e10vq
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark one)
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QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2006
OR
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934 |
Commission
file number: 000-51002
ZIPREALTY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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DELAWARE
(State of incorporation)
2000 POWELL STEET, SUITE 300
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94-3319956
(IRS employer identification number) |
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EMERYVILLE, CA
(Address of principal executive offices)
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94608
(Zip Code) |
(510) 735-2600
(Registrants telephone number)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months
(or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has
been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of accelerated filer and large
accelerated filer in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Accelerated Filer þ
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Non-Accelerated Filer o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of
the Exchange Act). Yes o No þ
We
had 20,338,251 shares of common stock outstanding at May 8, 2006.
Statement regarding forward-looking statements
This report includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of
historical facts contained in this report, including statements regarding our future financial
position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are
forward-looking statements. The words believe, may, will, should, could, estimate,
continue, anticipate, intend, expect, plan, potential, predict and similar
expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements contained in this report include, but are not limited to, statements
relating to:
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our future financial results; |
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our future growth and expansion into new markets; |
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our future advertising and marketing activities; and |
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our future investment in technology. |
We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and
projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial
condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking
statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those
described in Risk Factors in Item 1A of Part II. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of
future performance and you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement.
In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and
circumstances discussed in this report may not occur and actual results could differ materially
from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required
by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained in
this report.
Trademarks
ZipRealty, ZipAgent, ZipNotify and Your home is where our heart is are our registered
trademarks in the United States. REALTOR and REALTORS are registered trademarks of the National
Association of REALTORS®. All other trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this
report are the property of their respective owners.
Internet Site
Our Internet address is www.ziprealty.com. We make publicly available free of charge
on our Internet website our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current
reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after we
electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Information contained on our website is not a part of this quarterly report on Form 10-Q.
Where You Can Find Additional Information
You may review a copy of this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, including exhibits and any
schedule filed therewith, and obtain copies of such materials at prescribed rates, at the
Securities and Exchange Commissions Public Reference Room in Room 1580, 100 F Street, NE,
Washington, D.C. 20549-0102. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference
Room by calling the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. The Securities and
Exchange Commission maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and
information statements and other information regarding registrants, such as ZipRealty, that file
electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
3
PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements:
ZIPREALTY, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
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March 31, |
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December 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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(In thousands) |
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Assets |
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Current assets |
|
|
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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$ |
12,482 |
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$ |
6,868 |
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Short-term investments |
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71,055 |
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82,041 |
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Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $53
and $42 at March 31, 2006 and December 31,
2005, respectively |
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1,917 |
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1,634 |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
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3,719 |
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3,138 |
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Current and deferred income taxes |
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2,219 |
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500 |
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Total current assets |
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91,392 |
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94,181 |
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Restricted cash |
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90 |
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90 |
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Property and equipment, net |
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4,095 |
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2,538 |
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Deferred tax assets, net |
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17,053 |
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17,053 |
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Other assets |
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128 |
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91 |
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Total assets |
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$ |
112,758 |
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$ |
113,953 |
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Liabilities and Stockholders Equity |
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Current liabilities |
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Accounts payable |
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$ |
2,124 |
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$ |
1,631 |
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Accrued expenses |
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6,322 |
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8,503 |
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Total current liabilities |
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8,446 |
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10,134 |
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Other long-term liabilities |
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594 |
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38 |
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Total liabilities |
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9,040 |
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10,172 |
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Commitments and contingencies (Note 7) |
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Stockholders equity |
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Common stock: $0.001 par value; 100,000 shares
authorized; 20,319 and 20,273 shares issued
and outstanding at March 31, 2006 and December
31, 2005, respectively |
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20 |
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20 |
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Additional paid-in capital |
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130,748 |
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130,077 |
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Common stock warrants |
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6,094 |
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6,094 |
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Deferred stock-based compensation |
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(226 |
) |
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(257 |
) |
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
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(467 |
) |
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(490 |
) |
Accumulated deficit |
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(32,451 |
) |
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(31,663 |
) |
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Total stockholders equity |
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103,718 |
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103,781 |
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Total liabilities and stockholders equity |
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$ |
112,758 |
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$ |
113,953 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
4
ZIPREALTY, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
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Three months ended March 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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(In thousands, except per share amounts) |
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Net transaction revenues |
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$ |
18,648 |
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$ |
17,318 |
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Referral and other revenues |
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569 |
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500 |
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Net revenues |
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19,217 |
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17,818 |
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Operating expenses |
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Cost of revenues |
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10,740 |
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10,073 |
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Product development |
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1,279 |
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594 |
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Marketing and business development |
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3,073 |
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2,807 |
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General and administrative |
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7,431 |
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4,262 |
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Total operating expenses |
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22,523 |
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17,736 |
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Income (loss) from operations |
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(3,306 |
) |
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82 |
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Other income (expense), net |
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Interest income |
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800 |
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|
600 |
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Other income (expense), net |
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(1 |
) |
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Total other income (expense), net |
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800 |
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599 |
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Income (loss) before income taxes |
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(2,506 |
) |
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|
681 |
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Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |
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(1,718 |
) |
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19 |
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Net income (loss) |
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$ |
(788 |
) |
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$ |
662 |
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Net income (loss) per share: |
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Basic |
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$ |
(0.04 |
) |
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$ |
0.03 |
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Diluted |
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$ |
(0.04 |
) |
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$ |
0.03 |
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding: |
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Basic |
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20,291 |
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19,885 |
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Diluted |
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|
20,291 |
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25,711 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
5
ZIPREALTY, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
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Three months ended March 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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(In thousands) |
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Cash flows from operating activities |
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Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
(788 |
) |
|
$ |
662 |
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Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
Deferred income tax benefit |
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(1,719 |
) |
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Depreciation and amortization |
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|
536 |
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|
286 |
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Stock based compensation expense |
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|
556 |
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|
35 |
|
Provision for doubtful accounts |
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11 |
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|
10 |
|
Amortization of short-term investment premium |
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|
62 |
|
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|
190 |
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities |
|
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|
|
|
|
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Accounts receivable |
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|
(294 |
) |
|
|
(500 |
) |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
|
|
(581 |
) |
|
|
(59 |
) |
Other assets |
|
|
(37 |
) |
|
|
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|
Accounts payable |
|
|
493 |
|
|
|
(661 |
) |
Accrued expenses |
|
|
(2,181 |
) |
|
|
480 |
|
Other long-term liabilities |
|
|
556 |
|
|
|
(16 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
|
|
(3,386 |
) |
|
|
427 |
|
|
|
|
|
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Cash flows from investing activities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Purchases of short-term investments |
|
|
(5,994 |
) |
|
|
(5,052 |
) |
Purchases of property and equipment |
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(2,093 |
) |
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|
(518 |
) |
Proceeds from sale and maturity of short-term investments |
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16,941 |
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|
715 |
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Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
|
|
8,854 |
|
|
|
(4,855 |
) |
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Cash flows from financing activities |
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Proceeds from stock option exercises |
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|
146 |
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39 |
|
Proceeds from common stock warrant exercises |
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6 |
|
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Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
146 |
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|
45 |
|
|
|
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Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
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5,614 |
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(4,383 |
) |
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Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
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6,868 |
|
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|
11,525 |
|
|
|
|
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Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
|
$ |
12,482 |
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|
$ |
7,142 |
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|
|
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|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.
6
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. BACKGROUND AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The accompanying unaudited interim balance sheet as of March 31, 2006, the statements of operations
and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, together with the related notes,
have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of America for interim financial information and the rules and regulations of the U. S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, the interim financial statements do not include all of the
information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for annual financial
statements. In the opinion of the Companys management, the unaudited interim financial statements
have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements, except for the adoption
of SFAS 123(R), as explained in Note 4, and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal
recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Companys financial position for
the periods presented. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2006 are not necessarily
indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2006, or any other
period. The balance sheet at December 31, 2005 has been derived from the audited balance sheet at
that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements.
These financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the audited financial
statements and notes thereto included in the Companys annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2005.
Reclassifications
Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current periods presentation.
Stock split
In August 2004, the Companys stockholders approved a reverse stock split of the Companys common
and redeemable convertible preferred stock in a range of one for two to one for three shares. The
actual split ratio of one for three shares of the Companys common and redeemable convertible
preferred stock was approved by the Board of Directors on October 21, 2004, following stockholder
approval of the range. On November 8, 2004, the reverse stock split became effective. All share,
per share and stock option data information in the financial statements for all periods have been
retroactively restated to reflect the reverse stock split.
Initial public offering
On November 9, 2004, the Securities and Exchange Commission declared effective the Companys
Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-115657) for the initial public offering. The
Company commenced the offering immediately thereafter. The Company completed the sale of 4,550,000
shares of common stock on November 15, 2004 at a price of $13.00 per share, and on November 18,
2004 the Company sold the remainder of the registered shares of common stock (682,500 shares) at
the same price per share pursuant to the underwriters exercise of the over-allotment option. UBS
Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Thomas Weisel Partners LLC and Pacific Growth
Equities, LLC acted as the underwriters for the offering.
The aggregate purchase price of the offering was $68,022,500. The net offering proceeds received by
the Company after deducting total estimated expenses were $61,402,757. The Company incurred total
estimated expenses in connection with the offering of $6,619,743, which consisted of $1,795,943 in
legal, accounting and printing fees, $4,761,575 in underwriters discounts, fees and commissions,
and $62,225 in miscellaneous expenses. No payments for such expenses were made directly or
indirectly to (i) any of the Companys directors, officers or their associates, (ii) any person
owning 10% or more of any class of the Companys equity securities or (iii) any of the Companys
affiliates.
Upon the closing of the Companys initial public offering on November 15, 2004, 13,025,620 shares
of outstanding redeemable convertible preferred stock converted into common stock. Therefore, at
March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, there were no shares of outstanding redeemable convertible
preferred stock.
All outstanding warrants to acquire preferred stock automatically became exercisable for common
stock upon the first closing of the Companys initial public offering.
Seasonality
The Companys net transaction revenues and income from operations have historically varied from
quarter to quarter. Such variations are principally attributable to variations in home sales
activity over the course of the calendar year. The Company has historically experienced lower net
transaction revenues during the first quarter because holidays and adverse weather conditions in
certain regions typically reduce the level of sales activity and listings inventories between the
Thanksgiving and Presidents Day holidays. Net
7
transaction revenues during the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004 accounted for
approximately 19.0% and 17.5% of annual net transaction revenues in 2005 and 2004, respectively.
2. SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
At March 31, 2006 short-term investments were classified as available-for-sale securities, except
for restricted cash, and are reported at fair value as follows:
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Gross |
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Gross |
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Gross Amortized |
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|
Unrealized |
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Unrealized |
|
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Estimated |
|
| |
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Cost |
|
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Gains |
|
|
Losses |
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Fair Value |
|
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(in thousands) |
|
Money market securities |
|
$ |
2,131 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
2,131 |
|
Repurchase agreements |
|
|
5,900 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,900 |
|
Asset backed |
|
|
10,210 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(51 |
) |
|
|
10,159 |
|
Corporate obligations |
|
|
29,006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(194 |
) |
|
|
28,812 |
|
US Government and agency obligations |
|
|
32,306 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(222 |
) |
|
|
32,084 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total short-term investments |
|
$ |
79,553 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(467 |
) |
|
$ |
79,086 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
| |
|
2006 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands) |
|
Recorded as: |
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents |
|
$ |
8,031 |
|
Short-term investments |
|
|
71,055 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
79,086 |
|
|
|
|
|
At March 31, 2006, the fair value of the Companys investments which had been in an unrealized loss
position for over twelve months was $34.0 million and the related unrealized loss was approximately
$107,000.
The estimated fair value of short-term investments classified by date of contractual maturity at
March 31, 2006 are as follows:
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| |
|
March 31, |
|
| |
|
2006 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
Due within one year or less |
|
$ |
41,936 |
|
Due after one year through two years |
|
|
29,130 |
|
Due after two years through four years |
|
|
8,020 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
79,086 |
|
|
|
|
|
3. NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE
The following table sets forth the computation of basic and dilutive net income (loss) per share
for the period indicated:
| |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months ended March 31, |
|
| |
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands, except per share |
|
| |
|
data) |
|
Numerator: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) available to
common stockholders (for basic
and dilutive EPS computations) |
|
$ |
(788 |
) |
|
$ |
662 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Denominator: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares
outstanding used to compute
EPS: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
|
20,291 |
|
|
|
19,885 |
|
Diluted |
|
|
20,291 |
|
|
|
25,711 |
|
Net income (loss) per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
(0.04 |
) |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
(0.04 |
) |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
The following table sets forth potential common shares that are not included in the diluted net
income (loss) per share calculation because to do so would be antidilutive for the periods
presented:
8
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|
| |
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands) |
|
Stock options to purchase common stock |
|
|
4,105 |
|
|
|
551 |
|
Warrants to purchase preferred and common stock |
|
|
4,603 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
4. STOCK BASED COMPENSATION
Effective January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the provisions of SFAS 123 (Revised 2004),
Share-Based Payment (SFAS 123(R)) which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation
expense for all stock-based payment awards made to employees and directors, including employee
stock options and employee stock purchases, based on estimated fair values. On March 29, 2005,
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107 (SAB 107)
which provides the SEC Staffs views regarding interactions between SFAS 123(R) and certain SEC
rules and regulations and provides interpretations of the valuation of share-based payments for
public companies. The Company adopted SFAS 123(R) using the modified prospective transition method,
which requires application of the accounting standard as of January 1, 2006, the first day of
fiscal year 2006. The Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements as of and for the three months
ended March 31, 2006 reflect the impact of SFAS 123(R). In accordance with the modified
prospective transition method, the financial statements for prior periods have not been restated to
reflect the impact of SFAS 123(R). Therefore, the results for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 are
not directly comparable to the same period in the prior year.
