Payne equipment case | Business & Finance homework help

CASE STUDY 5
PAYNE EQUIPMENT, LLC.

Advance
Your
World.

Payne Equipment LLC is a regional manufacturer of various commercial tree trimming equipment. Products
include Chain saws, prune saws, pole saws, pole pruners & loppers, and stump grinders. Thomas Payne formed
the business 7 years ago. He has a background in a related business as the Vice President of Marketing for a
national manufacturer of lawn maintenance equipment. Tom is 43 years old, married, and has two children. He
owns 75% of the company. The marketing of Payne’s products is his primary responsibility.

His cousin Paul Trout owns the other 25% of the company. Paul is 50 years old and has prior management
experience in the industry in production and finance. As such, Paul handles the company’s accounting and
production requirements.

The industry is mature with a handful of large national companies (Grainger, Jameson, Klein, Corona, and Silky)
who have the lion’s share of the market. There are several small manufacturers, like Payne, selling in their
geographic markets. The number of manufacturers in this business has consolidated, with the pressure by the
major hardware retailers offering more competitive products at lower prices. Payne’s niche is with service
contractors who seek more reliable, long lasting, and higher capacity equipment that has helped Payne retains its
market share. About 500 small service businesses in the Southeastern United States represent the base of
Payne’s clients. Payne also has modest sales with one the big three national hardware chains.

Although there are no major concentrations, the top 4 customers account for 20% of total sales. The terms of sale
call for full payment within 20 days of delivery. The service companies typically pay on time, but the national
hardware chain pays about 15 days beyond the stated terms.

The attached spreads of Payne’s historical financial statements reflect a consistently profitable business with
good margins on a growing sales base leading to improving balance sheet proportions. However, the company
remains leveraged with tight liquidity.

Payne Equipment conducts its business out of an office/warehouse type facility in a local industrial park. It
leases 75% of the building from a local commercial real estate company. The rent is $480,000 per year on a triple
net basis (taxes, insurance, and maintenance are tenants’ responsibility). Although the lease is about to expire,
Payne has an option to either renew the lease for 3 more years with an 8% increase in the rent or purchase the
building at its fair market value (estimated at $2,600,000). The building’s other tenant has notified the property
owner that they will not be renewing their lease.

CS 5 – 2

Thomas and his company, Payne Equipment, have been clients of your bank for the last 7 years. The current term
loan of $200,000 represents the balance of an $800,000 7.5-year 80% SBA guaranteed credit. The fixed assets of
Payne Equipment secure this loan. In addition, the bank provides Payne with a $1,400,000 revolving credit which
is secured by Payne’s current assets with advances limited to the lesser of: $1,400,000 or the sum of 80% of eligible
accounts receivable plus 33% of net inventory (inventory less accounts payable). The advances are controlled
and monitored through use of a borrowing base certificate and a lockbox for all collections. All loans have been
handled as agreed and in compliance with the loan agreement. Thomas and Margret Payne guarantee them.

The Payne’s have an outside net worth of over $1,300,000 consisting of: cash ($120,000), primary residence
($600,000 value less $300,000 mortgage), retirement accounts ($450,000), a beach house ($240,000 value), and
personal assets. Their credit scores exceed 710.

Based upon the continued success of the business, Tom and Paul would like to take advantage of the option to
buy the building that they currently lease. The anticipated mortgage payments would be about half of the current
rent. Plus, Payne would have nearly one third more space.

In addition, they would like to expand their operations to manufacture lawn maintenance equipment. The space
vacated by the other tenant creates this opportunity. It is further supported by the interest expressed by existing
customers for Payne to supply these products. Tom feels that this is necessary to solidify Payne’s client relationships
and ward off competition. Internal projections NS (not provided) indicated 15% sales growth in FY 2015 with a
net profit of $542,000 after expected start-up costs.

