U.S. Global Investors - 10-Q quarterly report FY

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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.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files).

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

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

On January 27, 2011, there were 13,862,445 shares of Registrant’s class A nonvoting common stock issued and 13,321,077 shares of Registrant’s class A nonvoting common stock issued and outstanding, no shares of Registrant’s class B nonvoting common shares outstanding, and 2,073,103 shares of Registrant’s class C voting common stock issued and outstanding.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.

U.S. Global Investors, Inc. (the “Company” or “U.S. Global”) has prepared the consolidated financial statements pursuant to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that permit reduced disclosure for interim periods. The financial information included herein reflects all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments), which are, in management’s opinion, necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods presented. The Company has consistently followed the accounting policies set forth in the notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, United Shareholder Services, Inc. (“USSI”), U.S. Global Investors (Guernsey) Limited, U.S. Global Brokerage, Inc., and U.S. Global Investors (Bermuda) Limited.

All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts have been reclassified for comparative purposes. The results of operations for the six months ended December 31, 2010, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.

The unaudited interim financial information in these condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s annual report.

In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) removed the concept of a qualifying special-purpose entity and removed the exception from applying in consolidation of variable interest entities to qualifying special-purpose entities in ASC 860 Transfers and Servicing(formerly SFAS No. 166, Accounting for Transfers of Financial Assets – an amendment of FASB Statement No. 140). This standard is effective for both interim and annual periods as of the beginning of each reporting entity’s first annual reporting period that begins after November 15, 2009. The adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective for both interim and annual periods as of the beginning of each reporting entity’s first annual report period beginning after November 15, 2009, enterprises are required to perform an analysis to determine whether the enterprise’s variable interest or interests give it a controlling financial interest in a variable interest entity, in accordance with ASC 810 Consolidation(formerly SFAS No. 167, Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)). The adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In January 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2010-06, Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements. This ASU will add new requirements for disclosures into and out of Levels 1 and 2 fair-value measurements and information on purchases, sales, issuances and settlements on a gross basis in the reconciliation of Level 3 fair-value measurements. It also clarifies existing fair value disclosures about the level of disaggregation, inputs and valuation techniques. Except for the detailed Level 3 reconciliation disclosures, the guidance in the ASU is effective for annual and interim reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2009. The new disclosures for Level 3 activity are effective for annual and interim reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The adoption of ASU 2010-06 by the Company did not have a material effect on its consolidated financials statements except for enhanced disclosure in the notes to its consolidated financial statements.

Payment of cash dividends is within the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and is dependent on earnings, operations, capital requirements, general financial condition of the Company, and general business conditions. A monthly dividend of $0.02 per share is authorized through March 2011 and will be reviewed by the board quarterly.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company held investments with a market value of approximately $10.7 million and a cost basis of approximately $9.1 million. The market value of these investments is approximately 24.2 percent of the Company’s total assets.

Investments in securities classified as trading are reflected as current assets on the consolidated balance sheet at their fair market value. Unrealized holding gains and losses on trading securities are included in earnings in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).

Investments in securities classified as available-for-sale, which may not be readily marketable, are reflected as non-current assets on the consolidated balance sheet at their fair value. Unrealized holding gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and reported in other comprehensive income as a separate component of shareholders’ equity until realized.

The Company records security transactions on trade date. Realized gains (losses) from security transactions are calculated on the first-in/first-out cost basis, unless otherwise identifiable, and are recorded in earnings on the date of sale.

The following summarizes the market value, cost, and unrealized gain or loss on investments as of December 31, 2010, and June 30, 2010.

The following details the components of the Company’s available-for-sale investments as of December 31, 2010, and June 30, 2010.

Investment income can be volatile and varies depending on market fluctuations, the Company’s ability to participate in investment opportunities, and timing of transactions. A significant portion of the unrealized gains and losses for the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, is concentrated in a small number of issuers. The Company expects that gains and losses will continue to fluctuate in the future.

