ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OR PLAN OF OPERATION
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of
operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial
statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report. References in
this section to "International Card Establishment, Inc.," the "Company," "we,"
"us," and "our" refer to International Card Establishment, Inc. and our direct
and indirect subsidiaries on a consolidated basis unless the context indicates
otherwise.
This interim report contains forward looking statements relating to our
Company's future economic performance, plans and objectives of management for
future operations, projections of revenue mix and other financial items that are
based on the beliefs of, as well as assumptions made by and information
currently known to, our management. The words "expects, intends, believes,
anticipates, may, could, should" and similar expressions and variations thereof
are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The cautionary statements
set forth in this section are intended to emphasize that actual results may
differ materially from those contained in any forward looking statement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Our strategy is to grow profitably by increasing our penetration of the
expanding small merchant marketplace for payment, Gift & Loyalty and
"microticket" leasing services. We find these merchants through our ISO and
agent channels of distribution and intend to make additional acquisitions on an
opportunistic basis in this fragmented segment of the industry.
OVERVIEW
We are a rapidly growing provider of credit and debit card-based payment
processing services, Gift & Loyalty products and micro ticket leasing services
to small merchants. As of September 30, 2005, we provided our services to
numerous ISOs and thousands of merchants located across the United States. Our
payment processing services enable our merchants to process traditional
card-present, or swipe transactions, as well as card-not-present transactions. A
traditional card-present transaction occurs whenever a cardholder physically
presents a credit or debit card to a merchant at the point-of-sale.
Card-not-present transactions occur whenever the customer does not physically
present a payment card at the point-of-sale and may occur over the Internet or
by mail, fax or telephone. Our microticket leasing services allow small
merchants to finance the cost of POS equipment capable of reading a cardholder's
account information from the card's magnetic stripe or computer chip and sending
that information electronically for authorization and processing.
For additional detailed discussion regarding the Company's business and business
trends affecting the Company and certain risks inherent in the Company's
business, see "Item 6: Management's Discussion and Analysis or Plan of
Operations" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB/A for the year ended
December 31, 2004.
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR BUSINESS
International Card Establishment, Inc. (the "Company") (formerly Summit World
Ventures, Inc.) was incorporated on December 18, 1986 under the laws of the
State of Delaware to engage in any lawful corporate activity, including, but not
limited to, selected mergers and acquisitions. Prior to July 28, 2000, we were
in the developmental stage and could be defined as a "shell" company, whose sole
purpose was to locate and consummate a merger or acquisition with a private
entity, and we did not have any operations. On July 28, 2000, we acquired
iNetEvents, Inc., a Nevada corporation and commenced operations. iNetEvents,
Inc., a Nevada corporation, was incorporated on February 3, 1999 and provided
Internet support and supply software for real time event/convention information
management.
On January 16, 2003, we entered into a Plan and Agreement of Reorganization with
International Card Establishment, Inc., a Nevada corporation and its
shareholders. International Card Establishment, Inc., a Nevada corporation, was
incorporated on July 26, 2002. As part of the acquisition - a reorganization in
the form of a reverse merger, International Card Establishment, Inc. became our
wholly-owned subsidiary, and there was a change of our control. Following the
International Card Establishment, Inc. acquisition we changed our corporate name
from iNetEvents, Inc. to International Card Establishment, Inc. and reverse
split our outstanding shares of Common Stock on a one for two share basis.
On December 15, 2003 we entered into a Plan and Agreement of Reorganization with
GlobalTech Leasing, Inc., a California corporation and its shareholders. On
December 29, 2003 GlobalTech Leasing, Inc. became our wholly-owned subsidiary.
Effective September 8, 2004, we entered into a Plan and Agreement of
Reorganization with Neos Merchant Solutions, Inc., a Nevada corporation and its
shareholders. Effective September 8, 2004, Neos Merchant Solutions, Inc. became
our wholly owned subsidiary.
