-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, Gnck7nJif/25IKQuzxpYUs0FVHMpjGWP013bhuVjsOfHPP4WQIR+R8nH85kAyyNE 0DiOU3o3EeCKZXTzVK9HvQ== 0001193125-03-061378.txt : 20031014 0001193125-03-061378.hdr.sgml : 20031013 20031014162907 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-03-061378 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 10-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 8 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20030630 FILED AS OF DATE: 20031014 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: RURAL METRO CORP /DE/ CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000906326 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: LOCAL & SUBURBAN TRANSIT & INTERURBAN HWY PASSENGER TRAINS [4100] IRS NUMBER: 860746929 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0630 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 10-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-22056 FILM NUMBER: 03939924 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 8401 EAST INDIAN SCHOOL RD CITY: SCOTTSDALE STATE: AZ ZIP: 85251 BUSINESS PHONE: 4809943886 10-K 1 d10k.htm FORM 10-K Form 10-K
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-K

 

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003

 

Commission file number 0-22056

 


 

Rural/Metro Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   86-0746929

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

8401 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (480) 606-3886

 


 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

 

Common Stock, par value $.01 per share

Preferred Stock Purchase Rights

(Title of Class)

 


 

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  x    No  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.    x

 

Indicate by check mark whether registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2).    Yes  ¨    No  x

 

As of December 31, 2002, the aggregate market value of the voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, computed by reference to the closing sales price of such stock as of such date on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, was $33,247,400. Shares of Common Stock held by each officer and director and by each person who owned 5% or more of the outstanding Common Stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily conclusive.

 

As of October 3, 2003, there were 16,500,090 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock outstanding.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT RESULTS

  1

PART I

       

    ITEM 1.

  BUSINESS   2
    ITEM 2.   PROPERTIES   19
    ITEM 3.   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS   19
    ITEM 4.   SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS   20
PART II        
    ITEM 5.   MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS   21
    ITEM 6.   SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA   21
    ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

  27
    ITEM 7A.   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK   58
    ITEM 8.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA   58
    ITEM 9.  

CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

  108
    ITEM 9A.   CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES   108

PART III

       

    ITEM 10.

 

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

  110

    ITEM 11.

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

  110

    ITEM 12.

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

  110

    ITEM 13.

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

  110

    ITEM 14.

 

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

  110

PART IV

       

    ITEM 15.

 

EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

  111

SIGNATURES

  117


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FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT RESULTS

 

Forward Looking Statements. Statements in this Report that are not historical facts are hereby identified as “forward looking statements” as that term is used under the securities laws. We caution readers that such “forward looking statements,” including those relating to our future business prospects, working capital, accounts receivable collection, liquidity, cash flow, insurance coverage and claims reserves, capital needs, operational results and compliance with debt facilities, wherever they appear in this Report or in other statements attributable to us, are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of our senior management and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the “forward looking statements.” You should consider such “forward looking statements” in light of various important factors, including those set forth below and others set forth from time to time in our reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

These “forward looking statements” are found throughout this Report. Additionally, the discussions herein under the captions “Business — Introduction”, “Business — Market Reform and Changing Reimbursement Regulations”, “Business — Other Governmental Regulation”, “Business — Management Information Systems”, “Business — Billings and Collections”, “Legal Proceedings”, and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” are susceptible to the risks and uncertainties discussed under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations — Risk Factors.” Moreover, we may from time to time make “forward looking statements” about matters described herein or other matters concerning us. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update “forward looking statements.”

 

All references to “we,” “our,” “us,” or “Rural/Metro” refer to Rural/Metro Corporation, and its predecessors, direct and indirect subsidiaries, and affiliates. Rural/Metro Corporation, a Delaware corporation, is strictly a holding company. All services, operations and management functions are provided through its subsidiaries and affiliated entities. The website for Rural/Metro Corporation is located at www.ruralmetro.com.

 

For a discussion of certain risks associated with our business, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Item 7 of this Report and, specifically, “Risk Factors” included in such Item 7.


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PART I

 

Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements

 

We identified certain accounting matters relating to our consolidated financial statements for years prior to 2003 that required restatement. The matters subject to the restatement, which are summarized below and discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, increased our accumulated deficit by $59.3 million at June 30, 2000 after consideration of the related income tax effects. The restatement adjustments were necessary to (i) adjust the provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recognized in prior years and to reduce our accounts receivable balance through March 31, 2003, and (ii) to defer enrollment fees charged to new subscribers under our fire protection service contracts and to recognize such fees over the estimated customer relationship period.

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (FIN 46). FIN 46 requires that variable interest entities or VIEs be consolidated by the primary beneficiary, as that term is defined in FIN 46. We determined that our investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC (SDMSE), the entity formed with respect to our public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, meets the definition of a VIE and that we are the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, our investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. We had previously accounted for our investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While consolidation of SDMSE did not impact our previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, our consolidated financial statements of prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46.

 

ITEM 1. Business

 

Introduction

 

Founded in 1948, we are a leading provider of medical transportation and related services, which include emergency and non-emergency ambulance and alternative transportation services to municipal, residential, commercial, and industrial customers. We also provide fire protection services and other safety and health care related services, which include dispatch, fleet services, and home health services. We believe we are the only multi-state provider of both ambulance and fire protection services in the United States and that we rank among the largest private-sector providers of ambulance and fire protection services in the world.

 

We currently serve approximately 400 communities in 24 states. Revenues for these services are primarily derived from fees charged for medical transportation and fire protection services. Our domestic operations generated net revenues of approximately $520.5 million, $489.0 million, and $479.4 million in fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, and our Latin American operations generated revenues of approximately $2.4 million, $25.4 million and $43.1 million for the same respective periods. As discussed in “Business – Urgent Home Medical Care,” below as well as in Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we disposed of our Latin American operations effective September 27, 2002.

 

We provide medical transportation services under contracts with governmental entities, hospitals, health care facilities and other health care organizations. We primarily derive our revenue under these contracts through reimbursements under private insurance programs and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and reimbursement from a variety of governmental entities, as well as through fees paid directly by the patients utilizing our services. Fire protection services are provided under contracts with municipalities, fire districts or other agencies or on a subscription fee basis to individual homeowners or commercial property owners. Medical transportation and related services and fire protection services accounted for approximately 85% and 13%, respectively, of our net revenue for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2003 and 2002.

 

We grew significantly from the late 1970s through the late 1990s through internal growth and acquisitions. This growth, consisting mainly of mergers and acquisitions in the 1990s as part of a consolidation of the domestic ambulance industry, provided us with significant market presence throughout the United States and parts of Latin

 

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America. To manage this growth, we invested in the development of management and operating systems in order to achieve productivity gains. While we believe that our prior growth strategy has created a strong platform of core businesses, commencing in fiscal year 2000, we focused on strengthening those core businesses and improving economies of scale. This focus included: (i) sustaining and enhancing positive cash performance, (ii) improving the quality and collectibility of medical transportation service revenue, (iii) reducing bad debt expense, and (iv) growth through same-service area expansion and targeted new opportunities. Our current business strategy includes continued emphasis on these focal points and on delivering high-quality, efficient and effective services to our customers and patients.

 

Industry Overview

 

Medical Transportation Business

 

Based on generally available industry data, it is estimated that annual expenditures for ambulance services in the United States are between $7 billion and $10 billion. The medical transportation industry in the United States is segmented into two market types: emergency and non-emergency services. Public-sector entities, private companies, hospitals, and volunteer organizations provide ambulance services. Public-sector entities often serve as the first responder to requests for such emergency ambulance services and often provide emergency medical transportation. When public sector entities serve as first responder, private sector companies often serve as the second responder and support the first responder as needed. Private sector entities provide the majority of non-emergency ambulance services. It is estimated that the ambulance service industry includes approximately 12,000 service providers including approximately 1,500 private providers, 1,200 hospital-owned providers, 2,600 non-profit entities, 2,700 government-owned providers, and 4,000 providers operated by fire departments. Most commercial providers are small companies serving one or a limited number of markets. Several multi-state providers, including us, have emerged through the acquisition and consolidation of smaller ambulance service providers in recent years.

 

Fire Protection Business

 

Municipal fire departments, tax-supported fire districts, and volunteer fire departments constitute the principal providers of fire protection services in the United States. In most of the communities served by municipal fire departments and tax-supported fire districts, the fire department is the first to respond to a call for emergency medical services. Approximately 26,000 fire departments operate throughout the United States, of which approximately 19,000 are volunteer fire departments. Volunteer fire departments range from departments consisting entirely of volunteer personnel to departments that utilize one or more paid personnel located at each station supplemented by volunteers who proceed directly to the fire scene. In addition to providing fire protection services to municipalities and tax-supported fire districts, we and other members of the private sector provide fire protection services to large industrial complexes, airports, petrochemical plants, power plants and other self-contained facilities. We also provide wild land fire fighting services on a seasonal basis generally under contracts and, as requested, by various forestry and governmental agencies.

 

Based on our experience, we believe that our ambulance and fire protection services are complementary and benefit us by providing diversification, shared resources, experience and competitive advantages in certain service areas.

 

Historical Growth in Medical Transportation Service Expenditures; Primary Demand Factors

 

Medical transportation service expenditures in the United States have grown as a result of an increase in the number of transports and an increase in the average expenditures per transport. Several primary factors are cited for the increase and continued demand of the emergency and non-emergency transportation services we provide:

 

    The U.S. population is aging. People over the age of 65 years generally require more frequent hospital and ambulance services. The need for ambulance services is increasing with the aging of the Baby Boomer population; about 62 million Americans will be age 65 or older in 2025 compared to 35 million today. Such increase in demand affects all of our operations and is more pronounced in operations such as Arizona and Florida that serve higher concentrations of the elderly population.

 

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    Size, growth and geographic distribution of the population also impact the medical transportation industry. Local population increases and urban sprawl create added demand for medical transportation services and a steady, corresponding growth rate. Moreover, there is an increased incidence in the level of health and accident risks associated with a growing population. In most cases, we believe that the current assets and resources of our existing operations can service the demand created by this growth, without need for significant additional capital expenditures.

 

    The increased availability of emergency service, the impact of educational programs on its use, and the frequency by which some members of the population utilize hospital emergency rooms for medical care also have increased the number of ambulance transports.

 

    Increased patient travel between specialized treatment health care facilities has increased the demand for non-emergency medical transportation services.

 

    The greater use of outpatient care facilities and home care in response to health care cost containment efforts also has increased medical transport usage.

 

    The continuing demand for highly responsive emergency services, driven by regulatory and market forces, has further necessitated an increase in expenditures to maintain and enhance emergency medical systems. High-quality medical care and response time criteria require ambulance service providers to acquire sophisticated emergency medical, dispatch and related systems and equipment, recruit and retain highly trained personnel, and create advanced emergency management protocols. Average expenditures per transport have increased incrementally as a result of the additional costs to meet these criteria and maintain high-performance systems.

 

We believe that we are well situated to capitalize on the needs of the industry due to our emphasis on providing an effective, quality-care, service model, as enhanced by cost-efficiencies and centralized support functions from both local and national economies of scale.

 

Consolidation of the Medical Transportation Industry

 

During the 1990s, the fragmented nature of the medical transportation industry, combined with limited capital and management systems that typified many smaller providers, offered an opportunity to consolidate the industry with the goal of achieving improved productivity and enhanced levels of service. As a result, we and several other entities began consolidating the ambulance industry through mergers and acquisitions of smaller providers. Thereafter, as the industry became less fragmented and acquisition opportunities diminished, the number of acquisitions slowed. The larger consolidators, such as American Medical Response (AMR) and, to a lesser extent, Rural/Metro, incurred significant debt in order to compete for acquisition targets and subsequently fund integration. Accordingly, we are a highly leveraged company and face certain risk factors related to our debt structure. See Risk Factors — “We have significant indebtedness.” However, we believe that our timely participation in the consolidation of the industry has provided us with a strong domestic platform of core operations with a substantial revenue base and a marketable reputation for quality service, which enables us to capitalize on our position as a leader in the industry and build upon our business in existing service areas.

 

Competition

 

The medical transportation service industry continues to be highly competitive. Principal participants include governmental entities (including fire districts), other national ambulance service providers, large regional ambulance service providers, hospitals, and numerous local and volunteer private providers. Counties, municipalities, fire districts, hospitals, or health care organizations that presently contract for ambulance services may choose to provide ambulance services directly in the future. In addition, many of our contracts with governmental entities contain termination provisions for cause or without cause. We are experiencing increased competition from municipal fire departments in providing emergency ambulance service. However, we believe that the non-emergency transport services market currently is unattractive to municipal fire departments. Some of our competitors may have greater capital and other resources than we do and may not be subject to the same level of regulatory oversight as we are.

 

We believe that counties, fire districts, and municipalities consider quality of care, historical response time performance, and cost to be among the most important factors in awarding a contract, although other factors, such as customer service, financial stability, and personnel policies and practices, also may be considered. Although

 

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commercial providers often compete intensely for business within a particular community, it is generally difficult to displace a provider that has a history of satisfying the quality of care and response time performance criteria established within the service area. Moreover, significant start-up costs, together with the long-term nature of the contracts under which services are provided and the relationships many providers have within their communities, create barriers for entry into new markets other than through acquisition. We further believe that our status as an emergency ambulance service provider in a service area increases our visibility and stature, and enhances our ability to compete for non-emergency services within such areas. Because smaller ambulance providers typically do not have the infrastructure to provide emergency ambulance services, we believe we can compete favorably with such competitors for non-emergency service contracts in areas where we also provide emergency ambulance services.

 

In the fire protection industry, services for residential and commercial properties are provided primarily by tax-supported fire districts, municipal fire departments, and volunteer departments. Private providers, like us, represent a small portion of the total fire protection market and generally provide fire protection services where a tax-supported fire district or municipality has decided to contract for the provision of fire protection services or has not assumed financial responsibility for fire protection. Fire districts or municipalities may not continue to contract for fire protection services. In certain areas where no governmental entity has assumed financial responsibility for providing fire protection, we provide fire protection services on a subscription basis. Municipalities may annex a subscription area or that area may be converted to a fire district that provides service directly, rather than through a master contract.

 

Market Reform and Changing Reimbursement Regulations

 

Market reform and the passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, along with other regulatory changes, have impacted and reshaped the health care delivery system in the United States and, by extension, the medical transportation industry. As with all other health care providers, emergency medical service providers, like us, must comply with various requirements in order to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for the elderly and for chronically disabled individuals, which, among other things, pays for ambulance services when medically necessary.

 

Medicaid is a combined federal-state program for medical assistance to impoverished individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled or members of families with dependent children. Medicaid programs or a state equivalent exist in all states in which we operate. Although Medicaid programs differ in certain respects from state to state, all are subject to federal requirements. State Medicaid agencies have the authority to set levels of reimbursement within federal guidelines. We receive only the reimbursement permitted by Medicaid and are not permitted to collect from the patient any difference between our customary charge and the amount reimbursed.

 

Like other Medicare and Medicaid providers, we are subject to governmental audits of our Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement claims. We take our compliance responsibilities very seriously. We have a national corporate compliance department that works closely with senior management, local managers, billing and collections personnel, and both the human resources and legal departments, as well as governmental agencies to ensure substantial compliance with all established regulations and procedures. Nevertheless, despite our best efforts, there can be no assurance that we can achieve 100% compliance at all times, particularly in light of the complicated and ever-changing nature of the reimbursement regulations, and the high volume of daily transports we provide nationwide. Failure to comply may lead to a significant penalty or lower levels of reimbursement, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. From time to time, we have taken corrective action to address billing inconsistencies, which we have identified through our periodic, internal reviews of billing procedures or which have been brought to our attention through governmental examination of our records and procedures. These matters cover periods prior to and after our acquisition of operations. As part of our commitment to working with those governmental agencies responsible for enforcement of Medicare and Medicaid compliance, we have voluntarily self-disclosed billing issues identified at some of our operations. For example, we self-disclosed Medicare overpayments from 1997 and 1998 in our former Scranton, Pennsylvania, operation to the Office of Inspector General. The billing practices that resulted in the Medicare overpayments were instituted by the former owners of that operation. We discovered the inconsistencies after acquiring the operation and promptly instituted new billing practices. We also entered into, and are currently in compliance with, a corporate integrity agreement with the State of Ohio in connection with the State’s review of Medicaid billing procedures and records. Due to the nature of our business and our participation in the Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement programs, we are routinely subject to regulatory reviews and/or inquiries by governmental

 

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agencies. We expect these regulatory agencies to continue their practice of performing periodic reviews related to our industry. We fully cooperate with such federal and state agencies to provide requested information and to incorporate any recommended modifications of our existing compliance programs.

 

Government funding for health care programs is subject to statutory and regulatory changes, administrative rulings, interpretations of policy, determinations by intermediaries and governmental funding restrictions, all of which could materially impact program reimbursements for ambulance services. In recent years, Congress has consistently attempted to curb federal spending on such programs. In June 1997, the Health Care Financing Administration, now renamed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), issued proposed rules that would revise Medicare policy on the coverage of ambulance services. The proposed rules were the result of a mandate under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to establish a national fee schedule for payment of ambulance services that would control increases in expenditures under Part B of the Medicare program, establish definitions for ambulance services that link payments to the type of services furnished, consider appropriate regional and operational differences, and consider adjustments to account for inflation, among other provisions.

 

Prior to April 1, 2002, when the national Fee Schedule began a five-year phase-in, Medicare used a charge-based reimbursement system for ambulance services and reimbursed 80% of charges determined to be reasonable, subject to the limits fixed for the particular geographic area. The patient was responsible for co-pay amounts, deductibles and the remaining balance, if we did not accept the assigned reimbursement, and Medicare required us to expend reasonable efforts to collect the balance. In determining reasonable charges, Medicare considered and applied the lowest of various charge factors, including the actual charge, the customary charge, the prevailing charge in the same locality, the amount of reimbursement for comparable services, or the inflation-indexed charge limit.

 

On April 1, 2002, the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule Final Rule became effective. The Final Rule categorizes seven levels of ground ambulance services, ranging from basic life support to specialty care transport, and two categories of air ambulance services. The base rate conversion factor for services to Medicare patients was set at $170.54 (which is adjusted each year by the CPI – 1%) plus separate mileage charges based on specified relative value units for each level of ambulance service. Adjustments also were included to recognize differences in relative practice costs among geographic areas, and higher transportation costs that may be incurred by ambulance providers in rural areas with low population density. The Final Rule requires ambulance providers to accept assignment on Medicare claims, which means a provider must accept Medicare’s allowed reimbursement rate as full payment. Medicare typically reimburses 80% of that rate and the remaining 20% is collectible from a secondary insurance or the patient. In addition, the Final Rule calls for a five-year phase-in period to allow time for providers to adjust to the new payment rates. The fee schedule will be phased in at 20-percent increments each year, with payments being made at 100 percent of the fee schedule in 2006 and thereafter. Reimbursement by Medicare accounted for 27%, 25%, and 25% of our domestic net ambulance fee collections for 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. We believe the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule will have a neutral impact on our medical transportation revenue at incremental and full phase-in periods, primarily due to the geographic diversity of our U.S. operations. These rules could, however, result in contract renegotiations or other actions by us to offset any negative impact at the regional level that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Changes in reimbursement policies, or other governmental action, together with the financial challenges of some private, third-party payers and budget pressures on other payer sources could influence the timing and, potentially, the receipt of payments and reimbursements. A reduction in coverage or reimbursement rates by third-party payers, or an increase in our cost structure relative to the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), or costs incurred to implement the mandates of the fee schedule could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

Other Governmental Regulations

 

Our business is also subject to other governmental regulations at the federal, state, local, and foreign levels. At the federal level, we are subject to regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) designed to protect our employees, and regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) which protects the privacy of patients’ health information handled by health care providers. The federal government also recommends standards for ambulance design and construction, medical training curriculum, and designation of appropriate trauma facilities and regulates our radio licenses. Various state agencies may modify these standards or require additional standards.

 

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Each state where we operate regulates various aspects of its ambulance and fire business. These regulations may vary widely from state to state. State requirements govern the licensing or certification of ambulance service providers, training and certification of medical personnel, the scope of services that may be provided by medical personnel, staffing requirements, medical control, medical procedures, communication systems, vehicles, and equipment. State or local government regulations or administrative policies regulate rate structures in most states in which we conduct ambulance operations. The process of determining rates includes cost reviews, analyses of levels of reimbursement from all sources, and determination of reasonable profits. In certain service areas in which we are the exclusive provider of services, the municipality or fire district sets the rates for emergency ambulance services pursuant to a master contract as well as establishes the rates for general ambulance services that we are permitted to charge.

 

Applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations are subject to change. We believe that we currently are in substantial compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. These regulatory requirements, however, may require us in the future to increase our capital and operating expenditures in order to maintain current operations or initiate new operations. See “Risk Factors —Certain state and local governments regulate rate structures and limit rates of return,” “— Numerous governmental entities regulate our business,” and “— Health care reforms and cost containment may affect our business” contained in Item 7 of this Report.

 

Our Current Service Areas

 

We currently provide our services in approximately 400 communities in the following 24 states

 

Alabama

  

Kentucky

  

North Dakota

  

Texas

Arizona

  

Louisiana

  

Ohio

  

Washington

California

  

Mississippi

  

Oregon

  

Wisconsin

Colorado

  

Nebraska

  

Pennsylvania

    

Florida

  

New Jersey

  

South Carolina

    

Georgia

  

New Mexico

  

South Dakota

    

Indiana

  

New York

  

Tennessee

    

 

We provide ambulance services in each of these states primarily under the names Rural/Metro Ambulance or Rural/Metro Medical Services, and in New Mexico and certain areas of Arizona under the name Southwest Ambulance, except in Oregon, North Dakota and Wisconsin where we exclusively provide fire protection services. We also operate under other names depending upon local statutes or contractual agreements. We provide fire protection services under the name Rural/Metro Fire Department in 12 states, and also in Oregon under the name Valley Fire Services.

 

We generally provide our ambulance services pursuant to a contract or certificate of necessity on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis. We provide emergency ambulance services primarily pursuant to contracts or as a result of providing fire protection services. In certain service areas, we are the only provider of both emergency ambulance and non-emergency ambulance services. In other service areas, we compete for non-emergency ambulance contracts.

 

Medical Transportation Services

 

Emergency Ambulance Services

 

We generally provide emergency ambulance response and medical transportation services pursuant to contracts with counties, fire districts, and municipalities. These contracts typically appoint us as the exclusive provider of emergency ambulance services in designated service areas and require us to respond to every emergency medical call in those areas. The level of response to the call is dependent upon the underlying contract. We typically respond to virtually all calls with Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance units, unless otherwise specified by contract.

 

ALS ambulances are staffed with either two paramedics or one paramedic and an emergency medical technician (EMT) and are equipped with ALS equipment (such as cardiac monitors, defibrillators, advanced airway equipment and oxygen delivery systems) as well as pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.

 

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Upon arrival at an emergency medical call, the ALS crew members deploy portable life support equipment, ascertain the patient’s medical condition, and if required, administer advanced life support techniques and procedures that may include tracheal intubation, cardiac monitoring, defibrillation of cardiac arrhythmias, and the administration of medications and intravenous solutions under the direction of a physician. The crew also may perform Basic Life Support (BLS) services, which include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic airway management, and basic first aid including splinting, spinal immobilization, recording of vital signs and other non-invasive procedures. As soon as medically appropriate, the patient is placed on a portable gurney and transferred into the ambulance. While one crew member monitors and treats the patient, the other crew member drives the ambulance to a hospital designated either by the patient or the applicable medical protocol. While on scene or en route, the ambulance crew alerts the hospital regarding the patient’s medical condition, and if necessary, the attending ambulance crew member seeks advice from an emergency physician as to treatment. Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient generally is taken to the emergency department where care is transferred to the emergency department staff.

 

Non-Emergency Ambulance Services

 

We also provide non-emergency ambulance services to patients requiring either advanced or basic levels of medical supervision and treatment during transfer to and from residences, hospitals, long-term care centers, and other health care facilities. These services may be provided when a home-bound patient requires examination or treatment at a health care facility or when a hospital patient requires tests or treatments (such as MRI testing, CAT scans, dialysis, or chemotherapy) at another facility. We utilize ALS or BLS ambulance units to provide non-emergency ambulance services, depending on the patient’s needs and the proximity of available units. We generally staff our BLS ambulance units with two EMTs and equip these units with medical supplies and equipment necessary to administer first aid and basic medical treatment.

 

We provide ambulance services, critical care transports, and non-medical transportation services pursuant to contracts with non-emergency governmental agencies, health care facilities, or at the request of a patient. Such services may be scheduled in advance or provided on an as-needed basis. Contracts with managed care organizations provide for reimbursement on a per-transport basis or on a capitated basis under which we receive a fixed fee, per person, per month.

 

Critical Care Transport Services

 

We provide critical care transport services to medically unstable patients (such as cardiac patients and neonatal patients) who require critical care while being transported between health care facilities. Critical care services differ from ALS services in that the ambulance may be equipped with additional medical equipment and may be staffed by a medical specialist provided by us or by a health care facility to attend to a patient’s special medical needs. Typically, staffing may include the use of critical care trained professional nurses, respiratory therapists and/or neo-natal nurse specialists.

 

Alternative Transport Services

 

In addition to ambulance services, we provide non-medical transportation for the handicapped and certain non-ambulatory persons in very limited service areas. Such transportation generally takes place between residences or nursing homes and hospitals or other health care facilities. In providing this service, we typically utilize vans that contain hydraulic wheelchair lifts or ramps.

 

Disaster Response Teams

 

Aside from our day-to-day operations, we maintain disaster response teams that are occasionally called upon by the federal government, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and by state, county and local governments to assist in responding to local or national fire and medical emergencies. For example, at the request of FEMA and the New York State Emergency Management Office, we provided assistance for the efforts in New York City following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. In addition, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, we responded to requests to move patients from area hospitals to outlying facilities thereby clearing hospital beds for more seriously injured patients. We staff these emergencies based upon available resources from our existing pool of employees and equipment around the country, committing resources in a manner that is designed to avoid any interruption of service in our existing service areas.

 

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Such services are typically paid for and provided on a fee-for-service basis pursuant to contracts with the requesting agency or governmental entity.

 

Medical Personnel and Quality Assurance

 

Paramedics and EMTs must be state certified in order to transport patients and to perform emergency care services. Certification as an EMT requires completion of a minimum of 164 hours of training in a program designated by the United States Department of Transportation and supervised by state authorities. EMTs also may complete advanced training courses to become certified to provide certain additional emergency care services, such as administration of intravenous fluids and advanced airway management. In addition to completion of the EMT training program, the certification as a paramedic requires the completion of more than 800 hours of training in advanced patient care assessment, pharmacology, cardiology, and clinical and field skills. Many of the paramedics currently employed by us served as EMTs for us prior to their certification as paramedics. We are subject to nationwide and area-wide shortages of qualified EMTs and paramedics. We compete with hospitals, municipal fire departments and other health care providers for these valued individuals. We have undertaken efforts to minimize the effect of these shortages and have implemented a number of programs to attract and retain a quality workforce.

 

Local physician advisory boards and medical directors develop medical protocols to be followed by paramedics and EMTs in a service area. In addition, instructions are conveyed on a case-by-case basis through direct communications between the ambulance crew and hospital emergency room physicians during the administration of advanced life support procedures. Both paramedics and EMTs must complete continuing education programs and, in some cases, state supervised refresher training examinations to maintain their certifications. Certification and continuing education requirements for paramedics and EMTs vary among states and counties.

 

We maintain a commitment to provide high quality pre-hospital emergency medical care. In each location in which we provide services, a medical director, who usually is a physician associated with a hospital we serve, monitors adherence to medical protocol and conducts periodic audits of the care provided. In addition, we hold retrospective care audits with our employees to evaluate compliance with medical and performance standards.

 

We are members of a number of professional organizations, namely, the American Ambulance Association, National Emergency Number (911) Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and National Association of EMS Physicians. In those states where we provide service, we are involved in the state ambulance association, if one exists, and in many instances our involvement includes holding elected positions. In addition, we also are involved in the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, the National Fire Protection Association, and the ASTM International. Also, many of our employees are members of the National Association of EMTs, National Association of EMS Educators and other EMS organizations. We were one of the first ambulance service providers to obtain accreditation for many of our larger ambulance operations from CAAS, a joint program between the American Ambulance Association and the American College of Emergency Physicians. The process is voluntary and evaluates numerous qualitative factors in the delivery of services. We believe municipalities and managed care providers may consider accreditation as one of the criteria in awarding contracts in the future.

 

Urgent Home Medical Care

 

Due to the deteriorating economic conditions and continued devaluation of the local currency, we reviewed our strategic alternatives with respect to the continuation of operations in Latin America, primarily in Argentina, and determined that we would benefit from focusing on our domestic operations. Effective September 27, 2002, we sold our Latin American operations to local management. The following describes the type of revenue that is included in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements related to our operations in Latin America prior to September 27, 2002.

 

In Argentina, individual and business customers paid monthly for urgent home medical care and ambulance services. Our personnel conducted telephone triage and prioritized the dispatch of services to subscribers. Mobile services included the dispatch of physicians to the patient in an ambulance for serious, life-threatening situations, or more frequently, in the physician’s car, thus covering a wider scope of services than the traditional U.S. ambulance service model. Doctors and nurses also performed urgent and primary care services for our business customers.

 

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Fire Protection Services

 

Fire protection services consist primarily of fire prevention, fire suppression, and first responder medical care. We provide various levels of fire protection services, ranging from fire stations that are fully staffed 24 hours per day to reserve stations. We generally provide our services to municipalities and other governmental bodies pursuant to master contracts funded through the tax base and to residences, commercial establishments, airports and industrial complexes pursuant to subscription fee and other fee-for-service arrangements. Federal and state governments contract with us from time to time to suppress wild fires on government lands.

 

We have placed fire prevention and education in the forefront of our fire protection services and have developed a comprehensive program to prevent and minimize fires. We believe that effective fire protection requires the intensive training of personnel, the effective utilization of fire equipment, the establishment of effective communication centers for the receipt of emergency calls and the dispatch of equipment and personnel, the establishment and enforcement of strict fire codes, and community educational efforts.

 

Fire Protection Personnel

 

Our ability to provide our fire protection services at relatively low costs results from our efficient use of personnel in addition to our fire prevention efforts. Typically, personnel costs represent more than two-thirds of the cost of providing fire protection services. We have been able to reduce our labor costs through a system that utilizes full-time firefighters complemented by paid part-time reservists as well as a modified every other day shift schedule. By using trained reservists on an as-needed basis, we have the ability to supplement full-time firefighters on a cost-effective basis.

 

All full-time and reserve firefighters undergo extensive training, which exceeds the standards recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and must qualify for state certification before being eligible for full-time employment by us. Because approximately 70% to 80% of our fire response activity consists of emergency medical response, all of our full-time firefighters are trained EMTs or paramedics. Ongoing training includes instruction in new fire service tactics and fire fighting techniques as well as continual physical conditioning.

 

Each year we respond to an increasing number of specialty rescues. For this reason, in certain of our fire operations we operate a Special Operations Rescue Team (SORT) comprised of firefighters who have advanced training in hazardous materials, water rescue, high and low angle and rope rescue, and confined space rescue.

 

Fire Response

 

An alarm typically results in the dispatch of one or more engine companies (each of which consists of an engine and two to four firefighters, including a captain), a fire chief, and such other personnel and equipment as circumstances warrant. The amount of equipment and personnel depends upon the type, location, and severity of the incident. We utilize our dispatch capabilities to reposition equipment and firefighters to maximize the availability and use of resources in a cost-effective manner.

 

Fire Prevention

 

We believe that fire prevention programs result in both lower fire loss and significant overall cost savings. Our fire prevention programs include recommendations for and the encouragement of various fire prevention methods, including fire code design, building design to inhibit the spread of fire, the design of automatic fire suppression sprinklers, fire detector and smoke detector installations, the design of monitoring and alarm systems, the placement and inspection of fire hydrants, fire code inspection and enforcement, and the determination of fire cause and origin in arson suspected fires. In addition, our personnel perform community education programs designed to reduce the risk of fire and increase our community profile.

 

We believe that our long-standing public/private relationship with the City of Scottsdale provides an example of an effective, cost-efficient fire protection program. The Scottsdale program emphasizes our philosophy of fire prevention. With our cooperation and assistance, the City of Scottsdale has designed comprehensive fire prevention measures, including fire codes, inspections, and sprinkler and smoke detector ordinances. We believe that as a result

 

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of strict fire codes, the enactment of a sprinkler ordinance, and the effectiveness of the services we provide, Scottsdale’s per capita cost for fire protection is lower than for other cities of similar size.

 

Wild Land Fire Protection Services

 

We provide disaster response fire protection services when requested by the federal government, through the U.S. Forest Service, and other governmental entities to assist in responding to fire emergencies such as the multiple wild land fires that occurred during the past year in the western United States. We staff these emergencies based upon available resources from our existing pool of employees and equipment around the country, committing resources in a manner that is designed to avoid any interruption of service in our existing service areas. Such services are typically paid for and provided on a fee-for-service basis pursuant to contracts with the requesting agency or governmental entity.

 

Industrial Fire Protection Services

 

We provide fire protection services and, on a limited basis, unarmed security services to large industrial complexes, petrochemical plants, power plants, and other self-contained facilities. The combination of fire protection services with security services in large industrial complexes has the potential to provide for greater efficiency and utilization in the delivery of such services and to result in reduced cost to our industrial customers for such services. We have contracts ranging up to three years in duration and expiring at various dates up to October 31, 2005 to provide firefighting and hazardous materials response services at locations in several states. We intend to pursue similar contracts in the future.

 

Aircraft, Rescue And Fire Fighting Services (ARFF)

 

We also provide aircraft rescue and firefighting services at a variety of airports throughout the United States, including the FedEx Express airport hub in Memphis, Tennessee, and the international airport in Port Columbus, Ohio. In addition to aircraft rescue and fire fighting services, we also provide structural firefighting and emergency medical response for airport terminals. Our ARFF firefighters, many of whom have extensive military and civilian ARFF experience, have completed comprehensive professional training programs. Our personnel are cross-trained as EMTs or paramedics, as well as in hazardous materials response. Our capabilities include value-added services such as first responder medical service in support of local fire departments for in-terminal medical emergencies, safety training for fuel handlers and other airport personnel, fire prevention activities, and testing and maintenance of fire suppression equipment.

 

Contracts

 

We enter into contracts with counties, municipalities, fire districts, and other governmental entities to provide emergency ambulance services in designated service areas. These contracts typically specify maximum fees that we may charge and set forth required criteria, such as response times, staffing levels, types of vehicles and equipment, quality assurance, indemnity and insurance coverage. In certain instances, we are required by contract or by law to post a surety bond or other assurance of financial or performance responsibility. The rates that we may charge under a contract for emergency ambulance services depends largely on patient mix; the nature of services rendered; the local political climate; and the amount of subsidy, if any, that will be considered by a governmental entity to cover costs of uncompensated care. Our four largest ambulance contracts accounted for approximately 17%, 16% and 15% of net revenue during fiscal years 2003 and 2002 and 2001.

 

We provide fire protection services pursuant to master contracts or on a subscription basis. Master contracts provide for negotiated rates with governmental entities. Certain contracts are performance-based and require us to meet certain dispatch and response times in a certain percentage of responses. These contracts also set maximum thresholds for variances from the performance criteria. These contracts establish the level of service required and may encompass fire prevention and education activities as well as fire suppression. Other contracts are level-of-effort based and require us to provide a certain number of personnel for a certain time period for a particular function, such as fire prevention or fire suppression. We provide fire protection services on a subscription basis in areas where no governmental entity has assumed the financial responsibility for providing fire protection. We derived approximately 47% of our fire protection service revenue from subscriptions in fiscal years 2003 and 2002 and 45% in fiscal year 2001. Fire subscription rates are not currently regulated by any governmental agency in our service areas.

 

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Our contracts generally extend for terms of two to five years. We attempt to renegotiate contracts in advance of the expiration date and generally have been successful in these renegotiations. From time to time, we may decide that certain contracts are no longer favorable and may seek to modify or terminate these contracts. At any given time, we estimate that we have approximately 125 agreements with counties, fire districts, and municipalities for ambulance services and for fire protection services. The following table sets forth certain information regarding our six largest contracts, based on revenue, during fiscal 2003 with counties, fire districts, and municipalities for ambulance services and for fire protection services.

 

     Term In Years

   Expiration Date

  

Type of Service (1)


Ambulance

              

Orange County, Florida (2)

   4    October 2006    Emergency/General

Rochester, New York (3)

   4    September 2006    Emergency /General

Knox County, Tennessee (4)

   5    July 2007    Emergency /General

Fort Worth, Texas (5)

   6    August 2004    Emergency /General

Community Fire

              

Scottsdale, Arizona (6)

   3    June 2005    Fire Protection

Public/Private Alliance

              

San Diego, California (7)

   5    June 2005    Emergency /General

(1)   Type of service for ambulance contracts indicates whether emergency or general ambulance services or both are provided within the service area.
(2)   The contract was first entered into in 1962 by a provider that was acquired by us in July 1984.
(3)   The contract was first entered into in 1988 by a provider that was acquired by us in May 1994.
(4)   The contract was first entered into in July 1985.
(5)   The contract was first entered into in August 1999. The contract has six one-year renewal options.
(6)   The contract was first entered into in 1952.
(7)   The contract was first entered into in May 1997 and is effective through June 2005. The contract has a three-year renewal option exercisable by our customer.

 

In addition to the contracts listed above, we were awarded several other contracts under which we began or continued to provide service during fiscal 2003:

 

Ohio State University Medical Center – We announced a renewal contract on March 31, 2003 for a new, three-year agreement, with one two-year optional renewal, for a maximum term of five years. We have served OSU since 1997.

 

Loudon County, Tennessee – We were awarded a new contract to serve the emergency ambulance needs of Loudon County, Tennessee, a 229-square-mile community adjacent to Knox County, Tennessee. The one-year-agreement began January 1, 2003.

 

City of Chandler, Arizona – Our Southwest Ambulance division was awarded a renewal contract to extend our 15-year relationship with the City of Chandler. The three-year contract, which commenced January 1, 2003, includes a three-year optional extension.

 

Augusta, Georgia – The Augusta Commission unanimously awarded to us an exclusive five-year contract to continue providing emergency ambulance services, which began January 1, 2003.

 

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Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, West Palm Beach, Florida – Our industrial fire protection division was awarded a three-year contract to serve the industrial fire protection needs of Sikorsky’s helicopter testing facility in Florida. The contract began November 1, 2002.

 

McClellen-Palomar Airport, Carlsbad, California – Our aircraft rescue and firefighting division was awarded a five-year contract to serve the aircraft rescue and fire fighting needs of the municipal airport in Carlsbad, California. The contract, which began on October 1, 2002, was won in a competitive bidding process that included the incumbent provider.

 

Port Columbus International Airport, Columbus, Ohio – Our aircraft rescue and firefighting division was awarded a 17-month extension of its previous five-year contract with the airport for specialty fire and EMS services, which began August 1, 2002 and expires December 31, 2003.

 

Knox County, Tennessee – The Knox County Commission unanimously awarded to us the exclusive contract to continue providing emergency ambulance services in Knox County (Knoxville) Tennessee. The initial five-year contract includes two, three-year renewal terms, and the contract began August 1, 2002.

 

City of Rochester, New York – The Rochester City Council unanimously awarded to us an exclusive six-year agreement (four years plus two one-year optional renewal terms) to continue providing emergency ambulance services. The new contract began October 1, 2002.

 

CITGO Petroleum Corp. – Our specialty fire division was awarded a three-year contract to continue providing fire protection services to CITGO’s Lake Charles, Louisiana, petrochemical refinery. The contract began July 1, 2002

 

Additionally, we were awarded the following contracts during fiscal year 2003 under which we will begin to provide services or we will continue to provide services under a new contract in fiscal year 2004:

 

Morristown Municipal Airport, New Jersey – Our aircraft rescue and firefighting division was awarded a three-year contract to continue providing exclusive aircraft rescue and fire fighting services beginning July 1, 2003.

