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Patterson Companies

pdco · NASDAQ Healthcare
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Ticker pdco
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Healthcare
Industry Medical - Distribution
Employees 1001-5000
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FY2019 Annual Report · Patterson Companies
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2019 ANNUAL REPORT

BUILDING  
MOMENTUM

Fiscal 2019 marked the first full year of our three-year plan to transform Patterson with a focus on 

improving Patterson’s performance, enhancing our value proposition and driving long-term value 

for our shareholders. Our progress during the past year is a testament to the strength of our brand, 

the value we provide our customers, and the dedicated efforts of our talented team.

I am particularly encouraged by the momentum we built 
throughout the year, finishing with a strong fourth quarter, 
during which Patterson delivered over 4% internal sales 
growth compared to the prior year. Our fourth quarter 
results were balanced across both our Animal Health and 
Dental business segments and we achieved year-over-year 
adjusted EPS growth for the first time in over two years. 
Given this momentum and our progress throughout the 
year, we are excited about our business heading into this 
fiscal year.

ANIMAL HEALTH
Our fiscal 2019 results demonstrated strong performance 
in both the Companion Animal and Production Animal 
businesses, reflecting the valued partnership that Patterson 
offers to veterinarians and livestock producers. We made 
investments in new products, services and technologies to 
support the evolving needs of our customers, particularly 
in the areas of software and business management. We 
also continue to see strong demand for business services 
focused on helping our customers achieve their business 
goals. Patterson remains well-positioned to compete across 

Mark Walchirk
President and  
Chief Executive  
Officer

During fiscal 2019 we focused the organization on 
key initiatives to stabilize the core business and drive 
improved performance. Early in the year we delivered 
critical improvements to our core operations that improved 
customer satisfaction. We invested in sales productivity 
and effectiveness tools to help our field sales and service 
teams execute on their objectives to grow the business 
and provide outstanding service. Our focused efforts to 
drive margin improvement through strategic sourcing, 
private label sales growth and cost management all yielded 
tangible results. We also strengthened our executive team 
by adding new, experienced leaders in finance, human 
resources and our dental business.

Our improved financial performance resulted from our 
team’s focus on improving our core business and returning 
both of our business segments to growth:

•   Patterson’s reported net sales for fiscal 2019 totaled  

$5.6 billion, and we delivered four consecutive quarters 
of year-over-year sales growth.

•   GAAP earnings totaled $0.89 per diluted share and 
adjusted earnings totaled $1.40 per diluted share. 

•   We returned our Dental segment to year-over-year 
revenue growth in the second half of fiscal 2019.

•   Our net working capital improved by $237 million.

•   We distributed $99.5 million to our shareholders in the 

form of cash dividends.

Employees featured on the cover:

(front cover, left to right)

(back cover, left to right)

Henry Perez 
Dental Service Technician

Emily Horner 
Dental Finance

James Namanja 
Distribution Manager

Shelley Johnson 
Animal Health Training & 
Education

Jami Todd 
Patterson Technology Center 
Inside Sales

Julian Segura 
Animal Health Territory Sales Rep

Lauren Hernandez 
Talent Recruiter

Steve Olsson 
KANE Director of Operations

David Han 
Animal Health Sales Manager

Diane McCue 
Dental Accounts Payable

all channels and species in the dynamic animal health 
market and we expect our business will continue to grow in 
fiscal 2020.

DENTAL
Stabilizing our Dental segment was a key goal for fiscal 
2019, and we are pleased with the progress we have 
made. In the second half of fiscal 2019, we returned the 
Dental segment to year-over-year revenue growth. Our 
dental consumables trends continue to improve and 
driving increased sales of these products is a key focus 
for us moving forward. Our leading position in the digital 
equipment category enabled us to meet the growing 
demand for digital solutions, and our sales of equipment 
and software increased 13% in the fourth quarter compared 
to the prior year. More broadly, our customers continue to 
highlight the responsiveness of our local branches, coupled 
with our national service and support infrastructure, as key 
differentiators for Patterson in the marketplace.

LOOKING AHEAD
The first year of our three-year strategic plan focused on 
core business stabilization, and we feel confident we have 
accomplished this goal and built momentum in our business 
heading into fiscal 2020.

In fiscal 2020 we will leverage our current momentum and 
focus on three priorities:

•   Sustaining improvements to our core business 

performance, enhancing our value proposition and 
continuing investments in our field sales and service 
organizations;

•   Supporting our margins through strategic sourcing 

initiatives, disciplined cost management and optimizing 
our sales mix; and

•   Delivering improved cash flow and reducing working 

capital.

Looking beyond to year three of our strategic plan, we plan 
to invest in expanding our capabilities via new products, 
services and partnerships. As we continue improving our 
core business and execute on our growth initiatives, we 
will enhance our ability to invest for the future and deliver 
increased value for our customers and our shareholders.

I would like to thank you, our shareholders, for your 
continued support of Patterson Companies as we embark 
on the next phase of our transformation.

Mark Walchirk 

President and Chief Executive Officer

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

On behalf of the entire Board, I want to acknowledge the leadership that Mark Walchirk, President 
and CEO, and the entire executive leadership team have provided to stabilize our business in 
fiscal 2019 and build momentum as we enter fiscal 2020. Patterson is now stronger and better 
equipped for a more exciting future as we pursue strategic growth opportunities within our 
respective markets. 

Our Board remains highly engaged with the Patterson leadership team, and the Board continues 
to evolve, bringing in talented new Board members with the specific skills needed to remain effective in governance, 
strategy and driving value for our shareholders. We want to acknowledge retiring Board member Jim Wiltz and thank him 
for his 42 years of service to Patterson in various leadership roles and his vision to establish the Patterson Technology 
Center. Jim served for five years as our President and CEO and for 18 years as a valued member of our Board of Directors. 

We continue to view our dividend as an important component of returning cash to shareholders. As we look forward, 
we are confident in our leadership team, the recently completed strategic review of our portfolio and the strength of our 
compelling value proposition that drives success for our customers. We are committed to building on the momentum of this 
past year to drive growth in our business and increased value to our shareholders.

Thank you for your ownership and continued commitment to Patterson.

John Buck, Chairman of the Board

1

SERVING  
HEALTHY, 
GROWING 
MARKETS

Our markets are driven by compelling trends, strong 

growth prospects and new opportunities to serve 

customers with innovative products and comprehensive 

support. Increased business complexity and the evolving 

needs of our customers offer us opportunities to serve 

them in new ways. Our ultimate goal is to help our 

customers drive success in their individual dental or vet 

practice, corporate entity or production animal operations.

ANIMAL HEALTH
INDUSTRY TRENDS

DENTAL
INDUSTRY TRENDS

Humanization of pets driving  
increased spending 

Pet ownership is growing and spending for 
pet care and services is rising – driven by the 
humanization of pets.

Strong global demand for protein

The global demand for protein continues to 
rise with the worldwide growth of the middle 
class. The U.S. market remains the world’s 
most efficient market for protein production.

Innovation in the category will support 
continued growth

Our top vendors have a pipeline of products 
that we believe will fuel growth in our business 
in the years to come. Our customers depend 
on our product knowledge and expertise for 
recommended solutions.

Stable end markets 

The dental market is projected to have 
steady growth driven by favorable 
demographics, growing demand for 
cosmetic dentistry, and innovation in  
dental products.

Favorable economics

The dental market continues to be a cash-
driven business that is less impacted by 
insurance reimbursement dynamics.

Digital innovation accelerating demand

Innovation in products and services 
is driving the modernization of dental 
practices and increased spending on capital 
equipment and new technology.

2

HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS SUCCEED

  Dr. Safwan Joseph Nano 
  Nano Dentistry 
  South Portland, Maine

AN EAST COAST COMEBACK

On the night of December 30, 2018, Dr. Safwan Joseph Nano, owner of Nano Dentistry 
in South Portland, Maine, received a call that a faulty light had caused a fire that had 
quickly engulfed his entire building.

“When I arrived, the flames were emerging through the roof of our building, and it was 
clear that this was going to be a major event,” Nano said.

For over 13 years, Nano had relied upon Patterson Dental Equipment Specialist Dennis 
Martin for a variety of needs. So when Nano called on a Sunday night at 9:30 p.m., 
there was no surprise when Dennis answered the phone.

“When I reached Dennis, I told him, ‘I need a place to work,’” Nano said. “So while I 
was watching the emergency teams put out the fire, he told me about an office that 
was available.”

And just like that, recovery plans were already underway. Dennis was able to help 
secure a location just five miles away from the practice, and thanks to their on-site 
data backup, they were able to quickly retrieve all of their patient data and begin 
rescheduling patients.

“ When disaster struck for Nano Dentistry, I reacted the same way I 
would for any friend or family member. It was about supporting a 
partner in a time of need, and using my expertise to help them get 
back on their feet – fast.”

  Dennis Martin  
  Patterson Dental Equipment Specialist

3

OUR COMPETITIVE  
ADVANTAGE

Patterson offers the products, technologies and services needed to grow productive, modern 

practices and production operations, and keep them running smoothly. Our customers can 

invest in their businesses knowing they are supported by the expertise of the industry’s most 

responsive sales, service and support teams. We strive to be easy to do business with and our 

unwavering customer focus provides the confidence that we will be there whenever and however 

our customers need us. We’re far more than a distributor – we’re a trusted partner.

VALUE PROPOSITION

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

●  Local branches
●  Same day technical service
●  Patterson Technology Center

UNRIVALED EXPERTISE

●  One-call resolution by trained experts
●  Staff training specialists
●  Experienced equipment service teams

DEDICATED PEOPLE

●  Personalized expert advice
●  Build connections to peer network
●  Local events and training

EASY & CONVENIENT

●  Omni-channel access
●  Comprehensive portfolio of products
●  Modern online platform

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

●  Leading software solutions
●  After sales training and support
●  Business services

4

HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS SUCCEED

Dr. Veronica Jarvinen
  EMMAVet Urgent Care
  Alexandria, Virginia

A PLACE TO CALL HER OWN

Every day, as Dr. Veronica Jarvinen walks through the doors of her very own vet practice 
in Alexandria, Virginia, she observes that every detail, from the design of the exam rooms 
to the in-house lab suite, is exactly how she always envisioned her dream practice.

“I knew that this is what I wanted,” she says of EMMAVet Urgent Care, named for her 
12-year-old rescue dog, Emma. “I realized there was a niche missing in the veterinary 
world. There’s a huge jump from general practice to the specialty world. I’d been 
working in a 24-hour ER with all the bells and whistles available. We would see some 
cases at 9:00 p.m. at night that were waiting for hours to be seen because of other 
emergencies that had to come fi rst.”

Her vision was to create a space where she could see walk-in cases only, specifi cally 
for those times that pets don’t need to go to a specialty center. That’s when she 
connected with Patterson Veterinary Equipment Specialist Matt Fletcher.

Matt helped Dr. Jarvinen fi nd the perfect location, negotiate the lease, and pinpoint the 
details of what she really wanted.

“I don’t know what I would’ve done without Matt,” she says. “He took the time to get to 
know my personality, and that helped me to really just move right through the process.”

“ I wanted to help bring Dr. Jarvinen’s vision to life. Matching her 
passion to care for pets was something I knew I could do. It’s the 
Patterson diff erence.”

  Matt Fletcher
  Patterson Veterinary Equipment Specialist

5

POSITIONED  
FOR  
GROWTH 

During fiscal 2019 we worked to stabilize our 

business and drive improved performance. 

Through the power of focus, metrics and 

accountability for results, we demonstrated 

improvement during the year on key customer 

satisfaction and business performance metrics. 

We are encouraged by our progress and believe 

we have laid a foundation for future growth and 

expansion in the years ahead. 

2019 REVENUE PROFILE

Beef
15%

Consumables
55%

Animal
Health
61%

$5.6 
billion

Dental
39%

Companion
51%

Dairy
13%

Swine
13%

Other
8%

Other
13%

Equipment
and Software
32%

Total sales

Animal Health sales

Dental sales

PATTERSON ANIMAL HEALTH

PATTERSON DENTAL

Our Animal Health segment delivered strong 

Our Dental segment demonstrated improved 

performance this past year in both our Companion 

performance throughout the year, finishing with notably  

and Production Animal businesses with balanced 

strong equipment sales as our customers continue 

growth across all species and channels. We introduced 

to modernize their dental practices. Investments in 

a more comprehensive suite of solutions to help 
veterinarians and producers more effectively manage 

our people, digital platform and service infrastructure 
have us well-positioned to capitalize on the growth 

their operations and grow their businesses.

opportunities in front of us.

Strong performance balanced 
across all species, channels and 
geographies

Deep portfolio of value-added 
technologies and services

Growth of private label brands 
and disciplined expense 
management 

6

Increased size of our sales force, 
driving an improving trend in 
consumables

Drove demand for an expanded 
equipment portfolio of new 
technologies and related services

Accelerated private label sales to 
offer additional product solutions to 
our customers 

HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS SUCCEED

Scott Hubert
Higby’s Country Feed 
Dixon, California

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

For more than 30 years, Higby’s Country Feed in Dixon, California, has provided 
customers with not only the best products, but also the best service. It’s the sense 
of partnership that has helped Higby’s continue to thrive in a constantly evolving 
industry. That’s why it’s no surprise that what Higby’s values most in a partner is 
someone willing to go the extra mile.

When Scott Hubert, owner of Higby’s, received a call from a panicked customer who 
urgently needed vaccines, his fi rst call was to Janet Jones, his Patterson Animal Health 
sales rep for over 10 years.

“Janet responds on weekends when we get questions from customers, and she’s 
always accessible when we need her,” Scott said. “In this case, the vaccine shipment 
we needed was two hours away from our store, but only about 45 minutes from 
Janet’s house. So when we called her, she went over and picked it up herself, then 
delivered it to us on a Saturday. Being a cattle expert, she understood how important 
this was. Janet has been an incredibly valuable partner to us.”

“ I’m not just here to support my customers from 9 to 5. Their 
business is their livelihood, and supporting their success is my 
number one priority. That’s what being a trusted partner is about.”

  Janet Jones 
  Patterson Animal Health Sales Rep

7

SUPPORTING  
OUR COMMUNITIES

A keystone of Patterson’s culture is our focus on giving back to our communities. Patterson and 

the Patterson Foundation work to build thriving communities and enhance the quality of life in the 

communities we serve. Through employee and corporate donations, employee volunteerism, and 

the philanthropy of the Patterson Foundation, we focus our charitable efforts in the following areas: 

Access to Care, Education and Strengthening Our Communities.

PATTERSON FOUNDATION HIGHLIGHTS

Last year, the Patterson Foundation gave more than $1.4 million in 

veteran who is experiencing night terrors. They provide a calming 

grants and scholarships, resulting in 21,244 patients receiving oral 

effect, lowering stress and anxiety in daily situations and helping 

health care, and 48 assistance dogs being placed with veterans or 

veterans overcome a sense of isolation.

individuals with disabilities.

“This is an opportunity for us to provide a meaningful benefit to 

Patterson also provided funding for two new puppies to begin 

those we serve,” said George Henriques, Patterson Foundation 

service dog training through America’s VetDogs. For the past year, 

president. “We’re so proud to partner with America’s VetDogs and 

our new dogs Aspen and Patterson have been in the America’s 

to help provide new support animals going out into the world to 

VetDogs training program, which prepares them to serve the 

help veterans. In a tangible way, Aspen 

needs of disabled veterans.

Service dogs are trained to provide balance for walking, pick up 

dropped items, open doors, turn on light switches, or wake a 

and Patterson are bringing a little part of 

our organization with them.”

8

HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS SUCCEED

Todd Marvin  
Patterson Logistics Services Northern Fulfillment Center 
South Bend, indiana 

PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST

Each day at our Patterson Logistics Services Northern Fulfillment Center in South 
Bend, Indiana, more than 5,000 orders are processed, placing the products and 
supplies that dentists and vets need to run their businesses in their hands.

That’s a massive amount of responsibility, and one that Todd Marvin, a bulk receiver  
at the facility, doesn’t take lightly.

“I see my job as the first step in the process,” he says of his role in connecting 
customers with supplies. “It’s an important part. I take a lot of pride in making sure that 
orders are right and that they get out on time, every time.”

While others are still asleep, Todd starts his day at 4:00 a.m., making sure orders are 
sorted, filled and shipped. Though his schedule may seem stressful, Todd has been a 
part of Patterson for 19 years and says he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“Patterson is a place where you want to come to work,” he says. “It’s an awesome 
company. The people are phenomenal, and they’re my friends just as much as they are 
my co-workers. I’m honored to be a part of Patterson, and that I can be an example for 
new employees coming in.”

“ People like Todd are the reason I come to work each day. Being 
a leader and setting an example for new employees is very 
important, and it brings us all closer together.”

  Kathleen Clark   
  Patterson Logistics 

9

FINANCIAL  
PERFORMANCE

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) 

April 27, 2019 

April 28, 2018 

April 29, 2017

  Net sales 

  Gross profit 

  Operating income 

  Net income attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc. 

$5,574,523 

$5,465,683  

$5,593,127

1,190,775 

1,199,366 

1,301,397

137,716 

83,628 

219,889 

200,974 

287,928

170,893

  Diluted earnings per share attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc. 

$         0.89 

$         2.16 

$         1.79

Fiscal year ended

  Cash and cash equivalents 

  Working capital 

  Total assets 

  Total long-term debt 

  Stockholders’ equity 

$     95,646 

$     62,984 

$     94,959 

728,651 

864,343 

899,662

3,269,269 

3,471,664 

3,507,913

725,341 

922,030 

998,272

1,480,507 

1,461,790 

1,394,433

The following reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures table is provided to adjust reported GAAP measures, namely net 
income attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc., and diluted earnings per share, for the impact of transaction-related costs, deal 
amortization, intangible asset impairment, integration and business restructuring expense, legal reserve costs and discrete tax 
matters, along with the related tax effects of these items. 

Management believes that these non-GAAP measures may provide a helpful representation of the Company’s full year performance, 
and enable comparison of financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance. 
These non-GAAP financial measures are presented solely for informational and comparative purposes and should not be regarded 
as a replacement for corresponding, similarly captioned, GAAP measures.

In addition, the term “internal sales” represents net sales adjusted to exclude foreign currency impact and changes in product selling 
relationships.

Fiscal year ended

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) 

April 27, 2019 

April 28, 2018 

April 29, 2017

  Net Income attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc. – GAAP 

$  83,628 

$200,974 

  Net loss from discontinued operations 

  Transaction-related costs 

  Deal amortization 

  Intangible asset impairment 

  Integration and business restructuring expense 

  Legal reserve 

  Discrete tax matters 

  Net income – non-GAAP 

– 

– 

29,201 

– 

– 

20,740 

(2,686) 

– 

– 

26,722 

– 

5,715 

– 

(76,648) 

$170,893

$    2,895

1,032

26,188

23,049

4,080

–

(4,789)

$130,883 

$156,763 

$223,348

  Diluted earnings per share attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc. – GAAP 

$      0.89 

$      2.16 

  Net loss from discontinued operations 

  Transaction-related costs 

  Deal amortization 

  Intangible asset impairment 

  Integration and business restructuring expense 

  Legal reserve 

  Discrete tax matters 

– 

– 

0.31 

– 

– 

0.22 

(0.03) 

– 

– 

0.29 

– 

0.06 

– 

(0.82) 

$      1.79

$      0.03

$      0.01

0.27

0.24

0.04

–

(0.05)

  Diluted earnings per share – non-GAAP 

$      1.40 

$      1.68 

$      2.34

Forward-looking statements made in this report are subject to the cautionary statements in the Company’s Form 10-K, filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2019, under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and 
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

10

 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934

For the fiscal year ended April 27, 2019 

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission File No. 0-20572
PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Minnesota

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

41-0886515

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

1031 Mendota Heights Road
St. Paul, Minnesota 55120
(Address of principal executive offices including Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (651) 686-1600

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: 

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of exchange on which registered

Common Stock, par value $.01

PDCO

NASDAQ Global Select Market

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  

    No  

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes  

    No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to 
such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  

    No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 
405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to 
submit such files).    Yes  

    No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, 
or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging 
growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer

   Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

   Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with 
any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  

    No  

The aggregate market value of voting common equity held by non-affiliates, computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was 
last  sold  as  of  the  last  business  day  of  the  registrant's  most  recently  completed  second  fiscal  quarter  (October 27,  2018)  was  approximately 
$2,150,000,000 (For purposes of this calculation all of the registrant’s executive officers and directors are deemed affiliates.)

As of June 18, 2019, there were 95,319,000 shares of Common Stock of the registrant issued and outstanding.

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the registrant’s fiscal year-end of 
April 27, 2019 are incorporated by reference into Part III.

Documents Incorporated By Reference

1

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
PART I

Item 1.

Item 1A.

Item 1B.

Item 2.

Item 3.

Item 4.

PART II

Item 5.

Item 6.

Item 7.

FORM 10-K INDEX

BUSINESS

RISK FACTORS

UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

PROPERTIES

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS 
AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Item 7A.

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND 
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

OTHER INFORMATION

DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND 
RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR 
INDEPENDENCE
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

FORM 10-K SUMMARY

Item 8.

Item 9.

Item 9A.

Item 9B.

PART III

Item 10.

Item 11.

Item 12.

Item 13.

Item 14.

PART IV

Item 15.

Item 16.

SCHEDULE II

SIGNATURES

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2

Item 1. BUSINESS

PART I

Certain information of a non-historical nature contained in Items 1, 2, 3 and 7 of this Form 10-K includes “forward-
looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this Form 
10-K,  the  words  “anticipates,”  “plans,”  “believes,”  “estimates,”  “intends,”  “expects,”  “projects,”  “will”  and  similar 
expressions may identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words. 
Such statements, including, but not limited to, our statements regarding business strategy, growth strategy, competitive 
strengths, productivity and profitability enhancement, competition, new product and service introductions and liquidity 
and  capital  resources,  are  based  on  management’s  beliefs,  as  well  as  on  assumptions  made  by  and  information 
currently available to management, and involve various risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. 
Our actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by us or on our 
behalf.  Reference  is  made  to  “Risk  Factors”  in  Item 1A  and  “Management’s  Discussion  and Analysis  of  Financial 
Condition and Results of Operations” in Item 7 of this Form 10-K, for a discussion of certain factors that could cause 
actual operating results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. In light of these 
risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will in fact prove to be accurate. 
We have undertaken no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of 
new information, future events or otherwise.

General

Patterson Companies, Inc. is a value-added specialty distributor serving the U.S. and Canadian dental supply markets 
and the U.S., Canadian and U.K. animal health supply markets. Patterson operates through its two strategic business 
units, Patterson Dental and Patterson Animal Health, offering similar products and services to different customer bases. 
Each  business  has  a  strong  competitive  position,  serves  a  highly  fragmented  market  that  offers  consolidation 
opportunities and offers relatively low-cost consumable supplies, which makes our value-added business proposition 
highly attractive to our customers. We believe that we have a strong brand identity as a value-added, full-service 
distributor with broad product and service offerings, having begun distributing dental supplies in 1877.

The following table sets forth consolidated net sales (in millions) by segment. 

Dental

Animal Health

Corporate

Consolidated net sales

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

Fiscal Year Ended

$

$

2,192 $
3,355

28
5,575 $

2,196 $

3,243

27

5,466 $

2,390

3,160

43

5,593

Our  strategically  located  fulfillment  centers  enable  us  to  better  serve  our  customers  and  increase  our  operating 
efficiency. This infrastructure, together with broad product and service offerings at competitive prices, and a strong 
commitment to customer service, enables us to be a single source of supply for our customers’ needs. Our infrastructure 
also allows us to provide convenient ordering and rapid, accurate and complete order fulfillment.

Electronic  commerce  solutions  have  become  an  integral  part  of  dental  and  animal  health  supply  and  distribution 
relationships. Our distribution business is characterized by rapid technological developments and intense competition. 
The continuing advancement of online commerce requires us to cost-effectively adapt to changing technologies, to 
enhance existing services and to develop and introduce a variety of new services to address the changing demands 
of consumers and our customers on a timely basis, particularly in response to competitive offerings.  We believe that 
our tradition of reliable service, our name recognition and large customer base built on solid customer relationships, 
position us well to participate in this significant aspect of the distribution business. We continue to explore methods to 
improve and expand our Internet presence and capabilities, including our online commerce offerings and our use of 
various social media outlets.

Patterson became publicly traded in 1992 and is a corporation organized under the laws of the state of Minnesota. 
We are headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our principal executive offices are located at 1031 Mendota Heights 
Road, St. Paul, Minnesota, and our telephone number is (651) 686-1600. Unless the context specifically requires 
otherwise, the terms the “Company,” “Patterson,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Patterson Companies, Inc., a Minnesota 
corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries.

3

The Specialty Distribution Markets We Serve

We provide manufacturers with cost effective logistics and high-caliber sales professionals to access a geographically 
diverse customer base, which is critical to the supply chain for the markets we serve. We provide our customers with 
an array of value-added services, a dedicated and highly skilled sales team, and a broad selection of products through 
a single channel, thereby helping them efficiently manage their ordering process. Due in part to the inability of our 
customers to store and manage large quantities of supplies at their locations, the distribution of supplies and small 
equipment has been characterized by frequent, small-quantity orders, and a need for rapid, reliable and substantially-
complete order fulfillment. Supplies and small equipment are generally purchased from more than one distributor, with 
one generally serving as the primary supplier.

We believe that consolidation within the industry will continue as distributors, particularly those with limited financial, 
operating and marketing resources, seek to combine with larger companies that can provide growth opportunities. 
This consolidation also may continue to result in distributors seeking to acquire companies that can enhance their 
current product and service offerings or provide opportunities to serve a broader customer base.

Dental Supply Market

The dental supply market we serve consists of a sizeable geographically dispersed number of highly fragmented dental 
practices. Customers range in size from sole practitioners to large group practices or service organizations. According 
to the American Dental Association and the Canadian Dental Association, there are approximately 198,000 dentists 
practicing in the U.S. and 22,000 dentists practicing in Canada, respectively. We believe the average dental practitioner 
purchases supplies from more than one supplier.

We believe the North American dental supply market continues to experience growth due to an increasing population, 
an aging population, advances in dentistry, demand for general, preventive and specialty services, increasing demand 
for new technologies that allow dentists to increase productivity, demand for infection control products, and insurance 
coverage by dental plans.

We support dental professionals through the many stock keeping units (“SKUs”) that we offer, as well as through 
important  value-added  services,  including  practice  management  software,  electronic  claims  processing,  financial 
services and continuing education, all designed to help maximize a practitioner’s efficiency.

Animal Health Supply Market

The animal health supply market is a mix of production animal supply, which primarily consists of beef and dairy cattle, 
poultry and swine, and other food-producing animals, and companion animal supply, which primarily consists of dogs, 
cats and horses. Similar to the dental supply market, the animal health supply market is highly fragmented and diverse. 
Our production animal customers include large animal veterinarians, beef producers (cow/calf, stocker and feedlots), 
dairy producers, poultry producers, swine producers and retail customers. According to the American Veterinary Medical 
Association, there are more than 70,000 veterinarians in private practice in the U.S. and Canada. Furthermore, there 
are approximately 20,000 veterinarians in the U.K. practicing in veterinary outlets; however, we believe there has been 
a  shift  in  the  U.K.  market  toward  consolidation  of  veterinary  practices.  National  Veterinary  Services  Limited,  our 
veterinary products distributor in the U.K., has the highest percentage of buying groups and corporations as customers 
compared to its competitors. 

We believe the animal health supply market continues to experience growth. We support our animal health customers 
through the distribution of biologicals, pharmaceuticals, parasiticides, supplies and equipment and by actively engaging 
in  the  development,  sale  and  distribution  of  inventory,  accounting  and  health  management  systems.  Within  the 
companion animal supply market, we anticipate increasing demand for veterinary services due to the following factors:  
the  increasing  number  of  households  with  companion  animals,  increased  expenditures  on  animal  health  and 
preventative  care,  an  aging  pet  population,  advancements  in  animal  health  products  and  diagnostic  testing,  and 
extensive marketing programs sponsored by companion animal nutrition and pharmaceutical companies.

Product sales in the production animal supply market are impacted by volatility in commodity prices such as milk, 
grains, livestock and poultry. Changes in weather patterns also influence how long cattle will graze and consequently 
the number of days an animal is on feed during a finishing phase. In addition, changes in the general economy can 
shift the number of animals treated, the timing of when animals are treated, to what extent they are treated and with 
which products they are treated. Historically, sales in this market have been largely driven by spending on animal 
4

health products to improve productivity, weight gain and disease prevention, as well as a growing focus on safety and 
efficiency in livestock production. Within the production animal supply market, we anticipate an increasing demand for 
protein as consumption continues to increase with the growing population.

Competition

The  distribution  industry  is  highly  competitive.  It  consists  principally  of  national,  regional  and  local  full-service 
distributors, mail-order distributors and, increasingly, online commerce. To a lesser extent, we also compete with mail 
order distributors and buying groups. Substantially all of the products we sell are available to customers from a number 
of suppliers. In addition, our competitors could obtain exclusive rights from manufacturers to market particular products. 
Some manufacturers also sell directly to end-users, thereby eliminating or reducing our role and that of other distributors.

We compete with other distributors, as well as several manufacturers, of dental and animal health products, on the 
basis  of  price,  breadth  of  product  line,  customer  service  and  value-added  products  and  services.  To  differentiate 
ourselves  from  our  competition  we  deploy  a  strategy  of  premium  customer  service  with  multiple  value-added 
components,  a  highly  qualified  and  motivated  sales  force,  highly-trained  and  experienced  service  technicians,  an 
extensive breadth and mix of products and services, technology solutions allowing customers to easily access our 
inventory,  accurate  and  timely  delivery  of  product,  strategic  location  of  sales  offices  and  fulfillment  centers,  and 
competitive pricing.

In the U.S. and Canadian dental supply market, we compete against Henry Schein, Inc., Benco Dental Supply Company, 
Burkhardt Dental Supply and hundreds of distributors that operate on a regional or local level, or online. Also, as noted 
above, some manufacturers sell directly to end users. With regard to our dental practice management software, we 
compete against numerous companies, including Carestream Health, Inc. and Henry Schein, Inc.

In the U.S. and Canadian animal health supply market, our primary competitors are AmerisourceBergen and Covetrus, 
Inc., following Henry Schein, Inc.'s spin-off of its animal health business. We also compete against a number of regional 
and local animal health distributors, as well as a number of manufacturers, including pharmaceutical companies that 
sell  directly  to  production  animal  operators,  animal  health  product  retailers  and  veterinarians.  We  face  significant 
competition in the animal health supply market in the U.K., where we compete on the basis of price and customer 
service with several large competitors, including Covetrus, Inc. and AmerisourceBergen. We also compete directly 
with pharmaceutical companies who sell certain products or services directly to the customer. In the animal health 
practice management market, our primary competitors are IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. and Covetrus, Inc.

Successful distributors are increasingly providing value-added services in addition to the products they have traditionally 
provided.  We  believe  that  to  remain  competitive  we  must  continue  to  add  value  to  the  distribution  channel,  while 
removing unnecessary costs associated with product movement.  Significant price reductions by our competitors could 
result in competitive harm. Any of these competitive pressures may materially adversely affect our operating results.

Competitive Strengths

We have more than 140 years of experience in distributing products resulting in strong awareness of the Patterson 
brand. Although further information regarding these competitive strengths is set forth below in the discussion of our 
two strategic business units, our competitive strengths include:

•  Broad  product  and  service  offerings  at  competitive  prices.  We  offer  approximately  190,000  SKUs  to  our 
customers, including many proprietary branded products. We believe that our proprietary branded products 
and our competitive pricing strategy have generated a loyal customer base that is confident in our brands. Of 
the SKUs offered, approximately 90,000 are offered to our dental customers and approximately 100,000 are 
offered to our animal health customers. Our product offerings include consumables, equipment and software. 
Our service offerings include software and design services, repair and maintenance, and equipment financing.

•  Focus  on  customer  relationships  and  exceptional  customer  service.  Our  sales  and  marketing  efforts  are 
designed to establish and solidify customer relationships through personal visits by field sales representatives, 
interaction  via  phone  with  sales  representatives,  web-based  activities  including  e-commerce  and  frequent 
direct marketing, emphasizing our broad product lines, competitive prices and ease of order placement. We 
focus on providing our customers with exceptional order fulfillment and a streamlined ordering process.

5

•  Cost-effective purchasing and efficient distribution. We believe that cost-effective purchasing is a key element 
to  maintaining  and  enhancing  our  position  as  a  competitive-pricing  provider  of  dental  and  animal  health 
products. We strive to maintain optimal inventory levels to satisfy customer demand for prompt and complete 
order fulfillment through our distribution of products from strategically located fulfillment centers.

Business Strategy

Our objective is to continue to expand as a leading value-added distributor of dental and animal health products and 
services. To accomplish this, we will apply our competitive strengths in executing the following strategies:

•  Emphasizing our value-added, full-service capabilities. We are positioned to meet virtually all of the needs of 
dental practitioners, veterinarians, production animal operators and animal health product retailers by providing 
a broad range of consumable supplies, technology, equipment and software and value-added services. We 
believe our knowledgeable sales representatives can create special relationships with customers by providing 
an informational link to the overall industry. Our value-added strategy is further supported by our equipment 
specialists who offer consultation on design, equipment requirements and financing, our service technicians 
who perform equipment installation, maintenance and repair services, our business development professionals 
who provide business tools and educational programs to our customers, and our technology advisors who 
provide guidance on integrating technology solutions.

•  Using technology to enhance customer service. As part of our commitment to providing superior customer 
service, we offer our customers easy order placement. Although we offer computerized order entry systems 
that we believe help establish relationships with new customers and increase loyalty among existing customers, 
predominant  platforms  for  ordering  today  include  www.pattersondental.com,  www.pattersonvet.com  and 
www.animalhealthinternational.com. The use of these methods of ordering enables our sales representatives 
to spend more time with existing and prospective customers. Our Internet environment includes order entry, 
customer support for digital and our proprietary products, customer-loyalty program reports and services, and 
access  to  articles  and  manufacturers’  product  information.  We  also  provide  real-time  customer  and  sales 
information to our sales force, managers and vendors via the Internet. In addition, the Patterson Technology 
Center  (“PTC”)  differentiates  Patterson  from  our  competition  by  positioning  Patterson  as  a  single-source 
solution for digital components. In addition to trouble-shooting through the PTC’s support center, customers 
can  access  various  service  capabilities  offered  by  the  PTC,  including  electronic  claims  and  statement 
processing and system back-up capabilities.

•  Continuing to improve operating efficiencies. We continue to implement programs designed to improve our 
operating efficiencies and allow for continued sales growth. This strategy includes our continuing investment 
in management information systems and consolidation and leveraging of fulfillment centers and sales branches 
between our operating segments. In addition, we have established shared sales branch offices in several 
locations.

•  Growing through internal expansion and acquisitions. We intend to continue to grow by hiring established 
sales representatives, hiring and training skilled sales professionals, opening additional locations as needed, 
and acquiring other companies in order to enter new, or more deeply penetrate existing, markets, gain access 
to additional product lines, and expand our customer base. We believe both of our operating segments are 
well positioned to take advantage of expected continued consolidation in our markets. 

Dental Segment - Products, Services and Sources of Supply

Patterson Dental, one of the two largest distributors of dental products in North America, has operations in the U.S. 
and  Canada. As  a  full-service,  value-added  supplier  to  over  approximately  100,000  dentists,  dental  laboratories, 
institutions, and other healthcare professionals, Patterson Dental provides consumable products (including infection 
control,  restorative  materials,  hand  instruments  and  sterilization  products);  basic  and  advanced  technology  dental 
equipment;  innovative  technology  solutions,  including  practice  management  software  and  e-commerce  solutions; 
patient education systems; and office forms and stationery. Patterson Dental offers customers approximately 90,000 
SKUs of which more than 4,000 are private-label products sold under the Patterson brand. Patterson Dental also offers 
customers a range of related services including software and design services, maintenance and repair, and equipment 
financing. Net sales and operating income were $2.2 billion and $179 million in fiscal 2019, respectively.

6

The following table sets forth the percentage of total sales by the principal categories of products and services offered 
to our dental segment customers: 

Consumable
Equipment and software
Other (1)

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

55%
32
13
100%

57%
30
13
100%

56%
33
11
100%

(1)  Consists of other value-added services, including software and design service, and maintenance and repair.

