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Exhibit 13
1999 Annual Report
Management's Discussion and Analysis
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Forward-Looking Statements
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This Annual Report, including Management's Discussion and Analysis,
the Letter to Stockholders and Operations, contain forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements. Words such as "expects", "believes", "estimates",
"plans" or similar expressions are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based
on the Company's current views and assumptions and involve risks and
uncertainties that include, but not limited to: the ability to
develop, market and manufacture new innovative products
competitively, the ability of the Company's suppliers to produce and
deliver materials competitively, and the ability to limit the amount
of the negative effect on operating results caused by pricing
pressures.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
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The Company's cash balances in excess of operating requirements are
currently invested in money market accounts. These money market
accounts are subject to interest rate risk and interest income will
fluctuate in relation to general money market rates. Based on the
cash and cash equivalent balance at December 31, 1999, and assuming
the balance was totally invested in money market instruments for the
full year, a hypothetical 1% decline in interest rates would result
in an approximate $31,000 decrease in interest income.
The Company's investment in marketable equity securities, which are
classified as available-for-sale, represents 517,527 shares of
MetroWest Bank common stock and are subject to equity price risk.
These securities are recorded on the balance sheet at fair market
value with unrealized gains (losses) reported as a separate component
of stockholders' equity under the caption "accumulated other
comprehensive income". Accordingly, while a hypothetical 10% decline
in the market value of these securities would reduce total assets by
approximately $307,000, this decrease would not have an effect on the
statement of operations unless the securities were actually sold.
The Company purchases certain inventory from and sells product to
foreign countries. As these activities are currently transacted in
U.S. dollars, they are not subject to foreign currency exchange
risk. However, significant fluctuation in the currencies where the
Company purchases inventory or sell product could make the U.S.
dollar equivalent of such transactions more or less favorable to the
Company and the other involved parties.
