PARAGON TRADE BRANDS INC
11-K, 1998-06-29
CONVERTED PAPER & PAPERBOARD PRODS (NO CONTANERS/BOXES)
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 11-K

                 ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



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

               For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997

[   ]   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                  For the transition period from _____ to _____

                         Commission file number 1-11368

A.      Full title  of the plan  and the  address of the plan, if different from
        that of the issuer named below:

               PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN

B.      Name of  issuer  of the  securities  held  pursuant  to the plan and the
        address of its principal executive office:

               Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.
               180 Technology Parkway
               Norcross, Georgia  30092















                                                                    Page 1 of 19
                                                        Exhibit index at Page 17


<PAGE>


                                    I. REPORT

Financial  Statements  and  Schedules  as of December  31, 1997 and December 31,
1996, Together With Auditors' Report,  Prepared in Accordance With the Financial
Reporting Requirements of ERISA.




                                       2
<PAGE>




                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN

                       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES
                        AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1996
                                  TOGETHER WITH
                                AUDITORS' REPORT




                                       3
<PAGE>




                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN

                       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES
                           DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1996






                                TABLE OF CONTENTS



REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        Statement of Net Assets Available for Benefits, With Fund  Information--
        December 31, 1997

        Statement of Net Assets Available for Benefits, With Fund  Information--
        December 31, 1996

        Statement of  Changes in  Net  Assets  Available for Benefits, With Fund
        Information, for the Year Ended December 31, 1997


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES


SCHEDULES SUPPORTING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        Schedule I:  Item 27a--Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes--
                     December 31, 1997

        Schedule II: Item 27d--Schedule of Reportable  Transactions for the Year
                     Ended December 31, 1997





                                       4
<PAGE>



                    REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS



To the Plan Administrator of the
Paragon Retirement Investment
Savings Management Plan:


We  have  audited  the  accompanying  statements  of net  assets  available  for
benefits,  with fund information,  of the PARAGON RETIREMENT  INVESTMENT SAVINGS
MANAGEMENT  PLAN as of December  31, 1997 and 1996 and the related  statement of
changes in net assets  available for benefits,  with fund  information,  for the
year ended  December 31, 1997.  These  financial  statements  and the  schedules
referred  to  below  are  the  responsibility  of  the  Plan's  management.  Our
responsibility  is to  express  an opinion  on these  financial  statements  and
schedules based on our audits.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles  used and  significant  estimates  made by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,  the financial  statements  referred to above present fairly, in
all  material  respects,  the net assets  available  for benefits of the Paragon
Retirement  Investment  Savings Management Plan as of December 31, 1997 and 1996
and the  changes in its net assets  available  for  benefits  for the year ended
December 31, 1997 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

Our audits  were  performed  for the  purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedules of assets held
for investment  purposes and reportable  transactions are presented for purposes
of  additional  analysis  and are not a  required  part of the  basic  financial
statements but are supplementary information required by the Department of Labor
Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement
Income  Security Act of 1974.  The fund  information  in the  statements  of net
assets  available  for  benefits  and the  statement  of  changes  in net assets
available for benefits is presented for purposes of additional  analysis  rather
than to present the net assets  available for benefits and changes in net assets
available  for  benefits  of each  fund.  The  supplemental  schedules  and fund
information have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits
of the basic financial  statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all
material  respects  in  relation to the basic  financial  statements  taken as a
whole.

As discussed in Note 6 to the accompanying  financial statements,  Paragon Trade
Brands,  Inc.,  the plan  sponsor,  filed a voluntary  petition for relief under
Chapter 11 of the U.S.  Bankruptcy Code. The accompanying  financial  statements
have been  prepared  assuming  that the Paragon  Retirement  Investment  Savings
Management Plan will continue as a going concern.  However,  because of the plan
sponsor's  Chapter 11 filing,  there is substantial doubt about whether the Plan
will continue as a going concern.  The accompanying  financial statements do not
include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.


