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PASON SYSTEMS INC. REPORTS THIRD QUARTER OPERATING RESULTS
Published Nov 2 2010
5 min read

PASON SYSTEMS INC. REPORTS THIRD QUARTER OPERATING RESULTS

Stock Exchange: TSX

Symbol: PSI

CALGARY, Nov. 2 /CNW/ - Pason Systems Inc. ("Pason" or "the Company") today announced its results for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010.

    <<
    Performance Data
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Three Months Ended         Nine Months Ended
                                      September 30,             September 30,
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             2010     2009  Change     2010     2009  Change
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (000s, except per share    ($)      ($)     (%)      ($)      ($)     (%)
     data) (unaudited)

    Revenue                68,653   28,422     142  176,068  104,848      68
    EBITDA(1)              34,606    8,261     319   81,508   33,030     147
      As a % of revenue      50.4     29.1      73     46.3     31.5      47
      Per share - basic      0.42     0.10     320     1.00     0.41     144
      Per share - diluted    0.42     0.10     320     1.00     0.41     144
    Funds flow from
      operations(1)        26,856    7,373     264   66,074   29,116     127
      Per share - basic      0.33     0.09     267     0.81     0.36     125
      Per share - diluted    0.33     0.09     267     0.81     0.36     125
    Earnings (loss)        12,449   (4,200)      -   27,299   (7,990)      -
      Per share - basic      0.16    (0.05)      -     0.34    (0.10)      -
      Per share - diluted    0.16    (0.05)      -     0.34    (0.10)      -
    Capital expenditures   12,499    3,879     222   23,950   12,345      94
    Working capital       154,993  150,029       3  154,993  150,029       3
    Total assets          392,582  367,147       7  392,582  367,147       7
    Shareholders'
     equity               321,025  320,669       -  321,025  320,669       -
    Common shares
     outstanding (No.)
      Basic                81,502   81,487       -   81,497   81,472       -
      Diluted              81,502   81,487       -   81,497   81,472       -
    Shares outstanding
     end of period         81,504   81,487       -   81,504   81,487       -
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (1) EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest expense, income taxes,
        stock-based compensation expense and depreciation and amortization
        expense. Funds flow from operations is defined as earnings adjusted
        for depreciation and amortization expense, stock-based compensation
        expense, future income taxes and other non-cash items impacting
        operations as presented in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
        These definitions are not recognized measures under Canadian
        generally accepted accounting principles, and accordingly, may not be
        comparable to measures used by other companies.
    >>

President's Message

Operations Review

Due to stronger drilling activity in Canada and the United States plus improved pricing and market share in the United States, Pason recorded a marked improvement in third quarter financial results as compared to 2009. Revenue for the third quarter jumped 142% from the prior year to $68.7 million, cash flow rose 264% to $26.9 million and earnings reversed from a loss of $4.2 million in the prior year to a profit of $12.4 million in the current quarter. Earnings per diluted share was $0.16 compared to a loss per share of $0.05 in 2009. While the third quarter benefited from higher prices in the United States when compared to 2009, the price increases in Canada did not take place until the beginning of the fourth quarter and thus all of the earnings improvement in that country came from higher volume and better operating margins.

United States segment operating results dramatically reversed from last year's loss of $2.7 million to a profit of $21.2 million and just a shade behind our record U.S. quarter of $21.5 million earned in the third quarter of 2008. Revenue per U.S. industry day was a record $284 compared to $150 in the prior year and $251 in 2008. The competitive strength of the of U.S. business unit allowed us to recover the market share losses and price decreases created by the precipitous drop in drilling activity from late 2008 until June of 2009. This was reflected in a 204% increase in revenue for the quarter against an industry improvement of 71% in drilling days. The revenue gain was also clearly helped by the successful integration of Petron employees and customers into the Pason business. At the end of the quarter Pason had at least some of its equipment installed on 1,060 rigs or 65% of the active rigs. Going forward our focus will be to increase the product content on each of the rigs that we are working with.

Canada also had a strong rebound from 2009 with segment operating profit of $8.4 million for the quarter compared to $2.0 million recorded in 2009. This was still behind the $14.0 million we earned in the 2008 third quarter but that quarter had 30% more drilling days than 2010 plus our prices for our main two products, electronic drilling recorders and pit volume totalizers, were 20% higher. Despite those advantages, margin per field technician was only 19% lower in 2010 than 2008. Our revenue per industry drilling day increased to $716 for the quarter versus $675 a year ago. Since we had not raised prices over the prior year, the gains came from modest improvements in market share and product content on rigs.

