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Hardwoods Distribution

hdi · TSX Industrials
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Ticker hdi
Exchange TSX
Sector Industrials
Industry Construction Materials
Employees 1001-5000
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FY2018 Annual Report · Hardwoods Distribution
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Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
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Profile 

HDI (or "the Company") is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol HDI.  We 

are North America’s largest wholesale distributor of  architectural building products to the residential 

and commercial construction sectors. 

Our Products and Services:  We sell decorative surfaces and composite panels, hardwood plywood, high-

grade hardwood lumber, and other architectural building products to industrial manufacturing customers 

across North America. We also provide custom moulding and millwork services at 23 of our locations, 

and own a sawmill and kiln drying operation in Michigan.  

Our Customers:  Our business serves over 35,000 customers, primarily small-to-mid-sized industrial 

manufacturers  producing  cabinets,  mouldings,  custom  finishing,  home  furniture,  home  renovations, 

finishing millwork for office buildings, restaurant and bar interiors, hotel lobbies, retail point-of-purchase 

displays, schools, hospitals, custom motor coaches, yacht interiors and other specialty areas.

Our  End-Markets:    We  estimate  that  approximately  50%  of  the  products  we  sell  to  industrial 

manufacturers end up in residential construction applications, approximately 40% in the commercial/

institutional construction sector, and 10% in a diverse group of other end-markets.

Our  People:    We  employ  over  1,100  dedicated  employees  and  maintain  a  highly  professional  and 

entrepreneurial sales and service culture.

Our Network:  We operate from 63 locations across North America, with approximately 90% of our 

annual sales generated in the United States and 10% in Canada.

Our Strategy:  As North America's largest distributor in our industry, with an unmatched network of 

locations and annual sales of over $1.1 billion, we are focused on leveraging our size, capabilities, and 

strong financial position to create a world-class distribution company. Our objectives include: i) being 

the market leader in our products; ii) supporting the success of our operations and our stakeholders with 

operational excellence; and iii) continuing to pursue acquisitions that complement our strategy.

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To our Shareholders

HDI’s growth story continued in 2018 as we increased revenues by 8.5% on a combination of 

organic and acquisition-based growth.  Diluted profit per share was also up 7.2% year-over-

year as we benefited from the reduction in US corporate tax rates. 

These results represent our seventh consecutive year of top and bottom-line growth. Between 

2012 and 2018, HDI’s revenues have grown from $306 million to $1.134 billion. And this has 

been accretive growth, with Adjusted diluted profit per share climbing from $0.38 to $1.61

during  this  same  time  frame. This  represents  a  compound  annual  growth  rate  of  20.6%  for 

revenue and 22.9% for Adjusted diluted profit per share.

As we have grown our top and bottom line, investors have also benefited from an increase in 

our dividend. 2018 was no exception. Midway through the year we announced a 10% increase, 

which represented our seventh dividend increase in the past seven years. Our annual dividend  

is $0.32 per share, or a dividend yield of approximately 3% as at December 31, 2018.  

Building on our Strengths

Our strong track record of financial performance and dividend growth speaks to the fundamental 

strength of HDI’s brands and business model. In 2018 we continued to build on our strengths 

as  we  worked  on  our  platform  strategies  and  moved  closer  to  our  vision  of  a  world  class 

distributor of architectural building products operating multiple brands across North America.  

Here are just some of the highlights from our year:

Building Market Share in Strategic Market Segments. We achieved new market share for our 

decorative surfaces and composite products in 2018 as we increased our focus on this emerging, 

high-growth segment. We are successfully leveraging our supply chain strengths to attract some 

of the world’s leading suppliers of these products, and we are backing our growing line-up of 

products with sophisticated marketing programs aimed at establishing both push demand from 

manufacturers and pull demand from designers and architects.

Establishing New Supply Lines for Hardwood Plywood. One of the most significant challenges 

we faced in 2018 was the imposition of US trade barriers on hardwood plywood imported from 

China. In addition to creating significant market imbalances within this product category and 

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negatively impacting our gross profit margin as detailed in our 2018 Management's Discussion 

and Analysis, the new barriers also required a reworking of our supply sources. Our product 

teams did an exceptional job of establishing new mill relationships for our proprietary product 

lines in 2018. We are now moving into 2019 with an attractive basket of product choices for 

our customers.

Capitalizing on our Acquisition Pipeline. We continued to grow our business through acquisition 

in 2018 with our purchase of certain distribution assets of Atlanta Hardwoods Corporation.  

“Atlanta” brought us three new operations, two in Georgia and one in Alabama, and is expected 

to generate annual sales of about $17 million. 

Subsequent to the year-end on January 28, 2019, we followed up with the acquisition of Far 

West Plywood. Far West is a single site distributor located in Southern California with estimated 

annual sales of $16 million. The addition of Far West provides additional size and scale in the 

attractive and fast-growing Southern California market. 

Setting New Growth Targets

Our operational strategies are designed to deliver market share. With our strategies gaining 

traction, we have set our sights on our next growth target and expect to achieve $1.5 billion of 

sales within five years.

Our revenue target is based on achieving organic and inorganic based growth targets. We will 

continue to pursue our robust pipeline of accretive acquisition opportunities within the highly 

fragmented US architectural building products industry. 

We also expect to improve profitability through our continued optimization of our platform. We 

will further leverage our size and strength to create competitive advantages through further 

adopting  best  in  class  supply  chain  strategies  and  vendor  rebate  programs,  implementing  a 

consolidated ERP platform, and investing in our people, including providing additional internal 

sales and product team training, development and tools. 

Over time, these and other strategies, will help drive growth in our EBITDA margin, while also 

enhancing our competitive position. 

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Share Price Performance

One of the measures of our success is the Company's share price, and in recent months we have 

been disappointed by the disconnect between our performance and our market value. While it 

can be difficult to pinpoint exact causes of market sentiment, we are aware that the broader 

buildings  products  category  has  been  negatively  affected  by  uneven  economic  data  on  US 

housing.  

We believe the recent softness in US housing markets is a temporary pause and not a directional 

change. Housing fundamentals remain supportive and experts continue to forecast new home 

construction growth going forward. In addition, our exposure to US construction markets is 

well  diversified  across  new  residential  construction,  repair  and  remodel,  non-residential 

construction and a range of other end-markets.  

Accordingly we believe the underlying value of HDI is not currently reflected in our share price. 

On February 1, 2019, we received TSX approval for a normal course issuer bid which will 

enable us to buy back up to 1,612,147 of our common shares over a 12-month period. 

Concluding Comments

Going forward, we are very excited about HDI’s prospects and confident in our ability to deliver 

continued growth and performance improvements. As I said in my letter last year, we are not 

just focused on getting bigger, we are focused on quality, integrity and professionalism as we 

create long-term value for all of our stakeholders. By striving to be a great place to work for 

our employees, the best partner to our vendors, and the leading problem solver for our customers, 

we are laying the foundation to deliver continued strong performance for you, our investors.  

We thank you for your confidence in HDI and look forward to telling you about our continued 

progress in 2019.

Sincerely,

Rob Brown
President and Chief Executive Officer

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis  

March 14, 2019

This  management’s  discussion  and  analysis  (“MD&A”)  has  been  prepared  by  Hardwoods 

Distribution Inc. (“HDI” or the “Company”) as of March 14, 2019.  This MD&A should be read 

in  conjunction  with  the  audited  consolidated  financial  statements  and  accompanying  notes 

(“Audited Financial Statements”) of the Company for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 

2017.    Results  are  reported  in  Canadian  dollars  unless  otherwise  stated.    For  additional 

information, readers should also refer to our Annual Information Form and other information 

filed on www.sedar.com.

In  this  MD&A,  references  to  “EBITDA”  are  to  earnings  before  interest,  income  taxes, 

depreciation  and  amortization,  where  interest  is  defined  as  net  finance  costs  as  per  the 

consolidated statement of comprehensive income.  Furthermore, we discuss certain EBITDA 

Ratios, such as EBITDA margin (being EBITDA as a percentage of sales), net debt-to-EBITDA 

(net debt as described in section 5.3 as compared to EBITDA), and certain Liquidity Ratios 

such  as  working  capital  (as  defined  in  section  5.2  of  this  report)  and  net  debt-to-total 

capitalization  (net  debt  as  compared  to  total  capitalization  as  described  in  section  5.3).    In 

addition to profit, we consider EBITDA, EBITDA Ratios, and Liquidity Ratios to be useful 

supplemental measures of our ability to meet debt service and capital expenditure requirements, 

and we interpret trends in EBITDA and EBITDA Ratios (such as EBITDA margin) as an indicator 

of relative operating performance.

In this MD&A, references to "Adjusted EBITDA" are EBITDA as defined above, before certain 

items related to non-cash Long Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") expense, allowance related to duty 

deposits receivable, and transaction expenses. "Adjusted EBITDA margin" and "Adjusted net 

debt-to-EBITDA" (together the "Adjusted EBITDA Ratios") are as defined above, before certain 

items related to non-cash Long Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") expense, allowance related to duty 

deposits receivable, and transaction expenses. References to "Adjusted profit", "Adjusted basic 

profit per share", and "Adjusted diluted profit per share" are profit for the period, basic profit 

per  share,  and  diluted  profit  per  share,  before  certain  items  related  to  non-cash  Long Term 

Incentive Plan ("LTIP") expense, allowance related to duty deposits receivable, and transaction 

expenses. The aforementioned adjusted measures are collectively referenced as "the Adjusted 

Measures". We  consider  the Adjusted  Measures  to  be  useful  supplemental  measures  of  our 

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profitability, our ability to meet debt service and capital expenditure requirements, our ability 

to generate cash flow from operations, and as an indicator of relative operating performance, 

before  considering  the  impact  of  non-cash  Long  Term  Incentive  Plan  ("LTIP")  expense, 

allowance related to duty deposits receivable, and transaction expenses.

EBITDA, EBITDA Ratios, Liquidity Ratios and the Adjusted Measures (collectively "the Non-

GAAP Measures") are not measures recognized by International Financial Reporting Standards 

(“IFRS”) and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS.  Investors are cautioned 

that the Non-GAAP Measures should not replace profit, earnings per share or cash flows (as 

determined  in  accordance  with  IFRS)  as  an  indicator  of  our  performance.    Our  method  of 

calculating  the  Non-GAAP  Measures  may  differ  from  the  methods  used  by  other  issuers. 

Therefore, our Non-GAAP Measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by 

other issuers. For a reconciliation between Non-GAAP Measures and measures as determined 

in accordance with IFRS, please refer to the discussion of Results of Operations described in 

section  3.0,  Cash  Flows  from  Operating,  Investing  and  Financing Activities  in  section  5.1, 

Working Capital in section 5.2, and Revolving Credit Facilities and Debt Management Strategy 

in section 5.3 of this report.

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Contents    

1.0 

Executive Summary

1.1 

1.2 

1.3 

1.4 

1.5 

Overview

Recent Acquisitions

Trade Actions Update

Business Strategy

Outlook 

2.0 

3.0 

Business and Industry Overview

Results of Operations 

3.1 

3.2 

Years Ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017

Three-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 

4.0 

Selected Financial Information and Seasonality

4.1 

4.2 

Quarterly Financial Information

Annual Financial Information

5.0 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

5.1   Cash Flows from Operating, Investing and Financing Activities

5.2    Working Capital

5.3 

5.4 

5.5 

5.6 

5.7 

5.8 

Revolving Credit Facilities and Debt Management Strategy

Contractual Obligations 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

Financial Instruments

Share Data

Dividends

6.0 

7.0 

8.0 

9.0 

Related Party Transactions

Critical Accounting Estimates and Adoption of Changes in Accounting Policies

7.1 

7.2 

Critical Accounting Estimates

Adoption of New Accounting Policies

Risks and Uncertainties

Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

10.0  Note Regarding Forward Looking Information 

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1.0 Executive Summary

1.1 Overview 

We set new sales, profit, and Adjusted profit records in 2018 as we continued to implement our 

business strategies, achieved organic and acquisition-based growth, and realized bottom-line 

benefits from the reduction in the US corporate tax rate. For the year ended December 31, 2018, 

our sales increased 8.5% to $1.134 billion and profit increased 7.4% to $32.2 million, compared 

to  2017. Adjusted  profit  also  climbed  4.6%  to  $34.8  million,  after  adjusting  for  expenses 

associated with non-cash Long Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") expense, allowance related to duty 

deposits receivable, and transaction expenses.

Strong Sales Growth 

Our record 2018 top-line results were achieved despite only modest gains in the US residential 

construction  market.  Our  end-market  diversification  and  predominantly  non-commodity 

product mix, together with our strategic initiatives and price appreciation on some of our product 

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lines, counteracted the impact of these conditions and helped us deliver organic sales growth 

of $64.1 million, or 6.1%, in 2018, including 6.6% organic sales growth in the US and 2.8% in 

Canada. 

Acquisitions also drove our sales performance with our 2017 purchases of  Eagle Plywood and 

Lumber, Downes & Reader Hardwood Company, and 2018 acquisition of certain distribution 

assets of Atlanta Hardwoods Corporation (collectively referred to as the "Acquired Businesses")  

contributing $26.5 million, or a 2.5%, year-over-year increase to sales. 

Gross Margin

For the year ended December 31, 2018, we increased gross profit dollars by 4.5% to $200.5

million, from $191.9 million in 2017. This $8.7 million improvement reflects our higher sales, 

partially offset by a lower gross profit margin percentage of 17.7%, as compared to 18.3% in 

2017. The decrease in gross profit margin percentage primarily relates to US trade barriers that 

created market imbalances in the hardwood plywood product category in 2018 (see Section 

1.3). 

Operating Expenses

As anticipated, operating expenses were higher year-over-year, reflecting the addition of the 

acquired  businesses  noted  in  Section  1.2  and  added  costs  to  support  organic  growth. As  a 

percentage of revenue, operating expenses improved to 13.6% from 13.7% in 2017.

Profitability 

Profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 increased by 7.4% to $32.2 million, from $30.0 

million in 2017. This improvement primarily reflects the positive impact of the US corporate 

tax rate reduction that came into effect January 1, 2018, partially offset by lower EBITDA and 

an increase in net finance expense. Diluted profit per share increased 7.2% to $1.49, from $1.39

in 2017. 

We generated 2018 Adjusted EBITDA of $56.2 million, as compared to $59.1 million in 2017. 

While sales and gross profit increased year-over-year, these gains were offset by the lower gross 

margin percentage.

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Balance Sheet and Cash Flows

Our balance sheet continues to be responsibly managed. As at December 31, 2018 , our net debt-

to-Adjusted EBITDA ratio was 2.0 times, the debt-to-capital ratio was 28.0%, and we had $78.4 

million of unused borrowing capacity.

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1.2 Recent Acquisitions

Through our acquisition strategy, we continue to enhance our position as North America's #1 

distributor of architectural building products, while strengthening our presence in the large US 

market. Recent acquisition activity includes:

Far West Plywood

On January 28, 2019, we purchased substantially all of the assets and assumed certain liabilities 

of Far West Plywood ("Far West") for a total value of US$3.6 million. Far West is a single site 

distributor located in Southern California with estimated annual sales of US$12 million. The 

addition  of  Far West  represents  a  contiguous  expansion  of  our  current  Southern  California 

operations and provides additional size and scale in an attractive growth market.

Certain distribution assets of Atlanta Hardwoods Corporation

On  June  11,  2018,  we  purchased  certain  of  the  distribution  assets  of Atlanta  Hardwoods 

Corporation ("Atlanta") for a total value of US$3.7 million. A distributor of architectural building 

products, Atlanta brought us three new operations, including two in Georgia and one in Alabama. 

The Georgia operations will be consolidated into our existing Atlanta and Suwanee facilities, 

and combined with the new Alabama location, gives us important new size and scale in an 

attractive and growing region. The new operations are expected to generate US$13 million in 

annual sales and provide a strong strategic fit with complementary product lines and suppliers.  

Downes & Reader Hardwood Company

On July 17, 2017, we purchased Downes & Reader Hardwood Company Inc. ("D&R") for a 

total value of US$5.9 million. D&R is a distributor of hardwood lumber with four locations in 

the  US  Northeast  and  estimated  annual  sales  of  US$25.0  million.  D&R  brought  us  a 

comprehensive lumber products offering in the region and added over 2,400 new customers. 

Eagle Plywood and Lumber

On March 13, 2017, we purchased Eagle Plywood and Lumber (“Eagle”) for a total value of 

US$0.5  million.  Eagle  was  a  single  site  wholesale  distributor  located  in  Dallas, Texas  with 

estimated annual sales of US$5.0 million. 

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1.3 Trade Actions Update 

The  US  government  has  continued  to  undertake  trade  actions,  resulting  in  a  shifting  trade 

landscape. The trade actions most relevant to our business include:

Wooden Cabinets and Vanities from China

On March 6, 2019 the American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance, which is comprised of a number of  

significant domestic cabinet manufacturers (the "Petitioners"), announced the filing of a petition 

with  the  Department  of  Commerce  ("Commerce")  and  the  International Trade  Commission 

("ITC") for the imposition of antidumping ("AD") and countervailing ("CVD") duties on wooden 

cabinets and vanities from China. The Petitioners claim that China's trade practices have resulted 

in an over 75% increase in US imports of kitchen cabinets from China since 2015. The Petitioners 

estimate that the total value of imports covered by the case is approximately $4 billion and that 

the dumping margins are up to 259.99%. A time line for Commerce's investigation has not yet 

been announced. 