Investment income (loss) from the Company’s investments includes:

The following summarizes investment income reflected in earnings for the periods discussed:

Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures (formerly SFAS 157), defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value and requires companies to disclose the fair value of their financial instruments according to a fair value hierarchy (i.e., Levels 1, 2, and 3 inputs, as defined below). The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. Additionally, companies are required to provide enhanced disclosures regarding instruments in the Level 3 category (which have inputs to the valuation techniques that are unobservable and require significant management judgment), including a reconciliation of the beginning and ending values separately for each major category of assets or liabilities.

Financial instruments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument.

For actively traded securities, the Company values investments using the closing price of the securities on the exchange or market on which the securities principally trade. If the security is not actively traded, it is valued based on the last bid and/or ask quotation. Securities that are not traded on an exchange or market are generally valued at cost, monitored by management and fair value adjusted as considered necessary. The Company values the mutual funds, offshore funds and a venture capital investment at net asset value.

The following table presents fair value measurements, as of December 31, 2010, for the three major categories of U.S. Global’s investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

Approximately 82 percent of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value are derived from Level 1 inputs including SEC-registered mutual funds and equity securities traded on an active market, 16 percent of the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value are derived from Level 2 inputs, including an investment in an offshore fund, and the remaining two percent are Level 3 inputs. The Company recognizes transfers between levels at the end of each quarter. The Company did not transfer any securities between Level 1 and Level 2 during the six months ended December 31, 2010.

In Level 2, the Company has an investment in an offshore fund with a fair value of approximately $1,626,025 that invests in companies in the energy and natural resources sectors. The Company may redeem this investment on the first business day of each month after providing a redemption notice at least forty-five days prior to the proposed redemption date.

U.S. Global held investments in three securities with a value of zero and two venture capital investments that were measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) at December 31, 2010.

The Company has a venture capital investment with a fair value of approximately $128,000 that primarily invests in companies in the energy and precious metals sectors. The Company may redeem this investment at the end of a calendar quarter after providing a written redemption notice at least thirty days prior, and the redemption prices are subject to a discount from the net value of the dealer bid prices or estimated liquidation value at the time of redemption. It is estimated that the underlying assets would be liquidated within the next three years. The Company also has a venture capital investment with a fair value of approximately $118,000 that primarily invests in companies in the medical and

medical technology sectors. The Company may redeem this investment with general partner approval. As of December 31, 2010, the Company has an unfunded commitment of $125,000 related to this investment.

The following table presents additional information about investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis and for which the Company has utilized significant unobservable inputs to determine fair value:

The Company serves as investment adviser to U.S. Global Investors Funds (“USGIF”) and receives a fee based on a specified percentage of net assets under management.

USSI also serves as transfer agent to USGIF and receives fees based on the number of shareholder accounts as well as transaction and activity-based fees. Additionally, the Company receives certain miscellaneous fees directly from USGIF shareholders. Fees for providing investment management, administrative, distribution and transfer agent services to USGIF continue to be the Company’s primary revenue source.

The advisory agreement for the nine equity funds provides for a base advisory fee that, beginning in October 2009, is adjusted upwards or downwards by 0.25 percent when there is a performance difference of 5 percent or more between a fund’s performance and that of its designated benchmark index over the prior rolling 12 months. For the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, the Company adjusted its base advisory fees upwards by $880,398 and $1,080,087.

The Company has voluntarily waived or reduced its fees and/or agreed to pay expenses on all thirteen funds. These caps will continue on a voluntary basis at the Company’s discretion. Effective with the March 1, 2010, offering of institutional class shares in three USGIF funds, the Company voluntarily agreed to waive all institutional class-specific expenses. The aggregate fees waived and expenses borne by the Company for the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, were $737,765 and $1,538,309, respectively, compared with $654,385 and $1,879,199 for the corresponding periods in fiscal 2010.

