10-Q 1 a05-12929_110q.htm 10-Q

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

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

 

For the Quarterly Period Ended June 30, 2005

 

OR

 

o    TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from            to            

 

Commission File number 000-30654

 

APROPOS TECHNOLOGY, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Illinois

 

36-3644751

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

 

 

One Tower Lane, 28th Floor

Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(630) 472-9600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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 ý  No o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No ý

 

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Common Shares, par value $0.01 per share, as of July 26, 2005, was 17,956,937.

 

 



 

APROPOS TECHNOLOGY, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Part I.

Financial Information

3

 

 

 

Item 1.

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

3

3

 

 

 

Condensed consolidated balance sheets at June 30, 2005

 

 

And December 31, 2004

3

 

 

 

 

Condensed consolidated statements of operations for the

 

 

three and six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004

4

 

 

 

 

Condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the

 

 

six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004

5

 

 

 

 

Notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

6

 

 

 

Item 2.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

10

 

 

 

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

16

 

 

 

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

16

 

 

 

Part II.

Other Information

17

 

 

 

Item 1.

Legal Proceedings

17

 

 

 

Item 2.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

17

 

 

 

Item 3.

Defaults Upon Senior Securities

17

 

 

 

Item 4.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

17

 

 

 

Item 5.

Other Information

17

 

 

 

Item 6.

Exhibits

18

 

 

 

Signatures

19

 

 

Certifications

 

 

2



 

Part I.     Financial Information.

 

Item 1.    Financial Statements.

 

Apropos Technology, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

In thousands, except share and per share amounts

 

 

 

June 30
2005

 

December 31
2004

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

(Note 1)

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets :

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

24,045

 

$

12,291

 

Short-term investments

 

17,027

 

28,867

 

Accounts receivable, less allowances for doubtful accounts of $266 at June 30, 2005 and $219 at December 31, 2004

 

2,637

 

3,155

 

Inventory

 

43

 

34

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

407

 

355

 

Total current assets

 

44,159

 

44,702

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipment, net

 

533

 

565

 

Other assets

 

28

 

21

 

Total assets

 

$

44,720

 

$

45,288

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities :

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

444

 

$

155

 

Accrued expenses

 

1,013

 

1,134

 

Accrued compensation and related accruals

 

527

 

821

 

Accrued restructuring, current portion

 

408

 

720

 

Advance payments from customers

 

282

 

35

 

Deferred revenues

 

3,592

 

3,403

 

Total current liabilities

 

6,266

 

6,268

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accrued restructuring, less current portion

 

 

245

 

Commitments and contingencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity :

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred shares, $0.01 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, no shares  issued and outstanding

 

 

 

Common shares, $0.01 par value, 60,000,000 shares authorized, 17,907,358 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2005; 17,638,400 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2004

 

179

 

176

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

103,571

 

103,155

 

Accumulated deficit

 

(65,296

)

(64,556

)

Total shareholders’ equity

 

38,454

 

38,775

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

44,720

 

$

45,288

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

3



 

Apropos Technology, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

In thousands, except per share amounts

 

 

 

Three months ended June 30

 

Six months ended June 30

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

2005

 

2004

 

Revenue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Software licenses

 

$

1,358

 

$

1,638

 

$

2,458

 

$

3,625

 

Services and other

 

3,095

 

3,330

 

6,210

 

6,503

 

Total revenue

 

4,453

 

4,968

 

8,668

 

10,128

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of goods and services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of software

 

61

 

116

 

96

 

287

 

Cost of services and other

 

995

 

1,020

 

2,072

 

1,871

 

Total cost of goods and services

 

1,056

 

1,136

 

2,168

 

2,158

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross margin

 

3,397

 

3,832

 

6,500

 

7,970

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales and marketing

 

1,755

 

1,760

 

3,493

 

3,433

 

Research and development

 

1,160

 

1,032

 

2,256

 

2,084

 

General and administrative

 

1,176

 

946

 

2,183

 

2,043

 

Restructuring and other charges (credit)

 

(187

)

88

 

(187

)

456

 

Total operating expenses

 

3,904

 

3,826

 

7,745

 

8,016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

 

(507

)

6

 

(1,245

)

(46

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other income (expense)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

287

 

107

 

527

 

203

 

Other, net

 

(9

)

(4

)

(22

)

(33

)

Total other income (expense)

 

278

 

103

 

505

 

170

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(229

)

$

109

 

$

(740

)

$

124

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

(0.01

)

$

0.01

 

$

(0.04

)

$

0.01

 

Diluted

 

$

(0.01

)

$

0.01

 

$

(0.04

)

$

0.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

17,878

 

17,273

 

17,834

 

17,188

 

Diluted

 

17,878

 

18,614

 

17,834

 

18,575

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

4



 

Apropos Technology, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

In thousands

 

 

 

Six months ended June 30

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

Cash flows from operating activities

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(740

)

$

124

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities :

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

187

 

250

 

Provision for doubtful accounts

 

91

 

 

Non-cash restructuring charge

 

(187

)

420

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities :

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

426

 

471

 

Inventory

 

(9

)

32

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

(52

)

(74

)