Patterson Dental obtains products from hundreds of vendors. Substantially all of our relationships with vendors are 
non-exclusive. In September 2017, we ended the exclusive portion of our relationship with Sirona Dental Systems to 
enable us to better serve the evolving needs of all of our customers and the full range of practice models, including 
the Dental Support Organizations (“DSOs”) that represent an increasing share of the dental market.

While Patterson Dental makes purchases from many suppliers, and there is generally more than one source of supply 
for most of the categories of products we sell, the concentration of business with key suppliers is considerable. In fiscal 
2019 and 2018, Patterson Dental's top ten supply vendors accounted for approximately 48% of the total cost of sales. 
Its top vendor accounted for 19% and 20% of the total cost of sales for fiscal 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Animal Health Segment - Products, Services and Sources of Supply

Patterson Animal Health is a leading distributor of animal health products in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. We sell 
more than 100,000 SKUs sourced from over 2,000 manufacturers to over 50,000 customers in the highly fragmented 
animal health supply market. Products we distribute include pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, 
prescription and non-prescription diets, nutritionals, consumable supplies, equipment and software. We offer a private 
label portfolio of products to veterinarians, producers, and retailers through our Aspen, First Companion and Patterson 
Veterinary brands. We also provide a range of value-added services to our customers. Within our companion animal 
supply market, our principal customers are companion-pet and equine veterinarians, veterinary clinics, public and 
private institutions, and shelters. In our production animal supply market, our principal customers are large animal 
veterinarians, production animal operators and animal health product retailers. Net sales and operating income were 
$3.4 billion and $81 million in fiscal 2019, respectively.

The following table sets forth the percentage of total sales by the principal categories of products and services 
offered to our animal health segment customers:

Consumable
Equipment and software

Other

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

97%

2

1

100%

97%

2

1

100%

97%

2

1

100%

Patterson Animal Health obtains products from over 2,000 vendors globally. While Patterson Animal Health makes 
purchases from many vendors and there is generally more than one source of supply for most of the categories of 
products, the concentration of business with key vendors is considerable. In fiscal 2019 and 2018, Patterson Animal 
Health’s top 10 manufacturers comprised approximately 65% of the total cost of sales, and the single largest supplier 
comprised approximately 19% of the total cost of sales.

Sales, Marketing and Distribution

During fiscal 2019, we sold products or services to over 150,000 customers who made one or more purchases during 
the year. Our customers include dentists, laboratories, institutions, other healthcare professionals, veterinarians, other 
animal  health  professionals,  production  animal  operators  and  animal  health  product  retailers.  No  single  customer 
7

accounted  for  more  than  10%  of  sales  during  fiscal  2019,  and  we  are  not  dependent  on  any  single  customer  or 
geographic group of customers. 

We have offices throughout the U.S. and Canada so that we can provide a presence in the market and decision-making 
near the customer. Patterson Animal Health also has a central office in the U.K. Our offices, or sales branches, are 
staffed  with  a  complete  complement  of  our  capabilities,  including  sales,  customer  service  and  technical  service 
personnel, as well as a local manager who has decision-making authority with regard to customer-related transactions 
and issues.

A primary component of our value-added approach is our sales force. Due to the highly fragmented nature of the 
markets we serve, we believe that a large sales force is necessary to reach potential customers and to provide full 
service. Sales representatives provide an informational link to the overall industry, assist practitioners in selecting and 
purchasing products and help customers efficiently manage their supply inventories.  Our need for a large dedicated 
sales  force  in  the  U.K.  is  reduced  due  to  the  presence  of  buying  groups  and  corporate  customers  as  well  as  the 
significant number of orders placed electronically in the U.K.

In the U.S. and Canada, customer service representatives in call centers work in tandem with our sales representatives, 
providing  a  dual  coverage  approach  for  individual  customers.  In  addition  to  processing  orders,  customer  service 
representatives are responsible for assisting customers with ordering, informing customers of monthly promotions, 
and  responding  to  general  inquiries.  In  the  U.K.,  our  customer  service  team  is  primarily  responsible  for  handling 
customer inquiries and resolving issues.

To assist our customers with their purchasing decisions, we provide a multi-touchpoint shopping experience. From 
print to digital, this seamless experience is inclusive of products and services information. Patterson offers online and 
in-print showcases of our expansive merchandise and equipment offerings, including digital imaging and computer-
aided  design  and  computer-aided  manufacturing  ("CAD/CAM")  technologies,  hand-held  and  similar  instruments, 
sundries, office design, e-services, repair and support assistance, as well as financial services. We also promote select 
products and services through our monthly magazine, Insight, in the U.S. and Canada, and our quarterly magazine, 
The Cube, in the U.K. Additional direct marketing tools that we utilize include customer loyalty programs, social media, 
and participation in trade shows.

We  believe  that  responsive  delivery  of  quality  supplies  and  equipment  is  key  to  customer  satisfaction.  We  ship 
consumable supplies from our strategically located fulfillment centers in the U.S. and Canada. In the U.K., orders are 
accepted in a centralized fulfillment center and shipped nationwide to one of our depots located throughout the country 
at which pre-packed orders are sorted by route for delivery to customers. Orders for consumable supplies can be 
placed through our sales representatives, customer service representatives or electronically 24 hours a day, seven 
days a week. Rapid and accurate order fulfillment is another principal component of our value-added approach. 

In order to assure the availability of our broad product lines for prompt delivery to customers, we must maintain sufficient 
inventories  at  our  fulfillment  centers.  Purchasing  of  consumables  and  standard  equipment  is  centralized,  and  our 
purchasing department uses a real-time perpetual inventory system to manage inventory levels. Our inventory consists 
mostly of consumable supply items and pharmaceutical products. 

Geographic Information

For information on revenues and long-lived assets of our segments by geographic area, see Note 14 to the Consolidated 
Financial Statements.

Discontinued Operations

In August 2015, we sold Patterson Medical Holdings, Inc., our wholly owned subsidiary responsible for our medical 
rehabilitative and assistive products supply business known as Patterson Medical, for $717 million to Madison Dearborn 
Partners. For a limited period of time following the disposition, Patterson continued to provide certain transition services 
to Patterson Medical, as owned by Madison Dearborn Partners, pursuant to a transition services agreement. See Note 
5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

8

Seasonality and Other Factors Affecting Our Business and Quarterly Results

Our business in general is not seasonal; however, there are some products that typically sell more often during the 
winter or summer season. In any given month, unusual weather patterns (e.g., unusually hot or cold weather) could 
impact the sales volumes of these products, either positively or negatively. In addition, we experience fluctuations in 
quarterly earnings. As a result, we may fail to meet or exceed the expectations of securities analysts and investors, 
which could cause our stock price to decline.  Quarterly results may be materially adversely affected by a variety of 
factors, including:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

timing and amount of sales and marketing expenditures;
timing of pricing changes offered by our suppliers;
timing of the introduction of new products and services by our suppliers;
changes in or availability of supplier contracts or rebate programs;
supplier rebates based upon attaining certain growth goals;
changes in the way suppliers introduce or deliver products to market;
costs of developing new applications and services;
our ability to correctly identify customer needs and preferences and predict future needs and preferences;
uncertainties regarding potential significant breaches of data security or disruptions of our information 
technology systems;
regulatory actions, or government regulation generally;
loss of sales representatives;
costs related to acquisitions and/or integrations of technologies or businesses;
costs associated with our self-insured insurance programs;
general market and economic conditions, as well as those specific to the supply and distribution industry 
and related industries;
our success in establishing or maintaining business relationships;
difficulties of manufacturers in developing and manufacturing products;
product demand and availability, or product recalls by manufacturers;
exposure to product liability and other claims in the event that the use of the products we sell results in 
injury;
increases in shipping costs or service issues with our third-party shippers;
fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies;
changes in interest rates;
restructuring costs;
the adoption or repeal of legislation;
changes in accounting principles; and
litigation or regulatory judgments, expenses or settlements.

Governmental Regulation

Operating, Security and Licensure Standards

Our dental and animal health supply businesses involve the distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and 
in this regard we are subject to various local, state, federal and foreign governmental laws and regulations applicable 
to  the  distribution  of  pharmaceuticals  and  medical  devices. Among  the  U.S.  federal  laws  applicable  to  us  are  the 
Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended (the “FDC Act”), and Section 361 
of the Public Health Service Act. We are also subject to comparable foreign regulations.

The FDC Act and similar foreign laws generally regulate the introduction, manufacture, advertising, labeling, packaging, 
storage, handling, reporting, marketing and distribution of, and record keeping for, pharmaceuticals and medical devices 
shipped in interstate commerce, and states may similarly regulate such activities within the state. Section 361 of the 
Public Health Service Act, which provides authority to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, serves as the 
legal basis for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) regulation of human cells, tissues and cellular and 
tissue-based products, also known as “HCT/P products.”

The federal Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013 brought about significant changes with respect to pharmaceutical 
supply chain requirements and pre-empts state law. Title II of this measure, known as the Drug Supply Chain Security 
Act (“DSCSA”), is being phased in over 10 years, and is intended to build a national electronic, interoperable system 
to identify and trace certain prescription drugs as they are distributed in the U.S. The law’s track and trace requirements 
9

applicable to manufacturers, wholesalers, repackagers and dispensers (e.g., pharmacies) of prescription drugs took 
effect in January 2015. The DSCSA product tracing requirements replace the former FDA drug pedigree requirements 
and  pre-empt  state  requirements  that  are  inconsistent  with,  more  stringent  than,  or  in  addition  to,  the  DSCSA 
requirements.

The DSCSA also establishes certain requirements for the licensing and operation of prescription drug wholesalers and 
third party logistics providers (“3PLs”), and includes the creation of national wholesaler and 3PL licenses in cases 
where states do not license such entities. The DSCSA requires that wholesalers and 3PLs distribute drugs in accordance 
with certain standards regarding the recordkeeping, storage and handling of prescription drugs. The DSCSA requires 
wholesalers and 3PLs to submit annual reports to the FDA, which include information regarding each state where the 
wholesaler or 3PL is licensed, the name and address of each facility and contact information. According to FDA guidance, 
states are pre-empted from imposing any licensing requirements that are inconsistent with, less stringent than, directly 
related to, or covered by the standards established by federal law in this area. Current state licensing requirements 
will likely remain in effect until the FDA issues new regulations as directed by the DSCSA.

The  Food  and  Drug Administration Amendments Act  of  2007  and  the  Food  and  Drug Administration  Safety  and 
Innovation Act of 2012 amended the FDC Act to require the FDA to promulgate regulations to implement a unique 
device identification (“UDI”) system. The FDA is phasing in the implementation of the UDI regulations over seven years, 
generally beginning with the highest-risk devices (i.e., Class III medical devices) and ending with the lowest-risk devices. 
The UDI regulations require “labelers” to include unique device identifiers (“UDIs”), with a content and format prescribed 
by the FDA and issued under a system operated by an FDA-accredited issuing agency, on the labels and packages 
of medical devices, and to directly mark certain devices with UDIs. The UDI regulations also require labelers to submit 
certain information concerning UDI-labeled devices to the FDA, much of which information is publicly available on an 
FDA database, the Global Unique Device Identification Database. Regulated labelers include entities such as device 
manufacturers, repackagers, reprocessors and relabelers that cause a device’s label to be applied or modified, with 
the intent that the device will be commercially distributed without any subsequent replacement or modification of the 
label, and include certain of our businesses.

Under the Controlled Substances Act, as a distributor of controlled substances, we are required to obtain and renew 
annually registrations for our facilities from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) permitting us to handle 
controlled substances. We are also subject to other statutory and regulatory requirements relating to the storage, sale, 
marketing,  handling  and  distribution  of  such  drugs,  in  accordance  with  the  Controlled  Substances  Act  and  its 
implementing regulations, and these requirements have been subject to heightened enforcement activity in recent 
times. We are subject to inspection by the DEA. There have also been increasing efforts by various levels of government 
globally to regulate the pharmaceutical distribution system in order to prevent the introduction of counterfeit, adulterated 
or misbranded pharmaceuticals into the distribution system.

Certain of our businesses are also required to register for permits and/or licenses with, and comply with operating and 
security standards of, the DEA, the FDA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and various state boards 
of pharmacy, state health departments and/or comparable state agencies as well as comparable foreign agencies, 
and certain accrediting bodies depending on the type of operations and location of product distribution, manufacturing 
or sale. These businesses include those that distribute, manufacture and/or repackage prescription pharmaceuticals 
and/or medical devices and/or HCT/P products, or own pharmacy operations, or install, maintain or repair equipment. 
In addition, Section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act, and a number of comparable state laws, impose civil 
and/or criminal penalties for the transfer of certain human tissue (for example, human bone products) for valuable 
consideration, while generally permitting payments for the reasonable costs incurred in procuring, processing, storing 
and distributing that tissue. We are also subject to foreign government regulation of such products. The DEA, the FDA 
and state regulatory authorities have broad inspection and enforcement powers, including the ability to suspend or 
limit the distribution of products by our fulfillment centers, seize or order the recall of products and impose significant 
criminal, civil and administrative sanctions for violations of these laws and regulations. Foreign regulations subject us 
to similar foreign enforcement powers. Furthermore, compliance with legal requirements has required and may in the 
future require us to institute voluntary recalls of products we sell, which could result in financial losses and potential 
reputational harm. Our customers are also subject to significant federal, state, local and foreign governmental regulation.

Certain  of  our  businesses  are  subject  to  various  additional  federal,  state,  local  and  foreign  laws  and  regulations, 
including with respect to the sale, transportation, storage, handling and disposal of hazardous or potentially hazardous 
substances, and safe working conditions.

10

Certain of our businesses also maintain contracts with governmental agencies and are subject to certain regulatory 
requirements specific to government contractors.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia informed us that our 
subsidiary, Animal Health International, Inc., has been designated a target of a criminal investigation. The investigation 
originally related to Animal Health International sales of prescription animal health products to certain persons and/or 
locations not licensed to receive them in Virginia and Tennessee in violation of federal and state laws. After being 
contacted by the U.S. Attorney's office, Patterson retained outside legal counsel and began an internal investigation 
which remains ongoing. Since that time, we have produced documents both responsive to grand jury subpoenas and 
voluntarily. In December 2018, as a result of our ongoing internal investigation, we voluntarily advised the U.S. Attorney’s 
Office of Animal Health International shipments of prescription animal health products that were made from a warehouse 
rather than a pharmacy to customers in the states of Virginia and Tennessee. Thereafter, as part of our ongoing internal 
investigation, we conducted a comprehensive review of Animal Health International’s distribution and licensing practices 
across all 50 U.S. states. That review identified compliance issues in additional states, which we voluntarily disclosed 
to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in April 2019. Our Board of Directors also has established a special investigation committee 
to oversee and continue the investigation, to review our licensing, dispensing, distribution and related sales practices 
company-wide, and to report on its findings to the Board and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As a result of the ongoing 
internal investigation, we have modified our licensing, dispensing, distribution and related sales processes and are 
continuing to evaluate the need for further modification. We continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and 
have agreed to extend the existing tolling agreement. At this time, we are unable to make an estimate of the amount 
of  loss,  or  range  of  possible  loss,  that  we  could  incur  as  a  result  of  the  foregoing  matter. This  matter  may  divert 
management’s  attention  and  cause  us  to  suffer  reputational  harm.  We  also  may  be  subject  to  fines  or  penalties, 
equitable  remedies  (including  but  not  limited  to  the  revocation  of  or  non-renewal  of  licenses)  and  litigation.  The 
occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Antitrust

The U.S. federal government, most U.S. states and many foreign countries have antitrust laws that prohibit certain 
types of conduct deemed to be anti-competitive. Violations of antitrust laws can result in various sanctions, including 
criminal and civil penalties. Private plaintiffs also can bring, and have brought, civil lawsuits against us in the U.S. for 
alleged  antitrust  violations,  including  claims  for  treble  damages.    See  “Item  3.  Legal  Proceedings”  for  additional 
information.

Health Care Fraud

Certain of our businesses are subject to federal and state (and similar foreign) health care fraud and abuse, referral 
and reimbursement laws and regulations with respect to their operations. Some of these laws, referred to as “false 
claims laws,” prohibit the submission or causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims for reimbursement to 
federal, state and other health care payers and programs. Other laws, referred to as “anti-kickback laws,” prohibit 
soliciting, offering, receiving or paying remuneration in order to induce the referral of a patient or ordering, purchasing, 
leasing or arranging for or recommending ordering, purchasing or leasing, of items or services that are paid for by 
federal, state and other health care payers and programs. The fraud and abuse laws and regulations have been subject 
to  varying  interpretations,  as  well  as  heightened  enforcement  activity  over  the  past  few  years,  and  significant 
enforcement activity has been the result of “relators,” who serve as whistleblowers by filing complaints in the name of 
the U.S. (and, if applicable, particular states) under federal and state false claim laws. Under the federal False Claims 
Act, relators can be entitled to receive up to 30% of the total recoveries. Also, violations of the federal False Claims 
Act can result in treble damages. Most states have adopted similar state false claims laws, and these state laws have 
their own penalties which may be in addition to federal False Claims Act penalties. The U.S. Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, each enacted in March 2010 
(the “Health Care Reform Law”), significantly strengthened the federal False Claims Act and the federal Anti-Kickback 
Law provisions, which could lead to the possibility of increased whistleblower or relator suits, and among other things 
made clear that a federal Anti-Kickback Law violation can be a basis for federal False Claims Act liability.

Failure to comply with fraud and abuse laws and regulations could result in significant civil and criminal penalties and 
costs, including the loss of licenses and the ability to participate in federal and state health care programs, and could 
have a material adverse effect on our business. Also, these measures may be interpreted or applied by a prosecutorial, 
regulatory or judicial authority in a manner that could require us to make changes in our operations or incur substantial 
defense and settlement expenses. Even unsuccessful challenges by regulatory authorities or private relators could 
result in reputational harm and the incurring of substantial costs. In addition, many of these laws are vague or indefinite 

11

and have not been interpreted by the courts, and have been subject to frequent modification and varied interpretation 
by prosecutorial and regulatory authorities, increasing the risk of noncompliance.

Health Care Reform

The Health Care Reform Law increased federal oversight of private health insurance plans and included a number of 
provisions designed to reduce Medicare expenditures and the cost of health care generally, to reduce fraud and abuse, 
and to provide access to increased health coverage. The continued uncertain status of the Health Care Reform Law 
affects our ability to plan.

A Health Care Reform Law provision, generally referred to as the Physician Payment Sunshine Act or Open Payments 
Program,  has  imposed  reporting  and  disclosure  requirements  for  drug  and  device  manufacturers  with  regard  to 
payments or other transfers of value made to certain practitioners (including physicians, dentists and teaching hospitals), 
and for such manufacturers and for group purchasing organizations, with regard to certain ownership interests held 
by physicians in the reporting entity. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) publishes information 
from these reports on a publicly available website, including amounts transferred and physician, dentist and teaching 
hospital identities.

Under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act we are required to collect and report detailed information regarding certain 
financial relationships we have with physicians, dentists and teaching hospitals. The Physician Payment Sunshine Act 
pre-empts similar state reporting laws, although we or our subsidiaries may also be required to report under certain 
state transparency laws that address circumstances not covered by the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, and some 
of these state laws, as well as the federal law, can be ambiguous. We are also subject to foreign regulations requiring 
transparency of certain interactions between suppliers and their customers. Our compliance with these rules imposes 
additional costs on us.

Regulated Software; Electronic Health Records

The FDA has become increasingly active in addressing the regulation of computer software intended for use in health 
care settings, and has developed and continues to develop policies on regulating clinical decision support tools and 
other types of software as medical devices. Certain of our businesses involve the development and sale of software 
and related products to support physician and dental practice management, and it is possible that the FDA or foreign 
government authorities could determine that one or more of our products is a medical device, which could subject us 
or one or more of our businesses to substantial additional requirements with respect to these products.

In addition, certain of our practice management products include electronic information technology systems that store 
and  process  personal  health,  clinical,  financial  and  other  sensitive  information  of  individuals.  These  information 
technology systems may be vulnerable to breakdown, wrongful intrusions, data breaches and malicious attack, which 
could require us to expend significant resources to eliminate these problems and address related security concerns, 
and could involve claims against us by private parties and/or governmental agencies. For example, we are directly or 
indirectly subject to numerous and evolving federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations that protect the privacy 
and security of such information, such as the privacy and security provisions of the federal Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, and implementing regulations (“HIPAA”). HIPAA requires, among other 
things, the implementation of various recordkeeping, operational, notice and other practices intended to safeguard 
that information, limit its use to allowed purposes and notify individuals in the event of privacy and security breaches. 
Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can result in substantial penalties and other liabilities.

Other health information standards, such as regulations under HIPAA, establish standards regarding electronic health 
data transmissions and transaction code set rules for specific electronic transactions, such as transactions involving 
claims submissions to third party payers. Certain of our electronic practice management products must meet these 
requirements. Failure to abide by electronic health data transmission standards could expose us to breach of contract 
claims, substantial fines, penalties and other liabilities and expenses, costs for remediation and harm to our reputation.

In  addition,  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  of  the  European  Union  have  adopted  a  new  pan-European 
General  Data  Protection  Regulation  (“GDPR”),  effective  from  May  25,  2018,  which  increases  privacy  rights  for 
individuals  in  Europe,  extends  the  scope  of  responsibilities  for  data  controllers  and  data  processors  and  imposes 
increased requirements and potential penalties on companies offering goods or services to individuals who are located 
in Europe (“Data Subjects”) or monitoring the behavior of such individuals (including by companies based outside of 
Europe).  Noncompliance  can  result  in  penalties  of  up  to  the  greater  of  EUR  20  million,  or  4%  of  global  company 
12

revenues. Individual member states may impose additional requirements and penalties as they relate to certain things 
such as employee personal data. Among other things, the GDPR requires with respect to data concerning Data Subjects, 
company accountability, consents from Data Subjects or other acceptable legal basis needed to process the personal 
data, prompt breach notifications within 72 hours, fairness and transparency in how the personal data is stored, used 
or otherwise processed, and data integrity and security, and provides rights to Data Subjects relating to modification, 
erasure and transporting of the personal data. Our compliance with the new regulation has imposed additional costs 
on us, and we cannot predict whether the interpretations of the requirements, or changes in our practices in response 
to new requirements or interpretations of the requirements, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We  also  sell  products  and  services  that  health  care  providers  use  to  store  and  manage  patient  medical  or  dental 
records. These customers are subject to laws, regulations and industry standards, such as HIPAA and the Payment 
Card Industry Data Security Standards, which require that they protect the privacy and security of those records, and 
our products may be used as part of these customers’ comprehensive data security programs, including in connection 
with their efforts to comply with applicable privacy and security laws. Perceived or actual security vulnerabilities in our 
products or services, or the perceived or actual failure by us or our customers who use our products to comply with 
applicable legal requirements, may not only cause us significant reputational harm, but may also lead to claims against 
us by our customers and/or governmental agencies and involve substantial fines, penalties and other liabilities and 
expenses and costs for remediation.

International Transactions

In addition, U.S. and foreign import and export laws and regulations require us to abide by certain standards relating 
to the importation and exportation of products. We also are subject to certain laws and regulations concerning the 
conduct of our foreign operations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practiced Act and other anti-bribery laws and laws 
pertaining to the accuracy of our internal books and records, as well as other types of foreign requirements similar to 
those imposed in the U.S.

There can be no assurance that regulations that impact our business or customers’ practices will not have a material 
adverse effect on our business. As a result of political, economic and regulatory influences, the health care distribution 
industry in the U.S. is under intense scrutiny and subject to fundamental changes. We cannot predict what further 
reform proposals, if any, will be adopted, when they may be adopted, or what impact they may have on us.

See “Item 1A. Risk Factors” for a discussion of additional burdens, risks and regulatory developments that may affect 
our results of operations and financial condition.

Proprietary Rights

We hold trademarks relating to the “Patterson®” name and logo, as well as certain other trademarks. Our U.S. trademark 
registrations have 10-year terms, and may be renewed for additional 10-year terms. We intend to protect our trademarks 
to the fullest extent practicable.

Employees

As of April 27, 2019, we had approximately 7,800 full-time employees. We have not experienced a shortage of qualified 
personnel in the past and believe that we will be able to attract such employees in the future. We believe our relations 
with employees to be good.

Available Information

We make available free of charge through our website, www.pattersoncompanies.com, our Annual Report on Form 
10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, statements of beneficial ownership of securities 
on Forms 3, 4 and 5 and amendments to these reports and statements filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) 
and Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are 
electronically filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. This material may be 
accessed by visiting the Investor Relations section of our website.

In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet website at www.sec.gov, where the above information can be viewed.

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Information relating to our corporate governance, including our Principles of Business Conduct and Code of Ethics, 
and information concerning executive officers, Board of Directors and Board committees, and transactions in Patterson 
securities by directors and officers, is available on or through our website, www.pattersoncompanies.com in the Investor 
Relations section.

Information maintained on the website is not being included as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Information About Our Executive Officers

Set forth below is the name, age and position of the executive officers of Patterson, who are elected annually and 
serve at the discretion of our Board of Directors, as of June 18, 2019.

Mark S. Walchirk

53 President and Chief Executive Officer, Director – Patterson

Donald J. Zurbay
Kevin M. Pohlman
Eric Shirley

Les B. Korsh

Companies, Inc.

51 Chief Financial Officer - Patterson Companies, Inc.
56 President - Patterson Animal Health
53 President - Patterson Dental
49 Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary - Patterson

Companies, Inc.

Andrea Frohning

49 Chief Human Resources Officer - Patterson Companies, Inc.

Background of Executive Officers

Mark S. Walchirk became our President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2017.  Mr. Walchirk previously 
served as President of U.S. Pharmaceutical at McKesson Corporation from October 2012 to October 2017, where he 
held  responsibility  for  McKesson’s  U.S.  Pharmaceutical  sales,  distribution  and  customer  service  operations.  Mr. 
Walchirk  joined  McKesson  in April  2001  and  held  various  leadership  positions  including  President  of  McKesson 
Specialty Care Solutions and Chief Operating Officer of McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical. Before joining McKesson, 
he spent 13 years in medical-surgical distribution and manufacturing with Baxter Healthcare, Allegiance Healthcare 
and Encompass Group, holding various leadership positions in sales, marketing, operations and business development. 
Mr. Walchirk brings strategic and leadership experience, including healthcare services and distribution experience, to 
our Board.

Donald J. Zurbay became our Chief Financial Officer in June 2018.  Mr. Zurbay most recently served as Vice President 
and Chief Financial Officer at global medical device manufacturer St. Jude Medical, Inc. from August 2012 through 
the  January  2017  acquisition  of  St.  Jude  Medical  by Abbott  Laboratories. At  St.  Jude  Medical,  Mr. Zurbay  was 
responsible for all accounting, financial and business development activities. He joined St. Jude Medical in 2003 and 
held various leadership positions, including Director of Finance and Vice President and Corporate Controller. Prior to 
joining St. Jude Medical, Mr. Zurbay worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers for five years as an Assurance and Business 
Advisory Services Senior Manager. Before joining PricewaterhouseCoopers, he was a General Accounting Manager 
at The Valspar Corporation. Mr. Zurbay started his career at Deloitte & Touche as an auditor in 1989. He has served 
as a director of Avedro, Inc. since February 2019 and a director of Silk Road Medical, Inc. since April 2019.

Kevin M. Pohlman became President of Patterson Animal Health in July 2017. Mr. Pohlman joined Animal Health 
International, Inc., which was acquired by Patterson in 2015, in August 2001 and was previously its Vice President of 
Sales  and  Marketing.  Prior  to  assuming  that  role,  Mr.  Pohlman  was  President  of  Corporate  Sales  and  Marketing. 
Beginning  in  2001,  Mr.  Pohlman  held  a  variety  of  leadership  roles,  including  Vice  President  of  Dealer  Sales  with 
oversight of the Marketing department until June 2011. Mr. Pohlman began his career with Pohlman Bros. Supply, a 
family-owned dealer and distributor of dairy equipment, animal health supplies and food plan supplies in Ohio.

Eric Shirley became President of Patterson Dental in January 2019. He most recently served as Chief Commercial 
Officer at Midmark, a leading provider of medical, dental and veterinary equipment, technology and services. In this 
role, Mr. Shirley was responsible for driving revenue, marketing and operational efficiency within the company’s dental, 
medical and animal health divisions. Mr. Shirley was employed by Midmark from 2004 to 2019. Prior to his time at 
Midmark, Mr. Shirley held leadership positions at Dentsply Preventive Care, Dentsply International and several other 
dental manufacturers. 

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Les B. Korsh became Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Patterson in July 2015. Mr. Korsh served 
as Patterson’s Associate General Counsel since June 2014. Prior to joining Patterson, Mr. Korsh held positions as 
Vice President and Associate General Counsel for MoneyGram International, Inc. from May 2004 to May 2014, and 
was a principal in the law firm of Gray Plant Mooty, P.A. from June 1999 to May 2004. He has served as a director of 
the Patterson Foundation since June 2016.

Andrea Frohning became our Chief Human Resources Officer in May 2018. Ms. Frohning joined Patterson from 
Snyder’s-Lance where she held the role of Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer from March 2016 
to March 2018, and was responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s human resources. Prior to her tenure at 
Snyder’s-Lance, she was Vice President Human Resources at Crane Co. from November 2013 to February 2016. Ms. 
Frohning also held other human resource managerial positions at Hubbell Inc., General Electric Consumer Finance 
and Pepsi Bottling Group.

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS 

The risks described below could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition and/
or the trading price of our common stock. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such risks and uncertainties, 
they may include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed below. Our business operations could also be affected 
by additional factors that are not presently known to us or that we currently consider not to be material to our operations. 
You should not consider this list to be a complete statement of all risks and uncertainties. The order in which these 
factors appear should not be construed to indicate their relative importance or priority.

The dental and animal health supply markets are highly competitive, and we may not be able to compete 
successfully.

Our competitors include national, regional and local full-service distributors, mail-order distributors and, increasingly, 
Internet-based businesses. Some of our competitors have greater resources than we do, or operate through different 
sales and distribution models that could allow them to compete more successfully. For example, many of our suppliers 
are  manufacturers,  some  of  whom  compete  with  us  by  selling  directly  to  customers.  Furthermore,  Internet-based 
businesses may be able to offer the same product at a lower cost.

Most of our products are available from multiple sources, and our customers tend to have relationships with several 
different  distributors  who  can  fulfill  their  orders.  Our  competitors  could  obtain  exclusive  rights  to  market  particular 
products, which we would then be unable to market. Manufacturers also could increase their efforts to sell directly to 
end-users and thereby eliminate or reduce the role of distributors. These suppliers could sell their products at lower 
prices and maintain a higher gross margin on the product sales than we can. Increased competition from any supplier 
of dental or animal health products could significantly reduce our market share and adversely impact our financial 
results.

Industry consolidation among suppliers, price competition, the unavailability of products, or the emergence of new 
competitors also could increase competition. There has also been increasing consolidation among manufacturers, 
which could have a material adverse effect on our margins and product availability. This consolidation could cause the 
industry to become more competitive as greater economies of scale are achieved by competitors, or as competitors 
with  new  lower  cost  business  models  are  able  to  operate  with  lower  prices  and  gross  profit  on  products.  These 
competitive pressures could adversely affect our sales and profitability. Our failure to compete effectively may limit 
and/or reduce our revenue, profitability and cash flow.

General economic conditions could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Uncertain weak economic conditions in the U.S. or global economy, or an uncertain economic outlook, could materially 
adversely affect our operating results and financial condition. These uncertainties, including, among other things:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

changes to laws and policies governing foreign trade;
greater restrictions on imports and exports;
changes in laws and policies governing health care;
tariffs and sanctions;
the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union (generally referred to as Brexit) (during fiscal 2019 
approximately 11% of our consolidated net sales were invoiced to customers in the United Kingdom);

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• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

election results;
sovereign debt levels;
the inability of political institutions to effectively resolve actual or perceived economic, currency or budgetary 
crises or issues;
consumer confidence;
unemployment levels (and a corresponding increase in uninsured and underinsured population);
changes in regulatory requirements and tax regulations, including, without limitation, the Tax Act;
increases in interest rates;
availability of capital;
increases in fuel and energy costs;
the effect of inflation on our ability to procure products and our ability to increase prices over time;
changes in tax rates and the availability of certain tax deductions;
increases in healthcare costs;
the threat or outbreak of war, terrorism or public unrest; and
changes in laws and policies in countries where we do business.

Changes in government, government debt and/or budget crises may lead to reductions in government spending in 
certain  countries  and/or  higher  income  or  corporate  taxes,  which  could  depress  spending  overall.  In  addition, 
recessionary conditions and depressed levels of consumer and commercial spending may cause customers to reduce, 
modify, delay, or cancel purchasing our products and services, and a prolonged period of economic instability could 
reduce  their  ability  to  make  payments.  Furthermore,  such  conditions  could  cause  our  suppliers  to  reduce  their 
production, decrease their number of product offerings, or change their terms of sale to us. Increasing commodity 
prices may also increase our cost of operations, either directly through increased energy costs or indirectly through 
what we are charged by our suppliers. Recessionary economic conditions could also cause changes in our product 
mix as our customers prioritize established, low-margin products rather than innovative, high-margin products, which 
could reduce our profit margin.

We are dependent on our relationships with our sales representatives, service technicians and our customers.

The inability to attract or retain qualified employees, particularly sales representatives and service technicians who 
relate directly with our customers, or our inability to build or maintain relationships with customers in the dental and 
animal health markets, may have an adverse effect on our business. Due to the specialized nature of many of our 
products and services, generally only highly qualified and trained personnel have the necessary skills to market such 
products and provide such services. These individuals develop relationships with our customers that could be damaged 
if  these  employees  are  not  retained.  We  face  intense  competition  for  the  hiring  of  these  professionals,  and  many 
professionals in the field that may otherwise be attractive candidates for us to hire may be bound by non-competition 
agreements  with  our  competitors. Any  failure  on  our  part  to  hire,  train  and  retain  a  sufficient  number  of  qualified 
professionals would damage our business.

We  may  be  unable  to  successfully  integrate  the  operations  of Animal  Health  International,  Inc.  or  realize 
targeted cost savings and other benefits of the acquisition.

In  June  2015,  we  acquired Animal  Health  International,  Inc. Achieving  the  targeted  benefits  of  the  acquisition  will 
depend in part upon whether we can integrate Animal Health International, Inc.’s businesses in an efficient and effective 
manner.  We  may  not  be  able  to  accomplish  this  integration  process  smoothly  or  successfully.  The  necessity  of 
coordinating geographically separated organizations, systems and facilities and addressing possible differences in 
business backgrounds, corporate cultures and management philosophies may increase the difficulties of integration. 
We  and  Animal  Health  International,  Inc.  operate  numerous  systems,  including  those  involving  management 
information, purchasing, accounting and finance, sales, billing, and regulatory compliance. Moreover, the integration 
of our respective operations will require the dedication of significant management resources, which is likely to distract 
management’s attention from day-to-day operations. Employee uncertainty and lack of focus during the integration 
process  may  also  disrupt  our  business  and  result  in  undesired  employee  attrition. An  inability  of  management  to 
successfully integrate the operations of the two companies could have a material adverse effect on our business, 
results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, our actual cost-savings could differ materially from our initial estimates of synergies to be realized from 
the Animal Health International, Inc. acquisition. Actual cost-savings, the costs required to realize the cost-savings and 
the source of the cost-savings could differ materially from our estimates, and we cannot assure you that we will achieve 
cost-savings, or that these cost-savings programs will not have other adverse effects on our business.

16

Finally, we may not be able to achieve the targeted operating or long-term strategic benefits of the Animal Health 
International, Inc. acquisition. An inability to realize the full extent of, or any of, the anticipated benefits of the Animal 
Health International, Inc. acquisition, as well as any delays encountered in the integration process, could have an 
adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Disruption  to  our  distribution  capabilities,  including  service  issues  with  our  third-party  shippers,  could 
materially adversely affect our results.