International revenue was $5.0 million, up from $3.0 million in 2009 despite a major decline in drilling activity in Mexico. Overall, the segment posted a loss of $0.5 million versus a profit of $2.1 million in 2009. This was caused by a number of issues including the collapse of drilling activity in Mexico, a significant loss in exiting a redundant satellite service contract formerly held by Petron, and non-cash amortization of the Australian distribution rights repurchase and the Petron purchase. In addition, Petron's international business was not as strong as its domestic portion and is currently operating at breakeven. In the past 12 months, we have actively been revamping our international business model. While the financial numbers have been modest, we believe we are on the right track to augment our North American business success.

We continue our entry into the frac and produced water treatment market. There is increasing interest from producers to recycle rather than sending water on a one-way trip to a disposal well. We are on the cusp of starting the operation of one water treatment plant in Colorado and three mobile plants in Canada and possibly the United States. Following time for commissioning and demonstration tests for customers, we expect to be earning water treatment revenue in the first quarter of 2011. We anticipate confronting numerous competitors in the early days of this business. However, we believe success in water treatment will fall into deployment, remote monitoring, minimizing labour at the wellsite and optimizing design for a robust range of operating characteristics skills. These are all skills that Pason has delivered in its mainstream data acquisition and rig controls businesses.

Outlook

Both oil and natural gas have traded in fairly narrow ranges for the past year while drilling activity has steadily increased in North America. This drilling increase is not likely to continue. In fact, some reduction in gas drilling is now anticipated for 2011.

We continue to carry a healthy cash reserve of approximately $110 million or just over 10% of our market capitalization. We continue to staff up our New Revenue Group with business development people from within and outside the company charged with seeking new revenue opportunities that will utilize our cash and provide shareholder returns commensurate with Pason's record.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

(signed)

    <<
    Jim Hill
    Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
    >>

November 2, 2010

Third Quarter Conference Call

Pason will be conducting a conference call for interested analysts, brokers, investors and media representatives to review its third quarter results at 9:00 a.m. (Calgary time) on Wednesday, November 3, 2010. The conference call dial-in number is 1-888-231-8191; Conference ID No. 11036182.

Pason Systems Inc. is a leading provider of instrumentation systems to land-based and offshore drilling rigs worldwide. The Company's rental and sold solutions, which include data acquisition, wellsite reporting, remote communications, and web-based information management, maximize rig uptime, improve work efficiency, and minimize operating costs. Pason's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PSI.

Additional information, including the Company's Annual Report and Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2009, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or on the Company's website at www.pason.com.

Certain information regarding the Company contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Such statements are subject to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.

    <<
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    As at                                         September 30,  December 31,
                                                          2010          2009
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (000s) (unaudited)                                      ($)           ($)

    Assets
    Current
      Cash                                             112,812       109,849
      Accounts receivable                               69,937        39,102
      Prepaid expenses                                   1,792         1,416
      Income taxes recoverable                               -         2,928
      Future income tax assets                          17,125         9,037
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       201,666       162,332
    Capital assets                                     156,963       170,678
    Intangible assets (Note 3)                          21,342        19,557
    Future income tax asset                              6,735        14,558
    Goodwill                                             5,876         5,972
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       392,582       373,097
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Liabilities
    Current
      Accounts payable and accrued liabilities          40,122        29,780
      Income taxes payable                               2,964             -
      Current portion of stock-based compensation
       liability (Note 2)                                3,587         1,320
      Dividend payable                                       -        11,408
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        46,673        42,508
    Stock-based compensation liability (Note 2)          2,938           906
    Future income tax liabilities                       21,946        21,348
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        71,557        64,762
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Shareholders' Equity (Note 2)
    Share capital                                       72,092        71,864
    Contributed surplus                                 15,132        14,029
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss               (25,551)      (22,651)
    Retained earnings                                  259,352       245,093
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       321,025       308,335
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       392,582       373,097
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.