Our business operations are now conducted primarily through three wholly-owned
subsidiaries: International Card Establishment, Inc., a Nevada corporation
("ICE"), GlobalTech Leasing, Inc., a California corporation ("GTL"), and NEOS
Merchant Solutions, Inc, a Nevada corporation ("NEOS"). iNetEvents, Inc., a
Nevada corporation ("iNet"), will also be maintained as a separate subsidiary to
service and maintain existing, historic iNet business. ICE is a provider of
credit and debit card-based payment processing services for small merchants,
that enable those merchants to accept credit cards, debit cards, and other forms
of electronic payments from their customers; supplies the necessary card readers
and other point-of-sale authorization systems ("POS equipment"), which are often
financed by GTL; and, provides merchant e-commerce solutions. GTL is a growing
provider of lease financing services for POS equipment in amounts generally
ranging from $400 to $5,000, with an average amount financed of approximately
$1,600 and an average lease term of 48 months. NEOS offers merchants a "Smart
Card" (a card that stores data digitally on an embedded chip and not on an
analog magnetic stripe) based system that enables merchants to provide its
proprietary gift cards and incentive-purchase cards that are custom merchant
branded.
On April 18, 2005, the Company entered into an agreement to purchase a portfolio
of residuals for approximately $30,000.
On April 28, 2005, the Company entered into an agreement with an ISO to purchase
a Merchant Portfolio. Cost capitalized in association with this purchase was for
approximately $104,800 as of September 30, 2005.
During the third quarter 2005, the Company entered into additional ISO
agreements which increase their monthly obligations by approximately $112,000, a
portion of which was prepaid.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States,
which require that management make numerous estimates and assumptions. Actual
results could differ from those estimates and assumptions, impacting our
reported results of operations and financial position. Our significant
accounting policies are more fully described in Note 1 to our condensed
consolidated financial statements included in Item 1. The critical accounting
policies described here are those that are most important to the depiction of
our financial condition and results of operations and their application requires
management's most subjective judgment in making estimates about the effect of
matters that are inherently uncertain.
ACCOUNTING FOR GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS. In July 2001, the Financial
Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
"SFAS" No. 141, "Business Combinations" and SFAS No. 142, "Goodwill and Other
Intangible Assets." SFAS No. 141 requires business combinations initiated after
June 30, 2001 to be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting, and
broadens the criteria for recording intangible assets separate from goodwill.
Recorded goodwill and intangibles will be evaluated against these new criteria
and may result in certain intangibles being subsumed into goodwill, or
alternatively, amounts initially recorded as goodwill may be separately
identified and recognized apart from goodwill. SFAS No. 142 requires the use of
a non-amortization approach to account for purchased goodwill and certain
intangibles. Under a non-amortization approach, goodwill and certain intangibles
will not be amortized into results of operations, but instead would be reviewed
for impairment and written down and charged to results of operations only in the
periods in which the recorded value of goodwill and certain intangibles is more
than its fair value. The Company recorded intangible assets in the amount of
$8,102,485 and goodwill in the amount of $2,685,213 in the acquisition of
GlobalTech Leasing, Inc and Neos Merchant Solutions, Inc.. Goodwill is the
excess of the acquisition costs of the acquired entity over the fair value of
the identifiable net assets acquired. The Company is required to test goodwill
and intangible assets that are determined to have an indefinite life for
impairment at least annually. The provisions of SFAS No. 142 require the
completion of an annual impairment test with any impairments recognized in
current earnings. The acquisition of GlobalTech Leasing, Inc. and Neos Merchant
Solutions, Inc. closed on December 29, 2003 and September 8, 2004 respectively,
and it was determined that no impairment to the assigned values had occurred.
In January 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FASB
Interpretation No. 46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" ("FIN 46").
Under that interpretation, certain entities known as "Variable Interest
Entities" ("VIE") must be consolidated by the "primary beneficiary" of the
entity. The primary beneficiary is generally defined as having the majority of
the risks and rewards arising from the VIE. For VIE's in which a significant
(but not majority) variable interest is held, certain disclosures are required.
FIN 46 requires disclosure of Variable Interest Entities in financial statements
issued after January 31, 2003, if it is reasonably possible that as of the
transition date: (1) the Company will be the primary beneficiary of an existing
VIE that will require consolidation or, (2) the Company will hold a significant
variable interest in, or have significant involvement with, an existing VIE. Any
VIEs created after January 31, 2003, are immediately subject to the
consolidation guidance in FIN 46. The measurement principles of this
interpretation will be effective for the Company's 2003 financial statements.