We view the potential imposition of AD and CVD duties on cabinet products imported from 

China as positive, as it could increase demand from our primary customer base, domestic cabinet 

manufacturers.

Hardwood Plywood from China

On January 2018, AD and CVD duties relating to hardwood plywood imported from China into 

the US were implemented (the "Trade Case"). For a more detailed summary, see our 2017 annual 

report. 

The Trade Case negatively impacted our margins by i) increasing sourcing costs as we purchased 

hardwood plywood from alternate suppliers, rather than from manufacturers in China; and ii) 

creating an excess market supply of lower-value hardwood plywood and substitute products in 

the US. 

By year-end we had made excellent progress in diffusing sourcing challenges by developing 

proprietary product offerings with alternative suppliers of hardwood plywood. A number of 

these products are now in market trials with our customers and are performing well. 

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As volumes related to our new proprietary hardwood plywood product offerings increase and 

more consistent supply-demand dynamics emerge, we expect our gross margins will gradually 

improve.  

1.4 Business Strategy 

We are North America's largest distributor in our industry and are focused on leveraging our 

size, capabilities, and strong financial position to create a world class distribution company. We 

expect  to  achieve  $1.5  billion  of  sales  within  5  years,  as  well  as  improve  profitability.  Our 

strategies to achieve this objective are:

i) Be the market leader in our products: Our market share across North America is 

different by region.  We will work to become the market leader, or expand our existing 

market  lead,  by:  leveraging  our  core  product  strengths,  vendor  relationships,  and 

supporting infrastructure, and responding to evolving customer demand and end-user 

preferences with innovative products.

ii) Support the success of our operations and stakeholders with operational excellence: 

From  employing  industry-leading,  technology-enabled  solutions,  to  enhancing  our 

supply  chain  and  partner  management  strengths,  to  optimizing  our  strategic  human 

resources capabilities, we will provide best-in-class systems and support to ensure our 

customers, our vendors and our people succeed.

iii)  Continue to pursue acquisitions that complement our strategies: With our size, 

scale and strong balance sheet, we are uniquely positioned to continue pursuing growth 

by acquisition. The highly fragmented nature of the US architectural building products 

industry also provides numerous opportunities for acquisition-based growth. We plan 

to continue pursuing opportunities that take us into new markets, expand our presence 

in existing markets, and that can be added on an accretive basis for shareholders. The 

acquisitions of Far West, Plywood, Eagle and D&R are all recent examples of our ability 

to expand our presence in existing markets.

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1.5 Outlook 

2019 Market Outlook

Our long-term view on US housing demand remains positive, supported by the current level of 

housing starts relative to the long-term average, low levels of current housing inventory due to 

the slow pace of the recovery, and the favourable demographic characteristics of  US consumers. 

In the near term, most forecasters are predicting at least a modest level of growth for residential 

construction in 2019. In addition, Harvard's Center for Joint Housing predicts 5.2% growth for 

the US repair and renovation market. In the non-residential construction market, spending is 

expected to continue growing in 2019, with consensus growth estimates of 4.4% as per the 

American Institute of Architects.  

In Canada, we anticipate nominal growth across our end-markets.

We note that our business in both the US and Canada is well diversified across new residential 

construction, repair and remodel, non-residential construction, and the wide range of other end-

markets that we serve. We also benefit from a diversified and high-value mix of architectural 

building products, including high-value hardwood lumber, fancy hardwood plywood, decorative 

laminates,  composite  panels,  hardware,  coatings,  doors  and  countertops.  Our  higher-value 

decorative products generally benefit from stable pricing. 

2019 Company Outlook

We expect first quarter sales this year to be in line with the first quarter of 2018. This reflects 

lost sales days due to weather, and continued uneven market sentiment as it relates to certain 

US construction sectors.    

For the balance of the fiscal year, we anticipate low-to-mid single digit organic growth in the 

US and nominal organic growth in Canada as we continue to implement our strategic initiatives 

in  2019.  With  a  strong  balance  sheet  and  a  pipeline  of  attractive  regional  acquisition 

opportunities, we are also well positioned to build both our top and bottom line with accretive 

acquisition-based growth. 

Gross profit percentage is expected to remain in the 17%-18%. The potential impact of items 

noted in Section 1.3 on supply-demand dynamics remains to be seen.

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Moving forward, we will continue to pursue our successful strategies of capturing market share 

in  the  US,  gaining  additional  market  share  in  strategic  product  categories,  optimizing  our 

platform, and capitalizing on opportunities in the fragmented US distribution market to grow 

through acquisition.

Capital allocation 

We generate significant cash flow from operations before working capital. For the coming year, 

our capital allocation priorities include:

• 

investing in working capital to support anticipated organic growth in our sales;

• 

ensuring continued responsible management of the balance sheet;

• 

executing on our acquisitions pipeline; and,

• 

continuing  to  return  value  to  shareholders  in  the  form  of  dividends  and  share  re-

purchases. 

On February 1, 2019 we announced that the TSX accepted our notice to initiate a normal course 

issuer bid. We believe that the underlying share value of HDI may not be reflected in the current 

market price of our shares and, as a result, will consider share repurchases depending upon 

future price movements, our capital allocation priorities, and other factors.   

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2.0 Business and Industry Overview

Serving customers for over 50 years, HDI is North America’s largest distributor of decorative 

surfaces and composite panels, hardwood plywood, high-grade hardwood lumber, and other 

architectural building products to the cabinet, moulding, millwork, furniture and specialty wood 

products industries.  As at March 14, 2019 we operated 62 distribution facilities located in 25 

US states and 5 Canadian provinces.  Certain of these facilities include light manufacturing 

capabilities,  which  enable  us  to  create  custom  moulding  and  millwork  packages  for  our 

customers. An additional facility, Hardwoods of Michigan, is a fully integrated producer and 

exporter of high quality, value-added hardwood lumber.

Approximately 22% of our 2018 sales were made up of decorative surfaces and composites, 

such as high pressure laminates, thermally fused laminates, medium-density fiberboard, and  

particleboard. Approximately 34% of our sales were of hardwood plywood, 22% of our sales 

were  high-grade  hardwood  lumber,  and  22%  of  our  sales  were  other  architectural  building 

products such as doors, millwork, mouldings, and other ancillary architectural building products.  

Many of our product lines are complementary, and customers typically use a number of key 

products from the categories described to manufacture their own end-use products.

Our primary role in the industry is to provide the critical link between suppliers manufacturing 

making large volumes of products, and small-to-mid-sized industrial customers that require 

lesser quantities of many different products for their own manufacturing processes.  We provide 

a means for hundreds of primary manufacturers to get their product to thousands of fabrication 

customers.  We add value to our suppliers by buying their product in volume and paying them 

promptly,  by  providing  access  to  our  large  North American  distribution  network,  and  by 

supporting their products with strong sales and marketing support.  We effectively act as their 

third-party sales force.  We add value for our customers by providing them with the materials 

they need on a just-in-time basis, selling in smaller quantities, and offering a wider range of 

product selection than the customer would be able to purchase directly from an individual mill.  

We also provide an important source of financing for our customers by allowing them to buy 

material from us on approved credit.

Our customer base manufactures a range of end-use products, such as cabinetry, furniture and 

custom  millwork.  These  products,  in  turn,  are  sold  into  multiple  sectors  of  the  economy, 

including  new  home  construction,  renovation,  non-residential  construction,  institutional 

markets and manufacturing.  As a result of this diversity, it is difficult to determine with certainty 

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what  proportion  of  our  products  end  up  in  each  sector  of  the  economy.    We  estimate  that 

approximately half of our products are used in residential construction, in the form of cabinets, 

mouldings, custom finishing, and home furniture.  We believe the balance of our products ends 

up in other sectors of the economy not associated with new residential construction, such as 

home renovations, finishing millwork for office buildings, recreational vehicles, restaurant and 

bar interiors, hotel lobbies, retail point-of-purchase displays, schools, hospitals, custom motor 

coaches, yacht interiors and other specialty areas.

Our  products  are  sourced  as  follows: A  majority  of  decorative  surfaces  and  composites  are 

generally supplied by large manufacturers in North America. Hardwood plywood is produced 

in North America by large manufacturers using domestic hardwoods and other materials, as 

well as by overseas hardwood plywood manufacturers.  The majority of the high-grade hardwood 

lumber we distribute is harvested from North American hardwood forests, located principally 

in the Eastern United States, and  is milled by hundreds of  small mills. Imported hardwood 

lumber  is  largely  limited  to  specialty  species  that  generally  do  not  compete  with  domestic 

hardwood lumber.  A majority of other architectural building products are generally sourced 

from  North American  mills  or  manufacturers,  of  varying  sizes  depending  on  the  product.  

Principally third parties such as us distribute the majority of the products we carry.

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3.0 Results of Operations

3.1 Years Ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017

Selected Unaudited Consolidated Financial Information (in thousands of Canadian dollars)

For the year

For the year

ended December 31

ended December 31

$ Increase % Increase

2018

2017

(Decrease)

(Decrease)

$

1,134,267

$

1,045,840

$

88,427

Total sales

Sales in the US (US$)

Sales in Canada

Gross profit

Gross profit %

Operating expenses

Profit from operating activities

Add: Depreciation and amortization

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and

amortization ("EBITDA")

EBITDA as a % of revenue

Add (deduct):

Depreciation and amortization

Net finance income (expense)

Income tax expense

Profit for the period

Basic profit per share

Diluted profit per share

$

$

$

$

Average Canadian dollar exchange rate for one US dollar $

766,662

140,903

200,548

17.7%

(154,213)

46,335

6,847

53,182

4.7%

(6,847)

(3,398)

(10,778)

32,159

1.50

1.49

1.296

$

$

$

$

$

699,776

137,110

191,875

18.3%

(142,790)

49,085

6,504

55,589

5.3%

(6,504)

(2,502)

(16,629)

29,954

1.40

1.39

1.299

66,886

3,793

8,673

11,423

(2,750)

343

8.5 %

9.6 %

2.8 %

4.5 %

8.0 %

(5.6)%

5.3 %

$

(2,407)

(4.3)%

(343)

(896)

5,851

2,205

$

7.4 %

Analysis of Specific Items Affecting Comparability (in thousands of Canadian dollars)

For the year

For the year

ended December 31

ended December 31

$ Increase % Increase

2018

2017

(Decrease)

(Decrease)

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and

amortization ("EBITDA"), per the table above

Non-cash LTIP expense

Allowance for duty deposits paid

Transaction expenses

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenue

Profit for the period, as reported

Other adjustments, net of tax

Adjusted Profit

Basic profit per share, as reported

Net impact of above items per share

Adjusted basic profit per share

Diluted profit per share, as reported

Net impact of above items per share

Adjusted diluted profit per share

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

53,182

$

2,096

880

89

56,247

5.0%

32,159

2,623

34,782

1.50

0.12

1.62

1.49

0.12

1.61

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

55,589

3,287

—

273

59,149

5.7%

29,954

3,307

33,261

1.40

0.15

1.55

1.39

0.15

1.54

$

(2,407)

(4.3)%

(1,191)

880

(184)

$

(2,902)

(4.9)%

$

$

$

$

$

$

2,205

(684)

1,521

0.10

(0.03)

0.07

0.10

(0.03)

0.07

7.4 %

4.6 %

7.1 %

4.5 %

7.2 %

4.5 %

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
14

Sales

For the year ended December 31, 2018, total sales increased 8.5% to $1,134.3 million, from 

$1,045.8  million  in  2017.  Of  the  $88.4  million  year-over-year  increase,  $64.1  million, 

representing a 6.1% increase in sales, was due to organic growth and $26.5 million, representing 

a 2.5% increase in sales, was due to the addition of Acquired Businesses. These gains were 

partially offset by a $2.2 million negative foreign exchange impact resulting from a stronger 

Canadian dollar when translating our US sales to Canadian dollars for reporting purposes.

Sales from our US operations increased by US$66.9 million, or 9.6%, to US$766.7 million, 

from US$699.8 million in 2017. Organic growth provided a US$46.4 million, or 6.6%, increase 

in sales, and reflects increased volumes, as well as some price inflation on certain product lines. 

The Acquired Businesses contributed sales of US$20.4 million. 

Sales in Canada increased by $3.8 million, or 2.8%, year-over-year.  The increase in Canadian 

sales was entirely organic and reflects our success in winning new business.

Gross Profit

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 increased 4.5% to $200.5 million, from 

$191.9 million in 2017.  This $8.7 million improvement reflects higher sales, partially offset 

by a lower gross profit margin.  As a percentage of sales, gross profit margin decreased to 17.7%

in 2018, from 18.3% in 2017, primarily reflecting the impacts described in Section 1.3.  

Operating Expenses 

For the year ended December 31, 2018, operating expenses increased to $154.2 million, from 

$142.8  million  in  2017. The  $11.4  million  increase  includes  $6.2  million  of  added  costs  to 

support organic growth, the addition of $4.8 million of operating expenses related to acquired 

businesses, and $0.9 million for an allowance related to duty deposits receivable. These increases 

were partially offset by a $0.2 million decrease in transaction costs and a $0.3 million foreign 

exchange impact related to a stronger Canadian dollar on translation of US operating expenses. 

As a percentage of sales, operating expenses decreased to 13.6% from 13.7% year-over-year

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
15

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

For the year ended December 31, 2018, we reported EBITDA of $53.2 million as compared to 

$55.6 million for the same period in the prior year. The $2.4 million reduction includes the 

impact of a lower gross profit percentage on sales. Adjusted EBITDA was $56.2 million, a 

decrease of $2.9 million from $59.1 million in the same period in 2017.

Beginning in fiscal 2019 we will be adopting IFRS 16 - Leases, which will result in a significant 

change to the way certain leases are measured and presented in our financial results. The new 

standard  includes  a  reclassification  of  a  material  amount  of  facility  costs  from  selling  and 

distribution expense (which is included as a cost in the calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted 

EBITDA), to depreciation and interest (which is excluded as a cost in the calculation of  EBITDA 

and Adjusted EBITDA). While the new standard will impact our calculation of EBITDA and 

Adjusted EBITDA, it will not result in a significant change to net earnings over the life of each 

lease. 

We will be adopting this new standard on a retrospective basis, meaning that our 2018 results 

will be restated for 2019. Please refer to Section 7.2 for further details.

Net Finance Income (Cost)

We recorded a net finance expense of $3.4 million in 2018 as compared to $2.5 million in 2017. 

The $0.9 million year-over-year increase relates primarily to interest on bank indebtedness.  

Income Tax Expense 

Income tax expense decreased to $10.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from 

$16.6 million in 2017. The decrease was primarily driven by the lower effective tax rate in the 

US that came into effect in 2018, and a decrease in taxable income as compared to 2017.

Profit for the Period

Profit for the year ended December 31, 2018 increased 7.4% to $32.2 million, from $30.0 million 

in 2017.  The $2.2 million improvement primarily reflects the decrease in income tax expense 

of $5.9 million, partially offset by the $2.4 million decrease in EBITDA, a $0.9 million increase 

in net finance expense, and a $0.3 million increase in depreciation and amortization. Diluted 

profit per share increased to $1.49 from $1.39, a 7.2% gain as compared to 2017. 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
16

3.2 Three-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017

Selected Unaudited Consolidated Financial Information (in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Three months

Three months

ended December 31

ended December 31

$ Increase % Increase

Total sales

Sales in the US (US$)

Sales in Canada

Gross profit

Gross profit %

Operating expenses

Profit from operating activities

Add: Depreciation and amortization

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and

amortization ("EBITDA")

EBITDA as a % of revenue

Add (deduct):

Depreciation and amortization

Net finance income (expense)

Income tax expense

Profit for the period

Basic profit per share

Diluted profit per share

$

$

$

$

$

Average Canadian dollar exchange rate for one US dollar $

2018

274,985

182,933

33,232

47,440

17.3%

(38,920)

8,520

1,803

10,323

3.8%

(1,803)

(714)

(1,929)

5,877

0.27

0.27

1.320

$

$

$

$

$

$

2017

(Decrease)

(Decrease)

$

25,449

10.2 %

11,867

1,191

2,937

3,808

(871)

195

6.9 %

3.7 %

6.6 %

10.8 %

(9.3)%

12.1 %

$

(676)

(6.1)%

(195)

(37)

1,841

933

$

18.9 %

249,536

171,066

32,041

44,503

17.8%

(35,112)

9,391

1,608

10,999

4.4%

(1,608)

(677)

(3,770)

4,944

0.23

0.23

1.271

Analysis of Specific Items Affecting Comparability (in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Three months

Three months

ended December 31

ended December 31

$ Increase % Increase

2018

2017

(Decrease)

(Decrease)

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and

amortization ("EBITDA"), per the table above

Non-cash LTIP expense

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenue

Profit for the period, as reported

Other adjustments, net of tax

Adjusted Profit

Basic profit per share, as reported

Net impact of above items per share

Adjusted basic profit per share

Diluted profit per share, as reported

Net impact of above items per share

Adjusted diluted profit per share

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

10,323

(261)

10,062

3.7%

5,877

(268)

5,609

0.27

(0.01)

0.26

0.27

(0.01)

0.26

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

10,999

558

11,557

4.6%

4,944

531

5,475

0.23

0.02

0.25

0.23

0.02

0.25

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

(676)

(819)

(6.1)%

(1,495)

(12.9)%

933

(799)

134

0.04

(0.03)

0.01

0.04

(0.03)

0.01

18.9 %

2.4 %

17.4 %

4.0 %

17.4 %

4.0 %

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
17

Sales

For the three months ended December 31, 2018, total sales increased 10.2% to $275.0 million, 

from  $249.5  million  during  the  same  period  in  2017.  Of  the  $25.4  million  year-over-year 

increase, $12.3 million, representing a 4.9% increase in sales, was due to organic growth and 

$4.3  million,  representing  a  1.7%  increase  in  sales,  was  due  to  the  addition  of Acquired 

Businesses. The remaining $8.8 million of sales gain reflects the positive foreign exchange 

impact resulting from a stronger US dollar when translating our US sales to Canadian dollars 

for reporting purposes, as compared to the same period in  2017.