    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND RETAINED EARNINGS

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended
                                          September 30,         September 30,
                                       2010       2009       2010       2009
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (000s, except per share data)        ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)
    (unaudited)

    Revenue
      Equipment rentals              66,387     27,146    170,134     99,778
      Instrumentation sales           1,728          -      3,146          -
      Geological services               383      1,215      2,438      4,695
      Interest                          155         61        350        375
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     68,653     28,422    176,068    104,848
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Expenses
      Rental services                23,830     13,053     67,489     48,402
      Cost of instrumentation sales     606          -      1,381          -
      Geological services               216      1,236      1,755      4,587
      Manufacturing and distribution    404        188        916        372
      Research and development        4,629      2,990     12,911      9,404
      Corporate services              2,657      1,518      6,364      4,532
      Local administration            1,752        984      5,134      3,447
      Stock-based compensation        2,958      3,188      5,490      5,190
      Depreciation and amortization  13,224     11,692     37,340     42,129
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     50,276     34,849    138,780    118,063
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Earnings (loss) before the
     under noted items               18,377     (6,427)    37,288    (13,215)
    Other income (expenses)              47       (192)     1,390     (1,074)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Earnings (loss) before income
     taxes                           18,424     (6,619)    38,678    (14,289)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Income taxes
      Current                         6,733       (258)    11,367      1,348
      Future                           (758)    (2,161)        12     (7,647)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      5,975     (2,419)    11,379     (6,299)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Earnings (loss)                  12,449     (4,200)    27,299     (7,990)
    Retained earnings, beginning
     of period                      246,903    258,221    245,093    271,788
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Dividends (Note 5)                    -          -    (13,040)    (9,777)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Retained earnings, end
     of period                      259,352    254,021    259,352    254,021
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Earnings (loss) per share
      Basic                            0.16      (0.05)      0.34      (0.10)
      Diluted                          0.16      (0.05)      0.34      (0.10)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.



    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended
                                          September 30,         September 30,
                                       2010       2009       2010       2009
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (000s) (unaudited)                   ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)

    Earnings (loss)                  12,449     (4,200)    27,299     (7,990)
    Other comprehensive loss,
     net of tax
      Foreign currency
       translation adjustment        (4,044)   (12,613)    (2,900)   (20,687)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total comprehensive income
     (loss)                           8,405    (16,813)    24,399    (28,677)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.



    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended
                                          September 30,         September 30,
                                       2010       2009       2010       2009
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (000s) (unaudited)                   ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)

    Accumulated other comprehensive
     (loss) income, beginning
     of period                      (21,507)    (5,624)   (22,651)     2,450
    Other comprehensive loss,
     net of tax
      Foreign currency
       translation adjustment        (4,044)   (12,613)    (2,900)   (20,687)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Accumulated other comprehensive
     loss, end of period            (25,551)   (18,237)   (25,551)   (18,237)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.



    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended
                                          September 30,         September 30,
                                       2010       2009       2010       2009
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (000s) (unaudited)                   ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)

    Cash flows related to the
     following activities:
    Operating
      Earnings (loss)                12,449     (4,200)    27,299     (7,990)
      Adjustments for non-cash
       items:
        Depreciation and
         amortization                13,224     11,692     37,340     42,129
        Stock-based compensation      1,984      1,488      2,920      1,990
        Future income taxes            (758)    (2,161)        12     (7,647)
        Unrealized foreign exchange
         (gain) loss                    (43)       554     (1,497)       634
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     26,856      7,373     66,074     29,116
      Changes in non-cash working
       capital                       (8,222)    (7,508)   (10,243)    50,237
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     18,634       (135)    55,831     79,353
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Financing
      Issue of common shares under
       the stock option plan             33        101        198        266
      Purchase of stock options          (5)       (22)        (5)      (240)
      Payment of dividends          (13,040)    (9,777)   (24,448)   (19,554)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    (13,012)    (9,698)   (24,255)   (19,528)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Investing
      Additions to capital assets   (12,450)    (2,844)   (21,853)    (9,699)
      Deferred development costs,
       net of investment tax
       credits received                 (49)    (1,035)    (2,097)    (2,646)
      Purchase of Australian
       distribution rights                -          -     (2,829)         -
      Proceeds on disposal of
       capital assets                    72        159         94        534
      Changes in non-cash working
       capital                         (837)    (1,072)    (1,293)    (6,295)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    (13,264)    (4,792)   (27,978)   (18,106)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Effect of exchange rate
     changes on cash                 (1,144)    (3,995)      (635)    (6,814)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Net (decrease) increase in
     cash and cash equivalents       (8,786)   (18,620)     2,963     34,905
    Cash and cash equivalents,
     beginning of period            121,598    154,135    109,849    100,610
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Cash and cash equivalents,
     end of period                  112,812    135,515    112,812    135,515
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Represented by:
      Cash and short-term deposits  112,812    135,515    112,812    135,515
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.