Weather, natural disaster, fire, terrorism, pandemic, strikes, geopolitical events or other reasons could impair our ability 
to distribute our products and conduct our business. If we are unable to manage effectively such events if they occur, 
there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Similarly, increases 
in service costs or service issues with our third-party shippers, including strikes or other service interruptions, could 
cause our operating expenses to rise and materially adversely affect our ability to deliver products on a timely basis. 
Our ability to provide same-day shipping and next-day delivery is an integral component of our business strategy and 
any significant increase in shipping rates or service interruptions could adversely impact our business, financial condition 
or results of operations.

Our business development efforts may suffer if we fail to provide our sales force and customers with the latest 
customer relationship and order management tools. 

Due to generational and other trends in the dental and animal health industries, our customer base is increasingly 
comfortable with and reliant upon the latest technologies to manage their businesses.  As part of our commitment to 
providing superior customer service, we offer our customers computerized order entry, customer support for digital 
and proprietary products, including the Patterson Technology Center, customer-loyalty program reports and services, 
and access to articles and manufacturers’ product information. We also provide real-time customer and sales information 
to our sales force, managers and vendors via the Internet to enable them to compete in the digital marketplace.  Our 
business development efforts may suffer if we  fail  to keep pace with rapidly changing technologies and customer 
expectations.  

We are dependent on our suppliers because we generally do not manufacture the products we sell.

Interruptions in supply could adversely affect our operating results. If a supplier is unable to deliver product in a timely 
and efficient manner, whether due to financial difficulties, natural disasters or other reasons, we could experience lost 
sales. We generally do not have long-term contracts with our suppliers that commit them to producing products for us 
and there is considerable concentration within our animal health and dental businesses with a few key suppliers. In 
addition, because we generally do not control the actual production of the products we sell, we may be subject to 
delays caused by interruption in production based on conditions outside of our control, including the failure to comply 
with applicable government requirements. The failure of manufacturers of products regulated by the FDA or other 
governmental agencies to meet these requirements, could result in product recall, cessation of sales or other market 
disruptions. An extended interruption in the supply of our products would have an adverse effect on our results of 
operations.

In addition, a portion of our products is sourced, directly or indirectly, from outside the U.S. Political or financial instability, 
increased tariffs, restrictions on trade, currency exchange rates, labor unrest, outbreak of pandemics or other events 
could slow distribution activities, affect foreign trade beyond our control and adversely affect our results of operations.

Material changes in our purchasing relationship with suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our 
business.

Our ability to sustain our gross profits depends, in part, on the structure of our relationship with our suppliers. Such 
relationships are subject to change from time to time, such as changing from a “buy/sell” to an agency relationship, or 
from an agency to a “buy/sell” relationship, either of which could adversely affect our revenues and operating income. 
Suppliers may also choose to change the method in which products are taken to market, including the possibility of 
creating or expanding a direct sales force or otherwise reducing their reliance on third-party distribution channels. For 
example, a supplier may change our relationship from a complete distribution provider, including logistics and sales 
support, to only a logistics provider, or to only a sales support provider, or it may decide to entirely terminate its business 
relationship with us. A reduction in our role as a value-added service provider would result in reduced margins on 
product sales, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

17

Sales of private label products entail additional risks, including the risk that such sales could adversely affect 
our sales of other products.

We offer certain private label products that are available exclusively from us. The sale of such products subjects us to 
the risks generally encountered by entities that source, market and sell private label products, including but not limited 
to potential product liability risks, mandatory or voluntary product recalls, potential supply chain and distribution chain 
disruptions, and potential intellectual property infringement risks. Any failure to adequately address some or all of these 
risks could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, an increase 
in the sales of our private label products may negatively affect our sales of products owned by our suppliers which, 
consequently, could adversely impact certain of our supplier relationships. Our ability to locate qualified, economically 
stable suppliers who satisfy our requirements, and to acquire sufficient products in a timely and effective manner, is 
critical to ensuring, among other things, that customer confidence is not diminished. As a distribution company, any 
failure  to  develop  sourcing  relationships  with  a  broad  and  deep  supplier  base  could  adversely  affect  our  financial 
performance and erode customer loyalty.

Patterson’s continued success is substantially dependent on positive perceptions of Patterson’s reputation.

One of the reasons why customers choose to do business with Patterson and why employees choose Patterson as a 
place of employment is the reputation that Patterson has built over many years. To be successful in the future, Patterson 
must continue to preserve, grow and leverage the value of Patterson’s brand. Reputational value is based in large part 
on perceptions of subjective qualities. Even an isolated incident, or the aggregate effect of individually insignificant 
incidents, can erode trust and confidence, particularly if they result in adverse publicity, governmental investigations 
or litigation, and as a result, could tarnish Patterson’s brand and lead to adverse effects on our business, financial 
condition and results of operations.

Risks inherent in acquiring other businesses could offset the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions and 
we may face difficulty in efficiently and effectively integrating acquired businesses.

As a part of our business strategy, we have acquired businesses in the ordinary course and expect to continue acquiring 
businesses in the future. These acquisitions can involve a number of risks and challenges, any of which could cause 
significant operating inefficiencies and adversely affect our growth and profitability, and may not result in the benefits 
and revenue growth we expect. Such risks and challenges include underperformance relative to our expectations and 
the price paid for the acquisition; unanticipated demands on our management and operational resources; difficulty in 
integrating personnel, operations and systems; retention of customers of the combined businesses; assumption of 
contingent liabilities; acquisition-related earnings charges; and acquisition-related cybersecurity risks.

As we operate through two strategic business units, we consolidate the distribution, information technology, human 
resources,  financial  and  other  administrative  functions  of  those  business  units  jointly  to  meet  their  needs  while 
addressing distinctions in the individual markets of those segments. We may not be able to do so effectively and 
efficiently.

Our ability to continue to make acquisitions will depend upon our success in identifying suitable targets, which requires 
substantial judgment in assessing their values, strengths, weaknesses, liabilities and potential profitability, as well as 
the availability of suitable candidates at acceptable prices, and whether restrictions are imposed by anti-trust or other 
regulations.

Our acquired technology or developed technology may not be successful in maintaining existing customers 
or gaining new customers, or the technology may fail to produce its intended results.

The process of acquiring or developing new technology products and solutions is inherently complex and uncertain. 
It requires accurate anticipation of customers’ changing needs and emerging technological trends. We must make 
long-term investments and commit significant resources before knowing whether these investments will eventually 
result in products or services that achieve customer acceptance and generate the revenue required to provide desired 
returns. If we fail to accurately anticipate and meet our customers’ needs through the development of new products 
and technologies and service offerings or if we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, or if our new 
products are not widely accepted or if our current or future products fail to meet applicable regulatory requirements, 
we could lose customers to our competitors and that could materially and adversely affect our results of operations 
and financial condition. In addition, if technology investments do not achieve the intended results, we may write-off 
the investments, and we face the risk of claims from system users that the systems failed to produce the intended 
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result or negatively affected the operation of our customers’ businesses. Any such claims, even those without merit, 
could be expensive and time-consuming to defend, cause us to lose customers and the associated revenue, divert 
management’s attention and resources, or require us to pay damages.

We are subject to a variety of litigation that could adversely affect our results of operations and financial 
condition.

We are subject to a variety of litigation incidental to our business, including product liability claims, intellectual property 
claims, employment claims, commercial disputes, governmental inquiries and investigations, and other matters arising 
out of the ordinary course of our business, including antitrust and securities litigation. From time to time we are named 
as a defendant in cases as a result of our distribution of products. Additionally, purchasers of private-label products 
may seek recourse directly from us, rather than the ultimate product manufacturer, for product-related claims. Another 
potential risk we face in the distribution of our products is liability resulting from counterfeit or tainted products infiltrating 
the supply chain. In addition, some of the products that we transport and sell are considered hazardous materials. The 
improper handling of such materials or accidents involving the transportation of such materials could subject us to 
liability. In addition, our reputation could be adversely affected by negative publicity surrounding such events regardless 
of whether or not claims against us are successful. Defending against such claims may divert our management’s 
attention, may be expensive, and may require that we pay damage awards or settlements, pay fines or penalties, or 
become subject to equitable remedies (including but not limited to the revocation of or non-renewal of licenses) that 
could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. A successful claim brought against 
us in excess of available insurance or not covered by insurance or indemnification agreements, or any claim that results 
in significant adverse publicity against us, could have a material adverse effect on our business and our reputation. 
Furthermore, the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain.

Changes in consumer preferences could adversely affect our business. 

The demand for production animal health products is heavily dependent upon consumer demand for beef, dairy, poultry 
and swine. The food industry in general is subject to changing consumer trends, demands and preferences. Trends 
within the food industry change often and our failure to anticipate, identify or react to changes in these trends could 
lead to, among other things, reduced demand and price reductions for our animal health products, and could have a 
material adverse effect on our business. Moreover, even if we do anticipate and identify these trends, we may be 
unable to react effectively. For example, changes in consumer diets may negatively affect consumer demand for beef, 
dairy, poultry and/or swine, and therefore reduce the demand for our production animal health products which could 
have a material adverse effect on our business.

From time to time, we also experience changes in customer and product mix that affect gross margin. Changes in 
customer  and  product  mix  result  primarily  from  business  acquisitions,  changes  in  customer  demand,  customer 
acquisitions, selling and marketing activities and competition. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain 
historical gross margins in the future.

Regulatory restrictions and bans on the use of antibiotics and growth promotants in food animals, as well as 
changing market demand, could adversely affect our business.

There  has  been  consumer  concern  and  consumer  activism  with  respect  to  additives  (including,  without  limitation, 
antibiotics and growth promotants) used in the production of animal products, including growing consumer sentiment 
for proteins and dairy products produced without the use of antibiotics or other products intended to increase animal 
production. Negative press resulting from media or consumer advocacy groups, industry litigation, trade restrictions 
which could cause the loss of export markets, or other factors could adversely affect the public’s perception of the 
industry as a whole, or lead to reluctance by consumers to buy protein or other products. Concern over the impact of 
growth promotants on animal welfare could result in the removal from the market of products in that category, adversely 
impacting our sales. In addition, consumer concern that the use of antibiotics and growth promotants in animal feed 
may lead to increased antibiotic resistance of human pathogens have resulted in increased regulation and changing 
market demand. Under the FDA’s guidance and the related rule known as the Veterinary Feed Directive, the use of 
shared-class antibiotics in the water or feed of food-producing animals requires written authorization by a licensed 
veterinarian. The impact of changes in regulations and market preferences regarding the use of antibiotics in food 
animals could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If there is 
an increased public perception that consumption of food derived from animals that utilize additives we distribute poses 
a risk to human health, there may be a further decline in the production of those food products and, in turn, our sales 
of those products. In addition, antibiotic resistance concerns may result in additional restrictions or bans, expanded 
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regulations or public pressure to further reduce the use of antibiotics in food animals, or increased demand for antibiotic-
free protein, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business may be directly and indirectly affected by the cyclicality of the livestock market, including the 
effect of poor or unusual weather conditions, that could reduce demand for the production animal products 
we distribute. 

Poor or unusual weather conditions can significantly affect the purchasing decisions of our production animal customers. 
The timing and quantity of rainfall are two of the most important factors in agricultural production. Drought can affect 
the availability and price of feed for livestock. Faced with a reduction in readily available feed or an increase in costs 
for such feed, our customers may decide to reduce herd size, which would ultimately decrease the demand for the 
products we distribute, including micro feed ingredients, animal health products, dairy sanitation solutions, as well as 
the development and implementation of systems for feed, health, information and production animal management.

The outbreak of an infectious disease within either the production animal or companion animal population 
could have a significant adverse effect on our business and our results of operations. 

An outbreak of disease affecting animals, such as foot-and-mouth disease, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, Newcastle 
disease, avian flu or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly referred to as “mad cow disease,” could result in 
the widespread destruction of affected animals and consequently result in a reduction in demand for animal health 
products. In addition, outbreaks of these or other diseases or concerns of such diseases could create adverse publicity 
that may have a material adverse effect on consumer demand for meat, dairy and poultry products, and, as a result, 
on our customers’ demand for the products we distribute. It could also harm export markets for such products and lead 
to increased government regulation. The outbreak of a disease among the companion animal population which could 
cause a reduction in the demand for companion animals could also adversely affect our business. 

Pressure from animal rights groups may subject us to additional costs to conform our practices to comply 
with developing standards or subject us to marketing costs to defend challenges to our current practices.

The utilization of animals in research and development and product commercialization is subject to increasing focus 
by animal rights activists. The activities of animal rights groups and other organizations that have protested animal 
based research and development programs or boycotted the products resulting from such programs could cause an 
interruption in our supply chain. The occurrence of material operational problems could have a material adverse effect 
on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Pricing pressure from branded pharmaceutical manufacturers or adverse changes in supplier rebates could 
negatively affect our business. 

We face pricing pressure from branded pharmaceutical manufacturers.  In addition, the terms on which we purchase 
or sell products from many suppliers of animal health products may entitle us to receive a rebate based on the attainment 
of certain growth goals. Suppliers may reduce or eliminate rebates offered under their programs, or increase the growth 
goals or other conditions we must meet to earn rebates to levels that we cannot achieve. Increased competition either 
from  generic  or  equivalent  branded  products  could  result  in  us  failing  to  earn  rebates  that  are  conditioned  upon 
achievement of growth goals. Additionally, factors outside of our control, such as customer preferences, consolidation 
of suppliers or supply issues, can have a material impact on our ability to achieve the growth goals established by our 
suppliers, which may reduce the amount of rebates we receive. The occurrence of any of these events could have an 
adverse impact on our results of operations. 

We  experience  fluctuations  in  quarterly  financial  results. As  a  result,  we  may  fail  to  meet  or  exceed  the 
expectations of securities analysts and investors, which could cause our stock price to decline.

Our business is subject to quarterly fluctuations. Quarterly results may be materially adversely affected by a variety 
of factors, including: 

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timing and amount of sales and marketing expenditures;
timing of pricing changes offered by our suppliers;
timing of the introduction of new products and services by our suppliers;
changes in or availability of supplier contracts or rebate programs;
supplier rebates based upon attaining certain growth goals;

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changes in the way suppliers introduce or deliver products to market;
costs of developing new applications and services;
our ability to correctly identify customer needs and preferences and predict future needs and preferences;
uncertainties regarding potential significant breaches of data security or disruptions of our information 
technology systems;
regulatory actions, or government regulation generally;
loss of sales representatives;
costs related to acquisitions and/or integrations of technologies or businesses;
costs associated with our self-insured insurance programs;
general market and economic conditions, as well as those specific to the supply and distribution industry 
and related industries;
our success in establishing or maintaining business relationships;
difficulties of manufacturers in developing and manufacturing products;
product demand and availability, or product recalls by manufacturers;
exposure to product liability and other claims in the event that the use of the products we sell results in 
injury;
increases in shipping costs or service issues with our third-party shippers;
fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies;
changes in interest rates;
restructuring costs;
the adoption or repeal of legislation;
changes in accounting principles; and
litigation or regulatory judgments, expenses or settlements.

Any change in one or more of these or other factors could cause our annual or quarterly financial results to fluctuate. 
If our financial results do not meet market expectations, our stock price may decline.

The formation of group purchasing organizations (“GPO”) or provider networks may place us at a competitive 
disadvantage.

The formation of GPOs and provider networks may shift purchasing decisions to entities or persons with whom we do 
not have a historical relationship. This may threaten our ability to compete effectively, which could in turn negatively 
impact our financial results. Although we seek to obtain access to lower prices demanded by GPO contracts or other 
contracts, and to develop relationships with provider networks and new GPOs, we cannot assure that such terms will 
be obtained or contracts will be executed.

We may experience competition from third-party online commerce sites.

Traditional distribution relationships are being challenged by online commerce solutions.  Such competition will require 
us to cost-effectively adapt to changing technology, to continue to provide enhanced service offerings and to continue 
to differentiate our business (including with additional value-added services) to address demands of consumers and 
customers on a timely basis.  The emergence of such competition and our inability to anticipate and effectively respond 
to changes on a timely basis could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of 
operations.

Increases in over-the-counter sales of companion animal products, or sales of companion animal products 
from non-veterinarian sources, could adversely affect our business.

Animal health products are becoming increasingly available to consumers at competitive prices from sources other 
than veterinarians, including human health product pharmacies, Internet pharmacies and big-box retailers. Any increase 
competition from such channels could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results 
of operations.

Our international operations are subject to inherent risks that could adversely affect our operating results.

There are a number of risks inherent in foreign operations, including complex regulatory requirements, staffing and 
management complexities, import and export costs, other economic factors and political considerations, all of which 
are subject to unanticipated changes. Our foreign operations also expose us to foreign currency fluctuations. Because 
our financial statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, changes in currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar 
21

and other currencies will have an impact on our income. Currency exchange rate fluctuations may adversely affect 
our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we generally do not hedge translation exposure with 
respect to foreign operations.

In addition, our business and results of operations in the United Kingdom may be negatively affected by the proposed 
withdrawal by the United Kingdom from the European Union, commonly referred to as “Brexit”. The withdrawal from 
the  European  Union  will  occur  after  a  process  of  negotiation  regarding  the  future  terms  of  the  United  Kingdom’s 
relationship with the European Union with respect to reciprocal market access and other matters, and these negotiations 
have been and will likely continue to be complex and protracted. The proposed withdrawal by the United Kingdom 
could have an adverse effect on the tax, tax treaty, currency, operational, legal and regulatory regimes to which our 
business in the region is subject. The withdrawal could also, among other potential outcomes, disrupt the free movement 
of goods, services and people between the United Kingdom and other countries. The uncertainty concerning the timing 
and  terms  of  the exit could  also  have  a  negative  impact  on  the  business  activity,  political  stability  and  economic 
conditions in the United Kingdom, which could result in customers reducing or delaying spending decisions on our 
products. Any of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and 
results of operations.

The  U.S.  Patient  Protection  and  Affordable  Care  Act  as  amended  by  the  Health  Care  and  Education 
Reconciliation Act (the “Health Care Reform Law”) could materially adversely affect our business.

Provisions of the Health Care Reform Law could have a material adverse effect on our business. Additionally, further 
federal and state proposals for health care reform in the U.S. are likely, and foreign government authorities may also 
adopt reforms of their health systems. We cannot predict what further reform proposals, if any, will be adopted, when 
they may be adopted, or what impact they may have on us. The continued uncertain status of the Health Care Reform 
Law affects our ability to plan.

Reporting and disclosure obligations under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act provisions of the Health 
Care Reform Law increase the cost of our regulatory compliance.

The  Physician  Payment  Sunshine Act  imposes  annual  reporting  and  disclosure  requirements  for  drug  and  device 
manufacturers with regard to payments or other transfers of value made to covered recipients (including physicians, 
dentists and teaching hospitals), and for such manufacturers and for group purchasing organizations, with regard to 
certain ownership interests held by physicians in the reporting entity. Under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act we 
are required to collect and report detailed information regarding certain financial relationships we have with covered 
recipients such as physicians, dentists and teaching hospitals. We may also be required to report under certain state 
transparency laws that address circumstances not covered by the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, and some of 
these state laws, as well as the federal law, can be ambiguous. We are also subject to foreign regulations requiring 
transparency of certain interactions between suppliers and their customers. Our compliance with these rules imposes 
additional costs on us.

Failure to comply with existing and future U.S. and foreign laws and regulatory requirements, including those 
governing  the  distribution  of  pharmaceuticals  and  controlled  substances,  could  subject  us  to  claims  or 
otherwise harm our business.

Our  business  is  subject  to  requirements  under  various  local,  state,  federal  and  international  laws  and  regulations 
applicable to the distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and human cells, tissue and cellular and tissue-
based products, also known as HCT/P products, and animal feed and supplements. Among other things, such laws, 
and the regulations promulgated thereunder:

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regulate the storage and distribution, labeling, packaging, handling, reporting, record keeping, introduction, 
manufacturing and marketing of drugs, HCT/P products and medical devices;
subject us to inspection by the FDA and the DEA;
regulate the storage, transportation and disposal of certain of our products that are considered hazardous 
materials;
regulate the distribution and storage of pharmaceuticals and controlled substances;
require us to advertise and promote our drugs and devices in accordance with applicable FDA requirements;
require registration with the FDA and the DEA and various state agencies;
require record keeping and documentation of transactions involving drug products;

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require us to design and operate a system to identify and report suspicious orders of controlled substances 
to the DEA;
require us to manage returns of products that have been recalled and subject us to inspection of our recall 
procedures and activities; and
impose reporting requirements if a pharmaceutical, HCT/P product or medical device causes serious illness, 
injury or death.

By way of example, we are required to hold valid DEA and state-level registrations and licenses, meet various security 
and operating standards and comply with the Controlled Substances Act and its accompanying regulations governing 
the storage, sale, marketing and handling of controlled substances.  Applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws 
and regulations also may require us to meet various standards relating to, among other things, licensure or registration, 
sales and marketing practices, product integrity and supply tracking to the manufacturer of the product, personnel, 
privacy and security of health or other personal information, installation, maintenance and repair of equipment, and 
the importation and exportation of products. Our business is also subject to requirements of similar and other foreign 
governmental laws and regulations affecting our operations abroad.

The failure to comply with any of these regulations, or new interpretations of existing laws and regulations, or the 
imposition  of  any  additional  laws  and  regulations,  could  materially  adversely  affect  our  business. Allegations  by  a 
governmental body that we have not complied with these and future laws could have a material adverse effect on our 
business. If it is determined that we have not complied with these laws, we are potentially subject to penalties including 
warning letters, civil and criminal fines and penalties, mandatory recall of product, seizure of product and injunction, 
consent decrees, and suspension or limitation of product sale and distribution. If we enter into settlement agreements 
to resolve allegations of non-compliance, we could be required to make settlement payments or be subject to civil and 
criminal  penalties,  including  fines  and  the  loss  of  licenses.  Non-compliance  with  government  requirements  could 
adversely  affect  our  ability  to  participate  in  federal  and  state  government  health  care  programs,  and  damage  our 
reputation.

Public  concern  over  the  abuse  of opioid medications  in  the  United  States,  including  increased  legal  and 
regulatory action, could negatively affect our business.

Certain  governmental  and  regulatory  agencies,  as  well  as  state  and  local  jurisdictions,  are  focused  on  the  abuse 
of opioid medications  in  the  United  States.  Federal,  state  and  local  governmental  and  regulatory  agencies  are 
conducting investigations of pharmaceutical manufacturers and other pharmaceutical wholesale distributors regarding 
the distribution of opioid medications. In June 2019, two of our subsidiaries, Patterson Logistics Services, Inc. and 
Patterson Veterinary Supply, Inc., were named as co-defendants in civil litigation brought by private claimants against 
various manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies throughout the United States. Managing legal proceedings 
and responding to government investigations is costly and involves a significant diversion of management attention. 
Such  proceedings  are  unpredictable  and  may  develop  over  lengthy  periods  of  time. An  adverse  resolution  of  the 
pending litigation or any future lawsuits or investigations may involve substantial monetary penalties and could have 
a material and adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

If we fail to comply with laws and regulations relating to health care fraud or other laws and regulations, we 
could suffer penalties or be required to make significant changes to our operations, which could materially 
adversely affect our business.

We are subject to federal and state (and similar foreign) health care fraud and abuse, referral and reimbursement laws 
and regulations. Some of these laws, referred to as “false claims laws,” prohibit the submission or causing the submission 
of false or fraudulent claims for reimbursement to federal, state and other health care payers and programs. Other 
laws, referred to as “anti-kickback laws,” prohibit soliciting, offering, receiving or paying remuneration in order to induce 
the referral of a patient or ordering, purchasing, leasing or arranging for or recommending ordering, purchasing or 
leasing, of items or services that are paid for by federal, state and other health care payers and programs. Health care 
fraud measures may implicate, for example, our relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, our pricing and 
incentive programs for physician and dental practices, and our practice management products that offer billing-related 
functionality.

If we fail to comply with laws and regulations relating to the confidentiality of sensitive personal information 
or standards in electronic health records or transmissions, we could be required to make significant changes 
to our products, or incur substantial fines, penalties or other liabilities.

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The FDA has become increasingly active in addressing the regulation of computer software intended for use in health 
care settings, and has developed and continues to develop policies on regulating clinical decision support tools and 
other types of software as medical devices. Certain of our software and related products support practice management, 
and it is possible that the FDA or foreign government authorities could determine that one or more of our products is 
a medical device, which could subject us or one or more of our businesses to substantial additional requirements with 
respect to these products.

Our practice management products include electronic information technology systems that store and process personal 
health, clinical, financial and other sensitive information of individuals. These information technology systems may be 
vulnerable to breakdown, wrongful intrusions, data breaches and malicious attack, which could require us to expend 
significant resources to eliminate these problems and address related security concerns, and could involve claims 
against  us  by  private  parties  and/or  governmental  agencies.  For  example,  we  are  directly  or  indirectly  subject  to 
numerous federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations that protect the privacy and security of such information, 
such as HIPAA. HIPAA requires, among other things, the implementation of various recordkeeping, operational, notice 
and other practices intended to safeguard that information, limit its use to allowed purposes and notify individuals in 
the event of privacy and security breaches. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could expose us to 
breach of contract claims, substantial fines, penalties and other liabilities and expenses, costs for remediation and 
harm to our reputation. Also, evolving laws and regulations in this area could restrict the ability of our customers to 
obtain, use or disseminate patient information, or could require us to incur significant additional costs to re-design our 
products in a timely manner to reflect these legal requirements, either of which could have a material adverse effect 
on our results of operations.

Other health information standards, such as regulations under HIPAA, establish standards regarding electronic health 
data transmissions and transaction code set rules for specific electronic transactions, such as transactions involving 
claims submissions to third party payers. Certain of our electronic practice management products must meet these 
requirements. Failure to abide by electronic health data transmission standards could expose us to breach of contract 
claims, substantial fines, penalties and other liabilities and expenses, costs for remediation and harm to our reputation.

In  addition,  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  of  the  European  Union  have  adopted  a  new  pan-European 
General  Data  Protection  Regulation  (“GDPR”),  effective  from  May  25,  2018,  which  increases  privacy  rights  for 
individuals in Europe, extends the scope of responsibilities for data controllers and data processors, and imposes 
increased requirements and potential penalties on companies offering goods or services to individuals who are located 
in Europe (“Data Subjects”) or monitoring the behavior of such individuals (including by companies based outside of 
Europe).  Noncompliance  can  result  in  penalties  of  up  to  the  greater  of  EUR  20  million,  or  4%  of  global  company 
revenues. Individual member states may impose additional requirements and penalties as they relate to certain things 
such as employee personal data. Among other things, the GDPR requires with respect to data concerning Data Subjects, 
company accountability, consents from Data Subjects or other acceptable legal basis needed to process the personal 
data, prompt breach notifications within 72 hours, fairness and transparency in how the personal data is stored, used 
or otherwise processed, and data integrity and security, and provides rights to Data Subjects relating to modification, 
erasure and transporting of the personal data. Our compliance with the new regulation has imposed additional costs 
on us, and we cannot predict whether the interpretations of the requirements, or changes in our practices in response 
to new requirements or interpretations of the requirements, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We  also  sell  products  and  services  that  health  care  providers  use  to  store  and  manage  patient  medical  or  dental 
records. These customers are subject to laws, regulations and industry standards, such as HIPAA and the Payment 
Card Industry Data Security Standards, which require that they protect the privacy and security of those records, and 
our products may be used as part of these customers’ comprehensive data security programs, including in connection 
with their efforts to comply with applicable privacy and security laws. Perceived or actual security vulnerabilities in our 
products or services, or the perceived or actual failure by us or our customers who use our products to comply with 
applicable legal or contractual requirements, may not only cause us significant reputational harm, but may also lead 
to claims against us by our customers and/or governmental agencies and involve substantial fines, penalties and other 
liabilities and expenses and costs for remediation.

Risks generally associated with our information systems and cyber-security attacks could adversely affect 
our results of operations.

We rely on information systems (“IS”) in our business to obtain, rapidly process, analyze and manage data to, among 
other things:

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facilitate the purchase and distribution of thousands of inventory items through numerous fulfillment centers;
receive, process and ship orders on a timely basis;
accurately bill and collect from thousands of customers;
process payments to suppliers; and
provide products and services that maintain certain of our customers’ electronic medical or dental records 
(including protected health information of their human patients).

As the breadth and complexity of our IS continue to grow, we will increasingly be exposed to the risks inherent in the 
development, integration and ongoing operation of evolving information systems, including:

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disruption, impairment or failure of data centers, telecommunications facilities or other key infrastructure 
platforms;
security breaches of, cyberattacks on and other failures or malfunctions in our critical application systems or 
their associated hardware; and
excessive costs, excessive delays or other deficiencies in systems development and deployment.

Our  IS  are  vulnerable  to  natural  disasters,  power  losses,  computer  viruses,  telecommunication  failures  and  other 
problems. In addition, information security risks have generally increased in recent years. Increased IS security threats 
and more sophisticated computer crime, including advanced persistent threats, pose a potential risk to the security of 
our IS, customers and other business partners, as well as the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of our data, 
customers and other business partners. Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and are becoming increasingly sophisticated. 
Despite our efforts to ensure the integrity of our systems, as cyber threats evolve and become more difficult to detect 
and successfully defend against, one or more cyber threats might defeat the measures that we or our vendors take to 
anticipate, detect, avoid or mitigate such threats.  Certain techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, introduce 
malicious  software,  disable  or  degrade  service,  or  sabotage  systems  may  be  designed  to  remain  dormant  until  a 
triggering event and we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures 
since techniques change frequently or are not recognized until launched, and because cyberattacks can originate from 
a wide variety of sources. These data breaches and any unauthorized access or disclosure of our information could 
compromise intellectual property and expose sensitive business information. Cyber-attacks could also cause us to 
incur  significant  remediation  costs,  disrupt  key  business  operations  and  divert  attention  of  management  and  key 
information technology resources. A cyber-security attack that bypasses our IS security causing an IS security breach 
may lead to a material disruption of our IS and/or the loss of business information, which could adversely affect our 
business. These risks may include, among others, the following:

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future results could be adversely affected due to the theft, destruction, loss, misappropriation or release of 
confidential data or intellectual property;
operational or business delays resulting from the disruption or damage of IS and subsequent clean-up and 
mitigation  activities,  including  our  ability  to  process  orders,  maintain  proper  levels  of  inventories,  collect 
accounts receivable and disburse funds;
negative publicity resulting in reputation or brand damage with our customers, suppliers or industry peers; and
lawsuits  for,  or  regulatory  proceedings  relating  to,  a  breach  of  personal  financial  and  health  information 
belonging to our customers and their patients.

The materialization of any of these risks may impede the processing of data and the day-to-day management of our 
business and could result in the corruption, loss or unauthorized disclosure of proprietary, confidential or other data. 
Disaster recovery plans, where in place, might not adequately protect us in the event of a system failure. Despite any 
precautions we take, damage from fire, floods, hurricanes, power loss, telecommunications failures, computer viruses, 
break-ins and similar events at our various computer facilities could result in interruptions in the flow of data to our 
servers.

We also increasingly rely upon server- and Internet-based technologies to run our business and to store our data as 
well as our customers’ data.  The use of such technologies may carry additional cyber-security risks relative to those 
posed by legacy technologies.  Our Internet-based services also depend on our ability and the ability of our customers 
access the Internet. In the event of any difficulties, outages or delays by Internet service providers, we may be impeded 
from providing such services, which may have a material adverse effect on our business and our reputation.

Our results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected if our IS are interrupted, damaged by unforeseen 
events, are subject to cyber-security attacks, or fail for any extended period of time. If our business continuity plans 
do not provide effective alternative processes on a timely basis, we may suffer interruptions in our ability to manage 
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or conduct our operations, which may adversely affect our business. We may need to expend additional resources in 
the future to continue to protect against, or to address problems caused by, any business interruptions or data security 
breaches.

Breaches of information systems security could damage our reputation, disrupt operations, increase costs 
and/or decrease revenues.

We collect and store confidential information from customers so that they may, among other things, purchase products 
or services, use our software or practice management systems, enroll in promotional programs, register on our websites, 
engage in data conversion or otherwise communicate or interact with us. We also acquire and retain information about 
suppliers, employees and others in the normal course of business. We may be unable to protect sensitive data and/
or the integrity of our IS. In addition, compliance with evolving privacy and information security laws and standards 
may result in significant additional expense due to increased investment in technology and the development of new 
operational processes. We could be subject to liability for failure to comply with these laws and standards, failure to 
protect  information,  or  failure  to  respond  appropriately  to  an  incident  or  misuse  of  information,  including  use  of 
information for unauthorized marketing purposes.

The products we sell are subject to market and technological obsolescence; our software products may contain 
undetected errors or bugs when released.

Some of the products we distribute are subject to technological obsolescence outside of our control, since we do not 
manufacture the majority of the products we sell. If our customers discontinue purchasing a given product, we might 
have  to  record  expense  related  to  the  diminution  in  value  of  inventories  we  have  in  stock,  and  depending  on  the 
magnitude, that expense could adversely impact our operating results.

Furthermore,  we  cannot  be  sure  that  we  will  be  successful  in  introducing  and  marketing  new  software,  software 
enhancements, or e-services, or that such software, software enhancements and e-services will be released on time 
or accepted by the market. Our software and applicable e-services products, like software products generally, may 
contain undetected errors or bugs when introduced, or as new versions are released. We cannot be sure that future 
problems with post-release software errors or bugs will not occur. Any such defective software may result in increased 
expenses related to the software and could adversely affect our relationships with the customers using such software, 
as well as our reputation. We do not have any patents on our software or e-services, and rely upon copyright, trademark 
and trade secret laws, as well as contractual and common-law protections. We cannot provide assurance that such 
legal protections will be available or enforceable to protect our software or e-services products.

Volatility in the financial markets could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Volatility and other disruptions in the financial markets could adversely affect the cost and availability of credit to us, 
as well as the cost of, and ability to sell, finance contracts we receive from customers to outside financial institutions. 
Reduced access to capital for our customers limits the amount of investment that they can make in their businesses, 
and with limited investment by the customer, our revenue from equipment sales could be adversely affected.

Our ability to make payments on our debt obligations depends on our performance.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on, or refinance, our debt obligations depends on our operational and financial 
performance, which is subject to general economic, financial market, competitive, regulatory and other conditions and 
the interest rate environment that are beyond our control. If our performance were to suffer, our access to the capital 
necessary to run our business may become limited.

The market price for our common stock may be highly volatile.

The market price for our common stock may be highly volatile. A variety of factors may have a significant impact on 
the market price of our common stock, including, but not limited to:

• 

• 
• 
• 

the publication of earnings estimates or other research reports and speculation in the press or investment 
community;
changes in our industry and competitors;
changes in government, legislation and regulation;
our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and prospects;

26

• 
• 
• 

• 
• 

stock repurchases;
activism by any single large shareholder or combination of shareholders;
any future issuances of our common stock, which may include primary offerings for cash, stock splits, issuances 
in connection with business acquisitions, issuances of restricted stock/units and the grant or exercise of stock 
options from time to time;
general market and economic conditions; and
any outbreak or escalation of hostilities in areas where we do business.

In addition, the Nasdaq Stock Market can experience extreme price and volume fluctuations that can be unrelated or 
disproportionate to the operating performance of the companies listed on Nasdaq. Broad market and industry factors 
may negatively affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of actual operating performance. In the past, 
following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often 
been  instituted  against  companies.  This  type  of  litigation  could  result  in  substantial  costs  and  a  diversion  of 
management’s attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Recent significant changes to our executive leadership team and any future loss of members of such team, 
and the resulting management transitions might harm our future operating results.

We have recently experienced significant changes to our senior leadership team. In June 2017, we announced a 
leadership transition involving our Chief Executive Officer. Following the service of an Interim Chief Executive Officer, 
our board appointed a successor Chief Executive Officer whose employment commenced in November 2017. In March 
2018,  we  announced  a  leadership  transition  involving  our  Chief  Financial  Officer  and  our  board  has  appointed  a 
successor  Chief  Financial  Officer  whose  employment  commenced  in  June  2018.  Furthermore,  Patterson  Dental 
obtained a new President in February 2019. These types of management changes have the potential to disrupt our 
operations  due  to  the  operational  and  administrative  inefficiencies,  added  costs,  decreased  employee  morale, 
uncertainty  and  decreased  productively  among  our  employees,  increased  likelihood  of  turnover,  and  the  loss  of 
personnel with deep institutional knowledge, which could result in significant disruptions to our operations. In addition, 
we must successfully integrate the new executive leadership team members within our organization in order to achieve 
our operating objectives, and changes in key leadership positions may temporarily affect our financial performance 
and results of operations as new leadership becomes familiar with our business.  These changes could increase the 
volatility of our stock price. These changes also increase our dependency on other members of the executive leadership 
team who remain with us. These individuals are not contractually obligated to remain employed by us and may leave 
at any time. Such a departure could be particularly disruptive in light of the recent transitions. In addition, the loss of 
any of these individuals could significantly delay, prevent the achievement of, or make it more difficult for us to pursue 
and execute on our business objectives, and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and 
operating results. If we are unable to mitigate these or other similar risks, our business, results of operations and 
financial condition may be adversely affected.

