,355
Selling, general and administrative
     expenses (note 6)                      6,613                   6,708

     Operating profit                       2,697                   4,647

Other income net of interest
      expense (note 5)                        959                     788

Income before income taxes                  3,656                   5,435

Provision for income taxes                  1,483                   2,108

Net income                               $  2,173                $  3,327

Net income per common and
     common equivalent share:            $   0.42                $   0.62

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
                              
       ACETO CORPORATION AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES
                              
         CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                              
          (In thousands, except per share amounts)

                                               For Three Months Ended
                                                     Dec. 31st
                                             1996               1995

Net sales                                $ 35,850           $ 47,294
Cost of sales                              30,919             40,699
     Gross profit                           4,931              6,595

Selling, general and administrative
     expenses                               2,750              3,509

  Operating profit                          2,181              3,086

Other income net of interest
      expense (note 5)                        520                430

Income before income taxes                  2,701              3,516

Provision for income taxes                  1,039              1,351

Net income                               $  1,662           $  2,165

Net income per common and
     common equivalent share:            $   0.33           $   0.40

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

       ACETO CORPORATION AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES
                              
            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                              
                       (In thousands)

                                                Dec. 31st     June 30th
                                                   1996         1996

ASSETS

Current assets:
 Cash and cash equivalents                      $  5,434      $  5,380
 Short-term investments (note 4)                  11,606        10,595

 Receivables:
   Trade, less allowance for doubtful accounts:
   (Dec. $237; June $207)                         21,984        24,739
   Other                                             566           590
                                                  22,550        25,329

 Inventories                                      24,863        30,156
 Prepaid expenses                                     79           104
 Deferred income tax benefit                       1,125         1,125
 Property held for sale                              582           595

     Total current assets                         66,239        73,284

Long-term investments                             12,144        12,737
Long-term notes receivable                           776           790

Equipment at cost                                  1,320         1,346

 Less accumulated depreciation and
 amortization                                      1,040         1,046
                                                     280           300

Other assets                                         191           191

Total assets                                    $ 79,630      $ 87,302

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
                              
       ACETO CORPORATION AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES
                              
            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                              
               (In thousands except par value)

                                               Dec. 31st   June 30th
                                                  1996        1996
                              
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:
  Drafts and acceptances payable               $    712    $  1,002
  Current installments on long-term debt            250         250
  Accounts payable                                2,185       3,047
  Accrued merchandise purchases                   6,745      11,202
  Accrued compensation                            3,323       3,330
  Accrued environmental liabilities (note 6)      1,526         790
  Other accrued expenses                          2,097       2,055
  Income taxes payable                              385         701
          Total current liabilities              17,223      22,377

Long-term debt, excluding current installments      750       1,000
Deferred income taxes                                14          14
Redeemable preferred stock                          750         750

Shareholders' equity (note 2):
  Common stock,$.01 par value per share;
     Authorized 10,000 shares;
     Issued: Dec., 6,001 shares; June,               60          60
     6,001 shares; outstanding: Dec.,
     4,927 shares; June, 5,188 shares

  Capital in excess of par value                 57,378      57,387
  Retained earnings                              17,897      16,646
                                                 75,335      74,093
   Less:
     Cost of common stock held in treasury;
     Dec.,1,074 shares;  June, 813 shares        14,442      10,932

          Total shareholders' equity             60,893      63,161

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity     $ 79,630    $ 87,302

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
                              
       ACETO CORPORATION AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES
                              
       CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                       (In thousands)
                                                    Six Months Ended
                                                         Dec. 31st.
                                                     1996           1995
Operating activities:
  Net income                                       $ 2,173        $ 3,327
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
     Depreciation and amortization                      85            132
     Effect of market value over original
       option price for options exercised               30             32
     Increase in allowance for doubtful accounts        30             30
     Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
       Decrease (increase) in investments -
        trading securities                            (281)         2,723
       Decrease (increase) in trade accounts
        receivable                                   2,725         (4,301)
       Decrease in other receivables                    24            732
       Decrease in inventories                       5,293          1,023
       Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses          25           (928)
       Decrease in notes receivable                     14             15
       Decrease in drafts and acceptances payable     (290)          (282)
       Increase (decrease) in accounts payable        (862)         1,659
       Decrease in accrued merchandise purchases    (4,457)          (724)
       Increase(decrease)in accrued compensation        (7)           369
       Increase(decrease)in environmental liabilities  736            (84)
       Increase(decrease)in other accrued expenses      42           (417)
       Decrease in income taxes payable               (316)          (790)
Net cash provided by operating activities            4,964          2,516

Investing activities:
  Purchases of investments - held-to-maturity       (4,715)        (2,724)
  Proceeds from investments - held-to-maturity       4,579          2,375
  Purchases of equipment                               (53)            (9)
Net cash used in investing activities                 (189)          (358)

Financing activities:
  Payments of long-term debt                          (250)          (250)
  Payments of cash dividends                          (922)           (38)
  Proceeds from exercise of stock options               87             77
  Payments for purchases of treasury stock          (3,636)        (2,031)
Net cash used in financing activities               (4,721)        (2,242)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents    54            (84)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     5,380          1,644

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period         $ 5,434        $ 1,560

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
                              
    NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Dollars in thousands except amounts and par value per share)

Note 1:

The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 1996 and
the consolidated statements of income and cash flows for the
six months ended December 31, 1996 and 1995 have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles by the Company without audit.  In the opinion of
management, all adjustments (which include only normal
recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the
financial position, results of operations and changes in
cash flows for all periods presented have been made.
Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results
expected for the full year.