 

Shelby County (Memphis-area), Tennessee – We were awarded a one-year contract with four one-year renewal terms to continue to provide exclusive ambulance services to Shelby County, Tennessee. The contract began September 1, 2003.

 

City of Tucson, Arizona – Our Southwest Ambulance division was awarded a one-year contract renewal to continue providing exclusive Basic Life Support ambulance services in conjunction with the Tucson Fire Department which began July 1, 2003. The contract marks the sixth year that Southwest has been providing this service to the citizens of Tucson.

 

City of Aurora, Colorado – We were awarded an exclusive two-year renewal contract to continue as the emergency ambulance service provider for the City of Aurora. The new agreement was approved June 2, 2003 on a unanimous vote of the Aurora City Council and began July 1, 2003.

 

Fort Worth, Texas – On a unanimous vote of the Fort Worth Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority, we were awarded a one-year contract with five one-year renewal terms to continue providing emergency and non-emergency ambulance service in Fort Worth and twelve surrounding communities. The new contract term begins August 1, 2004.

 

Doña Ana County (Las Cruces area), New Mexico – Our Southwest Ambulance division was awarded an exclusive, four-year contract to provide all emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services within Doña Ana County. The contract began July 1, 2003.

 

We also enter into contracts with hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities to provide non-emergency and critical care ambulance services. These contracts typically designate us as the preferred provider of non-emergency ambulance services to those facilities and typically permit us to charge a base fee, mileage

 

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reimbursement, and additional fees for the use of particular medical equipment and supplies. We provide a reduced rate to facilities that assume the responsibility for payment of the charges to the persons receiving services. At any given time, we have approximately 1,000 agreements with counties, fire districts, municipalities, airports, hospitals, health care facilities, nursing homes, and other contracting entities for ambulance services or for fire protection services.

 

During fiscal years 2000 and 2001, in connection with our domestic EMS restructuring initiative, we renegotiated a number of contracts where the rates, services or market conditions were not conducive to operational profitability. Additionally, we exited certain contracts in connection with the closure or downsizing of financially under-performing service areas, the majority of which solely provided non-emergency services and which could not meet our financial performance criteria on a sustained basis. In each situation where we have closed a service area, our operational teams have endeavored to ensure that an orderly transition occurs with no service interruptions. In many areas, we worked closely with the community, local governmental entities and alternative providers until our departure date, which in some cases extended for a number of months so that the transition could be properly effectuated. We believe that our actions under these circumstances are consistent with our commitment and reputation as a dependable, high-quality service provider. See “Risk Factors — We depend on certain business relationships” contained in Item 7 of this Report.

 

Counties, fire districts, and municipalities generally award contracts to provide emergency ambulance services either through requests for competitive proposals or bidding processes. In some instances in which we are the existing provider, the county or municipality may elect to renegotiate our existing contract rather than re-bid the contract. We will continue to seek to enter into public/private alliances to compete for new business. For example, during fiscal year 2002, our alliance with the City of San Diego allowed the partnership to bid for and win multi-year contracts to provide emergency ambulance services throughout San Diego and Northern San Diego County.

 

We market our non-emergency medical transportation services to hospitals, health maintenance organizations, convalescent homes, and other health care facilities that require a stable and reliable source of medical transportation for their patients. We believe that our status as an emergency ambulance service provider in a designated service area increases our visibility and enhances our marketing efforts for non-emergency services in that area. Contracts for non-emergency services usually are based on criteria (such as quality of care, customer service, response time, and cost) similar to those in contracts for emergency services.

 

We market our fire protection services to subscribers in rural and suburban areas, volunteer staffed fire departments, tax-supported fire districts, and large industrial complexes, petrochemical plants, power plants, and other self-contained facilities. Contract and/or subscription fees are collected annually in advance. In the event that we provide service for a non-subscriber, we directly bill the property owner for the cost of services rendered. We also provide fire protection services to newly developed communities where the subscription fee may be included in the homeowner’s association assessment.

 

Management Information Systems

 

We utilize sophisticated management information systems, which we believe enhance the productivity of our existing operations. These systems permit us to achieve efficiencies in the areas of billings, collections, purchasing, finance, cash management, human resources, compliance, informational systems, legal, risk management, and in the utilization of personnel and equipment.

 

Our centralized systems significantly augment local processes and permit managers to direct their attention primarily to the performance and growth of their operations. Centralized billing and collection procedures provide for more efficient tracking and collection of accounts receivable. Centralized purchasing permits us to achieve discounts in the purchase of medical equipment and supplies. Other centralized infrastructure components such as accounts payable, legal, compliance, human resources and risk management provide the capability to purchase related products and services on a national basis, identify and respond to national trends, and provide internal support and administrative services in a more cost-effective, efficient and consistent manner across all operations. We provide services and allocate costs for these centralized systems pursuant to administrative services agreements with each of our direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. Accordingly, each subsidiary’s operational management has the ultimate responsibility and decision-making authority for the utilization and direction of these corporate services, so as to best serve the needs of their individual markets.

 

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We believe our investment in management information systems and our effective use of these systems represent key components of our success. Process and personnel improvements in these areas are continuing. We are committed to further strengthening the productivity and efficiency of our business and believe that our management systems have the capability to support future growth.

 

Dispatch and Communications

 

We use system status plans and flexible deployment systems to position our ambulances within a designated service area because effective fleet deployment represents a key factor in reducing response times and efficient use of resources. We analyze data on traffic patterns, demographics, usage frequency, and similar factors with the aid of computers to help us determine optimal ambulance deployment and selection. The center that controls the deployment and dispatch of ambulances in response to calls for ambulance service may be owned and operated either by the applicable county or municipality or by us. Each control center utilizes computer hardware and software and sophisticated communications equipment and maintains responsibility for fleet deployment and utilization 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

Depending on the emergency medical dispatch system used in a designated service area, the public authority that receives 911 emergency medical calls either dispatches our ambulances directly from the public control center or communicates information regarding the location and type of medical emergency to our control center, which in turn dispatches ambulances to the scene. In most service areas, our control center receives the call from the police after the police have determined the call is for emergency medical services. When we receive a 911 call, we dispatch one or more ambulances directly from our control center while the call taker communicates with the caller. All call takers and dispatchers are trained EMTs or Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMD) with additional training that enables them to instruct a caller on pre-arrival emergency medical procedures, if necessary. In our larger control centers, a computer assists the dispatcher by analyzing a number of factors, such as time of day, ambulance location, and historical traffic patterns, in order to recommend optimal ambulance selection. In all cases, a dispatcher selects and dispatches the ambulance. While the ambulance is en route to the scene, the emergency medical team receives information concerning the patient’s condition prior to arrival at the scene. Also, in various operations across the country, we use AVL (auto vehicle locator) technology in the vehicles to enhance our dispatch system.

 

In the delivery of emergency ambulance services, our communication systems allow the ambulance crew to communicate directly with the destination hospital to alert hospital medical personnel of the arrival of the patient and the patient’s condition, and to receive instructions directly from emergency department personnel on specific pre-hospital medical treatment. These systems also facilitate close and direct coordination with other emergency service providers, such as the appropriate police and fire departments that also may be responding to a call.

 

Deployment and dispatch also represent important factors in providing non-emergency ambulance services. We implement system status plans for these services designed to assure appropriate response times to non-emergency calls. We have developed extensive customer service models that enable our communications centers to meet these customer needs. We have established such procedures based on patient condition, specialized equipment needed, and the level of care that will be required by the patient.

 

We utilize communication centers in our community fire protection activities for the receipt of fire alarms and the dispatch of equipment and personnel that are the same as or similar to those maintained for our ambulance services. Response time represents an important criteria in the effectiveness of fire suppression, which is dependent on the level of protection sought by our customers in terms of fire station spacing, the size of the service area covered, and the amount of equipment and personnel dedicated to fire protection.

 

Billings and Collections

 

As described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements, we determined that collections on accounts receivable relating to medical transportation revenue, primarily revenue recognized prior to fiscal 2001, were substantially less than originally anticipated and the aggregate amount of provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recognized in such prior years were inadequate. The inadequacy of such provisions caused our period-end allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003 to be understated and our accounts receivable to be overstated. We determined that this situation was

 

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primarily attributable to inaccurate assumptions utilized in the provision estimation process in use prior to fiscal 2001 as well as in the process utilized to assess the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003.

 

We determined that our consolidated financial statements of prior years required restatement as a result of this matter. The portion of the restatement adjustments relating to discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers has been reflected as a reduction of net revenue in the respective periods while the portion relating to uncollectible accounts has been reflected as an increase or decrease in the provision for doubtful accounts in the respective periods. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased our accumulated deficit as of June 30, 2000 by $58.0 million.

 

We currently maintain 12 domestic regional billing and payment processing centers and a centralized private-pay collection system at our headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona. Invoices are generated at the regional level, and the account is processed by the centralized collection system for private-pay accounts only if payment is not received in a timely manner. Customer service is directed from each of the regional centers. Substantially all of our revenue is billed and collected through our integrated billing and collection system, except for our operations in Rochester, New York which bills and collects revenue through an independent billing and collections system.

 

We derive a substantial portion of our ambulance fee collections from reimbursement by third-party payers, including payments under Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance programs, typically invoicing and collecting payments directly to and from those third-party payers. We also collect payments directly from patients, including payments under deductible and co-insurance provisions and otherwise. The composition of our domestic net ambulance fee collections is as follows:

 

     2003

    2002

    2001

 

Medicare

   27 %   25 %   25 %

Medicaid

   14 %   12 %   10 %

Private insurers

   49 %   51 %   49 %

Patients

   10 %   12 %   16 %
    

 

 

     100 %   100 %   100 %
    

 

 

 

Our domestic net ambulance fee collections noted above have shifted away from patient payers to Medicare and Medicaid payers. We believe this shift is due, in part, to the following factors:

 

    Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule mandated assignment of Medicare claims. This factor has decreased full charge billings to patients.

 

    Increased use of the Internet and other tools to verify patient demographics and insurance eligibility prior to submission of claims. This factor has translated into increased collections from Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurers.

 

    Increased utilization of electronic claim submissions. This factor has allowed us to work more closely with insurance companies to resolve claims.

 

    Aging of the population in the communities we serve.

 

Companies in the ambulance service industry maintain significant provisions for doubtful accounts compared to companies in other industries. Collection of complete and accurate patient billing information during an emergency service call is sometimes difficult, and incomplete information hinders post-service collection efforts. In addition, it is not possible for us to evaluate the creditworthiness of patients requiring emergency transport services. Our allowance for doubtful accounts generally is higher with respect to revenue derived directly from patients than for revenue derived from third-party payers and generally is higher for transports resulting from emergency ambulance calls than for non-emergency ambulance requests. See “Risk Factors — We depend on reimbursements by third-party payers and individuals” contained in Item 7 of this Report.

 

We have substantial experience in processing claims to third-party payers and employ a billing staff specifically trained in third-party coverage and reimbursement procedures. Our integrated billing and collection system uses proprietary software to specifically tailor the submission of claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and certain other third-party payers and has the capability to electronically submit claims to the extent third-party payers’ systems permit. Our integrated billing and collection system provides for tracking of accounts receivable and status pending payment,

 

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which facilitates the utilization of personnel resources to resolve workload distribution. When billing individuals, we sometimes use an automated dialer that pre-selects and dials accounts based on their status within the billing and collection cycle, which we believe enhances the efficiency of the collection staff. The practices and procedures utilized at our non-integrated billing center in Rochester, New York are generally consistent with those in use at our integrated billing centers.

 

State licensing requirements as well as contracts with counties, municipalities, and health care facilities typically require us to provide ambulance services without regard to a patient’s insurance coverage or ability to pay. As a result, we often receive partial or no compensation for services provided to patients who are not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. The anticipated level of uncompensated care and uncollectible accounts may be considered in determining a government-paid subsidy to provide for uncompensated care, if any, and permitted rates under contracts with a county or municipality.

 

Insurance and Surety Bonding

 

Many of our contracts and certain provisions of local law require us to carry specified amounts of insurance coverage. We carry a broad range of comprehensive general liability, automobile, property damage, professional, workers’ compensation, and other liability insurance policies that are renewed annually. As a result of the nature of our services and the day-to-day operation of our vehicle fleet, we are subject to accident, injury and professional claims in the ordinary course of business. We operate in some states that adhere to a gross negligence standard for the delivery of emergency medical care, which potentially lessens our exposure for tort judgments.

 

Based upon historical claim trends, we consider our insurance program adequate for the protection of our assets and operations. Our insurance policies are either occurrence or claims-made policies and are subject to certain deductibles and self-insured retention limits. The coverage limits of our policies may not be sufficient, we may experience claims within our deductibles or self-insured retentions in amounts greater than anticipated, or our insurers may experience financial difficulties that would require us to pay unanticipated claims. In addition, insurance may not continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms. A successful claim or claims against us in excess of our insurance coverage, or claims within our deductibles or self insured retentions in amounts greater than anticipated, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Claims against us, regardless of their merit or outcome, also may have an adverse effect on our reputation. We have attempted to minimize our claims exposure by instituting process improvements and increasing the utilization of experts in connection with our legal, risk management and safety programs. One such safety program is our Driver Development Program (DDP). DDP uses the Coaching Emergency Vehicle Operator or CEVO program, which is sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC) and is nationally recognized as drivers’ training for emergency services vehicle operators. The program consists of training in the classroom as well as field training, and the curriculum includes, among other topics, instruction related to staging, proper inspection of the vehicles and driving in emergency settings. We modified and enhanced CEVO based on our analysis of over ten years of vehicle incidents as well as drivers’ experiences. We began developing the program in December 2002 and began training in July 2003. We have also partnered with NSC to develop policies related to patient lifting and moving. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information.

 

Counties, municipalities, and fire districts sometimes require us to provide a surety bond or other assurance of financial and performance responsibility. We may also be required by law to post a surety bond as a prerequisite to obtaining and maintaining a license to operate. As a result, we have a portfolio of surety bonds that is renewed annually.

 

Employees

 

At October 3, 2003, we employed approximately 5,700 full-time and 3,300 part-time employees, including approximately 5,300 involved in ambulance services, 1,000 in fire protection services, 300 in integrated ambulance and fire protection services, 150 in urgent home medical care, 500 in dispatch/communications, 200 in alternative transportation services (ATS), and 1,600 in management, administrative, clerical and billing activities. Of these employees, approximately 2,000 are paramedics and 3,100 are EMTs. We are party to collective bargaining agreements relating to certain of our paramedics and EMTs in Rochester, New York; Buffalo, New York; Corning, New York; Youngstown, Ohio; San Diego, California; Gadsden, Alabama; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Seattle,

 

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Washington. We also have collective bargaining agreements in place for certain of our Maricopa County, Arizona, Integrated Fire employees; and certain of our ambulance services employees in Arizona. We consider our relations with employees to be good.

 

Strategy

 

Our strategy is to continue strengthening our existing core businesses and to continue building upon our economies of scale, while providing the most proficient levels of medical transportation and related services possible for the customers and communities we serve. Over the past year, our efforts to strengthen our business have been primarily focused on (i) sustaining and enhancing positive cash performance, (ii) improving the quality and collection of medical transportation service revenue, (iii) reducing bad debt expense, and (iv) growth through same-service area expansion and targeted new opportunities. Throughout fiscal 2003, we also focused on the continuing implementation of programs designed to maximize and expedite reimbursement for our medical transportation services. Our business strategy for fiscal year 2004 includes continued emphasis on these focal points supplemented by our long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality, efficient and cost-effective services to our patients and customers.

 

Cash Performance

 

We focused extensively throughout fiscal 2003 on further enhancing cash performance. Initiatives undertaken related specifically to maximizing and accelerating reimbursement for our services, which drives positive cash-flow trending. New and ongoing programs target improvements to our field documentation procedures and pre-screening non-emergency medical transportation requests to ensure patients’ conditions meet medical necessity standards.

 

Revenue Quality and Collection

 

Our objective to improve the quality of our revenue is related directly to cash performance and effective collection efforts. Throughout fiscal year 2003, we have continued to devote significant effort to negotiating enhanced rates on continuing medical transportation contracts. We have also intensified and refined our systems in order to maximize collection percentages and minimize the number of days revenue is outstanding from the time we provide service to the time we are paid.

 

Reducing Bad Debt Expense

 

In fiscal 2003, we continued to streamline our overall ambulance billing processes and to improve our related performance. Improvements in fiscal 2003 included programs designed to expedite the timely filing of ambulance claims and to create added controls over the day-to-day flow of aging claims. Additionally, significant attention was placed during fiscal 2003 on improving our return on certain Medicare accounts that become difficult to collect. We also placed a high priority on submitting ambulance claims electronically in order to expedite payment and maximize the efficiencies afforded by such systems.

 

Growth

 

A key element of our internal growth strategy is to extend our reach in existing service areas. We believe a variety of opportunities are available in proven service areas with good payer mixes to create new growth. This type of growth is primarily targeted to non-emergency medical transportation services among hospitals, health-care centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and other related health-care entities. Additionally, we achieve same-service-area revenue growth through increases in rates and the addition of subsidies provided in locations where uncompensated care is on the rise. As a result of our efforts in fiscal year 2003, we achieved 5.9% improvement in same-service area growth over fiscal year 2002 levels. We are encouraged by these results and will remain focused on same-service-area opportunities in fiscal year 2004. We also seek to maximize return on our investments in EMS operations by increasing utilization of ambulances through a balanced growth of both emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services.

 

We also have pursued highly selective new growth opportunities in fiscal year 2003. We evaluate new growth opportunities based on a number of criteria, including geographic proximity to existing regional operations, payer mix, medical transportation demands, competitive profiles, and demographic trends. We believe that by targeting

 

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specific locations, we can identify and pursue profitable new growth. For example, our Southwest Ambulance division targeted an opportunity that emerged in the spring of 2003 in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, which includes the City of Las Cruces and its surrounding areas. Southwest Ambulance bid for and was awarded the contract to provide all emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services within Doña Ana County during the third quarter of fiscal 2003, unseating the incumbent provider. On a smaller scale, our Southeast EMS Group secured a new emergency ambulance service contract in Loudon County, Tennessee, which is adjacent to our large base of operations in Knox County. We will continue to evaluate selective opportunities for new growth in the future.

 

We will market our emergency ambulance services through the pursuit of new contracts and alliances with municipalities, other governmental entities, hospital-based emergency providers, and fire districts. Based on our successful public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, our ambulance service contract in Aurora, Colorado, and contracts with numerous Arizona municipalities, we believe that contracting may provide a cost-effective approach to expansion into certain existing and new service areas. We believe that our strategic public/private alliances can provide operating economies, coordination of the delivery of services, efficiencies in the use of personnel and equipment, and enhanced levels of service, while saving taxpayer dollars. We will continue to seek such mutually beneficial public/private alliances and municipal contracts in existing and, to a limited extent, new service areas.

 

ITEM 2. Properties

 

Facilities and Equipment

 

We lease our principal executive offices in Scottsdale, Arizona. In those areas where we provide ambulance and fire services, we also lease facilities at which we base and maintain ambulances and fire apparatus. We also own 14 facilities within our service areas. Rental expense totaled $11.5 million, $11.5 million, and $12.1 million in fiscal 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. At October 3, 2003, our fleet included approximately 1,350 owned and 225 leased ambulances and alternative transportation vehicles, 120 owned and 30 leased fire vehicles, and 250 owned and 20 leased other vehicles. We use a combination of in-house and outsourced maintenance services to maintain our fleet, depending on the size of the market and the availability of quality outside maintenance services.

 

ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings

 

From time to time, we are subject to litigation and regulatory investigations arising in the ordinary course of business. We believe that the resolution of currently pending litigation and regulatory investigations will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. However, we are unable to predict with certainty the outcome of such matters. In some pending cases, our insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all liabilities in excess of our deductible or self-insured retention arising out of such claims. In addition, due to the nature of our business, CMS and other regulatory agencies are expected to continue their practice of performing periodic reviews and initiating investigations related to our compliance with billing regulations. Unfavorable resolutions of pending or future litigation, regulatory reviews and/or investigations, either individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

Haskell v. Rural/Metro Corporation, et al. and Ruble v. Rural/Metro Corporation

 

We, Warren S. Rustand, our former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, James H. Bolin, our former Vice Chairman of the Board, and Robert E. Ramsey, Jr., our former Executive Vice President and former Director, were named as defendants in two purported class action lawsuits: HASKELL V. RURAL/METRO CORPORATION, ET AL., Civil Action No. C-328448 filed on August 25, 1998 in Pima County, Arizona Superior Court and RUBLE V. RURAL/METRO CORPORATION, ET AL., CIV 98-413-TUC-JMR filed on September 2, 1998 in United States District Court for the District of Arizona. The two lawsuits, which contained virtually identical allegations, were brought on behalf of a class of persons who purchased our publicly traded securities including our common stock between April 24, 1997 and June 11, 1998. Haskell v. Rural/Metro sought unspecified damages under the Arizona Securities Act, the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, and under Arizona common law fraud, and also sought punitive damages, a constructive trust, and other injunctive relief. Ruble v. Rural/Metro sought unspecified damages under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The complaints in both actions

 

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alleged that between April 24, 1997 and June 11, 1998 the defendants issued certain false and misleading statements regarding certain aspects of our financial status and that these statements allegedly caused our common stock to be traded at artificially inflated prices. The complaints also alleged that Mr. Bolin and Mr. Ramsey sold stock during this period, allegedly taking advantage of inside information that the stock prices were artificially inflated.

 

On April 17, 2003, we and the individual defendants agreed to settle the Ruble v. Rural/Metro and Haskell v. Rural/Metro cases with plaintiffs, subject to notice to the class and final court approval. Our primary and excess directors and officers insurance carriers funded the settlement on June 5, 2003 by depositing the funds in a designated escrow account and waived any claims for reimbursement of the funds subject to final court approval of the class action settlement. On August 20, 2003, the plaintiffs submitted an application for preliminary approval of the class action settlement. On September 3, 2003, the court signed an order granting preliminary approval of the stipulated settlement and set forth a schedule for the events required for final settlement approval, including notice to the class, requests for exclusion, written objections and responses. The hearing for consideration of the final settlement agreement is scheduled for December 9, 2003.

 

In the settlement agreement, we and the individual defendants expressly denied all charges of liability or wrongdoing and continued to assert that at all relevant times we and the individual defendants acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in the best interests of us and our stockholders.

 

Springborn et al. v. Rural/Metro Corporation, et al.

 

We, Arthur Andersen LLP, Cor Clement and Jane Doe Clement, Randall L. Harmsen and Jane Doe Harmsen, Warren S. Rustand and Jane Doe Rustand, James H. Bolin and Jane Doe Bolin, Jack E. Brucker and Jane Doe Brucker, Robert B. Hillier and Jane Doe Hillier, John S. Banas III and Jane Doe Banas, Louis G. Jekel and Karen Whitmer, Mary Anne Carpenter and John Doe Carpenter, William C. Turner and Jane Doe Turner, Henry G. Walker and Jane Doe Walker, Louis A. Witzeman and Jane Doe Witzeman, John Furman and Jane Doe Furman, and Mark Liebner and Jane Doe Liebner were named as defendants in a purported class action lawsuit: STEVEN A. SPRINGBORN V. RURAL/METRO CORPORATION, ET AL., Civil Action No. CV 2002-019020 filed on September 30, 2002 in Maricopa County, Arizona Superior Court. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of employee firefighters in Maricopa County who participated in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”), Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) and/or Retirement Savings Value Plan (“401(k) Plan”), collectively, the “Plans.” The action purports to cover a class period of July 1, 1996 through June 30, 2001. The plaintiffs amended the Complaint on October 17, 2002 adding Barry Landon and Jane Doe Landon as defendants and making certain additional allegations and claims. The primary allegations of the complaint included violations of various state and federal securities laws, breach of contract, common law fraud, and mismanagement of the Plans. The plaintiffs sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

 

On October 30, 2002, defendant Arthur Andersen LLP removed the action to the United States District Court, District of Arizona, CIV-02-2183-PHX-JWS. We and the individual defendants consented to this removal. On February 21, 2003, we and our current directors and officers moved to dismiss the amended complaint, and our former directors and officers subsequently joined in this motion.

 

On July 29, 2003, the court granted the motion to dismiss, which disposed of all claims against us and our current and former officers and directors. On August 28, 2003, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal from the court’s July 29, 2003 order to the Ninth Circuit. The court has yet to consider and rule upon defendant Arthur Andersen’s motion to dismiss.

 

Legion Insurance Company and Reliance Insurance Company

 

With regard to certain issues relating to the liquidation of Legion Insurance Company (Legion) and Reliance Insurance Company (Reliance) that are being litigated before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources” for additional information.

 

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

 

Not applicable.

 

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PART II

 

ITEM 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

 

Our common stock trades on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market pursuant to a conditional listing under the symbol RUREC. If we meet the requirements associated with our conditional listing upon filing of this Report on Form 10-K and meet the requirements for continued listing, then we will resume trading on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market under the symbol RURL. See “Risk Factors — We may be delisted from the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.”

 

The following table sets forth the high and low sale prices of the common stock for the fiscal quarters indicated.

 

     High

   Low

Year Ended June 30, 2002

             

First quarter

   $ 0.97    $ 0.57

Second quarter

   $ 0.74    $ 0.35

Third quarter

   $ 1.13    $ 0.37

Fourth quarter

   $ 4.75    $ 0.80

Year Ended June 30, 2003

             

First quarter

   $ 3.85    $ 1.65

Second quarter

   $ 3.40    $ 1.86

Third quarter

   $ 2.33    $ 0.72

Fourth quarter

   $ 1.50    $ 0.80

 

On October 3, 2003, the closing sale price of our common stock was $1.40 per share. On October 3, 2003, there were approximately 1,015 holders of record of our common stock.

 

Dividend Policy

 

We have never paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We currently plan to retain earnings, if any, for use in our business rather than to pay cash dividends. Payments of any cash dividends in the future will depend on our financial condition, results of operations and capital requirements as well as other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors. Our Senior Notes, 2003 Amended Credit Facility, and Series B and Series C redeemable preferred stock contain restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends, and future borrowings may contain similar restrictions. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources” contained in Item 7 of this Report.

 

ITEM 6. Selected Financial Data

 

The following selected financial data for fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001 has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and notes appearing elsewhere in this Report. The selected financial data set forth for fiscal years 1999 and 2000 has been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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     Years Ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
           As Restated (1)  
     (in thousands, except per share data)  

Statement of Operations Data

                                        

Net revenue

   $ 520,477     $ 488,980     $ 479,414     $ 509,057     $ 497,705  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating expenses

                                        

Payroll and employee benefits

     284,021       269,123       271,976       293,161       264,409  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     85,046       77,725       86,876       103,311       101,482  

Depreciation and amortization

     13,289       16,267       25,741       30,299       30,971  

Other operating expenses

     113,535       103,280       131,889       118,173       92,592  

Asset impairment charges (2)

     —         —         48,050       —         —    

Contract termination costs and related asset impairment (2)

     —         (107 )     9,256       —         —    

Restructuring charge and other (2)

     (1,421 )     (718 )     9,091       32,864       2,500  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating income (loss)

     26,007       23,410       (103,465 )     (68,751 )     5,751  

Interest expense

     (28,012 )     (25,462 )     (30,624 )     (25,938 )     (21,054 )

Interest income

     197       644       642       596       92  

Other income (expense), net

     146       8       (4,053 )     —         —    
    


 


 


 


 


Loss from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest, extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     (1,662 )     (1,400 )     (137,500 )     (94,093 )     (15,211 )

Income tax (provision) benefit

     (197 )     2,520       (1,137 )     33,756       (8,225 )

Minority interests

     (1,507 )     (750 )     705       1,907       (2,298 )
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations before extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     (3,366 )     370       (137,932 )     (58,430 )     (25,734 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations (2) (3)

     12,332       979       (67,358 )     (2,066 )     4,143  
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) before extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     8,966       1,349       (205,290 )     (60,496 )     (21,591 )

Extraordinary loss on expropriation of Canadian ambulance service licenses(4)

     —         —         —         (1,200 )     —    

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle (5)

     —         (49,513 )     —         (541 )     —    
    


 


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

     8,966       (48,164 )     (205,290 )     (62,237 )     (21,591 )

Less: Accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     (3,604 )     —         —         —         —    
    


 


 


 


 


Net income (loss) attributable to common stock

   $ 5,362     $ (48,164 )   $ (205,290 )   $ (62,237 )   $ (21,591 )
    


 


 


 


 


 

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     Years Ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
           As Restated (1)  
     (in thousands, except per share data)  

Basic earnings per share:

                                        

Income (loss) from continuing operations after accretion of redeemable preferred stock but before extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ (0.44 )   $ 0.02     $ (9.35 )   $ (4.00 )   $ (1.78 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations (3)

     0.77       0.07       (4.57 )     (0.15 )     0.29  
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) before extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     0.33       0.09       (13.92 )     (4.15 )     (1.49 )

Extraordinary loss on expropriation of Canadian ambulance service licenses (4)

     —         —         —         (0.08 )     —    

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle (5)

     —         (3.26 )     —         (0.04 )     —    
    


 


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

   $ 0.33     $ (3.17 )   $ (13.92 )   $ (4.27 )   $ (1.49 )
    


 


 


 


 


Diluted earnings per share:

                                        

Income (loss) from continuing operations after accretion of redeemable preferred stock but before extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ (0.44 )   $ 0.02     $ (9.35 )   $ (4.00 )   $ (1.78 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations (3)

     0.77       0.07       (4.57 )     (0.15 )     0.29  
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) before extraordinary loss and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     0.33       0.09       (13.92 )     (4.15 )     (1.49 )

Extraordinary loss on expropriation of Canadian ambulance service licenses (4)

     —         —         —         (0.08 )     —    

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle (5)

     —         (3.14 )     —         (0.04 )     —    
    


 


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

   $ 0.33     $ (3.05 )   $ (13.92 )   $ (4.27 )   $ (1.49 )
    


 


 


 


 


Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:

                                        

Basic

     16,116       15,190       14,744       14,592       14,447  
    


 


 


 


 


Diluted

     16,116       15,773       14,744       14,592       14,447  
    


 


 


 


 


 

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     Years Ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
           As Restated (1)  
     (in thousands)  

Balance Sheet Data

                                        

Total assets

   $ 196,166     $ 200,708     $ 264,006     $ 435,414     $ 485,847  

Current portion of long-term debt (6)

     1,329       1,633       294,439       299,104       5,765  

Long-term debt, net of current portion (6)

     305,310       298,529       1,286       2,850       268,560  

Series B redeemable preferred stock

     7,793       —         —         —         —    

Stockholders’ equity (deficit)

     (208,874 )     (205,732 )     (168,419 )     36,257       98,469  

Cash Flow Data

                                        

Cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities

     13,146       9,634       6,710       (8,537 )     18,670  

Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities

     (7,582 )     (5,832 )     (3,805 )     (13,640 )     (36,647 )

Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities

     (3,659 )     (3,170 )     (6,339 )     25,996       20,807  

(1)   We have restated our consolidated financial statements for the following:

 

Accounts Receivable: As described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements, we determined that collections on accounts receivable relating to medical transportation revenue, primarily revenue recognized prior to fiscal 2001, were substantially less than originally anticipated and the aggregate amounts of provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recognized in such prior years were inadequate. The inadequacy of such provisions caused our period-end allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003 to be understated and our accounts receivable to be overstated. We determined that this situation was primarily attributable to inaccurate assumptions utilized in the provision estimation process in use prior to fiscal 2001 as well as in the process utilized to assess the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003.

 

We determined that our consolidated financial statements for years prior to 2003 required restatement as a result of this matter. The portion of the restatement adjustments relating to discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers has been reflected as a reduction of net revenue in the respective periods while the portion relating to uncollectible accounts has been reflected as an adjustment to the provision for doubtful accounts in the respective periods. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased our accumulated deficit as of June 30, 1998 by $60.0 million.

 

Enrollment Fees: We charge an enrollment fee for new subscribers under our fire protection service contracts. We previously recognized these enrollment fees at the time of billing but have subsequently determined that such fees should be deferred and recognized over the estimated customer relationship period of nine years.

 

We determined that our consolidated financial statements for years prior to 2003 required restatement as a result of this matter. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased our deferred revenue and accumulated deficit as of June 30, 1998 by $1.3 million. The effect of the restatement adjustments on our operating income (loss) in fiscal 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999 was immaterial.

 

San Diego Medical Services Enterprises, LLC: During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (FIN 46). FIN 46 requires that variable interest entities or VIEs be consolidated by the primary beneficiary, as that term is defined in FIN 46. We determined that our investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC (SDMSE), the entity formed with respect to our public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, meets the definition of a VIE and that we are the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, our investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. We had previously accounted for our investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While consolidation of SDMSE did not impact our

 

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previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, our consolidated financial statements of prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46.

 

A summary of the statement of operations and balance sheet data impacted by the restatement adjustments is provided on the following page. Our historical cash flow data was not impacted by the restatements. See Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report.

 

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     As
Previously
Reported


    Restatement
Adjustments


   

As

Restated


    Accounting
Change(C)


  

Less

Latin

American

Operations


    As
Reported


 
       A

    B

          
     (in thousands)  

Year ended June 30, 2002:

                                                       

Net revenue

   $ 497,038     $ (1,669 )   $ —       $ 495,369     $ 19,005    $ (25,394 )   $ 488,980  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     69,900       871       —         70,771       7,109      (155 )     77,725  

Operating income

     26,806       (2,540 )     —         24,266       732      (1,588 )     23,410  

Net loss

     (45,624 )     (2,540 )     —         (48,164 )     —        —         (48,164 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (2.89 )   $ (0.16 )   $ —       $ (3.05 )   $ —      $ —       $ (3.05 )

At June 30, 2002:

                                                       

Total assets

   $ 237,438     $ (39,147 )   $ —       $ 198,291     $ 2,417    $ —       $ 200,708  

Accumulated deficit

     (313,025 )     (39,147 )     (1,286 )     (353,458 )     —        —         (353,458 )

Year ended June 30, 2001:

                                                       

Net revenue

   $ 504,316     $ —       $ —       $ 504,316     $ 18,187    $ (43,089 )   $ 479,414  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     102,470       (21,441 )     —         81,029       7,274      (1,427 )     86,876  

Operating loss

     (192,453 )     21,441       —         (171,012 )     840      66,707       (103,465 )

Net loss

     (226,731 )     21,441       —         (205,290 )     —        —         (205,290 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (15.38 )   $ 1.46     $ —       $ (13.92 )   $ —      $ —       $ (13.92 )

At June 30, 2001:

                                                       

Total assets

   $ 298,534     $ (36,607 )   $ —       $ 261,927     $ 2,079    $ —       $ 264,006  

Accumulated deficit

     (267,401 )     (36,607 )     (1,286 )     (305,294 )     —        —         (305,294 )

Year ended June 30, 2000:

                                                       

Net revenue

   $ 570,074     $ (22,621 )   $ —       $ 547,453     $ 14,211    $ (52,607 )   $ 509,057  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     160,623       (61,657 )     —         98,966       6,942      (2,597 )     103,311  

Operating loss

     (109,320 )     39,036       —         (70,284 )     922      611       (68,751 )

Net loss

     (101,273 )     39,036       —         (62,237 )     —        —         (62,237 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (6.94 )   $ 2.67     $ —       $ (4.27 )   $ —      $ —       $ (4.27 )

At June 30, 2000:

                                                       

Total assets

   $ 491,217     $ (58,048 )   $ —       $ 433,169     $ 2,245    $ —       $ 435,414  

Accumulated deficit

     (40,670 )     (58,048 )     (1,286 )     (100,004 )     —        —         (100,004 )

Year ended June 30, 1999:

                                                       

Net revenue

   $ 561,366     $ (23,336 )   $ —       $ 538,030     $ 14,164    $ (63,018 )   $ 489,176  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     81,227       13,719       —         94,946       7,001      (465 )     101,482  

Operating income

     48,171       (37,055 )     —         11,116       2,240      (7,595 )     5,761  

Net income (loss)

     15,464       (37,055 )     —         (21,591 )     —        —         (21,591 )

Diluted income (loss) per share

   $ 1.07     $ (2.56 )   $ —       $ (1.49 )   $ —      $ —       $ (1.49 )

At June 30, 1999:

                                                       

Total assets

   $ 579,907     $ (97,084 )   $ —       $ 482,823     $ 3,024    $ —       $ 485,847  

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)

     60,603       (97,084 )     (1,286 )     (37,767 )     —        —         (37,767 )

Restatement Adjustments:

 

A—To adjust provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and doubtful accounts.

B—To defer enrollment fees relating to new fire protection service contracts.

C—Adoption of FIN 46 and related consolidation of investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprises LLC.

 

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(2)   During the year ended June 30, 2001, the Company recorded asset impairments, restructuring and other charges totaling $122.1 million, including $46.3 million relating to its Latin American operations which were disposed of in September 2002. See Note 5, Asset Impairments, Restructuring and Other Charges (Credits), in our consolidated financial statements. During the year ended June 30, 2000, the Company recorded restructuring charges totaling $32.9 million relating to its decision to exit certain underperforming service areas.

 

(3)   Effective September 27, 2002, the Company sold its Latin American operations to local management in exchange for the assumption of such operations’ net liabilities. The gain on the disposition totaled $12.5 million. For financial reporting purposes, the Company’s former Latin American operations have been classified as discontinued operations. See Note 4, Disposition of Latin American Operations in our consolidated financial statements.

 

(4)   During the year ended June 30, 2000, we recorded an extraordinary loss on the expropriation of Canadian ambulance service licenses of approximately $1.2 million (net of $0 of income taxes). We received approximately $2.2 million from the Ontario Ministry of Health as compensation for the loss of license and incurred costs and wrote-off assets, mainly goodwill, totaling $3.4 million.

 

(5)   Effective July 1, 2001, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, Goodwill and Intangible Assets (SFAS 142). In connection with the adoption of SFAS 142, the Company discontinued amortizing its goodwill effective July 1, 2001. Additionally, the Company recognized an approximate $49.5 million transitional impairment charge (both before and after tax), which has been reflected as the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle in fiscal 2002. See Note 7, Goodwill, in our consolidated financial statements.

 

     Effective July 1, 1999, the Company changed its method of accounting for start-up costs, including organization costs. In connection with that change, the Company wrote-off $0.9 million of previously capitalized organization costs ($0.5 million after tax benefits) and classified such charge as the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle in 2000.

 

(6)   Our current liabilities exceeded our current assets at June 30, 2001 and 2000 as a result of the classification of amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility and our 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2008 (Senior Notes) as current liabilities. Such classification resulted from the fact that we were not in compliance with certain of the covenants contained in our revolving credit agreement and because of the related provisions contained in the agreement relating to our Senior Notes. Amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility and our Senior Notes were classified as long-term liabilities as of June 30, 2003 and 2002 as a result of amendments to our credit facility the most recent of which became effective September 26, 2003. Such amendments waived previous covenant violations and extended the maturity date of the credit facility from March 16, 2003 to December 31, 2006. See Note 12, Long-Term Debt, in our consolidated financial statements.

 

ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our Selected Financial Data and our Consolidated Financial Statements and notes appearing elsewhere in this Report.

 

Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements

 

We have restated our consolidated financial statements for the following:

 

Accounts Receivable

 

As described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statement, we determined that collections on accounts receivable relating to medical transportation revenue, primarily revenue recognized prior to fiscal 2001, were substantially less than originally anticipated and the aggregate amount of provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recognized in such prior years were inadequate. The inadequacy of such provisions caused our period-end allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003 to be understated and our accounts receivable to be overstated. We determined that this situation was primarily attributable to inaccurate assumptions utilized in the provision estimation process in use prior to fiscal 2001 as well as in the process utilized to assess the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003.