The Company accounts for equity instruments issued to non-employees in accordance with the
provisions of SFAS No. 123(R) and Emerging Task Force Issue No. 96-18, Accounting for Equity
Instruments That Are Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with Selling,
Goods or Services (EITF 96-18).
Prior to the adoption of SFAS 123(R)
Prior to the adoption of SFAS 123(R), the Company accounted for employee stock-based compensation
arrangements in accordance with provisions of Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25,
Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees (APB 25) and Financial Accounting Standards Board
Interpretation No. 44, Accounting for Certain Transactions Involving Stock Compensation an
Interpretation of APB No. 25 (FIN 44) and complied with the disclosure provisions of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standard No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation (SFAS 123) as
amended by Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transaction and Disclosure (SFAS 148). Under APB 25, compensation expense was
based on the difference, if any, on the date of the grant, between the fair value of the Companys
stock and the exercise price of the option. The Company amortized deferred stock-based compensation
using the straight-line method.
The following table illustrates the effect on net income if the Company had applied the fair-value
recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123, as amended by SFAS 148, to stock-based employee
compensation.
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
| |
|
March 31, 2005 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands, except per |
|
| |
|
share data) |
|
Net income as reported |
|
$ |
662 |
|
Add: Stock-based compensation expense included in
reported net income, net of tax |
|
|
35 |
|
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined
under the fair value based method for all awards, net of tax |
|
|
(285 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net income |
|
$ |
412 |
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per share, as reported: |
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
Pro forma income per share: |
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
Impact of the Adoption of SFAS 123(R)
The Company elected to adopt the modified prospective application transition method as provided by
SFAS 123(R) except for options granted prior to May 2004, for which the fair value was determined
for disclosure purposes using the minimum value method. Under this transition method, stock-based
compensation cost recognized in the quarter ended March 31, 2006 includes:
9
| |
|
compensation cost for all unvested stock-based awards as of
January 1, 2006 that
were granted subsequent to May 2004, and prior to
January 1, 2006, based on the grant
date fair value estimated in accordance with the original provisions of SFAS 123; |
| |
|
compensation cost for stock-based awards granted subsequent
to January 1, 2006,
based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of
SFAS 123(R); and |
| |
|
compensation cost for options granted prior to May 2004, based on the intrinsic
value method |
Previously reported amounts have not been restated. The effect of recording stock-based
compensation for the three months ended March 31, 2006 was as follows:
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
| |
|
March 31, 2006 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenues |
|
$ |
120 |
|
Product development |
|
|
42 |
|
Marketing and business development |
|
|
27 |
|
General and administrative |
|
|
367 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total stock-based compensation |
|
|
556 |
|
Tax effect on stock based compensation |
|
|
(222 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Net effect on net income |
|
|
334 |
|
|
|
|
|
Effect on earnings per share: |
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
|
|
|
|
There was no impact on cash flows from operating activities or financing activities during the
three months ended March 31, 2006 as a result of the adoption of SFAS 123(R). In the Companys pro
forma disclosures prior to the adoption of SFAS 123(R) the Company accounted for forfeitures upon
occurrence. SFAS 123(R) requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised if
necessary in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The Company
estimated expected forfeitures based on various factors including employee class and historical
experience. As of March 31, 2006, there was $5.7 million of unrecorded total stock-based
compensation, after estimated forfeitures, related to unvested stock options. That cost is
expected to be recognized over a weighted average remaining recognition period of 3 years.
Valuation Assumptions
SFAS 123(R) requires companies to estimate the fair value of share-based payment awards on the date
of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately
expected to vest is recognized as expense over the requisite service period in the Companys
financial statements. In connection with the adoption of SFAS 123(R), the Company reassessed its valuation technique and
related assumptions.
The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model,
which incorporates various assumptions including volatility, expected life and interest rates. The
expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Companys common stock and
consideration of other relevant factors such as the volatility
assumptions of peer companies. The expected
life of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2006 is estimated by taking the
average of the vesting term and the contractual term of the option as provided by SAB 107.
The assumptions used for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 and the resulting estimates
of weighted average fair value per share of options granted during those periods are as follows:
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended March 31, |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
Expected volatility |
|
52% |
|
33% |
Risk-free interest rate |
|
4.3-4.7% |
|
4.1% |
Expected life |
|
6.1 years |
|
4 years |
Expected dividend yield |
|
0% |
|
0% |
Weighted-average fair value of options granted during the period |
|
$4.62 |
|
$4.74 |
10
The accounting for and disclosure of employee and non-employee equity awards, primarily stock
options, requires judgment by management on a number of assumptions, including the fair value of
the underlying instrument prior to the filing of the registration statement for an initial public
offering, estimated lives of the outstanding instruments, and the instruments volatility prior to
the filing of the registration statement for an initial public offering. Changes in key assumptions
will impact the valuation of such awards.
Stock Option Activity
A summary of the Companys stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2006 follows:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Weighted |
|
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
|
Remaining |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Number of |
|
|
Exercise |
|
|
Contractual |
|
|
Aggregate |
|
| |
|
Shares |
|
|
Price |
|
|
Life (Years) |
|
|
Intrinsic Value |
|
| |
|
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands) |
|
Outstanding at January 1, 2006 |
|
|
3,652 |
|
|
$ |
7.01 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options granted |
|
|
653 |
|
|
$ |
8.41 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercised |
|
|
(45 |
) |
|
$ |
3.18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options forfeited or expired |
|
|
(82 |
) |
|
$ |
11.88 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding at March 31, 2006 |
|
|
4,178 |
|
|
$ |
7.17 |
|
|
|
7.68 |
|
|
|
13,778 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercisable at March 31, 2006 |
|
|
2,205 |
|
|
$ |
3.79 |
|
|
|
6.43 |
|
|
|
12,718 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate intrinsic value represents the difference between the Companys closing stock price on
the last trading day of the fiscal period, which was $8.78 on March 31, 2006, and the exercise
price for the options that were in-the-money at March 31, 2006. Total intrinsic value of options
exercised was $258,000 and $167,000 for the three-month period ended March 31, 2006 and March 31,
2005, respectively.
The Company settles employee stock option exercises with newly issued common shares.
Stock Option Plans
In February 1999, the BOD approved and the Company adopted the 1999 Stock Option Plan (the 1999
Plan). The 1999 Plan provides for the granting of stock options to employees and consultants of
the Company. Options granted under the 1999 Plan may be either incentive stock options or
nonstatutory stock options. Incentive stock options (ISO) may be granted only to Company
employees (including officers and directors who are also employees). Nonstatutory stock options
(NSO) may be granted to Company employees and consultants. The Company has authorized and
reserved 3,362,000 shares of common stock for issuance under the 1999 Plan.
In August 2004, the BOD approved and the Company adopted the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2004
Plan). The 2004 Plan provides for the granting of stock options to employees and consultants of
the Company. Options granted under the 2004 Plan may be either incentive stock options or
nonstatutory stock options. Incentive stock options (ISO) may be granted only to Company
employees (including officers and directors who are also employees). Nonstatutory stock options
(NSO) may be granted to Company employees and consultants. The Company has authorized and
reserved 1,000,000 shares of common stock for issuance under the 2004 Plan.
Following the Companys initial public offering, any shares that were reserved but not issued under
the 1999 Plan were made available under the 2004 Plan, and any shares that would have otherwise
returned to the 1999 Plan will be made available for issuance under the 2004 Plan. The 1999 Plan
will continue to govern awards granted there under prior to the Companys initial public offering.
The number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2004 Plan will be increased by the number of
shares which have been reserved but not issued under the 1999 Plan, any shares returned to the 1999
Plan, and an annual increase to be added on the first day of our fiscal year beginning in 2006
equal to the least of (a) 1,666,666 shares, (b) 4% of the outstanding shares on such date, or (c)
an amount determined by the Board. Pursuant to this requirement, on January 1, 2006, an additional
810,932 shares were added to the plan, reserved for issuance and registered for sale under Form
S-8.
Options under the 1999 and 2004 Plans may be granted at prices no less than 85% of the estimated
fair value of the shares on the date of grant as determined by the BOD, provided, however, that (i)
the exercise price of an ISO and NSO shall not be less than 100% and 85% of the estimated fair
value of the shares on the date of grant, respectively, and (ii) the exercise price of an ISO and
NSO granted to a 10% stockholder shall not be less than 110% of the estimated fair value of the
shares on the date of grant, respectively. Options generally vest over a four-year period with
one-fourth (1/4) of the shares vesting one year after the vesting commencement date, and an
additional one-forty eighth (1/48) of the shares vesting on the first day of each calendar month
thereafter until all such shares are exercisable. Options expire after ten years.
11
5. INCOME TAXES
At the end of each interim period the Company calculates an effective tax rate based on the
Companys best estimate of the tax provision (benefit) that will be provided for the full year,
stated as a percentage of estimated annual pre-tax income (loss). The tax provision (benefit) for
the interim period is determined using this estimated annual effective tax rate.
The Company has recorded a benefit from income taxes of $1.7 million for the three months ended
March 31, 2006, reflecting an annual effective tax rate of approximately 69% for 2006. The effective tax rate
differs from the statutory rate primarily due to certain non-deductible stock-based compensation
recorded upon adoption of FAS 123(R). The Company recorded a tax provision for income taxes of
19,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2005 attributable to federal and state alternative
minimum taxes payable.
6. COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Comprehensive income (loss) includes net income (loss) and unrealized gains (losses) on
investments. Comprehensive income (loss) is comprised of the following:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|
| |
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands) |
|
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
(788 |
) |
|
$ |
662 |
|
Other comprehensive loss: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in accumulated unrealized
loss on available-for-sale
securities, net |
|
|
23 |
|
|
|
(362 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive income (loss) |
|
$ |
(765 |
) |
|
$ |
300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The Company leases office space under noncancelable operating leases with various expiration dates
through January 2012.
Future minimum lease payments under noncancelable operating leases at March 31, 2006 are as
follows, in thousands:
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Operating |
|
| Year ending December 31, |
|
leases |
|
2006 |
|
|
1,092 |
|
2007 |
|
|
1,463 |
|
2008 |
|
|
1,174 |
|
2009 |
|
|
756 |
|
2010 |
|
|
739 |
|
Thereafter |
|
|
782 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total minimum lease payments |
|
$ |
6,006 |
|
|
|
|
|
Legal Proceedings
On August 3, 2005, the Company was named in a class action lawsuit filed in Superior Court of the
State of California, County of San Diego, Central Division, Sullivan, et al v. ZipRealty, case
number GIC851801, by two former employee agents. The plaintiffs alleged, among other things, that
the Companys expense allowance policies violated California law. The Company reached an agreement to settle
this claim in exchange for a payment of $4.2 million. The agreement, which included a full release
from any further liability on this issue, was granted preliminary court approval on October 21,
2005 and final court approval on February 10, 2006. The Company has made full payment under the
settlement agreement.
The Company is not currently subject to any material legal proceedings. From time to time the
Company has been, and it currently is, a party to litigation and subject to claims incident to the
ordinary course of the business. The amounts in dispute in these matters are not material to the
Company, and management believes that the resolution of these proceedings will not have a material
adverse effect on the business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
12
Indemnifications
The Company has entered into various indemnification agreements in the ordinary course of our
business. Pursuant to these agreements, the Company has agreed to indemnify, hold harmless and
reimburse the indemnified parties, which include certain of the Companys service providers as well
as others, in connection with certain occurrences. In addition, the Companys charter documents
require the Company to provide indemnification rights to our directors and officers to the fullest
extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, and permit the Company to provide
indemnification rights to the Companys other employees and agents, for certain events that occur
while these persons are serving in these capacities. The Company has also entered into
indemnification agreements with each of the Companys directors and its officers with a title of
Vice President or higher. Further, the underwriting agreement for the Companys initial public
offering requires the Company to indemnify the Companys underwriters and certain of their
affiliates and agents for certain liabilities arising from the Companys offering and the related
registration statement.