These financial statements do not include all disclosures
associated with annual statements.  Accordingly, these
statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's
financial statements and notes thereto contained in the
Company's Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 1996.

Note 2:  Income per Common Share

Income per common and common equivalent share is determined
based on the weighted average number of common and common
equivalent shares outstanding.  Weighted average common
shares outstanding for the quarters ended December 31, 1996
and 1995 were 5,005,000 and 5,282,000 and included common
stock equivalents of 46,000 and 52,000, respectively.
Weighted average common shares outstanding for the six
months ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, were 5,082,000 and
5,317,000 and included common stock equivalents of 50,000
and 50,000, respectively.  Shares issuable upon the assumed
conversion of preferred stock were excluded from the
computations since they were not dilutive during the three
and six month periods.

Note 3:  Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Cash paid for interest and income taxes during the six
months ended December 31, 1996 and 1995 are as follows:

                              1996                 1995

          Interest          $   57               $   81
          Income taxes       3,055                2,871

Note 4:  Marketable Investment Securities

Investments at December 31, 1996 and 1995 consist of U.S.
Treasury, corporate debt and equity securities, and
municipal obligations.  The Company classifies its
investments as either trading or held-to-maturity
securities.  Trading securities are bought and held
principally for the purpose of selling them in the short
term.  Held-to-maturity are those securities in which the
Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity.

Trading securities are recorded at their fair market value
and are classified as short-term investments.  Unrealized
gains and losses on trading securities are included in
earnings.  Dividend and interest income are recognized when
earned.  Held-to-maturity securities are recorded at cost
and are adjusted for the amortization or accretion of
premiums or discounts over the life of the related security.
The cost of held-to-maturity securities approximates their
fair market value.

Short-term investments consisted of $3,147 and $2,866
trading securities and $8,459 and $7,729 held-to-maturity
securities at December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.

Note 5:  Interest and Other Income

                              For Six Months         For Three Months
                                   Ended                   Ended
                                December 31              December 31
                               1996        1995        1996       1995
Dividends                    $    9       $   9       $   9      $   9
Interest on investments         838         750         423        371
Net gain on investments          47          57          50         52
Miscellaneous other
   income                       123          53          67         39
                             $1,017       $ 869       $ 549      $ 471

Note 6:   It is the Company's policy to accrue and charge
against earnings environmental cleanup costs at the time it
is determined that a liability has been incurred and the
amount of that liability can be  reasonably estimated.  On
October 11, 1996 the Company received a report from its
environmental consultant revising the estimate of the
ultimate cost of remediation at the site of its closed
Arsynco, Inc. manufacturing facility.  As a result, the
Company accrued and charged to operations an additional
$800.  As of December 31, 1996 the balance of the current
liability was $1,526.

During the six months ended December 31, 1996, the Company
settled for $225 a complaint by the U.S. Department of
Justice sent to the Company on February 10, 1995.  The
complaint alleged violation of the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) by Pfaltz & Bauer, a then wholly owned
subsidiary located in Waterbury, CT.  This subsidiary was
sold in June 1996.

Both of the above items were recorded in the first quarter
of fiscal June 30, 1997.
                              
      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
             CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES:

The Company's ability to generate cash from operations is
considered adequate to cover both short-term and long-term
liquidity.  At December 31, 1996 and June 30, 1996 cash and
short-term investments totaled $17.0 million and $16.0
million and working capital was $49.0 million and $50.9
million, respectively.  In addition, the Company had liquid
long-term investments of $12.1 million at December 31, 1996
and $12.7 million at June 30, 1996.

The total of cash and cash equivalents, short-term and long-
term investments increased slightly to $29.2 million at
December 31, 1996 from $28.7 million at June 30, 1996.
Although cash provided by operating activities for the six
months ended December 31, 1996 totaled $5.0 million, it was
mostly offset by cash used in financing activities for the
purchase of 272,000 shares of treasury stock at a cost of
$3.6 million and cash dividends paid of $900,000.