Arthur Andersen LLP

Atlanta, Georgia
April 17, 1998


                                       5
<PAGE>




                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN


      STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, WITH FUND INFORMATION
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                    PARTICIPANT-DIRECTED
                              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               VANGUARD    
                                INDEX    VANGUARD                          VANGUARD     VANGUARD   VANGUARD  VANGUARD   PARAGON   
                              SMALL CAP  WELLESLEY   VANGUARD                U.S.     INTERNATIONAL  BOND   INVESTMENT   COMMON
                                STOCK     INCOME    INDEX 500   VANGUARD    GROWTH       GROWTH     INDEX    CONTRACT    STOCK
                              PORTFOLIO    FUND     PORTFOLIO  WINDSOR II    FUND         FUND       FUND      TRUST      FUND
                              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>      <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>
ASSETS:
   Investments, at fair
     value:
     Registered investment
       companies               $20,205  $2,062,099   $3,866,548  $3,608,548  $3,293,953   $444,531   $610,084  $725,215   $       0
     Company stock fund              0           0            0           0           0          0          0         0   3,839,594
     Participant loans               0           0            0           0           0          0          0         0           0
                               -------  ----------   ----------  ----------  ----------   --------   --------  --------   ---------
                                20,205   2,062,099    3,866,548   3,608,548   3,293,953    444,531    610,084   725,215   3,839,594
   Employee contributions
     receivable                    410      24,380       34,349      34,122      33,688      8,803      6,932     6,510       8,676
   Employer contributions
     receivable                    146       9,363       12,794      13,185      12,488      2,991      2,875     2,564       4,463
   Loan payments receivable         65       4,310        4,096       5,036       3,707      1,346      1,204       987       1,101
                               -------  ----------   ----------  ----------  ----------   --------   --------  --------   ---------
          Total assets          20,826   2,100,152    3,917,787   3,660,891   3,343,836    457,671    621,095   735,276   3,853,834

LIABILITIES:
   Refunds payable to 
     participants                  192       1,578        1,626       3,326       4,377        523         32       305       1,881
                               -------  ----------   ----------  ----------  ----------   --------   --------  --------   ---------
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR
   BENEFITS                    $20,634  $2,098,574   $3,916,161  $3,657,565  $3,339,459   $457,148   $621,063  $734,971  $3,851,953 
                               =======  ==========   ==========  ==========  ==========   ========   ========  ========  ==========
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 LOAN
                                 FUND      TOTAL
                               --------  ---------
<S>                            <C>       <C>
ASSETS:
   Investments, at fair
     value:
     Registered investment
       companies               $      0  $14,631,183
     Company stock fund               0    3,839,594
     Participant loans          624,854      624,854
                               --------  -----------
                                624,854   19,095,631
   Employee contributions
     receivable                       0      157,870
    Employer contributions
     receivable                       0       60,869
   Loan payments receivable     (21,852)           0
                               --------  -----------
          Total assets          603,002   19,314,370

LIABILITIES:
   Refunds payable to 
     participants                     0       13,840
                               --------  -----------
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR
   BENEFITS                    $603,002  $19,300,530
                               ========  ===========
</TABLE>

         The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.




                                       6
<PAGE>





                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN


      STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS, WITH FUND INFORMATION
                                DECEMBER 31, 1996

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                    PARTICIPANT-DIRECTED
                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 
                              VANGUARD                          VANGUARD     VANGUARD   VANGUARD  VANGUARD   PARAGON        
                              WELLESLEY   VANGUARD                U.S.     INTERNATIONAL  BOND   INVESTMENT   COMMON
                               INCOME    INDEX 500   VANGUARD    GROWTH       GROWTH     INDEX    CONTRACT    STOCK  
                                FUND     PORTFOLIO  WINDSOR II    FUND         FUND       FUND      TRUST      FUND   
                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>        <C>          <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>     
ASSETS:
   Investments, at fair value:
     Registered investment
       companies               $1,589,138 $2,392,082   $2,578,130 $2,456,768  $447,328   $489,067  $703,973   $        0 
     Company stock fund                 0          0            0          0         0          0         0    6,584,701          
     Participant loans                  0          0            0          0         0          0         0            0    
                               ---------- ----------   ---------- ----------  --------   --------  --------    ---------     
                                1,589,138  2,392,082    2,578,130  2,456,768   447,328    489,067   703,973    6,584,701     
   Employee contributions
     receivable                    25,332     26,889       25,994     26,479     6,337      7,426     7,939       10,989      
   Employer contributions
     receivable                         0          0            0          0         0          0         0    2,043,863      
   Loan payments receivable         2,552      1,754        2,183      1,649       739        681       440        3,235    
                               ---------- ----------   ---------- ----------  --------   --------  --------    ---------    
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR 
  BENEFITS                     $1,617,022 $2,420,725   $2,606,307 $2,484,896  $454,404   $497,174  $712,352   $8,642,788    
                               ========== ==========   ========== ==========  ========   ========  ========   ==========    
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                   
                                LOAN
                                FUND         TOTAL                       
                              ------------------------
<S>                            <C>         <C>
ASSETS:
   Investments, at fair value:
     Registered investment    
       companies                 $      0  $10,656,486                                                                           
     Company stock fund                 0    6,584,701
     Participant loans            389,211      389,211
                                 --------  -----------
                                  389,211   17,630,398
   Employee contributions
     receivable                         0      137,385
   Employer contributions
     receivable                         0    2,043,863
   Loan payments receivable       (13,233)           0
                                 --------  -----------
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR 
  BENEFITS                       $375,978  $19,811,646
                                 ========  ===========
</TABLE>