 

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We determined that our consolidated financial statements of prior years required restatement as a result of this matter. The portion of the restatement adjustments relating to discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers has been reflected as a reduction of net revenue in the respective periods while the portion relating to uncollectible accounts has been reflected as an adjustment to the provision for doubtful accounts in the respective periods. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased our accumulated deficit as of June 30, 2000 by $58.0 million.

 

The restatement adjustments relating to medical transportation accounts receivable outlined above caused us to violate the minimum tangible net worth covenant contained in our 2002 Amended Credit Facility. This situation also resulted in a delay in the filing of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2003. Such delay caused us to not be in compliance with the financial reporting covenants contained in our 2002 Amended Credit Facility as well as the indenture relating to the Senior Notes. As described in Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements, we negotiated a further amendment to our credit facility effective September 30, 2003. As a result of that amendment, all previous instances of non-compliance were permanently waived. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources”.

 

Enrollment Fees

 

We charge an enrollment fee for new subscribers under our fire protection service contracts. We previously recognized these fees at the time of billing but have subsequently determined that such fees should be deferred and recognized over the estimated customer relationship period of nine years.

 

We determined that our consolidated financial statements of prior years required restatement as a result of this matter. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased our deferred revenue and accumulated deficit as of June 30, 2000 by $1.3 million. The effect of the restatement adjustments on our operating income (loss) in fiscal 2002 and 2001 was immaterial.

 

San Diego Medical Services Enterprise LLC

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (FIN 46). FIN 46 requires that variable interest entities or VIEs be consolidated by the primary beneficiary, as that term is defined in FIN 46. We determined that our investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC, (SDMSE) the entity formed with respect to our public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, meets the definition of a VIE and that we are the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, our investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. We had previously accounted for our investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While consolidation of SDMSE did not impact our previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, our consolidated financial statements of prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46.

 

Disposal of Latin American Operations

 

Due to deteriorating economic conditions and the continued devaluation of the local currency, we reviewed our strategic alternatives with respect to the continuation of operations in Latin America, including Argentina and Bolivia, and determined that we would benefit from focusing on our domestic operations. Effective September 27, 2002, we sold our Latin American operations to local management in exchange for the assumption of such operation’s net liabilities. The gain on the disposition of our Latin American operations totaled $12.5 million and is included in income from discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2003. The gain includes the assumption by the buyer of net liabilities of $3.3 million (including accounts receivable of $0.6 million and accrued liabilities of $4.8 million) as well as the recognition of related cumulative translation adjustments of $10.1 million.

 

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Introduction

 

We derive our revenue primarily from fees charged for ambulance and fire protection services. We provide ambulance services in response to emergency medical calls (emergency ambulance services) and non-emergency transport services (general transport services) to patients on both a fee-for-service and nonrefundable subscription fee basis. Per transport revenue depends on various factors, including the mix of rates between existing markets and new markets and the mix of activity between emergency ambulance services and non-emergency transport services as well as other competitive factors. Fire protection services are provided either under contracts with municipalities, fire districts or other agencies or on a nonrefundable subscription fee basis to individual homeowners or commercial property owners.

 

Because of the nature of our ambulance services, it is necessary to respond to a number of calls, primarily emergency ambulance service calls, which may not result in transports. Results of operations are discussed below on the basis of actual transports because transports are more directly related to revenue. Expenses associated with calls that do not result in transports are included in operating expenses. The percentage of calls not resulting in transports varies substantially depending upon the mix of non-emergency ambulance and emergency ambulance service calls in individual markets and is generally higher in service areas in which the calls are primarily emergency ambulance service calls. Rates in our markets take into account the anticipated number of calls that may not result in transports. We do not separately account for expenses associated with calls that do not result in transports.

 

Critical Accounting Estimates and Judgments

 

Our discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In connection with the preparation of our financial statements, we are required to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, allowance for doubtful accounts, general liability and workers’ compensation claim reserves. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. The results 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.

 

We have identified the following accounting policies as critical to our business operations and the understanding of our results of operations. The impact of these policies on our business operations is discussed throughout Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations where such policies affect our reported and expected financial results. The discussion below is not intended to be a comprehensive list of our accounting policies. For a detailed discussion on the application of these and other accounting policies, see Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, which contains accounting policies and other disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Medical Transportation and Revenue Recognition —Ambulance and alternative transportation service fees are recognized when services are provided and are recorded net of discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid, and other third-party payers. Because of the length of the collection cycle with respect to ambulance and alternative transportation service fees, it is necessary to estimate the amount of these discounts at the time revenue is recognized. Discounts are estimated based on historical collection data, historical write-off activity and current relationships with payers, within each service area. Estimated discounts are translated into a percentage of gross revenue, which is applied to calculate the provision. If the historical data used to calculate these estimates does not properly reflect the ultimate collectibility of the current revenue stream, revenue could be overstated or understated. Discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers, which are reflected as a reduction of medical transportation revenue, totaled $160.0 million, $148.2 million and $145.9 million for the years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

Provision for Doubtful Accounts for Medical Transportation Revenue — Ambulance and alternative transportation service fees are billed to various payer sources. As discussed above, discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers are recorded as reductions of gross revenue. We also estimate provisions related to the potential uncollectibility of amounts billed to other payers based on historical collection data and historical write-off activity

 

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within each service area. The provision for doubtful accounts percentage that is applied to ambulance and alternative transportation service fee revenue is calculated as the difference between the total expected collection percentage less percentages applied for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers described above. If historical data used to calculate these estimates does not properly reflect the ultimate collectibility of the current revenue stream, the provision for doubtful accounts may be overstated or understated. The provision for doubtful accounts on ambulance and alternative transportation service revenue totaled $84.9 million, $77.7 million and $82.1 million for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

Workers’ Compensation Reserves — Beginning May 1, 2002, we purchased corporate-wide workers’ compensation insurance policies, for which we pay premiums that can be adjusted upward or downward at certain intervals based upon a retrospective review of incurred losses. Each of these annual policies covers all workers’ compensation claims made by employees of our domestic subsidiaries. Under such policies, we have no obligation to pay any deductible amounts on claims occurring during the policy period. Accordingly, provisions for workers’ compensation expense for claims arising on and after May 1, 2002 are reflective of premium costs only. Prior to May 1, 2002, our workers’ compensation policies included a deductible obligation with no aggregate limit. Claims relating to these policy years remain outstanding. Claim provisions were estimated based on historical claims data and the ultimate projected value of those claims. For claims occurring prior to May 1, 2002, our third-party administrator established initial estimates at the time a claim was reported and periodically reviews the development of the claim to confirm that the estimates are adequate. We engage independent actuaries to assist us in the determination of our workers’ compensation claims reserves. If the ultimate development of these claims is significantly different than has been estimated, the related reserves for workers’ compensation claims could be overstated or understated. Reserves related to workers’ compensation claims totaled $11.3 million and $15.9 million at June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

 

General Liability Reserves — We are subject to litigation arising in the ordinary course of our business. In order to minimize the risk of our exposure, we maintain certain levels of coverage for comprehensive general liability, automobile liability, and professional liability. These policies currently are, and historically have been, underwritten on a deductible basis. Provisions are made to record the cost of premiums as well as that portion of the claims that is our responsibility. Our third-party administrator establishes initial estimates at the time a claim is reported and periodically reviews the development of the claim to confirm that the estimates are adequate. We engage independent actuaries to assist us in the determination of our general liability claim reserves. If the ultimate development of these claims is significantly different than has been estimated, the reserves for general liability claims could be overstated or understated. Reserves related to general liability claims totaled $13.9 million and $15.4 million at June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

 

Asset Impairment - We review our property and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable, by comparing the carrying amount of such assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows associated with them. In cases where the estimated undiscounted cash flows are less than the related carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the assets. The fair value is determined based on the present value of estimated future cash flows using a discount rate commensurate with the risks involved.

 

Our goodwill balances are reviewed annually (and interim periods if events or circumstances indicate that the related carrying amount may be impaired). Goodwill impairment is reviewed using a two step process. The first step of the goodwill impairment test used to identify potential impairment, compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not considered to be impaired and the second step of the impairment test is unnecessary. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test must be performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. The second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the implied fair value of reporting unit goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

 

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Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth certain items from our consolidated statement of operations expressed as a percentage of net revenue for fiscal years 2003, 2002, and 2001:

 

     Years Ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
           (As Restated*)  

Net revenue

   100.0 %   100.0 %   100.0 %

Operating expenses:

                  

Payroll and employee benefits

   54.6     55.0     56.7  

Provision for doubtful accounts

   16.3     15.9     18.1  

Depreciation and amortization

   2.5     3.3     5.4  

Other operating expenses

   21.8     21.1     27.5  

Asset impairment charges

   —       —       10.0  

Contract termination costs and related asset impairment charges

   —       —       1.9  

Restructuring and other

   (0.2 )   (0.1 )   1.9  
    

 

 

Operating income (loss)

   5.0     4.8     (21.5 )

Interest expense

   (5.4 )   (5.2 )   (6.4 )

Interest income

   0.0     0.1     0.1  

Other income (expense), net

   0.0     0.0     (0.8 )
    

 

 

Loss from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle    (0.4 )   (0.3 )   (28.6 )

Income tax (provision) benefit

   0.0     0.5     (0.2 )

Minority interest

   (0.3 )   (0,1 )   (0.1 )
    

 

 

Loss from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   (0.7 )   0.1     (28.7 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations

   2.4     0.2     (14.1 )
    

 

 

Income (loss) before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   1.7     0.3     (42.8 )

Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle

   —       (10.1 )   —    
    

 

 

Net income (loss)

   1.7 %   (9.8 )%   (42.8 )%
    

 

 


*   - Refer to Note 2 of our consolidated financial statements.

 

Year Ended June 30, 2003 Compared To Year Ended June 30, 2002

 

Net Revenue

 

Net revenue increased approximately $31.5 million, or 6.4%, from $489.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $520.5 million for the year ended June 30, 2003.

 

Medical Transportation and Related Services — Medical transportation and related service revenue increased $25.2 million, or 6.0% from $416.9 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $442.1 million for the year ended June 30, 2003. This increase is primarily comprised of a $28.0 million increase in same service area revenue attributable to rate increases, call screening and other factors. Additionally, there was a $3.3 million increase in revenue related to two new 911 contracts that began during fiscal 2003 offset by an $2.0 million decrease related to the loss of the 911 contract in Arlington, Texas and a $4.2 million decrease related to service areas which were closed in fiscal 2002.

 

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Total transports, including alternative transportation, decreased 45,000 or 3.6% from 1,267,000 (1,122,000 ambulance and 145,000 alternative transportation) for the year ended June 30, 2002 to 1,222,000 (1,122,000 ambulance and 100,000 alternative transportation) for the year ended June 30, 2003. Transports in areas that we served in both fiscal 2003 and 2002 decreased by approximately 34,000 transports. Additionally, there was an increase of 6,000 transports related to two 911 contracts that began during the fiscal 2003 offset by a 4,000 transport decrease related to the loss of the 911 contract in Arlington and a 13,000 transport decrease related to service areas which were closed in fiscal 2002.

 

Fire and Other — Fire protection services revenue increased by $5.0 million, or 7.9%, from $63.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $68.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2003. Fire protection services revenue increased primarily due to rate and utilization increases in our subscription fire programs of $2.6 million, rate increases on existing contracts and additional fire contracts of $1.5 million and a $0.7 million increase in wild land fire services revenue. We experienced a particularly active wildfire season in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003.

 

Other revenue increased by $1.3 million, or 14.9%, from $8.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $10.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2003. Other revenue changes relate to changes in revenues from dispatch, fleet, billing, training and home health care services.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Payroll and Employee Benefits — Payroll and employee benefits expenses increased $14.9 million, or 5.2%, from $269.1 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $284.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2003 but remained consistent as a percentage of net revenue between years. The increase is primarily related to increased health insurance costs of $2.5 million primarily due to increased health insurance claims, increased workers compensation expense of $2.4 million related to increased insurance rates and general wage increases. We expect that our labor costs will continue to increase.

 

Provision for Doubtful Accounts — The provision for doubtful accounts includes provision for ambulance and alternative transportation service revenue as well as non-transport related revenue. The provision for doubtful accounts increased $7.3 million, or 9.4%, from $77.7 million, or 15.9% of net revenue, for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $85.0 million, or 16.3% of net revenue, for the year ended June 30, 2003.

 

The provision for doubtful accounts as a percentage of ambulance and alternative transportation service revenue has remained relatively consistent with the prior year. The provision for doubtful accounts as a percentage of ambulance and alternative transportation service revenue was 19.2% for the year ended June 30, 2003 and 18.6% for the year ended June 30, 2002. The increase in the provision for doubtful accounts as a percentage of ambulance and alternative transportation revenue relates to the changes in the mix of the relationship between Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payer discounts and doubtful accounts.

 

A summary of activity in our allowance for doubtful accounts during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2003 and 2002 is as follows (in thousands):

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

 
           (As Restated*)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 37,966     $ 60,812  

Provision for doubtful accounts – Domestic

     85,046       77,725  

Provision for doubtful accounts - Latin America

     —         155  

Write-offs related to doubtful accounts

     (74,590 )     (106,726 )
    


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 48,422     $ 37,966  
    


 



*   Refer to Note 2, of our consolidated financial statements.

 

 

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Depreciation and Amortization — Depreciation and amortization decreased $3.0 million, or 18.4%, from $16.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $13.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2003, primarily due to assets becoming fully depreciated. Depreciation and amortization decreased from 3.3% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2002 to approximately 2.5% of total revenue for the year ended June 30, 2003.

 

Other Operating Expenses — Other operating expenses consist primarily of rent and related occupancy expenses, vehicle and equipment maintenance and repairs, insurance, fuel and supplies, travel, and professional fees. Other operating expenses increased $10.2 million, or 9.9%, from $103.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $113.5 million for the year ended June 30, 2003. The increase in other operating expenses is primarily due to increases in general liability insurance expenses of $6.1 million due to increased premium rates, professional fees of $1.6 million related to the amendment of our credit facility on September 30, 2002 and general increases in other operating expense categories. Other operating expenses increased from 21.1% of total revenue for the year ended June 30, 2002 to 21.8% of total revenue for the year ended June 30, 2003.

 

Restructuring and Other — Fiscal 2003 includes the reversal of restructuring charges of $1.4 million originally recorded in fiscal 2001. The restructuring charge recorded in fiscal 2001 included $1.5 million for severance, lease termination and other costs relating to an under performing service area that we had planned to exit at the time of contract expiration in December 2001. During fiscal 2002, the contract was extended for a one-year period at the request of the municipality to enable it to transition medical transportation service to a new provider. In connection with the contract extension, we reversed $0.2 million of previously accrued lease termination costs relating to the extension period, which was reflected as a credit to restructuring and other in the consolidated statement of operations for fiscal 2002. The operating environment in this service area improved, and in November 2002 we were awarded a new multi-year contract. As a result, the remaining reserve of $1.3 million was released to income during fiscal 2003. In addition to this reversal, several other individually insignificant adjustments were made to prior restructuring charges in fiscal 2003.

 

A summary of activity in the restructuring reserve, which is included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, is as follows (in thousands):

 

    

Severance

Costs


   

Lease

Termination

Costs


   

Other

Exit

Costs


    Total

 

Balance at June 30, 2001

   $ 1,834     $ 3,234     $ 1,101     $ 6,169  

Fiscal 2002 usage

     (1,025 )     (1,172 )     (951 )     (3,148 )

Adjustments

     (52 )     (548 )     (118 )     (718 )
    


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2002

     757       1,514       32       2,303  

Fiscal 2003 usage

     (29 )     (207 )     (71 )     (307 )

Adjustments

     (718 )     (732 )     39       (1,421 )
    


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2003

   $ —       $ 575     $     $ 575  
    


 


 


 


 

The restructuring reserve as of June 30, 2003 relates to lease termination costs for which payments will be made through December 2006.

 

Interest Expense — Interest expense increased by approximately $2.5 million, or 9.8%, from $25.5 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 to $28.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2003. This increase was primarily due to increased interest rates resulting from the renegotiation of our credit facility in September 2002. Amortization of deferred financing costs totaled $2.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2003 compared to $0.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. See further discussion of the 2002 Amended Credit Facility in “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

 

Interest Income — Interest income decreased $0.4 million or 66.7% from $0.6 million for the year end June 30, 2002 to $0.2 million for the year ended June 30, 2003. The year ended June 30, 2002 included $0.5 million of income received in conjunction with an income tax refund.

 

Income Taxes — We recorded an income tax provision of $0.2 million in 2003 compared to an income tax benefit of $2.5 million in 2002. The income tax benefit in 2002 resulted from federal income tax refunds of $0.6

 

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million resulting from legislation that allowed us to carry back a portion of our net operating losses to prior years as well as refunds of $1.6 million applicable to prior years for which recognition had been deferred until receipt. We did not recognize the future income tax benefits attributable to our domestic net operating losses in either 2003 or 2002 as it is more likely than not that the related benefits will not be realized.

 

Income (Loss) From Discontinued Operations — Due to deteriorating economic conditions and the continued devaluation of the local currency, we reviewed our strategic alternatives with respect to the continuation of operations in Latin America, including Argentina and Bolivia, and determined that we would benefit from focusing on our domestic operations. Effective September 27, 2002, we sold our Latin American operations to local management in exchange for the assumption of net liabilities. The gain on the disposition of our Latin American operations totaled $12.5 million and is included in income from discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2003. Medical transportation and related service revenue related to our Latin American operations totaled $2.1 million and $23.9 million for the years ended June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Fire and Other revenue related to our Latin American operations totaled $0.3 million and $1.5 million for the years ended June 30, 2003, and 2002 respectively. Our Latin American operations generated a net loss of $156,000 through September 27, 2002 and net income of $1.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2002.

 

Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle — We adopted the new rules on accounting for goodwill and other intangible assets effective July 1, 2001. Under the transitional provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,” we performed impairment tests on the net goodwill and other intangible assets associated with each of our reporting units with the assistance of independent valuation experts and determined that a transitional goodwill impairment charge of $49.5 million, both before and after tax, was required. The impairment charge primarily related to our domestic medical transportation and related services segment. See Note 7 of our consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the effect of the adoption of this accounting principle.

 

Year Ended June 30, 2002 Compared To Year Ended June 30, 2001

 

Net Revenue

 

Net revenue increased $9.6 million, or 2.0%, from $479.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $489.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2002.

 

Medical Transportation and Related Services — Medical transportation and related service revenue increased $8.7 million, or 2.1%, from $408.2 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $416.9 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. This increase is comprised of a $23.5 million increase in same service area revenue attributable to rate increases, call screening and other factors. Additionally, there was a $2.6 million increase in revenue related to a 911 contract that began during the second quarter of fiscal 2001 offset by an $8.5 million decrease related to the loss of 911 contracts in Arlington, Texas and Lincoln, Nebraska and a $9.6 million decrease related to the closure of service areas in fiscal 2000 and fiscal 2001.

 

Total domestic transports, including alternative transportation, decreased 66,000, or 5.0%, from 1,333,000 (1,172,000 ambulance and 161,000 alternative transportation) for the year ended June 30, 2001 to 1,267,000 (1,222,000 ambulance and 145,000 alternative transportation) for the year ended June 30, 2002. The loss of 911 contracts in Arlington, Texas and Lincoln, Nebraska accounted for a decrease of approximately 19,000 transports. The closure of service areas in fiscal 2000 and 2001 accounted for a decrease of approximately 32,000 transports. Transports in areas that we served in both the year ended June 30, 2002 and 2001 decreased by approximately 18,000 transports. These decreases were offset by an increase of approximately 3,000 transports related to a 911 contract that began during the second quarter of fiscal 2001.

 

Fire and Other — Fire protection services revenue increased by $3.0 million, or 5.0%, from $60.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $63.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. Fire protection services revenue increased primarily due to rate and utilization increases in our subscription fire programs of $2.1 million, increased contracting activity by our specialty fire protection group of $766,000 and a $620,000 increase in wild land fire services revenue. We experienced a particularly active wildfire season in the latter part of fiscal 2002.

 

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Other Revenue — Other revenue decreased by $2.1 million, or 19.4%, from $10.8 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $8.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. The decrease in other revenue results from changes in the composition of revenues from dispatch, fleet, billing, training and home health care services between years.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Payroll and Employee Benefits — Payroll and employee benefits expenses decreased $2.9 million, or 1.1%, from $272.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $269.1 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. Payroll and employee benefits decreased from 56.7% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2001 to 55.0% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2002. This decrease is primarily attributable to the net impact of payroll and benefit increases resulting from contract renegotiations, service area expansions and wage rate increases ($19.5 million) offset by the impact of prior-year service area closures ($8.3 million), and the absence in 2002 of prior-year increases in health insurance reserves ($5.4 million) and accrued paid-time-off ($3.0 million).

 

Provision for Doubtful Accounts — The provision for doubtful accounts includes provision for ambulance and alternative transportation service revenue as well as non-transport related revenue. The provision for doubtful accounts decreased $9.2 million, or 10.6%, from $86.9 million, or 18.1% of net revenue, for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $77.7 million, or 15.9% of net revenue, for the year ended June 30, 2002. The provision for the year ended June 30, 2001 included an additional $4.8 million provision related to management’s decision to reserve all outstanding non-transport receivables in excess of 90 days.

 

The provision for doubtful accounts as a percentage of ambulance and alternative transportation service revenue was 18.6% for the year ended June 30, 2002 and 20.1% for the year ended June 30, 2001. The decrease is reflective of the closure of underperforming operations and increases in collection rates in the remaining service areas. During fiscal 2002, we continued to focus on improving the quality of our revenue by reducing the amount of un-reimbursed non-emergency ambulance and alternative transportation transports in selected service areas as well as on previously implemented initiatives to maximize the collection of our accounts receivable.

 

A summary of activity in our allowance for doubtful accounts during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2002 and 2001 is as follows (in thousands):

 

     June 30,

 
     2002

    2001

 
     (As Restated*)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 60,812     $ 88,120  

Provision for doubtful accounts - Domestic

     77,725       86,876  

Provision for doubtful accounts - Latin America

     155       1,427  

Write-offs related to doubtful accounts

     (100,726 )     (115,611 )
    


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 37,966     $ 60,812  
    


 



*   Refer to Note 2, of our consolidated financial statements.

 

Depreciation and Amortization — Depreciation and amortization decreased $9.4 million, or 36.6%, from $25.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $16.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. We discontinued amortizing goodwill in accordance with our adoption of SFAS No. 142, effective July 1, 2001. As a result, amortization of intangibles decreased $4.6 million to $1.1 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. Approximately, $1.0 million of the amortization recorded in the year ended June 30, 2002 relates to an adjustment in the estimated lives of certain other intangible assets acquired in previous business combinations. Amortization is expected to decline as these assets reach the end of their estimated lives. See related discussion of the effect of the adoption of SFAS No. 142 below. In addition, there was a decrease in depreciation expense of $4.8 million primarily due to asset write-offs during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, the disposal of certain assets related to closed operations and a decrease in capital expenditures. Depreciation and amortization decreased from 5.4% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2001 to 3.3% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2002.

 

 

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Other Operating Expenses — Other operating expenses consist primarily of rent and related occupancy expenses, vehicle and equipment maintenance and repairs, insurance, fuel and supplies, travel, and professional fees. Other operating expenses decreased $28.6 million, or 21.7%, from $131.9 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $103.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. Approximately $13.8 million of the decrease relates to charges taken in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, including $8.4 million of inventory adjustments as described below, $1.3 million related to a Medicare audit settlement, $1.0 million related to the write-off of amounts owed to us by a former owner and $3.1 million for several adjustments to certain estimates for prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities and other items that were resolved in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001. Additionally, the year ended June 30, 2001 included a charge of $15.0 million recorded for additional general liability reserves related to increases in reserves for reported claims as well as to establish reserves for claims incurred but not reported as described below. Closure of service areas in fiscal 2000 and 2001, as well as the loss of the 911 contracts in Arlington, Texas and Lincoln, Nebraska, account for $3.1 million of the decrease. Other operating expenses decreased from 27.5% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2001 to 21.1% for fiscal 2002.

 

Effective January 1, 2001, we refined our methodology for determining reserves related to general liability claims. The changing environment with respect to the rising cost of claims as well as the cost of litigation prompted a comprehensive review by management of detailed information from external advisors, historical settlement information and analysis of open claims. The new method more closely approximates the potential outcome of each open claim as well as costs related to the administration of these claims. Additionally, reserves were established for unreported claims based on historical occurrences of claims filed subsequent to the end of the policy year. For financial reporting purposes, this change was treated as a change in accounting estimate.

 

Medical, fleet, and fire supplies are maintained in a central warehouse, numerous regional warehouses, and multiple stations, lockers, and vehicles. A physical inventory of all locations at June 30, 2001 revealed a shortage from recorded levels. Shrinkage, obsolescence, and supplies lost due to closures accounted for most of the shortage. To reduce the recorded inventory to the actual physical count, an adjustment of approximately $8.4 million was recorded as a component of other operating expenses in fiscal 2001.

 

Asset Impairment Charges — In connection with the budgeting process for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2002, which was completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, we analyzed each cost center within our various service areas not identified for closure or downsizing to determine whether the associated long-lived assets (e.g., property, equipment and goodwill) would be recoverable from future operating cash flows. Cost centers represent individual operating units within a given service area for which separately identifiable cash flow information is available. We performed this analysis as a result of our expectations of a challenging health care reimbursement environment as well as anticipated increases in labor and insurance costs with respect to our ambulance operations. This analysis considered the results of operations over the past year as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) failure to implement the ambulance fee schedule as of January 1, 2001. The analysis with respect to our Argentine operations included the impact of the deteriorating economic and political environment as well as information developed by a third party concerning the marketability of these operations during fiscal 2001.

 

In order to assess recoverability, we estimated the related net future cash flows for each cost center and then compared the resulting undiscounted amounts to the carrying value of each cost center’s long-lived assets (e.g., property and equipment and goodwill). It should be noted that property and equipment balances are specifically identified with each cost center. Additionally, goodwill is specifically identified with each cost center at the time of acquisition and, therefore, related allocations were not necessary for purposes of performing the impairment analysis.

 

For those cost centers where estimated future net cash flows on an undiscounted basis were less than the related carrying amounts of the long-lived assets, an asset impairment was considered to exist. We measured the amount of the asset impairment for each such cost center by discounting the estimated future net cash flows using a discount rate of 18.5% and comparing the resulting amount to the carrying value of its long-lived assets. Based upon this analysis, we determined that asset impairment charges approximating $94.4 million were required for cost centers within our domestic and Argentine ambulance operations. The asset impairments were charged directly against the related asset balances. A summary of the related charge is as follows:

 

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     Goodwill

  

Property,

Equipment

and Other


   Total

     (in thousands)

Domestic ambulance operations

   $ 41,631    $ 6,419    $ 48,050

Argentine ambulance operations

     44,327      1,976      46,303
    

  

  

Total

   $ 85,958    $ 8,395    $ 94,353
    

  

  

 

As a result of the sale of our Latin American operations in September 2002, the asset impairment charge related to our Argentine ambulance operations is included in the loss from discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2001. Effective July 1, 2001 we changed our method of accounting for goodwill including the manner in which goodwill impairments are assessed. See discussion of Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle.

 

Contract Termination Costs and Related Asset Impairment — In November 2000, we learned that our exclusive 911 contract in Lincoln, Nebraska would not be renewed effective December 31, 2000 and in connection therewith, we recorded a contract termination charge of $5.2 million. This charge included asset impairments for related goodwill and equipment totaling $4.3 million (the exclusive 911 contract was acquired in a purchase business combination in fiscal 1995), $0.8 million to cover severance costs associated with terminated employees, and $0.1 million to cover lease terminations and other exit costs. The Lincoln contract generated net revenue of $4.7 million, operating income of $0.4 million and cash flow of $0.5 million in fiscal 2000, its last full year of operations.

 

In May 2001, we learned that our exclusive 911 contract in Arlington, Texas would not be renewed effective September 30, 2001 and in connection therewith, we recorded a contract termination charge of $4.1 million. This charge included asset impairments for related goodwill and equipment of $3.9 million (the exclusive 911 contract was acquired in a purchase business combination in fiscal 1997), $0.1 million to cover severance costs associated with terminated employees, and $0.1 million to cover lease termination and other exit costs. The Arlington contract generated revenue of $8.3 million, operating income of $0.1 million and cash flow of $0.5 million in fiscal 2001, its last full year of operations.

 

Restructuring and Other — During the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001, we decided to close or downsize nine service areas and in connection therewith, recorded restructuring and other charges totaling $9.1 million. These charges included $1.5 million to cover severance costs associated with the termination of approximately 250 employees, lease termination costs of $2.4 million, asset impairment charges for goodwill of $4.1 million and other exit costs of $1.1 million, respectively, related to the impacted service areas. The service areas selected for closure or downsizing generated net revenue of $17.7 million, operating losses of $4.0 million and negative cash flow of $3.2 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001.

 

The previously mentioned charge included accrued severance, lease termination and other costs totaling $1.5 million relating to an under performing service area that we had planned to exit at the time of contract expiration in December 2001. During fiscal 2002, the contract was extended for a one-year period at the request of the municipality to enable it to transition medical transportation service to a new provider. In connection with the contract extension, we reversed $0.2 million of previously accrued lease termination costs relating to the extension period to income in fiscal 2002. In addition to this reversal, several other individually insignificant adjustments were made to the restructuring charges of prior years.

 

A summary of activity in the restructuring reserve, which is included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, is as follows (in thousands):

 

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Severance

Costs


   

Lease

Termination

Costs


   

Write-Off

of Intangible

Assets


   

Other

Exit

Costs


    Total

 

Balance at June 30, 2000

   $ 3,529     $ 3,247     $ —       $ 1,356     $ 8,132  

Fiscal 2001 charge

     1,475       2,371       4,092       1,153       9,091  

Fiscal 2001 usage

     (4,531 )     (1,071 )     (4,092 )     (1,360 )     (11,054 )

Adjustments

     1,361       (1,313 )     —         (48 )     —    
    


 


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2001

     1,834       3,234       —         1,101       6,169  

Fiscal 2002 usage

     (1,025 )     (1,172 )     —         (951 )     (3,148 )

Adjustments

     (52 )     (548 )     —         (118 )     (718 )
    


 


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2002

   $ 757     $ 1,514     $ —       $ 32     $ 2,303  
    


 


 


 


 


 

Interest Expense — Interest expense decreased by $5.1 million, or 16.7%, from $30.6 million for the year ended June 30, 2001 to $25.5 million for the year ended June 30, 2002. This decrease was primarily caused by lower rates on the revolving credit facility as well as lower average debt balances.

 

Other Income (Expense), Net — Other income (expense), net increased $4.0 million from the year ended June 30, 2001 to the year ended June 30, 2002. Other expense in fiscal 2001 included a $4.0 million charge relating to the purchase of the minority interest of a joint venture partner in one of our ambulance operations. A description of this transaction is included in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements.

 

Income Taxes — We recognized an income tax benefit of $2.5 million in 2002 compared with an income tax provision of $1.1 million in 2001. The income tax benefit in 2002 resulted from federal income tax refunds of $0.6 million resulting from recently enacted legislation that allowed us to carry back a portion of our net operating losses to prior years as well as refunds of $1.6 million applicable to prior years for which recognition was deferred until receipt. We did not recognize the future income tax benefits attributable to our domestic net operating losses in 2002 and 2001 as it is more likely than not that the related benefits will not be realized.

 

Income (Loss) From Discontinued Operations — Due to deteriorating economic conditions and continued devaluation of the local currency, we reviewed our strategic alternatives with respect to the continuation of operations in Latin America, including Argentina and Bolivia, and determined that we would benefit from focusing on our domestic operations. Effective September 27, 2002, we sold our Latin American operations to local management in exchange for the assumption of net liabilities. Medical transportation and related service revenue related to our Latin American operations totaled $23.9 million and $41.9 million for the years ended June 30, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Fire and other revenue related to our Latin American operations totaled $1.5 million and $1.2 million for the years ended June 30, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Our Latin American operations generated net income of $1.0 million for the year ended June 30, 2002 and a net loss of $67.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2001. The net loss in 2001 included $46.3 million of asset impairment charges and $8.5 million of other operating expenses related to asset write-offs and reserve adjustments as a result of account reconciliations of our various Argentine subsidiaries. Additionally, we sold our Argentine clinic operations in fiscal 2001 in exchange for a $3.0 million in non-interest bearing note receivable. The note, which required monthly principal payments of $25,000 through April 2011, was included in the disposition of our Latin American operations effective September 27, 2002. The sale resulted in a loss on disposal of $9.4 million, including the write-off of $9.3 million of related goodwill. The clinic operations generated revenue of $4.0 million, operating losses of $1.5 million, and negative cash flow of $0.9 million during fiscal 2001.

 

Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle — We adopted new rules on accounting for goodwill and other intangible assets effective July 1, 2001. Under the transitional provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,” we performed impairment tests on the net goodwill and other intangible assets associated with each of our reporting units with the assistance of independent valuation experts and determined that a transitional goodwill impairment charge of $49.5 million both before and after taxes, was required. The impairment charge primarily related to our medical transportation and related services segment. See Note 7 of our consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the effect of the adoption of this accounting principle.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

During fiscal 2003, we reported net income of $9.0 million compared with net losses of $48.2 million in fiscal 2002 and $205.3 million in 2001. Net income for the year ended June 30, 2003 included a $12.5 million gain on the disposal of our Latin American operations. The net loss in fiscal 2002 included a charge of $49.5 million relating to

 

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our adoption of SFAS 142 effective July 1, 2002. The net loss in fiscal 2001 included asset impairment, restructuring and other similar charges totaling $122.0 million. Cash provided by operating activities totaled $13.1 million in fiscal 2003, $9.6 million in 2002 and $6.7 million in fiscal 2001.

 

At June 30, 2003, we had cash of $12.6 million, total debt of $306.6 million and a stockholders’ deficit of $208.9 million. Our total debt at June 30, 2003 included $149.9 million of our 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2008, $152.4 million outstanding under our 2002 Amended Credit Facility due December 31, 2004, $3.7 million payable to a former joint venture partner and $0.6 million of capital lease obligations.

 

As discussed in Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements, we were not in compliance with certain of the covenants contained in our credit facility at June 30, 2002. On September 30, 2002, we entered into the 2002 Amended Credit Facility with our lenders which, among other things, extended the maturity date of the facility from March 16, 2003 to December 31, 2004, waived previous non-compliance, and required the issuance to the lenders of 211,549 shares of our Series B redeemable preferred stock.

 

As also discussed in Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements, we violated certain financial and reporting covenants as a result of the restatement of our financial statements. On September 26, 2003, we entered into the 2003 Amended Credit Facility with our lenders which, among other things, extended the maturity date of the facility from December 31, 2004 to December 31, 2006, waived previous non-compliance, and required the issuance to the lenders of 283,979 shares of our Series C redeemable preferred stock.

 

Our ability to service our long-term debt, to remain in compliance with the various restrictions and covenants contained in our debt agreements and to fund working capital, capital expenditures and business development efforts will depend on our ability to generate cash from operating activities which is subject to, among other things, our future operating performance as well as to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other conditions, some of which may be beyond our control.

 

If we fail to generate sufficient cash from operations, we may need to raise additional equity or borrow additional funds to achieve our longer-term business objectives. There can be no assurance that such equity or borrowings will be available or, if available, will be at rates or prices acceptable to us. We believe that cash flow from operating activities coupled with existing cash balances will be adequate to fund our operating and capital needs as well as enable us to maintain compliance with our various debt agreements through June 30, 2004. To the extent that actual results or events differ from our financial projections or business plans, our liquidity may be adversely impacted.

 

Historically, we have financed our cash requirements principally through cash flow from operating activities, term and revolving indebtedness, capital equipment lease financing, the issuance of Senior Notes, the sale of common stock through an initial public offering in July 1993 and subsequent public stock offerings in May 1994 and April 1996, and the exercise of stock options.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2003, cash flow provided by operating activities was $13.1 million and resulted primarily from net income of $9.0 million, the provision for doubtful accounts of $85.0 million and non-cash depreciation and amortization expense of $13.3 million offset by an increase in accounts receivable of $81.6 million, and a non-cash gain on the disposition of our Latin American operations of $13.7 million. Cash flow provided by operating activities was $9.6 million for the year ended June 30, 2002.

 

Cash used in investing activities was $7.6 million for the year ended June 30, 2003 due primarily to capital expenditures of $9.4 million offset by proceeds from the sale of property and equipment of $1.8 million. Cash used in investing activities was $5.8 million for the year ended June 30, 2002, due to capital expenditures of $6.9 million offset by proceeds from the sale of property and equipment of $1.0 million.

 

Cash used in financing activities was $3.7 million for the year ended June 30, 2003, primarily due to repayments of debt and capital lease obligations and cash paid for debt issuance costs. Cash used in financing activities was $3.2 million for the year ended June 30, 2002.

 

Accounts receivable, net of the allowance for doubtful accounts, was $60.4 million and $64.5 million as of June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively with the decrease in net accounts receivable is primarily due to improved billing and collections processes.

 

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The allowance for doubtful accounts increased from approximately $38.0 million at June 30, 2002 to approximately $48.4 million at June 30, 2003. The primary reason for this increase is the current period provision for doubtful accounts offset by the write-off of uncollectible receivables. The increase is also reflective of the mix of receivables outstanding at the end of the period. We have instituted several initiatives to improve our collection procedures. While management believes that we have a predictable method of determining the realizable value of our accounts receivable, based on continuing difficulties in the healthcare reimbursement environment, there can be no assurance that there will not be additional future write-offs.

 

We had working capital of $2.6 million at June 30, 2003, including cash of $12.6 million compared to a working capital deficiency of $10.7 million, including cash of $10.7 million at June 30, 2002. The improvement in working capital is primarily due to the $16.0 million decrease in accrued liabilities which is related to a decrease in accrued interest due to the conversion of accrued interest to amounts outstanding under our credit facility as a result of the September 30, 2002 amendment described below as well as assumption of $6.0 million of liabilities by the buyer of our Latin American operations.

 

In March 1998, we entered into a $200 million revolving credit facility that was originally scheduled to mature on March 16, 2003. The credit facility was unsecured and was unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis by substantially all of our domestic wholly-owned current and future subsidiaries. Interest rates and availability under the credit facility depended on us meeting certain financial covenants.

 

In December 1999, we were not in compliance with certain of the covenants contained in the original credit facility. We received a series of compliance waivers regarding these covenants through April 1, 2002. The waivers precluded additional borrowings under the credit facility, required us to accrue additional interest expense at a rate of 2.0% per annum on the amount outstanding under the credit facility, and required us to make unscheduled principal payments totaling $5.2 million.

 

Effective September 30, 2002, we entered into an amended credit facility with our lenders pursuant to which, among other things, prior identified covenant violations were permanently waived, the maturity date of the facility was extended to December 31, 2004, the interest rate was increased to LIBOR + 7%, and unpaid additional interest and various fees and expenses associated with the amendment were added to the amount outstanding under the credit facility, resulting in an outstanding balance of $152.4 million (the “2002 Amended Credit Facility”). Additionally, the financial covenants contained in the original agreement were revised to levels that were consistent with our business levels and outlook at that time. In consideration for the amendment, we paid the lenders an amendment fee of $1.2 million as well as issued 211,549 shares of our Series B redeemable preferred stock. The Series B shares are convertible into common shares equivalent to 10% of the common shares outstanding at the date of the amendment on a fully diluted basis, as defined in the related agreement. Conversion of the Series B shares occurs upon notice from us; however, because a sufficient number of common shares are not currently available to permit conversion, we intend to seek stockholder approval to amend our certificate of incorporation to authorize additional common shares.

