NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC
10-Q, 1999-12-10
COMPUTER PROCESSING & DATA PREPARATION
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       UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                         FORM 10-Q





[X]  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
     SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended: October 30, 1999

Commission File Number: 0-3713


                 NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Minnesota                            41-0850527
- - -------------------------------           --------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)           Identification Number)


       11000 Prairie Lakes Drive
        Eden Prairie, Minnesota                   55344
- - ----------------------------------------        ----------
(Address of principal executive offices)        (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (612)829-3000

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 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  classes of
common stock, as of the last practicable date:

      The  number  of  shares  of  common  stock,  par  value  $.03  per  share,
      outstanding on December 2, 1999 was 32,004,960.


<PAGE>


PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.  Financial Statements

NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (unaudited)
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED OCTOBER 30, 1999 AND OCTOBER 31, 1998



                                         Third Quarter          Year-to-Date
                                     -------------------    -------------------
                                      (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                       1999       1998        1999        1998
                                     --------   --------    --------   --------
REVENUES
  Information services               $ 91,408   $ 71,586    $260,573   $193,868
  Product sales                        54,312     50,305     147,537    128,370
  Maintenance and support services     17,200     13,517      48,291     39,213
                                     --------   --------    --------   --------
    Total revenues                   $162,920   $135,408    $456,401   $361,451

COST OF REVENUES
  Cost of information services         71,999     58,484     190,990    145,466
  Cost of product sales                19,174     21,204      56,445     54,699
  Cost of maintenance and
    support services                   10,724      8,345      29,648     25,112
                                      --------  --------    --------   --------
    Gross margin                       61,023     47,375     179,318    136,174

OPERATING EXPENSES
  Sales and marketing                  17,613     16,594      53,154     48,174
  Research and development              5,229      3,478      13,642      8,194
  General and administrative           21,958     14,468      62,483     41,296
                                     --------   --------    --------   --------
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS                 16,223     12,835      50,039     38,510


  Interest expense                        158        193         586        726
  Other (income) expense, net              (3)      (216)        322         89
                                     --------   --------    --------   --------
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES             16,068     12,858      49,131     37,695

  Income taxes                          6,500      5,100      19,750     15,100
                                     --------   --------    --------   --------
NET INCOME                           $  9,568     $7,758    $ 29,381   $ 22,595
                                     ========   ========    ========   ========
EARNINGS PER SHARE
  Basic                              $   0.30   $   0.25    $   0.93   $   0.73
  Diluted                            $   0.29   $   0.24    $   0.89   $   0.70

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING
  Basic                                31,784     31,075      31,659     30,959
  Diluted                              33,151     32,648      33,011     32,474


See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.


<PAGE>


NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)




                                          October 30,     January 31,
                                              1999           1999
                                          -----------     -----------
                                                 (In thousands)
ASSETS

CURRENT ASSETS
  Cash and cash equivalents                $ 33,047        $ 16,310
  Receivables                               124,443         128,751
  Inventories:
    Finished products                         5,910           5,096
    Scoring services and work in process     23,924          14,442
    Raw materials and purchased parts         5,779           2,253
                                           --------        --------
      Total inventories                      35,613          21,791

  Prepaid expenses and other                  9,898           7,225
                                           --------        --------
                    TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS    203,001         174,077

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
  Land, buildings and improvements           67,602          63,018
  Machinery and equipment                   182,169         152,414
  Accumulated depreciation                 (126,947)       (109,416)
                                           --------        --------
    Net property, plant and equipment       122,824         106,016

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, NET
  Acquired and internally developed
    software products                        10,119          12,170
  Educational content and
    assessment instruments                   23,998           8,835
                                           --------        --------
    Total intellectual properties            34,117          21,005

OTHER ASSETS, NET
  Goodwill                                   56,441          52,840
  Other assets                                8,680           8,533
                                           --------        --------
    Total other assets                       65,121          61,373
                                           --------        --------
                    TOTAL ASSETS           $425,063        $362,471
                                           ========        ========


See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.