Our future success depends on our leadership development and succession planning.

Our success depends, in large part, on our ability to recruit skilled personnel and then train our personnel to support 
the long-term growth of our business. While our Board of Directors and management actively monitor our succession 
plans and processes, our business could suffer if we lose key personnel unexpectedly. In addition, competition for 
senior management is intense and we may not be successful in attracting and retaining key personnel.

We may experience significant disruptions in our operations resulting from our enterprise resource planning 
system initiatives.

We depend on our information technology systems and our financial shared services for the efficient functioning of 
our business, including accounting, billing, data storage, purchasing and inventory management. In addition, we have 
implemented an enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system across certain significant operating locations to support 
our operations. The implementation of this ERP system required, and will continue to require, the investment of human 
and financial resources. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional expenses as we continue to 
enhance and develop our ERP system. As a result of our ERP initiatives, we may encounter difficulties in operating 
our business, which could disrupt our operations, including our ability to timely ship and track customer orders, determine 
inventory requirements, manage our supply chain, manage customer billing and otherwise adequately service our 
customers, and lead to increased costs and other difficulties. If we experience significant disruptions resulting from 
our ERP initiatives, we may not be able to repair our systems in an efficient and timely manner. Accordingly, such 

27

events may disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our entire operation and have a material adverse effect on our operating 
results and cash flows.

Our business could be negatively adversely affected as a result of shareholder activism.

We could face adverse consequences as a result of the actions of activist investors. Campaigns by shareholders to 
effect changes at publicly traded companies are sometimes led by investors seeking to increase short-term shareholder 
value through actions such as financial restructuring, increased debt, special dividends, stock repurchases or sales 
of assets or the entire company. Responding to shareholder activism or engaging in a process or proxy contest may 
be  costly  and  time-consuming,  disrupt  our  operations  and  divert  the  attention  of  our  management  team  and  our 
employees from executing our business plan, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We may be required to record a significant charge to earnings if our goodwill or other intangible assets become 
impaired.

Our balance sheet includes goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets. If impairment of our goodwill or other 
identifiable intangible assets is determined, we may be required to record a significant charge to earnings in the period 
of such determination under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Our credit agreement contains restrictive covenants and our other debt instruments contain cross-default 
provisions, which limit our business and financing activities.

In order to fund our financial obligations in connection with the Animal Health International, Inc. acquisition, we entered 
into a credit agreement, which includes customary covenants that impose restrictions on our business and financing 
activities, subject to certain exceptions or the consent of our lenders, including, among other things, limits on our ability 
to incur additional debt, create liens, enter into merger, acquisition and divestiture transactions, pay dividends and 
engage in transactions with affiliates. The credit agreement contains certain customary affirmative covenants, including 
a requirement that we maintain a maximum consolidated leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated interest coverage 
ratio, and customary events of default. Our ability to comply with these covenants may be adversely affected by events 
beyond our control, including economic, financial and industry conditions. A breach of the credit agreement covenants 
may result in an event of default, which could allow our lenders to terminate the commitments under the credit agreement, 
declare all amounts outstanding under the credit agreement (if any), together with accrued interest, to be immediately 
due and payable, and exercise other rights and remedies, and, through cross-default provisions, would entitle our 
other lenders to accelerate their loans. If this occurs, we may not be able to refinance the accelerated indebtedness 
on acceptable terms, or at all, or otherwise repay the accelerated indebtedness.

Audits by tax authorities could result in additional tax payments for prior periods, and tax legislation could 
materially adversely affect our financial results and tax liabilities.

The amount of income taxes we pay is subject to ongoing audits by U.S. federal, state and local tax authorities and 
by non-U.S. tax authorities. If these audits result in assessments different from our reserves, our future results may 
include unfavorable adjustments to our tax liabilities.

We are subject to the tax laws and regulations of the U.S. federal, state and local governments, as well as foreign 
jurisdictions. From time to time, various legislative initiatives may be proposed that could materially adversely affect 
our tax positions. There can be no assurance that our effective tax rate will not be materially adversely affected by 
legislation resulting from these initiatives. In December 2017, the U.S. government enacted legislation referred to as 
the Tax Act, which significantly revises the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The legislation is unclear in 
certain respects and will require the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) to issue regulations and interpretations, 
and possibly technical corrections.  While there can be no assurance as to the impact of any additional guidance by 
the IRS, or of any guidance that may be issued by the SEC or the Financial Accounting Standards Board relating to 
the Tax Act, we have completed our accounting for the law change based on management’s current interpretation of 
the new legislation. 

In addition, tax laws and regulations are extremely complex and subject to varying interpretations. Although we believe 
that our historical tax positions are sound and consistent with applicable laws, regulations and existing precedent, they 
can  be  no  assurance  that  our  tax  positions  will  not  be  challenged  by  relevant  tax  authorities  or  that  we  would  be 
successful in any such challenge.

28

We are exposed to the risk of changes in interest rates.

Our balance sheet includes certain non-current assets that are sensitive to movements in short-term interest rates. 
The variable rates are comprised of both LIBOR and commercial paper rates plus a spread and reset on certain dates, 
as set forth in the respective agreements. In addition, our balance sheet includes fixed rate long-term debt, whose fair 
value could be adversely affected by movements in interest rates. We finance purchases by our customers using 
finance contracts that are issued at fixed interest rates, and sell these contracts under various funding arrangements 
that are priced using variable interest rates. Sudden and dramatic changes in the interest rates within relevant markets 
could  adversely  affect  our  results  of  operations.  In  addition,  changes  in  the  method  of  determining  LIBOR,  or  the 
replacement of LIBOR with an alternative reference rate, may adversely affect interest rates on our current or future 
assets and debt and may otherwise adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our governing documents, other documents to which we are a party, and Minnesota law may discourage 
takeovers and business combinations that our shareholders might consider to be in their best interests.

Anti-takeover provisions of our articles of incorporation, bylaws, and Minnesota law could diminish the opportunity for 
shareholders to participate in acquisition proposals at a price above the then current market price of our common 
stock. For example, while we have no present plans to issue any preferred stock, our Board of Directors, without further 
shareholder approval, may issue up to approximately 30 million shares of undesignated preferred stock and fix the 
powers, preferences, rights and limitations of such class or series, which could adversely affect the voting power of 
our  common  stock.  Further,  as  a  Minnesota  corporation,  we  are  subject  to  provisions  of  the  Minnesota  Business 
Corporation Act, or MBCA, regarding “control share acquisitions” and “business combinations.” We may, in the future, 
consider adopting additional anti-takeover measures. The authority of our Board of Directors to issue undesignated 
preferred stock and the anti-takeover provisions of the MBCA, as well as any future anti-takeover measures adopted 
by us, may, in certain circumstances, delay, deter or prevent takeover attempts and other changes in control of our 
company not approved by our Board of Directors.

In addition, our Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan provides that awards issued under that plan are fully 
vested and all restrictions on the awards lapse in the event of a change in control, as defined in such plan. Additionally, 
our Capital Accumulation Plan provides that on an event of acceleration, as defined in the plan, the restrictions on 
shares of restricted stock lapse and such stock becomes fully vested. An event of acceleration occurs if (a) a person 
has acquired a beneficial ownership interest in 30% or more of the voting power of our company, (b) a tender offer is 
made to acquire 30% or more of our company, (c) a solicitation subject to Rule 14a-11 of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 relating to the election or removal of 50% or more of our Board of Directors occurs, or (d) our shareholders 
approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or sale of our company’s assets. Furthermore, if the surviving 
or acquiring company in a change in control does not assume our company’s outstanding incentive awards or provide 
for their equivalent substitutes, our Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan provides for accelerated 
vesting of incentive awards following a change in control upon the termination of the employee’s service and in certain 
other circumstances, provided such event occurs within two years of a change in control.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

Item 2. PROPERTIES

We own our principal executive offices in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the majority of our distribution facilities. Leases of 
other distribution and administrative facilities generally are on a long-term basis, expiring at various times, with options 
to renew for additional periods. Most sales offices are leased for varying and usually shorter periods, with or without 
renewal options. We believe our properties are in good operating condition and are suitable for the purposes for which 
they are being used.

Patterson Logistics Services

The majority of assets we use to distribute product are owned and operated by Patterson Logistics Services, Inc. 
(“PLSI”), a wholly-owned subsidiary, which operates the distribution function for the benefit of our dental and animal 
health segments in the U.S. PLSI also advises on the operations of our fulfillment centers outside of the U.S., but these 
properties are not owned by PLSI. 

29

As of April 27, 2019, PLSI operated the following 13 fulfillment centers (seven primary centers) totaling 1.0 million 
square feet:

• 

• 

• 

two dental fulfillment centers (Hawaii and Texas);

four animal health fulfillment centers (Alabama, Colorado and Texas (two)); and

seven fulfillment centers that distribute dental and animal health products (California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, 
Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington).

Approximately 90% of the PLSI fulfillment center space is owned.

Dental

The Dental segment is headquartered in our principal executive offices, and maintains sales and administrative offices 
at approximately 59 locations across 39 states in the U.S. and 9 locations in Canada, the majority of which are leased. 
Operations in Canada are supported by fulfillment centers located in Quebec and Alberta.  In addition, this segment 
operates the Patterson Technology Center, a 100,000 square-foot facility in Illinois.

Animal Health

In addition to the locations operated by PLSI, Patterson Animal Health has approximately 100 properties located in 
the U.S., Canada and the U.K., the majority of which are leased.  In the U.S., these properties are in 86 locations 
across 27 states, and comprise fulfillment centers, storage locations, sales and administrative offices, retail stores and 
call  centers.   In  Canada,  operations  are  supported  by  two  fulfillment  centers  located  in Alberta  and  Ontario.  The 
segment’s operations in the U.K. are supported by a primary distribution facility in Stoke-on-Trent and an additional 
nine depots used as secondary distribution points throughout the U.K.  The headquarters for this segment are located 
in a leased office in Colorado.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

In September 2015, we were served with a summons and complaint in an action commenced in the U.S. District Court 
for the Eastern District of New York, entitled SourceOne Dental, Inc. v. Patterson Companies, Inc., Henry Schein, Inc. 
and Benco Dental Supply Company, Civil Action No. 15-CV-05440-JMA-GRB. SourceOne, as plaintiff, alleges that, 
through its website, it markets and sells dental supplies and equipment to dentists. SourceOne alleges in the complaint, 
among other things, that we, along with the defendants Henry Schein and Benco, conspired to eliminate plaintiff as a 
competitor and to exclude them from the market for the marketing, distribution and sale of dental supplies and equipment 
in the U.S. and that defendants unlawfully agreed with one another to boycott dentists, manufacturers, and state dental 
associations that deal with, or considered dealing with, plaintiff. Plaintiff asserts the following claims: (i) unreasonable 
restraint  of  trade  in  violation  of  state  and  federal  antitrust  laws;  (ii) tortious  interference  with  prospective  business 
relations; (iii) civil conspiracy; and (iv) aiding and abetting the other defendants’ ongoing tortious and anticompetitive 
conduct. Plaintiff seeks equitable relief, compensatory and treble damages, jointly and severally, punitive damages, 
interest, and reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees. In June 2017, Henry Schein 
settled with SourceOne and was dismissed from this litigation with prejudice. We are vigorously defending ourselves 
in this litigation. Trial is scheduled to begin on September 16, 2019. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a 
material adverse effect on our financial statements.

Beginning in January 2016, purported antitrust class action complaints were filed against defendants Henry Schein, 
Inc., Benco Dental Supply Company and Patterson Companies, Inc. Although there were factual and legal variations 
among these complaints, each alleged that defendants conspired to foreclose and exclude competitors by boycotting 
manufacturers, state dental associations, and others that deal with defendants’ competitors. On February 9, 2016, the 
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ordered all of these actions, and all other actions filed thereafter 
asserting substantially similar claims against defendants, consolidated for pre-trial purposes. On February 26, 2016, 
a consolidated class action complaint was filed by Arnell Prato, D.D.S., P.L.L.C., d/b/a Down to Earth Dental, Evolution 
Dental Sciences, LLC, Howard M. May, DDS, P.C., Casey Nelson, D.D.S., Jim Peck, D.D.S., Bernard W. Kurek, D.M.D., 
Larchmont Dental Associates, P.C., and Keith Schwartz, D.M.D., P.A. (collectively, “putative class representatives”) in 
the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, entitled In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action 
No. 1:16-CV-00696-BMC-GRB. Subject to certain exclusions, the putative class representatives seek to represent all 
private dental practices and laboratories who purchased dental supplies or equipment in the U.S. directly from any of 
the defendants, during the period beginning August 31, 2008 until March 31, 2016. In the consolidated class action 
complaint, putative class representatives allege a nationwide agreement among Henry Schein, Benco, Patterson and 
non-party Burkhart Dental Supply Company, Inc. not to compete on price. The consolidated class action complaint 
30

asserts  a  single  count  under  Section  1  of  the  Sherman Act,  and  seeks  equitable  relief,  compensatory  and  treble 
damages, jointly and severally, interest, and reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees. 
On September 28, 2018, the parties executed a settlement agreement that proposes, subject to court approval, a full 
and final settlement of the lawsuit on a class-wide basis. Subject to certain exceptions, the settlement class consists 
of all persons or entities that purchased dental products directly from Henry Schein, Patterson, Benco and Burkhart, 
or any combination thereof, during the period August 31, 2008 through and including March 31, 2016. In September 
2018, we signed an agreement to settle the litigation. Under the terms of the settlement, we paid $28.3 million into 
escrow upon preliminary court approval. Such funds are to be released to the settlement fund administrator upon final 
court approval of the settlement, which was granted at the fairness hearing held on June 24, 2019. We recorded a 
pre-tax reserve of $28.3 million in our first quarter 2019 results in our Corporate segment to account for the settlement 
of this matter. 

On August 31, 2012, Archer and White Sales, Inc. (“Archer”) filed a complaint against Henry Schein, Inc. as well as 
Danaher  Corporation  and  its  subsidiaries  Instrumentarium  Dental,  Inc.,  Dental  Equipment,  LLC,  Kavo  Dental 
Technologies, LLC and Dental Imaging Technologies Corporation (collectively, the “Danaher Defendants”) in the United 
States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Civil Action No. 2:12-CV-00572-JRG, styled as an antitrust action 
under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and the Texas Free Enterprise Antitrust Act. Archer alleges a conspiracy between 
Henry Schein, an unnamed company and the Danaher Defendants to terminate or limit Archer’s distribution rights. On 
August 1, 2017, Archer filed an amended complaint, adding Patterson Companies, Inc. and Benco Dental Supply 
Company as defendants, and alleging that Henry Schein, Patterson, Benco and non-defendant Burkhart Dental Supply 
Company, Inc. conspired to pressure and agreed to enlist their common suppliers, including the Danaher Defendants, 
to join a price-fixing conspiracy and boycott by reducing the distribution territory of, and eventually terminating, Archer. 
Archer seeks injunctive relief, and damages in an amount to be proved at trial, to be trebled with interest and costs, 
including attorneys’ fees, jointly and severally. On June 25, 2018, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari 
to review an arbitration issue raised by the Danaher Defendants, thereby continuing the case stay implemented in 
March 2018. On October 29, 2018, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments. On January 8, 2019, the Supreme Court 
issued its published decision vacating the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and remanded 
the case to the Fifth Circuit for further proceedings on a second arbitration issue consistent with the Supreme Court’s 
opinion. The Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments on May 1, 2019. A decision is pending. We are vigorously defending 
ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial 
statements.

On August 17, 2017, IQ Dental Supply, Inc. (“IQ Dental”) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the 
Eastern District of New York, entitled IQ Dental Supply, Inc. v. Henry Schein, Inc., Patterson Companies, Inc. and 
Benco Dental Supply Company, Case No. 2:17-CV-4834. Plaintiff alleges that it is a distributor of dental supplies and 
equipment, and sells dental products through an online dental distribution platform operated by SourceOne Dental, 
Inc. IQ Dental alleges, among other things, that defendants conspired to suppress competition from IQ Dental and 
SourceOne for the marketing, distribution and sale of dental supplies and equipment in the United States, and that 
defendants unlawfully agreed with one another to boycott dentists, manufacturers and state dental associations that 
deal with, or considered dealing with, plaintiff and SourceOne. Plaintiff claims that this alleged conduct constitutes 
unreasonable restraint of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, New York’s Donnelly Act and the New 
Jersey Antitrust Act,  and  also  makes  pendant  state  law  claims  for  tortious  interference  with  prospective  business 
relations, civil conspiracy and aiding and abetting. Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief, compensatory, treble and punitive 
damages, jointly and severally, and reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees. On 
December 21, 2017, the District Court granted defendants motion to dismiss the complaint with prejudice. Plaintiff 
appealed the District Court’s order. On May 10, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal 
of all of IQ Dental's claims but reversed the District Court on dismissal of IQ Dental's direct boycott claims. The case 
was remanded to the District Court to proceed in accordance with that opinion. We are vigorously defending ourselves 
in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.

On February 12, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an administrative complaint entitled In the Matter 
of Benco Dental Supply Co., Henry Schein, Inc., and Patterson Companies, Inc. Docket No. 9379. The administrative 
complaint alleges “reason to believe” that Patterson and the other respondents violated Section 5 of the FTC Act, 15 
U.S.C. § 45 by conspiring to refuse to offer discounted prices or otherwise negotiate with buying groups seeking to 
obtain supply agreements on behalf of groups of solo practitioners or small group dental practices. The administrative 
complaint seeks injunctive relief against Patterson, including an order to cease and desist from the conduct alleged 
in the complaint and a prohibition from conspiring or agreeing with any competitor or any person to refuse to provide 
discounts to or compete for the business of any customer. No money damages are sought. We are vigorously defending 
ourselves against the administrative complaint. The hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge of the FTC in 

31

Washington, D.C. began on October 16, 2018. The factual record closed on February 21, 2019 and post-trial briefing 
ended on June 6, 2019. We do not anticipate this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.

On March 28, 2018, Plymouth County Retirement System (“Plymouth”) filed a federal securities class action complaint 
against Patterson Companies, Inc. and its former CEO Scott P. Anderson and former CFO Ann B. Gugino in the U.S. 
District  Court  for  the  District  of  Minnesota  in  a  case  captioned  Plymouth  County  Retirement  System  v.  Patterson 
Companies, Inc., Scott P. Anderson and Ann B. Gugino, Case No. 0:18-cv-00871 MJD/SER. On November 9, 2018, 
the complaint was amended to add former CEO James W. Wiltz and former CFO R. Stephen Armstrong as individual 
defendants.  Under the amended complaint, on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased or otherwise acquired 
Patterson’s common stock between June 26, 2013 and February 28, 2018, Plymouth alleges that Patterson violated 
federal  securities  laws  by  failing  to  disclose  that  Patterson’s  revenue  and  earnings  were  “artificially  inflated  by 
Defendants’ illicit, anti-competitive scheme with its purported competitors, Benco and Schein, to prevent the formation 
of  buying  groups  that  would  allow  its  customers  who  were  office-based  practitioners  to  take  advantage  of  pricing 
arrangements  identical  or  comparable  to  those  enjoyed  by  large-group  customers.”  In  its  class  action  complaint, 
Plymouth asserts one count against Patterson for violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 
Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and a second, related count against the individual defendants for violating Section 
20(a) of the Exchange Act.  Plymouth seeks compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and reasonable 
attorneys’  fees  and  experts’  witness  fees  and  costs.   On August  30,  2018,  Gwinnett  County  Public  Employees 
Retirement System and Plymouth County Retirement System, Pembroke Pines Pension Fund for Firefighters and 
Police  Officers,  Central  Laborers  Pension  Fund  were  appointed  lead  plaintiffs.  While  the  outcome  of  litigation  is 
inherently  uncertain,  we  believe  that  the  class  action  complaint  is  without  merit,  and  we  are  vigorously  defending 
ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial 
statements. Patterson has also received, and responded to, requests under Minnesota Business Corporation Act § 
302A.461 to inspect corporate books and records relating to the issues raised in the securities class action and the 
antitrust matters discussed above.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia informed us that 
our  subsidiary,  Animal  Health  International,  Inc.,  has  been  designated  a  target  of  a  criminal  investigation.  The 
investigation originally related to Animal Health International sales of prescription animal health products to certain 
persons and/or locations not licensed to receive them in Virginia and Tennessee in violation of federal and state laws. 
After being contacted by the U.S. Attorney's office, Patterson retained outside legal counsel and began an internal 
investigation which remains ongoing. Since that time, we have produced documents both responsive to grand jury 
subpoenas and voluntarily. In December 2018, as a result of our ongoing internal investigation, we voluntarily advised 
the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Animal Health International shipments of prescription animal health products that were 
made from a warehouse rather than a pharmacy to customers in the states of Virginia and Tennessee. Thereafter, as 
part  of  our  ongoing  internal  investigation,  we  conducted  a  comprehensive  review  of Animal  Health  International’s 
distribution and licensing practices across all 50 U.S. states. That review identified compliance issues in additional 
states,  which  we  voluntarily  disclosed  to  the  U.S. Attorney’s  Office  in April  2019.  Our  Board  of  Directors  also  has 
established  a  special  investigation  committee  to  oversee  and  continue  the  investigation,  to  review  our  licensing, 
dispensing, distribution and related sales practices company-wide, and to report on its findings to the Board and to 
the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As a result of the ongoing internal investigation, we have modified our licensing, dispensing, 
distribution and related sales processes and are continuing to evaluate the need for further modification. We continue 
to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and have agreed to extend the existing tolling agreement. At this time, we 
are unable to make an estimate of the amount of loss, or range of possible loss, that we could incur as a result of the 
foregoing matter. This matter may divert management’s attention and cause us to suffer reputational harm. We also 
may be subject to fines or penalties, equitable remedies (including but not limited to the revocation of or non-renewal 
of licenses) and litigation. The occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition 
and results of operations.

On August 28, 2018, Kirsten Johnsen filed a stockholder derivative complaint against Patterson Companies, Inc., as 
a nominal defendant, and the following former and current officers and directors of Patterson:  Scott Anderson, Ann 
Gugino,  James  Wiltz,  John  Buck,  Jody  Feragen,  Ellen  Rudnick,  Les  Vinney,  Neil  Schrimsher,  Sarena  Lin,  Harold 
Slavkin, Alex Blanco and Mark Walchirk as individual defendants in Hennepin County District Court in a case captioned 
Kirsten Johnsen v. Scott P. Anderson et al., Case No. 27-CV-18-14315.  Derivatively on behalf of Patterson, plaintiff 
alleges that Patterson “suppressed price competition and maintained supracompetitive prices for dental supplies and 
equipment  by  entering  into  agreements  with  Henry  Schein  and  Benco  to:   (i)  fix  margins  for  dental  supplies  and 
equipment;  and  (ii)  block  the  entry  and  expansion  of  lower-margin,  lower-priced,  rival  dental  distributors  through 
threatened  and  actual  group  boycotts.”   Plaintiff  further  alleges  that  the  individual  defendants  failed  to  disclose 
Patterson’s alleged “price-fixing scheme” to the public and purportedly “caused Patterson to repurchase over $412.8 

32

million worth of its own stock at artificially inflated prices.”  In the derivative complaint, plaintiff asserts three counts 
against  the  individual  defendants  for:   (i)  breach  of  fiduciary  duty;  (ii)  waste  of  corporate  assets;  and  (iii)  unjust 
enrichment.   Plaintiff  seeks  compensatory  damages,  equitable  and  injunctive  relief  as  permitted  by  law,  costs, 
disbursements and reasonable attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees and experts’ fees, costs and expenses, and an order 
awarding restitution from the individual defendants and directing Patterson “to take all necessary actions to reform 
and improve its corporate governance and internal procedures.”  On February 19, 2019, the court ordered this litigation 
stayed pending resolution of the below-described case brought by Sally Pemberton. While the outcome of litigation is 
inherently uncertain, we believe that the derivative complaint is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend 
ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial 
statements.

On October 1, 2018, Sally Pemberton filed a stockholder derivative complaint against Patterson Companies, Inc., as 
a nominal defendant, and the following former and current officers and directors of Patterson:  Scott Anderson, Ann 
Gugino,  Mark  Walchirk,  John  Buck, Alex  Blanco,  Jody  Feragen,  Sarena  Lin,  Ellen  Rudnick,  Neil  Schrimsher,  Les 
Vinney, James Wiltz, Paul Guggenheim, David Misiak and Tim Rogan as individual defendants in the United States 
District Court for the District of Minnesota in a case captioned Sally Pemberton v. Scott P. Anderson, et al., Case No. 
18-CV-2818 (PJS/HB).  Derivatively on behalf of Patterson, plaintiff alleges that Patterson, with Benco and Henry 
Schein, “engage[d] in a conspiracy in restraint of trade, whereby the companies agreed to refuse to offer discounted 
prices or otherwise negotiate with GPOs, agreed to fix margins on dental supplies and equipment, agreed not to poach 
one another’s customers or sales representatives, and agreed to block the entry and expansion of rival distributors.  
Plaintiff further alleges that the individual defendants failed to disclose Patterson’s alleged “antitrust misconduct” to 
the public and purportedly caused Patterson to repurchase $412.8 million of its own stock at prices that were artificially 
inflated.  In the derivative complaint, plaintiff asserts six counts against the individual defendants for: (i) breach of 
fiduciary duty; (ii) waste of corporate assets; (iii) unjust enrichment; (iv) violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange 
Act; (v) violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act and (vi) violations of Section 20(a) of the 
Exchange  Act.   Plaintiff  seeks  compensatory  damages  with  pre-judgment  and  post-judgment  interest,  costs, 
disbursements and reasonable attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees, costs and expenses, and an order awarding restitution 
from the individual defendants and directing Patterson “to take all necessary actions to reform and improve its corporate 
governance  and  internal  procedures.”    While  the  outcome  of  litigation  is  inherently  uncertain,  we  believe  that  the 
derivative complaint is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate 
that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.

On October 9, 2018, Nathaniel Kramer filed indirect purchaser litigation against Patterson Companies, Inc., Henry 
Schein, Inc. and Benco Dental Supply Company in the United States District Court for the District of Northern District 
of California. The purported class action complaint asserts violations of the California Cartwright Act and the California 
Unfair Competition Act based on an alleged agreement between Schein, Benco, and Patterson (and unnamed co-
conspirators) not to compete as to price and margins. Plaintiff alleges that the agreement allowed the defendants to 
charge higher prices to dental practices for dental supplies and that the dental practices passed on all, or part of, the 
increased prices to the consumers of dental services. Subject to certain exclusions, the complaint defines the class 
as all persons residing in California purchasing and/or reimbursing for dental services from California dental practices. 
The complaint seeks a permanent injunction, actual damages to be determined at trial, trebled, reasonable attorneys’ 
fees and costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest. On December 7, 2018, an amended complaint was filed asserting 
the same claims against the same parties. While the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, we believe that the 
indirect purchaser action is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation.

On January 29, 2019, a purported class action complaint was filed by R. Lawrence Hatchett, M.D. against Patterson 
Companies, Inc., Henry Schein, Inc., Benco Dental Supply Company, and unnamed co-conspirators in the U.S. District 
Court for the Southern District of Illinois.  The complaint alleges that members of the proposed class suffered antitrust 
injury  due  to  an  unlawful  boycott,  price-fixing  or  otherwise  anticompetitive  conspiracy  among  Schein,  Benco  and 
Patterson. The complaint alleges that the alleged conspiracy overcharged Illinois dental practices, orthodontic practices 
and dental laboratories on their purchase of dental supplies, which in turn passed on some or all of such overcharges 
to members of the class. Subject to certain exclusions, the complaint defines the class as all persons residing in Illinois 
purchasing and/or reimbursing for dental care provided by independent Illinois dental practices purchasing dental 
supplies from the defendants, or purchasing from buying groups purchasing these supplies from the defendants, on 
or after January 29, 2015. The complaint alleges violations of the Illinois Antitrust Act, 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§ 10/3(2), 
10/7(2), and seeks a permanent injunction, actual damages to be determined at trial, trebled, reasonable attorneys’ 
fees and costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest. While the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, we believe 
that the indirect purchaser action is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation.

33

In December 2017, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated numerous cases filed against 
an array of defendants by various plaintiffs such as counties, cities, hospitals, Indian tribes and others, alleging claims 
generally concerning the impacts of widespread opioid abuse. The consolidated multidistrict litigation, captioned In re 
National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804 (the “MDL”), is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern 
District of Ohio. On July 12, 2018, Bon Secours Health System, Inc., Bon Secours- Richmond Community Hospital, 
Incorporated, Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Inc., Bon Secours- Memorial Regional Medical Center, Inc., Bon 
Secours- St. Francis Medical Center, Inc., Bon Secours- St. Mary’s Hospital of Richmond, Inc., Bon Secours- Virginia 
Healthsource, Inc., Chesapeake Hospital Corporation, Mary Immaculate Hospital, Incorporated and Maryview Hospital 
(collectively, the “MDL Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint in the MDL against 26 manufacturers and wholesale distributors of 
prescription opiates (the “MDL Defendants”) alleging that the MDL Defendants improperly marketed, sold or distributed 
prescription opiates. The MDL Plaintiffs’ complaint alleges violations of federal RICO statutes, violations of the Virginia 
Consumer Protections Act, negligence, negligence per se, wantonness, recklessness, and gross negligence, fraud 
and public nuisance. The MDL Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, the imposition of civil penalties, monetary damages, 
punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorneys’ fees and costs. Neither Patterson nor any of its 
subsidiaries were named as MDL Defendants in the original complaint. On March 15, 2019, the MDL Plaintiffs amended 
and supplemented their complaint to assert violations of federal RICO statutes against 67 manufacturers and wholesale 
distributors  of  prescription  opiates  (the  “Amended  MDL  Defendants”).  Two  of  Patterson’s  subsidiaries,  Patterson 
Logistics Services, Inc. and Patterson Veterinary Supply, Inc., are named as Amended MDL Defendants. The MDL 
Plaintiffs allege that the Amended MDL Defendants “breached their legal duties under federal law to monitor, detect, 
investigate, refuse and report suspicious orders of prescription opiates.” While the outcome of litigation is inherently 
uncertain, we believe that the MDL Plaintiffs’ claims against Patterson Logistics Services, Inc. and Patterson Veterinary 
Supply, Inc. are without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation.

While management currently believes that resolving the foregoing matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not 
have a material adverse effect on our financial statements, the litigation and other claims noted above are subject to 
inherent uncertainties and management’s view of these matters may change in the future.  Adverse outcomes in some 
or all of the claims pending against us may result in significant monetary damages or injunctive relief against us that 
could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business.  There also exists the possibility of a material adverse effect 
on our financial statements for the period in which the effect of an unfavorable final outcome becomes probable and 
reasonably estimable.

From time to time, we may become a party to other legal proceedings, including, without limitation, product liability 
claims,  intellectual  property  claims,  employment  matters,  commercial  disputes,  governmental  inquiries  and 
investigations (which may in some cases involve our entering into settlement arrangements or consent decrees), and 
other matters arising out of the ordinary course of our business. While the results of any legal proceeding cannot be 
predicted with certainty, in our opinion none of these other pending matters is anticipated to have a material adverse 
effect on our financial statements.

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

34

PART II

Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER 
PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market Information
Patterson’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market® under the symbol “PDCO.”

Holders

On June 18, 2019, the number of holders on record of common stock was 1,809. The transfer agent for Patterson’s 
common stock is EQ Shareowner Services, 1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101, Mendota Heights, Minnesota, 55120, 
telephone: (800) 468-9716.

Dividends

In fiscal 2019, a quarterly cash dividend of $0.26 per share was paid throughout the year. We expect to continue to 
pay a quarterly cash dividend for the foreseeable future; however, the payment of dividends is within the discretion of 
our Board of Directors and will depend upon our earnings, capital requirements, operating results and financial condition 
among other factors. We are also subject to various financial covenants under our debt agreements including the 
maintenance of leverage and interest coverage ratios.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

For information relating to securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans, see Part III, Item 12.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer

On March 13, 2018, the Board of Directors authorized a $500 million share repurchase program through March 13, 
2021. No shares were repurchased under the stock repurchase plan during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.

Performance Graph

The graph below compares the cumulative total shareholder return on $100 invested at the market close on April 26, 
2014, through April 27, 2019, with the cumulative return over the same time period on the same amount invested in 
the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Healthcare Index.

35

Patterson Companies, Inc.
S&P 500
S&P 500 Healthcare Index

Fiscal Year Ending

4/26/2014

4/25/2015

4/30/2016

4/29/2017

4/28/2018

4/27/2019

100.00
100.00
100.00

119.99
115.98
131.55

110.09
115.62
125.46

115.48
136.33
138.12

63.64
155.69
155.63

61.44
135.25
168.77

36

Item 6. SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

April 27, 2019 (1)

April 28, 2018 (2)

Fiscal Year Ended
April 29, 2017 (3)

April 30, 2016 (4)

April 25, 2015

Statement of Income Data:
Net sales
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Operating income
Other expense, net
Income from continuing operations
before taxes
Income tax expense (benefit)
Net income from continuing
operations

Net income (loss) from discontinued
operations

Net income
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling
interests

Net income attributable to Patterson
Companies, Inc.

Diluted earnings (loss) per share
attributable to Patterson Companies,
Inc.:

Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Net diluted earnings per share
Weighted average shares - diluted

Dividends per common share
Balance Sheet Data:
Working capital
Total assets
Total long-term debt
Stockholders’ equity

$ 5,574,523 $ 5,465,683 $ 5,593,127 $ 5,386,703 $ 3,910,865
2,850,316
1,060,549
755,963
304,586
(30,268)

4,383,748
1,190,775
1,053,059
137,716
(31,488)

4,266,317
1,199,366
979,477
219,889
(40,626)

4,291,730
1,301,397
1,013,469
287,928
(37,047)

4,063,955
1,322,748
975,035
347,713
(46,020)

106,228
23,352

179,263
(21,711)

250,881
77,093

301,693
116,009

274,318
94,235

82,876

200,974

173,788

185,684

180,083

—
82,876

—
200,974

(2,895)
170,893

1,500
187,184

43,178
223,261

(752)

—

—

—

—

83,628 $

200,974 $

170,893 $

187,184 $

223,261

0.89 $
—
0.89 $

2.16 $
—
2.16 $

1.82 $
(0.03)
1.79 $

1.90 $
0.01
1.91 $

93,484

93,094

95,567

97,902

1.04 $

1.04 $

0.98 $

0.90 $

1.81
0.43
2.24
99,694
0.82

728,651 $

864,343 $

899,662 $

918,206 $

3,269,269
725,341
1,480,507

3,471,664
922,030
1,461,790

3,507,913
998,272
1,394,433

3,520,804
1,022,155
1,441,746

995,540
2,945,248
722,542
1,514,123

$

$

$

$

$

See the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. 

(1)  Fiscal 2019 operating expenses include a pre-tax charge of $28.3 million related to a litigation settlement. See 

Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

(2)  Fiscal  2018  includes  a  provisional  discrete  net  tax  benefit  of $76.6  million  related  to  the  enactment  of 
comprehensive tax legislation by the U.S. government. See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
for additional information.