 

The 2002 Amended Credit Facility was not considered to represent a significant modification for financial reporting purposes. As a result, the $1.2 million amendment fee plus the estimated fair value of the Series B shares at the time of issuance of $4.2 million were capitalized as debt issue costs and are being amortized over the term of the amended agreement while professional fees and other related costs incurred in connection with the amendment totalling $1.6 million were expensed. Unamortized debt issue costs related to this amendment, which are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet, totalled $3.6 million at June 30, 2003.

 

As a result of the previously mentioned restatement of our consolidated financial statements and the related increase in our stockholders’ deficit, we were not in compliance with the minimum tangible net worth covenant contained in the 2002 Amended Credit Facility. Additionally, the restatement also resulted in a delay in the filing of our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, thereby causing us to not be in compliance with the reporting requirements contained in both the 2002 Amended Credit Facility and the indenture relating to the Senior Notes described below. The lack of compliance with these covenants triggered the accrual of additional interest at the rate of 2.0% per annum on the amount outstanding under the credit facility from May 15, 2003, the original required filing date for the Form 10-Q.

 

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We entered into an amended credit facility, dated September 26, 2003, with our lenders pursuant to which, among other things, all prior covenant violations were permanently waived, the maturity date of the facility was extended to December 31, 2006, and the financial covenants contained in the September 2002 amendment were revised to levels consistent with our current business levels and outlook (the “2003 Amended Credit Facility”). The revised financial covenants include: total debt leverage ratio (initially set at 6.88); minimum tangible net worth (initially set at $280.0 million deficit); fixed charge coverage ratio (initially set at 1.10); a limitation on annual capital expenditures (initially set at $11.0 million per fiscal year); and, a limitation on annual operating lease expense equivalent to 3.10% of consolidated net revenue. The compliance levels for the first four covenants outlined above are set at varying levels as specified in the related agreement. The interest rate applicable to borrowings under the credit facility remained unchanged at LIBOR +7%.

 

In consideration for the amendment, we paid certain of the lenders amendment fees totalling $0.5 million and issued certain of the lenders 283,979 shares of our Series C redeemable preferred stock. The Series C shares are convertible into common shares equivalent to 11% of the common shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis, as defined in the related agreement. Conversion of the Series C shares occurs upon notice from us; however, because a sufficient number of common shares are not currently available to permit conversion, we intend to seek stockholder approval to amend our certificate of incorporation to authorize additional common shares. We also made a $1.0 million principal payment related to asset sale proceeds as required under the September 30, 2002 amendment to the credit facility.

 

The 2003 Amended Credit Facility is not considered to represent a substantial modification for financial reporting purposes. As a result, the $0.5 million amendment fee and the estimated fair value of the Series C shares will be capitalized as debt issue costs and amortized to interest expense over the term of the amended agreement. Professional fees and other related costs incurred in connection with the amendment will be expensed.

 

At June 30, 2003, the weighted average interest rate on credit facility borrowings was approximately 8.4%. At June 30, 2003, there was $152.4 million outstanding on the credit facility as well as $3.5 million in letters of credit issued under the credit facility.

 

In March 1998, we issued $150.0 million of 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2008 (the Senior Notes) under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act). Interest under the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually on September 15 and March 15. We incurred expenses related to the offering of approximately $5.3 million and are amortizing such costs over the term of the Senior Notes. In April 1998, we filed a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to an exchange offer for the Senior Notes. The registration became effective on May 14, 1998. The Senior Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company and are unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis by substantially all of our domestic wholly owned current and future subsidiaries. The Senior Notes contain certain covenants that, among other items, limit our ability to incur certain indebtedness, sell assets, or enter into certain mergers or consolidations.

 

As noted above, we have amended our credit facility effective September 30, 2003 through December 31, 2006. If we fail to remain in compliance with financial and other covenants set forth in the agreement, we will be in default under our revolving credit facility or the agreement for the Senior Notes or both. A default under the Senior Notes or our revolving credit facility may, among other things, cause all amounts owed by us under such facilities to become due immediately upon such default. Any inability to resolve a violation through waivers or other means could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

There can be no assurance that we will not incur significant unanticipated liabilities. Similarly, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional debt or equity financing on terms satisfactory to us, or at all, should cash flow from operations and our existing cash resources prove to be inadequate. As discussed above, although we have negotiated an amendment and extension of our credit facility, we will not have access to additional borrowings under such facility. If we are required to seek additional financing, any such arrangement may involve material and substantial dilution to existing stockholders resulting from, among other things, issuance of equity securities or the conversion of all or a portion of our existing debt to equity. In such event, the percentage ownership of our current stockholders will be materially reduced, and such equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to our current common stockholders. If we require additional financing but are unable to obtain it, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.

 

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Insurance Programs

 

Many of our operational contracts as well as laws in certain of the areas where we operate, require that we carry specified amounts of insurance coverage. Additionally, in the ordinary course of our business, we are subject to accident, injury and professional liability claims as a result of the nature of our business and the day-to-day operation of our vehicle fleet. In order to minimize our risk of exposure, and to comply with such legal and contractual requirements, we carry a broad range of insurance policies, including comprehensive general liability, automobile, property damage, professional, workers’ compensation, and other lines of coverage. We typically renew each of these policies annually and purchase limits of coverage at levels we believe are appropriate, taking into account historical and projected claim trends, reasonable protection of our assets and operations, and the economic conditions in the insurance market. Depending upon the specific line of coverage, the total limits of insurance maintained by us may be achieved through a combination of primary policies, excess policies and self-insurance. See “Risk Factors — Claims against us could exceed our insurance coverage and we may not have coverage for certain claims.”

 

We retain certain levels of exposure with respect to our general liability and workers compensation programs and purchase coverage from third party insurers for exposures in excess of those levels. In addition to expensing premiums and other costs relating to excess coverage, we establish reserves for claims, both reported and incurred but not reported, within our level of retention based on currently available information as well as our historical claims experience. See “Risk Factors – Our reserves may prove inadequate.”

 

We engage third-party administrators, or TPAs, to manage claims resulting from our general liability and workers compensation programs. The TPAs establish initial loss reserve estimates at the time a claim is reported and then monitor the development of the claim over time to confirm that such estimates continue to be appropriate. We periodically review the claim reserves established by the TPAs and engage independent actuaries to assist with the evaluation of the adequacy of our reserves on an annual basis. We adjust our claim reserves with an associated charge or credit to expense as new information on the underlying claims is obtained.

 

Since fiscal year 2000, we have experienced a substantial rise in the costs associated with our insurance program, including total premium costs, fees for TPAs to process claims, brokerage costs, risk management expenses and costs related to assurances that we can satisfy our retention obligations. These increases have primarily resulted from the overall hardening of the insurance markets, our historical claim trends, and the general increase in costs of claims and related litigation. See “Risk Factors — We have experienced material increases in the cost of our insurance and surety programs and in related collateralization requirements.”

 

General Liability: We have historically maintained insurance policies for comprehensive general liability, automobile liability and professional liability. Throughout this report, these three types of policies are referred to collectively as the “general liability policies.” These policies are typically renewed annually. If the ultimate development of these claims is significantly different than has been estimated, the reserves for general liability claims could be overstated or understated. Reserves related to general liability claims totaled $13.9 million, $15.4 million, and $19.7 million at June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. See “Risk Factors – Our reserves may prove inadequate.”

 

A summary of activity in our general liability claim reserves, which are included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, is as follows:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 15,433     $ 19,715     $ 3,171  

Provision charged to other operating expense

     4,506       2,442       22,326  

Claim payments charged Against the reserve

     (6,004 )     (6,724 )     (5,782 )
    


 


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 13,935     $ 15,433     $ 19,715  
    


 


 


 

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We performed a comprehensive review of information related to our historical settlement information and open claims during the third quarter of fiscal 2001. As a result of this review, we recorded a charge of $15.0 million for increases in our reserves for reported claims as well as to establish reserves for claims incurred but not reported.

 

Certain insurers require us to deposit cash into designated loss funds in order to fund claim payments within our retention limits. Cash deposits relating to our general liability program totaled $2.9 million at June 30, 2003 of which $1.8 million is included in prepaid expenses and other and $1.1 million is included in insurance deposits. Cash deposits totaled $1.9 million at June 30, 2002 which is included in insurance deposits.

 

Our general liability policies corresponding with fiscal years 2001 and 2002 were issued by Legion Insurance Company (“Legion”). Legion’s obligations under such policies were reinsured by an unrelated insurance carrier that was identified and approved by us. At the time the coverage was purchased, Legion was an “A” rated insurance carrier while the reinsurer was an A++ rated carrier. Under these policies, Legion’s obligation (as well as that of its reinsurer) to pay covered losses commences once we satisfy our aggregate retention limits for the respective policy years. As of June 30, 2003, we have met our aggregate retention limit with respect to the policies corresponding to fiscal 2001 and anticipate that we will meet our aggregate retention limit for the policies corresponding to fiscal 2002. Pursuant to these policies, Legion (and its reinsurer) is obligated to fund all claim-related payments in excess of our retention limits.

 

On July 25, 2003, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (the “Department”) placed Legion into liquidation. The Department is conducting the liquidation process, subject to judicial review by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania (the “Court”). Legion’s liquidation could put our general liability insurance coverage for the previously mentioned policy years at risk; however, based upon information currently available, we believe that proceeds from Legion’s reinsurer will be directly available to pay claims in excess of our retention limits, notwithstanding the liquidation process. If the Court deems our reinsurance to be a general asset of Legion or if the reinsurer otherwise refuses to pay claims directly, then reinsurance proceeds to fund covered general liability losses in excess of our retention limits may be substantially reduced, delayed or unrecoverable. In such an event, we may be required to fund general liability losses applicable to these policy years in excess of our retention limits, to the extent that such losses are not covered by the applicable state guaranty funds. Our inability to timely obtain reinsurance or state guaranty fund coverage for general liability claims could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See “Risk Factors — Two insurance companies with which we have previously done business are in financial distress.”

 

Workers Compensation: We have historically maintained insurance policies for workers compensation and employer’s liability. We are required by law and by most of our operational contracts to maintain minimum statutory limits of workers compensation insurance. These policies are typically renewed annually. If the ultimate development of these claims is significantly different than has been estimated, the reserves for workers’ compensation claims could be overstated or understated. Reserves related to workers’ compensation claims totaled $11.3 million, $15.9 million and $14.9 million at June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. See “Risk Factors – Our reserves may prove inadequate.”

 

A summary of activity in our workers’ compensation claim reserves, which are also included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, is as follows:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 15,924     $ 14,944     $ 11,315  

Provision charged to payroll and employee benefits

     —         7,318       11,832  

Claim payments charged against the claim reserve

     (4,669 )     (6,338 )     (8,203 )
    


 


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 11,255     $ 15,924     $ 14,944  
    


 


 


 

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Effective May 1, 2002, we began fully insuring our workers compensation coverage and no longer retain any of the related obligations. We are, however, subject to retrospective premium adjustments should losses exceed previously established limits. As a result of this change in coverage, we no longer establish reserves for claims incurred subsequent to May 1, 2002.

 

In connection with our restructuring activities, an increase in the volume of workers’ compensation claims was noted. Provisions charged to expense during fiscal 2002 included $2.0 million recorded in the fourth quarter to increase our claim reserves based on a review of claims experience. Provisions charged to expense during fiscal 2001 included $5.0 million in the third quarter for increases in reserves for unreported claims based on updated information received from our TPA.

 

Certain insurers require us to deposit cash into designated loss funds in order to fund claim payments within our retention limits. Additionally, we have also been required to provide other forms of financial assurance including letters of credit and surety bonds. Cash deposits relating to our workers compensation program totaled $6.8 million at June 30, 2003 which is included in insurance deposits. Cash deposits totaled $9.2 million at June 30, 2002 of which $2.9 million is included in prepaid expenses and other and $6.3 million is included in insurance deposits.

 

During fiscal years 1992 through 2001, we purchased certain portions of our workers’ compensation coverage from Reliance Insurance Company (Reliance). At the time we purchased such coverage, Reliance was an “A” rated insurance company. In connection with this coverage, we provided Reliance with various amounts and forms of collateral to secure our performance under the respective policies as was customary at the time. As of June 30, 2003, we had $3.0 million of cash on deposit with Reliance which is included in insurance deposits. We also have provided Reliance with letters of credit and surety bonds totaling $6.4 million.

 

On October 3, 2003, the Department placed Reliance into liquidation. It is our understanding that cash on deposit with Reliance will be returned to us on or before the date that all related claims have been satisfied, so long as we have met our claim payment obligations within our retention limits under the related policies. Based on the information currently available, we believe that the cash on deposit with Reliance is fully recoverable and will either be returned to us or used by the liquidator, with our prior consent, to pay claims on our behalf. In the event that we are unable to access the funds on deposit with Reliance or the Reliance liquidator refuses to refund such deposits, such deposits may become impaired. Additionally, Reliance’s liquidation could put our workers compensation insurance coverage at risk for the related policy years; however, based upon information currently available, we believe that either Reliance or the applicable state guaranty funds will continue to pay claims. To the extent that such losses are not covered by either Reliance or the applicable state guaranty funds, we may be required to fund the related workers compensation claims for the applicable policy years. Our inability to access the funds on deposit with Reliance or obtain state guaranty fund coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See “Risk Factors — Two insurance companies with which we have previously done business are in financial distress.”

 

During fiscal 2002, we purchased certain portions of our workers compensation coverage from Legion. Legion required assurances that we would be able to fund our related retention obligations, which were estimated by Legion to approximate $6.2 million. We provided this assurance by purchasing a deductible reimbursement policy from Mutual Indemnity (Bermuda), Ltd. (Mutual Indemnity), a Legion affiliate. That policy required us to deposit approximately $6.2 million with Mutual Indemnity and required Mutual Indemnity to utilize such funds to satisfy the our retention obligations under the Legion policy. We funded these deposits on a monthly basis during the policy term. As of June 30, 2003, we had net deposits with respect to this coverage totaling $3.3 million which are included in insurance deposits.

 

As mentioned previously, the Department placed Legion into liquidation on July 25, 2003. In January 2003, the Court ordered the Legion rehabilitator and Mutual Indemnity to establish segregated trust accounts to be funded by cash deposits held by Mutual Indemnity for the benefit of individual insureds such as us. It is our understanding that the Legion liquidator and Mutual Indemnity continue to negotiate the legal framework for the form and administration of these trust accounts and that no final agreement has yet been reached. We are actively participating in the Court proceedings to cause such a trust account or other mechanism to be created and to operate so as to fully cover all our deductible obligations as originally intended and to return to us any remaining deposit balance once all related claims have been closed. Based on the information currently available, we believe that the amounts on deposit with Mutual Indemnity are fully recoverable and will either be returned to us or used to pay claims on our behalf. In

 

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the event that we are unable to access the funds on deposit with Mutual Indemnity, we may be required to fund the related workers compensation claims for the applicable policy years, to the extent that such losses are not covered by the applicable state guaranty funds. Our inability to access the funds on deposit with Mutual Indemnity or obtain state guaranty fund coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See “Risk Factors — Two insurance companies with which we have previously done business are in financial distress.”

 

Indemnifications

 

We are a party to a variety of agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which we may be obligated to indemnify the other parties for certain liabilities that arise out of or relate to the subject matter of the agreements. Some of the agreements entered into by us require us to indemnify the other party against losses due to property damage including environmental contamination, personal injury, failure to comply with applicable laws, our negligence or willful misconduct, or breach of representations and warranties and covenants.

 

Additionally, some of our agreements with customers require us to provide certain assurances related to the performance of our services. Such assurances, from time to time, obligate us to (i) pay penalties for failure to meet response times or other requirements, (ii) lease, sell or assign equipment or facilities (either temporarily or permanently) in the event of material defaults or other certain circumstances, or (iii) provide surety bonds or letters of credit issued in favor of the customer to cover costs resulting, under certain circumstances, from an uncured material default. With respect to such surety bonds, we are also required to indemnify the surety company for losses paid as a result of any claims made against such bonds.

 

We provide for indemnification of directors, officers and other persons in accordance with contracts, limited liability agreements, certificates of incorporation, by-laws, articles of association or similar organizational documents, as the case may be. We maintain directors’ and officers’ insurance which may enable us to recover a portion of any future amounts paid.

 

In addition to the above, from time to time we provide standard representations and warranties to counterparties in contracts in connection with sales of its securities and the engagement of financial advisors and also provide indemnities that protect the counterparties to these contracts in the event they suffer damages as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties or in certain other circumstances relating to the sale of securities or their engagement by us.

 

While our future obligations under certain agreements may contain limitations on liability for indemnification, other agreements do not contain such limitations and under such agreements it is not possible to predict the maximum potential amount of future payments due to the conditional nature of our obligations and the unique facts and circumstances involved in each particular agreement. Historically, payments made by us under any of these indemnities have not had a material effect on our business, financial condition, and cash flows or results of operations. Additionally, we do not believe that any amounts that we may be required to pay under these indemnities in the future will be material to our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations.

 

Nasdaq Listing

 

On May 22, 2003, the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq) notified us that we were not in compliance with a Nasdaq SmallCap Market maintenance standard. This standard requires that we file with Nasdaq copies of all reports and other documents filed or required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a timely basis.

 

The notification followed our announcement on May 14, 2003 that we would delay filing our Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended March 31, 2003 due to the need to restate our consolidated financial statements for inadequate provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recorded in prior years. We announced that we would file the applicable form 10-Q upon finalization of the related restatement adjustments.

 

We subsequently submitted our request for a Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel (the “Panel”) hearing to consider our continued listing. The hearing was held June 19, 2003, where we presented our basis for a temporary exception to the filing requirement in order to complete our related analysis.

 

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On July 17, 2003, Nasdaq informed us that the Panel had made a determination. In its decision to grant an exception, the Panel determined that our securities would continue to be listed on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market subject to satisfying a September 30, 2003 deadline for filing our Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended March 31, 2003 and our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003.

 

In addition to granting the filing exception through September 30, 2003, the Panel specifically required us to timely file all periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq for all reporting periods ending on or before March 31, 2004. Should we miss a filing deadline in accordance with the exception, we will not be entitled to a new hearing on the matter and our securities may be delisted from The Nasdaq SmallCap Market. In the event we fail to comply with any continued listing requirement during the exception period, we will be provided with written notice of the deficiency and an opportunity to present a definitive plan to address the issue prior to the Panel’s decision as to whether continued listing is appropriate.

 

The Panel reserves the right to terminate or modify the terms of this exception upon a review of the Company’s reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2003 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003. There can be no assurance we will evidence compliance with the requirements as set forth by Nasdaq or that we will return to continued listing on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

 

On September 29, 2003, we issued a press release indicating that the filing of our Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 would be delayed. We also filed a Form 12b-25 request with the SEC for an extension to file our Form 10-K on or before October 14, 2003. Due to such delayed filing, we formally requested, on September 30, 2003, that the Panel permit us to comply with their July 17, 2003 decision by filing both our Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 and our Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2003 on or before October 14, 2003. On October 7, 2003 the Panel informed us that our requested modification to their July 17, 2003 decision was granted.

 

Quarterly Results

 

The following table summarizes our unaudited quarterly operating results for each quarter of fiscal 2003 and 2002. Net revenue and operating income included in the table relate to our continuing operations and exclude amounts applicable to our Latin American operations that were disposed of in September 2002. Such unaudited quarterly operating information has been restated, as applicable, to reflect adjustments relating to provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts; the adoption of FIN 46 and the related consolidation on a retroactive basis our investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise LLC; and, to expense professional fees relating to the September 30, 2002 amendment to our credit facility that were previously capitalized and being amortized over the amended term of the facility.

 

     2003

 
    

First

Quarter (1)


  

Second

Quarter (1)


   

Third

Quarter


   

Fourth

Quarter


 
     (in thousands, except per share data)  

Net revenue

   $ 130,178    $ 128,866     $ 130,064     $ 131,369  

Operating income (2)

     7,238      7,714       8,370       2,685  

Income (loss) from continuing operations after accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     421      (1,453 )     (667 )     (5,271 )

Net income (loss) applicable to common stock(3)

     12,753      (1,453 )     (667 )     (5,271 )

Basic income (loss) from continuing operations after accretion of redeemable preferred stock per share

   $ 0.03    $ (0.09 )   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.33 )

Basic income (loss) per share

   $ 0.80    $ (0.09 )   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.33 )

Diluted income (loss) from continuing operations after accretion of redeemable preferred stock per share

   $ 0.03    $ (0.09 )   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.33 )

Diluted income (loss) per share

   $ 0.72    $ (0.09 )   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.33 )

 

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     2002

 
    

First

Quarter(1)


   

Second

Quarter(1)


  

Third

Quarter(1)


  

Fourth

Quarter(1)


 
     (in thousands, except per share data)  

Net revenue

   $ 120,390     $ 118,661    $ 124,818    $ 125,111  

Operating income (4)

     5,337       5,554      9,787      2,732  

Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     (1,849 )     1,250      3,485      (2,516 )

Net income (loss) (5) (6)

     (51,565 )     2,911      3,356      (2,866 )

Basic income (loss) from continuing operations

   $ (0.12 )   $ 0.08    $ 0.21    $ (0.16 )

Basic income (loss) per share

   $ (3.43 )   $ 0.19    $ 0.22    $ (0.18 )

Diluted income (loss) from continuing operations

   $ (0.12 )   $ 0.08    $ 0.19    $ (0.16 )

Diluted income (loss) per share

   $ (3.43 )   $ 0.19    $ 0.20    $ (0.18 )

(1)   We have restated our consolidated financial statements for the following:

 

Accounts Receivable: We determined that collections on accounts receivable relating to medical transportation revenue, primarily revenue recognized prior to fiscal 2001, were substantially less than originally anticipated and the related provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recognized in such prior years were inadequate. The inadequacy of such provisions caused our period-end allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003 to be understated and our accounts receivable overstated. We determined that this situation was primarily attributable to inaccurate assumptions utilized in the provision estimation process in use prior to fiscal 2001 as well as in the process utilized to assess the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003.

 

We determined that our consolidated financial statements of prior years required restatement as a result of this matter. The portion of the restatement adjustments relating to discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers is reflected as a reduction of net revenue while the portion relating to uncollectible accounts is reflected as an adjustment to the provision for doubtful accounts.

 

Professional Fees: We determined that professional fees incurred in the first quarter of fiscal 2003 in connection with the September 2002 modification to our credit facility should have been expensed rather than amortized over the term of the facility. Accordingly, the results for the first two quarters of fiscal 2003 have been restated for this matter.

 

San Diego Medical Services Enterprise LLC: During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (FIN 46). FIN 46 requires that variable interest entities or VIEs be consolidated by the primary beneficiary, as that term is defined in FIN 46. We determined that our investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC, (SDMSE) the entity formed with respect to our public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, meets the definition of a VIE and that we are the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, our investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. We had previously accounted for our investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While consolidation of SDMSE did not impact our previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, our consolidated financial statements of prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46.

 

A summary of our unaudited quarterly operating results impacted by the reclassification of our Latin American operations as discontinued operations as well as the restatement adjustments is as follows:

 

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As

Previously

Reported


    Restatement
Adjustments


   

As

Restated


    Accounting
Change
(C)


   

Less

Latin

American

Operations


   

As

Reported


 
       A

    B

         

Quarter ended September 30, 2002:

                                                        

Net revenue

   $ 125,565     $ (1,174 )   $ —       $ 124,391     $ 5,787     $ —       $ 130,178  

Operating income

     9,754       (1,789 )     (1,603 )     6,362       876       —         7,238  

Net income

     16,145       (1,789 )     (1,603 )     12,753       —         —         12,753  

Diluted income per share

   $ 0.91     $ (0.10 )   $ (0.09 )   $ 0.72     $ —       $ —       $ 0.72  

Quarter ended December 31, 2002:

                                                        

Net revenue

   $ 123,464     $ (379 )   $ —       $ 123,085     $ 5,781     $ —       $ 128,866  

Operating income

     7,694       (578 )     —         7,116       598       —         7,714  

Net loss

     (1,053 )     (578 )     178       (1,453 )     —         —         (1,453 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (0.07 )   $ (0.03 )   $ 0.01     $ (0.09 )   $ —       $ —       $ (0.09 )

Quarter ended September 30, 2001:

                                                        

Net revenue

   $ 116,474     $ (564 )   $ —       $ 115,910     $ 4,480     $ —       $ 120,390  

Operating loss

     5,853       (860 )     —         4,993       344               5,337  

Net loss

     (50,705 )     (860 )     —         (51,565 )     —         —         (51,565 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (3.37 )   $ (0.06 )   $ —       $ (3.43 )   $ —       $ —       $ (3.43 )

Quarter ended December 31, 2001:

                                                        

Net revenue

   $ 114,333     $ (170 )   $ —       $ 114,163     $ 4,498     $ —       $ 118,661  

Operating income

     5,526       (259 )     —         5,267       287               5,554  

Net income

     3,170       (259 )     —         2,911       —         —         2,911  

Diluted income per share

   $ 0.21     $ (0.02 )   $ —       $ 0.19     $ —       $ —       $ 0.19  

Quarter ended March 31, 2002:

                                                        

Net revenue

   $ 124,661     $ (663 )   $ —       $ 123,998     $ 4,973     $ (4,153 )   $ 124,818  

Operating income

     10,837       (1,008 )     —         9,829       223       (265 )     9,787  

Net income

     4,364       (1,008 )     —         3,356       —         —         3,356  

Diluted loss per share

   $ 0.28     $ (0.07 )   $ —       $ 0.21     $ —       $ —       $ 0.21  

Quarter ended June 30, 2002:

                                                        

Net revenue

   $ 122,951     $ (272 )   $ —       $ 122,679     $ 5,054     $ (2,622 )   $ 125,111  

Operating income

     3,052       (413 )     —         2,639       (122 )     215       2,732  

Net loss

     (2,453 )     (413 )     —         (2,866 )     —         —         (2,866 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (0.16 )   $ (0.02 )   $ —       $ (0.18 )   $ —       $ —       $ (0.18 )

 

Restatement Adjustments:

 

A   To adjust provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and doubtful accounts.

 

B   To expense professional fees incurred in connection with the September 2002 credit facility amendment which were being amortized over the term of the related agreement.

 

C   Adoption of FIN 46 and related consolidation of investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprises LLC.

 

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(2)   In fiscal 2001, we recorded a $1.5 million restructuring charge relating to an under performing service area that we had planned to exit at the time of contract termination in December 2001. During fiscal 2002, the contract was extended for a one-year period at the request of the related municipality to enable it to transition its medical transportation service to a new provider. In connection with the contract extension, we reversed $0.2 million of previously accrued lease termination costs relating to the extension period. The operating environment in the service area subsequently improved, and we were awarded a new multi-year contract during the second quarter of fiscal 2003. We reversed the remaining restructuring reserve of $1.3 million to income during the second quarter of 2003.

 

(3)   During the first quarter of fiscal 2003, we sold our Latin American operations to local management in exchange for the assumption of the related net liabilities resulting in a gain of $12.5 million. The sale of the Latin American operations has been treated as a discontinued operation for financial reporting purposes.

 

(4)   During the third quarter of fiscal 2002, we reversed $1.7 million of discretionary employee benefits previously accrued for the calendar year ended December 31, 2000. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, we recorded a $2.0 million provision for additional workers’ compensation claims in connection with a review of existing reserve levels; reversed a $1.3 million reserve related to the settlement of an audit with a Medicare intermediary; and, reversed $1.3 million of our paid-time-off accrual as a result of changes to the related policies.

 

(5)   During the second quarter of fiscal 2002, we recorded a $1.6 million tax benefit for refunds applicable to prior years for which recognition was deferred until receipt. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, we recognized an income tax benefit of $0.6 million as a result of recently enacted legislation that allowed us to carry a portion of our net operating losses back to prior years.

 

(6)   The net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2002 included a $49.5 million cumulative effect charge, both before and after taxes, relating to the implementation of a new accounting standard relating to goodwill and other intangible assets.

 

Effects of Inflation and Foreign Currency Exchange Fluctuations

 

As a result of the sale of our Latin American operations in September 2002, we no longer have operations located outside the United States. Additionally, inflation has not had a significant impact on our business.

 

Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments

 

We have certain contractual obligations related to our debt instruments that come due at various times over the periods presented below. In addition we have other commitments in the form of standby letters of credit and surety bonds. The following table illustrates the expiration of our contractual obligations as well as other commitments including the effect of the 2003 amended credit facility (in thousands):

 

     Payments Due By Period

Contractual Obligations


   Total

  

Less Than

1 Year


   1-3
Years


   4-5 Years

  

After

5 Years


Credit facility

   $ 152,555    $ —      $      $ 152,555    $ —  

Senior Notes

     150,000      —        —        150,000      —  

Capital leases and notes payable

     4,368      1,329      2,901      50      88

Operating leases

     35,344      7,760      12,084      6,667      8,833
    

  

  

  

  

Total contractual cash obligations

   $ 342,267    $ 9,089    $ 14,985    $ 309,272    $ 8,921
    

  

  

  

  

Other Commitments


   Amount of Commitment Expiration By Period

Standby letters of credit

   $ 3,500    $ 3,500    $ —      $ —      $ —  
    

  

  

  

  

Surety bonds

   $ 10,136    $ 10,129    $ 7    $ —      $ —  
    

  

  

  

  

Preferred stock redemption

   $ 25,000    $ —      $ 15,000    $ 10,000    $ —  
    

  

  

  

  

 

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Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

In November 2002, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 45 (FIN 45), “Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others”. FIN 45 clarifies the requirements of FASB Statement No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies”, relating to the guarantor’s accounting for, and disclosure of, the issuance of certain types of guarantees. FIN 45 is to be applied on a prospective basis to guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002. The adoption of FIN 45 did not have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. Note 17, to our consolidated financial statements contains additional information with respect to our guarantees and indemnifications.

 

In January 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 46, Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51 (FIN 46) to clarify when a company should consolidate in its financial statements the assets, liabilities and activities of a variable interest entity or VIE. FIN 46 provides general guidance as to the definition of a VIE and requires that such VIEs be consolidated if a company absorbs the majority of the VIEs expected losses, or is entitled to receive a majority of the VIEs residual returns, or both. FIN 46 is effective immediately for all new VIEs created after January 31, 2003. For VIEs created before February 1, 2003, the consolidation provisions of FIN 46 must be applied for the first interim or annual reporting period beginning after June 15, 2003 on either a retroactive or prospective basis.

 

We determined that our investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC, (SDMSE) the entity formed with respect to our public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, meets the definition of a VIE and that we are the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, our investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. We had previously accounted for our investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While consolidation of SDMSE did not impact our previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, our consolidated financial statements of prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46. We do not believe that we have any other investments or contractual obligations that would require consolidation under FIN 46.

 

In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity.” SFAS No. 150 specifies that freestanding financial instruments within its scope constitute obligations of the issuer and that, therefore, the issuer must classify them as liabilities. Such freestanding financial instruments include certain mandatorily redeemable financial instruments, obligations to repurchase the issuer’s equity shares by transferring assets, and certain obligations to issue a variable number of shares. SFAS No. 150 is effective immediately for all financial instruments entered into or modified after May 31, 2003. For all other instruments, SFAS No. 150 is effective July 1, 2003. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of FAS No. 150 on our consolidated financial statements.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

The following risk factors, in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this report, should be carefully considered in evaluating us and our business.

 

We have significant indebtedness.

 

We have significant indebtedness. As of June 30, 2003, we had approximately $306.6 million of consolidated indebtedness, consisting primarily of $149.9 million of 7 7/8% Senior Notes due in 2008 and $152.4 million outstanding under our credit facility. As a result of the September 30, 2003 amendment, we have $152.6 million outstanding under our 2003 Amended Credit Facility, which is now due December 31, 2006.

 

Our ability to service our indebtedness depends on our future operating performance, which is affected by various factors including regulatory, industry, economic, and competitive conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. We may not generate sufficient funds to enable us to service our indebtedness and failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

Our loan agreements require us to comply with numerous covenants and restrictions.

 

The agreement governing the terms of the Senior Notes contains certain covenants limiting our ability to:

 

•      incur certain additional debt

 

•      create certain liens

•      pay dividends

 

•      issue guarantees

•      redeem capital stock

 

•      enter into transactions with affiliates

•      make certain investments

 

•      sell assets

•      issue capital stock of subsidiaries

 

•      complete certain mergers and consolidations

 

Our 2003 Amended Credit Facility also contains restrictive covenants and requires us to meet certain financial tests, including a total debt leverage ratio, a minimum tangible net worth amount, and a fixed charge coverage ratio. Our ability to satisfy those covenants can be affected by events both within and beyond our control, and we may be unable to meet these covenants.

 

A breach of any of the covenants or other terms of our indebtedness could result in an event of default under our 2003 Amended Credit Facility or the Senior Notes or both, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

We may not be able to generate sufficient operating cash flow.

 

Despite significant net losses in fiscal 2002, 2001 and 2000, our restructuring efforts have enabled us to self-fund our operations since March 2000 from existing cash reserves and operating cash flow. However, we may be unable to sustain our targeted levels of operating cash flow. Our ability to generate operating cash flow will depend upon various factors, including regulatory, industry, economic, competitive and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. Because of our significant indebtedness, a substantial portion of our cash flow from operating activities is dedicated to debt service and is not available for other purposes. The terms of our 2003 Amended Credit Facility do not permit additional borrowings thereunder. In addition, the 2003 Amended Credit Facility and the Senior Notes restrict our ability to obtain additional debt from other sources or provide collateral to any prospective lender.

 

If we are unable to meet our targeted levels of operating cash flow, or in the event of an unanticipated cash requirement (such as an adverse litigation outcome, reimbursement delays, significantly increased costs of insurance or other matters) we will need to pursue additional debt or equity financing. Any such financing may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all. If we issue equity securities in connection with any such arrangement, the percentage ownership of our current stockholders could be materially reduced, and such equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to our current common stockholders. Failure to generate adequate operating cash flow will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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We face significant dilution of our common stock.

 

In conjunction with the 2002 Amended Credit Facility, we issued shares of our Series B redeemable preferred stock (the “Series B Shares”) to the participants in the 2002 Amended Credit Facility. The Series B Shares are convertible into 2,115,490 common shares which equates to 10% of our common shares then outstanding on a diluted basis, as defined. Because sufficient common shares are not currently available to permit conversion, we have agreed to use our best efforts to obtain stockholder approval to authorize additional common shares. Until such time as the additional common shares are authorized, the carrying value of the Series B Shares will be accreted to the greater of $15.0 million or the value of the commons shares into which the Series B Shares would have otherwise been converted which represents the redemption value of the Series B shares as of December 31, 2004. This accretion will result in a reduction in income available to common stockholders for purposes of determining our earnings per share.

 

In conjunction with the 2003 Amended Credit Facility, we issued shares of our Series C redeemable preferred stock (the “Series C Shares”) to participants in the 2003 Amended Credit Facility. The Series C Shares are convertible into 2,839,787 common shares which equates to 11% of our common shares then outstanding on a diluted basis, as defined. Because sufficient common shares are not currently available to permit conversion, we have agreed to use our best efforts to obtain stockholder approval to authorize additional common shares. Until such time as the additional common shares are authorized, the carrying value of the Series C Shares will be accreted to the greater of $10.0 million or the value of common shares into which the Series C Shares would have otherwise been converted which represents the redemption value of the Series C shares as of December 31, 2006. This accretion will result in a reduction in income available to common stockholders for purposes of determining our earnings per share.

 

We depend on reimbursements by third-party payers and individuals.

 

We receive a substantial portion of payments for our medical transportation services from third-party payers, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. We received approximately 90% of our medical transportation fee collections from such third party payers during the year ended June 30, 2003, including approximately 27% from Medicare. In the year ended June 30, 2002, we received 88% of medical transportation fee collections from these third parties, including 25% from Medicare.

 

The reimbursement process is complex and can involve lengthy delays. From time to time, we experience these delays. Third-party payers are continuing their efforts to control expenditures for health care, including proposals to revise reimbursement policies. We recognize revenue when we provide medical transportation services; however, there can be lengthy delays before we receive payment. In addition, third-party payers may disallow, in whole or in part, requests for reimbursement based on assertions that certain amounts are not reimbursable or additional supporting documentation is necessary. Retroactive adjustments may change amounts realized from third-party payers. Due to the nature of our business and our participation in the Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement programs, we are involved from time to time in regulatory reviews or investigations by governmental agencies of matters such as compliance with billing regulations. We may be required to repay these agencies if a finding is made that we were incorrectly reimbursed, or we may lose eligibility for certain programs in the event of certain types of non-compliance. Delays and uncertainties in the reimbursement process adversely affect our level of accounts receivable, increase the overall costs of collection, and may adversely affect our working capital and cause us to incur additional borrowing costs. Unfavorable resolutions of pending or future regulatory reviews or investigations, either individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

We also face the continuing risk of non-reimbursement to the extent that uninsured individuals require emergency ambulance service in service areas where an adequate subsidy is not provided by the related municipality or governing authority. Amounts not covered by third-party payers are the obligations of individual patients and, we may not receive reimbursement by the related municipality or governing authority or reimbursement from these uninsured individuals. We continually review the mix of activity between emergency and general medical transport in view of the reimbursement environment and evaluate methods of recovering these amounts through the collection process.

 

We establish an allowance for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts based on credit risk applicable to certain types of payers, historical trends, and other relevant information. We review our allowance for doubtful accounts on an ongoing basis and may increase or decrease such

 

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allowance from time to time, including in those instances when we determine that the level of effort and cost of collection of certain accounts receivable is unacceptable.

 

The risks associated with third-party payers and uninsured individuals and the inability to monitor and manage accounts receivable successfully could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. Our collection policies or our allowance for doubtful accounts may not be adequate.

 

We have experienced material increases in the cost of our insurance and surety programs and in related collateralization requirements.

 

We have experienced a substantial rise in the costs associated with both our insurance and surety bonding programs in comparison to prior years. We have experienced significant increases both in the premiums we have had to pay, and in the collateral or other advance funding required. We also have increased our deductible and self-insurance retentions under several coverages. Many counties, municipalities, and fire districts also require us to provide a surety bond or other assurance of financial and performance responsibility, and the cost and collateral requirements associated with obtaining such bonds have increased. A significant factor is the overall hardening of the insurance, surety and re-insurance markets, which has resulted in demands for larger premiums, collateralization of payment obligations and increasingly rigorous underwriting requirements. Our higher costs also result from our claims history and from insurers’ and sureties’ perception of our financial condition due to our current debt structure and cash position. Sustained and substantial annual increases in premiums and requirements for collateral or pre-funded deductible obligations may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flow and results of operations.

 

Claims against us could exceed our insurance coverage and we may not have coverage for certain claims.

 

We are subject to a significant number of accident, injury and professional liability claims as a result of the nature of our business and the day-to-day operation of our vehicle fleet. In order to minimize the risk of our exposure, we maintain certain levels of insurance coverage for workers compensation, comprehensive general liability, automobile liability, and professional liability claims. In certain limited instances we may not have coverage for certain claims. In those instances for which we do have coverage, the coverage limits of our policies may not be adequate. Liabilities in excess of our insurance coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. Claims against us, regardless of their merit or outcome, also may have an adverse effect on our reputation and business.

 

Our claim reserves may prove inadequate.

 

Under our general liability and employee medical insurance programs, and under our workers’ compensation programs prior to May 1, 2002, we are responsible for deductibles and self-insured retentions in varying amounts. Our insurance coverages in prior years generally did not include an aggregate limitation on our liability. We have established reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses under these policies. Our reserves are estimates based on our historical experience as well as industry data, and include judgments of the effects that future economic and social forces are likely to have on our experience with the type of risk involved, circumstances surrounding individual claims and trends that may affect the probable number and nature of claims arising from losses not yet reported. Consequently, loss reserves are inherently uncertain and are subject to a number of circumstances that are difficult to predict. For these reasons, there can be no assurance that our ultimate liability will not materially exceed our reserves at any point. If our reserves prove to be inadequate, we will be required to increase our reserves with a corresponding charge to operations in the period in which the deficiency is identified and such charge could be material. We periodically engage independent actuaries in order to verify the adequacy of our claim reserves.