         The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.



                                       7
<PAGE>



                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN

           STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS,
                             WITH FUND INFORMATION,
                      FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                    PARTICIPANT-DIRECTED
                              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              VANGUARD    
                               INDEX     VANGUARD                           VANGUARD     VANGUARD   VANGUARD  VANGUARD    PARAGON 
                              SMALL CAP  WELLESLEY   VANGUARD                  U.S.   INTERNATIONAL   BOND   INVESTMENT    COMMON
                                STOCK     INCOME    INDEX 500    VANGUARD    GROWTH       GROWTH     INDEX    CONTRACT     STOCK   
                              PORTFOLIO    FUND     PORTFOLIO   WINDSOR II    FUND         FUND       FUND      TRUST       FUND  
                              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>      <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>       

NET ASSETS, BEGINNING OF YEAR  $     0  $1,617,022  $2,420,725  $2,606,307  $2,484,896  $454,404   $497,174   $712,352   $8,642,788 
                               -------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  --------   --------   --------   ----------
   Sources:
     Employee contributions        363     314,181     362,546     381,883     379,481    93,477     95,168     88,365      174,494 
     Employer contributions        185      18,858      14,638      21,742      24,996     6,381      5,861      5,291      461,220 
     Rollovers                       0       2,951      49,644      27,323      23,226     6,169      6,807      2,098       21,330 
     Loan payments                 123      42,732      38,846      44,952      37,581    13,771     11,965      9,326       53,299 
     Investment income             807     226,312      76,806     323,025     126,957    18,943     35,258     39,630            0 
     Appreciation (depreciation)
       in fair value of assets    (744)    114,150     807,098     538,718     530,724    (5,503)    14,898          0   (4,031,949)
     Interfund transfers        20,001     127,975     830,807     328,748     239,991    91,793     53,342    134,074      350,236
                               -------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  --------   --------   --------   ---------- 
                                20,735     847,159   2,180,385   1,666,391   1,362,956   225,031    223,299    278,784   (2,971,370)
                               -------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  --------   --------   --------   ---------- 
Uses:
     Benefit withdrawals             0     178,598     444,772     338,538     271,866    71,351     45,677    122,871      381,130
     Loan withdrawals                0     103,042      77,643     100,712      79,033    21,345     20,081     34,932       63,727
     Fees and expenses             101       1,976       3,304       4,636       7,363     2,445        190        988       18,222
     Interfund transfers             0      81,991     159,230     171,247     150,131   127,146     33,462     97,374    1,356,386
                               -------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  --------   --------   --------   ----------
                                   101     365,607     684,949     615,133     508,393   222,287     99,410    256,165    1,819,465 
                               -------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  --------   --------   --------   ----------
NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR        $20,634   $2,098,574 $3,916,161  $3,657,565  $3,339,459  $457,148   $621,063   $734,971   $3,851,953
                               =======   ========== ==========  ==========  ==========  ========   ========   ========   ========== 
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                LOAN
                                FUND         TOTAL
                              -----------------------
<S>                            <C>        <C>

NET ASSETS, BEGINNING OF YEAR  $375,978   $19,811,646
                               --------   -----------
   Sources:
     Employee contributions           0     1,889,958
     Employer contributions           0       559,172
     Rollovers                        0       139,548
     Loan payments             (252,595)            0
     Investment income           41,720       889,458
     Appreciation (depreciation)
       in fair value of assets        0    (2,032,608)
     Interfund transfers              0     2,176,967
                               --------   -----------
                               (210,875)    3,622,495
                               --------   -----------
   Uses:
     Benefit withdrawals         62,616     1,917,419
     Loan withdrawals          (500,515)            0
     Fees and expenses                0        39,225
     Interfund transfers              0     2,176,967
                               --------   -----------
                               (437,899)    4,133,611
                               --------   -----------
NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR        $603,002   $19,300,530
                               ========   ===========  
</TABLE>

         The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.