Fourth quarter sales from our US operations increased by US$11.9 million, or 6.9%, to US

$182.9  million, from  US$171.1  million  in  Q4  2017.  Organic  growth  accounted  for  US$8.6

million of the gain, representing a 5.0% increase in sales, and reflects increased volumes. Growth 

from acquired businesses contributed additional sales of US$3.3 million.  

Fourth quarter sales in Canada increased by $1.2 million, or 3.7%, as compared to the same 

period in 2018. The increase in Canadian sales was entirely organic and reflects our success in 

winning new business.

Gross Profit

Gross profit for the three months ended December 31, 2018 increased 6.6% to $47.4 million, 

from $44.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. This $2.9 million improvement reflects higher 

sales, partially offset by a lower gross profit margin. As a percentage of sales, gross profit margin 

was 17.3% as compared to 17.8% in the fourth quarter of 2017, primarily reflecting the impacts 

described in Section 1.3. 

Operating Expenses 

Operating expenses increased to $38.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, from $35.1 million 

during the same period in 2017. The $3.8 million increase includes $1.9 million of added costs 

to support organic growth, $1.3 million related to the foreign exchange impact of a stronger US 

dollar on translation of US operating expenses, and the addition of  $0.7 million of operating 

expenses related to acquired businesses. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses remained 

stable at 14.2% in fourth quarter as compared to 14.1% in the same period in 2017.

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
18

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

For  the  three  months  ended  December 31,  2018,  we  reported  EBITDA  of  $10.3  million  as 

compared to $11.0 million for the same period in the prior year. The $0.7 million reduction 

primarily reflects the increase in gross profit of $2.9 million, offset by the $3.8 increase in 

operating expenses. Adjusted EBITDA was $10.1 million, a decrease of $1.5 million from $11.6

million in the same period in 2017.

Income Tax Expense 

Income tax expense decreased to $1.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, from $3.8 million 

in the same period in 2017. The decrease was primarily driven by the lower effective tax rate 

in the US that came into effect in 2018, together with a decrease in taxable income as compared 

to the fourth quarter of 2017.

 Profit for the Period

Profit for the three months ended December 31, 2018 increased 18.9% to $5.9 million, from 

$4.9 in Q4 2017. The $0.9 million improvement primarily reflects the $1.8 million decrease in 

income tax expense, partially offset by the $0.7 million decrease in EBITDA and a $0.2 million 

increase in depreciation and amortization. Diluted profit per share increased to $0.27 from $0.23, 

a 17.4% gain, as compared to 2017.

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
19

4.0 Selected Financial Information and Seasonality

4.1 Quarterly Financial Information

(in thousands of dollars)

Q4

2018

Q3

2018

Q2

2018

Q1

2018

Q4

2017

Q3

2017

Q2

2017

Q1

2017

Total sales

Profit

$ 274,985 $ 290,354 $ 298,172 $ 270,755 $ 249,536 $ 259,483 $ 277,545 $ 259,276

5,877

8,142

9,959

8,180

4,944

7,312

9,762

7,936

Basic profit per share

Diluted profit per share

0.27

0.27

0.38

0.38

0.46

0.46

380.00

380.00

0.23

0.23

0.34

0.34

0.46

0.45

0.37

0.37

EBITDA

10,322

14,010

15,877

12,974

10,999

13,356

17,216

14,003

Adjusted profit

5,609

9,205

11,249

8,691

5,475

9,046

10,593

8,048

Adjusted basic profit per share

Adjusted diluted profit per share

0.26

0.26

0.43

0.43

0.52

0.52

0.40

0.40

0.25

0.25

0.42

0.42

0.50

0.49

0.38

0.38

Adjusted EBITDA

10,061

15,182

17,432

13,540

11,557

15,225

18,118

14,135

The preceding table provides selected quarterly financial information for our eight most recently 

completed fiscal quarters.  This information is unaudited, but reflects all adjustments of a normal, 

recurring nature which are, in our opinion, necessary to present a fair statement of the results of 

operations for the periods presented.  Quarter to quarter comparisons of our financial results are 

not necessarily meaningful and should not be relied upon as an indication of future performance.  

Historically, the first and fourth quarters have been seasonally slower periods for our business.  In 

addition, net earnings reported in each quarter may be impacted by acquisitions and by changes in 

the foreign exchange rate of the Canadian and US dollars.

4.2 Annual Financial Information

(in thousands of dollars except per unit amounts)

For the year

For the year

For the year

Total sales

Profit

Basic profit per share

Fully diluted profit per share

Total assets

Total non-current financial liabilities

EBITDA

ended Dec 31

ended Dec 31

ended Dec 31

2018

2017

2016

$

1,134,267 $

1,045,840 $

795,467

32,159

29,954

23,862

1.50

1.49

1.40

1.39

1.27

1.25

444,760

372,903

371,076

3,255

53,182

1,513

55,589

1,877

43,713

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
20

5.0 Liquidity and Capital Resources

5.1 Cash Flows from Operating, Investing and Financing Activities

Selected Unaudited Consolidated Financial Information (in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31

Three months ended December 31

2018

2017

$ change

2018

2017

$ change

Cash provided by operating activities before

changes in non-cash working capital

$

44,209 $

42,095 $

2,114

$

7,073 $

8,529 $

(1,456)

Changes in non-cash working capital

(40,195)

(24,191)

(16,004)

Net cash provided by operating activities

4,014

17,904

(13,890)

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

(8,900)

(9,960)

1,060

19,592

26,665

(1,962)

11,869

20,398

7,722

6,266

(828)

(1,133)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

Increase (decrease) in cash

Cash, beginning of period

Cash, end of the period

6,120

1,234

313

(8,397)

14,517

(23,481)

(19,580)

(453)

766

1,687

(453)

1,222

325

(10)

322

(3,901)

1,233

4

$

1,547 $

313 $

1,234

$

1,547 $

312 $

1,235

Net cash used in operating activities

For  the  year  ended  December 31,  2018,  net  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  was  $4.0

million compared to $17.9 million in 2017. Cash provided by operating activities before changes 

in non-cash working capital increased by $2.1 million year-over-year, primarily reflecting a 

decrease in taxes paid of $6.9 million, partially offset by a decrease in EBITDA of $2.4 million, 

a decrease in share-based compensation of $1.2 million, and an increase in interest paid of $1.2 

million. Investment in non-cash working capital increased by $16.0  million in 2018, compared 

to 2017.  An analysis of changes in working capital is provided in section 5.2 of this report.

For  the  three  months  ended  December 31,  2018,  net  cash  provided  by  operating  activities 

increased to $26.7 million, from $20.4 million in the same period in 2017. Cash provided by 

operating  activities  before  changes  in  non-cash  working  capital  decreased  by  $1.5  million, 

primarily reflecting a decrease in income taxes paid of $0.3 million, partially offset by a $0.7 

million decrease in EBITDA, a $0.8 million decrease in share-based compensation expense, 

and an increase in interest paid of  $0.4.  Investment in non-cash working capital decreased by 

$7.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, compared to the fourth quarter of 2017.  An analysis 

of changes in working capital is provided in section 5.2 of this report.

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
21

Net cash used in investing activities

Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $1.1 million to $8.9 million in 2018, from 

$10.0 million in 2016.  This change primarily relates to a decrease in cash used for business 

acquisitions, partially offset by an increase in additions to property, plant and equipment.  

Capital expenditures in our distribution business have historically been low as we generally 

lease our buildings and typically contract out delivery equipment.  Capital expenditures in this 

part  of  our  business  are  principally  for  the  replacement  of  forklifts,  furniture  and  fixtures, 

leasehold  improvements  and  computer  equipment.  We  believe  we  have  made  sufficient 

expenditures to sustain productive capacity of our business as it relates to our needs for property, 

plant and equipment.  

For the three months ended December 31, 2018 cash used in investing activities increased by 

$1.1 million. This increase primarily relates to purchases of property, plant and equipment.   

Net cash provided by financing activities

For the year ended December 31, 2018, net cash provided by financing activities increased by 

$14.5 million as compared to 2017. For three months ended December 31, 2018, net cash used 

in financing activities increased by $3.9 million as compared to the same period in 2017. There 

were  no  significant  changes  in  the  composition  of  cash  provided  by  and  used  in  financing 

activities, with decreases in borrowings on our credit facilities and dividends paid to shareholders 

being the main financing activities during year the three months ended December 31, 2018. 

5.2 Working Capital 

Our  business  requires  an  ongoing  investment  in  working  capital,  which  we  consider  to  be 

comprised of accounts receivable, inventory, and prepaid expenses, partially offset by provisions 

and  short-term  credit  provided  by  suppliers  in  the  form  of  accounts  payable  and  accrued 

liabilities.  We had working capital of $301.0 million as at December 31, 2018, compared to 

$236.0 million at December 31, 2017. The growth in our working capital is mostly attributable 

to increased investment in accounts receivable and inventory to service our customers. 

Our investment in working capital fluctuates from quarter-to-quarter based on factors such as 

seasonal sales demand, strategic purchasing decisions taken by management, and the timing of 

collections from customers. Our investment in working capital includes increased purchasing 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
22

of certain product lines to secure supply, and higher costs for certain product lines resulting 

from price appreciation in the market. 

Historically the first and fourth quarters are seasonally slower periods for construction activity 

and,  as  a  result,  sales  and  working  capital  requirements  may  be  lower  in  these  quarters. A 

summary of changes in our non-cash operating working capital during the twelve and three 

month periods ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 is provided below. 

(in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Source (use) of funds

2018

2017

2018

2017

Years ended
ended
December 31

Years ended
ended
December 31

Three months
ended
December 31

Three months
ended
December 31

Accounts receivable

Inventory

Prepaid expenses

Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and provisions

$

(5,915)

$

(6,813)

$

14,121

$

10,833

(33,290)

932

(1,922)

(8,685)

(2,737)

(5,956)

5,624

4,214

(4,367)

2,715

(396)

(1,282)

Increase in non-cash operating working capital

$

(40,195)

$

(24,191)

$

19,592

$

11,870

Continued compliance with financial covenants under our credit facilities is important to ensure 

that we have adequate financing available to meet our working capital requirements. The terms 

of our revolving credit facilities are addressed in section 5.3 of this report.

5.3 Revolving Credit Facilities and Debt Management Strategy 

Selected Unaudited Consolidated Financial Information  (in thousands of dollars)

Cash
Bank indebtedness
Net Debt
Shareholders' equity
Total Capitalization

Net debt to total capitalization

Previous 12 months Adjusted EBITDA

Net debt to previous 12 months Adjusted EBITDA

As at

As at

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2017

$

$

$

1,547
112,940
111,393
285,932
397,325

28.0%

56,247

2.0

$

$

$

313
91,146
90,833
238,826
329,659

27.6%

59,149

1.5

We consider our capital to be bank indebtedness (net of cash) and shareholders’ equity.  As 

shown above, our net debt balance increased by $20.6 million to $111.4 million at December 31, 

2018, from $90.8 million at December 31, 2017.  Overall net debt compared to total capitalization 

was 28.0% as at December 31, 2018, as compared 27.6% at December 31, 2017. Our ratio of 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
23

net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA for the previous 12 months was 2.0 times, compared to 1.5 times 

at December 31, 2017.   

We have independent credit facilities in both Canada and the U.S.  These facilities may be drawn 

down  to  meet  short-term  financing  requirements,  such  as  fluctuations  in  non-cash  working 

capital, and in the case of the Canadian credit facility, to also make capital contributions to our 

US operating subsidiary.  The amount made available under our Canadian and US revolving 

credit facilities is limited to the extent of the value of certain accounts receivable and inventories 

held by our subsidiaries. Credit facilities also require ongoing compliance with certain credit 

ratios.  A summary of our credit facilities as at December 31, 2018 is provided in the following 

table.  

Selected unaudited consolidated financial information (in thousands of dollars)

Maximum borrowings under the credit
facility

Credit facility expiry date

Available to borrow

Credit facility borrowings

Unused credit facility

Financial covenants:

Canadian Credit

Facility

US Credit

Facility

$

$

$

$

25.0 million

August 5, 2021

22.5 million

10.6 million

11.9 million

$

$

$

$

170.5 million (US$125.0 million)

July 14, 2021

167.8 million (US$123.1 million)

101.3 million (US$74.4 million)

66.5 million (US$48.7 million)

Covenants  do  not  apply 
when  the  unused  credit 
facility  available  exceeds 
$2.0 million

Covenants  do not apply when  the unused 
credit facility available exceeds 10% of the 
maximum  borrowings  under 
the  credit 
facility or US$12.5 million

The terms of the agreements with our lenders provide that dividends cannot be made to our 

shareholders in the event that our subsidiaries are not compliant with their financial covenants.  

Our operating subsidiaries were compliant with all required credit ratios as at December 31, 

2018.  Accordingly, there were no restrictions on dividends arising from non-compliance with 

financial covenants.

We have a US credit facility ("the USLP II Credit Facility") and a Canadian credit facility ("the 

LP Credit Facility").  The USLP II Credit Facility consists of a revolving credit line of US$125.0 

million. The amounts made available under the USLP II Credit Facility are limited based on a 

borrowing base determined by reference to the value of certain eligible accounts receivable and 

inventories held by certain of our subsidiaries. The financial covenants under the USLP II Credit 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
24

Facility include, among others, a springing fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.0x, triggered if 

unused availability under the USLP II Credit Facility falls below US$12.5 million at any time. 

In addition to the financial covenants, the ability of our subsidiaries to pay distributions and 

dividends, complete acquisitions, make additional investments, take on additional indebtedness, 

allow  assets  to  become  subject  to  liens,  complete  affiliate  transactions  and  make  capital 

expenditures  are  limited  and  subject  to  the  satisfaction  of  certain  conditions.  We  were  in 

compliance with these covenants as at December 31, 2018. 

The LP Credit Facility consists of a revolving credit line of $25.0 million. The amounts made 

available under the LP Credit Facility are limited based on a borrowing base determined by 

reference  to  the  value  of  certain  eligible  accounts  receivable  and  inventories  held  by  our 

Canadian  subsidiary.  The  covenants  under  the  LP  Credit  Facility  relate  to  our  Canadian 

subsidiary  and  include,  among  others:  (i)  a  springing  fixed  charge  covenant  ratio  of  1.0x, 

triggered if unused availability under the LP Credit Facility falls below $2.0 million, and (ii) 

restrictions  on  our  ability  to  pay  distributions  and  dividends,  complete  acquisitions,  make 

additional investments, take on additional indebtedness, allow our assets to become subject to 

liens, complete affiliate transactions and make capital expenditures. We were in compliance 

with these covenants as at December 31, 2018. 

Our debt management strategy is to roll and renew (as opposed to repay and retire) our credit 

facilities as they expire.  We do not intend to restrict future dividends in order to fully extinguish 

our bank debt obligations upon their maturity.  The amount of bank debt that will actually be 

drawn on our available revolving credit facilities will depend upon the seasonal and cyclical 

needs of the business, and our cash generating capacity going forward.  When making future 

dividend decisions, we will consider the amount of financial leverage, and therefore bank debt, 

we believe is appropriate given existing and expected market conditions and available business 

opportunities.  We do not target a specific financial leverage amount.  We believe our current 

credit facilities are sufficient to finance our working capital needs and market expansion strategy.

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
25

5.4 Contractual Obligations 

The  table  below  sets  forth  our  contractual  obligations  as  at  December 31,  2018.    These 

obligations relate to leases on various premises and automobiles and become due in the fiscal 

years indicated.

(in thousands of dollars)

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

thereafter

Total

$23,472

$21,507

$19,488

$17,269

$14,139

$28,988

$124,863

5.5 Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements.

5.6 Financial Instruments

Financial assets include cash and current and non-current receivables, which are measured at 

amortized cost.  Financial liabilities include bank indebtedness, accounts payable and accrued 

liabilities, income taxes payable, dividend payable, notes payable and finance lease obligations 

which  are  measured  at  amortized  cost.  The  carrying  values  of  our  cash,  current  accounts 

receivable, income taxes payable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and dividend payable 

approximate their fair values due to the relatively short period to maturity of the instruments.  

The fair value of non-current receivables, notes payable and finance lease obligations are not 

expected to differ materially from carrying value given the interest rates being charged and term 

to maturity.  The carrying values of the credit facilities approximate their fair values due to the 

existence of floating market-based interest rates. 

5.7 Share Data

As at March 14, 2019, the date of this MD&A, we had 21,539,116 common shares issued and 

outstanding.  In addition, at March 14, 2019, we had outstanding 88,535 performance shares 

and 128,514 restricted shares under the terms of our long-term incentive plan.  The performance 

and restricted shares can be settled in common shares of the Company issued from treasury, 

common shares purchased by us in the market, or in an amount of cash equal to the fair value 

of our common shares, or any combination of the foregoing. The restricted and performance 

shares vest over periods of up to three years and employees have the option, when the restricted 

and performance shares vest, to receive up to half the fair value in cash and the remainder in 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
26

 
common shares.  We intend to issue common shares from treasury to settle the portion of the 

obligation not paid to employees in cash.