Other assets

 

(6

)

6

 

Accounts payable

 

289

 

61

 

Accrued expenses

 

(122

)

(219

)

Accrued compensation and related accruals

 

(294

)

154

 

Accrued restructuring

 

(369

)

(269

)

Advanced payments from customers

 

247

 

(87

)

Deferred revenue

 

189

 

178

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

 

(350

)

1,047

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities

 

 

 

 

 

Maturities and sales of short-term investments

 

35,715

 

2,125

 

Purchases of short-term investments

 

(23,875

)

(514

)

Purchases of equipment

 

(155

)

(96

)

Net cash provided by investing activities

 

11,685

 

1,515

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from exercise of options

 

374

 

639

 

Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan

 

45

 

64

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

419

 

703

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

 

11,754

 

3,265

 

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

 

12,291

 

9,971

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

 

$

24,045

 

$

13,236

 

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5



 

Apropos Technology, Inc.

Notes To Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

1.              Basis of Presentation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Apropos Technology, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed, or omitted, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  In management’s opinion, the statements include all adjustments necessary (which are of a normal and recurring nature) for the fair presentation of the results of the interim periods presented.

 

The balance sheet at December 31, 2004, has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements.

 

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2004, included with its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 30, 2005.  The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for any other interim period or for the full fiscal year.

 

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

 

In December 2004, the FASB issued FAS No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment” (FAS 123(R)). This statement requires that the compensation cost relating to share based payment transactions be recognized in the financial statements. Compensation cost is to be measured based on the estimated fair value of the equity-based compensation awards issued as of the grant date. The related compensation expense will be based on the estimated number of awards expected to vest and will be recognized over the requisite service period (often the vesting period) for each grant. The statement requires the use of assumptions and judgments about future events and some of the inputs to the valuation models will require considerable judgment by management. FAS No. 123(R) replaces FAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock Based Compensation,” and supersedes APB 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” The provisions of FAS 123(R) are required to be applied by public companies as of the first interim or annual reporting period that begins after June 15, 2005.

 

On April 14, 2005, the SEC adopted a new rule amending the effective date for Statement 123(R). The amended rule allows registrants to implement Statement 123(R) as of the first annual period after June 15, 2005, which is January 1, 2006 for the Company.

 

Apropos intends to continue applying APB 25 to equity-based compensation awards until the effective date of FAS 123(R). At the effective date of FAS 123(R), Apropos expects to use the modified prospective application transition method without restatement of prior interim periods in the year of adoption. This will result in recognizing compensation cost based on the requirements of FAS 123(R) for all equity-based compensation awards issued after January 1, 2006. For all equity-based compensation awards that are unvested as of January 1, 2006, compensation cost will be recognized for the unamortized portion of compensation cost not previously included in the FAS No. 123 pro forma footnote disclosure.  The impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position as of the adoption of this pronouncement is not expected to be materially different from the pro-forma results included in Note 3 below.

 

6



 

2.              Income or Loss Per Share

 

Basic net income or loss per share is based upon the net income or loss and upon the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period.  Diluted net income per common share adjusts for the effect of common share equivalents, such as stock options and stock warrants, net of assumed repurchases, only in the periods presented in which such effect would have been dilutive.  Diluted net loss per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2005 is not presented separately, as the effect of the common share equivalents is anti-dilutive for the respective period presented.  Accordingly, diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share.

 

 

 

Three months ended June 30

 

Six months ended June 30

 

In thousands, except per share amounts

 

2005

 

2004

 

2005

 

2004

 

Basic Income (loss) per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

(229

)

$

109

 

$

(740

)

$

124

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding

 

17,878

 

17,273

 

17,834

 

17,188

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income (loss) per share

 

$

(0.01

)

$

0.01

 

$

(0.04

)

$

0.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted Income per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

 

 

$

109

 

 

 

$

124

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding

 

 

 

17,273

 

 

 

17,188

 

Assumed option exercises

 

 

 

1,326

 

 

 

1,372

 

Assumed warrant exercises

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

15

 

Weighted average shares outstanding, as adjusted

 

 

 

18,614

 

 

 

18,575

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted income per share

 

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

3.              Stock Based Compensation

 

The Company has elected to determine the value of stock-based compensation arrangements under the provisions of Accounting Principles Board, or APB, Opinion No. 25 “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” The pro forma disclosures required under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, or SFAS, No. 148, “Accounting for Stock Based Compensation Transition and Disclosure–an Amendment of SFAS, No. 123” are included below. SFAS, No. 123, “Accounting for Stock Based Compensation” permits the use of either a fair value based method or the intrinsic value method to measure the expense associated with stock-based compensation arrangements.

 

In accordance with the interim disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 148, the pro forma effect on the Company’s net income (loss) had compensation expense been recorded for the three and six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively, as determined under the fair value method, is shown below.