Paul has some good contacts in the finance industry and has a letter commitment from SouthEastern Life
Insurance Co. for a $2,000,000 first mortgage (20-year term) at 5.5% fixed subject to adequate financial
commitments (equipment, permanent and seasonal working capital) for the balance of Payne’s identified
needs. The two owners would guarantee the proposed mortgage. It does not require escrow of taxes,
insurance, or maintenance, but is subject to an agreement that requires these items to be maintained current
along with mortgage payments. SouthEastern has completed its due diligence on the company’s financials as
well as the appraisal, environmental, and property condition evaluations. All of these were favorable.

The owners plan to invest $400,000 from their personal resources into the company to facilitate the purchase of
the building and the equipment. Paul has the $100,000 that he will be investing on deposit at the bank. Tom has
$100,00 in cash and a contract to sell his beach property for $240,000 net of expenses. However, the company
will need this $300,000 equity before Tom closes on the sale of the beach house. The contract is subject to the
normal conditions including an appraisal of at least $240,000, a property condition inspection with no material
issues, and a standard title policy. The buyers have been preapproved for the extension of credit necessary to
consummate the sale. The buyer’s lender has indicated that the process will take 1 to 2 months.

Payne Equipment’s purchase option on the building expires in 3 weeks. As such, Tom would like the bank to make
him a bridge loan for $200,000 for the remaining part of his equity investment. This loan would be repaid upon the
closing of the sale on the beach house.

The company also needs to borrow another $200,000 to buy the building plus $600,000 for the new equipment
that has a class life of asset under the IRS code of 8 years (ADR) and a continuation of the $1,400,000 revolving
credit and the existing $200,000 term loan.

The insurance company requires a commitment from a bank to provide the $800,000 fixed asset financing plus
working capital, as a condition for the mortgage loan. The lease agreement purchase option expiration means that
time is of the essence for all parties. As the account officer for this credit, you are expected to meet the company’s
needs within the bank’s policy parameters of safety and soundness.

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PAYNE EQUIPMENT LLC (000) – INTERIM DATA

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ACCOUNT

OPEN

FEB

MAR

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

FY 2/14

YEAR

Sales $580 $620 $800 $1,200 $1,240 $1,000 $1,360 $1,400 $780 $660 $600 $560 $10,800

EAT $(16) $(4) $44 $84 $88 $64 $100 $104 $42 $2 $(8) $(40) $460

Dividend $200 $200

Cash $50

$50

$50

$50

$50

$50

$50 $50

$50

$50

$50

$50

$50 $50

A/R $700 $600 $560 $760 $1,160 $1,200 $1,060 $1,320 $1,360 $1,020 $860 $800 $780 $780

INV $600 $680 $660 $1,000 $1,400 $1,400 $1,420 $1,440 $1,200 $980 $820 $700 $640 $640

Curr Asst

Curr Liab

$1,350

$1,330

$1,270

$1,810

$2,610

$2,650

$2,530 $2,810

$2,610

$2,050

$1,730

$1,550

$1,470 $1,470

NP-Bk $494

$430

$214

$550

$1,186

$1,148

$1,104 $1,204

$1,040

$708

$406

$234

$414 $414

AP $320 $380 $340 $700 $800 $820 $700 $800 $660 $380 $360 $360 $340 $340

Acc. Exp $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 $190 $190 $190 $190 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200

CM $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100

Curr Liab $1,094

$1,090

$834

$1,530

$2,266

$2,258

$2,094 $2,294

$1,990

$1,388

$1,066

$894

$1,054 $1,054

WC $256

$240

$436

$280

$344

$392

$436 $516

$620

$662

$664

$656

$416 $416

Adj WC $800 $720 $700 $880 $1,580 $1,590 $1,590 $1,770 $1,710 $1,420 $1,120 $940 $880 $880

Chg AWC $(80) $(20) $180 $700 $10 $- $180 $(60) $(290) $(300) $(180) $(60) $80

LTV80%A/R 88% 90% 48% 90% 128% 120% 130% 114% 96% 87% 59% 37% 66%

LTV CA 76% 74% 39% 78% 105% 100% 102% 95% 82% 70% 48% 31% 57% 57%