5.8 Dividends

In the fourth quarter of 2018, we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share, which was 

paid on January 25, 2019 to shareholders of record as at January 14, 2019.  On March 14, 2019

we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share, payable on April 26, 2019 to shareholders 

of record as at April 15, 2019.  The Board regularly assesses our dividend strategy, giving due 

consideration to anticipated cash needs for additional working capital to support growing the 

business, appropriate debt levels, capital utilized under our normal course issuer bid, acquisition 

opportunities which may be available, expected market conditions, demand for our products, 

and other factors.

6.0 Related Party Transactions 

There  were  no  material  related  party  transactions  in  the  three  and  twelve  months  ended 

December 31, 2018 or in the comparative periods in the prior year.

7.0 Critical Accounting Estimates & Adoption of Changes in 

Accounting Policies

7.1 Critical Accounting Estimates 

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS requires that we make estimates 

and assumptions that can have a material impact on our results of operations as reported on a 

periodic basis.  We base our estimates and assumptions on past experience and other factors 

that are deemed reasonable under the circumstances.  Actual results could differ from these 

estimates.  The critical estimates used in preparing our financial statements are:

Goodwill impairment testing:  We are required to make estimates and assumptions related to 

the  annual  goodwill  impairment  test,  including  the  cash  generating  unit  ("CGU")  to  which 

goodwill relates, the recoverable amount of a CGU, future cash flows and growth rates, and the 

post-tax discount rate.   

Accounts receivable provision:  Due to the nature of our business and the credit terms we provide 

to our customers, we anticipate that a certain portion of required customer payments will not 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
27

be made, and we maintain an allowance for these doubtful accounts.  The allowance is based 

on our estimate of the potential of recovering our accounts receivable, and incorporates current 

and expected collection trends.

Valuation of inventory:  We are required to make estimates and assumptions regarding the net 

realizable value of our inventory.  The estimates and assumptions may have a material impact 

on the values at which we recognize inventory.

7.2 Adoption of New Accounting Policies 

IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“IFRS 15”)

Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted IFRS 15 which replaced IAS 18, Revenue and a number 

of revenue related standards and interpretations.  IFRS 15 contains a single model that applies 

to contracts with customers and two approaches to recognizing revenue: at a point in time or 

over time. The model features a contract-based five-step analysis of transactions to determine 

whether, how much and when revenue is recognized. New estimates and judgmental thresholds 

have also been introduced, which may affect the amount and/or timing of revenue recognized.

The adoption of this standard did not significantly impact the measurement of revenue generated 

from the sale of our products to customers and therefore, had no impact on earnings. The adoption 

of this standard did impact the presentation of freight recovered, which is now included in sales 

instead of cost of goods sold on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. For the 

years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 the freight recovered was $9.4 million 

and $8.8 million respectively. Comparative figures have been reclassified to conform with the 

current period presentation.

IFRS 9, Financial Instruments (“IFRS 9”)

Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted IFRS 9 which replaced the multiple classification and 

measurement models in IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement, with a 

single model that has only two classification categories: amortized cost and fair value. IFRS 9 

also  requires  a  single  impairment  method  to  be  used,  provides  additional  guidance  on  the 

classification  and  measurement  of  financial  liabilities,  and  provides  a  new  general  hedge 

accounting standard. 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
28

The adoption of IFRS 9 did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements given 

the nature of our operations and the types of financial instruments that we currently hold. There 

was no change in the classification or measurement of our financial assets and liabilities with 

the exception of the use of the expected credit loss model to determine the allowance for credit 

loss for trade accounts receivable. The application of the expected credit loss model to determine 

the  allowance  for  credit  loss  had  a  nominal  effect  on  the  December  31,  2017  consolidated 

financial statements and therefore prior period amounts have not been restated. 

IFRS 16, Leases ("IFRS 16")

On January 13, 2016, the IASB published a new standard, IFRS 16, eliminating the current dual 

accounting model for lessees, which distinguishes between on-balance sheet finance leases and 

off-balance sheet operating leases. The main provision of IFRS 16 is the recognition of lease 

assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet by lessees for those leases that were previously 

classified  as  operating  leases.  Under  IFRS  16,  a  lessee  is  required  to  do  the  following:  (i) 

recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the 

lease payments, on the balance sheet; and (ii) recognize a front-loaded pattern of expense for 

most leases, even when cash rentals are constant, as the right-of-use asset is depreciated and 

the lease liability is accreted using the effective interest method. IFRS 16 is effective for annual 

periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019, with earlier adoption permitted. Upon adoption 

of IFRS 16, our operating leases, which are principally comprised of our warehouse facilities 

and automobiles, will be recorded in the statement of financial position with a right-of-use asset 

and a corresponding lease obligation. 

We have determined that the adoption of IFRS 16 will have a material impact on our consolidated 

financial statements. We expect to apply IFRS 16 retroactively on January 1, 2019. The impact 

is expected to result in the following changes for the periods noted. 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
29

Statement of Financial Position

Right of use asset

Lease obligation

Other liabilities

Retained earnings

Deferred tax asset, net

Statement of Comprehensive Income

Selling and distribution

Cost of goods sold

Finance expense

Net profit

Net profit per share

decrease

decrease

increase

decrease

decrease

Statement of Cash Flows

Cash provided by operating activities
Cash provided by financing activities

increase
decrease

Other

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

increase

As at January 1,
2019

increase to assets

increase to liabilities

decrease to liabilities

decrease to equity

increase to assets

$

$

$

$

$

93.4

108.9

1.1

10.8

3.6

Year Ended
December 31, 2018
(2.7)
(0.7)
4.6

$

$

$

$

$

0.9

0.04

Year Ended
December 31, 2018

$
$

22.1
(22.1)

Year Ended
December 31, 2018

$

22.1

The figures presented may change as a result of finalizing adjustments required on transition 

during  the  first  quarter  of  2019. Application  of  the  new  standard  is  not  expected  to  have  a 

negative impact on any bank covenant calculations. 

8.0 Risks and Uncertainties

We are exposed to a number of risks and uncertainties in the normal course of business that 

could have a negative effect on our financial condition or results of operations.  We identify 

significant risks that we were aware of in our Annual Information Form which is available to 

readers along with other disclosure documents at www.sedar.com.  

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
30

9.0  Disclosure  Controls  and  Procedures  and  Internal  Control  over 

Financial Reporting

Our management, under the supervision of our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief 

Financial Officer (“CFO”), is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate disclosure 

controls and procedures (“DC&P”) and internal control over financial reporting (“ICFR”). Any 

systems of DC&P and ICFR, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, 

even  those  systems  determined  to  be  effective  can  provide  only  reasonable  assurance  with 

respect  to  information  required  to  be  disclosed  and  financial  statement  preparation  and 

presentation.

As required by Multilateral Instrument 52-109 issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators, 

we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of our DC&P as of December 31, 2018. The 

evaluation was carried out under the supervision of, and with the participation of, the CEO and 

CFO.  Based on this evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that our DC&P were effective 

as of December 31, 2018.

As required by Multilateral Instrument 52-109 issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators, 

we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of our ICFR as of December 31, 2018. The 

evaluation  was  carried  out  within  the  criteria  set  forth  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring 

Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  ("COSO")  in  Internal  Control  -  Integrated 

Framework (2013) (the "2013 COSO framework") and under the supervision of, and with the 

participation of, our CEO and the CFO.  Based on this evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded 

that our ICFR were effective as of December 31, 2018.

There have not been any changes in our ICFR during the quarter ended December 31, 2018 that 

have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our ICFR.  

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
31

10.0 Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

Certain statements in this MD&A contain forward-looking information within the meaning of 

applicable securities laws in Canada (“forward-looking information”). The words “anticipates”, 

“believes”, “budgets”, “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “may”, “might”, 

“plans”, “projects”, “schedule”, “should”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions are often 

intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information 

contains these identifying words. 

The forward-looking information in this MD&A includes, but is not limited to: we view the 

potential imposition of AD and CVD duties on cabinet products imported from China as positive, 

as it could increase demand from our primary customer base, domestic cabinet manufacturers; 

as volumes related to our new proprietary hardwood plywood product offerings increase and 

more consistent supply-demand dynamics emerge, we expect our gross margins will gradually 

improve;  we  expect  to  achieve  $1.5  billion  of  sales  within  5  years,  as  well  as  improve 

profitability; our long-term view on housing demand remains positive; in the near term, most 

forecasters are predicting at least a modest level of growth for residential construction in 2019; 

Harvard's  Center  for  Joint  Housing  predicts  5.2%  growth  for  the  US  repair  and  renovation 

market; in the non-residential construction market, spending is expected to continue growing 

in 2019, with consensus growth estimates of 4.4% as per the American Institute of Architects; 

in Canada, we anticipate nominal growth across our end-markets; we expect first quarter sales 

this year to be in line with the first quarter of 2018; for the balance of the fiscal year, we anticipate 

low-to-mid single digit organic growth in the US and nominal organic growth in Canada as we 

continue to implement our strategic initiatives in 2019; with a strong balance sheet and a pipeline 

of attractive regional acquisition opportunities, we are also well positioned to build both our 

top and bottom line with accretive acquisition-based growth; gross profit percentage is expected 

to remain in the 17%-18% range until more consistent supply-demand dynamics in the hardwood 

plywood market emerge; moving forward, we will continue to pursue our successful strategies 

of  capturing  market  share  in  the  US,  gaining  additional  market  share  in  strategic  product 

categories, optimizing our platform, and capitalizing on opportunities in the fragmented US 

distribution market to grow through acquisition; historically, the first and fourth quarters have 

been seasonally slower periods for our business; capital expenditures in our distribution business 

have  historically  been  low;  we  believe  we  have  made  sufficient  expenditures  to  sustain 

productive capacity of our business as it relates to our needs for property, plant and equipment; 

our investment in working capital fluctuates from quarter-to-quarter; we do not intend to restrict 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
32

future dividends in order to fully extinguish our bank debt obligations upon their maturity; the 

amount of bank debt that will actually be drawn on our available revolving credit facilities will 

depend upon the seasonal and cyclical needs of the business, and our cash generating capacity 

going forward; when making future dividend decisions, we will consider the amount of financial 

leverage, and therefore bank debt, we believe is appropriate given existing and expected market 

conditions  and  available  business  opportunities;  we  believe  our  current  credit  facilities  are 

sufficient to finance our working capital needs and market expansion strategy; we intend to 

issue common shares from treasury to settle the portion of the obligation not paid to employees 

in cash; As it relates to IFRS 16 disclosures the figures presented may change as a result of 

finalizing adjustments required on transition during the first quarter of 2019; and application 

of IFRS 16 is not expected to have a negative impact on any bank covenant calculations.

The  forecasts  and  projections  that  make  up  the  forward-looking  information  are  based  on 

assumptions which include, but are not limited to: there are no material exchange rate fluctuations 

between the Canadian and US dollar that affect our performance; the general state of the economy 

does not worsen; we do not lose any key personnel; there are no decreases in the supply of, 

demand for, or market values of hardwood lumber or sheet goods that harm our business; we 

do not incur material losses related to credit provided to our customers; our products are not 

subjected to negative trade outcomes; we are able to sustain our level of sales and EBITDA 

margins; we are able to grow our business long term and to manage our growth; there is no new 

competition in our markets that leads to reduced revenues and profitability; we do not become 

subject to more stringent regulations; we do not become subject to product liability claims that 

could  adversely  affect  our  revenues,  profitability  and  reputation;  importation  of  products 

manufactured with hardwood lumber or sheet goods does not increase and replace products 

manufactured  in  North America;  our  management  information  systems  upon  which  we  are 

dependent are not impaired; our insurance is sufficient to cover losses that may occur as a result 

of our operations; and, the financial condition and results of operations of our business upon 

which we are dependent is not impaired. 

The forward-looking information is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could 

cause  actual  results  to  differ  materially  from  historical  results  or  results  anticipated  by  the 

forward-looking  information.  The  factors  which  could  cause  results  to  differ  from  current 

expectations include, but are not limited to:  exchange rate fluctuations between the Canadian 

and US dollar could affect our performance; our results are dependent upon the general state of 

the economy; we depend on key personnel, the loss of which could harm our business; decreases 

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
33

in the supply of, demand for, or market values of hardwood lumber or sheet goods could harm 

our business; we may incur losses related to credit provided to our customers; our products may 

be subject to negative trade outcomes; we may not be able to sustain our level of sales or EBITDA 

margins; we may be unable to grow our business long term to manage any growth; competition 

in our markets may lead to reduced revenues and profitability; we may become subject to more 

stringent regulations; we may be subject to product liability claims that could adversely affect 

our revenues, profitability and reputation; importation of products manufactured with hardwood 

lumber or sheet goods may increase, and replace products manufactured in North America; we 

are dependent upon our management information systems; our insurance may be insufficient 

to cover losses that may occur as a result of our operations; we are dependent upon the financial 

condition  and  results  of  operations  of  our  business;  our  credit  facilities  affect  our  liquidity, 

contain restrictions on our ability to borrow funds, and impose restrictions on distributions that 

can be made by our operating limited partnerships; our future growth may be restricted by the 

payout of substantially all of our operating cash flow; and, other risks described in our Annual 

Information Form our Information Circular and in this MD&A. 

All forward-looking information in this MD&A is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary 

statement and, except as may be required by law, we undertake no obligation to revise or update 

any forward-looking information as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after 

the date hereof.

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
34

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT 

To the Shareholders of Hardwoods Distribution Inc. 

Opinion 

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of Hardwoods Distribution Inc. (the Entity), which 
comprise: 

•

•

•

•

•

the consolidated statements of financial position as at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017;

the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the years then ended;

the consolidated statements of changes in equity for the years then ended;

the consolidated statements of cash flows for the years then ended; and

notes to the consolidated financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies

(Hereinafter referred to as the “financial statements”). 

In  our  opinion,  the  accompanying  financial  statements  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the 
consolidated financial position of the Entity as at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, and its 
consolidated  financial  performance  and  its  consolidated cash  flows  for  the  years  then  ended  in 
accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). 

Basis for Opinion 

We  conducted  our  audit  in  accordance  with  Canadian  generally  accepted  auditing  standards.    Our 
responsibilities under those standards are further described in the “Auditors’ Responsibilities for the 
Audit of the Financial Statements” section of our auditors’ report.   

We are independent of the Entity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our 
audit  of  the  financial  statements  in  Canada  and  we  have  fulfilled  our  other  ethical  responsibilities  in 
accordance with these requirements. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for 
our opinion.     

35Other Information  

Management is responsible for the other information. Other information comprises: 

•

•

the  information  included  in  Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  filed  with  the  relevant  Canadian
Securities Commissions

the  information,  other than the financial statements and the  auditors’ report thereon, included in  the
“2018 Hardwoods Distribution Annual Report”.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not and will not 
express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.  

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information 
identified above and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the 
financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. 

We obtained Management’s Discussion and Analysis and the 2018 Hardwoods Distribution Annual Report 
filed with the relevant Canadian Securities Commissions as at the date of this auditors’ report. If, based on 
the work we have performed on this other information, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of 
this other information, we are required to report that fact in the auditors’ report.  

We have nothing to report in this regard. 

Responsibilities  of  Management  and  Those  Charged  with  Governance  for  the 
Financial Statements 

Management  is  responsible  for  the  preparation  and  fair  presentation  of  the  financial  statements  in 
accordance  with  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards  (IFRS),  and  for  such  internal  control  as 
management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

In  preparing  the  financial  statements,  management  is  responsible  for  assessing  the  Entity’s  ability  to 
continue as a going concern, disclosing as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going 
concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Entity or to cease operations, 
or has no realistic alternative but to do so. 

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Entity’s financial reporting process. 

36Auditors’ Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are 
free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes 
our opinion.  

Reasonable  assurance  is  a  high  level  of  assurance,  but  is  not  a  guarantee  that  an  audit  conducted  in 
accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement 
when it exists.  

Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, 
they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the 
financial statements. 

As  part  of  an  audit  in  accordance  with  Canadian  generally  accepted  auditing  standards,  we  exercise 
professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.  

We also: 
•

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud
or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that
is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting
from  error,  as  fraud  may  involve  collusion,  forgery,  intentional  omissions,  misrepresentations,  or  the
override of internal control.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that
are  appropriate  in  the  circumstances,  but  not  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  an  opinion  on  the
effectiveness of the Entity's internal control.

• Evaluate  the  appropriateness  of  accounting  policies  used  and  the  reasonableness  of  accounting

estimates and related disclosures made by management.

• Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use of the going concern basis of accounting and,
based  on  the  audit  evidence  obtained,  whether  a  material  uncertainty  exists  related  to  events  or
conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Entity's ability to continue as a going concern. If we
conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditors’ report to
the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our
opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditors’ report.
However, future events or conditions may cause the Entity to cease to continue as a going concern.

• Evaluate  the  overall  presentation,  structure  and  content  of  the  financial  statements,  including  the
disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in
a manner that achieves fair presentation.

37• Communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope
and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in  internal
control that we identify during our audit.

• Provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical
requirements regarding independence, and communicate with them all relationships and other matters
that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.