The above waived fees include amounts waived under an agreement whereby the Company has voluntarily agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse the U.S. Treasury Securities Cash Fund and the U.S. Government Securities Savings Fund to the extent necessary to maintain the respective fund’s yield at a certain level as determined by the Company (Minimum Yield). Reflecting increased demand in the market for government securities, yields on such products have decreased to record lows. For the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, total fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed as a result of this agreement were $381,055 and $755,756. For the corresponding period in fiscal year 2010, the total fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed were $354,367 and $665,204.

The Company may recapture any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed within three years after the end of the funds’ fiscal year of such waiver and/or reimbursement to the extent that such recapture would not cause the funds’ yield to fall below the Minimum Yield. Thus, $170,642 of these waivers is recoverable by the Company through December 31, 2011, $1,047,980 through December 31, 2012, and $1,562,956 through December 31, 2013. Management believes these waivers could increase in the future. Such increases in fee waivers could be significant and will negatively impact the

Company’s revenues and net income. Management cannot predict the impact of the waivers due to the number of variables and the range of potential outcomes.

The Company provides advisory services for two offshore clients and receives monthly advisory fees based on the net asset values of the clients and performance fees, if any, based on the overall increase in net asset values. The Company recorded fees from these clients totaling $992,544 and $1,159,378 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, and $95,615 and $198,191 for the corresponding periods in fiscal 2010. The performance fees for these clients are calculated and recorded quarterly in accordance with the terms of the advisory agreements. These fees may fluctuate significantly from year to year based on factors that may be out of the Company’s control. Frank Holmes, CEO, serves as a director of the offshore clients.

The Company receives additional revenue from several sources including custodial fee revenues, mailroom operations, as well as investment income.

Substantially all of the cash and cash equivalents included in the balance sheet at December 31, 2010, and June 30, 2010, is invested in USGIF money market funds.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company has no long-term liabilities.

The Company has access to a $1 million credit facility with a one-year maturity for working capital purposes. The credit agreement requires the Company to maintain certain quarterly financial covenants to access the line of credit. As of December 31, 2010, this credit facility remained unutilized by the Company.

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718 Compensation – Stock Compensation (formerly SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004) Share-Based Payment). Stock-based compensation expense is recorded for the cost of stock options. Stock-based compensation expense for the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, was $9,457 and $18,913, compared to $9,457 and $34,477 in the corresponding periods in fiscal 2010. As of December 31, 2010, and 2009, respectively, there was approximately $57,456 and $95,283 of total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to share-based compensation granted under the plans that will be recognized over the remainder of their respective vesting periods.

The Company’s stock option plans provide for the granting of class A shares as either incentive or nonqualified stock options to employees and non-employee directors. Options are subject to terms and conditions determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The following table summarizes information about the Company’s stock option plans for the six months ended December 31, 2010.

The basic earnings per share (“EPS”) calculation excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution of EPS that could occur if options to issue common stock were exercised.

The following table sets forth the computation for basic and diluted EPS:

The diluted EPS calculation excludes the effect of stock options when their exercise prices exceed the average market price for the period. For both the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, 25,300 options were excluded from diluted EPS, and 45,300 were excluded in both corresponding periods in fiscal 2010.

The Company may repurchase stock from employees. The Company made no repurchases of shares of its class A, class B, or class C common stock during the six months ended December 31, 2010. Upon repurchase, these shares are classified as treasury shares and are deducted from outstanding shares in the earnings per share calculation.

The Company and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return. Provisions for income taxes include deferred taxes for temporary differences in the bases of assets and liabilities for financial and tax purposes, resulting from the use of the liability method of accounting for income taxes. The current deferred tax asset primarily consists of unrealized losses on trading securities as well as temporary differences in the deductibility of prepaid expenses and accrued liabilities. The long-term deferred tax asset is composed primarily of unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities and the difference in tax treatment of stock options.

