AeroCentury Corp Reports Operating Results (10-Q)

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Aug 10, 2012
AeroCentury Corp (ACY, Financial) filed Quarterly Report for the period ended 2012-06-30.

Aerocentury Corp. has a market cap of $17.9 million; its shares were traded at around $12.1 with a P/E ratio of 8.4 and P/S ratio of 0.7. Aerocentury Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 12% over the past 10 years.

Highlight of Business Operations:

The lease for one of the Company s aircraft contains a purchase option for the lessee for an amount substantially below the estimated residual value of the asset at the date for purchase under such option. Consequently, the Company considers the purchase option to be a “bargain purchase option” and has classified such lease as a finance lease for financial accounting purposes. The Company also had a second aircraft subject to a finance lease that terminated in June 2011 in connection with the disposal of the asset. The Company does not include the value, purchase price or accumulated depreciation of finance lease assets on its balance sheet. Instead, for any finance lease, the discounted present value of (i) future minimum lease payments (including the bargain purchase option) and (ii) any residual value not subject to a bargain purchase option are reported as a finance lease receivable. Rental revenue and depreciation expense are not recognized on finance leases. Rather, the Company accrues interest on the balance of the finance lease receivable based on the interest rate inherent in the lease. The Company recognized interest earned on finance leases as “other income” in the amount of $22,600 and $50,000 in the quarters ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $46,000 and $194,300 in the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Operating lease revenue increased by $1,026,500 in the quarter ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 primarily because of: (i) a $893,000 increase related to aircraft that were on lease in the 2012 quarter but off lease for all or part of the 2011 quarter; (ii) a $709,500 increase related to aircraft that were acquired and leased during the fourth quarter of 2011 and first six months of 2012; and (iii) a $231,300 increase related to assets that were on lease in the second quarter of both years but for which the Company recorded a reduction in operating lease revenue in the 2011 quarter due to uncertainty about the collectability of the related receivables. The effects of these increases were partially offset by a decrease of $866,200 related to aircraft that were off lease for all or part of the second quarter of 2012, were sold during 2011 or the first six months of 2012, or were re-leased at lower rates.

During the quarters ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, $727,400 and $2,178,100 respectively, of the Company s maintenance expense for off-lease aircraft and maintenance performed by lessees were funded by non-refundable maintenance reserves that had been recorded as revenue when earned.

Operating lease revenue increased by $2,729,000 in the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 primarily because of: (i) a $1,923,500 increase related to aircraft that were on lease in the 2012 period but off lease for all or part of the 2011 period; (ii) a $1,197,200 increase related to aircraft that were acquired and leased during the fourth quarter of 2011 and first six months of 2012; and (iii) a $470,500 increase related to assets that were on lease in the 2012 and 2011 periods for which the Company recorded a reduction in operating lease revenue in the 2011 period due to uncertainty about the collectability of the related receivables. The effects of these increases were partially offset by a decrease of $1,231,400 related to aircraft that were off lease for all or part of the first six months of 2012, were sold during 2011, or were re-leased at lower rates.

Economic downturns can affect certain regions of the world more than others. As the Company s portfolio is not entirely globally diversified, a localized downturn in one of the key regions in which the Company leases assets could have a significant adverse impact on the Company. Currently, 25%, 24%, 24% and 18% of the Company s lease revenue comes from the European, Caribbean, African and Asian regions, respectively, with five, two, two and four lessees, respectively. Consequently, the current European financial crisis and its potential impact on the European economy is a substantial area of concern for the Company.

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