The Company does not have any entities that require disclosure or new
consolidation as a result of adopting the provisions of FIN
In April 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 149, "Amendment of Statement 133 on
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities." SFAS 149 amends SFAS 133 to
provide clarification on the financial accounting and reporting for derivative
instruments and hedging activities and requires similar accounting treatment for
contracts with comparable characteristics. We do not believe the adoption of
SFAS 149, effective primarily for contracts entered into or modified after March
31, 2004 and for hedging relationships designated after March 31, 2004, will
have a material effect on our financial statements.
In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, "Accounting for Certain Financial
Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity." SFAS 150
addresses financial accounting and reporting for certain financial instruments
with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. This statement requires
that an issuer classify a financial instrument that is within its scope as a
liability (or an asset in some circumstances) because that financial instrument
embodies an obligation of the issuer. As required by SFAS 150, we will adopt
this new accounting standard effective July 1, 2003. We do not believe the
adoption of SFAS 150 will have a material impact on our financial statements.
In November 2003, the Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") reached a consensus on
Issue 03-01, "The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and its Application
to Certain Investments" ("EITF 03-01"). EITF 03-01 establishes additional
disclosure requirements for each category of SFAS 115 investments in a loss
position. Effective for years ending after December 15, 2003, companies must
disclose the aggregate amount of unrealized losses, and the aggregate related
fair value of their investments with unrealized losses. Those investments are
required to be segregated by those in a loss position for less than 12 months
and those in a loss position for greater than 12 months. Additionally, certain
qualitative disclosures should be made to clarify a circumstance whereby an
investment's fair value that is below cost is not considered
other-than-temporary. The provisions of this consensus do not have a significant
effect on our financial position or operating results.
We recognize revenue when customer services are provided and maintain allowances
for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of our
customers to make required payments. If the financial condition of our customers
were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make
payments, additional allowances may be required which would result in an
additional general and administrative expense in the period such determination
was made.
We do not have any of the following:
* Off-balance sheet arrangements.
* Certain trading activities that include non-exchange traded contracts
accounted for at fair value.
* Relationships and transactions with persons or entities that derive benefits
from any non-independent relationships other than related party transactions
discussed herein.
INTANGIBLES
The Company has entered into agreements with Independent Sales Organizations
(ISO's) to purchase Merchant Portfolios. The cost to acquire the legal rights to
the Merchant Portfolios is capitalized as an intangible asset and amortized over
the estimated useful life of the Merchant Portfolio. The estimated useful life
is defined as the actual census of the Merchant Portfolio as of the Company's
year-end.
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), "Share-Based
Payment." SFAS No. 123R replaced SFAS No. 123 and superseded Accounting
Principles Board Opinion No. 25. SFAS No. 123R will require compensation costs
related to share-based payment transactions to be recognized in the financial
statements. The effective date of SFAS No. 123R is the first reporting period
beginning after June 15, 2005. The adoption of SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004)
should not have a significant impact on the Company's financial position or
results of operations until such time the Company has share-based payments.
On April 14, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an announcement
amending the compliance dates for the FASB's SFAS 123R that addresses accounting
for equity based compensation arrangements. Under SFAS 123R registrants would
have been required to implement the standard as of the beginning of the first
interim or annual period that begins after June 15, 2005. The Commission's new
rule will allow companies to implement SFAS 123R at the beginning of the next
fiscal year after June 15, 2005. The Company anticipates adopting SFAS 123R in
the first quarter 2006.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2005 ("2005")
COMPARED TO THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2004 ("2004")
For the three-month period ended September 30, 2005, the Company generated net
revenues of $3,793,164 as compared to net revenues of $3,760,392 or the same
three-month period ended September 30, 2004. The Company's cost of revenues
aggregated to $3,382,991 as compared to $3,221,037 for the three-month period
ended September 30, 2004 and yielded a gross profit of $410,173 as compared to
$539,355 for the three-month period ended September 30, 2004. The Company's
operating, general and administrative costs aggregated to $1,032,863 for the
three-months ended September 30, 2005 as compared to $1,123,773 for the same
period in 2004, resulting in a net operating loss of $935,036 for the
three-month period ended September 30, 2005 as compared to a net operating loss
of $593,095 for the three-month period ended September 30, 2004.