A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion of the deferred tax amount will not be realized. No valuation allowance was included or deemed necessary at December 31, 2010, or June 30, 2010.

The Company operates principally in two business segments: providing investment management services to the funds it manages and investing for its own account in an effort to add growth and value to its cash position. The following schedule details total revenues and income by business segment:

The Company continuously reviews all investor, employee and vendor complaints, and pending or threatened litigation. The likelihood that a loss contingency exists is evaluated through consultation with legal counsel, and a loss contingency is recorded if probable and reasonably estimable.

During the normal course of business, the Company may be subject to claims, legal proceedings, and other contingencies. These matters are subject to various uncertainties, and it is possible that some of these matters may be resolved unfavorably. The Company establishes accruals for matters for which the outcome is probable and can be reasonably estimated. Management believes that any liability in excess of these accruals upon the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial statements of the Company.

The Board has authorized a monthly dividend of $0.02 per share through March 2011, at which time it will be considered for continuation by the Board. Payment of cash dividends is within the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors and is dependent on earnings, operations, capital requirements, general financial condition of the Company, and general business conditions. The total amount of cash dividends to be paid to class A and class C shareholders from January 2011 to March 2011 will be approximately $923,000.

The Company has evaluated subsequent events that occurred after December 31, 2010, through the filing of this Form 10-Q. Any material subsequent events that occurred during this time have been properly recognized or disclosed in our financial statements.

U.S. Global has made forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s performance, financial condition, and operations in this report. The Company from time to time may also make forward-looking statements in its public filings and press releases. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties and do not guarantee future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, including: (i) the volatile and competitive nature of the investment management industry, (ii) changes in domestic and foreign economic conditions, (iii) the effect of government regulation on the Company’s business, and (iv) market, credit, and liquidity risks associated with the Company’s investment management activities. Due to such risks, uncertainties, and other factors, the Company cautions each person receiving such forward-looking information not to place undue reliance on such statements. All such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date on which such statements were made.

The Company, with principal operations located in San Antonio, Texas, manages two business segments: (1) the Company offers a broad range of investment management products and services to meet the needs of individual and institutional investors; and (2) the Company invests for its own account in an effort to add growth and value to its cash position. Although the Company generates the majority of its revenues from its investment advisory segment, the Company holds a significant amount of its total assets in investments. The following is a brief discussion of the Company’s two business segments.

The Company generates substantially all of its operating revenues from managing and servicing USGIF and other advisory clients. These revenues are largely dependent on the total value and composition of assets under its management. Fluctuations in the markets and investor sentiment directly impact the funds’ asset levels, thereby affecting income and results of operations.

The Company provides advisory services for two offshore clients and receives monthly advisory fees based on the net asset values of the clients and performance fees, if any, based on the overall increase in net asset values. The Company recorded advisory and performance fees from these clients totaling $992,544 and $1,159,378 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, and $95,615 and $198,181 for the corresponding periods in fiscal 2010. The performance fees for these clients are calculated and recorded quarterly in accordance with the terms of the advisory agreements. These fees may fluctuate significantly from year to year based on factors that may be out of the Company’s control. Frank Holmes, CEO, serves as a director of the offshore clients.

At December 31, 2010, total assets under management as of period end, including both SEC-registered funds and offshore clients, were $3.044 billion versus $2.669 billion at December 31, 2009, an increase of 14 percent. During the six months ended December 31, 2010, average assets under management were $2.648 billion versus $2.509 billion during the six months ended December 31, 2009. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the natural resources funds under management. Total assets under management at June 30, 2010, were $2.402 billion versus $3.044 billion at December 31, 2010.