(4) 

(3)  Fiscal 2017 operating expenses include a pre-tax non-cash impairment charge of $36.3 million, or $23.0 million 
after  taxes  or  $0.24  per  diluted  share.  See  Note  4  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  additional 
information.
In June 2015, we acquired Animal Health International, Inc. Prior to our acquisition, Animal Health International, 
Inc. generated sales and earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of $1.5 billion 
and $68 million, respectively, during the 12 months ended March 2015. In connection with this acquisition, we 
incurred pre-tax transaction costs of $13.7 million, or $0.11 per diluted share. Also in fiscal 2016, we approved 
a one-time repatriation of approximately $200.0 million of foreign earnings. This one-time repatriation reduced 
the overall cost of funding the acquisition of Animal Health International, Inc. In addition, certain foreign cash at 
Patterson  Medical  was  required  to  be  repatriated  as  part  of  the  sale  of  Patterson  Medical.  The  continuing 
operations tax impact of $12.3 million from the repatriation was recorded during fiscal 2016.

37

 
 
Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF 
OPERATIONS

Overview

Our  financial  information  for  fiscal  2019  is  summarized  in  this  Management’s  Discussion  and Analysis  and  the 
Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes. The following background is provided to readers to assist in 
the review of our financial information.

We present three reportable segments: Dental, Animal Health and Corporate. Dental and Animal Health are strategic 
business units that offer similar products and services to different customer bases. Dental provides a virtually complete 
range of consumable dental products, equipment and software, turnkey digital solutions and value-added services to 
dentists and dental laboratories throughout North America. Animal Health is a leading, full-line distributor in North 
America  and  the  U.K.  of  animal  health  products,  services  and  technologies  to  both  the  production-animal  and 
companion-pet markets. Our Corporate segment is comprised of general and administrative expenses, including home 
office support costs in areas such as information technology, finance, legal, human resources and facilities. In addition, 
customer financing and other miscellaneous sales are reported within Corporate results.

Operating margins of the animal health business are considerably lower than the dental business. While operating 
expenses run at a lower rate in the animal health business when compared to the dental business, gross margins in 
the  animal  health  business  are  substantially  lower  due  generally  to  the  low  margins  experienced  on  the  sale  of 
pharmaceutical products.

We operate with a 52-53 week accounting convention with our fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in April. Fiscal 
2019, 2018 and 2017 ended on April 27, 2019, April 28, 2018 and April 29, 2017, respectively, and all years consisted 
of 52 weeks. Fiscal 2020 will end on April 25, 2019 and will consist of 52 weeks.

We believe there are several important aspects of our business that are useful in analyzing it, including: (1) growth in 
the various markets in which we operate; (2) internal growth; (3) growth through acquisition; and (4) continued focus 
on controlling costs and enhancing efficiency. Management defines internal growth as the increase in net sales from 
period to period, adjusting for differences in the number of weeks in fiscal years, excluding the impact of changes in 
currency exchange rates, and excluding the net sales, for a period of twelve months following the transaction date, of 
businesses we have acquired.

FACTORS AFFECTING OUR RESULTS

Intangible Asset Impairment. In fiscal 2006, we extended our exclusive North American distribution relationship with 
Sirona for its CEREC 3D dental restorative system. At that time, we paid a $100.0 million distribution fee to extend the 
existing exclusive relationship for at least a 10-year period beginning in 2007. This distribution fee was accounted for 
as an intangible asset and began amortizing in 2007. Based on our November 2016 decision not to extend sales 
exclusivity for the full Sirona portfolio of products, we recorded a pre-tax non-cash impairment charge of $36.3 million, 
or $23.0 million after taxes or $0.24 per diluted share in our Dental segment in fiscal 2017, related to the distribution 
fee associated with the CEREC product component of this arrangement. 

U.S. Tax Reform. On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly 
referred to as the Tax Act. The Tax Act significantly revised the future ongoing U.S. federal corporate income tax by, 
among  other  things,  lowering  U.S.  federal  corporate  tax  rates  and  implementing  a  territorial  tax  system.  Effective 
January 1, 2018, the Tax Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0%. For our fiscal year 
ending April 28, 2018, we utilized a blended rate of approximately 30.5%. For fiscal 2018, these impacts resulted in a 
provisional discrete net tax benefit of $76.6 million, which included provisional amounts of $81.9 million of tax benefit 
on U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities, $4.0 million of tax expense for a one-time transition tax on unremitted foreign 
earnings and $1.2 million in withholding taxes paid on current year distributions.

Receivables Securitization Program. On July 24, 2018, we entered into a receivables purchase agreement with 
MUFG Bank, Ltd. ("MUFG"). Under this agreement, MUFG acts as an agent to facilitate the sale of certain Patterson 
receivables (the “Receivables”) to certain unaffiliated financial institutions (the “Purchasers”).

The proceeds from the sale of these Receivables comprise a combination of cash and a deferred purchase price 
(“DPP”) receivable. The initial transaction was a sale of $237.6 million of net receivables. From this sale, we received 
$171.0 million of cash and a DPP receivable with a fair value of $65.9 million. In addition, we recorded a loss of $0.7 
million as a result of this transaction. The proceeds from the initial sale were primarily used to reduce debt. 

38

The DPP receivable is ultimately realized by Patterson following the collection of the underlying Receivables sold to 
the Purchasers. The collection of the DPP receivable is recognized as an increase to net cash provided by investing 
activities within the consolidated statements of cash flows, with a corresponding reduction to net cash provided by 
operating activities within the consolidated statements of cash flows.

Legal Reserve. In September 2018, we signed an agreement to settle the litigation entitled In re Dental Supplies 
Antitrust Litigation. Under the terms of the settlement, we paid $28.3 million into escrow upon preliminary court approval. 
Such funds are to be released to the settlement fund administrator upon final court approval of the settlement, which 
was granted at the fairness hearing held on June 24, 2019. We established a pre-tax reserve of $28.3 million ("Legal 
Reserve") during the first quarter of fiscal 2019 to account for the settlement of this matter.

Results of Operations

The following table summarizes our results as a percent of net sales:

Net sales
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Operating income from continuing operations
Other income (expense)
Income from continuing operations before taxes
Income tax expense (benefit)
Net income from continuing operations
Net loss from discontinued operations
Net income
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net income attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc.

Fiscal 2019 Compared to Fiscal 2018 

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

100.0%
78.6
21.4
18.9
2.5
(0.6)
1.9
0.4
1.5
—
1.5
—
1.5%

100.0%
78.1
21.9
17.9
4.0
(0.7)
3.3
(0.4)
3.7
—
3.7
—
3.7%

100.0%
76.7
23.3
18.2
5.1
(0.6)
4.5
1.4
3.1
(0.1)
3.1
—
3.1%

Net sales. Consolidated net sales in fiscal 2019 were $5,574.5 million, an increase of 2.0% from $5,465.7 million in 
fiscal 2018. Foreign exchange rate changes had an unfavorable impact of 0.4% on fiscal 2019 sales.

Dental segment sales decreased 0.2% to $2,191.8 million in fiscal 2019 from $2,196.1 million in fiscal 2018. Foreign 
exchange rate changes had an unfavorable impact of 0.2% on fiscal 2019 sales. Sales of consumables decreased 
2.9%, sales of equipment and software increased 5.2%, and sales of other services and products decreased 0.7% in 
fiscal 2019. The decrease in sales of consumables was mainly due to changes in our sales force and disruptions 
resulting from our ERP system initiatives.

Animal Health segment sales grew 3.5% to $3,354.5 million in fiscal 2019 from $3,242.6 million in fiscal 2018. Foreign 
exchange rate changes had an unfavorable impact of 0.6% on fiscal 2019 sales. Sales of certain products previously 
recognized  on  a  gross  basis  were  recognized  on  a  net  basis  during  fiscal  2019,  resulting  in  an  estimated  0.3% 
unfavorable impact to sales.

Gross profit. Consolidated gross profit margin decreased 50 basis points from the prior year to 21.4%.  Gross profit 
margin rates decreased in both the Dental and Animal Health segment. A greater percentage of sales came from our 
lower margin Animal Health segment during fiscal 2019, resulting in a lower consolidated gross profit margin rate. 
Unfavorable sales mix, pricing pressure at the point of sale and inventory adjustments in both our Dental and Animal 
Health segment also contributed to the decline in the consolidated gross profit margin rate.

Operating expenses. Consolidated operating expenses for fiscal 2019 were $1,053.1 million, a 7.5% increase from 
the prior year of $979.5 million. We incurred higher operating expenses during fiscal 2019 primarily as a result of the 
$28.3 million Legal Reserve, higher personnel costs and higher professional services expenses. The consolidated 
operating expense ratio of 18.9% increased 100 basis points from the prior year due to these same factors. 

39

 
 
Operating income from continuing operations. Operating income from continuing operations was $137.7 million, 
or 2.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2019, compared to $219.9 million, or 4.0% of sales, in fiscal 2018. The decrease in 
operating income from continuing operations was primarily driven by higher operating expenses. The decrease in 
operating income from continuing operations as a percent of net sales was also driven by higher operating expenses. 
In addition, a greater percentage of sales came from our lower margin Animal Health segment during fiscal 2019, 
which reduced operating income from continuing operations as a percent of net sales.

Dental segment operating income was $179.2 million for fiscal 2019, a decrease of $50.0 million from fiscal 2018. The 
decrease was driven primarily by lower gross profit and higher personnel costs.

Animal Health segment operating income was $81.5 million for fiscal 2019, an increase of $3.4 million from fiscal 2018. 
The increase was primarily due to higher sales, partially offset by a lower gross profit margin rate and higher personnel 
costs.

Corporate segment operating loss was $123.0 million for fiscal 2019, as compared to a loss of $87.4 million for fiscal 
2018. The change was driven primarily by the $28.3 million Legal Reserve, as well as higher professional services 
expenses.

Other income (expense), net. Net other expense was $31.5 million in fiscal 2019, compared to $40.6 million in fiscal 
2018. Net other expense was lower during fiscal 2019 due to lower interest expense, which was primarily driven by 
the retirement of $249.5 million of long-term debt during fiscal 2019.

Income tax expense (benefit).  The effective income tax rate was 22.0% in fiscal 2019 and (12.1)% in fiscal 2018. 
The tax benefit in fiscal 2018 was primarily due to the impact of the Tax Act. 

Net income attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc. and earnings per share. Net income attributable to Patterson 
Companies Inc. was $83.6 million in fiscal 2019, compared to $201.0 million in fiscal 2018. Earnings per diluted share 
were $0.89 in fiscal 2019, compared to $2.16 in fiscal 2018. Weighted average diluted shares in fiscal 2019 were 
93,484,000, compared to 93,094,000 in fiscal 2018.  The fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018 cash dividend was $1.04 per 
common share.

Fiscal 2018 Compared to Fiscal 2017

See Item 7 in our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed June 27, 2018.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Patterson’s operating cash flow has been a source of liquidity in the last three fiscal years.  During each of these fiscal 
years, we used our revolving credit facility as a source of liquidity in addition to operating cash flow.  Net cash provided 
by operating activities was $48.2 million in fiscal 2019, compared to $178.9 million in fiscal 2018 and $162.7 million
in fiscal 2017.  The net cash provided by operating activities in fiscal 2019 was primarily driven by a reduction in working 
capital, partially offset by the impact of our Receivables Securitization Program. In fiscal 2018 and 2017, our cash 
flows from operating activities were primarily driven by net income from continuing operations.

Net cash flows provided by investing activities were $340.7 million in fiscal 2019, compared to net cash flows provided 
by investing activities of $17.0 million in fiscal 2018 and net cash flows used in investing activities of $1.2 million in 
fiscal 2017. Collections of deferred purchase price receivables were $402.4 million, $49.7 million and $51.4 million in 
fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Capital expenditures were $60.7 million, $43.3 million and $47.0 million in 
fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Capital expenditures in fiscal 2019 included a $14.9 million investment to 
convert  leased  property  into  owned  property.  We  expect  to  use  a  total  of  approximately  $60  million  for  capital 
expenditures in fiscal 2020. 

Net cash used in financing activities in fiscal 2019 was $355.2 million. Uses of cash consisted primarily of $249.5 
million for the retirement of long-term debt and $99.5 million for dividend payments. Net cash used in financing activities 
in fiscal 2018 was $230.2 million. Uses of cash consisted primarily of $164.8 million for the retirement of long-term 
debt, $99.2 million for dividend payments and $87.5 million for share repurchases. In March 2018, we issued fixed-
rate senior notes with an aggregate principal amount of $150.0 million, due fiscal 2028. The proceeds were used to 
repay $150.0 million of senior notes that came due in March 2018, which is included in the $164.8 million of debt 
retirement noted above. 

40

Net cash used in financing activities in fiscal 2017 was $202.2 million. Uses of cash consisted primarily of $125.4 
million for share repurchases and $95.9 million for dividend payments. 

We expect to continue to pay a quarterly cash dividend for the foreseeable future. We also have $24.0 million of current 
maturities of long-term debt.

In fiscal 2017, we entered into an amended credit agreement (“Amended Credit Agreement”), consisting of a $295.1 
million term loan and a $750 million revolving line of credit. In March 2019, we permanently reduced the capacity under 
the revolving line of credit to $500 million. Interest on borrowings is variable and is determined as a base rate plus a 
spread. This spread, as well as a commitment fee on the unused portion of the facility, is based on our leverage ratio, 
as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement. The term loan and revolving credit facilities will mature no later than 
January 2022.

As  of April 27,  2019,  $87.1  million  of  the Amended  Credit Agreement  unsecured  term  loan  was  outstanding  at  an 
interest rate of 3.73%, and no amount was outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement revolving line of credit. 
At April 28, 2018, $276.6 million of the Amended Credit Agreement unsecured term loan was outstanding at an interest 
rate of 3.40%, and $16.0 million was outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement revolving line of credit at an 
interest rate of 2.95%. 

On March 13, 2018, the Board of Directors authorized a $500 million share repurchase program through March 13, 
2021. As of April 27, 2019, $500 million remains available under the current repurchase authorization.

We have $95.6 million in cash and cash equivalents as of April 27, 2019, of which $44.9 million is in foreign bank 
accounts. See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding our intention to 
permanently reinvest these funds. Included in cash and cash equivalents as of April 27, 2019 is $34.0 million of cash 
collected from previously sold customer financing arrangements that have not yet been settled with the third party. 
See  Note  8  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  further  information.  We  expect  funds  generated  from 
operations, existing cash balances and credit availability under existing debt facilities will be sufficient to meet our 
working capital needs and to finance anticipated expansion plans and strategic initiatives over the next fiscal year.  

We expect to continue to obtain liquidity from the sale of equipment finance contracts.  Patterson sells a significant 
portion of our finance contracts (see below) to a commercial paper funded conduit managed by a third party bank, and 
as  a  result,  commercial  paper  is  indirectly  an  important  source  of  liquidity  for  Patterson.    Patterson  is  allowed  to 
participate in the conduit due to the quality of our finance contracts and our financial strength.  Cash flows could be 
impaired if our financial strength diminishes to a level that precluded us from taking part in this facility or other similar 
facilities.  Also, market conditions outside of our control could adversely affect the ability for us to sell the contracts.  

Customer Financing Arrangements

As a convenience to our customers, we offer several different financing alternatives, including a third party program 
and a Patterson-sponsored program. For the third party program, we act as a facilitator between the customer and 
the third party financing entity with no on-going involvement in the financing transaction. Under the Patterson-sponsored 
program, equipment purchased by creditworthy customers may be financed up to a maximum of $1 million. We generally 
sell our customers’ financing contracts to outside financial institutions in the normal course of our business. We currently 
have two arrangements under which we sell these contracts.

First, we operate under an agreement to sell a portion of our equipment finance contracts to commercial paper conduits 
with MUFG Bank, Ltd. ("MUFG") serving as the agent. We utilize PDC Funding, a consolidated, wholly owned subsidiary, 
to fulfill a requirement of participating in the commercial paper conduit. We receive the proceeds of the contracts upon 
sale to MUFG. The capacity under the agreement with MUFG at April 27, 2019 was $525 million.

Second, we maintain an agreement with Fifth Third Bank ("Fifth Third") whereby Fifth Third purchases customers’ 
financing contracts. PDC Funding II, a consolidated, wholly owned subsidiary, sells financing contracts to Fifth Third. 
We receive the proceeds of the contracts upon sale to Fifth Third. The capacity under the agreement with Fifth Third 
at April 27, 2019 was $100 million.

Our financing business is described in further detail in Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. 

41

Contractual Obligations

A summary of our contractual obligations as of April 27, 2019 follows (in thousands):

Long-term debt principal
Long-term debt interest
Operating leases
Total

Payments due by year

$

Total
752,091 $
145,677
65,507

$

963,275 $

Less than
1 year

23,975 $
27,052
21,087
72,114 $

1-3 years

3-5 years

228,116 $

100,000 $

50,841
30,620

36,282
12,324

309,577 $

148,606 $

More than
5 years
400,000
31,502
1,476
432,978

As of April 27, 2019 our gross liability for uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, was $15.0 million.  
We are not able to reasonably estimate the amount by which the liability will increase or decrease over an extended 
period  of  time  or  whether  a  cash  settlement  of  the  liability  will  be  required. Therefore,  these  amounts  have  been 
excluded from the schedule of contractual obligations. 

For a more complete description of our contractual obligations, see Notes 7 and 11 to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements.

Outlook

Our fiscal 2019 performance demonstrates that the execution against our strategic priorities has enabled us to achieve 
our objective of stabilizing our core business. Following a successful first year of our multi-year plan, we are well 
positioned to build upon our performance going forward.

We believe we can deliver continued sales and margin improvement in both our Dental and Animal Health segments. 
We also plan continued additional strategic investments in our people, technology and systems that will contribute to 
our long-term success. Our outlook reflects our strong conviction in the fundamentals of our business, our compelling 
value proposition to customers, and continued execution to further improve performance and drive growth.

Working Capital Management

The following table summarizes our average accounts receivable days sales outstanding and average annual inventory 
turnover for the past three fiscal years:

Days sales outstanding
Inventory turnover

Foreign Operations

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27, 2019
36.5
5.3

April 28, 2018
53.1
5.2

April 29, 2017
55.1
6.0

We derive foreign sales from Dental operations in Canada, and Animal Health operations in Canada and the U.K.  
Fluctuations in currency exchange rates have not significantly impacted earnings, as these fluctuations impact sales, 
cost of sales and operating expenses.  However, changes in exchange rates adversely affected net sales by $24.3 
million and $89.9 million in fiscal 2019 and 2017, respectively, while they positively impacted net sales by $29.5 million 
in fiscal 2018.  Changes in currency exchange rates are a risk accompanying foreign operations, but this risk is not 
considered material with respect to our consolidated operations.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Patterson has adopted various accounting policies to prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance 
with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. Management believes that our policies are conservative and 
our philosophy is to adopt accounting policies that minimize the risk of adverse events having a material impact on 
recorded assets and liabilities. However, the preparation of financial statements requires the use of estimates and 
judgments regarding the realization of assets and the settlement of liabilities based on the information available to 
management at the time. Changes subsequent to the preparation of the financial statements in economic, technological 
and competitive conditions may materially impact the recorded values of Patterson’s assets and liabilities. Therefore, 

42

 
 
 
the users of the financial statements should read all the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements and be aware 
that conditions currently unknown to management may develop in the future. This may require a material adjustment 
to a recorded asset or liability to consistently apply to our significant accounting principles and policies that are discussed 
in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. The financial performance and condition of Patterson may also 
be materially impacted by transactions and events that we have not previously experienced and for which we have 
not been required to establish an accounting policy or adopt a generally accepted accounting principle.

Revenue  Recognition  –  Revenues  are  generated  from  the  sale  of  consumable  products,  equipment  and  support, 
software and support, technical service parts and labor, and other sources. Revenues are recognized when or as 
performance obligations are satisfied.  Performance obligations are satisfied when the customer obtains control of the 
goods or services.

Consumable, equipment, software and parts sales are recorded upon delivery, except in those circumstances where 
terms of the sale are FOB shipping point, in which case sales are recorded upon shipment. Technical service labor is 
recognized as it is provided. Revenue derived from equipment and software support is recognized ratably over the 
period in which the support is provided. 

In  addition  to  revenues  generated  from  the  distribution  of  consumable  products  under  arrangements  (buy/sell 
agreements) where the full market value of the product is recorded as revenue, we earn commissions for services 
provided under agency agreements. The agency agreement contrasts to a buy/sell agreement in that we do not have 
control over the transaction, as we do not have the primary responsibility of fulfilling the promise of the good or service 
and we do not bill or collect from the customer in an agency relationship. Commissions under agency agreements are 
recorded when the services are provided.

Estimates for returns, damaged goods, rebates, loyalty programs and other revenue allowances are made at the time 
the revenue is recognized based on the historical experience for such items. The receivables that result from the 
recognition of revenue are reported net of related allowances. We maintain a valuation allowance based upon the 
expected collectability of receivables held. Estimates are used to determine the valuation allowance and are based 
on several factors, including historical collection data, economic trends and credit worthiness of customers. Receivables 
are written off when we determine the amounts to be uncollectible, typically upon customer bankruptcy or non-response 
to continuous collection efforts. The portions of receivable amounts that are not expected to be collected during the 
next twelve months are classified as long-term.

Patterson has a relatively large, dispersed customer base and no single customer accounts for more than 10% of 
consolidated  net  sales.  In  addition,  the  equipment  sold  to  customers  under  finance  contracts  generally  serves  as 
collateral for the contract and the customer provides a personal guarantee as well.

Net sales do not include sales tax as we are considered a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax.

Patterson  Advantage  Loyalty  Program  –  Patterson  Dental  provides  a  point-based  awards  program  to  qualifying 
customers involving the issuance of “Patterson Advantage dollars” which can be used toward equipment and technology 
purchases. Patterson Advantage dollars earned during a program year expire one year after the end of the program 
year. The cost and corresponding liability associated with the program is recognized as contra-revenue. As of April 27, 
2019, we believe we have sufficient experience with the program to reasonably estimate the amount of Patterson 
Advantage dollars that will not be redeemed and thus have recorded a liability for 98.5% of the maximum potential 
amount that could be redeemed. We recognize the expected breakage amount as revenue in proportion to the pattern 
of rights exercised by the customer, and we recognize the estimated value of unused Patterson Advantage dollars as 
redemptions occur. Breakage recognized was immaterial to all periods presented.

Inventory and Reserves – Inventory consists primarily of merchandise held for sale and is stated at the lower of cost 
or market. Cost is determined using the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method for all inventories, except for foreign inventories 
and manufactured inventories, which are valued using the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method. We continually assess 
the valuation of inventories and reduce the carrying value of those inventories that are obsolete or in excess of forecasted 
usage to estimated realizable value. Estimates are made of the net realizable value of such inventories based on 
analyses and assumptions including, but not limited to, historical usage, future demand and market requirements.

Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets – Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of 
identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. We have two reporting units as of April 27, 2019; Dental and Animal 
Health. Our Corporate reportable segment's assets and liabilities, and net sales and expenses, are allocated to the 
two reporting units. Our indefinite-lived intangible asset is a trade name.

43

We  assess  goodwill  for  impairment  annually  and  whenever  an  event  occurs  or  circumstances  change  that  would 
indicate that the carrying amount may be impaired. If we determine that the fair value of the reporting unit may be less 
than its carrying amount, we evaluate goodwill using a two-step impairment test. Otherwise, we conclude that no 
impairment is indicated and we do not perform the two-step impairment test. In fiscal 2019, we determined it was 
appropriate to perform a two-step impairment test.

The first step of the goodwill impairment test compares the book value of a reporting unit, including goodwill, to its fair 
value. If the book value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the impairment test is performed 
to  determine  the  amount  of  goodwill  impairment  loss  to  be  recorded.  The  determination  of  fair  value  involves 
uncertainties because it requires management to make assumptions and to apply judgment to estimate industry and 
economic factors and the profitability of future business strategies. Patterson conducts impairment testing based on 
current  business  strategy  in  light  of  present  industry  and  economic  conditions,  as  well  as  future  expectations. 
Additionally, in assessing goodwill for impairment, the reasonableness of the implied control premium is considered 
based on market capitalizations and recent market transactions.

Other indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed for impairment by comparing the carrying value of an asset with 
its fair value. If the carrying value exceeds fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to the 
excess. The determination of fair value involves assumptions, including projected revenues and gross profit levels, as 
well as consideration of any factors that may indicate potential impairment.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, management completed its annual goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible 
asset impairment tests using the beginning of our fiscal 2019 fourth quarter as the valuation date, and determined 
there was no impairment, and that our Dental reporting unit was not at risk of failing step 1. The Animal Health reporting 
unit  has  a  higher  level  of  sensitivity  to  impairment  as  management  currently  assesses  the  various  estimates  and 
assumptions used to conduct these tests. Adverse changes to one or more of these estimates or assumptions could 
cause us to recognize a material impairment charge on this reporting unit. At the beginning of the fourth quarter of 
fiscal 2019, the estimated fair value of the Animal Health reporting unit exceeded its book value by approximately 10%.

Long-Lived  Assets  –  Long-lived  assets,  including  definite-lived  intangible  assets,  are  evaluated  for  impairment 
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable 
through the estimated undiscounted future cash flows derived from such assets. Our definite-lived intangible assets 
primarily consist of customer relationships, trade names and trademarks. When impairment exists, the related assets 
are  written  down  to  fair  value  using  level  3  inputs,  as  discussed  further  in  Note  10  to  the  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements.  In  fiscal  2017,  we  recorded  a  non-cash  impairment  charge  of  $36.3  million  related  to  a  distribution 
agreement intangible asset.  Refer to Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.

Related Party Transactions – We have interests in a number of entities that are accounted for using the equity method.  
During fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017 we made purchases of $87.9 million, $84.2 million and $55.2 million from these 
entities, respectively.  During fiscal 2019 and 2018, we recorded net sales of $74.5 million and $19.7 million to these 
entities, respectively.  No sales to these entities were recorded in fiscal 2017.

Income Taxes – We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgments 
are required in determining the consolidated provision for income taxes. Changes in interpretation of the Tax Act could 
create potential added uncertainties.

During  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  there  are  many  transactions  and  calculations  for  which  the  ultimate  tax 
determination is uncertain. As a result, we recognize tax liabilities based on estimates of whether additional taxes and 
interest will be due. These tax liabilities are recognized when, despite our belief that our tax return position is supportable, 
we believe that certain positions may not be fully sustained upon review by tax authorities. We believe that our accruals 
for tax liabilities are adequate for all open audit years based on our assessment of many factors including past experience 
and interpretations of tax law. This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and may involve a series of 
complex judgments about future events. To the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the 
amounts recorded, such differences will impact income tax expense in the period in which such determination is made 
and could materially affect our financial results.

Valuation allowances are established for deferred tax assets if, after assessment of available positive and negative 
evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be fully realized. 

Self-insurance – Patterson is self-insured for certain losses related to general liability, product liability, automobile, 
workers’ compensation and medical claims. We estimate our liabilities based upon an analysis of historical data and 

44

actuarial estimates. While current estimates are believed reasonable based on information currently available, actual 
results could differ and affect financial results due to changes in the amount or frequency of claims, medical cost 
inflation or other factors. Historically, actual results related to these types of claims have not varied significantly from 
estimated amounts.

Stock-based Compensation – We recognize stock-based compensation based on certain assumptions including inputs 
within  valuation  models,  estimated  forfeitures  and  estimated  performance  outcomes.  These  assumptions  require 
subjective judgment and changes in the assumptions can materially affect fair value estimates. Management assesses 
the assumptions and methodologies used to estimate forfeitures and to calculate estimated fair value of stock-based 
compensation on a regular basis. Circumstances may change, and additional data may become available over time, 
which could result in changes to these assumptions and methodologies and thereby materially impact the fair value 
determination  or  estimates  of  forfeitures.  If  factors  change  and  we  employ  different  assumptions,  the  amount  of 
compensation expense associated with stock-based compensation may differ significantly from what was recorded in 
the current period.

Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Market Risk

We are exposed to market risk consisting of foreign currency rate fluctuations and changes in interest rates.

We  are  exposed  to  foreign  currency  exchange  rate  fluctuations  in  our  operating  statement  due  to  transactions 
denominated primarily in Canadian Dollars and British Pounds. Although we are not currently involved with foreign 
currency hedge contracts, we continually evaluate our foreign currency exchange rate risk and the different mechanisms 
for use in managing such risk. A hypothetical 10% change in the value of the U.S. dollar in relation to our most significant 
foreign currency exposures would have changed net sales by approximately $85.1 million for the fiscal year ended 
April 27, 2019. This amount is not indicative of the hypothetical net earnings impact due to the partially offsetting impact 
of the currency exchange movements on cost of sales and operating expenses. We estimate that if foreign currency 
exchange rates changed by 10%, the impact would have been approximately $2.7 million to income from continuing 
operations before taxes for the fiscal year ended April 27, 2019.

In fiscal 2017, we entered into an amended credit agreement (“Amended Credit Agreement”), consisting of a $295.1 
million term loan and a $750 million revolving line of credit. In March 2019, we permanently reduced the capacity under 
the revolving line of credit to $500 million. Interest on borrowings is variable and is determined as a base rate plus a 
spread. This spread, as well as a commitment fee on the unused portion of the facility, is based on our leverage ratio, 
as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement. The term loan and revolving credit facilities will mature no later than 
January 2022. Interest on borrowings under the Amended Credit Agreement is variable. Due to the interest rate being 
variable, fluctuations in interest rates may impact our earnings. Based on our current level of debt, we estimate that 
a 100 basis point change in interest rates would have a $0.9 million annual impact on our income from continuing 
operations before taxes.

Our earnings are also affected by fluctuations in short-term interest rates through the investment of cash balances 
and the practice of selling fixed rate equipment finance contracts under agreements with both a commercial paper 
conduit and a bank that provide for pricing based on variable interest rates.

When  considering  the  exposure  under  the  agreements  whereby  we  sell  equipment  finance  contracts  to  both  a 
commercial paper conduit and bank, we have the ability to select pricing based on interest rates ranging from 30 day 
LIBOR up to twelve month LIBOR. In addition, the majority of the portfolio of installment contracts generally turns over 
in less than 48 months, and we can adjust the rate we charge on new customer contracts at any time. Therefore, in 
times where the interest rate markets are not rapidly increasing or decreasing, the average interest rate in the portfolio 
generally moves with the interest rate markets and thus would parallel the underlying interest rate movement of the 
pricing built into the sale agreements. In calculating the gain on the contract sales, we use an interest rate curve that 
approximates the maturity period of the then-outstanding contracts. If increases in the interest rate markets occur, the 
average interest rate in our contract portfolio may not increase at the same rate, resulting in a reduction of gain on the 
contract sales as compared to the gain that would be realized if the average interest rate in our portfolio were to 
increase at a more similar rate to the interest rate markets. In fiscal 2019, we entered into forward interest rate swap 
agreements in order to hedge against interest rate fluctuations that impact the amount of net sales we record related 
to these contracts. These interest rate swap agreements do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment and, accordingly, 

45

 
we record the fair value of the agreements as an asset or liability and the change as income or expense during the 
period in which the change occurs.  As a result of entering into these interest rate swap agreements, we estimate that 
a 10% change in interest rates would have less than a $1.0 million annual impact on our income from continuing 
operations before taxes.

46

Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Patterson Companies, Inc.

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited Patterson Companies, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of April 27, 2019, based on 
criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Patterson Companies, Inc. (the 
Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of April 27, 2019, 
based on the COSO criteria. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States) (PCAOB), the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of April 27, 2019 and April 28, 
2018, and the related consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income, changes in stockholders’ 
equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 27, 2019, and the related notes and the 
financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a)(2) and our report dated June 26, 2019 expressed an 
unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for 
its  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  included  in  the  accompanying 
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion 
on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered 
with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal 
securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and 
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was 
maintained in all material respects.  

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a 
material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on 
the  assessed  risk,  and  performing  such  other  procedures  as  we  considered  necessary  in  the  circumstances.  We 
believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding 
the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with 
generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies 
and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect 
the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions 
are  recorded  as  necessary  to  permit  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted 
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with 
authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the  company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding 
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have 
a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. 
Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become 
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may 
deteriorate.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 26, 2019 

47

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Patterson Companies, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Patterson Companies, Inc. (the Company) as of 
April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, and the related consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income, 
changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 27, 2019, and the 
related notes and the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a)(2) (collectively referred to as the 
“consolidated financial statements”) . In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material 
respects, the financial position of the Company at April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, and the results of its operations 
and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 27, 2019, in conformity with U.S. generally 
accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States)  (PCAOB),  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of April  27,  2019,  based  on  criteria 
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the 
Treadway  Commission  (2013  framework),  and  our  report  dated  June  26,  2019  expressed  an  unqualified  opinion 
thereon.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an 
opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with 
the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal 
securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and 
perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  the  financial  statements  are  free  of  material 
misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material 
misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to 
those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures 
in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates 
made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our 
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1985.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 26, 2019

48

PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

$

95,646 $

62,984
826,877
779,834
103,029
1,772,724
290,590
135,175
815,977
389,424
67,774
$ 3,269,269 $ 3,471,664

582,094
761,018
165,605
1,604,363
305,790
113,081
816,226
351,153
78,656

$

648,418 $

73,665
129,654
23,975
—
875,712
725,341
163,488
24,221
1,788,762

610,368
69,099
136,316
76,598
16,000
908,381
922,030
152,104
27,359
2,009,874

953
131,460
(88,269)
1,483,496
(50,381)
1,477,259
3,248
1,480,507

948
103,776
(74,974)
1,497,766
(65,726)
1,461,790
—
1,461,790
$ 3,269,269 $ 3,471,664

ASSETS
Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $6,772 and $9,537

Inventory
Prepaid expenses and other current assets

Total current assets
Property and equipment, net
Long-term receivables, net
Goodwill
Identifiable intangibles, net
Other non-current assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:

Accounts payable
Accrued payroll expense
Other accrued liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt
Borrowings on revolving credit
Total current liabilities

Long-term debt
Deferred income taxes
Other non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Stockholders’ equity:

Common stock, $.01 par value: 600,000 shares authorized; 95,272 and 94,756
shares issued and outstanding

Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Retained earnings
Unearned ESOP shares
Total Patterson Companies, Inc. stockholders' equity
Noncontrolling interests

Total stockholders’ equity
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

See accompanying notes

49

PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Fiscal Year Ended

Net sales
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Operating income from continuing operations
Other income (expense):
Other income, net
Interest expense

Income from continuing operations before taxes
Income tax expense (benefit)
Net income from continuing operations
Net loss from discontinued operations
Net income
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net income attributable to Patterson Companies, Inc.
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Patterson Companies,
Inc.:

Continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Net basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Patterson
Companies, Inc.:

Continuing operations
Discontinued operations

Net diluted earnings per share

Weighted average shares:

Basic
Diluted

Dividends declared per common share
Comprehensive income

Net income
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)
Cash flow hedges, net of tax

Comprehensive income

April 27, 2019
April 28, 2018
April 29, 2017
$ 5,574,523 $ 5,465,683 $ 5,593,127
4,291,730
1,301,397
1,013,469
287,928

4,383,748
1,190,775
1,053,059
137,716

4,266,317
1,199,366
979,477
219,889

8,178
(39,666)
106,228
23,352
82,876
—
82,876
(752)
83,628 $

6,117
(46,743)
179,263
(21,711)
200,974
—
200,974
—

200,974 $

6,013
(43,060)
250,881
77,093
173,788
(2,895)
170,893
—
170,893

0.90 $

2.17 $

—

—

0.90 $

2.17 $

0.89 $
—
0.89 $

2.16 $
—
2.16 $

1.83

(0.03)

1.80

1.82
(0.03)
1.79

92,755
93,484

92,467
93,094

1.04 $

1.04 $

94,897
95,567
0.98

82,876 $
(15,583)
2,288

69,581 $

200,974 $

15,824
1,871
218,669 $

170,893
(26,450)
1,745
146,188

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

See accompanying notes

50

 PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(In thousands)

Balance at April 30, 2016

Foreign currency translation

Cash flow hedges

Net income

Dividends declared

Common stock issued and
related tax benefits

Repurchases of common
stock

Stock based compensation

ESOP activity

Balance at April 29, 2017

Foreign currency translation

Cash flow hedges

Net income

Dividends declared

Common stock issued and
related tax benefits

Repurchases of common
stock

Stock based compensation

ESOP activity

Balance at April 28, 2018

Foreign currency translation

Cash flow hedges

Net income

Dividends declared

Common stock issued and
related tax benefits

Stock based compensation

ESOP activity

Balance at Increase from
asset acquisition

Balance at April 27, 2019

Common Stock

Number

Amount

Additional
Paid-in
Capital

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss

Retained
Earnings

Unearned
ESOP
Shares

Non-
controlling 
interests

Total

99,107

$

991

$ 48,477

$

(67,964) $

1,529,158

$

(68,916) $

— $1,441,746

—

—

—

—

282

—

—

—

—

3

—

—

—

—

6,786

(2,855)

(28)

—

—

—

—

—

17,710

—

(26,450)

1,745

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

170,893

(93,461)

—

(125,356)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

845

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(26,450)

1,745

170,893

(93,461)

6,789

(125,384)

17,710

845

96,534

966

72,973

(92,669)

1,481,234

(68,071)

— 1,394,433

—

—

—

—

369

—

—

—

—

4

—

—

—

—

12,403

(2,147)

(22)

—

—

—

—

—

18,400

—

15,824

1,871

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

200,974

(96,964)

—

(87,478)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2,345

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

15,824

1,871

200,974

(96,964)

12,407

(87,500)

18,400

2,345

94,756

948

103,776

(74,974)

1,497,766

(65,726)

— 1,461,790

—

—

—

—

516

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

7,999

19,685

—

—

(15,583)

2,288

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

83,628

(97,898)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

15,345

—

—

(15,583)

2,288

(752)

82,876

—

—

—

—

(97,898)

8,004

19,685

15,345

—

4,000

4,000

95,272

$

953

$ 131,460

$

(88,269) $

1,483,496

$

(50,381) $

3,248

$1,480,507

See accompanying notes

51

PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands) 

Operating activities:

Net income
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations

Net income from continuing operations

Adjustments to reconcile net income from continuing operations
to net cash provided by operating activities:

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

$

82,876 $
—

200,974 $

—

82,876

200,974

170,893
(2,895)

173,788

Depreciation
Amortization
Intangible asset impairment
Bad debt expense
Non-cash employee compensation
Deferred income taxes
Deferred consideration in securitized receivables
Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquired:

Receivables
Inventory
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Long term receivables
Other changes from operating activities, net
Net cash provided by operating activities- continuing
operations

Net cash used in operating activities- discontinued operations

Net cash provided by operating activities

Investing activities:

Additions to property and equipment
Collection of deferred purchase price receivables
Other investing activities

Net cash provided by investing activities- continuing operations

Net cash provided by investing activities- discontinued
operations

Net cash provided by investing activities

Financing activities:
Dividends paid
Repurchases of common stock
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt
Debt amendment costs
Retirement of long-term debt
Draw on (payment on) revolving credit
Other financing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

52

44,371
38,402
—
7,333
33,425
10,762
(402,367)

227,907
11,547
44,189
512
21,611
(72,410)

48,158

—
48,158

(60,734)
402,367
(906)
340,727

—
340,727

45,115
38,701
—
6,280
36,532
(41,058)
(49,650)

60,211
(60,475)
(12,103)
(24,726)
(33,795)
12,889

178,895

—
178,895

(43,263)
49,650
10,600
16,987

—
16,987

(99,468)
—
—
—
(249,542)
(16,000)
9,764
(355,246)
(977)
32,662
62,984
95,646 $

(99,199)
(87,500)
150,000
—
(164,754)
(43,000)
14,291
(230,162)
2,305
(31,975)
94,959
62,984 $

40,004
43,814
36,312
1,642
19,025
(13,713)
(51,402)

(103,181)
(961)
59,654
(9,009)
(12,574)
(17,785)

165,614

(2,895)
162,719

(47,019)
51,402
(3,190)
1,193

—
1,193

(95,910)
(125,384)
—
(1,266)
(26,238)
39,000
7,635
(202,163)
(4,243)
(42,494)
137,453
94,959

Supplemental disclosures:

Income taxes paid
Interest paid

$

17,530 $
31,045

19,611 $
36,504

108,394
34,972

See accompanying notes

53

PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

April 27, 2019 
(Dollars, except per share amounts, and shares in thousands)

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

Patterson Companies, Inc. (referred to herein as “Patterson” or in the first person notations “we,” “our,” and “us”) is a 
value-added specialty distributor serving the U.S. and Canadian dental supply and the U.S., Canadian and U.K. animal 
health supply markets. Patterson has three reportable segments: Dental, Animal Health and Corporate.