 

 

 

Three months ended
June 30

 

Six months ended
June 30

 

In thousands, except per share amounts

 

2005

 

2004

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss), as reported

 

$

(229

)

$

109

 

$

(740

)

$

124

 

Add: Stock-based employee compensation expense included in reported net income (loss)

 

 

 

 

 

Less: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under the fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax effects

 

(158

)

(215

)

(339

)

(433

)

Net loss, pro forma

 

$

(387

)

$

(106

)

$

(1,079

)

$

(309

)

Basic net income (loss) per share, as reported

 

$

(0.01

)

$

0.01

 

$

(0.04

)

$

0.01

 

Basic net loss per share, pro forma

 

$

(0.02

)

$

(0.01

)

$

(0.06

)

$

(0.02

)

Diluted net income per share, as reported

 

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

 

$

0.01

 

Diluted net loss per share, pro forma

 

 

 

$

(0.01

)

 

 

$

(0.02

)

 

7



 

Options to purchase 1,960,265 Common Shares with exercise prices of $0.10 to $22.00 per share were outstanding as of June 30, 2005, and options to purchase 2,499,683 Common Shares with exercise prices of $0.10 to $22.00 per share were outstanding as of June 30, 2004.

 

4.              Geographic Information

 

Revenues derived from customers outside of North America accounted for 21.4% and 17.1% of the Company’s total revenues in the three months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Revenues derived from customers outside of North America accounted for 27.9% and 18.1% of the Company’s total revenues in the six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

The Company attributes its revenues to countries based on the country in which the client is located. The Company’s long-lived assets located outside the United States are not considered material.

 

5.              Litigation and Contingencies

 

In November 2001, the Company was named as a defendant in shareholder class action litigation that has been filed in federal court in New York City against the Company and certain of its current and former officers and the underwriters of the Company’s IPO. This lawsuit alleges, among other things, that the underwriters of the Company’s IPO improperly required their customers to pay the underwriters excessive commissions and to agree to buy additional shares of the Company’s stock in the aftermarket as conditions of receiving shares in the Company’s IPO. The lawsuit further claims that these supposed practices of the underwriters should have been disclosed in the Company’s IPO prospectus and registration statement. In April 2002, an amended complaint was filed which, like the original complaint, alleges violations of the registration and antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and seeks unspecified damages. The Company understands that various other plaintiffs have filed substantially similar class action cases against approximately 300 other publicly traded companies and their public offering underwriters in New York City, which along with the case against the Company have all been transferred to a single federal district judge for purposes of coordinated case management.

 

In July 2002, the Company, together with the other issuers named as defendants in these coordinated proceedings, filed a collective motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaints against them on various legal grounds common to all or most of the issuer defendants. In October 2002, the Court approved a stipulation providing for the dismissal of the individual defendants without prejudice. In February 2003, the Court issued a decision granting in part and denying in part the motion to dismiss the litigation filed by the Company and the other issuer defendants. The claims against the Company under the antifraud provisions of the securities laws were dismissed with prejudice; the claims under the registration provisions of the securities laws were not dismissed as to the Company or virtually any other issuer defendant. The Court also denied the underwriter defendants’ motion to dismiss in all respects.

 

In June 2003, the Company elected to participate in a proposed settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in this litigation. If ultimately approved by the Court, this proposed settlement would result in a dismissal, with prejudice, of all claims in the litigation against the Company and against any of the other issuer defendants who elect to participate in the proposed settlement, together with the current or former officers and directors of participating issuers who were named as individual defendants. The proposed settlement does not provide for the resolution of any claims against the underwriter defendants, and the litigation as against those defendants is continuing. The proposed settlement provides that the class members in the class action cases brought against the participating issuer defendants will be guaranteed a recovery of $1 billion by insurers of the participating issuer defendants. If recoveries totaling $1 billion or more are obtained by the class members from the underwriter defendants, however, the monetary obligations to the class members under the proposed settlement will be satisfied. In addition, the Company and any other participating issuer defendants will be required to assign to the class members certain claims that they may have against the underwriters of their IPO’s.

 

The proposed settlement contemplates that any amounts necessary to fund the settlement or settlement-related expenses would come from participating issuers’ directors and officers liability insurance policy proceeds as opposed to funds of

 

8



 

the participating issuer defendants themselves. A participating issuer defendant could be required to contribute to the costs of the settlement if that issuer’s insurance coverage were insufficient to pay that issuer’s allocable share of the settlement costs. The Company expects that its insurance proceeds will be sufficient for these purposes and that it will not otherwise be required to contribute to the proposed settlement.

 

Consummation of the proposed settlement is conditioned upon obtaining both preliminary and final approval by the Court. Formal settlement documents were submitted to the Court in June 2004, together with a motion asking the Court to preliminarily approve the form of settlement. Certain underwriters who were named as defendants in the settling cases, and who are not parties to the proposed settlement, opposed preliminary approval of the proposed settlement of those cases. On February 15, 2005, the Court issued an order preliminarily approving the proposed settlement in all respects but one. In response to this order, the plaintiffs and the issuer defendants are in the process of submitting revised settlement documents to the Court. The underwriter defendants may object to the revised settlement documents. If the Court approves the revised settlement documents, it will direct that notice of the terms of the proposed settlement be published in a newspaper and on the internet and, mailed to all proposed class members. It will also schedule a fairness hearing, at which objections to the proposed settlement will be heard. Thereafter, the Court will determine whether to grant final approval to the proposed settlement.