• Obtain  sufficient  appropriate  audit  evidence  regarding  the  financial  information  of  the  entities  or
business activities within the group Entity to express an opinion on the financial  statements. We are
responsible  for  the  direction,  supervision  and  performance  of  the  group  audit.  We  remain  solely
responsible for our audit opinion.

Chartered Professional Accountants 

The engagement partner on the audit resulting in this auditors’ report is Andrew James. 

Vancouver, Canada 

March 14, 2019 

38Consolidated Financial Statements
(Expressed in Canadian dollars)

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC.

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

39

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC.
Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
(Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Note

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

Assets

Current assets:

Cash
Accounts and other receivables
Income taxes receivable
Inventories
Prepaid and other assets
Total current assets

Non-current assets:

Non-current receivables
Property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
Deferred income taxes
Goodwill
Total non-current assets

Total assets

Liabilities

Current liabilities:

Bank indebtedness
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Finance lease obligation
Dividend payable

Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities:

Finance lease obligation
Other liabilities
Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Shareholders’ equity

Share capital
Contributed surplus
Retained earnings
Accumulated other comprehensive income
Shareholders’ equity

7

8

7
9
10
14

11
13(b)
12(a)
5

12(a)
13(b)

13(a)

$

$

$

$

1,547
112,005
789
223,785
4,594
342,720

1,857
24,184
16,828
3,051
56,120
102,040

313
97,263
1,582
172,106
5,268
276,532

1,359
20,650
17,215
5,477
51,670
96,371

444,760

$

372,903

$

112,940
39,387
1,529
1,717

155,573

2,018
1,237
3,255

91,146
38,254
1,281
1,549

132,230

1,068
779
1,847

158,828

134,077

116,524
104,467
35,530
29,411
285,932

113,788
105,426
9,919
9,693
238,826

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

$

444,760

$

372,903

Subsequent event (note 4 and 5)
Commitments (note 12)
Contingency (note 20)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Approved on behalf of the board of directors:

(Signed) GRAHAM M. WILSON    Director 

(Signed) WILLIAM R. SAUDER    Director

40

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income 
(Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

Note
16
8

$

2018
1,134,267
(933,719)

$

2017
1,045,840
(853,965)

Sales
Cost of goods sold

Gross profit

Operating expenses:

Selling and distribution
Administration

Profit from operations

Finance expense
Finance income
Net finance expense

Profit before income taxes

Income tax expense:

Current
Deferred

Net profit

15
15

14
14

200,548

191,875

(118,215)
(35,998)
(154,213)

(106,402)
(36,388)
(142,790)

46,335

49,085

(4,350)
952
(3,398)

(3,018)
516
(2,502)

42,937

46,583

(8,287)
(2,491)
(10,778)

32,159

19,718

51,877

1.50
1.49

$

$
$

(10,781)
(5,848)
(16,629)

29,954

(13,869)

16,085

1.40
1.39

Other comprehensive income:

Exchange differences translating foreign operations

Total comprehensive income

Basic net profit per share
Diluted net profit per share

13(c)
13(c)

$

$
$

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

41

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
(Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

Note

Share
capital

Contributed
surplus

Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income -
translation
reserve

Retained
earnings
(deficit)

Total

Balance at January 1, 2017

$ 112,362

$ 104,333

$

23,562

$ (14,258)

225,999

Share based compensation
expense
13 (b)
Shares issued pursuant to LTIP 13 (b)
Shares reclassified to liabilities
Profit for the year
Dividends declared
Translation of foreign operations

—
1,426
—
—
—
—

2,806
(1,426)
(287)
—
—
—

—
—
—
—
—
(13,869)

—
—
—
29,954
(5,777)
—

2,806
—
(287)
29,954
(5,777)
(13,869)

Balance at December 31, 2017

113,788

105,426

9,693

9,919

238,826

Share based compensation
13 (b)
expense
Shares issued pursuant to LTIP 13 (b)

Shares reclassified to liabilities
Profit for the year
Dividends declared
Translation of foreign operations

—
2,736

—
—
—
—

2,593
(2,736)

(816)
—
—
—

—
—

—
—
—
19,718

—
—

—
32,159
(6,548)
—

2,593
—

(816)
32,159
(6,548)
19,718

Balance at December 31, 2018

$ 116,524

$ 104,467

$

29,411

$ 35,530

$ 285,932

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

42

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

Cash flow from operating activities:

Profit for the year
Adjustments for:

Depreciation and amortization
Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment
Gain on bargain purchase
Share-based compensation expense
Income tax expense
Net finance expense

Interest received
Interest paid
Income taxes paid

Changes in non-cash working capital:

Accounts receivable
Inventories
Prepaid expenses
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

Net cash provided by operating activities

Cash flow from financing activities:

Increase (decrease) in bank indebtedness
Principle payments on finance lease obligation
Note repayment
Dividends paid to shareholders
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

Cash flow from investing activities:

Additions to property, plant and equipment
Proceeds on disposal of property, plant and equipment
Business acquisitions
Additions to internally generated software
Payments (made) received on non-current receivables
Net cash used in investing activities

Increase (decrease) in cash

Cash, beginning of year

Cash, end of year

Supplementary information:

Property, plant and equipment acquired under finance

leases, net of disposals

Future cash settlement of LTIP's in accrued liabilities and
   non-current liabilities
Transfer of accounts receivable to non-current customer

notes receivable

Note

2018

2017

$

32,159

$

29,954

9,10
9
4(b)
13(b)
14
15

5

9

4
10

$

$

6,847
(156)
(92)
2,096
10,778
3,398
513
(3,938)
(7,396)
44,209

(5,915)
(33,290)
932
(1,922)
(40,195)
4,014

13,955
(1,396)
(60)
(6,379)
6,120

(4,076)
452
(4,843)
(280)
(153)
(8,900)

1,234

313

1,547

$

6,504
(204)
—
3,287
16,629
2,502
451
(2,736)
(14,292)
42,095

(6,813)
(8,685)
(2,737)
(5,956)
(24,191)
17,904

(1,173)
(1,197)
(467)
(5,560)
(8,397)

(2,257)
458
(8,210)
(329)
378
(9,960)

(453)

766

313

2,396

$

1,689

816

136

287

632

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

43

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

1.    Nature of operations:

Hardwoods Distribution Inc. (the “Company”) is incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act and trades on the 
Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “HDI.”  The Company operates a network of 62 distribution centers in Canada and 
the US engaged in the wholesale distribution of architectural building products to customers that supply end-products to the 
residential and commercial construction markets.  The Company also has a sawmill and kiln drying operation in Clinton, Michigan. 
The Company's principal office is located at #306, 9440 202nd Street, Langley, British Columbia V1M 4A6.

2.  Basis of preparation:

(a)  Statement of compliance:

These consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The consolidated financial statements were authorized for issue by the Board of Directors 
on March 14, 2019.

(b)  Basis of measurement:

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis. Certain comparative figures have 
been restated to conform with the current years presentation.

(c)  Functional and presentation currency:

These consolidated financial statements are presented in Canadian dollars, which is the Company’s functional currency.  
The Company's subsidiaries operating in the United States have a US dollar functional currency. All financial information 
presented in the financial statements, with the exception of per share amounts, has been rounded to the nearest thousand 
dollar.

(d)  Use of estimates and judgment:

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS requires management to make judgments, estimates and 
assumptions that affect the application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date 
of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting year.  Actual amounts 
may differ from the estimates applied in the preparation of these financial statements. 

Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis.  Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized 
in the year in which the estimates are revised and in any future years affected.

Information about significant areas of estimation uncertainty in applying policies that have the most significant effect on 
the amounts recognized in the consolidated financial statements is included in the following notes:

•  Note 3(j) - the annual goodwill impairment test;

•  Notes 6 and 7 - the collectability of accounts receivable and the determination of the allowance for credit loss; and

•  Note 8 - the valuation of inventories; and

•  Note 14 - the valuation of deferred income taxes and utilization of tax loss carry forwards.

Critical judgments in applying policies that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognized in the consolidated 
financial statements are included in the following notes:

•  Note 12 - the classification and valuation of lease obligations.

In assessing the Company’s vehicle and forklift leases judgment is required in determining whether substantially all of the 
risks and rewards of ownership are transferred to the Company.  This involves assessing the term of each lease, the risk 
associated with the residual value of leased vehicles and assessing the present value of the minimum lease payments in 
relation to the fair value of the vehicle and forklift at the inception of the lease. For deferred income taxes, judgment is 
required in determining whether it is probable that the Company’s net deferred tax assets will be realized prior to their 

44

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

2.  Basis of preparation (continued):

(d)  Use of estimates and judgment (continued):

expiry. In making such a determination, the Company considers the carry forward periods of losses and the Company’s 
projected future taxable income.

3.  Significant accounting policies:

The  significant  accounting  policies  that  have  been  used  in  the  preparation  of  these  consolidated  financial  statements  are 
summarized below.  These accounting policies have been applied consistently by the Company and its subsidiaries to all years 
presented in these consolidated financial statements.

(a)  Principles of consolidation and business acquisitions:

These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries.  All significant inter-
company balances and transactions have been eliminated on consolidation.

The Company accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method when control is transferred to the Company. 
The consideration transferred in the acquisition is measured at fair value, as are the identifiable net assets acquired. The 
Company measures goodwill in business acquisitions as the fair value of the consideration transferred less the fair value 
of the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed, all measured as of the acquisition date. 

Any  contingent  consideration  is  measured  at  fair  value  at  the  date  of  acquisition.  If  an  obligation  to  pay  contingent 
consideration  that  meets  the  definition  of  a  financial  instrument  is  classified  as  equity,  then  it  is  not  re-measured  and 
settlement is accounted for within equity. Otherwise, other contingent consideration is re-measured at fair value at each 
reporting date and subsequent changes in the fair value of the contingent consideration are recognized in profit or loss.

Transaction costs, other than those associated with the issuance of debt or equity securities, are expensed as incurred.

(b)  Foreign currencies:

Foreign currency transactions

Foreign currency transactions are translated into the respective functional currencies of the Company, and its subsidiaries, 
using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions.  Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign 
currencies at the reporting date are translated to the functional currency at the exchange rate in effect at the financial 
statement date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value in a foreign currency are translated to 
the functional currency at the exchange rate when the fair value was determined.  Non-monetary items that are measured 
based on historical cost in a foreign currency are translated at the exchange rate at the date of the transaction.  Foreign 
currency differences are generally recognized in the profit or loss and presented within finance costs.  

Translation of foreign operations for consolidation

For purposes of consolidation, the assets and liabilities of foreign operations with functional currencies other than the 
Canadian dollar are translated to Canadian dollars using the rate of exchange in effect at the financial statement date.  
Revenue and expenses of the foreign operations are translated to Canadian dollars at exchange rates at the date of the 
transactions.  Foreign currency differences resulting from translation of the accounts of foreign operations are recognized 
directly  in  other  comprehensive  income  and  are  accumulated  in  the  translation  reserve  as  a  separate  component  of 
shareholders' equity.

Gains or losses arising from a monetary item receivable from or payable to a foreign operation, the settlement of which is 
neither planned nor likely in the foreseeable future, are considered to form part of the net investment in a foreign operation 
and  are  recognized  directly  in  other  comprehensive  income  in  the  cumulative  amount  of  foreign  currency  translation 
differences.

When a foreign operation is disposed of the amount of the associated translation reserve is fully transferred to profit or 
loss.

45

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued):

(c)  Segment reporting:

Operating segments are based on the information about the components of the business that management uses to make 
decisions  about  operating  matters. The  subsidiaries  of  the  Company  engage  in  one  main  business  activity  being  the 
sourcing and distribution of architectural grade building products, hence operating segment information is not provided.  
Geographical segment information is provided by country of operations in note 16.

(d)  Revenue recognition:

Revenue from the sale of architectural grade building products is measured based on the consideration specified in the 
invoice with a customer and excludes amounts collected on behalf of third parties. The Company recognizes revenue at 
a point in time when control of the goods is transferred to the customer.  The Company satisfies its performance obligation 
and control of the goods is transferred to the customer generally when the customer has taken delivery of the goods.  No 
component of the transaction price is allocated to unsatisfied performance obligations. 

(e)  Finance expense and income:

Finance expense is primarily comprised of interest on the Company’s operating lines of credit, notes payable and the 
unwinding of the discount on the Company’s finance lease obligations.  Interest on these liabilities is expensed using the 
effective interest method.  

Finance income is comprised of interest earned on cash balances, imputed interest income on employee loans receivable, 
and  interest  charged  and  received  or  receivable  on  trade  accounts  receivable  and  notes  receivable  from  customers.  
Finance income is recognized as it accrues using the effective interest method.

Foreign exchange gains and losses are reported on a net basis as either finance income or finance expense.

(f)  Prepaid and other assets:

Prepaid and other assets includes prepaid expenses and inventory purchases for which payment has been made but 
control of the inventory has not transferred to the Company. 

(g)  Inventories:

Finished goods are measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value.  Raw materials are measured at the lower of 
cost and replacement cost.  Work-in-process and goods-in-transit are measured at cost.  For purchased wood products, 
cost is determined using the weighted average cost method and includes invoice cost, duties, freight, and other directly 
attributable costs of acquiring the inventory.  For manufactured wood products, cost is defined as all costs that relate to 
bringing the inventory to its present condition and location under normal operating conditions and includes manufacturing 
costs, such as raw materials and labor and production overhead.

Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business less any applicable selling expenses.

Volume rebates and other supplier discounts are included in income when earned.  Volume rebates and supplier trade 
discounts are accounted for as a reduction of the cost of the related inventory and are earned when inventory is sold.

46

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.    Significant accounting policies (continued):

(h)  Property, plant and equipment:

Items of property, plant and equipment are carried at acquisition cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated 
impairment losses.  Cost includes expenditures that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset.  Depreciation 
is provided at straight-line rates sufficient to depreciate the cost of the assets over their estimated useful lives less estimated 
residual values as follows:

Assets

Buildings, machinery and equipment
Leased vehicles
Leasehold improvements

Estimated useful life

3 to 30 years
Over the term of the lease
Over the term of the lease

Leased assets are depreciated over the lease term unless the useful life is shorter than the lease term.  If a significant 
component of an asset has a useful life that is different from the remainder of the asset, then that component is depreciated 
separately.

Depreciation methods, material residual value estimates and estimates of useful lives are reviewed at each financial year 
end and updated as considered necessary.

Gains or losses arising on the disposal of property, plant and equipment are determined as the difference between the 
disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the assets and are recognized in profit or loss at the time of the disposal.

(i) 

Intangible assets:

Intangible assets with finite lives consist of acquired customer relationships and costs capitalized for internally generated 
software. The customer relationships are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful life of 10 years and 
are measured at cost less accumulated amortization. Costs capitalized for internally generated software consist of costs 
incurred in the development and implementation of the software and amortization begins when the software is substantially 
completed and ready for use.  Costs capitalized for internally generated software are amortized on a straight-line basis 
over their estimated useful life of 10 years and are measured at cost less accumulated amortization. 

Amortization methods, useful lives and residual values are reviewed at each reporting date and adjusted if appropriate.

(j)  Goodwill:

Goodwill represents the excess, at the dates of acquisition, of the purchase price over the fair value of the net amounts 
assigned to individual assets acquired and liabilities assumed relating to business acquisitions.  After initial measurement 
in a business combination, goodwill is recorded at cost less accumulated impairment losses.

Goodwill is allocated to the cash generating unit or group of cash generating units that are expected to receive the benefits 
from  the  business  combinations.  Rugby  Holdings  LLC  (the  "Rugby  operations")  has  been  determined  to  be  the  cash 
generating unit to which the goodwill balance of $56.1 million (US$41.1 million) as at December 31, 2018 (December 31, 
2017  -  $51.2  million  (US$41.1  million))  relates. The  Company  tests  goodwill  for  impairment  on  an  annual  basis. The 
Company also performs an impairment test if events or changes in circumstances arise that suggest the carrying value of 
goodwill may be impaired.  An impairment loss for goodwill is not reversed.

The  recoverable  amount  of  the  Rugby  operations  was  determined  based  on  value-in-use  calculations  which  require 
discounting of future cash flows generated from the continuing use of the operations.  The calculations use cash flow 
projections based on financial budgets covering a five-year period.  Cash flows beyond the five-year period are extrapolated 
using an estimated growth rate of 3.5%.  The growth rate is consistent with past experience, market conditions and actual 
operating results for the Rugby operations. 

47

 
HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.    Significant accounting policies (continued):

(j)  Goodwill (continued):

Key assumptions used are based on industry sources as well as management estimates.  A post-tax discount rate of 9.79% 
was used in determining the recoverable amount of the Rugby operations.  The discount rate was estimated with the 
assistance of industry data, past experience and the industry targeted capital structure.    

The recoverable amount of the Rugby operations as at December 31, 2018, was determined to be higher than the related 
carrying amount and no impairment has been recognized.

(k) 

Impairment:

Non-financial assets

The carrying values of the Company’s non-financial assets are reviewed at each reporting date to assess whether there 
is any indication of impairment.  If any such indication is present, then the recoverable amount of the assets is estimated.   

The recoverable amount of an asset or cash-generating unit is the greater of its value in use or its fair value less costs to 
sell.  In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax 
discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset.  For 
the purposes of impairment testing, assets are grouped at lowest levels that generate cash inflows from continuing use 
that are largely independent of the cash inflows of other assets or groups of assets (the “cash-generating unit”).  

An impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of an asset or its cash-generating unit exceeds its estimated 
recoverable amount.  Impairment losses are recognized in profit and loss.  Impairment losses recognized in prior years 
are assessed at each reporting date for any indications that the loss has decreased or no longer exists.  An impairment 
charge is reversed only to the extent that the asset’s carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would 
have been determined, net of depreciation or amortization, if no impairment loss had been recognized. 

Financial assets

A financial asset is assessed at each reporting date to determine whether there is any objective evidence that it is impaired.  
A financial asset is considered to be impaired if objective evidence indicates that one or more events have had a negative 
effect on the estimated future cash flows of that asset.

Objective evidence that financial assets are impaired can include default or delinquency by a debtor, restructuring of an 
amount due to the Company on terms that the Company would not consider otherwise, or indications that a debtor or 
issuer will enter bankruptcy.

The Company considers evidence of impairment for financial assets, and in particular receivables, at both a specific asset 
and account balance level. 

The allowance for credit loss is determined using both specific identification of customer accounts and the expected credit 
loss model.  The Company uses an estimate of the net recoverable amount for specific customer accounts it has identified 
and the expected credit loss model for the remaining customer accounts based on historical experience of uncollectable 
amounts. Accounts that are considered uncollectable are written off.    

An impairment loss in respect of a financial asset measured at amortized cost is calculated as the difference between its 
carrying amount and the present value of the estimated future cash flows, discounted at the original effective interest rate. 

An impairment loss is reversed if the reversal can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment loss is 
recognized.  For financial assets measured at amortized cost, this reversal is recognized in profit or loss.

48

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.    Significant accounting policies (continued):

(l)  Financial instruments:

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognized when the Company becomes a party to the contractual provisions 
of the financial instrument.  Financial assets are derecognized when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the 
financial asset expire, or when the financial asset and all substantial risks and rewards are transferred.  A financial liability 
is derecognized when it is extinguished, discharged, cancelled or expires.

Financial assets and financial liabilities are measured initially at fair value plus transaction costs.

The classification and measurement of the Company’s financial instruments is disclosed in note 6 of these consolidated 
financial statements.

Financial assets

Cash

The Company considers deposits in banks as cash.

Receivables

Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an 
active market.  After initial recognition these are measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method, less 
provisions for impairment, if any.  Discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial.

Individual receivables are considered for impairment when they are past due or when other objective evidence exists that 
a specific counterparty will default.  Impairment of trade receivables is presented within selling and distribution expenses.

Loans  receivable  consist  of  notes  from  customers  and  loans  to  employees  for  relocation  costs,  discounted  using  the 
effective interest method.  Interest revenue on these loans is recognized within finance income.

Financial liabilities

Loans and payables are non-derivative financial liabilities with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an 
active market.  After initial recognition these liabilities are measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method.  
Discounting is omitted when the effect of discounting is immaterial.  The revolving bank line of credit is not discounted; 
rather, actual interest accrued is based on the daily balances and is recorded each month.

(m)  Income taxes:

Income tax expense comprises current and deferred tax and is recognized in profit and loss except to the extent that it 
relates to items recognized directly in equity or in other comprehensive income.  Current income tax is the expected tax 
payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date, and 
any adjustment to tax payable in respect of the previous years.

Deferred tax is recognized by the Company and its subsidiaries in respect of temporary differences between the carrying 
amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes.  Deferred tax 
is not recognized for the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in a transaction that is not a business combination and 
that affects neither accounting nor taxable profit or loss; differences relating to investments in subsidiaries to the extent 
that it is probable that they will not reverse in the foreseeable future; and taxable differences arising on the initial recognition 
of goodwill.

Deferred tax is measured at the tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse, 
based on the laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset only when the Company has a legally enforceable right and intention to set 
off current tax assets and liabilities from the same taxation authority.

49

 
HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.    Significant accounting policies (continued):

(m)  Income taxes (continued):

A deferred tax asset is recognized for unused tax losses, tax credits and deductible temporary differences, to the extent 
that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which they can be utilized.  Deferred tax assets are 
reviewed at each reporting date and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that the related tax benefit will 
be realized.

(n)  Leases:

Automobile and forklift leases for which the Company assumes substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are 
classified as finance leases.  Upon initial recognition, the leased asset is measured at an amount equal to the lower of its 
fair value and the present value of the minimum lease payments and a lease obligation is recorded equal to the present 
value of the minimum lease payments.

Subsequent to initial recognition, the leased asset is accounted for in accordance with the accounting policies applicable 
to property, plant and equipment.  Minimum lease payments made under finance leases are apportioned between finance 
expense and the reduction of the outstanding liability.  The finance expense is allocated to each period during the lease 
term so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.

Other leases are operating leases and as such the leased assets are not recognized in the Company’s statement of financial 
position.  Payments made under operating leases are recognized in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the term of 
the lease.  Lease incentives received are recognized as an integral part of the total lease expense, over the term of the 
lease. 

(o)  Provisions:

Provisions are recognized in the statement of financial position when the Company has a present legal or constructive 
obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle the 
obligation, and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.  Provisions are determined by discounting 
the expected future cash flows at a pre-tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and 
the risks specific to the liability.

(p)  Basic and diluted profit per share:

The Company presents basic and diluted profit per share data for its outstanding common shares.  Basic profit per share 
attributable to shareholders is calculated by dividing profit by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding 
during the reporting year.  Diluted profit per share is determined by adjusting the profit attributable to common shareholders 
and the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the effects of all dilutive potential common shares. 

(q)  Share based compensation:

The Company has a share based long-term incentive plan as described in note 13(b).  At the discretion of the Board of 
Directors, the Restricted Shares and Performance Shares to which a grantee is entitled may be settled by the Company 
in Shares or in an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of such Shares, or a combination of the foregoing. 

The Company is accounting for half of the Restricted Shares and Performance Shares as employee equity settled awards 
whereby the compensation cost is determined based on the grant date fair value and is recognized as an expense with a 
corresponding increase to contributed surplus in equity over the period that the employees unconditionally become entitled 
to payment.  The amount recognized as an expense is adjusted to reflect the number of awards for which the related 
service and non-market vesting conditions are expected to be met. For the remaining 50% of Restricted and Performance 
Shares that can be settled in either cash or common shares at the employees option, the Company accounts for the award 
as cash-settled share based compensation. Compensation expense is recorded over the vesting period based on the 
estimated fair value at the date of grant. The fair value of this 50% portion of the Restricted and Performance Shares is 
subsequently re-measured at each reporting date with any change in fair value reflected in share based compensation 
expense in the statement of comprehensive income. The liability associated with cash-settled awards is recorded in 

50

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.    Significant accounting policies (continued):

(q)  Share based compensation (continued):

accounts payable and accrued liabilities, for amounts expected to be settled within one year, and in non-current liabilities 
for amounts to be settled in excess of one year.    

(r)  New accounting policies:

  IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“IFRS 15”)

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted IFRS 15 which replaced IAS 18, Revenue and a number of revenue 
related standards and interpretations.  IFRS 15 contains a single model that applies to contracts with customers and two 
approaches to recognizing revenue: at a point in time or over time. The model features a contract-based five-step analysis 
of transactions to determine whether, how much and when revenue is recognized. New estimates and judgmental thresholds 
have also been introduced, which may affect the amount and/or timing of revenue recognized.

The adoption of this standard did not significantly impact the measurement of revenue generated from the sale of the 
Company's products to customers and therefore, had no impact on earnings. The adoption of this standard did impact the 
presentation of freight recovered which is now included in sales instead of cost of goods sold on the consolidated statements 
of comprehensive income. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the freight recovered was $9.4 million (December 31, 
2017 - $8.8 million). Comparative figures have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.

  IFRS 9, Financial Instruments (“IFRS 9”)

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted IFRS 9 which replaced the multiple classification and measurement 
models in IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement, with a single model that has only two classification 
categories: amortized cost and fair value. IFRS 9 also requires a single impairment method to be used, provides additional 
guidance on the classification and measurement of financial liabilities, and provides a new general hedge accounting 
standard. 

The adoption of IFRS 9 did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements given the nature of the Company's 
operations  and  the  types  of  financial  instruments  that  it  currently  holds. There  was  no  change  in  the  classification  or 
measurement of the Company's financial assets and liabilities with the exception of the use of the expected credit loss 
model to determine the allowance for credit loss for trade accounts receivable. The application of the expected credit loss 
model to determine the allowance for credit loss had a nominal effect on the December 31, 2017 consolidated financial 
statements and therefore prior period amounts have not been restated.  

The Company's new policy is the allowance for credit loss is determined using both specific identification of customer 
accounts and the expected credit loss model.  The Company uses an estimate of the net recoverable amount for specific 
customer accounts it has identified and the expected credit loss model for the remaining customer accounts based on 
historical experience of uncollectable amounts. Accounts that are considered uncollectable are written off.    

(s)  Future accounting pronouncement:

A number of new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations, are not yet effective for the year ended December 
31, 2018, and have not been applied in preparing these consolidated financial statements. The following pronouncement 
is considered by the Company to be the most significant of several pronouncements that may affect the consolidated 
financial statements in future periods.  

51

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

3.    Significant accounting policies (continued):

(s)  Future accounting pronouncement (continued):

  IFRS 16, Leases ("IFRS 16")

On January 13, 2016, the IASB published a new standard, IFRS 16, eliminating the current dual accounting model for 
lessees, which distinguishes between on-balance sheet finance leases and off-balance sheet operating leases. The main 
provision of IFRS 16 is the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet by lessees for those leases 
that were previously classified as operating leases. Under IFRS 16, a lessee is required to do the following: (i) recognize 
a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, on the balance 
sheet; and (ii) recognize a front-loaded pattern of expense for most leases, even when cash rentals are constant, as the 
right-of-use asset is depreciated and the lease liability is accreted using the effective interest method. The new standard 
also requires qualitative disclosures along with specific quantitative disclosures. IFRS 16 is effective for annual periods 
beginning on or after January 1, 2019, with earlier adoption permitted. Upon adoption of IFRS 16, the Company's operating 
leases, which are principally comprised of its warehouse facilities and automobiles, will be recorded in the statement of 
financial position with a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease obligation. 

The Company has determined the adoption of IFRS 16 will have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. 
The Company expects to apply IFRS 16 retroactively on January 1, 2019. The impact on the opening balance sheet at 
January 1, 2018, is estimated to be an increase to property, plant and equipment of $105.5 million, increase to finance 
lease obligations of $118.9 million, increase to net deferred tax assets of $3.3 million, and decrease to retained earnings 
of $10.1 million. The impact on the consolidated statement of comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 
2018 is estimated to be a decrease to cost of goods sold of $0.7 million, decrease to selling and distribution expenses of 
$2.7 million, increase to finance expense of $4.6 million, and a decrease to net profit of $0.9 million.

4.    Business acquisitions:

(a) Atlanta Hardwood Corporation acquisition

On June 11, 2018, the Company acquired through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries certain of the distribution assets and 
assumed certain liabilities of Atlanta Hardwoods Corporation ("Atlanta") for a total value of $4.8 million (US$3.7 million). The 
fair value of Atlanta's identified assets acquired consisted of accounts and other receivables of $1.4 million (US$1.1 million), 
inventories of $3.3 million (US$2.6 million), property, plant and equipment of $0.4 million (US$0.3 million) and accrued liabilities 
of $0.2 million (US$0.1 million).  The fair value of the assets acquired exceeded the purchase price by $0.1 million (US$0.1 
million) and this excess has been recorded as income in the consolidated interim statement of comprehensive income.

The distribution assets acquired include Hardwoods of Atlanta, LLC, Hardwoods of North Georgia and Hardwoods of Alabama, 
LLC,  operating  under  the  trade  name  Hardwoods  Incorporated. The Atlanta  acquisition  was  accounted  for  as  a  business 
combination using the acquisition method, with the Company being the acquirer and Atlanta being the acquiree, and where 
the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their fair values at the acquisition date.

(b)  Downes & Reader Hardwood Company Inc. acquisition

On  July  17,  2017,  the  Company  acquired  through  one  of  its  wholly  owned  subsidiaries  substantially  all  of  the  assets  and 
assumed certain liabilities of Downs & Reader Hardwood Company Inc. ("D&R") for a total value of $7.4 million (US$5.9 million). 
The fair value of D&R's identified assets acquired and liabilities assumed consisted of accounts and other receivables of  $1.4 
million (US$1.1 million), inventories of $7.8 million (US$6.2 million), property, plant and equipment of $1.9 million (US$1.5 
million) and accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $3.7 million (US$2.9 million).  

D&R is a distributor of hardwood lumber with four locations in the US Northeast and services both the wholesale and retail 
customer segments. The D&R acquisition was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method, with the 
Company being the acquirer and D&R being the acquiree, and where the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded 
at their fair values at the acquisition date.

52

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

4.    Business acquisitions (continued):

(c)  Eagle Plywood and Lumber acquisition

On March 13, 2017, the Company acquired through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries substantially all of the assets and 
assumed certain liabilities of Eagle Plywood and Lumber ("Eagle") for a base purchase price of $0.6 million (US$0.5 million). 

Eagle is a single site wholesale distributor located in Dallas, Texas distributing architectural grade building products to customers 
that  supply  end-products  to  the  residential  and  commercial  construction  markets. The  acquisition  was  accounted  for  as  a 
business combination using the acquisition method, with the Company being the acquirer and Eagle being the acquiree, and 
where the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their fair values at the acquisition date.

(d) Far West Plywood Company acquisition

On January 28, 2019, the Company acquired through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries substantially all of the assets and 
assumed certain liabilities of Far West Plywood Company ("Far West") for a total value of $4.8 million (US$3.6 million). The 
fair value of Far West's identified assets acquired consisted of accounts and other receivables of $0.5 million (US$0.4 million), 
inventories of $1.3 million (US$0.9 million), property, plant and equipment of $0.1 million (US$0.1 million) and accrued liabilities 
of $0.4 million (US$0.3 million). Goodwill of $3.4 million (US$2.5 million) was recognized as part of this acquisition and is 
attributable to the skills and talent of Far West's workforce, value of the customer base, and an increase in market share. The 
goodwill is deductible for tax purposes.

Far West is a single site wholesale distributer located in Northridge, California that distributes architectural building products 
to customers that fabricate end-products to commercial, industrial, retail, residential, and institutional construction markets. 
The Far West acquisition was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method, with the Company being 
the acquirer and Far West being the acquiree, and where the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their 
fair values at the acquisition date.

5.  Capital management:

The Company’s policy is to maintain a strong capital base so as to maintain investor, creditor and market confidence and to 
sustain future growth of the business.  The Company considers its capital to be bank indebtedness (net of cash) and shareholders’ 
equity.  

The Company’s capitalization is as follows:

Cash
Bank indebtedness
Shareholder’s equity

Total capitalization

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

$

(1,547) $
$

112,940
285,932

(313)
91,146
238,826

397,325

$

329,659

The terms of the Company’s US and Canadian credit facilities are described in note 11.  The terms of the agreements with the 
Company’s lenders provide that distributions cannot be paid by its subsidiaries in the event that its subsidiaries do not meet 
certain credit ratios.  The Company’s operating subsidiaries were compliant with all required credit ratios under the US and 
Canadian credit facilities as at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, and accordingly there were no restrictions on 
distributions arising from non-compliance with financial covenants. 

Dividends and share re-purchases are some of the ways the Company manages its capital.  Dividends are declared having 
given consideration to a variety of factors including the outlook for the business and financial leverage.  

53

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

5.  Capital management (continued):

On November 5, 2018, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.08 per common share to shareholders of record as of 
January 14, 2019. The dividend was paid to shareholders on January 25, 2019.  On March 14, 2019, the Company declared 
a cash dividend of $0.08 per common share to shareholders of record as of April 15, 2019, to be paid on April 26, 2019.

6.  Financial instruments:

Financial  instrument  assets  include  cash  and  current  and  non-current  receivables,  which  are  designated  as  subsequently 
measured at amortized cost. Non-derivative financial instrument liabilities include bank indebtedness, accounts payable and 
accrued liabilities, income taxes payable, dividend payable, notes payable and finance lease obligation. All financial liabilities 
are designated as subsequently measured at amortized cost.  

Fair value hierarchy

IFRS 13 establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value.  The three levels 
of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 - Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or 

liabilities.

Level 2 -  Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or 

indirectly, for substantially the full contractual term.

Level 3 - Inputs for the asset or liability are not based on observable market data.

The Company has no financial assets or financial liabilities included in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

Fair values of financial instruments

The carrying values of cash, accounts and other receivables, income taxes receivable, income taxes payable, dividend payable 
and accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values due to the relatively short period to maturity of the 
instruments.  The fair value of non-current receivables, other liabilities and finance lease obligations are not expected to differ 
materially from their respective carrying values, given the interest rates being charged.  The carrying values of the credit facilities 
approximate their fair values due to the existence of floating market based interest rates. 

Financial risk management:

The Board of Directors of the Company and its subsidiaries has the overall responsibility for the establishment and oversight 
of the Company’s risk management framework.  The Company’s risk management policies are established to identify and 
analyze the risks faced by the Company, to set appropriate risk limits and controls, and to monitor risks and adherence to limits.  
Risk management policies and systems are reviewed regularly to reflect changes in market conditions and in response to the 
Company’s activities.  Through its standards and procedures management has developed a disciplined and constructive control 
environment in which all employees understand their roles and obligations.  Management regularly monitors compliance with 
the Company’s risk management policies and procedures and reviews the adequacy of the risk management framework in 
relation to the risks faced by the Company.