<PAGE>


NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)




                                            October 30,     January 31,
                                                1999           1999
                                            -----------     -----------
                                                  (In thousands)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

CURRENT LIABILITIES
  Current maturities of long-term debt        $  2,004       $  3,758
  Accounts payable                              34,674         35,809
  Accrued expenses                              70,300         51,779
  Deferred income                               48,553         32,209
  Income taxes                                   1,307          3,883
                                              --------       --------
               TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES       156,838        127,438

LONG-TERM DEBT -- less current maturities        5,179          5,597

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES                            6,417          2,570

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES                        -              -

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
  Preferred stock                                    -              -
  Common stock--issued and outstanding -
  31,946 and 31,467 shares, respectively           957            944
  Paid-in capital                               15,491         10,760
  Retained earnings                            245,233        220,625
  Accumulated other comprehensive income -
    Foreign currency translation adjustment     (2,960)        (3,880)
  Deferred compensation                         (2,092)        (1,583)
                                              --------       --------
               TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY      256,629        226,866
                                              --------       --------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY    $425,063       $362,471
                                              ========       ========


See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.


<PAGE>


NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited)
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED OCTOBER 30, 1999 AND OCTOBER 31, 1998



                                                        Year-to-Date
                                                  ------------------------
                                                    1999            1998
                                                  --------        --------
                                                       (In thousands)
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
  Net income                                      $ 29,381        $ 22,595
  Depreciation, amortization and other
    noncash expenses                                28,219          24,271
  Provision for deferred income taxes                 (785)         (1,265)
  Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
    Accounts receivable                              6,405           6,573
    Inventory and other current assets             (16,249)         (6,616)
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses           13,208           9,879
    Deferred income                                 12,618           4,688
                                                  --------        --------
      Net cash provided by operating activities     72,797          60,125

INVESTING ACTIVITIES
  Purchases of property, plant and equipment       (25,459)        (16,688)
  Purchases of business systems                     (6,443)         (5,429)
  Acquisitions, net                                (19,034         (15,760)
  Other, net                                          (330)         (2,225)
                                                  --------        --------
      Net cash used in investing activities        (51,266)        (40,102)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES
  Net repayment of borrowings                       (1,072)         (6,025)
  Issuance of common stock, net                      1,051             549
  Dividends paid                                    (4,773)         (4,670)
                                                  --------        --------
      Net cash used by financing activities         (4,794)        (10,146)
                                                  --------        --------
Increase in cash and cash equivalents               16,737           9,877

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS - beginning of period     16,310          23,267
                                                  --------        --------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS - end of period         $ 33,047        $ 33,144
                                                  ========        ========


See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.


<PAGE>


NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note A - The accompanying  unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements have been
prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not
include  all the  information  and  footnotes  required  by  generally  accepted
accounting  principles  for  complete  financial  statements.  In the opinion of
management,  all adjustments  (which include only normal recurring  adjustments)
necessary to present  fairly the  consolidated  financial  position,  results of
operations  and cash  flows  for all  periods  presented  have  been  made.  The
consolidated results of operations for the period ended October 30, 1999 are not
necessarily  indicative  of the  operating  results that may be expected for the
entire fiscal year ending  January 29, 2000. For further  information,  refer to
the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements and footnotes  thereto  included in the
National Computer Systems, Inc. and Subsidiaries' Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended January 31, 1999.

Note B -  Effective  February  1, 1999,  the  Company  adopted a 4-4-5,  13-week
quarterly  accounting  cycle with the fiscal year ending on the Saturday nearest
to January 31. The four fiscal  quarters in the current  year will end on May 1,
1999,  July 31, 1999,  October 30, 1999 and January 29, 2000. The impact of this
change in the Company's  quarterly and annual financial  results in 1999 will be
insignificant.

Note C - The following table is a reconciliation  of the earnings  numerator and
the  weighted-average  shares  denominator used in the calculations of basic and
diluted earnings per share (in thousands, except per share data):


                                          Third Quarter         Year-to-Date
                                       --------------------  ------------------
                                          1999      1998       1999      1998
                                       ---------  ---------  --------  --------
Earnings:
  Net income for
    basic earnings per share             $ 9,568   $ 7,758    $29,381   $22,595