 

If the proposed settlement described above is not consummated, the Company intends to continue to defend the litigation vigorously. Moreover, if the proposed settlement is not consummated, the Company believes that the underwriters may have an obligation to indemnify it for the legal fees and other costs of defending this suit. While the Company cannot guarantee the outcome of the above proceedings, the Company believes that the final result of these actions will have no material effect on its consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

The Company is a party in various other disputes and litigation that have arisen in the course of the Company’s business. In the opinion of management, although legal proceedings can not be predicted with certainty, the ultimate outcome of these disputes and lawsuits are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations, or cash flows.

 

6.              Restructuring and other charges (credits)

 

In the second quarter of 2005, the company recorded a credit of $187,000. The credit relates to the successful sublet of vacated space at the corporate headquarters. In the second quarter of 2004, the Company recorded a charge of $88,000 related to the consolidation of the corporate headquarters.  This adjustment to the existing reserve is due to the fact the Company was unable to find a tenant to sublet the excess facility space and thereby delayed the start of anticipated sublet income by six months. In the first quarter of 2004, the Company recorded a charge of $368,000.  In late January 2004, the U.K. operations moved into new premises that are more suitable for their current staffing levels.  The old facility, which had a lease through March 2005, was in use until the move.  The U.K. lease termination charge of approximately $309,000, consisted of forfeiture of the rent deposit, abandonment of assets, and other direct disposal costs.  Additionally, the Company recorded an adjustment of $59,000 for the reserve related to the consolidation of the corporate headquarters.  This adjustment was due to the fact the Company has been unable to find a tenant to sublet the excess facility space and thereby delayed the start of anticipated sublet income by three months.

 

A summary of the restructuring and other charge, is as follows:

 

In thousands

 

Employee
termination costs

 

Facility
termination costs

 

Asset
impairment
charge

 

Other

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2003

 

$

6

 

$

981

 

$

 

$

11

 

$

998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2004 Provision

 

 

205

 

104

 

 

309

 

2004 Adjustments

 

 

147

 

 

 

147

 

2004 Cash Payments

 

 

(305

)

 

 

(305

)

2004 Non-cash charge offs

 

 

(169

)

(104

)

 

(273

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as of June 30, 2004

 

$

6

 

$

859

 

$

 

$

11

 

$

876

 

 

9



 

In thousands

 

Employee
termination costs

 

Facility
termination costs

 

Asset
impairment
charge

 

Other

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2004

 

$

181

 

$

784

 

$

 

$

 

$

965

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005 Provision (Credit)

 

 

$

(187

)

 

 

$

(187

)

2005 Adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005 Cash Payments

 

(120

)

(250

)

 

 

(370

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as of June 30, 2005

 

$

61

 

$

347

 

$

 

$

 

$

408

 

 

Included in Accrued restructuring at June 30, 2005 is approximately $61,000 related to the separation agreement with the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, which the Company estimates will be disbursed over the next quarter.  The remaining $347,000, which is net of sublet income, relates to the facility termination costs, which the Company estimates will be disbursed over the remaining life of the lease through the second quarter of 2006.

 

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

 

Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements described in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions relating to the Company’s operations, financial condition, and results of operations.  Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ significantly from results expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this Quarterly Report.  These and other risks are detailed under the caption “Risk Factors Associated with Apropos’ Business and Future Operating Results” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The Company does not undertake any obligation to revise these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

 

Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements.

 

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report.

 

Overview

 

The Company develops, markets, and supports a leading real-time, multi-channel interaction management application for managing customer interactions across a variety of communications media, including E-mail, Fax, Web, and Voice.  The Company’s solution enhances customer relationship management applications, such as sales, marketing, and service, through intelligent, value-based management of all interactions.

 

The Company’s operations commenced in January 1989, and, from inception to early 1995, operating activities consisted primarily of research and development and consulting.  As an integral part of the Company’s growth strategy, during February 2000, the Company completed an initial public offering of 3,977,500 Common Shares (the “IPO”) resulting in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $79.3 million.

 

10



 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

Revenue recognition.  The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of software licenses upon delivery. The Company recognizes revenue from fees for professional services when they are completed.  The Company recognizes support and maintenance services ratably over the term of its maintenance contracts, which are typically annual contracts. Training services are recognized as such services are completed.

 

The Company derives revenue principally from the sale of software licenses and from fees for implementation, technical support, and training services.

 

The Company markets its solution to its customers primarily through its direct sales force, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Revenue generated via resellers and OEMs accounted for 20.5% and 19.5% of the Company’s total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Revenue generated via resellers and OEMs accounted for 27.2%, and 28.4% of the Company’s total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Management expects that revenue derived from sales to resellers and OEMs may increase as a percentage of total revenue as the Company expands its product capabilities and focuses its sales efforts on its distribution channels.

 

The Company relies on its customers and resellers to submit purchase orders for its product and services.  In addition, the Company enters into general sales contracts with its customers and resellers; however, none of its customers or resellers is obligated to purchase its product or its services pursuant to these contracts. All of the Company’s sales contracts contain provisions regarding the following:

 

              payment terms and conditions;

              warranties and repair procedures; and

              support and training obligations.