 

Two insurance companies with which we have previously done business are in financial distress.

 

Two previous insurers (Reliance Insurance Company and Legion Insurance Company) under our workers’ compensation and general liability programs are currently in liquidation proceedings in Pennsylvania. With respect to the affected policy years, these proceedings may result in the loss of all or part of the collateral and/or funds deposited by us for payment of claims within our deductible or self-insured retention relating to our workers’

 

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compensation programs, and may result in restricted access to both insurance and reinsurance proceeds relating to our general liability program. Based upon the information currently available, we believe that the amounts on deposit are fully recoverable and will either be returned to us or used to pay claims on our behalf as originally intended. We further believe that reinsurance proceeds for our liability policies will be available to cover claims in excess of our retention as originally intended. It is also our understanding that state guaranty funds will provide coverage, subject to certain limitations, of such general liability and workers compensation. Our inability to access the funds on deposit, to access our liability reinsurance proceeds or to obtain coverage from state guaranty funds could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. To the extent that claims exceed our deductible limits and our insurers or guaranty funds do not satisfy their coverage obligations, we may be required to satisfy a portion of those claims directly, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, result of operations and cash flows.

 

Recently enacted rules may adversely affect our reimbursement rates of coverage.

 

On April 1, 2002, the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule Final Rule became effective. The Final Rule categorizes seven levels of ground ambulance services, ranging from basic life support to specialty care transport, and two categories of air ambulance services. The base rate conversion factor for services to Medicare patients was set at $170.54 (which is adjusted each year by the CPI – 1%), plus separate mileage payment based on specified relative value units for each level of ambulance service. Adjustments also were included to recognize differences in relative practice costs among geographic areas, and higher transportation costs that may be incurred by ambulance providers in rural areas with low population density. The Final Rule requires ambulance providers to accept assignment on Medicare claims, which means a provider, must accept Medicare’s allowed reimbursement rate as full payment. Medicare typically reimburses 80% of that rate and the remaining 20% is collectible from a secondary insurance or the patient. In addition, the Final Rule calls for a five-year phase-in period to allow time for providers to adjust to the new payment rates. The fee schedule will be phased in at 20-percent increments each year, with payments being made at 100 percent of the fee schedule in 2006 and thereafter.

 

We believe the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule will have a neutral net impact on our medical transportation revenue at incremental and full phase-in periods, primarily due to the geographic diversity of our U.S. operations. However, changes in the related rules or regulations, or the interpretation or implementation thereof, could materially alter the impact of the fee schedule on our medical transportation revenue and, therefore could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. Changes in reimbursement policies, or other governmental actions, together with the financial challenges of some private, third-party payers and budget pressures on other payer sources could influence the timing and, potentially, the receipt of payments and reimbursements. A reduction in coverage or reimbursement rates by third-party payers, or an increase in our cost structure relative to the rate increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), or costs incurred to implement the mandates of the fee schedule could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations.

 

Certain state and local governments regulate rate structures and limit rates of return.

 

State or local government regulations or administrative policies regulate rate structures in most states in which we conduct medical transportation operations. In certain service areas in which we are the exclusive provider of services, the municipality or fire district sets the rates for emergency ambulance services pursuant to a master contract and establishes the rates for general ambulance services that we are permitted to charge. Rates in most service areas are set at the same amounts for emergency and general ambulance services. For example, the State of Arizona establishes the rate of return we are permitted to earn in determining the ambulance service rates we may charge in that state. Ambulance services revenue generated in Arizona accounted for approximately 19.0% and 17.9% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. We may be unable to receive ambulance service rate increases on a timely basis where rates are regulated or to establish or maintain satisfactory rate structures where rates are not regulated.

 

Municipalities and fire districts negotiate the payments to be made to us for fire protection services pursuant to master contracts. These master contracts are based on a budget and on level of effort or performance criteria desired by the municipalities and fire districts. We could be unsuccessful in negotiating or maintaining profitable contracts with municipalities and fire districts.

 

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Numerous governmental entities regulate our business.

 

Numerous federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations govern various aspects of the ambulance and fire fighting service business covering matters such as licensing, rates, employee certification, environmental matters and radio communications. Certificates of necessity may be required from state or local governments to operate medical transportation services in a designated service area. Master contracts from governmental authorities are subject to risks of cancellation or unenforceability as a result of budgetary and other factors and may subject us to certain liabilities or restrictions that traditionally have applied only to governmental bodies. Federal, state or local, governments could:

 

    change existing laws, rules or regulations,

 

    adopt new laws, rules or regulations that increase our cost of doing business,

 

    lower reimbursement levels,

 

    choose to provide services for themselves, or

 

    otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations.

 

We could encounter difficulty in complying with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.

 

Health care reforms and cost containment may affect our business.

 

Numerous legislative proposals have been considered that would result in major reforms in the U.S. health care system. We cannot predict which, if any, health care reforms may be proposed or enacted or the effect that any such legislation would have on our business. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), which protects the privacy of patients’ health information handled by health care providers and establishes standards for its electronic transmission, was enacted on August 21, 1996. The final rule, which took effect on April 14, 2001, requires covered entities to comply with the final rule’s provisions pertaining to privacy standards by April 14, 2003, and covers all individually identifiable health information used or disclosed by a covered entity. We have addressed the impact of HIPAA and developed policies, training and procedures to comply with the final rule.

 

In addition to compliance with the privacy standards deadline, the HIPAA Electronic Transactions and Code Set Rule requires us, if we submit claims electronically, to use the approved HIPAA format by October 16, 2003. On September 23, 2003, CMS announced that it will issue a contingency plan to accept Medicare noncompliant electronic transactions after the October 16, 2003 compliance deadline. The contingency plan permits CMS to continue to accept and process Medicare claims in the electronic formats now in use, giving providers, like us, additional time to complete the testing process. Although CMS announced a contingency plan, as of this filing, a Medicaid contingency plan has not been announced. We submit Medicaid claims to the twenty-seven states, of which eleven states require electronic claim submissions and sixteen require paper claim submissions. As of September 24, 2003, we received confirmation of successful test filings for electronic claims from four of the eleven states which require electronic claim submissions. New York Medicaid has announced that it will not be ready to accept electronic claim submissions in the approved HIPAA format. Although we will submit our test filings to the remaining six states in advance of the October 16, 2003 deadline, those states may not have the resources and/or funding to meet the regulatory requirements for electronic claims submissions and may not be able to respond to all of the test submissions by us and other providers before the deadline. As a result, we may be required to submit our claims by paper (rather than electronically), which may extend the payment cycle an additional thirty days or more. In addition, we await announcements from the commercial insurers regarding compliance with the Rule. Thus, while we have worked diligently to both comply with HIPAA requirements and mitigate the impact of HIPAA on our business, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations due to (i) significant costs associated with continued compliance under HIPAA or related legislative enactments, (ii) adverse affects on our collection cycle arising from non-compliance or delayed HIPAA compliance by our payers, customers and other constituents, or (iii) impacts to the health care industry as a whole that may directly or indirectly cause an adverse affect on our business.

 

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We may be delisted from the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

 

On May 22, 2003, the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq) notified us that we were not in compliance with a Nasdaq SmallCap Market maintenance standard. This standard requires that we file with Nasdaq copies of all reports and other documents filed or required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a timely basis.

 

The notification followed our announcement on May 14, 2003 that we would delay filing our Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended March 31, 2003 due to the need to restate our financial statements for inadequate provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recorded in prior years. We announced that we would file the applicable Form 10-Q upon finalization of the related restatement adjustments.

 

We subsequently submitted our request for a Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel (the “Panel”) hearing to consider our continued listing. The hearing was held June 19, 2003, where we presented our basis for a temporary exception to the filing requirement in order to complete our accounts receivable analysis.

 

On July 17, 2003, Nasdaq informed us that the Panel had made a determination to grant us an exception. In its decision the Panel determined that our securities would continue to be listed on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market subject to satisfying a September 30, 2003 deadline for filing our Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended March 31, 2003 and our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003.

 

In addition to granting the filing exception through September 30, 2003, the Panel specifically required us to timely file all periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq for all reporting periods ending on or before March 31, 2004. Should we miss a filing deadline in accordance with the exception, we will not be entitled to a new hearing on the matter and our securities may be delisted from The Nasdaq SmallCap Market. In the event we fail to comply with any continued listing requirement during the exception period, we will be provided with written notice of the deficiency and an opportunity to present a definitive plan to address the issue prior to the Panel’s decision as to whether continued listing is appropriate.

 

The Panel reserved the right to terminate or modify the terms of this exception upon a review of the Company’s reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2003 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003. There is no assurance that we will evidence compliance with the requirements as set forth by Nasdaq or that we will return to continued listing on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

 

On September 29, 2003, we issued a press release indicating that the filing of our Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 would be delayed. We also filed a Form 12b-25 request with the SEC for an extension to file our Form 10-K on or before October 14, 2003. Due to such delayed filing, we formally requested, on September 30, 2003, that the Panel permit us to comply with their July 17, 2003 decision by filing both our Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 and our Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2003 on or before October 14, 2003. On October 7, 2003, the Panel informed us that our requested modification to their July 17, 2003 decision was granted.

 

We depend on certain business relationships.

 

We depend to a great extent on certain contracts with municipalities or fire districts to provide emergency ambulance services and fire protection services. Our six largest contracts accounted for approximately 22.9% and 21.9% of net revenue for the year ended June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. One of these contracts accounted for approximately 8.2% and 7.3% of net revenue for the years ended June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Contracts with municipalities or fire districts may have certain budgetary approval constraints. Failure to allocate funds for a contract may adversely affect our ability to continue to perform services without suffering significant losses. The loss or cancellation of several of these contracts could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flow, and results of operations. We may not be successful in retaining our existing contracts or in obtaining new contracts for emergency ambulance services or for fire protection services.

 

Our contracts with municipalities and fire districts and with managed care organizations and health care providers are short term or open-ended or for periods ranging on average from two years to five years. During such periods, we may determine that a contract is no longer favorable and may seek to modify or terminate the contract. When making such a determination, we may consider factors, such as weaker than expected transport volume,

 

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geographical issues adversely affecting response times, and delays in implementing technology upgrades. We face certain risks in attempting to terminate unfavorable contracts prior to their expiration because of the possibility of forfeiting performance bonds and the potential adverse political and public relations consequences. Our inability to terminate or amend unfavorable contracts as they occur, could, in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. We also face the risk that areas in which we provide fire protection services through subscription arrangements with residents and businesses will be converted to tax-supported fire districts or annexed by municipalities.

 

We face risks associated with our prior rapid growth, integration, and acquisitions.

 

We must integrate and successfully operate the ambulance service providers that we have acquired. The process of integrating management, operations, facilities, and accounting and billing and collection systems and other information systems requires continued investment of time and resources and can involve difficulties, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. Unforeseen liabilities and other issues also could arise in connection with the operation of businesses that we have previously acquired or may acquire in the future. For example, we became aware of, and have taken corrective action with respect to, various issues arising primarily from the transition to us from various acquired operations of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses for public safety and private wireless radio frequencies used in the ordinary course of our business. While we do not currently anticipate that action with respect to these issues by the FCC’s enforcement bureau will result in material monetary fines or license forfeitures, there can be no assurance that this will be the case. Our acquisition agreements contain purchase price adjustments, rights of set-off, indemnification, and other remedies in the event that certain unforeseen liabilities or issues arise in connection with an acquisition. However, these purchase price adjustments, rights of set-off, indemnification, and other remedies expire and may not be sufficient to compensate us in the event that any liabilities or other issues arise.

 

We face additional risks associated with our international operations.

 

Due to the deteriorating economic conditions and continued devaluation of the local currency, we reviewed our strategic alternatives with respect to the continuation of operations in Latin America, primarily in Argentina. We determined that we would benefit from focusing on our domestic operations. Effective September 27, 2002, we sold our Latin American operations to local management. We believe that both the structure of our pre-sale operations and of the sale transaction itself shield us from liabilities associated with past or future activities of our former Latin American operations. However, due to the nature of local laws and regulatory requirements and the uncertain economic and political environment, particularly in Argentina, there can be no assurance that we will not be required to defend against future claims. Unanticipated claims successfully asserted against us could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations.

 

We are in a highly competitive industry.

 

The ambulance service industry is highly competitive. Ambulance and general medical transportation service providers compete primarily on the basis of quality of service, performance, and cost. In order to compete successfully, we must make continuing investments in our fleet, facilities, and operating systems. We believe that counties, fire districts, and municipalities and health/care institutions consider the following factors in awarding a contract:

 

    quality of medical care,

 

    historical response time performance,

 

    customer service,

 

    financial stability, and

 

    personnel policies and practices.

 

We currently compete with the following entities to provide ambulance services:

 

    governmental entities (including fire districts),

 

    hospitals,

 

    other national ambulance service providers,

 

    large regional ambulance service providers, and

 

    local and volunteer private providers.

 

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Counties, municipalities, fire districts, and health care organizations that currently contract for ambulance services could choose to provide ambulance services directly in the future. We are experiencing increased competition from fire departments in providing emergency ambulance service. Some of our current competitors and certain potential competitors have or have access to greater capital and other resources than us.

 

Tax-supported fire districts, municipal fire departments, and volunteer fire departments represent the principal providers of fire protection services for residential and commercial properties. Private providers represent only a small portion of the total fire protection market and generally provide services where a tax-supported municipality or fire district has decided to contract for these services or has not assumed the financial responsibility for fire protection. In these situations, we provide services for a municipality or fire district on a contract basis or provide fire protection services directly to residences and businesses who subscribe for this service. We cannot provide assurance that:

 

    we will be able continue to maintain current contracts or subscriptions or to obtain additional fire protection business on a contractual or subscription basis;

 

    fire districts or municipalities will not choose to provide fire protection services directly in the future; or

 

    areas in which we provide services through subscriptions will not be converted to tax-supported fire districts or annexed by municipalities.

 

We depend on our management and other key personnel.

 

Our success depends upon our ability to recruit and retain key personnel. We could experience difficulty in retaining our current key personnel or in attracting and retaining necessary additional key personnel. Medical personnel shortages in certain market areas currently makes the recruiting, training, and retention of full-time and part-time personnel more difficult and costly, including the cost of overtime wages. Our internal growth will further increase the demand on our resources and require the addition of new personnel. We have entered into employment agreements with certain of our executive officers and certain other key personnel. Failure to retain or replace our key personnel may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

 

It may be difficult for a third party to acquire us.

 

Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation, shareholders’ rights plan and Delaware law could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of our company, even if a change in control might be beneficial to stockholders. This could discourage potential takeover attempts and could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

 

ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks

 

Our primary exposure to market risk consists of changes in interest rates on our borrowing activities. Amounts outstanding under our 2003 Amended Credit Facility bear interest at LIBOR plus 7.0%. A 1% increase in the LIBOR rate would increase our interest expense on an annual basis by approximately $1.5 million. The remainder of our debt is primarily at fixed interest rates. We monitor this risk associated with interest rate changes and may enter into hedging transactions, such as interest rate swap agreements, to mitigate the related exposure.

 

ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

Our Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001 and the related report of Singer Lewak Greenbaum and Goldstein LLP and our Consolidated Financial Statements as of June 30, 2003 and 2002 and for each of the fiscal years then ended together with related notes and the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are set forth herein.

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

 

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Rural/Metro Corporation:

 

In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheet and the related consolidated statements of operations, of changes in stockholders’ equity (deficit), and of cash flows present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Rural/Metro Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) at June 30, 2003 and 2002, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended June 30, 2003, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management; our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, which 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, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

As discussed in Note 2, the Company restated its consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended June 30, 2002, to adjust its accounts receivable and the related provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts as well as to defer enrolment fees relating to its fire protection service contracts.

 

As discussed in Note 2, the Company changed its method of accounting for variable interest entities. Additionally, as discussed in Note 7, the Company changed its method of accounting for goodwill effective July 1, 2001.

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Phoenix, Arizona

October 13, 2003

 

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

 

To the Board of Directors

Rural/Metro Corporation

Scottsdale, Arizona

 

We have audited the accompanying restated, consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity (deficit) stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows of Rural/Metro Corporation and subsidiaries for the year ended June 30, 2001. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. 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 audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the restated, consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the results of operations and cash flows of Rural/Metro Corporation and subsidiaries for the year ended June 30, 2001 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company restated its consolidated financial statements to reflect the consolidation of its investments in San Diego Medical Services Enterprises LLC upon adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities,” an Interpretation of ARB No. 51.

 

As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the June 30, 2001 consolidated financial statements have been restated due to the understatement of Medicare, Medicaid and contractual discounts and doubtful accounts related to the Company’s accounts receivables allowances.

 

As described in Note 7, the Company changed its method of accounting for goodwill effective July 1, 2001.

 

SINGER LEWAK GREENBAUM & GOLDSTEIN LLP

 

Los Angeles, California

October 13, 2003

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

June 30, 2003 and 2002

 

             2003        

    2002

 
     (in thousands)  
           (As Restated *)  

ASSETS

                

Current assets:

                

Cash

   $ 12,561     $ 10,677  

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $48,422 million and $37,966 million respectively

     60,428       64,461  

Inventories

     11,504       12,220  

Prepaid expenses and other

     7,511       7,231  
    


 


Total current assets

     92,004       94,589  

Property and equipment, net

     43,010       48,532  

Goodwill

     41,167       41,244  

Insurance deposits

     7,937       8,228  

Other assets

     12,048       8,115  
    


 


     $ 196,166     $ 200,708  
    


 


LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTERESTS, REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)

                

Current liabilities:

                

Accounts payable

   $ 13,778     $ 13,262  

Accrued liabilities

     57,698       73,694  

Deferred revenue

     17,603       16,695  

Current portion of long-term debt

     1,329       1,633  
    


 


Total current liabilities

     90,408       105,284  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     305,310       298,529  

Other liabilities

     181       477  

Deferred income taxes

     650       650  
    


 


Total liabilities

     396,549       404,940  
    


 


Minority interests

     1,984       1,520  
    


 


Series B Redeemable preferred stock, $.01 par value 634,647 shares authorized, 211,549 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2003; including accumulated accretion of $3,604 (redemption value of $15.0 million)

     7,793       —    
    


 


Commitments and contingencies

     —         —    

Stockholders’ equity (deficit):

                

Common stock, $.01 par value, 23,000,000 shares authorized, 16,207,830 and 15,651,095 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively

     166       159  

Additional paid-in capital

     135,405       138,470  

Treasury stock, at cost, 149,456 shares at June 30, 2003 and 2002

     (1,239 )     (1,239 )

Accumulated deficit

     (344,492 )     (353,458 )

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     —         10,316  
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)

     (210,160 )     (205,752 )
    


 


     $ 196,166     $ 200,708  
    


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

See accompanying notes

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For The Years Ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands except per share amounts)  
           (As Restated *)  

Net revenue

   $ 520,477     $ 488,980     $ 479,414  
    


 


 


Operating expenses:

                        

Payroll and employee benefits

     284,021       269,123       271,976  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     85,046       77,725       86,876  

Depreciation and amortization

     13,289       16,267       25,741  

Other operating expenses

     113,535       103,280       131,889  

Asset impairment charges

     —         —         48,050  

Contract termination costs and related asset impairment charges

     —         (107 )     9,256  

Restructuring and other

     (1,421 )     (718 )     9,091  
    


 


 


Total operating expenses

     494,470       465,570       582,879  
    


 


 


Operating income (loss)

     26,007       23,410       (103,465 )

Interest expense

     (28,012 )     (25,462 )     (30,624 )

Interest income

     197       644       642  

Other income (expense) net

     146       8       (4,053 )
    


 


 


Loss from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     (1,662 )     (1,400 )     (137,500 )

Income tax (provision) benefit

     (197 )     2,520       (1,137 )

Minority interest

     (1,507 )     (750 )     705  
    


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     (3,366 )     370       (137,932 )

Income (loss) from discontinued Latin American operations (including gain on disposal of $12,488 in fiscal 2003 and loss on disposition of clinic operations of $9,374 for fiscal 2001), net of tax of $0 in 2003, $101 in 2002 and $364 in 2001

     12,332       979       (67,358 )
    


 


 


Income (loss) before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     8,966       1,349       (205,290 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle, net of tax of $0

     —         (49,513 )     —    
    


 


 


Net income (loss)

     8,966       (48,164 )     (205,290 )

Less: Accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     (3,604 )     —         —    
    


 


 


Net income (loss) applicable to common stock

   $ 5,362     $ (48,164 )   $ (205,290 )
    


 


 


Income (loss) per share

                        

Basic —

                        

Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle after accretion of redeemable preferred stock

   $ (0.44 )   $ 0.02     $ (9.35 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations

     0.77       0.07       (4.57 )
    


 


 


Income (loss) before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     0.33     $ 0.09       (13.92 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —         (3.26 )     —    
    


 


 


Net income (loss)

   $ 0.33     $ (3.17 )   $ (13.92 )
    


 


 


Diluted —

                        

Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle after accretion of redeemable preferred stock

   $ (0.44 )   $ 0.02     $ (9.35 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations

     0.77       0.07       (4.57 )
    


 


 


Income (loss) before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     0.33       0.09       (13.92 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —         (3.14 )     —    
    


 


 


Net income (loss)

   $ 0.33     $ (3.05 )   $ (13.92 )
    


 


 


Average number of common shares outstanding — Basic

     16,116       15,190       14,744  
    


 


 


Average number of common shares outstanding — Diluted

     16,116       15,773       14,744  
    


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

See accompanying notes

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)

For The Years Ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

    

Common

Stock


  

Additional

Paid-in

Capital


   

Treasury

Stock


   

Accumulated

Deficit


   

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Income (loss)


    Total

 
                (in thousands)              

Balance, June 30, 2000 (As Restated *)

   $ 149    $ 137,603     $ (1,239 )   $ (100,004 )   $ (252 )   $ 36,257  

Issuance of 273,584 shares of common stock

     3      345       —         —         —         348  

Comprehensive loss, net of tax:

                                               

Net loss (As Restated *)

     —        —         —         (205,290 )     —         (205,290 )

Foreign currency translation adjustments

     —        —         —         —         266       266  
                                           


Comprehensive loss (As Restated*)

                                            (205,024 )
    

  


 


 


 


 


Balance, June 30, 2001(As Restated *)

     152      137,948       (1,239 )     (305,294 )     14       (168,419 )

Issuance of 751,175 shares of common stock

     7      449       —         —         —         456  

Fair value of options issued to non-employee

     —        73       —         —         —         73  

Comprehensive loss, net of tax:

                                               

Net loss (As Restated *)

     —        —         —         (48,164 )     —         (48,164 )

Foreign currency translation adjustments

                                    10,302       10,302  
                                           


Comprehensive loss (As Restated*)

     —        —         —         —                 (37,862 )
    

  


 


 


 


 


Balance, June 30, 2002 (As restated *)

     159      138,470       (1,239 )     (353,458 )     10,316       (205,752 )

Issuance of 664,272 shares of common stock

     7      400       —         —         —         407  

Non-cash stock compensation expense relating to stock option modification

     —        139       —         —         —         139  

Accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     —        (3,604 )     —         —         —         (3,604 )

Comprehensive income, net of tax:

                                               

Net income

     —        —         —         8,966       —         8,966  

Foreign currency translation adjustments

     —        —         —         —         (242 )     (242 )

Recognition of foreign currency translation adjustments in conjunction with the disposition of Latin American operations

                                    (10,074 )     (10,074 )
                                           


Comprehensive loss

                                            (1,350 )
    

  


 


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2003

   $ 166    $ 135,405     $ (1,239 )   $ (344,492 )   $ —       $ (210,160 )
    

  


 


 


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

See accompanying notes

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

For The Years Ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  
           (As Restated *)  

Cash flows from operating activities:

                        

Net income (loss)

   $ 8,966     $ (48,164 )   $ (205,290 )

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities —

                        

Non-cash portion of restructuring and other

     (1,421 )     (718 )     4,092  

Non-cash portion of contract termination charges

     —         (107 )     8,086  

Non-cash asset impairment charges

     —         —         94,353  

Non-cash portion of gain on disposal of Latin American operations

     (13,732 )     —         —    

Non-cash portion of loss on disposition of clinic operations

     —         —         9,374  

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —         49,513       —    

Depreciation and amortization

     13,313       16,210       29,161  

Gain on sale of property and equipment

     (540 )     (285 )     (427 )

Provision for doubtful accounts

     85,046       77,880       88,303  

Deferred income taxes

     —         (300 )     950  

Earnings (losses) of minority shareholders

     1,507       750       (705 )

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     2,038       726       946  

Amortization of debt discount

     26       26       26  

Non-cash charge related to joint venture

     —         —         4,045  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

     —         73       —    

Other

     (176 )     (8 )     7  

Change in assets and liabilities —

                        

Increase in accounts receivable

     (81,589 )     (73,771 )     (70,707 )

Decrease in inventories

     656       948       5,811  

(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other

     (476 )     (2,792 )     1,505  

(Increase) decrease in insurance deposits

     291       (4,492 )     (2,966 )

Decrease in other assets

     126       1,871       4,080  

Increase (decrease) in accounts payable

     1,545       1,453       (2,714 )

Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities and other liabilities

     (3,342 )     (9,881 )     39,062  

Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue

     908       702       (282 )
    


 


 


Net cash provided by operating activities

     13,146       9,634       6,710  
    


 


 


Cash flows from investing activities:

                        

Capital expenditures

     (9,400 )     (6,854 )     (5,774 )

Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment

     1,818       1,022       1,969  
    


 


 


Net cash used in investing activities

     (7,582 )     (5,832 )     (3,805 )
    


 


 


Cash flows from financing activities:

                        

Repayments on credit facility

     —         (1,263 )     (3,765 )

Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations

     (1,569 )     (1,862 )     (2,773 )

Cash paid for debt modification costs

     (1,583 )     —         —    

Borrowings under capital lease obligations

     —         —         283  

Distributions to minority shareholders

     (914 )     (501 )     (432 )

Issuance of common stock

     407       456       348  
    


 


 


Net cash used in financing activities

     (3,659 )     (3,170 )     (6,339 )
    


 


 


Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash

     (21 )     302       265  
    


 


 


Increase (decrease) in cash

     1,884       934       (3,169 )

Cash, beginning of year

     10,677       9,743       12,912  
    


 


 


Cash, end of year

   $ 12,561     $ 10,677     $ 9,743  
    


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

See accompanying notes

 

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(1) The Company and its Significant Accounting Policies

 

Nature of Business and Operations

 

Rural/Metro Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) is a diversified emergency services company providing medical transportation, fire protection and other related services in 26 states. In the United States, the Company provides emergency and non-emergency ambulance services to patients on both a fee-for-service basis and a non-refundable subscription fee basis. Fire protection services are provided either under contracts with municipalities or fire districts, or on a subscription fee basis to individual homeowners or commercial property owners. Through September 27, 2002, the Company provided urgent home medical care and ambulance services under capitated service arrangements in Latin America.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates have been used by management in conjunction with the measurement of discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers, the allowance for doubtful accounts, the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, workers’ compensation and general liability claim reserves, fair values of reporting units for purposes of goodwill impairment testing and future cash flows associated with long-lived assets. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries and a majority-owned subsidiary which it controls. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Investments in companies that represent less than 20% of the related voting stock are accounted for on the cost basis.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

Medical transportation and related services revenue includes emergency and non-emergency ambulance and alternative transportation service fees as well as municipal subsidies and subscription fees. Domestic ambulance and alternative transportation service fees are recognized as services are provided and are recorded net of estimated discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers. Such discounts, which totaled $160.0 million in fiscal 2003, $148.2 million in fiscal 2002 and $145.9 million in fiscal 2001, are reflected as a reduction of gross revenues in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. Ambulance subscription fees, which are generally received in advance, are deferred and recognized on a pro rata basis over the term of the subscription agreement, which is generally one year.

 

Revenue generated under fire protection service contracts is recognized over the life of the contract. Subscription fees, which are generally received in advance, are deferred and recognized on a pro rata basis over the term of the subscription agreement, which is generally one year.

 

The Company charges an enrollment fee for new subscribers under its fire protection service contracts. Such fees are deferred and recognized over the estimated customer relationship period of nine years. Other revenue primarily consists of dispatch, fleet, billing, training and home health care service fees which are recognized when the services are provided.

 

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An allowance for doubtful accounts is based on historical collection trends, credit risk assessments applicable to certain types of payers and other relevant information. A summary of activity in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001 is as follows (in thousands):

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
           (As Restated *)  

Balance at beginning of year

     37,966     $ 60,812     $ 88,120  

Provision for doubtful accounts - Domestic

     85,046       77,725       86,876  

Provision for doubtful accounts -

                        

Latin America

     —         155       1,427  

Write-offs related to doubtful accounts

     (74,590 )     (100,726 )     (115,611 )
    


 


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 48,422     $ 37,966     $ 60,812  
    


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Inventories

 

Inventories, consisting primarily of ambulance and fleet supplies, are stated at the lower of cost or market with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation, and is depreciated over the estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Equipment and vehicles are depreciated over three to ten years and buildings are depreciated over fifteen to thirty years. Property and equipment held under capital leases is stated at the present value of minimum lease payments, net of accumulated amortization. These assets are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the estimated useful life of the underlying assets using the straight-line method. Major additions and improvements are capitalized; maintenance and repairs which do not improve or significantly extend the life of assets are expensed as incurred.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

 

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable, by comparing the carrying amount of such assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows associated with them. In cases where the estimated undiscounted cash flows are less than the related carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the assets. The fair value is determined based on the present value of estimated future cash flows using a discount rate commensurate with the risks involved.

 

Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which these temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is provided for those deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that the related benefits will not be realized.

 

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Stock Compensation

 

The Company accounts for employee stock compensation using the intrinsic value method specified by Accounting Principles Board (APB) No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, and related interpretations (APB 25). The Company accounts for stock-based compensation arrangements with non-employees in accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No 96-18, Accounting for Equity Instruments that are Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring or in Conjunction with Selling Goods or Services.

 

Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” defines a fair value based method of accounting for employee stock options or similar equity instruments but also allows an entity to continue to measure compensation cost related to stock options issued to employees using the method of accounting prescribed by APB 25. Entities who elected to continue following APB 25 must make pro forma disclosures of net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per share, as if the fair value based method of accounting defined in SFAS 123 had been applied.

 

The Company has elected to continue to account for its stock-based compensation plans under APB 25. As exercise prices have equaled the market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, stock compensation expense has not been reflected in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations at the date of grant. Stock compensation expense has been recognized for certain modifications made to existing stock options at the time of such modifications. The Company has computed, for pro forma disclosure purposes, the value of all option shares and Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) discounts granted during fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001, using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

 

     Year ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     Options

    ESPP

    Options

    ESPP

    Options

    ESPP

 

Risk-free interest rate

   1.61 %   1.38 %   2.27 %   1.89 %   3.74 %   2.55 %

Expected dividend yield

   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %

Expected lives in years (after vesting for options)

   1.21     .50     2.72     0.50     1.35     0.50  

Expected volatility

   143.51 %   100.00 %   80.33 %   119.3 %   72.66 %   96.75 %

 

The total value of options granted and the ESPP share discount were estimated to be the following amounts, which would be amortized on the straight-line basis over the vesting period (in thousands):

 

     Options

   ESPP

For the year ended June 30, 2003

   $ 2,554    $ 102

For the year ended June 30, 2002

   $ 409    $ 77

For the year ended June 30, 2001

   $ 1,134    $ 188

 

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If the Company had accounted for its stock-based compensation plans using a fair value based method of accounting, the Company’s pro forma net income (loss) and diluted earnings (loss) per share would have been as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):

 

     Year ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
           (As Restated *)  

Net income (loss) applicable to common stock

   $ 5,362     $ (48,164 )   $ (205,290 )

Deduct: Stock based employee compensation determined under the fair value method for all awards, net of tax

     (1,764 )     (585 )     (875 )
    


 


 


Proforma net income (loss) applicable to common stock

   $ 3,598     $ (48,749 )   $ (206,165 )
    


 


 


Income (loss) per share:

                        

Basic – As reported

   $ 0.33     $ (3.17 )   $ (13.92 )
    


 


 


Basic – pro forma

   $ 0.22     $ (3.19 )   $ (13.98 )
    


 


 


Diluted – As reported

   $ 0.33     $ (3.17 )   $ (13.92 )
    


 


 


Diluted – pro forma

   $ 0.22     $ (3.19 )   $ (13.98 )
    


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

The effects of applying SFAS 123 for providing pro forma disclosures for fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001 are not likely to be representative of the effects on reported net income (loss) and diluted income (loss) per share for future years, because options vest over several years and additional awards are made each year.

 

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Earnings Per Share

 

A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators (weighted average number of shares outstanding) utilized in the basic and diluted income (loss) per share computations for the years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001 are as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):

 

     Year ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

   2001

 
           (As Restated *)  

Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ (3,366 )   $ 370    $ (137,932 )

Less: Accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     (3,604 )     —        —    
    


 

  


Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle after accretion of redeemable preferred stock

   $ (6,970 )   $ 370    $ (137,932 )
    


 

  


Average number of common shares outstanding – Basic

     16,116       15,190      14,744  

Add: Incremental common shares for stock options

     —         583      —    
    


 

  


Average number of common shares outstanding - Diluted

     16,116       15,773      14,744  
    


 

  


Income (loss) per share – Basic

                       

Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ (0.21 )   $ 0.02    $ (9.35 )

Less: Accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     (0.23 )     —        —    
    


 

  


Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle after accretion of redeemable preferred stock

   $ (0.44 )   $ 0.02    $ (9.35 )
    


 

  


Income (loss) per share – Diluted

                       

Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ (0.21 )   $ 0.02    $ (9.35 )

Less: Accretion of redeemable preferred stock

     (0.23 )     —        —    
    


 

  


Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle less accretion of redeemable preferred stock

   $ (0.44 )   $ 0.02    $ (9.35 )
    


 

  



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

As a result of anti-dilutive effects, approximately 1.4 million and 0.2 million option shares for the years ended June 30, 2003 and 2001, respectively, which had exercise prices below the applicable market prices, were not included in the computation of diluted loss per share. Stock options with exercise prices above the applicable market prices have also been excluded from the calculation of diluted loss per share. Such options totaled 4.8 million, 4.4 million and 4.4 million for the the years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

Effective October 1, 2002, the loss per share has been impacted by the accretion of the Series B redeemable preferred stock to its redemption value as described in Note 14. Additionally, upon approval of the stockholders of an increase in authorized common shares and notice from the Company of its intention to convert the Series B redeemable

 

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preferred stock, 2,115,490 common shares will be included in the denominator of the diluted earnings per share calculation.

 

Foreign Currency Translation

 

Prior to the disposition on September 27, 2002, the Company’s Argentine subsidiaries utilized the peso as their functional currency as their business was primarily transacted in pesos. Since 1991, the Argentine peso had been pegged to the U.S. dollar at an exchange rate of 1 to 1. In December 2001, the Argentine government imposed exchange restrictions which severely limited cash conversions and withdrawals. When exchange houses reopened on January 11, 2002, the peso to dollar exchange rate closed at 1.7 pesos to the dollar.

 

In order to prepare the accompanying financial statements as of and for the year ended June 30, 2002, the Company translated the balance sheet of its Argentine subsidiaries using an exchange rate of 3.9 pesos to 1 US dollar, the closing rate on June 30, 2002, while their statements of operations and cash flows through September 27, 2002 were translated using the weighted average rate in effect during the respective period. As the liabilities of the Argentine subsidiaries exceeded their assets, the change in exchange rates resulted in a credit to accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2002.

 

Concentrations of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash with federally-insured institutions and limits the amount of credit exposure to any one institution. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable are limited due to the large number of customers and their geographical dispersion.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

In November 2002, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 45 (FIN 45), “Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others”. FIN 45 clarifies the requirements of FASB Statement No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies”, relating to the guarantor’s accounting for, and disclosure of, the issuance of certain types of guarantees. FIN 45 is to be applied on a prospective basis to guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002. The adoption of FIN 45 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations. Note 17, Commitments and Contingencies, contains additional information with respect to the Company’s guarantees and indemnifications.

 

In January 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 46, Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51 (FIN 46) to clarify when a company should consolidate in its financial statements the assets, liabilities and activities of a variable interest entity or VIE. FIN 46 provides general guidance as to the definition of a VIE and requires that such VIEs be consolidated if a company absorbs the majority of the VIEs expected losses, or is entitled to receive a majority of the VIEs residual returns, or both. FIN 46 is effective immediately for all new VIEs created after January 31, 2003. For VIEs created before February 1, 2003, the consolidation provisions of FIN 46 must be applied for the first interim or annual reporting period beginning after June 15, 2003 on either a retroactive or prospective basis.

 

The Company determined that its investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC, (SDMSE), the entity formed with respect to its public/private alliance with the City of San Diego, meets the definition of a VIE as its economic interest in SDMSE is proportionately greater than its ownership interest and therefore, its investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. The Company had previously accounted for its investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While consolidation of SDMSE did not impact the Company’s previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, its consolidated financial statements of prior periods have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46. The Company does not believe that it has any other investments or contractual obligations that would require consolidation under FIN 46.

 

In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity.” SFAS No. 150 specifies that freestanding financial instruments within its scope

 

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constitute obligations of the issuer and that, therefore, the issuer must classify them as liabilities. Such freestanding financial instruments include certain mandatorily redeemable financial instruments, obligations to repurchase the issuer’s equity shares by transferring assets, and certain obligations to issue a variable number of shares. SFAS No. 150 is effective immediately for all financial instruments entered into or modified after May 31, 2003. For all other instruments, SFAS No. 150 is effective July 1, 2003. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of SFAS No. 150 on its consolidated financial statements.

 

Reclassifications of 2001 and 2000 Financial Information

 

Certain financial information relating to fiscal 2002 and 2001 has been reclassified to conform with the 2003 presentation. The results of the Company’s Latin American operations for the years ended June 30, 2002 and 2001 have been reclassified and are included in income (loss) from discontinued operations.

 

(2) Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements

 

The Company has restated its consolidated financial statements for the following:

 

Accounts Receivable: The Company determined that collections on accounts receivable relating to medical transportation revenue, primarily revenue recognized prior to fiscal 2001, were substantially less than originally anticipated and the related provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recognized in such prior years were inadequate. The inadequacy of such provisions caused the Company’s period-end allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003 to be understated and its accounts receivable overstated. The Company determined that this situation was primarily attributable to inaccurate assumptions utilized in the provision estimation process in use prior to fiscal 2001 as well as in the process utilized to assess the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts through March 31, 2003.

 

The Company determined that its consolidated financial statements of prior years required restatement as a result of this matter. The portion of the restatement adjustments relating to discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers is reflected as a reduction of net revenue while the portion relating to uncollectible accounts is reflected as an adjustment to the provision for doubtful accounts. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased the Company’s accumulated deficit as of June 30, 2000 by $58.0 million.

 

Enrollment Fees: The Company charges an enrollment fee for new subscribers under its fire protection service contracts. The Company previously recognized these enrollment fees at the time of billing but has subsequently determined that such fees should be deferred and recognized over the estimated customer relationship period of nine years.

 

The Company determined that its consolidated financial statements of prior years required restatement as a result of this matter. The after-tax effect of the related restatement adjustments increased the Company’s deferred revenue and accumulated deficit as of June 30, 2000 by $1.3 million. The effect of the restatement adjustments on the Company’s operating income (loss) in fiscal 2002 and 2001 was immaterial.

 

San Diego Medical Services Enterprise LLC: During fiscal 1998, the Company entered into an agreement with the City of San Diego to provide all emergency and non-emergency medical transport services and in connection therewith, San Diego Medical Services Enterprise LLC (“SDMSE”) was formed. The Company owns 50% of SDMSE and appoints two of SDMSE’s five directors. The City owns the remaining 50% and appoints the remaining three directors. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Company contracts with SDMSE to provide operational and administrative support as well as billing and collection services.