  Adjustments for dilutive securities:
    Interest expense on convertible
      debentures, net of tax                  42        56        126       161
                                         -------   -------    -------   -------
  Adjusted net income for diluted
    earnings per share                   $ 9,610   $ 7,814    $29,507   $22,756
                                         =======   =======    =======   =======
Weighted Average Share:
  Basic average shares                    31,784    31,075     31,659    30,959
  Adjustments for dilutive securities:
    Employee stock options, net of
      tax proceeds                           959       971        933       923
    Contingent stock awards, net of
      tax proceeds                            25        94         33        83
    Convertible debentures                   383       508        386       509
                                         -------   -------    -------   -------
Diluted average shares                    33,151    32,648     33,011    32,474
                                         =======   =======    =======   =======
Basic earnings per share                 $  0.30   $  0.25    $  0.93   $  0.73
                                         =======   =======    =======   =======
Diluted earnings per share               $  0.29   $  0.24    $  0.89   $  0.70
                                         =======   =======    =======   =======

Note D - The Company has  10,000,000  shares of $.01 par value  Preferred  Stock
authorized of which none is  outstanding.  100,000,000  shares of $.03 par value
Common Stock are authorized.

Note E - The  components  of  comprehensive  income  for the 1999 and 1998 third
quarter and year-to-date are as follows (in thousands):


                                          Third Quarter       Year-to-Date
                                       ------------------   ----------------
                                        1999      1998       1999      1998
                                       ------    ------     ------    ------

      Net income                      $ 9,568   $ 7,758    $29,381   $22,595
      Foreign currency translation
        adjustments                      (200)     (872)      (920)   (1,633)
                                       ------    ------     ------    ------
      Comprehensive income            $ 9,368   $ 6,886    $28,461   $20,962
                                      =======   =======    =======   =======

Note F - As  previously  disclosed,  the  Company  was served with a summons and
complaint  in a lawsuit  filed  against  the Company by a former  customer.  The
lawsuit  alleges  certain claims against the Company in connection  with certain
loan processing and servicing agreements and seeks out-of-pocket  damages,  lost
profits and  compensation for  extraordinary  defaults and lost interest that it
claims resulted from breaches of these  agreements by the Company.  The customer
also  seeks to have the  Company  acquire  certain  student  loans  with  unpaid
principal,  interest and late charges,  which loans it claims are, or have been,
in default  and were  incorrectly  processed  or serviced  by the  Company.  The
Company  has  tendered  the defense of the claims to its insurer and the insurer
accepted the defense  subject to a reservation of rights.  The Company has filed
an answer to the  complaint  denying  the  claims,  and the  Company  intends to
vigorously  defend  against the lawsuit.  In  addition,  the Company has filed a
counterclaim  against  the former  customer  and a corporate  affiliate  seeking
compensatory  damages and  contribution  and  indemnity.  The  Company  does not
believe that the outcome of this litigation  would result in a material  adverse
effect  on  the  Company's   consolidated   financial  position  or  results  of
operations.

Note G - On May 28, 1999 the Company acquired NovaNET Learning,  Inc. (NovaNET),
an interactive,  online  curriculum  content  company.  The transaction has been
accounted for as a purchase,  and, accordingly,  NovaNET's operations subsequent
to the closing date are consolidated with the Company's.  The purchase price was
$19.0 million in cash and has been primarily  allocated to  educational  content
($16.3  million),  goodwill  ($7.1 million) and deferred taxes ($4.6 million) in
accordance  with SFAS 109,  Accounting  for Income  Taxes.  The  transaction  is
expected to add approximately $15 million to revenues and be slightly  accretive
to consolidated earnings of the Company in fiscal 1999.

Note H - The  Company has five  reportable  business  segments;  the table below
presents information by segment.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                  Assessments   Education                  Data
                                   & Testing    Software &    NCS       Collection
                                   Services     Services    Services      Systems   International    Totals
                                  -----------  -----------  ----------  ---------- --------------  ---------
<S>                                <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>

Third Quarter Ended 10/30/99

  Revenues                         $ 51,211     $ 42,182     $29,146      $24,902      $15,479      $162,920

  Income from operations              2,847        7,744       4,221        8,268        1,491        24,571


Third Quarter Ended 10/31/98

  Revenues                         $ 46,041     $ 33,073     $22,207      $23,576      $10,511      $135,408

  Income from operations              3,390        3,480       2,397        7,669          770        17,706



Year-to-Date through 10/30/99

  Revenues                         $137,068     $114,989     $98,380      $67,555      $38,409      $456,401

  Income from operations             22,175       14,647      14,503       19,244        3,469        74,038


Year-to-Date through 10/31/98

  Revenues                         $118,131     $ 81,173     $66,636      $62,311      $33,200      $361,451

  Income from operations             20,585        6,596       6,914       15,484        2,202        51,781

</TABLE>


The  difference  for  Income  from  operations  between  segment  totals and the
Company's  consolidated  totals  consist of central  general and  administrative
expenses  and  non-operating  expenses,  none  of  which  are  allocated  to the
segments.