 

Typically, these contracts provide that the exclusive remedy for breach of the Company’s specified warranty is either a refund of the price paid or modification of the product to satisfy the warranty.

 

The Company has generally experienced a product sales cycle of six to nine months. The Company considers the life of the sales cycle to begin on the first face-to-face meeting with the prospective customer and end when product is shipped. The length of the sales cycle for customer orders depends on a number of factors, including:

 

                                          a customer’s awareness of the capabilities of the type of solutions Apropos sells and the amount of customer education required;

                                          concerns that the Company’s customer may have about its limited operating history and track record and the Company’s size compared to many of its larger competitors;

                                          a customer’s budgetary constraints;

                                          the timing of a customer’s budget cycles;

                                          concerns of the Company’s customer about the introduction of new products by the Company or its competitors that would render its current product noncompetitive or obsolete; and

                                          downturns in general economic conditions, including reductions in demand for contact center services.

 

The Company’s OEM contracts contain additional provisions regarding product technical specifications, labeling instructions, and other instructions regarding customization and rebranding. The Company’s OEM contracts contain volume discounts.

 

Sales to customers outside the United States accounted for 21.4% and 17.1% of the Company’s total revenue during the three months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Revenues derived from customers outside of North America accounted for 27.9% and 18.1% of the Company’s total revenues in the six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.  Management expects the portion of the Company’s total revenue derived from sales to customers outside the United States to be comparable with 2004 results.

 

11



 

Cost of goods and services.  Cost of goods and services consists primarily of:

 

                                          payments for third party software used with the Company’s product;

                                          the cost of compensation for technical support, education, and professional services personnel;

                                          other costs related to facilities and office equipment for technical support, education, and professional services personnel; and

                                          the cost of reimbursable travel included in revenue.

 

The Company recognizes costs of software, implementation services, support and training services as they are incurred.

 

Operating expenses.  The Company generally recognizes its operating expenses as they are incurred. Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of compensation, commission, and travel expenses along with other marketing expenses, including trade shows, public relations, telemarketing campaigns, and other promotional expenses. Research and development expenses consist primarily of compensation expenses for personnel and, to a lesser extent, independent contractors. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation for administrative, financial, and information technology personnel and a number of non-allocable costs, including professional fees, legal fees, accounting fees, and bad debts.

 

Capitalization of certain software development costs.  Research and development expenditures are charged to operations as incurred. SFAS No. 86, “Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software To Be Sold, Leased, or Otherwise Marketed,” requires capitalization of certain software development costs subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility. Based on the Company’s product development process, technological feasibility is established upon completion of a working model. Costs incurred by the Company between completion of the working model and the point at which the product is ready for general release have not been significant. Through June 30, 2005, all software development costs have been expensed.

 

Allowance for doubtful accounts.  The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to reflect the expected uncollectability of accounts receivable based on past collection history and specific risks identified among uncollected accounts.  Accounts receivable are charged to the allowance for doubtful accounts when the Company has determined that the receivable will not be collected.  Accounts receivable balances are determined to be delinquent when the amount is past due based on the contractual terms with the customer.

 

Income taxes. The Company provides for income taxes under the liability method, which requires recognition of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns.  Under this method, a valuation allowance is required against net deferred tax assets if, based upon the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.  Management regularly evaluates the recoverability of the deferred tax assets and the level of the valuation allowance. At such time as it is determined that it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets are realizable, the valuation allowance will be appropriately reduced.

 

Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the percentage of total revenue represented by certain items included in the Company’s “Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations” in the condensed consolidated financial statements.  Percentages are calculated from operating results rounded to the nearest thousand and may not equal calculations from the numbers referenced below in this section which may be rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.  Operating performance for any period is not necessarily indicative of performance for any future periods.

 

12



 

 

 

Three months ended
June 30

 

Six months ended 
June 30

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

2005

 

2004

 

Revenue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Software licenses

 

30.5

%

33.0

%

28.4

%

35.8

%

Services and other

 

69.5

%

67.0

%

71.6

%

64.2

%

Total revenue

 

100.0

%

100.0

%

100.0

%

100.0

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs of goods and services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of software

 

1.4

%

2.3

%

1.1

%

2.8

%

Cost of services and other

 

22.3

%

20.6

%

23.9

%

18.5

%

Total costs of goods and services

 

23.7

%

22.9

%

25.0

%

21.3

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross margin

 

76.3

%

77.1

%

75.0

%

78.7

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales and marketing

 

39.4

%

35.4

%

40.3

%

33.9

%

Research and development

 

26.1

%

20.8

%

26.0

%

20.6

%

General and administrative

 

26.4

%

19.0

%

25.2

%

20.2

%

Restructuring and other charges (credits)

 

(4.2

)%

1.8

%

(2.2

)%

4.5

%

Total operating expenses

 

87.7

%

77.0

%

89.3

%

79.2

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

 

(11.4

)%

0.1

%

(14.3

)%

(.5

)%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other income (expense)

 

6.3

%

2.1

%

5.8

%

1.7

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

(5.1

)%

2.2

%

(8.5

)%

1.2

%

 

Quarter Ended June 30, 2005, Compared to Quarter Ended June 30, 2004

 

Revenue. Revenue decreased 10.4% to $4.5 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $5.0 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.