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (FIN 46). FIN 46 requires that variable interest entities or VIEs be consolidated by the primary beneficiary, as that term is defined in FIN 46. The Company determined that its investment in SDMSE meets the definition of a VIE as its economic interest in SDMSE is proportionately greater than its ownership interest and therefore, its investment in SDMSE should be consolidated under FIN 46. The Company had previously accounted for its investment in SDMSE using the equity method. While the consolidation of SDMSE did not impact the Company’s previously reported net income (loss) or stockholders deficit, the consolidated financial statements of prior years have been restated for comparative purposes as allowed by FIN 46.

 

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A summary of the fiscal 2002 and 2001 financial statement amounts impacted by the restatement adjustments is as follows. Net cash provided by operating activities as previously reported for fiscal years 2002 and 2001 was not impacted by the restatement adjustments.

 

     As
Previously
Reported


    Restatement
Adjustments


    As Restated

    Accounting
Change (C)


  

Less

Latin

American

Operations


    As
Reported


 
       A

    B

          
     (in thousands)  

Year ended June 30, 2002:

                                                       

Net revenue

   $ 497,038     $ (1,669 )   $ —       $ 495,369     $ 19,005    $ (25,394 )   $ 488,980  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     69,900       871       —         70,771       7,109      (155 )     77,725  

Operating income

     26,806       (2,540 )     —         24,226       732      (1,588 )     23,410  

Net loss

     (45,624 )     (2,540 )     —         (48,164 )     —        —         (48,164 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (2.89 )   $ (0.16 )   $ —       $ (3.05 )   $ —      $ —       $ (3.05 )

At June 30, 2002:

                                                       

Total assets

   $ 237,438     $ (39,147 )   $ —       $ 198,291     $ 2,417    $ —       $ 200,708  

Deferred revenue

     15,409       —         1,286       16,695                      16,695  

Accumulated deficit

     (313,025 )     (39,147 )     (1,286 )     (353,458 )     —        —         (353,458 )

Year ended June 30, 2001:

                                                       

Net revenue

   $ 504,316     $ —       $ —       $ 504,316     $ 18,187    $ (43,089 )   $ 479,414  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     102,470       (21,441 )     —         81,029       7,274      (1,427 )     86,876  

Operating loss

     (192,453 )     21,441       —         (171,012 )     840      66,707       (103,465 )

Net loss

     (226,731 )     21,441       —         (205,290 )     —        —         (205,290 )

Diluted loss per share

   $ (15.38 )   $ 1.46     $ —       $ (13.92 )   $ —      $ —       $ (13.92 )

At June 30, 2001:

                                                       

Total assets

   $ 298,534     $ (36,607 )   $ —       $ 261,927     $ 2,079    $ —       $ 264,006  

Deferred revenue

     14,707       —         1,286       15,993                      15,993  

Accumulated deficit

     (267,401 )     (36,607 )     (1,286 )     (305,294 )     —        —         (305,294 )

At June 30, 2000:

                                                       

Accumulated deficit

   $ (40,670 )   $ (58,048 )   $ (1,286 )   $ (100,004 )   $ —      $ —       $ (100,004 )

 

Restatement Adjustments:

 

A   To adjust provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and doubtful accounts.

 

B   To defer enrollment fees relating to new fire protection service contracts.

 

C   Adoption of FIN 46 and related consolidation of investment in San Diego Medical Services Enterprises LLC.

 

The restatement adjustments relating to medical transportation accounts receivable outlined above caused the Company to violate the minimum tangible net worth covenant contained in its 2002 Amended Credit Facility. This situation also resulted in a delay in the Company’s filing of its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2003. Such delay caused the Company to not be in compliance with the financial reporting covenants contained in the 2002 Amended Credit Facility as well as the indenture relating to the Senior Notes described in Note 12. As also described in Note 12, the Company negotiated a further amendment to its credit facility effective September 30, 2003. As a result of such amendment, all previous instances of identified non-compliance with respect to the credit facility were permanently waived.

 

(3) Liquidity

 

During fiscal 2003, the Company generated net income of $9.0 million compared with net losses of $48.2 million in fiscal 2002 and $205.3 million in fiscal 2001. The net income for the year ended June 30, 2003 included a gain of $12.5

 

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million relating to the disposal of the Company’s Latin American operations as discussed in Note 4. The net loss in 2002 included a charge of $49.5 million relating to the adoption effective July 1, 2002 of SFAS 142 as discussed in Note 7. The net loss in fiscal 2001 included asset impairment, restructuring and other similar charges totaling $122.0 million. The Company’s operating activities provided cash totaling $13.1 million in 2003, $9.6 million in 2002 and $6.7 million in 2001.

 

At June 30, 2003, the Company had cash of $12.6 million, debt of $306.6 million and a stockholders’ deficit of $208.9 million. The Company’s long-term debt includes $149.9 million of 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2008, $152.4 million outstanding under its credit facility due December 31, 2004, $3.7 million payable to a former joint venture partner and $0.6 million of capital lease obligations.

 

As discussed in Note 12, the Company was not in compliance with certain of the covenants contained in its revolving credit facility at June 30, 2002. On September 30, 2002, the Company entered into the 2002 Amended Credit Facility with its lenders which, among other things, extended the maturity date of the facility from March 16, 2003 to December 31, 2004, waived previous non-compliance, and required the issuance to the lenders of 211,549 shares of the Company’s Series B redeemable preferred stock.

 

As also discussed in Note 12, the Company violated certain financial covenants as a result of the restatement of its financial statements. Additionally, the restatement resulted in a delay in the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, thereby causing the Company to not be in compliance with the reporting requirements contained in both the 2002 Amended Credit Facility and the indenture relating to the Senior Notes. On September 26, 2003, the Company entered into the 2003 Amended Credit Facility with its lenders which, among other things, extended the maturity date of the facility from December 31, 2004 to December 31, 2006, waived previous non-compliance, and required the issuance to the lenders of 283,979 shares of the Company’s Series C redeemable preferred stock.

 

The Company’s ability to service its long-term debt, to remain in compliance with the various restrictions and covenants contained in its debt agreements and to fund working capital, capital expenditures and business development efforts will depend on its ability to generate cash from operating activities which is subject to, among other things, future operating performance as well as to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other conditions, some of which may be beyond its control.

 

If the Company fails to generate sufficient cash from operations, it may need to raise additional equity or borrow additional funds to achieve its longer-term business objectives. There can be no assurance that such equity or borrowings will be available or, if available, will be at rates or prices acceptable to the Company. Management believes that cash flow from operating activities coupled with existing cash balances will be adequate to fund the Company’s operating and capital needs as well as enable it to maintain compliance with its various debt agreements through June 30, 2004. To the extent that actual results or events differ from the Company’s financial projections or business plans, its liquidity may be adversely impacted.

 

(4) Disposition of Latin American Operations

 

Due to the deteriorating economic conditions and the continued devaluation of the local currency, the Company reviewed its strategic alternatives with respect to the continuation of operations in Latin America, including Argentina and Bolivia, and determined that it would benefit from focusing on its domestic operations. Effective September 27, 2002, the Company sold its Latin American operations to local management in exchange for the assumption of such operation’s net liabilities. The gain on the disposition of the Company’s Latin American operations totaled $12.5 million and is included in income from discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2003. The gain includes the assumption by the buyer of net liabilities of $3.3 million (including, among other things, accounts receivable of $0.6 million and accrued liabilities of $4.8 million) as well as the recognition of related cumulative translation adjustments of $10.1 million.

 

Medical transportation and related service revenue relating to the Company’s Latin American operations totaled $2.1 million, $23.9 million and $41.9 million for fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Fire and other revenue for these operations totaled $0.3 million, $1.5 million and $1.2 million for fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001,

 

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respectively. The Company’s Latin American operations generated a loss of $156,000, income of $1.0 million and a loss of $67.4 million for fiscal years 2003, 2002, and 2001 respectively. The loss in fiscal 2001 included $46.3 million of asset impairment charges and $9.4 million related to the loss on disposition of clinic operations described in Note 5. The results of operations of the Company’s former Latin American operations have been classified as discontinued operation in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for fiscal years ended 2003, 2002 and 2001.

 

(5) Asset Impairments, Restructuring and Other Charges (Credits)

 

Asset Impairments

 

In connection with the budgeting process for fiscal 2002, which was completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, the Company analyzed each cost center within its various service areas not identified for closure or downsizing to determine whether the associated long-lived assets (e.g., property, equipment and goodwill) would be recoverable from future operating cash flow. Cost centers represent individual operating units within a given service area for which separately identifiable cash flow information is available. The Company performed this analysis as a result of its expectations of a challenging health care reimbursement environment as well as anticipated increases in labor and insurance costs with respect to its domestic ambulance operations. The analysis with respect to the Company’s Argentine operations included the impact of the deteriorating economic and political environment as well as information developed by a third party concerning the marketability of these operations during fiscal 2001.

 

In order to assess recoverability, the Company estimated the net future cash flows for each cost center and then compared the resulting undiscounted amounts to the carrying value of each cost center’s long-lived assets. It should be noted that property and equipment balances are specifically identified with each cost center. Additionally, goodwill is specifically identified with each cost center at the time of acquisition and, therefore, related allocations were not necessary for purposes of performing the impairment analysis.

 

For those cost centers where estimated future net cash flows on an undiscounted basis were less than the related carrying amounts of the long-lived assets, an asset impairment was considered to exist. The Company measured the amount of the asset impairment for each such cost center by discounting its estimated future net cash flows using a discount rate of 18.5% and comparing the resulting amount to the carrying value of its long-lived assets. Based upon this analysis, the Company determined that asset impairment charges approximating $94.4 million were required for cost centers within its domestic and Argentine ambulance operations. The asset impairments were charged directly against the related asset balances. A summary of the related charge is as follows:

 

     Goodwill

  

Property,

Equipment

and Other


   Total

     (in thousands)

Domestic ambulance operations

   $ 41,631    $ 6,419    $ 48,050

Argentine ambulance operations

     44,327      1,976      46,303
    

  

  

Total

   $ 85,958    $ 8,395    $ 94,353
    

  

  

 

As a result of the sale of the Company’s Latin American operations in September 2002, the asset impairment charge with respect to the Company’s Argentine ambulance operations is included in the loss from discontinued operations for the year ended June 30, 2001.

 

As discussed in Note 7, the Company changed its method of accounting for goodwill effective July 1, 2001 including the manner in which goodwill impairments are assessed.

 

Restructuring and Other

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, the Company decided to close or downsize nine service areas and in connection therewith, recorded restructuring charges as well as other related charges totaling $9.1 million. These charges included $1.5 million to cover severance costs associated with the termination of approximately 250 employees, lease termination costs of $2.4 million, asset impairment charges for goodwill of $4.1 million and other exit costs of $1.1 million, respectively, related to the impacted service areas. The service areas selected for closure or downsizing

 

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generated revenue of $11.8 million, operating income of $1.0 million and cash flow of $2.5 million in fiscal 2002. and revenue of $17.7 million, operating losses of $4.0 million and negative cash flow of $3.2 million in fiscal 2001.

 

The previously mentioned charge included accrued severance, lease termination and other costs totaling $1.5 million relating to an under performing service area that the Company had planned to exit at the time of contract expiration in December 2001. During fiscal 2002, the contract was extended for a one-year period at the request of the municipality to enable it to transition medical transportation service to a new provider. In connection with the contract extension, the Company released $0.2 million of previously accrued lease termination costs relating to the extension period to income. The operating environment in this service area improved and in November 2002, the Company was awarded a new multi-year contract. As a result, the remaining reserve of $1.3 million originally recorded in 2001 was released to income during fiscal 2003.

 

A summary of activity in the Company’s restructuring reserves is (in thousands):

 

    

Severance

Costs


   

Lease

Termination

Costs


   

Write-off of

Intangible

Assets


   

Other Exit

Costs


    Total

 

Balance at June 30, 2000

   $ 3,529     $ 3,247     $ —       $ 1,356     $ 8,132  

Fiscal 2001 charges

     1,475       2,371       4,092       1,153       9,091  

Fiscal 2001 usage

     (4,531 )     (1,071 )     (4,092 )     (1,360 )     (11,054 )

Adjustments

     1,361       (1,313 )     —         (48 )     —    
    


 


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2001

   $ 1,834     $ 3,234     $ —       $ 1,101     $ 6,169  

Fiscal 2002 usage

     (1,025 )     (1,172 )     —         (951 )     (3,148 )

Adjustments

     (52 )     (548 )     —         (118 )     (718 )
    


 


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2002

     757       1,514       —         32       2,303  

Fiscal 2003 usage

     (29 )     (207 )     —         (71 )     (307 )

Adjustments

     (728 )     (732 )     —         39       (1,421 )
    


 


 


 


 


Balance at June 30, 2003

   $ —       $ 575     $ —       $ —       $ 575  
    


 


 


 


 


 

The restructuring reserve as of June 30, 2003 relates to lease termination costs for which payments will be made through December 2006.

 

Loss on Disposition of Clinic Operations

 

During fiscal 2001, the Company sold its Argentine clinic operations in exchange for a $3.0 million non-interest bearing note receivable. The note, which required monthly principal payments of $25,000 through April 2011, was included in the disposition of the Latin American operations in September 2002. The sale resulted in a loss on disposition of $9.4 million, including the write-off of $9.3 million of related goodwill. The clinic operations generated revenue of $4.0 million, operating losses of $1.5 million and negative cash flow of $0.9 million in fiscal 2001. Results relating to the clinic operations are included in income (loss) from discontinued Latin American operations for the year ended June 30, 2001.

 

Contract Terminations and Related Asset Impairments

 

In November 2000, the Company learned that its exclusive 911 contract in Lincoln, Nebraska would not be renewed effective December 31, 2000 and in connection therewith, recorded a contract termination charge of $5.2 million. This charge included asset impairments for related goodwill and equipment totaling $4.3 million (the exclusive 911 contract was acquired in a purchase business combination in fiscal 1995), $0.8 million to cover severance costs associated with terminated employees, and $0.1 million to cover lease terminations and other exit costs. The Lincoln contract generated revenue of $4.7 million, operating income of $0.4 million and cash flow of $0.5 million in fiscal 2000, its last full year of operations.

 

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In May 2001, the Company learned that its exclusive 911 contract in Arlington, Texas would not be renewed effective September 30, 2001 and in connection therewith, recorded a contract termination charge of $4.1 million. This charge included asset impairments for related goodwill and equipment of $3.9 million (the exclusive 911 contract was acquired in a purchase business combination in fiscal 1997), $0.1 million to cover severance costs associated with terminated employees, and $0.1 million to cover lease termination and other exit costs. The asset impairments were charged directly against the related assets. The Arlington contract generated revenue of $8.3 million, operating income of $0.1 million and cash flow of $0.5 million in fiscal 2001 its last full year of operations.

 

(6) Property And Equipment

 

Property and equipment, including equipment held under capital leases, consisted of the following:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

 
     (in thousands)  

Equipment

   $ 55,641     $ 55,739  

Vehicles

     74,715       73,908  

Land and buildings

     16,715       16,788  

Leasehold improvements

     6,632       7,270  
    


 


       153,703       153,705  

Less: Accumulated depreciation

     (110,693 )     (105,173 )
    


 


     $ 43,010     $ 48,532  
    


 


 

The Company had vehicles and equipment with a gross carrying value of approximately $12.9 and $14.2 million at June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively, under capital lease agreements. Accumulated depreciation on these assets totaled approximately $11.5 and $12.3 million at June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

 

The Company has pledged land, a building, leasehold improvements and equipment with a net book value of approximately $10.7 million, to secure certain of its obligations under its insurance and surety bonding programs. A summary of activity in the Company’s property and equipment balance is as follows:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 48,532     $ 57,999     $ 85,919  

Depreciation expense

     (13,110 )     (15,155 )     (21,809 )

Additions

     9,400       6,854       5,774  

Asset impairments

     —         —         (8,502 )

Asset disposals

     (1,278 )     (737 )     (1,643 )

Effect of Argentine peso devaluation

     —         (429 )     —    

Disposition of Latin American operations

     (534 )     —         —    

Disposition of Argentine clinic operations

     —         —         (1,740 )
    


 


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 43,010     $ 48,532     $ 57,999  
    


 


 


 

(7) Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

 

In June 2001, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141, “Business Combinations” (SFAS 141) and No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142.) SFAS 141 superseded APB Opinion No. 16, “Business Combinations.” The provisions of SFAS 141 require that the purchase method of accounting be used for all business combinations initiated after June 30, 2001; provide specific criteria for the initial recognition and measurement of intangible assets apart from goodwill; and, require that unamortized negative goodwill be written off immediately as an extraordinary gain instead of being deferred and amortized. SFAS 141 also requires that upon adoption of SFAS 142, certain intangible assets be reclassified into or out of goodwill based on certain criteria. SFAS 142 supersedes APB Opinion No. 17, Intangible Assets, and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2001. SFAS 142 primarily addresses the accounting for goodwill and intangible assets subsequent to their initial recognition. The provisions of SFAS 142

 

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prohibit the amortization of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets and require that such assets be tested annually for impairment (and in interim periods if events or circumstances indicate that the related carrying amount may be impaired), require that reporting units be identified for purposes of assessing potential impairments, and remove the forty-year limitation on the amortization period of intangible assets that have finite lives.

 

SFAS 142 requires that goodwill be tested for impairment using a two-step process. The first step of the goodwill impairment test, used to identify potential impairment, compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not considered to be impaired and the second step of the impairment test is unnecessary. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test must be performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. The second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the implied fair value of reporting unit goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

 

The Company adopted SFAS 142 effective July 1, 2001 and discontinued amortization of goodwill as of that date. During the first quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company identified its various reporting units which consist of the individual cost centers within its Medical Transportation and Fire and Other operating segments for which separately identifiable cash flow information is available. During the second quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company completed the first step impairment test as of July 1, 2001. Potential goodwill impairments were identified in certain of these reporting units. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company completed the second step test and determined that all or a portion of the goodwill applicable to certain of its reporting units was impaired as of July 1, 2001 resulting in an aggregate charge of $49.5 million. The fair value of the reporting units was determined using the discounted cash flow method and a discount rate of 15.0%. This charge has been reflected in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations as the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle. The Company has selected June 30 as the date on which it will perform its annual goodwill impairment test.

 

The following table summarizes the Company’s reported results along with adjusted amounts as if the Company had adopted SFAS 142, and discontinued goodwill amortization, as of July 1, 2000 (in thousands, except per share amounts):

 

     For the Year Ended June 30,

 
     2003

   2002

    2001

 
          As Restated *  

Reported net income (loss) applicable to common stock before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ 5,362    $ 1,349     $ (205,290 )

Add back: Goodwill amortization

     —        —         7,161  
    

  


 


Adjusted net income (loss) applicable to common stock before the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     5,362      1,349       (198,129 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —        (49,513 )     —    
    

  


 


Adjusted net income (loss) applicable to common stock

   $ 5,362    $ (48,164 )   $ (198,129 )
    

  


 


Basic income (loss) per share:

                       

Reported income (loss) before the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ 0.33    $ 0.09     $ (13.92 )

Goodwill amortization

     —        —         0.49  
    

  


 


Adjusted income (loss) before the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ 0.33      0.09       (13.43 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —        (3.26 )     —    
    

  


 


Adjusted net income (loss)

   $ 0.33    $ (3.17 )   $ (13.43 )
    

  


 


 

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     For the Year Ended June 30,

 
     2003

   2002

    2001

 
          As Restated *  

Diluted income (loss) per share:

                       

Reported income (loss) before the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ 0.33    $ 0.09     $ (13.92 )

Goodwill amortization

     —        —         0.49  
    

  


 


Adjusted income (loss) before the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     0.33      0.09       (13.43 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —        (3.26 )     —    
    

  


 


Adjusted net income (loss)

   $ 0.33    $ (3.17 )   $ (13.43 )
    

  


 



*   Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements for Fiscal 2002 and 2001.

 

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the year ended June 30, 2003 is as follows (in thousands):

 

    

Medical

Transportation

Segment


   

Fire and

Other

Segment


   Total

 

Balance at June 30, 2001

   $ 89,598     $ 1,159    $ 90,757  

Adoption of SFAS No., 142

     (49,513 )     —        (49,513 )
    


 

  


Balance at June 30, 2002

     40,085       1,159      41,244  

Disposition of Latin American operations

     (77 )     —        (77 )
    


 

  


Balance at June 30, 2003

   $ 40,008     $ 1,159    $ 41,167  
    


 

  


 

The changes in the carrying amount of other intangible assets, primarily non-compete agreements relating to prior business combinations which are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet, during fiscal 2003 and 2002 are as follows (in thousands):

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

 

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 600     $ 1,654  

Additions

     1,065       —    

Amortization

     (203 )     (1,054 )
    


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 1,462     $ 600  
    


 


 

Amortization of other intangible assets for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, are as follows (in thousands):

 

2004

   $ 310

2005

     302

2006

     277

2007

     277

2008

     168

Thereafter

     128
    

     $ 1,462
    

 

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(8) Joint Venture

 

During fiscal 1998, the Company entered into a joint venture to provide non-emergency transport services in the Maryland, Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia areas. The Company obtained a majority interest in the joint venture in exchange for a commitment to provide $8.0 million in funding for acquisitions by the joint venture in the greater Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. areas (which commitment was fulfilled by June 30, 1998). The other party to the joint venture contributed the stock of two ambulance companies in exchange for his minority stake in the joint venture. The Company consolidated the joint venture for financial reporting purposes.

 

The joint venture agreement allowed the minority partner to put his interest in the joint venture to the Company. The agreement also allowed the Company the option to delay the purchase of the minority partner’s interest for a period of one year. During fiscal 2001, the minority partner elected to exercise the put option and the Company exercised its right to delay purchasing the minority partner’s interest for one year. Based on the provisions of the joint venture agreement, the purchase price for the minority partner’s interest approximated $5.1 million. The Company recorded a charge of approximately $4.0 million to other income (expense), net during fiscal 2001 relating to this agreement.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2002, the Company completed the purchase of the minority partner’s interest in exchange for a note payable of approximately $5.1 million. The note bears interest at prime plus 2.25% (subject to a cap of 7.75%) and requires monthly principal and interest payments ranging from $70,000 to $125,000 through December 2006. Additionally, any outstanding accrued interest is due at maturity. The Company reflected this transaction as an increase in long-term debt of $5.1 million offset by reductions in minority interest of $8.0 million and other assets of $2.9 million.

 

(9) Accrued Liabilities

 

Accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

 

     At June 30,

     2003

   2002

Workers’ compensation claim reserves

   $ 11,255    $ 15,924

General liability claim reserves

     13,935      15,433

Accrued salaries, wages and related payroll

     11,433      10,678

Accrued interest

     4,370      10,512

Other accrued liabilities

     16,705      21,147
    

  

Total accrued liabilities

   $ 57,698    $ 73,694
    

  

 

The decrease in other accrued liabilities between 2003 and 2002 is primarily due to the disposal of the Company’s Latin American operations. Additionally, the decrease in accrued interest is primarily related to approximately $6.8 million in accrued interest being added to the balance of the credit facility in conjunction with the September 30, 2002 amendment to the credit facility described in Note 12.

 

(10) General Liability and Workers’ Compensation Programs

 

The Company retains certain levels of exposure with respect to its general liability and workers compensation programs and purchases coverage from third party insurers for exposures in excess of those levels. In addition to expensing premiums and other costs relating to excess coverage, the Company establishes reserves for claims, both reported and incurred but not reported, within its level of retention based on currently available information as well as its historical claims experience.

 

The Company engages third-party administrators or TPAs to manage claims resulting from its general liability and workers compensation programs. The TPAs establish initial loss reserve estimates at the time a claim is reported and then monitor the development of the claim over time to confirm that such estimates continue to be appropriate. The Company periodically reviews the claim reserves established by the TPAs and engages independent actuaries to assist

 

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with the evaluation of the adequacy of its reserves on an annual basis. The Company adjusts its claim reserves with an associated charge or credit to expense as new information on the underlying claims is obtained.

 

General Liability: A summary of activity in the Company’s general liability claim reserves, which are included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, is as follows:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 15,433     $ 19,715     $ 3,171  

Provision charged to other operating expense

     4,506       2,442       22,326  

Claim payments charged Against the reserve

     (6,004 )     (6,724 )     (5,782 )
    


 


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 13,935     $ 15,433     $ 19,715  
    


 


 


 

The Company performed a comprehensive review of information related to its historical settlement information and open claims during the third quarter of fiscal 2001. As a result of this review, the Company recorded a charge of $15.0 million for increases in its reserves for reported claims as well as to establish reserves for claims incurred but not reported.

 

Certain insurers require the Company to deposit cash into designated loss funds in order to fund claim payments within the Company’s retention limits. Cash deposits relating to the Company’s general liability program totaled $2.9 million at June 30, 2003 of which $1.7 million is included in prepaid expenses and other and $1.2 million is included in insurance deposits. Cash deposits totaled $1.9 million at June 30, 2002 which are included in insurance deposits.

 

The Company’s general liability policies corresponding with fiscal years 2001 and 2002 were issued by Legion Insurance Company (“Legion”). Legion’s obligations under such policies were reinsured by an unrelated insurance carrier that was identified and approved by the Company. At the time the coverage was purchased, Legion was an “A” rated insurance carrier while the reinsurer was an A++ rated carrier. Under these policies, Legion’s obligation (as well as that of its reinsurer) to pay covered losses commences once the Company satisfies its aggregate retention limits for the respective policy years. As of June 30, 2003, the Company had met its aggregate retention limit with respect to the policies corresponding to fiscal 2001 and anticipates that it will meet its aggregate retention limit for the policies corresponding to fiscal 2002. Pursuant to these policies, Legion (and its reinsurer) is obligated to fund all claim related payments in excess of the Company’s retention limits.

 

On July 25, 2003, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (the “Department”) placed Legion into liquidation. The Department is conducting the liquidation process, subject to judicial review by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania (the “Court”). Legion’s liquidation could put the Company’s general liability insurance coverage for the previously mentioned policy years at risk; however, based upon information currently available, the Company believes that proceeds from Legion’s reinsurer will be directly available to pay claims in excess of the Company’s retention limits, notwithstanding the liquidation process. If the Court deems the Company’s reinsurance to be a general asset of Legion or if the reinsurer otherwise refuses to pay claims directly, then reinsurance proceeds to fund covered general liability losses in excess of the Company’s retention limits may be substantially reduced, delayed or unrecoverable. In such an event, the Company may be required to fund general liability losses applicable to these policy years in excess of its retention limits, to the extent that such losses are not covered by the applicable state guaranty funds.

 

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Workers Compensation: A summary of activity in the Company’s workers’ compensation claim reserves, which are also included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, is as follows:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  

Balance at beginning of year

   $ 15,924     $ 14,944     $ 11,315  

Provision charged to payroll and employee benefits

     —         7,318       11,832  

Claim payments charged against the claim reserve

     (4,669 )     (6,338 )     (8,203 )
    


 


 


Balance at end of year

   $ 11,255     $ 15,924     $ 14,944  
    


 


 


 

Effective May 1, 2002, the Company began fully insuring its workers compensation coverage and no longer retains any of the related obligations. The Company is, however, subject to retrospective premium adjustments should losses exceed previously established limits. As a result of this change in coverage, the Company no longer establishes reserves for claims incurred subsequent to May 1, 2003.

 

In connection with the Company’s restructuring activities, an increase in the volume of workers’ compensation claims was noted. Provisions charged to expense during fiscal 2002 included $2.0 million recorded in the fourth quarter to increase its claim reserves based on a review of claims experience. Provisions charged to expense during fiscal 2001 included $5.0 million in the third quarter for increases in reserves for unreported claims based on updated information received from the Company’s TPA.

 

Certain insurers require the Company to deposit cash into designated loss funds in order to fund claim payments within the Company’s retention limits. Additionally, the Company has also been required to provide other forms of financial assurance including letters of credit and surety bonds. Cash deposits relating to the Company’s workers compensation program totaled $6.8 million at June 30, 2003 which are included in insurance deposits. Cash deposits totaled $9.2 million at June 30, 2002 of which $2.9 million is included in prepaid expenses and other and $6.3 million is included in insurance deposits.

 

During fiscal years 1992 through 2001, the Company purchased certain portions of its workers’ compensation coverage from Reliance Insurance Company (Reliance). At the time the Company purchased such coverage, Reliance was an “A” rated insurance company. In connection with this coverage, the Company provided Reliance with various amounts and forms of collateral to secure its performance under the respective policies as was customary at the time. As of June 30, 2003, the Company had $3.0 million of cash on deposit with Reliance which is included in insurance deposits. The Company has also provided Reliance with letters of credit and surety bonds totaling $6.4 million.

 

On October 3, 2003, the Department placed Reliance into liquidation. It is the Company’s understanding that cash on deposit with Reliance will be returned to the Company on or before the date that all related claims have been satisfied, so long as the Company has met its claim payment obligations within its retention limits under the related policies. Based on the information currently available, the Company believes that the cash on deposit with Reliance is fully recoverable and will either be returned to the Company or used by the liquidator, with the Company’s prior consent, to pay claims on its behalf. In the event that the Company is unable to access the funds on deposit with Reliance or the Reliance liquidator refuses to refund such deposits, such deposits may become impaired. Additionally, Reliance’s liquidation could put the Company’s workers compensation insurance coverage at risk for the related policy years; however, based upon information currently available, the Company believes that either Reliance or the applicable state guaranty funds will continue to pay claims. To the extent that such losses are not covered by either Reliance or the applicable state guaranty funds, the Company may be required to fund the related workers compensation claims for the applicable policy years.

 

During fiscal 2002, the Company purchased certain portions of its workers compensation coverage from Legion. Legion required assurances that the Company would be able to fund its related retention obligations, which were estimated by Legion to approximate $6.2 million. The Company provided this assurance by purchasing a deductible reimbursement policy from Mutual Indemnity (Bermuda), Ltd. (Mutual Indemnity), a Legion affiliate. That policy required the Company to deposit approximately $6.2 million with Mutual Indemnity and required Mutual Indemnity to

 

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utilize such funds to satisfy the Company’s retention obligations under the Legion policy. The Company funded these deposits on a monthly basis during the policy term. As of June 30, 2003, the Company had net deposits with respect to this coverage totaling $3.3 million which are included in insurance deposits.

 

As mentioned previously, the Department placed Legion into liquidation on July 25, 2003. In January 2003, the Court ordered the Legion rehabilitator and Mutual Indemnity to establish segregated trust accounts to be funded by cash deposits held by Mutual Indemnity for the benefit of individual insureds such as the Company. It is the Company’s understanding that the Legion liquidator and Mutual Indemnity continue to negotiate the legal framework for the form and administration of these trust accounts and that no final agreement has yet been reached. The Company is actively participating in the Court proceedings to cause such a trust account mechanism to be created and to operate so as to fully cover all its deductible obligations as originally intended and to return to the Company any remaining deposit balance once all related claims have been closed. Based on the information currently available, the Company believes that the amounts on deposit with Mutual Indemnity are fully recoverable and will either be returned to the Company or used to pay claims on the Company’s behalf. In the event that the Company is unable to access the funds on deposit with Mutual Indemnity, it may be required to fund the related workers compensation claims for the applicable policy years, to the extent that such losses are not covered by the applicable state guaranty funds.

 

(11) Other Charges and Credits

 

During the fiscal 2002 and 2001 the Company recorded the following other charges or credits (in thousands):

 

     Fiscal Year Ended
June 30,


     2002

    2001

Argentine Operations

   $ —       $ 8,512

Supply Inventory

     —         8,442

Other Charges and Credits

     (1,712 )     3,079

Paid Time Off for Field Personnel

     (1,300 )     3,010

Employee Medical Benefits

     —         5,429

Amount Due from Former Owner

     —         962

Medicare/Medicaid Audits

     (1,298 )     1,300

 

Argentine Operations

 

The Company recorded charges totaling $8.5 million related to asset write-offs and reserve adjustments. The Company’s Argentine subsidiaries had been effected by escalating political and economic instability as well as changes in local management during fiscal 2001. The charge was recorded in other operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Supply Inventory

 

Medical, fleet and fire supplies are maintained in a central warehouse, numerous regional warehouses, and multiple stations, lockers and vehicles. A physical inventory of all locations at June 30, 2001 revealed a shortage from recorded levels. Shrinkage, obsolescence and losses due to service area closures accounted for the shortage. The Company recorded a charge of $8.4 million to write-down its inventory balances to amounts determined by the physical inventory. The charge was recorded in other operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Other Charges and Credits

 

During the third quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company recorded the reversal of $1.7 million of discretionary employee benefits accrued in calendar 2000 as a result of the Company’s decision not to pay such benefits. The original charge, as well as the current year reversal, were reflected in payroll and employee benefits in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

The Company recorded charges totaling $3.1 million in fiscal 2001 for a number of items related to its domestic operations, the largest of which was a $0.7 million charge relating to administrative costs paid on behalf of the

 

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Company’s employee benefit plans. These charges were a result of adjustments to certain estimates for prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities and other items that were resolved in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001.

 

Paid-Time-Off For Field Personnel

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company recorded a $1.3 million reduction in its paid-time-off accrual as a result of a change in the related policies. The reduction was recorded as a reduction of payroll and employee benefits in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, the Company analyzed its paid-time-off accruals and determined that its paid-time-off policy had been inconsistently applied in certain service areas. As a result of this analysis, the Company recorded a charge of $3.0 million to bring the liability into line with the amount required under the related policies. This charge was recorded in payroll and employee benefits in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Employee Medical Benefits

 

The Company self-insures its employee medical coverage. Based upon information obtained from its third party claims administrator in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, the Company recorded a charge of $5.4 million to increase its reserve for incurred but not reported employee medical claims. The increased reserve was required as a result of continuing increases in healthcare costs, including prescription drugs. The charge was reflected in payroll and employee benefits in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Amount Due From Former Owner

 

In connection with a February 1998 acquisition, the seller indemnified the collection of certain accounts receivable. In connection with the settlement of litigation involving the seller during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, the Company agreed to release the seller from his obligations under the indemnification. The Company recorded a charge of $1.0 million, which was reflected in other operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations, related to this settlement.

 

Medicare/Medicaid Audits

 

The Company recorded a charge of $1.3 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001 for the expected settlement of a Medicare audit of an acquired company for periods prior to the acquisition. This charge, which was reflected in other operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations, was taken based upon information obtained during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001, which included correspondence with the Medicare intermediary. The $1.3 million charge was reversed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002 after the Company settled the audit for approximately $2,000.

 

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(12)   Long-Term Debt

 

Notes payable and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

 
     (in thousands)  

Credit facility due December 2004

   $ 152,420     $ 144,369  

7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2008, net of discount of $122 and $148, respectively

     149,877       149,852  

Note payable to former joint venture partner (See Note 8)

     3,722       4,622  

Capital lease obligations and other notes payable, at varying rates, from 6.0% to 12.75%, due through 2013

     620       1,319  
    


 


       306,639       300,162  

Less: Current maturities

     (1,329 )     (1,633 )
    


 


     $ 305,310     $ 298,529  
    


 


 

Credit Facility

 

In March 1998, the Company entered into a $200 million revolving credit facility that was originally scheduled to mature on March 16, 2003. The credit facility was unsecured and was unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis by substantially all of the Company’s domestic wholly-owned current and future subsidiaries. Interest rates and availability under the credit facility depended on the Company’s meeting certain financial covenants.

 

In December 1999, the Company was not in compliance with certain of the covenants contained in the original credit facility. The Company received a series of compliance waivers regarding these covenants through April 1, 2002. The waivers precluded additional borrowings under the credit facility, required the Company to accrue additional interest expense at a rate of 2.0% per annum on the amount outstanding under the credit facility, and required the Company to make unscheduled principal payments totaling $5.2 million.

 

Effective September 30, 2002, the Company entered into the 2002 Amended Credit Facility with its lenders pursuant to which, among other things, all prior covenant violations were permanently waived, the maturity date of the facility was extended to December 31, 2004, the interest rate was increased to LIBOR + 7% (8.8% at the date of the amendment), and unpaid additional interest and various fees and expenses associated with the amendment were added to the amount outstanding under the credit facility, resulting in an outstanding balance of $152.4 million. Additionally, the financial covenants contained in the original agreement were revised to levels that were consistent with the Company’s business levels and outlook at that time. In consideration for the amendment, the Company paid the lenders an amendment fee of $1.2 million as well as issued 211,549 shares of the Company’s Series B redeemable preferred stock described in Note 14.

 

The 2002 Amended Credit Facility was not considered to represent a significant modification for financial reporting purposes. As a result, the $1.2 million amendment fee plus the estimated fair value of the Series B shares at the time of issuance of $4.2 million were capitalized as debt issue costs and are being amortized over the term of the amended agreement while professional fees and other related costs incurred in connection with the amendment totalling $1.6 million were expensed. Unamortized debt issue costs related to this amendment, which are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet, totalled $3.6 million at June 30, 2003.

 

As a result of the restatement discussed in Note 2 and the related increase in the Company’s stockholders’ deficit, the Company was not in compliance with the minimum tangible net worth covenant contained in the 2002 Amended Credit Facility. Additionally, the restatement also resulted in a delay in the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, thereby causing the Company to not be in compliance with the reporting requirements contained in both the 2002 Amended Credit Facility and the indenture relating to the Senior Notes described below. The

 

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lack of compliance with these covenants triggered the accrual of additional interest at the rate of 2.0% per annum on the amount outstanding under the credit facility from May 15, 2003, the original required filing date for the Form 10-Q.

 

The Company entered into the 2003 Amended Credit Facility dated September 26, 2003 with its lenders pursuant to which, among other things, all prior identified covenant violations were permanently waived, the maturity date of the facility was extended to December 31, 2006, and the financial covenants contained in the September 30, 2002 amendment were revised to levels consistent with the Company’s current business levels and outlook. The revised financial covenants include: total debt leverage ratio (initially set at 6.88); minimum tangible net worth (initially set at $280.0 million deficit); fixed charge coverage ratio (initially set at 1.10); a limitation on annual capital expenditures (initially set at $11.0 million per fiscal year); and, a limitation on annual operating lease expense equivalent to 3.10% of consolidated net revenue. The compliance levels for the first four covenants outlined above are set at varying levels as specified in the related agreement. The interest rate applicable to borrowings under the credit facility remained unchanged at LIBOR +7%.

 

In consideration for the amendment, the Company paid certain of the lenders amendment fees totaling $0.5 million and issued certain of the lenders 283,979 shares of the Company’s Series C redeemable preferred stock described in Note 14. The Company also made a $1.0 million principal payment related to asset sale proceeds as required under the September 2002 amendment to the credit facility.

 

The 2003 Amended Credit Facility is not considered to represent a substantial modification for financial reporting purposes as a result, the $0.5 million amendment fee and the estimated fair value of the Series C shares will be capitalized as debt issue costs and amortized to interest expense over the term of the amended agreement. Professional fees and other related costs incurred in connection with the amendment will be expensed.

 

At June 30, 2003, the weighted average interest rate on credit facility borrowings was approximately 8.4%. At June 30, 2003 there was $152.4 million outstanding on the credit facility as well as $3.5 million in letters of credit issued under the credit facility at that date.

 

7 7/8% Senior Notes Due 2008

 

In March 1998, the Company issued $150.0 million of its 7 7/8% Senior Notes due 2008 (the Senior Notes) under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act). Interest under the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually on September 15 and March 15. The Company incurred expenses related to the offering of approximately $5.3 million and is amortizing these costs to interest expense over the life of the Senior Notes. In April 1998, the Company filed a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to an exchange offer for the Senior Notes. The registration statement became effective on May 14, 1998. The Senior Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis by substantially all of its domestic wholly-owned current and future subsidiaries (the Guarantors). The Senior Notes contain certain covenants that, among other things, limit our ability to incur certain indebtedness, sell assets, or enter into certain mergers or consolidations.