                                       8
<PAGE>




                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN


                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES
                           DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1996



1.      PLAN DESCRIPTION

        The following  description of the Paragon Retirement  Investment Savings
        Management  Plan  (the  "Plan")  is  provided  for  general  information
        purposes  only.  Participants  should refer to the plan  agreement for a
        more comprehensive description of the Plan's provisions.

        GENERAL

        The Plan is a defined  contribution  plan  established  by Paragon Trade
        Brands,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  under the provisions of Sections 401(a)
        and 401(k) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code  ("IRC"),  for the benefit of
        eligible employees of the Company. The Plan is subject to the provisions
        of the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974  ("ERISA"),  as
        amended.

        The Paragon Profit  Sharing Plan ("Profit  Sharing Plan") was originally
        adopted effective the closing date of the initial public offering of the
        shares of common  stock of the Company in January  1993 by  Weyerhaeuser
        Company.  The Paragon 401(k) Savings Plan ("401(k) Plan") was originally
        adopted effective February 2, 1993 by the Company.  Effective October 1,
        1993,  the  Profit  Sharing  Plan and the  401(k)  Plan were  merged and
        restated as the Plan.  Effective  January 1, 1995,  the plan was renamed
        the Paragon Retirement Investment Savings Management Plan.

        ELIGIBILITY

        All regular  employees  of the Company  who have  completed  one year of
        service are eligible to  participate  in the Plan,  except for employees
        covered by a collective  bargaining  agreement that does not provide for
        participation in the Plan, employees who are nonresident aliens and earn
        no  U.S.-source  income,  employees  classified as bag  stickering,  and
        hourly paid administrative employees.  Effective January 1, 1996, former
        employees of Pope & Talbot,  Inc.  received  credit for years of service
        with Pope & Talbot, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries.

        PLAN ADMINISTRATION

        The Plan is  administered  by the  plan  administrative  committee  (the
        "Committee"),  which  is  appointed  by the  board of  directors  of the
        Company.  The Plan's  investments  are held under a trust agreement with
        Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company.





                                       9
<PAGE>



        CONTRIBUTIONS

        Eligible employees can contribute up to 15% of compensation,  as defined
        by the Plan,  subject to certain  limitations under the IRC. The Company
        provides  a  matching  contribution  equal to 50% of each  participant's
        contribution  that does not exceed 6% of compensation.  The Company may,
        at its  discretion,  make  profit-sharing  contributions  to the Plan in
        amounts to be determined by the board of  directors.  No  profit-sharing
        contributions   were  made  for  the  year  ended   December  31,  1997.
        Forfeitures  are  used to  reduce  future  matching  and  profit-sharing
        contributions.  The balance of unutilized forfeitures as of December 31,
        1997 and 1996 was $2,448 and $55,668, respectively.

        VESTING

        Participants  are  immediately  vested  in their  contributions  and the
        actual earnings  thereon.  Participants  become fully vested in matching
        and profit-sharing contributions when they attain normal retirement age,
        as  defined by the Plan,  or after  completing  five  years of  service,
        whichever  occurs  first.  Upon a  participant's  death  or  disability,
        account balances become fully vested.

        BENEFITS

        Upon  termination  of  service,  a  participant  may  elect  to  receive
        currently or defer receipt of an amount equal to the value of the vested
        interest in his or her account,  if the vested  interest is greater than
        $3,500.  For vested interests not exceeding  $3,500, a distribution will
        be made to the participant within 60 days after the last day of the plan
        year in which the termination  occurs.  All benefit payments are made in
        lump-sum  distributions.  Special  distribution  rules  apply to benefit
        payments upon  attainment of age 70 1/2 and in-service  withdrawals.  In
        these cases, the plan document should be consulted.

        PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS

        Individual  accounts are maintained for each of the Plan's  participants
        to reflect the participant's contributions,  matching and profit-sharing
        contributions,  as well as the participant's  share of the Plan's income
        or loss and any  related  administrative  expenses.  The trust funds are
        valued on each  business  day.  Participant  accounts are adjusted as of
        each valuation date to reflect any distributions  made and contributions
        received,   including   income  or  loss  on  trust  fund   investments.
        Allocations of earnings,  gains,  and losses are based on the proportion
        of each participant's account invested in a particular fund to the total
        of all participant account balances invested in such fund.

        INVESTMENT OPTIONS

        Upon   enrollment  in  the  Plan,  a  participant  may  direct  employee
        contributions  in 10% increments  in any  of  the  following  investment
        options:

           o   Vanguard Wellesley Income  Fund--seeks  current income consistent
               with  reasonable risk by investing in a portfolio of high-quality
               bonds and stocks.  The fund also seeks the potential for moderate
               growth of capital.





                                       10
<PAGE>




           o   Vanguard Index 500 Portfolio--seeks to provide investment results
               that  correspond to the price and yield  performance  of publicly
               traded stocks, in the aggregate, as represented by the Standard &
               Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index.

           o   Vanguard   Windsor   II--seeks  to  provide   long-term   capital
               appreciation  and dividend  income by investing in common stocks.
               As a secondary objective,  the fund also seeks a reasonable level
               of current income.

           o   Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund--seeks  long-term capital  appreciation
               by investing  in a  diversified  portfolio of common  stocks with
               above-average growth potential.

           o   Vanguard   International  Growth  Fund--seeks  long-term  capital
               growth by  investing  in the  common  stocks of  companies  based
               outside of the United States.

           o   Vanguard Bond Index Fund--seeks to match the total  return of the
               Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index.

           o   Vanguard   Investment   Contract  Trust--seeks  to   provide   an
               attractive rate of interest and safety of principal.

           o   Paragon  Common Stock  Fund--invests  primarily in Company common
               stock.  Prior to December 1, 1997,  profit  sharing and  matching
               contributions  were made to this account and could be transferred
               to  the  other  investment  options  at  the  discretion  of  the
               participant.  Effective  December  1, 1997,  profit  sharing  and
               matching   contributions  are  now  allocated  according  to  the
               participant's investment elections.

        Effective December 1, 1997, the following investment option was added:

           o   Vanguard   Index   Small  Capitalization  Stock  Portfolio--seeks
               to provide long-term growth of capital.

        A participant may change his or her investment directions daily.

        Investments  in the  Paragon  Common  Stock Fund are  assigned  units of
        participation.  The  unit  value of the  Paragon  Common  Stock  Fund is
        determined  daily based on the fair market value of the  underlying  net
        assets.  The total units assigned to  participants  at December 31, 1997
        and 1996 were  1,090,794  and 800,085,  respectively.  The unit value at
        December 31, 1997 and 1996 was $3.52 and $8.23, respectively.

        LOANS TO PARTICIPANTS

        A  participant  may  borrow up to the lesser of 50% of his or her vested
        account balance,  excluding  profit-sharing  contributions,  or $50,000,
        reduced by the highest  loan  amount  outstanding  during the  preceding
        12-month  period,  with a  minimum  loan  amount  of  $1,000.  Loans are
        repayable through payroll deductions over periods ranging up to 60





                                       11
<PAGE>




        months,  except for loans used to  purchase  the  participant's  primary
        residence,  which can be repaid  over a longer  period.  All loans  bear
        interest at rates set by the  Committee,  based on the rates  charged by
        commercial  lenders for similar  loans.  As of December 31, 1997,  there
        were no  loans  in  default  with  respect  to  interest  and  principal
        payments.


2.      SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

        BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

        The accompanying  financial statements are prepared on the accrual basis
        of accounting.

        INCOME RECOGNITION

        Purchases  and sales of securities  are recorded on a trade-date  basis.
        Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded
        on the ex-dividend  date. Net  appreciation  (depreciation)  in the fair
        value of assets  includes  both  realized  and  unrealized  appreciation
        (depreciation)  and is computed using the average cost method,  based on
        the beginning-of-year market value, or the cost of the security if it is
        acquired during the year.

        INVESTMENT VALUATION

        The Plan's  investments  are stated at fair value.  Shares of registered
        investment companies are valued at quoted market prices, which represent
        the net asset value of shares held for the Plan at  year-end.  The value
        for the Paragon Common Stock Fund is based on the closing share price of
        the Company's common stock.