 

Revenue from software licenses decreased 17.1% to $1.4 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $1.6 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.  The Company primarily attributes this decrease in software revenue to fewer orders from existing customers in the current quarter.

 

Revenue from services and other, consisting of professional services, customer support and rebillable costs, decreased 7.1% to $3.1 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $3.3 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.  The Company primarily attributes this decrease to lower professional services revenue and to a lesser extent a decrease in customer support revenues. The decrease in professional services revenue was primarily due to less subcontracted services and service project mix. The current quarter service mix had fewer higher value new system implementations and more upgrades and special projects than the year ago quarter.

 

Gross margin. Gross margins declined to 76.3% of total revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from 77.1% of total revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2004. This decline is due primarily to a lower product mix of higher margin software.

 

Gross margins from software licenses increased to 95.5% of software revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2005 from 92.9% of software revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2004. Product costs consist primarily of third party software used in conjunction with the Company’s software, which varies based on customer configurations.

 

Gross margin from services and other represented 67.9% of services and other revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, and 69.4% of services and other revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.  This decline is due primarily to the decline in professional services revenue.

 

Operating expenses. Operating expenses increased 2.0% to $3.9 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $3.8 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004. Excluding restructuring activity, on going operating costs increased by 9.4% due principally to increased recruiting costs, marketing program costs, and use of outside services.  As a percentage of total revenue, operating expenses were 87.7% in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, and 77.0% in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.

 

Sales and marketing expenses decreased 0.3% to $1.8 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $1.8 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.  The decrease in sales and marketing expenses resulted primarily from lower commissions offset by marketing program expenses.

 

13



 

Research and development expenses increased 12.4% to $1.2 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $1.0 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.  The increase in research and development expenses related primarily from increased use of outside services, including off-shore engineering resources, and recruiting costs.

 

General and administrative expenses increased 24.3% to $1.2 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, from $.9 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2004.  The increases in general and administrative expenses were primarily due to recruiting costs associated with the on-going CEO search, outside staffing services, and bad debt expenses.

 

Restructuring and other charges (credits).  In the second quarter of 2005, the Company recorded a credit of $187,000.  This was due to the successful sublet of vacated space at the corporate headquarters.  In the second quarter of 2004, the Company recorded a charge of $88,000 to increase previous provisions due to delays in subletting the same vacant space.

 

Other income and expense. Interest income was $287,000 in the quarter ended June 30, 2005, and $107,000 in the quarter ended June 30, 2004. The increase in interest income is the result of an increase in investment yields.

 

Income taxes.  There has been no provision or benefit for income taxes for any period since 1995 due to the Company’s operating losses.  At June 30, 2005, the Company had approximately $55.5 million of domestic operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes, which expire beginning in 2011through 2023.  Based on Internal Revenue Code regulations relating to changes in ownership in the Company, utilization of a portion of the net operating loss carryforwards is subject to annual limitations.  At June 30, 2005, the Company had foreign operating losses of approximately $3.6 million, which may be limited.  The Company’s use of these net operating losses may be limited in future periods.

 

Net income (loss).  The net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2005 was $229,000. The Company recorded net income for the three months ended June 30, 2004 of $109,000.  The change is primarily due to lower revenues and increased operating expenses offset to a lesser extent by restructuring activity.

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2005, Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2004

 

Revenue. Revenue decreased 14.4% to $8.7 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $10.1 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004.

 

Revenue from software licenses decreased 32.2% to $2.5 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $3.6 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004. The Company primarily attributes this decrease in software revenue to fewer add-on orders from existing customer deals in the first six months of 2005 compared to the first six months of 2004.  The Company also received fewer new customer orders in the current period compared to the prior period.

 

Revenue from services and other, consisting of professional services, customer support and rebillable costs, decreased 4.5% to $6.2 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $6.5 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004.  The Company primarily attributes this decrease to fewer customers purchasing new systems.  The decrease was also the result of lower customer support revenues due to certain customers downsizing their systems thereby lowering their support costs.

 

Gross margin. Gross margins declined to 75.0% of total revenue in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from 78.7% of total revenue in the six months ended June 30, 2004. This decline is due primarily to a lower product mix of higher margin software.

 

Gross margins from software licenses increased to 96.1% of software revenue in the six months ended June 30, 2005 from 92.1% of software revenue in the six months ended June 30, 2004. Product costs consist primarily of third party software used in conjunction with the Company’s software, which varies based on customer configurations.

 

Gross margin from services and other represented 66.6% of services and other revenue in the six months ended June 30, 2005, and 71.2% of services and other revenue in the six months ended June 30, 2004.  The decrease is primarily due to the decline in professional services revenue and to increased use of subcontracted services for implementation services.

 

14



 

Operating expenses. Operating expenses decreased 3.4% to $7.7 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $8.0 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004.  This decrease primarily reflects lower restructuring activity offset by increased marketing program costs and outside services. As a percentage of total revenue, operating expenses were 89.3% in the six months ended June 30, 2005, and 79.1% in the six months ended June 30, 2004.