The Company's cash position decreased to $660,409 at September 30, 2005 from a
balance of $2,115,491 as of December 31, 2004. The Company received $0 in net
proceeds from the 2004 sale of its preferred stock during the three-month period
ended September 30, 2005. The Company did not have any common stock transactions
resulting in proceeds received in 2005; transactions as of September 30, 2004
resulted in common stock proceeds of $1,671,000 during the three-month period
ended September 30, 2004. The Company issued zero common shares during the
three-month period ended September 30, 2005 compared to 4,981,826 common shares
during the three-month period ended September 30, 2004. Management believes that
it will be able to fund the company through its present cash position and the
continuation of revenue producing activities by its subsidiaries ICE, GTL, and
NEOS. We will need to seek further capital through the sale of our capital stock
and/or the issuance of debt in order to continue to grow the Company.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2005 ("2005")
COMPARED TO THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2004 ("2004")
For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2005, the Company generated net
revenues of $12,248,662 as compared to net revenues of $10,681,308 for the same
nine-month period ended September 30, 2004. The company's cost of revenues
aggregated to $10,402,149 as compared to $9,089,939 for the nine-month period
ended September 30, 2004 and yielded a gross profit of $1,846,513 as compared to
$1,591,369 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2004. The Company's
operating, general and administrative costs aggregated to $3,425,944 for the
nine-months ended September 30, 2005 as compared to $3,768,832 for the same
period in 2004, resulting in a net operating loss of $2,513,575 for the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2005 as compared to a net operating loss
of $2,189,254 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2004.
The Company's cash position decreased to $660,409 at September 30, 2005 from a
balance of $2,115,491 as of December 31, 2004. The Company received $1,725,462
in net proceeds from the 2004 sale of its preferred stock during the nine-month
period ended September 30, 2005. The Company did not have any common stock
transactions resulting in proceeds received in 2005; transactions as of
September 30, 2004 resulted in common stock proceeds of $5,188,586 during the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2004. The Company issued 929,242 common
shares during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2005 compared to
approximately 10,796,000 common shares during the nine-month period ended
September 30, 2004. Management believes that it will be able to fund the company
through its present cash position and the continuation of revenue producing
activities by its subsidiaries ICE, GTL, and NEOS. We will need to seek further
capital through the sale of our capital stock and/or the issuance of debt in
order to continue to grow the Company.
Management believes that it is moving toward profitability. We plan to attain
profitability and meet cash flow needs going forward as follows:
1. Management believes that the increase in revenue we have experienced will
continue as a result of the operations of its subsidiaries, ICE, GTL, and
NEOS.
2. We are actively seeking additional financing to implement measures that
Management believes will increase our operating margins and for additional
acquisitions that will increase our overall revenue base. There is no
assurance that we will be able to obtain additional capital as required, or
obtain the capital on acceptable terms and conditions.
3. We are seeking to control overall operating expenses while increasing our
gross revenue base through the integration of existing acquisitions and
future acquisitions.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
We are currently seeking to expand our merchant services offerings in bankcard,
gift and loyalty and POS equipment leasing. In addition, we are investigating
additional business opportunities and potential acquisitions; accordingly we
will require additional capital to complete the expansion and to undertake any
additional business opportunities.
We have financed our operations during the current nine-month period primarily
through the receipt of proceeds from preferred stock and use of cash on hand. As
of September 30, 2005, we had total current liabilities of $2,452,777 compared
to $1,635,459 as of December 31, 2004, which included $1,572,802 in outstanding
notes payable, a portion of which was long-term in the Company's 2004 Amended
Annual Report on Form 10-KSB/A.
We had $660,409 cash on hand as of September 30, 2005 compared to $2,115,491
cash on hand as of December 31, 2004. We will continue to need additional cash
during the following twelve months and these needs will coincide with the cash
demands resulting from our general operations and planned expansion. There is no
assurance that we will be able to obtain additional capital as required, or
obtain the capital on acceptable terms and conditions.