        Investments  in the  Paragon  Common  Stock Fund are  assigned  units of
        participation.  The unit value of the fund is determined  daily based on
        the fair market  value of the  underlying  net  assets.  The total units
        assigned to  participants  at December 31, 1997 and 1996 were  1,090,794
        and 800,085,  respectively. The unit value at December 31, 1997 and 1996
        was $3.52 and $8.23, respectively.

        ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

        Investment  advisory  fees for portfolio  management by Vanguard  Group,
        Inc. are paid directly from fund earnings. Other administrative expenses
        are paid by the Company.

        USE OF ESTIMATES

        The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with generally
        accepted  accounting  principles  requires the Plan's  management to use
        estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect the net assets  available  for
        benefits and the changes therein. Actual results could differ from those
        estimates.






                                       12
<PAGE>





3.      TAX STATUS

        The Internal  Revenue Service has determined and informed the Company by
        a  letter  dated  September  18,  1995  that  the  Plan is  designed  in
        accordance  with  applicable  sections  of the  IRC.  The  Plan has been
        amended since receiving the determination letter. However, the Committee
        believes  that the Plan is designed and is currently  being  operated in
        compliance with the applicable  requirements of the IRC. Therefore,  the
        plan  administrator  believes  that the Plan was  qualified and that the
        related trust was tax-exempt as of December 31, 1997 and 1996.


4.      PLAN TERMINATION

        Although it has not  expressed  any intent to do so, the Company has the
        right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to
        terminate the Plan subject to the  provisions of ERISA.  In the event of
        plan termination, participants will become fully vested in their account
        balances  and  distributions  will be made  to  participants  as soon as
        administratively feasible.


5.      RECONCILIATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO FORM 5500

        The following is a  reconciliation  of net assets available for benefits
        according to the financial  statements  to the net assets  available for
        benefits as reported on the Plan's Form 5500 as of December 31, 1996:

            Net assets available for benefits per the financial
               statements                                           $19,811,646
            Amounts allocated to withdrawing participants               (56,643)
                                                                    ------------
            Net assets available for benefits per Form 5500         $19,755,003
                                                                    ============


        The  following  is a  reconciliation  of benefits  paid to  participants
        according to the financial  statements to benefits paid to  participants
        as  reported  on the Plan's  Form 5500 for the year ended  December  31,
        1997:

            Benefits paid to participants per the financial       
               statements                                            $1,917,419
            Less amounts allocated to withdrawing participants
               at December 31, 1996                                     (56,643)
                                                                    ------------
               Benefits paid to participants per Form 5500           $1,860,776
                                                                    ============
          

        Amounts  allocated to withdrawing  participants are recorded on the Form
        5500 for  benefit  claims  that have been  processed  and  approved  for
        payment prior to December 31 but not paid as of that date.


6.      CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY OF PLAN SPONSOR

        Paragon Trade Brands, Inc., the plan sponsor, filed a voluntary petition
        for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S.  Bankruptcy Code due to the fact
        that the District Court for the





                                       13
<PAGE>




        District of Delaware  issued a judgment  and  opinion  finding  that the
        Company's diaper products infringe certain patents held by the Proctor &
        Gamble  Company.  The Company intends to appeal the judgment and intends
        to  file a  plan  of  reorganization  that  will  be  acceptable  to the
        Bankruptcy  Court and the  Company's  creditors.  In the event a plan of
        reorganization is accepted,  continuation of the business  thereafter is
        dependent  on  the  Company's  ability  to  achieve   successful  future
        operations.  The  accompanying  financial  statements have been prepared
        assuming that the Paragon Retirement  Investment Savings Management Plan
        will  continue  as  a  going  concern.   However,  should  the  Plan  be
        terminated,  the  assets of the Plan would be  liquidated  at their then
        fair value and distributed to  participants.  All assets of the Plan are
        held in trust  and are  protected  from the  creditors  of the  Company.
        However,  because of the plan  sponsor's  Chapter  11  filing,  there is
        substantial  doubt  about  whether  the Plan  will  continue  as a going
        concern.  The  accompanying  financial  statements  do not  include  any
        adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.


7.      SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

        Effective January 1, 1998, the Plan was amended to permit the Company to
        automatically distribute the account balances of terminated participants
        whose vested  account  balances do not exceed $5,000 in accordance  with
        the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

        Effective  April  1,  1998,  the one  year of  service  requirement  for
        eligibility  to  participate  in the Plan was  reduced  to six months of
        service.  Additionally,  participants  will become fully vested in their
        account balances after completing three years of service.