 

Sales and marketing expenses increased 1.8% to $3.5 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $3.4 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004.  The increase in sales and marketing expenses resulted primarily from increased marketing programs offset by lower commissions.

 

Research and development expenses increased 8.2% to $2.3 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $2.1 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004.  The increase in research and development expenses related primarily to an increase in outside services and recruiting costs.

 

General and administrative expenses increased 6.8% to $2.2 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005, from $2.0 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004.  The increases in general and administrative expenses were primarily due to increased recruiting costs, personnel related compensation, and bad debts offset to a lesser extent by lower legal fees and insurance costs.

 

Restructuring and other charges (credits).  In the second quarter of 2005, the company reduced the restructuring reserve by $187,000 due to the successful sublet of vacated space at the corporate headquarters. In the six months ended June 30, 2004, the Company recorded charges of $456,000.  In late January 2004, the U.K. operations moved into new premises that are more suitable for their current staffing levels.  The old facility, which had a lease through March 2005, was in use until the move.  The U.K. lease termination charge of approximately $309,000, consisted of forfeiture of the rent deposit, abandonment of assets, and other direct disposal costs.  Additionally, the Company recorded adjustments to increase the reserve in the first and second quarters totaling $147,000 related to the consolidation of the corporate headquarters.  These adjustments were due to the fact the Company was unable to find a tenant to sublet the excess facility space and thereby delayed the start of anticipated sublet income by nine months.

 

Other income and expense. Interest income was $527,000 in the six months ended June 30, 2005, and $203,000 in the six months ended June 30, 2004. The increase in interest income is a result of an increase in investment yields.

 

Income taxes.  There has been no provision or benefit for income taxes for any period since 1995 due to the Company’s operating losses.  At June 30, 2005, the Company had approximately $55.5 million of domestic operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes, which expire beginning in 2011through 2023.  Based on Internal Revenue Code regulations relating to changes in ownership in the Company, utilization of a portion of the net operating loss carryforwards is subject to annual limitations.  At June 30, 2005, the Company had foreign operating losses of approximately $3.6 million, which may be limited.  The Company’s use of these net operating losses may be limited in future periods.

 

Net income (loss).  The Company recorded a loss of $740,000 in the six months ended June 30, 2005.  The Company recorded net income for the six months ended June 30, 2004 of $124,000.  The change is primarily due to a decrease in revenue partially offset by lower operating expenses and increased interest income.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The Company’s operating activities resulted in net cash outflows of $350,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2005 compared to net cash inflows of $1,047,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2004.  The operating cash outflow for 2005 was primarily the result of net losses, the net change in restructuring activity, and payments for compensation accruals. These outflows were offset to a lesser extent by a reduction of accounts receivable, increases in deferred revenue, deposits received from customers, and increases in accounts payable. The operating cash inflow for 2004 was primarily the result of inflows from net income, a net change in restructuring activity, and a decrease in accounts receivable, offset to a lesser extent by outflows associated with a decrease in accrued expenses.

 

The Company’s investing activities resulted in net cash inflows of $11.7 million and $1.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.  The inflows were the result of net proceeds from maturities of short-term

 

15



 

investments offset by purchases of short-term investments and, to a lesser extent, capital expenditures.  During the first half of 2005, management made a decision to divest investments in auction rate securities.  The proceeds from these sales resulted in most of the proceeds to be classified as cash equivalents.

 

Financing activities generated $419,000 and $703,000 in cash in the first six months ended June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.  These funds were generated from proceeds received from stock issuances related to the Company’s stock option and employee stock purchase plans.

 

As of June 30, 2005, the Company had no long-term obligations other than operating leases related to facilities and equipment utilized by the Company and a purchase obligation associated with third party software utilized with its product.  The following table summarizes the minimum lease payments for these operating leases as of June 30, 2005:

 

in thousands

 

Total

 

Less than 1 year

 

1-3 years

 

3-5 years

 

More than 5 years

 

Operating leases

 

$

1,326

 

$

1,293

 

$

33

 

None

 

None

 

Purchase obligations

 

140

 

70

 

70

 

None

 

None

 

Total contractual cash obligations

 

$

1,466

 

$

1,363

 

$

103

 

None

 

None

 

 

The Company believes that its capital requirements, in large part, depend on future results of operations and, ultimately, achievement of profitability. The Company expects to devote resources to research and development efforts, to expand sales channels and marketing lead generation programs, to fund capital expenditures, and to provide for working capital and other general corporate purposes. Management believes that the existing cash and short-term investment balances will be sufficient to meet the working capital and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next twelve months.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

 

Interest Rate Risk

The Company’s exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relate primarily to the change in the amount of interest income the Company can earn on its investments. The Company does not use derivative financial instruments in its investment portfolio. The Company had short-term investments of $17.0 million at June 30, 2005. The Company’s short-term investments consist primarily of government agency notes, bank certificates of deposit and corporate commercial paper. The Company considers all investments with original maturities of less than one year, but greater than 90 days, to be short-term investments. These investments are subject to interest rate risk and will fall in value if market interest rates increase. The Company believes a hypothetical increase in market interest rates by 10.0% from levels at December 31, 2004, would cause the fair value of these short-term investments to fall by an immaterial amount.  Since the Company is not required to sell these investments before maturity, the Company has the ability to avoid realizing losses on these investments due to a sudden change in market interest rates. On the other hand, declines in the interest rates over time will reduce interest income.