Management believes it can more effectively manage the Company’s cash position by broadening the types of investments used in cash management and continues to believe that such activities are in the best interest of the Company. The Company’s investment activities are reviewed and monitored by Company compliance personnel, and various reports are provided to certain investment advisory clients. Written procedures are in place to manage compliance with the code of ethics and other policies affecting the Company’s investment practices. This source of revenue does not remain consistent and is dependent on market fluctuations, the Company’s ability to participate in investment opportunities, and timing of transactions.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company held investments with a market value of approximately $10.7 million and a cost basis of approximately $9.1 million. The market value of these investments is approximately 24.2 percent of the Company’s total assets. See Note 3 (Investments) and Note 4 (Fair Value Disclosures) for additional detail regarding investment activities.

The Company posted net income of $2,330,286 ($0.15 income per share) for the three months ended December 31, 2010, compared with net income of $1,508,052 ($0.10 income per share) for the three months ended December 31, 2009, an increase of $822,234, or 54.5 percent.

Expenses
Total consolidated expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2010, increased $1,550,893, or 23.1 percent, compared with the three months ended December 31, 2009. This was largely attributable to the following:

The Company posted net income of $3,595,979 ($0.23 income per share) for the six months ended December 31, 2010, compared with net income of $2,904,559 ($0.19 income per share) for the six months ended December 31, 2009, an increase of $691,420, or 23.8 percent.

At December 31, 2010, the Company had net working capital (current assets minus current liabilities) of approximately $29.6 million and a current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) of 6.3 to 1. With approximately $23.3 million in cash and cash equivalents and approximately $10.7 million in marketable securities, the Company has adequate liquidity to meet its current obligations. Total shareholders’ equity was approximately $38.5 million, with cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities comprising 77.1 percent of total assets.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company has no long-term liabilities. The Company has access to a $1 million credit facility with a one-year maturity for working capital purposes. The credit agreement requires the Company to maintain certain quarterly financial covenants to access the line of credit. As of December 31, 2010, this credit facility remained unutilized by the Company.

Management believes current cash reserves, financing available, and potential cash flow from operations will be sufficient to meet foreseeable cash needs or capital necessary for the above-mentioned activities and allow the Company to take advantage of opportunities for growth whenever available.

Market volatility may cause the price of the Company’s publicly traded class A shares to fluctuate, which in turn may allow the Company an opportunity to buy back stock at favorable prices.

The investment advisory and related contracts between the Company and USGIF were renewed effective October 1, 2010. The Company provides advisory services to two offshore clients for which the Company receives a monthly advisory fee and a quarterly performance fee, if any, based on agreed-upon performance measurements. The contracts between the Company and these offshore clients expire periodically, and management anticipates that its offshore clients will renew the contracts.

The Company receives additional revenue from several sources including custodial fee revenues, mailroom operations, and investment income.

For a discussion of critical accounting policies that the Company follows, please refer to the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2010. As discussed in Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company has adopted certain recently issued financial accounting pronouncements.

The Company’s balance sheet includes assets whose fair value is subject to market risks. Due to the Company’s investments in equity securities, equity price fluctuations represent a market risk factor affecting the Company’s consolidated financial position. The carrying values of investments subject to equity price risks are based on quoted market prices or, if not actively traded, management’s estimate of fair value as of the balance sheet date. Market prices fluctuate, and the amount realized in the subsequent sale of an investment may differ significantly from the reported market value.

The Company’s investment activities are reviewed and monitored by Company compliance personnel, and various reports are provided to certain investment advisory clients. Written procedures are in place to manage compliance with the code of ethics and other policies affecting the Company’s investment practices.

The table below summarizes the Company’s equity price risks as of December 31, 2010, and shows the effects of a hypothetical 25 percent increase and a 25 percent decrease in market prices.

The selected hypothetical changes do not reflect what could be considered best- or worst-case scenarios. Results could be significantly different due to both the nature of equity markets and the concentration of the Company’s investment portfolio.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2010, was conducted under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2010.

There has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the three months ended December 31, 2010, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

For a discussion of risk factors which could affect the Company, please refer to Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2010. There has been no material changes since fiscal year end to the risk factors listed therein.

1. Exhibits –