<PAGE>


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

National  Computer  Systems,  Inc.  is a  global  information  services  company
providing  software,  services and systems for the  collection,  management  and
interpretation  of data. The Company  markets these products and services to the
education,  commercial,  and  government  markets  through  its  five  operating
segments.

Recap of 1999 Third Quarter Results

For the quarter  ended  October 30,  1999,  total  revenues  increased  by $27.5
million or 20.3% from the quarter ended  October 31, 1998.  Overall gross margin
increased 2.5% as a percent of revenue, and gross margin dollars increased $13.6
million or 28.8%.  Income from operations  increased $3.4 million or 26.4%.  Net
income increased 23.3%, and earnings per share (diluted) increased 20.8% to $.29
per share from $.24 in the prior year third quarter.

On a year-to-date basis, total revenues increased by $95.0 million or 26.3% over
the same period in the prior year.  Overall  gross  margin  increased  1.6% as a
percent of revenue,  and gross margin dollars  increased $43.1 million or 31.7%.
Income from operations year-to-date increased $11.5 million or 29.9%. Net income
increased  30.0%,  and earnings per share (diluted)  increased 27.1% to $.89 per
share from $.70 in the prior year.

Revenues

Increases in revenues for the three-month and year-to-date periods ended October
30, 1999 and October 31, 1998 by revenue category were as follows:

                                           Quarter    Year-to-date
                                           -------    ------------
        Information services                +27.7%       +34.4%
        Product sales                       + 8.0%       +14.9%
        Maintenance and support services    +27.2%       +23.2%

          Overall                           +20.3%       +26.3%

Of the $27.5 million of overall  revenue  increase in the third quarter of 1999,
72% was  attributable  to growth in  information  services (70% of $95.0 million
year-to-date).  For both the third  quarter and  year-to-date,  growth came from
several  sources:  assessment  and testing  services,  government and commercial
outsourcing, and professional services related to education software.

Third  quarter  increases  in product  sales  came  principally  from  education
software  licensing,  with increased sales in existing  products and the NovaNET
acquisition  offsetting  a third  quarter  decline  in network  hardware  sales.
Increased  maintenance  and support  services  revenues  were also the result of
increased support revenues from education software.

By major  market,  for the third  quarter,  revenues grew 18% from the education
market and 28% from the large scale data management (non-education) market. On a
year-to-date  basis,  the  increases  were  27%  from  education  and  25%  from
non-education.

Cost of Revenues and Gross Margins

For the third quarter the Company's overall gross margin as a percent of revenue
increased  by 2.5%,  with  improvement  in each  revenue  category  (information
services, product sales, and maintenance and support services) in dollars and as
a percentage of revenue, except for a minor decrease in the gross margin percent
for  maintenance  and  support  services  revenues.  This  improvement  reflects
increased  efficiency  of  service  and  product  delivery  at  higher  volumes.
Similarly, positive variances were seen in gross margins related to each revenue
category on a year-to-date  basis,  both in dollars and  percentages.

Operating Expenses

Sales and marketing expenses increased $1.0 million or 6.1% in the quarter ended
October  30,  1999,  over the prior  year  third  quarter.  As a  percentage  of
revenues,  third quarter sales and marketing expenses declined by 1.4 percentage
points,  due primarily to the  relatively  lower selling costs  associated  with
information  services  revenues.  On a year-to-date  basis,  these expenses grew
10.3%,  but  decreased  1.7  percentage  points  as  a  percentage  of  revenue,
reflecting the same trend as in the third quarter.