The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these
indemnification agreements is unspecified. The Company is not aware of any material indemnification
liabilities for actions, events or occurrences that have occurred to date. The Company maintains
insurance on some of the liabilities the Company has agreed to indemnify, including liabilities
incurred by the Companys directors and officers while acting in these capacities, subject to
certain exclusions and limitations of coverage.
Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations:
The following discussion should be read together with our financial statements and related
notes appearing elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements based
upon current expectations that involve numerous risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could
differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons,
including but not limited to those set forth in Risk Factors in Item 1A of Part II of this report
and elsewhere in this report. We undertake no obligation to update any information contained in
these forward-looking statements.
OVERVIEW
General
We are a full-service residential real estate brokerage firm, using the Internet, proprietary
technology and efficient business processes to provide home buyers and sellers with high-quality
service and value. Our solution includes a client-centric business approach, a sophisticated
website that empowers home buyers and sellers with relevant information, a proprietary business
management technology platform and significant financial savings for consumers. We share a portion
of our commissions with our buyer clients in the form of a cash rebate, and typically represent our
seller clients at fee levels below those offered by most traditional brokerage companies in our
markets. Generally, our seller clients pay a total brokerage fee of 4.5% to 5.0% of the transaction
value, of which 2.5% to 3.0% is paid to agents representing buyers.
Our net revenues are comprised primarily of commissions earned as agents for buyers and
sellers in residential real estate transactions. We record revenues net of rebate or commission
discount, if any, paid or offered to our clients. We also receive revenues from certain
co-marketing arrangements, such as our relationship with E-LOAN, Inc., which provides the mortgage
center on our website and pays us a flat monthly fee that is established on a periodic basis.
Generally, non-commission revenues represent less than 5% of our net revenues during any period.
Our net revenues are principally driven by the number of transactions we close and the average net
revenue per transaction. Average net revenue per transaction is a function of the home sales price
and percentage commission we receive on each transaction.
We were founded in 1999, currently have operations in 17 major metropolitan areas, and as of
March 31, 2006 employed 1,680 people, of whom 1,481 were ZipAgents. We commenced operations in Las
Vegas in April 2005, in Houston in June 2005, in Miami in October 2005, in Tampa in February 2006
and in Orlando in April 2006. We have announced plans to enter
Austin, Minneapolis, Palm Beach and the
Greater Philadelphia area later in the year.
Trends in our business
Our business has experienced significant growth since our inception in 1999, primarily as a
result of increased transaction volume and increased average net revenue per transaction. In the
three months ended March 31, 2006, we generated $19.2 million in net revenues, compared to $17.8
million in the three months ended March 31, 2005. The number of our closed transactions increased
to approximately 2,638 in the three months ended March 31, 2006 from approximately 2,343 in the
three months ended March 31, 2005,
13
and our average net revenue per transaction decreased to approximately $7,069 in the three
months ended March 31, 2006 from approximately $7,391 in the three months ended March 31, 2005. Our
transaction volume is primarily driven by the number of ZipAgents we employ, which increased to
1,481 at March 31, 2006 from 983 at March 31, 2005. Our average net revenue per transaction
decreased over this time primarily as a result of our growing percentage of transactions occurring
in less expensive housing price markets outside of California. As we add additional ZipAgents, we
believe we will continue to increase our transaction volume and grow our business. In addition, we
believe that customer acquisition is one of our core competencies, and while we anticipate that the
difficulty of acquiring a sufficient number of leads online may increase over time, we expect that
we can mitigate some of that impact with repeat and referral business, as well as by increasing our
visibility and credibility to potential clients over time. Since our market share has averaged less
than 1% over the past twelve months in our existing markets in aggregate, we believe that there is
an opportunity to increase our market share and grow our revenues, even if the overall level of
sales decline due to changing consumer sentiment, interest rate increases or other economic or
geopolitical factors. However, we anticipate the pace of our growth in percentage terms to slow as
our company increases in size.
Since early September of 2005 we have experienced a significant increase in the available
inventory of homes for sale in many of our markets, as well as an increase in the amount of time
listings are taking to sell. Pricing increases have also slowed, and some markets have shown
declines in median selling prices over this period. According to NAR, nationally sales of existing
homes nationally fell 0.7% year-over-year in March 2006 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.9
million. In the State of California, the California Association of
REALTORS reported that sales of existing homes declined 15.0% year-over-year during the month of
March 2006. In our opinion, these data points suggest the housing market is in a period of
transition, with more power shifting to buyers from sellers. While over the long-term we believe a
more balanced market will be beneficial to our model, which relies primarily on representing
buyers, during this period of transition we may continue to experience reduced growth rates and
agent productivity versus our historical levels as buyers react cautiously to perceived changing
market conditions.
Over time, we have made significant adjustments to our cost structure and revenue model in
order to improve the financial results of our business. We have modified the compensation and
expense reimbursement structure for ZipAgents over time, most recently in February 2006. Currently,
our ZipAgents earn a compensation package consisting of a percentage of the commissions they
generate for us that ranges from 35% to 80% of our net revenues after deducting certain other
items. We also provide our ZipAgents with health, retirement and other benefits, and pay for
certain marketing costs and other business expenses. ZipAgents may also be granted equity
incentives based on performance. We currently believe that our most recent modifications will not
materially impact our operating margins. We may make further modifications to our compensation
structure in the future.
We have lowered our buyer rebate percentage several times to improve our revenue model. In
March 2004, we reduced our buyer rebate to 20% of our commission from 25% of our commission, up to
a maximum of 1% of the home sales price. The effect of the buyer rebate reduction was recognized
over a phase-in period of approximately two to four months as the reduction only affected new
clients immediately while existing clients continued under the prior rebate policy for transactions
already in progress and for transactions opened within a short period after the reduction was
announced. We implemented these buyer rebate percentage reductions for several reasons, including
our determination that our growing reputation for superior service allowed us not to compete solely
on price, our efforts to improve our revenue model and agent compensation model, and our desire to
offer a simplified rebate structure to our clients.
We achieved profitability for the first time in the third quarter of 2003 and maintained
profitability for the fourth quarter as well, primarily as a result of increased transaction
volume, higher average net revenue per transaction and improved management of discretionary
expenses. However, as a result of the seasonality to which our business is subject, we again
experienced a net loss in the first quarter of 2004. We returned to profitability in the second,
third and fourth quarters of 2004, primarily as a result of higher average net transaction revenue
and increased transactional volume due to our increased ZipAgent force and seasonal factors. We
achieved profitability in the first quarter of 2005, the first time in our seasonally slow first
quarter, primarily as a result of higher average net transaction revenues and increased
transactional volume due to our increased ZipAgent force. While we experienced a net loss in the
second quarter of 2005 as a result of a one-time charge relating to the settlement of a threatened
class action lawsuit, we would have been profitable excluding the effect of this settlement. We
again achieved profitability in the third and fourth quarters of 2005, but because of seasonality
and new market expansion as well as the current softening in the residential real estate market, we
experienced a net loss in the first quarter of 2006.
Over the past several years there has been a decline in average commissions charged in the
real estate brokerage industry, in part due to companies such as ours exerting downward pressure on
prices with a lower commission structure, as well as by what, in our view, appears to be an
increase in consumer willingness to negotiate fees with their agents. We believe that many
consumers are focusing on absolute commission dollars paid to sell their home as opposed to
accepting a traditional standard market commission percentage. According to REAL Trends, while the
average commission percentage decreased from 5.44% in 2000 to 5.02% in 2005, total commission
revenues increased from $42.6 billion to $65.5 billion during that same period, influenced by
steadily increasing sales volumes and higher median sales prices. In the event that commissions
continue to decline, we have designed our business model
14
around an attractive cost structure and operational efficiencies which we believe should allow
us to continue to offer our services at prices less than those charged by the majority of our
competitors.
Market seasonality, cyclicality and interest rate influences
The residential real estate brokerage market is influenced both by annual seasonality factors,
as well as by overall economic cycles. While individual markets vary, transaction volume activity
nationally tends to progressively increase from January through the summer months, then gradually
slows over the last three to four months of the calendar year. Revenues in each quarter are
significantly affected by activity during the prior quarter, given the typical 30- to 45-day time
lag between contract execution and closing. While we believe that, until fairly recently,
seasonality has been somewhat masked by our overall growth, we have been, and believe we will
continue to be, influenced by overall market activity and seasonal forces. We generally experience
the most significant impact in the first and fourth quarters of each year, when our revenues are
typically lower relative to the second and third quarters as a result of traditionally slower home
sales activity and reduced listings inventory between Thanksgiving and Presidents Day.
We believe that the overall macroeconomic environment and periodic business cycles can
influence the general health of the residential real estate market at any given point in time.
Generally, when economic times are fair or good, the housing market tends to perform well. If the
economy is weak, interest rates dramatically increase, or there are market events such as terrorist
attacks or threats, the outbreak of war or geopolitical uncertainties, the housing market could be
negatively impacted.
Over the past several decades, the national residential real estate market has demonstrated
significant growth, with annual existing home sales volume growing from 1.6 million in 1970 to
approximately 7.1 million in 2005 and median existing home sales prices increasing every year
during that period. During that period, the volume of existing home sales has declined for at least
two consecutive years only twice, namely 1979 through 1982 and 1989 through 1990. The declines in
sales volumes in the 1979 through 1982 period occurred while interest rates were at historic highs,
with long-term U.S. Treasury rates exceeding 10%. With rates remaining at similarly high levels,
housing activity expanded during the period from 1983 through 1986. Average interest rates were
lower during the second period of consecutive year declines, 1989 through 1990, than in 1988.
Many factors influence an individuals decision to buy or sell a home, and we believe that no
one factor alone determines the health of the residential real estate market. For example, while a
rise in interest rates could lead to lower demand for housing or put downward pressure on prices,
it is our experience that lifestyle influences, such as job relocation, changes in family dynamics
or a desire to change neighborhoods, significantly impact the demand for residential real estate.
In addition, periods of interest rate increases are often characterized by improving economic
fundamentals, which can create jobs, increase incomes and bolster consumer confidence, all of which
are factors that positively influence housing demand. It is difficult to predict which influences
will be strongest, and ultimately whether the housing market will be affected positively or
negatively when faced with numerous influences.
While we do not believe that increasing interest rates will necessarily have a negative impact
on the housing market, increasing interest rates may lead to a lower demand for housing or put
downward pressure on prices. Higher interest rates could increase monthly housing payments or
reduce the amount an individual can pay, which may have an adverse effect on pricing and
affordability. It is also possible that home ownership rates, which reached an all time high in
2004 during the recent period of record low interest rates, could drop as a result of fewer
first-time buyers being able to afford homes. Should overall transaction activity or sales prices
decline, overall commissions generated in the industry could decline as well, potentially causing
the roughly $65.5 billion in annual commissions generated in 2005 to decline. However, should the
addressable market for our services decline somewhat due to decreasing sales volume or prices, we
believe the overall size of the market on an absolute basis will remain very large, providing ample
addressable opportunity for us to continue to grow our business through increasing our market
share.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, costs
and expenses and related disclosures. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and
assumptions. Accordingly, our actual results may differ from these estimates under different
assumptions or conditions.
We believe that the following accounting policies involve the greatest degree of judgment and
complexity. Accordingly, these are the policies we believe are the most critical to understand and
evaluate our financial condition and results of operations.
Recent accounting pronouncements
There are no new recent accounting pronouncements that the Company anticipates will have a
material impact on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
15
Revenue recognition
We derive the substantial majority of our revenues from commissions earned as agents for
buyers and sellers in residential real estate transactions. We recognize commission revenues upon
closing of a sale and purchase transaction, net of any rebate or commission discount, or
transaction fee adjustment, as evidenced by the closure of the escrow or similar account and the
transfer of these funds to all appropriate parties. We recognize non-commission revenues from our
other business relationships, such as our E-LOAN marketing relationship, as the fees are earned
from the other party typically on a monthly fee basis. Revenues are recognized when there is
persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the price is fixed or determinable, collectibility is
reasonably assured and the transaction has been completed.
Internal-use software and website development costs
We account for internal-use software and website development costs, including the development
of our ZipAgent Platform, in accordance with the guidance set forth in Statement of Position 98-1,
Accounting for the Cost of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use and Emerging
Task Force Issue No. 00-02, Accounting for Website Development Costs. We capitalize the payroll and
direct payroll-related costs of employees who devote time to the development of internal-use
software. We amortize these costs over their estimated useful lives, which is generally 15 months.