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the assets and liabilities of PDC Funding Company, LLC ("PDC Funding"), 
PDC Funding Company II, LLC ("PDC Funding II") and PDC Funding Company III, LLC ("PDC Funding III"), which 
are our wholly owned subsidiaries and separate legal entities formed under Minnesota law. PDC Funding and PDC 
Funding II are fully consolidated special purpose entities established to sell customer installment sale contracts to 
outside financial institutions in the normal course of their business. PDC Funding III is a fully consolidated special 
purpose entity established to sell certain receivables to unaffiliated financial institutions. The assets of PDC Funding, 
PDC Funding II and PDC Funding III would be available first and foremost to satisfy the claims of its creditors. There 
are no known creditors of PDC Funding, PDC Funding II or PDC Funding III. The consolidated financial statements 
also include the assets and liabilities of Technology Partner Innovations, LLC, which is further described in Note 13.

Fiscal Year End

We operate with a 52-53 week accounting convention with our fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in April. Fiscal 
2019, 2018 and 2017 ended on April 27, 2019, April 28, 2018 and April 29, 2017, respectively, and all years consisted 
of 52 weeks. Fiscal 2020 will end on April 25, 2020 and will consist of 52 weeks.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  U.S.  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  requires 
management  to  make  estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect  the  reported  amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities  and 
disclosure  of  contingent  assets  and  liabilities  at  the  date  of  the  financial  statements  and  the  reported  amounts  of 
revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents consist primarily of investments in money market funds and government securities. The maturity of 
these securities at the time of purchase is 90 days or less. All cash and cash equivalents are classified as available-
for-sale and carried at fair value, which approximates cost.

Inventory

Inventory consists of merchandise held for sale and is stated at the lower of cost or market. The cost of our inventory 
includes the amount we pay to our suppliers to acquire inventory and freight costs incurred in connection with the 
delivery of product to our distribution centers and our other locations. Cost is determined using the last-in, first-out 
("LIFO") method for all inventories, except for foreign inventories, which are valued using the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") 
method. Inventories valued at LIFO represented 82% and 84% of total inventories at April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, 
respectively. 

Effective January 28, 2018, the Company changed its method of calculating LIFO inventories within its U.S. Animal 
Health business segment from the double-extension method to the link-chain method.  The Company believes that 
the LIFO Link Chain method of inventory valuation is preferable as the LIFO Link Chain costing method provides a 
better matching of current costs with current revenues, provides for a LIFO adjustment more representative of the 
Company’s actual inflation on its inventories and conforms LIFO inventory costing method (Link Chain) with other 
Patterson operations that use the LIFO inventory method (Link Chain). The Company determined that it is impracticable 
to determine the cumulative effect of applying this change retrospectively to any periods prior to April 30, 2017 because 

54

complete records of inventory purchases are no longer available for periods prior to that date. The Company applied 
the change as of April 30, 2017, the earliest date practicable. The effect of the change on the results of operations for 
the year ended April 28, 2018 was to reduce the consolidated LIFO reserve and increase pre-tax income by $1,800. 
The effect of the change on interim periods in 2018 was not material.

The accumulated LIFO reserve was $91,342 at April 27, 2019 and $82,105 at April 28, 2018. We believe that inventory 
replacement cost exceeds the inventory balance by an amount approximating the LIFO reserve.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line method over estimated useful 
lives of up to 39 years for buildings or the expected remaining life of purchased buildings, the term of the lease for 
leasehold  improvements,  3  to  10  years  for  computer  hardware  and  software,  and  5  to  10  years  for  furniture  and 
equipment.

Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. We have 
two reporting units as of April 27, 2019; Dental and Animal Health. Our Corporate reportable segment's assets and 
liabilities, and net sales and expenses, are allocated to the two reporting units. Our indefinite-lived intangible asset is 
a trade name.

We  assess  goodwill  for  impairment  annually  and  whenever  an  event  occurs  or  circumstances  change  that  would 
indicate that the carrying amount may be impaired. If we determine that the fair value of the reporting unit may be less 
than its carrying amount, we evaluate goodwill using a two-step impairment test. Otherwise, we conclude that no 
impairment is indicated and we do not perform the two-step impairment test. In fiscal 2019, we determined it was 
appropriate to perform a two-step impairment test.

The first step of the goodwill impairment test compares the book value of a reporting unit, including goodwill, to its fair 
value. If the book value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the impairment test is performed 
to  determine  the  amount  of  goodwill  impairment  loss  to  be  recorded.  The  determination  of  fair  value  involves 
uncertainties because it requires management to make assumptions and to apply judgment to estimate industry and 
economic factors and the profitability of future business strategies. Patterson conducts impairment testing based on 
current  business  strategy  in  light  of  present  industry  and  economic  conditions,  as  well  as  future  expectations. 
Additionally, in assessing goodwill for impairment, the reasonableness of the implied control premium is considered 
based on market capitalizations and recent market transactions.

Other indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed for impairment by comparing the carrying value of an asset with 
its fair value. If the carrying value exceeds fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to the 
excess. The determination of fair value involves assumptions, including projected revenues and gross profit levels, as 
well as consideration of any factors that may indicate potential impairment.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, management completed its annual goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible 
asset impairment tests using the beginning of our fiscal 2019 fourth quarter as the valuation date, and determined 
there was no impairment, and that our Dental reporting unit was not at risk of failing step 1. The Animal Health reporting 
unit  has  a  higher  level  of  sensitivity  to  impairment  as  management  currently  assesses  the  various  estimates  and 
assumptions used to conduct these tests. Adverse changes to one or more of these estimates or assumptions could 
cause us to recognize a material impairment charge on this reporting unit. 

Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, including definite-lived intangible assets, are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes 
in  circumstances  indicate  that  the  carrying  amount  of  the  assets  may  not  be  recoverable  through  the  estimated 
undiscounted  future  cash  flows  derived  from  such  assets.  Our  definite-lived  intangible  assets  primarily  consist  of 
customer relationships, trade names and trademarks. When impairment exists, the related assets are written down to 
fair value using level 3 inputs, as discussed further in Note 10. In fiscal 2017, we recorded a non-cash impairment 
charge of $36,312 related to a distribution agreement intangible asset.  Refer to Note 4 for more information.

55

Financial Instruments

We account for derivative financial instruments under the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 
Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging.” Our use of derivative financial instruments is generally limited to managing well-
defined interest rate risks. We do not use financial instruments or derivatives for any trading purposes.

Revenue Recognition

Revenues are generated from the sale of consumable products, equipment and support, software and support, technical 
service parts and labor, and other sources. Revenues are recognized when or as performance obligations are satisfied.  
Performance obligations are satisfied when the customer obtains control of the goods or services.

Consumable, equipment, software and parts sales are recorded upon delivery, except in those circumstances where 
terms of the sale are FOB shipping point, in which case sales are recorded upon shipment. Technical service labor is 
recognized as it is provided. Revenue derived from equipment and software support is recognized ratably over the 
period in which the support is provided. 

In  addition  to  revenues  generated  from  the  distribution  of  consumable  products  under  arrangements  (buy/sell 
agreements) where the full market value of the product is recorded as revenue, we earn commissions for services 
provided under agency agreements. The agency agreement contrasts to a buy/sell agreement in that we do not have 
control over the transaction, as we do not have the primary responsibility of fulfilling the promise of the good or service 
and we do not bill or collect from the customer in an agency relationship. Commissions under agency agreements are 
recorded when the services are provided.

Estimates for returns, damaged goods, rebates, loyalty programs and other revenue allowances are made at the time 
the revenue is recognized based on the historical experience for such items. The receivables that result from the 
recognition of revenue are reported net of related allowances. We maintain a valuation allowance based upon the 
expected collectability of receivables held. Estimates are used to determine the valuation allowance and are based 
on several factors, including historical collection data, economic trends and credit worthiness of customers. Receivables 
are written off when we determine the amounts to be uncollectible, typically upon customer bankruptcy or non-response 
to continuous collection efforts. The portions of receivable amounts that are not expected to be collected during the 
next twelve months are classified as long-term.

Patterson has a relatively large, dispersed customer base and no single customer accounts for more than 10% of 
consolidated  net  sales.  In  addition,  the  equipment  sold  to  customers  under  finance  contracts  generally  serves  as 
collateral for the contract and the customer provides a personal guarantee as well.

Net sales do not include sales tax as we are considered a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax.

Contract Balances

Contract balances represent amounts presented in our consolidated balance sheets when either we have transferred 
goods or services to the customer or the customer has paid consideration to us under the contract. These contract 
balances include accounts receivable, contract assets and contract liabilities.

Contract asset balances as of April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018 were not material. Our contract liabilities primarily 
relate  to  advance  payments  from  customers,  upfront  payments  for  software  and  support  provided  over  time,  and 
options that provide a material right to customers, such as our customer loyalty programs. At April 27, 2019 and April 28, 
2018, contract liabilities of $22,004 and $26,166 were reported in other accrued liabilities, respectively. During the 
fiscal year ended April 27, 2019, we recognized $25,764 of the amount previously deferred at April 28, 2018.

Patterson Advantage Loyalty Program

The  Dental  segment  provides  a  point-based  awards  program  to  qualifying  customers  involving  the  issuance  of 
“Patterson Advantage dollars” which can be used toward equipment and technology purchases. Patterson Advantage 
dollars earned during a program year expire one year after the end of the program year. The cost and corresponding 
liability  associated  with  the  program  are  recognized  as  contra-revenue. As  of April 27,  2019,  we  believe  we  have 
sufficient experience with the program to reasonably estimate the amount of Patterson Advantage dollars that will not 
be redeemed and thus have recorded a liability for 98.5% of the maximum potential amount that could be redeemed. 
We recognize the expected breakage amount as revenue in proportion to the pattern of rights exercised by the customer, 

56

and  we  recognize  the  estimated  value  of  unused  Patterson Advantage  dollars  as  redemptions  occur.  Breakage 
recognized was immaterial to all periods presented.

Freight and Delivery Charges

Freight  and  delivery  charges  are  included  in  cost  of  sales  in  the  consolidated  statements  of  income  and  other 
comprehensive income.

Related Party Transactions

We have interests in a number of entities that are accounted for using the equity method.  During fiscal 2019, 2018
and 2017 we made purchases of $87,944, $84,175 and $55,194 from these entities, respectively.  During fiscal 2019
and 2018, we recorded net sales of $74,489 and $19,743 to these entities, respectively. No sales to these entities 
were recorded in fiscal 2017.

Income Taxes

The liability method is used to account for income tax expense. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities 
are  determined  based  on  differences  between  financial  reporting  and  tax  bases  of  assets  and  liabilities  and  are 
measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse.

Valuation allowances are established for deferred tax assets if, after assessment of available positive and negative 
evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be fully realized.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP")

Compensation expense related to our defined contribution ESOP is computed based on the shares allocated method.

Self-insurance

Patterson is self-insured for certain losses related to general liability, product liability, automobile, workers’ compensation 
and medical claims. We estimate our liabilities based upon an analysis of historical data and actuarial estimates. While 
current estimates are believed reasonable based on information currently available, actual results could differ and 
affect financial results due to changes in the amount or frequency of claims, medical cost inflation or other factors. 
Historically, actual results related to these types of claims have not varied significantly from estimated amounts.

Stock-based Compensation

We recognize stock-based compensation expense based on estimated grant date fair values.  The grant date fair 
value  of  stock  options  and  stock  purchases  made  through  our  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan  and  our  Capital 
Accumulation Plan are estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing valuation model.  The grant date fair value 
of  performance  stock  units  that  vest  upon  meeting  certain  market  conditions  is  estimated  using  the  Monte  Carlo 
valuation model. These valuations require estimates to be made including expected stock price volatility which considers 
historical volatility trends, implied future volatility based on certain traded options and other factors. We estimate the 
expected life of awards based on several factors, including types of participants, vesting schedules, contractual terms 
and various factors surrounding exercise behavior of different groups.

The grant date fair value of time-based restricted stock awards and restricted stock units is calculated based on the 
closing price of our common stock on the date of grant.  

Compensation expense for all share-based payment awards is recognized over the requisite service period (or to the 
date a participant becomes eligible for retirement, if earlier) for awards that are expected to vest. 

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is computed as net income plus certain other items that are recorded directly to stockholders’ 
equity.  Significant  items  included  in  comprehensive  income  are  foreign  currency  translation  adjustments  and  the 
effective portion of cash flow hedges, net of tax. Foreign currency translation adjustments do not include a provision 
for income tax because earnings from foreign operations are considered to be indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S. 

57

The income tax expense related to cash flow hedge losses was $620, $938 and $1,057 for fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, 
respectively.

Earnings Per Share ("EPS")

The amount of basic EPS is computed by dividing net income attributable to Patterson by the weighted average number 
of outstanding common shares during the period. The amount of diluted EPS is computed by dividing net income by 
the weighted average number of outstanding common shares and common share equivalents, when dilutive, during 
the period.

The following table sets forth the denominator for the computation of basic and diluted EPS. There were no material 
adjustments to the numerator.

Denominator for basic EPS – weighted average shares

Effect of dilutive securities – stock options, restricted stock and
stock purchase plans

Denominator for diluted EPS – weighted average shares

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

92,755

92,467

94,897

729

93,484

627

93,094

670

95,567

Potentially dilutive securities representing 1,792, 1,380 and 1,133 shares for fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, 
were excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS because their effects were anti-dilutive using the treasury stock 
method.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In  May  2014,  the  Financial Accounting  Standards  Board  ("FASB")  issued Accounting  Standards  Update  ("ASU") 
No. 2014-09,  "Revenue  from  Contracts  with  Customers  (Topic  606)". ASU  No.  2014-09  supersedes  the  revenue 
recognition requirements in "Revenue Recognition (Topic 605)," and requires entities to recognize revenue in a way 
that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to 
which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. We adopted the new guidance as of 
April  29,  2018  using  the  modified  retrospective  method,  and  the  adoption  had  no  impact  on  our  consolidated  net 
earnings, financial position, or cash flows. 

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01 "Financial Instruments- Recognition and Measurement of Financial 
Assets  and  Financial  Liabilities  (Subtopic  825-10)",  which  amends  certain  aspects  of  recognition,  measurement, 
presentation and disclosure of financial instruments, including the requirement to measure certain equity investments 
at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. We adopted ASU No. 2016-01 in the first quarter of 
fiscal 2019, and the adoption had no impact on our consolidated net earnings, financial position, or cash flows. 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)," which requires lessees to recognize 
assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by most leases, as well as requires 
additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures. We are required to adopt ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of fiscal 
2020, with early adoption permitted. We plan to adopt the new guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 on a modified 
retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to the beginning retained earnings in the period of adoption. 
We plan to elect the transition package of practical expedients provided within the guidance, which would eliminate 
the requirements to reassess lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs for leases commenced 
before the effective date. We also plan to elect not to separate lease from non-lease components and to exclude short-
term leases from our consolidated balance sheets. 

While  we  continue  to  assess  all  the  impacts  of  adoption,  we  anticipate  recognizing  operating  lease  liabilities  of 
approximately $80,000 to $100,000 based on the present value of the remaining minimum lease commitments using 
our incremental borrowing rate as of the effective date of adoption. We also expect to record corresponding right of 
use assets based upon the operating lease liabilities adjusted for prepaid and deferred rents, unamortized initial direct 
costs, liabilities associated with lease termination costs and impairments of right of use assets recognized to opening 
retained earnings at the effective date. Additionally, any existing deferred gains on sale-leaseback transactions will be 
derecognized from our consolidated balance sheet and recognized to opening retained earnings at the effective date. 

58

We are finalizing our assessment of the impact that this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements, 
systems, processes and internal controls.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which requires 
the  measurement  of  all  expected  credit  losses  for  financial  assets  held  at  the  reporting  date  based  on  historical 
experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. We plan to adopt the new guidance in the 
first quarter of fiscal 2021. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this pronouncement.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, "Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 
220)  Reclassification  of  Certain  Tax  Effects  from Accumulated  Other  Comprehensive  Income,"  which  will  allow  a 
reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for the tax effects that are stranded 
in accumulated other comprehensive income as a result of tax reform.  This standard also requires certain disclosures 
about stranded tax effects.  We will adopt ASU No. 2018-02 in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, and apply it either in the 
period of adoption or retrospectively to each period in which the income tax effects of the tax reform related to items 
in accumulated other comprehensive income are recognized. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this 
pronouncement.

2. Cash and Cash Equivalents

At April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, cash and cash equivalents consisted of the following:

Cash on hand
Money market funds

Total

Cash on hand is generally in interest earning accounts.

3. Receivables Securitization Program

April 27, 2019
$

76,117 $
19,529
95,646 $

April 28, 2018
56,334
6,650
62,984

$

On July 24, 2018, we entered into a Receivables Purchase Agreement (the “Receivables Purchase Agreement”) with 
MUFG Bank, Ltd. ("MUFG") (f.k.a. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.). Under this agreement, MUFG acts as an 
agent to facilitate the sale of certain Patterson receivables (the “Receivables”) to certain unaffiliated financial institutions 
(the “Purchasers”). The sale of these receivables is accounted for as a sale of assets under the provisions of ASC 
860, Transfers and Servicing. We utilize PDC Funding III to facilitate the sale to fulfill requirements within the agreement.

Sales of Receivables occur daily and are settled with the Purchasers on a monthly basis. The proceeds from the sale 
of these Receivables comprise a combination of cash and a deferred purchase price (“DPP”) receivable. The DPP 
receivable  is  ultimately  realized  by  Patterson  following  the  collection  of  the  underlying  Receivables  sold  to  the 
Purchasers. The amount available under the Receivables Purchase Agreement fluctuates over time based on the total 
amount of eligible Receivables generated during the normal course of business, with maximum availability of $200,000. 
As of April 27, 2019, $166,000 of the amount available under the Receivables Purchase Agreement was utilized. 

We have no retained interests in the transferred Receivables, other than our right to the DPP receivable and collection 
and administrative service fees. We consider the fees received adequate compensation for services rendered, and 
accordingly  have  recorded  no  servicing  asset  or  liability.  The  DPP  receivable  is  recorded  at  fair  value  within  the 
consolidated balance sheets within prepaid expenses and other current assets. The DPP receivable was $57,238 as 
of April 27, 2019. The difference between the carrying amount of the Receivables and the sum of the cash and fair 
value of the DPP receivable received at time of transfer is recognized as a gain or loss on sale of the related Receivables. 
We recorded a loss on sale of Receivables within operating expenses in the consolidated statements of income and 
other comprehensive income during the fiscal year ended April 27, 2019 of $7,622.

59

4. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The changes in the carrying value of goodwill for each of our reportable segments for the fiscal year ended April 27, 
2019 are as follows:

Dental
Animal Health
Corporate
Total

Balance at April 28,
2018

Acquisition
Activity

Other Activity

Balance at April 27,
2019

$

$

139,654 $
676,323
—

815,977 $

— $

2,047
—
2,047 $

(494) $

(1,304)
—
(1,798) $

139,160
677,066
—
816,226

Other activity in fiscal 2019 primarily consists of the impact from foreign currency translation.

Balances of other intangible assets, excluding goodwill, are as follows:

April 27, 2019

Accumulated 
Amortization

Gross

Net

Gross

April 28, 2018

Accumulated 
Amortization

Net

$

12,300 $

— $

12,300 $

29,900 $

— $

29,900

353,639
133,202

113,812
61,435

239,827
71,767

355,488
129,973

91,374
49,545

264,114
80,428

Unamortized - indefinite lived:

Copyrights, trade names and
trademarks

Amortized - definite lived:

Customer relationships
Trade names and trademarks
Developed technology and
other

43,210
14,982
359,524
218,457
Total amortized intangible assets
Total identifiable intangible assets $ 569,610 $ 218,457 $ 351,153 $ 570,687 $ 181,263 $ 389,424

40,344
181,263

55,326
540,787

27,259
338,853

70,469
557,310

In fiscal 2006, we extended our exclusive North American distribution relationship with Sirona Dental Systems for its 
CEREC 3D dental restorative system. At that time, we paid a $100,000 distribution fee to extend the existing exclusive 
relationship for at least a 10-year period beginning in 2007. This distribution fee was accounted for as an intangible 
asset and began amortizing in 2007. Based on our November 2016 decision not to extend sales exclusivity for the full 
Sirona portfolio of products, we recorded a pre-tax non-cash impairment charge of $36,312 in our Dental segment in 
the third quarter fiscal 2017, related to the distribution fee associated with the CEREC product component of this 
arrangement. This charge was recorded within operating expenses in the consolidated statements of income and other 
comprehensive income. 

In fiscal 2019, $17,600 of indefinite lived assets were reclassified to definite lived assets.

With respect to the amortized intangible assets, future amortization expense is expected to approximate $37,236, 
$37,135, $36,824, $36,232 and $35,575 for fiscal 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. Actual amounts of 
amortization expense may differ from estimated amounts due to additional intangible asset acquisitions, changes in 
foreign currency exchange rates, impairment of intangible assets, accelerated amortization of intangible assets and 
other events.

5. Discontinued Operations

In August 2015, we sold all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Patterson Medical Holdings, Inc., our wholly 
owned  subsidiary  responsible  for  our  medical  rehabilitative  and  assistive  products  supply  business  ("Patterson 
Medical"), for $716,886 in cash to Madison Dearborn Partners. As additional consideration for the shares of Patterson 
Medical, we obtained a number of common units of the parent company of the buyer equal to 10% of the common 
units outstanding at closing. Unlike the other common units, these units will only become entitled to begin participating 
in distributions to the common unit holders at such time, if any, as the Madison Dearborn Partners’ investor cash inflows 
equal or exceed 2.5 times the Madison Dearborn Partners’ investor cash outflows. These units are non-transferable. 

60

In connection with the above described transaction, we also entered into a transition services agreement with our 
former subsidiary, pursuant to which Patterson Medical, as owned by Madison Dearborn Partners, paid us to provide, 
among  other  things,  certain  information  technology,  distribution,  facilities,  finance,  tax  and  treasury,  and  human 
resources services. The transition services agreement ended in fiscal 2018, and we no longer provide these services. 

We classified Patterson Medical’s results of operations as discontinued operations for all periods presented in the 
consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income. The operations and cash flows of Patterson 
Medical have been eliminated from our continuing operations, which were previously recorded as the rehabilitation 
supply reportable segment. 

6. Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consisted of the following items:

Land
Buildings
Leasehold improvements
Furniture and equipment
Computer hardware and software
Construction-in-progress (1)

Property and equipment, gross

Accumulated depreciation

Property and equipment, net

April 27, 2019
$

11,969 $

April 28, 2018
10,227
104,720
26,624
171,197
211,453
59,691
583,912
(293,322)
290,590

118,556
28,359
175,774
218,893
75,860
629,411
(323,621)
305,790 $

$

Includes $57,006 and $43,026 of unamortized computer software development costs of software to be sold 
as of April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, respectively.

(1) 

7. Debt

Our long-term debt consists of the following:

Senior notes due fiscal 2019 (1)
Senior notes due fiscal 2022 (1)
Senior notes due fiscal 2024 (1)
Senior notes due fiscal 2025 (2)
Senior notes due fiscal 2028 (3)
Term loan due fiscal 2022 (4)
Less: Deferred debt issuance costs

Total debt

Less: Current maturities of long-term debt

Long-term debt

Interest Rate

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

Carrying Value

2.95%

3.59%

3.74%

3.48%

3.79%
3.73%

$

—

165,000

100,000

250,000

150,000
87,091
(2,775)
749,316
(23,975)
725,341 $

60,000

165,000

100,000

250,000

150,000
276,633
(3,005)
998,628
(76,598)
922,030

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Issued in December 2011.
Issued in March 2015.
Issued in March 2018.
Issued in June 2015, amended in January 2017.  Interest rate is LIBOR plus 1.25% as of April 27, 2019. 

61

Future principal payments due, based on stated contractual maturities for our long-term debt, are as follows as of 
April 27, 2019:

Fiscal Year
2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Thereafter

Total

$

23,975

29,508

198,608

—

100,000

400,000

$

752,091

In fiscal 2017, we entered into an amended credit agreement ("Amended Credit Agreement"), consisting of a $295,075
term loan and a $750,000 revolving line of credit. In March 2019, we permanently reduced the capacity under the 
revolving line of credit to $500,000. Interest on borrowings is variable and is determined as a base rate plus a spread.  
This spread, as well as a commitment fee on the unused portion of the facility, is based on our leverage ratio, as defined 
in the Amended Credit Agreement. The term loan and revolving credit facilities will mature no later than January 2022. 

As of April 27, 2019, $87,091 of the Amended Credit Agreement unsecured term loan was outstanding at an interest 
rate of 3.73%, and no amount was outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement revolving line of credit. At April 28, 
2018, $276,633 was outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement unsecured term loan at an interest rate of 
3.40%, and $16,000 was outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement revolving line of credit at an interest rate 
of 2.95%.

In March 2018, we issued fixed-rate senior notes with an aggregate principal amount of $150,000, due fiscal 2028. 
The proceeds were used to repay $150,000 of senior notes that came due in March 2018.

We are subject to various financial covenants under our debt agreements including the maintenance of leverage and 
interest  coverage  ratios.  In  the  event  of  our  default,  any  outstanding  obligations  may  become  due  and  payable 
immediately. We were in compliance with the covenants under our debt agreements as of April 27, 2019.

8. Customer Financing

As a convenience to our customers, we offer several different financing alternatives, including a third party program 
and a Patterson-sponsored program. For the third party program, we act as a facilitator between the customer and 
the third party financing entity with no on-going involvement in the financing transaction. Under the Patterson-sponsored 
program, equipment purchased by creditworthy customers may be financed up to a maximum of $1,000. We generally 
sell our customers’ financing contracts to outside financial institutions in the normal course of our business. These 
financing arrangements are accounted for as a sale of assets under the provisions of ASC 860, Transfers and Servicing. 
We currently have two arrangements under which we sell these contracts.

First, we operate under an agreement to sell a portion of our equipment finance contracts to commercial paper conduits 
with MUFG serving as the agent. We utilize PDC Funding to fulfill a requirement of participating in the commercial 
paper conduit. We receive the proceeds of the contracts upon sale to MUFG. At least 9.5% of the proceeds are held 
by the conduit as security against eventual performance of the portfolio.  This percentage can be greater and is based 
upon certain ratios defined in the agreement with MUFG.  The capacity under the agreement with MUFG at April 27, 
2019 was $525,000.

Second, we maintain an agreement with Fifth Third Bank ("Fifth Third") whereby Fifth Third purchases customers’ 
financing contracts. PDC Funding II sells its financing contracts to Fifth Third. We receive the proceeds of the contracts 
upon sale to Fifth Third.  At least 11.0% of the proceeds are held by the conduit as security against eventual performance 
of the portfolio.  This percentage can be greater and is based upon certain ratios defined in the agreement with Fifth 
Third.  The capacity under the agreement with Fifth Third at April 27, 2019 was $100,000.

We service the financing contracts under both arrangements, for which we are paid a servicing fee. The servicing fees 
we receive are considered adequate compensation for services rendered. Accordingly, no servicing asset or liability 
has been recorded. 

62

The portion of the purchase price for the receivables held by the conduits is deemed a DPP receivable, which is paid 
to the applicable special purpose entity as payments on the customers’ financing contracts are collected by Patterson 
from customers. The difference between the carrying amount of the receivables sold under these programs and the 
sum of the cash and fair value of the DPP receivable received at time of transfer is recognized as a gain on sale of 
the related receivables and recorded in net sales in the consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive 
income.  Expenses  incurred  related  to  customer  financing  activities  are  recorded  in  operating  expenses  in  our 
consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income. 

During fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, we sold $279,204, $312,699 and $357,965 of contracts under these arrangements, 
respectively. We recorded net sales in the consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income of 
$16,883, $13,347 and $20,580 during fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, related to these contracts sold.

Included in cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheets are $34,016 and $35,741 as of April 27, 
2019 and April 28, 2018, respectively, which represent cash collected from previously sold customer financing contracts 
that have not yet been settled. Included in current receivables in the consolidated balance sheets are $48,559, net of 
unearned income of $0, and $46,232, net of unearned income of $8, as of April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, respectively, 
of finance contracts we have not yet sold. A total of $577,246 of finance contracts receivable sold under the arrangements 
was outstanding at April 27, 2019. The DPP receivable under the arrangements was $121,657 and $150,404 as of 
April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, respectively. Since the internal financing program began in 1994, bad debt write-
offs have amounted to less than 1% of the loans originated.

The arrangements require us to maintain a minimum current ratio and maximum leverage ratio. We were in compliance 
with those covenants at April 27, 2019.

9. Derivative Financial Instruments

We are a party to certain offsetting and identical interest rate cap agreements entered into to fulfill certain covenants 
of the equipment finance contract sale agreements. The interest rate cap agreements also provide a credit enhancement 
feature for the financing contracts sold by PDC Funding and PDC Funding II to the commercial paper conduit.

The  interest  rate  cap  agreements  are  canceled  and  new  agreements  are  entered  into  periodically  to  maintain 
consistency with the dollar maximum of the sale agreements and the maturity of the underlying financing contracts.  
As of April 27, 2019, PDC Funding had purchased an interest rate cap from a bank with a notional amount of $525,000
and a maturity date of July 2026. We sold an identical interest rate cap to the same bank. As of April 27, 2019, PDC 
Funding II had purchased an interest rate cap from a bank with a notional amount of $100,000 and a maturity date of 
December 2025. We sold an identical interest rate cap to the same bank. 

These interest rate cap agreements do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment and, accordingly, we record the fair 
value of the agreements as an asset or liability and the change as income or expense during the period in which the 
change occurs.

In March 2008, we entered into two forward starting interest rate swap agreements, each with notional amounts of 
$100,000 and accounted for as cash flow hedges, to hedge interest rate fluctuations in anticipation of the issuance of 
the senior notes due fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2018. Upon issuance of the hedged debt, we settled the forward starting 
interest rate swap agreements and recorded a $1,000 increase, net of income taxes, to other comprehensive income 
(loss), which was amortized as a reduction to interest expense over the life of the related debt through the fourth 
quarter of fiscal 2018. 

In January 2014, we entered into a forward interest rate swap agreement with a notional amount of $250,000 and 
accounted for it as a cash flow hedge, in order to hedge interest rate fluctuations in anticipation of refinancing the 
5.17% senior notes due March 25, 2015. These notes were repaid on March 25, 2015 and replaced with new $250,000
3.48% senior notes due March 24, 2025. A cash payment of $29,003 was made in March 2015 to settle the interest 
rate swap. This amount is recorded in other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, and is recognized as interest 
expense over the life of the related debt.

In January 2019 and April 2019, we entered into forward interest rate swap agreements with notional amounts of 
$539,400 and $67,291, respectively, in order to hedge against interest rate fluctuations that impact the amount of net 
sales we record related to our customer financing contracts. These interest rate swap agreements do not qualify for 
hedge accounting treatment and, accordingly, we record the fair value of the agreements as an asset or liability and 
the change as income or expense during the period in which the change occurs. As of April 27, 2019, the remaining 
notional amount for these interest rate swap agreements was $553,719, with the latest maturity date in fiscal 2026. 

63

Cash payments of $89 were made in fiscal 2019 to settle a portion of our liabilities related to these interest rate swap 
agreements. These payments are reflected as cash outflows in the consolidated statements of cash flows within net 
cash provided by operating activities.

The following presents the fair value of derivative instruments included in the consolidated balance sheets:

Derivative type
Assets:

Classification

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

Interest rate contracts

Other non-current assets

Liabilities:

Interest rate contracts
Interest rate contracts

Total liability derivatives

Other accrued liabilities
Other non-current liabilities

$

$

380 $

1,613

1,034
2,160
3,194 $

—
1,613
1,613

The following tables present the pre-tax effect of derivative instruments on the consolidated statements of income 
and other comprehensive income ("OCI"):

Derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships
Interest rate contracts

Income statement location
Interest expense

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

$

(2,908) $

(2,809) $

(2,802)

Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated
Other Comprehensive Loss into Income (Effective Portion)

Fiscal Year Ended

Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative

Fiscal Year Ended

Derivatives not designated as hedging 
instruments
Interest rate contracts

Income statement location
Other income, net

April 27, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 29, 2017

$

(2,903) $

— $

—

There were no gains or losses recognized in OCI on cash flow hedging derivatives in fiscal 2019, 2018 or 2017. 