Research and  development  costs increased $1.8 million to $5.2 million (or 50%)
in the  quarter  ended  October  30,  1999 as  compared  to the prior  year (and
increased 66% on a year-to-date basis), reflecting more research and development
spending in several areas,  but  particularly in test processing  technology and
education software  products.  For the full year, these expenses are expected to
continue  at higher  levels for fiscal  1999 than  fiscal  1998,  as the Company
continues these investments.

General and administrative expenses increased $7.5 million for the quarter ended
October  30,  1999 from the prior year  quarter.  As a  percentage  of  revenue,
general and administrative expense increased 2.8 percentage points from 10.7% to
13.5%.  On a year-to-date  basis the increase was $21.2  million,  from 11.4% of
revenues to 13.7%.  These  expenses  increased  due to general  growth and costs
related  to  an  improvement   of  the  Company's   employee   benefit   package
(particularly  vacation),  variable  compensation  accrued  because of favorable
operating results, increases in internal management information systems, and the
NovaNET acquisition.

Non-operating Expenses

Interest  expense for both the third quarter and  year-to-date  decreased due to
lower average  borrowing levels.  Other expense,  net, was insignificant for all
periods presented.

Provision for Income Taxes

The effective income tax rate was a constant 40% for all periods presented.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

For the nine-month  period ended October 30, 1999, the Company  generated  $72.8
million of cash flow from  operating  activities as compared to $60.1 million in
the same period of the prior year. Cash was used principally to fund the NovaNET
acquisition  of $19.0 million,  investments in property,  plant and equipment of
$25.5 million and business systems of $6.4 million, and to pay dividends of $4.8
million.  The Company expects for the remainder of fiscal 1999 that its positive
cash flows from  operations  will be adequate to fund its normal  financing  and
investing  activities.  In addition,  the Company generally  anticipates funding
internal  growth and  acquisitions  with its cash and cash  equivalents on hand,
excess cash flows from operations, and an existing revolving credit facility.

Impact of Year 2000

Many currently  installed computer systems and software are coded to accept only
two-digit  entries in the date code fields.  These date code fields will need to
accept  four-digit  entries to distinguish  21st century dates from 20th century
dates. This problem could result in system failures or  miscalculations  causing
disruptions of business operations  (including,  among other things, a temporary
inability  to process  transactions,  send  invoices or engage in other  similar
business activities). As a result, many companies' computer systems and software
will  need to be  upgraded  or  replaced  in  order to  comply  with  Year  2000
requirements. The potential global impact of the Year 2000 problem is not known,
and, if not corrected in a timely manner,  could affect the Company and the U.S.
and world economy generally.

The Company's product  development  processes have included Year 2000 compliance
verification  for all current and future  products.  The Company believes all of
its currently supported products are Year 2000 compliant.

The Company has a full-time Year 2000 program  leader and a team  (consisting of
representatives  from  each of its  business  units)  to  address  internal  and
external  Year 2000 issues.  The  Company's  internal  financial  and other "IT"
computer  systems have been reviewed to assess and remediate Year 2000 problems,
as have other "non-IT" systems such as security,  HVAC and telephone systems. In
addition,  executive  management  regularly monitors the status of the Company's
Year 2000  remediation  plans.  The Company's Year 2000  compliance  program has
included the following  phases:  identifying  systems with date sensitive points
that will need to be addressed;  carrying out  remediation  work to modify those
systems or convert to new systems;  conducting validation testing of systems and
applications to ensure compliance; and transition preparedness activities. As of
October 30, 1999,  the Company  believes  its Year 2000 effort is  substantially
complete, with the exception of transition activities described below.

Through  October 30,  1999,  the Company has spent  approximately  $6.5  million
addressing Year 2000 issues ($1.5 million in fiscal 1997, $3.3 million in fiscal
1998, and $1.7 million thus far in fiscal 1999.) The Company expects to incur an
additional  $0.3 million of Year 2000  expenses  during the  remainder of fiscal
1999. These costs are below original estimates and consist primarily of internal
resources,  with relatively minor external costs. All amounts are being expensed
currently  and  are  included  in  the  Company's  future  operating  plans  and
expectations. In addition, the Company has also made, and will continue to make,
significant  capital  investments  to enhance its internal  business and service
delivery systems.  However, these investments are not driven principally by Year
2000 considerations.