        The  Company's common stock  was valued at $12.875 per share at December
        31, 1997, representing  approximately  20% of  the  Plan's  net  assets.
        However, the  Company's  stock  closed at  $4.375 per share on April 18,
        1998.




                                       14
<PAGE>


                                                                      SCHEDULE I

                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN


            ITEM 27A--SCHEDULE OF ASSETS HELD FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997



                                            SHARES/                    CURRENT
        ISSUER/DESCRIPTION                   UNITS         COST         VALUE
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 *  VANGUARD--WELLESLEY INCOME FUND        94,332    $  1,893,255   $  2,062,099

 *  VANGUARD--INDEX 500 PORTFOLIO          42,928       2,712,422      3,866,548

 *  VANGUARD--INDEX TRUST SMALL CAP 
      STOCK PORTFOLIO                         851          20,950         20,205

 *  VANGUARD--WINDSOR II                  126,085       2,815,432      3,608,548

 *  VANGUARD--U.S. GROWTH FUND            114,772       2,429,631      3,293,953

 *  VANGUARD--INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND    27,122         433,597        444,531

 *  VANGUARD--BOND INDEX FUND              60,464         593,781        610,084

 *  VANGUARD--INVESTMENT CONTRACT TRUST   725,215         725,215        725,215

 *  PARAGON COMMON STOCK FUND           1,090,794       5,674,257      3,839,594

    PARTICIPANT LOANS (INTEREST RATES 
      FROM 8% TO 11%)                           0         603,002        603,002
                                                      -----------    -----------
                                                      $17,901,542    $19,073,779
                                                      ===========    ===========


                        *Represents a party in interest.

          The accompanying notes are an integral part of this schedule.




                                       15
<PAGE>




                                                                     SCHEDULE II

                          PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT
                             SAVINGS MANAGEMENT PLAN


                ITEM 27D--SCHEDULE OF REPORTABLE TRANSACTIONS (A)
                      FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                  NUMBER                   NUMBER                               NET
                                                               OF PURCHASE   PURCHASE     OF SALE     SELLING                  GAIN
  IDENTITY OF PARTY INVOLVED      DESCRIPTION OF ASSET         TRANSACTIONS    PRICE    TRANSACTIONS   PRICE        COST      (LOSS)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                              <C>                               <C>      <C>             <C>      <C>         <C>       <C>

 *  VANGUARD GROUP, INC.         Wellesley Income Fund               67     $  724,419      122      $  365,998  $ 333,101 $ 32,897
 
 *  VANGUARD GROUP, INC.         Vanguard Index 500 Portfolio       126      1,362,817      114         700,328    523,792  176,536

 *  VANGUARD GROUP, INC.         Vanguard Windsor II                 97      1,111,165      114         636,734    492,304  144,430

 *  VANGUARD GROUP, INC.         Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund           82        814,856      104         526,318    399,708  126,610

 *  PARAGON TRADE BRANDS, INC.   Paragon Common Stock Fund           67      3,263,976      177       2,153,874  2,173,057  (19,183)

</TABLE>



                        *Represents a party in interest.

    (a) Represents a transaction or a series of transactions in excess of 5%
        of the current value of plan assets as of the beginning of the year.

          The accompanying notes are an integral part of this schedule.


                                       16
<PAGE>



               EXHIBIT                                           PAGE
               -------                                           ----

23.1    Consent of Accountants                                    19




                                       17
<PAGE>





                                   SIGNATURES


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

                                       PARAGON TRADE BRANDS, INC.
                                       PARAGON RETIREMENT INVESTMENT SAVINGS 
                                       MANAGEMENT PLAN



                                       By:   /s/
                                           ------------------------------
                                              Catherine O. Hasbrouck
                                              Plan Administrator



June 29, 1998


                                       18

                                                               

                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

As independent  public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the  incorporation by
reference of our report dated April 17, 1998 on the financial  statements of the
Paragon Retirement  Investment Savings Management Plan,  included in the Paragon
Retirement Investment Savings Management Plan annual report on Form 11-K for the
year ended December 31, 1997, into the Company's  previously filed  Registration
Statement File No. 33-73726 on
Form S-8.



                                                   Arthur Andersen LLP

Atlanta, Georgia
June 26, 1998



                                       19


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