Our judgment is required in determining the point at which various projects enter the stages at
which costs may be capitalized, in assessing the ongoing value of the capitalized costs, and in
determining the estimated useful lives over which the costs are amortized. The estimated life is
based on managements judgment as to the product life cycle.
Stock-based compensation
Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the provisions of SFAS 123 (Revised 2004), Share-Based
Payment (SFAS 123(R)) which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for
all stock-based payment awards made to employees and directors, including employee stock options
and employee stock purchases, based on estimated fair values. Prior to adopting SFAS 123(R) we
accounted for employee stock-based compensation arrangements in accordance with provisions of
Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employee. Under the
fair value recognition provisions for FAS 123(R), stock-based compensation cost is estimated at the
grant date based on the fair value of the awards expected to vest and
recognized as expense using the straight-line method
over the requisite service period of the award. We elected to adopt the modified prospective
application transition method as provided by SFAS 123(R) except for options granted prior to May
2004, for which the fair value was determined for disclosure purposes using the minimum value
method. Under this transition method, stock-based compensation cost recognized in the quarter
ended March 31, 2006 includes:
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|
|
compensation cost for all unvested stock-based awards as of January 1, 2006 that
were granted subsequent to May 2004, and prior to January 1, 2006, based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance
with the original provisions of SFAS 123; |
| |
| |
|
|
compensation cost for stock-based awards granted subsequent, to January 1, 2006, based on the grant date fair value
estimated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS 123(R); and |
| |
| |
|
|
compensation cost for options granted prior to May
2004, based on the intrinsic value method |
In accordance with the modified prospective transition method, the financial statements for
prior periods have not been restated to reflect the impact of SFAS 123(R). We estimate the fair
value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which incorporates various
assumptions including volatility, expected life and interest rates. The expected volatility is
based on the historical volatility of our common stock and
consideration of other relevant factors such as the volatility
assumptions of peer companies. The expected
life of options is estimated by taking the average of the vesting term and the contractual term of
the option as provided by SAB 107. We estimate expected forfeitures based on various factors
including employee class and historical experience.
We account for equity instruments issued to non-employees in accordance with the provisions of
SFAS No. 123(R) and Emerging Task Force Issue No. 96-18, Accounting for Equity Instruments That Are
Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with Selling, Goods or Services
(EITF 96-18).
The accounting for and disclosure of employee and non-employee equity instruments, primarily
stock options and preferred and common stock warrants, requires judgment by management on a number
of assumptions, including the fair value of the underlying instrument, estimated lives of the
outstanding instruments, and the instruments volatility. Changes in key assumptions will impact
the valuation of such instruments. Because there was no public market for our stock prior to our
initial public offering in November 2004,
16
our board of directors determined the fair value of our common and preferred stock based on
several factors, including, but not limited to, our operating and financial performance, recent
sales of convertible debt instruments and internal valuation analyses considering key terms and
rights of the related instruments.
For options granted after our initial public offering, the fair value of our common stock is the
closing price of our stock on the Nasdaq National Market on the date the option was granted. For
options which were granted prior to our initial public offering, the deemed fair value of our
common stock was determined by our board of directors, with input from management, utilizing the
market approach, considering a number of factors, including, but not limited to:
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|
comparable values of similar companies and the pricing of recent rounds of financing; |
| |
| |
|
|
revenue growth and profitability milestones achieved and as measured to budget; |
| |
| |
|
|
continued growth in experience of our management team; |
| |
| |
|
|
marketplace activity and competition; |
| |
| |
|
|
barriers to entry; and |
| |
| |
|
|
status of capital markets. |
Income taxes
Deferred tax assets and liabilities arise from the differences between the tax basis of an
asset or liability and its reported amount in the financial statements as well as from net
operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax amounts are determined by using the tax
rates expected to be in effect when the taxes will actually be paid or refunds received, as
provided under current tax law. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce
deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. Income tax expense or benefit is the tax
payable or refundable, respectively, for the period plus or minus the change during the period in
deferred tax assets and liabilities.
Historically, we have recorded a valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets, the majority
of which relate to net operating loss tax carryforwards generated before we achieved profitability.
During the fourth quarter of 2005, we concluded that it is more likely than not that we will be
able to realize the benefit of a significant portion of these deferred tax assets in the future,
and we released substantially all of the deferred tax valuation allowance.
17
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table summarizes certain financial data related to our operations:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three months ended |
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
| |
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
| |
|
(in thousands, except per |
|
| Statements of operations data (unaudited) |
|
share data) |
|
Net transaction revenues |
|
$ |
18,648 |
|
|
$ |
17,318 |
|
Referral and other revenues |
|
|
569 |
|
|
|
500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net revenues |
|
|
19,217 |
|
|
|
17,818 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenues |
|
|
10,740 |
|
|
|
10,073 |
|
Product development |
|
|
1,279 |
|
|
|
594 |
|
Marketing and business development |
|
|
3,073 |
|
|
|
2,807 |
|
General and administrative |
|
|
7,431 |
|
|
|
4,262 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses |
|
|
22,523 |
|
|
|
17,736 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations |
|
|
(3,306 |
) |
|
|
82 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income |
|
|
800 |
|
|
|
600 |
|
Other income (expense), net |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total other income (expense), net |
|
|
800 |
|
|
|
599 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes |
|
|
(2,506 |
) |
|
|
681 |
|
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |
|
|
(1,718 |
) |
|
|
19 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
(788 |
) |
|
$ |
662 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
$ |
(0.04 |
) |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
(0.04 |
) |
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
|
20,291 |
|
|
|
19,885 |
|
Diluted |
|
|
20,291 |
|
|
|
25,711 |
|
18
The following table presents our historical operating results as a percentage of net revenues for
the periods indicated:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
| Statements of operations data |
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Net transaction revenues |
|
|
97.0 |
% |
|
|
97.2 |
% |
Referral and other revenues |
|
|
3.0 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net revenues |
|
|
100.0 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenues |
|
|
55.9 |
|
|
|
56.5 |
|
Product development |
|
|
6.7 |
|
|
|
3.3 |
|
Marketing and business development |
|
|
16.0 |
|
|
|
15.8 |
|
General and administrative |
|
|
38.7 |
|
|
|
23.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses |
|
|
117.3 |
|
|
|
99.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations |
|
|
(17.3 |
) |
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income |
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
Other income (expense) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total other income (expense), net |
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes |
|
|
(13.1 |
) |
|
|
3.9 |
|
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |
|
|
(8.9 |
) |
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) |
|
|
(4.2 |
%) |
|
|
3.8 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
| |
|
March 31, |
| Other operating data |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
Number of ZipAgents at end of period |
|
|
1,481 |
|
|
|
983 |
|
Total value of real estate transactions closed during period (in billions) |
|
$ |
0.9 |
|
|
$ |
0.8 |
|
Number of transactions closed during period (1) |
|
|
2,638 |
|
|
|
2,343 |
|
Average net revenue per transaction during period (2) |
|
$ |
7,069 |
|
|
$ |
7,391 |
|
|
|
|
| (1) |
|
The term transaction refers to each representation of a buyer or seller in a real estate
purchase or sale. |
| |
| (2) |
|
Average net revenue per transaction equals net transaction revenues divided by number of
transactions with respect to each period. |
Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005
Net revenues
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Net revenues |
|
$ |
19,217 |
|
|
$ |
17,818 |
|
|
$ |
1,399 |
|
|
|
7.9 |
% |
The increase in our net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to the
three months ended March 31, 2005 was primarily due to increased transaction volume partially
offset by lower average net revenue per transaction. Transaction volume increased by 12.6% and
contributed $2.2 million resulting from 2,638 transactions closed in the three months ended March
31, 2006 compared to 2,343 transactions closed in the three months ended March 31, 2005. Our
transaction volume increased as we added additional ZipAgents in our existing markets which allowed
us to attract and service new clients. Additionally, we continued adding new agents in Las Vegas,
Houston, Miami and Tampa as we commenced operations in April 2005, June 2005, October 2005 and
February 2006, respectively. Transaction volume from Las Vegas, Houston, Miami and Tampa
contributed 81.7% of the increased transactions closed in the three months ended March 31, 2006. We
had 1,481 ZipAgents at March 31, 2006 compared to 983 at March 31, 2005. Average net revenue per
transaction decreased by 4.4% resulting in a decrease of $0.9 million primarily due to representing
buyers and sellers in transactions in markets with lower home prices for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. We anticipate
19
average net revenue per transaction to decrease modestly during 2006 as we grow our business
in markets with lower home prices and, additionally, we anticipate the rate of price increases in
existing home sales to slow relative to current levels and that home prices may decline in some
markets. The increase in referral and other revenues was not significant.
We expect that the overall market for our services will continue to improve in 2006 as we
expand our force of ZipAgents in existing markets and continue to expand into new markets.
Cost of revenues
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Cost of revenues |
|
$ |
10,740 |
|
|
$ |
10,073 |
|
|
$ |
667 |
|
|
|
6.6 |
% |
Our cost of revenues consists principally of commissions, related payroll taxes, benefits and
expense allowances and reimbursements paid to our ZipAgents, and the amortization of internal-use
software and website development costs which relate primarily to our ZAP technology.
The increase in cost of revenues for three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to the three
months ended March 31, 2005 was due primarily to an increase in commissions, related payroll costs
and expense allowances and reimbursements of approximately $0.5 million related to our growth in
net transaction revenues and a $0.1 million increase in stock-based compensation expense recognized
as cost of revenues resulting from the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R). As a percentage of net
revenues, cost of revenues decreased by 0.6 percentage points due primarily to the mix of
commission splits earned by our ZipAgents.
We expect our cost of revenues to increase in 2006 in absolute dollars as we continue to grow
our business, but to remain relatively consistent or to increase modestly as a percentage of net
revenues.
Product development
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Product development |
|
$ |
1,279 |
|
|
$ |
594 |
|
|
$ |
685 |
|
|
|
115.4 |
% |
Product development expenses include our information technology costs, primarily compensation
and benefits for our product development personnel, depreciation of equipment, communications
expenses and other operating costs relating to the maintenance of our website and our proprietary
technology systems.
The increase in product development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2006
compared to the three months ended March 31, 2005 was due to growth in our business and consisted
of increases in salaries and benefits of approximately $0.5 million and information technology of
$0.1 million. As a percentage of net revenues, product development expenses increased by 3.4
percentage points in the period due primarily to the growth of the product development staff to
enhance our proprietary consumer website and agent platform.
We expect our product development expenses to increase in 2006 in absolute dollars and as a
percentage of net revenues as we continue to grow our business and enhance our proprietary consumer
website and agent platform.
Marketing and business development
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Marketing
and business
development |
|
$ |
3,073 |
|
|
$ |
2,807 |
|
|
$ |
266 |
|
|
|
9.5 |
% |
Marketing and business development expenses include compensation and benefits of our marketing
and business development personnel and costs relating to our marketing, advertising and client
acquisition activities.
20
The increase in marketing and business development expenses for the three months ended March
31, 2006 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2005 was due to growth in our business and
consisted primarily of increased lead generation spending of approximately $0.3 million necessary
to support the increase in the number of ZipAgents. As a percentage of net revenues, marketing and
business development expenses increased 0.2 percentage points in the period due primarily to costs
of lead acquisition.
We expect our marketing and business development expenses to increase in 2006 in absolute
dollars but to remain relatively consistent as a percentage of net revenues, as we acquire more
leads for our expanding ZipAgent force.
General and administrative
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
General and
administrative |
|
$ |
7,431 |
|
|
$ |
4,262 |
|
|
$ |
3,169 |
|
|
|
74.3 |
% |
General and administrative expenses consist of compensation and benefits costs of our
corporate employees, field support and management personnel, occupancy costs, legal and accounting
fees, and other general operating support costs.
The increase in general and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2006
compared to the three months ended March 31, 2005 was due to growth in our business and consisted
primarily of approximately $0.6 million related to increased salaries and benefits and $0.3 million
of related operating and occupancy costs for our additional management and support personnel in our existing and
new district sales offices. Corporate office expenses increased for the same period due to
approximately $0.8 million of salaries and benefits,
approximately $0.1 million of travel expense, approximately
$0.1 million of moving costs related to the relocation of our corporate office and approximately $0.8 million of outside
accounting and other professional costs relating primarily to operating as a public company
including Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 compliance costs. Additionally, stock-based compensation
increased $0.3 million in general and administrative expense resulting from the adoption of SFAS
No. 123(R). As a percentage of net revenues, general and administrative expenses increased 14.8
percentage points for the same period.
As we continue to expand our business and incur additional costs associated with being a
public company we expect our general and administrative expenses to increase in 2006 in absolute
dollars and as a percentage of net revenues.