    NOTES TO INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    For the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2010 and 2009

    (000s, except per share data) (unaudited)

    1.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

        These interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in
        accordance with the same accounting policies and methods of
        computation as those outlined in the annual audited financial
        statements. These interim consolidated financial statements do not
        include all disclosures normally provided in annual financial
        statements and should be read in conjunction with the Company's
        audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31,
        2009.

    2.  SHARE CAPITAL

        Authorized

        Unlimited number of common shares

        Unlimited number of preferred shares, issuable in series

        Issued

        Common shares

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Shares      Amount
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             (No.)        ($)

        Balance, December 31, 2009                         81,487     71,864
          Exercise of stock options                            17        198
          Contributed surplus adjustment on exercise
           of stock options                                     -         30
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Balance, September 30, 2010                        81,504     72,092
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        The basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares
        outstanding for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010
        were 81,502 and 81,497 (2009 - 81,487 and 81,472), respectively.

        Stock Option Plan

        At September 30, 2010, 5,390 stock options were outstanding for
        common shares at exercise prices ranging from $10.99 to $17.11 per
        share, expiring between 2010 and 2015 as follows:

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Nine Months Ended September 30,    2010                  2009
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Weighted              Weighted
                                               Average               Average
                                      Share   Exercise      Share   Exercise
                                    Options      Price    Options      Price
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       (No.)        ($)      (No.)        ($)
        Outstanding, beginning
         of period                    6,540      12.05      6,753      12.88
          Granted                        62      11.67         50      12.31
          Exercised                     (23)     12.04        (91)      8.24
          Expired and/or forfeited   (1,189)     13.64     (1,644)     14.01
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Outstanding, end of period    5,390      11.70      5,068      12.58
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Exercisable, end of period    1,813      12.10      1,290      13.82
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Available for grant, end
         of period                    2,760                 3,081
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        All options are issued at market price and vest over three years. The
        following table summarizes the life of options issued:

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Date of Issuance                                               Years
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        November 2006 through October 2008                              3.50
        November 2008 and thereafter                                    5.00


        The following table summarizes information about stock options
        outstanding at September 30, 2010:

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Options Outstanding        Options Exercisable
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Weighted
                                   Average
                                 Remaining   Weighted               Weighted
                                   Contrac-   Average                Average
    Range of             Options      tual   Exercise  Exercisable  Exercise
    Exercise Prices  Outstanding      Life      Price     (Vested)     Price
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ($)                     (No.)   (Years)        ($)       (No.)        ($)

    10.99 - 11.79          1,648      4.18      10.99           -          -
    11.80 - 12.00          2,047      3.18      11.80         692      11.80
    12.01 - 13.00          1,658      0.78      12.18       1,092      12.18
    13.01 - 17.11             37      1.01      15.74          29      15.95
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           5,390      2.73      11.70       1,813      12.10
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The total number of options outstanding must not exceed 10% of the total
    common shares outstanding.

        All stock options granted to employees and directors were accounted
        for using the fair value method estimated on the date of grant using
        the Black-Scholes option pricing model. This method was in effect
        until the shareholders approved adjustments to the stock option plan
        on October 23, 2008. As of this date, stock options have been
        accounted for using a combination of both the fair value and
        intrinsic value methods.

        Contributed Surplus

        Amounts recorded to contributed surplus are as follows:

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Nine Months Ended September 30,                     2010        2009
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              ($)         ($)

        Balance, beginning of period                      14,029       8,834
          Stock-based compensation expense                 1,220       2,468
          Stock options exercised                            (30)        (67)
            Intrinsic value adjustment                       (87)      1,800
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Balance, end of period                            15,132      13,035
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        Restricted Share Unit ("RSU") Plan

        In November of 2008, the Company introduced an RSU program for
        employees and directors. At September 30, 2010, 601 (2009 - 579) RSUs
        were outstanding. All RSUs vest over three years and will result in a
        cash payment to holders based upon the corresponding future market
        value of the Company's common shares. Stock-based compensation
        expense arising from the RSU plan is recorded in the Consolidated
        Statements of Operations and the corresponding liability is recorded
        in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