The Company has exposure to credit, liquidity and market risks from its use of financial instruments.

(i)  Credit risk:

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Company if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet 
its contractual obligations.  Credit risk arises principally from the Company’s current and non-current receivables from its 
customers.  Cash held at banks, employee housing loans and security deposits also present credit risk to the Company.  
The carrying value of these financial assets, which total $115.4 million at December 31, 2018 (December 31, 2017 - $98.9 
million), represents the Company’s maximum exposure to credit risk.

54

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

6.  Financial instruments (continued):

Financial risk management (continued):

Trade accounts receivable

The Company’s exposure to credit risk is influenced mainly by the individual characteristics of each customer.  The Company 
is exposed to credit risk in the event it is unable to collect in full amounts receivable from its customers.  The Company 
employs established credit approval practices and engages credit attorneys when appropriate to mitigate credit risk.  The 
Company  attempts  to  secure  credit  advanced  to  customers  whenever  possible  by  registering  security  interests  in  the 
assets of the customer and by obtaining personal guarantees.  Credit limits are established for each customer and are 
regularly reviewed.  In some instances the Company may choose to transact with a customer on a cash-on-delivery basis.  
The Company’s largest individual customer balance amounted to 2.0% (December 31, 2017 - 2.2%) of trade accounts 
receivable and customer notes receivable at December 31, 2018.  No one customer represents more than 1.0% of sales.

More detailed information regarding management of trade accounts receivable is found in note 7 to these consolidated 
financial statements.

Employee housing loans:

Employee loans are non-interest bearing and are granted to employees who are relocated.  Employee loans are secured 
by a deed of trust or mortgage depending upon the jurisdiction.  Employee loans are repaid in accordance with the loan 
agreement.  These loans are measured at their fair market value upon granting the loan and subsequently measured at 
amortized cost.

Customer notes:

Customer notes are issued to certain customers to provide fixed repayment schedules for amounts owing that have been 
agreed will be repaid over longer periods of time.  The terms of each note are negotiated with the customer.  For notes 
issued the Company requires a fixed payment amount, personal guarantees, general security agreements, and security 
over specific property or assets.  Customer notes bear market interest rates up to 10%.

Security deposits:

Security deposits are recoverable on leased premises at the end of the related lease term.  The Company does not believe 
there is any material credit risk associated with its security deposits.

Cash:

Cash balances are maintained with high credit quality financial institutions. The Company does not believe there is any 
material credit risk associated with cash.

(ii)  Liquidity risk:

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due.  The Company’s 
approach to managing liquidity is to ensure that it will have sufficient cash available to meet its liabilities when due, under 
both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage to the Company’s reputation.  
At December 31, 2018, in Canada, a subsidiary of the Company had a revolving credit facility of up to $25.0 million, and, 
in the US, a subsidiary of the Company had a revolving credit facility of up to $170.5 million (US$125.0 million).  These 
credit facilities can be drawn down to meet short-term financing requirements, including fluctuations in non-cash working 
capital.  The amount made available under the revolving credit facilities is limited to the extent of the value of certain 

55

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

6.  Financial instruments (continued):

Financial risk management (continued):

(ii)  Liquidity risk (continued):

accounts receivable and inventories held by subsidiaries of the Company, as well as by continued compliance with credit 
ratios and certain other terms under the credit facilities.  See note 11 for further information regarding the Company’s credit 
facilities and borrowing capacity.

The Company’s accounts payable and accrued liabilities are subject to normal trade terms and have contracted maturities 
that will result in payment in the following quarter.  The undiscounted contractual maturities of finance lease obligations 
are presented in note 12 to these consolidated financial statements.

(iii)  Market risk:

Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and commodity prices 
will affect the Company’s net earnings or value of its holdings of financial instruments.

Interest rate risk

The Company is exposed to interest rate risk on its credit facilities which bear interest at floating market rates.

Based upon the December 31, 2018 bank indebtedness balance of $112.9 million, a 1% increase or decrease in the interest 
rates charged would result in a decrease or increase to profit after tax by approximately $0.7 million.

Currency risk

As the Company conducts business in both Canada and the United States it is exposed to currency risk.  Most of the 
products sold by the Company in Canada are purchased in U.S. dollars from suppliers in the United States.  Although the 
Company reports its financial results in Canadian dollars, approximately 85% of its sales are generated in the United 
States.    Changes  in  the  currency  exchange  rates  of  the  Canadian  dollar  against  the  U.S.  dollar  will  affect  the  results 
presented in the Company’s financial statements and cause its earnings to fluctuate.  Changes in the costs of products 
purchased by the Company in the United States as a result of the changing value of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. 
dollar are usually absorbed by the Canadian market.  When the products are resold in Canada it is generally sold at a 
Canadian dollar equivalent selling price, and accordingly revenues in Canada are effectively increased by decreases in 
value of the Canadian dollar and vice versa.  Fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar will 
affect the amount of cash available to the Company for distribution to its shareholders.

At December 31, 2018, the primary exposure to foreign denominated financial instruments was in the Company’s Canadian 
subsidiaries and relates to US dollar cash balances, accounts receivable from U.S. customers (2018 - US$0.5 million, 
2017 - US$0.7 million) and accounts payable to U.S. suppliers (2018 - US$0.2 million, 2017 - US$0.3 million).

Based on the Company's Canadian subsidiaries exposure to foreign denominated financial instruments, the Company 
estimates a $0.05 weakening or strengthening in the Canadian dollar as compared to the U.S. dollar would not have a 
material effect on net income for the years ended December 31, 2018 or December 31, 2017.  

This foreign currency sensitivity is focused solely on the currency risk associated with the Company’s Canadian subsidiaries 
exposure to foreign denominated financial instruments as at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 and does not 
take into account the effect a change in currency rates will have on the translation of the balance sheet and operations of 
the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries nor is it intended to estimate the potential impact changes in currency rates would have 
on the Company’s sales and purchases. 

Commodity price risk:

The Company does not enter in to any commodity contracts.  Inventory purchases are transacted at current market 
rates based on expected usage and sale requirements and increases or decreases in prices are reflected in the 
Company’s selling prices to customers.

56

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

7.  Accounts and other receivables:

The following is a breakdown of the Company’s current and non-current receivables and represents the Company’s principal 
exposure to credit risk.

Trade accounts receivable - Canada
Trade accounts receivable - United States
Sundry receivable (note 20)
Current portion of non-current receivables

Less:

Allowance for credit loss

Non-current receivables:

Employee housing loans
Customer notes
Security deposits

Less:

Current portion, included in accounts receivable

The aging of trade receivables is:

Current
1 - 30 days past due
31 - 60 days past due

60+ days past due

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

13,131
97,907
4,973
802
116,813

13,458
79,880
6,745
1,360
101,443

4,808

4,180

112,005

$

97,263

$

136
570
1,953
2,659

802
1,857

$

257
921
1,541
2,719

1,360
1,359

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

76,206
22,549
7,037

5,246

111,038

$

65,635
19,075
5,204

3,424

93,338

$

$

$

$

$

$

The Company determines its allowance for credit loss using both specific identification of customer accounts and the expected 
credit loss model.  The Company uses an estimate of the net recoverable amount for specific customer accounts it has identified 
and the effective credit loss model for the remaining customer accounts based on historical experience of uncollectable amounts. 
Accounts  that  are  considered  uncollectable  are  written  off.  The  total  allowance  at  December 31,  2018  was  $4.8  million 
(December 31, 2017 - $4.2 million).  The amount of the allowance is considered sufficient based on the past experience of the 
business,  current  and  expected  collection  trends,  the  security  the  Company  has  in  place  for  past  due  accounts  and 
management’s regular review and assessment of customer accounts and credit risk.

57

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

7.  Accounts and other receivables (continued):

The change in the allowance for credit loss can be reconciled as follows:

Balance as at January 1
Additions during the year
Use during the year
Changes due to currency rate fluctuations

Balance as at December 31

2018

4,180 $
599
(337)
366

2017

5,038
61
(588)
(331)

4,808 $

4,180

$

$

Bad debt expense, net of recoveries, for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $0.6 million which equates to 0.05% of sales 
(year ended December 31, 2017 - $0.1 million, being 0.01% of sales). 

8. 

Inventories:

Raw materials
Work in process
Goods in-transit
Finished goods:

Lumber
Sheet goods

     Specialty

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

$

780
4,584
12,630

55,223
110,060
40,508

1,306
4,950
7,947

47,807
77,922
32,174

$

223,785

$

172,106

The Company regularly reviews and assesses the condition and value of its inventories and records write-downs to net realizable 
value as necessary. 

Inventory related expenses are included in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as follows:

Inventory write-downs, included in cost of goods sold

Cost of inventory sold
Other cost of goods sold
Total cost of goods sold

2018

2,065

$

884,405
49,579
933,984

$

2017

1,909

808,832
45,133
853,965

$

$

58

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

9.  Property, plant and equipment:

Cost

Balance at January 1, 2017
Additions
Acquisition of Eagle and D&R (note 4(b,c))
Disposals
Adjustments:

Foreign currency
transaction

Balance at December 31, 2017
Additions
Acquisition of Atlanta (note 4(a))
Disposals
Adjustments:

Foreign currency
transaction

Balance at December 31, 2018

Accumulated depreciation

Balance at January 1, 2017
Depreciation
Disposals
Adjustments:

Foreign currency
transaction

Balance at December 31, 2017
Depreciation
Disposals
Adjustments:
Foreign currency
transaction

Balance at December 31, 2018

Net book value:

December 31, 2017
December 31, 2018

Leased 
vehicles and 
forklifts
(note 12(a))

Buildings,
machinery
and
equipment

Land

Leasehold
improvements

Total

824 $
—
—
—

3,815 $
1,832
—
(1,185)

28,796 $
2,106
1,994
(721)

1,272 $
151
13
(95)

34,707
4,089
2,007
(2,001)

(54)

(240)

(1,798)

(42)

(2,134)

770
—
—
—

4,222
2,545
—
(1,138)

30,377
3,696
390
(896)

1,299
380
—
(31)

36,668
6,621
390
(2,065)

68

340

2,567

74

3,049

838 $

5,969 $

36,134 $

1,722 $

44,663

— $
—
—

1,614 $
1,027
(907)

11,527 $
3,246
(599)

856 $
187
(96)

13,997
4,460
(1,602)

—

—
—
—

—

(118)

(695)

1,616
1,256
(850)

13,479
3,387
(740)

(24)

923
131
(29)

(837)

16,018
4,774
(1,619)

120

1,146

40

1,306

— $

2,142 $

17,272 $

1,065 $

20,479

770 $
838 $

2,606 $
3,827 $

16,898 $
18,862 $

376 $
657 $

20,650
24,184

$

$

$

$

$
$

59

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

9.  Property, plant and equipment (continued):

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $4.8 million (2017 - $4.5 million) 
and is included in the statement of comprehensive income as follows:

Cost of sales
Selling and distribution
Administration

2018

1,614 $
2,936
224

4,774 $

2017

1,596
2,610
254

4,460

$

$

Gains  and  losses  on  disposal  of  property,  plant  and  equipment  for  the  year  ended  December 31,  2018  was  a  net  gain  of 
$156,000 (2017 - net gain of $204,000) and is included in selling and distribution in the statement of comprehensive income.

60

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

10.  Intangible assets:    

Cost

Balance at January 1, 2017
Acquired through acquisitions
Additions
Adjustments:

Foreign currency transaction

Balance at December 31, 2017
Additions
Adjustments:
Foreign currency transaction

Balance at December 31, 2018

Accumulated amortization

Balance at January 1, 2017
Amortization
Adjustments:

Foreign currency transaction

Balance at December 31, 2017
Amortization
Adjustments:
Foreign currency transaction

Balance at December 31, 2018

Net book value:

December 31, 2017
December 31, 2018

Internally
generated
software

Customer
relationships

Total

$

$

$

$

$
$

— $
—
329

21,080 $
82
—

21,080
82
329

(11)

(1,387)

(1,398)

318
280

38

19,775
—

20,093
280

1,729

1,767

636 $

21,504 $

22,140

— $
—

966 $

2,044

966
2,044

—

—
6

— $

6 $

(132)

(132)

2,878
2,067

2,878
2,073

361 $

361

5,306 $

5,312

318 $
630 $

16,897 $
16,198 $

17,215
16,828

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $2.1 million (2017 - $2.0 million) and is      
included in selling and distribution expenses in the statement of comprehensive income.

61

 
 
HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

11.  Bank indebtedness:

Cheques issued in excess of funds on deposit
Credit facility, Hardwoods LP
Credit facility, Hardwoods USLP II

(December 31, 2018 - US$74,369

 December 31, 2017 - US$66,323)

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

$

1,011
10,626

101,303
112,940

$

$

866
7,270

83,010
91,146

Bank indebtedness consists of cheques issued in excess of funds on deposit and advances under operating lines of credit (the 
“Credit  Facilities”)  available  to  subsidiaries  of  the  Company,  Hardwoods  Specialty  Products  LP  (“Hardwoods  LP”)  and 
Hardwoods Specialty Product USLP II (“Hardwoods USLP II”). 

Each of the Credit Facilities is separate, is not guaranteed by the other partnership, and does not contain cross default provisions 
to the other Credit Facility.  The Credit Facility made available to Hardwoods LP is secured by a first security interest in all of 
the present and after acquired property of Hardwoods LP and the Hardwoods LP partnership units held directly and indirectly 
by the Company.  The Credit Facility made available to Hardwoods USLP II is secured by a first security interest in all of the 
present and after acquired property of Hardwoods Specialty Products US LP ("Hardwoods USLP"),  Rugby Holdings LLC, 
Paxton Hardwoods LLC and HMI Hardwoods LLC, and the Hardwoods USLP partnership units held indirectly by the Company.

The Credit Facilities are payable in full at maturity.  The Credit Facilities are revolving credit facilities which the Company may 
terminate at any time without prepayment penalty.  The Credit Facilities bear interest at a floating rate based on the Canadian 
or US prime rate (as the case may be), LIBOR or bankers’ acceptance rates plus, in each case, an applicable margin.  Letters 
of credit are also available under the Credit Facilities on customary terms for facilities of this nature.  Commitment fees and 
standby charges usual for borrowings of this nature were and are payable.

Hardwoods LP Credit Facility ("LP Credit Facility")

In February 2017 the LP Credit Facility was amended to increase the amount made available under the facility from $20.0 
million to $25.0 million. The LP Credit Facility matures in August 2021. The amount made available under the LP Credit Facility  
is limited to the extent of 90% of the net book value of eligible accounts receivable and the lesser of 60% of the book value or 
85% of appraised value of eligible inventories with the amount based on inventories not to exceed 60% of the total amount to 
be available.  Certain identified accounts receivable and inventories are excluded from the calculation of the amount available 
under the LP Credit Facility.  Hardwoods LP is required to maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.  
However, this covenant does not apply so long as the unused availability under the credit line is in excess of $2.0 million.  At 
December 31, 2018, the LP Credit Facility has unused availability of $11.9 million, before cheques issued in excess of funds 
on deposit of $1.0 million (December 31, 2017 - $13.5 million, cheques issued in excess of funds on deposit - $0.9 million).  

Hardwoods USLP II Credit Facility ("USLP II Credit Facility")

The USLP II Credit Facility consists of a revolving credit facility of up to US$125.0 million with the amount made available limited 
to the extent of 85% of the value of eligible accounts receivable, and 60% of the value of eligible inventory plus the lesser of 
(i) 55% of the book value of eligible in-transit inventory or (ii) $2.0 million. The USLP II Credit Facility matures in July 2021.  
The USLP II Credit Facility is guaranteed by certain of the Company's subsidiaries. 

The financial covenants under the USLP II Credit Facility include, among others, a springing fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.0 
to 1, triggered if unused availability under the USLP II Credit Facility falls below US$12.5 million at any time.

62

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

11.  Bank indebtedness (continued):

Hardwoods USLP II Credit Facility ("USLP II Credit Facility") (continued):

In addition to the financial covenants, the ability of the Company's US subsidiaries to pay distributions and dividends, complete 
acquisitions, make additional investments, take on additional indebtedness, allow its assets to become subject to liens, complete 
affiliate transactions and make capital expenditures are limited and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions.  

At December 31, 2018, the USLP II Credit Facility has unused availability of $66.5 million (US$48.7 million), before cheques 
issued in excess of funds on deposit of nil. At December 31, 2017, the USLP II Credit Facility had unused availability of $53.2 
million (US$42.4 million), before cheques issued in excess of funds on deposit of nil.

The Company has letters of credit outstanding at December 31, 2018 totaling $2.6 million (US$1.9 million) (2017 -  $1.3 million 
(US$1.0 million)) against the USLP II Credit Facility to support self-insured benefit claims. 

The average annual interest rates paid in respect of bank indebtedness for the year ended December 31, 2018 were 3.5% and 
3.6% (2017 - 3.0% and 2.7%) for the LP and USLP II Credit Facilities, respectively.  

12.  Leases:

(a)  Finance leases as lessee:

Subsidiaries of the Company lease vehicles and forklifts with terms ranging from 24 to 72 months.  In Canada, the Company 
guarantees the residual value under the terms of the vehicle leases, and any difference between the amount realized and 
the guaranteed residual value is either paid to or paid by the Company.  In the US, the vehicle lease payments cover the 
full capitalized cost over the term of the lease, and any proceeds from the sale of the vehicle are paid to the Company. 
These vehicle and forklift leases are considered finance leases and are recorded on the statement of financial position. 