Interest income
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Interest income |
|
$ |
800 |
|
|
$ |
600 |
|
|
$ |
200 |
|
|
|
33.2 |
% |
Interest income relates to interest we earn on our money market deposits and short-term
investments. Interest income will fluctuate as our cash and short-term investment balances change
and applicable interest rates increase or decrease. The increase in interest income for the three
months ended March 31, 2006 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2005 was due primarily to
marginally higher average balances and higher interest rates.
Other income (expense), net
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Other income
(expense), net |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(1 |
) |
|
$ |
1 |
|
|
|
(100.0 |
)% |
Other income (expense), net consists of non-operating items, which have not been significant to
date.
Provision for income taxes
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
March 31, |
|
Increase |
|
Percent |
| |
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
(decrease) |
|
change |
| |
|
(in thousands) |
Provision for
(benefit from)
income taxes |
|
$ |
(1,718 |
) |
|
$ |
19 |
|
|
$ |
(1,737 |
) |
|
|
(8930.2 |
)% |
21
We recorded a benefit from income taxes in the three months ended March 31, 2006 related to our net
book loss. In the three months ended March 31, 2005, we recorded a provision attributable to
federal and state alternative minimum taxes payable due to limits on the amount of the net
operating losses. At March 31, 2005, we maintained a full valuation allowance against our deferred
tax assets based on the determination that it was more likely than not that the deferred tax assets
would not be realized.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Prior to our initial public offering in November 2004, we funded our operations primarily through
the sale of preferred stock and convertible notes, which provided us with aggregate net proceeds of
approximately $65.8 million. In November 2004, we completed our initial public offering, which
raised net proceeds, after underwriting discounts, commissions and expenses, of approximately $61.4
million.
As of March 31, 2006, we had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $83.5 million and
had no bank debt, line of credit or equipment facilities.
Operating activities
Our operating activities used cash in the amount of $3.4 million and generated cash in the amount
of $0.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Cash used in the
three months ended March 31, 2006 was primarily due to payment of $3.2 million for litigation
settlement. Cash generated in the three months ended March 31, 2005 was primarily due to growth in
our business.
Our primary source of operating cash flow is the collection of our commission income from
escrow companies or similar intermediaries in the real estate transaction closing process. Due to
the structure of our commission arrangements, our accounts receivable are converted to cash on a
short-term basis and our accounts receivable balances at period end have historically been
significantly less than one months net revenues. Our operating cash flows will be impacted in the
future by the timing of payments to our vendors for accounts payable, which are generally paid
within the invoice terms and conditions. Our cash outflows are also impacted by the timing of the
payment of our accrued liabilities relating to commissions and related compensation costs and
client acquisition costs.
A number of non-cash items have been charged to expense and decreased our net income or
increased our net loss. These items include depreciation and amortization of property and
equipment and amortization of deferred employee stock-based compensation expense and other
stock-based charges. To the extent these non-cash items increase or decrease in amount and increase
or decrease our future operating results, there will be no corresponding impact on our cash flows.
Investing activities
Our investing activities generated cash in the amount of $8.9 million and used cash in the amount
of $4.9 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Sources of cash
for the three months ended March 31, 2006 represent net proceeds from the sales and purchase of
short-term investments partially off-set by the purchase of property and equipment, furniture, and
leasehold improvements in connection with the relocation and build-out of the corporate office
space. Uses of cash for the three months ended March 31, 2005 were primarily related to the
purchases of property and equipment and net purchases and sales of short-term investments.
We primarily maintain a minimum amount of cash and cash equivalents for operational purposes and
invest the remaining amount of our cash in investment grade, highly liquid interest-bearing
securities which allows for flexibility in the event our cash needs change.
Currently, we expect our remaining 2006 capital expenditures to be approximately $2.2 million,
with approximately $1.2 million to be spent in the second quarter of 2006. Capital expenditures for
the remainder of 2006 are expected to include $1.8 million to increase server capacity and purchase
computer equipment and software. In the future, our ability to make significant capital investments
may depend on our ability to generate cash flow from operations and to obtain adequate financing,
if necessary and available.
Financing activities
Our financing activities provided insignificant cash in the three months ended March 31, 2006 and
2005. Sources of cash from financing activities primarily represented proceeds from common stock
option exercises.
22
As of March 31, 2006, we had warrants outstanding for the purchase of an aggregate of 4,603,000
shares of our common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $3.94 per share. All of these
warrants are currently exercisable at the option of the holders. If all or a portion of these
warrants were exercised for cash, we could receive significant proceeds at that time.
Future needs
We believe that cash flows from operations and our current cash, cash equivalents and
short-term investments will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months.
Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our rate of growth into new
geographic markets, our level of investment in technology and advertising initiatives. Although we
are currently not a party to any agreement or letter of intent with respect in investments in, or
acquisitions of, complementary businesses, products or technologies, we may enter into these types
of arrangements in the future, which could also require us to seek additional equity or debt
financing. We currently have no bank debt or line of credit facilities. In the event that
additional financing is required, we may not be able to raise it on terms acceptable to us or at
all. If we are unable to raise additional capital when desired, our business, operations and
results will likely suffer.
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS
We lease office space and equipment under non-cancelable operating leases with various expiration
dates through January 2012. The following table provides summary information concerning our future
contractual obligations and commitments at March 31, 2006.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Payments due by period |
| |
|
Less than |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More than |
|
|
| |
|
1 year |
|
1 to 3 years |
|
3 to 5 years |
|
5 years |
|
Total |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating lease commitments |
|
$ |
1,462 |
|
|
$ |
2,472 |
|
|
$ |
1,473 |
|
|
$ |
599 |
|
|
$ |
6,006 |
|
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We do not have any off balance-sheet arrangements, investments in special purpose entities or
undisclosed borrowings or debt. Additionally, we are not a party to any derivative contracts or
synthetic leases.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk:
Interest rate sensitivity
We have minimal interest rate exposure on our investments. Our investment policy requires us
to invest funds in excess of current operating requirements. The principal objectives of our
investment activities are to preserve principal, provide liquidity and maximize income consistent
with minimizing risk of material loss.
As of March 31, 2006 and 2005, our cash and cash equivalents consisted primarily of money market
funds and our short-term investments consisted primarily of investment grade, highly liquid
interest-bearing securities. The recorded carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents
approximate fair value due to their short maturities and short-term investments are carried at fair
value. The amount of credit exposure to any one issue, issuer and type of instrument is limited.
Our interest income is sensitive to changes in the general level of interest rates in the United
States, particularly since the majority of our investments are fixed income investments. If market
interest rates were to increase or decrease immediately and uniformly by 10% from levels at March
31, 2006 and 2005, the increase or decline in fair market value of the portfolio would be
approximately $0.2 and $0.2 million, respectively.
Exchange rate sensitivity
We consider our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations to be minimal, as we do not
have any sales denominated in foreign currencies. We have not engaged in any hedging or other
derivative transactions to date.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures:
(a) Disclosure controls and procedures. Our management, with the participation of our Chief
Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our
disclosure controls and procedures (as such items are defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act)) as of the end of the period
covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive
Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures
as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report are effective to ensure that
information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is
accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely
23
decisions regarding required disclosure, and that such information is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission
rules and forms.
(b) Changes in internal control over financial reporting. There were no changes in our
internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended March 31, 2006 that have
materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control
over financial reporting.
24
PART II OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings:
On August 3, 2005, we were named in a class action lawsuit filed in Superior Court of the
State of California, County of San Diego, Central Division, Sullivan, et al v. ZipRealty, case
number GIC851801, by two former employee agents. The plaintiffs alleged, among other things, that
our expense allowance policies violated California law. We reached an agreement to settle this
claim in exchange for a payment of $4.2 million. The agreement, which included a full release from
any further liability on this issue, was granted preliminary court approval on October 21, 2005 and
final court approval on February 10, 2006. We have made full payment under the settlement
agreement.
We are not currently subject to any material legal proceedings. From time to time we have
been, and we currently are, a party to litigation and subject to claims incident to the ordinary
course of our business. The amounts in dispute in these matters are not material to us, and we
believe that the resolution of these proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.
Item 1A. Risk Factors:
Because of the following factors, as well as other variables affecting our operating results
and financial condition, past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future
performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future
periods.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
We have been profitable in only eight quarters and may incur losses in the future, and our limited
operating history makes our future financial performance difficult to assess.
We were formed in January 1999 and therefore have a limited operating history upon which to
evaluate our operations and future prospects. We have had a history of losses from inception
through the first half of 2003 and at March 31, 2006 had an accumulated deficit of $32.5 million.
While we were profitable in the third and fourth quarters of 2003, the second, third and fourth
quarters of 2004 and the first, third and fourth quarters of 2005, we were not profitable in the
first quarter of 2006 and we may not be profitable in future quarters or on an annual basis. While
we experienced a net loss in the second quarter of 2005 as a result of a one-time charge relating
to the settlement of a threatened class action lawsuit, we would have been profitable excluding the
effect of this settlement.
Our business model has evolved, and we have only recently achieved significant revenues. We
may incur additional expenses with the expectation that our revenues will grow in the future, which
may not occur. As a result, we could experience budgeting and cash flow management problems,
unexpected fluctuations in our results of operations and other difficulties, any of which could
harm our ability to achieve or maintain profitability, increase the volatility of the market price
of our common stock or harm our ability to raise additional capital. Additionally, as a newly
public company we must work towards compliance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, NASDAQ and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as those requirements become applicable to
us, and we may incur costs in connection with that effort that are significantly higher than
anticipated, which could negatively impact our profitability.
We expect that we will continue to increase our expenses, including marketing and business
development expenses and expenses incurred as a result of increasing the number of agents we
employ. As we grow our business in existing markets and expand to new markets, we cannot guarantee
our business strategies will be successful or that our revenues will ever increase sufficiently to
achieve and maintain profitability on a quarterly or annual basis.
Our business model requires access to real estate listing services provided by third parties that
we do not control, and the demand for our services may be reduced if our ability to display
listings on our website is restricted.
A key component of our business model is that through our website we offer clients access to,
and the ability to search, real estate listings posted on the MLSs in the markets we serve. Most
large metropolitan areas in the United States have at least one MLS, though there is no national
MLS. The homes in each MLS are listed voluntarily by its members, who are licensed real estate
brokers. The information distributed in an MLS allows brokers to cooperate in the identification of
buyers for listed properties.
If our access to one or more MLS databases were restricted or terminated, our service could be
adversely affected and our business may be harmed. Because participation in an MLS is voluntary, a
broker or group of brokers may decline to post their listings to the existing MLS and instead
create a new proprietary real estate listing service. If a broker or group of brokers created a
separate real
25
estate listing database, we may be unable to obtain access to that private listing service on
commercially reasonable terms, if at all. As a result, the percentage of available real estate
listings that our clients would be able to search using our website would be reduced, perhaps
significantly, thereby making our services less attractive to potential clients.
Additionally, we operate a virtual office website, or VOW, which is a password protected
website that allows us to show comprehensive MLS data directly to consumers without their having to
visit an agent. In late 2002, the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, the dominant trade
organization in the residential real estate industry, adopted a mandatory policy for NAR-affiliated
MLSs regarding the use and display of MLS listings data on VOWs. Under the NAR policy, individual
MLSs affiliated with NAR, which includes the vast majority of MLSs in the United States, were
required to implement their own individual VOW policies consistent with the NAR, but NAR extended
the deadline for the implementation of its rules at least three times during an investigation by
the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice, or DOJ, into NARs policy that dictates
how brokers can display other brokers property listings on their websites. In September 2005, NAR
replaced its VOW policy with an Internet Listings Display, or ILD, policy containing some of the
same or similar features of its former VOW policy, and the DOJ responded by immediately filing a
lawsuit in federal court against NAR challenging the ILD policy. NAR has postponed the deadline for
the implementation of its ILD rules by its member MLSs pending resolution of that lawsuit. We
presently do not know whether or when the NAR rules will be implemented in their current form or in
a revised form, if at all. Once the individual MLSs implement the ILD policy, the NAR policy
currently provides that member brokerages will have up to 90 days to comply with the policy.
The NAR policy is designed to provide structure to the individual MLS policies concerning the
display of listing information through the internet, subject to a number of areas in which the
individual MLSs may tailor the policy to meet their local needs. One NAR policy provision with
which the individual MLSs must adhere, once required to be implemented, is known as an opt-out.
This provision creates a mechanism for individual brokers to prevent their listings data from being
displayed by competitors on their websites but not by brick-and-mortar competitors at their offices
by other means, which the DOJ has alleged is a mechanism designed to chill competition by
internet-based realtors.
A few of the MLSs of which we are a member, as well as at least one of the state Association
of REALTORS® of which we are a member, had adopted VOW policies with opt-out provisions, but, to
our knowledge, to date no members or participants of any of those MLSs have exercised such an
opt-out right. We do not know of any MLSs which have adopted the new ILD policy with its opt-out
provisions. Should any such opt-outs right be exercised, it could restrict our ability to display
comprehensive MLS home listings data to our consumers, which is a key part of our business model.