 

The Company does not believe that the separate financial statements and related footnote disclosures concerning the Guarantors provide any additional information that would be material to investors in making an investment decision. Consolidating financial information for the Company (the Parent), the Guarantors and the Company’s remaining subsidiaries (the Non-Guarantors) is as follows:

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET

As of June 30, 2003

(in thousands)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

ASSETS

                                        

Current assets:

                                        

Cash

   $ —       $ 11,362     $ 1,199     $       $ 12,561  

Accounts receivable, net

     —         49,502       10,926       —         60,428  

Inventories

     —         11,504       —         —         11,504  

Prepaid expenses and other

             7,467       44       —         7,511  
    


 


 


 


 


Total current assets

     —         79,835       12,169       —         92,004  

Property and equipment, net

     —         42,862       148       —         43,010  

Goodwill

     —         41,167       —         —         41,167  

Insurance deposits

     —         7,937       —         —         7,937  

Due from (to) affiliates

     255,078       (228,366 )     (26,712 )     —         —    

Other assets

     6,177       5,453       418       —         12,048  

Investment in subsidiaries

     (157,533 )     —         —         157,533       —    
    


 


 


 


 


Total assets

   $ 103,722     $ (51,112 )   $ (13,977 )   $ 157,533     $ 196,166  
    


 


 


 


 


LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTERESTS, REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)

                                        

Current liabilities:

                                        

Accounts payable

   $ —       $ 12,087     $ 1,691     $ —       $ 13,778  

Accrued liabilities

     3,791       53,643       264       —         57,698  

Deferred revenue

     —         17,603       —         —         17,603  

Current portion of long-term debt

     —         1,329               —         1,329  
    


 


 


 


 


Total current liabilities

     3,791       84,662       1,955       —         90,408  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     302,298       3,012       —         —         305,310  

Other liabilities

     —         181       —         —         181  

Deferred income taxes

     —         650               —         650  
    


 


 


 


 


Total liabilities

     306,089       88,505       1,955       —         396,549  
    


 


 


 


 


Minority interests

     —         —                 1,984       1,984  
    


 


         


 


Series B Redeemable preferred stock

     7,793       —         —         —         7,793  
    


 


 


 


 


Stockholders’ equity (deficit):

                                        

Common stock

     166       82       8       (90 )     166  

Additional paid-in capital

     135,405       54,622       20,168       (74,790 )     135,405  

Treasury stock

     (1,239 )     —         —         —         (1,239 )

Accumulated deficit

     (344,492 )     (194,321 )     (36,108 )     230,429       (344,492 )
    


 


 


 


 


Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)

     (210,160 )     (139,617 )     (15,932 )     155,549       (210,160 )
    


 


 


 


 


     $ 103,722     $ (51,112 )   $ (13,977 )   $ 157,533     $ 196,166  
    


 


 


 


 


 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET

As of June 30, 2002

(in thousands)

(As Restated *)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

ASSETS

                                        

Current assets:

                                        

Cash

   $ —       $ 9,424     $ 1,253     $ —       $ 10,677  

Accounts receivable, net

     —         54,432       10,029       —         64,461  

Inventories

     —         12,178       42       —         12,220  

Prepaid expenses and other

     —         7,077       154       —         7,231  
    


 


 


 


 


Total current assets

     —         83,111       11,478       —         94,589  

Property and equipment, net

     —         47,972       560       —         48,532  

Goodwill

     —         41,167       77       —         41,244  

Insurance deposits

     —         8,228       —         —         8,228  

Due from (to) affiliates

     266,471       (212,236 )     (54,235 )     —         —    

Other assets

     3,031       2,794       2,290       —         8,115  

Investment in subsidiaries

     (170,862 )     —         —         170,862       —    
    


 


 


 


 


     $ 98,640     $ (28,964 )   $ (39,830 )   $ 170,862     $ 200,708  
    


 


 


 


 


LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTERESTS AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)

                                        

Current liabilities:

                                        

Accounts payable

   $ —       $ 11,049     $ 2,213       —       $ 13,262  

Accrued liabilities

     10,171       61,280       2,243       —         73,694  

Deferred revenue

     —         16,695       —         —         16,695  

Current portion of long-term debt

     —         1,620       13       —         1,633  
    


 


 


 


 


Total current liabilities

     10,171       90,644       4,469       —         105,284  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     294,221       4,308       —         —         298,529  

Other liabilities

     —         477       —         —         477  

Deferred income taxes

     —         1,814       (1,164 )     —         650  
    


 


 


 


 


Total liabilities

     304,392       97,243       3,305       —         404,940  
    


 


 


 


 


Minority interests

     —         —         —         1,520       1,520  
    


 


 


 


 


Stockholders’ equity (deficit):

                                        

Common stock

     159       82       17       (99 )     159  

Additional paid-in capital

     138,470       54,622       34,962       (89,584 )     138,470  

Treasury stock

     (1,239 )     —         —         —         (1,239 )

Accumulated deficit

     (353,458 )     (180,911 )     (88,430 )     269,341       (353,458 )

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     10,316       —         10,316       (10,316 )     10,316  
    


 


 


 


 


Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)

     (205,752 )     (126,207 )     (43,135 )     169,342       (205,752 )
    


 


 


 


 


     $ 98,640     $ (28,964 )   $ (39,830 )   $ 170,862     $ 200,708  
    


 


 


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the year ended June 30, 2003

(in thousands)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

Net revenue

   $ —       $ 485,052     $ 54,070     $ (18,645 )   $ 520,477  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating expenses:

                                        

Payroll and employee benefits

     —         277,458       6,563       —         284,021  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     —         74,320       10,726       —         85,046  

Depreciation and amortization

     —         13,121       168       —         13,289  

Other operating expenses

     1,603       97,301       33,276       (18,645 )     113,535  

Restructuring and other

     —         (1,401 )     (20 )     —         (1,421 )
    


 


 


 


 


Total operating expenses

     1,603       460,799       50,713       (18,645 )     494,470  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating income (loss)

     (1,603 )     24,253       3,357       —         26,007  

Income from wholly-owned subsidiaries

     37,224       12,488       —         (49,712 )     —    

Interest expense

     (26,655 )     (690 )     (667 )     —         (28,012 )

Interest income

     —         192       5       —         197  

Other income (expense), net

     —         24       122       —         146  
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and minority interest

     8,966       36,267       2,817       (49,712 )     (1,662 )

Income tax provision

     —         (197 )     —         —         (197 )

Minority interests

     —         —         —         (1,507 )     (1,507 )
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations

     8,966       36,070       2,817       (51,219 )     (3,366 )

Income (loss) from discontinued operations

     —         —         (156 )     12,488       12,332  
    


 


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

   $ 8,966     $ 36,070     $ 2,661     $ (38,731 )   $ 8,966  
    


 


 


 


 


 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the year ended June 30, 2002

(in thousands)

(As Restated *)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

Net revenue

   $ —       $ 458,281     $ 46,672     $ (15,973 )   $ 488,980  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating expenses:

                                        

Payroll and employee benefits

     —         261,686       7,437       —         269,123  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     —         69,964       7,761       —         77,725  

Depreciation and amortization

     —         15,128       1,139       —         16,267  

Other operating expenses

     —         90,167       29,086       (15,973 )     103,280  

Contract termination costs and related asset impairment

             (7 )     (100 )             (107 )

Restructuring and other

     —         (718 )     —         —         (718 )
    


 


 


 


 


Total operating expenses

     —         436,220       45,323       (15,973 )     465,570  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating income

     —         22,061       1,349       —         23,410  

Income from wholly-owned subsidiaries

     24,812       —         —         (24,812 )     —    

Interest expense

     (23,463 )     (1,029 )     (970 )     —         (25,462 )

Interest income

     —         625       19       —         644  

Other income (expense), net

     —         8       —         —         8  
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     1,349       21,665       398       (24,812 )     (1,400 )

Income tax benefit

     —         2,520       —         —         2,520  

Minority interests

     —         —         —         (750 )     (750 )
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     1,349       24,185       398       (25,562 )     370  

Income from discontinued operations

     —         —         979       —         979  
    


 


 


 


 


Net income before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     1,349       24,185       1,377       (25,562 )     1,349  

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     (49,513 )     (49,513 )     —         49,513       (49,513 )
    


 


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

   $ (48,164 )   $ (25,328 )   $ 1,377     $ 23,951     $ (48,164 )
    


 


 


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the year ended June 30, 2001

(in thousands)

(As Restated *)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

Net revenue

   $ —       $ 444,960     $ 47,825     $ (13,371 )   $ 479,414  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating expenses:

                                        

Payroll and employee benefits

     —         261,179       10,797       —         271,976  

Provision for doubtful accounts

     —         74,812       12,064       —         86,876  

Depreciation and amortization

     —         24,116       1,625       —         25,741  

Other operating expenses

     —         117,644       27,616       (13,371 )     131,889  

Asset impairment charges

     —         32,338       15,712       —         48,050  

Contract termination costs and related asset Impairment charges

     —         9,256       —         —         9,256  

Restructuring and other

     —         9,091       —         —         9,091  
    


 


 


 


 


Total operating expenses

     —         528,436       67,814       (13,371 )     582,879  
    


 


 


 


 


Operating loss

     —         (83,476 )     (19,989 )     —         (103,465 )

Loss from wholly-owned subsidiaries

     (176,328 )     —         —         176,328       —    

Interest expense

     (28,962 )     (535 )     (1,127 )     —         (30,624 )

Interest income

     —         518       124       —         642  

Other income (expense), net

     —         (4,053 )     —         —         (4,053 )
    


 


 


 


 


Loss from continuing operations before income taxes

     (205,290 )     (87,546 )     (20,992 )     176,328       (137,500 )

Income tax provision

     —         (1,136 )     (1 )     —         (1,137 )

Minority interests

     —         —         —         705       705  
    


 


 


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations

     (205,290 )     (88,682 )     (30,367 )     177,033       (137,932 )

Loss from discontinued operations

     —         —         (67,358 )     —         (67,358 )
    


 


 


 


 


Net loss

   $ (205,290 )   $ (88,682 )   $ (88,351 )   $ 177,033     $ (205,290 )
    


 


 


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

For the year ended June 30, 2003

(in thousands)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

                                        

Net income

   $ 8,966     $ 36,070     $ 2,661     $ (38,731 )   $ 8,966  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operations —

                                        

Non-cash portion of restructuring and other

     —         (1,401 )     (20 )     —         (1,421 )

Depreciation and amortization

     —         13,131       182       —         13,313  

Gain on sale of property and equipment

     —         (406 )     (134 )     —         (540 )

Non-cash portion of gain on disposition of Latin American operations

     139       —         (13,871 )             (13,732 )

Provision for doubtful accounts

     —         74,320       10,726       —         85,046  

Deferred income taxes

     —         (1,164 )     1,164       —         —    

Earnings of minority shareholder

     —         —         —         1,507       1,507  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     2,038               —         —         2,038  

Amortization of debt discount

     26       —         —         —         26  

Other

     —         (176 )     —         —         (176 )

Change in assets and liabilities —

                                        

(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable

     —         (69,386 )     (12,203 )     —         (81,589 )

(Increase) decrease in inventories

     —         674       (18 )     —         656  

Increase in prepaid expenses and other

     —         (391 )     (85 )     —         (476 )

Decrease in insurance deposits

     —         291       —         —         291  

(Increase) decrease in other assets

     1,842       (2,757 )     1,041       —         126  

(Increase) decrease in due to/from affiliates

     (12,290 )     (33,194 )     8,281       37,203       —    

Increase in accounts payable

     —         977       568       —         1,545  

Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities and other liabilities

     476       (6,532 )     2,714       —         (3,342 )

Increase in deferred revenue

     —         908       —         —         908  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash provided by operating activities

     1,197       10,964       1,006       (21 )     13,146  
    


 


 


 


 


Cash flows from investing activities:

                                        

Capital expenditures

     —         (9,251 )     (149 )     —         (9,400 )

Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment

     —         1,780       38       —         1,818  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash used in investing activities

     —         (7,471 )     (111 )     —         (7,582 )
    


 


 


 


 


Cash flows from financing activities:

                                        

Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations

     —         (1,555 )     (14 )     —         (1,569 )

Cash paid for debt issuance costs

     (1,583 )     —         —         —         (1,583 )

Distributions to minority shareholders

     —         —         (914 )     —         (914 )

Issuance of common stock

     407       —         —         —         407  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash used in financing activities

     (1,176 )     (1,555 )     (928 )     —         (3,659 )
    


 


 


 


 


Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash

     (21 )     —         (21 )     21       (21 )
    


 


 


 


 


Increase (decrease) in cash

     —         1,938       (54 )     —         1,884  

Cash, beginning of year

     —         9,424       1,253       —         10,677  
    


 


 


 


 


Cash, end of year

   $ —       $ 11,362     $ 1,199     $ —       $ 12,561  
    


 


 


 


 


 

91


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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

For the year ended June 30, 2002

(in thousands)

(As Restated *)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

                                        

Net income (loss)

   $ (48,164 )   $ (25,338 )   $ 1,377     $ 23,961     $ (48,164 )

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to cash provided by (used in) operations —

                                        

Non-cash portion of restructuring and other

     —         (725 )     (100 )     —         (825 )

Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

     —         49,513       —         —         49,513  

Depreciation and amortization

     —         15,128       1,082       —         16,210  

(Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment

     —         152       (437 )     —         (285 )

Provision for doubtful accounts

     —         69,964       7,916       —         77,880  

Deferred income taxes

     —         (300 )     —         —         (300 )

Earnings of minority shareholder

     —         —         —         750       750  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     726       —         —         —         726  

Amortization of discount on Senior Notes

     26       —         —         —         26  

Non-cash stock compensation expense

     73       —         —         —         73  

Other

     —         (8 )     —         —         (8 )

Change in assets and liabilities —

                                        

(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable

     —         (67,533 )     (6,238 )     —         (73,771 )

Decrease in inventories

     —         915       33       —         948  

(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other

     (51 )     (2,756 )     15       —         (2,792 )

Increase in insurance deposits

     —         (4,492 )     —         —         (4,492 )

Increase in other assets

     (819 )     3,861       (1,171 )     —         1,871  

(Increase) decrease in due to/from affiliates

     46,114       (19,723 )     (1,982 )     (24,409 )     —    

Increase (decrease) in accounts payable

     —         1,571       (118 )     —         1,453  

Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities and other liabilities

     2,600       (10,632 )     (1,849 )     —         (9,881 )

Increase in deferred revenue

     —         702       —         —         702  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     505       10,299       (1,472 )     302       9,634  
    


 


 


 


 


Cash flows from investing activities:

                                        

Capital expenditures

     —         (6,360 )     (494 )     —         (6,854 )

Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment

     —         422       600       —         1,022  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     —         (5,938 )     106       —         (5,832 )
    


 


 


 


 


Cash flows from financing activities:

                                        

Repayments on credit facility

     (1,263 )     —         —         —         (1,263 )

Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations

     —         (1,700 )     (162 )     —         (1,862 )

Distributions to minority shareholders

     —         —         (501 )     —         (501 )

Issuance of common stock

     456       —         —         —         456  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash used in financing activities

     (807 )     (1,700 )     (663 )     —         (3,170 )
    


 


 


 


 


Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash

     302       —         302       (302 )     302  
    


 


 


 


 


Increase (decrease) in cash

     —         2,661       (1,727 )     —         934  

Cash, beginning of year

     —         6,763       2,980       —         9,743  
    


 


 


 


 


Cash, end of year

   $ —       $ 9,424     $ 1,253     $ —       $ 10,677  
    


 


 


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

For the year ended June 30, 2001

(in thousands)

(As Restated *)

 

     Parent

    Guarantors

    Non-Guarantors

    Eliminations

    Total

 

Cash flows from operating activities

                                        

Net loss

   $ (205,290 )   $ (88,682 )   $ (88,351 )   $ 177,033     $ (205,290 )

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash provided by (used in) operations —

                                        

Non-cash portion of restructuring and other

     —         4,092       —         —         4,092  

Non-cash portion of contract termination charges

     —         8,086       —         —         8,086  

Non-cash asset impairment charge

     —         32,339       62,014       —         94,353  

Non-cash portion of loss on disposition of clinic operations

     —         —         9,374       —         9,374  

Depreciation and amortization

     —         24,116       5,045       —         29,161  

Gain on sale of property and equipment

     —         (406 )     (21 )     —         (427 )

Provision for doubtful accounts

     —         74,812       13,491       —         88,303  

Deferred income taxes

     —         2,839       (1,889 )     —         950  

Losses of minority shareholder

     —         —         —         (705 )     (705 )

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     946       —         —         —         946  

Amortization of debt discount

     26       —         —         —         26  

Non-cash charge related to joint venture

     —         —         —         4,045       4,045  

Other

     —         7       —         —         7  

Change in assets and liabilities —

                                        

(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable

     —         (62,936 )     (7,771 )     —         (70,707 )

Decrease in inventories

     —         4,925       886       —         5,811  

Decrease in prepaid expenses and other

     403       782       320       —         1,505  

(Increase) decrease in other assets

     (319 )     2,240       2,159       —         4,080  

Increase in insurance deposits

     —         (2,966 )     —         —         (2,966 )

(Increase) decrease in due to/from affiliates

     205,744       (21,356 )     (4,280 )     (180,108 )     —    

Decrease in accounts payable

     —         (2,445 )     (269 )     —         (2,714 )

Increase in accrued liabilities and other liabilities

     1,642       29,368       8,052       —         39,062  

Decrease in deferred revenue

     —         (264 )     (18 )     —         (282 )
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     3,152       4,551       (1,258 )     265       6,710  
    


 


 


 


 


Cash flows from investing activities

                                        

Capital expenditures

     —         (6,771 )     997       —         (5,774 )

Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment

     —         1,909       60       —         1,969  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     —         (4,862 )     1,057       —         (3,805 )
    


 


 


 


 


Cash flows from financing activities

                                        

Repayments on credit facility, net

     (3,765 )     —         —         —         (3,765 )

Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations

     —         (2,244 )     (529 )     —         (2,773 )

Borrowings under capital lease obligations

     —         283       —         —         283  

Distributions to minority shareholders

     —         —         (432 )     —         (432 )

Issuance of common stock

     348       —         —         —         348  
    


 


 


 


 


Net cash used in financing activities

     (3,417 )     (1,961 )     (961 )     —         (6,339 )
    


 


 


 


 


Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash

     265       —         265       (265 )     265  
    


 


 


 


 


Increase (decrease) in cash

     —         (2,272 )     (897 )     —         (3,169 )

Cash, beginning of year

     —         9,035       3,877       —         12,912  
    


 


 


 


 


Cash, end of year

   $ —       $ 6,763     $ 2,980     $ —       $ 9,743  
    


 


 


 


 



*   - Refer to Note 2, Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Debt Maturities

 

Aggregate maturities on long-term debt for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, including the effect of the 2003 amendment to the credit facility discussed above, are as follows (in thousands):

 

2004

   $ 1,329

2005

     1,428

2006

     1,473

2007

     152,566

2008

     149,891

Thereafter

     87
    

     $ 306,774
    

 

The Company incurred interest expense of approximately $28.1 million, $25.5 million and $30.6 million and paid interest of approximately $25.4 million, $21.9 million and $29.0 million in the years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

The Company had outstanding letters of credit totaling approximately $3.5 million at June 30, 2003 and 2002 for insurance and guarantees under contracts.

 

(13) Income Taxes

 

The components of the income tax (provision) benefit applicable to continuing operations were as follows (in thousands):

 

     Year ended June 30,

 
     2003

     2002

     2001

 

Current

                          

State

   $ (340 )    $ (130 )    $ (637 )

Total current (provision) benefit

     (340 )      (130 )      (637 )
    


  


  


Deferred

                          

Federal

     —          2,650        (500 )

State

     143        —             
    


  


  


Total deferred (provision) benefit

     143        2,650        (500 )
    


  


  


Total (provision) benefit

   $ (197 )    $ 2,520      $ (1,137 )
    


  


  


 

The income tax benefit in 2002 included federal income tax refunds of $0.6 million resulting from legislation that allowed the Company to carry back a portion of its net operating losses to prior years as well as refunds of $1.6 million applicable to prior years for which recognition was deferred until receipt.

 

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The income tax (provision) benefit differs from the amount computed by applying the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 35% to loss from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle as follows (in thousands):

 

     Year ended June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (in thousands)  

Federal income tax (provision) benefit at statutory rate

   $ 1,109     $ 753     $ 48,276  

State taxes, net of federal benefit

     (221 )     (85 )     (414 )

Amortization of nondeductible goodwill

     —         —         (698 )

Change in valuation allowance

     (994 )     (1,951 )     (47,321 )

Other, net

     (91 )     (99 )     (980 )
    


 


 


(Provision for) benefit from income taxes

   $ (197 )   $ 2,520     $ (1,137 )
    


 


 


 

The following table summarizes the components of the Company’s net deferred tax liability as of June 30, 2003 and 2002.

 

     June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

 
     (in thousands)  

Deferred tax assets:

                

Net operating loss carryforwards

   $ 77,389     $ 57,326  

Capital loss carryforwards

     21,045       —    

Accounts receivable valuation

     9,463       12,849  

Restructuring and other reserves

     770       31,372  

Insurance claim reserves

     9,692       12,639  

Other

     1,013       4,277  

Compensation and benefits

     2,395       2,480  
    


 


Gross deferred tax assets

     121,767       120,943  
    


 


Deferred tax liabilities:

                

Partnership losses

     (25,623 )     (23,978 )

Accelerated depreciation and amortization

     (12,983 )     (8,191 )

Other

     (921 )     (1,441 )
    


 


Gross deferred tax liabilities

     (39,527 )     (33,610 )
    


 


Net deferred tax assets before valuation allowance

     82,240       87,333  

Less: Valuation allowance

     (82,890 )     (87,983 )
    


 


Net deferred liability

   $ (650 )   $ (650 )
    


 


 

As of June 30, 2003, the Company had net operating loss carry forwards for federal income tax purposes of approximately $200 million which begin to expire in 2008. The Company also had capital loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes of approximately $54 million, which begin to expire in 2006. If the Company experiences an ownership change as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, its ability to utilize its carryforwards may be limited.

 

The Company maintains a valuation allowance for the portion of its net deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that the related benefits will not be realized. The valuation allowance, which totaled $82.9 million at June 30, 2003 and $88.0 at June 30, 2002, was based upon management’s analysis of available information including the net operating losses experienced in recent years. The Company will begin to release the valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will be realized.

 

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Cash payments (refunds) for income taxes were $0.3 million, $(2.2) million and $1.9 million during the years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

(14) Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

The Company’s restated certificate of incorporation includes authorization to issue 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s $.01 par value preferred stock. The preferred stock may be issued in one or more series as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

Series B Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

In connection with the 2002 Amended Credit Facility, the Company issued 211,549 shares of its Series B Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series B Shares”) to the lenders in the credit facility. The Series B Shares are convertible into 2,115,490 common shares which was equivalent to 10% of the Company’s common shares then outstanding on a diluted basis, as defined. The conversion ratio is subject to adjustment if the Company issues common stock or securities convertible into the Company’s common stock for consideration less than the fair market value of such securities at the time of such transaction. Conversion of the Series B Shares occurs upon notice from the Company; however, because a sufficient number of common shares are not currently available to permit conversion, the Company intends to seek stockholder approval to amend its certificate of incorporation to authorize additional common shares. Should the Company’s stockholders fail to approve such a proposal by December 31, 2004, the Company will be required to redeem the Series B Shares for a price equal to the greater of $15.0 million or the value of the common shares into which the Series B Shares would otherwise have been convertible. In addition, should the Company’s stockholders fail to approve such a proposal, the Series B Shares enjoy a preference upon a sale of the Company, a sale of its assets and in certain other circumstances; this preference equals the greater of (i) the value of the common shares into which the Series B Shares would otherwise have been convertible or (ii) $12.5 million or $15.0 million depending on whether such sale or liquidation event occurs prior to December 31, 2003 or December 31, 2004, respectively. At the election of the holder, the Series B Shares carry voting rights as if such shares were converted into common shares. The Series B Shares are not entitled to a dividend but such shares (and the common shares issueable upon conversion) are entitled to certain registration rights. The terms of the Series B Shares limit the Company from issuing senior or pari passu preferred shares and from paying dividends on, or redeeming, shares of junior stock.

 

The Company recorded the Series B Shares at their estimated fair value at the date of issuance ($4.2 million) with an offsetting increase in debt issue costs, which are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. As the Company may be required to redeem the Series B Shares for cash as outlined above, such shares have been classified outside of stockholders’ equity (deficit). Additionally, the original value of the Series B Shares is being accreted to its redemption value through December 31, 2004 with an offsetting charge to additional paid-in capital. Such accretion totaled $3.6 million during the fiscal 2003.

 

Series C Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

In connection with the 2003 Amended Credit Facility, the Company issued 283,979 shares of its Series C Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series C Shares”) to the lenders in the credit facility. The Series C Shares are convertible into 2,839,787 common shares which was equivalent to 11% of the Company’s common shares then outstanding on a diluted basis, as defined. The conversion ratio is subject to adjustment if the Company issues common stock or securities convertible into the Company’s common stock for consideration less than the fair market value of such securities at the time of such transaction. Conversion of the Series C Shares occurs automatically upon notice from the Company; however, because a sufficient number of common shares are not currently available to permit conversion, the Company intends to seek stockholder approval to amend its certificate of incorporation to authorize additional common shares. Should the Company’s stockholders fail to approve such a proposal by December 31, 2006, the Company will be required to redeem the Series C Shares for a price equal to the greater of $10.0 million or the value of the common shares into which the Series C Shares would otherwise have been convertible. In addition, should the Company’s stockholders fail to approve such a proposal, the Series C Shares enjoy a preference upon a sale of the Company, a sale of its assets and in certain other circumstances; this preference equals the greater of (i) the value of the common shares into which the Series C Shares would otherwise have been convertible or (ii) $11.0 million, $13.75 million or $16.5 million depending on whether such sale or liquidation event occurs prior to January 31, 2004, between January 31, 2004 and December 31, 2004 or

 

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December 31, 2004, respectively. At the election of the holder, the Series C Shares carry voting rights as if such shares were converted into common shares. The Series C Shares are not entitled to a dividend but such shares (and the common shares issuable upon conversion) are entitled to certain registration rights. The terms of the Series C Shares limit the Company from issuing senior or pari passu preferred shares and from paying dividends on, or redeeming, shares of junior stock.

 

The Company will record the Series C Shares at their estimated fair value at the date of issuance with an offsetting increase in debt issue costs. As the Company may be required to redeem the Series C Shares for cash as outlined above, such shares will be classified outside of stockholders’ equity (deficit). Additionally, the original value of the Series C Shares will be accreted to its redemption value through December 31, 2006 with an offsetting charge to additional paid-in capital.

 

(15) Stockholders’ Equity

 

In August 1995, the Company adopted a shareholders’ rights plan, which authorized the distribution of one right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of $0.01 par value Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (a Right) for each share of common stock of the Company. Rights will become exercisable following the tenth day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board of Directors) after a person or group (a) acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Company’s common stock or (b) announces a tender or exchange offer, the consummation of which would result in ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the Company’s common stock. In connection with the 2003 Amended Credit Facility, the Company adopted an amendment providing that ownership solely of Series B Shares or Series C Shares (or common stock issued or issuable upon conversion thereof) does not constitute a triggering event under the plan.

 

Upon exercise, each Right will entitle the holder (other than the party seeking to acquire control of the Company) to acquire shares of common stock of the Company or, in certain circumstances, such acquiring person at a 50% discount from market value. The Rights may be terminated by the Board of Directors at any time prior to the date they become exercisable at a price of $0.01 per Right; thereafter, they may be redeemed for a specified period of time at $0.01 per Right.

 

(16) Employee Benefit Plans

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

The Company established the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) through which eligible employees may purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, at semi-annual intervals, through periodic payroll deductions. The ESPP is a qualified employee benefit plan under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company has reserved 2,150,000 shares of stock for issuance under the ESPP. The purchase price per share is the lower of 85% of the closing price of the stock on the first day or the last day of the offering period or on the nearest prior day on which trading occurred on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market. Employees purchased 570,801, 559,668, and 273,584 shares of the Company’s common stock under the ESPP during fiscal years 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, at average per share prices of $0.60, $0.48 and $1.27.

 

1992 Stock Option Plan

 

The Company’s 1992 Stock Option Plan (the “1992 Plan”) was adopted in November 1992 and expired November 5, 2002. The 1992 Plan provided for the granting of options to acquire common stock of the Company, direct granting of the common stock of the Company (“Stock Awards”), the granting of stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), or the granting of other cash awards (“Cash Awards”) (Stock Awards, SARs and Cash Awards are collectively referred to herein as “Awards”). At June 30, 2003, the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable under the 1992 Plan was 6.0 million of which approximately 875,000 options had been exercised. Approximately 4.6 million options remain outstanding under the 1992 Plan at June 30, 2003. Options were granted as incentive stock options or non-qualified stock options.

 

Options and Awards were granted only to persons who at the time of grant are either key personnel of the Company or consultants and independent contractors who provide valuable services to the Company. Options that are incentive stock options may be granted only to key personnel of the Company.

 

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The 1992 Plan, as amended, provided for the automatic grant of options whereby each non-employee member of the Board of Directors was granted an option to acquire 2,500 shares of common stock annually. Each non-employee member of the Board of Directors also received an annual automatic grant of options to acquire an additional 1,000 shares for each $0.05 increase in the Company’s earnings per share, subject to a maximum of 5,000 additional options. New non-employee members of the Board of Directors received options to acquire 10,000 shares of common stock on the date of their first appointment or election to the Board of Directors.

 

The terms of each Award wereestablished by the Board of Directors at the time of grant. Options granted under the 1992 Plan vest over periods not exceeding five years.

 

Awards granted in the form of SARs entitled the recipient to receive a payment equal to the appreciation in market value of a stated number of shares of common stock from the price stated in the award agreement to the market value of the common stock on the date first exercised or surrendered. The Board of Directors determined such terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations, if any, on any SARs.

 

2000 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan

 

The Company’s 2000 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan (the “2000 Plan”) was adopted in August 2000 and provides for the granting of options to acquire common stock of the Company. At the time of adoption, the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable under the 2000 Plan was 2.0 million of which approximately 180,000 options have been exercised. Approximately 1.6 million of options remain outstanding under the 2002 Plan as of June 30, 2003.

 

Options may be granted only to persons who at the time of grant are either regular employees, excluding Directors and Officers, or persons who provide consulting or other services as independent contractors to the Company.

 

The terms of each Award were established by the Board of Directors at the time of grant. Options granted to date vest over periods not exceeding three years.

 

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The following summarizes stock option activity in the 1992 Plan and the 2000 Plan:

 

     Year ended June 30, 2003

    

Number of

Shares


   

Exercise Price

Per share


  

Weighted Average

Exercise price


Options outstanding at beginning of year

   5,198,978     $0.39 - $36.00    $  7.79

Granted

   1,697,000     $2.00 - $ 2.24    $  2.00

Canceled

   (672,216 )   $0.39 - $32.88    $15.60

Exercised

   (93,471 )   $0.39 - $ 1.50    $  0.69
    

        

Options outstanding at end of year

   6,130,291     $0.39 - $36.00    $  5.25
    

        

Options exercisable at end of year

   4,173,976     $0.39 - $36.00    $  7.00

Options available for grant at end of year

   265,246           

Weighted average fair value per share of options granted

              $  1.43
     Year ended June 30, 2002

    

Number of

Shares


   

Exercise Price

Per share


  

Weighted Average

Exercise price


Options outstanding at beginning of year

   4,441,668     $1.25 - $36.00    $11.77

Granted

   1,818,000     $0.39 - $ 0.86    $  0.56

Canceled

   (869,183 )   $0.39 - $33.38    $14.48

Exercised

   (191,507 )   $0.39 - $ 1.50    $  0.98
    

        

Options outstanding at end of year

   5,198,978     $0.39 - $36.00    $  7.79
    

        

Options exercisable at end of year

   3,654,817     $0.39 - $36.00    $10.48

Options available for grant at end of year

   1,750,294           

Weighted average fair value per share of options granted

              $0.26
     Year ended June 30, 2001

    

Number of

Shares


   

Exercise Price

Per share


  

Weighted Average

Exercise price


Options outstanding at beginning of year

   3,581,992     $1.25 - $36.00    $17.35

Granted

   1,582,750     $1.50 - $ 2.00    $  1.57

Canceled

   (723,074 )   $1.25 - $32.25    $17.10

Exercised

   —       —      —  
    

        

Options outstanding at end of year

   4,441,668     $1.25 - $36.00    $11.77
    

        

Options exercisable at end of year

   3,190,462     $1.25 - $36.00    $14.79

Options available for grant at end of year

   2,788,361           

Weighted average fair value per share of options granted

              $  0.72

 

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The following table summarizes options outstanding and exercisable at June 30, 2003 for options issued under the 1992 Plan and the 2000 Plan:

 

   

Options Outstanding


 

Options Exercisable


Range of

Exercise prices


 

Options

Outstanding


 

Weighted

Average

Remaining

Contractual life


 

Weighted

Average

Exercise price


 

Options

Exercisable


 

Weighted

Average

Exercise price


$0.39 –  $  0.39

  884,193   8.47   $ 0.39   559,045   $ 0.39

$0.44 -   $  0.86

  694,000   8.29   $ 0.84   394,000   $ 0.83

$1.25 -   $  1.38

  10,560   6.25   $ 1.34   10,560   $ 1.34

$1.50 –  $  1.50

  899,082   7.14   $ 1.50   774,082   $ 1.50

$1.56 -   $  1.63

  37,500   7.00   $ 1.60   37,500   $ 1.60

$2.00 -   $  2.00

  1,869,965   9.01   $ 2.00   693,798   $ 2.00

$2.24 -   $  7.81

  840,000   5.73   $ 7.01   810,000   $ 7.18

$8.00 -   $29.00

  620,648   4.42   $ 18,09   620,648   $ 18.09

$32.25 - $34.50

  251,843   3.46   $ 32.56   251,843   $ 32.56

$36.00 - $36.00

  22,500   3.39   $ 36.00   22,500   $ 36.00
   
           
     

$0.39     $36.00

  6,130,291   7.39   $ 5.25   4,173,976   $ 7.00
   
           
     

 

During fiscal 2003, the Company recorded non-cash stock compensation expense totaling $139,000 relating to the modification of stock options for certain executives of the Company’s former Latin American operations. The related charges are included in income (loss) from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. During 2002, the Company recorded a non-cash charge of $73,000 in other operating expenses relating to stock options issued to non-employees in exchange for services rendered.

 

401(k) Plan

 

The Company has a contributory retirement plan (the “401(k) Plan”) covering eligible employees who are at least 18 years old. The 401(k) Plan is designed to provide tax-deferred income to the Company’s employees in accordance with the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

The 401(k) Plan provides that each participant may contribute up to 17% of his or her respective salary, not to exceed the annual statutory limit. The Company, at its discretion, may elect to make matching contributions in the form of cash or the Company’s common stock to each participant’s account as determined by the Board of Directors. Under the terms of the 401(k) Plan, the Company may also make discretionary profit sharing contributions. Profit sharing contributions are allocated among participants based on their annual compensation. Each participant has the right to direct the investment of his or her funds.

 

The Company accrued a matching contribution of approximately $1.7 million for the 401(k) Plan year ended December 31, 2000. During fiscal 2002, the Company made the decision not to make this discretionary contribution and reversed the accrual of $1.7 million to income.

 

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

 

The Company established the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the ”ESOP”) in 1979 and makes related contributions at the discretion of the Board of Directors. No discretionary contributions were made during fiscal 2003, 2002 and 2001. The ESOP held approximately 4.5% and 5.0% of the outstanding common stock of the Company for the benefit of all participants, as of June 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The ESOP is administered by the ESOP’s Advisory Committee, consisting of certain officers of the Company.

 

In July 1999, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an amendment to “freeze” the ESOP, effective June 30, 1999 with respect to all employees other than members of collective bargaining agreements that include participation in the ESOP. All participants’ accounts were fully vested as of June 30, 1999. The Company does not intend to make any contributions to the ESOP in the future.

 

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(17) Commitments And Contingencies

 

Medicare Fee Schedule

 

On April 1, 2002, the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule Final Rule became effective. The Final Rule categorizes seven levels of ground ambulance services, ranging from basic life support to specialty care transport, and two categories of air ambulance services. The base rate conversion factor for services to Medicare patients was set at $170.54 (which is adjusted each year by the CPI – 1%) plus separate mileage charges based on specified relative value units for each level of ambulance service. Adjustments also were included to recognize differences in relative practice costs among geographic areas, and higher transportation costs that may be incurred by ambulance providers in rural areas with low population density. The Final Rule requires ambulance providers to accept assignment on Medicare claims, which means a provider must accept Medicare’s allowed reimbursement rate as full payment. Medicare typically reimburses 80% of that rate and the remaining 20% is collectible from a secondary insurance or the patient. In addition, the Final Rule calls for a five-year phase-in period to allow time for providers to adjust to the new payment rates. The fee schedule will be phased in at 20-percent increments each year, with payments being made at 100 percent of the fee schedule in 2006 and thereafter.

 

The Company currently believes that the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule will have a neutral net impact on its medical transportation revenue at incremental and full phase-in periods, primarily due to the geographic diversity of its operations. These rules could, however, result in contract renegotiations or other actions to offset any negative impact at the regional level that could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. Changes in reimbursement policies, or other governmental actions, together with the financial challenges of some private, third-party payers and budget pressures on other payer sources could influence the timing and, potentially, the receipt of payments and reimbursements. A reduction in coverage or reimbursement rates by third-party payers, or an increase in the Company’s cost structure relative to increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), or costs incurred to implement the mandates of the fee schedule could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations.

 

Surety Bonds

 

Certain counties, municipalities, and fire districts require the Company to provide a surety bond or other assurance of financial or performance responsibility. The Company may also be required by law to post a surety bond as a prerequisite to obtaining and maintaining a license to operate. As a result, the Company has a portfolio of surety bonds that is renewed annually. The Company has $10.1 million of surety bonds outstanding as of June 30, 2003.

 

Operating Leases

 

The Company leases various facilities and equipment under non-cancelable operating lease agreements. Rental expense charged to operations under these leases (including leases with terms of less than one year) was approximately $11.5 million in fiscal 2003 and 2002 and $12.1 million in fiscal 2001.

 

Minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases for each of the years ending June 30 are as follows (in thousands):

 

2004

   $ 7,760

2005

     6,638

2006

     5,446

2007

     3,835

2008

     2,832

Thereafter

     8,833
    

Total

   $ 35,344
    

 

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Indemnifications

 

The Company is a party to a variety of agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which it may be obligated to indemnify the other parties for certain liabilities that arise out of or relate to the subject matter of the agreements. Some of the agreements entered into by the Company require it to indemnify the other party against losses due to property damage including environmental contamination, personal injury, failure to comply with applicable laws, the Company’s negligence or willful misconduct, or breach of representations and warranties and covenants.

 

Additionally, some of the Company’s agreements with customers require the Company to provide certain assurances related to the performance of its services. Such assurances, from time to time, obligate the Company to (i) pay penalties for failure to meet response times or other requirements, (ii) lease, sell or assign equipment or facilities (either temporarily or permanently) in the event of material defaults or other certain circumstances, or (iii) provide surety bonds issued in favor of the customer to cover costs resulting, under certain circumstances, from an uncured material default or letters of credit. With respect to such surety bonds, the Company is also required to indemnify the surety company for losses paid as a result of any claims made against such bonds.

 

The Company and its subsidiaries provide for indemnification of directors, officers and other persons in accordance with limited liability agreements, certificates of incorporation, by-laws, articles of association or similar organizational documents, as the case may be. The Company maintains directors’ and officers’ insurance which should enable it to recover a portion of any future amounts paid.

