8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 4, 2003

THE COAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

1-9511	94-2490990
(Commission File No.)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

350 Woodview Avenue, Morgan Hill, California 95037

(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (408) 782-6686

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address if Changed Since Last Report

Item 7.    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)    Exhibits.

The following exhibit is filed as part of this report:

Exhibit 99.1:    Press Release issued November 4, 2003.

Item 12.    Public Announcement or Release of Material Non-Public Information

On November 4, 2003, The Coast Distribution System, Inc., a Delaware corporation issued a press release announcing its results of operations for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2003. A copy of that press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

In accordance with General Instruction B.6 of Form 8-K, the information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.

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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 hereunto duly authorized.

	THE COAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, INC.
Date:  November 5, 2003	By:	/s/    SANDRA A. KNELL
		Sandra A. Knell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.

EXHIBIT	DESCRIPTION
99.1	Press Release issued by The Coast Distribution System, Inc. on November 4, 2003 announcing earnings for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2003.

E-1

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

THE COAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, INC.

CONTACT:

Thomas R. McGuire

Chief Executive Officer

(408) 782-6686

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE COAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, INC.

REPORTS INCREASES IN

THIRD QUARTER AND NINE MONTH SALES AND EARNINGS

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (November 4, 2003) — The Coast Distribution System, Inc. (AMEX: CRV) today reported increased sales and earnings for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2003.

Net sales for the quarter ended September 30, 2003 increased 8% to $42.8 million, as compared to $39.5 million for the third quarter of 2002. Net earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2003 increased to $829,000, or $0.18 per diluted share, versus net earnings of $452,000, or $0.10 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2002.

In the nine months ended September 30, 2003 net sales increased 7% to $131.0 million as compared to $122.6 million in 2002. Net earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 were $3,289,000, or $0.72 per diluted share. This compares to earnings, before the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle for goodwill impairment, for the nine months ended September 30, 2002 of $1,780,000, or $0.40 per diluted share.

As previously reported, Coast adopted SFAS 142, “Goodwill and Intangible Assets” effective as of January 1, 2002 and recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $6,325,000, as a cumulative effect of an accounting change, in the first quarter of 2002. As a result of that change, the Company recorded a net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2002 of $4,545,000, or $1.04 per share.

“The entire Coast team, while pleased with our progress, is committed to continued improvement going forward,” stated Thomas R. McGuire, Chairman and Chief Executive of Coast.

About The Coast Distribution System, Inc.

The Coast Distribution System is a leading supplier of accessories for recreational vehicles (RVs) and pleasure boats in the U.S. and Canada. Coast supplies its 15,000 customers through 17 distribution centers located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Seasonality of Coast’s Business

The Company’s business is seasonal. Sales generally are higher during the late spring and in the summer, as compared to other periods of the year. As a result, operating results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2003 are not necessarily indicative of the results that might be expected in the subsequent quarters of or for the full year ending December 31, 2003.

Pacer Technology Financial Results for First Fiscal Quarter of 2004

October 30, 2003

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Forward Looking Information

This news release contains statements regarding our expectations and beliefs about our future financial performance that are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigations Reform Act of 1995. Readers of this release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are inherently uncertain, or to rely on historical operating results to predict future financial performance. Actual results in the future may differ materially, depending on the effect of a number of risks and uncertainties such as, but not limited to, the possibility of increased price competition within the Company’s distribution channels; the possibility that economic conditions will not improve significantly or that interest rates will increase, causing consumers to reduce discretionary spending which can affect the sale of our products or causing our interest costs to increase; the occurrence, or even the threat, of shortages in the supply or significant increases in the price of gasoline; or unusually severe weather conditions which would reduce usage of RVs and pleasure boats and hence the purchase of the products we distribute; and the possibility of changes in the structure of relationships between manufacturers, distributors and retailers within our industry, which could create supply problems and operating costs or lead to increased competition. For a more detailed discussion of factors that affect the Company’s operating results, readers of this press release should review the Company’s SEC reports, including the Company’s Annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002. Forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The Coast Distribution System, Inc.

Selected Statement of Operations Data for the

Third Quarter and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2003 and 2002

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

	Third Quarter Ended September 30,
	2003		2002
Net sales	$	42,792	$	39,514
Operating income	$	1,640	$	1,009
Net earnings	$	829	$	452
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.18	$	0.10
Shares used for diluted earnings per share		4,689,420		4,507,431
	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2003		2002
Net sales	$	130,953	$	122,596
Operating income	$	6,450	$	4,334
Earnings before cumulative effect of accounting change	$	3,289	$	1,780
Cumulative effect of accounting change	$	—	$	(6,325	)
Net earnings (loss)	$	3,289	$	(4,545	)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share
Before cumulative effect of accounting change	$	0.72	$	0.40
Cumulative effect of accounting change	$	—	$	(1.45	)
Earnings (loss) per share		0.72	$	(1.04	)
Shares used for diluted earnings (loss) per share		4,584,173		4,385,681

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