Maui Land & Pineapple Reports 2009 1st Quarter Results

Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (MLP) reported a net loss of $13.2 million or $1.65 per share for the first quarter of 2009 compared to a net loss of $414,000, or $0.05 per share for the first quarter of 2008. Consolidated revenues were $15.6 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to $25.4 million for the first quarter of 2008, a decrease of 39%. Results in the first quarter of 2009 largely reflect the continuing impact of the national and worldwide economic uncertainty that has resulted in reduced visitor counts to Maui and the State of Hawaii and slower sales of real estate. Approximately $10.5 million of the increase in the net loss resulted from the year-over-year decrease in profit from the Company’s equity investment in Kapalua Bay Holdings LLC. The Company’s $50 million cash sale of the Plantation Golf Course in March 2009 was accounted for as a financing transaction and, accordingly, no gain was recognized in the first quarter of 2009.

The Community Development segment reported an operating loss of $3.2 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to operating income of $8.1 million for the first quarter of 2008. Revenues from this operating segment were $2.0 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to $4.6 million for the first quarter of 2008. The Company recorded a loss from Kapalua Bay Holdings, LLC of $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2009 compared to income of $9.4 million in the first quarter of 2008. Lower results in 2009 from the Kapalua Bay equity investment reflect reduced sales for the first quarter of 2009 compared to the first quarter of 2008. Lower results from the Community Development segment in the first quarter of 2009 were also due to no land sales in the first quarter of 2009, compared to the sale of two non-core land parcels in the first quarter of 2008.

The Resort segment reported an operating loss of $4.2 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to an operating loss of $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2008. Resort segment revenues decreased from $11.7 million in the first quarter of 2008 to $8.6 million for the first quarter of 2009 or 26%, reflecting lower revenues from the primary Resort operations, golf, retail and villas. A reduction in visitor arrivals and occupancy at the Resort was primarily responsible for the lower results in the first quarter of 2009.

The Agriculture segment produced an operating loss of $3.5 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to an operating loss of $5.1 million for the first quarter of 2008. Revenues from the Agriculture segment decreased by 42% from $8.5 million in the first quarter of 2008 to $4.9 million in the first quarter of 2009 due to lower case volume of fresh pineapple sales. The lower loss in the first quarter of 2009 reflects higher average prices for fresh pineapple and lower operating costs in the Agriculture segment. In addition, the operating loss for the first quarter of 2008 included approximately $0.9 million in equipment write-offs and a provision of $0.9 million for potentially uncollectible accounts receivable.

MAUI LAND & PINEAPPLE COMPANY, INC.
Report of Consolidated Operations
(Unaudited)
(in thousands except per share amounts)
mlploss1
NOTES:
The Company’s reports for interim periods utilize numerous estimates of production, general and administrative expenses, and other costs for the full year. In addition, revenues from land sales are sporadic. Consequently, amounts in the interim reports are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.
Contacts:
For Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc.
Robert I. Webber, 808-877-1674
Fax: 808-877-1614

Calavo Growers, Inc. Comments on the Significance of Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. Distribution Agreement – Business News – redOrbit

 

Calavo Growers, Inc. (Nasdaq:CVGW), a worldwide leader in packing and distributing of fresh and processed avocados and other perishable food products, today commented on the strategic benefits it anticipates from the addition of Maui Gold® pineapples to its distribution system.

On Nov. 2, 2007, Maui Land and Pineapple Co. (AMEX:MLP) announced that its agricultural subsidiary, Maui Pineapple Company Ltd., entered into an agreement with Calavo. Under terms of that agreement, beginning Dec. 1, 2007, Calavo will sell, market and distribute Maui Pineapple Company’s Maui Gold fresh product throughout the continental United States and Canada.

The following is a statement from Calavo Chairman, President and CEO Lee E. Cole on the favorable implications of the agreement for the company:

"Our agreement with Maui Pineapple Company is significant on many levels–strategic, operational and financial.

"First, we anticipate that sales of Maui Gold fresh pineapples will contribute $25-30 million in revenues to Calavo’s top line in fiscal 2008, as well as become immediately accretive to earnings.

"Second, the addition of Maui Gold pineapples to our fresh-product lineup is a strong, natural complement to Calavo’s market leadership in Hawaiian-grown Kapoho Solo papayas. In addition, we sell a range of other tropical-produce offerings from the islands. I am confident to say that, through this significant expansion into the pineapple category, Calavo will immediately become the largest distributor and marketer of fresh commodity produce grown in Hawaii, and am duly proud of the company’s economic contribution to the islands.

Calavo Growers, Inc. Comments on the Significance of Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. Distribution Agreement – Business News – redOrbit

Maui Land & Pineapple Co.: Look Past the Pineapple — Seeking Alpha

Land and Pineapple Co. (MLP)? HUH? That’s what I said, too, when I stumbled across the company a few months ago. Who would want to own this thing? A pineapple company? I hate pineapples.

Then I dug some more. Not surprisingly, the company’s pineapple business is mediocre at best. The company also operates another subsidiary, Kapalua Land Company, which manages the company’s scenic Kapalua Resort community. As per consolidated results, the company is generally profitable (although erratic in its earnings) and boasts AOL founder Steve Case as a large shareholder. But that’s not why I’m writing this.
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It turns out the company currently owns around 27,500 acres (or 1.2 billion sq ft.) on the Hawaiian island of Maui. That’s a lot of land. And here’s the best part: all of that land is recorded at cost between – you’ll never believe it – 1911 and 1930! Just to remind you: Hawaii wasn’t even close to being a state around that time.

So what does that mean? How much is the land worth today? Well, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that land values in Hawaii have gone up at least a little bit in the past century. Unfortunately, the vast majority (around 22,500 acres) of the land is either mountainous, preserved, or used for agriculture, so it’s not [necessarily] easily salable or, for that matter, developable (if this use of “developable” is not a word, credit me for coining it).

Nonetheless, I’d quite precisely estimate the value of the land somewhere between a little and a whole lot (how’s that for perfection?), but still far more than its cost. Investors can also take solace in the fact that the company still owns an additional 9 miles of beachfront (read: prime) real estate, several PGA toured golf courses, a happening resort community, and who knows what else.

A very good post on the company and some valuation metrics can be found here if you scroll down, so I’ll save you from the technical discussion. The author, Clyde Milton, does as good a job as any in describing the company, and I highly recommend the reading (and the whole blog, for that matter).

Maui Land & Pineapple Co.: Look Past the Pineapple — Seeking Alpha