Should our ability to display MLS listings information on our website be significantly restricted,
it may reduce demand for our services and lead to a decrease in the number of residential real
estate transactions completed by our ZipAgents, as well as increase our costs of ensuring
compliance with such restrictions.
Our business could be harmed by transitions in the real estate markets and economic events that
are out of our control and may be difficult to predict.
The success of our business depends in part on the health of the residential real estate
market, which traditionally has been subject to cyclical economic swings. The purchase of
residential real estate is a significant transaction for most consumers, and one which can be
delayed or terminated based on the availability of discretionary income. Economic slowdown or
recession, rising interest rates, adverse tax policies, lower availability of credit, increased
unemployment, lower consumer confidence, lower wage and salary levels, war or terrorist attacks,
natural disaster, oil price spikes or the public perception that any of these events may occur,
could adversely affect the demand for residential real estate and would harm our business. Also, if
interest rates increase significantly, homeowners ability to purchase a new home or a higher
priced home may be reduced as higher monthly payments would make housing less affordable. In
addition, these conditions could lead to a decline in transaction volume and sales prices, either
of which would harm our operating results.
Since early September of 2005 we have experienced a significant increase in the available
inventory of homes for sale in many of our markets, as well as an increase in the amount of time
listings are taking to sell. Pricing increases have also slowed, and some markets have shown
declines in median selling prices over this period. Nationally, sales of existing homes fell 0.7%
year-over-year in March 2006 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.9 million.
In the State of California, the California Association of REALTORS
reported that sales of existing homes declined 15.0% year-over-year
during the month of March 2006.
In our opinion,
these data points suggest the housing market is in a period of transition, with more power shifting
to buyers from sellers, which may impair our ability to grow the Company and our agent
productivity.
Our business model is new and unproven, and we cannot guarantee our future success.
Our Internet-enabled residential real estate brokerage service is a relatively new and
unproven business model. Our business model differs significantly from that of a traditional real
estate brokerage firm in several ways, including our heavy reliance on the Internet and technology
and our employee agent model. The success of our business model depends on our ability to achieve
higher transaction volumes at an overall lower cost per transaction in order to offset the costs
associated with our technology, employee benefits, marketing and advertising expenses and discounts
and rebates. If we are unable to efficiently acquire clients and maintain
26
agent productivity in excess of industry averages, our ZipAgents may close fewer transactions
and our net revenues could suffer as a result. Also, given that our agent employee model is
uncommon in the real estate industry, our compensation structure could be subject to legal
challenge, such as the litigation commenced against ZipRealty in 2005, which has been resolved. In
addition, our agents generally earn a lower per transaction commission than a traditional
independent contractor agent. If we are unsuccessful in providing our agents with more
opportunities to close transactions than under the traditional model, our ability to hire and
retain qualified real estate agents would be harmed, which would in turn significantly harm our
business.
If we fail to recruit, hire and retain qualified agents, we may be unable to service our clients
and our growth could be impaired.
Our business requires us to hire employees who are licensed real estate agents, and our
strategy is based on consistently and rapidly growing our team of ZipAgents. Competition for
qualified agents is intense, particularly in the markets in which we compete, and retention is an
industry-wide issue. While there are many licensed real estate agents in our markets and throughout
the country, historically we have had difficulties in recruiting and retaining properly qualified
licensed agents due particularly to agent discomfort with using technology and being actively
managed by an employer. In addition, our lower per transaction agent commission model may be
unattractive to certain higher performing agents. If we are unable to recruit, train and retain a
sufficient number of qualified licensed real estate agents, we may be unable to service our clients
properly and grow our business.
Historically we have experienced a high degree of agent turnover, most of which occurs in the
first few months after commencing employment. This turnover has required us to expend a substantial
amount of time and money to replace agents who have left as we have been growing our business. If
this situation worsens, our rate of expansion into new markets could be slowed and we will continue
to employ a significantly higher number of new agents with less experience operating in our
business model, which could cause us to be less effective at expanding our market share in our
existing markets and entering new markets.
Furthermore, we rely on federal and state exemptions from minimum wage and fair labor
standards laws for our ZipAgents, who are compensated primarily through commissions. Such
exemptions may not continue to be available, or we may not qualify for such exemptions, which could
subject us to penalties and damages for non-compliance. Also, some states, such as California, have
enacted laws requiring the reimbursement of employee expenses, which caused us to change our
compensation practices in 2005. If similar exemptions are not available in states where we desire
to expand our operations or if they cease to be available in the states where we currently operate,
or if we are so required by other state laws, we may need to modify our agent compensation
structure in such states, which could cause our compensation practices to be less attractive to
agents or more expensive to the Company.
Our failure to effectively manage the growth of our ZipAgents and our information and control
systems could adversely affect our ability to service our clients.
As our operations have expanded, we have experienced rapid growth in our headcount from 1,124
total employees, including 983 ZipAgents, at March 31, 2005 to 1,680 total employees, including
1,481 ZipAgents, at March 31, 2006. We expect to continue to increase headcount in the future,
particularly the number of ZipAgents. Our rapid growth has demanded, and will continue to demand,
substantial resources and attention from our management. We will need to continue to hire
additional qualified agents and improve and maintain our technology to properly manage our growth.
If we do not effectively manage our growth, our client service and responsiveness could suffer and
our costs could increase, which could negatively affect our brand and operating results.
As we grow, our success will depend on our ability to continue to implement and improve our
operational, financial and management information and control systems on a timely basis, together
with maintaining effective cost controls. This ability is particularly critical as we implement new
systems and controls to help us comply with the more stringent requirements of being a public
company, including the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which require management to
evaluate and assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and our
disclosure controls and procedures. Effective internal control over financial reporting is required
by law and is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud.
Effective disclosure controls and procedures are required by law and are necessary for us to file
complete, accurate and timely reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Any inability to
provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud or to file complete, accurate and timely
reports under the Securities Exchange Act could harm our business, harm our reputation or result in
a decline in our stock price. We are continuing to evaluate and, where appropriate, enhance our
systems, procedures and internal controls. If our systems, procedures or controls are not adequate
to support our operations and reliable, accurate and timely financial and other reporting, we may
not be able to successfully satisfy regulatory and investor scrutiny, offer our services and
implement our business plan.
Our operating results are subject to seasonality and vary significantly among quarters during each
calendar year, making meaningful comparisons of successive quarters difficult.
The residential real estate market traditionally has experienced seasonality, with a peak in
the spring and summer seasons and a decrease in activity during the fall and winter seasons.
Revenues in each quarter are significantly affected by activity during the prior
27
quarter, given the typical 30- to 45-day time lag between contract execution and closing.
Historically, this seasonality has caused our revenues, operating income, net income and cash flow
from operating activities to be lower in the first and fourth quarters and higher in the second and
third quarters of each year.
Factors affecting the timing of real estate transactions that can cause our quarterly results
to fluctuate include:
| |
|
|
timing of widely observed holidays and vacation periods and availability home buyers and
sellers, real estate agents and related service providers during these periods; |
| |
| |
|
|
a desire to relocate prior to the start of the school year; |
| |
| |
|
|
inclement weather which can influence consumers desire or ability to visit properties; |
| |
| |
|
|
timing of employment compensation changes, such as raises and bonuses; |
| |
| |
|
|
the time between entry into a purchase contract for real estate and closing of the transaction; and |
| |
| |
|
|
the levels of housing inventory available for sale. |
We expect our revenues to continue to be subject to these seasonal fluctuations, which,
combined with our recent growth, make it difficult to compare successive quarters.
Interest rates have been at historic lows for the past several years, and increases in interest
rates have the potential to negatively impact the housing market.
When interest rates rise, all other things being equal, housing becomes less affordable, since
at a given income level people cannot qualify to borrow as much principal, or given a fixed
principal amount they will be faced with higher monthly payments. This result may mean that fewer
people will be able to afford homes at prevailing prices, potentially leading to fewer transactions
or reductions in home prices in certain regions, depending also on the relevant supply-demand
dynamics of those markets. Since we operate in only 17 markets around the country, it is possible
that we could experience a more pronounced impact than we would experience if our operations were
more diversified. Should we experience softening in our markets and not be able to offset the
potential negative market influences on price and volume by increasing our transaction volume
through market share growth, our financial results could be negatively impacted.
If consumers do not continue to use the Internet as a tool in their residential real estate buying
or selling process, we may be unable to attract new clients and our growth and financial results
may suffer.
We rely substantially on our website and web-based marketing for our client lead generation.
As the residential real estate business has traditionally been characterized by personal,
face-to-face relationships between buyers and sellers and their agents, our success will depend to
a certain extent on the willingness of consumers to increase their use of online services in the
real estate sales and purchasing process. In addition, our success will depend on consumers
visiting our website early in their selling or buying process so that we can interface with
potential clients before they have engaged a real estate agent to represent them in their
transactions. If we are unable to convince visitors to our website to transact business with us,
our ZipAgents will have fewer opportunities to represent clients in residential real estate
transactions and our net revenues could suffer.
Our success depends in part on our ability to successfully expand into additional real estate
markets.
We currently operate in 17 markets, including 14 of the 25 most populous U.S. metropolitan
statistical areas. A part of our business strategy is to grow our business by entering into
additional real estate markets and, to this end, we commenced operations in Las Vegas in April
2005, in Houston in June 2005, in Miami in October 2005, in Tampa in February 2006 and in Orlando
in April 2006. We have announced plans to also enter Palm Beach and the Greater Philadelphia area
in 2006. Key elements of this expansion include our ability to identify strategically attractive
real estate markets and to successfully establish our brand in those markets. We consider many
factors when selecting a new market to enter, including:
| |
|
|
the economic conditions and demographics of a market; |
| |
| |
|
|
the general prices of real estate in a market; |
| |
| |
|
|
Internet use in a market; |
28
| |
|
|
competition within a market from local and national brokerage firms; |
| |
| |
|
|
rules and regulations governing a market; |
| |
| |
|
|
the ability and capacity of our organization to manage expansion into additional
geographic areas, additional headcount and increased organizational complexity; |
| |
| |
|
|
the existence of local MLSs; and |
| |
| |
|
|
state laws governing cash rebates and other regulatory restrictions. |
Before opening Las Vegas we had not entered a new geographic market since July 2000 and have
limited experience expanding into and operating in multiple markets, managing multiple sales
regions or addressing the factors described above. In addition, this expansion could involve
significant initial start-up costs. We expect that significant revenues from new markets will be
achieved, if ever, only after we have been operating in that market for some time and begun to
build market awareness of our services. As a result, geographic expansion is likely to
significantly increase our expenses and cause fluctuations in our operating results. In addition,
if we are unable to successfully penetrate these new markets, we may continue to incur costs
without achieving the expected revenues, which would harm our financial condition and results of
operations.
Unless we develop, maintain and protect a strong brand identity, our business may not grow and our
financial results may suffer.
We believe a strong brand is a competitive advantage in the residential real estate industry
because of the fragmentation of the market and the large number of agents and brokers available to
the consumer. Because our brand is relatively new, we currently do not have strong brand identity.
We believe that establishing and maintaining brand identity and brand loyalty is critical to
attracting new clients. In order to attract and retain both clients and employees, and respond to
competitive pressures, we expect to increase our marketing and business development expenditures to
develop, maintain and enhance our brand in the future.
We plan to continue conducting and refining online and direct mail advertising and possibly to
test and conduct print, radio, outdoor and/or television advertising campaigns. We plan to increase
our online advertising expenditures in the near future while maintaining our offline advertising
expenditures at current levels. While we intend to enhance our marketing and advertising activities
in order to attract and retain both clients and employees, these activities may not have a material
positive impact on our brand identity. In addition, developing our brand will depend on our ability
to provide a high-quality consumer experience and high quality service, which we may not do
successfully. If we are unable to develop, maintain and enhance our brand, our ability to attract
new clients and employees or successfully expand our operations will be harmed.
We have numerous competitors, many of which have valuable industry relationships and access to
greater resources than we do.
The residential real estate market is highly fragmented, and we have numerous competitors,
many of which have greater name recognition, longer operating histories, larger client bases, and
significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. Some of those
competitors are large national brokerage firms or franchisors, such as Prudential Financial, Inc.,
RE/MAX International Inc. and Cendant Corporation, which owns the Century 21, Coldwell Banker and
ERA franchise brands, a large corporate relocation business and NRT Incorporated, the largest
brokerage in the United States. NRT owns and operates brokerages that are typically affiliated with
one of the franchise brands owned by Cendant. We are also subject to competition from local or
regional firms, as well as individual real estate agents. We also compete or may in the future
compete with various online services, such as InterActiveCorp and its LendingTree unit,
HouseValues, Inc., HomeGain, Inc., Homestore, Inc. and its Realtor.com affiliate, Zillow and Yahoo!