We recorded no ineffectiveness during fiscal 2019, 2018 or 2017.  As of April 27, 2019, the estimated pre-tax portion 
of accumulated other comprehensive loss that is expected to be reclassified into earnings over the next twelve months 
is $2,900, which will be recorded as an increase to interest expense.

10. Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is the price at which an asset could be exchanged in a current transaction between knowledgeable, willing 
parties. The fair value hierarchy of measurements is categorized into one of three levels based on the lowest level of 
significant input used:

Level 1 –

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities at the measurement date.

Level 2 –

Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar 
assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in 
markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable 
market data.

Level 3 –

Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data available. These inputs reflect
management’s assumptions of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

64

Our hierarchy for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis is as follows:

Assets:

Cash equivalents

DPP receivable - receivables securitization
program
DPP receivable - customer financing

Derivative instruments

Total assets

Liabilities:

Derivative instruments

Assets:

Cash equivalents

DPP receivable - receivables securitization
program

DPP receivable - customer financing

Derivative instruments

Total assets

Liabilities:

Derivative instruments

April 27, 2019

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$

19,529 $

19,529 $

— $

—

$

$

57,238

121,657

380

—

—

—

—

—

380

57,238

121,657

—

198,804 $

19,529 $

380 $

178,895

3,194 $

— $

3,194 $

—

April 28, 2018

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$

6,650 $

6,650 $

— $

—

150,404
1,613

—

—

—

—

—

1,613

—

—

150,404

—

$

$

158,667 $

6,650 $

1,613 $

150,404

1,613 $

— $

1,613 $

—

Cash equivalents – We value cash equivalents at their current market rates. The carrying value of cash equivalents 
approximates fair value and maturities are less than three months.

DPP receivable - receivables securitization program – We value this DPP receivable based on a discounted cash flow 
analysis  using  unobservable  inputs,  which  include  the  estimated  timing  of  payments  and  the  credit  quality  of  the 
underlying creditor. Significant changes in any of the significant unobservable inputs in isolation would not result in a 
materially different fair value estimate. The interrelationship between these inputs is insignificant.

DPP receivable - customer financing – We value this DPP receivable based on a discounted cash flow analysis using 
unobservable inputs, which include a forward yield curve, the estimated timing of payments and the credit quality of 
the underlying creditor. Significant changes in any of the significant unobservable inputs in isolation would not result 
in a materially different fair value estimate. The interrelationship between these inputs is insignificant.

Derivative instruments –Our derivative instruments consist of interest rate cap agreements and interest rate swaps. 
These instruments are valued using inputs such as interest rates and credit spreads.

Certain assets are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. These assets are not measured at fair value on 
an ongoing basis, but are subject to fair value adjustments under certain circumstances, such as when there is evidence 
of impairment. In fiscal 2017, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $36,312 related to a distribution agreement 
intangible asset.  Refer to Note 4 for more information. There were no fair value adjustments to such assets in fiscal 
2019 or 2018.

Our debt is not measured at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. The estimated fair value of our debt as of 
April 27,  2019  and April 28,  2018  was  $758,121  and  $989,124,  respectively,  as  compared  to  a  carrying  value  of 
$749,316 and $998,628 at April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, respectively. The fair value of debt was measured using 
a discounted cash flow analysis based on expected market based yields (i.e., level 2 inputs).

The carrying amounts of receivables, net of allowances, accounts payable, and certain accrued and other current 
liabilities approximated fair value at April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018.

65

11. Lease Commitments

Patterson leases facilities for its branch office locations, a few distribution facilities, and certain equipment. These 
leases are accounted for as operating leases. Future minimum rental payments under noncancelable operating leases 
are as follows at April 27, 2019:

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Thereafter

Total

$

$

21,087
17,133
13,487
8,198
4,126
1,476
65,507

Rent expense was $23,141, $24,425 and $24,502 for fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

12. Income Taxes

The components of income from continuing operations before taxes are as follows:

Income from continuing operations before taxes

United States

International

Total

April 27,
2019

Fiscal Year Ended

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

$

$

76,035 $

144,278 $

30,193

34,985

106,228 $

179,263 $

217,529

33,352

250,881

Significant components of income tax expense (benefit) are as follows:

Current:

Federal
Foreign
State

Total current expense

Deferred:

Federal
Foreign
State

Total deferred expense (benefit)

Income tax expense (benefit)

U.S. Tax Reform

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

$

(19) $

5,876 $

9,207
3,402
12,590

11,228
2,243
19,347

9,709
(53)
1,106
10,762
23,352 $

(45,177)
(743)
4,862
(41,058)
(21,711) $

$

72,339
9,100
9,367
90,806

(11,802)
(28)
(1,883)
(13,713)
77,093

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") was enacted into law. The Tax Act significantly 
revises the future ongoing U.S. federal corporate income tax by, among other things, lowering the U.S. federal corporate 
tax  rate,  implementing  a  territorial  tax  system,  imposing  a  one-time  transition  tax  on  earnings  of  certain  foreign 
subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred, and creates new taxes on foreign sourced earnings. Effective January 
1, 2018, the Tax Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0%. For the fiscal year ended April 27, 
2019, we utilized a 21.0% U.S. federal statutory rate. For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, we utilized a blended 
rate of approximately 30.5%. 

66

Effective for the fiscal year ended April 27, 2019, the Tax Act subjects Patterson to tax on global intangible low-taxed 
income (“GILTI”).  We have made an accounting policy election to treat the impacts of GILTI as a period cost in the 
period incurred.  

For the fiscal year ended April 28, 2018, these impacts resulted in a provisional discrete net tax benefit of $76,648, 
which included provisional amounts of $81,871 of tax benefit on U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities, $4,006 of tax 
expense for a one-time transition tax on unremitted foreign earnings and $1,217 in withholding tax paid on current 
year distributions.  During the fiscal year ended April 27, 2019, we completed our accounting for the previously recorded 
provisional impacts of the Tax Act and recorded additional remeasurement benefit of $2,355 on U.S. deferred tax 
assets and liabilities and a reduction to the transition tax cost of $331.

While we have completed our accounting for the impacts of the Tax Act, changes in interpretation of the Tax Act, 
analysis of proposed and final regulations as they are issued, current and additional guidance from the Internal Revenue 
Service and/or state legislative actions as well as potential changes in accounting standards surrounding income taxes 
and the Tax Act may result in further, potentially material, changes to these completed computations.

Deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  are  included  in  other  non-current  assets  and  deferred  income  taxes  on  the 
consolidated balance sheets. Significant components of our deferred tax assets (liabilities) as of April 27, 2019 and 
April 28, 2018 are as follows:

Deferred tax assets:

Capital accumulation plan
Inventory related items
Bad debt allowance
Stock based compensation expense
Interest rate swap
Foreign tax credit
Other

Gross deferred tax assets

Less: Valuation allowance

Total net deferred tax assets
Deferred tax liabilities
LIFO reserve
Amortizable intangibles
Goodwill
Property, plant, equipment

Total deferred tax liabilities
Deferred net long-term income tax liability

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

$

$

3,988 $
4,887
1,888
6,918
4,041
7,358
5,053
34,133
(11,237)
22,896

4,862
4,407
1,052
6,514
4,712
8,472
11,748
41,767
(13,830)
27,937

(24,098)
(77,126)
(43,903)
(40,793)
(185,920)
(163,024) $

(19,727)
(84,778)
(41,635)
(33,376)
(179,516)
(151,579)

At April 27, 2019, we had a U.S. foreign tax credit asset that will expire in seven years.  In addition, we have deferred 
tax assets which would give rise to tax capital losses if triggered in the future. These losses would have a five year 
carryforward period and can only be used against capital gain income.  At this time, we believe that it is more likely 
than not that the foreign tax credit and potential capital loss carryforward attributes totaling $11,237 will not be fully 
utilized prior to expiration.  As a result, a full valuation allowance has been established against these assets.  

With regard to unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries generated after December 31, 2017, we do not currently 
provide for U.S. taxes since we intend to reinvest such undistributed earnings indefinitely outside of the United States.  
We continue to apply ASC 740 based on the provisions of the tax law that were in effect immediately prior to the 
enactment of the new law.  

67

Income tax expense varies from the amount computed using the U.S. statutory rate. The reasons for this difference 
and the related tax effects are shown below:

Tax at U.S. statutory rate
State tax provision, net of federal benefit
Effect of foreign taxes
ESOP
Other permanent differences
Tax on dividends, net of foreign tax credit
Tax reform
Other

Income tax expense (benefit)

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

$

$

22,306 $

3,492
2,728
(2,465)
1,074
—
(2,686)
(1,097)
23,352 $

54,674 $

4,650
(186)
(4,036)
(728)
—
(76,648)
563
(21,711) $

87,807
5,217
(2,602)
(4,198)
(2,663)
(2,406)
—
(4,062)
77,093

We have accounted for the uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the financial statements in accordance with ASC 
Topic 740, “Income Taxes”. This standard clarifies the separate identification and reporting of estimated amounts that 
could be assessed upon audit. The potential assessments are considered unrecognized tax benefits, because, if it is 
ultimately determined they are unnecessary, the reversal of these previously recorded amounts will result in a beneficial 
impact to our financial statements.

As  of April 27,  2019  and April 28,  2018,  Patterson’s  gross  unrecognized  tax  benefits  were  $13,035  and  $14,227, 
respectively.  If  determined  to  be  unnecessary,  these  amounts  (net  of  deferred  tax  assets  of  $2,225  and  $2,418, 
respectively, related to the tax deductibility of the gross liabilities) would decrease our effective tax rate. The gross 
unrecognized tax benefits are included in other non-current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

A summary of the changes in the gross amounts of unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended April 27, 2019 and 
April 28, 2018 is shown below:

Balance at beginning of period
Additions for tax positions related to the current year
Additions for tax positions of prior years
Reductions for tax positions of prior years
Statute expirations
Settlements
Balance at end of period

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

$

$

14,227 $
972
50
(228)
(1,984)
(2)
13,035 $

14,211
1,713
232
(475)
(1,284)
(170)
14,227

We also recognize both interest and penalties with respect to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income 
tax expense. As of April 27, 2019 and April 28, 2018, we had recorded $1,926 and $1,764, respectively, for interest 
and penalties. These amounts are also included in other non-current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. 
These amounts, net of related deferred tax assets, if determined to be unnecessary, would decrease our effective tax 
rate. During the year ended April 27, 2019, we recorded as part of tax expense $429 related to an increase in our 
estimated liability for interest and penalties.

Patterson  files  income  tax  returns,  including  returns  for  our  subsidiaries,  with  federal,  state,  local  and  foreign 
jurisdictions. During fiscal 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) concluded an audit of fiscal years ended April 
25, 2015 and April 30, 2016. The IRS has either examined or waived examination for all periods up to and including 
our fiscal year ended April 30, 2016, resulting in these periods being closed. In addition to the IRS, periodically, state, 
local and foreign income tax returns are examined by various taxing authorities. We do not believe that the outcome 
of these various examinations will have a material adverse impact on our financial statements.

68

13.  Technology Partner Innovations, LLC

In  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  2019,  we  entered  into  an  agreement  with  Cure  Partners  to  form  Technology  Partner 
Innovations, LLC (TPI), which is launching a new cloud-based practice management software, NaVetor. Patterson and 
Cure Partners each contributed net assets of $4,000 to form TPI.  We have determined that TPI is a variable interest 
entity, and we consolidate the results of operations of TPI as we have concluded that we are the primary beneficiary 
of TPI. During the fiscal year ended April 27, 2019, net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest was $752, resulting 
in noncontrolling interests of $3,248 on the consolidated balance sheets at April 27, 2019.

14. Segment and Geographic Data

We present three reportable segments: Dental, Animal Health and Corporate. Dental and Animal Health are strategic 
business units that offer similar products and services to different customer bases. Dental provides a virtually complete 
range of consumable dental products, equipment and software, turnkey digital solutions and value-added services to 
dentists, dental laboratories, institutions, and other healthcare professionals throughout North America. Animal Health 
is a leading, full-line distributor in North America and the U.K. of animal health products, services and technologies to 
both  the  production-animal  and  companion-pet  markets.  Our  Corporate  segment  is  comprised  of  general  and 
administrative expenses, including home office support costs in areas such as information technology, finance, legal, 
human resources and facilities. In addition, customer financing and other miscellaneous sales are reported within 
Corporate results. Corporate assets consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, property and 
equipment and long-term receivables. We evaluate segment performance based on operating income. The costs to 
operate the fulfillment centers are allocated to the business units based on the through-put of the unit.

The following tables present information about our reportable segments:

Consolidated net sales

United States

United Kingdom

Canada

Total

Dental net sales

United States
Canada

Total

Animal Health net sales

United States

United Kingdom
Canada
Total
Corporate net sales

United States
Total

April 27,
2019

Fiscal Year Ended

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

4,638,184 $

4,537,326 $

4,725,322

597,953

338,386

583,057

345,300

547,968

319,837

5,574,523 $

5,465,683 $

5,593,127

1,989,875 $

1,985,398 $

2,185,341

201,915

210,680

204,878

2,191,790 $

2,196,078 $

2,390,219

2,620,104 $

2,524,887 $

2,496,899

597,953

136,471

583,057

134,620

547,968

114,959

3,354,528 $

3,242,564 $

3,159,826

28,205 $
28,205 $

27,041 $

27,041 $

43,082

43,082

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

69

Consolidated net sales

Consumable

Equipment and software
Other

Total

Dental net sales

Consumable

Equipment and software
Other

Total

Animal Health net sales

Consumable

Equipment and software
Other

Total

Corporate net sales

Other

Total

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations

Dental

Animal Health

Corporate

Consolidated operating income from
continuing operations

Depreciation and amortization

Dental

Animal Health

Corporate

Consolidated depreciation and amortization

April 27,
2019

Fiscal Year Ended

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

4,482,016 $

4,415,643 $

4,400,888

753,805

338,702

709,253

340,787

834,526

357,713

5,574,523 $

5,465,683 $

5,593,127

1,214,814 $

1,251,642 $

1,321,764

694,864

282,112

660,355

284,081

780,868

287,587

2,191,790 $

2,196,078 $

2,390,219

3,267,202 $
58,941
28,385

3,164,001 $
48,898

29,665

3,079,124
53,658

27,044

3,354,528 $

3,242,564 $

3,159,826

28,205 $
28,205 $

27,041 $

27,041 $

43,082

43,082

April 27,
2019

Fiscal Year Ended

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

179,236 $

229,201 $

81,472

(122,992)

78,058

(87,370)

263,671

88,132

(63,875)

137,716 $

219,889 $

287,928

8,792 $

49,362

24,619
82,773 $

7,435 $

50,892

25,489
83,816 $

11,840

50,144

21,834
83,818

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

70

Property and equipment, net

United States

United Kingdom

Canada

Total

Total assets

Dental

Animal Health

Corporate

Total assets

15. Stockholders’ Equity

Dividends

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

$

$

$

$

295,381 $

278,508

1,976

8,433

1,773

10,309

305,790 $

290,590

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

641,721 $

853,555

2,156,723

470,825

2,128,800

489,309

3,269,269 $

3,471,664

The following table presents our declared and paid cash dividends per share on our common stock for the past three 
years. Dividends were declared and paid in the same period. We expect to continue paying a quarterly cash dividend 
into the foreseeable future.

Fiscal year
2019

2018

2017

Share Repurchases

Quarter

1

2

3

4

$

0.26 $

0.26 $

0.26 $

0.26

0.24

0.26

0.24

0.26

0.24

0.26

0.26

0.26

During fiscal 2019, we had no repurchases of shares of our common stock. During fiscal 2018, we repurchased and 
retired 2,147 shares of our common stock for $87,500, or an average of $40.75 per share. During fiscal 2017, we 
repurchased and retired 2,855 shares of our common stock for $125,384, or an average of $43.91 per share.

On March 13, 2018, the Board of Directors authorized a $500,000 share repurchase program through March 13, 2021. 
As of April 27, 2019, $500,000 remains available under the current repurchase authorization.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP")

During 1990, Patterson’s Board of Directors adopted a leveraged ESOP. In fiscal 1991, under the provisions of the 
plan and related financing arrangements, Patterson loaned the ESOP $22,000 (the “1990 note”) for the purpose of 
acquiring its then outstanding preferred stock, which was subsequently converted to common stock. The Board of 
Directors determines the contribution from the Company to the ESOP annually. The contribution is used to retire a 
portion of the debt, which triggers a release of shares that are then allocated to the employee participants. Shares of 
stock acquired by the plan are allocated to each participant who has completed 1000 hours of service during the plan 
year. In fiscal 2011, the final payment on the 1990 note was made and all remaining shares were released for allocation 
to participants.

In fiscal 2002, Patterson’s ESOP and an ESOP sponsored by the Thompson Dental Company (“Thompson”) were 
used to facilitate the acquisition and merger of Thompson into Patterson. The net result of this transaction was an 
additional loan of $12,612 being made to the ESOP and the ESOP acquiring 666 shares of common stock. The loan 
bears interest at current rates but principal did not begin to amortize until fiscal 2012. Beginning in fiscal 2012 and 
through fiscal 2020, an annual payment of $200 plus interest is due and in fiscal 2020, a final payment of any outstanding 
principal and interest balance is due. Prepayments of principal can be made at any time without penalty. Of the 666 
shares issued in the transaction, 98 were previously allocated to Thompson employees. The remaining 568 shares 
began to be allocated in fiscal 2004 as interest was paid on the loan. 

71

In September 2006, we entered into a third loan agreement with the ESOP and loaned $105,000 (the “2006 note”) for 
the sole purpose of enabling the ESOP to purchase shares of our common stock. The ESOP purchased 3,160 shares 
with the proceeds from the 2006 note. Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate equal to six-month 
LIBOR, with the rate resetting semi-annually. Interest payments were not required during the period from and including 
September 11,  2006  through  April 30,  2010.  On  April 30,  2010,  accrued  and  unpaid  interest  was  added  to  the 
outstanding  principal  balance  under  the  note,  with  interest  thereafter  accruing  on  the  increased  principal  amount. 
Unpaid  interest  accruing  after April 30,  2010  is  due  and  payable  on  each  successive April 30  occurring  through 
September 10, 2026. Principal payments aren't due until September 10, 2026; however, prepayments can be made 
without penalty. In fiscal 2012, Patterson contributed $20,214 to the ESOP, which then purchased 844 shares for 
allocation to the participants. No shares secured by the 2006 note were released prior to fiscal 2011.

At April 27, 2019, a total of 9,387 shares of common stock that have been allocated to participants remained in the 
ESOP and had a fair market value of $205,018. Related to the shares from the Thompson transaction, committed-to-
be-released shares were 17 and suspense shares were 394. Finally, with respect to the 2006 note, committed-to-be-
released shares were 585 and suspense shares were 697.

Unearned ESOP shares are not considered outstanding for the computation of earnings per share until the shares are 
committed for release to the participants. During fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017, the compensation expense recognized 
related to the ESOP was $13,740, $18,132 and $1,315, respectively.

We anticipate the allocation of the remaining suspense, or unearned, shares to occur over a period of less than 5 
years. As of April 27, 2019, the fair value of all unearned shares held by the ESOP was $23,907. We will recognize 
an income tax deduction as the unearned ESOP shares are released. Such deductions will be limited to the ESOP’s 
original cost to acquire the shares.

Dividends on allocated shares are passed through to the ESOP participants. Dividends on unallocated shares are 
used by the ESOP to make debt service payments on the notes due to Patterson.

16. Stock-based Compensation

The consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income for fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017 include pre-
tax (after-tax) stock-based compensation expense of $19,685 ($15,588), $18,400 ($13,037) and $17,710 ($11,910). 
Pre-tax  expense  is  included  in  operating  expenses  within  the  consolidated  statements  of  income  and  other 
comprehensive income. 

As of April 27, 2019, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested awards was $27,998, and it is 
expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 1.6 years.

2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan

In  September  2015,  our  shareholders  approved  the  2015  Omnibus  Incentive  Plan  ("Incentive  Plan"),  which  was 
amended and restated in September 2018.  The aggregate number of shares of common stock that may be issued is 
11,500.  The  Incentive  Plan  authorizes  various  award  types  to  be  issued  under  the  plan,  including  stock  options, 
restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance awards, non-employee director 
awards, cash-based awards and other stock-based awards. We issue new shares for stock option exercises, restricted 
stock award grants and also for vesting of restricted stock units and performance stock units. Awards that expire or 
are canceled without delivery of shares generally become available for reissuance under the plan.

At April 27, 2019, there were 7,556 shares available for awards under the Incentive Plan.

As a result of the approval of the Incentive Plan, awards are no longer granted under any prior equity incentive plan, 
but all outstanding awards previously granted under such prior plans will remain outstanding and subject to the terms 
of such prior plans. At April 27, 2019, there were 796 shares outstanding under prior plans.

Inducement Awards

On  June  29,  2018,  we  issued  a  combination  of  non-statutory  stock  options  and  restricted  stock  units  outside  our 
Incentive Plan to our Chief Financial Officer. The stock option covers 99 shares of our common stock, has an exercise 
price of $22.67 per share, and has a 10-year term. Such award will vest, assuming continued employment, to the 
extent of one-third of the award on the first anniversary of the date of grant, one-third of the award on the second 
anniversary of the date of grant, and the remaining one-third of the award on the third anniversary of the date of grant. 
The restricted stock unit award covers 31 shares of our common stock. Such award will vest, assuming continued 

72

employment, to the extent of 50% of the award on the first anniversary of the date of grant and the remaining 50% of 
the award on the second anniversary of the date of grant.

On December 1, 2017, we issued a restricted stock unit award outside our Incentive Plan to our Chief Executive Officer.  
The award covers 56 shares of common stock and will vest, assuming continued employment, to the extent of 50%
of the award on the first anniversary of the date of grant and the remaining 50% of the award on the second anniversary 
of the date of grant. 

Stock Option Awards

Stock options granted to employees expire no later than ten years after the date of grant.  Awards typically vest over 
three or five years.

The fair value of stock options granted was estimated as of the grant date using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model 
with the following assumptions:

Expected dividend yield
Expected stock price volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Expected life (years)
Weighted average grant date fair value per share

The following is a summary of stock option activity:

Balance as of April 28, 2018

Granted
Exercised
Canceled

Balance as of April 27, 2019
Vested or expected to vest as of April 27, 2019
Exercisable as of April 27, 2019

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

4.5%
24.6%
2.9%
6.2

2.2%
21.6%
1.9%
6.6

$

3.66

$

8.18

$

2.0%
21.2%
1.2%
6.6

8.32

Number
of
Options

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price

Aggregate 
Intrinsic
Value

1,206 $
621
(1)
(270)
1,556 $
1,418 $
282 $

50.82
23.40
19.85
50.41
39.96 $
38.84 $
49.05 $

—
—
—

The weighted average remaining contractual lives of options outstanding and options exercisable as of April 27, 2019
were 7.5 and 5.7 years, respectively. 

Related to stock options exercised, the intrinsic value, cash received and tax benefits realized were $2, $13 and $0, 
respectively, in fiscal 2019; $88, $324 and $3, respectively, in fiscal 2018; and $266, $958 and $36, respectively, in 
fiscal 2017.

Restricted Stock

Restricted stock awards and restricted stock units granted to employees generally vest over a three, five or seven
year period. Certain restricted stock awards, which are held by branch managers, are subject to accelerated vesting 
provisions beginning three years after the grant date, based on certain operating goals.  Restricted stock awards are 
also granted to non-employee directors annually and vest over one year. The grant date fair value of restricted stock 
awards and restricted stock units is based on the closing stock price on the day of the grant. The total fair value of 
restricted stock awards and restricted stock units that vested in fiscal 2019, 2018 and 2017 was $5,683, $6,939 and 
$8,528, respectively. 

73

The following is a summary of restricted stock award activity:

Outstanding at April 28, 2018
Granted
Vested
Forfeitures
Outstanding at April 27, 2019

The following is a summary of restricted stock unit activity:

Outstanding at April 28, 2018

Granted

Vested

Forfeitures

Outstanding at April 27, 2019

Performance Unit Awards

Restricted Stock Awards

Weighted-
Average
Grant  Date
Fair Value

Shares

304 $

37
(133)
(41)
167 $

40.13
24.83
38.61
41.10
37.91

Restricted Stock Units

Weighted-
Average
Grant  Date
Fair Value

45.74

23.27

43.71

38.85

30.97

Shares

541 $

773

(111)

(78)

1,125 $

In  fiscal  2019,  we  granted  performance  unit  awards  which  are  earned  at  the  end  of  a  three  year  period  if  certain 
operating goals are met. Accordingly, we recognize expense over the requisite service period based on the outcome 
that is probable for these awards.  In fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016, we granted performance unit awards with a market-
based condition to certain executives.  The number of shares to be received at vesting will range from 0% - 200% of 
the target number of stock units based on Patterson's total shareholder return ("TSR") relative to the performance of 
companies in the S&P Midcap 400 Index measured over a three year period.  We estimate the grant date fair value 
of the TSR awards using the Monte Carlo valuation model. No performance unit awards vested in fiscal 2019, 2018 
or 2017. 

The following is a summary of performance unit award activity at target:

Outstanding at April 28, 2018
Granted
Vested
Forfeitures and cancellations
Outstanding at April 27, 2019

Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP")

Performance Unit Awards

Weighted-
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value

Shares

236 $
142
—
(93)
285 $

51.66
22.63
—
50.22
34.86

We sponsor an ESPP under which a total of 6,750 shares have been reserved for purchase by employees. Eligible 
employees may purchase shares at 85% of the lower of the fair market value of our common stock on the beginning 
of the annual offering period, or on the end of each quarterly purchase period, which occur on March 31, June 30, 
September 30 and December 31.  The offering periods begin on January 1 of each calendar year and end on December 
31 of each calendar year. At April 27, 2019, there were 289 shares available for purchase under the ESPP.

74

We estimate the grant date fair value of shares purchased under our ESPP using the Black-Scholes option pricing 
valuation model with the following weighted average assumptions:

Expected dividend yield
Expected stock price volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Expected life (years)
Weighted average grant date fair value per share

Capital Accumulation Plan ("CAP")

Fiscal Year Ended

April 27,
2019

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

5.2%
38.6%
2.5%
0.6

2.8%
28.1%
1.7%
0.6

2.3%
32.9%
0.7%
0.6

$

5.21

$

8.73

$

10.33

We also sponsored an employee CAP. A total of 6,000 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance under the 
CAP. Key employees of Patterson were eligible to participate by purchasing common stock through payroll deductions 
at 75% of the price of the common stock at the beginning of or the end of the calendar year, whichever was lower. The 
shares issued are restricted stock and are held in the custody of Patterson until the restrictions lapse. The restriction 
period is typically three years from the beginning of the plan year, and shares are subject to forfeiture provisions. 

Effective September 5, 2018, our Board of Directors took the following irrevocable actions with respect to our CAP:  
(1) it immediately reduced the number of shares available for purchase under the CAP by 1,500, and (2) it terminated 
the CAP for new participants, effective January 1, 2019. At April 27, 2019, 235 shares were available for purchase 
under the CAP. 

We estimated the grant date fair value of shares purchased under our CAP using the Black-Scholes option pricing 
valuation model with the following weighted average assumptions. No CAP shares were granted in the fiscal year 
ended April 27, 2019:

Expected dividend yield
Expected stock price volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Expected life (years)
Weighted average grant date fair value per share

17. Litigation

April 28,
2018

April 29,
2017

2.8%
24.4%
1.8%
1.0

2.3%
28.3%
0.9%
1.0

$

12.98

$

15.21

In September 2015, we were served with a summons and complaint in an action commenced in the U.S. District Court 
for the Eastern District of New York, entitled SourceOne Dental, Inc. v. Patterson Companies, Inc., Henry Schein, Inc. 
and Benco Dental Supply Company, Civil Action No. 15-CV-05440-JMA-GRB. SourceOne, as plaintiff, alleges that, 
through its website, it markets and sells dental supplies and equipment to dentists. SourceOne alleges in the complaint, 
among other things, that we, along with the defendants Henry Schein and Benco, conspired to eliminate plaintiff as a 
competitor and to exclude them from the market for the marketing, distribution and sale of dental supplies and equipment 
in the U.S. and that defendants unlawfully agreed with one another to boycott dentists, manufacturers, and state dental 
associations that deal with, or considered dealing with, plaintiff. Plaintiff asserts the following claims: (i) unreasonable 
restraint  of  trade  in  violation  of  state  and  federal  antitrust  laws;  (ii) tortious  interference  with  prospective  business 
relations; (iii) civil conspiracy; and (iv) aiding and abetting the other defendants’ ongoing tortious and anticompetitive 
conduct. Plaintiff seeks equitable relief, compensatory and treble damages, jointly and severally, punitive damages, 
interest, and reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees. In June 2017, Henry Schein 
settled with SourceOne and was dismissed from this litigation with prejudice. We are vigorously defending ourselves 
in this litigation. Trial is scheduled to begin on September 16, 2019. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a 
material adverse effect on our financial statements.

Beginning in January 2016, purported antitrust class action complaints were filed against defendants Henry Schein, 
Inc., Benco Dental Supply Company and Patterson Companies, Inc. Although there were factual and legal variations 
among these complaints, each alleged that defendants conspired to foreclose and exclude competitors by boycotting 

75

manufacturers, state dental associations, and others that deal with defendants’ competitors. On February 9, 2016, the 
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ordered all of these actions, and all other actions filed thereafter 
asserting substantially similar claims against defendants, consolidated for pre-trial purposes. On February 26, 2016, 
a consolidated class action complaint was filed by Arnell Prato, D.D.S., P.L.L.C., d/b/a Down to Earth Dental, Evolution 
Dental Sciences, LLC, Howard M. May, DDS, P.C., Casey Nelson, D.D.S., Jim Peck, D.D.S., Bernard W. Kurek, D.M.D., 
Larchmont Dental Associates, P.C., and Keith Schwartz, D.M.D., P.A. (collectively, “putative class representatives”) in 
the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, entitled In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action 
No. 1:16-CV-00696-BMC-GRB. Subject to certain exclusions, the putative class representatives seek to represent all 
private dental practices and laboratories who purchased dental supplies or equipment in the U.S. directly from any of 
the defendants, during the period beginning August 31, 2008 until March 31, 2016. In the consolidated class action 
complaint, putative class representatives allege a nationwide agreement among Henry Schein, Benco, Patterson and 
non-party Burkhart Dental Supply Company, Inc. not to compete on price. The consolidated class action complaint 
asserts  a  single  count  under  Section  1  of  the  Sherman Act,  and  seeks  equitable  relief,  compensatory  and  treble 
damages, jointly and severally, interest, and reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees. 
On September 28, 2018, the parties executed a settlement agreement that proposes, subject to court approval, a full 
and final settlement of the lawsuit on a class-wide basis. Subject to certain exceptions, the settlement class consists 
of all persons or entities that purchased dental products directly from Henry Schein, Patterson, Benco and Burkhart, 
or any combination thereof, during the period August 31, 2008 through and including March 31, 2016. In September 
2018, we signed an agreement to settle the litigation. Under the terms of the settlement, we paid $28,263 into escrow 
upon preliminary court approval. Such funds are to be released to the settlement fund administrator upon final court 
approval of the settlement, which was granted at the fairness hearing held on June 24, 2019. We recorded a pre-tax 
reserve of $28,263 in our first quarter 2019 results in our Corporate segment to account for the settlement of this 
matter. 

On August 31, 2012, Archer and White Sales, Inc. (“Archer”) filed a complaint against Henry Schein, Inc. as well as 
Danaher  Corporation  and  its  subsidiaries  Instrumentarium  Dental,  Inc.,  Dental  Equipment,  LLC,  Kavo  Dental 
Technologies, LLC and Dental Imaging Technologies Corporation (collectively, the “Danaher Defendants”) in the United 
States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Civil Action No. 2:12-CV-00572-JRG, styled as an antitrust action 
under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and the Texas Free Enterprise Antitrust Act. Archer alleges a conspiracy between 
Henry Schein, an unnamed company and the Danaher Defendants to terminate or limit Archer’s distribution rights. On 
August 1, 2017, Archer filed an amended complaint, adding Patterson Companies, Inc. and Benco Dental Supply 
Company as defendants, and alleging that Henry Schein, Patterson, Benco and non-defendant Burkhart Dental Supply 
Company, Inc. conspired to pressure and agreed to enlist their common suppliers, including the Danaher Defendants, 
to join a price-fixing conspiracy and boycott by reducing the distribution territory of, and eventually terminating, Archer. 
Archer seeks injunctive relief, and damages in an amount to be proved at trial, to be trebled with interest and costs, 
including attorneys’ fees, jointly and severally. On June 25, 2018, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari 
to review an arbitration issue raised by the Danaher Defendants, thereby continuing the case stay implemented in 
March 2018. On October 29, 2018, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments. On January 8, 2019, the Supreme Court 
issued its published decision vacating the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and remanded 
the case to the Fifth Circuit for further proceedings on a second arbitration issue consistent with the Supreme Court’s 
opinion. The Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments on May 1, 2019. A decision is pending. We are vigorously defending 
ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial 
statements.

On August 17, 2017, IQ Dental Supply, Inc. (“IQ Dental”) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the 
Eastern District of New York, entitled IQ Dental Supply, Inc. v. Henry Schein, Inc., Patterson Companies, Inc. and 
Benco Dental Supply Company, Case No. 2:17-cv-4834. Plaintiff alleges that it is a distributor of dental supplies and 
equipment, and sells dental products through an online dental distribution platform operated by SourceOne Dental, 
Inc. IQ Dental alleges, among other things, that defendants conspired to suppress competition from IQ Dental and 
SourceOne for the marketing, distribution and sale of dental supplies and equipment in the United States, and that 
defendants unlawfully agreed with one another to boycott dentists, manufacturers and state dental associations that 
deal with, or considered dealing with, plaintiff and SourceOne. Plaintiff claims that this alleged conduct constitutes 
unreasonable restraint of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, New York’s Donnelly Act and the New 
Jersey Antitrust Act,  and  also  makes  pendant  state  law  claims  for  tortious  interference  with  prospective  business 
relations, civil conspiracy and aiding and abetting. Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief, compensatory, treble and punitive 
damages, jointly and severally, and reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees. On 
December 21, 2017, the District Court granted defendants motion to dismiss the complaint with prejudice. Plaintiff 
appealed the District Court’s order. On May 10, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal 
of all of IQ Dental's claims but reversed the District Court on dismissal of IQ Dental's direct boycott claims. The case 

76

was remanded to the District Court to proceed in accordance with that opinion. The court’s decision is pending. We 
are vigorously defending ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse 
effect on our financial statements.

On February 12, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an administrative complaint entitled In the Matter 
of Benco Dental Supply Co., Henry Schein, Inc., and Patterson Companies, Inc. Docket No. 9379. The administrative 
complaint alleges “reason to believe” that Patterson and the other respondents violated Section 5 of the FTC Act, 15 
U.S.C. § 45 by conspiring to refuse to offer discounted prices or otherwise negotiate with buying groups seeking to 
obtain supply agreements on behalf of groups of solo practitioners or small group dental practices. The administrative 
complaint seeks injunctive relief against Patterson, including an order to cease and desist from the conduct alleged 
in the complaint and a prohibition from conspiring or agreeing with any competitor or any person to refuse to provide 
discounts to or compete for the business of any customer. No money damages are sought. We are vigorously defending 
ourselves against the administrative complaint. The hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge of the FTC in 
Washington, D.C. began on October 16, 2018. The factual record closed on February 21, 2019 and post-trial briefing 
ended on June 6, 2019. We do not anticipate this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.