 

In addition to the above, from time to time the Company provides standard representations and warranties to counterparties in contracts in connection with sales of its securities and the engagement of financial advisors and also provides indemnities that protect the counterparties to these contracts in the event they suffer damages as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties or in certain other circumstances relating to the sale of securities or their engagement by the Company.

 

While the Company’s future obligations under certain agreements may contain limitations on liability for indemnification, other agreements do not contain such limitations and under such agreements it is not possible to predict the maximum potential amount of future payments due to the conditional nature of the Company’s obligations and the unique facts and circumstances involved in each particular agreement. Historically, payments made by the Company under any of these indemnities have not had a material effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, and cash flows or results of operations. Additionally, the Company does not believe that any amounts that it may be required to pay under these indemnities in the future will be material to the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

From time to time, the Company is subject to litigation and regulatory investigations arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company believes that the resolution of currently pending claims or legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. However, the Company is unable to predict with certainty the outcome of pending litigation and regulatory investigations. In some pending cases, insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all liabilities in excess of its deductible or self insured retention arising out of such claims. In addition, due to the nature of the Company’s business, CMS and other regulatory agencies are expected to continue their practice of performing periodic reviews and initiating investigations related to the Company’s compliance with billing regulations. Unfavorable resolutions of pending or future litigation, regulatory reviews and/or investigations, either individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Haskell v. Rural/Metro Corporation, et al. and Ruble v. Rural/Metro Corporation: The Company, Warren S. Rustand, the former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, James H. Bolin, the former Vice Chairman of the Board, and Robert E. Ramsey, Jr., its former Executive Vice President and former Director, were named as defendants in two purported class action lawsuits: HASKELL V. RURAL/METRO CORPORATION, ET

 

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AL., Civil Action No. C-328448 filed on August 25, 1998 in Pima County, Arizona Superior Court and RUBLE V. RURAL/METRO CORPORATION, ET AL., CIV 98-413-TUC-JMR filed on September 2, 1998 in United States District Court for the District of Arizona. The two lawsuits, which contained virtually identical allegations, were brought on behalf of a class of persons who purchased the Company’s publicly traded securities including its common stock between April 24, 1997 and June 11, 1998. Haskell v. Rural/Metro sought unspecified damages under the Arizona Securities Act, the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, and under Arizona common law fraud, and also sought punitive damages, a constructive trust, and other injunctive relief. Ruble v. Rural/Metro sought unspecified damages under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The complaints in both actions alleged that between April 24, 1997 and June 11, 1998 the defendants issued certain false and misleading statements regarding certain aspects of the Company’s financial status and that these statements allegedly caused the Company’s common stock to be traded at artificially inflated prices. The complaints also alleged that Mr. Bolin and Mr. Ramsey sold stock during this period, allegedly taking advantage of inside information that the stock prices were artificially inflated.

 

On April 17, 2003, Rural/Metro and the individual defendants agreed to settle the Ruble v. Rural/Metro and Haskell v. Rural/Metro cases with plaintiffs, subject to notice to the class and final court approval. Rural/Metro’s primary and excess carriers funded the settlement on June 5, 2003 by depositing the funds in a designated escrow account and waived any claims for reimbursement of the funds subject to final court approval of the class action settlement. On August 20, 2003, the plaintiffs submitted an application for preliminary approval of the class action settlement. On September 3, 2003, the court signed an order granting preliminary approval of the stipulated settlement and set forth a schedule for the events required for final settlement approval, including notice to the class, requests for exclusion, written objections and responses. The hearing for consideration of the final settlement agreement is scheduled for December 9, 2003.

 

In the settlement agreement, the Company and the individual defendants expressly denied all charges of liability or wrongdoing and continued to assert that at all relevant times they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

 

Springborn, et al. v. Rural/Metro Corporation, et al.: The Company, Arthur Andersen LLP, Cor Clement and Jane Doe Clement, Randall L. Harmsen and Jane Doe Harmsen, Warren S. Rustand and Jane Doe Rustand, James H. Bolin and Jane Doe Bolin, Jack E. Brucker and Jane Doe Brucker, Robert B. Hillier and Jane Doe Hillier, John S. Banas III and Jane Doe Banas, Louis G. Jekel and Karen Whitmer, Mary Anne Carpenter and John Doe Carpenter, William C. Turner and Jane Doe Turner, Henry G. Walker and Jane Doe Walker, Louis A. Witzeman and Jane Doe Witzeman, John Furman and Jane Doe Furman, and Mark Liebner and Jane Doe Liebner were named as defendants in a purported class action lawsuit: STEVEN A. SPRINGBORN V. RURAL/METRO CORPORATION, ET AL., Civil Action No. CV 2002-019020 filed on September 30, 2002 in Maricopa County, Arizona Superior Court. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of employee firefighters in Maricopa County who participated in the Company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”), Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) and/or Retirement Savings Value Plan (“401(k) Plan”) 401(k) plan. Collectively, the “Plans.”. The action purports to cover a class period of July 1, 1996 through June 30, 2001. The plaintiffs amended the Complaint on October 17, 2002 adding Barry Landon and Jane Doe Landon as defendants and making certain additional allegations and claims. The primary allegations of the complaint included violations of various state and federal securities laws, breach of contract, common law fraud, and mismanagement of the Plans. The plaintiffs sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

 

On October 30, 2002, defendant Arthur Andersen LLP removed the action to the United States District Court, District of Arizona, CIV-02-2183-PHX-JWS. The Company and the individual defendants consented to this removal. On February 21, 2003, the Company and its current directors and officers moved to dismiss the amended complaint, and its former directors and officers subsequently joined in this motion.

 

On July 29, 2003, the court granted the motion to dismiss, which disposed of all claims against the Company and its current and former officers and directors. On August 28, 2003, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal from the court’s July 29, 2003 order to the Ninth Circuit. The court has yet to consider and rule upon defendant Arthur Andersen’s motion to dismiss.

 

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Regulatory Compliance

 

The healthcare industry is subject to numerous laws and regulations of federal, state, and local governments. These laws and regulations include, but are not necessarily limited to, matters such as licensure, accreditation, government healthcare program participation requirements, reimbursement for patient services, and Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse. Recently, government activity has increased with respect to investigations and allegations concerning possible violations of fraud and abuse statutes and regulations by healthcare providers. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in expulsion from government healthcare programs together with the imposition of significant fines and penalties, as well as significant repayments for patient services previously billed. The Company believes that it is substantially in compliance with fraud and abuse statutes as well as their applicable government review and interpretation as well as regulatory actions unknown or unasserted at this time.

 

The Company has been subject to investigations in the past relating to Medicare and Medicaid laws pertaining to its industry. The Company cooperated fully with the government agencies that conducted these investigations. Those reviews cover periods prior to the Company’s acquisition of certain operations as well as periods subsequent to acquisition. Management believes that the remedies existing under specific purchase agreements along with reserves established in the consolidated financial statements are sufficient so that the ultimate outcome of these matters would not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

The Company became aware of, and has taken corrective action with respect to, various issues arising primarily from the transition to the Company from various acquired operations of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses for public safety and private wireless radio frequencies used in the ordinary course of its business. While the Company does not currently anticipate that action with respect to these issues by the FCC’s enforcement bureau will result in material monetary fines or license forfeitures, there can be no assurance that this will be the case.

 

Nasdaq Listing

 

On May 22, 2003, the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq) notified the Company that it was not in compliance with a Nasdaq SmallCap Market maintenance standard. This standard requires that the Company file with Nasdaq copies of all reports and other documents filed or required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a timely basis.

 

The notification followed the Company’s announcement on May 14, 2003 that it would delay filing its Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended March 31, 2003 due to the need to restate its consolidated financial statements for inadequate provisions for discounts applicable to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers and for doubtful accounts recorded in prior years. The Company announced that it would file the applicable Form 10-Q upon finalization of the related restatement adjustments.

 

The Company subsequently submitted its request for a Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel (the “Panel”) hearing to consider its continued listing. The hearing was held June 19, 2003, where the Company presented its basis for a temporary exception to the filing requirement in order to complete its related analysis.

 

On July 17, 2003, Nasdaq informed the Company that the Panel had made a determination. In its decision to grant an exception, the Panel determined that the Company’s securities would continue to be listed on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market subject to satisfying a September 30, 2003 deadline for filing its Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended March 31, 2003 and its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003.

 

In addition to granting the filing exception through September 30, 2003, the Panel specifically required the Company to timely file all periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq for all reporting periods ending on or before March 31, 2004. Should the Company miss a filing deadline in accordance with the exception, it will not be entitled to a new hearing on the matter and its securities may be delisted from The Nasdaq SmallCap Market. In the event the Company fails to comply with any continued listing requirement during the exception period, it will be provided with written notice of the deficiency and an opportunity to present a definitive plan to address the issue prior to the Panel’s decision as to whether continued listing is appropriate.

 

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The Panel reserved the right to terminate or modify the terms of this exception upon a review of the Company’s reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2003 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003. There can be no assurance the Company will evidence compliance with the requirements as set forth by Nasdaq or that it will return to continued listing on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

 

On September 29, 2003, the Company issued a press release indicating that the filing of its Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 would be delayed. The Company also filed a Form 12b-25 request with the SEC for an extension to file its Form 10-K on or before October 14, 2003. Due to such delayed filing, the Company formally requested, on September 30, 2003, that the Panel permit it to comply with their July 17, 2003 decision by filing both the Form 10-K for fiscal 2003 and the Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2003 on or before October 14, 2003. On October 7, 2003 the Panel informed the Company that its requested modification to their July 17, 2003 decision was granted.

 

(18) Financial Instruments

 

The estimated fair value of financial instruments has been determined by the Company using available market information and valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment is required in interpreting market data to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the estimates may not be indicative of the amounts that the Company could realize in a current market exchange. The use of different market assumptions or valuation methodologies could have a material effect on the estimated fair value assumptions.

 

The carrying values of cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities approximates the related fair values due to the short-term maturities of these instruments. The carrying value of notes payable and capital lease obligations approximate the related fair values as rates on these instruments approximate market rates currently available for instruments with similar terms and remaining maturities. The fair value of the Senior Notes was determined by the market price as of June 30, 2003. The relationship between the fair value and carrying value of the Senior Notes was then applied to the amount outstanding under the 2002 Amended Credit Facility to arrive at its estimated fair value. The fair value of the Company’s Series B Redeemable Preferred Stock was determined by reference to the market price for the Company’s common stock at June 30, 2003. A comparison of the fair value and carrying value of the Senior Notes and 2002 Amended Credit Facility is as follows (in thousands):

 

     As of June 30,

     2003

   2002

     Fair value

   Recorded value

   Fair value

   Recorded value

Credit Facility

   $ 121,936    $ 152,420    $ 93,840    $ 144,369

Senior Notes

   $ 119,902    $ 149,878    $ 97,404    $ 149,852

Series B Redeemable Preferred Stock

   $ 2,433    $ 7,793      N/A      N/A

 

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(19) Segment Reporting

 

For financial reporting purposes, the Company has classified its operations into two reporting segments that correspond with the manner in which such operations are managed: the Medical Transportation and Related Services Segment and the Fire and Other Segment. Each reporting segment consists of cost centers (operating segments) representing the Company’s various service areas that have been aggregated on the basis of the type of services provided, customer type and methods of service delivery.

 

The Medical Transportation and Related Services Segment includes emergency ambulance services provided to individuals pursuant to contracts with counties, fire districts, and municipalities, as well as non-emergency ambulance services provided to individuals requiring either advanced or basic levels of medical supervision during transport. The Fire and Other Segment includes a variety of fire protection services including fire prevention, suppression, training, alarm monitoring, dispatch, fleet and billing services.

 

The accounting policies described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements have also been followed in the preparation of the accompanying financial information for each reporting segment. For internal management purposes, the Company’s measure of segment profitability is defined as income (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Additionally, segment assets are defined as consisting solely of accounts receivable. The following tables summarize the information required to be presented by SFAS 131, Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information (in thousands):

 

    

Medical

Transportation

and Related

Services


    Fire and Other

   Total

 

Year ended June 30, 2003

                       

Net revenues from external customers

   $ 442,076     $ 78,401    $ 520,477  

Segment profit (loss)

   $ 48,723     $ 8,206    $ 56,929  

Segment assets

   $ 58,782     $ 1,646    $ 60,428  
    

Medical

Transportation

And related

Services


    Fire and Other

   Total

 

Year ended June 30, 2002

                       

Net revenues from external customers

   $ 416,313     $ 72,667    $ 488,980  

Segment profit (loss)

   $ 50,828     $ 6,633    $ 57,461  

Segment assets

   $ 62,867     $ 1,594    $ 64,461  
    

Medical

Transportation

and Related

Services


    Fire and Other

   Total

 

Year ended June 30, 2001

                       

Net revenues from external customers

   $ 404,045     $ 75,369    $ 479,414  

Segment profit (loss)

   $ (71,099 )     9,224    $ (61,875 )

Segment assets

   $ 69,013       1,124      70,137  

 

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A reconciliation of segment profit (loss) to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle is as follows (in thousands):

 

     2003

    2002

    2001

 
           (As Restated*)  

Segment profit (loss)

   $ 56,929     $ 57,461     $ (61,875 )

Unallocated corporate overhead

     (17,487 )     (17,776 )     (19,902 )

Depreciation and amortization

     (13,289 )     (16,267 )     (25,741 )

Interest expense

     (28,012 )     (25,462 )     (30,624 )

Interest income

     197       644       642  
    


 


 


Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest, and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle

   $ (1,662 )   $ (1,400 )   $ (137,500 )
    


 


 


 

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A reconciliation of segment assets to total assets is as follows (in thousands):

 

     2003

   2002

   2001

          (As Restated*)

Segment assets

   $ 60,428    $ 64,461    $ 70,137

Cash

     12,561      10,677      9,743

Inventories

     11,504      12,220      13,173

Prepaid expenses and other

     8,498      7,231      4,430

Property and equipment, net

     43,010      48,532      57,999

Goodwill

     41,167      41,244      90,757

Other assets

     12,048      8,115      14,031

Insurance deposits

     6,950      8,228      3,736
    

  

  

     $ 196,166    $ 200,708    $ 264,006
    

  

  


*   Refer to Note 2 Restatement of Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

(19) Related Party Transactions

 

The Company incurred legal fees of approximately $16,000, $138,000 and $130,000 in fiscal 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, with a law firm in which a member of the Board of Directors is a partner.

 

The Company incurred rental expense of approximately $69,000 in fiscal 2003, 2002 and 2001 related to leases of fire and ambulance facilities with a director of the Company.

 

The Company incurred consulting fees of approximately $89,000, $89,000 and $99,000 in fiscal 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, with a director of the Company.

 

ITEM 9. Changes In and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 9A. Controls and Procedures

 

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management necessarily applies its judgment in assessing the costs and benefits of such controls and procedures, which, by their nature, can provide only reasonable assurance regarding management’s control objectives.

 

During the third quarter of fiscal 2003, we determined that our accounts receivable balance was materially overstated and that our net revenue and provision for doubtful accounts applicable to prior periods also required adjustment. The fact that our internal controls did not identify the related financial statement errors prior to that time is considered to represent a material weakness as defined under standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. As a result of these matters, we determined that our consolidated financial statements for years prior to fiscal 2003 required restatement. See Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

We have taken the steps necessary to strengthen our internal controls to address this situation. We have completed extensive analyses and have instituted new procedures relating to the evaluation of the adequacy of our allowance for doubtful accounts, including the enhanced utilization of historical collection experience within each of our service areas as well as the involvement of representatives of the accounting, finance and billing departments in the evaluation process. As of the date of this report, we believe the actions implemented have corrected the material weakness in the internal controls discussed in the preceding paragraphs.

 

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We carried out an evaluation as of June 30, 2003, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Chief Executive Officer along with the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e). Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer along with the Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed and operating effectively to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports filed or submitted by us under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the applicable time periods. Other than the internal control matters discussed in the preceding paragraphs, there have been no significant changes in our internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date we carried out the evaluation.

 

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PART III

 

ITEM 10. Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

The information required by Item 10 is incorporated herein by reference to the information contained under the headings “Proposal to Elect Directors - - Nominees” as set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

ITEM 11. Executive Compensation

 

The information required by Item 11 relating to directors of the Company is incorporated herein by reference to the information under the heading “Director Compensation and Other Information” and the information relating to executive officers of the Company is incorporated herein by reference to the information under the heading “Executive Compensation” as set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

ITEM 12. Security Ownership Of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

The information required by Item 12 is incorporated herein by reference to the information under the heading “Security Ownership of Principal Stockholders, Directors and Officers” as set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

ITEM 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

 

The information required by Item 13 is incorporated herein by reference to the information under the heading “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” as set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

ITEM 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services – Not applicable.

 

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PART IV

 

ITEM 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K

 

  (a)   Financial Statements and Schedules

 

              Page

              (i)

   Financial Statements     
     (1)  

Report of Independent Auditors

   59
        

Report of Independent Auditors

   60
     (2)  

Consolidated Financial Statements

    
        

Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2003 and 2002

   61
        

Consolidated Statement of Operations for the Years Ended June 30, 2003, 2002, and 2001

   62
        

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) for the Years Ended June 30, 2003, 2002, and 2001

   63
        

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the Years Ended June 30, 2003, 2002, and 2001

   64
        

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

   65

              (ii)

   Financial Statement Schedules     
         All schedules have been omitted on the basis that the required information is included in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements or because such schedules are not otherwise applicable.     

              (iii)

   Exhibits     
         See index to exhibits below.     

 

  (b)   Reports on Form 8-K:

 

We filed the following reports on Form 8-K during the quarter ended June 30, 2003:

 

Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 15, 2003 relating to a press release issued by the Company states that it needed to increase its allowance for discounts and doubtful accounts, and that there would be a delay in filing its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.

 

Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 21, 2003 relating to a press release issued by the Company states that it postponed its fiscal 2003 third-quarter announcement scheduled for May 21, 2003, and that it determined the charge related to its allowance for Medicare, Medicaid and contractual discounts and doubtful accounts in the range of $35 to $45 million would require a restatement of its financial statements of prior years.

 

Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 23, 2003 relating to a notice received from the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Department states that it had not filed its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003 as required by the Nasdaq SmallCap Market Rule 4310(c)(14) and that the Company intended to request a hearing to appeal the Nasdaq staff determination to delist the Company’s common stock from the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

 

111


Table of Contents

(c) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description of Exhibit


2      Plan and Agreement of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of April 26, 1993 (1)
3.1(a)   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on January 18, 1995; as amended by the Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on August 23, 1995; as amended by the Certificate of Designation, Preferences, and Rights of Series B Preferred Stock filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on September 26, 2002; as amended by the Certificate of Designation, Preferences, and Rights of Series C Preferred Stock filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on September 26, 2003 (28)
3.1(b)   Rights Agreement dated as of October 30, 2002 between the Registrant and American Securities Transfer, Inc., the Rights Agent (6)
3.1(c)   Amendment No. 1 to the Rights Agreement dated as of August 23, 1995 between the Registrant and American Securities Transfer, Inc., the Rights Agent (27)
3.1(d)   Amendment No. 2 dated as of September 26, 2003 to the Rights Agreement dated as of August 23, 1995 between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, Inc. (successor to American Securities Transfer, Inc.), the Rights Agent (28)
3.2   Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (1)
4.1   Specimen Certificate representing shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (1)
4.2   Indenture dated as of March 16, 1998, by and among the Company, the subsidiaries acting as Guarantors thereto, and the First National Bank of Chicago, as Trustee (9)
4.3   Form of Global Note (included in Exhibit 4.2) (9)
4.4   Registration Rights Agreement dated March 11, 1998, by and among Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., Salomon Brothers Inc, SBC Warburg Dillon Reed Inc., First Union Capital Markets, the Company, and certain subsidiaries of the Company, as Guarantors (9)
4.5   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 30, 2002 by and among the Company, Special Value Bond Fund II, LLC, GE Capital CFE, Inc., Continental Casualty Company, Cerberus Partners, L.P., Pamco Cayman Ltd., and Pam Capital Funding LP (26)
4.5(a)   Amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 26, 2003 by and among the Company, Tennenbaum & Co., LLC, General Electric Capital Corporation, Highland Crusader Offshore Partners, L.P., Cerberus Partners, L.P., and Pam Capital Funding LP (28)

 

112


Table of Contents
10.3(a)   1989 Employee Stock Option Plan of Registrant, adopted August 10, 1989, as amended (1) **
10.3(b)   Third Amendment to the 1989 Employee Stock Option Plan of Registrant, dated February 4, 1994 (2) **
10.3(c)   Fourth Amendment to 1989 Employee Stock Option Plan, dated August 25, 1994 (3) **
10.4   Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to 1989 Employee Stock Option Plan of Registrant (1) *
10.5   Amended and Restated 1992 Stock Option Plan of Registrant, amended through October 15, 1998 (12) *
10.6   Forms of Stock Option Agreements pursuant to the Amended and Restated 1992 Stock Option Plan of Registrant (12)
10.7   2000 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan, adopted August 11, 2000 (16)
10.15   Forms of Conditional Stock Grant and Repurchase Agreements by and between Registrant and each of its executive officers and directors, dated May 14, 1993, November 1, 1994, and December 1, 1997 (1)
10.16(l)   Employment Agreement by and between the Registrant and Jack E. Brucker, effective July 1, 2001 (23) **
10.16(n)   Employment Agreement by and between the Registrant and John S. Banas III, effective April 23, 2001 (20) **
10.16(o)   Form of Change of Control Agreement by and between the Registrant and the following executive officers: (i) Jack E. Brucker, dated April 25, 2002 and (ii) John S. Banas III, dated September 27, 2002 (27) **
10.17   Form of Indemnity Agreement by and between Registrant and each of its officers and directors, dated in April, May, August and November 1993, as of October 13, 1994, and as of September 25, 1998 (1) **
10.18(a)   Amended and Restated Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust of the Registrant, effective July 1, 1997 (12) **
10.21   Retirement Savings Value Plan 401(k) of Registrant, as amended, dated July 1, 1990 (1) **
10.22   Master Lease Agreement by and between Plazamerica, Inc. and the Registrant, dated January 30, 1990 (1)
10.36  

Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended through November 20, 1997

(21) **

10.37(a)   Loan and Security Agreement by and among the CIT Group/Equipment Financing, Inc. and the Registrant, together with its subsidiaries, dated December 28, 1994, and related Promissory Note and Guaranty Agreement (3)

 

113


Table of Contents
10.37(b)   Form of Loan and Security Agreement by and among Registrant and CIT Group/Equipment Financing, Inc. first dated February 25, 1998 and related form of Guaranty and Schedule of Indebtedness and Collateral (11)
10.45   Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of March 16, 1998, by and among the Company as borrower, certain of its subsidiaries as Guarantors, the lenders referred to therein, and First Union National Bank, as agent and as lender, and related Form of Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Note, Form of Subsidiary Guarantee Agreement, and Form of Intercompany Subordination Agreement (10)
10.55   Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of March 14, 2000(14)
10.56   First Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of April 13, 2000(14)
10.57   Second Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of July 14, 2000(15)
10.59   Third Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of October 16, 2000(7)
10.60   Fourth Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of January 31, 2001(18)
10.61   Fifth Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of April 23, 2001(19)
10.62   Sixth Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of August 1, 2001 (22)
10.63   Seventh Amendment to Provisional Waiver and Standstill Agreement dated as of December 4, 2001 (24)
10.64   Stock Purchase Agreement for the sale of Argentine and related Latin American subsidiaries, effective as of September 27, 2002 (25)
10.65   Stock Purchase Agreement for the sale of our Bolivian subsidiaries, effective as of September 27, 2002 (25)
10.66   Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of September 30, 2002 by and among the Company as borrower, certain of its subsidiaries as guarantors, the lenders referred to therein, and Wachovia Bank National Association, as agent, and related Form of Term Note, Form of Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement, and Form of Intercompany Subordination Agreement (26)
10.67   Reaffirmation and First Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of September 26, 2003 by and among the Company as borrower, certain of its subsidiaries as guarantors, the lenders referred to therein, and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as agent (28)
21   Subsidiaries of Registrant*

 

114


Table of Contents
23.1    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP*
23.2    Consent of Singer Lewak Greenbaum and Goldstein, LLP *
31.1    Certification Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended*
31.2    Certification Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended*
32.1    Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*
32.2    Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*

*   Filed herewith.
**   Management contracts or compensatory plan or arrangement.
(27)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on February 14, 2003.
(28)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on October 2, 2003.
(1)   Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 of the Registrant (Registration No. 33-63448) filed May 27, 1993 and declared effective July 15, 1993.
(2)   Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 of the Registrant (Registration No. 33-76458) filed March 15, 1994 and declared effective May 5, 1994.
(3)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q Quarterly Report filed with the Commission on or about May 12, 1995.
(4)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on or about April 7, 1995, as amended by the Registrant’s Form 8-K/A Current Reports filed on or about May 15, 1995 and August 1, 1995.
(5)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on or about May 19, 1995.
(6)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on or about August 28, 1995.
(7)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q Quarterly Report filed with the Commission on or about February 17, 1998.
(8)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on or about April 1, 1998, as amended by the Registrant’s Form 8-K/A Current Report filed on or about June 5, 1998.
(9)   Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of the Registrant (Registration No. 333-51455) filed April 30, 1998 and declared effective on May 14, 1998.
(10)   Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of the Registrant (Registration No. 333-51455) filed May 11,1998 and declared effective on May 14, 1998.
(11)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-K filed with the Commission on or about September 29, 1998.
(12)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q Quarterly Report filed with the Commission on or about November 10, 1998.

 

115


Table of Contents
(13)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-K Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 1996 filed with the Commission on or about September 30, 1996 (originally filed in that Report as Exhibit 10.16(a)).
(14)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on April 18, 2000.
(15)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on July 28, 2000.
(16)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form S-8 Registration Statement filed with the Commission on October 31, 2000.
(17)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q Current Report filed with the Commission on November 14, 2000.
(18)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on February 2, 2001.
(19)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on May 2, 2001.
(20)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 15, 2001.
(21)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form S-8 Registration Statement filed with the Commission on May 22, 2001.
(22)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on August 9, 2001.
(23)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on November 14, 2001.
(24)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on January 22, 2002.
(25)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on October 15, 2002.
(26)   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form 8-K Current Report filed with the Commission on October 16, 2002.

 

116


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirement of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.

 

   

RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

   

By:

  

/s/ JACK E. BRUCKER


        

Jack E. Brucker

        

President and Chief Executive Officer

October 14, 2003

        

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature


 

Title


 

Date


/s/ COR J. CLEMENT


  Chairman of the Board of Directors   October 14, 2003

Cor J. Clement

       

/s/ LOUIS G. JEKEL


  Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors   October 14, 2003

Louis G. Jekel

       

/s/ JACK E. BRUCKER


  President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   October 14, 2003

Jack E. Brucker

     

/s/ MICHAEL S. ZARRIELLO


Michael S. Zarriello

  Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   October 14, 2003

/s/ MARY ANNE CARPENTER


  Director   October 14, 2003

Mary Anne Carpenter

       

/s/ WILLIAM C. TURNER


  Director   October 14, 2003

William C. Turner

       

/s/ HENRY G. WALKER


  Director   October 14, 2003

Henry G. Walker

       

/s/ LOUIS A. WITZEMAN


  Director   October 14, 2003

Louis A. Witzeman

       

 

117

EX-21 3 dex21.htm SUBSIDIARIES OF REGISTRANT Subsidiaries of Registrant

EXHIBIT 21

 

SUBSIDIARY LIST

AS OF SEPTEMBER 29, 2003

 

NAME


 

STATE


  

NAMES UNDERWHICH

ENTITY DOES BUSINESS


Overall Parent Company:

        

Rural/Metro Corporation

  Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Corporation (Delaware):

        

Aid Ambulance at Vigo County, Inc.

  Indiana     

Ambulance Transport Systems, Inc.

  New Jersey     

Donlock, Ltd.

  Pennsylvania   

Rural/Metro Medical Services,

Ltd.; Rural/Metro Ambulance,

Ltd.

Medical Emergency Devices and Services (MEDS), Inc.

  Arizona    MEDS & Logo

Metro Care Corp.

  Ohio    Rural/Metro Ambulance

MO-RO-KO, Inc.

  Arizona     

Multi-Care Medical Car Service, Inc.

  New Jersey     

Multi-Health Corp.

  Florida     

Myers Ambulance Service, Inc.

  Indiana     

North Miss. Ambulance Service, Inc.

  Mississippi     

Professional Medical Services, Inc.

  Arkansas     

RMFD of New Jersey, Inc.

  Delaware     

R/M Partners, Inc.

  Delaware     

Rural/Metro Communications Services, Inc.

  Delaware     

Rural/Metro Corporation

  Arizona   

Rural/Metro Ambulance Service,

AMT, Arizona Medical Transport,

Tri-City Med

Rural/Metro Logistics, Inc.

  Delaware     

Rural/Metro Mid-Atlantic, Inc.

  Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Colorado, Inc.

  Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Greater Seattle, Inc.

  Washington    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Southern Ohio, Inc.

  Ohio    Rural/Metro Ambulance

SW General, Inc.

  Arizona   

Southwest Ambulance; Southwest

Transportation Services;

Southwest Medical Services;

KIDZULANCE

South Georgia Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

  Georgia     

Southwest Ambulance of Casa Grande, Inc.

  Arizona   

Southwest Ambulance and Rescue

of Arizona; SWARA

Southwest Ambulance of New Mexico, Inc.

  New Mexico   

Southwest Ambulance of Doña

Ana County; Southwest

Ambulance of Las Cruses;

Southwest General Services

Southwest General Services, Inc.

  Arizona   

CareTrans; CareTrans Medicoach

Services; SW General Services

The Aid Company, Inc.

  Indiana     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Corporation (Arizona):

        

R/M Management Co., Inc.

  Arizona     

 


R/M of Mississippi, Inc.

   Delaware     

RMC Corporate Center, L.L.C. (1%)

   Arizona     

RMC Insurance Ltd.

   Barbados     

Rural/Metro Corporation of Florida

   Florida     

Rural/Metro Corporation of Tennessee

   Tennessee     

Rural/Metro Fire Dept., Inc.

   Arizona   

Rural/Metro Fire Dept.;

Rural/Metro Fire Department

Rural/Metro of Alabama, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Arkansas, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of California, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Georgia, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Indiana, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Kentucky, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Nebraska, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of New York, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Ohio, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Oregon, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of South Carolina, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of South Dakota, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro Protection Services, Inc.

   Arizona     

Rural/Metro Texas Holdings, Inc.

   Delaware     

W & W Leasing Company, Inc.

   Arizona     

Subsidiaries of Aid Ambulance at Vigo County, Inc:

         

Rural/Metro of Indiana II, L.P. (99%)

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Ambulance Transport Systems, Inc.:

         

Keefe & Keefe Ambulette, Ltd.

   New York     

Keefe & Keefe, Inc.

   New York     

Subsidiaries of Keefe & Keefe, Inc.:

         

Multi Cab Inc.

   New Jersey     

Multi-Care International, Inc.

   New Jersey     

Subsidiaries of MO-RO-KO, Inc.:

         

Southwest Ambulance of Tucson, Inc.

   Arizona     

Subsidiaries of North Miss. Ambulance Service, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro Mid-South, L.P. (99%)

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of R/M Partners, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro Mid-Atlantic II, Inc. (50%)

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Mid-Atlantic II, Inc.:

         

Mobile Medical Transportation, Inc.

   Maryland     

Subsidiaries of Mobile Medical Transportation, Inc.:

         

 

2


Choice American Ambulance Service, Inc.

   Virginia     

Subsidiaries of RMC Insurance, Ltd.:

         

RMC Corporate Center, L.L.C. (99%)

   Arizona     

Subsidiaries of R/M of Mississippi, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of Mississippi, Inc.

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Corporation of Florida:

         

Rural/Metro of North Florida, Inc.

   Florida     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Corporation of Tennessee:

         

R/M of Tennessee G.P., Inc.

   Delaware     

R/M of Tennessee L.P., Inc.

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of R/M of Tennessee G.P., Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro Mid-South, L.P. (1%)

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Tennessee, L.P. (1%)

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance, L.P.

Subsidiaries of R/M of Tennessee L.P., Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of Tennessee, L.P. (99%)

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Logistics, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro Hospital Services, Inc:

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Alabama, Inc.:

         

Medstar Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

   Delaware     

RISC America Alabama Fire Safety Services, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Central Alabama, Inc.

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of California, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of San Diego, Inc.

   California     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of San Diego, Inc.

         

San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC (50%)

   California     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Colorado, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of Central Colorado, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Georgia, Inc.:

         

Coastal EMS, Inc.

   Georgia     

E.M.S. Ventures, Inc.

   Georgia    Rural/Metro Ambulance

 

3


Medi-Cab of Georgia, Inc.

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Indiana, Inc.:

         

The Aid Ambulance Company, Inc.

   Delaware    The Aid Company, Inc., Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of The Aid Ambulance Company, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of Indiana, L.P. (1%)

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Indiana II, L.P. (1%)

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Kentucky, Inc.:

         

Mercury Ambulance Service, Inc.

   Kentucky     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Nebraska, Inc.:

         

Eastern Ambulance Service, Inc.

   Nebraska    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of Eastern Ambulance Service, Inc.:

         

Eastern Ambulance Service, Inc. – Lincoln

   Nebraska     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of New York, Inc.:

         

Corning Ambulance Service Inc.

   New York     

Eastern Paramedics, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Medical Services

LaSalle Ambulance Inc.

   New York    Rural/Metro Medical Services

Rural/Metro of Rochester, Inc.

   New York    Rural/Metro Medical Services

Towns Ambulance Service, Inc.

   New York    Rural/Metro Medical Services

Subsidiaries of Eastern Paramedics, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of Brewerton, Inc.

   New York     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Rochester, Inc.:

         

Beacon Transportation, Inc.

   New York    Rural/Metro Medical Services

National Ambulance & Oxygen Service, Inc.

   New York    Rural/Metro Medical Services

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Ohio, Inc.:

         

Gold Cross Ambulance Services, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Central Ohio, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Northern Ohio, Inc.

   Delaware   

Rural/Metro Ambulance;

Rural/Metro Helpline

Subsidiaries of Gold Cross Ambulance Services, Inc.:

         

Gold Cross Ambulance Service of Pa., Inc.

   Ohio    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Central Ohio, Inc.:

         

American Limousine Service, Inc.

   Ohio     

 

4


Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Oregon, Inc.:

         

Valley Fire Service, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Fire Department; Valley Fire Service

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of South Carolina, Inc.:

         

EMS Ventures of South Carolina, Inc.

   South Carolina     

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of South Dakota, Inc.:

         

Medical Transportation Services, Inc.

   South Dakota     

Subsidiaries of Medical Transportation Services, Inc.:

         

Sioux Falls Ambulance, Inc.

   South Dakota    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro Texas Holdings, Inc.:

         

R/M of Texas G.P., Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Arlington, Inc.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Texas, Inc.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of R/M of Texas G.P., Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of North Texas, L.P. (1%).

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Texas, L.P. (1%)

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance, L.P.

Subsidiaries of Rural/Metro of Texas, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of North Texas, L.P. (99%).

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Texas, L.P. (99%)

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Subsidiaries of Southwest Ambulance of Casa Grande, Inc.:

         

Southwest Ambulance and Rescue of Arizona, Inc.

   Arizona    Southwest Ambulance and Rescue of Arizona; SWARA

Subsidiaries of Southwest General Services, Inc.:

         

Southwest General Services of Dallas, LLC (19.9%)

   Delaware     

Subsidiaries of The Aid Company, Inc.:

         

Rural/Metro of Indiana, L.P. (99%)

   Delaware     

 

LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS

 

NAME


  

STATE


  

NAMES UNDER WHICH

ENTITY DOES BUSINESS


Rural/Metro Mid-South, L.P.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Tennessee, L.P.

   Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Indiana, L.P.

   Delaware     

Rural/Metro of Indiana II, L.P.

   Delaware     

 

5


Rural/Metro of North Texas, L.P.

  Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

Rural/Metro of Texas, L.P.

  Delaware    Rural/Metro Ambulance

 

LLCS

 

NAME


  STATE

  

NAMES UNDER WHICH

ENTITY DOES BUSINESS


RMC Corporate Center, L.L.C.

  Arizona     

Members: RMC Insurance Ltd. (99%)

        

Rural/Metro Corporation, an Arizona corporation (1%)

        
          

San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC

  California     

Members: Rural/Metro of San Diego, Inc. (50%)

        

City of San Diego (50%)

        
          

Southwest General Services of Dallas, L.L.C.

  Delaware     

Members: Southwest General Services, Inc. (19.9%)      Patrick E. Cantelme (80.1%)

        

 

6

EX-23.1 4 dex231.htm CONSENT OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Exhibit 23.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 33-76526, 33-80454, 33-88302, 333-2818, 333-07457, 333-62517, 333-62983, 333-64139, 333-68161, 333-49004, 333-61412, 333-76826), the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-39453) and the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-37393) of Rural/Metro Corporation of our report dated October 13, 2003 relating to the consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2003 and 2002 and for the years then ended, which appears in this Form 10-K.

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

 

Phoenix, Arizona

October 13, 2003

EX-23.2 5 dex232.htm CONSENT OF SINGER LEWAK GREENBAUM AND GOLDSTEIN, LLP Consent of Singer Lewak Greenbaum and Goldstein, LLP

Exhibit 23.2

 

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS CONSENT

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the previously filed Registration Statements of Rural/Metro Corporation and subsidiaries on Forms S-8 (Nos. 33-76526, 33-80454, 33-88302, 333-2818, 333-07457, 333-62517, 333-62983, 333-64139, 333-68161, 333-49004, 333-61412, 333-76826), the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-39453) and the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-37393) of our report, dated October 13, 2003, appearing in the June 30, 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K of Rural/Metro Corporation and subsidiaries for the year ended June 30, 2001.

 

SINGER LEWAK GREENBAUM & GOLDSTEIN LLP

 

Los Angeles, California

October 13, 2003

EX-31.1 6 dex311.htm SECTION 302 - CEO CERTIFICATION Section 302 - CEO Certification

Exhibit 31.1

 

RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED

 

I, Jack E. Brucker, certify that:

 

  1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Rural/Metro Corporation;

 

  2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

  3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

  4.   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

 

  a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

  b)   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation;

 

  c)   disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

  5.   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

 

  a)   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

  b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: October 14, 2003

 

   

/s/ Jack E. Brucker


   

President and Chief Executive Officer

   

Rural/Metro Corporation

EX-31.2 7 dex312.htm SECTION 302 - CFO CERTIFICATION Section 302 - CFO Certification

Exhibit 31.2

 

RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED

 

I, Michael S. Zarriello, certify that:

 

  1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Rural/Metro Corporation;

 

  2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

  3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

  4.   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

 

  a.   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

  b.   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation;

 

  c.   disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

  5.   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

 

  a.   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

  b.   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: October 14, 2003

 

   

/s/ MICHAEL S. ZARRIELLO


   

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

   

(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting

Officer)

   

Rural/Metro Corporation

EX-32.1 8 dex321.htm SECTION 906 - CEO CERTIFICATION Section 906 - CEO Certification

EXHIBIT 32.1

 

RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Annual Report of Rural/Metro Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the period ended June 30, 2003, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Jack E. Brucker, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

(2) The information contained in this Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

Dated: October 14, 2003

 

/s/ JACK E. BRUCKER


   

Jack E. Brucker

   

President and Chief Executive Officer

   
EX-32.2 9 dex322.htm SECTION 906 - CFO CERTIFICATION Section 906 - CFO Certification

EXHIBIT 32.2

 

RURAL/METRO CORPORATION

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Annual Report of Rural/Metro Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the period ended June 30, 2003, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Michael S. Zarriello, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

(2) The information contained in this Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

Dated: October 14, 2003

 

/s/ MICHAEL S. ZARRIELLO


   

Michael S. Zarriello

   

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

   

(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

   
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