Inc. that also look to attract and monetize home buyers and sellers using the Internet. Homestore
is affiliated with NAR, the National Association of Home Builders, or NAHB, and a number of major
MLSs, which may provide Homestore with preferred access to listing information and other
competitive advantages. In addition, our technology-focused business model is a relatively new
approach to the residential real estate market and many consumers may be hesitant to choose us over
more established brokerage firms employing traditional techniques.
Some of our competitors are able to undertake more extensive marketing campaigns, make more
attractive offers to potential agents and clients and respond more quickly to new or emerging
technologies. Over the past several years there has been a slow but steady decline in average
commissions charged in the real estate brokerage industry, with the average commission percentage
decreasing from 5.44% in 2000 to 5.02% in 2005 according to REAL Trends. Some of our competitors
with greater resources may be able to better withstand the short- or long-term financial effects of
this trend. In addition, the barriers to entry to providing an Internet-enabled real estate service
are low, making it possible for current or new competitors to adopt certain aspects of our business
model, including offering comprehensive MLS data to clients via the Internet, thereby reducing our
competitive advantage. We may not be able to compete successfully for clients and agents, and
increased competition could result in price reductions, reduced margins or loss of market share,
any of which would harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
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Changes in federal and state real estate laws and regulations, and rules of industry organizations
such as the National Association of REALTORS® could adversely affect our business.
The real estate industry is heavily regulated in the United States, including regulation under
the Fair Housing Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, state and local licensing laws and
regulations and federal and state advertising laws. In addition to existing laws and regulations,
states and industry participants and regulatory organizations could enact legislation, regulatory
or other policies in the future, which could restrict our activities or significantly increase our
compliance costs. Moreover, the provision of real estate services over the Internet is a new and
evolving business, and legislators, regulators and industry participants may advocate additional
legislative or regulatory initiatives governing the conduct of our business. If existing laws or
regulations are amended or new laws or regulations are adopted, we may need to comply with
additional legal requirements and incur significant compliance costs, or we could be precluded from
certain activities. Because we operate through our website, state and local governments other than
where the subject property is located may attempt to regulate our activities, which could
significantly increase our compliance costs and limit certain of our activities. In addition,
industry organizations, such as NAR and other state and local organizations, can impose standards
or other rules affecting the manner in which we conduct our business. As mentioned above, NAR has
adopted rules that, if implemented, could result in a reduction in the number of home listings that
could be viewed on our website. NAR has extended the deadline for the implementation of its rules
pending the resolution of a lawsuit filed in federal court by the antitrust division of the U.S.
Department of Justice challenging, among other things, NARs proposed ILD policy that dictates how
brokers can display other brokers property listings on their websites. We presently do not know
whether or when the NAR rules will be implemented in their current form or in a revised form, if at
all. The implementation of the rules will not limit our access to listing information, but could
limit the display of listing information to our clients through our website in the manner we
currently utilize, as well as increase our costs of ensuring compliance with such rules. Any
significant lobbying or related activities, either of governmental bodies or industry
organizations, required to respond to current or new initiatives in connection with our business
could substantially increase our operating costs and harm our business.
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We derive a significant portion of our leads through third parties, and if any of our significant
lead generation relationships are terminated, impaired or become more expensive, our ability to
attract new clients and grow our business may be adversely affected.
We generate leads for our ZipAgents through many sources, including leads from third parties
with which we have only non-exclusive, short-term agreements that are generally terminable on
little or no notice and with no penalties. Our largest third-party lead source, Homegain, Inc.,
which competes with us for online customer acquisition, generated approximately 29% and 21% of our leads
during 2005 and 2004, respectively. In addition, during the third quarter of 2004 our exclusive
co-branded relationship which we had in four markets with one third-party lead source, Yahoo! Inc.,
ended, effective July 31, 2004. Leads from this source accounted for approximately 8% of our leads
and approximately 8% of our net revenues during 2004. These leads were inexpensive relative to
those generated from competing sources, although they also were characterized by a lower conversion
rate than is typical from our other sources. As a result, our lead replacement strategy delivered
fewer leads to the agents in the areas impacted by the termination of the Yahoo! co-branded
relationship but with those leads characterized by what we believe to be higher conversion
potential based upon historical experience. Should this replacement strategy not be successful, or
any of our other lead generation relationships become materially more expensive such that we could
not obtain substitute sources on acceptable terms, our ability to attract new clients and grow our
business may be impaired. Our business may also be impaired to the extent that state laws or NAR or
MLS regulations make it more difficult or expensive for lead generators to provide us with
sufficient leads.
Our ability to expand our business may be limited by state laws governing cash rebates to home
buyers.
A significant component of our value proposition to our home buyer clients is a cash rebate
provided to the buyer at closing. Currently, our clients who are home buyers represent a
substantial majority of our business and revenues. Certain states, such as Alaska, Kansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee, may presently prohibit sharing
any commissions with, or providing rebates to, clients who are not licensed real estate agents. In
addition, other states may limit or restrict our cash rebate program as currently structured,
including Missouri and New York. In connection with our announced plans to enter the Greater Philadelphia area, including New Jersey, and should we decide to expand into any of these other states, we may have
to adjust our pricing structure or refrain from offering rebates to buyers in these states.
Moreover, we cannot predict whether alternative approaches will be cost effective or easily
marketable to prospective clients. The failure to enter into these markets, or others that adopt
similar restrictions, or to successfully attract clients in these markets, could harm our business.
We may be unable to integrate our technology with each MLS on a cost-effective basis, which may
harm our operating results and adversely affect our ability to service clients.
Each MLS is operated independently and is run on its own technology platform. As a result, we
must constantly modify our technology to successfully interact with each independent MLS in order
to maintain access to that MLSs home listings information. In addition, when a new MLS is created,
we must customize our technology to work with that new system. These activities require constant
attention and significant resources. We may be unable to successfully interoperate with the MLSs
without significantly increasing our engineering costs, which would increase our operating expenses
without a related increase in net revenues and cause our operating results to suffer. We may also
be unable to interoperate with the MLSs at all, which may adversely affect the demand for our
services.
If we fail to comply with real estate brokerage laws and regulations, we may incur significant
financial penalties or lose our license to operate.
Due to the geographic scope of our operations and the nature of the real estate services we
perform, we are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations. For example, we
are required to maintain real estate brokerage licenses in each state in which we operate and to
designate individual licensed brokers of record. In some states, these licenses are personal to the
broker. If we fail to maintain our licenses, lose the services of our designated broker of record
or conduct brokerage activities without a license, we may be required to pay fines or return
commissions received, our licenses may be suspended or we may be subject to other civil and/or
criminal penalties. As we expand into new markets, we will need to obtain and maintain the required
brokerage licenses and comply with the applicable laws and regulations of these markets, which may
be different from those to which we are accustomed, may be difficult to obtain and will increase
our compliance costs. In addition, because the size and scope of real estate sales transactions
have increased significantly during the past several years, both the difficulty and cost of
compliance with the numerous state licensing regimes and possible losses resulting from
non-compliance have increased. Our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations, the
possible loss of real estate brokerage licenses or litigation by government agencies or affected
clients may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating
results, and may limit our ability to expand into new markets.
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We may have liabilities in connection with real estate brokerage activities.
As a licensed real estate brokerage, we and our licensed employees are subject to statutory
due diligence, disclosure and standard-of-care obligations. In the ordinary course of business we
and our employees are subject to litigation from parties involved in transactions for alleged
violations of these obligations. We self-insure some of this risk and, as we expand our business to
include larger deals, we may not be able to obtain third party insurance on these larger deals with
attractive terms. In addition, we may be required to indemnify our employees who become subject to
litigation arising out of our business activities, including for claims related to the negligence
of those employees. An adverse outcome in any such litigation could negatively impact our
reputation and harm our business.
We may be subject to liability for the Internet content that we publish.
As a publisher of online content, we face potential liability for negligence, copyright,
patent or trademark infringement, or other claims based on the nature and content of the material
that we publish or distribute. Such claims may include the posting of confidential data, erroneous
listings or listing information and the erroneous removal of listings. These types of claims have
been brought successfully against the providers of online services in the past and could be brought
against us or others in our industry. In addition, we may face liability if a MLS member or
participant utilizes an opt-out provision, as previously discussed, and we fail to comply with that
requirement. These claims, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation, business and
financial condition. Although we carry general liability insurance, our insurance may not cover
claims of these types or may be inadequate to protect us for all liability that we may incur.
We monitor and evaluate the use of our website by our registered users, which could raise privacy
concerns.
Visitors to our website that register with us receive access to home listing and related
information that we do not make available to unregistered users. As part of the registration
process, our registered users consent to our use of information we gather from their use of our
website, such as the geographic areas in which they search for homes, the price range of homes they
view, their activities while on our website and other similar information. They also provide us
with personal information such as telephone numbers and email addresses. While our registered users
consent to our internal use of this information, if we were to use this information outside the
scope of their consent or otherwise fail to keep this information confidential from third parties,
including our former agents, we may be subject to legal claims or government action and our
reputation and business could be harmed. While we do not share website use and other personal
information with any third parties, except with our clients consent to third parties involved in
the transaction process, concern among consumers regarding our use of personal information gathered
from visitors to our website could cause them not to register with us. This would reduce the number
of leads we derive from our website. Because our website is our primary client acquisition tool,
any resistance by consumers to register on our website would harm our business and results of
operations, and could cause us to alter our business practices or incur significant expenses to
educate consumers regarding the use we make of information.
We may need to change the manner in which we conduct our business if government regulation of the
Internet increases.
The adoption or modification of laws or regulations relating to the Internet could adversely
affect the manner in which we currently conduct our business. In addition, the growth and
development of the market for online commerce may lead to more stringent consumer protection laws
that may impose additional burdens on us. Laws and regulations directly applicable to
communications or commerce over the Internet are becoming more prevalent. For example, both the
U.S. government and the State of California have enacted Internet laws regarding privacy and
sharing of customer information with third parties. Laws applicable to the Internet remain largely
unsettled, even in areas where there has been some legislative action. It may take years to
determine whether and how existing laws such as those governing intellectual property, privacy,
libel and taxation apply to the Internet.
In addition, because each state in which we do business requires us to be a licensed real
estate broker, and residents of states in which we do not do business could potentially access our
website, changes in Internet regulation could lead to situations in which we are considered to
operate or do business in such states. This could result in potential claims or regulatory
action.
If we are required to comply with new regulations or new interpretations of existing
regulations, we may not be able to differentiate our services from traditional competitors and may
not attract a sufficient number of clients for our business to be successful.
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Our reputation and client and agent service offerings may be harmed by system failures and
computer viruses.
The performance and reliability of our technology infrastructure is critical to our reputation
and ability to attract and retain clients and agents. Our network infrastructure is currently
co-located at a single facility in Sunnyvale, California and we do not currently operate a back-up
facility. As a result, any system failure or service outage at this primary facility would result
in a loss of service for the duration of the failure or outage. Any system error or failure, or a
sudden and significant increase in traffic, may significantly delay response times or even cause
our system to fail resulting in the unavailability of our Internet platform. For example, in 2005
we experienced an unscheduled outage that lasted approximately 12 hours. During this period our
clients and prospective clients were unable to access our website or receive notifications of new
listings. While we have taken measures to prevent unscheduled outages, outages may occur in the
future. In addition, our systems and operations are vulnerable to interruption or malfunction due
to certain events beyond our control, including natural disasters, such as earthquakes, fire and
flood, power loss, telecommunication failures, break-ins, sabotage, computer viruses, intentional
acts of vandalism and similar events. Our network infrastructure is located in the San Francisco
Bay area, which is susceptible to earthquakes and has, in the past, experienced power shortages and
outages, any of which could result in system failures and service outages. We may not be able to
expand our network infrastructure, either on our own or through use of third party hosting systems
or service providers, on a timely basis sufficient to meet demand. Any interruption, delay or
system failure could result in client and financial losses, litigation or other consumer claims and
damage to our reputation.
Our business is geographically concentrated, which makes us more susceptible to business
interruption and financial loss due to natural disasters, inclement weather, economic or market
conditions or other regional events outside of our control.
Presently, our business is conducted principally in a few states in the western United States,
especially California, and along the eastern seaboard. For example, we derived approximately 43% of
our net transaction revenues in the quarter ended March 31, 2006 in the State of California. In
addition, our servers and other technology infrastructure are located principally in the State of
California. Our geographic concentration makes us as a whole more vulnerable to the effects of
regional disasters in these areas, such as earthquakes, harsh weather, economic or market
conditions or other events outside of our control. These events could cause us to sustain a
business interruption or other financial loss that would be greater than if our business were more
dispersed geographically.
Our intellectual property rights are valuable and our failure to protect those rights could
adversely affect our business.