The decrease in trade receivables to $22.0 million at
December 31, 1996 from $24.7 million at June 30, 1996 can be
primarily attributed to lower sales during the month ended
December 31, 1996 compared to June 30, 1996.  The decrease
in inventory to $24.9 million at December 31, 1996 from
$30.2 million at June 30, 1996 and the decrease in drafts
payable, accounts payable and accrued merchandise purchases
to $9.6 million at December 31, 1996 from $15.3 million at
June 30, 1996 is due primarily to the timing of merchandise
purchases and were not the result of a change in the trend
of business.  The decrease in income taxes payable to
$400,000 at December 31, 1996 compared to $700,000 at June
30, 1996 related to the timing of estimated tax payments and
lower profits.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS:

Net sales decreased by 14% and 24% during the six and three
months ended December 31, 1996 compared to the same periods
last year.  Lower sales of bulk pharmaceuticals,
pharmaceutical intermediates and agricultural chemicals
accounted for the significant decrease in both periods.
Volume decreased 10% and 14% for the six and three months
ended December 31, 1996 compared to the same periods last
year.  The decrease in sales of bulk pharmaceuticals and
pharmaceutical intermediates, which tend to be higher
priced, as well as price erosion in dyestuff and pigment
intermediates, accounted for the greater decrease in sales
than volume for both periods.

Gross margins as a percentage of sales declined to 12.4% and
13.7% for the six and three months ended December 31, 1996
from 13.0% and 13.9% for the same periods last year.  The
decrease can be primarily attributed to increased
competition in the dyestuff and pigment intermediates
business.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the six
months ended December 31, 1996 decreased by $95,000 or 1%
compared to the same period last year.  An increase of
$800,000 in the amount accrued for environmental remediation
as well as a $225,000 settlement of a complaint by the U.S.
Department of Justice were offset by a decrease in the
amount accrued for additional compensation of $500,000 and
the elimination of selling, general and administrative
expenses of $655,000 from the Company's Pfaltz and Bauer,
Inc. subsidiary which was sold June 19, 1996.  Selling,
general and administrative expenses for the three months
ended December 31, 1996 decreased by $759,000, or 21%,
compared to the same period last year.  During this period,
the aforementioned decreases in additional compensation and
selling, general and administrative expenses at Pfaltz &
Bauer, Inc. accounted for $450,000 and $330,000,
respectively.

Other income increased to $1,017,000 and $549,000 for the
six and three months ended December 31, 1996 from $869,000
and $471,000 for the same periods last year.  In conjunction
with the aforementioned sale of a subsidiary, inventory was
transferred to the new ownership and the Company will
receive a portion of the proceeds of the sale of this
inventory for a period of up to three years.  This totaled
$90,000 and $47,000 for the six and three months ended
December 31, 1996.  Slightly higher cash balances accounted
for a small increase in interest income.

The increase in the effective tax rate for the six months
ended December 31, 1996 to 40.5% from 38.8% compared to the
same period last year was due to the aforementioned
settlement of $225,000, of which a significant portion was
not deductible for tax purposes. The effective tax rate for
the three months ended December 31, 1996 and 1995 equaled
38.4% which approximates the Company's traditional level.

Item 4:   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

During the period covered by this report, at an annual
meeting of stockholders held on December 5, 1996, the matter
of the election of nine directors to hold office until the
next annual meeting of stockholders or until their
successors are elected and qualified, was submitted to a
vote of security-holders, through the solicitation of
proxies pursuant to Regulation 14 under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended.

The nominees for directors were:  Arnold Frankel; Robert E.
Parsont; Samuel I. Hendler; Anthony Baldi; Thomas Brunner;
Donald Horowitz; Leonard Schwartz; Stephen M. Goldstein; and
Robert A. Wiesen.  The election of said nominees was
uncontested.

The following tabulation shows with respect to each such
nominee the number of votes cast for, against or withheld, the
number of abstentions and broker non-votes:

                                     VOTES
                          VOTES    AGAINST OR                      BROKER
NOMINEE                    FOR      WITHHELD    ABSTENTIONS      NON-VOTES

Arnold Frankel          4,698,846     4,433         10,304            -
Robert E. Parsont       4,691,990    11,289         10,304            -
Samuel I. Hendler       4,698,618     4,661         10,304            -
Anthony Baldi           4,698,259     5,020         10,304            -
Thomas Brunner          4,698,846     4,433         10,304            -
Donald Horowitz         4,698,846     4,433         10,304            -
Leonard Schwartz        4,698,846     4,433         10,304            -
Stephen M. Goldstein    4,690,372    12,907         10,304            -
Robert A. Wiesen        4,693,583     9,696         10,304            -

                         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.

ACETO CORPORATION

DATE  February 7, 1997             BY  (signed) / by Donald Horowitz
                                     Donald Horowitz, Chief Financial
                                             Officer

DATE  February 7, 1997             BY  (signed) / by Leonard S. Schwartz
                                     Leonard S. Schwartz, Chief Operating
                                             Officer


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<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                            5434
<SECURITIES>                                     11606
<RECEIVABLES>                                    22221
<ALLOWANCES>                                       237
<INVENTORY>                                      24863
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 66239
<PP&E>                                            1320
<DEPRECIATION>                                    1040
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   79630
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            17223
<BONDS>                                            750
<COMMON>                                            60
                                0
                                        750
<OTHER-SE>                                       60833
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     79630
<SALES>                                          75034
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 75034
<CGS>                                            65724
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    65724
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  58
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   3656
<INCOME-TAX>                                      1483
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               2173
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<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                      2173
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