On March 28, 2018, Plymouth County Retirement System (“Plymouth”) filed a federal securities class action complaint 
against Patterson Companies, Inc. and its former CEO Scott P. Anderson and former CFO Ann B. Gugino in the U.S. 
District  Court  for  the  District  of  Minnesota  in  a  case  captioned  Plymouth  County  Retirement  System  v.  Patterson 
Companies, Inc., Scott P. Anderson and Ann B. Gugino, Case No. 0:18-CV-00871 MJD/SER. On November 9, 2018, 
the complaint was amended to add former CEO James W. Wiltz and former CFO R. Stephen Armstrong as individual 
defendants.  Under the amended complaint, on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased or otherwise acquired 
Patterson’s common stock between June 26, 2013 and February 28, 2018, Plymouth alleges that Patterson violated 
federal  securities  laws  by  failing  to  disclose  that  Patterson’s  revenue  and  earnings  were  “artificially  inflated  by 
Defendants’ illicit, anti-competitive scheme with its purported competitors, Benco and Schein, to prevent the formation 
of  buying  groups  that  would  allow  its  customers  who  were  office-based  practitioners  to  take  advantage  of  pricing 
arrangements  identical  or  comparable  to  those  enjoyed  by  large-group  customers.”  In  its  class  action  complaint, 
Plymouth asserts one count against Patterson for violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 
Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and a second, related count against the individual defendants for violating Section 
20(a) of the Exchange Act.  Plymouth seeks compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and reasonable 
attorneys’  fees  and  experts’  witness  fees  and  costs.   On August  30,  2018,  Gwinnett  County  Public  Employees 
Retirement System and Plymouth County Retirement System, Pembroke Pines Pension Fund for Firefighters and 
Police  Officers,  Central  Laborers  Pension  Fund  were  appointed  lead  plaintiffs.  While  the  outcome  of  litigation  is 
inherently  uncertain,  we  believe  that  the  class  action  complaint  is  without  merit,  and  we  are  vigorously  defending 
ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial 
statements. Patterson has also received, and responded to, requests under Minnesota Business Corporation Act § 
302A.461 to inspect corporate books and records relating to the issues raised in the securities class action and the 
antitrust matters discussed above.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia informed us that 
our  subsidiary,  Animal  Health  International,  Inc.,  has  been  designated  a  target  of  a  criminal  investigation.  The 
investigation originally related to Animal Health International sales of prescription animal health products to certain 
persons and/or locations not licensed to receive them in Virginia and Tennessee in violation of federal and state laws. 
After being contacted by the U.S. Attorney's office, Patterson retained outside legal counsel and began an internal 
investigation which remains ongoing. Since that time, we have produced documents both responsive to grand jury 
subpoenas and voluntarily. In December 2018, as a result of our ongoing internal investigation, we voluntarily advised 
the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Animal Health International shipments of prescription animal health products that were 
made from a warehouse rather than a pharmacy to customers in the states of Virginia and Tennessee. Thereafter, as 
part  of  our  ongoing  internal  investigation,  we  conducted  a  comprehensive  review  of Animal  Health  International’s 
distribution and licensing practices across all 50 U.S. states. That review identified compliance issues in additional 
states,  which  we  voluntarily  disclosed  to  the  U.S. Attorney’s  Office  in April  2019.  Our  Board  of  Directors  also  has 
established  a  special  investigation  committee  to  oversee  and  continue  the  investigation,  to  review  our  licensing, 
dispensing, distribution and related sales practices company-wide, and to report on its findings to the Board and to 
the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As a result of the ongoing internal investigation, we have modified our licensing, dispensing, 
distribution and related sales processes and are continuing to evaluate the need for further modification. We continue 
to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and have agreed to extend the existing tolling agreement. At this time, we 
are unable to make an estimate of the amount of loss, or range of possible loss, that we could incur as a result of the 
foregoing matter. This matter may divert management’s attention and cause us to suffer reputational harm. We also 
may be subject to fines or penalties, equitable remedies (including but not limited to the revocation of or non-renewal 

77

of licenses) and litigation. The occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition 
and results of operations.

On August 28, 2018, Kirsten Johnsen filed a stockholder derivative complaint against Patterson Companies, Inc., as 
a nominal defendant, and the following former and current officers and directors of Patterson:  Scott Anderson, Ann 
Gugino,  James  Wiltz,  John  Buck,  Jody  Feragen,  Ellen  Rudnick,  Les  Vinney,  Neil  Schrimsher,  Sarena  Lin,  Harold 
Slavkin, Alex Blanco and Mark Walchirk as individual defendants in Hennepin County District Court in a case captioned 
Kirsten Johnsen v. Scott P. Anderson et al., Case No. 27-CV-18-14315.  Derivatively on behalf of Patterson, plaintiff 
alleges that Patterson “suppressed price competition and maintained supracompetitive prices for dental supplies and 
equipment  by  entering  into  agreements  with  Henry  Schein  and  Benco  to:   (i)  fix  margins  for  dental  supplies  and 
equipment;  and  (ii)  block  the  entry  and  expansion  of  lower-margin,  lower-priced,  rival  dental  distributors  through 
threatened  and  actual  group  boycotts.”   Plaintiff  further  alleges  that  the  individual  defendants  failed  to  disclose 
Patterson’s alleged “price-fixing scheme” to the public and purportedly “caused Patterson to repurchase over $412,800
worth of its own stock at artificially inflated prices.”  In the derivative complaint, plaintiff asserts three counts against 
the individual defendants for:  (i) breach of fiduciary duty; (ii) waste of corporate assets; and (iii) unjust enrichment.  
Plaintiff seeks compensatory damages, equitable and injunctive relief as permitted by law, costs, disbursements and 
reasonable attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees and experts’ fees, costs and expenses, and an order awarding restitution 
from the individual defendants and directing Patterson “to take all necessary actions to reform and improve its corporate 
governance and internal procedures.” On February 19, 2019, the court ordered this litigation stayed pending resolution 
of the below-described case brought by Sally Pemberton. While the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, we 
believe that the derivative complaint is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation. We 
do not anticipate that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements. 

On October 1, 2018, Sally Pemberton filed a stockholder derivative complaint against Patterson Companies, Inc., as 
a nominal defendant, and the following former and current officers and directors of Patterson:  Scott Anderson, Ann 
Gugino,  Mark  Walchirk,  John  Buck, Alex  Blanco,  Jody  Feragen,  Sarena  Lin,  Ellen  Rudnick,  Neil  Schrimsher,  Les 
Vinney, James Wiltz, Paul Guggenheim, David Misiak and Tim Rogan as individual defendants in the United States 
District Court for the District of Minnesota in a case captioned Sally Pemberton v. Scott P. Anderson, et al., Case No. 
18-CV-2818 (PJS/HB).  Derivatively on behalf of Patterson, plaintiff alleges that Patterson, with Benco and Henry 
Schein, “engage[d] in a conspiracy in restraint of trade, whereby the companies agreed to refuse to offer discounted 
prices or otherwise negotiate with GPOs, agreed to fix margins on dental supplies and equipment, agreed not to poach 
one another’s customers or sales representatives, and agreed to block the entry and expansion of rival distributors.  
Plaintiff further alleges that the individual defendants failed to disclose Patterson’s alleged “antitrust misconduct” to 
the public and purportedly caused Patterson to repurchase $412,800 of its own stock at prices that were artificially 
inflated.  In the derivative complaint, plaintiff asserts six counts against the individual defendants for: (i) breach of 
fiduciary duty; (ii) waste of corporate assets; (iii) unjust enrichment; (iv) violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange 
Act; (v) violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act and (vi) violations of Section 20(a) of the 
Exchange  Act.   Plaintiff  seeks  compensatory  damages  with  pre-judgment  and  post-judgment  interest,  costs, 
disbursements and reasonable attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees, costs and expenses, and an order awarding restitution 
from the individual defendants and directing Patterson “to take all necessary actions to reform and improve its corporate 
governance  and  internal  procedures.”    While  the  outcome  of  litigation  is  inherently  uncertain,  we  believe  that  the 
derivative complaint is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation. We do not anticipate 
that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements. 

On October 9, 2018, Nathaniel Kramer filed indirect purchaser litigation against Patterson Companies, Inc., Henry 
Schein, Inc. and Benco Dental Supply Company in the United States District Court for the District of Northern District 
of California. The purported class action complaint asserts violations of the California Cartwright Act and the California 
Unfair Competition Act based on an alleged agreement between Schein, Benco, and Patterson (and unnamed co-
conspirators) not to compete as to price and margins. Plaintiff alleges that the agreement allowed the defendants to 
charge higher prices to dental practices for dental supplies and that the dental practices passed on all, or part of, the 
increased prices to the consumers of dental services. Subject to certain exclusions, the complaint defines the class 
as all persons residing in California purchasing and/or reimbursing for dental services from California dental practices. 
The complaint seeks a permanent injunction, actual damages to be determined at trial, trebled, reasonable attorneys’ 
fees and costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest. On December 7, 2018, an amended complaint was filed asserting 
the same claims against the same parties. While the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, we believe that the 
indirect purchaser action is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation.

78

On January 29, 2019, a purported class action complaint was filed by R. Lawrence Hatchett, M.D. against Patterson 
Companies, Inc., Henry Schein, Inc., Benco Dental Supply Company, and unnamed co-conspirators in the U.S. District 
Court for the Southern District of Illinois.  The complaint alleges that members of the proposed class suffered antitrust 
injury  due  to  an  unlawful  boycott,  price-fixing  or  otherwise  anticompetitive  conspiracy  among  Schein,  Benco  and 
Patterson. The complaint alleges that the alleged conspiracy overcharged Illinois dental practices, orthodontic practices 
and dental laboratories on their purchase of dental supplies, which in turn passed on some or all of such overcharges 
to members of the class. Subject to certain exclusions, the complaint defines the class as all persons residing in Illinois 
purchasing and/or reimbursing for dental care provided by independent Illinois dental practices purchasing dental 
supplies from the defendants, or purchasing from buying groups purchasing these supplies from the defendants, on 
or after January 29, 2015. The complaint alleges violations of the Illinois Antitrust Act, 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§ 10/3(2), 
10/7(2), and seeks a permanent injunction, actual damages to be determined at trial, trebled, reasonable attorneys’ 
fees and costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest. While the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, we believe 
that the indirect purchaser action is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation.

In December 2017, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated numerous cases filed against 
an array of defendants by various plaintiffs such as counties, cities, hospitals, Indian tribes and others, alleging claims 
generally concerning the impacts of widespread opioid abuse. The consolidated multidistrict litigation, captioned In re 
National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804 (the “MDL”), is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern 
District of Ohio. On July 12, 2018, Bon Secours Health System, Inc., Bon Secours- Richmond Community Hospital, 
Incorporated, Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Inc., Bon Secours- Memorial Regional Medical Center, Inc., Bon 
Secours- St. Francis Medical Center, Inc., Bon Secours- St. Mary’s Hospital of Richmond, Inc., Bon Secours- Virginia 
Healthsource, Inc., Chesapeake Hospital Corporation, Mary Immaculate Hospital, Incorporated and Maryview Hospital 
(collectively, the “MDL Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint in the MDL against 26 manufacturers and wholesale distributors of 
prescription opiates (the “MDL Defendants”) alleging that the MDL Defendants improperly marketed, sold or distributed 
prescription opiates. The MDL Plaintiffs’ complaint alleges violations of federal RICO statutes, violations of the Virginia 
Consumer Protections Act, negligence, negligence per se, wantonness, recklessness, and gross negligence, fraud 
and public nuisance. The MDL Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, the imposition of civil penalties, monetary damages, 
punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorneys’ fees and costs. Neither Patterson nor any of its 
subsidiaries were named as MDL Defendants in the original complaint. On March 15, 2019, the MDL Plaintiffs amended 
and supplemented their complaint to assert violations of federal RICO statutes against 67 manufacturers and wholesale 
distributors  of  prescription  opiates  (the  “Amended  MDL  Defendants”).  Two  of  Patterson’s  subsidiaries,  Patterson 
Logistics Services, Inc. and Patterson Veterinary Supply, Inc., are named as Amended MDL Defendants. The MDL 
Plaintiffs allege that the Amended MDL Defendants “breached their legal duties under federal law to monitor, detect, 
investigate, refuse and report suspicious orders of prescription opiates.” While the outcome of litigation is inherently 
uncertain, we believe that the MDL Plaintiffs’ claims against Patterson Logistics Services, Inc. and Patterson Veterinary 
Supply, Inc. are without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation.

While management currently believes that resolving the foregoing matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not 
have a material adverse effect on our financial statements, the litigation and other claims noted above are subject to 
inherent uncertainties and management’s view of these matters may change in the future.  Adverse outcomes in some 
or all of the claims pending against us may result in significant monetary damages or injunctive relief against us that 
could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business.  There also exists the possibility of a material adverse effect 
on our financial statements for the period in which the effect of an unfavorable final outcome becomes probable and 
reasonably estimable.

From time to time, we may become a party to other legal proceedings, including, without limitation, product liability 
claims,  intellectual  property  claims,  employment  matters,  commercial  disputes,  governmental  inquiries  and 
investigations (which may in some cases involve our entering into settlement arrangements or consent decrees), and 
other matters arising out of the ordinary course of our business. While the results of any legal proceeding cannot be 
predicted with certainty, in our opinion none of these other pending matters is anticipated to have a material adverse 
effect on our financial statements.

79

18. Quarterly Results (unaudited)

Quarterly results are determined in accordance with the accounting policies used for annual data and include certain 
items based upon estimates for the entire year. All fiscal quarters include results for 13 weeks. 

Net sales

Gross profit

Operating income from continuing operations
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
Net loss from discontinued operations

Net income (loss)

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

Net income (loss) attributable to Patterson
Companies, Inc.

Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to
Patterson Companies, Inc.:

Continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Net basic earnings (loss) per share

Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to
Patterson Companies, Inc.:

Continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Net diluted earnings (loss) per share

$

$

$

$

$

Quarter Ended

April 27, 2019

January 26, 2019

October 27, 2018

July 28, 2018 (1)

$ 1,436,706 $

1,396,745 $

1,404,752 $

1,336,320

312,527
46,623
27,685

—
27,685
(305)

299,509
45,363
31,054

—
31,054

295,076
41,216
28,646

—
28,646

(171)

(223)

283,663
4,514
(4,509)

—
(4,509)

(53)

27,990 $

31,225 $

28,869 $

(4,456)

0.30 $

—

0.30 $

0.30 $

—

0.30 $

0.34 $

0.31 $

—

—

0.34 $

0.31 $

0.33 $

0.31 $

—

—

0.33 $

0.31 $

Quarter Ended

(0.05)

—

(0.05)

(0.05)

—

(0.05)

Net sales

Gross profit

Operating income from continuing operations

Net income (loss) from continuing operations

Net loss from discontinued operations

Net income (loss)

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

Net income (loss) attributable to Patterson
Companies, Inc.

Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to
Patterson Companies, Inc.:

Continuing operations
Discontinued operations

Net basic earnings (loss) per share

Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to
Patterson Companies, Inc.:

Continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Net diluted earnings (loss) per share

$

$

$

$

$

April 28, 2018

January 27, 2018 (2) October 28, 2017

July 29, 2017

$ 1,400,609 $

1,375,222 $

1,385,737 $

1,304,115

289,839
41,251

20,928

—
20,928

—

294,736

50,046

108,955

—

108,955

—

315,743

71,759

40,244

—

40,244

—

299,048

56,833

30,847

—

30,847

—

20,928 $

108,955 $

40,244 $

30,847

1.18 $

0.43 $

—

—

1.18 $

0.43 $

1.18 $

0.43 $

—

—

1.18 $

0.43 $

0.33

—

0.33

0.33

—

0.33

0.23 $

—

0.23 $

0.23 $

—

0.23 $

80

(1) 

(2) 

In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, we recorded a pre-tax charge of $28,263 related to a litigation settlement. 
See Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

In the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Tax Act was enacted by the U.S. government. During this quarter, we 
recorded a provisional discrete net tax benefit of $77,256 within net income from continuing operations. See 
Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. 

19. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss ("AOCL")

The following table summarizes the changes in AOCL as of April 27, 2019:

AOCL at April 28, 2018
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from AOCL
AOCL at April 27, 2019

Cash Flow
Hedges

$

$

(13,118) $
—
2,288
(10,830) $

Currency
Translation
Adjustment

(61,856) $
(15,583)
—
(77,439) $

Total
(74,974)
(15,583)
2,288
(88,269)

The amounts reclassified from AOCL during fiscal 2019 represent gains and losses on cash flow hedges, net of taxes 
of $620. The impact to the consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income was an increase to 
interest expense of $2,908.

Item 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL 
DISCLOSURE

None.

Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our 
Chief Financial Officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and 
procedures pursuant to Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). 
Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls 
and procedures were effective as of April 27, 2019. Disclosure controls and procedures are defined by Rules 13a-15(e) 
and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act as controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information 
required to be disclosed by Patterson in reports filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, 
summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and 
procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be 
disclosed in reports filed under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including 
our principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow 
timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The  management  of  Patterson  Companies,  Inc.  is  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  adequate  internal 
control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal control 
system is designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and Board of Directors regarding the reliability 
of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally 
accepted accounting principles. 

Under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  management,  including  our  principal  executive  officer  and 
principal financial officer, we assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of April 27, 
2019, using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) 
in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013). Based on this assessment, management has concluded that our 
internal control over financial reporting was effective as of April 27, 2019. Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered 
public accounting firm that audited our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8, Financial Statements and 
Supplementary Data, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, has issued an unqualified report on our internal control over 
financial reporting. 

81

/s/ Mark S. Walchirk
President and Chief Executive Officer

/s/ Donald J. Zurbay
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

The report of our independent registered public accounting firm on internal control over financial reporting is included 
in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under 
the Exchange Act) that occurred during the quarter ended April 27, 2019 that have materially affected, or are reasonably 
likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

9B. OTHER INFORMATION

A Current Report on Form 8-K triggering event occurred within four business days before the filing of this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K.  We are satisfying our obligations under Form 8-K by including the required disclosure in response to 
this Item 9B.

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; 
Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

(b) On June 25, 2019, James W. Wiltz, who has been a member of the Board of Directors of Patterson Companies, 
Inc. since 2001, provided notice that he will continue to serve as a director until the 2019 annual meeting of shareholders, 
but he does not plan to stand for re-election.

82

PART III

Item 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Information regarding the directors of Patterson is incorporated herein by reference to the descriptions set forth under 
the caption “Proposal No. 1 Election of Directors” in Patterson’s Proxy Statement for its Annual Meeting of Shareholders 
to be held on September 16, 2019 (the “2019 Proxy Statement”). Information regarding executive officers of Patterson 
is incorporated herein by reference to Item 1 of Part I of this Form 10-K under the caption “Information About Our 
Executive Officers.” Information regarding compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is 
incorporated herein by reference to the information set forth under the caption “Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports” in 
the 2019 Proxy Statement. The information called for by Item 10, as to the audit committee and the audit committee 
financial expert, is set forth under the captions “Proposal No. 1 Election of Directors” and “Our Board of Directors and 
Committees” in the 2019 Proxy Statement and such information is incorporated by reference herein.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted Principles of Business Conduct and Code of Ethics for our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial 
Officer, Directors and all employees. Our Code of Ethics is available on our website (www.pattersoncompanies.com) 
under the section “Investor Relations – Corporate Governance.” We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement of 
Form 8-K regarding an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of our Code of Ethics by posting such information 
on our website at the address and location specified above.

Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information regarding executive compensation is incorporated herein by reference to the information set forth under 
the caption “Executive Compensation” in the 2019 Proxy Statement. Information regarding director compensation is 
incorporated herein by reference to the information set forth under the caption “Non-Employee Director Compensation” 
in the 2019 Proxy Statement.  Information regarding the compensation committee and its report is incorporated herein 
by  reference  to  the  information  set  forth  under  the  caption  “Our  Board  of  Directors  and  Committees  -  Committee 
Responsibilities - Our Compensation Committee and Its Report” in the 2019 Proxy Statement.

Item 12.  SECURITY  OWNERSHIP  OF  CERTAIN  BENEFICIAL  OWNERS AND  MANAGEMENT AND  RELATED 
STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Information regarding securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans is incorporated herein by 
reference to the information set forth under the caption “Equity Compensation Plan Information” in the 2019 Proxy 
Statement.  Information regarding the security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management is incorporated 
herein by reference to the information set forth under the caption “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners 
and Management” in the 2019 Proxy Statement.

Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Information regarding transactions with related persons is incorporated herein by reference to the information set forth 
under the caption “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” in the 2019 Proxy Statement.  Information regarding 
director independence is incorporated herein by reference to the information set forth under the caption “Our Board 
of Directors and Committees” in the 2019 Proxy Statement.

Item 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

Information relating to principal accounting fees and services and pre-approval policies and procedures is incorporated 
herein by reference to the information set forth under the caption “Proposal No. 4 Ratification of Selection of Independent 
Registered Public Accounting Firm – Principal Accountant Fees and Services” in the 2019 Proxy Statement.

83

Item 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

PART IV

(a) 

1. Financial Statements.

The following Consolidated Financial Statements and supplementary data of Patterson and its subsidiaries 
are included in Part II, Item 8:

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Statements of Income and Other Comprehensive Income

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

2. Financial Statement Schedules.

The following financial statement schedule is filed herewith: Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

Schedules other than that listed above have been omitted because they are not applicable or the required 
information is included in the financial statements or notes thereto.

3. Exhibits.

Exhibit

3.1

3.2

4.1

10.1

10.2

10.3

10.4

10.5

10.6

10.7

10.8

10.9

Document Description

Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-
Q, filed September 9, 2004 (File No. 000-20572)).

Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, 
filed December 13, 2013 (File No. 000-20572)).

Specimen form of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q, filed September 9, 2004 (File No. 000-20572)).

  Patterson Companies, Inc. Fiscal 2019 Incentive Plan (filed herewith).**

Patterson Companies, Inc. Fiscal 2018 Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K, filed June 27, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Patterson Companies, Inc. Fiscal 2017 Incentive Plan  (incorporated by reference to our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K, filed June 28, 2017 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Patterson  Companies  Amended  and  Restated  Capital  Accumulation  Plan  (incorporated  by 
reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed December 6, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

2001 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report 
on Form 10-K, filed July 25, 2002 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Patterson Companies, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated 
by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, filed August 7, 2012 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Amendment  No.  1  to  Patterson  Companies,  Inc.  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan,  dated 
September 12, 2016 (filed herewith).**

Patterson Dental Company Amended and Restated Employee Stock Ownership Plan, effective 
May 1, 2001 (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed July 25, 2002 
(File No. 000-20572)).**

Stock Option Plan for Canadian Employees, effective June 13, 2000 (incorporated by reference 
to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed March 11, 2003 (File No. 000-20572)).**

84

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
10.10

10.11

10.12

10.13

10.14

10.15

10.16

10.17

10.18

10.19

10.20

10.21

10.22

10.23

10.24

10.25

Deferred Profit Sharing Plan for the Employees of Patterson Dental Canada Inc. (incorporated 
by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, filed July 28, 2008 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Patterson  Companies,  Inc.  Amended  and  Restated  Equity  Incentive  Plan  (incorporated  by 
reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, filed August 7, 2012 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Patterson Companies, Inc. 2014 Sharesave Plan (incorporated by reference to our Definitive 
Proxy Statement, filed August 5, 2014 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Patterson Companies, Inc. Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (incorporated 
by reference to Annex A to our Definitive Schedule 14A (Proxy Statement), filed August 6, 2018 
(File No. 000-20572)).**

ESOP Loan Agreement dated April 1, 2002 (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on 
Form 10-K, filed July 24, 2003 (File No. 000-20572)).

Promissory Note dated April 1, 2002 between GreatBanc Trust Company, an Illinois corporation, 
not in its individual or corporate capacity, but solely as trustee of the Thompson Dental Company 
Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust and Thompson Dental Company (incorporated by 
reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed July 24, 2003 (File No. 000-20572)).

ESOP Loan Agreement dated September 11, 2006 (incorporated by reference to our Current 
Report on Form 8-K, filed September 12, 2006 (File No. 000-20572)).

ESOP  Note  dated  September  11,  2006  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on 
Form 8-K, filed September 12, 2006 (File No. 000-20572)).

Note Purchase Agreement dated March 19, 2008 among Patterson Companies, Inc., Patterson 
Medical Holdings, Inc., Patterson Medical Supply, Inc., Patterson Dental Holdings, Inc., Patterson 
Dental Supply, Inc., Webster Veterinary Supply, Inc. and Webster Management, LP (incorporated 
by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed March 24, 2008 (File No. 000-20572)).

Note Purchase Agreement, dated December 8, 2011, by and among Patterson Companies, Inc., 
Patterson Medical Holdings, Inc., Patterson Medical Supply, Inc., Patterson Dental Holdings, Inc., 
Patterson  Dental  Supply,  Inc.,  Webster  Veterinary  Supply,  Inc.,  Webster  Management,  LP 
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed December 12, 2011 (File No. 
000-20572)).

Note Purchase Agreement, dated March 23, 2015, by and among Patterson Companies, Inc., 
Patterson Medical Holdings, Inc., Patterson Medical Supply, Inc., Patterson Dental Holdings, Inc., 
Patterson Dental Supply, Inc., Patterson Veterinary Supply, Inc., and Patterson Management, LP 
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed March 25, 2015 (File No. 
000-20572)).

Amended  and  Restated  Contract  Purchase Agreement  dated August  12,  2011  among  PDC 
Funding Company II, LLC, Patterson Companies, Inc., and Fifth Third Bank (incorporated by 
reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed August 16, 2011 (File No. 000-20572)).

Receivables Sale Agreement, dated as May 10, 2002, by and among Patterson Dental Supply, 
Inc.,  Webster  Veterinary  Supply,  Inc.,  and  PDC  Funding  Company,  LLC,  conformed  through 
Amendment No. 4, dated as of October 9, 2018 (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q, filed March 6, 2019 (File No. 000-20572)).

Amended and Restated Receivables Sales Agreement dated August 12, 2011 by and among 
Patterson Dental Supply, Inc., Webster Veterinary Supply, Inc. and PDC Funding Company II, 
LLC (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed June 24, 2015 (File No. 
000-20572)).

Third  Amended  and  Restated  Receivables  Purchase  Agreement  dated  December  3,  2010 
between PDC Funding Company, LLC, Patterson Companies, Inc., The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi 
UFJ, Ltd., New York Branch (the “Bank”) and a commercial paper conduit managed by the Bank 
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed December 8, 2010 (File No. 
000-20572)).

Assignment and Assumption and Amendment No. 1 to Third Amended and Restated Receivables 
Purchase Agreement dated December 20, 2010, by and among The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi 
UFJ, Ltd., Victory Receivables Corporation, PDC Funding Company, LLC, Patterson Companies, 
Inc., Royal Bank of Canada and Thunder Bay Funding, LLC (incorporated by reference to our 
Current Report on Form 8-K, filed December 23, 2010 (File No. 000-20572)).

85

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
10.26

10.27

10.28

10.29

10.30

10.31

10.32

10.33

10.34

10.35

10.36

10.37

10.38

10.39

10.40

10.41

10.42

21

23

Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of January 27, 2017, by and among Patterson 
Companies, Inc., the lenders from time to time parties thereto, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, 
Ltd., as administrative agent, and Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent (incorporated by 
reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed January 27, 2017 (File No. 000-20572)).

Employment Agreement by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Mark S. Walchirk, dated 
October 23, 2017 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed October 
24, 2017 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Inducement RSU Award Agreement by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Mark S. 
Walchirk, dated December 1, 2017 (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K, filed June 27, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Transition Agreement  by  and  between  Patterson  Companies,  Inc.  and Ann  B.  Gugino,  dated 
March 1, 2018 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed March 1, 2018 
(File No. 000-20572)).**

Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 29, 2018, among Patterson Companies, Inc., and 
certain  of  its  named  subsidiaries  as  borrowers,  and  various  private  lenders  (incorporated  by 
reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed March 29, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).

Amendment No. 1 to Transition Agreement by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Ann 
B. Gugino, dated April 11, 2018 (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, 
filed June 27, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Separation Agreement by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Ann B. Gugino, dated 
May 25, 2018 (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed June 27, 2018 
(File No. 000-20572)).**

Transition Agreement by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Scott P. Anderson, dated 
June 1, 2017 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed June 1, 2017 
(File No. 000-20572)).**

Offer Letter by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Donald J. Zurbay, effective May 17, 
2018 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed May 23, 2018 (File No. 
000-20572)).**

Form  of  Inducement,  Severance  &  Change  in  Control Agreement  by  and  between  Patterson 
Companies, Inc. and Donald J. Zurbay (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 
8-K, filed May 23, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Form  of  Inducement  Non  Statutory  Stock  Option  Agreement  by  and  between  Patterson 
Companies, Inc. and Donald J. Zurbay (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 
8-K, filed May 23, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Form of Inducement RSU Agreement by and between Patterson Companies, Inc. and Donald J. 
Zurbay (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed May 23, 2018 (File 
No. 000-20572)).**

Restrictive Covenants, Severance and Change-in-Control Agreement by and between Patterson 
Companies, Inc. and Kevin M. Pohlman, dated June 11, 2018 (incorporated by reference to our 
Current Report on Form 8-K, filed June 12, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Restrictive Covenants, Severance and Change-in-Control Agreement by and between Patterson 
Companies, Inc. and Les B. Korsh, dated June 11, 2018 (incorporated by reference to our Current 
Report on Form 8-K, filed June 12, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).**

Inducement,  Severance  and  Change-in-Control  Agreement  by  and  between  Patterson 
Companies, Inc. and Andrea Frohning, dated May 21, 2018 (filed herewith).**

Inducement,  Severance  and  Change-in-Control  Agreement  by  and  between  Patterson 
Companies, Inc. and Eric Shirley, dated February 4, 2019 (filed herewith).**

Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 24, 2018, by and among Patterson Dental 
Supply, Inc., as servicer, PDC Funding Company III, LLC, as seller, purchasers from time to time 
party thereto, and MUFG Bank, Ltd., as agent (incorporated by reference to our Current Report 
on Form 8-K, filed July 25, 2018 (File No. 000-20572)).

  Subsidiaries (filed herewith).

  Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (filed herewith).

86

31.1

31.2

32.1

32.2

101

Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-4(a) and 15d-14(a), as adopted 
pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith).

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-4(a) and 15d-14(a), as adopted 
pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith).

Certification  of  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  pursuant  to  18  U.S.C.  Section  1350,  as  adopted 
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith).

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant 
to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith).

(Filed Electronically)  The following financial information from our Annual Report on Form 10-K 
for  fiscal  2019,  formatted  in  Inline  eXtensible  Business  Reporting  Language  (iXBRL):  (i)  the 
consolidated balance sheets, (ii) the consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive 
income, (iii) the consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity, (iv) the consolidated 
statements of cash flows and (v) the notes to the consolidated financial statements.(*)

(*) 

The iXBRL related information in Exhibit 101 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K shall not be deemed “filed” for 
purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to liability of 
that section and shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing or other document pursuant to the Securities 
Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing or document.

** 

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or agreement.

(b) See Index to Exhibits.

(c) See Schedule II.

Item 16.  Form 10-K Summary.

None.

87

  
  
  
  
  
SCHEDULE II
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
(In thousands) 

Year ended April 27, 2019
Deducted from asset accounts:

Allowance for doubtful accounts
LIFO inventory adjustment
Inventory obsolescence reserve
Total inventory reserve

Year ended April 28, 2018
Deducted from asset accounts:

Allowance for doubtful accounts
LIFO inventory adjustment
Inventory obsolescence reserve
Total inventory reserve

Year ended April 29, 2017
Deducted from asset accounts:

Allowance for doubtful accounts
LIFO inventory adjustment
Inventory obsolescence reserve
Total inventory reserve

Balance at
Beginning
of Period

Charged to
Costs and
Expenses

Charged
to Other
Accounts

Deductions

Balance at
End of
Period

$
$

$

$
$

$

$
$

$

9,537 $
82,105 $

5,376

87,481 $

7,333 $
9,237 $

30,995
40,232 $

9,342 $
77,816 $

5,621

83,437 $

6,280 $
4,289 $

22,919
27,208 $

12,008 $
76,501 $

6,621

83,122 $

1,825 $
1,315 $

18,026
19,341 $

— $
— $
—
— $

— $
— $
—
— $

— $
— $
—
— $

10,098 $
— $

26,272
26,272 $

6,772
91,342
10,099
101,441

6,085 $
— $

23,164
23,164 $

4,491 $
— $

19,026
19,026 $

9,537
82,105
5,376
87,481

9,342
77,816
5,621
83,437

88

Pursuant to the requirements of section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly 
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

Dated: June 26, 2019

PATTERSON COMPANIES, INC.
By /s/ Mark S. Walchirk
Mark S. Walchirk
President and Chief Executive
Officer, Director

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following 
persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

/s/ Mark S. Walchirk
Mark S. Walchirk

/s/ Donald J. Zurbay
Donald J. Zurbay

/s/ John D. Buck

John D. Buck

/s/ Alex N. Blanco

Alex N. Blanco

/s/ Jody H. Feragen

Jody H. Feragen

/s/ Robert C. Frenzel

Robert C. Frenzel

/s/ Francis J. Malecha

Francis J. Malecha

/s/ Ellen A. Rudnick

Ellen A. Rudnick

/s/ Neil A. Schrimsher

Neil A. Schrimsher

/s/ James W. Wiltz

James W. Wiltz

President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

Date
June 26, 2019

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
(Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer)

June 26, 2019

Chairman of the Board

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

89

(This page intentionally left blank)

CORPORATE 
INFORMATION

Corporate Headquarters

1031 Mendota Heights Road
St. Paul, MN 55120-1419
651.686.1600
www.pattersoncompanies.com

Independent Auditors

Ernst & Young LLP
Minneapolis, MN

Legal Counsel

Briggs and Morgan, P.A.
Minneapolis, MN

Stock Transfer Agent

EQ Shareowner Services
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-4100
1-800-401-1957

Investor Relations Contact

John M. Wright
Vice President, Investor Relations

Annual Meeting

Directors

John D. Buck (A, D)
Chairman of the Board,
Chief Executive Offi  cer
Whitefi sh Ventures, LLC

Mark S. Walchirk
President and 
Chief Executive Offi  cer
Patterson Companies, Inc. 

Alex N. Blanco (A, B, E)
Executive Vice President and 
Chief Supply Chain Offi  cer
Ecolab Inc.

Jody H. Feragen (A, C, D)
Former Executive Vice President 
and Chief Financial Offi  cer
Hormel Foods Corporation

Robert C. Frenzel (A, C, E)
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Offi  cer
Xcel Energy Inc.

Francis J. Malecha (B, C, E)
Former President and
Chief Executive Offi  cer
Compass Minerals International, Inc.

The annual meeting of shareholders will 
be held at 4:30 p.m. on September 16, 2019, 
at Patterson’s corporate headquarters, 
1031 Mendota Heights Road, St. Paul, MN.

Ellen A. Rudnick (B, C, D)
Senior Advisor on Entrepreneurship 
University of Chicago 
Booth School of Business

Form 10-K

A copy of our annual report on Form 10-K 
is available to shareholders without charge 
in the investor relations section of the 
Patterson website (www.pattersoncompanies.
com) or by writing to: John M. Wright, Vice 
President, Investor Relations at the corporate 
headquarters.

Neil A. Schrimsher (B, C, D)
President and
Chief Executive Offi  cer
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.

James W. Wiltz
Former President and 
Chief Executive Offi  cer
Patterson Companies, Inc. 

(A) Member of Audit Committee

(B) Member of Compensation Committee

(C)  Member of Finance and Corporate 

Development Committee

(D)  Member of Governance and 

Nominating Committee

(E)  Member of Special Investigation 

Committee

Executive Offi  cers

Mark S. Walchirk
President and 
Chief Executive Offi  cer

Donald J. Zurbay
Chief Financial Offi  cer 
and Treasurer

Andrea L. Frohning
Chief Human Resources Offi  cer 

Les B. Korsh
Vice President, 
General Counsel and Secretary 

Kevin M. Pohlman
President, Animal Health

Eric R. Shirley
President, Dental

The paper for this publication is FSC® certifi ed and meets the strict 
standards of the Forest Stewardship Council®, which promotes envi-
ronmentally appropriate, socially benefi cial and economically viable 
management of the world’s forests.

 E Printed on recycled paper. Please recycle.

Patterson Companies, Inc. 

1031 Mendota Heights Road 
St. Paul, MN 55120-1419 
651.686.1600

pattersoncompanies.com

WE ARE  
 PATTERSON.