The Company has  requested  assurances  from its major  suppliers  that they are
addressing  the Year 2000 issue and that products  purchased by the Company from
such suppliers will function properly in the Year 2000. Also, contacts have been
made with the  Company's  major  customers.  These  actions are intended to help
mitigate the possible external impact of the Year 2000 problem.  However,  it is
impossible to fully assess the potential consequences to the Company of the Year
2000 problem in the event service  interruptions  from suppliers occur or in the
event that there are  disruptions  in such  infrastructure  areas as  utilities,
communications, transportation, banking and government.

The Company believes it will not experience any material  disruption as a result
of  Year  2000  problems  in  internal  processes,   information  processing  or
interfaces with major customers, or with processing orders and billing. However,
if certain critical  third-party  providers,  such as those providers  supplying
electricity,  water or telephone service,  experience  difficulties resulting in
disruption of service to the Company, a shutdown of the Company's  operations at
individual facilities could occur for the duration of the disruption.  While the
Company  currently  believes  such  disruptions  of basic  services and facility
shutdowns are unlikely,  there can be no absolute  assurance  that they will not
occur.

The Company  believes that the most likely worst case Year 2000 scenario will be
that NCS products do not operate  properly for  customers who have not installed
Year 2000  compliant  versions of NCS  products  or have not  updated  their own
computing platform or network infrastructure to be operational in the Year 2000.
The Company has  developed,  and  continues to refine,  transition  preparedness
plans to respond to a  significantly  increased  number of customer calls at all
its support locations to address these Year 2000 problems.  The Company has also
developed contingency plans to provide for continuity of processing in Year 2000
based on the outcome of its validation phase of its Year 2000 compliance program
and the results of surveying  its major  suppliers  and  customers.  Assuming no
major disruption in service from utility companies or other critical third-party
providers,  the Company  believes  that it will be able to manage its total Year
2000  transition  without  any  material  effect on the  Company's  consolidated
results of operations or financial condition.

The  statements  which are not  historical  or current  facts or are  "goals" or
"expectations" contained in this report constitute "forward-looking" statements,
as  defined  in the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995 and are
subject to certain risks and  uncertainties  that could cause actual  results to
differ materially.  The Cautionary Statements filed by the Company as Exhibit 99
to the  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  January  31,  1999,  are
incorporated herein by reference, and stockholders and prospective investors are
specifically  referred to such Cautionary Statements for a discussion of factors
which could  affect the  Company's  operations  and  forward-looking  statements
contained herein.


<PAGE>


PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

    (a)  Exhibits.
         27.  Financial Data Schedule

    (b)  No reports on Form 8-K were filed for the three  months  ended  October
         30, 1999.



                                  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.


                                  NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.



                                  /s/ Jeffrey W. Taylor
                                  ---------------------------
                                   Jeffrey W. Taylor
                                   Vice President and
                                     Chief Financial Officer



Dated:  December 10, 1999


<PAGE>




                                    FORM 10-Q
                         NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.
                 FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED OCTOBER 30, 1999


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



          EXHIBIT

          27     Financial Data Schedule.



<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                          5
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary information extracted from the financial
statements for National Computer Systems, Inc. and Subsidiaries, for
the fiscal year ended January 29, 2000, and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>                                                       1000
<CURRENCY>                                         U.S. Dollars

<S>                                                <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                      3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  JAN-29-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                     AUG-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                       OCT-30-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                    1
<CASH>                                                            33047
<SECURITIES>                                                          0
<RECEIVABLES>                                                    124443
<ALLOWANCES>                                                          0
<INVENTORY>                                                       35613
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   9898
<PP&E>                                                           249772
<DEPRECIATION>                                                  (126947)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                   425063
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                            156838
<BONDS>                                                               0
                                                 0
                                                           0
<COMMON>                                                            957
<OTHER-SE>                                                       255671
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                                     425063
<SALES>                                                           54312
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                                 162920
<CGS>                                                             35138
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                                    101897
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                                  44800
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                                      0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                  158
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                                   16068
<INCOME-TAX>                                                       6500
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                                9568
<DISCONTINUED>                                                        0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                       0
<CHANGES>                                                             0
<NET-INCOME>                                                       9568
<EPS-BASIC>                                                      0.30
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                      0.29





</TABLE>


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