Our intellectual property rights, including existing and future patents, trademarks, trade
secrets, and copyrights, are and will continue to be valuable and important assets of our business.
We believe that our proprietary ZAP technology and ZipNotify, as well as our ability to
interoperate with multiple MLSs and our other technologies and business practices, are competitive
advantages and that any duplication by competitors would harm our business. We have taken measures
to protect our intellectual property, but these measures may not be sufficient or effective. For
example, we seek to avoid disclosure of our intellectual property by requiring employees and
consultants with access to our proprietary information to execute confidentiality agreements. We
also seek to maintain certain intellectual property as trade secrets. Intellectual property laws
and contractual restrictions may not prevent misappropriation of our intellectual property or deter
others from developing similar technologies. In addition, others may develop technologies that are
similar or superior to our technology, including our patented technology. Any significant
impairment of our intellectual property rights could harm our business.
We may in the future be subject to intellectual property rights disputes, which could divert
management attention, be costly to defend and require us to limit our service offerings.
Our business depends on the protection and utilization of our intellectual property. Other
companies may develop or acquire intellectual property rights that could prevent, limit or
interfere with our ability to provide our products and services. One or more of these companies,
which could include our competitors, could make claims alleging infringement of their intellectual
property rights. Any intellectual property claims, with or without merit, could be time-consuming
and expensive to litigate or settle and could significantly divert management resources and
attention.
Our technologies may not be able to withstand any third-party claims or rights against their
use. If we were unable to successfully defend against such claims, we may have to:
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pay damages; |
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stop using the technology found to be in violation of a third partys rights; |
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seek a license for the infringing technology; or |
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develop alternative non-infringing technology. |
If we have to obtain a license for the infringing technology, it may not be available on
reasonable terms, if at all. Developing alternative non-infringing technology could require
significant effort and expense. If we cannot license or develop alternative
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technology for the infringing aspects of our business, we may be forced to limit our product
and service offerings. Any of these results could reduce our ability to compete effectively, and
harm our business and results of operations.
If we fail to attract and retain our key personnel, our ability to meet our business goals will be
impaired and our financial condition and results of operations will suffer.
The loss of the services of one or more of our key personnel could seriously harm our
business. We recently announced plans of Eric A. Danziger, our Chief Executive Officer, to leave
the Company on or about August 1, 2006. Our success depends on the continued contributions of Gary
M. Beasley, our President and Chief Financial Officer, and other senior level sales, operations,
marketing, technology and financial officers. Our business plan was developed in large part by our
senior level officers and its implementation requires their skills and knowledge. None of our
officers or key employees has an employment agreement, and their employment is at will. We do not
have key person life insurance policies covering any of our executives.
We intend to evaluate acquisitions or investments in complementary technologies and businesses and
we may not realize the anticipated benefits from, and may have to pay substantial costs related
to, any acquisitions or investments that we undertake.
As part of our business strategy, we plan to evaluate acquisitions of, or investments in,
complementary technologies and businesses. We may be unable to identify suitable acquisition
candidates in the future or be able to make these acquisitions on a commercially reasonable basis,
or at all. If we complete an acquisition or investment, we may not realize the benefits we expect
to derive from the transaction. Any future acquisitions and investments would have several risks,
including:
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our inability to successfully integrate acquired technologies or operations; |
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diversion of managements attention; |
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problems maintaining uniform standards, procedures, controls and policies; |
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potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities or the incurrence of debt or contingent liabilities; |
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expenses related to amortization of intangible assets; |
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risks associated with operating a business or in a market in which we have little or no prior experience; |
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potential write offs of acquired assets; |
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loss of key employees of acquired businesses; and |
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our inability to recover the costs of acquisitions or investments. |
Accounting for employee stock options using the fair value method could significantly reduce our
net income in future periods.
In December 2004, the FASB issued its final standard on accounting for share-based payments,
SFAS 123(R) (revised 2004), that requires companies to expense the value of employee stock options
and similar awards. In April 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission amended the compliance
dates and, accordingly, we were required to record an expense for our stock-based compensation
plans using the fair value method beginning on January 1, 2006. This expense will exceed the
expense we previously recorded for our stock-based compensation plans and correspondingly reduce
our net income in future periods.
The value of our services could be diminished if anti-spam software filters out an increasing
portion of the emails we send.
Our ZAP system includes a feature that sends out personalized email messages to our registered
users on behalf of our agents. Given the volume of these messages, anti-spam software used by
Internet service providers and personal computer users sometimes treats these messages incorrectly
as unsolicited email, or spam, and filters them out. If this problem becomes more pervasive, the
value of this aspect of our marketing and communication approach could be diminished, which could
harm our business.
Because our marketing relationship with E-LOAN represents a source of revenue for us and funding
for our clients, we could be harmed if this relationship became impaired.
We receive revenues from our marketing relationship with E-LOAN, Inc., which provides the
ZipRealty Mortgage Center on our website and pays us a flat monthly fee that is established on a
periodic basis (representing less than 3% of our revenues during fiscal year 2005). E-LOAN was
acquired by Popular, Inc. in late 2005. If our marketing relationship with E-LOAN became impaired,
we
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could lose a source of marketing revenue that we may not be able to readily replace, and our
clients could have a more difficult time obtaining financing, which could negatively impact our
transaction revenues.
OTHER RISKS RELATED TO OUR STOCK PRICE
Our stock price may be volatile.
The trading price of our common stock may fluctuate widely, depending upon many factors, some
of which are beyond our control. These factors include, among others, the risks identified above
and the following:
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variations in our quarterly results of operations; |
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announcements by us or our competitors or lead source providers; |
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the relatively low level of public float and average daily trading volumes of our common stock; |
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changes in estimates of our performance or recommendations, or termination of coverage by securities analysts; |
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inability to meet quarterly or yearly estimates or targets of our performance; |
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the hiring or departure of key personnel, including agents or groups of agents or key executives; |
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changes in our reputation; |
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acquisitions or strategic alliances involving us or our competitors; |
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changes in the legal and regulatory environment affecting our business; and |
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market conditions in our industry and the economy as a whole. |
In addition, the stock market in general, and the market for technology companies in
particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated
or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These broad market and
industry factors may seriously harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual
operating performance. Also, in the past, following periods of volatility in the overall market and
the market price of a companys securities, securities class action litigation has often been
instituted against these companies. This litigation, if instituted against us, could result in
substantial costs and a diversion of our managements attention and resources and could harm the
price of our common stock. Although we carry general liability and errors and omissions insurance,
our insurance may not cover claims of these types or may be inadequate to protect us from all
liability that we may incur.
Our share price could decline due to the large number of outstanding shares of our common stock
eligible for future sale.
The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of substantial amounts
of our common stock in the public market, or from the perception that these sales could occur.
These sales could also make it more difficult for us to sell our equity or equity-related
securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate.
As of March 31, 2006, we had 20,318,859 shares of common stock outstanding. The 5,232,500
shares sold pursuant to our November 2004 initial public offering are currently tradable without
restriction. Almost all of the remaining shares are eligible for sale, subject in some cases to the
volume and other restrictions of Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act of 1933.
In addition, we have registered approximately 5.2 mllion shares of common stock that have been
issued or reserved for future issuance under our stock incentive plans. Of those shares, options
for 2,204,907 shares were vested as of March 31, 2006 and, if those options are exercised, those
shares are eligible for sale. Also as of March 31, 2006, we had outstanding warrants for 4,603,000
shares that were fully vested and, if those warrants are exercised, those shares will be eligible
for sale after the expiration of the lock-up agreements.
Our principal stockholders, executive officers and directors own a significant percentage of our
stock, and as a result, the trading price for our shares may be depressed and these stockholders
can take actions that may be adverse to your interests.
Our executive officers and directors and entities affiliated with them, in the aggregate,
beneficially own over half of our common stock. This significant concentration of share ownership
may adversely affect the trading price for our common stock because
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investors often perceive disadvantages in owning stock in companies with controlling
stockholders. These stockholders, acting together, will have the ability to exert control over all
matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election and removal of directors and
any proposed merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. In addition,
these stockholders who are executive officers or directors, or who have representatives on our
board of directors, could dictate the management of our business and affairs. This concentration of
ownership could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, or
impeding a merger or consolidation, takeover or other business combination that could be favorable
to our other stockholders.
Our charter documents and Delaware law could prevent a takeover that stockholders consider
favorable and could also reduce the market price of our stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our bylaws contain provisions that
could delay or prevent a change in control of our company. These provisions could also make it more
difficult for stockholders to elect directors and take other corporate actions. These provisions
include:
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providing for a classified board of directors with staggered, three-year terms; |
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not providing for cumulative voting in the election of directors; |
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authorizing the board to issue, without stockholder approval, preferred stock with rights senior to those of common stock; |
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prohibiting stockholder action by written consent; |
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limiting the persons who may call special meetings of stockholders; and |
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requiring advance notification of stockholder nominations and proposals. |
In addition, the provisions of Section 203 of Delaware General Corporate Law govern us. These
provisions may prohibit large stockholders, in particular those owning 15% or more of our
outstanding voting stock, from merging or combining with us for a certain period of time.
These and other provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our
bylaws and under Delaware law could discourage potential takeover attempts, reduce the price that
investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock in the future and result in the
market price being lower than it would be without these provisions.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds:
On November 9, 2004, the Securities and Exchange Commission declared effective our
Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-115657) for our initial public offering. We
commenced our offering immediately thereafter. We completed our sale of 4,550,000 shares of common
stock on November 15, 2004 at a price of $13.00 per share, and on November 18, 2004 we sold the
remainder of our registered shares of common stock (682,500 shares) at the same price per share
pursuant to the underwriters exercise of the over-allotment option. UBS Securities LLC, Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc., Thomas Weisel Partners LLC and Pacific Growth Equities, LLC acted as the
underwriters for the offering.
The aggregate purchase price of the offering was $68,022,500. The net offering proceeds received by
us after deducting total estimated expenses were $61,402,757. We incurred total estimated expenses
in connection with the offering of $6,619,743, which consisted of $1,795,943 in legal, accounting
and printing fees, $4,761,575 in underwriters discounts, fees and commissions, and $62,225 in
miscellaneous expenses. No payments for such expenses were made directly or indirectly to (i) any
of our directors, officers or their associates, (ii) any person owning 10% or more of any class of
our equity securities or (iii) any of our affiliates.
We have not used any of the net offering proceeds from the offering for operational purposes. We
currently estimate that we will use the net proceeds as described in the prospectus for the
offering: for general corporate purposes, including working capital. We have not assigned specific
portions of the net proceeds for any particular uses, and we will retain broad discretion in the
allocation of the net proceeds. Although we evaluate potential acquisitions of complementary
businesses, technologies or other assets in the ordinary course of business, we have no specific
understandings, commitments or agreements with respect to any acquisition at this time.
Pending such uses, we have invested all of the net proceeds from the offering in short-term,
investment-grade securities. We cannot predict whether the net proceeds invested will yield a
favorable return.
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Item 5. Other Information:
On May 8, 2006, we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K
(File No. 000-51002) concerning (i) the decision of Eric A. Danziger, our Chief Executive Officer,
to resign from the Company on or about August 1, 2006, (ii) the acceptance of Gary M. Beasley, our
Chief Financial Officer, of the additional position of President, effective May 2, 2006, (iii)
election of Donald F. Wood as Chairman of our Board of Directors, effective May 2, 2006, and (iv) a
summary of the compensatory agreements reached with Mr. Danziger and Mr. Beasley.
Item 6. Exhibits:
The exhibits listed in the Exhibit Index are filed as a part of this report.
37
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
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ZIPREALTY, INC. |
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By:
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/s/ Gary M. Beasley |
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Gary M. Beasley |
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President and Chief Financial Officer |
Date: May 10, 2006
38
Exhibit Index
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| Exhibit |
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| number |
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Description |
3.1(a)(1)
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Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation |
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3.2(a)(1)
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Bylaws |
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4.1(1)
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Form of Common Stock Certificate |
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10.12(2)*
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Summary of Cash Compensation for Named Executive Officers |
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10.13(2)
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Management Incentive Plan Fiscal Year 2006 |
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31.1
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer, as required by
Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 |
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31.2
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Certification of Chief Financial Officer, as required by
Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 |
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32.1
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer, as required by
Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States
Code (18 U.S.C. 1350) |
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32.2
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Certification of Chief Financial Officer, as required by
Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States
Code (18 U.S.C. 1350) |
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| (1) |
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Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the Registrants Registration
Statement on Form S-1(File No. 333-115657) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on May 20, 2004, as amended. |
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| (2) |
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Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the Registrants Annual Report
on Form 10-K (File No. 000-51002) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March
16, 2006. |
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| * |
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Identifies a management contract or compensatory plan or agreement required to be filed as an
exhibit of this report. |
39