        Stock-based Compensation Expense and Liability

        Stock-based compensation expense can be summarized as follows:

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended
                                          September 30,         September 30,
                                       2010       2009       2010       2009
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)

        Stock options                 1,984      1,488      2,920      1,990
        RSUs                            974      1,700      2,570      3,200
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Stock-based compensation
         expense                      2,958      3,188      5,490      5,190
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        Stock-based compensation liability can be summarized as follows:

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        As at                                     September 30,  December 31,
                                                          2010          2009
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            ($)           ($)

        Stock options                                      879            32
        RSUs                                             2,708         1,288
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Current portion of stock-based
         compensation liability                          3,587         1,320
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        Stock options                                      963            27
        RSUs                                             1,975           879
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Long-term portion of stock-based
         compensation liability                          2,938           906
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total stock-based compensation liability         6,525         2,226
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------

        Purchase of Common Shares

        On March 22, 2010, the Company received regulatory approval to renew
        its normal course issuer bid program. The Company did not purchase
        any shares during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010.
        The Company is authorized to purchase and cancel up to 4,000 common
        shares before the bid terminates on March 23, 2011. The daily
        purchase limit is 26 common shares.

    3.  RE-PURCHASE OF AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS

        In January of 2010, the Company re-purchased its Australian
        distribution rights for US$2,750 from its former partner. This amount
        was recorded in intangible assets on the Company's Consolidated
        Balance Sheets.

    4.  CONTINGENCIES

        Since late 2003, the Company has defended its position in patent
        infringement lawsuits in Canada and the United States regarding the
        Company's automatic driller. Trial on the U.S. lawsuit concluded on
        November 6, 2008. The jury determined Pason's automatic driller
        infringed three claims of the patent at issue, denied the Company's
        claim that the patent was invalid, and awarded damages in the amount
        of US$14,300. The Company accrued this amount in the 2008
        consolidated financial statements. On April 30, 2009, the trial judge
        denied Pason's motion to reverse the jury verdict and the alternative
        motion for a new trial, approved the jury's damages award of
        US$14,300, plus interest and court costs, and certified the matter
        for appeal. The judge denied the plaintiff's request for enhanced
        damages based on willful infringement and refused the plaintiff's
        motion for a permanent injunction that would have prevented the
        rental of Pason's automatic driller in the United States.

        The Company subsequently filed an appeal with the Federal Circuit
        Appeals Court and posted a bond suspending any enforcement of the
        verdict while the appeal was pending. The plaintiff filed a motion
        with the Federal Circuit Appeals Court arguing that the trial court
        was premature in certifying the judgment as final and appealable
        without resolving Pason's claim that the patent holder was guilty of
        inequitable conduct in its prosecution of the patent. The Federal
        Circuit Appeals Court agreed, dismissed the appeal, and remanded the
        case to the trial court. Further trial proceedings at the trial court
        level are currently stayed in deference to the re-examination
        proceedings described below.

        Upon application by the Company, the United States Patent and
        Trademark Office ("USPTO") determined in August 2009 that prior art
        not previously considered in the prosecution of the patent at issue
        raised substantial new questions of patentability. In December 2009,
        the USPTO issued an initial office action determining as a
        preliminary matter that several claims of the '142 Patent were
        invalid, including the three claims previously litigated in the U.S.
        case. In February 2010, the USPTO issued a "Final Rejection". In the
        Final Rejection, the USPTO rejected two claims of the '142 Patent but
        also confirmed two others. In response, the plaintiff moved to amend
        the two rejected claims to overcome the rejection. On March 27, 2010,
        the examiner allowed the plaintiff's amendment and issued a Notice of
        Intent to Issue Re-examination Certificate, which occurred in August
        2010 and concluded the re-examination proceeding. The matter is ready
        to be returned to the trial court for further proceedings on Pason's
        inequitable conduct claims and the plaintiff's request for an
        injunction.

        If the Company does not prevail on its inequitable conduct defense
        and claim, it intends to renew its appeal on all issues.

        In the Canadian case, which is scheduled to come to trial in January
        2011, management's assessment of the outcome continues to be that the
        asserted claims of the patent are not valid, and/or the Company does
        not infringe on any valid claims, and as a result, the Canadian
        litigation is not expected to have a significant adverse impact on
        the Company's financial position or operations. The outcome of the
        U.S. case does not bind a Canadian court. Accordingly, no amount has
        been accrued for any potential loss under the Canadian case in the
        consolidated financial statements at September 30, 2010.