Finance lease liabilities are payable as follows:

Minimum lease payments due

December 31, 2018:

Future minimum lease payments
Interest

Present value of minimum payments

December 31, 2017:

Future minimum lease payments
Interest

Present value of minimum payments

$

$

$

$

Within one year

One to three
years

1,699 $
170

1,529 $

1,378 $
97

1,281 $

2,288 $
270

2,018 $

1,128 $
60

1,068 $

Total

3,987
440

3,547

2,506
157

2,349

The present value of the lease payments is calculated using the interest rate implicit in the lease, which range from 2.6% 
- 8.1%.

63

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

12.  Leases (continued):

(b)  Operating leases as lessee: 

The Company’s subsidiaries are obligated under various operating leases, including building and automobile leases that 
require future minimum rental payments as follows:

With
one year

One to
five years

After
five years

Total

Minimum lease payments due:

December 31, 2018

$

23,471 $

83,264 $

18,128 $

124,863

Minimum lease payments recognized as an expense during the year ended December 31, 2018 amounted to $22.2 million 
(2017  -  $20.8  million).    Sublease  payments  received  during  the  year  were  $0.3  million  (2017  -  $0.1  million)  and  are 
recognized as a reduction to selling and distribution costs in the statement of comprehensive income.

The Company’s warehouse leases are combined leases of the land and building; however both the land and building 
elements are considered operating leases as the risk and reward of ownership remains with the landlord. The Company’s 
operating lease agreements do not contain any contingent rent clauses.  Some operating warehouse lease agreements 
contain renewal options.  Renewal options are reviewed regularly by management.  The operating lease agreements do 
not contain any restrictions regarding distributions, further leasing or additional debt.

13.  Share capital:

(a)  Share capital

At December 31, 2018, the authorized share capital of the Company comprised an unlimited number of common shares 
without par value (“Shares”).

A continuity of share capital is as follows:

Balance at December 31, 2016
Issued pursuant to long term incentive plan

Balance at December 31, 2017
Issued pursuant to long term incentive plan

Balance at December 31, 2018

Shares

Total

21,350,572
69,413

$

21,419,985
119,131

112,362
1,426

113,788
2,736

21,539,116

$

116,524

64

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

13.  Share capital (continued):

(b)  Long Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”): 

The Company has an approved long term incentive plan which authorizes the issuance of a maximum of 2,100,000 Shares 
to qualified trustees, directors, officers, employees and consultants to align the interests of such persons with the interests 
of shareholders. 

The LTIP is comprised of Restricted Shares and Performance Shares.  Each Restricted Share will entitle the holder to be 
issued the number of Shares of the Company designated in the grant agreement for that Restricted Share. Shares issuable 
pursuant to Restricted Share grants will vest and be issued on the date or dates determined by the Company’s Compensation 
Committee and set out in the grant agreement, provided such date or dates are not later than December 31st following the 
third anniversary of the date the Restricted Share was granted. Each Performance Share will entitle the holder to be issued 
the number of Shares designated in the grant agreement for the Performance Share multiplied by a payout multiplier which 
may range from a minimum of zero to a maximum of two depending on the achievement of the defined performance criteria.  
Shares issuable pursuant to Performance Shares will be issued on the date set out in the grant agreement if the performance 
criteria are satisfied, provided such date is not later than December 31st following the third anniversary of the date the 
Performance Share was granted.

The Shares to which a grantee is entitled under a Restricted Share or Performance Share may, at the discretion of the 
Board of Directors, be settled by the Company in Shares issued from treasury, Shares purchased by the Company in the 
secondary market, in an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of such Shares, or any combination of the foregoing. 
Grantees have the option to settle up to 50% of the Restricted Shares and Performance Shares in cash. The Company 
has  made  an  estimate  of  the  amount  it  expects  to  settle  in  cash  related  to  future  vestings  of  Restricted  Shares  and 
Performance Shares. As at December 31, 2018 the fair value of the Restricted Shares and Performance Shares estimated 
to be settled in the future in cash was $0.4 million (December 31, 2017 - $1.4 million) and this value has been removed 
from contributed surplus and classified within accounts payable and accrued liabilities and non-current liabilities. 

If any Restricted Shares or Performance Shares granted under LTIP expire, terminate or are cancelled for any reason 
without the Shares issuable under the Restricted Share or Performance Share having been issued in full, those Shares 
will become available for the purposes of granting further Restricted Shares or Performance Shares under the LTIP. To 
the extent any Shares issuable pursuant to Restricted Shares or Performance Shares are settled in cash or with Shares 
purchased in the market, those Shares will become available for the purposes of granting further Restricted Shares or 
Performance Shares. 

The LTIP provides for cumulative adjustments to the number of Shares to be issued pursuant to Restricted Shares or 
Performance Shares on each date that dividends are paid on the Shares by an amount equal to a fraction having as its 
numerator the amount of the dividends per Share and having as its denominator the fair market value of the Shares on 
the trading day immediately preceding the dividend payment date. Fair market value is the weighted average price that 
the  Shares  traded  on  the Toronto  Stock  Exchange  for  the  five  trading  days  on  which  the  Shares  traded  immediately 
preceding that date.

The LTIP provides that the number of Shares issued to insiders pursuant to the plan and other Share compensation 
arrangements of the Company within a one year period, or at any one time, may not exceed 10% of the issued and 
outstanding Shares.

65

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

13.  Share capital (continued):

(b)  Long Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) (continued):

A continuity of the LTIP Shares outstanding is as follows:

Balance at December 31, 2016
LTIP shares issued during the year
LTIP shares forfeited during the year
LTIP shares settled
Balance at December 31, 2017
LTIP shares issued during the year
LTIP shares forfeited during the year
LTIP shares settled
Balance at December 31, 2018

Performance
Shares

Restricted
Shares

58,601
87,594
(10,975)
(13,714)
121,506
55,079
—
(88,050)
88,535

73,661
128,197
(2,119)
(83,089)
116,650
94,373
—
(82,509)
128,514

During  the  year  ended  December 31,  2018,  88,050  (December 31,  2017  -  13,714)  Performance  Shares  and  82,509 
(December 31,  2017  -  83,089)  Restricted  Shares  became  fully  vested  and  were  settled  by  the  issuance  of  119,131 
(December 31, 2017 - 69,413) Shares and $0.9 million in cash (December 31, 2017 - $0.6 million). On issuance of the 
Shares, the accumulated share-based compensation expense of $2.7 million (December 31, 2017 - $1.4 million) associated 
with the settled Performance Shares and Restricted Shares was transferred from contributed surplus to share capital.

LTIP compensation expense of $2.1 million was recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income for 
the year ended December 31, 2018 (2017 - $3.3 million).  The equity classified portion of the LTIP compensation expense 
was $2.6 million (December 31, 2017 - $2.8 million) and the liability classified portion was a recovery of $0.5 million as at 
December 31, 2018 (December 31, 2017 - expense of $0.5 million).  

The key estimate in determining the compensation in any period is whether the performance criteria have been met and 
the amount of the payout multiplier on the Performance Shares.  The payout multiplier is reviewed and approved by the 
Company’s compensation committee on an annual basis.  The liability associated with the cash-settled awards is recorded 
in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, for amounts expected to be settled within one year, and in other liabilities for 
amounts to be settled in excess of one year.

(c)  Weighted average shares: 

The calculation of basic and fully diluted net profit per share is based on the net profit for the year ended December 31, 
2018 of $32.2 million (December 31, 2017 - $30.0 million).  The weighted average number of common shares outstanding 
in each of the reporting years was as follows:

Issued ordinary shares at

beginning of year

Effect of shares issued during the year
Pursuant to long-term incentive plan

Weighted average common shares - basic
Effect of dilutive securities:
Long-term incentive plan

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

21,419,985

21,350,572

34,863

3,594

21,454,848

21,354,166

124,331

119,373

Weighted average common shares - diluted

21,579,179

21,473,539

66

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

14.  Income taxes:

Current tax expense
Deferred tax expense

2018

2017

(8,287) $
(2,491)

(10,781)
(5,848)

(10,778) $

(16,629)

$

$

Under current income tax regulations, subsidiaries of the Company are subject to income taxes in Canada and the United 
States. The applicable statutory rate in Canada for the year ended December 31, 2018 is 26.9% (2017 - 26.4%) and in the 
United States is 26.0% (2017 - 39.4%).  The majority of the Company’s tax expense is generated from its US subsidiaries, and 
as such the Company reconciles its consolidated income tax expense to the statutory tax rate applicable to the United States.  

Income tax expense differs from that calculated by applying U.S. federal and state income tax rates to earnings before income 
taxes for the following reasons:

Profit before income tax

Statutory rate

Computed tax expense at statutory rate
Effect of tax rate differentials and other restructuring
Non-deductible expenses
Prior year tax true-ups
Change in unrecognized deferred tax assets
Other

2018

2017

$

42,937

$

46,583

26.0%

39.4%

(11,164)
962
350
300
(1,081)
(145)

(18,354)
3,271
(164)
222
(1,839)
235

Income tax expense

$

(10,778) $

(16,629)

The tax effect of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and liabilities is 
as follows:

Deferred tax assets:

Accounts receivable
Accounts payable and provisions
Inventory
Finance lease obligations
Goodwill and intangibles
Tax loss carry forwards and future interest deductions
Share and debt issuance costs
Other

Deferred tax liabilities:

Prepaid expenses
Property, plant and equipment

Deferred tax asset

67

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

$

1,115 $
764
2,672
929
1,047
115
518
91
7,251

(72)
(4,128)
(4,200)
3,051 $

1,014
532
1,867
616
3,088
252
746
104
8,219

(80)
(2,662)
(2,742)
5,477

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

14.  Income taxes (continued):

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the substantively enacted rates expected to apply at the time such temporary 
differences are forecast to reverse. As at December 31, 2017, the US deferred tax assets reflect the new US Federal corporate 
tax rate of 21.0% compared to 35.0% in 2016.  The revaluation of the US deferred tax assets to account for the change in the 
US corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0% resulted in an increase of $1.0 million in deferred tax expense for the year ended 
December 31, 2017.   

At  December 31,  2018,  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  have  operating  loss  carry  forwards  for  income  tax  purposes  of 
approximately $0.4 million in Canada that may be utilized to offset future taxable income (December 31, 2017 - $0.9 million). 
These losses, if not utilized, expire between 2030 and 2031.  The Company’s US subsidiaries have no operating loss carry 
forwards.

At  December 31,  2018,  the  Company  and  its  Canadian  subsidiaries  have  capital  losses  of  approximately  $24.7  million 
(December 31, 2017 - $25.0 million), and suspended capital losses of approximately $44.7 million (December 31, 2017 - $44.7 
million) available to offset future Canadian taxable capital gains.  These capital losses arose as a result of internal restructuring 
and  inter-entity  transactions  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2009.    The  deferred  income  tax  asset  of  $12.7  million 
(December 31, 2017 - $8.6 million) associated with these capital losses has not been recorded because it is not probable that 
future taxable capital gains will be generated to utilize the benefit.

15.  Finance income and expense:

Finance expense:

Interest on bank indebtedness
Accretion of finance lease obligation

Total finance expense

Finance income:

Interest on trade receivables, customer

notes, and employee loans

Foreign exchange gain

Total finance income

Net finance expense

Note

2018

2017

11

$

(4,106) $
(244)
(4,350)

(2,823)
(195)
(3,018)

7

513
439
952

451
65
516

$

(3,398) $

(2,502)

68

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

16.  Segment reporting:

Information about geographic areas is as follows:

Revenue from external customers:
Canada
United States

Non-current assets(1):
Canada
United States

(1) Excludes financial instruments and deferred income taxes.

17.  Employee remuneration:

(a)  Employee benefits expense:

Expenses recognized for employee benefits are summarized below.

Wages, salaries and benefits
Pensions - defined contribution plans
LTIP share based compensation

2018

2017

140,903
993,364

$

137,110
908,730

1,134,267

$

1,045,840

December 31,
2018

December 31,
2017

$

1,972
95,160

1,616
87,919

97,132

$

89,535

$

$

$

$

2018

2017

112,419 $
1,399
2,096

103,578
1,307
3,287

115,914 $

108,172

$

$

Employee benefit expenses are included in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as follows:

Cost of sales
Selling and distribution
Administration

(b)  Pensions: 

2018

24,571 $
66,054
25,289

2017

21,696
59,864
26,612

115,914 $

108,172

$

$

Hardwoods USLP, Rugby Holdings LLC, Paxton Hardwoods LLC and HMI Hardwoods LLC maintain defined contribution 
401(k) retirement savings plans ("Plans"). The assets of these Plans are held and related investment transactions are 
executed by the Plan's Trustees who are third parties and, accordingly, are not reflected in these consolidated financial 
statements.  During the year ended December 31, 2018, Hardwoods USLP, Rugby Holdings LLC and Paxton Hardwoods 
LLC contributed and expensed $1.0 million (US $0.8 million) (2017 - $0.9 million (US $0.7 million)) in relation to these 
Plans. There is no requirement for an employer contribution to the plan maintained by HMI Hardwood LLC and accordingly 
HMI Hardwoods LLC did not make any contributions to this plan.

69

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

17.  Employee remuneration (continued):

(b)  Pensions (continued):

Hardwoods LP does not maintain a pension plan.  Hardwoods LP does, however, administer a group registered retirement 
savings plan (“LP Plan”) that has a matching component whereby Hardwoods LP makes contributions to the LP Plan which 
match contributions made by employees up to a certain level.  The assets of the LP Plan are held and related investment 
transactions are executed by LP Plan's Trustee who is a third party, and, accordingly, are not reflected in these consolidated 
financial statements. During the year ended December 31, 2018, Hardwoods LP contributed and expensed $0.4 million 
(2017 - $0.4 million) in relation to the LP plan.

18.  Related party transactions:

The Company’s related parties include key management personnel and post-employment benefit plans for the employees of 
the Company’s subsidiaries.

 (a)  Transactions with key management personnel:

Key management of the Company includes members of the Board of Directors, the President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and Vice Presidents.  Key management personnel remuneration includes 
the following expenses:

Short-term employee benefits:

Salaries and benefits including bonuses
Automobile benefit
LTIP Share compensation

Total remuneration

(b)  Transactions with post-employment benefit plans:

2018

2017

$

$

3,732 $
40
1,595

5,367 $

4,265
21
2,124

6,410

The defined contribution plans referred to in note 17(b) are related parties of the Company.  The Company’s transactions 
with the pension plans include contributions paid to the plans, which are disclosed in note 17(b).  The Company has not 
entered into other transactions with the pension plans,  nor has  it any  outstanding balances  at December 31,  2018 or 
December 31, 2017.

19.  Provisions:

Legal

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to legal proceedings from time to time that arise in the ordinary course of its 
business.  Management is of the opinion, based upon information presently available, that it is unlikely that any liability, to the 
extent  not  provided  for  or  insured,  would  be  material  in  relation  to  the  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements  as  at 
December 31, 2018. 

70

HARDWOODS DISTRIBUTION INC. 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Tabular amounts expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars)

Years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

20.  Contingency:

On December 1, 2017, the International Trade Commission (a US government body) affirmed final countervailing duties ("CVD") 
and antidumping duties ("AD") of 22.98% and 183.36%, respectively on hardwood plywood imported from China. In 2017 the 
Company had paid $3.5 million in AD deposits to US Customs and Border Patrol ("CBP"). 

As at December 31, 2018 the Company has received $2.1 million in refunded AD deposits, and expects to receive another 
$0.5  million  during  2019.   As  at  December  31,  2018,  $0.5  million  in AD  deposits  are  included  within  accounts  and  other 
receivables.

As it relates to the remaining $0.9 million, subsequent to the second quarter of 2018 CBP indicated that these amounts may 
not be refunded. The Company is investigating possible courses of action to recover these deposits. In the meantime, an 
allowance of $0.9 million has been recorded in these financial statements relating to this receivable.  

71

Corporate Information

Directors  

Robert J. Brown  
Director  

Officers

Robert J. Brown
President & Chief Executive Officer

Graham M. Wilson 
President, Grawil Consultants Inc. 

Lance R. Blanco
Senior Vice President, Corporate Development 

E. Lawrence Sauder 
Chair, Interfor Corporation 

Faiz H. Karmally
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

William Sauder   
President, Emax Investments Ltd.  

Jason West
Vice President, Canada

Peter M. Bull 
President, Blenheim Realty Ltd.   

Dan A. Besen
Vice President, United States  

Jim C. Macaulay 
Chief Financial Officer, Marvin Companies 

Dan Figgins
Vice President, Imports

Michelle Lewis   
Principal, CapStreet Group 

John Griffin
Vice President, Paxton 

Dave Hughes
Senior Vice President, Acquisitions

Drew Dickinson
President, Rugby

Head Office 

Auditors 

Investor Relations

#306 - 9440 202nd Street  
Langley, BC Canada V1M 4A6  Vancouver, British Columbia 
Telephone:  604-881-1988 
Facsimile:  604-881-1995 

KPMG LLP 

Faiz H. Karmally
Chief Financial Officer
Telephone:604-881-1982
fkarmally@hardwoods-inc.com 

Listings 
The Toronto Stock Exchange 
Trades under HDI 

Transfer Agent
Computershare Trust

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.  |  2018  |  Annual Report
72