 

Foreign Currency Risk

The Company develops products in the United States and sells these products in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. As a result, its financial results could be affected by various factors, including changes in foreign currency exchange rates or weak economic conditions in foreign markets. As sales are generally made in U.S. dollars or British pound sterling, a strengthening of the dollar or pound could make the Company’s products less competitive in foreign markets. Given the level of income the Company currently derives from its foreign operations, the Company considers this exposure to be minimal. The Company believes a 10.0% change in exchange rates would not have a significant impact on its future earnings.

 

Item 4.  Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our senior management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as

 

16



 

amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”). Based on this evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded as of the Evaluation Date that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective such that the information relating to the Company, including consolidated subsidiaries, required to be disclosed in our SEC reports (i) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.

 

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended June 30, 2005 that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our internal control over financial reporting.

 

Part II. Other Information.

 

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings.

 

See Note 5 to the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 – Part I of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

Item 2.  Unregistered Sale of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 3.  Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

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

 

(a)          The annual meeting of shareholders of Apropos, Inc. was held on June 8, 2005.

(b)         Pursuant to Instruction 3 to Item 4, no response is required to this item.

(c)          At the Annual Meeting conducted on June 8, 2005 the shareholders voted on the election of directors. The following individuals were elected to the board of directors to serve terms ranging until the 2006 to 2008 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified:

 

Nominee

 

Votes for

 

Votes against

 

Votes abstained

 

Broker non-votes

 

John M. Kratky

 

12,557,669

 

0

 

746,855

 

0

 

Steven M. Capelli

 

12,822,046

 

0

 

482,478

 

0

 

David N. Campbell

 

12,735,592

 

0

 

568,932

 

0

 

Keith L. Crandell

 

12,503,437

 

0

 

801,087

 

0

 

Stephen E. Webb

 

12,790,424

 

0

 

514,100

 

0

 

 

Total shares voted of 13,304,524 represented 74.4% of total shares outstanding as of the April 22, 2005 stock record date.

 

Item 5.    Other Information.

 

On August 10, 2005, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Richard W. Cotter, the Senior Vice President, Sales, which expires on August 8, 2008. The following description of the employment agreement is a summary of the material terms of the agreement and does not purport to be complete, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the agreement, a copy of which is attached to hereto Exhibit 10.25, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

17



 

Mr. Cotter’s employment agreement provides that he will receive an annual base salary of $190,000 per year.  The employment agreement provides that Mr. Cotter is eligible for a bonus for each full fiscal year if certain revenue and financial targets are achieved.  Mr. Cotter is also entitled to three weeks of paid vacation during each year of employment and to participate in employee benefit plans made available to employees and/or other officers.

 

The Company may terminate Mr. Cotter’s employment with or without cause (as defined in the employment agreement) or upon the death or disability of Mr. Cotter. Mr. Cotter may terminate his employment with the Company upon 90 days’ prior written notice. 

 

If Mr. Cotter is terminated by the Company without cause, or Mr. Cotter terminates the employment agreement within three months of a change of control or of a material reduction in his salary or benefits or a material change in his responsibilities, Mr. Cotter will receive severance pay equal to nine months base salary. If Mr. Cotter voluntarily terminates his employment, the Company may, at its election, pay Mr. Cotter his annual base salary and provide benefits for up to 90 days following the notice of termination; provided, however, that Mr. Cotter will only be entitled to such compensation and benefits if he continues to satisfy his obligations under the employment agreement.  If Mr. Cotter’s employment is terminated because of death or disability, the Company shall continue to pay Mr. Cotter or his estate his annual base salary for a period of six months following the date of termination of employment.

 

In connection with his employment agreement, Mr. Cotter also entered into a noncompetition, nondisclosure and developments agreement with the Company.  This agreement provides that during the term of Mr. Cotter’s employment with the Company and for a period of two years thereafter, Mr. Cotter will not compete with the Company or solicit any employees of the Company.  The nondisclosure provisions in this agreement continue indefinitely after termination of employment. The agreement also provides that Mr. Cotter assigns to the Company any and all right to any intellectual property designed or developed by the officer during his period of employment except in specified circumstances.

 

Item 6.  Exhibits.

 

(a)          The following exhibits are included herein:

 

10.24

*

Services Agreement, dated as of June 20, 2005, between the Company and InfoMentis, Inc.

10.25

 

Employment agreement dated as of August 10, 2005 between Richard W. Cotter (the “Employee) and Apropos Technology, Inc.

31.1

 

Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

32.1

 

Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 


*          Previously filed with the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Report on form 8-K on June 29, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Signatures

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on August 12, 2005.

 

 

 

Apropos Technology, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ FRANCIS J. LEONARD

 

 

Francis J. Leonard

 

Chief Financial Officer and Vice President

 

(Principal Financial Officer and Authorized Officer)

 

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