    5.  COMMON SHARE DIVIDEND

        During the second quarter of 2010, the Company declared a dividend of
        $13,040 (2009 - $9,777) or $0.16 per common share (2009 - $0.12). The
        Company transferred these funds to the transfer agent to be held in
        trust until the dividend payment was made on July 2, 2010.

    6.  SUBSEQUENT EVENT

        On October 13, 2010, the Company announced that effective January 1,
        2011, it intends to repurchase the distribution rights for marketing
Pason
        products in Latin American countries from the current holder. The
        countries involved in the repurchase agreement are Mexico, Colombia,
        Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina.

    7.  SEGMENTED INFORMATION

        The Company operates in three geographic segments: Canada, the United
        States and internationally (Latin America, Offshore and the Eastern
        Hemisphere). The amounts related to each segment are as follows:

        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                United     Inter-
                                     Canada     States   national      Total
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)
        Three Months Ended
         September 30, 2010
        Revenue                      21,915     41,784      4,954     68,653
        Operating costs               7,468     15,979      2,957     26,404
        Depreciation and
         amortization                 6,090      4,607      2,527     13,224
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Segment operating profit
         (loss)                       8,357     21,198       (530)    29,025
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        Research and development                                       4,629
        Stock-based compensation                                       2,958
        Corporate services                                             2,657
        Manufacturing and distribution                                   404
        Other income                                                     (47)
        Income taxes                                                   5,975
                                                                  -----------
        Earnings                                                      12,449
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Capital expenditures          3,820      6,369      2,310     12,499
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Three Months Ended
         September 30, 2009
        Revenue                      11,709     13,748      2,965     28,422
        Operating costs               4,202     10,570        501     15,273
        Depreciation and
         amortization                 5,532      5,843        317     11,692
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Segment operating profit
         (loss)                       1,975     (2,665)     2,147      1,457
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        Research and development                                       2,990
        Stock-based compensation                                       3,188
        Corporate services                                             1,518
        Manufacturing and distribution                                   188
        Other expenses                                                   192
        Income taxes                                                  (2,419)
                                                                  -----------
        Loss                                                          (4,200)
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Capital expenditures          2,360        811        708      3,879
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------


        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                United     Inter-
                                     Canada     States   national      Total
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         ($)        ($)        ($)        ($)
        Nine Months Ended
         September 30, 2010
        Revenue                      58,502    102,367     15,199    176,068
        Operating costs              19,408     46,871      9,480     75,759
        Depreciation and
         amortization                16,288     15,048      6,004     37,340
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Segment operating profit
         (loss)                      22,806     40,448       (285)    62,969
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        Research and development                                      12,911
        Stock-based compensation                                       5,490
        Corporate services                                             6,364
        Manufacturing and distribution                                   916
        Other income                                                  (1,390)
        Income taxes                                                  11,379
                                                                  -----------
        Earnings                                                      27,299
                                                                  -----------
                                                                  -----------
        Total assets                159,962    176,341     56,279    392,582
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Capital expenditures          6,170     11,686      6,094     23,950
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Nine Months Ended
         September 30, 2009
        Revenue                      39,749     57,225      7,874    104,848
        Operating costs              16,176     37,422      2,838     56,436
        Depreciation and
         amortization                17,393     22,343      2,393     42,129
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Segment operating profit
         (loss)                       6,180     (2,540)     2,643      6,283
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        Research and development                                       9,404
        Stock-based compensation                                       5,190
        Corporate services                                             4,532
        Manufacturing and distribution                                   372
        Other expenses                                                 1,074
        Income taxes                                                  (6,299)
                                                                  -----------
        Loss                                                          (7,990)
                                                                  -----------
        Total assets                175,678    169,090     22,379    367,147
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        Capital expenditures          3,772      3,837      4,736     12,345
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    >>

Pason Systems Inc., Jim Hill, Chairman, President and CEO, Phone: (403) 301-3401, Fax: (403) 301-3499, E-mail: jim.hill@pason.com; Jim Glasspoole, Chief Financial Officer, Phone: (403) 692-3840, Fax: (403) 301-3411, E-mail: jim.glasspoole@pason.com

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